Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos Chapter 552: Procedure

After spending a relatively peaceful night with Eina, Vahn got a jump start on the morning and decided to spend some quality time with Aki and Arnya as he waited for Loki to stop by with the first goddess he was supposed to help. Thinking about pregnancies made Vahn want to spend time with his own girls and it made him very pleased that both Arnya and Aki were very healthy while the babies in their bellies seemed full of vitality. He couldn't identify the gender of their children, but being able to hear their faint heartbeats made Vahn feel elated and a bit possessive as he gently stroked the girls' bellies.

Arnya was laying across his lap with her legs folded as she absentmindedly held her hands over his while Aki just leaned against his shoulder and nuzzled against him. It was moments like this that Vahn wished could go on forever and it made his desire to 'compress' time greater. He had thought about it a lot during the evening and had talked to Eina after she heard about the topic from Hephaestus and Hestia. Eina felt that is was best to make a compromise between the two, meaning Vahn should use memory fragment orbs while also using a time compression orb. She could understand the potential dangers as well, but it was Eina's opinion that having the 'option' was better as it would allow Vahn more time to relax as well. If the orbs were very secure, it was also a place where the children would be able to play around in relative safety...

He hadn't thought of it before, but Eina also mentioned it would be a good way to move people to and from one point to another without having to have long convoys or prepare a large number of supplies. If he really wanted to travel around with his family, without having to prepare a fleet of dragons and the like, Vahn could potentially have everyone safely placed inside the orb and carry it with him. Though it was unlikely, it was even possible for him to engineer the orb in such a way that it may allow him to take the girls to other records with him in the future.

However, after thinking about this, Vahn realized it was a very bad idea because they would essentially be 'trapped' inside the small world he created for them. If something happened that caused the orb to fracture and destabilize, it would result in the deaths of everyone inside because their bodies wouldn't be sustainable in a foreign record. The goddesses, especially, couldn't leave the record at all unless Vahn found a way to strip them of their Divinity without damaging their soul. Since they were a 'product' of their Divinity, this was impossible unless Vahn was well versed with souls and had, at the very least, a Tier 5 soul himself. It was difficult to imagine even being Tier 4, much less Tier 5, so Vahn figured that was a dead end for the time being...

Vahn's quality time with the two rotund little kittens was brought to an end around 10 AM when Loki arrived outside the Manor accompanied by a homely looking goddess with curly orange hair and flax colored eyes and a very nervous looking man with light brown hair, brown eyes, and a healthy body. After reluctantly parting with Arnya and Aki, Vahn made his way out to meet them as they briefly introduced themselves and made their way to the Guest Residence. The goddess was known as Holda, possessing Divinities related to Agriculture, Sewing, and Weaving, while the man was her rather fortunate lover, Chris Heiland. Vahn was very interested in Holda's skills regarding sewing and weaving but decided against asking about it since it would make the situation even more awkward.

Once they reached the Guest Residence, Vahn sat with Loki on one sofa while Holda and Chris sat on the opposite side. Holda had a gentle smile on her face and said, "Sage Aldrnari, thank you for giving my Chris and I the opportunity to conceive a child. It is truly a blessing I had never thought to experience in all my many years..." Though it was generally a breach of etiquette to do so, Holda bowed as an expression of her gratitude while Chris became increasingly nervous by what was about to happen. However, when he spoke, Chris's voice was a deep baritone and there was an underlying confidence contained within as he said, "This is a kindness that will never be forgotten for as long as I draw breath. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be with the goddess I love as true a true man and woman. We..."

There was a deep love in Chris' eyes as he looked at Holda, an expression she shared as she completed his sentence, "We decided to get married after this...I know it may inconvenience you but, if you aren't busy at the time, please feel free to attend the ceremony." Vahn was about to agree without putting much thought into it, but Loki spoke out first, saying, "There are a lot of circumstances that need to be taken in consideration from the perspective of the Alliance, so we'll have to look into the matter before making any promises. However, even if Vahn himself can't show up, expect that a representative of the Alliance will be in attendance~." Holda smiled in understanding at Loki's words and said, "Yes, I believe that is for the best."

As the matter had been a closely guarded secret, Holda and Chris weren't entirely aware of what they needed to do for the 'ritual'. Because she couldn't 'afford' to pay the fees and offer up the requisite materials, Holda had agreed that her Familia would contribute fabrics to the Alliance over the course of the next ten years. It wouldn't hurt their business with their other client, as they weren't being asked to make clothing, so Holda had agreed to it without much thought. Her Divinity allowed her to weave a large amount of cloth in a very short period of time and it was exactly the type of material Vahn had been looking for to make some of his clothing designs. Loki was very aware of this and picked out a goddess that already had a long relationship and could produce high-quality fabrics. Though she knew Vahn had a bit of a 'preference' for various types of clothing, Loki herself was fond of such plays and wanted to 'enable' Vahn so she could benefit herself.

Loki explained the somewhat embarrassing process to the anxious couple and Holda was a bit embarrassed to know she would have Vahn touching her after she made love with Chris. He also didn't seem too fond of the idea, but Loki showed off her own 'crest' and claimed that Vahn would be very professional about the matter, even allowing Chris to be near throughout the entirety of the procedure. Though Chris still had a few inhibitions, there was no way Holda intended to leave without getting a baby in her belly. She was one of the younger goddesses, only around 290 million years old, but her desire for a real family was as prevalent as many of the first generation goddesses. Because he truly loved her, Chris had absolutely no way to resist the 'pleading' look from Holda and this set the mood for a passionate session between the two lovebirds in the safety of the underground chamber.

Vahn sat on the first floor with Loki laying across his lap using his arm as a headrest as she remarked, "It's a bit awkward waiting for a couple to do the deed while we just sit here, isn't it~?" He had just been thinking the same thing, so Vahn smiled and lifted Loki's chin before giving her a quick peck on the lips. To prevent her from misunderstanding, not that she was prone to such things, Vahn said, "I think it's interesting to see the love others share...but it makes me feel a little competitive and I want to pamper the girls around me a bit to compensate~."

Loki opened her eyes slightly and asked, "Oh~? And how exactly do you want to pamper this little goddess you so shamelessly knocked up~?" Vahn showed a teasing smile and said, "I have a great idea...how about you sit on my lap properly for a moment?" Interested to see what Vahn had in mind, Loki sat up with his assistance and rested her back against Vahn with a bit of curiosity rising up in her. However, instead of doing something more 'exciting', Vahn just reached his arms around her in a loose embrace and rested his left hand around her belly, stroking it in a small circle. Loki released a sigh, not out of disappointment, but as a result of the strangely contented feeling she had being held by Vahn.

Vahn nuzzled his face into Loki's neck and said, "Loki, thank you for always working so hard to make sure things are going smoothly. Now isn't the best time to show my gratitude, but I'd like you to free up some time this evening and I'll pay you a visit at the Twilight Manor..." Loki had been feeling very relaxed in Vahn's arms until she heard his words, causing her emotions to begin bubbling up with her excitement. She began to laugh in a playfully mischievous manner and said, "I'll free up the whole day if you like~." Vahn laughed and kissed the back of her head without responding directly to her words...

A few minutes passed in silence when Loki suddenly said, "You know, it might be more fun if you bring along some of the other girls...I have plenty of clothing that would suit them~." Vahn wasn't quite sure what Loki was thinking until she explained, "Even though I have a bit of confidence, I know I wouldn't be able to take care of you entirely on my own. If possible, you should try and convince Ais and maybe Anubis to come along with you...or maybe there is someone else you'd like to dress up? Me, personally, I had a bit of an interest in Ais in the past so I think seeing her trying on clothes would be interesting~." Vahn cocked his head to the side in thought before shaking his head and saying, "I don't think it would be good to ask Ais...she would probably say yes, but she has you listed as one of the girls she doesn't want to have that type of encounter with."

Loki already knew about this but she still released a plaintive sigh and had a bereaved expression on her face. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind when she was thinking about the girls she was fond of in the past so she smiled and said, "You should bring Aki over to the Manor then...she would probably be a bit embarrassed, but I think it would be good for her to talk with her old comrades. If you want, we can make it a small event with all the pregnant girls...kekeke, I can just imagine Hephaestus wearing a maid outfit...It makes me giddy just thinking about it!" Vahn had been considering Loki's words when the image of a bashful Hephaestus wearing a maid outfit appeared in his mind and caused his mental processes to come to a stop before he muttered, "That could be interesting..."

A peal of mischevious laughter escaped Loki's lips before it turned into a loud cackling that continued until Vahn licked the back of her ear, saying, "Don't tease the other girls too much, Loki. I don't want too many strange rumors to start circulating so I'll just stop by with Aki and Arnya since Tsubaki and Hephaestus are simply too well known throughout the City..." Loki had a small smile on her face as she considered Vahn's words and said, "Three girls is probably a good number, and its good that you're considering the reputation and status of everyone. Aki really should deal with Raul so it doesn't stress her out anymore and I think Arnya would be well suited to get out of the Manor more. You know, her brother has been causing a bit or problems within the Freya Familia after he found out she was pregnant..."

Vahn's brows raised slightly at Loki's words, prompting her to explain, "He is a bit of an idiot with a sharp tongue, but Allen Fromel still worries about Arnya, his last surviving family. He previously made an arrangement with Freya to protect her so he freaked out a bit when he found out she was pregnant and, not with just any man, but the man he hates more than anyone else, fufufu~." Without waiting for Vahn to ask any questions, Loki's smile turned slightly cold and she said, "Many of the Elite members of the Freya Familia have a powerful envy towards you, some even outright hating you...they are afraid you will take away their goddess from them, even though she was never their's to being with. When Freya chose Ottar as the father of her child, their resentment shifted to him, but you should expect it will be focused on you when they find out that Freya has no interest in having any of their children."

Though it was a difficult situation, Vahn could understand why they would be angry with him, even though he thought their mentality was kind of foolish. Even if Freya tried to pacify them, not that she had any obligation to, that would require her to spend nearly twenty years being pregnant just so her current 'children' wouldn't resent others. This obviously wasn't acceptable, especially by Freya herself, so Vahn expected things would be a bit tense within her Familia in the future. Ottar seemed like a stable and reliable guy, while Freya herself was somewhat terrifying, so it shouldn't really be an issue. The biggest problem was the more independent members, especially Arnya's brother, Allen. He was probably the reason Arnya had been afraid to get close to men in the first place because, even though he had 'abandoned' her, he was still very overprotective of his little sister...

After around a half hour had passed, the mechanism for the elevator activated so Vahn and Loki left the 'comfort' of the sofa and went to intercept Chris. He had a flushed face and an awkward expression as he wiped away his sweat and said, "We're ready...please treat my goddess well, Vahn.." With a serious expression on his face, Vahn pat Chris on the shoulder and said, "Leave it to me, Chris. I won't do anything strange and you'll be leaving this place as an expecting father. It's a bit early, but congratulations on both your wedding and the birth of your child." Though he already knew what Vahn was saying was true, Chris had a dazed and slightly silly expression on his face as he processed the very pleasant and exciting words.

Vahn had a confident smile on his face as they took the short elevator trip down to the underground chamber but it quickly froze up when he saw the rather beautiful Holda supported near the edge of the bed he had set out for them wearing nothing but pale purple lingerie. She had just finished making love with Chris so her complexion was slightly flushed with a thin layer of sweat covering her body. Vahn felt like, even though she wasn't pregnant yet, she was already glowing with the signs of a woman deeply enamored with the man she loved. He activated his [Will of the Emperor] to avoid any stray thought and immediately experienced a cooling sensation that made him feel calm, confident, and focused.

Holda blushed a bit deeper when Loki and Vahn showed up, but she did her best to stay calm even though the atmosphere was very tense. She had no idea what to say in this type of situation as even 290 million years hadn't prepared her for something like being strung up by golden chains in front of onlookers. Loki apparently wanted to break the tense atmosphere a bit so she smacked Chris hard on the back and said, "Go comfort your little wife, fool. Holda, just relax your body without thinking about it too much. Vahn might have to touch your body, but you'll get over it soon enough and have a bun in the oven to celebrate with your little husband later on. Now, hurry up and get this over with~!"

With Loki's insistence, Holda did her best to relax as she held hands with Chris. Vahn walked over and maintained a calm and professional demeanor as he 'casually' grabbed Holda's hips and activated his [Eyes of Truth]. Chris frowned when he saw this because it was like watching another man firmly eye the delicates of his soon-to-be wife. However, he didn't want to upset Holda so he focused on her face and did his best to comfort her as Vahn moved her body from side-to-side before tracing his index finger around her lower back. Seeing another man carve a crest into Holda's body made Chris feel a strange sense of defeat but he knew it was 'necessary' to give Holda the happiness she had sought for a greater amount of time than he could even imagine.

After a few minutes, Vahn finished the procedure and placed his index finger in the center of the crest he had carved to conceal it. He heard Chris release a slightly relieved sigh when it vanished and this made Vahn feel especially awkward since the mark really wasn't necessary. However, being able to track the goddesses that had undergone the procedure was a very helpful thing to do and Vahn needed to remain consistent so that their little scheme wasn't exposed. Thus, after casting one last glance of the relatively plump rear of Holda, Vahn looked to Chris and said, "It's done, congratulations." as he released his hands from the man's lover.

Chris had a somewhat serious look on his face but it was quickly replaced by relief and excitement as the chains supporting Holda eased up and disappeared. Vahn handed them another set of towels and a change of clothing before saying, "We'll be waiting on the first floor if you want to ask any other follow-up questions..." So as not to unnerve the couple any longer, Vahn had already turned away after handing them the set of towels. He didn't get that far, however, before Holda called out, "Wait, Vahn Mason..." and brought him to a stop. Vahn turned around slowly to see what she was up to only to witness green and white petals forming around Holda's body as she wore her raiment.

Holda's raiment looked like a delicate multi-layered dress that reached all the way to the floor and had a very natural and homely feel to it. Loki showed a somewhat envious look, as her own raiment was somewhat 'awkward' to wear, and clicked her tongue. Holda laughed at Loki's expression and affectionately stroked Chris's face before she walked forward and stopped right in front of Vahn. With an incredibly serious expression, somewhat offset by her gentle smile, Holda said, "Truly, I can never thank you enough for what you have done for us this day..." With her words finished, Holda reached forward and embraced Vahn very tightly, causing him to freeze up and immediately look to Chris who, surprisingly, didn't seem upset or surprised. After a few seconds, Holda pat his back a few times before releasing him and saying, "If you need the assistance of the Holda Familia, please let me know and I'll see to it personally."

Vahn could tell that Holda was just expressing her good will because, after touching her earlier, he could see that her affection for him was only 57(Trust). Her aura was also very stable, so he smiled and said, "Yes, though I can't offer the support of the entire Alliance, please let me know if there are any issues during your pregnancy. I'm a capable physician and I'll do my best to ensure that the child is healthy..." Holda smiled vibrantly and rubbed her own belly before Chris stunned Vahn by asking, "Will we be doing the delivery here?" Before Vahn could get a chance to process what Chris just asked, Holda nodded her head and said, "Yes, I believe Vahn is the best suited to the task since his skills are likely far greater than anyone else's...isn't that right, Loki?"

Loki was giggling at Vahn's reaction but she nodded her head at Holda's question and said, "Yes, since we have some concerns about the first generation of children that will be born to goddesses you can come to the Hearth Manor when the time comes for the delivery. We don't talk about it too much, but Vahn is known throughout the upper echelons of the Alliance as the 'Godhand' because of his medical skills. We'll also have capable midwives present and you can be absolutely certain things will go smoothly if you choose to rely on us~!" This was already something that had been arranged previously, as they knew Vahn would offer to help out of concern regardless, but Loki still found his reaction priceless.

Chris supported Holda's shoulder and had a very loving expression in his eyes as he stroked her belly. It quickly changed to gratitude when he looked at Vahn, even though there was a part of him that had an urge to pick a fight with the boy. However, resisting the urge, Chris said, "We'll rely on you when the time comes..." before guiding Holda away without wasting too much time. Vahn had expected to sit on the first floor and talk for a bit, but he could somewhat understand why Chris would want to quickly extricate himself from this rather awkward situation. Loki and Holda laughed in their characteristic ways as they also understood what Chris must be thinking...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fat Cats','I swear, I'm a professional~! -gawks at the butt and saves to memory bank-','Run, Chris, Run~!')

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Chapter end