Capítulo 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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Capítulo 1901: Stirrings
Despite having inscribed his Familia Crest on more than a hundred people, Vahn still felt a swelling of pride whenever he left his mark on a beautiful woman. There was something about the process that excited his most primal instincts, and, though they weren't exactly his, he couldn't help feeling an inkling of possessiveness towards those who bore his mark.
Resisting the urge to give Garam's butt a squeeze, Vahn retracted his hand after tracing the line of her back, smiling as he said, "It's finished. From this moment onward, you're now a member of the Aldrnari Familia. How do you feel...?"
A stark contrast to when he had inscribed his Familia Crest onto Yuri, Garam made sure to cover her chest with a towel as she sat up and answered, "Other than an itchy feeling on my back and a slight heat in my chest, I don't really feel any different. I honestly expected a little more from the blessing of a God..."
Passing over her blouse, Vahn unashamedly continued to observe Garam as he explained, "Though there have been exceptions in the past, I don't generally grant people power they haven't earned. If you wish to become stronger, you will have to train or complete Quests. Either way, my blessing has effectively removed the limiters from your body. The only thing capable of holding you back at this point is your inhibitions and the limitations you impose upon yourself."
Realizing that he wasn't going to avert his eyes, Garam gave Vahn a deadpan look before turning her back and quickly fixing her clothes. Then, adopting a slightly accusatory tone, she looked back at him, saying, "You're sending mixed signals. You heckle me about making assumptions regarding your intentions yet here you are gawking like a shameless voyeur..."
Shrugging his shoulders in response to Garam's accusations, Vahn maintained a casual smile as he projected a pale blue system display, explaining, "Though there are a functionally infinite number of Quests available, these are the ones that should interest you the most. Keep in mind that you can only accept one at a time, so, before deciding on something more difficult, you should complete a few simpler Quests to confirm the blessing is functioning properly."
Seeing a number of Quests related to her personal life and other sensitive matters, Garam couldn't help but harden her expression as she observed, "It seems you really do possess the power to know a person's darkest secrets. Some of these Quests give off an extremely manipulative vibe..."
Rather than refute the statement, Vahn nodded his head, explaining, "Quests generated for specific people are directly related to their fate. It has very little to do with my knowledge. Though I do have the power to willfully generate Quests, these are generally amalgamated from my innermost desires and the purpose I have assigned myself. You might find it difficult to believe, but I have never once produced a quest with the intent to deceive or manipulate another. Notions such as that are wholly human in nature. As my actions have, and will continue to prove, I don't require others to act on my behalf. I am more than capable of carrying out my will with my own hand."
Surprised by Vahn's resolute tone, Garam found herself at a momentary loss for words. Then, after several seconds of silence, a seemingly amused smile spread across her face as she remarked, "I'm starting to understand why Ureko has taken an interest in you. You aren't bound to the same logic as we mortals. You just go at your own pace, acting as you believe you should without caring about the broader implications of your actions...you're like a sapient natural disaster."
Unable to restrain himself, a tired sigh escaped Vahn's throat as he pulled out a towel to wipe his hands. Then, in a moderately disinterested tone, he said, "The more you try to define me, the more you set yourself up to be surprised. I care a lot more than most people about the consequences of my actions. I just understand the futility of trying to establish a hierarchal society and engaging in pointless political games. People are simply incapable of ruling over others for an extended period of time without giving rise to a system of rampant corruption. Rather than waste my time trying to bring the masses under my thumb, I would rather rein in those who would misuse their powers for personal gain. In the end, the most effective way to prevent corruption is to hold those at the top accountable for their actions."
Growing bored of the conversation, Vahn half-turned to indicate he was preparing to leave. Before doing so, however, he adopted a severe expression that prompted Garam's body to tense up as he added, "Nobody has the right to suppress and maliciously exploit others. I don't care if they are a God, an Emperor, a King, or even a peasant. Those that cross my path will be held accountable for their actions...you would do well to keep that in mind...Princess..."
Finished with his warning, Vahn vanished from the room without so much as a single spatial ripple. Immediately thereafter, Garam felt like a mountain had been removed from her chest, her breathing becoming ragged as she leaned against the table for support. Despite this, an expectant smile had found its way to her face, and, though she had the impression Vahn was still observing her, a laugh began to emanate from her throat as a few crystalline tears rolled down her cheeks...
---
Following a series of chaotic yet exhilarating days within the Little Garden, Vahn emerged alongside Ureko and Garam in the latter's icy abode. There, an inordinately tall and burly man with grey skin, purple eyes, and two prominent horns could be seen waiting patiently, his body cloaked in a thick, fur-collared, mantle.
Without missing a beat, the man offered a courteous bow towards Garam, his deep voice filled with deferential reverence as he said, "Welcome back, Princess."
Adopting her characteristically predatory smile, Ureko interrupted Garam's return greeting, stating, "My, aren't you bold? Even with a Dragon Emperor and the strongest person in the Tower present, you choose to greet Garam alone. You're lucky I'm in a good mood, brat."
Swallowing nervously in spite of the vast size disparity between himself and Ureko, the cloaked man was about to apologize when Garam fearlessly 'bonked' the mischievous blonde on the back of her head, saying, "Don't pick on my subordinates." in a firm tone.
Without so much as flinching from the punch, Ureko tittered in response to Garam's words before setting her ruby-red eyes on Vahn and asking, "So, what are you going to do from now on? Want to travel together for a while? With that Little Garden of yours, I shouldn't have any problems entering areas intended for Regulars."
Though spending time with Ureko could be surprisingly fun, Vahn didn't hesitate to shake his head, saying, "It will unnecessarily complicate things if we travel together. Don't pretend you'll be able to just sit back and watch when I go into battle. Besides, don't you need to deal with Hell Joe and track down the people responsible for manipulating him?"
Clicking her tongue, Ureko appeared right in front of Vahn, a serious expression on her face as she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him down to eye level. Then, with a dangerous gleam in her eyes, she asked in an aloof yet direct manner, "Do you not like spending time with me...?"
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn ignored the looks from Garam and her subordinate as he placed a scant kiss on Ureko's lips. This caused her eyes to widen quite a bit, as, despite her bold nature, she had very little experience with even the simplest displays of affection.
With a healthy glow spreading into her cheeks, Ureko pushed Vahn away with enough force to send him smashing into the nearby wall before cupping her cheeks and exclaiming, "How brazen~!" with a notably silly smile on her face. Then, seemingly ignorant to the fact she had sent him crashing into the wall, she pumped her hand into a fist and added, "Yosh! Just you wait! I'll finish gathering all the panties in no time! Look forward to it~!"
As if she was heading off to do just that, Ureko created a rather violent ripple in the surrounding space as her figure vanished along with a burst of golden light. Shortly thereafter, Vahn emerged from the ruins of Garam's former abode, a weary expression on his face as he matched gazes with the pale-haired Princess' and said, "You should get going as well. When you meet with Gustang, tell him I'm not particularly fond of his way of doing things. If he doesn't get the affairs of his family in order, it is only a matter of time before I deal with him personally..."
Though they had never discussed her affiliation with Gustang, Garam was no longer surprised by Vahn's casual mention of closely-guarded secrets. Instead, she felt more exasperated than anything else, arms crossed as she half-heartedly replied, "I'll pass it on..."
Raising his hand in a gesture of farewell, Vahn followed Ureko's example of performing a spatial transference of his own. His, however, was infinitely less flashy, as, rather than tearing through the dimensional membrane and traveling at faster-than-light speeds, he was simply moving to another point in his domain.
Now alone, excluding her silent companion, a tired sigh escaped Garam's throat as she performed a gesture not all that dissimilar to Vahn when he was especially frustrated, combing through her own hair. Then, with a resolute glimmer flashing across her icy-white eyes, she directed her gaze towards her subordinate, saying, "Thank you for staying with me all this time. From here onwards, however, I will need to journey alone. Return to the others and explain to them that Arlen's prophecy has been invalidated. From now on, we should avoid committing to any decisive action until the Sage Dragon Emperor has completed his journey. If his words are true, the way forward will invariably be open in the next few years. Even if this proves false, however, we cannot afford to carelessly oppose him. He is a threat that eclipses both Jahad and Ureko. Until we have a better grasp of his true intentions, it is best to simply observe..."
Following a respectful bow, the burly figure promptly pivoted before hastily departing to pass on Garam's words. This left the pale-haired Princess truly alone, a somber expression briefly appearing on her face as she pulled out a peculiar Pocket and muttered, "Sorry, Arlen...it seems like even your prophetic abilities couldn't account for the intervention of a foreign God. At least Jahad will still be held accountable for his actions..."
Shaking her head, Garam placed the Pocket on the ground before placing her hands in the pockets of her parka and departing like a normal person. Her time in the Little Garden had opened her mind to a number of higher concepts, but, more than any other lesson, it was Vahn's assertions regarding fate that left the deepest impression. She still had countless doubts, but, rather than concern herself with things she couldn't control, she now wanted to try shaping her own fate. After all, if there really were worlds beyond the Tower's peak, there was no way in hell she was going to remain cooped up inside a veritable prison...
As this thought crossed her mind, an increasingly common look of expectation returned to Garam's face as she willed her Quest interface to open. Then, similar to Ureko, a predatory smile developed across her face as she mused, "I suppose it's time for a family reunion..."
----------------------------------------------
[Chain Quest: A Dish Best Served Cold I]
Rank: S~SSS
Objective(s): Expose the secret regarding the 'Ghost of the 13 Month Series'(0/1), Kill or Capture 10 Ranked members of the Jahad Family(0/10), Kill or Capture 10 members of the Royal Enforcement Division(0/10)
Optional Objective(s): Collect the entirety of the 13 Month Series(2/13), Remove [Jahad's Blood Curse] from at least three other Princesses(0/3), Publically declare war against the Jahad Empire(0/1)
Rewards: 8,000,000,000 Variable Experience, 1x[Sisterly Bond], 1x[Avenging Angel's Dress]
Failure Conditions: Death, Forfeiture of Quest, 3Y:11M:25D:17H:43M:02S
Penalty: N/A
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Just do it...!','Ureko is surprisingly bashful (O w O)...','That is bound to be one hell of a reunion...')
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