章節 562: Moving Forward

Though they weren't simply going to drop their guards now that the earth mage had been taken care of, everyone had become a lot less tense knowing he was no longer a threat. There had been a slight stir as a result of the scheduling changes, but there wasn't really any resistance since one of the topics they had discussed during the previous Vahnatus was about overtaxing Vahn all the time. They also thought the idea of having time alone with him was very nice and knew that, even if they didn't go out of their way to 'pester' him, Vahn would likely come to them on his own accord. If he was taking proactive actions, he wouldn't get nearly as stressed out as if the girls showed up and interrupted his natural momentum. It made Vahn feel more than a little guilty, but he also knew it was for the best to slow down and relax instead of constantly pushing himself, and the girls, forward...

There were several girls that were more than a little happy about the changes that occurred, chiefly Maemi, Emiru, Preasia, and, to a lesser extent, Lili, Naaza, and Lefiya. The former group was excited to be able to get closer to Vahn without the 'pressure' and 'anxiety' involved with waiting around and 'suffering'. As for the latter batch, though Lili was a bit of an exception, they simply looked forward to being able to spend more time with Vahn since he wouldn't constantly be 'flirting' with other girls. It was a little awkward for Naaza to show affection around other people, even though she didn't particularly have any problems with anyone, so she spent a lot of time with Lili or in her own atelier working on her [Mixing]. As for Lefiya, she was still easily flustered and figured she would be able to 'relax' more around Vahn if he wasn't always actively considering how to best satisfy everyone all the time...

The person that was taking things the 'hardest' amongst the residents of the Manor was, surprisingly, Mikoto. She did consider herself to be one of Vahn's future lovers but she had never had an easy way to actually get closer to him. During the moments when she meditated, she often wondered if he had been observing her training in secret and it made her try her best in the hopes of meeting his 'expectations'. Though she wouldn't admit it, her conversations with Haruhime and the other girls had caused her to think 'inappropriate' thoughts about him on occasion and she often wondered when he would push things to the next level. When the opportunity to put her name on the schedule appeared, Mikoto nearly caved in and added her own name to the list before backing out at the last moment. Almost immediately afterward, she had made her way back into the forest to work up a sweat in order to release the tensions in her body in a vain attempt to calm her heart and relax her mind.

As for Vahn, the source of the drastic changes that often took place in the Manor, he spent the immediate days thereafter accompanying Tina, Milan, Shizune, and Chloe into the Dungeon. They would always stay for around 3-4 hours before returning to the Manor for lunch and it had become a common sight within the City to see Terra or Fafnir flying around, especially above the territory of the Alliance. The two hard-working girls had been making steady progress and Tina had even been able to reach the 3rd Floor on her own efforts. Her first fight against a Kobold had been a little scary, as they were very fierce and quick, but she managed to take them down even though her clothes got stained with a fair amount of blood. As for Shizune, she made an earnest effort to improve and hadn't experienced any major difficulties even when fighting new monsters. Her progress wasn't as fast as Tina's, as her Endurance parameter was developing somewhat slowly, but it was more than what most people her 'physical' age would be able to accomplish.

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[[STATUS]]

Name: Tina Yuel

Race: Cat Person

LV. 1

POW: I65->H128

END: I86->H157

DEX: I74->H135

AGI: I80->H140

MAG: I5->I11

Skill: [Eclipse: Innate(sealed)], [Shield Bash:I](new)

Magic: -

Development Skill: [Abnormal Resistance:(sealed)]

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[[STATUS]]

Name: Shizune Yuel

Race: Kitsune

LV. 1

POW: I40->I79

END: I36->I68

DEX: I73->H126

AGI: I97->H142

MAG: I26->I47

Skill: [Tamomo: Innate(sealed)], [Featherfoot:I]

Magic: [Moon's Prayer: Innate(sealed)]

Development Skill: [Abnormal Resistance(sealed)], [Insomnia(sealed)]

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Both girls were making steady progress and Shizune had actually started to calm down a bit more now that she had a way to 'vent' some of her stress against monsters. She likely wouldn't become a battle maniac like Tiona, Tione, and Ais, but she certainly had a disposition that treated combat as if it were 'normal'. It may have been a result of her trials throughout life, but Shizune's 'expectations' were a little skewed and she adapted quickly to new situations. Tina struggled a little against new enemies, but she worked incredibly hard and it warmed both Vahn's and Milan's hearts to see the tiny cat girl fighting against monsters that were almost the same size as her with a fierce resolution burning in her golden irises.

While Shizune 'relaxed' a bit after releasing some of her pent up tension, Tina was actually the opposite and had the disposition of seeking Vahn's affection whenever she overcame strife. She was a lot like a child that wanted the praise of her parents, so Vahn appeased her as best he could while listening to her talk about the things she wanted to improve upon in the future. They would often take breaks when Tina finished difficult fights and would sit together as a small little family while Tina droned on and on while relaxing in Vahn's lap as both he and Milan stroked her head and pampered her. She seemed to really enjoy the time spent in the Dungeon and her eagerness to become even stronger had been ignited as a result of the positive reinforcement she received and the existence of powerful girls all around her...

When he wasn't in the Dungeon with the girls, Vahn was either in his workshop or wandering around to see what the others were up to. He had finally completed the formation layer for the 'bottoms' of the prototype armor, which he had gotten Ais to try on, so the only thing that remained was finishing the tertiary layer before field testing it. Because it was meant to be worn at almost all times, Vahn had cut away a large section in the center of the bottoms, effectively making them 'crotchless' as Loki so readily pointed out. He then made a third piece of elastic cloth that almost seamlessly covered the area and wrapped around to the sides before connecting together on loop. He had gotten the idea from the side-tie panties that Loki and Aki had worn previously and this would allow the girls to quickly remove the central cloth in the event of an 'emergency' without having to completely remove the armor. It also had the benefit of being a bit 'tantalizing' since Vahn often felt a strange urge to try and pull away at the looped clasp at times...

Since the prototype would likely only be used by Ais until she had 'tested' it out thoroughly, Vahn made sure it was designed according to the specifications she was most concerned with. She was still in the phase where she wore a bit more armor than her future self, so Ais wanted the chest and back to have the thickest armor. Vahn ended up making the outside layer out of Cadmus Skin and used a fourth layer to reinforce the areas that Ais wanted to protect while also making it look more aesthetically pleasing. The armor was designed to be comfortable and could even be worn without other clothing for when they were sleeping or relaxing. To make sure it didn't look like actual underwear, Vahn embellished the design and made it look more like a thin leather armor of very high quality.

When everything was done, Ais had an almost stark white bodysuit that covered her neck, torso, pelvis, thighs, and part of her upper arms. It looked a bit 'alien' compared to the armor worn by other Adventurers, but that was because it was intended to be worn underneath other clothing and was only a part of her full ensemble. He had offered to color part of it but, other than a bit of blue that Ais wanted out of personal preference, she liked the white color quite a bit. She said it was very comfortable to wear and almost walked out of the workshop with nothing but the prototype in order to show it off to the others. Vahn managed to stop her, though he expected she would still show it off later on, as he still needed to 'finish' the prototype by naming it.

Hearing that the armor wasn't yet complete, Ais tilted her head to the side and asked, "Does naming the armor make it stronger?" Vahn nodded his head and explained, "Even a normal [Blacksmith] can pull out a few of the attributes of the materials they work with, but [Master Smith]s can make items with powerful skills and abilities simply by having the intent to do so during their work. I also have a bit of a unique ability to infuse strength into objects by naming them, so the armor isn't finished until I come up with a name for it." Ais tilted her head adorably to the other side and asked, "Have you picked a name?"

Vahn experienced a light mental pause because of Ais' adorable actions and her rather frank question. He already understood he was somewhat bad at naming things but he had plenty of time to think about the prototype armor before he actually completed it. Though he intended to make stronger versions in the future, Vahn had decided to name the armor [Aegis Top Mk 1] and [Aegis Bottoms Mk 1]. One of the greatest defensive treasures in the Danmachi record was the Aegis Shield that was a divine artifact that Hera often bestowed to the Captain of her Familia in the past. It had the ability to withstand almost any physical blow and even protected its wielder from mental attacks and magic. Vahn felt that naming the armor worn by the girls as one of the most powerful defensive artifacts in the record would give them greater protection.

After collecting himself, Vahn smiled and gently rubbed Ais' silky golden hair as he explained, "I'm going to name the line of armor 'Aegis Mk 1' since there will be other versions of it in the future. When I make other pieces of equipment for you in the future, I'll ask for your opinion on the names and we'll go over a few legends to pick out the most suitable one for you, okay?" Even though she was a Human, albeit with a Spirit bloodline mixed in, Ais didn't really have any immunity to his [Petting] and actually greatly enjoyed the warm energy from his [Hands of Nirvana] even before he awakened the Development Ability. She closed her eyes and uttered a simple 'Nn' in response and didn't offer any form of rebuttal about Vahn's somewhat lackluster naming sense.

When it came time to actually name the armor, Vahn ended up getting a fair amount of OP as a reward but the most interesting thing was the final stats of the armor itself. He hadn't made Ais remove it before naming it because he believed it would make the armor more suitable for her, leading to a bit of a major discovery as a result. Not only did the armor become slightly sleeker than it had been initially, essentially conforming perfectly to the shape of Ais's body, but there were a few unexpected attributes that had been awakened along with the physical changes the armor had undergone...

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[Aegis Top Mk 1]

Rank: A (Magic)

Slots: 1

P.Def: 410

M.Def: 800

Abilities: Aegis Set Effect(A), Weatherproof(A), Unblemished(C), Stamina Boost(B), Auto-Regen(D)

A prototype armor created by a skilled [Master Smith] that sought new and innovative ways to protect the people he cared about. Uses high-quality materials from multiple records while borrowing the record of 'Aegis' to imbue the armor with greater defensive might. Nullifies a portion of the damage received by all physical and magical attacks with a small chance of completely mitigating it. Effects are amplified when paired with other items containing the 'Aegis Set Effect'.

Soulbound:(Ais Wallenstein)

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[Aegis Bottoms Mk 1]

Rank: A (Magic)

Slots: 2

P.Def: 640

M.Def: 490

Abilities: Aegis Set Effect(A), Weatherproof(A), Insulated(A), Unblemished(C), Shaping(C)

A prototype armor created by a peculiar [Master Smith] that took into consideration the needs of the wearer. His obsession with the complex structure of this garment gives it greater gluteal support than normal undergarments and helps keep the shape of the muscles with the passage of time. Uses high-quality materials from multiple records while borrowing the record of 'Aegis' to imbue the armor with greater defensive might. Nullifies a portion of the damage received by all physical and magical attacks with a small chance of completely mitigating it. Effects are amplified when paired with other items containing the 'Aegis Set Effect'.

Soulbound:(Ais Wallenstein)

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Vahn's brain buzzed at the description of the [Aegis Bottoms Mk 1], but he did his best to ignore it and just accepted that he probably cared a little more than he realized about the girls' butts. He hoped that Hephaestus and Tsubaki wouldn't be able to see through it and simply asked, "How does it feel, did you notice any changes?" Ais nodded her head and had a very curious expression on her face as she touched various parts of the armor before commenting, "It almost feels like I'm not wearing anything...but it is very comfortable and warm at the same time? Very strange...but I like it. Thank you, Vahn..." Vahn smiled and said, "You are very welcome Ais..." but there was another matter on his mind and a bit of excitement in his voice when he asked, "Can you try imagining removing the armor using your mind?"

Since most Soulbound items could actually be stored within the Soul itself, Vahn was very hopeful that Ais would be able to materialize the armor. However, this didn't seem to be the case as Ais shook her head and had a confused expression on her face as she said, "I don't think I can do it...?" Vahn released a slight sigh but he wasn't too surprised as, other than [Enkidu], there was always a catalyst for other items that had that effect. Though the basic structure was 'memorized' by the Soul, almost every item he had seen that could be 'materialize' had something like a gemstone, or another storage medium to act as a catalyst. Vahn expected he might be able to use his blood gems, or other magical storage mediums, as a solution for future armor designs.

After making a few notes in his research logs on the 'Aegis Series', Vahn turned to Ais and said, "If it isn't too much trouble, I would like you to wear the armor as much as possible and inform me about its functionality. It's actually as strong as some metallic armors with its multi-layered structure and it shouldn't get dirty even if you sweat or get blood on it. However, make sure to wash it properly or bring it to me for maintenance if it starts to become uncomfortable..." Ais was currently off to the side stretching her body and familiarizing herself with the armor and simply gave an 'Nn' as confirmation to Vahn's words. After finishing her small routine, she looked over with a small smile and asked, "Are you...hungry?"

Vahn smiled and cast a glance over at the small bento box that Ais had brought with her when she came into the workshop earlier. Other than studying about how to be a good mother, Ais had also been considering how to be a 'proper' housewife and had taken up cooking under the guidance of Milan and Lunoire with Lefiya as her assistant. She was 'very' good at cutting vegetables and filleting fish, but Ais didn't seem to have much patience or focus regarding the actual cooking part. She had made a bit of progress, but her meals were still at a very basic level so far and often including simple rice balls, sashimi, and salads. Even this was very satisfying for Vahn, however, because he loved to eat the cooking that the girls had put in painstaking efforts to make solely for his enjoyment.

As had often been the case recently, considering Ais was in her experimental cooking phase, Vahn joined her on the sofa and accepted the food she offered to him. Though he pandered to her a bit by embellishing his reactions, Ais was very happy to see how much Vahn enjoyed the food she had prepared. She had tasted it herself and knew it wasn't very good compared to the things he made, but it still made her heart feel warm and fluttery seeing his pleased reaction to every bite. Times like this were very pleasant and Ais was beginning to think it would be better if things continued like this in the future. Ever since she had learned that the One-Eyed Black Dragon in the Dungeon wasn't the real thing, her resolve to slay it had been slowly fading and she just wanted to keep the happiness she had found for herself at Vahn's side. They would eventually confront the monster in the future, alongside other enemies, but that was only a small part of the life they could build together...and she wanted to try harder to make sure the happy times continued for as long as possible.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Mikoto-chan','Youth Troupe Working Hard','He finished the armor!?','Ais' Bridal Training...!? Or maybe she just wants to be a Mommy (UwU)~?')

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章節 563: Business As Usual?

Having completed Ais' armor, Vahn could no move on to the next subject of his research while Ais was busily field-testing the armor to test its functionality. Unfortunately, he had taken the better part of the week to complete the task which meant he had transitioned into the weekend where he wasn't 'supposed' to be doing work in his workshop. He had been spending time with the girls, especially in the afternoons and evenings, but making himself open on the weekends was good for everyone, Vahn included. It was also the time when the girls took a break from the Dungeon, so it was the best opportunity for things like picnics, salon time, dates, or simply playing around.

Vahn had a forest excursion planned during the late morning and early afternoon, while his evening would be spent doing salon treatments with some of the girls that he didn't get to treat often. Preasia would be using her hour-long massage tab, while the interesting inclusion of Misha had been allowed by Eina. She had been pestering Eina about the changes in her body ever since she underwent 'Nirvana' and got to know of Vahn's beauty treatments and massage techniques. Since she was considered 'safe' as a result of her disposition, she had been given the chance to partake of the salon treatments. Unlike everyone else, however, she had to pay a pretty hefty fee of 20,000 Valis, making her one of the first paid clients Vahn ever had to treat.

Before all of that started, however, there was 'business' that had to be taken care of so Vahn was currently waiting at the Guest Residence for Loki's Arrival. Things had gotten a bit awkward with Chris and Holda previously so it was agreed that Loki would bring them directly to the Guest Residence instead of having Vahn meet them at the gate. She had unrestricted access to the Manor, with the exception of the workshop area and a few other key locations, so Loki could bring in guests much like he had been able to escort Arnya.

Today he would be helping a goddess named Minerva, who possessed the Divinities of War, Wisdom, and Mercantilism. He had missed their previously scheduled meeting last week, so Vahn felt a little guilty and calmed his mind to behave as professionally as possible. With the extra time to prepare, Loki had given him a document related to Minerva, including her picture and a small section outlining her personality and the reasons why she had been 'approved' by the Alliance. With the incident involving Alosrin, Loki expected there would be conflicts in the future and they would benefit from having a good relationship with goddesses that had Divinities similar to Minerva.

Vahn felt that it was a bit exploitative in a sense, but it wasn't incorrect to say that the goddesses that came to them were receiving great benefits without too great a cost to themselves. Minerva wasn't being forced to join the Alliance, it was just noted that she could be a source of wise counsel during trying times as her specific focus had always been on strategy, tactical negotiations, and trade agreements. She was currently the leader of a C-Rank Familia, but this was primarily due to her focus on trading and business than actually sending her members into the Dungeon. Instead of an Expedition type Familia, they were officially classified as a Merchant Familia that also accepted commissions for things like escorting merchant caravans.

A few short minutes after they were expected to arrive, Vahn heard the door of the Guest Residence open but he had long sensed their arrival through his domain. He came to his feet to greet his guests and only sent a cursory glance at Minerva before sighing in his mind and sending a smile to her fortunate companion. His name was Praxis and he was the current Captain of the Minerva Familia at Level 4. He stood around 183cm tall and had a very sturdy build and a somewhat sly looking face with a gaze that looked like he could see through people. His skin was somewhat tanned as a result of exposure and he had short black hair and pale-brown eyes that glimmered with an intelligent light.

As for Minerva, she was somewhat short at 158cm and had hazelnut brown hair and reddish-brown eyes. She wore her hair up in two loose twin-tails and showed off a fair amount of skin, much like many goddesses seemed inclined to do. Her top looked closer to a sports bra than an actual piece of clothing and there was a bluish-grey mantle around her neck like a scarf. Her midriff was completely exposed, showing off her lithe and fit body, while her waist had a sash much like what Tiona and Tione wore, except that it was black with bluish-grey accents. Her wrists and ankles were adorned with golden bands conformed like cloth but had a metallic luster to them while a golden band held up her parted bangs. As for what Vahn had 'confirmed' with his earlier gaze, she had moderately developed breasts and Vahn could tell from the curve leading into her hips that she likely had a toned and fleshy butt as well.

Though it had been incredibly brief, Vahn noticed that Praxis' eyes became marginally more serious after his glance while Minerva simply showed a large grin on her face. As people that made their living as merchants, they were very perceptive and could read other merchants relatively easily, meaning a naive boy like Vahn was well within their capacity to see through completely. Minerva squeezed her breasts together with her arms and turned to Loki, asking, "This is the boy you fell in love with, Loki? He seems to prefer girls with a bigger bust~?" Minerva had a playful tone to her voice but it still made Loki's brow twitch as she slightly parted her eyes and gave Minerva a glance that immediately caused the goddesses' smile to freeze up.

Vahn released a loud sigh and said, "Forgive me, as I still haven't matured to the point where I can simply ignore a beautiful woman that enters my sight. However, you should avoid trying to compare yourself to the women I'm in love with as you'll find I'm quite fond of pandering to them, even if it is at the expense of my relationships with 'outsiders'." Loki 'cackled' a bit as she walked over and leaned against Vahn's body while Minerva watched Vahn with a look of intrigue in her eyes.

Like all gods, she was very interested in the boy that was changing history and she could see from how he treated Loki that it wouldn't be a good idea to tease her too much. Praxis also understood this and decided to use the opportunity to smooth things over as he said in a surprisingly amicable tone, "We're grateful to the Alliance for providing us with such an opportunity. Though I can't claim Minerva's love for myself, I am honored to have been the one selected to sire her child." Toward the end of his words, Praxis bowed at a low angle because he heard from Loki that Vahn was fond of the etiquette of the Far East. It wasn't just Vahn who had received a bit of a briefing before this meeting began, which was the main reason neither he nor Minerva had minded Vahn's evaluating gaze.

Vahn returned Praxis' bow and invited the 'couple' to sit down as they made the pertinent agreements and discussed the procedure. Minerva didn't seem to mind being exposed at all while Praxis' expression seemed infallible like it had been carved from stone. Even his aura remained very stable and Vahn was very impressed with the man's emotional control and mental stability. It was very obvious there wasn't a lot of love between him and Minerva, almost like they were 'partners' more than lovers, but Minvera would make a good mother even if she raised her child on her own. As a goddess of Wisdom, she would raise her son or daughter to be a very capable person that would likely become the future Captain of her Familia.

Once their discussion had come to an end, they went to the room where Vahn bound Minerva up in [Enkidu] before leaving the two behind to take care of the deed. She seemed very interested in the chains but didn't ask for the details as it was one of the things she was unable to discuss. [Enkidu] was the most closely guarded secret of the Alliance and the vows that goddesses were made to take forced them to protect any information related to it for a period of no less than 1,000 years unless Vahn himself revoked the oath. As for Praxis, his vow bound him until death which meant that he would be keeping the secret all the way to his grave, something he was already very familiar with as the Captain of a Merchant Familia.

Surprisingly, Vahn only had around eight minutes to pamper Loki before Praxis came back up the elevator with a very business-like appearance and said, "It is done, please see that the procedure is carried out without error. Minerva-sama has desired children of her own for many years and had even adopted several, myself included. Please grant her wish, Sage Aldrnari." Though he was a bit perplexed about the 'swiftness' of the event, Vahn let the matter slide and showed a serious expression on his face as he said, "I guarantee there won't be any issues whatsoever. Though I'm lacking in maturity, I will not compromise when it comes to things like this." Praxis had a small light of admiration in his eyes before nodding his head and leading the way to the elevator.

Minerva was strung up with a somewhat 'bored' look on her face when Vahn first entered the room but it quickly turned into a teasing smile as she said, "Don't get too carried away when you're playing around with my body, Vahn Mason. I don't mind if you admire my figure, or even if you touch my body, but if you cross the line even Loki won't be able to protect you from my grasp, fufufu~." Vahn stalled near the elevator and just stared at Minerva, who currently had her butt sticking out without the sash protecting her rather plump butt. He wasn't sure how to react to her words until Loki went up and said, "You're rather bold, aren't you Minerva~?" as she loudly smacked the flawless white butt cheek of Minerva.

Unable to move around much under the binding of [Enkidu], as Vahn had left them somewhat loose so as not to cause discomfort, Minerva just wiggled her butt and said, "Ah, Loki, I was just playing around! If you think I'll let you spank my butt without compensation, you've got another thing coming you sneaky little trickster~!" Vahn watched their interaction with a blank expression as Praxis released an almost inaudible sigh from the side and explained, "This was one of the reasons why I wanted you to carry out the procedure quickly. Minerva-sama and Loki have had...conflicts in the past since their Divinities are in opposition to each other. It would be best to bring this matter to an end as quickly as possible before they start doing foolish things..."

Vahn suddenly understood the situation and walked over as he sent Loki, who had been 'teasing' the defenseless Minerva, a look that made her startle slightly as she pulled her hands away. As much as she might try to resist it, Loki couldn't always resist her compulsions and she was prone to stirring up trouble with gods that were related to Order, Peace, and Wisdom. Vahn had never seen it, but she was very fond of teasing the very serious Eirene and was one of the primary reasons Eirene always talked about him when she was with her Familia. With Loki's 'harassment', the relatively taciturn and serious Eirene couldn't easily get Vahn out of her thoughts and they had been having tea and corresponding with each other ever since she joined the Alliance.

After standing behind Minerva, Vahn resisted the urge to grab her butt and just placed his hands around her hips as he began the delicate process of transplanting the egg and ensuring it was properly fertilized so that it would be protected by her Divinity later on. Before his [Eyes of Truth] penetrated through her body, however, Vahn remarked in his mind that Minerva's underwear was far tamer than he expected from the goddess. They were a simple white and were big enough to almost qualify as a small pair of shorts than actual panties. There weren't any embellishments like frills or ribbons, almost like she was showing through her selection of clothing that she had no other intentions and was simply here to complete a 'transaction'.

Vahn completed the important part of the procedure after a few short minutes before he began carving the crest into Minerva's lower back. Throughout the entire process, she just relaxed her body against [Enkidu] and the entire room had become silent as a result. When he finished with the crest, however, Minerva opened her eyes suddenly and said, "You don't have to conceal it, as I'm not ashamed to bear the crest of the Sage Aldrnari on my body. Until my body begins showing the physical signs of pregnancy, I'd like people to be able to see it so you can skip that part." Though he was a bit surprised, Vahn nodded his head and just loosened up [Enkidu] slowly so Minerva could recover and stand on her feet.

Minerva really was a beautiful goddess with a great figure, which was easy to see as she was wearing nothing but simple white underwear. She hadn't even removed her mantle or the thin black top she had on her upper body when she and Praxis had sex, not that it had done much to conceal her strangely petite yet very mature body. Vahn could understand Loki's reasons for not getting along that great with Minerva as one of the main reason she had been a 'nemesis' to Hestia was related to her envy regarding Hestia's diminutive size in relation to her large breasts. When this thought crossed his mind, Minerva tilted her head and asked, "You're thinking about another girl when you're admiring my body? Is it Loki~? Oh, and someone else?"

Loki stepped in at this point and stood between Vahn and Minerva as she said, "Minerva, you should know better than anyone that 'information' and 'access' are two valuable commodities. Unless you have other 'business' to discuss, you shouldn't tarry around here for too long." Minerva scrunched up her nose at Loki's remark before picking up her waist cloth and wrapping it around her hips in a very casual manner as she commented, "It was the fortune of the Alliance that they got their hands on the Sage Aldrnari before anyone else...hahaha~." Loki seemed like she wanted to say something, but Vahn lightly squeezed her shoulder and said, "You are mistaken, Minerva..."

Hearing Vahn's rebuttal, Minerva turned to give him a curious gaze before an elegant smile appeared on her face and she said, "Yes, that indeed seems to be the case...make sure you treasure your time properly, Vahn Mason. Don't let other people take advantage of your kindness...ufufufu~." Minerva could tell what Vahn wanted to say even without him verbalizing it at all. Deep within his aquamarine eyes, she could see the gratitude and 'devotion' he had toward the girls around him. She didn't really know about his past, but it must have been very difficult given his peculiar behavior. Hephaestus, Loki, Hestia, and Anubis, must have found him when he was hurting greatly and worked hard to help him become the person he is today. She could see that Vahn considered himself to be the fortunate one and it would be a very dangerous thing if she wanted to tease Loki about the matter.

After fixing her clothing, Minerva gave Vahn another look and said, "Depending on how the future plays out, I wouldn't mind enjoying your company on occasion, Vahn Mason. I imagine you will have a very long life and I would cherish the opportunity to be a part of it, at least once or twice." Minerva sent him a playful wink before locking arms with Praxis and saying, "Ufufu, looks like you'll get to brag to the others for a while after this, ne, Praxis~?" As if he was very used to dealing with Minerva, Praxis nodded his head with a stoic expression on his face and said, "Indeed...I imagine the others will never let me hear the end of this once we return. I suppose I'll have to treat them all to a few rounds to pacify them every now and then..."

Though she was in no way a 'promiscuous' woman, Minerva had five people that she commonly 'associated' with and they had long-term relationships with the shortest spanning eight years. This meant there was a bit of internal competition to see who would get the right to sire her child, with Praxis gaining the ultimate victory. He was the Captain of her Familia for a reason and had managed to earn more than 30% of the combined profits of the other four on his own, even with some restrictions placed on his means. Her interest in Vahn was a bit 'unique', as there was no way a goddess that had lived for such a long period of time could easily overlook such an anomaly once it had presented itself...

Hearing their discussion, Vahn had a thought cross his mind and he pulled out what looked like a bottle of wine but it was wrapped in bamboo slats. He had been thinking about alcohols that would be suitable for the Clubhouse and came across this relatively delicious wine called [Emperor's Lifeblood]. It cost a total of 14,000OP for a single bottle but it could be diluted at a ratio of 1:100 with water and still have a strong flavor and 'effective' alcohol content. Vahn offered the bottle to Praxis, including a note on how to consume it, saying, "Take this, I'm certain your companions will enjoy it greatly." Praxis gave Vahn an appraising look and there was a small glint in Minerva's eyes as they glowed with a strange light while she looked at the bottle he had presented.

Praxis waited for Minerva's valuation of the bottle and was surprised when she had a rather fervent look mixed with a bit of confusion as she asked, "Where did you obtain this bottle? Other than understanding it is ridiculously valuable, I can't determine anything else about its origins at all." Vahn smiled and explained, "It is something I personally created and have decided to gift you as a form of congratulations." Minerva nodded her head in understanding but she didn't miss the subtle undertones in Vahn's voice and knew he wanted them to 'sample' the wine before potentially making an agreement with them in the future for distributions rights. Without considering the matter in great detail, Minerva smiled and took the bottle of wine from Praxis as if it was a great treasure and said, "Thank you...Vahn Mason...I look forward to our future interactions~."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Busy, Busy, Busy','Fickle Goddess? : Business Mentality','Chaos and Trickery vs. Order and Wisdom','The Spirit Of Cooperation')

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