Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos c1-2203, page 1035
In response to Vahn's words, Circe puffed out her cheeks even more, holding it for several seconds before releasing her breath with a 'pa' and asking, "Do you hate me?" This caused Vahn to roll his eyes before answering plainly, "Unless you give me a reason to hate you, I would never hate you, Circe. If anything, you could say I'm more worried about you than anything...at this rate, you'll end up sad and frustrated once you force me to make a decision I really don't want to make...haaaa..." At the end of his words, Vahn cradled Susu in his left arm while reaching out his right hand and stroking Circe's silky pink hair as he added, "I promise you will be happier if you open your heart to others...in exchange, I will make sure to pamper you as much as you want when there is time, okay?"
Though she put on a slightly annoyed expression in response to Vahn's words, Circe didn't try to pull away from his hand as her wings twitched slightly. Then, as if having made her decision, Circe finally swat away his hand, giving a small nod before saying, "I will give you a test. I can tell, you know, that you have untoward thoughts toward me at times. Ever since I was a child, I have always been able to sense when men are directing their attention toward me. Even if you are good at keeping your eyes from wandering, you can't fool my senses so easily, Vahn. If you can bathe my body without having any untoward thoughts, I will trust that you won't take things too far if I let you pamper me freely..."
Vahn was a little surprised by Circe's words, especially since he hadn't actually harbored the intention of doing anything to her. Though he had certainly let his thoughts wander in that direction, Vahn had understood from the start that they wouldn't have that kind of relationship. Circe's special sense certainly seemed powerful, but it didn't provide her full context and allow her to understand the true intentions of those around her. Vahn could also now understand why she didn't like being around other females that often as, having an ability that allowed her to know when men were paying attention to her also meant she knew exactly when they were focused elsewhere. If she had this type of ability since birth, it was easy to understand how her perspective could have been skewed with time...
In response to Circe's proposed 'test', Vahn gave a confident nod before answering, "You shouldn't underestimate my willpower and professionalism. Like I keep saying...I will never force anyone to do something they are unwilling to do. Even if you were in a strange state and tried to seek me out, I would never take advantage of you, Circe. When I prove this to you, I hope you will treat my words seriously and try to open your heart to others...as for everything else, you can leave that to me." With Circe's words essentially being an admission that she was afraid he would do something to her if she got in the 'mood', Vahn didn't mind embedding it into his heart not to cross that final line. Since he already had more than enough ongoing relationships, each having their own unique complications, the last thing he needed was a powerless Circe who either resented or became fully reliant on him...
Feeling the sincerity in Vahn's words, Circe gave a small nod before coming to stand right in front of him, looking up with her large pink-green eyes. This was a peculiar habit of her's, almost as if she enjoyed the difference in their height or simply knew how adorable it made her look. Then, with a straight-face that caused Vahn's mind to temporarily blank, Circe said, "The truth is, I really want to do naughty things. I'm constantly thinking about doing naughty things, Vahn...in all my thoughts, I imagine how you would push me down and ravish me, turning me into your plaything and never letting me go. It makes me feel excited..." As she spoke, Circe swallowed hard as a very fragrant aroma began to rise up from her body, tickling Vahn's nose in the process...
Understanding this was likely part of Circe's test, even though she seemed almost scarily sincere about it, Vahn took a deep breath to remain calm. It was fortunate he constantly channeled his [Will of the Emperor] these days or he might have failed from the start. Since Circe had a Pseudo-Divinity related to Love, it obviously meant she had the means to make people infatuated with her if she put in the effort. Vahn had seen this particular Divinity manifest in the eyes, such as in the case of Syr and Freya, or in the natural pheromones their body released, a phenomenon he had observed in Artemis. Since there was a sickly sweet aroma wafting from Circe's body could even make him feel a little warm, it was obvious she was in the category of Demi-Goddesses that relied on pheromones. This was perhaps the origin of why she used fragrant and delicious food, likely as a means to distract her 'guests' from realizing what was going on...
In response to Circe's words, Vahn adopted a wry smile as he said, "I don't mind keeping you...but I'm afraid 'ravishing' you if off the table, at least for the time being. I must admit though, it makes me feel honored that such a beautiful girl has such passionate thoughts about me..." Though she didn't react much to the first part of his words, Circe's ears waggled a little when Vahn called her beautiful. She was weak to compliments and, even if she was trying to push his limits a bit, Circe's nature had been cemented of centuries of self-imposed isolation and her 'peculiar' way of life. As a result, she moved just a half-step closer, pressing her chest into his abdomen with a rosy flush spreading across her face in an instant as she asked, "You won't ravish Circe...really~?" At the very end of her question, Circe snuck her hand between his thighs as a seductive glint flashed across her eyes...
Taking a deep breath, Vahn proceeded to use his right hand to lightly flick the pale-gold tiara atop her head, causing a small 'whiplash' effect that immediately changed her disposition from being seductive to pouting as she exclaimed, "Hey! I don't condone violence...!" In response to this, Vahn plainly stated, "I don't condone acting like a nymph in the middle of a hallway. If you want to test me, feel free to do so in the bath. Also, don't forget that I can sense everything around me for more than four kilometers...if things really had gone south, the only person that would have come to your aid is little Susu..." It was obvious that Circe was trying to rile him up in a throughway as, if he did something to her, she could always make a loud noise that would draw attention to them. However, with Rin and Sakura in the bath, Fenrir and Illya in the latter's room, and everyone else inside of the Sub-Space Orb, things wouldn't have gone as she expected...
Paling slightly at Vahn's words, Circe then proceeded to snatch Susu from his arm, hugging the juvenile cat in her embrace as she said, "Susu will certainly protect Circe from the big bully, right?" With that said, Circe flitted her wings and created a bit of distance from Vahn, almost as if she wanted him to give chase. Knowing this was the actual case, Vahn lightly chuckled before saying, "The bath is being used by Rin and Sakura right now." This caused Circe to trip over her platform sandals but, instead of falling onto her butt, she spontaneously seemed to become immune to gravity as she quickly righted herself. In her arms, Susu had an aggrieved expression as it extended its paws towards Vahn, the only one who didn't shake it around and behave violently...
Vahn was unable to prevent himself from breaking into a boisterous laugh that caused Circe's face to turn completely red as her ears drooped. She wasn't even remotely known for her patience so, after telling Vahn that she would test him, Circe was determined to make him take action. In a way, it was a matter of pride to get him to go against his word and try to push her down, an action that would immediately cause her Father's Divine Protection to strike Vahn. She didn't believe this would kill him, as it was hard to imagine anything being able to kill a person who seemed to regenerate from 'nothing', but it would certainly bring him back to his senses. After that, Circe would know that Vahn was just like all other men and, depending on how she took advantage of the situation, it wasn't impossible to get him to treat her like a Queen from that moment onwards...
Unaware of the 'specifics' of Circe's plan, Vahn saved Susu from her embrace, running his hand along the cat's back and eliciting a contented purr almost instantly. This caused Circe to scrunch up her nose before asking, "You're even going to give a cat more attention than me? Big meanie..." As she said these words, Circe looked toward Susu like it had betrayed her, causing Vahn to roll his eyes as he said, "Susu is nice and obedient so she gets special treatment. If you behave yourself for the rest of the day, I'll brush your feathers for you. I'm actually pretty good at it..." Since both Terra and Alexa were 'very' fond of him cleaning and brushing their wings, Vahn knew Circe would probably enjoy it a great deal as well. She didn't seem to have nerves in the wing-like attachment on her back, but the Mana Circuits were connected directly to her body and Vahn knew they were just as sensitive as actual nerves if he used the right methods...
As if Vahn had said something obvious, Circe made her wings ruffle as she explained, "Of course you will clean my feathers! I'm expecting full service when we take a bath together. You'll also have to clean under my nails and brush my hair after we're done. Since you'll get to see my immaculate body up close, the least you can do is properly express your gratitude~!" With that said, Circe produced a coy smile before shifting aside the fabric of her thin tunic, though not enough to actually reveal anything. Since he knew she was probably going to be testing him often in the near future, Vahn just gave a wry smile before saying, "I'm going to return Susu to Nobunaga. We'll probably be drinking for a few hours so you'll have to be patient. You should use this time to prepare yourself, though, as I'm a master at most spa and beauty treatments...I'm not sure you're ready to experience just how much I can pamper someone..."
Hearing no falsehoods in Vahn's words, Circe began to feel a little giddy as she quickly scampered away towards the kitchen, her heart racing as errant thoughts flashed across her mind. Though her words might have been misconstrued by Vahn as a simple test, many of the things she had said previously were the truth. Since she could never be with a man, Circe's thoughts were constantly plagued with the various 'possibilities' of the future. Merlin messing with her dreams, allowing her to get a taste of something that had been denied to her for centuries, was just the icing on the cake. Because of this, the truth of the matter was that she wished Vahn really would push her down as, with his nature, she knew he would take responsibility for the rest of his life. Even if he failed to get her a few times, due to her Father's Divine Protection, Circe believed he wouldn't give up so easily after almost getting a taste of the forbidden fruit...
Smelling a far more powerful fragrance on the air, Vahn had to shake his head to clear his thoughts. Susu released a quiet mewl in his arms, causing Vahn to smile as he began stroking her somewhat rough black fur. It was apparent she could use a bath as well, combined with a few nutritious meals and a lot of relaxation. After a few days had passed, Vahn was confident that Susu's coat would become sleek and shiny, assuming she wasn't constantly stressed out by being handled. Fortunately, it didn't seem like she minded the attention all that much, so long as the person wasn't moving around at super-sonic speeds or shaking her about like a ragdoll.
---
After entering the Sub-Space Orb, Vahn turned his attention towards the lake where Artoria, Gray, and Lakshmibai were all swimming around in rather tantalizing swimsuits. Though Gray wore a dark gray one-piece swimsuit, it had a higher cut on the hips than normal, accenting her lithe and petite body and giving her the appeal of an Olympic swimmer. As for Artoria, she wore a white bikini that exposed a lot more than he would have expected from the proud King of Knights. Like almost all of her outfits, however, there were royal blue accents, this time taking on the form of large ribbons at the sides of her hips and back. This matched the color of the ribbon in her hair, giving Artoria a lively and youthful appeal as she happily had a rather conservative splash battle with Gray.
A stark contrast to the almost identical girls, Lakshmibai was wearing a complex swimsuit that looked like a one-piece with a deep cut for the breasts and back. Instead of being a normal one-piece, the sides were strung up with interwoven strings that left bits of her healthy brown skin exposed, adding a sexy appeal with her mature and athletic figure. Though her figure might be lacking compared to someone like Scáthach, the balance of Lakshmibai's body was almost perfect, especially with her pert butt and plump thighs. In her swimsuit, her legs seemed longer than normal and, if not for the fact he had already made plans with Nobunaga, Vahn knew he wouldn't be able to resist joining the girls' fun.
Comforting himself with the knowledge that he could probably get Lakshmibai to wear 'anything' later on, Vahn carried Susu over to the lakeside residence. The girls had noticed his presence but, seeing that he wasn't walking towards them, they understood he had different intentions. This didn't stop Lakshmibai from releasing a somewhat warm sigh, drawing the attention of Gray who asked, "You really love him, don't you...?" In response to this, Lakshmibai gave a conflicted smile as she answered, "I'm not sure if I am the best to speak on such matters. My life prior to being summoned by Vahn was plagued by misfortune...I lost my mother when I was four, my son died shortly after he was born, and my husband died not all that long after. Then my country was torn apart by the greed of the British Empire and the East India Trading Company before I ultimately lost my life due to a stray bullet..."
Hearing Lakshmibai's words, Gray began to fluster as she sheepishly said, "I'm sorry, I didn't..." In response to this stammering, Lakshmibai shook her head, her smile becoming less complicated as she added, "Vahn has allowed me to experience many things in such a short period of time...not only did he change my fortunes for the better, but he set my former Master on a better path. I want to do my best to support him moving forward...even if..." At this point, Lakshmibai's face began to gain a red hue while, unbeknownst to her, two small buds made themselves apparent through the fabric of her swimsuit. Seeing this, Gray felt a little giddy herself as she squatted down in the water to cool off, internally remarking, ("She definitely loves him...") as she blew bubbles with a red flush coloring her own cheeks. At the side, Artoria was the only one to remain relatively calm as she looked toward the lakeside residence with a small smile on her face, her thoughts indiscernible to Lakshmibai and Gray...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sakura, sugoi~! Kuwaii~!','My Test will become your Trial...umuu...','Lakshmibai is too far gone xD...')
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Chapter 1106: Tantalizing
After passing a few hours just lounging on a sofa with his arm around Nobunaga's shoulder, mainly listening to her talk about what she had been up to the previous evening, Vahn knew he would need to head out pretty soon. He enjoyed the time they spent together but, now that Nobunaga had a bit too much to drink he knew it wouldn't be long before she either passed out, assuming she didn't have 'other' intentions. With that in mind, Vahn lifted Nobunaga's chin, looking into her deep red eyes with a hint of a smile on his face. In response to this, Nobunaga squinted slightly before closing the distance until she was only a few centimeters away from overlapping her lips with his. At this point, however, Nobunaga released a hot and rather foul-smelling breath right into his face before falling back on the sofa and cackling.
Snorting through his nose to clear the lingering smell, Vahn then lightly smacked Nobunaga's rump, causing her to roll so that her backside wasn't exposed before she began poking his face with her socked foot. She was obviously very drunk at the moment, causing Vahn to feel like he was taking care of a mischevious child as he guided Nobunaga's foot away from his face before 'snatching' her other foot and holding them in his lap. This caused her to wriggle around for a while before finally complaining, "You're sho stronk Vahn...muuu...what ish Nobu-chan to doooo~?"
Hearing Nobu refer to herself as 'chan', even though she looked like she was in her late twenties, Vahn felt a strong desire to tease her. As a result, Vahn began to gently rub up and down her legs, bringing Nobunaga to silence as she looked toward him with slightly hazy red eyes. Since it had just been the two of them, the only pieces of clothing Nobunaga was wearing was a black tank top, rather sexy, blood-red, panties, and a pair of black stockings that ran up to her thighs. Though she still preferred to wear men's clothes, Vahn knew Nobunaga went out of her way to dress up a bit for his benefit. Even if she never fully vocalized her intentions, it was clear that Nobunaga treated their relationship as something more than intimate companionship...
With her breathing becoming somewhat labored, Nobunaga silently rolled onto her side without trying to free her legs from Vahn's captivity. He took this as permission to slide his hand up the back of her thigh before gently rubbing her rather plump butt. At the same time, Vahn ran his right hand between her two legs, stroking Nobunaga's inner thigh as a gentle stimulation flowed from his palm, spreading into her body along with the relaxing energy of his Petting Laws. In this manner, Vahn let his hands wander around freely for the better part of ten minutes before Nobunaga released a hot sigh and commented, "You really like butts...fumuuu...." Though Vahn's right hand had been rather mischevious, his left hand had almost never left her backside since the moment she turned over.
In response to this, Vahn lightly tapped Nobunaga's rear end without putting any strength into the action, answering, "Though I feel everyone has their own unique appeal, I won't deny there is more than a little truth in that claim...still, even in your default state, you wouldn't find me shying away from showing a similar level of care..." Even if it was a smaller rump, like what Artoria, Fenrir, or even Circe possessed, Vahn simply liked to touch butts. He enjoyed the springy sensation and the feel of the soft flesh as it deformed under his touch. It seemed more intimate than fondling breasts as he would either have the woman sitting in his lap or laying down like what Nobunaga was doing. In the previous example, Vahn would often make out with his partner while, in the latter, he got to enjoy their bashful response as they peered at him with glazed and heated expressions...
After hearing Vahn's words, Nobunaga seemed to fall into thought for a brief moment before a veritable pile of matchlock rifles began to appear before crashing to the floor. At the same time, though they never fired, Nobunaga began charging them up before dismissing them, cycling through this same process several tens of times per second as her body rapidly decreased in size. It didn't take a master detective to understand what she was up to but, other than slipping his fingers under her now loosened panties, Vahn made no attempt to stop her. Fortunately, she didn't take things too far and stopped on her own after shrinking to around 152cm, her 'default' height. This made her butt considerably smaller, to the point that it wasn't even comparable to her mature form, but Vahn kept true to his word as he lightly fondled the mochi-like mound of flesh that fit pretty snuggly in his palm...
