Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As waiting five days for the transfer process to complete would equate to an entire month within the projection, it wasn't really an option for Vahn to delay things. With the final count being over seven-thousand Homunculi, even if he worked his hardest every minute of every day, it would still take him more than seventy days' time within the Projection to treat each of them. Though it was possible to delay things through the use of [Primoridal Rune] Magecraft, ignoring the matter outright was out of the question. Fortunately, Vahn was confident he would be able to greatly reduce the amount of time it took to carve the requisite crest and, with Da Vinci, Paracelsus, Illya, and Iris all offering up their assistance, it was more of an inconvenience than a difficult matter to address.While Da Vinci worked on creating a system that would allow crests to be carved via laser engraving, Paracelsus focused on mass-producing [Philospher's Stone]s alongside Tristana. As for Illya and Iris, they spent much of their time and effort helping the Homunculi get settled in, a rather arduous feat considering resources, housing, and other essentials needed to be arranged. At the same time, they conducted a census of sorts and assigned simple duties to each Homunculi back in the 'real' world. Since most of the Homunculi had never been given names, with the majority looking nearly identical to each other, they created ornate little name tags for each of the doll-like women.Until Da Vinci finished with her project, Vahn had the most difficult task amongst everyone as even Rin, Luvia, and Circe fundamentally lacked the dexterity and perception to carve the requisite crests. Since the crest needed to be directly linked with the Magic Circuits and Core of each Homunculi, you needed to have an extremely intimate knowledge of their internal structure as even the smallest of mistakes could have disastrous consequences. Fortunately, in preparation for this potentiality, Vahn had already modified the seal Merlin had taught him in the past, developing what he had named the 'Ouroboros Seal'.Representing Life, Death, and Infinity, the seal created a loop that recycled the limited vital energy that would have otherwise been consumed over the short lifespans of the Homunculi. Since they subsisted entirely on mana, requiring neither food nor water, the presence of the Ouroboros Seal would grant them a limited form of immortality. So long as they did not burn their vitality in intense combat, the Homunculi would be able to live for several hundred years without any detrimental side effects. The only real limitation to their lifespan would be their cells breaking down and their organs failing, both things that could easily be mitigated as their bodies continually stored mana.Though he knew the Ouroboros Seal would eventually be spread throughout the Magus community, Vahn didn't particularly care about others seeking limited immortality. In the short term, their efforts wouldn't amount to much and, so long as they did not target the Homunculi in order to obtain the secret, it didn't really matter all that much. If anything, their attempts would only serve to limit their growth as, while Homunculi could be modified to have far more powerful Magic Circuits than most Magi, they were incapable of increasing their strength.Anyone seeking to obtain immortality using the Ouroboros Seal would need to constantly upgrade themselves, requiring them to create a new body every few years. Thus, in the end, nothing would have changed and, as Vahn intended to have regulations that restricted Homunculi being created for selfish purposes, they would not be able to easily exploit the seal to create immortal servants and slaves. If they were found out using such means, Vahn didn't mind playing the part of a tyrant as, if you treated the lives of others with such disregard, you were practically asking to be treated in the same manner...---Though his physical stamina was without a limit, the same could not be said for his mental and spiritual energy. It hadn't affected his focus much but, after nearly five days of constant treatment, Vahn felt as if the image of lingerie-clad Homunculi had been carved into his mind. As soon as he finished one treatment, which included placing his Familia Crest on their backs and the Ouroboros Seal on their abdomens, Vahn would immediately be greeted by yet another waiting Homunculi. It wasn't really a sight that you could grow tired of seeing as, without exception, each of the Justeaze-Type Homunculi had an indisputable beauty, but Vahn was at the point that he could even see them when his eyes were closed...Choosing not to complain, Vahn, in a state that was both focused and absentminded, did his best to ignore the pleasant aroma wafting from the body of his most recent patient, a Homunculi that had been named June. He had already carved his Familia Crest on her back so she was laying down face-up on a table wearing nothing but a simple white bra and panty set. Unlike the majority of other Homunculi, she had short and somewhat wavy hair. More noticeably, rather than eyes that lacked an ego, there was a small amount of light contained in her ruby-red pupils. She was one of the three-hundred or so Homunculi who had been training with Kenshin, making her one of the more battle-oriented types by nature.Even if he had seen nearly five-hundred similar physiques over the last five days, Vahn noticed that June had an almost indiscernibly more toned body than her 'sisters'. Like the others, she watched his actions extremely closely, her eyes following his finger as he traced it around her navel, offering no complaints despite the discomfort he knew she was feeling. Then, as had been the case in the prior 483 procedures, June stroked her abdomen with a 'thoughtful' look in her eyes before muttering in a somewhat cold and emotionless tone, "Thank you, Master..." In response to this, even though it had become muscle memory at this point, Vahn's expression softened as he replied in a sincere tone, "You are very welcome, June..."Hearing her name uttered by Vahn, June smiled in a way that showed the emotion was extremely foreign to her. Then, like her sisters before her, she sat up rather mechanically from the table before wearing the gown she had been wearing prior to the operation. After that, she quickly alighted from the room before, only seconds later, yet another Homunculi entered through the same door. At this point, Vahn felt like he was stuck in an infinite loop and, if not for the fack this version had hair down to the small of her back, she would have been almost indiscernible to June. Despite the incongruous feelings in his heart, Vahn managed to retain his polite smile as he softly uttered, "Welcome. You can place your gown on that hangar and then we'll get started immediately."Without showing any hesitation whatsoever, his newest patient disrobed, following his instructions and taking a seat atop the examination and operation table. As he performed a routine check of her vitals and analyzed the internal structure of her body, Vahn kept her involved by asking, "Can you tell me your name, please...?" This caused her to immediately reply, a hint of emotion in her otherwise cold tone, "I have been granted the name Anna von Einzbern by Lady Illyasviel." As the act of receiving a name was quite significant for many of the Homunculi, Vahn had made a habit of asking each new face the first time he conversed with them. When he addressed them by name later, this would generally bring a smile to their face as, despite their similarities, Vahn was confident he would never mistake them for their sisters...While carving his Familia Crest, Vahn continued the conversation, asking in a polite tone, "How are you adapting to life in the castle? Have you seen or done anything interesting...?" As he asked these questions, Vahn was observing the electrical signals in Anna's brain in order to gauge how close she was to developing an independent ego. Illya wanted him to let her know which of the Homunculi were the closest to developing independence as she was hoping to use them as an example for the rest. Unfortunately, though there were signals that indicated she was thinking about a response, Anna replied almost mechanically a few moments later, answering, "I have not had any difficulties adapting. Just recently, I saw one of the maintenance Golems stumble as it tried to evade stepping on a small creature."Toward the end of her words, Vahn noticed Anna's brain light up a bit and, though she had her back to him, he knew a small smile had spread across her lips. Even without asking, he knew what she meant by 'small creature' but, wanting to encourage her further, Vahn asked, "Oh~? What did this small creature look like? You seem rather fond of it..." This time, Anna spent several long seconds in contemplation, her brain lighting up in different areas before answering in an uncertain tone, "It is hard to be certain...it had a human appearance but with rabbit ears and a tail...? I tried talking to it but it only stared at me for a few seconds before wandering off...I hope I didn't scare it..."Understanding she was likely talking about Skoll, Vahn gave a small nod before consoling Anna and explaining the existence of the Companions. Most of the Homunculi were still back in the real world, as having them experience accelerated time was counter-intuitive, so only those who were preparing to receive treatment had been given the opportunity to see the rather adorable creatures. She wasn't the first Homunculi to mention encountering one and, as this seemed to 'awaken' something within them, Vahn had been intending to discuss the matter of mass-producing a few to accompany and monitor each of the developing Homunculi. This would be a good eay to stress test their capabilities before releasing them publically so he expected she would be more than willing.While continuing to make small talk, Vahn quickly finished applying his Familia Crest before having Anna lay on her back. Though it would be easier to apply the Ouroboros Seal if she sat in front of him, Vahn had been a little too distracted by the sight and aroma in his other attempts. Having an unbelievably beautiful woman spread their legs slightly as you spent a few minutes placing a seal around their navel brought with it a few difficulties. It was also considerably more concerting to have them look down on him with their ruby-red eyes than have them watch his actions while laying down. Thus, after the first few emergency procedures, as there were a few Homunculi that were only being kept alive by Scáthach, Vahn had resorted to using a marginally less efficient yet exponentially easier to complete procedure...With Anna's seal completed, Vahn had finished 485 of his arranged 500 procedures, meaning he only had around four hours left before he took a much-needed break. Still, while he had become numb to the process at this point, Vahn always managed a smile when saying, "Thank you for your patience. It is finished." Then, as had been the case for each of her sisters, Anna stroked the seal before saying in an almost identical fashion, "Thank you, Master..." This was his cue to remind her that he had already taken her name to heart, smiling gently as he replied, "You are very welcome, Anna..." Following this, Anna left the room and, as if the loop had begun anew, yet another Homunculi entered...---After finishing his final operation on a Homunculi named Celine, granting him a reprieve of a few hours, Vahn released a profoundly tired sigh before faceplanting on the operations table. Though there was a very fragrant aroma that had been soaked into the plush surface, he had already grown extremely accustomed to its presence and made no effort at propriety. Even if someone accused him of being a pervert that sniffed the table where half-naked women had been laying for the last five days, Vahn wouldn't have particularly cared. It felt like he had just finished working on an extremely complex masterpiece and, though he felt considerably accomplished, knowing this was only the first of fourteen similar processes, it was hard to stay motivated.Shortly after Celin's departure, Vahn uninhibitedly allowed the fragrance soaked into the table to spread through his lungs before raising his head and rising to his feet. Moments later, much of his fatigue had faded away as, bursting through the door of the room, a wild golden ponytail bobbed behind a red-clad figure as it leaped through the air, shouting, "Chichue~!" Vahn caught her out of the air, chuckling lightheartedly before holding her in his left arm and musing, "You seem excited Mordred. Did something interesting happen~?"While rubbing the underside of her nose with her index finger, Mordred had a toothy grin on her face as she unabashedly admitted, "I just wanted to see Chichue. You've been working hard so here, have a reward~." Then, planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek, Mordred laughed mischievously before wriggling out of his arm and saying, "Come on, Chichue! Everyone is already waiting for you~!" As she said this, Mordred pulled Vahn by hand, leaving him trailing behind her with a wry smile on his face. He already knew everyone had gathered together a few days ago to discuss the internal affairs of the Imperial Family so this was likely an event they had prepared to inform him of their decisions.Instead of following all the way to the hall where everyone had gathered, Vahn eventually snatched up Mordred, causing her to laugh uninhibtedly as she attempted to break free by instinct. When she had calmed down, Vahn caressed her head and explained in a tired tone, "This time, I think I'll use my privilege as Emperor to slack off a bit. Can you go and tell everyone that we'll discuss things a little later~?" Though it was perhaps irresponsible for him to 'slack off', especially around Mordred, the latter just smiled mischievously before pumping her fist and saying, "Leave it to me, Chichue~!" Then, after extricating herself a second time, Mordred ran through the corridors with nimble and deft movements, showing no signs that she cared about him slacking off in the slightest...With Mordred entrusted with her task, Vahn veered on his heels, taking the shortest path toward his bedroom. This was one of the few times where he genuinely just wanted to relax a bit and, though he knew Mordred's explanation would likely make everyone feel guilty about expecting him to show up, Vahn wasn't at the point where he could keep going indefinitely. If he couldn't be a little selfish at times, it wouldn't be long before he had a mental breakdown or pushed himself too far. Thus, in an attempt to remind them that he needed time to mentally recharge, Vahn decided to take a nap without minding the fact he had subverted their expectations...After reaching his room, Vahn saw his bed tempting him but, as he had already made a habit of it long ago, he decided to take a hot bath before retiring. He appreciated how quicky the tub always filled up and, after retracting his domain completely, Vahn soaked his body in the water and allowed his mind to rest. Though he fully expected Fenrir, Circe, and Medusa to show up at some point, they were a common fixture in his bedroom whenever he rested. It was a bit selfish of him, but Vahn was looking forward to having them pamper him for a change. Even Circe, while selfish by nature, was inclined towards service and hospitality. Though she was quite fond of receiving affection, she was just as likely to fawn over him when he was tired...Though he had shut off his domain and closed off most of his senses, Vahn could feel the subtle vibrations through the air when the door to his room was opened. He had been growing increasingly sensitive to such things as, the stronger a person became, the more their presence would affect the Space around them. The fact he could sense this even without his domain caused Vahn to peel his eyes open, a thoughtful look in his eyes. He was currently in his base form, with most of his senses unenhanced, so it was quite literally an eye-opening revelation that he could still sense the intrusion.Since he had already soaked for a few minutes, Vahn extricated himself from the hot water before using a towel to dry himself. Then, after changing into some sleepwear, Vahn exited his bathroom to find something unexpected. Instead of the three girls he expected, there was four present, making him thankful he had the wherewithal to put on clothes before exiting the bath. At the same time, he was able to understand why he had been able to sense them as, while others might go unnoticed, Artoria and Gray had particularly strong bonds that he was constantly made aware of...Though Vahn felt a strange incongruity seeing the similarities between Artoria and Gray, as he had just spent days viewing near-identical women, it faded quickly when they both smiled back at him. Then, with a triumphant expression on her face, Mordred gave a cheeky smile as she exclaimed, "I completed my mission~!" before Artoria explained, "Since we realized you must be tired, everyone decided it would be best for you to relax. If you want, even taking a few days off is fine..." Before she had finished speaking, Vahn was already shaking his head, stating, "Just resting for a few hours with my two adorable daughters will be enough. I even get the company of two inordinately beautiful women so I can't really complain at all~."With his words causing all four girls to smile, Vahn allowed his expression to soften as he moved to pick up Mordred and Sakura. The latter had a concerned expression on her face earlier but, seeing that her Otou-sama was in high spirits, she had a relieved look while hugging his neck, saying in a comforting tone, "Rest lots, Otou-sama. You shouldn't push yourself so hard all the time..." Though she had felt a little lonely with him being busy for several days straight, Sakura felt extremely guilty in hindsight. Since he was always so amazing she hadn't even thought that he would be tired so, when Mordred showed up to explain that he had gone to bed, Sakura felt a sour feeling in her nose.Hearing Sakura's words, Vahn felt the kind of vindication only parents were able to experience. His smile became more natural and, while hugging both girls, he carried them over to the bed. Then, deciding to take advantage of the situation, Vahn pulled out sleepwear from his Inventory, earning an almost immediate sigh from Artoria and a bashful blush from Gray. As for Mordred and Sakura, they had already expected such an outcome so, after quickly changing, a family of five tigers could be found cuddling within Vahn's room...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '7,119 Homunculi, each taking around 15 minutes each (O___O)...','TFW you realize this is the kind of state many Doctors in the real world work in...','Even Emperor's need to rest')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

As much as he was annoyed with Merlin's behavior at times, Vahn knew he couldn't continue to idle on the matters of the Empire if he one day wanted to expand its influence. Though it was possible to use forceful means to have people follow his policies, such methods were to be saved for uprisings and insurrections. Since Artoria had placed her confidence in him in the past, likely the very reason he had even been able to claim Camelot, Vahn wanted to keep his promise with her for as long as possible. Fortunately, though it would undoubtedly take a number of years, potentially even two or more generations, Vahn knew it was possible to bring about the change they wanted to see through the efforts of Luvia and Da Vinci.With that in mind, Vahn asked Da Vinci to help him alter the layout of the Throne Room, removing the thirteen thrones, his own included. Since it was supposed to be his literal seat of power, Vahn wanted to have a hand in producing his own. Though there was considerable historical significance to the wooden throne that had been occupied by Artoria, Vahn was not her, nor was he a King that intended to sacrifice himself for others. His creed as a ruler was to pave the way forward, opening the path for others to follow rather than pandering to and pacifying his subjects. It was always his intention to create a system that allowed people to elevate themselves through effort and, though this certainly had its flaws, Vahn considered it infinitely better than systems that treated people as nothing more than a resource to be exploited.Though Vahn was rather fond of eastern designs, the cathedral-like structure of the Ivory Castle made it impossible to incorporate such elements without making them seem considerably out of place. This didn't mean he couldn't draw inspiration from such designs, however, especially as one of his primary Innates, [Rakshasa Body], seemed to embody several aspects of Chinese culture. Thus, in order to create a Throne that symbolized the unification of all cultures, while showing his willingness to break away from established ideologies, Vahn did something that no Emperor before would have done. Instead of elevating his Throne atop a series of platforms, Vahn spent a few days reshaping the Throne Room to make it descend downward several levels, each representing a Soul Tier.Vahn wanted to emphasize the idea that, while he held absolute power, it wasn't to place himself above everyone. Instead, it showed his capacity to support everything, including the heavens above if necessary. As his Soul Tier gradually increased, so too did his responsibilities, even if he himself wasn't the most responsible individual. Just by virtue of being a God, or whatever lay beyond, he would have become a pillar supporting the entire world's fate. At higher Tiers, even entire Records would only exist as a result of his will, with everything within being an extension of the decisions he had made. It wasn't an exaggeration to say even simple words uttered by him would be able to shape reality as, when you moved up in Tiers, language itself was represented by powerful Laws.While it was different than the Language of Gods within Danmachi, Vahn had been able to make a bit of progress in the Nasuverse's 'Divine Words' by 'studying' with Ishtar, Ereshkigal, and Circe. They were all capable of using Divine Words with limited success, something Vahn had found rather odd with Ishtar and Ereshkigal being actual Goddesses. According to them, though they were capable of understanding the entire language, the words they could use were restricted, both by their Divinity and 'authority'.As Divine Words were the language of creation itself, only Creation and Sky Gods were typically able to use them freely and, as a result of their Divinity giving them Sovereignty over other Gods, they could determine to what degree most Gods were able to use Divine Words. As for Demigods like Circe, who had considerably less authority than an actual God, she was able to reach her level of understanding through study and devotion to her ancestral Goddess, Hecate. However, though she was surprisingly able to use more words than both Ishtar and Ereshkigal combined, the power in each individual word was significantly weaker by comparison.Ereshkigal, for example, could use her authority over Death itself to simply 'decree death' to anything within her perception and, if they lacked the mental strength or Od to resist, they would literally die on the spot. Circe, however, would have to link 'death' together with other words, forming them into a complex chant that, more or less, served as an 'argument' against the world, an attempt to convince it that her words were the 'truth'. Success largely depended on whether or not she could make a sound argument, something that could be outright refuted if the target was strong enough. In a way, clashes between individuals that were capable of using Divine Words were a clash of wills, each trying to convince the opposite party, and the world itself, that they were correct.Vahn hadn't been too surprised by these revelations as, much like the Laws themselves, the power a person was able to manifest largely depending on their comprehension and 'belief'. What he was more interested in was the language 'above' Divine Words which, based on what he had learned from Eva and observed through Akasha, seemed to revolve almost entirely around Symbology and Runes. Simply by 'giving' power to a specific shape, using it to represent a powerful concept, it could serve as a powerful catalyst that could greatly enhance a spell. A good example of this was how the symbols for alchemy were used in their magic circles while, allowing them to function even though they were just arbitrarily decided upon by famous Alchemists. The best example was how the Holy Church could use a simple crucifix to even suppress powerful demons, using a simple piece of wood to manifest 'miracles'.It was this heavy emphasis on Symbology and Runes that gave power to most Magic Circles, Wards, and Formations. Thus, upon reaching Tier 5, you would be able to exercise an extreme amount of power just by 'giving' power to a specific shape. Even something as simple as a circle, if given greater meaning, would have the power to seal away Gods. Though this was rarely the case, as the shapes of runes were generally made complicated so they could not be emulated, it was still an important part of the puzzle to one day reaching Tier 5. It was for this reason that Vahn focused on comprehending Scáthach's [Primordial Runes] while simultaneously trying to make sense of the mysterious runes that manifested with his own Innates.With this in mind, Vahn made it so that the highest level of the Throne Room, representing Soul Tier 1, was made from simple clay. Though it was heavily embellished, almost gaudily so, it didn't clash against the solemnity of the cathedral-like chamber as, while most weaker humans sought wealth and luxury in the pursuit of happiness, they were also capable of blending in with their environment to avoid hardship and survive. As for the second level, it was comprised almost entirely of precious metals, such as silver and gold, while an ornate pattern of gemstones formed into constellations that encircled the lower levels. This represented an even greater focus on wealth as a form of power as, upon reaching Tier 2, people began to break free from the constraints of normalcy and often began to consolidate wealth while lording over others...If you were to look closely at the second level, you would find several small cracks that had been left as intentional design flaws, representing that power gained through the consolidation of wealth created an unstable foundation. Depending on the actions of those at the first level, it was possible for this foundation to shatter completely, something that periodically occurred throughout history, both in Danmachi and the Nasuverse. As for what the constellations embodied, they represented the propensity for some that had obtained power to look towards the heavens, seeking something far greater than the material wealth they had consolidated. This is what often led to the advancement of civilization, allowing knowledge, ideologies, and wisdom to slowly become more valuable than the material...Even lower, representing Soul Tier 3, the foundation was formed of marble and, instead of precious jewels and valuable metals, the surface was adorned with reliefs depicting heroic men and women overcoming trials and leading humanity towards their version of a brighter future. Looking closely, you would be able to see that most of these heroic figures were faceless, causing their weapons, armor, crowns, and other artifacts to stand out. There were also several panels that depicted scenes of brutal conquest as, depending on which side of the conflict you were on, one country's Heroes could be another's Demons. What the more observant would notice was, behind each Heroic figure, there were often men and women with their faces shrouded, some fading into the background while others stood like pillars that seemed to elevate the figures in the foreground...Contrasting the rather plain materials used in the third level's construction, the foundation of the fourth level, representing Soul Tier 4, was comprised of pale gold. Though it would undoubtedly be labeled as heresy by the Holy Church, Vahn had separated the fourth level into eight sections, much like how Heaven had been divided in Danmachi. He filled the panels with masterful representations of a myriad of different Gods, Fae, Spirits, Elementals, and Divine Beasts, representing no particular God and instead focusing on the Divinity they represented. Then, to make this level seem even more impactful, Vahn separated the third and fourth level with passages written in Divine Words that also extended into the three prior levels, emphasizing the influence of the Gods in the Mortal World, even if they themselves were unaware of it.The fifth and final layer, as the Nasuverse was only a Tier 5 Record, was where Vahn's Throne existed. Though he wasn't at Tier 5 himself, it represented the 'pinnacle' and, as this is the goal he had set for himself, Vahn felt it was rather appropriate. As for the Throne's construction, it was relatively plain, made of simple black stone that, if you looked closely, was adorned with a pattern of complex runes. When the 'true' Emperor sat upon the Throne, it would shimmer with blue light which, much like the Divine Words of the fourth layer, would extend across each preceding surface. Though the majority of the light was focused towards the center, even the outer periphery of the first level was within the scope of the Fifth Tier's power...Though it wouldn't make sense to most people, Vahn also separated the fifth level into eight parts, offset from the sections of the fourth level so that the dividing lines parted through the center of each major panel. Within each of these sections, he carved the same runes that were visible within the empty black void occupied by the Four Sacred Beasts represented by his [Rakshasa Body]. Then, at the top of his Throne, Vahn carved the visage of two eyes which, when he sat down, would glow with a subtle divine light that could seemingly peer through all things. This represented his [Eyes of Truth] and, though it was less prevalent than the eight trigrams pattern spread around him, they would be the thing most people focused on when looking upon the Throne, representing the fact that it, in turn, was observing them...With two more Innates making up the basis of his power, Vahn chose to represent his [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] by literally keeping a thick bound book at his side. Though it was only meant to be a symbol, he used high-quality materials in its construction, hand-binding the pages together after investing several million OP. Then, deciding to use it as a record to log the status of each member of the Imperial Court, Vahn wrote down the names of everyone residing in the castle. Later, he intended to have Scáthach or Merlin help him enchant it so that, instead of just writing the names down and filling the pages, the words would be stored as Magical Energy, leaving the pages blank unless the information was requested. In the future, the status and title of every member of the Imperial Court would be recorded in this book, meaning you would be unable to claim any form of nobility without having your name inscribed...After constructing his bastardized version of the [Akashic Tome], Vahn had officially completed his restructuring of the Throne Room. There was no need to have anything represent his [Will of the Emperor] as that was the purpose of the Throne Room, the Ivory Castle, and his presence itself. As for his 'authority', which was something he would have to give to his Herald and anyone sent to represent him, this took on the form of a seal that had his crest carved into its surface. Since he had even used an Imperial Seal back in his previous life, Vahn intended to do the same in the Nasuverse. This seal would represent himself when he sent out emissaries in the future, giving whoever held it the same level of authority he enjoyed...With his Throne Room completed, an arduous task that would have been impossible to accomplish expediently without his Space-Time Orbs and memory fragments, Vahn decided it was nearing time for him to hold Court for the first time. The whole reason for the renovation was to better represent the fact that, rather than sitting upon the Throne of Camelot, it had now become the Throne of the Aldrnari Empire. When the representatives of the four Fairy factions arrived, this Throne Room would convey his ideologies much better than a simple wooden chair flanked by twelve other thrones. He was, after all, a fundamentally different ruler than Artoria, both in terms of status and the ambitions he possessed...Though it wouldn't require much for him to visit the domains that Merlin had assigned to the four factions, this would be considered an extreme breach of etiquette. He needed to earn the respect of the Fairies but, if he lowered himself to appealing directly to them, the odds of them doing as they pleased in the future increased exponentially. Thus, instead of going to them, Vahn knew he would need to have them attend his Court and, if they could not come to an accord, he would banish them from Avalon. After all, while this place was meant to be a sanctuary to the various races threatened by the existence of mankind, it was not their playground. If they could not live peacefully alongside others, they were better off living in their secluded homelands until he could make an agreement with their Queens directly.Before he could invite others to attend his Court, Vahn needed to get his personal affairs in order as, while sitting in the Throne Room alone would undoubtedly increase the impact of his presence, it would also make him appear to be a Tyrant that kept all power for himself. Though there were many kinds of Emperors, the most capable ones were always surrounded by capable Ministers, often with an Imperial Court that was comprised of thousands of members.The greater the number of followers at his side, especially if they wielded immense power, the higher his own status would be in the eyes of others. After all, if he was surrounded by a hundred different Gods, each lowering their heads to him, most people wouldn't even be able to enter without feeling an oppressive and suffocating aura. Since there was enough space for more than a thousand people to occupy without any discomfort, the only thing he would accomplish by having the room emptied was making it feel solemn and cold. This could be useful in some circumstances but, if he was trying to reach an accord with future allies, showing them the allies they stood to gain by acquiescing to his rules would hasten the process of their submission.Fortunately, though she was no longer King, Artoria was rather beloved amongst the Faires as, with her own existence bordering on that of a Divine Spirit, she had an even higher status than a Queen of Fairies. In the past, it was the blessing of the Fairies that caused her body to cease aging and, even though they did not aid her in battle, as the Fae never fought in human conflicts, their assistance had been paramount in the construction of Avalon, the production of the Round Table, and the creation of the various Noble Phantasms used by both Artoria and her Knights. Even Caliburn and Excalibur were both created by the Fairies, enchanted with powerful magics that far exceeded the Magecraft used by most modern Magi.If Vahn could win over the Fae to his side, it was the same as ensuring prosperity for Avalon as, with more Fairies coming to reside here, the greater the presence of the Laws they represented. As it was possible for a group of Water Sprites to convert a section of the desert into a large oasis, there were endless benefits to having a good balance of various different Fae in his lands. Not only would the land always be fertile, the waters bountiful, and the air crisp and clean, but even the weather would be within his ability to control. He could determine if it was sunny, rainy, or even snowy, all with a simple request to the Sylphs that resided in the skies above.Better still was the fact that, while they were likely far from the skill possessed by Hephaestus and other forging Gods, the Dwarves and Vulcanae would still be able to construct entire fortresses and even produce Noble Phantasms without much difficulty. The only thing they needed was materials, some of which were purely conceptual while others simply couldn't exist. This, however, mattered very little to the Dwarves as, with their understanding of Laws related to forging and crafting, there were some among their ranks who could weave moonlight into silk, harvest the flames of passion in a human's heart, and even bottle up the fear of death in liquid form. For this reason, Dwarves were one of the most sought-after types of Fae, to the point that established Magus families would even go to war with each other to obtain 'ownership' of a young Dwarf...In the future, Vahn intended to liberate all Spiritual creatures that had been mistreated and exploited by not only the Mage's Association, but all the factions present within the world. For now, however, he needed to focus on his own affairs and, when the time was ripe, win the respect of the Dwarves by displaying his own forging skills. Though he didn't doubt their Masters were able to best him in a contest, Vahn doubted that Queen Effe had sent her most skilled craftsman in the batch that now occupied the cave system beneath the castle town. This gave him the confidence to challenge them directly and, even if he lost, Vahn knew he could still earn their respect by producing masterpieces that could at least pass muster. Then, by providing them with rich and potent alcohols, Vahn knew it wouldn't be long before he had a large Dwarven community living beneath the island...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Words are powerful, but symbols can represent thousands of words','Imagine what it would be like to experience entering a Throne Room, finding yourself looking down upon an Emperor, unaware of the fact you are standing on the level that represents the weakest amount of power...','Conquering the Dwarves through competition and alcohol xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1190: Treasure