Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Now that several Xenos had become his retainers, with the exception of Gryuu and Lyd, who prompted subordinate notifications, Vahn had a lot of things he wanted to test out. The Xenos were a very unique species and having the ability to see their parameters and status was very insightful. Vahn was able to immediately identify one thing that had been on his mind, confirming that the more humanoid Xenos actually had slightly higher tier souls. This kind of information would be instrumental towards the research he had in mind but, for the time being, Vahn gestured to Ray and had her walk over to his side with a curious expression as she asked, "Vahn...?"With a smile on his face, Vahn said, "A few of you actually met the requirement for me to use a special technique...I was wondering if you would be willing to assist me...?" The curiosity in Ray's eyes only increased as she nodded her head, saying, "It would be my pleasure~." in a humorous tone of voice. Vahn's own smile increased as he asked, "Well, other than your race, is there anything you ever wanted to change about your body...?" The reason he had called out to her was that Ray, not too surprisingly, actually had a very high Allegiance value towards him, already sitting at 813. Even Naho's was only at 241, but Vahn suspected that was due to her having different parameters that had been developing in the shadows...Ray tilted her head to the side, seeming to consider the matter very seriously before a glimmer of amusement lit up in her eyes as she asked, "Can it be something like changing the shape of my body or the color of my hair and feathers~?" Vahn nodded his head, curious about what Ray wanted to change until she 'flared' all of her plumage simultaneously and said, "I always liked Marie's hair, so make my feathers emerald-blue, please~." Though this was an easy request, Vahn gave a wry smile and commented, "I thought your feathers were actually very pretty...but, if that is what you want..." This was actually the truth, as Ray's golden feathers with their blue tips were actually very aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, but Vahn's remark was actually to see how much the Allegiance requirement would change based on his words.Seeing the AP requirement change from 70 to 900, Vahn nearly burst out laughing because it actually became 'impossible' to change her feathers after she made sense of his words. Ray actually had a slight blush on her face and began rustling her feathers somewhat excitedly as she averted her eyes and said, "Actually, I changed my mind..." She scratched the ground with her talons, showing a sheepishness Vahn hadn't quite expected before Ray seemed to recall something, a mischevious glint in her eyes as she said, "How about you change my breasts or butt to your liking~?" While saying this, Ray unashamedly hefted her breasts while tilting her head to the side, causing some of the feathers in her hair to also flop adorably...Vahn felt like his heart took a few points of damage as he nodded his head and said, "Sure..." and began tweaking the values in his system before confirming the input. As a result, Ray's pert breasts became somewhat fuller, not really changing in size but giving them a more natural appeal. This gave her nearly D-Cup breasts a bit more cleavage as her already shapely butt became slightly more toned. All Bird-Type Xenos had pretty shapely butts so Vahn didn't have to change much to give Ray what he considered an almost 'perfect' butt. She noticed these changes very quickly, poking and prodding her own body with a smile on her face before asking, "Did you want to check and make sure they are to your liking~?"Though he knew this was something akin to 'entrapment' on the part of Ray, Vahn's expression remained casual as he reached out his palm and unashamedly groped her left butt cheek and breast. He could feel Ray's heartbeat speeding up but, after coping a feel for a few seconds, pulled his hand away and commented, "Very nice...thanks for the treat..." Ray's expression became more than a little complicated as she actually wanted to do a bit more but knew it wasn't really the best time. She was also a little bothered by how 'casual' Vahn reacted, even though he had never really shown too many other reactions, completely different from how 'other' Adventurers would react when seeing their bodies...Seeing her confusion, Vahn's expression didn't change much as he reached out his hand and began lightly stroking Ray's feathery hair, saying, "Now is an important transitional phase for all the Xenos. For the time being, I'd rather everyone focus on building their community further...other things can wait until later, okay...?" Vahn knew that if he started to openly accept the affections of any Xenos, especially at this stage, things would become chaotic very quickly. He wanted them to adapt to their new lifestyle before things got out of hand, even though he also harbored a few expectations of his own. Since one of the objectives of his 'main quest' included having children with 59 different races, Vahn was curious if the Xenos each counted as their own unique race. Though they couldn't give birth by default, that wasn't really a restriction that could stop him...so long as it was something they also desired...Some of Ray's feathers were rising and falling, giving her a somewhat frazzled and frayed appearance as she nodded her head. As reluctant as she might be, Ray fought to keep her emotions in check as her expression slowly returned to normal, a casual smile on her face. She had never told Vahn but, like many of the female Xenos with humanoid features, her dream wasn't simply to fly freely under the sun, but also to be embraced by a man she loved. Vahn was the first to trigger these emotions and, also like many Xenos, there was 'something' about him that drew her towards him ever since their first meeting. This was a combination of Vahn's [Charm] and, being a Progenitor with a very calming and 'exciting' aura, could also be attributed to his 'animal magnetism'.Just as Vahn had been able to use his [Will of the Emperor] to subjugate and caused monsters to feel a primal fear towards him, the opposite was also true. His aura had the effect of inspiring awe in others as well, especially entities that were instinctually aware of things like bloodline. This was why many Dragon species, known for their pride and arrogant natures, would quickly recognize Vahn's 'aura' as something simply beyond their own, allowing them to bow their heads instead of fighting till their death. Many creatures, especially those with unique bloodlines like Ray, were also drawn to him for the same reason, subtly being influenced by his aura as their 'instincts' were triggered...He wasn't aware of this himself, even though he had seen several indicators of such a functionality behind his Innate, but Vahn could influence and compel being with weaker souls than his own. This was especially effective on entities that were restricted by their instincts, allowing him to use his aura to forcibly subjugate others to his will, just like Fafnir and Khaos in the past. If he exploited this ability like a tyrant, Vahn could forcibly compel and attract most Xenos to his side with just a few words. This was something he had been slowly forgetting about as he no longer used the 'power of words' to defeat his enemies and instead relied on [Magia Erebea], a simple skill, in lieu of his own Innates...Blissfully unaware of his regression, Vahn maintained a smile as he turned to the gathered Xenos and said, "Coordinate with each other to begin building your homes. If you need any supplies or resources, let me know and I'll procure them for you. Remember, there are underground tunnels for those that don't want to remain on the surface for long periods of time." Since Horned Rabbits and Almiraj were burrowing monsters, at least in the wild, Vahn knew they would likely create a sub-surface hovel to act as their den. He also placed Marie into her pond, as it was nearly full at this point, allowing her to swim around excitedly as she disappeared into the depths to investigate her new home.The Xenos immediately set out to start building their homes, the more dexterous amongst them helping to draw out the perimeter while the few amongst them that could read and write simple characters wrote down what each section was supposed to be. As for Vahn, he moved towards the northern part of the clearing and imagined the trees 'moving', something Terra understood since she quickly shifted them aside as he drew out a large area that would serve as the residence for the Xenos leadership in the future. Once the template was finished, he led the way inside with Lyd, Gros, and Ray following after him.Within the large 'hut', there was also a small tunnel leading into the ground that was slowly filling with water, this time without Vahn's efforts. Terra was 'linking' all of the houses that were being built with Marie's pond below so that she would be able to visit everyone instead of being constrained to just a few locations. As a result, Marie's head popped up before they had even sat down to discuss things, giggling happily before she disappeared with her tail breaking against the surface. She seemed to be enjoying herself greatly, bringing a smile to all four of their faces as they began to discuss the 'rules' all Xenos would need to follow.In general, as Vahn greatly appreciated the Xenos way of life, there were no major restrictions that would be placed on them within their own territory. The only thing they truly needed to concern themselves with was how they would interact with society at large. Since Vahn wanted those with wings to be able to fly around freely, much like Terra, Fafnir, and Khaos, there were considerations that had to be made in order to both protect the Xenos and prevent any harm from befalling other citizens. In general, Vahn wanted the Xenos to avoid moving outside of the Alliance Airspace and, unless it was someone recognized as an ally, they should avoid interacting with most people.Those that could be trusted would be given similar pendants to the ones carried by the Xenos, which would resonate with each other to avoid counterfeit situations. The Harpy-Xenos themselves would actually be required to memorize the names and faces of those recognized as trustworthy, lest they be 'constrained' to the airspace above their territory instead of the larger Alliance-controlled space. It would only take one incident of a Harpy-Xenos favoring a citizen and getting killed as a result of a misunderstanding, causing major setbacks to what they wanted to accomplish. Vahn wanted to prevent such tragedies from occurring and, if necessary, was prepared to make it a requirement for them to become his retainers or subordinates to even gain access to the outside world. This wasn't because he wanted to outright 'control' them, but it would allow him to officially name them or help modify their intelligence by altering their race slightly...Things like this were important to bring up early on as it was actually an important method for the Xenos themselves to 'promote' their growth further. Since they already trusted Vahn a great deal, using his power wasn't really something that bothered them, as it very well would have most people. Because of this, Vahn had to lay some ground rules to prevent 'exploitation', as he didn't want the Xenos to sacrifice what made them unique just because they wanted to fit in or take advantage of certain perks. He felt it would be a tragedy if the 'solution' many Xenos came up with was to simply become the same race as a surface-dweller, losing what made them unique and potentially causing them to pick up some of the habits that made 'civilized' society outright 'wrong'...Ultimately, any Xenos that wanted to become the same race as a surface dweller would need to receive an education, pass some tests on moral and social behavior, and then they could begin assimilating into society by joining one of the Alliance Familia. Though it wasn't impossible for them to live amongst their 'fellow' Xenos, Vahn knew it would only cause problems in the future if there was integration between external cultures and what the Xenos had created within the Dungeon. As much as he would like to believe they were an exception, there would undoubtedly be Xenos that became corrupted by external influence and developed attributes like 'greed', 'lust', and other disreputable traits. Just imagining them going from a community that worked together to ensure each other's happiness, to a group that was exploited by their own people...it was honestly a little heartbreaking.The biggest victims in such a situation would be those Xenos with unique bloodlines and 'profitable' features that could be exploited. Marie's safety would be one of the first jeopardized, as her blood would literally fetch prices in the billions of Valis if she were captured. Other Xenos had very rare materials that constituted their bodies, such as Gryuu's scales, Ray's feathers, or the silk glands of Arachne like Naho and Rayne. To some, the Xenos would be nothing more than glorified material production factories that could be exploited almost indefinitely, as the Xenos themselves had biological immortality and could regenerate...Vahn knew it would actually become a source of 'wealth' for the Xenos community in the future, harvesting their own resources to trade to the outside world, so it was important to establish rules to prevent exploitation from the very beginning. Thus, if a Xenos chose to abandon its identity and live amongst surface dwellers during this transitory phase, they would have to remove themselves from Xenos society as a whole. This wouldn't be a partial exclusion either, as there was a chance they could use their prior relations with the Xenos to their advantage in the future. If they chose to renege on their identity, that was something that would be respected, just as they would have to respect their own choice and live with the consequences...Given his own experience, Vahn knew there would undoubtedly be Xenos who experience life amongst surface dwellers who would become jaded after experiencing the reality of such a life. They would undoubtedly wish to return to a more 'understanding' community that lacked the pitfalls and 'tragedy' of 'civilized' society. However, as this had more negative consequences than benefits, they would be denied the opportunity based on their own prior decisions. After all, the reality of the situation was that, unless they had their memories erased, society would have irrevocably tainted them at that point. Vahn wanted to keep this corruption out of the Xenos community for as long as possible...at least until they themselves sought such integration. At that point, he would probably have to either publically recognize certain Xenos as a protected species, if not outright changing them into something else to avoid them become the victims of the cruel and greedy people that always 'infested' society...(A/N: Vahn is a little jaded with society...though, he really does have a lot of reason to be, doesn't he? I like how much effort he is putting into something that is doomed to fail after a few years pass...all to protect 'people' like Marie and Naho xD...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Doki-Doki Instinct is Strong...','Vahn straight up turning the Xenos settlement into Marie's playground xD...','Seriously, fuck people that 'live' by exploiting others...damn parasites (o,...,o)~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After nearly an hour of discussion, Vahn, Lyd, Ray, and Gros had come up with a list of rules that would shape how all Xenos lived for the indefinite future. Most of the actual restrictions were in regards to how they would interact with the outside world and guidelines for anyone that wanted to integrate into society and leave behind the Xenos compound, now named 'Spero Village'. This roughly translated to hope and, though it wasn't exactly a village, the Xenos had a very small population and it wasn't exactly wrong to classify their land as such. They actually had sovereignty that was guaranteed by the Alliance, making this 800-acre plot of land its own 'country', but such things didn't matter to the Xenos at all...Once the discussion had come to an end, though there were likely to be several more in the following days, Vahn helped install a [Paling] to protect the Xenos during emergencies, even though Terra's presence almost guaranteed they were protected. This was simply a measure so that, if Terra was busy elsewhere, they weren't left unprotected based on an 'assumption'. Each leader was given the activation key but, feeling that she was actually very suited for the task, Vahn also gave Marie a key. She was very happy to receive such a 'present', jumping clear out of the water an into Vahn's arms to give him a somewhat sloppy and inexperienced kiss.Promising to return later, Vahn managed to extricate himself from Spero by 'fleeing' towards the sky and, choosing to keep his promise with Freya, headed towards the small residence she had procured near Knossos' entrance. He knew that, once he returned to the Manor, his time wouldn't exactly be his own anymore, especially if there was anything that needed his attention. Since Syr had informed him that nothing major was going on, as he 'had' to make sure, Vahn decided not to keep Freya waiting. After all, she had actually waited for several days longer than 'necessary', as he had returned from the Dungeon for a short period of time and could have gone to visit. The only justification he had for not doing so was that he had made the promise to her after entering Knossos and he hadn't 'officially' returned just yet...Such thoughts made Vahn feel a little guilty, even though he knew it wasn't exactly something he should worry over. Deciding to simply enjoy whatever Freya had planned for him, Vahn slowly flew through the sky with an expectant look on his face. He was honestly more than a little interested in what Freya was planning and, so long as she wasn't using her [Charm] to force the matter, Vahn was willing to give her some wiggle room to 'play'. She knew better than to try and appeal to him using 'nefarious' and 'questionable' means so he couldn't help but be a little excited...After a relatively short flight, Vahn touched down on the balcony of a pristine white building that had been hastily constructed for a very exorbitant amount of Valis. Since it was near the center of Daedelus Street, the elegant temple-like building stood out like a sore thumb, likely Freya's intention from the very start. As a result of her Divinity, she 'had' to show off her wealth and power so it could be appreciated externally. The greater the disparity between her own home, and the surrounding architecture, the better it was from Freya's perspective. She actually went out of her way to design any residence she stayed in to be both ancient in design, but extremely extravagant at the same time. As a result, the entire structure was made out of extremely polished marble while the reliefs carved into the walls depicted various heroic figures adorned with gold while their eyes were actually set with precious gemstones...Though there were several barriers barring entry, Vahn was able to freely pass through all such obstructions with a small red ring that Freya had given him in the past. He generally kept it within his Inventory but, for situations like this, would wear it on his left middle finger. As for his ring fingers, Vahn actually had small and intricately designed bands that represented Hephaestus, Eina, and Riveria. Each had a very small fragment of ruby, sapphire, and emerald, a constant reminder of the women he had officially married. Though he kept them safe within his Inventory while in the Dungeon, as his combat style often destroyed his equipment, Vahn wore them proudly during most other circumstances...Vahn also had the pendant that represented his bond with Lili while various other accessories and markings emphasized his relationships with other girls. The most obvious of these all, at least when he was naked, were the various bite-shaped scars around his shoulders, collarbone, and, as a result of Terra's nature, a small scar above the location of his heart. It was somewhat ironic that every visible scar and injury on his body, instead of being obtained from battle, was the result of one of his lovers. Even so, Vahn didn't mind them at all, regardless of the strange looks and questions he would get when people saw the 'questionable' wounds...With these thoughts fresh in his mind, Vahn wondered what kind of 'mark' Freya would leave on him someday, as he knew she was very bothered by the scars left by the other girls. Then again, it might be that she wanted him to leave his impression on her as, even though she could keep it concealed, Freya often wore gowns and dresses that exposed her back, displaying the maker's mark he had left as if it was something that accented her beauty further. If this was the case, though Vahn knew it wasn't really the truth of the matter, that would probably be for the best. However, given the various presences located within the chamber containing Freya, Vahn knew she was determined to leave an impression on him, one way or the other.Upon entering the inner sanctum of the temple-like structure, Vahn found Freya wearing nothing but a loose transparent robe that served almost no purpose as actual clothing. She was standing next to an empty throne, a violet glimmer in her eyes as an elegant smile spread from her lips as she said, "Vahn...you're a little earlier than I expected...ufufufu~." As she spoke, Freya moved forward in such a way that it was like her body had a gravitational pull that drew the eyes towards whichever trait she decided to accent at any given moment. Her arm would lightly push up her fair breast, making the small bead at the center stand out before, immediately after your eyes were drawn to the cherry-red protrusion, Freya's hips would snake, revealing a tantalizing gap between her thighs that redirected the eyes down...Letting her pull his hand, Vahn sat in the throne that Freya had apparently prepared for him as she very naturally sat on his left leg, remarking, "I heard Loki comment about how sitting on your lap was almost like sitting on a throne that granted both mortals and gods absolute power over even fate...I must admit, even those created by prodigious smiths can't give me the same feeling as what I'm experiencing right now...I wonder...can you feel it as well, Vahn~?" Following her cue, Vahn brought his hand to Freya's left breast, earning a hot sigh from her as a powerful 'thumping' emanated from her chest. He had already seen her aura flare up when she sat down but there was something far more intimate about placing your hand over the heart of your lover...For several seconds, there was nothing but the sound of Freya's slightly accelerated breathing as both she and Vahn maintained smiling expressions. Freya had noticed the 'change' in Vahn several days prior and was very curious about what was going through his minds at times like this. She already had a good understanding of his character, at least in the past, so seeing a 'new' version of the man that conquered her heart was very exciting. She wondered if he might just push her down on the cold marble floor and ravish her until she couldn't even move the following day, a state she had only ever been able to experience whenever he 'rewarded' her for doing a 'good' deed. It was her hope that he interpreted her surprise in such a way and, now that he was acting out of her expectations, Freya was even more excited to see how he would react than normal...Since her heart wasn't exactly calming down, Freya released another hot sigh before picking up a pure crystal bell on the throne's armrest and ringing it. As the sound of steps reached her ears, Freya felt like her heartbeat was matching their pace, even though her expression remained unchanged. She didn't even turn her head to mark the entrance of the four new arrivals, instead, watching Vahn's expression for any changes, no matter how minute. When his eyes opened slightly, Freya couldn't help but smile as the beating in her heart increased exponentially. She then had enough confidence to rise from Vahn's lap and move over to the lined up girls and begin their introductions...Though he had known about the 'five' presences Freya was keeping in reserve, Vahn hadn't quite expected the scene that was playing out in front of him. Wearing rather intricately designed maid outfits, not the kind used for more 'devious' acts, there were four very unique and exotic looking young women gathered before him. The first had two pointed horns that matched her light brown skin near the base but transitioned into scarlet red. They were very obviously horns but Vahn had never seen anything remotely similar, even though he had immediately identified her species as the very rare Oni from the Far East.This particular Oni had dark purple hair that extended to her lower back, braided together in a very intricate fashion while tri-part bangs framed her face. Since her horns parted her hair naturally, this left neatly trimmed frontal bangs while the two fringe bangs on the side of her face extended in a very elegant fashion towards her collarbones. Her figure was somewhat petite, only around 158cm tall, but simultaneously very mature with breasts around a C-Cup while her hips were full and sensuous. Vahn, however, knew this was actually a very 'variable' appearance that she was keeping as, without powerful alcohol within their system, Oni would 'shrink' into progressively more petite forms. They were a very unique race whose physical appearance, after reaching 'adulthood', was entirely dependent on the quality and quantity of alcohols they had ingested...Turning his eyes from the pale-gold pupils of this Oni woman, Vahn looked at the second girl, equally exotic but for entirely different reasons. She had leaf green hair that was cut very evenly around her shoulders and, much like the Oni woman, had two horns parting them near her forehead. The key difference is, unlike the flesh-type horns of an Oni, this woman had antler-like horns that were split into three segments. She also had slit-like eyes that were orange in color, giving her a somewhat fierce look even though her eyes were slightly droopy. Vahn identified her as another very rare species from the Far East, a female from one of the Beast Human tribes known as Ryuushu.Though her mature figure was very eye-catching, the thing that drew Vahn's eye about this woman was the fact she had a rather thick tail green tail lifting the back of her skirt. There was extra white fabric preventing her panties from being visible, but seeing the adorable 30cm long tail curving upward at a slight angle was quite the sight to behold. She seemed to be somewhat nervous as well, as her tail was trembling slightly, even though Vahn wasn't exactly informed about the physiology of a Ryuushu. Of course, when this thought crossed his mind, Vahn got his answer and knew that the 'trembling' was actually associated with excitement, not nervousness...The final two girls were actually members of the same race, though this wasn't exactly a detriment whatsoever since they were both very unique in appearance. The first woman was rather short, around 153cm, and displayed a very confident look on her face as her short blonde hair, having a wild and unrestrained appearance with several spikey locks, almost entirely covered her right eye. This left only one of her striking blue eyes visible, as she returned a smile without breaking eye contact for even a moment. Fixed at the side of her head, there were two bronze-colored horns that angled outward before curving into points. She also had pointed ears at the side of her head, though they didn't stand out as much as her two large D-Cup breasts and her pert and athletic lookings hips and thighs...This was a trait shared by the second girl, though it was hard to tell at a glance who actually had the larger breasts. Instead, it was easier to identify them by the differences in their horns, as the second woman's horns appeared shorter and curved in a more extreme manner, almost making an s-shape. She also had long white hair that nearly reached the ground, braided in one massive braid that was fixed together with a red ribbon towards the end. Much like the first girl, she also had a rather confident and brave expression but possessed red eyes and rather prominent bangs that framed her face. Vahn knew them both to be members of the Kyrie People and, though they were rather small in stature, they were reputed to be a match for Dwarves in physical prowess.Freya, with a confident expression of her own, smiled elegantly as she held out her hand, gesturing toward the girls as she said, "These four girls were slaves that had been liberated when my Familia was purging some of the illegal traffickers within the Entertainment District. Each has an equivalent strength of around Level 3 and, though they have been freed from the shackles binding them, jumped at the offer of becoming your personal servants. I'm certain you can tell they are under no compulsion and, if necessary, I will even make a vow attesting to the fact...ufufufu~." After seeing Vahn's expression, Freya had gained a great deal of confidence and knew she had made the correct decision when taking these particular women under her wing. Though it was true she didn't use her charm to influence them, it didn't mean she hadn't used silvery words to get them riled up at the thought of serving Vahn...As they had rehearsed, the Oni woman bowed very politely and, with a somewhat husky and sensual voice, said, "Greetings, Master, my name is Momo-Oni, member of the Oni tribe of the Far East. Please, it would be my honor to serve as your attendant..." At the very end of her words, Momo couldn't resist swallowing and Vahn nearly released a light chuckle since he could imagine what Freya had promised her in exchange for her service. He knew that Freya had certainly done something to convince the girls and, considering the nature of an Oni, Momo was likely expecting her compensation to be in the form of rare and expensive alcohols...Following Momo, the Ryuushu woman bowed even lower, saying in a stoic and soft tone of voice, "Greetings, Master, my name is Katsuya Ryuusen, daughter of the Ryuushu People and heiress to the now-defunct Ryuusen Clan. I may be inexperienced, but I will do my best to meet your expectations and serve your esteemed and dignified self to the utmost of my ability..." Though it wasn't directly communicated, it was easy to see that Katsuya had an ulterior motive for becoming his 'servant'. It was well-known that Vahn helped everyone under his care become much stronger and, though she might not directly request it, Vahn could understand Katsuya wanted the strength to restore her Clan in the future...Once Katsuya finished her introduced, the first of the two Kyrie actually puffed out her chest and stood with arms akimbo instead of bowing as she loudly exclaimed, "I heard you're a real man that doesn't discriminate against any race! As long as you can beat me outright in a match, I don't care what you'll have me do. I appreciate strong men and heard you're the strongest there is! So, that means I'll be in your care from now on, ahahahaha~!" It was only at the very end of her outburst that the yet unnamed Kyrie bowed, causing her rather large breasts to bounce and jiggle a few times when she straightened out her back...The final woman, seemingly familiar with her fellow Kyrie, released a muted sigh before she smiled and said, "Greetings, Master, my name is Elizabelle Grandis, a proud member of the Kyrie People. This airhead to my left is my cousin, Merribelle Grandis, a not-so-proud member who can't even introduce herself properly..." These words caused Merribelle to flinch, her only visible eye widening as her complexion paled slightly. Before she could correct her mistake, Elizabelle continued, saying, "We are very grateful that Lady Freya had liberated us before we could be shamed. Though it may be imprudent of us to expect such treatment, we do hope you will show us consideration if our appearance is to your liking. Since our people pledge loyalty to those we owe a life-debt to, please accept our fealty as Lady Freya had willed..."With Elizabelle clearing things up, Vahn could understand that the two were likely proud warriors of the Kyrie People who had somehow become slaves. Since Freya had liberated them, she became their benefactor and, if it had been her will, the two, or at least Elizabelle, would have taken their lives if it was her request. Freya had diverted their attention towards him and, being the 'strongest' made it easy for the two proud women to shift their loyalty onto him. They were currently acting in the capacity of Maids but, if he so desired them, Vahn knew both girls would likely be more than willing to dedicate themselves to him after a brief 'conflict'...Realizing that Freya had actually gone through a great deal of effort to not only secure him 'exotic' women, likely after hearing something from Loki, but also did it in an above-board fashion. Though it could be argued that she had taken advantage of the girls' situation, it was only by offering them genuine benefits that they ended up here in front of him. He could easily just give alcohol to Momo, help Katsuya become strong enough to restore her Clan, and 'free' the two Kyrie women of their 'obligation', but that would actually go against the expectations of all five girls. Vahn could see the four girls had a very positive impression of him, likely as a result of something Freya had said or done, so it almost felt wrong to even think about turning them away...With a slightly larger smile, Vahn turned his eyes to Freya and asked, "Have you talked to the others about this little 'surprise'...?" When Freya moved her hand to her lips and began to giggle in a playful manner, Vahn knew she had gotten 'permission' before moving forward. With that in mind, he let loose a small laugh of his own before turning to the four girls and saying, "So long as you do not compromise the safety and security of those I cherish, I will do my best to act as a competent and worthy Master. I thank you in advance for your service..." Even before he had finished speaking, four prompts appeared within his system notification and Vahn accepted the four unique girls as his subordinates before turning to Freya and saying, "It seems I owe you a reward, Freya..."(A/N: For those curious, the Kyrie are fundamentally similar to the Draph race from Granblue Fantasy. I even borrowed two of my favorite Draph as a 'template' :P...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Visible Extravagance','Freya's mark leaves quite the impression xD...','RIP Freya, may the Godhand guide her safely through the abyss...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Not only had the Freya Familia started clearing the route forward, but anyone wearing the emblem of the Alliance was asked to help keep order along the way. The Eirene Familia also stepped in to reroute civilian traffic from the area where there Xenos were expected to pass through. Since they had already been making preparations prior to Vahn's return, things were running relatively smoothly. Though there were several shocked individuals within their homes and places of business that looked wide-eyed towards the congregation, none of them tried to stir up trouble. After all, the sight of a group of 'monsters' moving orderly through the City, with none other than Vahn leading the way, wasn't something most people would want to be involved with.The Xenos themselves were also looking around like children in a candy store, eyes glimmering with expectation and excitement. Many actually had 'dazed' expressions, absentmindedly following along while looking towards the clear blue skies above. The majority of Xenos were actually monsters that had memories from a time before they revived within the Dungeon. For some, it had been several years since they had seen the surface, making the moment rather meaningful for them. The fact that they were allowed to pass through highly populated areas without being obstructed was something bordering on the 'impossible', at least according to the logic and reasoning they had cultivated over several generations of Xenos...Lyd had closed the distance naturally, still highly alert to his surroundings as he commented, "This is pretty unbelievable...I almost feel like I'm in a dream..hahaha..." Though he wasn't really the type to get nervous, this particular situation wasn't something Lyd had truly prepared himself for. His, and most of the Xenos', instincts were actually itching quite a bit, warning them of potential danger as several Adventurers in their surroundings also entered a combat-ready state. Seeing a group of monster, especially with some rare species and Variants included, was enough to unnerve even veterans. Vahn was also aware of several people eyeing Marie, who he had fortunately convinced to wear a bikini top and pareo, so he could understand Lyd's nervousness.Even so, Vahn maintained a calm expression and just smiled comfortingly towards Lyd as he said, "The City doesn't exactly know the Alliance is moving a group of Xenos through the streets today, as it would have given our enemies time to prepare countermeasures. A bit of nervousness and intrigue is to be expected...don't worry, I will not allow any harm to come to the Xenos without exhausting everything to prevent it from happening..." As he spoke, Vahn sent a pressure-filled glare towards what looked like a young Noble whose aura had flared up when eyeing Marie. The blond-haired youth immediately entered a state similar to mind down, frothing at the mouth as his servants began to panic...With his return to the surface this time around, Vahn was planning to publically denounce the actions of the Nobles and force them to answer for their crimes. He would also be increasing the Alliance's support for the Civilian Council and see if he couldn't influence the Denatus enough to bring about lasting policy changes for the future. Even if the Nobles tried to deny any involvement with the bomb carried by their personal expedition, Vahn didn't care at all. That was inarguably an act of 'war', not a simple play of aggression and politics. If the Nobles were so pressured by the Alliance that they were literally allying with other countries, Vahn would 'deport' them. He wondered in amusement how the Nobles would react when the Iron Hills immediately cut ties with them after they were no longer useful...Lyd had already noticed the possessive look of the man drinking tea and his sword arm had begun to itch. Seeing Vahn openly deal with the man, Lyd clicked his tongue but also felt a great deal of relief since it was very difficult to withstand some of 'feelings' that were triggering his instincts. In their lives, it had always been very important to either avoid danger outright or strike first to protect themselves. Being unable to take such actions was more stressful than he had imagined but, as Vahn had emphasized several times that they needed to prepare themselves for such things, Lyd was doing his best to set an example for the others...The long walk through Alliance-controlled territory finally came to an end after a little over twenty minutes, even though their pace had been rather hurried. With how curious the 'younger' Xenos were of their surroundings, the procession had been slowed somewhat and Vahn had tried to keep a steady pace that even 'stragglers' could keep up with. Fortunately, other than a few groups who expressed a little 'too much' interest in the Xenos, there were no major incidents before Vahn brought the Xenos to the entrance of what looked like a walled-off forest.Terra hadn't actually spent much effort to completely change the 3km² plot of land into nearly 800 acres of forested terrain. The larger effort had been the combination of her and Riveria setting up the massive illusory forest formation that would disorient anyone that didn't possess a specialized crystal on their body. Since the Xenos would need both privacy and security in order to protect themselves, a lot of effort was made to ensure only those trusted by the Xenos themselves would be able to enter. As for where they would be living, the Xenos were very industrious people who were not against working hard to create communal homes that they freely shared with their kin. They could request Terra's assistance for any changes made to the underground, but everything else would be left to them to decide...Vahn was a little surprised that, at the very least, Loki wasn't present outside her own former Manor to greet him. He checked his logbooks and viewed her status, confirming that she was actually meeting with Ouranos alongside Hestia and Hephaestus. They were likely helping to smooth things over, if not outright discussing some of the other matters he wanted to take care of. Either way, it was actually more convenient that there wasn't anyone waiting outside of the Manor since it allowed him to escort the Xenos directly inside. He could feel the tension literally drain from their bodies once they entered into the forested area, completely immune to the effects of the powerful barrier as a result of the small necklaces, bracelets, and anklets each of them wore.Naho, still riding his back, began to get even giddier as she excitedly asked, "Is this place really going to be our home!?" Though there were a lot of different types of plants, trees, and animals within the surrounding Floors of the Xenos' Hidden Village, it was nothing like this immaculate and beautiful forest. There was currently a distinct lack of any fauna, as even insects hadn't been able to migrate into the territory spontaneously changed by Terra, so there was a very peaceful and quiet atmosphere permeating through the area. For most Xenos, this was an 'ideal' place to live, as their instincts were allowed to calm down almost completely after the curious eyes and emotions of the surrounding surface-dwellers could no longer reach them.Vahn nodded his head in response to Naho's words but addressed all of the surrounding Xenos as they continued making their way towards the heart of the forest, "This entire plot of land is around 800 acres on the surface, but you will have a lot more space to work with if you choose to work underground. Since every Xenos has an 'ideal' habitat, don't be afraid to ask for any materials that would be helpful in shaping your surroundings. Your comfort, at least for the time being, is the most important factor you need to concern yourselves with. My own home is actually very close to this compound and, if you follow the underground tunnels, they are connected to each other. Though there were certain restrictions everyone will have to keep in mind, this place has now become something of a 'sanctuary' where you can live freely..."Though not every Xenos could fully understand his words, Vahn knew it wouldn't really be a problem since they would listen to whatever rules and 'laws' that were created by Lyd, Gros, and Ray. Even the Harpy-Xenos had been behaving her 'no flying' rule after reaching the surface, as it would have caused quite a few problems if they started flying around and investigating everything. All Bird-Type Xenos seemed to have very curious natures and, having no real inhibitions about interacting with people, it would cause a lot of problems if they took a liking to any particular person or place. Not everyone would be as understanding as he was if they ended up getting accidentally lacerated by a Harpy-Xenos if the latter got a bit too excited...After arriving at the very center of the territory, which was easy to locate since it was the only clearing present on the plot of land, Vahn had the Xenos gather around him, Lyd, Gros, Ray, and, as she was currently still reliant on him carrying her around, Marie. Naho was made to cling to Rayne for the time being as Vahn would be helping to get them started by shaping the land and setting out supplies. He could 'sense' that Terra was also paying attention to what they were doing and, knowing she would also be able to hear him, Vahn smiled and said, "Given the Xenos classification, there is actually a very powerful Xenos that will be watching over you while you develop this area. She is a True Dragon by the name of Terra and, so long as you don't do anything to offend her, she will undoubtedly help you out with the construction process..."To demonstrate what he was talking about, Vahn drew a circular outline on the ground and also wrote down the word 'pond' in the center before clarifying a few things for Terra through their shared connection. Moments after he finished creating the outline, the ground began to sink down, forming a perfect cylinder before it began to widen into a vase-like shape. Though she would be able to create water as well, Vahn saved Terra the trouble and began to condense water from the atmosphere into a stream that started to fill up the pond that would become Marie's home. Part of the clarification he made with Terra was to link the pond to the underground since he wanted Marie to have some freedom of movement and, in the event of an emergency, a place to flee to.The Xenos were shocked by the inexplicable phenomenon they just observed but, after Terra decided of her own volition to teleport over, they were far more focused on her and Alexa's presence. This was especially so for Gryuu, sharing a common heritage with Terra and immediately lowering his head to the ground in a subservient manner while the majority of Xenos either fell down or outright joined Gryuu in bowing. Amongst the latter group was Lyd, as Lizardmen also shared a common ancestor with Dragons, who had decided to take a knee and lower his head by instinct.Terra began laughing in an elegant manner while Alexa strangely puffed out her chest in a somewhat self-important fashion. Vahn saw this and released a light chuckle of his own, even as he reached out to lightly chop Alexa's head, saying, "These are our important companions, Alexa...make sure to treat them well, okay...?" Surprised by the fact her Papa had 'struck' her, Alexa's eyes widened before she immediately lowered her head and muttered, "I'm sorry, Papa..." Vahn felt his own heart palpitate anxiously once before he began to ruffle Alexa's hair, his [Grooming] fully active, even though he had actually only lightly chopped her head...This interaction between 'Father' and 'Daughter' caused Terra's smile to turn even more radiant before she turned her attention to the gathered Xenos and said, "My Master has charged me with helping you shape this land into a suitable place to live...I will also be protecting you, at least for the time being...make sure you work hard to increase your strength so as not to take advantage of my Master's kindness. Each of you has unlimited potential and, so long as you desire to become stronger, there are no limits to your growth...keep that in mind and work hard, okay~?" Some of the Xenos began to nod very quickly, causing Terra to giggle once more before she grabbed Alexa's hand and said, "Come, Alexa, we will wait for your Papa back at the nest~."Without waiting for her daughter's consent, Terra teleported away, leaving the Xenos to act as if a heavy weight had been removed from their bodies. There were some who had tensed up a great deal when Terra showed up, now falling to the ground and breathing heavily as Vahn sent calming energy through his domain to help support them. He understood that Terra was 'introducing' herself in an effort to both keep the Xenos in line while also inspiring them to work hard. Vahn decided to support this action of her's, looking towards Gryuu and saying, "You know, there was a time not that long ago where Terra also possessed the form of a Green Dragon Xenos..."Gryuu's sky-blue eyes began to glimmer when he heard this, even though part of him also 'accepted' that he would never reach the peak his instincts drew him towards. Since he had already lowered his head to Fafnir, Gryuu accepted its lot in life, especially since it knew Vahn was an existence that even towered over the seemingly insurmountable True Dragon that had just appeared. As for the other Xenos, many were recalling all of the talks about Vahn being able to help them become stronger. Now that such a powerful existence like Terra had told them they had limitless potential, even the weaker Goblin and Kobold Xenos were feeling more than a little fired up.Vahn noticed the majority of Xenos reached 99 Affection in an instant while a few that had been at that value for a long time finally reached 100. There were several notifications within his mind, bringing a smile to his face as he looked towards Lyd, Gryuu, Mlem, Laura, Naho, Rayne, Ray, Fear, Terror, Xude, Mest, Jude, and another Almiraj Xenos named Arles. She was one of the Xenos who had taken a liking to him very quickly since Vahn had noticed her early on with her blue vest and the broken pocket watch she wore around her neck. He had repaired the watch for her and gotten 99 Affection almost instantly so it wasn't too surprising she made the leap after Terra's display...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Innocence','Vahn is just about done with the Nobles...','Terra OP o_o...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 838: Society