8 Settling In

Due to staying up much later than usual, it was nearly noon when Zhongli knocked on Paul's door, informing, "Master Paul, a messenger claiming to represent the Academy's Headmaster, has arrived. Shall I see them off, or would you prefer to speak with them?"

Rising to a seated position, Paul issued a long yawn before dropping his feet out of his bed and answering, "I'll be out in a moment. Allow them entry into the foyer, but do not serve them tea."

Playing her part perfectly, Zhongli offered a courteous bow, saying, "As you will, Master Paul." before departing to carry out his orders. Thousands of years of living had dulled her sensibilities quite a bit. While others were bound to feel discomfort being summoned as a female, Zhongli found it to be a rather novel experience.

Emerging from his room a few minutes later, Paul was surprised to find that the messenger was a young woman with dark blue hair and pointed ears. While the Asura Kingdom didn't outlaw them, it wasn't exactly the most hospitable country for non-human races. Unless they were a skilled Mage or Swordsmen, most non-humans within established human nations were slaves or former slaves.

Recognizing Paul from the description she had been given, the completely flat-chested woman offered a courteous bow, stating, "Greetings, Master Paul Notos Greyrat. My name is Erinellis of Fen. It is a privilege to behold your esteemed countenance."

Gesturing for Erinellis to raise her head, Paul inquired, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Miss Erinellis?"

Since most young Nobles would ask about her ears or directly order her to strip down, Erinellis's impression of Paul immediately improved. There were few Noblemen and women his age who didn't let their curiosity and burgeoning perversion dictate their behavior in private.

"My Esteemed Master, the Water Saint Magician Rumina Viktor Greenbull, Headmaster of Milbots Academy of Nobles, wishes to meet you. Though your enrollment has already been completed, she would like to give you a tour of the grounds and explain our facilities."

"I see. Tell your Master I am a bit weary from my travels. If she has time, I would prefer to meet her tomorrow morning. If that proves inconvenient, I do not mind exploring on my own or being escorted by a lesser member of the staff."

While he was full of energy, Paul intended to spend the day unpacking his things. There was also the fact that his meeting with the Headmaster was initially scheduled to take place in two days. He assumed the Headmaster was simply adjusting her schedule to accommodate his early arrival.

"Very well, Master Paul. I will inform my Lady of your decision. Enjoy your rest."

Since her Master had told her not to insist if Paul rejected her invitation, Erinellis promptly excused herself. As for Paul, he habitually asked Zhongli to prepare tea, momentarily forgetting she was just 'pretending' to be his Maid as he started to sort through the veritable mountain of luggage and containers occupying the center of his living room.

When Paul was preparing to set out from home, the only things he packed were his wardrobe a few of his more important books. As the heir of the Regional Lord, he could basically purchase anything he wanted by simply writing an IOU or submitting his receipts to the Headmaster. House Notos was the financial backer of the Milbots Academy of Nobles, so Paul was, unsurprisingly, given special treatment.

Unfortunately, despite his protests, Paul's father had insisted he bring along two entire crates of fine wines and alcohol. Not for consumption, but as gifts to 'lesser' Nobles. Every student attending the Academy was either a vassal family or an ally of House Notos. Paul was expected to be something of a rallying point for the other students of the Academy, just as his father was the principal authority within the region.

Though he intended to do his best, Paul wasn't looking forward to being the center of attention for hundreds of young Noble sons and daughters. If it were up to him, he would simply sell the wine to accrue funds for his Gacha. Ten of the bottles his father had given were the most expensive vintage his family produced. A single bottle could sell for upwards of 100 Asura Gold Coins, so Paul was reluctant to give them away. If he didn't have the responsibility of maintaining his family's face, Paul would have sold the entire lot.

"Here you are, Master Paul."

Hearing Zhongli's words and seeing her carrying a tray of tea, Paul's thought processes briefly ground to a halt. The notion that he had just ordered a God to serve tea briefly crossed his mind, but before he could even think of apologizing, Zhongli placed down the tray, filled a cup, and presented it to Paul with a faint smile, saying, "I hope it suits your taste."

"Right..."

Accepting the cup with a befuddled expression on his face, Paul hesitated for a moment before sampling its murky brown contents. If he were being honest, it was some of the worst tea he had ever had. He was pretty sure Zhongli had simply soaked the tea leaves in boiled water without straining them. Despite this, Paul downed the entire cup before forcing a smile and saying, "It was delicious..."

Though she noticed the straining of Paul's face, Zhongli nodded her head in approval before pouring a cup for herself. From an etiquette standpoint, this was a major faux pas. Servants weren't allowed to drink or dine in the presence of their Lords or Masters. Had Tabitha been present, she would have smacked Zhongli with a horsewhip. As for Paul, he just ignored it and did his best to focus on packing. If anyone tried to give Zhongli, Xiangling, or any of his future allies troubles, he would simply use his position as the First Son of House Notos to crush them.

Paul's most significant concern regarding his future 'servants' were his father and members of the Royal Family. The 'characters' from Genshin Impact were attractive by pretty much any world's standards. In other words, it was only a matter of time before someone in a position greater than Paul's took an interest in them. Depending on how things played out, their only options would be to run away or fight.

"Mmm..."

Breaking Paul from his reverie, Zhongli's peculiar, diamond-shaped pupils expanded and contracted a few times as she stared at the contents of her cup and remarked, "This is terrible..."

Though he felt tense just having Zhongli around him, Paul managed a light chuckle in response to her disgusted expression. At the same time, he felt sincerely grateful that Xiangling, a Master Chef, was among the first allies he summoned. If he had somehow managed to pull Ei or her puppet form, the Raiden Shogun, he would probably succumb to food poisoning...

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.

Unaware of Paul's thoughts, Xiangling was sitting silently scribbling in her room with a listless expression on her face. She had done her best to put on a happy front during her initial encounter with Paul, but the notion that it would take decades before she even had the opportunity to return and save her world weighed heavily on her mind.

Though she hadn't been aware of the world's destruction in the moments leading up to it, the spectacle of a massive wave of black light sweeping across and destroying everything was burned into Xiangling's mind. If not for her Vision activating and teleporting her away at the very last moment, she would have been destroyed alongside her family, friends, and the only home she had ever known.

Having run out of parchment paper, Xiangling scratched an image of her best friend, Guoba, directly into the wooden surface of her desk. He had grown to a giant size in the closing moments of Liyue's destruction, a last and ultimately vain attempt to protect the city and its people before it was completely erased from the surface of their charred world.

"Guoba..."

Wiping away her tears with her forearm, Xiangling was about to start scribbling an image of her father when a soft rattling startled her out of her seat.

"D-Don't open the door! I...I'm not decent...!"

In an effort to substantiate her lie, Xiangling began pulling at the fabric of her clothes. Before she could so much as remove her apron, however, the deep yet feminine voice of Zhongli came through the door, declaring, "It's me."

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Xiangling took a moment to wipe away the tears and snot from her face before making her way over to the door and letting Zhongli enter. She had gotten to know all of her future companions during her stay in the Intersection of Fate. She had even voted for Zhongli when their group was deciding representatives, so Xiangling had a lot of trust in the former God of her city.

Seeing the slight bruising around Xiangling's eyes, Zhongli's expression softened as she asked, "Were you able to get any sleep at all?"

Shaking her head, Xiangling sniffled before sitting down on the edge of her bed and answering, "It just doesn't feel real. Though I knew what I was getting myself into when I signed the contract, the thought of not being able to see my family and friends for an entire lifetime makes me want to cry..."

Understanding the pain of loss better than most, Zhongli sat next to Xiangling, silence dominating the room for several seconds before she said, "Paul is far more considerate than I'm sure either of us anticipated. If things get particularly tough, you can always ask him to let you stay in the Intersection of Fate. That way, it will only be a short while before you are reunited with your family."

Wiping away a few newly formed tears, Xiangling adopted an aggrieved yet resolute expression as she said, "No. Even if my actions only speed things up by a few seconds, I am willing to do what I must to ensure the restoration and survival of our world. I won't just sit on the sidelines and watch others fight to protect the things precious to me."

Nodding her head in approval, Zhongli surprised Xiangling by pulling her into a hug and whispering, "Well said...it is that sort of conviction that will guarantee the success of our mission. Still, if things get tough, do not be afraid to shed tears. Hiding away and languishing in isolation only serves to nourish negative feelings. It's okay to grieve."

Feeling a fresh wave of tears building in her eyes, Xiangling threw herself into Zhongli and hugged her tight enough to elicit a soft grunt. Instead of letting go, however, she buried her face into the latter's nonexistent chest and proceeded to cry her heart out.

Ignoring her own discomfort, Zhongli held Xiangling in a firm yet gentle embrace, tenderly caressing the young girl's hair as she whispered, "It's going to be okay..." in a soothing tone...

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