Chapter 163: Distraction
[September 11th DxD/May 5th DBT]
Though it was the day of a Blue Moon, Vahn only spent a short time in the Black Tower before returning to his palace to monitor the Straw Hats' raid on Impel Down from a theater-like command room. Grayfia and Venelana were with him, as usual, but instead of sitting next to, snuggling up to, or servicing him, they stood slightly behind and to his sides in a skimpy Maid outfit and white, black-trimmed negligee with stockings and bicep-length gloves.
'I hate this view...' thought Vahn, referring to the numerous blue-tinted displays he had erected to follow each member of the Straw Hats and, notably, Rayleigh. The scene reminded him of the initial powerlessness and eventual fury he felt during the Rating Game between Rias and Riser, and since he had sworn to himself that he would never be a bystander as the people he cared about fought, a feeling of discomfort swelled within Vahn's chest as the Straw Hats' ship, the sun and lion-themed Thousand Sunny, approached the infamous prison while submerged, protected from the sea's pressure by a giant bubble.
Though Impel Down was situated in the Calm Belt, a location plagued by colossal creatures known as Sea Kings, some of which exceeded tens of kilometers in length or height, the Thousand Sunny was able to navigate the perilous stretch of sea by emitting a dissonant frequency that caused the colossal creatures extreme discomfort. This didn't keep all Sea Kings away, but with Rayleigh on the deck, teaching the Straw Hats about Haki, they didn't have too much to worry about.
"For a world without Mana and Magic, they possess some extraordinary innovations..." remarked Venelana, noticing Vahn's sullen aura and hoping to alleviate it by breaking the oppressive silence hanging over him.
Recognizing that Venelana was speaking to him, as she rarely addressed Grayfia casually, Vahn briefly reflected before closing his eyes, exhaling a faint sigh, and responding, "Thank you for worrying about me..."
Punctuating his words, Vahn lightly smacked the armrests of his dark red leather, throne-like chair, prompting Grayfia and Venelana to initially take a seat with his arms wrapped around their bottoms and their legs crossed in a way the calf of their crossed leg to rest on his knees. Then, as he felt like having them closer, he promptly drew them to sit on his lap, his hands cupping their soft yet situationally toned abdomens as he buried his face into Venelana's neck and muttered, "I love you both..."
"Ara ara...how fortuitous..." hummed Venelana, angling her head so Vahn had easier access to her neck.
"Indeed..." muttered Grayfia, burying her face into Vahn's exposed nape as she sensually appended, "It would be tragic if our love for you wasn't reciprocated..."
Resisting the urge to push the two mature women down, Vahn settled on caressing their abdomens as he confided, "I don't think I'll be able to sit here and watch as things play out...I understand that the Straw Hats need freedom and opportunities to grow, but it doesn't feel right..."
"Then help them..." responded Venelana, turning her face to meet Vahn's gaze with narrowed eyes and a motherly smile as she stated, "Regardless of the path you choose for yourself, Grayfia and I are here to support, not inhibit you. We'll let you know if we believe you're making a decision you'll regret, but when it concerns divine intervention, it doesn't matter how bad things get as a consequence...taking action to aid those you care about is never wrong..."