Mushoku Impact

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Master Paul. I trust your stay in the Demon Continent has been fruitful?"
Though he adopted a faint smile, Paul didn't immediately respond to the buxom brunette that had just descended from Ganyu's back. Instead, he looked to see who else had tagged along, his smile becoming noticeably more sincere when he spotted a familiar, mint-haired girl with glasses.
Unbothered by Paul's apparent apathy, Zhongli maintained a professional smile as she explained, "Kusanali was unable to make it. She has been on an important assignment these past few months, so I brought along a few of your favorite people as consolation."
Since it was an opportunity for them to spend time with Paul, Zhongli had brought along Sucrose, Diona, and Lynette. Ningguang was a little worried about Paul's mental health, so she had dispatched the animalistic trio as a form of therapy. Alongside them were Yae, Shenhe, Yunyun, and Sayu, the former to check on Ei and the rest to assist in the exploration of Kishirika's castle.
As the girls descended from Ganyu's back, Kishirika couldn't help pointing out, "You really know how to pick 'em, huh? Too bad the soldiers manning the fortress are going to resent you even more once they realize there are even more beautiful women they can't lay their hands on."
With Kishirika's words serving as a reminder of her presence, Paul's smile turned slightly awry as he gestured toward her and said, "This is Kishirika Kishirisu, the former and soon to be modern Great Demon Empress. She's also my fiancee..."
Though she rolled her eyes due to Paul's lackluster introduction, Kishirika managed one of her characteristically toothy grins as she said, "That's right! I'm your Master's fiancee, so be sure to treat me with the respect I deserve~!"
Catching Kishirika a little off guard, Zhongli immediately offered a low and respectful bow as she said, "It is an honor to be of service to Her Imperial Majesty. Though my broader responsibilities will make it difficult for me to serve you to the utmost of my abilities, please do not hesitate to call upon me during our time together."
Feeling as though she had just walked face-first into a wall, Kishirika's face scrunched up slightly before she instinctually placed Paul between herself and Zhongli. She enjoyed being recognized and revered, but the impression Zhongli gave off was like an adult politely tolerating the whims of a child. It made her indescribably uncomfortable...
Whispering so that only Paul could hear her, Kishrika muttered, "We need to have a long talk about the nature and personality of the Spirits serving you. I don't like getting caught off guard..."
With Zhongli raising her head, Paul adopted a somewhat amused smile as he replied, "I'll keep that in mind." before punctuating his statement with a wink. In response, Zhongli covered her mouth as if to stifle a chuckle, but their interplay was interrupted by Atofe abruptly stating, "You didn't tell me so many people would be arriving. Fort Necross isn't a vacation home, you know?"
Though she knew why Paul had called in reinforcements, Atofe couldn't help feeling agitated. She was charged with the protection of the Demon Continent, and while Paul and his companions were technically allies, she wasn't comfortable letting them do as they pleased. It would be one thing if Paul chose to remain in the Demon Continent, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he returned 'home' and permitted Kishirika to run rampant...
Instead of responding to Atofe's words, Paul gestured toward her and said, "Allow me to introduce Atoferatofe Raibaku, the Immortal Demon King and the most powerful Demon Lord in existence."
As she had always been weak to compliments, Atofe regained her usual smile as she crossed her arms and puffed out her voluminous chest with pride. She knew there was a good chance that some of Paul's allies were more skilled than her, but not even Badi could compete with her in terms of raw power.
With the intention of eliminating the remainder of Atofe's apprehensions, Paul extended his left hand toward Diona. The latter was a little surprised but offered no resistance as he pulled her to stand in front of him, placed his hands on her shoulders, and said, "And this is Diona K&auml;tzlein. She's the one that's been mixing all those drinks you've been raving about."
As Atofe's pupils suddenly dilated, Diona felt goosebumps develop across her body as she involuntarily trembled. She was accustomed to tolerating the ravenous stares of drunkards addicted to her cocktails, but the auras of Atofe and Kishirika were unlike anything she had experienced.
Though she usually tried to present herself as a mature and somewhat fierce woman, Diona unexpectedly turned around and buried her face into the fabric of Paul's tunic. He was a little taken aback by her unanticipated reaction but responded by quickly enveloping her in his arms, adopting a serious expression, and stating, "She's mine. Don't even think about trying to order her around or demanding she prepares drinks for you..."
Hearing Paul mention she belonged to him, much of the fear Diona was experiencing vanished into thin air, her tail curling into an s-shape as she squeezed his body and nuzzled against his diaphragm.
Feeling the gazes of several women lock onto him, cracks appeared in the mask of severity Paul was wearing. Fortunately, he didn't have to give an impromptu speech about how nearly everyone present was an important, irreplaceable facet of his life.
Narrowing her eyes, Atofe maintained her cross-armed posture as she mused, "There it is. I was starting to worry that you had given up being a Hero. It's good to see you haven't completely lost your convictions."
Though Paul had never made excuses or attempted to skip out on his training, it was evident to everyone that it had been wearing him down both mentally and physically. Atofe wasn't particularly concerned about him, but his increasing indifference was one of the reasons Kishirika felt compelled to recapture her castle sooner. If Paul simply 'gave up' after a particularly challenging day, she would have sacrificed her anal virginity for nothing...
Exhaling a faint yet relieved sigh, Kishirika gave Paul's group a quick once over before looking to Atofe and assuring, "You don't have to worry. Even if we reclaim my castle, it will be some time before I announce my return to the throne. The Demon Continent isn't prepared for such an event, so I intend to remain low-key for a while longer."
Shrugging her shoulders, Atofe lied through her teeth, stating, "I honestly don't care. Even if you did announce your return, no one would be foolish enough to follow or support you. I only listened to you this far because of my father's final request and because our resident Hero decided to spare my men in his assault. If you weren't leeching off of them like a parasite, I would have locked you in the dungeon or kicked you out months ago..."
Though it was only for a brief moment, Kishirika's expression revealed a hint of pain as she winced in response to Atofe's harsh words. There were a few instances over the past few months where she tried to rekindle her relationship with the blue-skinned Demoness, but she had been shunned on every occasion. She did her best not to let it bother her, but it was still painful to hear her former best friend regard her as a little more than trash to be tossed aside...
Forcing a shark-toothed grin, Kishirika retorted, "Well, you're in luck. Once we reclaim my castle, you'll no longer have to worry about me. I'll just-"
Before Kishirika could say something she would regret, Paul surprised her by placing his hand on her shoulder. The brief contact made him aware of just how tense the violet-haired Demoness was, but he pretended not to notice as he gave her an assuring smile before stepping in front of her and staring into Atofe's glowing red eyes.
Eliciting mixed responses from the group of girls in his surroundings, Paul said, "When I first arrived here, you were prepared to go as far as bearing my child to ensure peace between human and demonkind. I understand-"
As she had always hated speeches, Atofe interrupted Paul with an audibly annoyed groan before stating, "Just tell me what you want. In the Demon Continent, we respect the strong. As chicken-shit as you might be, you're surrounded by monsters that could run rampant throughout the continent. So long as you aren't too unreasonable, I'll abide by your demands."
"..."
Though Atofe's response left him at a momentary loss for words, Paul wasn't too surprised by them. The Aristocracy of the Demon Continent was a lot more pragmatic than their counterparts in Kingdoms such as Asura. Where humans would remain obstinant and talk about things like birthright and other insensible notions, as if their rule over others was ordained by fate, most Demon Lords only cared about whether or not you were stronger than them.&nbsp;
After closing his eyes and running his fingers through his hair in a self-calming gesture, Paul met Atofe's carmine gaze and declared, "Once I'm strong enough to defeat you in single combat, I intend to make you mine. After that, I'll have you work alongside Kishirika as her sister-wife until my final breath...I expect the two of you to get along..."
Unable to contain herself, Atofe burst out laughing. She did not doubt that Paul would one day surpass her, but he had already made it apparent that he had no desire to rule. In other words, he intended to defeat her for the sole purpose of smoothing things over between her and Kishirika.
Though she didn't burst out laughing like her silvery-haired contemporary, Kishirika's smile became wry as she looked up at Paul and said, "You're an idiot..." in a soft, audibly moved tone. Everything would have worked out so long as Paul kept enabling her, but she still appreciated him speaking out and confronting Atofe on her behalf.&nbsp;
Suppressing her laughter after nearly a full minute, Atofe wiped away a tear from her eye before smiling broadly and replying, "Very well! If you manage to defeat me one day, I'll not only marry you, but I'll put up with this violet-haired fool for as long as the Demon Empire endures!"
As her penultimate goal was ensuring the prosperity of Demonkind, Atofe had no problem at least pretending to get along with Kishirika. She would prefer it if Paul installed himself as the next Emperor, but she understood why he wouldn't want to. After all, before the emergence of Laplace, both the moderate and progressive factions had been pushing to nominate her as Empress, something she had vehemently opposed.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Paul was about to suggest they relocate to the Lord's Hall, the location within the Keep where feasts and banquets were held. However, before the words could reach his lips, Diona tugged on the fabric of his tunic, forcing him to turn around and make eye contact with the visibly annoyed cat girl.
Getting straight to the point, Diona asked, "Why are you making promises to marry other women when there are several others still waiting for your proposal? Weren't you trying to avoid political marriages!?"
Not sure what else to say, a befuddle, "Uh..." emanated from Paul's throat as conflicting thoughts invaded his mind. He knew that girls like Barbara were pretty serious about marrying him. It made sense that others were just as serious, but he had done his best to avoid such discussions since the annulment of his engagement to Ningguang...
Fortunately for Paul, he was far from alone in the courtyard. The moment she realized Diona might throw a tantrum, Yae took it upon herself to step forward and muse, "Come now, Diona. You know our Master cares for you very dearly. We'll discuss this matter in greater detail once we get settled in, okay~?"
Realizing she had nearly caused a scene, Diona's ears lay flat against the top of her head as she nodded and suppressed a few sniffles. It had only been a short while since Paul's departure from the Strife Zone, but nary a &nbsp;day went by where she didn't think about him excessively. It was selfish of her, but now that they were together again, she wanted him to focus on her, not make promises to other girls...
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"You can be pretty spoiled at times..."
"Mooou....you don't have to say it out loud..."
Suppressing a faint chuckle, Paul ran his fingers through Diona's hair and scratched near the base of her cat-like ears. She was currently curled up on his lap after a brief but intense session of lovemaking. He was initially supposed to move on to Lynette's room after they had wrapped things up, but Diona was reluctant to let him leave.
Fortunately for Diona, Paul had always been weak against girls who were more adorable than mature. He preferred older, big-breasted women, but he often felt like he was trying to live up to the expectations they had for him. With girls like Diona, however, he felt like they didn't care about how powerful or capable he was...they just wanted to be close and spend time with him...
"Ah..."
With Paul running his hand along the length of her body, stopping to cup her butt, Diona glanced at him with an almost pleading expression on her face.
Unable to restrain himself, an affectionate smile developed across Paul's face as he began to massage Diona's butt, asking, "Can you be any more adorable?"
Though she would prefer to be called sexy, Diona responded to Paul's words by drawing up and curling her hands like paws. Then, instead of answering with words, she cocked her head to the side and emitted a questioning, "Nya~?"
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After hesitating for several minutes, Paul raised his hand and knocked on Lynette's door. He was hours late, but, as someone who was more active at night than during the day, he was pretty sure that Lynette was still wide awake...
Instead of emanating from in front of him, Paul's body tensed as a calm, almost icy cold voice emerged from behind him, stating, "You're late..." in a flat, accusatory tone.
Turning slowly, Paul was unsurprised to find Lynette standing behind him, her amethyst-purple eyes appearing to glow in the dimly lit corridor. Her expression was a flawless deadpan, reminiscent of a Noh mask, but Paul could tell she was angry based on how rigid her tail was.
Before Paul could even think to apologize, Lynette interrupted him to say, "I'm not angry. I know you regress into a complete idiot when interacting with certain women. I'm just a little jealous, that's all..."
Though he was tempted to point out that jealousy wasn't far from anger, Paul wisely restrained himself. Instead, he adopted an apologetic smile as he extended his left hand toward Lynette and said, "Allow me to fix that..."
Staring at Paul's outstretched hand, Lynette didn't immediately accept it. She wanted to, but her nature made it difficult to forgive him outright...if she allowed him to get away with such slights, she felt that her value as both an assassin and a woman would gradually diminish...
Catching Paul by surprise, Lynette looked up at him and said, "I want to sit on your face." with a no-nonsense expression on her face. The former was more than a little confused, but he eventually managed an awkward, "Okay...?" before asking, "Should I lay on the ground, or...?"
Shaking her head, a hint of color began to permeate Lynette's cheeks as she instructed, "Get on your knees and keep your hands at your sides..."
Smiling wryly, Paul did as he was instructed. He could tell that Lynette was attempting to 'punish' him, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't interested to see where things were headed. With women like Ningguang, Lisa, and Yae among the girls he had summoned through the Intersection of Fate, he wasn't unaccustomed to such interactions...
Seeing how quickly Paul complied with her demands, Lynette couldn't help feeling as though she was about to give him a reward rather than a punishment. She was the type of person that would always follow through on her decisions, however, so she immediately turned around and raised her short, two-tiered skirt to reveal her perfectly sculpted bottom. It was a little dark, but thanks to his Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision providing him the ability to see even in areas without natural lighting, Paul could make out everything from the texture of Lynette's translucent black hose to the seam of her pure white panties.
Captivated by the tantalizing sight before him, Paul was caught off guard when Lynette made good on her promise by smothering him with her butt. She would ordinarily not allow his face anywhere near her bottom, arguing that it was dirty, but she had apparently gotten over her anxieties during their time apart...either that or she believed that shoving something 'dirty' in his face was a suitable punishment...
Resisting the urge to bring up his hands and bury his face even deeper into Lynette's palpably warm and moist panties, Paul flexed his hands open and closed as he waited until the ashen-haired cat girl was satisfied. Once she was finished, it was his turn to startle her by scooping her up in his arms and kicking open the door to her room. Her pupils contracted to the size of pinholes, but she made no effort to resist him as he carried her over to her bed, laid her down, and eyed her with an expression that was equal parts admiration and hunger...
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Though it was nearing two in the morning, Paul was still wide awake and full of energy as he made his way to his final destination for the night, the temporary abode of Sucrose.
*tok* *tok* *tok*
Despite how late, or, in this instance, early it was, Paul only had to wait about three seconds before the door cracked open to reveal a demure-looking woman with mint-green hair and amber, almost honey-colored eyes.
After confirming it was Paul knocking on her door, Sucrose exhaled a sigh of relief. She wasn't good at dealing with new people and environments, so she had been on tenterhooks since her departure from the Strife Zone.
Stepping the room, Paul became aware of how tense Sucrose was as he wrapped his arms around her slender, slightly trembling frame. The keep was insulated against the chilly outside air, but her propensity for wearing thin, form-fitting outfits had caused a chill to set in her body.
As his smile faded into an apologetic look, Paul asked, "Please don't tell me you've been waiting next to the door this whole time...even if you had trouble sleeping, you could have waited under the covers..."
Lowering her head, Sucrose appeared even smaller than usual as she brought up her hands, bent forward slightly, and retracted her shoulders. Her instinct was to apologize, but before she could, Paul held her firmly and whispered, "You did absolutely nothing wrong..."
Though her face immediately became cherry red, a faint smile blossomed across Sucrose's face as she nestled against Paul's chest. She had been a little worried that their time apart had led to Paul forgetting her. She knew the odds of such a thing happening were negligible, but she couldn't help worrying. After all, regardless of how often Paul assured her that she was cute and charming, she still wore thick-rimmed glasses, possessed dog-like ears, and a disproportionately bottom-heavy physique...
"Ah..."
After several minutes of just standing near the entrance of the room, Paul lowered his left hand to caress Sucrose's supremely soft and springy butt. She often complained that all the nutrients she consumed went straight to her butt and thighs, compelling her to diet a lot more than she should. In reality, the only reason her butt appeared larger than average was due to her inordinately slender frame and a fairly modest bust.
"You lost weight again..."
"..."
Understanding that Paul's words weren't a compliment, Sucrose's ears flattened as she hung her head in shame. There were several reasons for her weight loss, but she couldn't bring herself to say that the main reason was their separation a few months prior. She was the opposite of a stress eater, so she had all but lost her appetite following his departure...
Suspecting that he was at least partially responsible, Paul strengthened his hold on Sucrose's body and whispered, "It doesn't matter. Now that together again, I'll just have to feed and pamper you directly..."
Picturing the scene of Paul feeding her, Sucrose covered her reddened face and issued an adorable, almost mewling groan. Ever since the time Paul had eagerly asked if he could touch her head and ears, she had been unable to say no to him. It was embarrassing to admit, but she was pretty sure she had fallen in love with him from the moment they first made eye contact...
Though her response was ultimately unnecessary, Sucrose looked up at Paul, a faint smile developing across her face as she replied, "Okay..." in a meek tone of voice. When Paul returned a smile of his own, she could feel her heart racing within her chest, its pulsations so powerful she could feel the blood pumping through her veins as she closed her eyes and parted her lips in anticipation of a kiss.
Unable to resist such a captivating sight, Paul lowered his head to seal Sucrose's lips. At the same time, he moved his right hand to cup the petite Alchemist's remaining cheek. Her body briefly tensed in response, but she offered no resistance as he massaged, squeezed, and kneaded her butt at his leisure. Instead, as the temperature of her body steadily increased, Sucrose took the initiative to hop up, her legs locking around his waist as their kiss quickly transitioned to a passionate, almost animalistic session of lovemaking...
When her switch was flipped, Sucrose was inarguably one of the more 'aggressive' girls in Paul's entourage...
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Making good on his promise, Paul ignored Kishirika's attempts to get him to afford her the same treatment as he fed forkfuls of food into Sucrose's mouth. Her face was beet red, and she could hardly contain the twitching of her ears, but she would unfailingly open her mouth and say, "A-Ahhh-" whenever he brought food to her lips.
Clicking her tongue, Kishirika looked around at the bevy of beautiful women seated around the rectangular table and asked, "Are you all going to sit there and remain silent? This is a clear example of favoritism...!"
Though it would ordinarily fall to Jean to speak on the group's behalf, the presence of Zhongli overrode the group's usual dynamic. In response to Kishirika's question, the amber-eyed Archon adopted a professional smile and said, "Only our Master can decide when, where, and who receives his affection. You're free to petition additional attention. Just know there are a substantial number of people who will oppose you trying to monopolize him..."
Furrowing her brows, Kishirika decided to no longer beat around the bush, stating, "I really don't like you." in a matter-of-factly tone.
Instead of taking offense to Kishirika's words, Zhongli covered her lips and emitted a throaty giggle. At this point, she was accustomed to being hated by people who either feared, resented, or felt unnerved by her. She had endeavored to open up and behave in a more down-to-earth manner, but her jokes often fell flat, and she found it difficult to remain interested in what other people were saying.&nbsp;
Concluding her laughter, Zhongli narrowed her eyes and mused, "That's a shame. Given our comparable ages, I was looking forward to being able to exchange wisdom and stories with Your Imperial Majesty..."
Clicking her tongue a second time, Kishirika glared back at Zhongli and said, "Stop calling me that. Even if it's correct, hearing you say it doesn't sound right. Just call me Kishirika from now on...!"
Maintaining her usual smile, Zhongli lowered her head slightly and replied, "As you will, Lady Kishirika."
Feeling a twitch in her left eye, Kishirika decided to ignore Zhongli, her expression turning serious as she stared directly at Paul. However, before she could say anything, he calmly remarked, "We'll head out around noon. For now, open your mouth and say, Aaaah~"
Though she was briefly taken aback by Paul's actions, a triumphant smile developed across Kishirika's face before she abruptly opened her mouth like a bear trap. Her appearance had changed significantly over the past few months, but she still had a maw full of shark-like teeth and an almost cartoonish ability to distort her facial expressions...
Even with a figure comparable to a Succubus, Kishirika was still Kishirika...
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Feeling a sudden and intense surge of pain, Paul awoke to find himself being lowered into a pool of hazy, glowing green liquid. His arms felt like they were burning from the inside out, but he did his best to force a smile as Ganyu stared down at him with teary eyes and a concerned look on her face.
Understanding that Paul couldn't speak due to the clenching of his jaw, Ganyu took the initiative to say, "Please, don't force yourself...just let me care for you..."
Nodding his head, Paul closed his eyes and did his best to relax as Ganyu channeled Healing Magic into his body. The rapid regeneration of his flesh and nerves caused his body to seize against his will, followed by an itchy feeling emanating from his very bones, but Paul was well-acquainted with such sensations. After all, hardly a day went by where he wasn't severely injured during his training with Atofe...
With the pain gradually giving way to a pleasant numbness, Paul was able to mutter, "Sorry...I know you hate seeing me like this, but I can't afford to quit...I need to get stronger..."
"..."
Though she wanted to argue there were significantly less destructive methods he could employ, Ganyu elected to remain silent and comb her fingers through Paul's hair. She knew he felt an 'obligation' to pay some kind of price for the power and authority granted to him as Champion of the Intersection of Fate. He hadn't asked to bear their burden, but as he enjoyed having sex and spending time with them, he constantly pushed himself to feel 'worthy' of their sacrifice and companionship...
Unable to contain the feelings bubbling within her, Ganyu lowered her head to press her lips to Paul's. He was a little surprised by her actions due to having his eyes closed, but he readily reciprocated until a voice suddenly interrupted them, asking, "Oh~? Should I step back outside?"
Separating from Paul's lips, a pouty expression marred Ganyu's face as she looked towards the bath's entrance to find Kishirika standing in her birthday suit. Instead of saying anything, however, she waited for Paul to sit up and ask, "What's up?" with a conflicted look on his face.
Crossing her arms under her well-developing breasts, Kishirika retorted, "Your beloved fiancee went out of her way to come and check on you. At least pretend to be pleased."
Though she had a ways to go before reaching full maturity, Kishirika had sprung up to 150cm, roughly the same height as Sucrose. More notably, her waist had narrowed into a toned hourglass shape while her breasts, butt, and thighs had developed to the point she could directly compete with Venti in terms of raw sex appeal.
Shaking his head, Paul adopted a helpless smile as he replied, "Given your propensity to burst out laughing every time I get smacked around or sent flying, I seriously doubt you came here to check on me..."
Instead of refuting Paul's words, Kishirika adopted a playful smile before making her way over to join him in the bath. Ganyu narrowed her eyes, but Kishirika willfully ignored her as she raised Paul's left hand from the water and began peppering his fingers and knuckles with kisses.
"..."
Not sure what to make of Kishirika's behavior, Paul just shook his head and allowed the violet-haired Demoness to do as she pleased. More than three months had passed since their initial encounter, but there were still occasions when he had no idea what the odd-eyed woman was thinking. She was kind of like a cat in the way she came and went as she pleased, sometimes avoiding him for the entire day while others, she wouldn't let him out of her sight...
Matching Paul's expectations, nearly an hour passed with Kishirika doing nothing by kissing, licking, and sucking the fingers of his right hand. Most people might assume she was trying to seduce him, but Paul knew better. There were times when Kishirika just felt like performing a specific action, and until she was satisfied, she would basically be oblivious to everything in her surroundings.
With her eyes abruptly regaining their focus, Kishirika pulled Paul's finger from her mouth, an alluringly seductive smile developing across her face as she sensuously purred, "You have delicious fingers..."
Returning a smile of his own, Paul replied, "Thanks?" as if he were asking a question rather than responding to a compliment.
Blinking her narrowed eyes, Kishiriked mused, "My pleasure..." before lowering Paul's hand and resting her head against his shoulder. Her goat-like horns got in the way, but Kishirika either didn't notice or didn't care as she nestled closer to Paul, making herself comfortable before revealing, "I think that shitty God has started to take action...I'm not sure if he has contacted Badi, but someone fairly troublesome should be arriving in the next couple of days..."
Furrowing his brows, Paul asked, "Who is it?" before following it up by adding, "Don't tell me it's that wannabe Hero, Kalman the Third..."
Unsurprised by Paul's accurate guess, Kishirika adopted a broad smile as she replied, "That's right. I'm not sure what that piece of shit told him, but he's on his way here with five others. I doubt they pose a threat to your summons, but you, that cat woman, and that weakling Maid should be on your guard."
"..."
Though he didn't doubt Kishirika's words, Paul couldn't understand why Hitogami would employ someone like the North God from the very start. As far as he was aware, Kalman III was immune to Hitogami's influence since his Grandfather was a Hero from another world. In other words, he could only be influenced second-hand, making him significantly easier to manipulate than the average Apostle...
Seeing through Paul's thoughts, Kishirika's expression became serious as she warned, "You should never attempt to comprehend that piece of shit's way of thinking. For all we know, he could be sending that idiot here to be defeated, setting him up to become your ally. Then, when the time is ripe, he will say or do something to convince even your closest allies to betray you..."
"Right..."
Staring up at the ceiling, Paul recalled how Hitogami had manipulated Rudeus over several years, often giving advice and helping him out in precarious situations. Were it not for his future self sacrificing himself to travel back in time to warn him, Rudeus would have lost everything, his family, friends, and even his children. In the end, he even became the most wanted criminal in the world, destroying entire kingdoms and killing countless people in his efforts to try and 'fix' things.
Fortunately for Paul, his way of doing things was significantly different from Rudeus. He had a much better understanding of what Hitogami was capable of and countless allies who were immune to his influence. Rudeus only started forming an organization and support group after the warning of his future self. Paul had been building his from the moment he obtained Ningguang. The only things he was still lacking were individual power and the support of Orsted...
Since it was too dangerous to confront Orsted directly, Paul had decided to wait until Nanahoshi was summoned during the Metastasis Event. She was the reason Rudeus had been spared during his initial encounter with the overly-cautious Dragon God, so Paul was hoping her presence would make Orsted more open to discussion. The issue was that the Metastasis Event was at least fifteen years in the future...
Realizing that Hitogami wasn't going to ignore them for the next fifteen years, Paul closed his eyes, countless thoughts racing across his mind as he asked, "How soon until Kal and his companions arrive?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Kishirika replied, "They're currently waiting for transport between Zant and Wind Port. Since the rainy season is about to begin, it could be anywhere between three days or three months. There is even a chance they could turn around or travel somewhere else to recruit additional allies. Unlike that hateful piece of shit, I can't see days, weeks, or even decades into the future..."
Believing he could see where Kishirika was going with her grumbling, Paul opened his eyes and asked, "Let me guess...you want us to hurry with the reclamation of your castle?"
Exhaling a throaty and sensual chuckle, Kishirika brought her lips to Paul's ear and whispered, "You're cute when you're quick on the uptake..."
As Kishirika extended her inordinately long and pointed tongue to lick in and around his ear, Paul recalled their initial conversation about retaking her castle. They had agreed to wait until he was approaching the end of his stay in the Demon Continent, kind of like a 'final challenge' before his return home. If they attempted to reclaim it now, he would, once again, be forced to stand in the background as Ei did most of the work...
Sensing Paul's apprehensions, Kishirika retracted her tongue, licked her lips, and revealed, "My castle is protected by a powerful Guardian Spirit, Fayde of Twilight. You'd like her. More importantly, it's the perfect place to begin spreading the influence of your Elemental Energy without having to worry about people getting up and arms..."
"..."
Resisting the urge to ask why he would like Fayde, Paul allowed his body to sink into the hazy, glowing green water. Kishirika initially interpreted this as a refusal to continue the conversation, but before she could begin to pout, Paul replied, "Fine...but if we're going to do this, we going to do it right..."
Before explaining his plan, Paul allowed his head to sink beneath the surface of the water, remaining there for several seconds before rising to a seated position, turning to Ganyu, and asking, "I know you just returned the other day, but can you go pick up Zhongli, Kusanali, and whoever else Ningguang recommends?"
Chiming in before Ganyu could follow her affirmative nod with a verbal response, Kishirika said, "Don't forget, it's my castle. I don't mind letting your people explore, but it's not a playground. Anyone who intends to stay there for an extended period will need to become my servant. My people may have forgotten me, but I'm still the Great Demon Empress, Kishirika Kishirisu...!"
Since Ganyu didn't take orders from Kishirika, Paul supplied a nod of his own and asked, "Can you relay those words to Ningguang? I'm sure she has people prepared for this kind of thing."
Adopting a faint smile, Ganyu replied, "Leave it to me." before rising to her feet as if she was prepared to depart immediately. That was certainly her intention, but Paul grabbed the wrist of her left hand and said, "You don't have to leave this instant. I'd have to be a pretty massive asshole to send you off without thanking you for carrying my body and nursing me back to health..."
Understanding how Paul intended to 'thank' her, a broad smile developed across Ganyu's face as she narrowed her eyes and whispered, "Master..." in an audibly impassioned tone. The presence of Kishirika bothered her a bit, but she wasn't going to pass up on an opportunity to spend time with the man she had dedicated her everything.
Fortunately for Ganyu, Kishirika was aware that most of the girls in Paul's entourage weren't particularly fond of her. She got along decently with Venti and, to a lesser extent, Xinyan, but the rest hadn't reacted favorably to the revelation she had 'forced' Paul into an engagement. Thus, to avoid generating too much animosity between her and the more over-protective members of Paul's entourage, she tried giving them space whenever they wanted some alone time with their beloved 'Master.'
Rising to her feet, Kishirika teased, "Try not to lose track of time. I doubt Atofe will be too enthused if you're delinquent to your afternoon training. She might enjoy keeping others waiting, but she hates it when others do the same."
Without waiting for Paul's or Ganyu's responses, Kishirika exited the bath and departed with slow and graceful steps, her waist and bottom snaking in a naturally seductive manner. It was a mesmerizing sight to behold, at least for Paul, but he was eventually able to tear his eyes away and meet Ganyu's watery and impassioned gaze...
"Master..."
...
..
.

Chapter 167: MI167: Mediation