章節 1676: Straightforward
Having been kicked out of his workshop by Eva, Vahn willfully ignored what was happening inside as he meandered over to the central World Tree. There, as was often the case these days, he found Fenrir floating a few meters off the ground. A peculiar bluish-black aura shrouded her body, but, instead of obscuring her features, it made her stand out even more, almost as if she was the only thing that existed within that particular region of Time and Space...
Sensing her Master's presence, Fenrir's eyes slowly peeled open to reveal uncharacteristic bluish-white pupils. Anyone caught in her gaze would feel as though a palpable chill had spread through their entire body, and, though their internal temperature wouldn't be immediately affected, she was able to gradually freeze their Spirit due to her increasing affinity with her Zanpakuto.
Vahn was honestly amazed every time he saw Fenrir's progress, but, considering she spent upwards of 190 hours a day cultivating, it made sense. She pushed herself harder than anyone else he knew, and, though he had offered her numerous ways to grow even faster, Fenrir had always followed his original teachings, inscribing them in her heart. Thus, unless he specifically 'forced' her to consume a treasure, she was absolutely determined to increase her strength through sheer hard work and an inordinate amount of effort.
Though he felt a little guilty about interrupting his beloved Vanargandr's training, Vahn shamelessly opened his arms with a smile on his face. In response, the midnight blue fur covering Fenrir's body became notably thicker, and, without even a moment's hesitation, she had leaped into his arms, her own wrapping around him before nuzzling against his chest. In response, Vahn did much the same, tightly embracing the indescribably soft woman in his embrace before burying his face into the soft and fragrant fur covering her head and ears...
---
After several minutes of just nuzzling against each other, Vahn sat with his back against the World Tree while Fenrir curled up in his lap with a happy smile on her face. She was very fond of just being held, so, unless they were doing something more 'intimate', Vahn made a point to cradle her in his arms whenever they conversed. As for why he had sought her out, it came down to the fact that she was, and likely always would be, his emotional anchor and compass.
Though she always left the decisions for him to make, simply telling Fenrir his plans as she dutifully listened always brought Vahn a sense of calm. It also allowed him to build up his confidence, as, no matter what he decided on, she would wholeheartedly support him. This made her something of an enabler for him, but, at the same time, it also allowed him to establish a baseline to remind himself of how he should be acting. After all, even though she was very supportive, Fenrir wouldn't hesitate to point out when he began deviating from his original objectives.
This time around, Vahn was explaining his intentions following their emergence from the Realm. He was already at the point where he was seriously considering leaving the Akamatsuverse, as, even if he did go on a rampage through Heaven, he wouldn't really achieve anything. If he was somehow stronger than the combined might of Heaven, he risked throwing the entire Record into chaos. On the reverse side of things, there was a decent chance that 'something' within the Realm of Heaven was far stronger than him. In that event, he would end up making an exceptionally powerful enemy, forcing him to either flee the verse or go all out trying to protect the things he cared about...
Vahn didn't really feel like purchasing a [Dimensional Anchor: Stasis] just so he could tie up loose ends in a Record he originally had no interest in. He was willing to subsume the entirety of Mundus Magicus in order to allow Arika and Theo to fulfill their obligations, but, compared to undermining the integrity of the entire Record, absorbing a single Texture was inconsequential. There were even a number of individuals who could recreate the Magical World, so, in the end, Vahn's actions would amount to a 'minor inconvenience' or a simple 'curiosity' for the beings who observed the progress of Inverse Mars from the shadows...
---
Hearing her Master drone on about unnecessarily complex subjects, Fenrir had to marshal every last bit of her willpower just to avoid exhaling an exasperated sigh. She could never understand why her Master inflated certain issues completely out of proportion. Even the matter of allowing Eva to seek her revenge didn't really make sense, and, though she could understand his desire for the women around him to be independent, the entire fiasco with the Empire and Ostia seemed pointless to her.
Having spent several years alongside Eva, Arika, and Theo, Fenrir was positive all three of the girls would quickly acquiesce if her Master put his foot down. If he seriously asked them to accompany them outside of the Record, none of them would refuse. He didn't have to subsume the entirety of Mundus Magicus, and, though Eva would probably be a little frustrated, she would never be able to hold a grudge against Vahn. In fact, Fenrir was confident that the moment Eva and the rest learned about the true nature of their world, they would quickly lose interest in such meaningless things as revenge and governance. After all, if her Master did subsume Mundus Magicus into his Realm, all of their efforts would have been for naught when it came under the authority of the Ark, Shadow, and Mother...
With these thoughts in her mind, Fenrir waited for her Master to finish speaking before saying, "You are underestimating yourself and the people around you, Master. I understand the significance you place on the present, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the future entirely. Everything would be settled the instant you brought Mundus Magicus into your Realm. All this politicking and waiting around for events to transpire will become completely meaningless once you follow through with your intentions. As it stands, you are just placing an unnecessary burden on yourself, and, once they learn the truth, how do you think Eva and the rest will react when all of their efforts turn out to be nothing more than you indulging them?"
Not expecting Fenrir to come up with a response similar to the numerous warnings he had received from others, Vahn was momentarily at a loss as to how he should respond. He simply couldn't deny the truth contained within her words, but, whenever he thought about just sitting the girls down to explain the situation, it just felt 'wrong'. He would basically be telling them, 'ignore your world and the responsibilities you have accepted for yourself as there are far more qualified entities waiting to govern in your stead'. Even worse, he would be telling Eva that her vengeance was meaningless, as, due to the nature of the Records, there were literally infinite iterations of the Mage of the Beginning influencing an equally infinite number of worlds...
Seeing the conflict in her Master's eyes, Fenrir turned her eyes up at him in the way she knew he liked before shifting around to give him a firm hug. Then, with an equally endearing look, she did her best to sound calm and decisive as she said, "Do not lose sight of what is most important...we still have family waiting for us and a long journey ahead. Getting sidetracked by the meaningless politics of a single world will only increase your burden without any gain. I know Arika, Theo, and Asuna will be happier just being able to stay at your side. They want to grow stronger to support you, not waste precious time pandering to people who only seek profit and personal gain. As for Eva, she might be troubled by losing her chance at vengeance, but, in the end, such things will only become regrets. She would be happier removed from any conflict, and, though she tries her best to hide it, she is actually a very lewd girl...if you push her down, I'm certain she will abandon everything else just to spend more time with you..."
Though he tried to stop himself, Vahn couldn't help but lightly chuckle in response to Fenrir's final statement. He was actually 'very' aware of Eva's perverted nature, as, after holding herself back for a few hundred years, she had developed an almost insatiable curiosity while stockpiling a substantial amount of sexual tension. The only thing holding her back was her own inhibitions and the promise he had made. Without these restraints, it wasn't even difficult to imagine Eva quickly devolving into something of a deviant, her curiosity propelling her to extremes others wouldn't even contemplate without some kind of external stimulus.
Truth be told, Vahn was greatly anticipating the moment when Eva finally discarded her inhibitions. He always enjoyed it when women were honest with themselves, and, though she had a few sadistic tendencies, Eva was too soft-hearted to do commit to anything 'serious'. Her sadistic play was just that, playing around and having a bit of fun without having to worry about how others might view the situation. She would get along exceptionally well with people like Anubis, and, though she put on a strong front, Vahn could see her happily 'tormenting' Theo and Karin with a smile on her face...
With the thought of Karin wearing a black-leather bodice, matching panties, and thigh-high boots appearing within his mind, Vahn quickly shook away his idle thoughts, meeting Fenrir's gaze as he asked, "Are you ready to move on to a new world?"
Despite the fact her Master was looking directly at her, Fenrir didn't hesitate to roll her eyes in a rather dramatic fashion before plainly stating, "With the Realm and the Little Garden, I can train for an eternity without a single second passing in reality. The only thing I'm really worried about is the state of your mind. Your biggest weakness has always been that you care too much about even the most inconsequential things. Even though the only things you really care about are your family and loved ones, you constantly push yourself to be involved with matters that have nothing to do with either. This is one of the things that we love the most about you, but, at times like this, it makes me want to tear apart the entire Akamatsuverse just to free you from its burdens..."
With Fenrir cupping his face with her paws, Vahn could feel her nails grow ever-so-slightly as a red radiance manifested within the depths of her ruby-like eyes. He knew she was very serious, and, if it would help to further his goals without jeopardizing his state of mind, Vahn knew she would readily become an actual Heaven Devouring Wolf on his behalf. Her love and devotion were so far beyond comprehension that, even if everyone else grew weary of eternity, Vahn knew Fenrir was one of the few who would never falter. The only other person he could never fathom deserting him was Hestia, as, for reasons he wasn't able to fully comprehend, Vahn could easily imagine her cradling his head in her embrace even as cosmic dust slowly turns them into a statue...
Realizing he still had a 'very' long life ahead of him, a loving smile gradually spread across Vahn's face as he wrapped his hands around Fenrir's waist and gave her a kiss. He knew she was right, and, though he had heard similar concerns from others, they simply had more meaning when spoken by her. This was largely due to the bias he had developed for the lovable Vanargandr, but, considering how extreme her devotion was, Vahn felt she 'deserved' more than a little special treatment...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fenrir used tackle! It's extra fluffy...!','Fenrir be like, "Bruh..."','The goodest girl deserves all the special treatments (OwO)~!')
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章節 1677: Permit
Though there was no particular hurry, Vahn knew it was better to act in the moment rather than put something off until later. Thus, while his other vessels were busy with various things, he created yet another version of himself to confer with Eva. She was far more likely to accept his reasoning in the wake of Karin's liberation, and, after several days within the Little Garden, it wouldn't surprise him to learn she had been thinking about their shared future.
After confirming there was nothing too risque going on, Vahn lightly rattled on the door leading to his miniature clinic. In response, he could feel the magical energy inside begin to shift, and, after a few seconds had passed, the barrier preventing sounds from leaking was deactivated as Eva called out, "Just come inside. I needed to talk with you anyways."
Following Eva's words, Vahn could hear Karin fluster about, but, before she was able to make herself decent, he had already opened the door to find the woman glaring at him with her head resting on the former's thighs. She was still just as naked as he had left her, but, perhaps due to being caught off guard, she instinctually covered herself with her hands while tucking up her knees defensively.
Vahn was tempted to roll his eyes in response to Karin's behavior, but, feeling this would only make things worse, he managed to restrain himself as he said, "I also had a few things to discuss. I'll listen to what you have to say first though. Who knows, maybe we're already on the same wavelength as husband and wife?"
Unlike Vahn, Eva wasn't afraid to roll her eyes, doing so rather exaggeratedly as she continued to caress Karin's head. Then, without beating around the bush, she said, "I want you to build a larger residential space within the Little Garden, one big enough to house a hundred people without too much trouble. One of the dreams I had long ago was creating an organization that could take in all the immortal men, women, and children who were forced to bear the burden of eternity. I want it to function like a combined school and orphanage, a place where those without family are able to find peace among others with a similar fate..."
Hearing Eva's heartfelt desire, Vahn felt like the smile on his face had completely solidified, his face becoming almost perfectly statuesque. This was, of course, noticed by Eva, her own showing a bit of panic as she lowered her head and sheepishly murmured, "If it's too much to ask...I..."
Without waiting for her to finish her sentence, Vahn just issued a light chuckle in response to Eva's words, shaking his head in mild exasperation as he explained, "No, you're misunderstanding me. I'm not against the idea of supporting such an organization...rather, if the situation were any different, I wouldn't hesitate to agree...haaaa..."
Unable to keep up his act due to the growing panic visible in Eva's countenance, Vahn exhaled a long sigh before clarifying his thoughts, his voice calm and steady as he said, "You know what my purpose is, Eva. I'm trying to become strong enough to reunite with the family I left behind in my original world. Though I'm capable of fixing all of the problems within Mundus Magicus, doing so would require an inordinate amount of effort and several decades. This might not be very long in the grand scheme of things, but, with potentially thousands of years remaining until I can reunite with my family, I don't want to get caught up in trying to 'fix' every world I trespass...if I put in the effort, I could even become the most powerful God in this world...there are just far more important things on my plate..."
Seeing the conflict in Vahn's eyes as he struggled between wanting to comply with her request and pursuing the things most important to him, Eva couldn't help feeling a little guilty. She was perhaps the most aware of Vahn's primary objective, as, thanks to her Memory Fragment, she had more than a thousand years of memories related to his original world. She had also seen the longing visible in his eyes whenever he talked about the past, so, after a few seconds of silence, she asked, "You came here to talk about something...tell me...what did you decide?"
Though he was still thinking about ways to compromise on Eva's dream, Vahn loaded that burden onto another version of himself as he honestly answered, "I can't reveal too many details right now, but, depending on your decision, I will be able to reveal everything in the near future. Truth be told, I have been considering subsuming the entirety of Mundus Magicus into my Realm ever since Theo asked me for a child..."
---
With Eva and even Karin closely listening to everything he had to say, Vahn went on to explain all of the thoughts he had kept bottled up over the last couple of 'years'. He also mentioned the various positives and negatives associated with subsuming Mundus Magicus, and, most importantly, he did his best to explain his plans moving forward. This included the after-care regarding Karin's current situation, methods by which they could lure out the members of Cosmo Entelecheia, and, though it was more than a little 'extreme', he even mentioned the possibility of completely halting the flow of time so they could review the situation and come back to it at their leisure...
Though it was a very roundabout way of addressing the current situation, the most important thing was simply preventing Asuna from falling into the hands of Cosmo Entelecheia. Without the 'Key of Twilight', they were unable to move forward with their plans, so, just by keeping her within the Little Garden, they had already bought themselves hundreds of years. Stopping Ialda didn't actually serve a purpose outside of securing Eva's vengeance, as, despite her extreme nature, the true purpose of her organization was to create a literal paradise for every living creature.
Compared to the existence of the Demon Nobles and the various corrupt organizations that readily manipulated both Mundus Magicus and Mundus Vetus behind the scenes, Cosmo Entelecheia was comparably righteous. Their methods left a lot to be desired, but, when it ultimately came down to it, this was a byproduct of the corruption that already existed. It was easier for them to manipulate already corrupt people using promises of power than it was to try and forcibly dominate the world, as, even with all their power, the power of Cosmo Entelecheia was inconsequential compared to the Demons and Vampire Nobles that had consolidated power for tens-of-thousands of years.
Though Ialda might very well be the most powerful being within the physical plane of existence, it was clear from the way she did things that her capabilities were limited. There were undoubtedly a number of restrictions placed upon her, and, without Asuna to act as the Key of Twilight, there was a chance she might not be able to do 'anything' in her present state. She just sat around absorbing negative energy, waiting for her enemies to come directly to her doorstep before she exerted even a middling amount of effort to repel them.
In other words, Ialda was 'harmless' in her current state. Rather, since she absorbed the negative energy that was present in the solar system, she actually reduced the overall amount. Though she had obviously performed various heinous deeds throughout history, it was impossible to make the argument that her existence, itself, was inherently detrimental to the world. In fact, from a number of different perspectives, Ialda was actually the 'good guy'. The only thing that firmly cemented her as an 'evil' entity was her complete disregard she had for non-humans, the inhumane experiments she had conducted in the past, and the fact that her plan would inevitably result in the extinction of all sapient life within the solar system...
---
After listening to Vahn make his case for the better part of an hour, Eva couldn't help but ask, "Are you certain you can completely halt the flow of time?" despite knowing Vahn had already done so for his original world. It was just such a ridiculous concept that, without direct confirmation, it was hard for her to wrap her head around.
Understanding Eva's skepticism, Vahn didn't show any perturbation in response to her question, his voice calm, steady, and confident as he answered, "I am absolutely certain. In fact, you will come to learn that it takes no real effort on my part to achieve this. I can't explain the details right now, but, once everyone chooses to either accompany me or stay behind, I will reveal everything down to the true nature of reality itself. Until then, I cannot speak the truth as the world itself prevents me from doing so..."
Though she had countless questions to ask, Eva knew Vahn wouldn't keep the truth from her if he was able to speak it. This caused her to fall silent for several minutes, a thoughtful look on her face as she continued to comb through Karin's hair. As for the latter, she had a distant look in her eyes that showed she had completely checked out from the current conversation, her mind unable to keep up with everything that had been stated and revealed. The only thing that really mattered to her was being able to follow her Master, so, regardless of what was decided, her path was already determined...
After failing to organize her thoughts and extrapolate the truth from Vahn's words, Eva ultimately decided to stop thinking too much. He already said he would reveal everything the moment he was able to, so, rather than seek the truth and potentially endanger their lives, she raised her head and asked, "I assume we'll be moving into your Realm, correct?"
Seeing Vahn nod his head in affirmation, Eva's mind wandered to all the memory fragments he had shared with her over the years. Entrance into the Realm meant she was bound to meet with the rest of his harem, and, though she had already accepted her place among them, she wasn't in a hurry to interact with them. She actually wanted to keep Vahn to herself for a little while longer, so, with the Little Garden serving as a convenient accommodation, various thoughts began to dance across her mind. After all, they could literally stay inside for an eternity without even a single second passing in the outside world, a notion that made a lot of things, including her own vengeance, seem a lot less important...
As this thought crossed her mind, Eva turned her attention to Vahn, meeting his 'hopeful' gaze in the process. This caused a wry smile to develop across her face, as, ever since their reunion, he had been doing a lot, not just for her, but for Arika, Theo, Asuna, and the world itself. Vahn wasn't a very selfish person, and, even though he had nigh-unlimited power, he actually had an aversion to using it unless it was to help people.
After thinking about it, the only two things he had ever truly requested of her was that she allow him to save her, and, despite her selfishness, her hand in marriage. Thus, after seeing the look in his eyes, Eva could only release a small sigh before adopting a gentle expression and saying, "I suppose it is only proper that a wife supports her husband...very well, we will do things your way. Before we depart this world, however, I intend to have you accompany for a few years in the periphery of this place...I'm not in a particular hurry to become a member of your expansive harem. At the very least, I want to enjoy a long honeymoon with just the three of us..."
Hearing her Master's words, Karin's eyes came back into focus, a slight frown marring her face as she looked directly at Vahn. She wasn't particularly eager to service the man, but, if it was for her Master's sake, she was willing to tolerate his presence. At the very least, it was infinitely better to have a few years to adapt to his presence before she and her Master were thrust into a situation where countless other women vied for his affection. If she were to meet his other women right this instant, she couldn't guarantee there wouldn't be a conflict, so, at least for the time being, Karin was determined to buy as much time for her Master as possible...
Though he noticed the look of 'conviction' in Karin's gaze, Vahn did his best not to let it bother him as he returned a radiant smile in response to Eva's words. She was inarguably the biggest hurdle to his departure from the Record, so, now that she had acquiesced, he needed only convince Arika and Theo. They would probably have some inhibitions, but, given Theo's character and how easily Arika was swayed by logic, Vahn was confident he could convince them without issue. After that, he just needed to wrap up a few loose ends, and, though it would practically bankrupt his OP reserve, Vahn actually found the thought of starting 'fresh' in a new Record rather tantalizing...
With that thought dancing across his mind, Vahn's smile became even more prominent as he stared directly into Eva's sapphire blue eyes, his voice heavily saturated with his own excitement as he very seriously stated, "I can't even put into words how happy I am right now...all I know for certain is that I seriously fucking love you right now..."
As Vahn very rarely cursed, Eva was more than a little surprised by his apparent giddiness and the context of his words. She felt like an entire flock of butterflies was wreaking havoc within her body, and, though she could normally meet his gaze without issue, she found herself looking away with a crimson hue coloring her cheeks as she meekly replied, "Show some restraint you dummy..." before adding a few more words under her breath...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Please, spare me..."','TFW the bad guy is actually the good guy','Raid Boss down!')
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