Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

"We're back..."
Staring down at her hands, Sandora slowly opened and closed them a few times, a pensive expression on her face as Vahn answered, "Indeed. What did you think...?"
Closing her hands as if she were grasping something, Sandora replied, "I think I understand why you're so...casual about everything. The ability to create worlds and stretch a single moment into eternity is both terrifying and liberating..."
Shifting her gaze to Vahn, Sandora's expression softened into a smile as she supplemented, "It almost makes the circumstances of a singular life feel insignificant...almost..."
Though she suspected her opinion might irreversibly change if she stayed in the Actualized World, seven and a half years wasn't a particularly long period in the grand scheme of things.
Extending her left hand towards Vahn, Sandora waited for him to help her rise before playfully questioning, "I trust you're satisfied with my growth, Prime Minister Mason~?"
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn drew Sandora close to him, her feet dangling off the ground as he lifted her petite body to plant a kiss on her lips. He and Sandora had already crossed the line during their stay in Ni No Kuni. Though he would prefer it if she used her engagement ring to transform into her third developmental stage, he didn't particularly mind her current form. She was small and dainty but nowhere near the level of girls like Liliruca, Kali, or select members of the Eurasia Family...
With Vahn supporting her by her butt, Sandora's body began to heat up much faster than she had anticipated. The form she had assumed in the Actualized World had also been a Dragon, but the relatively weak power scaling of the world had made it easy to suppress her instincts. Now that she was in her original form after more than seven years, she felt like she was on the verge of losing control just being near Vahn.
Fearful that she might inadvertently turn the Chamber of Flames into a literal inferno, Sandora lightly tapped Vahn's chest. She didn't have the willpower to break the kiss herself, so she needed him to stop and give her a chance to speak.
Fortunately for Sandora, Vahn only continued for a few seconds longer before slowly separating from her lips. He could have stopped instantly, but he didn't want to seem too eager to stop. He could also sense that Sandora hadn't wanted him to, so, even after suspending their kiss, he continued supporting her by her pillowy bottom as he teased, "Getting cold feet...?"
Though her face was flushed red to the tips of her ears and the base of her neck, Sandora managed to appear calm as she whispered, "I want to wait until after the coronation ceremony..."
Raising his brows, Vahn was about to ask if she was sure, but Sandora beat him to the punch, stating, "If we start now, it will be weeks before I manage to calm down and recover my senses. You've already afforded me 2740 days of your time. I can wait a few hours before surrendering myself anew..."
Seeing the resolution in Sandora's eyes, Vahn's ostensibly wolfish smile relaxed into an affectionate twinkle as he replied, "Marvelous...even after seven years in a completely different world, you haven't lost sight of your duties and responsibilities as the Leader of Salamandra. You really are an amazing person, Sandora..."
Delighted by Vahn's compliment, a remarkably radiant and charming smile developed across Sandora's face as she countered, "I have to be if I want to continue standing next to a certain someone..."
Since she couldn't reach Vahn's lips of her own accord, Sandora nestled her head against his chest. Her crown and horns got in the way, but that was easily remedied when Vahn adjusted the state of his body to allow them to phase through him...
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Though the remainder of his evening with Sandora was remarkably calm and relaxing, other versions of Vahn were busy catching up with the rest of his harem.
Back when he first started delving into Actualized Worlds, Vahn promised to update the 'Council of Wives' whenever he spent more than six months within one. They were perennially concerned about his mental health and well-being, so even if he just lazed about and observed others for a few months, Vahn made sure to notify them after the fact.
If there was anything Vahn could complain about regarding the situation, it was the fact Da Vinci had developed a protocol for his return. It saved him a lot of time, but he couldn't help feeling as though something was a little off whenever Da Vinci provided him an itinerary informing him when, where, and who to visit. All Vahn needed to do was provide her with the details of his time in the Actualized World, and she would know precisely who he needed to interact with to recenter himself in the shortest amount of time.
When Da Vinci first started providing him with structured itineraries, Vahn deviated from them quite a bit. He wanted to check up on and spend time with everyone but quickly came to realize he was inconveniencing certain people by dropping in out of nowhere.
No one ever complained, but Vahn could see the effects his sudden and unexpected arrival had on whatever objective they were trying to achieve. Not everyone could just drop whatever they were doing, go on a romantic tryst, and then return without some change in mentality or motivation, so, after disrupting quite a number of plans, Vahn began sticking to Da Vinci's schedule. It made him a little uncomfortable, but he knew it was the best decision if he was serious about supporting everyone's independence...
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With the majority of his other selves dissipating, a relieved sigh escaped Vahn's mouth as the burden on his mental faculties lessened by several orders of magnitude. The only versions of him still active were his current self, the one sleeping next to Semiramis, and the lucky fool cuddling with Fenrir and the members of his Menagerie.
Reacting to Vahn's sigh, Sandora promptly opened her eyes before rising from his chest, rubbing her eyes, and staring at the nearest clock. It was only 3:23 AM, but she quickly decided she had slept long enough as she turned towards Vahn, smiling as she leaned over and whispered, "Good morning..." before planting a kiss on his lips. Then, without thinking, her hand habitually gravitated towards the appendage slumbering between his thighs before Vahn grabbed her wrist and reminded, "We're no longer in Ni No Kuni..."
Though she was momentarily confused by Vahn's words, Sandora's face quickly developed a blush as she retracted her hand and said, "I suppose we'll have to revert to our old tradition..."
Mounting Vahn's stomach, Sandora, completely naked, bent down to give Vahn a particularly passionate kiss. Shortly before her loss of virginity in the world of Ni No Kuni, she and Vahn had developed the habit of kissing before and after sleep. She had since then grown accustomed to far more intimate acts, but kissing was still at the top of her list in regards to things she enjoyed the most.
After a prolonged, forty-minute makeout session, Vahn and Sandora took a long bath together before he kissed her goodbye and turned her over to Ebony and Raven. He and Shiroyasha had been asked to participate in the day's events as Guests of Honor, so he needed to meet up with Sandora's brother, Mandra, and the other event organizers.
Upon seeing Vahn appear out of thin air, the event organizers and several Military Police immediately put up their guards. Before any of them could even think about attacking, however, Mandra shouted, "The Sage Dragon Emperor has arrived! Kneel!"
Setting the example, Mandra promptly dropped to one knee, the knuckles of his right hand touching the floor as he lowered his head and said, "Your Imperial Majesty honors us with Your presence."
Resisting the urge to exhale a sigh, Vahn waited for everyone present to lower themselves before nodding his head in approval and saying, "Rise. We have not come here to observe etiquette or put on airs. Tell us what you require."
Though he had been speaking in the Majestic Plural, Vahn's words lost a bit of their gravitas when Shiroyasha spontaneously manifested to his left, adding, "What he said."
"By your will!"
Rising to his feet, Mandra maintained a commanding aura as he looked towards his recently appointed Secretary, Frey, and ordered, "Escort the Sage Dragon Emperor and Lady Shiroyasha to their positions. If there is anything they require, fulfill their requests to the best of your ability."
Bowing forward and cupping her hands together, Frey replied with a curt, "Understood." before approaching Vahn and Shiroyasha, adding, "Please, follow me." in a markedly more nervous tone.
Voicing the thought lingering in the back of Vahn's mind, Shiroyasha's cat-like eyes practically lit up when she saw Frey, remarking, "Very, very nice. Is that Dragonscale armor? I assume it would have to be considering how little it covers..."
Unlike when Frey had first appeared, dressed much like a schoolgirl, her current outfit resembled that of a Dragon Knight. What made it stand out was that it was comprised of crimson scales fashioned into a scant, highly revealing breastplate that emphasized her cleavage and navel rather than covering them. The rest of her outfit wasn't much better, consisting of red pauldrons, scaled gauntlets, and leg platings that left her upper thigh and much of her butt exposed. There was a cloth covering her crotch and two more covering her backside, but they were more decoration than practical due to her inordinately thick tail. As for what lay below? The best way to describe it was a leather thong.
Though the tip of her tail curled slightly, Frey appeared relatively calm even as Shiroyasha stepped around to get a better look at her backside. In response to the previous question, she answered, "It is the Ancestral Armor of the Scarlett Family. The materials used are, as you pointed out, Dragonscale, Sinew, and Hide. It is designed to be indestructible yet easy to move in..."
"I'll say..."
Resisting the urge to raise Frey's tail and bury her face between the stoic woman's pert and perky glutes, Shiroyasha finished her circumnavigation before returning to Vahn's side and gesturing for him to lower his head so she could whisper in his ear. She was currently in her diminutive, child-like form, so he was nearly 50cm taller than her.
Closing his eyes to prevent others from seeing him roll them, Vahn bent down to hear Shiroyasha ask, "What do you think about having a little fun with this one? She is literally dripping pheromones, and I can pretty much guarantee she would be happier serving the Sage Dragon's Hearth than trying to restore her family's honor under Mandra."
Realizing that Shiroyasha was projecting her voice into his ear rather than speaking out loud, Vahn resisted the urge to ask why she bothered having him lean down as he replied, "I can't help everyone. Frey might not be the happiest she could be serving Mandra, but it's a decision-"
Completing Vahn's words for him, albeit in a very different manner than he intended, Shiroyasha stated, "It's a decision her family and circumstances forced into her. Do not mistake resolve and pertinacity as contentedness, boya. There is a reason she decided to wear this outfit, and you know it..."
Though the truth of the matter was that Frey's father had entreated her to try and win Vahn's favor, Shiroyasha knew it wouldn't matter once she had obtained it. Once Vahn got involved, the machinations of Frey's father and uncle wouldn't matter in the slightest.
Matching Shiroyasha's expectations, Vahn silently entreated Loi-chan to explain the situation. When he learned about some of the things Frey had and was currently going through, his expression briefly darkened. Due to his stopping of time, however, no one noticed it except for Shiroyasha...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn, God of Infinite Possibilities and Patron God of Lolis xD...','Da Vinci strikes again...!','No tragic girls left behind...')

With Frey leading the way, Vahn and Shiroyasha found themselves in a waiting room reserved for foreign dignitaries and important guests. The interior was decorated like an extraordinarily high-class parlor, complete with a fully stocked bar, a performance-style cooking range, and a small stage where three remarkably beautiful and scantily clad dancers were waiting to perform a traditional sword dance.
The Salamandra Community had gone to great lengths to ensure Vahn and Shiroyasha were thoroughly entertained and occupied before their scheduled appearance. Shiroyasha's perverse nature was well-known to the majority of the Little Garden's residents, and rumors of Vahn's harem and preferences had been circulating ever since the celebration following his ascension as the Sage Dragon Emperor.
In the opinion of a growing number of people, winning Vahn's favor and becoming an affiliate of the Aldrnari Empire were the fastest methods to achieve virtually any goal. The number of personal messages and hand-written letters he received daily had long exceeded one million. It was for this reason that Sandora employed Shiroyasha to act as an intermediary. Without one, it was nearly impossible to get a private message through to Vahn.
Unfortunately for the team of hopeful Maids, skilled Chefs, and tastefully exotic dancers, the first thing Vahn did after looking around the room was ask them to withdraw. Since Shiroyasha didn't contradict him, the sixteen individuals within, many having used all their connections just to get into the same room as Vahn, began to file out. The only exceptions were two of the dancers, twins whose only visible differences were their skin and eye colors.
Waiting until everyone else had departed, Vahn spread his domain to seal off the room before turning towards Shiroyasha and asking, "Why did you ask these two to stay...?"
Though he could have ascertained the answer for himself, Vahn wanted to hear what Shiroyasha had to say. In response, she stuck her tongue out at him before clasping her hands together and suggesting, "For now, why don't we all make ourselves comfortable?"
Despite squinting his eyes, Vahn didn't oppose Shiroyasha's suggestion. Instead, he cast his gaze over the equally fretful and excited twins. Each had short, white-blonde hair, slender waists ideal for belly dancing, and fairly ample breasts. What distinguished them from one another was that one was dark-skinned and had a black horn protruding from the center of her head, while the other perfectly contrasted her sister with fair skin and a white horn. The tone of their eyes was subtly different, but both sisters had amber-grey irises and large pupils that were nearly the same color.
"What are your names?"
Instead of answering Vahn's question, the two girls exchanged nervous glances with one another until Shiroyasha explained, "They can't speak. Those collar-like markings around their neck have the function of limiting the development of a person's vocal cords. They were originally intended to be assassins but were recruited into the Salamandra Community when they were eight years old. It's probably better you didn't know what came after. Just know that, compared to what they would have been forced to endure, it was relatively tame."
Not expecting Shiroyasha to spontaneously reveal their pasts, the two sisters hung their heads in shame. They were instructed never to show their emotions, but certain situations made it a lot harder than usual. If Vahn viewed them as dirty or soiled goods, they would probably break down and cry.
"Raise your heads..."
Compelled by the resonating tone of Vahn's voice, both girls promptly raised their heads to the point their chins were jutting outwards. For a brief moment, terror unlike anything they had experienced since their childhood washed over them as Vahn suddenly extended his large yet remarkably soft hands to grasp their necks.
"Speak..."
With Vahn's voice carrying the same compulsion as before, both sisters simultaneously replied, "We can't..." in a frightened yet considerably more surprised tone.
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn retracted his hands from the sister's necks, declaring, "From this moment onward, the two of you are free. So long as I draw breath, there isn't a force in all of Creation that can change that..."
Since they weren't used to speaking or straining their vocal cords, the two sisters fell to the floor and began crying in painful silence. It wasn't until Vahn said, "Let it out..." in his captivatingly reverberating voice that their own came forward, anguished wails escaping their throats, accompanied by a deluge of tears...
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Though he wasn't even remotely surprised by the development, Vahn couldn't help smiling wryly when the two sisters invariably prostrated themselves before him, pleading, "Please allow us to serve you!" in soft yet resolute tones.
Ignoring the prompt from his Unit Management, Vahn said, "The Aldrnari Empire is fundamentally different from other nations and organizations. I have quite a few, but no need for servants, slaves, or private entertainers. If you are concerned about what to do with your newfound freedom, then the answer is simple. I'm sure the two of you have always harbored hopes and dreams of some kind. Now is your chance to pursue them."
Without raising her head, the darker of the two twins explained, "The only hope my sister and I have ever harbored is finding a Master that will treat us gently. It is for that reason the two of us came here today..."
Though the copper-skinned woman's words were nearly inaudible, Vahn could understand her without any difficulty. He could also see the auras of her and her sister gravitating towards him, a mixture of fear, hope, and desirous intent contained within. The only thing the two sisters knew was attending others, so they were willing to do whatever it took to convince him of their worth.
Speaking in defense of the two girls, Shiroyasha, who had made herself comfortable on one of the elegant sofas, remarked, "Stop beating around the bush. Can't you see how your actions are stressing them out? If they want to serve the Aldrnari Empire until they figure something else out, just let them. It's not like they can't change their minds later..."
As if she had just realized something, Shiroyasha promptly adopted one of her mischievous smiles as she sat up and said, "Tell you what, if you don't take them, I will. Then, just to annoy you, I'll have them dress up in skimpy Maid outfits and invite them to join us whenever you come by to visit. Shishishishi~."
"..."
Inhaling a deep breath, Vahn reached up to rub his forehead and temples before ultimately just shaking his head and muttering, "Whatever...in for a penny, in for a pound..."
Directing his gaze to the silently observing Frey, Vahn asked, "What about you? Know that I have already looked into your situation thoroughly. If it's just restoring your family's honor and securing a better position in the new Salamandra, I can help you without compensation. The moment I became aware of their schemes, your father and uncle lost all power and influence over you. By the conclusion of the day's events, you will be the Leader of the Scarlett Family in more than just name."
Though he already knew how Frey was going to answer, Vahn couldn't help shaking his head when she asserted, "My family may have assigned me this task, but I have yearned for Your Imperial Majesty's touch ever since I bore witness to your power against Amaterasu-Ōmikami. Even if I must foreswear their right to your throne, I am willing to give anything for the right to bear your children..."
Misinterpreting the shaking of Vahn's head as a rejection, Frey began to feel a little panicked. She was willing to settle for someone like Mandra if she had no choice, but for the sake of her family and children, she would prefer the far more superior mate. If she failed to convince Vahn here, the prosperity of her family would be inextricably tied to Salamandra and its politics.
She would never voice it aloud for fear of being labeled a traitor, but Frey was frankly fed up with Salamandra and its politics...
Fortunately, just as Frey's mind was beginning to race for ways to appeal to Vahn, he freed her from the burden by saying, "Very well. I will accept your proposition and allow the Scarlett Family to join the Aldrnari Empire as an affiliate."
Overly excited by Vahn's words, Frey's diminutive wings perked up and began to flap as the base of her tail became rigid and slightly raised. Her desire to breed was in full swing, but before she could even think about presenting herself, Vahn revealed that he wasn't exaggerating about his knowledge of her situation, asking, "What do you intend to do about your cousin?"
Though she felt like she was pushing her luck, Frey decided to go out on a limb, answering, "If Your Imperial Majesty permits it, I know for a fact that she would be more than willing..."
Demonstrating his power and the fact he had basically given up, Vahn just nodded his head before waving his hand to produce a petite woman with burgundy hair and blood-red eyes. Her identity was Frey's cousin, Alexys. However, despite descending from the same genealogy, she lacked Frey's pointed ears, wings, and tails. Her only draconic feature were her horns, a pair of ridged, dagger-like protrusions that jutted out from the sides of her head in a surprisingly fashionable manner.
"What the hell...?"
As she hadn't even sensed a spatial fluctuation, Alexys was more than a little confused by her sudden, near-instantaneous transfer. The presence of her elder cousin helped to lessen her growing panic, but that changed rather drastically when she noticed Vahn and Shiroyasha.
"Your-Your Imperial Majesty...!"
Hurrying to take a knee, Alexys's panic increased when an invisible force prevented her from doing so. Fortunately, Frey had quickly recovered her senses, readily stepping forward to embrace her much younger cousin as she softly cooed, "Calm down...there's no need to panic..."
Though she could feel Frey's heart beating at an incredible pace, Alexys began to calm down with the help of her cousin's gentle caress. Frey had stepped in to take care of her following the death of their shared mother. When she later became the caretaker of Salamandra, Alexys was chosen as a candidate for the next Dragon Knight, so this was only their second time meeting since Salamandra's 'disappearance'.
Like Frey, Alexys was presently wearing a suit of Dragonscale armor. The difference between them was that Alexys's was made from the materials of a Black Dragon. She also wasn't comfortable with the notion of running around half-naked, so, similar to Vor, she wore a skin-tight bodysuit under her armor. While this covered all the important bits, it actually caused her butt to stand out even more due to how the pale-grey material caught the light and cast shadows...
Undermining her efforts to keep Alexys calm, Frey explained the situation by whispering into her ear. By the time she was finished, the youthful yet remarkably busty young Dragoness was trembling due to a mixture of fear and immense excitement. She had also seen the recording that had made innumerable dragon girls, even those with thinning bloodlines, thoroughly smitten with Vahn. The only reason they weren't head over heels for him was because they would rather Vahn hold their heels over their heads...
Turning along with her sister-cousin to meet Vahn's gaze, Alexys adopted a genuine yet remarkably fierce smile as she declared, "It would be one of my life's greatest honors to serve the Sage Dragon Emperor. My body, my life, my everything is yours to do with as you please..."
Getting a little ahead of herself, Alexys promptly removed the piece of covering her privates. This revealed yet another flaw of the bodysuit, as the moment she removed the piece of metal, it became apparent just how genuinely 'excited' she was...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's like showing up for an orgy and getting turned away at the door...','I'm not sure if Shiroyasha is an awesome wingman or an absolute troll...','The family dynamic of dragons is messed up...')

Though they each had rooms of their own, Asuka, Yo, Lily, and the tiny Earth Spirit chose to stay in the same suite. The bed within was large enough to accommodate ten people comfortably, so they just needed to be careful of rolling onto Lily's tails or inadvertently squashing their little faerie friend.
Thanks to a bushel of golden apples and a functionally bottomless teapot provided by Vahn, Asuka had quickly overcome her nausea. She had also gradually come to terms with the events that had transpired earlier in the afternoon but still felt compelled to ask, "Yo, about what you said before. You know, the thing about you loving me..."
Adopting a beaming smile, Yo leaned her head back against Asuka. The latter had been brushing her hair, so Yo was able to conveniently recline against Asuka's breasts as she answered, "I meant it. I don't think we can become lovers, but I never want us to separate. You're my first and best human friend, and I want us to remain together always."
Exhaling a sigh, Asuka adopted an ostensibly helpless expression as she reached up to gingerly caress the sides of Yo's face, a faint smile on her face as she said, "I also want us to stay together. However, I'm not sure how things will work out with both of us loving different men. Izayoi may be a perverted brute, but he is also reliable. Ever since he saved us back in the Game Board, my heart has followed him wherever he goes. Unless he went out of his way to betray me, I don't think I could ever stop loving him..."
Recalling the incident Asuka was referencing, Yo simply nodded. Izayoi had stepped in when the two of them were being accosted by members of the Apollo Familia. Apollo had taken an interest in their abilities pretty early on, so he conspired to try and forcibly recruit them. Izayoi stepped in, and, as a result, he ended up being forced to flee the city after wiping out the Apollo Familia.
Following Izayoi's departure, Asuka had worked tirelessly to increase her influence and clear his name. She ultimately failed in her goal of becoming Governess of Orario, but the experience had all but solidified her views on the rather roguish hero...
Having been paying close attention to the conversation, Lily chimed in to say, "I think you may be overcomplicating things, Asuka. I can't really see Vahn-sama or Izayoi-san becoming upset even if you and Yo entered into a relationship. Vahn-sama only wants the people around him to be happy, and Izayoi-san is more likely to joke about it than take offense."
Furrowing her brows, Asuka remarked, "That may be the case. However, it is the principle of the matter that concerns me. If Izayoi were to cheat on me with another person, be they man or woman, I'm not sure I could ever forgive him. As fond...as much as I love Yo, it would be hypocritical of me to hold him to a higher standard than myself..."
Though Asuka's words caused her to feel a little empty inside, Yo could understand what she was saying. It wasn't that Asuka didn't want to be together with her; she just didn't want to hurt Izayoi.
Thinking of solutions, Yo briefly humored the idea of asking Vahn if it was okay if she entered into a relationship with Izayoi. She got the impression he would be okay with it, but, at the same time, Yo felt a strange feeling of anxiety just thinking about being with someone other than Vahn.
Dismissing the idea nearly as quickly as she had thought of it, Yo rose to a seated position before half-turning to face Asuka as she said, "So long as we can be together like this, I'm happy. I just don't want us to grow apart and be unable to share things like we do now. Even if we both got married and started families, I would rather we raise our children together than be separated..."
Feeling her heart melt, Asuka muttered, "Oh, Yo...even after all this time, you're still so precious. Come here..."
Inviting Yo into her embrace, Asuka gave the comparably busty brunette a firm hug as she quietly added, "I can promise you this...no matter what happens with Vahn and Izayoi, our bond will remain eternal. You are like a little sister to me...no, something much, much more..."
Though she didn't go for the lips, Asuka planted a chaste yet lasting kiss on the nape of Yo's neck. Her feeling towards the latter were nearly as strong as Yo's towards her. She just didn't have what it took to abandon her principles and live a life without inhibitions. In that respect, she and Yo were polar opposites. It just so happened that opposites attracted...
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After stepping in to prevent her from being captured by Izayoi, Maxwell, the Demon Lord of Thermodynamics, hurled the body of the scantily clad blonde in front of a petite demoness with short purple hair, saying, "Keep your pets in line. The Game hasn't even started, but one of your members nearly got taken out. Our Master will not tolerate a second mistake."
Squinting her blood-red eyes, the petite demoness began to discharge a hazy black mist from the inordinately large and frilly sleeves adorning her slender arms. She, like most people, had never liked Maxwell. He wasn't even her direct superior, so she didn't delay in sending the black mist to swirl around him as she said, "Leave."
"Black Percher! You ungrateful wench...!"
Gathering heat in his right hand and cold in his left, Maxwell was prepared to teach the lower-ranked Demon Lord a lesson when a soft voice echoed from the void, stating, "Maxwell, I wish to speak with you. Attend me."
Though the voice radiated no anger or hostility, everyone within the room tensed. Even the scantily clad woman on the ground awoke from her deep state of unconsciousness, goose pimples breaking out across her body as she contemplated prostrating herself and apologizing for her failure.
As if the owner of the voice could read her mind, it assured her, "There is no need for you to apologize, Ratten. The appearance of the Sage Dragon Emperor has obfuscated matters in a way even I couldn't divine. For now, just focus on supporting your Master. As for you, Black Percher, continue according to the original plan."
Cupping her hands together despite her oversized sleeves, Black Percher respectfully lowered her head as she said, "Very well, Master. I will do as you command."
Though no one could see the voice's owner, everyone in the room got the impression it had just nodded. It was like an aura of affirmation had filled the room, drastically improving the morale of everyone present. The only exception was Maxwell, who, prior to his departure, directed a disgusted, hate-filled glare towards Black Percher and Ratten.
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After pacifying Shiroyasha and accompanying her back to the Thousand Eyes Branch, Vahn spent some time restoring the Chamber of Flames to its original state before renewing the flow of time. When he did, Sandora immediately started sniffing at the air, her face turning a little red as she noted, "Shiroyasha-sama is missing, and the air suddenly smells cleaner than before..."
Directing her crystalline blue eyes to Vahn, Sandora's expression became serious as she said, "Please tell me Shiroyasha-sama didn't do anything to my body when you stopped time..."
"What...?"
Though he understood why Sandora might ask such a question, Vahn was still a little taken aback by it. Shiroyasha had endeavored to 'prank' him by pulling Sandora into their flow of time, but he would never allow anything like what she was currently thinking to occur.
Learning everything she needed to know from Vahn's reaction, Sandora exhaled a sigh of relief. She would trust Shiroyasha with her life, but she was well aware of the Eastern Floor Master's eccentricities; they weren't exactly a secret.
"Sorry, Vahn. I'm just feeling a little befuddled due to Shiroyasha-sama's previous remark. She offered to let me piggyback her consciousness so I could experience what the two of you were going to do together. Though I refused, I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little curious..."
Shaking her head, Sandora attempted to clear her wayward thoughts. She didn't want Vahn to think she was a desperate or perverted girl.
Seeing through Sandora's thoughts, Vahn's expression visibly softened as he exhaled a sigh through his nose.
Only a few days had passed since Vahn's arrival in the North. However, thanks to his gratuitous manipulation of time, several months had passed since his initial encounter with Sandora. This included nearly two months with Sandora herself, so his views towards her had already changed quite a bit. He still felt she had a lot of maturing to do, but there was no reason they couldn't just expedite the process.
"Sandora..."
Feeling shivers pass through her body due to Vahn's soft yet resonating tone, Sandora found herself unable to speak as she turned to meet his luminous, aquamarine eyes. When he grabbed her hand, she felt a wave of warmth spread through her body that was only exacerbated when he said, "I feel like visiting one of my Actualized Worlds. Will you come with me...?"
Opening her mouth, Sandora's first instinct was to ask about the Festival of the Fire Dragon, but, knowing what she knew about Vahn's Actualized Worlds, they could spend a lifetime inside and still return before morning.
Without having to consider her response for too long, Sandora adopted a faint yet excited smile as she asked, "Where are we going...?"
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Though Sandora would have been fine with finding a place to settle down in the mountains, Vahn wanted to bolster her confidence and give her the opportunity to experience a grand adventure. He also wanted to create a unique experience for just the two of them, so he ended up taking her to an Actualized World known as the Ghibliverse. More specifically, he took her into the world of a game known as Ni No Kuni II.
While the story of Ni No Kuni II took place over several months, it had a kingdom-building aspect that spanned generations. The world itself was also remarkably similar to the North Side as there were vast, open plains and countless Elemental Spirits known as Higgledies roaming around. As for the civilization level, it varied quite a bit as the setting combined the fantasy tropes of excavating ancient yet highly-advanced technology and summoning Heroes from modern and futuristic worlds.
Sandora initially struggled due to the drastic disparity between her power in the North Side and her abilities within the Ghibliverse. Fortunately, she had Vahn there to help acclimate her to a brand new system of magic. He had also placed them at a point seven months before the start of the main story, so they had plenty of time to both adapt and simply live together.
Though things became a little complicated when one of the Heroines, a girl named Tani, started imprinting on Vahn, the latter managed to steer her back towards her intended love interest, a boy named Evan, using a bit of fate manipulation. He ended up feeling a little guilty about it, but he hadn't entered the Actualized World with the intent of having yet another young girl imprint on him. He was there to spend time with Sandora, so that was exactly what he did.
In the end, Vahn and Sandora spent close to seven years helping Evan and Tani build and expand their kingdom before choosing to return. They had already informed the residents of Ni No Kuni that they were travelers from another world, so the parting wasn't nearly as sad as it could have been. The only complication was Sandora promising they would return if the Kingdom were ever imperiled. Since Vahn had knowledge of the entire timeline from the outside, he and Sandora ended up having to return three times just to prevent her from being a liar...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Asuka is a woman of principle...','Maxwell is slowly building his Aggro...','Vahn takes promises very seriously xD...')

Chapter 2275: Preparation