Capítulo 799: Reminder
After she had calmed down for the second time, Lulune sat down in the nearby chair, kicking her legs out as she plainly stated, "Well, this has been a pretty shitty day...still, thanks for telling me, Vahn..." Towards the end of her words, Lulune had muttered something about wanting to 'punch' him and 'forging him this time', but Vahn pretended not to hear them as he smiled and said, "You're a strong girl, Lulune. If you use this information to your advantage, you can actually become much stronger..." Passing over the Status Sheet he had produced earlier, Vahn allowed her to peruse her information, causing her to ask, "These letters...are they like the letters in Parameters? Higher is better...?"
Asfi was also seeing the Status Sheet created by Vahn for the first time and was quite curious about it herself, turning her attention to Vahn to hear what he had to say. Confirming Lulune's suspicions, Vahn nodded his head and said, "This is one of my secrets, so I'll have the two of you keep it to yourselves. Don't tell anyone any information you acquire from me without my direct consent...well, to explain it simply, I have a version of 'Read' that is much more powerful than most gods. Not only can I interpret the hieroglyphs of a person's Status, but I can glean a lot of extra information that can be very useful for your growth. In normal circumstances, I would have kept your other hidden skills a secret but...well, I just thought you deserved to know the truth outright."
Lulune took a deep breath through her nose and looked like she wanted to say something but ultimately kept silent. Asfi, using this opportunity to her advantage, inclined her head slightly and asked, "Will you check my Status Board as well...?" Though she was a little nervous about removing her armor, as it was comprised of a single piece of multi-layered leathers, Asfi was very curious about any secrets her body might possess. Fortunately, Vahn looked over and, seeming to think for a few seconds, eventually nodded his head and said, "You'll have to expose your back...Lulune, let Asfi sit in that chair."
Then, making Asfi feel strangely annoyed, Vahn turned his back and seemed to enter into deep thought, clearly waiting for her to remove her armor. Though she was nervous about him seeing her underwear, as she had worn some comfortable lace garments today, Asfi wished he would at least pretend to show interest toward her. She comforted her mind by reminding herself that he might be distracted on something happening with his other body and, remembering his earlier words, Asfi didn't think Vahn genuinely lacked interest in her. He was probably just trying to be considerate and it was actually she that was acting out of character...especially since there was someone else present...
Asfi's speculation wasn't exactly wrong, as Vahn was currently holding Loki up in a 'dangerous' position as she clung to his neck. They had been going at it for well over an hour at this point and she was being especially 'greedy' today after his earlier slip. She had even teased him by having him pull out [Enkidu] and using the spearhead to trace red marks across her body, even drawing blood once before he dispersed them and started to proactively 'pacify' her...
Around a minute later, as she had several belts, pouches, and magical items to remove, Asfi didn't immediately sit down and instead sent a 'warning' look towards Lulune before saying, "You can look..." Vahn's mind came back to reality and, realizing what Asfi was trying to do, a small smile appeared on his lips as he turned around and unhesitantly stared at her figure. She was wearing pale blue lace underwear that almost made it seem as though she knew he would be coming by today. With her fair white skin and her shapely figure, it was pretty difficult to pull his eyes away from the sensitive areas.
Asfi was currently twenty-two years old and, instead of a thin and lithe figure like many of the girls he associated with, her figure looked natural and soft. She was still thin, but her hips, thighs, and breasts had filled out very well. At a glance, he could tell she was on the upper end of a C-Cup and, though it hadn't been obvious when she was wearing her leather skirt, Asfi had very full thighs and a fleshy buttocks that appeared to have a bit of fat on it. The strings of her lace panties cut into her skin slightly and gave Vahn an urge to want to tease her by pinching the small bit of excess flesh that Tsubaki had admonished him about in the past. He didn't understand why girls were sensitive about such things, especially since the appearance of a mature woman was 'very' impactful, especially when combined with Asfi's intelligent look...
Though she had intended to show off her body, Asfi suddenly felt very nervous and regretted not going on the diet she had been thinking about a few weeks prior. To pull his eyes away from her bottom, unaware of the fact that Vahn was renown in the Manor for appreciating butts, Asfi crossed her arms and tried to prop up her breasts. She immediately regretted this, however, as, though she managed to get Vahn's eyes to focus on her breasts, Lulune suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, Asfi is pretty sneaky...I didn't think you were the type to appeal in such a direct manner. Wow..." Though she was still moody about the information she had obtain, Lulune was trying to act in an upbeat manner, this time at the expense of her somewhat frigid Captain.
Asfi, hearing the remark, furrowed her brows and nearly ordered Lulune to leave the room before remembering she didn't exactly have that authority. Fortunately, Vahn looked over at the troublesome Chienthrope with a stern expression and said, "Asfi is one of the people who can best understand what you're going through, Lulune. You should try to get along with her better...I believe the two of you can become friends."
Upon hearing this, Asfi smiled slight and felt a bit of heat touch her cheeks, at least until Lulune brought her hands up to her flat chest and muttered, "I guess...anyways, do you like bigger breasts or smaller breasts, Vahn?" Then, before Vahn could even answer, Lulune jumped up to her feet and had stars in her eyes as she asked, "Hey, do you have another one of those scrolls that you gave Elilly!? If it can really change a person's body, doesn't that mean I can use it to increase the size of my tits!?"
Hearing her rapid-fire questions, Vahn felt his body tilt slightly as he absentminded said, "When you ask me a question, at least wait until I answer before you ask another one..." At the same time he was saying this, Vahn remembered an incident in the past where many of the girls also wanted to try and learn the scroll. Unfortunately, it really did take a lot of effort and it had been a simpler solution to just develop the nutritional supplements to help bolster their development. He had also carefully explained that he was fond of the girls as they were, culling the dangerous light in some of the girls' eyes, especially Tiona and Lili. The former had been humoring the idea of trying to increase her bust size while Lili had wanted to develop her height, something Vahn didn't actually think was a bad idea, even though he explained that she was fine the way she was...
Like then, Vahn tried to keep a calm and casual demeanor as he explained, "I have always been of the mind that women, and people in general, are fine the way they are. I have no special preference for bust size and, unless you are genuinely self-conscious about your figure, you shouldn't use such an extreme method. Besides, you already have a very unique appearance, Lulune, and I think you would become a very charming woman if you wanted to be..." Though he had an appreciation for mature woman, especially those with toned butts, Vahn didn't think there was anything wrong with the outgoing and athletic type either. Lulune's figure, though it was lacking in the bust department, was actually lean, athletic, and it was obvious at a glance that her butt would be very pleasant to touch. Her long and somewhat shaggy brown tail was also a very unique feature and, if she were to wear lighter clothing, Vahn felt that Lulune would have a very vibrant and youthful appeal...
Though she was listening to his words, Lulune took the opportunity when Vahn had finished speaking to immediately say, "You gawked at Asfi's breasts, even though she is still wearing a bra. When I was completely topless, you barely even spared a single glance towards mine...very suspicious..." To this, Vahn once again pinched the bridge of his nose, deciding to be frank as he said, "You can't tell this to anyone, but Asfi and I have a life-bound vow with each other. She is essentially my wife and we'll likely have a physical relationship in the near future...though I can't deny that I'm somewhat interested in you, Lulune, I'd rather us be friends than become lovers. Though I'll help you find the happiness you seek, I can't be the sole provider of happiness for every woman in the world. I can barely manage the relationships I'm already in so, though I don't mind if you want to spend time with me in the future, I think it would be best if you find someone else to dedicate your heart to. You deserve someone that will be there to support you...someone that treats you like the center of their world...as for me, well, I simply can't do that..."
For the first time in her life, Lulune felt like she had 'lost' something before she had even managed to obtain it. There was an aching feeling in her heart and, for the third time today, she felt a very strong urge to cry. However, just as she wanted to complain about him being unfair, Lulune's brain keyed in on a few words Vahn had said. Though he had told her that she should find someone else to fall in love with, Lulune noticed he also mentioned that they could spend time together in the future. This was a very vague way of saying things but Lulune felt like she might still have a chance if she managed to soften up Vahn. At the very least, since he claimed to be 'somewhat interested' in her, Lulune was confident she could get him to fuck her, at least once. Then, if she played her cards right, they could at least become sex friends until she finally finds that person Vahn seemed to believe was out there waiting for her...
Seeing the rapid changes in Lulune's aura, combined with the fact her Affection was jumping up and down, Vahn withheld a sigh and wondered what he would do with this peculiar Chienthrope. She had a very similar look in her eyes as Sylfia so Vahn could easily imagine Lulune trying to linger around and appeal to him if she got the chance. Though he could just tell her to stay away, which she would have to comply with, Vahn had just turned the girl's life upside down and, as he stated previously, he would like to be friends with her. There was a fair chance they might do something more intimate in the future, but Vahn would prefer if she could turn her affections to another person. A small part of him could even imagine Bell making an impact on the girl and, given his character as a 'hero', there was a good chance they could be happy together...
As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn felt more than a little like a jerk and wondered what had changed inside of his mind to allow him to be so 'accepting' of such a thing. Not only was he understanding of the fact that he might sleep with Lulune in the future, which could easily be considered him taking advantage of her, but he was also 'hoping' she would be someone else's problem. This simultaneously made him feel even less worthy of the affections she was currently directing towards him while also making him feel like he was 'obligated' to make her happy...such contradictory thoughts were the hardest to deal with, making Vahn feel conflicted and guilty about the type of person he had become...
Since Asfi had already sat down on the chair, Vahn moved behind her and, though he was tempted to observe her fair backside for a bit, he instead drew a line of blood and got on with things. He was starting to feel like he needed to wrap things up here, arrange for Asfi to demonstrate how she made magic items, and then return to the Manor. At times like this, when he was feeling doubts and didn't know how to deal with them himself, Vahn knew he could rely on the girls. In fact, he was currently having a discussion with Loki while the petite goddess patiently listened to his complaints and gave him advice. She essentially repeated the same things he had said himself, being that he can't make everyone happy. However, she also told him that he didn't need to show so much restraint and, because they knew he loved them deeply, most of the girls didn't mind if he had developed a promiscuous behavior...
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[[Stats]]
Name: Asfi Al Andromeda
Age: 22
Race: Human
Level: 4
POW: F389
END: G256
DEX: C618
AGI: D539
MAG: I60
Skills: [Analytical Eye:Innate:(sealed)], [Piercing Strike:B], [Homing Throw:B], [Five-Points of Pain:D]
Magic: [Kalov Argol:D]
Development Abilities: [Maker's Intent:Innate:D], [Mystery:A], [Mixing:B], [Metalworking:B], [Throwing:(sealed)], [Blacksmith:(sealed)]
[Piercing Strike]
Rank: B
Use: Causing a strike to inflict greater damage depending on the defense of the target.
Active Trigger
[Homing Throw]
Rank: B
Use: Imbue energy into a thrown weapon and allow it to track a target for short distances.
Active Trigger
[Five-Points of Pain:D]
Rank: D
Use: Create a pentagram using projectile weapons that causes debilitating pain to a target if successfully activated.
Active Trigger
[Kalov Argol]
Rank: D
Use: Spews forth a thick and pungent stream of liquid from the mouth that quickly hardens into a calcified mass that causes the target to become immobile and more susceptible to damage.
Chant: The errant winemaker creates a stale mockery of extravagance. Let all those who sip from the gold grail suffer. Tear the stomach and taint the body with your foul invitation. Fermentation, Stagnation, Decay, seize mine enemies and allow them to know the Endless Abyss. Fall into despair, Kalov Argol~!
[Mystery]
Rank: A
Use: Allows the user to activate a miracle and create magic items.
[Metalworking]
Rank: B
Use: Allows the user to freely shape metal into the intended form.
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Asfi's Status allowed Vahn to focus his mind and record the information onto a Status Sheet for her personal perusal. She only had two Innates but the fact she had already awakened one, while also having very developed Development Abilities, showed that Asfi was quite the capable woman. The fact that her [Mystery] was currently A-Rank, even though she was only twenty-two, meant she was actually a prodigy in the field of item creation. Vahn knew this was likely a result of her [Maker's Intent], as the name seemed to be directly related to the creation of items, but that didn't mean Asfi hadn't worked hard.
Once he was done looking over her Status, Vahn passed over the Status Sheet to Asfi and casually muttered, "Get dressed..." Asfi, who had just been able to look over her Status, while sitting in nothing but her underwear, immediately stood up with a slightly flushed face and began getting dressed. Because of how he had worded his statement, she couldn't refuse and this made her feel even more embarrassment since she could have gotten dressed of her own volition if she hadn't been distracted. As for Vahn, he was feeling a little tired and, though his mind said it was 'wrong' to tell them what to do, it was the existence of contracts they had signed that gave him that power...
Even if he didn't truly treat them as his possessions, everyone in the Hermes Familia, including any members that might join over the next year, were irrefutably his belongings. He could spout all kinds of platitudes denying it, but the world itself recognized this as the truth. Though he didn't have any intention of outright exploiting any of them, it was very useful at moments like this when he was feeling mental fatigue. Currently, he didn't even feel like being playful and teasing either of the girls, especially considering the circumstances of Lulune. She would probably be 'happy' if he teased her a bit, but Vahn was genuinely worried about her mental wellness after the earlier revelations.
As if she knew what he was thinking, Lulune furrowed her brows slightly and said, "You know, you're a bit different than I expected, Vahn..." Hearing this, Vahn turned his eyes towards her, a questioning look on his face that urged her to add, "I mean, you're like this amazing and incredible guy that has a ton of power and authority, right? It's just...I mean, it's really weird to see you acting so solemnly. Look, you're in a room with two girls that will 'literally' do whatever you say, but you're acting like a victim that doesn't even know if their next meal will ever come. It's like...super fucking weird..."
Though she was speaking honestly, Lulune shrunk back a little since she was afraid of offending Vahn with her words. He might never do such a thing but, if Vahn was genuinely annoyed by her words, he could literally order her to kill herself. It was even possible, if her words were constantly grating on him, for Vahn to order her to never speak again. Then, even if she wanted to scream and shout, not even a single syllable could escape her lips for the next year. He had absolute authority over them and, though she could tell he was a sensible and thoughtful boy, Lulune was bothered by how Vahn acted like everything happening was troublesome. If he didn't want to get involved with all of this, Vahn could have simply ignored them and moved on with his life...
Seeing the combination of fear and concern coming from Lulune, Vahn produced a small smile and said, "I'm sorry, Lulune, Asfi...honestly, even though people tout me as being something amazing, I'm really just..." Even if he wanted to, Vahn couldn't find any words to describe his situation as, no matter how he looked at things, he truly was blessed. In fact, he often felt extremely happy whenever he was just spending time with the girls at the Manor and watching over his children. It was everything he did outside of his home that weighed heavily on his heart, especially the matters of other nations. Sometimes, he felt like it would be so much easier to just stop caring about the rest of the world and just spending his time happily with his loved ones...however, it was that same desire, the desire to protect that happiness he already had, that drove him forward.
Vahn genuinely wanted other people to be happy and, in order to facilitate this desire, while also protecting his own happiness, Vahn 'had' to change the world. He didn't want his children to venture out one day and be exposed to all the terrible things the world currently possessed. At the same time, he simply couldn't overlook people who were suffering, especially if they were right in front of him. Yes, these things often caused him a host of problems, mainly because of his own mentality and lack of restraint, but they were also the moments he prided himself in when looking back on events. The things he was doing now, though they weighted heavily on his heart and mind, were the exact moments that would shape the world he wanted to see...
Realizing this, Vahn began to release a lighthearted laugh, suddenly feeling much better about how things were developing. Just as Loki said, he really didn't need to mind such things and, as long as he didn't do anything to truly bring discourse to the Manor, most of the girls wouldn't mind. In fact, other than Terra, Fenrir, and Lefiya, the other girls wouldn't care at all. The only thing that mattered to them was the happiness that already existed in the Manor and, as long as he didn't threaten it directly, they would work with him to make sure it persisted far into the future. Some of them were even more concerned about what would be on the menu for dinner than they were about his relationships outside of the Manor...
Though Asfi and Lulune were giving him strange looks, Vahn didn't mind it and continued to laugh until it felt like he had removed all of the negativity that tried to take root inside his heart and mind. When he was done, he looked at the two girls with a smile that grew larger as their blushes deepened. Just as Lulune began to fidget a little, causing a subtle aroma to spread through the room, Vahn chuckled lightly and said, "You're a good woman, Lulune. You might not realize it yourself, but those words of yours really were what I needed to hear right now. In the future, even if you change everything else, I hope you're able to continue being straightforward and honest. Seriously, it adds to your charm a lot more than you realize..."
After dealing a critical blow to Lulune, emphasized by the fact she had plopped onto her butt with a stupified expression, Vahn turned to Asfi and let his expression soften as he said, "I'll say it directly, so you're not always misunderstanding things, Asfi. I think your intelligent look, combined with your mature body...well, it makes you look very sexy? Also, though I can appreciate your shapely breasts, I'm actually more interested in your butt...really, though it might make me sound inconsiderate, your mother was right to be envious of your looks. Even though I'll let you deal with her as you please, don't blame me if I give her a slap or two of my own...hahahaha~."
Though she had wanted him to be more honest and direct, Asfi now realized she was wholly unprepared for Vahn actually following through with her intentions. Her face felt like it was set ablaze and, even though she had already worn her clothing again, Asfi shrunk her body a bit and tried to hide her figure. She was strangely happy that Vahn had called her 'sexy', something she hadn't remotely expected him to say, but it also made her hyper-aware of her body. Part of her couldn't help but feel as though he was just trying to be nice, even though she could see clear appreciation in his gaze...
Seeing Asfi's peculiar behavior, Vahn's smile softened even further as he reminded himself that this adorable creature in front of him was one of his women. In fact, even Lulune could be one of his women with a simple change in his intentions. He didn't even need to accept her as a lover that resided in the Manor and, as long as he was always open and honest with her, Vahn believed Lulune wouldn't even mind. Ultimately, he couldn't take care of everyone woman and accept them in his heart, but that didn't mean he couldn't show them his favor and help them become stronger people. It was strange to consider, but that was a power he had held for a long time...something the girls in the Manor had reminded him of several times when they saw how much he was restraining himself at the Elven Kingdom.
With these thoughts running through his mind, Vahn gestured to Asfi, muttering in a light tone, "Come here, Asfi..." Unable to resist his words, Asfi moved closer to Vahn as her heart began beating like a drum that was on the verge of collapse. Then, with that same smile on his face, Vahn said, "This is an order...if I ever do something you don't want me to do, immediately tell me. Don't keep it inside your mind just because you're afraid to offend me...that goes for you as well, Lulune. You don't have to tell me everything, but I want you to be honest with me if I ever do anything you don't want, okay?"
In response to his words, Lulune absentmindedly nodded while still sitting on the ground. As for Asfi, she was breathing a little heavily and, after a few seconds of silence, a resolute light emerged in her cyan eyes as she said, "If it is something you want to do...I will accept it, Vahn...I already told you back when we first made our vows...besides...a part of me feels like I 'need' you to show your interest in my body..." Ever since the time they had spent together in the Dungeon, when she had seen Vahn happily interacting with the other girls, Asfi had developed a strange 'emptiness' in her heart. When their Familia had lost the information they had spied from him, Asfi felt like the sky had fallen on her head, especially since she had to ask him to help save her companions. The year and a half after that had been very difficult for her because she had always been wondering when, or even if, Vahn would finally ask her to make items for him...
Hearing Asfi's words, Vahn lightly shook his head and mused, "Asfi, you're really adorable, did you know that...?" At the same time, causing Asfi's words to catch in her throat, Vahn reached his hands around her body and placed them upon her surprisingly firm buttocks. They were soft, as he had expected from witnessing them previously, but also possessed an unexpected firmness. Perhaps it was because she was constantly creating items, or because she flew around while balancing on her magic sandals, but Asfi's butt was surprisingly muscular. Vahn spent about twenty seconds marveling at the sensation before eventually pulling his hands away, smiling 'radiantly' as he said, "Sorry, but I wanted to do that since the first time we met...hahahaha~."
Asfi, with a beet red face that made her intellectual look break down, replaced by the charming and bashful look of a maiden, returned a small smile to him as she shrunk away and said, "Idiot...you made me worry all this time...haaaa..." Though Vahn's actions had been a surprise to her, Asfi actually felt a great deal of relief since she had been worrying about it more than she'd like to admit. However, just as she was about to say he could continue, Asfi nearly lost her balance when Lulune suddenly said, "Ah, the Captain is a lucky girl. You know, you can touch my butt if you want, Vahn. I might not have as much fat as the Captain, but I'm pretty confident in its feel, y'know?"
(A/N: I know there are a few people that are annoyed by how 'cyclic' Vahn's thought process is, but its actually a very realistic representation of how people think. If you know anyone that is prone to getting stressed out when there is a lot going on, Vahn's actions are actually very easy to understand. Though he had matured a great deal since the beginning, the number of things he gets involved with would be a burden most people couldn't even hope to even empathize with. At the same time, the understanding of the girls in his life actually 'enables' his bad habit. The fact he stresses out solely because he cares about the girls, even though they don't really care if he cuts loose a bit, actually serves to humanize Vahn. He genuinely does love the girls within the Manor, to the point he would probably tear down Heaven if it meant they would be happy. At the same time, as a result of their expectations and understanding, Vahn has been enabled to become a very abnormal existence without any real restraints. The only thing that holds him back at this point is Vahn himself, something he is constantly being reminded of xD...By the way, if not for the fact I had set up things in this way from the start, in an effort to try and 'balance' Vahn's harem, I never would have allowed things like this to happen. Seriously, I understand better than anyone that Vahn is involved with too many women but, considering how his character has developed, I would be misrepresenting him but forcing him to suddenly change. The way the character in the Manor have developed would also be set aside for my own convenience, which is something I'm not willing to do. Because of this, I will endeavor to ensure that Vahn won't establish many, if any, permanant relationships in other records. Though he may be involved with some girls, as I'm sure people would like to see something like VahnxSaber, or something similar, they won't be on the same level as his involvement with girls in Danmachi.)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn isn't being honest with himself...','Lulune would make a good service dog...?','Author-sama making excuses again...Nani!?...seriously though, I will never make a large harem in a novel ever again...I'm just 'all in' at this point...haaaa...')
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Capítulo 800: Mystery
After finally settling things within the Traveler's Inn, Vahn was now flying through the sky with Asfi using her [Talaria] to keep pace. Though he did end up coping a feel of Lulune's butt, which was springy and tender, Vahn couldn't exactly stay there all day and keep messing around. The original purpose of his visit was to follow-up with Asfi and have her develop some magic items for him. He already had a few ideas in mind for things she could make and, considering he actually 'owned' her now, there were no longer any restrictions on the total amount. So long as he provided her with ample materials, Asfi could theoretically make anything his imagination could come up with.
From the information Vahn had been able to gather on the [Mystery] Development Ability, it was purported able to create 'miracles', which seemed to match the description provided by the system as well. As for what constituted a miracle, it was any phenomenon that was naturally occurring in the world, but represented through a function that had nothing to do with the original phenomenon. An example that was quite popular, even though the items were very expensive, was the concept of creating magic items to allow flight. Within the natural world, there were numerous creatures that could fly and, by 'believing' in that phenomenon and superimposing onto an item, you were able to create a 'miracle' that allowed the item to reflect the initial phenomenon.
Asfi's [Talaria] worked with this same concept and, though they had the basic form of sandals, she could use them to produce four wings out of thin air, allowing her to fly around the same speed she could run. As for other magic items she made use of, Asfi's dagger was able to produce magical fire, her glasses enabled her to see the flow of mana, her leather armor could be as hard as metal, and her cloak was able to obscure the detection abilities of others. All of these properties were things that existed naturally and, though it was possible to create similar effects with his [Master Smith], the fact that magic items could be assigned almost any effect was fundamentally different than the abilities obtained while blacksmithing.
After landing in the Manor's courtyard, Vahn led the way while Asfi, who had been following behind, suddenly came to a stop. Even without looking at her, Vahn had detected her hesitation and, without breaking step, said, "Come along, Asfi. You can't lecture me about hesitating if you're going to act like this...." Then, coming to a stop at the door, Vahn turned around and smiled before adding, "Besides, it is a little late to start worrying about things you can't really do much to influence. From the moment we shared vows, this place became your home...besides, most of the things you're worrying over don't have much to do with the reality of the situation...well, you'll understand soon enough."
From the moment he had said 'come along', Asfi had already started walking toward the door, no longer able to stop her own feet from moving forward. Vahn's words helped her calm down a little, though not to the extent that she didn't feel a great amount of trepidation about meeting the other girls in the Manor. She felt like she had intruded in on something that should have been inviolable, as the Hearth Manor was the 'heart' of the entire Alliance, the most powerful organization on the continent. Because of this, Asfi was a little worried about other people would see her, especially those that were close to Vahn...
Unable to do anything about her fears, Asfi followed behind Vahn in silence until he stopped outside of a door and said, "Well, do your best, Asfi..." These words caused Asfi to feel even more nervous as Vahn opened up the door to reveal...another Vahn. Not quite understanding what was going on, Asfi's mind blanked until a small part of her memory was triggered, reminding her of the fact Vahn claimed to have two bodies. Remembering this, she started to relax a little, at least until the second Vahn stepped to the side, revealing an entire room full of people staring back at her. Asfi felt like her heart was gripped by each and every one of them and sweatdropped when Vahn gently said, "Go inside..." while lightly pushing against her back with his surprisingly warm palm.
What followed was Asfi sitting like a statue between Haruhime and Mikoto as she answered everyone's questions. As for Vahn, he sat down between Loki, Hephaestus, Anubis, and Hestia. Having two bodies was convenient for situations like this, as he could see from two different perspectives while also giving more people an opportunity to sit next to him. He had already explained the situation to the girls before Asfi and him had even shown up, so they mainly asked about her past, her [Mystery] Development Ability, and her various likes and dislikes.
Asfi, realizing that almost none of the girls were hostile towards her, with Haruhime even showing her a bit of support, quickly calmed down after a few minutes had passed. When the questioning phase was over, Loki had her take some very detailed vows to ensure she wouldn't ever be able to exploit any loopholes to share the secrets of the Manor. After that, Asfi was given her own set of network items, a book containing all the rules and regulations of the Manor, and a summary document of decisions made during past Vahnatus. Seeing how 'organized' everything was, Asfi started to realize that what she had just become a part of was much 'bigger' than anything she had expected...
While Asfi was going over the documents, Hephaestus leaned against the table and said, "You know, Asfi, I've always been curious about the [Mystery] Development Ability. If possible, I'd like to see you make something within the workshop of the Manor. My daughter would probably be interested to see your skills in action as well, especially since you also have [Metalworking]. Honestly, I'm quite surprised to see how far your skills have developed while you're so young..." When she Hephaestus' voice, Asfi became a little rigid before responding with, "You're too kind, Hephaestus-sama, I-" Before she was able to continue any further, Hephaestus furrowed her brows and said, "Just call me Hephaestus. Here, in this Manor, we're all family..."
Swallowing her words, Asfi fell silent for a few seconds before nodding her head and saying, "I understand, Hephaestus..." This earned her an approving nod from Hephaestus, who then added, "Also, don't try to see yourself short for no reason. One of the things you'll learn after staying in this Manor long enough is that everyone here works hard to improve themselves. Though there isn't anything wrong with being humble, that kind of mentality will only slow your progress. Be confident and proud of what you've been able to achieve, especially if the person paying you a compliment is a couple of hundred million years old than you..." With Hephaestus' words, Loki, Hestia, and Anubis all began to chuckle. Demeter and Eirene were currently busy with their Familias or they likely would have joined in on the laughter.
Piggybacking off of Hephaestus' words, Tsubaki showed an amicable smile and added, "You wouldn't be known as the most capable item maker in the City if you weren't inordinately skilled. I'm also quite interested in your skills and wouldn't mind taking a look myself later. You never know, I might actually be able to give you some advice on where you can improve. Since you're already at the A-Rank, it'll only take a few more breakthroughs before you reach mastery. I'm pretty curious to see what the [Mystery] Development Ability becomes once it reaches S-Rank..." As one of the rarest Development Abilities, the amount of information on the [Mystery] skill was severely lacking, with no record of the next tier anywhere in the Guild's files.
Vahn, however, didn't have such a limitation and immediately threw a filter into the system shop to see if there were any books or journals that would detail the skill further. It didn't take long for him to even find a manual for the [Mystery] Development Ability, costing 3,000,000OP, but he instead purchased a small encyclopedia of skills, magic, and abilities that had been documented. He assumed it would have the information he needed because it had the same name as one of the Guilds records but cost several times more. Though it was almost impossible to buy items from the future of his current timeline, as it no longer existed within the system, Vahn was able to buy items from the other records of Danmachi that existed within The Paths information base.
Upon purchasing the book, Vahn copied the information to his mind and immediately found what he was looking for, deciding to vocalize his 'discovery' by saying, "There is a good chance that Asfi's [Mystery] would evolve into [Enigma] once she mastered it. After that, it would become [Phantasm] before finally reaching the peak at [Miracle] itself..." As they were very accustomed to Vahn's 'quirks', none of the girls were surprised by his revelations, even when he pulled out a book they knew had likely never been printed before. Vahn passed it off to Loki, who immediately opened it up and began reading the contents. Once she was finished, the book would become one of the important records of the Alliance, much like the other random books Vahn would 'create'...
Asfi, thinking that Vahn had already had the book this entire time, didn't think much about it and just kept relatively silent in the lively atmosphere. She was thinking about what kind of item she would make and, though they had asked if she were willing to let them see her process, it wasn't as though she could refuse. If Vahn told her to stand in the middle of a public venue stark naked and create an item in front of a crowd, that would be her fate. Besides, as all of these girls were people that were close to Vahn, Asfi couldn't come up with any justification to deny their request, even if she wasn't told expressly to reveal her techniques.
Unaware of the exhibitionist thoughts running through Asfi's mind, Vahn was also thinking about a simple magic item she could make that wouldn't take too long. He was pretty confident in being able to learn the [Mystery] Development Ability himself, which is why he wouldn't spend 3M OP just to get a manual explaining things. There was also a good chance that, once Asfi's Affection reached 100, their bond would likely outright give him the skill. Presently, she was at 97(Love?) and Vahn believed it wouldn't take too long to reach 100. In fact, he speculated he could get her to 100 almost instantly if he was a bit more forward in his approach...Asfi seemed like the type of girl who was stoic on the surface but was actually fragile underneath. She wanted to be sought after openly and, now that they were bound to each other, Vahn knew he would have to take the initiative to avoid having her lose confidence in herself...
After a lively luncheon, most of the girls went about their own business while Vahn, Hephaestus, Hestia, Loki, Tsubaki, and Haruhime all went with Asfi to one of the spare workshops in the East Annex. Along the way, they picked up Ina from her workshop and, even though she was a little annoyed at the interruption, her eyes glimmered the moment she heard about Asfi's ability. When Asfi saw Ina, knowing it was Vahn's daughter, she was shocked to the core and could hardly believe her eyes. After all, Ina was only around two years old publically but the girl standing in front of her looked closer in age to a teenager...
Keeping this thought to herself, Asfi began setting up her workshop with the assistance of Vahn, surprised by the fact that he seemed to be able to pull out anything she could think of from thin air. When he noticed her surprise, Vahn smiled and explained, "It should be in the documents you were given, but I have the power to create almost anything I can think of. The only requirement is that I have enough special energy within my reserves, which is the reason why the Alliance exchanges so many drop items with the Manor. I produce many of the hard to obtain resources within the market by using the energy contained within the drop items that are provided..."
When she heard Vahn's explanation, Asfi's face had a completely blank expression, like she was looking off into the distance and had seen something outside the perception of others. When she finally processed exactly what he had said, Asfi had wanted to ask several questions but lost the opportunity when Loki said, "You've got plenty of time to learn about what's going on within the Manor, especially if it relates to Vahn. For now, just focus on creating a magic item and, after you're done, there are a couple of things I want to talk to you about. I need to get your input on the Hermes Familia so I have a better understanding of how to use them in the most efficient manner."
Though she really wanted to have her questions answered, Asfi knew that Loki's words were true and, after she had finished here, there was plenty of time to ask about the things on her mind. Loki herself would probably be the best person to answer the majority of her questions so, without further delay, Asfi quickly got to work. The first thing she did was take a piece of already refined metal and, using the template blueprint Vahn had given her, began shaping it into a disc. Unlike what a [Blacksmith] would have to do, she was able to shape the metal itself by directly inserting her mana into the structure and molding it. Though it took a lot of her energy, Asfi was startled when Vahn placed his hand on her back and a warm flow of energy invaded her body, replenishing her reserves much faster than she could consume them...
Vahn knew about the [Metalworking] ability, so he wasn't too surprised to see Asfi suddenly warp the metal just by placing her hands above it. Though the others couldn't see it, he was able to see a hemisphere of energy that had been created by Asfi when she activated the ability. He wasn't able to understand everything that was going on, but Vahn could still memorize the process and strive to emulate it later. It would take some trial and error, but he would eventually be able to replicate the strange energy coming out of Asfi's hands, enabling him to use the [Metalworking] ability himself after a bit of practice.
When Asfi finished shaping the strange disc, which was around 150cm in diameter and had several small grooves located on its surface, she reached up to wipe the sweat from her brow only to discover a white towel being handed to her from the side. Seeing Vahn holding it out for her with a smile on his face, Asfi felt her heart flutter before accepting it, muttering a small 'Nn' in the process. The moment she did this, however, it felt like a jolt of cold electricity ran up her back and, turning towards the direction her instincts warned her of, she saw Vahn's daughter staring at her with somewhat icy eyes. This didn't last long, fortunately, as Hephaestus had brought her hand to Ina's shoulder and began lightly rubbing it to calm her down.
As he had also noticed Ina's behavior, Vahn knew he would have to explain things clearly to her and the other children later. The situation in the Manor was certainly very unique and, to avoid them harboring any ill will towards any of the girls that may come to reside here in the future, Vahn wanted to clear some things up with them. He knew Ina was probably worried that she would have even less time with him in the future, something that made him feel a little guilty at times. There were even moments when he considered trying to make another Avatar for the sole purpose of spending time with his children but Sis had advised him against it, saying he needed to increase the Tier of his soul if he wanted to split his consciousness any further.
Knowing how difficult it had been just to master controlling two bodies, which he was still working on, Vahn knew her advice should be taken very seriously. This once again brought up the idea of using shadow clones but, after experiencing the mental strain of just absorbing his memory fragments thoughts, Vahn knew the skill wasn't the best solution. Instead, he intended to simply make more time for them when his main body went into the Dungeon with the majority of the girls. This would actually free up a lot of time for him on the surface since he was supposed to be within the Dungeon and it would raise a few flags if people discovered he was in two places at once.
Currently, the number of people aware of this fact, at least outside of the Manor, numbered only eight people. It was a very important secret that he wanted to keep under wraps since it would allow him to get a jump on any enemies that wanted to attack his home, or the Alliance, while he was away. Since he had the ability to change his form, Vahn intended to transform into a smaller version of a Vanargandr and use an Ice Raiment [Magia Erebea] to make people think he was just another Xenos kept secret by the Alliance. He was quite fond of the transformation as well since Fenrir was 'extremely' fond of it and he had gotten pampered quite a bit after showing it off to the girls...
Broken out of his thoughts but Asfi finishing up the template 'levitation platform' he wanted her to make, Vahn smiled and answered her unasked question, "You've seen it yourself, but I'll demonstrate it again and explain the phenomenon of levitation..." While speaking, Vahn hovered off of the ground slightly and crossed his legs into a seated position, explaining, "Essentially, but using your mental energy in a skilled manner, you can manipulate objects with your mind and bring about a variety of phenomenon. This specific technique is called levitation and, by having a proper grasp of Space, you can change your orientation to the ground or even create 'anchors'. I'll demonstrate..."
Vahn sent a telepathic message to Tsubaki, surprising her at first before an excited grin appeared on her face. Then, surprising Asfi, and many of the other girls, Tsubaki jumped through the air with a 'Haaaaaaa!' and kicked towards Vahn's chest. She didn't put that much force into the hit, but Tsubaki was also a Level 6 with a large focus on physical Power. Her kick caused the ground beneath Vahn, which he wasn't even in contact with, to crack slightly as he caught her bare foot with his hand. Unlike in the past, Vahn was now more than a little stronger than Tsubaki, especially if she wasn't going all out.
Releasing a sigh, which caused Tsubaki to laugh even more, Vahn turned to Asfi and explained, "As you can see, it is possible to 'anchor' yourself to other objects, with the ground being the easiest. The miracle I want you to perform is imbuing that platform with the ability to levitate off the ground while still being anchored to it. This will give it much greater stability and stop the platform from wobbling when weight is placed on top of it. At the same time, you should keep in mind that it shouldn't be a perfect anchor, like what I just demonstrated, and should instead act as a shock absorber...like so..."
Turning to Ina, Vahn gestured towards his daughter and she immediately ran over without any explanation required and hopped into his lap. This caused Vahn to 'spring' slightly with the added weight before immediately returning back to his starting position. Ina happily began dangling her feet while leaning into his chest, giving Asfi a somewhat haughty look as if she had achieved some great victory...
Asfi was starting to realize it wasn't the girls in the Manor she needed to win over, but Vahn's children. For the time being, however, she just nodded towards Vahn and said, "I understand. Though I may not be able to get everything working properly the first time, I can use my [Mystery] skill multiple times on the same object. Only one effect can 'stick', but removing effects I personally assigned is easy enough..." Without waiting for Vahn to tell her to proceed, Asfi brought her hands together like she was praying and actually did exactly that. In reality, she was forming the image of the phenomenon she wanted to create and, by understanding the said phenomenon, she would be able to imbue it into the object she had designated.
Vahn watched Asfi with his [Eyes of Truth] active and could see one of the strangest phenomena he had ever observed before. An illusory sphere had surrounded Asfi's body and there were several cogs, rings, and other strange mechanical components that nobody else seemed to be able to discern. The reality, however, was quite different from Vahn's expectations as the young Vanir sitting in his lap could also clearly see these things, her own eyes glimmering with the illusion of eight segmented parts, each reflecting a different image of the same scene. They both watched as the strange mechanical structure around Asfi changed into a more organized shape before blue characters appeared in front of her face, which Vahn could interpret as 'Levitation'. It would seem that, once again, the phenomenon on the world could be guided by words and intentions, just like how magic itself was able to function...
When the word had formed, it began to condense into a small droplet of energy between Asfi's hands and, when she opened her palms, the illusory droplet now existed in reality. She was able to move it forward without it falling to the ground and placed it above the platform before letting it drop. When it contacted the metallic surface, it created ripples that could be seen with the naked eye before the metallic surface became calm once again. From the side, Hephaestus hand her hand to her chin in a thoughtful manner and said, "Hooo...trully, a prodigious talent...I haven't seen someone use the [Mystery] ability with that much finesse in my entire time in the mortal world..." Next to her, Loki also nodded her head and understood that Asfi was actually far more skilled than she had expected. Though neither she nor Hephaestus had seen the phenomenon observed by Vahn and Ina, they were able to sense the fluctuations of the world and a small amount of Divine Power contained within Asfi's ability...
After releasing a sigh of relief, Asfi smiled and picked up the platform before placing it on the ground and standing on it. Since she was used to activating magic items near her feet, with her own [Talaria] requiring the same capability, Asfi was quickly able to activate the [Levitation Platform]. The moment it was activated, she hovered about two meters off the ground and, to test the shock absorption capabilities, jumped up and down a few times to make it bob. As for Vahn, he had averted his eyes to the side as Ina looked up at Asfi's pale-blue lace panties that were on full display from the current angle...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Into the shark tank...','Ina's icy gaze...','*staring further intensifies*')
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