Chapter 1899: Expanding Horizons
After a long conversation regarding Hell Joe's fate, Vahn agreed to let Wolhaiksong take him into custody after conferring with Ryun and Ai. Their vengeance wasn't his responsibility to mete out, so, knowing Joe was yet another victim of circumstance, Ryun took the initiative to pardon him on the premise that Ureko forego seeking recompense from FUG.
Ureko wasn't particularly fond of the idea that FUG's actions would go unpunished, but, knowing the names of the people directly responsible, she agreed to let the organization as a whole off the hook. The Slayer known as Karaka, however, had just found himself at the very top of her personal 'shit list'. This all but guaranteed a conflict between Wolhaiksong and the military forces of Karaka, a battle the latter had virtually no hope of winning.
Since there was nothing she could do to actually stop Ureko, Ryun had little choice but to accept the former's compromise. It helped that her opinion of Karaka had decreased drastically over the last year or so, as, more than any other representative of FUG, he was the one regularly interfering with Vahn's ascent. His actions had nearly resulted in the destruction of the entire organization, so, while she was predisposed to support the actions of all Slayers, she would not lament his passing...
---
With the matter of Hell Joe largely resolved, Vahn found himself in a rather awkward yet familiar situation, a wry smile on his face as he escorted Garam through the various Layers of the Little Garden with Ureko riding on his shoulders. She really did remind him of the 'younger' version of Mordred at time, and, despite his protests, there was little he could do to actually stop her from doing whatever she wanted.
Fortunately, though her behavior regularly demonstrated otherwise, Ureko had enough wherewithal to understand when she shouldn't fool around. Thus, shortly before their arrival on the Eighth Layer, she promptly alighted from his shoulders, saying, "It's been a long time. I'll be expecting a feast and some delicious alcohol to celebrate our reunion. Afterward, I have a surprise for you. You better not peek."
Punctuating her words with the cracking of her knuckles, Vahn rolled his eyes as he sent a telepathic message to deter the Law of Identity's usual antics. He might be curious to ascertain how his power compared to someone like Ureko, but, given her personality, fighting against her all but guaranteed he would experience some indignity. His draconic nature didn't allow him to abide such slights with grace, so, until he was confident in his victory, Vahn didn't want to carelessly trigger the aggressive dragoness' more primal instincts.
Smiling in response to Ureko's warning, Vahn habitually extended his hand to caress her smooth golden hair as he said, "I'm looking forward to it." in a relaxed tone. This earned him an incredulous look from Garam, who, despite having no reaction to Ureko's antics, couldn't believe that the latter would accept such treatment from another person.
Rather than resist Vahn's touch, Ureko just giggled with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes as she turned them up at him and remarked, "As bold as ever..." in a tone that was equal parts seductive and predatory.
Though he felt a strong compulsion to retract his hand, Vahn moved to caress the side of Ureko's face, thumb nearly brushing her lips as he said, "Would you have allowed me to place my mark on your back if I was lacking in boldness...?"
With her pupils contracting to form thin lines, an amused snicker emanated from Ureko's throat as she abruptly reached between Vahn's trouser legs, firmly grasping his sleeping member with a smile on her face. Rather than speaking her initial thoughts, however, her expression quickly changed to one of mild surprise as she offhandedly remarked, "Seriously? You really are a monster..."
Suppressing the physiological response of his body, Vahn snatched Ureko's hand with a deadpan expression on his face as he said, "We should get going. There are quite a number of introductions that need to be made. Besides...we're making Garam uncomfortable..."
Hearing the mention of her name, Garam reacted with a slight start, eyes widening for a moment as she waved her hand in a dismissive manner and said, "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just a little surprised. I always assumed Ureko had a thing for women so I never expected to see her behaving like this with a man. I guess this means you're bisexual...?"
Reacting to Garam's words, Ureko puffed out her cheeks in a sham pout before promptly declaring, "There's nothing wrong with appreciating beauty! It's not my fault this Tower is full of small-minded assholes and arrogant pricks...!"
Sensing the conversation was flowing in a dangerous direction, Vahn attempted to intervene, but, before he could interject, Garam looked directly at him, arms crossed as she asked, "So? What are your intentions? Ureko informed me of the basics, but she sucks at explaining things in detail. Tell me, what do you know of Arlene Grace? Is it true you're trying to collect Princesses of Jahad, or are you actually just after the 13 Month Series? Is the Tower really just a means for people to ascend to a higher plane of existence? What do you know of the worlds above...?"
Though he could understand the reason for Garam's curiosity, Vahn couldn't help but get annoyed whenever someone threw a bunch of questions his way. He didn't mind discussing such things, but, for a variety of reasons, he disliked being interrogated. Garam's body language also made it pretty clear that she expected an answer, and, though she wasn't overtly looking down on him, her former status and authority as a Princess of Jahad had obviously left their mark.
Reacting with a deadpan expression that left Garam feeling taken aback, Vahn exacerbated things by plainly asking, "If I told you my aim was to 'collect' each of the Princesses, what would you do? Have you considered the repercussions of asking such a question or do you hold yourself in such high regard that you expect it to give you some kind of leverage against me?"
Raising his hand to prevent Garam from speaking, Vahn briefly shifted his attention to the Law of Identity, shaking his head as he said, "Forget it. You'll realize the ridiculousness of your words soon enough. For now, let us be on our way. All of your questions will be answered in due time."
Without waiting for Garam's response, Vahn created a circular portal connecting the Seventh and Eighth Layers before stepping through. This was a lot easier than trying to transfer Ureko directly, and, most importantly, it allowed him to move on ahead of the duo.
Not expecting such a reaction, Garam was at even more of a loss than before, mouth slightly agape as she looked to Ureko for answers. In response, the latter simply shrugged her shoulders, a slightly amused smile on her face as she said, "I did tell you he was an Emperor. Though he doesn't act like one ninety percent of the time, he still has the pride of someone who rules over countless others. If you had asked him in a more casual manner, he probably would have answered you without giving it a second thought. Now, he probably thinks you're just another pampered Princess with an over-inflated sense of entitlement."
Frowning in response to Ureko's words, Garam was about to say something in her defense when the former suddenly became uncharacteristically serious, adding, "A few months ago, that man was at a level where he could barely defeat one of the weakest High Rankers. Now, he can trade blows with three of the most powerful Princesses of Jahad, Adori included, without sustaining any serious injuries. Given his current rate of growth, it won't even take him another ten years to surpass me in strength. If you think someone like that cares about the status and machinations of people trapped within a Tower, you really do have an overwhelming sense of entitlement..."
Finished with her words of warning, Ureko performed a half-hearted wave before motioning to step through the portal Vahn had created. Before doing so, however, she stopped to take a look over her shoulder, smiling as she said, "Don't worry. That sentiment applies pretty broadly. If he doesn't care about your machinations, he obviously wouldn't care about something like a gaff. Unless you make a big deal out of it, he'll probably act like this little hiccup never happened. That man is pretty weak against pretty women, so, even without asking for help, I bet he would lend you a hand of his own accord."
With that said, an amused chuckle emanated from Ureko's throat as she stepped through the portal and disappeared. This left Garam alone to contemplate her words, a mix of reflection and confusion visible in her icy-white eyes as she assumed a thinking posture and mused, "It would seem I need to expand my horizons...the Tower and its politics are beginning to seem increasingly insignificant..."
---
Unaware of the sentiments of her elder sister, Maschenny used the months following her encounter with Vahn to ascend to the 123rd Floor of the Tower. More specifically, she ventured to one of the most isolated and secure regions of the entire Floor, an area of perpetual twilight where a massive floating castle could periodically be seen phasing in and out of view among a sea of luminescent clouds.
With most forms of flight restricted in the region, Maschenny was forced to ride a gondola-like ship drawn by a pair of Shinheuh that greatly resembled giant seahorses. This took the better part of an hour, but, having become accustomed to such procedures, she was able to remain relatively calm as the nervous gondolier guided the ship through one of many hidden grottos leading further into the floating castle.
After destroying a number of automatons that attempted to have her complete mundane tasks and solve various riddles, Maschenny finally reached the underground entrance to a hidden observatory guarded by a number of Royal Guards. This was the very heart of the island-like floating castle, and, though there was a massive palace nearby, the latter was merely a cover to distract anyone entering the veritable fortress without permission.
Standing at the very front of the group of guards, a petite man with dark silver hair and a neatly trimmed mustache could be seen waiting for Maschenny's arrival. He was dressed identically to a Butler, but, in actuality, he was one of the most prestigious Guides employed by the Empire, an Advanced Ranker known as Alumik Edrok.
Bowing low in response to Maschenny's arrival, Alumik adopted a respectful tone as he said, "It is our pleasure to welcome you, Princess Maschenny. Unfortunately, Princess Repellista is still in low spirits due to the loss of her favorite pillow. Unless it is a matter of utmost importance, I would ask that you not disturb her until a replacement can be found."
Frowning in response to Alumik's words, Maschenny uttered the first words that came to her mind, asking, "Don't tell me...Ureko also came here...?"
Offering a curt nod in response, Alumik went on to explain, "Indeed. The castle was invaded by Miss Ureko some four months prior. Since then, Princess Repellista has been in poor spirits since none of her replacement pillows can compare to the one she received from Lady Blossom. We have already tried contacting the Eurasia Family in an attempt to procure a replacement, but it would seem Lady Blossom has been in a deep slumber for the last couple of months..."
Exhaling an uncharacteristically tired sigh, Maschenny shook her head in mild exasperation before saying, "Whatever. Take me to Repellista's room. I'm certain she will agree to meet with me. I have a lot of important matters to discuss with her. Tell her I'm willing to negotiate with the Eurasia Family on her behalf, and, if necessary, I will visit the 77th Floor in an attempt to recover her pillow."
Bowing low in response to Maschenny's words, Alumik stated, "I will inform her at once. For now, please enjoy some hot cocoa prepared by our staff. Princess Repellista received quite a large sum of cocoa beans as a tribute from the Chocoa Kingdom. I'm certain you will find it palatable."
Since there was no merit in making Repellista upset, Maschenny replied with a curt nod of her own before following a Maid with rabbit ears into a nearby waiting room. There, she waited patiently for Repellista's reply, as, in spite of the fact she had yet to even begin her climb, the enigmatic Princess was one of the most influential within the entire Tower. She even had the support of several Family Leaders, and, though it was generally impossible to manipulate Shinsu prior to becoming a Regular and forming a contract with the Guardians, Repellista had a rare talent that eclipsed even the most prodigious members of the Eurasia Family.
In recognition of Repellista's talent, the Leader of the Tu Perie Family had gifted her an Opera, one of only three in the entire Tower. This allowed her to drastically increase her status among the other Princesses, as, unlike a normal Lighthouse, the range of an Opera was functionally infinite. It could see practically everything taking place within the Tower, and, unless they had been modified by an inordinately skilled Light Bearer, she could hack most Lighthouses and Pockets to further expand her information network. This made her, inarguably, the most dependable information broker in the entire Tower, and, so long as you could satisfy her requests, there were very few things she couldn't find through her incomprehensibly vast network...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn ain't ready to tame this dragon...','Imagine Garam's reaction when she meets Vahn's harem xD...','A voyeur that can even rival Vahn...')
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Chapter 1900: Predatory
Of all the surprises he had expected, Vahn wasn't particularly fazed when Ureko pulled out a small box filled with more than forty pairs of neatly arranged panties, smiling as she said, "It might be a little excessive, but I figured I might as well aim for a complete set. At this point, the only ones I'm missing belong to Princesses that have gone missing, a few brats climbing the Tower, and that one Enne chick. I'm also missing Repellista's pair, but it turns out she likes to go commando. I'm hoping she'll part with a pair in exchange for her pillow's return, but it's pretty difficult to venture above the 100th Floor right now."
Offering a wry smile in response, Vahn almost felt bad for the Princesses still awaiting a visit from Ureko. Despite this, he couldn't help but pass his gaze over each of the unique pairs of panties, his mind wandering to a time when he was determined to produce S-Rank undergarments.
As this thought danced across his mind, Vahn was moderately surprised to find a piece of light-blue fabric that hardly qualified as underwear. This seemed to catch Ureko's attention, an impish smile immediately developing across her face as she appeared behind him and gazed over his shoulder.
With her monstrous perception, determining the angle of someone's view was an incredibly simple feat. As a result, a peal of laughter erupted from Ureko's throat before she linked her arms around his neck, leaning against his back to explain, "That pair belongs to that sadistic rascal, Maschenny. You should have seen the look on everyone's faces when I gave her snow-white bottom a thorough spanking."
Thanks to his ability to form perfect images within his mind, Vahn couldn't help but imagine the scene of Maschenny's public shaming. This caused him to feel a little guilty, but, knowing how the average Princess lived their lives, pitying them was pretty difficult. Maschenny, in particular, was in the process of trying to bring an end to the current era by starting a cataclysmic conflict that would shake the entire Tower. Her reason for doing so was surprisingly sound, but, as Ureko had stated, it was Maschenny's sadistic personality and her insatiable desire for battle that ultimately compelled her to move forward with her plans.
Realizing that the panties were loosely arranged by order of rank, Vahn's eyes briefly shifted to the rather tame pair in the foremost position. These undoubtedly belonged to Adori, and, as could be expected from such a principled woman, they were lacking in embellishments. Instead, they were unblemished white with the only real adornments being the expensive materials used in their make and the intricate manner in which they were sewn. There was also a very small tag on the back that had Adori's name sewn in gold lettering, a rather interesting addition considering the fact she was more than 5,000 years old...
As if she could understand his thoughts, Ureko's tone became slightly awkward as she explained, "I actually felt a little bad during and after my encounter with Adori. It's usually pretty difficult to get a rise out of her so I never expected her to tear up and chase after me like a maiden who had her first time stolen. I tried apologizing after the fact, but she seems pretty determined to kill me. She seems to blame me for the fact she chose to dispose of the witnesses...what a troublesome woman..."
Imagining Adori cutting down her former companions with tears in her eyes, Vahn couldn't help but exhale a sigh at nearly the exact same time as Ureko. This was the problem with 'overly' principled people, as, despite being a reserved and surprisingly caring person, Adori would perform even the most heinous and unforgiving acts if she believed it was for the sake of her duty. This was the main reason he had compared her to Artoria and Mordred, two women who would unhesitantly carry out his orders due to their belief that his actions would ultimately benefit countless others.
Shrugging Ureko off his shoulders, Vahn attempted to return the box to her, but, rather than accept it, she held her hands up before teasingly remarking, "They're yours now. The Quest never specified that the panties needed to stay put, so it was pretty easy to complete the objective requiring me to place them on a statue of Jahad. At this point, the only thing keeping me from turning in the Quest is my desire to get a perfect completion grade. I don't half-ass things, so, until I finish collecting the rest, you can hold onto that box. Who knows, they might be useful in the future~?"
Though he wasn't particularly surprised by Ureko's words, a dry laugh emanated from Vahn's throat as he sealed the container and placed it securely within his Inventory. He understood she was trying to implicate him as an accomplice of sorts, but, rather than shift the blame, Vahn decided to simply accept it. After all, he was ultimately the reason she had decided to gather the panties, and, while it seemed like a harmless prank at the time, it couldn't be denied that his decision had led to quite a number of people losing their lives...
Surprising Vahn with a not-so-gentle punch, Ureko adopted a chiding expression as she said, "You have a bad habit of brooding over nothing. Girls won't like you if you act like a moody teenager all the time. Don't think you're a real man just because you collected a few flowers. Real women prefer a man who is steady and reliable. If you think raw power and a big dick are enough to keep all your girls in line, you're setting yourself up for a betrayal."
Scrunching his nose in response to Ureko's brash statement, Vahn was going to insist that none of his women would betray him when the former interrupted, adding, "Don't even think about it, brat. You're not even four-hundred-years-old yet. If you think everything will remain peachy for the next ten-thousand-years, you're delusional. I've seen stable relationships last for thousands of years only to break down after a single argument. I'm not going to argue with you and insist that someone will inevitably betray you. I'm telling you to man up so you can reduce the chances of it happening."
With Ureko more than 30,000 years his senior, Vahn couldn't really argue against the grains of truth contained within her words. He was also well aware of how his behavior affected the people around him; so, while it was a little annoying being talked down to like a child, there wasn't much he could say without sounding like one. Thus, rather than argue, he simply nodded his head, saying, "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the advice."
Seemingly approving of his words, Ureko nodded her head, but, rather than praising him, she said, "I don't need your gratitude. I need you to be a man. You know full well that I've taken an interest in you. If you don't correct your behavior, I'll have no choice but to take matters into my own hands. I know you have a lot more pride than you let on. Don't force me to break you down so you can man up properly."
Punctuating her words with an uncharacteristically serious expression, complete with glowing red eyes, it was easy to understand that Ureko wasn't playing around. Her bloodline might be sealed, but she was still descended from one of the most powerful True Dragons in her Universe. Now that she understood the futility of returning home, her focus was on moving forward, seeking revenge, and, most importantly, preserving the legacy she had inherited from her clan. This required her to produce an heir, so, with few candidates even remotely comparable to Vahn, it was only a matter of time before she came to 'collect' his seed.
Despite her free-spirited nature, Ureko had grown up in an extremely rigid and hierarchical society. This was another parallel she shared with Mordred, as, despite believing women were far more than capable of contending against any man, she also believed in the sentiment that the legacy of a clan was passed through its scions. Females generally married into other families or helped to start new ones, so, while she had no qualms about re-establishing her clan in another world, securing an heir was of paramount importance.
Realizing that his meteoric growth was beginning to make Ureko feel impatient, a sense of urgency began to swell within Vahn's heart and mind as he matched the former's predatory gaze. He wasn't afraid that she would actually resort to extreme action, but, given what he knew of True Dragons, it was impossible to discount the possibility of 'something' happening. Thus, while it wouldn't exactly spell the end of the world, he forced himself to smile as he internally thought, ("It looks like I might need to spend a few years in an Actualized World...who knows, I might even be able to defeat the Ethereal Queen if I travel alongside those destined to cross her path...")
As that thought crossed his mind, so to did the image of various 'characters' within the Actualized World based on a collection of science fiction and fantasy games produced by a company known as Tri-Ace. He had researched most of their titles prior to creating the Actualized World, so, while the power scaling of each series didn't match up to his standards, he couldn't deny he was interested in some of them. The fact they were able to defeat the Ethereal Queen was one of the primary reasons for this, but, more than anything else, his empathetic nature made it difficult to ignore the tragedies commonly present in such stories...
Taking advantage of Vahn's sudden absentmindedness, Ureko interrupted his train of thought by spontaneously pouncing on him. Then, with her characteristically impish smile, she placed him in an inescapable headlock, the side of his face pressing against her modest chest as she exclaimed, "You cheeky little brat! You think you can just ignore me when I'm right in front of you!? Just watch how I teach you a lesson...!"
---
Though it took a lot longer than she would have liked, Maschenny was ultimately given permission to enter Repellista's chamber after promising to sponsor the development of a sequel to one of her favorite game series. She was rather famous as one of the most talented and prolific gamers in the entire Tower, so, while Maschenny couldn't really understand such a hobby, she knew Repellista had a soft spot for limited-edition merchandise and retro games that came before she was born...
Entering Repellista's chamber, Maschenny was surprised to find that it was incredibly well lit, a stark contrast to the rather dark and reclusive atmosphere that usually permeated the room. Even more surprising was the fact that Repellista was currently sitting upright with a focused expression on her face as her hands danced across a series of light-projected keyboards, each linked to the more than one-hundred Lighthouses that formed the core network of the Opera...
Having grown accustomed to seeing a version of Repellista buried beneath a thick blanket, refusing to so much as look back to see who had entered her room, Maschenny found herself at a complete loss for words when the former turned around, saying, "If you've come to request that I search for the Sage Dragon Emperor, you're wasting your time. He doesn't appear in recordings and even A-Rank Lighthouses struggle to detect him. At best, I can tell you what Floor he is on. Every time I try and pinpoint his exact location, he either moves somewhere else or disappears into a region where even my Opera can't sense. You have no idea how annoying the past few months have been...!"
Despite her words, Maschenny noticed that Repellista actually had a massive grin on her face as she continued complaining about Vahn for several minutes. She seemed to be enjoying the challenge of tracking down an anomalous entity, and, rather than appear depressed, she gave off the impression of a conspiracy fanatic on the verge of making an important discovery.
Taking advantage of Repellista's ramblings to organize her thoughts, Maschenny waited until the peculiar pink-haired girl stopped to catch her breath before saying, "I already have my own plans regarding the Sage Dragon Emperor. For now, I'm more interested in the movements of Princess Yuri. More specifically, I want to know what she has been up to for the last year, and, if possible, I want to know where she obtained the Green April. Knowing you, you should have already looked into each of these matters. Am I wrong...?"
Understanding Maschenny's intentions, an amused spread across Repellista's face as she playfully remarked, "You are the fifth person to ask me for that information. More interestingly, you are the second within your faction to do so. It seems like your handle over the situation is beginning to slip away~."
Frowning in response to Repellista's words, a thoughtful glimmer flashed across Maschenny's eyes as she asked, "Was it Maria? I swear, that brat is even worse than me when it comes to scheming..."
Finding Maschenny's comment rather amusing, Repellista couldn't help but giggle as her delicate fingers danced across her keyboard. Then, with a swiping gesture, she sent the data to Maschenny's Pocket, advising, "The data will erase itself in forty-eight hours. You are free to reproduce it, but any attempt to modify the data will result in the self-destruction of your Pocket."
Surprised by Repellista's actions, Maschenny furrowed her brows in suspicion, asking, "What is your aim?"
Following another bell-like giggle, an excited gleam appeared within Repellista's ammolite-like eyes as she said, "Unlike others, you've never been the type to sit still when there is something you want. Since it will be impossible for you to recover my pillow from Ureko, I want you to send someone to the 20th Floor to obtain the pillow belonging to a Regular named Phonsekal Laure. He is a member of the group referenced in the file I sent you so it should be a simple matter to track him down and steal his pillow. Do this for me and I will forward you any and all information pertaining to the Sage Dragon Emperor as it comes in."
Rather than immediately responding to Repellista's request, Maschenny opened the file to read the information contained within. To her surprise, there were some familiar faces within the group, two of which stood out due to their pale-blue hair and electric-blue eyes. Her eyes were naturally drawn to these two, and, though she was usually cold to members of her own family, Maschenny couldn't help but smile when she saw the taciturn expression of her younger brother among the surprisingly long list of Regulars. Unfortunately, rather than the affectionate smile of an older sister, the look on Maschenny's face was that of a hunter who had just learned of an interesting prey...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'That box must be worth a fortune in the Tower...','Ureko don't play...','Ran better run xD...')
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