Chapter 1585: Blossom
Due to the comprehensive nature of the procedure, more than three hours had passed by the time Vahn pulled out a warm towel, covering Arika's naked body as he said, "Take a few minutes to calm down before trying to move. Let's not have a repeat of the last time, okay...?"
Rather than respond, Arika just lazily nodded, her forearm resting on the towel covering her eyes as she inhaled deep and impassioned breaths. Since the room was slightly chilled, each of her breaths caused a considerable amount of steam to expel from her lungs, adding to the thin vapor that was rising from her body. She had an appearance similar to someone who had just gotten out of a hot bath, her body suffused with a sensuous red glow, her glistening skin reflecting the low light of the chamber...
Without minding the tantalizing sight behind him, as he had just spent the last three hours dutifully attending it, Vahn filled a marbled basin with ice water. Arika wasn't really in danger of overheating, the perks of having a powerful constitution nourished by magical and divine energy, but, as she still had more training in the afternoon, rapidly cooling down was necessary. Without it, she wouldn't be able to move properly, much less focus on her training, so, while it might seem a little extreme, the ice bath was very necessary. It was also very healthy, helping alleviate inflammation and improving blood flow after the blood vessels open back up, so Vahn often used this method to 'help' the girls recover.
After waiting for a few minutes, Vahn approached Arika, gingerly removing the towels covering her body and eyes. Her slightly parted lips and the glazed look in her gem-like eyes were a particularly dangerous combination, but, even if there was a visible amount of expectation contained within, it did little to shake Vahn's heart. Instead, he pulled her weakened body into a princess carry, allowing her head to rest against his chest as he carried her over to the icy cold bath.
Arika already knew what was coming, but she still sharply inhaled as her body was lowered into the water. For a brief moment, it felt like the heat of her body would resist the unforgiving cold, but, the moment this thought crossed her mind, it was like someone had poured a lake of water onto a fiery patch. The glaze covering her eyes melted away in an instant, her mental acuity returning as the icy water reached up to her neck.
Though it was always a very jarring experience, Arika issued a sigh of relief almost immediately after her back came to rest against the marbled basin. The cold water was actually a mixture formed from the combination of Water and Yin Elemental Energies. This made it impossibly cold, but, rather than feel uncomfortable, it was extremely comfortable. It also had the effect of nourishing Yin Elemental Energy and enhancing beauty, so, despite not caring about such things in the past, Arika and Theo had both become particularly fond of the unique solution...
While her body soaked in the icy water, Arika absentmindedly covered her chest as she stared back at Vahn, her voice calm and steady as she muttered, "Thank you...it was very pleasant..."
As it was actually very rare for Arika to express her gratitude, Vahn's smile curled up at the edges as he casually remarked, "You're very welcome. I'm always happy to put my skills to the test and show people why I'm called the Godhand. Though it has caused me some troubles, it is one of the things I am most proud of."
Towards the end of his words, Vahn held up his left hand, allowing a subtle rainbow glow to spread through his fingers before illuminating his palm. This caused the ambient energy in Arika's body to act up, but, thanks to the yin-infused water, she just chuckled silently before submerging down to her nose.
Understanding she wanted to focus on her recovery, Vahn issued a light chuckle of his own before turning around and preparing her a change of clothes. Then, knowing Theo would likely be arriving within the next half hour or so, he began wiping down and cleaning the massage table. He also put down an absorbent cloth underneath, as, when it came to Theo, there was about a fifty-fifty chance she would pee herself halfway through the procedure. This was actually very common whenever he massaged mortal women, so, after more than two hundred years of experience, Vahn had become accustomed to dealing with the cleanup. Most never even realized they had relieved themselves, so, as a professional courtesy, Vahn never brought it up...
---
A few minutes before she had to leave, Arika slowly extricated herself from the still-icy water. As if she hadn't cooled down in the slightest, a hazy white mist rose from her body, but, rather than from heat, it was due to the intense chill that had pervaded her entire body. It was so extreme that, for a brief moment after she emerged, her steps left pure-white footprints, freezing the floor in her wake. Despite this, she showed absolutely no discomfort as she used her magical energy to quickly dry off so that she could properly wear the clothes Vahn had prepared for her.
Though he cast Arika a glance when she emerged from the bath, Vahn didn't say anything, averting his eyes politely until she was properly attired. Even if it was just a skin-tight Aegis, leaving very little to the imagination, it was still better than gawking at someone while they were naked. He might be largely immune to such things, but, knowing how she felt about him, Vahn tried to maintain a sense of propriety. It was all but guaranteed they would be in a relationship within the next few years, but, until then, Vahn intended to adhere to the promise he had made with Eva...
Around the same time that Arika had finished getting dressed, Vahn felt a presence appear near the beach house. He could guess who this was without needing to shift his intent toward her, so, with a wry smile on his face, he casually remarked, "Theo is about to burst in. I'd give the entrance a wide berth for the next couple of seconds..."
As she was just preparing to say her goodbyes and depart, Arika halted in place the moment she heard Vahn's words. This ended up saving her some awkwardness, as, around the same time that she would have approached the door, it was 'kicked' open by a scantily clad woman with bronze skin and a wide grin. Before she had even taken three steps into the room, her clothes had been sent flying through the air as she shouted, "My turn~!" in an excited shrill.
After side-stepping Theo's charge, Arika looked toward Vahn, nodding politely before running her hand through her fringe and departing. As for Theo, she had already hopped onto the table, belly down as she nestled into the soft cushion that deformed to accommodate her budding breasts.
Seeing the mischievous Hellasian nestle into the massage table, Vahn ran his hand through his hair as a self-calming gesture. He was very aware of what she had in mind, but, knowing she would pout quite a bit if he didn't play along, his wry smile slowly turned into a severe look as he made his way over to her side...
Though she pretended to be completely oblivious, Theo was aware of Vahn's encroaching presence, her shapely butt perking up slightly in expectation. Leg strength was very important for virtually all forms of martial arts, and, after learning about Vahn's 'preference' from Fenrir, Theo had put a lot of effort into honing the muscles in her calves, thighs, and glutes. She wanted to appeal to him as best she could, and, though she had never vocalized it, she had grown rather fond of being disciplined...
Restraining a sigh, Vahn adopted a stern tone as he asked, "What did I tell you about kicking in my door and interrupting Arika's time...?"
As if she had only just realized what she had done wrong, Theo adopted an apologetic facade as she buried her face into the circular hole in the massage table and muttered, "I'm sorry...I just got excited thinking about the massage..."
A stark contrast to the demure tone used in her apology, Theo's toned but was trembling slightly, seemingly intent on drawing attention to itself. It was actually quite the sight to behold, easily one of Theo's greatest assets, but, feeling slightly exasperated, Vahn couldn't help but release a sigh as he lifted his hand before striking down and elicited a crisp smacking sound as his palm sent a ripple through the tender brown flesh. This caused Theo's toes to curl slightly as a squeaking moan briefly pierced her tightly closed lips...
---
After giving the slightly masochistic Hellasian a few firm smacks on the rear end, Vahn mechanically scolded her before finally proceeding to the massage. Her punishments had become more of a play than anything else, but, as she had made actual arrangements with both Arika and Eva, Vahn played along. He didn't have any particular issues with her developing deviancy, as, rather than Anubis, her behavior was more in line with that of Tiona. She couldn't help but get excited when fighting strong opponents, so, after coming to associate pain with excitement, Theo had always been a time bomb for developing masochistic tendencies.
Even before coming to the Akamatsuverse, Vahn had known the Hellasians had a bit of a reputation for their sadomasochistic natures. Most of the women had curved horns on their heads, and, due to their fondness for black leather and tight clothing, quite a number of humans associated them with Succubi. Some Hellasians even played off this image, wearing artificial devil tails and wielding whips in combat. The fact they were descended from Dragons gave them a talent for taming both beasts and monsters, and, unless you were inordinately skilled, whips were actually 'extremely' difficult to deal with when your opponent was skilled in their use.
Fortunately, due to the difference in their strength and status, Theo had deviated towards the path of a masochist rather than developing sadistic tendencies. Though this would inevitably cause him a few headaches, it was still better than the reverse. Eva already had a number of sadistic tendencies, likely contributing to Theo's condition, so it would have become an even bigger problem if the two ever teamed up. Like this, he could stay in control of the situation, as, according to Anubis, very few masochists shifted their loyalties once they had decided on their 'Master'...
While worrying about Theo's future, Vahn continued to glide his hands over her body, pressing a little harder than absolutely necessary. She had chosen to lay on her stomach ever since she learned it required more pressure to reach the most important nerve clusters. This, combined with the fact it was a little harder to breathe, were all the reasons she needed to make her decision. The fact it also allowed her to show off the 'results' of her training was just an added bonus.
Vahn didn't particularly focus on the butts of his clientele when he was giving massages, but, even if he explained that, it wouldn't stop Theo from believing it. She always paid more attention whenever he was massaging her butt and thighs, so, even if he showed the same amount of consideration for the rest of her body, it would always seem like he was focusing more on her butt. This was basically an example of confirmation bias, but, as he did actually have a slight preference for girls with toned butts, Vahn didn't make an effort to correct the misunderstanding...
---
Since she wouldn't be returning to training, Vahn extended Theo's massage to around three-and-a-half hours. Most of the additional time was actually focused on her feet, as, over the last few weeks, she had been trying to master an advanced form of [Shundo]. As a result, she spent all of her time within the diorama barefoot, seemingly trying to 'resonate' with the ground. By providing extra care to the nerves in her feet, he could increase their sensitivity quite a bit, and, though it made it a little difficult to walk on rough surfaces, Theo actually enjoyed it quite a bit...
After finishing the procedure, Vahn gave Theo one final smack on her right butt cheek before firmly stating, "Get up. You've had enough time to cool down while I was massaging your feet. I want you to walk around for a few minutes while I prepare the bath. Dinner has already been prepared so try not to take too long..."
Unlike breakfast and lunch, dinner was eaten at irregular intervals as everyone finished their training and went to bed at different times. The only person with a consistent schedule was Asuna, and, as a result, at least one version of Vahn. Rather, unless she was in class or learning theory from Eva, there was always at least one version of Vahn watching over Asuna at all times. This was primarily to keep her safe, but, at the same time, it was also due to Asuna herself.
Though she would no longer pout, Asuna would enter a 'reflective' state whenever they were apart for any length of time. She would quickly lose her motivation, and, almost as if she had regressed to her original state, she would just absentmindedly absorb information. After a few hours had passed, she would become listless and slightly unresponsive, answering most questions in as few words as possible.
Fortunately, Asuna's behavior had nothing to do with feelings of depression or sadness. Rather, she became unresponsive after entering a pseudo-meditative state, apparently to 'speed up' the flow of time, at least from her perspective. She had grown progressively more bored with the curriculum at school, so, whenever she wasn't playing with her friends, Asuna's would gradually stop thinking. All of her responses would become automated, and, unless it was something she was interested in, she would stay in that state, only 'rebooting' once Vahn showed up...
Without bothering the censor herself, Theo released a sensuous giggle in response to having her butt spanked. She was tempted to try and convince Vahn to spank her a few more times, but, after stating his piece, the latter had already walked over to the bath. This caused Theo to playfully pout, but, rather than call out to him, she lifted her exhausted yet revitalized body, steeling herself for a few moments before stepping onto the cold floor. Despite her preparations, however, a girlish yelp escaped her lips as a torturous twinge resonated within her secret garden with each of her steps...
Ignoring the sound of Theo's impassioned panting and giggling as she walked around the room, Vahn dutifully filled the marbled basin. At the same time, back on the surface, he kept himself distracted by skillfully running a brush through Asuna's and Fenrir's silky hair in preparation for bed...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is very professional (UwU)...','RIP Hellas Empire','I kind of wish I could just turn off my brain like that xD...')
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