Shizune was very surprised to see how much her Magic parameter had grown since she didn't actually use any abilities that should help develop the parameter. Vahn used the opportunity while she was distracted to rinse off his body before explaining, "A lot of the time, parameters can be influenced by other factors, not just the exillia you gain. If there is strong enough inspiration or emotional development, your parameters can have massive leaps..." This was something Vahn had often talked about during their lessons so Shizune understood what he was trying to say. She tried to think about what could have triggered the shift and immediately recalled the image of Vahn mowing down more than a hundred monsters with the wave of a hand...
Though he wasn't looking at her, Vahn sensed the subtle change in Shizune once again and nodded his head, "As long as you possess the willpower to obtain what you desire, there are no restrictions on your growth. It depends on your effort and how much you believe your actions have a purpose..." Simply training often didn't lead to real growth, as many people that trained 'desperately' actually had little confidence in themselves. The reason why many people were considered prodigies is simply a result of a difference in 'perspective'. By believing their actions brought about real change, the record itself would respond to their desire and allow them to grow much stronger. Though they couldn't influence change as much as Vahn could, as a result of The Path, there were several instances of the girls getting huge boosts in their strength after undergoing a shift in their mentality.
Checking the system time, Vahn figured that many of the girls should be returning home soon so he decided to get out of the bath and make his final preparations to receive Riveria. They hadn't specified where the procedure would take place so Vahn needed to track down Riveria so it wouldn't be as awkward for her. Though she was a very dutiful woman, Vahn could imagine her struggling to actually show up unless he made things very clear and set a specific time. Since she hadn't gone into the Dungeon today, Vahn knew she was probably at the 'Secret Garden' with Terra.
Thinking till here, Vahn turned to Hestia and Chloe, explaining, "I have some things to take care of this afternoon, so I'll be leaving first." As they had already learned about the matter through the network, neither girl was surprised by his words, leaving Shizune as the only one out of the loop. Presently, she was lost in her own thoughts and hadn't heard Vahn's words, allowing him to escape before she understood the situation. She followed his back with her amethyst-like eyes and, though he couldn't see it while looking away from her, Vahn was aware of a mild fluctuation in her aura. Deciding to let her mentality develop on its own, he pretended he hadn't noticed anything and casually exited the onsen area as clothes materialized around his body...
As expected, Vahn found Riveria soaking her bare feet within the wellspring while Terra was, as usual, sunbathing with her naked back exposed to the air. Though she detected his presence, Terra just lazily moved the tips of her wings through the water and turned her head lazily in his direction. She knew he was here to 'retrieve' Riveria and likely wouldn't be 'spoiling' her any even if she tried to incite him. Terra knew Vahn was pretty easy to 'handle' at times, but this didn't apply at all when he already had plans or had decided to focus on his work. She had tried visiting his workshop once and he only spared her a glance and a smile before returning to work. Though his serious expression was very interesting to see, Terra didn't like staying inside and even preferred laying in the rain over being within the Manor itself.
Since Terra didn't move much while she was sunbathing, Riveria turned her head in the same direction before taking a deep breath when she saw Vahn's arrival. She had spent the entire day 'preparing' her mind for what they were going to do but it hadn't helped much. Even soaking her feet in the wellspring, something that usually made her feel very peaceful and calm, had a greatly diminished effect compared to normal. Riveria didn't mind Vahn seeing her body naked, as they often bathed together, but it was an entirely different matter to have him touching her, especially around her stomach. However, she had no intentions of avoiding the situation and resolved herself to try and get used to the intimacy they would likely share in the future.
Walking over with a smile, Vahn helped Riveria stand up and helped support her arm and shoulder, even though she could easily stand on her own. She gave him a plain look and didn't decline his assistance even though part of her wanted to reprimand him. As he was very receptive to the changes in her aura, Vahn gave a wry smile and explained, "I remembered that we never specified when we would be conducting the procedure and thought you might be here...sorry for making you wait, Riveria." Though he didn't mean anything else by it, Riveria's mouth became small and she had a light look of blame in her eyes as an almost imperceptible blush touched her cheeks. The way he worded it made it sound like she had been 'waiting' for him, which wasn't inherently wrong if she actually considered it...
Releasing a sigh, Riveria separated from Vahn's hands and turned her back, asking, "Have you already completed the preparations...?" as she walked over to the table. Vahn set out some fresh tea for her and tossed the cold tea into his Inventory before saying, "I have all the materials and I've memorized the process from start to finish. Whenever you're ready, we can-" Riveria turned her head toward Vahn and caused him to swallow his words when he saw the light blush on her face become increasingly red. He wasn't trying to tease her so her reaction was somewhat unexpected, causing Vahn's heart rate to accelerate quickly as the words got stuck in his throat.
Riveria frowned deeply when she saw Vahn's expression because it only made her feel even more 'nervous' than she had been previously. One of the things she 'hated' the most about Vahn is how easy his face was to read, as he was always way too open about his thoughts and emotions, causing Riveria to get flustered far more easily than she'd like. Yes, they may have promised themselves to each other, but she didn't think that was a justification for how 'uncouth' his actions were. The worst part of it all was how his look actually made her feel a little happy and 'proud', not because she was a High Elf, but because his affections were the only ones she had ever allowed to reach her heart. Nothing in her 97 years of life had prepared her for how to deal with her actual emotions, so Vahn's actions were very 'vexing' for Riveria...
Seeing her reaction, Vahn became much calmer and decided he needed to be more decisive since Riveria would probably 'react' to it better than if he was roundabout. Thinking about his words, Vahn asked in a very calm tone, "Riveria, do you love me...?" This time, Vahn got to see a reaction that normally would have made his brain buzz and force him to enter a daze. This time, however, he used [Will of the Emperor] to keep his calm even though Riveria's blushing face made him feel like immortalizing this image in a painting. Other than her eyes opening slightly, her expression hadn't changed much except for the almost crimson blush that was 'threatening' to expand into her ears.
For several seconds, Riveria didn't say anything at all until she finally averted her eyes and said, "The way I feel about you is something I don't understand myself, Vahn, but I believe it is very close to love..." As she had seen other women in love, especially by observing the girls within the Manor, Riveria was certain she felt 'something' for Vahn. He had freed her from her somewhat tragic future and was now working hard to help create a better future for her entire people, something that she was infinitely grateful for.
Vahn smiled when he heard Riveria's response and simply said, "Though it might not mean much coming from someone like me, know that I care for you deeply, Riveria...it may not be to the extent of some girls, but I do love you. You are very intelligent and have been a great mentor and companion to me..." Riveria took a deep breath through her nose and Vahn could see that she was holding her breath while listening to him. She was likely wanting to ask why he was saying all of this now, so Vahn explained, "In the future, we may have much time to spend together like this...I will likely be progressively busier as time passes and I would like for us to use these rare moments together to become closer. I don't want our child to grow up seeing their parents acting distantly around each other...I will do my best not to tease you excessively, but I wish you would open your heart to me, Riveria..."
Since Riveria was a very rational woman, Vahn figured being direct and explaining what he was thinking would be the best method to get through to her. Though she seemed to be struggling with his words, Vahn could see a sunny yellow and a wispy pink flowing through her aura that meant she was seriously considering the matter. He had essentially used her own words against her, saying they should be loving so that their children grew up having empathy, compassion, and love. With an 'excuse', Vahn was confident Riveria would slowly open up to him as a matter of principle...it was a bit of a shameless tactic, but Vahn knew Riveria was a very dutiful woman and would do her best if she had the right 'reason'.
Though Vahn's intelligence might be lacking at times, he had become very perceptive to the thoughts and actions of others, especially the women around him. As he had anticipated, Riveria was currently mulling over his words and progressively opening up to the idea. She knew his words were true and that, regardless of how much she tried to resist her own emotions, Vahn would eventually break down her walls. Putting it off didn't benefit anyone and only made it more difficult for her to interact with him because of her own thoughts. Riveria already worried that she was taking advantage of Vahn and sometimes got lost in her own guilty thoughts when she was going over the research journals he had given her.
Vahn had actually given her many things...a brighter future for herself, a path for her people, magical knowledge, insights into her own research, and various kinds of other support, both emotional and physical. She, however, had given him next to nothing and only burdened the relatively young boy with, not just her problems, but the problems of her entire Kingdom. The one thing she had given him, other than a bit of advice, was a 'promise' to be with him so that he wouldn't have to bear her burdens on his own. However, even after making such a promise, Riveria hadn't actually opened her heart to him and, being the somewhat sensible boy he was at times, Vahn hadn't actually pushed her to accept him and often 'behaved' solely out of consideration for her mentality...
Putting everything into perspective, Riveria was shocked to realize that she had actually been one-sidedly gaining advantages from Vahn while he constantly exercised patience on her behalf. Because of her own inhibitions, Vahn had been 'giving' to her constantly while she just sat in the garden he made...talking to the True Dragon he had created...drinking the expensive and delicious tea he had given her...reading the books and notes that he had taken...all because she couldn't 'tolerate' the idea of exposing her heart so easily. Even goddesses had given themselves to Vahn, yet her own pride and sensibilities made her act like she was 'special' and 'unique' when the only thing she had been was 'present' in a very convenient situation for herself...
Vahn shook his head at this point and said in a gentle and guiding tone, "Riveria, you are an incredibly intelligent woman...but let me give you a bit of advice that one of my greatest mentors had given me in the past...I've found that it has made life a lot easier at times, hahaha~." Riveria raised her somewhat pale face and it was very clear she was confused, both by Vahn's words and her own thoughts. Vahn smiled before standing with his arms akimbo, just like Tsubaki always did when she was lecturing and teasing others, "You think too much...loosen up and be more decisive. Why have regrets about the actions you've taken when you can simply make better decisions in the future?"
Hearing Vahn's words, Riveria's mind actually blanked and she gave him an incredulous look as if she had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. She could actually imagine Tsubaki saying something like that to Vahn, as even Riveria believed he overthought things at times. Most of the things he said, at least when he was trying to motivate people, sounded like the foolish words of an idealist, or a boy trying to 'act' the role of someone with great insight. The difficult thing to comprehend was that Vahn obviously said his 'silly' words very seriously, almost like he was giving a speech without actually thinking about the context of his words. This time, however, his words were very easy to understand and Riveria felt like there was more truth in the simple statement than anything they had previously discussed.
Seeing Riveria's expression soften and the color return to her face, Vahn showed a gentle smile and, even though every instinct in his body told him not to, pushed his luck and said, "I promise that I won't do anything strange to you during the procedure...even though I'll admit, it is very tempting to see how you would react..." Though he had already prepared himself for one of Riveria's outbursts, the only thing she did was look at him with a slightly complicated expression on her face, almost as if she was in seriously thinking about his words. Vahn couldn't stop himself from swallowing his saliva, this time causing Riveria's blush to slowly creep up on her cheeks like watching wine spread through a satin cloth.
At this point, the atmosphere had become strangely tense and it wasn't until an unexpected element was introduced that the tensions 'broke'. Terra had been watching the scene play out with interest but grew increasingly frustrated the more she saw Riveria hesitating. She couldn't comprehend why Riveria, who often talked about Vahn's research and the 'future' he would create, was hesitating when it was very clear she wanted to move their relationship forward as well. As one of the few people that couldn't easily get close to Vahn, Terra was very annoyed by the proceedings because she would have immediately taken the leap if she had been in the same situation. When Riveria looked over, Terra squinted her eyes slightly before laying her head back down on her roost, as if she had 'lost interest' in the farce that was taking place.
Riveria felt awkward for a very different reason now because she had actually 'forgotten' about Terra's presence when she had been talking with Vahn. This time, her blush crept into her ears and she didn't miss the fact that the corner of Vahn's mouth raised slightly the moment the heat touched her ears. After taking a quick breath and 'huffing' it out, Riveria mustered up her resolve and raised her head 'proudly', saying, "You are the 'man' that is going to be my husband...the father of my children...and the Master I have recognized as a result of your incredible capabilities...if that is your wish, I will abide by your desires and do my best to...satisfy you as both your wife and disciple..." He had already been a little overwhelmed by Riveria's blushing face but her words had completely pushed him over the edge. Vahn originally expected that Riveria would make some mild concessions but now it was sounding like she was 'allowing' him to do whatever he wanted...
Deciding he would rather 'discover' the limits of her words instead of asking her to clarify them, Vahn pushed his [Will of the Emperor] a bit so he could keep his focus and said, "Very well, Riveria. Though we aren't married yet, from this point on you are my fiancee...since we don't have a sacred tree to pledge our vows to, I will leave the decision to you for how you want to proceed. If you'd like me to decide, however, I already have something in mind I believe is suitable..." At this point, Riveria's blush had reached the tips of her very long and pointy ears and there was a 'pouting' expression on her face as she asked, "What did you have in mind...Vahn?" Realizing she was essentially asking how he'd like to marry her, Riveria could feel her heart beating in her throat and swallowed hard as if she could force it back down into her chest.
Vahn pointed toward the sky, causing Riveria to look up habitually only to see nothing but clear blue skies overhead. To answer her question before she even answered it, Vahn smiled and said, "We should get married in a private ceremony high above the rest of the world...what we're trying to do is reshape the destiny of the entire continent, so I believe it is very suitable...what do you think, my fiancee~?" With her 'permission', Vahn couldn't help but tease Riveria a bit because he wanted her to slowly get used to it. He had no intentions of riling her up, but simple words like these shouldn't be something that sets her off in the future...
Remembering the overview of the world from high in the sky, Riveria's mind entered a bit of a daze because it really had been a beautiful and awe-inspiring sight. If she took Vahn's words into consideration, it really did seem like a suitable place to make vows that could quite literally impact the future of the entire continent below. However, when she remembered her other memories related to that past even, Riveria's blush reached a critical level because she recalled her embarrassing freefall and her hour-long embrace with Vahn. Since the atmosphere had been very cold, even with her barrier, Riveria could distinctly recall his warmth and the massive aura he had spread out to protect her from the wind.
Seeing Riveria's aura turn a very hot pink in color, Vahn thought she found the idea very interesting and released a sigh of relief before nodding his head and saying, "That settles it then...when you're prepared, we will ascend to the skies above this world and pledge ourselves to each other. If you're worried about your image, we can have just the gods and goddess of the Alliance to stand witness. I believe Eina, Ryuu, and Lefiya would like to come along though...and maybe those two from the Guild...Sierra and Pram...?" Riveria came back to her senses halfway through Vahn's words and realized he had already 'decided' they would be getting married in the near future. Her heart was beating powerfully in her chest and Riveria felt like her vision was beginning to get hazy...
Vahn's eyes widened and he stepped forward with [Shundo], catching Riveria's body as her legs buckled. He had never expected her to nearly faint all of a sudden since she typically had strong willpower and should have been able to resist the urge just by stimulating her mana a bit. She didn't seem to be thinking straight and Vahn immediately felt regret for 'teasing' her too hard, placing his hand on her forehead to help calm her mind. Riveria's eyes slowly opened a few seconds later and she just stared blankly at his face as the warm and calming energy passed through her mind.
Riveria normally had Vahn channel mana into her back and had never allowed him to 'pet' her like he did the other girls. Unexpectedly, Riveria found his touch neither repulsive or taxing to her sensibilities...no, the only thing she could feel was a gentle warmth and a very pleasant and calming sensation as the 'threads' of Vahn's [Petting] Development Ability spread through her body. Completely contrary to her usual character, Riveria squinted her eyes slightly and Vahn's brain began to buzz when he saw the contented smile on her face. Though it wasn't the first time he marveled at his own ability, Vahn felt awed by how 'effective' his [Petting] was for it to even affect someone like Riveria...
....
....
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//[Petting] Development Ability Increased To Rank A//
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Shizune's Thoughtful Gaze','High Elf Princess Vs. The Hero','Irresistible Godhand')
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For nearly a minute, Vahn absentmindedly stared at Riveria and continued stroking her head, shocked by the continued development of his [Petting] ability and the reaction of the mature High Elf. At this point, Riveria had completely closed her eyes and seemed to be greatly enjoying his caress, contrary to any expectations he had at the very beginning. Though part of him advised caution, Vahn felt an inclination to see exactly what he could get away with before Riveria came back to her senses. She was very obviously in a somewhat absentminded state and Vahn felt somewhat emboldened by her uncharacteristic behavior.
Knowing better than to push her too far, Vahn did a relatively simple action and moved his hand from Riveria's forehead and caressed the side of her cheek in a very 'affectionate' manner. Riveria also seemed to have noticed the 'abnormality' in the situation and immediately opened her eyes to stare at Vahn with a shocked expression on her face. Vahn did his best to put on the most gentle expression he could as he asked, "Are you okay...Riveria?" while cradling the left side of her face with his right hand. Riveria furrowed her brows slightly and Vahn could see a blush creeping up her neck at a visible rate as she said, "I'm fine..."
Vahn's smile became more genuine as he released a relieved sigh and said, "That's good..." while allowing his middle finger to touch against the base of Riveria's ear, immediately causing it to turn scarlet. Riveria frowned deeply at this but Vahn could see her jaw quivering slightly at the sudden contact, as allowing someone to touch your ears was an incredibly intimate action. However, the fact Riveria didn't say anything to stop him made Vahn feel warmth flow out of from his chest as he muttered, "You're very beautiful..." before putting on a hopeful expression and asking, "May I...give you a kiss...?" Though it wouldn't be the first time they kissed, Vahn was currently supporting Riveria's body and it was decidedly more awkward than their previous interactions.
Riveria thought she had found her resolve but now realized she was grossly unprepared for sharing intimate moments with Vahn. However, the more she felt inclined to resist, the most Riveria berated herself because she really didn't want to keep taking advantage of Vahn. Though almost every fiber of her being wanted to refuse, Riveria clenched her teeth to stop their chattering and nodded her head with a 'serious' expression on her face. Vahn smiled happily, making Riveria feel even more flustered, and stroked the side of her face gently before leaning in to give her a very tame kiss. The only thing that made it 'dangerous' was the length, as Vahn took advantage of the opportunity to press his lips against Riveria's until she made the decision to pull away. Strangely, she seemed almost 'unwilling' to back down first so they ended up in an awkward moment where Riveria's face become increasingly red as she held her breath. Vahn continued stroking the side of her head, not shying away from tracing his finger near the base of her ear until she eventually released a heavy sigh through her nose and turned her face to the side in embarrassment and frustration.
Using the momentary lull, Vahn figured Riveria would need a bit of coaxing to 'justify' her own thoughts and actions so he gently muttered, "Riveria, don't worry...I'll never force you into anything you're against and we only have to act intimately in private. Even if it's only periodically, I think I would be very happy seeing your blushing face when we're together..." Though he mentioned being in private, Vahn was very aware of the heavy gaze of Terra who was relaxing against her roost. She was being very quiet, blending in with the environment itself, but Vahn could feel a bit of resentment wafting from her, not directed at him, but Riveria.
Riveria didn't seem to sense this at all, however, and seemed to be seriously considering his words once again. He felt it was somewhat 'cute' how she put so much effort into rationalizing things but didn't want her to push herself too hard again, taking the initiative to say, "Emotions are something you feel, Riveria...don't overthink them..." as he sealed her lips again. This time, Riveria didn't have the opportunity to close her mouth and Vahn managed to probe into her lips with his tongue before immediately removing it when her teeth 'snapped' closed. Riveria panicked a little at the unexpected kiss but Vahn didn't immediately pull away and instead compressed his domain while infusing a combination of calming and stimulating energy into it.
It was a bit 'shameless', but Vahn had 'learned' from Loki, Syr, and even Eina that he shouldn't shy away from making use of his capabilities, as long as he didn't push it too far. As long as he wasn't 'reliant' on his abilities to make the girls happy, it wasn't really an issue that required him to put restrictions on himself. As a response to the contrasting aura that enveloped her body, Riveria released a sigh through her nose before turning her head away and muttering in a low voice, "Stop...I don't want to keep doing this..." Contrary to her 'expectations', Vahn immediately nodded his head and dissipated his aura, helping Riveria stand while saying, "Sorry, I got a little carried away." in an apologetic tone.
Though she knew he was a 'sensible' boy, Riveria hadn't actually expected Vahn to back down so easily when he was acting so 'aggressively'. She was momentarily at a loss and just looked at him blankly as a strange feeling of 'emptiness' rose up inside of her. Seeing his 'apologetic' look made Riveria feel both guilty and anxious because she had been the one that originally given him permission to kiss her. Vahn simply smiled in response to her vexation, reaching out his hand to stroke the side of her face again, saying, "Don't overthink it, Riveria. If you're feeling any inhibitions about something, please tell me...I don't want to drive you away by pushing you into something you aren't prepared for. For now, we should just take care of the procedure before Terra ends up losing her temper."
Riveria had started to feel even more guilty as she listened to Vahn's words but was startled at the 'reminder' of Terra's presence. Her eyes widened and she looked toward the sunbathing True Dragon, seeing the 'gentle smile' on her face as uncharacteristically cold. Though she was much stronger than Terra, Riveria felt a little intimidated by her look and turned away, nodding to Vahn as she said, "Yes...let's go to the...salon?" Realizing her suggestion, Riveria felt a bit of panic and was very aware of how quickly her heart was beating. She felt like it was getting progressively harder to 'cope' with all the emotions that were going to war inside of her body. The only thing keeping her moving forward was her feelings of guilt, the strong sense of duty she had, and the 'wavering' trust she felt toward Vahn...
Vahn nodded at Riveria's suggestion and did his best to remain calm as he turned to Terra and showed an apologetic expression on his face as he said, "Sorry, Terra...I'll make it up to you later." In response to his words, Terra's wings slowly traced a smooth curve through the water as her tail snaked from side to side, a sign she was 'looking forward' to how he would apologize. Vahn gave an awkward smile before looking toward Riveria and suggesting, "Shall we go...?" while extending his hand to her. Riveria stared at his outstretched hand for several seconds, 'willing' herself to eventually reach out and grab it with her own before saying, "Yes..." in a quiet tone.
Surprisingly, Riveria allowed Vahn to escort her all the way to the edge of the illusory forest before she eventually pulled her hand free from his. Though he gave her a questioning look and a slight smile, Vahn didn't ask and simply continued to lead the way until she reached his salon. They had passed by a few people along the way, causing Riveria's aura to fluctuate slightly, but she maintained a stoic expression and simply nodded in greeting. As for Vahn, he shared a few words with the girls but didn't tarry for long since he knew Riveria probably wanted to get things taken care of as soon as possible. Once they reached the salon proper, Vahn could sense Riveria relax greatly and she released an audible sigh to emphasize the tensions she had been experiencing. He had realized this a while back, but Riveria sighed more than anyone else he had ever met, completely unaware that the reason for this was almost exclusively because of him.
Before he could try to break the ice, Riveria had surprisingly seized the initiative by saying, "I was serious about my earlier words, Vahn...since I'm going to be your wife, I will do my best to 'tolerate' and abide by your wishes. Just...don't embarrass me in front of other people...I need to be strong so that people treat me seriously..." She had never talked about it to anyone else before, but Riveria had often worn far more girly and elegant clothing in the past. After learning that she lost her birthright as a result of being a woman, Riveria had changed her disposition and started wearing more reserved and manly clothing. She had even artificially deepened her voice to make it sound more husky, all so that she wouldn't be treated like some kind of 'delicate flower' by the other nobles.
For nearly fifty years, Riveria had treated most of her interactions with people like a 'confrontation' and had never really made an attempt to open her heart to others, even her close companions like Aina. This was the primary reason she hadn't wanted Vahn to see her [Hearts Desire] in the past because she didn't want him to pry into her past and see how much she had changed...she didn't want his pity. Though he treated her as an 'equal', Riveria often found herself feeling somewhat 'lacking' in comparison to Vahn, oftentimes one-sidedly benefitting from him and only offering small bits of advice in exchange. If he 'pitied' her, Riveria was certain she wouldn't be able to actually stay around him since she 'needed' his respect if they were going to be together and raise their child. Since her own understanding of love was shallow, Riveria prioritized 'respect', 'dignity', and even 'pride' more than her own emotions...
Vahn observed her in silence for a few seconds before softening his expression and saying, "Riveria, I'm actually a pretty selfish person..." Hearing his words, Riveria was confused and gave him a questioning look since she couldn't understand why he was saying such a thing. Though he was a bit foolish at times, Vahn was undoubtedly one of the most 'selfless' people she had ever met. Even if she asked everyone else in the Manor what they thought about Vahn, Riveria couldn't imagine a single one of them, even the goddesses, claiming that he was 'selfish'. Vahn, however, showed his characteristic 'honest' expression and explained, "I wouldn't have 'surrounded' myself with so many capable and beautiful women if I was 'content'..."
Even if the others felt like 'they' were the selfish ones in his relationships, Vahn felt like he had 'needed' almost all the girls and had slowly started to feel like he couldn't easily separate with any of them. So she could understand what he was trying to say better, Vahn continued, saying, "I will probably try to get a rise out of you at times...because, though I love the cool beauty you portray yourself as, I also love the bashful you just as much...I want to see every single expression you can make, as long as its one of happiness or contentedness. Since it's important to you to maintain your image, I will keep all of your happy expressions to myself...at least until our child is born. Please, rest assured, I will never take action that would embarrass you in front of others..." Vahn didn't know what the future would hold but he was confident he could abide by his promise, determined to even make a 'vow' if Riveria wasn't convinced.
Riveria had already seen the 'conviction' in his eyes, however, and she felt the emphasis he placed on each of his words as he stated them very clearly and in a firm tone. Though they were very embarrassing to hear, Riveria also felt 'comforted' knowing that Vahn was so considerate of her. She knew better than anyone about her own insecurities, so it gave her peace of mind knowing that he would respect her 'image', at least when they were in front of others. It might be a little late to consider the matter, especially after their little display in front of Terra, but Riveria didn't mind it too much since she was also at fault. Thus, with her 'resolve' solidified and her heart at greater ease than before, Riveria brought her left hand to the golden clasp around her mantle and unfastened it, allowing the tan fabric to drop to the ground...
Though she was still almost fully clothed, Vahn gulped audibly when he saw Riveria 'discard' her mantle and reveal the somewhat masculine military style robe underneath. She may have tried to 'appear' manly, but Riveria was a breathtaking beauty and there was absolutely nothing she could do to truly convince someone she wasn't a woman. Even with her serious expression, Vahn found her to be very adorable since she was 'fighting' very hard to keep the blush from spreading through her cheeks. Since she hadn't actually 'prepared' for the procedure properly, Riveria knew that the only thing under her robes, other than the black undershirt she had worn after the 'incident', was a mismatched bra and panty. Thinking of Vahn's reaction, Riveria's face became very hot but she continued willing herself forward even though Vahn's gaze was very 'heavy'...
Vahn watched as Riveria unfastened the clasps of her belt before using her somewhat shaky fingers to unbutton her robe. Though her blush had already reached the tips of her inordinately long ears, Riveria didn't seem 'content' with the accomplishment and Vahn was actually worried she would have a nosebleed like Ryuu pretty soon. Deciding it was best not to 'pressure' her too much, Vahn averted his eyes and started preparing the materials for the procedure, feeling Riveria's aura calm down a lot the moment he turned away. He even heard her release another sigh but noticed there was a bit of exasperation mixed in alongside the relief. Riveria had felt both 'grateful' for Vahn's consideration but regretted that she was so 'weak' that she required the kindness of a young boy just to cope...even if that young boy was her future husband.
For the coming procedure, Vahn had prepared a compound ink that was mixed with powdered Orichalcum, Terra's blood, and a small amount of [Cadmus Spring Water] and [Mega Elixir] as the 'carrier' to prevent infection. Though lower-quality materials could be substituted, Vahn wasn't going to cut corners when it came to one of the women that would become his future wives and the mother of children. Even if the combined materials cost several tens-of-millions of Valis, it was literally a small price to pay from Vahn's perspective. For the 'needle', as he would actually be tattooing the formation into Riveria's skin, Vahn used a very thin scale that he had obtained from Fafnir as its tip was only three molecules thick, making it one of the 'sharpest' objects in the record, though it was also somewhat fragile at the same time. The best part was that Fafnir's scales were inherently sterile and it wouldn't absorb any of the magical or medicinal properties of the ingredients at all.
As he could almost perfectly 'simulate' the procedure in his mind, Vahn was confident it would take slightly under three hours to complete, though that was assuming Riveria didn't move at all. He expected she would probably struggle a bit at first until he helped her 'relax' and eased her into the procedure. With his new [Petting: A], Vahn was very confident he could help her calm down, even if it would also be a bit embarrassing for her when she recalled the event later on. He could already 'force' Arnya, Chloe, Aki, and Milan to purr and had already seen that his technique was 'effective' on Riveria earlier. Now that it was even stronger, Vahn expected he could get her to 'relax' pretty easily and hoped she wouldn't be too resistant since he didn't want to be late for dinner and cause her greater embarrassment...
Though it had taken a much longer amount of time than expected, the sound of clothing being moved around eventually came to a stop and there was silence in the salon for a short while afterward. Vahn could 'sense' Riveria perfectly, even without looking at her, and knew she was staring at him with a great deal of hesitation. Deciding to be more forward with her, Vahn turned around with a smile on his face and gave Riveria's body a 'casual' and appreciative glance, saying, "You really are an ethereal beauty..."
Vahn had been somewhat surprised to see that Riveria was wearing a beige colored panty and a light-green bra, Vahn didn't think it was strange at all and simply admired her beauty. As for Riveria, she hadn't expected Vahn to suddenly turn around and froze up under his gaze before feeling a strange sense of relief when he didn't give her a 'weird' look and instead showed clear admiration on his face. It might seem a little 'shallow', but Riveria felt a bit of pride and relaxed a great deal even though she still had many inhibitions about the situation.
Trying to act as professionally as possible, Vahn smiled and gestured to his massage table, saying, "We don't want to be late for dinner and you will probably want to take a bath afterward. Let's go ahead and get started..." Riveria's face became somewhat serious at this point because she also realized how 'awkward' it would be if they showed up to dinner late. Even taking a bath was going to be very 'difficult' in the future because everyone would be able to see the large tattoo that would be covering her abdomen and lower body in the future.
Riveria had previously decided that it 'should' be considered a mark of pride and had already resolved herself to put on a strong front around the others but knew it wouldn't be easy. Though there were some High Elves that carved special formations into their body to make use of their unique magic, Riveria would be the first of the Alf lineage to ever willingly allow her body to be 'blemished'. However, she didn't want people to see it that way and wanted it to be a mark that 'inspired' hope in her people in the future. She had even considered wearing clothing that displayed the mark in the future, though hadn't made an actual decision to show it off quite yet...
Taking a deep breath, Riveria walked over to Vahn's massage table and climbed onto its plush surface, feeling her butt sink into the pliable material below. It was very comfortable, but Riveria felt incredibly awkward as she lay back against it and looked toward the gentle lighting above. She had previously allowed Vahn to touch her back, but this was decidedly different as Riveria would be able to see all of his actions clearly. Her breasts, which she had always been self-conscious of, were clearly displayed before him with only a thin fabric separating them. As for her lower body, Riveria was doing her best not to think about it at all and just 'prayed' that she wouldn't do anything to embarrass herself during the procedure. Part of the tattoo required Vahn to work around the very delicate area and Riveria was very worried, for a variety of reasons...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Momentum Is Key','Terra's Presence...','A Beautiful Unblemished Canvas...')
(A/N: With the severe temperature shifts in my area, I ended up becoming sick so only expect 2-3 chapters for the next day or two. I'll try to do a mass release when I recover, or put out more chapters next week to make up for the loss. Stay strong and stay healthy everyone~!)
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