Mushoku Impact

Though she had rushed over to the inspection area at the mention of Paul's name, Lilia couldn't help frowning when she found herself in front of a man she had never met. He was tall and admittedly handsome, but those were far from the only traits she looked for in a man.
"Who are you to call my name so familiarly...?"
Adopting a wry, somewhat helpless smile, Paul countered, "Seriously? I know I've changed, but I shouldn't be unrecognizable. Besides, just look at the people around me. You should be able to recognize a few of them, right...?"
While maintaining a cautious expression, Lilia took a moment to inspect the group of girls surrounding Paul. She immediately recognized girls like Jean, Ei, and Eula, but the person who convinced her of Paul's words was Xinyan. Dark skin wasn't a particularly rare trait, but Lilia had never met a second person with natural streaks of red and orange in their hair. Xinyan also had a rather 'unique' sense of fashion, something that drew attention pretty much everywhere she went.
Realizing that the man across from her was, in fact, her Master, Lilia was about to bow as respectfully as she possibly could before Paul promptly interrupted her, stating, "I'm no longer the Heir Apparent of House Notos. Even if you feel you ought to, you need not bow to me. Rather, now that we're no long Master and servant, I'd like it if we could become friends..."
Though she felt compelled to refute and declare that he would always be her Master, Lilia stopped herself as she noticed the severity and caution in Paul's eyes. He had a friendly and easy-going smile on his face, but his balance and posture made it clear he hadn't lowered his guard.
"I see..."
Realizing what must be going on, Lilia's expression became serious as her amethyst-purple eyes flickered with comprehension. She didn't know the full details, but it was clear Paul didn't trust the men and women guarding the Estate. If someone were listening in and he attested to being the First Son of House Notos, it could lead to all kinds of problems for his parents, siblings, and...
Seeing a look of realization don on Lilia's face, a soft chuckle emanated from Paul's throat. Very few people, aside from the King's personal circle of friends and allies, knew the truth about the relationship between Paul and Reida. It was a closely guarded secret, so much so that Lilia had not been told the truth despite having a direct role in the twins' upbringing...
Exhaling a slightly annoyed sigh, Lilia muttered, "I knew it..." before giving Paul a borderline death stare as she added, "You need to leave. Someone else will search you in another room. Leave these girls to us."
"Yeah, yeah, I know..."
Raising his hands in a gesture of mock-defeat, Paul made his way out of the holding room. Earhart and a trio of Knights were waiting out in the hall for him, so he let them escort him one room over before stripping down to his skivvies. He would ordinarily be required to remove even that, but the men Earhart had tasked to search him were loyalists who respected him a great deal.
What Paul never expected was for a disturbance to occur just as he had finished stripping. The guards didn't even have the time to go through his pockets before the familiar voice of a woman could be heard shouting for people to get out of the way. Shivers immediately ran up Paul's spine, but before he could even think to hide, the reinforced metal door to the room was practically knocked off its hinges as a buxom woman with pale green eyes and wavy, honey-blonde hair barged into the room.
As Paul was screaming 'oh shit' in his mind, the woman, none other than his Mother, looked toward Earhart and stated, "Captain Earhart, you and your men are excused. My son may have relinquished his status, but he has more than earned the right to be treated with dignity and respect. I'll handle things from here."
Though it was a complete breach of protocol, Earhart didn't hesitate to thump his chest and reply, "By your will, My Lady...!" before immediately moving to carry out her orders.&nbsp;
As Earhart and his men gathered their things and rushed out of the room, Valentine stood off to the side in a very regal manner, hands folded over her lap and a faint smile on her face. Once they were gone, however, she promptly shut the door behind them before looking towards Paul with an almost predatory look on her face...
"You left without saying goodbye..."
Forcing a smile, Paul attempted to excuse his actions by stating, "I never left. I knew I would forever remain in your heart, and you never once left mine. Why say goodbye when we never actually parted...?"
Though she had anticipated that Paul would try to disarm her with flowery words, Valentine's mental faculties ground to a halt when she heard what he had to say. Then, as if it were the most natural thing to do, she lowered her gaze to his nearly naked body, unabashedly admiring it with a longing expression on her face as she said, "You've grown so much..."
Just as the goosebumps on his skin had started to settle, Paul developed a fresh layer as Valentine raised her gaze to meet his, a sad yet hopeful smile forming across her face as she spread her arms and added, "But no matter how much you grow, you're still my Little Sun...right?"
Ignoring the alarm bells sounding in his mind, Paul's expression softened as he replied, "Always..." in a sincere tone. His relationship with Valentine had always made him a little uncomfortable, but she was the only Mother he had ever truly known. As for her propensity to kiss him on the lips and smother him in her bosom...well, every culture had its traditions...
While repeating those words like a mantra within his mind, Paul offered no meaningful resistance as Valentine approached, grabbed the sides of his head, and pulled him into a less than chaste kiss. She also leaned her full weight against him, her G, maybe E-Cup breasts squishing against him as she licked the interior of his mouth and suckled his tongue.
Entirely against his will, Paul's not-so-little brother promptly raised his head to see what all the fuss was about. Valentine immediately noticed this, but instead of ceasing her actions or getting offended, an amused chuckle emanated from her throat as she retracted her lips long enough to whisper, "I am willing to give my everything for my children...but I still love your Father. I could never betray him in such a manner..."
Leaving Paul feeling more than a little confused, Valentine accompanied her words by drawing her hips flush with his own, a perceptible warmth transmitting through the fabric of her dress as she began to grind against him. Then, as if to prevent his protest, she started kissing him with even greater intensity and passion than before.
Though he initially held his hands out and away from Valentine's body, it didn't take long for Paul to reach around and grasp her surprisingly toned ass. Another amused chuckle emanated from her throat, but this time she didn't say anything until she eventually had to stop to gasp for air.
Staring into Paul's face with her hazy green eyes, Valentine could see the barely restrained passion in her son's gaze. Unfortunately, no matter how much her body craved their union, she knew that some lines should never be crossed. So long as they didn't go too much farther, they could excuse their behavior as having a particularly strong bond between Mother and son. Such 'bonds' weren't uncommon among the Nobility, so, as long as they drew the line before sex, Valentine didn't mind if Paul wanted to do more...
Reinforcing this sentiment, Valentine squinted her eyes lovingly as she said, "I can use my mouth and breasts...but you'll have to make sure it doesn't get on my dress..."
Hearing Valentine's suggestion, Paul immediately came to his senses, instinctually grabbing the woman's shoulders as he forced a smile and asserted, "We should stop...I would be pissed beyond reconciliation if Father did this to one of my women, so let's end things here..."
Instead of expressing disappointment at Paul's words, Valentine adopted an approving smile as she replied, "It's good that you know when to stop. That's one of the most important things to learn when transitioning from a child into adulthood. You really have grown..."
Releasing her almost vice-like grip on Paul's head, Valentine took a step back before adding, "You really are your Father's son..." as she eyed the rather sizeable tent he was pitching. This caused the smile on Paul's face to turn even wrier, but he made no attempts to conceal himself from view. He had just spent the last three, maybe even five minutes grinding against his own Mother; acting like he had any sense of shame at this point would just be stupid...
After suppressing the urge to ask if Paul was certain about not wanting to use her mouth, Valentine corrected her posture and said, "I'll be waiting in the next room. When you're ready, I'll escort you and your friends into the Estate. There is something the Lord, your Father, wishes to discuss before you meet Aiden and Aria."
Blinking in surprise, Paul asked, "Aiden and Aria? Are those the names of my...?"
Nodding her head, the smile on Valentine's face blossomed like the first flower of Spring as she said, "You should prepare yourself. Aiden is even more talented than you were at his age. He is only two years old, but has demonstrated a tremendous intellect. Just recently, Lilia stumbled across him practicing elementary level Water Magic in your former study."
Though Valentine's words made him feel a strange sense of incongruency, Paul's smile widened as he asked, "Seriously? Don't tell her I said this, but I was a little worried that Reida's genes would make them musclebrains..."
After giggling in amusement, Valentine left Paul feeling a little speechless as she mused, "That would be Aria. She is as quiet and unassuming as a doll but possesses the strength to shift the furniture around her's and Aiden's room. She isn't lacking in cleverness, but it's apparent she got the lion's share of their strength while Aiden inherited his Father's incredible intellect..."
Smiling wryly, Paul resisted the urge to suggest he wasn't the prodigy people made him out to be. Instead, he said, "Great. I can't wait to meet them." before grabbing his trousers from the table. Valentine seized the opportunity to steal a glance at his butt, but Paul pretended not to notice as he started getting dressed. It was only when Valentine turned to leave that he looked over, his eyes widening as his Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision allowed him to see her round, full, and bare-naked ass...
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After donning his clothes and intruding in on the conversation between his mother and the girls, Paul entered his former home for the first time in more than three years. Very little had changed since the last time he was there, the only notable difference being a severe reduction in the number of staff roaming the halls. There were still more than a hundred Maids and Butlers on duty, but that was a far cry from the literal thousands of people that had once occupied the now eerily silent Estate...
Before reaching the corridor connecting to his Father's office, Valentine stopped their little procession to say, "I wish to continue my conversation with your companions. I trust you still remember the way to your Father's office...?"
Nodding his head, Paul replied, "Yeah, I'll be fine." before seeing the girls off with a lingering stare and an ostensibly carefree smile. In actually, he was feeling increasingly anxious with each passing moment. Not because he was particularly afraid of his Father, but because it was kind of difficult to look someone directly in the eyes when you were grinding their girl just a few minutes prior...
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After adequately psyching himself up, Paul knocked on the door to his Father's study.&nbsp;
"Enter."
Doing just that, Paul pushed open the door to find his Father, Amarant, facing away from him while standing behind his desk. The scene gave off an impression of sobriety, but Paul just played it off by asking, "Have you been getting the care packages Ningguang sent...?"
Though it wasn't overt, Paul noticed his Father twitch when he brought up the care packages. Ningguang wasn't the type to allow the favor she had painstakingly curried to wane due to complacency. Thus, even after three years had passed, she continued to send alcohol and other luxury goods to the Notos Estate through a backchannel.
After coughing a few times to cover his embarrassment, Amarant turned to face Paul with a severe expression on his face. His eyes widened a bit when he saw just how much Paul had grown, but he was still able to ask, "Is it true? Did you really exhaust your lifespan to gain power...?"
Seeing no reason to conceal the truth, Paul shook his head and answered, "No. That's just an inference the Sword God made after seeing the state I was in following the forceful awakening of my Touki. Thanks to my Vision, I not only made a full recovery, but my physique is nearing the upper limit of what humans can achieve without modification."
Extending his right hand, Paul produced not one but two Dendro Visions. Kusanali had acquired two more after receiving her Constellations, so he currently had three in his possession. Since he had previously gifted his Mother Zhongli's extra Geo Vision, he felt obligated to provide his Father one as well.
Understanding Paul's gesture, Amarant walked around to the front of his desk and accepted the Vision without a fuss. He truthfully didn't think he had the ambition to make use of it, but that changed pretty quickly when Paul explained the 'benefits' associated with a Dendro Vision.
"Hoooooo...you really are a filial son. Truth be told, the dynamic between your Mother and I has shifted ever since she made a full recovery. If this functions as you say, I should be able to even the odds..."
Placing the Vision into his pocket, Amarant's expression became slightly accusatory as he met Paul's gaze and said, "Speaking of which...the two of you didn't do anything, did you? I understand how alluring your Mother can be, but there are limits to everything..."
Exhaling a weary sigh, Paul admitted, "We kissed and held one another, but I eventually came to my senses before things could get too far out of hand. We may not see eye to eye on everything, but I still respect you as my Father..."
"Mmm...then we'll leave it at that..."
Though he suspected there were details Paul was glossing over, Amarant wasn't particularly interested in hearing the specifics. Instead, he moved over to his liquor cabinet to retrieve a bottle of vintage wine before filling two glasses as he remarked, "Getting the Water God pregnant...even now, I still find it difficult to believe. However, when I see those two children..."
Handing one of the glasses to Paul, Amarant narrowed his eyes as he said, "It's only a matter of time before the truth comes out. When it does, the First Prince's Faction won't remain idle. Given your presence here, I'm assuming you have a plan...?"
Nodding his head in affirmation, Paul downed the entire contents of his glass before going on to explain, "I have no intention of staging a coup or trying to destabilize the Kingdom. However, I'm not going to keep sitting on my hands as the First Prince continues making things difficult for the people I care about..."
Meeting his Father's gaze directly, Paul narrowed his eyes as he said, "I intend to crush the First Prince's Faction. Not directly, at least not at first, but by collaborating with the Factions who oppose him. I plan to weaken them as much as possible so that when the 'rightful' heir appears, we'll be able to support them to the best of our ability..."
"Mmm...and what about the twins? I can protect them for the time being, but their talents are too great to remain hidden for long."
Though the expression on his face soured noticeably, Paul revealed, "We have already considered that..." before going on to lay out the plan he and Ningguang had hammered out over the past five weeks...
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"That woman never ceases to amaze me..."
Smiling wryly in response to his Father's words, Paul appended, "I know what you mean. There are times when it feels like she has the entire world in the palm of her hands. If I were a little more ambitious, I have no doubt she could have placed me on the throne years ago..."
Furrowing his brows, Amarant gave Paul a sidelong look as he asked, "Is that such a bad thing? I'm still loyal to the Crown, but I've come to realize how truly 'stagnant' the Kingdom has become in the absence of your little friend. With someone like her helping to manage things, the Kingdom may have been able to enter a new Golden Era..."
Instead of refuting his Father's words, Paul nodded his head and replied, "You're right. Unfortunately, I can't help being a little selfish. If I were to aim for the throne, I would want to acquire it with my own power. Since I know better than anyone just how much I'm lacking, I would rather focus on growing strong enough to protect my way of life and the people I care about..."
Since he couldn't really argue with Paul's words, Amarant just hummed in response. In truth, he wanted to say that his son was more than qualified to be a King. He had capable subordinates and, more importantly, knew when to delegate responsibilities to people more qualified than himself. In the grand scheme of things, the only traits a King genuinely needed were a decisive nature and the ability to judge one's character. Paul had shown a remarkable talent with the latter; the only thing he still lacked was self-confidence...
Shaking away his treasonous thoughts, Amarant began to pour himself another glass as he said, "I have viewed you as the Lord of this Region since the eve of your tenth birthday. Your younger brother, Philemon, is of a similar opinion but is doing his best to ensure he is qualified to hold the position should you choose to abstain from it. Regardless, know that we will continue to support you no matter which path you choose..."
Holding up the glistening, leafy-green Vision Paul had given him near the start of their discussion, Amarant's expression softened in a fatherly smile as he expressed, "Ensuring my children are able to walk the path of their choosing....that is my ambition..."
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With newfound respect for his Father, Paul departed Amarant's study with a pensive expression on his face. The man's parting words had given him a lot to think about, particularly in regards to his own status as a parent.
If Paul went with the plan Ningguang had devised, he would spend the next 2-3 years gaining the King's trust. Then, once Ariel was born, they would convince him to let her attend the Milbots Academy with his kids acting as her Guardians.&nbsp;
Though there was a lot more to the plan, everything hinged on whether or not Paul was willing to consign his children to a life of servitude. Ariel was a decent Master to serve, and the title of Guardian was one of the highest a person could attain, but it didn't change the fact they would be servants for life...
With his Noble status and title revoked, Paul's best options to protect his children were to secure them a protective status, hide them away like birds in a cage, or to 'full nuclear' and basically declare war on the entire 'civilized' world. He would start with the Asura Kingdom, but there was no way the rest of the world would sit on the sidelines as the most powerful nation collapsed from the interior. In other words, destabilizing the Asura Kingdom was the same as instigating a global power struggle that would likely result in the deaths of millions...
Reaching the outside of his Mother's room, Paul hesitated for a moment before knocking. When it finally opened, he was greeted by the smiling face of Ganyu as she asserted, "You're going to adore them. Their auras are nearly as bright as Masters..."
Returning a somewhat wry smile of his own, Paul replied, "I'm sure I will." before making his way into the aromatic antechamber. Inside, he found his Mother, each of the girls that had accompanied him, and two adorable little kids with hazel-brown hair and leaf-green eyes.&nbsp;
Though there were some obvious similarities between the two, Paul took note of the fact that Aiden possessed windswept hair reminiscent of his own while Aria's was sleek, slightly curly, and had been allowed to grow past her shoulders. Both had gender-specific clothing, but the thing that stood out the most, at least to Paul, was that they had tiny moles under opposite eyes. Aiden's was on his left, similar to Paul's, while Aria's was on her right.
As Paul took notice of them, Aiden immediately took notice of him. The young boy had been sitting atop Ei's lap and reclining against her with a &nbsp;contented smile on his face, but the moment he saw Paul, his expression immediately formed into a frown. As for Aria, she was currently engaged in a staring contest with Ghislaine, so she had yet to notice someone new had entered the room.
"You've finally arrived. I trust you were able to work things out with your Father...?"
Though he nodded his head in response to his Mother's question, Paul's focus was on the twins as he asked, "Are these really my kids? I know I'm handsome, but it's almost unfair how cute these little brats are."
Turning her eyes up at Paul, Valentine was tempted to chastise him for referring to his kids as 'little brats,' but quickly decided against it. Instead, she earned a disproving pout from Aria as she picked up the little girl and handed her over to Paul, saying, "Look, Aria, it's your father."
As if she had only noticed Paul's presence upon being handed to him, Aria visibly recoiled as an even poutier expression marred her face. She didn't wriggle around too much, but it was apparent she didn't enjoy being held by a 'stranger.'
Just as Paul was about to try and coax the two-year-old into giving him a chance, Aiden abruptly stated, "Aria, it's our Father. Remember? The one Big Sis Lilia and Grandmother are always telling us stories about. He isn't a bad person."&nbsp;
Though he was a little taken aback by how articulate Aiden was for a two-year-old, Paul was even more surprised by Aria's response. The moment Aiden assured her he wasn't a bad person, a faint smile developed across her face as she stopped leaning her upper body away from him.
Demonstrating a marginally more normal vocal range, Aria tilted her head to the side as she inspected Paul's face and questioned, "Aria's Father...?"
Adopting a wry yet affectionate smile, Paul softly cooed, "That's right. It's good to meet you, Aria. Sorry it took so long for me to arrive..."
As if responding for his sister, Aiden stated, "Don't worry, we know it wasn't your fault." before adopting a friendly smile and adding, "All that matters is that you are here, now. Welcome home, Father."
Emulating her brother's greeting, Aria nodded her head and said, "Nn. Welcome home." before surprising Paul with a kiss on the cheek. Then, as if her previous apprehensions were an illusion, she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and gave him a surprisingly firm hug...
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"Are you sure about this? You can still come with us..."
With her head nestled against Paul's chest and a gentle smile on her face, Fischl nodded and softly replied, "It's okay, Paul. Amber, Diona, Betty, and I have all agreed to form a Party. I'm not alone anymore..."
"Haaa..."
Following one final sigh, Paul reluctantly released Fischl from his embrace. She had clearly made up her mind before including herself in the circle, so pressing any further would be tantamount to spitting in the face of her resolve.
"See you around, Mein Prinzessin..."
With a smile that pierced directly through Paul's heart, Fischl squinted her eyes and replied, "Make haste, Mein Champion. So that you may return to me even one second sooner..."
Unwilling to contain himself, Paul rewarded Fischl's words with a kiss. In the process, he seriously considered simply abducting her but ultimately decided against it. Instead, he punctuated their embrace with a pinch on the butt before running away as she glared at him with an insincere pout...
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"See what I mean? Having me along isn't so bad. At least you needn't feel so sad~"
"If you're going to keep rhyming, I'm throwing you off..."
"Ehehe~"
After climbing atop Ganyu and giving her permission to depart, Paul was prepared to crouch low and cling tightly to her incredibly soft fur. Instead, there was virtually no wind pressure as Venti casually controlled the wind to flow around them. This allowed Ganyu to speed up drastically, but Paul was still a little upset as Venti was, at the very least, partially responsible for Fischl being left behind.&nbsp;
Despite her 'disarming' appearance, Venti was practically a Succubus in the bedroom. She could manipulate the Anemo Element within her body to create literal suction with her vagina, so doing her was like having sex and getting a monster blowjob at the same time. It was one of the most pleasurable things Paul had ever experienced, but he couldn't help feeling as though Venti had cheated the other girls out of a chance to accompany him...
"Try to look on the bright side. With me in your Party, our travel time has been cut in half. You also have the greatest Bard in all the lands to regale you with tales of heroism and serenade you with songs of love. And if that isn't enough, I can also..."
As she was seated immediately to Paul's left, Venti moved her hand along his thigh with an upturned expression on her face. This would typically be more than enough to put Paul in the mood, but the truth of the matter was that Venti had been on him like a rabbit in heat ever since her summoning. The girl was a literal nympho, so much so that she had given birth to three Seelies in the span of five weeks...
Grabbing Venti's wrist, Paul's expression morphed into a deadpan as he flatly declared, "We're not having sex on Ganyu's back..."
Clicking her tongue audibly, Venti retracted her hand before adopting a radiant smile as she said, "That's a shame. It's not every day you get the opportunity to do it while flying through the sky. I suppose we'll have to wait until we touch down then..."
Though Venti's 'confidence' made him a little annoyed, Paul didn't refute her words. As much as the buxom Archon annoyed him, she was currently the woman he looked forward to fucking the most. Something about her 'honest' nature made her nearly impossible to resist as she didn't even try to put on pretenses. She just enjoyed fucking and fooling around together.
Seeing Paul remain silent, a soft chuckle emanated from Venti's throat as she nestled closer to him. Her behavior earned her stares from the other girls, but she didn't particularly mind. They could have sat next to Paul if they really wanted, but they were trying to be considerate of the girls that wouldn't be able to squeeze in. Venti didn't believe in such sentiments, so she readily took advantage of Paul's empty flanks to snuggle up next to him. His warmth made her feel relaxed, and it sure as heck beat flying in silence...
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With Ganyu being able to pick up speed to nearly 300kmp/h, it took less than an hour for Paul's group to reach the fortress linking the Strife Zone and the Milbots Region through a spacious underground tunnel.
Paul had initially expected the underpass to be like the escape tunnels his father had made him practice running through as a child. Instead, he was greeted with a perfectly smooth and cylindrical tunnel that resembled the subway tunnels of his past life. There were multiple railways present, and, according to Ganyu, it was an average of 14m wide and 283km long...
Though she had to reduce her size and be careful not to scrape the roof with her horns, Ganyu was able to run through the underground railway system after getting clearance from the growing community of Dwarves maintaining it.&nbsp;
Since the Dwarves had been corralled into a single stretch of the Blue Dragon Mountain Range nearly 400 years prior, Ningguang was able to convince the Ore God to send over more than sixty skilled artisans and metalworkers in exchange for allowing them to establish a settlement in relative secrecy. She had used her life as leverage in the contract, so he eventually agreed after seeing how quickly Zhongli could create tunnels and erect entire buildings in seconds.
Though he had been apprised of her plan to establish Liyue on the coast, Paul was unaware that Ningguang was planning to convert the Strife Zone into a haven for all races. Paul had once given her an idealized description of his home country, the United States, so she had promptly decided that if she were going to create a nation, it might as well incorporate elements of the Seven Major Nations and the US. That way, everyone could feel at home even when they were entire worlds apart...
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After a mere three-hour journey, Paul began to notice familiar landmarks despite being hundreds of meters in the air. He was briefly tempted to ask Ganyu to land but knew he could always take in the scenery once he had met with his parents, siblings, and, most importantly, his kids.&nbsp;
Feeling a faint trembling in Paul's body, Venti's expression softened as she squeezed his hand and whispered, "It'll be fine. Things might be a little awkward initially, but the bond between parent and child is one of the most powerful. You never willfully abandoned them, so you need not feel guilty for missing the first few years of their life..."
Though he could have done without Venti's final remark, Paul returned a smile as he stared off toward the horizon. It was still a little difficult for him to reconcile the fact he was the father of two kids, but he believed everything would work out so long as he made an effort...
With such thoughts on his mind, Paul did his best to appear calm even as a familiar estate came into view a few minutes later. A loud ringing sound began to echo as the sentries stationed around the region took notice of Ganyu's approach, but there was no way they could shoot her down with conventional bows and weapons. A Saint-Ranked Mage tried to scare her away with a violent bolt of electricity, but it completely missed its mark as she flew over the defensive line and left them well in her wake.
As if more than a few seconds of silence would kill her, Venti adopted a cheeky smile as she playfully inquired, "Think we should have written a letter to inform them of our arrival~?"
Though he actually thought it was a pretty good idea, Paul rolled his eyes before saying, "We're about to land. Things should settle down once they realize who we are, but I'll be relying on you to create a barrier to ward off any stray spells or arrows.
"Sure, sure, leave it to me~!"
Since Paul had been supplying her with an abundance of 'energy' these past few weeks, Venti felt like she could even produce a hurricane if she pushed herself. She would never perform such a destructive act willfully, but it didn't change the fact she could.
As Ganyu drew closer to the ground, a luminous green tempest began to swirl around her. There were no attacks incoming, but Venti continued to channel more energy into the barrier as it was a convenient excuse to get Paul to pamper her once things settled down. He might act standoffish at times, but she knew he liked spending time with her.
Due to the invisible barrier surrounding the Estate, Ganyu was forced to land outside the fortress-like walls. Qilin's actually possessed the innate ability to pass through such obstructions, but the same couldn't be said for the people riding on her back.&nbsp;
The moment Ganyu landed, a group of soldiers began firing ballista at her while those with more superhuman attributes charged over with the intent to encircle her. Paul immediately spotted Sword Saint Earhart, his father's personal bodyguard, amongst the group, so he promptly called out to the man, shouting, "Sword Saint Earhart! Dual Saint Paul Greyrat and his Party have come to pay respects to the Lord of the Region. Stay your hand...!"
Though he didn't immediately recognize Paul due to the rather extreme changes in his appearance, Earhart raised his hand to compel his men to stand down. The presence of Ganyu made him more than a little nervous, but Paul's group had yet to actually attack. That was enough of a reason to, at the very least, hear them out.
As the barrier around Ganyu dissipated, Paul held up the sword his father had given him what now felt like a lifetime ago. It had been reforged twice since then, but the scabbard and, more importantly, the engraved seal of House Notos was still intact.
Furrowing his brows, Earhart tentatively approached Paul to get a better look at the seal. He had recognized the sword and scabbard the moment Paul held them up, but there was still a chance it was a forgery. The thing that settled the matter was the seal's reaction to the ring hanging around Earhart's neck.
Resisting the urge to kneel and immediately apologize, Earhart forced a frown as he narrowed his steely blue eyes and said, "You appear to be telling the truth...very well, I shall inform the Lord and Lady of your arrival. Whether or not they will see you, however, is up to them..."
Though he knew there was absolutely no chance of his Lord turning Paul away, Earhart still had to pretend to treat him coldly. Paul might not have been chased out of his home, but he was still an exile. If they gathered to celebrate his return like a hero, word would quickly reach the Captial. The King probably wouldn't care, but the First Prince would invariably make a big deal out of it.
Understanding what was going on, Paul simply nodded his head and said, "The my companions and I can only hope the Lord is in favor of receiving guests. Before that, I imagine your people will wish to process us? I don't particularly mind, but please inform them to keep their hands honest..."
Looking past Paul, Earhart noticed that every member of the former Lordling's entourage was among the most beautiful women he had ever seen. It wasn't difficult to imagine some of his less exemplary men trying to take liberties with them, so Earhart quickly nodded his head and said, "We'll have a group of Maids conduct their search. Rest assured, no harm will befall them under my watch..."
Though it didn't quite reach his eyes, Paul returned a friendly smile as he proffered forth his decoy sword. He knew Earhart would do his best, but Ningguang had informed him that there were at least twenty-three plants among the Estate's guards. They were mostly footsoldiers and choreboys that weren't allowed on the Estate grounds, but they were still loyal to the First Prince.
"That's great to hear, Sir Earhart. After all, even my weakest ally is a Fire Saint-Ranked Mage. I wouldn't want your men to lose their lives or limbs over a 'misunderstanding'..."
As the rumors of Paul's Party being comprised entirely of Saints had long reached the Milbots Region, Earhart didn't doubt the former's words in the slightest. Thus, after accepting Paul's sword, he quickly ordered someone to send for a specific Maid, a young, maroon-haired woman that Paul was intimately familiar with...
"Lilia..."
...
..
.

Chapter 123: MI123: An Inordinately Strong Bond