Chapter 10: An Illogical Turn of Events, You Are So Fast, Brother Paul

Allen swore that he was merely observing the scene with the detached curiosity of someone watching a family sitcom. His gaze drifted from Lilia, who stood on the windowsill with a look of envious resentment, to the couple in the yard, Paul and Zenith, who were busy flirting and playfully pinching each other.

He took a moment to identify everyone.

Lilia had a somewhat cold, refined appearance with Eastern features, wearing round-rimmed glasses and a maid’s outfit. Paul, meanwhile, possessed the classic, roguish charm of the Notos family; his sharp, rugged features were punctuated by a dashing tear mole, and his solid, muscular physique made it easy to see why he attracted so much attention from the opposite sex. As for Zenith, she was the quintessential gentle, high-born lady, with smooth, flowing blonde hair.

Everything matched Allen’s expectations, especially the 36E measurements shared by both the wife and the mistress.

*Paul, oh Paul, you scoundrel...*

As this thought crossed his mind, Allen spotted Rudeus—the protagonist of this *Mushoku Tensei* world. The boy had inherited Zenith’s silky hair and Paul’s brown locks, with delicate, soft facial features that almost appeared feminine at his young age. He was currently wearing a helpless, grimacing expression while trying to cope with his "father’s" nonsense.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, Rudeus stiffened, his neck snapping as he slowly turned his head to look at Allen.

Allen instinctively thought of his favorability task.

And then.

He put on the gentlest, kindest, and most approachable expression he could muster, smiling at Rudeus with profound goodwill.

The next moment, as if he had seen a ghost, Rudeus lunged forward and delivered a desperate headbutt into Paul’s stomach. Paul stumbled backward, crashing to the ground, before turning to glare at Allen with a look of distinct hostility.

The smile froze on Allen’s face. He realized that his reflexive attempt at friendliness had apparently increased the difficulty of his future favorability tasks.

Paul’s irritation flickered, but he quickly composed himself. As a knight dispatched by the Fittoa Region to Buina Village, tasked with overseeing the harvest and protecting the residents, such visitors were a common occurrence. He brushed the dirt off his clothes and stood up.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Rudeus kept his back to Allen, his body moving as if controlled by clockwork as he slowly shuffled behind Paul.

Still unwilling to give up, Allen tried to salvage the situation, squeezing out an even more radiant smile.

"Excuse me, are you Lord Paul, the village knight? And is that your child? He’s so cute!"

As soon as the words left his lips, Rudeus’s expression shifted violently; he clutched his pants and sprinted toward the house.

He had been terrified.

Allen stood there, mouth agape, watching the boy flee, before turning an awkward look toward Paul.

Paul seemed momentarily dazed. He ignored Allen’s attempt at conversation and the reaction from Rudeus, choosing instead to look Allen up and down in silence. His gaze lingered briefly on the sword hilt at Allen’s waist before sweeping over his tattered swordsman’s attire. Finally, he locked eyes with Allen’s face and did not look away.

Allen looked up to meet his gaze. Paul was nearly 1.8 meters tall, forcing Allen to look up at him.

After a long pause, Paul seemed to snap out of his trance and broke the silence.

"...Sorry, Rudeus isn't good with strangers. What brings you here to see me?"

"It’s like this, Sir Knight. I’m a wandering adventurer, and I unfortunately lost my money in a dungeon, so I’m looking for some work. As luck would have it, on my way here, I encountered a blue-haired demon mage who suggested I might try my luck to see if your child needed a swordsmanship instructor..."

"Why are you lying?"

Paul punctured the lie instantly, leaning down to scrutinize Allen’s face with a stern expression, as if disciplining a child. Allen showed no sign of panic, merely squinting with a smile as he looked back at Paul.

"What makes you say that?"

"...According to you, you might have met Roxy, but she knows full well that I am Rudeus’s swordsmanship instructor. There is no need for an extra one. Therefore, you must have come here of your own volition, not because of her suggestion."

Allen lowered his eyes.

*Just as expected, he’s not easy to fool. If I say I just want to be Rudeus’s tutor, my motives look impure. If I just claim I’m here for the money, it doesn’t hold water—there are better opportunities in big cities, so there’s no reason to try my luck in a small village.*

The path was blocked... Was revealing his true identity the best option?

"However... being Rudeus’s swordsmanship instructor, that could work."

A flicker of surprise crossed Allen’s eyes as he looked up at Paul. Paul was simply staring at the sword at his waist.

"Honestly, as someone who relies on instinct, I lack the ability to awaken a true passion for the sword in Rudeus. If someone else were to try, it might have a miraculous effect..."

Before Allen could process why Paul had suddenly dropped his suspicion, he heard Paul continue.

"I am willing to hire you for a seven-day trial. If you can prove your talent during this time, I will officially hire you as our Rudeus’s instructor. As for the pay, two silver coins a month. I won't treat you unfairly."

As he spoke, Paul leaned in close, staring directly into Allen’s face as if to see right through him.

"But, not just anyone who calls themselves a swordsman is qualified to be an instructor in this house. You look a bit too young... Come, prove your ability. If you can pass my test, I’ll give you that seven-day trial. How about it?"

Allen raised an eyebrow.

*The plot is moving a bit too quickly... it’s not very logical...*

"...That sounds fair."

—

The sun slanted westward, casting long shadows of the two figures—one large, one small—across the courtyard. Zenith and Lilia stood on the doorstep, looking anxious, while Rudeus poked his head out from behind Zenith.

Zenith gripped her hands together, watching the situation, and tilted her head to whisper to Rudeus.

"What’s going on... Why is your father suddenly dueling a boy? Is he a swordsman? Rudeus, do you know what happened?"

Rudeus shook his head. He deliberately avoided looking at Allen, focusing instead on Paul.

"I don't know, Mother. They hadn't said a word when I ran inside."

*What is going on... Did that pervert provoke Paul? ...To dare to scare me like that—go get him, Lord Paul! It’s time to show your authority as a father!*

Paul drew his longsword from his waist—a double-edged straight sword. The hilt was somewhat exaggerated, featuring a trapezoidal design with hollowed-out inverted triangles on the sides, giving it a religious aesthetic. The blade extended from the top of the trapezoid, with a black groove running the length of the steel.

He raised the sword above his head, assuming a standard high stance.

Allen watched Paul and reached for his own scabbard with his right hand. His blade was straight, but unlike Paul’s, it was much slimmer, with exquisite forging patterns stretching to the tip before curving into a beautiful, sharp arc.

The single-edged blade sliced through the air, coming to rest at Allen’s hip, the tip slightly angled.

It was a middle stance leaning toward defense.

As he looked at his sword, a burning sensation stirred in his heart.

*Paul, a master-level practitioner of the North God Style, with a peak strength near the Saint-level. He’s been retired for years and his skills have rusted, so he’s likely at the level of a standard master swordsman now. But even so, that’s stronger than what the system ranks me...*

He licked his lips, watching the equally eager Paul.

"So, shall we begin?"

Three meters away, Paul squinted and smiled.

"The moment you drew your blade, it had already begun..."

Sword light swirled like sunset fire, appearing instantly at the side of Allen’s face! The blade hummed!

Paul’s words trailed off.

"...already."

The tip of the sword was already at Allen’s ear.