Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

While waiting for the Denatus to conclude, Vahn found himself with little to do so, as was often the case in such situations, he spent the majority of his free time with his children and his frighteningly expansive harem. They would officially become his actual harem in the future, something that caused Vahn to feel rather peculiar since he wouldn't have even imagined being something like an Emperor in his past life. Stranger still was the fact that, amongst the girls he had surrounded himself with, there were both goddesses and mortals, each having their own unique qualities and quirks. As a result, Vahn often found himself in rather strange situations, such as how he was currently walking through the illusory forest in the center of the Manor while holding a leash...Though he would often take Anubis on walks, it was rather rare that Vahn found himself wrangling a leash that belonged to Nanu. She was currently walking rather spiritedly with her tail waggling back and forward with incredible fervor, a happy smile affixed to her face. Seeing how happy she was, Vahn couldn't help but allow an affectionate smile to adorn his face, even though he still felt rather odd escorting any of his women in such a fashion. Still, so long as they took precautions to make sure none of the children would develop strange habits, Vahn didn't mind indulging any of the girls since it helped him deal with some of the guilt he had about keeping so many women at his side...Along the way through the forest, Nanu's ears would constantly perk up at the slightest of sounds before she would turn in the direction of the noise with an excited look in her eyes. There were times when Vahn felt like she would chase after whatever had caught her attention but Nanu would never pull against the leash, always aware of the maximum range of movement she was allowed. It was ultimately his choice where they went and how fast their pace was, though Vahn often wandered without any particular destination in mind since he was often more focused on avoiding anyone else during such situations. There were times when Vana would, generally out of curiosity, try to follow along in secret but it wasn't difficult for Vahn to give her the slip, one of the many benefits of his domain and incredible perception.After around twenty minutes had passed, Vahn and Nanu ended up near the rather large clearing where Yggy's main body was located. She had cleared out a bit of space for herself previously and there were now neatly arranged berry bushes and small orchards surrounding the periphery. This was where Vahn got many of the secondary ingredients that he would use to bake cookies and treats for the various children he would come across on his excursions in Orario. They were all highly nutritious and contained an extreme amount of natural and vital energies. Each of these ingredients would easily sell for a rather ridiculous amount on the market, not that Vahn intended to exploit Yggy for something so petty.Before entering the clearing, Vahn loosened Nanu's leash, causing her ears to droop for a moment before she almost immediately recovered after Vahn affectionately rubbed her head. He then pulled out a small golden ball which quickly unfurled four golden wings that began to beat rapidly, causing a high pitched whine to resonate through the area. Nanu's pupils shrank as her ears and bushy tail became rigid, her entire body tense after seeing the small object Vahn had pulled out. She was very aware of its purpose and, as Vahn's hand moved around with the tiny ball, Nanu's eyes followed it without wavering in the slightest. This caused Vahn to release a light chuckle before he threw the small ball with a bit of force and said, "Nanu, fetch...!"The moment the small golden ball left his hand, it seemingly vanished into thin air and, if not for the high pitched whine, most would have assumed it teleported away. The truth of the matter was that the small golden ball, an item Vahn had purchased through the shop called a [Golden Snitch], was simply moving at an incredibly high speed. Its raw speed was only that of an Adventurer around the peak of Level 4, but its Agility and the rate at which it could spontaneously change direction were something only Agility-oriented Level 6s would be able to emulate. This made it extremely difficult to catch and, without incredibly high perception or enhanced sense, it would be nearly impossible to even track the [Golden Snith] through normal means.Nanu was currently around the peak of Level 5 so her base speed was much higher than the small golden ball that she had quickly set about capturing. However, she wasn't focused so much on speed as a result of her training and profession, making her a somewhat bad matchup for the tiny [Golden Snitch]. Fortunately, she had incredible eyesight, an extremely powerful nose, enhanced hearing, and all of the other benefits that came with being a Chienthrope [Master Smith]. As a result, Nanu was moving around like a blur, nimbly twisting her body as she bounced off trees and vaulted across any obstacles in her way as she determinedly chased after the [Golden Snitch].Vahn watched Nanu's pursuit with an amused glimmer in his eyes as a shimmering mixture of gold and green light coalesced into the figure of Yggy. Instead of looking like a carbon copy of a young Ryuu, she now had light pink hair and, obviously emulating him, aquamarine green eyes. Vahn's expression softened when he saw her appear and, just as naturally as he would his actual children, picked up the tiny Yggy into his arms as he said, "Good morning, Yggy..." in a gentle tone. This earned him a happy chuckle from the young Spirit as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and said, "Good morning, Papa~." in a chipper tone. She was always happiest whenever he would come to visit, especially if it was early in the morning when the Sun had just begun to crest over the horizon.While waiting for Nanu to catch the [Golden Snitch], Vahn prepared a light breakfast with Yggy bringing him various ingredients, often by having the plants themselves carry them over in a rather fantastical display. She had the ability to manipulate nature to an extreme degree and, though the plants around her weren't sentient creatures, they acted as if they were when under Yggy's influence. When she was expanding the clearing to accommodate her personal garden, Vahn had watched as Yggy literally commanded the trees to uproot themselves and move off to the side before sinking their roots back into the ground. It was a strangely disconcerting yet awe-inspiring sight, something that had left a deep impression on Vahn since he was always excited to witness new and interesting things.In the midst of cutting a few fruits into the shape of various animals, Nanu came running over with both hands tightly clasped in front of her chest. She was breathing heavily and there was a light layer of sweat covering her olive-brown skin as she smiled happily and presented her catch with a prideful expression on her face, exclaiming, "Master, I caught it...!" Within the palm of her hands was a pacified [Golden Snitch] that was beating its wings rather slowly, seemingly just as exhausted as Nanu, even though it didn't actually have anything like stamina. Vahn picked it up with his thumb and index finger while stroking the fringe of Nanu's hair, digging his fingers in a little roughly, just how most Chienthropes liked it.Nanu's tail began to waggle furiously as a light cooing escaped from her lips, not even remotely feeling embarrassed at the display. This caused Vahn to smile while Yggy giggled at the side, still peeling away the skin from a few golden apples with the ease that others would peel something like a banana. If you had adequately high perception and could sense mana, it was possible to see Yggy's extreme degree of control as she cut through just enough of the peel to create a 'petal' before separating the skin from the peel almost perfectly. Her control had already reached a point where she could even outperform Terra, even though the latter was still far more capable as a Mage, at least for the time being.Vahn always felt humbled by how skillful Yggy was, as his own control always seemed incredibly lacking in comparison. Though he knew the reasons for this, Vahn was determined to get to the point where he would be able to manifest spells without wasting a large amount of his Source Energy unnecessarily. The simplest method was to use the energy in the atmosphere, much like how Mages of Eva's caliber would, but Vahn still had a ways to go before reaching that level. He had yet to even break into Tier 4, meaning the distance between him and the most powerful version of Eva was like comparing a droplet of rain to a large ocean. Though there were ways he could come out ahead, the benefit of knowing almost everything there was to know about Eva, it wouldn't be his own skill that allowed him to emerge victoriously against her. Since the Mage of the Beginning was far more powerful than even Eva, Vahn knew he wasn't even remotely prepared to face against the ancient entity that had birthed Magic in Eva's world...Sensing the small 'shift' in her Master, Nanu focused less on the pleasant feeling coming from Vahn's palm as a concerned glint flashed across her rose-pink pupils. Taking the initiative, Nanu wrapped her arms tightly around Vahn's torso while nuzzling affectionately against his chest with her cheek as she said, "Master is the greatest. I'm sure you can do it if you really try your hardest..." Though she didn't know what he was thinking about, Nanu was keenly aware of the small changes in her Master's facial expression that would give insight into what he was thinking. He had a look that told her that he was worrying about some distant threat and, even though she couldn't imagine what would trouble him so, it was obvious he wasn't confident in facing whatever awaited him.Vahn released a dry chuckle before stroking Nanu's back as he said, "You're right, Nanu. Don't worry, no matter how difficult it might be, I will never give up until I succeed. My target is far beyond the enemy that I will have to defeat so I can't let their presence intimidate me...hahaha..." Since he needed to reach Tier 7 at some point, an existence that would make something like the Mage of the Beginning a complete non-factor, Vahn knew it wasn't impossible for him to defeat them. Just as he could defeat Eva, albeit with a bit of preparation, it would be possible to defeat the Mage of the Beginning if he was able to understand the nature of its existence. With the system shop, he could undoubtedly find historical accounts of how others might have defeated it and, though that wouldn't necessarily apply to the Mage he would have to face, it would still give him a bit of insight into the steps he should take...Understanding Vahn's intentions, Sis began to purchase tens of thousands of historical texts that were related to the record Eva had originated from. Though History and Fate would practically be 'broken' when he entered the record, it didn't mean that entities who had always been present would suddenly cease to exist. However, as was often stated in the political texts of many worlds, History was often written by the winners and it was highly probably for the truth to be misconstrued for the benefit of those that held power in the aftermath of conflict. Just from the records she had purchased, Sis found more than a hundred different identities for the Mage of the Beginning, some of which were coincided with the identities of powerful historical figures, including even Eva herself...While Sis was analyzing all of the newly acquired data, Vahn had sat down to enjoy breakfast with Nanu and Yggy. He absentmindedly listened to Sis' analysis while making casual conversation and enjoying the company of the two adorable girls. Nanu was sitting at his side rather obediently while Yggy was seated a little too close to him since she was enjoying feeding small pieces of fruits to Vahn with a happy smile on her face. Vahn found her actions rather adorable and, with his mind focused on other things, it was very convenient to have someone feed him, even though it was also somewhat unnecessary. He would never say that to Yggy, however, as even the thought of upsetting the almost incomparably adorable Spirit seeming 'wrong'.---After enjoying a rather long breakfast, Vahn's attention shifted to his avatar since Brynhildr had shown up with a report for him. Since she had just returned from a mission, she was wearing her Valkyrian armor, battle harness, and the long white battle dress that made up their common outfit. She had removed her feathered helmet as a general courtesy and bowed low after being allowed to issue her report. Though Vahn would typically dismiss with such formalities, it was a fact that he was about to become an Emperor and he knew he needed to act the part, both for his sake and the sake of those who followed him. He stood with his back straight, chin slightly raised, and hands neatly arranged behind his back as he sternly intoned, "Speak, Brynhildr..."In response to his command, Brynhildr's wings twitched slightly as she exclaimed, "Yes, my Master!" before going into details about her mission. She had been tasked with leading a group of Valkyries to investigate a few places of interest that had many legends and rumors circulating about the nature of their existence. The most important of these places, one of the 'Three Unexplored Regions', was the Dragon Valley located at the northernmost point of Eden. It was rumored to be a place where the One-Eyed Black Dragon had nested for a while in the distant past and, true to its name, was filled with various Dragons and Dragon Subspecies. Though Sigfried had actually culled a large part of their numbers in the past, there were a few powerful 'Dragon Lords' present that had been expanding their brood over the last few hundred years.On the subject of the Dragon Lords, Brynhildr had explained, "The region seems to be split into five separate areas, each ruled by one of the Dragon Lords. As for their strength, we were able to subdue to Lord of the East, though it was a hard-fought victory. If not for the blessings that Master had bestowed upon us, it is likely we would have sustained more than simple injuries..." Though their equipment had already been some of the best on the Continent when they served Legend, the upgrades provided by Hephaestus for some of the core Valkyries were leagues above the weapons and armor they had prided themselves for in the past. As for the 'blessings' Brynhildr was referring to, it was referring to the lessons in Eva's magic system and the various accessories Vahn had gifted the Valkyries after they officially became his subordinates and retainers.Now, almost every Valkyrie was able to use some kind of magic, including those who didn't have a particular talent towards using it. The basic choker Vahn had given them, as per their request, emulated [Spirit Healing], allowing them to constantly replenish their mana, while also granting them the ability to use basic healing magic without a chant. As a result, the Valkyrie could not only heal themselves but, in the event that their stronger members would have to deal with powerful enemies, the weaker Valkyrie could quickly fall into a support role and allow them to overcome much stronger foes. This was how they had been able to defeat the Eastern Dragon Lord, Cypheon, a monster around Level 8, without losing any of their members...Vahn felt his brain buzz a bit as he listened to Brynhildr's report but he managed to keep a calm expression as he said, "You did well, Brynhildr..." Though he wanted to remark that they shouldn't have taken such a risk, Vahn knew how prideful the Valkyries were and he couldn't actually deny that they had performed their duty properly. If they had actually lost any of their members, he would have felt extremely guilty, but he also knew he couldn't be so overprotective of everyone he associated with. They were a warrior race that felt fulfilled when facing powerful foes so he couldn't exactly tell them they weren't allowed to face danger, even though he did have the right to do so as their Lord and Master...Brynhildr raised her head for the first time after hearing Vahn's praise, allowing a small smile to further enhance her already ethereal beauty. Vahn squinted his eyes slightly in response to this before giving himself a slight reprimand since he nearly fell into his bad habits again. Though he appreciated Brynhildr's beauty quite a bit, Vahn didn't want to take advantage of his status and make a thoughtless remark, as Brynhildr would undoubtedly take it very seriously. He knew that, with but a single order, the entire 'flock' of Valkyrie would probably queue up to attend to him. As interesting a thought as that was, Vahn wasn't so desperate for the company of women that he needed to give in to every small urge that arose in his heart. Though, as this thought crossed his mind, Vahn couldn't help but give a small glance at Nanu, causing the perceptive Chienthropes tail to begin waggling excitedly in response...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Nanu loves walkies...! Nanu fetch good...!','Yggy is scary...','Vahn is a deviant xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

While Vahn was enjoying a leisurely and fulfilling life, the Denatus was still underway and, after the first relatively tense day, things had come to a head after Ouranos opened the floor to discussion. This time, instead of a single god rising to their feet to bring a matter to attention, a large portion of the congregation rose, following after the entire table of the top 10 gods. At this point, each of the most influential gods were part of the Alliance and, after spending a great deal of time and effort, most gods stood in support of their cause. There were even some who were unaware of why they were standing but, not wanting to be the odd one out, ended up rising with expectant and confused looks on their faces.As the assembly slowly fell into silence, Ouranos' eyes were fixed on the main table, his focus shifting between each god and goddess. His gaze lingered the longest on Hestia who, without any sign of wavering, showed a confident and supportive smile on her face as she fully supported Vahn's rise. Though she wished he could just be happy and content without worrying about matters outside of the Manor, Hestia would never stand in the way of Vahn's dream. However, whenever he was tired of dealing with politics and associating with other people, she swore that she would be there waiting for him. Even if he grew weary of the world itself, she wanted to make a safe place where, at least for a brief moment, Vahn would be able to find peace and comfort...Feeling a subtle pressure from Hestia, Ouranos almost allowed a smile to break his stone-faced expression but managed to remain unperturbed in the eyes of the congregation. Once silence had completely taken over the crowd, his thunderous voice echoed through the vast chamber as he asked, "Tell me, what matter would concern so many gods...?" He was fully aware of the Alliance's intentions but, as was always the case, Ouranos had to go through the motions to officiate things to fulfill his role as mediator. In response to his question, Loki, being the primary representative of the Alliance, stepped forward and said, "Times are changing and, for the first time in History, the means for the entire Continent to prosper have been provided by a singular individual. As gods, we have an obligation to recognize the capabilities and contributions of mortals and provide adequate rewards to keep them moving in a direction that ensures the survival of all sentient species..."Even before the gods had descended to the Mortal World, they had watched over its inhabitants, often giving genuine blessings to those who had won their favor. Even the system of the Falna was designed around this principle as, without having an achievement to your name that had earned the recognition of the gods, it was impossible to Level. As Loki had stated, Vahn's contributions to the world weren't something they could overlook, especially after he had helped dozens of goddesses give birth to healthy Demigods. If it had been in the past, before gods had descended, there would have been nothing to stop Vahn's rise as the genuine leader of the Continent's peoples, something Loki intended to make sure every god was aware of...After giving a large speech, painting Vahn as the very image of a messiah figure, both to mortals and gods, Loki concluded by saying, "In truth, we gods have already gotten in the way of the world's progress for our own selfish ends. It is time we start earning our keep and helping to regulate how other gods live within this world instead of allowing the selfishness of a select few to lead the mortals astray. Though we come together like this to make decisions for our respective Familia, it has never been enough as the larger population of mortals still exists outside of our influence, often without us paying them any attention at all. As a result, there have been many travesties that have occurred, even though we had the responsibility to try and prevent them from the outset..."Loki gauged the various reactions of her fellow gods, noticing that many didn't outright agree with her but could still understand the basic reasoning behind her words. Then, after a momentary pause, Loki added, "We had a thousand years to figure things out yet, even with hundreds of millions of years to prepare, we failed to guide mortals onto a path of true prosperity. Now that someone capable of guiding them has appeared, it is our responsibility to aid that person and guide their decisions so as not to allow our mistakes to be repeated. It is time for mortals to take responsibility for the lives of mortals while we gods, once again, support the development of civilization without directly interfering with its affairs..."At this point, Ouranos knew his own part in this little play so he asked, "Tell me, Loki, who do you believe is capable of guiding the surface world better than we gods? How will we guide the person you have recognized to avoid a catastrophe from occurring...?" Without exception, every god within the room had seen the rise and fall of countless civilizations. However, that was before the direct interference of the gods so Loki smiled confidently and explained, "We will form a genuine council, comprised of gods who possess a primary Divinity related to specific elements, forces, and concepts. Our purpose will be as a purely regulatory force, determining if the policies and laws that are being implemented are truly for the benefit of the surface world. These gods will become known as the Divine Council and, as our first and only act of direct interference, we will recognize the person we believe to be capable of guiding the surface world to prosperity..."Those who weren't in the know before showed expressions of genuine shock when they heard Loki's words but, seeing that the majority were silent, they too kept their opinions to themselves. Even if they were gods who placed a heavy emphasis on their own importance, the Alliance had already grown to the point where nothing could really derail its momentum. Unless they wanted to be forced back to Heaven, where a life of extreme boredom would become their 'norm' once again, they would have to abide by the decisions made by the Alliance. Ultimately, even with the Divine Council coming into power, not much would change for many of them. As a result, only a few outliers were truly troubled by Loki's words and how things were progressing...they simply couldn't do anything about it.During the small chaos that followed her words, Loki's gazed passed over several key individuals before she focused her intent onto Ouranos once again. He gave an almost imperceptible nod in response before saying, "I know of the mortal you speak and, though there are some actions I would have advised against, it is certainly true that he is an exception amongst all mortals that have come before and, very likely, all who will follow. The world has always been in flux, cycling through a series of changes where true progress was often the exception, as mortals simply aren't suited to coming up with policies that will have lasting benefits. With the existence of the Divine Council, so long as it has genuine power and authority over the person you have chosen, I believe this could be the first sign of true change..."Though he couldn't say he outright supported the idea, Ouranos' words made his intentions clear to all but a few of the gathered gods in the congregation. To prevent naysayers from gaining any kind of advantage whatsoever, he then added, "In order to prevent the Divine Council and the person you have chosen from going astray, I will have you agree to allow the Guild to stand on equal footing with both parties. By having a system with three parts, we will be able to maintain a proper balance instead of having two parties at loggerheads with each other. This will also allow those who wish to follow a different route a second option, though they will also be strictly regulated, as has always been the case..."Since it had already been discussed that the Guild would be the third power in the world, at least for the time being, Ouranos readily offered his 'compromise'. This allowed him to continue serving as a mediator and, with his presence, there were few amongst the gods who could offer any complaints. Like all of the Primordial Deities, he was simply on a different level than almost every god who had come after as, unlike the 'fractured' gods that came into existence after the formation of the Three Realms, he had a whole and perfect Divinity. With nearly a billion years showing him as an impartial party that observed the world and helped maintain the balance, nobody had grounds to call his motives into question, at least openly.Though she put on a show of being bothered by the compromise, Loki eventually nodded her head in agreement after conferring with the other gods that would make up the Divine Council. They then announced their candidacy to the Denatus before taking vows, Ouranos standing witness as they each came under the influence of the World's Laws. There were also a few gods who offered up their own names for candidacy, smelling an opportunity to garner greater power and authority during the inception phase of the Divine Council. Without exception, they were all shut down rather quickly after a quick tongue-lashing from Loki as she explained why they were unqualified for the role. Since even goddesses like Anubis and Artemis wouldn't be on the Divine Council, she had a lot of leeway in justifying what qualified others for the role...Though the Denatus was generally used to talk about various matters, the establishment of the Divine Council had taken center stage, eating up most of the second day's time. Once everything was settled, a few servants were tasked with rearranging the seating within the chamber. Now, instead of there being a table for the top ten most influential gods, there was a much larger table that could easily seat the thirty-nine potential members that would represent all gods in the Divine Council. More than a third of the table was empty, giving some of the gods present ideas about how they could gain a seat for themselves, but that was a matter for later. Currently, there was a bit of a festive atmosphere in the air as everyone discussed who the Divine Council would choose, even though everyone present was keenly aware of who the most likely candidate was...As the most 'senior' member of the Divine Council, Hestia ended up becoming the de facto leader, even though Loki was still the acting representative. The structure of the Council would have every member enjoy the same status but, at least for the time being, there was a basic hierarchy in play that depended on seniority and the purity of one's Divinity. Since these things were the basis for why the members were selected, it was important to make a point of this matter during the Council's creation. As a result, Hestia was seated closest to Ouranos and, looking decidedly less nervous than she would have in the past, she sat ramrod straight on an elevated chair as she said, "The first act of the Divine Council will be to recognize Vahn Mason as the Emperor of Eden. He has already laid a strong foundation that has the potential to lead the entire continent towards greater prosperity. He already has more followers than even the most prominent gods and, with his various contributions to both mortals and gods, I can see none better suited to the position...!"Hestia got a little too excited towards the end of her words, using the table to support her rather lively exclamation. This caused a small bout of laughter among the other gods in the Divine Council, leading to Hestia's face turning scarlet red as she struggled to keep her composure. Fortunately, Hephaestus quickly raised her hand, a cool smile on her face as she unhesitantly stated, "I support the election of Vahn Mason as the first Emperor seated by the Divine Council..." Her words expressly supported Vahn's rise but, as many of the gods present noticed, they also left wiggle room for other potential Emperors in the future. Few knew that Vahn was genuinely immortal so, in the event that he lost interest in leading directly, the core members of the Divine Council had already created a way out for him...Following Hephaestus' words, every other member of the Divine Council made their support for the decision known before turning to Ouranos, obviously intending for him to speak on the issue. As the 'third party' in the situation, Ouranos also had the right to speak so he gave a simple nod before saying, "In recognition of his accomplishments, I can see no reason to impede the decision of the Divine Council on this day. Henceforth, Vahn Mason will be known, not simply as the Sage Aldrnari, but the Sage-Emperor of Orario. His final title will be the decision of the Divine Council and the Sage-Emperor himself..." Ouranos actually found it rather fitting that the first Emperor was also widely recognized as both a Saint and a Sage. Though those titles would pale in comparison to his position as a genuine Emperor, he felt it was only proper to combine the two since Vahn was a rather unique existence in the endless stream of time he had observed...Finding Ouranos' recommendation rather appropriate, Loki looked towards Hestia and, seeing the latter nod, smiled rather wickedly as she said, "I vote that Vahn's official title and name become Sage-Emperor, Aldrnari the First. His full name will be Vahn Aldrnari Mason...!" Though it would have been more appropriate to change his last name to Aldrnari, Loki knew this probably wouldn't go over well with Vahn himself. He likely wouldn't complain about the decision but, knowing his past, there was a good chance Vahn wouldn't outright accept it either. None of them wanted to cause him to experience any great melancholy or sadness so, even though she was very tempted to tease him a bit, Loki quickly compromised in a way she knew Vahn would easily accept.With Loki's outburst, the second round of discussion began before it was ultimately decided that Vahn would officially become known as the Sage-Emperor, Aldrnari. He would no longer be the Captain of the Hestia Familia, as the position became somewhat irrelevant, but would remain as the Supreme Commander of the Alliance which, at least for the time being, wouldn't have its structure altered much. Ultimately, the Alliance would become the backbone of Vahn's Empire but, on the surface, it would be considered the extension of the Divine Council. It was Vahn's title as Supreme Commander that would grant him authority over the Alliance, something that was only allowed due to the discretion of the Divine Council itself. Like this, it would always appear as if the two were meant to balance each other and, as that was Vahn's actual intent, things would remain this way for an indeterminant amount of time.After Vahn's title and name were deciding, the festive atmosphere that had been building up finally exploded into a full-scale celebration of sorts. Though there were many gods that experienced various levels of trepidation, Vahn's popularity wasn't limited to other mortals. He had already enjoyed a great deal of fanfare from most goddesses while many gods who had joined the Alliance had also grown fond of him. They considered him a truly exceptional mortal and, without any real justification for opposing his rise to power, they quickly joined the celebratory atmosphere since it ultimately didn't matter to them who was in charge. They only thing they really cared about were their individual Familia and appeasing their Divinities, both things that had become much easier after joining the Alliance...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Politics are very boring...!','Fake it till you make it~!','Vahn is very 'popular' with the goddesses o3o~')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After what felt like an incredibly long period of blissful relaxation, the first day of the Denatus had finally come so Vahn had escorted Hestia, Hephaestus, Loki, Anubis, Eirene, Demeter, Artemis, and the first time attendant, Kali to the base of Babel Tower. Today was an important step towards his goals as the framework for the Divine Council had already been established but would become a reality after these three days came to an end. Immediately following the formation of the Divine Council, Vahn would be meeting with all of the foreign leaders to discuss various policy changes while also issuing something akin to an ultimatum. However, even though things were rather serious, Vahn found himself in a lackadaisical mood as he absentmindedly looked toward the massive tower where the goddesses would be spending the next three days...From a little ways behind him, five tails flickered about in a mesmerizing manner that drew the attention of almost everyone that walked by. This caused several people to end up walking into other pedestrians while those most heavily influenced would even collide with static objects like buildings and streetlights. Even Vahn wasn't entirely immune to this and he could only blame others for their 'curiosity', as Haruhime's abilities may work passively but still required the other party to focus their intentions towards her. Still, Vahn found the slight chaos rather amusing as he turned his attention back towards Haruhime and asked, "Shall we go...?" This caused all of her tails to flicker simultaneously as a smile blossomed upon her increasingly enchanting face as she replied, "Certainly, Master~."With Haruhime holding his left arm, Vahn began escorting her along the more scenic route back to the Manor as the diminutive Shirohime hung from his head and 'secretly' sniffed at his scalp. She had mellowed out a lot after exposure to all of his children, especially since she was able to interact with all of the Guardians. Of course, this didn't stop her from behaving rather spoiled at times, usually sneaking into his room or popping up whenever he wasn't busy to receive brushing and headpats for a few minutes, sometimes turning into hours. This didn't really bother Vahn, however, as Shiro was very cute and her presence helped him know the mood of Haruhime since the two were always in sync with each other...Along the way to the Manor, Vahn and Haruhime politely greeted most of the people they encountered along the way, primarily children and various businesses. As for most people, they knew to keep a distance whenever Vahn was escorting one of his women, which was actually the reason why Haruhime was following along with him this time around. Now that the Denatus had begun, Vahn wasn't intending to meet with any of the foreign dignitaries until the day of his scheduled meeting as he wanted to let the tension they were feeling increase a bit. Since they were too afraid to offend him, the presence of a woman at his side was a strong deterrent that also allowed Vahn to give an icy stare towards anyone that wanted to bother him incessantly.Of course, Vahn always had the option of flying through the sky to avoid dealing with people but that was similar to lowering his head or being roundabout, something that wasn't very Emperor-like. He would rather walk through the City streets with a beautiful woman at his side, knowing there were few who would dare impede his path, as it served to increase his own prestige and allowed him to posture for a bit. This was also a way where Vahn could continue to build rapport with the common citizens, as his presence and general amicability had been steadily increasing his popularity with the passage of time.In this manner, Vahn and Haruhime made their way down one of the few snaking roads in Orario that were laden with neatly arranged cobblestone streets. It was a shortcut that would put them on the main street to the Manor and was often used by Vahn whenever he was walking on foot. Though there was a certain danger involved with establishing a habit that could be exploited, Vahn senses extended outward far beyond the range of any would-be assassin. On this particular street, the duo, trio if including Shiro, saw a small Pallum girl wearing a frilly pink smock running along with a small bouquet of flowers in her arm. She was only around 74cm tall, making anyone that looked at her small figure feel as though their heart was dealt a critical amount of damage since her toothy smile was on full display...Upon seeing Vahn and Haruhime, the young girl turned statuesque in the middle of her step, as even Pallum children were able to recognize Vahn. The large statue that had been erected in 'Little Orario', which was located relatively close to the Manor, made him an everyday figure in the lives of many Pallum. Since many, even as young as the small girl before him, had been personally liberated as a result of his actions, it wasn't too surprising that a lone Pallum would get 'spooked' upon witnessing the person they referred to as their Savior. As a result, the girl fell face forward and was on a crash-course with the ground before an invisible force wrapped around her body and prevented the fall outright.Unable to understand what had happened, the girl flailed around awkwardly in a very flustered manner until Vahn and Haruhime appeared right before her, the latter bending down with a gentle smile on her face as she said, "Calm down, you're going to be okay..." This had the exact opposite effect, causing the young Pallum's face to practically turn scarlet as she began to stammer, "I-I-I-I..." Haruhime issued an amused laugh upon witnessing this before helping the girl right herself so Vahn could liberate her from his telekinetic influence. With her feet firmly planted on the ground, the invisible force surrounding the girl's body vanished in its entirety, allowing her to calm down a little, even though her face was still beet red.Haruhime gave the girl a light pat on the head before rising to her feet and saying, "You should be on your way. Isn't there someplace you were in a hurry to reach...?" Since the young Pallum had turned into a statue again, Haruhime had no choice but to remind the girl about the situation. This caused her to startle to the point that she leaped off the ground a few centimeters while releasing a surprised yelp. It was Vahn's turn to chuckle this time, even though he had been keeping a complacent smile during the previous incident. As a result, the girl's eyes became round as the blush on her face seemed to transition towards a deep crimson that made it appear as if she would faint.Just as the dizzy feeling began to overwhelm her, the young Pallum felt a rather heavy palm on her head before a wave of comfortable heat spread through her body. The dizziness was whisked away as if it had never existed before as even her rising blood pressure was slowly ebbing until it reached a normal level. This didn't stop her from blushing rather furiously, however, as Vahn's gentle smile caused her heart to flutter madly in her chest. From her perspective, he was as big as a mountain and seemed to tower above even the surrounding buildings. His palm against her head felt like an entire roof that would shield her from even the most tumultuous storms while the gentle smile on his face almost caused her to cry, though she wasn't entirely certain why.With the girl having calmed down, Vahn extracted his hand from her head before pulling out another small bouquet of flowers. The previous grouping had fallen to the ground when she was flailing around earlier and, though he had saved most of them, some of the flowers were a bit worse for wear after being flung around chaotically. He handed the new bouquet over to the absentminded Pallum before pulling out a small bag of cookies and saying, "Share these with your friends, okay? They are very healthy for you and will help you grow up big and strong in the future..." Instead of regular cookies, Vahn had given her a dozen animal shaped crackers that were infused with a large amount of vitality. Since many Pallums still got sick, especially in their youth, Vahn had a habit of passing out small snacks whenever he encountered the almost scarily small Pallum children that would often run errands near the Manor.Knowing what was in the bag, the girl held them close to her chest and began bobbing her head like a chicken as she finally managed to exclaim, "Th-thank y-y-you, Vahn-shama...!" She ended up biting her tongue towards the end of her exclamation, causing her eyes to tear up as another wave of red colored her delicate facial features. Vahn's smile curled up a bit at the sides as he reached down and lightly poked against the girl's nose while using his [Wounds Transfer] to alleviate the pain and discomfort she was feeling. From her perspective, it was like a magic trick that had made the pain go away, something incredible that she couldn't really wrap her head around.With the same smile on his face, Vahn gave the girl a small nod and said, "We'll be on our way now, little one. Make sure to take care of yourself, your family, and your friends, okay~?" Since the Pallum had started to build a very close-knit community, Vahn often emphasized that aspect and encouraged their continued cooperation with each other. Being someone that had benefitted from the care of others, the girl nodded her head rapidly once again before running away with her cheeks still a ruddy red color. Vahn asked Fafnir to accompany her safely to wherever she was head while extending his arm out for Haruhime to grab before they once again set out for the Manor...---Around the same time that Vahn was leisurely making his way back to the Manor, the various gods and goddesses that comprised the Alliance were mingling together as they awaited the official start of the Denatus. This group consisted of the vast majority of gods within Orario while only a few outliers avoided the larger agglomeration. There were almost no gods that were hostile towards the Alliance within the City as the Freya, Fortuna, and Eirene Familias had already dealt with most of them. The latter only dealt with Familia that were known to operate in various grey areas, usually by arresting their members for crimes that they would have easily gotten away with in the past. As for Freya and Fortuna, they were far more direct in their approach as Fortuna would often purchase the debts of troublesome Familia before running them into the ground. Freya's approach was the most direct of all, however, as she had outright eliminated the Familia that were hostile towards the Alliance, often with the assistance of the Loki and Hermes Familias in the shadows.Compared to almost every previous Denatus, everyone could sense there was something 'off' about the atmosphere this time around. As a result, even though things were still relatively lively, several gods and goddesses felt extremely tense as they noticed many of the more affluent and powerful gods were consolidated around the Triumvirate goddesses who, in turn, had Hestia at their center as they spoke amicably amongst themselves. Though it wasn't rare to see the most influential gods gathered together, seeing them all gathered at once was something that caused other gods to feel a great deal of pressure. With Hestia at the heart of everything, appearing far more serious than usual, it was hard to stay calm and pretend things were normal...In total, there were twenty-three 'primary' deities that had gathered to establish the framework of the Divine Council while most of the core members of the Alliance already supported them. This meant more than three-hundred gods and goddesses were in favor of the Councils existence while those in direct opposition could be counted on a single hand. With goddess like Loki, Freya, and now Kali, there were few that would openly voice their displeasure, however. Just having Kali in attendance caused some gods to feel nervous as, even in Heaven, Kali was an especially vicious goddess if you offended her. After descending to the Mortal World, her Familia had actually crushed several other Familia that resided in small Cities and territories, often over petty disputes that could have easily been settled with words...Kali was one of the few goddesses that weren't gathered around mingling with each other as she was currently lounging alongside Ioke as the latter quietly nibbled on a somewhat undercooked piece of meat. Though they had differing Divinities, Kali had developed a kinship with Ioke after finding out that the Slaughter Goddess was residing at the Hearth Manor. The feelings weren't exactly mutual, as Ioke was a bit off-put by Kali's presence, but she never vocalized this openly since the latter had never antagonized her. Ioke was just happy to have a place to stay where she wasn't treated like a tool, as Vahn had never actually required her to go out and deal with his enemies while many of the goddesses at the Hearth Manor took great care of her...Even though Ioke rarely ever responded to her, Kali didn't really mind since she knew that her companion goddess simply didn't like speaking. However, Ioke was always listening to her, something Kali found refreshing since it felt like she could say whatever she wanted without having to worry. As of late, she had been 'venting' a lot with Ioke since Vahn, though still treating her well when they were together, had yet to cross the line. Though Kali understood his reasons, and even agreed with them a bit, she couldn't help but feel a little 'bothered' since her instincts weren't so easily pacified these days...After taking a sip from a goblet made of bone and gold, Kali exhaled a hot and slightly drunken sigh as she made eye contact with Ioke and asked, "Ioke, what do you think about Vahn...?" Even though she already knew the answer, Kali wanted to tease Ioke a bit with one of the few topics she knew could get a rise out of the demure goddess. As expected, Ioke lowered her head and, instead of taking large bites out of her meal, began to nibble it very rapidly while refusing to answer the question. This caused Kali to snicker mischievously as she moved a bit closer to Ioke and whispered, "You know, if you wait too long, there may not be a place left for you after someone else jumps in to fill it up~."These words brought Ioke's rampant nibbling to a halt as her blood-red eyes looked up, matching Kali's own as she stated in an icy monotone, "Vahn isn't that kind of person...I believe in him...he wouldn't abandon me..." There was a firm conviction behind each of Ioke's statements, even though she was, in truth, trying to convince herself this was the case. She had never met someone like Vahn who, even though he could do anything he wanted, showed a surprising amount of restraint. He also treated her well and, instead of thinking about how best to use her, was more concerned with her happiness and well-being. Ioke genuinely believed this would always be how things were...at least, that is what she told herself to remain calm during the moments when her Divinity weighed heavily on her heart...Though Kali wasn't intimidated by Ioke's bloodlust, as it paled in comparison to her own, she still raised her brows in response while many other gods in the wide hall shuddered while looking over with confused expressions. They had drawn a lot of attention to themselves, something that caused Ioke to avert her eyes as she allowed her dense hair to hide her expression. Fortunately, they had also drawn the attention of the would-be Divine Council as Hestia had quickly appeared with an expression of concern on her face before sending Kali a small glare with her crystalline blue eyes. This normally wouldn't have any effect, as Kali wasn't easily intimidated, but Hestia was an exception since she possessed an unfathomable amount of power that caused Kali to feel an instinctual panic for a brief moment.Repressing the urge to try and stir up her own Divinity in response, Kali snorted through her nose and said, "I didn't do anything wrong..." In response to this, however, Loki had appeared at her side, asking, "Oh, I wonder if you would be able to explain the situation to Vahn and still say something like that~?" Now, Kali felt as if her skin had become slightly clammy as she glared towards Loki with a look that said, 'if you tell, I will end you'. This caused Loki to laugh mischievously as her own eyes parted, revealing her ruby-like irises that weren't remotely affected by Kali's threat.Realizing she wasn't going to get an advantage in this situation, Kali snorted once again before emptying the contents of her goblet in one go. She wanted to retort that it wasn't fair for them to always bully her but, understanding it was her own actions that led to this outcome, Kali buried the resentment in her heart. Later, she would openly confess her wrongdoings to Vahn, knowing he would probably comfort her after understanding the situation. She had just been teasing Ioke and wasn't actually trying to upset her so Kali felt as though she hadn't actually done anything wrong. Even so, she would be the first to explain the situation to Vahn since she was afraid Loki would misconstrue the events in a way that would disadvantage her...(A/N: Sorry about yesterday but I got called in to work early to take charge of a shipment. I was dead tired by the end of the day and didn't want to leave a chapter as an 'excuse'. Hope you enjoyed today's chapter~!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Poor Haruhime, overshadowed by Vahn's 'Papa' aura','The Alliance is rather tyrannical xD...','Kali getting bullied (&gt;,...,&lt;)~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 968: Brevity