Mushoku Impact

With Paul providing her extra Papaw Sauce, Kishirika was relatively well behaved until the group reached the hostel. There, she took one look at the group of girls present before staring back at Paul and inquiring, "So, what exactly are you?"
Confused by Kishirika's question, Paul questioned, "What do you mean? I already told you who I was and where I came from."
"Yeah, and?" replied Kishirika. "Normal humans aren't able to absorb the essence of other creatures. And then there're these girls. Except for that cat woman and the girl in the glasses, everyone here appears to be some kind of Spirit. However, I know the names and identities of every Ancient, Great, and High Spirit. You can't simply create new ones out of thin air, so where did these come from...?"
Though he was tempted to ask for clarification regarding his ability to 'absorb the essence of other creatures,' Paul retorted, "You're supposed to be providing me with wisdom, not asking questions. I don't mind telling you, but we would first have to draft something more official than a simple verbal agreement..."
Crossing her arms and puffing out her nonexistent chest, Kishirika adopted an unabashedly cheeky smile as she stated, "Wisdom is the reflection of a person's experiences. To pass it on to another, you first need to understand their situation and the type of person they are. If you just offer advice arbitrarily, it can lead to disagreements, conflicts, and all sorts of unpleasantries. After all, everyone has their own way of viewing and interpreting the world around them. So tell me, Paul Greyrat. How do you view this world...?"
Not expecting such a response from what many considered a comic relief character, Paul found himself at a momentary loss for words. As a result, Venti was able to remark, "It seems we've picked up an interesting ally to accompany us on our journey~."
Shifting her attention to Venti, Kishirika's left eye spun like a slot machine before landing on a luminous green iris with a reticle-like pattern. It was a little creepy to witness, but Venti just smiled and mused, "That won't work on us~."
Snorting through her nose, Kishirika replied, "Yeah, I know. That's one of the things that's been bothering me. The energy you're constituted from is something different from Mana. As far as I know, you shouldn't even be able to exist, much less be as powerful as you are."
Returning her attention to Paul, Kishirika added, "I'm guessing you're their anchor to this world. Your body possesses the same energy within it, but you're also able to use Mana and something...different. If you didn't lack a Blessing and have this world's imprint on you, I would have assumed you were summoned here from someplace else."
Instead of answering Kishirika's speculation, Paul shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Who knows?" before questioning, "Have you met someone who was summoned from another world? I've never heard of anyone like that..."
Though his statement wasn't even remotely true, Paul also wasn't lying as he didn't regard the girls he had summoned from the IOF in the same light as the people he assumed Kishirika was talking about.
Unsurprised by Paul's words, Kishirika nodded her head as she adopted a disgusted expression and stated, "That's because there is someone doing everything in their power to conceal the truth. But yeah, I've met plenty of people summoned from other worlds. Most of them have raven-black hair and sharp eyes, so they are pretty conspicuous."
As the image of a certain Water God entered his mind, Paul couldn't help remarking, "You speak as if black hair is..."
Realizing that the only human he had ever met with black hair was Reida, Paul's words gradually trailed off. Most humans in the world of Mushoku Tensei had what could best be described as Western European features, specifically brown hair and brown eyes. There were a few exceptions, but they almost always had some kind of mixed heritage.
"Well, I'll be damned..."
Playing off of Paul's words, Kishirika remarked, "You're not wrong. With the sort of power you possess, it's only a matter of time before you catch the attention of the being concealing the secrets of this world. Once that happens, your only options are to resist or be played to death. Usually a combination of both."
Since there was no way Hitogami hadn't taken notice of him at this point, Paul surprised Kishirika quite a bit by firmly stating, "I'm not afraid of that imposter."
With her eyes glistening with excitement, a tremendous smile developed across Kishirika's face as she exclaimed, "I knew it! You're someone who has seen the 'truth,' aren't you!? Do you possess some kind of foresight!? Is that how you're able to recognize me!?"
Confused by Kishirika's words, Paul asked, "What do you mean? Does it have something to do with the fact everyone was ignoring you...?"
Nodding her head rapidly, Kishirika replied, "That bastard Laplace did something weird to me! I'm not entirely sure what, but he stole something very, very precious from me. Since then, even my closest allies and most trustworthy Generals have all but shunned me! Tell me what you know...!"
If not for Ei appearing to block her path, Kishirika would have jumped up to grab Paul's collar. The only other person she could talk to about things like this was Badi, but Kishirika was convinced he was actively avoiding her. He had consumed a mysterious potion that made him immune to her Demon Eyes, and he only ever appeared when she reincarnated, when she was kept as a slave, or when she got close to another man. The rest of the time, he wasn't even in the Demon Continent, leaving her to wander around and fend for herself despite the fact they were engaged to be wed for the twenty-ninth time...
Though he was a little surprised by the visible desperation in Kishirika's eyes, Paul gestured for Ei to stand down as he said, "Relax. We're going to be travel companions for a while, so we'll have plenty of time to talk about all kinds of things. As for what I know...well, let's just say more than most, but less than I should. I could give you exact details, but I would need to know you're someone I can trust."
Snorting through her nose, Kishirika stopped referring to him second-hand and outright stated, "If you're worried about Hitogami snooping around in my head, then don't. He hasn't appeared in my dreams in the past four thousand years. Even if he did, his power isn't to peer into a person's memories but look into their futures. To activate that power, he first needs to establish a connection with them, so even if you did reveal everything you knew to me right now, he wouldn't be able to peer back at this moment to learn what we discussed. More importantly, anyone who has been made his Apostle cannot refute it. So believe me when I tell you I am neither his Apostle nor will I ever trust that bastard a second time..."
Turning her attention to the rest of Paul's group, Kishirika asked, "What about you girls? Are any of you the Apostle of the Human God...?"
Out of consideration for the information Kishirika had provided, Paul decided to reveal a bit of his hand, stating, "The energy you're able to sense but unable to identify is known as Elemental Energy. It not only makes people unsusceptible to Hitogami's influence but prevents him from snooping around in areas where the concentration is high. Everyone here is either comprised of Elemental Energy, in possession of an artifact that grants them the ability to manipulate it, or grew up in an environment saturated by it. Unless they infiltrated from the outside, it's impossible for a member of my group to be one of Hitoshit's Apostles."
"Hitoshit...?"
Hearing Paul replace the 'god' part of Hitogami's name with 'shit,' a smile wide enough to display the majority of her razor-sharp teeth developed across Kishirika's face. It was difficult for her to believe Paul's words, but a boisterous laugh emanated from her throat as she held her stomach and repeated, "Hitoshit! Hitoshit! That's a perfect name for that shitty bastard! Bwahahahahahahaha~!"
Wiping away a tear from her eye, Kishirika suppressed her laughter long enough to reveal, "You should already be aware of this, but I'm afflicted by a curse that compels me to keep my word. If you're willing to tell me what you know, I can swear never to reveal it to another. At least not in this lifetime."
Though he had assumed Kishirika's propensity for keeping her word was simply a quirk of her character, Paul nodded his head and replied, "Sure. Now that we've revealed this much, our fates are more or less bound to one another. Let's shake on it."
Staring at Paul's outstretched hand, Kishirika was momentarily confused before she readily accepted his handshake. Paul couldn't help taking note of how tiny her hand was, but he summarily dismissed it, stating, "I can't reveal my source, but I have foreknowledge of this world and aspects of its future. That includes information related to certain individuals, yourself included."
Becoming increasingly more excited as Paul spoke, Kishrika asked the question at the forefront of her mind, specifically, "Then do you know my 'true' identity?"
Returning a smile of his own, Paul nodded his head and revealed, "I can't remember their names, but you are the daughter of the Demon God and the former Demon Empress. You-"
"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it...!"
Interrupting Paul's words, a frenzied expression appeared on Kishirika's face as she balled her hands into fists and trembled due to a mixture of rage and excitement. She had memories of being brought to the Human World long ago and being left in the care of Necross Lacross, the father of Atoferatofe and Badigadi. The Immortal Demon Clan were the most fierce and dedicated supporters of the Demon God's bloodline, yet, whenever Kishirika brought up their shared past, Badi just laughed it off while Atofe didn't even recognize her despite witnessing her growing from a child into an adult multiple times.
Hearing Paul support what she had begun to doubt herself, Kishirika felt a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. She seriously doubted that Paul could help her reclaim the past she had lost, but it was impossible to describe just how elated she felt to meet someone who knew the 'truth' of her existence.
Seeing Kishirika hunched over and lost in her own little world, Paul smiled wryly and waited for her to return to reality. When she did, she caught him a little off guard by asking, "Do you plan to defeat Laplace...?"
After collecting himself, Paul replied, "Yeah, though I might not be the one to do it. My only real goals are to stay alive and become powerful enough to protect the people I care about. Beyond that, I kind of just do whatever I feel like doing at any given moment..."
Unable to resist the urge, Venti cheekily replied, "By that, he means us~."
Deadpanning in response to Venti's words, Paul was tempted to smack her upside the head before Kishirika surprised him for the umpteenth time by questioning, "Is that how you're able to absorb the essence of others? Through sex...?"
Since Kishirika had brought it up again, Paul couldn't help asking, "What do you mean by that? I know I grow stronger the more I have sex, but I am unaware of the...specifics."
Adopting an incredulous expression, Kishirika asked, "How am I supposed to know if you don't? All I know is that your 'essence' is no longer strictly human. There are traces of the Beast Race, a multitude of Spirits, several humans, and even a Migurdian within you. Based on what I can 'see,' you should have blue hair, cat ears, and a tail. Yet, despite that, you appear to be a perfectly normal human...at least on the surface."
Instead of responding to Kishirika's observations, Paul looked down at the Dendro Vision embedded into his belt. He didn't doubt Kishirika could see things he couldn't, so the only explanation he could think of was the influence of the Visions and the Intersection of Fate...
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Seeing Paul staring at his Vision, Kishirika couldn't help asking what it was. When he explained it to her, she asked if she could try and analyze it before returning it to him and flatly stating, "That's a neat little trinket, but I don't think it has anything to do with your ability to absorb the essence of others."
Looking toward Venti, Ei, Jean, Eula, Xinyan, and Ganyu, Paul asked, "Any ideas? Or is it something you can't tell me until I figure it out on my own?"
Speaking on behalf of the group, Jean shook her head and assured, "This is the first we're hearing about this. Before now, all we knew was that you grew stronger the more you had sex. Like you, we assumed it was related to your heritage. If it's something 'more,' we're as in the dark as you."
Incapable of restraining her curiosity, Kishirika promptly inquired, "Oh? Is there something special about your heritage...?"
Adopting a wry smile, Paul replied, "It's rumored that the Greyrat Houses are descended from a powerful Succubus, potentially even Lilith herself."
Placing her finger on her chin, Kishirika adopted a thoughtful pose as she offhandedly remarked, "I do recall Lilith being enslaved and falling in love with her captors. However, while it's stated that Succubi have the power to absorb the essence of other creatures, they specifically absorb vitality and feed on positive emotions. Besides, as far as I can tell, your 'core' is human. If you do possess Lilith's blood, it's extremely thin; nowhere near enough to lead to a mutation."
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul helplessly replied, "Well, that's that, then. If my lineage has nothing to do with it, I have no other ideas."
Sensing no falsehoods within Paul's words, Kishirika offered a shrug of her own before arguing, "Well, it's not like it matters where it originated. The important thing is what you do with it. If your power functions as I suspect, you could become a chimera that possesses the strengths of all races. That's something not even Laplace could achieve."
As intriguing as the notion was, Paul couldn't help asking, "Are you sure? If that was true, shouldn't I possess the enhanced olfactory senses of a beast person?"
Shaking her head, Kishirika retorted, "You might have if you had absorbed their essence completely. Instead, your power seems to be taking a tiny, almost inconsequential portion of a person's essence and incorporating it into your own. That's actually a good thing, as the 'essence' we're talking about is essentially a person's soul. If you absorbed all of it, I imagine the people you slept with would dry up and dissolve into ash."
"..."
Taking advantage of Paul's silence, Kishirika added, "Right now, I'd say you have about 3-4% of a typical beast person's essence. Even if your senses of smell and hearing have improved, I doubt you would be able to notice unless they experienced a sudden and drastic increase."
Though he was still reeling from the revelation that he was effectively absorbing people's souls, Paul managed an understanding, "Ah..." when he heard Kishirika's explanation. If it was true that his senses had only improved by 3-4%, likely over a period of two years, there was no way he would notice.
Exhaling a deeply profound sigh, Paul dryly muttered, "Once again, I find myself in a position where I need to fuck to grow stronger..."
With everyone else, even Venti, falling silent, it was left to Kishirika to ask, "What's your problem? Their libido is one of the defining characteristics of humanity. If anything, you should be happy. You have an army of Spirits at your disposal and an ability that will allow you to rule the world if you feel so inclined. No one is forcing you to use it maliciously, so be glad it wasn't someone else who obtained your gifts. Just imagine such an ability in the hands of your greatest enemy."
Prompted by Kishirika's words, Paul briefly envisioned what someone like &nbsp;Prince Grabell or Darius would do in his place.&nbsp;
It wasn't pretty.
Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Paul forced a smile and said, "I see what you mean. Still, I can't help feeling it's 'wrong' to make use of such an ability. That won't stop me from doing so, but...yeah..."
Demonstrating a rare moment of compassion, Kishirika's expression and tone softened as she said, "If it's any consolation, I can't sense anything wrong with the human girl and beast person in your Party. Everyone else has a kind of 'fractured' essence, but I don't think that has anything to do with your power. It's more like they're...incomplete."
Unable to suppress his shock, Paul's expression revealed his disbelief as he remarked, "You're ridiculous perceptive. How the hell did someone like you lose a war...?"
Adopting a scowl, Kishirika groaned, "Uuuuugh. Did you really have to ask such an insensitive question?"
Before Paul could even think to apologize, Kishirika flared up and violently exclaimed, "We didn't lose, okay!? That bastard Hitogami betrayed us! We Demons were just minding our own business and doing our best to rebuild our society when that bastard convinced humans to declare war on us! All we wanted was to secure a place for ourselves, but so-called Heroes kept coming to attack us, labeling us monsters and slaughtering my people...!"
Raising his hands in a gesture of mock surrender, Paul replied, "It wasn't my intention to upset you..."
Flaring up even further, Kishirika shouted, "I'm not upset! I'm furious...!" with an expression to match. "That bastard convinced humanity that all the other races were trying to encroach on their territory when it was his actions that forced us into the Human World! In the wake of the so-called Great Human-Demon War, do you know what happened? Well, I'll tell you! Humanity went on to declare war on every single other race, forcing even the most peaceful and pacifistic among them beneath their heel! When I finally revived, what was-"
Since Kishirika was flaring up right in front of him, Paul felt compelled to pat her head. When he did, she immediately fell silent, the fury in her expression turning to confusion and then annoyance as she asked, "What do you think you're doing...?"
While continuing to pat the diminutive Demoness's surprisingly soft hair, Paul stated, "You have every right to be mad. However, we're here to kick Hitoshit's ass. You don't need to flare up at us."
Snorting literal plumes of steam from her nose, Kishirika smacked away Paul's hand as she said, "I'll believe it when I see it. For now, you should focus on gathering your strength. At your current level, you wouldn't even be able to defeat Laplace, much less the people ranked above him on the Seven Great Powers."
Revealing a bit of his future knowledge, Paul said, "We have more than a hundred years until Laplace's revival. By then, even my kids will be able to give him a run for his money."
With a clearly interested expression on her face, Kishirika asked, "Is that something you've 'seen?' If not, I suggest you not underestimate Laplace. That man managed to conquer the Demon Continent and nearly take over the entire world in a hundred years, all while he was preoccupied with his research. This time around, I doubt he'll be nearly as lackadaisical..."
Since he knew Orsted and Perugius both had their sights set on Laplace, Paul just smiled and said, "It won't be an issue. Trust me."
Sensing no falsehoods in Paul's words, a rather vicious smile developed across Kishirika's face as she said, "Well if that's the case, you can count on me even more. Hitoga-Hitoshit and Laplace are at the top of the list of people I hate. If it's to ensure their defeat, there is nothing I wouldn't do."
Though he understood and appreciated the sentiment behind Kishirika's words, Paul replied, "Helping us locate specific people and providing us with information is more than enough. I'm not going to ask you to fight or anything."
Catching Paul a little off guard, Kishirika replied, "Good, because I suck at it! Bwahahahaha~!" Then, before he could chuckle alongside her, she left him feeling sucker-punched by adding, "I'll let you absorb my essence." in a firm, decisive tone.
Without needing to consider his response, Paul shook his head and said, "No thanks. You might be three hundred years old, but you're even more underdeveloped than a Migurdian. Besides, even if it's only a matter of time before we have to fight your fiance, I'd rather not have him showing up in the Fighting God Armor and hunting me to the ends of the world..."
Raising her brows, Kishirika remarked, "Hoooooo~? You even know about Badi's status as the Fighting God?"
Without waiting for Paul's response, Kishirika stated, "Well, no matter. I've already made up my mind, so just be grateful and accept it...!"
As Kishirika reached for his belt, Paul instinctually chopped the top of her stone-like cranium. He had held back quite a bit, so Kishirika wasn't even remotely injured as she looked up at him with a pissed-off expression and exclaimed, "Just who do you think you're hitting!?"
Adopting an annoyed expression of his own, Paul retorted, "A lecherous little brat who doesn't understand the meaning of the word no...!"&nbsp;
With her left eye twitching and her shark-like teeth bared, Kishirika practically growled, "You cheeky little..."
Standing his ground, Paul's expression became more severe than it had ever been as he stated, "I'm serious. I might have been willing if you were at least as developed as a Miguardian, but your current appearance is far too immature. I might be a pervert, but I still have my principles."
Realizing Paul wasn't going to back down, Kishirika clicked her tongue and crossed her arms in deliberation. She wasn't enthused by the notion of sleeping with a human, but, even if it would only increase his chances by a single percent, she would let Paul consume her very flesh if it meant defeating Laplace and Hitogami.
Believing she had come up with a solution, a devious smile developed across Kishirika's face as she looked up at the frowning Paul and said, "If my appearance is the only problem, there are plenty of ways to remedy it. If your Vision really does permit you to live for hundreds of years without issue, you should have plenty of vitality to spare. You certainly have more than enough Mana..."
Furrowing his brows even further, Paul asked, "What are you suggesting?"
Bringing her hands up to her face, Kishirika pretended to be bashful by cradling her cheeks and replying, "Jeez...do I really need to spell it out for you~?"
Interrupting the moment Paul attempted to answer, Kishirika burst into laughter, shouting, "Get your head out of the gutter! Its blood! Blood, you idiot! What, did you think I was just going to ask you to shoot it out on my face!? Bwahahahahahaha~!"
Balling his right hand into a fist, Paul barely suppressed the urge to smack Kishirika's head as he asked, "Blood can help you grow?"
Getting her laughter under control, Kishirika replied, "It's a little, well, a lot more complicated than that. You see, the act of drawing, or, in this case, sucking fresh blood, serves as the foundation for Blood Magic rituals. I'm not particularly fond of the taste of blood, but if your Vision functions the way you suggested, I should be able to accelerate my growth quite a bit by absorbing your excess Mana and vitality."
Before Paul could even consider a response of his own, Jean interjected to inquire, "And what if your actions cause irreversible harm? Paul already refused your offer twice. You shouldn't keep pressing him."
Furrowing her brows, Kishirika gave Jean a quick, narrow-eyed once-over before stating, "Your Master is capable of making his own decisions. You should just continue standing off to the side and observing."
Shaking his head, Paul stated, "No, Jean's right. While I trust in the power of the Visions, meddling with Blood Magic when it's not even necessary is just extreme."
Though she was a little annoyed that Paul sided with a Spirit over her, the daughter of the Demon God and the Great Demon Empress, Kishirika just shrugged her shoulders and said, "Fine. We'll go with Plan C."
Without bothering to explain, Kishirika dropped to her knees and held out her hands like a pauper begging for alms as she said, "Try and aim for my hands." with a no-nonsense expression on her face...
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After returning his attention to the food he was preparing, Bagura asked, "So, what does your King want from me?"
Shaking his head, Paul replied, "As far as I'm aware, nothing in particular. That's why I mentioned I was only 'technically' an Envoy. The truth is that my being here was an excuse to get me out of the Kingdom for a few years. If I can gather information and befriend a few Demon Lords, that's just a bonus."
"Ah...politics. I'm personally a moderate, so I don't mind working together with humans. I just 'prefer' to mind my own business. So, unless you have an offer to make, don't involve me in your Kingdom's affairs."
Adopting a sly smile, Paul asked, "What about personal or private affairs? I actually came here to make you an offer, one unrelated to the politics of the Asura Kingdom. At least not directly."
Catching Paul a little off guard, Bagura replied, "Not interested." in a curt tone. Then, before Paul could attempt to convince him, he explained, "It's only a matter of time before Lady Atoferatofe comes to 'collect' or kill you. Any promises you make before completing her Trial or earning the right to roam freely are meaningless. Come back in ten years."
"..."
Understanding the kind of person Atofe was supposed, even though they had yet to meet, Paul didn't blame Bagura for not wanting to get involved with his group before they had received her blessing. Instead, he asked, "Mind if I ask what De&mdash;Lady Atoferatofe's Power Level is...?"
Since it wasn't a secret he had been asked to protect, Bagura readily revealed, "Her base Power Level is only around 300, but she is a pure-blooded member of the Immortal Demon Tribe. Unless you have access to Holy or Lightning Magic, there isn't much you can do against her. She will just regenerate and then beat you until you are half or fully dead."
Noticing that Bagura hadn't mentioned Atofe's 'latent' Power Level, Paul asked, "What about her maximum power output? I know she's supposed to be as strong, if not stronger, than the current North God. I'm guessing she's around 500?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Bagura left Paul feeling a little speechless as he revealed, "The second value is a reflection of a person's maximum output. Pure-blooded members of the Immortal Demon Tribe regenerate stamina and Mana nearly as fast as they use it. Because of that, the Demon Eyes of Power Perception can't quantify the upper limits of their power. It just shows as a bunch of question marks."
"..."
Though he was tempted to ask more, Paul ultimately just shook his head and said, "Some other time, then." before turning to leave the kitchen. He half-expected Bagura to stop him and ask what his offer was, but the pig-faced Demon Lord promptly started humming a tune as he focused on the dishes he was preparing...
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After leaving Demon Lord Bagura Hagura's restaurant, Paul and the girls made their way to the Guild. He assumed other Demon Lords would have a similar response to the former's, so, after discussing it over their meal, Paul decided they might as well take a job from the Guild and head in the direction of Fort Necross. If Atoferatofe and her forces were going to hunt them regardless, they might as well take the fight to her.&nbsp;
With such thoughts in mind, Paul picked up a few repeatable Quests that, according to the Receptionist, could be handed in at virtually any location throughout the Demon Continent. Demons depended on monster parts for everything from medicine to clothing, equipment, construction, and food, so demand for certain materials almost always outweighed supply.
Similar to what he had done back in Sharia, Paul elected to purchase a wagon rather than relying on Ganyu ferrying them everywhere. She would be the one pulling the wagon, her suggestion, but the important thing was that they would be exploring the region rather than simply flying over it.
Fortunately for Paul, the traders of the Demon Continent were, somewhat ironically, a lot more 'honest' than the human Merchants Paul had met in the past. The Demon Continent functioned on 'free market' principles, so the competition between merchants was pretty intense. Thus, if you were open about what you wanted, it was possible to drive the price of an item down quite a bit by pitting multiple merchants against one another.
Instead of messing around by trying to play the market, Paul purchased a six-wheeled wagon with bows formed from the ribs of a giant snake and a canopy formed from a multi-colored patchwork of monster hide. Back in the Asura Kingdom, such a wagon would have cost tens of AGC, but here in the Demon Continent, Paul merely needed to hand over thirty-six Green Ore Coins to procure a durable wagon capable of enduring rough terrain.
Though they could have left immediately after procuring a wagon, Paul still wanted to explore Kurasuma and sample its cuisine. Spices were also one of the most plentiful resources in the Demon Continent, so Paul went around purchasing them in bulk in preparation for his trip. Ganyu's pouch had a capacity of several hundred kilograms, so they could make a small fortune if they transported them to the Asura Kingdom. Instead, Paul set aside a few samples to turn over to the King while the bulk was set aside for their journey.&nbsp;
As attractive as the notion of establishing a trade route and making a fortune was, Paul had long turned over such things to Ningguang. She already had intentions of establishing a sea route between the Central and Demon Continent, so he didn't want to step on her toes. After all, a significant portion of the wealth she accumulated invariably ended up in his pockets or the IOF...
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Five days into their stay in Kurasuma, Paul was returning from a food run with Ganyu and Ei when an even he had been expecting finally occurred. A youthful-looking, scantily clad Demoness with inordinately long, violet-purple hair, goat-like horns, and apparent heterochromia appeared on the route they were using to return to their hostel. She didn't try to block their path or anything, but she was clearly there to observe them.
Though he was half-tempted to simply ignore her and see what she would do, a wry smile developed across Paul's face as he held up his hand and said, "Yo. I was wondering when you would show up."
Adopting a fairly cheeky, sharp-toothed smile, the diminutive Demoness responded with a question, specifically, "You recognize me? I don't think we've ever met, though...?"
Maintaining his wry smile, Paul asked, "How could I not recognize the 'Great Demon Empress,' Kishirika Kishirisu? Violet-purple hair, goat-like horns, and multi-colored eyes aren't exactly common traits to possess."
Tilting her head to the side, Kishirika seemed to be considering Paul's words before spontaneously replying, "I suppose not! Bwahahahaha~!"
Without Paul needing to ask, Ganyu retrieved the 'gift' Paul had prepared in the event he crossed paths with Kishirika. It likely would have been far more effective if she was starving, but that didn't stop him from proferring forth a corked jar resembling a thick mason jar.
Unable to restrain her curiosity, Kishrika's left eye suddenly rolled forward to reveal a flowery pattern as she asked, "Hmmmm? What's this supposed to be? Some kind of jam...?"
Shaking his head, Paul revealed, "It's a special seasoning created by one of my companions. I don't know the exact ingredients, but it combines the sweetness of the papaw fruit with the spiciness of a pepper that was only recently cross-bred in the Strife Zone. Its spiciness kicks like a horse, but it greatly-"
Before Paul could finish his explanation, Kishirika surprised him, Ei, and even Ganyu by popping the cork and attempting to chug the bright red, molasses-like contents. She had already confirmed it wasn't poisonous, so she decided to give it a taste rather than hearing Paul talk it up like a merchant trying to broker a deal.
Instead of trying to stop Kishirika's actions, Paul just smiled wryly as the diminutive Demoness's eyes lit up like stars. The sauce's flavor profile was remarkably similar to the mango habanero sauce Paul had enjoyed eating on wings in his previous life. However, because Xiangling was the one to produce it, it also had the properties of warming the body and increasing a person's resistance to frigid temperatures. Since Kishirika had a habit of walking around in clothes that barely qualified as outerwear, Paul figured it would suit the pauper-like Empress well.
Though her reaction was a little more extreme than he expected, Paul waited patiently for Kishirika to consume the entire sixteen-ounce jar of sauce. This wasn't an exaggeration, either, as the moment he thought she was just about finished, Kishirika extended her inordinately long tongue to lick clean the interior of the jar...
Finished with the almost candy-like sauce, Kishirika exhaled a contended, "Pwaaaaaah~!" before unashamedly releasing a burp and declaring, "That was scrumptious! It wasn't even remotely spicy, but we never expected a human to know what real spice was! Bwahahahaha~!"
As she had once died after consuming a pitch-black pepper colloquially known as the 'Death Pepper,' Kishirika couldn't help laughing in the face of Paul's special sauce. She did feel an abnormal warmth permeating her body, but it didn't appear to be the result of a drug or an aphrodisiac, so she didn't mind. In fact, it made the frigid temperatures of Kurasuma feel rather pleasant.&nbsp;
Since there was a fairly high chance that Kishirika would spontaneously scurry off, Paul surprised her with a 32oz jar of the same substance. Her eyes immediately lit up, but instead of asking for it, she placed her hands on her hips and declared, "Your offering has satisfied us. Tell me, human boy, what is it you desire? So long as it's within our power, we shall grant you a single wish...!"
Instead of immediately responding to Kishirika's words, Paul took note of the fact that no one was really paying attention to them despite the fact they were conversing with a 'very' conspicuous Demoness shouting about granting wishes. His training had instilled in him the habit of paying close attention to his surroundings, so it was more than a little uncanny seeing people spontaneously ignoring them.
Though he had already prepared his request years prior, Paul's expression turned serious as he asked, "I can ask for anything...?"
While exaggeratedly nodding her head, Kishirika replied, "So long as it's within our power, we will grant any request you may have...!"
Returning a nod of his own, Paul pointed directly at Kishirika as he said, "I desire your wisdom and cooperation. My companions and I have recently begun a survey of the Demon Continent, so who better to show us around than its once and future ruler?"
As her original intention was to bestow Paul or one of his allies a Demon Eye after he made some grandiose request she couldn't possibly hope to fulfill, Kishirika suddenly found herself in a bit of a pickle. The 'wording' of Paul's request was such that she might very well be obligated to support or assist him for the rest of his life. After all, the 'wisdom' she possessed spanned tens of thousands of years. He couldn't possibly learn everything she had to teach in a single lifespan...
Since Kishirika was just staring at him with a broad smile on her face, Paul returned one of his own as he cheekily inquired, "Is my request not 'within your power' to grant...?"
Realizing she had been played, Kishirika abruptly erupted into laughter. She didn't know how much Paul knew about her circumstances, but it was clear he knew something. He was far from the first human to seek her out, but he was the first to actually 'recognize' her. Thus, even though she was more than a little annoyed about being 'tricked,' she didn't mind following him for a few decades.
"So be it! This Great Demon Empress, Kishirika Kishirisu, shall act as your guide...!"
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Chapter 153: MI153: Revelations