Mushoku Impact

Though the most sensible thing would have been to say no, Paul got Reida to sweat a little by answering, "Yes." in a calm tone.
"Hoooo...?"
Turning around so he could face Paul directly, King Ansalem gave him another scrutinizing gaze as he mused, "What an interesting response. Tell me, Paul Greyrat, how might you threaten the Asura, 'my' Kingdom?"
Shaking his head, Paul elucidated, "I would not. However, just because I would not do something does not mean I'm incapable of it. If I didn't care for the people or about the means I employed, I could cause incalculable amounts of damage to the Kingdom."
"Hmmm...so you mean to say you're only a threat if you 'choose' to be...?"
Shaking his head a second time, Paul met the King's gaze directly as he answered, "No, Your Majesty. I have already made my decision. Asura is the land of my forebears, the home of my parents, friends, and countless others I wish to protect. It is not my decision whether or not I become a threat to the Kingdom..."
Understanding, or at least believing, Paul was alluding to his son, King Ansalem nodded his head in a sagely manner. Paul had a lot of secrets, but based on the investigation his men had conducted into the Milbots Region, there was no evidence to show he had any intentions against the crown. From the moment of his debut to the time of his exile, Paul's entire life had revolved around improving himself and the lives of people around him.
Recalling the reports he had received about Paul's actions in the Ranoa Magic Kingdom, a setting where he had, once again, focused on helping others, a faint yet approving smile developed across King Ansalem's face.&nbsp;
Forcing a wry smile on Paul's face, King Ansalem remarked, "It's a shame you weren't born a member of the Royal Family. Though your compassion likely wouldn't have survived your adolescence, the Kingdom would have prospered under your direction..."
Shaking his head, a weary, faintly lamenting expression marred the King's face as he compared his children to Paul. His eldest son, Prince Grabell, was a wastrel whose only natural talents included gratifying himself and ensuring the deaths of anyone who might oppose him. Not even his four-year-old brother was spared Grabell's machinations, leaving Ansalem with very few options regarding his successor...
Staring into Paul's crystal clear green eyes, King Ansalem felt as though he could see the future contained within them. Unfortunately, there would be far too much pushback if he attempted to proclaim Paul his successor. Fortunately, Paul's and Reida's union had inadvertently given him at least two additional options...
"According to reports, you stopped at the Notos Estate before coming to the Capital. Tell me, how are your children...?"
Though he would rather not say, Paul revealed, "They are of exceptional health and show tremendous promise. Aria possesses inordinate strength for her age, and Aiden had exhibited a remarkable intellect."
With a visible twinkle in his eyes, King Ansalem mused, "Not surprising, considering who their parents are..."
Looking between Paul and Reida, King Ansalem's smile broadened as he asked, "And what of the two of you? Reida has previously expressed her intention to declare you her successor. Have you accepted...?"
Though he nodded his head, Paul admitted, "While my original intent was to explore the world and accumulate experience, I've come to realize that home is what's most important. For the futures of the Asura Kingdom and all those who inhabit it, I have accepted the Water God's offer."
Seeing Reida lower her head as a sign of affirmation, an approving smile developed across King Ansalem's face. If everything went as planned, he would have Paul, his children, and the Visions serving the interests of the Asura Kingdom. He just needed to get Paul out of the Kingdom, produce a viable heir, and prevent his eldest son from having them eliminated before they could mature...
Unaware that he was following Ningguang's plan as if he had memorized her script, King Ansalem suggested, "It's not too late to travel the world, you know? The Asura Kingdom is not an isolated nation focused purely on domestic affairs. We are perpetually in need of reliable men and women to serve as foreign diplomats, envoys, or frontiersmen, individuals who can venture into other nations and delve into the most inhospitable regions to report the secrets therein."
Instead of asking for an explanation, Paul bowed his head respectfully and said, "If His Majesty wills it, I would travel to the furthest reaches of the Demon Continent." These were words he had rehearsed dozens of times, but he never expected the King to immediately reply, "Excellent, as that's precisely where I intend to send you. The Asura Kingdom never has enough eyes and ears in the Demon Continent. It's been several decades since a proper survey was conducted, so I've been looking for someone with the power and pedigree to investigate the area and establish contact with the thirty-six Demon Lords that govern it."
"..."
Unsurprised by Paul's silence, a chuckle emanated from the King's throat before he added, "It's a significant undertaking, I know. However, there is no better way to accumulate knowledge about the past than exploring the Demon Continent. There, people who have experienced the things you've read about still live. Go to them, accumulate their knowledge, and return a stronger and wiser man."
Since he didn't have the leeway to refuse, Paul only hesitated for a brief moment before bowing his head and stating, "Your will be done..." in a solemn tone. Exploring the Demon Continent had always been on his to-do list, but, ever since the birth of his children, it wasn't as high a priority. Now, even if he had Ganyu to transport him, it would likely take years to complete the mission His Majesty had assigned...
Believing he had seen through Paul's concerns, King Ansalem stated, "You need not set out this instant. We initially gave you until the end of the year to greet us, so you may postpone your departure until then. That ought to give you enough time to secure your status as the Water God's successor. Just try not to venture too far from the Citadel. Our son rarely leaves the protection of the Silver Palace, but the influence of his affiliates extends far beyond. You have our blessing to defend yourself, but even we cannot protect you if you take things too far..."
Walking up to Paul, King Ansalem astonished him by abruptly patting his shoulder. Then, with a mischievous yet equally serious expression on his face, he added, "If you do, ensure it can't be traced back to you. If there is anything you can learn from our son, it's that..."
Giving Paul's shoulder one final pat, King Ansalem made his way toward the exit without another word. In truth, there were innumerable things he still wished to discuss with Paul, but that could wait till later. For now, the most important thing was ensuring Paul remained loyal to the Kingdom. If he pressed too hard and tried to force the boy to reveal all of his secrets, doubt and suspicion would be seeded in his heart. Thus, at least for the time being, King Ansalem would permit Paul to act freely. After all, he still had Reida reporting to him.
When it came to extracting secrets from idealistic young men, the care and attention of mature women were without equal...
...
..
.
After departing the castle and boarding a carriage bound for the Citadel, Reida waited for a few minutes before asking, "How was it? Everything go as your little fiancee envisioned...?"
Shaking his head, Paul answered, "Not exactly. At the very least, I never expected to be sent to the Demon Continent as my first assignment. We knew the King would try to get me out of the country, but this seems a little...excessive."
"Mmm...if I had to guess, he wants to keep you away from the Strife Zone. The King isn't a fool. Even if I hadn't reported to him, the Sword God and countless others would have apprised him of the situation. Destabilizing a region and laying the groundwork for a nation isn't something that can be accomplished in secret..."
Raising his brows, Paul remarked, "I'm surprised you're telling me this. I must have performed pretty well last night..."
Snorting through her nose, Reida crossed her arms in defiance, stating, "You improved a bit..." before going on to add, "You've seen what kind of man the King is. Now that you've told him about your decision to become my successor, he wouldn't care if I provided you with information. So long as you're acting in the interests of the Asura Kingdom, he'll leave you be."
"Yeah...I was honestly a little taken aback. I sure as hell wasn't expecting that advice he gave near the end..."
Though it was likely the result of them meeting in private, King Ansalem's behavior was quite a bit different from what Paul was expecting. The man had a sort of hands-off policy when it came to intervening in the affairs of the broader Nobility, so Paul had assumed he was just a lazy pervert who couldn't be bothered with proper governance. There was likely some truth to that, but it was evident there was more to the King than Paul originally believed...
Shrugging her shoulders, Reida stated, "That's how it is with Nobles in the Capital. So long as you don't leave any meaningful evidence or witnesses, you can get away with just about anything. Still, you shouldn't wander too much. Now that you're my successor, everyone is going to want a piece of you, not just my brats. I can deal with any Emperors that come looking for trouble, but you're on your own when it comes to the rest. You can't reach the top if you're constantly being protected."
"Right..."
Just as Paul was about to consider how he could possibly defeat a Water King, Reida interrupted him, adding, "Speaking of which...those lasses you have with you. You mentioned that purple-haired cow was strong enough to defeat me, but what about the rest? They any good...?"
Since Eula, Ghislaine, and even Xinyan had expressed a desire to train at the Citadel, Paul didn't hesitate to answer, "They're phenomenal. Even on the low end, every one of them can be classified as a Saint. If they make use of their Visions, they could even rival Kings..."
Narrowing her eyes, Reida's expression and tone became serious as she remarked, "If that's true, that little Party of yours possesses the strength to rival a nation. Some Kingdoms, take Shirone, for example, only possess around five Saint-Ranked individuals. The Dragon King Kingdom is one of the larger ones with around ten Saints and a single King..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul said, "It doesn't matter. I've said it before, but I have no intention of becoming the ruler of a nation. If it didn't mean leaving our kids, this assignment to the Demon Continent would be like a dream come true..."
Though she couldn't help thinking Paul was wasting his potential, Reida ultimately nodded her head in response to his words. Not everyone had the desire to stand at the peak and rule over others, so even though Paul clearly had the means to do so, she wasn't going to try and talk him into it.&nbsp;
As bland as it sounded, there was nothing wrong with desiring a peaceful life or simply wanting to protect your loved ones.
Deciding to steer the conversation towards a more pertinent issue, Reida asked, "So, what are you planning to do these next five months? I'd like to spend this time training you, but I guess you'll be heading back to spend time with our kids?"
As much as he would like to, Paul surprised Reida by shaking his head and saying, "I might get a little distracted with the whole Philip situation, but I intend to use these next couple of months to shore up my foundation. My strength, speed, and Touki have continued to improve, but I slacked off a little too much during my stay in the North. With you offering to train me, I would be remiss to pass on the opportunity..."
Though she frowned when Paul mentioned slacking off, a rather vicious smile developed across Reida's face when she imagined getting to train him. She had gone easy on him in the past, as he was still maturing, but now that he was her successor, she wasn't going to hold anything back. She probably couldn't turn him into a King before his departure, but she would be damned if he wasn't on the cusp.
Sending shivers up Paul's spine, the look on Reida's face became even scarier as she mused, "You and I are gonna have some fun..."
...
..
.

Upon reaching the Citadel and deboarding their carriage, Reida turned to Paul and said, "About those lasses you brought along...the Citadel doesn't exactly entertain guests. If they're going to stay here, they'll need to work or train. I'm also not particularly fond of sharing, so..."
Narrowing her eyes, Reida stared directly into Paul's as she added, "You'll need to choose. If you decide to stay with me these next five months, we can behave as brazen as we please. If you'd rather fool around with those little ducklings of yours, you'll have to live among the other male disciples. I don't care if people know about our relationship, but I'd lose all face if they knew I was just one of the women you were fucking. I am the Water God; I still have a reputation to uphold..."
Though he furrowed his brows, Paul wasn't incapable of empathizing with Reida's predicament. Most people would automatically presume she was the one that had taken an interest in him, grooming him into her successor with a carrot and stick approach. That view would shift rather drastically if it became known she was just one of many women he slept with.
"I'll talk with them once we get back. I can't promise I won't sleep with other women these next five months, but I can at least take it outside the Capital. That should suffice, right...?"
Nodding her head, Reida replied, "That's fine by me. So long as you aren't acting all lovey-dovey with other women during your stay in the Citadel, I couldn't care less what you do in private. Just remember that while you're here, you're mine."
Though she was now quite a bit shorter than Paul, that didn't stop Reida from pulling his collar and planting a kiss on his lips. Quite a few people had been eyeing them with curiosity, so even if Paul didn't truly belong to her, Reida intended to make it appear that way...
...
..
.
After hearing Paul's explanation, a low-spirited sigh emanated from Venti's throat as she remarked, "If I had known something like this was going to happen, I wouldn't have held back these past couple of weeks..."
Adopting a mildly incredulous look, Paul retorted, "Held back? We've been doing it like rabbits nearly every day for the past three months..."
Raising her hands and shrugging exaggeratedly, Venti replied, "Well, yeah. I've got nearly three millennia of abstinence to make up for. At least we've stopped to take breaks."
"..."
Deciding to ignore the perpetually horny Archon, Paul shifted his attention to the rest of the group, asking, "So, what do you girls want to do? I know some of you plan to train here, but what about the rest of you? Reida has said she can arrange teaching positions for you at the Royal Academy, but waiting in the IOF is also an option."
Disregarding the fact Paul was at least pretending to ignore her, Venti was the first to answer, "I don't mind roleplaying as a teacher. The question is, what should I teach? Poetry, song, or perhaps Wind Magic? I'm not overly familiar with this world's Magic, but I'm fairly confident I can play the part of a Wind King. Maybe even an Emperor~?"
Shaking his head, Paul asserted, "Emperor is too excessive. If you exhibit that kind of might, everyone in the Kingdom will take notice. Also...not to sound rude, Venti, but you're one of the last people I would trust to act on their own. That isn't to say you aren't capable, but with your appearance and playful disposition, everyone from the faculty to the students would be trying to take advantage of you..."
Instead of taking offense to Paul's words, Venti stuck out her tongue and said, "Praise will get you everywhere~." in a playful tone.
"Right..."
Shifting his attention back to the others, Paul focused his gaze on Jean as he asked, "How about it? Any preferences...?"
Without needing to consider her response, Jean calmly stated, "I would like to stay and train within the Citadel. Though I wouldn't mind teaching, I see this as an excellent opportunity to refamiliarize myself with the use of my Vision."
Nodding his head in approval, Paul remarked, "Sounds reasonable." before shifting his attention to Ei. The moment he did, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she insisted, "It is my duty to remain at your side and keep you safe..."
Unsurprised by Ei's remark, Paul adopted a faint smile as he remarked, " I guess that about settles it, then. Venti will hang out in the Intersection of Fate for a bit while the rest of us focus on training."
Though she wasn't legitimately angry, Venti interjected, saying, "Now wait just one moment. What about Ganyu? She doesn't even use a sword...!"
In response to Venti's remark, Ganyu promptly reverted to her miniature Qilin form before moseying over and making herself comfortable in Paul's lap. As she did, Venti's brow twitched ever so slightly as she said, "That's cheating..."
While running his fingers through the velvety smooth fur of Ganyu's coat, Paul attempted to cheer Venti up by saying, "Look on the bright side. If you enter the IOF, it will only be a blip in time before we're out exploring the world together."
Tilting her head to the side, Venti brought a finger up to her chin as she remarked, "Hmmm...you do make a fair point. However...!"
Pointing directly a Paul, the former could swear he saw steam coming out of Venti's nose as she declared, "The next time I come out, we're going at it for two&mdash;no&mdash;five whole days! A day for each month you kept me locked away...!"
"..."
Though he felt like smacking the perverted woman upside the head, Paul surprised everyone present by appearing to consider it. The longest he had gone at it thus far was with a heated Ghislaine, but they had taken a lot of breaks in between. Five days was a little ridiculous, but Paul felt he could pull it off if he paced himself...
Surprising even Venti, Paul ultimately shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sure. Truth be told, I am a little curious to know my 'maximum' in terms of sexual stamina. I doubt we can go non-stop for five days, but I should be able to keep it up until you tap out."
Feeling the muscles in her abdomen tense, a combination of fear and excitement swelled within Venti's chest. Ever since her first time having sex, she had wanted to experience even greater levels of pleasure. Paul had messed her up pretty badly in the past, but their longest session was around thirteen hours with other people present. Five days was nearly ten times that amount, and unless she sought outside assistance, she would have to accept his everything by herself...
As her heart began to race, the smile on Venti's face became somewhat distorted as she said, "You, my dearest Master, have got yourself a deal."
...
..
.
With his discussion with the girls finished and Venti safely secured in the IOF, Paul made his way to Reida's room and knocked on the door. There was no response for nearly three full minutes, but, just as Paul was about to turn around and leave, the door cracked open to reveal a panting Reida wearing little more than a silken robe that clung to her voluptuous body...
Though he would ordinarily be captivated by such a sight, Paul couldn't help narrowing his eyes as he asked, "What's going on?" in a pointed tone. He could feel the pressure in his veins immediately skyrocket, but instead of appearing angry, his expression became a cold stone mask of calm.
Seeing the sudden and rather drastic change in Paul's demeanor, a mildly incredulous look marred Reida's ruddy face as she asked, "What's gotten into you? I went through all this effort to celebrate us becoming Master and Disciple, and you're behaving&mdash;ah, I see..."
Realizing what Paul must have been thinking, a teasing smile developed across Reida's face as she asked, "Seriously? I haven't slept with anyone since you unceremoniously got me pregnant. Why would I invite another man over when I'm waiting for your stupid ass to arrive...?"
Feeling a bit of warmth flow into his cheeks, Paul honestly had no idea how to respond to Reida's words. Fortunately, she seemed more amused than upset by his behavior, promptly pulling him into the room and kissing his lips until they were a little swollen. Then, despite him insisting it wasn't necessary, she walked him through checking every inch of her room, even a few secret compartments, to confirm there was no one else present...
...
..
.
"What the heck happened to you? You look like a zombie..."
Seeing Paul emerge from Reida's room, alongside the Water God herself, Xinyan couldn't help commenting upon seeing the dark circles around his eyes. In response, Paul just forced a smile while Reida openly admitted, "This oversized idiot thought I snuck another man into my room last night, so I-"
"Reida..."
Though he had no authority over the woman, Paul interrupted Reida with a soft yet forceful tone and a silent plea in his eyes. She crossed her arms and frowned deeply in response but, upon casting her cerulean gaze over the other women present, promptly decided against embarrassing him too much.&nbsp;
Snorting through her nose, Reida muttered, "Whatever..." before adopting a serious expression and saying, "Paul told me you girls intend to join the Citadel. Under normal circumstances, that would be impossible without a Noble background or a referral. However, since you're apparently a bunch of Saints, I've decided to bend the rules a bit. So long as you're willing to assist in the training of other Disciples, you're free to stay in the instructor housing area. Just remember, so long as you're within the confines of the Citadel, your beloved little Master belongs to me..."
In a blatant attempt to assert dominance, Reida pulled Paul close to her and adopted a taunting smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck and attempted to kiss him.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, while he might be willing to play the part of simple Party members for the sake of Reida's reputation, Paul wasn't going to tolerate her behaving selfishly and trying to show off in front of the other girls. As she moved in for a kiss, Paul pressed his forehead to Reida's, saying, "Not cool..." in a disproving tone.
Furrowing her brows, Reida countered, "I only have you for five months. Can't I be a little selfish before you go galavanting around the world...?"
Instead of waiting for Paul's response, Reida released her hold on his neck, muttering her usual, "Whatever..." before looking towards Ei and saying, "This fool standing behind me claimed you have what it takes to defeat me in a battle. Once we reach my private training grounds, I intend to confirm whether or not his words are pure bluster. Prepare yourself."
Narrowing her eyes, the overwhelmingly dignified aura Ei usually kept in check surged outward with physical force as she straightened her back, raised her chin, and replied, "Very well." in a frightfully calm tone. As she did, goosebumps spread across the entirety of Reida's body as her hand instinctually moved to the hilt of her sword. At the same time, every single person within the Citadel of Reida, be they Kings or simple Beginners, felt as though they had a blade pressed to their throats...
...
..
.

"Want to talk about it...?"
After boarding a carriage headed for the Silver Palace, Paul waited for a few minutes before broaching the subject of what happened back at the Citadel. Reida had been in a lousy mood ever since, so she was currently using his lap as a pillow after Paul assured her it would help.
Exhaling a sigh, Reida surprised Paul by muttering, "Pat my head..." before eventually going on to explain, "About a year after I arrived in the Capital, the man that had taken me in, Earl Erland Edvard Greenbull, did just about everything in his power to get me pregnant. He seemed to believe that if I bore him a child, I would have no choice but to become his mistress. For a while, he even tried to convince me...eh, forget about it. That's something that happened more than thirty years ago; I don't feel like talking about it, and I seriously doubt you want to hear the specifics..."
While continuing to run his fingers through Reida's hair, Paul hummed in affirmation before responding, "You're probably right...still, if you feel the need to talk, I'm here to listen. The Gods know you have a lot to get off your chest..."
Though it probably wasn't the most sensible or sensitive thing to do at the moment, Paul punctuated his words by sliding his hand into Reida's top. Her breasts had a peculiar firmness to them, but they were still soft and smooth to the touch.
"..."
Resisting the urge to smack Paul's hand, Reida remained silent for a short while before asking, "Have you thought about becoming my successor? If you do, it will go a long way towards putting the King's mind at ease..."
Bringing a faint smile to Reida's face, Paul answered, "I intend to give it a shot. However, so long as you have a Vision, I can't see anyone removing you from the position. I don't know how much, but I can tell you've gotten stronger since our separation."
Though she still had her head in Paul's lap, Reida nodded her head as she replied, "You're damn right I did. At my current level, even that bastard of a Sword God might not be able to defeat me."
Imagining how her next encounter with Gal would go, a vicious smile developed across Reida's face. If she had a list of the people she most hated, Gal would easily make the top three. Their status and affiliation with the Asura Kingdom made it difficult for them to do battle, but she had dreamed of wiping the smug look off his for the past twenty years.
"Mmm...just promise me you won't die. I won't tell you not to do anything reckless; that's half the fun of life. Just make sure to come back in enough pieces to put back together."
Raising and lowering one brow each, Reida gave Paul a side-long stare as she retorted, "You're way too weak to be worrying about others. At least get to the rank of Water Emperor before you start spouting sappy shit and giving people advice..."
Though she was secretly a little happy about Paul's concern, Reida didn't like being looked down on. She knew that wasn't Paul's intention, but she was still the Water God. She would never have gotten this far if not for an inordinate amount of pride. In fact, back when she was still an Emperor, before inheriting the name Reida Reia, she was known as The Lion's Pride, Katalina.&nbsp;
Interpreting Reida's words as concern for his well-being, Paul just smiled and replied, "Looks like I have another goal to reach..." before reclining his head back. As he did, Reida waited for a few seconds before asking, "How much longer do you intend to keep groping me...?"
Adopting a noticeably broader smile, Paul softly replied, "For as long as you allow it..."
...
..
.
After nearly half an hour, the carriage Reida and Paul were riding in was forced to stop and stage outside a massive, silvery archway. This gave Paul his first close-up view of the Silver Palace, a colossal structure that was constructed almost entirely of bricks that had been heat-treated with rare minerals such as Mithril and Orichalcum. These were what gave it its renowned silvery hue, but their most important function was inhibiting the use of Magic.
Freeing Paul from his thoughts, Reida gave him a light yet crisp-sounding smack to the back of the head as she said, "Stop gawking and stay close. If you get caught wandering around without an escort, getting thrown in the Dungeon will be the least of your concerns. Also, until you meet with the King, it's best not to speak. It's a pretty well-known saying, but in the Silver Palace, the walls have more than just ears."
Demonstrating his understanding, Paul elected to nod instead of verbally responding to Reida's words. He knew the First Prince and his Faction of fucknuggets would have been informed of his arrival by now. The former was known to never leave the Silver and Concubine Palaces, so there was a fairly high probability he would pull something during one of Paul's visits to the Palace.
Returning an approving nod, Reida told Paul to stay within three meters of her before leading the way into the Silver Palace. Their passage garnered the attention of pretty much everyone they passed, but as Reida's status even permitted entry into King's bed chambers, no one attempted to stop them. Many even saluted her outright, standing off to the side of the halls to allow her free passage.
After wandering about for what felt like a literal hour, Reida showed Paul to a room guarded by a group of heavily armored Knights. They were the first to stop and ask them what their intentions were, but Reida shut them down pretty quickly by informing them it was none of their business and that she was carrying out the will of the King.
Though they clearly weren't happy about Reida's response, the group of Knights still allowed her and Paul entry into what appeared to be a giant library or some kind of museum. The flanking walls were slightly curved and lined with massive bookshelves that extended nearly 10m to a ceiling decorated in a manner reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel. There were large and intricate murals covering the entire ceiling while skeletons of various monsters, rare artifacts from ancient civilizations, and even a taxidermied dragon decorated the floor space.
Speaking for the first time in more than an hour, Paul muttered, "Wow..." as his eyes roamed the massive room. In response, Reida offered a curt nod before explaining, "This is the King's Gallery. It's where he displays all his most valuable, private possessions. You're free to roam around, but don't even think about stealing anything. Also, make sure not to touch the crystal display cases. They're enchanted to burst apart and mince anyone dumb enough to try and remove them."
Raising his brows, Paul asked, "I can look around? I would have thought most of this stuff was off-limits."
Shrugging her shoulders, Reida replied, "It is. However, the King enjoys people taking an interest in his collection. So long as you don't damage or try to steal anything, he shouldn't mind. Besides, we're going to be here for a couple of hours, and I'd rather you not get handsy while we're in the Palace."
Blinking in surprise, Paul parroted, "A few hours...?" before furrowing his brows as he added, "You could have mentioned that sooner. I told the-"
Interrupting Paul's words, a somewhat incredulous look marred Reida's face as she asked, "Weren't you supposed to be smart...? What, did you think the King would come running over the moment he heard about your arrival?"
"..."
Taking advantage of Paul's silence, Reida went on to explain, "This is a hell of a lot faster than if you had shown up for a formal audience. The King only rations around an hour of his schedule to audiences, so you would have had to wait between 2-3 weeks before being allowed to see him. Don't complain about a few hours."
Resisting the urge to say he wasn't complaining, Paul remained silent for a few moments before shaking his head and expressing, "You're right. Sorry if my words came across as impatient or selfish..."
Exhaling a faint sigh, Reida suppressed the sudden pang of guilt she was feeling, crossing her arms as she replied, "Well, so long as you're aware of it..."
Feeling a little awkward, Reida abruptly turned away and added, "There's a reading lounge near the back. I'm gonna go take a nap." before walking off. She wasn't used to people apologizing or admitting her faults, so she never knew how to react when Paul expressed his sincerity.
Following the raven-haired beauty with his eyes, Paul briefly considered if Reida's words were an invitation to join her or a warning against it. In the end, he decided the safest thing to do was grab one of the thousands of books present before making his way over and sitting on the opposite end of the sofa she was occupying...
...
..
.
After nearly seven hours of waiting, Reida abruptly raised her head from Paul's lap, stating, "He's here." before quickly rising to her feet. Paul was a bit slower to rise due to his leg falling asleep, but it was nothing his Touki couldn't remedy.&nbsp;
As Paul followed in the direction Reida had hastily departed, he could hear the profoundly deep voice of a man stating, "No need for formalities." before asking, "Where is he?" in a curious tone.
Answering in Reida's stead, Paul revealed himself before bowing low and respectfully as he said, "Water Saint Paul Greyrat humbles himself before the Great King of Asura. It is a tremendous honor to finally meet with Your Majesty in person."
Adopting a toothy grin, King Ansalem gave Paul an appraising look as he repeated, "No need for formalities. I make a concerted effort to ensure no monitoring occurs within this place. Speak freely."
Though he bowed his head even lower in response to the King's words, Paul eventually raised his head and stood ramrod straight. He knew that the King's words were just another formality. If he actually spoke freely, it would be an extreme faux pas.
Nodding his head in approval, King Ansalem stated, "It's good that you haven't forgotten your place. Though you may have had your status and title stripped from you, nothing can change the fact that you were born as the First Son of House Notos."
Gesturing toward the room Paul and Reida had just emerged from, King Ansalem declared, "Attend me." before bypassing the duo and entering ahead of them. As he did, Paul and Reida made sure to lower their heads, not as a sign of submission, but respect. Then, as if they had practiced it in advance, they raised their heads at the same time and entered into the lounge to find the King holding up the book Paul had been reading.
Without needing to confirm the duo was paying attention to him, King Ansalem remarked, "Records of the Chaos Era..." before half-turning to ask, "Does Saint Paul have an interest in Antiquity...?"
Lowering his head, Paul replied, "Your Majesty has supposed correctly. While it is not my primary interest, one of the books I read in the past stated that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. I would never refer to myself as a scholar, but I make a concerted effort to know where humanity has come from so that I can better understand where it's headed..."
Adopting a broad smile, King Ansalem's eyes appeared to twinkle ever so slightly as he remarked, "Well said. It's no wonder that son of mine feared your potential. With that manner of thinking, the Milbots Region may have become an independent nation in the future..."
Though he wanted to refute the King's words, Paul could easily imagine Ningguang annexing the Milbots Region if the Royal Family kept getting in her way. The King seemed to realize this as well, his smile gaining a hint of ferocity as he abruptly inquired, "Paul Greyrat...are you a threat to the Asura Kingdom...?"
...
..
.

Chapter 134: MI134: Expectations