Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Once Vahn returned to his room, he had the system scan the information inside of the books and store it in his mind. Similar to what he did with manuals, Vahn was able to retain the information in the system and then read it at a later date. It also provided information to Sis, so if there was something he overlooked, she might be able to help him out. Vahn didn't have anything like a perfect memory, but his recollection with the support of 'The Path' and Sis could be very useful.Vahn perused the information for a bit, especially the areas regarding social etiquette and hierarchal relationships. There were several things on the various courting rituals and how both men and women sought mates. The more Vahn read, the more he understood just how badly he had messed up. If he saw things from Nanu's perspective, he would have also been misled by his actions. Vahn tried to recall all the events that happened in order, so he would be able to make better sense of everything...It all started the moment he accepted the children into his house along with Anubis. The moment he became the 'Alpha', all the children immediately respected his position, even if they weren't fond of his character. From that point on, if Vahn had acted impartially and confidently, there wouldn't have been any issues. His first mistake was treating the two girls, Nanu and Chione, as different entities compared to the other children.Since Vahn had felt guilty for pinning the two girls backsides with his arrows back on the 18th floor, he was always a bit awkward around them. He tried to be nice whenever he could because he wanted to make up for any grievances they had suffered at his hands. Unfortunately, since he was treating them 'differently' from the rest of the pack, they interpreted that as him having an interest in them. The longer he treated them kindly, the greater the impact would have been, and it wouldn't be long before one of them responded to his 'advances' out of necessity.Once Nanu was chosen to be his assistant due to her [Blacksmith] skill, Vahn needed to immediately treat her like a student. He needed to be firm with her, and make sure she followed his orders without hesitation. Instead, he always paid attention to her efforts, even when he was working on his own ingots. From her perspective, this was him continuing to give her a 'signal' that he was interested in her, not as a student, but as a potential suitor.The biggest problem before that though, was when Anubis had helped him test the effects of [Enkidu] in his workshop. Instead of dismissing Nanu, he allowed her to stay in the room while he had Anubis act in a submissive manner toward him. Since Anubis was higher than her in the hierarchy, but he allowed Nanu to see their intimacy, it was similar to saying she was also special.When Anubis called her over to check her Status, Nanu had been paying close attention to Vahn's expression. Instead of looking away or acting disinterested, Vahn instead locked eyes with the girl throughout the entire process. From Nanu's perspective, this was the same as acknowledging and being okay with her presence around him. The fact that he held eye contact with her, even though she was lower in the hierarchy, was the same as elevating her position according to customs.After Anubis had been dismissed, instead of immediately asking her to get dressed, Vahn entered a 'contemplative' state while still facing toward her. Since he had been thinking about all the women around him being 'pregnant' in his mind, it must have looked to Nanu like he was inspecting her body and having 'intentions' about her body. It didn't help that, the moment Vahn's contemplation ended, he had a smile due to his own excitement. He remembers that, at the time, Nanu looked at him with a reverent expression and seemed to be very pleased when he gave her permission to wear her clothes.When they were working, he never ignored her and continued helping her out in all of her work. From Nanu's perspective, it was essentially him helping her increase her own capabilities to make her more compatible with him. When the entered the bath, Nanu started sending him 'signals' of her own by undressing next to him. Typically, it was inappropriate for someone of a lower stature to change next to someone else, but Vahn allowed her to do so and even gazed at her figure periodically.Once they entered the bath, she continued allowing him to court her by offering to service him. Since Vahn had thought she was acting as his 'apprentice' and wanted to show off to the other kids, he allowed her to do so, which essentially confirmed her suspicions that he was interested in her. If Vahn had recognized the looks of all the other girls at the time, he may have been able to avoid the misunderstanding. It was only Vahn's second time bathing with the group, so he was entirely unaware of their customs.This is the reason why the other girls immediately started treating Nanu better, and Vahn allowing her to sit at Anubis's side at dinner cemented the idea in the entire group. When he allowed her to take charge of the cleanup and the rewarded her in front of the rest of the pack, it was almost as if he was informing the group that she was now his potential mate and to respect her will in the future.All of these misunderstandings led to the events that happened during the training in the morning. Even when they had trained on the first day, when the kids sparred, they always did so with each other. Vahn only fought them as a group, and it was always when he initiated the spar. When the kids broke off into pairs and Nanu approached him and requested the spar, the moment he accepted, it was like saying he recognized her efforts and was giving her the chance to impress him.Nanu pushed herself as hard as she could to impress Vahn, and even exceeded her own limits by a fair amount. Unless Vahn had asked her to give up, it was the same as allowing her to continue. Unless she failed, she would keep trying to impress him until he either refused or accepted her. The moment she performed her acrobatic maneuver and suffered an injury, Nanu probably thought she failed to earn his respect as a potential mate. This was the true reason why she had apologized to him at the time with tears in her eyes.Instead of being 'disappointed' with her, Vahn instead showed concern for her injured state and treated her wounds. This was the same as him telling her that he was stilling willing to give her a chance, so she took the queue and performed the final courting ceremony where she would offer her belly to him. She would become his official subordinate, and in the future, she might even become his potential mate. Because of the failure of Anubis to explain properly, Vahn put his hand on her stomach without any hesitation.This is when he made his biggest mistake because, the moment he put his palm on her abdomen, she had already become his subordinate. Instead of allowing her to recover and accept her place as his subordinate, he instead 'held her down' in her submissive stance and continued to stroke her belly. For Nanu, this was Vahn telling her that she now belonged to him and to accept her place as his 'mate'. Vahn remembered how excited Nanu became at his actions, and he even smiled back at her because he thought she was ticklish...After both 'recognizing' each other as official mates, Nanu had been incredibly excited and even received the congratulations of the other children in high spirits. Since that point onward, in the minds of the other hounds, Nanu was now Vahn's official mate within the group. Everything after that just compounded on top of his various mistakes, all the way up until the point where Nanu started to get a little out of hand. His constant rewards and leniency gave her an incredible amount of confidence, and she was trying to act the part of a proper 'mate' and desired to please him.Now that Vahn understood the whole story, he felt like a genuine idiot. It was almost like he had been actively pursuing her from the moment she entered his house, and he hadn't even been aware of it. Now he had a young chienthrope that seriously considered him to be her mate, and according to the notes in text, chienthropes of the Southern Tribe were fiercely monogamous. Those that become mates with members higher up the hierarchy would only ever have that one mate for life. As the 'Alpha', Vahn was allowed to have multiple partners, but for the rest of her life, Nanu would only consider herself to belong to him.Vahn started to realize why he felt so much pressure from the young girl. From her perspective, he had more or less become the center of her world, and he had been the one to initiate the courting. This made her own valuation of herself increase to an insane degree, and she would likely continue acting in his interests until he became dissatisfied with her. According to tradition, if a mate had been abandoned by the 'Alpha', they would either kill themselves or drive a hot stake into their womb to prevent from having to bear the child of another. In their culture, they were considered some of the lowest in the entire social hierarchy, because they had the chance to rise up and became unworthy of their position.Imagining the young Nanu driving a stake into herself, Vahn's face became pale and he almost ran out of his bedroom to retrieve Nanu. Remembering her dejected manner as she walked away, Vahn was afraid that she might have misunderstood his actions as 'abandoning' her. Fortunately, he managed to recall the actions of Anubis and understood that wasn't the case. If he went to her now, it would essentially be telling her that he allowed her to be selfish and would harm his image in the eyes of the other children as someone who couldn't keep his word. It was even possible that the other children may start seeing Nanu as the 'Alpha' while Vahn was just her mate...Vahn collapsed back on his bed and wiped the sweat from his brow while releasing a deep sigh. The burden of the truth was quite heavy, and he had never expected that knowing the reason behind her actions would have such heavy implications. If he wasn't careful in the future, things could get out of hand very quickly. To ensure there were no slipups, he re-read the books on social etiquette and how 'mates' typically interacted with each other. Since he couldn't abandon her, he needed to make sure he performed his expected duties well.---After reading the books front-to-back three times in a row, it was nearing midnight and Vahn decided it was time to pull out the black orb and have another go at learning the technique. He didn't know if time continued in the space of the orb, or if it would reset to the state of the previous evening. Taking a deep breath, Vahn focused his consciousness on the orb before opening his eyes in the familiar white terrain and black sky.The moment he opened his eyes, his instincts immediately began to trigger and Vahn received a heavy kick to his head while he was unprepared. He was launched nearly twenty meters before finding his footing and staring at the beautiful girl that had just sent him flying. Activating his Báihǔ form and spreading his domain, Vahn immediately began attacking toward the woman with his greatest speed.The woman looked at him with disdain as her feet gently touched the ground and she vanished from Vahn's sight. Unlike the teleportation she had used previously, Vahn understood this was a pure speed-based skill. He didn't understand the principles behind it, but it seemed to allow her to spontaneously accelerate without any buildup of momentum.Vahn dodged the kick that came at the back of his head and tried to kick back with both of his legs toward her pivot foot. Since she had been ruthless the entire time, Vahn's kick was intended to snap the slender white leg. Before he was able to hit her body, she suddenly disappeared again with an incredible burst of speed and appeared at his side before punting his body skyward with a sharp kick to his exposed gut.Before he was able to travel higher than ten meters, the woman suddenly teleported above him and performed a heel-drop kick to his back. Vahn felt like his spine had snapped by the attack as he was shot down toward the ground like a bullet. After coughing up a mouthful of blood, Vahn swallowed a senzu bean and tried to recover. However, the woman didn't seem to be giving him a reprieve as she fell like a meteor into his back and shattered the newly repaired spine of Vahn.Vahn coughed out a large mouthful of blood as the woman spoke in a cold tone, "The next time you come here, be prepared. To be a fighter beaten down by a mage...you are unqualified to learn my techniques." As her words fell, Vahn was rapidly losing consciousness but he managed to hear each of her words clearly. Right before his body completely dissolved, Vahn said it a muted tone, "I won't give up..."The woman followed the particles that constituted his body and looked skyward in a manner similar to their last meeting. When the remnants of Vahn had vanished, she looked down to the pool of blood on the ground before cupping her hands together and filling them with his blood. She cocked her head back and drank Vahn's blood without any hesitation. When she had swallowed it, she licked her hands clean before turning back toward the sky and saying, "You are definitely not a normal human..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Culture Shock','Crushed','Ittadakimasu')

Vahn awoke the next morning with another powerful headache as he held his head in his palms. Unlike the previous night, when he was able to put up a bit of a fight, this time the woman within the orb defeated him using her martial skills against his. He knew she was very strong, but didn't expect her proficiency in close-quarters combat to far exceed his own. When Vahn used Báihǔ form with his domain, he was almost able to rival the speed of the Level 5 Tsubaki. However, when he fought against the woman in the orb, he couldn't even keep track of her speed at all.Releasing a sigh, Vahn awoke and washed his face before heading outside and greeting Anubis. As usual, she was waiting for him patiently, though she still seemed to be wearing the revealing robes from the previous day. After exchanging greetings, Vahn gave her a pat on the head before making his way towards the training area. After everything that happened recently, there were several things Vahn wanted to make known before any other accidents happened in the future.The children were waiting for his arrival, and Vahn couldn't help but wonder how early they woke up to always be ready and waiting for him to arrive. Right now, the sun wasn't even rising in the sky, so they would have to be getting up around 4 AM to be ready in time. Unlike the previous times, where all the children lined up, Nanu was waiting at the side of where Vahn normally stood. After accepting the greeting of the children, Vahn had everyone sit down while he explained the future plans he had in mind.Vahn made eye contact with each of the kids, including Nanu, before he spoke, "I have come to realize many things in the few days we have spent together. Though I will continue to do my best as the 'Alpha', it doesn't change the fact that I am not someone that shares the same culture as everyone here. I will most likely make mistakes, and I will rely on everyone here to help explain anything I may misunderstand."All of the children were listening to him attentively and they each nodded their heads before he continued, "But, just as I am going to do my best to adapt to the lifestyle here, you are all obligated to do the same. I will not ask you to change your values, but you need to learn how other people live to avoid conflicts in the future. I'm certain there have been times when you deal with others that issues have arisen because of misunderstandings. Isn't this correct?"Once again, all the children nodded and Vahn could see they were recalling events in their minds based on how their auras fluctuated. After everyone stabilized, he continued, "From now on, your training will be split into two parts. In the morning, you will continue your current training, while in the afternoon, you will study knowledge and work on developing a profession. You are all currently Level 2, and there is a bit of time before you gain your own alias' and can accept missions from the Guild. Until then, I want you to learn what it means to live in this City, and adapt your mentality to prevent conflicts in the future."Vahn looked over toward Anubis and saw she had a gentle smile on her face after hearing his words. He nodded slightly before turning to the children and explaining, "Anubis will be charged with your education, but I will also require everyone to pick a study of their own. You should all focus on different things, as you'll be able to teach each other in the future. I will say this plainly, but if it is a question concerning your education, or the future, I want everyone to come to me directly. I won't ask you to ignore the hierarchy, but the issue will only compound if you consider things in such a roundabout manner."After explaining a few other things, Vahn was satisfied and began their morning training. He didn't know well enough to make them study specific things, but he could trust Anubis to pass on the correct information. Though she acted a bit odd sometimes, she was an incredibly intelligent goddess who liked to collect books. If Vahn asked her to seriously teach the children history and culture, she would be more than willing to assist him.Other than the matter of Nanu being his sparring partner again, everything else for the morning went without a hitch. The group ate breakfast together before cleaning up the dishes and making their way to Anubis's room to study. Vahn had found out that he could purchase various texts and compendiums from the system for a very low cost. He gave her several topics of study, including history, mythos, and things Vahn found interesting like astrology, and various fairy tales.Anubis was surprised at receiving such a large number of books, but she didn't ask Vahn where he had obtained them. She assumed that he either had purchased them previously to support his own personal education. The idea that Vahn took studying so seriously made her respect him even more, and Vahn finally achieved a Loyalty value of 100 with Anubis. He had somewhat expected to get a new system prompt when the value reached the max, but he learned from Sis that 100 was only the maximum for affection and not hidden parameters. Instead, for extra parameters, there wasn't actually a cap and they could increase in value indefinitely.After parting ways with Anubis and the other children, Vahn made his way to his workshop with Nanu. When they entered, she immediately tried to get to work, but Vahn interrupted her and she trotted over to him with an anticipatory look on her face. She had recovered her spirit since the previous night, and Vahn was happy to see her in high spirits. However, there were things he needed to clarify, so after organizing his thoughts he said, "I need to explain the matters that have taken place over the last few days."Nanu's expression turned from excitement to concern as her ears immediately flattened on her head as she waited for him to continue. Vahn spoke in a firm tone as he said, "First, I will say this. No matter what, I will not abandon or toss you aside. However, you need to understand that it was not my original intention to court you. I will not use it as an excuse, and my treatment toward you will not change, but you have to understand that my actions were based on simple affection and not intimacy."The concern on Nanu's face continued to grow as she asked in a quiet voice, "Does that mean you don't like me? I thought...all the things you did..." It almost seemed like she was about to cry, but Vahn spoke in the same firm tone, "Don't think about things like that. Though it may have been a misunderstanding, I'm not going to shirk my responsibility in the matter. I just needed you to know now, instead of finding out in the future and being disappointed. Now that I've already accepted you, I intend to do my best to meet your expectations as well. However, you need to consider things from my perspective as well, and not through the lens of what your culture has taught you, understand?"Nanu nodded her head slowly and considered every word that Vahn spoke. She was a bit saddened that he hadn't been proactively courting her, and she actually felt ashamed for misunderstanding his actions as interest. Her pride took a big hit, and she started to feel like she wasn't worthy of having received his affections in the first place. As the guilt began to eat away at her, Nanu saw Vahn do something mysterious as a small flame appeared in his hands.Vahn held out the 'flame seed' that he had created using his skill [Prometheus]. He explained with a hint of gentleness in his firm tone, "This is a very special seed...if you allow me to put this in your body, your capabilities will increase. You could gain higher parameters, or even skills similar to my own. Creating this seed is very difficult, and it will even cause a backlash on my body when I place it within yours. I want this to serve as the proof that I will never abandon you, so maintain your confidence and keep striving forward. You're a lot cuter when you are happy."The melancholy that had been building up in her heart immediately vanished as she stared at the tiny seed in Vahn's hands with anticipation and jubilance. Even if their current relationship was based on a misunderstanding, the fact Vahn was willing to go so far for her made the young girl very happy. She looked into Vahn's eyes and asked in an excited voice, "Please, Master, tell me what I need to do!"Vahn returned her smile before explaining, "You just need to remain still while I place this seed into your heart. I'm not sure if it will cause you any discomfort, so prepare yourself for anything." The moment his words finished, Nanu stepped closer to him and excitedly puffed up her chest toward Vahn while saying, "I am ready, Master! Even if it burns my body, I won't even flinch."After giving her an appreciative nod, Vahn stretched out his right hand and placed it over her heart. He noticed that nothing seemed to be happening, so he moved his palm closer until the outer part of Nanu's blouse began to turn a slightly charred color on the already black cloth. Nanu had been watching his actions, and the moment her blouse began to smoke, she immediately grabbed the sides of the shirt before pulling it over her head in a single motion.Vahn was a little surprised by her actions, as he hadn't expected the clothes to burn when he was trying to insert the 'flame seed'. After removing her shirt, Nanu also rolled up her sports bra before looking at Vahn with an excited expression and saying, "Please, Master, continue." Releasing a slight sigh in his mind, Vahn moved his hand forward until his palm came into contact with an area right above her left breast. Though the seed had burned clothes, it seemed to pass freely through her skin for a reason Vahn couldn't understand.The area around her left breast began to glow with a reddish light that emitted from deep within the body of Nanu. Vahn almost felt like he could see her heart and the shadow of her ribs as the 'fire seed' embedded itself into her heart. Nanu didn't seem to feel any pain, but she gave Vahn a slightly passionate gaze until he finally removed his hand from her chest. Vahn stared at the glowing light with intrigue, because it had been his first time using the skill.He was vaguely aware of the fact that Nanu was trying to inch closer to him, but before he would retort his body was suddenly racked by a fierce pain. Vahn's entire body seized up a bit and it scared the previously enamored Nanu who went to his side to help. Vahn held up his hand to stop her and explained, "This is the backlash I was talking about. It is nothing to worry about, and it should pass by the time the light in your chest fades."True to his words, after about ten minutes, the light began to fade in Nanu heart until only the healthy olive-brown skin with the slightly pale protrusion remained. Vahn's pain faded at the same time before telling Nanu, "Now, I'm going to see how your status has changed. Go ahead and turn your back to me." Nanu had been happy that Vahn was no longer in pain, but she was a bit confused by his words as she obeyed his instructions and turned around.Vahn put his palm on her back and began performing the ceremony to update Status while Nanu stood silently with absolute shock. Even though she didn't have a high degree of education, she knew that only gods were able to update Status. Any inhibitions she had from Vahn's earlier explanation of their current relationship flew out the window as she imagined that her future mate was also a god or demigod. The pride she had earlier immediately returned, and there was a slight glint in the eyes of the young chienthrope girl.Since updating a Status always showed the prior stats as well as the increase, Vahn was able to see that Nanu had about a 10-20% increase in all of her parameters. Her potential should have also increased by a fair amount, and Vahn had high expectations of seeing how strong she would become in the future. The most important thing to note was that her [Blacksmith] had increased from F to D and she obtained a new skill called [Prometheus's Blessing].[Prometheus's Blessing]Rank:AGrowth dependant on the strength of the caster that applied this blessing. As long as the originator lives, the recipient of this blessing will experience rapid growth based on their feelings for the originator. If the feelings fade, the flame seed within the heart will dwindle before eventually burning out.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Doki Doki Flame-Desu?','Education','Standing Firm')

After the system notified him that he received OP for completing the weapon, Vahn felt even more proud of his creation. He had been worried that he would be unable to earn any OP in the next three months without finding a way to sneak into the dungeon. Now that Vahn knew he could do so with forging, he was incredibly happy. Nanu had been watching him polishing the weapon, and seeing his happy expression, she said in a firm tone, "Very well done, Master. It is a beautiful sword."Vahn nodded his had at her words and, after a bit of thought, decided against asking if she wanted the sword. He knew she used a shortsword due to her small stature, but after accidentally acquiring the young chienthrope as a 'mate', he was trying to reflect on his actions a bit. Instead, he said, "Once I become skilled enough, I'll make equipment for everyone." Vahn then stored the sword into his inventory to later give Hephaestus. Though he was using the materials to practice, he still intended to try and sell them to pay her back one day.Nanu's tail was wagging back and forth after hearing that she, along with the other hounds, would receive equipment in the future. Though she knew Vahn was far from being a master, the fact he put so much effort and detail in the items he forged had a big impact on her. It made her feel that the 50-55% success rate she was managing when creating ingots was shameful. While Vahn started shaping the second blade, she returned to her station and put more focus into her work. If she was going to be at the side of the 'Alpha' in the future, she had to increase her own capabilities or it would dishonor them both.Vahn spent the next five hours forging the second sword and made it in a very similar manner as the first. Other than some of the decorations to enhance the look of the final product, the structure was nearly identical so Vahn determined it would be the sister sword of [Tempest] and named it [Gale].-------------------------------------------------------------------------[Gale]Rank: CSlots: 1P.Atk: 238+90M.Atk: 141Ability: Sharpness(B)Sister-sword of [Tempest] and forged in a near identical manner. It has been polished to an incredible extent and possesses a refined edge enabling it to show a cutting prowess far above similarly constructed swords. Has a synergistic effect when wielded with its sister-sword.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Vahn was surprised by the extra description and the fact that he got 440 OP for completing [Gale]. Removing [Tempest] from his inventory, Vahn equipped both swords at the same time and felt a strange connection in his mind while wielding the two swords. After investigating the stats, he noticed they both had an additional 50 M. Atk, pushing them very close to B Rank items.Seeing the synergistic effect of the item, Vahn had an inspiration for the future. If he could forge items with the 'intent' of them enhancing each other, he could make entire sets that synergize in the future. If someone wore an entire outfit that he created, they could potentially fight above their level with equipment alone. Vahn found the prospect very exciting, so instead of just forging 'for practice', he now forged with a specific intent in mind. He also knew that, if the items had extra effects, they would be worth far more when sold later.As they had spent almost 11 hours in the forge, it was nearly 8 PM, which meant that it was nearing the time for dinner. Right, when the clock struck the eighth-hour, Anubis came in and asked him the same questions as the prior day, so they all made their way to the bath. Nanu was a lot more forward than she was the day prior, and after she finished washing Vahn's chest, she actually sat down in between his legs with her back to him.Vahn was a bit confused, but then Anubis handed him a sponge and he understood what was going on. Since she had washed him, as the 'mate', he had to return the favor or it would hurt her standing. As it wasn't his first time washing a girls body, Vahn was able to do so without difficulty, but he still felt a little awkward at the rapidly changing situation. By the time he had finished cleaning her body, he felt his heart itching a little because she made no effort to conceal anything from him. Instead, she seemed to be 'displaying' herself for his appreciation.Remembering what Anubis said the first day they all took a bath together, he now understood what she meant when she warned him about treating them like anything other than children. Now that Nanu considered herself his 'mate', she was very proactive in approaching him and receiving his affection and care. Though she was very small, she was still similar in age to Vahn, so it wasn't the easiest task of ignoring her obvious advances.After the bath, the group had dinner, and Vahn was somewhat grateful that nothing else had changed since the prior evening. Like before, Nanu sat to his right, but she acted very proper while watching the other children eat. When everyone finished eating, she waited for Vahn and Anubis to finish before taking the initiative to have the other children clean up. Though she still helped them with the dishes, she acted more-so as the supervisor than an extra pair of hands.Like before, when everything was finished, she reported the results to Vahn and received his 'praise' before dismissing the other children. Vahn felt like his role as the 'Alpha' had been taken by the now hyper-confident little girl. He began to suspect that, the more he enabled her actions, the more power of his she would seize just to please him. When all the other children left, Nanu had remained behind and Vahn said, "Nanu, even if you're in a higher position in the hierarchy, don't take things too far. Remember, I want everyone to act as a family whenever possible."Nanu nodded her head in a deferential manner as she bowed slightly and said, "I understand, Master. I will do my best to make sure matters don't get out of hand. Thank you for your guidance." Satisfied by her response, Vahn gave her another pat on the head before heading toward his room. However, before he got more than ten steps, he stopped and looked over his right shoulder at the girl that had fallen into step behind him.Before Vahn could ask, Anubis spoke out toward Nanu, "Nanu, Master Vahn said you had to wait until you were older. Even if you consider yourself his 'mate', he has the right to invite others to his chambers. Unless he specifically asks, you need to prevent yourself from acting in an overbearing manner or you will insult him." After Anubis finished speaking, Nanu's eyes widened before she bowed low and said, "Please forgive me, Master. I did not mean to overstep my bounds."Vahn looked at the little girl who had bowed as a nearly ninety-degree angle as she apologized to him. Seeing her drooping ears and tail, Vahn felt a little bad and almost reached out to comfort the girl. However, before he was able to do so, Anubis gave him a sharp look and shook her head. Thinking he may have been making another mistake, Vahn removed his hand before saying, "As long as you remember my words, it is fine. There is plenty of time in the future, you don't have to be in such a rush."Nanu, who had been expecting Vahn to comfort her, heard his words and felt a bit of fear in her heart. She had been acting to try and please him, and every time she did so he had 'rewarded' her, so she quickly got out of hand. Now that he didn't pet her after accepting her apology, Nanu felt like she had genuinely upset him. She fixed her stature and tried to appear unflustered by the sudden change, and then bowed to Vahn politely before saying, "I will excuse myself fire, Master. If you need me, I will be within the...girls' room." Nanu, recalling she had to return to the room with the other girls, felt defeated and a bit ashamed.Vahn watched the young chienthrope walk away while pretending to keep her bearing. However, even though she had a mock confidence on her face, she didn't seem to be able to prevent her ears and tail from drooping. The sight looked sad and lonely, and Vahn wanted to call out to her and cheer her up, but any attempt to do so was interrupted by Anubis. After Nanu had long disappeared from the corridor, Anubis spoke, "Master, I would suggest that, before you continue interacting with the other children, you study up a bit. Please, follow me."Following Anubis, Vahn found himself outside of her room, which was also to the left of his own. She opened the door and invited him inside before following in behind him. When he entered, Vahn saw a large stack of books, scrolls, as well as various items neatly arranged on the floor. Anubis began explaining, "The Guild keeps a compendium on the various cultures, races, and histories of every group on Eden. These items will provide Master with all the information he needs and will allow him to make more informed decisions in the future. If, after Master looks over them, he has any questions, I will be more than willing to assist, Master."Vahn picked up one of the books titled [Mythos of the Southern Tribe] and started browsing through it for a bit before placing it into his inventory. He now understood what Anubis had requested additional funds for. However, seeing the other items strewn about, Vahn had a few questions he wanted to ask right now. Picking up a large collar, Vahn turned to Anubis and asked, "What about these other items? Do they have something to do with the culture of the Southern Tribe?"The moment Vahn held out the collar toward her, Anubis's ears twitched a bit as she stared at the large black collar. Averting her eyes, she explained, "Master will find out when he reads the books...but, many girls in the Southern Tribe appreciate gifts like that. It is very common for men to give a collar to the woman he loves to display that she is 'taken'. Typically, if a woman is without a collar, it indicates she is either single or seeking a mate. If a woman is unwilling, they typically wear small chokers instead."Vahn nodded his head, but he continued to look at the various other items that had been left out. Though he believed her story about the collar and would be able to verify it for himself, he didn't understand the use of the other items on the floor. There were small chains, ropes, and even handcuffs off to the side. Vahn even found a strange and aromatic oil that smelled incredibly sweet.Anubis watched Vahn inspecting items and could feel her heart rate increasing. Though she hadn't said anything, Anubis wanted Vahn to take an interest in the items. If she was able to increase his intrigue, he might even want to try the items out as he did with [Enkidu] the previous day. Vahn began putting away all the items into his inventory, including the extra items Anubis had purchased. Seeing the items disappear, Anubis felt dejected, but she didn't say anything to disturb his actions.Vahn didn't want to bother Anubis by asking about every little item and assumed he would be able to find the answers in the documents he received. If he couldn't figure it out on his own, he could always ask her later after all. Turning toward the girl who was gently smiling at him, Vahn couldn't help but raise his brow a little as he saw her ears drooping down on her head. Though her appearance remained unchanged, she seemed to have the same difficulty as other chienthropes as her ears and tail gave her away.Thinking that she had wanted to be more useful to him, Vahn shook his head in a helpless manner as he approached the sulking goddess. Before she could react to his approach, he reached out his hand and started stroking her hair and ears. Unlike the previous times, this time Vahn channeled [Hands of Nirvana] to bring her a bit of comfort. Anubis accepted his affections without complaint, and her tail started gently wagging back and forth. Like he had done before, once Vahn saw her tail wag, he pulled his hand away and said, "Thanks, Anubis. This will be very helpful."Anubis blanked out for a moment, but then just bowed and wished Vahn a pleasant rest. She followed his back as he left her room, and the moment the door closed she threw herself into her bed and screamed into her pillow. After she let out her frustrations with her voice, she started beating up the pillow while imagining it was some aquamarine-eyed boy with no delicacy and understanding of a woman's heart. She now understood why someone like Hephaestus, who was often calm and cool, seemed to act like a completely different person around Vahn.After she tired herself out, Anubis released a long sigh as she muttered, "Idiot..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Abandoned Pupper','Nanu gets shut down','It's climbing gear guys...I swear. What else would you use ropes, straps, and chains for?')

Chapter 142: A Series of Misunderstandings