Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn awoke the next morning, slightly before 5 AM, which had given him slightly more than seven hours of sleep. He typically didn't require that much, but it was nice to sleep in every now and then. Though he could have slept in even longer, since there wasn't anything planned for today, Vahn had been curious about certain matters so he pulled out the blue logbook, which he decided to call the Status Log and the green logbook which he decided to call the Secret Log. The red logbook was just the standard type, so it didn't have any special moniker, at least for the moment.Though he was more curious about the Status Log, Vahn decided to look through the Secret Log first to see if any of the girls had sent him private messages. He noticed there were a few things, but also that most of the messages didn't include who sent them. There were just a few sentences talking about various hopes and dreams, including desires like going on more dates and planning more events for everyone to get together at. The thing that caught his eye the most was a message that said, 'Whenever you can free up a good block of time, please let me know. -Syr'. Vahn was curious and wondered what she had in mind that would take up a long period of time...Since it seemed like something that required proper planning, Vahn decided it would have to be on the upcoming weekend, or it would have to wait until after the Denatus, Monster Feria, and his rapidly approaching wedding. After thinking for a while, Vahn pulled out his own scroll and was preparing to write until he decided that it would probably be more appropriate to tell her in person, or to pass the message through a method other than the network. Since she sent the message in secret, Syr might want to keep the matter outside of the limelight for the time being.Vahn decided he would just pass the message to Syr later when he went to visit the Hostess of Fertility. His other options were to let Fafnir pass the message for him, or to ask Ryuu to deliver the message when she returned. Since it was the weekend, she would be working there to help out later in the day. That decided, Vahn set aside the scroll and perused the last few private messages until he came across one that said, 'I want to go on a walk with Master again. -Anubis'. Vahn recalled the events of a few days ago and a small smile appeared on his face as he set aside the Secret Log. Anubis was one of the girls that he had a 'unique' relationship with, and Vahn couldn't deny he enjoyed her care when they had lived together for a time. If not for her 'deviancy', she would be very similar to Eina in how attentive she is to his needs. Her only problem is her lack of awareness and general perception since she always seems to be focused on other matters.When Vahn picked up the Status Log, he hesitated a bit as a giddy feeling welled up inside his chest. He knew that, for the girls to add their names to the log, it showed that they were 'interested' in being with him. If he reached out to them, and they weren't busy, there was a good chance he could advance their relationship further. It was actually a pretty terrifying realization because Vahn suddenly felt like he had a lot more power and control over things. He showed inhibitions before, because he knew he wouldn't be able to manage so many things on his own. Now that the girls were aware of that, the fact they still put their names forth showed that they were at least willing to work through the potential struggles. Though some of them, as was mentioned by Loki and Aki, might have given into the momentum of the group, it would still strengthen the unity of the group if things were managed properly.After taking a deep breath, Vahn opened the log and noticed that a lot of the information had been updated since the previous night. He could see the names and 'current status' of various girls and it made his hands shake with the book in his hand...-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Status Log](A/N: Notice that this isn't read through the system, at least for now kappa.)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hephaestus: Busy: Available on request...Eina: Busy: Contact in advance...Loki: Free: My body is always ready...Syr: Free: I'd like to spend more time together...Tiona: Free: Please let me know if you want to do anything!Ryuu: Free: Please consider Syr first...Ais: Free: I like spending time with you...Aki: Free: I'll do my best if you need me...Chloe: Free: I heard Aki marked your shoulder~? Anyways, talk to Syr!Arnya: Free: I don't know if I'm ready, but I will do my best! Also, you should talk to Syr...Tione: Free: I'm not allowed to meet you unless there are several others present...Aisha: Busy: Just let me know, I'll come running if you need me...Lunoire: Free: I don't really know what to put here...you should spend more time with Syr...Anubis: Free: Please call me if you ever need me, Master...Lefiya: Free: I'd like to spend more time with Ais...Riveria: Busy: I'd like to talk about your skills and abilities...Tsubaki: Busy: Dungeon ExpeditionNaaza: Busy: Dungeon ExpeditionLili: Busy: Dungeon ExpeditionNanu: Busy: Dungeon Expedition-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Other than the girls that looked like they were added on at the end, probably by Hephaestus, everyone else was either someone he was close to, or someone that met the 'conditions' he mentioned during the 'Vahnatus'. Other than Lili, who was a special exception, everyone else was Level 3, or they were a capable woman or goddess. Now he could see their 'availability', which they could update at any time, as well as a small excerpt of how they were feeling. The words were updated by the girls themselves, so Vahn was able to make a few guesses about their intentions just by reading the words. Seeing Loki's comment made him laugh a bit, while seeing Chloe's made him strangely nervous.One thing that was very apparent was that every girl, with the exceptions of Milan, Tina, Shizune, and Mona, at the Hostess of Fertility showed themselves as 'Free', but they also all asked him to talk to Syr. Vahn knew she was the 'core' of the group, but it was still a little strange to see other girls advocating for her within the logbook. With the message he had gotten from her in the Secret Log, Vahn thought she might be up to something and it made him a little nervous since it seemed the other girls had an idea of what it might be. It was either that, or they had discussed things with Syr and had decided to help support her, even though Vahn had already opened himself up to her a little...Vahn knew that Syr put in a lot of effort to try and appeal to him without being too pushy and he had never really done much for her besides sharing the occasional embrace and that one night of kissing. They had been on several outings together since she would often accompany other girls, but Syr always promoted the other girls more than herself. On their 'outings', Syr always played a support role and spent the majority of the time making polite conversation and trying to get Vahn to compliment the other girl more. He knew she was making the other girls more receptive to him, while also weakening his resistances in her own way...now that their relationship had become less ambiguous, he needed to take some initiative and probably reach out to her more often.For nearly twenty minutes, Vahn considered what actions he should take and how he should spend the rest of his day. Though he could easily reach out to any of the girls, even during the weekdays, the majority of his time with them was compressed into the weekends when he wasn't in the dungeon. Now that he knew their 'availability', and had a direct line of communication with them, Vahn was actually in a more precarious situation than before. Though he felt very powerful and unrestrained at first, he now felt like he needed to consider things properly or it could cause problems in the future. He could choose to spend time with one girl, or several girls, depending on how things played out since they would all see his messages on the network unless he went to them personally...Vahn was in a bit of a dilemma because a part of him actually wanted to just reach out to any that he pleased and just play to the situation as best he could. Though he hadn't been using any of the [Hearts Desire]s that he accumulated, Vahn was very curious about getting each respective person to 100 Affection, just so he could acquire a boost to his OP, skills, and potentially obtain unique items that could completely change the situation and turn it on its head. The [Matryoshka of Fertillity] and the [Virgin's Promise] were two fate-altering items depending on how they were used. Vahn really wanted a way to be able to obtain similar items, since they were inarguably some of the most useful things he had ever gotten through the system and they were only obtainable as rewards.Before the girls made themselves 'available', Vahn was about to rationalize not getting close to them because of basic propriety and restraint. Now he was in a situation where it was blatantly aware they were interested, and they even had support from the network itself to move forward. Vahn suddenly lost his 'excuse' and was the only person that could make the decision to proceed based on his own desires and convictions. He had never expected that making things more transparent actually made the decision more difficult to make...After a few more minutes, Vahn pictured each girl within his mind in sequence, including everything he knew about their nature, personalities, and disposition. He eventually shook his head and sighed through his nose before deciding that there was no correct answer. The only thing he could do was what he thought was best at the moment and hope things worked out. Since the network was somewhat unified, he had to trust that his oversights would be taken care of by the people he had entrusted himself to. As long as he didn't go out of his way to conceal things, there were literally dozens of people that would be able, and willing, to offer him advice on matters of the heart, mind, and life itself.Vahn stowed the logbooks into his inventory along with his scroll of communication. It wasn't usable in the dungeon, but Vahn thought that was only a temporary thing and wanted to research how it functions in the future and find a solution. He knew there were items for observation and communication that reached into the dungeon, so he figured it would be possible to discover a better method of communication if he put in the effort. For now, however, Vahn decided to try his luck and reach out to Syr. There were so many girls that were pointing him towards her that he wanted to make sure to reach out to her and clarify things just so there aren't problems in the future. It seemed strange if he were to reach out to any of the other girls within the Hostess of Fertility when they were all telling him to tend to Syr at the moment.It was still very early, so Vahn went downstairs to wait for everyone else to wake up and decided to take it upon himself to cook breakfast. A few minutes after he started, both of the twins came out of their room in a hurry without seeming to have had enough time to fix their maid outfits properly. Vahn knew they had probably detected his presence through scent and then smelled that he was cooking breakfast before rushing to prepare themselves. Vahn gave the two girls a smile and said, "It's okay to take a break every now and then, so don't be in such a rush when I'm doing something I chose to do, okay?"The twins nodded together and said, "Yes, Vahn-sama." Then, as if they hadn't actually heard his words, they moved over to the side and began preparing breakfast with him. Vahn shook his head and allowed them to do as they please while focusing on his own preparations. He had decided to make a large number of hash browns with eggs and a few baked goods that he kept in his storage. The twins made rice porridge and a light vegetable soup to compliment the meal and they set it out on the table in containers that retained the warmth of the dishes as everyone slowly streamed down from their rooms. Because of their habits during the weekdays, most of the people within the Manor woke up pretty early and it wasn't long before everyone, with the exception of Hestia, had shown up to eat breakfast.After breakfast finished, Vahn told his plans to the group before leaving alongside Ryuu as they made their way to the Hostess of Fertility. As they were walking along, Vahn mustered up a bit of courage and said, "Ryuu, I saw your status...and I'm going to talk to Syr personally. My question is...umm, what kinds of things are you okay with?" Vahn couldn't help but wince at his own words, because they were very awkward to ask, especially to a taciturn girl like Ryuu. She gave him a sidelong glance and didn't say anything for a long while and Vahn almost thought he had offended her, even though her aura hadn't changed much.When they were beginning to near the Hostess of Fertility, Ryuu finally said, "I don't like public displays of affection...but if it is in private, I'd like to spend more intimate moments together...it's up to you how far you want to go..." Hearing her words, Vahn stared into Ryuu's sky blue eyes for several long seconds before nodding his head and saying, "I'd like to spend more time together with Ryuu as well...you're a beautiful girl, and it's very comfortable to be around you. I'll try to come up with something that we'll both enjoy..." Ryuu nodded her head with a small smile before suddenly saying, "If possible, please consider Syr first...I want to support her as much as I can. She has done a lot for me in the past, and I don't want to feel like I'm betraying her trust for my own selfishness..."Vahn furrowed his brows a bit but stated firmly, "I've decided to be with Syr, but I'm not sure how to progress things. I'll see what she wants me to do and then consider things from there..." Ryuu's smile widened marginally and she said confidently, "I was worried that Syr wouldn't be able to find a man to love, so I'm glad someone like you appeared...in both of our lives. Though the situation is a bit...unexpected, I think it is for the best that things have progressed this way. Syr will be a powerful ally that can help unify the entire group if you give her your trust."The more he heard people advocate for her, the more disconcerted Vahn felt about Syr. He already opened his heart and decided to be with her, so it was a little strange to hear so many people still pushing for her to have more favor in his heart. He could tell they weren't influenced by her charm ability, so it could only be a result of their trust combined with Syr's subtle manipulation. Since her actions often resulted in her helping people, Vahn didn't consider Syr a bad person; it was actually the opposite and he had a lot of respect for her character considering everything she went through in the past. Shaking his head, Vahn showed a wry smile and said, "Don't worry Ryuu, I'll treat Syr well...I just don't want to see others prioritizing her happiness over their own. I'd like everyone to get along well and for our shared happiness to spread amongst the network so that we can all live happier lives..."Ryuu's eyes squinted slightly and her small smile grew marginally larger, but she didn't say anything for the rest of the way until they had arrived outside the Female Dormitory. Before she entered the door, Ryuu gave the surroundings a cursory glance before stepping forward and taking the initiative to give Vahn a light peck on the lips. Her expression loosened quite a bit and she showed a genuine smile for a brief moment as she said, "Vahn, never change...even if you say some silly things, it's better to be optimistic and do your best...I'll also do my best to secure my own happiness." Her words finished, Ryuu gave Vahn one last look before opening the door and proceeding into the dormitory. Moments after she entered the building, Vahn saw the second presence that had been nearby move to intercept Ryuu for a moment before making its way to the door and opening it to reveal the beautiful smiling face of Syr.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'New day, new struggles?','Dangerously Tantalizing Information','Syr's Influence')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

When Syr walked forward, Vahn stepped in as well and smoothly wrapped his hands around her waist before giving her a short kiss. He could feel her aura fluctuate as a pink hue colored her face as if she were very embarrassed. Vahn felt like she was being mischevious lately and wanted to change the momentum a bit so he took the initiative and continued to hold her waist as he said, "I got your message Syr...what did you want to talk about?" Since she was a few centimeters shorter than he was, Syr had to look up into Vahn's face with a pouty expression as she said, "You're being sneaky today..."Vahn laughed at her words which made her blush deepen a bit before he felt a 'painful' pinch at his waist and stopped laughing but couldn't prevent himself from smiling as he said, "I've had a lot of time to think recently and it feels like I'm slowly getting a handle on things. I can't always be waiting for everyone else to take action and hope things go well..." As he spoke, Vahn loosened his grip of Syr's waist and opened a small amount of distance between them so she could regain her composure. Finally freed, Syr patted her chest in relief before giving a sideward glance at Vahn. After a few seconds passed, her normal expression returned and a gentle smile appeared on her face as she asked, "Well, I wonder when you'll have time? I've been thinking about putting together a small event of my own if you're not too busy in the future."Hearing Syr's words, Vahn tilted his head in curiosity and asked, "What kind of event?" A slightly mischevious expression appeared on Syr's face as she covered her mouth and giggled before saying, "It's a seeeecret~! Just make sure you don't have any other plans and that I have a bit of time to prepare things beforehand." Though he knew she was up to something, Vahn was somewhat curious about what she had planned so he said, "Sounds interesting...well, I'm afraid I won't be able to split my time too easily after the Denatus, so I can free up some time next weekend if that's okay with you." Hearing his words, Syr placed her fingertips together as an especially satisfied smile appeared on her face with a strange glimmer passing through her eyes. Seeing Vahn's expression change, she stuck out her tongue playfully and said, "Don't worry, I'll make sure to bring up the matter with Hephaestus and Eina before I finalize anything. For now, make sure you clear up your Saturday. I'll send you the information through the network later~."Vahn nodded his head and began looking forward to the upcoming Saturday with apparent interest on his face. Syr laughed at his behavior before asking casually, "What else do you have planned for today?" Hearing her words, Vahn turned his attention to Syr and could see expectation in her eyes. Other than coming to meet her, he hadn't really planned anything for the remainder of the day and had just planned to return to the Manor and spend some time with Fenrir and the other girls. Since it was still early, there was plenty of time before he needed to head back, so Vahn said, "Well, other than spending some time at home, I didn't have anything planned for today. I was thinking of freeing up some time for work, but I can put it off for the time being."As he spoke, Syr walked a bit closer to him without saying anything as she continued to stare into his face with a hopeful expression. Vahn released a short sigh accompanied by a smile as he asked, "Did you want to go out with me for a bit, Syr? I don't think we've ever really had time to ourselves before." Even though he lacked common sense at times, Vahn wasn't an idiot and Syr's unasked question was putting a bit of pressure on him. He had no doubt she had sent that message earlier with something like this in mind, or she wouldn't have answered the door in casual clothing instead of her waitress outfit.Hearing Vahn ask the question she wanted to hear, Syr's face beamed with a beautiful smile and she said in a cheerful tune, "I'd love to~!" Before he could 'change in mind', Syr walked forward and gave Vahn a quick kiss before she quickly moved back toward the door and said, "I'll be right back, make sure to wait right there! If I don't tell the other girls on the network, they might accuse me of sneaking around behind their backs, fufufufu~." Vahn saw the playful glint in her eyes before she winked and disappeared behind the door leading into the women's dormitory.As he was waiting, Vahn began planning what they should do for their impromptu date. It was too early in the day to visit most stores, and it was still very cold outside, around -2 degrees Celcius. It wasn't exactly the best weather for a date, but Vahn knew he would be able to protect her from the weather easily enough. He decided to leave the decision up to her unless she wanted him to take charge and lead her around. There were several places he had scouted out in preparation for other dates, so he would just have to buy a bit of time before they actually opened up before taking her shopping.After a surprisingly long fifteen minutes, Syr came outside wearing a casual, pale-green dress that went down to her ankles. It was a lot like her waitress outfit, except there was a seam under her breasts before it made a transition into a white, somewhat frilly, cloth that covered her chest and shoulders. Around her neck, she had something similar to a collar on a blouse, except it was just wrapped around her neck with a green ribbon. She wore a pair of brown, designer, boots and had a multi-layer shawl-like scarf wrapped around her shoulders for warmth. Vahn hadn't expected her to change her clothing and realized that her earlier outfit was probably meant to prime him to ask her out on the date from the very beginning.Syr laughed at Vahn's confused expression before saying, "It's pretty cold out, but I don't mind changing back into my earlier outfit if you'd like~?" Vahn shook his head with a smile before extending his arm for Syr to grab as he said, "It's fine, you look beautiful in both outfits Syr." Hearing his compliment, Syr's face beamed with a happy smile as she affectionally wrapped her arm through his and leaned against his body. Though he didn't have a destination in mind yet, Vahn began to walk Syr towards the direction of Babel Plaza before asking, "Is there any place you'd like to go? It might be a little shameless to say, but I hadn't planned anything before I asked you out earlier. Of course, I have a few ideas if there isn't anything that comes to mind..."Turning her head, Syr gave Vahn a thoughtful smile before saying, "There is actually a place I'd like to visit, so I'll have you accompany me there today. Let's see, once we get to the Babel Plaza, we'll go east through the crafting district and warehouses owned by the Hephaestus Familia. Once we get that far, I'll give you directions to our destination...for now, let's just enjoy the atmosphere for a while." As she spoke, Syr hugged Vahn's arm a little tighter and he could feel a soft sensation transmitted to his arm. He blinked his eyes once and matched gazes with Syr as they both smiled at each other before walking a little closer through the biting cold air that couldn't approach within five meters of them.Along the way, Vahn and Syr made polite conversation about their concerns, though the main focus of the conversation was almost exclusively related to his matters. Though she claimed to not want to 'compete' with Eina, Syr mentioned discussing things with Hephaestus, Eina, and Loki about managing Vahn's schedule in the future. She said she didn't plan to 'interfere' in his life, but wanted to help make sure things ran smoother. When Vahn asked why she was willing to go so far, Syr said matter-of-factly, "Because, you accepted me in your heart even after you knew what kind of person I was. In order to make sure I have time for myself, I want to make matters run smoothly for everyone. If you get wrapped up in drama all the time, I won't be able to spend any time with you because you'll be busy with other matters." Vahn noticed that her aura had flared up a bit and he could see the determination in Syr's eyes and heard the conviction held within her voice. He planned to talk with Hephaestus, Eina, and Loki about the matter later, but for now, he nodded his head and thanked Syr for doing so much, not for himself, but for both of them. He knew the importance of stressing 'togetherness' when speaking with some girls, and Syr's smile bloomed when she heard him mention them together.After nearly two hours, they had made their way through several alleyways that Vahn knew to be attached to the somewhat notorious Daedelus Street. He had avoided the district in the past, even though he was curious about the large underground network of tunnels and secret passageways he could detect through his domain. Though he hadn't explored it himself, Vahn knew Daedelus Street was considered a Labyrinth within the City, and he could tell there was much more to its existence than what was seen on the surface. However, though he was interested, Vahn decided to not bother himself with the matters beneath the streets since there were already several important things he needed to take care of. He would just talk about it with the others later and ignore it for the time being unless something forced him to act.Twenty minutes after the entered the core of Daedelus Street, Syr pointed off toward a somewhat decrepit looking church that seemed rather rundown. For a moment, Vahn thought it was actually the church used by the Hestia Familia in the manga, but he could tell it was quite a bit larger than the small church from his memory. Syr saw the strange look in his eyes before pulling him along and explaining, "This church is called Maria's Orphanage, and I like to visit here and help out when I can..." Vahn was surprised that their final destination was an orphanage, and he began to suspect that their current date wasn't a simple matter, but something far more personal.Before they had arrived at the door of the Orphanage, a group of five children burst out of the door wearing clothing far too light for the cold air as they ran over toward Syr. The moment she saw the kids, Syr let go of Vahn's arm as she walked forward to intercept the kids with a gentle smile on her face. She started talking to converse with the children before Vahn walked over and a young chienthrope girl with cream-colored hair asked, "Syr, who is this..." The moment she looked over at Vahn, the chienthrope girl's eyes widened a bit before she yanked on Syr's clothing and asked, "Syr, this boy is so handsome, is he your boyfriend!?"Syr began to laugh as she pat the small girls head and gave Vahn a somewhat sheepish look as she said, "Yes...he is quite handsome, isn't he?" Hearing Syr's words, all of the children had different reactions, especially the somewhat wild looking human boy with brown hair and several cuts covering his face, arms, and legs. He looked like the type that had a carefree and adventurous personality, but he gave Vahn a somewhat mean look for a while before letting out an exasperated sigh. The boy walked over until he stood right in front of Vahn and looked up with a somewhat mature expression and said seriously, "My name is Rye, I'm the eldest here at the Orphanage. If you hurt my big sis, I'll beat you up one day when I become a strong Adventurer!"Vahn gave the small boy an appraising look before reaching out and patting the boys head and ruffling his hair. He said in a confident tone, "I'll always do my best to take care of her, so leave your big sis to me and focus on becoming strong. I'm a pretty capable Adventurer myself, so I'm curious to see how far you can go." Though he was annoyed at having his hair ruffled, the boy's eyes lit up after hearing Vahn say he was an Adventurer and he asked in an excited manner, "Are you really an Adventurer!? Please, teach me what its like!" Their conversation hadn't been private, so the other kids also got a bit excited as they made their way over with Syr.The moment the small chienthrope girl got near Vahn, she had stars in her eyes before tilting her head and looking around. Though nobody had pointed it out yet, she could tell it was a lot warmer near Vahn so she said, "What is this!? It's all warm and fluffy around this boy, could it be the power of love!?" Syr laughed in a cheerful manner while Vahn released an awkward laugh of his own before saying, "Let's go inside first and we'll talk there. I'll tell you everything you want to know, no problem." Hearing Vahn's words, Rye pumped his fist in the air and shouted, "You heard 'im, let's go go go~!" As if recognizing him as their leader, the children followed along with Rye with the exception of the small chienthrope girl. She walked over to Vahn and stared up into his face as if she were looking at an idol and said plainly, "Syr is super lucky to have a handsome boy like you as her boyfriend." Vahn smiled at the small child and reached his hand out to ruffle her hair. She looked to be around 7-8 years old, and Vahn could tell she was a bit of an airhead like Arnya.From the moment Vahn put his hand on her head, the small chienthrope girl made a strange, "Uooooooh~!?" sound before she exclaimed, "It's super warm~! What is this strange feeling, uuuuuuh, it makes my head feel all light and fuzzy~." Syr had been standing at the side and laughed in a mischevious manner before saying, "We should head back before Maria comes grumbling. Why don't you carry little Fina along, I'm sure she'd enjoy that~." Hearing Syr's words, the cream-haired chienthrope girl named Fina reached up her arms and shouted, "Oh, oh, pick me up~!" Vahn gave a helpless smile at the quietly laughing Syr as he picked up Fina and held her loosely using his forearm as support.With her new vantage point, Fina leaned against Vahn's shoulder and began patting his head with her tiny hand as she said, "I will pat you too, pat~! pat~! Ehehehehe~." Vahn smiled at the small girl and followed along next to Syr as they entered into the relatively lukewarm air of the orphanage. The moment they were inside, Vahn compressed his domain around the building and began to warm up the entire interior to make it more comfortable. Other than some simple shoes and sandals, most of the children present were walking around barefoot and Vahn could see multiple scrapes and sores covering their bodies.Not long after they entered the church, a middle-aged looking woman with a somewhat serious, yet strangely kind, face looked over with a subtle smile. She looked to be in her late 50s, and she had raven black hair tied up into a loose bun at the top of her head with a pair of penetrating dark green eyes. Seeing Syr, the woman said in a somewhat husky tone that would have sounded captivating if she were a few years younger, "Welcome back Syr, it's good to see you again...and this is?" Syr smiled beautifully before bowing slightly and saying, "Good morning Maria, I'm happy to see you in good health. This is Vahn Mason, Captain of the Hestia Familia, and my boyfriend~."Hearing Syr's words, Maria gave Vahn an appraising look with a bit of hostility contained deep within her eyes. Vahn felt a little intimidated by the woman, but he bowed his head forward and politely said, "Greetings Ma'am, it is an honor to meet you. I'm sorry for having troubled you without notice, but I came along at the behest of Syr, so please forgive me." Fina, who was still sitting in Vahn's arm laughed playfully as she stroked the top of his head and said, "Maria, Vahn is a good boy~!" The older woman scoffed a bit before saying, "There isn't much good about Adventurers, but you're welcome here whenever you like. If Syr brought you around here, it means you can be trusted so I'll believe in her judgment and not make problems for you. Welcome to my, Maria Martel's, Orphanage."Vahn smiled and bowed politely again as he said, "Thank you, Ms. Martel." In response to Vahn's words, the woman scoffed again before she looked over toward Syr and said, "This boy is a smooth talker, sure you didn't get fooled by him?" Syr began to laugh like a bell without answering Maria's question. Maria squinted her eyes as if she wanted to say something, but the small brown-haired Rye ran over and shouted, "Hey, didn't you say you were going to tell us stories!? Let's go!" Without waiting for his response, Rye grabbed the sleeve of Vahn's tunic and pulled him over to the larger group of children.While he was dealing with the children, Maria walked over the Syr and asked in a low voice, "Syr, why did you bring an Adventurer here? You should know better than anyone that all of these children became orphans after their parents died in the Dungeon..." Syr gave a brief glance at Maria before turning her gaze back to Vahn and saying in a quiet, yet confident, tone, "I believe in him...he has the power to heal people, especially children with traumas. I think he'll be able to help each of the children become more confident and find the happiness they lost..." As if remembering something, Syr leaned over toward Maria and whispered very quietly, "He is also super wealthy and very charitable..." Hearing Syr's words, Maria's eyes widened with a glimmer of light passing through them before she nodded her head and stated firmly, "He is a good boy, feel free to bring him around more often." The two girls, one young, one old, looked each other in the eye and began to laugh in a mischevious manner as they overlooked Vahn playing with the children and telling stories.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Just according to keikaku (keikaku means plan)','What lays beneath','Maria's Orphanage')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

Vahn spent a few minutes in intense focus as he completed the complicated procedure necessary for a goddess to get pregnant. Coincidentally, even though it would typically not be guaranteed even if he followed these steps for other races, the fertilized egg seemed to be protected by the Divinity of the goddess by the time the process was finished. When he removed [Enkidu] from Loki's body, Vahn had closely observed the process and saw a strange energy begin for form in their body as if it was nourishing the egg further. It was very similar to what he saw when he inspected Hephaestus but decidedly different from when he had observed Aki.When he was finished, though she had already realized it since he removed [Enkidu], Vahn rubbed the top of Loki's head and said, "It's done...looks like you'll be a mother in the future." In response to his words, Loki remained silent for a while before she 'unashamedly' turned to the side after releasing his body and wiping her previous tears on the blanket. Now that she wasn't bound by [Enkidu], her Divinity immediately took hold of her mind and she regained her sensibilities. After she was finished, she looked up into Vahn's face with a cheeky smile and asked, "So, did you decide where you want to put the mark? Or did you want to continue from where we left off~?" Even now, they were still 'together', and Loki flexed her lower body as if she were trying to tease him.Vahn maintained a gentle smile while squinting his eyes a bit before he leaned down and kissed Loki's forehead affectionately and said, "I feel like that would taint this moment a bit...I'll put the crest on your back." Hearing his words, Loki pushed against Vahn's shoulders to free her body out from under him before rolling over onto her stomach and musing, "Gee, so sentimental~. Well, I can't stay for too long anyway, and it's already been quite a while..." Vahn saw the tensions drain from Loki's body a bit and she closed her eyes as if she were relaxing, but he could see that her aura was fluctuating a bit. Since she had recovered her Divinity, Vahn couldn't be sure she wasn't putting on an act, but he felt like she was impacted heavily by what happened earlier.After tracing his index finger along the line of her back, Vahn figured it would be best to put the mark where Loki's top usually covered her back. Since her default clothing was pretty revealing, he was worried that she would be embarrassed to be seen with the mark so often. The moment he tried to do so, however, Loki berated him a little and told him to, 'Man up and take responsibility.' Vahn wasn't sure what 'taking responsibility' meant at this moment, but he bit the bullet and carved his maker's mark in her lower back, in an almost identical location as Hephaestus. Though she had a somewhat fleshy butt, it still looked a little strange to see his mark on such a thin waist like Loki's.Since she wanted to see what it looked like, Vahn put up the standing mirrors and watched her put on a small act as if she were trying to seduce him. She struck a few poses and gave him some amorous glances while asking about his opinion. Vahn's response was to smile and say, "Beautiful...", as he walked over with a warm towel to help clean her body and wipe up the mess she was making on the floor. Her response was to scratch her head awkwardly before having Vahn return her clothes so she wasn't forced to stand naked in the middle of his room any longer. Vahn removed them from his inventory and Loki, before she had finished cleaning herself, put her panties nonchalantly before quickly wearing the rest of her clothes. Though he wanted to comment that it would be uncomfortable, Vahn let Loki do as she pleased and finished cleaning up the floor before handing her a [Maternity Band] and explaining its purpose.Though she had already known its use, Loki listened to Vahn's words to the end and then asked, "Are you sure you just don't want me to cover up my back~? You're not 'embarrassed' are you~?" Vahn nodded his head and said, "I won't lie...it is a little embarrassing...but it also makes me feel more than a little proud..." As he spoke, Vahn reached out and stroked the mark that Loki had been waggling in front of his face playfully. She stood there for a short while before walking a few steps towards the door and saying, "You don't need to see me out, there are already people waiting for me. You should spend some time with the other girls now that you've given me what I want~. I'm sure that boob goddess and that fretful cat will be happy to see you..." Loki's words trailed off a bit when Vahn grabbed her hand and said, "I'll escort you for now...it's quite cold outside and I can protect you. You have more than yourself to worry about now..."Loki's brows furrowed a bit before she muttered, "Whatever...lets go before it gets too late." Vahn nodded and walked Loki downstairs, through the foyer, and all the way to the front gate while keeping the freezing air at bay with his domain. Surprisingly, the people waiting for her happened to be Riveria, Ais, Tiona, Lefiya and Tione. Vahn felt very embarrassed to see them, especially when Loki broke free from his grasp and walked over before 'proudly' showing off her mark and saying in a teasing voice to the other girls, "Lookie, lookie, Vahn is such a tyrant, marking me as his own~! You girls need to be careful from now on or you won't even know what happened to your body before it is no longer your own~."Tiona's eyes flashed over and she leaped over and clung to Vahn's neck before pressing herself against him and saying, "That's fine with me~Ehehehe." Before things got out of hand, Riveria said in a rather cold tone, "We need to get out of here before these two idiot Amazons cause trouble." After Tiona stepped forward, Tione also had a strange look on her face and had been intercepted by Ais even though Vahn could see her eyes glowing with a subtle competitive flame as well. Tiona pouted a bit before giving Vahn a surprisingly deep and passionate kiss before jumping off of his body. When she stepped away, Ais said, "Watch Tione..." before walking over and also giving Vahn a relatively passionate kiss for a marginally longer period of time.When he was finally released, Vahn looked over the outfits everyone was wearing before pulling out an assortment of three-layer cloaks for them to wear to keep warm. Even though it was below freezing, Tiona and Tione were still walking around in their revealing attire as if they were unaffected, but Vahn could see a slight blush to their skin from exposure. Loki was his biggest concern since she was essentially just wearing shorts with a top that looked more like a skin-tight band than an actual piece of clothing. Her stomach and back were completely exposed, and Vahn was more than a little worried something would go wrong if she walked around in her current state.Vahn helped each of the girls, excluding Riveria and Lefiya, who already had on cloaks as if to show they were the more sensible girls within the group. When everyone had some form of protection against the elements, Vahn saw them off with a smile and agreed to meet up on occasion. Not only Tiona and Ais, but Tione and Lefiya had already been giving a paired scroll linked to Vahn's. Vahn wasn't too surprised by Tione, but Lefiya's was a bit unexpected since she wasn't truly considered an adult yet. She was, however, Level 3 and mentioned that she would only be going along if Ais was around and just didn't want to be the only one left out. Vahn realized that peer pressure might force some of the girls on the network to act outside of his expectations, so he started thinking about possible solutions...When he returned to the Manor, Vahn was intercepted by Hestia who asked, "Is Loki pregnant now?" She had an especially serious look and Vahn saw a surprising depth in her crystalline blue eyes. He nodded his head and stated firmly, "Yes, without a doubt." Hestia nodded her head before walking forward and hugging around Vahn's waist before placing her head against his chest. After a short period of silence, she said in a muted tone, "In the future...not now, but much later, I want a child of my own..." Vahn stroked the back of her hair while gently embracing her body and saying, "Yeah...without a doubt...I'll do my best when the time comes."Because she was unwilling to walk on her own, Vahn carried Hestia back to her bedroom and spoiled her for a bit before they parted. She seemed to be adversely affected by the fact that her longtime 'rival' had gotten a 'big advantage' against her, but was also doing her best to not make irrational decisions in the heat of the moment. Due to how Hephaestus and Loki had explained things to Freya, it was technically 'impossible' for a third goddess to get pregnant right now, since Vahn was supposed to be 'overburdened' by the process. Even if she wanted to have a child of her own due to her emotions welling up, Hestia knew it would cause problems for everyone in the future and bottled up her emotions for the time being. Vahn knew it was probably very difficult for her, and he didn't mind spoiling her for however long it took for Hestia to be happy.Before he left her room, Vahn helped Hestia fall asleep and bundled her up tightly within the blankets. He dispersed the light chill that hung in the air and brought the room to a comfortable temperature before quietly closing the door behind him. After leaving, Vahn scanned over the shared room of Aki and Ryuu and could tell that both girls were awake so he gently rattled on the door before it was answered by Aki. A gentle smile appeared on her face and she asked, "Is Loki-sama pregnant now?" Vahn nodded his head as he walked into the room and said, "Yeah..."Though she had been sitting previously, Ryuu stood up when Vahn walked into the room and gave a polite bow with a small smile on her face. Vahn returned her greeting with a smile of his own and said, "Sorry to bother you late in the evening..." Ryuu shook her head dismissively and said, "No, you're allowed to enter here whenever you want. It isn't any trouble at all...Vahn." Hearing Ryuu call his name always made a warm feeling spread through Vahn's heart and his smile turned marginally more affectionate to display that fact. Aki, who had walked off to the side after he entered the room, came forth with a rolled up scroll and three large logbooks and explained, "Loki-sama should have told you about it earlier, but this scroll will be your line with the 'active' girls for the time being. Feel free to write anything you want into it and there will almost always be someone to spread the word..."Vahn took over the four items as Aki continued, "The logbooks are all for different purposes. The red one is for correspondence between you and the girls that have a paired scroll with you. If you send out a message, anything they write back will show up in there. The blue logbook is a list of everyone that is currently 'interested' in being together with you...it'll show the current status of the girls with things like Free, Busy, Away, and if they are in the dungeon and other things like that. The last logbook is for private messages from the girls that want to reach out to you without having their words seen by the rest of the network. Everyone has been told not to take things too far, but it was agreed that people should be able to reach out to you privately at times..."Vahn listened carefully to Aki's explanation before flipping open the blue logbook out of curiosity. Even at a casual glance, Vahn noticed a surprising number of names with most of the statuses left blank presently. There were a few names he didn't expect to see, and Aki seemed to realize what he was thinking so she giggled and said, "Your little speech earlier 'inspired' a few girls to muster up their own courage and take a step forward. Though it doesn't mean they'll do 'anything' you want them to do, you can still reach out to those girls and try your luck...it's kind of like them saying they are 'open' to the idea of being with you, but it's up to you if you want to follow through on things. I'm sure that a few of them are simply curious...you know, your name and 'capabilities' get around on the network. Even I've done my fair share of bragging~."Aki's words resonated within Vahn's heart and mind for a bit since he was just thinking about the influence some girls might have on the rest of the group. Seeing one of the names near the top of the list, Vahn looked towards Ryuu who turned her head to the side slightly and averted her eyes. Vahn didn't know how the order was decided, but he imagined that they asked the girls and wrote down the names, which implied that Ryuu had been one of the first girls to put forth her name. Even Aki, someone he was actively involved with, lost by two positions. The only girls ahead of her were Hephaestus, Eina, Loki, Syr, and Tiona. Following them were Ryuu herself, Ais, and Aki, with an unnervingly long list under them that was more than twenty lines long.Vahn closed the logbook for the time being and made conversation with the two girls for around twenty minutes before finally leaving for his own room. On the way out, he rubbed noses with Aki while hugging her waist before sharing a short and tame embrace with Ryuu. Since Vahn felt like teasing the taciturn elf a bit, he gently ran his hand down her backside when they were separating and he noticed her ears waggled a bit as she gave him a sidelong glance before saying, "Good night...Vahn." With a small smile on his own face, Vahn nodded and said, "Good night, Ryuu, Aki..."Before he went to sleep, Vahn went downstairs and washed up a bit before finally making his way to his bed. He didn't sleep the previous night so it didn't take long for Vahn to pass out moments after he laid down. His room was often the coldest in the house and Vahn enjoyed the chill against his skin as he breathed in the somewhat subtle aroma that served as evidence of his earlier bond with Loki. Her reaction under the influence of [Enkidu] had been a big impact on him, and Vahn spent the brief moment before he passed out thinking about possible solutions. It was a tragic thing that she was forced to live that kind of life by design...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Compulsion','Hestia's Woes','Organization')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 326: Availability