"Tell me, Vahn, are you happy with your current life...?" asked Makarov, his expression serious but his tone patient.
"I am," affirmed Vahn, nodding for effect and attesting, "There are many things I wish I had done differently, but I'm too blessed to be dissatisfied with my life."
"Then consider this the ramblings of an old man," said Makarov, exhaling faintly from his nose before advising, "You should talk to those closest to you—the ones who have set you on your current path. From what you've said, it's clear they care for you but that you have very different views on what's normal or acceptable. You must reconcile these differences or the values you sought to uphold, and the person you once aspired to become will be replaced by what others need you to be. That isn't freedom. And it isn't your responsibility to shoulder the burden of everyone who comes to you in search of success or an escape..."
Gazing out over the plunge basin below, Makarov reflectively paused for several seconds before adding, "This may not be what you want to hear, but it sounds to me like you've traded one prison for another. You sought normalcy and should have been allowed to enjoy it. Instead, you've been elevated to the position of a God and someone others can use to elevate themselves..."
"..."
Unable to refute Makarov's words, Vahn gazed out over the horizon in contemplative silence. It was true that people used him to elevate their status or secure their positions, but he permitted it for the sake of the Dragon's Pavilion. More to the point, if he didn't have at least a marginal interest in the person approaching him, it wouldn't matter what they said or did; he wouldn't accept or support them.
"I will talk to those I generally receive advice from..." affirmed Vahn, his voice low as he added, "But you're wrong about me being responsible for those who come to me—at least before this conversation. My word is my promise, so I can't push away those like Wendy after they've spent years pining after me. I agree that it would be better if she found someone else, but if she chooses me, I will do my utmost to make her happy."
"Mmn...I can't bring myself to agree with that, but I also understand your position..." affirmed Makarov, closing his eyes and exhaling loudly from his nose before rising to his feet and conceding, "But Wendy is ultimately free to choose her own path, just as Erza and the others have. All I have left to say on the matter is that you, too, should be free to choose yours..."
Placing his hand on Vahn's right shoulder, Makarov gave it a few light pats before levitating a few centimeters off the stone ledge and diving down to the plunge basin below. Instead of dropping into the water, he unhurriedly changed direction, producing a smooth, sloping curve before leveling out and flying in the direction of Fairy Tail's transient Guildhall with the speed of a diving falcon.
'There he goes...' Vahn mused to himself, exhaling a profound sigh before lying back on the cool, slightly moist stone. He wanted to contend that he wasn't being forced to do anything, but while that wasn't a lie, he couldn't deny he felt compelled to meet the expectations of those around him. The most recent example was his compromise with the Sisters. He didn't enjoy being worshipped, but since they had chosen to venerate him of their own accord, he felt obligated to acknowledge and support them...
'And then there's my morning routine...' noted Vahn, exhaling another sigh. He wanted his children to have the best chance of succeeding in life, but with the backing and resources of the Dragon's Pavilion, it wasn't like they would be lacking in advantages. He greatly enjoyed supplying life essence to Grayfia, Venelana, Rias, Misla, Koneko, Yasaka, and occasionally Korra, but the routine aspect of it troubled him. Because once he was done, the aforementioned beauties would try not to bother him for the remainder of the day...
Realizing how much of his life was a series of obligations and people he loved giving him space, Vahn found himself wondering how he could have done things differently. The smartest thing he could have done was pick a Record without supernatural entities and magic. Within the Record of DxD, he could have put his foot down and rejected a harem on principle, but as much as he had opposed the idea in the past, Vahn could never forget the sense of satisfaction he got from getting Grayfia and Venelana to take him seriously and choose him over their negligent husbands...
Ostensibly sensing that he was thinking about her through their contract, Grayfia spontaneously appeared over Vahn, her feet flanking the sides of his head so he could see up the semi-translucent white sundress she was wearing. Vahn was already pitching a slight tent from merely reminiscing about his conquest of her and Venelana, so in response to her arrival, his not-so-little brother immediately stood at attention.
"It's a bit chilly here," noted Grayfia, staring down at Vahn's erection with expectant eyes as she proposed, "Shall we alight and relocate someplace more comfortable?"
"Mmn...we should..." confirmed Vahn, grasping Grayfia's calves, covered in white hose, and rubbing his hands up and down to relish their softness and warmth. Setting aside his regrets, claiming Grayfia as his woman was among his greatest triumphs. Thus, while he fully intended to discuss his current mental state with her, Venelana, and potentially the entirety of his harem, it could wait until after he had his fill of the mature woman's scent and body...
...
..
.
Following a comparably brief tryst with Grayfia, Vahn gathered everyone willing to attend on short notice to his bedroom to explain his position and intrapersonal struggles. He felt like he was betraying them by revealing he wasn't entirely satisfied with how things were developing, but to his relief, none of them appeared particularly surprised by the revelations.
"I take immeasurable pride in what we've built together and the mission statement of the Dragon's Pavilion, but I feel we're becoming too involved in too many things too quickly..." concluded Vahn, shaking his head before passing his gaze over the twenty-three women and one girl assembled to hear him. Kunou had insisted on attending the private gathering alongside her mother, so she was currently seated in seiza next to Yasaka—sporting a conflicted, slightly guilty frown.
Beating her mother to the punch, Rias, smiling confidently, asserted, "No matter what you decide, we will support you, Vahn. If you wish to take a step back from overseeing the Dragon's Pavilion to explore other worlds or gather experience as a mortal, none here would try to stop you. Rather, just as we accompanied you here, I would cherish the chance to immerse myself in a world alongside you."
Interrupting the approving nods and words of agreement that followed Rias's statement, Vahn's smile broadened as he affirmed, "I would also cherish such an opportunity. Where I hit a wall is with my sense of duty and responsibility. The simple fact of the matter is that I have the power and means to resolve nearly any issue I encounter within the confines of Invirtua. Without shedding my authority—undermining what we've been building until now—I will always seek to fix what I can. On the other hand, if I did relinquish it, I would feel and be partially responsible for every bad thing that happens that could have been prevented by it..."
"Sheesh...and I thought being Avatar was a lot of pressure..." muttered Korra, snugged up to Xenovia on a beige sofa with the latter's right arm behind her back and her hand resting on her butt.
"You can't be responsible for everything, Vahn," stated Venelana, seated to Vahn's left with her hand gently squeezing his thigh as she reminded, "That's why you created the Tower of Ascension and allowed inhabitants from the worlds connected to it to become Ascendees. Bad things might happen if you step down from your position, but even with you in it, there will always be evil and those who seek to obtain power. You can't be held responsible for that..."
"I know..." responded Vahn, closing his eyes and nodding slowly before contending, "But I can't back out of our agreements with Minato, Dragon, the Soul Society, and others. We promised an alliance of core worlds, and I intend to make good on it."
Preempting Venelana's response, Vahn gave her bottom a light squeeze as he passed his gaze over those present and expressed, "I won't ask us to cease what we're doing because I believe it's necessary for the sake of Invirtua as a whole. What I will ask is that we prioritize the integrity of the palace, codifying the Pavilion's organizational structure and systems, and better regulating the lower floors. Furthermore, I think we need to review the requirements for joining and remaining in the Maid Battalion. As much as I appreciate the sight of women walking around in Maid outfits, I don't want it to be a place where people settle..."
"Anything else~?" asked Venelana, her tone low, husky, and tinged with amusement. Everything Vahn was saying, excluding the parts regarding the Maid Battalion, were things that were already in the process of fixing. It was ironically his willingness to help those who came to him that kept them from doing so—not that she nor anyone else present minded. After all, it was his belief in their ability that gave Vahn the confidence to make promises and play his part as Dragon God.
Shaking his head, Vahn responded, "I've already kept everyone longer than I intended. We have the better part of four years to hammer out the details..."
"Alright, then, could I request that everyone but Grayfia please excuse themselves?" asked Venelana, directing the question as a statement to the room. In response, everyone rose to their feet and naturally formed a queue, compelling Vahn to rise from where he had been nestled between Grayfia and Venelana to see them off with hugs and kisses. This included Kunou, but in her case, he tousled her hair, combed back her bangs with his right hand, and kissed her smooth forehead before sending her after her mother...
...
..
.
With everyone else having cleared out, Venelana coaxed Vahn to lie down with his head on Grayfia's thighs before casually straddling him, her silk-veiled vulva parting around his diamond-hard shaft as she skillfully rolled her hips and noted, "There's something you wished to discuss with me, in particular, or am I mistaken?"
"Did you invite Kushina here because of what I said previously about her and Karin being my favorite heroines from Naruto...?" questioned Vahn, his expression and tone flat but his hands gravitating to Venalana's toned and remarkably round bottom.
Nodding once, slowly, Venelana revealed, "I would be lying if I said that had nothing to do with it. But it's likewise true that Minato feared that he wouldn't be able to protect her and their child during this transitive stage in Nihon-no-Kuni's development..."
"You know I trust in your judgment and value everything you do for me, Venelana..." stated Vahn, exhaling from his nose as he added, "But please cut back on plotting to have women join my harem. I doubt you intended to propose that she join us directly, but with how restrictive Kushina's life has been until now, seeing how open and forthcomingyou and the others are will inevitably stoke her curiosity..."
"You inadvertantly kissing her womb has already planted a seed," stated Venelana, smiling with narrowed eyes as she added, "But if you're certain you do not wish her to join our ranks, we can take measures to ensure her heart isn't swayed too greatly. The rest will depend on you, as she already feels greatly indebted to and desires to repay you..."
Though it was brief, Vahn couldn't help but imagine himself going to town on a flushed, legs-raised Kushina. Unfortunately, he held Minato in much higher esteem than Sirzechs or Zeoticus, so as much as he would cherish having Kushina in his harem, he couldn't tear her away from a man giving his all to improve their world for everyone who inhabited it...
...
..
.