The oppressive magical pressure vanished with her departure, leaving the backyard feeling incredibly quiet and empty.

Ren stood there for a moment, enjoying the morning sun on his face as he stretched his arms over his head, hearing his shoulders pop satisfyingly.

He turned around to face his group.

Mandy was already sprinting back inside the inn, shouting something about securing the expensive tea sets.

Lyra was holding Kala’s hand, looking completely bewildered but incredibly excited and ready to head back to the bakery to pack their meager belongings.

Then there was Eternia.

The Snakekin was standing near the oak tree with her head bowed, staring intensely at the dirt.

Her shoulders were slumped, and the lethal terrifying aura she had projected moments ago had entirely collapsed into a puddle of quiet, crushing misery.

Moving into that woman’s house felt like a profound defeat.

She had failed to protect her territory... She had failed to kill the intruder and now, she was going to be forced to live under the roof of her greatest rival for her Master’s affection.

Ren recognized the spiraling depression immediately. He sighed quietly, walking over to her.

He didn’t say anything at first. He just reached out, placing his hand firmly on the top of her messy dark hair giving it a gentle, reassuring ruffle.

Eternia flinched slightly, looking up at him through her bangs.

Her golden eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. "Master... I am sorry. I failed to cut her. I am weak."

"You aren’t weak, Eternia," Ren corrected calmly, his tone level and honest. "Astrid is a seasoned A-rank mage who specializes in Twilight manipulation. The fact that you got within two feet of her neck before she reacted is a testament to your speed. You did fine."

Eternia sniffled, the praise warming her chest slightly but the core issue remained. "But... we are moving to her nest. She will try to take you."

"She’s offering us a heavily fortified mansion for free," Ren stated. "It’s an upgrade isn’t it? Better food, better beds, better training grounds for you and Lyra. It’s not a defeat, it’s a promotion in my point of view."

Ren removed his hand from her head, stepping slightly closer so only she could hear him.

His crimson eyes softened, locking onto her devastated golden ones.

"Besides," Ren murmured. "The move happens today but tonight? Tonight is our date. Just you and me... I haven’t forgotten my promise."

The words acted like a supreme high-tier healing spell.

The misery vanished from Eternia’s face in an instant. Her golden slit-pupils dilated massively, filling with a bright surge of ecstatic joy.

Her Master hadn’t forgotten! The blonde woman might be getting them a house, but she was getting the date!

"Truly?!" Eternia gasped, her hands flying up to clasp together in front of her chest.

"Truly," Ren confirmed, patting her shoulder. "So go pack your things. The faster we get moved into the manor, the sooner we can head out to the date."

Eternia’s mood executed a flawless blindingly fast 180-degree flip.

"Yes, Master!" Eternia saluted sharply.

She turned on her heel and sprinted toward the back door of the inn, moving even faster than when she had tried to assassinate Astrid.

She needed to pack her daggers, polish her boots, and figure out exactly which hidden sheaths would best compliment her outfit for the evening.

Ren watched her go and he looked around the empty, slightly battered training yard one last time, taking in the splintered wood and the crushed grass.

It had been a good starting point, but he was moving on to bigger and better things.

"Alright," Ren said to himself, turning to walk toward the inn. "Time to go own a mansion."

...

The transition from the noisy cramped commercial district to the serene opulence of Astelvern’s upper ring felt like crossing into an entirely different dimension.

Ren walked at the front of his small entourage with his hands resting comfortably in the pockets of his charcoal-grey coat.

Behind him, Lyra held tightly to Kala’s hand, her auburn hair blowing gently in the wind as her eyes darted nervously across the pristine white marble walls and quiet streets.

Mandy brought up the rear, lugging their hastily packed bags while trying desperately to maintain the dignified posture expected of a proper Crowhurst butler.

At Ren’s side walked Eternia.

The Snakekin was silent, her golden slit-pupils constantly scanning the shadows, the rooftops, and the passing elite city guards.

She was highly alert, treating the wealthy neighborhood like a hostile dungeon floor.

They finally arrived at Astrid’s residence.

From the quiet cobblestone street, it didn’t look like an imposing, sprawling fortress.

It simply looked like a highly refined, tasteful noble home.

A short set of pristine stone steps led up to a heavy oak double door flanked by soft, glowing magical lamps.

It was the exact same porch where Ren had left her thoroughly flustered the night before.

"Woah..." Kala breathed out, her small hands gripping her sister’s arm.

Lyra swallowed hard, looking at the elegant stone facade and feeling entirely out of place in her worn leather armor.

"Master... are you sure about this? We are commoners. Living in a place like this..."

"You are my subordinates," Ren corrected smoothly, not looking back. "That gives you the right to be wherever I am."

Ren walked up the short stone steps. Before his knuckles could even rap against the wood, the heavy oak doors pulled inward silently.

Astrid stood in the foyer waiting for them.

She had changed out of her heavy combat robes and was now wearing a stunning elegant dark blue dress that hugged her curves flawlessly.

Her golden hair cascaded down her shoulders, and a warm incredibly welcoming smile graced her beautiful features.

"Welcome to my home, Ren," Astrid said, stepping aside to reveal the interior.

The modest exterior was a complete illusion.

The inside of the manor was a sprawling breathtaking masterpiece of noble architecture.

A massive crystal chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling, casting a warm, fractured light across the polished marble floors.

A grand, sweeping staircase covered in plush crimson velvet led up to the second floor.

The hallways seemed to stretch far deeper than the outside of the building suggested.

Mandy dropped the bags and the heavy thud echoed in the foyer.

The butler dropped to his knees right there on the marble floor with his hands covering his mouth as tears of joy spilled from his eyes.

’It’s like the Crowhurst Estate...’ He thought.

Mandy looked down the right-side hallway, catching a glimpse of the manor’s kitchen.

It was massive featuring a long island of polished granite, enchanted temperature-controlled ovens, and rows upon rows of pristine high-carbon steel cookware.

"A real kitchen..." Mandy wept openly. "Enchanted stoves... Proper ventilation... I am in heaven."

Astrid laughed.

"I take it, he approves."

"He’s a very dramatic man," Ren sighed.

He stepped fully into the manor, soaking in the concentrated mana of the estate.

The wards here were dense, isolating the noise of the city completely. It was incredibly comfortable.

"Meow~"

A soft, lazy sound drew Ren’s attention to a velvet-lined mahogany side table near the staircase.

Lying flat on its back, completely devoid of any survival instincts or proper posture was an incredibly fat dark-furred cat with glowing green eyes.

The creature looked up at Ren, blinked slowly, and then let out a massive yawn, exposing tiny sharp teeth before resting its heavy head back down.

"Ah, this is Chesnu," Astrid introduced, walking over and gently scratching the familiar under its chin. "As I said earlier, he mostly just sleeps. He is technically supposed to be guarding the perimeter, but he prefers the velvet."

Ren walked over to the table. He looked down at the fat cat, completely respecting the creature’s entire philosophy on life.

Why guard a perimeter when you could sleep on expensive furniture inside a warded mansion?

Ren reached out, his long fingers finding the exact spot right behind Chesnu’s ears.

He applied a firm scratch and the cat’s glowing green eyes widened slightly in approval as a loud rumbling purr erupted from its chest as it leaned heavily into Ren’s hand.

"Meow~"

"I like him," Ren decided.

Astrid beamed, thrilled that Ren was getting along with her familiar so quickly.

"Chesnu, be a good boy and show Ren to his room. The master guest suite upstairs on the left."

"Meow!"

Chesnu let out a grumpy protesting meow, clearly annoyed at being tasked with manual labor.

However, after a stern look from Astrid, the fat cat rolled over, hopped down from the table with a heavy thud, and began waddling up the grand velvet staircase with its tail twitching lazily.

"I’ll get settled in," Ren said, following the cat.

He glanced back over his shoulder at his subordinates. "Mandy, take our bags to the designated rooms once you’re done crying. Lyra, keep an eye on Kala."

"Yes, Master!" Lyra replied earnestly.

Eternia immediately took a step forward to follow Ren up the stairs, her golden eyes fixed on his back.

"Actually, Eternia," Astrid spoke up, her voice polite but carrying the unmistakable weight of a Vice Guild Leader. "Could you and Lyra join me in the parlor for a moment? I would like to have a quick chat with the two of you."

Eternia stopped on the bottom step.

She slowly turned her head with her hand instinctively drifting toward the hidden daggers strapped to her thigh as she glared at the blonde mage, fully expecting an ambush or an eviction notice.

Ren paused on the stairs, looking down at the brewing tension.

He didn’t intervene.

He was genuinely curious to see how Astrid planned to handle her... With a casual shrug, Ren continued following the waddling cat up to the second floor.

The master guest suite was nothing short of spectacular.

Ren pushed the heavy oak door open and stepped inside.

The room was larger than the entire first floor of the inn they had just abandoned.

A massive, four-poster bed draped in expensive silk sheets dominated the center of the room.

A large stone fireplace crackled warmly against the far wall, and a set of heavy glass doors led out to a private balcony overlooking a glowing interior courtyard.

It was the peak of comfort.

’Man... I love being babied by older women.’

The exact moment Ren stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind him, his vision violently illuminated with several translucent blue screens.

『Territorial Infiltration Successful!』

『You have successfully occupied the primary residence of the Hero’s direct bloodline!』

『The psychological disrespect of this action is immeasurable. The Heavens look upon your audacity with profound awe... Jace is currently shivering in a damp room, completely unaware that his nemesis is testing the bounce of his aunt’s guest bed.』

『SP Awarded: 25,000』

『Title Gained: Mother-In-Law’s Favorite』

『Title Description: A psychological warfare title. While inside the residence of a target’s family member, your natural mana regeneration increases by 50% and all physical fatigue is passively drained away. You truly are the ultimate leech!』

’This god really does reward the most unhinged behavior.’ Ren muttered, swiping the screens away.

He walked over to the massive bed and threw himself backward onto the mattress.

The expensive silk sheets and enchanted feather mattress swallowed him in a cloud of unbelievable comfort.

He stared up at the painted ceiling, feeling the immediate soothing effects of his new title washing over his veins.

Taking over Jace’s family estate while actively stealing fifty percent of the hero’s hard-earned experience points was undeniably the greatest job in the world!

...

Downstairs, the atmosphere in the parlor was incredibly tense.

The parlor was a beautiful expansive room lined with towering bookshelves and plush velvet seating.

Astrid sat gracefully on a high-backed armchair with a delicate porcelain teacup resting in her hands.

Sitting directly across from her on a long sofa were Eternia, Lyra, and Kala.

Lyra was sitting rigidly on the edge of the cushions, feeling entirely out of her depth in the presence of so much wealth.

Kala was swinging her legs, blissfully unaware of the magical pressure in the room.

Eternia, however, was sitting perfectly still.

Her posture was coiled with her golden slit-pupils tracking every micro-movement Astrid made.

She was a coiled spring, ready to strike the moment the blonde woman made a hostile move.

Astrid took a slow sip of her tea.

She set the cup down on the saucer with a soft clink, leaning back and resting her hands neatly in her lap.

"Alright, let’s just put all our cards on the table," Astrid began. "I am Astrid, Vice Guild Leader of the Twilight Guild. And, as of this morning... I’m going to be Ren’s wife."

The declaration landed like a heavy boulder.

SCREEECH!

The sound of sharp claws violently tearing through expensive fabric echoed in the parlor.

Eternia’s fingers had dug directly into the armrest of the sofa, shredding the velvet.

She visibly ground her fangs together with her jaw clenched so tight the muscles in her neck bulged.

Lyra gasped quietly, her eyes darting between the furious Snakekin and the unbothered Vice Guild Leader.

"He has not given you a ring," Eternia hissed. "You are just a host and Master belongs to no one."

Astrid didn’t flinch at the venom.

She fully expected resistance so she smiled softly, crossing her legs.

"Look, I know how this works, Eternia. Ren is a free spirit, and he’s ridiculously strong. Guys with that kind of potential? They always end up drawing a crowd. I’ve read enough romance novels and honestly, seen enough politics to know that trying to lock a guy like him in a cage just doesn’t work out."

Astrid leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees dropping all the formal pretense.

"I’m actually totally fine if you two end up as his wives or girlfriends or whatever you want to call it later down the line..." Astrid said while being completely deadpan.

Lyra choked on her own spit. A violent, blazing red blush exploded across her freckled face. "W-Wives?! Us?! I—we—Master is just my teacher! He saved my sister!"

Astrid just smiled warmly at the flustered Sub-Heroine.

"Sure, for now. but loyalty forged in salvation is pretty intense, Lyra. You’re living under his roof, you’re training with him every day... I’m just being realistic about where this is probably going..."

Eternia, however, was not flustered. She was bewildered.

The Snakekin tilted her head with her killer intent faltering as she tried to process the blonde woman’s completely casual logic.

"You... you are okay with sharing him? You don’t want to kick us out?"

"Why would I kick out the people he trusts the most?" Astrid asked, raising an eyebrow. "That would just make him mad at me. Look, I just want him to be happy and strong. If having you guys around keeps him happy, I’m all for it."

Astrid leaned back.

"But just so we’re clear... I’m going to be the one running this house. I’ll be the main wife. I manage the estate, I handle the finances, and I make the big calls. As long as we get that straight, we’re going to get along great. Sound good?"

Eternia stared at Astrid.

The sheer confidence of the woman was staggering. She wasn’t fighting for exclusive possession like a normal, jealous noblewoman; she was essentially claiming the position of Head Manager.

For the first time since meeting her, Eternia’s murderous hostility lowered by a fraction.

If this blonde woman wasn’t going to stand in the way of Eternia staying by her Master’s side, then she wasn’t an immediate enemy.

She was just a rival for the top spot.

Before Eternia could formulate a response, a harsh sound interrupted the heavy silence.

Cough! Cough! Hack!

Little Kala suddenly doubled over, clutching her chest as a deep sickly rattle tore from her small lungs.

She coughed violently with her small frame shaking as she struggled to pull in a clean breath.

"Kala!" Lyra panicked instantly, dropping to her knees on the rug and pulling her sister into her arms. "Hey, look at me, breathe slowly! It’s okay, I’m right here!"

The lingering sickness... Even after giving her the suppressants... She was still in pain.

Astrid’s managerial demeanor vanished instantly as she stood up quickly, crossing the parlor in three long strides.

She knelt down next to Lyra on the plush rug.

"Let me see her."

"I-It’s a chronic lung affliction," Lyra stammered with tears pricking her eyes as Kala continued to hack painfully. "The healers in the lower district said the damage to her mana veins was permanent."

"Lower district healers don’t know what they’re talking about..." Astrid stated bluntly.

She reached out, placing her warm glowing hands directly over the center of Kala’s small chest.

Astrid closed her eyes with her brow furrowing in deep concentration.

VWOOM!

The parlor was suddenly bathed in a breathtaking blinding mixture of colors.

Pure, radiant holy magic intertwined flawlessly with deep dense purple twilight mana.

Astrid utilized Twilight Purge which was a highly advanced restorative spell.

The twilight mana sank deep into Kala’s chest, forcefully isolating and crushing the sickly polluted mana clinging to the child’s lungs, while the holy magic rushed in behind it, rapidly regenerating the damaged tissue and sealing the veins.

The process took less than thirty seconds.

Astrid slowly pulled her hands back as the blinding magic faded into the air like glowing dust.

Kala’s violent coughing stopped immediately.

The little girl blinked, her chest rising and falling effortlessly.

She took a deep clear breath of air without a single rattle or hitch in her lungs as the sickly pallor of her skin was instantly replaced by a vibrant flush.

"I can breathe," Kala whispered as her eyes went wide with wonder. "It doesn’t hurt anymore."

Lyra let out a loud, shattering sob of sheer relief.

She pulled Kala into a crushing hug, burying her face in her sister’s hair.

Lyra turned her tear-streaked face toward Astrid. "Thank you. Oh, Goddess, thank you so much. I... I owe you my life."

Astrid smiled softly reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair from Kala’s forehead.

"You owe me nothing, Lyra. You’re part of Ren’s household now... That means you’re under my protection too."

Sitting on the sofa, Eternia watched the entire exchange with wide golden eyes.

’I see...’