Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

(A/N: Though I was going to do a Loki POV during Vol. 7, I decided to go ahead and give a snippet since so many people were curious about her discussion with Hephaestus.)---Hephaestus released a long sigh as she looked into the slightly open and excited eyes of Loki. Ever since they had made the vow, Loki had been looking at her like a snake and waiting for her to speak. Since there was no way she could conceal the information in the future, Hephaestus began explaining, "Vahn has an item that appeared in his soul shortly after his interactions with Tiona and Ais. He obtained a strange golden chain that allows him to completely seal the divinity of gods and goddesses. With the information obtained from Anubis and Vahn's own personal recounting of the events, the chains very likely allow gods and goddesses to become truly mortal temporarily...I'm sure you understand the implications."Loki's slitted eyes opened widely as the perpetual smile on her face rounded into one of abject shock. She knew exactly what Hephaestus was implying and the implication was perhaps the most significant thing she had ever heard. Vahn was likely 75% god, and now he would be able to enable goddesses, other than fertility goddesses, the ability to get pregnant? Though it wasn't a guarantee, that gave his children an 87.5% chance of developing their own pseudo-divinity and would also ensure their potential was higher than any other demigod in history.Her thoughts began racing as she tried to think of a way to make the best use of this new information, but the vow she had taken would be a big restriction on her future actions. The most troublesome matter was the way Vahn acted toward her in the first place. Loki knew that, even if she approached him and tried to get closer to him, it would be very difficult to break down the walls he had built between them. Even if she tried to make use of his empathy and have him take pity on her, there would likely be other obstacles in her way...like the two women in front of her.Loki's expression turned into a serious one as she asked, "The fact that you're telling me this now means you already knew you wouldn't be able to keep the matter hidden. You want me to help protect Vahn and the information related to his bloodline for the duration of your pregnancy?" Loki believed this to be the most likely case, but Hephaestus interrupted her thoughts as she said, "I know what kind of person you are, Loki. If I didn't do something like this, you would have likely schemed to obtain Vahn the moment you discovered I was pregnant. Depending on how things played out, you would likely involve several other gods and goddesses to put pressure on both Vahn and me."Loki furrowed her brows a bit because there was no way to easily refute Hephaestus's words. Vahn's ability to impregnate goddesses was too significant a matter for her to standby on the sidelines and just keep silent. Even if he didn't do the deed himself, Loki knew there would be countless gods seeking out the boy in the future. She didn't know what Hephaestus had planned to protect Vahn, but she assumed it had something to do with her, so she asked, "So, you already have a compromise in mind?" As she asked the words, Loki couldn't help but show a devilish grin on her face.Hephaestus was outraged by Loki's words, but she just grits her teeth before taking a deep breath to calm herself. After a few seconds, she explained, "Not only do I know you, but I also know Vahn. After discussing things with Eina, we agreed that it would be best to involve you in the matter to help guarantee Vahn's safety in the future. The fact that you had him make a vow to join your expeditions gives you too many opportunities to scheme around him. Though he may not agree initially, I have little doubts he would eventually fall into one of your schemes just based on his own empathic nature."Loki frowned slightly because it felt like she was being seen through by the two women in front of her. She asked in a slightly cold tone, "Then what do you have in mind? You should know that there is no way I can avoid approaching Vahn with this new information." Loki stared into Hephaestus's equally cold eyes as the two held each other's gazes for several seconds. Eventually, Hephaestus said, "I want you to make a vow to allow Vahn to make the final decision without pressuring him. You can't take advantage of him or manipulate his feelings using the other girls around him..."Hephaestus's words made Loki scowl as she said in a sharp tone, "And what do I get for making such a concession!? You think it's fair that only you and that dog bitch get to have children!? There are countless goddesses that have sought desperate ways to try and conceive children in the past, you can't just ignore all of that because of your selfishness!" Though it was uncharacteristic, Loki couldn't help but lash out after seeing the cold eyes of Hephaestus and hearing her words. It put her at a serious disadvantage compared to almost everyone else, since Vahn already had inhibitions about her from the outset.While Loki was having her tirade, Hephaestus just continued to stare at her coldly until the flat-chested goddess managed to cool down. After she settled, Hephaestus explained, "You should know Vahn's character well...do you think there is any chance, even if he had a child with you, that he would allow you to raise it as you please?" The moment Hephaestus spoke, Loki couldn't help but frown as she remembered how Vahn confronted her so easily. His aura was already strong enough to pressure her, and there was no way he wouldn't get much stronger in the future. Even if she had his child, there was a very high chance he would oppose her methods when it came to raising it.Imagining her child being taken away from her, Loki couldn't help but feel an indignation more powerful than anything she had ever experienced. For a brief moment, she even hated her own divinity for forcing her to have the type of personality she had. Even now, she couldn't help but plot, scheme, and look for loopholes to the situation. However, nothing she came up with would guarantee that she would be able to bear a child, because even if she convinced other gods to imprison Vahn as breeding stock, there would be far too much opposition.While she was running circles in her own mind, Hephaestus spoke out in a plain voice, "As long as you take the vow, I can guarantee that you will be able to raise your child. If our Familia and some of the other girls work together, we can raise all of Vahn's children in a similar environment. You might not be able to have full control over the child that is born, but you'll have a much greater influence in their lives."Hephaestus's words caused the cogs in Loki's mind to halt a moment before they began whirling about as she contemplated her words. If she made the vow, there would be little opposition to her raising her kids, as Vahn wouldn't be able to easily oppose her with the support of the other women. She would also be able to interact with his other children, who would likely be little bundles of potential as well. All the negative thoughts and feelings that had been circulating in her mind previously were now replaced with absolute intrigue from the future. If she played her cards right, not only would she have powerful children, but she could potentially make use of the relationships with the other girls to have more influence over all the kids.With her characteristic mischevious smile on her face, Loki looked toward Hephaestus and Eina before saying, "It's just a vow, right? What is a bit of restriction compared to waiting another hundred-million years for an anomaly like Vahn to show up~?" As she had that thought, Loki's mind wandered to the interesting boy that she had developed a powerful curiosity toward. Now that she knew about his past, she could take advantage of the present and help shape both of their futures. Even if she had to genuinely fall in love with the boy to gain his affections, it was a small price to pay for the potential future gains...after all, if she could fool everyone else, why couldn't she fool her own heart?---Vahn finally managed to recover from his daze as he slowly began making his way toward his own home. He could now confirm that Loki had attended the meeting, and could even intuit that something significant had transpired for her affection to immediately hit the cap. After considering what he knew about the situation, the only reasonable deduction Vahn could make was that she learned about his [Enkidu].Vahn already had expectations that there would be several goddesses approaching him to make use of the chains in the future, especially if their use turned out to match expectations. He had already felt a great amount of empathy for their desire to bear children, and that was one of the reasons he had purchased so many books about the subject. Though he expected that the mischevious goddess would find out one day, he never expected it to be so soon. Now Vahn had to prepare himself against her schemes, or he might fall into a trap from which there is no return.Right now, Vahn's primary concern was whether or not to use the new [Hearts Desire: Loki] that he had obtained from her affection reaching the cap. Every time he considered using it, his instincts would trigger and he felt intimidated by his own expectations of what such a goddess would truly desire in her heart. Vahn felt like, the moment he knew what she truly desired, there would be no turning back from the situation. He couldn't even imagine what a deceitful person who measured people based on how useful they were would hold dear to her heart.By the time he finally arrived at his house, it was nearing 6 PM and the 12-hour period before he could enter the orb had long since transpired. Though he could have entered the orb at any point and only wasted a few seconds, there was no guarantee for what would happen in the space. If he ended up suffering damage and getting knocked out by Evangeline, he would pass out in the real world as well. The thought of collapsing in the middle of the street or a side alley and dropping the orb didn't sit well with Vahn.After scanning the house with his domain, Vahn noticed the house was still empty, so he decided to head to his room and use the orb since he had the opportunity. At least he'd be in his own bed if he ended up getting knocked out by the small vampire mage during one of her outbursts. After relaxing comfortably in his bed, Vahn took a few deep breaths before pulling out the orb and inserting his consciousness into it.When Vahn opened his eyes, he realized that he was on the bed where he had last exited the black and white space. Because he had been laying down in the real world, his body was also laying down within the bed of the space, and he could feel a presence next to him. Looking over, he could see the icy-blue eyes of Evangeline staring at him with a bit of shock on her face. Instead of her black gothic-style dress with ribbons and frills, she was wearing a black semi-transparent negligee as she looking into his eyes.The moment Vahn turned his eyes to inspect the negligee, she immediately lashed out and threw him from the bed like a ragdoll. Using the covers to conceal her body, she yelled at Vahn who had yet to hit the ground even after flying for 100 meters, "Don't oogle me you brat! And why are you so late you stupid, idiotic, lecherous, fool!?" Vahn didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he tried to fix his position in the air so he wouldn't land head-first into the ground. After landing on his feet and sliding a few more meters, he looked into the eyes of Evangeline who had teleported in front of him with a scary look on her face. She had already returned to her usual outfit, and Vahn felt like he would probably be ejected from the space if he said the wrong thing.Though he wanted to release a sigh, Vahn managed to keep his expression from collapsing as he stared into the begrudging eyes of the small vampire and issued a slight smile before saying, "Sorry, Evangeline, I came back as soon as I could." Then, before she could retort, Vahn used his trump card and purchased an [Extravagent Strawberry Shortcake] for 100 OP for from the system. He held out both of his hands with the immaculate looking triple-layered cake decorated with an almost ceremonious assortment of cream and strawberries.The blame in Evangeline's eyes faded in an instant as she stared at the large cake held by Vahn. After a brief hesitation, she waved her hand and used telekinesis to grab the cake before turning her back to Vahn and saying, "Fine, I'll forgive you this time. Don't keep me waiting in the future..." As her words fell, Evangeline teleported away with the cake before reappearing next to her desk and setting it down next to the large pile of books surrounding the area. Vahn released a sigh before making his way over and looking around at the mess she had created in the time he had been away.Picking up one of the books that were still on the table, Vahn flipped it over to read the cover. The moment he did so, Vahn immediately regretted his actions because Evangeline's eyes widened a bit as she glared at him with a small blush on her face. The book Vahn had picked up, like many of the books around the table presently, related to genealogy, pregnancy, and increasing fertility. The moment he made eye contact with the small vampire, he felt the temperature drop by several degrees as she loudly yelled, "Don't look at me like that, you idiot! You are the one that gave me the books!" Before her words finished, she had already sent Vahn flying for the second time today.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Literally Hundreds of Books','Doki Doki Loki','Vahn is destined to live a life of misfortune kappa')If you'd like to support me on ******* so I can become a full-time writer, please follow this link~!https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149I am currently at $312/640 of my goal of making this my actual job. I promise that, if I'm able to do so, I will be writing 50 chapters a week :D

After Vahn managed to dig himself out of the ground, he moved back toward the desk where Evangeline had already stowed away all the books into her spatial void. She continued to glare at Vahn until he came near, and then she explained without Vahn asking, "I left those books until last, and that is why I still had them laying about. Why do you even have so many books like that in the first place, are you some kind of super pervert?"Vahn sighed a bit at Evangeline's harsh words and explained the reason why he had so many books related to genealogy, pregnancy, fertility, and reproduction in general. He talked about the problems faced by the various different races and how spirits and gods were generally considered infertile. He even told her about the matters regarding [Enkidu], and the troubles he'd likely face in the future. Evangeline listened to his words with a cold look in her eyes before asking, "And you're just going to impregnate every girl you see, no matter what race they are, even gods?"Vahn shook his head and furrowed his brows as he responded, "That has nothing to with it at all. I just can't stand the thought of people wanting children but having to go through their entire lives without being able to have any. Don't you think that is a very sad thing?" As Vahn spoke, he couldn't help but display a sad expression as he thought about his own words. He could hardly imagine what they had to go through, and he already felt extremely saddened by the thought...However, what Vahn didn't expect, nor was he aware of, there was someone right in front of him that was able to empathize with the goddesses that he took pity on. Since Evangeline had been turned into a Shinso Vampire hundreds of years prior, she was also incapable of bearing children. Though the original her had thought about, and even desired it for a time, it was entirely impossible considering her body never aged. She didn't even have a period or other normal bodily functions since her body converted most calories and water into magical energy.Though her words about reading those books last were true, the main reason she had been ardently studying them is that she was curious about finding a solution to her own problem. However, it was just a mild curiosity since, as a memory, she was unable to truly experience anything the original had yet to experience. Since the original Evangeline had never had sex, even if she wanted to, she would never be able to perform the deed. The moment she tried, the memory would destabilize and the orb would break down. (A/N: I'm not saying Eva wants to have sex, but that she couldn't even if she wanted to. Since she is a memory fragment, she would still have a curiosity regarding finding an answer though.)When Vahn had asked her if she thought it was sad, she couldn't help but feel a slight pang in her heart. There was no way she couldn't empathize with the desire of races like spirits and goddesses, especially if they truly had lived for millions of years. Seeing the earnest expression of Vahn and the sadness in his eyes as he thought about the suffering of others, Evangeline couldn't help but sigh in her mind. She had long realized that Vahn was the foolishly heroic type, tragic background and naive personality included.Interrupting Vahn's reverie, Evangeline put the matter of the books behind as she said, "I spent a lot of the last four years awake, so I've run low on mana while maintaining the space. I need to replenish my energy, and then you can continue forging items. Also, you brought books and other things to entertain me, right?" Evangeline didn't want to discuss the topic any further as, even after reading all the books, she hadn't found the answer Vahn was looking for when he purchased them.Hearing Evangeline's words, Vahn took out some of the books he had purchased in preparation for her question. This time, he picked out a lot of stories and novels that he thought she might find more interesting than textbooks and compendiums. Since she was a girl, he thought she would like things about romance, fantasy, and magical creatures. Evangeline seemed very pleased by his selection before waving her hand and lifting Vahn's body using telekinesis.As it wasn't the first time she had done such a thing, Vahn just sighed and allowed her to move his body. Though he wanted to retort, she didn't listen to him last time and Vahn didn't really feel like being thrown for the third time. Even though he had the majority of the three days within the space remaining, Vahn felt like he needed to use every minute he could to increase his skills in forging.After setting Vahn down on the bed, Evangeline crawled atop it before seating herself on his lap once again. Vahn immediately closed his eyes and relaxed his body, but Evangeline didn't immediately start drinking his blood. Curious, Vahn opened his eyes and stared at the small vampire that was sitting in his lap. She seemed to be thinking about something and, after she noticed his gaze, she looked at him and asked, "Exactly how many girls are you involved with?"Vahn found it strange that she chose the moment when she was sitting in his lap to ask the question, but he didn't think it was information to keep secret, so he said, "If it is just association...probably around twenty to thirty? If you're asking about relationships specifically, I have two fiancees, two lovers, one 'mate', and a few other girls that have high affection toward me who I haven't entered a relationship with."As Vahn narrated the various girls he was associated with, Evangeline just looked at him with a mock 'disgust' on her face. After he was done explaining everything, without asking him any further questions, she immediately started sucking his blood. Though Vahn was a bit confused, he just relaxed his body before wrapping his hands around her waist in a loose embrace. He enjoyed the warm feeling that spread throughout his body and even began to feel like he was dozing off after nearly an entire hour had passed.After Vahn had 'embraced' her, Evangeline just rested her body against his and enjoyed his warmth as she slowly drained his blood. Since Vahn had been her only accompaniment in this orb and she was likely going to vanish sooner or later, she wanted to enjoy the small comfort she could obtain from him. She didn't consider herself one of his many women, but she knew he would probably make some concessions for her if she sought him out. All of the relationships he had talked about seemed to be him on the receiving end, so she decided to take advantage of his weakness for the time being.Completely unaware of her thoughts, Vahn continued to enjoy the warmth in his body until another half hour had passed. Since it was longer than the previous session, he couldn't help but ask in a lazy and relaxed voice, "Did you really use so much mana in the time I was away...?" Evangeline, who had been somewhat absorbed in the moment, flinched before she stopped sucking his blood and moved away from his body without responding to his question. Picking up one of the books, she made her way to her desk as she said in a huff, "Fine, go play with your tools if I'm bothering you. Stupid moron disciple..."As Vahn had already been climbing out of the bed, he nearly fell down when he heard her words. He couldn't help but ask himself why she was always so harsh, even when she was very clearly not actually angry with him. Shaking his head, Vahn walked over to his workshop and started forging a new piece of equipment. Vahn had been gaining confidence when it came to producing weapons, but he wanted to practice his skills and forge other kinds of equipment as well.Since he commonly used gauntlets and leg guards, Vahn decided to make a pair for his own personal use. The [Damascus Steel Gauntlets] that he had been using for a while were only rank C, while the [Dance of the Amazon] that he forged earlier was rank A. Vahn was incredibly confident that he could upgrade the majority of his current equipment and even obtain OP for his efforts.Because of his transformations with [Rakshasa Body], Vahn knew there was no 'best method' or design to producing his new gauntlets. As he spent the majority of his time in his Báihǔ form, the only thing he needed to consider was not restraining his hands and claws. Other than that, the just needed to be able to resist high temperatures from when he absorbed fire elements into his body to increase his offensive capabilities.The material Vahn decided to use was a composite made from adamantine that used orichalcum as the core. Adamantine was incredibly heat resistant and had unrivaled defensive capabilities while orichalcum was a stronger mana conduit than even mithril. Vahn wanted to create a pair of gauntlets for long-term use, so he used some of the best materials he had on hand. To increased the defense even further, he hammed slots into the adamantine before using his 'eternal flame' to embed actual dragon scales into the outside of the gauntlet. For the interior, he used the hide of a Goliath and bundled the entire thing together using the tendons of a cyclops.Nearly seven hours later, Vahn had a pair of matching gauntlets that were a dark black color that reflected a purple light. The adamantine frame made it look like the scales were growing out of a golden base and Vahn felt like the entire thing looked somewhat regal as it used the same color scheme that he associated with Anubis in her ceremonial garb. After thinking for several minutes, Vahn recalled the names of his four transformations and thought about naming the gauntlets after his turtle-form, which would like become his Xuánwǔ form once it had fully awakened. Since he grew scales in a very similar manner, and both provided extra defense, Vahn was very satisfied with his own idea and named the gauntlets [Xuánwǔ Protector](s).[Xuánwǔ Protector](s) &lt;-- each gauntlet is a different itemRank: A (Magic)Slots: 1P.Def: 641M.Def: 620Ability: Durandal(A), Shock Absorption(B), Energy Compression(B)Gauntlet inspired by one of the Four Sacred Beasts of a foreign land, Xuánwǔ. It possesses a marginal amount of the Xuánwǔ's capabilities and allows the user to emulate the might of the Sacred Beast.After Vahn named the gauntlets, he obtained 1,408 and 1,417 OP for each and felt the excitement build up inside him after reading the description. Since he had thought of Xuánwǔ when he was naming the gauntlets, they each possessed a weakened version of the abilities he could use in his turtle form. Without any hesitation, Vahn equipped the two gauntlets before transforming into his Báihǔ form and moving to an empty area away from his workshop.Evangeline was constantly paying attention to Vahn, so when he had finished the gauntlets she had also begun inspecting them. Just like the giant weapon he forged the previous time he entered the orb, the gauntlets were also magical items of a similar quality. The fact that he could consistently create such advanced pieces of equipment never ceased to amaze her, and she was curious about their capabilities. Now that Vahn seemed to be testing them, she had stopped moving her pen and observed him with intrigue in her eyes.Vahn opened up his legs into a wide stance with his left foot forward and stabilized his body while keeping his back straight. Exhaling a long breath for several seconds, Vahn then sucked in quickly before twisting his hips and striking out a fierce punch that caused a snapping sound in the air. When he had breathed out earlier, Vahn had channeled his energy into the gauntlets and the scales began to glow with a subtle green light. When he shot his fist forward, it was like an air cannon as Vahn could see the flow of air around his fist compress into a pillar that stretched out nearly ten meters before dispersing.Though it wasn't nearly as impressive as when he was in his turtle form, Vahn was very satisfied by the result. Now, even if he fought bare-handed against monsters with durable hides, he would be able to damage their internal organs and punch clear through their bodies. Vahn felt like, if he fought the goliath now, he would be able to achieve victory without having to rely on his vermillion sparrow transformation.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fisty Boi','Memories of Nobody','Jiiiiiiiii-')If you'd like to support me on ******* so I can become a full-time writer, please follow this link~!https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149I am currently at $317/640 of my goal of making this my actual job. I promise that, if I'm able to do so, I will be writing 50 chapters a week :D

Vahn enjoyed the rest of his lunch and made light conversation with Syr whenever she wasn't busy with other customers. She kept asking him 'probing' questions about his past and what he wanted to do in the future, but Vahn only answered with curt responses and a smile. Though he was certainly interested in Syr, he was still a bit concerned with other matters that he had been dealing with lately. However, his dismissive attitude didn't seem to offend Syr, as she continued to make conversation with him until he paid his tab.As Vahn was preparing to leave, Syr stopped him and asked, "Will you be coming by again soon? Chloe should be working the rest of the week, and I'm certain she would be happy to see you." Syr had a gentle smile on her face as she put a little extra inflection on her words when she spoke about Chloe. Vahn imagined the image of the playful cat girl in his mind before nodding his head and responding, "Sure, I'll try to stop by more often. It was nice to meet you, Syr."After giving her a few polite words, Vahn made his way out of the Hostess of Fertility with Syr following his back with her eyes. She wasn't the only one to do so either, as Ryuu had periodically looked toward Vahn as he was eating. Though she never spoke out to him after their initial meeting, she paid attention whenever he and Syr were speaking. Now that Vahn had left, Ryuu approached Syr and asked, "Did you take an interest in him?"Syr chucked in a sing-song manner as she put her hand over her mouth and asked, "Aren't you the one that took an interest in him, Ryuu? I never expected you to let him grab your hand so easily~" As they had been friends for a long time, Syr knew about Ryuu's personality and past better than anyone, so she couldn't help but tease the taciturn elf. Ryuu, hearing Syr's question, allowed her expression to loosen a bit as she averted her eyes from Syr and said, "I couldn't feel any negative feelings from him..."Syr nodded her head at Ryuu's words and, with a cheerful smile, said, "He really is an interesting boy, isn't he?" After her words, Syr moved away to tend to other customers while Ryuu watched her back with a hint of contemplation in her sky-blue eyes. It wasn't just Syr who could see through her, but Ryuu had also become well acquainted with how Syr acted. The people she took an interest in were all unique individuals or those with high potential. Turning her eyes to the door where Vahn had left a few minutes prior, Ryuu stared into space for a few seconds before lifting her left hand and recalling the earlier event. As long as she didn't get in the way of Syr, Ryuu wanted to get to know the boy that had taken hold of her hand so easily.---Shortly after Vahn left the Hostess of Fertility, his steps paused for a few seconds as he looked back in the direction he had come. The system had given him a notification that Ryuu's affection had gone up an additional 8 points suddenly, and now she had a value of 79(Interest) in him. Though he was surprised when he got the large amount earlier, he didn't know what had happened for her to have another jump. Typically speaking, unless he did something drastic, most actions would only increase affection by +1 at a time.Vahn remembered her subtly shocked expression when he had grabbed her hand earlier and the speed with which she departed after the fact. Though he didn't think much of it at the time, it should have been an indicator that his actions had a greater impact than he expected. The Ryuu he saw in the manga always seemed somewhat cold, but he also knew she had a warm personality behind the taciturn expression. Now that he had somehow gained her interest, Vahn was looking forward to his future interactions with the elven beauty.In a better mood than when he had set out, Vahn made his way towards Hephaestus workshop to see if anything had been happening that he wasn't informed about. Surprisingly, after he arrived, Vahn found the workshop had been closed for the day. After he found one of the perimeter security guards, Vahn learned that Hephaestus had left early in the morning for personal matters. At this point, Vahn was absolutely certain there was something going on. The fact that he wasn't informed made Vahn believe that the matter most likely pertained to him, so he went to his next destination to confirm his hunch.At this point, the entire Anubis Familia, the trio at Tsubaki's, Chloe, and now Hephaestus were all nowhere to be found, and Vahn hadn't been informed of anything. This fact alone made him suspect there was something going on behind the scenes, and when he arrived at the Guild and confirmed that Eina was also absent from work, he became absolutely certain. Given that he had been engaged to Hephaestus and Eina just the previous afternoon, Vahn suspected that hey already made moves to contact the other girls he associated with. He knew they wanted to help him develop 'brakes', and now he was made aware of how serious his previous actions had been.On his way back home, Vahn was thinking about everything that had happened in the last week and comparing it to how he interacted with people before entering the dungeon. His memory of his past self was that of a small boy that was always polite and helpful to those he cared about. He worked hard to improve and tried to treat people kindly, and they too treated him well so that he would be able to focus on what he wanted to do. There were many people that helped protect his secrets and guide him toward the future he had decided upon. Vahn felt indebted to them all...However, now he was much taller than his previous self, and had matured a lot in just the twenty or so days since he initially set out. Not only was he more mature physically, but his mentality and strength had undergone significant changes after his interactions with the Loki Familia. He learned about the differences between men and woman and developed an interest regarding the female body and things like sex and other intimate acts.Before he had entered the dungeon and met Tiona and Ais, Vahn didn't have much of an interest in girls at all. Though he knew the 'basics', he lacked the fundamental knowledge for how relationships worked. Even when he lived with Tsubaki and had been exposed to several nude girls, Vahn never had a reaction and always tried to prevent from staring at the girls so he didn't accidentally offend them. Now, however, his eyes were always drawn to their bodies if they didn't make an effort to conceal themselves from him.Vahn realized he had developed an interest in physical intimacy when he had previously had a slight aversion towards it. In just a single week, he had been exposed to so many situations that wouldn't have affected him much in the past, but now he proactively took advantage of the situation due to his own intrigue and curiosity. While he was previously just satisfied with patting girls on the head, he now engaged in much more intimate acts and had developed a strong interest in things like teasing girls and giving massages.Though he thought about all of these things before, Vahn was just now beginning to understand why Eina was able to deduce that he was broken so shortly after their first date began. Even he realized there was definitely something strange with his own sensibilities, but Vahn didn't know what he could do to fix it. Just the thought of one of the girls he cared about being sad because he didn't treat them well made him feel frustrated in his heart. He already struggled a lot just to prevent himself from giving in to Anubis's advances, because he couldn't help but be infatuated with her adorable character and curvaceous body.On his way toward the Babel Plaza, Vahn once against passed by Hephaestus's workshop and noticed it was still closed. Right now, it was nearing 4 PM, and according to the security personnel, she had set out early in the morning. Vahn felt a bit guilty that the girls supporting him had to make so much effort just to ensure that he would be happy in the future. Releasing a long sigh, Vahn shook he head and walked toward his next destination. He couldn't prevent them from acting as they thought best, so Vahn just decided to treat them better in the future.As his next destination was quite close, Vahn arrived in just a few minutes and stood outside the Hearths Embrace Inn. Remembering the short few weeks he had resided there in the past, Vahn felt a bit of nostalgia as he made his way into the warm establishment. This place had once served as his home and marked the very beginning of his journey within the City. Both Milan and her daughter Tina had treated him very well, and Vahn still had to apologize about the matter regarding the sword she had given him.The moment Vahn learned from the purple-haired woman named Sasha that both Milan and Tina had gone out early in the morning, he couldn't help but rub his forehead a bit with his palm as he released an even deeper sigh than before. Vahn was amazed at how quickly Hephaestus and Eina had set everything into motion, as well as how 'efficient' they were to even be aware of the Mother-Daughter pair and get them involved. Vahn even started to suspect that every woman he ever met was currently in an undisclosed location while talking about his matters.After leaving the Inn, Vahn let his mind wander as he imagined what they would be discussing. He also tried guessing who all had been invited, and was surprised at how many names came to his mind. Imagining each of the woman sitting in a room and chatting about him, Vahn couldn't help but feel a little excited and curious. Though he was a bit disconcerted about the actual topics of discussion, he also had a lot of faith in both Hephaestus and Eina. As long as the two of them were guiding the conversation, Vahn couldn't help but imagine they would come to a decision that benefited him greatly. Imagining the care and concern on each of their faces made him feel both warm and proud. Warm, because they were so considerate of him; proud, because he was able to garner the affections of two incredible girls.Two of the people that had been most prominent in his mind, other than Hephaestus and Eina, were the duo of Tiona and Ais. If even Milan and Tina had been invited, there was absolutely no way the two girls that were his current lovers didn't get an invitation. That would also pull Loki into the mix, and that was the only matter that genuinely concerned Vahn. Imagining the mischevious goddess being involved in a discussion about his well-being made Vahn feel a moderate degree of discomfort.So far, Loki was one of the few people he couldn't get a read on at all, because he knew she was considerate of others, but at the same time, she always tried to evaluate people based on usefulness. Vahn hated the idea of people being given value based on their 'use' because he still hadn't gotten over the matters related to his past. But the hardest part of the matter, and the thing Vahn disliked the most about the situation, is that he could slightly understand the points she made.Though he had confronted her directly at the time, Vahn couldn't help but consider matters from her perspective later, and even began to draw parallels with her on some issues. Vahn realized that he put in a lot of effort when he was focused on something and, because of his own perception of what it took to improve, he also had that same expectation for others. Because of how he acted, girls like Tina, Lili, and even Naaza were now working hard to 'earn' his affection for the future.After realizing this, Vahn had begun to resent himself a bit, but he couldn't disagree with their desire to improve either. Even when Eina wanted to quit working at the Guild so she could take care of him, Vahn had her stay purely based on his own opinion and desires. Vahn actually didn't want people to make sacrifices for him, and he wanted them to improve on their own so they could make their own decisions in life. However, he contradicted himself, because he would confront their decisions based on his personal interests and preferences. The more the thought about the matter, the more confused he became because Vahn didn't understand which was the most appropriate course of action.The only thing he truly understood from the situation was that he had his own personal bias in regards to some things, and didn't want people to drastically change their lives just for his own convenience. He empathized a bit with Loki, because she also wanted people to improve, though unlike Vahn, her intent was to improve them so they would be useful. Even the alliance they had forged was based on how useful both parties were to each other in the future.Vahn released a sigh and shook his head to try and clear the matters from his mind. He felt like he could ruminate over them endlessly, but also knew that it would serve no purpose to get caught up in his own thoughts. He had learned time and again that it was better to take action instead of constantly worrying and developing self-doubts. Instead, Vahn just resolved himself to do his best to meet whatever difficulties the future might entail head on-Before he could even solidify his own resolutions, Vahn tripped forward and nearly collided into another pedestrian. The man gave Vahn a strange look before walking away with a disgruntled face while Vahn just stared off into space like a solider that had spent too many years on the frontlines of war. After nearly a minute, Vahn finally turned his attention to the notification that had sounded in his system with a completely deadpan expression on his face as he read the information...//Loki Has Reached Maximum Affection////Quest Completed: [The Hearts Desire:C-SS]//Completion Grade: ARewards:10,000OP, 1x[Hearts Desire: Loki]Grade Rewards: 2x[Transfiguration Lens], 14,000 OP[Transfiguration Lens]Rank: UniqueUse: Allows the user to temporarily alter their form regardless of size, shape, gender, or race. Duration: 24H(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn pieces together the puzzle','The scariest hearts desire','Ryuu has a hand fetish')(A/N: I would like to thank the beautiful people that have been supporting my ******* recently. We're just shy of half-way to the goal of making this my job~!)If you'd like to support me on ******* so I can become a full-time writer, please follow this link~!https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149I am currently at 293/640 of my goal of making this my actual job. I promise that, if I'm able to do so, I will be writing 50 chapters a week :D

Chapter 165: Reaction