Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the interviews completed, Vahn decided the focus on familiarizing himself with controlling two bodies simultaneously. Most of the matters for the School's opening were being handled by the upper echelons of the Alliance itself and, though there were a few unexpected issues from Tenjin's end, it wasn't anything that serious. The rather youthful looking god had brought a total of 38 warriors, all ranging between Levels 2-3, accompanied by more than 200 of their family members, including husbands, wives, and children. Among them, nearly one-hundred children ended up being registered for the School, ranging between 6-11 years of age. There were a few younger children, but it wasn't unexpected that they would be staying at home with their parents since they were too young to attend School just yet.In order to train his bodies, Vahn came up with a 'training' regimen that included physical training, mental training, and 'physical therapy'. With his vastly restricted capabilities controlling two bodies, Vahn started his former training anew. He had Tsubaki giving him guidance while sparring with the girls to refamiliarize himself with combat. This resulted in him getting beat up a lot but, having an immortal body, it wasn't that difficult to tolerate.For his mental training, Vahn took up reading with physical books, pairing up with girls like Haruhime, Preasia, and Lili, each rather fond of reading, especially while snuggled up next to him. Vahn would read two different books at a time and, on occasion, practice complex processes like competitive puzzle solving against the girls. Lili ended up being especially good at this particular activity because he had promised rewards if they managed to complete the puzzles before him.Lastly, the activity Vahn was most fond of with his dual bodies, Vahn did physical therapy and focused on casual interaction with the girls and trying to relax. This often involved having simple conversations, helping the girls style their hair, petting, massages, and, in some instances, a few more intimate behaviors. The vast majority of this block, however, involved Vahn simply playing around with his daughters. Erika was one of his favorite reading buddies while Ina was very fond of having her hair and makeup done by him. As for Vana, she liked playing games in the woods and, on occasion, asked him to play 'knights' with her. Vahn always agreed to their requests and, though it was very difficult at first, he had slowly started adapting to two bodies.This didn't mean he had actually mastered the ability, nor had he even become 'competent', as only eleven days had passed since his training began. Even now, while his bodies were split between playing tag with Vana and massaging Syr's shoulders, Vahn would have momentary pauses and 'slips' in his actions. This could be seen by how, just as he was about to snatch up Vana into his embrace, Vahn was unable to react to her sudden change in direction and, trying to follow her with his eyes, ran face-first into a tree. Vana began laughing in a mischevious manner, wiggling her butt towards him and patting it a few times before running off with a 'shishishi~'. At the same time, Vahn stopped moving his hands on Syr's shoulders so she began to chuckle lightly while asking, "Ara? Did little Vana bully you again, Vahn~?"Vahn struggled to rise to his feet while simultaneously answering, "She is pretty quick on her feet. I think she is getting better at 'tricking' my senses...makes me want to work harder." Both of his bodies laughed out while Vahn once again gave chase to his mischevious daughter while restarting his massage. Doing her own duty, which involved asking him questions as a 'distraction', Syr asked, "So, have you thought about what you're going to do with Lili and Naaza yet? I believe there is only three days until your rendezvous~?" This time, Vahn tripped over nothing while his other body, the one who Syr had been speaking to, tilted slightly.Recovering relatively quickly, Vahn smiled and said, "As I said in the past, I'm not going to fret over things like that. When the time comes, I will treat them both properly. Lili and Naaza are both very important to me and, even if I had a few inhibitions about it in the past, I'm not going to let such things bother me. Besides, are you really concerned about them during this moment...?" While he was speaking, Vahn leaned over Syr slightly and brought his hands down from her shoulders until he was cupping her bare breasts in his hands. They were currently in his salon and, as many of the girls were want to do, Syr had removed her clothing for the massage. After all, clothes got in the way and they would normally go straight to the bath after leaving...Syr uttered an almost inaudible 'ufufu~' while leaning back her head to peer up into his face with her glimmering grey eyes. When Vahn lightly pinched her nipple between his thumb and index finger, sending threads of stimulating energy into her budding breast, Syr playfully bit her lip before saying, "I'm fine with it, but you shouldn't get too excited...I can't imagine how you would explain things to Vana if she saw her beloved Papa's 'awakened' state~." Vahn also knew Syr's words had some weight to them since his body that was chasing down Vana also started to heat up a little. Thus, after giving her one last feel, Vahn kissed Syr's forehead and pulled his hands away from her fair breasts.With a small pout on her face, Syr resumed a normal sitting position and closed her eyes, saying, "It's a shame that your control over both bodies isn't good enough to deal with both girls at once. I'm certain things would have been very interesting...ara~?" As if she had a sudden realization, Syr brought her index finger to her chin in a thoughtful manner before saying, "Actually, you may want to consider using both of your bodies at the same time~?"At this point, Vahn was almost positive that Syr was just saying things to make it very difficult for him to keep his focus. As a result of her question, he had tripped over an exposed root and eaten a face full of dirt while Vana's laughter echoed in his ears. Even so, Vahn knew there was more to it than that so he asked, "Do you really think its a good idea? I don't really have the confidence to keep my focus in such a...stimulating situation..." To this, Syr began to chuckle lightly before nodding her head and saying, "Indeed, but that may be for the best. Lili and Naaza are both inexperienced girls and they may appreciate it more if you were more awkward as well. Though they may not 'enjoy' it as much, I'm confident you would be able to avoid giving them any regrets~."Hearing Syr's explanation, Vahn considered her words and understood there was some truth to the matter. Lili and Naaza obviously knew he wasn't a virgin anymore but it could potentially ease any tensions they might feel if he was also in an awkward position. Given their natures, it was almost guaranteed that they would have been trying hard to keep up with him. However, due to the sheer difference in experience, this would have caused them unnecessary strain. If he actually tried to be with them using his two bodies, they wouldn't have to worry about such things at all. In fact, they would probably have to 'lead' him along to make things go smoothly...After considering it, Vahn gave a small nod and said, "I'll talk to them about it and see what they think. Since it's their first time, I want them to be comfortable with the situation instead of just using them as 'practice'." Syr chuckled lightly, this time without saying anything as she loosened up her shoulders and began to get into the massage. Even though it wasn't nearly as skillful and normal, it was still very pleasant to experience Vahn's techniques. He wasn't even using his [Hands of Nirvana], but Syr felt comfortable and at ease everywhere his hands roamed, even when they wandered into forbidden territory.Finally, after nearly forty minutes of chasing after her, Vahn managed to catch a heavily breathing Vana. She giggled and laughed when he picked her up into his arms, writhing about in an attempt to escape before eventually settling down. Vahn sat down beneath the shade of a tree while she fought to regain her breathing, the result of running around and laughing much longer than normal. The only reason he managed to even catch her was that her stamina had dwindled to the point where she could no longer evade him easily. Still, the fact she could run around in high spirits for more than half an hour, all while looking barely older than two years in age, showed that her stamina was 'ridiculously' high...While Vana was trying to get her second wind, Vahn was playing with the points of her hair, which had started to break off into distinct sections now. While holding up two of the segments, creating tiny antennae atop Vana's head, Vahn said, "You're a little firecracker, you know that~?" Vana giggled, bringing up her tiny palms to make a few sparks across her fingers. Vahn had actually put on a fireworks show for the girls in the past so Vana knew what a firecracker was. Other than fire elemental control, Vana also had the ability to create 'explosions' and, very recently, had been picking up on how to make different colored flames. She wanted to be able to make fireworks of her own in the future because, according to her, she wanted to defeat monsters in a 'flashy' and 'exciting' manner.The sparks in Vana's hands started to take on a green and blue hue before she shot them forward and made a tiny explosion in the air. Since she had already been tired from running, Vana began to breathe very loudly through her nose. Even so, she managed to giggle and said, "Papa, I love playing with you like this. You're so silly~." Now it was Vahn's turn to laugh, all while playing with the make-shift rabbit ears he had made atop Vana's head. Eventually, she shook her hair free of his hands and climbed to her feet before looking back and saying, "You only caught me because I was tired last time. That means I won, okay?"Vahn nodded his head, climbing to his feet while his massage time with Syr was coming to an end at his second body. He helped her get dressed while looking at Vana and saying, "I caught you a lot of times in the past though, so we'll make it even and start over. How does that sound?" Vana opened her eyes before scrunching up her face in deep contemplation. Vahn could hear an illusory sound of gears turning in her head before she eventually nodded and said, "Okay! From now on, the real battle begins~!" Vahn chuckled lightly, deciding to see if he could get some extra benefits from the situation by asking, "To make it more interesting, why don't we make a wager? If I win, you'll have to spend some time reading with me, okay~?"Vana's expression suddenly became very serious as a competitive light was sparked in her fire-like eyes. Reading was her 'nemesis' so she felt like the stakes were very high as she asked, "And what do I get if I win, Papa...?" Seeing his daughter so riled up because of a book, Vahn couldn't help but smile with both his bodies, earning an inquisitive look from Syr as he said, "How about this then...if its something within my power, and not against the rules, I will grant you a single wish~." There were numerous 'rules' that the Vanir had to follow, mostly for their own safety and the safety of others. This included not doing excessive training on their own, never wandering outside the inner region without an escort, and never using real weapons without close supervision.Escorting Syr to the door, Vahn gave her a quick kiss before sending her on her way, making sure to give her a gentle pinch on her pert butt just as she crossed over the threshold of the door. She released a yelp at the same time as Vana said, "Deal! My first wish is to fly around the City with Papa!" Vana spoke as if she had already won and, without any delay, took off running into the depths of the illusory forest. Both versions of Vahn laughed until Syr suddenly took on a predatory look and said, "If you don't manage to convince Lili and Naaza, don't blame me for taking the lead with both of your bodies, ufufufu~."Hearing Syr's words, and her 'scary' laughter, both of Vahn's bodies froze as a shiver ran up and down his spine a few times. It wasn't until a very pregnant Riveria walked into his salon, giving him an inquisitive look as she asked, "Did you try teasing Syr too much? Well, I hope you got it out of your system and learned your lesson. Don't do anything uncouth with a pregnant woman..." Riveria found it somewhat amusing to see Vahn with a pale complexion on his generally healthy, tanned, face. At this point, she was just over six months pregnant and didn't have the confidence to resist if he got a little handsy with her during the massage.Vahn laughed awkwardly while his other self started to chase after Vana, who was currently hiding behind a tree to save her energy. He then started to help Riveria undress because she was wearing a loosely gown instead of her [Elf Queen's Gown]. She blushed lightly but didn't resist since this was part of his 'practice' in controlling two bodies. Besides, she found his somewhat awkward movements strangely refreshing compared to the deft and highly-controlled movements he was known for. As for Vahn, he just enjoyed the moment since Riveria had become exceptionally more beautiful in his eyes after she got pregnant.After removing the loose gown from her body, Vahn marveled at the crest he had carved into her abdomen that fateful day. Feeling reminiscent, he traced his finger along the complex network of runes while simultaneously caressing Riveria's pregnant belly. Her blush deepened but Riveria didn't stop his affectionate action, instead, bringing her hand over his and saying, "It's still hard to believe that I'm actually pregnant. If someone were to tell me a year ago that I'd be giving birth in a few months, I would have smacked them in the head with my [Magna Alfs]...ufufufu."Seeing Riveria's gentle smile, and hearing her laughter, made Vahn pause his steps and smile with two sets of lips. Unable to contain himself, Vahn brought his hand up and touched Riveria's lips with his index finger, startling her a bit as he traced the outline of her smile and said, "Really, you're so beautiful when you smile, Riveria. Every time I see it, I feel truly blessed...almost like I'm in a dream." Picking up a small amount of moisture on the end of his finger, Vahn then brought it to his own lips and pressed it to them. Riveria took a deep breath while her face continued to sink into a deeper shade of red. Seeing this, Vahn laughed lightly before gently pulling Riveria's body, wearing nothing but panties, stockings, and slippers, into his embrace. He knew better than to push her too hard but, as she simply looked too adorable right now, Vahn couldn't help but hold her body and place a kiss on her immaculate and tantalizingly sweet lips...Suddenly, an acorn flew out of the brush at the side, hitting Vahn in the head and knocking his second body out of its daze. Looking over, he saw Vana snickering mischievously as she said, "That is one point for me~! If you're not going to chase me anymore, Papa, that makes it my win!" Without waiting for his response, Vana ducked back behind the brush and took off running, shouting, "Round two, start! Shishishishishi~!" Vahn had briefly thought to mention that Vana's words weren't part of the rules they had established but, seeing her so happy and excited, he couldn't help but make a mental note, giving her a single point against him. Besides, if he could get his daughter to actually pick up a book for more than ten minutes, fulfilling her wishes was a small price to pay...Riveria began to pat his shoulder a few times as she struggled to pull her lips free from his. Vahn started running after Vana while pulling away from Riveria with an apologetic smile on his face. She had a look of blame in her eyes as she said, "I told you not to get carried away...haaa..." in a shaky voice. Vahn had started to follow his instincts a bit when he was interacting with Vana, meaning his kiss had turned a little more intense than he originally intended. Since there was a flowery smell reaching his nose, Vahn knew he had 'wronged' Riveria so he sincerely said, "Sorry, Riveria. I don't have an excuse other than my own lack of control. I'll try to do better..."Since his lack of control was the exact reason she was here, Riveria just huffed a sigh before walking around him to sit down on the chair. She was more frustrated than angry so, when Vahn moved over to help her sit down, Riveria had already forgiven him. Though she had a small frown on her face, Riveria was stuck thinking about the most recent kiss and just replayed it a few times in her mind while Vahn began massaging her shoulders. The tension in her shoulders and breasts slowly started to ease up and her body started to relax very quickly, a commendable feat for the relatively lackluster technique Vahn was using. Then, placing her hands on her own pregnant belly, Riveria released a contented sigh and said, "I forgive you..." in a quiet voice.(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Reading Intensifies*','Vana's Victory','Riveria is a big softie')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though he spent a large amount of his free time training his mastery over two bodies, equating to nearly thirty-eight days worth of training, there times when Vahn couldn't stay split. This would generally be when he had to deal with the matters of the Alliance, such as when he met with visitors, and when he was doing activities that required intense focus. Chief amongst these activities, as could be expected, was spending intimate moments with the girls, especially during the evening. Others included when he would be working on things within his forge, such as parts for the Aegis armor sets, and accessories for his daughters.One of Vana's wishes had been for a magical bracelet, so Vahn made a Mithril loop with Adamantine and Orichalcum coiled around it. Though relatively simple in design, it still ended up being at the upper end of B-Rank and, as he had inserted a hair-like loop of his own blood within the core, it had the properties of storing energy. As for the purpose behind the bracelet, Vahn made it help the user focus and exercise control over fire elemental energy. He wanted Vana to have some support to make it easier for her to master her abilities, almost like training wheels.Vana had been so happy with her gift that she ended up showing it off to everyone in the Manor very proudly, requiring Vahn to have to forge more accessories than he had expected. Ina, shocked that she hadn't been able to get an accessory of her own, managed to 'convince' Vahn to forge a tiny pendant for her. It was made in a similar design as his Maker's Mark, as Ina had become very fond of it after catching glimpses of it on Hephaestus' lower back in the bath. Then, to keep things fair, Vahn also put in a fair amount of effort to develop a pair of reading glasses for Erika. The intent behind them was to decrease any eye strain she might develop as a result of reading so much but the final project also had the property of basic magnification too, something Erika seemed fond of.When Vahn had finished the first batch of accessories, he also began working on a magical wand for Alexa, as the latter had started their magical training in earnest recently. However, when Vana had learned that her 'wish' ended up benefiting others, she had been in a dour mood. This resulted in Vahn having to appease his eldest daughter, excluding Alexa, by carving an ornate wooden sword for her and having her keep it a secret. He made it out of a branch of the sacred tree that he had purchased from the shop, giving her even better control over her fire elemental energy. It was also very durable so Vana had been using it extensively in her own private training, something she never skipped unless there was something more important going on...Smiling at the thought of his daughter working tirelessly to become, not an Adventurer, but a 'Hero', Vahn felt extremely gratified as a parent. The fact that all of his children looked up to him so much was something that filled Vahn with pride. It made all of his own training much easier because, no matter how difficult things got, just picturing his daughters' smiling faces was enough to keep him going. Even in moments such as this, where he had been sent flying nearly thirty meters by Tiona's adorable and healthy brown foot, Vahn stood back up with a determined glint in his eye, accented by a small smile on his face.In a manner reminiscent of their first spar, Tiona dangled her foot in front of him with a playful smile and said, "I'm starting you think you like being kicked, Vahn~." This caused Vahn to laugh, earning a larger smile from Tiona as he said, "Who knows, maybe your feet left an impression on my heart, and not just my face~?" At the same time he was speaking, Vahn was also sneaking up behind Tiona with his second body. He didn't get far, however, before Tiona laughed once again and launched herself at him. This time, she knocked him off balance and grabbed his left arm with her tyrannical strength before spinning around like a top and throwing him high into the sky.Vahn fought against the disorienting feeling plaguing both of his bodies while looking up at himself and saying, "Your physical strength is really something..." Tiona was currently using her [Pactio] and, as a result of the physical enhancement it provided, her already monstrous Power was pushed even further. Her throw had sent him nearly 80m into the air, even though he had been fighting to stabilize himself and resist flying too far.Tiona seemed happy for the compliment, beaming as a result before disappearing from sight the moment later. Vahn could sense her movements very easily but, as a result of having two bodies to manage, wasn't able to react in time to avoid Tiona's kick. Even so, he managed to wrap his arms around her leg at the same time as his own neck seemed to shatter under the force of her blow. As he was in his 'awakened' Magia Erbea form, Vahn healed almost immediately and, because she had struck him so hard, they both ended up tumbling as he tightly held onto her firm calf and plump thigh.Feeling her bones strain in the wrong direction, Tiona inhaled a sharp breath and muttered an 'Ataa...' as she resisted the pain. Even so, once she managed to get her orientation, Tiona buried her left fist into his face and caused a shockwave to spread through Vahn's head and into the ground below. Spiderweb cracks spread out from the point of contact between his skull and the reinforced ground as Tiona leaped away on her good leg. Her right leg seemed 'twisted' slightly out of alignment but, much like how he healed with his Magia Erebea, Tiona's muscles seem to deform slightly as her leg righted itself. Now, however, it was almost like she had an extra set of muscles that allowed the bone of her leg to pivot in a way that was impossible for normal people.Tiona gave a test kick, noticing her balance was a little awkward but that she could put a lot more force into her basic strikes while having a greater range of movement. Laughing at this realization, Tiona said, "Vahn, I love this ability so much. It makes me feel like I'm invincible~." Already having recovered himself, Vahn rose to his feet with a smile and said, "It gives you a pretty exotic appearance as well. Having that wild and untamed looks suits you..." Tiona giggled while taking a few slow and playful steps towards him. Releasing a sigh, Vahn got into a combat stance and prepared himself for the inevitable beatdown...Instead, what Vahn got was Tiona tackling him to the ground with a momentous hug as she pinned him into the small crater they had formed. Realizing what was going on, Vahn released an awkward laugh and said, "I haven't lost just yet..." Tiona, slowly peeling away the cloth that magically hung to her breasts, had already started breathing heavily as she said, "Maybe you can use the moment when I let my guard down to get an advantage...I wonder if I would develop an ability to see out of the back of my head if you tried~?" Without minding the possibility of a sneak attack, Tiona pressed herself to his chest and began passionately kissing him. At the same time, she began to pull at his clothes until Vahn finally gave up and threw them into his inventory...Watching his other body getting 'ravished' by Tiona, Vahn couldn't help but release a small sigh while slowly and awkwardly making his way over to Tione, Ais, and Lili at the side. This hadn't actually been the first time Tiona got 'triggered' during their fights and Vahn knew it was a combination of her excitement and his compliments. Tiona got very heated during a normal battle so, fighting against the man she loved would obviously have a greater influence on her body. Since her instincts were even stronger in her [Pactio] form, a few intimate 'battles' were bound to happen sooner or later. Fortunately, she had enough wherewithal to not take it too far so, after a few minutes of making out and wrestling around, she would normally let him go.Seeing the hot and bothered appeared of Tione when he approached, Vahn made an awkward laugh, reminding, "Don't worry, Tione. Once I get better control over both of my bodies, I'll make sure to keep my promise." Tione put on an expectant smile but, instead of saying anything about the promise he had made, pat Lili on the shoulders and said, "You should worry about this one first. She and Naaza have been waiting quite a while~." Lili had been looking towards the crater in the distance with an almost 'piercing' look in her eyes but, after hearing Tione's words, she turned her larger than average eyes up at Vahn and produced a small smile.Smiling, Vahn sat down and patted his thigh, causing Lili to immediately hop into his lap and, without being asked, produce a pair of fluffy hazelnut-colored cat ears. Releasing a small chuckle, , Vahn began to play with Lili's new ears as he said, "I'm the most aware of how patient Lili has been. After all, other than Milan and Tina, I have known her the longest out of everyone...isn't that right?" Lili nodded her head and somewhat inappropriately wiggled her butt against his lap as she said, "Yes...it feels like such a long time ago, almost like a dream. But, if this really is a dream, I hope I never wake up...at least not for a few more days."Giving a small nod, Vahn moved his hands to Lili's waist and hugged her tightly as he whispered, "Don't worry, I can assure you that this is reality. Thank you for being so patient with me Lili...I'm really proud of how much you've grown since then." Without thinking about it at first, Vahn could feel how 'firm' Lili's abdomen was, even though it was also very soft to the touch. More than just character growth, she had put in an almost ridiculous amount of effort into her physical training and studies. If this was the version of Lili that Bell had met in the original story, the Supporter role might have fallen to the young hero instead of the diminutive, yet inordinately powerful, Pallum in his arms...While Lili was snuggling up in his lap, Ais and Tione sat at his sides, leaning against his shoulders as the four of them enjoyed some skinship together. Vahn couldn't actually do too much more, other than just sit there, as his attention was focused very heavily on what was going on between him and Tiona. She actually got a little too excited and ended up trying to mark him like a Cat Person except, without the same enzymes in her mouth to encourage scarring, the only way she could have ever left a mark on his body is if Vahn 'made' one where her teeth bit into him. Thus, after she was satisfied with the pattern she had formed, Vahn ended up having yet another bite mark on his body. When he saw Tiona lick the blood dribbling from her lips, Vahn had an illusion that she really wanted to 'eat' him up...---With his daily training in the orb completed, Vahn returned to the real world and headed toward the Library. He was able to keep track of time easily, regardless of if he was in the orb or not, so he had never been late to any of the scheduled events he had planned. Thus, just as Erika had shown up with a bag full of books in her arms, Vahn had already 'dragged' Vana out of her hiding spot and carried her kicking and laughing all the way to the Library. Though she had been able to get a few wins against him, Vahn had also managed to capture her on occasion. Thus, as promised, Vana had to spend some time reading within the Library while he also watched over Erika's studies.By the time he reached the Library, his other self and Erika were already hard at work reading a large and ancient looking textbook. Erika looked up and paused for a few moments before lowering her eyes back to the book before her. Vahn noticed the small blush she always had whenever there were two of him around but chose not to tease her for it as he maneuvered Vana from his shoulder and set her on the floor. She had been making a lot of noise on the way over but, after entering the Library, turned quiet with a 'defeated' appearance on her face. One of the rules in the Library was to be quiet, so as not to disturb others and, though Vana was a very rambunctious young girl, she was still really well-behaved.Ruffling her somewhat spikey and wild red hair, Vahn quietly said, "Don't worry, Vana. We'll be reading a story about a might hero and her dragon companion this time around. If you have any trouble with the words, I will help you out..." Vana, hearing her Papa's words, opened her eyes wide and 'loudly' whispered, "Is there really a story about a girl hero and a dragon!?" Vahn nodded his head while guiding Vana over towards the sofa. As it was possible to find infinite iterations of a book, with varying plot developments and endings, Vahn found a version of a heroic tale that, instead of a male lead, had a female heroine. This was one of the smaller benefits of the system shop and, for moments like this, Vahn was very grateful for such functionality.Unlike Erika, who 'preferred' to sit in a chair and have him watch over her, Vana unashamedly climbed into his lap and opened up the book while leaning into his chest. Both Vahn's noticed Erika look over when this happened so his form closest to her lightly pat her red hair and whispered, "We can move over to the sofa on the far side of the room if you want..." Erika blushed a deeper shade of red but shook her head, murmuring, "No, I'm fine, Papa..." However, though she said this, Vahn was very aware that her eyes would dart over to where he and Vana were sitting. He released a small sigh and wondered if there was anything he could do to get Erika to 'relax' more...Though she still struggled quite a bit, Vana enjoyed the fairy tail quite a bit more than normal, especially since the illustrations were very vivid. Seeing a powerful and heroic woman riding on the back of a giant dragon made her wiggle around excitedly. Vulcan was already large enough to ride around but, as she was too young to fly on her own, Vana was still excited at the prospect of one day flying around and saving people from the back of her own dragon. Vahn always encouraged Vana to never give up on her dreams but constantly emphasized the fact that having powerful allies you could trust was equally as important as being strong. He didn't follow his own advice at times, but that didn't mean it wasn't any less true. In response, Vana happily said, "No worries, Papa, one day I'll have a hundred friends and we'll go all over the world saving people in need~!"Vahn lightly chuckled, lightly tickling Vana's side as he said, "Just remember that your Papa will always be one of your allies. One day, you may be able to travel around freely, but I hope you'll never forget that there are people that are willing to help you. No matter how old you get, you'll always be my precious little firecracker..." Surprisingly, after giggling for a bit, Vana said in a very self-assured manner, "Papa is already my first friend and ally. When I go on my journey to save the world, I'll obviously take Papa with me~! You can be the super secret awesome hidden mentor that helps all of the younger heroes train to become strong. Shishishishi~." In many heroic stories, the hero always finds some old sage, an elderly wizard, or another retired hero. Vana felt it was perfectly natural to include her Papa, who she already believed to be an amazing hero, into her own party.Imagining traveling around the world with his daughter while she went on her own heroic journey, Vahn couldn't help but smile. He knew it wouldn't be as 'nice' as the image she likely had in her mind but that made it even more important that he was there at her side. If she ended up seeing something that traumatized her, Vahn wanted to be there to help provide her heart and mind the support it would need to overcome the situation. Though the memories of those traumatic events would never fade, Vahn knew it was such moments that defined true Heroes. He believed his daughter was strong enough to overcome anything and, if she wasn't, he would be there to help give her a gentle nudge in the right direction...Thinking it through, Vahn spontaneously hugged Vana very firmly in his embrace as he said, "Your Papa would love to be part of your party one day, Vana. However, you'll have to wait until you're fourteen before you try to run off and explore the world...okay?" As it was already a rule she had agreed to, Vana nodded her head with a happy smile on her face. She was very happy that her Papa was willing to travel around the world with her because, if she were being honest, just the thought of going around without him was kind of lonely. At the same time that Vana was thinking this, someone else in the room was having a somewhat similar thought. Erika, having glanced over at the happy atmosphere between her Papa and Elder Sis had finally reached a critical level in her tolerance. Gently closing the book she had spread out on the table, Erika held it tightly to her chest and muttered, "Let's move over to the other sofa, Papa..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Tiona's trying to give Vahn a foot fetish','*Imagines Vahn standing behind Vana, radiating a terrifying aura as his daughter gives a heroic speech...*','Erika is adorable xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After leaving the Manor, Vahn quickly made his way across the sky with Fenrir following close behind him. Today would be the last day for conducting the preliminary interviews so Vahn was looking forward to wrapping things up so he could begin his training. As for his worries about the Noble faction, and the Smiling Reaper, Vahn suddenly found that they seemed inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Right now, the girls weren't haphazardly moving around and, regardless of how strong the Smiling Reaper was, it would be very difficult for her to target any of the girls directly. The fact she had been 'scheming' around him showed that the Nobles didn't actually want to draw his attention and ire directly, as the potential consequences weren't something easily shouldered.Vahn speculated that her purpose had been to try and infiltrate the School and, now that she had failed, it was likely they would try to use other means instead. Given the nature of the Nobles, using their wealth and influence as leverage against other people, Vahn expected they would target his employees and their families. To avoid drawing attention, this would likely be through backroom dealings and agreements. It ultimately wouldn't matter that much, as most of the 'important' teachings would be kept a closely guarded secret. Every student would be required to take a vow just to qualify for the class and all the other classes weren't exactly something 'proprietary' to the School he was establishing.If the Nobles decided to copy his example and teach the children similar lessons in a second School, that was their own prerogative. Thus, even if they 'bought' the loyalty of some of his future employees, it wouldn't make a big difference with their system that vetted and evaluated the teachers every six months. If it was seen that the instructors were trying to exploit and scout the students for the Noble houses, they would be fired and replaced very expediently. This meant that, in order to be proper agents for the Nobles, the people they hired to steal information would still have to teach and mentor the students properly.When Vahn and Fenrir arrived outside the cafe, there was already a small crowd of people that were grouped around, all waiting for the opportunity to be interviewed. Word had spread about the benefits offered so Vahn wasn't surprised to see nearly a hundred people outside, comprised mostly of women and their children. Vahn knew that they were trying to play him a bit, as some of the children didn't even look to be related to the women, but that was easily dealt with during the interview. He quickly gathered everyone and had them organize into an orderly queue, warning them not to stir up trouble and be patient if they wanted an opportunity to be interviewed. Those on the list he had would be prioritized, but there was plenty of time to go through a few dozen prospective employees from among the general populous.After making his preparations, and enjoying a nice cup of coffee, Vahn began his last day of interviews on a high note since the person at the front of the line was someone that caught his eye instantly. Thus, when a rather diminutive looking young man walked into the room, possessing peculiar white hair and faded grey eyes, Vahn couldn't help but smile as he said, "I didn't expect a god would lower themselves to interview with a mortal." Though they had never met before, Vahn rose to his feet and gave a slight bow to the youthful god.With an amused expression, the god began to chuckle in a somewhat raspy manner before saying in a strangely mature voice, "There is no need for formalities, young Sage. I have come here at the behest of my sworn-sister, Amaterasu. It seems you have some fate with the Far East and, to ensure there will be no ill-will between our people, I have come to observe and make peace with you." At the end of his words, the youthful look god bowed slightly lower than Vahn himself, a sign of respect that would have made most people feel very awkward. However, having dealt with Takemikazuchi in the past, Vahn was somewhat used to the gods of the Far East being very polite.Even so, Vahn was still surprised to learn that this god had traveled all the way from the Far East at the behest of a goddess he had yet to meet. His knowledge of Amaterasu showed that she was a very influential goddess in the Eastern Pantheon so it meant a great deal for her to send an 'envoy' of sorts such a great distance. For the time being, he decided to get a better understanding of the situation by saying, "I have no enmity towards anyone that hasn't taken unnecessary action against myself and my family. If you only came here at the behest of your sister-goddess, please tell her not to worry. So long as they don't give me a reason, I will never go out of my way to stir up trouble with other people..."To this, the god began to laugh once again, seemingly finding Vahn's words amusing. Walking over to the chair, he sat down and said, "Well, I'm afraid some things cannot be avoided so easily. I'm aware there are several young women surrounding you that have roots in the Far East. With your nature, I'm certain you will one day go to the Far East on their behalf. When that time comes, I fear you will not be so tolerant with your words and actions..."Vahn raised his brow, surprised by the yet unnamed god's words. He seemed very sure of the matter and, after considering the pasts of girls like Haruhime and Shizune, Vahn couldn't help but agree that he would likely take action at some point. Haruhime would one day want to visit the grave of her mother and, though Shizune had been less 'focused' on vengeance, that would likely change if she actually found the group responsible for her torment. Vahn also knew that Inari resided in the Far East and, knowing how she had influenced their culture in such a negative way, Vahn would likely have some conflict with her followers.As if seeing through Vahn's thoughts, the god smiled with an amused light in his eyes as he said, "It seems you have some awareness, that's very good...I hope you will show that same level of insight when it comes to actually making decisions in the moment. Remember, young Sage, the actions you take in an instant have far-reaching consequences. Just as you put in so much effort and planning for the decisions you're making right now, you should also carefully consider your actions during tense and strenuous moments."Hearing this, Vahn took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose before waving in a dismissive gesture that surprised the 'young' god. Vahn was still riding the momentum of his earlier decision 'not' to worry about such things so he said, "Listen...what was your name?" The god, still showing a small amount of surprise on his face plainly stated, "Tenjin." Vahn gave a curt nod before continuing, "Okay, Tenjin, I'll be straight with you. This world isn't exactly a pleasant place and, regardless of how much it might upset those that cling to power, I am determined to change it. Don't worry, force isn't the method I have chosen, as that will only perpetuate a pointless cycle of hatred. The only time I take a hard stance is when people threaten my family, my friends, and those I've sworn to protect. If there is to be a conflict between myself and the Far East in the future, it will be because someone from your side instigates it. The only other reason would be that things are so horribly corrupt that I'm 'forced' to take action as a result of being unable to tolerate selfish people oppressing others for their own gains...if you have a problem with that, then you 'created' a problem with me."At this point, Tenjin's brows were raised high with a very surprised expression on his face. Then, against Vahn's expectations, he began to laugh uninhibitedly while striking his knee. It was Vahn's turn to be confused until Tenjin said, "Amaterasu was right about you, young Sage. You see, she isn't fond of how things had turned after Inari, Hachiman, and Ryujin descended to the mortal world. When you visit the Far East in the future, you will likely have to contend with those three fools...our only wish is that you show leniency towards the people. After all, it is not exclusively the fault of mortals to have become the pawns of wayward gods and goddesses...the lure of power and influence are powerful tools of control..."Hearing this, Vahn couldn't help but furrow his brows slightly, agreeing with Tenjin's words but also finding them somewhat flawed. Yes, while gods could certainly give power to people, it was still the decision of those people to accept the power. Though many people may fall into the illusion that they have no choice but to bow to the people with a stronger fist, those at the top typically wielded such power willingly. Many of the clans willingly followed goddesses like Inari and, under her influence, reigned over the people with strict and unfair regulations. It was the same all of the world, just a bunch of people that came into power in the past and now rely on oppression and unjust regulation to keep that power. They feared progress and 'desperately' fought to eliminate any competition for fear of losing their comfortable and exploitative lifestyles.Now, though he hadn't really been considering dealing with the Far East any time soon, Vahn suddenly felt a sense of righteous indignation towards flawed systems that had made victims of girls like Haruhime, Shizune, and Tsubaki's mother, Sakuya. However, he felt the same way about many of the systems in other countries, including Orario itself. Unless he went on a tirade and forcefully brought about change, Vahn's only option was to continue along his current path.It was difficult knowing that he had the power to bring 'fast' change, but couldn't easily make use of it without feeing into a larger problem later on. With the power vacuum caused by his actions, a great many people would die as various groups fought to gain power and influence for themselves. The only real 'solution' was to either put people into power in those regions, much like how he had done in the Divination, or to enable the people from the country itself to seize power. Just as he was doing with the School, Vahn could empower a few honest and capable youths, groom them into strong and righteous leaders, and then allow them to lead their people towards a better future. Such revolutions would undoubtedly be bloody, but there wouldn't be a power vacuum and, at least for a time, things would certainly improve with the introduction of positive leadership.Realizing this, Vahn had an interesting thought so he asked, "Tenjin...you came here from the Far East, correct?" Tenjin nodded his head, a small smile appearing on his face that communicated a great deal of information to Vahn. He realized that this god before him, or perhaps Amaterasu herself, had a very similar idea to what had just crossed Vahn's mind. To make sure they were on the same page, Vahn asked, "So, you must have come with a trade caravan, or with the escort of a Familia...?"Tenjin, still smiling, shook his head before saying somewhat exasperatedly, "Unfortunately, I had only descended to the mortal world a few months ago. It was only by the grace of my sworn-sister that I was able to make the journey from the Far East to this beautiful land of Eden. To ensure I would be well protected, she sent several samurai to accompany me. However, as the journey would be very long, many of the warriors that came with me brought along their families and would like to settle within the City one day. Currently, we've made camp to the south-east and have started constructing a small village...haaaa, it isn't easy coming to an unfamiliar land, much less make it a home. I'm certain some of the children would one day want to return to their home country..."For several seconds, there was silence within the room as Vahn and Tenjin held eye contact with each other. Then, as if on an agreed upon cue, they both started laughing in a free and unrestrained manner. Several seconds later, Vahn smiled and said, "It seems your sworn-sister is a very wise goddess. Very well, Tenjin, I'll play my part and help bring peace to the Far East, even if it take a generation or two. Those warriors of yours would likely benefit from employment within the City and I have a few things in mind to make their transition easier. A friend of mine, a god by the name of Takemikazuchi, could use capable warriors within his Familia. They will be able to become Adventurers and take missions in the Dungeon to earn income. As for their children, I imagine it isn't easy for them to move such a vast distance while being so young. To help them adapt to the various cultures of the Continent, why not have them attend the School? As long as they work hard in their studies, their tuition and board will be taken care of."Tenjin's smile was very wide at this point as he stroked a nonexistent beard on his youthful face. He put on a show of seriously considering the offer before finally nodding his head and saying, "I had only intended to offer my services as a teacher at your School but, hearing you make such a kind offer, I can't help but accept it. Your reputation as a benevolent and wise Sage is well-earned, Vahn Mason...you have this god's sincere gratitude." This time, Tenjin bowed low enough that his head nearly struck against the hardwood table in front of him. Vahn rose to his feet, helping Tenjin stand before patting his shoulder and guiding him to the door.Their discussion had gone on much longer than expected and there were still numerous things for both of them to attend to. Vahn gave Tenjin a small slip for identification purposes and sent a telepathic message to Syr while writing the finer details into his network logbook. Tenjin would have to discuss the specifics of their arrangement with Loki and Takemikazuchi before anything was set in stone. Still, Vahn didn't think there would be any problems and, judging by the fact that Tenjin's Affection was 78(Respect), his impression of the youthful-looking god was quite high. However, this changed slightly when that same god turned to him at the door and said, "My sworn-sister is looking forward to meeting you one day, Vahn Mason. You should know...well, I'll leave that for you to learn on your own~."For the rest of the day, Vahn continued interviewing prospective teachers and staff while thinking about Tenjin's words. Amaterasu was one of the three most influential gods in the Eastern Pantheon, with Susanoo and Tsukuyomi her equals. Above her, only the primordial deity, Amenominakanushi, had any greater significance to the devout of the Far East. Vahn was curious about what kind of person she was and, with Tenjin's enigmatic words, he was also a little nervous. In the Divination, his counterpart had come into contact with Inari and 'forced' change to take place. This time, however, things weren't likely to develop in a similar manner. Vahn wasn't sure if he met Amaterasu in the Divination, but she would certainly play a larger role this time around...By the time he was wrapping up the interviews, Vahn had decided to see if he could get more information about the various gods of the Far East through Loki's connections. Her information network extended through both Heaven and the Mortal World. Vahn was confident she would be able to find out more information, including anything related to Amaterasu and any quirks the goddess might have. Given her power and authority, she had to be a first generation goddess like Hestia so Vahn knew she couldn't be a 'normal' goddess by any means. If she turned out to be another 540 million-year-old virgin, Vahn swore in his heart he would try to avoid entering into a relationship with her. Even now, the legendary 'clamp' of Hestia was something that would sneak its way into his thoughts at times...While he was lost in thought, Fenrir poked his cheek with the paw pad of her index finger and said, "Master is thinking about lewd things...we should hurry home." Vahn was certain it hadn't shown on his face but, remembering his connection with Fenrir, he wasn't too surprised she had seen through him. This thought actually caused him to remember another girl he had a very powerful bond with though and, just as that thought crossed his mind, Vahn suddenly found the image of a smiling Hestia pervading his thoughts. The tensions in his body began to increase as a heat bubbled up in his abdomen. Nodding his head towards Fenrir, Vahn smiled and said, "Let's go home..."(A/N: I tried to write the interactions between Vahn and Tenjin in the way you would expect a conversation from a CN to progress. If it comes off as them both being unnecessarily mysterious and footing around the actual topic of discussion, you can just consider that a quirk of the unique conversational habits of Far Eastern people. There are many instances where people speak in inferences just to 'measure' if the person they're talking to is 'capable' of understanding what they're saying. This is a way to make both parties able to show respect, one by being mysterious, the other by showing that they see through the mystery and are competent. It's very silly, yes, but I didn't invent the trope xD. Also, there will probably only be three chapters today. I'll be busy this afternoon o3o...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn stops giving a damn','Tenjin is trying too hard to be mysterious','The legendary 'Vice'')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 710: Lack : Control