Vahn ended up being surrounded by eleven children, with the oldest being Rye, who was only nine years old. The youngest was only four and Vahn felt a twisting ache in his heart seeing such young and innocent kids living as orphans. Even without being told, Vahn could tell from Maria's reaction when hearing that he was an Adventurer that most of the children here likely lost their families in the dungeon. Because of this, though some of the children resented Adventurer's a bit, they all had an interest in the subject and happily listened to Vahn's stories. Because they had tried to sit on the damage pues and floor, Vahn set down a large futon for them to use and passed out snacks.
Since he didn't think his personal stories were worth telling, Vahn told them some of the heroics stories he had memorized in his mind. Because he enjoyed getting a rise out of them, Vahn added sound effects and even used his domain to create a few tricks using flames and props that he purchased through the system. He even used his [Thria*Mimos] ability to copy the racial traits of some of the kids and put on a small thematic demonstrastion for them when he got to the climax of the story. The kids were in high tensions and shouted along with the story and reacted to everything he said with wide eyes and excitement. Because he had been thinking about being a good father, Vahn felt like he needed to be good to these children or he wouldn't be worthy of raising his own. Their reactions egged him on further and he got more and more excited even though he had long realized that Syr and Maria were quietly watching from a distance.
When Vahn made eye contact with Syr, she gave him a playful wink before leaning against her palm and watching him play with the children. Vahn returned a small smile to her and focused his attention on the kids, because he realized it was probably her intention to introduce him to the children from the outset. Even though he knew she probably wanted him to donate to the Orphanage and help take care of the kids, Vahn didn't feel adverse to the situation at all. Most of the kids were cheerful and kind, even though life had seen fit to put them through an unjust situation at an early age. If possible, he'd like to see each of the kids grow up happy and healthy...
As Vahn was beginning a new story, he briefly locked eyes with a small half-elf girl with gold hair and pale-grey eyes. Vahn smiled at the child and asked, "What is your name little lady? What kind of stories do you like?" Vahn had noticed they were relatively docile and there were periods during his earlier stories where they stared off blankly into space. Hearing Vahn address her, the girl looked up and said, "Umm...you think I'm a...?" Vahn tilted his head as if he were trying to understand what she was trying to say.
The young half-elf averted her eyes and asked quietly, "You don't think I'm a boy?" Vahn noticed that she kept her hair short and dressed like the other boys in the orphanage, but he thought she was just a tomboy. Even though they were very young, they had a very 'handsome' appearance, but there was no way someone like Vahn would be fooled by surface appearances. His understanding of the physiology of every race within the record could be said to be well above most experts. There were also subtle differences between the auras of boys and girls, so the young half-elf couldn't trick him even if she was a specialist and master of disguise.
Vahn noticed some of the kids had strange reactions, but he just politely smiled and asked, "Would you rather I pretend you are a boy?" The half-elf girl looked up at Vahn's face for several seconds without saying anything. After an awkward silence persisted in the air for a while, they little girl said, "I like stories where the hero saves the princess..." Vahn squinted his eyes because he realized she had tried to sweep aside the matter without addressing it. He assumed she had some form of trauma that made her want to act like a boy, so Vahn decided to play along as he started narrating a story about a hero that slew the dragon that protected a castle where a sleeping princess waited for rescue.
Not long after the story, Maria walked over and clapped her hands to get the children's attention before saying, "Lunch is ready children, make sure to thank Vahn before running off to wash your hands. Since its a special occassion, I prepared some treats for everyone." Maria had a gentle smile on her face, even though she spoke with a firm and guiding tone. The children all listened to her words and ran off to a side room, probably where the bath and sink was located. Once again, the little chienthrope named Fina stayed behind as she tugged on Vahn's tunic and waved him down to her level. He leaned down as she cupped her hand near his ear and whispered quietly, "Roux is scared of being a girl, so she tries to act like a boy. Don't be mad with her, okay?"
Vahn smiled kindly at patted Fina's head as he said in a gentle tone, "You're a very kind girl Fina. Make sure to take care of her, and don't worry, I won't be upset over something like that." The cream-haired chienthrope giggled sheepishly before leaning forward and planting a sneaky kiss on his cheek before running off laughing. When she ran off, Syr walked over and giggled before saying, "Ara~? Do I need to warn the other girls on the network about a future competitor?" Vahn shook his head with a wry smile and said, "She'll be happier with someone near her own age. She is similar to Tina, in a way, and I think she just has a small crush on me for being handsome..."
Syr released a bell-like chuckle and asked in a teasing voice, "Oh, do you really think so highly of yourself~?" Vahn scanned the surroundings briefly and knew that only he and Syr were around so he unabashedly unequipped his tunic before striking a 'heroic' pose that he used as the reference for one of Eva's sculpts. Syr was unable to adapt to the sudden change and immdiately burried her face into her hands with a fierce blush on her face as she berrated in a 'harsh' tone, "You dummy~! This isn't the time or the place for things like that. I'm going to tell all the girls, just you wait, hmph, hmph!" Vahn pretended to be heavily affected by Syr's words and put on a heavy act of dejection as he muttered, "So I guess you don't think I'm handsome..." Even though he could equip it instantly, Vahn put on a show of slowly wearing his tunic while refusing to look at Syr. He knew that, the moment she saw his face, Syr would be able to see through his act without issue.
Hearing Vahn's words, Syr peeked up through her hands with an 'Eh?' sound as she watched him wear his tunic. She furrowed her brows slightly, because she was around 99% sure that Vahn was teasing her. However, that 1% scared her enough to flusteredly remark, "No, don't misunderstand Vahn, I think you're very handsome...uhhh, what are you making me say you bully." Though she was accustomed to teasing and manipulating others, Syr was actually incredibly bad at receiving the teasing of others. Her face was beet red while her aura fluttered about chaoticly as she bured her face into her palms in an abashed manner.
Vahn released a 'relieved' sigh before he finished buttoning his tunic and looking toward Syr with a small smile. The moment she saw his face, Syr bit her bottom lip because she knew she had walked right into Vahn's trap. She wanted to complain, but Vahn closed to distance between them in the blink of an eye before stroking the side of her face gently and saying, "How fortunate...I'm afraid I wouldn't be worthy of such a beautiful girl if I weren't handsome enough." The moment Syr opened her mouth to say something, Vahn leaned forward and sealed her slightly parted lips for a few seconds until he detected a presence approaching. He pulled away and stared into her 'aggreived' face with a smile before stepping away and creating a small distance between them.
The person to show up had been Rye, and he saw the fiercely flushing Syr with teary eyes before he pointed his index finger straight at Vahn and shouted, "Ah, I told you not to hurt big sis! I thought you were a cool guy, but it looks like I'll have to teach you a lesson~! Oooooh, just you wait Vahn!" Rye then ran over and grabbed Syr's hand as he pulled her along towards the dining area and said, "Come on sis, you don't need to listen to this guy!" Syr allowed herself to be pulled along as she looked back at Vahn with a slightly confused expression as if she didn't know how to deal with the situation. Vahn sent her a wink that made her blush harder before she shot out her tongue and followed along with Rye.
Vahn released a short sigh before turning his attention to the rather disheveled church that was in a rather sorry state of disrepair. Since it was located near Daedelus Street, this Orphanage was one of the poorer ones and Maria likely moved to this area to care for the numerous children that needed her help. She seemed like a very selfless person, so it was rather unfortunate that her Orphanage was in such a state. He suspected that Syr had probably brought him by so that he would help contribute to the orphanage in the future, and everything he saw made him want to do what he could.
Though he hadn't seen it much, Vahn had noticed hundreds of orphans and homeless people within Daedelus street, including some living in the underground tunnels below the streets. Vahn didn't have anything to compare it to personally, but he knew the social structure of this world could benefit from the development of infrastructure and the introduction of an organized education system. There were massive gaps in the technological development of different nations, and the main focus for most wealthy, or those apsiring to be wealthy, was becoming an Adventurer.
Because this not only increased their wealth, but their strength as well, it was a very lucrative path for many people to follow. The unfortunate downside of this, however, as the several thousand people that died within the dungeon each year. It was due to the average lifespan of most races in this world not exceeding 50 that had brought the age of adulthood down to 14 for the majority. It wasn't uncommon for people to start building families in their later teens, and to have multiple children in their twenties depending on their financial situation. There were few people that lived to die of old age, because there was also no established medical system and elixers were incredibly expensive. For any major illness, it could typically cost hundred of thousands of Valis to try and cure, and it could potentially cost millions if it was something serious. This was well out of the affordable range for most people, since it was even possible to buy a small Manor for as little as 300-500,000V.
There were also concepts like slavery in this world, and there was a massive difference in the treatment of different races within established society. Vahn was beginning to realize that the world at large was a complicated mess and that he would have to contend against these matters in the future. He wanted his children to grow up in a world of acceptance, surrounded by endless posibilities instead of a self-perpetuating cycle of hatred and sadness. It wouldn't be easy, and he might not even accomplish it within his entire stay within the record, but Vahn felt like it was worth making an effort. By the time he conquered the dungeon, there would be few things that could sotp his momentum, even at the political level. His existence already irreverstibly altered the status quo of the world and he now had powerful allies at his back to help him move forward.
The moment the other children started exiting the bathroom, Vahn smiled at them and followed along behind as they made their way to the dining room together. One of the children, a young boy around six years old with blue hair and eyes, looked up and asked with a hopeful expression in his eyes, "Will you tell more story after lunch?" Vahn smiled and ruffled the small boy's hair and said in a kind tone, "Sure, I'll tell one especially for you...ah, you never told me your name." The boy smiled widely and Vahn noticed he was missing a few of his baby teeth as he said, "I'm Tristan!" Vahn quickly scanned through his memories before nodding and saying, "Sure, I know just the story to tell...it's called, 'Tristan, the Brave'. It's about a hero that travels to a foreign land to slay an evil spirit and remove a curse that is destroying the kingdom's crops."
Hearing that the story's hero shared the same name as him, little Tristan got fired up and asked excitedly, "Is that really the name of the story!?" Vahn laughed at his excitement and pulled a blue book that was surprisingly close to the color of Tristan's hair. He was too young to read the golden text, but Vahn said confidently, "These words say the tile of the book, and when you learn to read you'll be able to understand that they say 'Tristan, the Brave'." Little Tristan nodded his head happily as he traced his hands over the familiar letter of his own name and said, "It has my name on it...I wonder if I can be a hero too?"
At this point, they had already arrived in the dining room and several children looked over when Tristan asked his question. Vahn scanned over the expectant eyes, including those of Syr and Maria, before he kneeled down next to Tristan and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. Without any hesitation in his voice, Vahn said confidently while looking into the deep blue eyes of the boy, "If you put in the effort and work hard, you can be anything you choose to be...hero, adventurer, or a proud craftsman. For those that are willing to work hard, there are no limits in life, just different paths...it is up to you where you wish to walk. Never give up, and you'll one day be able to look back on life and compare yourself with the hero in the book. Depending on how things play out, and your own convictions, you might find their accomplishments to pale in comparison to your own. Work hard, Tristan, I believe in you..."
As if he had set off a small explosion, every kid at the table started making a ruckus and asking Vahn if they could be the various things they wanted to be in the future. Seven of them wanted to be Adventurers, and Vahn enourged them to work hard and find a Familia full of people they could trust. If they did their jobs as supporters, they would be able to become Adventurers as early as twelve, but only if they worked hard and trained seriously. Fina, unlike the majority of the children, wanted to be a doctor and help at the Orphanage when she got older. Tristan wanted to be a 'hero', just like in the story. The little half-elf girl, Roux, said she wanted to be a scholar and a doctor. As for the remaining two, they were too young to have a proper understanding of what was going on, so they just excitedly joined in on the conversation and said silly things as everyone sat down to enjoy the meal.
Vahn noticed the dishes weren't very nutritious, and even the 'treats' offered by Maria were just hard candies. He was afraid to embarrass her, so he just offered a few small pieces of jerky to compliment the meal, as there was almost no meat within the relatively thin vegetable soup and hard black bread. Before he left, he planned to leave purchase a few goods that would keep well within the winter and also wanted to give them a few small futons for the childrens to use, as well as a number of thick blankets. As for Valis, Vahn passed his eyes over all the children and decided that it wouldn't be difficult to support them financially so he decided to give Maria 110,000V, 10,000 for each child present. It wasn't much, but Vahn didn't want to spoil them and would leave the final decision to Syr and Maria. He could always make other contributions to the Orphanage other than Valis, and that would be able to make the children happy without drawing the attention of anyone with bad intentions.
After the lunch, Vahn told a few more stories to the children while also passively recovering any wounds they had on their bodies, including the several cuts on Rye. He gave them a few small toys and games to play with when he was away and told them the importance of looking out for each other, even though the entire group seemed to get along well. The kids were excited to receive so many things from Vahn, especially when he gave them each their own small futon and three blankets each. Several of the younger children had to share a bed, and a large number of the blankets had old stains and holes in them. Before he left with Syr, Vahn talked with her and Maria about things that he wanted to do to help the children from now on. Maria had an appreciative look on her face and gave Vahn a very sincere bow as she expressed her gratitude for his kindness.
On their way back to the Hostess of Fertility, Vahn escorted Syr along in silence for a while as she held onto his arm tightly and leaned into his shoulder. Over the course of his stay within the orphanage, her affection had increased from 451 to 779 and he knew she was probably in a very good mood even though he didn't do anything other than what he thought he should do. In fact, he felt like he didn't do enough and even wanted to find a way to help more people, not just the children at Maria's Orphanage. After nearly twenty minutes of silence, just as they exited Daedelus Street, Vahn stopped and looked into Syr's eyes as he said in a serious tone, "Syr...there are so many things I don't understand...but I know that there are some things that just aren't right. Please, if you think of anything I can do to help, never be afraid to reach out to me...I want to do what I can to make sure every child has the right to a brighter future..."
As he was speaking, Vahn thought about, not only his own past, but Syr's tragic origins as well. Even though they were in the middle of the street, Vahn wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly as he said, "What we went through...I don't want any other children to have to experience such tragedy. Lets do our best from now on...it may never be possible, but I feel it is a goal worth aspiring towards..." The moment Vahn's words finished, he heard a few loud notifications in his head, including one which showed that Syr's love parameter had jumped from 779 to 1002 in an instant. He looked into her eyes and could see they were wavering slightly but there was a powerful light deep within. She reached up and grabbed the sides of his face before an amorous blushed appeared on her's and she said, "I feel like I love you more and more every time you open your foolish little mouth...uuuh Vahn, you hopelessly optimistic and handsome boy~!" Before he could say anything to 'defend' himself, Syr leaned forward and passionately kissed him while completely disregarding the gawking onlookers.
Vahn enjoyed her fragrance and the invasive little tongue that gingerly traced around the inside of his mouth in an inexperienced fashion. He held her body close and, since there were more than a few people that weren't minding their own business, used Shundo to disappear from the streets. They reappeared on top of a nearby building, and Syr didn't even seem to notice the change in scenery as she tightly grasped the collar of his tunic and sought his lips for nearly an entire minute. By the time she pulled away and looked at the surroundings, Syr had a silly expression on her blushing face as she asked, "Ano...how did we get on the roof?" Vahn held her body closer and then used Shundo to appear more than 400m away on a different roof in a split second. There was no burst of speed, or change in momentum, so Syr thought they had teleported as she looked around with an expression of shock. Before she could clarify matters, Vahn leaned closely and whispered, "I wonder if I can get us all the way to the Hostess of Fertility within the duration of a single kiss..." Syr's eyes opened wide and it seemed like she wanted to rebuke him, but it was Vahn's turn to take the initiatve and seize her lips as they vanished from the roof yet again.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Invention of Special Effects','It's a reverse-trap!?','Hope for the Future')
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By the time they arrived the alleyway, nearly ten minutes had passed and Syr was breathing heavily because Vahn hadn't given her many breaks along the way. The only thing she could do was hold onto his body as the scenery changed around her and her mind fluttered about in a daze. When Vahn finally pulled away, Syr tried to chase his mouth for a brief moment before opening her eyes widely and shaking Vahn's collar as he laughed at her bashful reaction. Her face was redder than he had ever seen before and Vahn couldn't help but want to tease her more as he hugged her waist tightly and sent a shiver up her spine when he said, "I think I forgot something at the Orphanage, want to head back with me~?"
Syr's eyes opened wide and she bit her bottom lip with a pouty face as she pushed away from his body and stormed off into the women's dormitory. She slammed the door behind her and left Vahn standing in the alleyway with a complacent smile since he could still sense her on the other side of the door. After a few minutes passed, Syr eventually opened the door a crack and peeked through it with her light grey eyes and a healthy blush on her face. She still had a pouty expression as she said, "It isn't fair when you can sense that I'm still near..." Vahn's smile widened marginally and he said, "It was a fun date Syr, thanks for going along with me." For a brief moment, it looked like Syr lost her balance and nearly closed the door before she released a sigh and opened it enough to peak through again. Her expression righted itself a bit as she put on her characteristic gentle smile and said, "Don't forget about Saturday..."
Vahn nodded his head and said, "Good night, Syr. Give the others my regards if it isn't too much trouble..." As he spoke, Vahn turned his head to the various presences that were spying on him and Syr. When she slammed the door earlier, it had alerted the girls present and they came to investigate while trying to be sneaky. Syr followed his eyes before muttering in a small voice, "Guh...you girls, spying on me when I'm embarrassed..." A glimmer passed through Syr's eyes before she turned her attention back to Vahn and said, "Good night, Vahn, I'll see you soon~!" Before he could respond, the door closed and Vahn could see the presences within the dormitory quickly disperse as Syr rapidly approached their location. Vahn laughed for a bit before he disappeared from the spot with the use of Shundo.
By the time he arrived at the Hearth Manor, it was slightly after 10 PM and the sun had long disappeared beyond the horizon. As tomorrow was a day scheduled for entering the dungeon, most of the girls had already gone to sleep in preparation for waking up early. The only presences he detected still moving about were Aki and Ryuu who had been alerted to his arrival when he stepped through the formation surrounding the barrier. Vahn was reminded of his desire to spend time with Aki earlier, as well as his earlier conversation with Ryuu. For a short period of time, he had an urge to try and approach the two girls but didn't think that Ryuu would be receptive to that type of thing. Ryuu was a somewhat reserved woman and Vahn imagined their first time would be a private affair. Because they were roommates, Vahn couldn't easily make a move on Aki, and it would be somewhat awkward to ask her to join him in his room while Ryuu was staying quietly next door.
After releasing a short sigh, Vhan made his way into the Manor and headed toward the onsen to cool his head in the cold air and hot water. Though he wasn't in high tensions like the past, Vahn was too 'aware' of the girls now that he had the logbooks that were given to him earlier in the day. Since he hadn't checked them since then, Vahn decided to look through them for a bit to see if anything had changed. Fortunately, he learned he could actually check the information without removing the logbooks from his inventory, just like he could 'download' the information of other books. This allowed him to be somewhat discreet about the matter, even though it was impossible for someone to sneak up on him presently.
Vahn noticed a new message at the very top of the list that had been written by Syr. She thanked him for the date and how much effort he put into helping the children at the Orphanage. With a small smile on his face, Vahn continued to browse through the Secret Log for a bit and saw various well-wishes and small comments directed toward him. It seemed that a lot of girls had taken to writing kind words for his benefit, and Vahn took note of each of them with a happy smile on his face. He eventually came across a somewhat messy looking series of words that said, 'The Goliath is going to respawn on Thursday. We were going to go hunt it if you wanted to come along~!' -Tiona. Vahn recalled his last fight with the titanic creature and remembered his desire to fight it again. He figured that, if he offered them the drop items, the girls would probably let him solo it again. Even though he couldn't proactively work alongside any of the Familia within the Alliance, the Guild wouldn't be able to fault him for wanting to fight the Goliath, as it was a relatively rare spawn.
After going through the Secret Log, Vahn gave a cursory glance at the Status Log out of curiosity. Even though he was going to 'cool off', Vahn still had a strange desire to know what the girls were currently up to.
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[Status Log]
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Hephaestus: Busy: Available on request...
Eina: Free: Sleeping...
Loki: Free: I don't mind a late night rendezvous...
Syr: Busy: Good luck in the dungeon Vahn...
Tiona: Busy: Oooh, I want to see you fight again~!
Ryuu: Free: Thanks for spending time with Syr.
Ais: Busy: I'm curious how strong you have become...
Aki: Free: Don't hesitate to knock if you are lonely...
Chloe: Busy: Syr is going bonkers~! What did you do on your date?
Arnya: Busy: The Witch has been awakened from her slumber...Vahn, help...
Tione: Free: Lets go fight the Monster Rex on the 17th floor on Thursday!
Aisha: Busy: Just let me know, I'll come running if you need me...
Lunoire: Busy: Syr is scary tonight...
Anubis: Busy: The children have returned safely.
Lefiya: Busy: I will prepare snacks and potions...
Riveria: Busy: You should come fight the Monster Rex. I want to see your skills in action.
Tsubaki: Free: I wonder if I write something here if Vahn will really come? Ahahahaha...
Naaza: Free: It is good to be able to contact each other like this...
Lili: Free: I have returned Vahn! Please come find me whenever you want!
Nanu: Busy: I will get even stronger...
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Though he wasn't too surprised that most people were 'busy', given how late it was, there were a few things that caused Vahn to pause in the middle of the corridor. Since there were so many people that wanted him to go fight the Monster Rex, Vahn had decided to take them up on the offer. The thing that truly brought him to a halt was the seemingly playful remark of Tsubaki. He knew she probably wasn't serious, but Vahn had a powerful urge to show up just to 'spite' and tease her. Though he would probably take a hard hit for his efforts, Vahn wanted to see the mature bronze-skinned beauty blush a bit...
He had only been a few steps from the onsen, the method he had intended to use to calm his mind, but now he felt compelled to act on his instinct. After stepping into the changing room, Vahn pulled out his communication scroll and wrote that he would be attending the fight against the Goliath. Without stopping to change, he stepped outside in the open air onsen before disappearing from the enclosed area and into the freezing cold night air. He sent a brief comment about 'going out for the night' so that people wouldn't worry too much about his sudden disappearance.
Now that he knew he could read the logbooks within his inventory, Vahn saw the various responses that were coming in questioning where he was heading. Hephaestus had even blatantly asked if there was an enemy that needed to be dealt with and it caused Vahn to smile. He was tempted to say 'yes', since he was heading off to a battle of sorts, but he didn't want to trigger the network with his joke. He stopped on a rooftop and pulled out his scroll and quickly penned that everything was okay and that there wasn't anything to worry about. He said he just wanted to get some fresh air because he had been lost in thought ever since his visit to the Orphanage earlier.
After he put away the scroll, Vahn continued toward Tsubaki's workshop with a renewed vigor because she had even made a remark of her own in the red logbook joking that he was on his way to meet her. She got a few cheeky remarks from some of the girls, but Loki and Syr seemed to have seen through the truth as they said, 'Oh, you're in trouble now~', and 'Tsubaki...I feel like you're pretty sneaky'. Since it was Loki and Syr speaking, the other girls that were paying attention to the event jumped on the bandwagon and started teasing Tsubaki. Though she didn't respond for a while, Tsubaki eventually sent a message asking, 'You don't really think he is coming to my workshop right now, right?'. Answering her question was Hephaestus, who said, 'Tsubaki, I just looked at the Status of everyone. I didn't think you were that airheaded...'
As he leaped through the air, Vahn couldn't help but let out a laugh that dispersed a large cloud of condensation. He didn't get to see what was discussed on the larger network, but just reading the logs of what everyone was saying within his smaller network was very entertaining. Though it wasn't likely as drastic as his imagination, he could imagine the flustered Tsubaki panicking after realizing her error. There was a good chance that she had gotten a little drunk after returning from the expedition, so she had likely intended her comment as an actual joke. Unfortunately, she underestimated their 'vendetta' and Vahn had occasionally been thinking of how to get even with her.
When he was around two minutes away, Vahn noticed that the information in the Status Logbook now listed Tsubaki as 'Busy' and she had erased her earlier message and written, 'I've gone to sleep'. Reading the message, Vahn stopped atop a building and overlooked the residences in the far distance where a large number of workshops and Manors were close together. Since the logbook was supposed to state when a girl was being receptive to him, Vahn felt like he needed to pull back now that she changed her status to 'Busy'. It was actually late at night, and there were likely several things she needed to take care of tomorrow since they had just returned from an expedition, even if it was just a 'practice' mission.
While he was lost in contemplation, Vahn noticed a new line of text, this time in the Secret Logbook that said, 'If you're almost here, I'll pour a few drinks for you...but nothing more'. There wasn't a signature attached to it, but Vahn knew it was from Tsubaki so he leaped forward with Shundo and advanced in the direction of her workshop. After a few short minutes, he arrived on a wall adjacent to her Manor before concealing his presence. Though she hadn't been saying anything, Vahn was absolutely certain Lili had been paying attention to what everyone was saying on the network. He needed to sneak in without notice, or it would become a different problem entirely. Fortunately, because it was a Manor designed personally by Tsubaki, there was adequate soundproofing all throughout the house, including most of the rooms.
Vahn jumped off the wall while evading the complex defensive arrays that were set up all around Tsubaki's Manor. He had the key to enter whenever he wanted, but Vahn wanted to surprise Tsubaki and avoid alerting Lili and Naaza, at least for the time being. He had already completely concealed his presence as he slowly maneuvered through the eastern courtyard and moved stealthily towards Tsubaki's room. Along the way, Vahn noticed a powerful lump of mana and, even though it was very small, he knew that Lili had actually disguised herself and lay in ambush. He knew about her promotion to Level 2, but he hadn't seen how her capabilities had increased ever since his probation started. She apparently had developed her magic to the point where she could disguise herself as a small animal, because Vahn could see what looked like a chestnut colored rabbit hiding in the shadows along the corridor. Since none of the rooms people slept in had windows open to the outside, the only way to get to Tsubaki's room was through the corridor where Lili had posted herself, almost as if she were acting as a silent sentry protecting Tsubaki's bedchamber.
Other than knocking her out, Vahn couldn't find a solution to the current problem that wouldn't create a bigger one in the future. He really did care about Lili, and he didn't want to do anything to hurt her trust in him. Even though her Affection was locked at 99, Vahn knew her actual hidden parameters were probably very high. They had a future promise to be together, but it still didn't stop her attempts to try and get closer to him sooner. Since he didn't really spend much time with her ever since moving in with the Anubis Familia several months ago, Vahn could understand why she was so anxious. Prior to his solo journey into the dungeon, they spent a great deal of time together and that had spontaneously changed based on a decision he had made in his own interests.
Vahn released a muted sigh that didn't pass beyond the area of his domain before he used Shundo to silently sneak up behind her. While he had his [Stealth] active through his domain, Vahn could conceal even his scent. [Featherfoot] made his steps absolutely silent and he could prevent any vibrations from traveling through the floor that would alert her to his presence. Since she was so focused on the corridor leading to Tsubaki's room, she was caught completely off guard as Vahn reached forward and picked up the small rabbit by its sides. She immediately started kicking her feet as if she were an actual rabbit before seeing who had picked her up. The small bunny became somewhat limp in his hands as she stared at him with hazelnut colored eyes.
Now that she had calmed down, Vahn whispered quietly, "You've made excellent progress Lili...I'm really impressed." Vahn had been investigating her transformation and noticed that, even though she had shrunk her body by a great deal, the small rabbit in his hands still weighed slightly over 30kg. She also had a Pallum sized aura, even though she was in a very small form presently. He noticed she was either unable to speak in her form, or she was trying to put on an act so he said, "Welcome back...I heard you went on an expedition. It's good that you're safe." As he spoke, Vahn cuddled the tiny rabbit a bit and it writhed about in his arms before he could feel the small shape begin to increase in size.
After a few seconds, the magical light that had encompassed Lili's body faded away and she hung limply in Vahn's arms since he had been holding her prior to her reversion. Her original size was only 110cm, so Vahn felt like he was holding one of the children back at the orphanage and it made a smile appear on his face before he set her down on the floor. She was wearing a pair of pink pajamas with, perhaps intentionally, small caricatures of bunny rabbits on them. Lili stared up at him with her light-chestnut colored eyes with a contemplative, yet sad, expression on her face as she asked, "You didn't come here for me though, did you?"
Vahn squinted his eyes before shaking his head and saying, "Things are never that simple Lili, especially with everything that has happened. I'll admit, I came here to tease Tsubaki a bit after her inciting words within the logbook. However, you've known me longer than anyone...you know I'm not making an effort to avoid you, or anything like that. I just want to give you time, since I hope you'll grow closer to the others if I'm not putting pressure on you..." Whenever he was around her, Lili's main focus was always on him. All of the goals she had set for herself were related to him, and she was the girl Vahn was most concerned about breaking down if something actually happened to him.
Lili continued to stare up at him quietly for a long while as a moisture slowly built up in her eyes. Vahn could see her aura flickering greatly and knew she felt very hurt by his words, even though she also seemed to agree with him. She eventually couldn't bottle things up well anymore and tried to fall to the floor but Vahn caught her gently in his arms and comforted her for the first time in a while. Though she wasn't being too loud, her cries caught the attention of Tsubaki who opened her door and was surprised to see Vahn holding the crying Lili in his arms. He gave her a wry smile since he didn't get to surprise her to the same extent as he originally intended.
After around ten minutes, Lili finally stopped crying and just continued to nuzzle her face into Vahn's collar in silence. Vahn felt her breath tickle his exposed skin so he rubbed her back and asked in a gentle tone, "Do you feel better now?" Lili released a lukewarm sigh before finally separating from his body with slightly swollen eyes. Her earlier tears hadn't been an act, she just couldn't keep bottling up the emotions she had been keeping at bay recently. A small frown appeared on her face and she bundled up her fists confidently and said, "I'll do it Vahn...I'll show you I can get to Level 3 before my birthday. I'll even try to get along with the other girls...there are just so many of them that I'm afraid you'll abandon me one day. I sometimes have trouble sleeping because I'm afraid that you'll forget about me..."
Vahn shook his head and look straight into Lili's eyes as he asked, "Do you truly feel that way, that I'd willingly abandon you..?" It wasn't an act, Vahn showed a genuinely hurt expression before he swallowed the knot in his throat and asked, "Did you forget our first meeting so soon? My convictions then have never faded, not for a single moment. It is my concern for you, that you'll lose your way, that prevents us from being together Lili..." From the moment she saw his hurt expression, Lili started to breathe heavily like she was about to start hyperventilating. As Vahn said, she knew him better than almost anyone else and she was also the most aware of how silly her fears were. If she were in danger, Lili knew that Vahn would move Heaven and Earth to try and save her...
Lili's lower jaw began to quiver a bit as the stuttered, "I-I'm so-" Vahn shook his head before walking forward and embracing Lili again and stating firmly, "Never, ever, say such cruel things, Lili. I know you're sorry, but it still breaks my heart to hear things like that. More than your apology, I'd rather you continue doing your best...not for my benefit, but for your own." Lili nodded her head and held back her tears as she sniffled to prevent the fluids from draining from her nose. Vahn patted her back a few times before separating and handing her a small box. Lili hesitated for a brief moment before reaching forward and taking the box from Vahn's hand. She opened it up and a surprised expression appeared on her face before the tears began falling from her already puffy eyes.
Though he had accidentally destroyed the first one when he ventured into the dungeon, Vahn had reforged the paired locket that he had purchased with Lili in the past. Within the box, there was a large orichalcum heart with a gap in the center where a smaller heart could be inlaid. Lili reached into he opening at the top of her pajamas and pulled out the silver chain before seating the small silver heart snuggly into the golden heart within the box. Vahn smiled and said with mock relief in his voice, "Whew...I was afraid it wouldn't be a proper match. Looks like I got it right...lucky~." Lili's brows furrowed low before she removed the locket from the box and placed it around Vahn's neck. She looked at him with a stern expression on her face and said, "Don't break this one...I was very sad when I saw you weren't wearing it anymore."
Vahn smiled before ruffling her hair and whispering in a quiet voice, "Don't worry, this time I made sure it was indestructible..." Lili little face blushed furiously as she gazed at the small golden locket around Vahn's neck. She fiddled with the silver locket around her own neck before saying in a somewhat urgent manner, "I want one to...one that will never break, no matter what happens." Vahn laughed at her concern and she became a little flustered until he reached out his hand and said, "Of course..." There was a second box within his palm, since he had long anticipated her request from the very moment he reforged his. Without removing her previous one, Lili let Vahn place the new locket around her neck and he played with them both for a short moment before saying, "Thank you Vahn...for always being with me when I feel like I'm going to break. Just like this locket, I'll persist forever without backing down..." There was a renewed conviction in the small Pallums eyes as she quickly leaned forward and sneaked a kiss on Vahn's lips before trotting off along the corridor. As if she were embarrassed to be seen normally, Lili transformed into a small rabbit before disappearing around the corner.
Vahn heard footsteps from behind and turned his head to see the smiling face of Tsubaki looking down on him. Answering a question he never asked, Tsubaki said, "She has really been working hard. Even when she is asleep, she always uses her magic to improve her own control over the spell. Though she has only been able to compress her body till now, she keeps bragging about one day being able to increase the size of her body..." Vahn quickly understood Tsubaki's implication so he released a small sigh before extending his hand for Tsubaki to help him rise. She pulled him up with a cheeky smile on her face before Vahn repeated his actions of the past and drew his fingers along her abdomen. His control over [Hands of Nirvana] was much stronger than in the past, so Tsubaki's legs buckled the moment he got his feet under him.
Tsubaki released a surprisingly sensual gasp as Vahn supported her body by her arms and whispered, "I didn't forget the reason I came here...I think it's about time we even up the score a bit, unless you want to give up and call it quits~?" Even Vahn didn't know why, but he couldn't help but tease Tsubaki ever since he moved out of her Manor. She had 'tormented' him quite a bit in the past, but it wasn't until his 'awakening' that his desire to tease her arose. He truly believed it was a waste that she had given up having children, and if she showed any signs of opening her heart to him, Vahn was determined to give her a child of her own in the future.
Though she had taken a few deep breaths at first, Tsubaki gripped around Vahn's arms, which he was using to support her, and put a bit of strength into her fingers. She could feel Vahn's bones creak a bit under the force, but she noticed his face didn't even flinch for a moment. A giddy feeling welled up in her stomach, in the same area where Vahn had touched earlier. Even now, there was a tingling sensation in her body like all of her nerves had been stimulated simultaneously and it was almost impossible to put any strength into her lower body. She looked up and locked eyes with the young boy that used to be under her care and saw the serious, yet playful, look in his eyes as he waited for her answer. For the first time, other than when she was in battle, Tsubaki could feel her pulse quicken as she gnashed her teeth and said, "I'm not going to give up against a snot-nosed brat that thinks he outgrew his britches..." Vahn's serious expression morphed into a somewhat gentle one as he supported Tsubaki's body before using Shundo to dash through the door she had left open previously. He kicked it closed behind him and said, "I wonder if your confidence will last until the end..."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Restless','Fragile Heart : Tiny Animal','Cyclops Vs. Godhand')
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Level 1 Vahn: https://imgur.com/a/zFOLFrT
Courtesy of https://www.deviantart.com/robusta-mania
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