Lingering

With the assistance of another Maid, Paul found himself at the entrance to a relatively large canteen. There was a self-service buffet located at the center of the room, several long tables that could seat up to twenty people each, and a roped-off lounge that was clearly reserved for senior staff and people summoned through the IOF.

"Jeez...that woman doesn't know the meaning of the word restraint..."

Hearing Paul's comment, the Maid who had escorted him, a young woman with cat ears, a tail, and long burgundy hair that extended past the backs of her knees, calmly replied, "Lady Ningguang encourages us to strive for excellence in all things. A person's private quarters and workspace are a direct reflection of their inner character and work ethic, so we continually strive to improve these underground facilities."

Shifting his gaze to the petite yet serious-looking girl, Paul could see the shadow of Ningguang lingering behind her. As far as he could tell, she had not a single hair out of place, and her Maid uniform, while a little short in the skirt department, was prim, proper, and without fault. Considering she was a member of the Beast Race, it was rather impressive...

As Paul gave her an appraising look, the burgundy-haired cat girl, known as Niah, involuntarily curled her tail into the standard s-shape that implied excitement. Her expression didn't change in the slightest, but having Paul, the man everyone revered as their Lord and Master, stare at her was like a dream come true...

Smiling wryly, Paul extended his hand to give the prim and proper girl a pat on the head as he said, "Thanks for showing me the way. You likely have other duties to attend, so I appreciate you going out of your way to guide me here."

Closing her eyes, Niah raised her head a bit, pushing into Paul's palm as she relished his touch. The words Paul had spoken the previous night had already spread through the Service Corps; they had the opposite effect of deterring the girls that dreamed of personally serving him. The more care and magnanimity he displayed, the more highly they regarded him.

Pulling his hand back, a soft chuckle nearly emanated from Paul's throat as Niah instinctually attempted to pursue it. She quickly stopped herself, but it was still pretty cute.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around. Good luck with your work."

Not wanting to linger and get the girl's hopes up, Paul raised his hand in a casual gesture of farewell before turning around to enter the canteen. The Mating Season had largely concluded at this point, but even if it hadn't, he had no intention of having sex with members of the Service Corps. Even if the vast majority of them weren't between the ages of twelve and sixteen, it just didn't feel right...

Seeing Paul turn around, a faint melancholy marred Niah's expression as she lowered her head and bowed towards his back. She knew the odds of Paul groping or accosting her were slim, at best, but so long as there was even a 1% chance, she would continue hoping for it.

"Enjoy your meal, Master..."

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After yoinking a piece of smoked sausage from one of the buffet trays, Paul made his way over to the lounge area that was guarded by one of the most Butler-like men Paul had ever seen and yet another youthful-looking Maid. The former has slicked back, raven black hair, angular red eyes, and facial features that almost made him resemble a vampire. As for the Maid, she had grey hair fashioned into a ponytail, pale pink eyes, and long, pointed ears that identified her as a half-elf.

Without stopping Paul or needing to ask his identity, the Butler/Maid duo each grabbed one end of the felt rope barring entry into the lounge area before pulling it aside and bowing steeply. There wasn't a single person in the Service Corps that wasn't intimately familiar with Paul's facial features and appearance, so he had free rein to go wherever he pleased, even the women's bath and dormitory.

Not that he had any intention of doing the latter...

Since neither of the bouncers had bestial traits, Paul offered them a curt, "Keep up the good work." as he made his way into the carpeted lounge to find Ganyu, Kokomi, and, somewhat surprisingly, a chestnut-haired girl he immediately recognized as Yaoyao. At the very least, he had never met a second person who wore oversized bells in their hair...

What Paul found rather amusing was the fact that Yaoyao had developed around the same amount as Xiangling. The only noticeable difference in her appearance was her height, increasing from around 126cm to 153cm. As for the rest of her...well, she and Diona probably got along very well.

As if she could read his mind, something Paul realized he would need to be wary of in the future, Yaoyao adopted a pouty expression as she said, "You're thinking something very rude right now..."

While gesturing for Ganyu and Kokomi to remain seated, Paul shook his head and replied, "There's nothing wrong with being cute. If you're not convinced, I don't mind giving you the same treatment as Diona..."

Though she was momentarily confused by Paul's words, Yaoyao's face became bright red once she had processed what he was implying. She knew it was only a matter of time before she got 'devoured' by the beast that was her Master, but she didn't expect Paul to be so 'brazen' during their first encounter in three years...

Fortunately for Yaoyao, Paul dismissed the transient notion of having her sit on his lap. He did, however, look to Ganyu and Kokomi, informing them that Ningguang asked to speak with them in her office. Since the two had finished eating long ago, Yaoyao subsequently found herself in a situation where it was just her and Paul in a relatively private setting.

"..."

Feeling nervous, especially with Paul sitting next to her, Yaoao focused intently on her nearly empty plate. She was tempted to just finish up and excuse herself, but she didn't want to make it seem like she was running away.

Interrupting Yaoyao's thoughts, Paul said, "Relax. I may have come here to eat, but that doesn't mean I'm going to eat you. I'm not such a horndog that I can't just sit and talk with people..."

Looking towards Paul with an accusatory expression on her face, Yaoyao retorted by saying, "Maybe, but what happens after you've eaten your fill? I heard from Xiangling that you spend upwards of ten hours a day having sex. Since it's just the two of us, it's only natural that I suspect something is going to happen..."

Rolling his eyes, Paul snitched a piece of half-eaten toast from Yaoyao's plate, musing, "Not with that attitude." in a teasing tone. There was a time when Yaoyao had been just as eager as Diona to 'prove' she was an adult. She also viewed Xiangling as something of a rival, so she was more than a little annoyed when the latter was allowed to cross the line into adulthood while she was forced to wait.

"Kuh..."

Resisting the temptation to activate her Dendro Vision's Elemental Ability and poison Paul, just a little, Yaoyao adopted a serious expression as she asserted, "You really are a beast..." before snatching what remained of her toast and munching it down like an angry squirrel. When she was finished, she piled her plate atop Ganyu's and Kokomi's, pushing them to the center of the table as she added. "I'm returning to my room. You're free to follow, but there's no guarantee I'll let you inside."

Having said her piece, Yaoyoa scooted out of the circular-shaped booth they were sitting in before storming toward the exit. However, instead of leaving outright, she turned back with an even angrier expression on her face as she asked, "Well? Are you coming or not?"

While wondering when Yaoyao had turned into a tsundere, Paul slid out of the booth to follow after her. She had turned to leave the moment he started to get up, but he quickly spotted her standing near the canteen's entrance. It was apparent she wanted him to follow, so Paul couldn't help pulling a prank on her when she rounded the first corner outside. Instead of taking a right and following after her, he took a left with no destination in mind.

Hearing the pitter-patter sound of feet, Paul broke into a sprint, passing several confused Maids and a single Butler as Yaoyao chased after him, shouting, "Stupid Master! You're going the wrong way...!"

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While Paul was busy teasing Yaoyao, a beautiful woman with dog ears, a fluffy tail, and peculiar brown and white hair was simultaneously dreading and making preparations for their reunion. This involved standing in front of a changing mirror and trying on various types of lingerie, not because she particularly looked forward to them being seen, but because she felt an obligation to at least try and look her best.

Experiencing an excessive amount of difficulty while trying to fasten the clasp of her bra, a depressed sigh emanated from the woman's throat as she groaned, "Don't tell me they're still growing..."

As her ears and tail drooped, the woman tossed the useless brassier off to the side before pulling retrieving a roll of measuring tape typically used by Tailors and Seamstresses. Luckily, even after measuring six times, she was relieved to confirm that her bust was still 'only' 88.3cm. The bra she was trying on had most likely just shrunk in the wash.

After trying on a different bra and confirming her suspicions, the brown and white-haired beauty went through the arduous process of changing into a teal-green kimono. She would have preferred to wear something less breezy, but as a resident of Inazuma, she believed kimonos were the pinnacle of womens' fashion.

Seeing her fully garbed figure in the mirror, the doggish woman's ears and tail, once again, drooped pathetically. The image reflected was stunningly beautiful, but that was actually the issue. She was a warrior, not someone to be gawked at and coveted by men who took one look at her figure and determined she was something to conquer or subdue...

Exhaling a sigh, the woman, formerly known as Gorou and more recently known as Ms. Hina, fell onto her bed without caring about whether or not her kimono would become loose or wrinkled. In order to calm herself, she kept repeating phrases like, "You're doing this for the sake of the world..." and, "All the people of Inazuma are counting on you..."

Though she knew she wouldn't be the one to defeat Hitogami and save the world, Hina didn't doubt her reason for being here. As someone who had once led an army, she understood that even the lowest-ranking foot soldier served as an important cog in the military machine. If she could reduce the strain on the more critical members of their group, even just a little, she would contribute to their mission's success.

What Hina was most worried about was losing herself in a similar manner as Kaeya, unaware that she was now going by the name Kay. She did her best to ignore them, but she wasn't immune to the pheromones released by Beast People and even Humans. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out, so, now that Paul had returned, Hina wanted to at least try and perform the duty expected of her. If she did well, she might even be able to become a permanent member of Paul's party, contributing to their mission in a more 'proactive' manner rather than spending day-in, day-out digging tunnels with her Geo Vision...

While she knew her actions were actively contributing to the success of their mission, two and a half years spent primarily underground had left Hina feeling more like a mole person rather than a proud member of the Shiba Clan. If it meant leaving the compound and returning to active duty, she was willing to swallow more than just her pride...

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