章節 151: Leading
Eina stared at the ring Vahn had presented her with a mixture of emotions that were hard to describe. She felt both happy, sad, concerned and excited, all at the same time. Each emotion seemed to compete for first place in her heart as she stared in abject shock at the ring in Vahn's hand. Though she asked him to marry her, she never expected him to already have a ring prepared. Now, the reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks as she hesitantly reached out her hand.
Vahn saw her apprehension and a bit of guilt started spreading in his mind. It wasn't until Eina looked at him in the eyes, and they both stared at each other for several seconds, that his guilt faded away. Perhaps because she had seen his care and concern but, after holding gazes with Vahn for that period of time, Eina suddenly smiled and held up her hand for Vahn. Though he was a bit confused, Sis whispered in his mind that he was supposed to put the ring on for her.
Vahn took Eina's delicate hand into his own as he slowly placed the ring on her finger with his excitement continuing to rise. He was a bit surprised that it was a perfect fit, and even Eina couldn't help but ask, "How did you know my ring size?" After Vahn had placed the ring on her finger, she continued to stare at it with a somewhat dazed expression as she asked the question. Vahn's thoughts spun rapidly in his mind before he gave the best excuse he could think of, "Maybe it was just fate. I didn't know if the ring would fit until I put it on your finger."
Eina looked at Vahn after he finished speaking and seemed to contemplate his words for a bit before a gentle smile spread on her face. She squinted her emerald green eyes as she placed her free hand on her cheek and said, "You're quite the smooth talker at times, aren't you Vahn?" Then, almost as if she had a sudden realization, she looked at Vahn and asked in a subtly teasing tone, "So, what should I call you now? Vahn, Husband, Darling, or is there something else?"
Her question had shocked Vahn, and each form of address hit his mind like a hammer blow. Vahn considered her words for a few moments, and it wasn't until she started laughing at his dazed state that he finally responded, "I think Vahn is fine...but Darling is okay if we're alone..." As Vahn spoke the words, he couldn't help but blush while Eina looked at him with a bit of a sparkle in her eye and a wide smile. They were already in close proximity to each other, so Eina leaned forward a bit and whispered into Vahn's ear, "Darling~" She put a lot of emphasis on the word and dragged it for more than a second.
Vahn realized that she was teasing him, and he couldn't help but imagine all the times he tried to tease her. It seemed as though they both liked to try to get a rise out of the other, or maybe it was just her trying to act the role of his fiancee. Regardless, though Vahn enjoyed the current Eina, he wanted to experience her getting flustered a bit as well. Seeing how quickly she recovered after accepting the ring, he wanted to do a bit more so, while she was whispering in his ear, Vahn licked Eina's pointy ear with his tongue.
Eina jumped like she had been electrocuted as she held her hand to cover her ear while looking at Vahn was an 'angry' and surprised look. Realizing what he had done, the blush that had only recently receded on her face spread up her cheeks and to her ears. She could feel both of her ears turn hot, especially her left ear which Vahn had just licked. It took her several minutes to calm herself as she kept getting a bit annoyed every time she looked over and saw Vahn smiling. Remembering that he said he liked to tease her, Eina couldn't help but feel there would be a lot of trouble for her heart in the future.
After everything had settled down, Eina started guiding the date a bit more and acting very attentive toward Vahn. The two enjoyed their picnic like a real couple, which made sense considering they were now engaged. Vahn felt very happy at the current situation, but he couldn't help but feel mildly bothered by how her affection had only increased to 93 before stopping. Even though he teased her a bit and tried to make her happy, the number seemed to be cemented in place for the time being.
When they were done eating, Vahn wanted to continue the date, but Eina stopped him and said in a firm tone, "Vahn, if we're going to get married, there are several things we need to take care of immediately. You already have a lot of girls in your life and several commitments to keep, and keeping our matters hidden will only escalate future problems. Since Hephaestus seems to be the most important person in your life, we should meet her and explain the situation as soon as possible."
Vahn hadn't expected Eina to suddenly take on a lecturing tone, so he just stood at her side and listened to her words attentively. He couldn't help but agree that she had a point and knew that it could be a problem if the girls he was in a relationship with finding out from a different source that he was getting married. Not just Hephaestus, but Vahn felt like he needed to explain things clearly to all the women that he had high affection with.
Agreeing with her words, Vahn led Eina by the hand towards Hephaestus's workshop. Though she was much more considerate toward him now, Vahn almost missed how affectionate she was earlier when she leaned against his arm. Though holding hands was nice, Vahn found out that he liked physical contact with girls the longer he was around them. He even tried to be bolder and place his arm around Eina's waist, but she slapped his hand away before firmly grasping it with her own. She gave him a serious look as she stared into his eyes and said, "Vahn, there is a time an place for everything. From now on, you need to learn to show a bit of restraint. Right now we're walking on a public street, so just holding hands is fine. Just to be a little more patient, okay?"
Vahn just nodded his head at her words and tried to mull over them as he continued leading the way. Remembering how his actions, especially touching people, had gotten him into several incidents recently, Vahn couldn't help but consider her words seriously. If he didn't learn to be more reserved and attentive, he would probably create a lot of future problems, and it seemed like Eina was trying to help him fix his bad habit. The fact that she was already acting so considerate and trying to help him better himself made Vahn feel happy in his heart and at ease in his mind.
As Vahn led the way, Eina was constantly paying attention to his facial expressions and body language. Though he didn't seem to be too aware of it himself, Eina knew Vahn couldn't conceal his thoughts because of how expressive he was. Just like he had no filter for dealing with people, he also had no control over his own expressions and feelings. She saw that he was seriously considering her words, and even seemed to be satisfied after coming to a conclusion in his mind. Eina realized that, though it might be a long road to recovery, with how receptive Vahn was, there was still hope that he could regain some normalcy in his life.
When they turned a corner into an alleyway, Eina stopped her feet which caused Vahn to pause after trying to take a step. He looked at her with a questioning look as she said, "You did well to come this far, so let me give you a reward while we're alone." After finishing her words, Eina leaned forward and gave Vahn a peck on his cheek. Though she had wanted to kiss his lips, she hesitated at the last moment and decided to kiss his cheek instead.
Vahn was a bit startled by her actions and had his mouth opened as he stared at the now bashful half-elf. After she kissed his cheek, Eina started to blush a bit and was trying to keep a composed demeanor while she stared into Vahn's eyes. Though it was just a kiss on the cheek, Vahn felt very happy at the intimate action so he couldn't help but smile as he continued leading the way. Eina allowed herself to be pulled along this time, and she gave a relieved sigh after seeing how Vahn reacted to her action. She realized that he didn't need sexual or overly intimate contact to be happy, so she had hope that he could be reigned in earlier than she expected.
As they got closer to Hephaestus's workshop, Vahn couldn't help but feel a bit of pressure building in his mind. Both his and Eina's pace had slowed down quite a bit, and it seemed that the closer they got, the heavier each step became. Though Vahn believed Hephaestus would be understanding, he was still worried that she might be disappointed. Of all the people in his life, it was always Hephaestus's sad expressions that brought him the most pain. He wanted her to be happy all the time and never have to worry about being sad or lonely anymore.
Though Vahn thought it was both of them slowing down, Eina was very aware that it was Vahn feeling the majority of the pressure. She had only slowed her pace to keep in line with him, and now it almost felt like she was the one leading the way. Eina realized that the burdens Vahn had accepted were larger than she expected, at least in his mind. Now that he might make Hephaestus 'sad', Vahn was beginning to hesitate and she could even see a bit of fear and worry on his face. Gripping his hand a bit tighter, she began leading the way for the remainder of the trip.
By the time they arrived outside the workshop, Vahn actually had a subtle paleness to his normally healthy looking tanned skin. Eina could feel that his hand was clammy and had even turned a little cold to the touch. They two stood silently outside of the doors of the workshop as passersby gave them strange looks for blocking the path. It wasn't until a customer exited the building and almost bumped into Vahn that he finally managed to recover.
From his left, Eina asked him in a gentle and quiet tone, "Do you believe in her?" Vahn's eyes widened a bit as he turned to look into her emerald green eyes. He could see that she had a bit of concern in her eyes and that her brows had furrowed ever so slightly. Thinking about her question, Vahn muttered before he could form any thoughts, "Of course I do." His words seemed to wash away the chaotic state of his mind as he realized the foolishness of his own actions. Seeing Eina give him a nod and a smile, Vahn realized that he had been hesitating over nothing.
It wasn't just the burdens of others that weighted him down, but his own mentality and how he chose to deal with those burdens. Vahn realized that every time he hesitated or got lost in his own thoughts, there always seemed to be someone to care for him and guide him back along the right path. First, it was Klyscha, then Sis...after them it became Hephaestus...he even remembered how Tsubaki had literally 'beaten' him only recently because of how he was acting. Vahn released a sigh after realizing how fortunate he was to be surrounded by so many people that care for him.
Vahn looked into Eina's eyes and noticed she was smiling at him with an appreciative expression on her face as she spoke before he was able to, "I know, Vahn. Let's go." Vahn had wanted to thank her for helping him realize his errors, but she seemed to already have recognized that he had worked through things on his own. She even helped push him forward to prevent him from hesitating any longer.
Vahn suddenly felt a warm feeling spreading in his heart as he followed her into the workshop to meet the goddess that had done so much for him; the goddess that Vahn had learned to respect an appreciate more than anyone else in this record. Though he wasn't sure what it meant to truly love another person, Vahn believed that he would learn how when dealing with strong women like Hephaestus and Eina that put in so much effort to help guide him toward the future.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Eina just wants a little brother','Vahn, slowly moving forward','Beginning of a fierce battle?')
創作者的想法 
Einlion
Einlion Level 1 Vahn: https://imgur.com/a/zFOLFrT
Courtesy of https://www.deviantart.com/robusta-mania
If you'd like to support me on Patreon so I can become a full-time writer, please follow this link~!
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=14397149
I am currently at 159/640 of my goal of making this my actual job. I promise that, if I'm able to do so, I will be writing 50 chapters a week :D
章節 152: Fierce Battle?
When the two entered into Hephaestus's workshop, they were immediately identified by Zaff who sent a very professional looking woman to inform Hephaestus. Zaff, seeing Eina and Vahn holding hands, couldn't help but ask, "You're a pretty bold one, to be bringing a girl to the house of the woman you're trying to court." Though Vahn could see that Zaff was joking with him, he was also aware of the serious glint in Zaff's eyes.
Since Vahn had already found his resolve outside, he said in a confident manner, "This is something I have to do. It would be even worse if I tried to keep it a secret and rumors began to spread." Zaff raised an eyebrow at Vahn's confidence as he looked toward Eina while asking Vahn, "Like the rumors with Ais Wallenstein and Tiona Hiryute?"
Eina could see that Zaff was trying to 'scare' her away, but she remained unphased as she said in a very professional manner, "I am well aware of Vahn's exploits; thank you for your concern." Zaff was surprised by how firm Eina was as he just shook his head and patted Vahn on the shoulder while saying in an exasperated manner, "Kid, you really know how to pick 'em." After that, he made his way to the side before the woman that had sent the message returned and told them Hephaestus was waiting in her office.
Vahn and Eina entered the room and Hephaestus looked at the two of them while she sat at her desk and was drawing up a new design. Seeing Vahn and Eina holding hands, Hephaestus couldn't help but feel a little annoyed as she saw the new face. She had never seen Eina before and had no idea when the two of them had become a couple. Hephaestus even thought Eina may have approached Vahn just recently and was trying to take advantage of his current reputation and popularity.
The tension in the room had increased a bit, but Vahn just led Eina toward Hephaestus and began explaining the situation. Learning that Vahn and Eina had gotten engaged and intended to marry, Hephaestus suddenly felt a little tired as she looked at the sneaky half-elf girl. According to the story, Vahn and Eina had only met a few times, yet they ended up getting engaged on their first date? Hephaestus couldn't help but feel like Vahn had gotten wrapped up in a scheme to take advantage of his nature.
Eina noticed the anger in Hephaestus expression and felt a little intimidated, but she stood her ground and asked in a challenging manner, "Let me ask you, Hephaestus-sama, do you think Vahn will be happy if things continue to progress as they are?" Hephaestus furrowed her brows as she stared at Eina and asked, "What are you trying to say? Are you saying that Vahn will be happy if he marries you?"
Eina shook her head and continued, "It isn't about Vahn marrying me, its about all of the burdens he is being asked to carry. You should know about his past and how difficult his life has been, but instead of helping him overcome his trauma, you just made a safe place for him. Though it would have been fine if he never had to bear any burdens, the moment he began bearing them, he continued to pile up more and more. If things continue at this rate, how long do you think Vahn will last!?"
Hephaestus was a bit surprised by her words, but she was also angry and couldn't help but stand up and shout, "Do you think I'll just let Vahn carry everything on his own!? No matter what, I'll help him overcome everything and ensure that he is able to become happy!" Eina flinched a little, but then asked in a low and accusatory tone, "And how will you help him carry your burdens, Hephaestus-sama? Vahn cares about you more than anyone else and is trying hard to meet your expectations. But, is your burden something so light that a fourteen-year-old boy can carry it?"
Eina's words stunned Hephaestus and she looked toward Vahn in a somewhat questioning manner. Vahn saw her gaze and smiled before interjecting between the two women, "Eina, you can't blame Hephaestus. She already does so much for me, it is only right that I put in my best efforts. Just like she is trying to make me happy, I will do everything I can to make her happy as well."
Both Eina and Hephaestus frowned at Vahn's words and Hephaestus calmed down a bit as she considered everything Eina had been saying. She remembered that, only recently, Vahn and her had a misunderstanding between each other. Hephaestus had long fallen for him and started taking actions to help solve his problems behind the scenes.
When Vahn had fallen into a coma, she was so worried that she spent every day at his bedside until he finally woke up. After that, she realized that he wasn't pursuing her, but just wanted to forge an item to 'drive away her loneliness'. Vahn didn't know anything about love before he left the dungeon, and all of her affections had been primarily one-sided. When she tried to clear it up and free Vahn, he instead pursued her almost like he was desperate and afraid to lose her. He held her in his arms and continued coaxing her until she finally let down her resistance against him. After that, Hephaestus tried guiding him a bit and pushing him to continue working hard so they could finally be together...
Hephaestus realized that everything Eina had been saying was the truth. Though she hadn't intended to do so, Hephaestus had taken advantage of Vahn's willingness to bear her burdens and had constantly been putting pressure on him. She even tried restricting him a bit by forcing him to work five days a week and warning him not to put his hands on Anubis. Even though she was willing to allow Vahn to have other girls, she contradicted her own intentions just because she was impatient.
Eina had been paying attention to Hephaestus, and the moment she realized that Hephaestus recognized her mistake, she spoke out, "Vahn is right, Hephaestus-same, you did nothing wrong." Hephaestus heard her words and looked in the emerald eyes of the half-elf girl. Eina continued, "The only mistake you made...was failing to realize Vahn was broken. He wasn't simply traumatized, nor did he need a safe place to avoid being taken advantage of. The most important thing Vahn needed...was a normal life. Normal people caring for him without any expectations other than him being happy."
Eina, let her words sink in a bit before she continued even further, "You should be aware, better than anyone, how abnormal Vahn's growth has been. Though it is commendable, it isn't normal for a fourteen-year-old boy to increase two levels in less than two months. Not to mention, he puts himself at risk to fulfill the role of a hero and even took in both of the girls after the fact to care for them. Because he always had a 'safe place' to return to, Vahn pushed himself much harder and kept compounding the amount of stress he had to deal with. The best example is the matter with Anubis-sama and her Familia, surely you understand that is a very abnormal situation. Even if Anubis-sama decided to serve Vahn, the fact that he is now responsible for eight other people isn't a light burden."
Vahn realized that things were heading in a bad direction, so he wanted to help ease the atmosphere and said, "Eina, I made all those decisions myself. Even if it was because I got caught up in the moment, I don't have any intention of shirking my responsibility. I'll continue to do my best to make everyone happy." Though he said the words with strength and conviction, both Hephaestus and Eina looked at Vahn with sad expressions.
Hephaestus released a long sigh as she looked toward Eina and said, "I can see now. I don't know how I was so blind before..." Vahn noticed that things had turned strange, but Hephaestus stopped him from speaking by raising her hand. After mulling over her words, she looked to Eina and asked, "As the person that noticed it earlier than anyone else, what do you think is the best course of action?"
Eina, without any hesitation, looked into Hephaestus's eyes and said, "That is easy. Vahn needs people to proactively reign him in and help him live a normal life. The best course of action would be for him to marry someone. Because he is so deferential and considerate, he would always take his wife's opinion into consideration before he acts." Hearing Eina's words, Hephaestus released a sigh and asked, "And I guess that is where you come in?"
Unexpectedly, Eina laughed at Hephaestus's question and seemed to find the words amusing. Both Vahn and Hephaestus looked at her with questioning looks as she explained, "You misunderstand Hephaestus-sama. Though I'd like to fulfill that role myself and intend to marry Vahn for that purpose, I shouldn't be the only one to marry him. If he is going to be in a relationship with you, or other goddesses, in the future, Vahn would need a wife with a high enough status to reign in his actions against people with more status or authority than he has currently."
Though Vahn was confused, Hephaestus seemed to realize what Eina was implying and she couldn't help but blush a little. Vahn became even more confused, but before he could ask the question, Eina continued, "Indeed. The best course of action would be for Vahn to marry both of us. If he has both a mortal and goddess as his first wives, he will have a broader consideration for others in the future. I wouldn't be able to prevent other goddesses from approaching him, since I don't have enough authority and status, but you have both of those things, arguably more than anyone else in the entire City."
With Eina's continued explanation, Vahn finally realized that she was telling Hephaestus to marry him as well. Vahn could feel an excitement welling up inside of him and couldn't prevent himself from smiling due to all the happy feelings he was experiencing. Hephaestus had been watching Vahn, since he was standing right in front of her, and she saw how happy he was at the thought of marrying her. She could feel his heart beat excitedly in her own soul, and it made Hephaestus feel confident about the half-elf, no, Eina's plan.
After a bit of consideration, Hephaestus smiled at Vahn and said, "I would love to marry Vahn...but there are several other factors that need to be considered as well. It is very difficult for a goddess to marry, especially one that has descended to the mortal plane..." As she was thinking the matters through and rationalizing things, Hephaestus became annoyed at the sound of her own words. She noticed that Vahn seemed to be a little disappointed as she was explaining, so she decided to stop caring as she said, "Fine, I don't care about all of that anyways. If you want to marry me...I won't refuse..."
Hephaestus started to blush as she continued, and couldn't help but wrap her arms under her breasts as expectation began to build inside her. The moment she said she was willing, Vahn immediately entered a high tension state as he shouted, "Yes! Please, marry me Hephaestus!" Though he had expected to marry her in the future, Vahn found the idea of marrying both her and Eina at the same time to be an incredible notion. This way, he could prevent Hephaestus from facing criticism for falling in love with a married man in the future.
Eina spoke out from his side before Hephaestus could respond, "Though he seems to have a bit of a misunderstanding...it is still the best course of action. What will you do now, Hephaestus-sama?' Hephaestus had also noticed that, though he wanted to marry her, he also seemed to be considering something else. Since she was afraid of letting misunderstandings continue to build, she asked, "Why are you so willing to marry me, Vahn? I understand you like me, and it makes me very happy, but you seem to think something else as well."
Vahn was a bit confused as he stared between the emerald eyes of Eina and the red, almost ruby colored, eyes of Hephaestus. After a bit of thought, he explained, "I was thinking that, if we were to get married now, you wouldn't have to be embarrassed in the future. I know you said you were okay with me being with other girls, but I feel like it would have been difficult for us to get married if I was in a relationship with several people."
Both Eina and Hephaestus sighed at the same time while staring at Vahn with a mixture of affection and concern on their faces. The two heard each other's sighs and looked at each other before laughing a bit. Vahn seemed very confused by everything that was happening, but the next words he heard made his worries fly out the window. Hephaestus looked at him with a loving expression in her eyes and a happy smile on her face as she said, "Of course I will marry you, Vahn. I don't care what other people think at all, and if anyone has a problem with it, I'll just crush them if I have to."
Eina nodded after hearing Hephaestus's words while Vahn felt a bit of a chill run along his back. He could see that, through all the love and affection she had for him, she was equally as serious when saying how she would deal with others. Though he was a bit worried, Vahn reached out his hand in the same manner as he had for Eina. Hephaestus seemed a bit confused, but Eina pointed to the emerald-gold ring on her finger without saying anything.
Hephaestus's eyes widened a bit as she stood up from her desk and walked around to stand in front of Vahn. Though he hadn't done so for Eina, since they had both been sitting at the time, Vahn remembered from the books that he read that it was proper etiquette to kneel before offering a ring in marriage. When Hephaestus stood in front of him and reached for his hand, Vahn kneeled down and stunned the two women.
Vahn looked into the beautiful eyes of Hephaestus and felt like his heart was about to beat out of his chest. He felt very happy at the prospect of marrying the goddess that had cared for him and made so many efforts to ensure his own happiness. Hephaestus snapped out of her shock and held out her hand as Vahn revealed a beautiful platinum ring adorned with a large ruby.
Eina saw the ring and had a bit of an incredulous look on her face as she asked herself if Vahn had been planning to marry all the girls he was in a relationship with. However, remembering when she had questioned him earlier and that his response was he would likely marry Hephaestus in the future, she put the matter behind her and considered it to be a coincidence. However, she intended to ask him after the scene finished playing out. Eina realized that, when it came to Vahn, it was better to clarify things so there would be fewer misunderstandings.
Hephaestus's hand shook a bit as Vahn put the platinum-ruby ring on her finger. After he had finished the short ceremony, Vahn stood up and, before he could say anything, Hephaestus suddenly kissed him with an intense and passionate fervor in her actions. He immediately started returning her kiss while Eina watched the two of them from the side with a shocked expression on her face. She realized that it wasn't just Vahn who needed to be reigned in, but Hephaestus herself would have to learn some self-control.
After 'patiently' waiting for nearly three minutes, Eina could no longer contain herself as she loudly cleared her throat to get the attention of the two passionate idiots. Hephaestus and Vahn looked at her with confused expressions before Hephaestus's eyes widened and she separated from Vahn's grasp. She had been too excited after he put the ring on her finger that she couldn't keep the emotions from exploding out and kissing him. When he returned her advances and even planted his hands on her butt, she had completely forgotten that Eina was in the room.
Hephaestus and Vahn fixed their appearances as Eina stared at both of them like a big sister reprimanding her younger siblings. She turned to Vahn and asked, "Vahn, did you buy rings for all the girls you're currently in a relationship with?" Vahn heard her question and realized that it was abnormal for him to be carrying around rings, so he just shook his head and said, "No, those were the only two I have." Eina seemed happy at his response and smiled for a few seconds before turning to Hephaestus and recovering her serious expression. He spoke in a firm tone, "Hephaestus-sama, if you're the one that needs to be reigning in the other girls, you need to learn a bit of self-control..."
The blush that had yet to leave her face now expanded and turned a deep crimson as Hephaestus looked at Eina's serious expression and heard her reprimanding tone. Hephaestus wanted to retort that she only acted like this around Vahn, but even she couldn't help but feel the pressure emitted by the half-elf girls emerald eyes. Now that they were both going to be Vahn's 'First-Wives', they would likely be spending a lot of time together in the future. Releasing a short sight, Hephaestus muttered in a low voice, "I'll do my best...Eina."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'C-c-c-combo Breaker','Everything is better in twos','Head Wives Alliance'
每周推薦票狀態
200+ 推薦票
榜單 
114 推薦票 
段落評論