Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Lili began to feel restless under the penetrating gaze of the girl before her. She couldn't understand why the look made her feel so much insecurity. It was something beyond just fearing she would lose Vahn to this woman...but she wasn't able to understand. All Lili knew was that the gaze seemed familiar, but she wasn't able to place why and from where she had seen it before."Nyahaha~ Isn't your friend very cute, Vahn~? You should introduce me~" As Chloe began guiding them towards a small table, she gave Vahn a questioning look, almost as if her eyes were urging him to explain in detail how he met the young girl.Vahn noticed that Chloe was acting very similar to their first meeting. Just like his case, Chloe seemed to be very sensitive towards those that had experienced suffering in their past. He smiled at her concern and the willingness she showed to let him act as he thought best."Yes...This is Lili. I can't go into too many details, but I've decided to help her become stronger." As he introduced her, Lili bowed her head slightly but didn't relax since Chloe made her feel very uncomfortable. "And this is Chloe...she is someone that helped me realize...a lot of things." When he spoke the words, he couldn't help but show a thankful smile.Both Lili and Chloe noticed his expression; Lili was somewhat dissatisfied since it felt like she was in a disadvantageous position from the outset. Chloe just gave a cheeky smile while closing in on Vahn...and giving him a brief kiss on his cheek.Afterward, she took their orders, though it would be more appropriate to say 'order' since Vahn had to make the decision for both of them. After Lili saw Chloe give him a kiss, she had begun to pout with her head down while refusing to speak and make eye contact. Without saying anything further, Chloe went to the kitchen to inform the chefs before continuing her rounds with other customers.Lili looked up as Chloe walked away. She traced her path through the pub with her eyes before turning to Vahn once Chloe had gotten far enough away. "Vahn, please tell me about your relationship with that woman. I can tell there is something going on between the two of you, but it seems to be different than lovers."Vahn shook his head. Even he didn't know what their relationship was...he just knew he had a lot of gratitude towards Chloe, and that he even wanted to confess to her in the past. "I would say...she is like a mentor, or maybe a guide? It's hard to put it into words really...but she saved me from my isolation and helped me realize a lot about myself. I want to become stronger to meet her expectations...but I'm not sure if that is to become lovers.""But you wouldn't just let any girl kiss you...I can see that when she kissed your cheek you were happy." She continued staring, almost as if to blame Vahn for all her present grievances.Vahn nodded and decided to speak about his past with Chloe. He told her about their first meeting, about how was afraid at how Chloe looked at him. He went over how she seemed to be trying to break down the barriers he had built around his heart and mind. After that, he talked about how they had agreed to a date on only their second meeting. He went over everything from the early rendezvous...the experience at the clothing store...and even discussed their viewing of the sunset together. Lastly, he talked about how he had even tried to confess but was stopped in the end.Throughout the whole story, Lili just continued to silently listen. She watched as his expression changed between each scene, and could sense the emotions behind the words. Her heart began to feel pain with how much passion Vahn seemed to have when speaking about his 'transformation'. Though she hadn't been there, she could imagine the entire series of events...and began to realize she hadn't been taking Vahn's current life and past into consideration...Lili began to shrink into her seat, afraid to look at Vahn. She realized she was taking advantage of his kindness ever since he had saved her. Even though he was making so many efforts to help her change, the only thing on her mind was trying to get closer to him...she even had possessive thoughts and wanted to prevent others from doing the same.While she was lost in her thoughts, Vahn couldn't help but sigh after seeing her current state. He wanted her to know the truth so that she was able to understand he wasn't the powerful hero she painted a false picture of in her mind. In many ways, he was very similar to her...just a little bit further along the same road.The two sat in silence, one unsure of what to say while the other brooded over the past. After a few minutes, Chloe arrived with their meals."Nyahaha~ One order of chicken-curry rice for Vahn, and one children's special for the moody cat girl~nya!" Chloe placed the meals on the table, and Vahn noticed the order for Lili was different than what he had ordered."Umm, Chloe-""Go ahead and eat up~nya! It's full of nutrition and even has a little toy you can keep for yourself~ Don't be shy~nya!" Chloe ignored Vahn and continued to pester the still silent Lili. She even slowly nudged the plate towards her while leaning over the table somewhat.Eventually, Lili looked at the plate before staring at the girl that wouldn't leave her alone. "This isn't what I want...I want what Vahn-sama ordered for me." She stared directly at Chloe with a look of dissatisfaction. She didn't understand why Chloe was bothering her when she obviously didn't want to deal with her."Nya~? How curious, a little girl that thinks she knows what she wants, but is just sitting around while other people make decisions for her~. Vahn or me, why does it matter who chooses what you eat? Aren't you just happy someone is treating you to a meal~nya?" Without losing her smile, Chloe gave Lili a look of 'contempt'. She nudged the plate directly in front of Lili. "Go ahead~ Don't be shy little girl~."Vahn wanted to interject, but he could feel Chloe's tail tapping his leg every time he tried to open his mouth. He decided to trust in her and began to slowly eat his meal. It was delicious...Seeing Vahn start eating without saying anything, Lili began to feel betrayed. She could see he clearly wanted to speak up but then decided to suddenly ignore the situation. Negative emotions began to stir within her heart, and she wanted to vent them but didn't know how."Vahn-sama, please ask your friend to leave me alone. I'd rather eat nothing that be toyed with by her." Ignoring Chloe who had raised her brow in contempt, Lili tried appealing to Vahn."Nya~? Whats this~? You even ask for help to resolve such minor things~? Is Vahn supposed to be your caretaker now~?" Chloe began to chuckle while continuing to stare into the glaring eyes of Lili.She began to inch closer towards Vahn in spite of the increasing intensity of the glare..."Vahn, nyaaaaaaahn~" She opened her mouth just as Vahn was about to take another bite of his curry. He seemed to struggle internally for a moment before letting her eat the bite he was about to take. As she chewed on the spicy dish, she almost dropped her act seeing the sad expression on Vahn's face. Luckily, the wrath coming from Lili made her able to keep her cool."You thieving cat! Get away from Vahn-sama!" Lili was genuinely pissed. She couldn't believe Chloe would go so far as showing a public display of affection while simultaneously pestering her! She rose from the table and shouted the words at the top of her lungs.Mama Mia had been observing the incident from the bar but didn't intervene since Chloe had warned her earlier. She just gave Chloe a look implying she needed to control the situation better or she would have to step in."Thieving cat~? Didn't you see with your own eyes him feeding it to me~nya? Instead of focusing on what we're doing, shouldn't you be brooding or eating your children's menu~?" At this point, Chloe had begun to snuggle against the now sweating Vahn.Lili was at a loss of words seeing how her outcry went largely ignored. The only people that seemed to be affected were the other patrons, while both Chloe and Vahn remained unmoved. She began feeling very aggrieved...she couldn't handle Vahn ignoring her, and she began to hate Chloe for doing this when she just wanted to enjoy a meal with Vahn...She fell back into the seat and started crying. She had never expected that the person who saved her would wrong her in such a way. He just ignored her while another woman bullied her right in front of him. Even though she had run away from the Familia to stay with him...even though she had moved into the same Inn and displayed multiple signs that she liked him...Her thoughts began to become jumbled and she couldn't form anything coherent. She was just terribly sad, more-so than she had been when the elderly couple looked at her in contempt. Even more than when she was mistreated by her own parents...Seeing the boy that had shown her so much kindness now ignoring her made her feel more sad and lonely than all of her previous experiences combined.Through her sobs, she heard a gentle voice speaking. "You really are quite the selfish child, aren't you?" Lili looked towards the source and saw Chloe staring at her with sad eyes and a gentle smile."You don't know me, you have no idea what I've gone through. Even though I finally found something I wanted...you're taking it right in front of me." Lili couldn't help but blame Chloe for everything that was happening. If Chloe wasn't here, she and Vahn would have been able to enjoy a happy meal like a date.Chloe continued to stare at her while speaking in the same gentle tone. "That's why you're selfish Lili...you think you know what you want, but have you ever considered for a moment if that is for the best? Have you once considered what the person you 'want' thinks?"Lili felt a heavy impact on her mind. Even though the words were very hurtful, there was no way she could refute them. It's not that she didn't think about what Vahn wanted, she just wanted to be there with him when the time comes. Surely that wasn't too much to ask for? Wasn't she allowed to be happy?"There you go jumping to conclusions in your own head. Tell me Lili, surely Vahn has told you all kinds of things about his past and desires...but have you ever once asked him what he wants? Why did he want to be strong? Or have you just listened when he spoke while forcing your own desires on him in the end?"Hearing the heavy words, Lili couldn't help but look towards Vahn. She could see the concern on his face...he was probably worried about her even though he wasn't saying anything. But, behind that gentle gaze, she could see the shadows of the pain she had observed on his face in the dungeon. Whenever he lost focus and allowed his mind to wander, Lili always saw a deep melancholy and profound loneliness in the eyes of the young boy. That's right, though he was older than her, he was still very young...During her reflection, Chloe continued speaking. "You see, you aren't the only one that has suffered Lili. Though none of us can understand what you had gone through, there are always others that had gone through similar, if not worse situations. You probably wondered to yourself why Vahn would save someone like you, and I can tell you the reason..."When Chloe trailed her words, Lili looked towards her. She wanted to know the answer since it had been something bothering her for a while. Remembering that Vahn had been willing to sacrifice himself to take on her injuries...she couldn't help but think he had ulterior motives, but her heart wanted to believe in the hero that saved her..."It is because...Vahn has also suffered a lot. I'm sure he has told you bits and pieces, but I can tell that what he had gone through...is probably something more horrible than anything we can imagine." Both girls looked towards Vahn and could see the hurt in his eyes as Chloe spoke her thoughts.For the first time, both Lili and Chloe's minds were in sync and felt they wanted to help heal the boy silently eating curry."But you see, unlike you, Vahn has found solace in the present. Though he can't let go of the past, he has decided to move forward. His desire for strength stems from his convictions and willingness to seize control of his own fate..." As she spoke till here, Chloe began leaning against Vahn's shoulder while closing her eyes. "And he can do it too, you want to know why?" She slightly opened her eyes as she asked the question.Lili swallowed hard before slowly nodding her head."It's because he wants others to be able to believe in him. He wants to become strong enough, not to just escape his own fate, but to change the fates of others around him." At this point, both girls could see a fiery look in the eyes of Vahn. Within the furrowed brows a powerful conviction was present which caused both of their heart rates to increase."Do you think he can bear the burden of your selfishness forever?" Chloe dropped her final bombshell on the unsuspecting Lili.Lili began remembering all the events leading up to this moment. All the suffering from her past that had been brought to an abrupt halt by Vahn's actions in the dungeon...all of his words and actions as he tried to guide her towards a path where she could become stronger...strong enough to control her own fate. She even remembered all the times he pampered her when she was feeling insecure, and how he always kept a certain distance when she tried to push things too far...their entire relationship was just her receiving over and over again. Lili knew it couldn't continue forever...thats why she wanted to become his lover. At least then she could repay him, even if it was with her body...Looking towards Vahn, she could still see the conviction in his eyes, but the concern shown on his face had never left. ('Ah, I know what it is that I want...it's such a simple thing.')"I want to become stronger...strong enough, not to avoid being a burden, but to be able to walk on the same path...using my own power." Still maintaining eye contact with Vahn, she saw a smile expand on his face. She even noticed, out of the corner of her eye, Chloe was also smiling."I guess you aren't as much of a child as I thought~nya."

After things had settled down, Chloe left the two to finish their meal. Lili still seemed a bit down, but she looked a lot better than before. She ate away at the children's menu without complaint while making small talk with Vahn. Once they had finished and settled the bill, Vahn and Lili bid farewell to Chloe and headed home.On the path back to the Inn, Lili remained quiet and just looked around at the various passersby. She saw people traveling in groups, families with their children, and even individuals simply enjoying the evening atmosphere. There were also a few couples that were walking around in the night markets, most likely enjoying the final hours of their dates. When Lili saw them, she would just stare for a few moments before continuing forward without saying anything.Vahn could tell she was thinking about a lot of things, but the stability in her aura made him feel as though things were changing for the better. Though he often ran around the City to save time, Vahn just continued along the path while enjoying the same atmosphere. The cool night air was very calming, and the warmth generated by the flow of people made his heart feel at ease. When Lili would get distracted, he would just patiently wait for her, giving her as much time as she needed.After more than an hour, they were finally nearing the Inn when Lili decided to stop so they could speak. Most of the pedestrians had already disappeared at this time, and only a few hard-working vendors and adventurers could be seen in the nightscape of the city. Lili leads the way towards the small plaza that served as a central point for the markets near the Inn.For a few minutes, the two just stood there in silence. Vahn could see the aura around Lili fluctuate periodically before stabilizing again. Finally, she seemed to have made up her mind, turning towards Vahn with a serious expression. "Vahn...I want to apologize. For my selfishness...and insecurities...and so many other things. Even though you had saved me and put in so much effort to help me grow, I was just focused on my own thoughts..." She began to have trouble breathing as tears began to appear in her eyes."I just...I just wanted to do something to help secure my own happiness. I thought I could rely on your kindness to escape all my problems...and even if I wasn't able to become strong, I thought you would still help me. I even thought of using my own body as compensation to make you dedicate yourself to me...I really am a selfish woman...no, a selfish child, just like Chloe said." While she was speaking, she continued to hold eye contact with Vahn who maintained a calm expression on his face."I know you won't abandon me, even though I did so many foolish things...but, I don't want to just rely on your kindness anymore. I want to become stronger...I want to see what it is like to walk on a path where I'm not reliant on others to live. And...I want to be able to repay this debt of gratitude I owe you...using my own power." She was shaking while trying her best to hold back the tears that continued to stream down her face. Lili didn't want to lose anything anymore just because she couldn't hold onto it with her own strength.Vahn could feel an indescribable pain coursing through his body as he watched the small girl state her convictions through tears and muffled-sobs. He didn't expect it would be so hard to just stand by and listen as someone poured their heart out to him. After her words ceased, he felt an overwhelming urge to just hug the girl and help drive away all the negative feelings she was keeping within her heart...but he couldn't, not now. Vahn balled his hands into fists, holding back his emotions as he waited for her to continue."From now on, please don't hold back in my training. I will do whatever it takes...I will prove that I'm worthy to walk at your side...not just a burden that weighs you down!" Lili mustered the remainder of her strength and shouted the final words. For her, it was both a confession and her heartfelt desire. Even if he never returned her feelings, she still wanted him to know.Vahn heavily placed his palm on her head, causing Lili to flinch. It wasn't the gentle patting he often gave her; it was almost as though he was angry. She looked through her tear stained eyes and saw Vahn looking at her with a pained and dissatisfied expression on his face. Lili began to wonder if she had upset him, and her heart began to twist in her chest."You're an idiot Lili..." Vahn released an exasperated sigh as he spoke the words."Eh..? Vahn?" Lili was confused and heartbroken. She couldn't make sense of his derisive words, especially after everything that had happened.Before she could process what was happening, Vahn pulled her into a powerful hug. She could feel his warmth begin to spread through her body. And on the side of her face, she could feel a wetness that didn't come from her eyes."You are such an idiot...don't say things like "worthy" or "burden". Everything I've done for you was by my own will. Even if I thought I had to protect you, I never once thought you were a burden that wasn't worth saving. It breaks my heart to heart to hear you say something so cruel..." Vahn continued hugging Lili as warms tears slowly streamed down his face. He couldn't bear the words she spoke any longer."Vahn..." Lili sunk her face into his chest, enjoying the sensation. She didn't try to take advantage of the situation, she just allowed herself to be held by Vahn. Through his chest, she could feel the powerful beating of Vahn's heart...it was slow and rhythmic...and seemed to contain a powerful vitality that helped comfort something deep within her soul.Vahn continued to hug her tightly for a few minutes until they had both long stopped crying. When he pulled away, Lili didn't try latching onto him like previously. Instead, they just stared at each other before displaying awkward smiles seeing their unsightly appearance. The young boy and girl began laughing, driving away all of the negative emotions that had settled in the atmosphere.Once they had collected themselves, they headed to the Inn. After exchanging pleasantries with Milan who had given them strange looks, they two headed to their respective rooms. Before they each entered, Vahn stopped Lili and gave her a gentle hug. Though she was shocked, Lili just accepted it without resisting."Good night Lili. Tomorrow will be difficult, and I won't go easy on you anymore so get plenty of rest. I cannot help replace what you had lost in the past, but I will do my best to guarantee you are able to find a path where you can seize your future." Vahn spoke the words gently, but firmly. Lili just nodded before eventually turning towards her room when the hug ended.Before she closed the door, Lili looked into Vahn's eyes. "I will do it Vahn sama...no matter how long it takes, or how much I have to struggle. I swear." With those parting words, she closed the door, leaving a grinning Vahn in the hallway.---Within his own room, Vahn laid down on his bed with a powerful feeling of exhaustion. He recalled the events of the day and could barely make sense of everything that happened. ("Sis, why are people so difficult? Why do they have to expend so much effort to break away from suffering and try to find happiness?") Vahn stared at the ceiling while remembering all the people he had interacted with, in both his present world and past life.(*That isn't a question I know the answer to Vahn. You will have to find the answers for yourself through experience. All I can do is help guide you along 'The Path' until you become strong enough to possess the 'freedom' you desire.*)Vahn nodded. With 'The Path' he had an advantage over almost everyone else within the stories he could recall in his mind. Most people had to go through life dealing with the lot they were given at birth...even Vahn himself was a victim of unfortunate circumstance. Now, he had to power to control his fate, and as long as he put in the effort there were very few things that could halt his momentum.He began thinking about how best to use his power, and what worlds he should visit in the future. There were many things he wanted to experience, but after interacting with people like Chloe, Lili, and Hephaestus, Vahn began having doubts about the path he was taking. Though he originally just wanted power and the ability to travel through the worlds of his dreams, now it was becoming harder and harder to think of himself as a bystander. Now he was proactively beginning to drive events within the world, and depending on his decisions he could completely alter the events he knew from the canon...Releasing a sigh, Vahn tried to stop worrying about things. If he let himself get caught up in self-doubt, he would just create unnecessary stress for himself. The best thing he could do now was to continue growing stronger so that he could deal with each situation as they arose. With that thought in mind, Vahn decided to take the time to review all of his current stats and items before going to sleep.==========================================================[[STATS]]Name: [Vahn Mason]Age: 14Race: Human, *sealed*Parameter: [Danmachi: 1-4]-Level:2(2)-Power:1001+(I38)-Endurance:1108+(I51)-Dexterity:887+(I41)-Agility:940+(I40)-Magic:1611+(E244)Total:5547+(414)Soul Strength: Tier 2 (Hero Soul)[Karma]: 801[OP]: 27,490[Valis]: 49,700(A/N: I Actually feel like I forgot something here)Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:H][Bow Mastery:C], [Stealth:D], [Chainbreaker:S], [Call of the Reaper:B],[Yggdrasil's Favor:S], [Veil of the Traveler: S], [Swordsman:D], [Featherfoot:E]Magic: EmptyDevelopment Skills: [Wound Transfer:B], [Spirit Healing:B], [Blacksmith:D][[ITEMS]]Equipment: [Runic Tamahagane Blade:A], [Plague Mask:E], [Nullifying Mantle:C], [Mithril Poniard:B], [Damascus-Steel Gauntlets:C], [Scout's Guille Suit:F], [Handloomed Shadowsilk Tunic:D], [Runic Tempered Yew Shortbow:B], [Decanter of Replenishment:B], 1x Hephaestus' Favor, 1x Skill Enhancement Scroll, Etc...[[QUESTS]][Birth of a Legend:SS], [The Hearts Desire:C-SS(repeatable)]==========================================================His Magic was still increasing at an alarming rate, probably due to his contest of wills against the 'eternal flame'. The rest of his stats were trailing far behind, but Vahn thought it was due to the minimal effort he had used in hunting monsters with Lili. He would have to fight much stronger monsters if he wanted to experience the rapid growth he had in the previous week.One thing that caught his eye was the '1x Hephaestus' Favor' that he had overlooked after completing the optional quest. He had been so focused at the time, and then immediately moved onto forging and other stuff that he never had the chance to determine its use.[Hephaestus' Favor] x1Rank: UniqueUse: After consumption exponentially increases the likelihood of a successful request from the 'Goddess of Forging, Hephaestus'. Success rate determined by Affection.Vahn was surprised after reading the items description. It was his first unique item, and he wasn't sure if it was good or bad. After a bit of thought, he figured it could be used to ask her to forge a weapon for him in the future, though he would probably have to increase his affection with Hephaestus before then...Thinking of Affection, Vahn decided to see the values of all the current people whose auras he had touched.[Liliruca Arde]: Affection:94(Love), Intrigue:66(Concerned)[Chloe Lolo]: Affection:78(Trust), Intrigue:89(Hope for the Future)[Eina Tulle]:59(Confused), Intrigue:72(Uncertain but Interested)[Hephaestus]: Affection: 82(Belief), Intrigue:100(Insatiable Curiosity)[Milan Yuel]: Affection: 55(Amicable), Intrigue:51(Neutral)[Tina Yuel]:Affection: 68(Crush), Intrigue:53(Confused)[Nicholas Grimm]:47(Disatisfied), Intrigue:60(Curious)Seeing Tina on the list, Vahn could help but cringe remembering his earlier failure. He was also very curious when Nicholas had been added to the list. Vahn didn't remember ever touching him, but it was likely after he had lost consciousness outside of the dungeon. Since he didn't see any names he didn't recognize, he wasn't sure though. There were likely several doctors that had touched him when he was asleep, so maybe the system only included people he was familiar with beforehand?The thing that concerned him the most was the fact Hephaestus's intrigue had hit 100, which Sis informed him was the max. The thought anyone possessed an 'insatiable curiosity' towards him actually terrified Vahn. He didn't know to what extent she would go to in order to satiate her curiosity in the future...---Meanwhile, Hephaestus was experiencing shock after trying to forge metal in the 'eternal flame'. The temperature was not only significantly stronger, but the flame was much easier to manage. It seemed to proactively regulate the heat when the raw metal began to reach its peak, allowing her to almost completely ignore tending to the metal herself...She looked towards a nearby wall and her gaze seemed to penetrate through the structure of the building. If anyone was to draw a line tracing her gaze, they would find out she was looking directly towards where Vahn was presently bathing in a cold sweat.

Vahn stood there in shock as Lili continued holding his hand on her chest. His mouth gaped open and closed like a fish out of water. He was trying to find a solution but struggled to find the words. Though he tried removing his hand, he was shocked to find Lili had been holding his wrist like a vice seemingly unwilling to let him extricate it from her grasp."Ara~. Even though the sun has gone down, it isn't appropriate to show such displays of affection in public."The cold sweat that had settled on his back began to increase as Vahn heard the unamused words that seemed to be spoken by a demon from a dark icy abyss. Both he and Lili turned towards the sound of the voice in a mechanical manner and saw a mature woman staring at them with an icy gaze. The smile on her face, though it appeared friendly on the surface, seemed to possess a veiled threat as it coldly observed their actions.The woman, Milan, continued to stare at the two children who were frozen by her sight. Though she was laughing in her mind, she felt a mischevious urge and wanted to tease the two of them. She moved her 'icy' gaze towards the hand that was still being held to the chest of the hooded girl and Vahn immediately snatched his hand away as a result. The hooded girl was broken from her stupor by the movement before crouching down into a ball and hiding her face from view.After staring at the girl for a moment, she turned her gaze back towards Vahn and increased the depth of her smile. "Vahn, it seems you not only took advantage of my daughter but in the span of a few minutes you found a second victim~nya? Perhaps it's too dangerous to allow you to stay under this roof any longer so as to protect our female residents and employees~?Every word seemed to increase the mental damage Vahn had received since entering the Inn. Had he known something like this was going to happen, he wouldn't have tried pinning on the brooch in the first place! At this point, he could only swallow his regrets and try to explain the situation while apologizing."Mrs. Yuel...please, I can explain...I didn't mean to offend your daughter. This whole situation is just a big misunderstanding caused by my slip and lack of focus." He raised both his hands and waved them in surrender.Milan couldn't help but find his reaction hilarious, but she wasn't willing to let him get out of things so easily. "Ara~? So you're saying that after you 'accidentally' slipped and groped my daughter, you also 'accidentally' squeezed her chest~?"Hearing the words, Vahn fell to his knees with his palms on the ground. Though he could explain away the first part, he didn't have a reasonable excuse for the second half of her words. After she had repeated the series of events, he was dealt a critical blow and couldn't remain standing any longer. He now began to understand why so many 'dense' protagonists suffered in anime and manga, and he resolved to try and remedy his bad habits in the future.While staring at the boy who had black lines covering his face, Milan had to cover her mouth to prevent laughing aloud. She had no doubt everything was caused by a misunderstanding, but it didn't change the fact he took advantage of the situation to gain benefits. Seeing that it would likely take time for Vahn to recover, she decided to change her focus to the second 'victim'.Milan was surprised at how small the girl was. If she wasn't wrong, the girl was even younger than her daughter if height was any indicator. "Little miss, what brings you here to my Inn? Were you accompanying this rogue willingly, or did he kidnap you from somewhere~?"Lili twitched when the woman began addressing her. She turned towards the voice and took a good look at the woman who spoke. She could see the similarities between the woman and the young cat person, Tina, from before. This was probably the girl's mother and the proprietress of the Inn."Umu...I'm Lili, and I'm following Vahn-sama by my own will." As she began speaking, a small amount of courage started emerging from her heart. "And he isn't a rogue! He didn't touch your daughter on purpose, and it was my decision to let him feel my chest!""Nyahahahahaha~" Hearing Lili's words, Milan could no longer hold back her laugh. She began to laugh boisterously as the two children before her started at her with confused expressions. Lili began to blush and wanted to shout at her, but Milan interrupted the attempt. "It's fine Lili, I know Vahn isn't like that~. Even if he was curious, he is the type of boy to ask permission, isn't that right Vahn~nya?"Vahn was unable to answer her words, he just continued to stare at her blankly. From his side, he could feel the atmosphere become stagnant as an oppressive aura started to emit from outside his line-of-sight. Turning his head, he could see Lili staring at him with an aggrieved expression.Within Lili's mind, all she could think of was the last few words spoken by the proprietress. If she was telling the truth, that means Vahn 'asked permission' to touch her at some point!? She grits her teeth before glaring at her new 'opponent'."Where...?" Lili clenched her fists as she asked the question."Ara~nya? It was one of my most sensitive parts you know~? Even after he touched it, he wasn't satisfied and even tried touching again~nya" While speaking, Milan crossed her arms and seemed to emphasize her chest.Lili stared at the woman's chest with fierce eyes and compared the size against her own. Though her's were smaller, it wasn't a very big difference. "If it's just that...then even I....""Nya~? Who said it was just that~? It was a place much more sensitive you know~?" Seeing the anger and competitiveness in the young girl made Milan feel fifteen years younger. It reminded her of the times when she would compare herself to her 'rivals' back in her Adventuring days. She wanted to tease the girl even more but decided it was enough seeing as how Vahn was on the verge of a mental collapse."Vahn seemed to be curious about a Cat People. When he first moved in, he asked if he could touch my ears, so I allowed him to~nya. Only once though~" She began to laugh while sending a wink towards Vahn who was still lamenting his misfortune on the ground."Ears...?" Lili gave a glance towards Vahn before muttering a chant under her breath. Once she was finished, she removed her hood and revealed...a pair of cat ears on her head. "If its ears...I have them too." She gave a confident look towards the shocked Proprietress."Ara~? It seems Vahn is more interested in cat people than I thought, to bring one home with him..." She looked towards Vahn who had been staring at Lili in confusion. She began thinking she may have to sit down with her daughter and have a long talk..."So Lili, will you be staying with us at the Hearths Embrace, or are you just visiting?" Since the talks had gone on long enough, Milan decided to find out what had brought the two here at this time.Vahn had begun to recover and tried to stand up and answer on Lili's behalf. He thought it was a good opportunity to clear up matters before they got any worse. Unfortunately, it seemed the floor hadn't had enough intimate contact with him as he ended up meeting it once again after hearing the words spoken by Lili."I will be staying with Vahn-sama, in the same room. I don't mind paying the costs separately." She immediately pulled out a bag of Valis with a serious expression.From the floor, Vahn quickly raised his voice. "No, I object!" He knew it would be dangerous in various ways if he allowed Lili to stay in the same room as him. After all, there was only one bed, and he was still worried about the implications behind her 'love' status. He didn't want to break down the walls he was trying to build to protect them both."I have to agree with Vahn. Even if the two of you are close, it's not appropriate for a young boy and girl to share the same room. If you have the money, you should lease your own room and visit whenever you have matters to discuss. Though keep in mind the walls are rather thin and there are other residents within the Inn." As she spoke the last words she gave a warning look at Lili who still seemed intent on getting the same room."Fine, but I want the closest room to Vahn-sama. I'll even pay the current resident to change rooms if necessary." For Lili, this was as far as she was willing to compromise. Even if she couldn't share the same room, being in the next room over was better than nothing. Plus, she would be able to hear if Vahn brought any company into his room without her notice...---After paying for the room, the three continued to talk for a while. From the back room, a small silhouette could be seen peaking through the area between the door and frame. Whenever anyone would look over, the silhouette would immediately vanish causing the mature woman to laugh.After Vahn had refused to stay for dinner, Milan allowed the two to leave. As they went up the stairs she gave them one last parting remark reminding them to be mindful of the other residents. Hearing this, Vahn sighed while Lili seemed to blush with a look of conviction on her face.They stowed away Lili's luggage and decided to grab dinner together. Before they left, Lili insisted on seeing Vahn's room so he allowed her access. When she saw the room lacked any decorations, Lili was reminded of Vahn's storage space."Vahn...Even if you have storage magic you should still personalize your living space a bit. It is kind of lonely seeing the place someone lives being so...empty." She began wandering around his room looking for any signs that he actually lived there. After failing to find anything, she sat down on his bed and used her empowered senses from turning into a Cat Person to smell the scent coming from the bed."Eh, it smells like fresh linens. That demon or her daughter must have changed the sheets recently. Guuu.."Vahn was helpless seeing her actions. There wasn't anything he could think of that wouldn't hurt her feelings if he tried to stop her, so he just let her be and hoped she grew out of it. While she was lost in her own thoughts, he looked around at the barren room. It was the same as the first time he moved in, and other than the sheets nothing had changed since his arrival. For Vahn, he never had thought of decorating, but remembering how much stuff he had added to his cave he thought he should do so in the future. If he was treating this place as his home, he should show that he is 'living' in it.---Eventually, Lili snapped out of her delusions, and the two made their way towards the Hostess of Fertility. Vahn had been talking about the amazing food, but Lili was only focused on one of the other well-known aspects of the pub...it's women.After they arrived, Vahn took the time to enjoy the aroma as he had done so on all his previous visits. He leads Lili through the doors and was received...by Chloe.The black-haired cat girl stared at the two new guests with a professional smile on her face. "Nya~ Would you like a table for two~? She looked between Vahn and the new face of the cat person at his side. The small girl was also staring directly at her with a defensive posture...but Chloe could also see something else behind the girl's bravado.Lili stared at the girl that seemed to be familiar with Vahn based on their reaction to each other. After noticing the black-haired woman was also a Cat Person, Lili began to wonder if Vahn wasn't interested in her because of his preferences...Feeling a gaze, Lili noticed that the woman was staring at her with a strange expression. It was almost like she was able to see through her, and Lili began to feel a fear emerge from the back of her mind. She could tell that this woman...would be a terrifying opponent.As that thought crossed her mind, she couldn't help but scream internally, ('Aren't there way too many opponents!?')

Chapter 44: Selfishness : Resolve