Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After waiting for Black Rabbit to calm down, Vahn headed towards the bastille-like estate located at the back of the forest.Though the No Names had fallen from grace, the amount of territory they owned was a testament to how much power they must have wielded in the past. Most Communities only owned a relatively small plot of land, barely enough to sustain themselves. The No Names, however, owned thousands of acres, and, based on the vast expanse of tilled yet barren land, they must have provided food for tens of thousands of people in the past.Noticing the serious look on Vahn's face as he studied their surroundings, a melancholic expression returned to Black Rabbit's as she explained, "After the Demon Lord's assault two years ago, most of the surrounding plantations have become barren and lifeless. Lily's presence has allowed the forests around the manor to recover, but her spiritual power is too low to sustain the entire estate..."Raising his brows, Vahn was about to ask what Black Rabbit was talking about when Sarina beat him to the punch, asking, "That girl has the power to revitalize the land? She didn't seem all that special to me...""Sarina..."Hearing Vahn utter her name in a disproving tone, a nervous smile developed across Sarina's face as she issued an awkward chuckle.A stark contrast to Vahn's reaction, Black Rabbit adopted a friendly smile as she enthusiastically explained, "Lily is an amazing young girl. She and her mother descend from the White Fox, one of the Heralds of Ukanomitama. They possess the ability to enrich farmland, drastically improving the quality and quantity of agricultural goods. You see, Ukanomitama is a Goddess that presides over rice and agriculture. She shares an origin with the Great Goddess Inari, one of the most powerful Agricultural Deities in the East Side."Hearing that her 'rival' was the descendant of a Goddess, Sarina's expression became somewhat bitter. She had yet to learn about her own lineage, so, from her perspective, Lily had been given an unfair advantage despite the relatively dire circumstances that had been forced upon her. (A/N: Cut her some slack guys. She is literally 10. Show me a child that is capable of thinking rationally and I'll show you a hundred adults that aren't xD...)Humming in acknowledgment, Vahn's mind began to buzz as Sis helped him organize the lineage of every Eastern God and Goddess he had researched. This included a fair amount of information pertaining to Ukanomitama, as, despite the name not ringing in bells, she was actually relatively famous in classical Japanese mythos as one of Susanoo's many children."I see...she did come across as a rather diligent young lady. Once we've finished speaking with Jin, I'll see what I can do about increasing her spiritual power. It's actually one of the things I'm best at."Blinking in surprise, Black Rabbit looked towards Vahn with a somewhat troubled expression on her face as she advised, "Just be careful not to take it too far. Lily is similar to me in the regard that she matures based on the amount of spiritual power she has developed. She already acts as the Leader of the Senior Group and the Den Mother for the younger children. I'm afraid she'll overwork herself if she suddenly matures into an adult..."Hearing Black Rabbit mention the possibility of her 'rival' maturing, Sarina also chimed in to say, "I agree with Black Rabbit. Children should remain children..."Realizing what she was saying, Sarina's words trailed off as Vahn looked down at her with a slightly amused expression on his face. In the next moment, however, his expression relaxed as he said, "No worries. Even if she were to sprout all nine of her tails, I can seal her development and regulate it so that she grows alongside the rest of the children. I'm not going to place an undue burden on a ten-year-old girl."Exhaling a relieved sigh, a very subtle blush developed across Black Rabbit's face as she averted her eyes by looking ahead. She hadn't mentioned it, but Ukanomitama's relation to Inari meant she was also a Fertility Deity. Lily's mother had also been one of the most beautiful women in the entire East Side, so, while it was a little selfish of her, Black Rabbit would rather Lily spend the next two to three hundred years maturing. After all, she had to wait until she was 210-years-old to reach this stage of her development. It wouldn't be fair if Lily got to skip ahead...Though he noticed the threads of green in Sarina's and Black Rabbit's auras, Vahn didn't pay them any mind. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the young boy who had emerged from the manor to greet them. He possessed an immature, almost girlish face, and, though his eyes gleamed with a glimmer of intelligence, there was an atmosphere of 'defeat' that permeated his entire existence. As for his actual appearance, he had large blue eyes, unkempt teal hair, and an outfit that screamed 'Magus'.Taking notice of the young boy shortly after Vahn, Black Rabbit's face beamed as she began waving her arms, shouting, "Master Jin, Black Rabbit has returned~!"Adopting a smile that was equal parts sincere and forced, the green-haired youth maintained a poised and dignified bearing as he replied, "Welcome home, Black Rabbit. I see you've brought guests. Please, come inside. We don't have much, but I'll prepare a batch of our finest tea." in a delicate tone of voiceThough there was still a considerable distance between them, Jin's voice carried as if he were only a few meters away. This was made possible due to his tremendous magical power, a volume so great that, had they been back in the Negimaverse, he could have easily passed as an Archmage.Using a sound transmission technique of his own, Vahn smiled as he said, "No need. I brought tea and snacks with me. I've also prepared a meal for all the other children so let's try and wrap things up quickly."Surprised by Vahn's ability to communicate over long distances, Jin's eyes widened as he asked, "Is the gentleman a fellow Magus? I don't recognize your technique."Adopting an even broader smile, Vahn took another step forward. This time, however, his figure vanished from his previous location before appearing right in front of Jin as he said, "You'll come to find that there are infinitely more things you're unaware of than things you believe you know. Don't worry. I intend to help you with that."Ruffling the bewildered boy's hair, Vahn waited for Black Rabbit, Sarina, and Nono to catch up before gesturing towards the latter two and saying, "These two adorable young ladies are Sarina and Nono. Respectively, they are the Sub-Leader and Adjutant of my Community, Sage Dragon's Hearth. As for me? My name is Vahn. Vahn Aldrnari Mason. Some refer to me as the Sage Dragon Emperor. Others refer to me as the Godhand. You, my young compatriot, may simply refer to me as Vahn."Though he was more than a little confused, Jin understood from Vahn's introduction that he wasn't a simple Magus. His spatial movement technique was also unlike anything he had ever seen before, almost as if it were a purely physical technique rather than a magical one. This would make sense if it was a Gift, but, thanks to the Authority granted to him as the Leader of the No Name Community, Jin could tell it was something executed by Vahn directly. He just didn't understand how."It's a pleasure to meet you, Vahn. My name is Jin. Jin Russell. Though present circumstances might lead you to believe otherwise, I am the proud Leader of the No Names. Since you have allowed me to refer to you without honorifics, it would be my honor if you call me by my given name."Nodding in approval, Vahn retracted his hand from Jin's head, saying, "You're a very polite young man. It's no wonder the No Names have been able to persevere these last two years. You have the potential to become a great Leader in the future, Jin."Though he didn't fully understand why, Jin felt a mixture of relief and pride to hear Vahn say he had potential. He got the impression that the man in front of him was immensely powerful, so much so that he couldn't even begin to wrap his head around it. As for how he knew this? It was largely due to his Gift, [The Wisdom of Solomon]. It was one of three Gifts he possessed, and, though it wasn't a very high rank, it drastically improved his analytical and comprehension abilities."Thank you, Vahn. Though I have yet to do anything deserving of such praise, I greatly appreciate it."Seemingly disagreeing with this statement, Black Rabbit adopted a somewhat stressed look on her face as she shouted, "That isn't true! Master Jin is someone that everyone in the Community relies upon! Without you and Lily, Black Rabbit would have never been able to hold things together on her own!"Chuckling in response to Black Rabbit's words, a somewhat bashful smile developed across Jin's face as he rubbed the back of his head and said, "Your words are greatly appreciated, Black Rabbit. However, it is all of us working together that has allowed our Community to come this far. You and Lily, especially, have done-"Before Jin could continue, Vahn ruffled the boy's hair a second time as he said, "You talk too much. As someone guilty of the same behavior in the past, take it from me when I say it is better to just go with the flow when it comes to things like this. Speeches are only useful when you're trying to inspire confidence in people you don't closely associate with. When it comes to the people you're supposed to care about, it's okay to be honest. If you keep bottling everything up, you'll eventually explode..."Staring up at Vahn, Jin was tempted to ask him to stop messing up his hair. Instead, he adopted his characteristic smile, answering, "Thank you for the advice, Vahn. I will be sure to reflect upon it."Furrowing his brows, the thought of creating a Template of Tsubaki briefly crossed Vahn's mind as he retracted his hand from the boy's head and said, "I'm sure you will. Now, how about we all head inside. We have a few things to discuss and I don't want to keep the children waiting."Since it was the second time Vahn was emphasizing not wanting to make the children wait, Jin offered a courteous smile as he suggested, "Why don't we eat first? Unless it is a matter of grave importance, there is no reason we can't discuss it later. Please, come with me. I'll show you where the children generally take their meals."Returning a smile of his own, Vahn gestured for Jin to lead the way before following behind the teal-haired youth in silence. He was honestly impressed by the young man's bearing. Unfortunately for Jin, it was impossible for him to conceal the 'truth'. Vahn could sense the mental duress the boy was under, and, though he kept it concealed, likely with the use of a Mind Innate, he was only a few setbacks from a complete breakdown.Truth be told, Vahn saw a lot of himself in the teal-haired youth. Jin was forcing himself to bear a burden no one his age should be expected to bear. The only thing that kept him going was the expectations of others and his heartfelt desire to be someone they could rely on. This was actually very commendable, but, without a reliable Mentor to guide him, it was only a matter of time before he brought himself and everyone who relied upon him to ruin...(*At least he has fate working in his favor. Even without your help, I imagine he would be fine. Now that you're here, he'll be much more than that...*)Nodding his head in affirmation, a smile developed across Vahn's face as he mused, "Indeed..." in an expectant tone that caused Black Rabbit's ears to twitch.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'When Sarina does it, it's annoying. When Black Rabbit does it, it's cute','Vahn be like, "Boy..." in his best Kratos impression','By the time the Problem Children arrive, Jin is going to be more OP than Nagi in his prime xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Seeing the hundred-odd children eagerly yet nervously awaiting his arrival, many wearing little more than rags, Vahn did his best to appear enthusiastic as he made his way towards Lily and a few other 'senior' children.Noticing Vahn's arrival along with all the other children, a cheerful smile developed across Lily's face as she gathered everyone's attention with a clap before cheerfully explaining, "Look, everyone. This is the person we were telling you about. His name is Vahn and he's going to be providing us with a nice, big breakfast. Make sure to thank him properly~!"Though some of the children were too young to really understand what was happening, they each began to clap and cheer in response to Lily's words. As for Lily, she quickly ran over to Vahn's side, asking, "What can I do to help?" before looking towards Jin and waving with a happy smile on her face.Before Jin could even think of organizing the children, Vahn plopped his right hand atop Lily's head, answering, "Just leave it to me." as he raised his left hand and snapped. This caused several banquet tables to manifest out of thin air. Then, like magic, 122 plates appeared alongside several large trays of pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits, rice, and other breakfast items.Taking advantage of everyone's stupor, Vahn snapped his fingers a second time to cast wide-range cleaning magic on the entire group. This caused a series of laughs and a few startled exclamations, but, when everything was said and done, even the fingernails of the children had been thoroughly cleaned.Satisfied by the result, Vahn retracted his hand from the slightly blushing Lily's head before looking towards the befuddled Jin and saying, "There's a lot more where this came from. Let them eat their fill and then send them towards the cottage I'm about to set up. I'll be performing a medical check on everyone and dental work on those who require it. That includes you. Two years without proper medical care isn't good for developing children."Since it wasn't really up for discussion, Vahn shifted his attention to Sarina and Nono, adding, "I'll have the two of you lend a hand. I intend to teach you medical skills in the future so this will be an important experience. Come."Without waiting for the rest of the group to respond, Vahn made his way towards a large clearing before stopping when Black Rabbit pulled his sleeve and tentatively asked, "W-What should I do...?"Returning a smile, Vahn extended his hand to caress the pink-haired rabbit's head as he said, "You should spend time with your Community. In the end, I'm an outsider. I'll do everything in my power to help, but it's ultimately up to you, Jin, and Lily to look after everyone. Don't get me wrong. I love kids. It will just cause problems for everyone if I spend too much time with them."Though she had wanted to convince him to eat with everyone, Black Rabbit ultimately nodded in response to Vahn's words. She knew he had a lot more experience with these types of situations than she did, so, trusting in his words, she allowed him to continue caressing her head for several additional seconds before returning to help Jin and Lily settle the understandably elated children.........Ignoring the crimson blush on Sarina's face, Vahn demonstrated the proper use of a stethoscope before allowing Nono to try it herself. He wanted to get them started with the absolute basics, so, rather than teach them how to analyze the structure of a person's body with a touch, he had Sarina strip down to her underwear before walking them through the basics of a physical examination.Maintaining an impeccably professional disposition, Vahn shook his head in response to Sarina's behavior, explaining, "Those involved in the care of others must appear calm and professional at all times. You will invariably have male and female patients in the future so you need to condition your mind to regard both sexes as objectively as possible. Becoming flustered will only complicate things and leave you prone to making mistakes...now, deep breath...hold...and exhale..."Though her face was brighter than a tomato, Sarina did her best to nod as she obediently followed Vahn's commands. At the same time, Nono, demonstrating extraordinary calm, patiently listened to the former's breathing. It was a little difficult due to her throbbing heart but she could still detect a subtle wheezing sound at the end of Sarina's breaths."I think there is something wrong with her lungs...?"Nodding his head, Vahn caused Sarina's expression to pale slightly as he answered, "It isn't that advanced, but she has asthma. Don't worry. It's easily treatable. I just wanted to see if you would notice. Good job."With that said, Vahn placed his palm on Sarina's exposed back. This caused a stifling sensation in her chest, but, almost immediately thereafter, a pleasant warmth spread through her body as he said, "There. You're cured. We still need to measure your height, weight, and a few other variables, but, other than that, you're fit as a fiddle. Now, stand on this scale. I'm going to walk Nono through the process. Pay close attention as you'll be recording her values next."Though her heart was still beating a mile a minute, Sarina didn't hesitate to take advantage of the current situation by raising her arms. She could easily hop down from the examination table on her own but she would much rather Vahn help her down.Understanding the precocious girl's thoughts, Vahn picked Sarina up by the pits of her arms before setting her down on the floor. He could later use this as an example of how she was still a child, so, even if she was fishing for affection, he didn't mind. After all, now that he had learned about the No Names, Sarina and Nono would be spending a lot of time with the other children.........Around the same time that Nono was getting dressed after her own physical, Vahn heard a gentle rattle on the door. He already knew who this was, so, after manifesting a curtain to afford Nono a bit of privacy, he called out, "Come on in, Jin, Lily."Opening the door almost immediately after Vahn called out, Jin replied with a courteous, "Pardon our intrusion." as he held the door open for Lily. The latter immediately looked around the room, her emerald green eyes scanning the interior before ultimately coming to settle on Vahn, a radiant smile developing across her face as she said, "Thank you, Vahn. It's been so long since the children had anything to celebrate. Seeing them smile with full bellies warms my heart."Despite returning a smile of his own, Vahn shook his head and said, "Your gratitude is appreciated but unnecessary. It is the duty of adults to look after children until they are capable of looking after themselves. The No Names have been wronged by the society of the Little Garden. I'm just helping to right a wrong that never should have occurred."Adopting an even more radiant smile, Lily left Vahn slightly taken aback as she calmly answered, "I understand. However, even if you consider it unnecessary, I cannot help but express my gratitude. My mother taught me that acts of kindness should not go unrewarded. I have nothing else to give, so, even if you do not require it, please accept my gratitude."Punctuating her words with a bow, Lily did her best to appear as sincere as she felt. At the same time, Jin chimed in to say, "I'm afraid I must agree with Lily on this matter. Rather, as the Leader of the No Names, I would feel ashamed if you didn't at least accept my gratitude. I should be the one providing for my Community, but-"Raising his hand, Vahn interrupted the teal-haired Magus' speech with an abrupt, "That's enough. I don't want to hear you bemoan your faults. You're a ten-year-old kid. The only things you should be worrying about are how to make friends and how to have the most fun. I'm not going to tell you to give up being the Leader of the No Names. Rather, I plan to help you become strong enough to protect the things you want to protect. Now, stop wallowing in self-pity. I still have a hundred-and-twenty kids to examine after you. Lose the robes. Lily, you can wait outside."Tilting her head to the side, Lily intoned a bemused, "Hmm?" before asking, "Why do I need to wait outside? Jin and I still take baths together. I wash his back and helps to clean my hair, ears, and tails. I don't mind seeing him naked."Radiating the kind of innocence that only a child could manage, Lily seemed genuinely confused by Vahn's words as she stared at him with a smile and waited for his explanation. As for Jin, he seemed more than a little embarrassed, but, after hesitating for several seconds, he backed Lily's statement by explaining, "Baths in the East Side are communal in nature. Though some Communities separate their baths by gender, it isn't uncommon for children beneath the age of ten to be allowed entry to both sides. It is a form of social bonding that has existed since the establishment of the East Side..."Despite his words, Jin's face became progressively redder the longer he spoke. He had actually been trying to convince Lily to let him bathe alone for quite some time, but, as they had already been sharing the bath for years, she simply wouldn't listen. The one time he tried to put his foot down, she ended up pouting and ignoring him for the better part of three days.Noticing Jin's and Lily's auras briefly overlap, an amused smile developed across Vahn's face as he said, "So be it. I was actually intending to teach Lily as well, so this is a good opportunity. I'll explain things while Sarina performs your check-up. Remove your robes and take a seat on that table."Gesturing towards the examination table, Vahn pretended to be unaware of the duress in both Jin's and Sarina's expressions as he began organizing everything they would need. The teal-haired youth was already afraid to be seen by his childhood friend. The thought of having a girl around his age conduct his physical examination caused his face to turn as red as a cherry. As for Sarina, well, she just didn't want to touch a boy she had only just met.Noticing that neither was moving, Vahn picked up the stethoscope before handing it to Sarina and asking, "Are you going to give up learning medicine? I'm still going to teach you Alchemy, but the skills I'm teaching you now can be used to help everyone. What if I got injured and you needed to treat me? Would you ignore me as well...?"Though he knew it was a little unfair to present her with such a scenario, Vahn knew the quickest way to remove Sarina's developing dependence on him was to redirect her focus towards people who might actually benefit from her support. If she received gratitude from others, it was only a matter of time before she began pursuing the path of a physician seriously. He would just need to show enthusiasm around that time so that she would believe he was genuinely proud. Fortunately, so long as she made even a middling effort, he would be.In the end, it was Nono emerging from behind the curtain that made up Sarina's mind, as, unlike her raven-haired counterpart, the auburn-haired girl genuinely enjoyed playing doctor. Thus, with a gentle smile on her face, she combed aside her bangs before surprisingly everyone as she looked towards Jin and said, "Please remove your robes and take a seat on the table. If you hesitate, the other children will feel nervous. As the Leader of the No Names, isn't it your responsibility to set a good example...?"As if an opportunity was being stolen from her, Sarina immediately came back to her senses, saying, "He's my patient, Nono. You can help, but please leave the examination to me."Though her sky-blue eyes briefly shifted to Vahn, much to his amusement, Nono quickly nodded in response to Sarina's words, saying, "Very well..." in her characteristically calm, subtly bashful tone.......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn still enjoys showing off..','Magic is nice, but analog medical skills are also important~','Jin is both lucky and extremely unfortunate xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

According to Black Rabbit, the only times she needed to sleep was during the New Moon and when she had exhausted herself. Even then, she could always draw energy from the Little Garden's Central Network in a pinch.Simply put, whenever Black Rabbit got flustered, most, if not all of her physical exhaustion would simply fade away. Vahn suspected this was the real reason Shiroyasha teased her. It provided Black Rabbit with additional energy, and, more importantly, helped to distract her from the grim reality of supporting a Community of 122 children on her own.Fortunately, that would no longer be the case from here onward. The more Vahn learned about her situation, the more he wanted to help her. This was undoubtedly what Shiroyasha had been aiming for when she summoned him but he didn't particularly mind. Rather, he had always enjoyed teasing certain kinds of women and Black Rabbit was easily among the most teasable girls he had ever met. She was also unbelievably adorable, so, even without the mischievous demoness attempting to play matchmaker, the odds of him helping her were close to 100%. Her being the sole surviving member of her race practically made their encounter fated.........With Black Rabbit not requiring sleep, Vahn spent the better part of four hours learning more about her situation and teasing her. It was only when he detected Nono rousing from her slumber that he gave the pink-haired maiden a break, saying, "Nono just woke up. Mind helping her and Sarina get ready while I work on breakfast?"Though she was a little caught off guard by the sudden change in topic, Black Rabbit returned an assuring smile as she happily replied, "Leave it to me!"Returning a smile of his own, Vahn briefly caressed Black Rabbit's hair before seeing her off at the door. Then, using the kitchen Nadeshiko had begrudgingly allowed him to use the previous night, he separated into three different versions of himself in order to prepare enough food for more than a hundred people. This prompted Shiroyasha to immediately appear, a teasing smile on her face as she mused, "If Black Rabbit learns you can divide yourself into multiple bodies, her head is going to explode."Without losing focus on the task at hand, Vahn casually replied, "I don't intend to keep secrets from her. If she is going to become one of my women, a bit of transparency is to be expected. Besides, it wouldn't be the first time one of my women made such a request..."Grinning mischievously, Shiroyasha found herself, once again, wishing she could peer into Vahn's mind. She had spied on him quite a bit while he was traipsing through the Tower but the nature of his existence made it hard to keep track of him when he wanted to remain hidden. Thus, unlike the vast majority of people she had taken an interest in, Vahn had innumerable secrets and experiences she was wholly unaware of...Though he could sense Shiroyasha watching him like a cat eyeing a group of mice, Vahn did his best to ignore her as he skillfully prepared a veritable mountain of pancakes, eggs, sausages, and rice. He wanted to make enough for all the children in Black Rabbit's Community so he really didn't have time to deal with her right now. It was a lot harder to manipulate space-time within the Little Garden, and, due to the restrictions preventing her from showing a bias towards specific individuals and Communities, he couldn't rely on Shiroyasha to do it for him.Fortunately, Shiroyasha seemed to understand his intentions, so, after her initial remark, she simply dangled her feet from the counter while watching him prepare plate after plate of food. Observing people was one of her favorite pastimes, and, at times, she would even watch the same person from the moment of their birth to their inevitable end. He just so happened to be the individual she was most interested in at the present moment, so, even if he was sleeping or staring off into the sunset, she would be paying close attention to his every action.........Thanks to his additional vessels, Vahn was able to continue cooking even as Black Rabbit appearing in the dining room alongside a fully awake Nono and a very sleepy-looking Sarina. The latter wasn't a morning person, so, despite having slept for more than nine hours, she was still dragging her feet up until the moment she noticed Vahn's presence. After that, she immediately perked up, a smile on her face as she happily exclaimed, "Good morning, Vahn~!"Restraining a chuckle, Vahn returned a smile of his own as he set down the food and replied, "Good morning, Sarina, Nono. Did the two of you get a good night's rest?"Nodding her head enthusiastically, Sarina answered, "The futons here are super comfortable and the bath was amazing! You really should have joined us. Nono and I could have washed your back."Not expecting Sarina to include Nono's name in her antics, Vahn raised his brows slightly as he looked between the two young ladies. He noticed a fire blazing in the former's eyes while the latter, noticing his gaze, immediately blushed as she averted her gaze.("Sarina must feel pretty threatened if she's coordinating with Nono...")(*Of course. She would need to be blind not to see how you look at Black Rabbit. Your expressions aren't exactly subtle when you see a woman you fancy. If I didn't know you had a soft spot for Cat People, I might have grown out my ears and become a rabbit...*)Imagining Sis with rabbit ears, every other thought in Vahn's mind momentarily faded away. This caused a profound silence in the deepest recesses of his mind until Sis chimed in to remark, (*Oh my...*) in an ostensibly teasing tone.To the surprise of all the girls present, a discernibly flustered expression developed across Vahn's face until he concealed it behind a wry smile. This caused a few major misunderstandings to occur, and, though he attempted to recover by saying, "The sentiment is appreciated but I can easily wash my own back..." the damage had already been done. Sarina believed his reaction was the result of her suggestion, and, despite being the perpetrator, Sis made things worse by giggling amusedly in the back of his mind.........After a hearty yet awkward breakfast, Vahn, Sarina, and Nono followed Black Rabbit to the outskirts of a surprisingly expansive yet ravaged territory. It was easily several thousand acres, and, though the land had been made infertile via powerful magics, even an untrained eye could tell the region was once prosperous due to the neatly arranged ruins that, even now, emitted a homely yet sullen aura.Adopting an expression that reflected the landscape perfectly, Black Rabbit's ears drooped as she explained, "This is the destroyed land of the No Names...not that long ago, this place was a vibrant region where everyone could smile happily. Now-"Before Black Rabbit could finish, Vahn plopped his hand down atop her head, saying, "That's in the past. From now on, we only look forward. Let's go."Without waiting for the befuddled rabbit's response, Vahn made his way towards the fortress-like estate in the distance. It resembled a castle town surrounded by bricked walls, but, instead of an actual castle, there was a bastille-like mansion situated in the middle of a verdant forest, the only greenery left in the region. This was, very clearly, where the remaining members of the No Name Community were located, so, without minding his surroundings in the slightest, Vahn maintained a calm and confident look as he walked towards it.Staring at Vahn's departing figure, the roots of Black Rabbit's hair began to turn pink until Sarina suddenly grabbed her hand, saying, "Come on. We don't want to fall behind." with an encouraging smile on her face.Surprised by the young girl's sudden friendliness, Black Rabbit's expression became even more befuddled as she intoned a confused, "Eh? Um...okay...?"Giggling in response to Black Rabbit's reaction, Sarina began to pull her along as Nono followed closely behind with a smile on her face. She actually felt comfortable in the ravaged landscape as the befouled terrain reminded her of home. After all, she had been raised in a desert community so the feeling of infertile soil beneath her bare feet was surprisingly refreshing.........Though it took a bit of time due to him slowing his pace so that the girls could keep up, it wasn't long before Vahn reached the outer walls of the estate. Around the same time, he encountered a remarkably adorable girl with two-toned blonde-black hair and vulpine features that included two large ears and two inordinately fluffy tails.The moment she laid eyes upon Vahn, the vulpine girl immediately spread her arms in a protective posture, shielding the even younger children behind her as she cautiously inquired, "Who are you? Why have you come here?"Having learned quite a bit about her Community from Black Rabbit, Vahn's expression morphed into a smile as he said, "You must be Lily." before stepping to the side so that the young kitsune could see the trio following in his wake. This caused her ears to twitch adorably, and, though she didn't immediately drop her guard, she returned a smile and asked, "Have you come to join our Community?"Shaking his head, Vahn waited until Black Rabbit, Sarina, and Nono caught up before explaining, "I belong to a recently formed Community known as Sage Dragon's Hearth. Our mission statement is to help people so we've come here at the behest of Shiroyasha and Black Rabbit to do just that. If it isn't too much trouble, do you mind gathering up all the other children for me? I've prepared a big breakfast to celebrate our first meeting."Turning her attention to Black Rabbit, Lily waited until the former nodded her head before smiling even more radiantly as she answered, "I'll have everyone gathered within the next ten minutes. For now, please head towards the estate and meet with Jin. I'm sure he would want to speak with you."Returning a smile of his own, Vahn casually extended his hand to caress Lily's head. This caught the petite kitsune by surprise, her body tensing up for a brief moment before promptly relaxing due to the influence of his petting laws. Shortly after that, the tails protruding from her lower back began to waggle as the smile on her face became progressively more radiant.Clearing her throat rather loudly, Black Rabbit garnered Vahn's attention before suggesting, "We should hurry and meet with Master Jin. He has been under a lot of pressure ever since he became the Leader of our Community. I'd like to give him the good news as quickly as possible."Noticing the slightly envious looks in both Black Rabbit's and Sarina's eyes, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he reluctantly retracted his hand from Lily's head. He knew his headpats could be addicting, but he hadn't expected that even Black Rabbit would exhibit envy. She was well aware of his rather expansive harem so it was a little silly for her to be jealous of someone who was clearly beneath his strike zone. As for Sarina, well, she and Lily were nearly the same age. He would actually be more surprised if she wasn't a little jealous...Though she felt strangely saddened by the sudden lack of Vahn's hand atop her head, Lily quickly recovered as she turned towards the other children, clapping her hands before exclaiming, "Alright! I'm sure that everyone heard Vahn-san's words. Let's hurry and gather everyone so we can enjoy a meal together~!"Responding to Lily's remark, the group of children, primarily clothed in simple garments or tattered rags, exclaimed, "Haaaaaaaai~!" with varying degrees of excitement on their heartbreakingly young and gaunt faces. A few of them were even presenting signs of malnourishment, yet, in spite of this, they were able to exhibit natural smiles as they quickly dispersed to spread the good news to their friends and family...Unable to conceal the affection in his gaze as he watched the children scamper away, Vahn turned towards Black Rabbit, his voice becoming deep yet velvety as he stated, "They really are amazing..." in a heartfelt tone that caused the aforementioned rabbit's hair to instantaneously turn bright pink.......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The power of fate...','Nono is a bit of an oddball...','Calm down, Vahn. At this rate, Black Rabbit's brain and heart are going to explode xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 2061: Burdens and Expectations