Chapter 1680: Arrangements
Though it didn't quite prove his claims, Vahn followed his explanation by inviting the Arika, Theo, Anarchia, and Vesperina into the Little Garden. Then, in order to effectively halt the flow of time in the outside world, he focused his mind and descended into his Realm once again.
Seeing the miniature realm filled with numerous World Trees, the four new arrivals were, needless to say, awed beyond words. They could also feel the truly phenomenal amount of energy contained within the very air, it's concentration seemingly thousands of times more potent despite causing no strain on their bodies. Theo, in particular, felt like all of her pores were opening to, quite literally, aid in her absorption of the energy; effectively creating a feeling similar to infinite power was coursing through her body like a powerful river.
Just as the quartet was beginning to adapt to their new surroundings, Vahn decided to drop in and say hi. His aura, alone, was enough to make Theo doubt her power even existed, as, despite feeling as though she had suddenly become unfathomably strong, her rapidly developing instincts told her there was absolutely nothing she could do to the man before her. This notion might have terrified others, but, having already dedicated her 'everything' to her Master, Theo surprised Vahn quite a bit by spontaneously developing heart-shaped pupils as she, once again, pounced on him...
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In an effort to completely erase the few remaining doubts in everyone's mind, Vahn had four of himself preparing a feast since their previous discussion. He knew how much they all enjoyed his food, so, while it was a little 'underhanded', he wanted to finalize their decision with a promise of similar meals every day. To this end, he not only made everyone's favorites, but, taking advantage of the awesome power he wielded within the Realm, Vahn condensed his literal intent into the food, not to manipulate them persay, but to ensure they understood his feelings.
Though everyone had a markedly different reaction, the plan ended up going a lot smoother than Vahn expected. Eva was even brought to tears the moment she bit into the strawberry shortcake he had baked for her, memories of the past descending upon her like rain. Instead of feeling alone and scared, however, there was a warm presence that never left her side, shielding her from the rain and preventing her from taking even a single step towards the darkness just beyond her periphery.
While considerably less dramatic, everyone else at the table was having a similar experience as Eva. Anarchia and Vesperina were reminded of all the mischief they had gotten up to in their childhood, but, most notably, their hearts were warmed by the mere sight of radiant smiles on their daughters' faces. As for the daughters in question, Arika's face had become beet red, illusory steam rising from her crown as she momentarily refused to make eye contact with anyone. Asuna, however, made no such attempt to hide her emotions, a radiant smile visible on her slightly flushed face as she stared at Vahn with glittering, impassioned, eyes.
Following Asuna's example, Theo had a very similar expression on her face, albeit for very different reasons. Asuna was imagining a rather tame scene where she curled up in his lap, sharing the same throne with an expression that matched the one she was currently presenting. As for Theo, the first image that came to her mind was being strapped to an x-shaped table, her wrists and ankles bound as several versions of her Master licked and 'tormented' her body.
Seeing Theo descend into a giggling fit, Vahn began to wonder if he had gone a little too far, but, as she was the only real outlier, he decided it wasn't that bad. Even Jinbei seemed to savor each and every bite of his meal with a reminiscent smile on his face, while, seated next to Eva, Karin took very small bites of specially prepared sweet and spicy bread. Unlike everyone else, she was basically just recalling the last few days, each more fulfilling than the previous three-hundred-years combined...
In the end, the only person who didn't experience something blissful or pleasant from eating the carefully prepared meal was Fenrir. As for the reason why, it came down to the simple fact of the matter that she was always happiest in the present, seated at her Master's side with a contented smile on her face. She found the reactions of everyone else more enjoyable than the flavor of the food, as, in her mind, her Master's success was her greatest source of happiness...
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With the feast inevitably coming to an end, everyone felt a little bittersweet, but, even after several hours had passed, it was possible to find most of them with a contented smile on their faces. There was something truly magical about being able to experience tender moments while enjoying some of the best-tasting food they could even imagine. Many were even able to recall memories they had once forgotten, so, despite feeling a little empty inside, it was a pleasant melancholy that reminded them of their childhoods and simpler times. Jinbei, in particular, just found a nice place to lay down at the edge of the island, a relaxed smile visible on his face as he decided to nap for a few months...
Without paying any particular mind to the whimsy of the self-proclaimed Vagrant Hermit, Vahn had gathered everyone together in the dojo to discuss their actions going forward. He had already used the vessel he kept nearby to recover, not just the Garden of Avalon, but the entirety of Demios. This was bound to cause quite a stir within the astrological community, but, considering few people had even seen Deimos due to its small size, it wouldn't really be missed.
With the Garden of Avalon secured, the only loose ends remaining in the Akamatsuverse were the people those present were insistent on bringing along. He had explained to them that it could take several thousand years before they are able to return to their world, so, while time would certainly be stopped, it would ease the burden of separation to have people they cared about to come along for the ride.
Surprisingly, Eva seemed to have abandoned the idea of bringing along the immortal children she had previously wanted to help. She was a pretty rational person, so, knowing time would be halted while she was away, she ultimately decided to save them in the far future. By then, she would have more than enough power to defeat her foes, and, though she didn't vocalize her thoughts, she was still feeling a little guilty about being selfish while Vahn was still desperately seeking the strength to return home.
Since it took a lot of effort to look after other people, Eva came to the conclusion it would be better for her to adapt to the current situation rather than making it more complicated. After all, she had a literal eternity to prepare a suitable environment for all the people she wanted to save. Until then, it was best she focus on the things that truly matter: the happiness she had found for herself, getting along with the people she already viewed as family, and the fact her fiance seemed determined to eat her up in the very near future...
Though he wasn't reading her mind, Vahn could guess what Eva was thinking, as, the moment they began discussing living arrangements, her face became noticeably redder. After all, this topic was a segue into another very important discussion: wedding arrangement and family planning.
Marriage seemed to be a lot more important in the Akamatsuverse than the previous Records Vahn had visited, so, without any room for debate, he was compelled to marry Eva, Arika, Theo, and even Asuna in the very near future. Anarchia even made a comment about throwing her own name into the pool for consideration, but, after realizing even her daughter was considering it, she promptly retracted her statement as a joke. She was honestly just happy that her daughter had been given a chance to find her happiness, and, though she certainly wouldn't mind having a 'taste' of Vahn, she knew it would be best for her to seek companionship elsewhere.
With Anarchia's 'joke' out of the way, it was ultimately decided that each of the weddings, starting with Eva's, would take place over a three-day period approximately three weeks from the time of the discussion. This would give Vahn enough time to wrap up any loose ends in the outside world, and, though the weddings themselves would seem a little rushed, the honeymoon period was set to take place in the middle rings. There, the time dilation was close to 500x, so, with each of the three weddings taking place on different days, they would have upwards of fifty-days for the honeymoon period.
Fortunately, though it was discussed in great detail, there was no risk of anyone getting pregnant unless they were absolutely certain they wanted to have a baby. This upset Anarchia and Vesperina a little bit, as they were very eager to meet their grandchildren, but, after hearing about the effects of the Little Garden in greater detail, they were willing to wait. Seeing an infant grow into an adult over the course of 2-3 years was a rather jarring experience, so, for the time being, Vahn suggested they wait patiently until they could enter the Realm proper.
In the end, the only person who even considered having a child any time soon was, surprisingly, Theo. In her culture, it was pretty common for members of the Nobility to have multiple children, and, though she understood there was no real need to produce an 'heir', it was like an instinct for all of her people. She was similar to an Amazoness in that regard, and, due to descending from a warring species, Theo wouldn't be able to rest peacefully until she had produced at least a handful of strong children.
Remembering she had literally asked him to impregnate her in the past, Vahn's initial shock faded rather quickly, and, much as he had promised in the past, he assured her that their children would be exceptionally powerful. This wasn't a false promise either, as, unless her desires changed, it was all but guaranteed that his children with Theo would be little battle maniacs. There was even a high probability that a few would inherit the evolutionary capabilities Theo had developed as a result of her fusion with the Tri-Force of Power. After all, the intent of the parents had a substantial influence on the children he produced, so, after experiencing such power, Theo would want their children to possess something similar.
Fortunately, though it caused him quite a few headaches, Vahn already had a substantial amount of experience when it came to dealing with destructive infants with infinite potential for evolution. His daughter with Tiamat, Xysteria, seemed to represent the concepts of Chaos and Evolution. The only desire Tiamat had for her daughter was that she would be able to live however she pleased, and, no matter what form she took, she would always be loved. Vahn's own desire was that his children had no limits to their growth, so, in the end, Xysteria was born as an exceptionally adorable little dragon whelp that could produce seemingly infinite versions of herself, each with different traits...
Though she had numerous visitors, Xysteria spent most of her time playing within a Realm that had been specifically created for her. She was a rather 'simple' girl with an insatiable curiosity, and, even if he wanted to, keeping her restrained was virtually impossible. Thus, to protect both Xysteria, and the very fabric of reality, Xysteria needed to be isolated in her own little world. There, more than a thousand different versions of herself happily explored the ever-changing region, each serving as an extension of the 'original' Xysteria, an adorable little toddler with earthen-brown skin, four arms, multiple tails, large furry ears, multiple horns, and fur so soft it could even compete with Fenrir and Preasia.
Vahn did his best never to compare his children, but, as a result of his and Tiamat's desires during her pregnancy, Xysteria was inarguably his most adorable child. This wasn't just his opinion either, as, whenever people visited Xysteria's realm, it was impossible to avoid cuddling with her original body. Rather, even if you didn't want to, Xysteria would seek you out, and, after she inevitably got her hands on you, you simply had no choice but to cuddle her for, at least, a few hours. Her fur was immaculate, her body was squishy, and, though she was the furthest thing from a human in Vahn's ever-growing family tree, all of her characteristics screamed, 'I am adorable, love me'.
Though it was a little dangerous to allow Xysteria's extensions to interact with others, as they were the manifestation of her curiosity, even children could interact with her original self without fear. As for why it was necessary to place her within her own Realm, it was because she had no control over when and where another version of herself would manifest out of thin air. She also had virtually no control over the traits they possessed, and, while they followed her will similar to a hive mind, a few of Xysteria's extensions had traits that posed a threat to others just by virtue of their existence.
The most notable of Xysteria's extensions had the ability to produce spores that infected virtually all other forms of organic life, the only exception being her other extensions. Anything infected would have all the nutrients in their body consumed to produce massive mushrooms, many of which were larger than houses. By the time a week had passed, more than a million square-kilometers had been converted into one massive mushroom colony, and, if not for the effect spontaneously dying out, it likely would have spread to cover the entire Realm-like texture.
Once Silva finished her Terra-Genesis, Xysteria was slated to become the first living organism on her surface. This was something Silva herself desired, likely due to Gaia's desire that her daughter get along with all of her siblings, so, whenever Xysteria was in a stable period, Vahn would take her over for a playdate. The two got along exceptionally well, and, though Xysteria still had the mental state of a three-year-old, even after several decades had passed, Silva didn't seem to mind babying her adorable little sister in the slightest...
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With most of the important discussions out of the way, Vahn helped everyone get situated in their respective residences. The system shop had literal mansions available for purchase, and, since each of his inventory slots was a 1000x1000 meter cube, he had long-since developed a habit of storing numerous convenient structures inside. If he made adequate preparations, it was even possible to store an entire plot of land inside his Inventory, the only requirement being that the materials were all purchased from the system shop.
When everything was said and done, Anarchia, Vesperina, Arika, Asuna, and even Theo all moved into a large mansion located within the second ring. They also had a small cottage on the main island and a training area on the third ring, the latter of which had already existed due to Vahn creating similar structures on each of the seventy rings. As for their insistence on having their main residence in the second ring, it was apparently to reduce the amount of time they had to wait before being able to eat his food again...
With Theo choosing to live amongst the members of the Ostian Royal Family, seemingly quite serious about seeing Arika and Asuna as her sisters, Vahn's job was finished. He had constructed the residence for Eva and Karin days prior, and, though it was little more than a small cottage with only five bedrooms, Eva argued that it was 'intimate'. She seemed to have grown weary of extravagance, so, with the Little Garden suffused with a perpetual calming aura, Eva decided she would rather live in a small, peaceful, residence...the type of place you could, very easily, start a family.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn just Shokugeki-no-Souma'd them','Family planning is important','For those who are curious, Xysteria looks functionally identical to the character Faputa from Made in Abyss')
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