Prelude to the Finale
Though he trusted in Loi-chan's judgment, Vahn felt it wouldn't be right for him to overtly withhold information from Sandora just to keep things interesting. Thus, after a short discussion with Loi-chan, he allowed the flow of time to return to normal before opening his eyes and answering, "There is a Community of Demon Lords targetting the Festival of the Fire Dragon. As for the culprits behind the incident, Asuka and Izayoi are two of the suspects. The rest belong to a recently formed Community known as Grim Grimoire Hamlin."
Thankful for the information, a smile blossomed across Sandora's face as she remarked, "The rumors weren't exaggerating. You really do know just about everything, don't you? It's no wonder Shiroyasha-sama and Indra-sama hold you in such high esteem. I am curious, though..."
As even Shiroyasha had limits to the information she could willfully share with others, Sandora expected there was some price Vahn had to pay. It wouldn't make a lot of sense for him to know and disseminate information without any penalties whatsoever. If he could, that would put Vahn above even Laplace and the Central Network.
"What is the cost of your omniscience? The Law of Equivalent Exchange wouldn't allow you to disseminate such information so freely. If there is a cost, please tell me. I would not be able to live with myself if I knew you were shouldering some kind of penalty without my knowledge..."
As Shiroyasha had warned him several times about sharing information freely, Vahn wasn't surprised by Sandora's inquiry and concerns. It was one of the reasons he had only given her incomplete information rather than simply revealing the names of the people involved.
"I can't lie, and I refuse to try and mislead you, so I'll just be honest. The only restriction on my ability to gather information is my desire to see and experience things directly. If I wanted, I could know everything there was to know. However, that would remove a lot of the intrigue I have about the world around me. Life wouldn't lose its meaning, but it would certainly feel as though it had."
Understanding the significance of Vahn's statement, Sandora adopted a serious expression as she nodded her head and stated, "I understand. I'll keep that in mind if and when I ask you for other knowledge in the future."
Adopting a smile, Vahn habitually extended his hand towards Sandora's head only for the latter's face to immediately turn crimson up to her ears. She didn't attempt to shrink away, but her eyes began to waver as Vahn's hand phased through her crown and caressed her head directly.
"Mnnn...?"
Feeling a soothing sensation wash over her body like warm water, much of Sandora's tensions faded. There was a lingering disappointment in the back of her mind, but she didn't really pay it any heed. The more patient she was now, the greater the sense of gratification she would feel when she and Vahn finally became one. She just needed to avoid speaking too much with Lily before her entrance into the Game Board...
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"Are you fine with Yo coming over?"
Hearing Vahn's words, Lily ceased humming to herself as she looked back at him through the veritable wall of fluff that was her tails.
"Of course. I'm actually a little surprised that you would feel compelled to ask. I would never refuse an opportunity to bond with another member of your harem, and Yo is one of my most precious friends. I would have been pleasantly surprised if you had brought her here without asking."
Nodding his head in understanding, Vahn remarked, "I'll keep that in mind for the future." before summoning Yo using Unit Management. The latter was a little surprised by the sudden and instantaneous change in scenery but immediately lit up upon seeing Lily.
"Lily~!"
As if Vahn was just a figure in the background, Yo pounced on Lily and began to cuddle her with intensifying fervor. In response, Lily issued a soft chuckle as she hugged Yo's face into her rather ample bosom, gently caressing her hair as she whispered, "It's good to see you too, Yo-sama. Did you get a haircut...?"
Without removing her face from Lily's breasts, Yo nodded her head and answered, "Yes. I asked Vahn to do it for me. He's really skilled when it comes to hairdressing and makeup."
Nodding her head in affirmation, the smile on Lily's face gained a faintly sensual tone as she remarked, "Oh, I am very aware of Vahn-sama's skill as a Cosmetologist..."
To support her statement, Lily used her available tails, the ones not pinned beneath her body, to embrace and caress Yo. If the latter was happy before, she was utterly ecstatic by this particular development.
Adopting a mischievous smile, Yo raised her face from Lily's breasts and said, "You're not the only one..."
Catching Lily by surprise, Yo activated her Genome Tree to transform into a Kitsune. Vahn had inscribed a very advanced transfiguration charm over the original Phylogenic Tree using microscopic runes. As a result, instead of summoning various pieces of equipment, she could now directly adopt the traits of the creatures she befriended. Since Lily was one of her best friends, transforming into a Kitsune was incredibly easy for her.
Further increasing Lily's surprise, Yo leaned forward to seal her lips before skillfully entangling her tails with the passive Kitsune pinned beneath her. Ever since she had experienced her 'liberation', she felt little desire to hold back her more primal urges. Lily had also been her 'practice partner' back when the two of them were learning how to kiss, so Yo saw absolutely no reason to restrain herself...
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Though things had developed in the manner he expected, Vahn couldn't help smiling wryly as he manifested a low-backed chair and sat down in reverse.
Even before her 'liberation', Yo had always been an instinct-driven person. Before coming to the Divine Realm, she had spent most of her life either in a hospital bed or surrounded by nothing but animals. Her common sense had always been drastically different from the norm. Now that she had the freedom to act how she pleased, animalistic and uninhibited were the best adjectives to describe her behavior.
Having given in to her more primal instincts, Yo was currently feeling an instinctual drive to try and assert her dominance over the other members of Vahn's harem. She would quickly hit a wall in the form of the many Tier 5s in his life, but when it came to girls like Lily, Yo had minimal difficulty in 'subduing' her.
To her credit, Lily quickly understood what was going on the moment Yo linked their fingers together and pinned her hands next to her head. She offered virtually no resistance and, after a short while, she even began to work together with Yo to make things easier. Thus, for the better part of an hour, Vahn was privy to the rather tantalizing sight of two remarkably mature Kitsune making love.
Fortunately, Vahn wasn't left out completely as Yo didn't understand how to make another woman climax, especially after they had experienced the depths of pleasure he was capable of offering. She did her best, but, after failing to make Lily reach a genuine climax, she eventually opened a gap in their tails, wordlessly entreating his assistance...
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After fleeing the Corridor of Displays and confirming the Military Police weren't actively seeking people who matched their description, Izayoi and Asuka decided to return to the Palace with their little faerie friend in tow. When the guards allowed them to pass without even stopping them, Asuka, in particular, was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
"It would appear we're still the Honored Guests of the Royal Family. That pretty much confirms we're not being considered as suspects."
Shrugging his shoulders, Izayoi appeared considerably less concerned than Asuka as he remarked, "I'm honestly a little disappointed. Battling against the Royal Army and clashing with Vahn over the city would be a pretty expeditious way to increase our fame."
Furrowing her brows, Asuka sent Izayoi a side-long glower as she said, "Please don't do anything rash. At the very least, wait until the Battle of the Creator's conclusion before you go on a rampage. I know you adore the spotlight, but Yo has worked too hard to have you steal it from her at the last moment."
Shrugging a second time, Izayoi adopted a pretend helpless expression as he teased, "Sometimes, it feels like you're more concerned about that girl than your beloved boyfriend. Yo's a big girl now, Asuka. She can take care of herself...?"
Spotting two identical women approaching from the direction they were headed, Izayoi's words took on a curious undertone that earned him yet another glare from Asuka. It certainly didn't help that the girls in question were two of the most beautiful young women she had ever seen.
Noticing Izayoi's curious gaze and the envy contained in Asuka's vibrant blue eyes, the two girls, Ebony and Raven, adopted slightly mischievous smiles. However, instead of saying or doing anything to engage the young couple directly, they split to separate sides of the hall and offered polite yet unsubservient bows.
Seeing the duo make way, Asuka felt a bit of relief. Unfortunately, Izayoi had never been the type to suppress his curiosity. The moment they were about to pass between the two beauties, he turned to the one on his side and asked, "Are the two of you a part of that perverted old man's harem? It's faint, but I can sense a Draconic aura emanating from your bodies..."
Not anticipating Izayoi's question, Raven didn't even flinch when Asuka subsequently shouted his name. When she did recover, she exchanged looks with her sister, faint blushes coloring their cheeks as they averted their eyes and stated, "We would never harbor such libidinous intentions towards the esteemed Sage Dragon Emperor..."
Adopting a cheeky smile, Izayoi was about to call the duo out on their strange behavior when Asuka grabbed his ear, shouting, "That is quite enough out of you! We're leaving!"
Though he could have easily escaped, Izayoi issued a pained, "Aatata..." as Asuka pulled him in the direction of the audience chamber. He was still interested in learning more about the two deceptively powerful maids, but he didn't want to make Asuka too upset. As much as she bothered him at times, he still liked her. Maybe even loved...
Following the duo's departure with their amber-gold eyes, Ebony and Raven waited until Izayoi and Asuka had turned a corner before exhaling sighs. The truth of the matter was that their mother, Semiramis, had, on numerous occasions, expressed that she was okay with them pursuing their father. They were pretty sure she wanted them to do precisely that, but, for the time being, both girls were more than content with just being their father's daughters.
After taking a few moments to calm themselves, their actions perfectly mirroring one another, Ebony and Raven fell into step before continuing towards their destination. Tomorrow was the conclusion of the Festival of the Fire Dragon, so they had been asked to assist in the kitchen. The very notion of this made the twin sisters giddy, not because they intended to poison the food, but because they knew the Palace Chefs would freak out if they ever learned the duo's true nature.
Inviting the daughters of one of history's first and most significant poison users into a kitchen catering to royalty was just asking for trouble...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn could basically purge every major threat in a few days/weeks/months if he made full use of Loi-chan...','Yo has become a wild animal (O w O)...','Semiramis doesn't want her daughters to be hurt or despoiled by 'inferior' men xD...')