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, it would be remiss of me not to send the First Son of our greatest patron off personally."

"I see. Your consideration is duly noted. And worry not, as I will be sure to inform my father that the Academy is in reliable hands. These past ten months have been an overall pleasant experience. For that, you and your staff have earned my recognition."

Since it wouldn't be 'proper' for him to express his gratitude, the highest compliment Paul could give the aging Headmistress was his recognition. In many ways, this was better than something as 'base' as gratitude, as it virtually guaranteed the Academy would be receiving a sizeable donation in the future.

Relieved by Paul's words, a smile that made her appear ten years younger developed across Rumina's face. Her family had been responsible for the Milbots Academy for generations. If she somehow managed to offend the next Lord of the Region, the consequences would be disastrous.

Offering a much steeper curtsy, Rumina's expression and tone softened as she said, "I wish you and your attendants a safe and expedient return. The Milbots Academy will always welcome you, Master Paul."

With Paul promptly gesturing for her to rise, Rumina directed a curt nod toward Zhongli and Xiangling. The two were among the best students in the Academy. Their standing as Servants made it difficult for Rumina to recognize them outright, but she had great expectations for their future.

Noticing the almost otherwordly beautiful Jean standing next to the two girls, Rumina also supplied a curt nod to her. She had no idea who Jean was, but everyone around Paul possessed a remarkable talent. Given her close proximity to Paul himself, Rumina had no doubt princess-like youth would become yet another prodigious student of the Academy...

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Though it was generally considered improper for Servants/Attendants to ride inside the carriages intended for members of the Nobility, Paul broke custom and insisted that Zhongli, Xiangling, and Jean be allowed to share his same coach. A few of the Soldiers and Adventurers had been looking forward to teasing the trio of girls, but none were bold enough to try and challenge Paul's decision. Thus, without any significant delays, the eleven carriage convoy departed the Milbots Academy...

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"This is a lot more boring than I expected..."

Having never been the type to sit still for more than a few minutes at a time, Xiangling was beginning to feel restless less than an hour into the journey. It didn't help that the interior of the cabin had been eerily quiet since their departure.

Nodding her head in agreement, Jean appended, "The journey will be even more arduous if we just sit in silence for eight to ten hours a day. Perhaps we should play a game? I'm not particularly well-versed with such forms of distraction, but I'm confident I can learn."

Though she would have preferred to read in silence, the books Jean was most interested in were something only a handful of female nobles could enjoy. She could ask Paul to help her acquire one, but the mere thought of such an exchange was enough to make her ears turn red...

Voicing her thoughts on the matter, Zhongli calmly replied, "Yes. I believe that is a splendid idea. Moments such as this are an excellent opportunity to strengthen our bonds as Master, Servant, and companions."

Exhibiting her comparative naiveté, Xiangling tilted her head to the side, asking, "What do you mean...?"

Adopting a faint yet discernibly sly smile, Zhongli explained, "Without any cards, dice, or board games on hand, our options are limited to wordplay, debate, and riddles. In my spring days, before I was the Lord of Geo, one of the games people played was known as the Whimsy of the Adeptus. It was originally played using alcohol, but that aspect was lost as it became popular among children."

As a native of Liyue, Xiangling was well aware of the game Zhongli was referencing. As a result, she began to fidget about, her cheeks turning a fair shade of red as she asked, "Are you sure that's a good idea...?"

Before Zhongli could convince Xiangling to go along with her antics, Paul interjected, asking, "What are the rules of this game? I can't help thinking it's something along the lines of Truth or Dare..."

Raising her hand, Zhongli held up her index finger, explaining, "Since we are lacking in cards, turn order is decided by each player concealing their hands before revealing between one and five digits. The combined value determines who is the Adeptus for that round. After that, the Adeptus has the authority to command players to reveal a secret. If the player refuses, they are given a value of Negative Karma. If they accept, they are allowed to request a prize of equivalent value from the player playing the Adeptus. If the Adeptus refuses to comply, they receive two Negative Karma. Once a player accumulates ten Negative Karma, they are obligated to serve the other players for the remainder of the game."

Surprised by how comprehensive yet balanced the rules were, Paul found himself at a momentary loss for words. The Whimsy of the Adeptus was similar to games like Truth or Dare and the King's Game from his previous life. It was just fairer, as could be expected from a game created in Liyue, the Nation that worshipped the God of Contracts.

Since he was also tired of just sitting idly in increasingly awkward silence, Paul paused for a moment before saying, "Very well. However, I'm placing a prohibition on any requests that are overtly immoral or obscene. For the sake of transparency, I'm just going to be as straightforward as I possibly can. I have absolutely no interest in 'playing around' with children. Even if we all possess mature minds, the thought of laying my hands on the body of a child makes me sick to my stomach."

Though he hadn't seen through Zhongli's intentions, Paul had the sinking suspicion she had been trying to 'entrap' him for the past few months. It was seriously starting to disturb him, so he wanted to put his foot down before they reached the Notos Estate.

Having been anticipating Paul's response for quite some time, Zhongli simply nodded, her expression unchanging as she said, "Very well. With that in mind, shall we begin the first round?"

Feeling as though he had just asked the Sun to stop shining overhead, Paul deflated in his seat. For a brief moment, he seriously considered asking Zhongli if her head was filled with gravel. Before he could, Jean offered him an ornate canteen, saying, "Here, drink this. You'll feel better after you've quenched your thirst."

Exhaling a sigh, Paul accepted the canteen, muttering a soft, "Thanks..." before removing the cap and downing several large gulps. Fortunately, the contents of the canteen were nothing but ice-cold water. Given the situation, Paul wouldn't have been surprised if it was filled with alcohol.

As Jean had attested, Paul felt a lot better by the time he was finished downing nearly half the canteen. He even regained a bit of his smile as he asked, "So, how do we start? Do we hide our hands behind our back or something...?"

Nodding her head, Zhongli explained, "The traditional method has the participants conceal their hands in their sleeves, but that should suffice. Now, for the sake of clarity, we will make Master Paul number 1, myself number 2, Jean number 3, and Xiangling number 4."

Since her Maid outfit lacked long sleeves, Zhongli concealed her hands by placing them in the pits of her arms. Everyone else followed her example, Paul included. A tense atmosphere immediately enveloped the interior of the carriage until Zhongli softly chimed, "The fates favor..." before she and Xiangling threw out their hands to reveal three and four fingers.

Following the Liyue duo's example, Paul and Jean threw out a single and all five fingers, respectively. This brought the total count to thirteen, so Zhongli completed her previous statement, declaring, "Master Paul as the Adeptus."

Though he couldn't help feeling as though the three girls had teamed up to ensure he was chosen as the Adeptus, Paul forced a smile as he asked, "What're everyone's favorite colors...?"

Raising her brows, a faint smile developed across Zhongli's face as she mused, "Ah, a safe and straightforward question. As for me, my favorite colors are, perhaps unsurprisingly, brown and gold. The color and aroma of fertile soil have always had a calming effect on my mind, and the luster of gold has a natural allure that makes it impossible to ignore."

Following her words, Zhongli shifted her attention to Jean, explaining, "It is customary for players to take their turns in the order assigned."

"Ah, okay..."

Not expecting Zhongli to address her so suddenly, Jean's mind drew a momentary blank before she ultimately revealed, "My favorite colors are green and white. I only wear blue because it matches with my eyes and ribbon...it's also my sister's favorite color..."

Remembering her sister, Jean briefly cast a sidelong glance at Paul. She knew he didn't have any control over it, but, if possible, she would prefer he didn't summon Barbara to such a cruel world. She already struggled a lot back in their own; the world of Mushoku Tensei was too much for such a kind and caring person.

Interrupting Jean's thoughts, Xiangling chimed in to say, "My favorites are the color of boiled dumplings, the brown of braised meat, and the golden-brown of Guoba's fur. After that, I like pretty much every other color but black. I always feel like I can smell something burning whenever I see it."

Seeing Xiangling list off her likes with a radiant smile, Paul couldn't help adopting one of his own. Her answer was just so wholesome.

Unfortunately, just as Paul's mood was on the rise, Xiangling gave him a quick look over before pointing at the third button of his vest and saying, "I want that button."

"Pardon...?"

Answering in Xiangling's stead, Zhongli explained, "Rule number three, players who have revealed their secrets to the Adeptus are permitted to request a 'prize' of equal value. Since the question Master Paul asked was relatively tame, the-"

Before Zhongli could finish her explanation, Paul interrupted her, his left brow twitching as he asked, "Do you mean to tell me this is a game where the end goal is to strip the other players?"

Without so much as a single change in her expression, Zhongli answered, "Not exactly. It depends on the questions and the familiarity the players have with one another. Given our status, there are very few things we can 'reasonably' request from our own Master."

"..."

While reaching up to massage his temples and forehead, Paul couldn't help muttering, "This is going to be a long trip...". Then, after a moment of deliberation, he removed the button from his vest and added, "I draw the line at undergarments..."

Though she blushed upon hearing Paul's words, Xiangling accepted his button with a smile. It was formed from solid gold and had the emblem of House Notos engraved on its surface. Xiangling realized her request was a little unreasonable, but she had always wanted one of Paul's buttons for her collection. Thus, with an 'innocent' smile on her face, she slipped the golden trinket into the pouch at her waist before lowering her head and saying, "This lowly one thanks the Adeptus for their favor."

"Right..."

Shifting his attention to Jean, Paul's deadpan expression morphed into a slackjawed expression when she inquired, "This may sound imprudent of me, but might I ask you to hold my hand? Just for a short while..."

Believing the game was a method Zhongli had come up with to facilitate her mission, Jean suppressed the fluttery feeling in her chest as she held out her hand. She was surprised by just how nervous she was but quickly concluded it was a good thing when Paul nervously averted his eyes and asked, "Are you sure...?"

Nodding her head in affirmation, Jean extended her hand towards Paul, a faint smile gracing her face as she softly replied, "I'm certain..."

Swallowing the knot that had formed in his throat, Paul resisted the urge to wipe his hand against his trouser leg. Instead, he stared at Jean's hand for a moment, his heart beating in his throat as he extended his hand and linked his fingers through hers. It was far from the first time he had held a girl's hand, but there was 'something' about Jean that made Paul feel like a legitimate child experiencing his first crush...

Just as a smile developed across Paul's face, the perpetually calm and resonant tone of Zhongli broke him from his reverie as she extended her hand and said, "I would like to make a similar request."

Regaining his deadpan expression, Paul turned to meet Zhongli's gaze, answering, "I'll take the negative karma..." in a flat and emotionless tone.

Amused by Paul's reaction, a faint smile developed across Zhongli's face as she lowered her hand and remarked, "That's a shame.."