Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Contrary to Aoko's expectations, Vahn's did not kiss her on the lips. Rather, before he could make any headway with the red-haired beauty, there were other promises he needed to keep. Thus, after giving her a light kiss on the forehead, surprising the expectant woman, Vahn stated in a calm tone, "You don't need to push yourself like this. We only recently came to know each other and, in that time, have interacted for less than a single day's worth of time. Once you get a better understanding of the situation, I'll show you just how greedy I can be..."To punctuate his words, Vahn surprised Aoko a second by giving her a quick peck on the lips just as she wanted to respond. This forced back any words she had come up with, her face turning beet red in an instant. Then, before she could collect herself, Vahn lightly chuckled as he rose to his feet and said, "It really is a shame...if I had more free time, I'm not sure I'd be able to hold myself back."With those words lingering in the air, Vahn ruffled Fenrir's hair one last time before making his way toward the door. Truthfully, he didn't mind claiming Aoko as his own but, for the same reasons he had been holding himself back with others, he couldn't just let her jump the line. There was also the simple fact that she had yet to integrate into the larger group so, until she had a better grasp of the situation, she wasn't exactly qualified to leap forward like this...Even after the door had closed, announcing Vahn's departure, Aoko hadn't recovered her senses. It wasn't until Fenrir lightly pat her head that she blinked back to awareness, asking, "Didn't you say he liked red-heads...?"Without hesitation, Fenrir nodded her head in affirmation, explaining, "Master has a weakness for girls with red hair. Your timing was just bad. Right now, he is going around to make sure everyone is happy so it would be impossible to seduce him. He pays a lot of attention to the 'order' of things so you'll have to keep that in mind. Come, we will find you a room in the Inner Sanctum. Once you get to know everyone better, Master will come to you of his own accord. If you want, you can stay in the Menagerie with us...Master is very intimate with the girls residing in the Menagerie..."Though she had never entered the Inner Sanctum, Aoko had learned about the Menagerie through her interactions with Fenrir. Hearing the latter invite her to stay inside, an awkward smile spread across her face as she remarked, "I don't have the 'qualities' required of a girl in the Menagerie, do I?"Hearing Aoko's question, Fenrir tilted her head to the side, explaining, "Race means nothing to our Master. The Menagerie is just full of people that are more expressive with their feelings. There are people like Jeanne, Okita, and Medea who stay there often. The latter only has slightly pointed ears so it isn't as if you need some peculiar trait to be accepted. You just have to want to be pampered and, when the situation requires it, you need to be willing to pamper our Master."With the same awkward smile on her face, Aoko asked, "It sounds like everyone in the Menagerie is a servant, though? Besides, I don't really want to be spoiled...I don't think my mind could take it..."Shrugging her shoulders, Fenrir just plainly responded, "This is why Master wanted to give you more time to make your decision. You are underestimating him too much, Aoko. If he got serious, he could even make Gods become addicted to his care. Once you cross the line, even self-pleasuring will have little to no effect. What Master is capable of is something you can't begin to comprehend, even after you experience it directly. He makes you feel have been missing something important your entire life and, once you obtain it, letting it go is almost impossible..."Aoko was accustomed to Fenrir lauding her Master but, hearing the severity in her current words, she couldn't help but swallow an imaginary knot in her throat. She had already guessed there was something about Vahn that made the women around him acquiesce to being part of a large harem but, hearing Fenrir's words, it seemed as if she had nearly stepped on a landmine. It was likely that Vahn himself had realized she was mentally prepared so, rather than take advantage of her bravado, he gave her a leniency period, allowing her to make a more informed decision...---After leaving Aoko's room, Vahn released a slightly hot sigh as he had nearly gotten caught up in the moment. Aoko was a very 'passionate' woman and, though she wasn't really ready for what she was getting herself into, her emotions, perhaps as a result of her monstrous power, were scary. Since she also had the mentality of never regretting her decisions, she was fully prepared to jump in headfirst without proper consideration for the future. Rather, her decision was likely to secure a better place for herself and her family, reasons Vahn had never been fond of.Fortunately, the next person on his visitation list was someone he didn't have to worry about pining after him. Rather, she seemed to disdain him quite a bit and, if not for Aoko's insistence, Vahn could easily imagine the fiery woman leading resistance forces against the Empire.Since the person in question had been caught snooping around forbidden areas a few times, she had been barred from entering the Ivory Castle. As a result, Vahn had to teleport outside to an area on the outskirts of Vivian's Lake, the location of a small cabin that fit the description of Witch's Hut to a tee. This was where Aoko's Sister, Touka Aozaki, had made a home for herself using her unique Puppet Magecraft, an ability she had refined to the point that, in the not-so-distant past, caused the Mage's Association to put a Sealing Designation on her.Touko was so skilled in the art of making Puppets that she had 'perfected' the craft to the point that she could make bodies indistinguishable for her real self. In fact, the version of Touko that Aoko had thought was her sister was actually a puppet as, despite having her Sealing Designation revoked, she never trusted the Mage's Association enough to expose her true body. If not for Aoko explaining the capabilities of the Empire, including their ability to find virtually anyone, Touko may have continued hiding away indefinitely...After lightly knocking on the wooden door of Touko's hut, Vahn heard the cold voice of a woman say, "Enter..." before the sound of shuffling could be heard on the other side.Gesturing for his entourage to stand down, Vahn unhesitantly opened the door to the hut, passing over the threshold with a casual smile on his face. This was in spite of the fact that a very powerful curse had been set to trigger, the potency of which even exceeded Touko's Puppets. Rather, it was due to her research into Primordial Runes and Curses that allowed Touko to produce her Puppets in the first place.As could be expected from a Curse derived from Primordial Runes, Vahn's body was momentarily immobilized as tendrils of red thorns, similar to the effect caused by [Gáe Bolg] attempted to invade his body. At the same time, a woman with burgundy hair, styled in a short and prim manner, stared back at him with her cold hazelnut eyes. She was wearing an outfit similar to business casual, with a white blouse, form-fitting black pants, and high-quality heels while, adding to her intelligent look, a pair of artifact-grade glasses adorned her face.Though it was a little annoying, Vahn ultimately managed to 'shrug' off Touko's curse with relative ease. After all, she couldn't even hope to reach Scáthach's level in her lifetime and, with his unique constitution, Vahn didn't have to worry about the detrimental effects of curses at all. The only thing she managed to accomplish was easing his tensions a bit, meaning she had served the purpose he had intended for her without realizing it.Still, Vahn couldn't simply ignore the fact that Touko had, once again, tried to curse him so the smile on his face melted away, replaced by a stern expression as he stated, "Had I not stopped them, your little 'prank' would have resulted in your death...you do realize this, do you not, Ms. Aozaki?"Rather than showing any signs of trepidation or remorse, Touko took a long drag of her cigarette, her eyes fixed on Vahn the entire time. It wasn't until she exhaled a cloud of dense white smoke that she answered, "If you were the type to kill people over small slights, that idiot wouldn't speak so highly of you. Besides, we both know that isn't your only body. If it will make you feel better, you can do whatever you want to this one as compensation."Toward the end of her statement, Touko put her cigarette out in an ashtray before unhesitantly using her gloved hands to begin fiddling with the buttons of her blouse. Seeing this, Vahn shook his head in mock exasperation as he extended his hand, pulling at the void. In the next moment, Touko's real body was teleported in front of him, this one wearing loose pajamas as she lay suspended in the air by Vahn's telekinesis.Since she seemed intent on riling him up, the smile returned to his face as he mused, "While it is true that I have multiple bodies, each of my vessels is very real. If you will carry the memories, regardless, why not taunt me with your real body, Ms. Aozaki...?"Though he had no intention of actually harassing her, Vahn extended his hand toward the sleeping figure of Touko, his eyes glimmering with untoward purpose. This caused the Puppet to rise to her feet, her cool visage nowhere to be seen as she glared back at him, panic visible in her eyes as she shouted, "You're going too far! This wasn't a part of our agreement...!"Hearing Touko's outburst, Vahn nodded his head in understanding but, rather than stop his hand, he continued forward. This caused the Puppet to leap forward but, just as Vahn's hand was about to contact the sleeping figure, coinciding with Puppet's attempt to retrieve her body, both passed through. As a result, the Puppet ended up crashing into Vahn's body, her very real-feeling breasts squashing against him as confusion marred her face. At the same time, Vahn wrapped his hands around her waist, saying in a very serious tone, "You sisters are alike in the worst ways..."Before the Puppet could make sense of his words, Vahn smiled mischievously as the surroundings began to crack like broken glass. His hands began to snake towards her rump but, before they made contact, the Puppet found herself seated back in the chair, breathing heavily. Then, startling her even further, a light knock could be heard from the door, followed by Vahn's voice asking, "May I enter?"Touko had no idea what had happened but, fearing what might happen if she continued doing as she pleased, she quickly rose to her feet before alighting to the door. There, she removed the curse, which had yet to be triggered, before opening the door with a pale face and saying, "Y-Your Majesty, it is an honor to have you visit..." in a fumbling tone.Seeing Touko's panicked state, Vahn lightly chuckled as he extended his hand and began to pat her head, dulling the intelligent woman's expression. She was obviously against having her head pat but, after the confusing incident from before, she didn't even know what was real any longer. Fortunately, Vahn was done messing with her as he had already released his pent-up frustrations from dealing with Aoko. Instead of pressuring her any further, he simply smirked as he said, "You are more than welcome to keep trying to harm me. So long as you don't target others, it doesn't bother me all that much...however, please keep in mind that I'm not an easy target. Depending on how far you go, I am more than willing to answer in kind~"With these words, an uneasy peace was established between Vahn and Touko, one which would be disturbed at random times depending on the former's mood and the latter's nature...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You know not what you invite upon yourself...','Trying to mess with someone that is notorious for teasing others...RIP, Touko','For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

While engaging in conversation with Touko back in her cottage, Vahn was also back in his workshop alongside Da Vinci and Sophia, the latter of whom was currently working on an airtight suit as she had recently taken an interest in outer space.Having succeeded in his prank, Vahn pulled out a small black orb from his Inventory, a smile on his face as he explained, "Your [Battle Sphere] ended up working perfectly. Touka didn't even realize she was inside a [Space-Time Orb] at all."Rather than an illusion, the trick Vahn used against Touko merely involved using a modified [Space-Time Orb], one which had a much larger radius. It was able to pull everyone within a certain distance into a near-perfect replica of the surrounding space, making it nearly impossible to ascertain what had happened. This was something he and Da Vinci had worked on together and, in many ways, it could be compared to a portable [Reality Marble].Hearing Vahn's tone, Da Vinci gave him a knowing look before saying, "Your bad habit always comes to the surface when you are stressed out. Make sure you don't tease her too much. Cold women like that are weak to men who are capable of peeling away their defenses."Though he didn't ignore her advice, Vahn shrugged in response to Da Vinci's words, explaining, "I'm pretty sure she is aware of Aoko's intentions. She tried to seduce me with one of her Puppets so it was a good opportunity to tease her a bit. Don't worry, I'm not in a particular hurry to increase the number of women that need my attention..."Toward the end of his words, Vahn sent Da Vinci a wink, earning a light chuckle from her before she turned back to her current project. This was the same as her telling him, 'you can leave now' so, after checking in on Sophia's progress, Vahn did just that. He had already been in the Workshop for a few hours and, while his presence wasn't that much of a distraction, Da Vinci had a lot of active projects that required her attention. Since most of these were the direct result of his requests, Vahn knew it was best to give her space to work.---With the usual trio following his primary vessel around, Vahn decided to make good on his earlier promise, choosing the Menagerie as his destination. Unfortunately, just as he sent his intent to the room in question, he noticed that Aoko had stopped by with Fenrir. This complicated matters a bit so, after a few moments of contemplation, Vahn took a deep breath before releasing a long sigh as he chose the [Training Orb] as his next destination. He was curious about Scáthach's new apprentice and, as he had the time to do so, he decided to make some headway on her challenges.After dragging his feet over to the [Training Orb], Vahn entered into the cold interior to find a small house a few dozen meters from the entrance. He didn't even have time to probe it with his senses, however, when Scáthach appeared like a blur at his side, asking, "What are your intentions, Master?"Though Scáthach could easily guess Vahn's purpose for visiting at this time, she still made a point of giving him the option. He was the type that worked harder when he said he would do something so, while he may have arrived with the intention to work hard, having him express his intention openly ensured he would work even harder.Vahn was, of course, perfectly aware of Scáthach's intentions but, as she was his Shishou, he couldn't really foot around the issue. Rather, if he tried to do so, a severe training regimen would await him in the near future, something he could handle but almost instinctually feared. Thus, in response to her question, he brought his mind to a state of focus before confidently stating, "I am here to complete one of your challenges. The world may be in disorder but that doesn't mean I can ignore my other duties, does it?"With a curt nod of her head, the Caster version of Scáthach appeared and, before Vahn could change his mind and inquire about her new apprentice, he was transported towards the challenge grounds. He had already completed the task of pulling the statue, increasing his physical parameters by a truly monstrous amount, so his next challenge was one that directly tested his willpower and focus. This was achieved by having him sit in a lotus position as hundreds of needle-like barbs hovered a single millimeter away from his skin...Any slight movement would cause the barbs to prick Vahn's skin and, as a result, he would be wracked with intense pain. To ensure he couldn't adapt to the pain, each barb had a unique curse placed on them and, to prevent him from simply 'shutting down', some of the barbs would move to stab into his skin at random intervals, requiring him to muster an immediate counter to the effect if he wanted to avoid triggering a chain-reaction.While each of these variables made the challenge difficult, the straw that broke the camel's back was the fact that Scáthach herself would tease and taunt him. She would, at times, perform highly skilled stripteases while, at others, she would ask very difficult questions she knew he couldn't really ignore. This often related to his true feelings, various troubles he was currently facing, and sometimes even involved existential conundrums that related to concepts of eternity and loss...This time around, Scáthach seemed to have realized why he had chosen to come for training so, in order to take advantage of his current state, her purple garb seemed to dissolve, taking on the form of an ornate, slightly transparent, bikini. She then sat in front of him, her legs forming an m-shape as a seductive glimmer reflected in her maroon-red eyes. At the same time, the barbs aiming at various pressure points and meridians began to vibrate slightly, masking their movements so that he would not be able to discern which was moving until it had already pricked his skin...---Vahn had been enjoying Touko's tense state but, after his training with Scáthach began, he was no longer in the mood to tease others. His current challenge required a lot of focus so it became a lot harder to engage others in a proactive manner. Since he didn't want to show any weakness in front of Aoko's sister, Vahn ultimately ended up bringing an end to the discussion. This resulted in Touko herself breathing a sigh of relief as, after what she had experienced, her mind had been racing to try and make sense of what happened...After parting with Touko, who politely escorted him to the door, Vahn turned his eyes skyward and said, "I'm going to go meditate for a bit. Wait for me back in the Menagerie, okay? I'll be there in a few hours..."With that said, Vahn teleported atop the back of Leviathan but, rather than meditate, he plopped onto his back and just shut off his senses completely. The frigid air and high winds were calming so, while his training with Scáthach was difficult, in many ways, he at least had a way to passively calm himself down. He had already learned the futility of trying to enter a meditative state during this particular challenge so it was better to just embrace the feeling of nothingness that he had become intimately familiar with.---Around the same time that Vahn was being tormented by Scáthach, Zelretch was making good on his previous words. Almost immediately after his parting with Vahn, he explained the situation to the fatigued Solon before teleporting to the top of Mount Chimborazo, the geological location that was the closest point to the moon. Here, space was twisted in the extreme, to the point that much of the mountain's peak was filled with pockets of vacuum that would rend apart the flesh of anyone who foolishly ventured too close.Rather than show any concern for the twisting of space, Zelrech lifted his cane so that the top was aiming towards a specific point in space. Then, after more than half the cane had vanished into the void, he turned it in much the same was as a key.Immediately after Zelretch unlocked the surrounding space, a massive set of stone doors appeared. They slowly opened, revealing a cold and desolate space that, on the periphery, appeared to be the night sky. Leading from the edge of the gateway, a set of pale white steps led into this seemingly endless starry void while, at the end of the pathway, a massive castle floated within the void while, above it, a miniature crimson moon served as the only other landmark within view.Seeing the familiar sight once again, Zelretch released a tired sigh, one filled with emotions such as remorse and self-admonition. The cane in his hand suddenly felt heavier than before and, with each step that brought him closer to the castle, Zelretch imagined he was aging by several decades. This place represented one of his only true regrets in life as, due to his unwillingness to act, an innocent soul had been forced to undergo unimaginable suffering...Though it felt like thousands of years had passed, Zelretch soon found himself at the entrance to the castle. The massive metal gates had already opened so, without further hesitation, he made his way into the heart of the castle. There, a throne far too large for a human to sit upon existed, one which held an indescribably beautiful woman with golden hair. She was slouched over, her head hanging low, arms spread wide as dozens of chains bound her body, each a self-imposed restraint to keep her immeasurable power in check.Further adding to the tragedy of the scene, the woman seemed to be wearing a gown that was not all that dissimilar to a wedding dress. It was a pristine white gown trimmed with gold that gave the bound woman an appearance similar to a princess. This was a stark contrast to the dark silver chains that bound her body, each flickering with divine light, the purpose of which was to siphon away the woman's power, spewing it out into the surrounding void to make the seemingly infinite space even vaster...Zelretch felt a discernible pain in his heart when he saw this sight but, before he could say anything, it felt like a stake was driven into his chest as the woman, without raising her head, asked, "Is it finally time...?"Hearing this question, Zelretch couldn't help but hang his head, silence overtaking him for several minutes. Fortunately, a long life had prepared his mind better than most so, while an overwhelming amount of guilt threatened to devour him, he ultimately regained his calm and answered, "Arcueid...I came here today, not to use you as a weapon, but to liberate you from this prison. Many things have changed since you last walked the earth. Please, see with your own eyes how things have changed...it is not too late to reclaim the hope you lost..."Though she kept her head down throughout Zelretch's dialogue, the golden-haired woman lifted her face when he fell silent. This revealed blood-red eyes through the golden locks, each glowing with a fierce light. It was enough to even make Zelretch's old bones ache as, while she was not as powerful as the original, the current Arcueid was nearly as powerful as Crimson Moon. In Vahn's terms, she would be a Tier 5 existence, one not all that dissimilar in power and purpose to Eva...After staring directly at Zelretch for several minutes, neither moving a muscle, the woman let her head hang again as she asked, "How certain are you..." in a dull tone. What she didn't expect was for Zelretch to instantly state, "Absolutely." without any hesitation. Then, seemingly with the intent to convince her, he added, "The man I've found is from the 'Outside'...we have already confirmed it. He even has Alaya and the Spider on his side..."This time, Arcueid couldn't easily ignore Zelretch's words as she knew just how powerful both of the aforementioned entities were. One of the reasons she had sealed herself away was in preparation for the coming battles against such entities as, without her power, humanity didn't really stand a chance. To hear Zelretch claim that the Spider had been subjugated was a ridiculous concept and, if not for his previous claim about the man in question hailing from the Outside, Arcueid wouldn't have been able to believe either claim was true.Now, with her eyes glowing even more than before, Arcueid raised her head to look back at Zelretch, her tone both apprehensive and excited as she exclaimed, "Take me to him...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The ultimate troll tool...','RIP Vahn. Shishou is the true Master','White Princess of the Crimson Moon')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the inclusion of Aura in his camp, Vahn's authority had already reached the literal apex of the world. His individual strength was slow to catch up but, being exposed to so many powerful figures had various benefits. Just by observing what they were capable of, his perception would undergo a slight shift and, while it would take him a while to actually comprehend what allowed them to use such powers, the nature of his existence allowed him to do so with considerable ease, compared to others.Thus, with Spenta sitting quietly on his lap, Vahn sat across from Aura and made polite conversation as, for the time being, she was by and large the strongest person present. She had been given a few days to adapt, Projection-time, so he started off their conversation by asking, "Are you enjoying your stay in the Ivory Castle thus far...?"Without any discernible hesitation, Aura gave a small nod before looking around the rather crowded room and saying, "This place is considerably different than my expectations of it. The Empire seems to be unique amongst the organizations that preceded it. I'm looking forward to seeing how it will develop in the future."Hearing Aura's remark, Vahn lightly chuckled as he knew better than anyone how weird the internal affairs of the Ivory Castle could be. It was a constant source of frustration for Gawain but, since Vahn didn't actually intend to rule in the same way as preceding Emperor's, he didn't particularly mind the informal atmosphere that was slowly becoming the norm. He would rather have everyone behave as members of one massive family than enforce a strict hierarchy when it simply wasn't necessary...With this in mind, Vahn rubbed the top of Spenta's head, matching gazes with Aura as he said, "I am working to lay the foundation for a world where everyone has a chance at happiness. This extends to you as well, Aura. So long as you do not use your power to harm others, you are free to leave at any time. For as long as you choose to stay here, however, we will do our best to ensure you, and your sisters, feel welcome..."Understanding Vahn's intentions, Aura issued another one of her characteristic giggles before musing, "I believe it is in our best interests that I stay within Avalon. Here, I am well protected and, unlike other places in the world, there is an atmosphere of peace that permeates everything on this beautiful island. So long as you do not force me away, I will make this place my home...I hope to see it continue to prosper for millennia to come~"Since it was infinitely better to have Aura on his side rather than leaving her to her own devices, Vahn gave an affirmative nod in response to her statement. Though it was almost like keeping the world's most powerful bomb in his home, the odds of anything happening were negligible with the security of the Ivory Castle. They had one of the most powerful barriers in existence while, at virtually every moment, Merlin, Leviathan, Scáthach, and Mother were constantly observing everything taking place on the island.The only real danger was that Aura herself turned against them but, considering the nature of her existence, this was less likely than the entire planet spontaneously exploding. She may have helped various organizations over the millennia, acting largely as a prophet, but that was just another one of her functions. Once she changed hands to a new 'protector', all memories of her existence would be erased from the minds of the previous group, regardless of how powerful they may be. While Vahn would be an exception to this rule, every entity that was originally part of the Nasuverse would be susceptible to this passive manipulation of causality.Understanding this, Vahn wasn't too worried that any accidents would happen so, for the better part of half an hour, he made polite conversation before deciding he had stayed long enough. Thus, after giving Spenta a long hug, Vahn rubbed the top of Aura's head before whisking away from the room. There, he found Gareth, Okita, and Jeanne waiting patiently for his arrival so, after thanking them all for their hard work, the group made their way toward Vahn's next destination...---Without having to knock, Vahn was greeted at the door by none other than Fenrir who, from the moment he had decided to visit, had been aware of his arrival. She wasted no time in embracing him and, as it always felt like they had been apart for 'too long', Vahn instinctually reciprocated, his face buried in her soft yet bristly hair as he put a decent amount of strength into his embrace...When they finally parted, Fenrir's tail was gently waggling from side to sie while, inside the room, Aoko was staring at the scene with a hard to read expression. When she noticed he was looking back at her, however, she adopted her usual smile and asked, "What brings you by, Vahn? Come to check up on me or something?"While still holding onto Fenrir, Vahn gave a curt nod in response, saying, "Yes, that was my intention. It has been a few days since you entered the Projection so I wanted to see how you were adapting to life within the castle."As if he had asked something inconsequential, Aoko waved her hand dismissively as she said, "Other than that old bastard, I'm probably the last person you need to worry about regarding the effects of time dilation."Understanding the truth behind her words, Vahn just shrugged his shoulders before holding Fenrir in a bridal carry and making his way over to the nearby sofa. This caused Aoko to raise her brows and remark, "The two of you are pretty...close..."This time, Vahn issued a light chuckle while Fenrir, seemingly offended by Aoko's words, glared back at her and said, "Master and I have the strongest, most unbreakable, bond..."Being glared at by Fenrir was never a pleasant experience so Aoko visibly shuddered as if a cold draft of air had enveloped her body. Despite this, she didn't seem particularly bothered by the hostile look as she casually made her way over to the same sofa, saying, "Yeah, I can see that." before plopping down next to the cuddling duo.Without minding the somewhat awkward atmosphere, Vahn continued to hold Fenrir throughout the entire conversation, asking many of the same questions to Aoko as he had to Aura previously. To her credit, Aoko managed to largely ignore the peculiar sight as she answered most of his questions in a casual manner. She was often busy exploring the island, helping people train, or just interacting with anyone that drew her interest in any given moment. Because of this, Aoko was enjoying her time on Avalon as, compared to her previously boring life, there was always something to keep herself busy with.Vahn knew what Aoko had been up to since her arrival so he wasn't really surprised by any of her responses. She was a very honest and straightforward woman so she got along with pretty much everyone, at least on a surface level. Her power was enough to make people act cautiously around her but, the more they interacted with her, the more Aoko was accepted amongst the residents of the castle...As Vahn was listening to Aoko drone on like a tireless machine, she surprised him by spontaneously asking, "Hey, Fenrir told me there was actually a race of people in your world that looked like human children. What did their elders look like...?"Hearing her question, Vahn tilted his head to the side slightly, muttering, "You're asking about the Pallum...?" He actually wasn't surprised that Aoko would eventually inquire about them as, from what he had come to learn about her character, she was what some people referred to as a Shotacon. She didn't particularly have a sexual attraction toward young boys but, for a variety of different reasons, Aoko was extremely 'weak' against them.Nodding her head with a bit too much force, Aoko smiled radiantly as she said, "Yeah, that's right, the Pallum! I'm really interested in the races from your original world. Can you show them to me!?"Though he understood she just wanted to see one of his memories related to the Pallum, Vahn had decided to tease Aoko a bit, against his better judgment. Fenrir also seemed to realize what he had in mind as her hair stood on end and, in an instant, she entered her 'protect the tiny Master' mode.For several seconds after Vahn's sudden transformation, Aoko just stared at the duo with a blank expression on her face. She could tell from the former's appearance that he was the same Vahn that she knew but, as if time had reversed, he looked extremely youthful. This was a very peculiar sight to behold for Aoko as, in spite of his youthful appearance, she got the impression that he was an adult based on his facial structure and the aura that permeated around his body...When she finally came to her senses, Aoko balled her hands into fists as she bit the bottom of her lip and asked, "Is this what a Pallum looks like...?" in a demure tone.Hearing her question, Vahn nodded his head and, while patting the now-bigger-than-him Fenrir, he explained, "I can freely change the structure and composition of my body, including race, gender, and pretty much anything else..."Toward the end of his explanation, Vahn surprised Aoko even more by transforming into a carbon-copy of her. This caused her face to turn beet red in an instant as she shouted, "Hey, don't just copy my appearance on a whim! I swear, if I catch you doing something with my body...I...I'll beat you to a bloody pulp...!"Rolling his eyes at her outburst, Vahn turned into a male Vanargandr in the next moment, pandering to Fenrir since she was clearly annoyed by the fact he turned into Aoko, even for a few seconds. After he became a Vanargandr, however, she immediately began to nuzzle against him as, while she was fond of almost every form her Master took, this was still her favorite.Seeing the ease in which Vahn could change his appearance, Aoko was at a loss. She was more than a little tempted to ask him to turn back into a Pallum but, remembering she wouldn't really be able to cuddle with him, that would effectively be torturing herself.Ultimately, Aoko's curiosity got the better of her so, after a moment of hesitation, she asked, "Can I touch your ears? Fenrir never lets me pet her..."In response to Aoko's question, Vahn's large, wolf-like, ears spontaneously twitched, even without him willing it. He found this rather amusing so, after making eye contact with Fenrir, he gave Aoko a nod and said, "Don't pull them. They are very sensitive. If you end up hurting my ears, don't blame me for biting."Though Vahn was just teasing her, Aoko had actually been bitten by Fenrir in the past so she became very serious when she heard his words. She didn't know much about Innates just yet so she assumed that, as a Vanargandr, Vahn had similar abilities to Fenrir.After a moment of hesitation, Aoko began to gingerly touch Vahn's ears, causing them to twitch a few times as a result. This egged her onward and, after a few awkward moments, she was leaning toward him with a happy smile on her face as she ran her fingers through his hair and enjoyed the feeling of his fluffy ears. As for Vahn, he had an amused smile on his face, internally remarking about how 'innocent' Aoko was in spite of her age...Eventually, Aoko seemed to realize that she had been taking things too far but, rather than pull her hand away, she continued to play with Vahn's ears with a light blush on her face as she asked, "Did you think about...you know...'that'...?"Understanding what she was alluding to, Vahn adopted a more serious expression as he said in a plain tone, "I'm against forcing people. Unless it is something you want, it would be best that you just enjoy your life without worrying about such things."Hearing Vahn's response, Aoko retracted her hand while releasing a tired sigh. She then fell silent for several seconds before ultimately answering, "It would have made things easier for me if you were a little greedier, you know? This isn't really something I can decide myself...I'm a bit of a coward when it comes to things like this...I know-"Feeling that Aoko was on the verge of berating herself, Vahn brought an end to her downward spiral by extending his hand out to caress the top of her head. At the same time, Fenrir moved to sit at his side while Vahn stated in a calm and guiding tone, "I think, more than most, I am a greedy man. You should be able to tell by the number of people I keep around me...if you say words like that, Aoko, it won't be easy for you to leave in the future...I can be very...persuasive..."As if her previous mood had been an illusion, Aoko suddenly burst into laughter when she heard Vahn's remark. This was actually a little unexpected for the latter but, with the same smile on his face, he simply retracted his hand since it was awkward to pet someone who was laughing...Before he could pull his hand away completely, Aoko surprised Vahn a second time by grabbing his wrist and firmly planting his hand, not on her head, but her rather buxom chest. Her face turned beet red in an instant but, playing off Vahn's previous words, she muttered, 'It's okay to be greedy...", her voice trailing towards the end.For a brief moment, Vahn just stared at Aoko with a blank expression as he internally remarked, ("Is this the result of Fenrir's efforts...?"). He could tell that Aoko was pushing herself so, before she was able to implode in on herself, Vahn forced her to stare back at him. Her sapphire blue eyes could be seen trembling within their sockets but, as his face moved closer toward hers, Aoko inevitably closed her eyes, accepting the fate she had decided for herself...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Poor Gawain. Imagine trying to make Vahn act like a proper Emperor xD...','An unbreakable bond~!','Aoko, don't do it! Shiki is about to be revived! Be more sensible...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1327: Blurred Lines