MTLNOVEL Chapter 141: Leisure
After a few days of indulging in Xenovia's body, Vahn restored the flow of time to normal and decided to join her in the gym, modeling a black and grey compression shirt and shorts as he leg-pressed ten tonnes with only moderate difficulty. Xenovia performed deep squats using 500kg weights nearby, but Vahn's focus was largely on the six semi-transparent windows hovering before him, each depicting an ongoing conversation.
Unsurprisingly, the predicament Nami and the Straw Hats were in hadn't been resolved by his choosing to intervene, rescue Robin, and eliminate Rob Lucci. The entire reason she had chosen to cooperate with CP-9 was that they had threatened to utilize an island-destroying Buster Call on the Straw Hats, annihilating Water 7 and massacring tens of thousands in the process. Fortunately, they had yet to follow through on that threat, largely because Vahn had stolen the Golden Den Den Mushi used to invoke it, but now a veritable fleet of Marines was congregating on the island, and the Straw Hats lacked both a ship and the pretense necessary for their canon shipwright, Franky, to join their crew.
'What a mess...' thought Vahn, putting a little too much strength into his legs, causing the press to break and the weight to crash heavily and very loudly to the ground.
"Is something the matter...?" asked Xenovia, carefully setting down her own weights before wiping her brow with a towel, her shapely and well-trained body barely veiled by a pair of navy-blue, spat-like shorts and a sports bra.
"It's nothing too serious," responded Vahn, exhaling exasperatedly from his nose as he appended, "I'm just reminded that actions invariably have consequences..."
"If there's anything I can do, you need only give the order," said Xenovia, her expression and tone exuding resolution.
"Yes, I'm well aware..." responded Vahn, gesturing for Xenovia to come closer before patting his lap, prompting her to straddle and observe him silently. Then, as she understood that there were times when Vahn just wanted a woman to sit on his lap as he gathered his thoughts, she closed her eyes and remained completely silent.
As Xenovia assumed, Vahn wasn't in the mood to have sex, but caressing her sides and staring at her navel helped him think. The simplest solution to the Straw Hats' problem was to provide them with a ship. He had even prepared one in advance, so the real issue was Franky. The man wasn't just the Straw Hats shipwright but one of their main combatants. Without him, there was no chance Luffy and Co could successfully sail the Grand Line.
'I should trust Luffy's fate and ability to form connections...worst-case scenario; I can intervene after they're separated at Saboady. Assuming that even happens...' thought Vahn, casually pulling up Xenovia's bra to expose her large, perfectly shaped breasts before drawing her forward so that they enveloped his face. Fondling her butt felt even better when she was wearing spats, so he spent several minutes doing so until...
[Nami and Nico Robin have entered the Crimson Palace]
Receiving the same notification, Xenovia sat up and looked to the gym's entrance, remarking, "We have guests..." in a relaxed tone that belied her moderate annoyance.
"They're Class 2s..." muttered Vahn, referring to the classification system Venelana and Grayfia had devised to distinguish the importance of guests and the degree of respect/services they were entitled to. Class 1 included his prospective wives and their future children, while Class 2 included his interim lovers, concubines, and servants such as Xenovia herself. In other words, she should treat Nami and Robin casually.
[Nami is requesting a Telepathic Link]
Seeing the notification, Vahn accepted but continued caressing Xenovia's bottom as he asked [What's up?] in a relaxed tone.
[What are you up to?] asked Nami, appending [Robin and I came to hang out.]
[I'm currently in Gym Beta with another of my women] responded Vahn, pausing briefly before stating [But we can come over if you're looking for company.]
Following several seconds of silence, where she presumably discussed things with Robin, Nami eventually affirmed [Alright. We'll be waiting for you in the bath. Don't keep us waiting too long.]
Feeling the connection cut, Vahn exhaled faintly from his nose and asked Xenovia, "You ready to make some new friends...?"
"At the very least, I should become acquainted with them..." responded Xenovia, leaning her head back as Vahn drew her abdomen to his lips, soothing the aching feeling in her womb by kissing just below her belly button. She would have preferred it if they had sex, but feeling his gentle and warm energy permeate her belly and spread to the rest of her body, making her feel like she was basking in the warm rays of the sun, brought a contented smile to Xenovia's face...
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"Oh, wow...you weren't kidding when you said you prioritized quality over quantity..." remarked Nami, her brows rising and eyes widening when she saw Xenovia's attractive face atop her masterfully sculpted body. Before that moment, Nami felt muscles detracted from a woman's overall beauty. Seeing Xenovia completely shattered that misconception, so much so that she wondered if she should start exercising more...
"Indeed..." hummed Robin, her eyes focused on Xenovia's toned but not too toned abs as she remarked, "If this is the quality of women you keep, I may need to work hard to ensure I'm not left behind..."
Stepping into the bath with Vahn trailing behind her, Xenovia adopted a practiced smile, stating, "My name is Xenovia Quarta, Captain of Vahn's as-of-yet-established Maid Battalion. It's a pleasure to meet you both..."
"Maid Battalion...?" repeated Nami, her surprised expression relaxing into a more neutral but approachable look. She wasn't too interested in getting to know Vahn's women from other worlds, but since she intended to enter and remain in his inner circle, she couldn't be too standoffish.
Nodding, Xenovia moved aside to let Vahn position himself between Nami and Robin before sitting atop his right shin, relaxedly grinding against it as she explained, "It's an all-female service corps of women who are loyal to Vahn and specialize in magical or martial combat. There are currently only three official and one provisional member, but our numbers could increase to six with the two of you..."
Blinking in surprise, Nami asked, "Why would we want to become Maids? No offense to you or Vahn, but Robin and I are bonafide Pirates. We're not exactly the service-minded type."
Drawing Robin's and Nami's gaze, it was Vahn who answered, "It's tied to the Law of Equivalence. Just as you are rewarded for defeating monsters in the Tower and can use Tower Points to exchange for items in the Shop, all things have a price. For example, my Intervention in your world was the equivalent of tossing a boulder into the stream or flow of what you might call fate or destiny..."
Closing his eyes and exhaling from his nose, Vahn appended, "Now, your world is effectively trying to write a play missing a main actor. Things will eventually level themselves out, but if I continue taking direct action like I did the other day, the consequences will become increasingly disastrous if I don't take more..."
Though Nami was even more confused after Vahn's explanation, Robin got the gist of what he was trying to say, remarking, "In other words...if we expect you to intervene in our world, we have to be willing to provide compensation. Since being your women almost unilaterally favors us, that means serving others..."
"Wait...you're not talking about prostitution, are you...?" questioned Nami, her brows furrowing and her expression losing any semblance of positive emotion.
"Absolutely fucking not..." responded Vahn, staring at Nami with a look of offense as he asked, "Have you completely lost your mind?"
Not expecting the ever-relaxed and affable Vahn to snap at her, Nami found herself at a complete loss, her lips parting but no words coming out. In hindsight, she realized her question was extremely foolish since Vahn didn't even want them flirting with other men, but hearing Robin mention compensation and serving others, what else was she supposed to think?
Exhaling loudly, Vahn closed his eyes, shook his head, and muttered, "I'm sorry for snapping at you...but even if I have multiple women, I try to treat each of you with the respect and courtesy you're due. I don't mind a bit of playful ribbing and dark humor, but that's crossing the line..."
"I didn't mean to—" started Nami, exhaling a frustrated sigh and sporting a sullen, pouty expression as she expressed, "I'm sorry...I'm also grateful to you for helping Robin, so please tell me more about being a part of this Maid Battalion group..."
Chiming in to help alleviate the awkward tension that had permeated the air, Xenovia took it upon herself to explain, "For the rank and file, it means cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and generally making yourself available to serve or service Vahn. Fortunately, most of the palace's facilities, such as this bath, are entirely self-cleaning. So, unless you possess a special skill, such as cooking, you may only have to wear a specific uniform while walking around, lounging, or performing tasks higher-ranking Maids such as myself assign you."
Rising to her feet, revealing her naked body without shame, Xenovia dried herself by discharging a warm burst of Touki. Then, as Vahn had given her and everyone else who stayed with him provisional access to the Tower's System, she opened her Inventory and equipped a low-cut, frilly-sleeved Maid top, a white choker with a large red ribbon, white Maid cuffs with red buttons, and white side-tie panties with a tiny red ribbon on the front. The complete outfit included thigh-high white stockings with a red ribbon and frills, black heels with a red ribbon on the front, and a frilly headdress, but the latter was optional, and she was presently standing in water.
"This is an example of the attire you might be expected to wear," revealed Xenovia, adding, "It changes daily, but every Maid of a similar rank wears the same uniform unless Vahn requests or allows them to wear something else."
"That's all...?" asked Nami. "We just have to wear sexy outfits while we're here?"
"For the most part," confirmed Xenovia, unequipping her outfit and taking a seat before explaining, "Those like us are categorized as Tier or Class 2 palace residents. Tier 1 includes Vahn's wives, fiancees, and children, and so long as the request they make isn't excessive or deliberately harsh, we are expected to comply. It ultimately depends on which floor you've been assigned to and how great your karmic deficit is."
"I recall Vahn mentioning Karma when he came to my aid..." remarked Robin, leaning into Vahn with her right shoulder as she supposed, "Am I correcting in assuming that a karmic deficit refers to the void left within the flow of fate when someone from outside intervenes?"
"That's precisely what it is..." confirmed Vahn, regaining a smile as he drew both Robin and Nami closer by their waists and explained, "Broadly speaking, Karma is what determines whether good or bad things happen to a person. It might not seem fair, but if you perform many good deeds, you will either be drawn to, or those with a surplus of negative Karma will be drawn to you as the universe's way of balancing the scales. When you request outside help, commonly called Divine Intervention, a tremendous cost is typically paid upfront. When that cost isn't paid, it creates a karmic deficit that attracts tragedy and misfortune."
"Is that why nothing seems to be going our way back in Water 7...?" asked Nami, a bead of sweat trickling down her left cheek at the realization she may have done something she shouldn't have by pressuring Vahn to help them.
"That's just the sequelae, the ripples from my intervention..." responded Vahn. "Most of the deficit was actually accrued by me since I didn't ask for payment beforehand. That's why I left immediately after dealing with Robin's captors. If I had stayed, things would have gotten even more out of hand..."
"Is there anything we can do...?" asked Robin.
Nodding, Vahn explained, "The best course of action is to face whatever hardships come your way head-on. Divine Intervention is something you should only seek when all other options have been exhausted. As for how you can repay me...you don't need to worry about that. A certain someone might have pressured me, but it was ultimately my decision to intervene. I will deal with the fallout myself..."
Piggybacking off Vahn's words, Xenovia explained, "No one who serves in the Maid Battalion is there because they were compelled to join. We serve Vahn because he cares for and provides for us of his own accord. Nami here, at the very least, should understand that the sole thing he asks from his lovers is their loyalty. Things like the Maid Battalion are constructs that those of us closest to him created to safeguard him. Because, as I'm sure Pirates like yourselves can understand, there are many who would seek to take advantage of his power and compassion..."
Understanding that Xenovia was referring to people like themselves, Robin's gaze lowered thoughtfully while Nami adopted a cramped smile. Neither of them harbored malicious intentions toward Vahn or planned to misuse his power, but they did intend to use it. To compensate him, they offered their bodies. But with women like Xenovia around, willfully serving him, they were definitely toeing a line they shouldn't cross...
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