Mushoku Impact

Despite her small stature, Lamilette had no problem carrying Paul to his mother's room. She, like most Dwarves, was blessed with remarkable physical strength and durability. Their only notable weaknesses, other than their small statures, was a general incompatibility with all types of Magic except for Earth and, on rare occasions, Fire Magic.
"We're here, Master Paul."
Bending down to make it easier for Paul to dismount her, Lamilette waited for the former to give her permission to stand before rising to wipe away a few beads of sweat.
"Thank you, Lamilette. Your services are greatly appreciated. Feel free to fetch some water for yourself and take a rest."
Adopting a faint smile, Lamilette lowered her head nearly ninety degrees before thanking Paul and quickly setting off. She would need to return by when Paul was prepared to leave, so she couldn't afford to dawdle. Paul was a much kinder Master than she had expected, but his father and her fellow servants were constantly keeping an eye on her. It would only take a single big mistake before she found herself executed, or worse.
After watching Lamilette scamper off down the hall, Paul took a steadying breath before knocking on his mother's door and announcing, "Mother, it's me, Paul. May I have your permission to enter?"
Immediately following Paul's words, the delicate voice of a woman softly replied, "Of course you may. Please."
Opening the door with a bit of effort, Paul found his mother sitting on the edge of her large, canopied bed with a faint smile on her face. He was still getting used to the fact that everyone looked like an anime character, but she, Lady Valentine Notos Greyrat, was among the most beautiful women he had ever met. She had long, silky, creamy blonde hair, fair features that included pale-green eyes, and a voluptuous body that practically taunted gravity.
Though she noticed Paul staring at her breasts, Valentine didn't mind in the slightest. There was a reason she wore formfitting, low-cut dresses that exhibited nearly three-quarters of her milky-white breasts. She, like other members of the Asuran Aristocracy, took great pride in her beauty and sexuality.
"My darling Paul...you're even more handsome than the last time I saw you. I almost feel sorry for all the young maidens whose hearts you will inevitably break..."
Since his mother was one of the few people he didn't have to put on airs around, Paul scratched the back of his head, a wry smile on his face as he replied, "I wish you wouldn't say things like that, Mother. I have no desire to traipse around like the other members of the Nobility. I just want to be a capable Lord and a powerful swordsman."
Amused by her son's response, a soft giggle emanated from Valentine's throat as she covered her mouth. She knew her son was unusually kind-hearted, especially for a member of Asuran Nobility. However, it was that very quality that would draw people to him. After all, if given a choice between a kind and capable Lord that treated them fairly and a corrupt Lord who viewed them as little more than playthings, most young women would choose the former. It's one of the reasons they had bestowed Paul an entire wing of the estate. With his nature, it was only a matter of time before he accrued a sizeable entourage and many others willing to serve him.
Finished with her laughter, Valentine pat the spot next to her, asking, "Will you sit with me?" in her characteristically soft tone of voice. Her body was weak due to a chronic illness, so she did her best to avoid exerting herself when possible.
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Paul trotted over to his mother's bed before climbing atop and sitting next to her. She immediately smothered him with her massive, nearly H-sized breasts, but Paul didn't struggle. He had gotten used to this form of kinship over the years. It sometimes made him feel guilty, but, having lost his previous mother at eight, Paul couldn't help enjoying Valentine's embrace. It made him feel calm and safe.
Running her fingers through Paul's hair, Valentine's expression softened as she whispered, "You aren't just my son, but the Sun that illuminates my life..."
Punctuating her words, Valentine gave Paul a firm squeeze that forced him further into her cleavage before releasing him and asking, "I've been meaning to ask, but have you seen your father anywhere?"
Though his cheeks were a little warm due to Valentine's actions, Paul's expression remained unflustered as he answered, "I believe he is helping one of our more recent hires get 'accustomed' to the mansion."
Understanding the true meaning behind Paul's words, Valentine supplied another soft giggle before extending her hand to continue caressing his head as she said, "Your father is a good man, Paul. Once you attend the academy and learn more about our society as a whole, you will come to realize he is one of the best..."
Though she was tempted to explain how humans 'needed' to have 'liberal' views on sex in order to maintain their superior position against the other races, Valentine didn't want to ruin her son's mood. She didn't understand why, but Paul lacked the arrogance attributed to humans as a species. He was a very thoughtful boy, and though it was bound to bring him endless difficulties in the future, Valentine was gratified knowing her son looked for the best in others rather than looking down on them. After all, it wasn't uncommon for boys his age and position to unintentionally 'break' a few of their servants just out of curiosity...
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As the days counted down to his public debut, Paul's official introduction to Noble society, Tabitha began teaching him how to dance.
While few people had any legitimate expectations for a five-year-old, the debut of a future Lord or Lady was an essential event in Noble society. If he wanted to avoid embarrassing himself or being regarded as a fool, Paul would need to perform well during his opening introduction and the dance that immediately followed.&nbsp;
While it was never overtly explained to him, Paul knew that one of the underlying purposes behind his debut was to begin scouting for potential marriage partners. Nobles from all across the Asura Kingdom would bring their similarly aged daughters along with them in the hopes of gaining the favor of the House Notos. They knew it was unlikely for their daughters to become Lady of the House, but securing a place as Paul's Second Wife or even his First Concubine was the next best thing.
Since it wouldn't be 'proper' for a servant to assist him in his lessons, Paul found himself in the care of a young girl from the Silvervine Family, one of the many Lesser Houses serving the Great House of Notos. She was only seven years old, but, like many Nobleborn of the Asura Kingdom, she was 'excessively' developed in some regions while utterly lacking in others.
With blonde hair, fair features, and pale green eyes, the Seventh Daughter of the Silvervine Family, Mary Silvervine, was an adorable yet unnervingly attractive young girl. She couldn't read or write, but she had been learning how to dance since she was four.
"My Lord is a fast learner. You've learned more these past five days than I did during my first three months of lessons. I'm certain you'll make a fine impression during your debut."
Without losing his focus, Paul continued to follow Mary's lead, doing his best not to step on her toes. Despite her praise, he was nowhere near the level of proficiency expected of him. It might not truly matter until he was ten, but he didn't want people thinking he was just another kid.
Interrupting the duo's practice, Tabitha softly clapped her hand together, saying, "It's nearing the time for mid-morning tea. Miss Silvervine, if you please."
After inclining her head respectfully towards Tabitha, Mary turned toward Paul to give a proper curtsy, saying, "It was my pleasure to be of service, Master Paul." before excusing herself to prepare the tea. Though she was the daughter of a well-respected family of Nobles, her standing within the Notos household was barely above a servant's. Her helping out Paul was an 'audition' of sorts to determine if she would make a good Maid, so she was doing her best to leave a favorable impression.
Following Mary's departure with his eyes, Paul was marginally surprised when Tabitha followed it by asking, "What do you think of Miss Silverine, Master Paul?"
Resisting the urge to exhale a sigh, Paul calmly replied, "She is very hard-working for someone so young."
Narrowing her eyes, Tabitha remarked, "What a curious thing to say about a girl nearly three years your senior..."
Without faltering, Paul supplied a curt nod, stating, "Age is not the factor that determines a person's maturity. Though it may sound arrogant of me, I like to consider myself mature despite my young age. As the future Lord of the Milbots Region, I must be."
Though she nodded her head in approval, Tabitha was compelled to ask the question Paul's father had tasked her with ascertaining the answer to, specifically, "What is your opinion regarding Miss Silvervine as a Maid? As the future Lord of the Milbots Region, you cannot avoid taking in servants, Master Paul."
Closing his eyes, Paul carefully considered his response before opening them to meet Tabitha's steely gaze as he answered, "I will consider such matters once I return from my schooling. While I understand the need to acquire competent staff, I do not wish to become dependent on others. I will make my decision once I have a better grasp of my responsibilities as a Lord."
Since Paul's reply was pretty close to perfect, there wasn't much Tabitha could say. She felt a bit of pity for the Seventh Daughter of the Silvervine Family, but the decision was ultimately Paul's to make.&nbsp;
Unaware that her chances of becoming Paul's Maid had decreased by a substantial margin, Mary returned with a radiant smile on her face and a tray of tea and snacks in hand. This caused Paul to feel a little guilty, but he justified his decision by reminding himself that he would have felt even worse about employing a seven-year-old that would 'spare no efforts' to serve him.
While it might be perfectly acceptable in the world he had found himself in, Paul had no intention of 'experimenting' with girls whose ages could be counted on his fingers. He wouldn't have much choice once he turned ten, but that was a matter for future Paul to worry about. For now, his biggest concern was mastering the basics of traditional Asuran Ballroom dance...
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With Mary's assistance and Tabitha's careful guidance, Paul's debut was an undeniable success. Standing in front of a crowd of Nobles was more nerve-wracking than he had anticipated, but it didn't impact Paul's ability to introduce himself. Rather, due to his eloquence, far exceeding that of a typical five-year-old, he earned an ovation and a substantial amount of lip service from the crowd.
Following his introduction, Paul gave a short demonstration of his dancing ability with Mary before accepting the offers of more than a dozen young girls, the majority ranging between the ages of 5 and 9. Most Nobles had their marriages arranged by the time they were ten, so the only older girls present were those from the more affluent families.
To Paul's surprise, there was actually a six-year-old girl whose name he recognized among the group seeking to dance with him. At the very least, he was pretty sure she was the person he imagined since her red hair and features were similar to one of the main heroines from the original series, Eris Boreas Greyrat.
"Good evening, Sir Paul. My name is Hilda, Hilda Redcow. May I have the honor of being your next dance partner?"
After recovering from his momentary stupor, Paul returned a curt nod and a polite smile as he extended his left hand towards Hilda and replied, "The honor is mine, Lady Redcow."

Since it would have been both strange and dangerous for him to take an interest in Hilda, Paul did his best to regard her as would any other young Noble daughter.&nbsp;
At this point, Paul still wasn't sure just how much of an impact he wanted to have on the world abroad. Depending on how things went while he was at school, he may even give up being a Noble. He was already beginning to feel suffocated by the irredeemably corrupt nature of Asuran Nobles, and things were bound to get worse when he started attending a school filled with arrogant and haughty brats between the ages of 5-10.
While the notion of attending a Noble Academy was already beginning to worry him, the more critical factor behind Paul's decision was the fact that Eris was his favorite heroine from the original story. He had no intention of trying to court a girl that would be 15-17 years his junior, but the notion of her not existing made him uncomfortable. Besides, as charming as Hilda's appearance was, she had the same temperament as other Nobles.&nbsp;
Following Paul's debut, he was asked to 'entertain' all of the young Noble daughters that had come to see him. This included Hilda, who, like every other girl present, complimented everything about the manor while going out of their way to excessively fawn over him. Their parents had coached every one of the 5-12-year-old girls to try and seduce him. It was so bad that Paul's father, Amarant, had pulled him aside to advise him not to lay a hand on any of the girls as it might cause a misunderstanding.
Unwilling to be used as a stairway to increase someone else's status, Paul had no intention of marrying any time soon. He would probably be forced into an engagement after his tenth birthday, but his priority over the next few years was increasing his strength and knowledge. Even if he became the next Lord Milbots Greyrat, he wasn't going to be weak.
With such thoughts on his mind, Paul spent the final few hours of his fifth birthday writing in his journal. Tabitha had instructed him to start keeping one the very day after her arrival, not just because it would help him learn how to write but because it would allow him to look back on his thoughts at earlier points in his life and reflect on them.
"Haaaa...how is a Kingdom able to exist for seven-thousand years without developing electricity? I feel like I'm going blind..."
Though he knew he was fortunate to have candles and oil lamps to read and write by, Paul couldn't help missing the conveniences of his previous life. It was his fascination with computers and technology that had led to him leaving the farm.&nbsp;
"It's a shame I didn't study civil or mechanical engineering. I could have been like the main character from 'Release that Witch'..."
On that note, Paul set aside his feather-quill pen before turning the valve on his oil lamp to make sure it would last throughout the night. He wasn't even remotely afraid of the dark, but he would prefer to be able to see if he awoke in the middle of the night to take a piss.
Changing out of his stylish green tunic and linen trousers, Paul slipped into a pair of fleece pajamas before crawling into his bed. The latter was uneven in places, but the stuffing was goose down. It was exponentially more comfortable than the beds afforded to servants, so Paul did his best not to let it bother him when feathers would periodically poke through the fabric and prick him.
"Maybe I should marry someone from the Donati Region...a union with the largest producer of fabrics and wool wouldn't be bad..."
Closing his eyes, Paul attempted to recall if any of the girls present during his party were from the Donati Region. Unless he ran away from home or asked his father to send him to the Ranoa Magic Academy, he would need to marry at some point. If he didn't have a choice in delaying the matter, he could at least choose someone from a family that would benefit him in the future...
Realizing how 'Noble-like' his mentality had become, a self-deprecating smile developed across Paul's. Then, just as the hundred-and-seventy or so clocks spread throughout the manner began to announce the changing of the day, a sound similar to glass shattering echoed through Paul's ears.
"What the hell...!?"
Rising with a start, Paul adjusted the oil lamp to its maximum luminosity before raising it to look around his room. The sound of breaking glass was so loud that it couldn't have been more than a few meters away.
Noticing nothing out of place, the tensions in Paul's body began to wane until he adjusted the lamp and noticed the faint blue glow shining through the cracks around his door.
"..."
After a moment's uncertainty, Paul dropped to the other side of his bed with the intention of hiding in the crawlspace specifically created to let him escape during an emergency. He didn't consider himself a coward, but there was only so much a five-year-old without any magical prowess could do against someone daring enough to invade the Notos Household.
What stopped Paul from fleeing into the secret compartment was the pale blue light shining from within. When he removed the panel and stared into the interior, it was like he was staring into an endless expanse of blue sky filled with swirling white clouds.
"That's new..."
Putting the panel back in place, Paul, feeling less afraid but still anxious, made his way over to the door of his room. Opening it revealed a similar scene. Instead of an empty expanse of blue sky, however, there was an ancient-looking stone bridge starting from the threshold of his door and continuing out over an endless sea of clouds. Numerous pillars protruded through the clouds and connected to beautiful archways, but Paul was far more concerned with the trio of reddish-black, diamond-shaped 'fissures' wavering over a stone platform around 20m from his room's threshold.
"This is way too familiar..."
Though it had been five years since he last played, Paul recognized the stone bridge and seemingly infinite expanse of ancient constructs as the 'login screen' of Genshin Impact. The eerie 'portals' were less familiar, but he was pretty sure they were the same portals used by the Goddess that set the events of the game in motion...
After giving himself a firm pinch to confirm he wasn't dreaming, Paul took a deep breath and summoned every ounce of his courage. The thought of leaving behind his family made him uneasy, but his instincts told him that he would regret it his entire life if he ignored a phenomenon connected to one of his favorite games.
Fortunately, Paul's door didn't disappear the moment he stepped out onto the stone bridge. He could still peer back and see into his room, so, after suppressing the urge to look over the side of the bridge, he straightened his back and boldly approached the platform beneath the trio of portals.
"You've come..."
The moment Paul's foot made contact with the stone platform, the trio of portals pulsed. From within, an indescribably beautiful yet visibly injured woman with white hair, peculiar golden eyes, and a predominately white outfit emerged. Even with an arm missing and several large cracks across her body, almost like she was a statue, she was one of the most beautiful women Paul had ever seen.
"I am Luciana, the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. Thomas Adams, no, Paul Notos Greyrat, you have been chosen as my Champion."
Though he had no intention of directly refusing, Paul couldn't help asking, "Do I have a choice...?"
Surprising the reincarnated youth quite a bit, Luciana nodded her head and said, "Yes. However, should you refuse, know that an entire world, billions of lives, will be lost."
Without elaborating further, Luciana pulled out a transparent golden cube inscribed with innumerable runes. Then, directly contrasting her previous statement, she sent the cube flying into Paul's chest, coldly explaining, "I have granted you the power to access the Intersection of Fate. Just place your palm against any door while the moon is high, and you will be able to access this place. If you require a more thorough explanation, ask the person I have entrusted to advise and protect you."
Seemingly finished with what she had to say, Luciana retreated into her portal before it promptly snapped shut like an old television shutting off.
Feeling at a complete loss for words, Paul just stared at the place where Luciana had disappeared. The thing that brought him back to his senses was a bright blue meteor flying towards him, its color promptly shifting to a vibrant shade of gold moments before it struck the center of the stone platform.
"No fucking way..."
Recognizing the phenomenon as the effect associated with pulling a 5-Star Character or Weapon from Genshin Impact, a myriad of questions assailed Paul's mind. Before he could voice a single one, however, his mind completely blanked as the light faded away to reveal a young girl with two-toned brown/auburn hair, peculiar brown and gold eyes, and a rather stylish Maid outfit.
Based on appearances, Paul would guess the girl was around the same age as himself. The thing that both unnerved and terrified him was the fact she had a vaguely familiar appearance. It's just that the person that came to mind was unmistakeably a man...a stark contrast to the little girl standing before him.
With audible trepidation in his tone, Paul asked, "Zhongli...?" while hoping and praying the girl was something like his daughter.
Hearing Paul's question, the young girl ceased dusting herself off, a look of confusion briefly marring her face as she replied, "Indeed. That must make you Paul Notos Greyrat, correct?"
"..."
Instead of immediately responding to the little girl's words, Paul's mind was briefly occupied with questions regarding how such a small girl could have such a deep yet feminine voice. The original Zhongli had the kind of deep and masculine tone that compelled people to listen. The same could be said for the little girl before him; it was just so far beyond expectation that Paul didn't know how to react, much less respond.
Seeing through Paul's surface-level thoughts, Zhongli asked, "I suppose you're wondering how I came to inhabit this form?"
Still unable to speak, Paul just nodded his head in response to Zhongli's question. In turn, she explained, "There are actually three reasons. First and foremost, the gender of Archons is a matter for they, themselves, to decide. The other reasons concern your status, the world you inhabit, and ensuring you are...properly motivated. I suppose that makes four reasons. My apologies."
Furrowing his brows, Paul's expression soured as he keyed in on the last thing Zhongli said, asking, "What do you mean by "properly motivated"?"
Without so much as a single change in her expression, Zhongli answered, "It is as you suspect. The Gods that preside over my world, the true Gods, believed you would be more motivated if the companions you summoned were female. They are under no obligation to sleep with you, but I'm sure many have prepared themselves for the possibility. Only those of us who have accepted the Gods' bargain and are willing to do whatever it takes to save our world can be summoned to this place."
Hearing Zhongli's explanation, Paul had even more questions, the most prominent among them being, "Why me? I was just a normal fucking guy in my previous life, and I've yet to accomplish a single thing in this one."
Shaking her head, Zhongli answered, "That's something you would need to ask the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles and the Gods she serves. All I know is that the fate of two worlds currently rests on your shoulders. We will do our best to help save yours, and, in exchange, we hope you will do the same. Equivalent exchange, the foundation of all fair contracts."
Though the number of questions he had was steadily growing, Paul found himself nodding in response to Zhongli's explanation. His presence in the world of Mushoku Tensei had invariably disturbed its balance. Without the original main character, or, more accurately, the main character's children, the malicious deity known as Hitogami was bound to continue treating the world as his playground. Paul knew it was only a matter of time before the errant God set his eyes on him, so, as confused as he was by the present situation, he answered, "Very well. Let's discuss terms." in a shaky tone...

As inconvenient as infancy and childhood were, Paul learned to enjoy it. Sure, he had people constantly watching over him, but that wasn't a bad thing. They just wanted to keep him safe, and he wasn't arrogant enough to think he was entitled to be independent just because he had memories from his past life. After all, no amount of knowledge and insight changed the fact he was a toddler.
Seeing no reason to go about pretending he was some super prodigy, Paul spent the first three years of his life learning the Human Language, how to read and write, and the basics of etiquette. The former took him longer than he would have liked to admit, but he blamed that on the US's education system. They only taught secondary languages in High School, long after the 'ideal' period for learning a new language.
Fortunately, Paul had unlimited access to educational resources and people who were willing to teach him. The moment his esteemed father, Lord Amarant Notos Greyrat, learned of his appetite for knowledge, he immediately employed a Governess famous for teaching members of the Royal Family. Paul's mother, Valentine Notos Greyrat, also doted on him quite a bit, so he never lacked in conversation partners.
Paul's only complaint was, much like the original, he had absolutely no talent for magic. He could feel 'something' when he focused his mind, but that was about it. Instead, he made up for his lack of magical aptitude by possessing enhanced instincts an almost unreasonable amount of visual acuity. In particular, his kinetic vision, his ability to track moving objects bordered on superhuman.
A few months before Paul's third birthday, his father had taken him out for a stroll through one of the many vineyards that encircled the county-sized Notos Estate. A magical creature known as a Panterabat had attempted to swoop down and seize him, but Paul managed to leap to the side due to a shiver passing through his body moments prior. He ended up faceplanting into the ground, but a bloody nose was a small price compared to having a cat-like bat sink its teeth into the base ff his neck and skull.
As terrifying as that incident was, Paul walked away from it feeling more excited than trepidatious. It was the first time he had gotten to witness his father's skill as an Intermediary Swordsman, a single step above the Beginner Rank yet far beyond the level of anything present in his previous world.
Though the original Paul was a prodigy that had managed to reach the Advanced Rank in all of the major sword schools, those being the Sword God, Water God, and Northern God Styles, the reincarnated Thomas had far greater ambitions. He had no intention of settling down and becoming a simple town guard at the relatively young age of nineteen. Instead, he planned to, at the very least, reach the Rank of Sword King.&nbsp;
While there was a literal army of people willing to die for and protect him, Paul knew the only surefire method to guarantee survival was becoming strong enough to defeat anything that crossed your path. The notion of slicing the head of a 20m snake or cutting through fortress walls with a simple sword also made his heart palpitate, so there was no way in hell he was going to settle on being a 'normal' human.
Though his father had forbidden him from practicing swordsmanship until he was five, Amarant had no problem with Paul learning the fundamentals and observing others. For a time, he had even behaved as Paul's teacher, eagerly demonstrating his relatively meager and somewhat rusty skills in the hopes of impressing his son.
Fortunately for Amarant, Paul was more than impressed by his father's performance. Seeing a middle-aged, slightly chubby man moving with the finesse of an Olympic athlete as he cut through tree branches and thatch mannequins was quite the sight to behold.
Amarant's downfall came when Paul asked him about Touki, colloquially known as Battle Aura. He was familiar with the concept and could even use it thanks to decades of training, but only a Sword Saint could claim to have a proper grasp of the coveted ability. Touki, and their mastery over the Longsword of Light, the ultimate technique of the Sword God School, were what denoted them as Saints.
While it was a simple feat for Amarant to employ a famous Governess to teach his son, hiring someone at the level of a Sword Saint would cost a small fortune. It was rumored that there were less than 100 in the entire world, so, unless you ventured to the Holy Land of the Sword, even just finding one was remarkably difficult.
Though the Notos Family employed two Sword Saints to protect their territory, Amarant wasn't comfortable asking them to demonstrate for his son. Nepotism may be widespread in the Asura Kingdom, but he didn't want his one and only son to become a spoiled brat. He hoped that Paul would grow in a wise and capable Lord, not someone who wielded their power and authority as if it were a birthright.&nbsp;
Fortunately, the Academy Amarant would be sending Paul to when he reached five years of age had an Advanced Practitioner of the Water God Style. She had nearly reached the Rank of Saint at the age of 25 but was unable to due to an injury. Since then, she had been teaching Nobles and their children how to protect themselves using the Water God Style, the most practical and defensive of the three schools of swordsmanship.
Confident that Paul would learn everything he needed to know once he started school, Amarant told him to focus on learning how to read and write. The literacy rate of the Asura Kingdom was estimated to be around 8%, so it would give him a significant advantage over his peers if he were able to read and write by the age of five...
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Staring out the window of his private study, Paul couldn't help having a pensive expression on his face as he watched his father, a 44-year-old man, 'playfully accosting' one of their more recent hires, a 14-year-old girl from a lesser noble family. The Asura Kingdom had the tradition of having each of their children beyond the first two serve as the maids, butlers, or guards for other Noble Houses. Since humans were considered 'adults' as young as ten, it led to some rather...discomforting situations.
"The people on Twitter would lose their minds if they witnessed a scene like this..."
Instead of attempting to resist Amarant's advances, Paul could tell that the much younger girl was actively grinding against him as he groped her rather prominent breasts and whispered into her ear. She pretended to be hanging the laundry, but she had been holding up the same sheet for the better part of ten minutes.
As Paul had anticipated, it wasn't long before his father hiked up the back of the Maid's long skirt and lowered the front of his trousers. Not wanting to see what came next, Paul shook his head before sliding off of his chair and perusing the many books lining the bottom two shelves of his private library. Most were still far beyond his current ability, especially the magic tomes, but that didn't deter him. After all, even Ghislaine and Eris, two of the densest characters in the original series, had been able to master the basics of magic.
While the original Paul may not have possessed any talent for magic, the reincarnated Thomas wasn't going to give up. So long as he could get his foot in the door, he could gradually increase his aggregate mana reserves. Training during the developmental years of one's childhood was the only way to increase the mana capacity of the body. Touki and mana were, in essence, the same thing, so even if he had to stare at the page until his brain and eyes bled, Paul was determined to comprehend at least a single spell before his tenth birthday.
*tok tok tok*
"Master Paul, are you in there? If so, please allow me to enter."
Just as Paul was preparing to crack open a book comically called 'Even You Can Learn Magic!' a soft rapping sounded at his door. Recognizing the voice, he immediately fixed his expression and posture before inhaling a half-breath and replying, "Please, enter." in a conditioned voice.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Upon receiving permission to enter, a lovely yet middle-aged woman with silver-blond hair entered the room. She had sharp and intelligent features that, at one time, would have made her the talk of the town. Even now, at the startling age of 72, she retained a bit of her youthful splendor thanks to her status as an Advanced Water Magician. Her never-smiling face had a number of prominent wrinkles, but she was still remarkably slender and perky for a senior. Her well-tailored purple dress made that very apparent.
Seeing the thick tome on Paul's desk, the elderly yet middle-aged-looking woman, Tabitha, raised her brows and asked, "Still trying to learn magic? I must commend your resolve, but there are far more relevant matters you could be studying."
Without so much as a single change in his expression, Paul, despite being three and a half years old, calmly replied, "That may be so. However, how I choose to spend my free time is ultimately up to me. If I only focused on things others wanted me to know, I would never learn the greater secrets of this world."
Though she maintained her characteristically grim countenance, Tabitha nodded her head in approval, stating, "Well said, Master Paul. The Milbots Region is truly fortunate to have such a capable young master as its next Lord."
Placing his hand over his chest, Paul responded to Tabitha's praise with a slight bow. One of the first things he had taught him was to never verbally acknowledge someone's praise unless the person giving it was of a much higher position than him. Tabitha was his Governess, but their status was worlds apart. If he was heard accepting her praise, she could literally be jailed on the grounds of trying to groom or manipulate him.
In Asuran Aristocratic society, those in higher positions had near-absolute authority over those in lesser positions. As the first son of one of the Four Great Noble Houses, Paul could outright 'purchase' the sons or daughters of lesser noble houses on a complete whim, and their parents would have 'no choice' but to hand them over.
The world of Mushoku Tensei was fantastical, but it was also one of the darkest stories Paul, then Thomas, had ever read.
Offering the faintest of smiles, so indiscernible that Paul couldn't even make it out, Tabitha supplied, "Very good." before going on to add, "Now, on to the purpose of my visit. Your mother has requested your presence in her chambers. Shall I have someone carry you...?"
Due to the size of the Notos Manor, it was easy to get lost and remarkably challenging for a child to navigate. Paul's father had given him a mansion-sized wing as his play area. If he wanted to reach his mother's chambers, he would need to traverse more than a kilometer and numerous flights of stairs. Could he? Sure. It would just exhaust him.
Nodding his head in affirmation, Paul calmly replied, "That is acceptable." before waiting as Tabitha clapped her hands to summon one of the only non-humans in the Notos Estate, a 'young' Dwarven girl that Paul's father had purchased for him after he expressed an interest in Dwarven culture and blacksmithing.&nbsp;
Bowing to the point she created a ninety-degree angle with her body, the childish-looking but 27-year-old Dwarf said, "Lamilette of Crystal Snow is eager to be of service to her Lord, Master Paul Notos Greyrat."
Gesturing with his right hand, Paul said, "Rise." while doing his best not to cringe. Even if she was twenty-seven, Lamilette resembled a human child no older than ten. Even adult Dwarves were only around 120-128cm, so, if anything, she looked younger. The only difference was that her legs and arms were noticeably thicker, while her orange hair was akin to steel wool in terms of toughness.
Raising her head, Lamilette offered a courteous nod before turning around and squatting down. She was the only servant that 'officially' belonged to Paul, so, while it was possible to arrange another transport, the 'duty' was hers to bear. Paul wasn't comfortable with this notion, but, understanding that things wouldn't end well if he had 'no use' for Lamilette, he ultimately climbed onto the petite yet remarkably robust girl's back and allowed her to carry him to his mother...

Chapter 3: MI03: Preparations : Debut