Chapter 441: Reception
Vahn had been surprised by Freya's presence within the room and had tried see through the secrets of the cloak she had been wearing before she began to strip. She obviously knew he was looking at her and Vahn got a brief glimpse of her almost unfathomable beauty before averting his eyes just before seeing her completely naked. Vahn knew he would have to deal with her at some point in the future and understood the 'necessity' of being involved with her, even though he didn't appreciate her behavior at all.
Freya had the potential of being one of his greatest allies in the short term and would be instrumental when they had conflict with the forces outside of the City in the future. Knowing she was present, Vahn speculated she had likely reached a compromise with Hephaestus and Loki and they would probably meet soon. What irked him was how she didn't seem to have any sense of propriety at all and this allowed Vahn to understand that she would probably continually make advances on him in the future. She was undeniably the most beautiful woman Vahn had ever seen and there was no way he could truthfully claim he wasn't interested in her body, even though her personality, as influenced by her Divinity, was something he couldn't tolerate at all...
Syr always paid close attention to Vahn and had noticed his reaction so a small frown appeared on her face and she asked, "Freya...?" Vahn nodded his head without concealing the matter and said, "She is with a domineering looking man that I would guess is Ottar, the King...she detected my gaze and tried to tempt me for a brief moment, but I was able to resist the impact of her charm." Syr gazed toward the direction Vahn had been looking with a complex expression on her face as she said, "Vahn, you must never drop your guard around her..." Syr knew Freya better than most people as she had once been the protege of the goddess and had lived with her for a while.
Vahn reached over and placed his palm against Syr's head and said in a gentle tone, "Don't worry, I have no intention of showing any openings to her at all...but..." Syr released a small sigh because she also understood that Freya was inextricably connected to the Alliance and would find her way to the core of the group eventually. The fact that she had given birth to Vahn's child so late within the Divination showed that Vahn had actually resisted her for nearly seven years before she finally got her way. Knowing that Freya was 'patient' for so long showed that she also treated the matter with the Alliance very seriously and would likely not cause too many problems...at least for now.
For a little more than an hour, Vahn and Syr stood at the gate and made casual conversation as they awaited the arrival of the guests. Syr talked a lot about potential issues that may arise in the Manor in the future so Vahn paid close attention to her words and took note of what he needed to pay attention to. During this conversation, their first guest actually showed up and Vahn was somewhat surprised to find that it was two women, one that he recognized and the other a complete stranger. However, based on the fact that that the young human woman with pink hair was Misha Flott, Vahn knew that the other woman, the Werewolf woman with red hair, was Rose Fannett. Because he knew they had been together in the Divination, Vahn's first impression of the woman was rather impactful and he dazed slightly at her 'intense' expression and wild look.
Syr smiled politely at the two and asked, "You two must be Misha and Rose, did you bring your invitations~?" Misha's pink eyes shone a bit when she laid eyes on Syr and she showed a big smile before reaching into her purse and pulling out a white invitation that was adorned with fiery red lettering and handed it to Syr as she said, "Hi there, I'm Misha Flott, may I ask your name~?" Syr laughed in a somewhat amused manner as she verified the invitation was legitimate with a small crystal and said, "My name is Syr Flova, it's very nice to meet you, Misha. I heard you'll be living within the Manor in the future, so have Emiru and Maemi show you around the premises for a bit."
Misha was pleased by Syr's words and accepted back her invitation before prodding Rose with her elbow and saying, "Rose, aren't you going to say anything~?" Rose had a somewhat serious expression on her face and she had been staring at Vahn with an almost hostile look in her eyes. Vahn somewhat understood why she had suddenly become hostile so he bowed politely and said, "I apologize if I had offended you. It's good to meet you, Ms. Fannet, Ms. Flott, my name is Vahn Mason, the Captain of the Hestia Familia and the groom for today's events." Misha's eyes turned into stars at Vahn's introduction and Rose's expression softened slightly as well. She had seen Vahn's 'appraising' look earlier and thought he was just another man gawking at her uncommon appearance.
Like all Werewolves, Rose's hair flared out slightly and took on a somewhat 'wild' look even though she put in a lot of effort to manage it. Most werewolves had grey, white, silver, or black hair, so it was rather uncommon to see one like her that had rusty red hair that she had tied up into a ponytail. She had a 'cool' appearance that could quickly turn into an annoyed and fierce look if the furrowed her brows slightly. As for her figure, which Vahn had taken a passing glance at, she had a very fit and athletic looking body with full hips and an ample bosom that looked to be around a C-cup. Her most noteworthy features, however, were the pointed ears atop her had and the somewhat large and bushy tail sticking out of her rear. She actually looked moderately similar to Fenrir, as they both possessed the characteristics of wolves.
As for Misha, she had medium length pink hair, pink eyes, a somewhat 'handsome' appearance and a limber body with moderately sized breasts. She was somewhat short, around 150cm, compared to the 172cm tall Rose and looked almost 'lazy' next to the 'serious' Werewolf girl. Vahn knew she was a long time friend of Eina and seemed to have a preference for women, so he didn't do anything that might offend her. She also seemed to have a high opinion of him since, shortly after his introduction, she closed the distance with him in an instant and grabbed his hands before holding them in an excited manner and saying, "You're the boy that managed to steal our Eina's heart~! She really lucked out this time..." Misha had looked Vahn from top to bottom before nodding her head with an 'impressed' look on her face as she said, "You're actually quite handsome, aren't you?"
Rose reached out her hand and gripped the top of Misha's head and pulled her back with an annoyed expression as she returned Vahn's bow and said, "I'm Rose Fannett...we'll be in your care in the future." before dragging off Misha towards the waiting twins. After she was confident that Rose wouldn't be able to hear her, Syr giggled with her hand over her mouth before saying, "They seem to be very lively girls...what did you think~?" Vahn gave a wry smile before saying honestly, "Rose seems like another troubled woman...and Misha seems like a very lively girl." Syr squinted her eyes slightly and look toward the direction the two girls had walked before saying, "Yes, she seems to be a very lonely girl. I can imagine how the two of you became closer, probably after the deaths of some of the other girls..."
Vahn furrowed his brows slightly at her words, but he knew her intuition was likely on point since Syr had a powerful understanding of people that Vahn couldn't match. Knowing that she would probably try to 'smoothen' things out on his behalf, Vahn shook his head slightly and said, "We'll see how things develop naturally..." Syr giggled silently without commenting on Vahn's decision but she knew things were never that simple, regardless of how he wanted to behave. Being surrounded by women that supported Vahn every day would undoubtedly wear Rose down over time even if Vahn never talked to her at all. In fact, avoiding her would probably just make the somewhat violent looking woman even more annoyed. Vahn might be surrounded by girls, but his understanding of their hearts still required a bit of education and guidance.
---
Over the next two hours, Vahn and Syr greeted a number of guests that had arrived to attend the ceremony. As they hadn't actually invited many people, most of the arrivals were the various gods of the Alliance and some of their important members. Loki had shown up accompanied by Finn, Gareth, Aisha, Bete, and a petite Amazon named Lena Tally. Even though Bete had an annoyed expression on his face, he still let her cling happily to his arm as they walked into the Manor together. Vahn didn't comment on it, but he could see that Bete's aura listed toward the somewhat young looking girl slightly and intertwined with her's a bit.
Miach arrived soon after the Loki Familia and he was escorted by a beautiful woman named Maria Tulk, the current Captain of the Miach Familia even though she was only Level 2. She had purple hair and dark blue eyes and was being led by Miach by the arm as they showed their invitations before proceeding into the Manor. Miach was originally going to attend the wedding by himself since things were a little awkward in his Familia right now, but he eventually gave up his original plans after Maria persuaded him.
As if by providence, the next group to arrive were people Vahn hadn't quite expected to see. The elderly Maria Martel arrived accompanied by a group of three children that Vahn immediately recognized to be the 'chivalrous' Rye, the 'lively' Chienthrope Fina, and the 'timid' Half-Elf girl named Roux. Vahn had learned the reason why Roux acted they way she did from Syr later and it had made him feel indignation at how cruel the world could be. Roux hadn't been born in Orario and had instead been birthed in one of the various settlements on the outskirts of the Western Forests. From the moment of her birth, she was treated very terribly until her mother eventually fled her village in order to preserve Roux's life. Soon after they entered the City, however, her mother died after trying to make a living as an Adventurer. In order to escape slave traffickers that would have tried to deport her to the Iron Hills, Roux disguised herself as a boy and had kept up the disguise for the last two years.
Vahn welcomed them all with a smile and had Syr escort them personally into the Manor after making polite conversation for a short while. Rye had accused him of 'cheating' on his big sis and had to be pacified by Syr when the boisterous Fina said that Syr could just marry Vahn as well in the future. Maria reprimanded the girl for her remark but couldn't say much considering that Syr appeared to have an intent similar to Fina's words based on the glimmer in her eyes. As for Roux, she didn't say much at all and just absentmindedly looked around at random pedestrians as she held onto Maria's dress with a white-knuckled grip.
Vahn watched the group follow Syr into the Manor and felt his own convictions grow stronger since it was 'unfair' for a young girl to have to live in fear simply because of her race. It was the policy of the High Elves that all Half-Elves needed to be killed at birth or exported to the Iron Hills to service the Dwarves if their parents wanted them to live. Orario was one of the few 'safe' places for Half-Elves, though it didn't stop slave traffickers from kidnapping the young ones and bartering them to the Dwarven caravans that often passed through the City.
When he had learned about this, Vahn had suggested having the orphans move into the Manor but Syr 'gently' refused his kindness. Though she helped care for the Orphans on occasion, Syr knew it would only create bigger problems if Vah showed such charity. Maria would simply find new orphans to tend to and, if Vahn felt sorry for each of them, the Hearth Manor would become more of an orphanage instead of the heart of the Alliance. Vahn was about to have his own children and it was simply 'too much' to have other children running around. She suggested he just make contributions to the orphanage and allow Maria to do her work in peace. If he really wanted to bring about real change, he should instead focus on taking care of his own family and building the school he had in mind to help children in such tragic situations mature into proper adults.
---
As it was approaching noon, most of the guests had arrived including Takemikazuchi, accompanied by Ouka and Chigusa, Anubis, accompanied by the entire Anubis Familia, and various goddesses who all seemed to have a good impression of Vahn. Vahn politely greeted each of them as Syr kept them at bay when they tried to get 'close' to him. To name each of them, they were Demeter, a very motherly looking goddess with orange hair, honey eyes, and some of the largest breasts Vahn had ever seen. Accompanying her had been the goddess Eirene, who had a gentle aura with blue hair, watery blue eyes, and the disposition of a warrior with modest breasts. They were two of the most influential goddesses in the entire City so they had been personally invited by Hephaestus to attend the ceremony.
The second to last group to arrive was a couple that made Vahn feel nervous even before they introduced themselves. Vahn could tell by the disposition of the Elven woman with blonde hair and emerald green eyes that she had to be Eina's mother, Aina. She was somewhat tall, around 171cm, and had a kind face that was almost identical to Eina's. Accompanying her was an honest-looking man with brown hair and an angular face that made him look very handsome. He was even taller than Aina, at nearly 180cm, and had an athletic looking build even though Vahn could tell he shouldn't even be Level 2.
When they arrived at the gate, Vahn had become somewhat rigid before bowing politely in accordance with the customs of the Elves and saying, "Greetings, Mrs. Tulle, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. And you must be..." Vahn had never actually heard anything about Eina's father before and this was his first time meeting the man who smiled and said, "Good morning, Vahn, my name is Thomas Tulle..." Vahn smiled in return before bowing politely once again and saying, "Greetings, Mr. Tulle, it is an honor to meet you..." Aina began laughing before walking forward and brushing the wrinkles from Vahn's collar as she said, "We'll be family from now on; don't be so formal anymore~."
Thomas gave a wry smile before walking forward and placing his hand on Vahn's shoulder as he said, "I'll be honest...this situation is a little bit different than I expected, but I'm glad my daughter found someone she loved so soon. Take care of her from now on..." Though he was doing his best to maintain a casual look, Vahn could see a bit of moisture building up in Thomas' eyes before Aina took his arm and said in a gentle tone, "You big softie...well, we'll be going ahead, Vahn. It is great to finally meet the man my eldest daughter talks about so often~" Vahn nodded his head with a smile and watched the two of them walk towards the Manor arm-in-arm. Though they had never met, Vahn knew Eina had a younger sister that should be around thirteen at the moment. Even though it wasn't that common for Elves to conceive children, Thomas seemed to be somewhat 'potent' as he was able to sire two children from Aina...
The last group to arrive was another pair, though not a couple as Aina and Thomas had been. Vahn's expression turned somewhat serious when he saw the tall elderly man walking towards them with a casual yet confident gait. Even with his [Eyes of Truth], Vahn realized he couldn't see through the man at all and knew this was one of Ouranos' avatars. Accompanying him was a god with short blonde hair and orange eyes that slanted at the ends in a lazy manner. He was wearing a strange orange tuxedo with a bright green checkered scarf that clashed with the rest of his attire. Though he was somewhat handsome with an amiable smile, Vahn knew he was a somewhat troublesome god named Hermes that had often interacted with Bell in the manga.
Vahn's back straightened as they approached and he had to look up at Ouranos who gazed down with his sky blue eyes and rumbled, "Sage Aldrnari...Vahn Mason..I have come to attend the wedding between you, the goddess Hephaestus, and the Guild Liason, Eina Tulle..." Without shying away from the pressure, Vahn took a breath and spoke confidently, "Ouranos...I welcome you into the Hearth Manor." Hearing Vahn address him by name, Ouranos showed an almost indiscernible smile as he knew Vahn must have used the 'Scroll of Prophecy' with some degree of success based on his disposition.
Using the lull in the conversation, Hermes raised in his and said, "Yo~! The name's Hermes, nice to meet you, Vahn." Vahn turned his attention to the smiling Hermes and returned a small smile of his own as he said, "Greetings, Hermes, allow me to welcome you as well..." Hermes waved his hand in a dismissive manner as he looked toward Syr with a larger smile and asked, "And who is this beautiful young woman~?" Syr, unfazed by his act, bowed politely as a glimmer passed through her light grey eyes and she said, "Greetings, Ouranos-sama, Hermes-sama, this little one is Syr Flova, matron of the Hearth Manor and aspirant bride to Vahn~." Vahn's eyes widened slightly at Syr's words but he didn't refute them at all as Hermes flustered slightly with a downtrodden face and said, "That's a shame..."
Ouranos nodded his head slightly and said, "Syr Flova, you seem to be a capable woman..." before he turned his attention back to Vahn and said, "It seems the Sage Aldrnari is blessed to be surrounded by many capable women..." Vahn could tell that, though his words were somewhat abrasive, Ouranos was giving his honest impressive on things and it actually made him feel a bit of pride well up inside of him. Turning his attention to Syr, Vahn matched her gaze before replying, "Indeed, I truly have been blessed..." Syr's smile widened marginally as a rosy hue appeared on her cheeks before she said, "Shall we make our way inside~?" Vahn nodded in response before gesturing invitingly with his hands and saying, "Please, Ouranos, Hermes, if you'll follow me..."
Though it was considered rude for Vahn, a mortal, to address gods without honorifics, he was unwilling to do so since it would lower Hephaestus, Loki, Hestia, and Anubis if he called other gods with honorifics in their presence. Ouranos and Hermes didn't seem to mind at all and there was even a slight glimmer in the Sky God's eyes as he walked behind Vahn. This was his first time meeting Vahn through his avatar and he could tell that Vahn's potential was far higher than his initial assumptions. It had been a major gamble to give such a rare artifact to the boy, but Ouranos now felt vindicated since Vahn had obviously been positively impacted by it. He didn't know what Vahn had seen, but it was apparent that it inspired confidence in the boy and made him carry himself with pride and an echo of nobility.
As there were only twenty minutes left before the ceremony officially began, Vahn escorted Ouranos and Hermes directly to the backyard where the elaborate stage had been arranged. There were more than forty guests present but Vahn showed Ouranos and Hermes to the VIP seating at the very front row where Loki, Anubis, Miach, Takemikazuchi, Demeter, and Eirene were already sitting. Loki's eyes opened slightly at the arrival of the two while the other gods had varying reactions as they began to exchange greetings. Vahn was required elsewhere, so he left the gods to mingle amongst themselves before moving behind the stage and finishing the final preparations with the assistance of Syr, Milan, and Aki.
Vahn's final outfit consisted of an ornate black tunic with golden embroidery and solid gold buttons adorning it from top to bottom. Overtop the black tunic, Vahn wore an ornate black haori that had a black inner lining with a white exterior sewn with the symbol that had been established to represent Vahn's position in the Alliance. There were five small circles linked by an intricate pentagon, each containing the emblems of the five original members of the Alliance with the Hestia Familia emblem located in the center to emphasize their position as the 'heart' of the Alliance. It was a rather 'bold' design and it was decided that only Vahn would be allowed to wear this symbol on his back.
Once he was completely prepared, the three girls wished him luck before leaving him alone behind the stage as he waited patiently for the music to begin playing. Though he should have felt nervous, Vahn actually felt very calm at the moment and focused on his domain and regulating the temperature around the guests to ensure that it was warm and comfortable for everyone present. There was still a chance his enemies would try to interfere with the wedding, but it wasn't likely considering how much security had been mobilized for the event.
Even when he was waiting at the gate for more than four hours, there wasn't a single person that was allowed to even enter the streets surrounding the Manor that didn't belong to the Alliance. The 'pedestrians' that Roux had been cautious of earlier were actually just the constant patrols that had been looking for any signs of trouble. Given the thousands of people that were mobilized to ensure things ran smoothly, it was nearly impossible to even find an opportunity to interfere with the wedding, even though there were likely many people that wanted to. Knowing this, Vahn allowed himself to remain calm without worrying about excess concerns all the way up until the moment the music began to play...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Troublesome Goddess...','Women's Intuition','Ouranos' Arrival','Vahn's Calm')
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Chapter 442: Matrimony
When he heard the sound of the music begin playing, Vahn released a gentle sigh before opening his eyes and walking up the back of the stage and stepping in front of the gathered attendees who were all looking toward him with smiles. Vahn returned a wide smile of his own as he walked toward Hestia, who was standing at the ceremonial altar holding a large golden pot hearth that burned with a wispy flame. As the Goddess of the Hestia Familia, which Vahn belonged to, she would be the one presiding over the ceremony and officiating the vows. She was dressed in a beautiful ceremonial white dress with a golden laurel wreath framing her long black hair that had been let down for the purpose of the ceremony.
Vahn stopped next to Hestia and she showed a vibrant smile without saying anything since, though she was on the stage, it wasn't her 'show' this time around. Vahn felt a warmth spread through his chest as he stood tall and waited for the bridal procession to arrive. He wasn't sure how they had arranged things, but he could see that Fenrir, Tina, and Shizune were missing from the crowd along with Tsubaki and Eina's father, Thomas. Vahn waited patiently for the tempo of the music to change to the sound of gentle bells that danced in the wind accompanied by the sound of string instruments. Musicians were relatively rare in the danmachi record, but that didn't mean there weren't any since Bards and Minstrels roamed the lands.
With the change in tempo, the doors at the back of the Manor opened and Vahn's smile widened greatly when he saw the two beautiful women step over the threshold of the door together. Hephaestus and Eina were both wearing the dresses he had 'forged' for them, but their beauty had been pushed to an almost ethereal level by the rest of their ensemble. Hephaestus had a laurel wreath in her hair that was a blazing red that was a few shades more vibrant than her own hair. Though she didn't need it, she had on a light layer of makeup that accented her natural beauty and Vahn could even tell she had powdered her chest and shoulders. She carried a large bouquet of roses that were a combination of reds and oranges and her entire outfit made her like exactly like what she was, a fiery Goddess of the Forge. True to the dress' function, Hephaestus's entire body seemed to glow and it was like the entire world dimmed around her...all but one part of it.
Eina had a silver tiara and her brown hair had been tied up into an intricate bun at the back of her head with her sideburns braided. Though Hephaestus stood out like a vibrant sun, Eina wasn't overshadowed by her at all and was gentle and placid like the moon with a calm aura spreading from her body. The bouquet in her hand consisted of roses that were colored white and blue and she even had a small amount of blue eyeshadow causing her vibrant emerald green eyes to stand out even more. Like Hephaestus, Eina had a beautiful smile on her face that caused Vahn to feel a mixture of warmth, happiness, and love for both of the awe-inspiring beauties...
For many people, this was their first time seeing Hephaestus and Eina in their dresses and it was such an impact that even the musicians had stalled for several seconds as the girls followed behind the adorable Fenrir, Tina, and Shizune who were garbed in pure white dainty dresses. Fenrir had an awkward smile on her face with glowing scarlet eyes, but she still looked very cute as she led the way holding a black orb that Vahn didn't recognize. Tina and Shizune were both carrying a dove gingerly in their hands, one for each bride, and they followed Fenrir with bashful smiles on their somewhat flushed faces.
Vahn had an urge to laugh at the girls but managed to keep his composure and stand tall as the procession made its way toward him. The music had started up again after their brief pause and everything was proceeding smoothly. Vahn couldn't fault the group because even he, who had some mental preparations as the designer of the dresses, had stalled when he saw them appear. He watched the two inordinately beautiful women approach them with happy smiles on their face and it felt like he might float away as a result of how happy he felt at the moment. Hephaestus was escorted by Tsubaki, who was wearing a beautiful kimono, while Eina was escorted by her father, Thomas.
When she approached, Fenrir did her best to smile properly as she presented the orb to Vahn and said, "Here, Vahn, you will need this~!" Vahn nodded his head and accepted the orb as Fenrir released a relieved sigh and muttered, "Fenrir didn't scratch it..." before standing off to the side where there was a small blue dot on the ground designating her spot. Tina and Shizune smiled at Vahn before taking their positions at each flank as they held the large white doves in their hands that were surprisingly well behaved.
As they hadn't been far behind the three girls, Hephaestus and Eina stepped onto the stage with their accompaniment, Tsubaki and Thomas, who both bowed politely before 'passing' the two girls into Vahn's hands. Vahn had accepted Hephaestus's right hand with his left and Eina's left with his right as the two girls stood at both sides of him facing toward Hestia. He hadn't felt nervous previously, but now Vahn's heart was beating madly because of the synergy he had with Hephaestus. The moment he made contact with the two girls, he could feel their emotions streaming into him and they created a feedback loop that compounded on everything they were each feeling. Even Hephaestus and Eina showed mild blushes on their faces that were covered with a light layer of makeup.
Hestia's face was beaming as she said in a chipper tone, "Welcome, fellow gods, goddesses, family, and friends, to the wedding between Vahn Mason, Hephaestus, and Eina Tulle. It is my honor as presiding goddess to bless these three in holy matrimony before such a prestigious congregation. May fate smile upon these three for all days to come hereafter and, should tragedy befall them, may they face their trials together with the resolve to overcome all difficulties. Though it is often difficult to face adversity alone, things become much easier when confronted by those that share powerful bonds of love between them..."
Being the center of attention was something that Hestia adored and she spoke each of her words clearly and with emotion that affected the entire congregation. As the focus of her words, Vahn, Hephaest, and Eina all had serious expressions on their faces as they each smiled toward her. Realizing she was getting a bit carried away, Hestia began to blush a little and drew her opening remarks to a close as she dripped a drop of her own blood into the hearth and set it ablaze. The flame burned a vibrant golden color before Hestia nodded her head and said, "The groom has the right to address his brides before conducting the ceremony...is there anything you would like to say before you officially become Husband and Wives?"
Vahn took a deep breath before looking between Hephaestus and Eina, who both had beautiful smiles on their rosy faces as they looked at Vahn with gazes filled with love. With a firm nod, Vahn stepped back slightly so he could address both girls at the same time and said, "I honestly have no words to describe how blessed I feel right now...but I will do my best to show you a fraction of what I'm feeling with what few I can manage. Hephaestus...Eina...no matter how many days pass from here on, I will never be able to repay what you have done for me...therefore, I ask that you allow me to spend the rest of my life doing so. I love both of you so much...I wouldn't be the man I am today if I hadn't had the fortune of meeting you..." Though he had tried to keep his composure, Vahn felt tears begin to well up in his eyes and it was becoming increasingly difficult to speak. Both girls had made so many sacrifices for him and, even though he knew they didn't want any form of repayment, Vahn felt like he wanted to do everything he could to make them happy...
Hephaestus' expression also began to break somewhat and her eyes became moist as a healthy blush spread through her cheeks. Vahn talked about feeling indebted to her, but she felt like she could spend all of her wealth and never repay a fraction of what she had received from him. It was a little unfair that he got to speak first because there was so much she wanted to say that paralleled his words. Just the fact that he had healed her eye was more than she could have ever hoped for but, against all expectations, she now carried his child and had the opportunity to experience the various miracles he created. He had pulled her away from what should have been an eternity of loneliness even though they had only known each other for a short five months...
Eina was surprisingly composed compared to the two, as she wasn't influenced by the power of the bond they shared with each other. Her expression had softened a great deal hearing Vahn's words but, other than a powerful urge to hug and comfort him, she wasn't that overwhelmed. Eina simply cared about Vahn's well being, though those feelings had evolved into love over time, so she almost felt like a big sister watching her little brother get married, even though she was one of the brides holding his hand. She truly felt blessed to be able to experience a moment like this and knew that Vahn would create a brighter future for all of them. And, whenever he was tired from his exploits, she would always be waiting for his return to bring him even the smallest bit of comfort to warm his tired heart...
Tilting his head back slightly to keep tears from falling, Vahn took several breaths to try and calm down. He could use [Will of the Emperor] to forcibly calm down, but Vahn wanted to experience every part of this moment himself, without the influence of skills and abilities. He could see the love and care in the eyes of his two beautiful brides and it gave him the confidence to continue as he said, "From now on, let's find our happiness together...I believe we can overcome as long as our bonds are strong enough." Hephaestus squeezed Vahn's hand tightly as she muttered, "Let's be happy together...forever..." Eina giggled slightly at Hephaestus' words before saying, "I'm not sure I can manage forever, but I can promise the rest of my life..."
At this point, the atmosphere had become a little awkward because many of the girls in the crowd also had eager looks on their face and it was very obvious for many of the other guests present that this wasn't a simple ceremony between three people anymore. Even Hestia, who was supposed to be presiding over things and guiding them forward had a slightly flushed face as she said, "O-okay...Ano, ah, yes!" After collecting herself a bit, Hestia smiled sheepishly and continued, "Though you entered here today as individuals you will leave together as Husband and Wives, perpetually bound by the union you have agreed upon. To consecrate your union, each of you must insert a drop of your blood into this hearth before swearing a vow to sanctify your marriage..."
Since the girls were holding bouquets in their other hands, Vahn had to use a small needle to prick both of their fingers before using the same needle on himself. Together, they all placed their hand over the hearth and let a drop of blood fall from their fingers and into the wispy golden flames below. The flames became much more lively with the inclusion of the new blood before golden particles arose from the hearth and entered their bodies.
Vahn, as the groom, took the initiative to say, "I, Vahn Mason, hereby swear a vow to uphold my responsibilities as Husband to both Hephaestus and Eina..." Following his words, Hephaestus said, "I, Hephaestus, Goddess of Forging, hereby swear a vow to uphold my responsibilities as a Wife to Vahn Mason..." Lastly, Eina smiled and said, "I, Eina Tulle, hereby swear a vow to uphold my responsibilities as a Wife to Vahn Mason..." With their vows finished, several more wisps of gold emerged from the hearth and entered the bodies of Vahn, Hephaestus, and Eina before the flame began to dim and return to normal.
Hestia smiled widely and declared, "Henceforth, may your paths never diverge and may you always find happiness and comfort with each other regardless of the passage of time. By my status as a Goddess, I, Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth, hereby declare Vahn Mason, Hephaestus, and Eina Tulle as Husband, Wife, and Wife. You may kiss your brides~!" Vahn had taken a deep breath as Hestia spoke and immediately kissed Hephaestus for a short while before turning to Eina and doing the same. To make up for having her 'wait', Vahn kissed Eina for a little while longer before pulling away and embracing both women in his arms.
Everyone in the crowd clapped happily and celebrated in their own ways as they allowed themselves to get caught up in the momentum of things. However, before the celebrations could officially begin, Hephaestus stepped away from Vahn with a smile on her face as she turned toward everyone before turning her gaze to Ouranos and saying, "Before all those gathered here today, I, Hephaestus, would like to take an 'Eternal Vow' toward my husband, Vahn Mason, with Ouranos, God of the Sky, as my witness..." Though it was already known by several people, as she had announced her intent during the Denatus, Hephaestus' words still caused a stir in the crowd as Ouranos rose to his feet and said in a low tone that caused all other conversations to come to an end, "Very well...I, Ouranos, stand witness to your vow..."
Hephaestus nodded her head before turning to Vahn and asking with a smile, "Where is the orb?" Vahn gulped as he took the orb out of his inventory and held it out for Hephaestus but she didn't take it into her hands and instead placed her palm above it and said, "On my soul, I, Hephaestus, swear an Eternal Vow to uphold my fidelity and never again know a man other than Vahn Mason..." Since he already knew about her vow, Vahn didn't say anything to stop her but added in his mind, ("I can't promise to never be with another woman, but I swear I will not leave you to spend an eternity alone...even if I one day leave this world, I will always return to you, Hephaestus...")
When Hephaestus' words came to an end powerful golden energy flowed from her hands and infused itself into the orb before the entire thing turned into particles and retreated back into her body. The orb was a powerful artifact called a 'Soul Orb' that could even fuse with the soul of a god if they made a vow using it as a medium. From now, until Hephaestus' soul ceased to exist, she would always be bound by her Eternal Vow lest she face the destruction of her soul if she failed to uphold the condition of her vow. Since she had made the vow without any other terms, it was nearly impossible for her to exploit any loopholes so she would carry her promise with her for all of eternity, even if it took billions of years for her to fade out of existence.
Though she had just made a serious vow, Hephaestus showed a happy smile on her face as she moved forward and embraced Vahn tightly as she kissed him. Her actions triggered the official celebration as Ouranos nodded his head and even began to clap, setting off a chain reaction that affected the entire congregation. Eina felt somewhat 'overshadowed' by Hephaestus' actions but showed a happy smile on her face as she walked forward and accepted Vahn's kiss when Hephaestus released him. Tina and Shizune used this as an opportunity to release the doves in their hands and everyone released a happy cheer as the birds flew towards the horizon...
---
There wasn't a tradition of cutting a wedding cake, but the celebration after the ceremony did include a banquet where the groom tended to the male guests while the brides were received by the other women. Vahn ended up at a table with Ouranos, Hermes, Takemikazuchi, Miach, Welf, Ouka, Finn, Gareth, and Bete. Since it was a celebration, Vahn had set out a cask of [Dwarven Drought] which was inarguably the best liquor many people had tasted. Because it was also somewhat 'dangerous', many people mixed it with water to dilute it so they wouldn't get drunk after a single glass. Of course, this didn't stop some people from getting drunk quickly...
Welf tossed back a glass of diluted drought as Gareth laughed loudly and egged him on in a boisterous tone while patting the collapsed Bete's back. After finishing the contents of his glass, Welf released a loud 'Paaaa~!' before laughing loudly and saying, "You really did it, Vahn~! Ahahahaha!" Ever since the ceremony had started, Welf had been somewhat nervous and a little melancholic. Hephaestus had been his aspiration for many years and it was still somewhat difficult to see her marry someone else, much less take an Eternal Vow after the fact. Though he knew there was no chance he would be with her, seeing her make the vow had been a big impact to him. Fortunately, he quickly made friends with Gareth and Vahn provided delicious liquor free of charge.
Vahn laughed awkwardly at Welf's outburst yet again before dodging another question from Hermes who had been probing him for details about the girls at the Manor. Hermes had a slightly flushed face, even though Vahn could tell from his aura he wasn't actually drunk, as he asked, "So, do you think I have a chance with any of the girls in the Hestia Familia~? I think our Familias could become powerful allies in the future if we, hic, work together more often. You know, hic, there are a number of beautiful girls in my Familia as well, ahahahaha, hic, hahaaaa" Vahn had no doubt Hermes likely had several beautiful girls around him, especially with how handsome he was, but Vahn had just gotten married and it was somewhat annoying to hear the god pestering him about other women.
As if he had also grown tired of Hermes' outbursts, Ouranos' voice rumbled as he said, "Hermes, cease your nonsense. Show some propriety befitting your status as a god..." Hearing the reprimand of the senior god, Hermes placed his hands together apologetically and said, "Sorry, sorry, I just can't help myself when it comes to beautiful women~. I still think we can work together in the future, however, so please don't be offended. The next time I stop by, I'll introduce you to some cute...girls..." As he was speaking, Hermes set his head down on the table like he was suddenly very sleepy and, to Vahn's surprise, actually fell asleep.
Vahn squinted his eyes slightly and he became more cautious against Hermes and decided he would consult Loki and Hephaestus later to see if there was actually any good reason to work together with the somewhat sly god. The fact that he arrived with Ouranos showed he had some status and, from what Vahn could recall from the manga, his Familia was actually quite powerful as well. The only problem was, Vahn felt like Hermes wasn't the type that could be trusted easily unless he was constrained by a vow like Loki and Freya. Since he didn't seem like the type to accept such restraints, it would probably be difficult to have any lasting cooperation with the 'whimsical' god.
---
The banquet came to an end without any major hiccups, mainly because Bete had passed out early on after trying to drink the [Dwarven Drough] undiluted. Welf had fallen asleep after a bout of drinking with Gareth and, likely due to the fact he knew he was offending Vahn, Hermes also 'forced' himself to sleep somehow. Vahn spent the rest of the banquet talking with Finn about their upcoming expeditions and even knocked a few glasses with Ouka, though the somewhat serious young man still seemed to hold a grudge with Vahn. Take' and Miach also contributed to the conversation, but they seemed to get along better with each other than anyone else at the table.
After each group of guests left, with Vahn escorting them to the gate, he returned to the Manor with a giddy feeling spreading through his stomach. Because of tradition, Hephaestus and Eina had been whisked away by the other girls as they feasted inside the Manor, away from the men. The banquet had officially come to an end when Syr came back outside and informed Vahn that the 'preparations' were ready so he had to finish his job as a host and have everyone that didn't live in the Manor leave. Many of them had temporary residences or lived nearby so it wasn't a major issue that some of their members had passed out. Since the Amazons hadn't accompanied him to the wedding, Welf ended up being carried on Gareth's shoulder which caused Loki to have a laughing fit because he was also carrying the red-faced Bete...
When Vahn entered the Manor, he noticed that everything was almost eerily quiet and he could detect that, other than two presences on the third floor, everyone else was gathered together in the dining room. Vahn was somewhat curious about what they were up to but he knew that his 'duty' lay elsewhere so he made his way up the staircase while skipping a few steps. He had been tempted to use [Shundo] to jump straight to the stairs landing, but he didn't want to seem desperate. Vahn couldn't deny he was very excited, but he didn't want to embarrass himself by acting too uncouth. This didn't stop him from moving fast enough to reach the outside of his own room in less than thirty seconds, however...
For a brief moment, Vahn nearly knocked on his own door before realizing how ridiculous that would have been and instead turned the handle and stepped into the interior where the sound dampening barrier was already active. Though they were originally supposed to take off the dresses during their 'preparation', Vahn had told them they had a special function when he had given them to the two girls in the past. After they washed their bodies free of all the makeup, they wore the dresses once again before awaiting Vahn in 'their' bedchamber. The final part of a traditional wedding in Eden had the girls receive their husband in the bedchamber after the wedding and it was quite the sight to see the contrasting red and dark blue of Hephaestus' and Eina sitting on the bed with their dresses spread out like a fan as they both stared at him with flushed faces.
Vahn could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he took a step forward before snapping around and locking the door behind him in a hurry. Unless there was an emergency, this was a night dedicated to his two wives and he didn't want any interruptions at all. Though he couldn't hear them, Vahn saw Hephaestus and Eina laugh as he walked closer to them with a confident gait as his chest swelled up with pride at how beautiful the two girls were. He heard their laughter as he approached before Hephaestus asked, "So, what 'secret' do these dresses hold that you even wanted us to wear them on our wedding night~?" Because she had been curious about it, Hephaestus had studied the dress in detail but was unable to discern what special functions Vahn had designed without taking it apart.
With a smile on his face, Vahn gestured to Hephaestus and Eina and said, "Stand up, I'll show you..." Hephaestus nodded before arranging her dress and climbing out of the bed, taking special care not to damage it in the process. Eina, however, had started to become increasingly red as time passed and Vahn could tell her aura was flickering like a flame. She may have made her resolve in the past, even to the point that they were now wed, but taking the final leap and losing her virginity was somewhat scary. Of course, this didn't stop her from climbing out of the bed as well, even though she was somewhat mechanical in her movements.
Vahn smiled at the two girls when they stood in front of him before tracing his index fingers along a series of gemstones adorning their hips. The moment he pressed the correct combination, both of their gowns freed themselves from the bodice of their dresses and they were suddenly standing in what looked like a corset with their stockings, garter belts, and panties on full display. Hephaestus's eyes widened slightly as an amorous smile blossomed on her face but Eina became beet red in an instant and covered her body with her hands even though Vahn had seen her naked several times...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fire and Ice Phoenix Descend...','Eternal Vow','Bashful Half-Elf')
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