Convene

After being escorted from the palace and shown to the front gate, Paul was unsurprised to find an expensive-looking carriage and an aged Butler waiting for them. The highly-polished emblem on his lapels denoted him as a servant of House Latreia, so Paul didn't immediately tell him to fuck off when the man approached and offered a courteous bow in the manner of the Asura Kingdom.

With his head bowed, the well-dressed, equally well-groomed Butler said, "My name is Benson DeBois, Chief Steward in service of House Latreia. If Sir Paul is willing, my master, Lord Ralkan Latreia, has invited you and your companions to spend the evening at the Latreia Estate."

Though he had a middling interest in House Latreia, Paul didn't hesitate to answer, "Perhaps some other time. It's been nearly two weeks since I met with my escort. It would be exceptionally negligent on my part to accept your Lord's invitation when I've yet to confirm the status and safety of my own people."

Seemingly anticipating Paul's response, Benson raised his head, stating, "My Lord has also authorized me to see you and your companions safely to your destination. You'll have a much easier time passing checkpoints in a carriage bearing the sigil of House Latreia, so please allow me the honor of escorting you."

Adopting an amused smile, Paul gestured with his right hand, prompting Ganyu to transform into her Qilin form as he said, "I am perfectly capable of getting around on my own. Now, return to your Lord and tell him that if he truly wishes to meet with me, he'll seek me out directly."

Though Paul's words could be regarded as an extreme faux pas, so could Ralkan's decision to send a servant instead of meeting Paul in person. It was equivalent to 'summoning' him and was something Nobles did when they wanted to elevate themselves or reinforce the image they were in a superior position.

Seeing Paul turn away and mount Ganyu, a glimmer of disdain appeared in Benson's eyes. House Latreia were staunch supporters of the Order of the Temple, so Paul choosing to depart on the back of a 'Demon Beast' rather than accepting to board the carriage they had prepared was a particularly egregious insult.

Having noticed Benson's chagrin, Paul waited until Yae and Ei were on Ganyu's back before looking down at the elderly Butler and saying, "This is the one, and only time I will warn you. I truly don't give a damn what you think, but the next time you gaze at me or one of my companions with such eyes, be prepared to lose them."

Punctuating his words, Paul released just a fraction of the bloodlust he had refined during his brutal training with Atofe and Murata. Combined with his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, he could cause just about any creature with self-preservation instincts to fear for their life.

Unable to withstand Paul's aura, Benson immediately collapsed to his knees, supporting himself with his hands as sweat dripped from his body like a waterfall. This wasn't the first time he had met someone of the King Rank, but Paul's aura was far beyond anything he had experienced. If he weren't aware of the latter's origins, Benson would have thought he was in the presence of Demon God Laplace...

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"Big brother~!"

After departing the White Palace and causing a commotion by flying over numerous checkpoints, Paul eventually found himself outside an Auction House in Milishion's Commercial District. More specifically, he was about to enter the high-class Inn attached to it when a sprinting Klee, followed closely by Jean, emerged from the interior.

Catching the surprisingly swift Elfette out of the air, Paul couldn't help smiling as Klee buried her face into his chest and squeezed him as hard as she could. She was initially happy to see him, but when Paul held her in his embrace, her tiny body began trembling like an abandoned kitten left out in the cold.

Without raising her face from Paul's chest, Klee sobbingly muttered, "Klee really missed you...please don't leave Klee alone anymore..."

Though her backpack got in the way, Paul held Klee firmly as he replied, "I can't promise I'll always be around, Klee, but I can promise I'll always return. Now, how about you dry those tears and give me a smile? I won't feel like I've truly returned until I see your happy face."

Removing her face from Paul's chest, Klee responded with a meek "Okay" before using her sleeve to wipe her eyes. When she eventually lowered it, Paul could see tiny bags under them. The little Elfette had evidently been losing sleep over his absence, but she eventually managed a radiant smile and said, "Welcome back, Big Brother~!"

As an imaginary, heart-shaped arrow pierced his chest, Paul couldn't help exhaling. He wasn't sure he would ever get used to hearing someone call him 'Big Brother,' but it felt pleasant. The only downside was that, once he summoned Alice, she would invariably expect him to call her 'Mommy'...

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After a somewhat chaotic bath and staying with Klee until she fell asleep, Paul entrusted her to Ganyu, Diona, and Sayu before slipping out to meet with everyone who had stayed behind during his visit to the White Palace.

Unsurprisingly, shortly after Paul, Ei, Yae, and Ganyu had departed for the White Palace, Rudigan's men had attempted to 'insist' that Dimsaul direct the convoy to a private warehouse in the Residential District, an area that was strictly populated by individuals and families affiliated with the Order of the Temple.

Fortunately, while Ningguang's primary focus was developing the Strife Zone into the burgeoning nation of Teyvat, she didn't neglect to spread her influence through other countries. Alongside Barbara, she had also sent Rosaria, Childe, Thoma, and eventually Lyney and Varuna to secure a foothold in the Holy Kingdom. The latter, in particular, was regarded by an increasing number of people as the second coming of Saint Milis, so Paul wasn't strictly relying on his own power and status when he elected to cut loose in the White Palace.

Though it had been less than two years since her arrival, Varuna had risen to the position of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Order of Instruction after distinguishing herself as the most powerful Holy Knight in the entire country. More notably, despite initially being refused the opportunity to learn Healing Magic above the Intermediate Rank, she was able to restore missing limbs and even bring fallen Knights back from the brink of death. Such 'miracles' were typically reserved for Archbishops or large groups of people utilizing Emperor-Ranked Healing Magic, so it wasn't difficult to comprehend why Varuna was regarded as the second coming of Milis.a

In acknowledgment of Varuna's capabilities, the Pope had appointed her the Honorary status of a Bishop, similar to Rudigan's father, Ralkan. From the perspective of the people, this made her one of the youngest Bishops in Milishion's history, a status she used to establish House Fontaine, one of the fastest-rising Noble Houses in the country.

Though many opposed Varuna's meteoric rise, particularly those affiliated with the Order of the Temple, her character and capabilities made her too popular to suppress. Several had tried, but Varuna's natural charisma and uncompromising sense of justice had garnered her tremendous support from the public, leading to a sequence of investigations that ruined some of the most prominent families in the city.

Taking advantage of the power vacuum produced in the wake of these families' fall, Ningguang used the name and status of House Fontaine to establish multiple businesses in Milishion. Her initial goals were to create a safety net for Barbara and facilitate the transport of people and goods from the Great Forest, but she had underestimated just how 'curious' the people of Milishion were about the outside world. With Varuna's fame and rising status as one of the leaders of the Demon Race Acceptance faction, it wasn't long before the businesses belonging to House Fontaine became the chief purveyor of 'exotic goods' within the city of Milishion.

When Rudigan's men attempted to force him to direct the convoy into an obvious trap, Dimsaul didn't hesitate to produce documents denoting their affiliation with House Fontaine. He also had a permit showing they were authorized to stage at a warehouse in the Commercial District and, most importantly, an invoice denoting that the goods they were importing and had been charged tariffs for belonged to the 'Fontaine Auction House.' In other words, the Order of the Temple had no grounds to 'insist' the convoy stage anywhere except the location they had previously arranged, not without exposing their scheme...

After hearing Dimsaul's report, Paul thanked the man for his hard work before telling him to get some rest. Then, as it was already 1:43 AM, he decided to forego sleep in favor of making small talk with the girls and asking for their views. Only Lynette and Shinobu had actively ventured outside the Commercial District, but they still had eleven days to get a feel for the city and its people.

As was often the case, Jean was among the first to speak, revealing, "I had a chance to meet with Barbara a few days ago. She has become a ward of House Fontaine and has been attending the Holy Milis Academy for Girls. It was a bit presumptuous of me, but I promised you would meet with her on her next day off."

Smiling broadly, Paul remarked, "That isn't being presumptuous; it's forward thinking. If not for the Order of the Temple's scheme, I would have arranged to meet her the day we arrived in the city. Hell, I'm half-tempted to go visit her right now..."

Returning a smile of her own, Jean replied, "I would advise against it. Per tradition, everyone attending the Holy Milis Academy for Girls must reside in a basic, female-only convent. If you were to visit, it would cause quite a scandal..."

Raising his brows, Paul asked, "Does it matter? Given how much time has passed, I expected Barbara to tag along when we set out for the Asura Kingdom. Don't tell me she's bought into their propaganda and developed a fondness for the teachings of Milis...?"

Shaking her head, Jean revealed, "The problem is the 'mission' assigned to her by Ningguang. She managed to befriend the daughters of House Latreia, but the accomplishments of Lady Varuna have inspired her target, Zenith Latreia, to decide against running away from home."

"Ah..."

Though he knew Barbara had been sent to watch over and keep Zenith safe, Paul couldn't help frowning in response to Jean's words. His stay in the Demon Continent had drastically affected his perspective of the world of Mushoku Tensei and his sense of responsibility as the Champion of the IoF. As much as he appreciated the 'character' of Zenith, he no longer felt it was appropriate to assign people to watch over her...

Deciding against making rash decisions, Paul stared into the flames of the nearby hearth with a pensive look as he said, "I'll speak with Barbara and hear what she has to say. When is her next day off?"

Lowering her head slightly, Jean courteously replied, "At the end of our previous meeting, we agreed to meet at the Fontaine Estate this Sunday, specifically around 11 AM. There is a good chance that Lady Varuna will also be present."

Smiling wryly, Paul issued a faint "Right..." before taking a sip from the glass of whiskey he had been nursing. Varuna had visited him a few times during his secret stay at Kishirika Castle, but he still had a few...difficulties when it came to interacting with her. Ever since he challenged her views and forced her to acquiesce, she had become one of the more 'devoted' women in his entourage. The 'choker' she wore bearing his initials was the best proof of that fact...

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(A/N: Certain types of devotion can be scary...)