Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

In preparation for Rakia's 'invasion', the Haven Defense Force had been training in earnest, even though only a few of their members had been selected to repel the 100,000 troops slowly making their way through the Southern Sands. It was important to select appropriate candidates, as this was an event that would serve as the basis for future expansion and Vahn's rise to the status of Emperor. The members that represented the HDF to repel Rakia's invasion couldn't be well-known individuals and, as much as possible, they should be readily identifiable as 'weak' from the perspective of observers. Vahn was trying to create a scenario where even normal citizens, after witnessing what the Haven Defense Force was capable of, would be inspired to work harder to reach their own potential.Currently, the School was already serving as a means to elevate the 'standard' that others would aspire towards but it would still take several years for things to reach that point. It wouldn't be until the next generation that things truly took off so, for the time being, Vahn needed an impetus for change in the interim. The Haven Defense Force served that role well but, until now, they hadn't really accumulated any achievements in the eyes of society. By using a punitive force of only one hundred individuals to repel more than one-hundred-thousand, all while 'appearing' relatively weak, the perception of people would begin to change. This would also make the transition of power to those graduating from the School and Academy easier in the future, so it was important to select each member of the punitive force properly...The simplest 'solution' was to use Pallums, as society still hadn't quite 'accepted' the fact that Pallum weren't the weakest race. There were many who still looked down on Pallums, causing some to remain in the Pallum Paradise at all times. So long as they were within their community, where even the buildings were designed to make their lives easier, most Pallum were content. This was because they also believed themselves to be weak and wanted to avoid confrontation entirely, even though there were several powerful Pallum within the City that ran counter to this misconception.Unfortunately, unless Vahn had a hand in promoting their strength directly, it wasn't incorrect to say that Pallum were weaker, even if their potential in certain categories was higher. Though there were certainly some exceptions, most Pallum lacked the physique to become powerful over a short period of time, as the growth of their Strength, Endurance, and even Agility were below average. Inversely, their Dexterity and Magic increased rapidly, while their racial traits made them exceptionally suited to becoming scouts, thieves, archers, and assassins. At the same time, so long as they had magic items and equipment, Pallum were capable of becoming impromptu mages that could wreak havoc for short periods of time...This was another problem, however, as their accomplishment would be credited to the existence of the magic items, not their own capabilities. Though the same argument could be said for their equipment, it wasn't difficult to spin things in a positive direction since it was significantly less flashy than using magic. As a result, thirty Pallum that had been training specifically under Ryuu, focused on developing their speed and archery, had been selected for the punitive force. There would be a force of ten Pallum supporting them, specializing in the use of Magic Staves that allowed them to cast barrier and support magic. They simply didn't have enough time to learn 'real' magic, so the HDF was restricted to using Magic Items and equipment purchased by Vahn through the system shop.Since having Pallum make up the entire force could cause other issues, as the misconception that Vahn was preferential to their kind could be reinforced, the remaining sixty members were selected from a variety of other races. Amongst this group, there were eight Cat People that had been given passing marks by Arnya, each wielding spears that allowed them to exploit the natural nimbleness, balance, and flexibility of their race. There was also a mixed assortment of Beast Tribe members who wielded swords and shields, having learned from the increasingly confident Tina, who would be acting as the vanguard. As for the rest of the punitive force, they were made up of a group in the HDF classified as 'Technicians', a new classification that specialized in setting up and disarming traps.There were a variety of classifications within the HDF, including numerous designations that only existed within their organizational structure. This was a result of the unique training methods used to allow the members of the HDF to increase their strength over a short period of time. At the same time, because of their standardized equipment and the availability of magic items and resources, there were some classifications that specialized specifically in their use...Amongst these classifications, Technicians, generally comprised of Chienthropes and Elves, were experts at tracking, detection, arming magic devices, and disarming traps. Those that had earned the classification had been equipped with spatial artifacts that were filled with a variety of consumables like [Burst Oil], [Flash Grenades], [Smoke Grenades], [Thunderburst Oil], [Blinding Powder], and other useful items. Their job was to cause chaos while controlling the enemies' movements, supporting the other members of the punitive force in the process...Presently, with less than two weeks until the invasion force arrived, the punitive force was conducting combat drills together while Vahn overwatched their movement from above. With the benefit of elevation, Vahn was able to easily keep track of their movements and provide support during an emergency. This was very necessary as most members were only around Level 2, with only a few amongst them having reached Level 3 in the few short months since the HDF had been created. Even with the benefit of their equipment, it wasn't impossible for enemies to get the better of them, especially on the 49th Floor where Fomoire, the goat-like monsters known for massing in huge waves, were located.Because they would be fighting against a force more than a thousand times their size, fighting against Fomoire was the best possible training for the punitive force. On average, even a weaker Fomoire was the equivalent of a Level 3 Adventurer. They also spawned in groups numbering in the thousands meaning, so long as they were able to fight against an 'army' of Fomoire, it should be easy to defeat Rakia's forces. After all, even a General in the Rakia Kingdom was around mid-to-peak Level 3 in strength, while the vast majority of their army was between upper-Level 1 and lower-Level 2. With the difference in equipment, coordination, and general combat proficiency, it wouldn't be that difficult for the Fomoire-tested punitive force to clinch a decisive victory.Vahn watched as the vanguard, maintaining a loose concave formation, stood their ground against the tide of Fomoire, deflecting attacks with their shields and accurately piercing vital points. The style of swordsmanship that Tina had inherited from her mother was focused on precision and reactionary strikes, making use of a minimal amount of movement for the maximum amount of efficacy. Since these HDF members had been trained by Tina, who had used rather 'hellish' training methods that involved having them dodge omnidirectional attacks, they were cutting down the Fomoire like wheat.Though they might have been overrun by the vast disparity in numbers, the other members of the punitive force were doing their jobs well, preventing the vanguard from being pressured too greatly. Most large groups of Fomoire would be scattered by [Burst Oil] thrown by the Technicians while the few Variant Fomoire that spawned were quickly barraged by the crossbow-wielding Pallum archers. When things got tense, the faux-Mage corps would step in, using their Magic Staves and Wands to either provide a reprieve to the vanguard or push back the wave of Fomoire with offensive magic. The rest of the punitive force, including Arnya's eight spear-wielding Cat People, served as a flanking force or coordinated with the Vanguard when the Pallum faux-Mages were replenishing their mana.During the battle, Vahn would sometimes have to use [Wounds Transfer] when someone made a mistake or was caught by a stray attack they were unable to deal with. If the punitive force got pushed back, he would step in and help to clear the wave while they retreated, as it was also an important maneuver to master. As for how they knew when to move, it was because Haruhime had been acting as the Commander of the punitive force. By now, she had several years of leadership experience, making managing a small group of one hundred people relatively easy. She also had the [Command Howl] skill, making her voice carry easily if the communication devices used by the HDF members were compromised.As had been the case in almost every other instance, the punitive force was eventually pushed back by the Fomoire wave, though not before taking down tens of thousands of the crazed monsters. Though this could be considered a 'failure' in some instances, the fact they were capable of fighting against so many enemies after around four months of training would have made them famous back when Vahn first entered the record. By the time Rakia's forces arrived, it was possible that most members of the punitive force would be Level 3, meaning the majority would have gone from Level 1 to Level 3 in around four months. This was an exceptional speed, wrought by their unwavering persistence and an environment that was constantly polishing their skills in live combat.While the punitive force was retreating, Vahn was firing upwards of forty arrows per second, all while appearing extremely casual as Fomoire burst into purple dust. So long as he made any effort at all to aim, his arrows would always strike the intended target. This was because, from Vahn's perspective, he could see the path the monsters themselves were taking, all while their movements appeared painstakingly slow. Even when he first entered the Dungeon several years prior, Vahn had been able to 'read' the movements of enemies, almost as if he was seeing into the future. This ability, at least when he was using the bow, had only increased with the passage of time. Now, if Vahn increased his focus and perception to their limits, it was almost as if the world had slowed to a crawl while even the subtle movements of individuals muscles and hairs were not overlooked within his eyes...In less than three minutes, Vahn had killed a total of 6,492 Fomoire, looting their magic cores and drop items before converting them into more than five-million Origin Points. It would take a while for the next wave to spawn but this was an excellent means of increasing his reserves which, at this point, had reached a 'monstrous' 491,334,005 points. Having thousands of people accumulating magic cores and drop items to exchange for 'contribution points' had greatly increased his gain of OP. Since he could also hunt Berserker, Berserker Chieftain, Cobalt Terror, and various elemental Slimes, each of which was worth between 3-10k OP, it had been a long time since Vahn felt pressured by his available OP. He was still a long way away from the 10,000,000,000 required for his Quest, Vahn knew he would be able to make the required amount in under two years if he stopped spending his OP, assuming no other factors changed.Once the area was completely bereft of any sign of Fomoire, Vahn used [Shundo] to reach the location of the punitive force which was currently conducting inventory on remaining supplies while performing routine maintenance on their equipment. There wasn't a single person slacking off and, after Vahn arrived, all one hundred members rose to their feet in salute, shouting, "We greet the Supreme Commander~!" in a sonorous chorus. Since more than half their members were females, the shout was relatively high-pitched while even the men in the punitive force had fervent looks when saluting Vahn. Amongst them, the lowest Allegiance was 7,411 while some, especially amongst the Pallum and Elves, was well over thirty thousand. Vahn knew that, if he ordered it, each of these one hundred people would follow his order without question, even if it led to their inevitable death...Raising his hand to put them at ease, Vahn allowed a small smile to reach his lips as he said, "You've all been working hard. In the coming fight, all of Orario will stand witness to your growth while those within the Haven Defense Force will look toward you for inspiration in their own paths. I have full confidence in each and every one of you, my brave and loyal comrades...together, we will pave the way towards a better future for everyone...!" At this point, Vahn's [Leadership] had reached A-Rank while his words, influenced by their Loyalty and Allegiance towards him, resonated deep within the hearts and minds of the punitive force gathered to fight against seemingly insurmountable odds. Amongst them, there wasn't a single person who was afraid that fighting against odds greater than a thousand-to-one put them at a disadvantage...As if they had rehearsed it beforehand, the entire punitive force raised their weapons, shouting, "Together, towards a better future for everyone...!" Following this outburst, everyone cheered loudly, riling each other up as the fatigue that had been present previously had been an illusion. Even under these circumstances, however, it only took Haruhime making a hand gesture to get everyone to fall silent before she said, "Everyone, make preparations for the next engagement. We have less than an hour to prepare for the next wave. Squad Leaders, make sure you perform secondary and tertiary checks on the important equipment. If your members are running low, coordinate with the other Squad Leaders to make sure there is an even distribution within each squad."This time, the punitive force saluted Haruhime before immediately setting about to perform their tasks, no longer paying attention to Vahn. From the very beginning, the largest focus in the training of the HDF had been 'discipline'. Though individual thinking was encouraged, those that held higher ranks generally got there through their efforts and qualifications. Unless you had significant reason to believe your idea was better suited to the situation, countermanding orders was a serious offense that could cause you to lose your position within the HDF entirely. As a result, every member of the punitive force immediately followed Haruhime's orders without question or complaint. Though Vahn could easily override her orders with his own, he generally communicated with Haruhime through the [Pactio], allowing her to constantly retain command to prevent confusion.While the punitive force was busy making their preparations, Vahn and Haruhime moved into the Command Tent without anyone even sparing them a glance, at least until the two had disappeared behind the tent's flap. Once this happened, some of the members of the punitive force exchanged 'knowing' looks and amicable smiles before the Squad Leaders lightly reprimanded them. Even they had smiles on their face, however, causing a few chuckles and silent laughs to echo around the temporary encampment. All the while this was going on, Haruhime was happily cuddling with Vahn as the two shared a laugh of their own, fully aware of the happenings outside since the tent only blocked sounds from escaping, not entering...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'For a moment, Vahn essentially considered making a full loli/shota army xD...','Machine Gun, Vahn Mason','Discipline takes time (^_^)~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

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

Chapter 904: Contemplation