Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Taking Loki's advice seriously, Vahn stayed at Tsubaki's side and, instead of busying himself in the Dungeon with his avatar, decided to spend time with his family back at the Manor. He really didn't need to be 'rushing' everything so much and, so long as he wasn't caught wholly unprepared, it wasn't as if there were any great threats that required his attention. Now that they needed time to get the refugees settled, Vahn knew he should focus more on internal affairs instead of seeking conflict with other countries. They still had a little more than five weeks until the Rakia Kingdom's invasion forces arrived, so now was a good opportunity to get his personal life sorted out.With these intentions, Vahn spent nearly three days caring for Tsubaki, rarely leaving her side except when she needed to perform her duties at the School. During that time, Vahn would play with Sakuya, Meinya, Aisha, Lenneth, and Anise, watching over their training and just spending time playing games with them. At the same time, he had found the opportunity to check on his older children, helping Erika with her never-ending studies, teaching Vana how to manipulate external Fire Elemental energy, and helping Ina test her inventions. The latter had developed a prototype suit of armor that covered the entire body, complete with size-changing functionality. Most impressively, however, was that Ina had discovered how to create and exploit 'slots', something that Vahn had overlooked in other people's work.Depending on how a 'slot' was assigned, it was possible to use equipment in conjunction with other equipment, such as how a bow could make use of unique arrows depending on the number of slots. Ina had found a way to increase the number of slots in her armored suit, copying the basic structure of the Aegis Armor that Vahn had produced for the girls. With all the pieces of her suit together, including helmet, breastplate, pauldrons, arm harnesses, gauntlets, 'belt', leg harnesses, and greaves, Ina's [Aegis Prime Mk. 2] had a total of twenty-nine slots. The armor itself only had the Abilities 'Auto-Sizing' and 'Shock Absorption', but the additional parts that could be slotted into it gave it infinite functionality.Currently, Ina was proactively trying to learn how to 'engineer' gemstone constructs, using a combination of [Lapidary] and, after learning from Asfi, the [Mystery] Development Ability. All of the Vanir seemed to have a natural ability at learning Skills, Magic, and Development Abilities, much like how Vahn had been able to learn them in the past. So long as they set their minds on a goal, each had been able to achieve a great deal in a very short period of time. Vana already had [Swordsman], [Tamer], and [Acrobatics] while Erika had reached A-Rank in her [Mage], and [Analysis] Development Abilities. Vahn had never even heard of the latter before it popped up in her [Heroic Tale], which explained that it allowed her to analyze targets, identifying their strengths and weaknesses at a glance. She could even, to an extent, gauge the power output of a target, claiming that Vahn's 'aura' made it seem like he was a massive ocean of power...Ultimately, Vahn was incredibly proud of each of his children, even though the Vanir stood out as especially exceptional. The fact that his three eldest already appeared to have reached adulthood still caused him to feel slightly melancholic but, seeing how much they had grown along the path they had chosen, he could only smile with pride. His only complaint, though it really couldn't be considered one, was that there seemed to be a 'gap' in their awareness that he wasn't sure how to address. Even Erika would sometimes want to receive a bit of pampering, causing Vahn to feel awkward whenever they would make requests for things like massages and other types of spa treatments. He didn't mind it so much, as he felt no deviant feelings towards his daughters, but a part of him wished they would show a bit of propriety at times...(A/N: Keep in mind that Vahn is also the family physician, does beauty treatments, etc. Don't be weird about it :P)From the period between 4:30 AM, as Tsubaki had to be at the School's training field by 5:00 AM, until around 2:00 PM, Vahn would spent his day watching over his children and interacting with the other residents of the Manor. When Tsubaki eventually returned, he would always be there to greet her with Sakuya in his arms, spending the rest of the day together and showing her as much care and concern as she could tolerate. This ended up being the key word, tolerate, as Tsubaki eventually started teasing him for being overly concerned, trying to drive him away and make him spend time with other people. Even so, Vahn had gotten good at handling most of the girls, Tsubaki being no exception, so he managed to coax and pacify her until she became docile in his arms once again...It was the evening of the third day when, after having what amounted to a tickle fight, Tsubaki was leaning into Vahn's chest with the sleeping Sakuya in her embrace as she muttered, "I think I'm ready... let's go tomorrow afternoon..." Vahn had already moved Jorfaic's body to where Tsubaki had wanted him buried, erecting a large prayer shrine where people from the Far East would go to honor their ancestors. Tsubaki had a smaller shrine inside her room, where they would return to at the end of the year to pay respects to Sakuya. Now, the shrine inside Tsubaki's old room, which had belonged to her mother before her, had two pictures enshrined inside. The first showed a vibrant Sakuya, still the picture of perfect health, while the second showed a stern-faced Dwarven man who, if you looked closely, had a soft light in his eyes...Vahn responded by rubbing Tsubaki's arm as gently as he could manage, not wanting to wake Sakuya, while he kissed the top of Tsubaki's head and said, "Whenever you're ready...there is no rush, Tsubaki..." She nodded her head slowly in response before muttering, "The longer I wait, the guiltier I will feel...besides, aren't I always telling you not to overthink things? As sad as this ended up being, it is actually a positive outcome. Instead of abandoning us, my Father cared for both my mother and me very deeply...I have wronged him greatly and it has already been far too long since I have paid my due respects..." The only reason Tsubaki had waited an additional three days was that she had been trying to think about why her mother had kept the truth from her. However, no matter how much she thought about it, any answer she could come up with didn't seem to be the truth of the matter. Now, after watching over the various orphans in her change at the School, Tsubaki felt that she 'needed' to pay respects to her deceased Father soon or the guilt might tear her apart...Without saying anything, Vahn just held Tsubaki a little tighter, knowing she was trying to sort her own thoughts, not really expecting him to have a response. This was something she could only work through herself and, for the time being, his duty was to show her as much support as she needed from him. Tomorrow afternoon, they would go and pay respects as a family, taking Sakuya along with them so she could come to understand that both of her grandparents were loving parents to her mother. Though she was still a little young to understand such things, Sakuya would one day learn the significance of these truths, giving her strength and direction in her own life down the line...---True to her word, Tsubaki had arrived punctually at the Manor after completing her duties at the School. Vahn was already waiting for her with Sakuya, dressed up in an adorable red kimono, holding his hand at the side. Tsubaki, seeing her own daughter in such a getup, couldn't help smiling affectionately as she too made her way inside to get changed. Vahn was also wearing a black yukata with red lines, designating him as the 'head' of the household while Tsubaki eventually dawned a similarly colored Kimono. Though she looked very stylish wearing such clothing, there were no adornments or embellishments to be seen, as they would be going to mourn and pay respects. This wasn't the case for Sakuya, however, as Vahn had spent nearly two hours helping her style her hair and look even more adorable so that he could show her off to his in-laws...Though they would have flown during most circumstances, this was a solemn event that Tsubaki would need time to prepare herself for. As a result, the three walked hand-in-hand the entire distance, even stopping to peruse a few stalls when Sakuya showed an interest in something. By the time they reached Tsubaki's Manor, the adorable little Half-Dwarf was happily nomming away at a candied stick while Tsubaki's expression had softened a great deal, a natural smile displayed on her face. When they went inside, Tsubaki showed no hesitation as she stepped into the shrine and, though it was long overdue, she paid her sincere respects to her father while praying for the health of her daughter...Vahn waited patiently outside with Sakuya since, even though he was the head of the house, he had no right to enter into the Ancestral Shrine dedicated to Tsubaki's ancestors. His time came later, when the three of them entered into Tsubaki's room and opened the partition where the shrine that was dedicated to both Sakuya and Jofraic was located. Here, Vahn paid his respects together with Tsubaki before they had a long conversation with the two pictures, introducing the confused Sakuya to her grandfather. Even in her confused state, however, Sakuya did an adorable little bow and happily began chatting with the two pictures as, for a brief moment, it felt like the five of them were all in the room together as a family...That night, the three of them stayed within Tsubaki's Manor while Tsubaki, for the first time since learning the truth about her Father, shed tears on his behalf. In the past, she had cried tears of indignation, blaming her father for the suffering she and her mother had to go through alone. Now, knowing she had misunderstood the truth of the matter, Tsubaki shed tears that had been bottled up for forty-two years, crying for the father she had never known. All the while, Vahn lent his shoulder to her, stroking Tsubaki's silken black hair until, several hours after she had started, the proud and strong woman he had fallen in love with cried herself to sleep...The following dawn, Tsubaki had returned to her normal and upbeat self, an honest and caring smile on her face as she cooked up some fried rice and eggs for Sakuya. Vahn knew she was still hurting, and would likely be for a while, but he also displayed a happy smile. He knew that now, after coming to terms with what had happened, the healing process could finally begin. Just as Sakuya and Jorfaic had hoped, Tsubaki would be stronger after knowing the truth and, with the [Sakuya-no-Tsubaki] at her side, her happiness would continue to grow. Even their daughter seemed to understand this as, during breakfast, with pieces of rice sticking to her face, Sakuya happily asked, "Mom, will you teach me how to use a sword like that...?"Tsubaki had already started teaching Sakuya some of the fundamentals but, as the latter was too young for real training, they hadn't started on anything more difficult. When she heard her daughter's question, however, Tsubaki smiled lovingly before adopting a 'serious' look as she said, "If you start down the path of a warrior, you will not be able to deviate and slack off later on. I'll teach you everything I know until you are strong enough to grow beyond me and begin teaching others. It isn't a path you should walk if you lack the conviction so, until you are four years old, you should seriously consider if that is what you truly desire, Sakuya..."Even though her mother's words sounded serious, Sakuya just giggled playfully as she held up her spoon and shouted, "Don't worry, Mom, Sakuya will be the strongest~!" With her exclamation complete, Sakuya scooped up another mouthful of fried rice and shoveled it into her mouth, squinting happily as she did so. Tsubaki, hearing her daughter's words and observing her actions, simply began to laugh out heartily while Vahn, watching the interaction between mother and daughter, felt like his heart was going to melt. With the bonds of family, and a willingness to do whatever it took to make the other party happy, it was possible to whether any kind of setback. Tsubaki would normally need the support of many people to put this matter behind her and face the future but, with just a few choice words from her daughter, the road to recovery would become much shorter.Since Tsubaki had taken the day off, having Arnya fill in for her, the three spent the first half of the day lounging about and simply spending time together as a family. In the afternoon, after having Sakuya wear some casual children's clothing, the three went around the various interesting areas of Orario, including the very top of Babel tower. It worried Vahn a little, that none of his children seemed to have any fears while he was around, but it also made him feel like a capable father at the same time. Even when Sakuya was walking around the edge of Babel, completely ignoring the high winds that could easily sweep her off her feet, Vahn just created a wind barrier around her while anchoring her with his telekinesis. Since even Tsubaki allowed her to play around, enjoying the sight of Orario from above, Vahn allowed his daughter to do as she pleased while saving his lecture for later...Once Sakuya had played around for a bit, the three made their way to a rather high-end restaurant within Babel Tower before taking Sakuya to view the various weapon and item shops on the 16th Floor. Along the way, Vahn found a small shop that sold children's toys and souvenirs, which had been growing in popularity, and decided to buy something to commemorate the event. When they entered the shop, however, Vahn felt his face heat up as Tsubaki's laughter echoed throughout the entire Floor. As for Sakuya, she beamed upon witnessing the adorable plush dolls that were on display, labeled under a sign that boldly touted, 'Best Selling Children's Toy, The Little Emperor of Orario!'. There, in a display bin that was surrounded by various women and children, a veritable pile of Vahn plushies could be seen...In the end, Vahn had to purchase several of the rather intricately designed dolls while those who had already been there to buy one ended up asking for autographs. Some of the bolder women, at least until Tsubaki scared them away with a deadpan stare, even tried to ask for a lock of Vahn's hair to sew into the backing. His popularity with Amazons, Elves, Pallum, and Beast People had been peaking for a while now, though they typically had enough sense not to bother him when he was with family. This time was a bit of an exception, however, as the group of girls fawned over the adorable Sakuya while happily flaunting their dolls and paying him more than a few heavy compliments...Along the way back to the Manor, Tsubaki teased him incessantly about the dolls while Sakuya happily hugged her 40cm tall plush that had cost Vahn a surprising 60,000V. It used rather high-quality materials in its construction and, after asking the store owner about who created them, Vahn learned they were produced by a goddess named Rhapso, possessing a 'literal' divine level of skill when it came to sewing. Her Familia was relatively new, only existing for around eight months, and she currently only had four total members. Since she hadn't joined the Alliance yet, and Vahn had never heard of her previously, it was likely that she had only descended in the Mortal World around the same time. Now, Vahn planned to give her a public endorsement and invite her into the Alliance, as the popularity of such items had a lot of potential within the ever-evolving markets of Orario...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Ina Inherited Tony Stark's Will xD','Four decades of saved tears...','Rhapso is about to become famous, producing an entire line of Vahn-type plushies~! I imagine they would be very popular with refugees and the girls at the School...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Because Tsubaki had taken a personal day, Vahn had decided to make an appearance at the next training session for those aspiring to be Adventurers. The School had fully implemented the system where students were evaluated according to four different categories. These were the Warrior, Mage, Artisan, and Scholar boards. The latter category accounted for everything from the arts, such as music, painting, singing, dance, and theatre, while the Artisan board focused on those that wanted to pursue Forging, Metalworking, Crafting, Fletching, Mixing, and other trades. These classes also included things like business management, arithmetic, and the basics of providing logistical support to organizations.In general, students needed credits in each of the four categories to graduate but they were also required to pick a 'major' and 'minor' focus. Currently, the most popular combination amongst students, as the vast majority were orphans, consisted of majoring in the Warrior and Artisan classes. These types of students wanted to become Adventurers and, in preparation for their inevitable retirement, they also wanted to know the basics of running a business while having a trade they can rely on. Behind them, the most popular combination was students who focused on classes that allowed them to earn credits as a Mage and Scholar.Because the magic system from Eva's world required mastery of gestures, drawing wards, singing, and even dancing, a student would have to earn a number of credits in these categories to even qualify as a Mage. Since the majority of such students were Elves, who already had an appreciation of the arts, the largest portion of potential Mages leaned heavily in their favor. Still, that didn't mean there weren't members of other races participating as, with Vahn's constant reinforcement of their path, many had been inspired to become Mages and Scholars. With success stories like Roux, who shouldn't be able to use Magic at all, there was a shift occurring in the School these days.For the time being, however, the trend for most students had them oriented towards becoming Adventurers while a select few were determined to become capable athletes. As a result, Tsubaki, who taught the basics of combat and survival, usually had a full class of one hundred students that she would train from 5-7AM before they would be given time to eat breakfast. Afterward, from 8-11, the students would be made to spar against each other to build basic combat proficiency while Tsubaki, and her assistants, would provide guidance from the side. Once the long sparring session came to an end, the students would have another hour to eat lunch before they spent the final two hours learning survival skills, monster ecology, and the basics for working as a team.Under normal circumstances, this was how a typical day for those learning under Tsubaki would play out, with most of their other classes taking place in the afternoon when it was generally too hot and muggy to train comfortably. With Vahn showing up at the field, even though Tsubaki had tried to keep him away, things didn't go quite as planned. The moment Vahn appeared in the training area, he became the main focus of every student while Tsubaki, and her three assistants, released sighs of exasperation at the side. Vahn was simply too popular amongst the student body who, after being given the chance to improve themselves in such an environment, all free of charge, showed a truly reverential level of respect toward him.Regardless of how the situation was spun, it was an irrefutable truth that Vahn had created an ideal environment where children could receive a high standard of education, improving their quality of life into the far future. For the orphans who previously had no hope, being given the opportunity to attend the School had fundamentally changed their fate, allowing them to obtain the power and resources to choose their own path in life. Vahn was looked up to by boys, who aspired to be like him, while many of the younger girls idolized him, sometimes a little too much. This was primarily Vahn's fault, as he had a habit of indiscriminately petting people, motivating the boys and causing tender feelings in the girls that fell under the influence of his [Grooming]...Now, while giving one of his 'inspirational' lessons, Vahn had the rapt attention of not only Tsubaki's class, but many other students who had learned that he was on campus and giving a lecture. By the end of his lesson, the one hundred students had grown to a little under three hundred, causing Vahn to lightly reprimand those who had skipped out on their actual classes. There was actually nothing that forced students to attend lectures, as some children were better suited to self-study in the Library, but Vahn still felt a little guilty having pulled focus away from some of the other teachers. (A/N: Essentially, as long a student is able to earn credit for the class, usually by taking a test to show comprehension, they don't actually need to attend lessons. Stressing out students and forcing them into an environment where they are uncomfortable is counter-productive to healthy development.)Once the lecture had come to an end, Vahn found himself surrounded by a veritable horde of his young fangirls while the boys, understanding the futility of trying to break through, simply laughed at the side and began talking about the lecture in high spirits. Vahn ended up in a bit of an awkward situation where two hands simply weren't enough as he tried to encourage the rather excitable crowd of young girls who seemed to be 'fighting', albeit peacefully', for his attention. Eventually, one of the older students, an intelligent looking Chienthrope girl, ended up having them form a queue so that 'everyone would get a turn'. As a result, Vahn found himself standing in front of an orderly queue while the Chienthrope girls stood at the side with a watch and counted the time for everyone.Since many of the female students had spent their breakfast time queuing up in front of him, Vahn had given out little bags of cookies and bottles of milk-tea to those happily conversing at the side. At this point, combining the few he had obtained today, Vahn had nearly two-hundred optional quests related to the affection of students attending the School. Because they were underage, just as Tina had once been, the quests he got were different from the [Hearts Desire]. Most pertained to small requests, such as giving specific gifts or performing certain actions, but Vahn hadn't acted on any of them. There wasn't much he could do about students having a crush on him, but he could still act professionally as a mentor instead of leading them on and developing devious tendencies...Towards the end of breakfast, just as the queue had finished up, the Chienthrope girl that had kept things orderly happily stepped in front of Vahn. Instead of her intelligent look, there was a happy smile on her face, a soft pink hue on her cheeks, and a glimmer of expectation in her teal eyes. She was one of the girls who had reached 100 Affection for him, giving him a quest to invite her on a date and pet her ears and tail. As a Chienthrope, this was a very intimate action and, even though she was approaching adulthood, Vahn didn't take advantage of the situation. Though he did reach out his hand and lightly stroke her black hair, giving her a few encouraging words in the process, that was where he drew the line.Once she had received her share of petting, the Chienthrope girl, her intelligent disposition having faded entirely, ran off to join her friends with her tail wagging about excitedly. At this point, Tsubaki pulled him to the side with a teasing look on her face as she said, "That habit of yours is going to be the bane of your existence, Vahn..." At this point, 'most' people knew about Vahn's habit of petting, understanding it wasn't meant to be overtly intimate nor a form of courtship. There were some girls who tried to take advantage of the situation, straightforwardly asking to be pet, but Vahn was usually able to deal with them without issue. It was the girls he had a relatively closer relationship that was the issue as even women like Renka, who was currently assisting Tsubaki, would privately ask to be pet...Unable to refute Tsubaki's words, Vahn shrugged with a helpless smile on his face as he said, "I know it's a bad habit, but I can't really restrain myself when they have so much expectation and hope in their eyes. Besides, it will help motivate them to work hard, especially while their parameters are boosted and they feel more energetic..." Vahn was often teased for his propensity towards petting, especially by the goddesses within the Manor. They joked that, when he finally did obtain a Divinity, it would be one related to Petting. The fact they made such comments, generally while receiving the benefits of his [Grooming], made it feel like a joke while also adding a bit of veracity to the claim...Tsubaki gave Vahn a slightly accusatory look but didn't say anything, as there were students nearby that had sensitive ears. She wanted to joke about Vahn not taking things too far but knew he wasn't the type to take advantage of others, even though it wouldn't be that difficult for him. Even without his 'magical fingers', Vahn's looks, power, and authority were all things that would allow him to have women fawn over him. In fact, there were 'quite a few' who had been the recipient of his affection, even though Vahn didn't actually have a licentious character. Tsubaki, having watched Vahn grow and develop since he had been 'broken', understood he simply wanted to make people happy, even though it overtaxed him a great deal...Being one of the people who had been pulled along by Vahn's momentum, Tsubaki released a small sigh before a loving smile appeared on her face. Even without Vahn discovering the truth relating to her father, Tsubaki couldn't really stay mad at him. For better or worse, she had come to love him a great deal and, even if some of his actions annoyed her, Tsubaki understood that Vahn simply wasn't normal. In fact, if she accepted his assistance and put in the effort, it was possible that she would be able to live forever or even change her race entirely. Trying to apply any kind of common sense to him, or attempting to restrict his actions, was probably one of the few 'impossible' things left in the world 'post-Vahn'...---After being chased off by Tsubaki, Vahn found himself sitting above the City, watching as the people below moved around, causing Orario to feel 'alive' with the comings and goings of those residing within. Though he was very busy with his own matters, everyone else was also busy living their own lives, some without any thought or consideration about the future whatsoever. Vahn could see vendors pedaling their goods while children, having no School of their own to attend, playing around in the streets. There were even young girls playing sports in alleyways, emulating their 'heroes' as they imagined what it would be like to be famous themselves. Slowly but surely, the entire City was beginning to change under his influence, especially with the large influx of refugees that, as of yet, still hadn't been fully processed to become citizens...Vahn knew there was still a lot of work to be done and, in order to make sure there weren't any problems, he needed to work quickly. With the amount of Karma he had accumulated, there had to be something in the world that served as a counterbalance, even if it was a person or creature that had just been born. In order to prevent the worst-case scenario, Vahn was determined to finish his Main Quest and accumulate enough points that, even if something terrible began to develop, he would be able to simply eject himself from the record and put it into stasis. By the time he linked the records in the future, any major threat would be completely negligible in comparison to the amount of power he would wield...Currently, as the Iron Hills would take some time to truly come under his control and be 'unified' with the rest of the Continent, Vahn had only brought together three of the nine regions. Orario was fully under his control while the Elven Kingdom practically treated him as their Savior, especially with the High Priestess Faction now wholly supporting him after he planted one of Yggy's hearts in the center of the Kingdom. He still needed to deal with the Land of No Sun, Frozen Tundra, Southern Sands, Telskyura, and the Iron Hills. There were also places like the Far East, Dragon Valley, and the Singing Ruins that would likely require his attention, even though the Dungeon should be his primary focus...The greatest progress Vahn had made towards completing his Main Quest was his accumulation of gods to serve on the Divine Council in the future. Though he had made a great deal of progress on the 'optional objectives' as well, Vahn knew he couldn't prioritize them while the actual objective went incomplete. He still needed eleven more gods to serve on the Divine Council but finding those that had Major Divinities wasn't as easy as he expected. Most gods possessed a variety of Divinities while those who did actually possess a Major Divinity were generally very eccentric. The compulsion of a Major Divinity was much stronger than normal, meaning most gods that met his requirements simply stayed in Heaven instead of descending to the Mortal World...It was for this reason that Vahn had been trying to bring about reformations while making the Mortal World, in general, more interesting. If he could unify all nine major regions of Eden and rise up to become an Emperor, it would be much easier to convince gods to descend and serve on the Divine Council. Since it would be an organization that allowed them to have real influence in the world, all while providing them with a means of dealing with their compulsions, Vahn was confident a few would come down just for the experience.Presently, Vahn had a few 'candidates' for the Divine Council that he was hoping to meet with while taking care of other objectives. Chief amongst them, as he was considering dealing with Telskyura after the matter with Rakia was dealt with, was Kali. She had a Divinity related to Time that should be considered a Major Divinity, as Laws relating to Time were one of the foundational forces of reality itself. Vahn was hoping she would be reasonable, even though he already fully expected the exact opposite to be the case. There was no way Hippolyta, and the Amazoness purists, would allow him to implement changes and reforms without a great deal of 'effort' on his part...Other than Kali, Vahn believed Amaterasu would become a member of the Divine Council while Tenjin, who was currently acting as the Head of the Scholar Department, had suggested Vahn try to reach out to Izanami, Tsukuyomi, Leizi, and Feng Po Po. According to the youthful-looking elderly god, they were all Goddess with Major Divinities that had a high chance of showing favor to Vahn, assuming he reciprocated. Izanami was a goddess of similar status as Amaterasu, possessing a Major Divinity related to Creation, making her an incredible ally if he could actually win her over. As for Tsukuyomi, she was the principle Goddess of the Moon in the Eastern Pantheon, having one of the stronger Divinities associated with Yin Elemental energy. Leizi and Feng Po Po were both goddesses that hadn't descended yet but they possessed Major Divinities relating to Lightning and Wind. They were known to be temperamental but, according to Tenjin, both had been openly discussing their visit to the Mortal World for quite some time...Though he had already realized this, Vahn couldn't resist releasing a small sigh when he considered that more than twenty of the thirty gods on the Divine Council would be Goddesses. This alone wouldn't be a problem, as many goddesses were actually more stable than their male counterparts. The primary issue was that, with the passage of time, a number of goddesses on the Divine Council would likely bear his children. This made it difficult to prevent 'bias' from existing within the Council thus, in an effort to balance things out, Vahn had been trying to find gods with comparable Divinities. The problem with this was the simple fact that most male gods, especially those with Major Divinities, ended up being arrogant and difficult to work with...Releasing another sigh, Vahn looked toward the vast blue sky above and muttered, "The future is filled with infinite troubles...hahahaha..." Then, having spent an hour just crowd watching, Vahn decided to head back to the Manor and spend some more time with his children. He knew that, ultimately, the Divine Council was just a stop-gap measure. By the time he connected the records, they would be a group that monitored and regulated the Mortal World while he would inevitably have to restructure everything once again. For the time being, having a bit of dissidence within the Divine Council wasn't necessarily a bad thing, especially considering that goddesses like Loki, Freya, and Fortuna would likely bend the entire Council to their will with time...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Problematic Popularity','Tsubaki 'gives up' xD...','Countermeasures Against Karma...','Endless troubles...Just the type of environment where Loki thrives (o,...,o)~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Back in Orario, Vahn had been busy with a veritable mountain of paperwork, even though the largest portion was being handled by Fortuna, Loki, and Eirene. The latter's Familia was processing all of the new residents that would be entering into the City while Fortuna was allocating the necessary funds to get everyone situated. If not for all the temporary housing that had been constructed during the ongoing reformations of Orario, it would have been extremely difficult to place the large influx of refugees. Currently, the Alliance was assigning refugees that had close relationships with each other to the same abode, at least until they were able to find work and move into one of the proper housing districts.As there was a chance some of the slaves would want to stay inside of the temporary housing indefinitely, Vahn had to make the 'hard' decision to put a two-year limit where they would have ample opportunity to find work. Fortunately, most of the former slaves were extremely motivated and wanted to get a jump start on their new lives, many immediately becoming laborers and joining construction crews. They had the necessary skills after living for decades within the Iron Hills and, with the availability of food, ample break time, and decent pay, many refugees considered Orario as 'paradise'. This was especially the case for the Pallum, making up nearly half of the entire refugee population, who moved into the large community that had been established for Pallum previously.Because Vahn had always anticipated that a very large number of Pallum would migrate into Orario after his policy changes were introduced, the Alliance had placed a lot of its efforts into expanding that particular district, even when the population wasn't that great. Previously, there had been around 70,000 permanant residents in the district while the available housing could accommodate nearly 500,000. They weren't the most lavish of residences but the architecture was suitable for ease of living for Pallum, with most of the shelves, tables, and countertops made much lower than normal. As a result, Orario referred to this section of the City as 'Little Orario', even though the Pallum residing in it had literally named it Pallum's Paradise...Currently, Vahn was pouring over a list of applicants who wanted to join the Haven Defense Force, which, once again, constituted a large number of Pallum and various Beast Humans. The Elves he had liberated were either returned to the Elven Forest or given residency within the budding Elven Community District. Many of them hadn't been slaves for very long, so their mentality had suffered a heavy trauma as a result of the very different lifestyles. As for the Half-Elves that had been forced to become slaves, they were currently unable to rationalize that the very nation that had sold them into slavery was now undergoing reforms. Many of them were seeking to become servants and shop assistants, essentially taking up the role they had back in the Iron Hills. As a result, Mama Mia ended up taking in several hundred Half-Elf refugees to serve within her various Hostess of Fertility, which now had a total of twenty-nine branches in operation.Overall, things were transitioning slowly but surely in a positive direction, at least until Vahn saw what was happening back in the Iron Hills. His hands had come to a stop mid-stroke, causing Fortuna and Loki to give him a curious look as the latter asked, "Did something happen, Vahn?" She had been helping sort out the more 'troublesome' slaves, as not every slave that had been liberated from the Iron Hills could be treated with impunity. Some had fallen into slavery as a result of crimes, many relating to theft, fraud, and embezzlement. Currently, so long as they cooperated with the investigations, these individuals would be given a clean slate of sorts, assuming their crimes were not of the heinous variety.Vahn shook his head lightly, explaining, "I'll have to take a break to meet with Tsubaki...there are a few things I need to inform her about. Why don't the two of you take a tea break to clear out the cobwebs? You've both been working hard..." Instead of Loki, Fortuna was the one to answer Vahn's question, laughing in an amused tone as she twirled her pen and said, "Though I'm sure we can both appreciate your concerns, aren't you working harder than everyone right now, Vahn? I'll take a break when you take a 'real' break..."Fortuna was a principle Goddess of Fortune with lesser divinities related to Wealth, Trade, and Luck. Vahn had been introduced to her through Minerva a long time ago and she had served as his intermediary when dealing with the markets of Orario. She was a beautiful goddess with a sharp and intelligent appearance, possessing pale green eyes and platinum blonde hair. As if trying to accent her intelligent look, Fortuna almost always wore a pair of designer bifocals while her hair was done up in a neat ponytail with her bangs done up near her temples with two golden pins. This caused the fringe hairs on the side of her face to frame her intelligent visage in an extremely neat fashion, completely her intelligent look, even though there was always a 'teasing' glint in her eyes that seemed capable of discerning the true value of everything...The one thing that Fortuna herself complained about was, much like Loki, she hadn't been blessed in the breast category at all. She was also rather petite, standing only 162cm tall, though her heels brought her up to a fair 170cm. Vahn had given her a massage in the past, discovering that Fortuna wore a padded bra that bolstered her bust size quite a bit. Though she wasn't truly flat, having similarly sized breasts to Emiru and Maemi, Fortuna had remarked, "Having a large bust is an asset when conducting business." Since she usually wore very stylish clothing that accented her appearance even further, giving her a 'professional' feel that could put most of the Guild receptionists to shame, it was obvious that Fortuna was very calculating in how she presented herself to others...Vahn knew that Fortuna was more than a little fond of him and, if circumstances were slightly different, they may have already entered into a more permanant relationship. Now that she was showing her concern for him, in her own way, Vahn's expression softened a little as he said, "I'm not sure how long I'll be, but I wouldn't mind joining the two of you for a long break when I return. Though there is still a lot of work to complete, I can finish most of the paperwork in the Sub-Space Orb or create an updated memory fragment that can go through the paperwork on my behalf..." In general, if not for the two orbs, Vahn wouldn't be able to manage all of the documents that required his attention, especially during chaotic times like this.Fortuna and Loki both frowned when they heard Vahn's words, knowing that he was going to use the 'break' as an excuse to later work himself even harder. They knew he was trying to build a foundation to become an Emperor, something they both supported, but he was trying too hard to make things run 'perfectly' from the very beginning. There were so many ongoing projects right now and, at the heart of everything, there were both of Vahn's bodies working tirelessly to make sure things were running smoothly. Though he did take breaks, usually when they forced him to spend the night with the children, Vahn was spending upwards of six full days without sleeping even a wink. During the 'Fifteen Day War' between Orario and the Iron Hills, Vahn had spent more than two months of time without resting at all...Knowing that Vahn 'had' to have a limit, and fearing they would learn the hard way what happens once he reached it, Loki rose to her feet before walking over and placing her hand on Vahn's shoulder, sternly saying, "You can take the documents and let your memory fragment deal with them. That isn't an opportunity to just do more work, though, so you'll have to take a few days off to actually relax, okay? This thing with Tsubaki, it seems like a pretty big deal...you should spend some time with her and Sakuya. Though everyone in the Manor will help her out, you're her lover and the father of her child...there are some things only you can do for her. Relax, show her you are there for her through your actions, not just your words..."Without waiting for Vahn's response, Loki turned to Fortuna and said, "Come on, Fortuna, we could use a break of our own. This idiot will probably be busy for a while and we might starve to death if we wait around for him~." Though Vahn had become very 'reliable' over the last few years, Loki knew it wasn't that difficult to influence his decisions. She was confident that her words would be enough to get him to at least rest for three days, even if it was only with one of his bodies. The other would undoubtedly be off taking care of other important matters, something she understood was outside of her control to truly regulate. It would take the combined efforts of the girls in the Manor to get him to truly relax which, at the present, wasn't necessarily a good thing with how much was going on...True to Loki's expectations, Vahn sought out Tsubaki with the intention of staying at her side for as long as she needed him there. In truth, he also wanted to spend time with her and Sakuya, just as he wanted to spend time with all of his lovers and children. Though he had a decent lull in his schedule after sealing Enyo, it never felt like he had enough time to actually spend with all of the people important to him. He had to split time between spending time with his lovers, playing with his children, training, forging, assisting Asfi, Naaza, and Nanu with their research, making sure things were running smoothly at Spero, watching over the development of Haven, and ensuring that Enyo's seal wasn't compromised somehow. Without the Sub-Space and Space-Time orbs, it would be impossible for him to manage everything, even when he was in a period where he was supposed to be 'relaxing'...While thinking it would be best to actually relax for once, even while preparing to head back to the 60th Floor to monitor things with his avatar, Vahn made his way to Tsubaki's workshop. She didn't spend much time in the Sub-Space orb as, even though he could prevent her from aging noticeably, Tsubaki had never truly gotten over how old she was. Presently, her 'age' was around thirty-nine years old while, chronologically, she was forty-three. Her appearance, however, would cause most people to assume she was in her mid-twenties, as her healthy brown skin glowed with a youthful vitality while her sensual curves would make most men short of breath, assuming they had the opportunity to gawk without getting their face smashed in by her fists...It was currently Sunday, meaning Tsubaki wasn't at the School, so Vahn was easily able to track her down without even having to look. He could have sent her a telepathic message to meet up with him but, considering the circumstances, Vahn wanted to go to her side instead. She was in the middle of making a pair of black bracers that would easily fit a child, leading Vahn to believe she was making them for either Sakuya, Aisha, or Meinya. The latter had started to train hard after Arnya became busy training members of the Haven Defense Force. Though she still liked to play around, Meinya obviously wanted attention so Arnya had been guiding her more actively after noticing the change.Tsubaki was at the stage where she was adding embellishments to the material, giving it a unique appearance that would match its user. As a result, she finished up rather quickly before setting the bracers to the side, a loving smile on her face as she asked, "Vahn, is there something I can do for you...?" Even before she had finished asking her question, Tsubaki realized something was 'off' so she had started to make her way over, allowing Vahn to naturally embrace her. He wasn't the type to complain about a bit of sweat and, in circumstances like this, it was important if they were closer together for mutual comfort...Vahn held Tsubaki for nearly a full minute, sending threads of calming energy into her body, before explaining, "I know you told me not to worry about it, but I couldn't help trying to find out what had happened to your father..." Tsubaki's response to this was to just hang her head slightly, breathing in a little deeper to remain calm before uttering an 'Nn' to encourage Vahn to continue. He went on to explain the truth, including her father's past, how he had come to meet Sakuya, and 'why' he had put his life on the line. In the end, Vahn gave her the [Sakuya-no-Tsubaki], explaining its name and origin, causing the silent Tsubaki to tremble with the blade in her grasp.For the better part of an hour, Vahn just held Tsubaki in his arms as she curled up in his embrace, neither crying nor speaking a word. She just held the [Sakuya-no-Tsubaki] as if it were a precious treasure, staring into the pristine white blade that even her current skill may not be able to replicate. Though it lacked magic, the make of the blade and its unique abilities were something that only a god would be able to replicate, making it a true miracle amongst [Master Smith]s. The fact that Jorfaic had produced such a masterpiece, all because of the passion and love he had for Sakuya and her unborn child, showed the man's absolute dedication to both. Tsubaki, however, simply couldn't shed tears for the man as it conflicted with her own image to greatly...it would take time for her to truly accept these revelations...After calming down, Tsubaki still remained silent for a few minutes before asking, "Are you still back in the Iron Hills...?" Though he had already started making his way back with Fafnir, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation, causing Tsubaki to say, "I know you have the power...please, bring my father back...I want him to be buried at my Mother's Manor. In the future, when we go to pay respects...I..." Tsubaki knew that Jorfaic, her Father, had been yet another victim of circumstance and that all of her resentment towards him had been created based on a misunderstanding. Part of her even wondered if her mother had known about his death, giving her his surname and helping her to grow stronger as both a warrior and a blacksmith before telling her the truth. In the end, however, her Mother had remained silent on the issue, for reasons that had died with her...Tsubaki wondered if it was because of her single-minded hatred of her Father that her Mother had been unable to speak the truth. People could be foolish at times, especially when it came to keeping the truth from their loved ones, all in the name of 'protecting' them. Understanding this was likely just another misunderstanding, Tsubaki didn't know quite how she should feel about the situation. The one thing she now understood was that both of her parents loved her dearly and, even though she had gotten her Father's gift late, she had already found the happiness her parents had wanted for her...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Welfare and Charity can also cause problems','Vahn is still broken, just in a different way...','There is no truer love than that of a parent towards their children')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 903: Respect