Mushoku Impact

After confirming his suspicions about Aiden being a reincarnator, the relationship between him and Paul appeared to, at least on the surface, improve. Before, there had always been an awkward tension between them as Paul didn't really know how to be a parent, and Aiden typically just did his own thing. Now, though he was more than a little upset by his inability to continue playing innocent around the girls from the IOF, Aiden and Paul could speak with one another without issue.
"Stinking father, how much longer are you going to keep showing off? Are you trying to make me jealous, huh? Well, it's working...!"
Seeing Paul enjoying a lap pillow from Ei after an intense sword exhibition, a tiny vein appeared on Aiden's left temple. A few days prior, he had been able to guilt the violet-haired woman into letting him sit in her lap and hug her. She had grimaced when he nestled his face between her breasts and rubbed his cheeks against them, but she hadn't chastised or tried to stop him.
"Calm down, brat. Unless you go out of your way to ruin your body, you're bound to be just as attractive as your mother and me when you grow up. Stop coveting what others have and focus on making yourself worthy of the things you want to obtain..."
Rising to a seated position, Paul softly thanked Ei for letting him use her thighs before turning to meet Aiden's slightly resentful gaze as he added, "You've seen how loose the morals of this world are. With your talent and looks, countless women will want a piece of you. Just remember that not everyone has good intentions. If you become the Princess' Guardian, for example, you can be sure that many of the women who approach you will be assassins. Now, pick up your sword..."
"Tch..."
Though he clicked his tongue, Aiden still listened to Paul and raised his wooden sword. He initially didn't have an interest in swordsmanship, but Paul had shown him the Water God Style's ability to cut through and even deflect Magic back at the caster. It was also a purely defensive style, so Aiden was willing to learn a bit if it meant he could improve his physique and protect himself...
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Having inherited her father's keen eyesight, Aria silently observed the stance training between Paul and Aiden through a window on the third floor of the Estate. She would ordinarily be told to stay away from the windows of the second and above floors, but things were different now that she had trusty companions.
While Ghislaine hovered nearby, Aria sat atop the transformed Ganyu as she assumed a form roughly the size of a large dog. Paul had asked all of the girls to keep Aria safe, but she didn't really like Jean, Venti, Xinyan, Ei, or Eula. As a result, it had fallen upon Ganyu and Ghislaine to babysit and keep her company.
Feeling a little excluded, Aria looked towards Ghislaine with a slight pout on her face as she asked, "Father and Onii-chan no like Aria...?"
Shaking her head, Ghislaine's maintained her usual deadpan despite mimicking Aria's way of speaking as she answered, "Paul and Aiden boys. Aiden becomes strong to protect Aria."
Scrunching up her face, Aria countered, "Aria strong. Onii-chan weak but smart."
Instead of denying Aria's claim, Ghislaine nodded her head before stating, "Aria too strong. Need delicacy and control. Then you become strongest."
"..."
Though she puffed out her cheeks, Aria didn't refute Ghislaine's words. Instead, she returned her attention to the scene outside, her eyes barely blinking as she burned the image of each stance into her mind...
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"How much longer do you intend to stay? I understand your desire to be with your children, but tensions are already beginning to increase in the Capital."
Before answering his Father's question, Paul took a moment to savor the taste of the whiskey in his mouth. Diona's cocktails were the best, but he was far fonder of whiskey's fiery and rich kick than the tart, almost rotten taste of wine.
Exhaling a contented sigh, Paul enjoyed the sensation of warmth filling his body before replying, "We'll be leaving soon. I just wanted to give Aria the chance to spend more time with Ghislaine and Ganyu..."
Though it was only for a brief moment, a flicker of desire flashed across Amarant's eyes as he suggested, "You could always have them stay and look after her. That girl with the horns has always gotten along well with Valentine. As for that beast woman..."
"Father..."
Without needing to release his bloodlust, Paul was able to quell Amarant's nonsense with a sidelong gaze. In response, the man adopted a wry smile as he averted his eyes and stated, "They are remarkably beautiful women. Once you reach the Capital, you'll need to be very careful..."
Nodding his head, Paul muttered, "I am well aware..." before finishing off the contents of his glass. When he was finished, he placed it on the table next to him and revealed, "I am considering marrying Reida..."
Blinking in surprise, a look of faint disbelief marred Amarant's expression as he advised, "You should reconsider. As things stand, you still have the option of being adopted into one of the other Houses via marriage. If you marry the Water God, that path would no longer be open to you. There is also the matter of her other children. I cannot recall his exact age, but her eldest son should be around twenty years your senior. I can't imagine him being too pleased about having his inheritance robbed from him by a man young enough to be his son..."
"That's...a very fair point..."
With his Father's reminder, Paul recalled that Reida had basically lived an entire life before their fateful encounter. The Vision he had gifted her had all but halted her aging process, but it didn't change the fact that she was well into her forties. There was a literal two-generation gap between them as she was already a grandmother by the time he had inadvertently, albeit with tremendous effort, knocked her up...
Seeing his son fall silent, Amarant decided to give him a bit of advice, not as Paul's Father, but the Lord of the Milbots Region. It kept him awake at night knowing that his proud and capable first son had been reduced to the status of a peasant, so, after a moment of deliberation, he suggested, "Once you've reached the Capital and had your audience with the King, you should seek out Philip Boreas Greyrat. His eldest brother, James, the Heir Apparent of House Boreas, has been unable to produce an heir even after taking in three mistresses. The odds of a succession battle occurring once Philip graduates from the Royal Academy are extremely high."
Though his upbringing allowed him to guess where the conversation was headed, Paul furrowed his brows as he asked, "And? What does that have anything to do with me...?"
Understanding that his son was playing dumb, a moderately exasperated sigh escaped Amarant's throat before he went on to say, "If you intend to support the Princess' ascent to the throne, you will need the backing of at least three of the Great Houses. House Eurus has all but publicly declared its intentions to support the First Prince's claim, so you will need to secure the favor of the other two if you want to clear a path for Princess Ariel and your children..."
"Old man..."
Ignoring the faint bloodlust radiating from his son, Amarant narrowed his eyes as he said, "Philip has always been a clever boy. If you help him in the succession battle, he would readily invite you into House Boreas once his wife births a daughter."
"..."
Though he had accurately anticipated his Father's words, Paul was still left speechless. The man was, quite literally, suggesting a marriage between him and a girl that hadn't even been born yet. Paul knew there was a very good chance that said girl would be Eris, his favorite heroine from the series, but that was only a small consolation. After all, even if he liked the original Eris, there would be a seventeen-year age gap between them in terms of age. Such gaps weren't particularly uncommon, even in his previous world, but Paul still found it unbelievably fucked up...
Understanding his Father was just trying to help, Paul eventually shook his head and muttered, "I'm just going to pretend this conversation never happened..."
Adopting a serious expression, Amarant insisted, "You should consider it. I know that woman of yours is cooking something up in the East, but the Asura Kingdom is still your motherland. The plans you've suggested have you intrinsically interconnected with the politics of this Kingdom. Without roots of some kind, the King's trust in you is bound to wane. In the 'worst case' scenario, he may even pressure you into marrying the Princess..."
As he had come up with the idea of marrying Reida to avoid such an outcome, a beyond-exasperated sigh emanated from Paul's throat before he muttered, "I fucking hate politics..."
Though he grunted in approval, Amarant wasn't done trying to convince Paul, stating, "Despite your physical appearance, everyone that matters knows you're just a thirteen-year-old boy. If your information is correct, Princess Ariel will be born around the time you turn fifteen. The current Queen Consort is roughly twenty-three years younger than the King, so he is unlikely to view the gap between your and the Princess's age as an issue. Rather, if it means securing a powerful ally and strengthening the bloodline of the Royal Family..."
Forcing a smile, Paul countered, "Isn't that what Aiden is for? He has already agreed to become the Princess' Guardian, so there is a good chance they will produce offspring at some point..."
Shaking his head, Amarant's tone became firm as he said, "You know as well as I do that things are rarely so cut and dry. Aiden might be just as prodigious as you, but he has yet to prove himself. If your timeline of the Princess' birth is correct, Aiden will be, at most, five years old at the time. If you were a King looking to secure the future, who would you choose to control. The successor to the Water God and the youngest Sword Saint in history, or a child just beginning his studies...?"
"..."
Before Paul could respond, Amarant offered the correct answer, stating, "If the circumstances allowed, you would choose both." in a firm tone. He didn't mean Paul, specifically, but anyone in the King's position.
Unable to refute his Father's words, Paul reached for the nearly full bottle of whiskey at his side, inadvertently snapping off the top as he attempted to pop the cork with his thumb. He ended up getting a pretty nasty cut on his finger, but it was already beginning to regenerate as he muttered, "So you're telling me my options are to marry girls that are even younger than my literal children...?"
Snorting through his nose, Amarant grabbed his own glass as he retorted, "Remind me, son, who was it that recently proposed the idea of marrying the Water God? That woman just turned 47 around three months ago. She is 34 years your senior, yet you didn't so much as flinch as you suggested marrying her..."
"That's..."
"It isn't different if you view the situation objectively. You only see it that way because you consider yourself a mature person capable of making responsible decisions. While I can understand your apprehensions about being engaged to a girl much younger than yourself, it is only a matter of time until they mature. By then, issues such as an age gap won't matter in the slightest. Also..."
Adopting a serious expression, Amarant gazed directly into Paul's eyes as he added, "If Philip didn't agree to marry his daughter to you, he would invariably agree to marry her to someone else. In that regard, would she not be better off marrying someone who genuinely cares about her well-being rather than a Noble who only views her as an outlet for their sexual desires...?"
Hearing his Father's words, the image of Darius, one of the most infamous and disgusting villains from the original series, entered Paul's mind. If not for the timely intervention of Ghislaine, the then nine-year-old Eris would have been kidnapped and forced to become his sex slave. With Ghislaine currently following him around like a loyal pup, the chances of her coming into the employ of House Boreas were near zero percent...
"Fuck my life..."
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"Ganoo no leave! Stay with Aria!"
Though she didn't have much of a reaction when Paul told her he would be leaving, Aria began to throw a bit of tantrum when she found out that Ghislaine and Ganyu would be going with him.
"Forgive me, Aria, but my place is at your father's side. He needs me just as I need him..."
"Nooooooo-! Ganoo stay...!"
Cupping her cheek, Ganyu muttered, "Oh, dear..." before looking toward Paul for guidance with a helpless expression on her face. Unfortunately, he was currently kneeling in front of Aiden and whispering something to the frowny-faced boy...
"We both know I'm placing a lot of trust in you. I don't mind if you decide to rebel or betray me in the future, just don't do anything that crosses the line. I see a lot of potential in you, Aiden; don't waste it..."
After ruffling his not-so-young son's head, Paul rose to his feet just as Aiden mumbled, "Just don't go getting yourself killed and thrown into a ditch. I'm not an avenger..."
As much as he envied Paul's looks, power, and harem, Aiden had slowly come to realize that his father may very well be his only kindred spirit in the world. Paul had also expressed a willingness to help him out if he was ever in need, so it was difficult to hate him just because he was another reincarnator.
Half-turning towards Aiden, a smile developed across Paul's face as he gave a thumbs up and said, "Leave it to me."
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With some intervention from Valentine and Flute, Ganyu was eventually able to free herself from Aria's clutches. As the group was preparing to set out, however, Lilia appeared with a resolute expression and a rather large suitcase in tow. She knew she would be a burden if the group ever came under siege, but she had always regretted not following Paul to the North.
Fortunately for Lilia, there was nothing like needing to beg or convince Paul to let her come along. He even joked around when she showed up, asking, "What took you so long?" in a playful tone. She really wanted to punch him at that moment but was ultimately able to suppress the urge thanks to her training as a Maid and Governess.
After mounting Ganyu, Paul made it up to the scarlet-haired, amethyst-eyed beauty by encouraging her to sit next to him. This placed him in a rather precarious position, as, despite appearing to be in her late teens, Lilia was only a few months older than him. From a purely objective point of view, there weren't any issues, but...
"Whatever..."
Hearing Paul's utterance, Lilia raised her head from his shoulder, asking, "Is something the matter...?" with a visibly pale face. She had never been afraid of heights when she was cleaning using ladders, but flying through the sky at hundreds of kilometers per hour had left her feeling somewhat paralyzed with fear.
Shaking his head, Paul answered, "It's nothing..." before turning to meet Lilia's gaze as he asked, "By the way...ever figure out what you wanted to do with your life? I have an idea of what you've decided, but I'm the type that likes to make sure of these things..."
Regaining a bit of her complexion, a red hue gradually began to spread through Lilia's cheeks as she returned her head to Paul's shoulder and replied, "I believe Master Paul will eventually become one of the most powerful and influential people in the world. You might think this a little selfish of me, but I believe I can become something 'more' if I grab hold of you and never let go..."
To emphasize her words, Lilia put more strength into the hold she had on Paul's arm as she, very intentionally, rubbed her right breast against him. She knew about his apprehensions against younger women, but she was actually the older of the two. Paul may have been able to make excuses in the past, but Lilia would bite his face if he said she was too young despite the fact he sired children at the age of ten..children she had spent the last two years helping to raise...
Before Paul could respond to Lilia's remark, Venti covered her mouth in mock surprise as she playfully mused, "Oh, my. How daring~!" in a sing-song tone.
Remembering there were other people present, the ruddy coloration of Lilia's face became more noticeable. Lilia knew she couldn't compare to most of the other girls surrounding Paul in terms of appearance, power, and disposition, but that wasn't going to deter her. Paul was the first to encourage her to follow a path of her choosing, so she intended to walk alongside him as far as her feet could carry...
Catching Lilia by surprise, Paul said, "Let's make a deal...if you can wait just a little longer, I will give you a Vision. After-"
"I refuse."
As enticing as the prospect of receiving her own Vision was, Lilia would rather remain weak if it meant having to bury her feelings and watch from the sidelines as others enjoyed the happiness she sought.&nbsp;
"..."
In an effort to support both parties, Jean decided to voice her opinion on the matter, stating, "I see no issues with accepting her. While the laws of the Kingdom could undoubtedly use some revision, they currently support such unions. Continuing to oppose them while doing little to change them is only going to give you a headache..."
Though she also felt Lilia was a little young, Jean had long acknowledged that the people of Mushoku Tensei matured faster than the people of her world. Humanity had been pushed to the brink of extinction twice, so they had adapted to grow and develop at an accelerated rate in order to thrive in a world filled with monsters, demons, and dragons. They may refer to themselves as humans, but the people of Mushoku Tensei may as well be a completely different species compared to the version of humanity from Paul's and Jean's previous worlds. There were certainly a few similarities, but their physiology, cultures, and traditions were fundamentally different.
Looking towards his beautiful and faithful Knight, a wry smile developed across Paul's face as he asked, "Even you, Jean...?"
Feeling a little bashful, Jean crossed her arms and averted her eyes as she replied, "I don't enjoy seeing you stress out over things that no one in this world will blame you for. Lilia is mature in both form and mind, so you should just accept her. As it stands, you'll only be placing an unnecessary strain on your relationship by continuing to delay things..."
Nodding her head in approval, Xinyan chimed in to say, "As cheesy as this may sound, you should just follow your heart. Agonizing over what society might think when you know they don't give a damn is just senseless."
Seeing Venti about to chime in and say something as well, an incredulous look developed across Paul's face as he exhaled a huffy sigh and replied, "Yeah, yeah, I get it. I just need to do it, right...?"
Though he had no intention of doing it then and there, Paul surprised Lilia by pulling her across his lap and bending down to kiss her on the lips. Her eyes briefly became as round as saucers, but she quickly closed them as her hands instinctually moved to grab his head. This wasn't the first time they had kissed, but it was significantly more assertive than the relatively chaste pecks they had exchanged in the past.
Surprising Lilia a second time, Paul pressed his fingers into the fabric of her dress, creating a crease between her thighs as he expertly targetted the most sensitive spot on her body. Her right hand immediately moved to grab his wrist, but she offered no actual resistance as her face became an almost luminous shade of red.&nbsp;
Not wanting to get Lilia riled up to a point she might feel as though he had left her hanging, Paul moved his hand to caress her thigh as he separated from her lips, gazed deep into her glistening, amethyst purple eyes, and whispered, "Tonight, you're mine..."
Though she felt like her brain was buzzing, Lilia managed to get one over on Paul by adopting a serious expression as she replied, "I've been yours for the past seven years...now, I can finally call you mine..."
"You..."
Before Paul could say anything further, Venti completely shattered the rising tensions by remarking, "That looks like a lot of fun. Kissing atop an Illuminated Beast as it races across the sky? If we're each getting a turn, I call next~."
Rolling his eyes, Paul helped Lilia to a seated position as he said, "There are no turns. Also, once we enter the Capital, everyone needs to be on their guard. If someone attempts to lay their hands on you or uses their status to try and intimidate you, don't be afraid to break their hands and legs. We're not here to play games with these asshats."
With the exceptions of Venti and Lilia, everyone nodded their heads in response to Paul's words. Venti, because she was a pacifist who would rather suffer a beating than injure another person, and Lilia because she doubted her abilities. She had continued training her swordsmanship, but her progress had slowed to a crawl after the birth of the twins. That was another reason she had chosen to accompany Paul; if things went well, she would be able to train at the Headquarters of the Water God School, the Citadel of Reidal.
While she didn't mind being protected, Lilia hadn't given up on becoming strong enough to both defend herself and support Paul...
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Though the straight-line distance between the Royal Capital of Ars and the Notos Estate was more than a thousand kilometers, less than two hours had passed before Paul and Party could see the outline of a giant castle on the horizon. The city surrounding it stretched out for nearly a hundred kilometers, but everything seemed inconsequential compared to the silvery palace that appeared to be built into a mountain.
Since they risked mobilizing the Capital's defenses if they flew too close, Ganyu chose to settle down in a nearby forest. They had \garnered quite a bit of attention from the sentries stationed throughout the territory, but Ganyu's flying speed far exceeded the rate at which they could rally their forces of send word to the Capital.
After touching down on the ground and sliding off of Ganyu's back, Paul turned to the group and said, "Okay, from here on, we'll travel by foot or carriage." before shifting his attention to the lovable Qilin and asking, "Are you sure you want to enter the Capital like that? People are going to stare regardless, but your outfit is like an open invitation for any Nobles looking to cause trouble..."
Though everyone else had changed into more sensible attire, Ganyu was wearing her original, extremely eye-catching outfit. When Paul had asked her about it, Ganyu admitted she didn't actually like wearing clothes. She enjoyed the feeling of the wind caressing her body and the warmth of the sun against her skin. The only reason she even bothered to wear clothes was to better fit into human society.
"Mmm...if Master is okay with it, I can revert to my Qilin form. I don't mind if people come to regard me as your mount or pet..."
Touching the bell dangling from her neck, the perennial smile on Ganyu's face became more prominent. Both it at the choker around her neck were gifted to her by Paul after her initial bell lost its clapper. Since then, it had been the most precious item in her possession.
Since he would rather people target Ganyu for the magnificence of her Qilin form than the raw sex appeal of her human form, Paul didn't have to consider long before saying, "We'll go with that. Unless we're indoors and amongst people we know we can trust, try not to reveal your human form in the Capital."
Nodding her head in both approval and understanding, Ganyu replied, "As you will, Master." before reverting to a lion-sized version of her Qilin form. It wasn't really big enough to ride, but her 'true' form would likely prevent her from being allowed into the city. After all, no matter how beautiful her Qilin form appeared, roaming the city streets in a form that towered over the average building was bound to make people nervous...
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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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Chapter 126: MI126: Frustration