บท 2073: Subtlety
After spending the night with Vahn and Black Rabbit, Nono was feeling more listless than normal. It didn't bother her that Vahn and Black Rabbit were together. The thing that left her feeling confused was how peaceful she slept in Black Rabbit's arms. Even now, several hours after she had woken up, she could still feel their warmth lingering in her body...a warmth she hadn't experienced ever since her parents died...
"Are you okay, Nono-chan? Does your stomach hurt...?"
"Hmm...?"
Shifting her attention to the speaking, Nono found Lily staring at her with a concerned expression on her face. They had been spending a lot of time together ever since Vahn introduced them to the No Names. She really enjoyed looking after the children. If there was anything she could complain about, it was the mischievous nature of the younger boys. Quite a few of them had developed a bit of a crush on her, and, while she wasn't particularly experienced with love, Nono wasn't oblivious to their longing for affection.
"I'm fine...I was just thinking about something..."
Adopting her characteristically kind smile, Lily left Nono feeling at a loss for words as she asked, "Is it Vahn?"
"..."
Pointing towards her nose, Lily explained, "I have a very strong sense of smell and I memorize the scent of people I care about. It's faint, but I can smell Vahn's and Black Rabbit's scent on you. Did something happen? I'm here if you need to talk."
After taking a moment to smell herself, Nono shook her head before explaining, "It's fine. Nothing bad happened. I was just feeling a little lonely..."
With her expression softening, Lily put down the clothes she was washing before drying her hands and giving Nono a hug. This left the auburn-haired girl feeling bashful, but, having grown used to things like this, she didn't attempt to push Lily away. Instead, a faint blush spread across her face as she muttered, "Thank you..." in a sincere tone of voice...
"No need. We're friends, after all. We look out for each other. Whenever you're feeling lonely, just let me know. I will always make time for you, okay?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, a delicate smile developed across Nono's face as she intoned a meek yet gratified, "Nn..."
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Though he was originally intending to discuss the matter of summoning her parents, Vahn changed his plans after spying on the rather heartwarming scene. His discussion with Shiroyasha had left him feeling doubtful, so, at least for the time being, he decided to let her spend more time with the No Names. He was hoping that the bonds she forged with people like Lily would help to alleviate some of the dejection she would undoubtedly experience if her parents refused the summons...
Shaking that depressing thought from his mind, Vahn extended his non-existent hands to caress both girls' heads. They couldn't actually sense him, but, so long as he focused on emitting positive vibes, he could drastically improve the mood of others even if they couldn't perceive him. As for why he was walking around in a non-existent state, well, it was part of his training.
Since the Divine Realm was the penultimate stop in his journey towards the absolute pinnacle of the Record, Vahn was focusing on the development of his more abstract qualities. One of his goals was reaching a similar level to the Law of Identity in terms of Acausality. He knew he would need to be able to influence the world around him in a way that even the most powerful beings in existence wouldn't be able to parse, so, while he was currently far from the level of Loi-chan, that didn't stop him from practicing.
(*If you were an even bigger pervert, this would be a terrifying ability...*)
("Do you really think I'm a pervert...?")
Giggling from the deepest recesses of Vahn's mind, Sis took a moment to pass her gaze over the countless girls in the observation room before answering, (*Just a little...*)
Exhaling a sigh, Vahn retracted his hands from Nono's and Lily's heads before taking a few steps in no particular direction. Ever since he had installed a barrier and accepted Jin as his apprentice, the No Names' territory was recognized as an extension of his own thanks to his Unit Management. As a result, he was able to move unbounded through space, and, so long as he made preparations in advance, time.
In what most people would perceive as an instant, Vahn found himself standing behind Hime as she overlooked Jin's and Sarina's studies. This was one of the reasons Jin had already developed a crush on Sarina. The two spent hours in the library focusing on their studies. Sarina was pretty determined to learn both magic and alchemy, so, while Nono spent most of her time helping Lily look after the children, she took advantage of Jin's knowledge to help her study.
Jin was, for lack of a more tactful phrase, a very passive boy. He was helpless against strong-willed girls, so, no matter how much it impeded his studies, he did his best to help Sarina. This allowed the two of them to grow steadily closer, as, unlike Lily, his childhood friend, Sarina was something fresh and new in the young boy's life.
As counterintuitive as it might seem, too much familiarity was actually a burden when it came to starting a relationship. Jin had a crush on Lily but he was too afraid to confess for fear of ruining their sibling-like relationship. As for Lily, she viewed Jin as one of the many children she needed to take care of. She loved and adored him unlike another other but it hadn't even crossed her mind to view him as a potential partner.
Fortunately, not all hope was lost for the teal-haired youth. Feelings could always change, and, so long as he could become someone dependable in their hearts, there was a chance he could end up with both Sarina and Lily. This was a route Vahn intended to support, so, while Jin did his best not to appear suspicious, Vahn waited until Sarina noticed the young boy's gaze before causing the surrounding temperature to increase ever so slightly.
"What is it? Is there something on my face...?"
Startled by Sarina's sudden inquiry, a ruddy hue spread through Jin's cheeks as he answered, "No. I just..."
Searching for excuses within his mind, Jin was surprised when he realized that he was a lot calmer than usual. His rapidly beating heart quickly returned to its natural rhythm, and, though it didn't go away completely, most of his anxiety seemed to vanish into thin air as he continued, adding, "I was staring at your ribbon. It matches your eyes..."
Surprised by Jin's remark, Sarina blinked several times as her surroundings seemed to inexplicably heat up. This caused her to feel strangely nervous, her amethyst eyes shifting to Shirayukhime to innocently ask, "Is it getting hot in here, or am I just imagining things?"
"Hmmm?"
Spreading her senses through the area, Hime noticed that the temperature around Sarina's body was, in fact, hotter than usual. Since it was similar to the heat radiating from her body, however, she didn't question it. Instead, she asked, "Would you like me to cool you off? We can also take a break. It has been quite some time since we started studying."
Feeling uncharacteristically self-conscious, Sarina nodded her head before rising from her chair and saying, "I'm going to go get some ice cream..."
Though she was briefly tempted to ask Jin if he wanted to come with her, Sarina scampered out of the Library without looking back. Hime had been assigned to watch over her, so, after bowing her head towards Jin, she quickly followed Sarina's path of departure. This left Jin alone in the library, his face glowing deep crimson as Sarina's vaguely suggestive words played over and over within his mind...
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After triple-checking the barrier to make sure nothing was amiss, Vahn returned to his workshop feeling as though he had accomplished quite a bit. Then, as per usual, he spent the better part of half an hour ruminating over whether or not he should summon Fenrir. She was something of an exception, so, even if he summoned her to his side, none of the girls within his personalized Little Garden would complain. Rather, they would find it weirder if he didn't summon her...
Shaking his head, Vahn decided to wait for a bit. He wasn't feeling particularly lonely and he didn't want Fenrir influencing Sarina, Nono, and the youths in the No Name Community to become good girls. Sure, he appreciated everything she did for him, but, when it came down to it, nearly a third of his harem could be attributed to Fenrir teaching susceptible women how to exploit his particular set of weaknesses.
As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn manifested a crystalline hammer with the intent to forge a few accessories for Jin to gift out. Sarina's and Lily's birthdays were coming up in the next couple of months so he was intending to coach the young Magus until he could give them presents without self-destructing.
"Hmmm...he did draw attention to her ribbon. I could always make a new one. The real question is, what does Lily want? I can't imagine that girl asking for anything..."
Though he had placed an embargo on using the Law of Identity to obtain 'unfair' knowledge, Vahn didn't mind making use of her for things like this. As a result, Loi-chan, appearing as a version of Lily in a school swimsuit, cheerfully answered, "The only things she seems to want are her mommy and for everyone in the No Names to be happy."
Furrowing his brows, Vahn resisted the urge to ask about Lily's mother. He would undoubtedly look into it on his own but he would rather hear it from the girl herself. As for making the children of the No Name Community happy, well, that wasn't particularly difficult.
"I'll craft her some cooking tools. A knife that never dulls and an indestructible cooking board can go a long way. Maybe a new apron?"
(*How about all of the above?*)
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn was preparing to get to work when he noticed two envelopes sitting atop his luminescent golden anvil. These envelopes were identical to the ones Shiroyasha had given him previously. The only difference was that they had already been filled out. There was also a footnote from Shiroyasha, a chibi version of herself making a peace sign with the words, "Just in case you wanted to have some fun with a succubunny~"
Shaking his head, Vahn placed the two invitation letters in his Inventory. He would probably make use of them at some point, but, at least for the time being, he already had his hands full with Black Rabbit. He had also managed to wrangle in Hime after an amorous encounter in the bath, so, while he was certainly interested in reuniting with Seraphina, he would rather things calm down before he made any rash decisions...
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Seeing Vahn place the envelopes away, Shiroyasha muttered a playful, "Fooey..." before issuing a long, drawn-out yawn. This earned her a curious glance from Nadeshiko, who, as per usual, was cleaning the former's room with an impassive expression on her face.
Feeling Nadeshiko's glance, Shiroyasha looked over her shoulder, a teasing smile on her face as she asked, "Hey, hey, Nadeshiko-chan. When was the last time we played together~?"
Exhaling a tired sigh, Nadeshiko answered, "Please don't joke, Shiroyasha-sama. If you want to play around, please go and bother Vahn-sama."
Adopting a pretend pout, Shiroyasha rolled onto her back, sprawling out as she groaned, "I would, but he gets butthurt when I interrupt his forging. As much as I enjoy the way my skin crawls when he glares at me, I'd rather avoid angering him..."
Surprised by her Master's 'restraint', Nadeshiko briefly paused her sweeping to remark, "You must really think highly of him..."
With her gaze firmly fixed on the ceiling, Shiroyasha appeared uncharacteristically listless as she answered, "Yeah...I think I might be in love..."
Not expecting such an answer, Nadeshiko nearly tripped over her own broom. Her usually stoic face instantaneously became a caricature of disbelief as she nervously inquired, "Are you serious...?"
Though she wasn't actually sure herself, Shiroyasha didn't hesitate to answer, "Nope~." in a teasing tone before rolling to the side and cackling as Nadeshiko attempted to hit her with the broom. All she knew for certain was that Vahn had a way of making her feel special. Whether or not this had anything to do with love, she had absolutely no idea...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Lily is too pure for this world...','Vahn be trolling...','Shiroyasha be like, "Vahn make me go brrrrrr..."')
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