Mushoku Impact

After a fairly long conversation with Ningguang, Paul agreed to meet up with her around the beginning of the fifth month. He was tempted to hurry home in time for his birthday, but the news that Roxy was on her way to Sharia made him hesitant to leave before her arrival.
Though he had no way of knowing when he would summon Varuna, the Hydro Archon, Paul couldn't think of a better candidate to receive a Hydro Vision than Roxy. She had managed to claw her way up to the pinnacle of the world through sheer hard work and effort, so, even though she was an eternal loli, Paul had a considerable amount of respect for the prodigious Migurdian.
With nothing else to do but wait for the arrival of Jean, Barbara, Razor, and eventually Roxy, Paul spent his days training, watching over the construction, educating the younger members of the Beast Race, and generally enjoying life.&nbsp;
If he was being completely honest, Paul felt as though his growth had stunted ever since he entered Sharia. At the same time, he also knew this might be one of the last times he could relax before establishing himself as a powerful and influential figure. Once he became Reida's successor and became entangled with the politics of the Asura Kingdom, his life was bound to be filled with stressors.
Fortunately, Paul didn't have to wait nearly as long as he expected, as, in the midst of Winter, a relatively large convoy carrying materials and goods from the Asura Kingdom entered the City of Sharia. Paul wasn't present to see it arrive, but he received a message from Lisa informing him that Roxy was among the Adventurers serving as an escort.
As he had been dining with Ei, Eula, Fischl, and Xiangling when the courier arrived, Paul didn't immediately set out to try and meet Roxy. Instead, he looked to the girls for advice, asking, "How do you girls think I should go about this? The longer I think about things, the creepier it seems to just approach her out of the blue..."
Though he could have easily managed with his youthful appearance, Paul couldn't shake the feeling that approaching Roxy now was like an old man trying to lure a little kid with confection. He didn't know what to say, much less how to broach inviting her to join his Party, a group filled with women he was actively boning.
Never one for subtlety, Ei suggested, "If she is as you described, a simple explanation of the situation should suffice. She would learn far more while traveling with us than attending the Ranoa Magic Academy."
Rather than immediately rejecting Ei's idea, Paul briefly considered the banes and boons of such an approach. The older Roxy was an incredibly rational woman, but that was when she was in her late thirties or forties. He didn't know exactly how old she was at the present moment, but she was still pretty naive even during her tutelage of Rudeus, something that would have initially taken place around ten years from now.
By informing Roxy of the truth, at least a version of it, Paul was basically binding the young Migurdian to their cause. Sure, it might be the 'best' for everyone involved, but it didn't change the fact they would be taking hold of her life. He had done the same with Ghislaine, but Paul excused that as she kind of needed someone to look after her.
In an effort to provide Paul with an alternative, Eula suggested, "If you're worried about her growing attached to you, why not send her to the Strife Zone?"
Raising his brows, Paul asked, "What makes you think I'm worried about that?"
Without missing a beat, Eula replied, "You can be overly sentimental at times. If a woman were to travel with us, they would eventually begin to feel left out if they were the only one denied your affection. After enough time has passed, they would feel compelled to leave the Party unless you proactively convinced them to stay."
As similar thoughts had crossed his mind in the past, Paul found himself unable to refute Eula's words. However, instead of beating himself up over it, he just shrugged his shoulders, adopted an awkward smile, and said, "I suppose this is a different world. So long as it doesn't bother you girls, I'm sure I can adapt pretty quickly."
In response to Paul's words, Ei, Eula, Fischl, and Xiangling exchanged glances. Ei and Eula weren't particularly bothered by the situation, but Fischl and Xiangling still had a bit of possessiveness towards Paul. They were in the camp of girls that had accepted they had to share the same man but preferred when it was just Paul and themselves.
As the two girls seemed to be conversing with just their eyes, the tense atmosphere was promptly shattered when Esme and a few of her recent followers burst into the room, shouting, "Boss! Come quicknya! There are baddies trying to stir up trouble...!"
Though she still had a verbal tick, Esme's speech had improved by leaps and bounds ever since Paul told her it was her responsibility as the Little Boss to set a good example for the other children. She received the most instruction from Paul and his group, so her growth was rather monstrous.
Rising to his feet, Paul replied, "Lead the way." without bothering to ask for the details. It didn't matter if Esme was making a mountain out of a molehill. During a crisis, even a moment's hesitation could spell disaster for the potential victims.
With Esme's group leading the way, it wasn't long before Paul learned the reason for her urgency. A group of fairly powerful Beast Race Adventurers had entered the city along with the recent convoy and were attempting to receive free room and board by asserting their dominance.
Since Ghislaine was currently leading a hunting party to secure meat and other supplies from the forest, it fell to Paul and his group to deal with any 'strays' that happened to wander into their territory uninvited. Fortunately, they were exceptionally good at it.
Activating his Dendro Vision, Paul manifested vines to restrain two of the assailants while surprising a man that resembled a gorilla with a punch to the face. The latter seemed like the strongest of the group as he was just standing back and intimidating the crowd while his lackeys kicked around the owner of a recently established tannery.
"Who the hell...!?"
Since Paul was just gauging the man's strength, he held back quite a bit with his punch. With his current strength, it was terrifyingly easy to blow up a person's head or punch clean through them, so he had to be careful if he wanted to avoid killing his opponents.
While people in the surroundings celebrated by shouting out things like, "Boss!" and "Teach these strays a lesson!" Paul was cracking his knuckles with a smile on his face as he said, "I'm only going to say this once. If you intend to stay in our community, you have to follow the rules. If you have a problem with that, your options are to leave or suffer the consequences. Which will it be?"
Snorting through his nose, the gorilla-like man raised himself to his full height of 218cm as he said, "Among the Beast Race, the strong make the rules. A shitty human brat like you should mind his own business."
Maintaining his smile, Paul said, "Wrong answer." before stepping forward like a blur. The gorilla-like man puffed out his chest as if he were about to drum it, but he wasn't even able to unleash a battle cry before Paul sent him flying with a spartan kick.
Demonstrating the resilience the Beast Race was known for, the gorilla-like man quickly recovered after tumbling head over heels seven times. Fortunately for him, he seemed to understand that they were engaged in a contest of strength as he promptly stripped away his upper body armor and weapons before charging toward Paul on all-fours.
Resisting the urge to tear away his own tunic, Paul leaned forward with a battle-crazed smile on his face as he shouted, "Come get some, banana breath...!"
Intending to do just that, the gorilla-like man leaped once he reached the halfway point between him and Paul, arms raised over his head in a very obvious precursor to a smash. Paul could have easily dodged to the side, but such actions were generally frowned upon by members of the Beast Race. Instead, he performed a half-squat, tensing the muscles in his body as a Beast Race child shouted, "He's about to do the Shoryuken...!"
While several other Beast Race children shouted and cheered, Paul shot up into the air, his fist connecting with the gorilla-like man's jaw as he landed a devastating uppercut using the man's momentum against him. Then, as the latter traced a beautiful arc through the air, he touched down on the ground before kicking off with tremendous speed, shouting, "Ever been air juggled!?"
Having suffered a concussion, the gorilla-like man couldn't process Paul's words as the world spun around him. The only thing he knew was that he had picked the wrong opponent as a series of painful impacts prevented him from hitting the ground. After that, darkness overtook his vision until he awoke several hours later in the unfinished but still functional hospital wing.
Realizing he had knocked the man unconscious, Paul prevented his head from hitting the ground as he lowered him down and shouted, "Someone bring over a stretcher!" Then, seeing the man's lackeys staring at him with vindictive glowers on their animalistic faces, he adopted a fairly malicious smile and said, "Make that three..."
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While Paul was busy performing his duties as the Big Boss of the Western District, a youthful-looking girl with blue hair that appeared to shine green in the setting sun was making her way through the streets of Sharia along with a markedly more mature woman with wavy brown hair and expensive purple clothing. At a glance, most people would peg the former to be 10-11 years old, but the truth of the matter was that she was nearly the same age as her escort.
Noticing that the buildings were becoming increasingly shoddy as they advanced, the youthful-looking girl began to feel wary as she looked up at the much taller woman and asked, "Miss Lisa, are you sure this is the right way to go? I can't help feeling as though we're about to reach the slums..."
Aware of the rumors regarding the Magic Triumvirate's slave trade, the blue-haired girl was understandably suspicious of her guide's intentions. Her guide may be a celebrated member of the Adventurer's Guild, but the organization wasn't exactly free of corruption.
Amused by her acquaintance's remark, Lisa covered her mouth to stifle a giggle before surprising the girl by answering, "The place we're heading can, indeed, be considered a part of the slums. More specifically, we are heading to the Western District, the location of a dedicated community of Beast People."
Stopping in place, the blue-haired girl brandished a magic wand as she asked, "What are you after? If you think I'm easy to take advantage of due to my appearance, you're sorely mistaken..."
Without losing her smile, Lisa looked towards her vigilant charge and said, "Please put your wand away, Miss Roxy. As I said before, the person I'm introducing you to has tremendous sway within the Academy. He just so happens to be the 'Big Boss' of the Western District, so-"
Interrupting Lisa's explanation, the sound of exuberant cheering reached the two girls. It was currently the dead of Winter, so sounds had a habit of traveling further due to the limited pedestrian traffic and the presence of snow.
Understanding what must be happening, Lisa's smile became even more prominent as she said, "If you're truly concerned, you're free to return to the Guild. I can always arrange a meeting between the two of you at a later date and in a far more secure location. However, if you follow along, I can all but guarantee you'll see something interesting..."
Without turning to see if Roxy was following her, Lisa sped up her steps as she made her way towards the sound of cheering. Her actions made Roxy feel even more suspicious, but, at the same time, she couldn't help feeling a little curious. Curiosity was everything to an aspiring Mage, so while her reason was telling her to be cautious, her inquisitive nature was telling her to move forward, never back.
"Damnit, Roxy...what are you getting yourself into...?"
After muttering to herself under her breath, Roxy slipped her wand into the holster in her sleeve before raising her hand and shouting, "Lisa! Wait for me...!" as she hurried to catch up.
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Though the Western District was generally off-limits to anyone outside of the Beast Race, Guild personnel and certain merchants were regarded as an exception to the rule.&nbsp;
Much to the chagrin of her would-be suitors, Lisa was well-known within Sharia as one of Paul's many lovers. Some ignored this and tried asking her out anyway, but those that pushed their luck typically ended up in the hospital with advanced electrical burns.
Recognizing Lisa at a glance, the crowd of Beast People parted to let her pass, many greeting or referring to her as 'Big Sis' as she led Roxy toward the center of the gathering. There, they found Paul surrounded by a pack of Beast Race children, a carefree smile on his face as Esme and another girl dangled from his biceps.
"Oh, it appears we missed the show. How unfortunate..."
As the parting of the crowd was pretty obvious, Paul immediately noticed Lisa's presence, his smile becoming even wider as he asked, "Lisa? What brings you around here...?"
Realizing they might be in the way, the children assembled around Paul quickly dispersed at Esme's command. The crowd promptly followed suit, leaving Paul, Ei, Eula, and Fischl as the only ones present from the initial gathering. As for Xiangling? She remained back at the bakery, just in case the 'crisis' had been a diversion.
Waiting until the crowd had finished dispersing, Lisa adopted a squinty-eyed smile as she replied, "There is someone I wanted to introduce you to..."
Looking behind her, Lisa was presently surprised to find Roxy staring at Paul with a somewhat dazed look on her face. It didn't need to be said, but Paul was inarguably one of the more handsome men in the world of Mushoku Tensei. And that was without a Vision.
Adopting a slightly mischievous smile, Lisa's tone became borderline seductive as she intoned an amused, "Roxy~? Still with us~?"
"Huh...?"
Tearing her eyes away from the scene of Paul surrounded by some of the most beautiful women she had ever seen, Roxy craned her head to look up at Lisa, asking, "Did you say something?"
Gesturing toward Paul, Lisa explained, "This is Paul Greyrat, leader of the-"
Interrupting before Lisa could complete the introductions, Roxy's blue eyes became round as saucers as she shouted, "Paul Greyrat!? As in THE Paul Greyrat...!?"
Returning her gaze to Paul, a mixture of fear and curiosity marred Roxy's expression as she recalled the various rumors related to the increasingly infamous exile. Many accounts attested that he was a kind and devoted man who regarded all races as equals. Others depicted him as a monster in the guise of a man, a womanizing scoundrel with an army of enslaved people at his beck and call. The only thing anyone knew for certain was that he was the youngest Sword Saint in history and someone willing to trade even his lifespan for greater power.
Seeing Paul's current appearance and the bevy of beauties surrounding him, Roxy concluded there might be some truth concerning a few of the rumors...
Raising his brows, a fairly cheeky smile developed across Paul's face as he mused, "Oh? You've heard of me~?"
Further inflating Paul's ego, Roxy replied, "Who hasn't? You're one of the most famous people in the Asura Kingdom right now. People are saying you might become the youngest Sword or Water God in history."
Without giving Paul a chance to respond, Roxy looked up at Lisa and asked, "This is the person you wanted to introduce me to? How do the two of you know each other...?"
Since she wasn't sure how much Paul wanted to reveal, Lisa maintained her usual smile as she replied, "Paul and his Party, Einherjar, are the most famous group of Adventurers within Sharia. It would be stranger if I didn't know him."
"Ah..."
Recalling that Lisa was, in fact, a member of the Adventurer's Guild, a faint blush spread through Roxy's already ruddy cheeks. The shock of meeting someone as famous as Paul had left her a little muddleheaded.
Resisting the urge to pat Roxy's head and call her cute, Lisa suggested, "Why don't we move someplace more comfortable to talk? Conversing outside in the dead of Winter is just asking to catch a cold."
With Lisa looking toward him, Paul knew she was putting the ball in his court. In response, he nodded his head and replied, "Sounds good. We were just about to return to Amalie's Bakery. The two of you are free to join us."
Understanding that Roxy might still be a little apprehensive, Lisa followed Paul's words by explaining, "Amalie's Bakery is the most famous bakery in all of Sharia. Even the City's Mayor, Count Schmidt, visits once a month to try out their new menu items."
Hearing Lisa's words, a slight frown marred Roxy's face. She didn't sense any hostility from the predominately female group, but she couldn't shake the feeling she was being lured into a trap. Traveling across the world had given her a special sense when it came to things like this.
Noticing Roxy's apprehension, Paul raised his hands in a placating manner as he said, "You're pretty sharp, huh? How about this? Why don't you look for a place to stay and send me a message when and where you want to meet up?"
Since he had already decided to be somewhat truthful to the unnervingly youthful-looking woman, Paul chose not to pretend as though he had no ulterior motives. Instead, he surprised even Lisa by admitting, "I've been looking forward to meeting with you. Waiting a few more days isn't going to kill me."
Jumping back and away from Lisa, Roxy unholstered her wand, pointing it squarely at Paul's chest as she questioned, "You've been looking forward to meeting me? Why? Just what are you scheming?"
Though his training was screaming at him to move out of the way and to disarm his opponent, Paul did his best to maintain a smile as he replied, "I don't mind answering your questions, but secrets are better discussed in private. When you're ready to talk, send someone to inform me, and I'll be there in minutes."
Sensing no hostility, even as she gathered mana into the tip of her wand, Roxy eventually lowered her hand and asked, "Just tell me one thing...do you really have connections with the Ranoa Magic Academy?"
"Yes...?"
Though he was a little confused by Roxy's question, Paul quickly put two and two together when Lisa directed a playful wink his way. They knew that Roxy had traveled to Sharia with aspirations of attending the Ranoa Magic Academy, so he surmised that Lisa had promised to introduce her to someone that could assist with her admission.
"Hmmm..."
Shifting her gaze from Paul, Roxy took a moment to observe each of the women gathered around him. Fischl was a little more on the modest side, but everyone else had truly enviable figures and appearances.
Feeling annoyed all of a sudden, Roxy clicked her tongue before returning her wand to her sleeve and asking, "So? Where is this famous bakery that Lisa mentioned? I expect you'll be treating me, right?"
Nodding his head, Paul answered, "Sure." before lowering his hands and adding, "It's actually not that far from here. See that two-storey building in the distance? The one with the green roof and the large crowd outside? That's Amalie's Bakery."
Following the direction of Paul's finger, Roxy saw that much of the crowd that had previously gathered around him was currently standing outside a surprisingly luxurious-looking building. She had originally expected it to be an ordinary bakery, but her 20:10 vision allowed her to make out cakes, pastries, and other goods on display.
As sweets were nearly nonexistent in the Demon Continent and relatively rare everywhere else, Roxy couldn't help swallowing hard when she saw the cakes and cookies shaped like various animals. She had been eating nothing but rations for the past three and a half weeks, so the thought of eating sweets at someone else's expenditure quelled most of her previous concerns.
Putting the final nail in the coffin, Paul revealed, "The owner of the bakery is a 'very' good friend of mine, and the Chef working there is colloquially known as the God of Cooking. She can prepare just about anything, even the cuisine from the Demon Continent. Since I'd like us to work together in the future, you're free to eat there without having to pay."
Hearing Paul mention working together, Roxy wiped away the drool at the side of her mouth before staring him in the eyes and asking, "You want to work with me? Why?"
Adopting what he hoped to be a disarming smile, Paul answered, "We'll discuss the details once we get inside. For now, let's just say the rumors regarding me being able to identify especially talented individuals wasn't an exaggeration. I genuinely believe you can become an Emperor, maybe even a God-Ranked Mage in the future."
Opening her eyes even wider than when Lisa first revealed Paul's identity, Roxy retorted, "Have you lost your mind? There's no way someone like me can become a God-Ranked Mage. I can't even use the telepathy my race is known for."
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul left Roxy feeling at an utter loss for words as he said, "That's why I mentioned becoming an Emperor first. Even I'm not sure what it takes to become a God-Ranked Mage, but becoming an Emperor should be pretty simple. You just need the proper knowledge and the requisite amount of mana.
"..."
Though she couldn't deny that mana capacity was vital when determining the Rank of a Mage, Roxy couldn't help feeling as though Paul was looking down on the magical community. If becoming an Emperor-Ranked Mage was as simple as he described, there would be a lot more than a dozen or so in the entire world.
Before Roxy could call Paul out on his ignorance, her mind blanked as Lisa casually manifested an orb of Electro Energy in her palm. Lightning Magic was typically limited to famous King and Emperor-Ranked Mages, so Roxy never expected to see someone from the Guild demonstrating it with such ease. She didn't even hear Lisa chanting.
"Just who are you people...?"
Drawing Roxy's attention back to him, Paul tried to sound mysterious as he replied, "Come with us, and you'll find out."
Furrowing her brows, Roxy left Paul feeling as though he had swallowed a bug as she asked, "Why are you suddenly behaving like a creep? Now I'm not sure I want to follow you..."
Fortunately for Paul, his embarrassed reaction was sincere enough to assuage any doubts Roxy may have had. Her ostensibly disgusted look turned into a marginally amused smile as she asked, "You really are a kid, aren't you? Tell me, was that your attempt to sound mysterious...?"
"..."
Adding insult to Paul's mental injury, everyone except Ei appeared to be amused by Roxy's observations. Lisa even giggled at his expense before adopting a squinty-eyed smile and appending, "He was forced to mature rather quickly. Don't be too hard on him."
Recalling some of the rumors regarding Paul's past, Roxy nodded in response to Lisa's words, revealing, "I actually experienced something similar." before slipping her hands into the pockets of her tanned brown mantle and adding, "We should head inside. My legs are starting to get cold."
Though she was dressed pretty heavily due to the frigid temperatures, Roxy was also wearing a leathery skirt in place of pants or trousers. Her village was located in the far North of the Demon Continent, so she was pretty used to the cold. The only reason she suggested going inside was because she could feel her stomach beginning to grow impatient.
Recovering from his momentary quietude, Paul regained his usual smile as he answered, "Sure thing. And when we arrive, I'll have Xiangling fix you up some hot cocoa. It's quickly becoming one of the most popular drinks in the city."
Hearing the words hot and cocoa, Roxy was unable to prevent her smile from growing larger. Chocolate was a rare commodity typically reserved for members of the nobility, so she was greatly looking forward to eating her fill. Upon seeing her expression, Paul couldn't help recalling his earlier thought about old men luring young children with candy...
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After mulling things over for a couple of days, Paul elected to take Fischl out on a date while the two of them waited for Oz to complete his journey across the Red Dragon Mountain Range.
As it was the first time they had accompanied each other outside of the Western District, Paul couldn't help furrowing his brows as everyone gave him and Fischl a very wide berth. The people of Mushoku Tensei were an extremely superstitious bunch, so they tended to avoid Fischl ever since rumors circulated regarding her being a harbinger of misfortune.
"These assholes..."
Squeezing Paul's hand, Fischl adopted a faint smile as she whispered, "Pay no heed to this ill-mannered lot, for they know not what they do. Fate has brought us together on this most auspicious of days, so let us indulge to our hearts' content."
Adopting a wry smile of his own, Paul squeezed Fischl's hand back and replied, "As you wish, mein Prinzessin..."
Feeling gratified by how Paul had addressed her, Fischl rewarded him with a quick peck on the cheek before pulling him along to one of the few stores that hadn't barred her entry. It was an antique/magical item shop that specialized in processing obscure, borderline occult items, so it was one of Fischl's favorite places in the city.
Hearing the bell to her shop ringing, a youthful-looking girl with pointed ears and long grey hair that obscured milky white eyes looked over from her perch atop a rocking chair and said, "Ah...if it isn't the Prinzessin der Verurteilung. What brings you...oh~?"
Noticing Paul enter alongside Fischl, the seemingly youthful girl stood up and approached them. She barely came up to Paul's chest, but the latter still felt uneasy due to the woman's strange garb, consisting of a tattered grey robe and a dirty, weatherworn shroud that gave off the impression of an old crone that lived in the woods. An aroma of soil and herbs followed her every movement.
Staring up at Paul's face despite her apparent blindness, the presumably Elven woman mused, "You must be the Master of the Abyss. Your aura is certainly not of this world..."
Tensing in response to the woman's words, Paul was about to say he had no clue what she was talking about when Fischl said, "Choose thy words carefully, Witch of the Ancient Relics. Thee never knoweth who could be listening in."
Shifting her 'gaze' to Fischl, a strangely grandmotherly smile developed across the relatively youthful-looking woman's face as she said, "You're in high spirits today. Are the two of you on a date?"
Though she was unable to prevent a blush from coloring her cheeks, Fischl puffed out her chest with pride as she replied, "Forsooth. Mine soul has't forever become interwoven with the Master of the Abyss."
"Oho~"
Adopting an ostensibly lecherous grin, the grey-haired Elf returned her gaze to Paul as she stated, "You're a lucky man. The Prinzessin is a little odd in the head, but she's a good girl. You'd better take care of her."
Though he didn't need others to tell him to take care of his women, Paul still nodded his head in response to the Elven woman's words, answering, "Leave it to me."
Returning a nod of her own, the as-of-yet-named Elf turned around and asked, "So? What compelled today's visit? While I enjoy the ambiance of my shop, it isn't exactly the ideal location for a date."
Shaking her head, Fischl's face turned even redder as she stated, "With the person thee loveth, all places art suitable for a date."
Amused by Fischl's words, the grey-haired Elf issued a soft chuckle as she made her way over to her rocking chair and sat down. Once she had made herself comfortable, she closed her eyes and said, "You're welcome to make use of the back. Just stay out of the basement and my bedroom."
Before Paul could think to ask why they would want to make use of the woman's house, Fischl responded with a curt, "Thank you, Baba." before dragging him through the door located behind the counter.
Allowing himself to be pulled into the surprisingly normal-looking abode, Paul waited for Fischl to stop before asking, "What's this about? Who is that woman...?"
Exhaling a soft sigh, Fischl dropped her usual speech pattern to explain, "This is one of the only places I can visit that isn't operated by the Guild. Baba sheltered me for a short while when I was searching for a place to stay. Most people believe this shop to be cursed, so it wouldn't hurt her business even if I stayed here..."
"Fischl..."
Combing his fingers through Fischl's perennially smooth hair, Paul briefly scoured his mind for words of comfort before deciding to simply place a kiss on her lips. His stay at the Sword Sanctum had compromised much of his education as a Noble, so there were times when his trained eloquence failed him. Fortunately, especially when it concerned matters of the heart, actions generally spoke louder than words...
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With the distance between Sharia and the Strife Zone requiring Oz to fly for roughly sixteen hours, Paul's message reached Ningguang around 3 AM the following day.
Though she had been asleep at the time, Ningguang emerged from her bedchamber without even changing out of her nightgown when she heard that a message from Paul had arrived. It had technically been years since their last communication with one another, so she was eager to hear what Oz had to say.
Standing approximately 90m tall and with a wingspan exceeding 2m, Oz was a relatively large member of the Corvus species with violet feathers that exuded pure Electro Elemental Energy. Its full name was Ozvaldo von Hrafnavines, but it allowed those close to Fischl to refer to it as Oz.
Upon entering the room where Oz was being handfed by Ganyu, a smile developed across Ningguang's face as she said, "Sir Ozvaldo, it's good to see you. How was your journey across the mountains? I hope the Winter conditions did not inconvenience you too much."
"Hmmm..."
Staring back at Ningguang, Oz briefly squinted his eyes before answering, "Several Lesser Drakes beset me, but they easily dispatched due to Mein Fraulein's continuous supply of Electro Energy."
Understanding the implication behind Oz's words, an amused chuckle emanated from Ningguang's throat before she shifted her attention to Ganyu and requested, "Ganyu, can you grab me something to drink? My throat is parched."
Bowing courteously, Ganyu replied, "Certainly." before raising her head and promptly exiting the room. She knew that Ningguang preferred to control the flow of information as much as possible, so she would rather hear what Oz had to say in private before personally conveying it to the rest of their group.
With Ganyu gone, Ningguang initiated things by questioning, "Are Paul and Fischl together at this moment? Can you convey our words in real-time?"
Nodding his head, Oz replied, "It is within my power, but Mein Fraulein is presently asleep. You will need to wait until she awakens if you desire to converse with Master Paul directly."
Exhaling a sigh, Ningguang softly grumbled, "That man can be so careless at times..."
Realizing that Ningguang had misunderstood his words, Oz clarified, "Master Paul is presently awake and patiently awaiting Mein Fraulein's rousing. I believe he is being courteous, not careless."
"Ah...I see...that certainly sounds like Paul."
Crossing her arms, Ningguang adopted a contemplative posture as she briefly considered waiting for Fischl to rouse. In the end, however, her curiosity got the better of her, so she asked, "And? What did our Master have to say? I imagine he entrusted you with a basic message of sorts."
Following another nod, Oz answered, "Master Paul intends to heed your advice and return to the Asura Kingdom around the onset of Spring. For the sake of expediency, he wishes to employ the services of Lady Ganyu so that he can visit his home before proceeding to the Capital City of Ars."
"Hmmm..."
Tapping her chin, a conflicted look developed across Ningguang's face as she considered how Ganyu's absence would adversely affect her plans. It would be fine if she were only gone a few days, but there was a fairly high possibility that Ganyu would want to remain at Paul's side. Ever since she gave her virginity to him, she would periodically get lost in thought as she stared off longingly towards the presumed direction of Paul.
"Ah...wait a moment. You mentioned Paul intends to visit his family? That could work..."
Since she couldn't really refuse if Paul asked for Ganyu, Ningguang's mind immediately came up with a solution that could benefit everyone. She had been stockpiling resources to feed into the Intersection of Fate for quite some time, so she could always rendezvous with Paul back at the Milbots Region around the time he was visiting his family.
Seeing Ningguang get lost in her machinations, Oz snorted through the nostrils of his beak. Ever since Ningguang had dispatched Fischl to the Ranoa Magic Kingdom, he had developed a general disdain for the goal-oriented woman. He knew she was acting in the interests of everyone, but he hated how she seemed to view everyone as little more than a cog in a machine of her making.
Noticing Oz's penetrating gaze, a somewhat wry smile developed across Ningguang's face as she inquired, "How has Fischl been doing? I imagine things have improved since Paul's arrival...?"
Though he briefly squinted his eyes, Oz eventually replied, "Indeed. She would be happier if it were just her and Master Paul, but she has enjoyed the extra companionship. The residents of Sharia have not treated Mein Fraulein with due kindness..."
Exhaling a sigh of her own, Ningguang appeared genuinely apologetic as she said, "For that, you have my deepest apologies. I never imagined that such an incident would occur..."
Unconvinced by Ningguang's words, Oz stated, "I understand that it was not your fault that Mein Fraulein suddenly advanced in age. However, you could have sent Lady Ganyu to retrieve her once she began experiencing difficulties. Having her remain in Sharia was incredibly foolish..."
Furrowing her brows, Ningguang wanted to argue but ultimately decided against it. This was far from the first time she and Oz had discussed this topic, so she knew he wouldn't listen to her justifications. In his mind, she was responsible for everything Fischl had experienced. It didn't matter to him that Fischl was the one that chose to remain in Sharia...
As the tensions within the room reached a palpable level, Ganyu finally arrived with a warm glass of milk. She immediately sensed that something was amiss but knew better than to ask as she carried the glass of milk to Ningguang and said, "Here you are. I added a bit of sugar to help bolster your energy."
Accepting the proferred glass with a smile, Ningguang tried to lighten the mood by asking, "This isn't your milk, is it~?"
With a faint shade of pink coloring her cheeks, Ganyu adopted a slightly pouty expression as she groaned, "Lady Ningguang..."
Restraining a laugh, a teasing smile developed across Ningguang's face as she said, "As adorable as always..." before downing the contents of the glass Ganyu had provided...
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Unaware of the events taking place thousands of kilometers away, Paul had had an affectionate smile on his face as he traced his fingers around the pattern on Fischl's lower abdomen. He knew she was only pretending to sleep, but that didn't prevent him from playing along and admiring her sleeping face...
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Chapter 82: MI82: Concern : Curiosity