Capítulo 615: Developments
Over the course of a three week period, things had slowed down a great deal in Vahn's life, allowing him ample time to work on his projects. As expected, Tiona's outfit was finished in a very short period of time since it only consisted of two relatively small articles of clothing. The band that stretched around her chest was barely wider than his palm and, based on his memories from the Manga, she likely wouldn't really need any adjustments in the future. As for her bottoms, they barely covered more area than a pair of panties so Vahn had only needed three days to complete both pieces. Since he hadn't colored them yet, Tiona ended up running around in what looked like a complex set of white underwear, a stark contrast to her healthy brown skin that Vahn found very appealing.
Since she always wore a pareo, Vahn also made her a brand new one that was far more resistant and durable. She had a tendency to lose them at times but promised to take better care of this one since it would easily be worth almost 300 million Valis based on materials alone. To complete the outfit, Vahn made her a set of Adamantine armguards with the Durandal attribute and several ringlets and anklets, each with parameter enhancing properties. She still had a grand total of 0 Magic, but was able to make use of Magic items nonetheless. Vahn believed the accessories would work on her and potentially help awaken Tiona's Innates if she learned how to guide the mysterious energy properly.
By the time Vahn finished Tiona's outfit, she looked like an exotic dancer wearing an almost pristine white outfit with very intricate design. He would have to dye and color the outfit to her preferences later, but that didn't stop Tiona from happily wearing it around the Manor for the time being. She even went into the Dungeon the same day he had completed it, dragging Ais and Lefiya along with her in the process. By the time she returned, there was a fair amount of blood covering her body but the stark white cloth, possessing the Unblemished attribute kept it from getting dirty. When he asked how she got so bloody, Tiona confessed to having forgotten her weapon so she ended up beating all of the monsters they encountered with her bare hands and feet...
Compared to Tiona's outfit, Tione's took a total of seven days to complete because Vahn still wasn't that good at creating stockings just yet. Tione wore a relatively small top as well, at least as far as the fabric was concerned, but it was still more complicated than the simple cloth band worn by Tiona. Her bottoms were almost identical though, with the only big difference being the fact that Tione wore a pair of stockings with a modified garter belt. Vahn wanted to make the Aegis armor match their basic attire so his design included her stockings as well, essentially guaranteeing her legs would be completely protected.
By the time Vahn was done, Tione had stark white stockings going from the center of her thighs all the way to her feet, coming to an end by attaching to a ring around her middle toe. To accompany the outfit, she also had a pareo similar in style to Tiona's, but about 1/3rd the length. Her's only wrapped around her hips and the upper part of her thighs, apparently to cover her butt while still allowing freedom of movement for her legs. Neither she nor Tiona actually cared about the pareo itself but they wore them after the incident when they entered their first village. People didn't treat 'children' walking around in what equated to underwear very seriously and they weren't fond of the looks they drew from some men.
Much like Tiona, Vahn gave Tione several bangles, anklets, and a brand new clasp locket where she typically kept her [Effigy of the Hero]. Underneath it, though he wasn't sure how she managed to obtain it, there was a picture of his face with a gentle smile. Vahn had been a little embarrassed when he first saw it, something Tione took advantage of by teasing him for a while after the fact. Vahn ended up 'punishing' her a by dying the first part of her outfit bright pink, causing Tione to eventually perform what he could only call a 'perfect' dogeza. She had apparently learned it from Tsubaki after calling her old in the past and being forced to hold the position for several hours as an apology.
As he had been working on them all at the same time, though his focus typically leaned towards one piece of fabric at a time, Vahn had already made decent progress on Lefiya's outfit as well. She actually asked for some alterations to be made to the outfit before he had finished applying all the scales, wanting the entire midriff region to be removed. After learning about the [Sage Aldrnari's Blessing] in detail, Lefiya was already taking into account the fact she would likely wear one in the future. Since she didn't want Vahn to have to make an entirely new set of armor for her, Lefiya asked for a large part of the fabric to be removed.
By the time the base was done, Lefiya had a white top that covered her ribs, chest, part of her neck, and the upper part of her arms. For her bottoms, she had what equated to shorts which, just like the top, had been cropped a bit and hung a little low on her waist. Since he was a little worried that she would be showing off a little too much skin without her robe on, Vahn also made a third piece of fabric and designed it like a corset that could be worn above, or below, the rest of her outfit. To make it match her 'cute' appeal, Vahn also sewed on several layers of frills because he didn't want Lefiya to ever have an excuse to wear her Aegis in public. Unlike the rest of the girls, Vahn designed her's to look closer to underwear so she didn't follow in the footsteps of Tiona, Tione, and Ais, who had a tendency to wear their Aegis around even when walking through the City.
When it came time for her actual robe, Vahn wanted to push Lefiya's alias, White Lily, to the extreme and modified his original design a bit to match. He made sure to get Lefiya's consent before beginning but she had been strangely supportive of almost everything he did lately. Even though he had started taking private baths, she actually tagged along once with Ais and they shared a very small tub together. She also would show up at random times when he was lounging about, often just to make small talk and ask how he was doing. The fact that she would always be alone, instead of being accompanied by Ais, made Vahn realize her Loyalty had slowly changed her 'priorities'. When he had checked her Loyalty at the time, Lefiya had increased to 3,947, more than two-thousand points higher than just a few weeks prior...
By the time Vahn completed Lefiya's robe, just around the end of the third week, her Loyalty had shot up to a somewhat scary 9,314 because she had been very motivated after Tiona and Tione stopped coming to the workshop. A lot of the time after that had just been her, Vahn, and Ais, sometimes accompanied by Haruhime or Lili. When it was just the three of them, Lefiya was almost 'bubbly' in the way she acted and seemed far less inclined to blush unless she was 'teased' directly. She even sat around in just her Aegis set, casually drinking tea with Ais as if it were perfectly natural, showing just how 'comfortable' Lefiya had gotten in his presence.
Lefiya's final 'robe' was actually far more complex than Vahn originally intended because he had gotten a little motivated with how 'excited' she was to assist him. The basic structure ended up being a 'five-petal' robe that covered a two-layer skirt. Lefiya's old outfit was open at the front, so Vahn made sure the petals had a gap in the front where the skirt was visible and allowed her legs to kick forward freely without getting tangled in the petals. The robe went all the way up to her chest and, as she had requested, hugged around her chest without having any shoulder straps, much like Aki's. The reason for this was because Lefiya's Aegis already covered her chest, neck, shoulders, and upper arms, so there wasn't a need for a second layer. She would also be wearing a mantle around her shoulders anyway, so it didn't actually make her like 'risque' at all and instead enhanced her appeal while still being modest.
Completing the outfit, Lefiya wore the [Aegis Corset Mk 1] overtop it since she already had a habit of doing the same in her previous robes. Since she wasn't the type of combatant to move around a lot during combat, Vahn decided to add a few extra defensive measures in the end so he also designed some light plating that would sit around her waist and protect her body. She didn't want any around her chest though, so Vahn instead made her an intricate bow that was interlaced with several small gemstones that were networked to create a defensive formation. It wouldn't protect her from behind, but it would be able to stop almost any attack from the front if she had the requisite amount of mana. Vahn ended up naming the unique accessory [Barrier Ribbon], once again showing his lackluster naming ability off to the fullest extent.
When Lefiya wore her completed robes, which had been accented with various shades of pink, she looked like a 'pure Elven maiden' in the truest sense. Since her outfit was designed to look like a lily, it was very flowery and accented her golden-yellow hair and dark blue eyes greatly. So that it would be a focal point, Vahn had also made her ribbon match her eye color while the gemstones on her wristlets and anklets were the same. To accompany her outfit, she also wore pure white stockings and dark pink shoes, so she really did look like a 'blooming' young woman. If he didn't know her robes were actually pushing towards the S-Rank, as he had used several rare materials in their construction, Vahn would have thought she was just an innocent and harmless maiden...that could fire giant white laser beams out of a cute flower-shaped staff.
Dancing around happily in her new robe, Lefiya had a cheerful smile on her face and an excited blush on her cheeks. All of the 'usual' girls had shown up to see her try it on so Ais, Tiona, Tione, Haruhime, Shirohime, Lili, and even Fenrir had shown up. They all complimented her outfit while also 'pestering' Vahn to make them some interesting clothes in the future, especially Ais, Lili, and Fenrir. Though she loved her Aegis, Ais wanted a 'cute' outfit like Lefiya's as well while Lili just wanted a pair of bottoms to accompany her top, causing Fenrir to ask for the same. Vahn didn't really have a problem with this but told them they would have to wait until he finished Haruhime's outfit before working on them, which they happily agreed to.
While he had been pulling out some paper to draw up some sketches for their outfits, Lefiya had surprised everyone but walking over with a lovely smile on her face as she said, "Thank you, Master...I love it..." and kissed him on the cheek. Though they had actually kissed on the lips in the past, this was the first time Lefiya proactively kissed him and it caused her face to turn beet red in an instant. Since the majority of her outfit was pink, it actually made her even more appealing so Vahn couldn't help but smile and say, "I'm glad, Lefiya, it looks great on you...very cute~" in a teasing voice. This caused Lefiya to blush even deeper but it also made her smile much larger as she laughed happily until Tiona and Tione snatched her up to tease her further.
Vahn watched them 'torment' her at the side while sitting down at his workstation and drawing up the designs for Ais' armor and a matching Aegis and shorts for Lili and Fenrir. By now, Fenrir had given Lili 'permission' to 'copy' her so she didn't mind having similar outfits. This meant the only differences in their equipment was the fact that Lili wore gauntlets, stockings, and shoes, while Fenrir ended up asking for a ribbon to tie around her tail, apparently jealous of the various Cat Girls, even though that wasn't the reason she gave. She wanted one like Lefiya's that would 'protect her butt' so Vahn agreed with a wry smile on his face since he thought it would be cute...
These three weeks hadn't just been Vahn forging armor for the girls, as there were also a few other developments that took place around the Manor itself. He ended up helping two more goddesses getting pregnant, including Epona and another goddess named Juno. Epona was a long-time friend of Hephaestus, acting as her midwife and often seen around the Manor, while Juno was a goddess of Marriage, Fertility, and Wealth. The fact that she was actually smaller than Hestia had spooked Vahn a bit because he had never seen such a 'youthful' looking goddess before. She was barely larger than a Pallum and it was a little unnerving to help her get pregnant since her companion had actually been taller than Vahn...
The main reason Loki had scouted the two was that Epona was already in close proximity to the core of the Alliance through her association with Hephaestus. She had actually moved into a section of the West Wing after the fact, standing by to assist Hephaestus whenever she was ready. As for Juno, she was apparently only two generations apart from Hestia in terms of seniority and had been one of the premiere goddesses of pregnancy and childbirth for more than four-hundred-million years. She was 'literally' the most qualified person to assist during the childbirth and had birthed more than three-hundred children herself over the course of a five-hundred-year period. Since she truly wanted a child born, not from her Divinity, but by the love she shared between one of her companions, Juno had approached Loki and readily agreed to several restrictive vows.
Vahn also learned from Loki, Hephaestus, Hestia, and Riveria, the situation that was taking place in regards to the Elven Kingdom. He had felt a little worried that they were going to be putting so much pressure on the Kingdom since Vahn knew many of its citizens were innocent. It didn't sit well with him knowing that so many people would suffer from the abolishment of trade but Loki explained to him that the Elves would simply go to the Dwarves or try to purchase from the Plains instead. The Wester Forests were also very rich in resources and the Elves had always been adept at agriculture, meaning they wouldn't be in danger of starving or anything like that. The people that would be hit the hardest were actually the wealthy elites, specifically the High Elf nobles, because they were the main group importing goods in the first place.
Though the Western Forests were rich in food and natural resources, they had lost the ability to obtain rare materials after a large part of the Spirit Forest had been burned down by the Rakia Kingdom. This meant they needed to purchase materials from outside to create some of the rare and powerful Elixirs they used to nourish their bodies and produce powerful Mages. Though there were a few gods present in the Elven Kingdom, they didn't really have a way to increase their parameters very easily because they had already eliminated the vast majority of strong monsters a long time ago. This was one of the reasons they had to send people outside of the forest to gain experience, as there simply wasn't enough internal resources to cultivate strong people. The High Elves focused most of their resources on their own progeny, even using the Elves as 'servants' to cultivate the rare materials found in their Sacred Trees.
Their current goal was to cause instability and infighting amongst the upper echelons of the Elven Kingdom while also whittling away at their stockpiled wealth and reserves. Even if there were feuds and internal strife, it wouldn't affect the Elven population at large because the Sage Council and High Priestess would intervene if any individual family tried to rally the people. Though there was a possibility of 'war' being declared, in a vain attempt to unite the Elven people and maintain stability, they couldn't actually leave the forest to come and attack the City.
Because of the previous incident, including Aina's house being destroyed, the City had cracked down on Elves entering the City and required them to take vows if they wanted to stay long term. Since Thomas was an official, they couldn't simply stand by and watch foreigners do whatever they wanted without regard for the consequences. Presently, the Guild had also sent out public notices stating that Elves who didn't belong to Familia could be fined additional fees if they were found guilty of committing crimes, especially if it could be misconstrued as espionage or subterfuge with the intent to undermine the order within the City. This caused any of the Elves that had been lingering around the Manor to completely vanish and many people, especially those that didn't belong to Familias, were currently laying low.
Right now, the Alliance was partnered up with both the Guild and the noble families of Orario to impose sanctions on the Elven Kingdom while also blockading areas on the eastern and southern borders of the Western Forest. The only places they were allowed to trade freely would be the Iron Hills to the north or pursue peace with the Rakia Kingdom and open up trade in the West. The second option wasn't even up for consideration and the Dwarves would obviously take advantage of their 'so-called' allies to obtain greater wealth for themselves. This meant the only real option for the Elves was to agree to the sanctions and suffer greater taxation on goods both imported and exported to and from the Kingdom.
To get the politicians on their side, Loki had negotiated to give 60% of the profits obtained from the sanctions directly to the nobles of Orario while the Alliance itself would only take 10%, even though they were the ones maintaining the blockade. This was to prevent them from trying to paint the Alliance as the 'villains' in the situation since it would be very clear for anyone to see that the people benefiting the most were the nobles. If things didn't go well, the Alliance could actually take a step back and allow the nobles to take the heat from the Elven Kingdom if there was any actual backlash. This would give them leverage to come to the 'aid' of the City during an actual war and allow them to always maintain a position on the 'moral high ground'.
Vahn struggled to agree with everything like was saying, but he later met with Freya, Minerva, and Eirene to hear their take, each showing they were in line with Loki's thinking. Minerva herself would actually be taking caravans to the borders of the Western Forest to trade materials at the edge of the forest since it was a great opportunity to make some extra money. As for Freya, she actually wanted to send some of her forces directly into the Elven Kingdom and it took Vahn convincing her he didn't want to see such bloodshed for her to step down. The fact she did so readily, and with a smile on her face, made Vahn feel a little awkward because he wasn't sure if she was just being 'obedient' or 'teasing' him...
The last 'important' development to take place of the three week period was the 'evolution' of Tina within the Manor. She managed to awaken the [Featherfoot] skill after a great deal of practice, but this also involved several 'accidents' happening whenever Vahn was around. It seemed like his attempts to 'avoid' triggering her [Luck] just made it more likely for 'bigger' events to happen and there was seemingly no way to prevent them.
The most extreme example of this was when Tina had sleepwalked all the way to his room on the same night that Lunoire had forgotten to lock the door after returning from the bathroom. Tina waltzed straight into the room and crawled into his bed while both he and Lunoire simply slept through it since she didn't emit any intent at all. Vahn awoke to find Tina cuddled up in his chest wearing nothing but a small nightgown while both he and Lunoire were still completely naked. As if it had been decreed by fate, even though Tina wasn't a morning person at all, she woke up almost immediately after before releasing a shrill 'nyaaa' and fleeing from the room...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Aegis Bra and Panty Mk 1','White Lily Lefiya','Goddess of Mischeif, The Real Mastermind~?','Tina OP ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)')
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Capítulo 616: Preparations
With a week left before they were supposed to go on the Expedition, Vahn had everyone take a break from the Dungeon so they could relax. The next Expedition could potentially go on for upwards of two months, as they would be constructing a permanant defensive line and establishing the infrastructure for the Supply Depot. Vahn would be leaving behind a rallying whistle with Hestia and Loki in the event that either of them went into labor while he was away. With the [Hero's Reprieve], he could instantly return to the surface and be at their side so there wasn't any chance he might miss the birth of his children. At this point, Hephaestus had completely stopped working in her forge and was usually with Epona and Hestia while Syr typically served them.
Though nobody forced her into it, Syr had taken up the role of 'Head Maid' at some point before Vahn had even realized it. Her reasoning seemed to be that, while things were stable at the Manor, she needed to have another job so she wasn't just simply lounging about all day. Since Emiru and Maemi still ventured into the Dungeon, she usually cleaned around the house and had already memorized all the secret passageways, even those underground. The most unexpected thing of all was that she often had Tina, Milan, Shizune, and Chloe helping out so Vahn got to see them all in the 'standard' maid outfits that were worn by Emiru and Maemi. Shizune and Chloe, both having dark hair, actually looked surprisingly suitable to the role while Tina simply looked adorable. As for Milan, she had been a proprietress for many years at an Inn so she was what Vahn could describe as a 'natural' when it came to being a maid...
To prepare for the long expedition, Vahn had a few things to take care of on the surface so he went to the Clubhouse early in the morning to fill their stocks. This time around, he was greeted by Rune, a small Pallum girl with light pink hair and wine-red eyes. She was very startled when he showed up and flustered about as she said, "W-Welcome, M-m-master Vahn!" Vahn just politely smiled at the 108cm tall girl and said, "Good morning, Rune. It's pretty early, so I'll take some cider and some baked goods. Please tell Sebas I've matters to discuss..." Rune bowed at a steep angle, nearly losing her balance in the process, before embarrassedly running off to carry out Vahn's orders. Within the Terpsichore Familia, she was a musician that played the lyre and typically had a very upbeat personality when performing.
With Rune running off, Vahn was immediately approached by a red-haired youth with a cheeky grin on his face and a glimmering light in his grey-blue eyes. Vahn smiled and raised his hand to stop Welf from trying to put his arm across his shoulders, causing Welf to instead awkwardly rub the back of his head and said, "Hey man, haven't seen you around in a while." Guiding Welf toward his private table, Vahn explained, "Yeah, I've been busy creating a prototype armor for the girls lately. I've finished four sets so far and, though they're not quite masterpieces, they are very close. How has your research been going?"
Welf immediately released a deep sigh when hearing Vahn ask about his research, shaking his head in exasperation as he said, "I was able to make a lot of progress with your notes, but my current skills just aren't up to snuff to make any real progress just yet. Right now, I'm focusing on self-study and refining my skills to become a better [Blacksmith]. Chasing after things that are beyond my level will just cause me to slip up, so I've decided to do it step by step..." At this point, Welf had already been Level 2 for a while and had access to the [Blacksmith] Development Ability nearly two years before he would have originally obtained it. He was already off to a strong start so Vahn just pulled out a few blacksmithing texts and handed them over, saying, "These are some foreign techniques that may help push your skills to the next level."
Seeing the books Vahn set on the table, Welf had a somewhat conflicted look in his eyes but still accepted them, saying, "Thanks, Vahn. One day, I'll become skilled enough that I don't have to rely on your assistance so much. Until then, know that I'm really grateful...haaaaaa..." Welf released a sigh at the end of his words and scratched his unkempt red hair in a small fit of frustration. He had already learned that relying on others, while also working hard to improve yourself, wasn't a sign of weakness. Without the girls, he would probably still be stuck at Level 1 and wouldn't be able to obtain nearly as many resources. His skills had already increased greatly and he had become much stronger, making it even easier to manage his workflow. Still, he was just a fifteen-year-old boy and, as a result of his prideful nature, it was somewhat difficult to accept assistance all the time.
Vahn could guess what Welf was thinking but knew he needed to sort through things like that on his own, choosing to keep silent because Welf was certainly maturing compared to the past. Soon, Sebas came over and Welf immediately excused himself since he had actually already been drinking with the two people he had invited into the Clubhouse. Rather than being the loner he had been in the Manga, Welf had opened up a lot, especially after meeting Sonia, Maia, Vesta, and Kris. He now understood the importance of comrades and had made a few friends with other junior blacksmiths of the Hephaestus Familia. Welf was the only person in their small group with the [Blacksmith] Development Ability right now so they all looked up to him, at least when Vahn wasn't around. Being the 'youngest [Master Smith] in history' made Vahn somewhat famous amongst aspiring blacksmiths after all.
Sebas sat down with his documents and had a somewhat stern expression on his face as he said, "Apologies, Master Vahn, but Rune broke the cider bottle when she was preparing the drink. Since she had a bit of a panic attack, I sent her to rest for a bit..." Rune was typically a very hard worker but, like most of the girls in the Clubhouse, she tried a little 'too hard' whenever Vahn was around. Vahn just smiled in response and said, "It's fine, Sebas. I can understand why thing could be difficult when I'm around, hahahaha." Though he didn't consider himself too prideful, Vahn always felt like his status was elevated a bit whenever he was at the Clubhouse. Everyone called him 'Master' as if it was perfectly natural while Terpsichore herself typically treated him in a somewhat deferential manner.
True to his professional and gentlemanly nature, Sebas' expression softened a bit after he heard Vahn's words and he patiently waited for Vahn to continue the conversation. Feeling a little embarrassed, Vahn tapped the table before grabbing the documents and asking, "Have any new members joined since my last visit?" Sebas shook his head and said, "There was a new official member, Master Gilbert, and his two recommended members, Stale and Merkovah. Since Master Gilbert possessed the obsidian tab, he was given full membership from the outset while the other two are still pending review through the vetting process." The only person that could give out the 'obsidian tab' was Vahn so anyone that possessed one would immediately be a full member.
Remembering how hard Gilbert had worked after taking away the Elves, Vahn smiled in satisfaction and said, "Gilbert is a good man, but his companions may be troublesome. Make sure they don't get carried away...hmmm..." Vahn knew there were some guards within the Eirene Familia that could get a little carried away as a result of their 'righteous disposition'. It typically never became a problem, as Eirene was very strict in her management of the Familia, but Vahn knew there were always a few bad apples in any large group.
Vahn had previously heard from Eirene that she had been forced to expel members in the past for accepting things like bribes and providing benefits to criminal Familia's around the red light district. According to Eirene, the existence of alcohol, drugs, gambling, pleasure, and power could even lead good men down dark paths if they were exposed to it for too long. This was one of the reasons she admired Vahn so much because, even though he was at the center of power, he never deviated from the 'righteous' path...
Sebas nodded his head and made a small note in a pocket journal using an ornate pen that Vahn had given to him in the past. Vahn was also making a few modifications to the documents Sebas had given him, explaining, "I'm going to double the stock of supplies, but you may need to allocate them carefully since I'll be gone for up to two months this time around." Vahn knew it probably wouldn't be an issue, as many of the members of the Clubhouse would actually be going on the Expedition with him. He just didn't want the Clubhouse to have a reputation of running low on goods, especially since it was treated as a very high-end establishment.
Thus far, there had been more than twenty officials trying to 'buy' membership, sometimes even pressuring existing members for their recommendations. With the vetting process, none of them had been successful and they had actually removed membership from one person who sold his recommendations for 10,000,000 Valis. It might seem like a lot, but some of the items that could be taken out from the Clubhouse could exceed that if sold so Sebas had immediately kicked him out for taking advantage of his membership. Losing membership also 'blacklisted' you indefinitely, with only Vahn himself being able to override the decision, though only once.
Sebas also knew that, other than a few people from the Eirene and Hephaestus Familias, most of the 'senior' members of the Clubhouse would also be gone. He understood Vahn's intentions well, however, and would do his best to ensure there weren't any issues. Though he only started working here a few months ago, managing the Clubhouse had become his pride and he took his job very seriously. His salary was actually a monstrous 700,000 Valis a week, excluding tips, so Sebas wouldn't allow any mishaps to happen under his management. He also had a great deal of respect for the 'system' Vahn had created because many people in his position would use their power and authority to take advantage of people. Vahn, instead, supported young women in an environment where the could promote themselves without actually having to 'sell' benefits just to survive. This had given Sebas enough confidence to have his own granddaughter work at the Clubhouse, happy she would never have to experience the tragedy her mother went through.
After arranging all the documents, Sebas bowed politely to Vahn and said, "If you'll excuse me, Master Vahn." before returning to the bar and sending Ki'Lani, the brown-haired Hume Bunny, to check the inventory. Vahn never made any mistakes when it came to resupplying, but they always did a secondary check to confirm everything was accounted for. The system they had in place didn't allow for many exploitable gaps so Vahn was always very satisfied when he saw how hard everyone was working. There was just something about cute women, working earnestly with smiles on their faces, that made Vahn both happy and proud.
Soon after Sebas had left, a rather plain looking woman with a massive aura walked over, carrying a bottle of pale golden cider as she asked, "May I join you, Vahn~?" Rising from his own chair, Vahn pulled out the one next to him, causing the woman to giggle before sitting down and saying, "My, thank you very much~." This woman was none other than Terpsichore herself and, though she looked somewhat plain at a glance, her disposition, expression, and appeal, could all change in an instant. At times, she was a vibrant and youthful woman while, at others, she could look like a lovelorn widow with a distant and melancholic look in her eyes. She was very peculiar and Vahn found her presence to be somewhat refreshing since, though she 'acted' a lot, her emotions always showed on the surface since she truly invested herself into the character she was portraying.
Terpsichore filled Vahn's glass before pouring one for herself, provided by Vahn since she had originally only brought one for him. Vahn took his seat and said, "I never expected you to join me during a meal like this, Terpsichore." This time, Terpsichore looked similar to a pure maiden as her dull eyes glittered with an innocent light as she said, "I saw how flustered Rune was when she made a mistake and thought it would be better if I helped fix any negative impression you may have had. How is it, do you feel happy now that I'm here~?" Terpsichore twirled a strand of her silvery grey hair with her finger in mock bashfulness as she peered up at Vahn with glittering soft-purple eyes.
Vahn gave a polite smile in response and said, "I know everyone here works very hard, especially when I'm around. I'm not going to blame Rune for making a single mistake, so please tell her not to be bothered by it when you see her later..." As he was speaking, Renka came onto the stage wearing her moderately skimpy dancer's outfit and smiled immediately after locking eyes with him. Her icy blue eyes reflected a playful light as she began dancing with the accompaniment of upbeat music that could cause the listener to feel a bit of excitement. Terpsichore chimed in from the side and said, "Renka seems uncharacteristically fond of you...ufufu~."
Instead of a youthful and innocent look, Terpsichore now had a somewhat sensual and 'older sister' type appearance with a teasing tone in her voice. Her pale purple eyes were now a deep purple that almost felt like they could absorb the viewer into their depths. Vahn knew she was just playing around so he smiled and said, "She is a rather beautiful girl, so it makes me happy to get just a little of her attention. If I weren't already so taken by the women at the Manor, I'm not sure I could restrain myself from approaching her." Vahn sent a wink at Terpsichore, causing the 'mature' goddess to begin laughing in an elegant manner before her appearance became plain, almost completely neutral. Her deep purple eyes were now a mute grey in color as she said, "You are a good man, Vahn Mason. I can never fully express my gratitude for this 'paradise' you've made...it isn't easy to pursue the path of an entertainer, so I'm happy all of my children have such a 'safe' environment to grow up in..."
In Familias that focused on entertainment, the majority of their members were women and, even though they often started with lofty aspirations, this would fade with time. Many girls would eventually be targetted by their clients and, in order to earn enough money to support their lifestyles, several would end up 'selling favors' to various men. Before the red light district had been established, prostitutes were actually called songstresses because many singers, dancers, and even musicians, ended up selling their bodies after a few years of struggling to get by. Most people in the present didn't spend a lot of money on entertainment, at least not in regards to the 'arts', so it was very difficult for many entertainment Familias to be successful.
Before the Terpsichore Familia started working at the Clubhouse, Vahn had heard about some of their struggles from Loki and took pity on them. He allowed all of the girls to work within the Clubhouse, offering them great benefits, not in exchange for their bodies, but so they would be able to pursue their interests without having to make compromises. Many women simply wanted to save up money when they were younger so they didn't have to worry so much when they had children. Since there weren't too many people that wanted to become Adventurers, as it was very dangerous and taxing on both the mind and body, many young women ended up 'willingly' working in the red light district for a few years just to save up. It was almost impossible to open a business normally so, if you weren't in a Familia, there were few other options if you wanted to save up a large amount of money in a short period of time...
When he heard Terpsichore's words, Vahn had a somewhat sad smile on his face as he said, "I just want people to be happy...nobody should have to sell themselves just to get by... it's ridiculous. If they can be happy being performers, I think they should have an environment that promotes that. After all, seeing the emotions they put into their songs, music, and dances makes me feel inspired to work hard as well..." Terpsichore nodded her head and showed a happy smile as she said, "Yes, the arts have always been intended to inspire the people to better themselves. It breaks my heart when performers are profaned and exploited just because of their beauty...society can be very cruel at times. I'm glad there are at least a few people like you in this world, Vahn Mason..." Terpsichore's eyes had become blue like sapphires and she gave off the impression of a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, full of hope and aspirations for the future.
At this point, Renka's first dance had come to an end and her fit body was covered in a light layer of sweat as a result of her exertion. However, she didn't seem tired at all and instead showed an eager and happy smile on her face as she began her second dance. Many of her dances emphasized her hips and made use of her long tiger-like tail, so it was quite the tantalizing sight since she had a powerful and athletic body. Vahn had a calm smile on his face and simply appreciated the sight while enjoying his cider with the accompaniment of Terpsichore. His food had arrived at one point, freshly baked apple pie, so Vahn was in a great mood and felt a strong urge to help even more people find happiness in the future.
---
As if she was intent on dancing the entire time he was present, Renka worked hard for nearly an entire hour before Selena came out and ushered her off the stage at the end of her twentieth dance. At this point, her skin was practically glistening and her dancer's garb had started to soak through a bit with her sweat, causing Welf's group to become absolutely silent as they were enamored by the sight. It was expressly forbidden to do things like catcalling and heckling, so they could only sit close to the table and enjoy the show in silence. Vahn did much the same but also made a bit of small talk with Terpsichore, essentially agreeing to build a theatre complex in the school so the student would have a stage to perform on.
When she was leaving the stage, Renka cast a few glances over at Vahn and he could feel her melancholy from the changes in her aura. He felt a little guilty about it, but Vahn actually used the girls at the Clubhouse to 'temper' himself so he had more resistance against girls. They had all taken vows to not be forward in their approaches so, other than appealing to him through her performance, Renka couldn't actually try to flirt with and pander to Vahn. It was very obvious she liked him, but that wasn't really a unique thing since most of the girls were fond of him. He was incredibly rich, powerful, handsome, kind, and, most importantly, supported their lifestyles and appreciated their art. With the current social climate, it would be very strange for young women to not like him, something Vahn himself was very aware of.
Terpsichore watched Renka's departure alongside Vahn and, once she had disappeared into the back room, said, "You know, Renka approached me about leaving the Familia recently..." Vahn arched his brows when he heard this, turning to Terpsichore as she explained, "Her tribe has always cultivated warriors so she isn't really suited to being a real performer. This job has given her a lot of time to relax and calm her mind so she isn't as depressed and eager as in the past. Knowing how much effort you put in to make the City a better place, she feels inspired by you and wants to help out by joining the Hestia Familia. I think, even if she couldn't become your woman, she would be happy as a warrior underneath your banner..."
Hearing Terpsichore's words, Vahn was at a bit of a loss since he actually recognized Renka's potential as a warrior as well. He actually thought it was a bit of a shame that someone so capable was 'just' a dancer since she was almost Level 4 even though she was only nineteen years old. Though she wasn't as prodigious as some of the other girls in the Manor, Vahn knew Renka didn't have nearly as many resources to promote her growth and got to where she was as a result of her individual efforts. With proper guidance, she could easily become even stronger, likely reaching the peak of Level 6 or 7 in the future.
After thinking it over, Vahn squinted and said, "There are too many things going on with the Alliance right now, so it wouldn't be a good idea for her to join the Hestia Familia. If she just wanted to help out, she could always join one of the other Familia in the Alliance and that would give her the opportunity to grow further..." Even as he spoke, Vahn understood that Renka 'specifically' wanted to work under him and would likely not even consider joining a different Familia. Thinking this far, Vahn felt a little awkward because he simultaneously wanted to help Renka but knew things were never 'simple' when it involved him. If she began living at the Manor, just as the goddesses had 'lectured' him, she would almost certainly get involved with him at one point. Even now, Vahn was very 'interested' in her so it probably wouldn't even take that long if she was 'proactive'...
Releasing a sigh, Vahn said, "For the time being, I think she should stay here and think about her decision. There is no rush and she is still young..." Terpsichore began laughing at this point and her eyes had turned peach-colored as she said, "I think she will be happy to know you are so 'flustered' thinking about her joining your Familia. Don't worry, she also wanted to complete her current 'vow' and will stay with my Familia until next June at the earliest~." With few exceptions, most gods actually required their 'children' to take vows after joining their Familias. This prevented people from joining and leaving at their convenience, benefitting from the resources of the Familia without making any real contributions. It was already very difficult to keep members in entertainment Familias, so they typically had two-year contracts just so the 'troupe' wouldn't diminish entirely.
It was currently around the end of February, so that meant there were a good sixteen months before he actually had to 'worry' about Renka. A lot could change in that period of time so Vahn felt relieved knowing he wouldn't have to make a decision on the matter so soon. That was also around the same time that Bell should be showing up in the City so Vahn suspected he wouldn't be that troubled even if she did end up joining the Hestia Familia. He would undoubtedly be very busy, especially when Enyo's forces began moving, and there would also be several children running around by then. Vahn believed he would become more 'stable' when his kids were around so it should prevent him from being involved with other women, excluding the ones already in the Manor...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Rune-chan','Dance Dance Renka Revolution','Vahn, Flag Emperor')
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