Chapter 17: Chapter Seventeen
Paul was a very happy man. Who wouldn't be? Having two gorgeous women in bed was a wonderful experience.
Now, all he had to do to have a repeat of the said night, was get through the day, patrol the outskirts of the village and...
His eyes widened as a sound of metal grinding against metal reached his ears. If that wasn't enough, the shockwave that he felt next was a good enough indication that something was happening.
Thoughts rushed through his head like lightning. The kids, in the house, Zenith, In the house, Lilia, also in the house. Abandoning the process of getting dressed, Paul reached for his sword. Gray and Rudi could handle themselves, and Ghislaine could handle the enemy, he would be needed if there were any mages present.
The stares would take too long, so he jumped out of the window. The cold morning air hit his chest as it was still bare, though, thankfully, he had his pants and shoes on. As he landed, his head swirled around to notice... Gray and Ghislaine?
Rudi was on his back behind gray, looking like someone had thrown him. Gray was crouching, his cracked sword was out of it's sheath for the first time in a while, the steel gleaming in the rising sun while Ghislaine's dark red sword was held at her side lazily as the two stared each other down.
It wasn't long before Gray blurred out of existence followed by Ghislaine. Not even a second later, he felt something passing him and he turned to see his eldest impacting the ground before using one of his arms to dig into the ground to stop his momentum.
Ghislaine, as stated by her title as sword king, followed suit to continue her attack. Gray only had time to get into the water god stance before the beast woman was upon him, bringing her blade down on his head.
The sword he gifted to they boy went to intercept it, managing to slap the dangerous piece of metal to the side and Paul had no idea if Ghislaine let it or if Gray managed to do that on his own.
Even in their spars, he could see the disinterest in the boy's eyes as they exchanged blows, but now? Paul saw the silent determination the boy would have in the early days of his training along with something else.
His gaze was full of excitement, something he only saw when he and Zenith informed him about having another child.
Following the momentum, Gray lifted one leg off of the ground and shot it forward at Ghislaine's side. At that moment, when his foot connected, he felt pride bloom in his chest. He taught him that... Well, he taught him the north god style.
For such a little guy, gray could pack a punch, as evidenced by his opponent flying off to the side, and over the fence. Without delay, his son re-centered himself and shot off, following the sword king.
Snapping out of the trance he was in, Paul turned his attention to his second eldest, running closer and crouching. Noticing his exited face, he decided to question, since the chance of Gray pissing off Ghislaine so much that she would attack was low.
"Rudi, why is Ghislaine fighting your brother?"
The excited child looked up at him like he just said something strange and he gave the little guy the same look. He wasn't the strange one here.
"Oh, They're sparring!"
Sparring his ass! If someone would look at them it would seem like the two were trying to cut each others throats out.
"Paul! Rudi! What's going on?"
Zenith, now dressed, walked out of the house and looked at the two of them, looking panicked.
"Oh, nothing, it's just Gray and Ghislaine sparring."
He replied nonchalantly, he wasn't worried, the beast woman wouldn't kill Gray and Gray could get out of most situations.
"Oh, is that all? Why is Ghislaine fighting my baby?!"
She screamed, all but shaking him for answers. Paul winced, Zenith could get scary when children were involved. Raising his arms in a surrender motion he tried to calm her down.
"Dear, you know she won't hurt him, and it's just a spar."
An explosion was heard... Or someone hitting the ground really hard. Probably Gray.
"Did they just explode?!"
He failed.
Damn it, Gray.
"What's going on?!"
He felt his eye twitch when he heard a new voice join their ranks. It was Eris Boreas Grayrat, the little girl he brought home along with Ghislaine.... Now that he thought about it, that sounded wrong on so many levels.
Apparently, after embarrassing herself on her tenth birthday, she was sent here to let thing's blow over. He never really understood politics, that's why he would rather swing a sword than sit behind a desk.
"Ah, little lady, it would seem like Ghislaine is engaging my eldest in combat."
That's how nobles said that they were sparring, right? Did he even need to be polite at this point? She was in his... Son's house, eating their food, sleeping in their bed. Hell, he could see Gray's hand twitch towards his blade every time she raised her voice at Lilia or Zenith if she was displeased or the way ground froze around him when Rudeus was punched once for no reason.
Paul suspected that the only reason she was still alive was because of Ghislaine and, well, him. Sure, the respect his son had for him may have taken a hit after that... incident, but he wouldn't kill someone he brought home as a guest.
"HMPH, That idiot must have a death wish."
Before he could muster up a response to that, a sound of collision was heard and their heads turned towards the source. In his peripheral vision, he noticed Lilia was out of the house, holding both Norn and Aisha who were crying due to the loud sounds.
Gray jumped out of the newly formed crater in front of their house and raised his hand. The purple blade flew into his open palm as he swung towards Ghislaine who was charging at him.
She responded in kind, swinging her own sword at the incoming weapon. Instead of the shockwave everyone expected, Gray's blade shattered at the point where the red sword impacted it. Gray, undeterred, continued his swinging motion. The blade reformed around the opposing weapon and headed straight towards Ghislaine's head.
Paul could see the surprise on her face and a second later, Blood splattered on the grass.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone