Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Now that he had left the Hostess of Fertility, Vahn didn't actually know what he should be doing. There was no work to do, no girls to spend time with, and no objectives for him to currently complete. For the first time a while, Vahn had 'real' free time and he didn't know how to spend it. The girls would probably be at their meeting for a few more hours, and probably even eat dinner together, so he had the majority of the afternoon to himself. He was half expecting, now that things were calm, for something to happen that would change the relative peace he was enjoying. Since he didn't have any control over the actions of others, the only thing he could do was simply avoid looking for trouble himself.Though he had the urge to 'walk around' and enjoy the City, Vahn felt like it was a 'flag' that would trigger an event to happen that would once again increase the burden on his shoulders. Even going into the dungeon seemed like he would stumble across someone that needed help, or he would somehow run across the expedition and meet Tsubaki, Naaza, Lili, and Nanu. He was somewhat interested in putting his theory to the test, especially since he wanted to replenish his diminishing Origin Point reserves. The girls were allowed to keep the magic cores of the monsters they hunted during the training, and they would exchange them for points and Valis when they returned to the Manor. This meant that Vahn hadn't really been gaining any OP to replenish his supply, and he was afraid it would become a problem if he didn't address it soon.Vahn had several ways to make OP, but the most effective method would inarguably be to slay monsters. It was also the only way for him to grow stronger, but it was dangerous to venture into the deeper floors alone, even with his powerful abilities. He could use the [Seal of the Challenger] and stay on the upper floors, but it likely wouldn't make a big difference since he didn't really get hit at all. Simply 'not fighting back' wouldn't really get around that problem, since the biggest factor to growth was the person's mental state. Vahn needed to experience real threats, not artificially created ones...Though he was 'lost in thought', Vahn still maintained awareness of his surroundings, and he saw a kid in an alleyway getting bullied by another group of children. Based on their clothing, they all looked like orphans and they were currently trying to steal the small roll of bread that was being clutched by the small child in a death grip as the curled up on the ground. Even though it was nearly freezing outside, the children only had cloths wrapped around their feet, and Vahn saw several cuts and bruises all over their bodies. Everyone around pretty much ignored the scene as if it were perfectly normal so Vahn released a sigh as he walked over.Seeing Vahn approach, the three 'bullies' gave him a discontented look before trying to kick the kid on the ground and run off. Vahn completely locked down their movements and they each froze mid-motion with expressions of abject terror on their faces. Though he hadn't noticed at first, Vahn could tell the children looked slightly more mature than normal, and he quickly understood that all four of them were actually Pallums. When he approached, he had a contemplative look on his face as he observed the four and said, "Explain what is going on..."The Pallum boy that was being beaten previously look up with a hesitant expression after seeing the three people surrounding him standing like statues. He swallowed his saliva and said, "I...I was just...trying to eat my bread...they wanted to take it from me." Vahn shook his head as he released one of the bullies and asked, "Why do you want to take his food?" The bully's mouth quivered a bit as they said, "We're hungry...it isn't fair that he gets to eat while we have to starve..." Vahn squinted his eyes and asked, "But it's 'fair' to gang up on him and try to take what isn't your's?"Hearing Vahn's question, the boy fell onto his butt with fear in his eyes as he stuttered, "I-I-I-I..." Vahn shooked his head before infusing [Heart of the Eternal Flame] into his domain to warm up the air around them. He also slowly began to heal their wounds as he pulled out a few dishes of food and some rations that were used in the dungeon. The children all swallowed when they saw the sudden appearance of sumptuous meals out of thin air. Vahn released his restraint on the other two bullies and they all looked at him with trepidation and a hint of expectation.Vahn passed his gaze over them and explained in a patient tone, "Life is not always fair...sometimes it is very hard, and it seems like things will never get better. This will always be the truth unless you can work together...hurting others just increases the amount of pain and hatred within the cycle of life. You might hurt him now, but that pain will breed resentment...depending on how things develop, the people you hurt might go to drastic lengths to make sure you suffer just as they did. It's better to work together, that way you can help ensure each other's happiness..."Each of the four boys looked at him with conflict on their faces and it made Vahn shake his head before he asked, "Tell me, how old are you, how long have you known each other, where are your families?" He turned his attention to each boy, one by one, and they stated, "I'm 8...I've known Todd and Marty for three years...they are my friends...and my family." Vahn nodded his head and the next boy said, "I'm 8 as well, and I've known Sean and Marty for three years...we grew up together." The last of the bullies continued after Todd finished, "I'm 7, and I've been with Todd and Sean for the last three years...I don't remember my family..."After the bullies were finished, the final Pallum child said, "I'm Sardyr...I'm 10 years old...and I've seen these boys a lot...they bully me because I am alone..." There was a deep resentment in the boy's eyes that made the other three boys frown. Before they said anything, Vahn released a light pulse of energy and they held their words as he said, "So you do understand that things are easier when you work together...right?" The three bullies looked at each other before nodding their heads in affirmation. Vahn asked, "So, if Sardyr ended up hurting one of you in the future, what would you do?"The 'leader' of the bullies, Sean, immediately said, "I would beat him up, black and blue!" Vahn frowned and asked, "Is that 'fair'?" The boy backed down a bit before muttering, "Yes...he hurt my friend..." Vahn shook his head and asked, "But he only did that because you hurt him...isn't that his right to take action? Why is it 'fair' for you to hurt him, but not fair for him to hurt you?" The boys couldn't answer his question, so Vahn continued, "See, this is what I mean...you create a cycle of hatred based on your own justifications...your own bias...and it doesn't make anyone happy. For a temporary reprieve, you take from others, but the only thing you're doing is inviting unhappiness in the future. If Sardyr left, who would you steal from? Would you just move on to someone else? What happens if you steal from a lot of people and they all team up to get revenge?"Vahn saw a 'cruel' glint pass through the eyes of Sardyr and he squinted his eyes and said, "Will taking revenge make you happy? Does it return to you the things you've lost? Would you truly be able to trust the people that banded together to bring harm to others? What happens when they turn their backs on you and hurt you as well?" Unable to answer his question, Sardyr just frowned with a conflicted expression on his face. Vahn looked over the four kids for several long seconds and said, "The only thing that can guarantee your happiness is strength...not just physical, or magical, might...but strength of character...and the strong bonds that tie you together as friends...even family. Instead of weakening yourselves and suppressing others, you should continue to grow stronger, together, so that you can protect the things you care about."Holding out the dishes, Vahn said, "I give you a simple choice...reconcile your differences and I will allow you to eat this food. Though I won't be around to enforce that you get along, I will trust that you remember the lesson I have taught you today. If we meet again in the future, and I see that you have created better lives for yourselves, I will make sure to reward you for your efforts. Know that, as long as you make the effort to change, life will get easier...even if you don't plan for it, the future will always come...so do your best to make sure it is a bright one, and not one surrounded by pain and hatred. Be better than the life you have been forced into..."Though they may not have taken his words to heart, the four boys at least put on a show of 'making up' with each other. They each shook hands and apologized for everything that had happened before Vahn allowed them to eat the food. When they finally got to dig into the dishes, the boys ate ravenously and Vahn explained the contents of the satchels he gave each of them. Though it wasn't 'pleasant', each one contained enough field rations for an adult that would last an entire week. Vahn told them that, he wouldn't always stop by, but he would occasionally appear in this area in the future. If he saw they were making an earnest effort to build a better life for themselves, he would give them more food and even other necessities. Vahn knew he couldn't 'adopt' every orphan he saw on the street, so the best he could do was provide them some moral guidance and hope they pursue the change that would better their lives.Before he left, Vahn gave each of the kids 1,000Valis, which was enough to actually seek temporary shelter, or to purchase things like shoes. He couldn't give them more, because it would make them a target by other homeless people and older orphans. Since they'd been orphans for several years, they had enough street smarts to not flaunt their 'wealth'. It also incentivized them to work together, because any one of them could 'betray' the others if there were hard feelings between them. Though it was small, they now had a small amount of wealth they needed to protect, and the only people they could rely on was each other.After leaving the alleyway, Vahn continued on in silence for a bit as he wondered if it were possible to do something more meaningful for people in the same situation as the children. He knew that it wasn't actually a solution to just give them everything since it would only cause disreputable people to exploit them for further gain. There was simply no infrastructure in place to deal with the homeless, provide for orphans, and prevent criminals, or disreputable adults, from exploiting their situation. No amount of money could fix the problem, because it would just be used to strengthen the 'power' of those that exploit others and eventually escalate matters unless someone took action to stop it. However, even if he eliminated every 'evil' person, there was a very real chance someone amongst the orphans themselves would 'rise up' and replace that person once they got a taste of power and authority. It was a never-ending cycle, and the only permanent solution seemed to be education and setting a proper example...only by putting in an effort to change their own situation could people truly overcome their trials and move on with life.With that thought in mind, Vahn turned his attention to the system for a moment and saw the perpetual 99 Affection of Lili and knew she was still someone that hadn't been able to move on from her tragic past. Though she was putting in an exorbitant amount of effort, she hadn't taken many actions to correct her mental state and she was still overly reliant on other people to function. Vahn didn't know what he could do to help her since the only person that could truly change her mentality was Lili herself. Even if he went to the Soma Familia and forced them to 'repent' for their past actions, there was no guarantee it would help her. The alcohol production Familia was already under pressure from the Guild and was being forced to change their ways after the various illegal dealings they were involved with were exposed. Lili didn't even have to do anything, and the Soma Familia would be forcibly corrected over time while anyone that had committed a crime would face their due punishments.Vahn shook his head and knew that the only thing he could do was continue working hard to live by example. The girls on the network would always look after her, and when she eventually joined his Familia in the future, Vahn knew she would probably begin to stabilize. If nothing else, the best solution to Lili's problem was simply time. The stronger, and more confident, she became, the happier she would be. Once she opened up to others, a lot of the things that caused her pain in the past would slowly fade away. Vahn actually believed that girls like Preasia, Haruhime, and even Fenrir, would be very therapeutic for her. Other than Naaza and Tina, Lili didn't have many actual friends.For the rest of the afternoon, Vahn ruminated over a few matters before psyching himself up when he detected the arrival of the girls. He believed that most of the solutions to his problems would be found through the network, and he placed a lot of trust in the capable women that ran it. His primary focus should be doing his best to develop, not only his own strength, but the strength of the Hestia Familia itself. Everything else would be dealt with after consulting with everyone, unless it was a matter that could only be dealt with by Vahn personally, such as something like a quest.When he went downstairs, Vahn greeted all the girls that had just arrived which included Hestia, Aki, Ryuu, Fenrir, Haruhime, Mikoto, Emiru, Maemi, Preasia, Milan, Tina, Shizuna, and surprisingly, Loki. The moment he saw the red-headed goddess, Vahn paused for a bit as a small amount of expectation took root inside of him. She immediately noticed his reaction and playfully stuck out her tongue before saying, "There are a few things we need to talk about~. It might take a while, so how about we use your bedroom~?"Vahn swallowed a bit before he turned his attention to Hestia and saw her release a small sigh before saying, "I'll be expecting you to make it up to me later..." Without saying anything else, she walked off with the majority of the other girls, including Ryuu. The only ones that stayed behind were Loki and Aki, who looked to Vahn and asked, "Do you want me to come along?" Vahn could see her aura flared up a bit with a pink hue, but he shook his head and said, "No, I think I need to 'talk' to Loki in private for once..." Aki nodded her head before her tail flickered about and she whispered, "I'll be next door if you need me..." After her words fell, Aki gave Vahn a quick hug before making her way upstairs ahead of them. Vahn turned his attention back to Loki and saw a large grin on her face before he too smiled. Just as she was about to make a comment, Vahn moved directly next to her with Shundo and picked up her body in a princess carry and said, "I wonder what we'll talk about~? It must be very important..."Loki had opened her eyes in a rather surprised expression for a moment before she gingerly hung her arms around Vahn's neck and whispered, "I can't help but feel like it's the most important thing in the whole world..." Vahn nodded his head and, with a gentle smile on his face, whispered in return, "Then I guess we shouldn't idle about here in the foyer..." As soon as his words finished, Vahn appeared at the landing between the first and second floor which shocked Loki a bit as a curious expression appeared on her face. She playfully said, "Ara~? A little 'fast', aren't you~?" In response, Vahn used several Shundo to appear at the third-floor corridor before he said, "Hmm, I feel like I can turn the tables and make you 'faster' though~?" As he spoke, a mild electrical sensation appeared on Vahn's fingertips that made Loki's body shake a little. She opened her red eyes and said in a hot voice, "You little brat...let's talk."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fenrir eat bully~?','Break the cycle','Loki came to talk, but Vahn wants her to sing')If you'd like to support me as a writer so I can write even more stories in the future, please follow the ******* link below (O,...,O)~! Stay beautiful &lt;3. Since it was requested, I also added a Paypal link if that is preferable~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After Vahn finished confirming the total number of attendees five times, his casual smile turned into a somewhat wry one as he walked forward and said, "I-It's good to see everyone together like this...hahaha." In response to his awkward greeting, all of the girls present gave a variation of their own, though decidedly more chipper and affectionate than what he had managed. They had the 'numerical' advantage, so the pressure on them was a lot less than what Vahn himself was experiencing. Fortunately, there were a few girls that stepped forward to ease the tensions for Vahn, including Hephaestus, Eina, and Hestia. He shared an embrace with the three lovable girls, which also included a brief kiss, even with slightly blushing Eina.Vahn felt a lot calmer after parting with the three girls and wasn't as affected when Loki asked with a mischevious smile on her face, "Surprised by the hole you dug for yourself~?" Vahn shook his head and, with a fresh smile on his face, said, "Just a little overwhelmed honestly...I imagine any guy would probably pause after seeing so many beautiful girls in one place." Though it was a simple compliment, Vahn could feel the auras of almost everyone in the room stabilize and take on various warm colors, including a few vibrant yellows, sky blues, and pinks. One of the reasons he had been 'overwhelmed' at first, was because the auras of the girls had been overlapping with each other, almost like they had become part of a greater whole and it was somewhat intimidating to see the chaotic state of the room when he first entered.After exchanging greetings with everyone present, Loki took the initiative again and said, "Okay, we'll be eating a light lunch and enjoying a few snacks for the next two hours or so. This is the time that has been allocated to Vahn, so please pay close attention and try not to interrupt unless its an important matter~! As everyone has noticed, we outnumber him a little, kekekeke~." Piggybacking off of her words, Hephaestus nodded and said, "We originally got together like this for Vahn's benefit, so it's important we take into consideration his will on matters. Understanding and communication, just like what we have on the network, is important for everyone's shared happiness."Vahn gave a grateful smile to the two goddesses before turning his attention to the larger group with a little more confidence. He noticed that, with few exceptions, every girl present was paying attention to his presence and waiting for his words with small smiles on their faces. Because he was going to be addressing them all, he was standing in the area where Hephaestus had been sitting previously as she moved off to the side to watch him from the front. Vahn took a deep breath before clearing the area around him and dropping to his knees in a smooth motion. Before the girls reacted to his unexpected behavior, Vahn placed his hands on the ground before pressing his forehead to the floor and saying, "First off, even if it may not be necessary, I want to apologize to everyone here!"More than a few girls wanted to rise and have Vahn stand, but they were still following the advice of Loki and Hephaestus and just worried bit their lips instead of saying anything. Vahn kept his head bowed low as he continued, "I know how abnormal this situation is...even if everyone is okay with it, I know I'm not enough to guarantee that everyone here will always be happy. I will do my best to meet everyone's expectations, but I am only one person...I can't bear such a great burden all the time, so please forgive me." After his words fell for a few seconds, Vahn raised his head and passed his gaze over everyone present as he said, "I won't lie...I am truly grateful for the affections everyone has for me...and...I can't help but want to be with everyone based on my own curiosity and intrigue. If it were just acting intimately with people..." Vahn clenched his teeth before an incredibly confident look appeared in his eyes and he said, "I would be able to manage without difficulty."Though his claim was 'bold', Vahn had confidence that, other than maybe Tiona, Tione, and Aisha, he was more than 'capable' of tending to every woman present if necessary. The problem was managing the relationships and making sure everyone was 'happy' in their everyday lives. At this point, Vahn rose to his feet and looked around at the various looks on the girls' faces. Some were confused, but there was a fair number that had mild blushes and slightly expectant looks in their eyes. He nodded his head firmly before continuing, "The problem is, I know that isn't healthy, nor is it the right thing to do given the current situation. The main reason I came here was to let my own stance on the matters be known, since I want to do my best to make sure everyone is able to understand what I'm going through during all of this..."Vahn took a deep breath before saying, "I can't always be around...because of my nature, and the things I want to accomplish in this life, I can't guarantee I will be able to stay with everyone as much as I'd like to...as much as some of you might need me to. There will be times when I may even be gone for several months, and there is also a very real possibility that I could die to any number of unknown circumstances...because of that, I can't easily involve myself with anyone that isn't independent or capable of living without my presence. Though I will always do my best to protect everyone, it puts me under a great deal of mental and physical duress when I try to manage my life around the lives of others..."A somewhat pained look appeared on Vahn's face as he said, "I'm just...not strong enough. And I know things will only get more difficult in the future...so I ask that, if by some chance you find it in your heart to care for me...if you make the decision to honor me with your affections...you also have the expectation that, at any moment, I may not be able to be there when you need me. I want everyone to be self-reliant, especially when I have to take into consideration the matter of having children in the future. This network...I'm positive that, if I wasn't fortunate enough to meet with Hephaestus and Eina, things wouldn't have progressed so smoothly..."Vahn briefly made eye contact with everyone in the room as he spoke before saying, "Because I am compelled to follow the path I've chosen for myself, I want everyone to have their own convictions, their own path, something that they've decided to dedicate themselves to in order to become happy...and that can't be me alone. I can't bear the burden of so many people having placed their expectations, their happiness, their burdens, all on my shoulders. And the simple truth is, I would do my best to bear it regardless of how much pain it caused me...until I eventually broke and made a mistake. If that happened, and it most likely would at some point, I'm not sure if I'd ever be able to recover from it..."Though he didn't kneel down, Vahn bowed to everyone present and said, "I know...I know what I'm saying is selfish...because I should be grateful that so many beautiful, kind, and capable women...that you've deemed me worthy of your affections. But, I have to think about the worst-case scenario...I have to take into consideration my own nature, my own desires, my own interests. If I deny them, I feel like I will lose my way...so please understand my standpoint...and do what you think is best for your own happiness. No matter how much it pains me, I will always support your decisions and do my best to guarantee you able to obtain what you seek...even if it is a path that diverges from my own...I just want everyone to be happy, and not reliant on me...even though I also will do my best to make myself reliable so that you are never in danger..."The atmosphere within the Hostess of Fertility had almost grown eerily quiet, but Vahn actually felt a bit of relief since he could see that none of the girls present seemed to show any enmity toward him. Though some had fluctuations in their auras, none of them showed any negative emotions in regards to his words, and there were even a number of girls that had very loving expressions on their faces. Hephaestus was chief amongst them, but Eina, Aki, and even Syr, were both looking at him with gentle expressions with a hint of concern in their eyes. Chloe had a resolute expression and even girls like Tiona and Ais had kind smiles on their faces.After a brief period of silence, Loki was the one to ask, "So, if you had to put forth any regulations of your own, what would they be?" Vahn ruminated over her words for a bit before saying, "Unless I feel like they have stabilized, I don't want to be romantically involved with any girl under Level 3...I also don't want too many girls to get pregnant at the same time...and..." Vahn swallowed a 'knot' that had found its way in his throat before he muttered in an awkward manner, "I want to...be able to...ummm...talk about the things I...want to try...on the network..." Even though he had mentally prepared himself, Vahn couldn't help but blush when he talked about something so 'deviant'. He couldn't deny it, that he himself had a very strong interest in girls, so he wanted them to be aware of it and, for those that were interested, Vahn wanted to be able to communicate with them and try out the things he was interested in.Though not everyone understood at first, it wasn't long before the entire room, excluding Fenrir, understood what Vahn was trying to say. Loki herself burst out into laughter as she eyed the various reactions of the girls within the room. She wasn't the only one, as there were a number of women present that were also exchanging glances with others within the room, especially Syr, who had a mild blush on her face and a slight glimmer in her light grey eyes. Vahn was also gauging everyone's reactions and had seen several auras within the group flare up with a stronger touch of pink, while others were practically blazing about, especially Hestia, Tiona, Ais, and even Tione and Aisha.Loki finally stopped laughing and gave a cursory glance over everyone before she asked in a playful tone, "Anything else~?" Vahn nodded his head and said, "I want to be a good father...so I'd like to be involved in raising my children when the time comes. Though I will probably be in the dungeon a lot, I'd like to be able to spend time with them whenever I can..." Loki waved her hand dismissively and said, "You don't really have to worry about that, since we weren't going to let any of your kids out of sight anyways. As long as you want to meet them, I don't imagine there is a girl present who would even try to stop you...anything else?"Vahn shook his head and a somewhat wry smile appeared on his face as he explained, "I honestly don't have enough experience with life to even know what I want to do right now...I'm just doing my best based on my understanding of the situation, so I've probably overlooked several things. Please, if possible, always be honest with me so I'll be able to increase my own experience and make more informed decisions in the future. I'm not sure how many times meetings like this will happen...but I'd like to be present for some of them, even if I'm not around for the full duration."As he was speaking, Vahn remembered a matter, so he tacked it on and said, "Oh, I want to make a network of my own as well, one with just guys. I stayed over at Welf's last night, and I feel like it was theraputic in a way...also, umm...I wanted to bring up something about that as well...?" Vahn scratched the back of his head as he looked around before saying, "Umm, I'm actually not...that sure about how to...appeal to girls...and I wanted to help Welf find a partner as well." Since there were currently twenty-eight girls that had all gathered for his benefit, Vahn felt it was strange to say he didn't actually know how to appeal with girls.Surprisingly, several girls nodded their heads as if they were agreeing with him before Hephaestus said, "Yeah...Welf would probably have a lot of trouble with women, and I can't imagine you would be able to help him out with it given your personality. I know he had a crush on me, and it's pretty apparent he had a crush on Tsubaki as well..." Even though he hadn't explained anything, Hephaestus had known Welf for years and even Loki added in after hearing her words, "So he is the type that likes older women, probably ones with big boobs and stuff..." She had a somewhat annoyed look on her face as she stared at girls like Hestia and Mona out of the corner of her eye.Vahn felt a little guilty with how the girls were reacting to Welf, and he almost regretted bringing it up when there was so many present. Everyone had started discussing the matter, even though the majority of the girls had never even met him. Vahn felt like he needed to defend his friend a bit, so he said, "Welf might not be that capable now, but he has a lot of potential and is actually a great guy. As long as he has proper guidance, I believe he would be able to become a better blacksmith, as well as a capable adventurer in the future. The research he is working on it something that will revolutionize magical items, and it's something that is worth investing in while helping nurture his growth..."Hephaestus nodded her head in agreement as she said, "Vahn didn't mention it, but his full name is Welf Crozzo. He bears the rare skill [Crozzo Magic Blood] and can create devastating weapons that would change the tide of almost any battle. He has a bit of a trauma since his family's reputation is somewhat disreputable, but he has been working incredibly hard to change that reputation through his own efforts. I agree with Vahn that he will likely be an incredibly capable person in the next ten years." Loki nodded her head next and said, "Especially if he is Vahn's friend, it's almost guaranteed he'll have a fair amount of success...so the real matter is finding a girl that can look after him so he doesn't break from associating with Vahn. I imagine he is probably very jealous, especially considering you're very near each other in age..."Aisha, the person that Vahn had originally wanted to talk to about the matter, had been listening to the conversation and said, "There are a number of Amazon girls that are looking for long-term partners...do you know if he has anything against non-human relations?" Vahn shook his head quickly and explained, "No, he seems to just like strong girls with big breasts and plump butts..." Though he said the words 'casually', Vahn felt a little embarrassed to broach the subject of someone else's preferences. Aisha's smile turned somewhat sensual as she squinted her eyes and said, "Well, I know more than a few girls that would look out for him...if he is serious about growing stronger, they'll even protect him, especially if he has the support of people like you and Hephaestus-sama."Though she seemed to throw out the idea as a joke, based on how she was cackling, Loki said, "If he will one day be as capable as Vahn claims, it might even be better if you send multiple girls to him at once. I'm sure it'll help stroke his ego a bit and give him the encouragement to grow stronger, kekeke~." As if seriously considering the matter, Aisha nodded her head and said, "I know at least five girls that are Level 3 and know how to deal with younger men well. They're all pretty young as well, so they'll be more than willing to wait a few years for him to actually become more capable..."Hearing Aisha's words, Vahn imagined Welf being surrounded by a group of exotic, brown-skinned, Amazon beauties and pictured the red-haired youth having a silly smile on his face. For a brief moment, Vahn wanted to slap his image of Welf silly and he finally understood why so many men gave him looks of envy. After shaking the image from his mind, Vahn looked over towards Tiona, Tione, and Aisha before swallowing a fair amount of saliva when he saw the somewhat 'hungry' looks in their eyes. To make matters worse, Ais had a similar look and Vahn could see a competitive fire burning deep within her pupils. Since he was unable to control his expression when he let his mind wander the girls close to him, and those with experience, were easily able to discern what he was thinking about.Vahn had a somewhat bashful smile on his face as he scanned over the group of girls and saw everyone's expressions. Even when they were talking to each other, everyone was focused on him, so he felt quite a bit of pressure seeing how they reacted to his words and actions...Eventually, the lunch period came to an end and Vahn left the Hostess of Fertility to let the girls discuss the matters he had brought up amongst themselves. Given their initial reactions, Vahn felt like things should go well since there didn't seem to be any negative responses from the core of the group. Though some of the lesser involved girls might distance themselves from him, Vahn believed that things would take a turn in a positive direction for him in the future. It was impossible for him to balance everything on his own, but Vahn knew the girls that were leading the discussion were capable of managing things due to their influence and experience. Especially with girls like Hephaestus, Eina, Loki, and Syr amongst their numbers. Though Hestia was also 'influential' in his life, Vahn naturally excluded her because he knew she would likely never be able to overcome her own bias for the other girls within the group. He left the matters for the more mature, and highly capable, women in his life...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Everything starts from an apology','Vahn's Resolution','RIP Welf')(A/N: Hope everyone is enjoying the sixth-ranked original novel TT___TT. Still can't believe we keep getting overtaken by a wish-fulfillment novel for women.)If you'd like to support me as a writer so I can write even more stories in the future, please follow the ******* link below (O,...,O)~! Stay beautiful &lt;3. Since it was requested, I also added a Paypal link if that is preferable~!)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 323: Cycle