Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

Even before the Denatus had come to an end, some of the more impatient gods had already left the assembly, spreading gossip about with an atmosphere of excitement about them. The fact that the Divine Council had been established was major news but it still paled in comparison to the news that Vahn would become an actual Emperor. Some were unable to believe it, even though it had been a popular topic over the last few months, while others were completely taken aback by feelings of incredulity. Many of the foreign dignitaries that had arrived within the City, some of which had expected things to turn out like this, were now feeling an even greater pressure than before. They had already prepared themselves for several different outcomes, including a situation where they would be forced to yield to Vahn's demands, but now things had been elevated to another level completely...Vahn also heard the rumors being spread around the City as he had kept up with his habit of making public appearances even during the Denatus. The first time he heard the rumor was in one of Orario's larger market districts as he and Lili were enjoying a short date. They had just come out of a Cafe when a member of one of the smaller Familia within the Alliance was completely awestruck after seeing Vahn come out through the front door. The young man fell into a panic of sorts, seemingly unsure if he should bow or salute as he awkwardly gesticulated before eventually apologizing, all while Vahn looked on with a slightly bemused look. It wasn't until the man had calmed down, explain that his god had already left the Denatus to spread the information, that Vahn understood the man's peculiar behavior.After 'allowing' the man to leave, Vahn lightly shook his head while a small smile adorned his face, even as people looked towards him with mixed expressions of fear and reverence. As for Lili, she seemed rather proud that things had gone well, puffing out her more than modest chest with a happy smile on her face before grabbing Vahn's arm affectionately. The top of her head barely reached his diaphragm so she had to crane her head quite a bit, hear hazel-brown eyes shimmering excitedly as she asked, "Does this mean I get to be an Empress if we get married~?"Vahn released a light-hearted chuckle in response before picking Lili up and ascending into the sky, much to the surprise of the gathering crowd. Lili herself wasn't surprised, however, and just casually nuzzled into Vahn's chest while he carried her, bridal style, through the air. To answer her previous question, Vahn had a thoughtful look in his eyes as he said, "I think things will be a little complicated if I have everyone become an Empress so it may be necessary to come up with a different title...if you want to get married, I'd be more than happy to, Lili..." Realizing he was unnecessarily complicating things, Vahn changed his tone as a gentle smile spread across his face. Lili hadn't particularly minded his words, as she was already fully aware of Vahn's disposition, but she was still much happier when he said they could get married...While already imagining herself in a pristine white dress, Lili had her eyes closed for several seconds before releasing a small sigh. She might not be the smartest woman around Vahn, but Lili was rather prideful of her intelligence. Though Vahn had changed the topic a bit, she tried to imagine what it would be like if he had nearly thirty Empresses around him, something that didn't seem reasonable, no matter how she looked at it. If she truly wanted the title, Lili knew she would have to change the way she acted and, depending on the circumstances, she could even be wrapped up in the Empire's politics. Since she would much rather just be someone close to Vahn, without having to worry about such troublesome things, Lili gave up on becoming an Empress and began to wonder how she could make her own wedding more memorable...Holding Lili's small figure a little tighter, Vahn sent warm energy coursing through her body as they quickly zoomed through the sky, arriving at the Manor in just a few short minutes. They touched down in the Manor's central courtyard but, instead of setting Lili on the ground, Vahn continued to carry her for a while as she was lost in thought. Since it was a good opportunity, he made his way to the western side of the Manor, following a few passages before arriving at a large room where two auras, and several life signs, were present. Vahn couldn't see the aura of his children and, for the time being, the large room served as a daycare for some of the younger children that were too old to stay in the maternity ward.Within the room, Vahn found Eina, Syr, Mona, and Lunoire all looking after several young children and a veritable menagerie of guardians. Amongst the group, there were three nearly identical young children that were wearing small smock-like dresses with large embroidered flowers on the chest region. Each had a unique design, showing a rose, iris, and daisy, matching the names of the inordinately small Pallum children. Though they were very tiny, the girls were already very perceptive and were developing rather quickly, making them easily able to discern the presence of their Mama and Papa as eager and excited smiles adorned the girls' faces.Vahn set Lili down on the ground before sitting down himself, fully aware of the fate he had invited upon himself as his sons and daughters began to congregate around him. Rose ended up falling prey to Lili's embrace while Vahn was practically piled on by Iris, Daisy, Eiko, Macht, and, though she was barely able to hobble about, his doll-like daughter, Natalie. The only child that didn't migrate over to him was the perpetually sleeping Lucas who now had a healthy coat of thin golden fur covering his body as he happily dozed in Mona's embrace. As for Mona, she looked increasingly more vibrant with the passage of time, even though Vahn knew it had to be stressful looking after so many children all day...With Iris, Daisy, and Eiko sitting in his lap, Macht climbing on his shoulders, and Natalie clutching the fringe of his tunic, almost as if she was saying, 'don't go', Vahn accepted his fate and decided to commit his afternoon to his children while talking with Eina, Syr, and Lili about the future. Mona and Lunoire weren't left out of the conversation but, having never really interfered much in the matters and affairs of the Manor, they only offered small tidbits while listening in most of the time. It was Syr would gave Vahn the wisest counsel while Eina, though having one of the more influential positions in the Manor, simply expressed her concerns about Vahn's, and the children's', well being. As for Lili, she was a little preoccupied with her three rather clingy children who, for reasons unknown, had developed a 'climbing' habit, much like Macht...Even with his hair being pulled on by Iris, Vahn kept a casual smile on his face without minding it too much as he would periodically rub the heads of his children or pinch their cheeks. He knew that his time with them would be cut down in the future so, at least for now, Vahn wanted to spend time with them so they didn't feel lonely. Though everyone in the Manor helped to look after the children, Vahn knew he was like the 'lynchpin' of everything, as his children all seemed exceptionally fond of his presence. This wasn't just because of his [Hands of Nirvana] and [Grooming], which he rarely proactively used against them, but because of the strange 'link' between him and all entities that had Source Energy contained within...Vahn had noticed this even before the birth of his first children, as he had seen the signs in his subordinates like Fafnir and Fenrir. Since The Path was the source of 'Source Energy' itself, it wasn't incorrect to say that any entity with Source Energy flowing through them was almost like an extension of himself, the one who had fused together with The Path. This was an unbreakable bond as even Tier 9 energy systems would never be able to destroy Source Energy. As a result, Vahn had a close connection to every entity that had Source Energy flowing through its body and, in turn, they also seemed inextricably drawn to him with an impulse that even exceeded the bonds between close kin.Eventually, all of Vahn's children, with the exception of Natalie, ended up falling asleep after lingering around him for a while. Vahn found the weight and presence of his children extremely comforting, a feeling they shared if their happy smiles were any indicator. Even Natalie, who almost seemed lacking in expression, would allow a small smile to adorn her doll-like facial features as she gently stroked her Silvervine Python while Vahn tied up her silvery hair into two small pigtails. This was already the fourth hairstyle he had done for her, each causing Natalie to giggle happily whenever Syr would hold up a mirror for her use. Natalie didn't speak much, at least during normal circumstances, but it was obvious she was very aware of her surroundings since there was a glimmer of intelligence perpetually present in her silvery-blue eyes.Seeing her daughter's hair done up by Vahn, Syr held up an ornate hand mirror for Natalie while commenting, "This daughter of our's is going to be a heartbreaker in the future...fufufu~." Since Natalie was 'purified' as a result of the union between Vahn and Syr, she was actually a 'true' Demigoddess, a similar existence to other Demigods but inordinately more refined. Instead of having a mixture between the two different races, which often caused a variety of issues, Natalie's genes were 'flawless' as a result of the existence of Source Energy in her body and the perfect fusion of the two halves of her heritage. In a way, she was the first 'real' Demigoddess that had ever existed, much like how Eina was the first true Half-Elf and Tsubaki was the first true Half-Dwarf. Vahn had even thought about coming up with completely new names for the races they had become, though such discussions had never gone very far since it ultimately didn't matter...Natalie showed a thoughtful yet confused expression on her face while adorably tilting her head to the side after hearing her Mother's words. As for Vahn, he could only produce a wry smile since he was very aware that Natalie could certainly be a little 'dangerous' depending on how she developed. Though they couldn't be sure as of yet, it was highly likely that Natalie had pseudo-divinities related to Beauty and Love, as her appearance was simply too abnormal otherwise. Fortunately, she didn't seem to have an inherent charm, at least for the time being, though Vahn knew it was bound to pop up when she had matured a bit...Knowing that the only thing he could really do was try and guide Natalie down a path where she could find happiness, much like Syr, Vahn lightly poked his daughter's soft cheeks as he said, "So long as it is someone she chose, I'll at least give them a chance...if anyone thinks they can pursue any of my daughters, they'll have to go through me first..." Though it wasn't really a threat, a small amount of pressure emanated from Vahn's body as even the momentary thought of someone harboring intentions towards his children caused an intimidating light to flash across his eyes. This went completely unnoticed by his children, as most were sleeping, but Eina, Syr, Lili, Lunoire, and even Mona, all giggled in response.---While Vahn was spending time with his children, he was also back on the 60th Floor of the Dungeon making sure Enyo's seal was still secure. This time, he had Ais and Shizune at his side since he was going to escort the two down to the 70th Floor to help them familiarize themselves with the impossibly dark terrain's layout. Both had extremely high perception and could easily sense their surroundings without relying on sight, but Vahn wanted to make sure they were able to navigate the complex terrain without incident since he wouldn't always be accompanying them on their path to greater strength. The more he protected them, the harder it would be for them to overcome their mental restrictions and further develop their soul, something that would be necessary if they truly seek to become immortals in the future...Shizune had been watching with intrigue as Vahn checked over the strength of Enyo's seal and, unable to resist the urge, asked, "Is it okay if I try and send one of my Shadows into the seal...?" Since Shadow Elemental magic had the property of ignoring magical resistance, barriers, and even complex wards, Shizune was a little curious about if she could send one of her familiars into Enyo's seal. This caused Vahn's brows to raise slightly, as he was also a little curious since he believed the seal used on Enyo was very likely near the peak of Tier 4 at this point. Shizune was, at best, around the middle of Tier 2 so he couldn't help but feel slightly curious by the prospect of her being able to simply 'ignore' something far beyond her capabilities.Knowing that Shizune wouldn't be able to break the seal, even if she could probe into it, Vahn gave a small nod as he said, "Sure, but don't try to break it. Though I could probably reseal Enyo before she breaks free, it would be far more trouble than its worth..." Shizune hadn't actually expected Vahn to give her permission so she was a little taken aback before issuing an awkward laugh as she said, "I'm not so foolish as to jeopardize everything over simple curiosity, Vahn...ufufu~." Since Vahn had given her permission to do something that most 'sensible' people would have outright prevented, Shizune felt more than a little happy since she interpreted it as him being slightly deferential towards her out of respect and mutual love...To avoid any accidents, Shizune summoned a tiny black whisp at the tip of her finger that took on the shape of a simple housefly. It began to silently beat its wings as it careened through the air before disappearing into the complex seal surrounding Enyo's enclosure. This wasn't too much of a surprise to anyone present, as Shadow magic simply had such properties, so Vahn continued to watch with intrigue until Shizune frowned deeply. Her connection with her familiar had been severed but she could still 'feel' it, now stuck within the seal and unable to escape. It was a very annoying feeling as, even after trying to dismiss it several times, she found herself unable to exercise any influence over the small part of herself that was now stuck inside of Enyo's seal.Vahn, understanding Shizune's discomfort, reached out his hand and began to lightly stroke her head as his eyes transitioned from aquamarine to a stark blue. He peered into the seal and saw Shizune's fly practically frozen in time, its wings beating so slowly it would likely take days before they completed a cycle. With his [Eyes of Truth], he could tell that the mana contained within had actually started to disperse but would take several days before it managed to escape the seal's influence, something that was fully expected since that was the purpose of the seal from the start. Still, in order to alleviate Shizune's discomfort, Vahn used 'Oblivion' to create a small sphere that completely destroyed the fly and the contained mana. Though this would be a permanant loss to Shizune's base mana pool, it wouldn't even take her a day to replenish what was lost...Feeling relief, both from Vahn's hand and the fact that her mana was no longer stuck in Enyo's seal, Shizune released a sigh while leaning against Vahn's shoulder. Ais had been watching at the side with a bit of intrigue of her own this entire time but, seeing Shizune snuggling up with Vahn, her brows raised slightly before she also made her way over to his other side. This brought a small smile to Vahn's face as, for a few minutes thereafter, he simply stood with the two girls at his side as they enjoyed each other's company. It was only after Gros showed up to pass a message that their small reverie was broken, causing the two girls to give the slightly pale titan an aggrieved look before they finally started their descent towards the 70th Floor...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gossiping Gods','Pile on the Papa~! *sleeping intensifies*','Some things never change...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

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

Chapter 969: Establishment