Mushoku Impact

"Ad Astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild."
Though he had somewhat anticipated it, Paul couldn't help gawking at the dark-haired, blue-eyed woman greeting him with a perfectly professional smile on her face. Her green and white dress, reminiscent of a maid outfit, perfectly matched her ensemble from the game. The only difference was, much like everyone else that had appeared in the Intersection of Fate, her appearance matched the aesthetic of Mushoku Tensei.
"Katheryne...?"
With her hands neatly folded over her abdomen, Katheryne performed a polite bow as she answered, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Paul."
Resisting the urge to ask the short-haired Receptionist if he could see the back of her neck, Paul took a moment to inspect the interior of the booth she was standing in. Numerous books and documents lined a series of shelves at Katheryne's back, but the thing that stood out the most was the wooden door that produced a shadow beneath its base despite open skies existing beyond it...
Tilting her body to obstruct Paul's view, Katheryne calmly inquired, "Are you curious? I would normally prohibit Adventurers from leaping over the counter, but I believe I can make an exception for the Champion."
Though he was tempted to do exactly that, Paul quickly shook his head, saying, "That can wait till later. For now, how about an explanation of how all of this works? Like, how do I increase my Adventurer Rank, and what effect does it have...?"
Nodding her head in understanding, Katheryne pulled out what appeared to be a compass, a runic pyramid, and a four-pronged scepter comprised of a bluish-white, gold, and a strange, watery blue crystal.
"I believe Master Paul has been apprised of his penultimate goal, correct? That being the 'harmonization' of this world and the world of Teyvat."
Seeing Paul nod in affirmation, Katheryne went on to explain, "While the production and dissemination of Elemental Energy are essential, there are several other conditions that must be fulfilled to ensure a stable bridge."
Pushing forward the strange pyramid and compass, Katheryne tapped the top of the former. In response, azure blue runes lit up along the pyramid's surface before the top half abruptly opened. When it did, what could best be described as a holographic projection of the Intersection of Fate, seen from above, formed into existence.
"This is a Lodestone. It needs Elemental Energy to function, but it allows you to map your surroundings. In the absence of Elemental Energy, it has an effective range of around 100m. With a steady supply, its range can be increased almost indefinitely. However, due to the square-cube law, it would require an exponentially increasing amount of Elemental Energy to map the entire planet."
Holding up the compass next, Katheryne explained, "This little device is a Compass. However, unlike an ordinary Compass, it always orients toward the nearest Lodestone. More importantly, so long as you are within range of the Lodestone, you can exhaust a fully charged Vision to teleport the remaining distance."
Raising his brows, Paul asked, "So if the range of the Lodestone covers the entire planet, I can effectively teleport wherever I want...?"
Though she nodded her head, Katheryne answered, "Yes. However, as I mentioned before, mapping the surface of an entire planet with a single Lodestone is virtually impossible. Even if the planet were fully saturated with Elemental Energy, it still wouldn't be enough. Fortunately, you aren't limited to a single Lodestone. More importantly, you have these..."
Holding up the scepter-like device, Katheryne explained, "This object is known as a Beacon. It requires a significant amount of Elemental Energy to power up but functions similarly to a radio tower. If you place it within the influence of a Lodestone, it can drastically enhance its range. As an additional bonus, Beacons function as Teleportation Waypoints so long as they're active. If you created a path linking two Lodestones across a vast distance, you could eventually teleport from one side of the world to the other. Additionally, you can also teleport to individual Beacons, so make sure to place them in convenient locations~!"
Punctuating her words with a friendly smile, Katheryne was somewhat surprised when Paul, with a grim expression on his face, asked, "What's the catch...?"
Fixing her expression and posture, Katheryne calmly explained, "The catch is that you must personally journey to the locations you want to install a Beacon or Lodestone. For the sake of the convergence, you will also need to travel to specific Labyrinths and Dungeons to replace their cores with Beacons. Once substituted, the Beacon will slowly convert the Dungeon into a Domain, a lesser bridge linking the world of Teyvat to this one."
Bobbing his head in understanding, Paul asked, "Let me guess...I increase my Adventure Rank by mapping this world and converting Dungeons into Domains. Is that about it...?"
Maintaining her business-like smile, Katheryne replied, "There are a few more steps, but that about summarizes the basics. The remaining steps include installing Statues of the Seven and distributing a certain number of Visions. However, as both of those require attaining Constellations, I would suggest focusing on exploration. To that end, your Adventure Rank effectively represents the percentage of the world you have explored and spread Elemental Energy to."
"So there aren't any Quests I need to complete...?"
Shaking her head, Katheryne clarified, "There are, but they include things like converting dungeons or eliminating specific threats. If you would like to learn more, please reach Adventure Rank 10. My programming does not allow me to provide information that may jeopardize your life."
Blinking in surprise, Paul remarked, "I'm surprised you actually admitted it. I expected you to pretend to be human or something..."
Adopting a somewhat hurt expression, Katheryne answered, "I can assure you that I am human...the circumstances of my birth, or, more accurately, my creation, are just a little different. You have met Albedo, correct? While our creators are different, we are much the same."
"Ah...that makes you a Homunculus then? Sorry if I offended you before."
Surprised that Paul was familiar with the term, Katheryne inquired, "Has Master Paul studied alchemy?"
Shaking his head, Paul explained, "Not really. It was just part of the meta-knowledge of my world, something that occasionally popped up in various anime and movies. Back when I was exploring your world through a game, some scenes showed you possessing a keyhole on the back of your neck. There were also multiple Katheryne(s) spread around, so everyone in the Genshin community just assumed you were some gynoid or something..."
"I see..."
Though it was a bit disconcerting thinking about someone knowing her deepest secrets, Katheryne did her best not to let it bother her. Instead, she did her duty, explaining, "Your first Lodestone, Compass, and Beacon are provided as a courtesy. Additional Compasses and Beacons cost 100 and 1000 Asura Gold Coins each. As for Lodestones, there are three ways to acquire them. The simplest method is to increase your Adventure Rank. Every ten Ranks will reward you with an additional Lodestone and several other rewards. After that, the only way to acquire additional Lodestones is to construct Statues of the Seven or convert the specified Dungeons."
"Sounds about right..."
Recalling the principle of Equivalent Exchange that Zhongli had quoted on several occasions, Paul didn't bother questioning why the Gods in charge required their supposed Champion to pay for everything. Instead, he just picked up the three freebies before asking, "What about you? Do you stay in here, or can I let you out...?"
Adopting an ostensibly sincere smile, Katheryne answered, "That's what the door behind me is for. Once you have placed a Lodestone in a suitable location, I will emerge to construct a Guild Kiosk around it. After that, any in possession of a Vision will be able to use the teleportation network you have established."
Smiling wryly in response to Katheryne's words, Paul asked, "But I have to plant all the Lodestones and Beacons on my own...?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, Katheryne answered, "Indeed. You might not be aware of this, but Master Paul's status as the Champion makes him the only source of unaspected, better known as Void Elemental Energy. It is what allows you to access the Intersection of Fate and make use of the other seven Elements."
Though he recalled Zhongli and Kusanali mentioning something similar when they broached the subject of Seelie production, Paul hadn't been paying full attention at the time. Now that he heard Katheryne's calm and casual explanation, he couldn't help facepalming as he asked, "Don't tell me I'm supposed to replace Hitogami as the God of the Void...?"
Alleviating Paul's concerns, Katheryne shook her head, explaining, "As far as I am aware, it is Luciana who will replace Hitogami. However, that is so far in the future; I wouldn't concern myself with it. For now, I suggest you focus on increasing your Adventure Rank and simply enjoying life. Let the Gods worry about the more complicated stuff."
"Right..."
Dropping his hand, Paul stared into Katheryne's impeccably blue eyes as he said, "Well, I guess I'll see you around...?"
Cupping her hands over her abdomen, Katheryne responded to Paul's words with a polite bow, saying, "The Adventurers' Guild patiently awaits your return. Ad Astra abyssosque~!"
"..."
Feeling as though Katheryne was kicking him out of the Intersection of Fate, an awkward smile developed across Paul's face as he answered, "Yeah...ad Astra...abyss...?"
"Ad Astra abyssosque. It means 'To the Stars and the Abyss' in one of the most ancient tongues of Teyvat. It represents an Adventurer's willingness to travel to any destination, never ceasing in their pursuit of the truth."
Nodding his head, Paul replied with an off-sounding, "Ad Astra abyssque." He was pretty sure the language Katheryne was referring to was simply the Latin of his original world, but that didn't really help him speak it. Not after he had spent the last twelve and a half years speaking a variation of Japanese...
Returning what Paul interpreted as a slightly judgmental smile, Katheryne replied with a slower, properly enunciated, "Ad Astra abyssosque." before staring directly at him, clearly intending for him to keep trying until he got it right...
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Emerging from the Intersection of Fate, the first thing Paul noticed was the heavy aroma of sex on the air. After that, his eyes were drawn to the buxom, wavy-haired brunette sitting at a desk wearing nothing but a pale purple negligee.
Hearing the door open and close, Lisa exhaled a sensual chuckle before looking back and musing, "I was beginning to think you might never come out..."
Rolling his eyes, Paul began to unbutton his tunic and peel off his clothes as he said, "I'm not scared of you..." in a slightly subdued tone.
Adopting a squinty-eyed smile that came across as both captivating and uncanny, Lisa teased, "Excellent. I've only given you a small taste of what I'm truly capable of. It would have been heartbreaking if you got cold feet and scurried off..."
Accentuating her words, Lisa moved the fingers of her right hand with the finesse of a skilled pianist, Electro Energy dancing between her fingertips as she licked her lips in one of the most overtly sensual manners Paul had ever seen.
Though he convinced himself it was the result of the chill present within the room, Paul's body visibly shuddered in response to Lisa's words. She lacked the brutality most people would expect, but Paul was pretty sure that Lisa was a sadist. However, instead of feeling intimidated by her, a faint yet growing anticipation was brewing in his heart. After all, it wasn't for no reason that he permitted women like Ei and Eula to choke him with their thighs...
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After escaping Lisa's clutches, Paul returned to Amalie's bakery to explain the situation to Ei, Eula, Xiangling, and Ghislaine.
"So the idea is that we place a Lodestone at a central location and allow its influence to expand over time. We also need to travel around to place Beacons, but that's pretty much pointless unless we can supply them with Elemental Energy."
Being the most detail-oriented among the quartet, Eula suggested, "We can use the Princess and the dwelling you had constructed in the Ranoa Magic Academy. It's safer than placing it here, and Princess Andromeda should be able to power it using her Vision."
Nodding his head, Paul replied, "I had a similar thought. However, while I believe Andromeda can be trusted, her stay at the Academy will come to an end within the next two and a half years. It would also cause a number of issues if we were constantly moving in and out of the Academy, so we should consider alternatives before deciding to place it there."
Chiming in, Xiangling attempted to be helpful by asking, "Why not leave it with Lisa? She has already established herself in Sharia and possesses an Electro Vision. If you can acquire a few Constellations for her, she should be able to reach the status of a King or Emperor-Ranked Mage in the next couple of years. After that, she can become a Professor or even take over the entire Ranoa Magic Academy."
Impressed by Xiangling's proposal, an approving smile developed across Paul's face as he said, "Not bad. The only problem with that is Lisa's lack of status. The current Principal, Georg, is the son of an Earl and a friend of the reigning King. He seems like a decent enough guy, but I can't imagine the Nobility being okay with a 'commoner' succeeding him. After all, the Ranoa Magic Academy is the largest and most prestigious Magic Institute in the entire world. It is essentially the public face of the Ranoa Kingdom, so they won't let a low-born outsider serve as its representative."
Adopting a slight pout, Xiangling muttered, "Politics are dumb..." in a sulky tone.
"You can say that again...still, your idea has a reasonable amount of merit. With Lisa's talents, she could easily become a tenured Professor. We just need to secure some form of backing to ensure she doesn't get targeted by some asshat with more status than sense. You girls are all so beautiful that it would only take crossing a single entitled shitbag for everything to go South in an instant."
Though Paul had long accepted that some of the people he summoned from the Intersection of Fate would have relationships with other people, specifically those like Kaeya and Childe, he wasn't okay with them being forced by circumstance. If Lisa joined the Academy and was pressured by someone like Georg to become his Mistress, her only options would be to accept his offer or leave Ranoa. As her Rank as a Mage increased, it was only a matter of time before some arrogant Noble set their sights on her.
Shaking the negative thoughts from his mind, Paul added, "There is also the option of waiting until we reunite with Ningguang and the rest before we begin placing Lodestones. That would mean having to backtrack tens of thousands of kilometers, but I feel it would be a lot smarter to expand our Teleporation Network from our actual seat of power than somewhere thousands of kilometers away."
While it would undoubtedly be good to have the means to traverse to and from the North at their leisure, Paul estimated it would take hundreds, if not thousands of Beacons to create a path linking the Ranoa Kingdom to the Strife Zone. With each Beacon costing a thousand Asura gold Coins, he would go bankrupt long before they reached their destination.
Explaining his reasoning to the girls, Paul effectively quelled any thoughts of expanding his Teleportation Network with Sharia at its center. 153,000 Asura Gold Coins was the equivalent of 1530 summons, nearly double the amount he had currently summoned. That guaranteed at least seventeen 5-Stars, so, as tempting as the thought of Teleportation was, Paul was in no hurry to expend all his resources trying to create a network.
"For now, we'll keep the Lodestone here and see how far its influence can spread within the next four to six months. If it can expand to cover Sharia and extend to nearby cities and villages, we'll consider investing in a few Beacons. If it can't, it would be better to spend our money on acquiring additional allies and Constellations. After all, we're still missing four of the seven Archons. Without them, we wouldn't even be able to make effective use of the Teleportation Network."
Since most of the people he had summoned possessed a Pyro, Cryo, Anemo, or Hydro affinity, twenty-three of Paul's thirty-three allies were still unable to use their Visions. Since three of them were the literal source of their respective Elements, that meant less than a quarter of his allies could make use of their full power. Unfortunately, as it would provoke all kinds of problems if he did a mass summoning in Sharia, they would have to wait a while longer before Paul's next gacha spree...
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After half a day and an entire evening of making up for his absence the previous night, Paul awoke a bit later than usual. When he did, he found the only person next to him was Ei. He half expected to find Lynette as well, but she tended to avoid his room whenever he had sex.
Poking the slumbering Archon in the cheek, Paul remarked, "You look adorable when you pretend to sleep..."
Opening her eyes, Ei replied, "I wasn't pretending. I was just waiting for you to wake up. Had you gone back to sleep, I would have accompanied you till the end."
Caressing Ei's cheeks, Paul said, "Yeah, I know. Now, let's get up. I'll give you a thorough wipe-down before helping you get dressed and combing your hair."
Though she complied with Paul's words, Ei couldn't help exhaling a sigh as she whispered, "It should be my responsibility to help you..."
Surprising the purple-haired woman by grabbing her ass and giving her a peck on the cheek, Paul teased, "We both know you do more than help me. If we were back in your world, I bet people would fight wars for the chance to grovel at your feet, much less bed you. I'm the fortunate fool that gets to wake up next to you nearly every day..."
"..."
With her vibrant purple pupils crackling with violet-purple Electro Energy, Ei stared back at Paul with a somewhat blank look on her face. She didn't know if he did it on purpose, but there were times when his words made her heart flutter like a butterfly fighting through gale-force winds...
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Emerging from the upstairs shortly before noon, Paul was unsurprised to find several Beastfolk hard at work renovating the bakery. The faint sound of movement and the persistent pounding of hammers was what caused him to awaken.&nbsp;
Noticing Paul's and Ei's appearance, a surprisingly muscular cat girl with amber eyes, short grey hair, grey ears, and a long grey tail approached them to ask, "You Amalie's new mate?"
Well aware of how candid the members of the Beast Race could be, Paul maintained a relaxed smile as he shook his head and answered, "No. I'm just her Benefactor. What about you? I'm guessing you're the Boss since everyone else is hard at work...?"
Instead of being offended by Paul's words, the incredibly buxom cat girl puffed out her chest with pride as she replied, "That's right! Within Sharia, I'm the third-strongest member of the Beast Race! I'm not very skilled at construction, but these rascals would slack off if I weren't here."
Though he couldn't really imagine a member of the Beast Race slacking off, Paul nodded his head, asking, "Got a name? Mine's Paul, by the way. Paul Greyrat."
Recognizing the name Greyrat, the grey-haired cat girl suddenly became a little uneasy as she asked, "You're a descendant of the Greyrats? Which branch...?"
"Notos."
Exhaling a sigh of relief, the buxom beauty wiped away some nonexistent sweat from her brow as she remarked, "That's good. If you were from the Boreas family, I could totally imagine you taking over the little community we've created here...wait a second..."
Recalling what the members of House Notos were famous for, the grey-haired beauty began to sweat for real as she looked between Ei's and her own rather sizeable assets. She was also aware that Paul was traveling with another member of the Dedoldia Tribe, as, before Ghislaine's arrival, she had been the second strongest in Sharia.
Seeing through the woman's thoughts, Paul said, "Relax. I'm not trying to take advantage of anyone. Me staying here was pure coincidence. Esme called out to us when we were looking for a place to stay. Now, how much longer are you going to keep me waiting for your name...?"
"Oh, whoops..."
Pointing to herself, the grey-haired catgirl spiritedly replied, "I'm Mileena, Mileena Dedoldia. It's a pleasure to meetcha, boss man~!"
Since she had heard that he was Ghislaine's Boss, that effectively made Paul her Boss's Boss. After all, when she had challenged Ghislaine to a match, Mileena barely had time to react before she found herself pinned to the ground and forced to yield.
Unsurprised by Mileena's form of address, Paul decided to use it as a segue, asking, "Where is Ghislaine, by the way? I can't imagine her going off to train without me."
"Ah, the Boss is in the kitchen. She's been helping Amalie and the Master taste test some new bread and snacks."
Tilting his head to the side, Paul was momentarily confused as he asked, "Master? Do you mean...Xiangling...?"
Bringing her hands together like an enraptured fangirl, Mileena excitedly replied, "That's right! Master Xiangling made us all breakfast, and it was the most delicious thing we've ever eaten! It's no wonder Ghislaine is so strong. After eating Master's cooking, I could work the entire day without rest...!"
Though she wasn't actually doing any work, Mileena wasn't lying when she said she was full of energy. The food Xiangling prepared, much like the dishes from Genshin Impact, had all kinds of beneficial effects. She was still figuring out the best combination of ingredients, but she could create food to replenish stamina and stave off the cold.
"Sounds about right. Well, it's been nice talking to you, Mileena. I'm going to go and find my companions. Keep up the good work."
Crossing her arms in a manner that accented her breasts, Mileena replied with a somewhat arrogant, "Just leave it to me! With me in charge, things are bound to go smoothly~!"
"Right..."
Resisting the almost instinctual urge to pat Mileena's head, Paul made his way past her to the incredibly aromatic kitchen. There, he found it wasn't just Ghislaine helping Xiangling and Amalie test new recipes. More than a dozen beastkin children sat patiently at the side while some of the older girls helped process ingredients.
Noticing Paul's entrance, a smile developed across Amalie's face as she said, "Good morning, Paul. Were you drawn here by the smell of bread, nya~?"
Hearing Amalie's words, Xianling also looked over, a marginally more radiant smile on her face as she parroted, "Good morning, Paul, Ei! The next batch should be ready in a few minutes~!"
Since he could smell the aroma of apple in the air, Paul couldn't help supplying a smile of his own as he replied, "I'm looking forward to it." However, instead of sitting off to the side, he asked, "By the way, have you seen Eula?"
Setting aside what she was working on, Xiangling used a white towel to clean her hands as she explained, "She accompanied the group that went to procure ingredients. Since you said we would be taken the next couple of days off, we decided to open a soup and bread kitchen to feed some of the less fortunate beast people in the area. Is that okay...?"
Nodding his head in approval, Paul replied, "Of course. Just make it clear from the start that we're not a charity. If you consistently provide people free food, they'll become dependent on it. Helping people out is fine, but don't let them take advantage of you."
Returning a nod of her own, Xiangling revealed, "We were going to have anyone over the age of eight help out by shoveling snow or disposing of trash. We also have Ghislaine and Mileena here if anyone tries to make a scene, but I don't think it will be an issue unless homeless people start migrating over from other regions of the city."
"Sounds like you've thought things through. Since that's the case, I'll let you do as you please. As for the children younger than eight, leave them to me. I don't really have anything going on, so I'll have them learn how to read, write, and cast lifestyle magic. That includes you, Esme."
Hearing Paul's words, Esme stopped hiding behind the counter. She liked learning about Magic and how to defend herself, but reading and writing were super boring. She had only had two lessons, and she already hated them both.
"Nyaaa..."
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After paying a rather exorbitant fee at the Eastern gate, Paul and Party made their way over to the staging area at the side of the Guild.&nbsp;
While it was rare for individual Parties to own wagons, the Guild would sometimes stage large-scale expeditions when a monster horde or a new Dungeon appeared. Such ventures would require hundreds of Adventurers and dozens of wagons, so any Adventurer's Guild worthy of its name had a large staging area that served as a bulk drop-off location.
Upon learning of Paul's return, Lisa, accompanied by an Elven woman with short blonde hair, pointed ears, and leaf-green eyes came out with seven other Guild employees. While the latter immediately proceeded to process Einherjar's bounty, Lisa and the Elven woman approached Paul, the former initiating the dialogue by saying, "Welcome back, Paul, Einherjar. Allow me to introduce you to Sharia City's Guild Master, Lady Sionia Barrows."
Nodding her head in response to Lisa's introduction, the profoundly flat-chested Sionia met Paul's gaze with a faint smile on her face as she said, "Lisa has regaled me with many a tale of your exploits, Sir Paul. I see now that she wasn't exaggerating..."
Demonstrating she was in possession of some form of Demon Eyes, likely the Demon Eyes of Magic Perception, Sionia gave Paul a quick once-over, surprised by the quantity and purity of his Mana. The only forms of Magic he actively endeavored to use were Healing and Detoxification Magic, so his 'aura' was a shade of leafy green that matched his eyes.
"Very impressive. It's almost a shame you've chosen to waste your talents on swordsmanship...you would have made an excellent Mage..."
Smiling wryly, Paul refuted, "You'd be surprised. Before I consumed some Mana Draught, I couldn't even cast a Beginner Waterball or Healing Spell. What you see now has come about due to arduous training and...well, let's say I'm very 'proactive' when it comes to increasing my Mana pool..."
&nbsp;Raising her brows, Sionia asked, "You've discovered a method to increase your Mana?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul answered, "Something like that." before asking, "Is there something you required of my Party? I don't imagine you came out just to say hello."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Sionia answered, "Sir Paul is correct. I actually came out here to thank you."
Tilting his head to the side, Paul asked, "Thank me? For what...?" in a marginally confused tone. Several things came to mind when he heard Sionia's words, but he wouldn't know for sure until she explained herself.
Placing her hand over her heart, Sionia offered a sincere smile as she said, "I heard about what you did for Revaan and all the other people you freed from slavery. The Guild has also conducted an official investigation into you and your Party, so I am aware of your contributions to the Ranoa Magic Academy and your ongoing efforts to improve the conditions of the Beast people living in the Western slums. Sir Paul is truly a generous and charitable man..."
Crossing his arms, Paul furrowed his brows slightly and asked, "What are you getting at? I appreciate your gratitude, but I can't imagine it's the real reason you came out to meet me. You don't get to be a Guild Master if you lack social and political awareness..."
Looking around at the growing number of people closely monitoring his conversation with Sionia, Paul was pretty confident in his assertion. The slim and noble-looking woman clearly had a request to make. Either that or she was publically praising him as a sort of publicity stunt...
Realizing there was a reasonably high possibility of the latter being the case, especially with Lisa present, Paul's smile immediately cramped as he uncrossed his arms and adopted a less standoffish posture.
Amused by Paul's quick change in demeanor, a soft chuckle emanated from Sionia's throat before she whispered, "It appears we're now on the same page. I was a bit worried you were going to make a scene..."
Scratching the back of his head, Paul explained, "Sorry. It's just, we were stopped by a Surveyor's Party on the way back, and there was a bit of an incident. Hearing you mention the Guild conducted an investigation kind of put me on edge..."
Nodding her head, Sionia offered a curt, "Understandable." before raising her voice and adding, "In recognition of your services to the City of Sharia and its people, the executives of the Guild have convened with the Mayor and the Principal of the Ranoa Magic Academy to discuss a fitting reward. In short, we have decided to reward Party Einherjar with the provisional status of an A-Rank Party. You'll need to increase your actual Ranks if you want to be viewed as A-Rank elsewhere, but for the duration of your stay in the Ranoa Magic Kingdom, you will enjoy the status and benefits of an A-Rank Adventurer. Congratulations, and thank you for your services."
As Sionia bowed her head, many of the Guild staff present, Lisa included, began to clap. Their ovation prompted several citizens and a few curious Adventurers to join in, much to Paul's chagrin...
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After having their materials processed, Paul and Party followed Lisa to upgrade their Guild Cards from F to D-Rank. While that was taking place, Paul had Lisa sit astride atop his lap, his hand caressing the interior of her left thigh as he asked, "What was that about? Some ploy by the Kingdom to bait us into staying long-term?"
Tearing her eyes away from Paul's mischievous hand, a naturally alluring smile developed across Lisa's face as she met his gaze and teased, "I'm surprised you actually caught onto that. It seems your time at the Milbots Academy for Nobles wasn't completely wasted..."
Raising his brows, Paul slid his hand further up Lisa's thigh as he asked, "Are you taunting me...?"
Showing no signs of fear or trepidation, Lisa leaned into Paul, her ample bosom pressing into him as she replied, "Maybe..." in a hot, purring tone.
Inhaling a deep breath, Paul resisted his almost instinctual urge to tear apart the mature vixen's skirt. Instead, he slid his right hand up the side of her body before sinking his fingers into her pillowy breast and asking, "Do we know who's responsible? As far as I know, Princess Andromeda's connections lay with the Neris Kingdom. Unless this is Ranoa's attempt to poach her, I can't imagine why they would show me any favoritism..."
Though there were actually several reasons why a Kingdom like Ranoa would want to recruit him, Paul dismissed most of them as he had yet to form any actual connections. Approaching him at this point would be an extreme gamble for even the most desperate of factions, so unless they viewed him as an idiot, it wouldn't make sense to try and curry favor with him before introductions had been made.
"Mmm...we're still looking into it. Though I'm pretty close with the Guild Master, she doesn't trust me implicitly. I know she is acting at the behest of someone affiliated with the Royal Family, but their identity is currently unknown. However, considering their ability to influence an 'independent' organization such as the Adventurer's Guild, I imagine their titles include Highness or Majesty..."
"Do you-"
Before Paul could ask for information about the Royal Family, Lisa placed her index finger on his lips and said, "If you keep teasing me, I'll have no choice but to go on the offensive..."
Causing Lisa to feel a marginal amount of disappointment, Paul stopped tracing his finger over her silken panties. Fortunately, he didn't leave her completely hanging, stating, "Tomorrow evening. Make sure to clear your schedule or get off of work early. I'm not letting you sleep a wink..."
Having already made 'arrangements' with Eula and Ei, Paul, unfortunately, couldn't ravish Lisa. He really, really wanted to, but she was currently in the midst of her shift, and he still needed to check the IOF to see if there had been any changes.
Catching Paul by surprise, Lisa drew her face closer to his, her expression comparable to a Succubus as she purred, "I have two years' worth of sick days stockpiled...I could take an entire month off if you think you're up for it..."
Though he could feel the pressure in his pants increasing, Paul managed to maintain a relatively relaxed smile as he planted a quick peck on Lisa's lips and said, "Tempting, but I'm pretty sure we both have a lot going on. Besides, as 'capable' as you present yourself, I have a feeling you're not very experienced in bedroom affairs. I don't want to break you..."
Squinting her emerald-green eyes, Lisa was tempted to regale Paul with tales of her bedroom exploits. While some people attributed her behavior to her particular preference in books, she was the author and inspiration for many of the books she circulated among the female members of the Knights of Favonius. She didn't have any official partners during her stay in Mondstadt, but she had been rather 'prolific' during her studies at the Sumeru Academia. She may have been their most distinguished graduate in 200 years, but not all of her grades were legitimate...
Bringing her face even closer to Paul's, Lisa's eyes glistened with magical energy as she said, "You're adorable..." before sealing his lips with a kiss. When she did, Paul felt as though a warm balloon had popped in his mind, its heat permeating through the rest of his body as Lisa's tongue invaded his mouth...
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Though he would usually be the one to leave women panting or in a state of borderline unconsciousness, Paul found himself breathing heavily with his forearm resting over his eyes. At his side, smoking an ornate pipe filled with something other than tobacco, Lisa had an amused smile on her face as she remarked, "You aren't wrong to feel confident in your technique. By and large, you are the most 'capable' man I've ever bedded..."
Following her words, Lisa grabbed Paul's still-erect member, faint Electro Energy emanating from her palm as she stroked him up and down, adding, "Unfortunately for you, I've been stimulating myself using Electro Energy since I was a tween. As capable as you are, nothing quite compares to a controlled surge of Electro Energy to the clitoris..."
Squeezing the base of Paul's penis, Lisa's eyes sparkled as he produced a veritable geyser of semen. Paul had held out better than most, but, after a few hours of careful guidance, he invariably ended up as putty in the palm of her hand. If he didn't have several other women he needed to pleasure, she might have sculpted him to her particular preferences...
Licking up the semen that had stained her gloved hand, Lisa shifted her gaze to Paul's muscular body, an unconcealed thirst glistening within the depths of her shimmering green eyes. Including the time she had spent in Mondstadt, it had been more than a decade since she last 'experimented' with such a fine specimen. In fact, Paul might very well be the finest she ever worked with...
Missing the feeling of Paul inside of her, Lisa lay next to him, her lips close enough to tickle his earlobe as she caressed his chest and whispered in a half-moaning voice, "I've had my fun...it's your turn..."
Though he didn't immediately respond to Lisa's words, Paul had enough of his mental faculties intact to understand what she was saying. A part of him wanted nothing more than to get even with her, but, fearing she might awaken something within him, Paul promptly suppressed any thoughts of 'revenge.' It only took having his ass licked, and prostate stimulated once to understand that Lisa was anything but inexperienced. Even if he could get even with her, he would have to pay a very steep price...
Eliciting an amused chuckle from the lascivious brunette, Paul adopted a slightly wry smile as he asked, "Can we just cuddle for a bit...?"
Leaning forward, Lisa planted a kiss on Paul's cheek before playfully repling, "Just for a bit..."
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Chapter 75: MI75: Ad Astra Abyssoque!