Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After doting on Merry a little more than he probably should have, Vahn carried her like a princess as she directed him to ascend the Great Water Tree.
While most of the Draco Greif Alliance was situated in the underground city and its surroundings, the members of Two-Wings, consisting almost entirely of Hippogriffs and other flight-capable Eudemons, had made their home in the Great Water Tree's branches. This was also where the Leader of the Draco Greif Alliance, Draco Greif himself, had his nest.
Though many magical creatures did their best to emulate humans, Griffins were nearly as famous as Dragons when it came to pride. Draco Greif was no exception to this, so, despite possessing the ability to transform into a human, he preferred to remain in his Griffin form and live in a large, 300m wide nest near the peak of the Great Water Tree.
Seeing Vahn, Sis, and Fenrir touch down with Merry in tow, Draco raised his head, resembling a bald eagle's, from his fierce-looking, four-taloned forelimbs and said, "I was wondering when you would appear. This Draco Greif welcomes the Sage Dragon Emperor and his companions. Welcome to Overwood."
Rising to his feet, Draco Greif emitted an ear-piercing eagle's cry that caused a veritable swarm of Hippogriffs, Harpies, Cockatrices, Winged Cats, and several other Eudemons to emerge from the canopies below. Then, in a voice that presumably echoed through both Underwood and Overwood, he loudly announced, "The Sage Dragon Emperor has graced us with his presence! Prepare a feast and start the festivities...!"
As the distant sound of cheering reached all the way to Draco Greif's nest, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he remarked, "You certainly know how to welcome guests..."
Adopting a strangely human smile, Draco Greif replied, "You are my life's benefactor. Were it not for the Panacea you provided, Nidhogg's vicious poison would have taken me months ago. This is the absolute least I can do to express my gratitude."
Catching Vahn by surprise, Draco Greif made his way over and lowered his head. In less intelligent Griffins, this was a sign of respect that implied it was okay to ride them. In Draco Greif's case, he was essentially giving Vahn permission to caress the crown of his head.
As the closest thing to a God of Petting in the Transcendental Path to Heaven, Vahn immediately understood Draco Greif's intentions. He also had zero qualms about caressing the heads of men, especially when they were in an animal form, so he set Merry down and cheerfully stroked the grateful Griffin's head with a smile.
"Oh, wow...your feathers are a lot softer than I expected..."
After permitting Vahn to pet him for several seconds, Draco Greif raised his head to reveal an expression of pride as he puffed out the feathers of his chest and replied, "Of course! We groom ourselves meticulously...!"
"Hahaha..."
"Father...!"
Interrupting the cordial atmosphere between Vahn's group and Draco Greif, a Hippogriff possessing the front legs, wings, and head of a giant golden eagle, descended into the nest. It also possessed the backside and tail of an equine, the only features besides its size that distinguished it from a Griffin.
Furrowing his brows in a very human manner, Draco Greif's voice lowered into a borderline growl as he said, "Griffith...what are you doing here? I do not recall permitting you to leave your nest..."
As he had recently put his Griffith on 'nest arrest' for picking fights and trying to assert Two-Wings' dominance over the other five Communities, Draco Greif wasn't at all happy to see his youngest son.
Adopting a glower of his own, albeit directed at Vahn and his companions, Griffith replied, "Father, we're supposed to be making preparations for our annual Harvest Festival. Preparing an Alliance-wide feast and celebration to welcome someone from another district is a waste of resources..."
Before Vahn could offer to 'foot the bill' for all expenses, Draco Greif left him momentarily stunned as he abruptly charged at Griffith, reared back, and scratched him across the chest. Griffith had risen onto his hind legs to meet his father's charge, but there was an unbridgeable gap between their size, strength, and speed.
As Griffith bled profusely from some rather severe wounds on his chest, Draco Greif bellowed, "Begone, foolish child! Away with you...!"
Though he didn't forget to send another glare at Vahn, Griffith kept his body low as he crawled to the edge of the nest and dove off. When he was gone, Draco Greif exhaled a tired sigh as he said, "I must apologize. We have shown you a distasteful display..."
Shaking his head, Vahn replied, "I know you have your reasons. I can also tell you held back quite a bit, so let's leave the matter here."
Nodding his head in approval, a grateful expression developed across Draco Greif's face as he made his way over to where he had initially been lying. He didn't want to trouble his benefactor with his family's matters, so he appreciated Vahn's tact.
After plopping down in his original position, Draco Greif stated, "We would ask that you go and enjoy the festivities while we assemble and meet with the Leaders of Three-Tails, Four-Footed, Five-Claws, and Six-Scars. Since you seem rather...well acquainted, I will permit the Leader of One-Horn to escort you..."
As Merry was currently clinging to Vahn's left arm with a happy smile on her face, Draco Greif elected to let her skip out on the meeting. One-Horn and Five-Claws were jointly responsible for the security of Underwood, so their duties didn't really change during a festival.
While Merry smiled radiantly enough that her eyes appeared closed, Vahn took the liberty to state, "While I appreciate your hospitality, please allow the Aldrnari Empire to remunerate the Draco Greif Alliance for the costs of this impromptu celebration. It was never my intention to place a burden on you or your people."
Raising his brows, Draco Greif revealed, "The Under and Overwoods have a combined population of 37,339,804. I'll not refuse if you're offering, but can the Aldrnari Empire afford such an expense...?"
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Vahn replied, "Easily. Just send me an invoice, and I can reimburse you within twenty-four hours. I'm not called the God of Infinite Possibilities for no reason."
Rising with a start, Draco Greif exclaimed, "Splendid!" before exhaling a hearty, deep-throated laugh. Most people in Vahn's position were greedy, licentious, and irredeemably opportunistic. It was rare for someone to be so powerful and still consider the circumstances of others.
Expecting Draco Greif to keep his proposal a secret, Vahn was more than a little surprised when the former suddenly bellowed, "The Sage Dragon Emperor has generously offered to repay our hospitality in full. Make sure to express your gratitude and spare no expense for the celebration...!"
Placing Vahn squarely in the limelight, Draco Greif used his authority as Floor Master to create countless displays exhibiting the former's smiling face. He was unaware of the incident that had occurred when Vahn first arrived at the One-Horn Community, but Draco Grief wanted to prevent something similar from happening due to people failing to recognize him. Now, no matter where Vahn ventured in the Under or Overwoods, people would immediately recognize, greet, and celebrate his presence...
...
..
.
Interrupting the watch party that had Sala witnessing her sister's journey through Ni No Kuni and Runeterra, Vahn revealed, "A massive celebration is starting in the South. You girls want to visit...?"
Without removing her head from Vahn's chest, Sandora softly replied, "I'm fine like this..."
Observing the lovey-dovey duo from the opposite end of a comfortable, five-person sofa, Sala furrowed her brows and flatly remarked, "Oh? Am I finally free to go...?"
Rolling his eyes, Vahn replied, "You were never trapped in the first place. I only brought you over; I'm not keeping you here."
"..."
In the absence of Sala's response, Sandora adopted a hurt expression as she asked, "Have our actions troubled you so? I believed we were having fun..."
"..."
Unable to meet Sandora's puppy-eyed expression, Sala closed her eyes and massaged her forehead. She would be lying if she said she hadn't been enjoying watching her sister living an eventful life in another world. In fact, when she first heard about Vahn's ability to access something he referred to as Actualized Worlds, she was seriously tempted to request if he would let her explore one. For those who had been trapped in the Little Garden their entire lives, the opportunity to descend to a lesser realm was nigh irresistible...
"Look...it's not that I don't want to spend time with you. It's just-"
Interrupting before Sala could finish, Sandora clapped her hands together and exclaimed, "Great~! Then I'll have Vahn set up a teleporter so we can visit each other whenever we want!"
"..."
Seeing the excited smile on her sister's face, Sala found herself exhaling another sigh before replying, "Sure..." in a somewhat defeated tone. After several hours of dealing with her not-so-little sister, she had come to the realization Sandora wasn't going to let her disappear a second time...
Inserting himself back into the conversation, Vahn maintained a casual smile as he asked, "So, what'll it be? Want me to return you to the South, or do you want to spend more time with Sandora? If you want, I can give the two of you some-"
Squeezing Vahn tightly, Sandora said, "Don't leave." before returning her head to his chest. She got to spend plenty of time with Vahn, but it was never quite enough. Now that he was here, she wasn't letting him leave any time soon.
Adopting a markedly affectionate smile, Vahn raised Sandora's chin to meet his gaze as he replied, "Your wish is my command..."
Earning a disproving pout from Sala, Vahn planted a not-so-chaste kiss on Sandora's lips. It had started reasonably tame, but Sandora had always been prone to excitement. She also really enjoyed kissing, so their simple display of affection ended up turning into a brief make-out session while Sala watched them with a developing deadpan.
Implanting in Sala a sudden urge to return to the South, Sandora abruptly cast a sidelong gaze toward her sister and winked. She wanted Sala to be happy, so even if it meant she would have marginally less time with him, Sandora intended to rope her elder sister into Vahn's 'clutches.' Once Sala was able to experience the sense of contentedness Vahn was capable of bestowing, Sandora was confident she would open up more.
What Sandora, and most people, didn't know was that Sala already had someone she liked. It was currently one-sided, but Sala had developed feelings for the Saurian Demon King, Kouryuu, ever since he helped her recover from her frenzied state and settle in the South. He already had several wives and quite a number of children, but she would have joined his Community if it wasn't situated in the East...
...
..
.
Though Merry had promptly invited him to her bedroom the moment they departed Draco Greif's nest, Vahn politely declined as he felt an obligation to look around and interact with the members of the Alliance. Merry was a little disappointed at first, but she immediately perked up when Vahn told her to consider it a date. He even split off a version of himself to wander around with Sis and Fenrir, so it was just the two of them walking around and visiting all of her favorite locations.
As Draco Greif had planned, virtually everyone Vahn encountered greeted him with a joyous grin. The Southern Communities were nearly as famous for their fondness of celebrations as they were for their love of conflict, so everyone was more than happy to welcome the patron of their impromptu festival. Even more so when he began manifesting high-quality foods and alcohol out of thin air...
...
..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Draco Greif don't play...','Sandora's mind be like, "Vahn is love, Vahn is life..."','Can anyone else imagine Merry having to keep away horny animal girls with a stick? Better that than her horn, I suppose...')

While Vahn was enjoying his impromptu dates with Sis, Fenrir, and Merry, Draco Greif was convening with the Leaders of Two-Wings, Three-Tails, Four-Feet, Five-Claws, and Six-Scars. He had also attempted to summon Sala, but even after searching for her using his Authority as Floor Master, he could not detect her presence.
As he was well aware of the marriage between Vahn and Sandora, Draco Greif rightly assumed the former to be responsible for her absence. Thus, instead of waiting for her to arrive, he waited for the other Leaders to seat themselves before revealing, "I am considering abdicating my position as Floor Master."
Though most of the Leaders reacted with some degree of surprise, the Leader of Six-Scars, a Community comprised almost entirely of Kemono, aka Beast People, calmly inquired, "I take it we are to join hands with the Aldrnari Empire...?"
Despite resembling an oversized cat wearing a business suit, the Leader of Six-Scars, Garol Gundark, was nearly equal to Draco Greif in terms of influence. Six-Scars was the Community responsible for trade within the Draco Greif Alliance, so they relied heavily upon Draco Greif's status as a Floor Master to do business in North and East Sides. If he relinquished his position without a plan, it wasn't just their profits that would suffer...
Understanding his long-time friend's concerns, Draco Greif shut his eyes, appearing to be in deep contemplation for several seconds before calmly replying, "Though I am referred to as a Floor Master, my individual power is a far below those that have held this position before me. It shames me to admit it, but I have only managed to occupy this position because the more noteworthy Communities feared being targetted during their efforts to rebuild. Once they regain their power and influence, they will annihilate everything we've struggled to build these past few years..."
Never one to back down from a fight, the Leader of Five-Claws, Laulau Pantera, slammed the circular table in front of her as she exclaimed, "If it's a fight they want, Five-Claws will meet them on the battlefield! We've never bowed to them before; we won't start now...!"
Standing 156cm tall and possessing distinctly humanoid features, Laulau wasn't a very imposing person at first glance. Many found her more cute than intimidating, especially with her floppy, fur-covered ears and fluffy, leopard-like tail covered in white and black fur. However, despite being surrounded by men and women with features reminiscent of lions, tigers, bears, and wolves, her raw physical power was nearly unparalleled in the entirety of the Draco Greif Alliance. The only person who even came close was Sala, a distant descendant of a Pure-Blooded Dragon.
Closing his left eye, Garol gave Laulau a side-long glance as he remarked, "As much as I appreciate Lady Pantera's enthusiasm, such barbarity is the reason our people have been persecuted throughout the ages. Survival of the fittest may be a part of the natural order, but prosperous societies are built in opposition to such ideals. There's no shame in compromise if it's to ensure the survival of the next generation..."
Despite her predominately human appearance, Laulau's teeth resembled those of a predator as she bared them at Garol. While she had observed the benefits of trade and commerce, she hated how Six-Scars cooperated with the very people who once persecuted them. It had only been around three years since the fall of the Avalon Community, so there was still a lot of hostility between the various beastkin tribes and humanity.
Rising to his full height, Draco Greif shouted, "Enough!" before spreading his wings and releasing an intense burst of wind pressure, shattering the increasingly tense atmosphere. Laulau was sent flying backward, but she managed to flip over and land against the wall as if it were a flat surface before returning to her seat with an expression that was more pouty than fierce.
After Laulau had returned to her seat, Draco Greif relaxed his posture and said, "While I have brought you here to discuss the future of our Alliance, my abdication is unavoidable. I am long past my prime, and my life might have ended months ago if not for the grace afforded by the Sage Dragon Emperor. With that in mind, I have invited you here for three reasons. To determine whether or not we will join hands with the Aldrnari Empire, who will represent us within the Sage Dragon's Court, and who will replace me as Floor Master..."
Shifting his eagle-eyed gaze to Garol, Draco Greif added, "As Six-Scars is singularly responsible for our Alliance's collaboration with Communities in the North and East Sides, I would hear your counsel first. Tell us what you know of the Aldrnari Empire and the Sage Dragon's Hearth preceding it..."
While caressing his furry chin as if it were a beard, Garol casually replied, "Very little, I'm afraid. I attempted to have one of my daughters penetrate the ranks of the Sage Dragon's Hearth, but the only person who seems to recruit for them is the Sage Dragon Emperor himself. All anyone knows for certain is that they can grant pretty much any request, so long as you are willing to sign a contract..."
Lowering his head slightly, Draco Grief paused to organize his thoughts before questioning, "Do we know what these contracts entail? I've heard countless rumors, but I've yet to hear the specifics."
Nodding his head, Garol adopted a distinctly business-like smile as he answered, "That's actually one of the more fascinating things about the Sage Dragon's Hearth. Many assume the contract is akin to signing their life away or swearing allegiance to the Sage Dragon Emperor. In reality, the only thing the Sage Dragon Emperor demands from signators is basic decency. He doesn't seem to care whether or not a person is good or bad, only that they do not take things too far or target children."
Though there were quite a number of additional clauses in the contract Vahn had people sign, Garol found it to be incredibly straightforward for what it offered in return. There were opportunistic individuals who forced people to sign their lives away in exchange for bread and water. Vahn was practically the antithesis of this, offering wealth, power, and personalized Gifts in exchange for little more than a promise not to oppress others. It was a contract so skewed in favor of the person signing it that, even after hundreds of people had benefitted from Vahn's philanthropy, most people still believed it to be a ruse.
Adopting a smile despite possessing the facial features of an eagle, Draco Greif remarked, "That certainly sounds like the Sage Dragon Emperor. His magnanimity appears to know no bounds."
Passing his gaze over the rest of the Leaders present, Draco Greif asked, "What about the rest of you? I will hear your opinions before making my final decision."
Surprisingly absolutely no one, the first person to speak up was Laulau, expressing, "I don't trust him. His meteoric rise is beyond suspicious, and his nature is dubious, at best. No one seems to know what motivates him or his ultimate objective. For all we know, his apparent generosity is just a means to accumulate belief and extend his influence to the entirety of the Little Garden. Once he has accrued enough, there's no telling what he will use it for..."
While he could see where Laulau was coming from, Draco Greif shook his head and replied, "Were we talking about anyone else, I would have been inclined to agree. However, your logic is founded on the presumption that the Sage Dragon Emperor 'needs' the belief of others..."
Furrowing her brows, Laulau asked, "What are you trying to say? Even the most ancient and primordial deities derive their power from belief, be it in their existence or the concepts they represent. The Sage Dragon Emperor is no exception..."
Shaking his head, Draco Greif's expression and tone became severe as he declared, "There are exceptions to everything. Just look at what the Sage Dragon Emperor has accomplished in the relatively short period since his emergence. No one had heard the name Vahn Aldrnari Mason before, yet his Community currently occupies a Gate none thought possible to claim. Since then, he has married a Floor Master, forced countless Communities to compromise, and, according to rumors, he is even in a relationship with the Demon Lord of the White Night..."
Closing his eyes, Draco Greif allowed his words to settle into the hearts and minds of everyone present before adding, "Even if he isn't a genuine exception to the rules we are forced to abide, the Sage Dragon Emperor is among the most 'exceptional' beings to manifest in the Little Garden since its genesis. With beings such as Lord Shiva and Shiroyasha backing him, I believe it's only a matter of time before he occupies a 1-Digit Gate..."
Convinced by Draco Greif's reasoning, Laulau slumped in her seat with a visibly pale expression. No one had managed to rise up and claim a 1-Digit Gate since the destruction of the original Little Garden. Many thought that Shiroyasha and Algol would be able to shake things up, but the former faltered at the finish line while the latter practically disappeared mid-way through her rampage. If Draco Greif's speculations proved accurate, Vahn would be the first in recorded history...
Realizing she had been speaking ill of someone with the potential to one day rule over the Little Garden, Laulau promptly decided to remain silent for the rest of the discussion. She still had her doubts, but she knew how beneficial it would be if the various Beastkin tribes and Eudemon species had a representative among the Little Garden's upper echelons. Vahn was relatively famous for his fondness of races with animalistic traits, so, even if she didn't fully trust him, Laulau wasn't willing to compromise the future of countless races by openly challenging him...
With Laulau providing no additional contention, it wasn't long before the remaining Leaders came to a consensus. The Alliance could not survive without a powerful backer, so joining hands with the Aldrnari Empire was the most sensible thing they could do given their present circumstances. As for their Representative and who would substitute Draco Greif as Floor Master, the group decided upon Merry and Sala. If the latter refused, the next in line would be Laulau herself...
...
..
.
Taking advantage of the fact that neither Sandora nor Sala could see her, Loi-chan manifested buck naked in front of Vahn, a mischievous smile on her face as she was borrowing the form of Laulau.
Though he was a little surprised by Loi-chan's sudden appearance, Vahn didn't so much as flinch as he telepathically inquired, ("What's up? Is the meeting already over...?")
Since the two girls flanking Vahn would notice if she interacted with him directly, Loi-chan maintained a safe distance as she flipped upside down and replied, "They're willing to subordinate themselves if necessary, but they would prefer to keep their autonomy. The more interesting revelation is that Draco Greif intends to step down as Floor Master, nominating Sala as his replacement~."
("Hoooo...")
While not surprised by Draco Greif's decision, Vahn hadn't expected the proud Griffin to abdicate directly. If he had hosted a Gift Game, someone like Ureko could have stepped up to claim the title in his place.
As Ureko was probably happier doing her own thing, Vahn dismissed the notion of trying to 'help' her. Instead, he asked, ("Is there a reason you're borrowing the form of Five-Claws' Leader...?")
Instead of answering Vahn's question, Loi-chan linked her hands behind her back, puffed out her breasts, and smiled mischievously. Laulau was a very petite woman, but her figure was extraordinary. She had a few battle scars, including a cross-shaped scar under her clavicle, but they did little to diminish her charm.
Since it wasn't uncommon for Loi-chan to adopt the forms of attractive women just to tease him, Vahn mentally rolled his eyes and said, ("Thanks for the information. I'll be sure to reward you plentily later on.")
Though she hadn't been seeking a reward, an expectant smile developed across Loi-chan's face as she replied, "I'm looking forward to it~!" in a high-spirited tone that would have made the real Laulau want to smash her face into a wall...
...
..
.
(A/N: I intended to write a formal apology, but I figured it would be better to post a chapter. I know I've disappointed a lot of people by choosing to focus on myself and other projects. I hope a day comes when I'm able to regain your trust.)

*tok* *tok* *tok*
Though it was unusual for people to knock on her door, especially around this time of day, the Leader of One-Horn, one of the last Unicorns, perked up as she replied, "It's open. Please enter."
Doing just that, Vahn opened the door to the room with a friendly smile on his face as he said, "Greetings. It's-"
Rising from her chair with a start, the Leader of One-Horn's eyes were as round as saucers as she abruptly exclaimed, "You're Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the Sage Dragon Emperor...!"
Though he was somewhat surprised by the lavender-haired girl's reaction, Vahn maintained his friendly smile as he raised his hand and issued a curt, "That's me." in a jovial tone.
Exhibiting even more excitement, the Leader of One-Horn took a moment to grab what appeared to be a sketchbook and a pen before rushing over to Vahn with supernatural speed and asking, "Can I please, please, please have your autograph!?"
After quickly confirming there were no shenanigans afoot, Vahn accepted the sketchbook to find an almost photorealistic drawing of himself on the presented page. It, combined with the sparkles in the girl's eyes, made it pretty clear he had himself a little fan.
"Here you go, Miss...?"
"Marianella Silverhoof! Please call me Merry...!"
Nodding his head, Vahn handed the signed sketchpad back to Merry as he replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Merry."
Accepting the sketchpad, Merry issued a high-pitched squeal as she hugged it to her chest and did an amusing little jig that involved stamping her feet and spinning around in excitement.
After completing two full revolutions, Merry spontaneously stopped in place, a look of realization developing across her face as she tilted her head to the side and asked, "How are you here right now? I didn't hear anything from Sala-oneechan..."
Closing her eyes, Merry tensed when she perceived that Sala and quite a few of her guards were missing. Her body immediately began to tremble, but, instead of exhibiting fear, there was a hint of excitement in her gaze as she opened her eyes, allowed the band of her white dress to slip from her left shoulder, and muttered, "Oh, no...what are you planning to do with me...?"
"..." x 3
While being sure to avoid Merry's horn, an appendage rumored to be able to pierce through virtually anything, Vahn gave the 133cm tall girl a pat on the head as he remarked, "You have a bit of a...playful side to you, I see..."
Realizing that Vahn hadn't invaded her office to **** and ***** her, Merry exhaled a long and exasperated sigh as she questioned, "Is it my height? Or maybe the size of my breasts...?"
Since the fabric of her pure white dress was thin enough to appear transparent in some places, Mery made a show of grabbing and pushing up her fairly large breasts. At the very least, they were very notable for a girl of her diminutive stature.
With upturned, ostensibly resolute purple eyes, Merry pushed her breasts together as she remarked, "I'm 308, you know...?"
Exhaling a soft chuckle, Vahn retracted his hand from Merry's head as he assured her, "Relax. It's not that I don't find you charming. It's just that I, or, more accurately, we came here in search of Draco Grief."
Though the truth was that she had been ignoring them, Merry pretended to be surprised by the presence of Sis and Fenrir, her eyes widening as she covered her mouth and replied with a mock startled, "Oh! Where did you two pop out from!?"
Maintaining a deadpan expression, Fenrir remarked, "Bad girl..." while Sis just covered her mouth to suppress a squint-eyed giggle. Members of the Unicorn species were known to be a little vain, so she wasn't surprised by Merry's behavior. Instead, she found it rather amusing.
Hearing Fenrir's remark, Merry furrowed her brows as she insisted, "I'm a Unicorn. Unicorns are among the purest and holiest creatures in the Little Garden. I can't be a bad girl."
Rolling her eyes, Fenrir managed to elicit a rather prominent blush from Merry as she corrected herself, appending, "Horny girl..."
With a face redder than a cherry tomato, Merry began to tremble as she held the hem of her dress and muttered, "You..."
Instead of refuting Fenrir's words, Merry became a little teary-eyed as she stamped her foot and exclaimed, "So what if I'm perverted!? Don't think you can judge me, you...you...stinky dog breath...!"
Raising her brows, Fenrir flatly remarked, "My breath isn't stinky." before crossing her arms and adding, "Master likes good and honest girls. If you want him to pamper you, you need to be-"
"Fenrir..."
Having just added a trio of Giantesses and quite a number of Valkyries to the list of girls he was having sex with, Vahn's expression turned wry as he uttered his most trusted Companion's name. Her ears drooped a little in response, but she kept her arms crossed as she engaged Merry in an impromptu staring contest.
Suppressing her growing urge to stab Fenrir with her horn, Merry decided to give the Vanargandr's advice a try, stating, "Unicorns are nearly extinct, and we can't stand being around members of our own species."
Tearing her eyes away from Fenrir, Merry looked up at Vahn with a serious expression on her face as she added, "Every Unicorn is said to have a soul mate, a single person who they feel a connection. When I saw your battle against Amaterasu, my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I couldn't sleep for days, and my stomach feels all fluttery when I imagine all the things we might do together..."
Placing her hands on her stomach, Merry's breathing became noticeably quickened as she swallowed hard and stated, "I want you to mess me up. I want you to defile the purity I have protected these last three-hundred years by ****** my ***** with your massive dragon ****."
"..."
"Oh my..."
"I knew she was a pervert..."
Ignoring Sis and Fenrir, Merry's face became progressively redder as she began to move her hands across her abdomen, panting, "Please...I want it so bad. ***** my insides and make me into your *******..."
Unable to ignore it any longer, Vahn scratched the back of his head as he asked, "What's with the sudden gaps in your speech pattern? I know what you're saying, but it's a little uncanny..."
"Eeeeeeeeh..."
Before responding to Vahn's words, Merry brought her left hand up to her breast, unabashedly pinching her faintly visible nipple as she said, "I said it before, didn't I? Unicorns are among the purest and most holy creatures in the Little Garden. Even if I say ****, *****, and **** ** **** **** *** **** *** ** **** * **********, the Central Network will censor it."
"..."
Though he realized he was dealing with a rather advanced pervert, a soft chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he replied, "I see. I'm guessing it works similar to how the Law of Decency functions. Pretty neat."
Since Vahn hadn't said anything about her literally groping herself, Merry hiked up her dress and remarked, "I know, right? Check this out..."
Exhibiting an outrageous lack of shame, Merry promptly pulled down her pure white panties just enough to reveal their contents. The moment she did, Vahn, Sis, and Fenrir were practically blinded as a brilliant white light filled the room.
Seeing that Vahn and Sis were largely unaffected by her exposure, the ruddy complexion of Merry's face became more prominent as she asked, "Can you see it...?"
Returning a smile, Vahn remarked, "It's cute." while Sis just covered her mouth to suppress another laugh. They didn't know if it was a birthmark or something Merry had inscribed upon herself, but she had a tiny, pale purple heart tattooed above her groin. She was also completely shaven or, more likely, unable to grow hair.
"It grows..."
"Pardon...?"
Instead of elaborating, Merry pulled up her panties and let her dress fall back into place as she asked, "So, how about it? If you say no, I may have to spend the rest of my life alone. There's even a chance someone will capture me, saw off my horn, drain my blood, and carve out my heart to use as materials. Don't you think it would be suuuuuuper tragic if I didn't get to experience love at least once before then...?"
Maintaining a smile, Vahn shook his head and remarked, "You really are a bad girl...well, maybe not bad...more like naughty..."
Adopting a smile of her own, Merry stated, "I'm usually not like this. It's because you're here. So long as it means you'll *** **** **** **** **-"
Placing his hands on Merry's shoulders, Vahn said, "Please stop doing that. It's incredibly uncanny..."
Hanging her head and shoulders, Merry's expression morphed into one of profound melancholy until Vahn suddenly picked her up by the pits of her arms and mused, "Don't look so glum. It isn't the reason I came here, but I never said we couldn't have sex. You're certainly cute enough, and your words have a scary amount of sincerity in them..."
Placing Merry on the edge of her desk, Vahn rolled up the abruptly silent girl's dress before pulling it over her head and arms. A brilliant white light immediately filled the room, but he could still clearly make out the petite Unicorn's flawless white mounts and her perky pink nipples.
As if her behavior from before was an illusion, Merry appeared meek and innocent as she silently observed Vahn's actions. When he guided her to lay on her back, however, she willfully raised her hips and asserted, "*** ** ** ** *** **."
"..."
Ignoring the sense of incongruency that came from his ability to translate even filtered speech, Vahn allowed his clothes to dissolve away as Sis and Fenrir moved closer to observe from his flanks. Merry frowned when she saw them, but the stain on her panties continued to expand until Vahn slid them off of her and gave the perverted Unicorn everything she asked for...
...
..
.
Sharing senses with his counterpart, a soft chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat that prompted the frowny-faced Sala to inquire, "What's so funny?" in a pouty tone. In response, Sandora adopted a frown of her own as she said, "Sala! Don't be mean to Vahn...!"
Exhaling a huffy sigh, Sala averted her ruby-red eyes from Sandora and Vahn as she poutily grumbled, "It was just a question..."
Surprising the vermillion-haired beauty, Vahn nodded his head and said, "Sala's right, Sandora. No need to be so testy. As for why I was laughing, well, let's just say another version of myself has met the Leader of One-Horn..."
Understanding what Vahn was implying, an exasperated groan emanated from Sala's throat as she remarked, "Of course you have..."
As Sala took a moment to massage her temples, Vahn explained things for Sandora's benefit. When Sandora responded with a radiant smile and a suppressed giggle, Sala couldn't help asking, "Why are you laughing? Your husband, the person responsible for your pregnant belly, is sleeping with another woman. I understand you're trying to-"
"That's enough, Sala. Please don't make assumptions based on your lack of understanding. I am perfectly content with my current situation, and I take pride in knowing my husband is so...capable."
Unable to suppress herself, another giggle emanated from Sandora's throat when she saw Vahn wriggle his eyebrows.
Seeing the interplay between the two, Sala felt her exasperation growing as she hugged her body and muttered, "I don't get it..."
Challenging Sala's statement, Vahn stated, "If I didn't seal your bloodline, you would have attacked me by now. Instead of fretting over nothing, you should be using this opportunity to lay bare everything that's troubled you these past couple of years. Bottling everything up when there are people ready and willing to help you is just senseless..."
Nodding her head in approval, Sandora added, "Vahn's right. I'm sure you had a good reason for fleeing to the North, but, truth be told, I don't really care. I just want my sister back. Even if you return to the South, I'm happy so long as we can meet like this once or twice a year."
"..."
Not sure how to respond to Sandora's words, Sala slumped her head, her expression a mixture of shame and confusion. She immediately regretted her silence, however, as Sandora adopted a fairly mischievous smile and added, "You don't have to worry about sharing my 'burden' by producing offspring with Vahn, you know? Not that I would mind, ufufufufu~."
"Sandora...!"
Though her bronzed skin made it difficult to discern, a rather prominent blush spread through Sala's cheeks when she heard Sandora's words. It didn't help that she had been considering that very scenario ever since Vahn first made his presence known. After all, she couldn't just allow her species to go extinct...
...
..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Target Acquired','**** *** ***** ** *** *****','Sala is just asking to be bullied xD...')

Chapter 2310: Improv