Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Hephaestus woke up early in the morning and felt completely refreshed. All of the fatigue she had been building up as of late had completely disappeared from her body. She could even feel her joints crack in a pleasant manner as she lifted herself from the couch. To the side, she was able to see Vahn curled up next to the couch. Seeing his sleeping face, Hephaestus felt that Vahn was very adorable. He had been so focused on her previously that he never even bothered to put his shirt back on before going to sleep.Reaching out her hand, she gently poked his cheek like she had done so the first time he slept in her office. Seeing the 'sad' look and frown that he had after being poked, she nearly laughed out and wanted to squeeze his cheeks to tease him. Suddenly, while she was distracted by poking him, Vahn's hand reached out and snatched her wrist. He opened his eyes and looked into the startled face of Hephaestus before smiling. Hephaestus blushed a bit before pulling her hand free of him and rising from the couch. "Good morning, Vahn. I'm sorry you had to sleep on the floor..."Vahn jumped up from the floor and began to stretch his body to loosen up the tension in his joints. Hephaestus watched him perform his routine and marveled at how quickly his body had been maturing over the last few months. Though he was never skinny, now his muscled had slowly started building up and he cut a slightly masculine figure in the dim light of her office. Hephaestus was in a daze as she watched his muscles stretch and contort, and was genuinely surprised when she noticed how flexible he was.Because Vahn had been using his Báihǔ form a lot in the dungeon, his body had slowly been changing to assume a more light and muscular shape. His muscles were incredibly flexible, and even his bones seemed to possess some degree of malleability as he contorted his body into uncommon positions. He was even able to nearly turn his torso 180 degrees while twisting his hips to stretch his back. Eventually, he noticed Hephaestus gawking at him, so Vahn assumed what he thought to be a 'manly' poses with his arms outstretched and his muscles flexing.Hephaestus saw his display and nearly snorted before covering her mouth and stifling her laughter. Vahn smiled and said, "It is must better like this. It makes me feel happy when I see you laugh and smile." After speaking, Vahn finished his routine and wore his tunic while Hephaestus stared at him with a vacant expression on her face. It felt like everything Vahn was saying and doing recently was slowly cementing itself into her heart.She felt a mixture of emotions well up inside of her, and as Vahn had just finished putting on his tunic, she approached and gave him a hug. "I want to see you happy as well Vahn. Don't push yourself too hard in the future. I don't know how long my heart can last if I have to sit helplessly at your bedside again." She put strength into her arms and prayed to a god greater than herself that he would be safe from harm in the future.Afterward, Vahn and Hephaestus spent some time talking about various topics including her clients and the matters regarding the Osiris Familia. Anubis was supposed to be coming by soon, and Hephaestus began recounting the events that had happened in the City while Vahn had been away. He was surprised after hearing that Osiris had already been captured and detained by the Guild. Though he had expected Hephaestus to take action, he didn't think she would make her move the same day the letter arrived...After another hour-and-a-half, Hephaestus led Vahn to the waiting area where they had enjoyed tea and coffee previously. Just as she had done then, Hephaestus made Vahn some coffee and the two just sat in silence and enjoyed the atmosphere. While Vahn was thinking, Hephaestus looked at him with a lazy expression and a soft smile on her face. He returned the smile and noticed her eyes squint a little which made his heart flutter a bit as he slowly sipped away at his coffee.Eventually, around 7 AM, Anubis, as well as her children, arrived outside Hephaestus's workshop. Hephaestus tried to rise from the table to answer, but Vahn set his cup down before motioning for her to stay. She frowned slightly, but let Vahn do as he pleased as she replaced his coffee cup with her own. Hephaestus followed his back with her eyes as she slowly sipped away at the coffee he was previously enjoying.Vahn opened the door and was greeted by a total of eight people, all of which were dark-haired Chienthropes. He was a bit surprised at the beauty of the woman who he assumed was Anubis, but managed to keep his calm before inviting them in. Anubis cave a curt nod, but her children immediately tensed up after seeing Vahn inside the residence. The last time they had seen him, he had beat them all while two of them, the girls at the very back of the group, instinctively moved their hands to their backsides.Seeing their goddess enter the premises, they cautiously made their way passed Vahn who was having trouble keeping his smile. The looks the kids gave him made him feel incredibly guilty, especially the two young girls who stared at him with a begrudging expression. Had he known their identities at the time, he never should have shot them with his arrows in such a sensitive spot.Vahn had learned that chienthropes and cat people were especially sensitive around the tops of their tails, which just so happened to be the spot where his arrows connected. He couldn't even imagine the pain they had experienced and remembered that they had both blacked-out when he had originally retrieved their bodies.After everyone entered, Vahn closed the door and secured the lock before making his way to the table where Hephaestus was seated. Anubis had joined Hephaestus at the table while her children scattered around in a loose circle and sat on the floor as they watched the scene with fear and intrigue. Vahn noticed that, after Anubis has originally set eyes on him, she had been staring at him almost exclusively since he arrived and sat with them.Hephaestus noticed her gazed and made curt introductions, "Vahn, this is the Goddess Anubis. Anubis, he is the boy you wanted to see. Well, is there a problem?" Both Vahn and Anubis could sense the hostility in her words, especially when she asked her question. Anubis continued to stare at Vahn, and he could almost see her pale golden eyes glowing with a strange luminance. He felt like the two perfect circles were very reminiscent of the full moon, and they had a somewhat calming feeling.Anubis slowly enunciated her words, "Are you human?" Hephaestus's expression grew a bit darker, but Vahn shook his head slightly before responding. "I'm not sure of my origins, but I can say for certain that I am human." Though Vahn knew Hephaestus thought he was 3/4 god, he was aware that was not the case but a misunderstanding due to his domain.Frowning slightly, Anubis looked toward Hephaestus and asked, "Do you not sense anything strange from this boy?" Though Vahn had tried to keep her calm, Hephaestus didn't like how Anubis was acting after meeting him. She continued to frown as she asked, "And what would that be, Anubis?" Anubis's frown grew deeper because she knew Hephaestus should be able to sense the abnormality in Vahn, but didn't see to notice for some reason.Looking into Vahn's face, her eyes flashed with a more prominent glow as she said,"He has no soul...or I cannot see it at the very least." Hephaestus, who had been frowning the entire time, suddenly had her eyes widen in shock. She was aware from their previous meeting that Anubis's Divinity was related to death, but she couldn't understand why she would claim Vahn had no soul. If he didn't have a soul, he wouldn't be able to receive the falna of a god!As Hephaestus was about to speak out her point, both she and Anubis were stunned when they saw Vahn nearly plant his face into the table. It was almost like he lost all the power in his body as he began to laugh in a dry voice. "Is that all this is about...?" Releasing a deep and long sigh, Vahn willed his [Veil of the Traveler] to allow others to see his soul. He never expected that his countermeasure against Freya would actually attract trouble to him...now he felt even worse about the situation with the hounds than he did previously.Though Anubis was confused at first, her moonlight eyes opened wide in shock as she saw Vahn's soul practically 'explode' into existence in an instant. Unlike a normal soul, his was much larger than most mortals, and instead of the calming azure blue color, it was instead a vibrant gold with a rainbow assortment of colors within the core. Before she asked, Vahn explained, "I'm aware that my soul is somewhat unique, so I keep it hidden when I can..."As he spoke, he disabled allowing his soul to be viewed and it seemed to blink out of existence in the eyes of Anubis.Anubis slowly calmed down and, after a few moments of thinking, began bowing her head toward Vahn. Her children seemed startled at her actions and looked at Vahn with a greater amount of fear than before. Anubis said, "I sincerely apologize for this misunderstanding. I had unfairly put you into a position that brought great inconvenience to not only you but Hephaestus as well. My mistake nearly even cost me the lives of my children...I now owe you a great debt, Vahn Mason."Vahn tried to say she didn't owe him anything, but before he could verbalize the words, Hephaestus spoke up. "That is indeed the case. Vahn has always tried his best to help others and is even known as a hero to many in the City. The accusations of that idiot Osiris might have had some truth based on how Vahn is able to conceal his soul, but the fact that he maneuvered to endanger Vahn cannot be changed. You also got wrapped up in his scheme, yes, but your impatience nearly led to a tragedy that could not be undone. The fact you nearly turned my Vahn into a murderer is unforgivable!" Hephaestus's soliloquy was spoken with power and conviction, and nobody within the room was able to refute her words.Anubis seemed to take a lot of damage from the claims Hephaestus made, and she bowed even deeper toward Vahn. "I have done something unforgivable...I only ask that you spare my children. As long as you can accede to that request, I am willing to endeavor to repay you no matter how long it takes." Anubis always had a powerful sense of responsibility, and her pride would not allow her to leave debts unpaid. She could not allow her children to bear the burden and intended to do everything in her power to redeem her mistake.//'Anubis' Wishes to become your subordinate: Y/N?//Vahn had been confused about how he should deal with the bowing goddess, but he became incredibly shocked after seeing the notification in his system. Hephaestus thought his shock came from the proclamation of Anubis, so she spoke out,"Don't mind it too much Vahn. Though it's uncommon, it isn't unheard of for gods to make a vow of repayment, even to mortals. If you're concerned, I can always find a use for her..."Anubis spoke at the end of Hephaestus's sentence. With a firm conviction in her eyes, she looked toward Vahn and said, "Please, allow me to repay this debt personally. If I have to pay it through other means, I would not be able to satisfy my own pride. Though it may sound arrogant, I cannot go against my own principles." The moment her words finished, Vahn was buffeted by another notification.//'Anubis' Wishes to become your subordinate: Y/N?//All eyes in the room were focused on Vahn at this moment. The 'hounds' all stared at him with a mixture of fear and hatred, but they were unable to speak out against the goddess they adored. They knew better than anyone the type of person she was, and that was the very reason they dedicated themselves to her. Hephaestus was slightly annoyed by the persistence of Anubis and began to suspect there was a greater purpose behind her willingness to repay the debt. Anubis herself stared at Vahn with a serious expression as she said, "Please, Vahn-sama..."//'Anubis' Wishes to become your subordinate: Y/N?//The moment he heard a goddess address him with an honorific, Vahn's mind practically exploded from the mental damage. He wanted to deny her, but seeing the serious look, combined with his own intrigue at subordinating a goddess, Vahn sighed within his mind while selecting yes. At the same time, he spoke out in the real world, "Okay. I will accept."//'Anubis' has become your subordinate//[Current Units] [Active: 2][Dormant: 2][Active Units]: (Eternal Flame),(Anubis)[Dormant Units]:(Fafnir),(Nameless)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gotta Catch 'em All, Goddess Edition?','A wild fluffy goddess appears','Buy 1, get 7 free')

After accepting Anubis as a subordinate, Vahn quickly scanned the notifications in his system and saw she had a Loyalty value of 70, which seemed pretty high considering the circumstances. Anubis, who had heard Vahn agree to allow her to repay her debt, bowed low in a deferential manner while saying, "Please order me as you will. As long as it does not go against my principles, I will do my best to fulfill your commands."Seeing the somewhat mature exotic beauty bow to him, Vahn felt his heart palpitate a bit before he turned to look at Hephaestus. She seemed to be looking at Anubis with a contemplative look but, noticing Vahn's gaze, she turned toward him and spoke. "You should have her make a vow, or there is nothing binding her to the debt. If things are left as they are, she could just flee the City the moment you drop your guard."Anubis raised her head and frowned at Hephaestus's accusation, but before she could refute she saw Vahn shaking her head. "That isn't necessary Hephaestus. Even if she fled the City, I wouldn't stop her. Though she may have acted a bit rashly, she is also one of the victims of this event. I don't mind if she takes her children and continues to live as she pleases." As Vahn finished his words, he noticed the Loyalty value of Anubis increase to 74 which surprised him a little."I will never forsake my pride and do something so shameless. I don't mind making a vow, and I certainly will not flee the City. Even if Vahn-sama has no use for me, I will do my best to ensure his life is not burdened by my presence." Anubis spoke the worlds boldly and without hesitation while looking into Hephaestus's eyes. Hephaestus didn't seem entirely convinced as she asked, "And how long do you plan to serve him? When is your debt 'repaid'?"Anubis tilted her head slightly like she was confused. After a brief moment, she said, "My actions may have resulted in the death of an innocent. I will repent for a life with a life. As long as Vahn-sama draws breath, I will continue to serve him." Vahn noticed that, once again, Anubis's loyalty had increased. She now had a value of 77, but Vahn wasn't entirely focused on that as his eyes were drawn to the twitching ears on her head.Hephaestus sighed as she could see how serious Anubis was being. She felt a headache begin to build inside her head as she mentally added another potential 'problem' that she would have to deal with in the future. Gathering her thoughts, Hephaestus spoke while looking into Anubis's eyes, "Then go ahead and make your vow-" Before she could finish, Vahn interrupted, "I said that wasn't necessary. Even if I accept her as a subordinate so she can repay her debts, I will not bind someone into a life-bound contract or vow. The idea of restricting the freedom of another person makes my stomach sour..."Both Anubis and Hephaestus were surprised by Vahn's interruption but strangely, after a bit of time had passed, they both issued subtle smiles toward the boy. Hephaestus felt a little proud at seeing Vahn's firm stance on the matter, but she still had to make a compromise of her own. She looked towards the smiling face of Anubis before sighing, "If that is his decision, I won't interfere. However, I will have you make a vow to cooperate with the Guild's investigation to deal with Osiris. I assume that will not be a problem for you?"Hearing Hephaestus mention Osiris, Anubis couldn't help but frown in dissatisfaction as she said, "That scoundrel deserves everything coming to him. The night of the raid, I couldn't believe how many criminals he had been keeping as 'children'. As he can also see souls, he had to know what kind of people were in his Familia. The fact he allowed murderers and other foul-hearted people to represent him sickens me." For those that could see souls, they also had the power to roughly determine what kind of person someone was based on the colors contained within. For murderers, rapists, and scoundrels, they would often have flakes of black or putrid greens contaminating their souls.After their agreement, Hephaestus and Anubis went through the process of establishing the vow and arranging when they would report to the Guild. Since it was very difficult to detain a god for long without charges, they decided to take care of it within the next two days. After they had come to an agreement, Hephaestus brought up a subject that had been overlooked till now."So, what about those kids? If you're going to follow Vahn, are you going to release them?" Hephaestus pointed to the seven children that had been sitting in silence for the entire discussion. The previously large pointy ears on their heads now drooped low, and they each had sad expressions after everything that had happened. Anubis saw their melancholic demeanors and couldn't help but release a sad sigh. "We came to this City because of the invitation from Osiris, and now that our funds have run low, there is little I can do to ensure their livelihoods. Though they are considered strong back in our home country, they have some difficulties within the dungeon. I don't want them to have to suffer while trying to support the Familia."Anubis looked towards Vahn with a hopeful expression in her eyes, "I cannot bring them with me, as my debts are not their burden. The choice ultimately lays in what Vahn-sama wishes to do..." Vahn recognized the look in her eyes and he turned towards the children who had previously feared him. Now, instead of fear, there was a pleading look on each of their faces. For some reason, the combination of the drooping ears and large eyes of the children had a big impact on Vahn and he began to smile before saying, "If they are willing to follow you, I will do my best to ensure they are taken care of. Even if you say you are willing to serve me, I have no need for servants or anything like that. Besides, there is no way I can say no if they look at me like that..."Anubis began to laugh like a bell as she squinted her eyes with a large smile on her face. "I had hoped, but I never expected Vahn-sama to be so magnanimous. Well, children, are you willing to follow Vahn-sama alongside me?" The moment she asked the question, almost as if they had rehearsed it previously, the entire group of kids jumped to their feet and bowed together. "Please, Vahn-sama, allow us to follow you!"Vahn could see excitement and expectation in their eyes as he nodded his head with an awkward smile. The moment they saw him agree, their tails began to wag excitedly before they resumed sitting in silence. Unlike the previous gloom, they now looked remarkably happy. Vahn wondered why children were so easily influenced, but he attributed their current mentality to their devotion toward Anubis.At the same time as Vahn accepted the children, Anubis's affection reached 81 as she showed a gratified smile on her face. Hephaestus, who had been watching the 'play' with a skeptical look on her face, spoke out again, "And, where will you and your Familia be staying from now on?" The moment Hephaestus asked the question, the tails of the children immediately froze while even Anubis seemed to be somewhat awed by the question.Clearing her throat for a few seconds, Anubis lowered her head a bit before she looked toward Vahn and Hephaestus and said in a low voice, "We...don't have a place to stay. Our funds ran out two days ago and we had been living around the Babel Tower since then..." Anubis seemed incredibly embarrassed by her own admission, and it only got worse when she saw the incredulous look on Hephaestus's face.Vahn started laughing after hearing that the goddess who had committed to serving him ended up being homeless. He began to suspect that the only reason she wanted to be his subordinate was so that they had a place to live. Anubis seemed to be even more embarrassed after Vahn began to laugh and Vahn saw a blush cover her cheeks for the first time. Before the situation devolved any further, Vahn said with confidence, "Don't worry about it, I may not have much, but I should be able to pay for a place for you and you Familia for the time being. Though I won't do it for free and I'll expect everyone to work hard to earn their keep." Right now Vahn had 171,530V, which was enough to lease a small house if he wanted. It wouldn't be the highest quality place to live, but it should be enough for the small Familia.Hephaestus shook her head and brought up a matter before Vahn continued, "You actually have a lot more funds than you might think. Remember the reward and reparations given by the Loki Familia? You will be able to pick them up when you go to the Guild, and I'm certain it will be more than enough to cover living expenses for a while. But, I have to ask this, are you not intending to stay with Tsubaki anymore?"Hearing Hephaestus's words, Vahn began to become excited until she continued further. He had never considered leaving Tsubaki's place, but if he had agreed to help take care of another Familia, it wouldn't make sense for him to live elsewhere. Vahn began to worry that he had gotten himself into a matter that would be difficult to resolve, but luckily, Hephaestus seemed to already have a solution.With a sigh, Hephaestus said, "Don't worry about it too much. When you had joined the Familia long ago, you were guaranteed a place to live as well as your own workshop. I had arranged matters to have your workshop located in the lot behind Tsubaki's current manor. It's not nearly the same size, but it should be more than enough for your current needs..." Vahn was incredibly grateful for what Hephaestus had done, and he verbalized it the only way he could think of, "Thank you, Hephaestus, I love you."Hearing Vahn's sudden bomb and seeing the affectionate smile on his face, Hephaestus's heart began to race and she was unable to form any thoughts. She just kept repeating the words over and over in her mind as the pressure began to build up in her face causing a blush to touch her cheeks. Anubis saw the reaction and heard Vahn's declaration before asking, "Are you two lovers~?" She seemed somewhat intrigued by the notion as there was extra inflection on the end of her words.Hephaestus seemed to want to say something, but because of her dazed state, Vahn managed to speak first. "We will be. I promised that, once I manage to forge an item that meets her standards, I will make her my lover, no matter what." Vahn's eyes were wide and his brows were furrowed as he loudly proclaimed the words. Anubis seemed a bit surprised, but she just smiled before looking toward the fiercely blushing Hephaestus. At this point, she was literally covering her face with both hands and refused to look at anyone. Anubis thought that the Hephaestus that acted cutely was much more preferable than the wrathful demon that had struck fear in her a few days ago.Vahn seemed to agree, as he reached out his hand and began channeling [Hands of Nirvana] to help ease Hephaestus's chaotic mind. The duality of her situation seemed to influence her even more, as Hephaestus glared at Vahn between her fingers. However, though she tried to look angry, Vahn could see the smile hidden behind her palms.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Declaration of LOVE!','Cunny doge','Bundle of Puppies')

The ceremony lasted nearly ten minutes, and the entire time it was going on, Lili continued to stare at Vahn with clenched teeth. Eventually, the light began to fade, and the crest of a moon and chalice had now turned into two hammers with a flaming volcano. Lili released a gasp as the pain slowly began to fade, and began drawing deep breaths to help ease the aching in her back. Vahn, seeing that the ceremony had finished, stood up and walked forward before placing his hand on Lili's head. He began to channel his energy through [Hands of Nirvana] and her pained expression rapidly turned into one of comfort.Hephaestus removed her finger from Lili's back and said, "You withstood that well. From now on you are a member of the Hephaestus Familia. If anyone, including the bastards from the Soma Familia, tries to harm you, I will make them pay." Even if Hephaestus wasn't too fond of Lili, she was very protective of her 'children'. She fully intended to have the Guild investigate into the Soma Familia and find out what had been going on behind the scenes.Lili nodded her head and continued to enjoy the warm feeling coming from Vahn's hand. "Thank you Hephaestus-sama, I will do my best to not embarrass the Familia." Tsubaki spoke up in response, "From now on you can join official parties if you'd like, or even act a supporter on expeditions. Once you earn enough experience and exilia, you'll be able to freely increase your level from now on."Lili continued to nod her head, but she was feeling a little uneasy on the inside. She knew the Soma Familia couldn't touch the Hephaestus Familia, but she still wanted to do her best to get revenge on her own. She couldn't easily forgive everything the Soma Familia had put her through, and there were many people within that she wanted to punish herself.Vahn, as he could see auras, noticed that Lili's began to fluctuate and he knew she was hiding her anger. He couldn't blame her as he if he could one day return to earth, would probably try to seek revenge against the people that mistreated him as well. Even if he found out they were destroyed by someone else, Vahn didn't think it would make him happy. But, Vahn had also promised his mother that he would try to live happy and free, and he had slowly been letting go of his hatred as he spent time in this world.Tilting Lili's head toward him, she opened her eyes and stared at him with confusion. Vahn slowly spoke, "Lili, there is no meaning to a life lived in the pursuit of revenge. The only way you can overcome your past is to live free and happy. Don't let distant memories ruin the experiences you're having now." Lili's eyes opened wide at Vahn's words, and she could tell that he had been able to sense the hatred she had kept hidden. In response, she muttered in a low voice, "I will try...Vahn."Afterward, Lili stood up from the chair and, to Hephaestus's mild annoyance, had Vahn help her dress. With slightly less awkwardness, Vahn helped Lili wear her blouse, but he noticed a strange feeling of loss as he slowly fastened the buttons. By the time she was properly wearing the clothes, Vahn almost felt sad, though he wasn't sure why. Tsubaki, who had been paying attention to the entire event with interest, smacked Vahn on the back before saying,"Don't be sad, Vahn! You'll have plenty of chances to undress women if you work hard; isn't that right Hephaestus-sama!?"Hephaestus flinched at the loud voice of Tsubaki before hanging her head a bit and muttering, "Maybe...after your forge an item that can satisfy me. I can't abandon my own vows, and the incident earlier was just a slight lapse in judgment..." Vahn frowned after hearing Hephaestus try to explain away the earlier events. He felt like she was trying to build up a wall between them again, so he slowly approached until he stood directly in front of her.Reaching out, Vahn placed his hand on her face and had her look into his eyes. He said in a firm tone, similar to how people tried to convince him, "I will forge an item for you, but that doesn't mean I want us to be apart all the time. We don't have to have sex, but I think hugging and kissing should be fine." Hephaestus was shocked to hear his words, while Tsubaki had an almost 'proud' look on her face as she nodded at Vahn's actions. Lili, who had been enjoying her moment with Vahn previously, just stood there in silence as her breathing increased a bit.The moment Hephaestus tried to say something, Vahn leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. It was a little awkward, and he almost fell over because of their height distance, but he wanted to convey his feelings to her in the most direct manner he could. Vahn felt he wasn't that good at expressing himself through words, so he decided a kiss was the most appropriate course of action.Unlike earlier, Hephaestus didn't try to resist, but she pulled away after a few seconds with a blush on her cheeks. After a few seconds, she 'glared' at Vahn before biting her lower lip and saying, "...only...every once and a while." As he heard her words, Vahn couldn't help but smile with a large grin on his face.Hephaestus saw his look and grit her teeth before releasing and sigh. She felt mixed feelings about her future and sat at her desk before putting her head down into her arms. While everyone stared at her in curiosity, she just closed her eyes and ignored their gazes as she tried to calm herself by listening to Vahn's heart. Even though she was vaguely aware that her actions were strange, it had become a habit for her recently, so she couldn't help herself. Unfortunately, she could feel Vahn's heart beating quite quickly as well, so it took much longer than normal for her to relax.Tsubaki saw Hephaestus acting strangely, and she grabbed Lili's arm before slowly making her way to the exit. "Come on Lili, there are plenty of things we need to take care of now that you're officially in the Familia. You can try your luck tempting Vahn later." Lili had been quiet since earlier, and she kept changing her gaze between Hephaestus and Vahn. Right before she exited through the door, she spoke toward Hephaestus, "You are lucky Hephaestus-sama. Vahn cares about you a lot...it makes me a little jealous." With those parting words, she followed Tsubaki out the door and closed it behind her.Hephaestus raised her head slightly and watched as the latch on the door secured itself. After a few more minutes of silence, she placed her head back on the table and tried to relax a bit. She hadn't actually been getting much sleep the last nine days since she had been spending most of her time at Vahn's bedside. Now that she had been in high tensions for so long, she felt incredibly tired, both physically and emotionally.Vahn stood in front of her desk and didn't know if he should say anything. It was already late in the day, and he would probably end up sleeping her in her office. Seeing how strange the atmosphere had become, he wanted to do something about it and decided to help Hephaestus relax.Walking to the side, Vahn reached out and gently reached for one of the arms of Hephaestus. Hephaestus had noticed his approach, and seeing him reach for her, she actually began to feel even more tired expecting him to try to do more. Though she didn't mind his advances, she kind of wished he would be a little considerate of her. Staring towards him, she asked in a lazy voice, "What is it, Vahn? I'm very tired right now."Vahn just showed her a gentle smile before saying, "I know, I won't do anything strange. I just want to help you relax, so can you rest on the couch instead of the desk?" Hephaestus, seeing the honest and concerned look of Vahn, couldn't help but give in to his demands as she allowed Vahn to escort her to the couch. Seeing the familiar sofa and recalling the events from earlier, her heart began to race slightly, but she did her best to keep calm. She trusted that Vahn would keep his word and wouldn't try doing anything to her right now."Okay, Hephaestus, it may be a bit...difficult, but I need you to lay on your stomach and relax your body." Hephaestus noticed that, as Vahn said the word 'difficult', his eyes had wandered to her breasts for a brief instant. She couldn't help but laugh slightly as she said, "It's fine, I sleep on this cough a lot without any...difficulties." Hephaestus also placed emphasis on the word which caused Vahn to laugh awkwardly.After Hephaestus laid down, she did as Vahn suggested and tried relaxing her body. She was unsure of what he was going to do, but her concerns were answered shortly after as she felt one of his fingers touch her shoulder. Before she could ask what he was up to, she felt a gentle but penetrating warmth flow into her shoulder.After a few seconds, all the tension in the muscles had completely relaxed and Vahn moved on to another point and repeated the process. Hephaestus quickly realized that Vahn's method to help her relax turned out to be some kind of massage using his energy to diffuse tension. She couldn't help but feel happy that he was so thoughtful, quite unlike the concerns she had earlier about him being inconsiderate.When Vahn had originally learned [Hands of Nirvana], it also discussed the various pressure points on the body. With practice, he could use the technique for everything from relieving stress to sealing arteries to stop blood flow. Right now, he was using one of the techniques that were supposed to ease muscle tension. He had hoped it would help Hephaestus to relax a bit, and judging by how she had fallen asleep after only a few minutes, he was very satisfied with the results.Since Vahn had never given a massage before, he became strangely focused on his actions and slowly moved to the various muscle groups on Hephaestus's back. He was once against surprised with how soft a girls body was, but he also marveled at the tension and strength in her muscles. As she was an experienced blacksmith, the area around her upper back and shoulders were far more developed than normal. Even though it didn't 'look' like she had any developed muscles at all, Vahn was able to feel the 'steel-like' tension flowing through what little she had.Vahn's only frustration at the situation was, according to the manual, the patient was supposed to have removed their clothing for the procedure. Since Vahn was worried that Hephaestus would think he was going against his promise, he didn't mention anything and allowed her to keep her clothes on. It made the process much more difficult, but Vahn also kind of enjoyed 'discovering' the proper locations through trial and error. It was kind of fun when he was able to insert his energy into one of the nerves and the muscles around would twitch slightly.After nearly an hour of massaging, Vahn noticed that Hephaestus's body had now completely relaxed. She even had a bit of drool coming out of her mouth, which Vahn thought was kind of cute. After wiping up the dripping saliva, Vahn dried his hand on his tunic before tracing his hand through Hephaestus's hair and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Even in her sleep, she seemed to recognize his presence and smile slightly in response.Vahn, satisfied at having been able to keep his promise, laid down on the floor next to the couch and slowly drifted off into sleep himself. Before his thoughts faded into darkness, the last thing that passed through Vahn's mind was the thought of improving his massage technique in the future...---Throughout the City, for no discernible reason, the backs of several girls felt a chill pass down their spines.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Godhand Vahn','Sleeping Hephaestus Discovered!','Hope for the Future')

Chapter 112: Anubis Appears