Bab 1450: Demon's Banquet (2/?)
Following his opening statement, Vahn ignored Shuten's and Igaraki's stupefied states, accepting Raikou's invitation to enjoy the banquet that had been painstakingly prepared by Benienma. The food prepared by a Yokai was unnaturally delicious, but, unlike normal Yokai, Benienma put a lot of effort into mastering her craft. Since it was difficult to refuse a meal after imagining the petite girl hard at work in the kitchen, surrounded by dozens of fat sparrows, Vahn found himself seated across from everyone else, flanked by Artoria and Musashi.
While still awaiting the food's arrival, Shuten didn't beat around the bush, asking, "This sanctuary of yours...what exactly does it entail? Going by your tone, it doesn't seem like we have any other options~?"
Contrary to her slovenly behavior from earlier, Shuten had a slightly more serious expression, and, though her outfit was still in disarray, she had at least pulled her kimono back onto her shoulders. As for Ibaraki, she had fallen silent as, despite having already decided Vahn was her penultimate nemesis, her dream of a prosperous Yokai community helped to silence her anger. She also got a 'very' dangerous feeling from both Vahn and Artoria, so, while she wasn't afraid of them, building up the resolve to fight against them wasn't that easy...
In response to Shuten's question, Vahn explained, "I'll make an exception and explain myself in a way you should be able to understand. In truth, I don't really care about ruling over humanity. My current actions are the result of several underlying issues that needed to be addressed in order to avoid an even greater calamity. In truth, my only real goal is making the world a safer place where everyone, regardless of their origin and race, has a chance at happiness. When everything is said and done, the Empire will be an isolated regulatory force. The actual governance of the races of Gaia will be managed by a complex system that takes into consideration the needs of every race within the Empire's domain."
Though he didn't expect them to be able to follow along and envision the world he was trying to create, Vahn knew that most Yokai had the inherent ability to discern truth from lies. The moment they thought he was trying to deceive them, he would have lost all of his momentum, so, while it might not make a lot of sense to them, he didn't mind exposing his plan. It didn't really matter if Musashi was also present, as, regardless of how things developed, she would continue to support the Heroes until the fighting ceased.
Confident in his assessment, Vahn took a small sip of the crystal clear sake that had been set out on the table, enjoying its mellow flavor and the way it burned his throat. Then, having given them a bit of time to process his words, he added, "Soon enough, the World will undergo even greater change as a byproduct of events that have already been set in motion. To ensure the survival of all species, including the planet itself, certain measures must be taken to unify and protect everyone. I will provide everything the Yokai need in order to not just prosper, this time without fear of being hunted to near-extinction. I even possess the power to summon Yokai from previous eras, not as Heroic Spirits, but in their original forms."
Hearing Vahn's words, everyone at the table, with the exception of Artoria, had various thoughts racing through their mind. The first to speak, however, was Raikou, asking, "Am I correct in the assumption that your power also extends to other entities? I don't get the impression that Kōgō-sama is a Heroic Spirit. Rather, she gives off an aura similar to Musashi-dono."
Musashi was slightly surprised by Raikou's words, but, before she could ask for confirmation, Vahn had answered, "It is even possible to summon Gods, Conceptual Entities, and Foreign Existences that others have never even heard of. I will not go into the specifics, but there are few restrictions when it comes to my ability to summon others into this world."
Even before Vahn had finished speaking, Raikou's hazy purple eyes had come into focus, her aura increasing several-fold as she asked, "Can you summon my Kintoki-chan...?" in a somewhat shaky tone. At the same time, Shuten also perked up slightly, her expression showing she was paying far more attention to his response than everything else he had said.
Rather than answer her outright, Vahn allowed his own aura to contend against Raikou's, pushing hers back with a focused expression on his face as he said, "Calm yourself, Raikou. I already had the intention of conferring with your faction to determine which Heroes would be suitable to help expand your numbers. Sakata Kintoki is, indeed, one of the candidates to be summoned. For that to become a reality, however, you must remain calm. This isn't something you can force, and, the more you try, the less likely it is to happen."
Though he was able to overwhelm her aura with his own, Vahn got the impression that Raikou was on the verge of 'exploding'. She seemed to morph into a completely different person, becoming an existence that dwarfed even Shuten's by a considerable amount. Since the latter was rumored to have been the child of Yamata-no-Orochi and a powerful witch, this was quite a feat, resulting in his draconic nature being stirred slightly.
Raikou was tempted to 'force' Vahn to summon Kintoki, but, after processing his words, combined with how powerful his aura felt, she forced herself to gradually calm down. This was the complete opposite of her counterparts, however, as Vahn's aura had the effect of exciting those descended from dragons, leaving even Artoria clenching her fists to avoid fidgeting.
Vahn knew it wasn't exactly a good idea to rile up the trio surrounding Raikou, but, as part of him proactively refused to keep his nature concealed, he allowed his Huánglóng aura to mix with his domain. This empowered all of his capabilities to unquantifiable levels, allowing him to react to virtually anything in a calm, yet overbearing, manner. It wouldn't matter if his opponent was one of the most powerful Gods in the entire Nasuverse, as, after fleeing from Tiamat in the past, Vahn had resolved himself never to run away again.
Once Raikou began to calm down, Vahn slowly retracted his aura before mixing in calming energy from his [Hands of Nirvana] into his domain. This didn't go unnoticed by those seated at the table, so, before they reacted adversely, he explained, "This is a technique called [Hands of Nirvana]. It is originally a massage technique that accelerates healing, but, as a result of my mastery, I can use it to disperse calming energy into my surroundings. It has absolutely no negative side effects, as, if I tried to use it in such a way, I would experience a backlash of sorts."
Since everyone present could basically determine whether or not he was telling the truth, simply being forward with them was enough to avoid most problems. This was another thing Vahn liked about many non-human races, as, compared to humans, they were far more 'honest', even if their nature revolved entirely around mischief.
In order to reclaim the momentum, Vahn passed his gaze over everyone present, including the young woman with pale-green hair. She had yet to be introduced, but, based on various context clues, he was able to identify her as Kiyohime. According to Japanese folklore, she was a normal village girl who, after being spurned by the man she fell in love with, ended up transforming into a large serpentine dragon in order to give chase. When she finally caught up with him, she used her newly gained power to burn the man to ashes as he sought shelter within a temple bell. In the aftermath of that event, she ended up taking her own life, following the man she had loved even in death...
Vahn wasn't quite sure how Kiyohime had inherited the blood of a dragon, but, based on how she was behaving, it was clear to see that her human sensibilities had been all but overwritten by her draconic instincts. She was stuck in a permanently delusional state, kept at bay by little more than a facade that threatened to disappear at a moment's notice.
Knowing he would need to deal with her sooner, rather than later, Vahn looked directly into her golden eyes, stating, "I am not Anchin, nor his reincarnation. I come from a completely different world so there is no mistaking it. I can help you to control your draconic blood, but, I will never pretend to be someone I'm not in order to pander to your delusions."
Kiyohime had been trying hard to keep herself under control since Vahn's arrival so, hearing him suddenly speak in such a manner, she was at a complete loss. She could tell he was speaking the truth, as her sensitivity to lies had developed to an unquantifiable level. Thus, in an instant, it felt like her entire world was crashing down around her, causing white scales to begin growing along her hands and feet. At the same time, her horns turned from ivory white to a glossy black color, at least until Vahn released his own aura in full, eyes blazing like suns...
Though it was somewhat cruel to the young woman, Vahn suppressed her weak bloodline with his own, forcibly stopping her transformation as he stated, "Do not throw a tantrum just because I have stated the truth. Behave yourself, Kiyohime. Dragons are prideful creatures so do not allow yourself to be controlled by your urges like some base creature. You will never be able to obtain what it is you desire if you lash out every time something doesn't go your way."
Hearing Vahn's harsh words, Kiyohime was on the verge of tears, her face forming an aggrieved frown as she reverted back to her 'human' form. This earned him a few accusatory looks, but, as the current Kiyohime was a danger to both herself and others, Vahn didn't regret his actions. He had seen a multitude of futures where she transformed into a massive white serpent, rampaging until Raikou managed to seal her away. This was the first of many steps on a long road to helping her break free from her burdens, allowing her to pursue real happiness, breaking free from her delusions.
Ignoring the feeling of guilt that always came whenever he made a woman cry, Vahn took a deep breath to calm himself before saying, "Benienma should be along with the food shortly. Allow me to apologize for my harsh words, but, much like my current actions back on Gaia, it was necessary. Trust me when I say that you will recover, Kiyohime. It might not seem like it now, but you will have a lot of people supporting you as you learn to be happy. Isn't that right, Raikou...?"
Following Vahn's question, Raikou stopped glaring toward him, embracing the crying Kiyohime in her rather voluminous chest as she answered, "Of course. Come, Kiyo-chan, I will bear all of your tears. Don't let that bully's words affect you..."
Hearing Raikou refer to him as a bully, Vahn's expression became slightly dull, especially when he heard Kiyohime muttered, "Mmm...he is a big bully..." in a sobbing tone. At the same time, Shuten was staring at him with an amused expression on her face while, at his side, even Artoria gave him an accusatory look. Though she understood he had done so out of necessity, she still intended to reprimand him later for making a young woman cry.
Fortunately, just as things reached tangible awkwardness, Benienma and a host of chubby, ball-shaped, sparrows frolicked into the room. They were pushing large trays filled with dozens of different dishes, the fragrance of which was enough to elicit an audible growl from nearly every stomach at the table.
Vahn had tried to time his dramatic outburst with the arrival of Benienma's dishes, but, as reading the Flow of Fate was harder than it seemed, he had been off by nearly two minutes. Fortunately, it didn't matter in the end, as, with the arrival of the food, even Kiyohime seemed to quickly recover, her golden eyes glimmering with expectation as a whole pig, nearly as large as she was, was set before her. Though this seemed like way too much food for a normal human, it hardly qualified as an appetizer for most Yokai, much less a True Dragon...
Seeing how quickly everyone's moods improved, Vahn regained his casual smile, watching as the sparrow-like Yokai, despite being much smaller than the dishes they were carrying, managed to set them on the table without much difficulty. As for Benienma, she personally served the dishes she had prepared for him, Artoria, and Musashi.
What Vahn didn't expect, as he hadn't focused too much on the food while peering into the Flow of Fate, was for Benienma to set a peculiar dish in front of him, her face flushed with a ruddy glow as she explained, "As an apology for my past transgressions, please enjoy my rarest delicacy, split kushiyaki-style sparrow-dechi..."
As Benienma explained what she was serving him, Vahn noticed the beady eyes of every sparrow-type Yokai staring at him, threatening him to refuse her offering. It didn't help that Musashi, upon seeing the grilled skewers, commented, "Oh, grilled sparrow? I used to eat that a lot when I was still a brat. If you'd like, I know a few good sake that pairs well with it~."
Immediately after Musashi's bold words, the eyes of everyone sparrow-yokai, with the exception of Benienma, shifted toward her. Their looks seemed to say, 'you had better sleep with one eye open from now on', stunning Musashi into silence just as she was about to uncork her gourd. It was only at that moment that she seemed to realize what kind of birds the several dozen Yokai were, despite the fact they always followed Benienma like she was their leader...
Using the opportunity Musashi had created, Vahn offered a wry smile in response to Benienma's intense stare. Then, after picking up one of the skewers, he unhesitantly took a small bite of the tender meat, causing her to visibly flinch before resuming her intense stare. It was only when he stated, "It's delicious..." that Benienma finally relaxed, an exasperated sigh escaping her lips that didn't quite suit her appearance. Then, just as Vahn took a second bite, he nearly choked when she muttered, "I'm glad...if you didn't like it, I was going to offer myself as compensation-dechi. My meat is quite tender, so I'm certain you would find it palatable-dechi."
After her rather 'dangerous' remark, Benienma adopted a happy smile on her face before taking a large wooden spoon and placing a veritable mountain of rice on his plate. Then, with that same smile on her face, she held up her spoon, remarking, "Ten'nō-sama, make sure to savor every last bite-dechi! If you don't, you'll get the chop, ufufufu~!"
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn taking control','Don't bully the snek...!','Benienma is scary-dechi...')
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Bab 1451: Demon's Banquet (3/3)
Fortunately, even if he was tasked with eating all the food on the table, Vahn wouldn't have any issues. His body could process a functionally infinite amount of food, o allowing him to consume hundreds of kilograms without even gaining a single himself. This was due to his ability to convert anything he ate into a micron of Source Energy, marginally increasing his reserves based on the amount of mana, or Divine Energy, contained within.
After watching Vahn engorge himself with the massive bowl of rice she had prepared for him, Benienma gave a contented nod before making her way around the table, serving tea and filling everyone's plates in sequence. Everyone got a slightly smaller portion of rice than him, but, when you considered even the smallest portion was nearly 3kg, it was quite a bit more than a 'normal' person could eat.
It was fortunate that none of them even remotely fit the description of what could be considered normal. Even Artoria, despite the fact she always weighted precisely 42kg, could put away nearly half her body weight in a single sitting. It wasn't uncommon for her to have several plates stacked together whenever they ate meals, the result of her gluttonous nature and the fact that the food served at the castle was always delicious.
Since he didn't have to worry about Artoria finishing her portions, Vahn cast a curious gaze upon Musashi, finding her shoveling away large portions of rice using a pair of engraved chopsticks she had seemingly pulled out of thin air. Upon noticing his gaze, she made a show of half-turning her body, a 'warning' look in her eyes that seemed to convey, 'I'm not going to share'.
With an amused smile on his face, Vahn shook his head in response to her silent statement before pulling out a porcelain gourd vase. It had an ivory white base set with an ornate lapis lazuli pattern depicting a fox entangled by flowers. It was quite the artistic container, but, compared to the rich sake contained within, the immaculate porcelain gourd held no value.
As a 'connoisseur' of various alcohols, Musashi's instincts were stirred the moment Vahn pulled out the gourd. Before she could ask for a cup, however, he squinted his eyes toward her in what appeared to be a playful manner, throwing her own words, "I'm not going to share." back at her.
Though it was quite obvious, Vahn never intended to eat Musashi's food. He also knew she had just been messing with him, but, when it came to teasing people, he held an absolute advantage against all but a select few individuals. Thus, before Musashi could recover from her shock, he let the porcelain gourd float gently across the table, saying, "As this is our first meeting, consider this a greeting gift. Though it may be a trifling thing, I hope you'll accept it."
Since Raikou seemed to be a practitioner of Shinto Buddhism, meaning she didn't partake of alcohol, Vahn sent the gift towards the eagerly anticipating Shuten. This was basically his way of bribing the somewhat troublesome Yokai, as, not only was the sake of the highest quality, it was specially chosen due to the nourishing effect it had on Oni.
As someone who had even accepted a gift of poisoned sake, despite knowing it was poisoned, Shuten happily embraced the porcelain gourd with a drunken smile on her face as she mused, "I will graciously accept your gift. Tell me, Ten'nō-sama, what kind of alcohol is contained within this charming vessel~?"
Even without removing the cork, Shuten could already tell that the sake contained within was of the highest quality she would ever have the chance to sample. It even seemed to greatly exceed the quality of her Providential Oni Poison Sake, losing out only due to the sentimental value held by the latter.
While ignoring the bitter look he was receiving from Musashi, Vahn explained, "This is a special type of sake known as [Inari's Grace]. As the name suggests, it is a product of the Patron Goddess of Sake, Inari Ōkami. What makes this one unique, however, is that it belongs to the Inari Ōkami of a different world, giving it special qualities you'll not find elsewhere."
As she listened to Vahn's words, Shuten deftly removed the porcelain bottle's cork, ignoring the worried look on Ibaraki's face as she unhesitantly drank directly from the container. Though this was considered improper, especially considering she always had a sake cup on hand, the latter was 'tainted' by her usual blend. Since she couldn't resist the allure of new sake, procuring a new cup would require effort she wasn't willing to spare...
After sampling little more than a sip of the aromatic wine, Shuten felt like she had suddenly been transported to a different world, a place where she lay naked amidst a field of flowers as the warm rays of the sun kissed every inch of her body. It was a very pleasant sensation, causing her body to gradually heat up as a fluttery feeling spread her mind and body, intoxicating her in a way she was rarely able to experience.
Back in 'reality', Shuten's face had melted into a euphoric expression, a ruddy blush coloring her cheeks that gradually extended toward her neck, along her pointed ears, and up her horns. All of this was from a single sip of the potent sake, a type of alcohol that was better suited to the palates of Gods, rather than demons or humans. It was comparable to the Soma that had been produced by the God of the same name back in Danmachi, albeit infused with qualities that made it suitable for an Oni to ingest...
After several seconds had passed, Shuten spontaneously erupted into a drunken giggle while tightly hugging the container of sake in her bosom. This caused some of its contents to spill out onto her body, spreading the fragrance of sake through the entire room in a manner similar to the pheromone attack she had released earlier. As a result, everyone, excluding Vahn, felt a pleasant heat spread through their bodies, almost as if they were sunbathing on a cool Spring day...
To prevent any trouble from arising, Vahn lightly twirled his index finger, manipulating the wind to contain the fragrance before it could actually intoxicate everyone. Some of the sparrow-yokai had already collapsed, their fat bodies rolling around along the smooth marbled surface with peculiar human smiles on their faces. It was a little creepy, but, as was often the case with Yokai, Vahn was more amused than perturbed by the display.
Using his telekinesis, Vahn made sure to tightly cork the porcelain container, explaining, "That is a special sake that can completely revitalize an Oni's body with a single sip. You should try mixing it into your favorite wines in the future, diluting it down a bit instead of drinking it directly. As you can see, it is a little too potent for direct consumption, hahahaha~."
As even Benienma was stumbling around while trying to pour drinks, it was pretty apparent that the contents of [Inari's Grace] weren't to be underestimated. It basically qualified as a weapon, as, despite being a 'simple' bottle of sake, it was actually an item on the upper ends of A-Rank. It had cost him a startling 300,000 Origin Points within the shop, but, after his most recent ventures, OP wasn't much of a concern for him at the moment.
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[Inari's Grace]
Rank: A (Divine)
Use: A Sacred Wine gifted by the Goddess Inari to her betrothed, the Great Demon King, Shuten-douji. It carries the original hopes of its creator, bestowing feelings of bliss and satiety to whoever is fortunate enough to sample its contents. When given generously, this sake has a flavor akin to a warm Spring day, but, if taken greedily, even the most stalwart of Gods may be forced into a deep comatose state. "Drink, and be merry!"
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Though it might be considered 'cheating' to purchase an item that had been gifted to another world's Shuten-douji, Vahn's very existence was basically the ultimate cheat. This was something he had gradually come to accept, as, while he still intended to work hard to obtain his power, it never hurt to share his blessings with others. If he could buy an item that made people happy, he had very few qualms about doing so...
After recovering enough of her faculties to interact with her surroundings, Shuten offered a rather slovenly smile as she slurred, "Ay likish yuu boyaaa. Neksht tiem, ay'll give you sum wakame sake ash thanksh..."
Hearing Shuten's remark, Vahn quickly shook his head, stating, "That is unnecessary. If you want to thank me, just make sure to follow the Common Law in the future. You will be a leader within the Yokai community so it is important that you set a proper example for everyone else to follow."
In response to Vahn's words, Shuten puffed out her cheeks to form a rather adorable pout as she complained, "Jest you wait...ay'll get you evenshully..." before falling backward, still hugging the container of sake in her arms. This caused Ibaraki to glare at him, but, as she knew there weren't any 'tricks' concealed within the sake, she had no grounds to really complain.
Raikou, having witnessed the incident from start to finish, looked toward Shuten with a helpless expression on her face before staring at Vahn and asking, "Do you really intend to take care of these girls? I won't forgive you if you treat them poorly. They may be a little mischievous, but I believe they are still good children."
Understanding Raikou's concerns, Vahn gave a small nod before saying, "You're welcome to visit the Yokai District whenever you'd like. Even if the Heroes Faction is meant to stand in opposition to the Empire, that is no reason for us to fight at every opportunity. Meeting together like this and sharing a few drinks every now and then will help prevent any genuine animosity from developing between our two sides. We might not see eye-to-eye on some things, but that is no reason for any hatred to develop between us."
In his ideal world, Vahn would be able to fight against his enemies without any hard feelings. He wouldn't mind relinquishing the power and authority he had seized for himself if his opponent genuinely believed in the path they pursued. There was no need to arbitrarily kill in order to seize power, as, in the grand scheme of things, that was more an act of cowardice than anything else. If you had such little conviction in your beliefs that you couldn't accept them being challenged by another, you were little more than a tyrant and a despot.
Vahn had always liked stories where former enemies were able to reach an understanding with each other, eventually coming together to make the world a better place. A continuous cycle of killing only contributed to more hatred than was necessary in the world. It was for this reason he didn't mind if others opposed him, as, after what he had done, they had every right to do so. So long as they didn't lose themselves to the negative feelings that came with seeking vengeance, forcing their hatred upon others, he had few reasons to actually kill them...
Hearing Vahn's reply, Raikou offered what could only be described as a motherly smile as she commented, "You are a good child. Though you're lacking in discipline, I can see that you are not the evil person people make you out to be. Tell me, Ten'nō-sama, what is your mother like? If you are orphaned, I don't mind caring for you in her stead...?"
Understanding she didn't mean for her words to come off as rude-sounding, Vahn managed to shrug off Raikou's remark without too much trouble, answering confidently, "My mother was an amazing woman. She loved me with all her heart, hoping for my happiness above all else. She is one of the reasons I seek to create a world where everyone can be happy. Her love is one of my most powerful motivators, and, without it, I wouldn't be the man I am today...thank you for your offer, Raikou, but I'll have to refuse..."
Though Vahn hadn't exactly told any lies throughout the banquet, there was an unquestionable sincerity in his voice when speaking about his mother. This was enough to even cause Shuten to peel open her eyes, while, around the table, everyone looked toward him with slightly stunned expressions. As for Raikou, her smile had increased marginally, becoming more affectionate as she muttered, "I'm happy for you...it's a shame, though, as I would have liked to be the mother of such a filial child..."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A table full of gluttons','Taming an Oni with sake...','Things may change, but a mother's love is eternal')
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Status Power Mingguan
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177 Power
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