Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though she had started off somewhat awkward, it only took a few minutes of talking about the subject she was most comfortable with for Olga to slowly relax. Since it was pretty interesting, Vahn had no trouble following along and, with his own knowledge of Astronomy, he was able to continue the conversation by asking pertinent questions. By the end of their conversation, Olga had a genuine smile on her face as, other than her father, she never really had anyone she could about Astronomy with in great detail. She had cut herself off from most of her peers in the branch families and, with students often pestering her on the same subjects over and over, it was rare for her to be able to talk about her own interests and findings...At this point, almost everyone else in the castle was already asleep, the only exceptions being the two of them and Da Vinci. Vahn knew it had been a long day for Olga and, though she had woken herself up by talking about something that interested her, it was beginning to get late. Though it would take her some time to fall asleep, a hot bath and a comfortable bed would go a long way toward helping her achieve this goal. Then, as she drifted off into her dreams, Vahn expected she would look back on today's memories fondly, albeit with a bit of bias.Since he didn't want to push her too much in one day, Vahn waited until there was a natural lull in the conversation before politely stating, "This conversation has been very pleasant, Olga. I can see you have a lot of passion for your research..." Then, even though Olga had a somewhat sad look flash across her eyes, Vahn rose to his feet and swept the dishes on the table away as he remarked, "It is about time for us both to retire, I'm afraid. There is plenty of time for such discussions in the future...you don't have to rush everything all at once..." As he said this, Vahn helped Olga to her feet and, taking the initiative himself, extended his arm to escort her.The walk to the Inner Sanctum wasn't too far, around five minutes by passing through the corridors that were supposed to be used by Servants to move about the castle quietly. Vahn didn't mind using these passages for himself as, rather than walking the 'official pathways', it was much faster to take these built-in shortcuts. As for Olga, she was silent since the end of the conversation but, compared to how fidgety she was earlier, this was a drastic improvement. He knew she was still lost in her own thoughts but, as being introspective wasn't really a negative quality, Vahn just guided her toward her room at a slow and leisurely pace.It wasn't until they reached the door to her room that Olga came back to her senses and, seeing the increasingly familiar portal, her face formed into a small frown. Then, somewhat surprisingly, Olga took a long and slow breath, mustering up her resolve to say something Vahn knew would be rather problematic. Since he didn't want to punctuate the otherwise successful evening with an event that would send her down the veritable rabbit hole once again, Vahn preempted Olga's words by casually extricating his arm and saying, "You have worked hard today, Olga. Make sure you take a warm bath and rest properly. I have other matters to attend, so I will see you later..." As he said this, Vahn lightly caressed Olga's head, an action that caused her to make a complicated expression that seemed both happy and troubled at the same time...Not wanting to keep Vahn from his other duties, as he had already spent a lot of time and effort on her throughout the day, Olga gave an understanding nod before producing a wry smile as she said, "Don't push yourself too hard...make sure you get some rest later..." Though she committed a slight faux pas by not addressing him with any form of honorifics, Vahn genuinely didn't care about such things in a non-political scenario. Olga would undoubtedly realize her mistake while replaying these events in her mind so Vahn just continued to smile politely as he removed his hand and began to walk away. He was aware of the fact that Olga followed his retreat the entire way so, instead of just going back to his room, Vahn decided to check in on Da Vinci before getting some rest himself...---After Vahn's figure had disappeared, Olga entered into her room before closing the door behind her and collapsing with her back against it. Though she had put on a strong front toward the very end, her heart was beating so furiously she could feel its steady pulse in her ears. Talking with Vahn had been a lot of fun and, after everything he had done for her, even if it was all just a means of tricking her, Olga felt like she needed to repay him. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that her livelihood and future was in his hands but, instead of treating her like a 'plaything', as was far too common in these kinds of situations, Vahn treated her respectfully. Though his status was a lot higher than her own, he never held it over her and, as if he was genuinely concerned about her, went out of his way to avoid pressuring her too much when her heart and mind were in a chaotic state...Though she wasn't sure where the certainty came from, perhaps as a result of her discussions with the other girls in the castle, Olga felt that Vahn wouldn't have refused her invitation if it was sincere. This thought caused her face to turn cherry red and, knowing Vahn had deflected so as not to put her on the spot, Olga felt an extreme giddiness that caused her brain to buzz. With this realization, Olga did just what Vahn had expected her to do, replaying their entire conversation and gauging his reactions through her perspective lens. Through this process, Olga was able to convince herself that he was being very cautious around her, not because he didn't appreciate her, but because he was concerned for her...Using the context clues and taking into consideration each of Vahn's actions, Olga was beginning to understand how he viewed her, at least a little. From this understanding, she was able to conclude that Vahn wanted her to become a stronger and more confident person before their relationship was able to develop to the next level. Though he could make her do whatever he wanted, he was instead trying to shape her into a more 'suitable' woman, turning her into a competent ally instead of using her at his convenience. Since he had surrounded himself with women who had strong personalities, making her one of the only odd ones out, Olga felt rather ashamed of herself, even as she released a sigh of relief.After reaching this conclusion, which ran parallel to the truth, Olga bumped the back of her head lightly against the door, looking toward the ceiling as she murmured, "So he is giving me a chance to prove my worth without pressuring me into having sex..." Since it would interfere with her work if she was constantly worried about what Vahn 'might' do to her, Olga felt like he was trying to create an environment where she was able to focus without distractions. The fact he had chosen a Magus Tower in the northeastern region of the castle, far from everyone else, seemed to lend veracity to her suspicion. Though the truth of the matter was that Vahn chose that location for no other reason than it was the highest unoccupied Magus, Olga lacked a proper understanding of the castle's layout and was prone to making assumptions...Realizing she wasn't in any 'danger', something that seemed to be a common trait after entering into this alliance, Olga found herself lightly stroking her head. When Vahn caressed her, it made her heart flutter a bit as, not only was his gentle action very comfortable but having such a handsome person smiling at her was a burden of its own. When Olga had first seen Vahn, she had experienced a great shock as, during all of their discussions, neither Rin nor Luvia had mentioned his appearance. At the time, it didn't really matter to Olga as, having prepared herself to marry Allard, her expectations for her partner being handsome had been buried. Since Vahn was an abnormally handsome man, Olga couldn't deny that her maidenly heart had been heavily impacted the first time he smiled toward her.Remembering their first meeting, and all the subsequent times she had embarrassed herself, Olga's face became gradually redder. Then, deciding that sitting against her door was also embarrassing, Olga decided to follow Vahn's advice, rising somewhat unsteadily to her feet. She was actually very tired so, the moment Olga started thinking about relaxing, it felt like her fatigue had caught up with her. She began the rather tiresome process of unfastening all the clasps and buttons of her attire, letting the garments drop almost silently against the thick red carpet of her room. With the exposed areas of the floor formed from an ivory white stone, accented with literal gold and covered from floor to ceiling in complex magical formations, she couldn't even fathom how expensive such a room would cost in the outside world...With the rest of her clothes discard, Olga stepped into the bathroom wearing nothing but a set of pale yellow lingerie which, if Vahn had seen, would undoubtedly match his expectations of 'battle underwear'. Though not made from lace, Olga's brassier and panties were formed from high-end silks that, while comfortable, weren't exactly practical due to how quickly they would wear out. As she still had the expectation that Vahn might make a move on her at any point, Olga had at least wanted to be 'prepared' since, more often than not, she wore rather plain and cheap lingerie due to her family's finances...Seeing her reflection in the crystalline silver mirror, Olga spent a bit of time looking herself over before undoing the braid on the left side of her head. She felt her figure wasn't that bad and, though she didn't exercise as much as she should, her dietary habits gave her a lean and lithe body. With her uncommon hair and eye color, Olga felt that she would stand out amongst even other beautiful girls her own age. However, when comparing herself to the other women around Vahn, Olga's confidence couldn't help taking a nosedive.Though she felt as if her body was more developed than women like Artoria and Gray, Olga didn't think she even came close to matching up against their almost ethereal beauty. As for girls like Fenrir, Medusa, and Circe, they had an exotic appeal and, though the former two didn't have the most amazing figures, they had traits that made them stand out greatly. Circe's case was even harder to draw a direct comparison to as, not only did she have exotic traits, but her beauty, especially with her choice of apparel and her long pink hair, wasn't something that could be matched by mortals...For a brief moment, Olga thought about how she might compare to women like Lakshmibai but, as soon as that thought crossed her mind, she released a heavy sigh. Following this, Olga decided it would only upset her if she spent too much time trying to mulling over her own looks. Since Vahn had shown an appreciative smile during their first meeting, something that had been carved into her heart and mind, Olga felt it didn't really matter how she stacked up against the others. She had her own strengths and, as Vahn had given her the opportunity to improve herself and make a positive impression on him, it didn't matter if she might only be a pretty tulip amongst extravagant roses...With that thought in mind, Olga unfasted the clasp of her brassiere before slipping out of her panties, finding that the latter had a rather embarrassing stain in the fabric. Then, after giving her body one last look in the mirror, Olga turned the gem-like knobs that controlled the water that flowed into the bath. Instead of a single faucet, there were a total of ten holes located around the large marble bathtub that was covered in smooth enamel. Water would pour out of these holes, filling up the oversized bathtub with warm water over the course of a short twenty seconds. Olga found this rather extravagant and, with the bath itself having enough room to easily accommodate three people, it almost felt like basking in a small pool as she slid down the gentle slope and relaxed her tired body in the warm water...Now that she was relaxed, Olga felt a sudden bout of tiredness that, with the warm water wrapping around her body like a comfortable blanket, caused her to briefly doze off. Though it was only for a short while, Olga had startled away moments later after sinking further into the bath and swallowing a mouthful of water. With how tired she was feeling, Olga was suddenly glad that Vahn had decided to excuse himself instead of allowing her to invite him inside. Based on how long he had been away with Luvia, Olga had the impression that he was something of a 'beast' in the bedroom, one of the wayward thoughts that had fueled her delusional mentality.As just the thought of passing out during her first time was both embarrassing and extremely rude, Olga was glad she had been given a bit of leeway to prepare herself. Though she had taken up yoga a few years ago, she decided it would be a good idea to exercise her body a bit when she wasn't busy with her research. She knew that even Mordred and Sakura were training hard for several hours so, as a mature adult, it would be awkward if they accused her of being lazy. Since it would also be quite embarrassing for the two children to become stronger than her, Olga felt driven to increase the strength of her own body. Reinforcement wasn't exactly her specialization but, even excluding the 'Heroes' Vahn had summoned, it shouldn't be difficult to seek advice from Luvia and Rin...The thought of physical training wasn't exactly pleasant, as she had somewhat abhored the laborious act in the past, Olga wanted to better herself in an effort to receive Vahn's approval. Every time she remembered his praise, Olga's heart would begin to beat a little faster. Since his only expectation for her was that she was working hard, something Olga felt like she had always done, she was looking forward to being praised in the future. It was a little embarrassing to have her head pat, as it made her feel like a child, but this was a tolerable offense if they were alone. She certainly wasn't going to ask him to stop as, even now, the memory of Vahn's pleasant caress brought a small smile to Olga's face...---After leaving Olga to her own thoughts, Vahn made his way to the hidden door in the Armory of Camelot, making his way down to the Workshop he and Da Vinci shared. He found the latter in the main workshop, meaning she had completed her earlier work and moved on to something else to occupy her time. Since she didn't require sleep, Da Vinci could work for days on end and, unless Vahn had her take breaks, there was a good chance she never would. It was hard to imagine how she had functioned as a 'normal' human but, considering it was Da Vinci he was talking about, she hadn't been normal since the very beginning. She had been born with her intellect and, if not for the Holy Church and Mage's Association isolating her, Da Vinci very likely would have lived into the modern era without any difficulty.With Vahn's arrival, Da Vinci herself seemed to decide it was time for a break as, instead of finishing what she was working on, she placed down her tools and removed her goggles almost immediately after his intrusion. Then, with a youthful yet elegant smile, she mused, "Sorry about earlier, Master. I couldn't pull myself away from my previous project so don't think I was just ignoring you~." After her apology, Da Vinci stretched her body before removing her exoskeleton and tapping a series of gemstones around her collar. This caused her attire to change from her renaissance style dress to a more comfortable, and admittedly adorable, cocktail dress. It had a creamy beige color, a distinct contrast to the vibrant reds and blues of her normal attire, accented with various ribbons and frills that accented her youthful appeal considerably.On bare feet, Da Vinci playfully 'pranced' toward Vahn who, after entering into the Workshop, had been watching her with a casual smile and crossed arms. She stopped right in front of him, standing only 144cm tall as she looked up with her sapphire-like eyes, asking, "Do you have time...?" Though her words could have various interpretations, Vahn knew what Da Vinci had in mind when she asked such a question. The only times she would ask such a question was if she wanted him to accompany her to collect some data or, show him something she wanted his impression of, or, as was often the case since the development of her [Sage Emperor's Companion], galavanting about the bedroom in order to 'stress test' her new bodies...Though he knew she had already determined his answer before he even spoke, Vahn humored Da Vinci by picking up her impossibly light body, smiling as he said, "I've got time..." With that said, he carried her off to her private workshop where, after she had changed into her more mature body, Da Vinci explained some of the changes she had made to Ark before showing him a new prototype. She had produced a second-generation Vanargandr-Type golem that had the ability to interface with other networks and transmit the data back to Ark's secondary Nexus. She intended to have it collect data and samples on-site when they went to meet with Type: Mercury and, if possible, Da Vinci was going to use it to interface with the internet to begin 'mapping' the entire network.As everything Da Vinci showed him was extremely interesting, Vahn attentively listened to her entire explanation. There were many things he didn't understand, as she would sometimes go on a tangent that was hard to follow, but he understood the more important aspects without any issues. Then, as if to reward his attentiveness, Da Vinci brought an end to her explanation by spontaneously stealing Vahn's lips. At the same time, she pressed a button near Ark's terminal, causing a blast-shield to fall as the entire workshop entered into lockdown. Then, riling Vahn up a great deal, Da Vinci playfully mused, "I programmed a few golems to clean up any messes we make...shall we put their efficacy to the test, Master~?"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn nopped out hella fast xD','Olga never left the rabbit hole','Olga smartly never compared herself to Da Vinci (&gt;,...,&lt;)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

So as not to give Olga a panic attack, Vahn ultimately pulled out a second sofa from his Inventory, placing it across from her as he and Lakshmibai sat down. Based on how nervous she was, Olga had clearly been thinking too much about how she needed to behave around him. However, after seeing Vahn pull out an object from thin air, she was briefly reminded of her deceased Governess, asking in a subdued tone, "You have the Imaginary Number Element...?" Though she had already assumed as much due to the existence of the Projection, Olga was still a little surprised by the fact that he could just whisk items from a space with such precision that she couldn't even sense subtle fluctuations in the surrounding mana.Mildly surprised that Olga was the first to break the building tension, Vahn's impression that she was the type that could get distracted by the things that interested her seemed to be accurate. With this in mind, he gained a slightly amused smile, answering, "My specializations are Creation, Space, Time, Forging, and Destruction. What Magi refer to as the Imaginary Number Element is simply one aspect of Space Laws, something you will come to learn more about in the coming days. Though the world is filled with infinite complexities, one thing you will soon understand is that, so long as you pursue a specific Law to its extremes, there is limitless potential, not only in the Thaumaturgical schools but in abstract and seemingly arbitrary concepts as well. Even the Astronomy your family has studied, there is an infinite potential that has yet to be untapped, for no other reason than the perspective your family had adopted in relation to the Stars and their significance..."Though she knew Vahn wasn't insulting her family's work, it was never easy to hear someone explain that the basic premise of their research was misguided. Due to their status difference, Olga decided against trying to argue, instead, asking, "How can you be so certain? What are these 'Laws' you keep mentioning...?"With Olga actively participating in the conversation, Vahn knew he already had her hooked, even if she also seemed mildly offended. He kept the same smile on his face, answering in a calm and polite tone, "There is a reason why, after all this time, only five people have been able to reach the Root. It is because, from the very beginning, the basic principle most Magi operated under was flawed. Even your own family believes that, by pursuing a specific Thaumaturgical principle to the extreme, you would be able to gain access to the Root, correct...?"As Vahn's question struck at the heart of the matter, Olga furrowed her brows, answering, "Yes...we have been continuing with that ideal for hundreds of years..." Though it was obvious that Olga was trying to defend her family's work, Vahn gave a curt nod in response to her words before adding, "And others have been doing similar work for thousands of years. Still, despite their efforts, they are no closer to reaching the Root. Do you not think this is strange?"Hearing Vahn's question, Olga's frown deepened further as, by reflex, she answered, "This is due to the stagnation of mana within the atmosphere and the limited availability of resources. As we shift further away from the Age of Gods, it becomes progressively more difficult to reach the Root..."With a progressively more amused smile, which was beginning to irk Olga a great deal, Vahn simply asked, "If reaching the Root represents the pinnacle of developing a specific ideal, why were Gods and other Spiritual creatures unable to reach the Root? If mana was denser in the Age of Gods, when Mystery was still present throughout the world, why is it that most of the Magi that have reached the Root existed in the Age of Man? Why is it that, Gods who literally represent specific principles such as Life and Death were unable to reach the Root, even though they governed these principles during their reign...?"This time, Olga felt less certain in her answer but, as she had studied the curriculum of the Clock Tower, she still managed to answer, "Because Gods are Divine Spirits that are associated with Nature. The only way to reach the Root is by going against the natural order and pushing an ideal beyond the scope of the natural world..." As one of the foundational principles of Thaumaturgy was that it existed as a representation of humanity's beliefs, Gods and other Spiritual lifeforms were unable to reach the Root as, instead of pushing their Mystery to greater heights, they simply 'existed' as a representation of that Mystery. Humans were creatures that the World itself was proactively trying to eliminate and, by always seeking greater understanding, they were even able to overcome the Gods themselves and reach the Root, the origin of all things...Almost as soon as Olga had given her answer, Vahn immediately rebutted, asking, "Then why are so many people, including the more influential families in the Mage's Association, obsessed with trying to understand Mystery and the Magecraft from the Age of Gods? If the only way to reach the Root is by breaking free from the natural world and pushing an idea to its extreme, why do all established families research theories and Thaumaturgical principles from a Bygone Age? Why is it that older forms of Magecraft are intrinsically more powerful while the Holy Sacrament of the Church is the most established and stable form of Thaumaturgy in the entire World...?"Hearing Vahn continually ask her difficult to answer questions, Olga's expression had become rather dour as, anything she said, felt like it would simply be rebuffed by him. She knew he was trying to help her reach the conclusion herself but, as it felt like she was being lectured, Olga was beginning to get upset. Even so, she felt there wasn't much room for her to remain silent so, after sorting her thoughts, Olga answered, "It is the beliefs of people that empower Thaumaturgical principles...the reason my own family had been on the decline is due to the existence of Physics and humanity's errant belief that it is slowly removing the Mystery contained within the Universe..." As she said this, Olga felt a bit of resentment in her heart, blaming modern media and Physicists for her family's struggles...Ignoring the negative emotions flickering in the depths of Olga's eyes, Vahn cocked his brow, asking, "If belief is what powers Thaumaturgy, how do you benefit by 'believing' the beliefs of others is what is weakening your family's Magecraft? You have just stated that the only way to reach the Root is by going against the natural order and pushing an ideal to the extreme. How can that be possible if the beliefs of others have anything to do with it? Humans have a propensity to desire for themselves while simultaneously wishing that others are not able to accomplish what they themselves are unable to do. If this is part of our nature, how could anyone possibly reach the Root if they are concerned with how other people view them and their research? Why is it that geniuses like Da Vinci are unable to reach the Root, even though they can use S-Rank Magecraft of every Thaumaturgical school with greater versatility than families that have existed for thousands of years...?"Listening to Vahn's words, Olga's eyes began darting around in their sockets as, no matter how she thought about it, there was no way for her to answer. The way he worded things made her earlier statements sound more like the excuses of the ignorant instead of the 'truths' that were believed by most modern Magi, including those in established families. However, even though this was the truth accepted and propagated within the Magus community, it was also an irrefutable truth that only five people in History had been able to reach True Magic.Though it seemed like an easy argument to make, pointing out that the only reason others hadn't reached the Root is due to their failure to reach the 'pinnacle', this wasn't exactly substantiated by real-world evidence. People only had the very limited accounts of those who had reached the Root to go by to draw their conclusions. However, as there was no way for others to follow the same route to reach the Root, so long as the previous user of True Magic still existed, the only thing most families could do was pursue a new route, believing there was no other way...With Olga failing to answer his question after several tense and awkward minutes, Vahn gave a small nod before explaining, "All things within the multiverse originate from the Root, existing as part a self-contained system that is governed by a strict set of Laws. It isn't by developing Thaumaturgy to the extreme that you are able to reach the Root, but by doing nearly the opposite. You must seek the 'origin' of the concept itself and, by gaining proper comprehension of the Laws that govern that form of Thaumaturgy, you are able to reach the Root. This is why, even though the Second and Fifth Magics are both associated with Time and Space, they are able to take completely different forms solely due to their user's understanding of the Laws involved..."Seeing that Olga was paying close attention to what he was saying, Vahn adopted an approving expression as he added, "The thing referred to as Mystery by the Mage's Association is the very same thing as the Laws themselves. What they fail to realize is that, instead of seeking the Mystery itself, looking into the past for answers, they should be pursuing the Laws as they exist in the Age of Man. From the very beginning, the Laws have not changed and, though there is significantly less mana in the Current Era, the Laws have never required mana to function. Mana only exists because there are Laws to govern it, not the other way around. By convincing yourself that certain things are necessary, you, and almost all modern Magi, have been limiting yourself. Only by letting go of your misconceptions, clearing your mind and focusing solely on the Laws themselves, would you be able to reach the Root..."Vahn allowed his words to trail at the end, giving Olga ample time to take them in before smiling in amusement as he continued, explaining, "However, once you reach that point, gaining access to the Root becomes a moot point. By comprehending the Laws, you are already at the level of being able to use True Magic. Reaching the Root at that point would only become another limiter as, instead of continuing your pursuit further, most people would become overwhelmed by the 'truth' contained in such power. Even without reaching the Root, it is possible to become an existence beyond the level of the Gods...tell me, what use is borrowed power at that point?"Hearing Vahn explain that reaching the Root was fundamentally pointless, Olga's face morphed into a dour expression. However, when she thought about his words from a logical perspective, she could see the reasoning. Even going by the current understanding of the Magus community, there would be nothing to stand in your way if you truly reached the 'pinnacle' of any school of Thaumaturgy. The only reason people truly cared about reaching the Root is that it was the same as receiving 'verification' that you had managed to reach that point. At that point, just as Vahn said, there was 'theoretically' nothing as, at the pinnacle, how much further could you go? If the power you gained access to came from the Root itself, how could you ever possibly become 'stronger' than something that comprises one of the foundational principles that govern the World itself...?Olga felt extremely confused and, with no way to make sense of what Vahn had explained to her, she simply asked, "How do you know all of this...?" As Olga asked this question, she was briefly reminded of her first encounter with Luvia, Rin, and Sakura. Their interaction seemed to imply that Vahn was capable of using True Magic and, with his earlier admission of specializing in various Laws, Olga felt as if his silhouette had suddenly grown larger. It was almost like sitting at the foot of a mountain that had impossibly steep walls, feeling pressured just by being in its presence...In response to her question, Vahn smiled radiantly, an action that caused Olga to take a sharp breath through her nose as, with his appearance, it was a rather devastating sight for a young woman. Then, while picking up Alaya and holding her out in front of him, he casually explained, "There are many things you will come to understand, in time. The most important thing for you to know, at least in regards to your question, is that I am able to reach the Root and, if you are willing to learn, I can also teach you True Magic. However, what I teach you will make accessing the Root unnecessary as, once you understand the 'purpose' of the Root itself, you will understand that there has never been a point in accessing it from the start..." Vahn wanted to add that, the harder you tried to reach the Root, the more inaccessible it would become. However, as Olga's eyes were swimming, he decided to go easy on her...Though Vahn's words were hard to believe, the fact he was holding an existence that even users of True Magic feared increased the veracity of his claims. The existence of Alaya, and her partnership with Vahn, had already been clearly explained to her. It was very difficult to believe but, after being transported with extreme ease by the rather adorable blue creature, Olga knew that, at the very least, it was a monstrously powerful entity. Seeing Vahn handle her freely was a rather unnerving sight, even though Olga also had a strong urge to pet Alaya's large ears...After processing what Vahn had said, even though she was still confused about many things, Olga almost felt like she was making a deal with the devil. His words promised great power but, in her errant thoughts, Olga could only think about was the cost of such power. The most fundamental principle of all Thaumaturgy was that of equivalent exchange; There was nothing that could be obtained for free, especially when it was related to great power. She had come to Avalon with the intent of serving Vahn in an effort to gain his favor, believing it was the only way in which her family would be able to rise beyond its current status. Now that he was dangling something even more tantalizing in front of her, Olga felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest as she considered what he might ask of her in exchange...Recognizing the tell-tale light in Olga's eyes, Vahn knew her thoughts were beginning to wander in a strange direction. Before she could delude herself completely, he decided to shift the conversation toward a different, but related, subject, explaining, "I'm going to help you set up an Observatory and Workshop. I want to get a better understanding of your current comprehension in order to guide you properly in the future. You may have to work alongside Da Vinci on some of her projects but, if you take her lessons to heart, you will be able to greatly advance your understanding. Once I have been able to get my footing in London, we'll discuss the matter of Chaldea's funding. Until then, you should acclimate yourself to the castle and focus on your research. If you have any questions, there are numerous people who are qualified to answer, myself included."With that said, Vahn looked toward Lakshmibai, asking with his eyes what she was intending to do. She returned an understanding smile before saying, "I will stay here...I'm partway through a novel and I would like to finish it. I'll likely be here for a few hours before retiring to my room later on..." Though she didn't expressly state her intentions, Vahn knew there was an invitation contained within Lakshmibai's words. He gave her hand a light squeeze in response, eliciting a marginally larger smile from the beautiful brown-skinned woman as she rose to her feet, bowing politely as she said, "If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty..." Then, after receiving a nod from Vahn, Lakshmibai left the room, causing Olga to become increasingly more nervous with each step she took to depart...After hearing Vahn 'clarify' things, Olga misconstrued his words to mean that he had already decided how to treat her. She suddenly felt as though he had given her a 'time limit' to prove her usefulness and, if she failed to make an impression in that time, the chance she would receive funding became increasingly slim. Since he mentioned being away in London, Olga believed Vahn was 'reminding' her that he wouldn't always be around, meaning she would need to be more proactive if she wanted him to properly consider her. Thus, as Lakshmibai was leaving the room, another thing that seemed to be 'arranged' by them in advance, Olga's heart began pounding as she began feeling a shortness of breath...Seeing Olga's reaction, Vahn's smile turned slightly wry as he watched her tightly clench the hem of her skirt, seemingly contemplating if she should raise it in an attempt to appeal to him. Her ears and cheeks were completely red while, dancing atop her head, her prominent ahoge was writhing around as a result of her nervousness. Vahn knew he would need to go against Olga's expectations in this instant so that she would be able to behave calmly around him in the future. He still wanted her to develop the habit of seeking praise for her achievements, not her appeals.With that in mind, causing Olga to flinch as if she had just received a shock, Vahn rose to his feet, saying, "Let's go. I'll let you pick out a Magus Tower for your Observatory and Workshop. You just need to list the supplies you'll need and Da Vinci and I will take care of their acquisition." As he spoke, Vahn made things easier, and simultaneously more difficult, by extending his hand to Olga. For an Emperor to extend his hand to someone, it would be considered 'extremely' rude to refuse and, with her current delusions, Olga had no room for such thoughts. As a result, she lightly bit her lower lip and, with a bit of moisture building in the corner of her eyes, accepted his hand. Then, even though it wasn't Vahn's intention to lead her along, Olga linked arms with him, her face beet red as she averted her eyes to the side...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Welcome to the desert of the real...','Vahn dropping knowledge bombs','Olga is even worse than Risna xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1169: Leading