章節 2052: Getting Started
After coaxing Sarina with the use of his Petting Laws, Vahn waited for the two to finish eating before they all headed over to the nearest Outer Gate.
Though it wasn't strictly necessary, any Community aiming to improve their rank or claim territory needed to have an official name and banner. They also needed to register at least one Player, the official designation given to those with the capacity to participate in Gift Games.
Fortunately, there were no other requirements, so, after a brief interview at the nearest Outer Gate, Vahn, Sarina, and Nono were all given Player status. After that, they were given an ancient-looking grimoire to serve as an official record for each member of their Community. It also allowed those in charge to set Commandments, inviolable rules that other members of the Community would have to follow.
For the time being, the only Commandment Vahn and the girls agreed upon was, 'Be good to each other.' As for the name of their Community, the former decided to change things up a bit by calling it the Sage Dragon's Hearth. He would eventually go on to found the Aldrnari Empire, but, for the time being, he wanted to pay homage to his roots.
In Vahn's mind, a Hearth was synonymous with peaceful coexistence, warmth, and family. He even had a few Gift Cards associated with Hestia, so, for the sake of acting as a mediator between both Demons and the Divine, Vahn wanted his first Community to be founded on the principles of peace and civil discourse.
With that taken care of, Vahn decided to accompany Sarina and Nono until the two girls invariably became tired. He ended up taking them shopping, and, thanks to his various Gifts, he didn't have to worry about things like lack of funds. He could have simply produced clothes for them to wear, but, after traversing numerous Records and dozens of Actualized Worlds, Vahn had come to understand that girls, be they mortal or God, enjoyed shopping.
Since Nono had grown up in a rural desert village, her only experience with shopping was perusing a bazaar for imported goods. As for Sarina, she had grown up in a no-name Community, and, while her clothes were rather stylish for someone in her position, the truth of the matter was that the Nun in charge of their Community had splurged quite a bit in order to purchase the outfit as a gift for her tenth birthday.
Needless to say, Sarina and Nono enjoyed their first shopping spree quite a bit. Sarina ended up treating it as a mock date of sorts, asking for Vahn's opinion every time she tried on a new outfit. This gave Nono a similar idea, but, unlike her more rambunctious counterpart, most of the outfits she picked were relatively tame and modest dresses. Sarina had even attempted to convince Vahn to help her pick out a bra and panties, but, rather than humor her, he ultimately left the girls in the care of the female staff while they were picking out undergarments.
Unsurprisingly, the two girls had exhausted themselves by the time lunch was rolling around. This prompted Vahn to purchase the services of a Coolie, the colloquial term used to describe a person who pulled a rickshaw. There was nothing like automobiles or airships in the 7-Digit Gates, so, while it wasn't the fastest way to get around, traveling via rickshaw was a popular method to get around in the East Side.
During their shopping spree, Vahn ended up purchasing himself a turquoise yukata to compliment the stylish kimonos he had purchased for the two girls. They were going to be living in the East Side for quite some time so he figured they might as well embrace the culture. Besides, it was technically the traditional wear of the Aldrnari Empire, so, while he had resorted to wearing western clothes in the Tower, Vahn was most comfortable in the loose clothing associated with eastern cultures. Sarina and Nono also seemed to appreciate it quite a bit so there was no sense in overcomplicating things by defaulting to more 'modern' styles...
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With the rickshaw ride taking quite a while, Vahn decided to make conversation to ease a bit of the awkwardness that had resulted from being sandwiched by two lolis. Sarina, in particular, was sitting a little too close for comfort, and, while she did her best to maintain an impassive look on her face, Vahn noticed Nono's aura flare up whenever their legs or arms briefly touched.
"I promised a member of Twice Twilight that we would spend a few days at La Papillion. After that, I intend to open up a shop near one of the Thousand Eyes branches. I wouldn't exactly say I have any connections among their senior membership, but I imagine we will be working closely with them in the near future. As for our actual territory, well, unless you girls have anything in mind, I intend to create a sub-space beneath the shop until I can leverage some territory from another Community."
As the Sub-Leader of Sage Dragon's Hearth, Sarina felt compelled to contribute something, so, in response to Vahn's words, she supplied, "Thousand Eyes has a bit of notoriety in the East Side due to their Leader being a former Demon God. Are you sure you want to work with them...?"
Despite being the former Rank 10 and the current Floor Master of the East Side, very few people knew that Shiroyasha was the Leader of Thousand Eyes. She generally introduced herself as a senior executive, and, more often than not, holed herself up inside of her room unless someone important came by. Thus, unless they knew her personally, very few people knew the specifics of Shiroyasha's involvement with anything.
Adopting a confident smile, Vahn answered, "Our Community isn't going to just pander to people who purport themselves as good and righteous. When you've lived as long as I have, you come to realize that good and evil are just words that people just arbitrarily assign at their leisure. Justice is the weapon of the strong, and, more often than not, the heads of most religious organizations are among the most corrupt individuals in any world. Thus, regardless of whether they be god, demon, human, or even animals, I intend to help everyone. Besides, if I can convince a Demon to enter into a contract that prevents them from harming people, that will help a lot more people than providing a weapon to some righteous fool who cuts down anything they identify as evil."
Deciding to trust in Vahn's words, Sarina just nodded her head, smiling as she attempted to convince herself that not all Demons were bad. After all, not all Gods were good, and, when it came to people, there were countless examples of individuals representing both good and evil. She could understand this much, so, while she had no desire to interact with Demons, she decided she would do her best not to judge them for what they were. Instead, just as she regarded her fellow humans, she would judge them based on their behavior.
Noticing Sarina's aura stabilize, Vahn decided to reward her with an affectionate smile and a head pat. This earned him a somewhat listless look from Nono, so, despite the looks it garnered from the surrounding passersby, he ended up caressing both girls' heads for a short while before retracting his hands and asking, "Have the two of you thought about what you would like to contribute to the Community? I won't give you a Gift associated with it, but I can teach you pretty much any skill. So long as you are willing to put in the effort, there is nothing you can't become."
Demonstrating just how little she had actually thought about it, Sarina unhesitantly answered, "I just wanted to get to know you better. I don't really know how to become stronger or help people so I'll just listen to the Leader's orders. Even if it's just a Secretary or a Maid, I'll do my best not to let you down...!"
Seemingly inspired by Sarina's exclamation, Nono responded with a meek nod, answering, "I was afraid of Justinian...you're a lot nicer than he was. If you want me to...I wouldn't mind becoming a Maid...I don't want to be useless..."
In an effort to uproot the two flags before they could cement themselves in the girls' minds, Vahn responded with a light chuckle before explaining, "Rather than thinking about how to repay me, I'd rather the two of you think about how you can best help the children we'll be taking in. To that end, I think I'll teach the two of magic related to healing, sealing, and barrier creation. Other than that, it would be best if you figure out for yourselves the paths you wish to tread."
Though his words didn't seem to have much of an impact on Sarina, Nono's mind immediately wandered to the conversation that had taken place at breakfast. She wanted to believe that it was only a matter of time before she could be reunited with her parents. To that end, she intended to follow Vahn's advice by doing everything in her power to be happy. She didn't really understand what that entailed, but, having always enjoyed helping people, she was looking forward to taking care of the other children that would invariably join their Community.
As that thought crossed her mind, a delicate smile spread across Nono's face. At the same time, Sarina, having organized her thoughts a bit, asked, "Can't I just become your Apprentice? I might not be experienced, but I'm confident I can become more skilled if I follow your teachings. I'm also the Sub-Leader of the Community so it would make sense if I worked alongside you."
Though it brought a wry smile to his face, Vahn briefly imagined training Sarina in a similar manner to Nanu. There was nothing particularly wrong with this, but, due to the teachings of Tsubaki, this would invariably involve her forging alongside him in little to no clothing. That would be a disaster and a half, so, after quickly coming up with an alternative, he nodded his head and answered, "Sure. Since you lack the physical strength and stature necessary for forging, I'll teach you Alchemy. At the higher levels, it's one of the most powerful and profitable skills you could learn. If you stick with it, you could even produce potions that cure all diseases and make people immortal. How about it...?"
Having heard about Alchemy in the past, flames of excitement burned in Sarina's amethyst eyes as she balled her hands into fists and exclaimed, "Yes! Please teach me alchemy, Vahn-sama...!"
Chuckling lightly in response to Sarina's enthusiasm, Vahn extended his hand to caress her head even as his eyes shifted further up the road. The familiar figure of Dorothea had appeared near their destination, but, unlike before, she was now wearing relatively risque armor while supporting a massive sword on her shoulder. If their auras weren't perfectly identical, Vahn would have thought this was Dorothea's twin sister, as, compared to the modest outfit she had worn previously, her current attire was bold enough that she could intermingle amongst Amazons without standing out...
Seemingly sensing his gaze, Dorothea looked over before smiling as she raised her left hand in a gesture of greeting. At the same time, the people accompanying her looked over, confusion visible on their faces for a brief moment until they noticed the approaching rickshaw. After that, pure and unadulterated rage colored their expressions, as, instead of belonging to Twice Twilight, everyone surrounding Dorothea was a member of Nono's previous Community, Silver Adonis...
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From within a room resembling a traditional Japanese living space, a petite girl with bluish-white hair, golden eyes, and tiny horns immediately perked up the moment she saw Vahn staring down the members of Silver Adonis. Her excitement caused her to begin shoveling rice crackers into her mouth, an impish smile on her face as she mused, "This should be interesting~." before wiping her hand on her dress. This earned her a helpless sigh from the slender Japanese woman sweeping the floor, but, paying the blue-haired beauty no mind, Shiroyasha continued shoveling snacks into her mouth as she focused all her attention on the [Omnipresent Television] in front of her...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Law of Shopping is Eternal...','Nanu was quite something xD...','*Snacking Intensifies*')
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章節 2053: Posturing
"Nono! Get away from that bastard...!"
Apparently having failed to learn his lesson, Justinian, Leader of the Silver Adonis, shouted with such rage and indignation in his voice that it nearly cracked.
Nono, hearing his outburst, immediately turned towards Vahn, face buried into his sleeve as she clung to his yukata with her right hand. This caused the silver-haired man to become even more incensed, but, before he could shout a second time, Dorothea adopted a harsh tone and said, "I didn't bring you here to insult people and throw a tantrum. Be quiet."
Though he looked like he had swallowed a bug, Justinian fell silent when he saw Dorothea shift the oversized sword on her shoulder.
While this interaction was going on, Vahn maintained an unperturbed expression on his face as he listened to Loi-chain reveal the reason behind the man's anger. He had apparently been more than a little fond of Nono's adult self. This factored into why he had elected to summon her from among the functionally infinite number of Heroes present within the Lower Realms. He intended to turn her into his future bride, so, seeing her next to another man, it was no wonder he was upset.
Snorting through his nose, Vahn's expression became discernible cold as he handed the rickshaw coolie a rather handsome tip. Then, with Nono effectively hiding behind him, he passed his icy gaze over the predominately hostile group before setting his sights on Dorothea and asking, "What's this about? Is Twice Twilight in the business of backing ruffians and scoundrels? I would be more than a little disappointed if that was the case..."
Furrowing her brows ever so slightly, Dorothea shook her head and explained, "No. It's nothing like that. We do our best to be fair and impartial. This is ultimately just an extension of our investigation into yesterday's matter."
Nodding his head, Vahn gestured for Dorothea to continue as he shifted his gaze to Justinian. This caused the purple-haired beauty to release a tired sight, but, despite her frustrations, she went on to add, "According to the members of Silver Adonis, their reason for attacking you was because you had kidnapped a member of their Community. I believe the young lady behind you is the person in question...?"
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn's expression morphed into a deadpan as he asked, "Does it look like I have kidnapped her? Even a fool would be able to see that I'm protecting her..."
Though she didn't appreciate the fact that Vahn was basically insinuating she was a fool, Dorothea maintained an ostensibly unperturbed expression as she replied, "Yes, that much is clear. However, as there are clearly some personal grievances between both sides, it would serve the public order if you either set aside your differences or settled things with a Gift Game. I have been sent here to act as an impartial Host. If both sides agree, we will settle this using the means ordained by the Gods."
"Oh? And what are the terms you came up with? If it wasn't obvious at this point, Nono is now a member of my Community. Specifically, she is our Adjutant. Even if Silver Adonis offered the lives of every single one of their members as collateral, their combined value wouldn't even reach a fraction of Nono's. In other words, they have absolutely nothing to offer if I win. Why should I participate in a Gift Game with them?"
"You son of a bi-"
Before Justinian could finish his ill-conceived words, Vahn made a pointing gesture towards the ground, saying, "Lower your head and keep quiet." in a commanding tone. This caused the silver-haired man to faceplant into the ground, his eyes turning bloodshot as he found himself unable to raise his head so much as a single centimeter.
Stepping in between Vahn and Justinian, Dorothea's expression showed her unwillingness as she said, "This isn't how we do things in the Little Garden. You can't just resort to violence to solve all of your problems. Please reconsider before this matter grows even further out of proportion..."
Upon closer inspection, Vahn noticed that the massive sword on Dorothea's shoulder was actually another syringe. Unlike the needleless one she was carrying yesterday, however, it had a 20cm long golden needle dripping a fiery red liquid that had crystallized into the structure of her sword. As she stepped out in front of him, the liquid within the syringe began to glisten with an intense light, and, though she was clearly holding back, the surrounding temperature began to skyrocket.
With a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, Vahn plainly stated, "It's a little counterintuitive to say you condemn violence when you clearly have no problems resorting to it yourself. Is this really the hill you wish to fight upon? Defending a group of individuals that target and attack children from a samaritan that stepped in to prevent a tragedy? You didn't show up when Nono was being chased through the streets with bloodied feet. Instead, you appear to protect the people who spent the last seven months tormenting her. You've quite the twisted sense of justice, don't ya...?"
Clenching her teeth, Dorothea wanted to say something in her defense, but, from an objective point of view, everything Vahn said hit the nail on the head. She was literally preparing to confront him in order to protect a group of individuals that were, very clearly, in the wrong. There were also no laws prohibiting people from leaving one Community and joining another, so, after a moment of tense silence, she ultimately chose to retract her blade, her outfit changing to resemble the one she wore the previous day as she lowered her head and said, "I don't wish to fight you. I just want to preserve the peace. The members of Silver Adonis might be absolute scum, but they are still residents of the Little Garden. Please try and settle things in accordance with our laws..."
Not expecting Dorothea to suddenly bow her head, a pleading undertone to her voice, Vahn felt as though all the wind had been taken out of his sails. Sincerity had been one of his most prominent weaknesses even as far back as his time in Danmachi. Thus, understanding that Dorothea was just doing what she believed was best, he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Fine. State your terms. So long as the conditions aren't too ridiculous, I don't mind teaching these buffoons a more official lesson..."
Punctuating his words, Vahn snapped his fingers, removing the invisible force pressing Justinian's head to the ground. This cause the man to leap to his feet, but, rather than attacking, he just glared venomously as Dorothea went on to explain, "Very well. Both sides will issue their own terms while I, acting as an impartial Host, will determine which Game shall be played. Don't worry. I will make sure it is as fair and balanced as possible."
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Justinian pointed towards Nono, his expression absolutely livid as he stated, "I want you to return Nono. My Community invested thirteen years' worth of resources into summoning her. You have no right to poach her out from under us...!"
Snorting a second time, Vahn crossed his arms as he asked, "And you're telling me you had a right to kidnap a 9-year-old girl from her homeworld? Ridiculous. If you want her that badly, feel free to wager your banner and territory. I already mentioned it previously, but the combined value of your entire Community can't measure up to a single strand of her hair on her head. I also have no use for your Gifts, so, unless you're willing to wager your territory, get out of my face."
"You...!"
Holding up her hand, Dorothea effectively silenced Justinian before turning to Vahn and saying, "I don't mean to take sides, but the Central Network will never recognize the value of a single person as equivalent to a Community's banner and territory. While it is praiseworthy to place such value in your compatriots, others would be able to make similar claims by stating that something as simple as a stone carries comparable value...Unless you have something to offer that is of equal value to what you are requesting, please reconsider your terms..."
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn manifested what appeared to be a thick stack of tarot cards. This caused everyone in the surroundings, not just Dorothea and the members of Silver Adonis, to immediately tense up.
"I will wager an additional 100 C-Rank Gift Cards against your Community's Flag and Territory. Also, now that you have triggered my ire, know that I will immediately declare war on you the moment you refuse. You forced me to participate in this little charade. You will see it through to the end or face consequences you can't even begin to imagine."
Though his golden pupils reflected a greedy light the moment he saw the stack of Gift Cards, any desire Justinian had to challenge Vahn had dissipated greatly. Even Floor Masters only possessed a few hundred Gifts yet the person in front of him was able to casually proffer forth an entire deck full of them. This implied that Vahn had an incomprehensible backing, and, were it not for the threat he had tacked on to the end of his statement, Justinian might have voluntarily lowered his head to the ground.
Demonstrating just as much shock as everyone else, Dorothea swallowed hard before asking, "Can I inspect them? Even if they are C-Rank Gifts, it would be a problem if they were all the same thing..."
Since it was possible to seal the branches of Water Trees into Gift Cards, effectively converting them into portable water sources, Dorothea needed to check in order to make sure Vahn wasn't trying to pull the wool over their eyes. The casualness in which he handed them over made it pretty clear this wasn't the case, but, as she had already promised to be an impartial Host, Dorothea went through each of the Gift Cards in turn, her eyes widening as she found a few B and A-Rank Cards mixed in.
"Umm...Vahn...sama? Some of these cards are B and A-Rank..."
Waving his hand in a gesture of dismissal, Vahn stated, "It doesn't really matter. They decided to prick at this Dragon's Reverse Scale. Now they will pay the price."
Punctuating his words, Vahn allowed horns to grow from his head like a crown as golden wings and a thick tail protruded from his upper and lower back. This caused the more opportunistic individuals who were watching from the sidelines to immediately mind their own business. As for the members of Silver Adonis, Justinian's expression paled as more than half of the group he brought along with him attempted to retract their affiliation with his Community.
Since they had already come this far, Vahn's pupils retracted to form thin slits as he said, "It's far too late for that. You had your chance when I entrusted you to the Twice Twilight Community. Now, you come requesting a member of my family as a prize. Did you really think I would let you walk away a second time...?"
Though he was doing his best to restrain his aura, even Vahn was surprised by how oppressive it was becoming. This was the first time he had transformed into a dragon since his awakening, and, based on what he was currently seeing, it was a hell of a lot stronger than usual.
Fortunately, just as it seemed like the surroundings buildings might collapse, a somewhat childish voice echoed through the streets, saying, "This is getting a little out of hand. How about we all just calm down and take a niiiiiiice long breath~?"
Immediately following the words, a girl appearing even younger than Sarina and Nono manifested out of thin air with a mischievous yet serious expression on her face. This caused the few remaining people nearby to immediately disperse, as, despite being a recluse, there were very few people who didn't know what the Eastern Floor Master looked like. She was, after all, the most infamous lolita in the entire Divine Realm...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Justinian be like, "Don't cuck me...!"','I kind of feel sorry for Dorothea. She was not prepared to deal with someone like Vahn xD...','Front row seats~! Shishishishishisi~')
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