章節 2111: Sentiments and an Important Lesson
After explaining what had happened during breakfast, Vahn surprised Sarina and Nono by saying, "I was thinking about having the two of you participate in the impending Rite of Challenge. You won't have to fight. I just think it would be a good experience."
Unable to suppress her excitement, Sarina immediately exclaimed, "Yes! I'll do it~!" with literal stars in her eyes. She had been feeling rather useless as the Vice-Leader of the Sage Dragon's Hearth, so, even if she ultimately just stood on the sidelines, she wanted to participate.
Though she demonstrated considerably less zeal than Sarina, Nono offered a delicate smile as she calmly answered, "Okay..." before following it up with meek, "I trust you..."
Directing her gaze towards Nono, Sarina's brow twitched ever so slightly as she internally groaned. She had learned that Nono, despite her lithe and petite appearance, was more than two years older than she was. She had just grown up in a desert with a very restricted diet, so, despite approaching thirteen years of age, her height was comparable to girls several years younger. The only thing that truly distinguished her from a ten-year-old was her rapidly developing chest, something Sarina was more than a little envious of...
Noticing the shift in Sarina's aura, a sigh escaped Vahn's lips as he muttered, "Sarina..." in a soft yet chiding tone. This caused the young girl to startle slightly, but, more importantly, all the negativity in her aura spontaneously disappeared as she nervously replied, "Yes...?"
Shaking his head, Vahn adopted a wry smile as he said, "It's nothing." Then, after rising to his feet, he added, "Your lessons start around noon today. If you want to go and visit the No Names, make sure you're back by 11:30."
On that note, Vahn waved to the two girls before promptly disappearing into thin air. This elicited a sigh of relief from Sarina while Nono, far more perceptive than she let on, just offered a polite smile and suggested, "I was going to do a bit of self-study in the library...would you like to join me?"
Though she enjoyed spending time with the No Names, the notion she should be focusing more on her own Community had long since developed in Nono's mind. Now that their contract with the No Names had come to an end, she wanted to focus on growing as a person. Thus, while she had no desire to fight, Nono had been studying hard to become a Nurse. She knew he didn't really need her help, but, if she could alleviate Vahn's burdens even a little, she wanted to try...
Exhaling a long and drawn-out sigh, Sarina rested her head on the table as she mumbled, "Reading is such a chore. I don't get how some people can just sit around for hours at a time without moving. If I sit still for more than thirty minutes, my body starts to itch..."
Covering her mouth to stifle a giggle, a mischievous glimmer flashed across Nono's aqua blue eyes as she leaned forward and whispered, "You know...the red sofa on the far side of the Library smells a lot like Vahn..."
Perking up, Sarina's eyes glistened with a far more innocent light as she practically bolted from the room. This earned her another soft giggle from Nono. Immediately after that, however, she cupped her cheek in a manner similar to Lily, musing, "How cute~" in a playful yet motherly tone...
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In preparation for the Rite of Challenge, Vahn placed a large sign outside the Sage Dragon's Hearth to inform prospective clients that it would be closed for seven days. He would still accept clients if it was an emergency, but, for the time being, he wanted to focus on strengthening the defenses of his home to make sure even the outside was fully protected from attacks.
The annoying thing about the Divine Realm, at least in Vahn's opinion, was that the Central Network tried to keep things fair and balanced. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but, when it came to Gifts that relied on legends and concepts, they could effectively ignore conventional defenses. This was the reason why even a knock-off version of the Head of Medusa was able to petrify the exterior of his home.
To prevent future incidents, Vahn was considering creating an Artificial Intelligence with the ability to analyze and respond to threats in a manner reminiscent of Da Vinci's Uomo Universale. He had a phenomenal amount of information stored in his mind so all he needed to do was load a ton of Gift Cards into the system so that it would basically be able to counter anything that was thrown at it.
Simply put, Vahn was going to create a Template that borrowed attributes from Household Spirits and the Mother System developed by Da Vinci. Sarina, Nono, and even Seraphina would probably enjoy having their own Companions. He could even make them function similar to Gifts, so, once he got production up and running, he could basically hand them out to burgeoning Communities to serve as Guardian Spirits.
Vahn had always been fond of the Companion system he worked alongside Da Vinci to create. The Companions were remarkably adorable, and, so long as they were issued at a young age, they had a demonstrable positive influence on the mental and emotional development of their partners. The children who had grown up under the influence of the Empire were far more adventurous than their parents. They were also much happier, so, while the Empire was far from a perfect place to live, only the most selfish and egotistical pessimists would argue that things had become worse...
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"Did you seriously create a Prinny!? Oh, Vahn, how thoughtful of you~!"
Seeing the custom Companion Vahn had made specifically for her, Seraphina practically beamed as she gave the extremely soft yet durable creature a hug. In truth, it was actually Templated from him, as, even if he appreciated Seraphina quite a bit, Vahn wouldn't just let her bully any ordinary Prinny.
Meeting the dead eyes of his newest Template, a dry laugh emanated from Vahn's throat as he said, "Try not to be too rough on it. Companions are neither pets nor servants. It will gladly help you out, but, if you treat it poorly, you only have yourself to blame if it shuns you."
After making herself comfortable atop the Prinny's head, Seraphina poked her tongue out at Vahn, saying, "Oh, hush you. Did you honestly believe I would mistreat a Prinny after spending a thousand years advocating for their rights?"
Though she may have forgotten about her interactions with Vahn after his spontaneous departure, the impression he left on her had influenced Seraphina's life from that moment onward. She wasn't the best Mistress they could hope for, but, compared to most other Demons, she was practically a Saint. Prinnies had literally been lining up to become her personal transport, but, even after going through thousands of them, Seraphina could never find one that perfectly conformed to the shape of her bottom.
If she were being honest, Seraphina would rather Vahn transform into a Prinny so she could sit on him. It was one of the few things she genuinely desired with all her heart, but, fearing he might get upset with her, she had never brought it up. Now that he had gifted her a proxy, she was truthfully a little disappointed, but, after sitting atop its head, her mood instantly improved. She didn't know if sitting atop Vahn's head would feel similar, but, at the very least, the golden Prinny he had gifted her was far beyond her initial expectations.
Maintaining a wry smile, Vahn just shook his head before saying, "We'll probably be gaining some new members in the future. Do your best to get along with them, okay?"
Squinting her eyes ever so slightly, Seraphina's smile became somewhat predatory as she said, "Oh? Well, I don't mind. So long as you continue to pamper and spoil me, you can have as many women as you please. Just remember. No matter what anyone else thinks, I'll always be your number one. I won't settle for second in anything I do. Oh-hohohohoho~."
Issuing another light chuckle, Vahn pulled Seraphina from the unfortunate Prinny, his hands snaking around her thin, soft, and smooth waist as he teased, "At the very least, you'll always be my number one most pampered Demon Goddess..."
Though he got the distinct impression that Shiroyasha had just squinted her eyes at him, Vahn did his best to ignore it as he planted a kiss on Seraphina's lips. Affection and intimacy were the easiest ways to get her to calm down, so, before she could go on a tirade insisting she was more important than his other women, he silenced her with excessive amounts of both...
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After having his actions exposed by Vahn, Izayoi immediately followed the battle analysis by stating, "That's a pretty convenient ability if you're able to move around freely. I imagine it would be super useful in the hands of a pervert..."
Realizing the implications of Izayoi's statement, Asuka's brows immediately furrowed as she sent an accusatory glare his way before subsequently directing her attention towards Vahn and saying, "Not everyone is as perverted as you, Izayoi. Besides, I doubt someone who deigns to call themselves the Sage Dragon Emperor would need to resort to such methods. Based on that little breakfast of ours, it's safe to say that Vahn already has quite a number of women fawning over him..."
Ending her statement by directing a knowing look towards the lightly blushing Black Rabbit, Asuka seemed pretty confident in her assertions until Vahn shamelessly explained, "I'll be honest. While he is a little off the mark, Izayoi isn't exactly wrong. Rather, you're both, kind of sort of, correct."
Blinking in surprise, Asuka couldn't help asking, "Pardon...?" as a fluttery and slightly anxious feeling spread through her chest.
Without beating around the bush, Vahn explained, "You're currently in a Realm that overlooks all of reality. Though there are various different kinds, omniscience isn't a particularly rare ability for Gods in the Divine Realm to possess. I'm not saying you should simply accept it and start running around naked but you'll need to come to terms with the fact that your privacy has never been a concern for the Gods that rule over creation."
Waving his hand, Vahn created a three-dimensional projection of Asuka before forcing it to cycle through a number of different outfits. This caused the young heiress's face to turn beet red up to her ears as she shouted, "How dare you...!"
Shaking his head, Vahn maintained a calm expression as he explained, "The sentiments you have brought with you from the Lower Realms have no place here. If things like this bother you, you'll be in for a rude awakening when some stray Alchemist or Poet produces a literal army of golems that share your appearance. In this world, there are no limits. This notion even applies to the depravity and licentiousness of certain Gods, so, if you're serious about reaching the peak, you'll need to be prepared. If the current you were to encounter someone as shameless as Zeus or Apollo, you would probably find yourself warming their bed that very same night..."
With visible steam rising from her head, Asuka slammed the table in front of her as she stood up and exclaimed, "I would never do such a thing...!"
Rolling his eyes, Vahn manifested a glistening black Gift Card from his functionally infinite reserves as he said, "For the next thirty seconds, you'll believe wholeheartedly that you are a cat. Also, from your perspective, Yo's entire body is covered in catnip."
"Vahn...!"
Though Black Rabbit called out to him with a reddening expression on her face, Vahn didn't retract his statement. As a result, Asuka's eyes briefly flashed with a mystical glow as she squats down like a cat seated on its back paws. Then, as if she had smelled something both fragrant and intoxicating coming from Yo's body, she began to rub her face against the blushing girl's legs while issuing an adorable yet extremely awkward purr.
While Asuka was enjoying another taste of her own medicine, Vahn maintained a calm disposition as he said, "The Little Garden isn't a playground. There are threats here you can't even imagine at your current level. This includes conceptual entities who literally dictate how you and pretty much everyone else perceives the world around you. They can literally rewrite the Laws of reality and you wouldn't even notice it. Thus, while you are ultimately free to do as you please, do so knowing that others, some far more powerful than yourselves, will be doing the exact same thing..."
With that said, Vahn liberated Asuka from his compulsion just as she was attempting to climb into Yo's lap...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Nono is just one evolution away from Onee-san status...','The return of the Companions...!','Vahn really likes bullying proud and obstinate girls xD...')
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章節 2112: No More Coddling
Though he expected her to jump up and have another outburst, Asuka surprised everyone by rising to her feet, fixing her dress, issuing a light cough, and sitting down with her eyes closed. Then, as if the last thirty seconds hadn't taken place, she opened them with a serious expression on her face as she asked, "Why are you here? Surely you didn't come all this way simply to lecture us? Didn't your contract with the No Names expire the moment we were summoned?"
"Wow. You bounce back quickly, don'tcha...?"
Ignoring Izayoi's remark, Asuka continued to stare at Vahn as if she were preparing to engage in a business transaction. This earned her an amused smile from the latter, who, after several seconds of silence, answered, "It's simple. Now that our contract with the No Names has expired, I intended to invite you all to join the Burgeoning Communities Accord. For details-"
"Not happening/Pass."
Directing an accusatory look towards Izayoi for daring to talk over her, Asuka cleared her throat a second time before stating, "The No Names do not require your protection. Now that the three of us have arrived, we will watch over and protect them using our own means. If we wanted the easy way out, we would have joined a more prestigious Community from the start."
Though he didn't disagree with what Asuka was saying, Vahn shifted his attention to Jin. She might view herself as the future Leader of the No Names, but, for the time being, the only one who could decide their Community's fate was Jin and Jin alone.
Fortunately, Jin was a very perceptive young man. He had also put a tremendous amount of effort into growing stronger, so, while he would prefer to keep relations between their two Communities genial, he also desired to see how far they could grow and develop on their own. Thus, after a long moment of silence, he briefly exchanged glances with Lily before declaring, "The No Names will not be joining the Burgeoning Communities Accord."
"Master Jin...!"
Not expecting Jin to turn down Vahn's offer, Black Rabbit's hair burst into pink light as she became visibly flustered.
Before the befuddled bunny could get too riled up, Vahn plopped his hand atop her head, gently caressing the space between her ears as he said, "Relax. This is a good thing. After all, I can't keep babysitting them forever."
"But Vahn..."
Shaking his head, Vahn leaned down to plant a kiss atop Black Rabbit's forehead before adopting a casual smile and adding, "Have more faith in the Community your friends built. Jin might be young but he has the makings of a great leader. As for these three...they're a little rough around the edges but they have tremendous potential. Once they catch their stride, I might actually have to watch my back. Or, at the very least, protect my ankles..."
Directing his gaze towards Izayoi, Vahn earned a snort from the blond-haired youth by sending him a wink. He wasn't actually afraid that the young hero would ever catch up to him, but, considering how powerful the opponents he was expected to defeat were, it wasn't entirely impossible for them to catch up. He would just need to laze about and do nothing.
Unfortunately for them, Vahn, quite literally, had time on his side. He also had trouble sitting still for too long, so, shortly after his offer had been rejected, he invited Black Rabbit to accompany him for a date before promptly departing the land of the No Names...
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After spending part of his morning watching anime and cuddling with Fenrir, Vahn tracked Sarina and Nono to the Library. He wasn't too surprised to find Nono sitting at the mahogany desk he sometimes used, but, considering how she forced Jin to read and explain things at her behest, it was a little surprising to see Sarina curled up on one of the sofas with a book in hand.
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise. However, shouldn't the two of you be getting ready? I noticed your bento boxes sitting on the counter. Make sure you eat before class begins."
Though Nono simply marked the page she was reading before promptly closing it with a smile, Sarina practically jumped from her position on the sofa when she heard Vahn's words. She was able to catch herself, but, considering she attempted to hide the book she was reading behind her back, it was pretty obvious she was up to some mischief.
Since it wasn't really his business what the girls did in their free time, Vahn pretended to have no idea what Sarina was up to as he turned away and said, "I'll see you in about forty minutes. Don't forget to change into your uniforms."
On that note, Vahn promptly departed the library. This caused Sarina to exhale a sigh of relief, but, before she could completely relax, Nono chimed in to remind her, "Have you forgotten? Vahn sees and knows everything that takes place in the Sage Dragon's Hearth. What reason is there to try and hide things from him?"
Though she was perennially bashful around Vahn, Nono could speak in full and unbroken sentences when she really wanted to. Her time with the No Names had helped her break out of her shell. She had also gotten used to Sarina's antics, so, while her voice was still soft and delicate, it often carried a teasing undertone whenever she conversed with her 'Onee-san'.
Paling in response to Nono's words, Sarina retrieved the book she had haphazardly stowed behind a cushion before whimpering, "He's going to think I'm a pervert..."
Squinting her eyes ever so slightly, Nono resisted the temptation to remind Sarina that reading a book was far from the most perverted thing she had done. She had attempted to time her bath with Vahn's, and, after learning he handmade many of their undergarments, she even offered to assist him as a live model. Indulging in a medical text related to the male anatomy was relatively tame in comparison. Rather, if they couldn't treat boys in the future, more than half their potential clients would be ostracized...
After quickly organizing her thoughts, Nono surprised Sarina quite a bit by asking, "And? What's so bad about that? It's perfectly normal for girls our age to be interested in such things. Do you really think Vahn would resent us over something so trivial? If that were the case, he wouldn't have left to give you a chance to collect yourself."
Blinking in surprise, Sarina ignored most of what Nono said. Instead, she focused on one specific part of her explanation, asking, "You also have these kinds of thoughts? I tried talking to Lily and she said I'm not old enough to worry about the relationships between men and women..."
Though a rather potent blush colored her cheeks, Nono didn't attempt to dodge Sarina's question. Instead, she stared in the direction that Vahn had departed, a somewhat wistful look in her eyes as she said, "Of course I do...how could I not? Vahn is the most amazing person I've ever met. He cares for us in such a manner it would be impossible not to have such thoughts..."
Seeing the 'mature' expression on Nono's face, Sarina's formed into a slight pout as she exhaled a sigh and muttered, "I knew it...you're also gunning for Vahn, aren't you?"
Bringing a finger to her lips, Nono tilted her head to the side as if she were in deep thought before surprising Sarina a second time by saying, "Not really."
"Eh...?"
Not expecting such a response, Sarina couldn't help staring slack-jawed at the auburn-haired girl who, even now, was looking at the spot where Vahn had departed.
Feeling Sarina's gaze on her, Nono's smile gained an ostensibly amused look as she turned to meet the former's gaze and plainly state, "I don't have to. I'm happy just being around Vahn. He cares for me in ways I never could have imagined prior to coming to the Divine Realm. Even if things stay like this for the next ten years, I'm sure I'll be just as happy then as I am now. Besides..."
Turning away from the befuddled Sarina, a desirous light reflected in the depths of Nono's eyes as she added, "When he believes I'm ready, Vahn will come to me..."
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Restraining the urge to laugh, Vahn had a somewhat silly smile on his face as he fed Usalia spoonfuls of curry. She was currently half-laying across the table, eyes closed with a defeated look on her face as she absentmindedly ate whatever he brought near her mouth. As for the reason? She had made the mistake of insisting she was perfectly capable of looking after their kittens on her own. This was the result of a single morning.
"I'm so tired, plip. How do you manage to stay so busy without ever getting tired? It's not fair..."
Without missing a beat, Vahn proferred forth another bite of curry as he answered, "I guess I draw energy from the people around me? All I know is I feel revitalized and full of energy every time I lay eyes on you and our adorable children."
"Muuuu..."
Though she groaned in defiance, Usalia was unable to prevent her tail from waggling in response to Vahn's words. She even felt as though her energy was beginning to return, so, after eating another spoonful of curry, she promptly sat up, spread her arms, and said, "Hold me, plip. I'm going to take my energy back."
Restraining yet another chuckle, Vahn hooked his hands beneath Usalia's armpits before picking her up from across the table. She would probably take a bite out of him if he spoke his thoughts aloud but this was one of the benefits of having an inordinately petite frame. She was exceptionally easy to pick up and carry around. If they were to walk around outside, passersby might literally mistake them as parent and child.
Fortunately, despite being a Star-Class Demon, Usalia didn't possess any mental or mind-reading abilities. Thus, while she could sometimes sense when he was thinking rude thoughts, Vahn could usually get away with regarding her as the cute and lovable existence she was. He was also quite fond of holding people, so, while no one else was looking, he enjoyed carrying Usalia around and gently caressing her back until she invariably fell asleep in his arms...
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Though they arrived a little late, Vahn wasn't going to harp over punctuality when their classes often ran late. Instead, he waited for the two girls to take their seats before rising from his own and saying, "As I mentioned previously, I intend to have the two of you participate in the upcoming Rite of Challenge. To prepare you for this, you will be spending six hours a day living in my Game Board. How you choose to spend that time is ultimately up to you. Just know that, unless someone tries to target and take advantage of you, I will not be stepping in. In other words, even if you join up with a Familia and enter into the Dungeon, I will not be there to protect you. If you're not careful, there is a very real chance you'll lose your life. This might only result in you being ejected from the Game Board, but, as the pain and hunger you'll be experiencing are very real, I would advise you to work together and take every precaution you can think of..."
Hearing that they would be spending six hours a day in what basically amounted to a foreign and hostile world, both Sarina and Nono adopted conflicted looks on their faces. Nono, in particular, wasn't a fan of violence. She also had trouble interacting with new people so there was a chance she would freeze up the moment someone tried to approach her. This was something Vahn was well aware of. In fact, it was one of the many reasons he had chosen this particular type of training. As for the others? He wanted the girls to experience his original world for themselves. Thus, before either could protest, he adopted a kind smile and began telling them all about the Hestia, Loki, and Hephaestus Familias...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I can actually imagine Vahn wearing greaves to guard his ankles once Izayoi begins to increase in strength...','Cuddle bunny (U w U)...','Aka: Nightmare, Hard, and Easy Modes')
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