Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As he had been monitoring each of the delegations, including Yvonne's, Vahn wasn't particularly surprised by the number of people waiting for his arrival. If anything, he was more surprised by the fact that the Yeon, Hendo Lok, and Lo Po Bia Families hadn't sent representatives, but, considering their relationship with the other Families, even this wasn't all that shocking.Recognizing a few familiar faces among the sizeable group of delegates, Vahn preempted Yvonne's greeting by raising his hand and saying, "Yo. Long time no see, Leticia, Sona, Ming-Ming. I see your beauty hasn't faded since our last meeting."Though the pink-haired loli completely ignored his greeting, at least from the perspective of normal people, Leticia and Sona returned responses of their own, the former remarking, "You didn't forget." while the latter simply nodded her head.Beaming in response to the exchange between Vahn and the representatives of the Khun and Arie Families, Yvonne lightly clapped her hands to draw everyone's attention before saying, "Well, now that we're all here, shall we move on to the signing ceremony? It might be a little shameless of me to say, but I'm not afraid to admit that I'm quite looking forward to exploring this 'Little Garden' of yours. With your abilities, I'm certain you can confirm this sentiment is shared between me and my compatriots, yes?"Meeting Yvonne's gaze, Vahn offered a casual smile as he nodded his head and said, "Though their reasons are quite a bit different from your own, it is fair to say that is the case. Very well, then. Let's get this over with."Appreciating Vahn's willingness to play along and help her affirm her position as the leader of the research team, Yvonne returned a smile of her own as Natalie, one of the original members of her delegation, handed over a rather ornate contract. Then, to the surprise of nearly everyone present, Vahn pricked his finger before manipulating his blood to form an artistic representation of his seal. As for why this was surprising, it was largely due to the fact he hadn't even bothered to peruse the contract for any signs of subterfuge or deception.As one of the few who had anticipated this, Yvonne simply offered a slightly more prominent smile as she preferred forth the Sky Pearl, saying, "I doubt it matters much to someone like you, but take care. It's a little heavy..."Accepting the pearl without issues, Vahn promptly removed a number of spells and enchantments that had been placed upon it before tossing it into his Inventory and saying, "As you can see, I have ample reason not to take part in these little games. Despite this, I'm going out of my way to allow each of you the chance to prove my expectations incorrect. To that end, I would encourage you to heed Yvonne's advice and not try anything unscrupulous. The instant you forget this, you will only have yourselves to blame for the consequences."With that said, Vahn manifested the Little Garden in his right hand, adding, "Come forth and place your hand overtop this sphere. Then, once you are inside, wait patiently for everyone else to arrive. Don't worry. The region you are being sent to is completely safe."As the person closest to Vahn, at least in regard to proximity, Yvonne unhesitantly placed her hand near the Little Garden. The very next instant, her figure had completely disappeared without a trace. In her wake, several artifacts possessing the intent of various people fell to the ground, as, prior to arrival, Vahn had modified the Laws within the Little Garden to disallow certain objects. It was also impossible for anyone to enter without his express permission, so, while they might not represent an actual person, items infused with the intent of another were unable to trespass the Little Garden.Recognizing the items and devices littering the ground, a ruddy hue spread through the nearby Natalie's cheeks as she hurriedly bent down to collect them. As for everyone else, a few needed to momentarily excuse themselves while the remaining members of the Tu Perie Family handed over the majority of their restricted items to the perpetually grim-faced Perdue. He hadn't been included in the all-female research team, so, while it wasn't the most ideal outcome, the members of the Tu Perie delegation could entrust him to transport their items safely to the Tu Perie Family's Floating Castle located a few thousand kilometers distant from Last Station...---Once all twelve members of the research team had been gathered, excluding Yvonne since she was a Regular, Vahn showed them to the estate formerly used by the members of Team Wolf Pack. Then, after a cursory explanation regarding the Little Garden's rules and restrictions, the majority split off to pick out their rooms while he, Yvonne, and Patty remained behind. There were quite a number of things they still needed to discuss, the most important being the facilities that would be available to them, the means to procure resources, and a general overview of the Layers they would be allowed to access.Starting things off, Vahn decided to entice the research-oriented brunette by providing her a cursory explanation of the type of entity he was. She was highly interested in anything regarding the nature of his existence, so, as could be expected, she immediately followed the explanation by asking, "Am I correct to assume you wish to inscribe this 'blessing' upon my body? I don't particularly mind, but, in exchange, I would like the opportunity to study it."Since the only unique aspects of the Familia Crest were the language used and its functionality of allowing Gods to empower mortals, Vahn didn't mind allowing Yvonne to research it. After all, most of the important features related to his particular blessing were linked to functions of The Path, so, even if she somehow managed to crack the Language of the Gods, it wouldn't matter all that much. This was also the reason he had asked Patty to stay back, so, in the wake of her request, he ended up inducting both of them into his Familia.Though she had heard about it during the explanation, Yvonne couldn't help feeling fascinated by the floating blue text box that had appeared following the surprisingly short procedure. Before she could ask about its other functions, however, Vahn interjected by saying, "Since this 'expedition' is a matter wholly related to the interests of the Empire and the Great Families, I will only be providing the basic necessities required for your team to get by. I am not the God of Freebies. If you want to obtain additional resources, you will need to accept and complete Quests."Smiling in response to Vahn's words, Yvonne waited until he was finished speaking to ask, "Did you get this idea from the Hidden Floor?"Shaking his head, Vahn manifested a tablet-like display that was actually an extension of his body, stating, "You should not compare an aspect of Divinity to a system designed by a bunch of senile old fools who would compromise the integrity of their souls in the pointless pursuit of something like the origin of all things. The only meaning life has ever had is experiencing it. The only thing you will find beyond origin is the absolute nothingness represented by the concept of oblivion. Beyond that, there is only the beginning and the end. There is nothing else."Working with the assumption that Vahn was an actual God, an intrigued glimmer appeared within Yvonne's eyes as an infinite number of questions danced across her mind. Before she could put any to word, however, Vahn raised his hand, gesturing for silence as he adopted an amused smile and added, "Knowledge, at least from the perspective of mortals, only has meaning when it can hold up under scrutiny. I don't mind answering some of your questions, but, in the end, the thing that will provide the greatest boon to your understanding is experiencing certain phenomena for yourself. To that end, you should take a look at this. Once you experience completing a Quest and receiving its rewards, your path forward will become a lot clearer."Accepting the page-sized tablet, Yvonne quickly realized it had a touch screen, thumbing through more than a hundred pages of Quests before remarking, "There are quite a lot. Don't tell me there is actually an infinite number of them...?"Chuckling in response to the woman's words, Vahn lightly tapped the side of the tablet to activate its search and filter functions as he answered, "The Quests update based on the person accessing the list. For the sake of convenience, however, there are only a thousand pages listed at any given moment. If you press the little icon that looks like two arrows trailing each other in a circle, the list will update to include a thousand more pages. Some of these are bound to be repeat Quest, but, considering they appear based on the capabilities of the person accessing the list, I shouldn't have to explain why that is the case."Understanding what Vahn was trying to convey, Yvonne responded with a curt nod before typing a few characters into the search parameters and adopting a mischievous smile as she selected an F-Rank Quest called 'Bonding Bites'. This caused a wry smile to develop across Vahn's face, as, thanks to his own Quest Function, he, or, more specifically, Sis was able to keep track of every active Quest in real-time.Before accepting the Quest, Yvonne decided to play it safe by asking, "Supposing I were to ask you to dinner, what would your answer be?"Since she was still half-naked due to the induction ceremony, Vahn couldn't help shaking his head in mild exasperation as he answered, "Though I am willing to make the occasional exception, you shouldn't get in the habit of choosing Quests with the intention of testing my limits or forcing my hand. As for why that particular Quest is listed as F-Rank, I would assume it is related to the fact I was intending to host a banquet later this evening. To that end, it would be strange if I refused to dine with you this particular evening."Taking note of a few key aspects of Vahn's explanation, Yvonne brought her hand to her chin in a thoughtful manner as she softly remarked, "So the difficulty of a Quest accounts for specific events and probabilities...how interesting..."With the Law of Identity narrating the woman's thoughts, Vahn's smile became noticeably wrier as he explained, "Though it is possible, trying to use Quest Objectives to predict the future isn't a very reliable form of Clairvoyance. Each action taken in the present irreversibly shapes the future that is to come. To that end, you shouldn't interpret failure conditions and time constraints as indicators of specific deadlines determined by fate."Amused by Vahn's willingness to clarify things without requiring her to ask, a girlish giggle emitted from Yvonne's throat as she covered her mouth, smiling behind her hand. She was starting to get a better grasp of Vahn's character, and, so long as it was something he had explained, he didn't mind clarifying further in an effort to prevent misunderstandings. She actually found this rather adorable, not just because he was cute, but because of his reaction in response to reading her thoughts.Resisting the urge to avert his eyes and scratch the back of his head, Vahn handed a second tablet to Patty, saying, "Feel free to pick a Quest of your own. Completing them can reward you with all kinds of items, and, most importantly, your power will increase exponentially so long as you make a concerted effort."As the indisputably weakest member of the group, Patricia had been feeling more than a little out of place, so, hearing Vahn's words, she presented a demure smile, muttering, "Thank you..." before accepting the tablet and perusing her available Quests. Shortly after that, however, a rather potent blush colored her cheeks, as, listed among the S-Rank Quests available to her was one that required her to have sex with Vahn for a cumulative 1,000 hours. There were also quite a number of optional objectives, many of which tasked her with performing acts she had only ever read about...Noticing the bookish beauty's reaction, Vahn felt an almost overwhelming urge to facepalm as he internally remarked, ("I know I'm partly to blame, but do the both of you need to gravitate towards perverted Quests right off the bat...?")Unaware of Vahn's thoughts, Patricia demonstrated a remarkable lack of awareness by filtering for similar Quests without taking notice of the two gazes focused on her expression. It was only when she was considering accepting a D-Rank Quest that she averted her eyes from the screen, freezing like a deer as her lips parted to voice an excuse that never reached her lips...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The return of the original trio (O w O)...','Yvonne is well-suited to the mission she has been given...','It's always the quiet ones xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though he could have immediately departed the 44th Floor, Vahn decided to stick around for a while in order to make good on his promise with Roen's fan club. He also needed to find a place to deposit people like Eduan, who, since his arrival in the Little Garden, had been having a time and a half growing stronger in the Seventh Layer.Since it was impossible to conceal his involvement in the man's sudden appearance, the simplest solution seemed to be coordinating with Leticia to put Eduan in contact with the Khun Family. The non-interference policy of the Empire and the efforts of the Tu Perie Family seemed to be guiding things in the direction of mutual cooperation, so, while there were bound to be conflicts, Vahn now had the option of handling things in a more 'above-board' manner if he really wanted to.With this in mind, Vahn split his time between the Eighth, First, Second, and Seventh Layers, in that order. His time in the Eighth was obviously him just relaxing and spending time with his extended family. As for the other Layers, it was mainly just him observing various peoples and checking in on the research team. This was made easier by the fact he could adjust the flow of time within each of the Layers individually, so, while it might seem like he was spreading himself a little thin, he actually had ample time to invest in each Layer without interfering with the happenings in others.Though he sometimes felt as though he was leading multiple lives simultaneously, the time Vahn had spent in Actualized Worlds, combined with the memories and experiences he received from his Templates, made him surprisingly suited to such a lifestyle. Of course, the most important thing was that the time he invested in other projects and interests didn't detract from the time he was able to spend with his family, friends, and loved ones. It was almost like every world he partook in revolved around him, and, while this might sound a little egotistical, his escalating power, combined with his ability to alter the fate of an entire Record just by entering it, seemed to support this sentiment...---As it hadn't taken long for information related to his blessing to spread, Vahn found himself in the rather envious position of supporting the taciturn Sona's legs, her back pressed against a wall as he slowly and gently probed her depths. There was a misunderstanding going around that having sex with him was a requirement to receive his blessing, and, while he could have easily corrected it, the truth of the matter was that most of the women present within the First Layer were fully aware that this wasn't the case. It was simply a convenient excuse to make progress towards the completion of their individual objectives, and, most importantly, it was a method for them to become stronger.With the social hierarchy of the Tower, individual might was only outvalued by political power when said individuals lacked the power to force the change they desired. To this end, the procurement of power was the highest priority for many residents of the Tower. Most dedicated their entire lives, a period often exceeding several thousand years, in its pursuit. Thus, after learning they could grow stronger by simply sleeping with someone they were already assigned to sleep with, it became the highest priority among some members of the so-called research team. This wasn't solely due to the existence of the Quest System. Rather, as Yvonne had experienced, receiving his seed was the same as having your body tempered and refined. The sudden release of energy provided a rather drastic increase in strength immediately after the fact, and, though the effects would wane with time, their total reserves would have increased marginally with each successive session.Simply put, having sex with Vahn was essentially a form of 'dual cultivation', not simply because he was comprised of Source Energy, but because his Soul was far stronger than the vast majority of his partners. As a result, bathing his aura provided substantial benefits to a person's growth, and, given enough time, it was possible to experience an increase in Soul Tier simply through exposure.Though they were unaware of the existence of Soul Tiers, the allure of being able to increase their strength while simultaneously experiencing pleasure beyond their wildest expectations was difficult for even the most reserved of maidens to resist. Sona was no exception to this, so, after challenging him to a duel and suffering a rather one-sided defeat, she voluntarily entrusted her body, mind, and training to him. This placed Vahn in an awkward position, but, considering the number of positions he had put the taciturn beauty in, offering her a bit of advice wasn't much trouble...Feeling a startlingly hot sensation spread through her body, Sona tightened her legs around Vahn's waist while simultaneously squeezing his shoulders and burying her face into the nape of his neck. Fortunately, Vahn had agreed to use a silencing spell on her beforehand, as, more so than anything else, Sona hated the sounds her own voice made whilst having sex. They were embarrassing to the point of being intolerable, and, were it not for his strange ability to completely muffle her cries, her pride would make it difficult to approach him of her own accord.What Sona didn't know was that, despite her silence, Vahn was perfectly capable of hearing her voice. His ability to resonate with his partners had increased exponentially since his experimental days in Danmachi, so, even without initiating the melding process, he could empathically link with the person he was making love to. If he really wanted to, he could even establish a direct link using Unit Management, but, as that had gone awry a number of times in the past, he tended to avoid that particular functionality during love-making...After supporting her body for a few minutes longer, Vahn allowed Sona to stand on her own two feet before extricating his member from her convulsing folds and covering her somewhat swollen slit with a paper tag. The girls seemed to believe that the increase in strength was proportional to the quantity and amount of time they were exposed to his seed, so, while it was a little strange, he acquiesced to helping them ensure it stayed inside their bodies as long as possible.With her voice restored, a contented sigh escaped Sona's lips as she caressed her own stomach in a daze. It was only when Vahn used cleaning magic on her that she returned to her senses, a subdued yet adorable yelp emanating from her throat as her silvery eyes focused to meet his. This caused an awkward silence to persist between them for a brief moment, but, shortly thereafter, Sona managed to meekly utter, "Thank you..." before averting her eyes and ultimately departing in a hurry.Rather than feeling offended, Vahn just smiled as he watched Sona's retreating figure pass through the temporal barrier he had generated before effectively stopping in place. They had actually been having sex in the middle of the hallway, and, though it was indecent of him, Vahn had orchestrated the encounter in order to indulge the silver-haired beauty's exposure fantasies. This wasn't the first time they had 'randomly' encountered each other throughout various parts of the estate, and, with each passing day, Sona was becoming increasingly bold, albeit only internally...Restoring the flow of time to normal, Vahn watched until Sona had disappeared around the corner before walking in the opposite direction with a smile on his face. It was moments like this that made him feel like the master of all things, and, while this might not be the case outside, it was refreshing to be able to act without inhibitions in the Little Garden, his Realm, and the dozen or so Actualized Worlds he had manifested.With such thoughts playing across his mind, Vahn reached his original destination to find Yvonne in her private workshop wearing an Aegis top reminiscent of a black sports bra and a pair of coveralls tied around her waist. There was also a thin layer of sweat covering her olive-toned body, and, due to the efforts that had allowed her to become an Advanced Ranker, her partially figure was rather alluring in the low-light of the room.Despite noticing Vahn's presence long before he had arrived, Yvonne waited until he had entered her workshop proper before wiping away the sweat from her brow and tossing aside an oversized wrench. Then, using gravity to her advantage, she slid from the top of the manta-like craft she had been working on, remarking, "Someone's in a good mood." as she walked over and linked her arms around his waist.Ever-amused by how Yvonne's casual act, Vahn returned her embrace with a smile before planting a kiss atop her head and asking, "How's it going? You've already been at it for the better of five days. Have you made any progress?"Rolling her eyes, Yvonne remarked, "Your habit of asking questions you already know the answer to feels like bullying at times. You knew when you gave it to me that it would take far more than a few days to analyze and disassemble something like an Ancient Lighthouse. My father might be the one credited with the creation of Lighthouses, but there were similar objects in circulation long before the rise of the Great Warriors. This particular Lighthouse predates modern iterations by thousands of years so it's going to take some time before I'm able to deconstruct and reproduce it. I mean, it is an A-Rank Quest..."Chuckling in response to Yvonne's slightly pouty expression, Vahn allowed his hands to slide down her back, the tips of his fingers tracing the boundary between flesh and fabric in a way that caused her expression to brighten despite her wry smile. Then, in a slightly chiding tone, she leaned against him, eyes upturned as she mused, "You mentioned how long I've been working...aren't you the least bit concerned that I might be fatigued?"With a somewhat wolfish grin developing across his face, Vahn leaned a little closer to Yvonne as he said, "If an Advanced Ranker got tired after a mere five days, their status and power wouldn't be so coveted within the Tower..."Smiling in response to Vahn's words, Yvonne closed the remaining distance between their faces by standing on her toes, their lips briefly overlapping before she extricated herself from his embrace and stated, "It might not bother you, but I'd like to take a bath first. You're more than welcome to join me, of course, but I'd rather not have to deal with the friction of making love in the bath. You are certainly gifted when it comes to lovemaking, but my body can only produce so much fluid at a time. Certainly not enough to contend with an entire bath of scalding hot mineral water..."Though he was capable of producing an oil-based lubricant capable of combating that particular issue, Vahn had already decided not to disclose information about his constitution to the research team. This had little to do with keeping secrets, however. Instead, it was predominately because he found Yvonne's efforts to research him rather interesting. She was remarkably sincere when it came to the subject of understanding him, so, while he could make her job easier by explaining a few key points, allowing her to make discoveries of her own was, ultimately, more fulfilling for them both.With this in mind, Vahn had been spending more and more time with Yvonne, and, though most of this was invested in licentious acts, there was also a fair amount of discussion between them. There was an infinite number of topics they could talk about that had absolutely nothing to do with him, so, whenever they were basking in the afterglow of an intimate rendezvous, talking is exactly what they would do. This had drastically increased the value of Yvonne's Affection, and, though she was far from being infatuated with him, Da Vinci had taught him that there wasn't much of a difference between scholarly obsession and love...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is it considered a God Complex if the person is an actual God...?','Yet another quiet one xD...','Vahn be living the dream...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Having expected Vahn to treat her comparable to a sex slave, especially after he whisked her away in nothing but her lingerie, Patricia was marginally surprised when he provided her one of the less advanced iterations of the [REquip] system before penultimately leaving her to her own devices. He didn't even seem to mind that she was using her Lighthouses to communicate with the delegation, as, according to him, that was one of the main reasons she was there.Though she suspected he might be up to something, Patricia's attempts to scan the interior and surroundings of Vahn's suite showed no signs of additional security or observation devices. When she later asked about his apparent disregard for security, he simply returned a smile before asking what his enemies could possibly do to him when even the Rank 7 of the Tower couldn't leave any lasting injuries on his body. This left her feeling somewhat sheepish, not because she hadn't heard about the incident on the 40th Floor, but because it emphasized the fact that she was alone with a man who could effectively erase her from existence with a casual wave of his hand.Fortunately, even during the moments when she pushed herself to be bold and approach him, Vahn never showed any indication of dissatisfaction in regards to her behavior. Instead, he almost always had a relaxed or amused smile on his face, and, at times, he even seemed to genuinely appreciate her efforts to attack and appeal to him. This was primarily through simple words and phrases, but, every now and again, he would look at her in a way that caused her heart to palpitate like a maiden in love.Were she to be completely transparent, Patricia would have to admit that, prior to volunteering, she never could have imagined herself in a situation quite like this one. She didn't mind dedicating her life to supporting the stability of the Tower, but, more often than not, such devotion entailed taking up an administrative or logistical position within the Empire. Instead, she found herself sauntering around the suite of a man she hardly knew, barefoot and wearing an outfit reminiscent of a leotard without the stockings. As for how she ended up in this position, it was solely due to the fact she had found the photo of Vahn to her liking...Having learned there was no need to knock, Patricia allowed herself into Vahn's room only to find it completely empty. This made her feel a marginal amount of disappointment, but, before she could even turn to leave, her slightly chilled skin became aware of a source of warmth from behind. It was fairly cold within the suite, so, whenever Vahn was around, it was always obvious since his presence was almost identical to the sun on a cool spring day. Thus, without needing to turn around, Patricia was able to detect Vahn's presence even before he linked his muscular yet paradoxically soft arms around her body.Preempting the green-haired girl's report, Vahn rocked her gently within his arms as he said, "We'll be leaving shortly. Don't worry. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. This isn't the kind of thing you treat like a checklist...the more you try to rush things, the longer it will take..."Issuing a subdued 'Nn' in response to Vahn's words, Patricia enjoyed the feeling of being rocked in his arms with a contented smile and closed eyes. She had become rather fond of his spontaneous displays of affection, and, even if his behavior was ultimately an act to fool her, she always felt safe and secure whenever he held her. Had this not been a mission, it was easy for her to imagine falling head over heels for him just for the chance of being held lovingly in his outrageously powerful yet remarkably gentle embrace...Unfortunately, as was often the case, their exchange didn't last nearly as long as she would have liked. Vahn's warmth had a habit of disappearing as quickly as it had come, and, though it would sometimes linger for a short while, it was only a matter of time before the chill of the excessively large room became her only company. These moments allowed her to be more appreciative of the time they did spend together, but, at the same time, they left Patricia wondering whether or not he would have provided her greater warmth if their love had been genuine...Noticing the taciturn beauty's melancholic aura, Vahn lightly ruffled her hair as he mused, "You're rather sensitive, aren't you? It hasn't even been two days and you're behaving like a puppy that just learned it was about to be abandoned. Relax a little, will you?"Blushing in response to Vahn's words, Patricia adopted a very slight pout as she averted her eyes to the side and grumbled, "Sorry..." in a reasonably huffy tone. This earned her an amused smile from Vahn, who, after removing his hand from her head, gave her partly exposed posterior a light smack as he added, "All of your expressions are cute, but I prefer it when you smile." before punctuating his remark with a playful wink.Unaccustomed to such 'brutishness', Patricia found herself at a loss for words as her hand naturally gravitated towards the spot where Vahn had slapped her. There, a barely visible handprint could be seen, not because Vahn had hit her particularly hard, but because her fair skin was virtually without any blemishes to speak of.Seeing the mark more clearly using a nearby mirror, a potent blush developed across Patricia's face as she promptly concealed it using her [REquip] system to change outfits. Then, understanding that Vahn was waiting for her, she quickly arranged her slightly unkempt hair before donning her glasses and scurrying from the room...---Having been formed of Vahn's imminent arrival thanks to Patricia, Yvonne took a moment to adjust her glasses before directing her gaze towards a rather disgruntled-looking middle-aged man with all the obvious makings of a scholar. His expression was perpetually affixed in a sullen and grumpy look, and, rather than wearing more modern attire, he elected to garb himself in robes reminiscent of a nobleman or a court advisor. He even had the habit of carrying around a grimoire-like book that was, in actuality, the command console of his personalized Lighthouse.Earning the man's attention, Yvonne performed a polite bow as she explained, "Our guest will be arriving shortly. Lord Perdue, if you would be so kind as to produce the Sky Pearl, I would be most grateful."Though he couldn't help scowling in response to Yvonne's words, the aged Perdue still opened his book to retrieve the Sky Pearl, his hand sinking into the glistening pages for a brief moment before producing a softball-sized orb. He might be the Ruler of an entire Floor, but, despite his incredible seniority, he was actually quite a bit weaker than Yvonne, his younger sister. She was also acting on behalf of their father, so, while he was more than a little annoyed by the fact he was being asked to hand over his treasure, he would not allow his personal feelings to get in the way of his duty.Accepting the pearl with both hands, Yvonne was marginally surprised by its weight, as, unlike the Suspendium in which it was often compared to, its density was several orders of magnitude greater than its counterpart. As a result, it actually weighed more than a thousand kilograms despite being small enough to rest comfortably in the palm of one's hand.Feeling the incredible power within the relatively unassuming orb, an intrigued smile spread across Yvonne's face. She was actually quite interested in artifacts such as the Sky Pearl, and, should the opportunity present itself, she was intending to ask Vahn if her team could work in conjunction with his own. She never would have considered such an arrangement under normal conditions, but, after reading Patricia's reports, Yvonne was starting to believe that Vahn could be remarkably reasonable so long as you presented your intentions honestly. Inversely, if you attempted to use unscrupulous or secretive means against him, he could be surprisingly petty...Recalling the moment when the 'sample' she had painstakingly acquired simply dissolved into thin air, Yvonne had to forcibly suppress a series of sighs as she directed her team to prepare for Vahn's arrival. At this point, their group had grown from the original six to a total of thirteen members. This included representatives from the Po Bidau, Arie, Ari, Ha, Khun, and Eurasia Families.The articles of their agreement with Vahn hadn't restricted the participation of other Families, so, with the hope of fostering positive rapport between the Aldrnari Empire and the Ten Great Families, the Leader of the Tu Perie Family had forged an agreement with the other Family Leaders to include members of their respective delegations as part of the research team. This was bound to result in a few problems later down the line, but, based on Vahn's previous behavior, Yvonne was confident he wouldn't mind. She was slowly establishing a profile regarding his character, and, while there were bound to be flaws in her analysis, the one thing she was absolutely certain of was the fact that Vahn didn't really want to fight. There was a substantial amount of evidence showing his willingness to spare his enemies, and, while this could be attributed to the 'magnanimity of the strong', the efforts he had put into helping random Regulars alluded to an inherently kind nature...Though it wasn't even in the top half of the Ten Great Families in regards to strength, the Tu Perie Family was, in many ways, the backbone of the Empire. They held the vast majority of administrative and logistical positions within the Tower, and, due to their views regarding peace and stability, they were often called upon to mediate and resolve conflicts between various factions, including the Ten Great Families. This afforded them the most political power among the Ten, and, as a result of their unflinching convictions and tireless efforts to promote peaceful coexistence, they were inarguably the most well-respected Family within the Tower.Realizing the threat Vahn posed to the peace and stability of the Tower, the Leader of the Tu Perie Family directly petitioned Jahad to allow his family to investigate and resolve any potential disputes. It was this decision that had resulted in the selection of Yvonne and her team as delegates, and, if it meant mitigating future disasters, they were willing to do whatever it took to make Vahn feel like an authentic resident of the Tower. This required understanding his character, and, most importantly, ascertaining the circumstances in which he resorted to the extreme actions he had proven himself to be capable of.As one of the most promising members of the Tu Perie Family in the last thousand years, Yvonne, after volunteering herself, had been the one tasked with studying and analyzing Vahn's character and ecology. The better they understood him, the easier it would be to prevent him from going on a rampage, so, even if she had to dedicate the remaining years of her life to studying him, she was fully prepared to do so. This was a sentiment shared by most of her original team, so, while she was willing to work directly with other representatives, her most important duty was assuring that Vahn wasn't upset by their efforts.With this in mind, Yvonne had spent the last two days briefing the other representatives on how they should behave in Vahn's presence. This caused some to jokingly ask if Vahn was some kind of wild animal they needed to be wary of, and, while it might be a little rude to the subject in question, Yvonne had immediately affirmed this was the case. Rather than saying he was wild, however, she argued that, from the perspective of an ancient and powerful dragon, they might very well be the wild animals. Most of the times he had resorted to taking extreme action were in direct response to flaws in their behavior, so, more than anything else, Yvonne warned them against looking down on him or acting with political-minded intentions. After all, if they did manage to offend him, there was a very real chance their entire Family would be responsible for the debt their actions had accrued...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Drama queen..."','Yvonne over here trying to become the foremost expert on Dragon Ecology...','Simply put, "Don't fuck up."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1944: Clarification