eins_left_foot

MI18: Trust

After what felt like the longest and shortest eleven days of his life, Paul exited the comparably humid and aromatic interior of his coach, a smile developing across his face as he inhaled the crisp, frigid air outside.

Stepping down after Paul, even though they should have exited before him, Zhongli's, Xiangling's, and Jean's eyes wandered the frost-covered grounds of the estate. As horrendous as the culture of the Asura Kingdom was, the world of Mushoku Tensei was still a remarkably b...

MI17: Risque

"Master Paul, it is a pleasure to see you again."

Seeing the Headmistress of the Milbots Academy waiting alongside the group of coaches prepared to escort him back home, Paul's brows raised as he asked, "Mrs. Greenbull? I didn't expect to see you here. Tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

As a gesture of respect, Headmistress Rumina performed a polite curtsy, her hands raising the hem of her thick, winter robes as she said, "As the Headmistress of Milbots Academy...

MI16: Feedback Loop

"Master Paul...Master Paul...it's time to wake up..."

"Hmmm...?"

Opening his eyes, Paul was nearly startled out of his skin when he saw Jean's face mere centimeters away from his own. Only the head of his bed was adjacent to a wall, so he nearly ended up falling off the other side till Jean promptly grabbed his ankle, stating, "Sorry, it was not my intention to startle you..."

Recovering from his initial shock, Paul gave his chest a comforting pat as he looked at the nearby ...

MI15: Providence

In the wake of Jean's summoning, Paul ultimately ended up with the task of getting her up to speed. He thought it would have been better to leave such things to Zhongli, but that apparently wasn't the case as even Jean herself seemed keen on hearing what he had to say. When Paul asked for the reason, Jean was the one to answer, "First impressions are essential in establishing trust and a baseline for comparison. Your behavior and the information you provide allow others to make an initial ass...

MI14: Fortune Favors the Bold

Though his Mana pool was almost comically low, Paul spent the months following his 'awakening' focused on three things. First and foremost, he would look for opportunities throughout the day to expend most, not all of his Mana. He didn't want to lose consciousness in the middle of class, so he always stopped just as the edges of his vision began to darken.

When he wasn't focused on increasing his Mana capacity, Paul was wholly dedicated to the pursuit of simply swinging his sword. His i...

MI13: Actions and Consequences

After penning a letter to his father and waiting nearly two weeks for a response, Paul couldn't help feeling disappointed when he opened it to find the exact answer he expected.

"What does it say...?"

Looking to the blue-haired girl standing off to his left, Paul's expression became somber as he explained, "My father contacted House Vale to try and reach an accord, but they refused. The person who sanctioned Sera's addition to the Palace of Concubines was the 8th Prince of the pre...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 36

Egged on by Akua, the thirty or so people making up her Resistance forces eagerly joined in to celebrate Kahn's and Korra's engagement.

Though the United Republic had set the drinking age at 14, the law only applied to public gatherings. If it was a private party, the general rule of thumb was that it was okay to consume alcohol so long as you didn't later venture out and cause a scene. Public intoxication incurred a fine of 3,000 Yuan for adults and 5,000 Yuan for the parents of minors...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 35

"Though it's a bit of an oversimplification, the purpose of our group is to prevent criminals and opportunists from destroying the legacy of Avatar Aang and everyone who worked together to shape the United Republic. Those kids outside are all people who were failed by a system that favors the wealthy and affluent over the lives of the innocent. Now, they fight to ensure those who commit heinous crimes are brought to justice..."

Without pausing to consider Akua's words, Korra's expressio...

MI12: The Whims of Fate

"Divine Power, become a source of nourishment. Give those who have lost it the strength to rise again. Healing...!"

Despite feeling as though his head was splitting open along the central axis, Paul did his best to remain focused as he repeated the Beginner Level Healing Spell for what felt like the thousandth time.

Seeing Paul fail once more, the old woman teaching the class adopted a kind yet weary smile as she said, "We cannot be blessed in everything we do, Master Paul. I'm af...

MI11: Conflict Resolution

Though the primary purpose of the Milbolts Academy for Nobles was to emulate and familiarize Noble sons and daughters with the society they would invariably be a part of, there were a number of classes that focused on things like history, territorial management, math, and even chemistry.

Before his sudden and spontaneous access to the Intersection of Fate, Paul had only intended to study territorial management, swordsmanship, and magic. Now that he had Zhongli and Xiangling with him, hi...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 34

After changing into her traditional Water Tribe outfit, a sleeveless, form-fitting blue shirt, baggy blue pants, fur-lined boots, dark-blue vambraces, blue belt, and a waistcloth, Korra emerged from the changing room with an awkward smile. However, upon seeing Kahn, Mako, and Bolin silently observing each other, she quickly forgot her personal concerns, asking, "What's going on? Why does it feel like a funeral out here...?"

Adding insult to Mako's mental injuries, Kahn unhesitantly repl...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 33

Seeing the same girl from the poster in real life, Korra's expression and body visibly tensed.

Shifting her attention between Kahn and Korra, various thoughts went through the petite, sporty-looking woman's mind. Her glacial blue eyes formed into a catty squint as a smile that was equal parts mischievous and predatory developed across her face.

"I see what's going on..."

Surprising her three companions, the silvery-white-haired girl made her way forward until she was nearly ...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 32

After calming down and subsequently psyching herself up for the rest of her date with Kahn, Korra emerged from the bathroom with an awkward yet excited smile on her face. At least, that's the expression she had until she noticed the woman standing next to the booth she had been sharing with Kahn.

Adopting a fierce expression, Korra practically stomped her way across the restaurant until her face was less than a few centimeters away from Suya, asking, "Is there something you needed from ...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 31

After a quick tour of the Pro-Bending Arena's interior, Kahn and Korra headed outside to where the latter had moored Naga. A rather sizeable crowd had gathered around to gawk at the enormous creature, but they quickly dispersed upon the duo's arrival.

"Well, what now?"

Raising his brows, Kahn asked, "You're asking me? I'm just going with the flow. You're the one that wanted to explore."

Clicking her tongue, Korra pretended to ignore Kahn as she turned to ask, "What about you...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 30

Seated in a luxurious office located adjacent to the Pro-Bending Arena's VIP boxes was a bald man with a large nose, thick brows, beady brown eyes, and a fu manchu mustache.

The man, known simply Butakha, was the sole owner of Republic City's Pro-Bending Arena, the proprietor of various teams, and the Director of the Pro-Bending League as a whole. He was one of the wealthiest people in Republic City. However, due to the aspirations he had inherited from his late father, he had no intent...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 29

"You seriously never even tried to leave the island? Not even to take a look around?"

Despite the rules of the island prohibiting it, Korra was currently sitting in Kahn's room, shamelessly straddling his lap with her arms linked around his neck and shoulders. Tenzin had chastised her for it, but now that she and Kahn were in a relationship, Korra felt the room was as much hers as it was his.

While doing his best to 'ignore' Korra's aroma and the disquietingly soft sensations pres...

MI10: Potential : Determination

With the girls' uniforms expected to take a few days to prepare, Paul decided to start attending classes the following week. This gave him four days of additional preparation, time he filled reading up on the very basic curriculum, exercising, and sparring with Xiangling.

Though her vision was currently inert, Xiangling had a little more than eight years of experience wielding a spear, hunting, and battling against the monsters of her world. She had to adapt to her limited strength and ...

MI09: Making the Rounds

Anticipating her arrival, Paul, Zhongli, and Xiangling were prepared to set out the moment Erinellis arrived the following day. 

With the tall and slender Elf leading the way, it wasn't long before the trio found themselves at the entrance of a three-storey building that was, at least to Paul, reminiscent of classical, Victorian Era architecture. The walls were modeled from a combination of stained wood and anti-magic bricks, while the entire structure was reinforced with metal tri...

MI08: 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, Zhon...

MI07: Irresistible Temptation

Once his luggage had been moved up, Paul surprised the servants with a tip before promptly refusing their offer to help him arrange his things. He could always sort through them at his leisure later, and there were some things he simply didn't wish for them to see. 

"Peace at last..."

With everyone departing on his orders, Paul was left alone in his massive penthouse. Fortunately, it was presently around 11:38 PM, a perfect time to open and make use of the Intersection of Fat...

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MI06: Setting Out

"Remember to always carry yourself with the dignity expected of a member of House Notos. Reputation, status, and honor are three of the most critical factors to being a Noble. Others will seek to borrow yours in the hope of increasing their own. Never lower your guard, no matter how friendly others may appear. The only true bonds among Nobles are forged through contracts and marriage. A person's word only has value if they-"

"Dear...if you keep this up, Paul is going to be late for his ...

MI05: Explanation and Exasperation

"Firstly, I believe an explanation of this place is in order. Wouldn't you agree?"

With Paul nodding his head in affirmation, Zhongli went on to explain, "This place is known as the Intersection of Fate. As you no doubt have guessed, its form and structure are made to resemble the Wish System from your previous world. By sacrificing Intertwined and Acquaint Fates, you possess the ability to summon entities from my world into yours."

Pointing towards the ten holes engraved in the r...

MI04: Equivalence

Since it would have been both strange and dangerous for him to take an interest in Hilda, Paul did his best to regard her as would any other young Noble daughter. 

At this point, Paul still wasn't sure just how much of an impact he wanted to have on the world abroad. Depending on how things went while he was at school, he may even give up being a Noble. He was already beginning to feel suffocated by the irredeemably corrupt nature of Asuran Nobles, and things were bound to get wors...

MI03: Preparations: Debut

Despite her small stature, Lamilette had no problem carrying Paul to his mother's room. She, like most Dwarves, was blessed with remarkable physical strength and durability. Their only notable weaknesses, other than their small statures, was a general incompatibility with all types of Magic except for Earth and, on rare occasions, Fire Magic.

"We're here, Master Paul."

Bending down to make it easier for Paul to dismount her, Lamilette waited for the former to give her permission t...

MI02: Acclimatization and Discomfort

As inconvenient as infancy and childhood were, Paul learned to enjoy it. Sure, he had people constantly watching over him, but that wasn't a bad thing. They just wanted to keep him safe, and he wasn't arrogant enough to think he was entitled to be independent just because he had memories from his past life. After all, no amount of knowledge and insight changed the fact he was a toddler.

Seeing no reason to go about pretending he was some super prodigy, Paul spent the first three years o...

MI01: An Unorthodox Beginning

Thomas was not happy. Despite spending his later teen and early adult years helping his family's landscaping business, the only thing he had to show for it was a reasonably fit body undermined by lower back and knee pain. His hard-earned savings had gone towards paying for his first two years of college, but due to the economic crisis and three tax increases, he still ended up being saddled with more than $35,000 of Student Loan Debt.

When he first graduated, Thomas still had hope. His ...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 28

Though her airship wasn't scheduled to depart until noon, Ethuza left Air Temple Island early the following day. She had already said her goodbyes to Kahn, and she really didn't want to encounter Korra, so, after thanking Tenzin and his family for their hospitality, Ethuza boarded the first ferry to the mainland of Republic City.

Upon learning of Ethuza's unexpectedly early departure from Pema, Kahn wasn't sure how to feel. He had thought he would have the opportunity to see her off, so...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 27

"Kahn and I are dating."

Not expecting Korra's announcement, at least not so soon, everyone gathered around the large, rectangular dining table momentarily froze. 

Recovering a little faster than the rest, Pema offered a supportive yet noticeably wry smile as she said, "Congratulations, you two. Just make sure to take things slow, okay? While it can be a lot of fun to experience new things, it's easy to get caught up in the moment and make mistakes."

Focusing her attent...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 26

Expecting Korra to come in like a meteor, Kahn was a little surprised when she remained atop Oogi until he landed. Then, instead of jumping down or running over, she helped Pema and Meelo get down while Ikki glided over, exclaiming, "Kahn! We're back~!" as she practically tackled him.

Reciprocating Ikki's hug, Kahn was about to greet her in turn when Korra looked over, confusion and disbelief on her face as she asked, "Kahn? Is that really you?"

Since she had already helped Pema g...