Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As she had entered first, Hestia had already started removing her godly clothing and Vahn was absolutely shocked by the sight. He could see her outfit peeling away like small white petals that glowed with a divine light as they arranged themselves neatly into a pile. It was something unlike anything Vahn had ever and he was mesmerized by the sight as he tried to make sense of what was happening. By the time Hestia had started undoing her ribbons, she turned her head toward him and froze like a doe in the eyes of a hunter.Her startled look brought Vahn out of his absentmindedness as he averted his eyes and began trying to rationalize an excuse. Hestia watched him blankly for a few seconds before a smile appeared on her face and she stood with her arms akimbo while completely nude and 'proudly' puffed out her chest as she said, "Don't be afraid~! If it's just looking, feel free to gaze upon the body of this beautiful goddess~!" Vahn was a bit confused by her words and then realized she thought he was staring at her body, which wasn't untrue since he had been staring at her dress separate into petals.Deciding it was better left unsaid and that he could ask about it later, Vahn smiled and gave Hestia's body an appraising gaze to 'appease' her boasting. He noticed that her aura fluctuated slightly when he gazed toward her lower body so he returned his eyes and stared into her's with a smile on his face as he said, "Beautiful." His singular word made Hestia's smile bloom wider as she took a deep breath and acted in a somewhat coy manner as she struck a pose and laughed, "Ehehe, praise me more~!"Vahn tilted his head and gazed at her body before continuing, "Mmm, you have beautiful and silky black hair. Your blue eyes are beautiful, almost like crystals, and they are deep and calm like pond water. You-" Before he could continue any further, Hestia shouted, "Stop, stop, stop! I get it, you think I'm beautiful, jeez~!" The more he spoke, the faster her heart began to beat and Hestia felt giddy when she saw the serious and 'appraising' look on Vahn's face as he 'shamelessly' stared at her body.After her outburst, Hestia realized something and pointed at Vahn with her index finger and shouted, "It's your turn to get naked, don't just stand there gawking~!" Taking the cue she had given him, Vahn nodded his head and walked over to the side and began undressing without any hesitation. Looking over, he could see Hestia staring at him with 'fiery' eyes and she blushed slightly when they made eye contact. With a small smile on his face, Vahn finished undressing and performed a pose similar to how Hestia had done so previously.He was also quite confident in his physique and had grown accustomed to 'modeling' for Eva within the orb. Looking toward Hestia, he saw she had a blank look and a wide-eyed expression and he immediately understood where she was looking. With a slight sigh, Vahn stopped holding his pose and grabbed a towel from his inventory and wrapped it around his lower body. His actions made Hestia snap out of her daze and she held out her hands and waved her fingers as she said, "Nononono, it's okay, you don't have to cover yourself up~! I-I-I just got distracted a bit, I won't stare anymore!"Vahn gave her a curious look for a few seconds before he removed the towel once again. He saw that her body immediately froze and was about to cover himself again before she started laughing as she walked over to him and grabbed his arm, "Don't mind it, let's go take a bath~! Just act casually~." Being dragged along by a small, completely naked, goddess was a strange experience so Vahn walked forward to keep pace so no accidents would occur.During the bath, Vahn acted in a 'natural' manner and made polite conversation with Hestia about everything that had happened during the day. She responded to his words in a similar manner, but the entire time they were in the bath Vahn could see her aura dancing about as she kept taking sidelong glances at his body. In exchange, Vahn also took glances at her body but in a less secretive manner that caused Hestia to act both flustered while she also tried to act 'proud' without concealing anything.When it came time for them to wash their bodies and rinse off, Hestia tried to boldly offer to wash his back but Vahn shook his head and explained, "Thanks for the offer, but I don't want you to stress yourself out more than you already are. Just relax and enjoy the-" Before he could finish, Hestia had already lathered up her body a bit and picked up two orange, circular, sponges as she began to scrub his back with an "Ei, Ei, Ei~! Don't worry about me, I want to wash your body~!" Looking back, Vahn could see Hestia had a somewhat 'dizzy' look in her eyes as she laughed in a strange manner and continued trying to wash his back.He released a short sigh before a small smile appeared on his face as he leaned forward to open up his back for her. It wasn't the first time a girl had washed his back and Vahn always enjoyed it in the past. Since she wanted to push herself even when he tried to dissuade her, Vahn decided to see how far she would push things. It would likely not be long before they lost the ability to enjoy moments like this, so Vahn also wanted to experience a bit of her awkward affection and advances.While he was absentmindedly letting Hestia scrub away at his back with the sponges, Vahn suddenly felt an incredible soft sensation on his back that made his eyes immediately snap open as he stood up in the pool. Hestia fell onto her butt in the process as Vahn looked back at her with a mildly incredulous look on his face. She rubbed her butt with her hands and answered his silent question, "I heard that boys like it when a girl washes their back with their breasts..."Vahn released a heavy sigh and explained, "I imagine it is a very pleasant thing, but that doesn't mean you need to go so far Hestia. I don't mind a bit of skinship, but if you keeping pushing yourself like this you'll overstress your body and mind. We're not in that kind of relationship yet so we should show a certain amount of restraint before things escalate." Vahn had slightly furrowed brows and said each of his words seriously. He knew that Hestia was pushing herself for some reason and couldn't understand why she was putting in so much effort even though she clearly wasn't prepared.Hestia had a sad and frustrated look on her face as she silently listened to Vahn's lecture. Since he was standing up and she was still sitting on her butt, there was a big difference between their heights and she had tears welling up in her eyes that made Vahn feel like he had just abandoned a puppy or something. Releasing another sigh, Vahn kneeled down and began rubbing her head as he looked into her sad blue eyes and asked, "Please tell me if there is something wrong...we're family, remember?"The frown on Hestia's face grew a bit and she seemed to be measuring her words before she said, "I feel scared...even though we're family and will be together always, I feel like the other girls will take you away from me. I imagine living in the house while you act lovey-dovey with other girls and the only thing I can do is lay in my own bed alone. I know there will be people moving in soon, and a lot of them with be people you have some kind of relationship with...so I want to spend more time together before you no longer need me anymore."Vahn was incredibly confused by her words because he both understood what she was trying to say while at the same time couldn't make sense of it at all. He wanted to promise that he would never abandon her like that, but he also knew that it would be awkward if she slept in his bed when he was with his other women. Especially when things developed to the point where he was having sex, there was no way she would be comfortable with staying off to the side. Vahn was very confused at this moment because he knew Hestia was the type that wanted to be spoiled and she also had a somewhat possessive personality, but Vahn didn't think she would act this way after knowing about his other relationships.With a bit of hesitation, Vahn grit his teeth and felt a bit of anxiety in his chest as he asked, "Hestia...do you like me?" Even though he could see her affection, nothing indicated she was in love with him even though she acted without many inhibitions around him. Hestia's frown also grew deeper as her brows were furrowed low like she was about to start crying, "I just don't want to be the only person left out...I don't know how I feel at all, but I know it makes me frustrated when you're with other girls. Though I can tolerate Hephaestus, and some of the others, I feel like there will be many more in the future and I won't have a place at all other than being your goddess..."Vahn took a deep breath and cradled the sides of Hestia's head in his palms as he wiped away the few tears that were falling down her face. He said in a solemn tone, "Hestia, I would never abandon you...no matter what happens." After a bit of hesitation, Vahn continued, "Even though we only just met, it feels like I had been waiting to meet you for a long time...longer than I can even explain." Since he had imagined meeting her in his previous life, Vahn's words weren't a lie and Hestia could see it on his face.Hestia's sad expression turned into a moderately happy one as she placed her hands overtop Vahn's and asked, "Did you fall in love with me at first sight~?" Vahn laughed a bit and had a smile on his face as he said, "I don't have a proper understanding of love to be able to make a claim like that. All I know is, even before we got to know each other, I could tell you were a kind, gentle, and beautiful girl. I feel like I want to pamper you and make you happy, and you're also the first person to become my family...you're already something irreplaceable to me Hestia."As his words finished, Hestia hugged Vahn as if she had tackled him and they both fell back into the water. Vahn was entirely submerged for a moment before he managed to lift his upper body and head out of the water. Even though they were naked, Hestia sat in his lap in an almost dangerous position and looked into his eyes with a happy expression on her face. She hugged around his neck and the glimmer in her eyes seemed to increase in intensity as she whispered in a low voice, "If I'm already someone so important to you...maybe it would be okay if we became even closer..."Hestia's expression and their current position made Vahn's head buzz as his emotions began to rise up in his body. Seeing the excitement on his face, Hestia's smile expanded further and her eyes squinted a bit before she leaned forward and kissed Vahn on the lips. Vahn was a bit surprised and moved his hands to embrace her before he realized he had been supporting his body with those same hands so they both fell back into the hot water. Almost as if she was unaware of the change, Hestia continued to kiss Vahn even when they were completely submerged.For a brief moment, Vahn began to panic since he had never been in such a situation before. Then, as if remembering he was actually much stronger than she was, Vahn managed to lift himself out of the water and temporarily separate from Hestia. Seeing his flustered expression, Hestia began to laugh in a cheerful, yet subtly mischevious manner, as she stood up out of the water and said in a low voice as if speaking to herself, "Even if I joined the race a little late, it doesn't mean I can't cross the finish line before some of the others!"As if she had found her resolve, Hestia began to laugh for a few seconds in a very cheerful manner before turning to Vahn and leaning forward slightly while saying, "Let's go to bed Vahn~! This time, I want you to put all your efforts into the massage. Even if you want to...even if..." Any semblance of confidence on her face began to break and Hestia struggled a bit before finally saying, "Even if you want to do more...I won't stop you."Vahn had still been sitting in the hot water watching Hestia walk away while he was trying to process everything that happened. He wasn't sure exactly how their relationship had changed, but Vahn knew there was more to the kiss they shared than normal affection. Hearing her words, Vahn swallowed a bit and began to feel nervous as he stared at Hestia's pure white butt shift from side-to-side as she slowly walked away. Vahn resolved himself that, if things got too out of hand, he would have to help her 'relax' to prevent things from progressing in a dangerous direction. Until he kept his promise with Hephaestus, Vahn wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he made a move on her best friend...(A/N: Alternate Title: 'Mysterious Clothing','Progressively More Awkward','Hestia's Death Sentence')I am currently at $721/1200 of my new goal~! If I can reach this amount, I intend to start having character profiles and images of all the characters created so I can update the information to a wiki~! Though the Wiki will be accessible by anyone, only Patrons will receive the high-res versions of the images &lt;3

By the time Vahn had left the onsen, gotten dressed, and arrived at the room, Hestia was already on the bed waiting as she supported her head with her hands and was staring towards the door. When Vahn came inside the room, her smile grew wider and she sat up on the bed and said with a bit of excitement in her voice, "Remember, no matter how I react, I want you to finish the massage completely~! I might be scared at first, but I'll be fine!" As she spoke, Hestia had balled her fists in front of her like she was psyching herself up.Vahn laughed and made his way over to the bed before crawling toward Hestia who was already beginning to panic. From her perspective, she could see Vahn crawling on the bed with a bit of excitement as he made his way toward her. She could feel her heartbeat quicken in her chest and started taking slightly longer breaths. Vahn stopped next to her and sat on his knees as he said, "Don't worry, I won't do anything to put you in danger. It should feel really pleasant and ease out any tensions that may have built up in your body. Though your muscles might be forced to relax, they'll recover quickly after the massage ends and you'll feel very refreshed."Hestia nodded her head before laying back down on her stomach and saying, "Okay, I'm ready...this time for certain!" Vahn smiled before taking a pillow and putting it on her legs due to how awkward it felt previously trying to massage her body. Hestia gave him a strange look and he explained, "I might have to sit on your legs and I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." She looked like she wanted to say something but eventually turned her head away and began performing some kind of strange breathing exercise to remain calm.Vahn sat down with his weight partially on Hestia's legs and began his routine starting with the sides of her waist. Unlike the last time, when she instantly showed signs of fear, this time Hestia's aura fluctuated between several warm colors with only brief hints of purple every now and then. By the time Vahn had eased the muscles of her upper body, Hestia's aura was 'burning' like a flame but she didn't seem to have any intentions of stopping Vahn's actions.A small smile appeared on Vahn's face because of the efforts Hestia was putting in, so he decided to make things more comfortable so that the event would be more memorable. Rubbing his hands together, the white energy from his palms began to coalesce more and there were even small sparks appearing between them before Vahn placed his hands on her lower back. He could feel the muscles of her lower back spasm a bit as he traced his hands from her spinous process all the way up the outer edge of her trapezius muscles before pressing his thumbs into the connecting point between her teres minor and deltoids. The entire time he was moving his hands, Hestia's aura continued to fluctuate and Vahn felt like it was taking on some watery, somewhat hazy, properties.Repositioning his hands, Vahn stimulated the nerve center at seventh vertebrae along her spine, right at the base of her neck, and traced his finger down the line of her back before coming to a stop at the center of her thoracolumbar fascia connecting muscles right above her butt. Vahn was somewhat tempted to touch her butt as well but remembered that he was trying to keep the situation from taking a dangerous turn. Creating fine needles of energy in his fingertips, Vahn began to diffuse energy into her pressure points to loosen up her muscles even further. It was usually around this point that Vahn felt like girls turned to 'putty' under his hands and Hesti had a very similar response as all the tension in her body immediately dissolved.Since she already had the tendency to drool while sleeping, Vahn realized that Hestia had turned into a veritable waterworks as she stared off into space with a dazed look in her eyes. Her body wasn't twitching like it had when he was with Hephaestus, Anubis, and even Loki, and Vahn wondered if there was something different between them and Hestia. They seemed to get very excited and had vibrant pink auras when he gave them a massage, but Hestia seemed to be reacting in the way he had originally expected the process to work. This was a massage designed to ease tensions and revitalize the muscles of the body to improve beauty and increase blood flow within the body.Vahn always thought he had been making a mistake since girls had a different reaction than described within the manual for [Hands of Nirvana]. Now that Hestia was reacting 'properly', Vahn wasn't sure what had caused such a strange reaction in the other girls. He suspected it might be because they all had 'expectations' toward him or that it could be because they were 'experienced' unlike Hestia who was still a virgin. Vahn thought it could be a difference in mentality that determined how the person reacted to his massage and decided to verify it in the future. Since [Hands of Nirvana] was one of his most versatile skills, Vahn needed to increase his understanding of the skill in the future.A half hour since the massage began, Hestia was sound asleep with a 'droopy' expression on her face and her aura had completely stabilized into a subtle golden glow with a slight tinge of pink along the edges. She didn't have the 'infinite spasms' Vahn had grown to expect, but instead had all of the tension removed from her body and it almost looked like her skin was 'glowing' now. Since she was very fair-skinned, now that she had a somewhat rosy coloration, it was very obvious and Vahn felt she looked especially beautiful when there was a flush to her skin tone.Waving his hand along the magic stone that controlled the lighting in the room, Vahn laid in the bed next to Hestia and stroked her hair a bit before going to sleep himself. Unlike the previous nights, Hestia didn't immediately crawl on his body, perhaps due to how relaxed she currently felt. It wasn't until nearly 4 AM, when Vahn was already getting ready to wake up, that she slowly crawled on top of him and 'reclaimed' her spot on his chest. Her actions awoke Vahn and he laughed inside his mind as he combed her hair with his fingers and waited for 5 AM to roll around.WIthin the orb, Vahn asked Eva to help him better understand his [Hands of Nirvana] for a bit and they had a 'short' four-hour session where she gave him feedback on all of his techniques. Since she was almost immune to the skill, Eva was probably the best possible candidate to help him polish the skill further; She was the one that allowed him to increase the skill to Rank S after all.For the remaining three days, all the way up until there were only a few hours left before he was ejected from the orb, Vahn continued to prepare materials for his final push to become a [Master Smith]. Since mass production had begun to stagnate, Vahn wanted to refine the highest quality of materials and focus on exceeding his limits in order to break through the current bottleneck. Other than that, Vahn had also prepared a space outside for an event he had been looking forward to for quite a while.With about five hours left, the cooldown for [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] was finally over and Vahn could now use it to give a name to the unfortunate (Nameless) that had, technically, been his longest companion. Putting a bit of energy into the magic stone, Vahn summoned (Nameless) and explained what he was going to do while Eva watched from the side. She didn't like (Nameless) much, but Vahn had promised it should be 'cute' whenever he named it so she was somewhat looking forward to the show. She also wanted to try and increase her understanding of the skill since it seemed to defy any semblance of logic, at least pertaining to her magical system and the research she had put into Vahn's world.Stroking (Nameless)'s head, Vahn explained in a gentle voice while also relaying his intent through the bond they shared, "From now on you'll be able to grow much stronger. You won't have to suffer being looked down on and you'll even obtain a new form that should appeal to others...what do you say?" Even though it was ultimately his decision, Vahn still wanted to get 'permission' before he changed (Nameless)'s body. Even though Fafnir didn't seem to mind at all, Vahn still felt a little awkward about making such decisions since he now had subordinates like Anubis.Though (Nameless) didn't really understand what Vahn was trying to say, it knew that he was offering it a rare chance that would change its fate forever. When it originally joined Vahn, it just didn't want to die, but now he had treated it well on the few occasions when it had been summoned. Since it had met 'cold' people like Eva, (Nameless) was a lot more fond of it's Master compared to others. To respond to Vahn's intent, it opened it's crooked dog mouth and had a silly smile as it released a rancid breath at Vahn while emulating a smile.Even though he felt a small urge to choke in his throat, Vahn smiled without his expression changing as he stroked (Nameless)'s head. He had been trying to improve his control over his expressions lately and things like this were a good way to temper his ability to do so. Now that he had permission, Vahn smiled and placed his hand directly on (Nameless)'s forehead as he activated [Keeper of the Akashic Tome]. From Eva's perspective, she could immediately feel magical elements converging in the air that shouldn't exist in the space at all so she squinted her eyes to carve the entire sequence of events in her mind.Vahn closed his eyes and confirmed the name he wanted to give nameless while also trying to focus on his intent for it to be 'cute' while still being powerful. Opening his eyes, he looked into (Namelesses)'s expectant face and said in a powerful voice that shook the void around them, "From now on...you shall bear the record of Fenrir!" As his words fell, Vahn could feel an incredible surge of energy from the atmosphere as his own internal energy rapidly depleted from his body as if a floodgate had been opened in his palm.The brackish-grey hairs on Fenrir's body began to turn rigid as they took on a darker shade as an energy began to expand from its body. A midnight blue sphere of light exploded from it's body and had a strange radiance like a small, dark-blue, sun. It glowed a vibrant azure on the edges and Vahn could see a shadowy silhouette appear within the sphere as his own body was pushed to its perimeter. The shadow looked to be several meters high and had scarlet red eyes that cut through the midnight blue of the orb as it howled toward the sky.The air in the space began to crack and Eva took actions by creating a large spatial anchor to stabilize the space and prevent it from collapsing. She was surprised with the frightening aura coming from the humanoid shadow roaring silently toward the sky. Even though there was no sound, she could see waves of energy pulsing in a very similar manner to the time when Vahn had tried to destroy the orb in the past.Since he could see the magical elements in the air, Vahn could also sense the strange pulse coming from Fenrir and he had similar thoughts as Eva. He could even see that the anchor she had set to stabilize the space was beginning to crack slightly as small cracks appeared within the viccinity of the midnight-azure 'sun'. Strangely, even though the energy was incredibly powerful, Vahn felt like it had no effect on his body at all. Just like when he created [Lævateinn], he seemed to be completely immune to the chaos caused by the process. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was glad he hadn't named Fenrir in the real world...After nearly ten minutes, the shadowy, red-eyed, figure in the 'sun' ceased its howl as it began to converge its body and aborb the midnight-blue energy surrounding its body. Vahn and Eva both released relieved sighs because the pulsing energy had finally stopped as the shadowy figure began to absorb the energy contained within the spatial cracks around it. Eva looked over toward Vahn as she kept her focus primarily on the figure within the shrinking sun. She said in a very serious manner, "This orb can't withstand this type of power much more. If you want to keep 'naming' things, you'll need to find a safe place in the outside world from now on. We're lucky this space didn't collapse because you'd have lost the opportunity to learn the Magia Erebea if it had."Vahn nodded his head and seriously listened to every single word she said. At one point, he was even preparing to use [Enkidu] to seal her memory fragment because he also felt like space might collapse in the orb. Since he wouldn't be able to communicate with her when she was sealed, there would be no way for him to learn magic from her and he would even lose the orb and everything within, including his materials and forge setup.After another couple of minutes had passed, the energy of the sun had completely converged into a small form that made Vahn's brain buzz a bit. Eva was standing next to him at this time and had a somewhat amused expression on her face as she said, "Well, she is certainly cute, isn't she?" She then began to laugh as Vahn stared at the small 'wolf-girl' that was sitting on her butt completely naked while looking up at him. She had midnight blue hair that looked somewhat spiky and untamed with large blue ears that grew to points on the side of her head.Unlike a 'normal' chienthrope, or wereperson, she had a bushy blue tail with white hair at the end and both her forearms and calves were completely covered in midnight blue fur. Her fingers and toes seemed a bit shorter than normal and they were also completely covered in fur with dangerous looking claws that even made Vahn feel a hint of danger. On the bottoms of her hands and feet, she had pale paw pads that matched the coloration of her ashen-colored, pale, skin. Her most striking feature, other than the fact that she was completely naked, was her scarlet eyes that glowed slightly and moderately large canines that Vahn could see in her mouth.While Vahn was staring down at her, Fenrir was also looking up at him while also inspecting her new body. She opened and closed her tiny paws and patted around her body as if learning its shape. When she tried to 'inspect' the spot at her groin, Vahn coughed out loud while Eva began laughing like a bell. He pulled out a pair of panties and a tunic for Fenrir to wear and spent a few minutes trying to get them on her body as she resisted."No, Fenrir no like, weird, no!" She didn't seem to want to wear clothes at all, but Vahn explained in a firm tone, "You have to wear clothes or you won't be able to leave this space and be around other people." As if his words were like a hammer, Fenrir's eyes glowed slightly brighter as she looked toward Eva and said in broken words, "No!, Fenrir go, leave this place, stay with Master!" Afterward, she let Vahn show her how to properly wear clothes and told her to never take them off unless he gave her permission or it was someone she had been entrusted to by him.Fenrir didn't really seem to understand his words as she began pulling at the tunic with her hands which immediately began shredding it to pieces. Vahn sighed and gave her a new one and explained that she needed to no damage it or it would cause problems in the future. He also noticed that, even though the tunic was quite durable, her claws cut through it without any resistance at all. Taking his paw into his hand, Vahn poked her claw with his finger and noticed it easily cut into his skin even though his Endurance was very high.Though she seemed to be very uncomfortable wearing clothes for the first time, Fenrir still obeyed Vahn's words even though he could see she was struggling quite a bit. He pet her on top of her head and stroked her ears that seemed several sizes larger than a chienthropes. She seemed to enjoy his caress and lifted her paws to grip around his wrist to make sure he would stroke her longer. Unfortunately, all ten of her claws cut into his arm and Vahn immediately began to bleed profusely.Fenrir pulled her hands away at the same time as Vahn pulled his hand away as well. He looked at the puncture wounds on his arm with intrigue and a bit of concern. As he was thinking about matters to prevent her from hurting others on accident, Vahn saw Fenrir do something that shook him to his core. She dropped down to all fours with her butt high up in the air as she began to lap up the blood that had fallen onto the ground. Before he could correct her behavior, she looked up at him with glowing red eyes and said, "Master, hungry, feed Fenrir, please, hungry!"Title: Fallen : Fenrir(A/N: If you're wondering, this is the Fenrir from Shadowverse and Granblue Fantasy. Oh, and I can assure you now there is almost no chance Fenrir would be a 'harem' candidate. At least, this will be the case until something very drastic changes, probably after like 800+ more chapters? I know how the story ends, but the way it evolves over time depends on the readers~!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Relax','Dangers of Naming','Heaven Devouring Wolf')I am currently at $721/1200 of my new goal~! If I can reach this amount, I intend to start having character profiles and images of all the characters created so I can update the information to a wiki~! Though the Wiki will be accessible by anyone, only Patrons will receive the high-res versions of the images &lt;3

For the remainder of the celebration, everyone was in much higher spirits as they all traded stories and tried building stronger bonds. Since Vahn didn't get to spend too much time with her, Eina stayed at his side for the duration of the party and Vahn even teased her a bit by trying to feed her snacks. She was embarrassed to the point where her ears had become red, but Eina didn't pull away as if she was trying to take a stand against the other girls in the room. As the 'first wife' of the mortal faction, she couldn't get so easily flustered when interacting with Vahn.Later in the party, everyone gave Vahn gifts which primarily consisted of personal items, charms, and even a strangely shaped doll that Vahn thought was somewhat adorable, even if it looked odd. Apparently, Ais had been learning how to sew with Rivera and spent the week trying to make a miniature 'Ais' doll so that Vahn could 'take her with him wherever he went'. Her gift seemed to have inspired something in the other girls and they each had glowing eyes as Ais gave a small 'v' for victory with her fingers.After another round of embraces, everyone started to leave since it was getting late in the afternoon. Vahn had calmed down a lot by then since he had entered the orb after excusing himself to the bathroom at one point. His 'transformation' wasn't unnoticed by the girls but none of them brought it up as they accepted Vahn's affections before promising to meet soon. On their way out, Loki informed Vahn that they would be going on an expedition soon and it would probably take more than a month. Hearing her words, Vahn gave Tiona and Ais a longer embrace which included a kiss before patting the head of Lefiya and giving her some encouraging words. Tione seemed as if she wanted a hug as well, but she was standing on the opposite side of Loki and didn't make a move.The last to depart were Hephaestus, Eina, and Chloe who had taken the day off to attend the party. Since all the girls, minus Hestia, were considered his future wives and loved ones, Vahn gave them much more passionate embraces since everyone else had cleared out. As the only 'non-wife' left, Chloe was the first and Vahn nuzzled his head against hers as they shared a few light kisses. When she was satisfied, Chloe prepared to leave but not before sending a wink towards Hestia who looked like she wanted to throw her wine glass.When it came time to embrace Hephaestus, Vahn didn't hesitate at all as he reached his hands around and 'gently' grabbed her butt. A light blush touched her cheeks as she whispered, "You really..." Vahn cut off her words by kissing her on the lips with more than a bit of passion. He felt like words couldn't express how happy he was that she organized all of this just for him so Vahn decided to show it with his actions. After inserting his tongue into her mouth and coiling it around hers for nearly three minutes, Vahn finally released her as she began gasping for air with a light glaze over her eyes. Because of their connection through the 'eternal flame', Hephaestus could feel Vahn's love and excitement and it had compounded her own to an almost intolerable level.Vahn was still holding firmly onto her backside as he smiled and said, "I won't keep you waiting much longer..." Even though he spoke quietly, everyone in the room could hear the seriousness in his voice as he held Hephaestus gaze without flinching in the slightest. She released a few strained breaths before kissing him again in several short, but passionate, kisses. Vahn could almost feel the tensions in the atmosphere increasing when she looked at him with slightly 'blazing' eyes and said, "When it happens...I'll clear my schedule for...for three, no, five days..."Not only everyone present, but even Vahn's brows raised at her 'bold' claim because they could all understand the implication behind her words. Thoughts raced through Vahn's head for a while before he put a bit more strength into his grip and held Hephaestus against his body. Leaning close to her ear, Vahn whispered in an almost inaudible tone, "If you want to...I'll make sure you get pregnant at that time..." His words made the blush on Hephaestus's face try to compete with the vibrant red color of her hair as she began breathing at a much faster rate than normal.Because she was mentally checked out, Hephaestus stood off to the side in a daze while being tended to by Hestia. Though she looked very happy, Hephaestus's soul seemed to have escaped her body and she had an uncharacteristically silly look on her face as Hestia shook her body to try and bring her back. While they were putting on a small play that brought a smile to Vahn's face, Eina stepped forward with her hands held behind her back while a gentle smiled covered her face.Vahn initiated a loose embrace with her and she returned his affections while gently stroking his back. They didn't say anything for a while as the two just enjoyed each others company for nearly a minute until Eina whispered, "After we get married, I'm going to move in with you...I have already talked with the Guild Head and got permission to act as a liaison between the Hestia Familia and the Guild in the future. It seems as though Ouranos wants to keep an eye on you and is already aware of our relationship..."Hugging her waist a bit tighter, Vahn pulled away his head to see her face and saw the seriousness contained within. He knew she was cautioning him a bit, but Vahn just put the matter to the back of his mind as he smiled and said, "I look forward to being together more often...I've been missing you a bit these days." Stroking the side of her face, Vahn gave Eina a long kiss that didn't get too intimate. After separating, he could see her face had taken on a tomato-like color and he couldn't help but smile about how elves and half-elves always blushed all the way to their ears.After a few more parting words, Hephaestus and Eina left for their respective abodes while Vahn began leading Hestia back to their Manor. Since she had been relatively quiet for most of the celebration, Vahn grabbed her hand and led her along as he asked, "Are you okay Hestia? If you're tired, I can carry you again." When he asked the question, Hestia slowed down a bit until Vahn looked back and saw her with a contemplative look on her face. After they came to a full stop, Hestia reached out her arms and Vahn smiled before kneeling down so she could climb on his back.Even though he couldn't quite get used to the feeling on his back, Vahn had, at the very least, grown accustomed to it and it didn't distract him. He carried Hestia's light body all the way back to the Hearth Manor while she hugged his neck from behind and didn't say a word the entire way. Vahn almost thought she had fallen asleep but, the moment they entered into the foyer, she patted his shoulders and Vahn let her down from his back.Vahn turned to look back at her and saw that her expression had turned more gentle than the 'serious' and contemplative look from earlier. After a brief hesitation, Hestia's smile widened a bit and she asked, "Are you serious about all of those girls?" Though he was a bit distracted, Vahn understood what she was trying to ask so he responded seriously, "Even though I don't understand my own feelings well, I know that I care about each of them deeply. I treat all of my relationships as seriously as I can...even though I might make mistakes every now and then. I want to make them happy because their happiness is my happiness."Hestia's smile grew marginally but there was a sad look in her eyes as she asked, "What happens if one of them leaves you in the future? I'm afraid that you might get hurt trying to balance so many things all at once..." Because of the matter with Milan and Tina, Vahn knew what she was trying to get at since the event hadn't just impacted himself and the two girls. Things had developed to the point where it influenced a great number of people and the gods and goddesses of five Familia.Vahn's brows furrowed a bit and his expression became especially serious as he said, "I have learned...that you can't live for others." Shaking his head, Vahn continued, "The only thing I can do is my best. Even if there are people that will move on in the future...as long as they are happy...that is enough for me. I know now that there are a lot of people who will stay with me when things get tough...and they give me the strength to continue moving forward."The smile on Hestia's face turned into a cheerful one as the sad look in her eyes vanished entirely. Replacing it, there was now a glimmer in the crystalline blue eyes that always drew Vahn's attention because of their depth and clarity. For the third time since they had met, Hestia brought her hands together as if she was praying for a few seconds before she turned her head upwards and Vahn and said, "You really are an exceptional person Vahn. I look forward to seeing how far you can go in the future and, no matter how difficult things get, I will always be one of the people that helps you move forward."Her words finished, Hestia turned into a bullet and launched herself at Vahn's face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Since it wasn't the first time she had 'surprise' attacked him, Vahn caught her easily as Hestia began to rub her cheek against his. Vahn always felt a little awkward when she dangled from his body because he never knew where to put his hands and always ended up holding her awkwardly from the sides.As if she had thought of something, Hestia asked Vahn, "Do you like big breasts or small breasts? And what about butts?" Vahn's mind blanked for a short moment since it felt like a question he was commonly asked and never understood why girls placed a focus on such things. Since he had answered the question before, Vahn said a similar thing as last time, "I think everyone has qualities that I can appreciate, and I don't really have a preference regarding breast size..."Hestia nodded her head and put a little more strength into her arms as she pressed her breasts more firmly against Vahn and asked, "And what about butts~?" Vahn noticed Hestia had almost 'hummed' the words as if she found his dismissal of the subject earlier humorous. After a brief consideration, Vahn responded, "I don't think I have a preference for butts either...it just feels nice to hold onto when I embrace people. I think...I think everyone has a unique feel and it's interesting?" Vahn was confused by his own words because the image and feel of various butts were passing through his brain.As if using his words against him, Hestia asked, "Eeeei~? Do you want to grab my butt too~? Though I don't mind, it feels a bit strange for you to be holding my ribs like you're preparing to pull me from your body." Vahn's hands flinched a bit at Hestia's words because that was exactly his intention if she got too carried away. He laughed awkwardly while thinking of an excuse before Hestia said in a low, somewhat angry, voice, "Vaaaaahn-! If you want to grab my butt..." A blush touched Hestia's face and she looked like she was struggling a bit before she continued, "Then just do it!" Apparently finished with her words, Hestia hugged Vahn's neck and hid her face against his shoulder as if she was refusing to look at him.Vahn considered her words for a few seconds and decided to give it a try since he was somewhat curious. However, before he could move his hands from her side to her butt, Hestia released his neck and laughed in an awkward manner as she started walking toward the direction of the onsen, "Ehehehe, lets to a bath instead~! It's weird that we're just standing in the middle of the foyer~Ehehehehe!" Vahn watched her walk away in a mechanical fashion and could see her aura fluctuating a bit.With a small smile on his face, Vahn released a short sigh before shaking his head and following behind her. Perhaps it was because of her lack of experiences with men, but Hestia seemed to have a strange nature where she was both 'forward' while also being highly bashful at the same time. She was very affectionate and liked physical contact but was also prone to panicking as soon as things began to escalate. Though he had some inhibitions himself, Vahn decided that he either needed to be more decisive with her or work harder to reign in her behavior in the future. With that thought in mind, Vahn stepped through the threshold into the men's changing room before coming to a halt after witnessing a strange sight.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Five days!?','Ouranos's Intentions', Indecisiveness')I am currently at $721/1200 of my new goal~! If I can reach this amount, I intend to start having character profiles and images of all the characters created so I can update the information to a wiki~! Though the Wiki will be accessible by anyone, only Patrons will receive the high-res versions of the images &lt;3

Chapter 226: Before the Fall