endless path, infinite cosmos

chapter 51

Vahn awoke early the next morning and accompanied Lili to the City gates. He still had time before his meetup with Hephaestus, so he decided to enjoy the sunrise with Lili before she started her training. Lili was very pleased with the decision and spent the entire breakfast period humming away while happily eating the crepe Vahn had taken from his storage. (A/N: Seriously guys, I had some amazing seafood crepes and I can't help but write about them!)

After reminding her to take her training seriously, Vahn parted ways after Lili exited through the gate. Though he still had plenty of time, Vahn headed towards Hephaestus's workshop. On his way, he could feel the 'eternal flame' in his chest pulsate in a slightly more powerful manner. He enjoyed the feeling as he slowly made his way through the early morning traffic toward his destination.

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Vahn arrived outside the workshop nearly two hours before the designated time. The shop was currently closed, so he loitered around the area and just watched as residents of the City went about their day. He often found himself surprised at the sheer number of people in this world, and the variety of shapes and sizes they came in.

As the people made their way without taking notice of his observations, Vahn found himself wondering what each of their stories were. Unlike the manga that only showed a limited number of characters, he now saw hundreds of unique people that all had their own stories. Each of them had a past that shaped their current life, desires that determined their current state of mind, and goals that helped pave the way towards their future.

Though it had only been around eight months since he entered this world, and barely three weeks since he entered the City, Vahn found his current life to be infinitely more enriching than the entire 14 years of his previous life. He wondered how his future actions would shape his experiences even further into the future, and even began to imagine if he would ever interact with some of the people who moved about completely unaware of his current thoughts.

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With more than an hour still remaining, Vahn's reverie was interrupted by the sound of the door opening from behind. He saw Hephaestus giving him a bemused look with an awkward smile on her face. Though he was still a little absentminded, Vahn instinctually spoke the words that came to his lips. "Good morning, Hephaestus."

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Hephaestus had been observing Vahn crowd-watching almost since his arrival. When he had been making his way towards her workshop, she was able to vaguely sense his approach. Over time the feeling grew more powerful until she felt he was very near.

From inside the workshop, Hephaestus had been waiting on the other side of the door for Vahn to knock, but after nothing had happened for several minutes she decided to peek through the window to see what he was up to. She saw that he was staring into the crowd in a daze while watching people pass by. In his expression, she could see feelings of melancholy, hope, and even expectation. Afraid of interrupting his thoughts, she just idly watched him for nearly an hour before breaking out of her own reverie and deciding to invite him inside.

When she heard him greet her, the awkward feelings she had been experiencing immediately faded away. She returned a gentle smile and reciprocated his greeting. "Good morning Vahn. Come inside, I'll pour you a drink before we head out." Vahn nodded in response and entered through the door at her invitation.

They sat at a table where Hephaestus would often negotiate with her customers. There was a kettle for tea and coffee nearby, and Hephaestus filled two cups before passing one to Vahn. Vahn accepted the cup and deeply inhaled the rich fragrance, still not fully free from his earlier state of mind. He felt at peace and wanted the experience to last for as long as the circumstances would allow.