Chapter 1494 - Complex

After discussing the matter at length, it was decided that, once she was willing to accept others, Arcueid would become Gaia's primary caretaker. They would also be using her Marble Phantasm in order to aid in Gaia's physical rehabilitation. As for her mental rehabilitation, that would require a concerted effort from everyone in the Ivory Castle, but, until she was ready to face a large number of people, Spenta would be asked to accompany her.

Though Illya had made a case for using her Marble Phantasm for Gaia's rehab, she quickly perished the thought when Vahn coaxed her by saying he would stay with her after everyone returned from the Yokai District. As a result, she started considering who she should invite along with them, chiefly focusing on members of the Menagerie and her own mother. If she could convince the right people, they could even turn it into an extended vacation, albeit one filled with indulgence, debauchery, and a fair amount of training...

Once everyone was on the same page, Vahn left it to them to inform the rest of the Inner Sanctum's residents. Gaia would become one of the Empire's greatest secrets, as, if her presence was known, it exponentially increased the danger to her, and, by proxy, the planet. Though almost nothing could outright kill Gaia, her death would mean the effective death of all Spirits, plants, animals, and even microbial life forms. Though it wouldn't be an instantaneous process, wind erosion and other factors would make the surface of the planet inhospitable to life, forcing its inhabitants to flee the fate they had wrought themselves.

It would be a mild inconvenience, but Vahn had already resolved himself to accompany Gaia in order to facilitate communication and meaningful interactions with others. The sooner she could open her heart to others, the happier she would become. This would also guarantee the success of his future plans, so, even if it took months, or, even years, he would help break Gaia out of her shell. Then, for the first time in her long existence, she would, hopefully, be able to experience what it was like to be free...

---

While his main and tertiary bodies were busy dealing with the emergence of Gaia, Vahn's second body was enjoying Semiramis' soft and supple thighs as she used a cotton swab to gingerly clean his ears. She was still wearing the same outfit from before, leaving her upper and lower body completely exposed, but, as that only made the experience more enjoyable, Vahn had a contented smile on his face as he split his focus on what was happening in Avalon.

Taking advantage of her Master's relaxed state, Semiramis set aside the cotton swab, gently stroking his hair with her right hand as she deftly pulled out a vial of pitch-black liquid. Then, with a curious smile on her face, she began to pour it into his ear canal. This caused a sudden and intense burning sensation in Vahn's ear, but, in spite of the pain, he just lightly chuckled, allowing the poison to fizzle out after momentarily perforating his eardrum.

Once the poison was inert, Vahn rolled so that he could see Semiramis' twin peaks, her glimmering golden eyes, and her slightly sadistic smile. As strange as it might seem, her attempting to suddenly poison him was the same as saying she was in the mood. It was impossible for her to be honest with her feelings, so, rather than vocalizing her desires, she would rather give him liberties after failing in her attempts. The more potent the poison used, the more eager she was for attention, a dangerous, yet strangely adorable, quirk...

With the edges of his smile curling up, Vahn held out his hand, eliciting a 'Hmm?' from Semiramis as she gingerly placed her own against his. She still had golden stakes running through her hand, but, with his ability to freely shape his body, Vahn was able to facilitate them. This made him one of the few people actually able to hold hands with Semiramis, but, more importantly, it was a method that allowed him to 'lock' her hand in place.

Despite knowing it was a trap, Semiramis willingly allowed Vahn to capture her hand. She also made no attempt to escape when pulled her body to the side, uttering a seductive, "Brute..." while lazing languidly against his firm body. She was actually in a pretty uncomfortable position, but, rather than make things easier for Vahn, she began tracing the stake in her free hand across his body, eliciting a sound similar to metal scraping across metal...

Semiramis only ever used the term 'brute' when she basically wanted him to do everything. This was a 'positive' outcome, but, as he knew she was trying to 'train' him, Vahn lightly rolled his eyes while she was fixated on his body. Her personality didn't allow her to be the one being manipulated, to the point she had invested several months just to create the 'illusion' that she was in control.

Whenever they were alone, most of the communication between Vahn and Semiramis was based on verbal cues and properly interpreting body language. These were things he was 'forced' to pay close attention to, as, depending on her mood, she would spontaneously 'forbid' him from doing more. It was a little frustrating at times, but, as it was a unique experience, Vahn didn't mind playing her little game. Rather, it made visiting her pretty enjoyable, as, unless he used his ability to read the Flow of Fate, it was like solving a complex puzzle, one that promised ample rewards if he was successful...

Following Semiramis' cue, Vahn freed her left hand before quickly adjusting her hips so that she was effectively straddling his face. He could see a very small amount of glistening moisture between her pale white thighs, accompanied by a slight smell of fruit. There was an approximately one-hundred percent chance she had applied some kind of poison, but, without minding that face, Vahn held her hips rather firmly before gingerly tracing his tongue around her sensitive bead.

Before proceeding any further herself, Semiramis sat back, shamelessly using Vahn's face as a seat in order to fix her long hair. Even if it wasn't exactly the case, she enjoyed the thought of being able to smother him, pretending her body wasn't quickly heating up as she 'casually' collected her massive volume of hair, binding it several metallic clamps. This was a long and arduous process, but, due to how much hair she had, it was necessary if she wanted to avoid getting it caught and entangled...

After nearly half an hour, Semiramis' complexion had become suffused with a ruddy and sensual glow. Her body was also covered in a very thin layer of sweat, causing her to glisten slightly in the low light of the room. As for Vahn, he had 'dutifully' paced himself so that she would be able to fix her hair without 'interruption'. This always made Semiramis feel like he was a loyal puppy, but, as their positions could reverse very quickly, she never dared to vocalize such thoughts.

With her hair neatly braided and bound, Semiramis breathed a sigh of relief. Immediately afterward, she felt a jolt run through her body as Vahn's tongue pressed into one of her most sensitive spots. It wasn't enough to make her immediately climax, but she had to bite her finger in order to suppress it. Then, before he could push her over the edge, she pulled her hips forward, quickly extricating herself from his assault. This left Vahn on the bed, looking like a man who had just been pulled from the sea as his face and hair were completely matted with love juices.

Semiramis knew better than to look directly at Vahn during moments like this, so, pretending she was unaffected by his tirelessly assault, she ran her fingers through her fringe bangs, saying, "You did well...I suppose a reward is in order, wouldn't you agree~?"

Due to her impassioned state, Semiramis' voice sounded even more seductive than normal. Instead of answering her, however, Vahn just let his dragon speak for itself, causing it to twitch 'impatiently' in response to her words. If he tried to make a verbal 'plea', she would just tease him at both of their expense. Thus, without saying a single word, he grabbed her hips, using his thumbs to separate her slightly swollen vulva, extending his tongue towards her palpitating entrance.

With another wave of pleasure flooding her body with endorphins, Semiramis released a sonorous, yet subdued, sigh. Then, with a gratified smile on her face, one she never allowed others to see, she brought her face closer to