Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Even though they had cleaned up in one of the private baths, Vahn noticed that almost every girl that came across her realized he had spent 'time' with Tiona. Though he didn't understand it entirely, even Vahn could see that she was practically 'glowing' after the fact and, even though they hadn't said anything about it, it was easy to infer from how she was acting. Vahn felt like, after she had talked to him about her past, she was in a much better mood and it was obvious in her demeanor and how she spoke to others. When Ais had finally returned from the Dungeon, even though he was studying with Riveria at the time, she showed up in the Library and similarly asked the same question as Tiona had the previous day, "Vahn, can we have fun tomorrow?"Before Vahn answered, Riveria shot a glance at Ais and said, "If you're not going to contribute to the conversation in any meaningful way, please leave Ais." Ais frowned slightly and looked over toward Riveria and their eyes seemed to lock for a brief moment before Vahn deescalated the situation by saying, "Sure, Ais, we'll talk about the specifics after dinner." Ais squinted her eyes before a small smile appeared on her face and she said, "I'll see you later, Vahn...I look forward to it." Without tarrying any longer, Ais briefly looked toward Riveria as she exited the room.When she left, Riveria released a sigh and said, "That girl has changed a lot ever since she met you, though it doesn't seem like her competitive spirit has undergone the same evolution..." Vahn laughed at Riveria's words before remarking, "I think it's her way of getting closer to people...she doesn't want to be left out things, and it's not like she is competitive with all the girls. Tiona and her have a bit of a rivalry..." This time, Riveria released one of her exceptionally rare laughs before turning back to her notes and saying, "I can't infer anything from the sample you collected in the Dungeon...I'm not sure how you can get a liquid to maintain magical properties after being exposed to the air. If the body absorbs the energy when people are bathing in it, reason states that it should lose its properties over time..."Though there were arguably more pressing matters to consider, such as further developing his magic system, Vahn's hands were tied until he could reunite with Eva. Riveria might be able to offer him advice, but it would primarily be up to him to make any significant improvements to his magic. Vahn knew she would probably be willing to help him, but having Riveria watch over him as he trains and meditates, all while she stood at the side and took notes, made him feel a little queasy. He hadn't thought about it much recently, but Vahn didn't like the idea of someone 'studying' him like that. Though he trusted Riveria, for the most part, he still had an aversion to the idea due to his past life's trauma.Avoiding that situation, for the time being at least, Vahn had brought up the idea of magic 'vessels', specifically how different items were able to contain mana, and potentially even absorb it through the atmosphere. He had gotten the idea from the 'bathwater' he had 'stolen' from the red-haired monster girl as, even after using it several times, it still retained its healing properties and mana density. Vahn had 'observed' the liquid while the girls were bathing and noticed that it, very very slowly, absorbed mana from the surroundings. Other than organic compounds, there were no other liquids that could retain mana so well, and none of them were able to continue absorbing it from the atmosphere without a catalyst. Vahn had confirmed that, though it was full of elemental energies, there was no 'vitality' contained within the fluid at all.This raised a lot of questions in Vahn's mind, and also served to make him feel somewhat unnerved about his 'unknown' enemies. If they were able to create such a liquid, for the simple purpose of using it as bathwater, Vahn wondered what else they would be capable of. Just the fact they were making use of the artificial Dungeon was something that worried Vahn a great deal. For the structure to reach all the way to the 24th floor of the Dungeon, it would have to be more than 5km deep, and likely connected to several parts of the actual Dungeon. Such a structure boggled the mind and Vahn couldn't understand how such a thing was built without drawing the attention of 'literally' everyone. Instead, it was simply a rumor that had apparently never been verified even after nearly a thousand years of speculations, investigations, and probes...Vahn didn't think this was possible at all, which meant that the Guild, or more appropriately, Ouranos, had to be aware of it.---Vahn had separated samples of the liquid into more than a hundred vials and both he and Riveria had been testing how it responded to different stimuli. Vahn noticed that, even with the use of [Yggdrasil's Favor] and [Hands of Nirvana], he couldn't actually get the fluid to absorb his source energy at all. Instead, there would be a chaotic reaction, much like when he tried mixing, and Vahn would have to clean up the mess that resulted from his attempt. As a result, he was now sitting inside a large basin as he continued trying to insert varying levels of his energy while trying to understand the principles behind it.Riveria has some small degree of success in her own experiments, as her mana was easily absorbed into the liquid. Even without a skill like [Hands of Nirvana], Riveria was very skilled at controlling her mana and could easily infuse it into magic items. Whenever she inserted her mana, the glowing blue liquid would become brighter and eventually turn an off-shade of white after enough exposure. Vahn didn't have any problem with her success, but he noticed she would give him a 'gloating' look every now and then while also asking if he needs help. After he broke the tenth vial, she even teasingly asked if he would like her to wash his back.Thinking he would be able to get her back, Vahn accepted her offer and Riveria unabashedly walked over to the basin, while holding an entire rack of vials, before dumping it on top of his head and saying, "Looks like you're getting a little hot-headed, maybe you need to cool down? Your clouded mind is interfering with your ability to focus...let me guess, you're thinking about your playdate with Ais tomorrow?" As he felt the chilled liquid passing through his hair and covering his scalp, Vahn showed a wry smile and simply shook his head. He could tell by Riveria's aura that she hadn't been affected by his teasing at all so he considered this small exchange his loss...After 'cooling his head', Vahn was using his elemental control, with his domain as the medium, to shape and manipulate the water within the basin. He had only tried it on a whim earlier, but now Vahn realized it was actually very easily influenced by his domain. After a bit of practice, he had even gotten the liquid to 'appear' solid and turned it into a small figurine that was similar to Ais, at least as far as the silhouette was concerned. He couldn't make any of the finer details at all, but it was still an impressive display, if Riveria's expression was anything to go by. Even if she didn't look at him directly, Vahn could detect the fluctuations in her aura and was able to read the changes in her typically cool expression. He had a lot of experience after associating with Ryuu, so Vahn knew what to look for when an elf was trying to hide their emotions.Realizing he had garnered her interest, Vahn decided to push his experiment further and used the same technique he had 'invented' to clean clothing, to remove all the liquid that had soaked into his clothes. Since she wasn't currently using it, Vahn also exercised his control over all 100 vials, nearly one liter of liquid, and shaped it into a miniature version of Riveria herself. Because he wasn't able to emulate the 'finer details', such as clothing, Riveria saw a 12cm tall version of herself, seemingly naked, that Vahn was doing his best to make walk around atop the table. Riveria's brows twitched at the sight, but she still observed the scene with interest and even started taking notes after a while.Once she had finished scribbling into her journal, Riveria sent a pulse of mana in the direction of the miniature Riveria and caused it to disperse across the desk. As if she hadn't just destroyed his painstakingly constructed creation, Riveria began to write again as she commented, "So, it seems like your control over elemental energies can still be interfered with..." Vahn felt an urge to chuckle, but then he paused and furrowed his brows as he considered Riveria's words. If Riveria could 'interfere' with his elemental control, why couldn't he interfere with the flow of other people's mana, such as when they were chanting spells?Riveria noticed Vahn's look and snapped her journal shut as she asked in a curious tone, "Another epiphany? I wonder what kind of groundbreaking concept you'll introduce this time..." Though she hadn't intended to, Riveria released a slightly exasperated sigh before furrowing her brows slightly at her own lapse in decorum. Vahn hadn't paid any real attention to her slip at all, so Riveria squinted her eyes and waited for him to eventually tell her what he had 'discovered' now. He got this way at times, even though she knew he was aware of everything going on around him, and he would simply blank and get lost in his own thoughts for a while. Riveria knew from experience that most 'prodigies' were somewhat eccentric and, since this wasn't the first time he had done so, she patiently waited for his 'awakening'.Vahn had been playing the image of Riveria casting her magic over and over within his mind as he observed the flow and its influence on the magic circle. He already understood that the magic circle was just a language that was influenced by chant, the image the person had in their mind, and the belief they had in the spells functionality. Since it was 'language', it should actually be very easy to 'interrupt' their words with his own, just like in a real conversation. Though he might not have that much proficiency when it came to casting magic, Vahn's source energy was a much higher tiered energy than mana itself. By influencing a spell with his own energy, Vahn should be able to do several things, such as interrupt it, change its structure, or even cause it to backfire...The spell Vahn was focused on, since it seemed to be the 'safest' option, was Riveria's [Veil Breath]. He could tell that there were subtle changes in the structure of the magic circle, even though the chant didn't change at all. Vahn was able to interpret this as Riveria designating a 'target' and he was focused on the part of the magic circle that was changing to reflect her intent. After he was confident he understood it well enough, nearly twenty minutes had passed and he noticed that Riveria had a somewhat icy look for a brief moment before she returned to normal and asked, "Did you realize something?"Vahn laughed awkwardly before saying, "I think I might have found out a way...to counter, or change, the structure of magic...?" Riveria's expression didn't change at first, but she slowly hung her head before bringing her right hand up and rubbing her temples after closing her eyes. Vahn felt a brief bout of pity for Riveria before saying in as casual a manner as he could manage, given the situation, "Can you try using your [Veil Breath] on me? I want to see if I can change how the spell functions..." Riveria raised her head slowly before taking a deep breath and asking, "What exactly do you intend to change about the spell? I don't want my own magic to blow up in my face like your experiments with the vials..."Vahn felt a bit of an impact at Riveria's quip before shaking his head and saying confidently, "Your magic...shouldn't backlash. If I tell you what I'm trying to change, it might alter how you cast the spell and interfere with the experiment. Please trust me, Riveria." Riveria released an almost imperceptible sigh through her nose and began to chant her magic without asking any more questions, "Assemble, breath of the land - my name is Alf." Though she wasn't quite sure what had happened, Rivera felt a strange incongruity in her magic circle, even though her mana flowed according to her intent. However, she immediately noticed that something was very wrong as a magical light covered her body for a brief moment and her [Veil Breath] activated...on the wrong target.When Riveria had started chanting her magic, Vahn had 'seized' control of the elemental energies within her magic circle and altered the part that designated himself as the target. Since he had seen Riveria use the magic on herself several times, Vahn knew how to change it so that she became the new target. Seeing the light cover her body, he couldn't help but smile widely as this confirmed a variety of his speculations. Riveria, however, interpreted his smile as something completely different and flicked her pen at Vahn's face before he easily tilted his head to the side and evaded it.Riveria frowned slightly before recovering her normal expression and saying, "You...somehow changed the target of my magic...through the magic circle? How..." Riveria held her fingers to her chin in deep contemplation and Vahn knew that, like himself, she was also lost in her thoughts a bit. Unlike him, however, Vahn knew she was paying close attention to his words so he explained, "This further proves that magic is based on intent, or image, and how it influences the 'language' that you use to communicate with the elemental energies within the world itself. Even though you use the same chant, your spell never misfires and hits the incorrect target, at least for your [Veil Breath]. I can tell that, even though it is minuscule, there is a small change in the flow of the mana within the magic circle and, after replaying it multiple times in my mind, I was able to infer that this change designated the target. By altering the flow of energy within the magic circle itself, I was able to emulate the flow to designate you as the new target..."Hearing Vahn's words, Riveria felt her brain begin to buzz due to how incredulous she felt at the present moment. What he was saying, even though it made sense, was simply far too ridiculous for her to comprehend at the moment. He was basically saying that, as long as he had seen a magic circle once, he would be able to change it however he likes. Not only could he change the target, but he could outright prevent the magic from working...or much worse, cause an 'Ignis Fatuus' which would make a mages spell backfire and explode. Riveria had thought that Fafnir was a 'Mage's Nemesis', but it turns out that its Master was the true monster between the two...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Bathing is important','Riveria's 'revenge'','Vahn can put a skilled mage in a 'Mind Down' state just by speaking to them...RIP Riveria')If you'd like to support me as a writer so I can write even more stories in the future, please follow the ******* link below (O,...,O)~! Stay beautiful &lt;3. Since it was requested, I also added a Paypal link if that is preferable~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Vahn awoke the following morning and peeled the sleeping Lunoire from his body before stroking the exposed butt of Chloe, who was laying lazing at the side. After spending the afternoon researching various things with Riveria, Vahn spent the rest of the evening peacefully. He bathed with the girls, ate a hearty dinner where he learned about their adventures, and then wrapped up the night by inviting all the girls from the Hostess of Fertility, with the exclusion of Mona, into his room for the evening. Because she had been 'visiting' him a lot recently, Syr actually refused his invitation and had Aki take her place. Since she had been 'bullied' by Tsubaki the previous evening, Vahn spent some time with the loveable kitten before 'suffering' at the combined efforts of Chloe, Arnya, and Aki. Everything was wrapped up with Aki supporting Ryuu before Vahn 'finished' the events of the evening with Lunoire.Even though it was only the second day since his return from the Dungeon, Vahn was in a great mood now, even more so than he had been after obtaining a great boon from the Bloodsaurus. Spending time with the girls, developing new items for their use, and researching the things he was interested in; these were all far more relaxing than dealing with the potential schemes of his enemies. Vahn felt a strange feeling of 'liberation' knowing that he could almost do anything, within the confines of the Manor, without actually being questioned about his actions. Though this wouldn't be the case if he stepped out of line, he was often able to skirt the line and get away with it without recompense.Vahn knew he would have to return to the Dungeon, and he actually didn't mind fighting against enemies, but he preferred the moments like this where he could choose between his options freely. He could spend time at home, take a casual stroll into the Dungeon, fly in the upper atmosphere with Fafnir, or even splurge money within Babel Tower at his leisure. The only thing he was truly 'missing' was the kinship between men, but Vahn knew that would be easily accomplished in the future. He hadn't visited yet, but Vahn knew where Welf's new workshop was located and it was very close to what would be his 'clubhouse'.He had already extended 'invitations' to Welf, Ouka, Takemikazuchi, Miach, Gareth, Finn, and even Bete so they could have access to the building. Vahn easily won over most of them by saying he was going to stock the place with [Dwarven Drought], but Bete outright refused his offer on the grounds that he didn't 'have time to play around with weaklings'. Vahn knew the Werewolf boy was actually 'busy' dealing with 'girl troubles' so he didn't mind much that Bete had refused his invitation. Once he visited the Lakshmi Familia in the future, Vahn intended to extend his offer to Keith as well, though that was a plan much further in the future. He didn't know why, but Senna's Affection for him was now at 99(Idolatry) and it had been worrying him every time he looked at the value.Thinking of his own girl problems, Vahn was reminded of Welf's current situation and the response he had gotten when he sent the red-haired youth the invitation. He hadn't met them yet, but Welf was currently being 'protected' by four Amazonesses, three of which were Level 3, while one of them was Level 2. Vahn had learned that, though they weren't in any 'official' relationships, Welf had the experience of being 'taken care of' by the four girls all at the same time and, ever since that fateful night, he had suddenly become a lot more mature. He had even started venturing into the Dungeon with the girls in order to become stronger and, as Tsubaki had described it, he had a 'confident glint' in his eyes.Knowing that Welf was 'happy' made Vahn feel strangely relieved, as he knew the boy once had very strong feelings for the woman he was about to marry, the goddess Hephaestus. Though his feelings amounted more to a crush than anything else, it didn't change the fact that Vahn had 'usurped' a position that Welf would have gladly filled himself. However, Vahn felt like the current Welf was much better than the struggling blacksmith back in the manga. Though he was still a bit arrogant, he was a lot more personable and had opened up a lot after associating with the Amazons. The fact that he was beginning his training to become stronger a full two years ahead of the original timeline, combined with how he was now proactively researching his own [Crozzo Magic Blood], showed that he had a lot of potential for future growth and development.---Vahn spent the first part of the morning helping to allocate Tsubaki's workshop space within the annex located behind the East Wing. Vahn's 'primary' forge was located within his own room, but he did most of his work in the larger workshop in the main area. They weren't taking in the same room, since working with textiles was done in an entirely separate room than metalwork, but Vahn and Tsubaki now shared the same workshop with each other. This brought Vahn a strange feeling of comfort since the large workshop had seemed a little lonely as he was the only one using it. He had originally intended it as a place where any blacksmith in their Familia would be able to forge, but that seemed less likely given that Hestia had shut down the thought of having other men join the Familia.Fortunately, now that Tsubaki lived within the Manor, things were becoming increasingly more lively. Not only was she now in the same workshop as him, but she had also been proactively engaging with all of the girls within the Manor itself. She had taken charge of the morning training sessions and even sparred with Aki and Ryuu to help polish their skills further. Tsubaki was a great teacher and had a keen eye for detail since she was also an accomplished [Master Smith]. Though their training hadn't actually been flawed before, it was now starting to take on a more cohesive appearance with Tsubaki's guidance within the group. Even Vahn himself was under her tutelage, though his actual training amounted almost exclusively to sparring with Tiona and Tione presently. They were the most 'comparable' to Vahn in fighting style, so he spent the first hour after waking up getting beaten up by the two rambunctious girls...For today, Vahn had focused most of his efforts on fixing the dress template to the mannequin and making any necessary adjustments while following the instructions of the books within his mind. When he had first decorated the mannequin with the fabric, Vahn noticed that everything kind of 'hung' off of it and it didn't seem very form fitting and elegant at all. He wanted to make the fabric 'hug' the body instead of drapping off of it, so Vahn had to create extra seams on the interior of the dress that would conform to the shape of Hephaestus's body. Instead of simply covering the breasts and butt, Vahn had it follow the contours and created seams that would place a small amount of emphasis on the areas.He had designed it to be somewhat delicate, like lingerie, but also very elegant at the same time. By the time he had finished the first pass, Vahn felt like he had actually just created a beautiful red corset, called a bodice, as he hadn't yet attached the gown or sleeves that would bring it to life. Since it wouldn't properly cover her 'bottoms', Vahn felt like the current form of the dress was strangely erotic and began playing with the idea of making the gown 'detachable'. Imagining Hephaestus wearing just the bodice, lace panties, a garter belt, and silk stockings covering her long legs made Vahn's heart palpitate powerfully in his chest. His mind was drawn to the beating of his own heart and he imagined the passionate look on her face as he removed the restraints holding the gown to her waist and resolved himself to make the idea a reality...---After wrapping up his 'work' for the day, Vahn made his way out of his workshop and poked the sleeping Ais in the cheek for a short while until she woke up. Vahn had promised to spend some time with her during his lunch period and she had stayed home to wait for him. She spent the first part of the day talking with Preasia and helping look after Shizune and Tina, both of which had taken a liking to Ais because how beautiful and powerful she was. Vahn had detected her arrival about an hour ago and she must have fallen asleep because she had nothing else to do. He felt a little bad that the girls seemed to show up early, and was almost tempted to allow them free access to his workshop in the future. However, he would put that off until he finished working on the dresses for Hephaestus and Eina since he wanted it to be a surprise.Ais showed a small smile after seeing Vahn and asked, "Are you finished...?" Vahn nodded his head before wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling against her forehead with his own. Ais hugged him as well and snuck a kiss on his lips with a smile on her face as she said, "I don't have much to talk about...I already told you what I remember about my past...and you already know that I want to avenge my family...other than fighting, I don't have anything...at least until I met you, Vahn. Now I understand what my friends at the Loki Familia had been telling me for the past six years...that strength isn't a single-minded pursuit for vengeance, but something you seek in order to protect the things you still have..."Vahn stroked the back of Ais's hair as she rested her head against his shoulder and mumbled her words in a soft voice. He could tell Ais wasn't being entirely truthful and, though she likely believed in what she was saying, she still had a powerful urge to avenge her family. She had made marked improvements, both in her perception of the world and how she associated with people, but she still had a long way to go. It was very likely that, unless she was able to see the One-Eyed Black Dragon dead, she would never be able to move beyond her trauma. Vahn also knew her past was far more complicated than what could be observed from the surface and that it would likely become a significant matter he needed to resolve in the future. Since Ais' father was the hero, Albert Waldenstein, this meant that she had to have been born over a thousand years ago...yet she was alive in the modern day and was currently only fourteen years old...After thinking of how to best converse with her, Vahn said in a soothing tone, "You're a strong and beautiful woman, Ais...perhaps the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. We don't have to talk about the past, as that is something we can take care of in the future, so let's just talk about everything else instead. Let's talk about the future...the life we can build together...the family we may one day raise...the places you might want to visit. I'm sure you know this, but there is so much more to life than the revenge you seek...the world is a very big place, Ais, and I'd like to experience it with you someday."Ais raised her head and stared directly at him with her beautiful golden eyes as if she were trying to piece deep into his mind and discern an answer to a question neither of them truly understood. Remembering the world she had seen from the back of Fafnir, how the City of Orario had become a small dot within her vision, Ais knew that Vahn's words were true. The world was a very big place, much larger than the small world that she had lived in ever since waking up and being found by the Loki Familia.She had been told so many stories by her mother in the past, about the various interesting places that were located all over the world. It used to be her dream to travel the world and visit such locations alongside her mother and father, but that dream had been shattered long ago when both of her parents died in their fight against the One-Eyed Black Dragon. Her father, the man everyone called the Hero King, had often saved her from danger when she was younger and, every time he did so, he would tell her that she needed to find her own hero, someone that would look after her for the rest of her life...someone like the boy that was currently bringing her so much comfort that it made her heart hurt.Against his expectations, Ais began to tear up and she spontaneously started crying into his chest with sad sobs that made Vahn's mind blank. He didn't know how his words had set her off, but he could tell that Ais was both deeply grieved, but also very happy at the same time. Unwilling to press her for answers, Vahn just pulled her into a side room and spent the rest of his lunchbreak comforting the lonely girl. When she had finally collected herself enough to explain what she was thinking, Vahn was very surprised and felt a powerful motivation to become even stronger in the future.He had already known that she was seeking a hero, as it had been something reflected in her [Hearts Desire], but now he was absolutely resolved to see it through on her behalf. She only sought vengeance because, until she had started opening her heart to others, the only thing she had left of her family in the world was the terrible monster that had claimed her parents' lives. Ais didn't want to be lonely anymore and realized that, even if she managed to kill the dragon one day, it wouldn't bring her family back to her. Realizing this had been a big impact for her, but it was nothing as devastating as the impact Vahn received when she turned her face up at him with a heart-wrenching expression and asked, "Will you...be my hero?"Vahn had never seen such a 'real' expression on Ais's face, and it made him mortified that the first true emotion she showed to him was grief, desperation, and only a small amount of hope. Though he had already been embracing her, Vahn put a lot of strength into his arms and hugged her body as tightly to his body as he could manage. He could feel her shaking in his arms and he said in a pained tone that reflected his own indignation at the tragedy Ais had to suffer, "Ais...I will become your hero...I'll never give up, no matter how difficult things get. I won't let you down, no matter how heavy the burden becomes...I won't disappear until a day comes where I can wipe away these tears and see a true smile on your face. I won't make you cry, Ais, unless its tears of joy...I swear on everything that I am, everything I will become, no matter what it takes!"(A/N: The last paragraph was kind of a joke, even though it is also relevant at the same time~! If it's to cringe for you, as it should be, the official end of the chapter was when Ais asked Vahn to be her hero (UwU)~!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is Lewd','Sleeping Beauty','I can be your hero baby~!')If you'd like to support me as a writer so I can write even more stories in the future, please follow the ******* link below (O,...,O)~! Stay beautiful &lt;3. Since it was requested, I also added a Paypal link if that is preferable~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 414: Research