Mushoku Impact

Though Jean would typically wake him up around 2 AM, their late arrival the previous night meant Paul could sleep in as long as he wanted. Well, nearly as long as he wanted.
Much like when Paul had initially arrived at the Academy, Erinellis, the Elven Secretary of the Academy's Headmistress, arrived around noon to welcome him. When Jean knocked on his door, Paul opened his eyes to find the beet-red face of Barbara staring back at him. He had rolled onto his side in the night, so their faces were less than a few centimeters away from each other as she whispered, "Good afternoon, Master Paul..."
After recovering from his momentary stupor, Paul returned a smile as he replied, "To you as well, Barbara." before rising to a seated position. She quickly followed suit, hurriedly explaining, "I thought you might feel a little lonely if you woke up by yourself, so I stayed with you after everyone else woke up..."
Resisting the urge to inform the overly-earnest girl that her explanation was unnecessary, Paul replied with a curt, "Thanks." before lightly patting her head. This was something Ningguang had suggested in lieu of things like hugging and kissing. It started with Diona, but due to how assiduous girls like Barbara, Xiangling, and Ganyu were, it quickly spread to the point Paul was patting nearly every girl in his entourage.
Adopting a radiant smile, Barbara waited until Paul was finished patting her head before asking, "Would you like me to prepare some warm water, or will a normal bucket suffice?"
Having grown accustomed to having his body wiped down in the morning, Paul unhesitantly replied, "Normal water is fine. Just wring out the cloth a bit beforehand."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Barbara crawled towards the edge of the bed on her hands and knees before climbing off and scurrying over to the bucket at the corner of the room. As for Paul, he began to strip out of his pajamas, leaving only a pair of silk undershorts to protect his dignity from Barbara's comprehensive cleansing...
...
..
.
Emerging from his room spick and span after around twenty minutes, Paul found Jean and Erinellis standing quietly in the foyer. As for Xiangling and Xinyan, Paul assumed the Liyue duo was preparing his meal based on the sounds coming from the kitchen.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Erinellis. It pleases me to see you in good health."
Bowing low and respectfully, Erinellis calmly replied, "You honor me with your words, Master Paul."
Gesturing for Erinellis to raise her head, Paul asked, "I suppose you are here at the behest of your Master? Tell me, how is Headmistress Rumina these days?"
Adopting a faint smile, the blue-haired Elf answered, "Upon learning of Master Paul's return, my Master has been in high spirits. The Academy received a rather substantial increase in funding after your previous stay, so there are many new facilities and staff. She had been looking forward to showing you around."
"Mmm...I see. And did she say when?"
Bowing her head a second time, Erinellis politely replied, "At Master Paul's convenience."
Nodding his head in approval, Paul gestured for Erinellis to rise again as he said, "Return to your Master and tell her my schedule for tomorrow is clear. I look forward to seeing her sometime around noon."
Understanding that Paul was dismissing her, Erinellis supplied one final bow, answering, "By your will, Master Paul." before raising her head and swiftly departing. When she was gone, Paul turned to Jean, smiling as he said, "Thanks for waiting with her. Sorry for taking so long."
Returning a smile of her own, Jean placed her hand over her heart as she said, "Master Paul need not concern himself with such things. It is my-"
Adopting a deadpan expression, Paul interrupted Jean's polite response, saying, "Come on, Jean. There's no one else here. You know I dislike that overly formal crap..."
Covering her mouth, Jean giggled in response to Paul's words before lowering her hand to reveal a far more sincere smile as she said, "I was just teasing you." Then, after sparing a glance towards Barbara, who had just emerged from Paul's room, she asked, "Did you sleep well...?"
Nodding his head, Paul adopted a wry smile as he answered, "At the very least, it's easier than sharing a bed with six to eight people..."
Though he would be lying if he said he didn't miss his Ganyu-shaped hug pillow, Paul was simultaneously relieved by her absence. He didn't know if it was the world or his genetics to blame, but there were mornings where he woke up with a rather substantial tent in his trousers. It was actually a little jarring as he still had yet to hit his growth spurt or start puberty...
"Jean? Master Paul...?"
Seeing the duo standing in the foyer, Barbara made her way over, asking, "Are you about to go somewhere? If so, I will accompany you."
Shaking his head, Paul explained, "No. We just saw off the Headmistress's messenger and got caught up chatting."
"Ah, I see..."
With the atmosphere suddenly becoming a little awkward, Paul decided to break the silence before it could fully settle in, asking, "Now that we're at the Academy, have you decided what you want to focus on? There are classes related to Healing and Water Magic, but the former is restricted to the Beginner Rank."
Surprising both Paul and Jean, Barbara adopted a resolute expression as she said, "I wish to learn swordsmanship alongside Master Paul. Since we promised to grow stronger together, I want to follow a different route than my previous self. This time around, I won't be the same weak person that everyone thinks needs protection..."
With the final words directed at her sister, Barbara's expression became even more resolute. In response, Jean just adopted a wry smile as she said, "I believe in you, Barbara. Work hard to support Master Paul, okay?"
Though she was a little surprised by her sister's supportive words, an especially happy smile developed across Barbara's face as she pumped her fists and chimed, "Nn! Leave it to me~!"
...
..
.
Though she would never say it aloud, Barbara immediately regretted her decision to pursue swordsmanship when Jean awoke them the following morning for training. She rarely exercised even in her previous life, so the pain that came with straining her body for hours on end made her want to cry.
Fortunately, unlike a conventional swordswoman, Barbara had an innate affinity with Healing Magic. When she learned that Paul used his own to heal his injuries and stave off fatigue, it took her less than a few hours to develop a far more efficient version of the technique he had spent nearly a year trying to perfect. Paul was more than a little annoyed by this, but, much like Barbara, he would never voice such thoughts aloud.
While neither seemed to notice it, nearly everyone else had taken notice of the fact that Paul and Barbara had remarkably similar personalities. It took Jean a while to realize it, but, in hindsight, she speculated it was his similarities to Barbara that resulted in her becoming so fond of Paul. Thus, even though she still wished Barbara had never been summoned, she did her best to support both of them...
"Don't be afraid to strike one another. If you hold back during training, you condition yourself to hold back in an actual fight."
In response to Jean's words, Paul deflected the tip of Barbara's sword and motioned to slash at her side. Instead of following through, however, he stopped with the flat of his wooden sword against her ribs.
Since she was still unaccustomed to training, Barbara didn't stop when Paul tapped his sword against her. Instead, she sliced down towards the crown of his head with a resolute, "Ei...!"
Stepping in and twisting his body, Paul managed to knock Barabara's sword away a second time. In the same series of motions, he thrust his elbow into her diaphragm, holding back but still striking with enough force to send her stumbling back and choking for air.
Seeing the pained expression on Barbara's face, Paul's first instinct was to apologize. Before he could, Jean shouted, "Continue...!" in a firm tone.
Clicking his tongue, Paul lunged toward Barbara, slapping away her sword as she attempted to guard. Paul thought this had ended the fight, but his beliefs were proven wrong when a ball of water promptly smacked him in the face. Barbara was a novice when it came to the Water God Style, but she was a natural with Water Magic.
"My goodness! Master Paul, are you okay...!?"
Not expecting her Water Ball to send Paul's head jerking backward like a whip, Barbara ran forward to check on him. When she did, it was Paul's turn to surprise her as he lay the flat of his sword against her body and said, "Gotcha..." between choking coughs.
Though a pout developed across her face, Barbara helped Paul sit up so she could gently pat his back and use Healing Magic. Jean used this as an opportunity to lecture both of them, stating, "While I can understand your desire not to harm one another, neither of you benefit from holding back. It's fine since this is the first time you're training together, but you'll need to correct your behavior if you're serious about getting stronger."
With Barbara helping to clear his lungs of excess water, Paul adopted a frown of his own as he said, "I'm aware of that, Jean. However, Barbara is just now familiarizing herself with a longsword. We should give her a few weeks of practice against others before advancing to sparring."
Demonstrating why she had a greater aptitude for the Sword God Style than the Water God Style, Jean refuted Paul's words, stating, "While it is true that techniques are important, nothing beats actual combat training. Without the resolve to strike your opponent, it doesn't matter how many times you swing your sword."
Exhaling a sigh through his nose, Paul rose to his feet before extending his hand to help Barbara do the same. He knew Jean was right, so, after a moment of hesitation, he surprised Barbara by asking, "Are you ready to continue?" The latter had half-expected him to get into an argument with her sister, so it was a little jarring to hear him ask such a question all of a sudden.
After a very brief moment of hesitation, Barbara forced a smile as she answered, "If Master Paul intends to continue, I will accompany him..."
Nodding his head in approval, Paul gently ruffled Barbara's hair before returning to his starting position and waiting for her to do the same. When she had, the two waited for Jean to give them the signal before beginning their seventh spar. All while Xiangling and Xinyan observed from the side, tiny fireballs dancing above their palms...
...
..
.
Similar to when Paul had initially arrived at the Academy, Headmistress Rumina helped him register Jean, Barbara, and Xinyan for classes before personally guiding them around the campus.
Contrary to expectations, little had changed in the fourteen weeks since Paul had last toured the grounds. There were several new facilities under construction, but most of them would take months to complete. The only real change was that the Academy had hired six additional teachers, each Saint-Rank or higher in their respective fields.
The most surprising and notable addition to the teaching staff was none other than Lilia's father, the scarlet-headed Sword King Augusta. When Rumina first introduced him to the man, Paul was utterly taken aback. Not by Augusta's presence, but by the fact he was apparently in a relationship with his previous instructor, Headmistress Rumina's daughter.
Though Paul knew the common sense and morals of the Asura Kingdom were ridiculously 'loose' compared to his previous world, he couldn't help feeling annoyed with Augusta. The man was nearing his fifties, yet he had courted a woman in her mid-twenties. While his actual wife was around the same age, that was part of the problem. Augusta had a wife and child yet didn't even bother to ask about them during his brief encounter with Paul. It was like he didn't even care.
Fortunately, while the rest of the new instructors had substantially less 'prestige' than Augusta, they appeared to be far more reliable. Amarant had even sent a request to Millishion, so the Academy now had a small chapel and a Priest authorized to teach Advanced Healing, Barrier, and Detoxification Magic. The odds of any students progressing beyond the Rank of Intermediate were exceptionally slim, but it was nice to have the option. As for the other instructors, they were Saint-Ranked Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth Magicians.
Though Paul felt it was a little extreme, he was happy to see just how far his father was willing to go to set him up for success...
...
..
.

Unlike when Paul first entered the Academy, he didn't have to introduce himself. Instead, he just showed up to class with Jean, Barbara, Xiangling, and Xinyan following close behind.
Seeing the 'Little Lord' of the Academy arrive with an even larger retinue of attractive attendants, a series of subdued groans and sighs could be heard around the classroom. The grumbling primarily came from the boys, envious of the quality of Paul's attendants, while the sighs originated from the girls. Paul was one of the kindest and most handsome boys in school, and, due to his status as the First Son of House Notos, nearly every girl in the Academy had aspirations of becoming his wife.
Unfortunately for the girls at the Academy, Paul had made it clear he had no interest in courtship. He would accompany them during dance lessons and periodically accept their invitations to tea, but the moment they tried to tempt him, he would politely excuse himself. To make matters worse, he would only accept their invitations if other students were present and if his 'servants' could accompany him.
Except for a few teachers, none of Paul's classmates had been able to receive his 'favor' in the form of a bottle of his family's wine. They knew he had them, but Paul had never even insinuated that he was willing to give them out. While other Nobles would use leverage their family's gifts to get what they want or have their way with someone, Paul had held on to all but three of his bottles of wine. As for the recipients, they were the Academy's Headmistress, her daughter, and his dance instructor. A grand total of zero had been given out to his fellow classmates.
Undaunted by the depressive aura exuding from nearly every one of her classmates, a young girl with silvery-white hair and grey eyes descended from her position at the back of the classroom. She had started attending the Academy during Paul's absence, so she had eagerly been anticipating the arrival of the boy her parents had tasked her with approaching.
"Heir Paul Notos Greyrat...?"
Though he had noticed the Princess-like girl approaching him, Paul waited until she had called out his name before setting aside his book, raising his head, and asking, "And you are...?"
A stark contrast to the way Nobles of the Asura Kingdom greeted him, the dainty-looking girl kept her head and back straight as she slid her left foot forward to perform an excessively deep curtsy. All the while, she kept her gaze fixed squarely on Paul as she cooly stated, "My name is Andromeda Kingdragon, Ninth Princess of the Kingdom of Kingdragon. It is a pleasure to make you acquaintance..."
Suppressing his shock, Paul slowly rose to his feet before offering a polite bow of his own and returning, "The pleasure is mine, Princess. However, I am curious. While our Kingdoms are currently allies, I have never heard of one country's Princess attending school in the frontier region of another..."
Without so much as a single change in her impassive expression, Princess Andromeda explained, "I am one of eight Princess and three Princes sent to the Asura Kingdom as part of a cultural exchange treatise. To that end, I greatly anticipate 'exchanging cultures' with Heir Notos..."
Resisting the urge to hit the icy Princess with a 'bruh', Paul maintained a relaxed expression as he offered a slight bow and said, "Well, then. I look forward to sharing classes with you, Princess."
Blinking in surprise, Andromeda's expression showed the briefest hint of confusion as she stared back at Paul. She had heard the rumors, but she didn't expect him to react with such composure. Every other male Noble she had the displeasure of encountering during her stay in the Academy had wasted no time trying to persuade her to 'exchange culture' back in their rooms. Paul didn't even flinch, almost as if he was oblivious to the not-so-hidden meaning contained within her words.
With the Princess just staring back at him for several seconds, Paul asked, "Was there something else...?" in an ostensibly confused tone.
Instead of shaking her head, Andromeda closed her eyes and replied, "It was a pleasure making your acquaintance, Heir Notos."
Returning a nod, Paul answered, "Likewise, Princess Andromeda." before returning to his seat. He knew the Princess probably expected something more from him, but Paul didn't care. He was presently trying to avoid the Royalty of his own country; why the hell would he entangle himself with the Royalty of another?
Seeing Paul return to his seat, Andromeda couldn't help thinking he was unfathomably dense. She might not have any real power or authority, but she was still a Princess. As the son of a Great Noble House, he should at least invite her to dinner...
...
..
.
As one of the few classes he had every single day, it wasn't long before Paul was reunited with Lilia's father, Sword King Augusta. Reva and her staff were still in charge, but Augusta was available to offer advice and supplemental lessons to anyone intending to pursue Advanced and even higher levels of swordsmanship.
Noticing his new woman speaking with Paul, Augusta made his way over, saying, "We meet again, Son of House Notos. What was your name again? Paul...?"
Adopting a wry smile, Reva advised, "Instructor Augusta, that is no way to speak to the First Son of our Region's Lord..."
Instead of responding to Reva's words, Augusta startled her by giving her butt a firm squeeze as he said, "Go take care of those other brats. Leave these four to me."
With a potent blush spreading through her face, Reva offered a polite bow towards Paul, saying, "Pardon me, Master Paul..." while Augusta continued to fondle her butt. Then, with a pouty yet helpless expression on her face, she 'glared' back at Augusta before returning to where the other students and instructors were.
Following Reva with his amethyst eyes, Augusta waited until she was out of earshot before remarking, "She's a bit wet behind the ears, but that's a fine woman..."
Shifting his attention to the stone-faced Paul, Augusta adopted one of his characteristically wolfish grins as he asked, "What's with the hostility, kid? You and your daddy already snatched up my daughter and wife. Don't tell me you have a crush on your swordsmanship instructor..."
Shaking his head, Paul calmly replied, "I simply have different values than most people. You and Instructor Reva are both consenting adults...it isn't my place to tell you how to live your lives..."
"Hmmm..."
Though he could sense that Paul hated him, Augusta didn't see any of the tell-tale signs of lying in his eyes. Paul was clearly pissed off, but it didn't appear to have anything to do with him. It was more like he was angry at the whole world.
"Ain't you a little young to be this angsty? You only get to be a brat once, kid. Don't waste it trying to act more mature than you are."
Chalking up Paul's attitude to the rebelliousness that often accompanied transitions into adulthood, Augusta turned his back on the silent quintet, adding, "Come along, brats. For the duration of your stay in the Academy, I'll be instructing you personally. If you need something to blame, blame your daddy's nepotism. He believes you and your little dolls can reach the Advanced Rank in four years, and it's my job to make it happen. Try not to cry too much, okay?"
Without waiting for Paul's response, Augusta began popping his neck and other joints as he drifted over to an empty section of the training grounds. Paul's father had promised to reward him for each Rank his son achieved before graduation. If he could help Paul attain Advanced Swordsmanship before his tenth birthday, he would receive a bonus of 500AGC. With that kind of money on the line, he could even teach a three-legged dog how to reach the Advanced Rank...
...
..
.
Returning to his suite much later than usual, Paul set Barbara down on the sofa, saying, "Let's...rest for a bit..." before plopping down next to her and letting the tensions drain from his body. He would never say it aloud, but he regretted giving her a piggyback ride. She was only around 18kgs, but every muscle in his body ached after Augusta's hellish training...
"Master..."
Crawling toward Paul with a noticeably pale complexion, Barbara didn't ask before snuggling up to him and placing her head on his lap. Augusta had forced her to treat everyone's injuries until she could no longer stand, so she felt like she deserved a reward...
Other than grunting, Paul didn't say anything before placing his hand on Barbara's head. He had experienced mana exhaustion numerous times, so he knew what she was going through.
"Awww...isn't that just adorable..."
Seeing Barbara receiving a lap pillow from Paul, a wry smile developed across Xinyan's face as she walked over with a few towels, saying, "The stones are nice and hot." before adopting a tantalizing smile and asking, "Want me to carry you~?"
Though he was tempted to answer in the affirmative, Paul gave Barbara a soft pat on the shoulder, saying, "Bath time..." in a lazy tone. In response, she issued an adorably belligerent grunt before begrudgingly rising to a seated position and groaning, "I'd rather have an ice bath than soak in a sauna..."
Extending her hand to Barbara, Xinyan said, "Suck it up, princess. You ain't the only one who feels like every muscle in their body was drawn out over an entire room."
Furrowing her brows, Barbara wanted to protest but quickly regained her smile as Paul asked, "Can you walk...?" in a concerned tone.
Without even trying, Barbara turned her cerulean eyes up at Paul, softly replying, "They're still a little numb..." in a sheepish tone. This earned her an 'are you for real' kind of expression from Xinyan until Paul surprised her by droning, "Drop it. I carried her this far, so I may as well finish the job..."
Punctuating his words, Paul strained his back and arms to pick up Barbara in a princess carry. The latter's face immediately turned a luminous shade of red, but before she could even think to thank Paul, she found herself at a loss for words as he looked towards Xinyan and said, "Don't pout. I'll let you wash her body while I help wash yours...deal?"
Though Barbara wanted to refuse on Xinyan's behalf, she was silenced by the latter practically shouting, "Deal..!" while concurrently flexing her arms in triumph. Xinyan had been trying to get Paul to wash more than just her hair and back for weeks, so she couldn't help getting excited.
After shaking his head in response to the dark-skinned girl's overreaction, Paul carried Barbara toward the sauna. Xinyan had clearly misunderstood his intentions, but he would rather correct her once they were in the bath. Barbara was a little underweight for girls her age, but she felt significantly heavier in his arms than riding on his back...
...
..
.
After coaxing Xinyan into forgiving him and enjoying a tasty meal prepared by Xiangling, Paul retired to his quarters much earlier than usual. His entry was immediately followed by Barbara, Xinyan, Xiangling, and, after making sure everything in the suite was secure, Jean.
Though she was just as exhausted as everyone else, Jean was proficient at behaving normally, even in extreme pain. She let everyone else make themselves comfortable while she spent a few minutes preparing things like water and towels for the next day. Fortunately, the other girls weren't wholly insensitive, so Jean was given the 'privilege' of occupying the spot on Paul's right. She had become accustomed to using his shoulder as her pillow, so, even if she wouldn't say anything, Jean would be a little upset if someone tried to take it from her...
...
..
.

Though it was taking Paul a bit of time to adapt to his new sleeping arrangements, the days that followed his third round of gacha were filled with fortuitous encounters and occurrences.
The day following their summoning, Paul introduced Ningguang, Ganyu, Barbara, Rosaria, and Diona to his father. Amarant was a little concerned by the presence of even more young girls around his son, but his worries immediately faded when he learned that Ganyu could potentially treat his wife.
Upon meeting her son's new companions, Valentine couldn't help being taken with Diona and Ganyu. The former had a bit of a sharp tongue, but she was actually a very caring and affectionate young girl. As for Ganyu, everything about her was adorable.
In the end, it turned out that Valentine's illness wasn't an illness at all. At the very least, she wasn't sick when Ganyu gave her a check-up. The crux of Valentine's issues was the fact she had been taking so many medicines since she was a child that her immune system had been compromised. As for her constant infirmity, it was a combination of her secretly depressive state of mind and the fact Amarant was constantly bringing home foreign bacteria as a result of his travels.
Fortunately for Amarant, who briefly became depressed upon learning the truth of his wife's illness, Valentine's condition was not incurable. It would take several years for her to make a full recovery, but her condition would steadily improve with a combination of rehabilitation, proper nutrition, and the consumption of natural antibiotics. To that end, Ganyu volunteered to be Valentine's caretaker as it had already been decided that she wouldn't be one of the people attending the Academy with Paul.
Needless to say, Amarant was beyond enthused to find out that his wife would make a slow yet full recovery. Ningguang took advantage of this to reach an agreement with the man. She claimed that she would be able to increase the income of House Notos by at least 40% by the time of Paul's tenth birthday. More importantly, she claimed to be able to do it without raising taxes or embezzling funds from the citizenry.
While Amarant didn't believe Ningguang's claims, he still agreed to her proposal after nearly four hours of discussion. She would only be able to travel with him when Paul was visiting home from the Academy, but she and Ganyu would be allowed to learn how to administer the Estate from Valentine and the current Chamberlain. If her claims proved true, he was willing to act as her Sponsor, guaranteeing her the title of Baroness and promising to consider her marriage with Paul.
Though Ningguang would have preferred something more than a promise, she understood Amarant's unwillingness to trust a complete stranger with the entire Region's finances. She would need to earn his trust with results, so while Paul was away at school, she would be accompanying his mother and gradually increasing her influence within the Notos Estate.
Fortunately for Ningguang, Paul really had been fortunate with the 'pulls' he made through the Intersection of Fate. She could have made do with just Zhongli, but Ganyu possessed more than 3000 years of knowledge and experience as the Liyue Qixing's Secretary. She was an unbelievably capable ally to have from the very beginning, so much so that Ningguang almost felt like she was being handed the means for success rather than having to earn them.
Providing Ningguang with even more options, Diona was a genius when it came to creating cocktails and improving the quality of alcohol. She had a deep disdain for both, but it didn't take much effort to convince her to use her inborn talent to aid their cause.
While Diona's abilities might not have been practical elsewhere, she may as well be the Patron Goddess of House Notos. They had a monopoly on alcohol production and distribution, so Diona's unique talent would allow them to drastically increase their profits by simply improving the quality of their product.
The only thing Ningguang was missing to guarantee the success of her plans was a reliable information network. She could have used people like Kaeya and Rosaria if they were older, but, even then, it would take years, if not decades, to spread her influence throughout the entire Region. At least, that's how it would have been if not for the fact that slavery was 'very' prominent within the world of Mushoku Tensei.
Though Paul had been against the idea at first, it didn't take much effort for Ningguang to convince him that hiring slaves greatly benefitted both them and the slaves themselves. Much like how he had helped Lilia, they could help hundreds, if not thousands, of slaves avoid a far more terrible fate.
At the end of the day, metaphorically speaking, Ningguang had everyone in the Notos Estate dancing in the palm of her hand. She wasn't in control just yet, but she had made a favorable impression on Valentine, convinced Amarant to put his promise into writing, and knew exactly what to say and do to get Paul to agree with her. She also had the confidence and support of everyone from the Intersection of Fate. The only thing she was lacking was an official title and the status that came with it. However, unless Paul reneged on his promise, Ningguang was confident she could convince him to tie the knot. Even if he did, she could be 'very' persuasive...
...
..
.
"Be safe on the road and diligent in your studies. When you return, we will be waiting for you."
A stark contrast to everyone else in Paul's entourage, Ningguang was wearing the fashionable clothes of a young Noblewoman. Her contract with Amarant had provisionally elevated her to the status of a Baroness, so she was already playing the part of Paul's future wife. This would have been considered a faux pas in any other circumstance, but her unfettered confidence left people questioning whether or not they were the ones in the wrong.
Having gotten used to Ningguang's behavior over the last week and a half, Paul just smiled in response to her words before nodding his head and saying, "Leave it to me."
Nodding her head in approval, Ningguang shifted her attention to Jean, Barbara, Xiangling, and Xinyan. They were the ones chosen to accompany Paul to the Milbots Academy, so Ningguang adopted an authoritative tone as she said, "I am entrusting our Master's safety to you. Ensure he returns to us, no matter the cost."
With Ningguang forcing them to rehearse their response for nearly three hours, Jean, Barbara, Xiangling, and Xinyan all bowed in concert as they chorused, "No matter the cost."
Offering an additional nod, Ningguang gestured for the quartet to rise before raising her left hand. In response, Paul inhaled an audible breath before accepting it and planting a lingering kiss on her ring finger. He felt like he was being ensnared in Ningguang's trap, but things had improved so drastically since her arrival that Paul no longer cared...
...
..
.
A stark contrast to the other times they had ridden together in a private carriage, Paul was relaxing with his eyes closed while Jean and Barbara used his shoulders and pillows. One of the things that had changed most drastically since the eve of Paul's third round of summoning was how he interacted with the girls who proactively approached him. He refused to take the initiative, but he allowed them to do pretty much whatever they wanted so long as it didn't cross an increasingly obscure line...
Feeling the bumpy carriage slow to a stop, the eyes of everyone within gradually opened, Xinyan being the first to sleepily inquire, "Are we there yet...?". They had only been around 58km away when they set out earlier that morning, so the convoy commander had decided to continue moving forward even after the sun had gone down.
Instead of answering Xinyan's question, a frown developed across Paul's face as he strained his eyes to activate his X-Ray Vision. Milbots Academy was a heavily fortified, wall-off town with numerous security checkpoints and cobblestone roads. If they were nearing their destination, it would be apparent from the sound of hooves on hard stone.
Since bandit and monster attacks weren't exactly silent or discreet, Paul expected to find something like a downed tree or a rockslide blocking the road. Instead, the entire convoy was halted by a single woman with short black hair, a voluptuous figure, and a longsword strapped to her waist.
As if she could sense his gaze, the woman spontaneously ceased talking to the convoy commander, her piercing blue eyes zeroing in on Paul and causing his body to immediately tense.
"What...the...fuck...?"
"Is it the enemy!?"
Unsheathing her sword, Jean was prepared to charge out of the carriage and meet the enemy head-on. Before she could, Paul grabbed her wrist, perspiration condensing on his brow as he said, "Don't...whoever that is, she isn't an opponent we can fight...not yet..."
Though she wanted to protest, Jean immediately quieted down when Paul asserted, "I said no." in a firm, authoritative tone.
Nodding her head, Jean returned to her seat but chose to keep her sword at the ready. She didn't doubt that the person outside was someone she couldn't defeat. However, that wasn't enough to deter her. If push came to shove, she, Xiangling, and Xinyan were prepared to stake everything so that Barbara could pull Paul to safety.
Fortunately, things didn't come to that, as, shortly after she exchanged glances with Paul, the rather heroic-looking woman stepped off the road so that the convoy could pass. As it did, she followed Paul's carried with her piercing blue eyes, a faint smile on her face as she slowly mouthed a few words. Paul wasn't particularly good at reading lips, but due to how slow the woman's mouth was moving, his body tensed as he managed to make out the words, "See. You. Around."
...
..
.
With no further incidents, the convoy carrying Paul and his companions reached their destination shortly after 11 PM. It took an additional two hours to get everything unloaded and moved up to his room, but once everything had calmed down, Paul was genuinely relieved to be back in his room at the Milbots Academy. He wasn't particularly fond of the idea of having to interact with the children of other Nobles, but he enjoyed the relative freedom that came with living in the dorms.
*tok* *tok* *tok*
"The bath's ready."
Hearing Xinyan's voice through the door to his private quarters, Paul nodded his head towards no one in particular as he said, "Be there in a moment."
Instead of waiting for Paul to come out, Xinyan opened the door to reveal she was already wearing a thin towel. Paul's brows furrowed when he saw this, but he didn't say anything. He had kept the promise they made back in the Intersection of Fate, so, even when she was completely exposed in the bath, he didn't look away or keep his eyes closed. He just didn't stare at anything he shouldn't.
After making her way over to where Paul was seated, Xinyan linked her arms around his shoulders, leaning against him as she asked, "What are you up to?"
Though Xinyan could clearly see what he was doing, Paul explained, "I'm sketching the woman that blocked our convoy. I forgot to ask the convoy commander about her identity, so I intend to ask the Headmistress if she recognizes her."
While bringing her arms up as if to embrace Paul, Xinyan hummed a soft, "Mmm..." before adding, "Don't take too long..." and planting a kiss on his cheek. In response, Paul set aside his piece of charcoal, muttering, "I can finish it later..." before rising to his feet and accompanying the increasingly affectionate rockstar to his private sauna...
...
..
.

Chapter 32: MI32: Subtle Yet Drastic Changes