Chapter 273: Strategy...?
Vahn nodded his head and asked, "I have a few thoughts, but what did you want to discuss?" Before she answered, Loki sat with her legs crossed and rested her chin on her hands that were resting on her knees. Loki was wearing her traditional attire: tight shorts, small blue, skin-tight top, long sleeved arm warmers with a hooded attachment, and a pair of black stocking with blue boots. She always sat sloppily and, even though nothing was visible, it always drew the eye when a girl had their legs spread unexpectedly, especially if they were wearing shorts that didn't leave much at all to the imagination.
Loki saw the brief glimpse Vahn had given her but just smiled without drawing attention to it as she said, "We need to discuss the matters concern the upcoming Denatus and how we're going to deal with it. Even though we'll also be discussing it as a group, since I've been delegated at the 'speaker' of the group, I need to make an informed decision based on what you want to do. Depending on how things play out...well, let's just say it won't be easy to deal with the fallout in the future. There is also the matter of Isthar...but, well, I don't think she'll be much of a problem. I challenged her to a Wargames and now she intends to complain about the matter at the next Denatus...really, that woman has no sense of reality."
Vahn had a serious expression on his face and he asked, "Then the important matters must be related to [Enkidu] and Hephaestus's pregnancy then?" Loki nodded her head and continued, "Maybe not just Hephaestus...I feel like the window of opportunity for myself is shrinking rapidly. I already recalled the expedition party, and I don't think it'll be that easy...well, lets set that matter aside and I'll explain the reasoning first. The best option would be to only have Hephaestus be pregnant right now and then we can pass it off as some kind of fluke..." Releasing a sigh, Loki looked up and continued, "But that'll still draw a lot of attention from multiple parties that want to approach you without any restraint. It'll all cause a stir in both the mortal and godly communities since Hephaestus's pregnancy would be considered an anomaly."
Loki, though her eyes were closed, 'squinted' as her brows furrowed and she said, "Not only would this potentially put you both in danger, but I don't think Hephaestus would want to keep it a secret at all. One solution would be to provide evidence that it isn't a 'fluke' and show multiple instances of the event repeating itself. The major drawback of that, well, it should be obvious...there would be goddesses lined up trying to get close to you. We should be able to hide the existence of [Enkidu] and then vet any goddess that wants to approach you by holding them to a vow of secrecy..."
Tilting her head down into her hands, Loki continued, "But that may not really be a permanent solution...there are too many loopholes to exploit and the best method would be to protect the information and use it as leverage to protect you in the future. However, that would severely restrict your movements...there is also the matter that, even if you're not the one doing the deed...well, I heard about the procedure from Hephaestus. You have to actually be there if you want to guarantee the pregnancy, right?"
Since the process involved both [Eyes of Truth] and [Hands of Nirvana], Vahn was required to be in close proximity to the goddess in question to guarantee the success of the pregnancy. With a serious expression on his face, Vahn nodded in affirmation to Loki before she continued, "So even if we wanted to protect your identity, you'd be exposed pretty quickly..." Loki remained silent for several long seconds before she looked upwards at Vahn with open eyes and asked, "Vahn, tell me, do you intend to keep going into the dungeon even after you 'secret' is revealed at the Denatus?"
Vahn furrowed his brows because he understood why Loki would ask that kind of question in the current circumstances. If he truly had a way to guarantee that goddesses could get pregnant, he would be highly sought after for his 'services' and there would be a lot of resistance against him actually entering the dungeon. Not only would the said goddesses want to 'protect' him, but there would be a number of people that would actually try to kill him for their own personal reasons. However, even though Vahn didn't care too much about the dungeon, he felt like his destiny was intricately connected to it and he was drawn by his own intrigue to reach its depths.
Loki saw Vahn's determination and said, "Then we'll have to explain it in a manner that makes it seems like it isn't such an easy procedure while also binding any goddess that receives 'treatment' with a vow...But even this won't go over too easily unless we try to monetize or regulate things...but I feel like you wouldn't be too open to that kind of thing." Hearing Loki mention requiring people to 'pay him for the right' to bear children made Vahn frown a bit, even though he understood it might make things easier.
Seeing his expression, Loki stated plainly, "No matter how you look at it, we would have to be selective about who actually get impregnated...after all, you aren't trying to destroy the world, are you?" Hearing the seriousness in Loki's voice, Vahn asked, "What do you mean? Of course, I'm not trying to destroy the world..." Loki nodded her head before explaining, "Tell me Vahn, what do you think would happen if every goddess had a child, not necessarily your own mind you..."
Vahn thought about the matter and imagined that there would be a marked increase in the number of demigods in the world so he said, "There would be a lot of half-gods around..." Loki nodded her head and said, "That's right, and what happens if they're able to also have children, not necessarily with gods, but there might be a chance..." Though he was still confused, Vahn imagined the number of people with pseudo-divinity would increase exponentially over time if it wasn't regulated. His expression became especially serious because he realized why Loki asked if he was trying to destroy the world...
With a satisfied smile on her face, Loki nodded and said, "It's good that you can think things through properly, that makes the future look a lot more promising. As you seem to have guessed, the number of Demigods in the world would increase over time. Since you're more god than man, you would likely live for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of years. Over that time, even if you only had a child per year there would be thousands of your own children running around, much-less the children that you help others obtain. If your children aren't bound by the restrictions of some other demigods, the balance of power in the world would fundamentally change after a time and there would be a shift in the status quo of the world. Within a few generations, every current race in the world may even cease to exist as your genes slowly spread through the entire continent. Though it might not be your intention, you would inadvertently drive the other races toward extinction because of their inability to 'compete' in a natural way with your children, and the children you help goddesses have."
At this point, even Hestia had her eyes opened wide and she just stared blankly into space, unable to comprehend the implications of Loki's words. Vahn was holding the bridge of his nose between his index and thumb and tried imagining the world that Loki talked about. He couldn't explain it to the girls, but Vahn knew he could actually live forever in this world if he decided. It might not happen quickly, but there was no way Vahn would restrict his own kids in their pursuit of happiness. Over time, his children would have kids of their own and they would eventually move on to have their own kids...
Loki explained slowly and enunciated every word, "The number of goddesses you help bear children needs to be restricted...especially if they are children sired by you. You should be at least 75% god, so that would make any children you have with a goddess close to 87.5%. If, by some coincidence, they are able to have children with a god or goddess...that brings the blood purity to 93.75%...even if you tried to protect all of your kids, there would always be a group that would try to push the purity even further through various means. Within a few hundred years, there may be people that are infinitely closer to the power of the gods walking amongst mortals...Your kids might even live for millions of years and sire entire generations of pseudo-gods..."
For the first time, Vahn had some fear related to having children of his own and didn't know what was the correct decision to make any more. He didn't regret his actions, but he was afraid of what the future might hold, not necessarily for himself, but his children, their children, and so on...After a while, he looked up at Loki, who still had her eyes open and fixed on him and asked, "What do you think I should do? I want to help if I can...but I don't want to destroy everything in the process."
Even though Vahn knew Loki actually desired destruction, it didn't pertain to the mortal world and only extended to the Heavens. If she was bringing the matter up, she must have thought of a solution of sorts...
Loki responded seriously, "We have the goddesses that learn of [Enkidu] and the procedure join the Alliance and have them vow to raise the children under careful observation. Not only your own children, but we need to protect every child that is born through the use of [Enkidu] until we can collect more data. We also need to place a restriction on how often the procedure can be performed as well as come up with something like a requirement that couldn't be replicated by anyone other than you...well, a lot of that can be managed by the gods and goddesses already in the Alliance. Your main responsibility would be to...well, not give in so easily just because you empathize with someone. Just like in the instance with Laverna, there are simply goddesses that aren't deserving of pity depending on the circumstances...others just aren't capable of being good mothers even if they had a child of their own. Even I fall into the latter category and would likely do something regretable unless I'm restricted in the actions I can take..."
Vahn ruminated over Loki's words for several minutes in silence while Hestia worriedly pat his back. She wasn't the type to think ahead that much, so Loki's revelation had been a big impact on her as well. Though she didn't expect it to happen any time soon, Hestia also wanted to have a child of her own one day...but now she wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. Perhaps the world placed the restrictions on goddesses for that very purpose, simply to maintain the balance and protect the natural order.
After a while, Vahn looked up into Loki's eyes and stated clearly, "I agree to some personal regulation...but I will still continue to search for a solution to conception rates of the various races. Humans shouldn't be the only race that can freely conceive alongside gods while goddesses and the half-races have to bear tragic fates. I don't think the future you're talking about is truly destruction, but closer to evolution. It might cause chaos, but chaos is everpresent in the world regardless of the actions I take. I believe that we can change the flow of history as long as we set a proper example for others to follow and aspire towards bettering ourselves and improving the quality of life for everyone."
There was no way Vahn could plan that far ahead and understand the repercussions of his actions, but he understood it was simply wrong to prevent people from having children just because of his personal inhibitions and fears. It was a profoundly selfish thing to do and there was no way he would deny his own children that right if they wanted to build families of their own. Vahn couldn't even imagine doing something so cruel to people that he wanted to protect the happiness of.
Though he hadn't noticed it himself, Vahn had increased his grip on Hestia's waist and held her a bit closer to his body. She looked up at saw the serious look in his eyes and felt slightly less insecure about the future while Loki started laughing loudly and patting her knee with her hand. With a fervent expression on her face, Loki showed a large smile as she said, "That's the right answer~! That is the beauty of being mortal; making decisions without regards to the consequences and just enjoying life to the best of your ability!" Loki began to laugh in a strange manner with her hand over her mouth before continuing, "Change is the beauty of life! Fuck monotony, fuck expectations, lets live life to the fullest without regrets~!" Unable to contain herself, Loki stood from the sofa and had a fiery look in her eyes as if she could see a glimpse of what the future might hold.
With decidedly less momentum, Vahn also stood up and had a confident look in his eyes as a giddy feeling spread through his body. The future wasn't some foreign thing he had no control over, but something he would be there to experience for himself. If he did his best to positively influence the future, Vahn refused to believe things would end badly. His children would be influenced by his actions and the guidance of the many strong women around him. Vahn couldn't even imagine they would end up as the disreputable types if he raised them well and taught them properly without forcing any expectations on them. He could teach them that happiness was a construct they created and shared with other people through the bonds they established and the choices they made...
Hestia, though she wasn't entirely sure of the reason, also started getting hyped up and clung to Vahn's back after wrapping her arms around his neck. The only thing she really understood was that Vahn would continue to do his best to ensure the happiness of everyone in their Familia while doing his best to better the lives of others. Loki saw Hestia's actions and gave Vahn a coy look with a glimmer in her eye as she asked, "Are you just going to spoil Hestia~? You know, I've been working my butt off lately...even though it seems to grow back pretty quickly?" As she spoke, Loki turned sideways and rubbed her butt playfully before asking, "Want to help me make sure~?"
Since they weren't that far apart, Vahn tilted his head slightly and squinted his eyes a bit before using his index and middle finger to test the tension of Loki's left cheek. Her eyes opened slightly wider before a cheeky expression appeared on her face. She made brief eye contact with Hestia before stepping over the wooden table and reaching her hands around Vahn's body. Vahn mirrored her actions with a markedly more gentle expression in his eyes until he heard Hestia squeal and fall from his back onto the sofa when Loki pinched her butt. Before Vahn looked back to check on her, Loki leaned forward and gave Vahn a passionate, very experienced, kiss on the lips.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'For the Future','Evolution IS the natural order','Loki, Trickster Goddess')
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CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Einlion
Einlion Level 1 Vahn: https://imgur.com/a/zFOLFrT
Courtesy of https://www.deviantart.com/robusta-mania
Chapter 274: Compromise
While Loki had started kissing Vahn, Hestia glared at her with teary eyes as she rubbed her butt and said, "Loki, I thought we were supposed to be getting along!?' After savoring the moment for a bit, Loki removed her lips from Vahn and peaked over his shoulder and said, "Well, I thought about groping your butt since you were clinging to Vahn...but I couldn't resist giving it a nice pinch instead. I promised not to interact with anyone other than Vahn like that, so unless he wants me to I'll keep my hands to myself..."
Vahn tilted his head with a thoughtful expression and said, "I'd like for the two of you to get along better, but I don't think it should be through teasing each other...it's confusing to think about the relationships between girls. Since I don't have many guy friends, I don't have a good baseline to make my judgments from...Hmmm." Loki heard Vahn's words and had a playful look in her eyes as she removed her arms from around his neck and walked by his body towards Hestia on the couch. Hestia glared at her a bit before her eyes widened when Loki began groping her breasts. She screamed, "Loki, you gorilla girl~!" Hestia then tried to kick away Loki, but she turned her body to the side and fell towards Hestia before sealing her lips.
Not only Hestia, but Vahn's eyes widened and he wasn't sure if he should interfere with the situation. It was the first time he had ever seen one girl kiss another so his mind blanked for a moment as a dizzying feeling overcame his mind. Hestia resisted Loki but couldn't do much to resist the 'highly experienced' hands and tongue of the trickster goddess. After a few seconds passed, Hestia closed her eyes tightly and began to blush fiercely until Loki finally pulled away with a trail of saliva connecting their lips. She peeked into Hestia's watery eyes with a slight fervent expression and whispered, "Let's get along better from now on Hestia...we both 'love' the same man after all..."
Hestia gnashed her teeth for a bit and held Loki's gaze before turning her head to the side in a huff and saying, "Don't just do as you please, I only love Vahn..." Hestia's bashful actions seemed to incite something in Loki who caressed her face and tried to kiss the flustered Hestia again before Vahn grabbed the red ponytail at her back and prevented her actions. Though he thought it was an enticing sight, Vahn heard Hestia's words and decided to interfere before things got out of hand.
Loki gave a false cry of pain as she patted Vahn's hand holding her ponytail and said, "I give, I give, it's not nice to grab a girls hair under normal circumstances~!" Vahn let her hair go and Loki separated from Hestia before giving her a cheeky look and saying, "Well, its whatever for now, but I think things might get interesting later on..." Understanding her implications, Hestia blushed and hung her head which let Vahn understand what they were talking about. Ever since he heard Hestia say that Loki was coming over, Vahn assumed she might be staying the night as well. Especially after the earlier talks about children...
Vahn squinted his eyes and, instead of asking Loki, looked toward Hestia and asked, "Hestia...did you two already decide something between yourselves?" Hestia looked up and had an awkward expression on her face while Loki bit the fingernail of her thumb and had a somewhat excited look on her face. Hestia swallowed with a big gulp and explained, "I thought...I thought it would be unfair to get ahead of Loki since she was working so hard...and....and I was kind of scared to be alone." As she spoke, Hestia began to breathe more deeply and Vahn could see her expression wavering a bit.
Vahn remembered Hestia's earlier words about not backing down and knew she was pushing herself pretty hard to overcome her own inhibitions. Since she had a 'frenemy' type relationship and rivalry with Loki, they would be able to goad each other on and she would be able to muster up her own resolve. With a serious expression on his face, Vahn looked at Hestia for several seconds until her eyes stopped wavering and her aura began to stabilize. Even without him saying anything, Hestia realized Vahn was looking through her intentions and seeing the extent of her own resolve. If she backed down after Vahn agreed, it would probably be just him and Loki while she slept in her own room and dealt with the frustrations of knowing what was going on in the opposite room.
As if making an excuse to justify her actions, Hestia explained, "We'll be together a lot from now on, so I think it's only fair if Loki gets to spend time with you first. Besides, this way I can make sure she doesn't do anything strange..." Continuing off of Hestia's words, Loki retorted, "I might do some strange things if Vahn wants, but I'm not going to make him do anything. Even if he doesn't tend to me often, I don't mind being his plaything as long as I eventually get what I want..." Though Vahn had been seriously staring at Hestia, he faltered a bit when he heard Loki's words and gave her a strange look.
Loki saw his expression and explained in a 'serious' manner, "It's not that strange, I just don't want to try to be in 'control' of your actions when we're together. I know myself better than anyone else and things would get out of hand if I didn't take a more submissive role in the relationship. Except maybe Anubis, I'll probably be the best option if you want to 'vent' any of your interests or frustrations. Most of the girls just want a simple and affectionate love, and that might be 'healthy' for a time, but you'll eventually want to try other stuff. Even if you can hide it from others, I can tell that you're the curious type that likes to push the boundaries after experiencing that massage of your's..."
For a moment, Vahn had an absolutely blank expression on his face as he listened to Loki's words. The main reason he needed someone to rein him in originally was due to his 'interest' in getting a rise out of the girls the associated with. If not for things being explained to him clearly, Vahn knew he would have walked down a slightly more deviant path since goddesses like Anubis were around him. Though it was difficult to admit, Vahn actually did like to see the different reactions he could get from the girls depending on his actions...and he might never mention it, but there was a small shadow in his heart after his visit to the red light district.
Seeing the look on Vahn's face, Loki continued, "Remember, I said you can dress me up and do whatever you want back when we first made our agreement. If you step over the line, it would be better to hear it from me instead of one of the more delicate girls around you. Unlike most of them, I'll always give it to you straight regardless of if we're in public or in private. However, from now on, I'll only devote myself to you since that is my personal commitment...I've told you before, but the opportunity to have a child is something that fundamentally changed my expectations in life. Everything else is secondary...and I'll do whatever it takes to make that expectation a reality."
Both Vahn and Hestia gulped at seeing the seriousness of Loki and hearing her resolute words. Hestia was beginning to realize that her resolve was much weaker than that of some of the other girls around Vahn. The fact that she wanted to regulate his relationships at all seemed strange considering she was the one lacking in resolve and self-control. For Vahn, he was just imagining his future interactions with Loki and could feel his brain buzzing slightly with both anxiety and anticipation. Of all the girls around him, Loki was the one least inclined to place restrictions on him currently and always took actions to clean up his messes. In a way, she was actually one of the most devoted girls to him, even if that devotion was only to guarantee she was able to have a child.
Swallowing a second time, Vahn asked seriously, "Are you intending-" Before he could finish, Loki gave him a serious look and said, "I'll get pregnant when you choose to impregnate me. I don't mind if we play around a bit before then. I don't want to step on Hephaestus's toes and take away her right to have the first child. I will say one thing though..." Loki looked over toward Hestia and said in a very serious manner, "I don't think Hestia should have a child any time soon. It might sound selfish, but I think she is better suited to helping raise other children than having her own for the time being. If all the goddesses around you get pregnant so close together, it could cause problems in the group synergy in the future. It might act as the catalyst that makes other girls want to have children just because they are afraid of being 'left out'."
Though Vahn frowned slightly, it was Hestia who responded to Loki as she said, "I also don't think it would be a good idea for me to get pregnant. It already feels like I'm cutting ahead of other people and I don't want to be the source of friction that drives a wedge between Vahn and others anymore. I already decided to support him and take care of everyone in the Familia from now on, even if that doesn't include having a child of my own." Since Hestia had never imagined having a child in the past, she didn't really have a good understanding of what she would do once she had one of her own.
Hestia's words made Vahn briefly remember their earlier discussion about 'regulating' things so they can get a better understanding of the situation. Since he was only 15, there was no rush to have a large number of children, especially considering that he might live in this record for hundreds of years...With a gentle expression on his face, Vahn stroked Hestia's hair before lovingly kissing her forehead. She looked up at him with her crystalline blue eyes and they could see the love they shared between them. In a way, other than descending from Heaven to look after him, this was the first 'sacrifice' Hestia was making to ensure Vahn's happiness. It made her feel a little bit better about how often she had Vahn spoil her even when she clearly overstepped his boundaries sometimes...
Before they got caught up in their own atmosphere, Loki leaned forward and stared at them with a mischevious expression. She had a big grin on her face as she said, "Oh no, please, don't mind me, I just want to see how the two of you kiss~! If you have any questions, I'll be willing to answer them~." Hestia had a fierce blushed on her face and pushed Vahn's chest which caused him to nearly fall over since the wooden table was right behind his legs. However, as long as his feet were in contact with the ground, Vahn was able to use Shundo. Both Hestia and Loki tried to reach out to grab him as he disappeared from their sights before reappearing a few meters away. Since they hadn't expected him to suddenly vanish, both Hestia and Loki collided with each other before nearly falling on the table.
Before they hit the hardwood surface, Vahn moved all the nearby furniture into his inventory and stepped forward to catch both goddesses in his arms. Even though less than two seconds had passed, there had been a huge change in the scene as a sequence of unexpected events played out. Because he had grabbed them by the waist and caught them against his chest, Vahn decided to tease Loki while punishing Hestia a bit for nearly causing an accident to happen. Putting a bit of strength in his grip, Vahn grabbed the firm left cheek of Loki's butt while pressing his hand into the marshmallow softness of Hestia's right cheek. Since they were leaning against him and had each other as shared supports, Vahn lifted up their bodies a bit and had a teasing smile on his face.
Hestia was heaving and Vahn could feel her heart rapidly beating like a startled rabbit after feeling Vahn's hand on her body. Loki, however, broke from her stupor quickly and whispered, "I don't mind staying like this for longer, but don't we have to go eat dinner eventually?" Hearing her words, Vahn placed them back on the floor before fixing the furniture and table. After everything was sorted out, Vahn asked one last time, "Hestia, are you absolutely sure about this?" Hestia, who had been focusing on calming down, heard Vahn's words and startled a bit before firmly stating, "I made my resolve earlier, don't keep asking me to repeat the same things over and over! You should be mentally preparing yourself and expressing your gratitude for being able to take my first time~! I've protected this virginity of mine for..." Hestia almost shouted out her own age but suddenly faltered before stating, "For a long time! Make sure you treat me well or I'll make your life difficult from now on~!"
Vahn knew that Hestia was one of only three goddesses in the western pantheon that had kept their virginity, so he treated Hestia's words very seriously and said, "Leave it to me, I'll make sure you never have any regrets for as long as I live Hestia!" Unexpectedly, Hestia kicked Vahn's butt with her bare foot and shouted, "You're giving me plenty of regrets already you dumb boy~! Make sure to make it up to me properly later." Then before Vahn could recover, Hestia pointed toward Loki with her index finger and shouted, "From now on we're partners as well Loki, so no more teasing me or I'll make sure you never have time alone with Vahn!"
Without waiting for their responses, Hestia stormed out of the room and left the door open behind her as she made her way towards the dining room. Though she was surprised at first, Loki took on a thoughtful expression and stroked her chin as she said, "I'll only want to tease you even more if you say things like that you chibi goddess..." As if a thought came to her mind, Loki looked toward Vahn and said, "I might need your help with something later...don't freak out when the time comes, okay?" Before he could ask, Loki waved her hand dismissively and said, "Don't worry, I know Hestia better than anyone...just leave it to me and support as best you can, okay?"
Though Vahn wanted to ask, Loki didn't seem to be willing to tell him what she had planned. He knew her words about knowing Hestia best were true, but Vahn still said, "If she reacts badly, I'll put a stop to it instantly..." Loki shook her head and explained as if she knew what Vahn was going to say, "I already heard about the incident this morning, you shouldn't fool yourself into thinking Hestia is as 'naive' and 'innocent' as she acts at times. Just trust me on this one...Remember, your ability to see auras isn't as reliable as you might expect, especially when it comes to gods and goddesses..."
Vahn's eyes opened a bit at Loki's words and he couldn't help but feel like he had actually overlooked something. He spent a lot of time with Hestia and trusted her deeply, but she did actually do things outside his expectations quite often...After a brief period of contemplation, Vahn nodded and gave Loki a serious look and said, "You've done a lot for me Loki, so I'll trust you on this matter and do my best. Just understand that I care deeply for Hestia and don't want to see her hurt in any way..." Even though she knew Vahn was being serious, Loki laughed a bit and said, "Hestia's position is too cemented in your life, I'm not going to do anything to interfere with that fact. Trust me, Hestia won't be hurt at all..." Without continuing the conversation, Loki laughed in a strange manner before stopping at the door and looking back at Vahn. With a playful smile on her face, she whispered in a seductive tone, "It's something to look forward to..."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gimme dat baby...','Small in different ways','Loki's Scheme')
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CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Einlion
Einlion
Level 1 Vahn: https://imgur.com/a/zFOLFrT
Courtesy of https://www.deviantart.com/robusta-mania
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
102 Power
stone 
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