Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

While allowing Sarina and Nono to perform the check-up, Vahn attempted to keep Jin distracted by making small talk. More specifically, he asked about Jin's history, how things had been the last two years, and, most importantly, what he had in mind for the future of the No Names."I just want our Community to keep growing, even if we aren't able to participate in Gift Games. The most important thing to me is everyone's happiness..."Shaking his head, Vahn, who had been conversing with Jin while sitting backward in a chair, plainly stated, "Naive. It's commendable to aim for a future where everyone is happy, but it's senseless to believe you can achieve it just because you want to. This is the Little Garden of the Divine Realm. I don't know why you haven't been targetted thus far, but it's only a matter of time before outsiders begin coveting your land. There are countless ways to address the barrenness of the land. Without the means to protect it, yourself, and others, prosperity will only invite tragedy."Though he was already aware of the truth contained within Vahn's words, Jin's expression darkened when the truth was laid bare. In fact, one of the reasons Lily had been returned to them was so that her presence could gradually replenish the land. In other words, the Community that targeted them two years ago wasn't finished with them. They just wanted to watch them suffer before returning to collect the remainder of their prize..."What else can I do? My Gifts are only suitable for things like puzzles and solving riddles. None of the surrounding Communities will accept a Gift Game on my terms as we have nothing of value to offer them. The only Communities that associate with us have the backing of Demon Lords. If not for Black Rabbit, we wouldn't have been able to last this long..."Having already heard the basics from Black Rabbit, Jin wanted to believe he could trust Vahn. He hadn't even discussed these matters with Lily because he was afraid of overwhelming her with an even greater burden. She already did so much more than him for the members of their Community, so, at the very least, he wanted to shoulder their external issues on his own...Shaking his head a second time, Vahn answered, "Honestly, there really isn't much you can do other than asking for help. You've been placed in an extremely unfair situation. Without external help, it is pretty much impossible for you to recover."Slumping his shoulders, Jin looked like he might begin tearing up. Even Lily seemed saddened by Vahn's words. Fortunately for them both, he was far from finished speaking. Rather, he actually had a lot more to say, so, before either could wallow in self-pity, he issued a light chuckle before asking, "What's with those expressions? You're literally talking to the person that has the means to solve all of your problems. Better yet, the only thing I expect in return is for each and every single one of you to be happy and healthy. Beyond that? Well, your lives are your own to decide."Though Jin adopted a somewhat awkward expression in response to Vahn's words, Lily practically beamed as she asked, "What can I do to help?"Amused by the young kitsune's fervor, a lighthearted chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat before he went on to say, "The simplest thing you can do is just tell me what you want. Prior to my ascent to the Divine Realm, many referred to me as the God of Infinite Possibilities. I cannot bestow power upon you, but I can provide you the means to obtain it. In Jin's case, I intend to develop him into a real Magus. As for you, little lady, I was thinking about helping you grow out your tails."Blinking in surprise, Lily repeated what Black Rabbit had told him earlier, stating, "If I grow out my tails, I'll end up becoming an adult. I don't mind growing up, but I'm afraid others will target us if I do..."Waving his hand in a dismissive manner, Vahn explained, "You don't have to worry about that. With your permission, I intend to place a seal on your body that will regulate your growth. I'm also going to lay a barrier formation around the entire No Name Community so that outsiders can't sneak in or spy on you. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. I have quite a number of things in mind for the No Names. Of course, everything depends on whether or not our teal-haired friend is willing to ask for my help..."Noticing Vahn's gaze, a conflicted smile developed across Jin's face as he said, "Truth be told, I feel considerable misgivings towards the notion of entrusting our problems to someone outside of the Community. Unfortunately, I lack the means to resolve everything on my own. You are also a friend of Black Rabbit's, so, even if I must swallow my-""You really do talk too much, kid. Save that kind of dialogue for when we're ironing out the specifics of our partnership. For now, all I need to know is if you're willing to accept my help or not."Borrowing pages from his former mentors, Vahn was hoping to make Jin a little more decisive. As much as he didn't like Nagi, the teal-haired boy in front of him would benefit from emulating the hot-headed youth. This was especially true considering his Community was comprised of children. They wouldn't understand polite or complex speech. If he really wanted to motivate them, he just needed to be more charismatic and decisive.Though he was unaware of Vahn's thoughts, Jin could vaguely guess what he was thinking. Thus, after smiling wryly for several seconds, he did his best to appear more confident as he answered, "Please help us." while lowering his head.After smiling wide enough to show off his pearly white teeth, complete with prominent canines, Vahn began to laugh in an uncharacteristically boisterous manner before giving Jin a thumbs-up and saying, "No problem. Once you're done here, write up a list of all the things you think your Community needs. So long as it isn't something excessive like building you an army capable of conquering the entire Divine Realm, I should be able to manage."Unaware that Vahn could probably do exactly that, Jin issued a chuckle of his own before hopping off the examination table and answering, "Understood. Thank you, Vahn..."......With Jin's physical examination coming to an end after he had his height and weight checked, Vahn was suddenly left alone with three ten-year-old girls. Since Shiroyasha also had the appearance of a ten-year-old, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something special about the number. At the very least, he knew that whoever created the Record must have had a reason when they introduced a bunch of races that matured in stages rather than aging chronologically...As Vahn's mind briefly wandered towards existential thoughts, Lily, maintaining a completely calm and unflustered expression, chimed in to ask, "Should I take off my clothes now?"Nodding his head, Vahn answered, "Yes. Even if you don't develop in the same way as the rest of the children, it is important to periodically check your health. Don't worry, most of the examination will be conducted by Sarina and Nono. I'll only need to contact you when I'm inscribing the seal on your body."Tilting her head adorably to the side, Lily innocently replied, "I wasn't worried." with a happy smile on her face. Then, without any discernible hesitation, she removed her apron, yellow blouse, and orange miniskirt before neatly folding them up and placing them at the side. This left her in little more than her socks, a pair of worn-out brown loafers, and an adorable pair of pink panties with a white polka dot pattern. Vahn found the latter rather amusing as Jin had been wearing a matching pair of briefs beneath his robes.........Undoubtedly as a result of her desire to get rid of Lily as soon as possible, Sarina did her best to speed up the physical examination as much as possible. Unfortunately, this came back to bite her as Vahn had her take Lily's measurements three times. He knew the young kitsune's exact proportions so he made sure she kept taking them until she got it right.Throughout the entire examination, Lily was nothing if not cooperative. She offered no resistance to any of the tests, and, even though she admitted to being ticklish, she managed to remain still when Vahn was showing the girls how to check her ears and measure the quality of her fur. This was also when he inscribed the seal on her body, a small runic tattoo that formed a nail-sized circle near the base of her tail.Since granting her nine tails would be the same as bestowing her tremendous power, Vahn just made it so that Lily would be able to absorb spiritual energy at a much faster rate than normal. In other words, she would need to meditate or cultivate in order to increase the number of tails she currently had. As for her growth, he made it so that she would develop at a similar rate to the rest of the children until she reached the age of fifteen. From then onward, she could adjust her shape, age, and appearance freely, a trait common among kitsune.Unaware that Vahn had already inscribed the magical formation on her body, Lily waited until Sarina had gotten her breast and butt measurements correct before asking, "What do I need to do now? Should I lay down on the table?"Shaking his head, Vahn explained, "Since you already gave me permission, I've already completed the procedure. I tried making it as non-invasive as possible. Considering you didn't even notice, I'd say I was successful."Blinking in surprise, Lily looked behind her before reaching back to physically count the number of tails she possessed. This earned her an amused chuckle from Vahn before he went on to explain the specifics of the runes he had placed on her body. He also suggested a few methods for her to grow stronger, the simplest being to train alongside Jin, Sarina, and Nono.Ever-eager to make new friends, Lily happily accepted the suggestion before donning her clothes and scampering out of the examination room to tell Jin the good news. This gave Vahn hope for the future as he was actually intending to direct the affection of all three girls toward the young Magus. It would take a bit of effort, but, as Sarina's affection was more puppy love than anything else, Vahn was pretty confident he could shift her focus to Jin by nourishing the rivalry between her and Lily...Meeting Vahn's expectations, Sarina only waited a few seconds after Lily's departure before asking, "Do you prefer girls with animal ears and tails?"Offering a relaxed smile in response, Vahn gestured for Sarina to come closer before planting his hand atop her head. She believed this was to pet her, but, moments after his hand made contact, a pair of fox-like ears protruded from her head as he calmly explained, "Once you advanced beyond a certain level, things like age, appearance, race, and even gender become transient concepts without any real meaning. You're far from that point, young lady. For now, focus on the things right in front of you. Even Gods on the level of Shiroyasha and myself cannot accurately predict the future. Don't waste your time thinking about things you can't affect. If you lose sight of your surroundings, you'll end up being left behind by people who focus more on the present in order to assure themselves a better future..."Though he lectured Jin about being long-winded, Vahn didn't mind contradicting himself if it was for the sake of guiding someone. Unfortunately, Sarina was a little too young to fully understand everything he was trying to say. She was more focused on the ears atop her head, and, after he had finished speaking, she only hesitated for a brief moment before tentatively asking, "Can I have a tail too? I don't mind if you have to touch my butt..."......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Moshi moshi, God of Infinite Possibilities-desu?"','Lily is a very mature young lady','Sarina is not xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the average physical taking around five minutes, it took more than ten hours for Vahn to finish each of the check-ups. As for Sarina and Nono. He sent them away around lunchtime and promised to meet up with them once all the examinations were finished.Fortunately, other than a bit of malnourishment and a few insignificant conditions, the children in the No Name Community were surprisingly healthy. More importantly, they were all in high spirits, a stark contrast to how most children in their situation would behave.After seeing off the last member of the 'seniors' group, a kind-looking young boy with short brown hair, pointed ears, and hazel eyes, Vahn turned towards the person who had been waiting patiently outside the cottage since lunchtime, smiling as he said, "You didn't have to wait up for me. Not that I don't appreciate it."Returning a smile of her own, the young woman, Black Rabbit, happily responded, "I know. I waited because I wanted to."Chuckling at the response, Vahn extended his hand to help the blue-haired bunny to her feet as he asked, "Where did Sarina and Nono run off to?"Though she blushed slightly when Vahn pulled her into a natural hug, Black Rabbit didn't resist as she answered, "They played hide and seek with the children before accompanying Lily to tour the manor..."Humming a curt response, Vahn didn't immediately continue the discussion. Instead, he stared into Black Rabbit's ruby-red eyes until tiny motes of pink light began to appear. Shortly thereafter, a hint of pink began to appear near the roots of her hair as she lowered her face and bashfully whispered, "You shouldn't stare so intensely..."Feeling Black Rabbit's tuft of a tail tickle the hand he had wrapped around her lower back, the smile on Vahn's face became notably more prominent as he whispered, "Thank you..." in the most sincere tone he could manage.With her hair becoming progressively pinker, Black Rabbit looked up with confusion visible in her eyes as she asked, "Eh? It's no problem. I wasn't waiting for very long..."Without losing even a trace of his smile, Vahn pulled Black Rabbit close enough that her breasts were pressed against him before shaking his head and stating, "I'm not thanking you for that. Now that I've checked them personally, I can say with absolute surety that these children were blessed to have someone like you looking after them. Jin and Lily did their parts, but the happiness they have acquired was only made possible because of your tireless efforts. For that, you have my gratitude. Few could have accomplished what you did here, Black Rabbit. It's obvious that you really love this Community..."Though she was feeling a little skittish after Vahn pulled her so close, Black Rabbit's will to separate from him faded in its entirety when she heard his words. Rather, had he not been holding her, she might have fallen on her butt and started crying. Instead, she leaned her head against his chest, a few light sniffles emanating from beneath her bangs as she whimpered a thank you of her own.........After a cursory check to see what Sarina and Nono were up to, Vahn, accompanied by Black Rabbit, entered a place called the Library of the No Names. It was located in the eastern wing of the manor, and, as the name suggested, it was a large library filled with thousands of books related to the lore and mythos of the Little Garden.Since the majority of high-brow Gift Games revolved around various legends, most Communities had libraries and teams dedicated to research. This was where Jin spent most of his time, constantly mulling over book after book in a desperate attempt to increase his knowledge and find a solution to the problems plaguing his Community."Yo. Having fun?"Hearing Vahn's words, Jin, who had been nose-deep in a massive grimoire, startled slightly before turning around and answering, "Ah, Vahn, Black Rabbit. I didn't hear the two of you come in. Please, take a seat. I've finished the list you asked me to write up."Rather than immediately sitting down, Vahn walked over to peer at the contents of the book Jin had immersed himself in. This caused the teal-haired youth to appear nervous, as, prior to Vahn's arrival, he had been searching for legends related to the Sage Dragon Emperor. The book on the table was a Gift-Grade grimoire pertaining to famous Dragons, their ecology, and the legends associated with them.Amused by the youth's attempts to learn more about him, Vahn ruffled Jin's hair before pulling out his Record of Origin and explaining, "Even if you possessed the Sacred Tome, you wouldn't find any information on me. I'm a singularity within space, time, and creation. A being that only exists in the present moment."As there were all kinds of conceptual beings living within the Divine Realm, Jin wasn't particularly surprised by Vahn's words. Instead, he just handed over a small journal containing his notes, and, most importantly, the things he believed his Community could benefit from.Deciding not to press the matter, Vahn needed only to place the journal into his Inventory in order to memorize all the contents. After that, he returned it to the slightly confused youth, stating, "You should be a little greedier. I appreciate your desire to solve problems on your own, but the children outside deserve a reprieve after everything they have experienced."With a complicated expression on his face, Jin explained, "I understand that, Vahn. I really do. What I'm afraid of is that our Community will become entirely dependent on you if we ask for too much. I don't want my friends and family to suffer. However, I also believe that it is our resolve to overcome the suffering that has been forced upon us that allows us to remain unified...""Are you a Buddhist?"Adopting a wry smile in response to Vahn's sudden inquiry, Jin shook his head, answering, "No. It's just a sentiment I developed after observing everyone's growth over the past two years..."Nodding his head in understanding, Vahn crossed his arms before calmly stating, "I am a being that has traversed dozens of distinct multiversal structures. To that end, I can conclusively state that your views are correct. What you're failing to account for is the fact we're currently located in the highest metaversal plane. Such sentiments only hold up when you can realistically forecast the future. Here, in the Divine Realm, such foresight is meaningless. It only takes a single conceptual being to flip the lesser Communities of the Little Garden on their heads."Seeing that Jin wasn't convinced, Vahn internally mused, ("He's still just a kid...") before going on to say, "Listen. This is what I'm going to do. First and foremost, I'm going to plant a Water Tree Sapling at your Source Spring. Afterward, I'm going to summon a few earth and water spirits to help restore vitality to the land. Placing that burden on Lily, alone, puts your entire Community in jeopardy. After that, I'm going to restore the nearby castle town and install a consultation office that will also serve as a branch location of the Sage Dragon's Hearth. That's where you'll go when you, or anyone else for that matter, requires my assistance or advice."Though he felt Vahn was doing a little too much for them, Jin didn't refuse. He got the impression that Vahn would move forward even without his permission if he believed it was for the benefit of the children. More importantly, he could tell that Black Rabbit trusted Vahn tremendously, so, rather than overcomplicate things by letting his pride get in the way, he ultimately accepted Vahn's terms with an awkward yet relieved smile.........Making good on his promises almost immediately, Vahn had Jin guide him to the Source Spring, an unbelievably important location to any growing Community as it served as the water source for the entire region. This wasn't an exaggeration either, as, without a Source Spring, even rain wouldn't fall as weather simply wasn't a natural phenomenon in the Divine Realm.During the battle two years prior, the No Names ended up losing their Water Tree. Ever since then, the children would have to make several trips to a distant river just to have enough water for daily use. They would literally spend hours walking back and forth every single day just to fill a cauldron to supply the few crops they were able to grow.Though food and water weren't absolutely necessary in the Divine Realm, foregoing them for long periods of time would lead to symptoms similar to malnourishment and dehydration. This was due to the body's natural consumption of spiritual energy to sustain itself. You wouldn't die if you didn't eat, but, without proper nourishment, your body would gradually atrophy until you simply lost the will to live.As someone who had been fond of baths ever since he first enjoyed a dip in a hot spring, Vahn believed that everyone should be able to relax and cleanse themselves at their leisure. After all, when it came to mental health and general wellness, there were very few things even remotely comparable to a nice, relaxing bath.Seeing the Source Spring quickly fill after Vahn placed a Water Tree Sapling near the center, most of Jin's reservations about the present situation simply washed away along with the crystal clear water. Water was, inarguably, one of the most important resources for a Community to possess. Now that they had their own source, they wouldn't need to purchase it from others or fetch it from a distant source. Instead, they could focus on farming, infrastructure, training, and other important factors for a Community's growth.Though Jin's thoughts might seem out of place in the lower realms, it was common for children to perform manual labor in the Divine Realm. They were several times stronger than even adults from the lower realms, and, more importantly, the laws of the Little Garden mandated that those without Gifts had to support the Players of their Community. In other words, the common inhabitants of the Little Garden were basically the servants of those with the power to compete.Immediately following the return of their water source, most of the children aged six and younger began to gather near the massive bathhouse attached to the manor. Then, without anyone telling them they needed to do it, they changed into simple tunic-style robes before eagerly gathering supplies to clean the inordinately large bath. Not for themselves, but for Jin, Lily, and Black Rabbit.While that was going on, Vahn had his group reunite with Sarina, Nono, and Lily so that he could teach the latter how to make a contract with nature spirits. Summoning Spirits in the Divine Realm was easier said than done, but, thanks to his functionally infinite Gifts, Vahn could ignore the Law of Equivalent Exchange by using his Creation Divinity and Source Energy to create entirely new Spirits.Since Lily was a kitsune, Vahn went out of his way to make the Spirits resemble adorable foxes with traits indicative of their elements. This included a wind spirit with pale blue fur, wings, and adorably large ears, an earth spirit with two-tone green-yellow fur with tiny antlers, mushrooms, and flowers growing from its body, a water spirit with features reminiscent of a goldfish, and, last but not least, a fire spirit that, quite literally, resembled a fox formed from flames.Vahn had originally intended to go with something along the lines of Eevee and its evolutions, but, fearing he would overcomplicate things by introducing Templated Pokemon into the Divine Realm, he decided against it. He also enjoyed creating things from scratch, so, after creating a few designs for her to choose from, Vahn ended up settling on the four Lily had liked the most. She deserved a bit of pampering after taking care of more than a hundred children from the time she was barely 8-years-old.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Black Rabbit has already been ensnared...','Vahn be like, "I'm going to help you even if you don't want it. Capiche?"','Lily is a good girl (U w U)...')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

Chapter 2063: Request