Chapter 611: Strength
While Vahn had been observing her body, making sure there were no problems, Riveria had calmed down a great deal but continued holding onto him for a while longer. He really was very warm and, even though he was much younger than her, Riveria felt a strange sense of security being held like this. She could tell he was very serious about things as well and, when she focused her mind, Riveria sensed his 'intent' moving around in her body as he helped calm her down using his strangely comfortable hands. His [Petting] ability wasn't a secret to her but she didn't think it would be so 'helpful' in times like this...it made it surprisingly difficult to want to separate from him.
After releasing a hot sigh, Riveria loosened her grip on Vahn and allowed her legs to drop to the bed after she stopped squeezing Vahn's hips. She realized how embarrassing her actions had been in retrospect but couldn't really muster up enough desire to care right now as a strange calm settled in her body. Even though the massive wave of energy had passed, Rivera felt a pleasant tingling sensation in her lower body and, when she closed her eyes, she sensed a powerful vitality looping between her navel and an area she assumed was her womb. She lacked Vahn's ability to look within a person's body but had long since learned to detect the flow of energy in her own...
Vahn moved back a little because Riveria's butt was still on his thighs and she couldn't actually rest against the bed properly after dropping her legs. He also loosened up his grip and was surprised when Riveria didn't actually let him go at first, even though he could tell she was fatigued. Looking into her face, she had partly closed eyes that snapped to awareness the moment he made eye contact with her. With a bit of an awkward smile on her face, Riveria asked in a quiet and sheepish manner, "Will it always be like this...?" She wasn't putting any effort into sound masculine so Riveria currently sounded like a young woman with a bell-like voice that rung in Vahn's ears.
Realizing what she was asking, Vahn smiled and honestly answered, "It will get both easier while also increasing in intensity a bit. Things are somewhat difficult the first time around but, just like when you first got the formation tattooed on your stomach, your body will adapt..." Riveria's eyes closed as if she was in silent contemplation and Vahn could feel both anticipation and 'fear' from the mixture of chaotic yellows and strands of purple in her aura. Eventually, the strands slowly dissipated though so Vahn felt very relieved when Riveria opened her eyes and said, "Very well...I will do my best...darling..."
Vahn's smile widened greatly and he brought his face very close to Riveria's, gingerly placing his forehead against her's, almost as if they were about to kiss. However, the contact she anticipated didn't come and Vahn instead squinted his eyes slightly and said, "It isn't absolutely guaranteed, but congratulations on getting pregnant...my adorable little wife~." Riveria's eyes widened when she heard Vahn's words but this was also the same time he started kissing her, forcing her to swallow the words she wanted to say as his tongue invaded her mouth. Even though she knew this was the inevitable outcome, it still made her muddle-headed to hear Vahn say she was most likely pregnant. His kiss just added to the chaos in her mind so Riveria found it very hard to think and just focused on the fluttery feelings in her heart while returning Vahn's kiss in her own awkward way...
After a few minutes of tumbling around, Vahn eventually let up on Riveria and they ended up cuddling, still naked, looking towards the clear blue sky overhead. It was still early in the afternoon so they were in no rush to return just yet as the entire afternoon and evening had been set aside solely for their 'honeymoon'. Riveria was leaning somewhat awkwardly against Vahn's shoulder as he held her around the waist in a somewhat 'possessive' manner that strangely made her feel safe. He had already explained to her his observations during their union and she had felt a little sad when he talked about the eggs he had to remove, even though she knew it was necessary.
In the entire history of the Elven Kingdom, there had never been a single instance of more than one child being born and it was simply too dangerous to risk the chance of something happening. When Vahn described there were five different eggs, Riveria actually felt a little more relieved and that was also when he held her closely. She spent a little time listening to his heartbeat before turning to the sky where he had been staring, watching the billowy white clouds slowly make their way overhead.
Vahn had been waiting for Riveria's aura to stabilize for a while before asking, "How is your body feeling, Riveria...?" Riveria had been somewhat absentmindedly tapping against Vahn's chest and was a little surprised by his sudden question, closing her eyes in serious consideration before saying, "I can feel a constant loop of natural energy within my body and it seems to be sustained by the [Sage Aldrnari's Blessing]. I think your hypothesis about being able to nourish the fetus directly with the band is accurate since I don't feel any interference with the flow of mana in my body..." One of the biggest issues with High Elves getting pregnant was the fact that, a few weeks into the pregnancy, they wouldn't even be able to cast magic without great difficulty. Using it put the baby at risk and there are several instances of women having miscarriages during times of war, sometimes losing their own lives in the process as a result of overtaxing their vital energies.
Pulling Riveria a little closer, even though she furrowed her brows slightly in response, Vahn gave her a quick kiss and smiled, saying, "That is great to hear...please take care of your body and, if there are any issues at all, come to me immediately. From now on, you have to act out of consideration for the child in your belly and avoid taking risks..." Riveria wasn't fond of Vahn suddenly 'forcing' her to move but his kiss made her frustrations lesson greatly while his follow-up words made her completely forgive him. She felt a lingering warmth in her chest now and, every time he said something out of concern for her, Riveria felt the warmth flare up a bit and it made it hard to mind his 'uncouth' actions.
Instead of responding to Vahn's words, Riveria just laid back against his chest and closed her eyes, listening to his powerful and steady heartbeat. Vahn watched her actions with interest before just kissing the top of her head and spreading warm and calming energy through his domain to make her more comfortable. He didn't mind spending the whole afternoon just laying with her like this, especially considering she was still naked and had one of her legs interlocked with his. Having a capable and intelligent woman like Riveria acting so 'reliant' on him made Vahn feel an incredible sense of self-worth, especially considering they were now married and she was very likely carrying his child. There was no reason the 'loop' would stay active if that wasn't the case so Vahn felt the odds were very close to 100%, even if it was a few decimals off...
After nearly two hours, as Riveria had actually dozed off, she opened her jade-green eyes and stared off into space for a while before staring down at her left leg. She could feel the heat coming from Vahn's lower body and, now that she looked down, Riveria also saw his penis at rest against her thigh. The moment she became aware of it, Riveria felt a heat spread in her lower body while her ears became hot moments later. She released a hot sigh and felt ashamed of her own body's reaction since it seemed like she had suddenly become a 'loose' woman after a single sexual encounter. Since Vahn was probably paying attention to her aura, Riveria knew he was aware of her reaction too and this made her even more embarrassed.
As she suspected, Vahn was indeed aware of Riveria's sudden change and he honestly couldn't blame her since she hadn't yet adapted to the excess natural energy in her body. Even if he wasn't around, she would probably become 'heated' after a while and needed to 'release' some of the pent up energy or the frustration would just continue to build. She would eventually adapt, but that could take anywhere between ten and twenty-three days but Vahn's estimates. Considering that she probably didn't 'want' to have sex again, Vahn just kissed the top of Riveria's head and said, "Shhh, just listen to my heartbeat and relax..." in a calming tone.
Hearing Vahn's words, Riveria closed her eyes and continued to listen to his heartbeat, trembling a little when she felt his hand begin to move around. Soon after, however, Riveria felt like the heat in her body began to slowly vanish as it was replaced by a very comfortable feeling. Vahn was using his [Petting] to help her relax while also redirecting the flow of mana in Riveria's body so that some of the excess natural energy could escape through her pores. He didn't want her to feel ashamed of how her body was reacting and also wanted to give her time to sort through her emotions before they did anything else. Riveria would undoubtedly become more intimate with him in the future and there was no need to 'rush' things along just because she had urges beyond her control.
The calmer Riveria felt, the more melancholic she felt because, once again, she knew that Vahn had helped her in a very selfless manner. She was always relying on him and, even though she had resolved several times to do better by him, Riveria found that she lacked the ability to follow through. It made her feel a little pathetic, especially considering the vast difference in their ages, and Riveria lamented her own weakness. The fact that Vahn brought her so much comfort actually made her feel a little bit of anguish in her heart and, even though she tried to stop them, Riveria released a few tears to stain Vahn's fair white chest. He had even transformed into an entirely different race, just for her...something she couldn't even hope to do if he had needed her to do the same...
Vahn reached his fingers to Riveria's face and gently wiped away her tears, saying, "Riveria, it is my 'pride' to have you rely on me...you are a strong girl, never forget that. Don't become weak just for my sake..." Riveria, however, shook her head and said, "Vahn...I've always been a weak woman...even when I tried my best, it wasn't enough...I-" Vahn placed his index finger against Riveria's lips, silencing her words as he said, "Remember the vow we made while overlooking the continent just a few hours ago...Riveria, you are a strong person. You may not always have been, but you certainly are now...that is why I respect and admire you so much. Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to get to the point I'm at now since I would have lacked the confidence to continue forward. You inspired me to continue working hard and always showed a sincere interest in everything I was working on, even when I did inarguably silly things...thank you, Riveria."
At the end of his words, Vahn showed the most sincere smile he could manage before leaning forward and kissing Riveria's lips once again. She still had watery eyes, the sign of the conflicting emotions she was currently feeling, but made no effort to extricate herself. Instead, Riveria brought her left hand to Vahn's face and reciprocated his kiss, eventually turning her body to lay against his as the intertwined for several minutes. When the passionate embrace came to an end, Riveria was breathing a little heavily and had a ruddy blush on her face as she looked into Vahn's eyes and said, "You're a good man, Vahn...I want to be a good wife..."
Without any further explanation, Riveria brought her leg across Vahn's body and straddled his hips, sticking close to him as he brought his frustratingly hot member against her embarrassingly soppy entrance. Even though she still had to leave it to him to do most of the work, Riveria did her best to try to make Vahn happy, finding solace in his smile and comfort in his warm embrace. By the time they parted, the sun had already started to fall from the sky and Riveria felt like she had fought against several waves of monsters, both exhausted and proud of her achievement...
---
Riveria had ended up passing out while laying against him, so Vahn wiped down her naked body and before wrapping her in a loose blanket and carrying her all the way back to the Manor. He had been a little surprised by her 'eagerness' but didn't do anything to stop her since he could tell it was very 'important' to her. Besides, they were married now and Vahn knew that was a very important step for them if they wanted to share more intimate moments in the future. If Rivera continued to have inhibitions now, it would likely become even worse as her pregnancy developed and Vahn didn't want her to feel sex was an 'obligation' in the end.
Just as he had been 'taught' to enjoy sex over time, without indulging in it, Vahn wanted Riveria to be able to enjoy it and relax more. She really did work hard, especially when it came to her research, so it was good for her to have an outlet for her stress. Since she had been bottling up so many negative emotions for decades, it could actually be a very healthy form of therapy if she received proper guidance. Fortunately, there were many girls without the Manor she could rely on, especially since Aina would be around for a few days, potentially even weeks. Besides, it's not that they actually had to have sex, as there were several other forms of intimacy they could share that were arguably even better for her...
Vahn imagined giving Riveria sensual massages, taking private baths together, or even sneaking away to the hidden area in the Library and just cuddling up while talking about their research. She might conceal it with great effort, but Vahn had seen her 'cute' side and wanted to at least help her reach the point where she could show it off to him. In fact, if it became something unique they shared between themselves, Vahn felt like it would be even better. That singular 'squeak' had become a strange goal that firmly rooted itself in his heart and he was now absolutely determined to hear it again. The fact she hadn't issued one, later on, showed that it was likely something that only happened when she was 'receiving' affection so he would probably have to tease her a bit to coax one out...
So that she wouldn't be embarrassed later, Vahn made sure to avoid any routes where they might encounter the other girls. Since the Manor now looped around like a massive square, Vahn entered in through the unoccupied area to the West and followed the empty corridors leading to Riveria's room. He did sense that Risna was out and about, almost like she was looking to trigger an 'event', but Vahn easily managed to evade her and slip into Riveria's room. After laying her down on the bed, Vahn set up a sound-proof barrier while looking around her room for a bit, not that he invaded her privacy by going through her stuff.
Making sure the door was locked firmly behind him, Vahn set up a simple candle that smelled like apple pie before climbing into the bed with Riveria and snuggling up with her. She seemed to be drawn to his warmth as well and, even though she was still asleep, loosely gripped his body in return. Vahn then spent about twenty minutes just stroking her silky hair with his fingers, making use of his [Petting] ability to the fullest, hoping that she was having a pleasant dream. Given that she had a soft smile on her face, Vahn believed this was the case and gave her one last kiss on the forehead before drifting off to bed himself...
---
Though it wasn't her first night within the Manor, Risna was currently lost and aimlessly made her way through the dark corridors of the West Wing. He wouldn't really be able to draw the comparison himself, but it was very similar to walking through a school during the evening since the West Wing had actually been designed for 'schooling' the future children within the Manor. Risna had wandered into it while looking for a nearby bathroom and, after barely managing to find one, ended up getting lost on the return trip.
This happened when she ended up going further into the West Wing, instead of doubling back the way she came, finding a false panel that led into a secret chamber. Since her 'spirit' as an Author had been ignited, she foolishly entered the path and quickly got lost after turning through a few tricky passages. Though it was fun at first, she regretted her actions soon after because the lighting in the Manor quickly turned dark after the sun fell. Even calling out didn't do any good because there wasn't anyone on this side of the Manor other than Riveria and herself, the former currently on her 'honeymoon' with Vahn.
Thinking of Vahn, Risna felt very conflicted because he seemed like a heroic boy straight out of a fairy tale and was a very 'suitable' candidate for the leading role in one of her books. Most of the books she read were romance novels in fantastical settings and she could easily self insert herself into the role of the heroine with the handsome Vahn as her hero. She even began to hope that he would come to rescue her from this current plight, sweeping her away in his arms and carrying her to safety in his warm embrace. Unfortunately, reality wasn't as fantastical as her novels and, even though she strangely felt he was near at one point, Vahn never showed up for her...
Tired of wandering around aimlessly, Risna sat down on one of the few pieces of furniture she had found and curled up into a ball, feeling fortunate that the air within the Manor was warm since she didn't have a blanket. However, soon after the laid down, Risna heard the sounds of footsteps nearby and was both excited and scared at the same time. She hoped this wasn't one of those haunted Manors from some of the scary stories she read in the past and that the footsteps might actually belong to Vahn or, at the very least, her sister coming to look for her.
Peeking over the edge of the sofa, Risna watched the door and listened as the footsteps got progressively closer. Eventually, they came to a stop right outside the door and there was silence for several seconds before the doorknob rattled about loudly without actually turning. Risna swallowed, fearful that the Manor was actually haunted and feeling slightly resentful that nobody had told her. When a scratching sound issued soon after, she felt even more terrified and cowered on the sofa, curling up into a small ball with her eyes closed. Moments later, the scratching sound vanished and the 'creaking' sound of the door being opened resonated loudly in her eyes, causing Risna to cover them in denial of reality...
Several seconds passed after that and, though she expected the worst, nothing happened and Risna slowly found the courage to open her eyes to investigate. The moment she did so, however, she saw two glowing red eyes staring directly at her only a few inches away from her face. Though she had just gone to the bathroom a few hours prior, Risna felt a steady and warm stream flow from her lower body as she trembled under the bloody gaze of the shadowy figure. However, the figure just tilted its head to the side in confusion before 'sniffing' the air and asking, "Why are you peeing? Did Fenrir scare you~?"
Hearing the voice, Risna finally looked directly at the figure and her eyes quickly adapted to the low light of the room and she saw that it was the same girl that had followed Vahn to her house previously. Her cheeks immediately became hot and she stammered, "I-I got lost on the way to find the bathroom and then y-you showed! Ah, please don't tell anyone~! Nnnnuuuu..." Fenrir flopped her head from side to side, both confused and intrigued by Risna's reaction. She never had to use the bathroom herself but knew it was very 'important' for other girls, often guarding them when they were in the Dungeon. Since it was called an 'emergency', Fenrir believed that Risna wasn't at fault and she didn't want to bully the small girl, especially since she was the little sister of her Master's important person.
Thumping her chest, Fenrir said proudly, "Fenrir will protect your secret!" before standing up and saying, "Let's go, Fenrir will take you back to your room. Ah, unless you still need to use the bathroom? Fenrir knows the way~!" Risna didn't really know how to deal with this strange girl in front of her but decided she was a 'good' person since it seemed she was willing to keep her secret. Shaking her head, she muttered, "I don't need to use the bathroom anymore...please just help me find my room..." Fenrir nodded her head and said, "Follow Fenrir~!" before marching away with almost comical steps. Risna did follow her, but only with her eyes at first before Fenrir turned back with a questioning look that urged her forward.
Along the way, Risna hung her head and futilely tried to hide the large stain on her light pink pajamas. Though she didn't plan to pee herself in the future, she promised to wear darker clothes in the future so it wouldn't be so obvious at a glance. After a while, she suddenly realized something, however, and the matter of her own disgrace moved to the back of her mind as she asked, "Fenrir, how did you find me...?" Risna knew that Fenrir actually stayed very far away from her room and she couldn't understand why the strange girl would come looking for her, even finding her with seemingly no difficulty. Fenrir, hearing her question, turned to her and said, "Ah, Master sent Fenrir to look for you since he thought you might have been lost~!"
Risna's feet slowed to a crawl when she heard Fenrir's words and she recalled the 'feeling' she had earlier when she thought Vahn was nearby. It seemed like he actually had passed but, instead of coming to 'save' her, he had sent someone else to escort her instead. It made her feel a little sad and resentful, especially since she had gotten her hopes up about being whisked away by her prince charming. Fenrir, sensing her change, looked back with a curious expression on her face and said, "Master can't always look after everyone, especially when he is taking care of someone else. We have to all work together to make the world a happy place so don't be selfish, okay~?"
Hearing Fenrir's words, Risna felt very startled and remembered that Vahn was actually still on his honeymoon with Riveria. Her expecting him to suddenly come to her, even 'whisking' her away, was indeed a very selfish and baseless thought on her part. She actually didn't have any involvement with him whatsoever and he had already done plenty of things to help her out, even giving her a tone of books and materials. Though he didn't save her himself, he sent someone after her, clearly concerned for her well being even if he couldn't show it personally. Realizing this, Risna didn't feel as bitter and instead felt kind of guilty as she nodded her head and said, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..." Fenrir showed a somewhat 'scary' smile and Risna noticed she actually had a few 'sharp' teeth compared to other people as she said, "Risna is a 'good' girl. If you keep being good, Master will definitely reward you lots and lots~!" in a happy tone...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Riveria is a strong woman','RIP Sofa-san...','Fenrir catch flag for Master~!')
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Chapter 612: Turmoil
Because of how early she had gone to sleep the previous day, Riveria awoke in the twilight hours of the morning, long before Vahn would generally awaken. He only allowed himself to be comfortable around the girls so, unless something unexpected happened, he would continue to sleep regardless of what they might do. In this instance, Riveria just watched his sleeping face after being slightly startled when she first opened her eyes. Vahn was still in his High Elf form so she had panicked a little at first but, after remembering everything that happened, she calmed down and just tucked her head into his chest. She didn't focus on his scent like the Beast Human girls, but Riveria did notice he had a strangely warm aroma that smelled subtly like flowers...
After her initial embarrassment the previous day, Riveria did her best to try and open herself up to Vahn, finding it surprisingly easy to just go with the flow of things. Thinking about it after the fact was actually harder to cope with than simply going through with it, indicating to Riveria that she really did overthink things a great deal. Aina had often talked to her in the past about things like 'love', especially when she met Thomas, but Riveria didn't truly understand her words at the time. She couldn't understand how Aina would fall in love with a man that wouldn't even live half as long as she did, watching them age and slowly decay until eventually dying. As for children, that made even less sense to her since it seemed almost 'tragic' to give birth to children that wouldn't be able to continue the cycle further...
Staring at Vahn's face, Riveria realized none of that mattered at all now and, though she felt a little giddy just thinking about it, love didn't seem as difficult to understand as before. The warmth and comfort Vahn brought to her, even when he was simply sleeping next to her, made Riveria feel like she had found something lost long ago, something that the heart needed to be 'complete' and whole. The most comforting thing, however, was the fact that Vahn was 'bigger' than she was, not physically, but emotionally and spiritually. It was like he could encompass the entire world with his compassion and love for life, shouldering great burdens and reshaping the fates of entire species, almost as if it didn't take any great effort at all. The only thing she needed to give him in exchange was her love, something that was much easier to do than she initially expected...
As she had been staring at his face for a while now, Riveria began to blush slightly as she reached out her finger and poked his cheek, finding it to be a little squishier than expected. This made a small smile appear on her face because it showed that Vahn was completely comfortable around her, even though it was the first time they slept together. She couldn't open herself up to people nearly as fast as he could but, knowing he already opened his heart to her, Riveria felt it wouldn't be long before she did the same. With that thought in mind, Riveria brought her hand to Vahn's chest, once again marveling at how powerful his heartbeat was in conjunction with the almost 'scalding' temperature of his body. It wasn't that it actually burned her, but Riveria felt like the heat flowed directly into her body and made her feel somewhat anxious...
Feeling Riveria touching him, and sensing the change in her aura, Vahn opened his eyes slowly and saw her just staring at his chest from just a few inches away. He raised his brows slightly and was tempted to watch her before she suddenly seemed to realize he had awoken. There was a big difference in the flow of mana in a person's body between when they were asleep and when they were at rest, something Riveria could detect. She lifted her head to match his gaze and Vahn could see there was already a slight blush on her face before he smiled and said, "Good morning, Riveria...you look even more beautiful today~."
Riveria released a surprisingly hot sigh before resting her head against the bed and lazily saying, "You never stop with your words..." She felt like Vahn was always complimenting her beauty, even before they officially entered a relationship. Though it made her happy, it also felt a little tiring hearing him repeat it so many times since it always twinged at her heart and made her feel a little exasperated. She almost wished he would just be quiet at times since one-sidedly receiving compliments was difficult and, though there were many great things about Vahn, Riveria couldn't really vocalize them without feeling embarrassed.
Vahn just smiled in response to Riveria's 'complaint' and said, "I think it's important to be honest and forward about things...I don't want to ever cause people to misunderstand what I'm thinking, so I try to say it out loud as much as possible. I think, when we're alone like this, it would be good if you tried doing the same, Riveria..." As she had a habit of thinking about her responses, Vahn used the small gap to lean down and kiss Riveria's forehead again since he couldn't quite reach her mouth. Riveria's eyes opened slightly wider before she released another sigh and just tucked her head to his chest, protecting herself from his lips while hiding her face at the same time.
Knowing that she would probably take a few days to sort through her thoughts, Vahn didn't continue to pressure Riveria and simply closed his eyes to get a short nap in. It was currently only around 2 AM and there were a few more hours before he needed to be up. As for Riveria, she found it very hard to go back to sleep after feeling a bit of excitement in her body earlier. Being so close to Vahn didn't really help much and, the moment she started to get even a little excited, it was like the formation in her body became even more powerful as heat slowly built up in her lower body.
Riveria held her thighs together in a vain attempt at resistance, but it didn't seem to help much until she eventually had to roll over to avoid Vahn's smell. It helped a great deal but, even though he was sleeping, Vahn instinctually hugged Riveria's body from behind and she suddenly felt a lot hotter than before. It was almost like his body could completely envelop her's when he hugged her from behind and, though it made her feel strangely safe, it also put her whole back into contact with Vahn's body. Even worse was the fact that he pulled his legs up against her's and Riveria could feel a heat around her butt that made her feel very anxious...
By the time Vahn woke up again, he found Riveria breathing somewhat heavily in his arms and was surprised to find that she was covered in sweat. Tilting his head, he could see she had a bit of a pained expression on her face and, activating his [Eyes of Truth], noticed she was having difficulties processing the natural energy in her body. Though he startled her at first, Riveria quickly calmed down when she realized Vahn was awake again and began to help her diffuse the energy in her body. She released a long sigh of relief as the hot sensation in her body slowly dissipated and a refreshing feeling took its place. It made her feel a little 'lonely' for some reason, but the relief made it easier to tolerate and Vahn's heat became much more bearable against her back.
After helping Riveria calm down, Vahn continued to use [Petting] on her while explaining, "The natural energy that gets looped into your core also intermixes with your own mana. If it becomes difficult to bear while I'm not around, you should be able to deal with the effects by using up your mana. Since you have healing spells, it should be pretty easy to use up your mana reserves..." Riveria nodded her head at first but then explained, "Yes, but that would also mean the predominant energy in my body would be natural energy...so I would just be tired and frustrated at the same time..." She had already made the same deduction as Vahn in the past when she tried wearing the [Sage Aldrnari's Blessing] and knew that, while it helped at first, it didn't actually fix the problem in the end.
Vahn was a little surprised by Riveria's words but, after thinking about it logically, he could understand the truth of the matter. Her mana helped to dilute the effects a bit so, if she was completely drained, the natural energy would work to help replenish her mana, yes, but it would also be 'taxing' her body at the same time. Vahn suspected this would help Riveria become stronger but it would also take a while for her to adapt to the changes. Natural energy was very difficult to process and, though she would inevitably get used to it, the adaptation period would be a little 'difficult'.
Riveria surprisingly placed her hand over his and said, "Don't worry...I can always meditate to help calm my mind. I know it will get better, so I will tolerate it to the best of my ability. This is important for the safe development of our child...I won't stay a weak woman anymore." She still remembered Vahn's words about her already being 'strong', but Riveria felt like she needed to do more to earn such high praise. Vahn was already doing most of the work himself so learning to deal with the urges of her body was 'literally' the least she could do. After all, the [Sage Aldrnari's Blessing] actually nourished her body and protected her vitality while also ensuring their child would develop properly. This was something inconceivable in the past, so Riveria felt it really was a blessing...
Hearing the underlying confidence in her words, even though he disliked how she referred to herself as a weak woman, Vahn smiled and kissed the back of Riveria's head. She curled up a bit in response but Vahn just embraced her gently from behind for a while before it was nearing time for him to leave. Riveria rarely attended the morning training sessions and today she would be spending most of her time 'recuperating' from the previous day. Loki had stayed over last night and she would probably want to talk with Riveria while Aina, Eina, and, potentially, even Risna would come to visit with her. Though he wanted to spend a bit more time with her, Vahn knew it was 'important' for Riveria to have the time to think things through since she was that type of woman.
Watching his departing figure with her jade green eyes, Riveria immediately sighed when Vahn exited the room. She let the tensions release from her body completely and found that the bed suddenly seemed much bigger than in the past. There was still a faint warmth on the bed where Vahn had slept, but Riveria resisted the urge to lay in that spot. Instead, she used the time to collect herself before moving away from the bed and pulling out a few parchments to begin writing a missive to her father.
Riveria already had a few ideas about the families taking action against them right now and wanted her father to pressure them in order to avoid war. Though it would still be a secret from most people, Riveria explained that her child with Vahn was a pure-blooded High Elf and used Vahn's race from the Divination, Progenitus, as the reason for why this was the case. This would allow her father's mind to be at ease and would potentially even cause him to take a firmer stance against the other families since they would have already secured an heir through their main line. The only reason he had originally betrothed her to Alosrin was because of the pressure from the other families and their adherence to 'traditions'.
Though he may hate gods, Riveria knew her father wasn't actually as foolish as the vast majority of High Elves. His greatest flaw was that he was essentially just a 'puppet' of a corrupt system since the transition for him becoming King hadn't been a smooth one. He had been forced to make many concessions in order to regain stability within the Kingdom and her 'desertion' in the past had actually made things even more difficult, at least until she accumulated some achievements. Right now, his position was barely maintained by the Sage Council and, without a 'proper' heir, he had been forced to arrange her marriage to the then most powerful Duke family in order to appease the traditionalist faction.
Riveria hoped that her father was wise enough to understand Vahn's significance for their entire race and, even though it would probably cause some internal strife, she hoped he would take a firm stance against the other houses. The Elven Kingdom 'needed' to change if they wanted to avoid future destruction and Riveria hoped it wouldn't come to the point they 'had' to create a new Kingdom elsewhere. However, feeling the flow of natural energy around her abdomen, Riveria hardened her heart and resolved that she would do her best if that ended up happening. Even with just a few female Elves, Riveria knew it would be possible to create an entire Kingdom with Vahn's help considering how long-lived they would be. Since none of the offspring they produced would have the same 'issues' as the previous generations, they would quickly overtake the numbers in the Elven Kingdom after a few decades passed...
Imagining what it would be like to live inside a Palace, surrounded by dozens of her own children, Riveria had a deep flush on her face and had to rest her head against the desk for a few minutes to calm down. It was a 'peculiar' thought, but Riveria did a bit of math in her head and knew she could 'easily' produce around four-hundred children if 'necessary'. She might have to spend the rest of her life pregnant, but it would still be 'worth' it in the end since her people would never die out. Instead, they would actually be much stronger in the future with the introduction of a new Magic system and the support of the Alliance. They could also implement policies to avoid the same situation from occurring again by allowing their children to love whomever they wanted as the 'purity' of their offspring wouldn't make much of a difference with Vahn's research progressing even further...
A loud knock suddenly came from the door, startling Riveria from her thoughts as she looked to the nearby clock and saw it was already around 8 AM. She had completely got lost in her own thoughts and realized her heart was beating rapidly in her chest while she had been imagining a 'paradise' for Elves on the 50th Floor of the Dungeon. Looking towards the door, Riveria 'calmly' said, "Come in..." using her masked voice once again. Though she tried to speak 'normally' around Vahn, she couldn't bring herself to drop her facade around other people just yet, especially when she was already in a 'compromised' state. When she saw who had arrived, a loud sigh escaped her lips as Loki laughed mischievously and said, "Wow, your face is super red, Riveria. Did Vahn go overboard and 'break' you a little~?"
Loki entered the room but she was also accompanied by Aina, Hestia, Hephaestus, and Syr. They all had different reactions to Riveria's appearance because her face was almost tomato red and she had an uncharacteristically 'pouting' expression compared to her typically stoic and cool disposition. Aina had the most normal reaction and simply showed a happy smile as she said, "Congratulations, Riveria...I'm so happy for you~." The greatest concern Aina had about Riveria in the past was that she would never get to experience love. Since she was such a dutiful woman, it was very likely Riveria would one day return to the Elven Kingdom and have to marry that 'despotic' fool Alosrin. She hated the thought of Riveria spending the last few years of her life being with that idiot just so she could have his child and simply wilt away like a flower after serving its 'purpose'.
The main reason why there were no Elven Queens after the first King came into existence was the fact that, as their population had been declining, the women 'needed' to produce more offspring. However, this often resulted in the inevitable death of the females, allowing a King to eventually came into power while essentially 'relegating' females to the position of breeding stock. After all, they 'couldn't' have a Queen sitting on the throne for hundreds of years without producing an heir while their population continued to decline. With a King on the throne, they could watch over the child after the mother's death and 'raise them properly' to rule over the next generation. Unfortunately, reality had the exact opposite happen and this was the primary reason behind the cultural stagnation and corruption of the Elven people...
Loki saw that Riveria was writing a note on a very official looking piece of paper so she smiled and asked, "Were you sending a message to your father?" Riveria had been matching Aina's smile with a small one of her own before immediately becoming more serious when she heard Loki's question. Nodding her head, Riveria explained what she was writing and how she wanted things to progress in the future. By the end of it, however, Loki shook her head and said, "I'm sorry, Riveria, but that isn't really acceptable..." If the Elves had 'behaved' themselves properly, going Riveria's route wouldn't be a bad choice. Now, since they went out of their way to badger the Alliance once again, they needed to show the Elven Kingdom they weren't a turtle with a hard shell, but a wasp nest that couldn't be poked without consequences.
Hearing Loki's words, Riveria sighed because she already knew things would likely come to this after the 'infiltration' the night before the wedding. As if understanding Riveria's thoughts, Loki nodded her head and said, "We already got the report from Eirene about the purpose behind the foolish attempt to sneak into the Manor. There are groups actually propagating the idea you're being held captive by the Alliance and being used as an experimental subject to 'steal' the superior genes of High Elves. They're even trying to say some bullshit about how Vahn is holding the information about the 'cure' hostage as a method to blackmail and force you to do his bidding...kukukuku..." Loki had a very evil look in her eyes and, though it was subtle, her divine power was radiating from her body a result of the rage she was feeling.
Hephaestus stepped in at this point and said, "Feel free to send a message to your father, but you also need to add a warning that we won't allow them to try and tarnish Vahn's reputation to suit their political agenda. From now on, Elven caravans have been stripped of their right to trade with any Familia associated with the Alliance. If they can't control the bogus information they themselves spread, we 'will' be forced to take more drastic actions in the future..." Hephaestus never had a 'calm' disposition when it came to dealing with the people trying to make Vahn's life more difficult. He was a kind and honest boy that worked hard to help people so it royally pissed her off when anyone, god or mortal, tried to drag him into their disputes just because it was 'convenient' for them to do so. There were already several 'good' people that did that so she couldn't tolerate any 'bad' people from trying to interfere with his life...
As if she didn't want to be left out, or couldn't be left out, Hestia showed an uncharacteristically serious expression and said, "I will not allow anyone to tarnish the reputation of those in my Familia, especially Vahn. This is our home, a place we have all come together to create and share our happiness with each other. If anyone thinks they can just barge into our home and cause trouble, they will find that I'm not so forgiving..." Much like Loki, Hestia's aura spread out a bit but, unlike Loki, her's was much stronger and it put pressure on everyone in the room, including Loki and Hephaestus. Hestia was actually pretty passive by nature but, the one thing she could never back down on was protecting her 'family'. Vahn was the boy she had dedicated her everything to her and, in exchange, he had given her a 'real' family and a form of love she had never experienced before. If anyone wanted to take that away from her, Hestia would make them pay a steep price...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is so 'hot', literally','Hundreds of tiny High-Elven babies...','TFW you poke a hornet's nest and several enraged goddesses come flying out...')
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