MI177: A Demonic Heart to Heart (Patreon)

Though she couldn't regenerate limbs, Ganyu managed to reattach Sayu's missing arm and leg without so much as leaving a scar. The process took several hours and left Sayu completely exhausted, but Paul was prepared to camp out for several days if it meant allowing her a full recovery...

With Ganyu watching over Sayu, Yae preparing dinner, and everyone else providing security, Paul made his way across the highly varnished, almost mirror-like surface of the floor to where Kishirika was lounging lazily atop an almost comically oversized throne.

Kishirika's throne, much like the chamber it was housed in, was one of the most unnecessarily grand and extravagant things Paul had ever seen. The well leading up to the throne was nearly six hundred meters long, seventy wide, and polished to a mirror shine. The hemispherical ceiling above the throne was approximately a hundred meters at its tallest point, and, much like Sistine Chapel, murals lined the walls and ceiling, seemingly detailing the destruction of the Demon World and the great migration that brought them to the Demon Continent...

Though she noticed Paul's approach long before he ascended the flight of stairs preceding her throne, Kishirika continued to stare listlessly at the murals overhead as she inquired, "What brings my beloved fiance to the base of my throne? Shouldn't you be fretting over the little one or going to town on one of your pet monsters? Don't let the acoustics of this chamber deter you..."

Shaking his head, Paul approached the throne, held up an expensive-looking brush, and asked, "Mind if I take a seat...?"

Seeing the brush in Paul's hand, a faint smile replaced the listless look on Kishirika's face. She had also been feeling a little lonely ever since she sat atop her throne, so, without needing to consider her response, she rolled to a seated position, pulled her legs up so that the soles of her feet were touching each other, and replied, "No need to ask! This throne is as much yours as it is mine...!"

Resisting the urge to repeat he had no interest in ruling over anyone, Paul adopted a smile of his own before climbing atop the oversized throne. The moment he did, Kishirika elected to lay across his lap instead of sitting in front of him, her back arching and breasts emphasized as she stared up at him with her off-colored eyes.

"What did you want to talk about...?"

After setting the brush to the side, Paul proceeded to comb his fingers through Kishirika's bangs as he asked, "Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to spend some time with you?"

Adopting a shark-toothed smile, Kishirika mocked, "How diabolical...you're surrounded by beautiful women willing to lay down their lives for you, yet here you are...willfully allowing yourself to be exploited by a woman who only sees you as a means to an end..."

Instead of reacting as Kishirika expected, Paul closed his eyes, exhaled through his nose, and placed his left hand on her abdomen. She was still wearing her dark-purple bodysuit, but he could feel her body heat against his palm as he moved his hand in a slow, steady, figure-eight motion.

As pleasant as it was to have her belly caressed, Kishirika's smile became a little predatory as she remarked, "I'm not a member of the Beast Race...it'll take a lot more than a few belly rubs to tame the great Kishirika Kishirisu!"

Shaking his head, Paul maintained a faint smile as he said, "I'm not trying to tame you. As annoying as you can be at times, I wouldn't know how to deal with you if you suddenly became timid or started acting like a proper lady..."

Rolling her eyes, Kishirika replied, "Well, you can rest assured. I'm many things, but a 'proper lady' isn't one of them..."

Punctuating her words, Kishirika guided Paul's hand to her breast, adding, "If you're trying to get me in the mood, you don't need to beat around the bush. Just get on with it..."

Though he readily fondled Kishirika's breasts, Paul wasn't in the mood to take things further. He hadn't lied about wanting to spend time with her, so, after enjoying the pillowy sensation of Kishirika's breasts for several seconds, he returned his hand to her toned abdomen and asked, "What have you been doing these past few hours? Every time I looked over, you were just lying down and staring at the ceiling..."

Realizing the reason Paul had come over to check on her, Kishirika rolled onto her side and groaned, "I've said this time and again, but I don't need your pity or concern. If you want to make me happy, defeat Badi, kill that shitty bastard, and make good on your promise to create a world where humans, demons, and the other races can live alongside one another...me feeling lonely should be the least of your concerns..."

With a self-deprecating smile on his face, Paul answered, "You've seen it yourself...despite my struggles, nearly all of my Spirits are more powerful than me. I'm not going to give up trying to grow stronger, but I've come to terms with the fact I won't be the one to defeat our mutual enemy. The-"

Interrupting Paul's self-denigration, Kishrika turned toward him with a baffled look as she questioned, "Are you an idiot? Jeez, it's no wonder you requested my wisdom during our first encounter..."

Without waiting for Paul's response, Kishirika rose to a seated position and asked, "Who do you think is more powerful, the Sword God or the King of the Asura Kingdom...?"

Though he was briefly taken aback by Kishirika's sudden inquiry, Paul eventually replied, "The Sword God..." in an uncertain tone.

Judging by Paul's intonation that he already had an idea of where she was going, Kishirika gave a curt nod before answering, "You're right. However, if the two were at odds with one another, who do you think would emerge victoriously...?"

"..."

With Gal willfully serving the King of Asura, it was easy to understand how things would play out if he rebelled against the Kingdom. He could do some incredible damage before he fell, but it was only a matter of time before he was defeated or captured. Afterward, everyone he cared about would be arrested and made an example of, regardless of whether or not they had anything to do with his rebellion...

Interpreting Paul's silence as understanding, Kishirika nodded a second time, stating, "At least you're not a complete idiot..."

Catching Paul a little off guard, Kishirika abruptly straddled him, her arms linking around his neck as she adopted a devilish smile and stated, "Might that endures the test of time isn't denoted by a person's strength or Mana capacity. It is measured by their influence over others and their ability to shape the world around them. You consider yourself weak, but how many people are you aware of that can topple entire nations with a single word or phrase?"

Drawing her lips closer to Paul's, Kishirika narrowed her eyes and added, "You consider yourself 'unworthy' of the power you possess, so you push yourself tirelessly in an effort to prove yourself. What makes your actions nonsensical is that you're the only one who feels that way. As far as I can tell, none of the Spirits you have summoned actively look down upon you or deem you unworthy. The only person who appears to need convincing is you..."

With her lips close enough to brush against Paul's, Kishirika felt a sudden urge to activate her Demon Eyes of Affection. Instead, she gave his lips a lick before evading his kiss and playfully snapping her teeth.

Surmising that Kishirika expected some kind of response before giving him his 'reward,' Paul exhaled a sigh and asked, "What do you want me to say? It's not like I'm in denial of my problems. I know better than anyone that most of my issues are manifestations of my lack of confidence or the result of my out-of-place morality. I can't just make them go away..."

Shrugging her shoulders, Kishirika retorted, "Why are you asking me? As far as I'm concerned, it isn't that big an issue. I mean, everyone has some form of doubt. Your biggest issue is that you allow your problems to define you despite encouraging others to seek change. It's annoyingly hypocritical."

"..."

Seeing Paul's expression turn downcast, Kishirika countered with a smile, grabbing the sides of his face and forcing him to stare at her as she said, "Relax. No one is asking, much less expecting you to be perfect. You have knowledge of the future but choose to dedicate yourself to helping others and fixing systemic issues that have plagued this world for thousands of years. You might not consider yourself worthy, but we both know how the vast majority of people would misuse the power you possess...who cares if you also happen to pick up a few beauties here and there? I sure as hell didn't feel forced..."

Observing Paul's pupils contract, a mischievous snicker emanated from Kishirika's throat. While it was apparent that Paul suffered from a bit of an inferiority complex, Kishirika had suspected the true nature of his ailment from the very beginning. He wasn't troubled by the fact there were people more powerful than him; he felt emasculated due to the fact most of them were women...women who would readily obey his every command despite the vast disparity in their power...

Repeating her actions from earlier, Kishirika drew her face closer to Paul's as she said, "You've stated multiple times that you have no desire to be a Hero or rule over others. While that may have been true at one point, your foreknowledge and disdain for the world compel you to try and 'fix' things. You tell yourself you're okay with providing support, but the reality is that you can't stand being weaker than the women you wish to protect..."

With her lips once again close enough to graze against Paul's, Kishirika purred, "How chivalrous~" in a sensual tone before sealing his response with a kiss. She truthfully didn't care whether her words were correct. So long as Paul had doubts, he would be vulnerable to Hitogami's influence. If she had to manipulate him to remedy his self-esteem issues, she didn't care if he eventually came to hate her. The only thing that mattered was Hitogami's death...

Fortunately for Kishirika, Paul ate up her words hook, line, and sinker. He would mull over them later, but, for the time being, the only thing he cared about was the fact that Kishirika had, at the very least, tried to help him make sense of his underlying issues. She was far from the first, but Paul had always had a weakness for women who chastized or lectured him for his benefit...

...

..

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Seeing Paul and Kishirika disappear behind the latter's throne, an amused chuckle emanated from Zhongli's throat. 

Though she was 'ashamed' to admit it, Zhongli had been listening in on the conversation between Paul and Kishirika by analyzing the vibrations their voices created through the floor. Kishirika seemed to sense what she was up to partway through, but it took a lot more than keeping your voice low and sitting atop someone's lap to trick the archaic Archon's senses.

Following her laughter, Zhongli adopted a marginally more serious look as she muttered, "So long as the ideas you plant in his head coincide with his desires, you need not fear our response. Just try not to go overboard...our Master's mental wellness is one of the most important things to us..."

While others might not be able to discern it, Zhongli could feel Kishirika's intent lock onto her shortly after she vanished behind her throne. It was very subtle, but, as someone who had spent millennia observing others, Zhongli was very sensitive to others attempting to return the favor...

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(A/N: Chapters will be intermittent these next couple of weeks as I shift my focus back to EPIC. I'll try to put out one a day, but there are no guarantees.)