Chapter 36: Solving trouble

When the thoughts about the blueberry bush appeared in my mind, I opened my eyes. Perhaps it was a bit too sudden for Fubuki to react to as I was able to barely notice her eyes hurriedly closing.

I tried my best to ignore her as there was this desire to act, to move and I knew this burst of energy and motivation wouldn't last for long, especially with this gorgeous woman in my bed. Instead of delaying the action of actually getting to work and lying in bed with my 'wife'/assistant, I didn't pause at all as I stood up and unwrinkled my clothes even if I didn't need to.

Fubuki wasn't shocked at the change of pace and sudden take to action since I had learned to use these moments extensively for the past week and she had clearly gotten used to it by now. So, without having to wait on her, she levitated out of bed and quickly followed me out of the bedroom.

"Fubuki- No, Yuri, inform Aneko that Fubuki will soon screen the underworld for followers. Tell her to prepare a scenario for Fubuki to simultaneously test and save them to give them a new shot at life. She should hash out the details with Fubuki. Additionally, she shall begin to take the underworld over completely. If she needs help, try to give her a hand. I want to have this city under a tight grip regardless if it is in the shadows or out in the light."

Yuri, who had been a step behind Fubuki, bowed as she responded positively. Fubuki was by my side, so there was no reason for her to protest, and therefore quickly vanished from sight, off to meet up with Aneko to tell her about my orders, and help her if she needed it.

Of course, this was something that went against my previous order for Fubuki as I had initially stated that she should recruit her fellowship anonymously, but that was something that could backfire easily. Even if I wasn't the one that was doing this, it would fall back on me as she was supposed to be my wife, so- I glanced at Fubuki.

"Forget about doing it anonymously, just create a group out in the open. A group that strives to do good and improve themselves. It will fit our reputation better." Fubuki looked stunned for a moment as I retracted my previous order. She bit her lip in frustration, making me sigh. "It isn't because I think you wouldn't be able to do it. I just hadn't thought it through enough. It wouldn't suit you to have to hide your identity. Not with such a beautiful face"

"Yes, d-darling" She looked at the ground with a tinge of red donning her face. I would never get tired of the effects some simple spoken words had on them. With that out of the way, I walked outside our rented rooms and down the stairs into the lobby, where we bumped into Alyssa, my human maid.

"Have you prepared the carriage?" I asked as I knew she had picked up on some things during the time she acted as our maid and until now she had done a fantastic job thinking ahead on most things. Since she knew we had accepted some Orichalcum quests, she should have already prepared everything for our departure.

She bowed in response to my question. "Yes, everything is prepared. The carriage is right outside. We can leave at any moment." I nodded as I glanced at her shadow in which a mercenary NPC dwelled inside to protect her if the need arose.

Although she didn't know everything, she had some understanding that there was more to us than we had revealed to her until now. I wasn't going to let her be tortured for the meaningless information she had on us.

The shadow dweller cowered at the sudden attention it got, metaphysically bowing to me even after I had turned my attention away from it and favored to look at Sueko instead, who was coincidentally rounding up at the corner with a watering can in her hand. Of course, I had already known where she was. A benefit of having a quasi-domain spanning a hundred meters in diameter around you at all times.

The domain that had previously consisted of souls was now pure soul energy, drawn out of the souls to form a proper domain in which no harm could reach me as long as the energy wasn't depleted. Of course, that wasn't all as it gave me an awareness of everything that was inside the boundaries and I could use the energy to form attacks.

It still wasn't qualified to be called a divine domain, but it already showed signs of giving me omniscience and omnipotence once it reached its full potential. Even now, minor details couldn't escape my awareness. I didn't need to sense, hear or see anything.

I just knew things. If I was a boss, I would be the type you couldn't backstab or sneak attack. Bunch of immunities as well through the power of having soul energy to elevate any negative status.

All in all, it was quite astonishing and an experience, but at the same time, it wasn't weird or overwhelming. It was probably because of my angelic physiology that handled this massive input just fine. I wasn't bothered by it and it could be said to be as natural as it could be. In fact, it would feel weird if I had been born with this domain and suddenly lost it.

Kind of like one would miss their legs or their sight if one lost it all of a sudden. One would feel something missing as it would limit one's daily actions in one shape or form. Either way, "Sueko, take care of Alyssa and look for a permanent residence with a garden where you can plant some things." Sueko practically glowed at the order I gave her.

"Understood, master." She answered with a bow. I didn't wait on her and directly headed out of the building and looked at the carriage that had no coachman. For a moment, I just looked at it before Alyssa suddenly called out.

"Ah- Sorry, I didn't know Sueko wasn't going to tag along- I mean, I will arrange someone as soon as possible. Please, wait for a moment-" Alyssa panicked and was about to run away to get someone to guide the carriage. Honestly, I could have done it myself as I had some experience already. Even Fubuki could have taken over the reins, but Alyssa knew that I liked having Fubuki inside the carriage with me.

"It's fine, Alyssa!" I called out as it was indeed a bit unfair to suddenly decide to go out now as it was rather late to undertake the quests. Alyssa, being suddenly addressed, looked back at me and made her almost run into someone.

I cringed at the near collision before my eyes caught sight of the other figure who she almost collided with. Someone that I was waiting for. Neia nodded understandingly at Alyssa, who was apologizing profusely before Neia continued to speedwalk towards the inn with determination filling her eyes.

She was a bit surprised and panicky when she saw me standing at the entrance looking at her, but she quickly gathered herself with a deep breath before marching towards me. After coming to a stop only a few meters away from me, she took a deep breath.

"I am sorry, but I have to refuse!" She declared with a deep bow. There were some people that were taken aback by the sudden declaration, making them look over at us.

"Good evening to you too, Neia," I answered a bit amused at her antics. The sun was already setting in the distance as the meeting about our rank-up with Kelart had taken up our entire morning. After getting multiple Orichalcum quests and then resting/waiting for Alyssa to gather several days' worth of supplies for our travels, it was closer to the evening than the afternoon.

Honestly, to head out in the middle of the night would probably mean death for most, but after getting that burst of motivation I wasn't going to lie down and sleep. Actually, I could probably head out and look at some houses with Alyssa and Sueko...

She was taken aback by my response only to realize that she had been too focused on her decision to recognize how rude it was for her to go up to a noble and declare something like this, especially to one that just wanted to help her and on top, in public as well. Neia wasn't prideful and quickly rectified her mistake with a bow and an apology.

I stopped her bow, propping her up with my hand. "Don't worry about it. I am just messing with you." At that, she seemed somewhat relieved, though that didn't mean she would be unapologetic about her behavior.

"Truly, I didn't mean to be insulting. I was just-" Before she spiraled too far into her apology, I patted her head.

"Then how about a dinner as an apology?" Before she could deny me I looked over at Alyssa, who looked like she wanted to go get a coachman, but because of my comment, she wasn't sure whether she should still get one. "Alyssa, organize a coachman for tomorrow morning. We will be out for a week or so, keep that in mind when hiring. You don't have to look for a house tonight. Do it tomorrow morning with Sueko."

She bowed, showing that she understood, and then walked away with less tension on her shoulders than a moment ago. Obviously, having clear orders for someone like a maid was the preferred situation. Sueko bowed to me and walked beside Alyssa, though she seemed rather upset that she couldn't go house hunting already and was instead stuck with the human. Quite ironic considering who she was based on.

I turned back to Neia, who was still rather tense. The display of my maids and me ordering them seemed to have reminded her that I was in fact a proper noble. "Let's go. I got to know this restaurant not far from the Oluf-Scribe's Avenue." Neia drew a blank on that. Not that it surprised me, it was a local's recommendation and it certainly beat the high-end luxury stuff that they offered around here by a long shot.

I began walking as Neia's mind finally caught up to the fact that I invited her to eat together. She was probably used to being left alone because of her scary eyes. It didn't take long before she walked beside us. Even though she looked like she wanted to deny the offer for dinner, she didn't find it in herself to refuse it.

Was it because she rarely got invited? Perhaps it was because I was continuing to be nice to her despite her refusal? Maybe it was because she didn't want to come off too rude after giving me her declaration. I didn't really need to figure it out now. After all, I was confident that I could convince her to tell me everything and then convince her otherwise during our dinner.

As we stepped through the threshold of the restaurant, we were enveloped in a warm and inviting aura that seemed to contrast starkly with the outside, making one wonder whether one stepped into a different dimension. A scent of savory dishes wafted through the air that was far beyond the flashy establishments that cater to tourists.

The interior was adorned with rustic wooden beams, giving the space a cozy and comforting atmosphere. The soft glow of flickering candlelight on the walls cast a gentle and intimate light over the dining areas.

The Hearthstone Restaurant was clearly a warm atmospheric place to relax. The current owners greeted each visitor with genuine warmth and a smile, just happy to give the people a location they could rest at and gift them a taste of the local flavors and traditional recipes passed down through generations of their family.

I glanced at the bar and found the owners of this restaurant, a middle-aged man named Richard and his wife Hannah. With a warm smile and a twinkle in his eyes, Richard greeted us with a charm that instantly put people at ease.

As the inheritor of this cozy establishment, he takes great pride in preserving its ambiance as it was taught to him by his father. Polite, but not a pushover. Despite not being a powerful paladin or adventurer, his past as a soldier gave Richard a presence that commanded respect and authority. He carried himself with confidence and a no-nonsense attitude.

We had one great first talk. He seemed to have been quite popular with the ladies back in the day and seeing his demeanor and looks now, I was sure a few were still crushing on him. Unfortunately for his pursuers, he was already taken.

Hanna, the heart of the Hearthstone restaurant. A gentle and warm-hearted woman, emanating a soothing presence that made anyone she spoke to instantly cared for. It was like she was born to work in such a place that complimented her nature as a carrying mother-type, which had endeared her to the few staff and guests alike.

The staff were also infected by the familial atmosphere of the two owners and similarly carried themselves with a warm and welcoming attitude. This restaurant was truly a gem in this rather cold fortress.

It was just my and Fubuki's second time visiting this place and still, Hannah quickly approached us with a happy expression as if we had been guests for years. "Azazel, Fubuki! Good to see you two again! I wondered when you visited us again- I see you have brought a friend." She said with a bright smile on her face before enthusiastically shaking Neia's hands, who looked almost overwhelmed by the greeting.

She guided us to our table before giving us the menu and an appetizer. We didn't take long to order and she hurriedly brought the order to the kitchen before greeting another group of customers.

My eyes stayed on her for a moment before turning towards her husband, who was noting something down. He seemed to sense my gaze and returned it with a tiny smile and a nod. I nodded back. Strangely, despite Hannah being one bonafide mommy figure, hips, and a bust that most would die for, I held no interest in her. After nodding back at Richard, I looked at Neia, who was unsure how to act, though as she sat in her chair and looked around, she seemed to have calmed down a lot already.

"So, you don't want to be trained by me. Can you tell me why?" I asked, directly cutting to the chase, making the small woman swallow nervously as if she was about to be tested.

"I-I thought about your offer, b-but I can't accept it. I know you would be able to make me stronger, and I can understand that a true paladin is someone that seeks justice for the people. However, without a sword, without divine magic, I feel like I won't become a true paladin."

"Hmm. So, you don't seek justice but to become a paladin?"

She opened her mouth to retort but held it for a moment to gather her thoughts to not say anything too rash. "It is not that I don't want to uphold justice, but I won't be accepted to the Paladin Order if I can't use divine magic."

So, even after I had tried to convince her that joining the Order wasn't a good thing if one wanted to seek out justice, she still pursued it. Well, I did say I would support her even if she decided on this path, which was a promise I would uphold. My extended look at her seemed to convey my disapproving attitude toward her decision, making her posture almost collapse into herself.

"Why do you want to become a paladin if it isn't for justice?"

"I-It not that I don't want to become a paladin, it's just not my main motivator." She took a deep breath to prepare herself to open up, though it seemed like she had already thought a lot about it. "I want to follow my mother's footsteps by becoming a paladin like her-"

"What does your father do?" I interrupted her and almost instantly got a frown in return, clearly, she wasn't too fond of her father or was pissed I interrupted her. Perhaps it was both. Yeah, it was both.

"He is a Platoon Sergeant in the army-"

"And what kind of weapon does he use?"

"...A bow. He is an archer" She admitted. To be honest, I had forgotten about her father. The only thing I remembered was that he died early on and they had some issues. Clearly, Neia had daddy issues.

"So, you have gained your talent for archery from him. I presume you got your eyes from him as well?" I questioned, making her lower her head to look into her hands in her lap.

"Yes." She muttered before she seemed to have gained some courage and raised her head to glare at me. At least, I thought it was a glare, it could have been a 'neutral' glance as well. "But that isn't why I don't want to use the bow."

It clearly was.

"No, it is just not possible to infuse arrow shots with divine magic. The infusion of divine magic with their weapon is something every paladin has to be able to do, otherwise, they can't call themselves Paladins!" Her fists clenched underneath the table.

"Who said it isn't possible?" I tilted my head at her little outrage, which earned me a deeper frown from her as if she had stated an irrefutable fact and I was questioning it. Kind of like someone questioning if the sun truly was hot.

"It is just not." She answered without leaving any room for discussion.

"It is though? I can teach you if you want." She stared at me for a moment as her mouth slowly opened in confusion and disbelief. I could actually see why it would be more difficult for most paladins to use a bow and infuse their divine magic on it, but that was hardly something I couldn't rectify.

Given her look, she seemed to be not sure whether I was messing with her or if I could truly create such a miracle. Before she could question me, Hannah and another staff member approached the table with our order. "Thank you, Hannah."

"Shush, don't mention it." She waved slightly before leaving us to our meals. I started eating as soon as everyone had their meal, though it seemed Neia wasn't interested in eating at this moment.

She leaned forward and whispered. "You know how to shoot arrows infused with divine magic??" I glanced at her as I was a bit surprised that she would rather take my word for it than go with her common sense. I brought the fork with something akin to Spaghetti Bolognese just with more herbs and other local flora to my mouth. It was really great, compared to anything else I had eaten in this city.

"Yeah," I answered after drinking a mouthful of their berry nectar from some type of tree that grew inside a forest not far away from the city. "though is it something you want? It will differentiate you from the other paladins."

"That's fine-" She didn't continue her words as it was clear that she attributed her current life to what she inherited from her father. It was clear that she thought becoming a paladin would solve her problems. She wanted to be more like her mother because she probably was reputable in the order.

In her mind, being more like her mother might fix her anti-social life. She was mistaken of course, but she knew that as well. "You aren't your mother and you will never be. You also shouldn't be since you are your own person... but that is just my opinion."

She retreated into her chair as she mulled over it. Truthfully, she didn't have much of a choice as the alternative would be to not become a paladin at all. Her talent with the sword was just too abysmal to give her what she wanted. I could probably forcefully raise her skill with the sword-

Wait, a moment. Couldn't I...

"Let's postpone your decision for now. I want you to go to your superior and tell them that I want you to work with me. I have an agreement with the Paladin Order to help them if I deem it fit, so in the meantime, you will be stuck at my side regardless. Take your time to answer.."

"...Okay." She wouldn't be able to come to a decision in one night even if it was a no-brainer for normal, logical people. It was more of an emotional decision for her. If she decided to walk this path, she would have to stick to it and forgo her dream of following her mother's footsteps, while also bringing her closer to her father, who she obviously held some resentment towards. She would become a paladin, but it wouldn't be like she had hoped.

Either way, it wasn't my decision to make, but I could offer her another option, which would fulfill her desires and give me some new insights about my domain at the same time. There was no denying, after all, I was heading towards godhood, and having my personal paladin sounded incredibly enticing.

As I fantasized about making the girl opposite to me my paladin, the door of the restaurant opened. A group of 5 adventurers stepped inside and looked around as if to search for someone. When their gaze landed on me and paused, I couldn't help but groan internally. I brought the nectar to my lips and drank it with closed eyes as I listened in on how they approached our table.

Only after the leader of this group dragged a chair from another table to place it against ours to sit on, I opened my eyes to look at him. I had already noticed the Mithril plates around their neck and had already enough of this nonsense before it even started.

Their group consisted of two female mages, one was clearly the support type while the other dealt damage. The other three consisted of a rogue, a spearman, and the leader, the tank with a shortsword and a shield on his back. A basic but balanced setup for a team.

"We heard you jumped some ranks." He was clearly here to cause trouble or just to announce his rivalry or something. Just before Richard could interfere, I held up my hand to signify that it was fine.

"Indeed, and we are soon going to be on our first quest," I stated as I rested my head on my fist while I watched these clowns.

His eyes narrowed. "You think you can just bypass us and live happily ever after? There are unwritten rules-"

"Who the fuck are you? If you have some problem with the ranking, go and complain to the guild master." I waved him off, which clearly ticked him off.

"You will see. Either you revoke your rank-up or we will have to be more convincing."

"You should watch your back. Nobles paying their way up aren't going to last long." The rogue threatened. They glared at me and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at them. As if I was in need of blackmailing to get a rank-up.

Obviously, my attitude didn't earn me any brownie points and they were about to escalate, so I flexed a bit of my divine aura at the three hot-headed men, which made their mouths shut with a snap.

Even if they were fucking dorks, they were also veterans that knew how to assess how dangerous certain situations or opponents were. I wasn't too surprised by the turn of events. I had even predicted this as I also knew they weren't going to continue to talk shit after I flexed on them.

They would complain behind our backs and say that we didn't deserve our ranks. Once we completed some Orichalcum quests, they would either shut up or try and rank up by themselves. If they succeeded then they would be a pain in the butt for a bit longer, otherwise, they would either die or shut their trap in the future to not anger us.

The two mages clearly didn't pick up on the subtle change and snorted at the sudden silence, thinking that they had successfully intimidated us. They were about to say something as they glanced at Fubuki, who was watching them unimpressed. With just a look, Fubuki made them freeze. Intimidated in the face of certain death, they too remained silent even after Fubuki looked away uninterested in these fools.

It was actually Neia's nervous gulping that brought them out of their stupor. They stood up and the leader was conflicted about how they were going to leave, but still ended up just leaving without adding something. Although they weren't as dumb as their first impression implied, I wasn't going to let them off this easily.

So, after finishing our meals and generously paying Hannah, I walked Neia to where she was currently staying with the other paladins. There were some other paladins bringing in some supplies, which I ignored, though it seemed there was someone that recognized me from among them.

Just before I was about to leave, he called out to me. I turned around and looked at the paladin, who had tried to recruit me. "Roland." He smiled at me and gave Neia a curious look. "Perfect timing. You think she could accompany you when we cooperate in the future?"

He looked stunned at the sudden request before giving me a wry smile. "Sir, I am not even sure if I am going to be assigned to you."

"I have a feeling you will," I responded assuredly. We both knew that it was because of our initial meeting that he had been there during my rank-up and would probably deal with me in the future as well. At least, in the beginning when I hadn't made any other connection with other paladins.

He shrugged a bit helplessly before we said our goodbyes. With Fubuki following me, I decided to make a detour before I went back to the inn. I quickly traced the Mithril adventurers to a house a bit closer to the center of this fortress. The area was a bit bigger and they had a decent-sized garden. It looked like something I would like to live in...

They clearly had a permanent residence in this city. Seemed like they had already taken root here and were possibly upset that I was infringing on their territory. From what I remembered there were three Mithril plates- no, now it should be four. One Platinum group, Blade's Edge, had risen up. I briefly talked to them after our rank-up.

Only two of the now four Mithril ranks had a permanent residence in Kalinsha. Though, it didn't really matter to me as I snuck into the house. At this point, it was already dark as it could get. With the shadows aiding me, I walked into the support mage's room. I snapped my fingers and turned the lights on, startling the young mage awake, who had been completely unaware of my entrance.

She proved that she had good reflexes and a good sense of her surroundings when she quickly grabbed her staff to point it at me. Her mana built up inside of it, ready to burst out into a spell to attack me. Of course, I wasn't here to pull an Ainz and kill them off because they decided to be a thorn in my side. No, I was here to bring the women of this team happiness and pleasure to the point they wouldn't be satisfied by someone else.

Oh, how benevolent I was. I turned on my passive and the enticing presence of an angel of Lust, making the much weaker woman instantly blush. She hesitated for a moment before she placed the staff next to her bed. Not hostile anymore and soon compliant.

...

The next day, the women's adventurer's colleagues found them in an exceptional mood. The previously blossoming relationship among them died down without them knowing why.