Mushoku Impact

As it had been more than an hour since they entered the bath, Paul was unsurprised to find Ghislaine, Jean, Ei, Xinyan, and Lilia within his former study, not just his kids. Ghislaine was seated on a sofa with Aria using her lap as a pillow while the rest of the girls were either reading or catching up on the sleep they had lost the previous night.
Though Aria briefly stirred at the sound of people entering the room, Paul couldn't help smiling wryly when she immediately went back to sleep. At least, that seemed to be her intention before she promptly sprang up and shouted, "Ganoo...!" in an excited tone.
Ignoring everyone else in the room, Aria, quite literally, leaped at Ganyu the moment she was close enough to pounce. She adopted an apologetic smile in response, but Paul just shook his head with a moderately helpless smile on his face. He couldn't exactly blame Aria for not being attached to him when he had only been around for a few weeks of her life.
Fortunately, though he might never fully come to terms with the fact his son was a reincarnator, Paul had at least one kid who at least pretended to care about their status as parent and child.
Setting aside his book, Aiden hopped to his feet before bowing slightly as he said, "Welcome back, Father. It's good to see you, Grandmother, Dame Eula, Miss Ganyu."
Ignoring the mild annoyance in his son's eyes, likely the result of the girls giving him a wide berth, Paul replied, "Hey, kiddo. How go your studies...?"
Not wanting to ruin the impression his GILF of a Grandmother had toward him, Aiden remained respectful as he politely replied, "Without issue. The Lord and Lady of the House were kind enough to procure me a teacher, so my aptitudes have been improving by the day."
"Oh...?"
As Paul shifted his gaze to her, Valentine happily explained, "Since your time at the Milbots Academy for Nobles, several Mages from around the world have come seeking employment with House Notos. Among them was a Saint-Ranked Spirit Mage from the Great Forest, an Elven woman by the name of Mariana Lemongrass. She claimed that the ambiance of the Estate was similar to the Great Forest, so she has been staying here as a live-in tutor for Aiden."
As Spirit Magic was the 'original' form of Magic, Paul was more than a little surprised to learn that Aiden's tutor was a Spirit Mage from the Great Forest. If she could actually teach him how to summon Elemental Spirits, Aiden may actually be able to 'follow in his footsteps' by contracting High, Great, or even Ancient Spirits. It was kind of uncanny...
Expressing his genuine thoughts on the matter, Paul adopted a slightly wide-eyed expression as he remarked, "Wow. You really lucked out this time, Aiden. Spirit Mages rarely abandon the safety of the Great Forest, and I've never once heard of one teaching a human. With a teacher like that, you're going to become a little monster in the future."
Though he didn't like Paul speaking to him casually when he was 'forced' to be polite, Aiden couldn't help returning a smile. He was fairly certain that Mariana had only accepted the position due to Amarant disclosing Paul's affinity with 'Spirits.' That didn't change the fact he was fortunate, however, as Mariana was an excellent teacher and, more importantly, a bonafide 'legal loli.' So long as his Riajuu of father didn't snatch her away, he was fairly content with the present situation.
Fortunately for Aiden, Paul soon revealed his intentions to travel to the Demon Continent and that he might be gone for upwards of 2-3 years. He promised to return in time to celebrate their fifth birthday, but neither of the twins was particularly moved by this. Aria was far more interested in cuddling Ganyu while Aiden was secretly weighing the risks and rewards of trying to poach a pair of panties before the girls' departure...
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With his mother insisting they stay at least one night, Paul spent the rest of the day trying to bond with his kids before eventually retiring to his old room in exhaustion. He wasn't physically exhausted, by his mental energy had tanked after several failed attempts to coax Aria into playing or letting him read to her.
"My daughter hates me..."
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Eula replied, "No, she doesn't..." while stroking her fingers through Paul's hair. Ganyu was sleeping in the twins' room, specifically in Aria's bed, so she was lending her lap to Paul as he wallowed in self-pity.
In an effort to distract Paul from his depressive state, Jean, wearing little more than white panties and a negligee, questioned, "Shouldn't you be releasing Lady Barbatos from the IOF? If we're planning to set out early in the morning, it would be good to have her with us."
"Eeeeh...."
As he wasn't really in the mood for a fuckathon right now, Paul didn't feel like releasing Venti. He knew he should, but he also knew she was going to be disappointed when she found out they weren't going to be going at it for five days straight...
Expelling such thoughts from his mind, Paul forced himself to a seated position, smiling as he said, "You're probably right. However, before we let that pervert out of her cage, I believe we have three weeks of lost time to make up for..."
Focusing his gaze on Lilia, the only one wearing a 'proper,' cream-colored nightgown that concealed most of her frame and extended to her ankles, Paul's smile gained a hint of wolfishness as he asked, "What do you say?"
Though she swallowed nervously, a serious expression developed across Lilia's face as she replied, "I'm ready." in a firm tone. She could still vividly recall the state Paul had left her in the first time they had sex. Fortunately, though she wasn't entirely sure what she would do while Paul was having sex with other people, she wouldn't be facing him alone.&nbsp;
Ignoring his initial apprehensions and mental fatigue, Paul's smile became a toothy grin as he playfully mused, "We'll see..." Then, despite feeling like he just wanted to sleep, he ended up going at it with the bevy of beautiful women for a solid three hours before releasing Venti and continuing well into the following day...
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"Owie...not so hard..."
Ignoring Venti's protest, Paul continued to suckle and bite her nipple, his hands sinking into the flesh of her full and shapely ass as she rocked her hips of her own accord. His brain had practically shut off at that point, so he was moving purely on instinct as Venti trembled with each shake and twist of her hips.
Interrupting the duo's slow but passionate ministrations, Jean, having already donned her clothes, remarked, "We should be getting ready to leave soon..."
Answering in Pau's stead, Venti exhaled a sigh that was equal parts an impassioned moan as she replied, "I know...just...just five&mdash;maybe ten more minutes. I'm so close to producing another Seelie...I can feel it..."
Furrowing her brows, Jean was tempted to chastize Venti but stopped as Paul ceased suckling her visibly swollen nipple long enough to say, "It's fine...another ten minutes won't hurt..."
Though she was equally tempted to chastize Paul for pushing himself too hard, Jean ultimately shook her head. She knew Paul was doing what he believed was necessary to keep them satisfied, so the person she really needed to talk to was Venti. Jean could empathize with Venti's desire to indulge in the pleasure Paul was capable of administering, but there were times when their relationship bordered on toxic...
"Ah...! I can feel it coming...!"
Pushing herself away from Paul, Venti plopped onto the bed and began breathing rapidly as she spread her legs wide and placed her hands over her lower abdomen. For a brief moment, something could be seen moving beneath her hands before her back arched violently, fluids erupting from her visibly palpating vagina as a glowing green creature began to wiggle its way out.
Overwhelmed by stimulus, Venti clutched the sides of her head, her face distorted like something straight out of a doujinshi as a grapefruit-sized Anemo Seelie plopped out of her and into Paul's hands. Afterward, all the tension drained from her body as she collapsed like a broken marionette, a peal of eerie laughter emanating from her throat as she softly remarked, "Thank Barbatos..."
Ignoring the lascivious woman sprawled out in front of him, Paul took a moment to caress the rabbit-eared Seelie's head with his index finger, an affectionate smile on his face as he whispered, "Welcome to the world of Mushoku Tensei, little guy..."
Though it didn't have eyes to stare back at him, Paul got the impression that the Seelie was staring back at him as the white orb representing its core appeared to shift in his direction. The rabbit-like ears atop its head also waggled a bit before it abruptly levitated from his palms and rubbed against his face in a clear display of affection.
"How enviable..."
Blinking in surprise, Paul and nearly everyone else shifted their attention to Ei. She immediately realized she had voiced her thoughts aloud, but instead of owning up to it, she adopted a cold and expressionless mask as she inquired, "Is something the matter? Why has everyone suddenly turned their attentions to me...?"
Choosing to let Ei save face, Paul suppressed a chuckle as he grabbed the Anemo Seelie, nestling it between his palms and whispering, "Good luck..." before planting a kiss atop its head and releasing it like a dove at a wedding ceremony. Seelies were free-spirited by nature, Anemo Seelies even more so. Thus, the moment Paul released it, the Seelie flew off like a rocket, phasing through the manor walls before disappearing somewhere in the vineyards surrounding the Estate...
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After eating breakfast with his mother and children, Paul bid farewell to the three of them before mounting Ganyu and immediately falling asleep as she began her nine-hour flight through the Red Dragon's Upper Jaw and over the Wyrm's Whiskers Forest. Ei could presumably deal with any Dragons they encountered trying to fly directly over the mountain range, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
With Ghislaine straddling him in an apparent attempt to prevent him from being swept off of Ganyu's back, Paul was able to experience one of the most restful periods of sleep in his entire life. Ganyu's cloud-like fur was more comfortable than any bed, and Ghislaine's increasingly soft body was a perfect blanket due to her pillowy breasts and naturally high body temperature. He ended up waking with a rather extreme case of morning wood, but that was nothing new.
After refusing Venti's offer for a blowjob, Paul slid off of Ganyu's body and did some light stretching as he eyed the familiar, snow-covered city in the distance. Once the tent in his trousers had started to die down, he turned to the girls, specifically Ganyu, and mused, "Remind me to take more naps with your Qilin form. Your fur is ridiculously comfortable..."
Blushing faintly, Ganyu returned a smile as she replied, "Understood." in a polite tone. She knew Paul was just joking around, but that wouldn't stop her from reminding him. After all, she really enjoyed taking naps with him, and he could always use more sleep.
Unaware of Ganyu's thoughts, Paul briefly cast his gaze over the others as he asked, "Should we make camp in the forest or stay in the city? I'm not against it, but I'd rather avoid meeting with the Count if we can avoid it."
Since his only reasons for coming to Sharia were delivering Roxy's Vision and asking if she wanted to accompany him to the Demon Continent, Paul wanted to avoid making a scene. If the residents of the Western District or the Governor heard he was visiting, they would invariably wish to meet him. He didn't really mind, but it could lead to them being 'trapped' within Sharia for several days.
Speaking as the group's representative, Jean suggested, "You and Ganyu should sneak into the Academy and wait for Roxy at the Bastille. We'll set up a light camp and await your return."
With no one offering a counterargument, Paul bid farewell to the larger group of girls before mounting a horse-sized Ganyu and following Jean's advice. Ganyu was incredibly sneaky when she wanted to be, and, thanks to their spiritual link, he could apparently pass through barriers alongside her...
That could be very useful in the future...
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After another exhausting day within the Ranoa Magic Academy, Roxy dragged her feet back to the Bastille, droning, "I'm hooooooome..." in a lazy tone the moment she entered.
As she had been living with Princess Andromeda, Roxy expected either silence or a calm, dignified response welcoming her back. Instead, she heard the familiar sound of a man responding, "Yo! We're in the Drawing Room...!" in a chipper tune.
Thinking her mind was playing tricks on her, Roxy groaned, "Great...now I'm hearing things..." as she made her way toward the voice's origin. She may have believed it to be an auditory hallucination, but it never hurt to be sure.
Upon entering the room and finding Paul staring back at her with a smile, Roxy's body immediately froze. At the same time, Paul raised his brows, remarking, "Wow...you look...tired?"
Instead of responding to Paul's words, Roxy turned around and bolted up to her room as if her weariness from earlier was the actual illusion. Paul could hear the sound of a door slamming shut, but before he could make his way up the stairs to investigate, Roxy shouted, "Give me five minutes!" and, "You better not come in here...!"
With a wry smile on his face, Paul shook his head and returned to the Drawing Room where Ganyu and the Princess were waiting. As he did, the latter exhaled a faint laugh before softly musing, "Roxy can be remarkably innocent at times. It's easy to forget she's more than twice my age."
"Right...?"
Making himself comfortable in a high-backed, almost throne-like chair, Paul stared at the silver-haired, silver-eyed woman seated a respectable distance away from him as he continued their conversation from before, remarking, "It's good that the Count is honoring our agreement. If he let human merchants invade the Western District to benefit at the expense of the Beast Race, I might have evacuated the entire population."
Raising her brows ever so slightly, Andromeda questioned, "You can do something like that...?"
Understanding that Andromeda probably envisioned him using a Mass Teleportation Spell, a wry smile developed across Paul's face as he said, "Not in the way you're imagining. If anything, I would have them pack up and move Eastward. With the forces at my disposal and the hardy nature of the Beast Race, it wouldn't be that difficult to stage a mass exodus."
"Ah..."
Though she would have furrowed her brows if someone else made such a claim, Andromeda could easily imagine Paul leading hundreds, potentially even thousands of Beast Race people to a new home. He liked to present himself as an easy-going, borderline nonchalant individual, but there were moments when he gave off the impression of a King...
As Paul continued his conversation with Andromeda, the pitter-patter of footsteps could be heard descending the stairs before Roxy appeared at the door with visibly damp hair and a fresh change of clothes.
Adopting a mischievous smile, Paul asked, "Did you wash yourself up for me? I guess that means I'm allowed to smell you..."
As Paul rose to his feet, Roxy adopted an amateurish karate-like stance as she said, "Hold your horses, mister. First of all, why are you here? I could have sworn I told you to hold onto the Hydro Vision until after I graduate. You didn't need to come all this way."
Though she was happy to see him, Roxy couldn't help feeling a smidgeon of guilt when she imagined Paul traveling thousands of kilometers just to give her a Vision. She appreciated him keeping his promise, but it was so over-the-top that she wished he hadn't. After all, what could she possibly do for Paul that matched half the things he did for her?
Shaking his head, Paul ignored the much smaller girl's defensive stance, his arms wrapping around her as he softly replied, "A man's value may be measured by his actions, but his dignity is given form by his words. Even if I had to crawl all this way, I would still come..."
"..."
Not knowing how to respond to Paul's words, Roxy just closed her eyes and stood on the tips of her toes. Paul knew exactly what she wanted, so he unhesitantly bent down to give her a chaste but lasting kiss. He would have done a lot more than that, but he could feel Andromeda boring a hole in the back of his head as she watched their display of intimacy with a mixture of amusement and excitement in her eyes.
Releasing the petite Migurdian from his embrace, Paul resisted the urge to caress Roxy's face as he gestured toward his seat and asked, "Join me...?" in a soft tone. A rather prominent blush colored her cheeks when she saw him gesturing towards a one-person chair, but she didn't need to consider her response before replying, "Sure..." in an even softer tone.
With Roxy sitting side-straddle atop his lap, Paul went on to recount a bunch of things he had already written to her about before explaining a few recent developments, the most notable being his impending trip to the Demon Continent.
As much as the idea of traveling with Paul through the Demon Continent both fascinated and excited her, Roxy surprised him by promptly refusing his invitation. She only recently started her education at the Ranoa Magic Academy and, more importantly, her apprenticeship under Lisa. She didn't want Paul and his Party to have to protect her, so, as much as she disliked a few of her teachers, she intended to continue studying at the Academy until graduation.
Further demonstrating her resolve, Roxy went on to state, "As bad as this may sound, I'd prefer if you didn't return to Sharia after this. I don't mind if you visit Lisa, but I don't want you asking her about me. That way, I can surprise you by how much I've grown the next time we meet..."
Though he felt Roxy's request was a little excessive, Paul only hesitated for a moment before nodding his head and replying, "Sure...if that's what you want..." in a soft tone. Roxy smiled in response, but before she could thank him, Paul adopted a mischievous smile as he added, "In exchange, you'll have to introduce me to your parents when we travel to the Demon Continent in the future."
As the notion of bringing Paul home entered her mind, a tomato-red blush developed through Roxy's face as her body became statuesque. She had actively avoided thoughts of returning home; bringing a boy back to meet her parents was a leap she wasn't sure she could take.
Making things simultaneously easier and harder for the petite beauty, Paul mused, "Would you rather I meet them without you?"
"No...!"
Imagining the embarrassing things her parents might say or do once they learned Paul was her lover, Roxy added, "You better not meet my parents without me..." in a threatening tone that was undermined by how adorable she appeared.
Restraining the urge to laugh, Paul just smiled as he replied, "I wouldn't dream of it..."
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After giving Roxy an evening she wouldn't soon forget, Paul and Party set out early the following day, their destination the Biheiriru Kingdom on the Eastern side of the Continent.
Though he had initially intended to stop at the Strife Zone, Paul's reunion with Roxy made him realize how his presence could, at times, be a bit of a burden. When he had parted with everyone previously, they had expected him to be gone for as long as three years. If he showed up now, less than two months after his departure, it would undercut the emotional impact of their separation. Thus, as much as he wanted to return and spend time with everyone, Paul hardened his resolve and set his sights firmly on the Demon Continent.
With Ganyu's speed allowing her to cover the 3549 kilometers between Sharia and the Biheiriru Kingdom in a mere six hours, Paul found himself with a choice to make. He could allow Ganyu to carry them the remaining distance to a harbor town located on the Demon Continent's westernmost point, traverse the usually inaccessible Heaven Continent, or journey via the sea route to the Port City of Kurasuma.
Since the Heaven Continent was pretty much off-limits to all terrestrial races, especially humans, Paul decided to put off his exploration of the northernmost Continent until the far future. As for the sea route, it was a reasonably tempting idea, but it was ultimately an unnecessary expense that could invite all kinds of issues. Thus, while he was trying to get out of the habit of relying on Ganyu to transport him everywhere, Paul relented to having her ferry them the rest of the way to the Demon Continent.
Saving the group a considerable amount of time and trouble, Ganyu raced over the skies of Ogre Island, thousands of kilometers of ice floes, and a section of the sea that appeared purple and boiling before they reached the outskirts of a rather roughshod-looking port.&nbsp;
Though it was populated with tribes that could live hundreds, even thousands of years, the Demon Continent was a veritable wasteland compared to the other Continents. There was little plant life, no roads, and, even if you were to venture to the Capital City of Rikarisu, most of the buildings were constructed from monster parts or using Earth Magic.
As Ganyu brought them down near a forest of ancient, petrified trees, Paul couldn't help remarking, "Wow...I knew it was bad, but this is a lot worse than I expected..."
Despite a much higher concentration of Mana, the environment of the Demon Continent resembled an endless, barren steppe. The ground had a rust-red hue reminiscent of the surface of Mars, and the few shrubs that were present had poison-covered spines longer than his fingers.
Out of curiosity, Paul brought out his Dendro Vision, held it up to his face, and closed his eyes to focus. It was the Vision he used most frequently, so Kusanali had taught him a few tricks on how to manipulate the energy without executing an Elemental Ability or Burst.
As the Vision hummed in Paul's hand, the ground near his feet gradually shifted from rust-red to a healthier shade of brown. Purple vapor could be seen rising from the ground, the remnants of a miasma that periodically swept through the Demon Continent, but Venti swept it away with a wave of her hand. As a result, tiny, bright-green blades of grass began to sprout around Paul's feet, their rate of growth rapidly accelerating until a circular patch of grass roughly five meters in diameter had formed.
Opening his eyes, a faint smile developed across Paul's face as he mused, "I might be shit at Magic, but let's see an ordinary Mage pull this off..."
Though it was utterly unnecessary, Venti clapped excitedly for Paul while the rest of the group just smiled. Afterward, they left the patch of grass and began their descent toward the large but impoverished-looking city a few kilometers away, Kurasuma.&nbsp;
While it resembled a slum more than a proper port city, Kurasuma was one of the more prosperous territories in the Demon Continent. It was the only port where trade with the Sea Race was conducted, and its ruler, the Demon Lord Bagura Hagura, was actually the current Food God. He was a pig-faced demon that looked like the physical manifestation of an Asuran Noble's depravity, but his efforts had turned Kurasuma into the city with the most outstanding cuisine in the Demon Continent, potentially even the world.
As they drew closer to the city, Paul and the others could smell the aroma of alcohol, seafood, and spices blowing in from the port. The buildings of the city were literally formed of dirt, and there was trash littered about all over the place, but it was still the most fragrant city any of them had ever visited. So much so that Paul couldn't help grinning as he recalled that an AGC was comparable to a hundred Green Ore Coins, three of which could purchase nearly all the food and alcohol in a high-end bar...
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With nothing better to do, Paul and Party made their way eastward along the route leading to the Milbots Region. They intended to find a town or a small village to wait for Ganyu's arrival, but they weren't even on the road for twenty minutes before Ghilsaine stated, "She's coming." in a confident tone.
As if given form by Ghislaine's words, Ganyu appeared next to Paul like a phantom in her most diminutive form. Her speed when traveling alone was incomparable to when she was carrying passengers, so she could escape or sneak up on people in an instant if she felt so inclined.
After rubbing her back against the underside of his chin like a cat, Ganyu came to rest in Paul's arms before revealing, "I was unable to sense you for several hours. Did something happen...?"
"Ah..."
Since Ganyu was supposed to show up in time to 'assist' with his training, Paul could imagine her arriving just after they had left. The underground city doubtlessly had enchantments to prevent people from sensing within, so Ganyu had presumably spent the last few hours searching for them in a controlled panic.
Squeezing the lovable Qilin and burying his face into her fur, Paul took a moment to appreciate her softness before saying, "Sorry for worrying you. As for what happened, well...let's just say some monster got less than he deserved..."
"Mmm..."
Since the only thing she truly cared about was Paul's safety, Ganyu didn't bother asking for additional details. Instead, she nuzzled against him for a few moments, drinking in his scent and warmth before asking, "Would you like me to take you somewhere...?"
Nodding his head, Paul explained, "I need to speak with my Father and say goodbye to my kids. If we don't stay the night there, we'll head up to Sharia or make a quick stopover at the Strife Zone. It depends on what Ningguang had to say...?"
As ground mail and carrier hawks could be intercepted, Paul had asked Ganyu to help deliver weekly messages to Sharia and the Strife Zone. He felt guilty about sending her thousands of kilometers just to deliver a few letters, but Ganyu insisted she needed the exercise. She also stated that the 'ambiance' of Ars was like a poisonous miasma to her, so she needed to get out and get some fresh air to avoid becoming sick.
Though Paul did not doubt Ganyu's claims about the Capital's ambiance, he knew the actual reason she wanted to get out was to take care of her milk issue. She preferred to dispose of it high in the mountains, so letting her act as his messenger gave her a convenient excuse. As for why she didn't just bottle it up or pour it down the drain?&nbsp;
According to Ganyu, the milk of a Qilin was a natural elixir, one with the ability to treat virtually any wound and suspend the aging process. The caveat was that it was highly addictive, and, once consumed, a person would need to consume it regularly to keep its benefits. Taking in small amounts was relatively safe, but overconsumption could result in death if you weren't weaned off it slowly.
In response to Paul's question about Ningguang, Ganyu answered, "The Tianquan says everything is going smoothly, and she encourages you to keep doing as you please."
"Sounds about right..."
As he didn't really have anything to report the past three weeks, most of Paul's correspondence with Ningguang was them informing one another that everything was fine. She would occasionally update him on what the others were up to, but only if he specifically asked about them.
Thinking of the others, Paul was about to ask if Ganyu had any letters for him, but she beat him to the punch by transforming into her human form and pulling a stack of letters from her adorable, goat-themed satchel, one of the many experimental products of Xiao Qing.
Though he was a little perturbed by how easily Ganyu was able to read him, Paul managed a genuine smile as he accepted the letters and said, "Thanks." before placing them into his breast pocket. He had intended to read them while riding atop Ganyu's back, but without Venti, both he and they would probably get blown off if he didn't hold on tightly.
While making a mental note to release the lascivious Archon from the Intersection of Fate, Paul shifted his attention to Lilia, saying, "The wind is going to be a lot worse than the last time. Stay close to me, okay...?"
Though she was a little surprised by Paul's sudden address, a faint smile formed across Lilia's face as she habitually folded her hands over her lap and bowed her head. She wouldn't dare to complain, but three weeks of separation after their first night together had left Lilia feeling more than a little bitter. If Paul didn't show her at least a little consideration, she was planning to 'attack' him the moment an opportunity presented itself.
Unaware of Lilia's impending assault, Paul didn't even need to ask before Ganyu transformed back into her Qilin form. Afterward, everyone donned their cold-weather gear before climbing onto her back and huddling close together. Lilia was a little confused by this at first but quickly understood the reason for their caution when Ganyu took off like a rocket, followed by a sudden and drastic decrease in temperature.
Compared to the relatively pleasant experience of traveling with Venti, it was like charging face-first into a blizzard. If not for Paul shielding her with his body, Lilia was certain she would have either frozen to death or been blown off...
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After a fairly tense three-hour flight, Ganyu touched down in the central courtyard of the Notos Estate. She had previously received permission to land there from Paul's Father, so the sentries didn't even bat an eye as she flew over and dropped everyone off near the bath.
Noticing Lilia, Xinyan, and even Ghislaine were a little worse for wear, Paul suggested the girls hop into the bath while he entered the Estate to meet his parents and children. He would have joined them, but the last thing he needed was his Mother dropping in because he neglected to greet her.
After most of the girls accepted his proposal, Paul made his way into the Estate alongside Ganyu and Eula. The latter was unaffected by the cold, to the point she preferred ice over hot baths, so she was in a pretty good mood after the 'refreshing' flight on Ganyu's back.
Flagging down the first Maid he saw, a young yet buxom woman with pale brown hair and purple eyes, Paul asked, "Is my&mdash;is the Lord of the Estate present...?"
Though she was a little startled by the sudden appearance of Paul and his two companions, the Maid dutifully lowered her head and replied, "I'm afraid the Lord is away, surveying the region. As for Lady Valentine, she is commonly in her room around this time."
Since it was rarer for his Father to be home than away on business, Paul wasn't particularly surprised by the Maid's response. Instead, he caused the Maid to fluster a bit by thanking her for her assistance before making his way over to his Mother's room. There, Ganyu briefly disappeared into one of the servant's tunnels, followed by the door promptly jerking open to reveal Valentine's smiling face.
Noticing Eula at Paul's side, Valentine resisted the urge to pounce on him as she fixed her posture and said, "My Little Sun has returned to me. And much sooner than I expected..."
Spreading her arms, Valentine waited for Paul to lower his head before embracing and smothering him with breasts. She wanted to kiss him as well but held herself back due to the presence of Eula and Ganyu.
Once Valentine had finally released him, Paul adopted an affectionate smile as he said, "You're looking even more radiant than the last time I saw you. I'm guessing..."
Catching himself before he could comment on the benefits of his Father possessing a Dendro Vision, Paul transitioned into asking, "Did you ever talk with Father about the upcoming succession battle between the First and Second Sons of House Boreas?"
Understanding what her son had avoided asking, an amused chuckle emanated from Valentine's throat as she covered her mouth to conceal a mischievous smile. Amarant had never been a slouch in the bedroom, but he had become a complete 'monster' after receiving his Dendro Vision. In the past, she and Flute could keep up with him fairly easily. Now, they had to rope in random Maids just to stand a chance...
After suppressing her urge to tease Paul, Valentine adopted a more lady-like expression as she nodded her head and replied, "Indeed. Since you're bringing it up now, I suppose you managed to reach an accord with young Philip...?"
Though he still had mixed feelings about the arrangement, Paul nodded his head and said, "Yeah. That's one of the reasons I returned so soon. I also wanted to stop by and bid farewell to you and the twins before I ran off to the Demon Continent..."
As Paul had already sent Ganyu over to inform them about his exchange with the King, Valentine wasn't particularly surprised by his words. That didn't mean she wasn't concerned, however, her smile dissolving into a fretful look as she asked, "Must you go...?"
Making clear it wasn't merely the King's prompting that compelled him to go, Paul's expression became solemn as he answered, "I must. Rather, I have wanted to go ever since I was a child. The King has just given me a reason to head there sooner..."
Exhaling a sigh, Valentine's response was to spread her arms for another hug. She would prefer if Paul just stayed home and allowed her to protect him, but she knew from the moment he first opened his eyes and looked at the world around him in awe that her son could never be contained in a&nbsp;
'cage' such as the Notos Estate. If he hadn't had his Noble status and title stripped away, she had no doubts he would have someday fled of his own accord...
After holding Paul for the better part of three minutes, Valentine released him from her embrace and assured, "You need not worry about Aiden and Aria. With your Father and siblings away all the time, they understand that duty and obligation often preclude us from doing whatever we please. So long as you return safely, you can always make it up to them..."
"Right..."
Though it would only take Ganyu about nine or hours to cross the ocean separating the Central and Demon Continents, Paul didn't want to ruin the moment or give his mother unrealistic expectations. If she knew he was only ever a half day's journey away, she would probably insist he come to visit at least 2-3 times a month.&nbsp;
While Paul didn't particularly mind visiting his family, he wanted to avoid treating Ganyu like a convenient shuttle. She didn't mind in the slightest, but it bothered Paul quite a bit as he wanted to explore the world directly, not watch it pass below at supersonic speeds. Thus, once he reached the Demon Continent, Paul was intending to walk around, fight monsters, and explore rather than rushing to each town and meeting every Demon Lord as quickly as possible. After all, with nearly twenty years until the Fittoa Incident and more than a hundred years until the resurrection of Laplace, he had a considerable amount of time to kill...
With such thoughts in his mind, Paul spent the better part of an hour with his Mother before she joined him in his journey to the East Wing. The third floor had remained relatively untouched since his departure, so whenever they weren't receiving lessons from their Governess, Aiden and Aria could usually be found in Paul's former study, the former with his nose buried in a book and the latter sleeping soundly nearby...
...
..
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Chapter 146: MI146: Detours