Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn awoke the next morning and felt like he had experienced some kind of spiritual enlightenment as he enjoyed the warmth from around his entire body. Though he had exhausted earlier, the few hours of sleep he enjoyed before waking up were the most pleasant he had experienced in a long time. He hadn't even used his domain while he was unconscious and just enjoyed the comfort of the women curled up against his body. Chloe had slept laying on top of his chest and Vahn could see her raven black hair and cat ears just beneath his chin. To his right, Syr was using his shoulder as a pillow while being hugged from behind by Ryuu while, to his left, Lunoire was using his other shoulder in much the same way. The only mild awkwardness came from Arnya, who Vahn could feel reclining in between his legs using Chloe's butt as a pillow.

All of the girls were exhausted, maybe even more so than himself since he had gotten a little carried away at the very end. Since he didn't want to keep any of the girls waiting too long, he had made full use of his [Hands of Nirvana] to give everyone a pleasurable experience they would be unable to forget. By the end, the last person standing had been Chloe who earned the right to sleep on top of his chest for her efforts. Just reminiscing about the sequence of events the previous day, and just this morning, Vahn had a sage-like smile on his face as he enjoyed the calming smell coming from Chloe's ears.

Around 9 AM, Vahn detected an aura approaching and instinctively activated his domain to scout his surroundings as the 'enlightened' and comfortable state dissipated. He saw who was approaching and relaxed a bit until the door slammed open with enough force to embed the doorknob into the wall. Mama Mia came in and boisterously shouted in a loud, somewhat teasing, tone of voice, "Get the hell up you little brats! You think playing around all night excuses you from your work!?" Her shout had caused all five girls to startle as the made futile efforts to cover their n.a.k.e.d bodies as Mama Mia charged over and flipped the entire mattress over and knocked them all to the floor. Vahn and Ryuu had protected Syr, while everyone else wasn't really affected by the fall at all due to their level. Of course, it didn't stop them from acting out and complaining a little as Mama Mia used a warm cloth to smack the butts of the girls as they ran off to their individual rooms.

The only people left behind after her tirade started was Vahn, Syr, and Ryuu, who were all standing n.a.k.e.d before Mama Mia who had a fiery expression in her eyes. Vahn and Ryuu stood in front of Syr who was looking especially bashful and ashamed at the moment as she hid behind Vahn's back. Mama Mia looked Vahn up and down with an appraising eye before her brows raised, mouth frowned, and she nodded thoughtfully before shooting him a thumbs up and saying, "Not bad, kiddo. Your little goddess sent a message on the network to remind you that you've got plans for today. I'll make an exception and let you use the bath, just don't make a habit of staying overnight in the women's dormitory. Show some consideration for the people that had to leave and stay elsewhere last night!"

Without any bashfulness, Mama Mia walked over to Vahn before throwing the towel she had used to smack the girls into his face with enough force to knock his body back a step. Mama Mia gave Syr and Ryuu a passing glance before sighing loudly and heading towards the door. After she left, there was a brief silence until Syr laughed awkwardly and said, "Here, I'll show you to the bath Vahn. Ryuu, tell the other girls to clean up before getting ready for today...it might cause a problem if they walk around without washing their bodies first." As she spoke, Syr sniffed the air and blushed a little before dragging Vahn away towards a corridor that led to a large square bath and shower. There were three showerheads along the wall with a square-shaped bath that was around 2 foot deep and had various types of shampoos and soaps decorating the perimeter.

Syr pulled Vahn over to one of the showers before turning it on and grabbed a large sponge before saying, "I'll wash your body, we need to make sure you're nice and clean before your date with Hestia, fufufu~!" Vahn nodded his head before grabbing a sponge of his own and saying, "We can wash each other, Syr, let me tend to you for a little bit longer." Her somewhat cheeky smile bloomed into a beautiful expression as they began wiping each other down until the other girls began showing up. Chloe had been the first girl to arrive and she laughed mischievously before walking over and using the same showerhead as the two with the excuse that there wasn't room elsewhere. Arnya and Lunoire paired up at one showerhead while Ryuu went to use the last one on her own. After a few seconds, Syr laughed before handing her sponge to Chloe and saying, "I'll wash his body next time, okay~?" She then walked over to Ryuu and the two girls spent a bit of quality time together until everyone got into the large tub at the same time.

After the bath ended, Syr had the idea to have everyone get dressed in their uniforms at the same time before they all made a small breakfast and 'served' it to Vahn as a collective unit. They each acted in their usual manner except there was an added intimacy to each of their actions and Vahn felt very blessed to be able to experience such a thing. To thank the girls for their 'service', Vahn left them a relatively expensive set of strawberry shortcakes and cookies with a warm pot of tea that was good for blood circulation. Since all of the girls loved sweets, they thanked Vahn before Syr sent them a signal and they made a semi-circle and kissed his face and cheeks while Chloe and Arnya licked his ears once in a playful manner before they all backed away and started laughing. Even Ryuu had gotten dragged into the pace of the other girls, but Vahn felt like her opening up and being bolder wasn't a bad thing.

Leaving the warm and cozy women's dormitory had been one of the most difficult and perplexing things Vahn had ever done. It was below freezing outside and suddenly losing the warmth of the five girls made him feel slightly melancholic. However, Vahn knew that, after everything that happened, his relationship with the girls was much better and there would be several opportunities to spend time together in the future. The only thing he had to do was reach out to them through his personal network and, if they weren't busy, he would be able to spend time with him. That thought alone made Vahn feel a profound happiness as he made his way toward the Hearth Manor to retrieve another one of the important women in his life, his goddess and trusted confidant, Hestia.

Because of the extra pep in his step, Vahn arrived outside the Hearth Manor in record time before stepping into the warm foyer just as Hestia was exiting the corridor that connected to the dining room and the study Vahn used to greet guests. She was wearing her normal godly raiment, the flowery white, super short, dress that barely covered the upper quadrant of her thighs. The big difference was that she was also wearing a long coat with fur around the hem and collar that went all the way down to her calves. Most importantly, however, was the fact that she had let her long black hair down and it hung to her waist making her look far more mature than normal. Vahn had paused when he saw her, so Hestia began to laugh in a pleasant manner as she asked, "Do you like it better when I wear my hair down~?"

Vahn smiled before walking over and running his fingers through her incredibly smooth, almost silken, black hair. He matched her gaze and said, "Your hair is beautiful no matter how you wear it, however, knowing that you're wearing it this way for me makes me feel grateful. Thank you, Hestia..." Vahn bent down and kissed the smiling goddess for a few seconds before they both parted and she laughed in a cheerful manner. After a short while, she picked up the small designer purse and said, "Let's go, Vahn, for the rest of the day you're all mine~!" Vahn extended his arm out politely and Hestia grabbed it happily as they made their way outside. Though she had worn a jacket for warmth, Vahn made a small bubble around them and used his [Heart of the Eternal Flame] to push back the cold so that she wouldn't be affected at all. The strange thing was, regardless of the fact that it was freezing outside, Hestia was still walking barefoot without any trouble at all...

It wasn't the best day for a date since it was somewhat cold and stormy outside, but Hestia's smile was like sunshine that blew away any negative feelings the recipient might have. They didn't often spend time out on personal dates, so Vahn tried to make it memorable for Hestia and took her around to various stores and shops that she had shown an interest in. When she got tired of walking around, Vahn gave her a piggyback ride and even vaulted from rooftop to rooftop using Shundo and protecting her body from the chilled air. Hestia held onto his neck tightly and pressed her b.r.e.a.s.ts into his back as she laughed happily while enjoying the moment they shared.

As it was the intent behind the date, Vahn took Hestia to a super high-end shop in the northern section of the City where a single dress could cost well over a million Valis. Hestia had been hesitant about spending so much money on a single dress, but Vahn convinced her when he picked up a beautiful white dress that was studded with sapphires and diamonds that had a blue sash made of satin that held the ensemble together. It was a somewhat low cut for the cleavage, but there was a beautiful white shawl decorated with the same blue color as the sash but arranged in a pattern of lines and lilies that accented the entire outfit. To accompany it, though it didn't seem necessary, there was a pair of blue heels with small white lily patterns sewn into them.

The entire outfit cost a total of 2.3MV, but Vahn purchased it without batting an eye after seeing Hestia try it on in the changing room. It had been such a strong impact that it felt like his brain paused for a good three seconds until Hestia did a pirouette and asked, "Though I can tell from your reaction, how do I look, Vahn~?" Hearing her words, Vahn came back to his senses and showed a somewhat foolish smile and said, "You look like a goddess, an unearthly beauty that transcends mortality..." Hestia laughed in an incredibly cheerful tone as she walked over and gestured for Vahn to come closer so she could whisper in his ear. When he leaned down, Hestia spoke in a somewhat hot tone as her breath tickled his ears and she said, "Don't forget that this beautiful goddess is. all. yours~!" At the end of her words, Hestia planted a kiss on Vahn's cheek and he immediately paid for the dress while suffering a bit of embarrassment from the laughing cashier who gave him a playful look.

After she changed back into her normal clothes, Vahn stored the dress into his inventory before they continued their date well into the evening. Having experienced it earlier in the day, Hestia's new favorite thing to do seemed to be riding on his back as he carried her about the City in what could only be described as a magical fashion. Because he was able to cover huge distances in rather short periods of time, they visited dozens of places before Vahn finally carried her all the way back to the Manor. Since it was 'more romantic', they landed on the balcony instead of using the front door before Vahn set Hestia down on the large sofa he used for his naps on occasion.

Hestia had been laughing periodically throughout the date, and she now had a gentle, somewhat elegant, smile on her face as she said, "Vahn, thank you for taking me out today. It was everything I had hoped for, and more..." Vahn sat down next to her and she immediately leaned against his shoulder after he grabbed her hand. She giggled a bit before saying in a low tone, "The next few days are going to be difficult...I'm still worried about meeting so many other gods and goddesses-" Before she could continue, Vahn had tilted up Hestia's chin and kissed her to dash away the negative emotions he had sensed rising up inside of her. When he pulled away, Vahn smiled before standing up suddenly and picking up Hestia into his arms. He looked into her somewhat glossy blue eyes and said in a soothing tone, "You will not be there alone; trust in Hephaestus, Loki, and Anubis. The most important thing you can do is try your best, so don't let the pressure get to you...remember, no matter how bad things get, I will always be with you, Hestia. The promise I made, that we'll eventually be together forever, I truly meant it...now, let spend a bit of that eternity with just the two of us..." After he spoke, Vahn kissed Hestia deeply before dragging her off to his own bedroom and comforting her well into the night...

---

Early the next morning, Vahn woke up and enjoyed the somewhat reminiscent feeling coming from his lower body as he sat up and stirred awake the lazy and sleepy goddess in his embrace. She wasn't a morning person, so Vahn carried her down the stairs after helping her get dressed she could freshen up before meeting with the other goddesses that were coming by to pick her up soon. Hestia seemed to be taking advantage of his care and acted especially spoiled while Vahn treated her like a princess and saw to all of her needs attentively. He knew she was still nervous about the upcoming Denatus, so Vahn did his best to bolster her courage a bit before waiting in the study with her and Fenrir as the three of them snuggled up like a family as Vahn brushed Hestia, and Hestia brushed Fenrir in a congo line of happy feelings.

Around 7 AM, Hephaestus, Loki, and Anubis had all shown up and Vahn treated everyone to coffee and snacks as they discussed the final matters about what was going to happen in the near future. From the moment Hephaestus and Loki enter the Denatus, it would be impossible to conceal the fact they were both pregnant with several goddesses of fertility present. Loki was going to use some information to leverage against the godly community and draw the support of as many gods and goddesses as they could without revealing any important details. Vahn learned that Freya was also going to make her support known and they had a tripartite cooperation to prevent any dissent that might occur. The most important things they would be advocating for is Vahn's 'freedom' to act, his 'right' to provide his services to whomever he pleases, and the protection of any of the children sired by goddesses to fall under the jurisdiction of the Hestia Familia and the Alliance proper. They were using the notes and doc.u.ments that Vahn had provided regarding his research into the issues regarding infertility of several races as evidence to support the fact that he had more than enough qualifications to act without restriction and oversight. Many of the things he had already discovered were revolutionary concepts that had foiled both gods and mortals for millennia, so they simply had no grounds to stand on when it came to imposing regulations against Vahn, or the Alliance as a whole.

Loki stressed the importance of trying to establish his own authority on the matters and had already gotten permission from Riveria to use her identity as elven royalty to act as Vahn's backer on the matter of his research. When she heard from Ryuu the previous night, Riveria had actually considered visiting the Hostess of Fertility regardless of the 'circ.u.mstances' to make matters clear personally. Vahn's hypothesis regarding the infertility of half-races was already a matter of paramount significance and she planned to support his research into matters in the future. However, when it came to light that he may have discovered the reason why it was so difficult for elves to procreate, and potentially even had a solution, Riveria's impression of Vahn suddenly had him elevated to a status of supreme importance. Though she hadn't yet confirmed the matters personally, Riveria had contacted her homeland and received approval to issue Vahn the status of 'Sage' and 'Special Protectorate Status' for the Hestia Familia.

Vahn was surprised at the news, but he understood the significance of his findings for the entire elven species so he couldn't fault Riveria for her 'overreaction'. If it helped to protect his Familia in the future, Vahn didn't mind having some kind of special title from a foreign power. Sometime in the future, Vahn wanted to visit the enigmatic lands where humans weren't allowed to tread and this was a step towards that goal. He wondered if he should bring up the matter about him having obtained a [Seed of the Tree of Life] since it was considered a sacred object to the elves. After thinking about it briefly, he decided to put it off for the time being since there were already a lot of things on the agenda that needed to be taken care of. Since he had obtained the seed from Ryuu, Vahn wanted to use it to support his Familia and loved ones, and didn't want to deal with a situation where he was 'forced' to hand it over before he had managed to plant it himself.

After talking for nearly a full hour, Vahn embraced each of the goddesses before seeing them off at the gates. It was somewhat strange to consider, but as Vahn watched them walking away he couldn't help but turn his attention to Anubis. Of the four goddesses, she was the only one he hadn't slept with even though he knew she had wanted to for a long time. After his night at the Hostess of Fertility, Vahn felt a lot less inhibited and he wondered if he should try and find out if she were still interested in the idea in the near future. Vahn laughed at his own thought before shaking his head and walking back toward the Manor to prepare. He was going to be heading into the Dungeon with Haruhime for the next three days and shouldn't be focused on thoughts of s.e.x.u.a.l conquest. That could wait until after the Denatus and certain matters were cleared up first...

(A/N: This is the official end of the Volume, I hope you enjoyed~! Next Volume starts off with Haruhime training arc and the long-awaited Denatus~!)

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Covered In Flowers','Quality Time With Hestia','Elven Royalty')

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