With a week left before they were supposed to go on the Expedition, Vahn had everyone take a break from the Dungeon so they could relax. The next Expedition could potentially go on for upwards of two months, as they would be constructing a permanant defensive line and establishing the infrastructure for the Supply Depot. Vahn would be leaving behind a rallying whistle with Hestia and Loki in the event that either of them went into labor while he was away. With the [Hero's Reprieve], he could instantly return to the surface and be at their side so there wasn't any chance he might miss the birth of his children. At this point, Hephaestus had completely stopped working in her forge and was usually with Epona and Hestia while Syr typically served them.
Though nobody forced her into it, Syr had taken up the role of 'Head Maid' at some point before Vahn had even realized it. Her reasoning seemed to be that, while things were stable at the Manor, she needed to have another job so she wasn't just simply lounging about all day. Since Emiru and Maemi still ventured into the Dungeon, she usually cleaned around the house and had already memorized all the secret passageways, even those underground. The most unexpected thing of all was that she often had Tina, Milan, Shizune, and Chloe helping out so Vahn got to see them all in the 'standard' maid outfits that were worn by Emiru and Maemi. Shizune and Chloe, both having dark hair, actually looked surprisingly suitable to the role while Tina simply looked adorable. As for Milan, she had been a proprietress for many years at an Inn so she was what Vahn could describe as a 'natural' when it came to being a maid...
To prepare for the long expedition, Vahn had a few things to take care of on the surface so he went to the Clubhouse early in the morning to fill their stocks. This time around, he was greeted by Rune, a small Pallum girl with light pink hair and wine-red eyes. She was very startled when he showed up and flustered about as she said, "W-Welcome, M-m-master Vahn!" Vahn just politely smiled at the 108cm tall girl and said, "Good morning, Rune. It's pretty early, so I'll take some cider and some baked goods. Please tell Sebas I've matters to discuss..." Rune bowed at a steep angle, nearly losing her balance in the process, before embarrassedly running off to carry out Vahn's orders. Within the Terpsichore Familia, she was a musician that played the lyre and typically had a very upbeat personality when performing.
With Rune running off, Vahn was immediately approached by a red-haired youth with a cheeky grin on his face and a glimmering light in his grey-blue eyes. Vahn smiled and raised his hand to stop Welf from trying to put his arm across his shoulders, causing Welf to instead awkwardly rub the back of his head and said, "Hey man, haven't seen you around in a while." Guiding Welf toward his private table, Vahn explained, "Yeah, I've been busy creating a prototype armor for the girls lately. I've finished four sets so far and, though they're not quite masterpieces, they are very close. How has your research been going?"
Welf immediately released a deep sigh when hearing Vahn ask about his research, shaking his head in exasperation as he said, "I was able to make a lot of progress with your notes, but my current skills just aren't up to snuff to make any real progress just yet. Right now, I'm focusing on self-study and refining my skills to become a better [Blacksmith]. Chasing after things that are beyond my level will just cause me to slip up, so I've decided to do it step by step..." At this point, Welf had already been Level 2 for a while and had access to the [Blacksmith] Development Ability nearly two years before he would have originally obtained it. He was already off to a strong start so Vahn just pulled out a few blacksmithing texts and handed them over, saying, "These are some foreign techniques that may help push your skills to the next level."
Seeing the books Vahn set on the table, Welf had a somewhat conflicted look in his eyes but still accepted them, saying, "Thanks, Vahn. One day, I'll become skilled enough that I don't have to rely on your assistance so much. Until then, know that I'm really grateful...haaaaaa..." Welf released a sigh at the end of his words and scratched his unkempt red hair in a small fit of frustration. He had already learned that relying on others, while also working hard to improve yourself, wasn't a sign of weakness. Without the girls, he would probably still be stuck at Level 1 and wouldn't be able to obtain nearly as many resources. His skills had already increased greatly and he had become much stronger, making it even easier to manage his workflow. Still, he was just a fifteen-year-old boy and, as a result of his prideful nature, it was somewhat difficult to accept assistance all the time.
Vahn could guess what Welf was thinking but knew he needed to sort through things like that on his own, choosing to keep silent because Welf was certainly maturing compared to the past. Soon, Sebas came over and Welf immediately excused himself since he had actually already been drinking with the two people he had invited into the Clubhouse. Rather than being the loner he had been in the Manga, Welf had opened up a lot, especially after meeting Sonia, Maia, Vesta, and Kris. He now understood the importance of comrades and had made a few friends with other junior blacksmiths of the Hephaestus Familia. Welf was the only person in their small group with the [Blacksmith] Development Ability right now so they all looked up to him, at least when Vahn wasn't around. Being the 'youngest [Master Smith] in history' made Vahn somewhat famous amongst aspiring blacksmiths after all.
Sebas sat down with his documents and had a somewhat stern expression on his face as he said, "Apologies, Master Vahn, but Rune broke the cider bottle when she was preparing the drink. Since she had a bit of a panic attack, I sent her to rest for a bit..." Rune was typically a very hard worker but, like most of the girls in the Clubhouse, she tried a little 'too hard' whenever Vahn was around. Vahn just smiled in response and said, "It's fine, Sebas. I can understand why thing could be difficult when I'm around, hahahaha." Though he didn't consider himself too prideful, Vahn always felt like his status was elevated a bit whenever he was at the Clubhouse. Everyone called him 'Master' as if it was perfectly natural while Terpsichore herself typically treated him in a somewhat deferential manner.
True to his professional and gentlemanly nature, Sebas' expression softened a bit after he heard Vahn's words and he patiently waited for Vahn to continue the conversation. Feeling a little embarrassed, Vahn tapped the table before grabbing the documents and asking, "Have any new members joined since my last visit?" Sebas shook his head and said, "There was a new official member, Master Gilbert, and his two recommended members, Stale and Merkovah. Since Master Gilbert possessed the obsidian tab, he was given full membership from the outset while the other two are still pending review through the vetting process." The only person that could give out the 'obsidian tab' was Vahn so anyone that possessed one would immediately be a full member.
Remembering how hard Gilbert had worked after taking away the Elves, Vahn smiled in satisfaction and said, "Gilbert is a good man, but his companions may be troublesome. Make sure they don't get carried away...hmmm..." Vahn knew there were some guards within the Eirene Familia that could get a little carried away as a result of their 'righteous disposition'. It typically never became a problem, as Eirene was very strict in her management of the Familia, but Vahn knew there were always a few bad apples in any large group.
Vahn had previously heard from Eirene that she had been forced to expel members in the past for accepting things like bribes and providing benefits to criminal Familia's around the red light district. According to Eirene, the existence of alcohol, drugs, gambling, pleasure, and power could even lead good men down dark paths if they were exposed to it for too long. This was one of the reasons she admired Vahn so much because, even though he was at the center of power, he never deviated from the 'righteous' path...
Sebas nodded his head and made a small note in a pocket journal using an ornate pen that Vahn had given to him in the past. Vahn was also making a few modifications to the documents Sebas had given him, explaining, "I'm going to double the stock of supplies, but you may need to allocate them carefully since I'll be gone for up to two months this time around." Vahn knew it probably wouldn't be an issue, as many of the members of the Clubhouse would actually be going on the Expedition with him. He just didn't want the Clubhouse to have a reputation of running low on goods, especially since it was treated as a very high-end establishment.
Thus far, there had been more than twenty officials trying to 'buy' membership, sometimes even pressuring existing members for their recommendations. With the vetting process, none of them had been successful and they had actually removed membership from one person who sold his recommendations for 10,000,000 Valis. It might seem like a lot, but some of the items that could be taken out from the Clubhouse could exceed that if sold so Sebas had immediately kicked him out for taking advantage of his membership. Losing membership also 'blacklisted' you indefinitely, with only Vahn himself being able to override the decision, though only once.
Sebas also knew that, other than a few people from the Eirene and Hephaestus Familias, most of the 'senior' members of the Clubhouse would also be gone. He understood Vahn's intentions well, however, and would do his best to ensure there weren't any issues. Though he only started working here a few months ago, managing the Clubhouse had become his pride and he took his job very seriously. His salary was actually a monstrous 700,000 Valis a week, excluding tips, so Sebas wouldn't allow any mishaps to happen under his management. He also had a great deal of respect for the 'system' Vahn had created because many people in his position would use their power and authority to take advantage of people. Vahn, instead, supported young women in an environment where the could promote themselves without actually having to 'sell' benefits just to survive. This had given Sebas enough confidence to have his own granddaughter work at the Clubhouse, happy she would never have to experience the tragedy her mother went through.
After arranging all the documents, Sebas bowed politely to Vahn and said, "If you'll excuse me, Master Vahn." before returning to the bar and sending Ki'Lani, the brown-haired Hume Bunny, to check the inventory. Vahn never made any mistakes when it came to resupplying, but they always did a secondary check to confirm everything was accounted for. The system they had in place didn't allow for many exploitable gaps so Vahn was always very satisfied when he saw how hard everyone was working. There was just something about cute women, working earnestly with smiles on their faces, that made Vahn both happy and proud.
Soon after Sebas had left, a rather plain looking woman with a massive aura walked over, carrying a bottle of pale golden cider as she asked, "May I join you, Vahn~?" Rising from his own chair, Vahn pulled out the one next to him, causing the woman to giggle before sitting down and saying, "My, thank you very much~." This woman was none other than Terpsichore herself and, though she looked somewhat plain at a glance, her disposition, expression, and appeal, could all change in an instant. At times, she was a vibrant and youthful woman while, at others, she could look like a lovelorn widow with a distant and melancholic look in her eyes. She was very peculiar and Vahn found her presence to be somewhat refreshing since, though she 'acted' a lot, her emotions always showed on the surface since she truly invested herself into the character she was portraying.
Terpsichore filled Vahn's glass before pouring one for herself, provided by Vahn since she had originally only brought one for him. Vahn took his seat and said, "I never expected you to join me during a meal like this, Terpsichore." This time, Terpsichore looked similar to a pure maiden as her dull eyes glittered with an innocent light as she said, "I saw how flustered Rune was when she made a mistake and thought it would be better if I helped fix any negative impression you may have had. How is it, do you feel happy now that I'm here~?" Terpsichore twirled a strand of her silvery grey hair with her finger in mock bashfulness as she peered up at Vahn with glittering soft-purple eyes.
Vahn gave a polite smile in response and said, "I know everyone here works very hard, especially when I'm around. I'm not going to blame Rune for making a single mistake, so please tell her not to be bothered by it when you see her later..." As he was speaking, Renka came onto the stage wearing her moderately skimpy dancer's outfit and smiled immediately after locking eyes with him. Her icy blue eyes reflected a playful light as she began dancing with the accompaniment of upbeat music that could cause the listener to feel a bit of excitement. Terpsichore chimed in from the side and said, "Renka seems uncharacteristically fond of you...ufufu~."
Instead of a youthful and innocent look, Terpsichore now had a somewhat sensual and 'older sister' type appearance with a teasing tone in her voice. Her pale purple eyes were now a deep purple that almost felt like they could absorb the viewer into their depths. Vahn knew she was just playing around so he smiled and said, "She is a rather beautiful girl, so it makes me happy to get just a little of her attention. If I weren't already so taken by the women at the Manor, I'm not sure I could restrain myself from approaching her." Vahn sent a wink at Terpsichore, causing the 'mature' goddess to begin laughing in an elegant manner before her appearance became plain, almost completely neutral. Her deep purple eyes were now a mute grey in color as she said, "You are a good man, Vahn Mason. I can never fully express my gratitude for this 'paradise' you've made...it isn't easy to pursue the path of an entertainer, so I'm happy all of my children have such a 'safe' environment to grow up in..."
In Familias that focused on entertainment, the majority of their members were women and, even though they often started with lofty aspirations, this would fade with time. Many girls would eventually be targetted by their clients and, in order to earn enough money to support their lifestyles, several would end up 'selling favors' to various men. Before the red light district had been established, prostitutes were actually called songstresses because many singers, dancers, and even musicians, ended up selling their bodies after a few years of struggling to get by. Most people in the present didn't spend a lot of money on entertainment, at least not in regards to the 'arts', so it was very difficult for many entertainment Familias to be successful.
Before the Terpsichore Familia started working at the Clubhouse, Vahn had heard about some of their struggles from Loki and took pity on them. He allowed all of the girls to work within the Clubhouse, offering them great benefits, not in exchange for their bodies, but so they would be able to pursue their interests without having to make compromises. Many women simply wanted to save up money when they were younger so they didn't have to worry so much when they had children. Since there weren't too many people that wanted to become Adventurers, as it was very dangerous and taxing on both the mind and body, many young women ended up 'willingly' working in the red light district for a few years just to save up. It was almost impossible to open a business normally so, if you weren't in a Familia, there were few other options if you wanted to save up a large amount of money in a short period of time...
When he heard Terpsichore's words, Vahn had a somewhat sad smile on his face as he said, "I just want people to be happy...nobody should have to sell themselves just to get by... it's ridiculous. If they can be happy being performers, I think they should have an environment that promotes that. After all, seeing the emotions they put into their songs, music, and dances makes me feel inspired to work hard as well..." Terpsichore nodded her head and showed a happy smile as she said, "Yes, the arts have always been intended to inspire the people to better themselves. It breaks my heart when performers are profaned and exploited just because of their beauty...society can be very cruel at times. I'm glad there are at least a few people like you in this world, Vahn Mason..." Terpsichore's eyes had become blue like sapphires and she gave off the impression of a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, full of hope and aspirations for the future.
At this point, Renka's first dance had come to an end and her fit body was covered in a light layer of sweat as a result of her exertion. However, she didn't seem tired at all and instead showed an eager and happy smile on her face as she began her second dance. Many of her dances emphasized her hips and made use of her long tiger-like tail, so it was quite the tantalizing sight since she had a powerful and athletic body. Vahn had a calm smile on his face and simply appreciated the sight while enjoying his cider with the accompaniment of Terpsichore. His food had arrived at one point, freshly baked apple pie, so Vahn was in a great mood and felt a strong urge to help even more people find happiness in the future.
---
As if she was intent on dancing the entire time he was present, Renka worked hard for nearly an entire hour before Selena came out and ushered her off the stage at the end of her twentieth dance. At this point, her skin was practically glistening and her dancer's garb had started to soak through a bit with her sweat, causing Welf's group to become absolutely silent as they were enamored by the sight. It was expressly forbidden to do things like catcalling and heckling, so they could only sit close to the table and enjoy the show in silence. Vahn did much the same but also made a bit of small talk with Terpsichore, essentially agreeing to build a theatre complex in the school so the student would have a stage to perform on.
When she was leaving the stage, Renka cast a few glances over at Vahn and he could feel her melancholy from the changes in her aura. He felt a little guilty about it, but Vahn actually used the girls at the Clubhouse to 'temper' himself so he had more resistance against girls. They had all taken vows to not be forward in their approaches so, other than appealing to him through her performance, Renka couldn't actually try to flirt with and pander to Vahn. It was very obvious she liked him, but that wasn't really a unique thing since most of the girls were fond of him. He was incredibly rich, powerful, handsome, kind, and, most importantly, supported their lifestyles and appreciated their art. With the current social climate, it would be very strange for young women to not like him, something Vahn himself was very aware of.
Terpsichore watched Renka's departure alongside Vahn and, once she had disappeared into the back room, said, "You know, Renka approached me about leaving the Familia recently..." Vahn arched his brows when he heard this, turning to Terpsichore as she explained, "Her tribe has always cultivated warriors so she isn't really suited to being a real performer. This job has given her a lot of time to relax and calm her mind so she isn't as depressed and eager as in the past. Knowing how much effort you put in to make the City a better place, she feels inspired by you and wants to help out by joining the Hestia Familia. I think, even if she couldn't become your woman, she would be happy as a warrior underneath your banner..."
Hearing Terpsichore's words, Vahn was at a bit of a loss since he actually recognized Renka's potential as a warrior as well. He actually thought it was a bit of a shame that someone so capable was 'just' a dancer since she was almost Level 4 even though she was only nineteen years old. Though she wasn't as prodigious as some of the other girls in the Manor, Vahn knew Renka didn't have nearly as many resources to promote her growth and got to where she was as a result of her individual efforts. With proper guidance, she could easily become even stronger, likely reaching the peak of Level 6 or 7 in the future.
After thinking it over, Vahn squinted and said, "There are too many things going on with the Alliance right now, so it wouldn't be a good idea for her to join the Hestia Familia. If she just wanted to help out, she could always join one of the other Familia in the Alliance and that would give her the opportunity to grow further..." Even as he spoke, Vahn understood that Renka 'specifically' wanted to work under him and would likely not even consider joining a different Familia. Thinking this far, Vahn felt a little awkward because he simultaneously wanted to help Renka but knew things were never 'simple' when it involved him. If she began living at the Manor, just as the goddesses had 'lectured' him, she would almost certainly get involved with him at one point. Even now, Vahn was very 'interested' in her so it probably wouldn't even take that long if she was 'proactive'...
Releasing a sigh, Vahn said, "For the time being, I think she should stay here and think about her decision. There is no rush and she is still young..." Terpsichore began laughing at this point and her eyes had turned peach-colored as she said, "I think she will be happy to know you are so 'flustered' thinking about her joining your Familia. Don't worry, she also wanted to complete her current 'vow' and will stay with my Familia until next June at the earliest~." With few exceptions, most gods actually required their 'children' to take vows after joining their Familias. This prevented people from joining and leaving at their convenience, benefitting from the resources of the Familia without making any real contributions. It was already very difficult to keep members in entertainment Familias, so they typically had two-year contracts just so the 'troupe' wouldn't diminish entirely.
It was currently around the end of February, so that meant there were a good sixteen months before he actually had to 'worry' about Renka. A lot could change in that period of time so Vahn felt relieved knowing he wouldn't have to make a decision on the matter so soon. That was also around the same time that Bell should be showing up in the City so Vahn suspected he wouldn't be that troubled even if she did end up joining the Hestia Familia. He would undoubtedly be very busy, especially when Enyo's forces began moving, and there would also be several children running around by then. Vahn believed he would become more 'stable' when his kids were around so it should prevent him from being involved with other women, excluding the ones already in the Manor...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Rune-chan','Dance Dance Renka Revolution','Vahn, Flag Emperor')
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After leaving the Clubhouse, Vahn made a quick stopover to spend some time with Anubis and Nanu, the latter of which seemed to be going through a growth spurt. She was now 141cm tall and showed signs of her secondary sex characteristics developing, causing Vahn to urge her to start wearing a proper bra. Since she liked to cling to him when they spent time together, it was a little distracting when she got 'excited' so he helped her pick out some suitable underwear. Now, she was showing more 'awareness' compared to the past and was working much harder, nearing the peak of Level 3 through her own efforts.
Once his play time with Nanu had ended, Vahn had Anubis laying across his lap for a while as he used his [Petting] skill to pamper her for a bit. She spent most of her time these days just managing the Southern Manor, waiting for the hounds to mature so she could move into the Hearth Manor permanently. Vahn felt a little guilty that she often spent her days cooped up in the Manor alone, but she was a very dutiful goddess and didn't seem to mind it at all. He still pampered her quite a bit whenever he visited though, generally taking long 'walks' with her and giving her a bit of 'heavy petting'.
While he was fluffing her long and bushy tail, Anubis would bring her feet up in a happy mood, arching her back a little when Vahn combed his finger through the dense fur and touched the sensitive tail beneath. He also helped support her body but holding her chin, even though it would have been awkward for most other women. Anubis preferred to be 'handled' a bit and Vahn could tell she was always happier when he took a few liberties with her. During the times she stayed over at the Manor, Vahn always 'played' with her a bit to appease her, not because he was pushing himself, but because he enjoyed how responsive she was to things...
Turning her face towards his, Vahn leaned down and kissed Anubis as her moonlight eyes glimmered with a hazy glow. When they parted, he said, "I'll be going away for around two months during the Expedition..." Anubis didn't seem to be affected by his words much and just smiled, saying, "I know, Master. I will wait patiently for your return..." with her tail wagging affectionately. Vahn smiled in return and began stroking the side of her head a bit roughly, saying, "Good girl..." and kissing her a little more passionately before. Though she had to hold an awkward angle to kiss him, Anubis did so happily with her tail turning into a turbine as the long kiss continued...
After leaving the Southern Manor, Vahn felt a little aimless and was tempted to just wander around, deciding instead to just return to the Hearth Manor. There were times when he wanted to 'pamper' the girls even more, especially when it came to the case of Anubis, so leaving her behind was always a little difficult. Just like Loki, Vahn felt like he didn't get to spend enough time with her and he had already been feeling a little conflicted after the matter regarding Renka. Instead of letting himself get swept up by it, Vahn just returned to the Manor where he knew other girls were always waiting for him. It was also a place where he could work on his research, or potentially make more pieces of equipment, so it beat wandering around and 'brooding'.
Most likely as a result of sensing his state of mind, Fenrir ended up meeting him at the door so Vahn immediately felt better. Stroking her head, Vahn said, "Let's go to the workshop and I'll start designing your shorts." Since Fenrir was going to be accompanying him into the Dungeon, Vahn didn't think it would be a bad idea to go ahead and move forward on his next project. Fenrir, however, shook her head and said, "Master, come play. Fenrir doesn't care about shorts right now~." Before he even responded, Fenrir began pushing against Vahn's back so he began to laugh before allowing her to lead the way.
Fenrir had been in the back yard playing a strange game with Tiona, Tione, and Ais. Lefiya was also present and seemed a little fidgety before running over the moment Vahn appeared, asking, "How are you feeling, Vahn?" in a concerned tone. Vahn habitually stroked her head and said, "I spent a bit of time with Anubis and felt a little sad to separate from her. Don't worry, I'm already in a much better mood since there are so many cute girls worrying about me~." Lefiya had a light blush on her face and squinted her eyes, clearly pleased by the head-petting as she said, "That is wonderful..."
Vahn ended up joining as a spectator for the time being as he learned the 'rules' of their game and watched Tiona and Fenrir play. Because she was literally able to eat anything, Tiona had been lobbing various objects while Fenrir was moving to catch them with her mouth. It was strangely adorable to see her running around and jumping through the air, especially since she was still in her maid outfit. Though her sharp teeth were a little perturbing, Vahn had long grown appreciative of her unique traits and thought everything about Fenrir was cute, as long as she didn't try biting him.
Turning his head, Vahn saw the second gluttonous member of their group who was currently munching away on animal-shaped crackers while sitting next to him. They were close enough that Lefiya's thigh touched against his, even though everyone else was sitting around normally. She earned a few teasing remarks from Tione but seemed to completely ignore them, a far cry from her behavior in the past. Ais was also eating a few snacks because it was around the time when they would normally eat lunch anyways, causing Vahn to just set out a few items like rice balls, fruits, and some kebabs for everyone to eat.
Since watching wasn't as interesting as participating, Vahn ended up playing the game as well, altering a few rules so everyone could be more involved. It became a small game of 'keep away' with Fenrir in the center trying to intercept the objects the threw between each other. They weren't going all out, as it would be a little unfair and potentially injure Fenrir, but it was still very fun. Though he would have assumed Fenrir would get 'frustrated' about being unable to catch things, she instead got more motivated and Vahn could tell her movements were becoming more refined through practice. This was just another example of how even playing could be turned into training because Fenrir was able to train her kinetic vision and response time by trying to read the trajectory of the objects and timing her own movements to intercept them cleanly.
After they had played around for around twenty minutes, Fenrir had begun to sweat a bit since she was wearing a somewhat stuffy black maid outfit and it was pretty warm outside. He let her sit in his lap after the fact and dabbed her face with a wet rag that he cooled using ice elemental energy. Because she was interested in it, Vahn also used the cold rag on Ais, inspiring the other girls to want to experience it as well. Since he didn't really have any plans, Vahn decided to move to the salon and just asked them to all come with him. There was a sauna attached that they had never really made use of and Vahn felt like it would be a good opportunity to do so now.
The 'rules' of the sauna was that you could be naked, but you had to have a towel with you at all times since the wood could reach temperatures of 50-55 degrees Celsius. This wasn't enough to really get through the Endurance of most of the girls, but it would prevent them from getting small burns from extended exposure. Thus, after they all stripped out of their Aegis outfits, Ais, Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya all wore white bathrobes and carried towels into the sauna while Vahn helped Fenrir get out of her maid outfit. She was actually one of the 'exceptions' to the rule, as she wouldn't really get burned even if she sat on a much hotter surface, so Fenrir happily ran into the sauna with her arms spread wide in excitement, completely naked.
When he followed behind, Vahn felt the incredible humidity in the room hit him like a wave the moment he crossed through the thin membrane. The sauna was designed like a large rectangle and there were four stoves in the corners containing smooth grey stones. Pressing a small mechanism would cause water to pour into the stoves, releasing a large amount of steam that made the room foggy and incredibly humid. Vahn originally got the idea of the sauna when he heard about the Divine Bathhouse that could be used by the gods, which also had several saunas and hot tubs available. It was supposed to be good for opening the pores and helping to exfoliate the skin, causing a great deal of comfort and allowing people to feel greatly refreshed afterward.
Unsurprisingly, Tiona, Ais, and Tione had already removed their bathrobes and were currently sitting naked on the wooden bench as they enjoyed the comfortable heat. Tione noticed his gaze and showed a somewhat seductive smile as she said, "You should have asked us to come by sooner...this place is very comfortable and it gives you an excuse to see us naked~." Tiona laid down against the bench and said, "Fuaaaah~, this place is so comfortable. What else can we do in here, or is it just used for sitting and relaxing?" Fenrir had been standing at the corner of the room, inspecting the stones and 'poking' the mechanism to make more steam for a while now. Her pale white butt was sticking straight out but, after hearing Tiona's words, she turned around and asked, "Can we play in here, Master~?"
Vahn smiled at Fenrir before looking to Ais and saying, "How about you help me demonstrate Ais?" Hearing his question, Ais' golden eyes shone with an expectant light but she shook her head and leaned back against the wall, ignoring the heat, as she said, "You should use Lefiya or Fenrir since they were worried about you..." Lefiya had still been wearing her bathrobe this whole time, which caused the heat to be a little unbearable for her even though it had only been a few short minutes. Hearing Ais' words made her feel a little flustered but she still matched Vahn's gaze and said, "I don't mind..." in a quiet voice.
Lefiya had actually been one of the only girls to never really show up for his massages in the past so it was a little surprising to hear her agree so readily. Since he wasn't going to be doing anything sexual, Vahn didn't mind her helping out so he nodded before pulling out a table and saying, "Go ahead and relax on this table. It's better if you face upward, but you can lay on your stomach if you're nervous." At the same time, Vahn set out a table for everyone since it actually didn't take much involvement on his part to do what he had in mind. Lefiya stood up from the bench and removed her bathrobe, revealing her thin and naked body beneath, which seemed to be perpetually stuck in the transition between being a young girl and a young woman.
Everyone watched as Lefiya climbed onto the table, laying face-up with her nervousness apparent for all to see. She wanted to be more 'bold' in the future and decided it would be better to lay facing upward since she would be able to see what Vahn was doing. Fortunately, things got a little easier to deal with when Vahn pulled out a thin white towel and covered her lower body with it in a casual manner. He smiled to her before turning to everyone else and saying, "Since everyone was interested in getting a cold wipe, I thought using the sauna would be better as it would enhance the experience a great deal. By letting the pores open, you will begin to sweat a bit and its a great way to exfoliate your skin. With a cold wipe, you can force the pores to close rapidly and force out any dirt or bacteria that might have gotten into your skin over time. It's also very comfortable and should be quite refreshing after its repeated a few times..."
When his basic explanation was done, Vahn pulled out a wet rag and infused ice elemental energy into it before dabbing at Lefiya's forehead. Her golden-yellow hair was already a bit sticky from her sweat and was clinging to her scalp and brow as a result of the humidity. The moment the cold rag touched her skin, Lefiya released a pleasant sigh that also made her blush a little deeper than before. Vahn continued to dab around, touching her cheeks and the area around her ears, asking, "How does it feel..?" in a calm and professional tone. Lefiya's dark blue eyes were a bit hazy and she responded, "It feels very refreshing..." in a very quiet voice.
After wiping away the first layer of sweat from her face, Vahn folded up the rag and placed it on her forehead to keep her from getting a fever as he pulled out a second rag. This one was much larger than the previous one and, after infusing some ice elemental energy into it, began dabbing around Lefiya's collarbone and shoulders before moving down to her budding breasts, which were fair to the point that Vahn could see small veins present underneath her skin. Vahn didn't pay too much attention to them, as Lefiya, though only a year younger than him, wasn't yet an adult. He always felt guilty if he 'focused' too much on the bodies of young girls and just went through the motions as deftly as possible without letting his eyes wander too much.
Lefiya had tensed up a bit when the cold rag first touched her chest because it really was a very startling experience to go from 'hot' to 'cold' in an instant. After she adapted, however, Lefiya felt it was actually very comfortable and there was a strange 'urge' in her body that wanted Vahn to continue touching her. 'Unfortunately', Vahn ended up covering her breasts with a loose rag after wiping them down before using the third rag on her arms and abdomen. He continued to work all around her body, excluding her lower abdomen, inner thighs, and groin, covering each part with a cool and damp rag when he was done. As he had described, it felt very refreshing to feel the extremes of hot and cold intermixing together since several parts of her were still exposed to the hot and humid sauna.
When he was finished applying all the rags, Vahn turned to the others and said, "You can go ahead and pick a table and I'll treat you all at the same time. There isn't really a rush, so you can lay on your back and then swap to your stomach for a second pass later. Just make sure you're relaxing and not causing any disturbances as this is more of a professional service than something intended to be intimate." As they all knew the 'rules' of Vahn's salon, none of the girls had really intended to make a scene in the first place, especially since they saw how 'serious' Vahn had been with Lefiya. The entire process only took about five minutes from start to finish, but he had been both meticulous and professional at the same time, not stalling on any point in an attempt to get a rise out of her.
While the others were getting on their own tables, all in excited and expectant moods, Vahn began moving the rags of Lefiya's body, exposing her cool skin to the hot air once again. She released a relaxed sigh that caused Vahn to smile before saying, "Turn over onto your stomach. I'll wipe down your back this time..." Lefiya blushed even more than when she had exposed her front because she was actually a little self-conscious about her butt. Like most Elves, she was a very thin girl and, even though she had tried to exercise a bit, her butt was still small and lacked the fullness of a mature woman. Seeing that Vahn showed no signs of being 'disappointed', Lefiya felt a little relieved but also somewhat sad since he also didn't seem to 'care' at the same time.
Other than Lefiya, who was currently on her stomach, all of the other girls opted to get their fronts done first since they already had some expectations about it. Like Lefiya, Vahn covered their hips with a white rag, not only for their benefit but to keep himself from being distracted. He then began treating them all with a cold wipe while also infusing his [Heart of the Eternal Flame] into his domain to regulate the temperature a bit. Using his [Hands of Nirvana], Vahn also infused calming energy into the air and focused entirely on helping the girls just relax. He did everything in passes, starting by wiping down their faces before moving onto the next step and alternating between their bodies.
When he got to her breasts, TIona giggled a great deal when Vahn was wiping her down since she was actually quite ticklish. Though she could be very 'forward' when she was excited, Tiona was generally very innocent in her behavior at other times. Since this wasn't mean to be an intimate moment, she was behaving naturally and this caused her to laugh happily, saying, "It's cold and ticklish at the same time. Ahahaha~!" Fortunately, she managed to calm down a bit when Vahn covered her chest with the rag and moved on to Tione. She had a much more 'reserved' reaction that Tiona but Vahn also noticed her nipples had become completely rigid even before he began wiping her down. Unlike Tiona, who could be very easygoing at times, Tione was the type that could get a little carried away at times because of her pent up emotions...
Ais was very well behaved throughout the entire procedure and just watched Vahn with intrigued eyes every time he wiped a different part of her body. As for Fenrir, she seemed to have taken a note out of TIona's book and also laughed in a similar manner while writhing about under his hands. Lefiya, being the only girl on her stomach, just closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment since it really was very relaxing and it felt like her skin was 'breathing'. The only time she really reacted was when Vahn wiped around her butt without actually touching the soft white cheeks. He had covered her backside just the same as her front because, as she was a very thin girl, Lefiya had a bit of a gap between her thighs that made her delicates visible even when she was laying on her stomach.
After a little more than an hour had passed, Vahn did a cold wipe on the fronts and backs of the girls, making them all have loose and happy expressions by the time he was done. The combination of heat and humidity, contrasted by the cool and refreshing sensation of the rags really was very comfortable for all of them. When he was finished, everyone just lazed around for a bit and talked about the upcoming Expedition without any regards for decency, at least in the cast of Tiona, Tione, and Fenrir. Lefiya hadn't gone back to wearing her bathrobe, but she sat with her thighs together and her back straight while Ais strangely had great posture at all times, almost like she was a doll that had been designed with 'perfection' in mind. Fenrir was the 'worst' of all though, as she had no sense of distance with Vahn and ended up sitting on his knee to get some head pats for herself...
Vahn spent the rest of the day just relaxing around the Manor, deciding to make the rounds and check up on all the pregnant women when he parted with the sauna group. Riveria was confirmed to be pregnant, even though it took around eleven days for her body to show the first signs. She had shown up for breakfast and, after taking a few bites from her food, ended up nearly throwing up before Ryuu helped support her to the bathroom. Morning sickness was a very common thing among the pregnant women, with the exception of the goddesses, so they all looked out for each other. Vahn often wanted to help them out but was generally prevented from doing so as it was a 'natural' thing that most of the girls were strangely adamant about dealing with on their own.
At this point, Riveria was a little more than three weeks into her pregnancy but hadn't really shown any changes in her figure. There was a little tenderness in her breasts, which she had complained about during one of the nights they were together, but that was about it. As for Ryuu, she now had a very small bulge in her stomach that she could often be seen caressing with a lovely smile on her face within Terra's Garden. She and Riveria were often together these days with Aina, Eina, Lefiya, and Ais often appearing at their sides as support. Riveria had actually been Ais' surrogate mother when she first joined the Loki Familia so she had been spending a lot of time with Riveria after the latter got pregnant.
After Riveria and Ryuu, Vahn spent the greatest amount of time with the more pregnant girls who were now well into the later stages of their pregnancies. Even Arnya, who didn't really seem like she would ever show significant signs of pregnancy, started to have a moderate bulge in her belly. The biggest change, however, had been that her breasts and butt had grown even fuller at this point while she became very docile and affectionate whenever they were together. Aki was much the same, but her belly was much larger than Arnya's even though they were both only carrying a single child.
In that same category, though decidedly different than them both, Tsubaki had also progressed much further into her pregnancy and was now around 23 weeks along. Her belly made a gentle curve, but it was also hemispherical at this point and she had also stopped working actively in her forge. Much like Loki, who almost looked 'scarily' pregnant at this point, she had decided to take a break and prepare for childbirth instead of potentially endangering their daughter by being obstinate. As for Hephaestus, her pregnancy had been 'accelerated' a bit and she was now around 9-10 weeks away from giving birth if left alone.
Both Hephaestus and Loki now had big and full bellies that were a little unbalanced because the rest of their body didn't change to show the signs of pregnancy at all. Hephaestus even worse loose-fit trousers that accented her butt while wearing a stretchy top on her upper body with the [Fertility Band] worn over the top. As for Loki, she actually started wearing a simple dress that went all the way down to the ankles and had strangely started acting in a somewhat reserved manner while walking around with an escort at all times. She would soon be staying at the Hearth Manor in preparation for the birth and Vahn kind of wanted her to stick around, if possible...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Happy Pupper','Hot and Cold, Relaxation','Dangerously Pregnant')
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