Chapter 1675: Devout
With Eva helping Karin to calm down, Vahn was able to move on to the most important part of the procedure: treating her 'condition'. To that end, he offered a casual yet confident smile to the dark-haired woman, explaining, "Now that I have a better understanding of your situation, it is actually a lot easier to treat than originally anticipated."
Though she wasn't fully focused on what he was saying, largely due to the fact Eva was holding and caressing her head, Karin eventually extricated herself from her Master's hold to say, "I'm ready...tell me what I need to do."
Seeing the glimmer of conviction within the woman's eyes, Vahn nodded his head in approval, but, as there really wasn't much for her to do, he explained, "All you need to do is lay flat on the table. I will remove the [Penance Seal] from your body and then reseal your Ego in your current vessel. This will allow you to continue using the powers you have become accustomed to over the years. As for the so-called Curse of Inviolability...you don't really need to worry about that. It isn't that you can't take damage, but, due to the Laws at play within this world, most attacks within the physical plane aren't able to affect you. Your current body is like a solidified spiritual projection, so, unless they are able to directly affect your Ego, any attack strong enough to overwhelm your natural defenses will simply phase through you without dealing permanent damage. In essence, so long as your mind is strong enough to bear the burdens placed upon it, the only things you really need to be wary of are powerful corruptive forces and sealing."
Though she felt like Vahn was explaining a lot of unnecessary things, Karin was still grateful for his explanation as it answered a lot of her concerns. Thus, after silently staring into his eyes for several seconds, she simply nodded her head and said, "I'll leave it to you..."
Without any further discussion, Karin adjusted her position on the table so that she was lying flat on her stomach. This allowed both Vahn and Eva to see the line of her back, a beautiful and practically flawless curve that was accented by the immaculately sculpted muscles hidden beneath her fair and unblemished skin. Even with the tattoo marring her upper back, Karin had one of the most 'perfect' bodies Vahn had seen in the Akamatsuverse, but, considering it was a vessel constructed by one of the highest tiered Deities in the verse, this wasn't too surprising...
Noticing Vahn's 'gaze', even without him actually looking, Eva gave him a slightly accusatory look before poking her tongue out at him. She was actually rather envious of Karin's body, but, now that something as 'convenient' as the Little Garden existed, it wouldn't be long before she matured into the buxom beauty she had always wanted to be. For now, however, she wasn't afraid to admire the bodies of others, tracing her palm along Karin's back before coming to a stop on her perfectly pert butt as she said, "There is a lot we need to discuss when you wake up..."
Even with her face resting comfortably in the hole built into the table, Karin was able to tell who was touching her even before her Master spoke. A ruddy hue quickly spread through her cheeks, and, though she did her best to control herself, she was unable to prevent the muscles in her butt from tensing up, jiggling slightly as a result. This further increased her embarrassment, but, after a few seconds had passed, she managed to meekly reply, "I understand..." as she instinctually closed her thighs.
Seeing the interaction between the two, it was Vahn's turn to give Eva a look of mock incredulity, his eyes asking, 'should I leave the room?'. To this, Eva just rolled her own at him before gesturing toward Karin with a, effectively communicating, 'get on with it'. He was pretty sure she even tacked on 'idiot' at the end, but, as that was pretty common when it came to Eva, Vahn just ignored it as he manipulated the energy in the surroundings to condense a Soul-Transferring Formation out of thin air.
With ample practice in both Danmachi and the Nasuverse, Vahn had no trouble extracting Karin's Ego, effectively removing the [Penance Seal] in the process. In the end, it took him less than three minutes to complete the process, surprising both Karin and Eva since it was generally very difficult to perform such procedures. In response to this, Vahn just shrugged it off with a smile, earning him a look of mock exasperation from Eva as she remarked, "I suppose this is what I should expect after choosing to marry a God..."
Though he was amused by the remark, Vahn couldn't pass on the opportunity to tease his beloved wife-to-be, smiling from cheek-to-cheek as he mused, "Being a God is the least important thing in my mind. First and foremost, I'm a father to my children. After that, I'm a loving husband, and, when the need arises, a 'very' generous lover..."
Expecting him to say something important, Eva and Karin had both been listening closely to Vahn's words. Devaluing the status of a God was rather significant after all, so, for a brief moment, neither was able to fully process the meaning of his words until Eva's face gradually turned a deep shade of crimson...
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After pummeling Vahn a bit, Eva kicked him out of the 'operation' room so that she could be alone with the still-naked Karin. Seeing her sitting there lost in thought brought Eva a moment of pause, but, after quickly recovering her senses, she walked over to the woman's side and asked, "How are you feeling?"
Hearing her Master's question, Karin's eyes came back into focus as she offered a polite bow and answered, "My body feels the same as it always has...if anything, it feels like I can breathe a little easier than before? I suppose that is a testament to that man's skill..."
Nodding her head, Eva adopted a confident smile as she casually grabbed Karin's hand and said, "I told you, didn't I? Though he isn't without his faults, Vahn is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. There is nothing he can't do, but, more importantly, he is constantly pushing himself and others to be become better...something more than what fate had decided for them..."
Seeing the devotion in her Master's eyes, Karin couldn't help but be reminded of the many faithful she had encountered over her inordinately long life. Though Eva lacked the zealotry of some, Karin could easily imagine her fighting at Vahn's side, staking everything to protect the man she loved. At the same time, however, she could imagine Vahn doing much the same. This was a stark contrast to other Gods, as, rather than elevate himself above others, he seemed to be constantly pulling others up to his level...
Remembering the many scenes of Vahn interacting with others, a perpetual smile on his face as he seriously listened to their concerns and tried to help them, Karin couldn't help but suppress a sigh. He was so far beyond the conventional standards of a 'human', but, when you observed Vahn for a long period of time, that was the impression he gave off. Though she had little doubt that he was capable of pulling off the majesty of a God and an Emperor, it was easier to imagine Vahn happily setting out dishes on a table than it was to imagine him lording over others...
Noticing the various conflicts in her companion's eyes, Eva liberated the woman from her reverie as she lightly cupped Karin's cheek with her hand and said, "It is fine to have doubts, Karin. The most important thing to remember is that, from this moment onward, we are free to choose our fate. You are no longer bound to any person, place, or ideology...there is so much more to the world than we ever knew, and, depending on our decisions, there are no limits to our growth...I promise to support you in whatever you choose, but, while it might be selfish of me to request, I'd like for you to stay at my side...at least for a little while..."
Of all the things her Master was saying, the words that seeded themselves most firmly within Karin's mind was Eva's offer to stay together. Her desire to support the woman had never faded for even a brief moment, so, without any hesitation whatsoever, Karin overlapped her hand with Eva's, a look of conviction in her eyes as she firmly answered, "There is nothing I desire more...than to stay at my Master's side..."
Though a smile had developed across her face, Eva shook her head in response to Karin's words, confusing the woman slightly until she stated, "I don't want you to be a servant or an attendant. I can literally produce countless dolls to attend such things. What I want is for us to stand together as equals, working alongside and supporting each other to reach our goals. I want us to be like a family...no...closer than family and without any of the restrictions..."
As she spoke her final few words, Eva passed her thumb along Karin's bottom lip, her intentions clear without needing to go into further detail. This caused a notable blush to develop across the dark-haired woman's face, but, rather than resist, she parted her lips ever so slightly to suckle on the tip of Eva's thumb.
Truth be told, Eva didn't have much interest in members of the same sex, but, after spending a few years alongside Arika, Theo, Fenrir, Medusa, and even Asuna, she had gradually come to accept the reality that awaited her. She would never be the only woman in Vahn's heart, and, though this made her feel a little resentful at times, her memories of Terra and her interactions with other members of Vahn's harem allowed her to make peace with her husband's lack of fidelity.
With that in mind, Eva allowed Karin to continue suckling on her thumb for several seconds, a smile spreading across her face as the woman's expression stirred some of her sadistic tendencies. Part of her was tempted to just push the woman down then and there, but, without Vahn present, Eva was afraid things might go too far. She didn't want her first time to be with another woman, and, even if she did have a soft spot for the dark-haired woman, Eva wasn't romantically attracted to her.
After habitually licking her own lips, Eva liberated her hand from Karin's grasp. This caused a rather disheartened look to appear on the woman's face, but, before she could become too dispirited, Eva made a point to lick the thumb Karin had been suckling on as she asked, "So, what is your decision? Regardless of-"
Without waiting for Eva to finish, Karin adopted a very serious expression, a fiery look in her eyes as she stared at the former's thumb and answered, "I accept! I decided centuries ago that I would even follow you through Hell if it meant staying at your side! Even if I am unable to serve you as my mind compels, my heart will never change!"
Though her response wasn't unexpected, Eva was still amazed by the fervor contained within Karin's words. It actually made her feel a little guilty, but, as she had never gone out of her way to try and manipulate Karin's heart, Eva did her best not to let it bother her. It was Karin's choice to follow her all those years ago, and, even though she had tried to push the woman away numerous times, the inviolable Saintess of Steel always kept coming back, never waning in her devotion...
Feeling that she should reward the woman somehow, Eva's expression turned gentle as she issued a light chuckle and hopped up on the table. Then, taking advantage of Karin's stupor, Eva guided the woman's head to rest on her thighs, caressing her silky black hair as she said, "I'm glad. Vahn might be my most important person, but you have always had a place in my heart. Truth be told, I actually wanted to thank you countless times in the past, but, due to my own fears, I always ended up trying to push you away. Thank you for never giving up on me, Karin...though it might not be the same as my feelings for Vahn...I want you to know that I love you...always and forever..."
Hearing Eva's 'confession', Karin's face became beet red in an instant, her eyes swimming around in their sockets as illusory steam began rising from her head. She had already been satisfied just being able to feel her Master's impossibly soft thighs against her face so she was absolutely overwhelmed when her brain attempted to process the accompanying words. Fortunately, rather than expecting a response, Eva was enjoying her flustered appearance quite a bit, a gratified smile on her face as she continued to comb her fingers through Karin's hair...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's just transferring a soul. What, did you expect it to cost an arm and a leg?','Eva is a realist','KARIN.EXE has stopped functioning')
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