Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn awoke early the next morning and gave a cursory glance at the system log. He noted there weren't many changes in Milan's affection, but Chloe's had increased overnight. Seeing the strange description 'Desire to Pet' Vahn quickly closed the log.He spent a few minutes washing his face and using water from the 'Decanter of Replenishment'. Afterward, he performed some routine maintenance on his equipment before heading downstairs.Preparing to leave the Inn, he noticed someone new at the counter. She was a human girl, around 17-18 years old with black hair neatly arranged into a long braid flowing over her shoulder. Her purple eyes seemed to droop a bit towards the end giving her a gentle expression. Noticing his presence she displayed a gentle smile and waved.Vahn returned a smile of his own with a curt nod as he exited the Inn. Today was an important day and he wanted to get an early start. If she was a permanent worker at the Inn, he would have plenty of time to interact with her in the future.He turned to walk towards the massive tower in the center of the City. Today he was planning to enter the dungeon for the first time. As he made his way along the road he couldn't help but increase his pace a bit.Along the way, several people gave him curious glances but he would worry about that later. He had almost used some of his stockpiled OP to purchase new clothing but wanted to see how far he could get into the dungeon relying on his current equipment. If things were more difficult than he expected he would upgrade his gear before making a second attempt.Due to his increased pace, he managed to reach the tower in under twenty minutes. Before entering he looked up to take in the view of the tower from its base. He remembered from the manga that the tower had been built by the Gods to seal the dungeon below. It should be 50 floors tall and from where he stood it almost seemed to pierce into the heavens. The top could be seen, but it was almost a blur that disappeared into the atmosphere above. He couldn't imagine how long it would take to go to the top...Vahn entered the first floor of Babel and was surprised to see the number of adventurers present. He wasn't the only person that decided to enter the dungeon first thing in the morning. He observed the hustle and bustle before making his way towards a desk near the stairwell leading downwards into the earth.Entering one of the open windows, Vahn met his first elf in this world. At around 178cm with golden hair and green eyes stood an elven male. He had very smooth facial features giving a bit of ambiguity to his gender, but his style and the way he carried himself answered any questions observers might have. His hair was short and combed back giving him a very princely look, and the expression in his eyes was intelligent and intimidating.Noticing the approach of the human child before him, Nicholas Grimm waved him over. He had a good memory for faces and was often posted outside the dungeon, so he assumed this human child was likely a new adventurer or freelancer. Though it didn't concern him much, he knew it damaged the Guild's bottom line when adventurers died within the dungeon."Good morning. I assume you would like information about the dungeon before entering?"Vahn nodded while observing the peculiar green aura emitted by the elf receptionist."Very well, you can exchange 100 Valis for a map of the first four floors of the dungeon. Though the layout changes on the deeper floors, the upper levels remain relatively consistent and we update the maps weekly. For first-timers, it's one of our most recommended items. We also have several volumes that cover the ecology and weakness of various monsters."Vahn listened as the elf tried to offer him various items for purchase. After selecting books about kobolds and dungeon lizards the man started to explain various other hazards that might appear in the dungeon. Vahn was surprised with how much detail the man put into his explanation, and had Sis keep a log so he could review it later. Lastly, the man had Vahn fill out his information like address and expected time of stay within the dungeon. He was told that if he failed to leave within the written time, they would wait 72 hours before informing the people listed on the contacts of his disappearance. After everything was said and done, Vahn finally entered the dungeon.The first floor was a wide-open path with brackish blue walls and a peculiar off-green colored floor. Vahn wasn't the only person walking along the path, but everyone seemed to stick to their own groups so he didn't go out of his way to bother them. Though he had expected to encounter monster immediately upon entering the dungeon, they seemed to spawn infrequently and were eliminated quickly by others.Creating some distance between himself and all the other groups, Vahn made his way through a corridor that branched off of the main pathway. At this point, he was proactively trying to map as much as he could using the auto-mapping function of the system. Everything within his line of sight was updated in detail within the minimap displayed within the periphery of his vision.He tried not to focus on the map too much as it wouldn't really increase his progress and might even distract him. He knew it would become a valuable asset whenever he tried to backtrack in the future and was satisfied only checking it periodically.Fifteen minutes into his first dive, Vahn finally encountered a monster. Eight meters ahead of his current position, the wall seemed to open and 'spit' out a form he instantly recognized. With the familiar creature in sight, Vahn equipped his bow and dispatched the goblin with a single arrow.Approaching the area where the goblin fell, Vahn bent over to pick up the crystal left behind.("I may have to go deeper into the dungeon if I want to test myself. Goblins in small groups don't pose any threat to me anymore.")(*Vahn! Look out!*)Hearing the shout of Sis within his mind, Vahn leaped forward and rolled along the ground. He rebounded to his feet and saw the creature that had just tried to sneak attack him. Standing in the spot he had just occupied stood a second goblin wielding a small wood club. Vahn could see behind it two more goblins being spit out of the wall.The closet goblin lunged towards him and Vahn had to re-open the distance to take aim. Unlike the goblins on the surface, this one seemed to be much quicker as it was easily able to close the distance towards Vahn who was back-stepping. Swinging its club, Vahn managed to intercept with his bow before kicking the goblin away during the resulting struggle.Before the goblin was able to find its footing, Vahn immediately loosed an arrow into its body turning it to dust. Not missing a beat, he continued to open the distance and fired two more arrows into the other goblins who were trying to close the gap and attack. They both turned into dust as Vahn released a sigh he had been withholding. He carefully looked around to see if there were any other goblins trying to sneak up on him.Unlike the forest where he was able to make use of the terrain to stealth-kill goblins, in open areas like this where monsters could spawn freely he had to always be alert. When the dungeon released monsters it was almost soundless, and Vahn almost paid the price for his negligence.("Even though I thought goblins didn't pose a threat, I was almost forced to swallow my words...The fact that the goblins are able to spawn in such close proximity makes the bow less effective. I'm too reliant on attacking things from a distance which isn't suitable for someone soloing the dungeon.")Vahn re-assigned his bow to the secondary slot and equipped the dagger he had received when he first arrived in this world. He hadn't used it since his breakaway from the goblin sentries, and it's low attack value made it unreliable if he wanted to fight stronger monsters.("Sis, please filter through the list and purchase a dagger that is about twice as strong as this one...no, wait! Instead of a dagger make it a sword. It has better range and looks a lot cooler than a small knife.")(*Confirmed, purchasing 'Runic Tamahagane Blade' for 2,000 OP.*)At this point Vahn had saved a total of 51,790 OP, so he wasn't worried about the loss of two-thousand. What caught his attention was the large black sword that had appeared before him. Its total length was 130 cm, with the blade taking up 3/4 of that total. When he picked it up he was surprised at how light it felt compared to its size.Taking a look at his surroundings, Vahn stood with his back to a wall so he could see anyone approaching. Afterward, he decided to quickly inspect the new sword.'Runic Tamahagane Blade'Rank:(A), MagicSlots: 2P.Atk: 510+50M.Atk: 180A sword reforged countless time by a young blacksmith from the 'Far East' who aspired to become the greatest in the land. Upon his death, his friend enchanted the blade using an ancient technique in hopes that his friends' dream would become a reality.Vahn was surprised at the attack value of the sword, but it made sense given the increased size. He gave it a few practice swings, and even though it felt 'light' his arms began to tire after a while.("I'll have to focus on landing decisive strikes if I don't want to tire myself out. But I can use this as an opportunity to further my training.")As the last test before he moved on, Vahn began to channel his 'source' energy into the sword while watching its stats. It seemed to take far more energy than the bow and arrow, but he noticed as the runes began to glow that the sword actually became lighter. Another thing was the fact that the P.Atk of the sword remained unchanged while the M.Atk seemed to increase rapidly.Vahn continued to channel magic into the sword until all of the runes began to glow. The blade began to hum and whenever he swung it, the sword felt as light as a feather in his hands. The coolest thing was how the blade now left a trail of light wherever he swung. He noticed that the M.Atk was now 1800, 10x the initial value. Curious about the effect he decided to attack the nearest wall.The moment the sword contacted the wall Vahn was surprised. The expected impact never came and the sword seemed to pass effortlessly through the dense dungeon wall. It seemed that the magic not only decreased the weight but also enhanced the sharpness to an insane degree. Even as a novice in swordsmanship, as long as he managed to hit the target he would likely be able to kill it.Marveling at how powerful an item that cost 2000 points was, Vahn made a determination to stockpile as much as he could for the future. He would still buy consumables and upgrade his equipment when needed, but now it had become his goal to buy an item that cost 100,000, no, 1,000,000 OP!//Quest Triggered//[Quest: Birth of a Legend]Rank: SSHeroes are as famous as the weapons they wield. Even a lowly squire can become a Legend when wielding a sword forged by the Gods. Condition: Exchange 1,000,000 OP with the system to obtain a random weapon.Rewards: 'Gacha Function Unlocked', 10+1 Premium Gacha pull, 1000 KarmaFailure Condition: Death, 12 months pass [364D23H58M], Spend more than 100,000 OP [4,997/100,000]Penalty: All items within the inventory destroyed. Shop Function disabled for 12 months. Equipment items become cursed for 1 month [cursed items cannot be removed]Vahn smiled. If 'The Path' wanted to challenge his conviction, he wouldn't let it down. He turned towards the depths of the dungeon and continued to walk forward...

Vahn progressed further into the dungeon until he found a staircase leading deeper into the dungeon. After a brief hesitation, he decided to head down so he could test his new sword. He continued onwards until the staircase opened to another floor. Looking beyond the door he could see the staircase continued further on, but when he tried to pass he felt a resistance preventing him from passing.Sticking out his hand as a test, he was able to feel a membrane that became increasingly resistant based on how much pressure he applied. Out of curiosity, he even backed up and swung his sword to try and cut through the invisible barrier.Though it seemed to cut through easily at first, after progressing 30-40cm he felt a sudden rebounding force. Caught off guard, the sword was sent flying and Vahn felt a warm sensation coming from his now numb hand. Looking down he saw blood dripping from his the skin between his thumb and forefinger. The rebound had completely severed the soft flesh between the two fingers.("I didn't think that one through properly. But at least I was able to understand the limits of my sword a bit. It might have enhanced sharpness, but a strong enough resistive force can overwhelm the enchantment.")After treating his wound using a low-grade healing potion obtained from the system, Vahn continued into the 2nd floor of the dungeon.The 2nd floor was very similar to the 1st. The biggest difference was the sheer number of paths to explore. As he began exploring the floor Vahn finally encountered his first new monster. Standing around 130cm tall and covered in mangy greyish fur Vahn was able to identify the creature as a Kobold. It possessed the head of a dog and seemed to have a lazy expression as it shambled through down the corridor.Though he was momentarily overcome by the instinct to use his bow, Vahn quickly put the idea to the back of his mind. He got into what he thought was a proper stance and began to awkwardly step towards the Kobold.Noticing his presence, the Kobold looked towards the approaching human before breaking out into a mad sprint. It was much faster than a goblin and possessed the ability to run on all fours which increased its ability to make sudden changes in direction.Once it got in range Vahn tried swinging his sword into the kobolds path. As the sword traced an arc through the air, the Kobold used it's nimble movements to easily dodge under the path of the blade.Using the time he was off-balanced during the swing, the kobold leaped into his stomach and began to sink its sharp canines into the flesh of Vahns abdomen.Before he could respond to the sudden pain, the kobold began to jerk it's head side-to-side as it tried to tear the flesh from Vahn's stomach. In a panic, Vahn dropped his sword and tried to grab the head of the kobold to prevent it from moving. As a response the Kobold began to use the jagged claws on its hands to fiercely claw away, causing lacerations all over Vahns chest and arms.As the pain threshold continued to rise, Vahn felt the familiar cooling sensation spread through his mind as blood began to pool in the back of his throat. Mustering his strength he turned towards the wall and rammed his body, with the kobold between it, with the greatest force he could muster.The Kobold finally released it's jaw from Vahns abdomen only to change it's target to his left thigh. Feeling the fresh pain coming from his leg, Vahn used the remainder of his fading consciousness to equip the dagger he had stored in his inventory. He took the dagger and began to stab into the back of the kobold over and over until it finally turned to dust.Vahn collapsed, back to the wall, and looked at his stomach where he could see a deep black blood slowly oozing from what looked like his liver. He also saw the bright crimson blood which flowed like a tide from the torn blood vessels and arteries. Seeing the bright blood he began to have flashbacks to how he died in his previous...(*...!!!!*)As his consciousness began to fade he could hear a shouting from within his mind, but he couldn't hear it. He tried focusing on the voice, but the darkness encroaching on his vision seemed to hinder the message from getting through. The cold feeling that was in his mind began to spread to his entire body. He began to shiver and lose feeling in his legs.(*.....!!!!!*)"Whose...voice is that...Sis? I'm sorry, I can't...hear you." Vahn coughed up blood while trying to speak.His eyelids began to feel like lead weights as he struggled to keep them from closing. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't seem to keep them open. He knew that if he wasn't able to keep them open something terrible would happen, but he wasn't able to muster any strength...The darkness completely covered his vision and he finally let his eyes close fully.*Throb*........................*Throb*...................."..."*Throb*..................*Throb*...............Vahn could feel a powerful force trying to break through the darkness. He had already lost all feeling within his body, and couldn't form any coherent thoughts.*THROB*.................*THROB*.................As the throbbing feeling began to increase in strength he started to see images. Accompanying each beat he could see the various memories he had accumulated in this world. He was sent back to the time when he first arrived in the 'record' of Danmachi. Though he was scared he resolved himself to live freely to honor his Mother's wishes...*THROB*.............*THROB*............He saw his six months of hard training, observing how he made the transition from an emaciated lab animal to a capable hunter that could even defeat a goblin tribe single-handedly...*THROB*...........*THROB*.......He began to recall all the people he had met after journeying to the City. The kind middle-aged man at the City gate...Gregory. The mature receptionist Fauna...the petite Millie who cautioned him for his own benefit...*THROB*...*THROB*.....He remembered the mother and daughter combo Milan and Tina. He still wanted to clear up the misunderstanding so Tina didn't fear him...He even remembered the phenomenal taste of the dish called 'Spaghetti' and the terrifying black-haired cat person Chloe...*THROB*....*THROB*....That's right...there are so many things I've experienced since coming to this world. The people, the places, and the food...I want to experience more. I don't want my journey to end here! NO, I REFUSE TO LET IT END!*THROB*...*THROB*...*THROB* *SHATTER*//Obtained Innate Skill: 'Will of the Emperor'//Vahn felt something snap in his mind as he tried desperately to resist the darkness. He grit his teeth so hard he could feel his molars crack. His fingernails cut into his palms as Vahn slowly opened his eyes. The cooling feeling originating from his mind seemed to encompass his body.Using his newfound awareness Vahn quickly opened his inventory and withdrew a 'senzu bean'. Feeling the small bean in his hand, he struggled to lift it to his mouth. He felt the darkness in his vision begin to return but forced it away using sheer willpower.Finally, he managed to put the 'senzu bean' into his mouth and madly devoured the life-giving essence within. He felt his wounds begin to heal rapidly and was even able to see the huge tear in his abdomen close up. It was almost as if time had been reversed, and after several breaths, Vahn was able to regain his strength.He lifted the nearby sword and turned towards his audience. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we begin?"When he had begun to lose consciousness earlier, several goblins and kobolds had been spawned in the surrounding area. Though they wanted to charge at his limp body immediately, they were all forced back by an invisible pressure. It was unlike anything the monsters had experienced, and they felt a fundamental feeling of fear within their core. It was almost like the boy before they contained the soul of an Ancient Dragon.When the boy addressed them, the pressure suddenly increased as they looked into the deep aquamarine eyes. Within his pupils, they could see the silhouette of a fierce warrior shrouded in divine light. They could even vaguely see an illusion of a great army standing behind him...Without waiting any longer, Vahn charged at the monsters who stared in his direction in reverence and fear. He swung his sword in wide arcs, trailing a white light that carried a deadly momentum. The sword began to hum as it cut through each successive body. As if possessing a life of its own, it began to resonate with the aura of its new master.Vahn continued to slay monsters in a frenzy and seemed to trigger something within the dungeon itself. From the walls, floor, and even ceiling monsters continued to spawn to confront the mad tyrant wreaking havoc on the second floor.After several minutes Vahn had cut a path of destruction towards the third floor. Even the walls of the dungeon itself could not impede the path of his blade as he left dozens of marks to scar its surface.Arriving at the staircase leading down, Vahn decided to against continuing further and followed the staircase upwards. The power that had been coursing through his body since his awakening had begun to diminish and his instincts told him that once it faded he would most likely pass out.He sprinted upwards with his maximum speed and arrived at the entrance within twenty minutes. As he took several steps from the entrance, amidst the crowd of people entering and exiting the dungeon, Vahn collapsed into unconsciousness.Those in his surroundings immediately retreated for the boy who looked in terrible shape. There was blood covering every inch of his body, and they assumed he had most likely overestimated his own capabilities and suffered from his inexperience. One bolder adventurer decided to confirm if the boy was still alive and then flagged down the approaching Guild staff after he noticed the boy was still breathing.One of approaching staff members was the elf Vahn had seen earlier, Nicholas Grimm. Seeing the state of the boy he had just recently lectured about the dangers of the dungeon, he couldn't help but frown. Signaling the staff to escort him to the medical ward, he resolved to give the child a fierce lecture after he woke up.

After resting for a few hours Vahn awoke to the sound of another notification within his mind.//Milan Yuel: Intrigue - 1//Confused, Vahn called up the system log to see what happened while he was asleep.//System Log////Milan Yuel: Affection +1////Milan Yuel: Intrigue - 1////Milan Yuel: Intrigue +1////Milan Yuel: Intrigue - 1////Milan Yuel: Intrigue - 1//("This must be the extra details Sis talked about when I touched the aura of someone using 'View Affection'. It seems to show me whenever the values change. But why would they change when I'm nowhere near them?")(*The reason is simple Vahn. Imagine if you were really angry at someone, but then they left for an extended period of time. Your anger would diminish over time, and if they were gone long enough it may cease entirely.*)Vahn had a small epiphany after listening to Sis's explanation. ("So you're saying that peoples thoughts and feelings change based on exposure, time, and other factors?")(*Yes, but you should keep in mind that everyone is unique. Different people may respond in unexpected ways, and time may even enhance certain emotions.*)He could understand what she meant. Even though he had never had the opportunity to spend time with his Mother, his affection for her had only grown with time. Other than experiencing everything the 'records' had to offer, it was the primary force driving him forward.*sounds of stomach-sama demanding your attention*Hearing the protest of his stomach Vahn quickly left the room, making sure to lock the door on his way out. Though he hadn't left any valuables inside, he actually enjoyed the thought of locking away his own little personal space that nobody had free access to.On his way down he came across the small girl who was shuffling between several tables serving food to the other guests. Noticing his appearance, she immediately began to back away before saying, "My mother said you were a guest~nya. And to make sure not to let you touch my ears or tail~nya."Hearing what the girl said, the surrounding customers all burst out laughing."Hahahaha, you tell 'im lass. Don't be gettin' handsy now y'hear!" said one man with a deep baritone voice."Aye, you tell 'im Jim! Keep yer filthy mitts off our lit'le Tina!" shouted his companion while raising a flagon of ale.Vahn didn't know what to say in response to the ruckus of the crowd. He looked helplessly at the young girl that seemed to be terrified of him and noticed her aura was a wispy purple color. Though he wanted to 'touch' her and see her values, he assumed it would probably make the situation worse.Giving up, he waved towards the Proprietress who seemed to be enjoying his misery and left the Inn.//Milan Yuel: Intrigue + 5////Milan Yuel: Affection + 2//The moment the notification sounded, he almost tripped which caused another round of laughter to erupt behind him.//Milan Yuel: Affection + 1//He quickly left the area before asking a passerby for directions. Tonight he had decided to visit one of the more popular places in the manga, the 'Hostess of Fertility'. That was where Bell had met the silver-haired beauty Syr Flova and was also the workplace of Ryuu Lion who was one of his favorite characters. He wasn't sure if they were working there yet, but it would still be worth it to visit. He remembered it being one of the most famous places in the City due to its all-women staff and incredible food.After nearly half an hour traveling by foot, Vahn finally arrived at the 'Hostess of Fertility'. It boasted a size similar to the Guild office, and also had three floors that seemed capable of housing hundreds of guests with ease. Vahn could smell a captivating aroma escaping the slightly ajar double-doors. It was the first time in both his lives that the simple smell of food was able to dominate his senses.*the sound of Cthulhu awakening from its thousand year slumber (A/N: This is his stomach*With a rising anticipation, he entered through the doors and was immediately welcomed."Welcome to the Hostess of Fertility~nya. Will you be dining in tonight~?"Vahn looked towards the voice and saw a black-haired Cat Person with green eyes smiling at him with a dangerous look in her eyes. She seemed rather petite at 158cm but was still slightly taller than he was. Her aura was a mixture of yellow surrounded by an almost illusory pink. (A/N: I switched to cm by suggestion, since not a lot of people liked meters for height. BTW, Vahn is 150cm tall right now~)"Nyaa~? It's not nice to stare Mr. Customer~" She seemed to be admonishing him, but the smile on her face grew to the point it reached her eyes causing her to squint slightly.Snapping out of his stupor, Vahn gave a polite nod before saying, "Sorry about that miss. And yes, I'd like to dine-in tonight. I've heard great things about this restaurant and had to experience it for myself."While guiding him towards an area near the bar she couldn't help but ask, "What great things have you heard~nya?"Without thinking about his response, Vahn replied, "They say this place has cute women and great food." Immediately after the words left his mouth, he felt a slight shiver down his spine."Cute women~nya? Does that include me?" She gave him her most playful look as she put her finger to her chin and tilted her head.Vahn didn't know why, but he felt a sense of danger in the look as he noticed the aura around her become a deeper shade.Swallowing his saliva he responded with a smile, "O-of course."Hearing his response, the Cat Person leaned towards him with a seemingly malicious grin. "Oh, and what part of me is cute~nya?" She couldn't help but tease the young boy further.Thoughts rapidly spun through Vahn's mind as she inched closer and closer towards his face. When she was less than a foot from him, he blurted out the first thing that he could think of. "Your hair and ears are definitely very cute!"The woman seemed to freeze slightly and Vahn noticed the ears on her head begin to noticeably twitch. The aura emitting from her body began to fluctuate slightly. Thinking he may have offended her, he was preparing his apology when she suddenly interrupted him."My name is Chloe Lolo, what is your name~nya?"Vahn noticed her eyes seemed to shimmer with an 'evil' light and felt compelled to answer. "My name? Vahn Mason?""Vahn Mason~? How old are you Vahn~?" Based on her demeanor, she almost seemed to be interrogating him.As he prepared his answer, another voice cut in from across the bar. "Chloe, you're terrifying the poor boy. Take his order and get back to work, or I'll find someone else to take care of him!"After the voice sounded, Chloe assumed a more professional stance and bowed slightly towards Vahn. "Forgive me~nya. I didn't mean to pressure you, I just couldn't help myself~nya."Unsure of what had just happened, Vahn nodded slightly before giving his order to Chloe. As she passed by to submit the order to the kitchen, she made sure to swipe her tail secretly across his hand.Feeling the unexpectedly soft touch, Vahn looked in her direction and saw her give a wink before turning away.//Chloe Lolo: Affection + 7////Chloe Lolo: Intrigue + 11//As he heard the notifications within his mind, Vahn couldn't help but feel like he was navigating through a minefield and had forgotten the layout.The woman who had spoken out earlier to admonish Chloe saw his expression and walked over."Don't let her get to you kid. She gets that way sometimes when dealing with some of the younger boys. You need to learn to have a little backbone or someone will walk all over you in the future."Vahn nodded his head and looked towards her as she went about serving the customers at the bar. Though she looked a bit different from the manga, he was able to easily determine her identity. She was Mia Grande, the Proprietress of the 'Hostess of Fertility'. She was around 180cm tall and had filled out in various areas due to her age. She had brown hair and eyes that both seemed to glisten in the taverns' light. Though Vahn knew she was pushing into her 50s, she still maintained a youthful vigor likely due to her secret as being one of the few Level 6s in the City.While he was waiting for his food he began to look around to see if he could recognize anyone else. Though he wasn't able to see the appearance of Syr or Ryuu, he did spot Anya Fromel and Lunoire Faust. They were both going around in their waitress attire and Vahn couldn't help but smile seeing their interactions with other customers."Enjoying the sight~nya?""Mmm." Vahn nodded his head in response before jolting his body and turning towards the voice.Chloe was standing there with his food and had been observing him as he looked around the pub. Though she found it amusing at first, she couldn't help but get annoyed when he hadn't noticed her presence for such a long period of time. Seeing that Mama Mia was busy with other customers, she decided to 'punish' Vahn for ignoring her.Placing his food on the bar, she sat down on the stool immediately to his left which was a slight blind spot unless Mama Mia looked directly over here. She turned towards Vahn with a big grin before gesturing at his plate."Go ahead~. Eat up~nya."Feeling the hair on the back of his neck rise, Vahn smiled as he picked up the fork and looked at his plate. Though the meal looked unlike any he had previously seen, he couldn't help but feel like he was about to eat his last meal...Slowly spooling the noodles called spaghetti, Vahn began to bring it to his mouth only to stop once his nose had caught the smell of the dish. Releasing all his previous anxiety, he couldn't help but close his eyes and inhale deeply the rich aromatic fragrance. After several long breaths, Vahn finally put the food into his mouth as he was assaulted by the vibrant array of herbs and spices.It almost felt like his soul was leaving his body and he was about to transmigrate to another world. He savored every single instance as he slowly chewed the richly textured noodles and perfectly spiced meat sauce. Before this moment, he didn't even know food could taste so good. In his previous life, he was fed almost exclusively vitamin supplements and nutrient cocktails. Ever since coming to this world he had the opportunity to sample various wild fruits and vegetables as well as wild game. He had mistakenly assumed the bland taste of the meat he roasted was something high-class since it tasted so much better than what he had back in the labs..."Ano~ Why are you crying~nya? Did I go too far?"Hearing a voice of concern, Vahn looked towards Chloe and saw an apologetic expression on her face as she stared at him. Reaching his free hand to his face, he noticed he was actually crying over the taste of the food.Embarrassed, he could help but look away as he said, "No, it's not your fault. The food was just so good that I..."Sighing in relief, Chloe noticed that Mama Mia had been looking in this direction and panicked slightly. Instead of saying anything, Mia just gave a subtle thumbs up and then indicated for her to return to work.Vahn continued to eat after Chloe left and even took the opportunity to order seconds. After finishing the second plate and paying his tab, he got ready to leave. On his way out Chloe personally sent him out and got him to promise to come back when she was on her shift.On his way home he seemed to remember the notifications from earlier and decided to see the affection values for Chloe.'View Affection: Chloe Lolo {[Affection: 64[Interested], Intrigue:71[Desire to Pet]}Seeing the value for Intrigue, Vahn couldn't help but feel a cold sweat for what seemed like the 10th time this evening. What does it mean 'Desire to Pet'!?Lamenting at the implications, Vahn returned to his room and passed out in exhaustion.

Chapter 21: Into the Dungeon : Desire