NOVEL WEB Chapter 177: Balance
'This is nice...' thought Vahn, sporting a smile as he sat at the head of a long and luxurious wooden banquet table covered in crimson and gold cloth and a tremendous variety of food. More importantly, the table was surrounded by nearly every person he cared about and then some, each happily conversing and forming plans about their future conquests while he sat with Kunou on his lap and Shiroyuki curled up beneath his throne-like chair.
"So, are there no limits on the types of requests that can be fulfilled...?" asked Korra, conversing with Rias and Venelana regarding Vahn's private Consultation and Help Agency.
"There are obviously some limitations..." responded Rias, sporting a self-assured and playful smile as she clarified, "Though circumstances might require it at times, Vahn and the rest of us aren't especially fond of killing. So, if someone came to us with an assassination request, we would likely modify the terms to protect a specific group or person. From there, if the person they wished to be assassinated came to cause trouble, they really only have themselves to blame."
"But isn't all life sacred...?" asked Korra, adopting a slight frown as she contended, "If you have the power to take life, you have the leeway to show mercy. Those who receive it might never repent, but it's better to have them imprisoned to reflect on their actions."
Inserting himself into the discussion, Vahn argued, "Life is sacred, but freedom is even more so. You need only look at those born without it to understand life has no meaning if you're unable to think, act, and make decisions for yourself. To those with grand ambitions, good or bad, they would rather die than accept the mercy you speak of. And imprisonment only makes sense if you have the means to redeem or rehabilitate those locked away. Otherwise, you're wasting time, personnel, and resources to prolong suffering or have people sit around thinking..."
Piggybacking off Vahn's words, Rias clarified, "What Vahn is trying to say is that if the person in question is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release, it's a greater mercy to end their suffering. Because once they are unable to make decisions for themselves, a person's life is functionally over."
"If it helps, imagine yourself in a situation where you've been condemned to spend the remainder of your life confined to a single room, deprived of your power as the Avatar and the possibility of escape," chimed Venelana, asserting, "Rather than repent, it's more likely that you would go stir crazy or succumb to hopelessness..."
"Mmn...when you put it that way, it would definitely suck..." conceded Korra, crossing her arms under her breasts and tilting her head back in introspection. She had been taught all her life that killing was wrong, but if the outcome was the criminal spending the rest of their life imprisoned without the possibility of release...death seemed like a mercy.
"You're not mistaken in thinking that you should avoid killing whenever possible..." appended Vahn, looking down and fluffing Kunou's ears and hair as he reasoned, "But if the person in question lives by depriving the freedoms and lives of others, holding yourself back on account that you might kill them is senseless. Because if they manage to escape, you will feel responsible for everyone they harm from that moment on..."
"You do have to be careful, though," stated Venelana, clarifying, "People, particularly the masses, are superstitious and irrational creatures. Those in positions of power and authority will inevitably use that to misrepresent your actions to advance an agenda or prevent you from gaining popularity and possibly undermining them."
"Yeah...I know exactly what you mean..." sighed Korra, visibly deflating as she recalled her recent experiences with the leaders of Republic City and the media. Virtually everything she said or did was taken out of context or blown out of proportion, leaving her wishing she could sit down with each person in the city to explain her position without their views being painted by rumors and what they read in the newspaper...
"If you're willing, we can arrange to have you undergo media training," proposed Venelana. "You're already plenty powerful as the Avatar, and you have friends and allies in high places. Once you gain knowledge and experience dealing with large groups and giving speeches, your enemies will have a much harder time painting you in a negative light."
"Media training...?" parroted Korra, tilting her head and raising her left brow in confusion. What followed was a lengthy explanation regarding celebrity, politics, and the effectiveness of rallying people behind social reforms. Throughout, Korra had a slightly open-mouthed expression that made it seem as though Venelana was speaking a foreign language, but that was largely due to her sheltered upbringing, limited education, and the fact that radio, news, and newspapers were relatively new concepts in her world. Fortunately for her, Venelana had lived through a similar era and had remained ahead of the curve for hundreds of years, making her uniquely suited to teach Korra everything she needed to know to become one of her world's first transnational advocates and celebrities...
...
..
.
'This is awesome...' thought Vahn, his expression a relaxed smile but his aquamarine eyes blazing with passion as he watched Rias and Venelana jointly lick, caress, and suck his dick. To his right, Korra's face flushed to her ears in response to Xenovia eating her out while, to his left, Koneko composedly received a similar service from Roxanne, who was observed intently by Asia.
"Thank you for your efforts..." stated Sona, crawling forward after Rias and Venelana moved aside, allowing her to seat herself on Vahn's cock with a suppressed, girlish moan escaping her throat. Immediately after, Akeno wrapped her arms around her from behind, guiding her movements while caressing her abdomen and nibbling her right ear.
And thus, Vahn spent his first night in the Tower celebrating the opening of the Dragon's Pavilion, structured like a Guild Hall with a dormitory that could accommodate a hundred people, by having a seven-hour orgy with thirteen different women...
...
..
.
[Day 2]
kacha
Following Asia opening the door for him, a tall, remarkably muscular man with somewhat spiky black hair, prominent sideburns, thick eyebrows, and sharp violet eyes strolled boldly into Vahn's office, sporting a self-assured but friendly smile.
"I am pleased to finally meet you..." stated the man, stopping in front of Vahn's desk, cupping his right fist with his left hand, and offering a steep, respectful bow as he proclaimed, "My name is Sairaorg Bael. Not too long ago, you saved my mother, Misla Bael's, life. If possible, I have come here to repay that favor."
"Raise your head," said Vahn, exhaling faintly from his nose and waiting for Sairaorg to stand tall before stating, "I treated your mother because it was the right thing to do, and from what I hear, you frequently aid others for the same reason. I will accept repayment from you the day after you accept compensation from all you've helped without asking or expecting anything in return..."
"You're just as benevolent as the rumors claim..." remarked Sairaorg, his smile broadening as he pounded his chest with his right fist and added, "But the only reason I don't accept payment for my assistance is because those I aid are often unable to provide it. As a man, I cannot be indebted to another, especially when I'm more than capable of repaying what I owe with blood, sweat, and tears if need be."
"And you're just as headstrong as I've heard..." retorted Vahn, adopting a broader smile of his own as he rose to his feet, placing him at eye-level with the dark-haired Devil. Then, after stowing his desk in his Inventory, he stepped forward with his right hand extended, stating, "Luckily, there is something I could use your assistance with. I've been informed you're a proficient martial artist and Touki user. I could use a sparring partner and, if you're willing, a male friend..."
"After what you did, I would gladly call you brother," responded Sairaorg, accepting Vahn's handshake and squeezing with enough force to produce a burst of wind pressure. Fortunately, as he didn't want to come across as having a limp handshake, Vahn was prepared, allowing him to maintain his composure as he and Sairaorg gradually increased their grip strength until he inevitably found himself at a disadvantage. The latter wasn't known as the strongest young Devil for nothing, and with S+ Strength, A+ Dexterity, and S-Rank Constitution, it would be some time before Vahn could regard himself as the man's equal, much less a rival...
...
..
.
After arranging to train with Sairaorg outside the Tower, as it wouldn't be fair to the man if he were asked to remain on the 1st Floor, Vahn enjoyed a lengthy silence where he reclined in his comfortable chair and focused on the feelings emanating from his crotch. Venelana had introduced the girls to a peculiar variety of panties with a gel inlay that were parented to the pair she commonly wore while performing her duties as his Secretary. As such, Vahn could feel four distinct pussies wrapping around his cock, one of which stood out as Xenovia was using her pair to fuck Korra.
Observing the tryst through a display only he could see, Vahn found it tantalizing but a little concerning. He knew from watching the series Korra was from that she was bisexual, but he didn't expect that she and Xenovia would hit it off so well. Though, considering it was Xenovia who prompted her to try experimenting during the previous Tower cycle, it wasn't exactly a surprise.
'The question is whether I should stop them or use this...' mused Vahn, followed by him closing his eyes to enjoy the sensation. He had never prohibited any of his women from having relations with each other, and since it was common for them to kiss, eat each other out, and even rub their pussies together during orgies, the only real issue was that Xenovia and Korra getting off of their own accord. However, as they were using a proxy of his dick rather than a conventional strap-on, they weren't exactly excluding him...
Imagining a scenario where half the members of his harem were having sex with the other half using his proxy, Vahn felt a sense of incongruency and arousal. It was a little awkward having the girls wait their turn during an orgy, but he had previously shot down the idea of using strap-ons. If said strap-ons were linked to him, however, it might be tolerable if used in moderation...
'Well, it's not as though a toy could replace the real thing...' concluded Vahn, deciding to talk with Xenovia and Korra but otherwise not make a big deal out of the matter. He was confident in his S-Rank Bedroom Arts and his attention to detail during sex, so while it was certainly possible to get off using a proxy of his dick, he doubted it would be anywhere near as pleasurable. The proof of this was that, despite orgasming multiple times, Xenovia and Korra eventually messaged him to come and join them as the latter had become accustomed to him cumming inside her, causing her to feel increasingly restless without a substantial quantity of semen warming her belly post-coitus...
...
..
.
"Ugh...stick a fork in me, because I'm done..." groaned Korra, resting her head against Vahn's side after returning from a bath, her body garbed in a simple white tank top and pale blue pajama bottoms. Due to the influence of girls like Xenovia and Rias, she also wore a scant, pale blue lace thong, but no one who knew her from her world could even imagine such a thing.
"You were practically brimming with energy when you and Xenovia were alone..." teased Vahn, resting his left hand on Korra's forehead and gently caressing it.
"It's clearly because of your semen..." argued Korra, seemingly oblivious to Vahn's teasing as she slid her right hand under her tank top, exposing her toned abdomen as she caressed her belly. Vahn cumming inside her felt amazing, but it also made her feel as though she had short-circuited, leaving her feeling listless and somewhat feverish as her body struggled to process the excess energy.
"You shouldn't say that as if it's an inconvenience. Vahn's seed may well be the most prized in the multiverse. We are unspeakably fortunate to be allowed to receive it," stated Xenovia, lying naked to Vahn's right.
"Yeah, yeah, I know..." droned Korra, rolling and then closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling of Vahn's relaxing caress. She was well-acquainted with Xenovia's zealotry, and while the blue-haired, green-tufted woman could be incredibly annoying at times, Korra felt it was tolerable since they had good chemistry and she was hot...
...
..
.