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33.27% Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos / Chapter 782: Gathering

Chapter 782: Gathering

In preparation for the upcoming expedition, the girls had decided to schedule one of their 'Vahnatus', a name that, till this day, Vahn had never really gotten used to. Still, as the event often helped direct the momentum of everyone in the Manor, Vahn looked forward to them, this time being no exception. The topics of discussion were the expedition itself, including who would be going with him, the matter of Bell, Alexa's emergence from the Space-Time orb, and the upcoming Denatus. At this point, the Alliance was the primary focus of every Denatus so it was important to discuss anything that they wanted to address during the assembly of the gods.

Vahn had arrived in the dining room a bit early and, seeing Hephaestus sitting alongside Ina, he smiled happily before joining them. Ina, though she was getting a little big for such behavior, immediately crawled into his lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world while Hephaestus released an amused laugh. She leaned on the table, supporting her head with her hand and mused, "Even though your body and mind have developed quickly, it seems like you'll never outgrow that clinginess of yours~." Ina, without so much as a light layer of blush, just nodded her head in response and said, "I've seen so many different futures, and Papa is the only constant that I've been able to observe. After talking to Erika, I don't mind if I never end up getting a boyfriend, as long as I still get to create my babies and spend time with Papa..."

While Ina was speaking, her eyes were glimmering with a magical light, obviously focusing on something in the future that only she could see. Vahn, hearing her words, released a soft chuckle while gently hugging Ina's body and saying, "Ina will always be my Little Princess, even if she became 300cm tall..." This caused Ina to produce a rare frown while Hephaestus began to laugh heartily while they both imagined what it would be like if she was actually 3m tall. Ina never wanted to be bigger than her Papa, as she felt comfortable whenever he was holding her. As for Hephaestus, she just thought it was amusing and, knowing Vahn was just teasing Ina, went with the flow of things.

For a few minutes, the three of them just talked amongst themselves, enjoying the atmosphere until it underwent a subtle shift when the others began to arrive. Maemi and Emiru had walked in to begin setting the table and, seeing the three of them sitting there, began to fluster a bit as they said, "Master, forgive us for making you wait. We'll prepare some tea and snacks..." Bowing together, the twins then whisked away to the kitchen while Vahn produced a wry smile. He had made efforts to get them to relax a little but, as their strength continued to increase, the twins actually became more devoted to their work as maids. It was a little strange but, as they genuinely seemed to enjoy their current lifestyles, Vahn didn't try to force them.

They weren't the only ones in the Manor with quirks, as everyone had something unique that defined them, including their thought process and general mentality. There were girls like Mikoto, who were almost always serious and dutiful, while, inversely, there were girls like Tiona, who seemed to be completely incapable of treating anything in a truly serious manner. The only time she restrained herself was when other people were solemn, or if something impactful had just happened. Then, probably the most unique amongst them all, were girls like Preasia and Risna, the former spending the majority of her time sleeping, while the latter holed herself up in her own room and pumped out a number of novels on various subjects.

At this point, Vahn had nearly a dozen books that Risna had written 'to' him, each detailing various different ways their relationship could progress. He had noticed that, as time passed, the details within the books had become progressively more bold, making it very clear he would have to start treating their relationship seriously, sooner, rather than later. She wasn't the only one, either, as girls like Mikoto, Nanu, Shizune, and Tina were also waiting for him to initiate things. Among them, the only two that showed genuine patience were Mikoto and Nanu, but Vahn knew it had been a little unfair for him to put things off this long. Though he was very busy, it wouldn't have taken that much effort to at least show that he cared for them in a more 'meaningful' way...

After a few minutes had passed, Maemi came out pushing a tray full of snacks, enough for everyone that would show up later, while Emiru carried an ornamental teapot that had a very fragrant aroma wafting from within. Vahn could smell mint, a trace of honey, and the special black tea leaves that the girls had been cultivating after they found out he enjoyed them. Though he could easily purchase them through the system shop, Vahn appreciated the efforts that they would go to in order to try and please him, making a mental note to express his gratitude when he got a chance later.

Slowly but surely, the other girls began to show up, starting with a rather large group that was comprised of Haruhime, Mikoto, Ais, Tiona, Tione, Lefiya, Lili, Naaza, Milan, Tina, and Shizune. When they entered into the room, most of the girls happily greeted him but Vahn hadn't missed the somewhat 'envious' look that Tina gave towards Ina. At the same time, Vahn also took note of how much Tina had changed over the last year, now looking much more mature than in the past, with her secondary physical characteristics developing just fine. She often took the nutritional supplements that he had provided for the girls who stayed within the orbs, though never more than a single dose per day. He knew that she wanted to be mature enough to bear his child in the future, which was one of the reasons Vahn was somewhat hesitant about allowing things to progress further...

Vahn had long ago resolved himself to treat Tina as one of his lovers and, after having several years to think about it within the orb, it seemed like Milan had accepted it completely at this point. Just a few weeks ago, after the two of them had finished having sex, Milan had actually asked him to consider removing the restriction on Tina and Shizune, as they were both, chronologically, much older than most girls would be when having their first time. At this point, Tina was actually seventeen years old, even though she wasn't actually treated as an adult yet, while Shizune was twenty-four. The only thing holding them back at this point was the 'restrictions' that had been enacted when the orbs were first created, now seemingly far less important than they had been in the past...

With this thought passing through his mind, Vahn considered addressing it during the Vahnatus but decided that, instead of doing things in such a roundabout manner, he owed it to the girls to simply seek them out. There was plenty of time within the orb to spend time with them, so Vahn made the decision to do away with some of the restrictions, though he would still have Tina wait for a little while before they took the final step. Still, just like his interactions with Lefiya and Preasia in the past, there were plenty of things he could do with her that should help release some of her tensions. In fact, just being 'open' to the idea of being more intimate with her would almost guarantee her [Luck] caused an event to occur to that effect.

At this point, they had been able to observe the effects of Tina's [Luck] for more than a year, giving Vahn an incredible amount of insight into how the skill actually works. Essentially, the skill worked by altering the perception of the user slightly, making them more susceptible to triggering events that would coincide with their innermost desires. This meant, if the person wanted to get more drop items, they would end up killing monsters in such a way that it would increase the odds of them dropping items. At the same time, if they had somewhat perverted mentalities, which seemed to be one of the 'requirements' for having [Luck], they would often trigger events that allowed them to interact with the object of their affection.

That wasn't the limit of the ability though, as it actually influenced the people around the person that had the [Luck] Development Ability as well. In the event of facing off against an enemy, this could result in things like 'critical' strikes landing, the opponent's weapon breaking, or a monster tripping over itself. When it came to the object of their affection, assuming that person wouldn't get offended by an 'accident' happening, it would guarantee that something would happen between them. If the 'target' was resistant to the idea, the [Luck] would trigger, as that would potentially harm the development of their relationship. Inversely, if the target was 'open' to the idea, the effect of [Luck] would become more pronounced, something Vahn had learned personally...

Around the time when Tina had, chronologically, reached fourteen years of age, which she had earnestly been keeping track of within the orb, Vahn got to experience the extremes of her [Luck]. The topic of her unique item, [One of Heart, Mind, and Body] came up in conversation, becoming a matter of intrigue for the girls within the orb. Tina had taken it out to show it off to them and, after talking about its potential uses for a while, she ended up getting riled up. Later that evening, after a fair amount of hesitation, she ended up using the item without truly considering the repercussions of her actions...

Though his instincts had been warning him that something might happen, Vahn happened to be busy with diplomatic affairs at the Elven Kingdom while, back at the Manor, he was making love with Milan. These events had been enough of a distraction that he hadn't noticed the strange energy the 'overlapped' Milan's body, continuing to make love to her for several hours as she too was completely oblivious to what was happening. As a result of these oversights, Tina ended up in the orb for nearly thirty hours, linked with the feelings, thoughts, and sensations of her mother back in the real world. For nearly a week after that, Tina had kept completely silent about the incident until, after being confronted about her strange behavior, she finally confessed what had happened...

Ever since that incident, Tina started training even harder than before and started taking the nutritional supplements to help her still immature body develop further. She had a strangely 'resolute' disposition after that and, though she had initially been perfectly fine with 'waiting', it was obvious that her patience had slowly worn down with time. Unfortunately for her, it was actually this incident that had kept Vahn from taking any further action with her later on, as thoughts of what she must have experienced made him feel more than a little awkward. Milan could be a very 'needy' woman in bed and, as a result of her increasing stamina, she could go for a few hours without any significant rest...knowing that Tina had experienced all of that had caused Vahn to develop a few inhibitions about the future, though that wouldn't matter now that he had made up his mind.

She shouldn't have known what he was thinking, but Tina used the opportunity when Vahn's left side was open to 'skip' over and try to take the seat for herself. From her perspective, Tina figured, even if she couldn't sit in his lap, sitting next to him was better than nothing. As this thought passed through her mind, a very different thought passed through Vahn's, causing the hair on his neck to raise as he internally remarked, ("So quickly!?") Then, as a result of Ina sitting in his lap, Vahn was unable to move fast enough to prevent Tina from tripping over 'nothing'. He reached out his hand to prevent her tumbling head-first towards Ina, somehow missing her shoulder completely and feeling a soft and plump sensation against his hand.

Tina, startled by her sudden fall, had reached out her hands to try and use Vahn's arm as support, the very act that caused him to miss her shoulder. When she felt a hot and firm sensation press against her right breast, the momentary gap in her mentality caused her to release a mewling "Nyaa~" while clinging to his arm. It was almost as though she was actually 'holding' his hand against her chest, even though she was simply trying to prevent herself from falling down. As a result, Vahn's hand was firmly pressed against Tina's chest and, attempting to remove it, just made the absentminded Cat Person writhe about slightly as her tail flickered happily.

Cursing himself for not using his head, Vahn then used telekinesis to lift Tina away from him so she would let go of his hand. Her face was a little flushed and she seemed to be a little embarrassed after realizing what had just happened. However, she didn't seem capable of hiding the smile that was creeping onto the corners of her mouth, nor could she control her tail that was dancing around happily even as Vahn set her back a few meters. Vahn, using his telepathy, then sent her a message to help her calm down, causing Tina to remember where she was as she bashfully hid her face from view. All the while this was occurring, Ina had been observing the event with slightly glowing eyes and a small frown on her face, though it didn't persist for very long as she just released a small sigh and leaned against her Papa's chest.

With Tina losing the initiative, Lefiya had quickly slipped into the spot on Vahn's left while the other girls began to fill in the empty seats and begin having lively discussions about what they would be talking about later. Vahn felt it was somewhat amusing, that they were actually 'already' talking about the matters that would be covered in the Vahnatus, but he still pitched in his own take on matters whenever they would ask. The biggest concern on most of the girls' minds was if they would be able to go on the expedition, or if they would remain back at the Manor. Following that, the majority of the conversation revolved around the topic of magic, any new insights others might have had in their training, and what was going on with their favorite sports teams...

Though there had been a bigger focus on increasing their strength in the beginning, as learning Magic had been a very interesting idea for most of the girls, this had no longer been the case after a few years had passed within the orb. Most of the girls weren't very studious so they were unable to make significant progress in their studies, leading to the situation where they spent more time learning how to use their [Pactio]s and becoming 'Knights' instead of 'Mages'. Since training could get stale, this meant that the girls had started going into the Dungeon while he had been busy with his own personal matters. The only times he had gone in with them were when he made a quick stop at Lil Geirr, replenishing their supplies, but the girls had been spending a fair amount of time fighting monsters to polish their skills.

As a result of their efforts, the Hestia Familia had been promoted to S-Rank, making it the fastest Familia to achieve the rank within the history of Orario. At the same time, Vahn had been able to greatly bolster his OP reserves with all the rare drop items they would bring back. Though he was able to earn a fair amount from the exchanges through the Alliance, Vahn also spent a lot on the materials that were requested from them, meaning his actual gains weren't that great. With the girls' efforts, however, he had been able to break one hundred million OP, a monstrous amount, even if it wasn't even 1% of what he needed to purchase the [Dimensional Anchor: Stasis]...

During the upcoming expedition, he would need to decide who would be accompanying the main group and providing security for the construction crews that would be helping jumpstart the construction of Haven. Though he had humored the idea of just going down with only the girls and building the core structure themselves, Vahn scrapped that idea very quickly. That would ensure they would be able to develop it in the way they wanted, while also making it a special places for themselves, but that wasn't the point of Haven. It was meant to be the 'frontier' City for those that were brave enough to try and probe into the deepest depths of the Dungeon. At the same time, it was the first line of defense against any terrifying monsters that would try to break free from the Dungeon and cause destruction on the surface.

Though it would undoubtedly become his pet project, Vahn wanted Haven to become a 'symbol' for people all over the continent. It would be the place where, if you wanted to reach the peak of your potential, you would have to make a pilgrimage down to its depths just to take your first steps towards the top. If you couldn't even make it to Haven, you fundamentally lacked the qualifications to become truly strong, meaning you would need to refine your capabilities further before trying again. In the future, Haven would be the place where the strong would gather, aspiring to become even stronger by having access to the resources that would only be available within the City. At the same time, it would be the location of what Vahn believed would become the 'heart' of the entire world, the Academy, where the most powerful Mages, Knights, and Scholars would emerge...

To ensure his dream was able to become a reality, Vahn knew he would have to invest a lot of time and effort into personally overseeing the development of Haven. This would also serve as the catalyst for future conflicts between the Alliance and the forces of Enyo, as there was no way the errant goddess would simply watch as they build a fortress so deep within the Dungeon. After she fails to stop them, Vahn believed she would undoubtedly try to draw them away from the Dungeon's depths by targetting the surface, something he had 'confirmed' with Cassandra, Sylfia, and Ina.

Though every decision he made altered when the attack would happen, the Alliance had already started making several preparations, including the distribution of specialized potions that Terra had synthesized with his blood. If Enyo truly tried to use chemical and biological attacks against the City, they were already prepared to deal with the fallout. A single potion would be able to cure more than ten people and, as a result of the mass production of the potion over the last fourteen months, they had more than enough for almost every citizen of Orario, according to the most recent census.

Vahn knew that Ais, Haruhime, and Lefiya all had fates tying them to the Dungeon, as he was now able to see a very subtle flow that had started to follow them around, so they were almost guaranteed members for the expedition. At the same time, he would 'have' to take along people like Tiona, Tione, Lili, Ryuu, and Arnya, as their capabilities were simply too significant to overlook. Tiona was borderline unkillable, though she seemed to push the boundaries a lot, while Lili, Ryuu, and Arnya had an almost 'ridiculous' amount of offensive strength. Lili would probably be able to punch clear through one of the Dungeon's Floors while Ryuu's [Pactio] would be a counter to almost any large monsters that might appear from Enyo's side. As for Arnya, her [Pactio] and combat prowess made her one of the most terrifyingly effective 'anti-army' fighters within the Manor.

Though Riveria, Lefiya, and Fenrir would be able to 'nuke' a mass of enemies, this would also eat a lot of their mana reserves. Arnya's [Pactio], more specifically her artifact, used very little energy to produce a seemingly endless amount of spears that could be shot forward with the same strength as she would have thrown them. These spears would then explode after contacting an enemy, releasing the terrifying might contained within, dealing catastrophic damage that could easily rival the attacks of a Level 7...

With these candidates in mind, Vahn just had to balance out who would stay back on the surface to protect the Manor, and who would be staying inside the Dungeon to assist in the defense of Haven. Fortunately, it shouldn't be too difficult to establish a teleportation magic circle within the Tree of Life itself, linking it to a second teleportation ward within the illusory forest. Though each use of the ward would likely cost a large amount of mana, and the resources supplying such mana, it meant they always had a way of traveling between the 50th Floor and the surface in an instant. They wouldn't be able to use it 'leisurely', but it would be a very powerful asset in the event of an emergency...now, Vahn just had to see how Enyo would react...he also couldn't help wondering if things might be over as soon as they began...

(A/N: As there will certainly be people that ask, "Why doesn't Vahn just go [Magia Erebea] and conquer the whole Dungeon!?", I will explain...first of all, that isn't how you write an interesting story. Secondly, that would be the same pitfall he has fallen into before, the same thing Eva had cautioned him against. The only reason Vahn would take such an action was that he either 'stopped caring', or 'assumed he was able to resolve it with his own strength'. As one of the most prevalent lessons Vahn has learned is 'there is always someone stronger', he wouldn't simply go into the situation without thinking, especially since it ties into the flow of fate within the record. It would always be the more prudent act to meet the enemy on your own terms, forcing them to act in a situation where you have greater advantages. Thus, even if Vahn's personal strength is very high, the actions he is taking are, inarguably, the more 'correct' choices to make. For any 'real' person that somehow managed to get a lot of power, hubris and egotism would be the main way most of them meet their end xD...)

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Ina has no need for smelly bois~!','Damn, calm down, Tina (O_O);','Vahn has been playing too much chess...already thinking several steps ahead...')

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Chapter 783: Contrast

As the days counted down towards the expedition, which simultaneously felt like a long ways away, Vahn was within the Space-Time orb with a proud smile on his face as he watched the figure above fly around at high speeds. It continued to build up more speed and momentum as it zipped back and forward before, once again, 'tearing' through space and reappearing several kilometers away in an instant. The smile on Vahn's face grew a bit larger when he saw this, rising to his feet and closing the distance to the figure after a few seamless uses of [Koku Shundo]. He came to a stop next to the figure, which had the form of a sleek black dragon with accents of jade green on its scales. It was around 8m long and had black wings that were nearly 12m across when fully extended.

Placing his palm against the neck of the Dragon, who was currently breathing heavily as it barely managed to keep itself within the air, Vahn began to channel a large volume of his own source into it's body as he said, "You impress me more and more, every time I see you, Alexa..." After his words fell, Alexa quickly transformed back into her human form and flew into his embrace before allowing her body to go limp in his arms. Vahn's natural smile transitioned into a wry one as he held up the body of his 'eldest' daughter, even though she only had the figure of a girl around ten years old.

Pulling out a mantle from his Inventory, Vahn draped it around Alexa's body, gently reprimanding her by saying, "Alexa, I gave you clothes to wear when transitioning back from your Dragon form, please make sure you're wearing them properly..." After he spoke, Alexa opened her wings slightly as a black tailcoat, adorned with tufts of white fur, and dark green skirt, overtop a pair of black hosiery that left her feet exposed, popped into existence. The tailcoat, if observed closely, was actually comprised of very small black scales that went all the way down the length of the coat, including its long sleeves. As for the white fur, it was comprised of thick downy fur that came from a type of wolf known as 'Snowember Wolf King'. It had the property of providing good insulation in the cold, but also being very comfortable even when worn in hot environments.

Now that she was fully clothed, Alexa broke free from the telekinesis holding her up and fluttered forward back into his embrace as she said, "Sorry, I wasn't thinking about using more of my mana since I was already exhausted..." Vahn gave a small nod of understanding, even though they both knew she wasn't actually telling the truth. This hadn't been the first time that she had done such a thing and, as Alexa was a very intelligent young girl, such mistakes would never repeat unless she was doing it intentionally. Still, as long as she didn't try to push things too far, Vahn wasn't going to be too harsh on this daughter of his, whom he had been watching grow up for more than a hundred years...

After helping Alexa replenish her energy reserves, which almost completely drained his own, Vahn gently pushed against her to break out of their long embrace. Alexa's shoulders slumped a little but she quickly began using her own magic power to maintain her flight before smiling as she said, "I think I might even be able to break out of the orb on my own pretty soon. I just need to familiarize myself with my Dragonification a little better and then I'll be ready to live in the real world with everyone else..." While she was speaking, Alexa had her hands behind her back and was leaning forward slightly as her tail gently snaked from side to side.

Vahn knew what she was going to say so he released a small sigh and said, "I don't really need to rely on a mount anymore...but, I don't mind flying around together on occasion..." Previously, after Alexa had managed to complete her first full transformation, she had started to pester him about becoming his mount back in the real world. Truthfully, he didn't really need a mount at all anymore, as his own speed could easily exceed even Fafnir's now. This was one of the reasons why Alexa had been trying to copy Khaos' ability to shrink space and teleport at will. Since Alexa also had an affinity with Space and Time, she would undoubtedly be able to pull it off with a little more practice...

Alexa happily flitted her wings as a vibrant smile spread across her face, pleased with the response of her Papa, even though she knew he would eventually give in. She had talked to her mother about ways she could be close to her Papa without taking things 'too far', and this had been one of the solutions they had come up with. Since it was a matter of pride for True Dragons to serve as a mount to the person they recognized as their 'King', Alexa had wanted to contend against the others for the position. Though she knew her Papa didn't really need the assistance of others to fly, it still made her happy knowing that he would ride on her back...it made her feel a little closer to him, even though it was hard to explain why.

After moving to a large clearing, which had a special wellspring that Alexa herself had constructed, Vahn sat on the hammock that had been woven out of fragrant and soft grass, known by the unique name [Blue Silver Grass]. Most of his time in the orb with Alexa was watching her demonstrate any new abilities she had developed before they eventually just spent the rest of the time relaxing. Since she spent nearly two months training non-stop in between the moments he would visit, Vahn never pushed her to continue training whenever he was around. Instead, he just pampered her a bit, as his departure would once again mean she was 'alone' for another two months...

It took a little while to get comfortable but, after Vahn finally reclined in the hammock, Alexa flicked her wings and came to hover above him before slowly lowering herself onto his abdomen and curling up her wings to get comfortable while hugging his body tightly at the same time. She was currently around 138cm tall but, now that his height was generally around 185cm, Alexa could still comfortably be cradled in his arms as they took a long nap, cuddling together all the while. Vahn knew it was things like this that probably made Alexa more attached to him but, considering he had 'technically' only been around for around 1/60th of her life, he felt like he needed to at least provide her some small comfort when he could...

Alexa was currently around 116 years old, meaning she would be around 120 years old by the time the expedition was scheduled to set out. Vahn had been seriously considering bringing her along with him, as she would need to familiarize herself with battle at some point just to 'satisfy' her natural urges. Unlike Terra, who was a bit of an exception, most True Dragons 'needed' to fight against other creatures. Failing to do so would cause their growth to be stunted and, if they continued to avoid fighting, their power would slowly begin to drain until they eventually died.

Vahn hoped that, by allowing her to fight until her heart's content, Alexa would be able to manage any other urges she might have as her body continued to mature. He would have to avoid letting her watch him fight against any truly powerful enemies, but that wasn't to difficult to arrange since she would listen to his order if he firmly relayed his intentions. Though there were certainly a few 'inconveniences' when dealing with the instincts of True Dragons, there were also a few benefits as well. Since Fafnir, Khaos, and Alexa all recognized him as the King of their tribe, they would listen to him if he gave them a serious order. It was almost impossible for them to refuse, even if he asked them to protect a certain area for all eternity or give up their lives for his benefit...not that he would ever do such a thing...

After his time in the orb had come to an end, Vahn awoke in the real world, body partly submerged in Terra's wellspring while several beautiful and ethereal figures surrounded him. As they had been present before he entered the orb, Vahn wasn't really that surprised. Still, he hadn't seen them for more than four days and couldn't help but admire the beauty of each girl in turn, allowing his eyes to wander across the figures of Terra, Riveria, Lefiya, and Ryuu. They were each wearing nothing but swimsuits, with the exception of the naked Terra, so Vahn's eyes were able to enjoy a feast that most men would kill to glimpse, even for a moment.

Terra, being the first to notice his awakening, smiled in a playful manner as she intoned, "Ara~? It seems Master has returned to us...allow me to welcome you back~." The wellspring was only about 40cm deep, but Terra still managed to tread through the energy-rich water with her spread wings barely touching the surface while her long and thick tail snaked through the water. Each step she took was sensual and inviting while the look in her eyes glimmered like those of a predator that had just found a delicious treat to partake of...

Before she was able to close the distance, Lefiya had already moved into the way, pressing her hands against Vahn's chest as she looked back at Terra with a firm expression and said, "We already agreed to let Master relax, Terra...you know better than most that he is tired...!" Though her words were powerful, it didn't help her case much that Lefiya's hands were twitching slightly as her aura became progressively redder with the passage of time. Even though she couldn't see such things, Terra knew that the little spirit before her was taking 'advantages' while putting on a pretense so she lightly chuckled and continued forward regardless.

Sensing the rising tensions between the two, Vahn produced a slightly wry smile and gently removed Lefiya's hands off of his body as he rose to his feet, remarking, "Sorry, I got a little carried away seeing so many beautiful girls right after waking up. As for what you said, Lefiya, you don't really have to worry about that. I just spend the better part of four days relaxing my body and mind, so I'm more than ready and willing to tend to my women." Though he had removed her hands so that he could stand, Vahn wrapped his arm around Lefiya's waist while he was speaking, causing her momentary melancholy to immediately vanish as her rate of breathing slightly increased.

Riveria and Ryuu, who had been sitting a short distance off to the side, watched the interaction between Vahn, Terra, and Lefiya with slightly amused smiles on their faces. Though neither girl were the type to appreciate public displays of affection, both Riveria and Ryuu had undergone great changes from interacting with Vahn for so long. There was also the fact that, within this small garden of Terra's, especially within the wellspring, they always felt incredibly calm and comfortable. Though the powerful natural energy used to make their bodies get excited, they had now adapted to it and, unless Vahn 'triggered' them, they were able to stay calm even while fully submerged.

Sensing Riveria and Ryuu watching him, Vahn sent a smile towards the two girls, causing their own to bloom slightly. Riveria even inclined her head slightly and sent him a telepathic message encouraging him to spend time with Terra and Lefiya, though she would prefer if he went somewhere private first. Since it wasn't a bad suggestion, Vahn intended to take it, but not before sending a message to both Riveria and Ryuu, promising to spend some time with both of them later. As he moved to a 'private' area within the forest, using Terra's [Void Transferance], Vahn didn't miss the fact that both Riveria's and Ryuu's aura had a few strands of red spread through them after hearing his message...

---

While Vahn was enjoying a lifestyle that would have earned him the envy and ire of almost every man within the City, there was one boy who was more focused on his own personal adventure than the matters of other people. Accompanying him, there was a smart looking girl who had a slightly exasperated expression on her face while a second, much smaller girl, stood at her side. This trio was Bell, Line, and the Pallum girl he had saved, a seventeen-year-old girl by the name of Plum Vino, named as such because of her purple hair and pale purple eyes. Ever since Bell had saved her, she had decided to follow him as a Supporter, becoming an official member of the Loki Familia after Line had forced them to return to the Twilight Manor for treatment.

A few days had passed since then and, after several very long and serious lectures, Line ended up 'giving up' trying to educate Bell and simply did her best to keep him out of trouble. Fortunately, Plum herself was a smart girl who was quick on the uptake, so they were able to outnumber Bell whenever the latter would be about to do something foolish. This had brought the two closer together, much to the lamentation of Bell, often on the receiving end of their cooperative teasing. Fortunately, at least when he was in battle, things like that didn't matter at all and, though his strength was still nothing special, he was improving at a rate that would have caused most aspiring Adventurers to vomit blood.

Though he hadn't even been an Adventurer for a week, Bell was already on the eighth floor, fighting against a group of Killer Ants while Plum fired her crossbow at targets along the periphery. Line stood by with several small grey balls that would allow them to beat a quick retreat if they started to get overwhelmed. However, this preparation ended up being unnecessary since Bell was making short work over every Killer Ant in front of him, making her feel an incongruity in her heart since she wasn't really confident of being able to do the same in his place. Since she was nearing Level 3, while Bell was just Level 1, Line felt like the boy she had been tasked to support was some kind of prodigy...

As a pair of razor-sharp mandibles made their way towards his calf, Bell skillfully moved his leg backward while allowing his body to tilt forward from the movement. He buried his dagger right next to where the magic core of the Killer Ant was located, not because he had 'missed', but because he intended to use his dagger as a pivot to vault over the unfortunate monster. Following through with this maneuver, Bell ended up flipping over the Killer Ant, but not before he twisted his dagger and fractured the magic core, causing the Killer Ant to disperse into purple dust before he inverted his dagger, twisting his body around to decapitate another.

In the same motion, Bell pulled out a thin white dagger that Line had given him for dealing with larger monsters. Wielding a dagger in each hand, Bell had a serious and determined expression on his face as he weaved between the monster's attacks, piercing the cores of some, diverting the attacks of others. He didn't know why, but moments like this made him feel more 'alive' than anything he had ever experienced in the past. At the same time, the words of his Grandpa and Vahn would often echo in his mind, making his desire to grow stronger even more powerful. He wanted to meet their expectations and the expectations of everyone who had placed their trust in him!

Having used her last bolt, Plum called out in a somewhat high pitched and cutesy voice, "Bell, fall back, we need to drop the aggro so we can loot the drop items~!" Hearing this, though he still wanted to fight even more, Bell returned a shout, "Okay! Line, cover me, please!" Stabbing both of his daggers into the closest Killer Ant, killing it in the process, Bell then jumped away and began to run at his fastest speed towards the two girls. Line, long prepared for this moment, tossed out two of the grey balls while Plum had already started making her way towards the nearby tunnel.

Upon contacting the ground, the balls exploded into a cloud of pungent smoke that would disorient most monsters, but also served as a means of blocking the pheromone signals of Killer Ants. This would buy them time to escape, wait for the monsters to thin out a bit, and then return to collect their Drop Items before they were absorbed by the Dungeon a few hours later. All the times they had used this strategy in the past, there had never been a single issue, even with Bell sometimes overextending a bit. This time, however, it didn't seem like things would go as smoothly since Plum screamed the moment she entered the tunnel.

Hearing this, Bell shouted, "Plum!" while somehow increasing his running speed even more as he went in the direction of the scream. Line was a little startled but, having years of experience as a Supporter, threw out three more balls, one of which was black and more than three times the size of the others. The first two exploded in the same pungent smoke, but the third one bounced and rolled along the ground for a bit before exploding within the largest group of Killer Ants. Even so, Line didn't stay to observe her handiwork and quickly followed after Bell to investigate what had happened to their party member...

After running a relatively short distance, Line nearly fell over when she saw that Bell was currently entangled with Plum, looking like a brute pushing down a young girl. She could see the twitching body of a Needle Rabbit off to the side, a small dagger buried in its neck. Since the dagger belonged to Plum, Line understood that she had probably just been spooked by the monster before managing to stab it. Bell, in his haste to come to her aid, had probably run into the tunnel and, seeing that there was no great cause for concern, must have tripped and fallen into her after the fact...

This wasn't the first time Bell had a 'happy accident', so Line wasn't even that surprised anymore, just profoundly exasperated. She had also been a victim of his miraculous falls, though never in the situation that Plum currently found herself in. Somehow, in a manner Line would never understand, Bell had managed to slip, pin down Plum, and then plant his lips against her's in the same motion. Now, the two both had wide-eyed expressions but didn't seem to understand they could simply separate. Line released a sigh after a few seconds had passed before picking up a rock and pelting Bell with a little more force than was necessary, shouting, "How long are you just going to keep kissing her!?"

Bell immediately pulled himself off of Plum, sliding across the ground with a spinning motion before he bowed low with his hands and head pressed to the Dungeon's floor. He had never been taught what dogeza was, but even Takemikazuchi would have been impressed by Bell's form if he had been present. At the same time, Bell stammered in a loud and overexcited voice, "P-P-Plum! I'm very sorry! Please forgive me! It wasn't my intention to push you down; I was just...I...!" Contrary to his expectations, Plum didn't lash out at him, instead muttering, "I don't mind..." in a quiet voice while Line just released a heavy sigh.

Walking forward, Line grabbed the neck of Bell's tunic and began dragging him forward, saying in an icy monotone, "We don't have time to for this theatrical romantic comedy...there is a horde of Killer Ants in the next room. Unless the two of you want to become tragic lovers, we should probably move to a safer location..." Line's words caused Plum to scamper about in a flustered manner as she recovered her dagger, looted the monster core, and then chased after the two of them. The entire time she was speaking, Line had continued to drag the 'catatonic' Bell, who had a red face as his brain processed the words that Plum had spoken previously...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Papa...ride me (^‿^)! -Alexa','The mind is rested and the flesh is willing...','Bell is beta af...needs some personal guidance from the Godhand...')

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