Mushoku Impact

Though he was tempted to make good on his promise of 'destroying' Lisa to teach her a lesson, Paul didn't want to inconvenience her while she was at work. He also knew he wouldn't be able to calm down if he got too riled up, so, after registering Ei, Eula, and Ghislaine with the Guild, they formed a Party named Einherjar.
Due to his background as an aspiring Game Developer, Paul had always had a fondness for Norse and Viking culture. He also felt that the name Einherjar suited his Party well as the word roughly translated to Army of One. They weren't at that level just yet, but Paul genuinely believed it was only a matter of time before each member of his Party was comparable to a small army.
"You're horny."
Breaking Paul from his reverie, Ghislaine shamelessly sniffed him despite the presence of several locals. If he had a spray bottle on him, he might have given her a spritz. Instead, he just chuckled before ruffling her hair and saying, "That's my secret, Ghislaine. I'm always horny."
"Mmm..."
Though she was tempted to refute Paul's words, Ghislaine was getting better at discerning when he was joking around and when he was being serious. In response to his words, she looked towards Eula, asking, "Are you going to take care of it?"
Before the startled blunette could respond, Paul said, "That can wait till later. For now, let's pick up a wagon before heading home for lunch. I'm pretty handy in the kitchen, but I'm terrible at preparing food in the wild. If we're going to be camping outside, I'd prefer to have Xiangling with us."
Agreeing with Paul wholeheartedly, the two kitchen catastrophes, Ei and Ghislaine, nodded their heads. The former didn't actually need to eat, and the latter was okay with raw meat, but there was a significant difference between being 'okay' with something and preferring it. If she were given a choice, Ghislaine would readily surrender an entire boar for just a few cuts of meat prepared by Xiangling...
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Though most wagons and pushcarts were made to order, taking days or even weeks to complete, most Carpenters and Blacksmiths carried more than enough spare parts to piece together a wagon or two.
By offering a 'very' handsome reward for their services, Paul managed to convince the two Dwarves running the Carpentry and Blacksmith to work together on a makeshift wagon capable of treading soil and snow. He was initially going to purchase a used cart, but most of the Merchants he tried bartering with were only willing to hand them over at the market price for a brand new wagon. The only one willing to offer a discount was an obese merchant who suggested that Ei and the others might be able to convince him if they showed a bit of 'sincerity.'
Instead of immediately refusing the offer, Paul suggested to the man that they move someplace private to discuss the specifics of their agreement. There, he beat the living shit out of the fat man before threatening to cut off his dick and shove it down his throat the next time he even considered making such an offer. He was half-tempted to burn the man's store to the ground, but without any backing in the Magic Triumvirate, Paul didn't want to cause too much trouble. At the very least, not yet...
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With the Dwarves telling them to come back the following morning, Paul and his entourage of beauties exited the city of Sharia before walking the long way around and entering through the opposite gate. After causing a bit of trouble, they didn't want anyone following them the direct route to their current abode.
"Nya! Welcome back, Uncle Paul~! Big Sis Ghislaine~!"
Though he winced when he heard Esme addressing him as Uncle, Paul didn't chastise her for it. Instead, he ruffled the adorable little cat girl's hair as he asked, "Is your mum home?"
Before Esme could call out to her mother, Amalie emerged from the kitchen with a far more radiant smile than the one she had worn the previous day, replying, "Indeed I am, nya. Welcome back, everyone."
Retracting his hand from Esme's head, Paul returned a smile of his own before asking, "What's for lunch?" followed by, "And how'd the search for furniture and renovators go?"
Seeing her daughter deflate the moment Paul stopped patting her head, an amused chuckle emanated from Amalie's throat before she answered, "I've learned how to make curry and bao buns from Ms. Xiangling, nya. As for the renovations, I'm afraid it will take a few days before they can even get started. Luckily, we did manage to acquire a brand new bed and some furniture. A few village younglings are currently upstairs, giving everything a thorough scrub, nya. Speaking of which...what are you doing down here, Emse...?"
"Nya~?"
Instead of answering her mother's question, Esme's eyes widened before she promptly darted up the stairs like a startled house cat.
Exhaling a sigh, Amalie muttered, "That girl..." before regaining her smile, looking at Paul, and asking, "Would you like to eat now? If not, I can also give you a foot or back massage, nya~?"
Shaking his head, Paul answered, "Food sounds nice. Also, you shouldn't push yourself this late in your pregnancy. I understand your concerns, but you don't need to treat us like nobles. You're doing more than enough just by listening to my selfishness regarding the renovations. Just take care of yourself and your daughter; that's what's most important."
Exhaling a second sigh, Amalie's remarked, "You should be a little more selfish. When people aren't used to receiving kindness, it can make them feel even more stressed out to receive too much, nya..."
Though she appreciated everything Paul was doing, Amalie couldn't rest easy knowing he could just wake up one morning and decide to take back everything he had given them. It simply wasn't 'natural' for people to help others without receiving something substantial in return...
Understanding Amalie's thoughts, Paul's smile softened as he said, "Feel free to suspect me as much as you want. I have no intention of betraying your trust, so it's ultimately harmless unless you suddenly choose to stab me in the back. Since you don't strike me as the type to betray the people helping you out, I imagine this will eventually become a fond memory you look back on with a mixture of regret and fondness. Now then, let's eat...!"
Taken aback by Paul's words, Amalie found herself at a loss for her own. She had never met a human as strange as Paul, someone who could smile naturally even when accused of deceit. It simultaneously made him more and less trustworthy, a contrasting sentiment that left Amalie feeling even more confused than before...
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Since he felt it would only garner unwanted attention if they were to stroll around the city, Paul decided to spend the hours before sundown playing with, or, more accurately, teaching Esme. She was currently around three and a half years old, so Paul figured he could give her a bit of a head start by teaching her and Ghislaine Water and Healing Magic.
Though neither Esme nor Ghislaine truly understood what he was trying to teach, the Beginner Level Spells were pretty straightforward and didn't require a lot of imagination. Just being charmed by the spectacle of Magic was generally enough to empower a person to cast the simplest of Spells. The only actual requirements were knowing the chant and having enough Mana to generate the phenomenon.
Fortunately, while few members of the Beast Race actively attempted to become Mages, it didn't mean they were lacking in talent or affinity. It just wasn't a part of their predominately warrior-based culture.
Though Ghislaine failed rather spectacularly, Esme left her mother feeling equal parts proud and exasperated as she managed to produce a sizeable Water Ball before ultimately losing control and drenching both herself and the floor. Proud because she had never even considered that her daughter might be able to use Magic, and exasperated because she knew her daughter was bound to make a mess.
In an effort to alleviate Amalie's feelings of exasperation, Paul offered to sponsor Esme's education at the Ranoa Magic Academy once she turned 5 or 10. His offer ended up having the opposite effect, but for the sake of her daughter, Amalie agreed without too much of a fuss...
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With the sun having long descended over the horizon, Paul and the rest retired to their bedroom to find everything spick and span. The children Amalie had hired were instructed to continue scrubbing until they could no longer smell her scent, so the room almost felt brand new.
Seeing the massive bed that had been constructed in place of Amalie's comparably small one, a wolfish grin developed across Paul's face as he asked, "Who wants to help me break it in? After that brief interplay with Lisa this morning, I've been raring to go."
Since Ei and Eula were usually the first to step forward, citing duty or some such, Paul was pleasantly surprised when Xiangling sheepishly raised her hand and asked, "Can I volunteer? I've been feeling a little anxious recently, and I think it would help..."
Without needing to consider his response, Paul replied, "Of course." before shifting his attention to Ei and Eula, asking, "Do the two of you mind waiting in the IOF?"
Though Xiangling had experimented with girls like Xinyan and participated in several orgies, she was the type of girl that could only open up when it was just the two of them. Fortunately, Ei and Eula were well aware of this, so, without attempting to protest, the former responded with a curt, "Very well." while the latter supplied an even more concise, "Understood."
With the two taciturn beauties taken care of, Paul shifted his attention to Ghislaine, asking, "Are you okay with resting in the nursery until Lynette shows up? When she does, I want you to explain what happened with the fat merchant earlier this morning."
Though she crossed her arms under her rather sizeable breasts, Ghislaine didn't hesitate to answer, "I'll take care of it." She was only really aroused during the mating season, so while she had gotten used to cuddling with Paul each night, she didn't mind sleeping elsewhere so he could deal with the urges of his other women.
Returning an appreciative smile, Paul said, "Thanks, Ghislaine. I knew I could count on you." in an ostensibly sincere tone. In truth, he felt more than a little guilty about having her sleep somewhere else, but he would feel even guiltier if he didn't spend some quality time with Xiangling.&nbsp;
Managing a harem wasn't just early morning deepthroats and gratuitous amounts of sex...
Sensing Paul's apprehension, Ghislaine adopted a rare smile of her own as she squinted her eyes and stated, "Don't worry...I'll get mine come Fall..."
Prompted by a shiver running up his spine, an awkward laugh emanated from Paul's throat. He knew Ghislaine was trying to tell a joke, but, at the same time, he knew she was at least 50% serious. If he failed to make the necessary preparations come Fall, there was a possibility he would spend the first five weeks of the season as her captive...
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With no one else present, Xiangling's usual docility was nowhere to be seen. When others were around, she would behave very meekly, usually taking a support role and prioritizing others. When they were alone, she became a lot more confident and playful, even going so far as to banter a bit when she played around with Paul's not-so-little brother.
"Look at this. It's nearly the size of my forearm! How this thing fits inside of us, I'll never know..."
Though Xiangling's words may have sounded like an exaggeration, they weren't. Paul had been sporting more than 20cm even before his growth spurt. When his height suddenly shot up more than 30cm, the rest of his body grew to match. Now, with his body in its 'prime' condition, Paul was sporting precisely 28cm of man meat when erect. If he were being frank, even Paul was a little intimidated by it since he was constantly worried he might accidentally 'break' someone...
Fortunately, the bodies of mature women were as enigmatic as they were beautiful. Petite girls like Barbara and Xiangling struggled a bit, by women like Ei, Eula, and Ghislaine could take Paul's entire length without showing any signs of duress. Quite the opposite...
Feeling a little brave, Xiangling reverse-mounted Paul's chest and said, "I think I can pass the halfway mark this time..."
Restraining a chuckle, Paul began to massage Xiangling's pert white butt as he said, "Just don't choke. If you were sent back to the IOF for such a ridiculous reason, I don't think either of us would live it down..."
Though she supplied a nervous chuckle, Xiangling wasn't daunted by Paul's words. Instead, she began to gather saliva in her mouth before sticking out her butt to grant Paul easier access to the glistening garden between her thighs. When he grabbed her waist and began lapping at her folds, she grabbed the shaft of his oversized member and kissed his dark red glans. Then, over the course of twenty or so minutes, she did her best to accept as much of it into her throat as possible...
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"That blasted son of a whore! I'll see him, and every single one of those women reduced to slaves...!"
After recovering from the severe beating Paul had given him, the obese Merchant, better known as Dalon Eudigrass, immediately reported him to the soldiers responsible for Sharia's protection. Unfortunately, while they would intervene in ongoing disputes, they had absolutely no obligation to track down and hold people accountable for altercations that occurred in private. They may have acted if Paul and his group had trashed the store or killed a bunch of people, but they had merely beaten up Dalon and a few of his bodyguards.
Dissatisfied with the response of the town guard, Dalon reached out to his connections in the Sharian underground to obtain information on Paul and his group. He didn't know Paul's name, but there was no way the criminal underworld would ignore someone sauntering about in expensive clothing and an entourage of beautiful women following after him.
Since the town guard was unwilling to act at his behest, Dalon decided to place a hit on Paul and his entourage. However, instead of asking them to be killed, he wanted Paul's Party captured and branded as slaves. He had always hated handsome and muscular men for trying too hard, so once he got his hands on Paul, Dalon intended to have his arms and legs drawn off by horses before healing him up and forcing him to couple with a bunch of livestock to survive. All the while, he would be there with Paul's women, forcing them to serve him unless they wanted to witness their former man being butchered like a pig.
Enchanted by his own delusions, Dalon failed to notice a strange rippling spreading across the walls, floor, and ceiling of the room he was waiting in. It was the fire spontaneously going out in the hearth that brought him back to his senses, his multi-layered gaining several additional layers as he adopted an angry glower and bellowed, "What's the meaning of this!? Someone get in here and stoke the bloody hearth...!"
Pushing himself to his feet with a tremendous amount of effort, Dalon was about to depart the room when a faint but familiar thud reached his large-lobed ears. When he turned both his head and body to get a better look, he could see a large gold coin glistening within the extinguished fireplace.
"What in the blazes...?"
Walking towards the hearth, Dalon was about to grab the fire poker when several more thuds and a few metallic chimes forced his attention back to the hearth. There, he saw several additional gold coins raining down from the chimney, quickly forming a small pile just as someone knocked on the door, asking, "Master Dalon, may I enter?"
Recognizing the voice as his contact with the underground, the pupils of Dalon's beady green eyes contracted to fine points as he shouted, "Wait a moment! I'm in the middle of something...!"
Fearing that his contact might get greedy upon witnessing dozens, if not hundreds of gold coins pouring in from the chimney, Dalon removed one of his many coats to create a makeshift rucksack. Before he could locate something to extract the gold coins safely, however, another loud knock broke his concentration.
Interrupting whatever the person on the other side of the door wanted to say, Dalon bellowed, "I said give me a bloody moment, you mangey cur! If you're in that much of a hurry, then away with you...!"
Reasoning he could treat any minor burns using Healing Magic, Dalon threw caution to the wind as he began scooping out handfuls of gold coins from the hearth. They were much hotter than he anticipated, but their texture and weight within his hands brought an avaricious smile to Dalon's face as he continued to scoop up more and more gold coins...
Just as Dalon was about to remove another layer of his clothes to try and catch the gold coins pouring from the chimney, the door to his room burst open to reveal his informant and several horrified servants.&nbsp;
"Dalon!? Have you completely lost your senses, you beer-bellied fool!?"
Clutching the gold coins to his chest, Dalon screamed, "It's mine! It's all mine! Get out...!"
Ignoring Dalon's shout, one of the servants stepped forward to strike him with a Water Ball. When he did, Dalon's expression became incomparably fierce as he extended his left hand towards the group and shouted, "Let the great protection of fire be on the place thou seekest! I call forth the bold heat of a torch here and now! Fireball...!"
Stepping forward to cut the cannonball-sized sphere of flame in two, the informant from the underground shouted, "He's been bewitched! Quickly! Douse the flames and knock the bastard unconscious...!"
Countermanding the man's orders, Dalon screamed, "Kill this traitorous bastard...!" in a commanding tone. Nearly all of his servants were marked with Slave Crests, so unless they wished to suffer an excruciating amount of pain, they were compelled to obey his orders.
"You moth-"
Before the informant could curse Dalon, one of the slave-turned-servants behind him promptly smashed a vase into the back of his head. It wasn't enough to knock the man out, but it was more than enough to create a window of opportunity for the other slaves and servants to beat and kick him to death. All while their master watched on from afar, his flesh hissing and searing away as he clung to several pieces of fiery timber...
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Watching as Dalon's shop slowly burned despite the efforts of several people to extinguish it, Lynette's brilliant purple eyes, hidden behind a pure white mask, didn't so much as waver. Dalon had been on her list of potential targets for quite some time. The moment Ghislaine informed her about what had transpired earlier that day, Dalon's numbered days had been reduced to hours.
Noticing Lynette perched atop a roof, one of the soldiers assisting with the fire pointed her out, shouting, "It's the Hoodwink Killer! Don't let them get away...!"
Instead of immediately running away, Lynette performed a theater bow before squatting down and leaping impossibly high into the sky. From the perspective of others, she had taken flight, her figure ascending at a rate nearly impossible for the eye to follow. In actuality, the version of her that had rocketed into the sky was an illusion. The real Lynette was standing in the crowd of bystanders that had gathered to witness the blaze from afar, her expression and eyes as impassive as the mask her alter ego typically wore...
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Hearing the fire bells ringing in the distance, Paul's almost machine-like movements gradually slowed as he raised his body from the petite, blue-haired girl pinned beneath him. When he did, the tensions in Xiangling's body immediately relaxed, her chest heaving as she went slacker than a marionette with its strings cut.
Returning his attention to the loveable blunette, an ostensibly apologetic smile developed across Paul's face as he asked, "Was I too rough...?"
Though her amber eyes were completely unfocused, Xiangling still had enough mental clarity to shake her head and lazily drone, "No...you were great..." as her body continued to twitch against her will.
"Mmm..."
Grabbing Xiangling's knees, Paul was tempted to push them up to her shoulders and give her another good dicking but quickly decided against it. Xiangling had attained her second Constellation, but she hadn't trained that much over the past couple of years. Her strength and stamina were a lot higher than the average person's, but three to four hours of passionate fucking were pretty much her limit.
Extricating himself from the petite blunette's fiery depths, a perk of her affinity with the Pyro Element, Paul laid next to Xiangling before caressing her Pyro Conversion Seal and asking, "Have I ever told you how beautiful you look in the afterglow of our lovemaking...?"
Though it was partially due to his Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision allowing him to see a broader spectrum than ordinary people, Paul really did think Xiangling looked even more beautiful after a good dicking. Her skin would radiate a faint but noticeable red glow, and if he stared into the depths of her amber eyes, it was possible to make out tiny flakes of Pyro Elemental Energy blinking in and out of existence...
Too tired to speak, Xiangling just rolled toward Paul and nestled closer to him. She knew it wouldn't be long before their time alone came to an end, so she wanted to cherish it as much as possible.
Pulling the noticeably warmer girl into his embrace, Paul planted a kiss on Xiangling's head before combing his fingers through the longer strands of her blue hair. She kept most of her hair pretty short, but, much like Ganyu, Xiangling had a long tuft of hair that extended past the small of her back. It was what allowed her to tie up her hair into two tiny, bow-like braids, a style she persistently sported in remembrance of her mother...
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"I'm not sure how long we'll be gone, but I can't imagine it taking longer than a week."
As Paul had already explained his intentions the previous day, Amalie just nodded her head before handing him a large basket filled with bread and cheese. Esme, however, chimed, "Can Esme come with, nya? Esme wants to see outside, nya~!"
Before Amalie could shut her daughter down, Paul beat her to the punch, ruffling the excitable cat girl's hair as he stated, "You can go outside when you graduate from the Academy. Until then, be a good daughter and help your mother around the house. If she goes into labor, she only has you to rely on to send for help."
Though she was a little disappointed she couldn't go outside and play, Esme didn't try to argue with Paul. Her mother had told her multiple times to listen to everything he said, so she just nodded her head and declared, "Esme is a good daughter, nya~!"
After offering a soft chuckle, Paul retracted his hand from Esme's head and said, "Great. Then we'll be sure to bring back plenty of presents. If I find out you slacked off though...no presents for Esme."
With one of the most betrayed looks Paul had ever seen on a young girl's face, Esme startled before insisting, "Esme is a good girl, nya! Super good girl, nya!"
Chuckling a second time, Paul pulled his hand from the panicked cat girl and said, "I have no doubts. Because of that, I prepared this in advance."
Pulling out a tiny bag of hard candies, Paul passed them to wide-eyed Esme as he added, "Make sure to share them with your friends, okay? The goodest of girls would never try to keep everything for themselves."
Furrowing her brows, Esme wanted to protest because most of the other children had actively bullied her. There were a few she was friendly with, but they stopped playing with her once her daddy disappeared. However, since Paul was telling her to share, Esme decided she would at least try to be friendly with those her mother hired to help clean the bakery.
"Okay...nya..."
Feeling a little guilty after seeing Esme in such low spirits, Paul's smile became wry as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a second bag of candy, stating, "These you don't have to share..."
Regaining her usual vigor, Esme promptly snatched the second bag of candies before performing a merry jig and singing, "Nyahahaha~! Uncle Paul is the greatest, nya~!"
Though he took exception to being referred to as an uncle, Paul just offered another soft chuckle before nodding toward Amalie and saying, "Take care of yourself. And see you in a few days."
Restraining the urge to bow, Amalie returned a polite nod of her own as she said, "May the Spirit of the Beast God bless you and your companions during your hunt..."
Hearing her mother's words, Esme decided to offer some of her own, happily shouting, "Good luck, Uncle Nya~!"
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With Ei, Eula, and Ghislaine following close behind, Paul headed toward the center of Sharia, the location of the Adventurer's Guild, a number of Magical Tool shops, and several other high-profile businesses.&nbsp;
Though he was somewhat interested in checking out the clothing stores with the girls, Paul reasoned there would be plenty of time for dates later. For now, he needed to meet up with his 'informant' and have Ei, Eula, and Ghislaine registered with the Guild.
As could be expected from a Guild located in such a populous city, the Adventurer's Guild of Sharia was extremely busy and filled with people from various races. The building was five stories tall, the first floor serving as a tavern and general gathering hub, while the second and beyond were restricted to Adventurers of a certain Rank.
Seeing Paul enter alongside a bevy of beautiful women, a lot of gruff-looking Adventurers immediately shifted their attention over. Paul was half-tempted to teach everyone in the hall a lesson, but, as powerful as he had become, he doubted he could best nearly a hundred Adventurers in such confined quarters. Ei could presumably pull it off, but that would invariably result in the deaths of everyone present.
Fortunately, while Adventurers weren't exactly saints outside the Guild Halls, they knew better than to cause trouble inside. The Guild had a no-nonsense policy in regards to rule breakers. If someone was found to be in breach of the Guild's Code of Conduct, not only would they have their license stripped away, but everyone in their Party would have their Rank reduced or reset to F-Rank.
With promotion from F-Rank to A-Rank taking anywhere between 60 and 600 jobs, nobody wanted to have to claw their way up from the bottom a second time. Thus, at least while they were inside the Guild Hall, Paul and the others didn't have to worry about anyone going out of their way to try and harass them. Once their reputation grew beyond a certain point, most people 'should' just let them be...
Looking around the Guild Hall, specifically at the Receptionists standing behind the counters, Paul briefly considered asking for assistance when a deep and feminine voice sounded out from the second floor, saying, "Up here, darlings. We have a private room prepared for you in the back."
In response to the sultry voice, the first-floor tavern area became eerily silent as nearly everyone, not just Paul and Party, raised their heads to find a voluptuous woman with brown hair and emerald green eyes leaning over the second floor's hand railing with an innately seductive smile on her face.
Voicing the thought that had crossed Paul's mind, one of the Adventurers nearby muttered, "It's Mistress Lisa...who could she be talking to?" in an audibly enchanted, equally covetous tone.
Making it clear precisely who Lisa was addressing, Paul adopted a wry smile as he raised his hand and said, "We'll be right up."
Realizing that the person their Goddess had called out to was the man they had previously been eyeing with envy, the gazes directed at Paul became a lot more hate-filled than before.&nbsp;
With few exceptions, nearly every male Adventurer in Sharia had tried to seduce or ask Lisa out at some point. A few had even attempted more forceful methods, but, without exception, they had all been turned down or left in a near-death state after being electrocuted. Lisa was one of the most playfully seductive women they had ever met, but there wasn't even a rumor of her having a relationship outside of work.
Following Paul's group as they made their way up to the second floor, the tensions on the first increased to a near-palpable level. There was even a fair amount of bloodlust mixed in, prompting Ei to squint her eyes and ask, "Master...shall I cut these fools down...?"
Shaking his head, Paul answered, "It's one thing to cut people down bandits and Slavers outside of town. Killing the middle of the Guild will just have us labeled as criminals..."
"Mmm...I see..."
Since she couldn't kill them, Ei directed her electric purple eyes to one of the groups glaring at Paul. When she did, their complexions immediately paled, as, even compared to someone like Sword God Gal, Ei's bloodlust was on a level of its own.
Drawn to the sounds of people falling from their chairs, many within the Guild's tavern area looked over to find the group Ei had glared at on the ground and with their eyes rolled toward the backs of their heads. A few were even frothing at the mouth as a very prominent aroma of urine and feces filled the area...
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After guiding Paul and the rest to one of the conference rooms reserved for discussing private commissions, Lisa couldn't help issuing an amused giggle as she noted, "Master Paul has become even more charming since our last encounter...I get the feeling I won't be able to tease you without consequence any longer..."
Shaking his head, Paul adopted a wry smile as he countered, "I'm not that much of a pervert. I mean, I am, but I would never force someone against their will..."
Adopting a somewhat scary smile, Lisa left Paul feeling at a loss for words as she mused, "Have I ever implied that I was unwilling?" Then, as if to set the kindling within his heart aflame, she leaned forward in a way that emphasized her ample assets as she appended, "This room has amazing soundproofing..."
Voicing his thoughts aloud, Paul softly replied, "You're playing with fire..." before leaning forward to stare directly into Lisa's emerald green eyes as he added, "I would destroy you..." in a heated tone.
Enflaming Paul's passions even further, Lisa 'trembled' in response to his words, her arms wrapping around her body as a glaze developed across her eyes. Paul was pretty sure she was acting, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted to pounce across the table and push the overtly seductive woman down...
Confirming Paul's suspicions, a teasing smile developed across Lisa's face as she remarked, "It seems you've to abandon your self-control entirely..."
Shaking his head, Paul left Lisa at a loss for words next as he refuted her claim, saying, "You're wrong. I just have my priorities in order. Once we're finished talking and getting everyone registered with the Guild, I wouldn't mind giving you a taste of what's to come..."
With a tiny bead of sweat forming on her left cheek, Lisa remarked, "Oh, my..." in an unpretentiously nervous tone. She had bathed with Paul a few times before Ningguang deployed her to the North. He had already been showing signs of his 'immense potential' by the time he was eight, so she had no doubt he had become even more...impressive as an adult.
Shifting her attention to the other girls in the room, Lisa was surprised to Ei and Eula visibly flushing. Before she could say anything or try to tease them, however, Paul interjected, asking, "Where's Fischl? When I received Rosaria's report, she told me the two of you had joined the Guild to gather information on the Triumvirate and the surrounding regions."
Sighing at the mention of Fischl's name, a sad smile developed across Lisa's face as she explained, "This world is too cruel for a girl like Fischl. Before becoming a Surveyor for the Guild, helping to determine the Rank of certain subjugation Quests, she was nearly taken advantage of several times. If not for Lynette and Rosaria shadowing her, I fear the worst might have havened..."
Squinting his eyes, Paul asked, "Are they still alive?" as his hands balled into fists.
Shaking her head, Lisa answered, "Though Fischl petitioned for some of them to be spared, there is no way Rosaria and Lynette would allow such people to continue living. Unfortunately, the people in this world are more superstitious than sensible. Even though she did no wrong, Fischl became a pariah within the Guild, wholly incapable of joining a legitimate Party..."
Exhaling a sigh of his own, Paul rubbed his face and temples as he asked, "Where is she now? Out on a mission for the Guild...?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, Lisa explained, "There is a community of Beast Race people located a few hundred kilometers East of the Dragon's Head Mountains. Since many of their women become pregnant during the Fall, Slave Merchants tend to try and take advantage of them during late Winter, the period where they are most vulnerable. Fischl is there to make sure there are no Adventurers taking part in the hunting..."
"Jesus H. Christ..."
Though he was well aware of the preponderance of slavery in the world of Mushoku Tensei, the notion of Slave Merchants deliberately gathering to take advantage of pregnant women made Paul want to punch a fucking wall.&nbsp;
Shaking the murderous thoughts from his mind, Paul asked, "Why aren't Rosaria and Lynette with her?"
Anticipating Paul's question, Lisa readily explained, "Rosaria just recently returned from an assassination mission in the Basherant Dukedom. As for Lynette, she helps maintain public order within Sharia by moonlighting as a vigilante. The people around here know her as the Hoodwink Killer since she uses illusions and trickery to make her targets experience despair and helplessness before killing them..."
"Mmm...sounds about right..."
Though Lynette was a very reticent girl, she was a famous Assassin even in her previous world. More notably, she and her then-brother had been agents of Varuna, the Hydro Archon and Goddess of Justice. As a result, anyone who touched her bottom line was bound to experience suffering comparable to what they had imposed on others.&nbsp;
"Any idea when Fischl will be returning? I want to be here to greet her when she gets back."
Adopting a sincere smile, Lisa remarked, "I'm sure she would like that. As for when she will be returning...I imagine around the beginning of Spring? It's difficult to say for certain."
Clicking his tongue, Paul sat a little straighter before crossing his arms and asking, "Have you put together a list of Quests we can do to fast-track our promotion? I want to reach at least A-Rank before setting out for the Strife Zone."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Lisa rose to her feet to retrieve a parcel containing dozens of job postings. It was generally frowned upon for the Guild to show favoritism to any particular Party of Adventurers, but Paul's group was a bit of an exception. Not because he was an exiled Noble, but because he was publically viewed as an apprentice to both the Water and Sword Gods. He was also the youngest Sword Saint in history, so it was only natural that the Guild attempted to curry favor with a future S-Rank.
"So long as you can complete higher-ranking Quests consecutively, you could reach A-Rank within six months. The only thing I foresee being an issue is the IOF. I know they're related, but I'm not sure how you receive credit through the IOF for completing Quests with the Guild."
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul suggested, "We could try taking one of the job listings into the IOF. Either that or we could just complete one and see if that triggers something. Got any fetch Quests lined up...?"
Pulling out a few E-Rank Job listenings, Lisa explained, "As I'm sure you're aware, most E and F-Rank Jobs involve collecting herbs, hunting ordinary animals, or performing services around town. This year's Winter had been especially harsh on the more underprivileged residents, so there is no end to the demand for wild game and high-quality pelts. With a member of the Beast Race in your Party, you should have no trouble tracking down a few wild boars, bears, and wolves. Just be sure not to ruin the pelts by slicing them into ribbons."
Noticing the Job was listed as repeatable, Paul understood why Lisa had suggested it. If they prepared a wagon and decided to camp out for a few days, they could leap from F to D-Rank in a single go. The reason other Adventurers didn't do the same was because the reward couldn't cover the cost of renting, much less purchasing a wagon. Carrying a 300kg bear several kilometers wasn't something most people were willing or capable of doing, so, while the option existed for everyone, only the wealthy could afford to exploit repeatable hunting quests for rapid advancement...
"Pay to win for the win..."
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Chapter 69: MI69: Care