Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos
chapter-839

After nearly an hour of discussion, Vahn, Lyd, Ray, and Gros had come up with a list of rules that would shape how all Xenos lived for the indefinite future. Most of the actual restrictions were in regards to how they would interact with the outside world and guidelines for anyone that wanted to integrate into society and leave behind the Xenos compound, now named ’Spero Village’. This roughly translated to hope and, though it wasn’t exactly a village, the Xenos had a very small population and it wasn’t exactly wrong to classify their land as such. They actually had sovereignty that was guaranteed by the Alliance, making this 800-acre plot of land its own ’country’, but such things didn’t matter to the Xenos at all...

Once the discussion had come to an end, though there were likely to be several more in the following days, Vahn helped install a [Paling] to protect the Xenos during emergencies, even though Terra’s presence almost guaranteed they were protected. This was simply a measure so that, if Terra was busy elsewhere, they weren’t left unprotected based on an ’assumption’. Each leader was given the activation key but, feeling that she was actually very suited for the task, Vahn also gave Marie a key. She was very happy to receive such a ’present’, jumping clear out of the water an into Vahn’s arms to give him a somewhat sloppy and inexperienced kiss.

Promising to return later, Vahn managed to extricate himself from Spero by ’fleeing’ towards the sky and, choosing to keep his promise with Freya, headed towards the small residence she had procured near Knossos’ entrance. He knew that, once he returned to the Manor, his time wouldn’t exactly be his own anymore, especially if there was anything that needed his attention. Since Syr had informed him that nothing major was going on, as he ’had’ to make sure, Vahn decided not to keep Freya waiting. After all, she had actually waited for several days longer than ’necessary’, as he had returned from the Dungeon for a short period of time and could have gone to visit. The only justification he had for not doing so was that he had made the promise to her after entering Knossos and he hadn’t ’officially’ returned just yet...

Such thoughts made Vahn feel a little guilty, even though he knew it wasn’t exactly something he should worry over. Deciding to simply enjoy whatever Freya had planned for him, Vahn slowly flew through the sky with an expectant look on his face. He was honestly more than a little interested in what Freya was planning and, so long as she wasn’t using her [Charm] to force the matter, Vahn was willing to give her some wiggle room to ’play’. She knew better than to try and appeal to him using ’nefarious’ and ’questionable’ means so he couldn’t help but be a little excited...

After a relatively short flight, Vahn touched down on the balcony of a pristine white building that had been hastily constructed for a very exorbitant amount of Valis. Since it was near the center of Daedelus Street, the elegant temple-like building stood out like a sore thumb, likely Freya’s intention from the very start. As a result of her Divinity, she ’had’ to show off her wealth and power so it could be appreciated externally. The greater the disparity between her own home, and the surrounding architecture, the better it was from Freya’s perspective. She actually went out of her way to design any residence she stayed in to be both ancient in design, but extremely extravagant at the same time. As a result, the entire structure was made out of extremely polished marble while the reliefs carved into the walls depicted various heroic figures adorned with gold while their eyes were actually set with precious gemstones...

Though there were several barriers barring entry, Vahn was able to freely pass through all such obstructions with a small red ring that Freya had given him in the past. He generally kept it within his Inventory but, for situations like this, would wear it on his left middle finger. As for his ring fingers, Vahn actually had small and intricately designed bands that represented Hephaestus, Eina, and Riveria. Each had a very small fragment of ruby, sapphire, and emerald, a constant reminder of the women he had officially married. Though he kept them safe within his Inventory while in the Dungeon, as his combat style often destroyed his equipment, Vahn wore them proudly during most other circ.u.mstances...

Vahn also had the pendant that represented his bond with Lili while various other accessories and markings emphasized his relationsh.i.p.s with other girls. The most obvious of these all, at least when he was n.a.k.e.d, were the various bite-shaped scars around his shoulders, collarbone, and, as a result of Terra’s nature, a small scar above the location of his heart. It was somewhat ironic that every visible scar and injury on his body, instead of being obtained from battle, was the result of one of his lovers. Even so, Vahn didn’t mind them at all, regardless of the strange looks and questions he would get when people saw the ’questionable’ wounds...

With these thoughts fresh in his mind, Vahn wondered what kind of ’mark’ Freya would leave on him someday, as he knew she was very bothered by the scars left by the other girls. Then again, it might be that she wanted him to leave his impression on her as, even though she could keep it concealed, Freya often wore gowns and dresses that exposed her back, displaying the maker’s mark he had left as if it was something that accented her beauty further. If this was the case, though Vahn knew it wasn’t really the truth of the matter, that would probably be for the best. However, given the various presences located within the chamber containing Freya, Vahn knew she was determined to leave an impression on him, one way or the other.

Upon entering the inner sanctum of the temple-like structure, Vahn found Freya wearing nothing but a loose transparent robe that served almost no purpose as actual clothing. She was standing next to an empty throne, a violet glimmer in her eyes as an elegant smile spread from her lips as she said, "Vahn...you’re a little earlier than I expected...ufufufu~." As she spoke, Freya moved forward in such a way that it was like her body had a gravitational pull that drew the eyes towards whichever trait she decided to accent at any given moment. Her arm would lightly push up her fair b.r.e.a.s.t, making the small bead at the center stand out before, immediately after your eyes were drawn to the cherry-red protrusion, Freya’s h.i.p.s would snake, revealing a tantalizing gap between her thighs that redirected the eyes down...

Letting her pull his hand, Vahn sat in the throne that Freya had apparently prepared for him as she very naturally sat on his left leg, remarking, "I heard Loki comment about how sitting on your lap was almost like sitting on a throne that granted both mortals and gods absolute power over even fate...I must admit, even those created by prodigious smiths can’t give me the same feeling as what I’m experiencing right now...I wonder...can you feel it as well, Vahn~?" Following her cue, Vahn brought his hand to Freya’s left b.r.e.a.s.t, earning a hot sigh from her as a powerful ’thumping’ emanated from her chest. He had already seen her aura flare up when she sat down but there was something far more intimate about placing your hand over the heart of your lover...

For several seconds, there was nothing but the sound of Freya’s slightly accelerated breathing as both she and Vahn maintained smiling expressions. Freya had noticed the ’change’ in Vahn several days prior and was very curious about what was going through his minds at times like this. She already had a good understanding of his character, at least in the past, so seeing a ’new’ version of the man that conquered her heart was very exciting. She wondered if he might just push her down on the cold marble floor and ravish her until she couldn’t even move the following day, a state she had only ever been able to experience whenever he ’rewarded’ her for doing a ’good’ deed. It was her hope that he interpreted her surprise in such a way and, now that he was acting out of her expectations, Freya was even more excited to see how he would react than normal...

Since her heart wasn’t exactly calming down, Freya released another hot sigh before picking up a pure crystal bell on the throne’s armrest and ringing it. As the sound of steps reached her ears, Freya felt like her heartbeat was matching their pace, even though her expression remained unchanged. She didn’t even turn her head to mark the entrance of the four new arrivals, instead, watching Vahn’s expression for any changes, no matter how minute. When his eyes opened slightly, Freya couldn’t help but smile as the beating in her heart increased exponentially. She then had enough confidence to rise from Vahn’s lap and move over to the lined up girls and begin their introductions...

Though he had known about the ’five’ presences Freya was keeping in reserve, Vahn hadn’t quite expected the scene that was playing out in front of him. Wearing rather intricately designed maid outfits, not the kind used for more ’devious’ acts, there were four very unique and exotic looking young women gathered before him. The first had two pointed horns that matched her light brown skin near the base but transitioned into scarlet red. They were very obviously horns but Vahn had never seen anything remotely similar, even though he had immediately identified her species as the very rare Oni from the Far East.

This particular Oni had dark purple hair that extended to her lower back, braided together in a very intricate fashion while tri-part bangs framed her face. Since her horns parted her hair naturally, this left neatly trimmed frontal bangs while the two fringe bangs on the side of her face extended in a very elegant fashion towards her collarbones. Her figure was somewhat petite, only around 158cm tall, but simultaneously very mature with b.r.e.a.s.ts around a C-Cup while her h.i.p.s were full and sensuous. Vahn, however, knew this was actually a very ’variable’ appearance that she was keeping as, without powerful alcohol within their system, Oni would ’shrink’ into progressively more petite forms. They were a very unique race whose physical appearance, after reaching ’a.d.u.l.thood’, was entirely dependent on the quality and quantity of alcohols they had ingested...

Turning his eyes from the pale-gold pupils of this Oni woman, Vahn looked at the second girl, equally exotic but for entirely different reasons. She had leaf green hair that was cut very evenly around her shoulders and, much like the Oni woman, had two horns parting them near her forehead. The key difference is, unlike the flesh-type horns of an Oni, this woman had antler-like horns that were split into three segments. She also had slit-like eyes that were orange in color, giving her a somewhat fierce look even though her eyes were slightly droopy. Vahn identified her as another very rare species from the Far East, a female from one of the Beast Human tribes known as Ryuushu.

Though her mature figure was very eye-catching, the thing that drew Vahn’s eye about this woman was the fact she had a rather thick tail green tail lifting the back of her skirt. There was extra white fabric preventing her panties from being visible, but seeing the adorable 30cm long tail curving upward at a slight angle was quite the sight to behold. She seemed to be somewhat nervous as well, as her tail was trembling slightly, even though Vahn wasn’t exactly informed about the physiology of a Ryuushu. Of course, when this thought crossed his mind, Vahn got his answer and knew that the ’trembling’ was actually associated with excitement, not nervousness...

The final two girls were actually members of the same race, though this wasn’t exactly a detriment whatsoever since they were both very unique in appearance. The first woman was rather short, around 153cm, and displayed a very confident look on her face as her short blonde hair, having a wild and unrestrained appearance with several spikey locks, almost entirely covered her right eye. This left only one of her striking blue eyes visible, as she returned a smile without breaking eye contact for even a moment. Fixed at the side of her head, there were two bronze-colored horns that angled outward before curving into points. She also had pointed ears at the side of her head, though they didn’t stand out as much as her two large D-Cup b.r.e.a.s.ts and her pert and athletic lookings h.i.p.s and thighs...

This was a trait shared by the second girl, though it was hard to tell at a glance who actually had the larger b.r.e.a.s.ts. Instead, it was easier to identify them by the differences in their horns, as the second woman’s horns appeared shorter and curved in a more extreme manner, almost making an s-shape. She also had long white hair that nearly reached the ground, braided in one massive braid that was fixed together with a red ribbon towards the end. Much like the first girl, she also had a rather confident and brave expression but possessed red eyes and rather prominent bangs that framed her face. Vahn knew them both to be members of the Kyrie People and, though they were rather small in stature, they were reputed to be a match for Dwarves in physical prowess.

Freya, with a confident expression of her own, smiled elegantly as she held out her hand, gesturing toward the girls as she said, "These four girls were slaves that had been liberated when my Familia was purging some of the illegal traffickers within the Entertainment District. Each has an equivalent strength of around Level 3 and, though they have been freed from the shackles binding them, jumped at the offer of becoming your personal servants. I’m certain you can tell they are under no compulsion and, if necessary, I will even make a vow attesting to the fact...ufufufu~." After seeing Vahn’s expression, Freya had gained a great deal of confidence and knew she had made the correct decision when taking these particular women under her wing. Though it was true she didn’t use her charm to influence them, it didn’t mean she hadn’t used silvery words to get them riled up at the thought of serving Vahn...

As they had rehearsed, the Oni woman bowed very politely and, with a somewhat husky and sensual voice, said, "Greetings, Master, my name is Momo-Oni, member of the Oni tribe of the Far East. Please, it would be my honor to serve as your attendant..." At the very end of her words, Momo couldn’t resist swallowing and Vahn nearly released a light chuckle since he could imagine what Freya had promised her in exchange for her service. He knew that Freya had certainly done something to convince the girls and, considering the nature of an Oni, Momo was likely expecting her compensation to be in the form of rare and expensive alcohols...

Following Momo, the Ryuushu woman bowed even lower, saying in a stoic and soft tone of voice, "Greetings, Master, my name is Katsuya Ryuusen, daughter of the Ryuushu People and heiress to the now-defunct Ryuusen Clan. I may be inexperienced, but I will do my best to meet your expectations and serve your esteemed and dignified self to the utmost of my ability..." Though it wasn’t directly communicated, it was easy to see that Katsuya had an ulterior motive for becoming his ’servant’. It was well-known that Vahn helped everyone under his care become much stronger and, though she might not directly request it, Vahn could understand Katsuya wanted the strength to restore her Clan in the future...

Once Katsuya finished her introduced, the first of the two Kyrie actually puffed out her chest and stood with arms akimbo instead of bowing as she loudly exclaimed, "I heard you’re a real man that doesn’t discriminate against any race! As long as you can beat me outright in a match, I don’t care what you’ll have me do. I appreciate strong men and heard you’re the strongest there is! So, that means I’ll be in your care from now on, ahahahaha~!" It was only at the very end of her outburst that the yet unnamed Kyrie bowed, causing her rather large b.r.e.a.s.ts to bounce and jiggle a few times when she straightened out her back...

The final woman, seemingly familiar with her fellow Kyrie, released a muted sigh before she smiled and said, "Greetings, Master, my name is Elizabelle Grandis, a proud member of the Kyrie People. This airhead to my left is my cousin, Merribelle Grandis, a not-so-proud member who can’t even introduce herself properly..." These words caused Merribelle to flinch, her only visible eye widening as her complexion paled slightly. Before she could correct her mistake, Elizabelle continued, saying, "We are very grateful that Lady Freya had liberated us before we could be shamed. Though it may be imprudent of us to expect such treatment, we do hope you will show us consideration if our appearance is to your liking. Since our people pledge loyalty to those we owe a life-debt to, please accept our fealty as Lady Freya had willed..."

With Elizabelle clearing things up, Vahn could understand that the two were likely proud warriors of the Kyrie People who had somehow become slaves. Since Freya had liberated them, she became their benefactor and, if it had been her will, the two, or at least Elizabelle, would have taken their lives if it was her request. Freya had diverted their attention towards him and, being the ’strongest’ made it easy for the two proud women to shift their loyalty onto him. They were currently acting in the capacity of Maids but, if he so desired them, Vahn knew both girls would likely be more than willing to dedicate themselves to him after a brief ’conflict’...

Realizing that Freya had actually gone through a great deal of effort to not only secure him ’exotic’ women, likely after hearing something from Loki, but also did it in an above-board fashion. Though it could be argued that she had taken advantage of the girls’ situation, it was only by offering them genuine benefits that they ended up here in front of him. He could easily just give alcohol to Momo, help Katsuya become strong enough to restore her Clan, and ’free’ the two Kyrie women of their ’obligation’, but that would actually go against the expectations of all five girls. Vahn could see the four girls had a very positive impression of him, likely as a result of something Freya had said or done, so it almost felt wrong to even think about turning them away...

With a slightly larger smile, Vahn turned his eyes to Freya and asked, "Have you talked to the others about this little ’surprise’...?" When Freya moved her hand to her lips and began to giggle in a playful manner, Vahn knew she had gotten ’permission’ before moving forward. With that in mind, he let loose a small laugh of his own before turning to the four girls and saying, "So long as you do not compromise the safety and security of those I cherish, I will do my best to act as a competent and worthy Master. I thank you in advance for your service..." Even before he had finished speaking, four prompts appeared within his system notification and Vahn accepted the four unique girls as his subordinates before turning to Freya and saying, "It seems I owe you a reward, Freya..."

(A/N: For those curious, the Kyrie are fundamentally similar to the Draph race from Granblue Fantasy. I even borrowed two of my favorite Draph as a ’template’ :P...)

(A/N: Alternate Titles: ’Visible Extravagance’,’Freya’s mark leaves quite the impression xD...’,’RIP Freya, may the Godhand guide her safely through the abyss...’)