Mushoku Impact

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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Though it would potentially cause problems if he stayed too long, Paul wasn't in a hurry to separate from his kids. A part of him felt like he was intruding on their lives, but that didn't stop him from trying to spend most of the day with them.
As purported, Aiden was an exceptionally talented young boy with a calm, albeit perverted nature. He spent most of his day with his nose buried in a book, but that would change when beautiful women were around. In that regard, he was the textbook example of a young Asuran Noble.
A stark contrast to her brother, Aria was a quiet and reserved girl who appeared genuinely fascinated by the world around her. When she found a new animal or insect, she would often stare intently at it until her eyes began to dry out. When Paul asked why, she shyly revealed that she used to try and play with things but eventually stopped as they would always end up 'broken.'
Though Paul was initially worried about Aria's admission, it turned out he was behind the curve as Aiden had already been helping her try to control her excessive physical strength. He was also the one that got her to stop 'playing' with things, promising that their Grandpa would buy her all kinds of animals if she could learn to show restraint.
Since he was a little curious, Paul met with his Father only to learn that Aiden was making the entire thing up. The boy was barely two years old but already had a basic grasp of manipulating the people around them to get them to behave how he wanted. If that wasn't enough, he seemed to understand the importance of positive reinforcement, patting Aria's head, praising, and hugging her whenever she did well.
While it was possible Aiden was every bit the prodigy he appeared to be, Paul's personal experiences and insight made him increasingly suspicious of the bright-eyed youth. Aiden was simply 'too proactive,' almost like he was actively moving towards a future he had already mapped out. He also had a penchant for using his 'innocence' as an excuse to get away with all kinds of perverted behaviors, his hands, body, and head brushing against girls in the bath as he slowly and methodically tested the limits of what he could get away with.
After around two weeks of living in the Estate, Paul was pretty convinced of his suspicions. By then, everyone except for Eula had experienced some form of 'inadvertent' sexual harassment at the hands of Aiden. The only reason Eula hadn't was because she had noticed the look on Aiden's face when he 'accidentally' slipped his hands under Venti's skirt when she was hugging him.
Though he didn't want to think it was possible, Paul's personal situation more than proved the plausibility of his suspicions. Thus, after telling his son he had a surprise for him, Paul carried Aiden through one of the many vineyards surrounding the Estate, their destination a lone pear where he used to take naps and listen to Barbara sing.
"A pear tree...?"
Nodding his head in response to his son's question, Paul replied, "That's right. Though, in this world, people call them Boscs..."
As Aiden was riding on his shoulders, Paul could feel the youth's entire body tense before subsequently slacking as he asked, "Really? The book I read referred to them as pears. How strange."
Having reached the base of the pear tree, Paul removed Aiden from his shoulders and set the boy down. As he did, he noticed Aiden staring back at him with caution in his eyes, the smile on his face belying the fear that was beginning to exude from his entire being.
With his suspicions all but confirmed, a weary sigh escaped from Paul's throat as Aiden suddenly backstepped away from him and unleashed a chantless, Beginner-Ranked Water Ball. As it approached, Paul didn't even bother dodging as the softball-sized sphere impacted his body and broke like a cheap water balloon.
As Aiden spun around on his heels, seemingly with the intent to flee, Paul calmly stated, "I can break the sound barrier over short distances. Where do you intend to run...?"
Hearing Paul's words, Aiden slowed to a stop, the distance between them opening a mere 9m despite several seconds passing. Then, after standing still for several seconds, he turned around to reveal tears streaming down his face as he asked, "Are you going to kill me...?"
Furrowing his brows, Paul immediately replied, "For someone that likes to play the part of a prodigy, you can be pretty stupid. Even if you did come to this world from another, you're still my kid. Unless you do some fucked up shit like going around raping and murdering people, I see no reason to harm you. Now, come take a seat. We need to have a serious discussion."
Sitting with his back against the tree, Paul left Aiden feeling speechless as he slapped his right thigh. Now that the gig was up, Aiden didn't really see the reason for them to continue 'playing' parent and child.
"Really, man? You want me to sit in your lap...?"
Adopting a deadpan expression, Paul asked, "What did I finish saying? You may be a reincarnator, but you're still my son. Whoever you were in your past life, you need to set that aside. This isn't a game or a fantasy novel, Aiden. And I can pretty much assure you that neither of us is the Main Character..."
Though he suspected there was a real possibility that Aiden had inherited the same spirit as the original Rudeus, even the latter had never been the 'true' Main Character of Mushoku Tensei. Sure, he was the protagonist of his series, even going on to become the Magic God, but he always served others and ultimately died long before the threat of Laplace and Hitogami had been removed.
Exhaling a sigh that belied his age, Aiden dragged his feet over to Paul before plopping down on the latter's thigh. His expression looked like he had eaten a bug, but he didn't complain as he asked, "I take it you're also a Reincarnator? Just my luck..."
Smiling wryly, Paul asked, "How do you think I feel? I wasn't even ready to be a father, yet here I am finding out that my first-born son is probably some 30-40 year old Otaku that won the lottery by saving someone about to get hit by a truck. We both got fucked over on this one, kid..."
Furrowing his brows, Aiden retorted, "Don't call me kid. For all you know, I'm older-"
Plopping his hand on Aiden's head, Paul reiterated, "You shouldn't bring sentiments like that into this world. As far as I'm concerned, you're a two-year-old brat with exceptional intelligence. If you really want me to treat you like a grown man, how do you think I should react after catching you so wantonly groping my girls...?"
With Paul radiating a bit of bloodlust, Aiden's body tensed to the point of resembling a statue. A part of him wanted to argue that Paul shouldn't be allowed to monopolize so many beautiful women but ultimately chose not to as he would probably lynch someone for suggesting the same to him.
"Fine...I'm a two-year-old brat...now what? You must have had a reason to call me out here like this."
Nodding his head, Paul's expression softened ever so slightly as he said, "We need to talk about your's and Aria's futures. Given your 'intellect,' you should have realized our situation isn't exactly ideal. I'm doing my best to keep you safe, but, as it stands, even if you were to run away and become an Adventurer, Assassins serving the First Prince's interests would pursue you to the edge of the world. If they can't capture you to use as leverage, they will kill you and probably do much worse to your sister..."
Adopting an expression of genuine outrage on his face, Aiden asserted, "I won't let that happen."
Though he could appreciate Aiden's conviction, Paul poured cold water on the youth's head as he replied, "Good mentality. Unfortunately, the people of this world aren't NPC's or incompetents without any ability. Unless you possess some kind of Golden Finger you're trying to keep hidden, the only way you can protect yourself and Aria is with adequate power, status, and dependable allies. As you are, you would probably get your ass handed to you by a random street punk. How will you defend yourself against people who can attack at supersonic speeds or erase cities with a single spell...?"
"..."
Hearing Paul speak, Aiden realized he had severely underestimated the power scaling of the world he was in. The most powerful people he had met thus far were Saint-Ranked Mages and Swordsmen. While they were certainly very impressive, it wasn't difficult for him to imagine surpassing them. What Paul was describing was something far more terrifying...
Reinforcing Aiden's thoughts, Paul revealed, "People may refer to me as the youngest Sword Saint in history, but nearly every single one of those girls you so carelessly harassed could wreck me in a fight. I have trained nearly every day for eight years, apprenticed under numerous Gods, and even possess an artifact that grants me functionally endless stamina. I've pushed my body beyond its natural limits, managed to exceed the sound barrier, and will soon be contending against others for the future position of Water God. Despite all of that, there are still dozens, if not hundreds of people who could completely destroy me..."
Though he initially intended to complain about Paul boasting about his accomplishments, Aiden's expression became progressively somber when he realized where the conversation was headed.
"Is that why you allowed yourself to be expelled from House Notos? You got scared...?"
Shaking his head, Paul exhaled a sigh as he said, "It's more complicated than that. If I had attempted to oppose my exile, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. I would be rotting in a shallow grave, and, if not, my parents, siblings, and tens of thousands of others would be. Our actions have consequences, Aiden. Some even have the power to shape the entire world..."
Turning to meet his son's gaze, Paul's expression softened as he said, "On that note, let's talk about the options available to you right now..."
Furrowing his brows, Aiden asked, "Don't you think it's a little messed up for one Reincarnator to try and dictate the life of another? We might not be the 'main characters' of this world, but you've clearly been able to do as you please. Why can't I...?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul replied, "Because I want you to live long enough to be able to. If you'd like, I can whisk you and your sister away to someplace far, far away. I could effectively you away from the world and give you all the time you need to grow stronger. However, take it from me when I say an 'unchanging' lifestyle leads to stagnation. The moment you surpass your peers, you will eventually hit a bottleneck that can only be overcome by venturing into the world abroad..."
Adopting a wry smile, Paul appended, "Simply put; you would eventually get bored out of your mind. So, unless you want to spend your entire life being protected by others until they eventually grow weary of you, you'll need to be willing to take a few risks..."
Maintaining his furrowed look, Aiden questioned, "So what, exactly, are you suggesting? After saying this much, you must have already thought of something, right...?"
Nodding his head, Paul surprised Aiden by revealing, "Indeed. And if you play your cards right, you may even be able to become the King Consort in the future. I wouldn't mind you becoming the actual King, but trust me when I say the person you'll be protecting is far more qualified for the position. You just need to protect her and Aria until she is strong and wise enough to rule. After that, you'll be able to enjoy a status equaled only by the Great Lords..."
"But still less than you...right...?"
Raising his brows, Paul gave Aiden a look as if he was staring at an idiot as he said, "Kid, if I cared about things like that, I might already be sitting on the throne. Only idiots covet things like the throne of a Kingdom when there is an entire world to explore beyond the horizon. In other words, so long as you don't become a little monster with a god complex, I'll do what I can to support you as your Father. Just don't go trying to manipulate the Princess or grooming your sister. I'm a pretty easygoing guy, but if I found out you did some shit like that, even God-Ranked Healing Magic might not be enough to fix what I do to you..."
Feeling Paul's bloodlust, a knot formed within Aiden's throat that he could not swallow. He was serious about keeping Aria safe, but he would lying if he said he hadn't considered the 'benefits' of growing up alongside a cute girl that was also his twin sister. They bathed, slept, and cuddled together on a daily basis, so he had been looking forward to Aria eventually gaining an interest in the opposite sex. He didn't plan to cross the line, but he had intended to use his position as her 'reliable older brother' to teach her lots of things...
Seeing through Aiden's thoughts, Paul narrowed his eyes like a predator as he said, "Don't make me force you to sign a magical contract, you little shit..."
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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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Chapter 124: MI124: Ambition