Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After Vahn managed to dig himself out of the ground, he moved back toward the desk where Evangeline had already stowed away all the books into her spatial void. She continued to glare at Vahn until he came near, and then she explained without Vahn asking, "I left those books until last, and that is why I still had them laying about. Why do you even have so many books like that in the first place, are you some kind of super pervert?"Vahn sighed a bit at Evangeline's harsh words and explained the reason why he had so many books related to genealogy, pregnancy, fertility, and reproduction in general. He talked about the problems faced by the various different races and how spirits and gods were generally considered infertile. He even told her about the matters regarding [Enkidu], and the troubles he'd likely face in the future. Evangeline listened to his words with a cold look in her eyes before asking, "And you're just going to impregnate every girl you see, no matter what race they are, even gods?"Vahn shook his head and furrowed his brows as he responded, "That has nothing to with it at all. I just can't stand the thought of people wanting children but having to go through their entire lives without being able to have any. Don't you think that is a very sad thing?" As Vahn spoke, he couldn't help but display a sad expression as he thought about his own words. He could hardly imagine what they had to go through, and he already felt extremely saddened by the thought...However, what Vahn didn't expect, nor was he aware of, there was someone right in front of him that was able to empathize with the goddesses that he took pity on. Since Evangeline had been turned into a Shinso Vampire hundreds of years prior, she was also incapable of bearing children. Though the original her had thought about, and even desired it for a time, it was entirely impossible considering her body never aged. She didn't even have a period or other normal bodily functions since her body converted most calories and water into magical energy.Though her words about reading those books last were true, the main reason she had been ardently studying them is that she was curious about finding a solution to her own problem. However, it was just a mild curiosity since, as a memory, she was unable to truly experience anything the original had yet to experience. Since the original Evangeline had never had sex, even if she wanted to, she would never be able to perform the deed. The moment she tried, the memory would destabilize and the orb would break down. (A/N: I'm not saying Eva wants to have sex, but that she couldn't even if she wanted to. Since she is a memory fragment, she would still have a curiosity regarding finding an answer though.)When Vahn had asked her if she thought it was sad, she couldn't help but feel a slight pang in her heart. There was no way she couldn't empathize with the desire of races like spirits and goddesses, especially if they truly had lived for millions of years. Seeing the earnest expression of Vahn and the sadness in his eyes as he thought about the suffering of others, Evangeline couldn't help but sigh in her mind. She had long realized that Vahn was the foolishly heroic type, tragic background and naive personality included.Interrupting Vahn's reverie, Evangeline put the matter of the books behind as she said, "I spent a lot of the last four years awake, so I've run low on mana while maintaining the space. I need to replenish my energy, and then you can continue forging items. Also, you brought books and other things to entertain me, right?" Evangeline didn't want to discuss the topic any further as, even after reading all the books, she hadn't found the answer Vahn was looking for when he purchased them.Hearing Evangeline's words, Vahn took out some of the books he had purchased in preparation for her question. This time, he picked out a lot of stories and novels that he thought she might find more interesting than textbooks and compendiums. Since she was a girl, he thought she would like things about romance, fantasy, and magical creatures. Evangeline seemed very pleased by his selection before waving her hand and lifting Vahn's body using telekinesis.As it wasn't the first time she had done such a thing, Vahn just sighed and allowed her to move his body. Though he wanted to retort, she didn't listen to him last time and Vahn didn't really feel like being thrown for the third time. Even though he had the majority of the three days within the space remaining, Vahn felt like he needed to use every minute he could to increase his skills in forging.After setting Vahn down on the bed, Evangeline crawled atop it before seating herself on his lap once again. Vahn immediately closed his eyes and relaxed his body, but Evangeline didn't immediately start drinking his blood. Curious, Vahn opened his eyes and stared at the small vampire that was sitting in his lap. She seemed to be thinking about something and, after she noticed his gaze, she looked at him and asked, "Exactly how many girls are you involved with?"Vahn found it strange that she chose the moment when she was sitting in his lap to ask the question, but he didn't think it was information to keep secret, so he said, "If it is just association...probably around twenty to thirty? If you're asking about relationships specifically, I have two fiancees, two lovers, one 'mate', and a few other girls that have high affection toward me who I haven't entered a relationship with."As Vahn narrated the various girls he was associated with, Evangeline just looked at him with a mock 'disgust' on her face. After he was done explaining everything, without asking him any further questions, she immediately started sucking his blood. Though Vahn was a bit confused, he just relaxed his body before wrapping his hands around her waist in a loose embrace. He enjoyed the warm feeling that spread throughout his body and even began to feel like he was dozing off after nearly an entire hour had passed.After Vahn had 'embraced' her, Evangeline just rested her body against his and enjoyed his warmth as she slowly drained his blood. Since Vahn had been her only accompaniment in this orb and she was likely going to vanish sooner or later, she wanted to enjoy the small comfort she could obtain from him. She didn't consider herself one of his many women, but she knew he would probably make some concessions for her if she sought him out. All of the relationships he had talked about seemed to be him on the receiving end, so she decided to take advantage of his weakness for the time being.Completely unaware of her thoughts, Vahn continued to enjoy the warmth in his body until another half hour had passed. Since it was longer than the previous session, he couldn't help but ask in a lazy and relaxed voice, "Did you really use so much mana in the time I was away...?" Evangeline, who had been somewhat absorbed in the moment, flinched before she stopped sucking his blood and moved away from his body without responding to his question. Picking up one of the books, she made her way to her desk as she said in a huff, "Fine, go play with your tools if I'm bothering you. Stupid moron disciple..."As Vahn had already been climbing out of the bed, he nearly fell down when he heard her words. He couldn't help but ask himself why she was always so harsh, even when she was very clearly not actually angry with him. Shaking his head, Vahn walked over to his workshop and started forging a new piece of equipment. Vahn had been gaining confidence when it came to producing weapons, but he wanted to practice his skills and forge other kinds of equipment as well.Since he commonly used gauntlets and leg guards, Vahn decided to make a pair for his own personal use. The [Damascus Steel Gauntlets] that he had been using for a while were only rank C, while the [Dance of the Amazon] that he forged earlier was rank A. Vahn was incredibly confident that he could upgrade the majority of his current equipment and even obtain OP for his efforts.Because of his transformations with [Rakshasa Body], Vahn knew there was no 'best method' or design to producing his new gauntlets. As he spent the majority of his time in his Báihǔ form, the only thing he needed to consider was not restraining his hands and claws. Other than that, the just needed to be able to resist high temperatures from when he absorbed fire elements into his body to increase his offensive capabilities.The material Vahn decided to use was a composite made from adamantine that used orichalcum as the core. Adamantine was incredibly heat resistant and had unrivaled defensive capabilities while orichalcum was a stronger mana conduit than even mithril. Vahn wanted to create a pair of gauntlets for long-term use, so he used some of the best materials he had on hand. To increased the defense even further, he hammed slots into the adamantine before using his 'eternal flame' to embed actual dragon scales into the outside of the gauntlet. For the interior, he used the hide of a Goliath and bundled the entire thing together using the tendons of a cyclops.Nearly seven hours later, Vahn had a pair of matching gauntlets that were a dark black color that reflected a purple light. The adamantine frame made it look like the scales were growing out of a golden base and Vahn felt like the entire thing looked somewhat regal as it used the same color scheme that he associated with Anubis in her ceremonial garb. After thinking for several minutes, Vahn recalled the names of his four transformations and thought about naming the gauntlets after his turtle-form, which would like become his Xuánwǔ form once it had fully awakened. Since he grew scales in a very similar manner, and both provided extra defense, Vahn was very satisfied with his own idea and named the gauntlets [Xuánwǔ Protector](s).[Xuánwǔ Protector](s) &lt;-- each gauntlet is a different itemRank: A (Magic)Slots: 1P.Def: 641M.Def: 620Ability: Durandal(A), Shock Absorption(B), Energy Compression(B)Gauntlet inspired by one of the Four Sacred Beasts of a foreign land, Xuánwǔ. It possesses a marginal amount of the Xuánwǔ's capabilities and allows the user to emulate the might of the Sacred Beast.After Vahn named the gauntlets, he obtained 1,408 and 1,417 OP for each and felt the excitement build up inside him after reading the description. Since he had thought of Xuánwǔ when he was naming the gauntlets, they each possessed a weakened version of the abilities he could use in his turtle form. Without any hesitation, Vahn equipped the two gauntlets before transforming into his Báihǔ form and moving to an empty area away from his workshop.Evangeline was constantly paying attention to Vahn, so when he had finished the gauntlets she had also begun inspecting them. Just like the giant weapon he forged the previous time he entered the orb, the gauntlets were also magical items of a similar quality. The fact that he could consistently create such advanced pieces of equipment never ceased to amaze her, and she was curious about their capabilities. Now that Vahn seemed to be testing them, she had stopped moving her pen and observed him with intrigue in her eyes.Vahn opened up his legs into a wide stance with his left foot forward and stabilized his body while keeping his back straight. Exhaling a long breath for several seconds, Vahn then sucked in quickly before twisting his hips and striking out a fierce punch that caused a snapping sound in the air. When he had breathed out earlier, Vahn had channeled his energy into the gauntlets and the scales began to glow with a subtle green light. When he shot his fist forward, it was like an air cannon as Vahn could see the flow of air around his fist compress into a pillar that stretched out nearly ten meters before dispersing.Though it wasn't nearly as impressive as when he was in his turtle form, Vahn was very satisfied by the result. Now, even if he fought bare-handed against monsters with durable hides, he would be able to damage their internal organs and punch clear through their bodies. Vahn felt like, if he fought the goliath now, he would be able to achieve victory without having to rely on his vermillion sparrow transformation.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fisty Boi','Memories of Nobody','Jiiiiiiiii-')If you'd like to support me on ******* so I can become a full-time writer, please follow this link~!https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149I am currently at $317/640 of my goal of making this my actual job. I promise that, if I'm able to do so, I will be writing 50 chapters a week :D

While Vahn had been testing his new gauntlets, Evangeline had been using her ability to sense mana to try and determine the internal structure that made Vahn's gauntlets function. She had noticed previously, when she used the giant weapon, that the magical circuits and the logic behind the pathways were fundamentally different than anything from her world. If not for the fact Vahn had created the weapon to be easy to use, she would have had a much more difficult time charging her magic previously.As Vahn continued to jump about and punching the air, Evangeline continued observing his actions and trying to make sense of the differences between their two worlds. Even though she had read the one-thousand-seven-hundred-eighteen books that Vahn had left behind, almost half of them had been regarding questionable subjects, while the others primarily focused on general knowledge, history, and some mythos. She hadn't learned anything about the actual magic structure of his world and didn't know how she would teach him since there were no guarantees the laws behind her magic would be of any use in his world.Putting down her pen, Evangeline stood up from the comfortable chair before vanishing from her spot. Vahn, who had just thrown out another full-powered punch opened his eyes wide as Evangeline appeared right in front of him. Though he wanted to divert his punch, he didn't have time since Evangeline grabbed his wrist before using his own momentum to flip his body over her shoulder in a manner similar to Tsubaki.Though it was an incredibly swift motion, it was also something that Vahn had experienced countless times, so he was able to twist his wait and right his feet before she was able to slam him into the ground. Evangelin, who had expected Vahn to crash into the floor, opened her eyes a bit as she said in a complementary fashion, "Oh, not bad." Vahn, who had been thrown by her, immediately frowned as he asked, "Why did you suddenly attack me?"Evangeline tilted her head and looked at Vahn like he had said something ridiculous as she responded, "You were the one who attacked me though? All I did was teleport in front of you so I could ask you a question. Don't blame other people just because you dropped your guard and lack control over your own abilities." Each of Evangeline's words were biting, and she spoke as if she was trying to lecture Vahn.Vahn just shook his head and dispelled his transformation as he asked, "What did you want to ask me?" Hearing the way Vahn was speaking, Evangeline furrowed her brows a bit as she said, "Every time you fail to call me Master is only increasing the punishment you'll receive in the future. You should do yourself a favor and fix your attitude, or is it that you're trying to test my patience?"In response to her words, Vahn just released a sad sigh and walked toward his workshop. Even if he could see she wasn't serious, it didn't make her words much easier to deal with. Vahn never expected that being able to see someone's aura would actually be a disadvantage. If he couldn't see it, he could easily be angry with her and might even concede to her demands just to make his life easier. However, since he could see she wasn't seriously upset with him, it made her behavior more tiring than intimidating.Watching Vahn walk away, Evangeline couldn't resist gritting her teeth as she wanted to lash out at the boy that constantly got on her nerves. She kept telling herself over and over that she would make him pay the moment they started their actual training. For now, however, she swallowed her anger and called out to him, "Wait, Vahn, I need to ask you a question." Vahn stopped his feet and turned toward her and asked plainly, "What would you like to ask, Evangeline?"Hearing Vahn once again calling her 'Evangeline', instead of 'Master', Evangeline couldn't help but taking several deep breaths to calm herself down. After she regained her composure, she asked, "Are you unable to obtain any magic books or grimoires from your world that I can study?" Hearing that she had an actual question and wasn't just playing around, Vahn turned his body fully and faced toward her as he responded, "It's not that I can't obtain them, but it is very difficult to do so. There aren't a lot of books regarding magic in circulation because they are kept as a secret of their respective cultures. In my world, most magic possessed by people are skills they have awakened and developed without study."Evangeline nodded her head in an 'as expected' manner as she looked toward Vahn and asked, "I want you to forge me an item and leave it behind so I can study it? You seem to have some knowledge in runes, inscriptions, and mana circuitry. Until you obtain an actual book for me to study, I'll have to make due with an item." Evangeline held her chin between her thumb and index finger as she considered for a few moments before saying, "I'll take a staff."Vahn realized that the way she worded her request wasn't so much a question as it was a direct command. He could tell that she expected him to immediately concede to her demands and forge her a weapon. Though he wouldn't mind making something for her, especially since it would benefit him in the future, Vahn couldn't just give in so easily. Shaking his head, Vahn looked into her eyes and said, "I refuse; I might have forged something for you if you asked politely, but I'm not going to make you something just because you tell me to."Without waiting for her response, Vahn once again turned around and walked toward his workshop. Evangeline stared at his back with a frown and a bit of frustration in her eyes. She hated how easily he was able to dismiss her; it was almost like he could see through her actions and it made her feel incredibly frustrated because she couldn't set aside her own pride for someone that is supposed to be her disciple. Even though she was doing things to help him, he was still more focused on his own matters and didn't seem to be paying attention to her efforts.Evangeline continued to stare at his back all the way up till the point when he began creating a new item. The moment she heard the hammer strike the metal, she couldn't help but feel a sour feeling in her nose as she teleported back to the desk. After sitting down, Evangeline picked up the pen and began to continue her research as she tried to ignore her 'inconsiderate' disciple. The moment she leaned forward to write, a tear fell from her face and marred the page she was about to write in. As soon as she saw the tear stain, she disappeared from the chair and hid in the void to avoid wandering eyes.Vahn continued to forge without paying attention to what Evangeline had decided to busy herself with. Now that he had a pair of gauntlets, Vahn wanted to forge a pair of leg guards as well. Though he didn't rely on kicks too much, it wasn't as if he never used his legs to receive attacks, so he wanted to make sure they were well protected. Since he often relied on his agility to deal with foes, protecting his legs was of paramount importance.Since the process was very similar to how he had forged his gauntlets, Vahn was able to finish his work in almost the exact same amount of time. Considering that the leg guards were much larger, finishing within seven hours showed that he had made a marked improvement even though it was only the difference between forging a single set of items. Now that he has the pair of black, scaled, leg guards, Vahn wanted to try something that he had intended to do previously. He speculated that, like his twin-swords, Vahn would be able to create other items as part of a larger set. As he named the leg guards, he made sure to keep in mind that they were supposed to have a synergistic effect with his gauntlets.[Xuánwǔ Greave](s)Rank: A (Magic)Slots: 0P.Def: 598+120M.Def: 680+136Ability: Durandal(A), Shock Absorption(B), Energy Compression(B), Xuánwǔ Set Effect(20%)Greave(s) inspired by one of the Four Sacred Beasts of a foreign land, Xuánwǔ. It possesses a marginal amount of Xuánwǔ's capabilities and allows the user to emulate the might of the Sacred Beast. Enhances the defensive capabilities of items within the Xuánwǔ series of items.Vahn received 1,519 and 1,517 OP respectively, and he was very happy when he saw the new ability 'Xuánwǔ Set Effect'. As he had expected, as long as he forged the items in a similar manner and imbued his intent into the name, he was able to create synergistic effects between the equipment that had never existed before. Though he was still a ways off from being able to forge an item to impress Hephaestus, Vahn now had a greater hope for the future.After equipping the items through his equipment menu, Vahn was about to test them out before he looked toward the desk where Evangeline always sat. He noticed that she was missing so he looked toward the bed to see if she had decided to rest. Seeing that she was also missing from the bed, Vahn couldn't help but turn his head and inspect the surroundings for the figure of the small vampire girl. After noticing that she was nowhere to be found, Vahn couldn't help but feel confused as he made his way toward the desk.Arriving at the side of the desk, Vahn overlooked the notes and manuscripts Evangeline had been working with before his eyes were drawn to a peculiarity. The book sitting directly in front of the chair had been left open and the pen Evangeline often used had been left on the side and had long left a pool of black ink on the beautiful wooden desk. Vahn grabbed the quill and set it into the inkwell before looking at the book Evangeline had been reading. As he scanned the contents of the page, Vahn caught sight of an area on the book that had crimpled slightly and caused some of the ink to blur, something that would only be caused by spilling liquid onto the page.Vahn frowned and looked around the area for a bit before releasing a long sigh and heading back to his workshop. Though the way she acted annoyed him, Vahn wasn't the type of person that could make a girl cry and feel nothing. He already knew she didn't harbor any ill-will toward him and was just putting on an act, so now that his words had upset her to such an extent he couldn't help but try to appease her a bit. Thought it might be troublesome, Vahn had long realized he would rather inconvenience himself than allow others to be sad because of his actions.Though he wanted to take a break after testing his new greaves, Vahn picked up his hammer and started creating a new piece of equipment. The metal he used was a composite of mithril and orichalcum and would guarantee the piece of equipment had the highest magical conductivity of anything he had ever forged. Because he liked the contrast between the black and gold of the metal, Vahn decided to twine the two around each other while creating a solid core of adamantine to ensure that the final result would also have incredible durability.Because of the complexity of the project, Vahn spent nearly thirteen hours refining all the details and shaping the head of the item into a helical shape that coiled like a dragon around a large blue crystalline core. The final result of his efforts was a staff that was nearly two meters tall that looked like a black and gold dragon coiling around each other before converging at the head of the staff. Vahn had even painstakingly carved the details into the heads of the dragons to make them look more realistic. The core he had used in the center was a material known as 'Ice Dragon's Eye', even though it wasn't from a real dragon. It was a rare ore that could only be found in furthest reaches of the Iron Hills, to the far north of Orario.Vahn was incredibly tired, but he was still satisfied with the final product. He even considered it his new greatest masterpiece, as it's construction had been more intricate than the [Dance of the Amazon] he had forged previously. After focusing his mind for a bit, Vahn imagined the image of the small vampire whose colors matched the staff in his hands. She also had golden hair and always wore black attire, so the staff wouldn't conflict with her normal appearance. Picturing her standing in the sky surrounded by pillars of ice, Vahn couldn't help but imagine she was like an Empress that stood above all others. With that thought in mind, he smiled as he uttered in a low voice, "You shall be called [Ice Empress]."Since he had over exhausted himself previously, Vahn felt what little energy remained in his body drain as he used the last bit of his consciousness to inspect the item.[Ice Empress]Rank: A (Magic)Slots: 2P.Atk: 411M.Atk: 1337A staff forged with incredible attention to detail using Mithril and Orichalcum to create the visage of two dragons coiling around an Adamantine pillar. The core of this staff greatly enhances ice magic and allows the user to freeze everything under the heavens if they are worthy. If the standing of the user is low, the staff will cause the blood in their bodies to freeze as a just reward for their hubris.After reading the description, Vahn fell onto his butt and leaned against the table of his workshop. He held the staff in his hands as he whispered to the void, "This is for you, Evangeline. Don't be sad anymore." With his words spoken, Vahn allowed himself to fall asleep as the figure of a young girl appeared from the void before him.Evangeline had been paying attention to Vahn from the moment he approached the desk, and she had nearly tried to recover the book out from under his nose before he saw the evidence of her earlier tears. Unfortunately, as she had been hesitating, Vahn found the book and noticed the stain after giving the page a cursory glance. Seeing him sigh, Evangeline felt incredibly embarrassed and almost forcefully ejected Vahn from the space. However, contrary to her expectations, instead of trying to address her or making any remarks, Vahn immediately returned to his workshop and started creating an item.Since she understood that he was previously going to test his new equipment, Evangeline was interested in the item he had decided to forge instead of following his earlier plan. Though she didn't recognize the item at first, it wasn't too long before she realized that Vahn had begun forging a staff. Evangeline felt her heart ache a bit in her chest as the urge to begin crying again began to well up inside her. Watching Vahn work so hard and pushing himself beyond his limits as he refined the staff to greater and greater detail made Evangeline feel sorry about the way she always treated him.By the time he had finished completing the staff and named it, Evangeline had already decided to be kinder to her 'stupid disciple' in the future. The moment he sat on the ground and called out to her, she wasn't far from tears for the third time as she exited the void and stared down at his unconscious body. Using her telekinesis, she lifted his body and floated it over to the bed before putting him to sleep. Though he was sweaty and covered in soot, she didn't particularly care after all the effort he had put into making her a staff.Staring into the face of the young boy, Evangeline couldn't help but feel that he was quickly becoming more manly. Wiping away some of his sweat with her hand, she whispered quietly, "Even though you're an idiot, you do have your good points...If only had met the real me, I think you could have saved her." Releasing a sad and melancholic sigh, Evangeline leaned over Vahn's face and gave him a soft kiss on the lips before climbing into the bed and resting beside him.(A/N: 'Idiot Vahn','Tsundere Vampire Baba','Don't tell me you'll help anyone, just because they're a girl!? Vahn looks toward the crying girl before him before nodding with a confident expression and saying, "Of course. No matter what it takes, I'll do my best to make everyone smile."') &lt;--I imagine the image of when Lili is crying to Bell in the anime xDIf you'd like to support me on ******* so I can become a full-time writer, please follow this link~!https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149I am currently at $317/640 of my goal of making this my actual job. I promise that, if I'm able to do so, I will be writing 50 chapters a week :D

(A/N: Though I was going to do a Loki POV during Vol. 7, I decided to go ahead and give a snippet since so many people were curious about her discussion with Hephaestus.)---Hephaestus released a long sigh as she looked into the slightly open and excited eyes of Loki. Ever since they had made the vow, Loki had been looking at her like a snake and waiting for her to speak. Since there was no way she could conceal the information in the future, Hephaestus began explaining, "Vahn has an item that appeared in his soul shortly after his interactions with Tiona and Ais. He obtained a strange golden chain that allows him to completely seal the divinity of gods and goddesses. With the information obtained from Anubis and Vahn's own personal recounting of the events, the chains very likely allow gods and goddesses to become truly mortal temporarily...I'm sure you understand the implications."Loki's slitted eyes opened widely as the perpetual smile on her face rounded into one of abject shock. She knew exactly what Hephaestus was implying and the implication was perhaps the most significant thing she had ever heard. Vahn was likely 75% god, and now he would be able to enable goddesses, other than fertility goddesses, the ability to get pregnant? Though it wasn't a guarantee, that gave his children an 87.5% chance of developing their own pseudo-divinity and would also ensure their potential was higher than any other demigod in history.Her thoughts began racing as she tried to think of a way to make the best use of this new information, but the vow she had taken would be a big restriction on her future actions. The most troublesome matter was the way Vahn acted toward her in the first place. Loki knew that, even if she approached him and tried to get closer to him, it would be very difficult to break down the walls he had built between them. Even if she tried to make use of his empathy and have him take pity on her, there would likely be other obstacles in her way...like the two women in front of her.Loki's expression turned into a serious one as she asked, "The fact that you're telling me this now means you already knew you wouldn't be able to keep the matter hidden. You want me to help protect Vahn and the information related to his bloodline for the duration of your pregnancy?" Loki believed this to be the most likely case, but Hephaestus interrupted her thoughts as she said, "I know what kind of person you are, Loki. If I didn't do something like this, you would have likely schemed to obtain Vahn the moment you discovered I was pregnant. Depending on how things played out, you would likely involve several other gods and goddesses to put pressure on both Vahn and me."Loki furrowed her brows a bit because there was no way to easily refute Hephaestus's words. Vahn's ability to impregnate goddesses was too significant a matter for her to standby on the sidelines and just keep silent. Even if he didn't do the deed himself, Loki knew there would be countless gods seeking out the boy in the future. She didn't know what Hephaestus had planned to protect Vahn, but she assumed it had something to do with her, so she asked, "So, you already have a compromise in mind?" As she asked the words, Loki couldn't help but show a devilish grin on her face.Hephaestus was outraged by Loki's words, but she just grits her teeth before taking a deep breath to calm herself. After a few seconds, she explained, "Not only do I know you, but I also know Vahn. After discussing things with Eina, we agreed that it would be best to involve you in the matter to help guarantee Vahn's safety in the future. The fact that you had him make a vow to join your expeditions gives you too many opportunities to scheme around him. Though he may not agree initially, I have little doubts he would eventually fall into one of your schemes just based on his own empathic nature."Loki frowned slightly because it felt like she was being seen through by the two women in front of her. She asked in a slightly cold tone, "Then what do you have in mind? You should know that there is no way I can avoid approaching Vahn with this new information." Loki stared into Hephaestus's equally cold eyes as the two held each other's gazes for several seconds. Eventually, Hephaestus said, "I want you to make a vow to allow Vahn to make the final decision without pressuring him. You can't take advantage of him or manipulate his feelings using the other girls around him..."Hephaestus's words made Loki scowl as she said in a sharp tone, "And what do I get for making such a concession!? You think it's fair that only you and that dog bitch get to have children!? There are countless goddesses that have sought desperate ways to try and conceive children in the past, you can't just ignore all of that because of your selfishness!" Though it was uncharacteristic, Loki couldn't help but lash out after seeing the cold eyes of Hephaestus and hearing her words. It put her at a serious disadvantage compared to almost everyone else, since Vahn already had inhibitions about her from the outset.While Loki was having her tirade, Hephaestus just continued to stare at her coldly until the flat-chested goddess managed to cool down. After she settled, Hephaestus explained, "You should know Vahn's character well...do you think there is any chance, even if he had a child with you, that he would allow you to raise it as you please?" The moment Hephaestus spoke, Loki couldn't help but frown as she remembered how Vahn confronted her so easily. His aura was already strong enough to pressure her, and there was no way he wouldn't get much stronger in the future. Even if she had his child, there was a very high chance he would oppose her methods when it came to raising it.Imagining her child being taken away from her, Loki couldn't help but feel an indignation more powerful than anything she had ever experienced. For a brief moment, she even hated her own divinity for forcing her to have the type of personality she had. Even now, she couldn't help but plot, scheme, and look for loopholes to the situation. However, nothing she came up with would guarantee that she would be able to bear a child, because even if she convinced other gods to imprison Vahn as breeding stock, there would be far too much opposition.While she was running circles in her own mind, Hephaestus spoke out in a plain voice, "As long as you take the vow, I can guarantee that you will be able to raise your child. If our Familia and some of the other girls work together, we can raise all of Vahn's children in a similar environment. You might not be able to have full control over the child that is born, but you'll have a much greater influence in their lives."Hephaestus's words caused the cogs in Loki's mind to halt a moment before they began whirling about as she contemplated her words. If she made the vow, there would be little opposition to her raising her kids, as Vahn wouldn't be able to easily oppose her with the support of the other women. She would also be able to interact with his other children, who would likely be little bundles of potential as well. All the negative thoughts and feelings that had been circulating in her mind previously were now replaced with absolute intrigue from the future. If she played her cards right, not only would she have powerful children, but she could potentially make use of the relationships with the other girls to have more influence over all the kids.With her characteristic mischevious smile on her face, Loki looked toward Hephaestus and Eina before saying, "It's just a vow, right? What is a bit of restriction compared to waiting another hundred-million years for an anomaly like Vahn to show up~?" As she had that thought, Loki's mind wandered to the interesting boy that she had developed a powerful curiosity toward. Now that she knew about his past, she could take advantage of the present and help shape both of their futures. Even if she had to genuinely fall in love with the boy to gain his affections, it was a small price to pay for the potential future gains...after all, if she could fool everyone else, why couldn't she fool her own heart?---Vahn finally managed to recover from his daze as he slowly began making his way toward his own home. He could now confirm that Loki had attended the meeting, and could even intuit that something significant had transpired for her affection to immediately hit the cap. After considering what he knew about the situation, the only reasonable deduction Vahn could make was that she learned about his [Enkidu].Vahn already had expectations that there would be several goddesses approaching him to make use of the chains in the future, especially if their use turned out to match expectations. He had already felt a great amount of empathy for their desire to bear children, and that was one of the reasons he had purchased so many books about the subject. Though he expected that the mischevious goddess would find out one day, he never expected it to be so soon. Now Vahn had to prepare himself against her schemes, or he might fall into a trap from which there is no return.Right now, Vahn's primary concern was whether or not to use the new [Hearts Desire: Loki] that he had obtained from her affection reaching the cap. Every time he considered using it, his instincts would trigger and he felt intimidated by his own expectations of what such a goddess would truly desire in her heart. Vahn felt like, the moment he knew what she truly desired, there would be no turning back from the situation. He couldn't even imagine what a deceitful person who measured people based on how useful they were would hold dear to her heart.By the time he finally arrived at his house, it was nearing 6 PM and the 12-hour period before he could enter the orb had long since transpired. Though he could have entered the orb at any point and only wasted a few seconds, there was no guarantee for what would happen in the space. If he ended up suffering damage and getting knocked out by Evangeline, he would pass out in the real world as well. The thought of collapsing in the middle of the street or a side alley and dropping the orb didn't sit well with Vahn.After scanning the house with his domain, Vahn noticed the house was still empty, so he decided to head to his room and use the orb since he had the opportunity. At least he'd be in his own bed if he ended up getting knocked out by the small vampire mage during one of her outbursts. After relaxing comfortably in his bed, Vahn took a few deep breaths before pulling out the orb and inserting his consciousness into it.When Vahn opened his eyes, he realized that he was on the bed where he had last exited the black and white space. Because he had been laying down in the real world, his body was also laying down within the bed of the space, and he could feel a presence next to him. Looking over, he could see the icy-blue eyes of Evangeline staring at him with a bit of shock on her face. Instead of her black gothic-style dress with ribbons and frills, she was wearing a black semi-transparent negligee as she looking into his eyes.The moment Vahn turned his eyes to inspect the negligee, she immediately lashed out and threw him from the bed like a ragdoll. Using the covers to conceal her body, she yelled at Vahn who had yet to hit the ground even after flying for 100 meters, "Don't oogle me you brat! And why are you so late you stupid, idiotic, lecherous, fool!?" Vahn didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he tried to fix his position in the air so he wouldn't land head-first into the ground. After landing on his feet and sliding a few more meters, he looked into the eyes of Evangeline who had teleported in front of him with a scary look on her face. She had already returned to her usual outfit, and Vahn felt like he would probably be ejected from the space if he said the wrong thing.Though he wanted to release a sigh, Vahn managed to keep his expression from collapsing as he stared into the begrudging eyes of the small vampire and issued a slight smile before saying, "Sorry, Evangeline, I came back as soon as I could." Then, before she could retort, Vahn used his trump card and purchased an [Extravagent Strawberry Shortcake] for 100 OP for from the system. He held out both of his hands with the immaculate looking triple-layered cake decorated with an almost ceremonious assortment of cream and strawberries.The blame in Evangeline's eyes faded in an instant as she stared at the large cake held by Vahn. After a brief hesitation, she waved her hand and used telekinesis to grab the cake before turning her back to Vahn and saying, "Fine, I'll forgive you this time. Don't keep me waiting in the future..." As her words fell, Evangeline teleported away with the cake before reappearing next to her desk and setting it down next to the large pile of books surrounding the area. Vahn released a sigh before making his way over and looking around at the mess she had created in the time he had been away.Picking up one of the books that were still on the table, Vahn flipped it over to read the cover. The moment he did so, Vahn immediately regretted his actions because Evangeline's eyes widened a bit as she glared at him with a small blush on her face. The book Vahn had picked up, like many of the books around the table presently, related to genealogy, pregnancy, and increasing fertility. The moment he made eye contact with the small vampire, he felt the temperature drop by several degrees as she loudly yelled, "Don't look at me like that, you idiot! You are the one that gave me the books!" Before her words finished, she had already sent Vahn flying for the second time today.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Literally Hundreds of Books','Doki Doki Loki','Vahn is destined to live a life of misfortune kappa')If you'd like to support me on ******* so I can become a full-time writer, please follow this link~!https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149I am currently at $312/640 of my goal of making this my actual job. I promise that, if I'm able to do so, I will be writing 50 chapters a week :D

Chapter 166: [Xuánwǔ Protector](s)