Chapter 44: One a Day
"It feels like we've been in here a long time..." muttered Asia, borrowing Vahn's lap, chest, and shoulder as they rested in one of the passages of the Second Stratum's Sixth Floor. She had petitioned Rias passionately to let her join his party a few weeks earlier, but while he and Koneko couldn't be as uninhibited as before, Vahn enjoyed having her around.
"Mmm...about forty-one days..." revealed Vahn, having to confer with Sis as he had also lost track of the passage of days. There was no day-night cycle within the Corridor, so unless you were inside a Checkpoint, it was always around the same level of brightness while exploring.
"And how many more until we return...?" asked Asia, instinctively drawing her face closer to Vahn's neck, her hot breath tickling and moistening his skin as she spoke.
"Based on the current time compression and the rate at which it has been increasing, we still have around thirty-six days..." answered Vahn, causing Asia to hum contentedly, ostensibly satisfied by the answer.
"Nn...we've got company..." remarked Koneko, moving away from her position at Vahn's side and performing a cat-like stretch with her butt presented for his perusal before rising to face a group of six werewolf-like monsters. There was always at least one person moving around the Floor at any given moment, so while they were restricted to moving every 4.3 seconds, there were groups of monsters constantly patrolling.
"Wait. Let me take care of them," said Vahn, prompting Asia to, somewhat reluctantly, get off him, allowing him to stand. At the same time, Koneko moved around and stood behind him, clearing a path for him to stand with his left hand forward, within which was a golden, four-pronged vajra with ends resembling a dragon's claws. When activated, golden lightning shot forth from the end, arcing between and incinerating the werewolves from within.
"Magic is really powerful..." remarked Vahn, looking between the charred, dissolving remains of the werewolves and the vajra with somewhat mixed feelings. He couldn't deny that it was more efficient, but it was difficult to get excited or feel accomplished when he could defeat nearly everything they came across in one blow from afar.
"Nn...it's Master and his equipment that's powerful..." contended Koneko, staring at the vajra in Vahn's hand, an A-Rank weapon acquired using the OP obtained from selling Grayfia's abundant loot.
"Koneko-chan is right! Vahn-sama is amazing~!" exclaimed Asia, placing her palms together and clapping with the tips of her fingers.
"Thanks, but you two don't need to praise me every chance you get..." said Vahn, smiling as he unequipped his vajra and caressed the duo's heads. He really enjoyed receiving praise, but receiving it too often was starting to feel awkward...
"But doesn't Vahn-sama praise us just as often...?" asked Asia, tilting her head adorably.