Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

According to Take', they used to be a Familia located outside a shrine located in the Far East. It was his assigned duty to teach martial artists to act as guardians of the province as well as protectors of the various palaces and shrines in the area. Though it wasn't part of their duties, a few of his younger children had grown close to a Renard girl named Sanjouno Haruhime, who was the daughter of a Noble Clan leader that ran the largest shrine in the area. Since she wasn't allowed to leave the sanctity of the shrine, Haruhime's only friends had been the children in his Familia and they used to sneak her out in the night so that she could get fresh air and play.Things had been peaceful for a time, but three years ago Haruhime had been falsely accused of stealing an offering that had been made to the shrine. Unable to find the true culprit, Haruhime's father was pressured by the other clan heads to pass judgment on his own daughter. In his rage, not at Haruhime but the people that had conspired against him, her Father had entrusted her care to a Pallum guest that had good relations with the shrine for several years. Unfortunately, the caravan led by the Pallum was later attacked by a group of roaming bandits that had pillaged the merchandise and kidnapped Haruhime.Unable to act on his own, Haruhime's father had entrusted the task of finding her to his trusted advisor which was none other than Takemikazuchi. Since it was a direct violation of the judgment that had been passed previously, Take' took some of his more gifted children that were close to Haruhime and set out on a rescue mission to uncover her whereabouts. They followed the trail through several villages until they had found out Haruhime had been sold as a slave and had been transported to Eden with her final destination as Orario. Though they lamented her misfortune, they found out she had been sold as 'fresh' goods so they had some hope that she might be okay if they were able to track her down quickly.Unfortunately, as exiles, the Takemikazuchi Familia had no easy way to pay for transport across the vast ocean separating Eden and the Far East, so they had to act as mercenaries as they slowly built up the funds. After more than a year passed, they had begun to lose hope that Haruhime was still safe until a kind monk had taken pity on them and helped procure their passage to Eden. Since he had saved the son of the Captain of a ship in the past, he was able to convince him to allow the group to board for a much cheaper amount as long as they acted as guards for the duration of the voyage.After several months on the ocean, they eventually made their way to Eden and followed directions between villages before finally arriving in Orario several months ago. By a stroke of fate, Take' had been introduced to Hephaestus through their mutual acquaintance Miach. Since she had been in need of assistance at the time, Take' had taken to her aide in order to establish a relationship with one of the most prolific goddesses within the City. Though he admitted it was a somewhat dishonorable act, Take's only desire was to track down the daughter of his friend and do whatever he could to confirm her safety. Even though she may never be able to return to her home, they still wanted to guarantee she could live a free life, even if she had experienced suffering due to their ineptitude.It was through Hephaestus that Take' learned about Vahn and had taken an interest in meeting the Adventurer touted as a hero. After conducting a personal investigation of his own, Take' began to grow more interested in Vahn and his exploits and purported that he wanted Vahn to help mentor and grow alongside his own children. Take' claimed Vahn's character to be righteous and above reproach but Vahn just waved away his flattery and urged him to finish the story.Though it was always his intent to eventually approach Vahn, it was the event where Vahn had saved Milan and Tina that inspired him to move up his plans. They had recently heard rumors that might pertain to Haruhime's location and wanted to seek Vahn's assistance however he sought fit to aide them. Since he knew Vahn likely saw through his true intentions, Take' even admitted that the primary reason he approached Vahn was, in the event that the danger was too great, Vahn would be able to rely on his network of allies to potentially save Haruhime. Even though his children had high potential, they were all still very young and even Ouka, the Captain of the Familia, was only Level 2.---Since he had only read up to the 7th volume of the manga, everything Vahn was hearing was new information and he wasn't sure what to make of things until a notification popped up in his system while he was ruminating over matters. Though he definitely wanted to help them out, since he felt terrible about the tragic fate of the girl called Haruhime, Vahn didn't want to get involved in anything that might endanger the people he cared about. Looking over the notification, Vahn's face became somewhat serious and he closed his eyes in 'contemplation'.//Optional Quest Triggered//[Quest: Rescue Sanjouno Haruhime]Rank: C-SObjective: Rescue Sanjouno Haruhime from her captors.Optional Objective: Defeat and/or Kill the captors: 0/10Rewards: 'Upgrade' Function Unlocked, 10x[Upgrade Stones], 14,000OPFailure Condition(s): Death, Sanjouno Haruhime's Death, Escape of [Hidden].Penalty: 600 Karma, 'Upgrade' Function Sealed for Duration of RecordAfter reading through the quest, Vahn was somewhat interested in the rewards but still asked Sis, ("Why would I suddenly get a quest? I know Takemikazuchi existed in the original plot, but I've never heard anything about Haruhime.") Responding to his question, Sis explained in a patient tone, (*Your presence in the record has irreversibly altered fate but that doesn't mean that karma is balanced within the record. For example, if you alter events to an extent where you would endanger the record, 'The Path' would always give you a quest to help rectify things. However, since the quest is Optional, you still have the option to refuse it without penalty; This will likely result in the death of the girl named Sanjouno Haruhime though.*)Hearing Sis's words, Vahn frowned slightly as he realized his lack of knowledge regarding the record may become a problem in the future. Though it wouldn't force him to enact the original plot verbatim, Vahn would still be required to assist those that possessed strong fates that impacted the original story. One example would be, if he changed an event that would lead to the salvation of the world in the original plot, Vahn would then be burdened with fulfilling that role himself. Since he was now getting a Quest related to the girl named Haruhime, that meant she was significant to the original plot and Vahn had inadvertently set her down a path of no return....if he refused to help her, he would have, through his inaction, guaranteed her death.Though he didn't do so in reality, Vahn released a long sigh in his mind before opening his eyes with a serious look on his face. He noticed that both Take' and Ouka were waiting for his response with hopeful expressions. Frowning, Vahn said, "Know this, I will help you, but only after I have settled my own matters. I don't have the resources or the network you might think to search through the entire City looking for one girl. I'll need as much information as you can provide and..." Vahn sent a mental command and, a few seconds later, Fenrir burst through the door and cautiously made her way over to Vahn while glaring at the two strangers.Vahn explained, "Fenrir has the most powerful senses of anyone I have ever met, be they chienthropes or cat people. If you have an article that belonged to Haruhime, we may be able to track her. That being the case, it does not mean I will put my people in danger to guarantee the safety of Haruhime and the successful completion of this mission. It also doesn't mean I will drop everything I'm currently involved in to help you track her down at the expense of my other commitments."Before Vahn even finished, Take' had already bowed till the point where his head had nearly touched the hardwood table. He exclaimed loudly, "Having your assistance is more than enough! I would not dare ask you to inconvenience yourself in pursuit of an objective that was ours to complete. Even if you only help track down and confirm her location, that would be more than enough!"Vahn paused and stared at the top of Take's head for a while before he responded in a somewhat apologetic, yet firm, tone, "If it is within my power to do so, I will save Sanjouno Haruhime from her fate..." Raising his head, Take' had a grateful smile on his face as he bowed three times while saying, "Thank you, my Takemikazuchi Familia will forever be indebted to you for the leniency you have shown us here today." Pulling out a small, pouch-like, charm with a strange character that Vahn understood to mean 'Good Fortune', Take handed it over to Vahn and said, "This was a personal belonging of Sanjouno Haruhime. We had tried to use it to track her down, but chienthropes are uncommon in the Far East and we have had limited success finding assistance within the City..."Taking the charm from Take', Vahn stroked Fenrir's hair and explained in a patient manner, "Fenrir, there is a poor girl that had been bullied by a bunch of bad people. Can you remember the scent on this charm for me?" After listening to Vahn, Fenrir looked at Take' and Ouka for several seconds as her eyes began to glow red. Ouka immediately became alert, but Vahn spread his domain and completely locked down his movements with a glance.Take' raised his hand to force Ouka to stand down as a bead of sweat began to build on his brow. Vahn turned away and continued to stroke Fenrir's hair and explained, "These aren't the bullies, they are the friends of the girl. They are trying to find her so they can protect her and help make her happy, same as you." Fenrir's eyes continued to glow as her hair began to rise and she turned to Vahn and asked in a frustrated voice, "Same as Fenrir..?" At this point, Fenrir's hair was standing on end and her eyes began glowing a vibrant scarlet. Though some might have misunderstood it as hunger, this was actually the form Fenrir took when she activated [Huntress] and pushed her senses to the extreme.Taking the charm into her paws, Fenrir took several large breaths before glaring at Take and Ouka a bit and sniffing the air. As if confirming something, Fenrir nodded her head and took several more whiffs of the charm before handing it back to Vahn. Though she hadn't yet found Haruhime, Fenrir thumped her chest and said, "Fenrir remember, Fenrir find and save girl from bully!" With a smile on his face, Vahn pet Fenrir's hair before ushering her toward Hestia who already had a brush ready. Now that she had stored the scent, Fenrir would be able to track it easily if they came across the trail at any point.Turning back to Take', Vahn said, "I'll hold onto the charm for now. As for payment, since we'll be acting at our discretion, you don't have to worry about it. If it is known that our Familias are cooperating with each other during the probationary period it could cause problems for the entire Alliance. Unless we contact you through the network, please try to lay low and conduct your own investigation for the time being."Take' assumed a polite smile as both he and Ouka bowed low before eventually excusing themselves. On their way out, Take asked over his shoulder, "So, what do you think of Vahn?" There was a somewhat humorous undertone to his voice that made Ouka frown as he followed behind. After considering his words for several seconds, Ouka stated, "He is far more mature than anyone his age should be, and his bearing and etiquette are excellent. As far as his power is concerned...I don't think I could trade a single blow with him." Take' smiled and stopped his steps as he looked back and patted Ouka's shoulder as he said, "Now you understand, there are always greater heights to aspire toward. Though you were very strong back in the Far East, there are several people, some even much younger than you, that are much stronger than your current strength. If you want to protect the people you care about, you must remain level-headed and increase your power further."Afterward, they walked along in silence for a while until Ouka said, "He'll do it, won't he? I can tell that he had already decided to save Lady Sanjouno even before the second half of the conversation..." Hearing his words, Take' smiled widely and stated confidently, "Though it isn't wrong to say we took advantage of him, it is because Vahn has a righteous and heroic character that cannot easily overlook such injustices. I think that, as long as it doesn't endanger the other people he wants to protect, he will likely track her down much faster than we could have ever hoped to."Looking over his shoulder toward the direction of the Hearth Manor, Ouka's expression hardened as a resolved look appeared in his eyes. He had asked to accompany Takemikazuhi because he was curious about the boy who was touted as a hero while being similar in age to himself. Now that they had met, Ouka felt like he had found a worthy rival to aspire towards and eventually exceed...---After the two left, Hestia had a concerned expression as she looked up at Vahn and asked, "You will go to help her, won't you?" Vahn looked over and smiled as he stroked her hair gently for a while before responding, "I won't easily change my plans on a whim unless it is something I can proactively influence. Right now, my only focus is my family and..." Looking off in the distance, Vahn could feel the connection between him and Hephaestus throb a bit as he said, "I must go to Hephaestus...When everything is over, I will find the girl named Haruhime and return to her the freedom she had been deprived. It is for reasons like this that I wanted to create a righteous Familia in the first place."Hestia had a cheerful smile on her face as Vahn was stroking her hair and she, accompanied by Fenrir, both gave him a big hug. Kissing him on the cheek for a few seconds, Hestia pulled away and said, "Make sure you take care of yourself and...and remember that I'll be here waiting when things get hard and you need to rest..." Vahn laughed a bit as he stroked her cheek with his right hand before leaning forward and giving her a short peck on the lips. Even though it wasn't their first kiss, Hestia blushed a bit and crawled away from his body while acting far more bashful than usual.Vahn wanted to tease her since she was suddenly acting as if they had just met for the first time. However, before he could say anything, Fenrir pulled her lip a bit with her claw and said, "Fenrir want kiss." Though he had thought he had been prepared for anything, Vahn couldn't help but blank after hearing Fenrir and seeing her actions. The red glow in her eyes suddenly looked far more dangerous as Vahn explained, "Until you finish your education, you can't do things like that Fenrir. Here, come here for a moment..." Fenrir leaned over as Vahn gestured and he cleared away her bangs and kissed her on the forehead before saying, "Just like your Big Sis, that should be enough for now, okay?"Holding her paws on her forehead, Fenrir had the closest thing to a 'happy' expression that her unsmiling face could manage. Seemingly deriving something from Vahn's words, Fenrir ran toward the door down the corridor toward the dining room while shouting, "Big Sis, Big Sis, Fenrir got kiss!" Hearing her words, Vahn rubbed his forehead a bit before looking to the side as he heard Hestia laughing mischievously. Since she was still on the same sofa, Vahn wanted to tease her a bit so he shot forward and grabbed her foot before pressing one of the pressure points near her heel. Hestia felt a jolt run through her body and she tried to smack Vahn's hand away as he disappeared with the use of Shundo.Before she could say anything, Vahn showed a natural smile and said, "I'm going to go meet Hephaestus and see if she needs any help. Since Milan and Tina are going to be staying here today, I'll be back in time for lunch unless anything changes..." Understanding Vahn's implication, Hestia's smile changed from mock frustration and transitioned into a gentle smile that Vahn hadn't expected. In a low, somewhat serious tone, Hestia said, "Take care of her, Vahn. Though she puts on a strong front, I've known Hephaestus for a long time...she really was a very lonely Goddess in Heaven...Make sure you treat her well."Vahn lowered his head and ruminated over her words before showing a serious expression of his own and responding, "Not just Hephaestus, I will make sure to take care of everyone I care about. When you're ready, that includes you as well Hestia." The gentle expression on Hestia's face froze and she seemed to turn into a statue as a line of blush crept up her body and Vahn thought steam was going to erupt out of her head. After her face had a hue that would make a tomato jealous, Hestia looked upwards at Vahn with teary eyes and said through gritted teeth, "You have to spoil me especially! I don't want to be just another one of your girls, I want to be something sp-"Before she could finish, Vahn stepped in with Shundo, lifted Hestia's chin, and stared into her deep blue eyes as he said in an irrefutably serious voice, "You are my irreplaceable family, the beautiful goddess I have entrusted not only my life but the lives of my loved ones. Never devalue yourself..." Before she could respond, Vahn gave Hestia the first truly passionate kiss they shared. Though she was hesitant at first, Hestia soon caved in and returned Vahn's embrace all the way up until the point where they both heard a door open and Fenrir shouting, "Ah! Fenrir want kiss too!"Title: Sanjouno Haruhime(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fate','Takemikazuchi's Shamelessness','Hephbaestus calls...')I am currently at $749/1200 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 pacifying Fenrir, Vahn parted ways with the four girls and left the Hearth Manor with the intent of going to visit Hephaestus. As of now, the premonitions that had been plaguing him had largely vanished, but Vahn was still somewhat alert and used his domain at full power to map everything within the vicinity on his way to Hephaestus's Workshop. Since he was in his Báihǔ form, Vahn had also memorized the scent of the girl called Haruhime, which was similar to lavender with somewhat of a robust undertone.Since he wasn't in a hurry, and had been paying attention to the surroundings, Vahn arrived outside Hephaestus's workshop after a half-hour before making his way inside. Though it wasn't nearly as bad as the previous night, the closer Vahn had gotten to her workshop, the more excited he became as a warm feeling spread through his body. This was magnified somewhat because, if Vahn focused on the bond they shared, he was also able to sense the anticipation of Hephaestus.When he tried to open the door, Vahn noticed it was locked even though it was during business hours. His smile grew marginally since it was a good sign for what was to come; Vahn spread out his domain and inspected the surroundings in detail and noticed that Hephaestus was the only person inside and she was slowly making her way to the front door. There were several presences in the surroundings, likely security personnel and a mixture of pedestrians. Even so, Vahn inspected each of them with his intent to verify there was nothing strange before the door finally opened a little and revealed a very bashful looking Hephaestus peering through the crack.Without trying to open the door himself, Vahn showed a gentle smile and said, "Good morning Hephaestus." Releasing a sigh, Hephaestus opened the door the rest of the way and crossed her arms loosely under her breasts as she said, "Come inside, quickly, who knows what problems might arise later." Following her words, Vahn stepped into the workshop before he heard the door close behind him with a bit of force as Hephaestus secured the lock.Curious, Vahn asked, "Did something ha-" Before he could finish, Hephaestus leaned her weight against him and began one of the many passionate kisses they would share. He was so surprised by her actions that Vahn nearly fell backward a few steps before stabilizing his body and embracing Hephaestus powerfully. Vahn noticed that her body was surprisingly hot, including her tongue which had invaded his mouth since earlier. Vahn intertwined his with Hephaestus's as she slowly pressed his body, almost as if she were pushing him toward her office hidden deep at the back.Realizing this was actually the case, Vahn felt emboldened so he picked up Hephaestus's body and princess carried her the rest of the way while she clung to his neck and began kissing the exposed parts of his collarbone. Since his spatial awareness was quite high, Vahn could focus on Hephaestus even while walking through the corridors without any issues at all. When they got to the door of her office, Vahn noticed Hephaestus had left it open so he side-stepped through it to make sure no parts of her body collided with the reinforced frame.By the time Vahn closed the door and locked it, Hephaestus had a deep blush on her face and was beginning to sweat profusely as she looked into his eyes with a fervent gaze. Vahn leaned forward to kiss her, but Hephaestus tucked her head to evade his attempt as she placed her hand over his heart. In a quiet tone, Hephaestus said, "Let's go to the couch...we need to talk..."After getting a face full of red hair for his efforts, Vahn followed Hephaestus words and walked over the couch. Though she seemed to try and free herself from his carry, Vahn turned his body and sat down while still holding onto her firmly. She gave him an awkward smile and said, "It's...somewhat hard to talk like this. There are several things I want to tell you before we go any further."Since Vahn didn't want to cause any discomfort for Hephaestus, nor did he want to appear impatient, he just for a moment before placing his forehead gently against hers for a few moments. He knew they shared a powerful bond now and she would be able to sense his feelings. When he was done, Vahn loosened his grip on Hephaestus's body so she sat at his side with a moderate amount of distance between them. Though she still had a fierce blush on her face, Hephaestus also had a serious look in her eyes and Vahn could feel her hesitation.Hephaestus was quiet for several seconds as she considered her words carefully. After a while, she released a somewhat pained sigh and said, "Vahn...I wanted you to know that..that..." As she continued to struggle, Vahn reached out his right hand and stroked the side of Hephaestus's face before running his fingers through her beautiful red hair. In a gentle tone, Vahn said, "Please tell me what is troubling you. No matter what, I will always be with you when you need me...now and forever more."Closing her eyes, Hephaestus rested against Vahn's gentle caress as she held onto his forearm with her left hand. Finding some comfort in the warmth coming from his palm, Hephaestus released another sigh and said, "Even though this body is that of a virgin...you aren't my first partner. I wanted you to know everything about my past...I want you to know about my weakness...the loneliness I have felt for so long..."As she was still trying to find her words, Hephaestus sensed movement and felt her head get pulled forward slightly as Vahn silenced her pained words with a kiss. Opening her eyes, Hephaestus tried to use her right hand to press against his chest, but Vahn wouldn't part from the kiss no matter what she tried. Giving up, Hephaestus slipped her arm to his side and Vahn reached around and embraced her in a powerful, comforting, hug.For several minutes, Vahn continued to kiss Hephaestus until the chaotic nature that had been appearing in her aura completely vanished. After sucking on her tongue a bit, Vahn pulled his face away and looked at the glossy-eyed Hephaestus who had a somewhat pitiful look on her face as she dazedly kissed at the air for an extra few seconds. Vahn reached up and caressed her face once again as he said with absolute seriousness, "Everything about you is important to me, but I've no interest in a past that causes you such pain. From now on, whenever you feel lonely, whenever you feel worried, you just have to call out to me...no matter how far away, I will come running. The inconsequential fools from your past aren't nearly as important as the present we share, the future we'll create...together."Though she was somewhat absentminded, each of Vahn's words resonated powerfully with Hephaestus. She could feel his emotions, the stability of his words, the comfort of his embrace, and the love they shared...everything linked together and echoed through her body until she felt her soul tremble. As if they were some insignificant thing, the images that had been plaguing Hephaestus's mind while thinking about her union with Vahn slowly faded away. Just like Vahn said, the past wasn't important anymore...not here, not now, not when she was in his arms and enjoying the comfort he provided her. Vahn was like a safe refuge for her soul, something that kept away all the feelings of negativity that had plagued her for so many millions of years...Placing her head against his chest, though it wasn't necessary to do so, Hephaestus listened to Vahn's hear beating powerfully. She could sense the presence of the 'eternal flame' within as Vahn stroked her back gently while hugging her body against his. Hephaestus could feel the heat radiating from Vahn intermingling with the heat from her own body and, even though they had yet to complete their union, she felt like they had already become one. As her emotions continued to rise, Hephaestus raised her head before using her hands to press into Vahn's chest.Though he could have resisted, Vahn allowed Hephaestus to push him over and he pulled her along with him. He could see she was taking long, deep, breaths and had an incredibly flushed expression on her face. She lifted her body from his with a bit of effort and began to unbutton his tunic until Vahn just unequipped it to save her some effort. Once his upper body was bare, Hephaestus traced his chest with her fingers for a moment before leaning down and kissing his body with her flushed red lips.For now, Vahn wanted to let Hephaestus ease her anxiety without experiencing too much pressure from him. Instead of doing anything too rough, he gently caressed her body even though he had a powerful urge to grip her butt. Even though he didn't quite agree with it completely, there were certain butts that Vahn was very fond of and Hephaestus's was at the top of the list. Since he knew she especially trained it to be to his liking, Vahn felt a great deal of excitement whenever he thought about it.By the time Hephaestus worked up to his shoulders, she stopped for a while which confused Vahn. Tracing her fingers along his shoulder, Vahn knew what she had found and explained, "It was left there by Chloe. Though we haven't done anything, we still professed love for each other..." Without responding to his words, Hephaestus continued to trace the scar with her fingers for a few seconds. After a while, she whispered in his ear, "Even though I'm okay with you having other girls, I can't help but feel a little jealous when seeing something so intimate..."Vahn's mind buzzed a bit as her words tickled his ears and he began to wonder if Hephaestus also wanted to leave her mark on him. Before the could think of anything to say, Hephaestus continued, "I want something more...something that will always be uniquely ours. And I don't want it to be on your body; I don't need to compete with the other girls...I want you to leave a mark on me instead. I want something that invalidates the scar that used to cover my face...something that I can take with me permanently...forever and ever."After he words, Hephaestus continued so lay against Vahn's body in silence before she asked, "I know you were able to modify Lili's crest in the past...I want you to leave a mark on my back...it doesn't matter what it is, as long as it is something important to you." Pushing against his chest and the couch, Hephaestus lifted herself from Vahn's body and began to remove her white, sweat-soaked, blouse. Since she had been expecting Vahn, Hephaestus hadn't been wearing a bra since earlier in the day. Vahn was able to see her milky white breasts and small, cherry-like, protrusions. Though he had seen them before, Vahn couldn't help but marvel at the flawlessness of Hephaestus's rather large breasts.Turning her back, Hephaestus move her long ponytail to the side and said, "Please..." Though Vahn was somewhat reluctant, he also felt an incredible anticipation building up in his own body as he gingerly traced his fingers along Hephaestus's back. Though she had powerful muscles, her skin still retained a youthful quality and there didn't really seem to be any obvious signs of the power contained within. Unless she forcibly flexed, Hephaestus looked very lean and had a very womanly, shapely, figure. When his finger followed the line of her back to the base of where her torso connected into her tight black trousers, Vahn suddenly stopped and the emotions that had been building in him reached a peak.Since she had been paying attention to his actions, Hephaestus could feel Vahn's excitement as his fingers stopped slightly above where her butt was. She knew Vahn liked her butt and had even been exercising for up to two hours a day just to appeal to him a bit more. Hephaestus felt like it was one of the advantages she had over most of the girls around him, so she planned to exploit it whenever possible. After a few seconds, she whispered in a somewhat sultry voice, "Do it..."Vahn gulped powerfully after hearing Hephaestus's words and he began to take several deep breaths to help calm his mind. Even though he knew more intimate things would happen between them in the future, leaving a permanent mark on the girl he loved felt incredibly deviant. Though he had a profound sense of excitement welling up inside him, Vahn was also somewhat scared and anxious to continue. However, he didn't want to let Hephaestus's expectations down and also wanted to give her what she wanted. Vahn consoled himself by remembering that he could always remove it later with [Hands of Nirvana] if she changed her mind in the future...Though it felt profoundly awkward, Vahn used [Yggradsil's Favor] and emulated the crest creation process of the Familia induction ceremony. She wouldn't obtain anything like a blessing, but the mark Vahn left on her body could only be removed by him from now on. Since he didn't have anything better, Vahn decided to carve his 'makers mark' into the small of Hephaestus's back, right above where the line of her back merged into her the division between her butt cheeks. By the time he was done, Vahn knew his face was probably very red because of the excitement and embarrassment he had felt.When Hephaestus learned what Vahn had carved into her back, her blush became a deep crimson and she gripped his shoulders with shaky hands as they passionately embraced each other. After what felt like an eternity, Hephaestus lited her face from Vahn's and took several, almost ragged, breaths before saying in a sensual tone, "If you're going to claim my body as your own...you're going to have to take responsibility...I want a baby."(A/N: 'Vahn is not concerned with inferior gods','Permanant Tattoo','Forging a baby in the forge goddess's furnace')I am currently at $749/1200 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 the bath, Ryuu went to her room to wear a proper change of clothes as Vahn watched her butt sway from side-to-side with slightly squinted eyes. He felt a lot less inhibited now, almost as if he had a new outlook on life and wondered if anything interesting would happen as a result. Though he still intended to practice the restraint that had been constantly reaffirmed in his mind, Vahn felt far less inclined to act reservedly when he was alone with the girls he cared about. Bar a few exceptions, Vahn was somewhat excited about the coming developments and laid down in his bed with a relatively relaxed state of mind.Though it was still a little early, Vahn was rather exhausted and decided to pitch in early while imagining if anyone would be joining him tonight. Since both Milan and Tina were here, and Hestia was with Hephaestus, Vahn assumed they would probably be sleeping together alongside Fenrir. That being the case, Ryuu would probably stay in her own room for the time being unless anything changed between now and the morning.As expected, Vahn could detect the auras of the three girls while Ryuu had already laid down in her own bed, which was located two rooms away from the master bedroom. Though Milan told the two girls to be quiet so Vahn could rest, Fenrir flopped her ears and said, "Vahn always awake when people around." Disregarding Milan's caution, Fenrir walked over to the bed before wiggling out of her maid outfit with practiced movements. Though she still needed help getting dressed, Fenrir had taken to trying to remove her clothing without help.Because she always wore her combat attire under her clothes, Fenrir was still decent and climbed into bed as Vahn reached out his hands and scratched her ears a bit. Milan noticed that Vahn was also awake and sat on the side of the bed with a thoughtful expression as Tina unashamedly climbed into the bed and snuggled next to Vahn without inhibitions. Milan saw her daughter and laughed before following behind and laying on the opposite side of Tina. After binding Fenrir's hands and affectionately stroking the three girls for a bit, Vahn went to sleep accompanied by the warmth generated by the girls around him.Though it wasn't necessary, Vahn still awoke at 5 AM and stared at the roof for a little as Fenrir inched over to him and placed her chin on Vahn's chest and stared up at his face. Since she had been 'protecting' him when he was in the orb, Fenrir was accustomed to waking up at the same time as Vahn. Feeling her concern, Vahn reached out his hand and used [Hands of Nirvana] to comb through her hair with his fingers. Instead of going to the dungeon today, Fenrir was going to spend some time with Milan and Tina who were helping her learn to read. Though Hestia had taken to the task at first, she wasn't the greatest teacher and didn't have any experience dealing with 'children' like Milan.Vahn could see the auras from the room Hephaestus was staying in moving and knew that both she and Hestia had already awakened. He followed them with his perception and saw them split up at the foyer which made Vahn feel a little sad. Knowing that it was a temporary parting, and that she had preparations to make, Vahn took a slow breath and calmed his mind. Since Hephaestus was often very busy, it wasn't easy for her to clear her schedule for a long period of time so Vahn intended to follow-up later in the day, most likely toward the evening, to see if she needed any help. If he went at his maximum speed, using Shundo, he could get all the way to her workshop within a short four minutes.Eventually, Milan awoke and paused for a few seconds when she saw Vahn before remembering she had stayed over the previous night. After awakening Tina and helping her and Fenrir get dressed, Vahn rubbed each of their ears and gave each of them a kiss on the forehead. Though he had kissed Milan on the lips in the past, Vahn knew she still had inhibitions about any relationship they might have in the future. Since he didn't want to pressure her and just wanted to help take care of them, Vahn didn't act in an untoward manner and just showed gentle affections to the Mother-Daughter pair.After they made their way downstairs. Milan and Tina went to prepare breakfast while Fenrir pulled out an adamantine plate that had the alphabet carved into it. Using her claws, she tried replicating the characters on the nearly indestructible metal as if it was soft wood. Though she struggled quite a bit, Fenrir actually showed a lot of interest in learning. She wanted to be more 'normal' after interacting with other girls and they had each reinforced the idea that she needed a proper education. To make things easier, Vahn had created an Adamantine plate that could be easily regenerated using whetstones since it was classified as a blunt weapon with the addition of a handle on the side.Ruffling her hair a bit, Vahn left the dining room and made his way toward Hestia before frowning deeply and looking toward the front gate. Though he didn't know their purpose, Vahn felt like the arrival of the signatures was related to his instincts from the previous day. It seemed that, every time Vahn felt happy, something bad would always rear its head to create problems for him. After discussing it with Sis, he found out it was actually a property of having high good karma. She claimed that the reason so many heroic tales ended in tragedy was that heroes acquired a lot of good karma which inevitably brought added troubles to them when they least expected it. For better or worse, good and evil were almost irresistibly drawn toward each other in some vain struggle machinated by fate.What made matters worse was, like now, the danger often presented itself in an unexpected fashion. Even though the presences outside show amiability towards him, Vahn knew there would be trouble following in their wake. After shouting for Hestia and sending a mental order for Fenrir to tell the other girls to eat breakfast without them, Vahn made his way to the foyer and opened the door to receive their guests. Hestia, who had just arrived next to him, looked outside and greeted them in a cheerful voice, "The Takemikazuchi Familia~? Welcome to the Hearth Manor!"Takemikazuchi bowed politely and the tall young man behind him followed suit as he greeted, "Good morning Lady Hestia, it is good to see you in such high spirits." Turning his head, Takemikazuchi also bowed politely to Vahn and said, "We meet again, Vahn, it is a pleasure to see you in good health." Though he already knew they had come with a purpose, given their somewhat unstable auras, Vahn still politely greeted the two as he invited them into the study.After settling down, Vahn waved his hand over the table and position a steaming kettle of tea for them to enjoy. Since they were from the Far East, Vahn had set out a somewhat bitter tea called [Ginseng Bara]. Though it was normally a polite gesture, Takemikazuchi frowned before looking at Vahn and closing his eyes as he sighed. Opening his eyes, he spoke in a somewhat troubled tone, "It seems you have seen through the purpose of our visit. The rumors regarding your incredible perception aren't exaggerated in the slightest."Seeing his god troubled, the man introduced as Ouka frowned and a serious look on his face as he glared at Vahn. Compared to Vahn, who was 165cm, Ouka was already more than 180cm tall even though he was currently only fifteen. He had a very muscular build with black hair and green eyes. Though he looked somewhat stoic and serious, apparently Ouka had a temperamental personality as he said in a deep tone that belied his age, "Even if you are a respected member of the Alliance, you are not above paying respects to a god."Vahn didn't respond to Ouka as he turned his gaze back to Takemikazuchi and picked up a cup of tea. Though [Ginseng Bara] was somewhat expensive tea, it was seen as a polite way of asking people to 'not bring trouble' when enjoying the hospitality of others. Coming from the Far East, both Takemikazuchi and Ouka were very aware of the stance Vahn had taken before the discussion even began.As the three 'men' sat in silence, Hestia remained next to Vahn with an entirely unphased expression on her face. Unless things developed in a bad direction, she had long discussed matters with Vahn and allowed him to make decisions that affected their Familia. Even though she was the goddess, there wasn't much she could do besides supporting the children in their Familia, so Hestia had left matters to Vahn as the Captain. The only thing she could tell from the situation so far was that Takemikazuchi hadn't come with good intentions and she had already raised her guard somewhat against the two 'foreign invaders'.The atmosphere in the room remained silent as Takemikazuchi stared down at his steaming cup of tea with a hesitant expression on his face. If he accepted the tea, it was the same as saying he wouldn't trouble Vahn...Taking a deep breath, Take stood from the sofa without touching the tea and Vahn followed him with his eyes as Takemikazuchi gestured to Ouka before kneeling down on the floor and performing the most perfect example of a dogeza Vahn had ever seen. Though Ouka's brow furrowed low, he didn't say anything as he assumed a spot behind Take' and also lowered his head to the floor.Vahn immediately massaged his temples a bit and said, "I will hear you out, but that doesn't mean I am expressing consent and willing to offer my help. Even if we're future allies, the Hestia Familia has no relation with the Takemikazuchi Familia at present. With the probation terms decreed by the Guild, we couldn't interact in any meaningful way even if there was to be cooperation between us."Without raising his head, Takemikazuchi gave a loud affirmation and response, "Ha! As you have likely anticipated, I have come here with the intent of exploiting your heroic disposition and honest personality. Though I know it is wrong to do so, I cannot allow this matter to rest when another window of opportunity may not present itself in the future. Please hear my request and consider it without any bias!" Even though his head was already touching the ground, Take' made an earnest effort to place it even further into the floor.Releasing a sigh, Vahn looked over at Hestia with an apologetic expression before she nodded her head in support. Vahn looked to the two performing a dogeza and said, "Please, though it may not be a standing relationship presently, we are still allies. Though it is not incorrect to bow your head when making a request, you should not behave in a way that may negatively influence your children. Since there is likely to be cooperation between our Familia in the future, I would like us to try and interact in a manner where neither side loses face to the other."Ouka had raised his head and gave Vahn a serious look as Take' showed a grateful expression and lifted his face that had a big red mark on it before sitting on the sofa. As a gesture of friendship, Vahn set out a simple green tea that was often shared with friends and casual acquaintances. This time, Take' took the tea gratefully before he began explaining, not only the purpose of his visit but the purpose of his Familia's migration to Orario from the Far East...Actual Title: Karma is a Bitch(A/N: Since some people might freak out, just know that this doesn't interfere with planned events (O,...,O). Stay tuned, there will be another chapter coming out soon that will clarify things.)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fenrir is adorable','Fate of a Hero','The ultimate technique when making a request')I am currently at $749/1200 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 242: [Spoilers : Title at End]