Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After leaving Da Vinci and Galahad to carry out the rest of the orientation themselves, Vahn returned to the Faculty Room, a large three-story building that had both living and work spaces. Here, Okita, Jeanne, and Gareth, his usual entourage, were waiting while, seated at a small table, Zelretch could be seen nursing a cup of black tea.Seeing Vahn enter in through the front door, Zelretch inhaled one final whiff of the fragrant tea that had been provided to him before asking, "How is it, being an Advisor? I wish I had been there to see the surprise on those children's faces, hahahaha~"Taking a seat of his own, followed by Gareth dutifully pouring him a cup of tea, Vahn answered, "It won't be long before the number of prospective students explodes. I'll need to make sure the other Factions keep their noses clean, lest I have to bloody them..."Zelretch couldn't help but laugh in response to Vahn's words as he could, quite literally, imagine a few Nobles getting more than their noses bloodied by the latter's actions. There were some people who, despite all the evidence acting as a deterrent, would still seek death as a result of their errant actions. This was especially so for the Factions that had been eyeing certain students, students who would now, undoubtedly, seek shelter in the Empire.Understanding this, Zelretch adopted a more genial expression as he mused, "I should have taken more proactive action to redress the flaws in the world. Now, I can only leave the matter to you. It is high time I take a backseat and observe the passage of time...perhaps I'll even take in a new disciple. I can't deny that your words, back then, have left quite an impact on me...hmmm..."Hearing Zelretch's words, Vahn tilted his head to the side in rumination before stating, "You may not be qualified to teach others. Those that have lived far beyond the normal lifespan of the people they teach have a difficult time empathizing with them. In the past, you let your experiences shape how you educated your disciples, breaking them in the process. If you're looking for someone to succeed you, I can pull someone suitable through the Throne..."Zelretch made no attempt to refute Vahn's words, even though they were a little harsh. Instead, he began to stroke his beard in a self-calming manner before asking, "Did you have anyone in mind? I already had a few suitable candidates but, after hearing your words, that may have been misguided on my part..."In truth, Zelretch had several potential candidates to succeed, not just his Magecraft, but his actual Magic itself. He had even included Vahn in this list in the past but, after visiting Avalon, he no longer thought the Emperor before him needed the power and guidance he could provide. Rather, due to the same experiences Vahn mentioned, he almost had to recuse himself from getting involved in the events that would be taking place in the near future.Vahn couldn't immediately answer Zelretch's question as, in his opinion, True Magic itself wasn't that unique. Though the original wielders were undoubtedly terrifying existences, the restrictions on the use of Administrative Functions made it a dead-end pursuit. It would be completely useless outside of the Records of the Nasuverse so, rather than focus on borrowed power, he was more interested in teaching people how to obtain lasting strength...Still, it wasn't too difficult to come up with candidates that would benefit from the tutelage of a True Magician. They just needed to have a positive alignment, the mentality of an immortal, and a strong sense of responsibility. It was almost impossible for a normal person to become the apprentice of a True Magician as, as could be observed in Zelretch's case, their perspective was too skewed from the norm. Only those with powerful quirks, bordering on psychosis, that would be able to emerge from the training without any mental trauma.After thinking for a few moments, Vahn asked, "How about the first generation director of the Atlas Temple? Their organization has been protecting the world since before the Mage's Association even existed. The Atlas Temple also has the most developed understanding of Laws so they would be a suitable candidate. After all, they already have the ability to see the future and view parallel worlds, albeit to a lesser extent..."Hearing Vahn's suggestion, Zelretch just laughed as he shook his head. This earned a raised brow from Vahn until the former explained, "That bridge has already been burned. Atlasia didn't much appreciate the influence I had on the future so we had a few...disagreements...hahahaha~"Remembering that Zelretch had traveled at least a few hundred years into the Age of Gods, Vahn wasn't too surprised that he had met the first Director of the Atlas Temple. Though it would have been more accurate to call them the High Priest, as they were a descendent and worshipper of Isis, the future generations of the Atlas Temple recognized them as such.Rather than offer another name, Vahn shrugged his shoulders and said, "Your biggest issue will be finding someone that you can treat as your equal. If you only want a protege to follow everything you say, it will be impossible to rear a capable Mage. You may have had some disagreements with Atlasia but that is all in the past. There is an unlimited future ahead of us so you shouldn't dismiss the idea outright."Finding a grain of truth in Vahn's words, Zelretch nursed his black tea for a few moments, his mind wandering to distant memories. When he regained clarity, however, he shook his head again before saying, "I can't deny the wisdom contained in your words...maybe it's because I'm an old man but, if I'm to choose a successor, I'd want them to be a blank slate. Atlasia was a capable alchemist with a very powerful foresight but, as a result of their upbringing, it would be impossible to take them as a disciple. Rather, I imagine it is more likely they would become the head of the Atlas Temple or try to work with your Empire..."Understanding the logic behind Zelretch's argument, Vahn gave a small nod but, hearing the man mention a 'blank slate', he asked, "Why not rear an artificial human or a conceptual entity? They are your best option for finding a blank slate. If you raise them properly, they could become the most ideal version of the successor you have in mind. As for everyone else, they will always have a history and an ego, one which can be shaped based on the circumstances of their environment. To that end, you don't really have much of a choice in the matter."Zelretch couldn't help but frown in response to Vahn's suggestion. He didn't think it was wise to entrust such power to an artificial lifeform but, when considering his own metrics for choosing a student, it did seem like the best choice. After all, it was difficult to find even poor candidates for an apprenticeship, much less 'ideal' ones. There were too many uncontrollable variables and, with the existence of Vahn, any small hiccup in their training could have disastrous consequences...While Zelretch was feeling conflicted, Vahn shook his head before lightly tapping on the table and saying, "It really doesn't matter. You're putting too much thought into something that shouldn't be a problem. Stop trying to control everything and just do your best as a teacher. Even if your student goes astray, you should just guide them back onto the correct path. The more you try to force them, the greater the contradiction you'll create in their mentality. People become great because they are inspired to greatness by their circumstances. If you try to engineer greatness, forcing it upon those who don't have the capacity to accept it, you'll only end up creating a monster or, at best, a puppet."This time, Zelretch entered a very long and solemn silence as, with thousands of years of experience to draw from, he knew there was a great deal of truth behind Vahn's words. While it was possible for a powerful individual to rear up others, they were often inclined to play favorites and allow those of their choosing to take shortcuts. This generally built up positive rapport between Master and student but, when things didn't go as planned, a great rift could be formed between them, often ending in a great tragedy...Without a better response, Zelretch released a tired sigh before asking, "How can someone like you, who has so much control over everything, advocate the idea that it must be relinquished? What you have done thus far seems contrary to the point you are trying to make..."Vahn furrowed his brows slightly in response to Zelretch's accusation, his mood soured slightly at the lack of awareness the elderly man had. Still, he had put a lot of thought into his actions so, without a single fluctuation in his voice, he explained, "My actions are necessitated by the state of the world. It is the inaction of those that should have acted, combined with a lack of accountability on behalf of those who have power, that requires me to do establish the Empire. None of that has anything to do with my personal stance on education and rearing disciples...rather than throw out accusations, you should see for yourself how I operate. I am not a hypocrite that simply spews platitudes, old man..."Zelretch was a little surprised by Vahn's hostility but, rather than be offended, he was actually more relieved than anything. It was too easy to compare Vahn to the people that he had encountered in the past, something that emphasized that he did, indeed, rely too much on his experiences. Because of this, a part of him was always skeptical of what people said and did as, in many instances, even the best of intentions could be led astray by simple setbacks...What Zelretch often forgot, even though it was one of the more important aspects of Vahn's very existence, was that the man was not from his world. He was a fundamentally different existence and, in the short time he had existed, great changes had already been introduced. Just the presence of Alaya at his side showed that he was, in many ways, an incomprehensible existence. After all, while others had to fight hard to obtain their power, scheming and machinating to rise above others, Vahn was already there. He had enough power to easily dominate the world by force yet chose to focus on building the foundation for a better future by empowering the younger generation and inspiring them to greatness...It was only now, when he compared himself to Vahn, that Zelretch began to understand the very different ways in which they viewed the world. He was too used to the 'certainties' that came with being able to use the Second Magic. As for Vahn, he never cared about the future and its myriad paths. Rather, his only concern was on the present and how his actions in any given moment would shape, not just himself, but the very world around him. The future was completely inconsequential as, by measuring all of your actions against things that have yet to happen, you were already too detached from reality to live a meaningful existence...With a crooked smile spreading across his face, Zelretch began to stroke his beard as he mused, "It really is a shame...if I had met you a thousand years ago, I may not be as hopeless as I am today. I've only ever considered what my successor might do in the distant future...it is no wonder my students have been unable to break away from the path I foresaw...I forced them to take it..."Vahn was still a little annoyed with Zelretch but that didn't prevent him from nodding his head and adding, "The worst thing a parent and a teacher can do is neglect those in their charge. It is our duty to establish a baseline of consistency, one which allows them to freely choose their future. It is when you begin acting contrary and going against your own teachings that they begin to stray. So long as you help them build a strong foundation, focusing on morals and merit, children, and people alike, have no limits to what they are able to achieve."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Senile Old Man','Experience can lead to wisdom but, more often than not, it instead becomes bias...','Believe in the future, not the one you have planned, but the one that will be created by your children. Be good to people.')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Due to the lack of faculty members and the ongoing construction of the 'Aldrnari College', classes for the new department weren't scheduled for the first two weeks. Vahn had set this up to allow the children time to adapt to the campus and, if they wanted, find other classes they were interested in. It also allowed word to spread regarding the benefits of joining the nascent department as, with so few staff members, it would be problematic to accept new students after the lectures and classes had started.As could be expected, the introduction of five new mysterious girls, each possessing some degree of beauty, caused a few ripples within the Clock Tower. This was especially true for Mordred and Mash as, despite the former being a bit of a tomboy, she had a very similar appearance to Artoria. As for Mash, she projected a calm and intelligent aura and, despite only being fifteen, had a developed figure that earned her a considerable number of admirers in a very short period of time.One of the things that annoyed Vahn the most about this situation was that it wasn't just students trying to meet with the children. Rather, due to the complex internal politics and the traditions of the Clock Tower, relationships between faculty and students weren't nearly as regulated as they should be. This led to situations where some Professors used their position to proposition female students in exchange for better grades while, in some situations, high ranking faculty members would even pressure students into becoming 'research assistants' well after their graduation.These were all things Vahn intended to change, especially after he noticed some forty-two-year-old Professor from the Faculty of Zoology trying to coax Astrid after learning about her preference for animals and unique creatures. While others may seem this as a relatively harmless attempt to try and scout a new student, Vahn's Divinity made him very aware of the intentions of others so he ended up paying a personal visit to the man to 'explain' the meaning of propriety.If he were being honest, Vahn was disgusted with the current system so the rules he drafted for the operation of the Faculty of Unified Theory of Magecraft were drastically different. His agreement with Solon allowed the rules he had established to supersede the Clock Tower's own, at least within the department, Vahn was determined to set a better example. As for why he didn't try and force the Clock Tower to implement changes to the existing system, it was because there were a number of students who actually took advantage of it as well...While not the healthiest or 'best' choice, there were a number of poorer students that readily took advantage of their looks and other assets to further their education. Having change suddenly forced upon them would put them into an even more difficult situation as the larger portion of the student body was too used to the existing system. After all, the loose nature of the restrictions placed upon them was what allowed them to act with impunity in the real world. If they suddenly had to face the reality of a changing world, one they were grossly unprepared for, the dissent would be widespread.Vahn understood that it was futile to try and force change unless he was in complete control of a situation. Many of the current generation of Magi were already corrupted by the system so, while it was not impossible to correct their course, it was easier to target and empower those that naturally resisted the current system. He would rather save and protect those that desired change, rather than waste time and resources trying to forcibly change people that based their entire world view on the premise of benefits and exploitation.Eventually, once his department began to grow and stabilize, a natural rift would form between the 'normal' students and those affiliated with the Faculty of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory. This would eventually lead to conflict but, as this was necessary to implement real change, Vahn was already anticipating it. He would do everything within his power to prepare the students and, when the time came, keep them safe, all while cutting the heads of any enemy brazen enough to try their luck at antagonizing the Empire...---As he had originally promised, Director Atlasia eventually arrived from Egypt after meeting with the veteran Alchemists of the Atlas Temple. It didn't take much effort for him to convince them to work alongside the Empire once they became aware of the fact he had Alaya as a 'familiar'.At Director Atlasia's behest, a total of ten students of the Atlas Temple were enrolled in the Faculty of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory. He even brought his Vice-Director, a young woman named Sion, to act as a supplemental instructor and an understudy of Da Vinci. She was a brilliant woman with long purple hair, tied into pigtails, deep purple eyes, and a set of glasses that also served as an advanced Mystic Codex.Like the students, Sion wasn't exactly human. Rather, she was an artificial lifeform that had been created by Zepia in the past. She was one of many subjects that he had developed while trying to research Dead Apostles so, as a result, she was also a modified Vampire. This allowed her to use a very advanced form of the Mystic Eyes of Charm, the reason why she needed her glasses. It wasn't that her eyesight was bad, rather, she used them to block the effects of her charm.Fortunately, Sion was a sensible woman and, though she had a few quirks, there was a reason why Director Atlasia had raised her as both his daughter and successor. She was fully dedicated to the preservation of humanity and, unlike the rather somber and borderline emotionless students, she radiated an aura of positivity. Though he hadn't spent much time around her, Vahn had yet to see her without a genuine smile on her face, a stark contrast to the 'students' hailing from the Atlas Temple.As the Atlas Temple very rarely scouted outsiders, almost every student and internal member of the Atlas Temple was some kind of Artificial Human or Homunculus. There was even one, a petite young girl named Rani V, who embodied the so-called 'pinnacle' of Atlassian Alchemy. She was an Artificial Intelligence given a biological form.Rather than a normal nervous system and Magic Circuits, she had an artificial nervous system constructed of pure Ether that had been condensed into a macro-filament held together by organic nanomachines. As for her Magic Circuits, they were an intricate weave of circuits that, while not as high quality as a 'Perfect Homunculus' like Illya, made all natural-born Magi seem obsolete.Rani was the fifth generation 'Ultimate Lifeform' that had been developed by the Atlas Temple in an attempt to further human evolution and prevent the extinction of the species. Her brain had greater processing power than even Ark and Mother as, much like them, she had been modified to allow for split processing using Spiritrons. This turned her brain into a biological supercomputer, something that Da Vinci found 'extremely' fascinating.Unfortunately, in order to power and maintain her body, Rani V had an 'Artificial Dragon's Heart' comprised of a complex matrix of Etherlite, the same material serving as the framework of her hyper-advanced nervous system. This gave her a functionally infinite amount of mana but, as a result of her brain's requirements, she was a very low-energy girl with a perpetually blank expression. Her mind was capable of processing so much information that she spent more time lost in her thoughts than focused on reality, giving her a distinctly machine-like personality.The most troublesome aspect of Rani, however, was that her heart was an incomplete product and, as the very existence of an artificial Dragon's Heart went against the Laws of the world, her nervous system would be slowly damaged beyond repair due to the strain. While this would still allow her to be of use, as her mind would still be active, she would spend her final years as nothing more than a living computer that would eventually reach a critical level, exploding like a medium-sized nuclear warhead.As this wasn't something Vahn was willing to tolerate, he gave Rani, and all the other students, a modified version of the Ouroboros Seal. In Rani's case, hers was designed to actually siphon off a bit of the magical energy her Etherlite heart produced as, unlike the other students, she was the only one in danger of potentially exploding in the future. He would eventually either give her a new body or, as was the more likely scenario, allow Da Vinci to develop one for her. This was Director Atlasia's and Sion's hope as well so, in order to ensure there wasn't a need for a Rani VI, they would do what they could to guarantee the current generation model was capable of 'upgrading' itself...---With the inclusion of the ten exchange students from the Atlas Temple, another wave or ripples spread through the Clock Tower. This was largely due to the fact that the Atlas Temple was much older than the Clock Tower and, as a result of their reclusive nature, had almost no contact with the outside world. Even the 'Ten Major Families' had very little contact with them and, regardless of how powerful and influential you were, it was virtually impossible to pressure the Atlas Temple into doing anything. They were an extremely unified organization, one which even the Holy Church had failed to shake, even at the peak of its power.As could be expected, the students of the Atlas Temple inspired just as much mystery and intrigue as the Mordred, Sakura, Mash, Astrid, and Zoë. However, as they were extremely anti-social due to their origins, the flair resulting from their enrollment quickly wore off. The only exception to this was Rani who, despite having a very peculiar appearance, could qualify as a beautiful and petite girl. She had dark skin, much like Lakshmibai, which paired surprisingly well with the pale purple hair that reached all the way to her lower back.What stood out the most was that Rani generally wore golden rings and accessories on her body and, perhaps as a quirk of her original creator, had a very lean and petite figure by design. Though she looked more than a little childish, despite being sixteen years old, she had an adorable quality that increased her appeal to both male and female students. This, combined with her intelligence and the 'aura' the emanated, inspired a lot of male students to try their luck at getting to know her better.Unfortunately for them, Rani had absolutely no interest in anyone outside of the Faculty of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory. It wasn't an exaggeration to say she had been 'programmed' to fulfill a very specific purpose. If a matter had no relation to her objective, she treated it as if it didn't exist, at least in so far as her behavior was concerned. This actually gave her a cult following among a select group of students but, as it was quickly being established that students involved with the new department were 'untouchable', they could only observe her from a distance...By the time two weeks had passed, the total number of prospective students had increased from twelve to thirty-seven. This was only a fraction of the ones that wanted to join as the vetting process had eliminated more than seventy percent of applicants almost immediately. The rest were filtered out as a result of the investigations into their character, conduct, background, and situation. This meant that, of the four-hundred-and-nineteen applicants, only around five percent met the criteria that had been established for prospective students.There was a considerable amount of dissatisfaction with this arrangement, especially when people noticed that the Aldrnari College could easily facilitate a thousand students, but Vahn didn't really care. He knew a few rotten fruit could spoil an entire harvest so, if they had a high chance of causing trouble, the students were not allowed to enter his department. It didn't matter how much that tried to complain as, from the very beginning, the Faculty of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory operated in sovereignty from the rest of the Clock Tower.Vahn, and by virtue his department, were accountable to no one, not even Solon. Even if the Lords of other departments and factions tried to appeal to him directly, he would not allow their hand-picked spies and arrogant descendants to enter into a class that basically served as protection against them. They had nothing of value or interest to offer him and, as Sherlock had been compiling several thick stacks of documents pertaining to the crimes they had perpetrated, Vahn had absolutely no patience when it came to playing political games with them...Due to the hard stance he had taken, Vahn had very few friends among the other factions, especially those associated with orthodox practices and traditions. Inversely, he was immensely popular in the unnamed faction headed by Waver, even if there were a number of 'commoner' students who had accused him of favoritism and discrimination.Even during the two weeks leading up to the start of class, there were several rumors fueled by the other factions that came up with a variety of bogus justifications for why some were accepted over others. This was a sad attempt to vilify the students who were fortunate to be accepted but, as the average student had become pretty skeptical due to recent events, they rarely gained much traction. It helped that, every time another rumor was spread, the culprits behind its propagation would be quickly exposed. At the same time, a number of their past scandals would be made public, sending many departments into damage control in a vain attempt to salvage their nonexistent dignity...Needless to say, Da Vinci's technical prowess, combined with Sherlock's investigative ability, was a nightmare in the Information Era...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Clock Tower is kind of fucked up','Every time Rani's heart beats, it is like the pulse of a nuclear reactor :D...','Vahn is really riling up the other factions (UwU)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

As it was their first day of school, everyone except for Mordred was feeling more than a little nervous. They had all been brought to a small lecture-style classroom with five rows for students. However, due to the fact that the department had just been developed, the only students present were themselves and seven other people, split between four girls and three boys.Needless to say, the announcement of a new department had caused a stir within the Clock Tower, not just because it belonged to the Empire but due to the purported curriculum. There had actually been a number of students who wanted to check it out but, as the vetting process would take a few weeks, only those loosely associated with the Empire's current allies had been given the opportunity to venture forth.Among the seven potential students, one of the older boys decided to muster up the courage to try and break the silence, moving toward the front of the room where the group of foreign women was gathered. They didn't really need to ask where the girls had come from, especially considering who backed the current department, but the boy still gave a polite bow, saying, "Greetings. My name is Silvain Valois. May I have the honor of knowing your names...?"To his credit, Silvain hadn't initially addressed anyone in particular but, by the time he finished his introductions, his gaze had turned to Mordred. She was seated near the center of the group, while the other girls seemed somewhat cautious of him, Mordred had an amused smile on her face that radiated confidence. He was immediately reminded of the high born and prideful young mistresses of the more established Noble families so, while still putting on a casual air, his back had become a little straighter.Without beating around the bush, Mordred smiled with a toothy grin before saying, "You're a brave one, kiddo. That's good. Men should be bold, even when they are boys."After seeing Silvain tense up at her words, Mordred began to snicker before adding, "My name is Mordred. This here is my little sister, Sakura. As for those three, the big one is Mash, the airheaded one is Astrid, and the bratty one is Zoë. You're probably curious about the particulars of our origin but...well, let's just say it will be a lot less stressful for you if you don't know about it. Shishishishi~"As it was customary for people to introduce themselves with their full name, especially in a school saturated with the children of Aristocrats, hearing Mordred's words caused Silvain to swallow hard. While some might assume Mordred was just putting on false airs, she gave off a very distinct aura, one that could only be cultivated by those with high status and authority.Deciding to play it safe, Silvain gave a polite bow with his hand covering his heart, answering, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintances."In response to Silvain's words, Mordred just continued to smile while Sakura gave a small bow. As for Mash, Astrid, and Zoë, they gave polite responses of their own, albeit with a considerable amount of caution in their body language. This wasn't missed by Silvain so he did his best to smile disarmingly without staring directly at the girls, even if he found them more than a little charming.So as not to overstay his welcome, Silvain didn't stay around too long after his introduction. He knew there would be time to socialize more in the future so, in order to cover his bases, he walked over to the other six students, introducing himself to those he had yet to meet. It never hurt to expand your personal network and, though these may be his competitors in the future, they could be considered allies due to their affiliation...While Silvain was making his rounds, Sakura muttered in a voice that only Mordred and Mash could easily hear, "His position in the Valois family must be uncertain. If I'm not wrong, he is the third son of his family so there isn't really anything for him to inherit..."In response to her remark, it was the tiny dog-like Companion, Momo, who nodded its head. All of the companions were linked to a network and, while their communication functions were limited by design, they had all the details regarding the affiliated families associated with the Clock Tower. They had even received a massive upgraded recently, benefitting from Sherlock's investigations. He had used the last few months to uncover the secrets of every major family and organization, expanding Mother's network and greatly increasing the analytic ability of the Companions themselves.With Momo's affirmation, Mordred's smile only widened as she stated, "It is a common thing, really. When they are afraid of being cut off, they either do their best to stand on their own feet or find a larger umbrella to stand under. So long as you all remember what we talked about, there shouldn't be any problems. Just don't let yourselves get caught up in the pace of some random pretty boy and his flowery words."Here, the usually quiet Astrid nodded her head and, with a distant look in her eyes, added, "Words are used as a means to manipulate people. Only consistent action can be trusted...I won't be fooled anymore. This opportunity that Master has given us, I will cherish it..."Mordred snickered in response to Astrid's words before reminding, "You can't address Chichiue as Master while we're at school. It may be hard, but even I'll have to call him by his actual title, at least for the time being. If our identities are exposed too soon, it will make things a lot harder later on."Despite her tomboyish antics, Mordred had made an earnest effort to increase her understanding of politics and social maneuvering. She had always taken her Chichiue's words to heart so, when he told her that only a qualified individual could become Emperor, she had to change her perspective. While she was enjoying her childhood to the fullest, the most important thing to her was the recognition of her parents and the prosperity of the Empire. Her Chichiue wanted her to learn how to interact with her future subjects and empathize with them so, while it was an uphill battle, Mordred would never stop trying...Just as several small conversations were beginning to replace the room's previous tense atmosphere, it was suddenly brought back in full when the door at the front of the room opened. They basically froze on the spot upon seeing Vahn enter in the room, Da Vinci and Galahad following close behind. This answered some of the questions that had been plaguing them while simultaneously confirming that the new department was, in fact, directly backed by the Empire...Due to his experience acting as Headmaster back in Danmachi, Vahn made his way to the lectern of the class, his nerves steady and placid. He had his usual smile and, after looking over every student in turn, explained, "Greetings, students. I'm certain you all have a questions and concerns but, for the time being, we'll get introductions out of the way..."Gesturing to Da Vinci, who was attired in long, gown-like robe, he stated, "While there will be a split in the curriculum, this will be your primary teacher, Professor Alpha. If you follow her teachings with the proper motivation, even True Magic will not be beyond your capabilities. You will come to learn over the following months and years that the Magecraft you have been learning is flawed on a very fundamental level. The Faculty of Unified Magical Theory is meant to correct this. Should you put in the requisite effort, each and every one of you has the potential to become a powerful Mage."As could be expected, Vahn's words had further stunned the seven children seated toward the back of the class. It was very difficult to believe he was telling the truth but, after seeing the recordings of the battle between Artoria and Barthomeloi Lorelei, they knew the pinnacle of Magecraft was much higher than their previous understanding. It had been an eye-opening experience and, in an effort to change their fate, each of them had gathered for the purpose of expanding their horizons. While it was hard to believe in Vahn's words, they willed themselves to do so since, at the very least, it would increase their chances of joining the Empire in the future...Vahn understood that words meant very little so, despite seeing the caution and doubt in the eyes of the children, he kept his smile. They would quickly discover the truth for themselves so, before the tension could reach an uncomfortable level, he gestured to Galahad, explaining, "While Professor Alpha will be your primary teacher, this man will be in charge of your physical training. For those of you who wish to pursue the path of a Magic Knight, he will make sure you have the proper level of skill and discipline. If you work hard, even reaching the standard of a Heroic Spirit is not impossible. After all, this man is Sir Galahad, former Knight of the Round Table and current Knight of the Aldrnari Empire."While Da Vinci's identity was protected, to the point she even had a physical projection to make her appearance, Galahad's would be made public. This was to serve as both a deterrent and a means of drawing in interest from students that were currently sitting on the fence. After all, it was difficult to pass up the chance to learn from a genuine Hero, especially one as famous as Galahad. Since he had a very handsome appearance, combined with a seemingly limitless amount of patience, Vahn knew it wouldn't be long before the Magic Knight class increased in size.Of course, the most important reason behind Galahad being chosen was that he had a weakened version of [Pure Eyes]. They allowed him to sense the aura of a person based on their karma, making it possible to determine if they were good or bad at a glance. This would allow him to weed out any students that came under the influence of an outside force, albeit after an investigation to ascertain the truth. After all, people were sometimes forced into a difficult position and, though this may lead them to perform evil acts, that didn't mean they were beyond redemption...Hearing that the handsome youth wearing priest-like robes was none other than Sir Galahad, the four girls in the class practically had hearts in their eyes. As for the boys, they had a look that Vahn knew oh-so-well as, whenever he was walking around with his women, he would get similar looks all the time. Fortunately, jealousy and envy were rather common and, while it was clear the boys felt a little threatened by Galahad, there was clear interest visible in their gazes. After all, they were going to be learning from one of the most famous Knights that had ever existed, indicating there was a chance they could reach the same level in the future.Seeing that there weren't any genuine causes for concern, Vahn didn't pause for too long before adopting a slightly larger smile as he explained, "I believe my own identity is well known but, in the interest of clarification, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the Sage Emperor of the Aldrnari Empire. In this classroom, however, I am nothing more than your Advisor. I will not be present that often due to my other duties but, rest assured, I will stop by during some of the class' practical lessons. As for things like whether or not you can join the Empire, think about that when you are getting ready to graduate. Any questions before I turn things over to your Professor?"Vahn had actually expected silence in response to his question but, at the furthest point in the class, a sharply dressed youth with exceptionally straight brown hair raised her hand. She actually stood out quite a bit among the other students as, while they each had their quirks, this particular youth had an eyepatch covering her right eye and, despite only being around fifteen, radiated the aura of a mature secretarial woman.Without missing a beat, Vahn turned his attention to the young woman, asking, "Is there something, Miss Phamrsolone?"Though the girl, Ophelia Phamrsolone, had a relatively cold expression by default, she couldn't help show mild shock upon being addressed by name. Fortunately, she was was a very stoic girl so, not wanting to keep someone with the status of an Emperor waiting, she rose to her feet and gave a curt bow before asking, "Are there any protections afforded to students that wish to attend lessons? Also, is there a college where we will be able to take up residence...?"In total, there were forty-three 'colleges' located within the Bounded Field of the Clock Tower. These served as student dormitories and, with various other facilities forming to meet the various needs of young Magi, a veritable town had formed. This was made possible due to Zelretch's assistance in the distant past, making the space within the Bounded Field several hundred times larger than the space occupied by the Clock Tower in the real world.As these questions weren't outside of Vahn's expectations, he gave a simple nod before saying, "In the classroom, you need not bow. While it is a good idea to keep my status as an Emperor in mind, I am nothing more than an Advisor within the school's grounds. Now, to answer your questions, I can say yes to both. So long as you are officially accepted as students, you will be given a unique status that makes it very difficult for other factions to target you. Though this will not allow you to act with impunity, you will be able to enjoy your school life without too many concerns. As for the college, it is currently being built in the northern district. I'm certain there are already rumors circulating so I do not believe it necessary to go into further details."Though she had other questions, Ophelia knew it was better to wait for an explanation before she interrupted a second time. For now, it was enough just having Vahn personally say they would be protected. After all, it wasn't a secret they were attending this orientation so, in the near future, it was all but guaranteed that the other three factions would put pressure on them. This was especially true for people like her who, as her eyepatch denoted, had a unique and highly sought after Mystic Eye.Even without inquiring, Vahn knew why girls like Ophelia were interested in joining the Empire. Her only other option was to become the tool of another family as, despite being from a relatively well off family, she was not the heiress. There was even a chance that her Mystic Eye would be removed before she was married off to another family who, knowing she had a chance of passing down the trait, would force her to bear several children. This was a common practice so, while the number of students attending the orientation was small, it was only a matter of time before those in a similar situation sought liberation for themselves...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Mordred is a good daughter','Companions are OP','There are a lot of people that would willingly distance themselves from the established Magus Community xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1286: Banter