Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos
chapter-280

Vahn awoke the next morning in a slight daze and felt the heat from the soft and light body of Hestia laying against his chest. Her breasts were pressed closely to his body and she was sleeping soundly with her arms crossed under her head. She had a silly smile on her face with a healthy amount of drool dripping from her mouth, down her arms, and onto Vahn's chest. The most noticeable thing, however, was the discomfort coming from his lower body that was held like a vice with a gentle stream of warmth soaking the exposed half of his penis.

Hestia, after a somewhat short session of love-making, came up with the 'brilliant' idea of sleeping atop Vahn with his penis still inserted inside of her. Since he could maintain his erection without difficulty, it wasn't too trying a matter. The problem, as expected, was the fact that Hestia's insides firmly clamped down on him without any room for movement whatsoever. He had somewhat been 'convinced' that it would help her body adapt, but Vahn didn't feel like there had been any real changes since the previous night.

Since she had been very tired, Vahn wanted to let Hestia continue sleeping but had to get out of the current predicament so he could go about his own business for the day. Poking her cheek a bit, Hestia slowly opened her sleepy eyes and stared blankly into space for a moment before reaching down with her hand and feeling the presence of Vahn's penis firmly held inside of her. For a brief moment, Vahn could see a glimmer pass through her eyes before her expression turned gentle and she kissed him and then said, "Good morning Vahn, I love you~"

Vahn smiled and gave her a quick peck on the lips before saying, "I love you too Hestia, but its time for me to get up." Vahn stroked her silky black hair with his hands and she gave him a very loving expression before placing her chest on his head and saying, "I like staying like this...just for a little longer." She hugged around his shoulders loosely and pretended to go back to sleep but Vahn was very aware she was awake by how active her aura was. Now that she had set aside her inhibitions, Vahn realized Hestia was acting a lot more spoiled than normal without 'acting out' as much. She was very assertive even though she pretended to act passively and Vahn was beginning to realize what Loki meant about Hestia's personality being slightly different than his expectations.

After a few minutes, Vahn noticed most of the girls were already beginning to awaken so he rubbed Hestia's back and said, "I have to go wash up Hestia..." Instead of responding, Hestia continued to feign being asleep so Vahn laughed silently before turning to his side and gently trying to separate from her. The moment he did so, however, he felt a painful sensation wrap around his penis and realized he couldn't move his hips away from her body at all. Hestia's eyes opened and she released a long, somewhat sensual, sigh before saying, "I wish we had met sooner Vahn..." Taking several deep breaths, Hestia loosened up her own abdominal muscles and eventually ejected Vahn from her interior. Vahn gave her one more kiss before leaving a bucket of warm water and a dry towel nearby in case she needed them.

When Vahn left the room, Hestia stared at the door blankly for a while before reaching down to her lower abdomen and muttering, "It feels a little lonely..." With another long sigh, Hestia grabbed the small rag and used the warm water to wipe herself down before drying off and returning to the bed. Though she had managed to get some sleep, it wasn't that easy to stay asleep for a long period of time when there was a foreign body inside of her. There were several times through the night when she had awoken and thought about waking Vahn up so they could continue where they had left off the previous night.

Before she fell asleep, Hestia decided she would talk to the more experienced girls on the network to see if there was anything she could do to make it easier to 'accept' Vahn. Even after pushing herself to the point of exhaustion, it seemed impossible to get more than halfway and it made Hestia feel a little frustrated since it felt like she had 'failed' somehow. She knew it would probably be possible with Vahn's 'assistance', but Hestia was determined to be able to manage the feat on her own...

Unaware of Hestia's determination, Vahn performed his schedule without any major hiccups or deviations. He took a pleasant bath, practiced his magic in the backyard, and watched the progress of the other girls. Since Milan wasn't present, there was one minor change, however. While Ryuu was training Haruhime, Emiru, and Maemi, Preasia had sat near the meditating Vahn with about a meters distance between them. She didn't say anything, just sat silently and watched Vahn while hugging her knees and trying to stay warm. It was very cold in the mornings, and Preasia didn't seem to have much resistance to the cold at all since she always wore heavier and thick clothing, even though she wore shorts underneath with a pair of thick, wool, stockings. Vahn took pity on her and used [Heart of the Eternal Flame] to warm up the area with his domain. Other than her affection increasing marginally, Preasia didn't have any other reaction to the sudden warmth in the air.

Since she didn't have to bathe with the other girls, Preasia followed along behind Vahn when he went to the library and 'stole' the seat that Haruhime had taken the prior day. Vahn felt a little awkward, but he wasn't going to let Preasia'a behavior get to him since he didn't mind her presence. He even had the briefest expectation that she would one day want to cuddle with him in the next few weeks and he couldn't deny he was somewhat interested. She had shaggy hair on her head with a short tail that hung below her sweater. Though she had a thin body, Vahn couldn't help but feel like Preasia was 'fluffy' and thought she would have been a very huggable girl if he had met her under different circumstances.

When Haruhime showed up in the library, she tilted her head slightly before a gentle and elegant smile appeared on her face. She didn't seem to care that Preasia had 'taken' her spot and just picked up a new book before placing a cushion on the floor beneath where Vahn was sitting. After bowing politely and saying, "Excuse me~." Haruhime sat down and leaned her back against the front of the sofa right before where Vahn was sitting. He wanted to laugh at her actions, so Vahn didn't restrain himself and did just that as he said, "You behave adorably sometimes Haruhime."

Haruhime's tail dexterously waved about as her ears twitched and she responded in a bell-like voice, "I am just so happy these days Vahn...I've gotten to experience so many new things, and it's all because you saved me." Vahn understood Haruhime felt true gratitude by how her aura radiated out confidently while a gentle light glowed in her beautiful green eyes. She had somewhat droopy eyes and always seemed to have a gentle look on her face with a flawless disposition. Haruhime kept her back straight, was always very polite, and had a subtle air of nobility about her that she only dropped when she was around him.

Seeing her ears twitching about, Vahn released a sigh and asked, "Do you mind if I pet your ears and tail every now and then. I won't lie, they're a bit distracting and I'm a little interested..." Vahn had decided to be more decisive ever since he read the book of tragedy a few days ago. Though he faltered a bit around Hestia, he still wanted to try and be more proactive and express his wants and desires clearly. He could see Haruhime's aura wave about gently as a happy expression appeared on her face, but it was Preasia who spoke up first, "Do you like...to pet?"

Vahn and Haruhime looked over and saw Preasia holding the large book to her chest while staring over the top and maintaining a constant gaze in Vahn's direction. Though he thought it might cause future problems, Vahn nodded his head and said, "Ever since I first came to the City, I've always had an interest in things like that. I also have a skill, [Hands of Nirvana], that allows me to imbue different kinds of energy into my palms and fingers. I like seeing if I can bring comfort to others while also trying to experience their unique reactions compared to others."

As Vahn spoke, he reached out with his left hand and a gentle light appeared on his palms as he stroked Haruhime's head and her very fluffy ears. Her eyes widened for a brief moment before she closed them and just silently enjoyed the caress with a pleased expression on her face. Preasia watched from the side and had seen the familiar energy in Vahn's hand and asked, "Its the same...as when you healed...my body." Vahn nodded his head while absentmindedly stroking Haruhime's head and said, "It's called [Hands of Nirvana]. Even if I came across someone seriously injured, I would be able to save them as long as they still had a bit of life left in them..."

Preasia hung her head a bit in contemplation before saying in a low voice that Vahn could barely hear, "I wouldn't mind...if you want to...pet me also." Vahn placed down the book in his right hand and dropped it on the cushion before shaking his head and saying, "You know, I do actually want to pet your hair Preasia. You seem to be very 'fluffy', but I don't think it's the right time for things like that. You've been through a lot and should focus on recovering your body and mind without pushing yourself. Unless you can open up to the others first, I don't think you're ready for that kind of thing."

There was a sad look in Preasia's eyes for a few seconds until a gentle light slowly began to build up within the light-grey pupils. She looked back toward Vahn and said, "I will try...everyone seems nice...especially Fenrir...and Milan." Without saying anything else, Preasia put down the book she was reading on the table nearby and said, "I will go and...teach the others." Vahn watched her back and felt like she was taking the first steps on the road to her recovery. He was very afraid that she would become overly attached and reliant on him, so Vahn wanted her to interact with others before anything happened.

Since he had been stroking Haruhime's head the entire time, she had a very pleased expression on her face before saying, "It is just the two of us now Vahn~. I don't mind if you want to hold me and do even more~." Haruhime opened her somewhat droopy green eyes that had a bit of expectation contained within their depths. Vahn cocked his head to the side a bit and said, "Haruhime, you'll probably be in the Familia for a long time...and, as I said earlier, I am very interested...well, in a lot of things. Until you become much stronger, I don't want you to push yourself and try to get wrapped in my life so much. Even if you truly want to stay with me, you need to have something else that drives you other than your feelings."

Haruhime nodded her head once with her eyes closed before opening them partially and saying, "I already found something that drives me forward Vahn...I will continue to grow stronger for both our sakes I've set a goal for myself to become strong enough to protect everyone in the Familia. I want to help unify everyone and experience new and exciting things with all the friends I've been making~! Just as you said previously, I already treat everyone here like my precious family..." As Haruhime spoke, she crossed her hands over her chest as if she could feel the warmth of her own heart permeating through the air.

Though it might have been a product of his imagination, Vahn could also feel the warmth coming from Haruhime and knew she truly believed her own words. It was actually similar to his own desire, so Vahn couldn't find any fault in her words. He even realized why all the girls around him worried about his mentality since he also had a strong urge to tell Haruhime not to push herself. Vahn found some comfort in knowing that he could see his own traits reflected in others and help shape his understanding of his own thoughts and actions.

After a short while, Haruhime raised her face to look at Vahn and he suddenly felt it was a little awkward for her to be seated on the floor. Patting the spot next to him, Vahn said, "Here, we can read together if you'd like..." Haruhime's curved ears perked up a bit and her elegant smile turned into one of moderate jubilation as she fluidly rose from the cushion, straightened her kimono, and then sat next to Vahn after giving a curt bow. The moment she sat down, Haruhime laid her tailed across Vahn's lap in a casual manner as if it were perfectly natural.

Vahn took a slow, deep, breath before asking, "Is there some tradition related to a man touching the tail of a Renard?" As he asked, Vahn actually purchased a few books through the shop and started perusing through the information related to Renard cultures and traditions. Haruhime shook her head and said, "There isn't any specific tradition, but its usually a show of affection if it's just touching...if you also had a tail, wrapping them together would have been a sign of courtship." Since Haruhime knew Vahn could actually transform, she blushed slightly and bowed her head with upturned eyes.

Finding the information within his own mind and confirming Haruhime's words, Vahn smiled and saw the look in her eyes before saying, "If you can get to Level 3-" Before he could finish, Vahn could see a fire light up in the core of Haruhime's green eyes and she asked in a very assertive tone, "When can we go into the dungeon?" Vahn couldn't help but laugh out once as he passed his hand along the smooth and soft tail of Haruhime and said, "I'll try to come up with a method soon, but it'll probably be after the situation with Isthar is resolved. For now, just focus on increasing your foundation..." Vahn had a thought as he gently caressed the tail under his palms without any major response from Haruhime. Her tail didn't seem to be as sensitive as a cat person's, maybe due to the thickness of the fur...

Shaking the stray thought from his mind, Vahn focused on his original epiphany and furrowed his brows a bit before saying, "Haruhime, I have a skill that can increase your potential, but it'll require me to place what is called a 'flame seed' in your heart." Vahn realized that Haruhime didn't have a boost-type skill, so she would benefit greatly from [Prometheus] since she already reached the affection cap. Haruhime had a thoughtful expression for a while before a happy smile appeared on her face and she started loosening up the obi holding her kimono closed.

Before she finished, Vahn said, "You can turn your back to me, I don't have to put in the seed from the front." In response to his words, Haruhime leaned her head low and to the side before asking, "But you don't have to put it in from the back either, right~?" In the brief moment, before Vahn refuted her words, Haruhime dropped her Kimono from around her shoulders and revealed her snow white, budding, breasts with a smile on her face. She stated clearly, without any sign of being flustered, "Please proceed, I want to see the process with my own eyes..."

Seeing the earnest look in Haruhime's eyes, Vahn shook his head with a smile before opening up his palm where a beautiful fiery seed had appeared. He could see it's light reflected in Haruhime's eyes and he said, "This will be placed in your heart...and it'll nurture your growth depending on how strong your feelings are." Dazed by the beautiful flame in Vahn's hand, Haruhime asked, "Feelings?" Turning her eyes toward Vahn, Haruhime seemed to realize something as her smile grew marginally larger. Vahn nodded his head and continued, "Yeah, depending on how strong your feelings are for me, the flame will help increase your strength based on the bond between us."

Haruhime reached out and grabbed Vahn's wrist gingerly and said, "Please...I'll show you how strong I can become." Vahn reached out his left hand and stroked Haruhime's head as he reached forward with his right hand and gently inserted the flame seed into Haruhime's chest. Since he had already experienced it a few times, Vahn was prepared for the wave of pain that wracked his body down to the core. Other than gritting his teeth slightly, Vahn showed no obvious signs of pain in his expression.

Feeling the heat in her chest, Haruhime suddenly felt like her own emotions were compounding, almost as if they were feeding the tiny flame like kindling. It grew stronger and stronger and Haruhime could feel its heat spread through each part of her body without exception. Though she didn't say anything to draw attention to it, there was also a subtle heat coming from her abdomen but Haruhime just expressed her feelings as a smile before closing her eyes and enjoying the sensation.

After the pain faded from his body, Vahn had Haruhime turn her back to him so he could update her Status Board and see if anything had changed. As expected, Haruhime got the [Prometheu's Blessing: A] skill and had a marginal increase in all of her parameters. The biggest increase had been in her Magic parameter, which had a massive increase of 60%. Vahn also noticed Haruhime had actually learned the [Spirit Healing] Development Ability which would become incredibly important for her continued use of magic in the future. Since most Development Abilities didn't awaken until Level 2, Haruhime had a huge advantage before she even stepped on the path to becoming strong.

(A/N: Btw, stats don't increase much without killing monsters.)

[[STATUS]]

Name: Sanjouno Haruhime

Race: Renard

LV. 1

POW: I11->I15

END: I28->I33

DEX: I12->I16

AGI: I30->I36

MAG: F367->D587

Skill: [Inari:Innate(sealed)], [Prometheus's Blessing:A]

Magic: [Uchide no Kozuchi:B],[Kokonoe:D]

Development Skill: [Moon Priestess:Innate(sealed)], [Spirit Healing:D]

[Uchide no Kozuchi]

Rank: B

Level Boost Magic that can only be used on a single target, after which an interval occurs before it can be cast again. It cannot be used on the caster. Enhances all parameters on the target by 30% of their hidden status total.

Chant: Grow. That power and that vessel. Breadth of wealth and breadth of wishes. Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion. -Grow. Confine divine offerings within this body. This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you. -Grow

[Kokonoe]

Rank: D

A special enchant magic that creates a maximum of nine tails on the user depending on their limit. The user adds the effects of a second magic they chant connect to each of the tails to multiply its effects. (Current Tails: 4)

Chant: Kokonoe. Beloved snow. Beloved crimson. Beloved white light. Please let me be beside you - this love I have found at the end of two thousand nights. My name is Magic Fox. Former destroyer. My name is Ancient Song. Former dreamer. For you who beat your wings like a bird, I shall allow the nine spirits to dwell in me. Echo, song of gold, sacred poem of Tamamo. White face, golden fur, king of nine tails. Oh, tails of the auspicious beast, consume all, grant all wishes (Affected Magic Chant) - Dance!

[Spirit Healing]

Rank:D

Slightly increases the recovery rate of mental energy and mana.

[Prometheus's Blessing]

Rank:A

Growth dependant on the strength of the caster that applied this blessing. As long as the originator lives, the recipient of this blessing will experience rapid growth based on their feelings for the originator. If the feelings fade, the flame seed within the heart will dwindle before eventually burning out.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Warmed Within the Hearth','Preasia's Resolve','Haruhime's Potential')

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