endless path infinite cosmos Pt. 2

chapter 213

After leaving the Hostess of Fertility, Vahn leisurely made his way toward the cafe near Babel Tower where he was told to wait. He was in high spirits because this would be the first time he would be meeting Hestia and would likely be able to join her Familia on the spot. Though he enjoyed his time in the Hephaestus Familia, he never really did his job or acted the role of ones of its members. Other than interacting with a few of the key figures in the Familia, like Hephaestus, Tsubaki, and Welf, he didn't even talk to many others.

Though his intentions changed a bit as his relationship with Hephaestus developed, Vahn had always dreamt of joining the Hestia Familia ever since he came to this world. One of the reasons he had joined the Hephaestus Familia in the first place was so that he could meet Hestia in the future. He originally expected it to be closer to the start of the original storyline, but he had changed events to such a significant extent that she descended earlier. The fact that she was specifically descending for his benefit and to help Hephaestus made Vahn a little giddy with excitement.

After arriving at the cafe, Vahn was escorted by the staff to one of the VIP lounges where he was served coffee and pastries while he waiting for the arrival of Hephaestus and the others. Since he loved the taste of sweets and had grown fond of the bitter and robust flavor of coffee, Vahn was enjoying the leisurely and pleasant atmosphere. He was originally told Hestia would be descending around noon, and it was currently close to 1 PM, so Vahn had high expectations while his tensions continued to grow.

More than three hours later, Vahn had gone through several cups of coffee and had even excused himself to use the luxurious bathroom once. Though his tensions were still high, he was beginning to feel slightly concerned with how late it was getting. He assumed nothing had happened, especially considering that Loki would be certain to attend, but he still felt a little nervous as the day continued to progress. Eventually, it came time for him to enter the orb and, after the three days inside, he had completely lost all of his tensions by the time he returned.

Instead of worrying, Vahn decided to focus his mind and try to comprehend the [Mantra of Eternity] while he waiting. Since he could enter a meditative state relatively quickly without losing his awareness of the outside world, it was an easy way to pass the time. After a few more hours had passed, Vahn checked the system time and saw that it was nearly 8 PM and there hadn't been any word from the staff about their arrival. He even began to suspect he had come a day early, but the room had been specifically reserved for today or he wouldn't have been able to enter so easily.

Since the cafe closed at 8, Vahn had to leave the VIP lounge and exit the cafe with a bit of concern. Convincing himself nothing serious had happened, Vahn just released a short sigh before returning to his default state. The night air was cool and the stars were visible in the sky, so he decided it would be best to just walk back to the Inn and clear his head a bit. He would check with Hephaestus tomorrow and see if anything happened and likely meet Hestia then.

As he walked through the streets, Vahn passed by a stall where a small figure caught his eye and he paused for a bit because he immediately recognized her. She had also been watching him and showed a bright smile as she said, "Good evening~!" After her greeting, she held her hand to her chin in a contemplative fashion as she 'appraised' his body and asked, "Why are you walking around so late at night with such a sad look on your face?"

Vahn smiled at her antics and responded, "I was waiting for a kind and gentle goddess to come meet me. Unfortunately, it looks like today wasn't my lucky day..." The girl began to laugh in a cheerful manner before she said, "Well, at least you got to meet a beautiful girl like me~!" Vahn nodded his head in response and said in a gentle tone, "Indeed, if only the goddess I had been waiting on was as beautiful as you, I don't think I would have minded waiting for another few years if necessary."