Mushoku Impact

With days passing into weeks, the long winter plaguing Sharia gradually gave way for Spring. There was still a layer of snow covering the ground and many roofs, but a few patches of green grass and flowers had started to break through the thinner banks.
While most of the citizens of the Magic Triumvirate were breathing a sigh of relief, tensions were high in the Western District. Amalie was far from the only one to have gotten pregnant during the mating season. Thus, the moment the first beast woman went into labor, the others followed.
Over the span of seven days, a total of thirty-three beast women went into labor. While this might not sound like a lot, it was a nightmare when you considered that the average 'litter' size was 2-3 for cat people and 3-4 for dog people. There were also no qualified doctors among the Beast Race present within Sharia, so things quickly spiraled out of control with no one in charge.
In the end, despite their best efforts to preserve all the mothers and their children using herbs, Detoxification, and Healing Magic, there were still a heartbreaking number of deaths. Five of the expectant mothers ended up succumbing to labor complications. If that wasn't tragic enough, nearly a quarter of the newborn beast children ended up passing away from things like negligence and lack of care.&nbsp;
The sad truth was that most beast people were terrible parents. Back in the Great Forest, newborns would generally be handed over to older and more experienced members of the tribe rather than being reared by their parents. Most of the beast people in Sharia were also adapted to tropical climates. With the maximum Summer temperature reaching 15 degrees, it was far from the ideal environment to raise children.
What caused Paul and girls like Xiangling to feel broken inside was the knowledge that more than half of the children weren't expected to survive the first year. Those that did would struggle immensely during their youth as their instincts would cause them to lash out at others or simply wander off to explore. Because of this, several would end up being killed in self-defense, while others would invariably be snatched up by kidnappers to be sold into slavery.
When Paul first learned the 'truth,' he couldn't help asking Amalie why she had ever come to the North. He was surprised to learn that she had been born there, roughly twenty-nine years prior. With the shortest route to the Great Forest requiring her to travel more than 14,000km, she simply never had the means to leave.
The most painful thing about Amalie's tale was that Esme was not her first child. She was simply the only one that had survived and managed to stay with her mother. Excluding her current triplets, consisting of two boys and a girl, she had seven other unaccounted for children. Some had died from exposure and other causes, while the others had simply disappeared one day, never to return...
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Though he was usually very proactive about 'increasing his mana,' Paul's discussion with Amalie left him feeling sullen and reflective. Even with Ei and Eula flanking him, their voluminous breasts cushioning his arms, he just wasn't in the mood.
Worried that Paul was bottling things up unnecessarily, Eula asked, "Want to talk about it...?" in a soft and soothing tone.&nbsp;
Though his first instinct was to refuse and say everything was okay, Paul didn't say it. Instead, he waited nearly three minutes before muttering, "I both love and hate this world...it's so beautiful and filled with wonder, but the circumstances of the people that inhabit it are just so fucked up..."
Nodding her head, Eula exhaled a subdued sigh before nestling closer to Paul and answering, "I understand what you mean...there are times when I wish I could just purge all the Nobles of this world..."
As a scion of the Lawrence Clan, a group of Nobles from Mondstadt, Eula had strong views regarding how Nobles should carry themselves. She had lived her entire life trying to redeem her clan, so these past few years had been especially challenging for her. There were too many injustices in this world that needed addressing...
Returning a nod of his own, Paul's gaze briefly shifted to Ei as he thought about the amount of damage she could do if unleashed on the world. She was easily an Emperor-Ranked Swordsman, and, thanks to a quirk of the IOF, she was practically immortal. Even if she was somehow killed, it only cost 1000AGC to resurrect her. If he just holed himself up somewhere and deployed the Archons, Paul was fairly certain he could eventually conquer the entire world...
The problem with conquest was that it generally created more issues in the interim. They could eventually build back, but it would take decades to restore the peace. To that end, it was better to influence the people in control than to replace them outright.
"Once we reunite with Ninnguang and the rest, we'll see what she has to say on the matter. After that, I just need to invoke the remaining Archons, and we'll have a lot more options moving forward..."
"Mmm...I also believe that's for the best..."
Punctuating her words, Eula snuggled as close as possible to Paul before closing her eyes. She felt like there was more they could be doing, but, at the same time, she understood she lacked the foresight required to make such decisions. Her duty was to protect and safeguard Paul, so unless he ordered her to take action, she would continue to follow and support him. The more convoluted stuff could be left to women like Ningguang and the Archons.
Seeing Eula close her eyes, Paul was compelled to plant a kiss atop her head. Then, noticing Ei staring at him with a blank, almost pitiable look on her face, he afforded her a kiss before hugging both of the buxom women close...
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With Amalie's renovated bakery serving as the de facto heart and soul of the Beast Race community of Sharia, the single mother of four didn't have to worry about caring for her kittens on her own. She now had the support of an entire community at her back, and, thanks to the efforts of Paul and his Party, businesses within the Western District were beginning to thrive.
Taking advantage of the agreement he made with the Mayor, Paul had convinced a few of the more above-board merchants to open up shop in the Western District. The caveat was that any business operating in the Western District was not allowed to make use of slave labor. Instead, Paul greased the palms of a few tanners, carpenters, and blacksmiths to teach the Beast Race community their respective trades. In exchange for their tutelage, the beast people they trained would apprentice and work under them for a few years without pay. To further sweeten the deal, Paul made it so that anyone participating in the apprenticeship program would receive up to two meals a day from Amalie's bakery or one of the growing number of restaurants in the area.
Since the Beast Race didn't care about things like money, very few people had any complaints about the arrangements made by Paul. They knew he was looking out for them, so they readily complied even when he ordered them to build things like a school, a hospital, and a training dojo.&nbsp;
One of the detriments of Beast Race society was that they rarely focused on things like education. Paul knew he couldn't change that, but he could still create a place where their children would be relatively safe while they learned skills that would make living amongst humans much easier. At the very least, he wanted them to be able to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic so they wouldn't end up being scammed every time they tried to purchase something.
Fortunately, it only took Esme and a few other children demonstrating their ability to use Magic to convince the few naysayers within the Beast Race community. The rest were convinced when Paul informed them that he and Ghislaine would personally teach the older students skills such as swordsmanship, close-quarters combat, and archery.
In the midst of these changes, Paul was pleasantly surprised when Lisa showed up one day, accompanied by a beautiful woman with somewhat unruly golden hair, lime green eyes, and a dark purple outfit accented with black and purple feathers.
"Fischl? Is that you...?"
Though he was tempted to remark on how much she had matured, the things Paul had heard from Lisa made him reluctant to do so. His situation had caused him to become pretty shameless, but there was a time and a place for everything.
Returning a faint yet friendly smile, Fischl softly replied, "The fates have blessed me this day. To behold the countenance of mine Master, we are without the words to fully express our merriment."
Feeling more at ease when he heard Fischl's familiar speech pattern, the tensions in Paul's body relaxed as he spread his arms and inquired, "Is it okay if I hug you...?"
Adopting a noticeably broader smile, Fischl replied, "But of course. Mine is the vessel of my Master's passion. We have long anticipated the day of our Master's tender affections."
Though she spread her own arms, Fischl made no attempts to close the distance between her and Paul. Instead, she waited until the latter drew closer before wrapping her arms around his body and resting her head against his chest. Paul had treated her kindly during the ten months they spent at the Milbots Academy, so, even though she had experienced a lot these past few years, she still had a bit of fondness for him.
Feeling how slender and delicate Fischl's frame was, Paul couldn't help feeling concerned as he asked, "Have you been eating enough?" before supplanting, "How about you and Lisa join me for a meal? I'm pretty sure Xiangling is in the bakery around this time."
Answering in Fischl's stead, Lisa replied, "I actually need to get back to the Guild. I only came here to show Fischl around. Now that I have, I'll be leaving her in your capable hands. Have fun."
Without waiting for either of them to respond, Lisa promptly departed the construction site of the hospital Paul had commissioned. She had already informed Paul of everything Fischl had experienced during her early days as an Adventurer, so it was up to him to mend any lingering damage to the young Prinzessin's heart.
Fortunately for Paul, Lisa had also apprised Fischl of his actions since his arrival in Sharia. After her traumatic experiences as an Adventurer, Fischl had deserted her persona as the Prinzessin der Verurteilung. The people in her present world were far harsher than even the worst people she had dealt with in her past life, so she was forced to mature.
Upon learning that Paul hadn't changed since they were children, Fischl decided to regress to her Pinzessin persona, not for herself, but to keep him from worrying.
After following Lisa's departure with his eyes, controlling his gaze to stare at her back rather than her butt, Paul extended his hand to Fischl, smiling as he asked, "Shall we alight for lunch, mein Prinzessin?"
Regaining her smile, Fischl linked her hand with Paul's as she replied, "As you will, oh Great Champion of the Boundless Abyss. Where you go, I, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, shall follow."
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"Oh my goodness, Fischl~!"
Upon seeing Paul and Fischl enter the kitchen, Xiangling's face lit up. She wasn't particularly close with the quirky blonde, but that rarely got in the way of her being friendly.
Returning a faint smile, Fischl had to pause for a moment before stating, "The fates align to see our paths cross once again. Harken, Maiden of Flames. Know that it gladdens this Prinzessin to see thee in fair health."
With a wry smile on her face, Xiangling asked, "Did the two of you come here to eat? I can whip something up pretty quickly if you'd like."
Answering in Fischl's stead, Paul requested, "Can you include a bunch of meat? Fischl just spent the last three months camping outside, so she's a little thin around the waist and shoulders."
As Fischl blushed faintly, Xiangling returned a radiant smile as she replied, "Of course! I'm missing a few of the essential ingredients, but I should be able to whip up a Die Heilige Sinfonie. I'll also prepare some cocoa to help warm your bodies~!"
Having memorized the favorite/specialty dishes of everyone that Paul had summoned, Xiangling wanted to prepare Fischl's as a homecoming gift. It was basically just a cold cut platter of thinly sliced meats with some leafy greens, so she could whip it up pretty quickly.
After thanking Xiangling, Paul guided Fishl to the bedroom upstairs before inviting her to take a seat at the private dining table they had set up due to the growing number of patrons downstairs. Paul noticed her staring at the bed with a bit of trepidation, but as he had absolutely no intention of forcing her, he didn't let it bother him as he sat down and asked, "How's Oz? I'm a little surprised he isn't with you."
Touching the ornate eyepatch covering her left eye, Fischl momentarily dropped her facade as she explained, "I have him following a caravan of Slavers. Once they reach their destination, I intend to have Rosaria look into them..."
With the vision of her left eye linked to her Electro Familiar, Oz, Fischl was able to keep track of targets several thousand kilometers away. She could also use it to communicate across vast distances nigh-instantaneously as she and Oz were telepathically linked.
"I see..."
Nodding his head in understanding, Paul paused to consider his following words before asking, "Will you join my Party, or do you intend to continue working as a Surveyor for the Guild? I would honestly like to travel around and spend more time with you..."
Shifting her lime-green eye to the nearby bed, Fischl surprised Paul by asking, "Would you lay with me...?"
"Uh..."
Following Fischl's gaze, Paul found himself at a momentary loss for words. He didn't think she meant anything explicit, but it wasn't easy to know for sure.
"If you want...?"
Offering a faint smile, Fischl scooched a little closer to Paul before silently leaning her head against his shoulder. A few years prior, she had regarded him as her destined lover. Now, Fischl wasn't quite sure what to think. All she knew for certain was that she wanted to feel the warmth of another...
"I'm tired of being alone..."
Feeling as though he could sense the loneliness exuding from Fischl's body, Paul found himself embracing the slender woman with his right arm. Then, even though he was more than a little uncertain whether or not it was the correct decision, he guided Fischl to look up at him, whispering, "Then stay with me..." before planting a chaste kiss on her lips...
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Though he encountered more than a handful of Dragons and Drakes along the way, Gal ultimately managed to pass through the narrowest section of the Red Dragon Mountain Range without too much trouble. Afterward, he spent the better part of three weeks slowly meandering toward the center of the Strife Zone.
"That's one hell of a spear..."
Seeing the aftermath of Zhongli's and Kusanali's attack on the Markien Mercenary Country, Gal couldn't prevent a cold sweat from breaking out across his body. He was confident that he could slay even a God Ranked Mage, but there was no way he could stop a 300m long spear capable of piercing through a Saint-Ranked Magical Barrier as if it were paper.
While thinking that Magic should be outlawed altogether, Gal made his way to the ruined palace located at the center of the now verdant city. It was a little jarring to see so much greenery in the middle of a wasteland, but Gal didn't let it bother him as he approached the group of bandit-like men guarding the entrance to the palace.
Noticing Gal's approach, the leader of the group was about to call out and tell him to stop when his vision suddenly spun. By the time he understood what had happened, darkness was creeping in from the edge of his vision as Gal casually bypassed the headless bodies of himself and his friends...
Cutting down everyone in his path, it wasn't long before Gal found himself in the center of a ruined throneroom, his blue eyes fixating on a short girl with braided brown hair, drooping, fur-covered ears, and a relatively thick tail covered in white fur with black spots. She was garbed in a tribal outfit that resembled the clothes of an exotic dancer, but the thing that caught Gal's attention was the massive, oversized hunk of metal that appeared to be the girl's sword.
Shouldering his comparably small yet resplendently golden sword, an amused smile developed across Gal's face as he remarked, "It's pretty rare to see a member of the Beast Race using something other than a machete or a meat cleaver. Tell me, brat, do you know how to use that thing?"
Gripping the handle of her oversized sword, the petite girl suppressed her instinctual urge to run away as she asked, "Why are you doing this? If you wanted to occupy the palace, you could have just challenged me directly. What's the point of killing everyone?"
Resisting the temptation to cut the girl down for ignoring his question, Gal squinted his eyes and replied, "I'm not here to kill everyone. I'm here to investigate the Strife Zone and deliver a message. Those fools got in my way and paid the price. Now, tell me, do you have any connection with the people that attacked the Markien Mercenary Country? Consider your next words very carefully..."
Despite feeling an almost overwhelming desire to run away, the diminutive beast girl stood her ground as she answered, "My name is Anko, leader of the Markien Mercenary Country's Assault Squadron. I have no connection to the people who attacked our country..."&nbsp;
"Hmm..."
Sensing no falsehoods in the beast girl's words, Gal briefly considered his next course of action before asking, "What do you know about the people responsible? Was it truly just two people that did all this...?"
Looking around the throne room, Gal felt as though he was in the center of the Great Forest. Thorn-covered roots and vines covered nearly every surface, but the thing that stood out the most were the flowering plants and berry bushes. A spell that could produce fruit-bearing plants from inert stone was something the Asura Kingdom would pay handsomely to acquire or do everything in their power to erase...
Nodding her head, Anko tentatively explained, "It was two women, one with pale skin and the other with dark skin. The people of the Strife Zone have come to know them as the Spear God and the Plant God. As for their location and why they attacked the Markien Mercenary Country...if I knew that, I would have hunted them down myself..."
Though she hadn't been particularly close to the people in charge of the Markien Mercenary Country, Anko was nevertheless loyal to them. A few of their members had saved her when she was being trafficked as a slave, so she had dedicated the last ten years of her life to repaying that debt.
Noticing the fiery glimmer in Anko's eyes, an approving smile developed across Gal's face. If she had been a bit younger, he might have taken her as his apprentice. Instead, he eyed her massive sword as he asked, "Has the Water God come through here?"
Furrowing her brows, Anko tightened her grip on her sword as she asked, "What business do you have with Master?"
Clicking his tongue, Gal muttered, "Figures..." before turning around and adding, "When that old bat returns, tell her that Sword God Gal Farion is waiting for her at the Capital of the Shirone Kingdom."
Without waiting for Anko's response, Gal departed the throne room with a casual gait. The moment he left, Anko's legs immediately gave out as she plopped to the ground with a thud. Her instincts informed her that Gal was exceptionally dangerous, but she never expected his identity to be the Sword God...
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Despite nearly three years passing since her separation from Paul, Reida appeared even younger than during their initial encounter. As a result, the eyes of every man and woman she passed were glued to her as she made her way through the corridors of an underground compound, guided by an exotic beauty with pale-blue hair and peculiar, red and black horns.
After reaching their destination, the pale-haired beauty, Ganyu, turned to Reida and politely informed, "Lady Ningguang can be found within. Please try not to create a scene."
Returning a confident smile, Reida said, "Relax. I may have come here at the King's behest, but I have personal reasons for wanting to meet with your leader. I won't draw my sword unless your people attack first."
Instead of responding to Reida's words with her own, Ganyu offered a polite bow before opening the door to an underground conference room. Inside, a fully matured Ningguang, flanked by Zhongli and Xingqiu, could be seen sitting at the far end of a long table.
Though she was briefly stunned by Ningguang's appearance, Reida's expression didn't show it as she entered the room and remarked, "Kids grow up fast these days..."
After giggling in response to Reida's words, Ningguang gestured to the seat further from her, suggesting, "Please, take a seat." before turning to Xingqiu and adding, "Xiangqiu, be a dear and prepare tea for our guest."
Bowing low, the slender yet mature bluenette replied, "As you will, Lady Tianquan." before stepping off to the side to prepare some tea. Reida's eyes briefly followed her, but they quickly snapped back to Ningguang as she said, "Before we get down to business, there's something I needed to inform you about."
Maintaining a business-like smile, Ningguang casually inquired, "Does it have anything to do with your, or should I say, Master Paul's twins...?"
Unsurprised by Ningguang's inquiry, Reida simply nodded her head as she answered, "Yeah. I was a little careless and allowed that brat to knock me up. Since you seem to be the mastermind behind everything, I wanted to ask for your opinion before their true identities came to light. I can't keep them a secret forever."
Having anticipated Reida's request, Ningguang inclined her head toward the thick stack of papers sitting in front of the God-Tier Swordswoman as she explained, "That document has two parts. The first half details the actions you should take over the next three years, while the second is a proposition to your King. I believe you are well aware of this, but Paul has no intention of opposing the Asura Kingdom. It is the First Prince and his faction of fools who seem determined to make him into an enemy."
Nodding her head, Reida replied, "I am well aware of that. However, the First Prince has never been the type to listen to reason. He is weak and inept, so he fears and resents those more capable than him. Unless Paul is willing to bind himself through a magical contract, I can't imagine the First Prince allowing him to move freely within the Asura Kingdom..."
Adopting a mischievous smile, Ningguang countered, "I considered that when I drafted the proposal to your King. So long as you deliver it to him within the next two years, everything should be sorted."
Furrowing her brows, Reida wanted to say that Ningguang was severely underestimating the First Prince's faction but ultimately decided against it. Instead, she picked up the stack of papers and requested, "Can you get someone to read this for me...?"
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Though many within Sharia had been suffering due to the long and cold Winter, it wasn't as though there wasn't enough food and supplies to go around. The nations of the Magic Triumvirate were so far North that they were covered in snow year-round. Thus, while they primarily survived due to animal husbandry, they had found solutions to growing crops in nearly arctic temperatures centuries prior.
The simple truth of the matter was that the people in charge of the Magic Triumvirate, despite 'welcoming' people of all races, didn't want foreigners settling there. They relied on people bringing in goods and currency from outside and were actively harmed by 'poor people' trying to migrate to the region. After all, unlike other countries, people couldn't just be put to work tilling and cultivating the land. That was a job left to the slaves of wealthy and established Nobles, so unless they were actively contributing to the development and prosperity of the nation, countries like the Ranoa Magic Kingdom didn't truly welcome outsiders.
With a standard, 30kg bushel of wheat costing 3 Asura Silver Coins, Eula, using the wagon Paul had previously purchased, managed to acquire two-thousand-kilograms for a discounted 15 Asura Gold Coins. The retail price was 20AGC, but as most people would haggle down to around 2ASC per bushel, the merchant was able to turn a profit of around 2AGC by selling in bulk.
Under normal circumstances, 2000kgs of what could be processed into around 1500kgs of wheat flour. That was enough to produce 1500kgs of noodles, 3000 loaves of bread, or 15,000 slave rations, a tough but easily preserved food that resembled a thick cracker.
With Xiangling at the helm, 1500kgs of wheat flour could be turned into much more than simple, borderline tasteless bread. First and foremost, she was an expert at making dumplings, and, thanks to Paul, she could also produce high-quality pizzas, pasta, and lasagna. Cheese happened to be one of the top three exports from Sharia. Better yet, they also grew a variant of peanut that flourished in sub-zero temperatures, so Xiangling was able to teach the members of the Beast Race how to process them into peanut oil.
While it wasn't the best oil for frying things, the concept of frying was virtually unheard of within the Central Continent. When the beast people ate the meat and cheese dumplings provided by Xiangling, it was like they were entering a new realm of flavor. After all, while cheese was ubiquitous within the world of Mushoku Tensei, especially in regions that focused on animal husbandry, most people had never consumed it melted, much less fried...
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"This is phenomenal! Exceptional! Beyond fantastic...!"
With hundreds of beast people gathering around Amalie's bakery daily, it wasn't long before the Mayor sent his servants to see what was going on. When they brought back some of Xiangling's food, the rather portly fellow was beside himself with amazement. He had to try it fresh from the oven, so, after deliberating for several days, he decided to pay the bakery a visit rather than attempting to force Xiangling to come to him.
Under normal circumstances, the Mayor, better known as Count Schmidt, would never lower himself to visiting a bakery owned and operated by a beast person. However, upon learning that the person responsible for the fried dumplings was a member of Einherjar, a Party comprised entirely of Saints, he decided to make an exception. Members of the Adventurer's Guild were regarded as Sovereign Citizens, so Count Schmidt technically had no authority over Paul or his Party members. That typically wouldn't matter, but with the power they wielded, Count Schmidt would rather not antagonize a group of people that could theoretically slaughter everyone in his Manor before fleeing to another country.
"If you think this is good, you should see what Xiangling is capable of with higher-quality ingredients. These dumplings are just the tip of a very large iceberg."
Hearing Paul's words, Count Schmidt's glistened with magical energy and excitement. He wanted nothing more than to acquire Xiangling as his chef, but, understanding Paul's background, he knew she was a vassal that had been serving the brown-haired youth her entire life. She was also a Saint-Ranked Fire Mage who, according to rumors, had incorporated chantless Fire Magic into her spearmanship. He would need to be a fool to think she would betray her Master after accompanying Paul into his exile.
Believing he had seen through Paul's intentions, Count Schmidt gestured for one of his female slaves to wipe his face and beard before suggesting, "Tales of Sir Paul's philanthropy have already spread far and wide through the Ranoa Magic Kingdom, not just Sharia. In exchange for allowing some of my staff to apprentice under Chef Xiangling, I will allow any businesses operating within the Western District to forgo having to yield tax for three years. I believe that should suffice for your purposes?"
Though he was more than a little confused by Count Schmidt's sudden proposal, Paul maintained a professional smile as he answered, "So long as they're not expected to pay back taxes, I'm more than happy to agree to such terms."
Expecting Paul to negotiate for better terms, Count Schmidt was slightly taken aback. The slums actually cost Sharia money to sustain, so even if Paul had arranged for ten years of tax exemptions, he would have agreed.
"Does Sir Paul not intend to remain in Sharia? With the 'investments' you have made at the Ranoa Magic Academy, I had thought..."
Like most of the Nobles affiliated with the Magic Triumvirate, Count Schmidt had interpreted Paul's act of sponsoring nineteen students as a sign he intended to settle in the region. Why else would he be promoting the growth of the Western District in such a high-profile manner?
Realizing where the misunderstanding lay, the corners of Paul's smile curled upward a little as he explained, "Though I wouldn't mind laying my roots in the Ranoa Magic Kingdom, the Count should recall that, despite my appearance, I'm only twelve years old. There are still a lot of places I want to see and explore, so I'm afraid I won't be settling for quite some time."
"I see..."
Interpreting Paul's words to mean he would be returning around the time the students from the Ranoa Magic Academy were preparing to graduate, Count Schmidt took a moment to deliberate his next words. It was a bit of a gamble, but so long as he could help the Western District thrive in Paul's absence, he should be able to secure the youth's favor upon his return. By then, everyone within Paul's Party of prodigies would be Ranked as a King or Emperor-Ranked Mage or Swordsman. Having the favor of such a force could literally make someone a King...
Though Count Schmidt had no aspirations for the throne, he was a close friend of the King and an ardent supporter of the Second Prince. So long as he could prevent Paul from getting drawn over by the Neris Kingdom or Basherant Dukedom, he would be doing his King and country a significant favor.
"Allow me to amend my previous offer. I will permit the beast peoples of the Western District eight years of tax exemption. In exchange, should Sir Paul and his Party ever return to the North, please consider settling within the Ranoa Magic Kingdom. If that is unacceptable, I would be content so long as you vow to never settle in our affiliate nations..."
Understanding the Count's concerns, Paul adopted an ostensibly friendly smile as he said, "Rest assured, Count Schmidt. While it is only a matter of time before I venture to the Neris Kingdom and Basherant Dukedom, they have no particular allure. I can promise you that if I settle in the North, it will invariably be in Sharia. Though I was not able to attend it myself, I am quite fond of the Ranoa Magic Academy."
Returning a smile of his own, Count Schmidt replied, "Then it appears we have reached an accord. If Sir Paul is willing to sign a magical contract, I can have it drafted and notarized before tomorrow's eve."
"Sure. So long as it's a personal agreement between the two of us and not my Party. Though they serve as my retainers, I regard the members of my Party as friends and companions. I will sign no agreement forcing them to obey or respect the terms issued by another."
Nodding his head, Count Schmidt replied, "Very well. I'll keep that in mind as I draft our agreement. Come by my Estate tomorrow around four in the afternoon. Barring unexpected circumstances, everything will be prepared by then."
Rising at the same time as Count Schmidt, Paul offered a courteous but unsubservient bow before escorting the man to the door. There were a ton of beast people loitering around outside, but due to the presence of the Count's men, they kept a wide berth of the bakery. When the rotund man finally left, taking with him a veritable banquet of food, Paul waited for a few minutes before opening the doors and shouting, "You know the rules! Form a line, youngest to oldest! Anyone that gets caught trying to cut or cheat other people out of their food is barred entry for ten days...!"
As there had been a lot of fights and bullying, Paul, or, more accurately, Ghislaine, had been forced to 'discipline' quite a number of people. That simply resulted in people bullying one another before they got into a line, so Paul had implemented the current system. He had also implemented a policy that allowed the so-called strong to challenge him for the right to a larger portion. However, after witnessing him subdue Mileena in unarmed combat, there were very few people willing to challenge his authority.
Paul might not be a member of the Beast Race, but he had managed to secure his position as the undisputed 'Big Boss' of the Western District...
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After returning to his Manor, located in the wealthiest section of the city, Count Schmidt took a moment to savor Paul's parting gift before cleaning himself up and retreating to the confines of his room. There, he entered a secret room concealed behind a revolving bookshelf before approaching a large, seemingly shattered mirror.
Bringing his hands together, Count Schmidt muttered a rapid incantation that caused the glass shards littering the ground to glisten with magical energy. Then, as if time was flowing in reverse, the fragments raised from the ground, returning to the mirror and reverting it to a complete state.
Shortly after the mirror became whole again, the surface rippled like the surface of a pool before a bald man with a full beard and runes covering his head appeared. His body was garbed in the grey, high-quality robes reserved for members of the Mage's Court, but the runes glistening on its surface denoted him as an Elder, one of the few Emperor-Ranked Mages in the Magic Triumvirate.
Without raising his eyes from the document he was reading, the ancient-looking man stated, "Earth Saint Schmidt, it's good to see you again. Tell me, is there a matter you wish to report to the Mage's Court?"
Bowing despite his status as a Count, Schmidt replied, "I'm honored that the Archmage is the one to receive my port. As for my purpose, I wished to inform the King of an accord I've reached with the exiled son of House Notos. He has agreed to a magical contract stipulating he will not affiliate with the Neris Kingdom or Basherant Dukedom."
Raising his head, the elderly Archmage revealed icy blue eyes that pulsed with magical energy. Paul was a popular topic among the Mage's Court as of late, not because he was a particularly interesting person, but because of his association with the Artifacts known as Visions.
"The Count has done a tremendous service to the Ranoa Kingdom. I will personally apprise the King of your accomplishment during the evening advisory session. Well done."
Bowing a second time, Schmidt could barely keep a smile from his face as he replied, "I am the Kingdom's humble servant..."
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Chapter 78: MI78: Structure : Reunion