章節 2082: Meeting
After one of the most unsuspenseful Gift Games in Little Garden history, Vahn, accompanied by Seraphina and Usalia, was guided into the estate of the Leviathan's Tail Community. There, they were guided into a large study with three people inside. The first was a handsome man with stylish red hair and lime-green eyes. He wore relatively casual clothes consisting of a light-grey tunic, black trousers, simple boots, and a red plaid scarf.
Standing behind the man were two women, both possessing fiery red hair. Unlike the man, they were dressed as warriors. One, a woman with short red hair and matching eyes, was garbed in a long-sleeved brown top and beige trousers that hugged her remarkable physique. She wielded a spear in her right hand while a shortsword dangled from the left side of her waist in a black and silver scabbard that matched the coloration of her boots and shin guards.
Appearing to be the elder sister of the other woman, despite being much shorter, was a rather heroic redhead with a hairstyle and attire reminiscent of an ancient Viking. She had blue facepaint forming a pattern on her forehead that ran through both of her eyes. As for her outfit, it consisted of a fur-lined skirt, form-fitting leather armor, spiked metal pauldrons, fur-lined vambraces, a furry mantle, and fur-lined boots. She also had two large battleaxes strapped to her waist, their surfaces glimmering with golden runes that periodically emitted an electric-blue glow.
Though the man appeared far more delicate than the two women, almost like a young male model, it was easy to surmise he was their Leader based on the fact he was the only one sitting down. He also possessed a remarkably powerful and demonic aura, but, unless you had incredible perception, it was impossible to distinguish his aura from that of a normal person.
"I take it you are the Leader of the Sage Dragon's Hearth? My name is Sigurd. These are my sisters, Ragna and Gyda. I would say it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance but the incident at the gate leads me to believe you're not particularly fond of my Community."
Returning an affable smile of his own, Vahn explained, "That remains to be seen. As for the incident at the gate, that can be attributed to the crowd that has gathered outside. I'm not particularly fond of people gazing upon my women with covetous or lascivious eyes. Simply put, I merely wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible."
Though Sigurd briefly cast his gaze upon Seraphina and Usalia when they were mentioned, there was no greed or lust in his eyes. His aura was actually devoid of most emotions, the sole exceptions being curiosity and a hint of fear. This wasn't directed towards Vahn, however. Instead, both Sigurd and his two sisters seemed to sense the untamed demonic energies concealed within Usalia's body.
"I see. Please accept my apologies. While I am grateful for the amount of attention our Gift Game has garnered, it has also invited some...unsavory types to our doorstep. It was never my intention to offend you and your companions. You have my word, Mr...?"
"Vahn. Vahn Aldrnari Mason. As for these two, I suppose it would be most accurate to refer to them as my fiancees. The mischievous-looking beauty with pink hair is Seraphina. As for this bunny-eared beauty, she goes by Usalia."
Though it earned him strange looks from the three people from Leviathan's Tail, Vahn proceeded to caress the heads of Seraphina and Usalia as he introduced them. Fortunately, Sigurd managed to recover quickly, a wry smile developing across his face as he gestured to the sofa opposite of him and said, "Please, make yourselves comfortable. I believe you've come to discuss your Community's participation in our impending Gift Game, correct?"
Nodding his head, Vahn guided Seraphina and Usalia to sit down before taking his place between them and answering, "Indeed. Pure-Blooded Vampires are quite rare. At present, I believe there are fewer than thirteen in the entirety of the Little Garden. How could I possibly ignore a Gift Game that purports to have one as its prize?"
Demonstrating a remarkable poker face, Sigurd simply returned a curt nod and a genial smile as he said, "I see. Your reason appears to be the same as everyone else who has come to our doorstep. To that end, I suppose I should explain the conditions for participation."
With a simple clap of his hands, Sigurd caused two lottery wheels to manifest out of thin air, each possessing hundreds of multi-colored orbs. At the same time, he produced a Geass Roll from his breast pocket, handing it over as he casually explained, "Since it would be remarkably difficult for other Communities to offer a chip matching our own, we developed a lottery system to keep things relatively fair. Participation is actually free. However, you will be required to draw ten balls from the lottery wheels behind me. Depending on your luck, you could be compelled to wager something as inconsequential as a single strand of hair or something as monumental as the lives of everyone in your Community. Quite exciting, no?"
Reading the information recorded in the scroll, Vahn's brows raised as he asked, "So the wheel on the left is filled with blanks?"
Nodding his head, Sigurd explained, "That is correct. However, drawing from the left side requires 1kg of pure gold. After that, the price doubles with each successive draw. In other words, to draw ten balls from the left lottery wheel, you would need to produce a grand total of 1023kg of refined gold. This might sound like a lot, but, compared to the market value of a Pure-Blooded Vampire, it's quite the bargain."
While the average 6-Digit Community would have no choice but to draw from the lottery on the right, Vahn didn't even flinch as he manifested a total of one-hundred gold bars out of thin air. Each of these weighed approximately 12.4kg so it was more than enough to cover the cost of ten lottery balls.
Though his smile appeared to remain unchanged, those with enhanced perception would have been able to see the corner of Sigurd's mouth twitch as he gestured to Ragna and said, "Please confirm the weight and purity..."
Hearing her brother's command, the somewhat stupefied expression on Ragna's face quickly faded away as she evaluated the stack of gold bars. To Vahn's surprise, she actually separated the excess gold before pulling out one of her axes to shave away one of the gold bars until there was precisely 1023kg.
"It would appear your Community takes its conditions very seriously..."
Having recovered from his previous mental state, Sigurd promptly replied, "Of course. There have been countless instances of people crying foul play over such discrepancies. While our Community is relatively new, we consider ourselves honorable. Only short-sighted fools would jeopardize their good name and reputation over a few kilograms of gold."
Though he was tempted to point out that no honorable Community would wager someone's life as a prize, Vahn just smiled in response to Sigurd's words. He didn't particularly care what the Demon Lord was up to, as, regardless of their machinations, it was only a matter of time until he shattered their plans. This might sound like hubris, but, in actuality, it was the natural consequence of people touching his bottom line.
"So? Where is this Pure-Blooded Vampire? I've already signed your Geass Scroll and provided a thousand kilograms of gold as collateral. I don't believe it would be asking for too much to take a peek at the prize being offered?"
Maintaining his smile, Sigurd casually replied, "Though my Community does not fear attention, we are not foolish enough to flaunt such a coveted item. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until the day of the Gift Game to see what she looks like. Rest assured. While her appearance might not compare to your brides-to-be, she is quite a remarkable specimen. You won't be disappointed."
Since he wasn't able to sense Leticia's location anywhere in the castle, Vahn assumed she was being kept at a far more secure location. Leviathan's Tail was simply a front for a much larger organization so it wasn't too surprising that they would keep her somewhere safe.
Returning a smile of his own, Vahn answered, "Very well. However, now that I've taken an interest in this competition, you would be wise to ensure not a single hair on her head is harmed. The name of my Community isn't particularly well known at the moment but it won't be long before everyone in the Divine Realm fears the name Sage Dragon's Hearth..."
Punctuating his words, Vahn's eyes shifted from his characteristic aquamarine to a vibrant gold that caused the surrounding space to stagnate. At the same time, Ragna and Gydra drew their weapons, but, before either could even think to attack, Sigurd raised his hand, saying, "Stand down." in a calm yet commanding tone.
Though the two women seemed reluctant to obey, both took a step back with their weapons still drawn. As for Sigurd, his smile and aura reflected the tell-tale signs of an irredeemable battle junky as he stared directly into Vahn's eyes and stated, "I look forward to meeting you on the day of the Gift Game. Until then, rest assured. We would not jeopardize our standing with the Central Network by damaging the prize we, ourselves, have put forth. Now, if there is nothing else, I believe we both have other matters to attend?"
Rising to his feet, Sigurd extended his right hand with the obvious intention of shaking hands. This caused the corners of Vahn's smile to curl upward as he unhesitantly accepted the ostensibly genial offer.
Unsurprisingly, Sigurd's hand tightened around Vahn's like a vice that caused a powerful shockwave to ripple through the study. Everything on his side of the room, Ragna and Gyda included was sent smashing against the wall. This created a stark contrast with Vahn's side, which, thanks to the barrier he had erected, appeared undisturbed in the wake of the powerful shockwave.
Smiling widely, Sigurd revealed two rows of sharp teeth as red markings appeared on his face and hands. His ears had become noticeably sharper, and, though he concealed it surprisingly well, a hint of bloodlust leaked out as he said, "Nine days suddenly seems like a long time..."
Recognizing the man's transformation as the Lesser Demonification bestowed by a Pure-Blooded Vampire's Gift, most of Vahn's excitement faded away. He had mistakenly believed the man was a Demon Lord in disguise. Instead, he barely even qualified as a half-breed. The strength of his grip was commendable, but, were it not for the Divine Protection of the Little Garden, his hand would have been crushed the moment Vahn got serious.
Returning a smile of his own, Vahn replied, "I'll be counting the minutes..." despite most of his expectations having waned. Fortunately, Sigurd was unable to see through this. Instead, his smile became even more prominent as he retracted his hand and barked, "Ragna! Escort our guests to the front entrance."
Though she snorted through her nose, Ragna didn't hesitate to reply, "Understood." in an audibly annoyed tone before sheathing her axes behind her back. Being slammed into a reinforced castle wall had angered her quite a bit, but, understanding the disparity between hers and her brother's strength, she obeyed his orders without question...
"Follow me..."
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Waiting until Vahn and his party had departed, Sigurd shifted his attention to Gyda, saying, "Come here." in a stern tone. This elicited a soft sigh from the taciturn-looking woman, but, much like her sister, she obeyed her brother's orders. He would quickly lose his temper if they didn't listen to him, so, after cursing Vahn for riling him up, she loosened her belt before placing her sword and spear to the side. Then, in spite of their blood relation, she sat in Sigurd's lap, an expressionless mask on her face as he shredded apart her blouse and dragged his inordinately long tongue along the nape of her neck...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Redheads galore...','Vahn be like, "This pansy-ass half-demon..."','Um...sweet home Alabama...? *heavy sweating*')
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章節 2083: Pandering : Behind the Scenes
"Vahn, Vahn, buy this for me~!"
Smiling in spite of the fact Seraphina had been dragging him around for several hours, Vahn stared down at the piece of jewelry that had caught her attention, asking, "Are you sure? I can easily forge you something similar..."
Giggling in response to Vahn's words, Seraphina nestled a little closer to him before saying, "It's not about the items we purchase. It's about sending a message to the masses. Besides, if you're serious about forging me something..."
Drawing her lips closer to Vahn's ear, Seraphina seductively whispered, "I'd rather you focus your efforts on making me a wedding band..."
Ever since Vahn had introduced her as his fiancee, Seraphina's body had been burning up from the inside. Instead of returning to the workshop to have a bit of fun, however, she forced him to take her on a date. After all, she was the Supreme Overlord of Gorgeous. She would feel an itch if she didn't spend a significant amount of money. Since Vahn had a functionally unlimited amount of resources, Seraphina felt it was only natural that they flaunt their wealth in front of others.
Returning a smile of his own, Vahn waved down the store clerk, a young woman with blonde hair, pointed ears, and emerald-green eyes. If not for the fact she was around 140cm tall, she could have easily been mistaken as an Elf. Instead, Vahn supposed she was something like a halfling or a half-breed between an Elf and a Dwarf.
"Y-Yes...? H-How might I be of assistance...?"
Since Seraphina stood out like a polished gemstone among a pile of unpolish opal, she and Vahn had garnered a considerable amount of attention with their public displays of affection. The people of the East Side were relatively conservative compared to the other regions of the Little Garden so it was rare to see a couple happily flirting without any regard for their surroundings.
Earning an amorous giggle from Seraphina and a blank look from the petite blonde, Vahn inclined his head towards the display case, asking, "How much for everything?"
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While Seraphina was satisfied with shopping, at least until they returned, there was really only one thing on Usalia's mind these days. Thus, the moment they entered the workshop, she immediately pounced on Vahn before they even left the foyer. She was feeling frustrated after having hundreds of people staring at her with lust-filled eyes, so, now that they were alone together, she was unable to hold herself back.
Fortunately, Vahn wasn't oblivious. He was well aware of the condition she was in, so, the moment Usalia pounced on him, he teleported them to her bedroom before his back could hit the ground. As a result, he ended up landing on her bed as the voracious bunny used her inordinately fluffy yet deadly paws to tear at his clothes with a voracious expression on her face. This might sound like an exaggeration, but it really wasn't. After getting a taste of him the previous night, there was literally a line of drool running from the side of her mouth as she eyes him with a hungry glimmer in her eyes.
"I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be the one eating you up..."
Stopping in the middle of tearing apart Vahn's tunic, Usalia tilted her head to the side, her rabbit-like ears following her movement as she asked, "Did I do something wrong, plip...?"
Though she was familiar with matters related to sex, all of Usalia's experience was with Vahn. Thus, the moment she heard his words, she briefly believed she had made a mistake.
Smiling in response to the befuddled bunny's inquiry, Vahn sat up so that Usalia was straddling his lap before answering, "I don't particularly mind, but there's no need to be so aggressive. We have a few hours until I need to go pick up the girls. Let's take things nice and slow."
Despite believing that sex was supposed to be a passionate affair comparable to a climactic battle, Usalia didn't hesitate to nod her head, answering, "Okay, plip."
With his expression softening, Vahn pulled Usalia in for a prolonged, tender, and affectionate hug. This left her feeling slightly confused, but, after a few seconds had passed, she eventually wrapped her arms around him. Then, for the better part of half an hour, Vahn simply held her in his embrace, gently caressing her back before removing his tunic and silently guiding her mouth to his shoulder in a manner similar to how he might treat Eva when she was feeling pouty...
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With his time split between training the No Names, taking care of the workshop, and tending to the needs of his growing number of women, Vahn could feel the days beginning to blend together. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Rather, he quite enjoyed being busy. He didn't actually require sleep, so, even when he had time to rest, he would generally go and hang out with Shiroyasha so that she wouldn't feel lonely.
If there was anything that Vahn felt troubled by, it was the rapid progression of Usalia's pregnancy. He had seriously underestimated a Wererabbit's reproductive capabilities. It had only been a week since they started having sex yet her stomach had begun to swell as though she was in her seventh week of pregnancy. Even more frightening was the fact that she had a total of twelve little buns in the oven, far more than he had anticipated.
In hindsight, Vahn realized that he shouldn't have underestimated Usalia's desire to fill multiple planets with their offspring. It turned out that Wererabbits had a gestation period of around 42 days. Even more terrifying was the fact that their 'average' litter size was around five kittens, the colloquial term given for rabbit babies. When environmental factors were in their favor, however, the total number of kittens they could give birth to often exceeded ten with the record being a startling twenty-seven. When you factored in that they could become pregnant mere hours after giving birth, it was no wonder that Wererabbits were among the most infamous races in the entire Netherworld when it came to their reproductive ability...
Fortunately, Vahn had managed to convince Usalia to treat her first litter with the same care and attention her parents had given to her. In other words, they would raise her first twelve kittens to maturity before worrying about producing more. He convinced her this was to allow her to accrue experience, but, in reality, Vahn was genuinely concerned that she would pop out more than thirty children by the time the problem children arrived.
As ridiculous as it might seem, Vahn realized that Usalia could literally produce more than a million offspring by the time the first generation reaches maturity around the age of 1500. In other words, she hadn't been exaggerating in the slightest when she suggested filling multiple planets with their offspring. She was willing to do whatever it took to ensure her species wasn't pushed to the brink of extinction a second time, even if it meant giving birth to millions...
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While most of the people present were watching Usalia caress her small yet noticeable baby bump, Vahn did his best to keep everyone focused as he explained, "There are less than two days until the Gift Game hosted by Leviathan's Tail. Given...recent developments, the people participating will be Fenrir, Hime, and myself."
Adopting a slightly pouty look, Seraphina was about to object when Vahn focused his gaze on her and said, "I want you to look after the No Names and keep Usalia safe. Don't worry. This is only the beginning. Once the name Sage Dragon's Hearth begins to spread, the entire Divine Realm will be talking about the beautiful Demon Goddess managing its treasury."
Hearing that she would be in charge of the treasury, Seraphina's pointed ears began to wiggle ever so slightly as she enthusiastically replied, "Of course~! It's only natural that the wealthiest Overlord in the Three Realms would be placed in charge of our Community's finances! Oh-hohohohohoho~!"
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn made a mental note to construct a vanity vault for Seraphina before going on to explain, "We won't know the details until the game has begun, but the basic format follows the King-of-the-Hill ruleset. The Community that occupies the centermost position on the Game Board at the game's end will be declared the victor. As for the time limit and any other victory conditions, we'll have to wait and see. Every Host Community tends to include some kind of gimmick to give themselves the advantage in situations like this. Any questions?"
As one of the people who would be participating, Hime raised her hand, waiting for permission to speak before asking, "Is there a plan for if we get separated? Though our individual might should far exceed that of our opponents, we could be placed at a disadvantage if the other Communities combine their efforts to oppose us."
Smiling in response to Hime's words, Vahn pushed his chair away from the table a bit before using his Unit Management to teleport the befuddled beauty directly into his lap. Sarina and Nono were having a sleepover with Lily so he didn't have to worry about the former blowing up if he resorted to a bit of playful theatrics.
With the tips of her ears turning red, Hime averted her eyes from Vahn as she muttered, "My Lord..." in a nervous yet slightly heated tone. She wasn't accustomed to public displays of affection, so, with Black Rabbit, Fenrir, Usalia, and Seraphina staring at her with envious expressions on their faces, she felt as though she had suddenly been asked to give a speech to a crowd of thousands.
Enjoying Hime's reaction, Vahn placed his right hand on her hip as if it were the most natural thing to do as he explained, "I possess the ability to freely teleport my companions to my side. I can also freely teleport people within space designated as my territory. The best part is that this ability has nothing to do with spatial transference. Even if the enemy tries to block it, I can still call you to my side whenever I please..."
Swallowing audibly in response to Vahn's words, Hime began to realize that her Lord was in one of his 'active' states. This caused the agonizing heat that had already begun to permeate through her body to drastically increase in intensity. Most of her nervousness began to fade away, and, though she was still hyper-aware of everyone else's gazes, she responded to Vahn's words by leaning into his embrace with an expression that could best be described as puppy eyes.
"Well then...if there are no further questions..."
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While Vahn was enjoying the company of five remarkable beauties, a youthful-looking woman with a petite frame, long golden hair, red eyes, and a disposition reminiscent of an emotionless doll was staring up at the full moon visible from the window of her cell. Since the only piece of 'clothing' she was wearing was a large black ribbon and the manacles around her neck, wrists, and ankles, it was possible to see that there wasn't a single sign of injury anywhere on her body.
"My, my, it seems our favorite Knight has found herself in a rather pitiable situation...ufufufufufu~."
Accompanied by the sound of chains grinding against each other, the chained beauty turned her attention towards the hooded figure that had appeared outside her cell. This caused the smile on the person's face to become more prominent, their voice simultaneously feminine with masculine undertones as they said, "You're in luck. It would appear our mutual acquaintance was wrong. Not only did the No Names not take the bait, but your little predicament has drawn the attention of a rather...peculiar individual. This may very well be the last time we see each other for quite some time. I'm going to miss you, Princess..."
Believing that the woman was just trying to give her false hope, the golden-haired beauty simply returned her attention to the moon lingering in the sky. This caused the hooded figure to chuckle, her sonorous laughter echoing through the prison even after she had disappeared into the shadows...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Seraphina is a hoarder...','Usalia be like, "Stonks...!','Longing beneath the light of the Moon...')
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