LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 31: Entanglement
"So this is the Corridor of Intertwined Fates...a realm where time flows quickly, death is just a mild inconvenience, and magical items drop like snowflakes, each more unique than the last..." hummed Sona, gazing up at the cavernous crystal ceiling of the First Stratum's Seventh Floor with wistful intrigue.
"A bit poetic, but that about sums it up," affirmed Rias, standing a short distance from Sona with her arms crossed, flanked by Vahn, Akeno, and the former's Nadeshiko-like Queen, Shinra Tsubaki.
"And we can use this place freely...?" asked Sona, peering back over her shoulder, the question directed at Rias, but her violet-eyed gaze focused on Vahn.
"Unfortunately, people can only enter and remain in this place when Vahn himself is present," explained Rias. "However, it is possible to explore two or more Floors at a time, and given the time compression, even if you and your Peerage only enter one day a week, that still gives you a full week to train and harvest magical items at your discretion."
"Remarkable..." muttered Sona, crossing her arms and cupping her chin in thought as she softly appended, "This place might be more valuable than the mine of Mt. Olympus or the Dragon Burial Grounds of Europe..."
Making up her mind, Sona nodded before turning to face the group fully, her gaze meeting Rias's as she stated, "Very well. My Peerage shall help your latest member find his footing as a man. But that doesn't sufficiently compensate for the benefits we will receive from this place. What else do you desire from us...?"
With Sona directing her final few words at him, Vahn adopted his most sincere smile, causing Rias to cover her mouth to avoid laughing aloud as he replied, "I would like it if you and Rias could continue being friends for a long time."
"We weren't exactly planning to cut ties..." retorted Sona, exhaling a faint sigh as she crossed her arms and deliberated for several seconds before proposing, "How about this...since we can only enter this place when you are present, then, for the duration of that period, myself and the members of my Peerage shall regard you as our Master..."
"What a clever suggestion..." hummed Rias, adopting an amused smile as she joined Sona in staring at Vahn, awaiting his response.
"What exactly does that entail...?" asked Vahn, marginally more cautious now that he had gone from dating one girl to being betrothed to three in less than two weeks real-time.
"We shall do as you say, dress as you say, and serve you to the utmost of our ability..." stated Sona, a playful smile adorning her lips as she clarified, "In other words, whatever you ask of us, you shall receive. Give to us, and we will accept it with grace, gratitude, and gratification..."
"Mmm..."
Though he got the impression Sona was implying he could have sex with her and the member of her Peerage at his leisure, Vahn didn't immediately dismiss the suggestion as it didn't require him to do so. Rias also wanted him to get accustomed to administering orders and commands, so after a moment of consideration, he nodded, responding, "That should be okay..." with a hint of apprehension but markedly more determination.
"Good. I look forward to being of service..." said Sona, approaching and taking the initiative to adjust Vahn's ribbon and collar before staring up at him with a faint smile, stating, "And remember...just as a servant attends the needs of their Lord, it is one of the many responsibilities of a Lord to ensure their subordinates feel valued by providing them opportunities to act and fulfill their duties. I hope Vahn-sama doesn't plan to neglect us..."
"Uh-oh, looks like she caught you in her trap, Vahn~" teased Rias, having seen through Sona's plan from the beginning. Vahn was very susceptible to the expectations placed upon him, so if he were convinced that it was a Lord's duty to proactively grant his subordinates opportunities to perform their duties, which was technically true, it wouldn't be long before he had Sona and the members of her Peerage serving him in various ways...
"Mmm...I don't like the sound of that..." muttered Vahn, a troubled frown marring his face.
"You will learn to, soon enough," assured Sona, her words terse but full of confidence as she released his collar and took a few steps away from him with her hands folded over her lap, her pose and posture mirroring Akeno and Tsubaki.
Realizing what Sona was doing, Vahn tilted his head slightly, a sense of incongruency washing over him but only briefly as he turned to Rias and asked, "Should we head back...?"
"That's probably for the best," confirmed Rias, nodding before appending, "I would like to stay longer and see how this delightful play plays out, but because of the situation regarding Asia and last night's incident, we need to be prepared for a possible counterattack."
"Right..." muttered Vahn, his expression turning serious. Rias had told him about how she and Akeno launched a solo raid on the Abandoned Church near the city's outskirts, but they only managed to kill two of the reported five Fallen Angels involved in the incident. One of the ones that managed to escape was the same Fallen Angel that had killed Issei, so there was a very real possibility that they would target him, his family, or his friends as the only real vulnerabilities in her Peerage...
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'The power of Devils is kind of terrifying...' thought Vahn, a sentiment that was shared by Issei as they arrived at class that Monday and found they were the only ones who noticed that one of their classmates was missing; thankfully, only moved to a different class. Vahn especially noticed this as the missing member was his starboard deskmate, making room for Asia to claim the seat as her own.
"I'm so happy to have the opportunity to be in the same class as Vahn-sama and Issei-san~" sang Asia, her fingertips pressed together as she smiled happily in her seat.
'Vahn-sama...?' parroted many girls internally, their curiosity regarding Vahn's origins compounding. There were rumors that he was a genuine Prince or the son of a wealthy businessman from the United States, but since he often left class the moment he had the opportunity, no one had been able to question him at length.
"Nn...let's do our best to study well..." responded Vahn, causing Asia's smile to broaden as she replied, "Of course~!"
Seeing how well Vahn and Asia got along and how happy she seemed to be talking to him, Issei exhaled a sigh and shook his head but retained a smile. He still hoped that his and Asia's relationship could improve once he was more familiar with associating with real rather than fictional girls, but he no longer viewed her as his or something that could be taken from him. That was among the first lessons he had received, that girls could be prized but shouldn't be possessed. And, rather than ogling them with his libidinousness written on his face, he should admire them like great works of art or treasures. If he could do that and focused on becoming a strong, capable person, then, purportedly, girls would come to him...
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"What's a Familiar...?" asked Issei, familiar with the word and concept but wanting to ensure he wasn't mistaken.
Holding up her left hand, producing two overlapping Magic Circles, Rias produced what looked like a cartoon bat with tiny wings, a spherical body, large eyes, cat-like ears, and crimson fur that matched her hair.
"Familiars are one of the many trademarks of a fully-fledged Devil. They help us with various tasks, ranging from delivering messages to cooking, cleaning, and even nursing," explained Rias, her actions prompting Akeno, Koneko, and Kiba to produce their Familiars. Akeno's resembled a palm-sized, multi-colored imp with triangular eyes and a horn growing from the top of its head, Koneko's was a white kitten that immediately leaped from her to Vahn, and Kiba's was a white sparrow with gold accents around the head and blue eyes, matching his own.
Though Issei was already awed, his eyes became as round as saucers as Rias had her Familiar transform into a familiar and attractive woman in bat cosplay.
"You're the lady who gave me the flier...!" exclaimed Issei, pointing at the Familiar, who, unable to speak with anyone other than Rias, simply smiled, waved her hand, and giggled in amusement.
"A Devil's Familiar is an important part of their identity, so when we reach the Familiar Forest, you should look for one that matches your personality and temperament," explained Rias, quickly adding, "That said, it would be mindful of you to avoid Familiars that women tend to find discomfiting or repulsive. That means nothing with tentacles, the ability to produce slime, or the capacity to use Hypnosis or Sleep Magic..."
"Right..." answered Issei, his smile cramping as he felt his character was being called into question. Sure, he was a pervert, but he wasn't going to pick a Familiar that could be used to restrain or force girls to perform lewd acts...
"Good. Then that's everything we need to discuss in this particular club meeting," expressed Rias. "The actual trip will be this Sunday, April 20th. That gives you five days to prepare, Issei. There are books on Familiars in our Library, so you should peruse them and list any that stand out to you."
"Understood, Kaichou. I will go and look at them after this," responded Issei, causing Rias's brows to rise slightly and everyone else to look at him strangely. Acquiring a Familiar was an important and exciting time in a young Devil's life, but they didn't expect Issei, of all people, to actually do his research/homework.
"I can be serious too, you know..." remarked Issei, rubbing the right side of his head. In truth, he was feeling a little self-conscious after failing to help Asia with her class prep, so while he wasn't sure how long he could keep it up, he was determined to become more studious...after all, lesson two of his crash course in understanding the minds and hearts of women was that girls liked boys who were smart but not arrogant, allowing them to answer difficult questions and come up with solutions without seeming like they were talking down to the listener...
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"Hey...do you want to see a magic trick...?" asked Koneko, lying naked atop Vahn's chest after their return from the Corridor. Rias had arranged to have Vahn stay with her on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and in response to her question, he answered, "I don't not want to..." with a mix of intrigue and expectation in his expression and tone.
"Watch closely..." said Koneko, rising to a seated position as she abruptly grabbed his little brother, which had been nestled between her thighs as she deliberately stimulated it.
"Koneko-nyan will now make Master's little Master disappear..." muttered Koneko, angling Vahn's glans at her entrance before lowering her hips in a shimmying motion. She didn't like being the only one left out, so while her outward appearance hadn't changed much outside of her hips becoming a little broader and her butt becoming perkier, her insides had adapted to mostly accommodate Vahn. She wanted the rest of her transformation to be driven by Vahn himself...
"Are you okay...?" asked Vahn, feeling a surge of emotions but maintaining his calm as he extended his left hand to Koneko's waist and dutifully used the thumb of his right to make things easier for her. In response, she put a bit more strength into her legs, her knees squeezing his hips like a vice as she wiggled to seat herself completely.
"Ta-daa..." said Koneko, her expression and tone flat but her face red and golden eyes glistening within the low light of her room. It had taken a bit more effort than she imagined, but the pain wasn't anywhere near as bad as she anticipated. Thus, after a moment of her and Vahn staring at each other in silence, she began tentatively wiggling her hips from side to side, prompting him to smile as he grabbed her waist and did his part...
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