Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though she would have liked to give Artoria and Gray the opportunity to continue talking, Rin apologetically nipped that possibility in the bud by stating, "Sakura could be waking up soon. I don't want her to panic if I'm not there when she wakes up..." Since Sakura was just a six-year-old girl at the moment, it would certainly be discomforting for her to wake up to an empty house. Even if Illya, Circe, Nobunaga, Lakshmibai, and Scáthach were all nearby, they would currently be strangers to the young and confused Sakura. Having people she didn't know in her house, especially while her Okaa-chan was missing, would probably cause her to cry her eyes out. Illya might be able to wrangle her in pretty easily, but she was also in a rather 'peculiar' state of mind right now so it wasn't necessarily the best idea to rely on her...Gray seemed saddened by Rin's words while Artoria, understanding the sensitive nature of Sakura's situation, gave a polite bow before saying, "Some other time." This was immediately followed up by Vahn, however, smiling as he said, "You are free to stop by the Tohsaka Manor whenever you'd like Gray. Artoria and I will still be staying there until Rin returns to London..." With the completion of the Holy Grail War, Vahn knew that Rin's time before 'having' to return was already limited. This was even more so for people like Lord El-Melloi II and Gray as, now that their 'duty' was completed, they could be back in London before sunrise of the following day. Since it would probably be difficult for her and Artoria to contact each other later on, Vahn felt it was better the two talked about whatever was on Gray's mind before their separation.With a sudden hopeful expression on her face, Gray looked toward Lord El-Melloi II with big eyes, eliciting a sigh from the middle-aged Magus before he said, "It would be better if you aren't here when Madam Barthomeloi is around. At this point, I'd argue that you have a few months of vacation days if you want to take them. I understand how important an existence Artoria is to you...take your time, Gray..." Then, after saying that, Lord El-Melloi II alternated his gaze between Vahn and Rin before adding, "I trust you will better explain the situation before we have to face the Tribunal back in London. For the time being, I will entrust Gray to your care..." The last few words were directed to Vahn, causing Lord El-Melloi II to have an uncomfortable feeling in his heart as his intuition told him this might not actually be the best idea. His intentions were to have Gray collect information on Vahn before flying back to London with Rin but, seeing the casual smile on Vahn's face, Lord El-Melloi II slumbering paternal instincts, even though he wasn't Gray's father, began acting up...Unaware of the sudden internal struggle of her Mentor, Gray had one of the largest smiles Vahn had ever seen on her face as she brought her hands together and exclaimed, "Thank you~!" This seemed to actually 'impact' Lord El-Melloi II as, though it wasn't by much, his whole body flinched when Gray directed her lethal smile towards him. Now, even if he wanted to change his mind, the thought of seeing her suddenly heartbroken forced him to bury the words deep in his heart. He did, however, glare at Vahn in some vain attempt to keep the man from doing anything 'suspect' towards his protege. The only thing he got in response, unfortunately, was a confused blink, followed by Vahn tilting his head slightly as if to ask, 'Was there something?'.---Now with a plus-one accompanying them, the group was drawing even more attention as, even though there were differences in their appearance, seeing two ethereal qualities 'western' beauties walking side-by-side had quite the impact on the average Japanese person. Gray had lowered her hood after Artoria had asked, showing that they even had similar hairstyles, both with long fringe bangs framing their youthful and doll-like faces. Instead of letting their hair hang naturally, as it would get in the way during combat, both girls had neat french-style braided buns that Vahn had yet to identify how Artoria was able to style on her own. What stood out the most, at least to him, was the fact that both girls had a prominent 'ahoge', a tuft of hair that poked out from the tops of their head in defiance of the laws of gravity. When they excitedly talked to each other, Vahn could see how the ahoge moved about as if they had minds of their own, much like how a Chienthropes tail would wag when they were happy...After deciding he would need to explore this peculiarity at some point, as there were obviously some Laws at play he didn't understand, Vahn left the two to their own devices. They were walking a little bit behind the rest of the group but, if something did happen, Vahn could tell that both girls were still paying close attention to their surroundings and would be ready to react on a moment's notice. With that assurance, Vahn 'escorted' Rin through the cold morning traffic by holding her arm as, on his right side, Fenrir held his hand without minding the looks of passersby in the least. Other than Alaya, who she would periodically stare at for long periods of time, Fenrir didn't particularly care about the pedestrian traffic walking about. So long as they did not direct any disgust or hostility towards the group, which she was extremely perceptive to, she wouldn't bother with them...Though the entire trip took more than an hour, including a rather awkward train ride, Sakura was still sleeping soundly in her actual bedroom from childhood. Rin went to check on her immediately after they returned while Vahn went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for everyone. Though Gray tried to offer her assistance, even Artoria prevented her from 'interfering' in Vahn's 'creative process'. She had been genuinely shocked by Vahn's cooking skills and, as meal preparation had always been one of her pet peeves, Artoria's opinion of him had improved by leaps and bounds since she first tasted his highly nutritious food.One person that couldn't be kept out of the kitchen, however, despite Artoria's insistence, was none other than Circe. As if she had sensed that Vahn was cooking, she had quickly appeared at the door of the kitchen before immediately joining in. It wasn't until Vahn asked Artoria to go keep Gray company that the fretful Knight left them to take care of breakfast. This obviously made Circe very happy as, with it being just the two of them in the kitchen, she misconstrued Vahn's dismissal of Artoria as 'special treatment'. The truth of the matter was, as he intended to have Circe essentially become their organization's Chef, he merely wanted to see her cooking process up close...With Vahn 'peeking' over her shoulder, Circe was in a great mood as her wings flitted about happily while she used a combination of various spells to expedite the cooking process. Even at a glance, it was easy to see that she was far more comfortable in the kitchen than even Vahn was. He relied on extremely high-quality ingredients and a heavy focus on each phase of the meal preparation while Circe, as if it was easier for her than breathing, would handle dozens of ingredients at the same time. She skillfully handled most things with her telekinetic abilities while the surrounding tools and appliances 'literally' seemed to gain life as they began processing things for her. Vahn never realized how 'magical' making breakfast could be, causing him to watch in fascination as Circe completed a meal that could easily feed ten people in less than seven minutes...Being especially sensitive to others giving her attention, Circe was in an even better mood by the time she had finished cooking everything. With a playful smile on her face, Circe tossed the frilly apron she had been wearing toward Vahn, giggling as she said, "I normally don't let people watch me cook, so be grateful, okay~?" After finishing these words, Circe waited for Vahn to remove the apron from his face before jumping up and sneaking a kiss on his left cheek. Then, like a child who had successfully completed a prank, Circe quickly alighted from the kitchen, laughing like the Nymph she was all the while. This left Vahn the duty of carrying the surprising volume of food but, with a simple hand gesture, he easily stored it within his Inventory to make sure there were no 'tricks' hidden within the food's description...By the time Vahn reached the dining room, almost everyone was present, including Rin and a very sleepy-looking Sakura. She was still wearing the animal pajamas from the previous night, looking like an adorable tanuki as she bobbed her head without seeming to mind the presence of everyone else in the room. This all changed when she looked toward him, however, her big blue eyes showing a small amount of intrigue and confusion until Rin gave a somewhat awkward smile and whispered, "That is your Otou-sama..." Though Rin allowed Sakura to call her Okaa-chan, she knew it would be easier to explain Vahn's relationship with other women if Sakura was already used to addressing him with honorifics. In time, she intended to explain that Vahn was an 'Emperor', though she was still working out the details of that particular conversation in the back of her mind...As her memories of her father had effectively been erased after Merlin's 'intervention', Sakura seemed genuinely surprised by what her Okaa-chan had said. She suddenly became extremely bashful, hugging Rin's waist and burying her face into her abdomen without looking directly at Vahn. This caused Rin to look at Vahn for help, causing his own smile to soften as he made his way over and knelt down next to the two before stroking Sakura's back. The unfamiliar contact caused Sakura to peek out of the corner of her eye, seeing Vahn's face in close proximity with a gentle smile spread across his kindly expression. Eventually, Sakura seemed to summon up a bit of courage as, while still hugging Rin's waist, she sheepishly asked, "Are you really my Otou-sama...?"Without letting any hesitation or apprehension show on his face, Vahn nodded his head in response before gently rubbing Sakura's head as he answered, "Of course, my precious little cherry blossom..." Though showing her too much affection would probably cause Sakura to feel a bit of separation anxiety when she flew off to London, Vahn still wanted her to open up to him before then. Thus, after watching Sakura look to Rin for 'confirmation' once again, Vahn gently pulled the small girl in his embrace, hugging her frail body in much the same way he would his own children. This seemed to be all the confirmation she needed, causing Sakura to rest her head against his shoulder as she somewhat sleepily muttered, "Otou-sama...my Otou-sama..."----Using Sakura as a 'natural barrier' to prevent Circe from trying to forcefeed him breakfast, Vahn enjoyed having his new surrogate daughter sit in his lap as she somewhat messily ate her meal. Though Illya seemed to envy Sakura somewhat, the fact she had already called Vahn her Onii-sama made it hard for her to try and 'steal' the position from his 'daughter'. She knew he and Sakura weren't actually related but, as her own situation was already more than a little peculiar, she elected not to cause any drama for the impromptu family. This was largely due to the fact that she knew Rin and Sakura would be leaving for London in a few days, but that was beside the point. For now, she enjoyed the unexpected companionship of Fenrir who, for reasons she couldn't quite ascertain, was very kind to her...Though everyone had their own thoughts on various matters, breakfast proceeded in a relatively festive manner with everyone in high spirits by the meal's completion. Gray had originally just wanted to get along with Artoria but, after seeing the two of them talking amicably, most of the other Servants quickly joined the conversation. Nobunaga made a few less-than-appropriate comments but, understanding Vahn would probably be annoyed with her if she took things too far in front of Sakura, she made sure they were heavily layered in innuendo. This was still enough to get a bashful response from Gray while Artoria, having already gotten used to Nobunaga's uncouth behavior, lightly reprimanded her in response. As for Lakshmibai and Circe, the former also got along well with Gray and Artoria while the latter, finding herself seated next to Scáthach, was on her best behavior as she tried to make polite conversation with Fenrir and Illya. The only person who wasn't present was Heracles but, as he took a monstrous amount of mana to keep manifested, he would spend most of his time as a Spirit when Illya wasn't in danger...In this manner, breakfast proceeded without incident, punctuated by Vahn giving Sakura a kiss on her forehead before entrusting her to Rin once again. Afterward, he went into the Sub-Space Orb with everyone except Fenrir and Illya, as the latter would probably have a bad reaction to seeing him get brutalized by Scáthach. To her credit, Illya didn't make any attempts to argue against her staying outside the Orb, something Vahn would later learn was due to her desire to separate from Sakura and Rin 'sooner'. Though she didn't fully blame the two sisters for what she had experienced in the past, it was a simple fact that Rin had not only failed to prevent Gilgamesh from murdering her, when they were supposed to be allies, but she had also 'let' Shirou, her last real family, die as well. As a result, the 'shorter' the interval before she no longer had to see them, the better...Unaware of Illya's surprisingly level-headed analysis of her own trauma, Vahn was more focused on evading each of Scáthach's seemingly undodgeable thrusts. Unless he prioritized 'running', it was virtually impossible to avoid having her [Gae Bolg] pierce into his body. Since she knew it wouldn't actually kill, Scáthach wasn't shy when it came to using a weakened form of her Noble Phantasm to try and 'encourage' Vahn to dodge better. Since it would feel like hot thorns would branch through his body with even a light wound, Vahn really was pretty desperate in trying to evade her blows...Stepping back on his left foot, Vahn managed to avoid one thrust with Scáthach's spear only grazing against his cheek. At the exact same instant, however, a second spear cut through his Achilles tendon, sending him tumbling to the ground before Scàthach quickly followed it up by stabbing him through the chest. This was far from the first time Vahn had been skewered by Scáthach, but this time she added insult to injury by saying, "Stay focused. Do not pay attention to her." With this said, she flicked her wrist and, as if Vahn's weight was completely negligible, sent him flying several tens of meters through the air before slamming hard into the ground.Knowing that staying down would afford him no reprieve, Vahn instantly bounded back to his feet as he complained, "Yeah, I'm trying..." in an exasperated and pained tone. At the same time, he gave an annoyed glance toward Alaya who, from the start of the training session, had been hovering around like an annoying fly. Not only was she able to easily keep pace with his and Scáthach's movements, but even powerful shockwaves seemed to have virtually no effect on Alaya as she continued to stare unblinkingly at him getting thrashed by Scáthach. The latter didn't seem to appreciate the fact he had turned his attention away once again, breaking into Vahn's range in an instant as she stabbed both spears mercilessly into his abdomen...At the very same instant that Scáthach stabbed him, Vahn severed his connection with [Will of the Emperor], somewhat excited at the prospect he had ensnared his Teacher in a trap. To Scáthach's credit, she immediately let go of her spears but, as 'Vahn' obviously associated her as the reason there were two spears in his gut, his automated defenses had been activated. As a result, Vahn's pupils shrank to small points as he pulled out both [Gae Bolg] and almost instantly transformed into an exact replica of Scáthach. This caused Alaya's purple eyes to begin glowing, an obvious indication that she was both recording and analyzing the battle with even more scrutiny than before.Like a mechanical whirlwind of death, Vahn used smooth and precise movements that he couldn't even come close to emulating under normal circumstances. Scáthac, for the first time, was almost purely focused on defense as she used two short spears to deflect the majority of Vahn's blows. This wasn't enough to completely stop Vahn's assault, however, causing a few nicks and tears in the fabric of her bodysuit when he struck from a particularly difficult angle. Unfortunately for Vahn, this was an ultimately futile effort as, instead of piercing flesh, the spears passed across Scáthach's skin like a gentle caress without even leaving the shallowest of injuries...When Vahn performed a low sweeping spin, his body so low that his face nearly touched the ground, Scáthach seemed to have lost her patience with his little stunt. Though he wasn't able to appreciate it until later, a small smile spread across the cold beauty's face as time around them seemed to slow to a crawl. Immediately following this, Scáthach stabbed towards Vahn's chest with the most basic thrust imaginable, something even a novice would be able to perform. As he naturally moved to try and deflect it, however, [Laplace's Key] seemed to 'fail' him as Scáthach's spear continued forward undaunted as his own parry struck empty air. When he viewed the 'memory' latter, Vahn experienced one of the most severe shocks of his life as, every time he looked at the memory, the trajectory of Scáthach's spear would change. The only thing that didn't change was the outcome, resulting in her simple stab entering into his chest before fading into a deep state of unconsciousness...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sending a little lamb into the wolf's den...','Otou-sama...?','What it means to have spearmanship beyond comprehension...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though they were slightly pressed for time, Vahn wanted to wait until Illya had calmed down a bit before they returned to the Manor. He would need to discuss things with Rin a bit before reporting the completion of the Holy Grail War and the destruction of the Greater Grail. Originally, Rin would have been the one taking the fall for the grail's destruction as, even if the Mage's Association was upset by the event, there wasn't too much they could do to her as one of the three families involved in the creation of the Heaven's Feel ritual. With the destruction of the Makiri and the fact that Illya could make a strong case for becoming the Einzbern's Head once again, they simply had no grounds to stand on if they wanted to try any of the involved parties. There was also the fact that Luvia and Lord El-Melloi II had already been intending to support Rin in the event of any trouble, putting the Mage Association in a difficult position if they wanted to try and throw around false accusations...While thinking about the future, Vahn's hands hadn't been idle as both Fenrir and Circe had been receiving his 'affection' in the form of head pats. It seemed like Circe was quickly becoming fond of them after a short period of time, especially with how her ears would waggle adorably as she shifted her weight from side-to-side happily. Since now was the most convenient time to deal with it, Vahn caused her eyes to snap open when he removed his hand and said, "You need to turn everyone here back into a human. It will cause unnecessary antagonism towards our group if you transform normal civilians into animals. You've had your fun so it's time to change them back..."Though it didn't seem like Circe was fond of the idea, given that she seemed to consider it deeply for several long seconds, she eventually nodded her head before answering, "Okay, but, in exchange, you'll have to shower me with a whoooole lot more affection later~." In response to this, Vahn gave a small nod of his own before plainly stating, "So long as you don't go around causing trouble for others, I don't mind pampering you every now and again. You should also keep in mind that I may punish you if you act out though..." Even if he hadn't come up with a suitable punishment for Circe just yet, Vahn knew he would need 'something' to reign her in. She seemed a bit scatter-brained but Vahn figured she would 'learn' quickly if he treated the matter seriously...Without taking Vahn's warning to heart, Circe went out picking up each piglet before kissing their foreheads in turn. This caused the small animals to quickly begin morphing back into humans who, as Vahn should have anticipated, were all naked. Circe didn't seem to care about this at all but, while Illya might not exactly look her age, Vahn felt it wasn't a suitable sight for a young lady. Thus, after entrusting the task of taking care of the girls to Artoria and Fenrir, Vahn went through the process of helping change the Ryuudou Temple residents and visitors into more suitable attire. Fortunately, their memories during their transformation wouldn't carry over as their ego and personalities were suppressed by Circe's magic. To make sure there were no negative side-effects, however, Vahn had Merlin look around inside their minds and make the whole ordeal seem like nothing more than a strange dream...By the time all of Circe's victims had been tended to, including a fat and despotic individual who Circe begrudgingly pointed out as her former Master, Illya had finally calmed down enough to be able to hold a conversation. Though she had red and swollen eyes, there was a big smile on her face as she bowed in an overly polite manner and said, "Thank you...I am sorry for attacking you before. As I will be in your care from now on...if it pleases you, I would like it if you call me Illya."Though he had actually been referring to her as Illya this entire time, as that is how Rin and Artoria referred to her, Vahn knew it was 'significant' that Illya herself was giving him permission to. As a result, he gave a warm smile as he reached out his hand and began to stroke her surprisingly soft white hair. This initially caused her to flinch but, a few seconds after Vahn's hand came into contact with her head, Illya's face had morphed into a contented smile. Then, though it may not be the best way to phrase things, Vahn expression softened even further upon seeing her smile, followed by him stating in a gentle tone of voice, "I will do my best to make you happy, Illya..."Hearing Vahn's words, Illya opened her big eyes and stared up at him as if she were able to see through whether or not he was telling the truth. Then, feeling the warm and inexplicably comfortable feeling coming from Vahn's palm, Illya's smile turned even more radiant as she gave an adorable "Nn!" Following this, Vahn felt like his heartstrings were being tugged on when Illya suddenly asked, "Is it okay if I call you...Onii-sama...?" Though she was going on thirty years old, Vahn was well over 150 and had intended to treat Illya almost like a surrogate daughter. If she wanted to be his little sister instead, however, he didn't mind all that much. As a result, Vahn sent a wave of calming energy into her head as he answered, "Of course you can...Illya..."---With Illya in a state where moving around wouldn't be troublesome for her, Vahn and co quickly returned to the Tohsaka Manor to avoid having to deal with the Holy Church and any other enemies that might appear. It was hard to know how people would be moving, especially after Akasha erased the memories associated with most of the Holy Grail War's deaths. He was more than a little curious how something like Gilgamesh destroying a small part of the City would be 'explained away' now that there weren't any victims of the event. At the same time, Vahn wondered whether or not the attack against the Makiri would have been included in the scope of Akasha's memory erasure. If that were the case, Sakura's position might become a little strange since there was a very real chance that any memory of the Makiri's horrible Magecraft had also been erased...Just as she had before, Nobunaga leaped down from her 'roost' atop the Manor before Vahn was able to pass through the gate. She passed her blood-red eyes across Circe and Illya for a brief moment before looking at Vahn with a taunting smile. This made it apparent that she was unable to see Alaya but, as that wasn't all that important, Vahn's expression hardened a bit as he said, "Don't even start, Nobu...come, let's go inside. I'll explain everything once we're all gathered together." Since he knew Nobunaga was going to try and tease him about being a 'lolicon', Vahn tried to nip her expected reaction in the bud. Now was neither the time nor the place for such remarks as, if possible, he would rather Illya actually fall into the persona of a child instead of developing any strange thoughts...Giving a dismissive shrug in response, Nobunaga then began tapping her matchlock on her shoulder as she did an about-face and led the way through the gate. She knew there was always some kind of reason behind everything Vahn did, even if it almost seemed nonsensical at times. Since he said he would explain things, Nobunaga was interested to hear what kind of fantastical story he would come up with this time around. Little did she know that, while her imagination had already gone to a few extremes, her wildest imagination was actually far tamer than what had actually happened...As everyone else was heading into the Manor, Merlin came to a stop outside before tapping the ground to draw Vahn's attention. When the latter looked back with a questioning look in his eyes, Merlin explained, "There are matters I must attend. Worry not, as I will find you when the times allow. The future you will create, I intend to see it with my own eyes. Until then, farewell, Vahn, Artoria, Illyasviel..." Though it looked like he was about to make the rounds and call everyone by name, Merlin's body had vanished by the time he mentioned Illya. In a way, this made it clear that he was only interested in a few members of their group. Since Circe and Fenrir didn't particularly care about him either, they, fortunately, didn't seem to mind the small slight in the least...After entering into the Manor proper, Rin was waiting for them in what looked like a sleeping robe as she nursed a cup of hot coffee. The light from sunrise was slowly beginning to brighten the horizon so it wasn't all the difficult to imagine why Rin was tired after everything that happened the previous night. Though she hadn't been involved in the fighting, it couldn't be easy coping with the idea of suddenly having to raise your sister as if she were your daughter. Rin was probably thinking about all the hassles she would have to deal with, not because of Sakura, but due to the nature of the Mage's Association and the Magus Community in general. This, combined with the fact that several enemies were lurking about, only added to her rising stress levels...With a tired smile on her face, Rin supported her coffee cup with both hands as she said, "Welcome home..." In response to this, Vahn surprised her a great deal by casually walking forward and giving her a light kiss on her forehead before answering, "We're home..." in a slightly teasing voice. This seemed to help Rin wake up a great deal, as her fatigued expression melted away into a far more bashful one as she turned away from Vahn and complained, "Not in front of everyone..." in a demure manner. Though Vahn had kept his actions relatively tame, Rin could see Illya standing next to Fenrir, something that made her feel more than a little uncomfortable since the young girl was actually her senior...Once Rin had calmed down a bit, Vahn spent the better part of two hours explaining the situation to her, including the details surrounding his contact with the Root, the fact that Alaya was now assisting him, and his intentions for creating an organization to oppose Angra Mainiiu in the future. Each of these revelations garnered an almost comical response from Rin who, by the time Vahn had finished, couldn't help releasing a tired sigh as she complained, "I swear, everything you do is so 'extreme'..." Though Rin had thought she was beginning to get used to how chaotic things around Vahn seemed to get during the Holy Grail War, these new revelations reinforced the idea that she was a much 'smaller' existence than he was. These emotions, however, weren't enough to stop her from lightly slapping her own cheeks before saying, "Yosh! I might not be able to do much right now, but I'll do my best to help find support within the Mage's Association. Once I've sorted out all the things I need to take care of, I'll come and help you out directly...just make sure there is still a place for me, okay?"If not for the fact they were seated across from each other, Vahn would have run his hand along Rin's back to remind her of the fact she had his crest permanently embedded there. Since this wasn't an option, he instead smiled affectionately before stating in a sincere tone, "Always." Though he could have used more flowery words, Vahn figured keeping it simple was more than enough to get his point across. Given how Rin showed a genuine smile, complete with a small blush, Vahn figured it had been effective.---With the larger explanations completed, Vahn and Rin had started to discuss how they would deal with the Mage's Association in the future, specifically what they would tell Lord El-Melloi II. With the Greater Grail having been destroyed, there was bound to be a few issues that would need to be addressed in the short term. To make things a little easier, Vahn agreed to turn over a few fragments of the Greater Grail so smoothen things over as, with something to gain from the situation, it would be much easier to pacify the Mage's Association. Following this, they also discussed how Sakura was faring, a topic that brought a conflicted smile to Rin's face as she explained, "I'm not quite sure what to make of the situation, honestly...Understanding that the topic was probably going to get sensitive, Vahn had Fenrir go get Illya situated in one of the guest bedrooms while Scáthach's gaze was enough to get Circe to behave and grant them some privacy. Since Nobunaga had already left after listening to Vahn's explanation, this only left him, Rin, and the silent Alaya in the room after Artoria politely excused herself. As Alaya would still be 'present', even if he asked her to leave, Vahn decided it was best to simply ignore her for the time being as he asked, "Did something happen...?" It was easy to see from Rin's behavior that something unexpected had occurred, perhaps due to the fact the Makiri had been eliminated and potentially 'erased' from memory...Now that Vahn was seated next to her, Rin had already started leaning into his shoulder as she released a tired sigh and answered, "Her memories seem 'wrong'...the first thing she called me after waking up was 'Okaa-chan'..." After this, Rin went into great detail about how Sakura seemed to genuinely believe that Rin was her mother, even though her appearance wasn't all that similar to their actual mother, Aoi Tohsaka. By the time she was finished explaining everything, Vahn already had a good idea what had happened as, during that time, Merlin had undoubtedly been spying on them. Though he had likely intended it as an act of good faith, the fact he had essentially re-written Sakura's memories was a marginally uncomfortable thought. It wasn't all that dissimilar to what he had done, however, so Vahn couldn't exactly blame the errant Magus for wanting to help...With that in mind, Vahn discussed his thoughts with Rin, causing her to actually show a bit of relief as, before then, she thought Sakura was just projecting after experiencing a deep trauma. Though it was more than a little heartbreaking to imagine that Sakura had forgotten their actual mother, she felt it might be the best, at least for the time being. What had happened to their mother was a tragic event that Sakura was, perhaps, better off never learning of. At the same time, however, Rin couldn't help producing a wry smile as she leaned against Vahn's shoulder and muttered, "To think I suddenly have a six-year-old daughter at only twenty-seven...I wonder how I'm supposed to explain this to everyone back at the Clock Tower..."Though there weren't all that many people that knew about her actual family situation, Rin knew that the higher-ups within the Mage's Association would be able to put the pieces together quickly. This ultimately didn't change her plans but, knowing there was a chance one of her enemies would try to reveal the truth to Sakura, Rin couldn't help feel a little apprehensive. The next few years were going to be especially difficult as, with the fallout of the Holy Grail War, all of her actions would be heavily scrutinized. For a brief moment, she even thought about entrusting Sakura to Vahn as, no matter how she looked at it, it felt like he would be a better Guardian than she could be a Mother. However, remembering how much she already owed Vahn, regardless of how he saw things, Rin didn't want to trouble him with her family's issues...Regardless of Rin's own intentions, Vahn could feel her apprehension and had already decided he would get involved with the two sisters turned Mother-Daughter. In response to Rin's concerns about the Clock Tower, Vahn plainly stated, "I know you have a few things to take care of within your own faction and alliance. You should consider entrusting Sakura to the care of the Edelfelt or El-Melloi families until you are able to stabilize. After that, I can come retrieve the two of you once I have established the roots of my organization. With your knowledge of the inner workings of the Mage's Association and the Magus Community, there is a chance we can avoid troublesome conflicts before the emergence of Angra Mainiiu in ten years time..."Hearing Vahn essentially telling her to come and live with him in the future, Rin felt her heart begin to speed up a bit, even though she was already intending to join his organization in the future. The only thing that could have made her happier right now is if he suddenly claimed that he would no longer freely hand out his love like pieces of candy that seemingly anyone could grab. She could only imagine how many strong and capable Heroic Spirits he would have surrounded himself with by the time she and Sakura went to stay with him. Even though Vahn had shown great restraint in the past, something that had frustrated her greatly, Rin was very aware that this was no longer the case. Since many female Heroic Spirits had strong personalities and very 'skewed' perceptions of the relationships between men and women, Rin was afraid there would 'literally' be more than twenty women surrounding Vahn in just a few year's time...Releasing a heavy sigh, Rin once again admonished herself for falling in love with a man who had no restraint when it came to interacting with powerful women. Since Ereshkigal and Ishtar were also fond of him, on top of making her body their 'permanant' vessel, there wasn't much she could do about the situation. After all, Vahn was a very capable man and, even with all his failings, he would still make a good father to Sakura. Of course, when this thought crossed her mind, Rin's face turned scarlet as she began to pinch Vahn's side, even if it was completely ineffective against him. This futile action only put an affectionate smile on the latter's face, exacerbating Rin's embarrassment a great deal...After collecting herself a bit, Rin decided to get 'even' with Vahn, even if it was actually just a poor excuse to see how he would respond. With that in mind, Rin looked directly at him with a 'serious' expression on her face as she asked, "Will you be Sakura's father? I'm not sure if Merlin gave her any memories related to a secondary parental figure. If..." Before Rin could stammer on any further, Vahn quickly settled the turmoil in her heart by showing an equally serious expression as he answered, "Of course. Though our familial situation will undoubtedly be a little strange, I have no problem fulfilling the responsibilities as Sakura's father..." As he said this, Vahn slipped his hand around Rin's waist, an action that made her heart begin to beat even faster since it almost felt like he was laying claim to her. However, when she thought about all the things she owed Vahn, Rin felt this was a surprisingly appropriate way to view the situation...Though Vahn hadn't exactly implied that they were married, Rin knew they would still have to fill out a family registry together as Sakura's parents. This caused her face to turn beet red as she began to breathe audibly through her nose. Since it felt like she was 'expecting' it, Vahn used this opportunity to lean in and give Rin a probing kiss, one that almost immediately turned into something far more passionate. If not for the fact they were in the study, and there were other pressing matters to attend, things very well might have developed even further. At the same time, at least from Vahn's perspective, the mood was somewhat ruined by the fact that Alaya was hovering over them as she closely observed their actions with her emotionless purple eyes...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Emperor, Onii-sama, Father, Master...what a day...','RIP Rin's common sense','*Data Collection Intensifies*')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1093: Meeting