Chương 2100: Care
Sensing the arrival of Fenrir shortly after midnight, Vahn followed her with his perception before manifesting an additional copy of himself when she reached the children's room. She didn't want pups of her own but that hadn't stopped her from developing a fondness for cute things.
"How was it...?"
Wrapping his arms around his beloved Vanargandr without any resistance, Vahn nestled his face into the space between Fenrir's ears as she leaned into him and answered, "Everyone seems to be behaving."
"Mmm...that's good..."
Taking advantage of the fact she was always around 20cm shorter than he was, Vahn picked up Fenrir's body whilst simultaneously elevating himself a few centimeters above the floor. She liked being held, so, even after they had checked each of the cribs, he carried her over to a nearby sofa so they could cuddle. When she wasn't accompanying him, she generally spent the night inside the children's room so the sofa had been specially prepared for relaxation.
Enjoying being the little spoon, Fenrir nestled as close as possible to her Master as she asked, "Did you enjoy your evening with Seraphina? She didn't cause too much trouble, did she...?"
Issuing a soft chuckle, Vahn proceeded to gently caress Fenrir's exposed abdomen as he answered, "It was a pleasant experience..." before following it up with, "Nothing out of the ordinary..."
"Mmm..."
Placing her hand overtop her Master's, Fenrir guided his index finger to her belly button before closing her eyes with a contented look on her face. She enjoyed moments like this even more than when they made passionate love to each other. When she looked back on the past, she sometimes wondered why she even felt the need to cross the line. Relaxing like this felt far more personal and intimate than sex.
Though he wasn't reading her mind, Vahn was vaguely aware of Fenrir's thoughts thanks to the connection they shared. Thus, rather than rile her up, he allowed his consciousness to gradually slip away as his hand continued to gently caress the velvety smooth skin around her navel...
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After a marginally uneventful evening, Vahn awoke early in the morning to prepare breakfast and help look after the kids. They were pretty temperamental in the morning, and, due to her nightly activities, Usalia wasn't much of a morning person. She would just lay back on the sofa in her adult form, absentmindedly breastfeeding anything that was handed to her before subsequently taking a nap the moment everything had calmed down.
Vahn found the scene of Usalia fatigued and buried in their children to be one of the most adorable sights he had ever witnessed. Her small size and the inordinately fluffy nature of her kittens caused them to resemble a ball of fluff with Usalia's head poking out. It was also one of the only times she was together with all the children at the same time, so, while a part of him wanted to take her place, Vahn just saved the image as a memory fragment without disturbing them.
While that was going on, another version of Vahn helped Sarina and Nono prepare for the day by making sure they washed up before brushing their hair. Nono was surprisingly the more difficult of the two, as, despite being a relatively quiet, reserved, and notably shy young lady, she was the type that refused to get out of bed until Vahn had literally picked her up and carried her to the sink.
Though others might be troubled by such behavior, Vahn knew it was basically just Nono's way of having him spoil her without directly requesting it. She enjoyed being pampered and taken care of, and, at one point in time, even slipped up by sleepily calling him Papa. This event left Vahn feeling a little guilty, but, rather than allow it to bother him, he just affectionately caressed her head without drawing attention to it. Thus, as far as he knew, Nono wasn't even aware of the rather adorable slip.
"That wasn't sixty seconds. Start over..."
Groaning in the characteristic manner of a young and slightly disobedient young girl, Sarina rolled her eyes before picking up her toothbrush and starting over. She had once asked what the point of brushing her teeth before breakfast was. That ended up being a big mistake, as, later that day, Vahn spent the better part of three hours teaching them about the risks of improper dental hygiene. This included a number of detailed visuals, so, even though she found it annoying, Sarina still brushed and flossed at least three times a day.
In reality, the people of the Divine Realm didn't actually have to worry about such things. Vahn just didn't want the girls to neglect personal care and proper hygiene as they were some of the most important aspects of mental stability. The moment you began thinking that taking care of yourself was too troublesome, you were already on the path towards self-esteem issues and a whole host of other problems.
After counting to eighty instead of sixty, Sarina spit into the sink before rinsing her teeth and going, "Aaaaaaah~!" so that Vahn could check. He did this by wearing a pair of gloves and using the same wooden stick the girls used when conducting the check-ups of others. After all, consistency was one of the most important building blocks for rearing children into respectable adults.
"Good job. Now, go downstairs. Breakfast is already ready."
Ruffling the girl's hair, Vahn sent Sarina off with a smile before demanifesting the moment she left the bathroom. At the same time, another version of himself was still struggling with Nono's hair as she tossed and tumbled whenever she wasn't sleeping with someone else. He had tried to curb this behavior by getting her to sleep with a large plushie and a body pillow but she could be remarkably obstinate about certain things.
"You slept for ten hours. How are you still tired...?"
With half-lidded eyes and a toothbrush dangling from her mouth, Nonu just replied with a cursory "Nn..." before continuing to slowly brush her teeth. This left Vahn feeling a little helpless as he knew she hadn't been having nightmares. He made sure of that by tucking her in tightly every night and transplanting a bit of calming energy into her mind whenever he gave her a goodnight kiss on her forehead. This was primarily to prevent her from coming to his room, a behavior that had increased in frequency to the point where she would come knocking on his door between 2-3 times a week.
Exhaling a sigh, Vahn said, "Turn around..." before grabbing the toothbrush from Nono's hands. In response, her half-lidded eyes closed fully as she promptly opened her mouth wide. She had been brushing the same side for the last three minutes, so, in an effort to speed things up, Vahn gently cradled Nono's jaw with his left hand while dutifully cleaning each of her teeth. There were some who would consider this an intimate act, but, thanks to his god-like dexterity and his propensity to practice as a Dentist for the No Names, Vahn was able to complete the process without incident.
"Good girl. Now, spit into the sink."
Since she had previously spit on him, Vahn made sure to remind Nono where to aim whenever she was in her muddleheaded state. Then, taking advantage of the fact time flowing much faster in her bathroom than outside, he spent the better part of an hour fixing her hair before finally sending her away with a wry yet affectionate smile.
Though it could be troublesome at times, Vahn had always enjoyed caring for others. He wasn't just a lover to his women. He was also their personal trainer, hairdresser, masseur, therapist, and pretty much anything else they needed him to be. When he became a father, this aspect of his character became even more prominent. So much so that he would actually feel 'off' if he wasn't taking care of at least three different people.
Fortunately, Vahn had quite a number of high-maintenance girls in his life. Seraphina, in particular, would be a nightmare for anyone without an ungodly level of tolerance. She wasn't afraid to make use of every aspect of his character, so, at times, he would spend upwards of eleven hours styling her hair, doing her makeup, and providing various spa treatments. She behaved like an excessively spoiled princess, but, in the end, she was 'his' spoiled princess...
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Though it was possible to end an evening on the highest of notes, whether or not it was a success depended exclusively on how a person felt the following morning. There were countless examples of people having the night of their life only to wake up the next day regretting their very existence. Thus, to smoothly transition the previous evening into a wondrous day, Vahn awoke Seraphina with a surprise back massage.
"Mmm~?"
Opening her eyes, Seraphina was tempted to complain about having to wake up less than six hours after she had fallen asleep, but, before the words could reach her lips, a pleasant sensation spread through her entire body. Her wings, tail, and horns were still present from the previous evening so Vahn was, very carefully, cleaning them with a microfiber cloth and specialized oils that would bring out the luster and shine of each.
"Good morning to you too, sweetheart."
Perking up the moment she heard Vahn call her sweetheart, Seraphina began to playfully kick her legs while crossing her arms beneath her chin. At the same time, she snaked her tail into the back of his shirt before bringing it around to the front of his body and tracing it along each of his well-defined muscles.
Shaking his head, Vahn spread a thread of energy into Seraphina's leathery yet satiny smooth wing in order to prompt it to open. She had already grown accustomed to letting him do whatever he wanted at such times, so, while most people might offer some form of resistance, Seraphina began to hum a cheerful tune as her tail continued to wander and caress his body. This continued for the better part of three hours, but, thanks to time shenanigans, they were still able to head down and join everyone else for breakfast...
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"Our contract with the No Names may have come to an end but you can still visit them whenever you want. I'm not going to keep you away from your friends. That would be pretty hypocritical of me considering Black Rabbit basically lives here..."
Though she had already expected such a response, Sarina exhaled a sigh of relief the moment Vahn answered her question. She didn't get along with everyone but she had come to enjoy the attention she received from the younger members of the No Names. They looked up to her quite a bit so she would have been sad if she weren't allowed to visit.
"What a relief. I mean, what would those brats do without us? Isn't that right, Nono-chan~?"
Despite having awoken fully the moment she tasted Vahn's home-cooked strawberry pancakes, Nono simply offered a polite smile in response to Sarina's statement. She had grown accustomed to the latter's braggadocious nature, so, unless they were talking about something important, she typically didn't contribute much to conversations.
With the corner of her smile twitching, Sarina decided to just pretend Nono agreed with her as she added, "Besides, that dumb boy is completely useless without someone to look after him. I honestly don't know how he can be the Leader of a Community. You would think he would grow a backbone after becoming strong enough to level a hill with his magic."
Recalling how powerful Jin had become, Sarina was honestly a little jealous. Fortunately, he was still a pushover so she was still able to tease him as much as she wanted. As for why this was important, even she didn't know. It just felt right.
Though he chuckled in response to Sarina's remark, Vahn still gently chided her, saying, "Now, now. That's no way to talk about someone who has helped you with your studies. Jin might be lacking in a number of categories but he's still a kind, earnest, and hardworking young man. Try not to tease him too much, okay?"
Nodding her in understanding, Sarina offered a cutesy, "Hai, Hai~!" before picking up a piece of sausage and biting into it. There was no greater meaning behind this action, but, for some reason, Vahn couldn't help feeling sorry for his young protege...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I need a longcat Fenrir plushie in my life...','Vahn might be an irredeemable harem protagonist but he is still a considerate person xD...','Oof...')
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Chương 2101: Discord Around the Dining Table
Just as Vahn was beginning to wonder whether or not she would show up, Black Rabbit appeared alongside Asuka, Yo, and Izayoi. This confused him at first, but, considering she might be trying to smooth things over between him and the Problem Children, Vahn manifested in the foyer with a smile, saying, "Welcome back. I see you've brought guests. Will they be joining us for breakfast?"
After a sleepless night, not that she actually required rest, Black Rabbit felt considerable relief just hearing Vahn's voice. As a result, she ended up hugging him in front of the marginally stunned trio before nestling her face into his chest and saying, "I missed you..."
With his expression softening, Vahn returned Black Rabbit's embrace for several seconds before gently coaxing her toward the dining room as he looked back at the trio and said, "Come along. There's plenty to go around."
Though they each looked like they had something to say, especially Asuka and Izayoi, the trio of Problem Children ultimately followed along without a fuss. When they saw the five girls gathered around the dining table, however, Izayoi couldn't help remarking, "Wow. Are these the members of your Community? They look more like a harem to me."
Since Sarina and Nono were at the table, Vahn sent a glare towards Izayoi as he said, "Keep talking, brat. I'm curious to see how deep of a hole you'll dig before you realize you're in over your head..."
Holding his hands up in a gesture of mock surrender, Izayoi maintained a smile as he said, "Whoa there. It was just a joke. No need to bite my head off."
Unamused by Izayoi's behavior, Seraphina's expression soured as she asked, "Who is this imbecile?"
Meeting Seraphina's gaze, Izayoi was about to retort when Vahn appeared right in front of him in an instant, saying, "I'm very protective of my women, especially my wives. Choose your next words very carefully."
Though a part of him wanted to slug Vahn in the face, the cold sweat sweeping across Izayoi's body compelled him to deescalate things. To this end, his smile became noticeably wry as he said, "You're a lucky man. If I had a wife as beautiful as pinky over there, I'd probably never leave home."
While she didn't appreciate being called pinky, Seraphina's impression of Izayoi improved quite a bit in response to the rest of his words. As a result, she directed her attention towards Asuka and Yo, an appraising glimmer in her eyes as she asked, "Who are these two young ladies? They don't seem particularly impressive."
Though she couldn't help furrowing her brows, Asuka still puffed out her chest confidently as she replied, "How rude. Isn't it common sense to give your own before asking the names of others? As the wife of someone who refers to themselves as the Sage Dragon Emperor, shouldn't you have at least a basic sense of propriety?"
Resisting the urge to whip out her pistols and shoot Asuka in the face, Seraphina's brows twitched as she looked towards Vahn and asked, "Where did you pick up this brat? She's more arrogant than those assholes in Heaven."
After chuckling at Asuka's expense, Vahn casually explained, "These are the newest members of the No Name Community. The boy with the headphones is Sakamaki Izayoi. As for these two, the one with the attitude problem is Kudou Asuka while the one with the cat is Kasukabe Yo. Try not to take anything they say to heart. They came from relatively normal worlds and are still adapting to life in the Divine Realm."
Raising his hand in a casual manner, Izayoi supplanted Vahn's introduction with a simple, "Yo. Nice to meet you." while Asuka simply snorted in a haughty manner with her arms crossed. As for Yo, she didn't say anything at all. Instead, she continued to stare at Fenrir with the closest approximation to a serious expression she could manage.
Since they had been staring at each other for quite some time, Fenrir took advantage of the lull in the conversation to ask, "Do you want to touch them...?"
Though most of the people present were confused, Vahn chuckled in amusement as Yo nodded her head, her tone serious and eager as she asked, "May I...?"
Rather than answering herself, Fenrir looked towards her Master for permission. This caused Yo to shift her attention to him, a silent plea hidden within her hazel eyes. Fortunately for her, Vahn had a much better impression of her than Asuka and Izayoi, so, without having to contemplate his answer, he said, "If she allows it, you may pet her. However, you must always respect her wishes. If she tells you to stop, you must immediately do so."
Offering a delicate smile in response to Vahn's words, Yo placed Calico Cat on the ground before approaching Fenrir and asking, "May I touch your ears?"
Nodding her head, Fenrir replied with a curt, "Umu..." before leaning her head forward and allowing Yo to do as she pleased. To her surprise, Yo's caress was very comfortable. It was nothing compared to her Master but it was pretty easy to speculate she had a Gift related to taming or an inordinately high affinity with nature.
While Yo was lost in her own little world, Vahn invited everyone to take a seat after a quick round of introductions. Delicious food was one of the best things when it came to easing tensions, so, for the sake of Black Rabbit, Vahn presented the trio with some of his best breakfast dishes before asking, "So? What are your first impressions of the Little Garden and the Divine Realm? I heard you already got into a bit of a spat with a rival Community. What was that about?"
Since the Geass Roll prevented them from discussing the specifics with unrelated parties, Izayoi just shrugged, saying, "Just some rapacious tiger coveting the flesh of little lambs and big rabbits. Don't worry. We'll be sure to teach him a lesson he'll never forget."
Raising his brows, Vahn shifted his attention to Black Rabbit to find her pouting with an angry look on her face. This was quite adorable, but, at the same time, it caused a cold sensation to wash over Vahn's mind as he asked, "Someone tried to target you?"
Relaxing the moment Vahn shifted his attention towards her, Black Rabbit raised her hands in an expression of helplessness as she replied, "People are always targeting me. I get proposed to or invited to join a Community every time I officiate a Gift Game. I'm used to it."
Though he was already made aware of this, Vahn couldn't help frowning. It was to be expected that people in the lower-digit gates would target Black Rabbit. After all, she was the last Moon Rabbit in the Divine Realm. What annoyed him was a lesser Community thinking they could do the same. Not because they weren't entitled to be a little ambitious, but because it was suicide to pick a fight with Thousand Eyes over 'ownership' of the last surviving Moon Rabbit.
As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn asked, "When is the Gift Game scheduled to take place. I'm interested in observing."
Feeling considerably better now that she knew Galdo had garnered Vahn's ire, Black Rabbit happily chimed, "It's supposed to take place tonight. We won't know the full details until we arrive, but the basic format is Capture the Flag. What form the flag takes and what it will be used for are up to the Fores Garo Community to decide."
"Hmm..."
With Black Rabbit mentioning the name Fores Garo, the image of a tanned man with a lightning-like cowlick entered Vahn's mind. Fores Garo was one of the Communities that had been lying low ever since he began spreading his influence. Now he knew why.
"Based on what I recall, the Leader of Fores Garo isn't particularly strong. You should assume they will employ some kind of trick. They might try to limit the number of participants or make it so that the 'flag' is-"
"Hey, now. We came here for a challenge. Where's the fun in having someone spoil the surprise?"
Though he had been taken aback by how delicious Vahn's food was, that didn't stop Izayoi from interrupting him. He already had low expectations for the tiger man that had been pinned to the ground with relative ease by Yo. The last thing he wanted was someone offering them advice on how to defeat a weakling.
"Rude boy. You dare interrupt my darling when he's speaking? If you have a death wish, I wouldn't mind granting it."
Without missing a beat, Izayoi adopted the kind of look traditionally attributed to battle junkies as he said, "Try me, Pinky."
With literal flames in her eyes, Seraphina looked towards Vahn, shouting, "Vahn! Let me teach this brat a lesson! I won't stand for such brazen behavior! You went out of your way to invite the oaf to join us for breakfast and this is how he behaves!? It's simply unacceptable...!"
"Hmm..."
Rather than immediately refuse Seraphina's request, Vahn caressed his chin in contemplation. This left Black Rabbit feeling nervous, a fretful expression developing across her face as she exclaimed, "Please don't fight! We're all friends here! Besides, Izayoi has an important Gift Game to participate in this evening! At least wait until tomorrow before you start trying to tear each other apart...!"
Gesturing for silence, Vahn helped to allay Black Rabbit's concerns by offering a gentle smile. In the very next instant, however, he left Black Rabbit slamming her head into the table as he teased, "So long as he doesn't have his existence erased, I can heal him."
"You serious? Guess that means I can go all out without holding anything back, huh?"
Though he was starting to feel as though he had stepped on a landmine, that didn't prevent a grin from developing across Izayoi's face. He had always been curious about the limits of his power, so, now that he had a chance to go all out, he was looking forward to it. At the very least, he could tell the pink-haired woman seated across from him was a lot weaker than Vahn. Fighting her would be a good way to see how he stacked up against less ridiculous powerhouses.
Unamused by Izayoi's confident stare, Seraphina crossed her arms before harumphing haughtily and saying, "Look all you like, brat. I'm way out of your league."
Adopting a slightly incredulous look, Izayoi was tempted to ask if Seraphina was soft in the head before Vahn silenced him with a commanding, "Finish eating. Once we're finished here, the two of you can settle things on one of the custom Game Boards I've been working on. I don't want to hear any more arguing at the table. It spoils the taste of the food."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Your Imperial Majesty. You won't hear me complaining about a free meal. This stuff is delicious, by the way."
Grasping Seraphina's hand beneath the table, Vahn prevented her from lashing out as he said, "I'm glad you think you so. I put a lot of effort into it."
Blinking in surprise, it was Asuka who asked, "You cooked this yourself? Don't you have like a Chef or something...?"
Though the image of Rindo briefly appeared within his mind, Vahn rolled his eyes before explaining, "If you end up becoming immortal and living forever, you'll quickly learn how mundane life can be if you leave everything to others. I may be an Emperor, but I'm also one of the greatest Blacksmiths, Physicians, Mages, Chefs, and Craftsmen across all realities. I have so many skills and abilities that you would literally need an eternal life just to hear me list each of them. Besides, I enjoy seeing the reaction of people when they eat my food. It makes the effort more than worth it."
Not expecting such a response, Asuka found herself at a loss for words as she stared down at the various dishes laid out before her. She was generally a light eater, but, after tasting Vahn's food, she ended up clearing four plates before she even realized it...
While Asuka was lost in thought, Yo adopted a friendly smile as she chewed on a piece of pancake and stated, "It's delicious." in a sincere tone. This earned her a return smile from Vahn, who, in an equally sincere tone, answered, "Thank you, Yo. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Feel free to stop by in the future. We always have room for polite young girls like you."
Smiling even more radiantly than before, Yo replied with a monotone yet audibly happy "Nn~." before proceeding to bite into a piece of baked golden apple. Even if Vahn hadn't invited her back, she would have stopped by to ask Fenrir if she could brush her hair. Now that she had a legitimate excuse, her already pleasant had mood improved quite a bit...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Galdo is so screwed...','Izayoi's death seeking is leveling up...','Yo be like, "This is an absolute win."')
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paypal.me/Einlion
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