Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After Vahn finished recounting his tale, he got up from Hestia's lap pillow and stretched his body a bit before saying, "It's getting pretty late, so I think I'll take a bath before going to sleep." Hestia, who had been ruminating over various matters, had her ears perk up at Vahn's words and remembered they had an onsen. She jumped off the couch and lifted her right arm high and shouted, "Yes, I'll take a bath as well~!"Vahn smiled at her excitement before they both headed toward the onsen on the first floor. Making his way through the door, Vahn noticed that Hestia tried to follow behind him and he explained, "Hestia, this is the boy's side, please use the other room." His words made Hestia flinch and she laughed awkwardly before saying, "You don't have to be embarrassed, I don't mind if we take a bath together as long as you don't try anything~."With a smile on his face, Vahn reached his hand toward Hestia's head and she began to smile in anticipation before he gently chopped the top of her head. She made a cute, 'Eiii!?' sound and Vahn laughed before saying, "Maybe in the future, but for the time being, we should use different baths. I promised to only share a bath with a woman when they're someone I'm in a relationship with."Hestia rubbed the top of her head with her fingers and gave Vahn an aggrieved look as she said, "But we're in a life-long relationship already...There is nobody else in the Familia yet, and it will be almost impossible to share a bath with just the two of us in the future." Even though Vahn had 'gently' chopped her head, Hestia had almost no physical strength or resistance so it still hurt her head a bit.Vahn considered Hestia words and agreed that what she said was actually true. Since she had high affection for him and he didn't have any real reason to refuse her at the moment, Vahn didn't think it would be a bad idea to take a bath together. If he had to be honest, Vahn enjoyed bathing with girls even before he became aware of the differences between men and women. Even when he had bathed with Tsubaki, Lili, and Naaza in the past, Vahn just enjoyed their company and the atmosphere as he soaked in the warm waters.After a few seconds, Vahn decided to accept her offer since he was actually somewhat inclined to spend time together with her. Rubbing her head and removing any discomfort she might be feeling, Vahn smiled and said, "Sure, we can spend some time together. Just make sure it doesn't become a habit when others start staying here. I'm supposed to be practicing self-control, so its dangerous if I make too many exceptions."Hestia pumped her fists and shouted, "Yosh~! Don't worry, you can use this as an opportunity to temper yourself for the future!" Vahn laughed at her outburst before making his way into the changing room with Hestia trailing behind him with a somewhat fiery expression. Without paying too much attention to her, Vahn began undressing casually before stowing away a change of clothes into one of the cubbies.He had noticed that Hestia had been watching him change, but he already resolved himself to not mind her for the time being. Vahn imagined Hestia had next to no experience with men, so she would probably be paying close attention to him and his actions. He decided to try and treat her in the same way as he used to treat Tsubaki, Lili, and Naaza in the past when they bathed together.When Vahn had been changing, Hestia had been admiring his form and physique with a bit of interest since he was indeed the first fully naked 'man' she had seen. Even though she had plenty of second-hand knowledge, she didn't really associate with the gods in Heaven so she was somewhat curious. Seeing his healthy tan and muscular figure made her heart tighten a bit as she admired his back that had her crest carved into it.After Vahn finished changed and started heading to the onsen, she realized she also needed to undress and felt a little 'blame' for Vahn since he hadn't stayed behind to wait for her. Though she didn't 'want' him to look at her, it felt somewhat frustrating that he didn't even try. Clasping her hands together, her outfit began to splits apart into small white petals that neatly arranged themselves into a pile inside one of the cubbies.Because Hestia's outfit was created as part of her Divinity, it was easily removed and worn at her leisure. Even if it suffered damage from wear and tear, it would just split apart into white petals that would regenerate over time as long as she had enough energy. If Vahn had been around to see the sight, he likely would have stared at her with intrigue as he tried to make sense of the mechanic behind her clothing.The only thing the remained were her unblemished white panties and the blue ribbon tied around her arms which she had to remove by hand before placing them neatly on top of the pile of petals. Turning toward the door Vahn had exited through, Hestia froze after taking one step and began to hesitate. Even though she didn't particularly mind being seen by Vahn, she still had some slight inhibitions about how he would react. If he tried to 'attack' her, she would probably run away and it would harm their relationship for a while. However, even if he didn't 'attack' her, if he showed disinterest in her body she would have some regrets about asking to bath together. She had a bit of confidence in her body, and Hestia also knew that Vahn showed an interest in her, but she was still hesitant to 'reveal' herself to him.After a minute or so, Hestia took a deep breath and tried to psyche herself up as she slowly walked forward. Even though she remembered his 'disinterest' when they were changing, Hestia believed Vahn would appreciate her body and still have enough wherewithal to not take any offensive actions against her. She even knew that, if anyone was likely to do anything, it would probably be her and Vahn would probably just spoil her. Believing in the 'gentle' and 'innocent' boy, Hestia felt emboldened and stepped into the men's bathing area.Vahn had already been relaxing in one of the smaller pools since he thought powering the larger bath would be a waste considering it was just the two of them. The current one he was in could probably fit 4-5 people without issue so he thought it was more than enough until other people joined the Familia. While he was waiting for Hestia, he even though about other guys that he could convince to join in the future. He definitely wanted to see if he could recruit Welf since they would benefit each other in their research in the future...As he was thinking of future members, Vahn heard the pitter-patter of footsteps and turned his head to see Hestia walking toward him with mechanical movements. The moment he looked over at her, she immediately blushed a bit and instinctively tried to hide, strangely enough, her breasts. Vahn thought her actions were cute because she didn't hide the more important parts from view. Though he didn't stare and almost immediately turned his head away, Vahn noticed that she was also completely bare like every other goddess he had seen. Even though he hadn't confirmed it with his own eyes, Vahn suspected Loki would be the same since he had heard the reason from Hephaestus previously.Seeing Vahn look away after smiling slightly, Hestia felt a mixture of emotions but the biggest one was relief. She felt like he 'appreciated' what he saw but had enough propriety to not gawk and make her feel more uncomfortable. The tensions in her body eased up a bit and she walked over to the pool he was in before taking the spot right next to him.Vahn was somewhat surprised since he could see she was nervous yet still chose to sit right next to him. He suspected she may have sat there since it would be more difficult for him to see her body unless he looked directly at her. If she sat across, or away, from him, he would have been able to stare at her body through the side of his vision if he had any intent to do so.After soaking in the water for around five minutes in absolute silence, Hestia tried to break the ice as she remarked, "This water feels very comfortable...it's nice and hot..." Vahn nodded his head in response while he relaxed against the smooth stone surface and enjoyed the heat. Ever since she had entered, Vahn had kept his eyes closed and was just soaking his body complacently since it had been a long time since he used an onsen.Hestia was watching Vahn from the side and felt a bit of frustration in her heart with how 'dismissive' he was acting. She felt that, even though they were alone in the bath, he didn't have to go to such great lengths to avoid her. Hestia wanted to tell him that, If she cared about being seen by him, she wouldn't have bathed with him in the first place. However, even when she tried to vocalize the words, they always got stuck in her mouth because of how 'forward' it sounded even in her mind.Eventually, it came time for the bath to come to an end, so Vahn used the soap to lather up his body before wiping himself down and rinsing off. The water in the onsen had the same properties as the one used by Tsubaki, so the soap would break down and be purified by the mana in the water without requiring any cleaning. The whole time he was washing, Hestia stared at him from outside his line of sight but he could still feel her gaze and it made him feel a little strange.As he prepared to get out of the pool, Vahn asked, "Are you going to stay in much longer? I can make you something cool and refreshing when you get out." Almost like his words were a trigger, Hestia shouted, "Vaaaaahn~! Why are you so casual when you get to have a bath with a beautiful goddess like me!? I won't be satisfied unless you give me a good reason~!"For the first time since she entered, Vahn looked straight at Hestia with a somewhat confused expression on his face. Hestia froze up under his gaze as she held the pose she had taken when she shouted out earlier. When she had exclaimed, Hestia stood up straight with her arms balled into fists at her side as she looked up at Vahn with a pouting expression. Now Vahn saw her full body, including the pale pink nipples on her almost flawless white breasts and she suddenly felt very nervous.After considering her question for a few seconds, Vahn responded, "I felt like you were placing your trust in me, and I didn't want to make you feel scared since I noticed you were very nervous. I'm not really acting casual so much as trying to keep myself from staring rudely at someone else's body." Ever since he had become 'aware' of women, Vahn always felt somewhat awkward if he gawked at their bodies without permission. Even though Hestia wanted to bathe with him, Vahn didn't take it as consent to do whatever you pleased.Hearing his 'honest' answer, Hestia's tensions collapsed and she dropped down into the water and hugged her knees as she blew bubbles into the water. Vahn didn't know what to make of her reaction and was going to ask before she said, "From now on when we bathe together, don't act so reservedly. It makes me feel even more uncomfortable when it feels like I'm being ignored."Vahn could see the 'serious' look in her eyes, so he smiled and said, "Sure, I won't act so reserved in the future." Finishing his words and giving Hestia one last glance toward her crystalline blue eyes, Vahn stepped out of the pool and revealed himself fully for Hestia's 'appraisal'. Since she had only seen him from behind this entire time, it was her first glimpse of Vahn's sleeping dragon and her body immediately turned to stone as he walked away from the pool without noticing her reaction.By the time Vahn had left the room, Hestia was still a statuette that was huddled down in the water as if she had just seen the Heavens collapsing. Even though she had been lectured by Hephaestus, Loki, Anubis, and Eina in the past, none of them had informed her about the size of Vahn's 'dragon' and she felt thoroughly intimidated. Though she never had any expectations of pushing their relationship to that level any time soon, Hestia couldn't help but imagine what would happen to her body if she got 'attacked' by Vahn.As if all her earlier bravado had been an illusion, Hestia felt less confident about playing around with Vahn. If on the off chance he did lose control, she wasn't sure if there would be a route of retreat left to her. Suddenly, Hestia's desire to meet the two girls named Tiona and Ais increased by a marginal amount as her concern for her best friend began to grow exponentially.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Life-Long Relationship','Steamy Bath-Time Goddess','The sealed dragon's slumber')I am currently at $721/1200 of my new goal~! If I can reach this amount, I intend to start having character profiles and images of all the characters created so I can update the information to a wiki~! Though the Wiki will be accessible by anyone, only Patrons will receive the high-res versions of the images &lt;3

A few minutes after he had returned to his room, Vahn saw Hestia step inside with her hair down and she had already worn her white dress once again. She seemed to look very tired and Vahn thought she had spent too much time inside the bath and exhausted herself. Rising from the bed, he approached her before pulling out a cold bottle of [Vanilk] that he had become fond of in the past. It was a dairy product that tasted like vanilla that was popular in the Far East and Vahn had managed to find it listed within the system for 2OP.Hestia received the glass bottle with a bit of confusion on her face before Vahn said, "If you remove the top and drink this after soaking in an onsen, it helps rehydrate your body and calm your mind a bit. It's also pretty sweet and I haven't met anyone that disliked it yet." Some of the tension in her body melted away as Hestia removed the seal on the bottle before taking a small sip of the milky white beverage. Noticing it was actually very sweet and creamy, Hestia gulped it down in a few seconds before exclaiming with a, "Paaaaaa~" sound.As if the earlier tiredness had been an illusion, Hestia handled the empty bottle over to Vahn with a large smile on her face as she said, "That was super delicious~! From now on, we'll always drink that after we take a bath!" Since it was already a habit he had developed when he lived with Tsubaki, Vahn nodded his head before saying, "It's getting pretty late, so I'm going to head to bed soon." In response, Hestia seemed to hesitate for a brief moment before she said, "Since we just got out of the bath and are already relaxed, I wanted to try something unless you're already tired."Vahn turned his head to look at Hestia and saw there was a glimmer of expectation in her eyes even though she also seemed to be nervous. He asked, "What did you want to try?" Since he couldn't think of anything, the only way Vahn could know was if she answered him. He could see her take a deep breath as if she was mustering up her courage before she responded, "I heard from Hephaestus and the others that you were very good at massages. Since I've never had one...I wanted to try it out if its not too much trouble."Ever since she had heard the 'warnings' from Hephaestus, Loki, and Anubis, Hestia had been curious about Vahn's [Hands of Nirvana]. She had wanted to ask him back at the Inn the previous night, but hadn't had enough courage to follow through in the end. Because of the tensions, she didn't even remember to conduct the Familia induction ceremony until the following morning. Now that they had gotten to know each other better and had even bathed together, Hestia wanted to see what all the fuss was about.Hearing Hestia's request, Vahn tilted his head sideways and thought about the matter a bit. He knew from experience that his massage skills were very effective and he hadn't met anyone that had any complaints to offer. Since Hestia was the type that liked to be spoiled, Vahn had already expected her to ask at some point so he wasn't too surprised. He actually liked giving massages and using his [Hands of Nirvana], so Vahn didn't have any reason to refuse so he said, "Sure, but you have to prepare yourself. I'll try to go easy on you at first and you can tell me how you feel during or after the fact. Most of the girls I give a serious massage to end up passing out, so I'd like to receive feedback if possible."Hestia's heart began to beat powerful in her chest after she heard the words, 'serious' and 'passing out'. Though she was very curious, she was beginning to think there was more to the matter than was insinuated by her fellow goddesses. Seeing the gentle and 'innocent' expression of Vahn and remembering he said he would 'go easy' on her, Hestia mustered up a bit of courage and asked, "W-w-what do I need to do?"Vahn looked around between the couch and bed before coming to a decision and saying, "You just need to lay on your stomach in a comfortable position. If you're worried about falling asleep we can use the bed, but if you think you'll be able to stay awake we can use the couch. Hearing that it was something as simple as laying on her stomach, Hestia released a relieved sigh and said with a smile, "Let's use the bed, its actually super comfortable and I don't mind if I fall asleep. I can always tell you my opinion in the morning~!"Vahn agreed since he had also been laying on the bed earlier. It was the first time since he had purchased it and the mattress seemed to conform to his body a bit even though it had a certain sense of 'firmness'. It was very soft on the surface and cool to the touch without making his body feel cold at all. It was almost paradoxical, but Vahn couldn't argue that it was extremely comfortable as Hestia had said.When Hestia crawled into the bed, Vahn wasn't far behind her and it actually felt awkward since he felt like he was 'chasing' her. Since the bed was rather large, the only way to get to the center was to crawl to it from the sides. Because she was on her hands and knees, Vahn could see up her short dress if he didn't avert his eyes. After she had finally laid down, Vahn was on his knees next to her body and she was giving him a slightly expectant look.Warming up his hands, Vahn looked at Hestia and said, "I'll start off with a normal massage, or did you want me to use [Hands of Nirvana] and give you the same kind as the others?" Hestia thought for a few seconds before swallowing her saliva and saying, "I want to try the same thing as them...if its too much, we can always try something less intense later." Now that he had her consent, Vahn nodded his head before placing his hands on her lower back.The first thing Vahn noticed was how small Hestia was compared to the other goddesses he had given a massage. Even Loki was slightly taller than he was, so seeing the petite Hestia laying on her stomach made him feel slightly awkward. It didn't help that he had to lean forward slightly since it was difficult to massage her back while kneeling at her side. Before he officially began, Vahn frowned slightly before explaining in a slightly awkward voice, "It's somewhat difficult to massage you like this..."Hestia had closed her eyes the moment Vahn put his palms on her back and didn't quite understand what he was saying until she opened her eyes. She saw that he had to tilt his body over hers at an awkward angle since they were on the same level. It wasn't like a normal massage where he would be able to stand at the side and easily reach around her body. In order to get all the proper angles, he would have to move around and put in a lot more effort to successfully complete the massage.As if realizing what he was trying to ask, Hestia buried her face into the blankets for several seconds before she said something in a muffled voice that Vahn couldn't hear. He tilted his body a bit and inclined his ear to listen closer and still couldn't make out what she was saying so he asked, "Hestia, are you...?" Before he could finish, she turned her head and had a slightly teary-eyed look and an extremely frustrated expression as she spat, "Just do it properly~!"Her words finished, Hestia turned her head away and refused to look at Vahn while leaving him with a confused expression on his face. After thinking about her words, Vahn nodded his head and found a bit of confidence as he said, "I'm going to straddle your legs a bit so I can line up with your back." His words made Hestia flinch but she didn't say anything even as he climbed over her body.For the second time during the same session, Vahn realized how small Hestia's body was as he loosely straddled her legs without resting his weight on hers. Since he remembered her light she was, Vahn was somewhat worried about sitting on her legs like had done with Anubis. Staring at the line of her back, which was mostly exposed because of the design of her dress, Vahn leaned forward a bit and placed his hands on her side as he officially began the massage.Hestia, who had buried her face into the pillow, immediately felt her tensions hit a new high the moment Vahn sat overtop her own body. Even though she couldn't see where he was looking, she felt somewhat afraid by the current situation. As Vahn placed his hands on her sides, her fear continued to increase until an incredibly relaxing sensation spread through her body from the sides and it felt like she lost all the tension in her lower body. Not only that, but when she tried to move her legs, Hestia realized she couldn't put any strength into them at all.Though it was very comfortable, Hestia immediately felt afraid and wanted to put an end to the 'dangerous' massage but was unable to turn her head and exclaim in time before her upper body also become completely relaxed. Hestia felt like her entire body had suddenly become paralyzed and she couldn't even put any effort into her vocal cords to deny his 'advances' anymore. For a brief instant, Hestia felt like she had fallen into Vahn's trap and he was about to have his way with her and there was nothing she could do about it.Vahn noticed the powerful fluctuation in Hestia's aura and pressed six different areas on her back to undo the progress he had been making. Functionality returned to Hestia's body and she immediately curled up into a ball before Vahn could say anything. He could see her aura was flickering chaotically like a flame that was about to burn out and was tinged with a hint of purple as she protected herself with one of the pillows from the bed. Vahn felt like he had somehow wronged her and a painful feeling gripped his chest as he stared at the goddess that had treated him so well recoiling as if she was afraid of him.Hestia had been so scared that Vahn was going to attack her that she didn't even think as she escaped out from under his body. She used one of the large pillows as a shield as she looked back with a hint of fear to see how Vahn would react. The moment she saw his expression, Hestia's fear diminished by a large amount and she suddenly felt very regretful. She could see that Vahn had an apologetic expression on his face intermixed with confusion and a hint of fear.Hestia immediately understood that he had no intentions to harm her and that she had overreacted because of her own inexperience. She remembered that not only the other goddesses, Vahn himself had warned her before he began. The fact that she, if even for a brief moment, felt afraid that he would take advantage of her was a big breach of the trust between them. She suddenly felt like she had failed him as a goddess and someone that claimed to be his family.Seeing that Vahn was about to apologize, Hestia's heart felt like it was going to break so she immediately threw the pillow aside before jumping into his arms and, with tears in her eyes, shouted, "I'm so sorry Vahn, I know you weren't trying to harm me! I just got scared because I hadn't expected to suddenly lose control over my own body like that! Please don't blame yourself and give me such sad look like you want to apologize!"Vahn had been caught off guard when Hestia suddenly lunged at him and had fallen back onto the bed as she hugged his chest with tears and concern marring her expression. He noticed that her aura had changed from the slight purple one to a sunny yellow intermixed with an azure blue and a tinge of pink. Vahn released a relieved sigh as he began stroking her back gently with the calming effects of [Hands of Nirvana]. For a moment, Vahn had thought he had harmed Hestia somehow so he was incredibly relieved when he heard it was a misunderstanding.Hestia felt Vahn's warm caress on her back and could feel the gentle energy spreading through her body and driving away all of the negative feelings she had been feeling. She looked into his expression and saw that it had returned to the same gentle smile that he always seemed to show others. Vahn saw her staring at him silently and used his free hand to stroke her long silken-black hair as he whispered in a gentle tone, "Maybe we can try something less intense next time...I want to help you relax and feel comfortable, not scare you and make you fearful of me."Though his words were gentle, Hestia felt them like heavy impacts on her heart because she knew she had wronged him unfairly. Even though he did nothing wrong, it was now him trying to comfort her when she should be the one trying to make it up to him. It was even worse because she could feel the warm energy from his hands and couldn't hold on to her own sadness and anxiety as he seemed intent on driving it away.Vahn could see her aura fluctuating slightly and saw the struggle on her face so he put some strength into his body and lifted himself up till she was sitting in his lap. Hestia was confused at first and then Vahn put his hands around her back and held her close to his chest as he rested his head on top of hers. Before she could say anything, Vahn whispered, "Misunderstandings happen, Hestia, we just need to put them behind us and continue moving forward. Didn't we promise to help make each other happy and become family? Don't let such a small matter make you feel down..." Finishing his words, Vahn kissed her on the top of her head before releasing her.Hestia stared up at him with a slight frown on her face and didn't say anything for several seconds as she continued to sit awkwardly in his lap. After thinking for a bit, she took a big breath before releasing it as a powerful sigh. She bumped her head against Vahn's chest and remained silent for another couple of seconds before she turned up to look at him with a vibrant smile on her face that caught Vahn completely off guard.Almost as if the earlier incident had never happened in the first place, Hestia had returned to her cheerful demeanor and her deep blue eyes had turned completely tranquil as a gentle light reflected in them. She spoke in a solemn, yet happy tone, almost as if she was making a promise, "I know you will never harm me, Vahn. From now on, and forever hereafter, I will place my trust in you completely." Her words finished, Hestia grabbed Vahn's hands in her own and held them close as if she was uttering a prayer. It was a similar manner as the time when they had first met, and Vahn wondered if there was some significance to the act.After she released his hands, Hestia showed another vibrant smile that felt like it could banish away bad thoughts and feelings. Vahn suddenly felt somewhat protective of the tiny goddess and instinctively began stroking her head as he smiled and said, "Let's go to bed, Hestia." Her eyes squinted a bit before she nodded her head and said, "Yes, but I want to try that massage again tomorrow. No matter what happens, I want to see it through to the end."After making the promise to continue tomorrow, the two laid down onto the bed in a much better mood than a few minutes prior. Though they didn't embrace or cling to each other from the outset, it wasn't long before Vahn awoke to find Hestia crawling onto his body even though the bed beneath them was far more comfortable than he imagined his stomach to be. If not for the soft feeling pressing against him, and the incredibly light weight of Hestia, Vahn would have muttered a silent complaint before he once again fell asleep with a slight smile on his face.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Curiosity Killed the Cat(Goddess)','Instinctive Fear','Terrifying Godhand')I am currently at $721/1200 of my new goal~! If I can reach this amount, I intend to start having character profiles and images of all the characters created so I can update the information to a wiki~! Though the Wiki will be accessible by anyone, only Patrons will receive the high-res versions of the images &lt;3

After crying for more than twenty minutes, Milan started feeling much better and had recovered a bit of the smile that Vahn remembered from the past. Tina had noticed it as well, so she had a happy expression with tears stains on her face as Vahn affectionately stroked the hair and ears of both girls. They spent the rest of the dinner in relative silence and just enjoying the fresher atmosphere as Syr politely served them while Hestia sat across from everyone on her own booth. Vahn was moderately concerned about her, but when he made eye contact with Hestia she just smiled and shook her head in an almost unnoticeable fashion as if to indicate that he shouldn't mind her.Once dinner ended, Syr told Milan and Tina that Mama Mia had given them the rest of the night off and that they should relax in their room. After sharing an embrace with Vahn, the two made their way to their room with an added stability to their auras that made Vahn feel relieved. Milan had promised to join the Familia when things had settled down and Vahn was looking forward to the day when their smiles would return permanently.Turning to Syr, Vahn showed a moderately more affectionate smile than usual and said, "Thanks Syr, you're always helping me out." His words made her chuckle slightly as she squinted her eyes and said, "I wasn't just helping you, Vahn, I felt bad about their situation and wanted to do what I could to protect them. If you want to give me more credit though, I don't mind receiving your affections more often~."Hestia frowned at her words but didn't interfere even when Vahn gave Syr a short embrace. They didn't kiss or do anything more intimate, but it was one of the few times when the two shared a hug and it brought a happy smile to Syr's face. Her light-grey eyes seemed to glow a bit and Vahn resisted the strange feeling instinctively before giving her a peck on the forehead and separating. She touched the slightly damp area and had a rosy blush on her face as she stared at Vahn for a while before returning to her duties.When she left, Vahn watched her back with a thoughtful expression on his face before Hestia interrupted him by saying, "I want you to tell me more about your relationships...I think my understanding of things is somewhat lacking." Hestia had thought that there were several girls just trying to take advantage of Vahn's kindness and was only now realizing there was much more to the situation than she initially realized.Vahn turned to look at Hestia and saw an uncharacteristically serious expression and a bit of concern in her crystalline blue eyes. Considering her request, Vahn nodded his head and promised to explain things in detail when they returned home. Afterward, the two made their way through the relatively cool night air which seemed to grow colder by the day. Vahn could even see his breath a little as they made their way toward the Hearth Manor at a leisurely pace while a silence hung between them. He noticed Hestia seemed to be in deep contemplation as he led her by hand through the familiar back roads.After a few minutes, perhaps due to her absentmindedness, Hestia tripped over a loose stone and nearly fell down before Vahn caught her by the shoulder. She grimaced slightly and Vahn saw for the first time that she had a slight cut on her feet and released a strangely relieved sigh. Before she asked, Vahn leaned down and said, "Get on, I'll carry you the rest of the way." Hestia had been on the verge of tears after the incident but immediately cheered up as she climbed onto Vahn's back without any hesitation.Vahn couldn't help but marvel at how soft her breasts were once again when she hugged his neck tightly and pressed them against his back. Supporting her legs with his palms, Vahn stood up and started carrying the silently laughing Hestia along the path. After a while, she whispered into his ear softly, "You really are too gentle..." Her arms tightened slightly around his neck and Vahn could feel the softness on his back press firmly against him.Hestia continued her words, "I can understand it, how all of those girls are reliant on you. You treat them well and can't ignore when they are unhappy...I even heard you've saved several of them from terrible tragedies. I want to know their stories and how you found your way into their lives...Tell me everything, okay?"Vahn considered her words and, since he already said he would tell her regardless, he nodded his head and affirmed, "I won't keep secrets from you, Hestia, you are my goddess and...my family." Vahn felt like each time he used that word, something inside of his body bloomed and he felt happier and happier. Though he knew of the word and considered having a family of his own, it was only recently that he started to use it when talking about people. He had even changed how he felt about some people from 'liking' them to actually 'loving' them. Without realizing it himself previously, Vahn now understood that his mentality had been making a subtle, yet profound, shift.Vahn's words made Hestia feel very happy and she nuzzled against the side of his head as she squeezed his neck tighter. Though she wasn't very strong, Vahn could still feel his airway being restricted a bit by her efforts. Before he could ask her to loosen up her grip, Hestia whispered in his ear with a very happy tone, "That's right, from now on, always and forever, we'll be family~!"Though it wasn't much, Hestia's affection, which had stalled at 90 previously, increased to 91 and transitioned from (Protective) to (Eternal Bond) within his system menu. Tilting his chin a little to prevent her from choking him to death, Vahn smiled and trekked through the cold night with a new warmth spreading in his body, not just from his back. After a few more minutes, they arrived at the Hearth Manor and entered into the warm interior that was their home.Vahn carried Hestia all the way up the spiral stairs in the central area and into their shared bedroom before setting her down on the couch. He had considered laying her on the bed, but decided against it as took her foot into his hands and began using [Hands of Nirvana] to heal the small wound. When he had done so, Hestia tilted her head sideways in a curious manner before a smile blossomed on her face before turning into a more mischevious look as she asked, "Couldn't you have healed my foot earlier instead of carrying me all this way~?"Her words impacted Vahn and his mind blanked for a moment as he processed what she had just said. Considering them carefully, he also agreed that he could have healed her on the spot easily before they continued along the route. For some reason, when Vahn had seen her absentminded state earlier, he thought it would be more appropriate to carry her so nothing else would happen. Believing this to be the case, Vahn looked up at Hestia's smiling face and said, "I saw how distracted you were earlier and decided to carry you so nothing bad would happen..."As if she didn't believe him and wanted to tease him, Hestia spread her arms akimbo which caused the blue ribbon tied around her body to lift up her breasts. Vahn's eyes were momentarily drawn to the sight and she laughed before asking, "Are you sure there wasn't another reason~?" As she spoke, Hestia proudly puffed out her breasts with a gleam in her pure blue eyes.Vahn released a sigh and said, "I won't deny that it was very comfortable to carry you, but I'm also telling you the truth. I was worried about you and didn't want you to get hurt while you were lost in thought." When he spoke, Vahn had a very serious expression and Hestia's smile widened a bit because of how honest he was. She already knew he was telling the truth earlier, but she also knew there was no way he could have ignored the feeling of her body when he was carrying her for more than ten minutes.Patting her thighs, Hestia said in a cheerful manner, "Here, here, put your head here~! Come and rest your head on your beautiful goddess's thighs and tell me your story~." Watching her actions, Vahn caught a glimpse of her white panties before deciding to accept her offer. She had an expectant smile on her face and he was also interested how a lap pillow from her would feel. It had been a while since he enjoyed the sensation and thought it was a good opportunity to experience something he used to enjoy often in the past.When Vahn laid his head on her thighs without any hesitation, Hestia's heart throbbed a bit as she stared down into his aquamarine eyes. Because of the angle, she knew he had a clear view of her breasts and it made her feel a little excited until he closed his eyes and began to relax. She released a slight sigh but didn't say anything as she waited for him to begin his story. Before he started, she began to gently pass her fingers through his long dark-brown hair in a similar manner to how he always caressed other girls.Vahn felt very comfortable while laying on Hestia's lap and felt completely at ease when she started stroking his hair. It wasn't the first time a girl had done so, and Vahn always felt very comfortable to be on the receiving end of someone's caress. It was partially due to this fact that he often stroked other girls when it looked like they were feeling down. If they felt the same way as he currently felt, Vahn knew his affection would help ease their burdens a bit.For the next two hours, Vahn began recounting all of his encounters with other girls starting with Milan and Tina at the Hostess of Fertility. He didn't leave out any details, including some of the more embarrassing parts, because he had promised to tell Hestia the truth. Though he couldn't mention anything about the system, it didn't stop him from speaking about its influence as long as he passed it off as his 'Divinity'.Vahn also talked about meeting Lili in the dungeon, saving her, and then living in the same end. He talked about his speculations regarding the Soma Familia and his first meeting with Hephaestus, how they grew closer together, his promise with her, and their eventual confession and shared passion. Vahn talked about living with the tyrannical Tsubaki and the score he wanted to settle with her in the future. He recounted his meeting with Naaza, how he had healed her arm and subsequently resisted the attack of the party of adventurers that thought he was a monster.He also talked about how, due to the rumors regarding him, he eventually met with the Loki Familia and dueled with Tiona and Ais before entering the dungeon later to become stronger. He explained his rapid growth, the encounter and near-death experience of fighting the Juggernaut, saving the Father and Sons group, arriving at the 18th floor, and even the ambush of the Anubis Familia.Throughout his entire story, Hestia sat in a daze as if she could imagine all of the struggles he had gone through. When he talked about the moments where he had nearly died trying to perform heroic acts, she felt both terrified and proud of him. Knowing that he willingly suffered the injuries of others to ensure they would have a chance at life and happiness made her feel especially proud to be the goddess of such an incredible youth...When Vahn got to the part about his reunion with the Loki Familia and how he fought against the Goliath solo, Hestia could feel the excitement of the fight and it made her own heart rate increase. Unfortunately, immediately after that, Vahn began talking about his interactions with the Loki Familia from then onwards. This included him bathing with the girls of the main group and the confessions between him and Tiona. He also talked about the 'sexual education' he received from Riveria and the subsequent promises with Tiona and Ais.Vahn even went into detail about his interactions with other girls, all the way up until his fight with the Juggernaut and succumbing to the mental attack. After his awakening, Vahn had changed and began to seek out and interact with people with a new mindset and entered actual relationships with women. He made a lot of promises and even charged into the heart of the Loki Familia where he clashed with her 'rival' Loki head on.After that, Vahn tried to mention his rendezvous with the two girls but Hestia put her hands over his mouth and cut off his airflow to prevent him from speaking further. He opened his eyes and looked up at her and saw she had a frustrated expression on her face as she said, "I don't need those kinds of details you dummy~!" Vahn nodded his head in compliance and she finally let him breathe again so he returned to his story while skipping some of the more intimate details.The remainder of the story including his daily life living with the Anubis Familia and his eventual date and engagement with Eina and Hephaestus. Though he wasn't there for it, Vahn also included some of the details he heard second-hand about the meeting of the various women in his life and how Tina became his 'Vahnguard' to prevent him from deviating in a dangerous direction. After that, Vahn talked about his transition and how he tried to act with more propriety while improving his relationships with various people in a more natural manner.Everything wrapped up with Vahn's emotional recounting of the kidnapping of Tina and Milan, his subsequent rescuing of them, and his pursuit of Laverna and the captain of her Familia, Kuji. He talked about how Laverna had been killed, without revealing the identity of the assassin, and how his relationships with some girls had fundamentally changed as a result. After that, events began to line up with Hestia's own understanding and the story finally came to an end as she looked at Vahn's complacent expression with gentle eyes and a thoughtful expression.Though she had heard much of the story from Hephaestus, Loki, Anubis, and Eina, it was a distinctly different thing to hear it directly from the person that experienced all of the events. Hestia now understood the complexities of the relationships around Vahn and realized that her actions in confronting the other girls were somewhat selfish. She resolved herself to meet the other girls and determine for herself how serious they were about Vahn before making any decisions that might influence his relationships with them. However, she also swore to herself to protect Vahn from anyone that might try to exploit him in the future.Stroking Vahn's hair, Hestia looked down on him like he was something very fragile that she needed to protect at all cost. Because she had been the one living her life for the last several million years, she knew what kind of personality she had better than anyone else. She was needy, somewhat lazy, and moderately possessive of the few things that she kept close to her heart. Just like when people tried to treat Hephaestus poorly, Hestia would always go out of her way to cause a scene to try and draw the attention to her. She hated seeing the people she cared about suffer injustices more than anything else.With her knowledge regarding herself, Hestia knew that she would be very reliant on Vahn the more he treated her kindly. Since he seemed to defer to her and even liked the way she acted, it made her feel secure to continue acting openly without restraint while around him. Even if she pushed things a little too far, she knew Vahn wouldn't do anything to hurt her and would probably care for her dearly for the rest of his life. In exchange for letting her act spoiled and treating her well, Hestia decided she would ensure he always had a safe place to return to and would work hard to guarantee that 'their' family was always protected...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Subconscious Desire?','A lot has happened in three months','Hero's Sanctuary')I am currently at $721/1200 of my new goal~! If I can reach this amount, I intend to start having character profiles and images of all the characters created so I can update the information to a wiki~! Though the Wiki will be accessible by anyone, only Patrons will receive the high-res versions of the images &lt;3

Chapter 221: Hesitation