Owen stared blankly at the scene before him.
What's wrong with these people?
"Well, well, well! It turns out you really are a master." Viscount Lewis's face darkened. "I haven't had a chance to fight in person for a long time."
"What does this have to do with me?" Owen felt utterly wronged.
Are these people insane?
He hadn't done anything, yet they were shoving another huge blame onto him.
"Shut up!" Viscount Lewis roared, "Cheetah, eat him."
The next moment, a massive crocodile charged in through a hidden door.
It was nearly three meters tall, and its enormous teeth still had dark red flesh clinging to them!
Without hesitation, the crocodile opened its bloody maw and lunged straight at Owen.
Oh my god.
This time, he was truly dead for sure.
Owen had never seen such a terrifying sight. He shut his eyes tightly, unable to understand why a crocodile would be named Cheetah!
In a flash, the crocodile's mouth was already over Owen's head.
Owen could even feel the light around him dimming.
Suddenly, the crocodile froze.
It locked eyes with the rabbit in Owen's arms.
The rabbit, White, let out a soft, cold snort. Mimicking Avel's posture, it spoke in the silent arcane beast language: "Get lost, or I'll skin you and use your hide to make shoes!"
An indescribable aura of dominance erupted from White's small body.
The crocodile suddenly recoiled in panic.
Ignoring Viscount Lewis's furious commands, it fled like the wind, vanishing without a trace.
Owen was dumbfounded.
So that's why it's called Cheetah—because it runs fast!
Viscount Lewis's face had turned ashen, beyond words.
He was even more shaken internally.
"That aura from Owen just now was absolutely terrifying! Far stronger than mine, and even my family's arcane beast fled without resistance."
"No, I absolutely cannot provoke this person."
"Wait, I'm such a fool! I was too blinded by anger and forgot that even His Majesty the Emperor visited Owen personally, not to mention Pablo from Crossbridge!"
"Doesn't that prove Owen's ordinary identity is just a disguise? He must be a supreme master."
With this realization, Viscount Lewis suddenly forced a smile.
The look in his eyes towards Owen softened instantly.
Owen felt goosebumps rise all over under his gaze, clutching his chest as he took two steps back.
"Why is this old pervert smiling at me?!"
"Father, why are you smiling at him?" Young Lord Lewis couldn't help but shout, "He's good-looking, but you're a straight-laced lord!"
"Don't talk nonsense," Viscount Lewis reprimanded. "This was all just a misunderstanding. Come with me and apologize to Mr. Owen."
Young Lord Lewis was utterly confused.
Owen's confusion was even greater.
But Owen knew he absolutely could not show weakness at this moment!
Although he had no idea what had caused this fierce and bizarre lord to change his mind, Owen understood this might be his only chance to survive.
Watching the father and son bow and apologize to him, Owen forced himself to say, "Mm, since you know it was a misunderstanding, that's good. I still need to get home and cook, so there's no need to see me out."
He quickly strode towards the door, and just as he was about to exit, he feared being ambushed from behind again. So, he abruptly turned to glare at the two of them.
The father and son stared back.
They looked at each other wide-eyed.
Owen cleared his throat twice, feeling it would be inappropriate not to say something.
Since he was being treated as a master, he might as well act like one, imitating the demeanor of the experts from TV shows in his past life. With a calm expression, he said, "Don't bully others so easily in the future. Remember, everyone is equal."
"We should enjoy life, not fight and struggle. Happiness is the most valuable treasure."
Viscount Lewis was stunned.
He had never heard such words before.
Since childhood, their family's teachings had been that strength ruled all, and the weak were slaves to the strong.
"Father, his… his head…" Young Lord Lewis gasped, whispering, "Am I seeing things?"
Just as Owen said, "Happiness is the most valuable treasure," a faint, illusory halo appeared above his head.
Around the halo, grapes, wheat stalks, apples, and other crops circled, while a chalice-like vessel shimmered faintly.
Viscount Lewis's eyes widened in disbelief.
He stammered, "Wine, the symbol of the Goddess of Wine?"
"Wine?" Owen hadn't quite heard him clearly. Thinking the viscount wanted a drink, as a pub owner, Owen always carried a bottle of homemade brew.
So, Owen took out a bottle, intending to hand it to Viscount Lewis.
But Viscount Lewis's hand shook, and the bottle fell to the ground, shattering.
The dark red wine spilled everywhere.
The fragrance of wine, brewed from mana-infused fruits, instantly filled the entire hall.
At that moment, the injured mages and knights lying on the ground felt an inexplicable sense of joy in their hearts.
They smiled contentedly.
Thinking back on their lives of constant fighting, they realized how meaningless it all was.
The Lewis father and son, being closest to the wine, felt their very souls tremble.
"You're right!" Young Lord Lewis exclaimed. "We shouldn't bully others."
"What a profound truth. Happiness… happiness is what we should pursue in life." Viscount Lewis gazed obsessively at the ever-growing phantom behind Owen. "You must be the Goddess of Wine's messenger in the mortal realm!"
"From today on, we will change our ways and become new people."
"We will abandon our past violent behaviors and spread your philosophy of joy, bringing happiness to all our people."
Owen could only feel the viscount's gaze becoming stranger.
And what were those shimmering lights around him?
He looked around but saw nothing.
"Alright, since you want happiness, I'll teach you a song for spreading joy," Owen said, thinking that if they stopped bullying others and sang songs every day, it would be a good deed.
"Please wait, I'll summon our family musicians," Viscount Lewis said. "Neither of us is good at singing."
"No need, this song is easy to learn."
When the Lewis family musicians arrived, Owen began teaching them the Canción de Palmas Felices.
The tune was lively, and although no one understood the lyrics, they could still memorize them with effort.
Soon, the entire hall echoed with the Lewis family's chorus.
"Si eres feliz y lo sabes, aplaude así. Clap, clap, clap!"
"Si eres feliz y lo sabes, patea así. Stomp, stomp, stomp!"
Everyone sang again and again, becoming more and more joyful.
Even those who were injured felt their wounds hurting less.
Amidst this joyful atmosphere, the sacred artifacts representing the Goddess of Wine's authority behind Owen suddenly burst into dazzling colors.
The radiance expanded, rising into the sky.
At that moment, everyone in the Azul Kingdom saw it.
In the sky.
A magnificent chalice appeared, seemingly filled with fine wine. Bountiful grapes, ripe wheat stalks, juicy apples, and various ingredients used in winemaking circled around it.
The air seemed to be filled with the faint aroma of wine.
Seeing this, no matter what people were doing, a faint sense of happiness welled up in their hearts.
"That's the divine authority of a god!!!"
"It's the Goddess of Wine! Could it be that the Goddess of Wine has descended to the mortal realm?"
"No, it must be the Goddess of Wine's messenger. Legend has it that the Goddess of Wine is the deity of joy and celebration! I need to go see what's happening."
"Hurry, let's set out immediately."
For a moment, the entire empire was in an uproar.
Everyone was saying the Goddess of Wine had sent a messenger to bring joy back to the mortal realm.
It wasn't just the Azul Kingdom. In a distant land, the radiance Owen unintentionally released also caught the attention of many.
It was a vast plain.
The plain was dotted with Temples of All Gods, large and small, of various designs, each dedicated to different deities.
In one of the most dilapidated Temples of All Gods, which hadn't seen a single worshiper in years, and whose steps were covered in dust, two young attendants held an old silver chalice, staring wide-eyed at the distant sky.
"No way, isn't that the symbol of our Goddess of Wine?"
"Could it be… no… is it possible… I'm not dreaming, am I?!"
The two of them exchanged glances and shouted in unison.
"Priestess!"
"Hurry, come out and see the Goddess of Wine!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?" A tall blonde woman stepped out. She wore a veil, and though her priest's robe was tattered, it was meticulously clean.
When this priestess of the Goddess of Wine looked up at the distant sky, she was completely stunned. A moment later, her eyes filled with tears.
"Yes, it's the symbol of the Goddess of Wine. She hasn't forgotten her followers. She's finally sent a messenger to the mortal realm."
"Let's go, we must set off immediately!"
"We have to be the first to find the messenger of the Goddess of Wine."
It wasn't just this one Temple of the Goddess of Wine. All the scattered Temples of the Goddess of Wine and every follower across the continent began mobilizing.
They were too excited.
In an age when the belief in the Goddess of Wine was waning, and some even doubted that the Goddess of Wine still existed, these devout followers had seen hope once more.
One after another, they began their journeys towards the Azul Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Owen had no idea that he had caused such a huge commotion.
He couldn't even see the divine miracles that others saw.
After singing the Happy Clap Song a few times, the Lewis father and son looked as if they had undergone some kind of spiritual cleansing.
Even their expressions seemed much kinder.
They insisted on showering Owen with a heap of gifts, and then sent him back home in the most comfortable carriage available, bowing respectfully all the way.
Owen watched them transform into this new state.
He found it both strange and deeply satisfying.
And so, after this bizarre outing, Owen returned home with loads of gifts.
"This is pretty amusing." Owen yawned. "People in this other world are great at listening to advice."
"I hope the Lewis father and son really do turn over a new leaf."
Feeling a bit tired, he made some mashed potatoes and steamed a few links of his homemade sausages for dinner.
To comfort White, the rabbit who had been kidnapped along with him and was still trembling with fear, Owen thoughtfully made it a chicken breast salad.
White ate the food Owen had specially prepared for it, and looked at the cat with a smug expression in its eyes.
What Owen didn't know was...
The Lewis father and son didn't sleep at all that night.
The next morning, in the center of Gleam Town, a grand marble statue appeared.
The statue depicted a figure holding a silver chalice in one hand and a cluster of grapes in the other. It was modeled after the Goddess of Wine from legend, but the face was made to resemble Owen's.
Looking at the gathered townspeople, Viscount Lewis announced:
"From today onward, our town will officially worship the Goddess of Wine. Everyone should be happy and avoid conflict."
"All taxes for this year are halved. Those struggling to make a living can come here to receive food and wine."
"I'm going to allocate some land from the manor estate. You can plant grapes, wheat, apples, and other ingredients used in winemaking. I'll provide the seeds for free, and you can keep half of what you harvest."
The townsfolk looked at each other, unable to believe such good fortune.
Was Viscount Lewis possessed by some strange, rebellious spirit?
This was completely unlike him.
But when a few brave townsfolk stepped forward to claim seeds and were actually given large plots of fertile land, others began to get restless.
The Lewis father and son exchanged a glance. Deep in their hearts, they felt a sense of lightness and joy.
"So this is how enjoyable it is to do good," Viscount Lewis sighed. "This is far better than robbing and bullying people."
"Father, I feel happy too."
"From now on, we must do more good deeds!"
And so, rumors spread that the lord of Gleam Town had been possessed by some eccentric spirit and was now running around doing good deeds everywhere, a complete reversal of his previous nature.
Owen returned to his mountain home and enjoyed a few more peaceful days.
Some of the fruits and vegetables in his garden ripened.
Owen spent several days processing and storing them.
Today, he picked a bunch of ripe apples, planning to make a delicious batch of apple cider.
As he was cleaning the apples, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps outside the garden.
Looking up, he saw a child he didn't recognize.
The child was filthy from head to toe.
"M-Mr. Owen?" the child asked timidly. "Are you Mr. Owen, Cinderella's friend?"
"Yes, that's me." Owen suddenly remembered seeing this child in town before—apparently a friend of Cinderella.
"Please, you have to save her!" The child burst into tears.
Owen was startled.
He hurriedly asked what had happened.
"Waaah, early this morning before dawn, Cinderella said she was going out to work. But just as she left, I heard a scream."
"I ran over and saw a monster cloaked in black smoke swallow her whole!"
"Mr. Owen, that monster was terrifying."
"It could even fly."
"I saw it heading towards Sisers Valley."
Owen tensed up immediately.
Cinderella was eaten by a monster?
Thinking of that sweet, pitiful little girl, an uncharacteristic surge of anger filled Owen's heart!
Damn it, why won't they leave such a hardworking little girl alone? Even with all her struggles, she never gave up hope.
She just wanted to live!
Was even that small wish going to be crushed?
"Don't worry, I'll go save her," Owen said. "Even if she's gone, I'll kill that monster and avenge her."
After calming the child down, Owen decided to prepare some gear before heading out to find the monster.
Even though he was usually laid-back, cowardly, and afraid of trouble...
Sometimes, he could be brave.
"I can't use magic, my combat skills are zero, and rushing in blindly would just make me a snack for the monster." Owen took out several bottles and began tinkering with them.
Before long, he had made several makeshift Molotov cocktails.
He also found some of his homemade tranquilizers.
"Alright! People in this world seem to be extremely sensitive to Earth's chemicals." Owen's thoughts were clearer than ever. "Precise attacks are out of the question, so I'll use wide-area Molotovs."
"When the tranquilizers inside get ignited by the flames…"
"I'm naturally resistant to these drugs, so the local monsters will be knocked out."
He also grabbed his homemade pepper spray.
And his throwable itching powder.
After making all the preparations, Owen glanced at his two pets.
White looked up at him pitifully, thinking desperately: "Take me with you, take me with you!"
"Don't worry." Owen patted its head. "No need to look at me like that. Just rest at home."
Owen packed up his gear, picked up his cat, and strode out of the house with determination.
Watching them leave, the rabbit puffed out its cheeks in frustration. "Argh, I want to go too!"
Owen hired a carriage and made his way to the entrance of Sisers Valley.
Although it was called a valley and should have been a beautiful scenic spot...
For some reason, all the plants around it were withered.
As soon as he stepped out of the carriage, Owen shivered.
"This place gives me the creeps."
"And there's a weird smell in the air."
"It's definitely here. That monster must be here."
Owen picked up Avel, the cat. "A cat's sense of smell is ten times sharper than a human's. Smell this."
He took out a small cloth strip.
It was a piece of Cinderella's clothing that Owen had specially asked for from one of her homeless friends earlier.
"This is a piece of Cinderella's clothing. Can you find her?"
Avel gave Owen a resigned look.
As a Tier-Emperor arcane beast...
Finding Cinderella would be a piece of cake.
And if it came to it, turning that monster into a pile of ashes would be just as easy.
But Avel merely sighed softly, gave a small "meow," and jumped down, leading the way deeper into the valley.
"Good job, Avel! I knew it, all that fat wasn't gained for nothing."
Owen's encouragement made the cat pause for a moment.
The further they went, the fewer plants there were. Eventually, the ground turned pitch black, the trees reduced to charred husks, and the only sound was Owen's footsteps in the deathly silence.
It was as if the life had been drained from this place, leaving behind a barren wasteland.
"Meow," Avel let out a faint cry.
Owen immediately followed it to hide behind a boulder.
The next moment, Owen was shocked by the scene before him.
Ahead was a vast clearing.
Strange magic arrays were drawn all over the ground, and above each array, a child was floating midair.