Chapter 2050: Direction
After returning to the Cafe, Vahn decided against heading up to his room and instead purchased a coffee before retreating to the veranda to think.
Now that he was in the Divine Realm, he needed to decide on his next course of action. Dorothea's reaction had reminded him that the Little Garden was, quite literally, filled to capacity with the Gods and Goddesses of various metaversal structures. There were also Heroes and Villains tied to various myths present, and, even without confirming it, Vahn could already guess that Communities such as 'Avalon' must exist somewhere in the North or West Side.
Though it wasn't a perfect representation of the societal structure of the Little Garden, the East Side was essentially comprised of Pantheons, Heroes, and Demons related to Eastern Cosmologies. This was reflected in the way people carried themselves, dressed, and the way buildings were designed. Sure, there were countless exceptions, the Cafe he was currently in being one of them, but the vast majority of the East Side was populated with buildings evocative of Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and other eastern cultures...
Seeing a petite fox girl with six tails walking hand-in-hand with a vulpine woman who was clearly her mother, Vahn couldn't help but smile as he mused, "Well, it's not like I'm unfamiliar with eastern culture. The only question at this point is whether or not I should start a revolution or use my Gifts to curry favor and influence with the people presently in power..."
While it was certainly possible to conquer the entire Divine Realm if given enough time, doing so risked placing a tremendous burden on those who served under or alongside him. He might also offend the Gods in charge of the Little Garden, and, while he was confident in his ability to be able to defeat them, that was a matter for the far future.
With Source Energy at his beck and call, Vahn could theoretically go wherever he pleased. The issue was that this wasn't the first Little Garden. Rather, whenever things got too out of hand, the Gods in charge had a habit of simply 'resetting' things by creating another Little Garden elsewhere. This was a countermeasure against conceptual beings and creatures with reality-altering power that allowed them to essentially ignore the rules.
In other words, unless he could somehow catch the omnipotent beings who governed all realities by surprise, the only practical means to reach the center of the Little Garden was to follow the rules.
Fortunately, so long as they followed the rules, the entities in charge of the Divine Realm didn't actually mind if someone possessing the intention to destroy everything managed to work their way up the ranks. This was considered a natural thing, and, even if the current order was destroyed, it was only a matter of time until a new one was created.
Nobody knew whether or not anyone had actually succeeded in destroying everything. Ever since the abandonment of the previous Little Garden, however, those with the potential of doing so had struggled with growing beyond a 3-Digit Community. The lowest gated one at present, meaning it was the strongest, was the 666 Beast Community. They ruled over the 666th Gate, and, every time they made even a small amount of headway, other Communities would quickly step in to suppress them. Thus, while it wasn't impossible for an organization to eventually reach the point where they possessed the Authority to destroy everything, the implication was that they would need to defeat every other Community first.
Though he didn't consider himself a paragon of truth and justice, Vahn would rather avoid being lumped together with Demon Kings, Lords, and Gods if he could avoid it. He also didn't really feel like waging war against the entire Little Garden just to secure his position in the 1-Digit Gates, so, while it was certainly possible, he was currently leaning towards the paths of forging, medicine, and trade.
While this might sound like a very roundabout manner of doing things, it was actually the fastest method when considering the requirements for advancing to lower-digit Communities. This was best exemplified by the requirements to advance to a 5-Digit Community. This required having at least three other 6-Digit Communities serving under you, a total of ten or more 'Players', the right to hang your flag on the Outer Gate, and, most importantly, the ability to host a Gift Game with at least 100 other Communities swearing an oath beneath your flag.
Simply put, without the support of countless other Communities, it was impossible to increase your rank. This was why even Shiroyasha, the previous Rank 10 and the literal Floor Master governing the entire East Side, had only been able to create a 4-Digit Community. She simply didn't have enough support since she had virtually zero interest in politics and often punished anyone even attempting to curry favor with her.
Thinking of the petite Demon Goddess, Vahn's thoughts shifted to Rimuru as he briefly toyed with the idea of releasing his Templates and creating hundreds of Communities. If he wasn't absolutely sure the people in charge would freak out if he began 'summoning' dozens, if not hundreds, of Tier 5 beings to the Divine Realm, this would, inarguably, be the fastest method to improve his rank.
"Hmmm...maybe I should just find out where Yggdrasil and Avalon are located? I've always been rather fond of Fae, Spirits, and Elves and I can't even imagine a World Tree turning me away..."
Though this was certainly a viable method, Vahn knew it would actually stall him in the long run if he became affiliated with any purely 'good' or 'evil' organization. They could be remarkably hostile and intolerant towards one another, so, if he affiliated himself with either side in the beginning, the other would doubtlessly distrust him. This would make maintaining his 'Chaotic Neutral' alignment exceptionally difficult. Thus, after seven cups of coffee, enough to make the barista slightly nervous, Vahn stood up, popped his back, and remarked, "Well, I have been referring to myself as the God of Infinite Possibilities for quite some time. It will be interesting to see how the other Communities and organizations react when I begin awakening and handing out all kinds of Gifts..."
Since Gifts were the most highly sought-after commodity in the entire Divine Realm, Vahn was in a rather unique position due to his ability to produce a functionally infinite amount. He could supply both sides of the karmic spectrum with Gifts, and, in exchange, guarantee their support. Sure, they would doubtlessly be at each others' throats the moment they obtained additional power, but how was that any different from the present? Rather, the very purpose of the Little Garden was to pit the residents against each other to determine who was the most powerful...
"I wonder what the Loki of this world is like...?"
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Having made up his mind, Vahn made his way up the stairs before giving the girls' room a gentle knock. He already knew they were both awake, but the less they knew about his sensory abilities, the better. Sarina was giving him some serious Lili and Asuna vibes, so, the moment she knew he could sense everything she was doing, her boldness would progressively grow...
After checking the peephole to confirm it wasn't anyone strange knocking on their door, Sarina quickly unfastened the bolt lock maintaining the defensive wards on the door. Then, with a happy smile on her face, she flung to door open and chimed, "Welcome back, Vahn~!" in a cheerful tune.
Adopting his characteristic smile, Vahn casually ruffled Sarina's hair before making his way into the room and smiling even more radiantly when he noticed Nono staring at him. This caused the young auburn-haired girl to immediately avert her eyes, a subtle blush coloring her cheeks as she used the covers to conceal her body. It wasn't that she was naked or anything along those lines. She just felt self-conscious being 'alone' in a room with a man she had just recently met.
Understanding why she would be cautious, Vahn stayed relatively close to the door as he pulled out a wooden chair and sat with his arms crossed over the back. He wasn't going to invade her personal space if she was uncomfortable with it, so, with the door still open behind him, he revealed, "I met a group from your Community. If I'm not mistaken, the fellow with silvery-white hair and golden eyes was your Leader, correct...?"
Blinking in surprise, Nono looked back at Vahn before nervously nodding her head and answering, "Yes...his name is Justinian..."
Confirming the man's name with the help of Loi-chan, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation before explaining, "Well, let's just say he won't be bothering you any time soon. Don't worry. I made sure not to kill any of them. I just taught them a lesson in civility before entrusting them to a member of Twice Twilight, the Community that governs this Gate. That name ring a bell...?"
Nodding her head, Nono visibly relaxed when she heard Vahn mention he hadn't killed anyone. She no longer trusted them after everything they had done to her, but that didn't mean she wished they were dead. Even her Gift was focused on defense and sealing so even the notion of someone being harmed on her behalf filled her with guilt.
"Thank you for showing mercy...you are a very kind person..."
Smiling wryly in response to the bashful attestation, Vahn resisted the urge to scratch the back of his head and simply accepted the compliment. She would undoubtedly think differently if she knew what kind of punishment he had meted out against them. Fortunately, she wasn't wrong when she said he had shown mercy. If he really wanted to, even the protections of the Divine Realm wouldn't be able to prevent him from killing someone.
Deciding to shift the topic towards far more important matters, Vahn surprised both girls by asking, "So, what do you think about becoming a member of my Community? It doesn't actually exist yet, but I'm thinking about creating a neutral organization that specializes in helping people. I only just arrived in the Divine Realm a few hours ago, but I'm pretty confident in my ability to unify people and bring about change. I also have these, just in case you were worried that I might be targeting you for your Gift."
Waving his hand, Vahn created a stack of Gift Cards that were roughly 8x5x3m in length, width, and height. This was actually just a portion of the Gift Cards he had stacked in his Soul Realm, but, from the perspective of others, it was a truly horrifying amount.
"Are...are all of those...?"
Nodding his head, Vahn used his Telekinesis to pick up one of the Gift Cards, explaining, "Prior to my ascent to the Divine Realm, I was known as the Sage Dragon Emperor and The God of Infinite Possibilities. I'm also a Heaven-Grade Blacksmith and Artisan, so, while the current number of Gifts I possess is finite, it isn't an exaggeration to say I can create countless more. Your Gift is certainly very powerful, but it isn't the only one of its kind..."
Flipping the card over, Vahn allowed Nono to see its surface as an intermediate Spirit formed from sand manifested behind him. This caused the girl's eyes to widen, as, despite there being a number of differences, the guardian behind was functionally identical to her own. Unfortunately, she needed actual a tremendous amount of sand to manifest hers. In that regard, his was far superior...
Dissipating both the Gift Cards and the pseudo-spirit standing behind him, Vahn explained, "I'm not going to force you. Rather, as the God of Infinite Possibilities, I am a fervent believer in the ideology that people must be willing to walk their own path in life. I can support you and help you grow, but, in the end, the only person that can ensure your happiness is yourself. All I can do is give you a little push in the right direction..."
Lowering her head, Nono seemed to seriously consider Vahn's invitation. In many ways, it was the only sensible choice to make. She couldn't exactly return to her Community, and, even if she did try to venture out on her own, people coveting her Gift were bound to target her. She understood this better than most after what she had suffered through, so, in response to Vahn's words, she raised her head and meekly replied, "I..."
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I wonder if the King Arthur of this world is also a chick...?','Loki would be proud...','Yes, come to the dark side. We have cookies and head pats...')
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Chapter 2051: Remembrance
"I don't want to fight...I-"
Waving his hand dismissively, Vahn adopted a friendly smile as he said, "No worries. If I needed to force children to fight for me, I wouldn't be much of a God. All I really expect from you and Sarina, at least for the time being, is that you grow up happily and healthily. Let adults worry about adult problems."
Though she was still a little apprehensive, Nono only hesitated for a brief moment before nodding her head and answering, "Okay..." in a meek tone of voice.
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn rose from his chair and gave Sarina's head one last pat as he said, "I'll leave the two of you to rest. We'll go and register our Community in the morning. Until then, the two you should get to know each other better. You'll be sisters from today onward. Try to get along..."
Blinking in surprise, Sarina appeared as if she wanted to say something but couldn't quite find the words. In the end, she just returned a smile and intoned an affirmative, "Nn~!" before scampering over to Nono's bedside and saying, "I'm looking forward to working with you, Onee-chan~!"
Pulling the blankets up to cover the lower half of her face, Nono simply nodded in response to Sarina's enthusiasm. Her experiences over the last seven months had left her less than enthused about living in the Divine Realm, so, while she was feeling hopeful for the first time in a while, she was significantly less optimistic than Sarina...
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After closing the door behind him, Vahn placed his own protective charm on its surface before heading to his own room. This Cafe didn't have anything like a bath, and, despite being the Realm inhabited by the most powerful beings in existence, civilization within the Little Garden appeared to be stuck around the middle ages. There was an underground sewer system, but most toilets just fed straight into it without a more comprehensive water system. In fact, freshwater was actually rare, so much so that a number of Communities literally specialized in its production and sale...
While this might sound a little counterintuitive for a society that could literally pull the geniuses of various worlds to their side, the simple truth of the matter was that the Little Garden prohibited the advancement of civilization unless it was 'inherently constructive'. The people in charge, specifically those among the Buddhist Communities, believed that suffering was the natural state of all beings. It was the trials they faced to overcome their suffering that led people to Nirvana, and, more than anything else, they repudiated progress for progress's sake. Thus, unless something contributed to the universal good of all things, they believed it was better for people to have to fetch water and hunt their food rather than having it brought to them.
At the present moment, the Buddhist Faction was among the most powerful in the Divine Realm. It was so influential, in fact, that even Shiroyasha had converted to Buddhism approximately 200 years ago. Thus, while several opportunists had attempted to elevate their status by improving the quality of life of common citizens, they simply lacked the resources, manpower, and, most importantly, the authority to do so. After all, even if they knew how to construct factories, production facilities, and machines, it wasn't like they could just wander outside the Little Garden's gates, pick a spot of their choosing, and begin strip-mining it for resources.
With the exception of Community grounds and self-created territories, modifying the natural world was prohibited by the Laws of the Little Garden. As a result, most food, natural resources, and even water originated from Gifts. This wasn't an exaggeration, and, more often than not, the first priority of any burgeoning Community was obtaining a Water Tree Sapling and forming a contract with an Earth Spirit so you could begin cultivating the land for farming.
Though he could basically skip all the foundational steps of building a community and just focus on increasing his influence, Vahn knew he wouldn't be able to just ignore people, or, more specifically, children in need. He also knew that Sarina and Nono wouldn't be able to keep up with his progress, so, before they made the mistake of trying, he was intending to instill in them a sense of duty and obligation before entrusting them to watch over other children.
Understanding his nature better than most, Vahn knew it was only a matter of time before he found a woman or ten that garnered his interest. He didn't really have time to babysit children and he had never enjoyed the feeling of 'grooming' young girls into potential lovers. He could still vividly recall the discomfort he felt regarding Tina, Asuna, and, to a lesser extent, Mordred, Mash, and a handful of others. He wasn't going to tell Sarina that she wasn't allowed to love him, but, unless something pretty drastic happened, he had no intention of making things 'easy' for her.
With such thoughts on his mind, Vahn replaced the bed in his room before sprawling out with his arms and legs spread wide. It had been years since he simply relaxed in a bed on his own, so, for a very brief moment, he actually felt a little lonely. This caused the Law of Identity to manifest out of thin air, and, though she didn't make an appearance, Sis made her presence known by giggling in the back of his mind and instigating a conversation as the adorable redhead curled up next to him...
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Perhaps as a result of the Community in charge being called Twice Twilight, nighttime never came to Gate #2105393. Thus, after idling about for the better part of ten hours, Vahn went to wake up the two girls before heading downstairs for some breakfast.
Producing an A-Rank Gift Card, Vahn managed to convince the owner of the establishment to let him borrow the kitchen. He also provided all the ingredients so they had no problem letting him use their stove and oven in exchange for a few tips related to their own recipes.
In the end, most of the items Vahn prepared were modifications to the existing menu. This included a few types of danishes and an apple pie made from his personal stockpile of Avalon Apples. Today was an important day for Sarina and Nono, so, even if it was a little excessive, he wanted to make it as memorable as possible. The stronger their feelings were at the formation of the Community, the more they would want to protect it later in life. Thus, for the sake of themselves and the children they would be protecting, he intended to make sure today was one of the happiest of their lives.
Emerging from the kitchen, Vahn surprised both Sarina and Nono by appearing in a stylish barista outfit, complete with a bowtie and apron. This earned the attention of several other patrons, but, paying them no mind, he approached the two girls with a silver tray filled with pastries, smiling as he said, "Breakfast is served~." in a soothing baritone.
As could be expected, Sarina blushed crimson, stammering, "T-T-Thank you...!" in an overly excited tone. Nono, however, just returned a delicate smile, a nearly indiscernible pink hue to her cheeks as she softly replied, "Thank you..." in her characteristically meek tone.
Chuckling lightly, Vahn arranged all the items on the table before snapping with his left hand. This caused a golden pulse to spread through the interior of the Cafe, a pleasant aroma lingering in the air as a comfortable warmth settled into each of the patrons. At the same time, he produced a chair for himself out of thin air before taking a seat and casually explaining, "Once the two of you have finished eating, we'll go and register our Community at the Gate. Still, that's no reason to rush. Take your time and enjoy the meal. I'm pretty proud of my cooking ability."
"You made all of this...?" asked Sarina in an ostensibly surprised tone.
Surprised by such a question, Vahn couldn't help raising his brows slightly as he answered, "Today is an important day and I intend to make it memorable. Please, give it a try and let me know what you think."
Nodding her head, Nono picked up a tiny cookie in the shape of a lotus flower before tentatively biting the edge. It wasn't especially flavorful, but it had a uniquely balanced taste reminiscent of vanilla and honey. This caused Nono to tear up slightly, as, despite the shape appearing markedly different from what she remembered, the taste was something she was intimately familiar with...
"Mommy..."
Smiling sadly in response to Nono's soft utterance, Vahn resisted the urge to reach out and caress the girl's head. The cookies were actually a special recipe developed by Rindo, and, as a result, the recipe had manifested as a D-Rank Gift known as [Flavor of the Heart]. This caused the cookies to, quite literally, taste like nostalgia.
With the intent of cheering her up a bit, Vahn adopted an even gentler tone than usual as he said, "Don't worry. I might not be able to do anything about it in the near future, but I can promise that you will be reunited with your parents. The Divine Realm is unique in the fact that it exists above the principle axis of all other realities. This is what allowed your former Community to learn about your future achievements before summoning your younger self. In that same vein, both of your parents are still alive and well at some point in space and time. We just have to bring them here."
As if a switch had been flipped in her heart and mind, all of Nono's shyness appeared to disappear in an instant, her expression visibly brightening as she excitedly asked, "Mommy and Daddy are still alive!? Can you really bring them here...!?"
Not expecting Nono to practically pounce on him, Vahn's smile became marginally more awkward as he gently guided her back to her seat and answered, "Of course. The hardest part is just finding out where your reality is located. After that, we just need to prepare a catalyst and everything else is relatively straightforward. Until then, you should focus on doing everything you can to live your life to the fullest. As a parent myself, I can assure you they would be a lot happier if they came to the Divine Realm and discovered you were living happily."
Offering the first genuine smile he had seen on her face since her rescue, Nono practically beamed as she answered, "I understand..." in a bashful yet happy tone. Her complexion had improved quite a bit, and, though there was a fair amount of red coloring her cheeks, Vahn pretended not to notice as he continued to caress the girl's head with a gentle smile of his own.
"You already have children...?"
Hearing Sarina's question, Vahn retracted his hand from Nono's head before answering, "Of course. You would be hard-pressed to find a God that didn't have a few dozen children. Heck, I even have a few who are older than me if you can believe it..."
Recalling Xysteria, Sylva, and Krona, Vahn's smile became noticeably more affectionate as he briefly considered bringing them out to play. He had spent some time with them after the merger between his Realm and the Little Garden, but, compared to the millions of years they had lived, a few months seemed negligible.
Noticing the change in Vahn's expression, Sarina felt a twinge of pain and envy. She couldn't even remember her parents as they had abandoned her when she was still a baby. Thus, even though she did her best to suppress it, she couldn't help feeling jealous when Vahn mentioned his children and bringing back Nono's parents. She was trying to look forward to the future, but, based on how Vahn was behaving, her prospects, at least in terms of love, were looking grim...
Understanding Sarina's thoughts, even without the Law of Identity, Vahn reached out to caress her head, his expression softening as he said, "You worry a lot for a ten-year-old..."
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Buddha be like, "Life is suffering..." while donning a pair of jadeite knuckle dusters...','Vahn could use a hundred different Gifts every day and never have to use the same one twice...','Nono is precious. Sarina is precocious. Both are adorable yet troublesome (UwU)...')
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