Mushoku Impact

After penning a letter to his father and waiting nearly two weeks for a response, Paul couldn't help feeling disappointed when he opened it to find the exact answer he expected.
"What does it say...?"
Looking to the blue-haired girl standing off to his left, Paul's expression became somber as he explained, "My father contacted House Vale to try and reach an accord, but they refused. The person who sanctioned Sera's addition to the Palace of Concubines was the 8th Prince of the preceding generation, the current King's youngest brother. House-"
With tears building in the corners of her eyes, Xiangling slapped the table, screaming, "We have to help her! It...it isn't right to send such a young girl off to such a terrible place...!"
Closing his eyes, Paul was doing his best to appear calm as he answered, "We're weak, Xiangling. Trying to oppose the Royal Family with our current power will get us killed. If we die, then there would be no one to save our worlds...no one to save the girls that would inevitably replace Sera..."
With Xiangling trembling in indignant rage and sadness at his side, Paul reached into the top drawer of his desk for a small lockbox. Inside was the tiny crystalline vial Sera had gifted him two weeks prior, the interior filled with three drops of highly condensed, almost gelatine-like beads of Mana.
Seeing the crystalline vial, Xiangling wiped away some of the tears from her eyes as she asked, "Are you going to take them?"
Nodding his head in affirmation, Paul answered, "Now, more than ever, I feel the need to grow stronger. Sera gave these to me in exchange for a place to belong. If I die before then, I will have failed her thrice over..."
Rising to his feet, Paul made his way to the kitchen in order to retrieve a large glass of water. Trying to consume the concentrated Mana directly could burn the inside of your mouth and throat, so it was recommended to place a single drop into a large glass of cold milk or water.&nbsp;
Having spotted Paul and Xiangling exiting the former's bedroom, Zhongli set aside her long-armed feather duster to check and see what they were doing. When she spotted the vial in Paul's hands, she asked, "Are you sure you wish to consume them now? If you wait another year or two, you may have enough Mana to cast a Beginner Level Detoxification Spell. You still have a lot of room for growth, Master Paul. If you injure yourself now, you risk undoing all the progress you've made these past few months."
Though he understood where Zhongli was coming from, Paul maintained a resolute expression as he answered, "There is one thing I learned back in my previous world, Zhongli. When presented with a choice like this, those with powerful fates will surely pull through. If I falter at a time like this, I may as well resign myself to the position of a Regional Lord and let you all handle everything..."
Without waiting for Zhongli's response, Paul dropped one of the glowing blue beads of Mana into the glass. The moment it came into contact with the water, it dissolved like a piece of cotton candy. In its wake, Paul held a glass of glowing blue water that, if you listened closely, emanated soft sounds similar to a wind chime.
Understanding that the Mana would dissipate rapidly, Paul didn't allow himself to be mesmerized by the glacial-looking water. Instead, he took one final breath before downing the entire glass in a series of large gulps. Swallowing it was like chugging a glass of piping hot coffee and a glass of ice water at the same time, but Paul didn't stop until the glass was totally empty. Then, just as Zhongli had predicted, he promptly collapsed like a marionette that had its strings cut, his body lightly convulsing in her arms as she whispered, "How reckless..." with a faint smile on her face.
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Waking after being unconscious for nearly six hours, the first thing Paul noticed was a tension headache that made the back of his head feel like it was going to explode. The next thing he noticed was Xiangling sleeping at the side of his bed with a bucket of cool water and several rags sitting on the table next to him.
"Haaaaa..."
Exhaling a pained sigh, Paul was about to wake Xiangling when he noticed something odd. Her clothes seemed to be radiating a soft glow, and, upon closer inspection, he noticed that his entire room was unusually bright.
"Don't tell me..."
Looking to his bedside table, Paul confirmed that the oil lamp was set to its lowest setting. Despite this, he could clearly make out every feature of the room, even the titles of books located several meters away from him. It was almost as though he had developed night vision. Either that or he could suddenly see the Mana contained within objects...
Returning his attention to Xiangling, Paul quickly dismissed the notion he could see Mana. He could make out the features of her hair and face, but it was only her clothes that were glowing. He knew she had a remarkable amount of Mana for her age, so it wouldn't make sense for her to be mute while her clothes appeared to be getting brighter by the moment.
Focusing on the phenomenon, Paul immediately came to regret it when he noticed Xiangling's clothes gaining a translucent quality. There were times when she helped to wash his back, but she always made sure to wear two layers of towels, one around her body and one around her bottom.
Turning away before he could catch a glimpse of something he shouldn't, Paul attempted to focus on pretty much anything else within the room. In the end, he decided on a dimple in the wall, the remnants of a small hole that had been painted over.
Similar to when Paul had focused on Xiangling's clothes, the wall steadily gained a translucent quality. More accurately, an oval that was wider than it was tall formed on the wall, layer after layer of the building's materials being revealed until Paul could see clearly into the next room.
"The Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision..."
Recognizing his ability from the original series, contradicting waves of excitement and frustration washed over Paul. He had planned to visit the Demon Continent at some point to track down Kishiraka or whatever her name was, the reincarnated Demon Empress. If he managed to find and help her, she would have rewarded him with one or more Demon Eyes of his choosing.
The problem with awakening Demon Eyes naturally was that it prevented you from acquiring an additional set. Fortunately, awakening even a single Demon Eye was pretty rare. Paul was apparently the exception to this as both of his eyes now emitted a faint golden glow that was visible against his palms when he took turns covering his eyes.
"There goes my dream of obtaining Demon eyes of Magic Power and Identification..."
Shaking his head to clear his negative thoughts, Paul was reminded of the fact that he had a pulsating headache. He did his best to hold it in, but a pained groan escaped his throat as he cradled his head with both hands. Xiangling heard this and, upon waking up, immediately raised her hands to chant, "Divine Power, become a nourishing light that gives strength to those in need. Healing...!"
Following Xiangling's slightly modified chant, pale red light emanated from her palms. Paul could feel his body warming up as the usually gentle light washed over him, but instead of providing relief for his headache, it made it a lot worse. So much so that an involuntary whimper escaped his throat as he muttered, "Please stop..."
Realizing she had somehow made things worse, Xiangling began to panic as she bounced to her feet and shouted, "I'm getting Zhongli! Just hold on...!"
Fortunately for both Xiangling and Paul, Zhongli opened the door at nearly that exact moment, calmly advising, "Compose yourself, Xiangling. Panic is rarely the appropriate response to a situation."
Though she wanted to protest, Xiangling ultimately slumped her head and shoulders as Zhongli promptly walked past her. When she reached Paul's bedside, her glowing, diamond-shaped pupils expanded and contracted a few times before she said, "You need to oust the Mana from your body as soon as possible. Your life isn't in any danger, but you might become blind if you don't expel it soon. Your occipital lobe, the region of your brain that controls your vision, is swelling."
Forcing a wry smile, Paul groaned, "That actually makes a lot of sense..." before raising his hand and droning, "Please just fucking work...Healing...!"
Since the most crucial aspect to casting Magic was visualization, it was possible to forgo the chant entirely if you had a good imagination. Paul had always imagined the scene of Orihime, a character from a popular anime known as Bleach, practically rewriting causality with her healing abilities. He doubted he would ever reach that point, but the only other scene Paul could vividly recall was Wolverine regenerating from having his entire musculature incinerated by a nuclear bomb.
Fortunately, unlike every other time Paul tried using Healing Magic, this time a faint green glow emanated from his body. It lasted less than two seconds, but the amount of relief he felt was enough to make him slump in his bed, a satisfied and prolonged groan emanating from his throat.
With a visibly amused smile on her face, Zhongli remarked, "Good job. You let it out splendidly..."
Though Xiangling didn't seem to catch it, Paul stared at the young Archon with a deadpan expression on his face, entreating, "Please don't start with that crap...I get that you're trying to lighten the mood, but there are much better ways..."
Without losing her smile, Zhongli remarked, "Perhaps." before turning to Xiangling and ordering, "Prepare a fresh bucket and some clean towels. Our Master needs to cleanse himself. I will put on some teas."
Since they had previously agreed that Zhongli would be the Chief Maid, Xiangling could only sigh and do as she was told. Before leaving, however, she gave Paul one last glance and said, "I'm glad you woke up..."
Blinking in surprise, Paul waited until Xiangling had left the room before looking up at Zhongli and asking, "Was my condition that bad...?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, Zhongli sat down in Xiangling's previous spot before explaining, "The nucleus that contains a person's Mana is like a rigid container. It is possible to increase the size by straining the vessel and repairing the cracks, but if there is too much damage...well, it would be like trying to glue together a fine ceramic vase. Even if you managed to do so, it would constantly be at risk of fracturing a second time..."
Noticing the concern in Paul's eyes, Zhongli's expression softened as she said, "Worry not. While your actions were beyond reckless, it seems your intuition was correct. Perhaps that is the reason the Gods saw fit to give you access to the Intersection of Fate...it appears the Goddess of Fate has seen fit to give you her Blessing..."
Catching Paul by surprise, Zhongli suddenly pulled away his covers to reveal the thing he had been trying to ignore since his awakening. Then, like an ice-cold Demoness, she said, "You should take care of that before Xiangling returns. I took care of it when you originally collapsed, but it's your responsibility from here."
With eyes rounder than saucers, Paul felt a sensation similar to an electric shock spread through his body as he half-whispered, half-exclaimed, "Are you fucking serious!? Please tell me you're bullshitting me...!"
Without losing even a hint of her composure, Zhongli stated, "Your body had several tens of times the amount of Mana it could contain. It had to come out somewhere..."
"Oh my fucking god..."
Cradling his head in his hands, Paul refused to so much as look at the stone-faced girl seated next to him. He knew she had done it to save his life, but if he were being perfectly honest, he wished she had just let him die. The shame and embarrassment he was feeling were so overwhelming he seriously considered running headfirst into a wall...
Showing little compassion for Paul's current state, Zhongli rose to her feet and said, "I can buy you ten minutes." before departing the room. In truth, the experience had been significantly more awkward for her than Paul, as he was at least able to sleep through it. She was the one that had to take proactive measures to preserve both his life and the billions that inhabited their respective worlds. With stakes like that, there were no extremes she wasn't willing to go...

Though his Mana pool was almost comically low, Paul spent the months following his 'awakening' focused on three things. First and foremost, he would look for opportunities throughout the day to expend most, not all of his Mana. He didn't want to lose consciousness in the middle of class, so he always stopped just as the edges of his vision began to darken.
When he wasn't focused on increasing his Mana capacity, Paul was wholly dedicated to the pursuit of simply swinging his sword. His instructor in the Water God Style, Miss Rena Greenbull, had explained to the class that the secret to stimulating Touki was simply using your sword so frequently that it felt like an extension of yourself, not just your arm. It was for this reason that swordsmen who had roused their Touki could fight ambidextrously or even with their swords in their mouths. Using a sword effectively became a part of their autonomic processes, much like breathing or the beating of their heart.
Though Paul didn't truly understand his instructor's words, he wasn't even remotely deterred. He was still only five years old, and, more importantly, her lessons gave him a few ideas on how he might be able to stimulate his Touki much sooner than expected. Ideas that greatly benefitted his third, arguably most crucial focus.
Paul's eyes had become remarkably photosensitive ever since his abrupt awakening of the Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision. In the days that followed, his eyes were so sensitive that a dark room glowed like midday. When he was exposed to natural sunlight, it was so blindingly bright that he had no choice but to close his eyes or cover them with a dark cloth.
Back in his previous world, one of the few animes Paul had watched, even if it was only a few episodes, was Jujutsu Kaisen. He thought some of the fight choreography was badass, so after seeing a few youtube videos, he eventually gave in and checked out the first 5-6 episodes.
Among the varied cast of Jujutsu Kaisen characters, Paul's favorite was, inarguably, Satoru Gojo. The man wasn't simply a beast in terms of raw speed and power, but his classic ensemble of dark clothing and a dark black cloth covering his eyes had made him an icon among even casual anime viewers.
Unfortunately, while Paul was able to emulate Gojo's classic look and peer through a blindfold, it looked tacky and was remarkably uncomfortable. It didn't help that he had to keep his eyes open as one of the restrictions of the Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision was their inability to see through people and high-density mana. In other words, much like a normal person, Paul could not see with his eyes closed.
While the prolonged wearing of a blindfold proved impossible, it helped Paul control his Demon Eyes and practice his swordsmanship. So long as he restricted the amount of Mana flowing to his eyes, his photosensitivity would be weakened to a tolerable level. The blindfold also narrowed his vision during training, forcing him to remain calm and focused, a state of mind that gradually improved his sense of balance and spatial awareness.
Though he still couldn't keep up with Xiangling in terms of speed, skill, and fluidity of motion, Paul quickly leaped to the head of the pack once he returned to class and started attending swordsmanship training. The Water God Style focused on fluidity and reactionary strikes, so the rather sudden and drastic increase in his patience gave Paul an edge over other, unrepentantly rambunctious Nobles. Miss Rena had even commented that it was like his entire disposition changed, going from someone who was a sure fit for the Sword God Style to someone who could master any Style to a reasonable degree...
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In what felt like the blink of an eye, ten months had passed since Paul's stay in the Milbots Academy. His father had asked him to come home for a few months to celebrate his birthday, so, in preparation for their coming departure, Paul had gathered Zhongli and Xiangling to both inform them and ask, "Now that I've saved a hundred Asura Gold Coins, what do the two of you think about trying to expand our ranks?"
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Zhongli answered, "That sounds like a marvelous idea, Master Paul. Even if the likelihood of summoning them is remarkably slim, we should be seeking to assemble my fellow Archons as quickly as possible. Both Xiangling and myself would also benefit from the addition of a Constellation, so I can see no major downsides to accessing the Intersection of Fate at this time."
Though he nodded his head in response to Zhongli's words, Paul turned his attention to Xiangling to hear what she had to say. When he did, she offered a pleasant yet wry smile as she answered, "So long as you don't summon someone like Xinyan, Xingqiu, or Hu Tao, I think it should be fine."
"..."
Suppressing his urge to say, "Bruh." Paul adopted a wry smile of his own as he said, "You really shouldn't say things like that. It's like asking fate to mess with us..."
Tilting her head to the side, Xiangling asked, "Should I have said it would be bad to summon Ningguang or Keqing then...?"
Exhaling a sigh, Paul shook his head and explained, "Unfortunately, the RNG Gods are not so easily fooled. The more you want something, the less like you are to obtain it, and any attempts to 'game' the system will just result in...."
Recalling a certain purple-haired zombie, a cold shiver ran through Paul's body. It didn't help that said zombie was among the very last things Paul witnessed before his death...
Shaking his head, Paul reminded himself that the people he summoned through the Intersection of Fate weren't characters. Even Xiangling had incredible potential, and, were it not for her, he probably would have been the one preparing all of their meals the past few months.
"Well, let's get on with it. There's only a week or so before the convoy arrives to pick us up, so I'll be relying on the two of you to help catch any new allies up to speed. Who knows, with my luck, I may only summon a bunch of weapons?"
After experiencing how powerful the weapons summoned through the Intersection of Fate were, Paul had convinced himself there was no such thing as a 'bad pull' from his personalized Gacha System. After all, even if he did end up summoning the Harbinger of Unmet Expectations, he would have an immortal herb collector who could potentially heal her allies once her Vision was active.
Confident of his assessment, Paul opened the Intersection of Fate for the first time in nearly ten months. The interior hadn't changed at all since his previous visit, but that wasn't too surprising since time ostensibly stopped while he was away.
"Now, how do I turn gold into Fates...?"
Anticipating Paul's question, Zhongli pointed to the groove located near where he was meant to place his hands, explaining, "Insert the coins into the groove. Once the value reaches a certain point, an Acquaint Fate will manifest in the closest slot."
Nodding his head in understanding, Paul knelt down on the hard stone floor, remarking, "Remind me to bring a pillow or something the next time we enter..."
Though his comment had been more of a joke than anything else, Zhongli unhesitantly replied, "Very well, Master Paul." before offering a faint smile when Paul looked back at her with a deadpan expression on his face.
Just as Zhongli had explained, inserting ten Asuran Gold Coins into the conveniently coin-sized groove caused a flash of rainbow light to appear in the slot nearest to Paul. Ninety gold coins later, he had a configuration of ten Acquaint Fates. All he needed to do was place his palm on the dais and shout 'confirm.'
After a very brief moment of hesitation, Paul placed his hands into the oversized grooves and shouted, "Confirm!" with as much conviction as he could manage. Then, despite convincing himself there was no such thing as a bad pull, his heart started racing when the meteor in the sky shifted from a vibrant shade of blue to a glorious shade of gold.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Hahahahahaha-!"
Though there was still a chance he had pulled the Fallen God, Paul could not contain himself. The odds of summoning a 5-Star were less than 1%, so each one he drew was a Blessing from the Heavens.
Seeing Paul laughing like a madman, Xiangling leaned closer to Zhongli and asked, "Did he act like this when he summoned me?"
Returning a faint smile, Zhongli replied, "No. However, he has since come to regret his behavior at that time. You might not be the most powerful, but you are certainly his most precious ally..."
Feeling a little better after hearing Zhongli's words, Xiangling shifted her attention to the center of the platform just in time to witness the golden light crashing into it. When she saw who emerged, even she couldn't help smiling.
Though she was currently in the form of a little girl with gold-blonde hair, everyone present could immediately deduce the identity of the petite, blue-eyed, remarkably adorable girl. However, Paul was the first to utter her name, whispering, "Jean Gunnhildr..." in an audibly shaky tone.
Raising her head, Jean briefly locked eyes with Paul before looking past him at the two people standing a few meters away. It took her a moment, but she quickly realized the doll-like girl with brown hair was the former Geo Archon, while the little girl with looping braids was Xiangling.
Suppressing her urge to greet the two people she was familiar with; Jean adopted a severe expression that didn't suit her adorable appearance as she met Paul's gaze and stated, "You must be the Champion...Paul Notos Greyrat, my new Master..."
Similar to when Zhongli and Xiangling had first appeared, Jean was wearing a Maid outfit that closely resembled her sister Barbara's clothing from the game. The base was an unsullied shade of white with dark-blue trim that perfectly accentuated the ribbon tying up her ponytail. As for the rest of her outfit, it consisted of pure white hose and glossy, single-strap black pumps.
Placing his hand over his heart, Paul nearly performed a Noble's greeting before awkwardly dropping it and answering, "Yes, though you only need to refer to me as such in public. In private or in situations where my status is of no consequence, I would prefer it if you called me Paul."
Demonstrating the seriousness she was known for in the game, Jean's expression formed into a slight pout as she muttered, "I see...I will do my best to remember that. However, given the significance of your status, it would be easier for me to address you as Master. Fraternization may lead to familiarity, but it also causes complacency and obfuscation within the chain of command. As the core and leader of our group, it is only natural that you bear a title befitting your status, Master."
"..."
Unable to refute Jean's words, Paul paused for a moment before nodding his head and saying, "Very well. If you believe it will be easier, feel free to address me as Master."
Returning a nod and a polite curtsy, Jean replied, "I shall." before rising to her full, 114cm height. While this sounded short, she was actually slightly taller than Paul due to girls developing faster than boys. Paul noticed this, but didn't let it bother him as he knew it was only a matter of time before he caught up and towered over her. His father, Amarant, was nearly two meters in height, so the 112cm Paul still had a lot of room for growth. Did it matter? Not really. He just wanted to be tall...
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(A/N: For those that don't know, the characters that appear in this novel are random. I was just as stoked as Paul when he managed to pull Jean xD.)

"Divine Power, become a source of nourishment. Give those who have lost it the strength to rise again. Healing...!"
Despite feeling as though his head was splitting open along the central axis, Paul did his best to remain focused as he repeated the Beginner Level Healing Spell for what felt like the thousandth time.
Seeing Paul fail once more, the old woman teaching the class adopted a kind yet weary smile as she said, "We cannot be blessed in everything we do, Master Paul. I'm afraid no amount of positive affirmation will allow you to cast Magic when you lack the requisite amount of Mana..."
Though he was usually very polite to his teachers, Paul grumbled, "Who decided that...?" as he envisioned a pale-green light emanating from the palm of his hands and healing the fetal pig lying on his dissection table.
Exhaling a sigh, the old, nearly white-haired teacher mumbled, "Even geniuses have it hard..." before shifting her pale-blue eyes to Zhongli and Xiangling, adding, "Well, some do..."
While other students struggled to mend even tiny cuts, Zhongli's Healing Magic was so potent that she caused the long-dead wood of her table to sprout small branches and leaves. She was still at the Beginner Rank, but her aptitude and mana reserves all but assured she would reach the Rank of a Saint, maybe even higher.
Shifting her gaze to Xiangling, the aging teacher couldn't help revealing a grandmotherly smile when she saw the latter helping others. Her Healing Magic had a red hue, but that wasn't uncommon for those with an affinity with certain types of Magic. Those with a natural talent for Healing would often emit pure white, sometimes even golden light during the restoration process. In Xiangling's case, the color red indicated an inordinate affinity with Fire Magic.
A stark contrast to his two exceptionally talented attendants, Paul's palms wouldn't glow even if every light in the room were extinguished. It wasn't like he was saying the chants wrong or committing any apparent blunders; he simply didn't have enough Mana to support the spells he was casting.
"At least he has capable subordinates..."
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Upon departing the Healing Magic Ward, Paul was moving even slower than the 84-year-old granny responsible for teaching them. Fortunately, even though he had tried to tell her it was unnecessary, Xiangling helped to support him until they reached the bench Paul typically rested on after any lesson pertaining to Magic.
"Thank you, Xiangling..."
With a faint smile on her face, Xiangling pulled out a leather thermos filled with cool water as she said, "Don't mention it. I'm just doing what I ought to do."
Accepting the thermos, Paul paused for a moment to stare at the petite girl standing next to him. The fact she couldn't even sit down without it causing problems bothered him, but without the power to enact change, there was little he could do about it.
Closing his eyes, Paul exhaled a sigh through his nose before removing the thermos' cap and quenching his parched throat. When he was done, he returned the thermos to Xiangling, asking, "What do you think of this world?"
Losing a fair amount of her usual vigor, a sad look appeared in Xiangling's amber eyes as she replied, "We haven't even left the Academy, and I can already tell it isn't a pleasant place to live. I can't even imagine how hard things must be for the peasants, serfs, and slaves that make up so much of this world's population..."
With laws such as peasants having to hand over 30% of the dowry when they married off their young, often younger than ten-year-old daughters, it would be an understatement to say Xiangling wasn't particularly fond of the Asura Kingdom. Compared to her home nation of Liyue, it may as well have been Hell on Earth.
Agreeing with Xiangling's views, Paul nodded his head before leaning it back against the wall and saying, "We'll just have to fix things...it won't be easy, but it can't be much harder than saving two worlds..."
Regaining a bit of her vigor, at least on the surface, Xiangling muttered, "I suppose so..." before turning to stare out the nearby window. In truth, she didn't see any way to fix the world of Mushoku Tensei. That might change if Paul managed to summon the Qixing, but it would likely take decades to effect lasting change. Decades spent not restoring her world...
Observing Xiangling's lonely profile, Paul couldn't help feeling as though he had wronged her by summoning her into this world. Unfortunately, he didn't really have a choice. There was no way he could save the world on his own. Even if he trained for fifty years and somehow managed to attain the title of Sword God, he wouldn't last more than a few minutes against someone like Orsted. Since the latter needed to repeat his life more than a hundred times to have a chance of defeating Hitogami, Paul's only real options were to make use of the Intersection of Fate or somehow ensure the birth of Rudeus. However, even if he bedded Zenith on the exact day as the original Paul, there was no guarantee of her giving birth to Rudeus. It would depend entirely on the number of loops Orsted had made...
Freeing Paul and Xiangling from their respective reveries, Zhongli arrived with a wicker basket filled with bread, various jams, dried meat, and a few varieties of cheese. When she saw the duo staring off into empty space, a faintly apologetic smile developed across her face as she asked, "I hope I wasn't interrupting something...?"
Shaking his head, Paul answered, "I was just thinking about the future. If we're lucky, our numbers will increase to around nine by the time of our graduation. That's two more than the maximum Party size authorized by the Adventurer's Guild, so we made need to start a Mercenary Company under the banner of House Notos. It ultimately depends on who pops out of the Gacha..."
"Hmmm..."
Though she had thought about their circumstances more than Xiangling and Paul combined, Zhongli supplied, "You shouldn't be concerned with such things. While it is good to plan ahead, focusing all of your attention on the future leaves you blind to the present. Instead of pushing yourself all the time, you should seize opportunities such as this to relax. It takes a clear and serene mind to make wise and rational decisions. Here."
Holding a sandwich to Paul's mouth, Zhongli waited for him to accept it before shifting her gaze to Xiangling and adding, "You also need to stop concerning yourself with matters of the far future. Our reason for being in this world is to gather the strength necessary to save our own. Without it, there is no sense in even thinking about returning. Remember that."
Hanging her head and shoulders, Xiangling's usual vibrancy gave way to a depressive atmosphere as she muttered, "Right..."
Feeling that Zhongli had gone too far, Paul's expression morphed into a disproving look as he said, "There is nothing wrong with Xiangling missing her home. I mean, it's only been a few months before she was thrown into this situation. Give her some time to process things...not everyone can be like you..."
Returning a faint smile, Zhongli showed no signs of being offended by Paul's words. Instead, she just nodded her head, saying, "I understand." before picking up a piece of bread and biting into it. She didn't actually need to eat but did so in order to keep up appearances.
"..."
Feeling as though he had just tried to convince a wall it was in the wrong for blocking his way, Paul turned to Xiangling with an apologetic smile on his face. To his surprise, she just stared at him for several seconds before turning her head and whispering, "Thank you..." in a tone so quiet he could barely hear her.
"Uh...don't mention it..."
Convincing himself he was reading too much into Xiangling's behavior and response, Paul directed an inordinate amount of attention to his sandwich. Even if he wasn't imagining things, he had absolutely no intention of being involved with a member of the opposite sex until he was around 15-16. His status as the First Son of House Notos might make that impracticable, but that was a bridge he would cross when he came to it...
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After enjoying a light lunch, Paul, Zhongli, and Xiangling decided to head home for the day. They typically only had 1-2 classes per day, so unless Paul felt like engaging with his fellow Nobles, they would spend the vast majority of their time inside, either studying or training.
Unfortunately, Paul was rarely the one to initiate his exchanges with other Nobles. More often than not, they came seeking him as it was considered lowering himself or showing favor if Paul were to approach others.
Waiting along the path Paul, Zhongli, and Xiangling typically took to return to their abode was a young, blue-haired girl the trio recognized from their magical studies. Paul was unable to recall her name, but Zhongli managed to save him a bit of face by whispering, "Her name is Sera Vale Whitehare, Third Daughter of House Vale. Due to her extraordinary aptitude for Water and Healing Magic, her parents allowed her to attend the Academy. They hope to market her up to the Royal Palace as an exceptional Maid with the ability to heal."
Though the final tidbit of information caused him to frown, Paul thanked Zhongli with a silent nod before approaching Sera. When she noticed his presence, she immediately curtsied before adopting a smile that didn't quite reach her amethyst eyes as she said, "Good afternoon, Sir Paul. I hope my being here has not caused you any inconvenience."
Shaking his head, Paul offered a polite smile as he replied, "You need not concern yourself with such things. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting, Lady Sera?"
Since Third Daughters and beyond were typically referred to as Miss or by their given names, Sera couldn't help smiling when Paul referred to her as a Lady. She was still only nine and a half years old, so it didn't take much to make her happy.
"You honor me with your words, Sir Paul. As for my purpose...if it isn't too imprudent of me, I would like to present you with a gift..."
Causing Paul's smile to cramp, Sera reached up and extended her fingers into her inordinately well-developed breasts. From within, she pulled out a tiny crystalline vial filled with a shimmering blue liquid, explaining, "This is a rare alchemical concoction known as Mana Draught. My parents gifted it to me with the hopes of increasing the amount of Mana I possess, but, due to a blunder on my part, I am no longer able to ingest it..."
Before Paul could ask what she meant, Sera adopted a self-deprecating smile as she explained, "My virginity was stolen from me near the end of my first year at the Academy. I didn't want my parents to force me back home, so I never told them about it. One of the conditions of consuming the Mana Draught is being a virgin, so I have held onto it in the hopes of forging ties with a powerful family..."
Realizing what must have happened, Paul asked, "Were you unable to get a job at the Royal Palace...?"
Adopting a forced smile, Sera, very softly, replied, "I did...just not within the main Palace. I was assigned as a second-grade attendant within the Palace of Concubines..."
Inhaling through his nose, Paul had to fight to keep his expression from morphing into a mixture of anger and pity. He had never witnessed it for himself, but he could imagine what kind of life Sera would have once she arrived. She would spend a few years healing broken and abused women while also experiencing abuse herself. In the end, much like Lilia had been in the original series, she would be thrown away the moment she became useless or irreparably damaged...
"I'm sorry..."
Shaking her head, Sera did her best to fight back her tears as she forced a marginally more sincere smile and said, "Just please remember me. I'm not sure if I will be of much use once my duty in the Palace of Concubines has ended, but I promise to do my best. Even if it's only for a few years, I believe I could die happily in the service of such a kind and hardworking Lord..."
Placing the vial of Mana Draught into Paul's hand, Sera took a moment to stare at Zhongli and Xiangling, adding, "I truly envy you..." before turning and walking away. Her words made it sound as though she wanted to be Paul's attendant, and, while that was true, the thing she envied most was Zhongli's and Xiangling's talent. If she was half as talented as they were, she might have been able to become a Guardian, the class of servants that personally attended members of the Royal Family. Instead, she was fated to spend the next seven to ten years mending the playthings of the extensive Royal Family until she, herself, was broken...
To those denied its favor, fate could be unspeakably cruel...

Chapter 13: MI13: Actions and Consequences