Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though it was called a suite, the lodging Shiori guided them to ended up being a relatively simple dwelling with two six tatami rooms, a foyer area where shoes could be stored, a simple kitchenette, and a small bathroom. It was also sparsely populated with furnishings, but, as simple was better on some occasions, Vahn was quite fond of the homely accommodations. It inspired a certain sense of closeness, the type of place a family or group of close friends would share while vacationing within the scenic City of Light...

To reward Shiori for showing them the way and explaining the Inn's faculties, Vahn rewarded her with a silver Drachma piece and a special bag of candies that could help increase a person's mana capacity by a very marginal amount. To Shiori, they were just sweet candies, but, if she spread them out over a few weeks, they would help strengthen her foundation quite a bit. This would make life in Mundus Magicus easier, and, though it didn't seem like they were struggling to get by, Vahn was always eager to help good people like Shiori and her Grandmother...

In a surprisingly miserly fashion, Shiori quickly hid the silver piece from view almost as smoothly as a magician who specialized in sleight of hand. Children in Mundus Magicus learned at a very early age to keep their wealth hidden from view. Even if you were very powerful, showing off your money was the same as inviting misfortune upon yourself, so, even before her shock had worn off, she had already hidden the money from view. Then, 'snatching' the bag of candies out of Vahn's hand, she giggled in a mischievous manner, saying, "Young Master is very generous, nyahahaha~."

Hearing Shiori address him in such a 'respectful' manner, Vahn couldn't help chuckle as he reached out his hand and absentmindedly stroked her head. The Cat People of Mundus Magicus didn't have the same traditions as those in Danmachi, and, though it wasn't particularly proper to pet those you didn't know, children were a universal exception. It was pretty common to see shopkeeps and those of the older generation stroking the heads of those younger than themselves, sometimes well into their teens.

Though her Grandmother often warned her about letting outsiders pet her head, Shiori didn't try to evade Vahn's extended hand. His presence gave her a feeling of warmth, and, though it was hard to explain, he even smelled like the sun. As a result, she allowed him to pet her head, finding his caress unlike anything she had ever experienced. Even without having to pretend, a contented smile found its way to her lips as she instinctually pressed her head against his hand.

Even without using his [Hands of Nirvana], Vahn's Petting Laws were effective against enemies and allies alike. He had cultivated them over hundreds of years at this point so it took little more than a simple touch to convey positive emotions to others. Prolonged exposure would turn his target into 'putty', however, so, after stroking Shiori's head for a few seconds, Vahn retracted his hand, a subtle laugh escaping his throat as she nearly stumbled in her attempt to pursue his palm.

Before Shiori could ask for more head pats, Vahn adopted a fond smile as he said, "Run along now, Shiori-chan. I'm certain you still have other duties to attend. Try not to eat those candies I gave you all at once, okay...?"

After coming back to her senses, Shiori rapidly bobbed her head, spiritedly exclaiming, "The Young Master is right-nya~! Thank you for the treats, nyahahaha~!"

Not wanting to risk offending their special guest, Shiori gave a steep bow before departing down the adjoining corridor with her arms spread wide like an airplane getting ready to take off. She was feeling more energetic than ever before, and, though she would keep it hidden from others, Shiori was eager to show off her 'tremendous fortune' to her Grandmother...

After following the energetic girl's departure with his eyes, Vahn turned to the duo that had been staring at him for quite a while, smiling in amusement as he asked, "What, do you want me to pet your heads as well~?"

Far more honest than Arika, Asuna didn't hesitate to nod her head, scamming forward and taking the initiative to place his hand atop her head. Even before he began to move, she closed her eyes in anticipation, causing a wry laugh to escape Vahn's mouth as he lightly caressed her head.

Seeing Asuna enjoying a healthy dose of head pats, Arika stared unblinkingly for a few moments before ultimately averting her gaze only to find Fenrir had returned from arranging the futons. She had a knowing smile on her face that caused Arika to feel slightly annoyed, but, rather than allow it to bother her, she walked past the hateful woman, saying in a tone audible to everyone present, "It is already getting late. Asuna is still growing so it is important for her to eat routinely and rest often. It will be safer for us to traverse the city during the day time, so I suggest we take a bath, eat dinner, and retire for the evening."

Even if her words were a means of deflecting, there was a certain amount of truth to everything that Arika had said. As a result, Vahn lightly pinched Asuna's nose, causing her eyes to slowly peel open as he explained, "You'll be bathing with Arika and Fenrir from now on. Even if the public bathhouse allows children to enter both sides, I'm certain you don't want strange people to stare at you, right? Besides, I'll need you to prevent the two of them from going at each others' throats..."

Though a pout had started to spread across Asuna's face when she first heard Vahn's words, a look of understanding quickly replaced it as she nodded her head and answered, "I understand..." in her usual monotone. Her mother and aunt had told her numerous times that is was dangerous to allow a man other than Vahn to see her naked. They told her men could transform into terrifying wolves if they spotted a young girl's naked body, so, hearing there might be strange men present, Asuna had no desire to expose herself to them.

Not expecting Asuna to readily agree, Vahn was pleasantly surprised, a gentle smile on his face as he stroked her head and said, "Good girl. And don't worry, Fenrir is very skilled at washing. Listen to her and you'll have super smooth skin and silky soft hair, okay~?"

Hearing Vahn's statement, Asuna turned her swiveled her head toward Fenrir, noticing she had very glossy hair despite its somewhat unkempt appearance. This caused a thoughtful shimmer to flicker across her eyes before she turned back to Vahn, nodding with a curt 'Nn' escaping her throat...

---

While the girls were enjoying their bath, Vahn decided to abstain since he could sense quite a few people lounging within the men's side. He didn't feel like being the center of attention amongst a group of guys, and, though he could change his appearance to that of a Cat Person, hiding when it wasn't completely necessary felt weird to him. As a result, he just lounged about within the room as his second vessel cooked alongside Medusa back at the Airfish. This was the reason he had told the old lady not to mind their meals, as, compared to the things he could prepare, most food left a lot to be desired.

Though Vahn enjoyed sampling local delicacies, his fondness for cooking had existed ever since his time in the Record of Danmachi. He had even risen through the ranks in the virtual world revolving around cooking, securing the seventh position on the leaderboards. The only reason he couldn't go even higher was due to monstrous existences such as Circe, Benienma, and Medea, who, despite a general disdain for the Virtual World, enjoyed the thematic world's cooking contests quite a bit.

It had taken a while, but, after a considerable amount of coaxing, Vahn was able to convince Circe and Benienma to actually teach him their techniques. They had been very unyielding at first, saying the kitchen was a 'woman's battlefield', but, knowing their weaknesses, Vahn was eventually able to wear them down. Benienma was very weak to gratuitous amounts of praise, and, if you found a way to reverse the usual dynamic, placing her on the receiving end of service, her brain would overload rather quickly. As for Circe, she was marginally more difficult to coax, but, after teaming up with his daughters, Vahn was able to convince her that cooking together was the 'pinnacle' of what it meant to be a family...

With three amazing teachers, including the easy to convince Medea, Vahn had quickly developed as a Chef, ultimately earning the seal of approval from all three. He was still far behind the trio in terms of skill, but, if he had genuinely tried to surpass them, Vahn knew he would have been stepping on a landmine. They could be surprisingly scary at times, so, rather than offend the trio recognized as Gourmet Gods within the Virtual community, Vahn settled on becoming good enough to simply put a smile on the faces of his family, friends, and lovers...

---

By the time Asuna, Fenrir, and Arika had returned, each wearing specialized yukata that had come with the room, Vahn had already finished setting the table. He had also changed into a yukata, as it was nice to just relax every now and then, so he earned a blank look from Arika as Fenrir and Asuna unhesitantly sat around the table. They each occupied the spots on either side of him, leaving the golden-haired Queen furrowing her brows slightly as she sat on the completely opposite side of the table.

Understanding his 'place', Vahn smiled in response to the three's arrival, casually stating, "The three of you look very refreshed. Those clothes suit you well."

Hearing her Master's compliment, Fenrir lightly tapped her tail against the tatami with a gratified smile on her face. As for Asuna and Arika, the former just gave her outfit a quick once-over before seemingly losing interest, turning her head up and asking, "Will you brush my hair again?"

Since Asuna let her hair down to take a bath, her reddish-orange locks extended to the floor when she was seated. Her hair seemed to grow unnaturally fast, so, despite being only two-years-old, it nearly reached the middle of her calves. As a result, she had to tie it up in a rather unique style of twin-tails that used gold ribbons to extend the hair outward five centimeters on both sides. All of her outfits also had a strangely 'oriental' feel to them, making her look like a tiny martial artist with her long-sleeved tunic, black leggings, and laceless shoes.

As it had pretty much become his job to help Asuna fix her hair, Vahn dutifully nodded his head before using his chopsticks to pick up a tiny piece of fish. He found it rather amusing when Asuna immediately opened her mouth in anticipation, even if the food wasn't actually intended for her...

Resisting the urge to tease her too much, Vahn extended the piece of fish toward Asuna, allowing her to chomp down on it as he looked Arika and asked, "How early do you want to set out in the morning? This is the first leg of your journey so we can walk around and explore for a bit if you'd like. Some of the locals might not be too fond of us, but that is no reason not to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. We can even register at this country's version of the Adventurer's Guild if you want to try and make a name for yourself as something other than a Queen."

Without having to consider her response, Arika shook her head, explaining, "I have never agreed with the Guild system. It should be the responsibility of the state to protect its people and manage things like trade and resources. Allowing people to privatize such services leads to conflict and a vast disparity between the living conditions of the citizenry. There is nothing wrong with seeking to make a fortune, but, to expect people to risk their lives just to make a living...I cannot agree with it at all. I would rather help people without the promise of a reward, content with the knowledge my actions have aided those in need. I do not believe in pitting the people against each other just to turn a profit..."

Hearing Arika's response, Vahn couldn't help but admire the woman a little more than he already did. She could be a little prideful, but she was always thinking about what was best for the Magical World and its citizens. The Guild System was actually a very serious issue in most countries, but, due to the nature of the Magical World, densely populated with monsters, ruins, and massive labyrinths, most people considered it 'necessary'. Becoming a famous Adventurer or Mercenary was the only way in which most people could improve the quality of their lives, so, despite tens of thousands of people dying every day, there was no end to the number registering with the Guilds...

You only needed to look at the countries that focused on education and the empowerment of their people to understand the flaws inherent in the Guild System. The average graduate from one of the various Academies could completely wipe the floor with even a veteran member of the Guild. It was these same graduates that often rose to prominence within the Guilds, a fact most aspirants within the community completely ignored. They simply saw these graduates as children who were able to achieve a meteoric rise within the Guilds, so, without taking into consideration the disparity in both training and experience, many people overestimated their own chances at fame...

The sad truth of the matter was that the most famous Adventurer parties and Mercenary groups were generally comprised of the 'failures' from the Academies. Most of the nations that placed a heavy focus on academics didn't have the Guild System as they wanted to keep their talent within the country, not send it abroad. This meant, with very few exceptions, most graduates joining the Guild did so because their prospects back in their home country were bad. As a result, they sought to become famous Adventurers and Mercenaries, choosing to show off among people who lacked proper training since they were unable to compete against their actual peers...

While continuing to passively feed Asuna, Vahn considered the matter of their identification before nodding his head and explaining, "I agree with your views on the Guild System, but, with your and Asuna's status, it will become a problem entering the territory of other nations, even if it is to lend a hand. You will need a new identity if you want to avoid causing an international incident. Becoming the enemy of an entire nation is a simple matter for me, but, as a nation's Queen, there are quite a few things you need to take into account."

Hearing Vahn's words, Arika fell into deep thought for a few moments, staring blankly at the food on her plate before raising her head, a resolute light in her eyes as she said, "I understand what you are trying to say, but I cannot agree. I do not believe you are an evil person, so, even if we have to take extreme measures, I believe it is for the greater good. Deposing corrupt officials, undermining illegal organizations, and providing aid to those in need...these are not things we should fear being associated with. Even if it causes an international incident, Ostia will not bow down to the tyranny of other nations who prioritize their own interests over their people. This journey is meant to represent a change from a passive approach to a more proactive means of fulfilling our duty. Though I will try and abstain from causing an incident, I will not shy away in the fact of corruption. Ostia has forever been a mark for nations who exploit their people, so, the moment we show weakness, our enemies will feel emboldened."

Not expecting Arika to be so resolute, Vahn was at a loss as to how he should respond to her rather 'bold' words. In the end, he settled on smiling widely, an appreciative glimmer in his eye as he said, "Well said! Trying to compromise with people who only see others as a means to secure profit and power is a waste of time. Such people will only listen if they think it benefits them or if they believe their foe is simply too powerful to oppose. There is nothing wrong with being more forceful in your methods, so long as you never lose your sense of purpose!"

Feeling Vahn's aura radiating outward, Arika felt a giddy feeling in her stomach, her hand naturally moving to comb through her fringe bangs as she nodded her head with a gratified 'Nn...'. His words were strangely pleasant to hear, filling her with a peculiar sense of validation that seemed to permit her to push forward without fear of censure. She had always felt dissatisfied with the current state of the world, so, hearing Vahn's supportive words, Arika couldn't help but feel a little excited about the future...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The legacy of the Godhand has been passed unto a new world...','Guess the next Record is Tier 6 Shokugeki no Souma? Toriko? Fighting Foodons?','Giving a prideful woman a sense of validation is very dangerous o_o...')

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