Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos c1-2203, page 98
A few seconds after her figure vanished, Vahn suddenly felt a powerful animosity coming from his surroundings and he could see the auras of several people darken as they looked toward him. Though he was somewhat embarrassed by the previous situation, Vahn refused to back down after seeing the looks on their faces. Furrowing his brows and forming a fierce expression on his face, Vahn expanded his domain to compass the entire area as he scanned his eyes across each person with a dark aura.
Seeing the boy they were about to 'question' suddenly turn toward them with fierce expressions. The men that fell into his sights felt a cold sweat on their backs as his 'evil' green eyes scanned their bodies. After passing over every person present, Vahn spoke in a low and firm tone that sounded throughout the entire area, "If you think you have what it takes, come at me whenever you want. But, even if you defeat me, it doesn't mean you'll ever have a chance with the two of them. Prepare yourselves for pain if you choose to do something foolish."
Though there were several powerful people in the Loki Familia, it didn't mean everyone was powerful. Most of the people present were only around level 2 while only a few were level 3. Feeling the pressure of his domain, none of them could keep eye contact for more than a few seconds when he stared them down. Vahn, seeing them look away, could understand why they had never been able to move the hearts of Tiona or Ais. It made him feel a bit more prideful about his own actions, and he turned away from the slack-jawed crowd with a confident expression on his face. It wasn't until he had long exited the room that the pressure from his domain finally released the people he had locked on to.
One slightly older adventurer, probably in his mid-twenties, asked in a trembling voice, "W-who the hell was that kid...?" As one of the higher leveled adventurers in the area, the man, who was nearing level 4, had been one of the people intending to teach Vahn a lesson. Though he was much older than them both, he had tried courting Tiona and Ais in the past. Seeing a kid accomplish something he was unable, he didn't make any efforts in hiding his resentment for the boy. This caused Vahn to focus his attention on the man for a long period of time, and any thoughts he had of opposing Vahn were completely suppressed. He felt like, if he tried to get in the way of the green-eyed demon, he would never have the opportunity to reach Level 4.
Shortly after the event ended, rumors started spreading around in the Loki Familia with an insuppressible force. The fact Tiona and Ais made no efforts to conceal the facts, allowed people to substantiate the information they received, so it quickly began to spread outside the walls of the Twilight Manor before disseminating throughout the rest of the City. Before the sun had even set, the rumor had reached all the major social hubs in the City, and everyone began looking into the origins of the green-eyed kid that had 'stolen' two of the most sought-after prizes of many peoples dreams. They quickly learned who he was, and the fact the boy was the 'Vulcan' that had become famous only recently made many people that harbored ill intent for him previously begin discussing in a fervent manner how they would deal with the 'greedy wanna-be heroic child'.
Fortunately, the rumors weren't only heard by those with bad intentions, as many people that had grown fond of Vahn began singing high praises of him. The 'heroic feat' he had accomplished became a new legend for the young 'Vulcan', and many men even toasted his 'achievements' while speaking fervently about their own heated youths. The rumors even reached some of the newer Familia that had yet to settle properly within the City, and a black-haired eastern God suddenly felt a renewed desire to meet the supposed 'hero' he had heard so much about.
---
Vahn, completely unaware of the chaotic wave he had caused in the City, made his way back to his home before stopping at Tsubaki's to check up on Lili and Naaza. The moment he stepped through the threshold of the door, Vahn was surprised to find that Tsubaki wasn't present in the reception area. Following his intuition, he made his way toward the dining area where he assumed they would be present. His guess ended up being correct, but instead of the three girls he expected, there was five present.
Tsubaki, Lili, and Naaza were all sitting around the table, and they looked toward Vahn as he entered with various different expressions. The two other women noticed his entrance and turned their heads to look in his direction. Vahn could see the more mature red-haired woman look at him with a bit of grievance and blame in her expression. The smaller of the two red-haired figures seemed to have a mischevious look on her face and started to laugh the moment she noticed Vahn's arrival.
Indeed, the two unexpected guests were both Hephaestus and Loki. Vahn had an uncomfortable feeling in his heart when he saw the 'sad' look of Hephaestus. However, seeing the 'playful' look of Loki actually made him feel a little ticked off so he couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing here Loki?" Loki didn't seem to be offended by his 'rude' words as she just continued to laugh before patting the area next to her. "Come on, Vahn~! We were just talking about you; what perfect timing!"
Seeing how unphased she was, Vahn felt a bit of fear welling up in his heart as he looked at the expressions of everyone present. Tsubaki, unlike her normal self, seemed to be a bit 'annoyed' at the moment, while both Lili and Naaza had faces of worry mixed with a hint of frustration. Hephaestus had the most 'grim' and 'tired' expression of everyone at the table as she released a sigh and said, "Vahn, go ahead and sit down. There are some matters we need to discuss."
Though Vahn had several questions, he realized that everything was happening was likely related to his actions earlier in the day. He had sworn to face the consequences, so without hesitation, he occupied the spot in between Loki and Hephaestus. Before he was able to get comfortable, Loki, against his expectations, leaned against Vahn and took a deep whiff of his body. As if confirming something, she began to laugh in her characteristic mischevious manner, "Hehehehe, you have a much more manly smell now. But, it can't hide the fragrance of the two women that is coming from your body. So, how was it Vahn? Did you enjoy having sex with two girls at the same time~?"
Vahn was a little surprised by the question, but he didn't have any reason to keep it a secret; however, before he was able to answer, Loki covered her mouth and laughed even more. Vahn felt like she looked a little bit like a fox as she stared at Hephaestus and said, "Your darling Hephaestus sure seemed to enjoy it~"
Hearing Loki's words, Vahn's mind blanked and he didn't understand what she was trying to say. He couldn't process why she would say that Hephaestus had enjoyed when he was having sex with Tiona and Ais. He wasn't the only one confused, as both Lili and Naaza, who were previously shocked when they heard Loki saw he slept with two women, looked at Hephaestus with strange expressions. Tsubaki seemed the least surprised, but there was still a bit of a twitch in her mouth as she stared 'helplessly' toward Hephaestus who had covered her face at Loki's accusation.
Vahn immediately understood there was more to the situation than he was aware of, and seeing the ashamed and bashful look of Hephaestus, he was overwhelmed by a mixture of guilt marred with a bit of curiosity. Almost as if she had understood his interest, Loki started stroking the area above his heart as she asked, "Is this where the 'eternal flame' fragment is? How very curious~" After testing his heartbeat with her palm, Loki continued to stroke Vahn's chest and he began to feel very uncomfortable.
Seeing her 'intimate' actions, three different voices shouted out at the same time, "Loki!","Don't touch Vahn!","You..." The voices belonged to Hephaestus, Lili, and Naaza who were now glaring at Loki with hatred and dissatisfaction. Loki pretended to be afraid as she held her arms in a defensive posture, "Waaah-! I just wanted to play like everyone else, don't be so greedy~. He already has, what, five women? What is one more~?"
Hephaestus swatted away the hands that Loki had begun to reach out toward Vahn's body, and then she pulled him halfway into her lap. Vahn was very surprised by the sudden action, and now he found himself in a very awkward position as Hephaestus cradled his face in her breasts while she glared at Loki and said, "Vahn is my child and the person I have placed my hopes in. Even if he sleeps with a bunch of other women, I'll never hand him over to people like you!"
Everyone seemed to be mildly surprised by Hephaestus's claim, but they weren't too shocked. Tsubaki, Naaza, and Lili, were all very aware of the relationship between Vahn and Hephaestus. Naaza and Lili especially knew that, without a doubt, the two would end up together in the future and, if they wanted to be at Vahn's side, it would have to be while sharing him with her. The only person who didn't seem remotely affected by Hephaestus's outburst was Loki.
Seeing the defensive posture Hephaestus had taken to protect Vahn from her clutches, Loki's smile grew a bit wider until her face slowly melted into a neutral and then serious expression. She had already formulated her plan, and everything was going well after she managed to exploit Hephaestus earlier. When the usually cool and stoic goddess was suddenly overcome by the pleasure Vahn was experiencing, Loki was able to take control of the negotiations before finally ending up here and waiting for Vahn.
It seemed like everyone present was wrapped up nice and neatly in the palm of her hands, and it made Loki feel greatly pleased by the situation. She could even feel a tingling sensation in her stomach and a moist feeling invading her shorts as her personal euphoria continued to rise. With her 'serious' look, she opened her mouth and said in a very casual manner, "I look forward to our 'negotiations'."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Loki's Plot','Hephaestus Exposed','The Legend of Vulcan')
Chapter 131: Negotiations
Though Vahn was incredibly angry at Loki's behavior, he had been in a bit of a daze after Hephaestus pressed his face into her breasts. Though he would have liked to admit it was due to the intimate action, the real reason for Vahn's current daze was the notifications that had sounded from the system. Since he had come into contact with Loki earlier, he was now able to see her affection for him as well as the existence of a new mission.
[Loki]: Affection: 53(Neutral), Intrigue: 100(Insatiable Curiosity)
//Optional Quest Triggered//
[Quest: Forge an Alliance, Progressive]
Rank: I-SSS
Objective: Convince Gods/Goddesses to form an alliance between their Familia(s). Current Allies (0)
Rewards: 10,000 OP x Familia Rank. Currents Ranks (-). Quest completion rank depends on the total number of allies.
Failure Condition(s): Death, Host Familia Destroyed, Alliance Dissolved
Penalty: 100,000 OP
Vahn was rapidly trying to process the new information, but Hephaestus ended up speaking out before he could form a cohesive plan. "Speak, what are you planning Loki?" Hephaestus was holding her glare as she looked at the indifferent expression of Loki. At this point, Loki was leaning against the table and supporting her head with one of her hands as she looked at the interaction between Hephaestus and Vahn.
After staring at Hephaestus for a few seconds, Loki scanned her eyes around the room as she slowly stated, "For now, how about we identify where everyone stands..." Loki stopped her eyes on Naaza and Lili as she said, "You two girls must be people that Vahn saved. Its easy to see the dependency you have for the boy..." Turning her head to Tsubaki, Loki smile a bit and said, "And I'm guessing you're supposed to be protecting Vahn?"
Before the three girls could answer, Hephaestus said in a sharp tone, "Loki, stop playing games!" After she spoke, Loki looked toward her and opened her eyes slightly as she responded, "I am being very serious right now. Don't think that, just because you found Vahn first, you are the only one interested in him. We need to make everything clear, or it will be impossible to move forward in the discussion."
Vahn picked up on her words, and he finally decided to take action. Though he didn't have a concrete plan, Vahn knew he didn't like how Loki was acting, so he pulled away from Hephaestus and glared at the tiny goddess as he said, "I don't like how you treat people. Even if you're 'interested' in me, I have no desire to be used by someone with such a sickening and chaotic presence. We already made an agreement earlier, and if you try going after the people I care about to gain an advantage, I will never stop opposing you."
The moment his words fell, his domain spread out and once again started pressuring the goddess who seemed intent on causing trouble. Loki furrowed her brows a bit, but her smile didn't fade as she said, "That was an agreement between the two of us, this is fundamentally different. Right now I'm trying to negotiate with Hephaestus, and you don't have any grounds to stand on. If she expects me to keep your secrets, there obviously needs to be something to gain on my end. I'm not going to act just to make things more convenient to others; especially when your matters will involve my 'children'."
Vahn maintained his domain, but he felt a bit of his anger recede as he watched her chaotic aura stabilize a bit when she was mentioning her 'children'. He could understand that she seemed to care about them, but she continued to exploit people regardless. It made no sense to Vahn because it seemed like she was contradicting her own desires in pursuit of benefits. However, Vahn wasn't willing to let her do as she pleased, so he continued to pressure Loki as he said, "Even you seem to think I will be able to accomplish many things in the future, so why pursue immediate gains and cause strife? We could work together and benefit each other, instead of trying to exploit one another."
Loki raised her brows a bit and issued a strange response to his statement, "Ehhhh, aren't you making a bunch of assumptions? I said we were here to negotiate, not take advantage of each other. Even I'm not ambitious enough to try and exploit the third most powerful, and THE most influential production Familia in the City. I'd rather build a relationship that can benefit both parties, as that will guarantee the greatest benefits in the future. I don't understand why you seem to have such a weird bias against me!"
Vahn's mind blanked for a bit because, for a brief moment, Loki seemed to genuinely feel 'wronged' by his words. She gave him an incredulous look as she continued to explain, "As I said, your secrets may lead to various problems for my Familia in the future. No matter how you spin it, that fact will never change, and you can't blame me for wanting to protect my 'children'. Just like Hephaestus is unwilling to allow harm to come to you, I feel the same way about the kids in my Familia. The best thing for both groups is to compromise, don't you understand that?"
Perhaps because she was very accustomed to 'dealing' with people, but Vahn very quickly found himself unable to refute her claims. As he had done so when he first met Hephaestus and Tsubaki, Vahn tried to explain, "I can vaguely sense how people 'think' or 'feel'. Almost every time I look at you, you seem to give off a chaotic and unnerving vibe. Even if you're speaking the truth, I can't easily trust a person with such an aura."
Loki's eyes opened enough that he could see the full view of her red irises as she looked into his face with undisguised intrigue. Seeming to believe Vahn's words, Loki said, "So that's how it is...no wonder you're always on guard against me. You have eyes similar to the Divinity possessed by a god of Life. And with how Hephaestus treats you, I imagine you also have ties with forging...or maybe fire?"
Seeming to have realized something, Loki nodded her head and Vahn saw an incredulous sight before his eyes. The chaotic aura that was always emanating from Loki's body completely disappeared. Replacing it, Loki now had the gentle yellow aura with pink accents, very similar to someone that had amiable feelings toward him. In a low and almost sensuous voice, Loki asked, "How about now...Vahn? Do you still feel uncomfortable?" As she asked the question, her smile grew bigger as she saw the dumbfounded look of the boy in front on her.
In an amused tone, Loki explained, "My Divinity is related to trickery and mischief, you can't expect to be able to see through me so easily. The 'chaotic' aura you describe, is simply the manifestation of my Divinity in its natural state. That skill of yours might be very helpful, but if you're overreliant on it and make assumptions, you could turn potential friends into future enemies."
Satisfied by Vahn's blank look, Loki continued after making eye contact with Hephaestus, "Now, shall we continue, or is there anything else that needs to be discussed first?" Though Vahn still wanted to say a few things, seeing the sudden and inexplicable change, he immediately lost confidence in his words. Loki had taken the excuse he had given and immediately turned it against him; Vahn felt like he had been made a fool of, and fell into deep contemplation while Hephaestus and Loki began discussing terms.
Loki stated her terms to Hephaestus in a very businesslike manner, "Vahn has already made a vow to accompany two of the members of my Familia, Tiona and Ais, into the lower floors of the dungeon when they're on expeditions. I won't make a silly request like asking you to equip the entire vanguard, but I am expecting a discount on contracts for... let's say, anyone that is in a relationship with Vahn. From now on, they will receive a 30% discount on contracts, and each contract will be personally handled by you. This will allow the girls Vahn cares about to protect themselves and, in turn, Vahn himself will become safer. I'm sure you have no problems with this much concessions?"
Hephaestus wasn't happy to be 'forced' into contracts with people she hadn't personally interviewed. She typically chose her customers, but if she gave into Loki's demand, she would have to accede to, and even prioritize, the development of items for members of Loki's Familia. However, even though it went against her pride, she did agree that Loki's idea was the best solution in the present situation. If Vahn ended up dying on the expedition just because the equipment hadn't been to standard, Hephaestus would never be able to forgive herself.
