As it would be problematic if he spent all his time within the Little Garden, Vahn would invariably emerge to check on things in the outside world. There, he would either idle about for a few hours or go and explore the facilities of the Last Station. This made it seem as though he only spent a few minutes within the Little Garden at any given time, when, in reality, several days might pass before his return. It all depended on which Layer he was in, and, most importantly, whether or not he was doing anything to further interfere with the flow of time.
Releasing a long yawn, Vahn was largely unresponsive even after the Law of Identity snuck up and pounced on him from behind in the form of Pram. She was one of the people who Vahn had been keeping tabs on, not because he was particularly fond of her, but because she was beginning to try his patience.
Despite her external fluffiness, Pram's character was pretty close to the opposite of what Fenrir and her pack would refer to as a 'good girl'. This partially the result of her predatory instincts, but, more so than anything else, her pride was the problem. She had taken exception to the fact that he had embarrassed her in public, but, rather than harboring any resentment towards him, the target of her ire was everyone else who had been present at the time. As for how she viewed him…well, there was a reason some referred to him as both the Godhand and the God of Petting. He was also extremely powerful, so, from the perspective of a species that revered personal strength, he was what many in the Lo Po Bia Family would consider an 'ideal mate'.
Taking these things into consideration, the question then became whether or not Vahn was willing to overlook Pram's unrepentant nature and past actions in an effort to deter her from committing future atrocities. He was supremely confident in his ability to 'tame' her, but, in doing so, he would further strengthen the ties between himself and the Lo Po Bia Family. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but, considering they were the Family that required the most reform, long-term exposure to them all but necessitated the shedding of blood…
Finished with her report regarding the thoughts and activities of Pram, the Law of Identity's height increased by nearly thirty centimeters, pale blue hair flowing from her scalp as she whispered into his ear, "It seems this one is beginning to grow a little frustrated by the fact you are continuing to ignore her…"
Turning around, Vahn was nearly eye-level with the Law of Identity, as, along with possessing an hourglass figure, Maschenny was also 184cm tall. This made her the tallest among all the current Princesses of Jahad, the only two even coming close to her being Yuri, 180cm, and a Princess by the name of Hendo Lok Gladmerry Jahad, who, thanks to her heritage, stood at a commendable 182cm. As for the rest, they averaged between 169-174cm, the only notable exceptions being Repellista at 155cm, and, though she wasn't an official Princess, the adorable Anak at 154cm.
Seeing the Law of Identity transform into each of the people he was thinking about, Vahn extended his hand to caress Anak's head as he asked, "How are the members of Team Wolf Pack these days?"
A stark contrast to the actual Anak, the Law of Identity appeared extremely vivacious, her lizard-like tail wagging happily as she replied, "Things are going great~! They recently reached the 20th Floor and are currently taking a break in order to recuperate, resupply, and gather information. Though it seems this one is starting to feel envious of the relationship between Gandr and the other girls, she is actually pretty happy since her breasts and butt have started developing quite a bit as of late."
With the Law of Identity doing her best to emulate Anak's expression, Vahn couldn't help issuing a light chuckle as he allowed his connection with Gandr to momentarily strengthen. This allowed him to recall the youthful-looking Vanargandr's experiences as if they were his own, and, though it was a little invasive, a first-hand account from one of his Templates was infinitely more reliable than the information provided by the Law of Identity…
Obtaining a considerable number of memories pertaining to increasingly intimate massages, a second chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he withdrew his hand from the Law of Identity's head and had her turn back into Maschenny. Things seemed to be going remarkably well for the members of Team Wolf Pack, so, at least for the time being, he didn't need to worry about them.
Understanding what Vahn was expecting from her, the Law of Identity wrapped her arms around his neck, an inherently seductive smile appearing on her face as she explained, "Right now, she has her people monitoring the members of the Snow Leopard Family. Though she is doing her best to keep her bad habits in check, she intends to put some pressure on the woman named Pram if you don't act before the end of the week. She is going to pretend to blackmail the fluffy one using a video of the previous incident on the platform. Her true intentions, however, are to bait the members of the Snow Leopard Family into attacking the members of her delegation. She is hoping you'll step in, but wouldn't mind if you decided not to…"
With the Law of Identity's face drawing close enough that there was less than a centimeter between their lips, Vahn's expression became grim until she promptly transformed into Altria, her expression reminiscent of a smiling cat as she licked his lips and issued an adorable, "Nyaa~?"
Since the actual Altria was a very taciturn and reserved woman, so much so that she rarely showed a change in expression, Vahn was momentarily caught off guard by the Law of Identity's actions. This seemed to be her intent, as, the moment his lips parted, she extended her tongue to intertwine with his. Had anyone been present to observe, this would have been a rather peculiar sight, as, not only was Vahn pushed back by an unseen force, most of his clothes had begun to peel away of their own accord…
—
With her frustrations growing by the day, Maschenny had been spending most of her time locked within her room. If she were to meet with people in her current state, there was a chance she might attack at the slightest provocation. To prevent this, she had been sleeping upwards of sixteen hours a day. This was the only way she could keep herself in check, as, whenever she was awake, thoughts of the progress others were making while she was largely neglected gave her an almost irresistible urge to cause trouble…
Fortunately, just as Maschenny had begun absentmindedly plucking the feathers from her pillow, a subtle fluctuation in the surrounding space caught her attention. This caused her to feel a moment of panic, not because she was in her negligee, but because she had just been insulting Vahn rather profusely within her mind. The thought of him hearing these accusations was rather embarrassing, so, in an effort to divert his attention away from her secret slights, she filled her head with quite a number of rather lewd and licentious thoughts…
Since he couldn't actually read her mind, Vahn was largely unaware of Maschenny's thoughts as he appeared a few meters from her bedside, grinning as he remarked, "Not bad. You're quite fond of the color blue, aren't you?"
Following Vahn's gaze, a naturally seductive smile crept onto Maschenny's face as she pulled at the front of her negligee, exposing more of her cleavage as she replied, "You're not so bad yourself. Tell me, what thoughts crossed your mind when you decided to enter my chambers without requesting a formal meeting? I don't particularly mind, but it could cause quite a bit of trouble for both of us if you were discovered…"
Ignoring the rather tantalizing sight, Vahn manifested a chair before taking a seat near the edge of the bed and stating, "I am aware of your efforts, but your nature makes it difficult for me to willfully associate with you. However, in the interest of preventing you from doing something irredeemably foolish, I've come here with the intent to compromise."
Thinking Vahn was here to discuss the matter with Pram, Maschenny was about to assure him that she was primarily just playing around when he held up his hand, interrupting her and adding, "The conflict between you and the Lo Po Bia Family isn't my concern. I'm here to prevent you from going to the 20th Floor and causing trouble for the Regulars I had previously helped. I might have cut ties with them, but I would take it personally if you messed with them just to satisfy your intrigue and frustrations. To that end, I am here to tell you directly. If you mess with them, even through indirect means, I will kill you. There is no alternative outcome."
With her smile fading away in an instant, an electrifying aura began to emanate from Maschenny's body. Before she could completely lose her cool, however, Vahn began releasing his own, his voice heavy yet calm as he said, "I won't tell you to calm down, but I would advise against lashing out. As I stated previously, I came here with the intent to compromise. Though I am more than capable of carrying out my promises, I am not here to force your compliance with threats…"
Though it wasn't easy, Maschenny forced herself to gradually relax as she recalled that Vahn had, in fact, declared his intent to compromise. Since he should be well aware of her wants and desires, this suggested he had come with the aim of answering her questions, and, at least in part, providing her access to some of the things she had taken an interest in…
Waiting until Maschenny had completely retracted her aura, Vahn allowed his own to dissipate as he produced a bottle of wine and two glasses. Eduan wasn't the only member of the Khun Family with a fondness for the liquid, so, before continuing, he filled glasses for himself and Maschenny before explaining, "Though it is possible, there is no merit in willfully removing the curse since the Empire has already issued a non-interference policy. I have no interest in starting a war. Instead, I will meet with Jahad once I have completed my ascent."
Noticing the severe disappointment in Maschenny's expression and gaze, Vahn resisted the urge to shake his head in admonition, adding, "Worry not. Though it is impossible to incite me into causing the chaos you so desperately crave, I am more than capable of providing you with a suitable stage to perform. There are numerous people within the Aldrnari Empire capable of matching you, and, most importantly, there are a functionally infinite number of battlefields in the worlds 'beyond' the Tower awaiting your presence."
Having dreamed of exploring the worlds beyond the Tower, a common trait among those near the pinnacle of existing hierarchies, Maschenny's intrigue was sufficiently agitated by Vahn's words. His mention of people capable of matching her was always rather noteworthy, but, more than anything else, she just wanted to be able to fight without the need for pretenses or restraint. Simply put, she was an incorrigible battle junkie, so, as long as someone could provide her with worthy opponents, Maschenny would willfully allow herself to be manipulated.
Taking advantage of this, Vahn went on to provide a brief overview of his power and the benefits of receiving his blessing. The latter was something Maschenny was already familiar aware of thanks to the information provided by Repellista, so, with the research team also having been exposed, there was no real merit in keeping it a secret. Rather, by talking about the Quest System and his ability to make modifications to a person's body, race, and even inborn talents, he could pretty much ensure that Maschenny would want to experience it for herself. After all, she had already seen how strong Yuri had become after sprouting a tail, so, while she wasn't particularly interested in having one of her own, there was very little she wouldn't do in exchange for power and the chance to use it…
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Law of Identity is rather feisty (O w O)…','This is an extreme degree of boredom…','Hook, line, and sinker xD…')
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