Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

By the time Vahn reached the Hearth Manor, it had been almost two days since he left. A mission that was only supposed to last a single afternoon ended up turning into something much greater as he had simply been unable to abandon people that needed help. In fact, before he had even returned to the City, rumors about his exploits had already started to circulate. When people saw Fafnir and Khaos flying over the City, it was almost like every resident of Orario had undergone some unspoken agreement to speak just a little quieter than normal. After all, destroying 53 fortresses was terrifying in its own right, but Vahn had also slain nearly twenty thousand soldiers and a total of seventeen of Rakia Kingdom's elite forces.Waiting outside for him, Vahn found Eina, Fenrir, and Hestia, all having just moved from the table they had set up while he was away. Vahn gave them a questioning look as Eina, with a somewhat tired expression on her face, smiled and said, "We wanted to make sure there was someone here when you returned. The others were here initially but Loki had them all rest and go about their days normally..." While she was speaking, several of the people Eina had been talked about showed up from the front entrance. When they saw Vahn, there was a mixture of excitement and relief on everyone's faces. Vahn felt his own tensions begin to melt away as Hestia walked over, hugging tightly around his waist and saying, "Welcome home, Vahn..." Those three words were always like a magical spell that made Vahn feel very warm inside, causing the smile on his face to grow much larger as he returned her embrace and whispered, "I'm home..."It was still very early in the day so everyone enjoyed a long and lively breakfast, not really talking about what Vahn had done during his journey to the Rakia Kingdom. Rumors had reached them long before everyone else and, after Vahn hadn't shown up the previous day, he had telepathically communicated with them the situation. Thus, for the time being, they completely set the matters aside and simply enjoyed the company of each other. Even though he hadn't been gone long, Vahn felt like he had returned after a long journey. When he saw his daughters, still sleepy from the previous night, Vahn felt choked up and, even though he promised he wouldn't, Vahn cried while hugging Ina, Vana, and Erika.Nobody asked why he started crying, already understanding he must have seen some very difficult things during the two-day mission. Even his daughters didn't ask why he was sad, though Vana couldn't help but join alongside him. She was the type that fell into the mood of others very quickly, possessing an empathetic and inclusive nature. As for Ina, she had a sad but strangely relieved expression on her face as she returned her Papa's embrace and soothingly said, "It's okay, Papa, don't be sad..." Vahn nodded his head, finding comfort in his daughter's words while consoling Vana. Erika, also contained in his embrace, had a slightly flushed expression but, contrary to the past, made no real efforts to try to get away. She looked very uncomfortable but continued to return his hug all the way until he had eventually calmed down...The afternoon that day came very slow but, after spending some time with his daughters, Vahn had calmed down a great deal. They had continued to sit and eat together for a long time, making casual and fun conversation until, as a result of still being children, the group of Vanir girls began getting sleepy. Erika lasted the longest but, having been sitting with her Papa for such a long period of time, she eventually succumbed. When he helped carry them to their rooms, Vahn also stopped by the maternity ward, spending nearly a half hour just watching of Meinya and Anise as the two adorable 'kittens' slept. They spent a great deal of their time sleeping, a stark contrast to how his other three daughters were up and about after just a few short days. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Vahn stroked the two girls' thin hair with his fingers in the most gentle manner he could manage before going to Terra's Garden, wanting to see all of his children now that he was back.Terra, against expectations, was fully clothed by the time he arrived, accompanied by Fenrir at his side. She gave a smile to him, squinting her eyes slightly as she held up the orb and asked, "Did you want to visit~?" Vahn nodded, walking over with a casual gait before wrapping his arms around Terra and hugging her tightly. She was one of the few girls that hadn't shown up at the long breakfast but Vahn knew she had been 'waiting' for him just like everyone else. Knowing he may call on her at any moment, Terra had been in a battle-ready state for the last two days. It wasn't until she sensed her Master's return that she finally let herself relax, deciding to wait for him in the comfort of the Garden since she was certain he would stop by.After spending a few minutes talking, Vahn ended up taking the orb from Terra and sinking his consciousness into it, leaving his body for his two trusted subordinates to watch over. He had no way of knowing, shortly after he sent his intent into the orb, they would have a short staring contest that, surprisingly, was lost by Terra. With a sigh, she averted her eyes and said, "I will protect our Master's home, but there isn't much I can do for his mind. Perhaps it is due to my nature as a True Dragon, but I can't help having some 'selfish' notions towards him. If I could, I'd keep him locked away in this Garden, keeping him safe and sound from the rest of this dark world...it just isn't fair that someone so kind has to be exposed to such terrible things..."As one of Vahn's loyal subordinates, Terra had felt the emotions he had experienced during his excursion, though not nearly as prominently as Fenrir and Hestia. Most of the girls, especially those with strong bonds connecting them to Vahn, hadn't been able to sleep easily, if at all, during the past two days. Now that he had returned, Terra felt like she had failed him in some way and wished there was more she could have done for him. As for Fenrir, though she one of the strongest bonds with Vahn, she was surprisingly calm about everything. Terra, even though she could understand and rationalize everything going on around her, simply couldn't 'empathize' with people the same way as the petite Vanargandr that seems to devote all of her time and effort towards their Master...Fenrir sat down next to her Master's unconscious body, choosing not to directly respond to Terra until she could organize her own thoughts. Doing her best to control her magical power, Fenrir made the most humanoid hand she could manage, still covered in dense blue fur with ivory white claws at the tips. Using her, what Vahn would have described as 'ridiculously soft', paw pads, Fenrir moved some of the strands of hair from her Master's 'sleeping' face. She still didn't really know what to say and just trusted her instincts as she quietly stated, "I have seen Master grow from the very beginning...I believed he would be able to help me grow stronger and, even when I deviated from the path and almost gave in to my instincts, he always showed me great tolerance. It is only right that I am there for him when he needs me...even if I can't be at his side during all the moments I wish I could have been there..."Using the paw bad on her thumb, Fenrir traced around the bottom lip of her Master, taking a deep breath and sighing as she said, "In truth, I don't think Master really needs us. Our existence just increases his burdens further and, if we had never imposed upon him, I believe Master would have still been perfectly happy. However, since he seeks happiness through us, we must do our best to meet his expectations. The road he had decided to walk isn't easy but..." Terra smiled vibrantly at this point, folding her wings as she sat down on the other side of her Master and said, "But it is the road that leads to all of our happiness. He might have been happy alone, but the happiness we share with each other is far greater in magnitude...is that what you wanted to say~?" Fenrir showed a natural smile on her face in return, nodding her head in response to Terra's words.It may be the result of an Innate that didn't understand, but their Master had a trait that inexplicably drew people towards him. Even in the Divination, when he seemed to have distanced himself from everyone, there were still a large number of people surrounding him. Most of his children showed him a great deal of respect and, even though he may have wronged them, none of the girls had truly left him. This was due to the fact that, even if he kept the entire world at arm's length, Vahn would still take action to try and help others, working harder for their happiness instead of worrying about his own.Though they had no way of knowing it, the true reason he had tried to distance himself from all the girls was in the hope that, after enough time passed, they would be able to move on. He didn't want to lose any of the people close to him, but also couldn't stand the idea of 'controlling' their lives as a result of his selfishness. Thus, Vahn decided to live on a lonely throne as he watched over the world from high above...still, even then, Fenrir was always nearby, constantly waiting for the moment he needed her again...---It had only been two days since his last visit but, in that small window of time, a little more than four additional months had passed within the orb. Alex was now nearly a year old, even though its body hadn't really grown that much. The infancy of a True Dragon could stretch out for several years so, while Alex was already very strong for its age, nearly the peak of Level 2 without any Falna or enhancements, it still looked like a baby. Vahn didn't really mind though since watching Alex bob about in the with its tiny wings always brought a smile to his face.Alex had previously been sitting atop a large tree, reading a book while looking out over the large expanse of forests that now dotted the interior of the orb. With its attunement to space elemental energies, Alex instantly sensed when its Father, who enjoyed being called 'Papa', entered the orb. Storing the book into its own pocket dimension, Alex flapped its wings and made a beeline towards its Father, wondering if he had brought anything new and exciting this time around. Though Alex really enjoyed the time it spent with the fragments of its Father and Mother, the feeling it got around its 'real' Papa was very pleasant. It was similar to the aura emitted by a True Dragon, something the memory fragment could never emulate since it didn't have [Will of the Emperor] or [Rakshasa Body], not that Alex knew this.Seeing Alex flying over to him, Vahn levitated himself, catching the small True Dragon in his arms with an 'oof' escaping his lips. Even though Alex was very small, it had a lot of power at its disposal already. Even its flying speed could reach upwards of 130km/h so, if Vahn didn't defend himself, Alex was like a small cannonball impacting his diaphragm. Fortunately, any discomfort Vahn felt was momentary as he embraced the 'wriggling' figure of his sixth child, feeling soothed by the laughter and giggling as they tried to escape. Eventually, Alex, though choked giggles, shouted, "P-Papa, no more, I give up, Papahahahaha~!" Vahn finally released them, letting Alex flitter about while breathing a little heavily. There was an intelligent and curious light in their eyes but, after making eye contact, Alex seemed somewhat confused as it asked, "Papa, did something happen outside?"Vahn, hearing Alex's question, just laughed in response, letting his voice carry through the surrounding space for several seconds before he shook his head and explained, "Something did happen, but it has already been resolved. Even so, it seems like everyone can see through my facial expression regardless of how much I try to hide it. Even my children can read me so easily~." Vahn ruffled Alex's emerald green hair, earning a peal of playful laughter in response as Alex said, "That's because Papa 'feels' different than normal. It's like how Mama always feels kind of 'scary' while also being 'gentle' at the same time. Papa usually has a very 'warm' and 'calming' feeling coming from his body but right now it feels more 'lukewarm' and 'uncertain'."Not quite expecting Alex's explanation, Vahn tilted his head to the side and recalled how the girls had described interacting with his memory fragment in the past. Even Vahn felt somewhat unnerved around 'himself' and it seemed to be a 'feeling' shared by everyone else. This made it a little awkward when he absorbed the memory fragments memories but Vahn didn't mind it too much since it always allowed him to see how Alex was growing up. There was also the benefit that it gave him practice behaving 'normally' around people since his memory fragment didn't have the 'crutch' of View Affection to rely on. The only 'downside' was that, while Alex would go off and explore the woods, Terra's memory fragment would sometimes get a little 'experimental' with his counterpart...Shaking those thoughts from his mind, Vahn slowly descended to the ground before letting Alex ride on his shoulder. Whenever Vahn visited, he and Alex spent most of their time together, generally just walking through the woods while talking about various topics. This time around, Alex began asking about 'History', somewhat surprising Vahn in the process. When asked about why Alex was so interested in it, the response was, "Well, isn't it important to know about the past so that you can better make choices about the future? After all, if you don't know about the mistakes people have made, how can you expect to learn from them? It would be very silly to do something that had already happened, already knowing the consequences but expecting you were an exception to the rule."Vahn laughed in a jubilant manner, genuinely impressed by how 'wise' and 'scholarly' Alex was, even though they were still very young. As he began to explain what he knew about various events in history, specifically discussing the past of event of the Danmachi record, Vahn was also wondering just how much knowledge Alex would possess by the time they emerged from the orb. While his memory fragment was studying on his behalf, Vahn didn't place too much importance on the information. This was because he could already 'store' everything he had ever read, accessing it whenever he deemed necessary. As for things like forging and the like, Vahn discovered he wouldn't obtain any OP from his memory fragment so, other than working on the basic template for the Aegis Armor, his memory fragment had been spendings its time very 'leisurely'.After reaching a large clearing, containing a pristine blue lake, Alex hopped off of his shoulder and stepped into the water with its bare feet. Vahn unequipped his boots while changing into a pair of swimming trunks in the same instance. Alex looked back, tilting its head slightly before nodding as it surprisingly said, "Papa has a very refined body. I can see why Mama fell in love with you." Vahn blinked in response, walking over until he was standing on the lakebed. After thinking for a few seconds, Vahn asked, "Alex, are you lonely here in the orb?" Though everything was very scenic, there weren't any animals anywhere in the orb. Even this large lake, more than 800m wide, didn't have a single fish inside its depths.Alex immediately shook its head before looking directly up at him, making Vahn feel somewhat awkward since Alex was only 64cm tall. With a calm expression and an almost 'worldly' look in its eyes, Alex smiled and said, "I've already made my decision, Papa. Mama already told me that I will live for a very long, potentially even forever. The years I spend in here are a great boon, as I'm able to study a variety of things and experience a peaceful and safe setting. Also, everyone comes to visit me so I'm not really lonely, especially with Papa's and Mama's memory fragments watching over me. Until I am strong enough to be able to protect everyone, I will continue to stay within this orb to strength my body and mind."Vahn, seeing the resolute look in Alex's eyes, just smiled in response and ruffled the tiny True Dragon's hair as he asked, "Want to go for a swim?" Alex nodded, showing a large smile before tossing away it leafy-green tunic and the small brown shorts they had been wearing. Without waiting for Vahn, Alex jumped in the water, diving deep into the lake before submerging a few seconds later and sending out a spout of water from their mouth. Vahn laughed, flexing his legs a bit as he jumped a few meters in the air and shouted, "Cannonbaaaalllll~!" His landing caused a large splash, earning laughter from Alex as the latter repeated the action by flying up into the air and, in a much more adorable voice, repeated, "Cannoball~!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Awaiting your return...','What it means to be 'loyal'...','Alex, the Wise')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

The hundred hours he spent inside the orb with Alex made Vahn feel like he had been completely refreshed. When the time for their parting came, Vahn gave his 'youngest' child a large number of books, not just pertaining to the history of Danmachi, but the history of the world Eva originated from. After all, Eva was considered one of Alex's 'Mama(s)' so Vahn wanted it to know all sorts of things about both worlds. Since there was a great deal of information on scientific developments, modern society, and the histories of both Earth, Mars, and Mundus Magicus, Vahn figured Alex would enjoy them greatly. Alex, of course, had been very excited to receive a veritable library worth of books, safely keeping them away in its pocket dimension before hugging Vahn's neck with a surprising amount of strength...After returning to the real world, Vahn found Fenrir patiently sitting at his side while Terra had returned to sunbathing on her perch. Noticing his awakening, Fenrir produced a small smile and repeated the magic words, "Welcome home, Master..." in a soft voice. Vahn smiled, lifting his body to aimlessly stare at Terra's naked form for a few seconds before turning to Fenrir and saying, "I'm home, Fenrir." She nodded her head in response, rising to her feet in the process and dusting off her skirt as she said, "I'll be in my room for a little while. Don't forget your promise with Lefiya and the others. She had been very worried about you the last few days..." Lefiya, as a result of the order he didn't know he gave her, was always paying attention to the link they shared. Other than Hestia, Fenrir, and Hephaestus, Lefiya had been one of the most affected by his emotional turmoil over the last few days.Vahn had been about to respond to Fenrir but, before he formed the words, she had already disappeared from Terra's Garden. Though he couldn't see her figure, Vahn followed the direction Fenrir had moved to with [Shundo], wondering what she was thinking about. As if answering his question, even though she didn't say anything, Terra tapped her tail against the ground. Vahn looked toward her, seeing that she had been peeking towards him with slightly parted eyes. Then, once again without saying anything, Terra just closed her eyes and pretended as if she had fallen asleep. Vahn somewhat understood what both she and Fenrir were trying to tell him so, without waiting around any longer, he used [Shundo] to make his way towards where he expected Lefiya to be...Perhaps they had arranged it previously, or just had a good understanding of his character, but Vahn found Lefiya sitting in the waiting area near his salon, dangling her legs back-and-forth with a ruminating look on her face. She didn't even react to his presence all the way up until he was standing right behind her, only coming to her senses when she detected a sudden 'shadowy' figure. With speed faster than what would be expected from a Mage, Lefiya turned around with a guarded look until she realized exactly who had snuck up on her. With a light blush on her face, she pouted by saying, "Mooooou, Master, you shouldn't sneak up on me like that~." As they were alone, and Lefiya's 'Loyalty' was now sitting at 16,439, she defaulted to her 'preferred' way of addressing him.Vahn smiled in return, sitting down on the expensive marble bench before patting the spot next to him. Lefiya, though still showing a fake pouting expression on her face, walked over and sat next to him, slightly closer than the spot he had actually indicated her to take. She even, unprompted, leaned against his arm and placed her head against his shoulder as the expression on her face slowly softened. Not minding her behavior in the least, Vahn reached his hand around and rested it on Lefiya's waist, causing her face to flush a little redder without refusing the intimate gesture.For several long minutes, the two just sat in silence with each other, enjoying the quiet atmosphere before Lefiya broke the silence as she mumbled, "Ano...I wanted to use my 'Heavy Petting Coupon'. I don't want to keep the others waiting for too long...so...ummm" According to the 'plan', Lefiya was supposed to send Vahn to the forest clearing after they were finished here. The coupon was good for an hour-long session but, expecting things might take longer, she had been given two hours by the other girls. Lefiya didn't mind just spending the entire time sitting in silence but, the longer they sat together, the more her mind began to wander to less than 'innocent' thoughts.Vahn had an amused expression on his face as he slowly brought his left hand over to lift Lefiya's chin, bringing her crystal clear dark-blue eyes into view. She had a flushed face and, even though they hadn't done anything, Lefiya was breathing a little heavier than normal. In truth, Vahn didn't think someone that had yet to reach 'adulthood' should have been able to make use of the coupon. After all, in their agreed definition of what 'heavy petting' entailed, it evolved somewhat erotic contact and, in many cases, direct stimulation of the erogenous zones. Though their age wasn't that different between each other, making it somewhat acceptable in the eyes of society, Vahn still felt a little hesitant about things.As if she could read his mind, Lefiya's blush grew steadily darker as she muttered, "Ano...I never really knew my date of birth, only the day I was dropped off at the orphanage. So...umm..." According to the date of birth documented through her stay at the orphanage, Lefiya still had a little under two months before she was supposed to be an adult. However, considering she may have been a few months old by the time she had been dropped off, Lefiya was trying to make an excuse that she was already an adult. It was a logical argument, even if it sounded like a very 'convenient' excuse to bring up in the heat of the moment. Judging by the somewhat 'blank' expression Vahn was making, Lefiya felt extremely embarrassed and couldn't help but cover her face as a result.For several seconds, Vahn wasn't quite sure what to say about Lefiya's given reason but, after considering the lengths she had gone through to assure him things were 'okay', Vahn just shook his head with a small smile as he said, "Then I guess I'll give you an early, or perhaps I should say 'late', birthday present~? I wonder why my cute little disciple wants...?" Just as Lefiya was thinking of how she wanted to respond, only managing to make a 'wawawa' sound for a while, Vahn began nibbling on her long ear. Lefiya tightly closed her eyes in response while biting her bottom lip, almost as if she were in a lot of pain but betrayed by the fact that her aura was a mixture of pink and red.There was a dark-blue ribbon tied around Lefiya's blouse that kept her collar neatly arranged in a prim and proper manner. Vahn began to pull at the edge of the ribbon as he prepared to ask Lefiya one last time what she wanted. However, before the words left his lips, Lefiya opened her eyes slightly and asked, "Can I tell you want I want as my birthday present...?" Vahn blinked, confused for a brief moment before nodding his head, urging Lefiya to continue. She bit her bottom lip hard enough that Vahn was afraid she would actually draw blood. Just as he was about to help her calm down, Lefiya drew slightly closer to him and hesitantly stated, "I want Master to order me to express how I really feel for the next hour..."Lefiya was worried that, even if she was able to go through with using the coupon, she would just freeze up as things got progressively more 'intense'. Though she might be somewhat delusional at times, she had absolutely no misunderstandings about how things might develop if she continued forward. From this point onward, there would be almost no stepping back since she would never be able to face Vahn again if she panicked and ran away. When she felt an ever so subtle fluctuation in the link between her and Vahn, Lefiya almost released a sigh of relief as a smile appeared on her face. The next moment, Vahn nodded with a firm yet gentle expression on his face as he whispered, "Lefiya...I order you to be honest with me for the next hour. Tell me how you really feel...don't keep anything hidden."For a brief moment, Lefiya felt like her mind was wandering but she hadn't actually been able to form any thoughts. It past in an instant but it was almost like a part of her mind had been 'unlocked' or, perhaps it would have been more accurate to say, 'unburdened'. All of her anxiety felt like it had melted away and, while all the feelings of nervousness were still present, Lefiya felt like they were almost illusory now. It was like Vahn, the Master she had dedicated herself to, became the only focus for her mind within the world. Lefiya felt strangely liberated as grabbed the hand her Master was using to tug at her ribbon, helping him to pull it away while staring into his expansive black pupils that seemed like they could devour her completely...In a light mutter, while continuing to stare into Vahn's eyes, Lefiya said, "I really wouldn't mind if Master ate me..." Vahn felt like a part of his 'sub-process' mind snapped but, fortunately, he was able to keep his sensibilities intact and just smiled in response to Lefiya's words. Tilting her chin up a little higher, Vahn gave Lefiya a very brief kiss on the lips before saying, "That will have to wait until next time. For now...let's take it slow and enjoy the moment..." Lefiya nodded her head but, contrary to her actions, said, "Uuuu, how regrettable...I at least want to experience something to keep me 'satisfied' until then..." Vahn, though not exactly regretting his order to Lefiya, felt like a part of his mental defenses was slowly getting broken down every time she said something outside his expectations.Before Lefiya ended up 'breaking' through his defenses, Vahn guided her into the salon since it would be embarrassing for them both if she suddenly cried out in the waiting room. Once they entered, Vahn nearly tripped when Lefiya looked around with an anticipatory look in her eyes before asking, "Master...can you undress me? I want to experience what it's like to have a man take off my clothes while looking at all my secret places..." Vahn, finding his footing, scratched the back of his head with a wry smile on his face as he said, "Sure, I don't mind." Lefiya brought her hands together and gave a radiant smile that seemed to cause the room to light up slightly as a result.What followed was Vahn removing each piece of clothing covering Lefiya's body, starting with the ribbon he had pulled loose previously. She was wearing casual clothing, consisting of a pale pink blouse that was almost white in color, a dark pink frilled skirt, white stockings, and red shoes. When Vahn pulled the ribbon free, Lefiya's breathing began to grow ragged as she watched each button of her blouse slowly peeled open by Vahn's nimble fingers. Beneath to pale pink blouse, Lefiya had on a creme-colored blouse and, the moment Vahn stared at her breasts, she said, "Master...please tell me what you think as well. I really want to know..."Considering that Lefiya 'had' to tell him what she was thinking, Vahn decided it would be somewhat unfair if he remained quiet the entire time. With an appreciative look on his face, Vahn looked at the two small bunnies contained by Lefiya's bra, commenting, "They're growing well. I think you may even be able to reach a C-Cup in the future, though I'm not entirely sure if that's possible for an Elf?" Presently, Lefiya's breasts were just cresting the peak of an A-Cup and transitioning into the territory of a modest B. With how slender her body was, they actually looked much larger than normal and, given the fair complexion of her skin, her breasts were very appealing to look at.Lefiya released a moderately hot sigh in response to his words, muttering, "I like it when Master praises my body...uuuuuuuuu~" Realizing what she said, Lefiya felt very embarrassed but, as if her entire purpose in life were to be contradictory at this moment, she simultaneously stepped a little closer, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her two small rabbits against his chest. Lefiya's breathing continued to accelerate as she said, "Master, I think your order for me to be 'honest' isn't just affecting my words..." As she was speaking, Lefiya brought her lips near Vahn's neck and released another hot sigh before trying to nibble on his collarbone.Vahn was beginning to consider if he should change the nature of his order but, once again, Lefiya was a step ahead as she said, "No, I like it like this...please don't make me change..." This time it was Vahn's turn to swallow since Lefiya's upturned and watery gaze was a very 'lethal' attack when she had her soft breasts pressed against him. Nodding his head, Vahn gently pushed Lefiya away and said, "We should hurry or you won't be able to get the full benefits of your coupon..." Lefiya's smile turned radiant as she laughed, taking on a slightly mischevious look as she slightly opened her half-buttoned blouse. Vahn finished undoing the remaining buttons, allowing the blouse to part at the sides to reveal Lefiya's thin waist and cute navel.Remembering her earlier request, Vahn smiled, tracing his finger near her navel as he said, "You know, I've always found something appealing about exposed navels. I wonder if you'll wear lighter clothing after you get your own crest later on~?" Lefiya's eyes widened slightly, not out of shock, but almost as if she was very excited by the prospect. With a happy smile on her face, Lefiya began to trace her fingers around her own abdomen with a smile, saying, "I was actually a little jealous when I saw Riveria-sama and Ryuu with their crests...since I'm Master's, I wanted something to show off to everyone else..." This time, Lefiya didn't bother to clarify her own status, outright saying she was 'his'...Doing his best not to let her words 'shake' him, Vahn nodded slightly as he softly whispered, "Having you follow this kind of order...is a very dangerous thing. I'm a little worried about the future." Lefiya giggled, grabbed Vahn's hand that had still been wandering around her navel. While stepping closer to him again, she moved his hand around to her waist, saying, "There is something Master should know about me...though I believe you've been aware of it for a long time. You see, I often get carried away in my thoughts and, though it is very embarrassing to say...I think I'm actually a little bit of a lewd girl..." As if to emphasize the fact, Lefiya's face became beet red as she guided Vahn's hand to the latch holding her skirt firmly to her waist.Without any great hesitation, Vahn flicked the small clasp, not breaking eye contact from Lefiya as the deep pink skirt fell to the ground. Now, other than an open blouse, creme colored underwear, and white stockings, Lefiya had nothing to protect her dignity. In fact, if anyone were to ask him, Vahn would have said that Lefiya looked more appealing clothed like this than if she were completely nude. As for her claim about being a 'lewd girl', Vahn was very aware of this fact so he leaned near her ear, whispering, "I know...I think, as long as you don't get carried away...the lewd Lefiya is very cute..." With his words finished, Vahn licked Lefiya's earlobe, earning a small squeak from the bashful Elf as her ears started 'wagging' up and down.Enjoying her adorable reaction, Vahn brought her face down to Lefiya's exposed collar, emulating her earlier actions by nibbling on her collarbone. Lefiya grabbed his head, almost as if she were clinging to him while stifled sounds of frustration and pleasure escaped her lips. While he was nibbling around her collarbone, Vahn let his hands wander around Lefiya's body, stroking her side with his left hand while tracing his fingers around the band of her panties, letting them slide around slightly into the silky fabric without going much further. He was, in fact, teasing Lefiya a bit while simultaneously making use of his [Grooming] skill and, while only the slightest amount, his [Hands of Nirvana].After a few minutes had passed, marked by Lefiya's body trembling as she leaned into his chest, Vahn decided to advance things a bit. Picking up her very light body, Vahn moved to a nearby sofa, explaining, "I'm making a bit of an exception by treating you in this manner, but you'll still have to wait until your 'documented' birthday before we do anything too serious. Don't worry, though, I'm going to give you a memory you'll never be able to forget..." Lefiya nodded her head, ears now drooping powerless as a wave of pleasure beat around her insides, almost like it was crashing against the shores of her rationality.Vahn sat down on the sofa, allowing Lefiya to sit in his lap with her body facing him, thighs spread as she straddled his hips. It was... an almost dangerously erotic sight, something that made Vahn doubt if he hadn't already crossed a line and was just putting on a pretense of control. Shaking his head to clear the thought, Vahn let Lefiya rest against his chest while bringing his right hand to various points around her back, infusing various different types of energy into the various pressure points of her body. While this was going on, Vahn gently stroked Lefiya's very soft, albeit somewhat small, butt. She was slowly recovering her faculties to the point where she was able to form words while also managing to loosely wrap her arms around his neck and shoulders. With an almost pained look on her face, Lefiya pitiably said, "I know...I know...but...uuuuuuu, Master, please~."Tempted as he was by her words, Vahn squinted his eyes in response to Lefiya's plea, surprising her somewhat as he softly stated, "Lefiya, that is my decision as your Master. Besides, are you doubting my capabilities...?" As he spoke, Vahn broke Lefiya from her momentary stupor as he brought his thumb near the fabric covering her left nipple, inserting a stimulating thread of energy that made her clench her teeth in an agonizingly sweet moan. When she recovered, Lefiya was breathing even heavier as she said, "Master...I'm...sorry...please...don't be mad..." In response, Vahn smiled with a gentle expression while shaking his head, bringing his hand up to move a few strands of Lefiya's golden-yellow hair as he said, "Lefiya, with how adorable you are, I'm not sure I can ever be truly mad with you. Just be patient for now, okay?"Lefiya, staring directly into Vahn's eyes with her deep blue irises covered in a layer of moisture, nodded her head and said, "Then..." This time, anticipating Lefiya's request, Vahn brought her face closer to his, sealing her lips in what would become a very long and passionate kiss. At the same time, Vahn worked his magic on Lefiya's body, allowing his fingers to dancer around as he poked, prodded, gripped, and rubbed various areas, increasing her sensitivity all the while bringing her sensual cries several octaves higher. By the time their session, which lasted well over an hour, had come to an end, Lefiya no longer had any doubts that her Master could make good on his promises...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Girls' Level of Teamwork is Tier 9...','Dangerous Order...','Never Underestimate the Godhand')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After freeing the slaves at the encampment, Vahn proceeded to the location of the next fortress, wondering if Ina's vision had been related to his earlier decision. Since it was something he likely would have done regardless, Vahn expected it was related to something else entirely. When he arrived above the next fortress, noticing it hadn't been abandoned, Vahn released a small sigh and wondered what exactly the Rakia Kingdom might have tried. They had to have 'something' planned so, instead of just having Fafnir outright destroy the fortress, Vahn leaped down to investigate personally.Having detected his arrival, as Fafnir and Khaos stood out quite a bit, the soldiers immediately attacked with incredible intensity. Unlike the small detachment watching over the slaves, these men were all battle-hardened warriors that had rotated around various border fortresses over the years. There were a little too many to simply disarm and disable so Vahn struck a pose with his left hand out, almost as if he were grabbing something while saying, "Gather, 9 spirits of ice, cut apart my enemy. Magic Arrows, Series of 9 Ice Arrows. Fixate. Seize. Load magic, 'Armament'!" Nine crystallized ice arrows formed around his body before converging towards Vahn's fist, causing his skin to shift into an onyx-black as icy blue tattoos spread across his body. Vahn's hair became a similarly pale blue while growing marginally longer and taking on a spiky appearance. Most notably, at least for the terrified soldiers, was the fact that his eyes were like pristine ice that chilled them to the bone with a single glance...Making use of his ice elementalization [Magia Erebea], Vahn used [Mellodia Bellax] to enhance his Agility before running around and striking each soldier he came across. Each hit accurately struck the black metallic breastplates of the soldiers, seemingly doing no damage as an icy white coating spread over the metal and caused them to drop to the ground. Considering they were cold-hearted individuals that had lived by exposing others to their cruelty, Vahn allowed them to experience what it really felt like to have their hearts frozen. He still intended to destroy the fortress but, after Ina's behavior this morning, Vahn wanted to gather information before he took decisive action.Without any major flair, Vahn managed to reach the area where the strongest three people in the fortress were located, each Level 3 with arrogant and proud looks on their faces. As he burst into the room, causing ice to spread along the reinforced stone surfaces of the fortress, Vahn looked toward the strongest amongst the three, somewhat surprised to see a woman with long blue hair and matching eyes. She had a cool and intelligent look at first glance but Vahn could see a cold depravity deep within her eyes, perfectly suiting the pitch black aura shrouding her body. Unlike the rest of the soldiers present, she wasn't wearing the standard military uniform and instead had on a white overcoat with an ornate belt strapped to her waist. Without any discussion, she pulled out one of the small rapier-like swords at her waist and charged forward.In the instant before they collided, Vahn started to realize that this woman likely hadn't been the leader of the fortress and had likely been put here as a measure by Rakia Kingdom's chain of command. He didn't know her identity but Vahn noticed abnormal energy radiating from her thin sword as she cut towards his neck without hesitation, seemingly intending to end the fight with the first blow. Using his [Xuánwǔ Protector]s, Vahn received the blow before blinking away with [Shundo] almost immediately after the blade contacted the black armguards. Inspecting the part where her sword had contacted, Vahn saw a thin line and deduced that she must have some Innate that allows her attacks to pierce through her target's defense. That must be why she used thin and light swords instead of more practical weapons. The fact that she carried four different rapiers seemed to emphasize this fact...Brandishing two rapiers this time, the woman had an almost sensual smile on her face as she pointed one of her two blades towards him and said, "I'm impressed you were able to dodge that. Your speed seems to be beyo-" Vahn stepped forward with [Shundo], striking forward with both palms at the same time, even going so far as to use one of them to 'catch' the blade she had pointed in his direction. The woman's eyes widened as she released her weapon and tried to step back, swiping in a diagonal motion with her second rapier while trying to draw one of her spares. Vahn, however, was quite a bit faster than she was, allowing his left palm to strike at the area above her left breast. She flew back like a cannonball, breaking through the reinforced wall on the other side of the room while Vahn pulled her rapier from his hand and threw it towards one of the other Level 3's present, a petite woman with auburn hair and yellow eyes.Vahn had deduced that the man wearing the military garb was the actual Commander so he decided to deal with the 'unknown' elements first, likely a duo since their outfits were similar. The difference was, the auburn-haired woman had several daggers present all over her body. Her overcoat itself was lined with small throwing knives and, unlike anything he had ever seen before, she had cross-shaped pupils that seemed to contract as the rapier veered towards her body. Unexpectedly, she managed to twist her body in a limber fashion, completely evading the rapier while simultaneously throwing two daggers towards him.Unfortunately, even though she had gone through the efforts to sneakily toss a third dagger along the same trajectory, Vahn had bypassed them completely with [Shundo] as he grabbed the woman's neck and pinned her against the wall in the next instant. Spiderweb cracks spread out as she desperately resisted the cold energy spreading through her neck while kicking forward, burying two concealed daggers from her boots into Vahn's liver and lower abdomen. She seemed to be the type that used lots of sneak attacks in her combat style but, using the immortality Vahn possessed through [Magia Erebea], such attacks were almost meaningless. Other than a fair amount of pain, Vahn wasn't affected at all, much to the girl's terror as she began to tear up and claw at his arm while simultaneously trying to stab him int he neck with a blade concealed in her palm.Before she was able to complete the attack, Vahn converged his domain on the girl's mind, causing her to instantly lose consciousness as choking sounds escaped her throat. Without being able to proactively resist the energy spreading through her body, she quickly succumbed to the icy chill of Vahn's hand as he dropped her to the ground. There was a palm-shaped icy handprint on the girl's neck as a black bruise slowly spread from the area. If not treated within the next few minutes, she would end up dying as a result of frostbite settling in and making it impossible for her to breathe. Vahn was somewhat curious about the identity of the two girls so he turned to the man, who had hefted a battleax without ever making a move to attack. He had a pale complexion on his face as he said, "You're a monster..."Vahn couldn't help but raise his left brow in confusion, wondering how a man with such a malicious aura could call someone else a monster. However, instead of inquiring about that, Vahn shook his head slightly and asked, "Tell me, why didn't you retreat after I gave my warning? Who are these two girls?" The man scoffed in return, even though he was still pale and trembling slightly while cradling his battleax as if it were the only thing grounding him to the world. With a sneer on his face, he said, "You think we're just gonna abandon our borders because some snot-nosed brat tells us to? We'd rather lose a thousand fortresses than back down to a monster like you!" Seemingly finding strength from his own words, the man charged forward with his battleax high. Vahn, however, just pulled out a spear and stabbed it into the man's gut, pinning him to the ceiling above since the fool actually jumped towards him while they were indoors.The once-arrogant Commander had a look of disbelief on his face as he powerlessly tried to remove the spear that had pierced through his heart. Unfortunately, he would never get the opportunity as the light faded from his eyes and he began to slump downwards moments later. Vahn shook his head, releasing another sigh as he turned to the girl on the ground and contemplated if he should spare her for the time being. His question, though internalized, seemed to have triggered some kind of flag, however, as the blue-haired woman walked through the hole she had created earlier. There was blood dripping from her lips while only a single one of her rapiers remained intact. Seeing her companion on the ground, not that Vahn knew what their relationship was, her eyes turned even colder as she brandished her rapier and asked, "You killed her...?"Vahn blinked slowly, calmly stating, "She is still alive, though I can't say for how much longer. The wound on her neck will take her life if she isn't treated soon." Hearing this, though the cold light in her eyes didn't fade away, the woman seemed to relax slightly. Vahn, using this momentary lapse in her mental acuity, asked, "Who are you? What is Rakia Kingdom planning? Tell me and I will treat her..." When she heard his words, the woman seemed to regain her previous intensity but, as if she had remembered their last collision, hesitated after taking a step forward. For several seconds, she seemed to contemplate her action until Vahn squinted his eyes and began to converge his aura onto her body.Feeling the mountain-like pressure weighing down on her, the cold woman stumbled slightly before swallowing hard before saying, "We are members of the Gynaikothoinas, women handpicked and trained by our god to serve the Kingdom..." Much like the Commander, the woman seemed to be inspired by her own words as, instead of continuing, she brandished her rapier and lunged forward. For what felt like the tenth time today, Vahn released a sigh while allowing her rapier to pierce into his extended hand once again. This time, as if she had expected such a thing to happen, the woman pulled out a small pouch and tossed it towards his face. Instead of allowing it to hit him, however, Vahn vanished from her sight as she watched in terror as the bag full of irritant impacted against the far wall. The next moment, all the woman saw was darkness as an icy chill passed through her body. Her only regret in this life, other than not reaching the peak of her strength, was failing to protect her only friend in this cold world...Vahn pulled his hand out of the woman's back, allowing her to slump to the ground as the blood staining his hand was frozen solid. It slowly flaked away as a result of the golden aura surrounding his body expelled all foreign matter and magic particles. Vahn gave the woman her last rites, putting his palms together in a short prayer before moving over to the unconscious woman on the ground. They both had very dark auras while the 'stench' of death lingered around their body, something Vahn was somewhat perceptive to. Even if they were beautiful girls with seemingly interesting Innates, Vahn wasn't going to show them any leniency. However, this didn't mean he couldn't spare them mercy and make their deaths 'relatively' painless...Unable to obtain any additional information, Vahn inspected the state of the prison with his domain and once again found several slaves that had been horribly tortured. Previously, he had taken the lives of such prisoners because there was little chance they would ever have a good life. However, after saving the large group of slaves just twenty minutes prior, Vahn decided to at least leave the choice to them. He went on a small rampage, killing any soldier that barred his passage while allowing those that fled quickly to escape. It was necessary for there to be some survivors to spread the information so Vahn allowed a few to escape from Fafnir's [Sagitta Magicka] barrage.Seeing the prisoners in person was much more difficult than just feeling their presence through his domain. Most of the men that were captured trying to cross the border were killed on the spot, meaning all the prisoners were women and children. Vahn didn't even want to imagine exactly what they had suffered through so he just opened all the cells while explaining he was saving them. After what they had experienced, most of them had dead eyes that didn't seem to believe his words. However, after he started healing some of their wounds and fixing their broken bones, they started helping each other group up to receive treatment.Vahn nearly broke down into tears when a mother, barely able to walk as a result of the damage to her lower body, brought what looked like a 5-6-year-old girl that had clearly visible signs of sexual trauma. Though he didn't make use of it often these days, Vahn activated his [Wounds Transfer] while clenching his teeth to resist the pain. Strangely, it was far more tolerable to suffer a momentary agony than it was to continue seeing someone so small having such terrible wounds. After talking to the mother, Vahn got her permission to remove the memories of the young girl. It wouldn't be easy but, seeing that the mother had the light of hope in her eyes, Vahn believed they could one day find happiness once again...Unlike when he had freed the slaves at the previous encampment, many of the prisoners thanked him for his assistance, especially those that had children. They didn't know how he did it, nor did they ask, but they knew Vahn was using some kind of strange technique to help their children. For their wounds, he used powerful healing magic, salves, and other means to help them recover. However, for the children, they ended up being completely healed after an instant while the boy that saved them always had a face of anguish. For those that were still very young, much like the girl, the mothers had Vahn erase their memories. It was better to have their children's mental state regress than have them live a life haunted by the traumas they had experienced.Though he was tempted to escort them to safety, Vahn still had other people to save and, after discussing it with the former prisoners, they were already very happy with the assistance they had already received. Thus, after giving them enough supplies to help them in their journey, Vahn moved them to a safe distance and erected a powerful barrier around them. Moments later, the group of women and children watched as a beam of light rained down from the sky, almost like divine judgment. They felt a flood of emotions as the place that had become the source of their greatest nightmare was completely erased from the world. It was at this point that many of them broke down crying, unable to resist the great relief that spread through their body after the realization that their nightmare had come to an end...After seeing them off for a short while, Vahn was once again on Fafnir's back as they made their way to the next fortress, this time a bit slower than before. Vahn was starting to think that the Rakia Kingdom hadn't actually come up with some clever scheme to deal with him. Instead, it seemed like his nature of helping people would be the source of the sadness Ina had seen. However, Vahn didn't regret it for a moment and, even though it felt like his heart was going to break, Vahn tolerated the pain while recalling the faces of gratitude displayed by the prisoners, especially those with young children. Realizing there were most likely many others like them, all currently waiting for his arrival, Vahn took a deep breath before tapping on Fafnir's back and saying, "Let's speed things up...there are people waiting for us..." Vahn was simultaneously thinking of the prisoners locked away in the various fortresses while the faces of each girl at the Manor revolved through his mind...A trip that was initially only supposed to take a few hours ended up taking Vahn nearly forty, the result of saving every prisoner he came across and gearing them up for their journey to the south. In total, he destroyed 53 fortresses and, on his return trip to the north, passed along the borders of the Iron Hills as he had previously intended. They were in an alert state after receiving information about the attacks on Rakia's border but, likely as a result of those same rumors, the Dwarves didn't take any action against him. Vahn just looked down on them from above as they slowly made their way through the area before picking up speed for their return trip, this time with the Hearth Manor as his destination.Vahn didn't care about the details but this day would be marked down in History as the first decisive action taken by the Sage Aldrnari against the forces of evil and oppression in the world. The path taken by the various refugees he had saved would one day become a road that several pilgrims walked, paying homage to those brave few that held on to hope until the very end, finding salvation waiting for them when all else seemed lost. Along the way, there were several grave markers that denoted those that hadn't made it, including some that were much smaller than many could bear. However, at the end of that trail, a large village could be found and, contrary to the ill-fated origin of the residents, only smiles could be seen upon their faces. At the village's entrance, there was a large wooden sign denoting the name of the village, supported on each side by two carved statues reminiscent of dragons. At the very center, in bold lettering that seemed to shout out against all the darkness of the world, a single word could be seen, the true embodiment of what Vahn's actions returned to the people...HOPE.Title: Hope(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn never lets the bad guys talk...','The Darkness in the World Can be Overwhelming...','But, as long as there is life, there is Hope...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 687: Balance : Wisdom