Mushoku Impact

As could be expected from a place like the Royal Capital of the largest and most powerful nation in the world, the line to get into it was incredibly long. Marked carriages and groups bearing special passes had a relatively easy time passing through, but people who were new to the city needed to get an id issued and pass through multiple security checkpoints.
Fortunately for Paul and Party, a Guild Card functioned as identification in just about every nation, both large and small. Unfortunately, the presence of Ganyu in her Qilin form required them to wait nearly three hours for a qualified Tamer to come by and evaluate her obedience. She managed to pass each of the tests with extreme ease, but the laws of the Capital still required her to be muzzled at all times. If she were found walking around without one, she would be treated as any other monster who had invaded the Capital.
Though Paul, personally, would have hated to be muzzled, Ganyu was never the type to complain about such things. Her only request was that Paul be the one to place it on and remove it.
With the matter of their entrance into the city resolved, Paul was finally able to enter and experience the largest and wealthiest city in the world. It spread out nearly a hundred kilometers from the coast and, much like the rest of the Kingdom, consisted of buildings presumably inspired by European and Victorian-Era architecture. This meant angular, dark brown, gable-style roofs, decorative windows, white walls, and lots of spires.
The thing that surprised Paul most about the Capital, at least initially, was that it was very clean. Mushoku Tensei was a world that still used buckets and bedpans in place of a proper waste disposal system, so it was a little surprising seeing how clean the paved, white-bricked streets were.
Ignoring the growing number of people gathering around to get a look at Ganyu, Paul turned to his group and said, "I doubt they'll let us enter the Inner City immediately. For now, we should check in with the Guild and find a place to stay. If I'm not mistaken, either Reida herself or someone from the palace should come to find us before long."
Though it could take hours, if not days, for an ordinary person to move about the Capital, people like Reida lived by their own rules. The moment she heard he was in the city, Paul could imagine the raven-haired woman leaping from building to building with a malicious smile on her face. Why a malicious smile?
Even Paul wasn't shameless enough to believe he could get away with knocking up the Water God without receiving a beating...
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As Paul and Party were looking for a place to stay, a raven-haired woman with windswept hair and cerulean eyes could be found smiling confidently as she casually deflected the attacks of three men and one woman. Each was at least a Saint-Ranked Swordsman, but they could barely get Reida to work up a sweat as her sword moved with the fluidity of water but the ferocity of lightning.
Before receiving her Electro Vision from Paul, Reida had been able to feel her body growing weaker. Her joints ached regularly, and though she did her best to suppress such negative thoughts, there were times when she would question whether or not she had wasted her time pursuing the path of swordsmanship.&nbsp;
Even to the people that had known her for decades, the current Reida was a far cry from her past self. Instead of growing old and frail, giving them a chance to usurp her position, she appeared to be growing more powerful, vigorous, and beautiful with each passing day.
"Come on, you bastards! Even if our swordsmanship isn't designed to attack, at least get me to breathe heavily! Hahahaha~!"
Demonstrating a nature that was better suited for the Sword God Style, Reida went on the offensive the moment her students faltered. For the briefest of moments, an Electro Purple hue emanated from the depths of her cerulean-blue eyes before she appeared to vanish.
Before most of the people observing the match could even blink, Reida appeared behind her students with a mischievous smile on her face. She had been using a wooden sword, but the very real blades of each of her sparring partners had been cut clean through as she looked back at them and said, "If that were a genuine Longsword of Light, you would be dead right now. Go back and work on your foundation."
Though the eldest of the four furrowed his brows into a deep grimace, the other three cupped their hands and bowed respectfully before picking up their shattered blades and excusing themselves along with the departing crowd. When they were gone, only Reida and a handsome, auburn-haired man with features similar to her own remained.
With her sword resting on her shoulder and a raised brow, Reida asked, "Something you wanted to say, Vuldar? I'm pretty sure I just told you to go back and work on your foundation."
Balling his hands into fists, Vuldar asserted, "You were supposed to be getting ready for retirement. Why are you working so hard to improve all of a sudden?"
Snorting through her nose, Reida retorted, "Stinking brat. Are you that eager to see me put in the ground?"
Shaking his head, Vuldar insisted, "No, it isn't that...it's just...I don't want to see you get hurt. Your abilities are undeniable, but women shouldn't be swordsmen. At your age, you should be spending your days watching over and taking care of your grandchildren, not swinging your sword around like someone half your age..."
Instead of humoring Vuldar's, her eldest son's words, Reida adopted a broad, challenging smile as she said, "Then make me." before pointing her wooden sword at his face and adding, "You don't reach the top by asking those at the summit to move aside. You push them off or drag them down. As for your little remark about how women shouldn't be swordsmen? Who the fuck decided that?"
Furrowing his brows, Vuldar wanted to say more but was interrupted as a young woman with long, sleek black hair and sleepy, cerulean-blue eyes entered the training area. When she saw the two people present within, a faint smile graced her naturally alluring face as she said, "Mother, brother, it's good to see you."
"Uote..."(A/N: Pronounced Yo-tei.)
Adopting a cheeky smile, Reida retracted her sword from Vuldar's face as she teased, "Well, would you look at that, another woman that's stronger than you. Oh? And what's this? She's nearly ten years your junior? Maybe I really am going senile...either that or your statement about how women shouldn't be swordsmen is complete bullshit."
With a darkening expression, Vuldar stared intently into his mother's eyes as if he wanted to say something. Instead, he turned around in a huff, his path setting him on a collision course with Uote, forcing her to step out of the way to avoid him.
Seeing Vuldar storm off like a child throwing a tantrum, Reida couldn't help shaking her head in disproval as she muttered, "Good riddance..." with a cold expression on her face. Vuldar was one of the children that had been forced onto her, so even though she acknowledged him as her son, Reida disdained him nearly as much as his father.
Fortunately, while Uote had also been born out of a less than consensual relationship, she was a lot more pleasant to be around. She had also just recently given birth to a young daughter named Isolte, so Reida had been spending more time with her as of late.
"What brings you here, Uote? Shouldn't you be spending time with little Isolte right now...?"
Adopting a smile that had conquered the hearts of countless men, Uote replied, "Isolte is spending the day with her father. As for what brings me here, I heard an interesting tidbit of information that is spreading through the Capital like wildfire."
Raising her brows, Reida remarked, "Oh? Do tell." She generally disdained people who gossiped, but that didn't prevent her from engaging in a bit of harmless babble herself.
Anticipating her mother's reaction, a squinty-eyed smile adorned Uote's face as she revealed, "Paul Greyrat and his Party, Einherjar, have recently entered the Capital with a mysterious, horned creature."
Instead of reacting how Uote expected, Reida narrowed her eyes as she calmly replied, "Is that so...?" In actuality, she wanted nothing more than to charge over and give Paul a taste of her fist, but very few people knew of their relationship. If she were to cause a scene, people were bound to spread rumors and ask questions.
Since it wouldn't be proper for someone of her status to actively seek out Paul and his Party, Reida adopted a mischievous smile as she stared at her second-eldest daughter and questioned, "You mentioned that Isolte was with her father, right? Then you must have a lot of free time on your hands..."
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After getting registered with the surprisingly small Guild, Paul and Party checked into a high-quality Inn located just a few blocks away from the massive wall separating the Inner City from the Outer City. Nobles didn't like sharing space with peasants, so the Capital had been divided into a series of Upper-Noble, Lesser-Noble, and Commoner Districts.
Had he visited in his youth, Paul would have been allowed free passage into the innermost parts of the city. Now, he would need a sponsor just to enter the Inner City, the sub-division of the Capital where the wealthiest merchants, Unlanded Nobles, and the majority of the Kingdom's military took up residence.
Fortunately for Paul, he had something even better than a sponsor, an official summons from the King. Had he used it at the entrance of the city, they likely would have prepared a carriage to escort him to the very heart of the city. Instead, Paul intended to familiarize himself with the Capital's layout before meeting with the King. More pressingly, he had a promise to keep with Lilia, so, after reserving nearly every room on the third floor of an Inn, he ignored the blushing beauty's petition to take a bath first as he pulled her into his bedroom and made up for seven years of lost time...
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Shortly after Paul and his Party had checked in with the Adventurer's Guild, word of his arrival reached the ear of an inordinately tall man with golden-blonde hair, vaguely reminiscent of a lion's man, and striking blue eyes. The man had been lounging about in the Concubine's Palace, but, even while half-naked, he exuded an aura of regality that made it difficult for the average person to look him in the eye.
"You're certain it was him...?"
Bowing as low and respectfully as his ornate armor allowed, the Knight that had come to inform the man, none other than King Ansalem Anemoi Asura, replied, "Yes, my Liege. His appearance and the appearance of his companions match our reports. Shall we send someone to retrieve him...?"
"Hmmm...I think not..."
As he was currently spending time with his favorite consort, King Ansalem didn't feel like taking a bath, donning his royal vestments, and returning to the palace. It was already late in the day, and, more importantly, he had given Paul until the end of the year to present himself. There were still five full months until then, so the King was in no hurry to force their encounter ahead of time.
"Go, and have some of your men keep an eye on them. If the First Prince or any of his supporters attempt to cause trouble, do your best to prevent things from getting out of hand."
Lowering his head even further, the ornately armored Knight replied, "Your will be done!" before backing out of the room without rising. Following his departure, the King returned his attention to a markedly younger woman, who, at the present moment, was bound and suspended above a canopy bed with a gag in her mouth...
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Just as things were beginning to heat up between him and Lilia, Paul was interrupted by the sound of a knock at his door.
"Seriously...?"
Extricating himself from the scarlet-haired beauty writhing about beneath him, Paul pulled the covers over Lilia's body before hastily donning a pair of pants and making his way over to discover Jean standing outside.
"Jean? What's up...?"
With a visibly troubled expression on her face, Jean replied, "Sorry to disturb you, but an employee o the Inn came to inform us someone is requesting your presence in the lobby."
"Damn. They really don't waste time, do they...?"
Assuming it was a messenger of the King or someone from the Citadel of Reidal, Paul apologized to a secretly relieved Lilia before donning the rest of his gear and asking Jean to look after her. By then, everyone else was waiting in the hallway, so Paul asked Venti and Xinyan to stay back as he, Ei, Eula, and Ghislaine descended to the first floor.
Noticing Paul's group, a fairly handsome young man with pale, windswept blonde hair, muted green eyes, and an outfit that clearly distinguished him as a Noble asked, "You're the owner of that beast outside?"
Before Paul could answer, the youth's eyes widened noticeably as he got a good look at Ei and Eula. Ghislaine was also present, but most human Nobles, sans the members of House Boreas, considered members of the Beast Race unworthy of their attention.
"Hooo? You've quite the collection of beautiful women..."
Unamused by the youth's behavior, Paul briefly scanned the trio of guards blocking the entrance to the Inn before warning, "You should choose your following words very carefully."
"Oh...?"
Raising his hand to stop his guards from attacking, a challenging smile appeared on the youth's face as he stated, "You clearly have no idea who you're-"
Having memorized the crests of nearly every Noble family during his days at the Milbots Academy, Paul's expression morphed into a deadpan as he stated, "Your coat bears the crest of House Fawkes, a Barony in service of House Redbat. However, your lack of lapels means you aren't the First Son. Even then, you have no political power or authority. So go ahead, try something. Let's see how that pans out for you, brat."
"You...you..."
Not expecting a peasant from the Outer City to recognize his family crest, the blonde-haired youth found himself at a loss for words. He was initially planning to pressure Paul into parting with Ganyu at a discount or gifting her to him in exchange for his family's favor. Instead, he ended up getting exposed and insulted before negotiations could begin.
Coming to his Master's aid, one of the three bodyguards, a gruff-looking man with several scars on his face, stepped forward to say, "Besmirching a Noble House is a crime punishable by death. House Fawkes might be a Barony, but it's still a proper Noble House. Bow your head and apologize."
Just as a smile developed across the blonde-haired youth's face, Paul rolled his eyes and said, "You're right. However, death is the maximum sentence and can only be imposed at the discretion of a Tribunal. Know what else is punishable by death? Misrepresenting tenets of the judicial system in an effort to compel or pressure others."
"..." x4
Taking advantage of the group's silence, Paul shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Look, we both have better things to do than this. If you get caught causing trouble here, you're only going to make things difficult for yourself and your family. Return to the Inner City, or wherever else it was you crawled out from, and focus on making yourself a better fit for whatever position you're aiming for in the future."
Finished with what he had to say, Paul was prepared to return and spend more time with Lilia. Instead, an exasperated sigh escaped his throat as the youth suddenly shouted, "S-Seize them...!"
With Ei looking toward him for confirmation, Paul shook his head as the Dendro Vision embedded into the pommel of his sword pulsed to life. In the next moment, he half-turned his body, casually side-stepped a thrust from the gruff-looking swordsman as he asked, "Seriously? What are you, an Intermediate-Ranked Swordsman...?"
Leaving no room for the man to reply, Paul chopped him in the throat with a blurred knife hand. He held back a considerable amount, but the man's throat was nearly crushed as he collapsed like a ragdoll.
Before the man could fall face-first into the ground, Paul grabbed his hair and flung him back at his companions. He immediately regretted this, not because he had strained himself or anything, but because the man's hair had been excessively greasy.
"Ugh..."
While Paul was busy looking for something to wipe off his hand, the youth from House Fawkes was staring at his bodyguards in disbelief. They were members of a private mercenary group that protected young Nobles who wanted to venture out into the Outer City but lacked bodyguards to keep them safe. The trio he had hired might be some of the weakest members of the group, but they still possessed skills on par with Knights...
Seeing the blonde-haired youth tense to the point it looked like he was about to piss himself, Paul shook his head a second time and said, "Just go. Based on your reaction, you're smart enough to understand how this would have gone down if I were less forgiving. In the future, try not to go swaggering about unless you have genuine power and authority to back it up."
Though he could probably get away with killing such a low-ranking Noble, Paul doubted the boy was any older than 14-15 years old. That made him an adult in the world of Mushoku Tensei, but Paul didn't particularly enjoy killing. He would if he had to, but the grievances made against him by this little shit didn't warrant such an extreme form of retaliation.
Not needing to be told thrice, the blonde-haired youth practically bolted from the lobby. His guards followed after him, carrying their unconscious comrade, but the trouble apparently wasn't over as the innkeeper, a portly fellow with a gleaming bald spot atop his head, rushed over to say, "You and your group need to vacate your rooms and leave as soon as possible. I understand you were just defending yourself, but I can't afford to shelter people who willingly antagonize Nobles. Please be understanding."
Unsurprised by the man's words, Paul replied, "Yeah, yeah, just make sure to return my deposit. You can keep half as an apology, but you're touched in the head if you believe I'll let you keep the full amount when we haven't even stayed a single night."
Though his face became red when he heard Paul's words, the innkeeper didn't argue with him. There was no way of knowing what anyone foolish enough to stand up to the Nobility would do, so he begrudgingly returned half of Paul's deposit before kicking out his group and asking them never to return...
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Seeing Paul's group leaving the Inn, one of the undercover Knights tasked to observe them, a handsome woman with vermillion hair, turned to their leader and asked, "Should we apprehend that knave from House Fawkes? Even if he wasn't aware of it, he tried to accost someone with a summons from the King. Impeding a summons is a Class-A Offense."
"Hmmm..."
After a moment of deliberation, the leading Knight eventually shook his head and said, "We'll let his family handle him. Send someone to apprise his father of the situation and ensure he is placed under house arrest for no less than 180 days."
Resisting the almost instinctual urge to stand at attention and salute, the vermillion-haired woman replied, "Yes, Captain." before turning to one of her subordinates and parroting the order she had just received.
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After retrieving Ganyu from the stables and ensuring her she wasn't at fault for them getting kicked out of the Inn, Paul and his Party made their way through the darkening city streets of the Capital. There were lanterns powered by magic crystals lining the paved streets, but the visibility was still pretty low as a mist rolled in from the coast.
Unable to contain herself, an anticipatory smile developed across Venti's face as she mused, "Ominous~." in a sing-song tone. Paul rolled his eyes at this, but he still increased his level of alertness as Eula and Jean moved a little closer to Lilia.
Fortunately, as eerie as the atmosphere had become, nothing leaped out from the alleys to attack Paul's Party. Several people eyed them as they passed, but the presence of Ganyu was enough to cause most people to give them a wide berth.&nbsp;
After traversing several city blocks without incident, Paul's group finally found a decent-looking Inn with the Guild logo attached to its sign. It lacked a stable, but Paul no longer had any intention of letting Ganyu stay outside. Instead, he had her shrink down as much as she could, roughly the size of a house cat, before concealing her in his tunic. He could feel her wet and slightly chilly nose sniffing at his body, but Paul ignored it as he procured a large bedroom reserved for Parties. The interior had a total of seven beds lined up along a single wall, mannequins for armors, racks for weapons, and three large chests for personal items and belongings.
Though it was significantly less lavish than their previous Inn, businesses operating with the Guild's logo were some of the safest places you could stay if you wanted to avoid harassment from Nobles. Their soundproofing and privacy left a lot to be desired, but Paul wasn't an animal incapable of restraining his urges. Lilia said she was already satisfied, so everyone just pushed their beds together and cuddled up for the night...
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"Paul..."
"Yeah, I know..."
Having noticed Ghislaine's ears perking up, Paul rose to a seated position just as a knock echoed through the room. It hadn't even been half an hour since everyone settled in and made themselves comfortable, so Paul's expression darkened as he groaned, "We're camping out in the forest from now on..."
Since everyone was pretty much fully clothed, having only removed their shoes and equipment, Paul only had to throw on an undertunic before he was decent enough to answer the door. When he did, the woman on the other side briefly tensed as the dark interior of the room, combined with the look on Paul's face, caused chills to run up her spine.
Before the woman could run off or think to apologize, Paul's expression softened ever so slightly as he asked, "What is it...?" in a hushed tone.
Feeling considerably less pressure, the woman exhaled a sigh before explaining, "Someone from the Citadel of Reidal has come searching for you by name. She introduced herself as Water King Uote."
Recognizing the name pretty much immediately, Paul remarked, "One of Reida's kids, huh...?" before shaking his head, adopting a wry smile, and adding, "Tell her I'll be down in a moment."
Though she gave Paul a slightly incredulous look when he referred to Reida in such a casual manner, the Inn employee offered a polite bow before scurrying off to deliver his message to Uote.
After briefly following the woman's departure, Paul closed and secured the door before turning to face the others as he said, "Looks like Reida sent someone over. I'm not sure she came to invite us to the Citadel, but there's a fairly solid chance that's the case. Ei and I will head down first to confirm."
"Understood."
Hearing Paul's words, Ei rose to her feet and promptly joined him at his side. She was ready to leave then and there, but Paul took a moment to help fix her clothing before they left. As much as he enjoyed seeing her walking around in a loose kimono, he didn't want others doing the same...
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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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Chapter 128: MI128: Entering the Capital