Mushoku Impact

Following Lilia, Paul and his group found themselves within a small dojo filled with wooden mannequins and a variety of different swords, shields, and faux armor. The room's dimensions were around 15x15m, with a floor covered in varnished wooden planks and walls constructed from a lower grade version of the magic bricks found at Milbots Academy. There were crates lined up on one side of the room, and, likely due to the presence of weapons inside, the windows were covered in thick iron bars reminiscent of a prison cell.
"This is my father's dojo. Please don't mind the mess..."
Though she didn't know Paul's official rank or title, Lilia recognized the name Notos as belonging to one of the four most powerful families in the Asura Kingdom, maybe even the world. Her experiences with Nobles had been less than pleasant thus far, so she was afraid he would lash out or try to grope her.
Noticing Lilia's nervousness, Paul wanted to tell her not to worry, but he knew there was a very high probability that their parents were discussing the topic of hiring her as an attendant. He could try to oppose it, but the truth of the matter was that Lilia would probably be a lot happier serving House Notos than any other family. The question was whether or not her absence from the Palace of Concubines would jeopardize the life of the future 2nd Princess, Ariel Anemoi Asura...
As suspect as it sounded, Paul had a lot of plans for the future Princess. In the original series, she was the driving force behind numerous positive changes in the Kingdom and the surrounding countries. She was sadistic and a massive pervert, but she was basically a Saintess compared to the other member of the Royal Family.
In the timeline Paul was familiar with, Lilia would eventually be 'invited' to serve in the Palace of Concubines. There, she would experience some of the worst parts of Asuran Noble society, but she would also be present to save Princess Ariel from an assassination attempt. If that happened, most of Paul's plans for his twenties would be set back years, if not decades. In the worst-case scenario, his desire to fix some of the Kingdom's systemic issues could lead to war...
"Sir Paul...?"
Seeing the grim expression on Paul's face, Lilia barely summoned up the courage to call out to him. In the very next moment, she was left feeling at a complete loss as a 'friendly' smile developed across Paul's handsome face as he replied, "Sorry about that. It's just...your name reminds me of someone...someone very important..."
Though she believed Paul was trying to flirt with her, Lilia couldn't prevent a faint blush from coloring her cheeks. He was a lot more 'subtle' about it than the other Nobles she had met.
Dumbfound by Lilia's timid reaction, Paul briefly found himself at a loss for before he shook his head free of thoughts and said, "Let me introduce you to my companions. The girls wearing the Maid outfits are my current Head Maid and Secretary, Zhongli, and Xingqiu. The girl wearing the pants and tunic is my Knight, Jean."
While calling Jean his Knight before she was given the title was a little dangerous, Paul honestly didn't care. He had no intention of taking her to a member of the Royal Family only to have her subsequently requisitioned from him. Fortunately, so long as she could attain the Rank of Saint in the Sword or Water God Styles, she would receive the status of an Honorary Knight automatically.
Observing how fancily dressed Zhongli, Jean, and Xingqiu were, Lilia felt compelled to lower her head to the trio as she stated, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Speaking at the group's representative, Zhongli adopted a faint smile as she remarked, "My, what a polite young lady. Your parents, or perhaps I should say your mother? Either way, they taught you well."
Nodding her head in agreement, Xingqiu chimed in with her smooth and melodic voice, stating, "Indeed." before offering a polite bow of her own and adding, "And the pleasure is mine."
Assuming it was her turn, Jean emulated a Noble's genuflection with her hand over her heart, politely bowing as she parroted, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Lilia."
Surprised by the trio's responses, Lilia was stuck between the options of telling them their courtesy was unnecessary and thanking them. Before she could make up her mind, Paul left her feeling even more confused by suddenly asking, "Do you have any dreams? Like, dreams outside of what your parents want you to do...?"
Opening her mouth, Lilia tried to respond but found herself unable to find the words. Fortunately, her training in the Water God Style allowed her to recover quickly, her expression gaining a touch of impassiveness as she replied, "I wanted to become a swordsman like my father, but my reaction time is much slower than the boys. I still train, but I've spent most of the last year learning etiquette and how to perform chores. My mother says they'll be helpful when I go to work at the Lord's Estate..."
Seeing Paul's expression gradually morph into a furrowed pout, Lilia was afraid she had somehow offended him. She thought to apologize, but Paul preempted her addendum, stating, "That isn't what I meant. I mean, the whole wanting to become a swordsman thing is good and all, but haven't you ever dreamed of something...more? Like traveling around the world or becoming a great chef?"
Confused by Paul's words, Lilia's expression also formed into a pout as she asked, "Why would I want to do that? Traveling is dangerous, and there are countless people more skilled than me when it comes to things like cooking. All I want is to avoid causing trouble for my parents...if I can do that, I'll be happy..."
Though her expression implied otherwise, Lilia was convinced that her happiness was directly tied to her family. Like many children her age, she viewed the world through the filter of her parents' expectations. She once dreamed of becoming a princess or ascending to the Rank of Water God, but her parents had made it 'very' clear that such dreams were a waste of time. Princesses were born into their position, and becoming a Water God required incredible talent. In other words, there was nothing she could do to attain either.
Exhaling a sigh, Paul combed his fingers through his hair to try and calm himself. Various thoughts were racing through his mind, but none of them were particularly pertinent to the current situation. As was often the case, there was nothing he could do except go with the flow.
As that thought crossed Paul's mind, so too did a sudden realization. He had nearly forgotten about it, but the Lilia from the anime wore glasses, something the girl before him distinctly lacked.
"Do you know how to read...?"
Though she was more than a little surprised by the continuous changes in Paul's expression and tone, Lilia managed to answer, "No. Mother bought me a book to practice, but I'm still learning how to read it..."
Since Lilia's response didn't help clarify things, Paul thought for a moment before pulling out a small ledger from his breast pocket. Unfortunately, he didn't have a writing utensil on hand as quills weren't exactly the type of thing most people-
Interrupting Paul's reverie, Zhongli promptly proferred forth a quill and an ink well from her magical satchel. When he saw this, Paul's thoughts and expression momentarily blanked before he accepted them and muttered, "Thanks..." with a wry smile on his face.
Returning a smile of her own, Zhongli replied, "Your words are too kind, Master Paul. It is my duty as Head Maid to always be prepared. Please, reserve your gratitude for those more deserving..."
Punctuating her words with a courteous bow, Zhongli promptly returned to her original position. She still had a smile on her face, but her posture and demeanor were impeccable.
Suppressing his feelings of awkwardness, Paul took a moment to prepare the ink before wetting the quill and writing out a few of the most visually alike characters of the alphabet. The written Human Language, strangely enough, was basically just a substitute cipher for English. When Paul first learned this, he had been utterly gobsmacked as the spoken language, as far as he could tell, was similar to Japanese. It was for this reason he had taken more than three years to learn how to read and write. The grammar rules and syntax were just completely different...
Finished with his task, Paul held up his ledger and asked, "Can you tell me the differences between these three lines of characters?"
Though she suspected Paul was trying to make a fool out of her, Lilia only hesitated for a moment before answering, "I can try..." Then, somewhat confirming Paul's suspicions, she squinted her eyes and moved her face closer to the page. She managed to read the first line, but the remaining two were written with such fine handwriting that she suspected Paul had simply drawn squiggles.
"I think I know why your reaction time is slower than the other students..."
Rising to her full height, Lilia's face contorted into a glower as she asked, "What do you mean? Reading and swordsmanship have nothing to do with each other."
With an 'oh really' kind of expression on his face, Paul asked, "Then tell me, who would win in a fight between two equally skilled swordsmen if one of them was blind?"
Demonstrating she was as sharp as her father had attested, realization donned on Lilia's face as her complexion paled. She hadn't thought about it before due to always seeing the world in such a way, but the notion that others simply had better eyesight than her explained a lot. Unfortunately for her, while corrective lenses had already been invented, they were rare and 'very' expensive.
Seeing through Lilia's thoughts, Paul's expression became somewhat wry as he said, "While this might not sound very comforting, there is one thing I can promise you. If our parents arrange for you to come and work at the Notos Estate, I'll have a specialist test your vision. If my suspicions prove correct, you'll be able to train seriously once we commission you a pair of glasses..."
Though her expression dimmed at the potentiality of her being purchased, Lilia managed a strained smile as she said, "Thank you. If not for Sir Paul, I might not have realized my deficiency for many years..."
Offering a sad smile of his own, Paul wanted to say something to try and ease Lilia's concerns, but he wasn't exactly in a position to do so. If their parents managed to reach an accord, the only thing he could do for her was treat her with dignity and respect. At the very least, that was more than she would ever receive from other Nobles...
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"500 Asura Gold Coins and a promise she will not be seriously injured or harmed in the execution of her duties."
Since the 'going rate' for ten years of service was 20 Asura Gold Coins, even Augusta was taken aback by Amarant's offer. Even the sons and daughters of Noble families would only receive around 100-200 Gold for twenty years of service, so Augusta couldn't help asking, "Why so much? That's enough to purchase a small manor or support a large family for the rest of their lives. Is the Milbots Region so prosperous that you can afford to throw around hundreds of gold without batting an eye?"
Understanding Augusta's confusion, Amarant explained, "A man of your skill level should have noticed it, but the attendants who accompany my son are all remarkably skilled. I trust my son's discernment, so if he sees something special in your daughter, I am compelled to believe she is no ordinary lass."
Though he didn't know if his son had actually noticed anything special in Lilia, Paul's outburst was more than enough evidence for Amarant. His son wasn't the sort to speak out of turn, much less lose his composure. As far as Amarant was concerned, Lilia was worth her weight in gold if she could elicit such a response from his son...
Since he had initially intended to cow Amarant by asking for 200 Asura Gold Coins, Augusta found himself in an awkward situation. Even his wife had a conflicted expression on her face as 500 Asura Gold Coins was far too much for an unskilled child. Flute loved her daughter, but there was no way Lilia was worth such an absurd amount. After all, even she would only fetch around 10 Gold Pieces at an auction...
"1000 Gold..."
Though he immediately regretted it the moment the words left his lips, a wolfish grin developed across Augusta's face as he watched Amarant's expression form into a frown. What he didn't expect was for Amarant to almost immediately reply, "I will agree on the condition you relocate to the Milbots Region and allow your wife to serve within the Notos Estate for a period of five years..."
Tensing as if he had suddenly crossed paths with the Sword God on a bad day, Augusta looked to his wife with a silent plea in his eyes. In response, she briefly closed her own before answering, "Very well. Though the final decision is my husband's to make, I am willing to devote myself to House Notos for the next five years..."
Exhaling a sigh of relief, Augusta turned his attention to Amarant, saying, "It's settled then. I will relocate to the Milbots Region and open a school to help train soldiers for House Notos. I trust that was your intention...?"
Though the truth of the matter was that he simply wanted to have sex with Augusta's wife, Amarant nodded his head and said, "Since you will be doing a service for the Region, House Notos will provide the funds for construction and upkeep. However, should you fail to produce at least a single Saint-Ranked Swordsman within the next five years..."
Snorting through his nose, Augusta said, "So long as you don't send me complete rabble, it won't be an issue."
Nodding his head in approval, Amarant rose to his feet before reaching into his breast pocket to remove an envelope filled with enchanted paper notes. Carrying around a thousand gold was impractical, so high-ranking Nobles issued promissory notes that could only be redeemed within their respective regions. In other words, Augusta would have no choice but to travel to the Milbots Region if he wanted his money. As for Flute and Lilia, they effectively belonged to House Notos the moment the agreement was made.
"Retrieve your daughter. We leave in five minutes."
Anticipating the reason for Amarant's haste, Flute suppressed a sigh as she closed her eyes, offered a courteous bow, and answered, "By your will, my Lord." Then, without sparing her husband a glance, she carried herself with the dignity expected of a high-ranking Maid as she went to carry out her Master's orders...
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Just as things were beginning to get uncomfortable within the dojo, Flute arrived, shocking both Paul and her daughter as she bowed towards the former and said, "Your Lord Father wishes to depart. Please make way to the entrance, Young Master."
"Mother...?"
Raising her head, Flute responded to Lilia without looking at her, adding, "You will be accompanying the Young Master from this point onward, Lilia. Make sure you listen and serve him well."
Though it had yet to be established that Lilia would be Paul's attendant, it was the most reasonable conclusion. In other words, though they would be living and working within the same estate, Flute and Lilia served wholly separate Masters. Lilia was not yet aware of this, but it was frowned upon for servants to acknowledge one another unless their duties compelled it. Thus, with her new Master's orders conveyed, Flute offered another polite bow towards Paul before promptly turning around and departing the dojo.
While Lilia was understandably confused, Paul quickly realized what must have happened, mumbling, "That damned father of mine...how can he be such a good father and a piece of shit at the same time?"
Though he knew he was the true outlier in this scenario, Paul couldn't help feeling annoyed. How was he meant to get Lilia to trust him when they both knew her mother was probably getting harassed and plowed daily by his pervert of a father? Even if he never laid a hand on her, she would always wonder when it was her turn to endure similar treatment...
("I swear to God...it's like this world is doing everything in its power to turn me into a degenerate...")
Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Paul did his best to form a relaxed, disarming smile as he turned to meet Lilia's gaze. When he did, his body briefly tensed as all the emotion had vanished from her face. There was nothing like anger or sadness visible within her amethyst eyes, only calm and disquieting resignation.
"Lilia..."
Before Lilia or Paul could say anything else, Zhongli chimed in to advise, "Master Paul, it would not do to keep your father waiting. We can discuss the specifics of Miss Lilia's circumstances once we have returned."
Exhaling a sigh, Paul muttered, "You're right..." before shaking his head for the umpteenth time, looking towards Lilia, and stating, "Let's go..." in what he hoped to be a kind-sounding tone. Whether or not it came across that way was difficult to ascertain as Lilia simply returned a polite bow, stating, "As you will, Master Paul..." in a calm monotone.
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After returning to the Local Lord's Estate, Paul asked his father about the specifics of Lilia's and Flute's servitude. There were actually a number of laws that prohibited children younger than the age of ten from serving in a Lord's Estate. Exceptions were made for slaves, but Lilia was obviously not a slave.
In response to his son's questioning, Amarant revealed that Lilia's duties would not officially begin until her tenth birthday. In the simplest possible terms, she would be apprenticing within the Notos Estate before formally beginning her servitude at the age of ten. This was made possible due to a number of exceptions written into law to account for female attendants and Maids who ended up getting pregnant in the execution of their duties.
By contracting Flute to serve in the Notos Estate for five years, Amarant had effectively killed three birds with one stone. He obtained a beautiful and experienced young woman to 'accompany' him for the remainder of their journey, acquired a new servant for his son, and gained a powerful asset in the form of a Sword King willing to train his soldiers. All in all, at least from Amarant's perspective, he had made a great deal...
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With Paul's guest room located next to his father's, his face had become an expressionless mask comparable to Lilia's as the not-so-distant sound of pounding and loud moans penetrated the wall separating them.
In an attempt to lighten the mood, Zhongli's expression formed into a wry smile as she remarked, "Your father certainly is...vigorous..."
Shifting his deadpan stare to the petite brunette, Paul droned, "Seriously, Zhongli? At least pretend to show some consideration for Lilia..."
Since he didn't trust the servants and attendants of the Nobles he and his father had been visiting, Paul had been having Zhongli, Jean, and Xingqiu share his quarters. He didn't want to hurt Lilia's feelings by having her be the only exception, so, even though he had anticipated something like this happening, Paul had the stoic girl stay with them.
What Paul hadn't anticipated was his father ostensibly going to town on Flute for the better part of four and a half hours. He knew descendants of the Greyrat houses were supposed to be prodigious in the bedroom, but that was just ridiculous...
Hearing Paul speak out of consideration for her, Lilia, seemingly with the intent to allay his concerns, shook her head and stated, "Thank you for your concern, Master Paul, but I'm fine...this isn't..."
Though she was about to say this wasn't the first time she had heard her mother crying out and moaning, Lilia's words gradually trailed off. While it was true that she had listened to her parents having sex, it typically only lasted for fifteen to twenty minutes before things cooled down. Whatever was happening next door had to be drastically different from what her parents did together...the intensity of her mother's voice made that very clear...
Seeing Lilia enter a momentary daze, a soft yet exasperated sigh escaped Paul's throat. He was half-tempted to walk over and tell his father to calm the fuck down. Unfortunately, while trust between them was fairly stable, Paul knew it would fracture pretty quickly if he tried preaching to Amarant and telling the man how to live. After all, in Amarant's and potentially even Flute's mind, there was absolutely nothing wrong with what he was doing. Nothing at all...
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Roughly six days after Paul and his father's arrival, the Lord of the Wishiru Region, Marcos Eurus Greyrat, finally entered the city. Paul was given the opportunity to meet the man and his fourteen-year-old son, but that was about it. He was still a little too young to participate in private discussions between two Lords, so Paul was effectively kicked out of the room shortly after his introduction. Later that same day, Paul's father informed him they would be setting out the following morning.
Though Paul was a little annoyed that they had waited for nearly a week just so his father and Marcos could chat for a few hours, he wasn't going to complain about it. He had been looking forward to returning home ever since their initial departure, so, as far as Paul was concerned, the sooner they could leave, the better.
Fortunately, though they had to stop at many estates along the way, the return trip was far less stressful than the outset. Amarant had permitted him to ride in his own coach for the return trip, so he didn't have to worry about spending 6-8 hours a day sitting in silence. More importantly, it was an excellent opportunity for Lilia to open up to the others as it was pretty difficult not to when you spent the better part of three weeks confined to a small space.
By the time they had reached the Notos Estate, Lilia had shed much of her initial worries and discomfort. Children were remarkably adaptable, so while she was dispirited by the fact her mother was basically ignoring her, she did her best not to let it show. She could tell everyone was making an effort to be friendly and inclusive, so she didn't want to worry them.
What Paul didn't know was that Zhongli had discreetly approached Lilia during the first evening of her stay with the group. She didn't reveal any sensitive information, but she gave the surprisingly sensible young girl a basic explanation of their circumstances and Paul's character. She also promised to teach Lilia everything she would need to know to become a proper Maid, so the two of them had become surprisingly close by the time of their arrival at the Notos Estate.
Though Paul suspected 'foul play' of some kind, he elected not to pry too much into things. He was happy so long as Lilia was happy, so, seeing her smiling more with each passing day, he trusted that whatever Zhongli had done had been for the best. The only downside was that, with the gradual loss of her apprehensions, Lilia began trying to emulate Jean. She viewed the latter as her idol, so, with Jean constantly 'doting' on him, Paul quickly found himself at the mercy of the two inordinately 'dutiful' young girls...
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"This entire wing belongs to Master Paul...?"
After being given a quick tour of Paul's relatively isolated section of the Notos Estate, Lilia couldn't help paling. She didn't know exactly how many rooms there were, but there was no way she and the others could keep them clean with just her and Zhongli.
Answering in Paul's stead, Zhongli explained, "Worry not, Miss Lilia. We are not the extent of Master Paul's servants. There are five others, and, depending on our Master's decisions, several more may be joining us in the near future."
Since he hadn't even mentioned summoning more people, Paul's face formed into a frown as he met the petite Archon's gaze and asked, "How did you know...?"
Adopting a faint smile, Zhongli answered, "I didn't. However, until you manage to acquire the Tiangquan and obtain a cure for your mother's chronic illness, I presumed you would be accessing the Intersection of Fate fairly frequently."
Opening his eyes as round as saucers, a wave of panic washed over Paul as he grabbed Zhongli's hand, dragged her to the side, and asked, "What the hell are you thinking!?" in a hushed exclamation.
Without lowering her voice, Zhongli flatly asked, "Did you intend to keep it a secret these next fourteen years...?"
"..."
Releasing Zhongli's wrist, Paul's expression became hesitant as he looked toward Lilia. He didn't know if it was because of her relationship with the original Paul or because she had given birth to one of his favorite support characters in the Light Novel. Either way, it felt wrong to even think about excluding her...
Just as Paul was about to reveal the version of the truth he had prepared for his father, Lilia took the wind out of his sails by calmly revealing, "The Head Maid has already explained the situation. For the sake of the future, I will never reveal any information related to Master Paul and his abilities."
Feeling his right eye beginning to twitch, Paul looked towards Zhongli to find the latter staring back at him with a faint smile. He could guess why the latter had taken the initiative to explain things, but he hated the idea of her going behind his back. She could have at least brought it up so he wouldn't end up feeling like an ass...
Taking a few deep breaths, Paul suppressed the urge to lash out and forbid Zhongli from taking action without his consent. If he made it into an order, she would have no choice but to obey. However, now that Lilia was here, Paul felt even less willing to make use of his 'authority.' He might not view himself as a good person, but he didn't want to become a complete piece of shit...
Exhaling one of his deep breaths, Paul regained enough of his composure to calmly reply, "I see..." before walking over and placing his palm against the surface of his door and adding, "Let's hope fate's on my side today..."
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Heralded by his father and several of his most trusted bodyguards, Paul, Zhongli, Jean, and Xinqiu found themselves outside a two-story building that looked more like a house than a sword dojo. There was a small annex attached to the side, but there were currently no students to be seen.
"Hmmm...strange. I could have sworn this was the place..."
Turning to his Bodyguard, a Saint-Ranked practitioner of the Sword God School named Earhart, Amarant questioned, "Are you certain this is the place?"
Bowing his head respectfully, Earhart answered, "I am absolutely sure, my Lord. My esquire personally dined with Sword King Augusta and his family on the eve my Lord's arrival in the city."
"I see..."
Trusting Earhart's information, Amarant took the initiative to step up and knock on the door of Augusta's home. Unless they were criminals, Sword Kings had status exceeding even Royal Knights. Amarant would not lower himself even by personally knocking on one's door.
Instead of the burly, middle-aged man that Amarant was expected, the person who answered the door was an attractive and voluptuous young woman with scarlet hair and amethyst eyes. Amarant's eyes instinctually gravitated towards the woman's ample bosom, but only for the briefest of moments before saying, "I am Amarant Notos Greyrat, Lord of the Milbots Region. Please inform the master of the house that I have brought my son and his companions for a demonstration."
Though she was more than a little surprised by Amarant's introduction, the scarlet beauty managed to appear calm as she folded her hands over her lap, lowered her head, and replied, "My husband went to the Market with our daughter. If it pleases the Lord, you and your entourage are free to enter. I will put on some tea."
While Roak was a Free City, it was still a part of the Kingdom of Asura. If a high-ranking Noble were to show up at someone's house, the option of turning them didn't exist.
"Very good. We'll take you up on your offer, Mrs...?"
"Flute. My name is Flute."
Hearing the woman introduce herself without a family name, Amarant, very briefly, regretted bringing his son along. He was feeling more than a little pent up after several weeks on the road. He had relieved himself at several points along the way, but Flute's appearance was perfectly suited to his tastes. If she wasn't married to a Sword King, he might have tried to purchase her on the spot.
After ordering his men to stay outside and create a cordon, Amarant had Paul, Zhongli, Jean, and Xingqiu enter alongside him. Flute guided them to the dining room, but before she could transition to the kitchen to prepare tea, Amarant caused her to tense as he asked, "You mentioned you had a daughter? How old is she...?"
Though it was only for a brief moment, Flute's mask of calm cracked as she tentatively replied, "She will be turning six in the next two months..."
Raising his brows, Amarant uttered a curious, "Is that so?" before taking the seat at the head of the rectangular table.
With her back turned to Amarant and the rest, Flute formed her hands into loose fists as she bit her bottom lip. This wasn't the first time a Noble had expressed an interest in her daughter, but Amarant's status was such that they wouldn't be able to refuse a requisition offer...
Seeing Flute retreat to the kitchen, Paul couldn't help furrowing his brows as he muttered, "Father...even if it's within your power as a Lord, it doesn't seem right to insinuate you might separate a mother and child..."
Though he expected his son's words, an exasperated sigh escaped Amarant's throat before he closed his eyes and took a few moments to organize his thoughts. When he had, he opened his eyes and explained, "Even if the lass is inordinately skilled in swordsmanship, her status as a peasant places her in a precarious position. If she is half as striking as her mother, she will invariably be forced to become someone's servant. If she takes after her father, she will be assigned to safeguard a Noblewoman or recruited to serve in the Palace of Concubines. Her status as the daughter of a Sword King virtually guarantees it..."
Similar to Flute, Paul couldn't help balling his hands into fists. However, instead of biting his lip, he hung his head with an indignant expression on his face...
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Returning a few minutes after her departure, Flute skillfully poured tea for Amarant and Paul as she said, " Forgive my late return. The magic crystal within our stove has been slow to heat as of late..."
With Flute bending over next to him, Amarant's eyes once again fell to her breasts as he hummed a terse, "I see..." before removing the ring from his left pinky finger and dropping it into his cup. It couldn't detect the poison specially concocted to kill members of the Royal Family, but it would emit bubbles if placed into liquids laced with toxic chemicals.
Though she briefly tensed due to Amarant's actions, Flute exhaled a soft sigh when the ring didn't produce any bubbles. Nobles were infamous for using fake versions of the ring to pressure people they intended to extort.
Nodding his head in approval, Amarant sampled his tea while Flute stood off to the side like a trained servant. Before she married her husband, she had spent eight years working for the Local Lord and his family. Such was the fate of most beautiful young women once they reached the age of 10. In exchange, they would receive a 'severance pay' between 10-20 Asura Gold Coins, enough money to support themselves or function as a dowry payment.
Like Amarant, Flute knew it was only a matter of time before her daughter ended up in a similar position as herself. It was just the way things were in the Asura Kingdom, so, while Amarant was silently enjoying his tea, Flute was directing periodic glances towards Paul and the trio of girls standing behind him. She didn't know if it was because Paul was the son of a Lord, but his servants had excellent dispositions and notably expensive-looking clothes.
As Flute was convincing herself that House Notos was far from the worst place her daughter could end up, the sound of the front door opening and closing reached the dining room. Soon after that, a tall and burly man with similarly scarlet hair and a stylish goatee appeared with a wicker basket in hand. Following closely behind was a very young girl whose height barely reached past his waist. She had the same scarlet hair and amethyst eyes as both of her parents. However, while that prompted many questions, it was the two small yet present mounds on the front of the girl's chest that regularly garnered people's attention.
"Hoooo-? It's been quite some time since I hosted a Regional Lord. I trust my wife has been nothing but courteous to you...?"
Though the soldiers outside had confiscated his sword, the scarlet-haired man radiated an aura that caused everyone in the room, sans Zhongli and the little girl hiding behind his leg, to tense. The rugged-looking man took notice of this peculiarity but elected to maintain focus on the middle-aged man sipping tea in his seat.
Maintaining his bearing despite the swordsman's aura, Amarant remained seated as he asked, "Sword King Augusta, I presume? You don't strike me as someone skilled in the Water God School. If anything, I would assume you belonged to the Sword God School..."
Despite his attempts to suppress it, a faint scoff emanated from Augusta's throat. He was tempted to ask what a 'mere Lord' knew of the Water and Sword God Styles, but Amarant's status was considerably higher than the average Noble's. He could effortlessly kill such a man, but it would cost much more than just his own life. Everyone even distantly related to him would be massacred, or worse, as an example.
"My disposition has changed rather drastically since my retirement. I have not upheld my title as King in many years. These days, people just call me Instructor Augusta."
"I see..."
Rising to his feet, Amarant adopted a 'casual' stance with his right hand on his as he explained, "I had hoped you could demonstrate some of your skills for my son and his companions. My son has nearly stepped into the Intermediate Rank of the Water God Style despite his adolescent age. As for his companions...this young lady here has demonstrated the ability to contend with Advanced-Ranked Swordsmen of both the Sword and Water God Styles..."
Though Augusta was moderately surprised to hear Paul was nearly at the Intermediate Rank, his eyes visibly widened when Amarant inferred that Zhongli could match swordsmen of the Advanced Rank. Even if she was a Half-Demon that aged slower than a Human, it was unheard of for such a small girl to possess such tremendous power. It wasn't like she could just hide additional muscles within her thin arms and legs.
"You mean to tell me this brat is nearing the Rank of a Saint? Just how old is she...?"
Had he not been made aware of Zhongli's true identity, Amarant might not have believed his own words. Thus, rather than take offense to Augusta's words, he nodded his head and explained, "She is presently six years old. As for the integrity of my words, I had hoped to demonstrate the truth by having my son and his companions compete against your students."
"Ah..."
Scratching the back of his head, Augusta's expression became awkward as he revealed, "I have my students complete commissions with the Guild to gain combat experience and accrue funds. They recently departed on a C-Rank Escort Mission. If everything goes well, they should return in two to three weeks."
Though he narrowed his eyes in dissatisfaction, Amarant didn't condemn Augusta for failing to anticipate his arrival. It wasn't exactly common for a Regional Lord to make house visits. If he weren't concerned about his son having no friends his age, he would not have imposed upon Augusta and his family.
"It would appear our timing was less than ideal. Unfortunate..."
Since it didn't look like his son would have the chance to demonstrate his skills, Amarant shifted his gaze to the young girl hiding behind Augusta's leg, asking, "Is that your daughter? Despite her young age, it can be seen that she takes after her mother..."
Adopting a smile that failed to reach his eyes, Augusta answered, "Yeah. Her name's Lilia. Her skill with the sword is sub-par, but she's pretty sharp for her age..."
Before his father could respond, Paul suddenly interposed himself into the discussion; his expression marred with disbelief as he parroted, "Lilia? Did you just say your daughter's name was Lilia...?"
Though Paul was the son of a Lord, Augusta couldn't help furrowing his brows when he heard the youth speaking out of turn. In spite of this, he dared not lambast Paul in front of his father. Instead, he answered with an annoyed, "Yeah, what of it? Got a problem with my naming sense, br-"
Stopping himself before he could call Paul a brat, Augusta stepped aside before giving his daughter a push forward and saying, "Introduce yourself the way your mother taught you."
"Huh? Ah, uh...please wait a moment..."
Setting down the basket she had been carrying, Lilia took a moment to smooth out some of the wrinkles in her dress before folding her hands over her lap in a way that squashed her developing breasts between her arms. Then, with an ostensibly emotionless expression on her face, she lowered her head and body nearly forty degrees as she said, "Greetings, Noble Sirs. My name is Lilia. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance..."
Nodding his head in approval, Amarant placed his hand on the stunned Paul's shoulder, stating, "This is my son, Paul Notos Greyrat, First Son of House Notos. Why don't the two of you go off somewhere while I have a chat with your parents?"
Not sure how to respond, Lilia looked to her father for guidance. He had a scary expression on his face, but he quickly nodded his head, saying, "Go. Children have no place in adult discussion..."
"Okay..."
Bending down, Lilia attempted to pick up her basket, but Augusta stopped her, stating, "Just go. Your mother and I will take care of it."
Though she was startled by her father's tone, Lilia didn't flinch. She had gotten used to him shouting in the dojo, so, after a moment of silence, she nodded her head, repeating, "Okay..." before making her way over to Paul, lowering her head, and saying, "Please follow me, Sir Paul..."
Still at a loss for words, Paul simply nodded in response to Lilia's. He was still trying to convince himself she was someone different from the person he was thinking about, but all the signs pointed to the possibility she was the same Lilia from the original Mushoku Tensei. If that was the case, he really might be loved...or perhaps cursed by fate...

Chapter 25: MI25: Compromise