Mushoku Impact

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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With little else to do with the time his father had given him, Paul split his time between training, practicing with his newly acquired Vision, reading the texts in his library, and speaking with his mother.
As tempted as he was to take the week off, Paul reasoned he wouldn't have much time to train while traveling with his father. With that in mind, he focused purely on swordsmanship between the hours of 3 and 7 AM. After that, he would eat before spending the period between breakfast and lunch reading or conversing with his summons.
Though Zhongli had continued to reinforce the notion that he didn't need to be actively involved with the lives of everyone he summoned, Paul felt it was his duty to at least try. It might not matter to some of them, but for girls like Xiangling, Paul could tell his efforts meant a lot to her.
Once lunch had finished, Paul would spend the first half of his afternoon conversing with his mother. He was trying to figure out exactly what was wrong with her, but, as far as he could tell from the tidbits she gave here and there, it was a sickness that had plagued her since childhood. Even if he knew the exact name of her condition, there was very little he could do about it at the present moment.
Fortunately, though their interactions often left Paul feeling as though he wanted to crawl into a hole and hide, Valentine seemed to enjoy spending time with Jean, Ei, and anyone else he brought by. She had initially taken an interest in their beautiful and exotic appearances, but, upon getting to know them better, she quickly realized the actual dynamic between Paul and his summons. Since then, Paul had 'suffered' quite a bit as a result of his mother's teasing.
With his mother having more people to converse and spend time with, Valentine's health improved drastically. She was far from healthy, but it was clear to everyone within the estate that she was happier, healthier, and far more energetic. So much so that Paul's father ended up delaying their trip a few days so he could spend more 'quality time' with his wife...
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"Still can't look directly at me...?"
After another hard day of training and self-study, Xinyan was helping Paul clean himself in the bath. It was a little excessive, but Paul would take up to three 'baths' per day. His status as a member of House Notos meant he had an actual bath, but, more often than not, he just suffered in silence as the girls wiped him down in his bedroom or his family's sauna.
Answering in Paul's stead, Ei cooly asserted, "Master Paul is a man of high morals. You should not test him so..."
Since they were prohibited from using the bath on their own, most of the girls in Paul's entourage would take turns attending him. Most had enough sense to cover themselves with thick towels, but Xinyan had always been a free-spirited girl. Since they would be spending the next twenty, thirty, or even more years together, she didn't see any reason to act bashfully in Paul's presence.
Ignoring Ei's remark, Xinyan continued scrubbing Paul's back without so much as a single covering. Her bronzed skin glistened in the low light of the humid chamber, but Paul was largely unaware of this. As a matter of principle, he spent nearly the entire bath with his eyes closed.
"While I don't exactly agree with a lot of what Zhongli puts out, I do think you're a little too sensitive. If me being naked makes you uncomfortable, you should just come out and say it. You don't need to sit here and silently accept everything, you know?"
Exhaling a sigh, Paul kept his eyes closed as he softly replied, "You're all going through a lot as is. The destruction of your world, the existence of a contract that forces you to obey someone you've never met, and a set of circumstances that forced you to effectively reincarnate as children. I just don't want to cause you any additional stress..."
Adopting a faint blush, Xinyan muttered, "Ei wasn't wrong...you really are a good person, Paul..."
Punctuating her words, Xinyan gave Paul a light smack on his back before rising to her feet and saying, "This place is starting to get a little too stuffy for my tastes. I'll leave the rest to you three."
Though they had been sitting in relative silence, Jean, Xiangling, and even Yaoyao were present within the bath. In response to Xinyan's words, Jean answered, "Leave it to me." before rising from her wooden bath stool and retrieving a fresh towel. Xiangling and Yaoyao looked like they wanted to say something but ultimately remained silent as they had been helping Ei clean herself.
As skillful as she was with the sword, Ei was fundamentally incapable of doing much else...
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"Do you not intend to take the others...?"
Seeing only Xingqiu, Jean, and Zhongli accompanying his son, Amarant couldn't help wondering where the rest of Paul's 'Familiars' were.
"Traveling with a large entourage will only draw unnecessary attention to myself. While I have no intentions of lying low, I know better than to stick my neck out and show my hand."
"Mmm...very good."
Nodding his head in approval, Amarant was more sure than ever that Paul was the best heir he could have hoped for. He was only a few weeks from his sixth birthday, but he already had the disposition of an adult. It was a little jarring at times, but Amarant was exceedingly satisfied with his son's growth...
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As Paul had expected, traveling alongside his father was an exceptionally mundane affair. His father had insisted they ride in the same carriage, but instead of using it as an opportunity to confer his wisdom, Amarant would spend most of the trip sitting in silence or sleeping. Paul had tried to make conversation initially, but the only interests he and his father shared were their general preferences in women.
Fortunately, while the carriage rides were almost unbearable, things got a little easier once Paul and Amarant reached their destination. The families they visited spared no expense to welcome and accommodate them. Paul was inconvenienced by having to entertain their children, but his standing and maturity compelled even the more profligate members of the younger generation to be on their best behavior when he was around.
If there was one thing Paul could complain about, it was the unconcealed interest every single House had in Zhongli, Jean, and Xingqiu. After a visit with one of the more affluent households in the region, his father revealed they had offered a startling 10,000 Asura Gold Pieces to purchase Zhongli and Jean. That was the equivalent of purchasing two Saint-Ranked Mages or five Saint-Ranked Swordsmen that had sold themselves into slavery to pay their debts.
Increasing Paul's feelings of frustration, Amarant speculated that it was very likely the 10,000 Gold had been set aside to purchase Zhongli alone. In other words, the family had simply lumped Jean into the exchange at the last moment. She had yet to gain a reputation for herself, but even a fool could tell she would mature into a breathtakingly beautiful woman.
Fortunately, the standing of House Notos placed them in a situation to dictate the terms of virtually any agreement. Amarant used the family's attempt to procure Jean as a 'bonus' to accuse them of disrespecting a Greater Noble House. He didn't pursue the matter, but the allegation was more than enough to compel the other family to both withdraw their offer and provide compensation.
Unfortunately, no matter how powerful the Notos Family was, they were still subordinate to the Royal Family. Amarant warned Paul that rumors of Zhongli's prowess had long since reached the ears of people in the Silver Palace. They were unlikely to take proactive measures to secure her, but Paul would need to be cautious if he visited the Capital. Due to Zhongli's perceived status as a servant, members of the Royal Family could simply requisition her on the grounds that any servant of their affiliate was also a servant of the Royal Family.
Though Paul had no intention of visiting the Royal Capital, it was only a matter of time before he received a summons. Zhongli's results may have exceeded his, but it was still 'common knowledge' that the Heir of House Notos was a prodigy. Unless he spontaneously started acting his age and performing poorly, the King would eventually want to meet and commend him. There was no way the Royal Family would simply ignore the presence of a genius 'lurking' about in the frontier regions...
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After nearly four weeks of traveling, Paul and his father had reached the southernmost territory of the Milbots Region, a neutral commerce town jointly governed by Houses Notos and Eurus.
As a town bordering two regions, the Free City of Roak was one of the most prosperous townships in the Asura Kingdom. It was home to many merchant guilds, sword schools, and, more importantly, the fourth-largest Adventurer's Guild in the entire world.
Though many of the towns they had passed through had smaller Guild offices, the Adventurer's Guild in Roak was nearly the size of the Local Lord's Estate. Roak's status as a Free City meant they were responsible for providing their own security, so the Adventurer's Guild looked more like a small fortress than a large tavern.
Unfortunately, with very few exceptions, people needed to be at least ten years of age to join the Adventurer's Guild. Paul was tempted to check it out but ultimately decided against it since it would only draw attention to himself, Jean, Zhongli, and Xingqiu. Instead, he just loitered around the Local Lord's Estate as he and his father awaited the arrival of the Wishiru Region's Lord Eurus. At the very least, that's what Paul intended to do.
"You shouldn't stay cooped up inside all day. I understand your desire to train and expand your knowledge, but there are some things only life can teach you."
Suppressing a sigh, Paul met his father's gaze and explained, "It's not that I don't want to explore; I simply wish to avoid placing myself in precarious situations before I have the strength to protect myself..."
Making no effort to suppress his own sigh, Amarant pinched the bridge of his nose as he said, "Be that as it may, there are some things you can only experience during childhood. After observing you these past few weeks, I have begun to doubt whether or not you possess friends outside the girls you've summoned..."
"..."
Seeing his son avert his eyes, a second sigh escaped Amarant's throat as he muttered, "I suspected as much..."
Rising to his feet, Amarant's expression and tone became stern as he said, "Come with me. There is a famous Water God Dojo located nearby. If the rumors are to be believed, the head instructor is a man who apprenticed under the previous Water God. He should have some students capable of giving you and your aspiring Knight a challenge..."
Shifting his attention to Jean, Amarant offered an approving nod when the perpetually stoic swordswoman supplied a shallow yet courteous bow. He had absolutely no complaints about Jean's disposition or character. Were it not for the fact she was a Summoned Familiar, Amarant wouldn't object even if Paul asked for support to take Jean as his wife. Instead, the young swordswoman appeared determined to become his Knight...
Realizing his father's mind was already made up, Paul offered a courteous bow of his own, answering, "I understand..." in an exhausted tone. He was actually looking forward to seeing the capabilities of a former Water God's apprentice. What bothered him was the remarkably high probability of him and Jean being forced to fight progressively stronger opponents. In other words, it was only a matter of time before he was left beaten and fatigued on the sidelines while Jean fought opponents he wouldn't even be able to touch at his current level. If Zhongli and Xingqiu got involved, Paul would be shown up by all three of his subordinates...
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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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Chapter 22: MI22: Exasperation