Chapter 2277: Preparation

"We're back..."

Staring down at her hands, Sandora slowly opened and closed them a few times, a pensive expression on her face as Vahn answered, "Indeed. What did you think...?"

Closing her hands as if she were grasping something, Sandora replied, "I think I understand why you're so...casual about everything. The ability to create worlds and stretch a single moment into eternity is both terrifying and liberating..."

Shifting her gaze to Vahn, Sandora's expression softened into a smile as she supplemented, "It almost makes the circumstances of a singular life feel insignificant...almost..."

Though she suspected her opinion might irreversibly change if she stayed in the Actualized World, seven and a half years wasn't a particularly long period in the grand scheme of things.

Extending her left hand towards Vahn, Sandora waited for him to help her rise before playfully questioning, "I trust you're satisfied with my growth, Prime Minister Mason~?"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn drew Sandora close to him, her feet dangling off the ground as he lifted her petite body to plant a kiss on her lips. He and Sandora had already crossed the line during their stay in Ni No Kuni. Though he would prefer it if she used her engagement ring to transform into her third developmental stage, he didn't particularly mind her current form. She was small and dainty but nowhere near the level of girls like Liliruca, Kali, or select members of the Eurasia Family...

With Vahn supporting her by her butt, Sandora's body began to heat up much faster than she had anticipated. The form she had assumed in the Actualized World had also been a Dragon, but the relatively weak power scaling of the world had made it easy to suppress her instincts. Now that she was in her original form after more than seven years, she felt like she was on the verge of losing control just being near Vahn.

Fearful that she might inadvertently turn the Chamber of Flames into a literal inferno, Sandora lightly tapped Vahn's chest. She didn't have the willpower to break the kiss herself, so she needed him to stop and give her a chance to speak.

Fortunately for Sandora, Vahn only continued for a few seconds longer before slowly separating from her lips. He could have stopped instantly, but he didn't want to seem too eager to stop. He could also sense that Sandora hadn't wanted him to, so, even after suspending their kiss, he continued supporting her by her pillowy bottom as he teased, "Getting cold feet...?"

Though her face was flushed red to the tips of her ears and the base of her neck, Sandora managed to appear calm as she whispered, "I want to wait until after the coronation ceremony..."

Raising his brows, Vahn was about to ask if she was sure, but Sandora beat him to the punch, stating, "If we start now, it will be weeks before I manage to calm down and recover my senses. You've already afforded me 2740 days of your time. I can wait a few hours before surrendering myself anew..."

Seeing the resolution in Sandora's eyes, Vahn's ostensibly wolfish smile relaxed into an affectionate twinkle as he replied, "Marvelous...even after seven years in a completely different world, you haven't lost sight of your duties and responsibilities as the Leader of Salamandra. You really are an amazing person, Sandora..."

Delighted by Vahn's compliment, a remarkably radiant and charming smile developed across Sandora's face as she countered, "I have to be if I want to continue standing next to a certain someone..."

Since she couldn't reach Vahn's lips of her own accord, Sandora nestled her head against his chest. Her crown and horns got in the way, but that was easily remedied when Vahn adjusted the state of his body to allow them to phase through him...

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Though the remainder of his evening with Sandora was remarkably calm and relaxing, other versions of Vahn were busy catching up with the rest of his harem.

Back when he first started delving into Actualized Worlds, Vahn promised to update the 'Council of Wives' whenever he spent more than six months within one. They were perennially concerned about his mental health and well-being, so even if he just lazed about and observed others for a few months, Vahn made sure to notify them after the fact.

If there was anything Vahn could complain about regarding the situation, it was the fact Da Vinci had developed a protocol for his return. It saved him a lot of time, but he couldn't help feeling as though something was a little off whenever Da Vinci provided him an itinerary informing him when, where, and who to visit. All Vahn needed to do was provide her with the details of his time in the Actualized World, and she would know precisely who he needed to interact with to recenter himself in the shortest amount of time.

When Da Vinci first started providing him with structured itineraries, Vahn deviated from them quite a bit. He wanted to check up on and spend time with everyone but quickly came to realize he was inconveniencing certain people by dropping in out of nowhere.

No one ever complained, but Vahn could see the effects his sudden and unexpected arrival had on whatever objective they were trying to achieve. Not everyone could just drop whatever they were doing, go on a romantic tryst, and then return without some change in mentality or motivation, so, after disrupting quite a number of plans, Vahn began sticking to Da Vinci's schedule. It made him a little uncomfortable, but he knew it was the best decision if he was serious about supporting everyone's independence...

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With the majority of his other selves dissipating, a relieved sigh escaped Vahn's mouth as the burden on his mental faculties lessened by several orders of magnitude. The only versions of him still active were his current self, the one sleeping next to Semiramis, and the lucky fool cuddling with Fenrir and the members of his Menagerie.

Reacting to Vahn's sigh, Sandora promptly opened her eyes before rising from his chest, rubbing her eyes, and staring at the nearest clock. It was only 3:23 AM, but she quickly decided she had slept long enough as she turned towards Vahn, smiling as she leaned over and whispered, "Good morning..." before planting a kiss on his lips. Then, without thinking, her hand habitually gravitated towards the appendage slumbering between his thighs before Vahn grabbed her wrist and reminded, "We're no longer in Ni No Kuni..."

Though she was momentarily confused by Vahn's words, Sandora's face quickly developed a blush as she retracted her hand and said, "I suppose we'll have to revert to our old tradition..."

Mounting Vahn's stomach, Sandora, completely naked, bent down to give Vahn a particularly passionate kiss. Shortly before her loss of virginity in the world of Ni No Kuni, she and Vahn had developed the habit of kissing before and after sleep. She had since then grown accustomed to far more intimate acts, but kissing was still at the top of her list in regards to things she enjoyed the most.

After a prolonged, forty-minute makeout session, Vahn and Sandora took a long bath together before he kissed her goodbye and turned her over to Ebony and Raven. He and Shiroyasha had been asked to participate in the day's events as Guests of Honor, so he needed to meet up with Sandora's brother, Mandra, and the other event organizers.

Upon seeing Vahn appear out of thin air, the event organizers and several Military Police immediately put up their guards. Before any of them could even think about attacking, however, Mandra shouted, "The Sage Dragon Emperor has arrived! Kneel!"

Setting the example, Mandra promptly dropped to one knee, the knuckles of his right hand touching the floor as he lowered his head and said, "Your Imperial Majesty honors us with Your presence."

Resisting the urge to exhale a sigh, Vahn waited for everyone present to lower themselves before nodding his head in approval and saying, "Rise. We have not come here to observe etiquette or put on airs. Tell us what you require."

Though he had been speaking in the Majestic Plural, Vahn's words lost a bit of their gravitas when Shiroyasha spontaneously manifested to his left, adding, "What he said."

"By your will!"

Rising to his feet, Mandra maintained a commanding aura as he looked towards his recently appointed Secretary, Frey, and ordered, "Escort the Sage Dragon Emperor and Lady Shiroyasha to their positions. If there is anything they require, fulfill their requests to the best of your ability."

Bowing forward and cupping her hands together, Frey replied with a curt, "Understood." before approaching Vahn and Shiroyasha, adding, "Please, follow me." in a markedly more nervous tone.

Voicing the thought lingering in the back of Vahn's mind, Shiroyasha's cat-like eyes practically lit up when she saw Frey, remarking, "Very, very nice. Is that Dragonscale armor? I assume it would have to be considering how little it covers..."

Unlike when Frey had first appeared, dressed much like a schoolgirl, her current outfit resembled that of a Dragon Knight. What made it stand out was that it was comprised of crimson scales fashioned into a scant, highly revealing breastplate that emphasized her cleavage and navel rather than covering them. The rest of her outfit wasn't much better, consisting of red pauldrons, scaled gauntlets, and leg platings that left her upper thigh and much of her butt exposed. There was a cloth covering her crotch and two more covering her backside, but they were more decoration than practical due to her inordinately thick tail. As for what lay below? The best way to describe it was a leather thong.

Though the tip of her tail curled slightly, Frey appeared relatively calm even as Shiroyasha stepped around to get a better look at her backside. In response to the previous question, she answered, "It is the Ancestral Armor of the Scarlett Family. The materials used are, as you pointed out, Dragonscale, Sinew, and Hide. It is designed to be indestructible yet easy to move in..."

"I'll say..."

Resisting the urge to raise Frey's tail and bury her face between the stoic woman's pert and perky glutes, Shiroyasha finished her circumnavigation before returning to Vahn's side and gesturing for him to lower his head so she could whisper in his ear. She was currently in her diminutive, child-like form, so he was nearly 50cm taller than her.

Closing his eyes to prevent others from seeing him roll them, Vahn bent down to hear Shiroyasha ask, "What do you think about having a little fun with this one? She is literally dripping pheromones, and I can pretty much guarantee she would be happier serving the Sage Dragon's Hearth than trying to restore her family's honor under Mandra."

Realizing that Shiroyasha was projecting her voice into his ear rather than speaking out loud, Vahn resisted the urge to ask why she bothered having him lean down as he replied, "I can't help everyone. Frey might not be the happiest she could be serving Mandra, but it's a decision-"

Completing Vahn's words for him, albeit in a very different manner than he intended, Shiroyasha stated, "It's a decision her family and circumstances forced into her. Do not mistake resolve and pertinacity as contentedness, boya. There is a reason she decided to wear this outfit, and you know it..."

Though the truth of the matter was that Frey's father had entreated her to try and win Vahn's favor, Shiroyasha knew it wouldn't matter once she had obtained it. Once Vahn got involved, the machinations of Frey's father and uncle wouldn't matter in the slightest.

Matching Shiroyasha's expectations, Vahn silently entreated Loi-chan to explain the situation. When he learned about some of the things Frey had and was currently going through, his expression briefly darkened. Due to his stopping of time, however, no one noticed it except for Shiroyasha...

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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn, God of Infinite Possibilities and Patron God of Lolis xD...','Da Vinci strikes again...!','No tragic girls left behind...')