Setting Out

Though he knew Ningguang was pretty serious about the training of their personnel, Paul couldn't help exhaling a dry chuckle when he noticed the 'procession' awaiting him at the docks. The carriage she prepared looked more like an ornate, heavily armored train car than something pulled by a horse.

If the carriage wasn't eye-catching enough, the people that would be escorting Paul were lined up in a military formation, fully geared up and standing at attention. Their presence had drawn a rather large crowd, so Paul stood a little straighter and wore a practiced smile when it came time to disembark the ship.

Reacting to Paul's arrival, a raven-haired man with distinct purple eyes and slightly pointed ears shouted, "Attention!" prompting the entire group to give a knight's salute.

Approaching the group, Paul's icy blue and violet eyes glistened as he sized up the presumed leader of the convoy. The man had sharp features and exuded the aura of someone on the cusp of becoming a Saint, but the thing that stood out most was his attire. He was garbed in brown, red, and gold-trimmed armor, reminiscent of the Millelith from Genishin, but what caught Paul's attention was the presence of elemental energy emanating from each article of cloth and armor.

Interrupting Paul's thoughts, the raven-haired man lowered his head and said, "My name is Dimsaul Wanderwood, Captain of the Teyvat Trading Company's 2nd Escort Platoon. It is an honor to stand in the presence of the King's Greatsword..."

Recalling the social and etiquette training from his youth, Paul gave an approving nod as he said, "As personnel hand-picked by Ningguang, we have high expectations for you and your platoon, Captain."

Raising his head, Dimsaul adopted a faint smile as he responded, "It is a privilege to be entrusted with such an important task. Even if Sir Greyrat and his companions are more than capable of taking care of themselves."

Nodding in approval, Paul shifted his gaze to the oversized carriage that would be transporting them, asking, "Is this one of Albedo's prototypes? How did you get it here so quickly? It hasn't even been three weeks since I informed Ningguang of my intent to travel back via the land route."

Having anticipated Paul's inquiry, Dimsaul's smile became noticeably more prominent as he answered, "We have the venerable Lady Ping to thank for that. The carriage and boot(the luggage compartment of a carriage) can be shrunken down when not in use. At their absolute smallest, they can fit in the palm of one's hand."

Resisting the urge to slap his forehead, Paul replied, "Of course. I should have suspected Lady Ping's involvement..."

Changing the topics, Paul asked, "How soon can we depart? Given your current arrangement, I'm assuming preparations have been completed?"

Bowing his head slightly, Dimsaul answered, "We are ready to move at Sir Paul's command."

"Then let us be on our way," said Paul. "We only have two months before the Rainy Season begins. The flooding might not impact us much, but I'd like to reach the Blue Dragon Mountain Range within three weeks."

Though it typically took around a month to travel from Zanto Port to the Blue Dragon Mountain Range, Paul was confident they could complete the journey faster since the carriages manufactured in Teyvat didn't require horses or other animals to draw them. They still had them, but their actual power source was a prototype magi-electric engine developed by Albedo, Thoma, and Kusanali.

With his orders received, Dimsaul gave a steep bow, responding, "As you will, Sir Greyrat," before raising his head, doing a prompt about-face, and shouting, "Prepare for departure!" in a firm, authoritative tone.

Saluting in concert, the members of the 2nd Escort Platoon responded, "Sir, yes, sir!" before neatly dispersing to perform their assigned duties. As for Paul, he gave one final nod to Dimsaul before returning to the girls, standing off to the side in a large, exceptionally eye-catching group...

...

..

.

"You've got to be kidding me..." muttered Paul.

Though he had high expectations based on the exterior, Paul was still taken aback by the sheer 'extravagance' of the carriage Ningguang had prepared.

At 18.5m in length and roughly 6m wide, Paul's new carriage was second only to the King of Asura's in size. Its furnishings and amenities, however, placed it in a league of its own. The primary cabin could comfortably seat eighteen people, and there was ample space to get up and walk around if you wanted. More importantly, there was a small kitchen, two showers, a toilet, and a suite-like bedroom, complete with a king-sized bed. In other words, it was more like a Motorhome than a proper carriage.

"Wow, this must have cost a fortune," remarked Venti, her eyes glistening as she ogled the kitchenette's wine rack. Most of the bottles on display were for cooking, but there were a few with the label of the Notos family and a tiny, cat-like paw print.

Placing his hand atop Venti's head, Paul's voice was lower than normal as he whispered, "Don't go setting any bad examples..."

Instead of evading Paul's head, Venti exhaled one of her characteristic laughs before responding to him with a playful wink. She knew better than to act out when Klee was present, so she would at least wait until the tiny Elfette had fallen asleep before cracking open a bottle...

...

..

.

Once everyone had made themselves comfortable, Paul emerged from the carriage, mounting Ganyu before giving the order to set out. He had no intention of spending the next 6-10 months sitting inside a carriage all day. Instead, now that he had reached a point where he was comfortable standing out, he openly rode atop Ganyu.

Though he was most famous for his swordsmanship, those at the top of various nations knew Paul to be a 'master of spirits.' His fame wasn't yet at the level of someone like Perugius, but it was becoming increasingly common knowledge that most of the people around him were mid to high-ranking Spirits. In actuality, they were closer to Great or Ancient Spirits in terms of power, but such a notion was too unreasonable for most people to consider, much less accept as reality...

...

..

.

Thanks to the Holy Sword Highway, a well-maintained road constructed by the Holy Country of Milis that spanned the entire Continent and kept beasts at bay, it wasn't long before Paul's convoy reached the outskirts of the Beast Territory, the northernmost region of the Great Forest.

With the Rainy Season fast approaching, several camps had been set up on the outskirts of the forest. Now was the time of year when stray Beast People and unwanted children were expelled from their villages, so there was a disheartening number of people on standby, ready to snatch them up for a quick profit.

Spotting a few cat, dog, and rabbit people in chains, Paul's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception activated of their own accord. Slavery was common in the world of Mushoku Tensei, but it irked him to see people in high spirits as they robbed others, particularly children, of their freedom.

Sensing Paul's agitation, Ghislaine, having joined him a few hours prior, flatly remarked, "Most of them would die if left alone. At least this way, they have a chance at life."

While continuing to glare at the group of men pulling along a daisy chain of children, causing each of them to feel as though there was a blade at their throats, Paul replied, "That may be the case...but can you really call that living? I would rather die than become a slave..."

Shrugging her shoulders, Ghislaine surprised Paul by asserting, "That's because you have dreams and ambitions. Most Beast People only think about their next meal or performing the duties assigned to them by their superiors. So long as they aren't purchased by a terrible Master, most of the children here will have a more meaningful existence as a slave than a stray..."

"..."

Though he was unable to refute Ghislaine's words, Paul continued glaring at the group of slavers from more than a kilometer away. Ningguang had set up a secret organization that was slowly subsuming the international slave trade, but he had never been the type to turn a blind eye to those in need.

Having made up his mind, Paul pulled out a coin purse, tossing it to a visibly unsurprised Ghislaine as he said, "Go and purchase them at one Asura Gold Coin a head. If the slavers try to hike up the price or refuse to sell, break the legs of their leader."

Without hesitation, Ghislaine responded with a curt "Understood." before leaping off Ganyu's back and sprinting toward the group of slavers with the swiftness of a tempest. Her actions garnered considerable attention from the convoy, prompting Dimsaul to come over, so Paul apprised him of the situation, apologizing in advance for the trouble.

Unsurprisingly, though Paul couldn't help smiling wryly when Dimsaul revealed the truth, Ningguang had already anticipated his actions. She had entrusted Dimsaul with several extra carriages, and all of the Beast People in the convoy were experienced with children. There was also a group waiting to receive the children once they reached the outskirts of Milishion, so it didn't matter if Paul picked up a handful or even a hundred strays during his brief journey through the Great Forest. Rather, when he brought it up, Dimsaul handed him an envelope, within which was a letter encouraging him to meet with the leaders of the Beast People, presenting them the option of sending any of their unwanted or burdensome children to Teyvat.

Though others could only dream of reaching such a beneficial agreement with the Beast People, Paul was one of the few that might be able to pull it off. Ghislaine may have become a stray, but she was still the daughter of the current Chief and a descendant of the Beast God. Her lineage may not have mattered if she was weak, but the only thing preventing her from calling herself a Sword King was the fact Gal was the only one qualified to assign such titles.

If Ghislaine wanted to, she could easily vie for the position of Chieftain, becoming the de facto representative of the Beast Tribes occupying the Great Forest. She had no interest in entertaining such a notion, but there was meaning in her having the capabilities. Beast People revered strength nearly as much as the various Demon Tribes, so no one would complain or accuse her of being an outsider as long as she could prove herself worthy of their respect.

With Ghislaine's support, combined with the fact he could probably defeat anyone within the Great Forest, Paul would have an easier time convincing the Beast People than most. After all, sending their children to Teyvat was infinitely better than simply abandoning them, condemning them to either die or become slaves.

While Ghislaine's remark about Beast People lacking dreams and ambition wasn't necessarily false, there were always exceptions. Not every Beast Person was content with spending their entire life within the Great Forest. Such people would benefit from being able to learn about other cultures in a controlled environment rather than having to wander about aimlessly, being taken advantage of by countless people before adapting, becoming a slave, or dying...

...

..

.

Rather than accepting Ghislaine's offer outright, the slavers taunted her by proposing she become their slave in exchange for the children's freedom. In response, Ghislaine not only broke the legs of the group's leader but the legs of everyone who snickered at the proposal. Afterward, she carefully counted out seven Asura Gold Coins, placing them on each of the children's heads to ensure she got the number right. Once she was certain she got it right, she flung the coins with all her strength toward the horizon, telling the men they could go collect them before ushering the group of hungry, starry-eyed beast children back to the convoy...

...

..

.

(A/N: MI in the morning, EPIC in the evenings.)