Mushoku Impact

Though she was only around 108cm tall, Paul's body froze the moment he met the gaze of the purple-haired, amethyst-eyed girl staring back at him. Her long, singular braid and predominately lavender Maid outfit gave her a charming appearance, but her glowing purple pupils radiated an intensity that made Paul feel like a massive dragon was staring him down.
With Paul failing to respond to her question, the purple-haired girl looked past him to take in her surroundings. Everyone else present was someone she vaguely recognized, so, by process of elimination, the boy standing in front of her had to be her Master.
Despite possessing knowledge of the Asura Kingdom and its culture, the petite, purple-haired girl surprised Paul by kneeling, placing the tips of her fingers on the ground, and lowering her head until it did the same as she said, "Raiden Ei humbles herself before the brilliance of her Master, Paul Notos Greyrat. As I am inept in the arts of servitude, my body and sword are yours to command..."
Freed from his insensibility the moment Ei looked away, Paul exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding before breathing in and patting his chest. Though she certainly didn't look like it in her current form, the little girl bowing before him was one of the Seven Archons. More specifically, she was the Electro(Thunder) Archon, the Shogun of Inazuma, and the greatest swordswoman in all of Teyvat.
"You need not prostrate yourself before me. I may be the Champion, but not through any merit of my own. I would-"
Raising her head, Ei interrupted Paul's words, her voice paradoxically calm yet penetrating as she said, "Forgive my impertinence, but I cannot permit anyone, not even my Master, to insult my Master. Merit or not, Master Paul is the Champion ordained by the Gods. Until such a time as our world has been restored, I will honor you as my Lord and Master."
"..."
Realizing he wouldn't be able to argue with someone who was obstinate to the point of closing off her country and isolating herself from everyone she cared about, Paul just closed his eyes and exhaled a sigh through his nose.
("At least I managed to acquire another Archon...")
Though Ei was clearly going to be an issue, Paul would have to be a fool not to realize how lucky he was to obtain her. Zhongli was able to defeat Advanced users of the Water God Style while holding back. Considering her power in the game, Ei could conceivably attain the title of Sword God in her teens...
Recalling how Ei summoned her sword in the game, Paul's gaze lowered to the exposed skin between her collar and Kimono-like Maid attire. She had a sizeable section of exposed skin, but, unlike her adult counterpart, the only thing there were hopes and dreams.
Noticing Paul's gaze, Ei reached up to touch her clavicle, her eyes losing a bit of their luster as she asked, "Does Master require Ei's services...?"
Though he would never imagine himself doing such a thing in his previous world, Paul crossed his wrists to make an 'x' shape as he answered, "No!" in a loud, audibly flustered tone. The last thing he needed was a six-year-old Archon lacking common sense trying to seduce him.
Furrowing her brows, Ei was about to ask if Paul found her appearance somehow lacking. As far as she knew, she was one of the most sought-after women in her previous world. His reaction didn't make sense until she realized the present condition of her body.
"Ah...this complicates matters..."
Believing she had nothing to offer but her body, blade, and Vision, a conflicted look appeared on Ei's face. Outside the Plane of Euthymia, she couldn't even dress without the assistance of several attendants. When it came to things like cooking, cleaning, and laundry, she was what her best friend referred to as a Natural Disaster. Everything she cooked turned into black or purple sludge, and the last time she tried to do laundry, her entire wardrobe needed to be replaced...
Before Ei could suggest something improper, Paul interrupted her pensive silence, stating, "You shouldn't concern yourself with such matters in the present. For now, I am happy just having you around. The Electro Element is my favorite among the seven, and your insights into swordsmanship will be instrumental to mine and several others' growth."
Smiling in response to Paul's words, Ei removed the gently pulsing Electro Vision from her hips, holding it in both hands as she lowered her head and said, "Raiden Ei presents the Electro Vision to her Master..."
Adopting a wry smile of his own, Paul reached forward to receive the glowing purple crystal with three, lighter purple, blade-like swirls in the center. The moment he accepted it, the hairs on his arms immediately stood on end. At the same time, his hair became noticeably sharper as bright purple electricity danced between the digits of his left hand.
"Wow...it feels like my entire body is surging with power..."
Thinking Paul was speaking to her, Ei nodded her head, explaining, "The Electro Element has the side-effect of supercharging the user's body and drastically increasing their speed at the cost of stamina. Once Master has become more proficient in its application, you will be able to infuse it into your weapons to increase their sharpness and paralyze your opponents."
Unable to contain himself, Paul muttered, "Nice..." before pulling out the pendant bearing his Geo Vision. He could only channel a single Vision at a time, but nothing prevented him from wearing multiple. If they weren't the size of golf balls, he might have had them implanted into a gauntlet to be worn on his left hand...
Seeing the Geo Vision attached to Paul's necklace, Ei squinted her eyes in dissatisfaction. She didn't say anything, but she would prefer it if Paul left his Geo Vision someplace secure, preferably the bottom of the ocean, so he wouldn't be tempted to use it in place of her Electro Vision. Mastering even a single Vision was a challenge in and of itself; attempting to master several would ultimately undermine your progress.
"Master, it might be imp-"
Before Ei could recommend Paul remove Zhongli's Geo Vision, the latter stepped in, saying, "Master Paul, the time for our return is long overdue. If we tarry much longer, the stability of the Intersection of Fate will become compromised."
Though he picked up on the fact that Zhongli had intentionally interrupted Ei, Paul quickly nodded in affirmation, saying, "You're right. Let's gather up the remaining weapons and return to the estate. Tomorrow is bound to be a busy day, and we still need to sort out sleeping arrangements..."
Following his words, Paul surprised Ei by offering his hand to help her rise. She had been on her knees since the moment she first knelt down. While it didn't appear to bother her, Paul couldn't imagine Ei complaining even if he ordered her to kneel on a stone washboard for several hours.
After staring at Paul's outstretched hand for several tense moments, Ei eventually extended her own to accept it, remarking, "Master Paul is a man of righteous character..."
Smiling wryly in response to Ei's words, Paul helped her to her feet before promptly releasing her surprisingly cool hand. It wasn't comparable to ice, but Paul felt like Ei's hands were markedly smoother and colder than the average person's. It was almost like touching cool, polished marble veiled in fine silk...
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After exiting the Intersection of Fate, a short 'discussion' resulted in Jean being appointed as Paul's Chambermaid. Ei, Yaoyao, and even Xiangling nominated themselves for the position, but Zhongli promptly denied their requests using her authority as Chief Maid.
Though Ei also took issue with Zhongli's status as Chief Maid, she quickly withdrew her objection upon learning what the position entailed. Despite being the ruler of a country, she was terrible at things like administration and management. She could settle disputes well enough but preferred to delegate such responsibilities to others.
In the end, Ei was given the crucial role of occupying the tiny servant's quarters attached to Paul's room. If an assailant attacked in the middle of the night, she was expected to emerge and aid him at a moment's notice. This, unfortunately, left Jean without a place to stay, so it was ultimately decided she would sleep in Paul's bed after he rejected the proposals to have her sleep at his feet or on the floor.
With Paul's roommate and bedfellow decided, Zhongli used her authority to assign rooms and duties to everyone within the group. Xiangling and Yaoyao were made roommates and given the task of preparing meals for the entire group. Xingqiu was appointed as Paul's Secretary and Scribe, while Xinyan and Kaeya would be helping Zhongli perform duties such as cleaning and laundry. As for their living arrangement, Kaeya was forced to share a room with Zhongli while Xinyan and Xingqiu, at least for the time being, had servants' quarters of their own...
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In an effort to ignore the girl sleeping less than an arm's length away from him, Paul turned away and tried to focus on counting sheep. Instead, his mind kept replaying the sequence of events that resulted in Jean sharing his bed.
Breaking Paul from his reverie, a rustling sound occurred behind him as the faint warmth radiating nearby became markedly more prominent. In fact, he could feel it directly as Jean had moved closer to him, seemingly drawn to his body heat. It was currently the eighth day of the first month of the year, so it was nearly 10 degrees even within the relative comfort of the Notos Estate. Paul had a small hearth within his room, but there were numerous reasons why it couldn't be lit at night.
"Jean...?"
"Mmm..."
Seemingly stirring due to Paul's words, Jean asked, "Is something the matter...?" in a sleepy tone.
"..."
Not sure how he should tell the sleepy beauty to move to her side of the bed, Paul ultimately remained silent. Before he summoned Xiangling, Jean and Ganyu were two of the 'characters' Paul was most looking forward to summoning. He had never been the type to crush on anime girls and other kinds of waifus, but he would be lying if he said the designs of characters like Jean, Eula, Ganyu, and Ei didn't leave a lasting impression.
As scummy as it made him feel, Paul couldn't stop himself from thinking about how things might be once he matured. He had no intention of using his authority to compel any of the girls to obey him, but there would have to be something wrong with him if he felt nothing surrounded by women who made the models in his previous world look mundane in comparison.
With Jean appearing to show an interest in him, Paul was worried that he might jeopardize his chances if he pushed her away. Thus, even though it felt wrong, he didn't say anything even as she snuggled up close enough that he could feel her head and nose against his back. Instead, he closed his eyes and continued counting sheep until well after midnight...
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"You're not going to try and stop me? I figured that was the whole reason you forced me to share a room with you."
Without even sparing a glance at the nearly-naked girl gawking at herself in front of a standing mirror, Zhongli answered, "It's your body. Unless our Master has need of it, you are free to do as you please. Just don't let him find out if you want to wander off and...experiment."
After rolling her eyes, the bronze lolita looked over at Zhongli and asked, "What about you? Don't tell me you haven't at least tried 'experimenting' a bit. I mean, I'm not exactly looking forward to getting my guts stirred up, but I've always wondered what it was like to be a woman. If our 'beloved' Master isn't up to the task, can you really blame me for taking matters into my own hands?"
Setting aside the quill she was using to record the day's events, Zhongli turned to meet the young girl's, Kaeya's gaze as she answered, "Better yours than someone who can leverage your actions against our Master..."
Clicking her tongue, Kaeya returned her attention to her mirror image as she lazily droned, "Yeah, yeah, the mission comes first...you're speaking to the choir on that one, sister..."
"Mmm...so long as you remember our duty, then it's okay. Also, if things get particularly difficult, I will assist you. After all, that is the true reason I had us share a room."
Raising her brows, Kaeya intoned an amused, "Oh~?" before turning to face Zhongli with a mischievous smile on her face. In response, the latter revised her previous statement, saying, "Better someone you know than a stranger..."
Unable to contain herself, Kaeya tittered in response to Zhongli's words, her singular blue eye glimmering with amusement as she said, "I retract back my previous misunderstandings. Things just got a hell of a lot more interesting..."
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As if her internal clock was more accurate than a genuine timepiece, the lids of Jean's eyes began to flutter at precisely 2 AM. When she opened them, her body briefly tensed as she noticed herself holding onto Paul as he slept precariously close to the edge of his bed.
Fearing she might knock Paul out of the bed if she released him, Jean did the exact opposite by scooching her body back and pulling him close. Her movements were more than enough to stir Paul, his eyes opening just as she rolled him onto his back, their faces less than 15cm apart.
After a moment of awkward silence where they just stared at each other, Jean adopted a faint smile, saying, "Good morning, Master Paul...I hope my presence did not make you too uncomfortable..."
"Uh...it was okay..."
With Jean leaning against him, Paul honestly had no idea how to respond. Fortunately, she didn't maintain the contact for very long. Following Paul's response, she promptly sat up, her body shivering beneath the relatively thin fabric of her nightgown as she said, "Give me a few minutes to kindle the hearth and prepare some warm water."
Though he was tempted to tell Jean to stay in bed until the sun came up, Paul ultimately remained silent. Even during their eleven-day journey back from the Academy, she never missed a day of training. Since she couldn't do it in the carriage, she would wait until they checked into an Inn before doing things like walking around on her hands, stretching, or swinging her sword for hours at a time.
With nothing but Paul to occupy her time, Jean was a certifiable training maniac.
Watching as Jean scurried barefoot across the icy floor, various thoughts crossed Paul's mind. Before he could even think to voice them, however, a crashing sound sounded throughout the room as Ei, wearing a nightgown that was at least two sizes too large, burst out, shouting, "Who dares to trespass my Master's chambers!?"
With the apparent intent of cutting down anyone she didn't recognize, Ei slapped her desolate chest to produce the hilt of a violet-purple sword made of condensed Electro Energy. However, instead of the 73cm Tachi she was used to, a diminutive edge that could barely pass as a knife came out.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Realizing that the only two people present were Jean and her Master, Ei hid her compact version of the Musou no Hitotachi behind her back as she said, "It would appear I was mistaken..."
Resisting the urge to comment on Ei's nearly non-existent blade, a smile made its way to Paul's face as he said, "Good morning, Ei. Did you have any trouble sleeping...?"
"Mmm...it was much smaller than the quarters I am used to, but it was sufficient. Ei thanks Master Paul for his concerns."
"Right...mind fixing your nightgown? Your...shoulder is showing..."
"Hmmm...?"
Looking down, Ei noticed that more than just her shoulder was showing. Instead of reacting bashfully, however, she just pulled up her sleeve and said, "Once again, Master Paul's righteous character shines through. Ei is truly humbled."
Adopting a wrier smile, Paul remained silent in response to Ei's praise. He might not be a piece of shit, but he was far from what he would consider a righteous person. Had Ei been in her mature form, he would have felt a lot more than guilt seeing her wardrobe malfunction.
Interpreting her Master's silence as a disinterest in communication, Ei shifted her attention to Jean, asking, "Do you require assistance?" in her characteristically calm, almost cold tone.
Surprised by Ei's words, Jean asked, "Do you know how to light a hearth?"
Shaking her head, Ei answered, "I've never tried. However, I've observed lightning setting trees ablaze. If I control the output, I should be able to-"
Trusting his instincts, Paul interrupted Ei's proposal, saying, "It's okay, Ei. Just leave such things to Jean. Besides, it's barely 2 in the morning. You don't need to be up just yet."
"Absurd!"
Matching her exclamation, Ei had an ostensibly offended look on her face as she placed her hand over her heart and exclaimed, "What kind of Maid sleeps in when her Master is already awake!?"
Shivering due to more than just the cold, Paul did his best to control the clattering of his teeth as he asked, "Then w-w-what do you want to d-d-d-do...?"
Realizing she was releasing Electro Energy throughout the room, Ei did her best to rein it in before lowering herself to the cold, hard ground, her forehead contacting its surface as she said, "Ei has wronged her Master. Please render a punishment unto this foolish woman..."
Covering his eyes with his left hand, Paul lightly massaged his temples as he took a few steadying breaths. He didn't know if it was because he was in the world of an anime, but Ei's behavior was so far beyond ordinary that it rapidly drained his mental energies. If he was being completely honest, a small part of him wanted to just 'order' her to behave normally...
Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Paul lowered his hand, his eyes fixating on the top of Ei's head as he said, "If you're going to stay up, you may as well get dressed. As for your 'punishment'...it is not your place to determine when and for what I punish you for..."
Since it didn't appear as though Ei would be willing to listen to reason, Paul decided to 'put his foot' down. Not literally, but he at least tried to sound like he was chastising her.
"Ah..."
Realizing she had been impertinent yet again, Ei pressed her head even more firmly against the floor as she said, "Master Paul is correct! Ei has overstepped her bounds and been presumptuous. Please-"
"Ei..."
Though Paul's voice was barely a whisper, Ei immediately quieted down when she heard his utterance. She prepared herself for a harsh rebuke; instead, Paul exhaled a sigh and said, "Please just get up, return to your room, and get dressed. Watching you bow and hearing you apologize in such an unwarranted manner...it just doesn't feel right. You're the Raiden Shogun, not some Maidservant. You shouldn't be bowing to anyone..."
Though she raised her head, Ei didn't immediately say or do anything. She just stared at Paul sitting on his bed, her deep amethyst irises and radiant, Electro purple pupils boring holes into him. When she did speak, her voice was softer than usual despite her firmly stating, "You're a good man, Paul Notos Greyrat..."
Rising to her feet, Ei took a moment to make sure her nightgown was in order before meeting Paul's gaze a second time. He was expecting her to compliment him further. Thus, he immediately became slackjawed when Ei stated, "I don't know how."
"...pardon?"
With a completely serious expression on her face, Ei thumped her chest as she announced, "I, Raiden Ei, Shogun of Inazuma, do not know how to dress myself!"
"..."
Resisting the urge to ask how such a thing was possible, Paul just shook his head before looking towards Jean and asking, "Jean...?" in a helpless tone.
Understanding what Paul was asking her, Jean offered a wry smile as she replied, "Leave it to me."
Walking over to Ei, Jean grabbed the former's hand, whispering, "I'll help you get dressed." with the same awkward smile on her face. In response, Ei nodded her head, her tone and expression a lot firmer than when she was speaking to Paul as she said, "You have my gratitude."
Watching Jean drag Ei back to her quarters, Paul waited for the door to close behind him before sinking into his bed. The sheets had become a little chilly, but that didn't stop him from huddling up under his blankets and simply lying in silence. At least, that's how things were supposed to be. The moment he pulled the blankets over his head, he noticed a faint yet clearly feminine aroma that was impossible to ignore...
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After one of the most exhaustive nights and mornings of his life, Paul was spent by the time he completed his morning routine with Jean. Ei's advice had given both him and Jean much greater insight into the 'true nature' of swordsmanship, but it did little to combat the heavy bags under his eyes.
Unfortunately, as part of the agreement he made with his father, Paul had to meet with him first thing in the morning. Amarant wanted proof of his ability to summon and contract Familiars, so, after an incredibly awkward bath with Jean, Ei, and a playfully curious Xinyan, Paul gathered everyone to meet with his father.
*tok* *tok* *tok*
"Enter."
Hearing his father's voice before he could announce himself, Paul paused for a moment before pushing open the heavy wooden door and ushering everyone inside.
Seeing five new faces among his son's entourage, each a burgeoning beauty in their own right, Amarant's eyes briefly lit up before he shifted his attention to Paul and inquired, "Does the summoning ritual place a heavy burden on the caster? You look like you haven't slept in days..."
Smiling wryly in response to his father's words, Paul answered, "I can't reveal the specifics. Just know that it doesn't put my life in jeopardy or consume something like vitality."
"Mmm..."
Since his son had reiterated numerous times that he couldn't reveal the specifics of the summoning, Amarant didn't press him. It was more than enough knowing that his son had been telling the truth. He wasn't sure how powerful each of Paul's Familiars was, but the artifact that buzzed when powerful creatures were nearby was humming loud enough to be audible to others.
While passing his gaze over each member of Paul's entourage, Amarant asked, "Is there a reason they're all girls? If it's something you can't say, that's fine...I was just...curious..."
Though he had little interest in Paul's companions at the present moment, Amarant could tell they would grow into incredible beauties in the future. He was one of the few Nobles that had never taken any concubines, but due to his wife's ailing health, she was rarely available to help him satisfy his urges. If every Familiar his son summoned had such promise, Amarant wouldn't mind bankrolling a few for himself...
"Father..."
Seeing through his father's thoughts, Paul's fatigued expression became even more haggard. The very last thing he needed was his father lusting after the people he summoned through the Intersection of Fate. He had no intention of trying to monopolize the girls he summoned, but there was no way he would arbitrarily entrust them to others...standing be damned...
Thinking his son was worried about having his 'toys' taken away, Amarant adopted a helpless expression of his own as he appended, "Worry not. As I said before, I was just curious. So long as you do not invite unnecessary trouble to the Family and the Milbots Region, you are free to do with your 'companions' as you please..."
Relieved by his father's words, Paul bowed as a show of appreciation and respect. When the girls promptly emulated his courtesy, an awkward yet gratified smile developed across his face. He hadn't instructed them to do such a thing, so it must have been Zhongli's doing.
Nodding his head in approval, Amarant took a moment to stroke his chin in contemplation before saying, "Since you seem to be weary from your travels, I will give you the next week off. After that, you will be joining me to tour the region and learn about your responsibilities as a future Lord..."
Though he suspected his son had the potential to become something far greater than a Regional Lord, Amarant would never dare say such a thing aloud. He was still loyal to the Asura Kingdom, so unless the Royals went out of their way to antagonize them, Amarant would continue performing his duties without thoughts of conspiracy.
Though he wasn't looking forward to spending nearly six weeks traveling around, inspecting the region, and watching Nobles kiss his father's ass, Paul still smiled in response to his father's words, saying, "I won't let you down." in a sincere tone. He might not like it, but he was still the First Son of House Notos. For the sake of his ambitions and the preservation of two worlds, Paul would willfully bear the duties and responsibilities of a Lord...
Nodding his head a second time, a rare smile graced Amarant's face as he said, "You never have. Now, away with you. There are at least eight better ways you can be using your time right now. Just don't get so carried away you can't get it up on your wedding night. Understood?"
Smiling wryly in response to his father's words, Paul wanted to clarify the misunderstanding, but Amarant was pretending to concentrate on one of the papers littered around his desk...
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"I'm going to continue summoning until I obtain a 5-Star or reach pity. For now, why don't you join the others?"
Prompted by Paul's suggestion, Xinyan looked past him to who else had joined their merry little band. When she saw Xiangling, her face lit up, but nowhere near as much as when she spotted Zhongli.
"Xiangling! And is that Zhongli? You make a pretty find girl, don'tcha?"
While Xiangling returned a happy smile, answering, "It's good to see you, Xinyan." Zhongli just crossed her arms with an ostensibly smug expression on her face. She wasn't a particularly vain person, but she did agree with Xinyan's assessment; her feminine form was rather appealing.
With Xinyan walking over to join the others, Paul began slotting more gold into the tiny groove above the handprints. Then, once ten Acquaint Fates had manifested, he shouted, "Confirm!" in a voice that drew the attention of all four girls.
Similar to when Xinyan had been summoned, the meteors quickly gained a purple hue to them. This brought an even wider smile to Paul's face, as, thus far, none of his 'rolls' had been duds. He knew this wouldn't always be the case, so he was happy his fortunes were holding up.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, the purple meteor split into ten smaller comets before slamming into the center of the platform. Paul's smile was essentially pulling his face when he noticed two purple comets, but the indisputably most excited person present was Xiangling.
"Yaoyao~!"
Without waiting for the petite, chestnut-haired girl standing in the middle of the platform to get her bearings, Xiangling ran over, literally picking her up and spinning her around as she happily exclaimed, "I can't believe you were the one who got summoned! And look, we're nearly the same size~!"
Though she was a little disoriented due to Xiangling's actions, the dainty girl with oversized bells in her hair quickly returned a smile, replying, "It's good to see you, Xiangling." in a markedly calmer tone.
Releasing Yaoyao from her stranglehold, Xiangling gave her good friend and junior disciple a once-over before grabbing her hand, turning to Paul, and saying, "This is Yaoyao. We both apprenticed under the same Master before she went on to become the Attendant of Lady Ganyu. If you don't mind, can I be the one to introduce her to this world?"
Before Paul could answer, it was Yaoyao who exhaled a sigh and said, "Xiangling, while I appreciate your concerns, I am no longer the young girl you used to drag around by the hand. I was the Chief Attendant of Liyue's Emissary. If I could take care of an Adeptus like Lady Ganyu, Master Paul should not be a problem."
Pulling her hand free from Xiangling's, Yaoyao performed a formal curtsy, head lowered in the direction of Paul as she calmly stated, "Yaoyao greets her Master."
Gesturing for Yaoyao to rise, Paul's expression revealed a hint of concern as he said, "Your courtesy is both acknowledged and greatly appreciated. However, I am in agreement with Xiangling on this matter. While I will not forbid you from performing your duties as a Maid, I think it would be best if the two of you spent time together..."
Adopting a pouty expression, Yaoyao explained, "Xiangling is only twenty months older than I am. And back when we were apprenticing under the same Master, it was always me trying to keep her out of trouble..."
Shaking his head, Paul said, "I don't doubt that in the slightest. It's just; I would feel considerably less concerned if you stuck together. Not for you, but both of you."
Exhaling a sigh, Yaoyoa answered, "Very well..." before looking towards the almost bereaved-looking Xiangling and asking, "What's wrong?" in an audibly concerned tone. In response, Xiangling just shook her head and said, "It's nothing important. I was just a little hurt that you didn't want to spend time with me."
"..."
Resisting the urge to exhale yet another sigh, Yaoyao grabbed Xiangling's hand and said, "You know that wasn't my intention, Xiangling. I just don't like being treated as a child."
Though she nodded her head in understanding, Xiangling effectively shot herself in the foot by saying, "But you are a child."
"..."
Willfully ignoring Xiangling's remark, Yaoyao directed a polite nod towards Paul before pulling her 'senior' off to the side. She got the impression that she and Xiangling were in the way, and she didn't want her new Master to think she was incapable of reading the room.
After following the duo with his eyes, Paul returned his gaze to the front. Yaoyao wasn't the only prize he had obtained. A glossy black sword with a red line running down its center could be seen emanating a pale purple light among the seventeen other weapons present. Its guard resembled a dragon's face or some kind of helmet, complete with red eyes that glowed with malicious, bloody light.
Picking up the surprisingly light sword, Paul gave it a few practice swings before remarking, "This is a good blade..."
Supplementing Paul's statement, Zhongli explained, "The Black Sword, a cursed weapon that thirsts for blood and leads even the purest of hearts astray. While it is known to increase the power of attacks and regenerate its user with the blood of his enemies, it is a perilous weapon in the hands of mortals..."
Raising his brows, Paul questioned, "Are you saying this sword can make people evil? That certainly wasn't a feature in the game..."
Refuting Paul's words, Zhongli said, "Good and evil are subjective. While The Black Blade invariably leads its wielder down a path of slaughter, it is the nature of all blades to cut down their enemies. So long as you wield it responsibly, you need not fear The Black Blade's corruption."
Nodding his head in implied understanding, Paul summoned his previous weapon before synching The Black Black with his Vision. As terrifying as the notion of a cursed sword was, a blade that dealt increased damage and healed its user was a tremendous advantage in a situation where his life was on the line.
Once the synchronization process had finished, Paul asked for the girls' help clearing out the other weapons before continuing his Gacha spree. He immediately regretted this when his next four 10-pulls were all misses but soon forgot about them when the fifth meteor turned a vibrant shade of purple.
Though he was initially stoked by the prospect of obtaining a new ally or weapon, Paul became visibly confused when a young girl with dark blue hair and amber eyes appeared wearing a dark-blue Maid outfit appeared. He could tell she was a Hydro(Water) user based on the patterns sewn into her apron and headdress, but he didn't recognize her as a character from Genshin.
Once again, it was Xiangling who broke the silence, asking, "Xingqiu...is that you?" in a tentative tone.
Thought the blue-haired girl nodded in response to Xiangling's question, her attention was focused on Paul as she asked, Are you, perchance, my new Master, Paul Notos Greyrat?"
Seeing Paul nod his head in affirmation, the boyish-looking girl performed a flawless curtsy as she said, "My name is Xingqiu. In my previous world, I was the Second Son of the Feiyun Commerce Guild's Guild Manager. In this world, I am your humble servant. If there is anything you need of me, please do not hesitate to ask."
Realizing that the diminutive girl before him was one of the genderbent characters he had been dreading to summon, Paul responded with a soft, "Right..." before asking, "How do you feel? Any...discomfort...?"
Tilting her head to the side, Xingqiu asked, "I'm afraid I don't understand the reason for Master Paul's concerns. Am I injured somewhere...?"
Giving her body a once-over, Xinqiu quickly realized what Paul was asking about when she noticed the drastic differences in her form. When she did, an uncannily bashful smile developed across her face as she said, "It will undoubtedly take some getting used to, but I had prepared myself for this outcome when I signed the contract. If there is one thing I might request, it's that you wait until I'm a bit older before-"
Before Xingqiu could finish her appeal, she was promptly dragged off to the side by Xiangling and Yaoyao. They didn't know exactly what she was going to request, but it didn't take a virtuoso to surmise it was something lewd.
Though she was more than a little confused by Xiangling's and Yaoyao's actions, Xingqiu didn't resist. She just assumed they were following Paul's orders and allowed herself to be dragged over to where the others were waiting. She attempted to greet Zhongli, Xinyan, and Jean there but was ultimately hindered when Xiangling dragged her further away to whisper something into her ear.
Exhaling a tired sigh, Paul briefly considered praying to the RNG gods that he didn't pull another genderbent character. Unfortunately, even thinking such thoughts drastically increased the odds of such an event happening, a fact Paul was promptly reminded of when the next 10-Pull shifted to a purple hue and impacted the platform.
"Oh? Is it time for the main character to make an appearance...?"
Seeing a petite figure with dark-blue hair, bronzed skin, hazy blue eyes, and an eye patch emerge from within the purple light, Pual's expression became solemn. Even if he was genderbent, Paul immediately recognized the mischievous-looking girl, muttering, "Kaeya..." in a deflated tone.
"Hmmm~?"
Hearing Paul mutter her name, Kaeya gave him a quick once over before looking down and giving her body the same. A curious glimmer promptly appeared in her singular, uncovered eye as she said, "One sec...I need to check something..." before turning around with her back facing Paul and the rest.
Before Paul could ask what Kaeya was up to, his expression became even gloomier when the chocolate girl hiked up the front of her dark-blue Maid outfit, stretched the band of her white hose, and remarked, "Farewell, my brother..." before adding a cheeky, "Helly, little kitty..."
Preventing Kaeya from examining her new form even further, Jean threw her wooden sword so that the pommel impacted the former's head. Kaeya was immediately knocked unconscious by the blow, faceplanting into the ground as Jean walked over with a furious blush on her face and said, "I'll take care of this idiot..." before hastily dragging the unconscious blunette away.
"..."
Deciding to entrust the matter to Jean, Paul returned his attention to the stone dais in a vain attempt to forget he had summoned one of the more troublesome characters in the game. Kaeya wasn't a bad person, but he, now she, was the type that got off on teasing and messing around with others. Paul couldn't even imagine the number of headaches her former self had caused Jean. Now, mere weeks after she was finally 'free' of her tormentor, Jean and Kaeya had been reunited. Paul legitimately felt sorry for them both...
Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Paul muttered, "Time to find out if Pity is a thing..."
Back in the original Genshin Impact, players that had failed to get a 5-Star within 90 Rolls were guaranteed to get one on their ninetieth roll. Before the start of his spree, the last person Paul summoned had been the 5-Star Jean. Since then, he had performed eight consecutive 10-Pulls, so if the Pity System did exist, he was guaranteed to get a 5-Star on the next one.
Rubbing his hands together, Paul silently whispered, "Come on, Albedo or Ganyu..." in a hopeful tone. He had already gotten Jean, so if he could get Ganyu, Paul would have all pulled both of his favorite female characters in short order. Hopefully, Yaoyao's appearance was a precursor to obtaining the loveably awkward Qilin girl...
Seeing the meteor shift from pale blue to a luminous shade of gold, Paul couldn't help leaping to his feet and shouting, "Come on...!" with a scary look in his eyes. He was like a gambler that had just placed his house on the line in one last bet. It was a very apt comparison considering that 90 pulls were equivalent to $9,000,000 back in his previous world.
Shielding his eyes to block the shockwave that occurred when the golden comet impacted the central platform, Paul was momentarily unable to see the form of the person that had appeared. Despite this, he instantly knew who it was as a soft yet cold voice asked, "Are you the one who will help me reclaim Eternity...?"

Chapter 21: MI21: Setting In