Though it took a little longer than expected, it had only ever been a matter of time before people noticed the changes with the No Names Community. Rumors regarding the barrier had started to circulate mere days after its construction, and, thanks to the Water Tree Vahn had planted for them, the children no longer had to leave the safety of their territory to fetch water. This was exactly the type of thing opportunists paid attention to, so, as time continued to move forward, the number of people attempting to break into the No Names' territory gradually increased.
Fortunately, Jin had followed Vahn's advice by having the children remain in or around the restored castle town. There were very few people with the means to actually break through the barrier and those that could were unable to do so thanks to the Laws of the Little Garden. Thus, so long as the children remained inside, there was very little anyone from the outside could do to harm them.
The only organizations that could feasibly put pressure on a Community that had decided to turtle up were those affiliated with Demon Lords. The Laws of the Little Garden allowed Demon Lords to instigate Gift Games at their leisure since nobody in their right mind would ever agree to compete against them. Officiating these broad-spectrum Gift Games was one of the primary duties of Floor Masters, so, should anything occur, Vahn would immediately learn about it thanks to his association with Shiroyasha.
The bigger issue was the fact that the No Name Community lacked Players capable of defending it should an 'attack' take place. Vahn couldn't participate at their behest, and, thanks to her affiliation with the Thousand Eyes Community, Black Rabbit was prohibited from participating in most games unless the opposing party had agreed to allow her participation. Thus, for all intents and purposes, the No Names only had two people qualified to participate in Gift Games, Jin and Lily...
"Mind running that by me again, chibi?"
Though he generally did his best to appear calm, Vahn had a disapproving look on his face after hearing what Jin had said. This caused the young Magus to hang his head in shame, a distressed expression on his face as he repeated, "I received a letter stating that one of our former colleagues was being wagered as a prize in a high-brow Gift Game. I wanted our Community to be one of the groups participating..."
"It's only been five weeks since you started your training. I understand your desire to help your former colleague, but what can you do with your current power? If I participated, it would be as a representative of the Sage Dragon's Hearth, not the No Names. If people found out I handed over the 'grand prize' to a Community I'm not even in an Alliance with, my neutrality wouldn't hold up under scrutiny. Besides, this is clearly a trap."
Tightening his hands into fists, Jin replied, "I know...but Leticia is our comrade. We can't just ignore her now that we know where she is. What would you do if one of your friends was being treated as a slave or an immortal pet that people could do whatever they want with?"
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Vahn answered, "I would slaughter and pass judgment on those involved. However, that is because I'm me. You're not. The difference in our capabilities, at least for the time being, is like Heaven and Earth. You're letting the recent prosperity of the No Names go to your head, Jin."
Though he understood Vahn's reasoning, Jin was on the verge of tears as he imagined what his friend must have been forced to endure. He might be young but he understood that the fate of captive females, especially those who had been reduced to slaves, was never pleasant. It was even worse if they possessed unique or exotic traits, so, with Leticia possessing immortality, remarkable beauty, and eternal youth, she was a prize sought after by many.
"Please...I'll do anything..."
Seeing the helplessness and indignation in the young boy's eyes, an exasperated sigh escaped Vahn's throat before he shook his head and asked, "What happened to not becoming dependent on me? If you ask for my help every time a problem presents itself, you'll never become strong. If you're serious about doing anything to protect the people you care about, stop falling for obvious provocations and focus on your studies. The sooner you become a proper Magus, the sooner you can regain everything your Community has lost."
"But..."
Raising his hand, Vahn silenced Jin's response, stating, "Relax. I would have gotten involved even without you asking. Black Rabbit would be heartbroken if I ignored her friend's plight. However, I'm not doing this for the No Names. I'm doing it for entirely personal reasons. If you want your friend back, become strong enough to take her from me."
With that said, Vahn ruffled Jin's hair before promptly teleporting away. He might not be able to help the No Names directly, but that didn't stop him from taking action on his own. Leticia was a former Vampire Lord with traits remarkably similar to Eva. She was also one of the people who had taken care of Black Rabbit after the latter lost her original family and home, so, even if Jin hadn't asked for his help, he would have gotten involved. It would contradict everything he stood for if he allowed her to remain a slave...
"I was wondering when you would stop by. Pretty soon, you'll be able to enter this place without me noticing. Just promise me you won't lewd Nadeshiko without informing me first. My instincts tell me that woman is the type to go wild when she gets riled up."
Staring at the petite demoness shamelessly digging in her pointed ears using the tips of her pinkies, Vahn adopted a deadpan expression as he sat down and said, "I want to purchase information. Tell me everything you know about the anonymous message sent to the No Names and the Gift Game they were invited to participate in."
Rolling to a seated position, a playful gleam flashed across Shiroyasha's cat-like eyes as she said, "In exchange, I want to watch you and Black Rabbit bone from up close. Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't mind letting you play me like a cello. I just think it would be a lot more exciting to watch from up close."
"You're seriously holding information related to one of your former allies hostage in exchange for the right to view me having sex with Black Rabbit from up close...?"
Rolling her eyes, Shiroyasha maintained her impish grin as she replied, "I'm a simple woman, Vahn. There are very few things I actually care about. This happens to be one of them. If you're genuinely bothered by my behavior, use your ability to ascertain the information for yourself. It's not like I can stop you."
Exhaling a sigh, Vahn took a moment to comb back his hair before answering, "I'll talk to her about it. I'm not going to make her do anything she isn't comfortable with."
Snickering in response to Vahn's words, Shiroyasha pulled out her fan and mused, "We both know that's more than enough. That girl is very eager to please. So long as you're the one to bring it up, there's no way she'll refuse."
Shaking his head, Vahn decided to change the topic for the time being, asking, "What do you think I should do about the No Names? If things continue to develop as they are, it's only a matter of time before Jin makes a grave mistake. I'll clean up after him if I really need to but I'd rather avoid things developing to that point."
Suppressing a second snicker, Shiroyasha's eyes gleamed as she mused, "You really are a busybody. You can't help helping others, can you?"
Returning a wry smile of his own, Vahn just shrugged his shoulders and waited for Shiroyasha to continue. He believed she was actually worse than him when it came to meddling in others' affairs. She had just placed herself in a position where it was very difficult to do so. After all, if she wasn't a busybody, he wouldn't be here right now.
Understanding Vahn's thoughts, Shiroyasha adopted a slightly accusatory stare before going on to say, "There are two solutions, three if you're feeling generous. The simplest is to help them recruit capable Gift Players. However, as that might compromise things once the Problem Children arrive, I would rather you not. You're not trying to make them dependent on you, after all."
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn gestured for Shiroyasha to continue. What he didn't expect was for her to say, "To that end, I would suggest summoning the succubunny combination. The arrival of two new Demon Lords is bound to give people pause while simultaneously drawing attention to the Sage Dragon's Hearth. After that, you just need to continue acting out and the forces targetting the No Names will have no choice but to factor you into their plans."
"..."
Amused by the incredulous look on Vahn's face, a massive grin developed across Shiroyasha's as she asked, "What? You know it's a good idea. Besides, if you don't invite them soon, you might miss the opportunity. Once your fame and notoriety expand beyond a certain point, people will begin to flock to you in droves. You're already considering rescuing Leticia and keeping her as motivation to help Jin grow stronger. Which do you think is more likely to occur, Jin defeating you in a Gift Game or a cute girl ending up in your bed?"
"How long have you know about...no...you've always known..."
Though he was about to ask how long Shiroyasha had known about the plot against the No Names, Vahn quickly recalled that she knew everything taking place within the Little Garden. In other words, she was aware of every plot and scheme from the very moment they were drafted. She just couldn't do anything with the information unless someone willfully purchased it from her.
Shrugging her shoulders, Shiroyasha refused to comment. Instead, she went on to explain the third option, stating, "If neither of those options tickles your fancy, the simplest solution is to give Gifts to the No Names. You might not want to put them in danger but this is the Divine Realm. Unless they have the means to protect themselves, they will always be in danger. With the power you possess, you could easily empower them and then advertise it as some kind of special awakening to draw in future clients. You just refuse to hand out power because you're afraid it will lead them astray. To your credit, you're not wrong. You're just failing to account for the broader situation the children are facing."
"..."
Understanding the truth contained within Shiroyasha's words, Vahn found himself in a deep and contemplative silence. Truth be told, he had actually considered inscribing his Familia Crest on the entire No Name Community. That would allow them to literally accept Quests related to menial chores and farm work. In other words, they could become increasingly stronger just by continuing their current routine. The only reasons he hadn't gone forward with this idea was because of Jin's request and the fact that it would compromise any semblance of neutrality he wanted to purport.
Exhaling a sigh, Vahn manifested the envelopes Shiroyasha had given him three weeks prior. He really might miss the opportunity to summon Seraphina if he delayed things for too long. After all, as interested as he was in her, she wasn't actually that important to him. She would have invariably undergone countless reincarnations since the time of her death so it was pure selfishness to want to summon her. Unfortunately, or perhaps not, he had always been an ostensibly selfish individual...
"I choose all three options..."
...
..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Jin experiencing the moral dilemmas of a shonen protagonist...','Shiroyasha is too good at this...','He wasn't lying when he told Black Rabbit he was greedy xD...')
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paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh
"You want to awaken the powers of the senior group...?"
Though he nodded his head in response to Jin's question, Vahn also stated, "Not just the seniors. I intend to awaken your and Lily's hidden powers as well. I already explained the concept of Innates to you. I intend to give you Gifts related to the ones you currently possess. After that, we'll go over the Quest Board and a few other important details related to the growth of yourself and the senior members of the No Names."
As appreciative as he was of Vahn's words, Jin couldn't help feeling taken aback. Vahn had been pretty resolute in regards to the notion of obtaining power rather than having it bestowed upon you. It was one of the principal ideologies he had been trying to instill in them so it was strange to hear him mention handing out Gifts all of a sudden.
Noticing the doubt in Jin's eyes, Vahn adopted a wry smile as he said, "This is just a provisionary thing. In other words, the Gifts I'm going to hand out are training tools similar to a wooden sword or an elementary spellbook. They are intended to help you awaken powers you already possess, not provide power beyond your means to obtain. I intend to have everyone sign a contract with terms lasting for six months. After that, the Gifts I have bestowed will be returned."
Though this was the first time he was hearing about a contract related to lending Gifts, a smile developed across Jin's face as he replied, "I understand. Thank you for this opportunity, Vahn. I promise we will do our best."
Ruffling the youthful Magus' hair, Vahn returned a smile of his own as he said, "I have no doubt about that. All you and the other No Names really need is time. I figured I can guarantee you at least six months."
While it wasn't a 'perfect' solution, Vahn had come to the conclusion that he could assist the No Names by spinning the narrative that he had accepted a contract to safeguard them. This wouldn't jeopardize his neutrality as one of the services he intended to offer in the future was protection for burgeoning Communities. He was even tempted to start a Gift Lending service, but that would have to wait until he had worked out all the kinks related to his current business model.
Extracting his hand from the youth's head, Vahn said, "I'll leave spreading the news and gathering the others to you. We'll perform the signing ceremony this evening. For now, I'm off to summon a few new recruits to act as Guardians during the provisional period. They'll ultimately belong to the Sage Dragon's Hearth, but, much like how Black Rabbit is able to work for Thousand Eyes, I'll have the two of them act as temporary representatives for the No Names."
Blinking in surprise, Jin was about to ask if that was such a good idea when Vahn just shook his head and said, "We're well past that point, kiddo. Besides, I'm interested to see what you'll do if you have powerful people on your side. You are the Leader of the No Names. It's time you begin acting like it."
Though his words were a little harsh, Vahn knew that Jin needed to hear them. His low self-esteem was one of his greatest weaknesses. This was an opportunity for him to gain experience and build the confidence he would need to lead the No Names into the future. If he couldn't, someone else would need to take his place as he simply wasn't qualified to continue leading others.
On that note, Vahn promptly teleported away. This left Jin alone in the Library with a conflicted look on his face. Fortunately, if nothing else, he had a good head on his shoulders. He could understand what needed to be done, so, after a few moments of silence, he gave his cheeks a few light smacks before departing the Library to spread the news and gather his future comrades...
...
..
.
Having already discussed the matter with Black Rabbit, Sarina, Nono, and Shirayukihime, Vahn's next destination was the Outer Gate leading to the God's Playground. There, the four girls were waiting for him with varying degrees of excitement and perturbation visible in their gazes.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long."
Though she was the only one of the girls that didn't belong to his Community, it was Black Rabbit who answered, "It's no problem, Vahn. We just arrived a few minutes ago." with an expectant smile on her face. Summoning new Players, much less Demon Lords, to the Divine Realm was always a big deal so she couldn't help feeling excited.
Returning a smile of his own, Vahn habitually caressed the heads of Sarina and Nono as he said, "I don't expect anything to go wrong but you'll need to prepare yourselves. Two of the people I'll be calling upon are Demon Lords. They also come from a world with heavy comedic overtones so it's impossible to predict how they'll behave once summoned."
Since he had already mentioned that the people he would be summoning were Demon Lords, the only person to react with any discernible aversion was Sarina. Vahn had also mentioned that one of the people that would be joining them was one of his most important, so, despite making a lot of progress over the past few weeks, she wasn't particularly enthused by the notion of adding more women to their Community...
...
..
.
After moving a fair distance away from the Little Garden, Vahn produced a rather large magic circle before filling it with a tremendous volume of refined magical ores. One of the fundamental laws of the Divine Realm happened to be 'Equivalent Exchange' so it required a catalyst and a tremendous amount of resources to summon people from the lower realms. This amount, as could be expected, was directly proportional to the power of the individuals being summoned, so, with Seraphina and Usalia having become two of the strongest Overlords in their Netherworld, Vahn needed to prepare a veritable mountain of resources just to send them an invitation.
"I don't think I've ever seen this much wealth and resources gathered in one place...just who are you trying to summon?"
Since the summoning ritual could take upwards of an hour, Vahn only paid cursory attention to it as he turned towards Black Rabbit and answered, "Their names are Seraphina and Usalia. They existed in the world I passed through before arriving in the Divine Realm. As for their official titles...I believe the former is the Supreme Overlord of Gorgeous while the latter is known as the Tyrant Overlord of Toto Bunny."
To make things easier for the girls, Vahn created magical projections of the two girls he was talking about. The appearance of Seraphina was enough to leave even Hime feeling at a loss, but, as could be expected, the person Black Rabbit paid the most attention to was Usalia. After all, despite a few startling contrasts, the latter was still a bunny girl.
"This little girl is a Demon Lord...?"
Rather than Black Rabbit, the first person to ask about Usalia's status was Sarina. From appearances alone, she felt they were around the same age as each other. Unfortunately, Vahn quickly shattered this misunderstanding by answering, "Indeed. Don't let her appearance deceive you. She should be around 1815 years old in this image. The physiology of demons is quite a bit different from normal people. After all, they have no biological limits in regards to age and potential."
"1815...!?"
Feeling as though she had taken critical damage, the only thing preventing Sarina from falling over was Vahn's support. She felt that Usalia was a lot cuter than she was, and, despite doing her best to feign ignorance, she was well aware of the relationship between Vahn and Black Rabbit. Thus, with Usalia possessing rabbit-like features, Sarina couldn't help feeling as though she had lost the battle before it had even begun.
Resisting the urge to chuckle at the young girl's expense, Vahn manifested a picnic blanket out of thin air before guiding her to sit down and saying, "We might be waiting for a while. Why don't we enjoy a meal in the process?"
Despite saying this, Vahn didn't join Sarina after guiding her to take a seat. Instead, he manifested his own Little Garden without offering any explanation, his thoughts briefly seeping into it before returning it to the safety of his Soul Realm. Then, much to the surprise of everyone present, he used Unit Management to instantaneously summon Fenrir to his side.
"Master~!"
Though it had only been a few days since their last meeting, Fenrir immediately pounced on Vahn as if this was their first meeting in decades. Then, causing everyone but Nono to blush, she sealed his lips with her own, her inordinately fully tail wagging happily as she stood on the very tips of her toes.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Feeling Fenrir's overwhelmingly happy emotions surge into him, it was difficult for Vahn not to adopt a goofy grin of his own as he grabbed her shoulders and teasingly mused, "Someone's excited..."
"Mouuuu...Master has become stingy..."
Though he knew she was just playing around, Vahn couldn't help laughing in response to Fenrir's adorably pouty words. Then, with his hand snaked around her exposed back, he gestured towards the peanut gallery and said, "Fenrir, I'd like to introduce you to the newest members of our family. From left to right we have Sarina, Black Rabbit, Nono, and Shirayukihime. Soon enough, we'll have two more additions. Please help me look after them."
Passing her gaze over everyone as they were introduced, Fenrir's scarlet eyes glistened as she set her eyes on Black Rabbit and said, "You're strong..." as if she were stating a cold hard fact. Before Black Rabbit could respond, however, Fenrir shifted her gaze to Sarina and said, "You shouldn't let your emotions get the better of you. Master likes obedient girls who get along with others. You'll only cause-"
Not expecting Fenrir to begin her proselytism so quickly, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as she said, "Now, now, there's no need for that. Sarina has made considerable progress since our first meeting. Don't be too harsh on her, okay?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, Fenrir shifted her attention to Shirayukihime next, asking, "Are you a God? I smell Divinity on you."
Offering a polite bow in response, Hime answered, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Fenrir-sama. And yes, I received Divinity from Shiroyasha-sama. At the present moment, I serve our Master as the Head Maid and Governess of the Sage Dragon's Hearth. Please treat me well."
Approving of Hime's behavior, Fenrir nodded her head before looking up at Vahn and saying, "She has potential. Can I train her?"
Since she could sense the water, ice, and yin elemental energies swirling around Hime's body, Fenrir was confident in her ability to help her grow. Unfortunately, her words didn't translate well without additional context. As a result, the surrounding temperature noticeably increased as Hime imagined what she meant by 'training'.
Unable to contain himself, a rather boisterous laugh emanated from Vahn's throat. He knew it was only a matter of time before Fenrir caused some kind of misunderstanding but he hadn't imagined it would be so soon. Fortunately, his laughter didn't continue for too long as the summoning circle behind him promptly flashed with a vibrant light before blinking out entirely.
In the past, this particular phenomenon had caused quite a few people to think their invitation had been refused. In reality, the Divine Realm simply forbade direct summons into its interior. Instead, it 'spawned' new arrivals just outside the invisible dome covering the sun-sized island. In other words, Seraphina and Usalia were currently falling towards the ground like pink and white meteors due to the restrictions preventing them from flying...
...
..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Politics is all about spinning a narrative...','The High Priestess of the Good Girl Faith has arrived~!','I wonder how many people have heart attacks when being summoned into the Divine Realm...?')
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