Expanding Horizons

After a long conversation regarding Hell Joe's fate, Vahn agreed to let Wolhaiksong take him into custody after conferring with Ryun and Ai. Their vengeance wasn't his responsibility to mete out, so, knowing Joe was yet another victim of circumstance, Ryun took the initiative to pardon him on the premise that Ureko forego seeking recompense from FUG.

Ureko wasn't particularly fond of the idea that FUG's actions would go unpunished, but, knowing the names of the people directly responsible, she agreed to let the organization as a whole off the hook. The Slayer known as Karaka, however, had just found himself at the very top of her personal 'shit list'. This all but guaranteed a conflict between Wolhaiksong and the military forces of Karaka, a battle the latter had virtually no hope of winning.

Since there was nothing she could do to actually stop Ureko, Ryun had little choice but to accept the former's compromise. It helped that her opinion of Karaka had decreased drastically over the last year or so, as, more than any other representative of FUG, he was the one regularly interfering with Vahn's ascent. His actions had nearly resulted in the destruction of the entire organization, so, while she was predisposed to support the actions of all Slayers, she would not lament his passing...

---

With the matter of Hell Joe largely resolved, Vahn found himself in a rather awkward yet familiar situation, a wry smile on his face as he escorted Garam through the various Layers of the Little Garden with Ureko riding on his shoulders. She really did remind him of the 'younger' version of Mordred at time, and, despite his protests, there was little he could do to actually stop her from doing whatever she wanted.

Fortunately, though her behavior regularly demonstrated otherwise, Ureko had enough wherewithal to understand when she shouldn't fool around. Thus, shortly before their arrival on the Eighth Layer, she promptly alighted from his shoulders, saying, "It's been a long time. I'll be expecting a feast and some delicious alcohol to celebrate our reunion. Afterward, I have a surprise for you. You better not peek."

Punctuating her words with the cracking of her knuckles, Vahn rolled his eyes as he sent a telepathic message to deter the Law of Identity's usual antics. He might be curious to ascertain how his power compared to someone like Ureko, but, given her personality, fighting against her all but guaranteed he would experience some indignity. His draconic nature didn't allow him to abide such slights with grace, so, until he was confident in his victory, Vahn didn't want to carelessly trigger the aggressive dragoness' more primal instincts.

Smiling in response to Ureko's warning, Vahn habitually extended his hand to caress her smooth golden hair as he said, "I'm looking forward to it." in a relaxed tone. This earned him an incredulous look from Garam, who, despite having no reaction to Ureko's antics, couldn't believe that the latter would accept such treatment from another person.

Rather than resist Vahn's touch, Ureko just giggled with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes as she turned them up at him and remarked, "As bold as ever..." in a tone that was equal parts seductive and predatory.

Though he felt a strong compulsion to retract his hand, Vahn moved to caress the side of Ureko's face, thumb nearly brushing her lips as he said, "Would you have allowed me to place my mark on your back if I was lacking in boldness...?"

With her pupils contracting to form thin lines, an amused snicker emanated from Ureko's throat as she abruptly reached between Vahn's trouser legs, firmly grasping his sleeping member with a smile on her face. Rather than speaking her initial thoughts, however, her expression quickly changed to one of mild surprise as she offhandedly remarked, "Seriously? You really are a monster..."

Suppressing the physiological response of his body, Vahn snatched Ureko's hand with a deadpan expression on his face as he said, "We should get going. There are quite a number of introductions that need to be made. Besides...we're making Garam uncomfortable..."

Hearing the mention of her name, Garam reacted with a slight start, eyes widening for a moment as she waved her hand in a dismissive manner and said, "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just a little surprised. I always assumed Ureko had a thing for women so I never expected to see her behaving like this with a man. I guess this means you're bisexual...?"

Reacting to Garam's words, Ureko puffed out her cheeks in a sham pout before promptly declaring, "There's nothing wrong with appreciating beauty! It's not my fault this Tower is full of small-minded assholes and arrogant pricks...!"

Sensing the conversation was flowing in a dangerous direction, Vahn attempted to intervene, but, before he could interject, Garam looked directly at him, arms crossed as she asked, "So? What are your intentions? Ureko informed me of the basics, but she sucks at explaining things in detail. Tell me, what do you know of Arlene Grace? Is it true you're trying to collect Princesses of Jahad, or are you actually just after the 13 Month Series? Is the Tower really just a means for people to ascend to a higher plane of existence? What do you know of the worlds above...?"

Though he could understand the reason for Garam's curiosity, Vahn couldn't help but get annoyed whenever someone threw a bunch of questions his way. He didn't mind discussing such things, but, for a variety of reasons, he disliked being interrogated. Garam's body language also made it pretty clear that she expected an answer, and, though she wasn't overtly looking down on him, her former status and authority as a Princess of Jahad had obviously left their mark.

Reacting with a deadpan expression that left Garam feeling taken aback, Vahn exacerbated things by plainly asking, "If I told you my aim was to 'collect' each of the Princesses, what would you do? Have you considered the repercussions of asking such a question or do you hold yourself in such high regard that you expect it to give you some kind of leverage against me?"

Raising his hand to prevent Garam from speaking, Vahn briefly shifted his attention to the Law of Identity, shaking his head as he said, "Forget it. You'll realize the ridiculousness of your words soon enough. For now, let us be on our way. All of your questions will be answered in due time."

Without waiting for Garam's response, Vahn created a circular portal connecting the Seventh and Eighth Layers before stepping through. This was a lot easier than trying to transfer Ureko directly, and, most importantly, it allowed him to move on ahead of the duo.

Not expecting such a reaction, Garam was at even more of a loss than before, mouth slightly agape as she looked to Ureko for answers. In response, the latter simply shrugged her shoulders, a slightly amused smile on her face as she said, "I did tell you he was an Emperor. Though he doesn't act like one ninety percent of the time, he still has the pride of someone who rules over countless others. If you had asked him in a more casual manner, he probably would have answered you without giving it a second thought. Now, he probably thinks you're just another pampered Princess with an over-inflated sense of entitlement."

Frowning in response to Ureko's words, Garam was about to say something in her defense when the former suddenly became uncharacteristically serious, adding, "A few months ago, that man was at a level where he could barely defeat one of the weakest High Rankers. Now, he can trade blows with three of the most powerful Princesses of Jahad, Adori included, without sustaining any serious injuries. Given his current rate of growth, it won't even take him another ten years to surpass me in strength. If you think someone like that cares about the status and machinations of people trapped within a Tower, you really do have an overwhelming sense of entitlement..."

Finished with her words of warning, Ureko performed a half-hearted wave before motioning to step through the portal Vahn had created. Before doing so, however, she stopped to take a look over her shoulder, smiling as she said, "Don't worry. That sentiment applies pretty broadly. If he doesn't care about your machinations, he obviously wouldn't care about something like a gaff. Unless you make a big deal out of it, he'll probably act like this little hiccup never happened. That man is pretty weak against pretty women, so, even without asking for help, I bet he would lend you a hand of his own accord."

With that said, an amused chuckle emanated from Ureko's throat as she stepped through the portal and disappeared. This left Garam alone to contemplate her words, a mix of reflection and confusion visible in her icy-white eyes as she assumed a thinking posture and mused, "It would seem I need to expand my horizons...the Tower and its politics are beginning to seem increasingly insignificant..."

---

Unaware of the sentiments of her elder sister, Maschenny used the months following her encounter with Vahn to ascend to the 123rd Floor of the Tower. More specifically, she ventured to one of the most isolated and secure regions of the entire Floor, an area of perpetual twilight where a massive floating castle could periodically be seen phasing in and out of view among a sea of luminescent clouds.

With most forms of flight restricted in the region, Maschenny was forced to ride a gondola-like ship drawn by a pair of Shinheuh that greatly resembled giant seahorses. This took the better part of an hour, but, having become accustomed to such procedures, she was able to remain relatively calm as the nervous gondolier guided the ship through one of many hidden grottos leading further into the floating castle.

After destroying a number of automatons that attempted to have her complete mundane tasks and solve various riddles, Maschenny finally reached the underground entrance to a hidden observatory guarded by a number of Royal Guards. This was the very heart of the island-like floating castle, and, though there was a massive palace nearby, the latter was merely a cover to distract anyone entering the veritable fortress without permission.

Standing at the very front of the group of guards, a petite man with dark silver hair and a neatly trimmed mustache could be seen waiting for Maschenny's arrival. He was dressed identically to a Butler, but, in actuality, he was one of the most prestigious Guides employed by the Empire, an Advanced Ranker known as Alumik Edrok.

Bowing low in response to Maschenny's arrival, Alumik adopted a respectful tone as he said, "It is our pleasure to welcome you, Princess Maschenny. Unfortunately, Princess Repellista is still in low spirits due to the loss of her favorite pillow. Unless it is a matter of utmost importance, I would ask that you not disturb her until a replacement can be found."

Frowning in response to Alumik's words, Maschenny uttered the first words that came to her mind, asking, "Don't tell me...Ureko also came here...?"

Offering a curt nod in response, Alumik went on to explain, "Indeed. The castle was invaded by Miss Ureko some four months prior. Since then, Princess Repellista has been in poor spirits since none of her replacement pillows can compare to the one she received from Lady Blossom. We have already tried contacting the Eurasia Family in an attempt to procure a replacement, but it would seem Lady Blossom has been in a deep slumber for the last couple of months..."

Exhaling an uncharacteristically tired sigh, Maschenny shook her head in mild exasperation before saying, "Whatever. Take me to Repellista's room. I'm certain she will agree to meet with me. I have a lot of important matters to discuss with her. Tell her I'm willing to negotiate with the Eurasia Family on her behalf, and, if necessary, I will visit the 77th Floor in an attempt to recover her pillow."

Bowing low in response to Maschenny's words, Alumik stated, "I will inform her at once. For now, please enjoy some hot cocoa prepared by our staff. Princess Repellista received quite a large sum of cocoa beans as a tribute from the Chocoa Kingdom. I'm certain you will find it palatable."

Since there was no merit in making Repellista upset, Maschenny replied with a curt nod of her own before following a Maid with rabbit ears into a nearby waiting room. There, she waited patiently for Repellista's reply, as, in spite of the fact she had yet to even begin her climb, the enigmatic Princess was one of the most influential within the entire Tower. She even had the support of several Family Leaders, and, though it was generally impossible to manipulate Shinsu prior to becoming a Regular and forming a contract with the Guardians, Repellista had a rare talent that eclipsed even the most prodigious members of the Eurasia Family.

In recognition of Repellista's talent, the Leader of the Tu Perie Family had gifted her an Opera, one of only three in the entire Tower. This allowed her to drastically increase her status among the other Princesses, as, unlike a normal Lighthouse, the range of an Opera was functionally infinite. It could see practically everything taking place within the Tower, and, unless they had been modified by an inordinately skilled Light Bearer, she could hack most Lighthouses and Pockets to further expand her information network. This made her, inarguably, the most dependable information broker in the entire Tower, and, so long as you could satisfy her requests, there were very few things she couldn't find through her incomprehensibly vast network...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn ain't ready to tame this dragon...','Imagine Garam's reaction when she meets Vahn's harem xD...','A voyeur that can even rival Vahn...')

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