Chapter 573: Two Tails, Six Pointy Ears
After spending a bit of time washing laundry, Vahn and Aki ended up leaving behind the room, but not before Vahn aired it out with his domain so it would be easier on the other girls' noses. As for Aki, she held onto his arm with a pleasant and gentle smile on her face as he led her toward a study where they could get some fresh air and relax. Though her physical appearance hadn't changed that much, Aki's disposition had undergone great changes since she first arrived at the Hearth Manor. She wasn't actively going into the Dungeon anymore so, instead of the Adventurer attire she used to wear, Aki now wore a simple black dress with a white smock loosely hanging around her shoulders. The maternity band he had given her couldn't be seen, but Vahn knew she was wearing it under her clothes along with a pair of dark grey, almost black, spats-like shorts.
Since she didn't leave much recently, Aki always walked around in white socks while keeping a pair of comfortable boots at both the front and back entrance of the Manor. She also didn't put that much effort into keeping her medium-length hair neat and proper, instead, allowing it to curve slightly at the ends as it slowly increased in length. Overall, she looked far more motherly than the mature young beauty she had been previously...less like a secretary and more like an expectant mother that was enjoying life. This change had been even more apparent after her 'parting' with Raul and, though he wasn't aware of it himself, her decision to love Vahn better after hearing him 'confess' his troubles during the hypnosis.
Once they reached their destination, Vahn picked at single-person chair instead of a larger sofa because he wanted Aki to sit in his lap so he could hold her from behind. She understood his intentions and laughed in a gentle manner, saying, "You must be in a good mood today~nya?" Vahn was always far more affectionate when he was happy because he wanted to 'share' his happiness with others. They had all been receiving 'lessons' for the last three weeks about what to pay attention to when they were around Vahn, as it took the effort of almost everyone to make sure he didn't push himself too hard. Her role was one of the more important ones since it was very apparent that 'mothers' had a very special meaning to Vahn. They all 'pampered' him more than the other girls and 'spoiled' him a bit by allowing him to be clingy at times.
When Aki gingerly sat down on his lap, Vahn noticed that her butt had become a little softer while the rest of her body had put on a bit of weight as a result of her pregnancy. Even her breasts, which were somewhat modest previously, had started to swell up a bit and she often complained about how tender they had become at times. Reaching his hands around her waist, Vahn placed both palms on her belly as she relaxed her body against his. He was tempted to nibble on her ear, as it was right in front of his mouth, but instead just kissed the back of her head and muttered, "I love you, Aki..." Both of her ears flickered before she turned her head up at him with a gentle smile and said, "I know, Vahn...that is why I love you so much as well...nyufufu~."
They didn't really have much to talk about so Vahn just spent the remaining time until lunch simply cradling Aki's body in his arms. Though she had originally sat on his lap, Aki eventually pulled her legs up into the chair and laid back using Vahn's arm as a support as she curled up into a more comfortable position. This allowed them to see each other better and always made Vahn feel happy because he liked having the adorable Cat Girls curl up in his lap since it felt like he could spoil and pamper them more easily. He even fed her a few of the foods she was 'craving' since he could purchase pretty much anything she could think of through the system shop...
Around lunchtime, Aki knew it was about time to bring things to an end so she sat up in Vahn's lap, this time facing toward him, and hugged around his neck before kissing him deeply for a few minutes. Vahn placed his hands around her lower back and playfully thumbed the ribbon around her tail without doing anything too intense to 'trigger' her. He had also been doing his best to try and act affectionally without trying to rile up the girls just because he wanted to see how they reacted. Vahn knew it made things 'difficult' for them if he played around too much and there was no way he could 'tease' one of the pregnant girls without feeling very guilty about it.
After their embrace came to an end, Vahn helped Aki stand since he was always worried that big movements would potentially harm their child. This didn't seem to be a big concern for many women in the record, but Vahn had read too many books about the potential dangers and was a bit paranoid about it. He didn't want to be the reason for a mishap and often 'scanned' the bellies of the girls with his eyes to make sure there weren't any problems. Thus far, everything had been going well and the only real concerns he had were related to the 'Vanir' that had yet to be born.
Vahn didn't only check up on his women but had also met with Freya and Holda to make sure their pregnancies were progressing without issue. He was able to see that their pregnancies were actually 'relatively' normal compared to those of Hephaestus and Loki, meaning they would give birth after nine months without any great variations. Freya seemed to have calmed down a lot after getting pregnant, but her presence still unnerved him a bit since he always got a 'dangerous' feeling from her. As for Holda, Vahn got along with her and Chris very well, even extending an offer to Chris to visit his Clubhouse when he was free...
Though the observation of other goddesses, Vahn knew the Vanir were truly unique existences and there was no way of knowing exactly how they would develop with time. He even speculated that, by putting an inhibitor on them when they were young, the Vanir may age at a relatively normal rate, or even slower than normal. Since he didn't plan on 'experimenting' on his children, Vahn would likely never find out but he was still considering potential 'solutions' for existences such as Lenneth. It would also allow him to get some insight into how Divinity could be 'developed' over time since he already knew from the Divination that it was possible for their pseudo-divinities to mature into actual Divinities if they put in the effort to grow...
Since he hadn't actually been that hungry, Vahn went to find the next girl he wanted to spend time with, assuming they could always eat together if the opportunity presented itself. Given the 'trend' set by his next 'target', Vahn assumed she would actually be very hungry and he could probably catch her on her way to raid the pantry. As expected, which brought a big grin to his face, Vahn found a sleepy-looking Arnya walking through the Manor with a sickly expression on her face. On her days off, Arnya usually slept in because she still got a bad case of morning sickness compared to all the other girls. Vahn knew it was a result of her diet and the increased hormonal levels in her body, but Arnya was adamant about eating very specific foods, claiming that it would make their child healthier when it was born.
Sensing his presence, Arnya's eyes widened before her expression turned from sickly into a more 'normal' appearance with a sheepish grin. Vahn smiled and said, "It's too late, I've already seen you, Arnya." In response, Arnya showed a somewhat bashful expression and allowed Vahn to pick her up and carry her off. This wasn't the first time he had intercepted her so she already knew better than to try and make an 'excuse'.
Much like Aki, Arnya had also changed how she saw Vahn after watching his 'confession' nearly a month ago. She always believed he was a very powerful and mentally strong boy, but it turned out to be that he was actually struggling quite a bit just to make all of them happy. Since she was in one of the 'important' positions around Vahn, Arnya decided to let her guard down around him and allowed him to take care of her while she did her best to ensure he was also happy...
Vahn had Arnya lay down using his lap as a pillow and pulled out a tray of grilled fish, a milk-like beverage that was high in protein, and several apricots, each food items he knew Arnya would want to eat. She tried to ensure a good balance of vitamins but focused on foods that were high in Protein and Calcium. He picked up one of the strips of grilled fish with a handkerchief and handed it to Arnya so she could eat it herself while he peeled the apricots and removed their seeds. Arnya had a light blush on her face and accepted the fish, saying, "Thank you, Vahnyaaa~." Vahn smiled and stroked Arnya's soft brown hair while gently poking at the thin white hairs inside her ears. He knew she was 'appealing' to his sensibilities by 'acting' cutely, but he wasn't going to stop her since it really did have an impact on his heart and mind.
After petting her for a short while, Vahn handed her another fish before starting to peel the apricots for her consumption. While he was skillfully removing the skin, Vahn looked down at Arnya's belly and remarked, "Even though it's been more than three months, you hardly look pregnant compared to the other girls..." Many of the girls were only a few weeks apart in their pregnancies, but Arnya only had a small bump in her stomach and Vahn could almost see the lines of her abs if she flexed her body. When she heard his words, Arnya's blush deepened a bit and she nibbled on the fish in her hands before saying, "I think it's because of my metabolism and the foods I eat...there shouldn't be any problems with the baby though...nyan~."
There could be very big differences between women during their pregnancies and Vahn had the 'unique' opportunity to see several women pregnant all at the same time. He knew Arnya was correct since he had often checked up on their child to make sure it was developing properly. Right now, there was an incredibly small cat person curled up in the fetal position within her tummy that always made Vahn feel a strange urge to cry whenever he laid eyes on it. He tried not to peek directly too often, but Vahn couldn't help himself when he was feeling worried. Because of this, he knew that Arnya's first child would also be a girl and she seemed to be full of vitality even though she hadn't developed that much just yet. When he had revealed this to Arnya in the past, she had come up with the name Alice, which Vahn agreed with almost immediately...
Once he finished peeling the apricot, Vahn cut it in half and removed the large seed before taking half of it and holding it in front of Arnya's lips. She stared at it for a brief moment before going, "Nyaaahn~" and chomping down on it, getting a bit of saliva on his fingers in the process. Vahn smiled and waited for her to finish eating the first half before giving her the second piece and watching as she bashfully chewed it under his gaze. He knew she got a little embarrassed at moments like this, but it was moments like this that made Vahn feel much closer to Arnya. Though she never really verbalized it directly, Arnya felt much the same way and preferred her private time with Vahn a lot more than the 'events' they had in the past.
After more than an hour, Arnya had almost become beet red because Vahn had helped lift her body slightly before 'feeding' her the milky protein supplement. She felt very flustered drinking the thick and creamy liquid and it didn't help at all seeing the gentle and smiling expression Vahn had on his face as he slowly tilted the cold glass bottle. It was infinitely more intimate and awkward to help someone drink than it was to simply feed them because there was no easy way to put an end to the moment. There was always a chance he would pull away too early, causing a bit of a mishap, or she would be unable to drink it fast enough and end up spilling the liquid around her lips.
When Arnya finished drinking the entire bottle in one go, Vahn smiled and set the bottle off to the side before bending down and licking up the excess creme that was at the side of her mouth and upper lip. He knew not to push her too far, but Arnya's bashful appearance was very satisfying and Vahn knew she was just embarrassed and not really 'excited'. With his ability to read auras, and his understanding of their bodies, Vahn knew when to reign himself in. It was harder when he was in a group, but during times like this, it was a lot easier to control himself, especially with the pregnant girls.
Arnya released a heavy sigh through her nose and said, "Okay, I'm full nyeow..." and lifted her head while Vahn supported her shoulders. She had already completely recovered from her morning sickness with Vahn's help and the meal made her want to move her body around a bit. Vahn helped to massage her shoulders and loosen up her joints by stretching before she left to go track down Syr. He watched her go with a thoughtful expression and was both happy and sad that she was such a strong and independent woman. She let him spoil her, but Vahn knew that Arnya wasn't really the type that needed to be pampered to be happy.
Most of her time was spent watching over Maemi and Emiru train or preparing all kinds of items for the birth of her own child. Knowing it was a girl actually motivated Arnya a great deal because she genuinely wanted to revive her spearmanship school using her children as the first students. She wouldn't force them into it but, much like she had been given free rein when she was younger, but Arnya planned to push them if they wanted to become stronger. Having a daughter meant that she would be able to 'inspire' any other daughters she had while giving any sons 'motivation' to exceed their elder sister. Vahn could already imagine a tiny version of Arnya dancing around in the back yard with a spear and it made him feel very warm inside since he imagined she would also be quite rambunctious...
With Hephaestus and Loki at the Denatus, the last girl on Vahn's 'visitation' list ended up being Ryuu. Though it hadn't been a guarantee, his fateful rendezvous with Ryuu had indeed resulted in her getting pregnant and it was a pretty significant event for Riveria, Lefiya, Sierra, Pram, and even Eina. Previously, Vahn's conjecture had been speculation, even though it was supported by a lot of evidence, so having an 'example' to show how the infertility issue could be resolved was very important. This meant that they had indeed discovered the root of the problem and it would be much easier to find solutions, even if Vahn himself didn't continue to take action. However, there was still a few points of contention that needed to be addressed and Riveria knew that her 'involvement' would be necessary to ascertain the truth of the matter.
As she spent the majority of her time there, Vahn found Ryuu in the garden with Terra and Riveria as they all sat around and enjoyed their own light lunch. Ryuu had also changed how she dressed, even though she hadn't shown any physical signs of her pregnancy just yet, and was now wearing a loose white sundress that made Vahn's mind stall for a moment when he first saw her. She seemed even more vibrant and beautiful than the stoic elf from the past because she had a more youthful appearance now and could almost always be found with a smile on her face. Pregnancy for an Elf had always been a very big issue in the past so they had a culture that cherished the new life greatly, meaning that Ryuu had mellowed out a bit and was far more kind to everyone around her.
Terra had noticed his arrival before the others but had kept quiet, simply watching his arrival and allowing Riveria and Ryuu to take the initiative. Even though she couldn't be certain, Terra knew that her Master hadn't come here for her and she had been trying to act less selfishly so as not to offend the other girls. Even more than Riveria and Ryuu, Terra had a great appreciation for life and she had been around Ryuu ever since the Elven woman got pregnant. This allowed her to view the changes in Ryuu's disposition over time and also enabled her to understand and empathize with others a little better. Previously, she had seen the other pregnant women but hadn't been around to observe the changes with her own eyes. Given that she didn't really interact with them, unless they came to the garden, this meant that Terra previously lacked that empathy and simply treated it as 'natural' instead of recognizing the 'significance' behind the pregnancies...
Since they were both high leveled Adventurers, Ryuu and Riveria had quickly noticed the change in Terra's demeanor and expression. Turning their heads, they saw Vahn's arrival, causing Ryuu's smile to become softer as her eyes squinted affectionately. As for Riveria, she had a slightly more complex expression in her eyes but still managed an almost indiscernible smile at the edges of her somewhat pale pink lips. Vahn raised his hand in greeting and said, "Good afternoon...I wanted to spend a bit of time with Ryuu, but I don't mind joining you for tea if you were already having a discussion..." Though his words could be misconstrued as a bit presumptuous, none of the girls seemed to mind them at all as Riveria said, "We weren't talking about anything important..."
Terra released a peal of elegant laughter as her wings rustled slightly and she said, "My, my, and I was led to believe that-." Before Terra could finish her words, Riveria shot her a sidewards glance with a 'warning' look in her eyes that was easily understood by the intelligent True Dragon. She had just wanted to tease Riveria a little so Terra just playfully put her hands over her lips and laughed instead of finishing her words. As for Ryuu, she placed her cup of tea on the table and stood up from her chair as she asked, "Did you have something specific in mind, Vahn?" Vahn smiled to match Ryuu's before nodding his head and saying, "Just the usual..." which caused Ryuu's sky-blue eyes to glimmer slightly.
Ever since she got pregnant, Vahn had been making sure Ryuu's pregnancy progressed smoothly and had been helping 'nourish' her body. Though the most effective way would have been to have sex, Vahn couldn't help but feel it was strange to nourish his developing child through such a method and had instead opted for simply infusing his energy into her stomach with [Yddrasil's Blessing] and [Hands of Nirvana]. It was almost like the skill [Yggdrasil's Blessing] had been tailor-made for such purposes as he could easily produce the type of energy needed by Ryuu's body even without relying on his [Hands of Nirvana] that much. Since the 'Tree of Life' had an ancestor named 'Yggdrasil', Vahn felt like it may have been 'fate' for him to have obtained such a 'useful' skill the moment he entered the record...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Aki's Motherly Evolution','Arnya's Playfulness','Nourishment')
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