Mushoku Impact

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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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As part of Paul's training, Augusta would periodically ask the Saint-Ranked Water Magic Instructor to lend him ten of her students. He would then have them encircle Paul and, every 3-10 seconds, fire low-powered Water Balls at him.
Due to a combination of envy and other negative sentiments, there were a substantial number of students volunteering to 'help' out in Paul's training. Many viewed this as their only opportunity to 'get even' with the 'arrogant boy' who frequently showed them up or humiliated them in virtually every class. Others simply viewed it as an opportunity to pelt a higher-ranking Noble with a Water Ball. Regardless of their reasons, Paul, Jean, Barbara, Xiangling, and Xinyan were never left wanting for training partners.
Fortunately, as petty and vindictive as the training appeared, Augusta wasn't wrong when he claimed it was extremely effective. The core of the Water God Style was learning how to read the Flow and intentions of your opponents. Once mastered, Flow would allow the user to redirect virtually any attack, magical or otherwise. For this reason, it was considered to be the heart, soul, and backbone of the Water God Style.
By being surrounded by people who radiated hostility, resentment, and a variety of other emotions, Paul and the others were training to avoid one of the most common pitfalls of swordsmanship, tunnel-vision. Few people prepared to confront multiple foes from the start of their training, so one of the most common causes of death for 'untempered' Saints and Kings was simply being stabbed or shot in the back while they were focused on someone else. Often by a complete amateur...
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"Is this the best you can do, kid? Or maybe this is just how Great Nobles take their baths...?"
Following Augusta's words, several of the boys surrounding Paul tittered and snickered in amusement. What they failed to realize was that Augusta was simply using their pettiness to both motivate Paul and provide him an opportunity to recover.
Snorting through his nose, Paul side-stepped a softball-sized Water Ball while simultaneously cutting through another. He ended up getting a fresh coat of frigid water, but his expression remained largely unchanged as he kept moving and weaving about within the circle he had been prohibited from leaving. Augusta had explained the purpose of the training to him, so while he couldn't help feeling annoyed, Paul took it seriously.
Feeling a chill spread through his body, similar to the feeling he would get prior to goosebumps, Paul spun around at nearly twice his usual speed to cut through a chunk of ice hidden within a Water Ball. The Noble who sent it at him turned pale but quickly relaxed when Paul didn't even bat an eye in his direction. Instead, he kept dodging the attacks of others without so much as a single break for ten minutes.
"Enough. You lot go and recover your Mana. The next round starts in half an hour."
Though a few of the older students wanted to stick around and boast, it was 'well known' that Sword King Augusta was a 'friend' of the Regional Lord. It was rumored he had come to Milbots Academy to help train Paul specifically, so, as 'sensible' young Nobles, the burgeoning Water Mages knew when to show restraint.
With the riff-raff tottering off, Augusta approached Paul with one of his characteristically wolfish smiles, stating, "You only lasted 628 seconds. With your strength and build, you should be able to endure nearly twice that amount. Stop performing big movements and swinging your sword around like an idiot. You aren't practicing Sword God techniques."
Despite his harsh words and severe expression, Augusta extended his hand to help Paul rise. The latter didn't accept it, but he also didn't bat it aside as he used to nearly ten months prior.
"I can stand on my own..."
Pushing himself to his feet, Paul did his best to stand tall as he made his way over to where Jean, Barbara, Xiangling, and Xinyan were waiting. The latter three were utterly exhausted after enduring a water barrage of their own, while Jean was her usual calm and stoic self as she proferred Paul a towel and said, "Welcome back, Master."
After receiving the towel, Paul took a moment to wipe his face as Augusta walked over and asked, "You ready for round two, goldilocks?"
Ignoring Augusta's words, Jean waited for Paul to finish drying his face before accepting the now damp towel and asking, "Would you like some warm tea or hot chocolate?"
Shaking his head, Paul answered, "Cocoa, please. It is a bit chilly with wet clothes."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Jean retrieved a thermos, merrily filling a cup for Paul while Augusta just stared at them with a sullen expression on his face. He frequently attempted to tease and provoke the girls in Paul's posse, but they largely ignored him. It was kind of freaky just how mature they all were.
"Anyways...there's something I wanted you to do for me, kid. Consider it a way to repay me for all the favoritism I've shown you and your little harem of prodigies these last couple of months."
Furrowing his brows, Paul turned to meet Augusta's gaze, asking, "What is it?" in an annoyed tone. Much of his hostility towards the man had waned over the past ten months, but they weren't on friendly terms. It didn't help that Augusta had knocked up the former Water God Instructor, Reva, four months prior.
Exhaling through his nose, Augusta took a moment to let Paul calm down before explaining, "When you get back to the Notos Estate, I want you to tell my wife not to come looking for me. Now that I have another wife and child on the way, I intend to travel up the Northwest coast and retire...for real this time..."
Though he was tempted to call Augusta a piece of shit, Paul had already come to terms with the man's situation. He also knew that he wouldn't be able to take back a woman that had been sleeping with someone else for the better part of five years. Thus, while he couldn't help thinking Augusta was a piece of shit, Paul couldn't really blame the man for wanting to start over elsewhere. He just hoped Augusta's next child was a boy.
"So be it...I will tell her..."
Nodding his head in approval, Augusta attempted to give Paul a firm clap on the shoulder, but the latter side-stepped it. This gave Augusta the urge to smack the young Noble on the head, but he held himself back. Instead, he adopted one of his characteristically wolfish grins and taunted, "Would you look at that...the Little Lord can actually dodge something..."
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A few days before his return to the Notos Estate, Paul was unsurprised when Jean entered his room to inform him that Princess Andromeda had arrived. The silver-haired Princess had been trying to get him to invite her for several months, so he knew it was only a matter of time before she got fed up and came herself.
Breathing a sigh, Paul gave Xinyan's head a pat as he lazily droned, "Show her to the Drawing Room and have Xiangling prepare tea and snacks..."
Bowing her head, Jean replied, "As you will, Master Paul." before promptly turning around to carry out Paul's orders. At the same time, Xinyan raised her head from his lap, hair down and with an adorably grumpy expression on her face as she groaned, "So much for my reward..."
Adopting a wry smile, Paul attempted to coax the cantankerous brunette by saying, "It shouldn't take too long. When I get back, I promise to help brush your hair...deal?"
Though she nodded her head in affirmation, Xinyan spread her arms with a 'severe' expression on her face. A defeated sigh escaped Paul's throat, but there was little to no reluctance in his actions as he gave Xinyan a firm hug before punctuating the encounter with a chaste kiss. He continued to refuse her periodic requests to make out, but tamer displays of affection had become increasingly common between him and all of the girls. As for how he justified it? Well, even his mom kissed him on the lips...
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While waiting for Paul's arrival, Andromeda stared directly at Jean with her perennially impassive expression. She was fairly confident in her own beauty, but she felt like Jean was in a league of her own. To make matters worse, Jean didn't appear to be wearing any makeup whatsoever. It was a little infuriating...
Maintaining a professional smile, Jean pretended to be oblivious to the fact Andromeda was practically glaring at her. She had long since grown accustomed to the envy and hate-filled stares of other girls, so, while it still bothered her, it was impossible to tell from her expression.
Fortunately, just as Jean was thinking of excuses to leave the room, Paul appeared, saying, "We meet again, Princess Andromeda. Tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit...?"
Adopting a practiced smile that came nowhere near her eyes, Andromeda softly replied, "Heir Paul and I have been neighbors for nearly ten months. I thought on the matter for quite some time before concluding it would be rude of me not to visit at least once ere your return home..."
"Mmm...I see..."
Sitting on the sofa parallel to the chaise lounge Andromeda was seated on, Paul met the petite Princess's eyes for several seconds before asking, "And...?"
Closing her eyes, Andromeda took a slow and deliberate breath before exhaling, opening her eyes, and stating, "You must be very sure of your position to be this insensible...how enviable..."
Shaking his head, Paul refuted the Princess's words, stating, "That has nothing to do with my performance. I just don't go seek trouble when I can avoid it."
Furrowing her brows, Andromeda remarked, "So it truly was an act...how abhorrently uncouth..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul relaxed his posture, effectively dismissing with propriety as he said, "Given your circumstances, I would imagine you have first-hand experience with how troublesome politics can be. Though it is only a matter of time before I'm forced to act, my only interests right now are increasing my strength and taking care of my people. While I can empathize with your plight, I would only be inviting scrutiny unto myself if I played into your hand..."
Though he really did empathize with Andromeda's situation, Paul couldn't help her with his current status and power. It frustrated him to no end, but all he could really do right now was add her name to his list and hope her situation improved. The probability of that happening was minuscule, but that was just the way things were in Mushoku Tensei.
Interpreting Paul's words to mean he knew the exact circumstances of her situation, Andromeda's impassive mask cracked for the first time as she shakily questioned, "You would consign me to my fate with a smile on your face? It would appear I was wrong about you, Paul Notos Greyrat..."
Rising with a start, a layer of moisture could be seen developing across Andromeda's face as she stated, "You aren't better than the other Nobles of this Kingdom. You are much, much worse..."
Storming towards the door, Andromeda attempted to leave but found her exit blocked by Jean. Her face immediately became red as the tears in her eyes burst forth like a deluge. At the same time, she shrieked, "Get out of my way, you-!"
Interrupting Andromeda's scream with a crisp smack, Jean's expression hardened as she said, "You are not the only one in a precarious position, Princess. Master Paul is doing his best to make the entire world a better place. Don't you dare to compare him to those monsters in human flesh..."
Without paying any attention to Jean's words, Andromeda held her cheek and muttered, "You...you hit me..." in a sobbing tone. Almost immediately after that, however, unbridled rage appeared in the depths of her eyes as she reared back her hand and shouted, "How dare you strike a member of the-"
Smacking Andromeda on her unswollen cheek, Jean said, "Be quiet and sit down. We are going to get this matter cleared up before you leave. I don't care what your status is."
"Jean..."
Though he understood Jean's frustration, Paul couldn't help thinking she was taking things too far. Her country had effectively abandoned her, but Andromeda was still a Princess. It could cause an international incident if word got out that a 'servant' had struck a member of foreign Royalty.
Exhibiting a rare bout of anger, Jean looked towards Paul and said, "No. I won't let this ignorant...child..."
Realizing that Andromeda was only 6-7 years old, Jean's words gradually trailed off as the anger faded from her expression. She was so used to the notion that everyone in Paul's group merely resembled children that she had momentarily forgotten not everyone was like them...
Shaking his head, Paul began using Healing Magic on Andromeda as he whispered, "Go. I'll take care of things here..." before Jean could offer an apology. In this situation, an apology would only make things worse, so, even though he knew Jean was sorry for her actions, Paul compelled her to leave the room with a severe look that left no room for argument...
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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...
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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~!"
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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...
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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...
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Chapter 33: MI33: Angst