Mushoku Impact

"Time ta wake up, birthday boy..."
"Mmm...?"
Opening his eyes, the first thing Paul saw was Xinyan's face less than ten centimeters away from his own. She had one hand on his chest while the other could be felt directing his little brother to the entrance of a dark and steamy cavern.
"There we go..."
Having found the correct angle, a nasally pleasure-filled moan escaped Xinyan's throat as she slowly lowered her hips. Paul's little brother didn't make it very far before discovering a dead end, but the heat and pressure were so intense he could feel Xinyan's heartbeat racing as she exhaled a few steamy pants.
Raising his hands to support Xinyan's sides, a wry smile developed across Paul's face as he asked, "I guess this is just how I wake up now, huh...?"
Returning a smile of her own, Xinyan teased, "You kind of deserve it after making so many girls fall for you..."
Without giving Paul a chance to reply, Xinyan sealed his lips with her own. She had always really enjoyed kissing, but it was nothing compared to the fuzzy, tingling feeling that ran along her spine and washed over her brain every time Paul's little brother surveyed the depths of her secret cavern...
"How envious..."
Releasing Paul's lips, Xinyan took a few steadying breaths as she looked to her left and asked, "What? You got to wake him up yesterday. Don't be greedy, Barbara."
Puffing out her cheeks in a slight pout, Barbara looked like she was about to say something before Paul said, "Don't bicker. You and Xiangling will be traveling with me to the Sword Sanctum. Let Xinyan be a little selfish until then..."
Rising to a seated position, Paul elicited a startled yelp from Xinyan as her body weight allowed his little brother to explore a bit deeper. Then, before she could collect herself, he gave her bottom a light smack and started to nibble her collarbone.
Trembling in pleasure rather than pain, Xinyan began to circle her hips at the behest of Paul's right hand. She enjoyed it when Paul was a bit rough with her, but, more than that, she reveled in the feeling of being watched as Barbara begrudgingly tended to herself...
...
..
.
With Ningguang and Ganyu opening the proverbial floodgate, Paul had spent the better part of five weeks enjoying a lifestyle similar to other Nobles. He still trained his ass off, particularly in the morning and early afternoon, but his evenings had become filled with sensuality.
Though his sexcapades had started with Ningguang and Ganyu, the two girls Paul slept with most frequently were Barbara and Xinyan. They were easily the most proactive among the girls in his retinue, and, more often than not, they would be waiting for him whenever he finished his training or was preparing to enter the bath.
After Barbara and Xinyan, the duo Paul spent the most time with was Jean and Eula. Both had approached him of their own accord the morning after his 'graduation' to adulthood, the former because she genuinely liked him and the latter so she could get 'revenge' for all the times he had slighted her. In reality, she just wanted to spend time together as they had grown pretty close during their ten months living and training together.
Shattering the trend of twos, Paul had private encounters with Xiangling, Yoimiya, and, though they weren't particularly close, Beidou. A few others wanted to have a go at him, but Paul politely refused most of them. Diona was one, and though she was technically more than a hundred years old, Paul had to tell Qiqi to wait a few years. She had been resurrected thanks to the Intersection of Fate, but her mental state was still that of an 8-10-year-old. As for Diona, she was technically seventeen and a half, but Paul felt she still had a lot of growing to do before he laid a hand anywhere but her head.
The only exception among the girls Paul originally intended to refuse was Yaoyao. However, since she was chronologically more than eighteen and markedly more mature than girls like Xiangling and Barbara, he eventually gave in. She had been working hard to assist Ganyu and educate the girls Ningguang had hired, so he felt she deserved a bit of leeway.
And then there were the Archons...
Though he had suspected they would be different than the other girls, not just because they lacked abdominal tattoos, Paul wasn't fully prepared to hear Zhongli explain how different they truly were.
While it was similar to the Mana that existed within the world of Mushoku Tensei, the energy system of Teyvat revolved around Elemental Energy. It permeated every centimeter of the world of Teyvat, but here in the world of Mushoku Tensei, the only source of Elemental Energy were the Archons Paul had summoned.
In order to create a bridge between the two worlds, Zhongli informed Paul that he would need to increase the amount of Elemental Energy within the world of Mushoku Tensei. The presence of the Archons was enough to set this process in motion, but Paul would have to acquire each of the Seven and their Gnoses if they were to have any meaningful impact.
Unless Paul suddenly obtained an influx of several million gold coins, the more reliable option of increasing the amount of Elemental Energy in the world was spreading and using Visions. The issue was that using a Vision directly drained the Archons of their power. They gradually replenished it, but the process was painfully slow since there was little to no Elemental Energy within the environment.
And that's where Paul came into the equation.
For one reason or another, members of the Greyrat families had an almost comical amount of Mana within their semen. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the reason for Paul's ineptitude with Magic was because most of his Mana was being condensed into his testicles.&nbsp;
If Paul had started having sex or simply masturbating at an earlier age, he could have actually been increasing his Mana reserves without needing to consume Mana Draught or spamming Magic. This was one of the reasons the original Paul was so prodigious, and, now that he knew the truth, Paul could drastically increase his Mana capacity by simply having sex.
More importantly, at least for the purposes of creating a bridge between Mushoku Tensei and Teyvat, Paul could use his unique 'power' to help the Archons increase their reserves of Elemental Energy. In turn, they could release more Elemental Energy into the world and even produce Visions.
The thing that weirded Paul out about the situation, other than the notion he would need to blow his load inside Zhongli, was that Visions were not the primary byproduct of intercourse with an Archon. Instead, much like Elinalize, the cursed Elf who gestated and gave birth to Magic Crystals, the Archons would give birth to Elemental Spirits known as Seelies.
Until Paul could acquire their Constellations, Zhongli informed him that the fastest way to increase the amount of Elemental Energy in the world was to impregnate and have them give birth to Seelies. They had a lesser form of the Archon's ability to convert Mana into Elemental Energy, so, by releasing them into the world, they could drastically speed up the process of linking the worlds by producing Elemental Particles as waste.
Put simply, what Zhongli, Kusanali, and even Ei were expecting Paul to do was continuously knock them up so they could give birth to tiny, blobular, Elemental Spirits. It was an incredibly disturbing thought, but as he didn't have the literal millions of gold necessary to obtain their Constellations, it didn't take Paul long to consent. He did, however, task Albedo to come up with a solution that wouldn't require him to effectively father hundreds of thousands of tiny spiritual creatures...
...
..
.
"Master Paul, it's nearing the time for your debut. It wouldn't do to keep the Duke and his guest waiting..."
Exhaling a sigh, Paul rose to a seated position before giving the girl whose butt he had been using as a pillow a light smack, saying, "Thank you, Eula. I needed that."
Rising to her feet, Eula smoothed out her dress, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she replied, "It was my pleasure..." before immediately adding, "Please excuse me. I need to freshen up."
After nodding his head in approval and following the icy blunette's retreat, Paul shifted his gaze to the girl that had disrupted his leisure time, asking, "Is that hateful woman really in attendance...?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, Zhongli revealed, "According to what the guests were speculating, Water God Reida has come to recruit you to the Royal Water God Academy. The likelihood she is here at the behest of the Royal Family is nearly 100%. Either that or she saw through your intention of traveling to the Sword Sanctum and aims to entice you to stay with the Water God School."
Recalling the face and figure of the remarkably beautiful MILF that had beat the shit out of him more than a year ago, Paul would be lying if he said she didn't cross every box on his checklist. She was an old lady by the time of the original series, but, at least for the time being, she was a God Tier Swordsman and a God Tier Beauty.
"We'll see what she has to say. If she suggests becoming my teacher, I may actually accept. I'm kind of getting tired of everyone telling me I'm better suited for the Sword God Style. If she's willing to teach me the five secret techniques of the Water God Style, I would be a fool to refuse..."
Though he knew Reida would eventually become an Apostle of Hitogami, that wasn't for another 25-30 years. As powerful as the Human God was, he could only designate 3-4 Apostles at a time. More importantly, Visions had the effect of making people impervious to Hitogami's influence, so if he played his cards right, Paul could secure a strong ally, deny Hitogami one of his most powerful pawns, and place himself in a prime position to aid Princess Ariel once she was born.
Rising to his feet, Paul allowed Zhongli to give him a once-over and fix his appearance before heading towards the venue. As for Zhongli, she stayed behind as only Ningguang would be attending the banquet. Everyone else had either been placed in the Intersection of Fate or allocated to specific sections of the Estate as they had absolutely no delusions regarding the reason for the Duke's visit. The fat bastard was the only living brother of the reigning King, and his perversions were legendary within the Capital.
Fortunately, much of the hype regarding Zhongli had died down after she effectively disappeared for four years. Everyone else had concealed the extent of their talent during their stay at the Academy, so, as long as they stayed out of sight, there shouldn't be any significant issues. At least, that was what Paul believed before entering the hall...
"There you are, boy. You've quite the gall to keep a member of the Royal Family waiting. Now, tell me, where have you hidden those little wenches you paraded around the &nbsp;Academy and allowed to disrespect members of the Nobility?"
Though he was surprised to find the fat and bald Duke blocking his path, Paul's expression remained indifferent as he offered a courteous bow and said, "It is a pleasure to behold you esteemed countenance, Your Grace. As for your inquiry, I'm afraid you'll find no 'wenches' here, especially not ones so brazen as to disrespect members of the Nobility."
"You little cur...are you aware of the penalty for lying to a member of the Royal Family?"
Before Paul could answer, Amarant appeared like a grim phantom, stating, "Your Grace is a guest of House Notos, not its Lord. The King assured me you would not cause trouble if I allowed you to attend my son's coming of age celebration. Do you intend to make a mockery of his word?"
"You-"
"Lord Notos Greyrat, the Great Lord of the Eastern Milbots Region. I was not aware Your Grace had the authority to strip me of my name and title."
"..."
Though his bald head was as red as a cherry tomato, the Duke didn't say anything further. He was currently surrounded on all sides by upper and middle-ranking Nobles affiliated with House Notos. His brother, the King, also has a close relationship with Amarant, so even if he was the Duke, it didn't give him the leeway to say and do as he pleased.
Forcing a smile, the Duke placed his hand over his chest and offered a 'courteous' bow as he growled, "It would appear I have had a little too much to drink and forgot myself. It was never my intention to offend the Great Lord of the Milbots Region. For that, I off my sincerest apologies."
As if he was oblivious to the Duke's anger, Amarant returned a bow of his own as he mused, "Well, the Milbots Region is known for its wine. I can't blame Your Grace for indulging in it to such an extent you forgot even the basics of propriety..."
With several veins appearing near his temples, the Duke looked like he was about to have an aneurism. Instead, an expression of pain and shock spontaneously developed across his face as he gripped his oversized man boob as if he were trying to grab his heart. Then, in front of an astonished crowd of 147 Nobles, the Duke collapsed to the ground, dead from a heart attack...
...
..
.

With a member of the Royal Family dying before things could get fully underway, none of the guests were surprised when Paul's 10th birthday celebration was promptly canceled. However, due to the suddenness of the Duke's death, they were forced to stay within the Estate as the entire place was put on lockdown.&nbsp;
While it was apparent to most that the Duke had 'died of passion,' the colloquial term for a heart attack, Amarant could be tried for treason if he didn't at least consider poison was involved. To this end, the Duke's body was preserved using a special Water Magic while everyone present during the party awaited the arrival of the Royal Family's Coroner.
Fortunately, while the staff of most Estates would have struggled to host 147 Nobles and their retinues for weeks on end, the Notos Estate had no problems whatsoever. There were plenty of guest rooms, and, due to the large number of highly trained staff, meal preparation and waste disposal were a relatively straightforward affair.
The most significant issues with having so many Nobles staying within the Estate were, unsurprisingly, assholes thinking they could freely harass the staff and scheduling time for everyone to take a bath. Amarant settled the first issue by threatening to place people under house arrest for behaving in a shady and disreputable manner during an investigation, but that didn't stop the children of some of the higher-ranking Nobles from trying.
Since Paul was the next Lord of the Milbots Region, the Heirs and young daughters of the other three Greyrat Houses had been in attendance for his coming of age ceremony. From House Boreas, the only family Paul was familiar with from the original series, there was the fifteen-year-old James and his younger brother, the nine-year-old Philip.
While Paul knew nothing about James other than the fact he would one day defeat Philip in a succession dispute, the latter was famous for being the father of Eris, one of the main heroines from the original series.
Since Amarant had ultimately refused House Redcow's offer to wed their daughter to Paul, Hilda, who was also present during the coming of age celebration, had been betrothed to Philip. Unless something happened to either of the two in the interim, their marriage all but guaranteed that Eris would be born.
Though Paul got along reasonably well with Philip, the same could not be said of his asshole of an older brother. Since James was the most senior of the Heirs present, he tried to act like he was in charge when everyone was forced to gather and socialize. Paul tried to teach him some manners by trouncing him in a sparring match, but that only served to make James even more insufferable.
Fortunately, while James incessantly complained about everything and tried to nitpick the behavior of the other Heirs, it only took threatening to break his arms to deter him from trying to harass any of the girls. Before that, the dumbass had tried to pressure Paul into 'handing over' Diona and Minne on the grounds that 'House Boreas was known for its fondness of the Beast Race.' In the end, the only thing Paul handed the arrogant youth was an ass-whooping that caused him to spend much of the remainder of his stay holed up inside his room.
With his match against James being witnessed by several Nobles, no one was surprised to find Paul getting slapped around by a voluptuous woman with short black hair the following day. What did amaze them was the fact that the first training session between the woman and Paul continued well into the next day before the youthful Heir of House Notos collapsed into a snowbank with steam rising from his body...
...
..
.
"How long are you going to keep pretending to sleep? Your injuries have been healed, and we have already used smelling salts. Don't tell me you intend to play possum until I leave...?"
Hearing the voice of a husky-toned woman, Paul suppressed a groan as he opened his eyes and looked to the side of his bed. There, a somewhat petite yet heroic-looking woman with short black hair, cerulean eyes, and a massive chest could be seen staring back at him with an amused smile on her face.
"You did well to hold out as long as you did. Most swordsmen your age wouldn't be able to fight for more than an hour or two without exhausting themselves. It would appear the rumors concerning the 'stamina' of the Greyrat Houses were not exaggerated..."
Noticing the extra emphasis the woman placed had on the word stamina, an amused smile developed across Paul's face as he muttered, "You have no idea..."
Adopting a smile of her own, the raven-haired beauty remarked, "Cheeky little rogue." before crossing her arms in a way that emphasized her nearly G-Cup breasts as she stated, "I've thought about your proposition. If you really can help me increase my strength, I wouldn't mind accompanying you to the Sword Sanctum. Just know that I'll eventually need to report to the King, so be careful what you choose to reveal."
Though she had seen that Paul's potential was beginning to plateau, the raven-haired beauty, better known as Water God Reida Reia, felt that he would eventually be able to overcome his bottleneck. His techniques were sloppy, at least in her eyes, but there was a palpable conviction lurking in the depths of Paul's. He was also brazen enough to try and barter with a literal God-Level Swordsman, so Reida had a fairly positive impression of the young Greyrat. If his claims proved true, she might even express her 'gratitude' in an effort to set him up with one of her daughters.
Having already discussed the matter with Ningguang, Zhongli, Kusanali, and Ei, Paul pulled out his Electro Vision and explained, "This is a magical tool known as a Vision. This particular variant allows the user to enhance their speed and reaction time using a form of purple lightning. For a user of the Water God Style, there is no magical tool more useful than this..."
Furrowing her brows, Reida asked, "Your method of getting stronger is to rely on magical tools and artifacts? I honestly expected more from you..."
Rolling his eyes, Paul proferred the Vision toward Reida, explaining, "This is no ordinary magical tool. It doesn't require or consume Mana, so it can even be used in areas where Magic is negated. More importantly, each of the Visions allows the user to manifest a weapon perfectly suited to them. As durable as your sword is, I can assure you that the weapon manifested by your Vision will be even more remarkable..."
Though she maintained a skeptical and disappointed expression on her face, Reida accepted the Vision from Paul. She would be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little curious. More importantly, if the gem-like orb functioned as Paul claimed, it could become a very powerful weapon for the Kingdom.
"How do...?"
Before she could ask Paul how the Vision was used, Reida felt a surge of energy flow into her body. Under normal circumstances, she might have tossed it away, but, feeling no discomfort and sensing no hostility from Paul, she continued holding it until the energy had stabilized. When it did, she could tell that her senses had become much, much sharper.
"You weren't exaggerating..."
Flexing her free hand open and closed, Reida felt as those her joints were looser than normal. She could also feel the aches and pain that came with age and overtraining fading away, almost as if she had become ten years younger.
What Paul hadn't told Reida was that Visions could dramatically extend a person's lifespan so long as their ambition remained. Back in the world of Teyvat, even previously ordinary humans could live more than 500 years if their determination was strong enough. The caveat was that the moment their ambition faded, their Vision would become inert, and their life would come to an end.
Holding out her right hand, a pleasantly surprised smile developed across Reida's face as a predominately blue and white longsword with a curved, wing-shaped guard manifested in her hand. There was a motif of a black crow on the pommel, but the two things that stood out to Reida were how comfortably it fits in her hand and how unreasonably light it was. It had a length comparable to her current sword but felt completely weightless in her hand.
Swinging the sword much faster than even Paul's enhanced kinetic vision could keep up with, Reida's smile became even wider as she said, "Okay, I take back my previous comment. This Vision thing is awesome."
Nodding his head in agreement, Paul was about to say something when Reida spontaneously pointed the tip of her sword between his eyebrows and asked, "What's the catch? There's no way a power such as this comes freely."
Though he felt a cold sweat break out across his body, Paul managed to appear relatively calm as he explained, "The catch is that Visions can only be used by people with great ambition. They are also remarkably difficult to make, so much so that I've only been able to produce three within the last five years."
Sensing no overt falsehoods within Paul's explanation, Reida retracted her sword from his face, saying, "Sorry about that. To make it up to you, I'll let you have your way with me once you regain your vitality. If we're going to be traveling together for the next year or two, I'll be relying on you to help relieve my stress."
Smiling wryly in response to Reida's rather brazen words, Paul couldn't help asking, "Just out of curiosity...how many guys have you slept with?"
Raising her brows, Reida countered, "What kind of question is that? You make it sound like I'm some common whore who opens her legs for just any man. Talk about impertinence..."
Despite the severity of her words, Reida didn't seem too upset by Paul's question. In fact, she was actively trying to recall exactly how many men she had slept with. The number wasn't high compared to the more prolific female Nobles, but it wasn't exactly small either. She was, after all, in her early forties. Most people just assumed she was much younger due to her remarkable figure and exceptional beauty.
"Hmmm...I can't remember the exact number, but I'd guess between fifty and a hundred? I calmed down a bit once I became Water God and gave birth to my third daughter, but I used to be pretty free-spirited back in my youth. Not that I'm old, mind you..."
Closing her left eye, a teasing smile developed across Reida's face as she asked, "I wonder how many young girls the Young Master has placed his hands on? I noticed quite a few giving me stink eyes when I carried you back like a sack of potatoes."
Though he shouldn't have been surprised by Reida's words, Paul found himself at a momentary loss for words. He knew powerful women could be just as uninhibited as men, but it was still a little jarring to hear such a beautiful woman mention being plowed by upwards of a hundred men. It didn't diminish Reida's beauty, but it certainly changed how Paul viewed her...
Attributing Paul's reaction to the possessiveness demonstrated by many young members of the Nobility, Reida attempted to alleviate his concerns by stating, "Don't worry. So long as I'm accompanying you, you don't have to worry about me running off or staying overnight in some tavern. I might feel inclined to cut loose every so often, but I take my duties seriously."
"Right..."
Shaking the thoughts of Reida's sexcapades from his mind, Paul reminded himself he didn't actually need to fuck her. He probably would just for the ego boost that would arise from 'conquering' the Water God in bed, but it wasn't like she would become one of his love interests. They walked two very different paths, so the most likely scenario is that they would fuck a few times before parting ways and never mentioning it. Sex didn't have to end in a relationship. In fact, during his college years, Paul couldn't even remember the number of times he had one-night stands.
Sometimes, people just wanted to fuck...
...
..
.

"I may have underestimated the genes of the Greyrat families..."
Even after several minutes had passed, Ningguang could barely retain her focus as she stared up at the ceiling with an absentminded expression on her face. She was covered in sweat, and, despite taking a medicine that was supposed to dull a person's senses, everything from her brain to her toes was tingling with a pleasant numbness.
Though he heard Ningguang's remark, Paul continued staring blankly into the hearth crackling a few meters away. He felt like he had just crossed a dangerous line, but the thing that frightened him the most was the fact he didn't really care. He had apprehensions near the beginning and regretted it once everything had calmed down, but, during the act, he had been just as much of a beast as his father...
Seeing Paul lost in his thoughts, a steamy yet exasperated sigh escaped Ningguang's throat as she rolled onto her side. She wanted to try and sit up, but her legs were completely numb.&nbsp;
"I should have learned Healing Magic..."
Placing her hand on her abdomen, Ningguang concentrated on the hot sensation deep within her as she traced her index finger around the tiny Geo Symbol inscribed above her uterus. The symbol immediately pulsed to life, and, moments later, the unpleasant stickiness between her thighs completely vanished as the semen coating her body and insides turned to pale golden light.
Though he had noticed the elemental symbols inscribed on all of the girls' lower abdomens, seeing the light out of the corner of his eyes compelled Paul to ask, "Is that like a contraceptive or something...?"
Shaking her head, Ningguang forced herself to a seated position before explaining, "While it can certainly be used that way, its actual purpose is a little different. Hmmm..."
Though she had anticipated Paul's question, Ningguang was feeling more than a little spaced out at the present moment. Her only consolation was that Paul had likely gone easy on her. At least that's what she felt seeing an Adeptus like Ganyu sprawled out, completely unconscious.
"Think of it as a converter...for one reason or another, the semen of men in this world is rich with mana. What these seals do is convert mana into elemental energy. In other words, it's kind of like a battery that allows us to use our powers even without an Archon. Since there was no guarantee you would summon an Archon any time soon, these were inscribed on our bodies as a failsafe of sorts..."
"Yeah...that sounds about right..."
Recalling the mana drought incident, Paul wasn't even remotely surprised by Ningguang's words. Everything about the IOF seemed geared towards making him into a pervert or a degenerate. At this point, he wouldn't even be surprised if it was revealed he needed to produce a certain number of offspring in order to strengthen the connection between Mushoku Tensei and the world of Teyvat...
Snuggling up next to Paul, Ningguang waited nearly a minute for him to link his arm around her before asking, "Do you regret gaining access to the IOF?"
"Not really..."
Surprised by Paul's listless yet immediate response, Ningguang was about to ask more, but he beat her to the punch, adding, "The only thing I regret is making use of it so soon. These last few years feel like a blur, and even though I've gotten far more powerful, I feel like a background character in my own life...a footnote in someone else's story..."
"Hmm..."
Instead of immediately responding to Paul's words, Ningguang placed her head against his shoulder and just enjoyed the warmth from both his body and the nearby hearth. He was her partner in more than name now, so she felt compelled to help bolster his confidence. No powerful woman wanted a partner without a bit of backbone...
After quickly organizing her thoughts, Ningguang stated, "I believe you're mistaken...instead of viewing yourself as a character within the story, you should consider the possibility that you're the author. After all, if you were to tell us to burn down the Notos Estate or wreak havoc across the entire world, we would be forced to comply. Thus, instead of comparing yourself to us, you should be thinking about how you can use us to bring about the ending you want to see..."
Though he opened his mouth to speak, Paul found himself at a genuine loss for words. His situation hadn't actually changed, but if he looked at things from Ningguang's perspective, he was no longer a character within the story but the person dictating it. He would never do such a thing, but if he ordered her to grab the nearby poker, heat it in the hearth, and stab it into herself, she really would have no choice but to obey. She was able to bring an entire Region under her control in less than four years, but she was still at his mercy...
Exhaling a sigh, Paul found himself caressing his forehead and temples as he groaned, "I think swinging around a sword for 10-12 hours a day might have turned me stupid..."
Amused by Paul's self-deprecating remark, a soft chuckle emanated from Ningguang's throat. His words prompted her to tease him, but before she was able to, Ningguang was left at a loss of her own as Paul stated, "You should be careful with your words and actions in the future...now that we have already crossed the line, I'm tempted to punish you for all the times you were cheeky..."
"..."
Though she knew Paul was messing with her, Ningguang had detected a hint of genuine caution in his tone. She doubted he would do anything too extreme, but she could imagine him spanking her or crushing her beneath his body as he had done to Ganyu. The latter appeared to enjoy it quite a bit, but Ningguang couldn't help feeling a tad sheepish after what she had endured not long ago...
...
..
.
Departing Ningguang's office shortly after Ganyu had awoken, Paul felt as though a substantial weight had been removed from his shoulders. He still felt like he had crossed a line he shouldn't have, but it wasn't like he could go back in time and unfuck the two girls. The more pressing concern was whether or not he should just throw his inhibitions to the wind and do the same with others. He could think of at least eight girls who would jump at the chance...
As if on cue, Barbara literally popped out of a wall via a concealed service hatch, a pouty expression on her face and the tell-tale sign of dried tears staining her cheeks.
Preempting anything the somewhat possessive sword maiden might say, Paul stated, "Make no mistake, Pipit. I care for you immensely. If I didn't think it would make me sound like a hypocritical asshole, I would tell you that I love you ten thousand times over. I just can't do that to you..."
Hanging her head, a fresh batch of tears began to pool in the corners of Barbara's eyes as she muttered, "I hate this...even though I understand what's at stake, I can't help wanting to keep you to myself..."
Feeling a twinge in his heart, Paul reached to caress Barbara's cheek but stopped himself halfway. He wanted to comfort her, but, as the principal source of her pain, he wasn't sure he had the right.
Fortunately for Paul, Barbara made things significantly easier by throwing her arms around him and crying into his chest. It made him feel a hell of a lot worse, but at least he didn't have to think too deeply about things; he just needed to console the girl crying in his arms...
("Well, here goes nothing...")
"Wise...men...say...only fools rush in...
But I...can't...help...falling in love...with...you..."
Hearing Paul suddenly begin singing, Barbara's crying almost immediately stopped. His voice had started to deepen as he matured, so while he was a bit pitchy, his song had the rich quality that could only be achieved with a low, baritone voice...
"Shall...I...stay? Would it be...a....sin...
If I...can't...help...falling in love...with...you...?
Like a river flows...
Surely to the sea...
Darling, so it goes...
Some things...are meant to be...
So...
Take...my...hand...
Take my whole...life...too...
For I...can't...help...falling in love...with...you..."
Though there were still a lot of words to the song, Paul allowed his voice to trail off as he rocked Barbara in his arms. This was the first time he had ever sung to someone, so a single verse and chorus were the limit of what his psyche could handle.
"I didn't know you could sing..."
Chuckling softly in response to Barbara's words, an affectionate smile developed across Paul's face as he whispered, "Anyone can sing...what matters is that it comes from the heart..."
"I want a baby..."
"..."
Feeling as though he had just received a punch in the gut, Paul's smile became cramped as he asked, "Right now...?"
Shaking her head, Barbara ceased squeezing Paul as if her life depended on it, eyes still watery as she stared up at him and answered, "No...I just don't want that woman to be the only one with your child. It isn't right for a baby to be born for the sake of convenience..."
Though he honestly didn't want to be a father at all, Paul nodded his head and said, "Sure...once things settle down and we manage to restore your world, let's find a nice place in the country to start a family...I can't say for sure that we'll be the only ones there, but I'm willing to work my ass off to make things work..."
Since she knew at least four people who loved Paul nearly as much as she did, Barbara also couldn't imagine them living alone. Xiangling and Xinyan had practically become her sisters at this point, so she would feel guilty if she tried cutting them off from Paul. As for her actual sister, Jean, Barbara didn't want to admit it, but the two of them probably loved Paul about the same amount. Jean was just a lot better at concealing her emotions...
"That's fine...as long as we can be together without having to worry about anything 'bigger' than our family, I'm fine if there are other girls there with us...just promise me you'll give me a baby before Jean..."
Shaking his head, Paul said, "I'm not going to make such a promise. If Jean is one of the people who ends up staying with us, we'll discuss it together...as a family."
Though she would have preferred it if Paul had lied to her, a faint smile developed across Barbara's face. She knew her request was more than a little selfish, so she didn't blame Paul for shutting her down. Instead, she left him reeling a second time by asking, "Since you did it with Ganyu and Ningguang...does that mean...you know...?"
Resisting the almost instinctual temptation to say no, Paul held Barbara closer as he questioned, "You were seventeen back in Teyvat, so you'll be turning twenty-one in a few months, right?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, Barbara meekly replied, "My birthday is July 5th...in this world, that's the seventh month..."
Though he realized he had never mentioned how dates worked in his past world, Paul figured that could wait till later. For now, he surprised Barbara by picking her up in a bridal carry and asking, "Are you sure you're ready?"
Dealing yet another critical blow to Paul, Barbara balled her hands into fists, a terrifyingly serious expression on her face as she assured, "Don't worry. If something bad happens, I can always cast Regeneration Magic or X-Healing...!"
Smiling with a bit of incredulity in his expression, Paul began carrying Barbara toward her room as he remarked, "That...good to know...?" in a helpless tone. He didn't know what Barbara imagined when she thought of sex, but it was apparently pretty intense...
("This is going to be a long night...")
...
..

Chapter 46: MI46: Impropriety