Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As was common during the latter parts of the evening, Vahn found himself accompanying Iris and Illya. Earlier, they had been watching some of his memories play out together but, after Illya fell asleep in his lap, Vahn carried her to the bed as Iris made her own preparations. Then, as was the most common occurrence in this situation, especially in recent days, Iris changed into a silky white negligee that left very little to the imagination before crawling into the bed next to him, choosing the side opposite of Illya instead of flanking her.Vahn had already grown accustomed to Iris' behavior so, even when she snuggled up close to him, using his shoulder as her pillow before nestling one of her legs between his, he was able to stay relatively relaxed. At this point, he had a good understanding of her intentions and, rather than seducing him, it was more accurate to say she just wanted to experience some skinship. It was lonely for her to sleep alone and, as she felt very safe around him, Iris was taking advantage of his kindness since she knew, at least for the time being, he wouldn't do anything untoward to her.Since it had been Iris herself to explain this, showing no signs of falsehoods in the slightest, Vahn no longer felt nearly as tense around her. Instead, he just enjoyed the moments he shared with the peculiar mother-daughter duo, even if the now 90% transformed Illya sometimes caused him a few problems. She had developed a suckling habit but, as this was better than the biting that his shoulder had to suffer through previously, he largely ignored it. It was also somewhat amusing to see her reaction when she would wake up to find the upper quadrant of his sleepwear soaked through with her saliva so, while they were working on curbing the habit, it wasn't that big a deal.Thus, as another cycle within the Projection slowly came to its end, Vahn found himself with a buxom and mature woman laying to his left while a petite young woman, whose body burned like a furnace, practically treated the right side of his body as a salt lick. Then, a few hours into his rest, Vahn's eyes snapped open before the figure that had been curled up on his abdomen raised its head and stated in her usual cold tone, "That woman, Nobunaga, her water just broke."Vahn gave a curt nod in response to Alaya's notification as, even though he didn't know what was going on, his instincts had already brought him to an alert state of mind. Now that he knew what was happening, excitement and expectation began to bubble up inside of him as he extricated his arms from Iris' clutches and began to channel stroke the inside of Illya's large fluffy ears with his thumb. This caused her eyes to immediately open, revealing reddish-purple irises that came into focus to meet his gaze.After quickly explaining the situation to the two girls, Vahn teleported directly to Nobunaga's side. She was being escorted to the medical ward by Kenshin and an entourage of Homunculi while sweat had already started to build on her brow. When she saw him suddenly appear out of thin air, Nobunaga clenched her teeth in mild annoyance as she cursed, "Are you trying to make the baby plop out right here!?" Since she had been startled by Vahn's sudden appearance, these words were the first thing that left her lips, despite feeling greatly relieved by his presence.Without minding Nobunaga's harsh tongue, Vahn used his Telekinesis to elevate her body, easing a bit of the pressure she had been experiencing. Then, this time using Alaya's help, he teleported her directly to the delivery room after telling Kenshin and the four Homunculi to inform the rest of the castle. Though some were already making their way over, such as Medusa, Circe, and Gareth, courtesy of Fenrir explaining them to the situation, it was best to inform the others so they weren't left out of the loop.After reaching the delivery room, Vahn helped Nobunaga get comfortable on the bed before asking in a serious tone, "Do you want to give a natural or assisted birth? A natural birth is going to be painful so you'll have to stay focused to avoid injuring yourself and the surroundings. I can make most of the pain go away if you want, making the delivery much easier for you and the our son."Though Nobunaga's gaze had become somewhat venomous when she first heard Vahn's words, she had calmed down after listening to the latter half. She didn't want to be seen as someone so weak they can't even tolerate the same pain as countless women before her. However, when she heard Vahn mention it would be easier for the baby, Nobunaga immediately swallowed her pride as she said, "I don't care what happens to me...you have to make sure our baby is safe. Even if it will hurt my pride a little, I'll do whatever it takes to guarantee there aren't any complications..."Hearing Nobunaga's response, Vahn's smile became especially affectionate as he bent down and gave her a gentle kiss before saying, "You're already an amazing mother...don't worry, just leave it to me. I'll leave just enough pain for the hormones in your body to trigger properly. It helps make the process go-"Before Vahn could explain any further, Nobunaga rolled her eyes at him and said, "I don't need a lecture. I already said I trust you, so get on with it." However, despite her words, Nobunaga had a happy curl to her lips that couldn't escape his notice. Vahn, of course, didn't tease her and, as she instructed, he began making the final preparations before examining Nobunaga's body to track the progression of her contractions.By the time a few minutes had passed, the delivery room was practically filled with people while, outside in the corridor, several tens had gathered to patiently await the news. All those who were inside the room were given permission to be there by Nobunaga herself and, though Vahn felt it wasn't really something to be witnessed by children, this had included Mordred and Sakura. The latter was already studying healing magecraft and alchemy during the evenings so, while her face was more than a little pale, she put on a strong front as Vahn explained the procedure in a calm and soothing tone.With his [Hands of Nirvana] and Nobunaga's cooperation, the entire delivery only took only five hours before the head began to crown. This was the point when Sakura became the palest and, if not for him sending calming energy into her mind through his domain, Vahn imagined she would have passed out. Even he had been more than a little shaken during his first delivery so he didn't judge her in the slightest as, compared to most, she was handling it quite well. This included the usually brave Mordred who, after watching with intrigue during the first stages of labor, quickly moved to the side after things began to develop in a 'frightening' direction. Now, she was seated in Artoria's lap as the latter gently stroked her hair while hugging the pale girl from behind...Fortunately, most of the matured women in the room had very supportive and calm demeanors while a team of Homunculi, consisting of three girls named Serena, Aliza, and Oriana, served as his attending nurses. They all had the experience required to assist in deliveries as part of their shared memories so, being the first to show up, they naturally accepted the responsibilities of an attending after asking for Vahn's permission.Thus, without any accidents, Vahn skillfully guided his son into the world while Nobunaga did her best to remain calm and focused throughout the procedure. Even with most of the pain mitigated by Vahn, childbirth was never an easy process and, even with a superhuman physique, Nobunaga felt an extreme level of fatigue as sweat covered her entire body. When the pressure was finally relieved, she exhaled a deep and profound sigh but, after hearing the subsequent cries of her son, she immediately regained focus and instinctually said, "Bring me my baby...bring him to me."Kenshin helped Nobunaga remain calm as Vahn handed Kamiya over to Aliza so she could wash his body. After that, he carried the small bundle of life to Nobunaga's side who, with eyes sharper than a hawk's, followed his movements despite tears obscuring her vision. When he handed the wrapped bundle over to her, Nobunaga made no effort to stymy her tears as she held her son for the first time, smiling radiantly as she said, "My precious child...my darling Kamiya..."With Kenshin's words, the atmosphere in the room lost much of its tension and, though the actual temperature hadn't changed, it suddenly felt very warm as everyone simultaneously smiled. Even Sakura, who had to be carried off to the side by Serena, had calmed down considerably now that the ordeal was over. She now had a small smile on her face as she looked toward the new mother-son duo and, much like everyone else in the room, an overwhelming sense of awe had settled in her mind, almost as if she had just witnessed a miracle.For several minutes after the fact, everyone just enjoyed the warm atmosphere together before Vahn politely asked the majority of the crowd to return and share the good news. Nobunaga also needed to feed Kamiya before they both enjoyed a much-needed rest.Since the ordeal had affected Mordred and Sakura quite a bit, they were both exhausted but, before leaving, they took turns looking at their new younger brother. Mordred seemed especially taken by the fact she had another sibling but, despite pleading a few times, Nobunaga refused to let her hold Kamiya, at least for the time being. She did, however, promise to let Mordred hold him later so, after being pulled along by Gray, the golden-haired tomboy eventually returned to her bedroom to sleep. Sakura was also pulled along and, with their departure, most everyone else began to file out as well.In the end, the only people left in the delivery room were Nobunaga, Kamiya, Vahn, Artoria, and the trio of Homunculi who, without being asked, volunteered to help look after and raise the new Prince. It was easy to see that the three had imprinted on the newborn after assisting in the birth so, while they lost out to Nobunaga and Vahn by a considerable amount, noticeable affection had tinged their ruby-red eyes.After waiting for Nobunaga to begin breastfeeding their child, Vahn calmly whispered, "I'm going to summon Kamiya's Guardian now..." before pulling out a small orb and activating it. Around the same time that the Quest Board had been established, he discussed the existence of Guardians and the Unique item that often accompanied the birth of his children. Though this had caused Rin to express a few concerns about Sakura, who lacked a Guardian, Merlin had readily offered up a solution. He was familiar with the method of contracting Daemons and Spirits using an ancient form of [Conjuration] Magecraft so, when they were ready, it would only take Sakura and Mordred dripping their blood into the magic circle to form a life-long contract with a 'Guardian' of their own. If they were 'lucky', there was a chance they could even form a pact with a Greater Divine Spirit, greatly increasing their strength in the process.Since Vahn's solution had been to escort the two into the Spirit Tomb to capture and name a monster of their choice, he was grateful for Merlin's solution. It allowed them to avoid raising any alarms in Sakura's mind about why she didn't have a Guardian, albeit at the cost of making Vahn seem like a bad father. After all, Sakura didn't have any memories of him for the first seven years of her life so, when it ultimately came down to it, the answer to most of her questions would be that he had been too busy to take care of her when she was younger...Shortly after activating the onyx-colored orb, an infinitely complex magic circle, which caught the attention of Alaya and, from his perch in his Magus Tower, Merlin. Neither could make sense of the complex sequence of geometric shapes and runes, despite Alaya being able to slow time to the point it had stopped. The formation actively blocked attempts to decipher its structure and, the longer she observed it, the more confused her own mind became. Eventually, a small trickle of dark-blue blood began to flow from her nose but it went largely unnoticed due to everyone's focus on the 'creature' produced by the complex formation.There didn't seem to be any limits to what shape or form the Guardians could take so, despite the mild shock on everyone else's face, Vahn had a casual smile on his face as he identified Kamiya's Guardian as a 'Four-Armed Adamantine Ape'. It looked like a baby monkey that was covered in a thin layer of onyx-black and pure white downy fur. Also, as its name suggested, the tiny creature had four arms rather than the usual two, giving it a very distinct appearance.When she saw the tiny figure nestled in her lap, Nobunaga couldn't help but ask in an incredulous tone, "Our son's Guardian...is a monkey?" As these words left her lips, Nobunaga gave Vahn an accusing stare that seemed to say, 'you had better not be joking around'. In response to this, Vahn began explaining the identity of the tiny black ape while detailing the growth and evolutionary potential of all Guardians. When she learned that the infant-sized monkey could grow upwards of 15m in height, with the potential to evolve even further, Nobunaga finally stopped glaring at him and resumed her smiling, albeit tired, expression.Before leaving to give Nobunaga the chance to rest, Vahn also brought out the Unique item that had accompanied his completion of the [A Man's Responsibility] Quest. This took on the form of a long Tanegashima-style rifle, much like those used by Nobunaga. Unlike her's, however, this one was almost entirely black in color with the only exception being the firing hammer, trigger, and a dragon-like pattern that ran the length of the barrel.It was likely due to the fact that Nobunaga was originally a Heroic Spirit but, rather than the usual Unique items produced by the Quest, this Tanegashima-style rifle, named [Kokuryū], qualified as a variable Noble Phantasm. It was only E-Rank at the moment but, according to the description, it had the potential of reaching B+ Rank in the future, even without any upgrades. This brought a somewhat scary smile to Nobunaga's face as, knowing her son would use a similar weapon, she was looking forward to teaching him marksmanship in the future.---After leaving Nobunaga in the care of her new Handmaidens, Vahn walked back to his room with Artoria, Gray, and Gareth. He was in an exceptional mood and, though they were free to take any action they desired, he had sent a decree circulating through the castle that today would be one of celebration and relaxation. There was even a banquet scheduled in the evening and, though he had promised to visit them at the end of the month, Vahn asked Merlin to extend an invitation to each of the Fae tribes occupying Avalon.Since there was nearly five day's worth of time before the banquet actually began, Vahn decided to spend the rest of the day alongside the people he cared about. He didn't feel like training or exerting himself at all and, though he would normally retire to his room alongside Artoria and Gray, he even invited Gareth inside so they could all just watch some of his memories together. She, quite enthusiastically, accepted the offer so, for the better part of five hours, they all just sat together on a comfortable sofa as Vahn relived some of his most cherished memories together.For the rest of the day, at least when he wasn't checking on Nobunaga and spending time with his newborn son, Vahn spent the remainder of his time in a similar manner. He would travel around the castle to spend time with everyone and, for a few hours, they would all watch his memories as, now more than ever, Vahn wanted to share these things with them. This even included Siegfried, Alex, Mash, Zoë, Juliet, and Astrid. Later, after the banquet which had been attended by several thousand Homunculi and Fae, Vahn even spent some time alongside Heracles, Galahad, and Gawain, not wanting to exclude anyone from the happiness he was feeling.When the day was finally wrapping up, Vahn retired to Rin's room, accompanied by Mordred and Sakura since he just wanted to spend time with them. As for why he chose Rin's room over any other, it was due to the fact that she was almost 'painfully' pregnant at this point, courtesy of the three full-sized infants waiting to be born any day now. He also knew that Mordred and Sakura had been heavily affected by the delivery, despite it being more than six days since they had witnessed the miracle of childbirth. Thus, in order to assuage their concerns, especially Sakura's, Vahn decided that Rin, Ishtar, and Ereshkigal were the best choice to wrap up the day.That night, Vahn fell asleep with a happy smile on his face, curled up next to one of the women he loved while, snuggled at his side, Mordred and Sakura had happy smiles on their faces as they hugged each other in their respective animal pajamas...(A/N: I know some people have been concerned about releases. This is largely due to the Holiday season so don't let it trouble you too much. Thanksgiving had completely slipped my mind so, with all the family issues I've been having lately, my focus has been elsewhere over the last few days. I'm still writing chapters of EPIC and Babel when I can so look forward to the releases, even if they are a bit slower than usual. Take care of yourselves, and happy holidays.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

As time continued its eternal march forward, Vahn found himself in a great mood. Though Scáthach never let up during their training, the rest of his time within the Projection had put a perpetual smile on Vahn's face.Vahn would check up on Nobunaga and Kamiya several times throughout the day, often to find that many of the castle's residents were doing the same. This included most of the pregnant women, the majority of which were all expecting their own deliveries within the next two weeks. Because of their own excitement, they spent a lot of time interacting with Kamiya and just idling around Nobunaga's room when they had nothing else going on.It wasn't just his newborn son that Vahn spent time with during these moments as, due to their own intrigue towards their younger sibling, Mordred and Sakura spent much of their free time visiting the room to play with Kamiya. Since Mordred already had a close relationship with Nobunaga before, it wasn't too much of a surprise that she was quite taken with the young Kamiya. This was the same for Sakura but, rather than pestering Nobunaga and trying to monopolize her younger brother's time, she just enjoyed checking up on him before returning to her training and studies.Sakura was even more determined than ever before to become someone strong enough to protect herself and the people she cared about. At the same time, she had also asked if she could apprentice under Vivian who, on top of her other capabilities, specializing in healing and purification. Though her first choices would have been Vahn, Merlin, and Scáthach, she was afraid the former wouldn't be able to make time for her. As for Merlin and Scáthach, Sakura felt the former was very weird while the latter wasn't someone she was allowed to train with until she reached adulthood.When Vahn had first heard Sakura's request, and the reasons behind her decision, he had felt more than a little guilty. He didn't feel like he ignored Sakura but, perhaps due to the first seven years of her life, she had developed a fear of doing anything that might trouble him. Since Vahn hadn't even been in the Nasuverse at the time, it made him feel strangely bitter to bear this label. However, as he had already decided it was a burden he would bear willingly, especially after fundamentally changing Sakura's life, he promised to do better to alleviate her worries.Though Vahn did take Sakura to discuss her apprenticeship with Vivian, he also made time in both of their schedules to train and teach her himself. He even extended the time by allocating a full hour to research and relaxation using the Space-Time Orb. This made the short four-hour time slot equate to nearly 23 hours, greatly increasing the amount of time they got to spend together.When Sakura learned of the arrangement, she had been more than a little surprised and, while she was very happy, these emotions were accompanied by a fair amount of guilt. Early on, she had even tried to talk him out of the arrangement, mentioning she didn't want to trouble him and increase his already substantial burden. When Vahn heard this, he obviously refused, stating, "First and foremost, I am your father. I would not care about being an Emperor if not for my desire to make the world a better place for my own children. One of my greatest regrets is not being there for you, Sakura...let me be the father you needed, even if I'm a little late..."After a very long heart-to-heart conversation, Sakura ultimately relented, albeit after crying for a very substantial amount of time. Then, to punctuate his statement further, Vahn took Sakura and Mordred to the conjuration circle Merlin had prepared, summoning 'Guardians' for the both of them. As could be expected, Mordred was very excited for the opportunity, declaring something along the lines of, 'I'm going to summon a Dragon as my Guardian!'. As for Sakura, she had become somewhat bashful after their long discussion, electing to let Mordred go first while she stood at the side holding Vahn's hand.Contrary to her expectations, Mordred ended up contracting a massive white lion whose fur had a slightly translucent quality. It also had sky-blue eyes that possessed the light of intelligence while, at the end of its tail, a wispy blue flame danced about. According to Merlin, and confirmed by Alaya, this lion was a Divine Spirit known as Menhit's Kin, owing to their relationship to an Egyptian War Deity named Menhit, 'she who slaughters'. It was an enormous lioness that, at a glance, weighed more than a thousand kilograms and stood three meters tall with a body close to 4.5m in length.Though Mordred was a little frustrated after failing to summon a Dragon, she calmed down quite a bit after the identity of the lioness was revealed. Since it was also a symbol of courage, while being much fluffier than a Dragon, Mordred eventually threw her arms around her new Guardian before rubbing her face against its soft white fur with a happy smile. As for the lioness itself, she released a very human-like sigh but, rather than do anything to stop Mordred's actions, it just laid down and allowed its new Master to do as she pleased.After Mordred, Sakura was the next to make use of the ancient conjuration circle. She began to get nervous but, after training as a Knight for nearly a year at this point, Sakura overcame her inhibitions without much difficulty. Even when she cut a line across her palm, she didn't even flinch as the blood began dripping onto the inert magical circle. Then, after a brilliant display of light and amalgamating mana, what appeared to be a small deer came into existence. Unlike a normal deer, however, it had pale-blue fur, a white underbelly, and large, falcon-like wings. It also had tailfeathers and, while the front hooves were relatively normal, the back legs came to an end in falcon-like talons.Without being asked, Merlin had a slightly surprised expression on his face as he explained, "This is quite the rare sight...my, my, I never thought our dear Princess would contract a Peryton, much less one from the primary Luna tribe..." Then, to clarify further, Merlin explained that Sakura's Guardian was a Greater Divine Spirit that could fly freely through all mediums, be it water, air, or even the vacuum of space. It could also move through all boundaries, meaning there were very little places it couldn't roam, so long as it never took the life of a human.Following Merlin's finger, everyone could see that, rather than the expected shadow, the Peryton had what appeared to be a human child's shadow. This showed that it was both 'pure' and, though it was already obvious from its fawn-like features, still immature. He mentioned that it was a very rare Spirit and, though it had almost no combat potential, its presence alone could cause a desolate mountain range to be covered in trees and plants within a few years' time. It was also swifter than a Pegasus in a contest of speed, so he lavished Sakura with praise for managing to contract one.Sakura was the type who didn't accept compliments easily so she was considerably embarrassed by Merlin's heavy praise. Fortunately, her Guardian already seemed attuned to her as it came to stand between her and Merlin before nuzzling against her in an affectionate manner so she would calm down. This instantly brought the smile back to Sakura's face and, after stroking the fawn's neck, she quickly learned it was extremely soft. Though it was also a bit cool to the touch, it was a comfortable temperature that would be very pleasant during the Spring and Summer seasons...With the ritual completed, Vahn took Mordred and Sakura out to play with their new Guardians. Due to its size, Mordred could easily ride on the back of her lioness, albeit with some difficulty due to the lack of a harness and saddle. As for Sakura's Guardian, it was only 120cm tall, making it far too small to ride. It had a lot of growing left to due, despite the fact it was already more than three hundred years old. Fortunately, much like a Dryad, it would mature based on the energy and sustenance it was provided. Since Sakura had an almost overwhelming amount of Od, now reaching over 90,000, she had more than enough to spare.The best part about contracting a spirit was the fact that, much like an actual Guardian, they could adopt a spirit form and rest within the bodies of their contracted Master. They would also become more attuned to each other over time, allowing the Master to grow much stronger while the Spirit, unable to evolve and grow through normal means, had the opportunity to reach greater heights. It was this reason that led Spirits to accept contracts in the first place as, while contracted, they were able to grow much faster than normal. They also couldn't die so long as their contract was active and, even if their Master ultimately passed away, they simply got to return to the Reverse Side of the World, much stronger than before.The only major downside for the Spirits, other than having to follow the whims of a human, was that they could easily become corrupted if their Master was a wicked individual. It was for this reason that most Magi were unable to summon powerful Spirits as, while conducting the summoning ritual, their nature was exposed for all prospective summons to view. As a result, the success rate of summoning anything more than a Lesser Elemental Spirit was slim, at best.Because of this, Magi had come up with temporary contracts to 'borrow' the power of Spirits, a far cry from the permanant contract established using Merlin's method. They also contracted Daemons who, despite having a name close to Demons, were fundamentally different existences. Their nature was not evil but, as wish-granting entities, the way their power was manifested often had disastrous consequences for the enemies of their contractors. This, however, wasn't really unique to Daemons as, with the errant nature of most Magi, even a Greater Elemental Spirit of Light could be corrupted by extended exposure to humanity.Fortunately, Mordred and Sakura seemed to be evaluated highly by their respective Guardians who, despite knowing both girls could potentially live forever, still accepted the contract. Vahn suspected this was either due to the machinations of Merlin but, as it was a good thing for both girls, he didn't press the matter. In fact, he was almost tempted to make a contract of his own after petting the soft downy fur of Sakura's Peryton and the thick, plush, fur of Mordred's lioness. They also seemed quite fond of his petting but, before things developed too far, Fenrir actually made a surprise appearance, immediately nipping Vahn's wayward urge in the bud.---In the midst of Vahn's busy, albeit incredibly fulfilling, schedule, Alaya eventually informed him that, a little ahead of schedule, the trio of Rin/Ereshkigal/Ishtar had gone into labor. This had taken place only nine days after Nobunaga's delivery so the castle was quickly abuzz with excitement, building upon the yet-to-fade excitement from before. Even Nobunaga herself showed up to join everyone waiting outside the delivery room while, once again, Vahn had a small crowd while Sakura, paler than before, assisted him.Rather than just one of them experiencing the delivery, Rin, Ereshkigal, and Ishtar were all sharing their body at the same time. Though Ishtar had 'retreated' a few times when things got especially painful, she would ultimately return a few seconds later with renewed conviction. As for Rin and Ereshkigal, they tolerated the complicated delivery from start to finish, suffering an extreme amount of exhaustion in the process. After all, birthing three children wasn't easy, even with Vahn making the process a lot smoother than it otherwise would have been.Vahn had been exceptionally proud of the son Nobunaga had produced, even if he looked a little bit like a potato with thin black hair and ruby-red eyes. When the trio gave birth to their first daughter, however, Vahn, as well as everyone else bearing witness to the event, was quite surprised. The infant had a full head of short, dark-brown hair, while their features were akin to a perfectly carved doll. As for why everyone was surprised, however, it was due to the fact that, immediately after being born, the little girl opened her eyes, revealing maroon-red pupils that glimmered with intelligence. At the same time, a powerful aura began to permeate through the room, causing those of lesser Soul Tiers to feel a suppressive force.Though they were still in intense pain, the trio on the delivery table looked at the newborn Vanir with loving eyes as a voice that sounded more like Isthar's than the other two stated, "My Isanna..." in a whimpering tone. This actually seemed to reach the newborn Vanir's ears, causing her to giggle like a bell as Vahn handed her over to a waiting Homunculus for cleaning. After this, the trio was allowed to hold the young Isanna for a few moments before, as if to remind them they were still waiting, a very powerful and painful contraction ran through the three's body.A few minutes after Isanna's birth, a crowning head filled with golden hair made itself known before, moments later, another little girl managed to extricate herself from her mother's womb. She had the exact same features as Isanna, albeit with golden-blond hair and, much to Vahn's surprise, a pair of pristine blue eyes. Like her older sister, an aura of Divinity seemed to spread through the area but, rather than a suppressive force, it was extremely gentle and warm.As if sensing her little sister's presence, Isanna began to make a few sounds and, despite only being a few minutes old, she could already move her arms and legs enthusiastically. This caused everyone in the room to chuckle while, laying on the delivery table, the trio had a significant stream of tears pouring down their face as Ereshkigal's voice stated, "Please...let me hold her...please...my Naavi..."Since it seemed cruel to keep Ereshkigal from her daughter, the attending nurse dutifully cleaned the newborn Vanir before quickly yet carefully handing her over. This caused Ereshkigal to cry even more as she locked eyes with her daughter, whimpering, "Thank you...thank you..." over and over. Much to everyone's surprise, the newborn Naavi placed her tiny hand on the trio's cheek before making a few baby noises, almost as if she were trying to actively calm her mother.Fortunately, the remaining child seemed to be far more patient than his elder sisters so Ereshkigal was able to hold her daughter for an extended period of time. It took the combined efforts of Rin and Ishtar to calm her down before she was willing to part with the golden-haired Naavi. Then, after the latter was placed into the same bedding as Isanna, they immediately turned to face each other before giggling. It was obvious both were cognizant of their surroundings and, though they might not be able to understand everything that was going on, they were aware of themselves and each other.While half the room was doting over the twins, Vahn was dutifully trying to coax out his son while the trio did their best to force him out. He seemed less willing than his sisters but, after a concerted effort over the course of a twenty-minute period, the tiny bundle of life was pulled kicking and screaming from the familiar warmth. Unlike Isanna and Naavi, he immediately began crying loudly, making it apparent he was a very healthy young boy. Since he wasn't a Vanir, he didn't share the same unnervingly beautiful features of his siblings but, after opening his slightly swollen eyes, Vahn got to see quite a surprising sight.It was impossible to know what color hair his new son would have, as he only had very light downy hairs present at the moment, but his eyes were a heterochromatic combination of maroon-red and pristine blue. Though it wasn't nearly as obvious as the two before him, there was a glimmer of intelligence contained within those eyes that caused Vahn's smile to widen before he handed the screaming infant over to the nurse for his first bath. Then, Vahn continued tending to the trio as, after gathering Isanna and Naavi from their bedding, Rin, Ishtar, and Ereshkigal held their newborn children together for the first time.While Vahn was dealing with the messy aftermath, he heard Rin lovingly call their son, "Daiki..." in a subdued tone. It roughly translated to 'Great Tree' and 'Noble Protector', so he wasn't too surprised by the choice. After all, Sakura was named after 'Cherry Blossoms' and 'Good Fortune', so it was a fitting name considering they were siblings. Though it didn't quite match up with Isanna and Naavi, that was primarily just a difference in origin between Rin and the two Goddesses.After finishing up his duties, Vahn made sure to properly wash and sanitize his hands with magic before joining the group surrounding the trio of new mothers. They had cleared a spot for him so he could stand next to the extremely fatigued girls who, seeing his arrival, smiled lovingly at him while muttering, "Thank you..." This caused Vahn's smile to soften and, though he did his best to hold it back, there was a visible moisture building in his eyes. Then, his voice cracking, Vahn stroked the girls' hair gently as he echoed, "Thank you..." before blinking away a few tears...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fight on, Sakura...!','Poor Daiki was born last...','Simple words sometimes carry the most weight...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With Nobunaga due any day now, Vahn found himself idling in her room with increasing frequency. He didn't particularly mind her teasing but, now that the day was approaching, Nobunaga began to mellow out a bit and just let him pamper her obediently.Currently, Vahn was helping her bathe by wiping down her body with a sponge before lathering up her extremely long hair and helping to rinse. She, like many of the other pregnant women, had a slight phobia regarding accidentally slipping in the bath so the entire floor had been coated with a porous rubbery material, courtesy of Da Vinci.More often than not, Kenshin or Mordred would be the one to help Nobunaga bathe but, when he had the time to spare, Vahn would dutifully offer his services. He enjoyed the intimacy and, though she might not admit it openly, it was obvious that Nobunaga felt the same way. She would entrust herself to him completely, allowing him to treat her like a delicate princess rather than the powerful woman she presented herself as.While laying back and allowing Vahn to run a gentle stream of water through her hair, Nobunaga had lazy eyes as she looked toward nothing in particular, saying, "I was thinking about naming our son Kamiya..."Since this wasn't the first time Nobunaga had brought up the name of their child, Vahn wasn't too surprised. Instead, he just smiled before musing, "That sounds like a wonderful name...it is a bit on the nose though, don't you think...?"Hearing Vahn's retort, Nobunaga began to laugh mischievously as her crimson-red eyes came into focus on his face. Though the name could mean many things, depending on the origin, Nobunaga intended it to be a play on the fact that Vahn was, even without Divinity, a God. Since Kaminya could translate to 'Son of God', 'God's Angel', and 'Bearer of God's Will', she felt it would be fitting. In the past, she had thought about using the traditional naming convention but, finding a name that went with the surname 'Mason' produced some rather strange results.With a smile spreading across her face, Nobunaga asked, "Did you prefer Kamihide...or perhaps Kamishiro...? We could also name him Jōshin or Shintaro...hmmm~?"Nobunaga was determined to include a Kanji related to God in their son's name, both due to the nature of Vahn's existence and the fact his name translated to 'God is Gracious'. Since she followed the tradition that children should be named after their father, Nobunaga wouldn't relent on it. Even she and her siblings had all been named a variation of 'Nobu', such as Nobuhiro, Nobuyuki, and Kobukane, so she was compelled to carry on the tradition.Knowing it was impossible to change her mind, Vahn just stole a kiss from Nobunaga's lips before commenting, "I think Kamiya is fine...the name Kamiya Mason flows smoothly when spoken aloud..."Though she tried to playfully bite him as he retreated, Nobunaga wasn't upset that Vahn had taken liberties with her. Instead, she followed up by licking her lips and turning her eyes up at him in a way he had grown accustomed to. Since he knew what she wanted, Vahn obediently leaned down to kiss her, this time taking things a little further...---By the time Vahn left Nobunaga, his body temperature had risen and, though it was manageable, his tensions had increased considerably. Despite Nobunaga being in her stable period, she, like many of the other pregnant women, had banned sex. This gave her the confidence to tease him as much as she wanted and, though he knew it would cause him quite a bit of frustration, Vahn dutifully played along. After all, it was only a matter of time before he collected upon the debt she had been building over the last eight and a half months...After stepping out of the room, Vahn took a deep breath to calm himself before giving a nod toward Gareth and saying, "Let's go." She immediately gave a cheerful salute before falling in step, the same characteristic smile on her face as usual. If you looked closely, however, it was possible to see a light flush on Gareth's face, accompanying her usual blush. Vahn was aware of this but he didn't comment on it since this was usually how she acted before their training began.Unlike when they first started out, Vahn now took Gareth to his personal Training Orb as, in the past, a few small incidents had occurred. This included groups of Homunculi gathering and, after their sessions became common, Mordred had started to pester him quite a bit. He didn't mind helping out in their training, of course, but it was very awkward to have an audience when he was tempering Gareth's Magic Circuits and helping improve the quality of her Od.Ever since the first incident, Mordred would ask him to help temper her own Magic Circuits. This led to Sakura also making a similar request so, fearing Mash and others would shortly follow suit, Vahn had moved Gareth's training to his private Orb. Though this had led to 'other' complications, he was able to avoid distractions and focus on Gareth's progress. Since Scáthach would also appear to give advice, or simply observe, it ended up being the best solution before things developed into a bigger issue.The only real downside, if it could even be called that, was that Gareth had grown increasingly bold as time passed. Though it might be more accurate to say she had become less inhibited, it was very obvious she wanted something 'more' in this relationship. Curiously, this didn't have anything to do with sex, at least for the time being. Instead, Gareth just wanted to experience general skinship and be praised when she did well, almost as if she didn't fully understand what lay beyond the path she was walking down...Though he would normally avoid letting his thoughts wander, Vahn was in an 'open-minded' state due to Nobunaga's teasing so it was harder than normal. Gareth also seemed to be perceptive to the fact he was paying more attention to her as, rather than keep her usual distance, she would always linger a bit closer to him during such situations. Then, once they reached the Training Orb, she didn't waste much time before shimmying out of her clothes and folding them up neatly before presenting them to him for storage.After parting with her clothing, Gareth was left wearing nothing but her [Aegis X], taking on a form similar to a skin-tight sport's bra and spats. This made her athletic figure very apparent, though not as much as her shapely breasts, toned butt, and plump thighs. Though they weren't that noticeable in her normal attire, the result of Gareth wearing boyish clothing and acting in an innocent nature, it was undeniable that she was a woman when viewed like this.Showing no apprehension whatsoever, only trust, Gareth had a radiant smile on her face as she sat down on the ground and began to hum an upbeat, cheerful, tune. Vahn took his usual seat behind her and, for the best part of two hours, he silently channeled a gentle flow of Source Energy into her body. This would cause her skin to flush a considerable amount and, by the time a few minutes had passed, Gareth would also fall silent as she began to focus on the energy. It was a very comfortable sensation and, if she focused hard enough, it was possible to discern where her Master was sending the energy.Gareth had made a habit of trying to follow the flow of energy, both as a result of Vahn's guidance and her own curiosity. When it would flow around specific areas, she would feel a tingling sensation that caused her face and body to heat up so she had become quite fond of the process. Though this would also make her feel strangely frustrated, it made their following training more productive since she would do her best to sooth the peculiar urges emerging within her body. She was a little worried that the urges were becoming too strong but, as her own strength was rapidly increasing, Gareth felt this was perfectly natural.Unaware of the peculiar way in which Gareth interpreted the tempering process, Vahn brought the procedure to an end once the interior of her body was suffused with a slight rainbow hue. He knew she was also more than a little 'excited' but this could always be dealt with by moving her body and exerting herself during training. Since he had the same thing in mind for treating his own symptoms, Vahn lightly tapped her back to break Gareth from her reverie as he said, "It's time for training. Your body is already warmed up but you should stretch a bit before we go."Without wasting any time, Gareth immediately sprung to her feet, leaving an imprint of moisture on the smooth stone that took on the shape of her butt. Though it was nearly invisible against the white stone, Vahn's perception betrayed him at times like this. Fortunately, Gareth didn't seem to notice his eyes squinting slightly as she began to stretch her body for a bit before lining up next to him. Once she was ready, the two began using [Shundo], aiming for a marker that was precisely 100km from their starting point.Vahn could easily reach the marker in a few quick steps but, with her own [Shundo] being E-Rank, Gareth struggled to cover more than a kilometer's distance at a time. Her reserves and control were also lacking so one of her primary challenges, at least during this part of her training, was to reach the marker in less than one-hundred steps. This required her to push beyond her limits and, for the last few weeks, Gareth had been unable to reach the goal, despite her best efforts.While Gareth was executing her [Shundo], Vahn perfectly matched her pace by sensing where she made her anchor points and creating his own next to them. This encouraged Gareth to try her best as, from start to finish, he would be observing her progress and form. Once she was finished, Vahn would give her an evaluation based on her performance and, as long as she tried her hardest, Gareth knew she would be rewarded for her efforts. It was with this assurance in mind that she would push herself far beyond her limits, sometimes tearing tendons and breaking bones in the process.Though he had tried to curb her over-eager nature in the past, Vahn quickly realized the only way to do so was to stop giving her the rewards she wanted. He had tried to supplement this by providing her with food and other kinds of rewards but, as if she was a puppy abandoned by its owner, Gareth had been in a borderline depressive state during the three days he had used these methods. She had even gone to Fenrir for advice, asking if she had done something wrong that upset him, rather than coming to him to discuss the matter.After this incident, Vahn got a short lecture from Fenrir about not bullying people that were trying their hardest, leaving Vahn at a loss before he ultimately relented. He should have known better than to treat Gareth in such a way, especially with her bestial traits. She was much like a Chienthrope so, after he had pet her the first time, it was too late to rely on other forms of praise. In her mind, there was only 'more' petting at stake and, though she certainly appreciated other things, it was like giving a bundt cake to someone whose favorite dessert was cheesecake.Vahn knew he had the option of putting his foot down and properly discipline her but, seeing how hard Gareth worked, he didn't really have the heart to. Even now, she had a fiery conviction in her eyes and, despite stumbling after executing her 83rd [Shundo], Gareth instantly climbed to her feet. He could see that the muscles in her legs and thighs were straining themselves to the limit but, as if the pain only fueled her onward, Gareth squared up her feet before executing another [Shundo]. She didn't even hesitate for a single moment to push her body even further, causing Vahn to feel pain on her behalf...By the time Gareth executed her 90th [Shundo], there were still more than 20km left to the marker, a giant pillar of red stone, in the distance. Her legs were so sore that they had started to swell and turn a reddish-purple color. At the same time, her body was covered in a dense layer of sweat, giving her slightly tanned skin a glossy sheen which periodically cascaded, pooling at her chin and nose before dripping to the ground below. Despite this, she managed to stay upright and, after gritting her teeth, Gareth executed her 91st [Shundo], pushing her focus and body even further beyond her limits.This time around, Vahn finished his [Shundo] before Gareth so, by the time she reached her anchor point, he was able to catch her in his arms. He noticed the adductor muscles of her left thigh tense beyond their limits, causing them to strain and tear. This could only end with Gareth tumbling to the ground and, regardless of her will to continue, even standing would be impossible for her until the injury could be treated.Without minding the location of her injury, Vahn placed his palm on the interior of Gareth's left thigh and began to send a warm stream of energy into the area to mend the torn muscles. This caused her to release a hot and relieved sigh, clearly discernible despite the fact she was breathing heavily. Vahn slightly rolled his eyes when he heard this before lightly patting Gareth's head and saying, "You did well, Gareth...now breathe..." Though he wanted to comment on her form, as she was putting too much stress on her legs, this was something that could be addressed later.Though she was in too much pain to form any words, Gareth managed a pained smile while focusing on her breathing. It was a lot harder than normal to regulate as, despite having her head pat, Gareth was more focused on the startlingly hot palm near her inner thigh. Still, she obediently listened to his words and did her best to resist the urge to close and rub her thighs together. This was made easier by focusing on the petting but, unlike how they would normally just perk up a bit, Gareth's dog-like ears had a very distinct 'twitch' to them.To counteract Gareth's excitement, Vahn sent a flow of calming energy into her mind before pulling away his left hand once she had been healed enough to stand. He didn't miss the fact her eyes had followed his hand when he removed it but, rather than take advantage of the situation, Vahn helped her stand before they jogged the rest of the way to the marker. This was to give them both time to calm down as, with the replenishment of her reserves, Gareth's injuries would quickly heal while her stamina gradually recovered.Due to her distracted state of mind, Gareth nearly bumped into Vahn's back when he came to a stop but, with her quick reflexes, she managed to perform an impromptu spin to evade him. This caused him to raise his brow at her, earning an embarrassed laugh from Gareth as she rubbed the back of her head and said, "I'm sorry, Master...I got a little distracted...ehehehe~." Then, seeing the deadpan look on his face, Gareth quickly became more serious, albeit after slapping her cheeks twice to calm down.Though it looked like a red pillar from the distance, the true form of the marker was a massive spear that was more than 10m wide and 70m tall, above ground. The rest of the spear had penetrated into the ground, forming a crater that wouldn't lose out to the destruction caused by Karna. It had come into existence during one of his spars with Scáthach and, though she could have dissipated it easily, Vahn had asked her to leave it due to its impressive size and the suppressive force it created in the surroundings.Around the vicinity of the spear, it was almost impossible to channel mana and, if a Magus were to stay near it for a long period of time, they would eventually lose consciousness if their control was lacking. This made it an ideal place for physical training as, with the density of the space being close to five times the normal amount, even breathing was a laborious task.Since Gareth's Strength and Endurance could also be improved upon, Vahn guided her through the same training regimen that Tsubaki and Jeanne had developed for the Valkyries back in Danmachi. It was designed to universally strengthen the body without breaking its balance. This was necessary for someone like Gareth as, while her foundation wasn't exactly weak, she relied too much on her speed and equipment. Without proper armaments, she experienced a significant reduction in her combat capabilities so, as his Page, Vahn was determined to free her from this reliance.For the better part of four hours, Vahn guided Gareth through a slow and arduous routine of posing her body in specific forms. Tsubaki referred to these poses as the 'Observations', forms that emulate nature. Since there were very few named martial arts in Danmachi, the only thing that mattered was refining an evolving style that allowed your body to adapt to any situation. This required you to have a perfect balance between form, flexibility, and speed. When these three things were combined, you would be able to muster an explosive strength that, when harnessed properly, was comparable to a [Mana Burst].Gareth had trouble matching these forms at first as, despite being female, she had been lacking in flexibility. Though her legs had been 'very' flexible, as they seemed to be the most developed part of her body, this had caused a significant imbalance in her core and upper body strength. Now, after a few months of hard training, she was able to copy most of the forms he taught her after putting in an extreme amount of effort. This wasn't simply due to her hard-working nature, however, as Gareth had been genuinely shocked to learn that she was less flexible than him.Now, even when Vahn twisted his body passed ninety degrees and bent back like a bow, Gareth was able to emulate his form, albeit with significant strain. She had yet to adapt to the increased pressure so, even more so than when she had been using [Shundo] earlier, her body was completely covered in sweat. Every time they changed forms, she would send small beads of sweat outward which, due to the increased density of Space within the area, appeared to move in slow motion. This created a peculiar and rather inspiring sight but, other than giving her advice and complimenting her form, Vahn did his best not to be distracted as he focused on his own form...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's a boi (OoO)!?','No bulli...!','Fight on, Gareth-chan~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1240: Miracle