章 18: Warmth
After another incredible night's sleep and a highly stimulating morning, Vahn couldn't help but smile as he made his way to class from the Old School Building, his bookbag hanging over his right shoulder.
"Well, if it isn't our Class's Dark-Skinned Prince," remarked a bespectacled girl with distinctive golden eyes, somewhat messy brown hair fixed into twin braids at the sides of her head, and an almost perpetually lascivious and smug grin. At a glance, she didn't appear particularly exceptional, but when people got a better look at her, they would promptly realize she had one of the fullest, most well-balanced figures in the class.
Recalling the girl's name from the Class Roster, Vahn adopted a smile and replied, "Good morning, Kiryuu-san."
"Mine certainly just got better," teased the girl, her full name being Kiryuu Aika. However, as they weren't yet acquainted, Vahn followed custom and used her family name.
"Oh, my..." remarked Aika, adjusting her large, pink-rimmed glasses as she peered down at Vahn's waistline. She was fairly famous among the girls at Kuoh for possessing the ability to ascertain a boy's secret measurements at a glance, so several of her classmates had petitioned her to see if Vahn was packing more than just a handsome face and body.
"Is there something on my pants...?" asked Vahn, looking down to see if he could see what Aika found so interesting.
"It's more about what's inside," responded Aika, the lascivious grin on her face becoming more prominent as she teased, "Let's just say you're fated to make whoever you end up dating a very happy boy or girl."
Interpreting Aika's words at face value, Vahn smiled and offered a curt "Thank you" before politely stepping around her to enter their classroom. He could feel her gaze on his butt as he passed, but since he received similar stares virtually everywhere he went within the Academy, it didn't bother him in the slightest.
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Though it took Vahn a month to reach the Fifth Floor on his own, having the members of the ORC with him made exploration of the Corridor much quicker. In only their third time entering, accounting for a little over a day in-corridor time, they were already at the entrance of the spacious arena serving as the Floor Boss's domain.
"So this is a Boss Monster..." remarked Rias, sporting a fearless smile as she stood with her arms crossed, undaunted by the sight of what looked like a giant green caterpillar, but each of the six segments of its body had a toothy maw on both sides as it stretched and contracted its more than ten-meter body through the area on feet resembling metallic golden drills.
"So far, they've all been slower than other monsters, but they're stronger, tougher, and usually have some kind of special attack you need to watch out for," explained Vahn, revealing, "The last Boss I fought vomited out a ton of smelly orange goo that turned into smaller versions of itself. It took me several attempts to defeat since I didn't have a way to deal with large groups of enemies."
"Fortunately, that happens to be my forte," stated Akeno, sporting a calm smile but with a glimmer of anticipation in her violet eyes.
Nodding, Rias added, "I'm also good at dealing with large groups, but my specialty is powerful single-target attacks. Do you mind if I kick things off for us with a demonstration?"
"Please do," responded Vahn, beaming as he added, "I love seeing you in action."
"Then, as a precaution, I request your forgiveness in advance," responded Rias, leaving Vahn a little confused until he saw her step forward, strike a pose with her right hand extended, and produce a crimson Magic Circle at its center. What followed was a sound that Vahn could feel in his bones as Rias, feeling compelled to show off, unleashed a nearly three-meter-wide beam of fierce crimson energy that left a deep trench in the grided terrain and obliterated the caterpillar monster in a single blow.
"Well, how did you like that~?" asked Rias, staring back at Vahn with her hands on her hips and a playfully smug expression.
Though he was stunned by the startling display of power, Vahn regained his senses, his expression and tone serious as he responded, "It was one of the most incredible things I've ever witnessed. You're amazing, Rias..."
'I wonder if this is what love feels like?' Rias mused to herself, narrowing her eyes in gratification. All things considered, she and Vahn barely knew one another, but his sincere appreciation and the earnestness with which he complimented her made her want to try much harder than she usually did.
"Let's just hope your attack didn't destroy the drop item~" teased Akeno, causing the tips of Rias's ears to warm a bit as she looked at where the Boss had been and asserted, "I'm sure it's fine..." in a slightly huffy tone. Fortunately, as the group made their way over to check, a piece of pale pink fabric resembling silk could be seen, neatly folded within the center of the trench her attack had carved.
"Hooo? Is that what I think it is...?" asked Rias, stepping forward and picking up the piece of fabric to reveal it was a silk negligee. And as it unfurled, a matching pair of panties with intricate lace embroidering fell out onto the ground.
Imagining Rias wearing the negligee, somehow finding it even lewder than when she was fully naked, Vahn, his face slightly red, explained, "The Corridor of Intertwined Fates is influenced by desires and mental states of the people who enter it...so this might be my fault..."
"In other words, you would like to see me wear this, right~?" asked Rias, narrowing her eyes in amusement. Then, without waiting for a response, she began unbuttoning her blouse, seemingly intending to change there and then until Akeno pointed out it would be better to do so in the safety of the temple beyond...
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With his first week of school passing in the blink of an eye, Vahn was enjoying his Sunday off by sleeping in, his face buried in Rias's chest as they treated each other as body pillows. They had arranged to enter the Corridor from eight to noon, but that was still two hours away, giving him plenty of time to bask in her softness, fragrance, and comforting warmth while pretending to be asleep.
"Alright, you two. Time to stop pretending. Breakfast will be ready soon," said Akeno, entering Rias's room with a silver tray, atop which sat a pair of heated towels, two teacups, and a small porcelain kettle.
"Nnngh...I suppose..." responded Rias, revealing that she had also been awake. Before releasing her hold on Vahn's head, however, she gave him one final squeeze, his face sinking deep into her bosom.
With Rias releasing him and getting up from the bed, running her hands through her hair in a way that briefly provided a view of her beautiful butt, Vahn rose to a seated position, accepting the towel Akeno supplied with an appreciative "Thank you," before watching as she helped her Mistress prepare for her day by helping her dress.
"Oh, I nearly forgot something very important..." said Rias, disengaging from Akeno to approach and give Vahn his morning kiss. Back when they first started sleeping together, she had commented that it would be nice if they could kiss each other before bed and then again when they awoke, so it was gradually becoming a part of their daily routine.
Seeing that as his cue to get out of bed, Vahn joined Rias in dressing the old-fashioned way before accompanying her to the club room, where Kiba and Koneko were already waiting.
"Good morning, Vahn," said Kiba, offering one of his princely smiles while Koneko, ever reticent, simply looked over, staring at him as she took a bite out of the perfectly made toast she was munching on.
"Good morning, Kiba. Good morning, Koneko," responded Vahn, offering a cordial smile of his own as he sat in his usual spot with Rias occupying the cushion to his right. Akeno then sat to his left, limiting his ability to spread his legs comfortably, but as that was how they had been eating breakfast, he barely registered it as he focused on the assortment of breakfast items on the table, including french toast with ice cream, creamy eggs benedict, and the staple of simple Japanese meals, onigiri.
"Did everyone bring their sleeping bags, snacks, and supplies?" asked Rias. "Koneko, I don't see your bag anywhere."
As the plan was to spend a full twenty-four hours within the Corridor, in-corridor time, Rias had informed everyone the previous day to make sure they were sufficiently prepared.
"I'll just ask Vahn," replied Koneko, very matter-of-factly.
Understanding what Koneko meant, Rias exhaled faintly from her nose and responded, "While that is certainly an option, using Vahn's power to purchase supplies is wasteful. You should at least bring a sleeping bag and a spare change of clothes."
Getting more used to expressing himself, Vahn, smiling, contended, "It's fine. Koneko is the one most in danger while we're exploring the Corridor, so I'm willing to use some of my own points to ensure she has everything she needs for a comfortable stay."
"Mmm...well, if Vahn says it's fine, I have nothing else to say," appended Rias, crossing her arms and adopting a firm expression as she added, "Be sure to thank him properly, okay?"
"Nn..." responded Koneko, nodding. Then, staring at Vahn, she asked, "What do you want? It's okay if it's a little perverted."
Confused, Vahn looked to Rias, prompting her to regain her smile, shake her head, and explain, "One of the operational principles of Devil society is Equivalent Exchange. I believe you experienced something similar with Sona previously."
"Ah..." uttered Vahn, recalling the somewhat bizarre instance of Sona stripping down and performing a pole dance that was, in hindsight, very erotic. In essence, Koneko was asking if he had any requests for her, so he raised his gaze, staring at nothing in particular as he deliberated how to respond.
Coming up with what he believed to be a good idea, Vahn met Koneko's gaze with a broad smile and stated, "Then, let's be friends. I know we're not exactly enemies or anything, but I would like to get to know you and every other member of the Occult Research Club better."
"Friends..." repeated Koneko, leaving Vahn feeling a faint sense of panic as she appeared to deflate slightly. Fortunately, Rias was there to state, "It's easy, Koneko. You just need to be honest with yourself and express what you want. He's not asking you to reveal your past and secrets. Just tell him about the foods you like or show him your favorite places to nap. Vahn is a good listener, and he won't find you strange, no matter what you say or do."
"Oh...is that all?" asked Koneko, directing the question at Vahn, her head tilted adorably to the side.
"I'd like that," responded Vahn, sporting a supportive smile as he nodded affirmingly.
"Super weird..." muttered Koneko, causing Vahn's smile to cramp and the other members of the ORC to laugh or chuckle as she added, "But at least you're not a pervert..." before taking a bite out of her toast.
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After a lengthy, sixteen-hour exploration, Vahn was sleeping in a tent with Rias when he detected movement and felt something brushing against his feet and legs. He knew it wasn't an enemy since they were in a safe zone, so instead of crying out or removing the blanket with a flourish, he waited for the thing that was invading his blankets to reach his chest, followed by the appearance of a familiar head of white hair before its owner, Koneko, raised her face to meet his, their gazes meeting for several tense seconds before she plainly stated, "I'm sleeping here..." before resting her head on his chest.
'I guess so...' responded Vahn, albeit internally. Externally, he naturally placed his hand on Koneko's back, discovering that she was wearing her uniform's blouse as he gently caressed it. Koneko initially tensed when he did, but after a few seconds had passed, the tension eased from her body as she adjusted her position to be more comfortable...
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