NOVEL WEB Chapter 296: Unconditional
Though Atlas was eager to show him around the rest of the fortress and labs, Vahn politely declined her invitation with the excuse he had already kept Millicas waiting well past the point of propriety. Thus, after assuring her he would stop by in the near future, he made his way to the opulently adorned conference room where Millicas and the members of his Peerage waited.
"Sorry for the delay. Dr. Atlas is very spirited," remarked Vahn, sweeping the room with his gaze. Millicas was the group's centerpiece, but the rest of the people seated at the ring-shaped conference table weren't exactly background characters. There was a slightly older Killua and Gon, sitting between a handsome youth with unkempt red hair and a confident young man with spiky blue hair and crimson eyes, the first named Alexander and the second Setanta. Another, much younger-looking boy with matted blue hair, Hans, sat alone with two seats separating him from a markedly older man with peculiar, almost white eyes and messy black hair that cast eerie crimson shadows—Dante.
"Please, do not apologize, Vahn-sama. It was thanks to Dr. Atlas delaying you that we could assemble en masse," stated Millicas, seated between Ignivara and a particularly mature, exotic-looking, scantily clad woman with dark brown skin, aqua-blue eyes, full and loosely braided purple hair that extended past the small of her back, large, pointed ears like those of a jackal, and a bushy tail. Her attire resembled an exotic belly dancer, but the many golden, eye-themed accessories adorning her body, including a jeweled headpiece bearing a large red gemstone, denoted her status as a Queen, specifically the Queen of Sheba.
"Is there something you wished to discuss with your Peerage present...?" asked Vahn, taking a seat in the chair Gemma, now wearing a very short-skirted Maid outfit, pulled out for him. As he did, Presea, similarly wearing a Maid outfit, stepped forward to pour him a cup of tea while stating, "It's good to see you again, Vahn-sama..." in her usual cool monotone.
"Likewise," affirmed Vahn, offering Presea a curt nod and a polite smile as Millicas revealed, "It's admittedly a little early to be bringing this up, but I wished to apprise you of our shared ambition following our return to the outside world. I'm certain you're already aware, but it merits discussing in person..."
"Alright, but you can dispense with the formal tone..." said Vahn, exhaling from his nose and smiling sadly as he sighed, "I have never aspired to be a replacement for your father, but I would be happy if you considered me a member of your family, Millicas..."
"I have and will continue to do so," affirmed Millicas, his smile broadening as he firmly expressed, "But I do not wish to be protected or dependent on the Dragon's Pavilion for the remainder of my life. I will forge a path for myself alongside those who share my vision."
"Very well said, Millicas-dono," hummed Alexander, nodding with his arms crossed.
"To that end..." started Millicas, providing Alexander a curt, reciprocal nod before meeting Vahn's gaze and explaining, "We would like to institute an organization that directly aids worlds and realities on the brink of ruin and provides refuge to their inhabitants. We don't disagree with the policies of the Dragon's Pavilion, but we wish to take a more active role in preventing the apocalypses that threaten countless worlds..."
"The Karmic burden you accrue would be immense," noted Vahn. "But if this is the path you've chosen for yourself, I won't hinder you from doing what you believe to be right. I might not necessarily agree with it, but I'm not opposed to being proven wrong..."
"Damn...if my old man was half as reasonable as you are, I might not have run away..." remarked Killua, leaning back precariously in his chair with his hands behind his head and feet on the conference table's edge.
"Nonsense! A man can never reach his full potential under the umbrella of another! With this, we will be able to fight and perform feats that echo as song and fable across all realities!" exclaimed Setanta, smacking the table as he rose to his feet with a broad, excited smile.
"I'm just happy we'll be able to help people," appended Gon, sporting a markedly more innocent but similarly excited expression.
"And we will help them to help others in kind..." affirmed Millicas, nodding approvingly while internally feeling relief. He had been prepared to defend his ambition under scrutiny, so Vahn's unhesitating endorsement was both a relief and slightly vexing. He was pleased, but Vahn's ready acceptance and word choice gave the impression he was expected to fail...
'But at least I won't have to worry about him taking anyone else that's important to me...' thought Millicas, exhaling faintly from his nose as Killua made a comment that caused Setanta to flare up and Alexander to exhale a hearty laugh. He didn't resent Vahn for winning the hearts of his favorite aunt, mother, grandmother, and first crush. Rather, he envied him. More than that, he wanted them to be happy. Thus, for their sake and his own, he would distance himself from them and attain happiness for himself and those who had placed their trust in him elsewhere...
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'Well, I can't say I'm surprised...' thought Vahn, checking his messages while waiting for Millicas in the latter's private study. Carla had evidently been asking around for advice on how to exhibit she was interested in advancing their relationship without telling him directly, so after learning he had taken an interest in her clothing and lingerie line, she sent him a photo of herself posing in a short, vanilla-colored silk and lace nightgown that barely covered her panties, matching, lace-trimmed stockings, and a garter belt.
With Carla asking him what he thought and likely beside herself awaiting his response, Vahn briefly deliberated before affirming [It's well designed, and you look great wearing it.]
[Oh? I was merely asking for your opinion on the outfit, but you deigned to comment on my body as well? You're fortunate that I had taken these beforehand, or I might not have sent them.] remarked Carla, followed by two more images, one with her posing in profile with her back arched and chest puffed out and another from behind. Notably, there was a slit at the back for her tail—made all the more eye-catching by how the silk hugged her butt without a panty line...
'She's become much bolder...' thought Vahn, contemplating whether he should point out the incongruency or feign ignorance. Carla was mature by Exceed standards, but Vahn was concerned that if he encouraged her flirting, it might embolden those around her...
'Well, I'm sure things will work out...' concluded Vahn, causing Carla to exhale a sigh of relief back in her room as he remarked [I've felt this since you first assumed human form, but you have a pert, well-sculpted bottom. I almost envy your chairs.]
[What an irredeemably shameless thing to say] responded Carla, quickly followed by her adding [But I don't disapprove of such honesty. As your reward, I shall leave you with this before concluding our correspondence for the evening.]
Following her response, Carla sent Vahn a final image, this time facing the camera. Instead of standing with her hands on her hips, however, she had them behind her, pulling back the fabric of her nightgown so it hugged her body, highlighting her athletic curves and raising the hem dangerously. In fact, had she not curled her long white tail between her thighs and snaked it around her left side, he unquestionably would have been able to confirm she wasn't wearing panties...
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kacha
"Thank you for your patience. Now, what did my mother request that we discuss? I presume it's related to Kunou-chan...?" asked Millicas, entering the study in a more leisurely outfit than the nobleman adventurer's getup he had been wearing previously.
"Truthfully, she asked me to advise you..." revealed Vahn, following the young Gremory with his gaze until Millicas sat opposite of him on a very luxurious white-leather, gold-framed sofa.
"Advise me...?" repeated Millicas, tilting his head curiously as he asked, "On what, might I ask?"
Shaking his head, Vahn conceded, "I may be in a position to, but I don't view myself as someone entitled to condemn, criticize, or chastise your decisions. I am, however, experienced enough to inform you that you're pursuit of Kunou has crossed the line. Just as I support your decision to forge your own path, you need to respect her decision to follow the one she has set herself upon."
"I understand that," affirmed Millicas, nodding. "But I'm not like you, Vahn. I can't distance myself from what I believe is right because it's objectively the correct thing to do. I love Kunou-chan, and I sincerely believe she will be happier with our group than as a resident of the Intertwining Dragon's Palace. She seems to think I am obsessed with her, but what I seek is her happiness. Even if she began dating someone else in my Peerage, I would be happy for them knowing she isn't suffering from loving you."
Surprised by the bluntness of Millicas's statement, spoken clearly with a practiced smile on his face, Vahn found himself at a momentary loss. He got the distinct impression the crimson-haired youth was calling him out, and since he happened to harbor misgivings about Kunou's affections for him, his mind completely blanked.
Exhaling from his nose, Millicas's expression and tone softened as he remarked, "I think I understand what my mother, grandmother, and Rias see in you. You're a remarkably honest person, and even though there's a drastic difference in our ages, you don't treat the things I say as if they're coming from a child. You truly listen and consider the positions of others, even when they're directly antagonizing you."
"Only those worth listening to," countered Vahn, closing his eyes, shaking his head, and mentally regaining his footing before meeting Millicas's red-brown gaze and adding, "You have always been a remarkable young man, Millicas. If I had had the fortune of being your actual father, I would have spent every day since your birth filled with pride."
Not expecting Vahn's piercing, ostensibly genuine response, Millicas blinked in surprise and straightened his back, his fingers tensing slightly atop his knees. His mother frequently told him how impressed Vahn was with his progress and growth, but hearing the latter say he was proud of him...Millicas felt as though he had taken an arrow through the heart. It was an indescribably agonizing sensation, but he managed to weather it with a deep breath through his nose.
"Forgive me, I need a moment..." said Millicas, offering a curt nod before rising to his feet and turning to depart the study. Before he could, Vahn's hand clasped his left shoulder, his voice soft but reverberating as he said, "Let's end things here for today. There are still 1,415 days remaining until our return. We'll have plenty of opportunities to chat, and if you're willing, I would like us to spend more time together..."
"I'll consider it..." answered Millicas, his smile relaxed and tone calm, but his eyes closed to conceal the moisture that had built upon their surface. The absurdity of the situation baffled him, as he had arrived at the study fully prepared for a confrontation. Instead, he found himself on the cusp of a swift retreat and his would-be rival consoling him...
"If you do, I would be grateful..." affirmed Vahn, retracting his hand from Millicas's shoulder and vanishing like a mist-formed phantom. In his wake, Millicas resisted the urge to look over his shoulder but remained where he was for several seconds, completely silent. Then, following a deep breath, he departed the study and made a beeline for Atlas's lab—curious to hear what she had learned and discussed with Vahn over the more than three hours she had delayed him...
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