Capítulo 733: Legacy
After what seemed like a very long period of time, the next day finally came. As if to celebrate the event, the sun was casting down gentle rays upon the world as wispy white clouds lazily made their way across the sky. Within the Hearth Manor, which was usually quiet and peaceful, there was a lively atmosphere as everyone that usually spent their time in the Sub-Space orb, was currently outside to show their support for Ryuu.
Today, a new member would be joining their expansive family and everyone was looking forward to seeing another adorable baby within the maternity ward. Generally, whenever the girls came out of the orb, many of them would stop by just to interact with the children for a bit. Though the unity within the Manor had always been very high, the bonds between everyone had been strengthened by the inclusion of the children. After all, cuteness was such a universally appreciated thing that Vahn wouldn't have been surprised to learn that it was a 'Law'...
Of course, while everyone else was waiting for the good news, the two most important actors, Ryuu and Vahn, were within the delivery room with Hestia, Riveria, and Syr observing. Preasia was also present, acting as Vahn's assistant, while he walked Ryuu though what would become a very long delivery. It was fortunate that she had the support of both Riveria and Syr, who showed a great deal of concern for the pained Elven beauty. Fortunately, though the delivery took much longer than expected, there were no major issues so, after nearly seventeen hours, the crisp sound of a baby's cry could be heard within the room.
Ryuu, experiencing a great deal of relief after finally being relieved of the intense pain, had a pale and dazed expression until she heard the sound of her daughter's voice. The tired sky-blue yes regained their light in an instant and, though there was a glistening membrane of tears beginning to spread through them, Ryuu had a happy smile on her face. Preasia brought the crying child into its mother's arms, allowing Ryuu to get a look at her daughter for the first time. Much like how Vahn was overwhelmed during the birth of all his children, Ryuu felt it would be impossible to express how she currently felt, other than that she was simply happy and tired, with a bigger focus on the happy feelings welling up inside of her...
Vahn, after cleaning off his hands and wiping his brow with a towel, came to Ryuu's side, replacing Riveria, who now had a moderately pale complexion herself. She was feeling some sympathetic symptoms from saying with Ryuu for so long and needed to sit down on the sofa to relax for a bit. Hestia had already looked over Ryuu's daughter and given her blessing, so she went to look after Riveria alongside Preasia, the latter of which performed a basic checkup to make sure Riveria was okay.
Though he had already seen her previously, Vahn felt that his new daughter almost looked like a doll that had been carved from jade, possessing a very fair complexion, even though she had just been born. Amazingly, she had a head full of blond downy hair and, when Vahn saw her little pointy ears, it felt like his heart had been scrunched up to the size of a raisin. Still, it was the impact of seeing her being held lovingly by Ryuu that had the great impression on Vahn so, as he had done during all the previous deliveries, Vahn 'saved' the image into his memories. In the future, he wanted to immortalize these scenes in the form of paintings that would adorn his private study in the future...
Because she had been feeling very weak, Vahn helped Ryuu replenish her stamina while Preasia had the relatively awkward opportunity to take care of the placenta. When everything was taken care of, Ryuu began breastfeeding her daughter with a loving smile on her face, asking, "What do you want to name her, Vahn...?" Though they had discussed it in the past, Vahn and Ryuu had never decided upon a name since she had wanted to wait until the delivery was successful. Now that her daughter was safely within her embrace, Ryuu felt an ache in her heart not knowing what to call her, thus turning to Vahn for guidance.
Vahn fell into a momentary daze when Ryuu asked him to suddenly name their daughter but, after a brief period of consideration, he smiled and asked, "How about...Alise?" The moment he asked this, Ryuu's body began to tremble and she couldn't help hanging her head as the tears she had fought hard to resist began flowing freely from her eyes. Alise had been the name of her best friend and, though the woman had been difficult to deal with at times, Ryuu was eternally grateful for everything she had done. If not for the words she had kept close to her heart, it was possible that Ryuu may have never ended up with Vahn in the first place...realizing this, Ryuu felt an overwhelming sense of loss from remembering her deceased comrades and was no longer able to bottle up the emotions deep within her heart...
While the woman he loved was crying, Vahn held her head into his chest while making sure their daughter wasn't affected by Ryuu's sobs. Fortunately, the youngling had already fallen into a deep and contented sleep after finishing her first meal. She just slept, blissfully unaware of what was going on around her while her mother cried into her father's chest.
It took a few minutes but, with Vahn's presence and the warmth she fell from being in contact with him, Ryuu managed to calm down. She fretfully observed her daughter's condition to make sure the latter was okay before turning to Vahn and releasing a deeply emotional sigh. As if the tension had melted from her body, Ryuu put on a radiant smile that made the tear stains on her face seem like the most masterfully done makeup in the entire world. Turning her sky blue eyes to her daughter, Ryuu gently ran her index finger near the blond downy hair and whispered, "Alise..." in a soft and clear tone.
As if she knew what had just happened, little Alise showed a tiny smile on her face while continuing her blissful sleep. This caused Ryuu to become a little choked up again so Vahn continued to hold the lovably Elf while gently stroking the back of her hair. When she calmed down again, he gave her a kiss on the forehead and said, "You did well, Ryuu. Thank you for giving me another beautiful daughter..." This comment caused Ryuu to laugh lightly as she reclined her head against the thick pillows supporting her, saying, "You're so silly, Vahn...I should be the one thanking you...for everything..."
Seeing that Ryuu was on the verge of falling asleep herself, which made sense considering the endeavor she just went through, Vahn gently caressed her face and said, "Rest now...we have our entire lives to express the gratitude we feel for each other." Ryuu rubbed her face against his palm, displaying a gratified and tired smile on her face as she slowly closed her eyes. Even so, her arms continued to support Alise properly as the latter continued her peaceful slumber. Vahn felt guilty about parting them so soon so, for the next hour, he just watched over the mother-daughter pair before taking Alise and laying her in the nearby crib.
At this point, the only person left inside of the ward was Hestia, as Preasia and Syr had taken Riveria to rest in her room. She was sitting patiently on the sofa, quietly observing everything that had been happening from start to finish. Unless circumstances forced her elsewhere, Hestia was determined to witness the birth of every child in the Hearth Manor. It often felt like she was witnessing the passage of History itself, marking each significant event as an important moment in the lives of everyone residing in this place they had made their home. And, at the center of everything, there was this boy, Vahn Mason, the man she had fallen in love with, dedicating everything she ever was, or ever will be, to.
Patting her thighs in an inviting gesture, Hestia's crystalline blue eyes shimmered like the surface of a lake, reflecting the light from the sun and making its depths indiscernible. Vahn always felt like he could just sink into those deep blue eyes, perfectly content in the sublime feeling of relaxation they could bring. Thus, accepting her invitation, Vahn made his way over to the sofa, laying across its surface while using Hestia's inexplicably soft thighs as a pillow. She began to run her fingers through his hair with an expression of unshakeable love and devotion on her face as she said, "You also did very well today, Vahn...now sleep..." As if falling under the influence of a powerful magic spell, Vahn felt his eyelids become heavy in an instant and, even though he didn't require sleep, Vahn accepted the peaceful embrace of darkness...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
//Optional Quest Completed!//
[Quest: A Man's Responsibility, Repeatable]
Rank: B-SS
Completion Grade: A
Objective: Impregnate Ryuu Lion (1). Ensure a safe delivery; Current Children(1)
Rewards: 100,000 OP, 1x [Guardian:(Nameless)]
Grade Rewards: 1x[Sacred Tree Sapling]
[Sacred Tree Sapling]
Rank: Unique
Use: A unique tree that creates a spiritual link with the user, growing alongside them. Any injury or illness sustained by the user will drain the vitality of the tree instead. The first time a fatal blow would be suffered, the Sacred Tree would sacrifice itself to protect the user.
Soulbound: Alise Mason
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Hearing the sudden notification, Vahn's eyes snapped open and he reluctantly parted from Hestia's plush thighs, confusing her slightly as she asked, "Is something wrong...?" Vahn gave an awkward laugh and said, "It seems little Alise's guardian wants to make an appearance..." Hearing this, Hestia began to chuckle lightly, remembering that a 'guardian' would often show up shortly after the birth. The fact it hadn't appeared yet had caused her to completely forget about it, at least until Vahn's exasperatedly mentioned it.
Just as Vahn had finished explaining things, a complex array emerged in the air and, after a vibrant light filled the room, a small animal came into existence. It was actually much bigger than normal but, after he saw what it was, Vahn understood the reason. There, shakily trying to take its first steps, Vahn observed the appearance of what looked like a newborn fawn. Unlike a normal deer, however, this fawn had a gradient of light green fur with pale yellow dots covering its back. Most notably, it had very large and adorable ears and, though it had the basic figure of a fawn, there were two nubs where horns would likely sprout in the future.
As for its species, the system notification said it was a Spirit Deer, an incredibly rare animal that could fill an entire forest with lush greenery with just its presence alone. It was said that the life and death of a Spirit Deer were tied to the forest itself and, if one was killed within the grounds it once protected, the vitality of all the plants in the area would greatly diminish. Because of this property, they had been hunted in the past for their liver, which was purportedly one of the ingredients to make an Elixir of Immortality. This was, of course, something that had been fabricated by people in the past, as Vahn had seen a variety of different assumed ingredients listed in medical texts, alongside several other mythical ingredients.
From the side, Hestia's blue eyes had started to shine as she murmured, "It's so cute...!" while hopping off the sofa. Unfortunately, before she could get close to it, the Spirit Deer seemed to gain its footing as it leaped towards the crib where Elise was sleeping. It turned into green motes of light that infused into the sleeping Elf's body without disturbing the latter at all. Hestia, seeing this, had a defeated expression for a brief moment before coughing to ease her embarrassment. Then, as if nothing happened, she sat back down on the sofa and patted her thighs once again. Vahn fought the urge to laugh, which was difficult since Hestia had a very light blush on her face while trying to keep up appearances.
This time, when darkness began to encroach upon his mind, Vahn was able to ease into it without any disturbances...
(A/N: I tried to settle for a happy middle-ground, summarizing things while also detailing the emotions derived from the experience. Also, I know some people might complain that Anise and Alise have very similar names, as can easily be seen, so I may retcon Aki's daughter's name in the future if it becomes confusing. However, as only the Vanir will have any real significance to the story for a while, I may just leave it as it.)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Being thin and lithe can make birthing very difficult (O_O)...','Poor Ryuu...she really did live a troubled life...','The Path can be a dick xD...')
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Capítulo 734: Calm
After sleeping for a few short hours, Vahn awoke to find Hestia slumped over his body with her breasts nearly pressed into his face. Moving his head slightly, Vahn's nose brushed against the fabric of her dress but, as she had stayed up much longer than she normally did, Hestia stayed sleeping. The fact that she wasn't clinging to him was a bit surprising to Vahn but, considering she had moments where she just wanted to comfort him, he couldn't help but smile. Then, after extricating himself from her lap, Vahn guided Hestia to lay on the sofa before covering her with a thick blanket to keep warm.
While alternating between watching Hestia's and Ryuu's sleeping faces, Vahn sensed a very slight fluctuation within his domain. Moving over to Alise's crib, he picked up the young Elf and cradled her in his arms, sending strands of calming energy into her body since it seemed like she was going to cry. Vahn didn't want to disturb Hesti and Ryuu, especially considering how exhausted Ryuu must be from the seventeen-hour delivery. Thus, after confirming both girls were sleeping stably, Vahn carried Alise into the maternity ward where he found Tsubaki and Mona conversing while breastfeeding Sakuya and Anise. Though Mona's contract had only covered acting as a wet nurse for the Vanir, the terms of her contract had been for a two year period and, as the Vanir had already weaned, she decided to help out with the other children to ease the burden of their mothers.
Noticing his presence, Tsubaki smiled and, seeing the bundle in Vahn's arms, softly asked, "Ah, did the little one wake up~?" Mona also showed a small smile and, though her chest felt a little fluttery, she didn't make any movement to hide her exposed breast from view. At this point, her mentality had adapted to Vahn's presence so she said, "Anise should be done soon...I can take care of her next..." Vahn nodded, carrying Alise over and sitting to the left of Tsubaki, even though there had been space between the two buxom women. He still tried to be considerate of Mona, even if the latter had stopped minding his presence.
Tsubaki issued a husky laugh as she mused, "This one has a voracious appetite. She is going to grow up to a be a powerful warrior, I can already tell~." Though Tsubaki already knew that her daughter had become strong in the Divination, seeing her so healthy and full of life made things far more 'real'. Sakuya was steadily increasing in weight and, though it would be a while before she was crawling about, she was constantly moving around and flailing her arms and legs in the crib. She was a bit of a crybaby, but Tsubaki didn't mind at all since it made her feel 'complete' being able to comfort her daughter...
Peering into Sakuya's face, Vahn saw the little brown-skinned girl looking back at him with her startlingly green eyes. They had a lovely almond shape and, though he already knew this was the case, it was easy to see that she would become quite the beauty in the future. Currently, she was putting on a healthy amount of baby fat but, as a result of her dual heritage between Human and Dwarf, Sakuya's strength and vitality set her apart from others, such as Meinya and Anise. The two kittens spent nearly 17 hours a day sleeping and, while Sakuya also spent a fair amount of time sleeping, it was only around 13-14 hours.
Finished feeding Anise, Mona passed her over to Vahn in exchange for Alise, asking, "And what's this one's name...?" However, before waiting for an answer, Mona's eyes widened when she saw Alise, remarking, "My goodness, she is so cute...I've never seen an Elven baby before..." Distracted by Alise's appearance, Mona began to wiggle her finger in front of the young Elf's nose, an affectionate smile on her face. Alise, however, didn't seem too fond of the interaction and, as she was very hungry, started to strain her face as tears began to build in her eyes. Realizing this, Mona gave an apologetic smile and, after shifting her top and exposing her other breast, began feeing the teary-eyed Elf while her own heart danced around happily in her chest.
Vahn watched their small interaction with a small smile before turning his attention to Anise, bringing her to his shoulder to burp her so she didn't breathe in any of the excess milk. When she released a high-pitched cough, followed by a burping sound, Vahn chuckled lightly. He began to hum a small tune while gently stroking Anise's small back, urging the young Cat Person back to sleep since rest was very important to young children. When she began to purr against his chest, Vahn felt like his heart was going to explode, earning a few playful remarks from Tsubaki about his 'ability to coax young girls'.
In normal circumstances, Vahn would have just shrugged off such remarks but, considering he was supposed to 'celebrate' Lefiya's birthday tomorrow, the image of the bashful Elf popped up within his mind. However, before he could enjoy pampering his faithful disciple, Vahn would have to deal with Freya, a matter that was creeping up on him very quickly. It was just after 6 AM now but, considering Freya's personality, Vahn expected she would show up very early. Even if she wanted to be 'considerate' about the fact that Ryuu had just given birth, Vahn didn't expect she would arrive any later than 10 AM. In a way, this was a good thing, as it meant he would have more time to 'deal' with her, but, at the same time, Vahn felt troubled since he would rather spend the day just watching over Ryuu and the children in the maternity ward...
Realizing she had 'triggered' Vahn, Tsubaki gave him a very slight look of reproach as she plainly stated, "Vahn, you really shouldn't worry about things so often. Never forget that we all support your decisions, no matter what you decide to do..." Vahn nodded his head, feeling revitalized by Tsubaki's guiding words as he smiled and said, "This is something I decided to do, and I'll see it through till the end. I just get a little overwhelmed after the birth of one of my children...it isn't easy separating from them, especially since they're all so adorable..." This comment earned him a nod from both girls, as they clearly agreed wholeheartedly with his words...
Knowing it would be 'worse' if he was informed of Freya's arrival while he was with the children, Vahn only spent an hour in the maternity ward before returning Alise to her crib. Then, after giving Ryuu and Hestia a kiss on the forehead, Vahn left the ward and began mentally preparing himself for what was to come. In regards to Freya, Vahn knew he had to be very decisive. If he allowed her to get an advantage against him, she would probably be a terrifyingly difficult opponent, exceeding even Syr. The difference between a pseudo-Divinity and a fully developed Divinity were, quite literally, the difference between Heaven and Earth.
Freya was known as one of the most 'prolific' amongst the goddesses who possessed such qualities, though only because her affairs were generally well documented. In truth, compared to some other goddesses of Love and Beauty, Freya didn't actually sleep around that often. Many such gods would become the managers of brothels while, in some extreme cases, the gods and goddesses would serve as prostitutes in their own establishments. Freya, however, was very 'selective' in who she chose to sleep with, as her Divinity compelled her to only select people she deemed capable, or 'worthy' of her affections. This was the reason why she groomed so many men and women into powerful Adventurers, as only those that had proven themselves could win a place in her heart.
Like many gods, Freya was bisexual in nature, showing no preference between men and women, other than the fact that men were generally stronger. There were even some rumors, though the people that spread them would often disappear, claiming that her preferences extended beyond the surface races as well. Freya's charm was supposed to be so irresistible that animals, monsters, and even some gods were subjected to her whims. Vahn could clearly remember the incident where she had gotten a Variant Silverback to attack Bell in the manga, so there was certainly some truth to the claim. However, he didn't believe she was the 'deviant' that some of her naysayers made her out to be, especially since her character showed that her requirements in a partner were rather high.
Vahn knew that, after she had observed his soul, Freya's opinion of him had drastically changed and, even though she had already been willing to make the necessary vows, she now showed an almost fervent eagerness. If she wasn't restrained, Vahn wouldn't be surprised if Freya began lingering around the Manor and, if she couldn't get what she wanted, there was a chance she might do something drastic in the future. To prevent this, Vahn knew he had to, for lack of better term, 'tame' the seemingly untameable goddess. He would likely have to be very firm in how he dealt with her in the future, especially since her vows would prohibit her from sleeping with other men until their child matured.
With such a restriction in place, Freya would undoubtedly come to him to deal with her urges and, if he didn't tend to her on occasion, there was no telling what she might do. However, though it was very troubling in the interim, Vahn was optimistic that Freya would actually mellow out a bit in the future. He had seen how much Hephaestus, Loki, Anubis, and Hestia had changed since he began interacting with them, even though gods generally didn't undergo many changes in their perspectives that had been cultivated over millions of years.
Since it was something he had seen numerous times at this point, Vahn believed he would be able to set Freya on a better path and, in the future, even help her become a much better person once the influence of her Divinity could be mitigated. After all, though he might only have to deal with her for a decade or two now, Vahn's return to the record in the future meant he would have her at his side almost indefinitely. As an immortal himself, it wasn't impossible that they would be together for millions of years so, even if it seemed troublesome, Vahn was determined to help Freya correct her ways. Instead of putting people through trials that were supposed to increase their potential, he would show her that the only thing required was helping them cultivate the proper mentality.
With the School opening very soon, Vahn was confident that many of the future graduates would become reputable people in whichever career field they chose. For those that became Adventurers, Mages, and Scholars, Vahn believed they would bring about real and lasting change in the world while forging their own small legends. When Freya saw how the potential of people could be increased without 'breaking' them, Vahn believed she would wholeheartedly back his efforts instead of continuing her destructive methods of helping people realize their potential.
Vahn believed that it was generally the fault of the Master, Teacher, or Mentor that a person didn't reach their full potential, not the fault of the student. Everyone had the potential to grow strong and, after coming to understand some of the fundamental laws that governed the world, Vahn knew there were no exceptions to this. Though a person might be restricted by the Tier of their soul, it wasn't impossible to overcome such restrictions. Not only would this benefit you in the life you lived, but all your future incarnations as well.
This meant that, even if a person's potential seemed limited, they just needed a teacher to help them break through such limits and rise above the fate that had been assigned to them at birth. It wasn't the virtue of one's birth that decided if a person would become capable in the future, but a culmination of their upbringing, their willpower, and the people that supported their growth. Just a single one of these things could allow a person to become strong, even if they lacked the other two...
For the time being, it wasn't practical to make such methods known, as the state of the world wasn't conducive for such an environment, but Vahn knew this would not always be the case. One day, after the Tier restriction of the record was removed, there would be an endless number of paths that could lead people above even the realm of the gods. Vahn, and his companions would clear an easier path for those that wished to follow them and, after a few hundred years, the very concept of 'limited potential' would simply be the crutch of incompetent teachers, not a generally accepted fact of life.
Thinking this, Vahn found himself wandering to where the first Cultivator in this world was located, Fenrir's bedroom. Every time he needed to mentally prepare himself for something, Vahn found that he would often rely on Fenrir's assistance to do so. In many ways, she was his own crutch but, considering that she seemed happy to fulfill such a heavy responsibility, Vahn couldn't help but rely on the lovable little Vanargandr. This time as well, when Vahn entered into her icy chamber, she was already waiting for him with her exceptionally fluffy tail, floppy ears, and soft hair. Unlike the bristly hair of the past, Fenrir had put in a lot of effort to make herself 'fluffy', using Preasia as a template, so Vahn made sure she knew how much he appreciated her efforts...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is going to need a very pointy stick to keep the suitors away from his daughters...','Vahn is going to make a Tiered Teaching System xD...Square up, hosers!','Extra Fluffy Murder Floof (U,...,U)~!')
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