Chapter 704: Advice
Though he spent the largest portion of his time focusing on his children, Vahn never felt like it was enough. This was emphasized during moments like this, where his adorable little Erika was sleeping on his chest while wearing her equally adorable koala pajamas. Because she was hugging him, Vahn felt like it was a very suitable attire and it always warmed his heart to see her sleeping face. She was always so 'serious' when she was awake so seeing Erika completely relaxed was very refreshing. The fact that she had a small smile on her face and was tightly holding on to him made Vahn wish moments like this could last forever...
Loki, who had been sleeping to his left, squeezed his arm a little tighter while slightly parting her eyes, quietly saying, "You know, if you skip breakfast, you can stay here for a good two hours longer~." Vahn, truthfully, didn't really require food any longer so Loki's words were 'very' tempting to him. However, he had a habit of waking up early and always being available around this time of day. Sleeping in almost felt 'wrong', especially since he would have used the time just to watch over the two red-headed beauties sleeping. Loki seemed to understand this as well, snickering quietly before tightly hugging his arm, almost as if she had made the decision for him.
Vahn heard the silent *suuu* *suuu*' sounds of her sleeping and, based off her aura and the state of her body, he knew she had actually gone back to sleep. With a small smile and a 'helpless' expression on his face, Vahn gave up resisting and just brought up his right hand to gently stroke Erika's back. Though she was still asleep, Erika instinctually hugged him tighter as the smile on her face grew marginally. This made any doubts Vahn had about his decision completely fade away since that small smile made everything feel like it was worth it...
After spending the morning in a quiet and casual manner, surrounded by the warmth of his family and children, Vahn finally headed towards the cafe. He felt completely refreshed but also stayed on his guard while Fenrir, wearing a frilly white dress, followed behind him. However, though her dress was cute, it was the much thinner layer of midnight blue fur around her forearms and legs that would catch the attention of those that knew her. Though she still had paw pads at the tips of her fingers, the upper part of her palms, and only her toes and feet, Fenrir was looking decidedly more humanoid than before. She still had the problem of possessing claws, but it wasn't that obvious compared to the past and it was very apparent she was making progress in her transformations.
Today, Fenrir was carrying a satchel-like purse along with her and her bushy tail had become marginally shorter, bouncing up and down as she walked along with a happy smile. If not for the fact that her ears would twitch occasionally, the casual observer would believe she wasn't in an alert state. The truth of the matter was that Fenrir, much like her Master, had been working hard to control her facial expressions so that she wouldn't give away any obvious signs of her mental state. Fortunately, she had a lot of experience being willful and free-spirited, so it was very easy for her to act in such a manner as she hummed a happy tune at her Master's side.
Just as he had done the previous day, Vahn used the room he had booked at the cafe to begin interviewing potential staff for the School. Fenrir sat at the side, changing into a gothic-style outfit as she silently sipped away at her tea while eating snacks. Whenever a new person would show up, she would give them a casual glance while many of the candidates looked at her with confusion and curiosity. Vahn actually found that her presence helped him weed out some candidates since, as a result of being able to read expressions and auras, Vahn could tell if some of the people interviewing had 'dangerous' tendencies.
Fenrir, though around seventeen years old, had a petite and adorable appearance, especially when she was wearing clothing to emphasize these traits. Most people would have a positive impression of her at first glance, as she really was quite adorable, but there were a few that had 'other' thoughts. One such example was a man who had come in, not part of the original roster, who gave Fenrir an appraising glance and amiable smile. However, Vahn could see his aura gravitate towards her as it took on a sickly pink hue while a very subtle light flashed over his eyes. Before he was even able to sit down, Vahn held up his hand and said, "You can leave." Though it looked like he had wanted to make a case for himself, the man found his words got stuck in his throat when he saw the cold and icy look in Vahn's eyes, almost as if he was 'daring' the man to test his patience...
When the man retreated, much faster than when he came in, Fenrir snorted through her button-like nose and said, "People that pretend to be good on the surface while hiding their true intentions are despicable..." Vahn nodded in agreement while feeling a strange incongruity in Fenrir's words, as he still wasn't quite adapted to the change in her behavior over the last couple of weeks. Though she still had moments where she acted in a cute manner, it wasn't nearly as prevalent as before. Most of her selfish behaviors from the past had ceased in their entirety and, much like many of the other girls these days, she didn't even sit in his lap unless he offered...
It was fortunate that most individuals, with similar tendencies as the man, were people that hadn't been vetted previously, meaning Vahn didn't have to deal with too many of them. After all, though he did make time for anyone that wanted to interview, the priority were those who had been asked to come by. Almost every person on his list, at least after Loki modified it, seemed to be properly suited for employment at the School. It helped that, as the benefits they were offering could make even some moderately successful Adventurers rethink their career choices, most of the people that showed up were more than happy to begin working at the School.
Not only was the pay much more than they expected, it was a stable job that also gave them ties to the Alliance and 'insurance' in the event that anything went wrong. Vahn wanted to make sure all of the workers were satisfied with the benefits they received, as it would help to ensure they treated their work very seriously and looked after the children properly. Doing well would reward them greatly and pave the way towards both financial gain and job security.
As for those that failed to meet expectations, there would be personnel evaluations every six months to replace problematic staff. Vahn wanted to make sure there was never any staff that were proactively trying to exploit the children so he would personally be looking for any changes in how the treated and interacted with the students. If he got so much as a whiff of exploitation, or anything even remotely 'worse', Vahn would rain down very swift and decisive justice on them. This was clearly laid out in their contracts and, if anyone wanted to become a permanant staff in the future, they would have to take very strict vows that would be in effect until their contracts expire...
With noon approaching, Vahn got to see one of the people he had been looking forward to interviewing. In truth, she didn't actually have to come by and interview with him directly but, as she wanted to take on a different position than what was previously offered, Renka had taken the initiative to stop by. However, based on the slight glimmer in her tiger-like eyes, Vahn expected she had some 'selfish' motives for stopping by. She approached the table with quick and decisive steps before bowing in a very polite and respectful manner while saying, "I hope my presence isn't an inconvenience for you, Master."
Fenrir's ears twitched when she heard Renka's words and she began training her scarlet eyes on the unknown Weretiger woman. Sensing the gaze, as a result of her instincts warning her of impending danger. Renka's tail and ears twitched as she immediately adopted a defensive posture. The tension in the air increased greatly until Vahn laughed, gesturing for both girls to calm down. Fenrirs hair slowly lost its 'edge' as she picked up a nearby cracker and crunched it somewhat violently with her sharp canines. Renka continued to remain on guard but, after sensing Vahn's eyes upon her, did her best to ignore Fenrir as she sat down in front of him.
Still obviously unnerved by Fenrir, Renka awkwardly moved her fingers through her ashen-grey hair as she adopted a practiced smile and said, "I was grateful when Terpsichore-sama informed us that we had the opportunity to work at the School you're opening, especially since the pay and benefits are very enticing. However, I don't think my dance is suitable to teach to children and I'm not really proficient with any instruments. If possible, I wanted to try and get a position as a combat instructor or join the security detail protecting the School..." Though she didn't say it, Renka actually wanted to pitch the idea about her joining the Hestia Familia as well. However, after getting 'spooked' by Fenrir, Renka had lost her confidence and was afraid she would be shot down the moment she brought it up.
Vahn put on a thoughtful expression, stroking his chin slightly as he contemplated Renka's words. She was more than qualified for the positions she was volunteering for but Vahn also knew she 'deserved' an opportunity for further growth. He always felt partial to her, as a result of her exotic appearance and tragic background, so Vahn was tempted to help elevate her to a higher position than normal. There was also the fact that, though she seemed to be interested in him, Renka showed a strong sense of propriety and was very respectful during the times they had interacted with each other in the past.
After collecting his thoughts, Vahn gave an encouraging smile towards Renka as he said, "You're very young and have high combat proficiencies, making you very suited to the positions you're applying for. However, it almost feels unfair to have you squander your talents in a position where your future growth would be limited. How about I have you work as the assistant of the Department Head, Tsubaki? She might not be as skilled as a god like Takemikazuchi, but I believe the two of you would get along well. You'll also be charged with teaching the children survival skills and helping watch over their basic training..."
Since she had lost her companions in the past, Vahn felt Renka would be suited to a position where she was directly involved with ensuring that the children were taught how to increase their chances of survival. Though she might suffer an emotional burden when some of her graduates inevitably die, much like how Rose had become somewhat jaded, Vahn believed Renka was a strong enough girl to bear the burden. After all, there would undoubtedly be people that felt gratitude towards her as a result of the teachings she imparted them. Tsubaki would also be able to look after her and, as Sakuya would one day begin her own training, Vahn believed Renka would be a good influence on his daughter.
It wasn't exactly what she wanted but Renka was still happy that Vahn showed such consideration towards her. The most important thing to her right now was simply securing a position outside of the Clubhouse while not having to outright abandon the Terpsichore Familia. This would allow her to potentially approach and befriend Vahn in the future and, as she would now be the assistant of one of the girls closest to him, Renka believed fortune may favor her in the future. She didn't particularly have any expectations towards Vahn himself, it was just that she felt he was a suitable Master to dedicate her spear and life to. Her mission in life was to save as many people as she could and, seeing how much change Vahn was bringing to the world, Renka wanted to help him as much as she was able.
Even before she agreed, Vahn noticed that Renka's tiny tiger-like ears were wobbling slightly while periodically twitching happily. This made the smile on his face soften slightly before she happily exclaimed, "Thank you for your consideration, Master! I'll do my best to meet your expecations~!" Vahn released a light chuckle before standing up and shaking Renka's hand, saying, "Welcome aboard, Renka. I'm certain you will have numerous accomplishments to your name in the future. Please take care of the children properly and impart unto them the wisdom and expertise you have accumulated over the few years you had been active as an Adventurer." Renka nodded her head with a resolute glow in her pale-amethyst eyes.
//Renka Silverclaw: Affection 50+44(Respect), Intrigue 50+29(Curious)//
Vahn was surprised by the system notification but it didn't show on his face as he escorted Renka to the door and saw her off. Their handshake had actually been the first contact between them so Vahn was somewhat surprised that Renka's Affection was already at 94. The fact that the bracket parameter was 'Respect', however, made Vahn's impression of her increase even more since she wasn't just another girl that had fallen for him. Though there was an obvious desire belying some of her actions, it didn't seem like Renka's 'reason' was simply her pursuit of him.
After seeing off Renka, Vahn returned to his seat as Fenrir murmured in a husky tone, "That girl is a lot like us. She would make a good subordinate for Master..." Vahn experienced a momentary pause in his thought process before giving Fenrir a curious look. As if understanding his question, Fenrir explained, "Master needs more people that will follow his orders and never betray him. Many of the girls in the Manor don't have the right mentality to truly stay at Master's side forever. That girl seems like the type to dedicate themselves to the things they believe in, a lot like Lefiya..." As she was speaking, Fenrir noticed the reaction on her Master's face and decided to add, "She also seems like the type that could become good friends with Master. There are already a lot of girls around Master but only a few of them can be considered friends. Master needs more people he can interact with without dependence on emotions like love and affection..."
Vahn had started to lapse into thoughts about the impending problems he would have to face in the future, especially after a few decades had passed. However, hearing the second half of Fenrir's words, Vahn snapped back to the present and asked, "You think I need more friends...?" Fenrir unhesitantly nodded her head, explaining, "Yes. Most of Master's relationships are too 'heavy'. There aren't enough people in Master's life where you can just cut loose and relax, especially now that you have children to take care of. After all, Master hasn't gone to the Clubhouse other than to drop off supplies and I don't think you've gone to visit that red-headed man in a long time..."
Hearing Fenrir's words, Vahn was surprised to realize he hadn't even been thinking about maintaining his 'friendly' relationships with other people lately. He had also stopped making his rounds to the primary Familia making up the Alliance, meaning he hadn't even seen Ouka and Chigusa in nearly six months. As for Welf, it had been a little over four months, as Vahn had simply never made time for the boy that was supposed to be his friend. He had seen him at the Clubhouse on occasion but, as Fenrir had said, Vahn left after talking with Sebas and replenishing the supplies. It was because his 'relaxation' time had now been almost entirely dedicated to his daughters and, as they were so important to him, Vahn had stopped paying attention to 'less important' things...
Thinking until this point, Vahn realized he also hadn't truly followed up on his promise with Rufina and, after dropping her off at the Ganesha Familia, he hadn't even seen her again. Now that he thought about it, Vahn felt like he had just thrown her to the Ganesha Familia and stopped considering her matters seriously, even though he had made a promise to investigate her past. However, other than mentioning it to Loki, he hadn't really done anything to follow-up on the matter at all. Since her current lifestyle was a result of his meddling, Vahn had an 'obligation' towards the girl that he hadn't treated with the seriousness she deserved.
Releasing a sigh, Vahn looked to Fenrir and said, "I think I see what you mean. It just feels like there isn't enough time in my life to split between what I 'need' to do, and what I 'want' to do. Even with the orb, which was supposed to give me more time to spend with everyone, I've been staying in the real world more often since I want to watch over my children. It looks like I need to change my perspective a bit in the future..." Vahn knew friends and colleagues were important if he wanted to achieve true balance in his life. If all his emotional connections were with his family, lovers, and children, he wouldn't truly be a stable existence. In time, he would probably become even more defensive of them since his overexposure to the people he cared about would make him equally overprotective...
Now that he had Fenrir's 'advice' as a guide, Vahn was starting to wonder if it would be better to move the children into the orbs as well, spending most of his time inside so he could balance his lifestyle more easily. Yes, this would mean they grow up faster, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing since he would have spent a very similar amount of time with them. After all, there weren't any real downsides to them being able to mature 'faster' in preparation for the 'real' world. The only problem is, this would give him even less time within the real world and it would be difficult to balance his relationships with the goddesses who were unable to enter the orbs. He would essentially be creating his own private world to spend time with his family, becoming increasingly detached from the 'troublesome' matters he had to deal with in reality...
While he was thinking, a knock came at the door that sounded the arrival of the next person seeking an interview. Vahn called for them to enter and began discussing the job specifics with the new arrival while his sub-process mind was discussing the matter with Sis. Her advice was actually something he hadn't quite expected, as it contradicted his past intentions somewhat. In a calm and guiding voice, she explained, (*Using something like shadow clones may not be the solution you're looking for, but there are other techniques at your disposal if you're stuck between the real world and your time in the orb. Though it's not as developed as Emiru and Maemi, you've always had a means of linking together with other instances of yourself, even to the point that you were able to bond with your memory fragment when you first met.*)
Though he was certain he didn't try to pull up the memories, visions of the time he had spent in Preasia's dreamscape and his first interaction with his memory fragment passed through his mind. This was obviously Sis showing him the evidence of her claim as she said, (*It might be a serious mental strain, but you can consider trying to make an avatar for yourself and split your body and mind into two. You already have the ability to think simultaneous thoughts and, with the support of your Innates, the mental strain shouldn't be intolerable. The only downside is that you might have trouble doing complex actions while controlling two bodies simultaneously.*)
The 'solution' Sis was proposing meant that Vahn wouldn't simply be using a 'clone' to take care of matters he couldn't deal with personally, as both versions of himself would be intrinsically the same person. He would need to control both sets of limbs, think each thought, breath each breath, and make each decision for both of himself. It was almost impossible to imagine the complexity of such a thing but, after experiencing what it was like to be a Doppelganger, Vahn didn't think it was actually that difficult. If he mastered the ability, he would even be able to fight against his opponents with two versions of himself, each equally as strong as the other and having flawless teamwork between themselves...
While he was thinking about this, Vahn also wrapped up his other interview and shook hands with the person before asking them to send in the next interviewee. The fact he was able to carry on a conversation while seriously thinking about something else showed he already had a basic proficiency in splitting his thoughts. The only thing is, instead of just controlling a single body, he would be 'piloting' two in the future. Even so, he still had some inhibitions about it because it almost felt like he was 'cheating' circumstances as a result of being incapable of managing things himself. Though they would both be him, Vahn felt like it would actually be harmful since he might never truly be able to focus on two different things at once. Since he would constantly be 'split', with one of his halves in a world where time moved much faster, Vahn could already anticipate several issues.
Ultimately, Vahn decided to bring up the matter with the girls and, even if he never truly intended to rely on the ability, he would at least learn how to use it. After all, if there was ever a moment when he 'needed' to be in two places at once, it was better to have that ability than regret having passed up on increasing his capabilities. One of the things he had learned from Tsubaki in what now seemed like the distant past was, 'It's better to have and not need, than need and not have. If you have the ability to increase your knowledge and capabilities, you owe it to yourself and the people you care about to expand upon your existing foundation.' Thus, after following Sis's advice, Vahn purchased a technique manual from the system shop called [Avatar Creation] for 5,000,000OP...
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[Avatar Creation]
Rank: S (Heaven-Grade Support Technique)
Use: Details the requirements to create an 'Avatar' that allows the user to split their soul into two halves so they can control two bodies simultaneously. When either body is destroyed, the remnant half of their soul will always return to the surviving half, thus allowing the user to once again create an Avatar.
'This technique had been created by a spirit-practitioner who feared the mortality of their body and wanted to come up with a way to live forever. By using precious resources to construct a body with higher potential, they managed to greatly extend their lifespan and slowly climb the ranks within their record. Unfortunately, as a result of a heart demon, developed from experiencing multiple deaths, the creator of this ability never managed to reach the pinnacle of power. Ultimately, this ability became a secondary support technique that was passed down through his descendants who tried to carry on the will of their master and obtain true immortality.'
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fenrir's Fearsome Gaze','Realization','Cultivation slowly sneaking its way into the Novel (o,...,o)...!')
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Chapter 705: Stake Out
Though he hadn't actually expected the Smiling Reaper to show up, Vahn was somewhat disappointed that the day had come to an end uneventfully. At this point, he had screened the majority of potential teachers and staff, filling far more roles than he initially expected. Excluding the Department Heads, Vahn had initially only planned on 108 positions but, after meeting with several interesting people, he had already increased this number to 153. Most of the additional hires were mother's and widowed women that either made a good impression on him or simply needed a little help getting their lives back on track. Vahn figured giving the widowed women a stable income, while also allowing their children to attend the School, would be very beneficial for everyone involved.
After leaving the cafe, Vahn and Fenrir took to the sky and quickly made their way across the City at a very high speed. Their destination was the various Manors and territories managed by the Noble factions. Vahn and Fenrir would just be making a quick pass over the properties to see if he could pick up anything before making their way back to the Hearth Manor. It wasn't very likely that they would find the Smiling Reaper using this method, but there was still a chance. Vahn didn't really want to have to visit the nobles himself to try and track her down so this was the only method available to him without directly trying to deal with the troublesome group of people.
If Loki's intuition was correct, the Smiling Reaper was likely working for one of the top three Noble houses, which made sense as anyone possessing such a powerful subordinate wasn't likely to hold a lesser position. Even if they had a lot of influence, Noble families would be hard-pressed buying the loyalty of any Adventurer over Level 3. It might be possible if their Familia had disbanded, but most people that got above that Level threshold typically retired and continued to help their Familia prosper. After fighting alongside their companions for what could potentially be several decades, most people weren't willing to become the 'dogs' of the Nobles, as it would generally ruin any reputation they might have had.
Though there would certainly be exceptions, it wouldn't be enough to make a difference when the other party had someone above Level 6. With the various schemes and infighting between the Nobles houses, the Smiling Reaper would have undoubtedly come into play at some point. This meant that she was almost exclusively restricted to the more successful houses since their power and influence would actually be necessary to keep someone as powerful as her a secret. The Nobles had a lot of sway when it came to spreading information and had very large networks to control the various rumors that circulated through the City. With enough time, any powerful family would be able to cover up the Smiling Reapers exploits, turning her into the urban legend most believed her to be.
As they were the most likely culprits, Vahn and Fenrir first arrived on the periphery of the McKenneth family properties. When he saw the massive size of the Manor and the surrounding property, Vahn understood that his own extravagance wasn't nearly as 'excessive' as he had believed. The McKenneth family estate had enough space to fit several Hearth Manors on its property and seemed capable of housing several thousand people with room to spare. Knowing that the family itself only consisted of several tens of people, Vahn felt that, other than to display their status, such a massive estate served no actual purpose. It just made things unnecessarily more difficult to defend and maintain, requiring several hundred staff and maintenance workers just to keep things looking adequately extravagant.
Shaking his head, Vahn compressed his domain until there was a dense layer of air that had been compressed around them. He then created several golden wards in thin air before rooting them along the inner membrane of his domain. After a few seconds had passed, the wards became transparent while the outer membrane of air slowly faded away from the view of any observers. Vahn and Fenrir could easily see outside but, anyone looking at them from outside the 'bubble' he had created would only see empty space. Unless they had a way to probe into the bubble directly, they wouldn't even be able to detect Vahn and Fenrir with high-end detection formations.
Once his preparations were finished, Vahn and Fenrir floated over the McKenneth Manor as he inspected the insides with his [Eyes of Truth]. Vahn's ability to sense affection allowed him to see the auras of people, but it was his [Eyes of Truth] that allowed him to see their physical, mana, and spiritual bodies. If he wanted to find the Smiling Reaper, he needed to see her directly so he could differentiate her aura from other people. Unfortunately, this ability was somewhat 'invasive' and, anyone with adequately enhanced perception would be able to detect his visual probe. Vahn had experienced this with Eva, most of the gods he had met, and Rufina, formerly Revis. He assumed the Smiling Reaper would be yet another such individual and, though he couldn't be certain, this may have been the reason she had 'known' about his disguise.
Vahn scanned over every room of the 6 floor Manor, focusing on every sign of life he had detected within his vision. There were a few areas where he couldn't probe, protected by powerful barriers that were of similar quality to the one located in his Guest Residence, but Vahn assumed most of them were just safehouses and vaults. Eventually, after inspecting some of the servant's quarters, Vahn started to find rooms that were far more lavish than others. His eyes passed over an area where a single presence was located and, after seeing who was inside, he quickly averted his eyes to continue searching. Though he didn't possess the [Luck] Development Ability, Vahn noticed he had a knack for experiencing and seeing things that he shouldn't have. If he had the opportunity, Vahn made a mental note to apologize to Allisandra in the future in some manner...
After inadvertently catching sight of the young noblewoman changing, Vahn finally found a room near the very center of the Manor that seemed to be what he was looking for. There were powerful formations to prevent spying but it wasn't nearly as secure as some areas. He had to strain his eyes a bit, but Vahn managed to peer through the barriers as he saw a middle-aged man with dark purple hair and similarly lavender eyes as Allisandra. Though they had never met before, Vahn felt like this man had a true air of nobility surrounding him and he could guess it was either Allisandra's father, Marcus Vale McKenneth, or one of her uncles. However, given the location of the study, Vahn assumed it was the former since it wouldn't have made much sense for someone other than the owner of the residence to be within the central study.
Within the room, Vahn could see four maids present while an elderly butler was attending the man he assumed to be Marcus. As he couldn't hear what they were talking about, Vahn decided to do a little bit of spying since he had the opportunity. Using his domain as a medium, Vahn carefully carved a ward on the underside of the man's chair while creating a duplicate ward next to his own ear. This allowed him to transmit sounds over short distances, depending on the amount of energy used to establish the signal. With the number of barriers surrounding the room, Vahn had to muster up a fair amount of his own energy but assumed it would be worth it...
Unfortunately, after spying on the man for nearly an hour, Vahn didn't learn anything about the Smiling Reaper and just heard the man, who he confirmed to be Marcus, complaining about his children. Vahn felt a little guilty for spying on the man and eventually broke the connection to go inspect the next estate. It made him uncomfortable to hear a father talking about his children in such a way since Vahn couldn't imagine ever doing the same. He knew his parenting methods weren't exactly 'normal', but Vahn felt that his interactions with his children were much preferred over the normal methods. He couldn't understand how parents took 'secondary' roles in raising their children and found faults in their actions, even though they didn't do anything to prevent things from getting out of hand. Marcus seemed to have a lot of complaints about his children but, as far as Vahn could tell, most of the things he was complaining about could have been circumvented if Marcus took action and properly guided his children...
After leaving the territory of the McKenneth family, Vahn landed on the roof of a nearby restaurant and decided to take a break while he replenished his energy reserves. Patting his lap, Fenrir happily moved over and sat down as her transformation slowly broke, ensuring she was 'adequately fluffy' for him. Vahn even felt that her hair had become softer than normal so he asked in an amused tone, "Are you trying to make yourself more pettable~?" Fenrir laughed lightly while pulling up her legs into his lap and letting her tail poke out through the front. She curled it up toward him and said, "Try touching my tail, Master~."
Reaching out his hand, Vahn touched the white tuft at the end of Fenrir's tail, surprised by how soft it had become compared to the past. Fenrir always had somewhat bristly fur and, while it was still pleasant to pet, it sometimes poked you if you went against the natural flow of the fur. Now, however, her hair was almost as soft as Haruhime's though, as soon as he had this thought, Fenrir released a silent 'Kuu...' Vahn chuckled lightly before hugging her body close to his and saying, "I don't mind if you want to have a small rivalry with Haruhime, but never think its important to me to compare the two of you. She might have a softer tail, at least for now, but you should know that I spent much more time petting you than brushing through her hair and fur..."
Fenrir's large fluffy ears perked up, amusing Vahn because they framed his face and tickled him a little since he had been leaning down slightly. However, when she suddenly said, "Master should actually spend a little more time with Haruhime. She has been behaving herself ever since the children have been born, but I can tell she has been a little lonely. I'm sure everyone would enjoy having some time to be pampered by you, Master..." In the past, her Master had always groomed, combed, and pet everyone whenever he had a chance. Now, however, this habit wasn't nearly as prominent as before and, much like they had stopped fighting over his lap, many of the girls stopped approaching him to proactively receive pampering.
Vahn remembered the previous incident with Shizune and how 'awkward' her behavior had been when she climbed into his lap. If the other girls were going through something similar, essentially refusing to fight for his attention now that the children had been born, Vahn might have to be more 'proactive' in his own approach. Just like he needed to maintain his social circles better, Vahn needed to make sure none of the girls were troubling themselves by holding back on his account. Yes, he loved his daughters very dearly, but Vahn didn't want the other people he loved to make sacrifices for his own happiness. After all, they had all agreed to work together and share each other's happiness, not just focus on making him happy from the shadows...
It only took him around ten minutes to replenish his reserves, but Vahn spent nearly a half hour just cuddling up with the 'extra fluffy' Fenrir. Since it had been a good opportunity, Vahn brought out her favorite brush and combed through her hair, the fur around her arms and legs, and finishing off by tracing his fingers and brush through her fluffy and soft tail. Since she had been straddling his hips for the final segment, staring up into his face with her large scarlet eyes, Vahn had found the experience both pleasant and stimulating. In the end, he gave her a kiss on the lips and, though it was very dangerous, gently probed the inside of her mouth while tracing his tongue across her surprisingly smooth teeth. Fenrir, feeling her Master's tongue sneak its way through her lips, kept her teeth very tightly closed while enjoying the fluttery feeling in her stomach.
After their affection session came to an end, Vahn and Fenrir went to investigate the other two priority targets to see if they could find any traces of the Smiling Reaper. Unfortunately, by the time the sun started its downward descent on the horizon, they hadn't found any traces whatsoever. Not wanting to miss dinner time, Vahn eventually gave up for the day and returned to the Hearth Manor. He still needed to talk to the girls about potentially splitting his body into two parts and, as everyone should be gathered for dinner time, it was a good opportunity to bring it up. At the very least, even if he didn't use his Avatar to interact with the girls, he could use it outside the Manor to gather information and potentially act as his proxy at the School.
With their mastery over [Koku Shundo], it didn't take long for Vahn and Fenrir to arrive at the Manor and, as he had hoped, most of the girls were outside of the orb and eating dinner. Even before he entered the residence, Vahn had a happy smile on his face since it was always better when everyone was together. As for those that were missing, he assumed they had either needed to rest after training hard or wanted to finish polishing up on something they had been working on. Mikoto had a habit of exhausting herself on occasion and, from the moment she moved into the orb, Nanu had been training her fluffy little butt off to become a more capable warrior and blacksmith.
Even though he was coming in through the back entrance, Hestia had still left the dining room to come and intercept him at the door. Unless she was busy with something, she had always tried to be there every time he returned home, all so that she could greet him and say those magical words that always brought a smile to his face. This time was much the same as Hestia bounded over to him with a lovely smile on her face and gave him a tight hug, pressing her inexplicably soft breasts into his stomach while saying, "Welcome home, Vahn~." Vahn stroked her silky black hair, running his fingers along its length while saying, "I'm home..." in a soft tone of voice.
Not long after their embrace had started, a pitter-patter of footsteps could be heard from the hallway as Ina came running over with a happy smile on her face. Hestia moved to the side, yet another example showing Vahn that the girls were making way for the children, as Ina jumped forward into his open arms. Much like Hestia, she gave him as firm a hug as she could manage while happily shouting, "Welcome home, Papa~! You're just in time for dinner. Can I sit in your lap tonight?" Vahn stood up, carrying Ina along with him as he laughed lightly and said, "Sure, that sounds like it could be fun. However, you'll have to eat plenty of vegetables without complaining..."
Ina put on an expression as if she had just been informed that the sky was falling but eventually nodded her head and said, "As long as Papa is feeding me, I feel that it will taste better than normal..." This caused Vahn to laugh even louder while Hestia and Fenrir followed along behind him, both showing small smiles on their faces. Vahn felt they were very understanding and reaffirmed his desire to try and allocate his time better in the future. If necessary, he could just arrange things so that he could spend time with both the girls and his children at the same time. Though it wouldn't be nearly as intimate as it could be, there were far more ways of sharing affection than just simply indulgence...
For the rest of the evening, Vahn took turns between feeding Ina and Vana while Erika sat on the opposite side of Loki and sent him periodic glances through her slightly parted eyes. He also discussed his [Avatar Creation] ability, surprising everyone present with how 'ridiculous' such an ability seemed. However, considering who was speaking, it wasn't actually that surprising and he got permission to move forward with his plan of creating a second body. Once he was finished, they would then evaluate if it is a viable alternative and, even if he wouldn't be able to perfectly split his focus between them, it could still be very useful. After all, there was a possibility that, if he truly managed to master such an ability, Vahn's efficiency would more than double if he worked alongside himself to accomplish his goals. Of course, the most important thing was that, if things didn't work out as expected, it was possible to absorb the Avatar back into the body and reunite the two halves of the soul again.
The only person who had any inhibitions about it from the very beginning was, surprisingly, Anubis. As a Goddess of Death, she had a very strong affinity towards souls and didn't think it was a good idea to split one into two parts. Since the reason she had been drawn to Vahn in the past was because of his unique soul, she was more than a little worried something would go wrong. However, as Sis had explained that his soul was indestructible and couldn't be influenced by external forces, Vahn assured her it would be okay. Thus, as a result of her fierce loyalty and the assurance he had given her, Anubis eventually took a step back and decided to trust in her Master...
Once dinner had come to an end, most of the girls moved back into the orb and, as he had stayed with Loki and Erika the previous night, Vahn was going to spend the night with Hephaestus, Ina, and Vana tonight. One of the things they had discussed was how he should be allocating his time between the real world and the orb in the future and it was ultimately decided he would spend at least two nights in the week sleeping in the real world with the various mother-daughter pairs. The rest of his nights would be spent in the orb and, as far as having the children enter the orbs was concerned, that matter was set aside until his experiments with the Avatar were finished.
After they had moved over to Hephaestus' room, Vahn helped Ina and Vana wear their pajamas, giving Vana her favorite frog onesie while Ina dressed up like a small vanilla-colored bunny rabbit. There was even a large tuft of a tail on the backside and, as he felt it completed the ensemble, Vahn had given her a large carrot-shaped pillow. Unfortunately, she seemed less inclined to care about the carrot-pillow and preferred to snuggle up with him instead. Thus, after laying next to his beautiful wife, Vahn let Ina snuggle up next to him while Vana nestled into Hephaestus' embrace. Vahn and Hephaestus were facing each other while the two girls slept between them, able to see the love and affection in each other's eyes while embracing their daughters as if shielding them from the rest of the world...
(A/N: It had been asked a few times so, if you're curious about the template for the girls when they grow up, Vana looks a lot like Soleil from Fire Emblem, Ina is similar to Winry from FMA(though only marginally), and Erika is very similar to her mother but wears her hair differently)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'How...Uneventful...?','Fenrir's Sagely Advice','Can anyone else imagine Vana still wearing animal jammies when she grows up? I can~!')
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