Mushoku Impact

"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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After blowing an additional two loads into the beaker and rubbing a final one out between Albedo's thighs, Paul departed the lab in relatively high spirits. Albedo's personality left a lot to be desired, but quiet and serious girls weren't without their charms.
"Hmmm...where to next...?"
With no official duties or responsibilities, Paul found himself in a situation where he risked inconveniencing or disrupting anyone he decided to pay a visit. The girls that had accompanied him from the North were an obvious exception, at least for the time being, but he had no way of knowing what they had gotten up to since his departure from the showroom.
"I'm starting to get a better understanding of why that place exists..."
Since the showroom was where the girls gathered in their free time, it was the most obvious place to go if Paul wanted to avoid getting in the way of people trying to work. It was also conveniently located next to his room, so, even if he were just returning to rest, he would invariably be tempted to stop by and see who was inside.
"Clever girl..."
Though the showroom was a joint effort of all the girls, Paul didn't have to strain himself to imagine Ningguang roping in the rest. She could be 'very' persuasive when she wanted to be, so, even if it was just setting things in motion, Paul could picture her squinty-eyed smile as everything gradually fell into place.
Recalling his promise to inform Ningguang before he accessed the IOF, Paul asked someone to show him to the nearest clock. It was just after 5 PM, but that was around the time things began calming down as people ate dinner and prepared to retire for the night.&nbsp;
With around an hour before the sun began to set over the horizon, Paul decided he should probably check in on Amalie, Esme, and the triplets. It had only been a day since their separation, but even that was a fairly long time considering the family of felines was completely out of their element.
Fortunately for Paul, Amalie and her children hadn't just holed themselves up in their room all day, anxiously awaiting his return. Ningguang had sent a few Beast People Maids over to help them get settled in. The compound also had educational and care facilities, so Amalie ended up helping out in the kitchen while Esme received lessons in Magic and Swordsmanship. As for the triplets, the care center had personnel who were uniquely qualified to deal with Beast Race children...
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By the time Paul was finished wandering around and checking on Amalie and her kids, it was just after 6 PM. This was a good time to meet up with Ningguang, but Paul decided to get some dinner before heading over. His intuition told him it would be a long night, so he wanted to fill his stomach before anything else.
With the 'luck' he had experienced during breakfast and lunch, Paul would be lying if he said he wasn't a little disappointed to find the canteen's VIP lounge empty when he entered for dinner. It was a space large enough to seat around 50 people comfortably, so it felt odd to have such a spacious room to himself.
"Eh, it's probably for the best..."
Since he would be aiming for a new Archon during tonight's summoning, Paul knew there was a good chance the number of his companions would be increasing rather drastically. After all, there were purported to be more than a hundred people lingering within the Intersection of Fate, so the 33 he had summoned thus far was only about a third of the total amount.
With his thoughts wandering to the IOF, Paul tried to recall the names of everyone he was familiar with but had yet to summon. Diluc was the first to appear within his mind, but he also recalled people like Mona, Noelle, Sucrose, Klee, Hu Tao, and Keqing. There was also that pink-haired fox girl that was really popular in the community prior to his death, but Paul had never played through the Inazuma content, so he couldn't remember the specifics surrounding her character. All he knew for sure was that she was 'very' close to Ei...
Realizing it had been a while since he actively asked the girls about their pasts, Paul made a mental note to start updating his journal again as he prepared to depart the lounge. He half-expected someone to show up at the last moment, but that ended up being an unnecessary concern as the buffet was actually closing down by the time he emerged. The facility was open 24/7, but the only food items availably 'after hours' were bread, milk, dried meat, and vegetable stew.
With the compound shifting into night operations mode, the number of staff decreased rather drastically. There were people wandering the halls, but they were primarily security personnel rather than ordinary members of the Service Corps.
Having made the journey from the canteen to Ningguang's office earlier in the day, Paul only got turned around once or twice before finding his way. By then, Ningguang wasn't the only person awaiting his arrival. There was also Ganyu, obviously, Kokomi, Ei, and, presumably after receiving word of his return, Zhongli and Kusanali.
Just as Paul was being allowed into the room by Ganyu, Kusanali, now appearing as a mature, dark-skinned beauty with pale golden eyes and a lithe figure, remarked, "It would appear Ningguang wasn't exaggerating. In just three short years, you practically became a giant."
Adding on to Kusanali's words, an incredibly buxom woman who Paul immediately recognized as Zhongli, adopted a faint smile as she calmly appended, "Giant or no, it's rather impressive how much he has grown. I even felt my heart skip a beat when he first entered the room..."
Seeing the matured Archons, Paul briefly found himself at a complete and utter loss for words. Zhongli had developed a voluptuous figure that could rival Ei's, but she was nearly as tall as he was. Kusanali was comparatively petite, but her sharp, angular, almost snake-like eyes harmonized with her dark skin to give her a very exotic and alluring charm...
Recovering from his momentary stupor, Paul attempted to appear serious as he met Zhongli's gaze and remarked, "The IOF didn't pull any punches when it coded you as female, did it? It almost feels wrong for you to have such a figure..."
Maintaining her smile, Zhongli crossed her arms in a manner that further accented her breasts as she explained, "This is the IOF's way of making it easier for us to fulfill our respective duties. The greater your apprehension towards a particular individual, the more their body will adjust to suit your preferences. I believe we have already discussed this...?"
Nodding his head, Paul flatly replied, "Yeah, back when you were telling me how to produce Seelies. I still remember that particular conversation 'very' clearly..."
Restraining a chuckle, Zhongli squinted her eyes and said, "Speaking of which...it's been quite a while. After all this time, I imagine Lord Kusanali and I have some catching up to do..."
With Zhongli directing her gaze toward her, Ei's body tensed as a faint red hue colored her cheeks. She and Paul had produced several Seelies, but nowhere near as many as they could have. The process of giving birth to them was beyond embarrassing, and she had a hard time separating from them once they were born.
Seeing through Ei's reaction, Zhongli exhaled a faintly exasperated sigh before adopting an encouraging smile and saying, "No matter. As Master Paul grows more powerful and the energy within his body develops, the Seelies we produce will become more potent. The most important thing right now is that we gather each of the Seven. We will need an abundance of all seven Elements to achieve our goal."
Nodding her head in agreement, Ningguang chimed in to say, "That's the reason we have gathered here. Paul intends to acquire at least one more Archon before venturing back home. With any luck, Ladies Murata or Venti will be joining our ranks before the evening concludes. If not, well, we will still be able to increase the number of our allies by a fair amount."
Smiling wryly, Paul pointed out, "You know, not saying their names is an excellent way to guarantee summons you don't want. I understand your concerns about the Tsaritsa, but is Varuna really that bad? Based on what Lynette has told me, she is a very caring and righteous person."
Furrowing her brows, Ningguang retorted, "If by caring and righteous you mean controlling and quick to execute anyone who opposes her idea of a utopia, then you're spot on..."
Supporting Ningguang's assertion, Zhongli explained, "Fontaine presents itself as a nation of beauty, art, and water. However, hidden beneath the surface, it is a nation ruled by a Tyrant who purports the idea of 'absolute justice.' Any who oppose her ideals simply disappear, never to be seen or heard from again..."
"Well, that's ominous..."
Nodding her head, Zhongli replied, "Indeed." before adopting a serious expression and warning, "You should prepare yourself. If you do end up summoning the Archons of Cryo or Hydro, you may have no choice but to use your 'authority' to control them. The Tsaritsa, in particular, possesses the ability to charm men and women alike with a glance. We will intervene if she tries to use her powers against you, but unless we keep her locked away, her influence and ideals would gradually spread through the ranks of the Service Corps and beyond..."
"..."
While Zhongli's words sounded a little extreme, the Tsaritsa was one of the primary antagonists within the game. Her forces, the Fatui, were not against murder, blackmail, mind control, and even human experimentation if it meant completing their objectives. They actively worked to destabilize every other nation, often claiming the lives of countless innocents in their efforts to steal the Gnosis of other Archons and ensure their Empress, the Tsaritsa, reigned over all.
Though Paul knew there was more to the story than the Tsaritsa simply being the 'big bad,' the methods she employed to achieve her objectives were more than enough reason to take Zhongli's warning seriously. The notion of using his 'power' to compel people to obey made him more than a little uncomfortable, but, considering the Tsaritsa readily did the same, it was assuredly some kind of karmic justice to have her endure a similar experience.
"Thanks...I'll keep that in mind..."
Nodding her head in approval, Zhongli said, "That's all I can ask." before pulling out a very expensive-looking pocket watch, checking the time, and adding, "By this time, the sun would have long completed its descent over the horizon. Shall we proceed to the main event?"
Since the decision was ultimately Paul's to make, everyone focused their gazes on him. The pressure naturally exuded by the Archons was enough to make goosebumps spread across his arms and legs, but Paul managed to shrug it off with relative ease as he answered, "Sure. Afterward, we can have a little celebration-slash-reunion party. I've come to a few important realizations these last couple of weeks, so, for once, I'm actually looking forward to clapping your cheeks. I sure as hell gave you enough chances to back out..."
Though Paul's language was a little uncouth, Zhongli just exhaled a faint laugh in response to his words. She had never once been troubled by her change in gender. Rather, after spending more than 6000 years as a male, womanhood had been a rather novel experience. Thus, if Paul wanted to 'clap her cheeks,' she was more than willing to oblige.&nbsp;
Regaining her composure, Zhongli adopted an alluring smile that could give Ningguang and Lisa a run for their money as she said, "Excellent. I'm looking for to it..." in a deep yet irrefutably feminine tone.
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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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Chapter 113: MI113: Experimental