Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

When the two entered into Hephaestus's workshop, they were immediately identified by Zaff who sent a very professional looking woman to inform Hephaestus. Zaff, seeing Eina and Vahn holding hands, couldn't help but ask, "You're a pretty bold one, to be bringing a girl to the house of the woman you're trying to court." Though Vahn could see that Zaff was joking with him, he was also aware of the serious glint in Zaff's eyes.Since Vahn had already found his resolve outside, he said in a confident manner, "This is something I have to do. It would be even worse if I tried to keep it a secret and rumors began to spread." Zaff raised an eyebrow at Vahn's confidence as he looked toward Eina while asking Vahn, "Like the rumors with Ais Wallenstein and Tiona Hiryute?"Eina could see that Zaff was trying to 'scare' her away, but she remained unphased as she said in a very professional manner, "I am well aware of Vahn's exploits; thank you for your concern." Zaff was surprised by how firm Eina was as he just shook his head and patted Vahn on the shoulder while saying in an exasperated manner, "Kid, you really know how to pick 'em." After that, he made his way to the side before the woman that had sent the message returned and told them Hephaestus was waiting in her office.Vahn and Eina entered the room and Hephaestus looked at the two of them while she sat at her desk and was drawing up a new design. Seeing Vahn and Eina holding hands, Hephaestus couldn't help but feel a little annoyed as she saw the new face. She had never seen Eina before and had no idea when the two of them had become a couple. Hephaestus even thought Eina may have approached Vahn just recently and was trying to take advantage of his current reputation and popularity.The tension in the room had increased a bit, but Vahn just led Eina toward Hephaestus and began explaining the situation. Learning that Vahn and Eina had gotten engaged and intended to marry, Hephaestus suddenly felt a little tired as she looked at the sneaky half-elf girl. According to the story, Vahn and Eina had only met a few times, yet they ended up getting engaged on their first date? Hephaestus couldn't help but feel like Vahn had gotten wrapped up in a scheme to take advantage of his nature.Eina noticed the anger in Hephaestus expression and felt a little intimidated, but she stood her ground and asked in a challenging manner, "Let me ask you, Hephaestus-sama, do you think Vahn will be happy if things continue to progress as they are?" Hephaestus furrowed her brows as she stared at Eina and asked, "What are you trying to say? Are you saying that Vahn will be happy if he marries you?"Eina shook her head and continued, "It isn't about Vahn marrying me, its about all of the burdens he is being asked to carry. You should know about his past and how difficult his life has been, but instead of helping him overcome his trauma, you just made a safe place for him. Though it would have been fine if he never had to bear any burdens, the moment he began bearing them, he continued to pile up more and more. If things continue at this rate, how long do you think Vahn will last!?"Hephaestus was a bit surprised by her words, but she was also angry and couldn't help but stand up and shout, "Do you think I'll just let Vahn carry everything on his own!? No matter what, I'll help him overcome everything and ensure that he is able to become happy!" Eina flinched a little, but then asked in a low and accusatory tone, "And how will you help him carry your burdens, Hephaestus-sama? Vahn cares about you more than anyone else and is trying hard to meet your expectations. But, is your burden something so light that a fourteen-year-old boy can carry it?"Eina's words stunned Hephaestus and she looked toward Vahn in a somewhat questioning manner. Vahn saw her gaze and smiled before interjecting between the two women, "Eina, you can't blame Hephaestus. She already does so much for me, it is only right that I put in my best efforts. Just like she is trying to make me happy, I will do everything I can to make her happy as well."Both Eina and Hephaestus frowned at Vahn's words and Hephaestus calmed down a bit as she considered everything Eina had been saying. She remembered that, only recently, Vahn and her had a misunderstanding between each other. Hephaestus had long fallen for him and started taking actions to help solve his problems behind the scenes.When Vahn had fallen into a coma, she was so worried that she spent every day at his bedside until he finally woke up. After that, she realized that he wasn't pursuing her, but just wanted to forge an item to 'drive away her loneliness'. Vahn didn't know anything about love before he left the dungeon, and all of her affections had been primarily one-sided. When she tried to clear it up and free Vahn, he instead pursued her almost like he was desperate and afraid to lose her. He held her in his arms and continued coaxing her until she finally let down her resistance against him. After that, Hephaestus tried guiding him a bit and pushing him to continue working hard so they could finally be together...Hephaestus realized that everything Eina had been saying was the truth. Though she hadn't intended to do so, Hephaestus had taken advantage of Vahn's willingness to bear her burdens and had constantly been putting pressure on him. She even tried restricting him a bit by forcing him to work five days a week and warning him not to put his hands on Anubis. Even though she was willing to allow Vahn to have other girls, she contradicted her own intentions just because she was impatient.Eina had been paying attention to Hephaestus, and the moment she realized that Hephaestus recognized her mistake, she spoke out, "Vahn is right, Hephaestus-same, you did nothing wrong." Hephaestus heard her words and looked in the emerald eyes of the half-elf girl. Eina continued, "The only mistake you made...was failing to realize Vahn was broken. He wasn't simply traumatized, nor did he need a safe place to avoid being taken advantage of. The most important thing Vahn needed...was a normal life. Normal people caring for him without any expectations other than him being happy."Eina, let her words sink in a bit before she continued even further, "You should be aware, better than anyone, how abnormal Vahn's growth has been. Though it is commendable, it isn't normal for a fourteen-year-old boy to increase two levels in less than two months. Not to mention, he puts himself at risk to fulfill the role of a hero and even took in both of the girls after the fact to care for them. Because he always had a 'safe place' to return to, Vahn pushed himself much harder and kept compounding the amount of stress he had to deal with. The best example is the matter with Anubis-sama and her Familia, surely you understand that is a very abnormal situation. Even if Anubis-sama decided to serve Vahn, the fact that he is now responsible for eight other people isn't a light burden."Vahn realized that things were heading in a bad direction, so he wanted to help ease the atmosphere and said, "Eina, I made all those decisions myself. Even if it was because I got caught up in the moment, I don't have any intention of shirking my responsibility. I'll continue to do my best to make everyone happy." Though he said the words with strength and conviction, both Hephaestus and Eina looked at Vahn with sad expressions.Hephaestus released a long sigh as she looked toward Eina and said, "I can see now. I don't know how I was so blind before..." Vahn noticed that things had turned strange, but Hephaestus stopped him from speaking by raising her hand. After mulling over her words, she looked to Eina and asked, "As the person that noticed it earlier than anyone else, what do you think is the best course of action?"Eina, without any hesitation, looked into Hephaestus's eyes and said, "That is easy. Vahn needs people to proactively reign him in and help him live a normal life. The best course of action would be for him to marry someone. Because he is so deferential and considerate, he would always take his wife's opinion into consideration before he acts." Hearing Eina's words, Hephaestus released a sigh and asked, "And I guess that is where you come in?"Unexpectedly, Eina laughed at Hephaestus's question and seemed to find the words amusing. Both Vahn and Hephaestus looked at her with questioning looks as she explained, "You misunderstand Hephaestus-sama. Though I'd like to fulfill that role myself and intend to marry Vahn for that purpose, I shouldn't be the only one to marry him. If he is going to be in a relationship with you, or other goddesses, in the future, Vahn would need a wife with a high enough status to reign in his actions against people with more status or authority than he has currently."Though Vahn was confused, Hephaestus seemed to realize what Eina was implying and she couldn't help but blush a little. Vahn became even more confused, but before he could ask the question, Eina continued, "Indeed. The best course of action would be for Vahn to marry both of us. If he has both a mortal and goddess as his first wives, he will have a broader consideration for others in the future. I wouldn't be able to prevent other goddesses from approaching him, since I don't have enough authority and status, but you have both of those things, arguably more than anyone else in the entire City."With Eina's continued explanation, Vahn finally realized that she was telling Hephaestus to marry him as well. Vahn could feel an excitement welling up inside of him and couldn't prevent himself from smiling due to all the happy feelings he was experiencing. Hephaestus had been watching Vahn, since he was standing right in front of her, and she saw how happy he was at the thought of marrying her. She could feel his heart beat excitedly in her own soul, and it made Hephaestus feel confident about the half-elf, no, Eina's plan.After a bit of consideration, Hephaestus smiled at Vahn and said, "I would love to marry Vahn...but there are several other factors that need to be considered as well. It is very difficult for a goddess to marry, especially one that has descended to the mortal plane..." As she was thinking the matters through and rationalizing things, Hephaestus became annoyed at the sound of her own words. She noticed that Vahn seemed to be a little disappointed as she was explaining, so she decided to stop caring as she said, "Fine, I don't care about all of that anyways. If you want to marry me...I won't refuse..."Hephaestus started to blush as she continued, and couldn't help but wrap her arms under her breasts as expectation began to build inside her. The moment she said she was willing, Vahn immediately entered a high tension state as he shouted, "Yes! Please, marry me Hephaestus!" Though he had expected to marry her in the future, Vahn found the idea of marrying both her and Eina at the same time to be an incredible notion. This way, he could prevent Hephaestus from facing criticism for falling in love with a married man in the future.Eina spoke out from his side before Hephaestus could respond, "Though he seems to have a bit of a misunderstanding...it is still the best course of action. What will you do now, Hephaestus-sama?' Hephaestus had also noticed that, though he wanted to marry her, he also seemed to be considering something else. Since she was afraid of letting misunderstandings continue to build, she asked, "Why are you so willing to marry me, Vahn? I understand you like me, and it makes me very happy, but you seem to think something else as well."Vahn was a bit confused as he stared between the emerald eyes of Eina and the red, almost ruby colored, eyes of Hephaestus. After a bit of thought, he explained, "I was thinking that, if we were to get married now, you wouldn't have to be embarrassed in the future. I know you said you were okay with me being with other girls, but I feel like it would have been difficult for us to get married if I was in a relationship with several people."Both Eina and Hephaestus sighed at the same time while staring at Vahn with a mixture of affection and concern on their faces. The two heard each other's sighs and looked at each other before laughing a bit. Vahn seemed very confused by everything that was happening, but the next words he heard made his worries fly out the window. Hephaestus looked at him with a loving expression in her eyes and a happy smile on her face as she said, "Of course I will marry you, Vahn. I don't care what other people think at all, and if anyone has a problem with it, I'll just crush them if I have to."Eina nodded after hearing Hephaestus's words while Vahn felt a bit of a chill run along his back. He could see that, through all the love and affection she had for him, she was equally as serious when saying how she would deal with others. Though he was a bit worried, Vahn reached out his hand in the same manner as he had for Eina. Hephaestus seemed a bit confused, but Eina pointed to the emerald-gold ring on her finger without saying anything.Hephaestus's eyes widened a bit as she stood up from her desk and walked around to stand in front of Vahn. Though he hadn't done so for Eina, since they had both been sitting at the time, Vahn remembered from the books that he read that it was proper etiquette to kneel before offering a ring in marriage. When Hephaestus stood in front of him and reached for his hand, Vahn kneeled down and stunned the two women.Vahn looked into the beautiful eyes of Hephaestus and felt like his heart was about to beat out of his chest. He felt very happy at the prospect of marrying the goddess that had cared for him and made so many efforts to ensure his own happiness. Hephaestus snapped out of her shock and held out her hand as Vahn revealed a beautiful platinum ring adorned with a large ruby.Eina saw the ring and had a bit of an incredulous look on her face as she asked herself if Vahn had been planning to marry all the girls he was in a relationship with. However, remembering when she had questioned him earlier and that his response was he would likely marry Hephaestus in the future, she put the matter behind her and considered it to be a coincidence. However, she intended to ask him after the scene finished playing out. Eina realized that, when it came to Vahn, it was better to clarify things so there would be fewer misunderstandings.Hephaestus's hand shook a bit as Vahn put the platinum-ruby ring on her finger. After he had finished the short ceremony, Vahn stood up and, before he could say anything, Hephaestus suddenly kissed him with an intense and passionate fervor in her actions. He immediately started returning her kiss while Eina watched the two of them from the side with a shocked expression on her face. She realized that it wasn't just Vahn who needed to be reigned in, but Hephaestus herself would have to learn some self-control.After 'patiently' waiting for nearly three minutes, Eina could no longer contain herself as she loudly cleared her throat to get the attention of the two passionate idiots. Hephaestus and Vahn looked at her with confused expressions before Hephaestus's eyes widened and she separated from Vahn's grasp. She had been too excited after he put the ring on her finger that she couldn't keep the emotions from exploding out and kissing him. When he returned her advances and even planted his hands on her butt, she had completely forgotten that Eina was in the room.Hephaestus and Vahn fixed their appearances as Eina stared at both of them like a big sister reprimanding her younger siblings. She turned to Vahn and asked, "Vahn, did you buy rings for all the girls you're currently in a relationship with?" Vahn heard her question and realized that it was abnormal for him to be carrying around rings, so he just shook his head and said, "No, those were the only two I have." Eina seemed happy at his response and smiled for a few seconds before turning to Hephaestus and recovering her serious expression. He spoke in a firm tone, "Hephaestus-sama, if you're the one that needs to be reigning in the other girls, you need to learn a bit of self-control..."The blush that had yet to leave her face now expanded and turned a deep crimson as Hephaestus looked at Eina's serious expression and heard her reprimanding tone. Hephaestus wanted to retort that she only acted like this around Vahn, but even she couldn't help but feel the pressure emitted by the half-elf girls emerald eyes. Now that they were both going to be Vahn's 'First-Wives', they would likely be spending a lot of time together in the future. Releasing a short sight, Hephaestus muttered in a low voice, "I'll do my best...Eina."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'C-c-c-combo Breaker','Everything is better in twos','Head Wives Alliance'

After everything had settled down, Vahn, Hephaestus, and Eina had moved their conversation to the couch, which was the only place where all three could sit. Vahn ended up flanked by the two women, one mortal half-elf and one immortal goddess. Though they weren't married yet, they were now all engaged to each other and Vahn felt an uncontainable jubilation in his heart.His excitement affected Hephaestus as well, which caused Eina to be a bit frustrated so she asked, "Hephaestus-sama, why are you so easily excited around Vahn? I understand you love him, but it is a bit strange seeing how quickly your mood changes." In response to her question, Hephaestus ended up explaining the bond she had with Vahn. They also discussed the matters of Vahn's 'origin' and Eina was incredibly surprised to realize her fiance was very likely more parts god than man.Eina turned to Vahn and asked, "Can I see your 'divinity' as well? I am very curious what it's like when someone other than a god uses divinity." Vahn, who was sitting between the two in silence, nodded his head and expanded his domain a bit. The moment he did so, both Eina and Hephaestus gave him shocked looks. Though he wasn't focusing his intent on either of them, Hephaestus could sense that the domain had become much more powerful. Eina, who had only ever experienced the divinity of Ouranos, was shocked to discover that she felt more pressure from Vahn.Since he had activated [Will of the Emperor], Vahn's emotions started to stabilize which allowed Hephaestus to calm down as well. Eina had noticed the change and asked, "Your divinity affects your emotions?" Vahn nodded his head and began explaining all of his uses for his domain without giving out any information about 'The Path'. The two girls, especially Hephaestus, were very surprised when Vahn said he could fuse his skills into the domain. He demonstrated by using [Hands of Nirvana] and infusing his calming energy which spread throughout the room and made everyone feel pleasant.Hephaestus became very interested in what else Vahn was capable of and continued asking him questions about everything that had happened recently. Vahn continued recounting the events of the last four days and even discussed the matters with Anubis and Nanu. Since Eina had already heard this part of the story, she didn't ask any questions, but Hephaestus seemed to be confused and inquired how that situation had developed so quickly.Vahn was a little surprised by her words and began considering his response. He explained all the details and the misunderstandings he had with Nanu, and the fact that the catalyst for everything revolved around an interaction he had with Anubis in his workshop. At this point, Vahn began pulling out [Enkidu] for his palms as both girls stared in awe at the resplendent golden chains.Though Vahn had intended to mention it later, he thought now was a good chance, so he explained, "These chains suddenly appeared within my soul and seem bound to me. They give me the power to bind anything, including the divinity of gods and goddesses. I had asked Anubis to help me test the effects, and that ended up causing the biggest misunderstanding with Nanu. However, the most important thing I learned..."Vahn hesitated for a moment as both girls stared at him with curious expressions. Vahn swallowed his saliva as he looked Hephaestus in the eyes and said, "According to Anubis...if I use [Enkidu], I can temporarily turn a god...or goddess...into a mortal." Eina seemed surprised by his words but didn't understand why he was acting so strangely. She peered around Vahn's body to see how Hephaestus had reacted to his statement and noticed the ruby-eyed goddess had incredibly wide eyes all of a sudden.Seeing that she understood his implication, Vahn nodded his head with a smile and said, "Anubis said that, if I use these chains on a goddess...there is a chance they would get pregnant." Hephaestus stared at the chains like they were the most sacred treasure in the world whilst Eina had taken the opportunity to open her eyes widely now. If what Vahn said was true, there would be no end to the number of goddesses that would approach him in the future. Eina began to realize that it would be much harder than she originally suspected to guarantee Vahn could live a somewhat normal life.Hephaestus didn't seem to be able to form any words as she picked up the chains from Vahn's hand. As a goddess that had lived for millions of years she, like almost every other goddess, had always wanted to have children. Other than goddesses of fertility and life, it was impossible for a goddess to get pregnant, even if they used items to increase the odds.This was the reason why most gods and goddesses had Familia and called their members 'children'. The chains she now held in her hands represented a hope that she had never harbored previously as she looked toward Vahn with a bit of fear, but mostly expectation in her eyes and asked, "Do you want to get me pregnant...and have children with me?"As it was something Vahn had been thinking about a lot recently, he immediately nodded his head and said in a matter-of-fact manner, "Of course. The moment I found out about the use of [Enkidu], it has been on my mind ever since." Though he hadn't lied, Vahn left out or perhaps overlooked, the fact he had thought of several girls getting pregnant, not just Hephaestus.Hephaestus heard his confidence and 'eager' voice as her hands holding [Enkidu] began to shake. She held them close to her chest and bent over a bit as she looked up at Vahn and said, "Please...hurry and forge me an item. I don't know if I can hold myself back for much longer..." Hephaestus had an incredibly serious look in her eyes, almost like they were glowing, as she looked into Vahn's face with a fierce blush.Eina had been worried that the two might immediately start going at it, and she released a small sigh of relief after hearing Hephaestus showing restraint. She, like almost everyone else in the City, knew about the vow Hephaestus had taken in the past. Vows were soul-binding, and Hephaestus wouldn't be able to break her own word without facing a serious backlash. In the worse case scenario, she might even suffer a curse that removes all of her abilities or forces her to return to Heaven.The look in Hephaestus's eyes caused Vahn to feel anguish in his chest and he spoke with a mixture of confidence and concern in his voice as he said, "I swear...I'll improve faster and faster. I won't keep you waiting for much longer..." Vahn then reached down and kissed Hephaestus, but he made sure to restrain himself a bit so she wouldn't suffer even more. Since he was still using his domain, he managed to keep his calm without influencing her too much.After that, the three discussed various matters, including when the wedding would be. Both Hephaestus and Eina had things to consider before they could actually get married. Hephaestus had to inform the Denatus and officially announce the wedding before all the attending gods, while Eina still had her contract with the Guild. She couldn't suddenly quit her job and follow Vahn and would have to spend time training a replacement. Vahn refused her intentions though and asked her to continue working at the Guild. Though she wanted to force her stance, she noticed Vahn was being especially sincere and she ended up giving in to his insistence. Vahn had told her that working at the Guild suited her, and he believed she would be a great help to novice adventurers when she took on the role of a supervisor.Ultimately, it was decided that the wedding would be planned after the conclusion of the Monster Feria that would be taking place after the next Denatus. Vahn swore that during the time until then, he would earn the [Master Smith] development ability and create an item that would impress Hephaestus. He wanted her to attend the Denatus and have confidence when she addressed the other gods and goddesses. They would call her out for getting engaged to a boy that didn't meet the requirement of her vow, and Vahn was determined to prevent her from being embarrassed.Afterward, he offered to escort Eina home, but she ended up sending him off from the workshop while saying there were various things she had to discuss with Hephaestus as women. Hephaestus affirmed her words and gave Vahn a long hug and a kiss before they parted. After their embrace ended, Hephaestus gave Eina a look which made the half-elf girl blush. Mustering her resolve, she approached Vahn and also embraced him, albeit for a much shorter period of time than Hephaestus.Vahn left Hephaestus's workshop feeling light on his feet as a big smile covered his face. As he passed by Zaff and the other security staff, they all gave him incredulous looks after seeing his current appearance. Even Zaff, who usually had a gruff and serious expression, looked at Vahn like he was some kind of monster. Given how Vahn was acting, Zaff understood that he had somehow managed to convince Hephaestus to accept his relationship with that half-elf girl. If he had known Vahn had actually accepted the two as wives, he, as well as every man present, might have fallen over in shock. Everyone was aware of his relationship with Tiona and Ais, and in less than a week he was now engaged to a powerful goddess and a beautiful half-elf receptionist!?---After Vahn had left, the two women stared at each other in silence for several minutes. Eina's emerald green eyes were a stark contrast to the beautiful ruby-red eyes of Hephaestus. Now, they were both on somewhat similar levels, even though their authority and status were significantly different. They had been united through Vahn, and now would have to work together to help bring stability to Vahn's life.Eina, who had originally proposed the idea, was the first one to speak up as she said, "Hephaestus-sama..." The moment she spoke, Hephaestus shook her head and said, "Just call me Hephaestus when we're alone or around Vahn." Eina paused for a moment before nodding her head and continuing, "Hephaestus, I believe we need to gather up all the girls around Vahn and make our stance known as soon as possible. Not just the girls he is currently with, but those that have an ambiguous or potential relationship as well. If we can't make everyone work together, it will be significantly harder to help reign in Vahn's behavior."Hephaestus had a serious look on her face as she considered Eina's words. After nearly a full minute, she nodded and said, "Most places aren't busy on the weekends, so we can send out messages and have everyone gather tomorrow. Do you know all the girls Vahn is currently associated with? I have a few notes myself, as the Guild had been investigating his details in the past."Eina nodded her head and recounted everything she had discussed with Vahn during their picnic. Though Hephaestus wasn't too surprised, she still couldn't help retort in her mind about how many girls were around Vahn. She resolved that, for Vahn's rehabilitation, she would introduce him to some male friends and role models. After bouncing the idea of Eina, she too agreed and they began discussing potential candidates.---Because of how happy he had been, Vahn managed to clear the distance between Hephaestus's workshop and his house in less than half an hour. Generally speaking, if he had been walking a normal pace, the trip should have taken more than two hours. When he entered through his courtyard, Anubis had barely been able to arrive in time to receive him because of how unusually quick his movements were.Anubis gave a polite bow and said, "Welcome home, Master." Vahn noticed she was still wearing the incredibly revealing black fabric clothes and had tied the white cloth around her waist with the golden ribbon. Learning from his mistake, he gave Anubis a gentle pat on the head for a few seconds before heading to his workshop. He had a plan to make his promise with Hephaestus a reality, and he was excited by the prospect and couldn't wait to get started.Seeing how casually he pet her ears before walking off, Anubis released a sigh as her ears drooped. She had hoped to be able to set Vahn off again with her seductive outfit, but he already seemed to have developed resistance against it. If he had untied the ribbon again, this time she would make sure he wasn't able to escape so easily. The torment she had suffered earlier was now imprinted into her body, and she didn't think she would be able to keep her sanity much longer if Vahn kept treating her the same way. The fact that he had made her climax for over a half hour straight left an itching feeling in her body and she desperately needed to scratch it.---Vahn, completely unaware of the 'imprint' he had left on Anubis, entered the material storage and began storing away the majority of the contents into his inventory. As he had a limited amount of spaces, he had to take out some of his other items to make room for the mountain of materials Hephaestus had purchased for him. Once he had everything, he checked his OP reserves and noticed he had 114,618 OP available. This was more than enough for his needs, so he exited his workshop in high spirits.Along the way, he came across Anubis again who had been waiting in the outer corridor. He saw her drooping ears perk up the moment he stepped out, but she wasn't able to fix her aura so Vahn was able to tell she was in low spirits. Feeling a bit bad, Vahn decided to explain to her everything that happened during the day. Anubis was very surprised to learn that, in the few hours he had been away, he somehow managed to pick up not one, but two wives. The itch in her body started acting up, and she couldn't help but give Vahn a 'mean' look as he continued narrating events.Vahn noticed that Anubis seemed to be even more upset after his words, and he didn't know what to do to make her feel better. After his interactions with Hephaestus and Eina earlier, Vahn realized he had a bad habit of causing misunderstandings because he kept his thoughts to himself. Wanting to change that trait, he looked to Anubis and asked in a serious manner, "Anubis, I can't understand what is making you sad, can you tell me what is wrong?'Anubis's ears twitched at his question as she looked into his serious expression and noticed that he had changed a bit compared to his past self. She understood it was likely the influence of Hephaestus and the Eina woman she had yet to meet. Thinking this might be an opportunity, Anubis mustered up her courage and told Vahn, "Master...I don't think my body can last much longer..." She looked him in his eyes and continued in a sultry tone, "I want Master to make me his..."Vahn was a bit taken aback by her words, but couldn't fault her since he was the one that asked. She was usually reserved, but after he had her speak her mind that one time, he also knew she bottled up things and didn't always act according to her wants and desires. Now that she was approaching him in such a direct manner without him giving her an 'order', Vahn didn't know how to react.Like all the other girls, Anubis had become accustomed to how expressive Vahn was. She could see that, after she spoke her desires, Vahn went through a series of emotions. His initial expression was that of surprise, but then it transitioned from understanding, to blame, and then finally contemplation with a moderate amount of confusion. She knew that he was seriously considering her words, and she couldn't help but bite her lip and hope he gave her some leniency.Vahn looked at Anubis and noticed she was paying close attention to his face as she waited for his response. Before he even spoke, he noticed that her expression turned sad and her ears drooped a bit. Releasing a sigh, Vahn said, "Anubis, both Hephaestus, and Eina want me to practice showing restraint. I won't lie, I have a great interest in both you and your body, especially after all the recent events. However, until I get matters sorted out, I can't cross the line and have sex with you."Anubis nodded her head with a sad expression, but then her eyes opened a bit as her ears stood proudly on her head. Vahn was confused at her sudden change until she said, "Then, other than sex, everything else should be fine, right?" Her momentum had caused Vahn to falter a bit because she had closed the distance between them and looked into his eyes with clear excitement on her face. Vahn asked in a muted tone, "What did you have in mind...?"The moment Vahn asked, Anubis got even closer to him and grabbed his hand with her own. She looked into Vahn's face with her moonlight eyes glowing as she said, "I want you to pet me more like you did this morning. Even if we can't have sex, that will be enough for now." Anubis had started breathing a bit heavily as she held Vahn's hand in her chest and hugged it like it was some kind of treasure.After considering her words for a bit, Vahn didn't think it would be much of a problem if it was just petting. Before he responded, Anubis's tail had already started wagging about wildly as she waited for his words. Vahn laughed a bit at her cute actions before saying in an amused tone, "Only for a bit, and only in the evenings. If you pass out during the day, it could cause problems with your duties and sleep schedule."Anubis nodded her head and had an excited expression on her face as she continued to hug his hand for a moment and laughing in a silly manner. Vahn never expected someone to have so much interest in his massage technique, and it made him a bit proud of himself. There were still various things within the manual for [Hands of Nirvana] that he wanted to try. Now, it looked like he had found a willing assistant for his future experimentation.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Wedding Plans','Gathering of the Vahnguard','Dogs have a bad habit of digging holes')

Eina stared at the ring Vahn had presented her with a mixture of emotions that were hard to describe. She felt both happy, sad, concerned and excited, all at the same time. Each emotion seemed to compete for first place in her heart as she stared in abject shock at the ring in Vahn's hand. Though she asked him to marry her, she never expected him to already have a ring prepared. Now, the reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks as she hesitantly reached out her hand.Vahn saw her apprehension and a bit of guilt started spreading in his mind. It wasn't until Eina looked at him in the eyes, and they both stared at each other for several seconds, that his guilt faded away. Perhaps because she had seen his care and concern but, after holding gazes with Vahn for that period of time, Eina suddenly smiled and held up her hand for Vahn. Though he was a bit confused, Sis whispered in his mind that he was supposed to put the ring on for her.Vahn took Eina's delicate hand into his own as he slowly placed the ring on her finger with his excitement continuing to rise. He was a bit surprised that it was a perfect fit, and even Eina couldn't help but ask, "How did you know my ring size?" After Vahn had placed the ring on her finger, she continued to stare at it with a somewhat dazed expression as she asked the question. Vahn's thoughts spun rapidly in his mind before he gave the best excuse he could think of, "Maybe it was just fate. I didn't know if the ring would fit until I put it on your finger."Eina looked at Vahn after he finished speaking and seemed to contemplate his words for a bit before a gentle smile spread on her face. She squinted her emerald green eyes as she placed her free hand on her cheek and said, "You're quite the smooth talker at times, aren't you Vahn?" Then, almost as if she had a sudden realization, she looked at Vahn and asked in a subtly teasing tone, "So, what should I call you now? Vahn, Husband, Darling, or is there something else?"Her question had shocked Vahn, and each form of address hit his mind like a hammer blow. Vahn considered her words for a few moments, and it wasn't until she started laughing at his dazed state that he finally responded, "I think Vahn is fine...but Darling is okay if we're alone..." As Vahn spoke the words, he couldn't help but blush while Eina looked at him with a bit of a sparkle in her eye and a wide smile. They were already in close proximity to each other, so Eina leaned forward a bit and whispered into Vahn's ear, "Darling~" She put a lot of emphasis on the word and dragged it for more than a second.Vahn realized that she was teasing him, and he couldn't help but imagine all the times he tried to tease her. It seemed as though they both liked to try to get a rise out of the other, or maybe it was just her trying to act the role of his fiancee. Regardless, though Vahn enjoyed the current Eina, he wanted to experience her getting flustered a bit as well. Seeing how quickly she recovered after accepting the ring, he wanted to do a bit more so, while she was whispering in his ear, Vahn licked Eina's pointy ear with his tongue.Eina jumped like she had been electrocuted as she held her hand to cover her ear while looking at Vahn was an 'angry' and surprised look. Realizing what he had done, the blush that had only recently receded on her face spread up her cheeks and to her ears. She could feel both of her ears turn hot, especially her left ear which Vahn had just licked. It took her several minutes to calm herself as she kept getting a bit annoyed every time she looked over and saw Vahn smiling. Remembering that he said he liked to tease her, Eina couldn't help but feel there would be a lot of trouble for her heart in the future.After everything had settled down, Eina started guiding the date a bit more and acting very attentive toward Vahn. The two enjoyed their picnic like a real couple, which made sense considering they were now engaged. Vahn felt very happy at the current situation, but he couldn't help but feel mildly bothered by how her affection had only increased to 93 before stopping. Even though he teased her a bit and tried to make her happy, the number seemed to be cemented in place for the time being.When they were done eating, Vahn wanted to continue the date, but Eina stopped him and said in a firm tone, "Vahn, if we're going to get married, there are several things we need to take care of immediately. You already have a lot of girls in your life and several commitments to keep, and keeping our matters hidden will only escalate future problems. Since Hephaestus seems to be the most important person in your life, we should meet her and explain the situation as soon as possible."Vahn hadn't expected Eina to suddenly take on a lecturing tone, so he just stood at her side and listened to her words attentively. He couldn't help but agree that she had a point and knew that it could be a problem if the girls he was in a relationship with finding out from a different source that he was getting married. Not just Hephaestus, but Vahn felt like he needed to explain things clearly to all the women that he had high affection with.Agreeing with her words, Vahn led Eina by the hand towards Hephaestus's workshop. Though she was much more considerate toward him now, Vahn almost missed how affectionate she was earlier when she leaned against his arm. Though holding hands was nice, Vahn found out that he liked physical contact with girls the longer he was around them. He even tried to be bolder and place his arm around Eina's waist, but she slapped his hand away before firmly grasping it with her own. She gave him a serious look as she stared into his eyes and said, "Vahn, there is a time an place for everything. From now on, you need to learn to show a bit of restraint. Right now we're walking on a public street, so just holding hands is fine. Just to be a little more patient, okay?"Vahn just nodded his head at her words and tried to mull over them as he continued leading the way. Remembering how his actions, especially touching people, had gotten him into several incidents recently, Vahn couldn't help but consider her words seriously. If he didn't learn to be more reserved and attentive, he would probably create a lot of future problems, and it seemed like Eina was trying to help him fix his bad habit. The fact that she was already acting so considerate and trying to help him better himself made Vahn feel happy in his heart and at ease in his mind.As Vahn led the way, Eina was constantly paying attention to his facial expressions and body language. Though he didn't seem to be too aware of it himself, Eina knew Vahn couldn't conceal his thoughts because of how expressive he was. Just like he had no filter for dealing with people, he also had no control over his own expressions and feelings. She saw that he was seriously considering her words, and even seemed to be satisfied after coming to a conclusion in his mind. Eina realized that, though it might be a long road to recovery, with how receptive Vahn was, there was still hope that he could regain some normalcy in his life.When they turned a corner into an alleyway, Eina stopped her feet which caused Vahn to pause after trying to take a step. He looked at her with a questioning look as she said, "You did well to come this far, so let me give you a reward while we're alone." After finishing her words, Eina leaned forward and gave Vahn a peck on his cheek. Though she had wanted to kiss his lips, she hesitated at the last moment and decided to kiss his cheek instead.Vahn was a bit startled by her actions and had his mouth opened as he stared at the now bashful half-elf. After she kissed his cheek, Eina started to blush a bit and was trying to keep a composed demeanor while she stared into Vahn's eyes. Though it was just a kiss on the cheek, Vahn felt very happy at the intimate action so he couldn't help but smile as he continued leading the way. Eina allowed herself to be pulled along this time, and she gave a relieved sigh after seeing how Vahn reacted to her action. She realized that he didn't need sexual or overly intimate contact to be happy, so she had hope that he could be reigned in earlier than she expected.As they got closer to Hephaestus's workshop, Vahn couldn't help but feel a bit of pressure building in his mind. Both his and Eina's pace had slowed down quite a bit, and it seemed that the closer they got, the heavier each step became. Though Vahn believed Hephaestus would be understanding, he was still worried that she might be disappointed. Of all the people in his life, it was always Hephaestus's sad expressions that brought him the most pain. He wanted her to be happy all the time and never have to worry about being sad or lonely anymore.Though Vahn thought it was both of them slowing down, Eina was very aware that it was Vahn feeling the majority of the pressure. She had only slowed her pace to keep in line with him, and now it almost felt like she was the one leading the way. Eina realized that the burdens Vahn had accepted were larger than she expected, at least in his mind. Now that he might make Hephaestus 'sad', Vahn was beginning to hesitate and she could even see a bit of fear and worry on his face. Gripping his hand a bit tighter, she began leading the way for the remainder of the trip.By the time they arrived outside the workshop, Vahn actually had a subtle paleness to his normally healthy looking tanned skin. Eina could feel that his hand was clammy and had even turned a little cold to the touch. They two stood silently outside of the doors of the workshop as passersby gave them strange looks for blocking the path. It wasn't until a customer exited the building and almost bumped into Vahn that he finally managed to recover.From his left, Eina asked him in a gentle and quiet tone, "Do you believe in her?" Vahn's eyes widened a bit as he turned to look into her emerald green eyes. He could see that she had a bit of concern in her eyes and that her brows had furrowed ever so slightly. Thinking about her question, Vahn muttered before he could form any thoughts, "Of course I do." His words seemed to wash away the chaotic state of his mind as he realized the foolishness of his own actions. Seeing Eina give him a nod and a smile, Vahn realized that he had been hesitating over nothing.It wasn't just the burdens of others that weighted him down, but his own mentality and how he chose to deal with those burdens. Vahn realized that every time he hesitated or got lost in his own thoughts, there always seemed to be someone to care for him and guide him back along the right path. First, it was Klyscha, then Sis...after them it became Hephaestus...he even remembered how Tsubaki had literally 'beaten' him only recently because of how he was acting. Vahn released a sigh after realizing how fortunate he was to be surrounded by so many people that care for him.Vahn looked into Eina's eyes and noticed she was smiling at him with an appreciative expression on her face as she spoke before he was able to, "I know, Vahn. Let's go." Vahn had wanted to thank her for helping him realize his errors, but she seemed to already have recognized that he had worked through things on his own. She even helped push him forward to prevent him from hesitating any longer.Vahn suddenly felt a warm feeling spreading in his heart as he followed her into the workshop to meet the goddess that had done so much for him; the goddess that Vahn had learned to respect an appreciate more than anyone else in this record. Though he wasn't sure what it meant to truly love another person, Vahn believed that he would learn how when dealing with strong women like Hephaestus and Eina that put in so much effort to help guide him toward the future.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Eina just wants a little brother','Vahn, slowly moving forward','Beginning of a fierce battle?')

Chapter 152: Fierce Battle?