Mushoku Impact

Seeing Roxy and Lynette standing near the landing of the stairs, a memory resurfaced in Paul's mind. It was a scene from the original series where the main character, Rudeus, stumbled across an impassioned Roxy panting as she sneakily masturbated to Paul and Zenith making love.
Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Paul half-closed the door behind him, questioning, "What's up? I doubt the two of you came to join in on the fun."
Since he had yet to summon Lyney, Paul knew better than to pressure or tease Lynette. There were occasions where they would kiss and cuddle, but that was about the extent of their intimacy.
Answering before Roxy could think of an excuse, Lynette calmly revealed, "I caught this one skulking around, so I stopped and questioned her."
With an indignant expression on her face, Roxy quietly yet exasperatedly exclaimed, "I wasn't skulking around! I came to investigate the source of a sound that was keeping me awake...!"
With Lynette not sparing Roxy a glance, it was up to Paul to ask, "What kind of sound...?"
Though it was incredibly obvious what Roxy was referring to, Paul still felt compelled to ask. He had invested a considerable amount of gold toward ensuring their room was adequately soundproofed. If the magical wards were already beginning to break down, he would be demanding his money back.
Hearing Paul's casual inquiry, Roxy blushed to the point it was perceptible even in the low-lighting of the hallway. She had never been very good at lying, so she didn't know how to respond without sounding like a pervert. It didn't help that Paul was currently standing topless with nothing but a bedsheet wrapped precariously around his waist.
With Roxy too overwhelmed to supply a response, Lynette took it upon herself to clarify, "There are no sounds coming from inside the room. It's the floorboards. They're creaking."
Not expecting such a response, Paul found himself at a momentary loss for words. He knew that Roxy had been laid to rest in the room previously used by Amalie and Esme. If she could hear the creaking all the way from the basement...
Exhaling a sigh, Paul's expression became noticeably sincere as he said, "Sorry. Had I known, I would have taken extra precautions..."
With Paul directing his gaze toward her, Lynette looked toward the nearby wall as if she had suddenly spotted something interesting.&nbsp;
"..."
Understanding it wasn't Lynette's fault that the floorboards were creaking, Paul just shook his head before shifting his gaze to Roxy and asking, "So? What do you want to do...?"
Realizing that Paul was addressing her, Roxy's expression revealed her confusion as she asked, "Pardon...?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul said, "It doesn't exactly take a genius to figure out the cause of the floorboards creaking. Someone as intelligent as you would have been able to put two and two together in a heartbeat. Yet here you are."
&nbsp;Unable to refute Paul's words, Roxy found herself clenching the hem of her dress as she muttered, "I...I just..."
Though he had the impression he was pushing the petite Migurdian a little too hard, Paul explained, "Listen, Roxy. I'm not going to pretend to be a good guy. It's pretty much impossible for me to stick with a single woman due to my circumstances, so you're setting yourself up to be disappointed if you think I'll stop sleeping with other girls. I respect you; I really do, so I'm warning you ahead of time...you would probably be a lot happier if you found someone else to fall in love with. I would treat you well, but I could never love you or anyone else as much as they deserve..."
Seeing Paul's usually carefree expression briefly replaced by a pained, self-deprecating smile, a solemn atmosphere suddenly permeated the dimly lit hallway. Both Lynette and Roxy felt like they should say or do something, but the atmosphere had completely overwhelmed them. They were like bystanders witnessing a tragedy, wanting to help but afraid they would only make things worse.
Fortunately for the reticent duo, they weren't the only ones listening in on Paul's words. The door behind him was abruptly flung open, followed by a naked Barbara wrapping her arms around him and fretfully asserting, "You shouldn't say things like that...!"
Correcting his expression, a light-hearted chuckle emanated from Paul's throat as he peeled away Barbara's hands and turned to face her. Then, with his hands cupping her increasingly toned yet still pliant buttcheeks, he raised her to face level as he said, "Relax...I'm talking about right this instant. Once everything has been settled, I'd be more than willing to fall in love..."
Without allowing Barbara the opportunity to respond, Paul planted a deep and passionate kiss on her lips. He hated receiving pity, so he had always put a tremendous amount of effort into concealing his vulnerabilities from others. The last thing he needed was a bunch of people trying to counsel or console him.
Though she could tell Paul was trying to distract her, Barbara couldn't help immersing herself in his kiss. His caress caused her body to tremble with anticipation while his saliva functioned like a powerful aphrodisiac, suffusing her brain and body with a fiery yet pleasant numbness. Kusanali had hypothesized this was due to Paul's desire to make them fall in love with him, but Barbara had never cared about such speculations. She had fallen for Paul the moment he acknowledged her and asked if she would grow stronger alongside him.
After more than a minute of passionate kissing, Paul allowed Barbara a moment to breathe, smiling as he gazed into impassioned, cerulean blue eyes and stated, "You're so fucking beautiful right now..."
Slapping Paul's chest, Barbara promptly chided, "Language...!" despite the silly smile plastered across her face. She generally presented herself as a very earnest and polite woman in public, but she secretly enjoyed it when Paul behaved like a rogue.
Suppressing the sudden urge to eat up the petite woman dangling in his embrace, Paul planted a comparably chaste kiss on Barbara's lips before setting her down and whispering, "Go back to bed. I'll be there shortly..."
Shaking her head, Barbara left Paul speechless as she suddenly looked toward Roxy and said, "Paul is a good man and a very considerate lover. Even if it's just for the remainder of our stay in Sharia, I recommend you indulge yourself in his care. You'll regret it otherwise."
Finished with what she had to say, Barbara supplied a playful wink before retreating into the comparably bright bedroom.
"That girl..."
Though he was tempted to ask what the hell happened while Barbara was at the Sword Sanctum, Paul momentarily shelved the matter as he shifted his attention to the petite duo standing further down the hallway. Lynette appeared as calm and collected as usual, but Roxy was blushing up to her ears as she gripped the hem of her blue and white dress.
Thinking Barbara's tantalizing may have been a little much, Paul was about to apologize and ask if Roxy wanted him to escort her back to her Inn. Before the words could even begin form in his throat, however, Roxy left him utterly speechless as she averted her eyes, raised the hem of her dress, and revealed, "I wore these especially for you..."
Rather than the plain white panties she typically wore, Roxy was sporting a pair of expensive black lingerie that she had managed to acquire during her brief stint through the Milbots Regions. When she initially formed the resolve to ask Paul to accompany her into the city, she had changed into them at the last moment. Not because she wanted them to be seen, but just in case Paul caught a glimpse...
Though it was one of the most awkward scenes he had ever witnessed, Paul managed a smile as he said, "Nice. I think dark blue would suit you a little better, but they're not bad at all."
Hearing Paul's 'compliment,' Roxy managed to meet his gaze as she said, "The merchant I purchased them from didn't have any dark blue ones..."
Restraining a laugh, Paul squinted his eyes slightly before making his way toward the petite blunette. Despite the low light of the corridor, he could make out that she was trembling slightly as she craned her head quite a bit to maintain eye contact with him.
Instead of kneeling down and meeting Roxy face-to-face, Paul mimicked what he did to Barbara. He had to stoop slightly, but he managed to grab the blunette's comparably small, almost palm-sized bottom before lifting her up and smiling as he said, "Caught you..."
Confused by Paul's words, Roxy was about to ask what he meant when her eyes suddenly became round as saucers. She had expected him to ask if she was sure about her decision. Instead, he sealed her lips with a kiss, his fingers writhing about beneath her dress as he massaged and squeezed her butt.
Though she panicked near the beginning, smacking Paul's chest with both of her hands, Roxy felt her heart and stomach fluttering when he released her lips and whispered, "I've been looking forward to this..." in a voice that seemed to pierce directly through her.
While it was true that he had been looking forward to becoming intimate with Roxy, Paul didn't reveal the actual reason why. It didn't truly matter in the end, so he allowed her to think whatever she wanted as he shifted her to a princess carry and planted another kiss on her lips. Lynette had already leaped into the rafters by that point, so Paul didn't bother asking if she wanted to join them as he turned around and carried the quivering Migurdian towards his bedroom.
Since the soundproofing didn't work when the door was ajar, none of the girls sharing Paul's bed were surprised to see him enter along with Roxy. Instead, it was Paul who was left confused as everyone had changed into their nightgowns or casual attire, clearly intending to leave the room.
Clearing any doubts Paul may have still had, Jean calmly explained, "A woman's first time is an important event. At least for tonight, the two of you should enjoy yourselves without disruption. We can worry about the rest later."
Before Paul could ask if they were certain, Barbara chimed in to tease, "We're not children, Paul. We can go one or two nights without having you dote on us."
Taking advantage of the fact she was standing near him, Barbara planted a quick peck on Paul's cheek before directing another wink towards Roxy and mouthing the words, 'Good luck.' Then, before she could change her mind, she departed the room with a bit of a skip in her step.
Following Barbara's example, Jean, Eula, and Ei all planted kisses on his cheeks before departing. This left Paul and Roxy as the only two people left in the room, both stunned to silence as they stood near the entrance with dumbfounded expressions on their faces.
Recovering significantly faster than his diminutive companion, Paul forced a smile as he mused, "Those girls...how considerate of them..."
"..."
Feeling even more nervous now that it was just her and Paul, Roxy could barely manage a nod as she shrank within his embrace. She had originally planned to observe from the sidelines so she wouldn't make any mistakes. Now, she felt like she had studied for a test only to realize that the subject was something completely different come exam day...
Fortunately for Roxy, Paul was actually pretty spent after blowing his load in Barbara, Jean, Eula, and Ei a total of eleven times. He didn't mind taking things slow, so he softly assured, "We'll go at your pace and only move on when you're ready. No need to force yourself."
Thinking Paul was overly concerned due to her size, a faint pout formed on Roxy's face as he laid her down on his surprisingly large bed. It was big enough to hold five people comfortably, so it made Roxy appear even smaller as Paul stared down at her with a knowing smile on his face.
Resisting the temptation to point out how her pouting only made her appear even cuter, Paul quelled any arguments Roxy may have had by abruptly removing the sheet covering his waist. When her crystalline blue eyes observed what he was working with, even she began to have doubts about her ability to handle it. It only lasted for a moment, but Paul noticed a hint of fear in Roxy's eyes before she suddenly adopted an adorable yet incomparably resolute expression on her face...
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While Paul was learning just how stubborn Roxy could be, Jean had pulled Barbara aside to inform her of the situation surrounding Reida. The bakery had grown considerably over the past few months, so the two sisters had a room to themselves as Jean recounted Eula's explanation.
After hearing her elder sister's explanation, Barbara couldn't help exhaling a sigh as she remarked, "I figured something like this would happen. Paul seems to be both loved and despised by fate. No matter how desperately he tries to carve his own path, fate conspires to have him walk another..."
In the original plan that Paul had drafted, it would have been years, if not an entire decade, before they returned to the Asura Kingdom. By then, he would have more than enough power and influence to bring about change as he would have had an entire nation to support him. That was still an option, but Paul wasn't the type of man who could ignore his children. He would, at the very least, try to ensure their safety.
Though she nodded her head in response to Barbara's words, Jean was staring off into space with a listless look as she replied, "That appears to be the case..."
Seeing the expression on her elder sister's face, Barbara hesitated for a brief moment before asking, "What did you make of Paul's words to Roxy? Do you think he'll be okay...?"
Nodding her head, Jean pulled Barbara a little closer, snuggling with the petite blonde as she softly affirmed, "He'll be fine. Paul is a capable man with a hardy sense of responsibility. He may have moments of weakness, but I can't imagine him giving up..."
Recalling the many times Paul had pushed himself beyond the point of exhaustion, a faint smile developed across Jean's face. Paul seemed to think his behavior was normal, citing how anyone from his previous world would try just as hard, but Jean refused to believe that. Not just anyone could push themselves to the point of pooping blood and simply laugh it off...
Though she was briefly annoyed due to the size of her sister's breasts, Barbara promptly suppressed her envy as she nestled closer to Jean and intoned an affirmative, "Nn..." She would prefer it if Paul confided in them more, but she empathized with his need to appear strong. After all, she was much the same...
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Paul didn't know if it was because of Ningguang's constantly teasing or because he had been bathing with young-looking girls since he was five, but he wasn't nearly as off-put by Roxy's naked form as he expected. He earned himself a disproving stare when she asked if he preferred large or small breasts, but hey, he was a descendant of House Notos. He couldn't just lie about his preferences.
With his initial apprehensions out of the way, Paul's primary concern was the rather drastic disparity between his and Roxy's sizes. He didn't know her exact height, but he estimated her to be between 145-150cm. His own height was around 188cm, so he felt like a veritable giant compared to the petite bluenette.
Fortunately for both of them, Roxy's curiosity and intrigue far outweighed her bashfulness. She was incredibly nervous near the beginning but quickly overcame her unease once Paul encouraged her to ask questions and allowed her to do as she pleased. She had secretly been worried that Paul might manhandle her or condemn her inexperience, so she was more than a little relieved to be the one in control.
Taking advantage of the liberty Paul had afforded her, Roxy barraged him with questions while analyzing virtually every millimeter of a specific part of his body. She was a little disappointed when Paul couldn't provide the exact dimensions of his penis, but that didn't stop her from making rough estimates and comparing them to the dimensions of her body.
With her hand barely being able to close around it, Roxy was worried that her body was too small to accommodate Paul's size. She had previously stumbled into a red-light district where Hobbits attended to guests nearly twice their size, but she had never been able to comprehend how such a union was possible. Paul reminded her that a vagina could stretch quite a bit to allow for childbirth, but that wasn't a very satisfying answer since the delivery of a child was supposed to be one of the most painful things a woman could experience.
To ease Roxy into things, Paul suggested a few different types of foreplay they could try. She outright rejected his offer to eat her out, but complied when he suggested they try intercrural sex. Instead of doing her between the legs, however, he had her grind against him with her crotch since they would ultimately be having sex with her on top.
Though Paul couldn't help visualizing a bunch of S.W.A.T. team members bursting into his room, the scene of Roxy biting her lower lip as she used his hands for support was surprisingly tantalizing. He didn't know if it was because she was pent up after nearly thirty years of maidenhood, but she was remarkably sensitive. So much so that she barely managed a minute and a half before tensing up and being unable to move on her own.
To make things easier for the petite blunette, Paul shifted his hands to Roxy's chest and began massaging her nipples with his thumbs. A series of stifled moans emanated from her throat, but she made no attempts to stop him as he rolled and pressed her perpetually burgeoning buds with practiced intensity.
Sensing Roxy's impending climax, Paul calmly reminded her of the fact that the room was soundproofed before sliding his hands down her body and rocking her hips. The sudden increase in stimulation caused her to panic, but Paul assured her that it would be perfectly normal even if she did pee herself. Some girls simply couldn't help it.
Fortunately for them both, Roxy didn't actually pee herself. Instead, she experienced a powerful climax that caused her to curl forward and cling to Paul for support. He dutifully caressed her back with his right hand, but his left also made its way to her lower mouth, gently probing her entrance and stimulating her vulva in preparation for what was to come.
Feeling Paul's fingers fiddling around down below, a whimpering moan emanated from Roxy's throat as she nestled against his chest. The fear that had been lurking in the back of her mind began to resurface, but she offered no resistance. Instead, she stared blankly at Paul's nipple before proceeding to lick and suckle it as a distraction.
Finding it difficult to fit more than the tip of his ring finger in Roxy's tiny entrance, Paul spent nearly twenty minutes focused solely on trying to loosen her up. In the process, he caused Roxy to climax a total of seven times, each successive orgasm causing her body to tense violently before subsequently becoming more relaxed.
In the end, it was Roxy who decided it was time to move on. As much as she enjoyed her successive orgasms, she couldn't help feeling as though Paul was being overly cautious. She was also feeling pretty tired as it was close to one in the morning, so she eventually stared him in the eyes and assured him she was ready.
Not wanting to hurt Roxy's pride, Paul rewarded her bravery with a deep and passionate kiss as he adjusted her hips and attempted to adjust his angle to align with the entrance of her vagina. It was a lot harder than he was used to, but he eventually found the sweet spot as his glans slowly and deliberately sank into Roxy's shallow depths. Even after all of Paul's efforts, the interior of her vagina had only expanded to around 12cm, not even half his total length.
Rather than focusing on his inability to bottom out in Roxy's insides, Paul spent several minutes focused on helping her calm down and acclimate to the sensation of having his penis inside of her. This allowed him to sink a little further into her depths, but 15cm seemed to be about the upper limit of what her body could withstand at the present moment.
Since she was incapable of moving independently, Paul helped Roxy by squeezing and massaging her butt as he gently probed her insides. It was a little frustrating not being able to thrust and move about freely, but the intense tightness of Roxy's vagina provided more than enough stimulation to bring him to the brink of a climax.
Though he should have learned his lesson with Reida, Paul didn't hesitate to release his seed into the deepest parts of Roxy's vagina. With what he knew of her character, she would probably feel self-conscious if he pulled out during their first time, so he was willing to task the risk.&nbsp;
When she initially felt an intense warmth filling her lower body, Roxy didn't immediately understand what was happening. All she knew was that the pain she had been experiencing abruptly diminished, replaced a pleasant warmth that seemed to spread through her abdomen and slowly creep up her spine.
Fortunately, at least for the time being, Roxy didn't have to worry about getting pregnant. Unlike the majority of human females, Migurdians didn't have a monthly ovulation cycle. They were a long-lived species and would typically only go into estrus once a year. For Roxy, this was usually around the start of the seventh month, so she didn't have to be overly concerned with Paul inadvertently knocking her up...
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Opening her eyes to an unfamiliar environment, Roxy experienced a very brief moment of panic until she noticed that the person sleeping next to her was Paul. She had considered the possibility that the previous night was an alcohol-inspired dream, so she was both relieved and concerned to find that it wasn't.
Realizing what she had done, Roxy softly muttered, "I can't believe I lost my virginity to a serial womanizer..."
Hearing the petite blunette's remark, Paul quit pretending to be asleep, playfully retorting, "I prefer the terms philanderer and ladies' man. Calling me a womanizer makes me sound inconsiderate."
Though she was a little surprised that Paul was pretending to be asleep, Roxy quickly composed herself and quoted one of her favorite romance novels, asserting, "You can call yourself whatever you like so long as I can call you mine..."
Raising his brows, the smile on Paul's face became more prominent as he remarked, "It's usually the guy that shills the cheesy one-liners. Not that I'm complaining..."
Catching Roxy by surprise, Paul abruptly rolled toward her, pinning her beneath him as he appended, "If I'm yours, you're equally mine..." with a wolfish grin on his face. Now that they had crossed the line and advanced their relationship to the point of physical intimacy, he felt no qualms about teasing her.
With Paul's body easily blanketing her own, Roxy couldn't help swallowing nervously as she gazed at him with upturned eyes. Instead of feeling fear, however, expectation swelled within her tiny frame as she spread her legs and said, "Prove it..."
"..."
Though it was already well past the time he would usually be up and out of his room, Paul couldn't let Roxy's goading go unanswered. He had the impression she was testing him to see if the previous night had been an accident spurred by inebriety, so he immediately lowered his face to kiss her on the lips. Then, even though it caused a faint creaking sound to be heard throughout the bakery, he demonstrated to Roxy that the previous night wasn't just a one-time thing...
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Demonstrating one of the reasons she was known as Paul's songbird, Barbara made no attempts to hold in her voice as his hips smacked into hers with intensifying force.
Having grown used to her younger sister's shenanigans, Jean enjoyed a momentary reprieve on the opposite side of the bed, quietly conversing with Eula to get up to speed on everything that had occurred while they were gone.
Upon hearing about Paul's and Reida's unplanned children, Jean couldn't help exhaling a sigh as she quietly remarked, "I knew something like this would happen sooner or later..."
Shaking wayward thoughts from her mind, Jean met Eula's gaze as she asked, "I'm assuming you've already heard from Ningguang? What did she have to say on the matter?"
Though she was briefly distracted by the scene of Paul lightly smacking Barbara's bottom as the latter shouted, "Harder~!" Eula eventually nodded her head and explained, "Lady Ningguang recommended that Master Paul journey to the Capital and accept Water God Reida's invitation to train him as her successor. We make for the Milbots Region at the beginning of the Fifth Month."
"I see..."
Suppressing a second sigh, Jean took a moment to organize her thoughts before asking, "Has Master Paul said anything regarding our involvement in the matter? I can't imagine him being comfortable with having us in the Capital..."
To Jean's surprise, Eula nodded her head and explained, "We are to escort and attend him. Master Paul has expressed a willingness to 'play ball' with the Nobility, but his primary concern is securing and protecting his children. If it turns out to be a trap or someone attempts to use their status to coerce us, that's the end of the game. We will buy time and do as much damage as possible while Master Paul attempts to flee with his children. If that proves impossible, we will go to war with the Kingdom of Asura."
Furrowing her brows, Jean couldn't help questioning, "War? Is that truly the best course of action?"
Understanding Jean's concerns, Eula adopted a rare smile as she said, "Don't worry. Master Paul isn't the type of man that would order us to target civilians or raze cities. The peasantry is bound to suffer, but our primary targets will be the Nobles affiliated with the First Prince and his Faction. They will undoubtedly attempt to leverage our Master's children against him, but he has already mentally prepared himself. If we cannot save them outright, we will seek vengeance on their behalf."
Though she knew he would hesitate when the time came, Eula respected Paul's resolution to forgo negotiations if the Asura Kingdom attempted to use his children against him. Attempting to compromise with the corrupt was no different than giving them a license to do as they please. The only time such people even pretended to see reason was when held at the end of a blade.
Seeing the anticipatory light in Eula's amber-gold eyes, Jean couldn't stop herself from becoming somewhat sullen. After observing Paul for several years, she knew he would do what he thought was necessary to preserve both of their worlds. However, no amount of decisiveness could prepare a person to ignore the plight of their children. Paul might not admit it, but he was a caring man at heart. If his children were forced to suffer because of his unwillingness to compromise, he would never be the same...
"Are there no other alternatives...?"
Shaking her head, Eula calmly affirmed, "Not without transposing our will over our Master's. While this situation is less than ideal, it is ultimately the result of our Master living as he pleases. Is that not what we requested of him?"
Furrowing her brows, Jean intended to rebut but was interrupted by an ear-piercing scream. When she looked over her shoulder, she found her younger sister with her back arched; eyes rolled towards the back of her head as she gripped the sheets beneath them with enough force to tear into the fabric.
"..."
Taking advantage of Jean's pause, Eula took a moment to fix her hair as she sat up and confidently appended, "Our duty is to ensure our Master is safe and able to enjoy the life he has chosen for himself. Leave the more complicated affairs to Ningguang and The Seven."
Since Eula hadn't bothered to keep her voice down, Paul adopted a fairly cheeky smile as he looked toward her and remarked, "I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one enjoying myself. Now, bring- me- that- ass..."
"Hmph...!"
Though she loudly harumphed in response to Paul's boorish words, Eula didn't hesitate to crawl over Jean on all-fours. Paul had never been one to slack in the bedroom, but his skills and stamina had improved qualitatively under Lisa's meticulous 'guidance.' She would never admit it, but Eula had fallen in love long ago. Just not with Paul directly...
Ignoring the bodily fluids covering it from top to bottom, Eula placed a lingering kiss on the tip of Paul's penis before taking it into her mouth and cleaning it in preparation for her personal use. The taste made her want to gag, but it also caused the conflagration pervading her usually frigid body to turn into a veritable inferno...
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Though she usually stayed in an Inn located a few houses away from Amalie's Bakery, Roxy ended up spending the night after drinking herself unconscious earlier that evening. When she awoke, she found herself in a small, extremely odorous room that smelled heavily of Beast People.
As it wasn't the first time she had awoken in a place she didn't recognize, especially after a night of heavy drinking, Roxy didn't panic. Instead, she sat up and checked the state of her clothes before rubbing her head and groaning, "That's the last time I get drunk..."
Willfully ignoring the fact she had said the same thing nearly every single time she got drunk, Roxy searched the room for something to drink. She quickly noticed a large glass had been set out for her on a nightstand, so she immediately downed its contents without worrying about whether or not it had been laced with something.
Though it was nearing the end of Winter, the temperature inside the room Roxy was staying in was roughly 5 degrees. As a result, the water in the glass still tasted crisp and fresh despite a very prominent aftertaste.
Upon emptying the contents of the glass, Roxy exhaled a contented sigh before setting it on the nightstand and wondering aloud, "Now, where am I? The last thing I remember is..."
Recalling nothing since the time her Water Ball had exploded in her face, a rather prominent shade of red spread through Roxy's cheeks. It didn't persist for very long, but she suddenly felt as though the room was a lot warmer than it had been...
Recovering enough of her faculties to cast a Beginner-Rank Detoxification Magic, memories came flooding from the recesses of Roxy's mind as she groaned, "I remember now...some of Paul's 'friends' had returned from the Sword Sanctum. After that..."
Though she attempted to repress them, Roxy couldn't prevent the memories of her nagging and subsequently trying to flirt with Paul from resurfacing. It wasn't the first time she had badgered a guy she liked while drunk, but tonight was markedly different from the others as she actually managed to achieve some results.
"Oh, gods..."
Covering her face with both hands, a cocktail of emotions assailed Roxy as she fought the paradoxical urge to both squeal excitedly and smother herself with a pillow. She couldn't remember the conversation that had led up to it, but she could vividly recall daring Paul to kiss her.&nbsp;
Rather than simply giving Roxy a peck on the lips, Paul pulled Roxy across his lap, effectively cradling her in his arms as he bent down to provide her with a less than chaste kiss. Had things ended there, Roxy may have been beside herself with delight. Unfortunately, things ultimately went downhill when Paul slipped his tongue into her mouth.
While she had heard of and even witnessed a few tongue kisses before, Roxy had never experienced one. She did her best to reciprocate but barely managed to open her mouth before the contents of her stomach decided to come up and see what all the fuss was about.
Though Paul had laughed it off and even asked if she was okay, Roxy couldn't help thinking she had blown her chances with him. She was still on the fence about whether or not she wanted to be with him, so this felt like fate itself was telling her to get her act together.
In the midst of trying to gather her thoughts, Roxy became keenly aware of the fact that her surroundings had become quiet. She had been hearing loud creaking noises ever since she woke up, but the relative consistency of the sound had caused her to assume it was just the natural ambiance of wherever she was staying.
"Don't tell me..."
Directing her gaze to the ceiling, Roxy held her breath as she patiently awaited confirmation of her suspicions. It didn't happen immediately, but a rather prominent creaking sound began to permeate the room as Roxy's expression morphed into a deadpan.
Under normal circumstances, Roxy would have simply put a pillow over her head or gone outside to get some fresh air. From past experiences, she knew that such sounds typically only lasted for a few minutes before ultimately petering out.
A stark contrast to the norm, the sounds Roxy kept hearing would only stop for a few minutes before continuing with renewed vigor. She did her best to ignore it, but the sounds only seemed to become louder as time went on.
After nearly an hour of failing to fall asleep, Roxy's insatiable curiosity eventually got the better of her. She knew she should just reimain in bed, but she needed to be certain the sound was coming from the source she imagined. If it turned out to be a tree or something similar, she would feel like a complete idiot.
Sneaking out of the broom-closet-sized room, Roxy found herself in what she assumed to be an underground larder. There were ingredients all over the place, and she could sense the influence of a faint preservation charm in effect.
Ignoring her sudden hunger, Roxy made her way up a nearby set of stairs to find herself in the kitchen of Amalie's Bakery. This all but confirmed her suspicions, but she still made her way to the dining room and up the stairs leading to the second floor.
Just as Roxy reached the top of the stairs and was prepared to venture further, every hair on her body was forced to stand on end as a cold blade pressed to her neck, followed by an emotionless voice demanding, "State your name and intentions."
Though she wanted nothing more than to scream at the top of her voice, Roxy remained frozen in place for several seconds before softly replying, "Roxy Migurdia. I...I heard a sound and came to check it out..."
"Mmm..."
After removing the blade from Roxy's neck, the owner was revealed to be a lithe cat woman wearing a peculiar, form-fitting outfit beneath a hooded cloak. She had a star-shaped pattern on her left cheek, but the thing that caught Roxy's attention was her bright, amethyst eyes.
Liberating Roxy from her terrified reverie, the stone-faced woman said, "Sorry about that, but you really shouldn't be skulking about in the middle of the night. If Ei had been the one to detect you, you would have been a corpse before you could even blink."
Adding emphasis to her words, the ashen-haired woman snapped her fingers a few centimeters away from Roxy's face, appending, "Just like that." in a bone-chilling monotone.
Swallowing the knot in her throat, Roxy was about to ask who the woman was when the door near the end of the hall abruptly opened, light pouring forth and illuminating the previously dark corridor.
"Lynette? Roxy...?"
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Chapter 89: MI89: Confrontation