Mushoku Impact

In between mouthfuls of food, Paul took a moment to swallow before saying, "Now that I think about it, there's something I needed to tell you about, Gorou."
As her brain immediately jumped to conclusions, Hina's legs instinctually closed as she tentatively inquired, "Wh-what is it...?"
Raising his brows, Paul asked, "What's with the bashful behavior?" before shaking his head, adding, "Forget it. The thing I wanted to tell you is that I ended up summoning Kokomi last night. If I'm not mistaken, you used to be her subordinate, right?"
After blinking in surprise, Hina sat a little straighter, her ears perking up as she replied, "It would be more accurate to say I was one of her retainers. The Shiba Clan has served the Sangonomiya Clan for generations..."
As her words trailed off toward the end, Hina's narrowed her eyes in a suspicious, ostensibly threatening manner as she asked, "Did the two of you...?"
Understanding what Gorou was trying to ask, Paul nodded in affirmation, admitting, "Yeah." despite the dog girl's ears angling backward as if she were about to attack him.
Inserting herself into the conversation, Rosaria narrowed her own eyes as she asked, "Just who are you baring your teeth at...?"
Realizing what she was doing, Hina stopped growling, averted her eyes, and softly muttered, "Forgive my impertinence. It's just...I have protected Mistress Kokomi since we were children. Back in Inazuma, I even led her armies to oppose the Vision Hunt Decree. I just...didn't expect something like this to occur..."
As she had at one point intended to 'sacrifice' herself in order to preserve Kokomi's purity, even if only for a short while, hearing Paul admit they had already slept together was like a slap in the face to Hina. She wasn't too surprised, understanding well the kind of person her 'former' Master was, but the suddenness of the revelation left her reeling.
Running her fingers through her hair, Hina shifted her gaze to the ceiling, a wry smile marring her face as she muttered, "So this is the price of my indecision. The Heavens must be laughing..."
Furrowing his brows, Paul asked, "You good...?" in a concerned yet mildly annoyed tone. The way Gorou was behaving made it seem as though him sleeping with Kokomi had tainted her. He understood why she was upset, but it wasn't like he had forced the salmon-haired Priestess to sleep with him...
More so in admonition of herself, rather than denial of Paul's query, Hina shook her head and replied, "I'm lamenting my decision to conceal myself the previous night. I was given the opportunity to join you in the bath but refused for fear of being judged. Had I been bolder, I may have been able to-"
"Seriously, Gorou? I hate to break it to you, but your presence wouldn't have had any impact on the outcome of last night. Don't get me wrong, you've certainly become more attractive these past three years, but I had already decided to spend the evening with Diona by then. My summoning of Kokomi was completely random, so, even if you threw yourself at me in the bath, the only thing you would have achieved is getting your cheeks clapped first."
"..."
While Rosaria exhaled a sigh at the side, Hina was completely silenced by Paul's repudiation. Knowing there was nothing she could have done didn't exactly make her feel better...
Shaking his head in mild exasperation, Paul began cutting into a piece of steak as he suggested, "Look, just talk to Kokomi, okay? If you still think I did something wrong after that, well, I don't really know what to tell you? I can apologize and perform a dogeza for you, but it's not like I can undo what's already been done."
Finished with what he had to say, Paul picked up the cut piece of steak and began chewing it with a visibly annoyed expression on his face. He had wanted to break the awkward tensions by mentioning something he believed would make Gorou happy. Her reaction, while understandable, had ruined his mood completely.
Realizing she had severely wronged Paul, Hina wanted to apologize but didn't know how to go about it. Back in her previous world, her previous life, she would have had no trouble apologizing and attempting to make amends. Ever since she had been summoned into the world of Mushoku Tensei, things that used to be so simple had now become progressively harder...
Hanging her head and shoulders, Hina's ears drooped as she stared at her plate with a listless expression on her face. Before she could even think to excuse herself, however, Rosaria surprised her by lazily asserting, "Relax. You didn't really do anything wrong, and our Master isn't the type of man who would condemn someone for wanting to protect the people they care for. Behaving all depressed like that is just going to make the both of you feel guilty over nothing..."
Raising her head, Hina briefly met Rosaria's gaze before looking up to find Paul with a visibly conflicted look on his face. His brows furrowed further when their gazes met, but he didn't say anything and just kept chewing on his food.
Furthering the feelings of awkwardness sprouting within Paul and Hina, Rosaria rested her cheek atop the knuckles of her right hand as she said, "Since you seem to have forgotten, allow me to remind you. Our Master might like to put on a strong front, but he's fairly sensitive just below the surface. He's also prone to negative thoughts, so he's probably thinking he actually 'did' do something wrong now that you've made a big deal out of it..."
"Rosaria..."
Setting down his fork, Paul gave the ashen-skinned beauty a disproving look that was undermined by the consternation in his eyes. He knew she was trying to 'help' him, but it was never pleasant hearing people casually reveal things he at least pretended to keep secret.
Rolling her eyes, Rosaria moved to exit the booth as she said, "Whatever. I finished eating a while ago, so I'm gonna head out. If you need me, I'll be in my or Lynette's room. Just be sure you don't bring that depressive cloud with you when you come."
Finished with what she had to say, Rosaria emulated Paul by raising her hand in a casual gesture of farewell. She would usually leave without so much as a word, but seeing Paul depressed over nothing always bothered her. Even if he was just putting on a mask, she preferred seeing him happy and behaving like an idiot...
With neither of them speaking as they followed Rosaria's departure, the atmosphere between Paul and Hina became tense the moment it was just the two of them. Neither really knew what to say, so Paul just focused on eating while Hina just stared at her plate, this time without the depressive aura.
Interrupting Hina's introspection, Paul surprised her with a faint, "Sorry...I should have taken your relationship into consideration before choosing to sleep with Kokomi..."
Opening her mouth, Hina's first instinct was to refute Paul's words and tell him he had done nothing wrong. Instead, she remained silent, a conflicted look marring her face as various thoughts assailed her mind. Even in her previous world, the notion of a Lord/Daimyo apologizing to their Retainers bordered on the absurd. Paul's status was inarguably much, much higher than that, so Hina couldn't help feeling as though she had betrayed both him and her former Master by baring her teeth at him...
"Hyan-!?
Snapping Hina from her despairing thoughts, Paul used the index finger of his right hand to poke her in the boob. He hadn't done anything special, but her body reacted as though it had been electrocuted, her ears and tail standing on end as she nearly jumped from her seat.
Surprised by the rather unexpected response, Paul's expression revealed a hint of incredulity as he remarked, "You're pretty sensitive, huh...?"
Covering her breasts with both hands, Hina adopted an aggrieved, almost teary-eyed expression as she half-turned away from Paul and said, "You wouldn't understand...everything about a woman's body is more sensitive than a man's. Wearing thicker clothes helps a little, but this body is prone to overheating if I cover too much..."
Though she was tempted to complain to Paul about the woes of sweat accumulating in specific areas and causing chaffing, Hina eventually came to her senses, frowning as she questioned, "Why did you touch me all of a sudden?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul replied, "You looked like you were about to say or do something stupid." before stacking his plates atop Rosaria's and adding, "Well, I'm off to see what Albedo wanted to discuss. Also, the last time I saw Kokomi, she was on her way to meet with Ningguang. If you go to her, I'm sure she'll be able to reunite you with your beloved Master."
Hearing Paul address Kokomi as her Master, a feeling of anxiety began to permeate Hina's chest. She had recognized Paul as her Lord and pledged to follow him shortly after her summoning. The time they had spent apart had evidently affected her views of him, but he was still her one and 'only' Master.
As Paul moved to leave the lounge, Hina ignored the fact she was wearing a kimono, practically leaping from the booth and dropping to one knee as she exclaimed, "Master Paul, please wait...!"
Though he was startled as shit by Gorou's behavior, muttering, "What the flying fuck...!?" under his breath, Paul managed to collect himself by the time he turned around and asked, "What is it?" in a calm tone.
Thinking the standard prostration wasn't enough, Hina transitioned into a full-on dogeza, her forehead pressed to the ground as she affirmed, "You are my Master...!" in a loud, firm tone.
As the corner of his lips twitched, Paul resisted the urge to say, "Yeah, and...?" Instead, he took a moment to choose his words before saying, "Then raise your head and follow my previous instructions by going and talking to Kokomi. As for the matter from before...just forget it. I learned from someone in a similar situation as you that it's best if we just forget about such things and move forward. While your memories of it remain in the past, the restoration of your world is a matter for the far future. Don't get so caught up in the present you stumble trying to move forward..."
Turning away from Garou, Paul didn't see it as the buxom dog girl stared at him with a look typically reserved for members of a cult staring at their Founder. Her previous movements had ripped and loosened her kimono, but, for the first time in years, she didn't consider her appearance as she adopted a radiant smile and replied, "Understood, Master." before rising to her feet and ostensibly following after him. In truth, she was heading off to carry out Paul's instructions; their destinations just happened to lay in the same direction...
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After separating with Gorou, who he now knew as Hina, Paul could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He didn't really know how to explain it, but it was like the entire atmosphere around the dog girl had changed from the time of their first meeting to the moment she affirmed he was her Master.
As the changes in Hina weren't necessarily a bad thing, Paul elected to simply ignore them for the time being as he made his way into one of the more secure regions of the underground compound. He even had to pass through an entire corridor where the ceiling was designed to drop twenty blocks of incredibly dense stone, each weighing more than 70,000kgs, as a countermeasure against theft and enemy attacks.
With projects that included the development of Elemental Explosives that could already rival Emperor-Ranked Ritual Magic, Albedo took the security of her labs very seriously.
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"Please, try not to touch anything..."
After allowing Paul access to her laboratory, those were the first words Albedo said before subsequently dismissing the three nerdy-looking girls serving as her assistants.
Waiting until it was just the two of them, Paul adopted a teasing smile as he said, "I wasn't going to, but now I kind of wanna..."
Turning her gaze towards Paul, Albedo issued a soft, "Hmmm..." before appearing to ignore his comment as she turned away and said, "I'm glad you chose to come here so soon after my invitation. Though, considering I've been waiting for 1018 days, it isn't exactly accurate to say your arrival has been timely..."
While speaking to Paul, Albedo made her way over to a table that sported enough beakers, tubes, and gas burners to make a Chemist blush. Then, despite knowing the answer, she asked, "What do you know of Alchemy?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul replied, "More than most, but nowhere near as much as an actual Alchemist."
Picking up one of the many beakers, Albedo hummed an, "I see..." before turning around and adding, "Then I'll not waste both of our time by going into the specifics. It's enough to know that the fundamentals are analysis, deconstruction, and reconstruction. To that end, please fill this container with as much of your semen as possible."
"..."
Seeing Paul's, 'are you being serious right now?' kind of expression, a soft sigh emanated from Albedo's throat as she muttered, "Well, it was worth a shot..." before reaching up to release the clasp keeping her blue and white lab coat in place.&nbsp;
Before Albedo could finish removing her elbow-length gloves, Paul placed the beaker she had handed him to the side, asking, "I'm guessing this has something to do with my void energy and your girls' dependency on it?"
Though she continued removing her gloves, Albedo raised her brows ever so slightly as she answered, "Indeed. While we can maintain our physical forms with mana-rich foods and other consumables, that is predicated on the fact we remain fairly inactive. If we are to grow stronger and make full use of our abilities, we need a steady supply of your...essence."
Using her lab coat as a cushion of sorts, Albedo kneeled in front of Paul as if were guaranteed he would 'assist' in her experiment. This made it appear as though she was prepared to give him a blowjob, but her actual intent was to use her hands so that the sample wouldn't be contaminated. The proximity of her face to Paul's crotch was entirely for the purposes of observation and analysis.
Seeing Paul making no efforts to lower or remove his trousers, Albedo looked up at him, her luminous teal eyes emanating a faint glow as she questioned, "Is something the matter? If you would prefer someone else performing the extraction, we can resume once you have petitioned their assistance. However, I must insist that the extraction be performed here. I need the freshest possible sample to conduct my analysis."
Instead of answering Albedo's question, Paul asked, "Are you sure you're okay with this? I don't want you to feel like you're forcing yourself. Rather, now that I know what it's for..."
Picking up the liter-sized beaker, a wry smile involuntarily made its way to Paul's face before he shook his head and questioned, "Anywhere private around here? I can't fill the entire container, but I should be able to pump one or two shots out if you give me ten to fifteen minutes."
Not expecting Paul's sudden cooperation, Albedo typically expressionless face remained unchanged. Paul did, however, manage to earn a bit of her respect.
Though she didn't hesitate to rise to her feet, Albedo felt obligated to explain, "Your concern is appreciated, but you should know I'm not like the others who have had their genders modified. While I am presently a human, I was originally a Homunculus, an artificial being created through the Art of Khemia. I have never had any attachment to concepts such as gender, so you need not be on tenterhooks around me..."
Having finished donning her gloves, Albedo turned to face Paul directly as she added, "While I have benefitted from the presence of the Geo Archon and my associated Vision, they are only a stop-gap measure. I still require your essence to grow stronger and alleviate the sense of discomfort that, even now, emanates from the crest on my abdomen. To that end, it would make my job a little easier if you were to visit once or twice a day. First, to provide a fresh sample, and second..."
Placing her hand over her abdomen, Albedo did her best to emulate the look Ningguang gave others when she was about to tease them. She was able to get the eyes right, but the complete lack of a smile almost made it appear as though she was about to attack rather than tease someone...
Not expecting someone other than Kay to try and flirt with him, Paul was both surprised and a little taken aback by Albedo's attempt at seduction. He didn't particularly mind it, but it was so out of character compared to his impression of her younger counterpart. Back then, Albedo always had her nose in a book and would sometimes completely ignore him if he tried to strike up a conversation...
Misinterpreting Paul's expression as confusion, Albedo pat her stomach and clarified, "I'm asking you to cum in vagina. Once should be enough, but I don't mind receiving additional shots so long as it doesn't take too long or interfere with my ability to carry out my research. I don't have a lot of free time for things like 'recreation' and recovery..."
Suppressing a bemused chuckle, Paul shook his head and said, "I'll keep that in mind." before holding up the beaker to face level and adding, "You know, if you're as comfortable being female as you claim, why not give me a hand? Not in the literal sense, more so along the lines of providing a bit of motivation..."
Furrowing her brows ever so slightly, Albedo responded with a curt, "I'm not good with things like metaphors and innuendos. If there's something you want me to do, clarify it outright."
Since he was a little interested in seeing how far Albedo would go, Paul shrugged his shoulders and said, "If we were going to fuck afterward, I would ask you to masturbate. However, since I'm assuming you'll need clean hands to conduct your research, how about you drop your shorts, bend over that table, and stick your butt out? You might not be aware of this, but the view of a woman's backside in form-fitting lingerie is one of the most captivating sights for men of all ages..."
Though she narrowed her eyes in suspicion, Albedo eventually replied, "Very well..." before turning around and pulling at the clasp of her belt. She was wearing a pair of form-fitting shorts that hugged her figure and bit into her thigh, but they slid off rather easily due to their elasticity.
Just as she was about to stick her butt out, Albedo was surprised to find herself hesitating. Not because she was afraid to be seen, but because it had been 2-3 days since she last returned to her room to change clothes. She hadn't done anything to get them dirty, but the notion that Paul might spot a pee stain or something similar caused Albedo's body to freeze up...
Noticing Albedo's hesitation, Paul asked, "What's up? Did you change your mind...?"
Ignoring Paul's question, Albedo pulled open the front of her panties to inspect them directly. There was a very slight stain, hardly noticeable, but that was more than enough reason for her to lower them, concealing the evidence within the confines of her shorts as she asked, "This should be more effective, no...?"
Without waiting for Paul's reply, Albedo bent over and stuck her fair yet surprisingly voluminous butt out. She had a very lean and athletic figure, so Paul half-expected her ass to be as modest as her chest or as flat as her expression.
Though it was pretty obvious that Albedo was trying to hide something, Paul ultimately just shrugged his shoulders and began loosening his belt. Albedo had a perfectly puckered asshole, a tantalizing thigh gap, and one of the cleanest labial pleats he had ever seen. She also had a bit of pale, ashen-grey pubes, something that was pretty rare among the women he had summoned through the IOF.
Hearing the sound of rustling clothes, Albedo peeked over her shoulder to observe Paul's actions. When he eventually dropped his trousers, the trio of white dots in her irises began to revolve as her pupils contracted to the size of pinholes. She had known that Paul was inordinately well endowed, but this was her first time witnessing just how 'blessed' he was in terms of his male symbol...
Voicing her thoughts aloud, Albedo asserted, "It's a good thing we aren't having sex right this instant. I'll need to prepare some lubricant and a few other items to reduce the risk of tearing..."
Shaking his head, Paul refuted Albedo's statement, claiming, "Women are a lot more 'adaptive' than you think. Though she could only accommodate about half my total length, even Diona was able to accept me without any significant issues. She had a bit of trouble regulating her breathing at first, but that's pretty common during your first time."
"I see..."
Since Paul had a significant amount of experience on the subject, Albedo decided to trust his claim. She still planned to obtain some lubricant, but it would only come out if she felt her body wasn't adapting as quickly as his words suggested.&nbsp;
In all things, be it science, alchemy, or life in general, it was much better to be safe than sorry...
With Paul having already started masturbating, his eyes focused intently on her bottom; Albedo only observed him for a few seconds before facing forward and letting her thoughts wander to her research. With Paul having returned, at least for the time being, she would need to adjust the priority of several projects. If she was lucky, he might even summon Sucrose, or, better yet, her Master...the person who had both created and instructed her in the ancient Art of Khemia...
Remembering the exchange she had with both her Master and surrogate mother, a look of conviction appeared on Albedo's face. Ningguang might be the de facto leader of their group, excluding Paul, but there was only so much her administrative prowess could achieve. Albedo believed the success of their mission hinged on the progress of her research and the power of the Archons. To that end, she int-
Feeling a sudden warmth impact her bottom, Albedo snapped out of her thoughts and looked back to find a viscous white fluid covering her butt, thighs, and lower back. Paul had been a little slow with the beaker, so a thick stream of his semen ended up on her body.
"..."
Seeing the deadpan expression on Albedo's face, Paul's smile became noticeably wry as he said, "Sorry...it's been a while since I masturbated. Years, in fact..."
Though she didn't think it was a valid excuse, Albedo didn't chastise Paul for his 'mishap.' Instead, she responded with a monotone, "I see..." before reaching down and activating her Geo Crest. She knew this would trigger a dependency reaction that caused her body to crave Paul's semen, but it was likely only a matter of hours before they had sex. Thus, for the sake of establishing a baseline for future comparisons, Albedo closed her eyes and focused on the way Paul's energy permeated her body, filling it with a revitalizing warmth that seemed to accumulate most prominently near her groin...
While Albedo was focused on how his energy was disseminating through her body, Paul's eyes focused on the moisture accumulating between her folds. It wasn't apparent at first, but even though he had yet to touch her, Albedo's labium had begun to part and pulse ever so slightly, almost as if they were inviting him inside...
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As much as he was enjoying the girls' performances, Paul took advantage of a natural lull in the action to ask, "Are you girls okay with this? I kind of get what Ningguang was aiming at, but doesn't this all feel a little, I don't know, forced...?"
In response to Paul's question, it was Xinyan, wearing tight, black leather shorts, fishnet stockings, and skull-shaped stickers over her nipples, who answered, "I get that. Back when this place was still a work in progress, it was kind of a ghost town. Over time, however, it became a fun little place where we could just hang out, sing, dance, and cut loose without having to worry about how the people outside viewed us."
Nodding her head, Yaoyao, wearing a lace bodice, panties, and stockings, added, "If you look closely, this place incorporates elements that reflect each of the people you have summoned through the IOF. Diona came up with the idea for the bar, Xinyan and Yun Jin came up with the idea for the stage, and I'm the one who pitched the idea for the Red Room's registry. I know you enjoy spending time with certain girls, but you shouldn't ignore the rest of us..."
Seeing Yaoyao briefly shift her gaze to the pair of sisters flanking him, a wry smile developed across Paul's face. While it was true he had stronger feelings for Jean and Barbara than most other girls, the only reason he invited them to sit next to him was that they had finished changing shortly after he sat down. If Yaoyao had come over first, he probably would have had her sit on his lap.
Shaking his head, Paul said, "You're mistaken. Your words make it sound as though I'm actively avoiding certain people. You're not wrong, but the simple truth is that there are some lines I just didn't want to cross. I can set aside my reservations and fuck a loli if they're legal, but even if they were as hot as Ei, I wouldn't lay my hands on someone I still viewed as a child. And I mean by my standards, not societies."
Though he knew the current legal age was the result of humans having short lifespans and nearly going extinct, twice, Paul believed society was long past due for a reformation. At the very least, 30, 40, and even 50+-year-old men shouldn't be marrying girls as young as ten. It was a little more acceptable for tweens to get engaged and marry one another, but letting old ass Nobles legally prey on young girls was unbelievably fucked up.
Conveniently forgetting that Reida would be included among the people Paul found disgusting, Paul went on to say, "Not that that matters in this situation. It's been more than six years since I summoned you, and you were around twelve years old at that time. That makes you a fine, albeit adorable, adult. The only reason I didn't drag you off to a broom closet or something while you were chasing me is that I didn't feel like it. Sex might be one of the defining characteristics of my life, but it's not what gets me up in the morning...well, most of the time..."
Shaking away his lascivious thoughts, Paul adopted a serious expression as he said, "I never want to view you girls as little more than an outlet to express my desires. Truth be told, I miss the days when we could all just hang out and mess around without it leading to sex. Hell, I even miss our bath times..."
Though he still took baths with the girls, Paul reminisced of a time when everyone was still uneasy and worried about being seen. Girls like Xinyan had been an exception, but even that had its charms. Now, the majority of his baths included blowjobs, titjobs, or full-blown sex. Paul enjoyed every single second of it but spending nearly a third of his life fucking had a way of building up stress rather than relieving it...
"Paul..."
Hearing Paul's words, Barbara couldn't help feeling guilty. The same could be said for the others gathered around, but she knew she was one of the most 'fervent' when it came to spending time with Paul. She wanted to be the first person that entered his mind when he thought of people he could rely on to endure anything he could throw at her, so she used Healing and Water Magic so that she could continue until the end.
"Hey, what's with that face? You didn't do anything wrong..."
Since he already had his arms wrapped around the two sisters, Paul was able to pull Barbara close and press a kiss to her lips. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was enough to return the smile to her face when they separated.
Adopting a faint smile of his own, Paul returned his gaze to Yaoyao and the group as a whole as he said, "So, yeah, I'm down to give you a good shunting if you doubt my willingness, but I'd rather we get to know each other first. I would have liked to do the same with Diona, but she kind of burst into Ningguang's bedroom, and, well, the rest is history..."
Not wanting to reveal that Diona was on the verge of tears and that he was in a bad mental state at the time, Paul just smiled and allowed the silence he had created to linger. It wasn't his intention to make the girls feel guilty, but his intuition told him he would be fucked three ways from Sunday if he didn't come forward now. After all, even with a few people being away on missions, he was outnumbered at least thirty to one. After tonight, that disparity would increase even further...
As confident as he was in his abilities to satisfy his partner, Paul wasn't foolish to believe he could compete with 30+ women. He could probably manage if Ningguang or someone created a schedule similar to the Red Room's registry, but that just felt so...disingenuous. He would much rather encourage the girls that had accompanied him from the North to catch up and reintegrate with the others while he focused on doing the same.&nbsp;
Feeling that the silence had lingered long enough, Paul opened his eyes, smiling as he said, "So, yeah, let's talk. Preferably over lunch. A piece of sausage and a single bite of toast isn't much of a breakfast. I'm not sure what time it is, but I'm sure it's well past time for lunch."
Though the other girls kept their eyes on Paul, Xinyan and Yaoyao looked toward a clock located by the bar. When they saw that it was already past 2 PM, they were genuinely surprised as it didn't really feel like eight hours had passed...
Following the girls' gaze, Paul's smile widened as he said, "Time flies in good company." before surprising Barbara and Jean by rising to his feet and adding, "I'll see you girls in the canteen. If you're not really feeling hungry, then I guess I'll see you when I see you."
Ignoring the feeling of 'wrongness' that accompanied walking away from a bevy of beautiful women wearing little more than lingerie, Paul departed the showroom with a listless smile on his face. Throughout his speech, he had been willfully hoping that the girls would, at least for the time being, focus less on him and more on getting to know each other. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with them, quite the opposite; he just didn't want them basing their every decision on whether or not it would satisfy him.&nbsp;
Being the center of other peoples' lives was as exhausting as it was gratifying...
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After reaching the canteen, guided by a peculiar Maid with dark skin, lime green hair, and leaf-green eyes, Paul thanked the apparent Half-Dryad for her assistance before making his way over to the buffet tables. He wasn't on the verge of starving, but his stomach had been protesting even during his impromptu game of tag with Yaoyao.&nbsp;
While it allowed him to stay awake and continue fighting for days on end, one of the downsides to possessing a Dendro Vision was a rather drastic increase in appetite. Paul wasn't sure of his exact caloric intake, but even a glutton like Ghislaine couldn't compete with him in terms of food intake. She had tried on several occasions, but while she could put down food at a rather ridiculous rate, he always came out ahead in terms of quantity.
With the bouncers allowing him to pass without issue, Paul was prepared to find a table for himself but paused when he noticed three people sitting within. Most people ate lunch between the hours of 10 AM and 1 PM, so it was a little strange to find three people present and, more notably, seated apart.
As Paul stepped into the lounge, the trio of women eating alone all shifted their attention to him. The one closest to the entrance had teal eyes, pale skin, and ashy, light brown hair that extended past her shoulders. She had a slender frame and modest breasts, but her eyes gave off the impression she could see through all the secrets of the universe.
Sitting a little further away from the woman Paul had instantly identified as Albedo was yet another person he immediately recognized as she had appeared during his impromptu summoning the previous night. Not in her physical form, but as a naked Constellation. She was a little taller than the average woman, but the traits most people would take notice of were her Ei-tier breasts, her voluptuous figure, and her distinctive, brown and white hair. She also had dog ears and a tail, but those were fairly common in the world of Mushoku Tensei.
As the final girl was someone who had returned with him from the North, Paul raised his brows and inquired, "Albedo, Gorou, Rosaria? Why are the three of you sitting so far apart...?"
Being the closest to the entrance, and, as a result, Paul, Albedo took it upon herself to answer, "I do not like to tarry during meals, so I typically eat alone. If Ningguang had not prohibited it, I wouldn't bother coming to the canteen and just dine in my lab. Speaking of which..."
Rising to her feet, Albedo left the food on her tray as she walked over to Paul and added, "I have been meaning to speak with you. If time permits, please have someone escort you to Research Block 3."
Assuming that Paul would invite them to eat together, Albedo promptly excused herself after she was finished conveying her message. She didn't particularly mind socializing, but there were more productive uses of her time. After all, while she had been teaching a few promising students, she was singularly responsible for the scientific and alchemical advancements of their group. Even a few minutes of her time was equivalent to a nation's entire research and development department taking the month off.
"..."
After following Albedo's departure with his eyes, Paul shook his head, a wry smile developing across his face as he turned toward the other two present and asked, "Are the two of you going to run off as well...?"
In response to Paul's words, Rosaria exhaled one of her characteristically exasperated sighs, muttering, "How troublesome..." before picking up her plate and moving over to where Gorou was sitting, her voice a lazy drone as she asked, "Mind if I sit here...?"
"Uh...by all means...?"
Since she wasn't planning to encounter Paul this early, Hina's mind was a mess. Despite that, she had always been someone who cared deeply for her comrades, so she didn't have the heart to run away or refuse Rosaria's request.&nbsp;
"Mmm..."
Placing her plate a little bit away from Hina's, Rosaria looked toward Paul and asked, "Happy...?" with a lazy deadpan on her face. In response, Paul just smiled as he made his way over to the girls' table, understanding why Rosaria had left some space and was still standing. She was clearly giving him the middle seat, so Paul slid into the booth before her, pretending not to notice Gorou's body momentarily tensing like a statue as he proceeded to make light conversation...
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Chapter 112: MI112: The Hand That Feeds