The wagon was worth it even if it is used only to sleep in. The comfort is much better than an irregular ground. And having a cover works wonders for those with privacy concerns.

Well, everyone sleeping inside is not a human, but there is one smug smile I would really pass. "Good morning, Zahariel."

"Hey, Beowulf, how was the night?"

"It is very good to sleep in the wagon, thank you."

Kochuraerc listens to my voice and comes to me. "It is morning, human. Where is the flaming troll?"

"I have to go change..." I mumble out loud.

"Why don't you change right there?" A wild talking Marcy head appears! No, she is just peeking from behind the wagon's cover.

"But I'm shy."

"There is a big advantage of showing your transformation for us in a controlled situation. What if there is a crisis and you have to transform right away? We don't know what to expect." She says with a hint of a tongue-in-cheek attitude. But there is a good point there. If nobody knows what happens when I change, they won't be able to react.

"You can talk me down to do anything, right?" I make my final plea.

"That is yet to be determined..." She opens a big grin. "Besides, the big fiery guy there is suspicious. Look at him. If you change in front of him, he will acknowledge you faster. And he is not wearing anything either." She points at Kochuraerc's nether regions.

Helen's voice comes from inside the wagon, "Marcy, stop teasing our fiancee!"

"Fine, I'll just do it." I just store my clothes from over my body. Instant undressing. I walk a few steps into a more open place, sit down and cancel the skill.

"Wow. I want my breakfast back." I only hear Zahariel joking.

Five minutes later and I am Grendel once again. I stand up and walk to face Kochuraerc in the eyes. Yup, he is a bit bigger than me.

"So it is true," says the gorilla warrior.

"Yup. I'm Grendel. Nice to meet you again, mighty Kochuraerc."

"I want to see this 'flaming troll' with my very eyes."

On the other side of the rocky area, the other gorillas are staring at me with a mix of hatred and fear. "Come, let's go to a place where we won't break anything."

We go to a rocky plateau with nothing around.

"Here we will fight. Not to the death as you said."

"I don't want to kill a valuable subordinate on the day he joins. You can come at me first."

"Aaaaagh!" With a shattering warcry, Kochuraerc comes at me.

"Title set: Fortress!" I set my waist lower to receive his blows. He punches me once, twice. His fists catch on fire. Three, four. His gnarling mouth spits on me. It hurts but is not enough to get me to move a foot.

"Raaargh!" He headbutts me. I am momentarily dizzy and I finally take a step back.

"My turn. {Immolation Aura}!" I cast the spell at the lowest setting and set my entire body on fire. It is only for show so I don't need to kill myself, but I can still feel the blisters forming on my skin. He punches me once more but I knock his arm to the side and counter with a straight punch at his exposed chin. He stumbles back and growls.

I roar at him and use a stunning shout. He flinches and drops his guard. Seizing the opportunity, I dive under his arm and use my shoulder as a leverage point to do an overhead throw. The fire gorilla's back hits the hard rock with a thump but I do not let go of his wrist. Imitating a move I saw in a Steve Seagull movie I twist his wrist and immobilize him.

"Stand still or you will break your arm." I threaten him with the full pressure of my intimidating aura.

"I yield, mighty burning troll. My strength and my people are yours."

Title monkey count upgraded to monkey duke. Reduces aggression from feral monkey monsters and increase the loyalty of monkey-type subordinates. Job Monster Tamer unlocked.

"Flame Fist tribe, gather!" I command my new subordinates. The female gorillas approach carefully. Kochuraerc stands up by my side. "We travel south. I have a domain where my other subordinates are waiting for us. There it will be safe to raise your children and there our tribe will prosper. But first, our rules.

Regarding corpses of defeated monsters, I want the pemadras. This will be my tax as a leader.

Food is to be shared among everyone. Especially the weak, sick or wounded. Those are to receive the first share of food and are to be nursed back to health.

People are not to be attacked unless they attack first. Even if they attack, retreat. Someone must run back to warn us of incoming humans.

Anything that smells of humans is to be brought to me.

Anything made of metal that is found around is to be brought to me.

(We already have goblins. I need a new sixth rule.) Shraaizar, Helen and Marcy are my lieutenants.

Strong monsters are also to be avoided. Come and warn me.

If I am not available, the lieutenants' orders are to be obeyed.

Infighting is forbidden. If some dispute arises, consult with me or a lieutenant.

I may change or make new rules anytime.

Engrave those rules in your minds at all times. You too, Mittens!"

"Tic (okay, as long as you feed me)!"

"Amazing. What did you just said, G?" Marcy comes to my right side and taps my thigh.

I crouch next to the girl, "I think I'll have to teach you the monster language."

Marcy reaches out with her hands and caresses my cheeks, "What was I thinking? Am I contaminated with Helen's craziness?" She presses her forehead against my nose, "It is scary, but warm at the same time. Are those teeth meant to eat people? Can I still kiss these lips? It is awkward. I don't know if I will be kissed or eaten. Even your breathing is too strong."

"I know that things happened too fast and it will take time to adjust. But this is still me. The same me as yesterday. My feelings won't change." I reach and pat the back of her head.

She takes some distance, looks at me in the eyes with a smile on her face, kisses my nose, and says, "You know, for a big fat liar like you, your body surely is honest."

"Huh?"

She says in a singing voice, "It is breezy somewhere..." before putting her tongue out and leaving. I've been had.

"I think it is better if I put some clothes," I say to no one in particular.

I leave Kochuraerc with the mission of explaining the rules to the rest of his troop, dress up and go find Helen. She was behind some rocks training her pets.

"Hey, love, what are you up to?" I had to suppress hard the urge to call her 'honey'.

"Training coordination, teamwork, and discipline. Nothing big," She takes the time to look at me, "You are worried about something, what is it?"

"It is Marcy. Do you talk to her?"

"All the time, because some boy I know is lacking in the words department, you know?" She says half joking and half serious. "What is up with Marcy?"

"She came to me with doubts, fears. Something about my teeth and not knowing if she would be either eaten or kissed."

"What else happened?"

"She kissed me, teased me about being naked and hightailed it out of there."

Helen rolls her eyes, takes a deep breath and asks, "Why were you naked? Nevermind. You were probably fighting Kochuraerc. Naked. On fire. Wrestling a naked gorilla on fire while naked and on fire." She lets out a faint snort and completes, "Troll style."

"And about Marcy?"

"Why don't you tell me what you think? For a change. Why did she show her soft side? Why would Marcy tease the deadliest monster she ever met and then run? No idea?"

"No, I am really confused."

"Sit down," I do as she ordered and Helen comes right next to me, just like Marcy. But this time she stepped on my leg. She continues in a theatrical voice, "Oh, Grendel, what sharp teeth you have! I wonder if you will either kiss me or eat me?" She finishes with a provocative tone. Not very Helen-like.

I got what she meant. I may be naive and still inexperienced but I'm not a complete idiot. I think. Actually, it is hard to think right now. The offensive power of Helen went off the charts.

"I think I should go looking for Marcy. Finish your drills here and I'll meet you near the wagon."

"Good hunting, deadliest monster!"

After some searching I found Marcy throwing rocks in a nearby creek.

"I think this creek is already very dead. Didn't you get the Exp message?"

"It is still running away."

"Running away? I have to catch it then!" I scoop her from behind and end up with a one-armed bridal carry.

"Whoa! Put me down!" She protests, but I am not pinning her. It would be a simple matter if she really wanted to get down.

"No. Me hunts human girl, now human girl mine! Human girl must obey orders!" I make a terrible cavemen impersonation.

"And what are your orders, my captor?"

"I want to know more about Marcy. The real Marcy. I want to know what she likes so I can get it for her. What she fears so I can keep it away from her. And I order you to not get away from me the whole day because it feels so good to hold you."

After that, we spent a good chunk of the morning talking about us and what we liked. Her favorite food is grilled butter rabbit with rosemary. I have butter but no rosemary. Maybe Helen knows where to get some. It is a complicated relationship. We have only awakened to it three days ago, there is this whole love triangle thing with Helen in the middle, but I really want this relationship to work. Marcy is not only a stunning body but an honest, practical, devoted and most of all smart person.

"But I was enraptured when you invited me to join you in that bath."

"I did not invite you! I said 'get out or get in, but don't stand there with the door open!' The cold draft from the door was going to kill me!"

"Was it so? I must admit that my memories of that event are very hazy. I just remember that there were a lot of steam and the two most beautiful girls I've ever seen."

"You were looking at me like a hungry wolf!"

"No, it was you that came onto me and... rubbed..."

"Speak up, I can't understand you."

"I think I need a refresher!"

"Kya!"

That very moment Helen's voice come from behind us, "Are you two going to spend the whole day fooling around there?" There is a faint sour undertone in her voice.

"Marcy, I think someone was eavesdropping on us."

"Guilty! Get her!" Helen begins to run away.

Helen's monster tamer job increased her agility by a great amount, but there is no way she would be able to get away from me. She wasn't even trying for real. It was more of a 'catch me if you can' game. I reach her easily and pick her up on my left arm. The saying 'a flower on each hand' never held so true.

"It was you that told me to come and talk to Marcy, what is the matter?"

"You said you would come to pick her up and 'meet me by the wagon'! And you left me there waiting all this time! I come to see what were you up to and you are here alone with Marcy."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't leave me behind again!"

"Okay. What would you ladies want to do now? Should we host a language training session, stay here and laze all day or resume travel?"

"The snow is coming soon. We need to get past Hershey's Bluff before they hit or we will be severely delayed. I can feel it."Helen uses her druidic senses to give a rudimentary forecast.

"Travel it is then." I return to the main clearing and summon everyone. "Listen up. We are traveling south, and we need to make up for the lost morning. Kochuraerc, put all the foraged food into the wagon, take care not to burn it."

After everyone has gathered their stuff in the wagon, I store the vehicle in the item box.

"Where is Zahariel?" Marcy asks.

"I haven't seen him since I transformed. Hold, his HP is down. Is he fighting?"

Helen takes the lead, "I'll send the bees looking for him."

"Big G, put us down, please!" Sounds like a good idea. This is a crisis situation, there is no time for cuddling.

Marcy climbs the rock cliff where the wagon was at, Helen is giving her minions orders and Kochuraerc approaches me.

"Are we looking for the tiny human children, leader?"

"Yes. Do you know where he is?"

"He walked off into the wilderness, away from the human road."

"Is every one of the flame fist accounted for?" The flame fists are composed of Kochuraerc, five females and twenty-one orphan children of mixed genders and age.

"Yes, we are ready to go into battle. Command us."

"My command for you is to protect the infants. Make sure that all of the tribe is safe. Do not attack enemies. Call for me. Party invite: Kochuraerc!"

Kochuraerc has joined your party! Skill Party / Job Management level 6 obtained. {Tactical Options} unlocked. Tactical Map enabled. Party members displayed in standard colors.

Something really good came out. And finally I could confirm that pure monsters can also join in the party. Helen's pets couldn't be invited on their own.