Mushoku Impact

Since Lisa would linger in Sharia until Roxy graduated from the Ranoa Magic Academy, Paul began spending most of his free time tending to the magically-inclined duo. Lisa had been teaching Roxy ever since she joined their group, so the two already had a fairly developed Master-Apprentice relationship.
Though she initially respected Lisa for her vast knowledge of the arcane arts, Magic was far from the only thing Roxy had been learning from the emerald-eyed brunette. In the original series, Roxy was described as the type of lover who was very technical and detail-oriented. She was always trying out new things to satisfy her curiosity and make her partner happy, so Lisa was a veritable treasure-trove of information and wisdom for the earnest yet surprisingly perverted Migurdian.
"This is harder than I expected..."
While Lisa observed from the sidelines with her characteristically squinty-eyed smile, Roxy was doing her best to give Paul a footjob. She was doing her best, but her movements were somewhat awkward as, before meeting Paul, she had never worked to improve her flexibility.
Maintaining her smile, Lisa relaxedly assured, "Don't worry. At times like this, it's okay to be a little clumsy. Though they can experience greater pleasure from sleeping with more skilled women, most men get a greater sense of fulfillment from being part of an inexperienced woman's descent into sensuality and desire. It's similar to the contrast between purchasing a masterwork painting, something everyone can appreciate, and being the one to hold the brush."
Shifting her borderline predatory gaze to Paul, Lisa went out of her way to lick her lips before appending, "He might not admit it, but for someone as experienced as Paul, your clumsy ministrations are undoubtedly a breath of fresh air..."
With Roxy looking toward him for confirmation, Paul had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. While it was true that he could appreciate the charm of an inexperienced woman, things like footjobs and handjobs didn't really do it for him. He was far more into things like facesitting and heavy petting just out of view from others...
Seeing through Paul's smiling facade, a low and naturally seductive laugh emanated from Lisa's throat before she went on to add, "Of course, there are times when more 'consequential' action is required..."
Extending her hand forward, Lisa was about to send a thread of Electro Energy into Paul's right nipple but stopped when Roxy insisted, "I don't need help." with a determined expression that closely resembled a pout.
Exhaling another soft chuckle in response to Roxy's words, Lisa retracted her hand and said, "That's the spirit." with an ostensibly amused smile on her face. She often forgot how prideful her youthful-looking protege could be...
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After a very 'educational' evening with the scholarly duo, Paul exchanged lingering embraces with Lisa and Roxy, promising, "I'll be sure to send at least one letter a month. And if anyone gives you trouble, just-"
Before Paul could finish what she assumed would be a long speech, Lisa gave him a gentle push, saying, "Go. This isn't the last time we'll be seeing each other. You don't have to be so dramatic."
Nodding her head in approval, Roxy added, "Lisa's right. We'll be fine, so just go and do what you need to do. Once I'm sure I won't drag you down, I'll come and find you of my own accord."
Though he wanted to shake his head and say she wouldn't drag him down, Paul just forced a smile in response to Roxy's words. He was Saint-Ranked in both the Sword and Water God Styles, yet he still needed Ei to protect him from harm. If Roxy were killed because his enemies regarded her as the weakest link in his Party, Paul would never forgive himself...
Surprising the blunette with a final embrace that left her feet dangling off the ground, Paul affirmed, "Once I obtain a Hydro Vision, I'll rush over as soon as possible..."
Though she had been doing her best to present a calm and composed demeanor, Roxy began to tear up as Paul enveloped her in his warmth. She didn't want him to see her cry, however, so she surprised him in turn by nudging his crotch with her knee and responding, "When you do, I'll be sure to reward you appropriately..."
"..."
With Lisa suppressing her laughter off to the side, Paul weakened his hold on Roxy in order to stare her in the face. She was blushing up to her ears, but the look on her face was one of the most resolute and determined he had ever seen.
Forcing a wolfish smile, Paul rewarded Roxy's resolution by hefting her up by her diminutive yet perky bottom and asserting, "I'm looking forward to it..." with a smoldering expression and tone...
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Though he felt it would be incredibly rude, Paul was seriously considering asking Ganyu to get fitted for a saddle and harness as she galloped over snow-covered treetops at a 'casual' 200km/h. Her indescribably graceful movements caused no discomfort as her hooves created watery ripples in the sky, but the frigid temperatures and incredible height were more than a little daunting.
Having been entrusted with the safety of Esme and her younger siblings, Paul was nearing his wit's end after only three hours of travel. Esme was fairly obedient, but her younger brothers and sister were fearless as they kept trying to peek out and escape the relative safety of Paul's frame. He had fastened each of them to his body with rope, but Paul's brain buzzed as he imagined them tearing out of their bindings and getting swept away by the wind pressure...
Fortunately for Paul, Esme was a lot less reserved about disciplining her younger siblings than he was. Whenever one of the triplets tried to sneak away, she would seize them by their hair or tails before growling them into submission. When they would hiss at or try to bite her, she didn't hesitate to do the same.
As troubling as Esme's behavior would have been in human society, Paul knew it was fairly common among members of the Beast Race. Her bites never drew blood, so he never chastised her even when she was clearly trying to assert dominance over her much younger siblings.
Sensing Paul's distress, Ganyu began searching for a suitable place to land. She eventually spotted a clearing next to a partially frozen creek, so she slowly doubled back, gradually reducing her speed as she started her descent. She could ordinarily arrest her momentum in an instant, but that wasn't really an option with passengers on her back.
Noticing the treeline rising above their elevation, Paul exhaled a sigh of relief as he realized Ganyu was about to land. His apparent complacency prompted Leon to try and break free under his left arm, but Esme dutifully grabbed his collar while tightly clinging to her other siblings.
With Ganyu's speed reducing to a velocity he was more than comfortable with, Paul released his grip on her rein-like fur and said, "Good girl." as he caressed Esme's head. A low purring sound emanated from her throat as he did so, causing Paul's smile to broaden until Thea abruptly grabbed his hand and bit it.
"..."
Since she had been just as mischievous as her brothers during their flight, Paul resisted his urge to pet Thea's head, stating, "Bad children don't get head pats."
Though she wasn't yet able to speak, Thea could vaguely understand the words of others. Her expression immediately formed into an intense pout before she suddenly leaped at Emse and tried pulling her hair.
Surprised by her younger sister's actions, a startled, "Nya!?" escaped Esme's throat before she promptly smacked Thea's hand and shouted, "Bad!"
With what could best be described as a betrayed look on her face, Thea began tearing up and sniffling before subsequently burying her face into the fabric of Paul's winter coat. This caused the latter to feel more than a little guilty, so he picked her up and began to pat her back as Emse stared at him with a disproving look.
Revealing one of the inherent truths of the world, Paul justified his actions by explaining, "Adults can be very hypocritical at times. Don't worry. Once she's a bit older, throwing tantrums like this won't be nearly as rewarding. Don't copy her and start misbehaving, okay?"
As she always took Paul's words to heart, Esme regained her usual smile and affirmed, "Esme is a good girl~!" before giggling as he affectionately ruffled her hair.
With nearly everyone else having already dismounted, Paul picked up the three triplets and slid from Ganyu's back. Esme had grown stronger and more nimble in the past year, but he still helped her descend after passing over the triplets to Amalie and Ghislaine.
Free from her burden, Ganyu transformed back into her human form and suggested, "For the children's well-being, we should rest here for a few hours. This is also a chance for everyone to warm their bodies, so please make yourselves comfortable as I go and collect some edible plants and herbs."
Nodding his head in approval, Paul added to Ganyu's suggestion by asking Ghislaine and Razor to hunt a few rabbits while Fischl scouted the area using Oz. They had prepared more than enough supplies to complete their journey, but one of the core tenets of surviving in the wilderness was resupplying whenever possible. Only fools assumed their food and water would last without issue.
Not wanting to leave everything to the girls while he just sat around, Paul worked with Jean and Eula to erect a tent, leaving Xiangling to prepare a fire while Barbara drew water from the nearby creek. Rosaria and Lynette were also accompanying them for the journey, so Paul asked them to help secure the perimeter alongside Beidou and Kaeya.
As she was still inordinately inept at mundane tasks, Ei left setting camp to everyone else while she assisted Amalie with wrangling her children. It was a duty she surprisingly suited to as, even as toddlers, Leo, Leon, and Thea knew better than to annoy their purple-haired nanny.
With everyone working together harmoniously, it only took a few minutes to finish setting camp. Ghislaine and Razor were even able to hunt a Giant Radikh, a type of flightless bird monster covered in shaggy, moss-covered fur that typically ambushed their would-be prey from the canopy of trees. They were only C-Ranked in terms of strength, but their ability to blend in with their surroundings had earned them a B-Rank classification.
Unfortunately for the Giant Radikh, the individual members of Paul's Party far exceeded the average S-Rank Adventurer. Their official Ranking was only B now that they had left the Ranoa Magic Kingdom, but that was only because Paul had prioritized the development of the Western District. He would eventually secure the status of an S-Rank Adventurer, but it was no longer as important now that he had decided to play politics and contend for the position of Reida's successor.
When there were Intermediate and Advanced-Ranked Swordsmen able to refer to themselves as S-Rank Adventurers, it didn't carry nearly the same weight as titles like Sword Saint, King, or Emperor.
After helping to dismantle and dress the edible parts of the Giant Radikh, Paul was able to relax and enjoy the warmth of Amalie and her children as everyone huddled together in the tent. It was only a brief respite from the freeze and frustration that were bound to accompany the forthcoming trip on Ganyu's back. Still, it was a fairly positive start to a journey that would ultimately last just under six days...
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"This is where Ningguang's secret base is located? It looks more like a refugee camp..."
After a rough but ultimately uneventful journey, Paul and his group found themselves at the outskirts of a makeshift 'city' formed almost entirely of tents. The only building resembled a yurt hut surrounded by a moat and a series of wooden barricades, its perimeter guarded by a group of rugged, clearly demonic men wearing little more than leopard skins and loincloths.
Looking closer, Paul noticed that, among the hundreds, if not thousands of refugees present, the majority belonged to the various demonic, beast people, and magic races. Humans were a minority, and, as far as he could tell, there were very few women present.
Just as Ganyu was about to apprise Paul of the situation, a veritable mob began to form, many wielding simple farming tools such as pitchforks and hoes as they assembled into a rough formation. Only a handful of people were equipped with genuine weapons and armor, but they all stood in the back, cautiously observing the disturbance from a safe distance.
Grabbing the hilt of his sword, Paul was prepared to draw it but didn't. His mastery of the Water God Style had given him a keen sense when it came to things like killing intent, so he could immediately tell something was off about the group forming against them.
Confirming Paul's suspicions, Ganyu placed her hand over the one he was using to grip his sword, assuring, "These people are not our enemies."
Lending credibility to Ganyu's assertion, someone that Paul recognized managed to squeeze their way through the crowd. Her face was covered in black soot, and she was dressed like someone forced to work in a coal mine, but Paul immediately recognized the petite figure as Lamilette, the former slave his father had purchased for him so many years prior.
"Master Paul~!"
Despite her diminutive height and short legs, Lamilette was able to cover the hundred or so meters to Paul in less than five seconds. Dwarves had naturally strong and inordinately dense bodies, so this was an impressive feat for someone whose training revolved exclusively around mining and processing ore.
"Oof-!"
Raising his hands, Paul managed to catch Lamilette but was still pushed back a few steps as her rock-hard cranium impacted his diaphragm. The air was forced from his lungs, but Paul still managed a forced smile as he set the overexcited Dwarf on the ground and groaned, "It's...good to see you...Lam..."
Though she would have ordinarily greeted or apologized to Paul for her actions, Lamilette was feeling dizzy after her head smacked what felt like a block of solidifying concrete. Paul might not have been pushing himself during his stay in Sharia, but he rarely slacked in his training. He was also rather fond of his abdominal muscles, so he would spend upwards of four hours a day working his core. If he included the time he spent having sex, the number would be closer to eight.
Seeing that Lamilette recognized the group of outsiders, the posse that had formed along the perimeter of the tent city began to break up. A few people lingered behind out of curiosity, but most people had better things to do than concern themselves with others. Those that remained were either busybodies or people that had once served Paul back at the Notos Estate. In fact, upon closer examination, Paul actually recognized a few of the people wearing proper equipment...
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Instead of being guided to the rather conspicuous yurt hut, Paul and co were shown to a secret tunnel located within a nearby copper/lead mine. The yurt was the property of a mercenary group that Ningguang had both created and hired as a front, while her actual operations occurred as deep as 300m below the surface.
Though he had seen the tunnels Zhongli had helped construct beneath the Notos Estate, Paul found himself at a loss for words when Lamilette led them into a series of neatly carved, excessively clean corridors. It was well lit with thick carpets covering the ground, art pieces on display, and a veritable army of Maids roaming about in traditional uniforms modified for combat. Of course, the thing that stood out the most was the beyond-regal beauty waiting for them to arrive.
"You've finally arrived, my dearest Master. And my, how you've grown..."
As Paul was checking her out, Ningguang made no effort to conceal her appraising gaze. She had known he would mature into a fairly attractive man, but his present appearance far exceeded even her expectations.
"If I had known you would turn out this handsome, I might have insisted we go forward with our marriage..."
Unamused by Ningguang's remark, Barbara groaned, "You..." while balling her hands into fists. She had never liked Ningguang, not because she was Paul's fiancee, but because of how she always acted like she was 'above' everyone, even the man chosen to be their Master.&nbsp;
Plopping his hand down on Barbara's head, Paul said, "Calm down. We're all on the same side..." in a soothing tone.&nbsp;
Inhaling a deep breath, Barbara averted her eyes from Ningguang and did her best to heed Paul's words. It wasn't easy, but she managed thanks to Paul continuing to caress her head.
Waiting until Barbara had released her clenched fists and exhaled a sigh, Ningguang suggested, "I believe a change of venue is in order. You've all just completed an arduous journey, so I'm sure you'd like to rest. We have rooms prepared for each of you and a large bath where you can ease the tensions of your bodies. There is also a fully stocked kitchen, so our chefs can prepare something to eat if you're feeling peckish."
Answering before Barbara could potentially blow a gasket, Paul replied, "Sounds good." before turning to his group and saying, "You girls can go on ahead. I need to talk with Ningguang. Once I'm finished, we can take a bath and blow off some steam together."
Though people like Barbara and Amalie wanted to stay with Paul, nobody protested as Ningguang directed a group of maids to show them to their rooms. The sole exception to this was Ganyu, who, as could be expected, accompanied Paul and Ningguang to the latter's private quarters.
Upon entering the luxurious chamber, filled with expensive furniture and a veritable library of books, Ningguang took the initiative to pull at the cord holding her gown in place. She had the benefit of a Geo Vision and having Zhongli around, but the crest on her abdomen had been aching ever since her separation from Paul. As someone who had absorbed his 'essence' in the past, her body craved the energy that only he could provide.
Though he was briefly surprised by Ningguang's actions, that didn't stop Paul from admiring her perfectly shaped bottom, emphasized by a pair of white, gold-trimmed panties.
Without bothering to remove her shoulder-length gloves, stockings, and heels, Ningguang turned to Paul with a desirous look on her face as she said, "At the risk of sounding imprudent, I thought we could make up for lost time while we carried out our discussion. Though Barbara might scoff if she heard me express this, I have missed you. The moments we shared back at the Notos Estate have become some of my fondest memories..."
Recalling the times she teased or simply cuddled with Paul, the smile on Ningguang's face became markedly more genuine than usual. She could emulate such an expression at will, but this was one of the few times she didn't need to. Paul had enabled her to carry out all of her plans, so even if she didn't love him the same way as some of the other girls, Ningguang both respected and admired him. After all, she half-expected him to break by now...
"Mmm..."
Distracted by Ningguang's flawless, Paul wasn't paying as much attention to her expression and words as he should. She was like a skillfully crafted doll when she was younger, but now that she had matured, only ethereal beauties like Ganyu could even hope to compete. It might sound strange as there were literal Gods among the people he had summoned, but Paul felt like she was a Goddess descended to the mortal world.
Seeing the tempered passion in Paul's gaze, Ningguang's smile gained a touch of lasciviousness as she ran the solid gold, talon-like extensions of her fingers down the central line of her body as she inquired, "I already told you what I thought about your development...perhaps you would like to return the favor~?"
Catching Ningguang slightly off guard, Paul's expressions became severe and focused as he stared directly into her eyes and said, "I'm not a poet, but even if I were, words could never capture the essence of your beauty. Instead, I will show my appreciation with actions..."
Having already removed his coat, Paul grabbed the collar of his tunic and tore it away with all his strength. He had been looking forward to this day since the moment Zhongli first explained the nature of the Intersection of Fate. It might sound unbelievably scummy, but Ningguang was one of the few women he wholeheartedly intended to conquer. To that end, he owed her for four and a half years of constant teasing...
Instead of exhibiting fear, Ningguang simply smiled in response to Paul's words and actions. He might have thought he was being sneaky, but she had seen through his intentions years ago. She wasn't able to prevent a shiver from spreading through her body when he ripped his shirt off, but her gloves and stockings prevented Paul from seeing the goosebumps on her arms and legs.
Simply put, things were developing exactly how Ningguang imagined they would. Her only oversight was that she hadn't accounted for Lisa teaching Paul techniques and weaknesses she didn't even know were a thing...
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While Paul was busy teaching Ningguang the value of practice over theory, news of his arrival naturally spread to others he had summoned through the Intersection of Fate. This included a certain pink-haired cat girl who, upon learning that Paul had returned, rushed over the room that had been set aside for him.
Without bothering to knock, said pinkette kicked open the door to Paul's room, shouting, "You sure took your time!" in a chastising tone that was undermined by the excited smile on her face. Unfortunately, rather than the person she was looking for, the pinkette was greeted by the scene of Barbara and Jean discussing something near the foot of Paul's bed. The others who had accompanied him from the North had temporarily split up, so just the two of them were present.
"..." x3
Recovering sooner than the other two, Jean adopted a friendly, albeit slightly surprised smile as she asked, "Diona? Is that really you? You've grown so much."
Though they had all grown considerably due to Paul's mishap with Touki, most of the girls resembled the versions of themselves Jean was familiar with back in their world. Diona had only been twelve back in their world, so this was the first time Jean was seeing her mature form.
Instead of responding to Jean's words, Diona slumped to the ground and began drawing circles with a depressed look on her face. She had been looking forward to her reunion with Paul ever since she miraculously grew up overnight. It had always annoyed her that she was one of the few girls he refused to touch before his departure, so she intended to get back at him for always treating her like a child.
Before Jean could recover enough to ask if Diona was okay, the latter abruptly sprung to her feet and ran off in the direction of Ningguang's office. If Paul wasn't in his room, that seemed like the most likely place for him to be.
After waiting for an additional three years, Diona's patience had reached its limit...
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Upon entering Amalie's Bakery, Paul immediately spotted Beidou sitting at a table with Jean and Ganyu. They noticed him around the same time, so Jean and Ganyu promptly rose to their feet while Beidou simply observed his approach with a knowing smile on her face.
Speaking before her more dutiful counterparts could greet Paul, Beidou remarked, "You're looking more manly than the last time I saw you. That's good."
Returning a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, Paul replied, "I guess you could say I had my eyes opened. Don't worry; from now on, I won't be making that same mistake."
Nodding her head in approval, Beidou downed the contents of her glass before slamming it on the table with a bit of force and drawing looks from the entire dining room as she half-shouted, "Well said!" before following it up with a much quieter, "We'll make a King out of you yet."
Creasing his brows, Paul felt compelled to refute Beidou's statement but ultimately decided against it. He had no intention of overthrowing any of the established countries, but if becoming King would allow him to attain his objectives, he would consider it.&nbsp;
"I've decided we'll be leaving within the next two to three days. It's a few weeks earlier than we originally planned, but there are some things I need to prepare before our journey to the Capital. First and foremost, I need to meet with Ningguang."
With Paul directing his words at her, Ganyu dutifully nodded her head and replied, "There are some risks, but I should be able to ferry everyone over the mountains. I'll just need to travel slower than I would on my own."
Though she could travel well over the speed of sound, Ganyu knew from past experiences that ordinary people couldn't endure the conditions of high-speed travel. The atmospheric pressure would force the air directly from their lungs, and the wind chill was so biting that the air temperature would drop as low as -60&deg;C. With moisture condensing on their bodies due to the temperature differential, the average person would be dead in as little as three minutes.
Rather than questioning Ganyu's reasoning, Paul asked, "At your reduced speed, how long would it take to travel from here to the Strife Zone?"
Having already calculated how long it would take her to transport Paul to pretty much every major destination in the world, Ganyu readily replied, "If we took the route over the mountains, it would take approximately twelve hours. The safer route around the mountains would take around two and a half days if I ran without rest."
Since her form of flight involved literally running across the sky as if there were invisible footholds, it was a little more taxing than the more common forms of aviation employed by dragons and other magical creatures. They used mana to propel themselves through the sky on invisible membranes, a feat aided by their large and magically conductive wings.
Without having to consider between the two options, Paul declared, "We'll travel the safer route. I'm not in that much of a hurry, and I'm not going to jeopardize everyone's safety to save a bit of time."
Adopting a faint smile, Ganyu replied, "I understand. When you're ready to leave, please let me know. And please tell everyone to dress warmly. Even if I travel at a reduced speed, it's bound to get cold very quickly."
Nodding his head, Paul shifted his attention to Jean, asking, "Can I leave this to you? I need to talk with Amalie, and I should probably spend some time with Esme. She isn't going to be happy about our departure."
Returning a nod of her own, Jean confidently replied, "Leave it to me. We had already started to purchase supplies when you expressed your desire to depart a few days ago. We can have everything prepared by tomorrow morning if necessary."
Feeling that tomorrow was a little too soon, Paul shook his head and said, "Let's make it the morning three days from now. I still need to speak with Princess Andromeda and ensure Roxy's enrollment goes without a hitch. After that, I'll need to talk with Count Schmidt to nominate someone as a proxy to maintain our agreement. I'm hoping the Guildmaster will accept, but there are a few others that come to mind if she refuses."
After his many contributions to the Ranoa Magic Academy, Paul was fairly confident the Principal would agree to just about anything he proposed. It would probably cost him several hundred AGC, but that was a small price to ensure the relative stability of the Western District.
Children like Esme deserved to have a future that didn't involve becoming slaves, laborers, or prostitutes...
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After parting ways with Jean, Ganyu, and Beidou, Paul ascended to the second floor in search of Amalie. When she wasn't working the floor or helping out in the kitchen, she could usually be found watching over her rather rambunctious children.
Opening the door to the former nursery, Paul's expression softened as he found Amalie sitting in a rocking chair as her triplets, Leo, Leon, and Thea, fumbled around with the letter blocks he had a carpenter create for them. They were nearing ten months old, but due to the rapid maturation of the Beast Race, they resembled 2~3-year-olds.
Hearing the door open, Leo's, Leon's, and Thea's heads and eyes abruptly snapped towards the entrance. When they realized the intruder was Paul, their momentary caution was immediately replaced by excitement as they charged toward, leaped at, and climbed on him.
Though Leo and Leon crawled up to his shoulders and used his hair to maintain their positions, Paul was marginally more concerned by Thea slipping into his undertunic and squeezing her head through the opening of his shirt. Members of the Beast Race relied on physical contact and marking to express themselves, so as the triplets' surrogate father figure, Paul had to get accustomed to receiving scratches and getting peed on.
As that thought crossed his mind, Paul felt a warmth spreading across his shoulders, courtesy of Leo. His smile immediately cramped, but he did his best to appear calm as he met Amalie's apologetic gaze and asked, "How have they been?"
Exhaling a sigh, Amalie rose to her feet as she replied, "Thea has started trying to mouth out words, but Leo and Leon are more interested in play-fighting than learning how to speak, read, or write."
Since he was aware that it was common for Beast Race children as old as six to be unable to speak, Paul wasn't too concerned with the triplets' lack of progress. Even Ghislaine didn't learn to speak coherently until she was around ten.
Though he had to jerk his head to the side when Leo tried to bite his ear, Paul maintained a smile as he said, "Don't let bother you. I bought these toys because I wanted to, not because I expected you to turn your kids into geniuses. I'm happy so long as the five of you can live comfortably. You deserve it."
Feeling her body heating up despite the mating season concluding a few weeks prior, an affectionate smile developed across Amalie's face as she asserted, "We might not even be here if it wasn't for you...you saved mine and Esme's lives and created a future for everyone in the Western District. Even if I-"
Interrupting before Amalie could finish, Paul plopped his hand down on her head and said, "Stop. You know well I was only doing what I believed was right. Neither you nor anyone else owes me a damn thing..."
Running his hand over Amalie's ears and along the side of her head, Paul was about to lean forward and kiss her when Thea kicked out her feet to prevent him from doing so. From the infant cat girl's perspective, she was about to be smothered between them, so she had an adorably panicked expression on her face as she fought to prevent it.
Exhaling a soft chuckle, Paul used his free hand to caress Thea's head before adopting a more serious expression and revealing, "I actually came to talk to you about something important. I'm planning to leave three days from now...I-"
Interrupting Paul this time, Amalie shook her head and said, "It's okay, Paul. I've been steeling my heart ever since we first discussed this a few months ago. Go, be with your family and pursue your dreams. You've done enough...Esme and I..."
Unable to keep up her supportive facade, Amalie's eyes began to tear up as she hugged herself and began to shake. She knew she didn't have the right to impose on Paul, but she had never felt more safe and secure than when he was around. He had provided them everything they would need to thrive, but Amalie knew it would only take a single man forcing his way into her life to ruin everything they had built together. She would do her best, but she wasn't strong enough to suppress her instincts and protect the things Paul had given her...
Sensing their mothers' duress, the triplets promptly dismounted from Paul in an attempt to comfort her. Leon, ever the mama's boy, even went as far as to hiss as Paul reached out his hands to caress Amalie's face and wipe away her tears.
Voicing his thoughts aloud, Paul muttered, "I hate seeing women cry..." in a gentle and soothing tone. In hindsight, he probably could have come up with something better, but he made up for it by saying, "I guess you'll just have to come with us. I can't take you with me to the Capital, but I can at least take you someplace safe. Somewhere I'll be able to visit you, Esme, and the triplets whenever I'm free from my travels..."
Though her hearing was exceptionally sharp, a trait common among the Beast Race, Amalie couldn't help thinking her ears were playing tricks on her. She knew she was nothing more than a burden to someone like Paul, so she didn't think it was possible for her to accompany him. Sure, he had promised to escort her to the Great Forest sometime in the future, but she was pretty sure he was just trying to give her hope...
With Amalie continuing to cry, Paul was beginning to feel anxious. He was bad at trying to comfort people under ordinary circumstances, much less when there was a trio of cat-eared toddlers glaring at him.
Fortunately for Paul, Amalie eventually came to grips with what she had heard, tentatively inquiring, "Do you mean it? Can we...can we really come with you...?"
Forcing a smile, Paul replied, "If it gets you to stop crying, I'll carry you on my back the whole way..."
Though she felt a sudden urge to scratch him for making a joke, Amalie's smile promptly returned as she realized her ears weren't playing tricks on her. She felt terrible about imposing on Paul, but the thought of being able to leave Sharia and build a life together somewhere else was like a dream come true. Paul had brought so much warmth and light into her world that she could no longer imagine being happy without him...
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After helping Amalie to calm down, coaxing the triplets with sweets, and changing into a fresh pair of clothes, Paul met up with Ei and Eula before heading to his next destination. Esme's popularity had skyrocketed ever since she became the de facto 'Little Boss' of the Western District, so she could often be found loitering around the school with a rather large group of her fellow children.
Upon finding the increasingly confident cat girl trying to teach some of the younger children how to read, Paul attempted to avoid any potential waterworks by directly informing her that she would be accompanying him, her mother, and all of her siblings when they departed Sharia in a few days. She was a little sad knowing that she would be parting with her newfound friends, but the thought of separating from her family was a lot scarier. Thus, even though they wouldn't be leaving for a few days, Esme mustered up all of her courage to say bye to her friends before returning to Paul with a resolute yet teary-eyed expression on her face...
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Chapter 99: MI99: Parting