Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

While waiting for Siegfried to awaken, Vahn eventually found himself listening in on Catherin's attempts to help Medusa learn to speak, read, and write. She wasn't the only one attending class, however, as Mordred had a bored expression on her face as she squirmed around atop the cushions they used at seats. When Vahn showed up, she had sat still for a few minutes but, as if she simply couldn't sit still for a long period of time, it wasn't long before she began to shake her legs while sitting cross-legged. As for Medusa, she was surprisingly well behaved and had even asked a few well thought out questions in broken Japanese in an attempt to 'show off' to her Master. This was noted by Catherine but, as she found Medusa's desire for attention somewhat adorable, she just smiled and answered every question in stride.When the lessons finally came to an end, Modred acted like she had been freed from an oppressive burden as she bounced up from her chair, both fists raised high as she shouted, "Yes! Thank you for the lessons, Lady Catherine!" Then, without waiting for a response, Mordred looked toward Vahn with gleaming green eyes before pouncing toward him, exclaiming, "Chichiue~!" Vahn managed to catch her out of the air with relative ease, holding her with one arm and carrying her like the child she was as he looked toward Catherine and gave an appreciative nod, saying, "I'll take her back to her mother. Thank you for your continued efforts."Hearing Vahn's words, Mordred gave a restrained groan as she slouched to the side, using Vahn's arm like a pole as she hung upside down and complained, "I wanna go play~! Hahaue is just going to make me go to sleep..." In response to this, Vahn flipped Modred over, eliciting a giggle from his tomboyish daughter before pinching her nose as he said, "Be a good girl, Mordred. When it is day time, we can go to the beach or visit the old docks to go fishing. Night time is for study and rest, not playing around while others are trying to enjoy some peace and quiet." Though these words caused Mordred to puff up her cheeks, it was easy to see that she wasn't actually upset. Thus, when Vahn poked her cheeks, she just blew a breath of air into his face before laughing as he scrunched up his nose and said, "We'll need to brush your teeth when we get back..."Before carrying Mordred off, Vahn made sure to turn to Medusa who, after finishing her lessons, was looking toward him with her golden eyes. She had been doing well in her studies lately so Vahn had no qualms about promising, "When I have time tomorrow morning, I'll brush your hair for you. You'll have me to yourself for a few hours and I'll use the special oil you like..." As he was speaking, Vahn couldn't help but smile as he watched Medusa hair begin to snake around happily while the very tip of her golden tail began to flicker. She had always been able to use her hair as if it was an extra limb and, more so than anyone else, it took a phenomenal amount of time to help her brush it. Since it would move around a lot and was even longer than she was tall, Vahn had to wrangle with it for the better part of three hours, a process that would have been impossible if not for his grooming and petting skills...---While letting Mordred ride on his shoulders, even though she kept leaning from side to side to try and make him lose balance, Vahn made his way back to her shared room with Artoria. The latter could almost always be found within her room around this time, usually reading a book as she patiently awaited their arrival. Tonight was no exception as, after opening the door, Vahn saw Artoria place a blue hardback book on the stand next to the sofa as she rose to her feet with a smile and said, "Welcome back, Vahn, Mordred..." Lately, even during her training with Mordred, Artoria could often be found with a smile on her face, at least when Vahn was around. In response to her greeting, Mordred raised her right hand high and exclaimed, "Hahaue, we're back~!" while Vahn gave a polite nod and said, "You look just as beautiful as always, Artoria..."Having gotten used to Vahn's complementary nature, Artoria gave him a slightly wry smile in response as she walked over and pulled Mordred from his shoulders, asking, "Are you going to stay for a while? I can make tea if you give me a few minutes..." As a full tea set came into existence as she was speaking, Artoria allowed her words to trail off as she sat Mordred on the ground and said, "I thought I told you to dress properly when you attend lessons, Mordred..." Though her daughter was still wearing the same denim shorts she had been wearing previously, the blouse she had worn out had now been replaced by crop top that exposed her navel with the A-Rank fur-trimmed leather jacket Vahn had gifted her for 'behaving' in the past.Though she knew better than to talk back to her mother, especially when Vahn was around, Mordred still furrowed her brows slightly as she complained, "But it feels annoying. Come on, Hahaue, can't you lighten up a bit? You would look good if you showed off a bit more skin as well. Chichiue would certainly enjoy it, you know~?" Toward the end of her words, Mordred as a sly smile on her face as she lightly nudged her mother's side with her elbow. This resulted in Artoria taking in a deep breath through her nose with her eyes closed, an action that caused Mordred's wild and unkempt hair to stand on ends as she quickly stated, "I was just joking...!" while covering her head.Before Artoria could blow a gasket, Vahn decided to come to his daughter's aid by smiling as he said, "She does have a point. Why don't you come down to the beach with us in the morning? It is a little too cold for swimming but we can still enjoy the sunshine if I warm up the area with my domain. Getting a bit of sun would be good for your complexion..." Though she had given him a stern glare for taking Mordred's side, Artoria's face gained a ruddy hue when Vahn leaned in and whispered directly into her ear, "I can apply the lotion for you..." Immediately following this, Artoria reached up and yanked on Vahn's ear as she exclaimed, "Vahn Aldrnari Mason! You're setting a bad example for our daughter...!"While Vahn had a pained smile on his face, he gestured for Mordred to go get changed and brush her teeth while he had her mother distracted. Though Artoria was aware of this, it wasn't the first time Vahn had taken the fall on Mordred's behalf. She was very aware of the fact that her daughter's favor had quickly shifted towards Vahn but, as it made her heart feel warm to see them interacting together, Artoria didn't mind playing the role of the 'big bad'. When she and Mordred were training, the latter would work a lot harder than she expected, never once complaining about anything even with her power sealed away. Ever since the time Mordred became their daughter, she had never once even mentioned the seal placed around her navel, even though Artoria suspected she wore clothes that showed the mark off as a silent protest of sorts.After Mordred disappeared into the connected bathroom, something all rooms within the Inner Sanctum had in common, Artoria let go of Vahn's ear before rolling her eyes when she saw his smiling face. Then, as a 'punishment' to her daughter, she walked over to the large dresser that had all of Mordred's clothes, pulling out a pair of animal pajama's that caused Vahn's eyes to light up. As punishment for him, however, Artoria tossed Mordred's onto the bed before opening up another drawer in her own wardrobe and pulling out a much larger pair and tossing it to Vahn. Since he had worn them before, Vahn just chuckled in response to Artoria's glare as he began to change into his own set of Tiger Pajamas. He didn't even care that he had to wear such a thing while it was just the three of them, especially since Artoria had a pair of her own that she reluctantly pulled out. Since she was still 'punishing' Vahn, however, she picked up Mordred's before disappearing into the bathroom instead of changing in front of him...Shortly after Artoria stepped into the bathroom, Vahn heard Mordred exclaim, "Ah, nooooooo~!" in a high-pitched voice that was followed by a few loud thumps and the sound of something breaking. When they both emerged a few minutes later, Artoria was carrying Mordred under her arm as the latter had a defeated expression on her face as she looked towards Vahn with a pleading look in her eyes. This immediately changed into a look of absolute defeat, however, when she saw that even Vahn had been forced to wear the 'punishment' pajamas. Though he was undoubtedly the man of the house, even Vahn was helpless when Artoria made up her mind about something. Thus, after making sure Mordred had brushed her teeth properly by having her open her mouth as wide as she could, the three cuddled up in bed and went to sleep...---After being alerted by Sis that Siegfried's memory link was coming to an end, Vahn parted ways with Mordred and Artoria before making his way towards Merlin's Tower. Just as he was getting ready to pass through the mirror, Siegfried's time ended and, likely remembering the time frame he had given her earlier, Da Vinci's began. She wasn't really the type of woman that would overlook such things as, even if seventeen of her thought processes were distracted by other tasks, Vahn believed at least one of them had been 'dedicated' to the things he told her to keep in mind. Even though she had been extremely excited to pour through the hundreds of different materials and ores he had brought out for her to research, Vahn suspected Da Vinci had gone to sleep mere moments before Siegfried was scheduled to awaken. Now, he imagined each of her thought processes analyzing every memory Sis allowed her to see, something that could potentially have terrifying consequences in the near future...Deciding to worry about Da Vinci latter, Vahn stepped out into the real world just as Siegfried's eyes, which had been open even as he slept, regained their light. Merlin's illusion was no longer present so he had either known Vahn was going to appear on time or had simply wandered off to follow one of his whims. If his suspicions proved correct, there was a good chance Merlin was now watching over Da Vinci's dreams, likely searching for any discrepancies in the memories Vahn shared with the Heroes he summoned. Fortunately, as the significance of memories could change a lot when taking into consideration the target, Merlin wouldn't really determine if the information was being actively manipulated by Sis so long as all the key moments remained unchanged.Since he had seen more than one-hundred-and-forty years of Vahn's life, Siegfried's composure hadn't been shaken in the slightest as he climbed down from the table he had been resting on, bowing low as he said in a deep and surprisingly easy on the ears voice, "Your Highness. I do not believe myself worthy of this second chance at life. However, I will do my best to help you defeat the evil that threatens to destroy this world. So long as my lungs draw breath, I will be the sword and shield that protects the Empire."With Siegfried speaking without any discernable emotions, Vahn couldn't help restraining a sigh as he produced a casual smile and said, "I may have wronged you by pulling you into this conflict without your consent. The truth is, Seigfried, that my intentions for bringing you into this present timeline were not simply to use you as a tool to fight my enemies. You witnessed it yourself in my memories, but I've been sorely needing a male companion that I can confide and share my burdens with. You may not consider yourself worthy, but I would be honored if you would one day consider me your friend."Without his expression changing all that much, Siegfried nodded his head before answering, "If that is your wish, I will do my best to meet your expectations. So long as you remain true to your cause, it would be my honor to serve as your friend." At the very end of his statement, though it didn't quite reach his eyes, Siegfried gave a somewhat awkward smile. Things hadn't worked out so well the last time he had a monarch as a 'friend'. As someone who had been labeled as a Hero by society, bearing overwhelmingly immense power, Siegfried's principle belief was that he existed to fulfill the wishes of others. This belief, however, had spurned his wife, lost him the favor of his King, and caused a civil dispute that threatened to throw the entire Kingdom into turmoil.To prevent a disaster, Siegfried had conspired with one of his former friends to have them assassinate him, intending to put the matter to rest by sacrificing his own life. Unfortunately, as a result of the knowledge provided by the summoning system, Siegfried knew his actions were in vain. Now, believing even his death had failed to serve any purpose, Siegfried wanted to place his trust in this man who, an Emperor even the Gods paid homage to. This time, instead of fulfilling the wishes of everyone who requested his aid, Siegfried decided to treat Vahn's wishes as his own, becoming the 'friend' the latter sought while forsaking everything else but his pride...---After talking with Siegfried for a bit, Vahn showed him how to enter into the Sub-Space Projection before helping him get situated within the castle. As Siegfried would be joining the Imperial Knights, Vahn introduced him to Artoria before he ultimately decided on a room in the Knight's Quarters. He wasn't a member of the Imperial Family and, though he had been given the rank of Baron, Siegfried had no interest in such things. When Vahn helped him set up his room, the only things he requested were a few of the same sets of clothing, a firm bed, a single wardrobe, and some weights to assist in his training. He didn't even ask for a washbasin or soap as, during Siegfried's time, such things were an extremely rare commodity, to the point that most people would only bathe in streams every few days, often ignoring other hygienic practices.Understanding Siegfried lived a relatively 'spartan' existence before he had been summoned, Vahn spent a few hours helping him pick out some more stylish clothing and fixing up his room to have some more 'character' to it. Since one of Siegfried's most notable feats was slaying the 'evil' True Dragon, Fafnir, Vahn found a painting illustrating the legendary feat, hanging it up on Siegfried's wall to break the monotony of the room. Throughout this entire process, Siegfried remained mostly silent, only really answering when spoken to directly. It was clear at a glance that his mind was still preoccupied with various things, likely relating to the circumstances leading up to his death, so Vahn didn't pressure him too much. He did, however, pull out some strong alcohol after showing the taciturn Knight around the training field, sitting down on one of the wooden benches in the area as they both just lounged about, chatting about the future instead of focusing on the past...When Vahn had finished talking about his vision of the future, Siegfried's expression had softened almost indiscernibly as he asked, "May I ask you a question?" In response to this, Vahn raised his cup slightly, answering, "It would be hard to call us friends if I won't even let you ask me questions. Know that I would never speak about anything you entrust to me, Siegfried. As for any questions you'd like to ask...well, so long as it doesn't infringe upon the privacy of the other castle residents, I don't mind answering."With an understanding nod, Siegfried seemed to contemplate his question for a short while before asking, "What qualifies you to be the person to lead humanity towards a better future? How can you be certain that the future you envision for others is the correct path? What will you do when people resist the future you have decided for them?" Since 'friends' were supposed to be the type of people that would call you out when you were doing things that could be called into question, even if it was only to help you affirm your own conviction, Siegfried felt compelled to question why Vahn chose this kind of path. He knew the latter was from a completely different world and, though his vision was certainly noble, that didn't necessarily mean it was the best course for this current world.Surprising Siegfried, Vahn smiled with an amused expression on his face as he honestly admitted, "I can only do my best, Siegfried. There is no way to know for certain if the path any of us decide upon is the best one but, so long as we do not give up, it is better to have tried and failed than to fear walking the path in the first place. I have a lot of power and, though it might be smarter to simply hide away and try to protect the happiness I have found for myself, I would never be content with the knowledge that the world could have been bettered by my efforts. Yes, there is a chance that my actions could bring about the very destruction I wish to avoid, but I would never stop trying to pick up the pieces and build a better future from them...it may be selfish, but that is the mentality that separates an Emperor from other sentient creatures. We exist to try and elevate everything within our dominion to a higher level, doing everything in our power to avoid stagnation and decay..."As a result of Vahn's strong convictions, combined with his [Will of the Emperor] being constantly active, Siegfried could feel the pressure in the atmosphere increase as the former continued to speak. Though he could not imagine living the same kind of life as Vahn, Siegfried considered this was not unexpected as, unlike Vahn, he was not an Emperor. He had performed his 'duty' as a Hero to the best of his abilities so, hearing Vahn speak of his own duty as an Emperor, Siegfried couldn't help smiling more sincerely as he took a small gulp of the dark brown alcohol in his cup. As the cold liquid quickly warmed up his throat and chest, Siegfried released a contented sigh that caused Vahn to adopt a large grin as he raised his own cup and said, "Cheers. To good alcohol and even better company...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Mordred is a little monkey','If they are a family of tigers, why do they sleep at night?','Vahn finally got a male friend (U w U)...praise gomenosai-sama~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With the Trial moving into its third week of deliberation, Barthomeloi Lorelei could no longer continue to press the matter as, compared to the first two weeks of proceedings, the chamber was decidedly empty. Within the stands, only seven people were present, five consisting of old men with sharps gazes while the other two were beautiful females that wouldn't lose out to them in aura and presence. Even Bathomeloi Lorelei herself was feeling a bit pressured, though she never doubted for a single moment she would be more than a match for any one of the audience members. This wasn't a sentiment shared by normal Magi within the Clock Tower, however, so, once the most elderly man present, named Eischen Musik, the former head of the Policies Department of the Clock Tower. At one point, he had even been Bathomeloi Lorelei's Senior before he had stepped down from the position when she rose to power...Loathe as she was to admit it, Bathomeloi Lorelei knew things had already gone on far longer than they should have, to the point it had started to interfere with her own duties as Wizard Marshal. The only thing that had kept her going this long was the presence of the 'lesser' Magi who had been present as she simply couldn't allow herself to lose face in front of a crowd. Though it wasn't much better to take a step back in front of people deserving of her respect, their presence alone gave her a bit of leeway to skew the final ruling a bit. This could cause some tensions within the current power structure of the Clock Tower but, as she was already at the apex, Bathomeloi Lorelei was confident she could manage any dissidence by making a few deals and promises outside of public scrutiny.Though it was undoubtedly her petty nature that had drawn out things this long, Bathomeloi Lorelei glared down at Lord El-Melloi II with a vicious gaze as she venomously stated, "Your stubbornness has wasted the time of everyone present, each a Magus with greater responsibility and status than you can even hope to aspire towards. As a commoner who has been allowed the privilege of holding the title of 'Lord', you, of all people, should have known better than to draw things out like this. Your unwillingness to accept responsibility, even as a courtesy, shows that you are not worthy of the title you borrow. Were it up to me, you should have long been stripped from title and class as the Clock Tower does not need fools who overreach without paying attention to the natural order of things..."Understanding what Barthomeloi Lorelei was trying to do, Marisbury Animusphere's brows furrowed ever so slightly as he made a polite motion to speak. This, however, was immediately shot down by Barthomeloi Lorelei as she looked towards him with a gaze that could turn a person to stone as she said, "Your attempts at covering for the defendant throughout the duration of these proceedings is proof enough that you should have recused yourself from the responsibility of Judge from the start. One would think the Head of the Animusphere family had even the most basic sense of propriety when it came to matters such as this. Even if your family is on the decline, you should hold up your head with dignity until the end, lowering it only to your betters when asking for help. When your obstinance destroys your family, do not blame the history books for painting you as a the fool you have made yourself into..."After berating Lord Animusphere, mixing in a threat for good measure, Barthomeloi Lorelei looked down at Lord El-Melloi II once again. She knew there was a limit to the punishment she could assign him without causing too much fallout so, while she earnestly desired to see him become nothing more than a tool used for experimentation, she reluctantly decreed, "The budget for the Faculty of Modern Magecraft Theory will be suspended for the period of three years. However, as I'm certain your 'intimate' relationship with the Edelfelt family will make them more than willing to support your burdens, I will pass down a personal punishment to you directly, Lord El-Melloi II. To ascertain if there is even the smallest amount of significance that can be assigned to your blood, you will be required to pay a portion of the fees by 'donating' your blood to the Mage's Association."Though Barthomeloi Lorelei's decision was incredibly petty, Lord El-Melloi II was not unaccustomed to things like pain. Before she could inflate matters even further, he lowered his head while she was mulling over her own thoughts, answering, "I understand. The wisdom of the Barthomeloi family has always been without equal. I will accept this punishment and do my best to make up for my mistake in Fuyuki City. Thank you for your lenience..." These words caused Bathomeloi Lorelei to frown but, not missing the opportunity, Lord Animusphere and Rocco Belfeban both added, "I believe this has concluded the matter of this Trial then?" and "Indeed. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to continue this farce for even a moment longer." This was their way of saying they would not tolerate any more of Bathomeloi Lorelei's selfishness while, in the viewing stands, some of the attendants had already started to take their leave.As much as she wanted to hand out punishments to the members of Lord El-Melloi II's entourage, Bathomeloi Lorelei had more pressing matters to attend that had been put off for far too long. If she tried to take further action, things would only be drawn out even longer, potentially to the point that she would need to do 'damage control' if things got out of hand. Thus, while affirming her intention to destabilize the foundation of the Animusphere family in the future, Bathomeloi Lorelei used her own gavel to smack the sound block atop the tribunal's podium. This didn't prevent her from leaving a few parting words, however, as she added, "I would advise you and your companions to properly consider your future course. Now that this matter has been concluded, I will leave the matter laying. Know that, as the Head of the Barthomeloi family, I find your behavior over the course of this trial to be disreputable. If you do not correct your course and show a sense of propriety in the future, do not believe for a moment that the Edelfelt family will be able to shield you..."Having already expected such words, as Barthomeloi Lorelei was considered to be 'petty without equal', Lord El-Melloi II just gave a polite bow in response to her threat. This caused her to snort through her nose before leaving through the door at the back of the podium. In her wake, Lord Animusphere gave an apologetic smile to everyone gathered below while Rocco Belfeban just shook his head with a tired expression on his face. If not for the fact that the fragments of the Greater Grail were the greatest contributions to the Department of Spirit Evocation in the last five-hundred years, he would have never even considered butting heads with such a stubborn woman. The thoughts of Lord Animusphere seemed a bit different, however, as he had willingly put himself in the line of fire, something that had baffled most of the members of the Magus Community, including the members of his own family...---With the Trial officially concluded, everyone that had been part of the defense seemed extremely tired as they walked down the stone steps of the Clock Tower's front entrance. Now that it was over, Lord El-Melloi II looked between Rin and Gray, asking, "What will the two of you do from now on?" As Gray had already explained the situation to him in the past, Lord El-Melloi II had already accepted the fact he had lost his protege and personal attendant. This was, however, for the best as, ever since the 'incident' in the past, Reines had never been fond of her presence. If not for the fact that Gray was far stronger than him, essentially delegating her to the role of his bodyguard, it was likely his Wife never would have tolerated her presence.In response to Lord El-Melloi II's question, Rin released a frustrated sigh as she answered, "I still have a lot of things to take care of but I will be taking a long vacation to focus on my own research after all of this blows over. I've already made some arrangements with Luvia so I may drop off the radar for a bit in order to prepare for any other issues that might appear in the future." Since they were likely under surveillance right now, Rin knew better than to say anything concrete about her future plans. If the Mage's Association knew she and Gray were going to meet with Vahn, who had become increasingly sought after by some of the higher-ups, the chances of them causing problems for her and Sakura would increase exponentially. As for Gray, she gave a polite bow before saying, "I will continue to provide my services to the Tohsaka family. Thank you for taking care of me until now, Master..."Hearing Gray's words, Lord El-Melloi II couldn't restrain his sigh as, before this incident occurred, he had actually stopped thinking about the possibility of her leaving his side, at least in the near future. Now that he was losing her, his own actions would need to be more measured in the future or there was a very real chance he could lose his life. Throughout the years, Gray had saved him well over a hundred times and, though it might have been unfair to her, Lord El-Melloi II had gotten in the habit of treating her power as his own. At least now he would have the opportunity to 'prove' to the other Lords that he was capable of standing on his own, albeit with the support of three different Magus families...As Flat hadn't been kept in the loop, he was a little surprised by the fact that Gray seemed to have changed allegiances. His impression of her was that of a 'support character' that would always follow around Lord El-Melloi II like a loyal puppy. Since he was the first to show any amount of kindness to her, it was somewhat unexpected to hear her state she would essentially be abandoning the Master she had cherished for nearly twenty years. Though he knew this was probably for the best, especially with how Svin had been acting lately, Flat was still a little saddened to know he likely wouldn't be working alongside Gray in the future. It felt like he was losing one of the carries in his party, one of the primary sources of DPS against their more troublesome foes...Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Flat managed a genuine smile as he looked into Gray's stark blue eyes and stated, "I wish you the best, Gray. If this is what you have decided for yourself, I have no right to interfere...also, until you and Rin leave London, please stay on your guard. Recently, there have been reports of wild dogs roaming throughout the City...stay safe..." Though he knew his words would be construed as him 'betraying' Svin, Flat felt the need to warn Gray since it was 'very' unlikely the emergent Brand would be enthused to learn the object of his obsession was moving outside of his sphere of influence. A Brand had a lot of sway within the Association, as the number of people capable of reaching that point accounted for less than .001% of all Mages. Svin had already 'decided' that Gray would be the one to bear his heir as, with the progression of his power and the elevation of his status, he now held the belief that only someone with the 'bloodline of kings' was worthy of his affection...Hearing Flat's words, Gray's face became slightly pale as the sound of metal-against-metal echoed from her sleeve. She had instinctually grabbed Add as just the thought of meeting Svin again made her feel on edge. There was such a stark contrast between him and Vahn that Gray now believed her past self had been a fool to ever give the obsessive man a chance to win her heart. What he had to give certainly wasn't 'love' as, compared to the tender care and affection that Vahn had shown her, Svin's behavior could only be considered extremely toxic and unhealthy. Unless she was essentially willing to become his 'pet', locked away from the rest of the world due to his jealous nature, there was no way they could ever have a lasting relationship. As the thought of being imprisoned for the rest of her life wasn't all that pleasant, Gray resolved herself to fight against Svin directly if he tried to pressure her. Even if he had already reached the level of a Brand, that didn't mean he was her equal if she went all out from the start. If it came down to it, she would rather kill her former friend than ever go back to her life in that muggy and dark room...It wasn't just Gray who had a bad reaction to Flat's words as Rin and Lord El-Melloi II both adopted troubled expressions, the latter saying, "I want you to explain to me what has been going on. Rin, please take Gray with you back to the Edelfelt estate and explain the situation to Luvia. If possible, she should increase the amount of security around you and the young miss without leaving the matter to Gray alone...the last thing we need is a wild dog injuring one of our companions." Since he had more or less cut ties with Svin after intervening in the relationship between him and Gray, Lord El-Melloi II didn't have a clear idea of what his former student had been up to. Though he had heard the rumor of Svin being nominated for the position of Brand, that matter had been shelved due to the ongoing Trial...As she had met Svin in the past a few times, Rin knew the man was a ticking time bomb so, though she was no longer under the authority of Lord El-Melloi II, she still nodded her head and said, "Leave it to me. If necessary, I'll start carrying around a hard cane and deal with the matter myself..." Though it would cause a major stir if it was revealed that she had two Goddesses within her body, Rin would never stand idle if one of her friends was in danger. No matter how prodigious Svin had become, he would be hard-pressed last even a few minutes against someone like Ereshkigal while Ishtar was simply beyond his means to even reach. Since she could freely fly through the sky without restraint, there was little someone earth-bound could do against her...With Rin's words, Lord El-Melloi II felt as if a weight had been removed from his heart as, while he may have been kept in the dark on many things, the existence of Ereshkigal and Ishtar was known to him. He had a lot of questions about how Rin was able to keep them manifested without the Greater Grail's support but, considering the many enigma's surrounding Vahn, he correctly assumed that the otherworldly Emperor had something to do with it. Regardless, it was a great relief to know that Rin would be willing to reveal her hand if it came down to protecting Gray. Though Svin shouldn't have any leeway to take action against a family like the Edelfelt's, it was better to be safe than sorry.With that in mind, though it was largely unnecessary, Lord El-Melloi II and Flat accompanied both of the girls to the Edelfelt Mansion before alighting to discuss the matter at a nearby restaurant. This left Rin to explain the situation to Luvia while Gray went to spend time with Vahn in the comfort of the Space-Time Orb. Now, more than ever before, she just wanted to be in the company of someone who seemed to care about her deeply, not someone who saw her as a trophy or possession. Vahn's memory fragment didn't even need to ask if there was anything wrong as he gave her an empathetic look before gently wrapping her in his embrace. Like this, they spent several hours together just sharing each other's warmth, something she couldn't even imagine with a 'wild animal' like Svin...---While Lord El-Melloi II, Flat, and Rin were moving to try and control the situation, the man they were troubled by just so happened to be kneeling before a woman with neat brown hair and cold brown eyes. There was a deeply set and hate-filled frown on her face as she stated, "I will not ask that you assassinate a Lord. My only expectation is that your rising family will continue to stand with my own in the coming conflicts. To that end, you can prove your loyalty by causing as much trouble for the Archisorte and Animusphere families. Do this for me and I can guarantee that Lord El-Melloi II's little pet is given a proper Sealing Designation. If she is who you claim her to be, even those idiots in the Kalion Observatory will not deliberate too long before coming to a decision. When that time comes, I will use my authority to guarantee that you are the one assigned to her care. I doubt there would be any resistance to the idea of a Brand being selected a Sealing Designation's partner. To avoid having to share her with others, however, you will need to continue making an earnest effort, Lord Glascheit..."Though he was not yet a Lord, a shiver ran along Svin's spine when he heard Barthomeloi Lorelei address him as such. His own family could barely be considered a true member of the aristocracy so it was a significant boost in status if he was able to secure the title of Lord. He currently carried the burden of his entire family's rise and, even if he had to lower his head to the Barthomeloi's, they were indisputably the most powerful Magus family within the Association. Not only was their current Head one of only three Wizard Marshal's in the entire world, but her Ancestor, the Barthomeloi Lord, was considered to be a Magus so powerful that only the practitioner of the First Magic could hope to rival them. It was for this reason that, even though Barthomeloi Lorelei often acted with a 'holier-than-though' attitude, few dared to directly antagonize her. After all, while the Barthomeloi family could pester anyone they wanted, there were none who could pester and attack the Bathomeloi's without potentially inviting extinction upon themselves...With the promise of his desired future being dangled right in front of his nose, Svin, like an obedient dog, returned an excited smile as he exclaimed, "I will not fail...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Petty Without Equal','Feral dogs needs to be put down','The only thing this scene needed was Lorelei making Svin lick her feet...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

As much as Vahn was enjoying spending time with everyone, as walking around with Illya and Iris turned most situations into a pleasant experience, he still needed to pay attention to his schedule as much as possible. Thus, while waiting for Siegfried to awaken, Vahn went to meet with Da Vinci in their shared workshop so he could tell her to get some sleep at some point. Taking into account the time he had spent in the real world, it had already been around ten hours since he had left her alone. Because of this, Vahn had the very real expectation that he would see something risque the moment he stepped into the workshop. As Da Vinci was a pervert by her own admission, and had even been working on lingerie prior to him leaving, Vahn had already prepared himself for whatever she would surprise him with...Against his expectations, as if to emphasize she was an incomprehensible existence, Vahn found Da Vinci wearing some rather stylish renaissance style clothing, complete with a short pleated skirt. Even at a glance, he could tell that the clothes she had made for herself were of an extremely high quality while also being practical. Though he would have to inspect them more closely to be sure, it looked like even the pair of blue leggings she had made for herself were at least upper B-Rank, qualifying them as A-Rank items in the Record of Danmachi. He doubted she was able to infuse any abilities into them, as they lacked the 'aura' that would usually accompany such things, but just their make alone nearly qualified as a masterpiece.As she had noticed his arrival, Da Vinci removed a set of goggles from her face that Vahn hadn't given her, meaning she made them herself, to stare back at him with her peculiar eyes. She had been using a series of uniquely designed tools unlike anything Vahn had ever seen before as she carved a small an intricate series of runes on the outside of a lens. Then, as if to answer his unasked question, Da Vinci explained, "Even an Omniscient Genius requires the proper tools to complete their work. I'm currently about to finish my third iteration of lenses for my ocular device. When I am finished, I will be able to see 'reality', even while inside of this Sub-Space Projection. I figured it may be necessary to make an observation system that allows you to easily see what is taking place in the real world for any potential invasions."Hearing Da Vinci's explanation, Vahn found himself spontaneously breaking out into a short bout of light-hearted laughter. He actually wasn't all that surprised by the fact that she was already working on solutions to some of the Empire's most pertinent issues but, as it was such a distinct 'gap' from what he had expected upon arriving, he couldn't help but laugh at the reality of the situation. This changed very quickly, however, when Da Vinci gave a 'knowing' smile and said, "I already finished working on a few different types of lingerie as well. I have already prepared a presentation once I complete these lenses so please be patient. If you have nothing to keep yourself busy, you can find a few pairs of panties that I had worn laying on the bed in the other room. Please try not to spoil them too much since I'll need to wear them during the presentation~."Though he knew Da Vinci was teasing him, it was also very apparent that she was being serious at the same time. Because of this, Vahn realized that the 'gap' he thought existed had been nothing more than another misunderstanding on his part. Da Vinci wasn't constrained by what he thought she would do as, with her 'omnipotent genius', she could be both serious and perverted at the same time. It was very likely that, even now, some of her thought processes were still designing new types of lingerie. She likely intended to use her 'presentation' as a means to collect data by observing his reaction to each type of garment she had produced. Since Da Vinci always innovated off the data she was provided with, she would continue to modify her designs until they were the 'pinnacle' of the concept of lingerie, at least lingerie that could be used to appeal to him...Since Da Vinci had already returned to her work, clearly not wanting to be disturbed a second time, Vahn just shook his head before looking around the workshop at various other small projects she had started. He found that his Atelier was filled with various different tools that hadn't been present a few hours prior. Da Vinci had used transmutation to shape precious metals into complex tools that would take extreme dexterity to be able to use. There were even a few precision instruments that had blades and tips so fine that they were only a single atom's thickness. The one thing these tools lacked were abilities infused into them but, using small runes and reinforcement magecraft, Da Vinci was able to circumvent this with ease. She had even embedded small gemstones into the structure of the tools, giving them the appearance of fine works of art, that served as a means to power the intricate magic formation and prevent the tools from breaking.As interesting as her tools were, Vahn's attention was only drawn to them for a brief moment as, on the adjacent table, the basic framework of an extremely complex, albeit incomplete, staff had already been laid out. There were also blueprints that had been drawn with machine-like precision next to it, allowing Vahn to get an understanding of what Da Vinci was trying to create. Using transmutation and the tools she had made herself, Da Vinci had been making small parts similar to what you might find in something like an expensive pocket watch. There were literally thousands of small pieces that had been carved with even smaller runes and magic formations that would be linked together into a staff that was as much mechanical as it was magical. When it was completed, Vahn could tell it would be around A-Rank, if for no other reason than the fact that Da Vinci lacked higher quality materials. The fact she was capable of making a high-ranking staff with relatively simple materials was one of the most shocking things Vahn had observed from Da Vinci thus far.Though Vahn already had high expectations for Da Vinci, to the point he put her on the same level as Scáthach, it almost felt like she was doing everything in her power to make his prior expectations seem 'inconsequentially foolish' in the face of her genius. At the same time, however, Vahn was more than a little excited about future prospects as, if he were able to work alongside and learn from Da Vinci, his comprehension could reach extremes that might have taken him hundreds of years on his own. He relied on very expensive and rare materials to do what Da Vinci could accomplish with comparably 'plain' materials. If he could reach her level, Vahn felt that making SS-Rank, or higher, equipment would be well within his reach...While Vahn had been captivated by her work, Da Vinci quickly finished up the set of lenses she was working on. Seeing that he was distracted, she removed her goggles before slotting the lenses into one of the prepared rings. Her ocular device allowed lenses to be overlapped so their effects could be stacked together and toggled by tapping small gemstones on the side. When she slotted in the third and final set of lenses, Da Vinci couldn't help but smile as she placed the visor over her eyes and tapped the tiny white peridot that was arranged in a triangular formation with a ruby and a sapphire. This caused everything within her vision to appear as though a film had been placed over it, one which allowed all objects to be viewed with a variable amount of transparency based on the focal point of the user's eyes.With her goggles donned, Da Vinci cast her gaze over Vahn's back, a glimmer in her eyes as she looked him up and down without triggering his perception. The main function of this set of lenses was to allow her to see the internal structure of materials but, if the settings were tweaked just a little bit, it also allowed her to see through clothes just as easily. She could see that Vahn had a very athletic body that, while not on the same level as her 'Mona Lisa Prototype', was almost flawless in its structure. What troubled her was the fact that, even if she upped the settings, she still couldn't make sense of Vahn's internal structure, almost as if he was a unique existence that simply didn't follow the same 'rules' as the rest of the world...After ogling Vahn's butt for a few seconds, Da Vinci pressed the small sapphire gemstone to active the second set of lenses, this one allowing her to see the flow and structure of magical energy with extreme precision. She used these lenses to make sure there were no leaks when she was carving runes as many of her inventions would break down if there was even the smallest defect within the complex latticework of magic formations she painstakingly carved. Though she only made mistakes if there were external factors beyond her control, that was no excuse to cut corners and suffer as a victim of hubris. Unfortunately, even with this second set of lenses, Da Vinci could only see Vahn's body as an 'enigma' that would require extensive research. She did not believe for a moment that she would be unable to 'crack' what made him function as, regardless of what secrets his body held, it was only a matter of time until she knew everything there was to know about Vahn...Though it would be useless in this situation, Da Vinci wasn't the type of person that lived by pure assumptions so, as a matter of course, she used the third lens to observe Vahn's body. As expected, he simply vanished from view when the third lens was the only one active while, in conjunction with the other two, it showed what appeared to be a 'hologram' of Vahn since he appeared as a semi-transparent figure within her vision. To make sure they were working properly, Da Vinci also looked around her workshop, observing that all of the tables were more or less empty back within the 'real' world. This allowed her to conclusively affirm that objects within the Sub-Space Projection and the real world weren't necessarily interrelated with each other. Though it was possible to 'link' a physical object with its projection by having it interface with the island-wide magic formation present all throughout Avalon, it was also possible to 'isolate' objects if you created an inverse-magic formation, effectively forming a 'gap' in the projection that could be exploited by enemies...After writing down her observations, Da Vinci deactivated everything but the transparency function of her goggles as it was quite entertaining to see Vahn walking around naked. The most 'important' part of this was that, unless he tried them on himself, Vahn would be unaware that the goggles even had such a function. The very core of the magic formation made it so that anything being observed would be unable to 'perceive' that they were being observed. Since this would serve as the basis for the island's observation network in the future, making it counterintuitive if enemies were able to sense they were being observed, Da Vinci decided to keep it a secret for the time being. Though she was almost exposed when Vahn turned around, as she got an eye full of something 'very' surprising, she ultimately managed to keep her composure by simply smiling.Seeing that Da Vinci was finished working on her rather stylish and ornate-looking goggles, Vahn also smiled as he asked, "Is this the prototype for your own weapon? Are you intending to join the fight in the future?" In response to this, Da Vinci giggled in an elegant manner before explaining, "I would rather have a powerful weapon without needing to use it rather than be caught unprepared and left wanting. When I am finished with the final version, that staff will serve as the 'key' to control the defenses of the Ivory Castle in the future. I have a few ideas about how we can prepare against enemy attacks, including an observation network and an automated defense system. "Since Vahn could understand the logic behind Da Vinci's words, he nodded his head in affirmation before remarking, "Just make sure you rest properly when you can. You don't need to right now but, once Siegfried has finished experiencing the memory link, you should retire for the night. Going by the time within the Sub-Space Projection Orb, there is still around nineteen hours until he awakens so there is no rush." As he didn't know if the current Da Vinci even needed sleep, Vahn could only advise her to rest at her convenience. It was obvious by the enigmatic structure of her body that, while she was listed as a 'human' within the Unit Management function, the fact she was listed as only 200 days old implied she certainly wasn't normal.In response to Vahn's words, Da Vinci used her now gloved hand, placing her index finger against her lips as she asked, "So we have nineteen hours to get to know each other? Perhaps we can use that time to decide how I should address you in the future? You never did tell me if you wanted me to call you Master, Darling, or maybe even something 'more' intimate~?" At the end of her sentence, Da Vince poked through her full and soft-looking lips with the tip of her finger, the glimmer in her eyes changing to a slightly more seductive light. This caused Vahn to smile wryling in response as he plainly answered, "I have no problem with getting to know you better, but I'm not really in the mood for what you might have in mind. As for how you should address me...well, we'll be colleagues of sorts in the future so just Vahn will do for now. If we are ever in a public or formal setting, however, you will need to address me as Sage Emperor or Majesty..."Though she nodded her head in 'understanding', Da Vinci clearly had very different intentions as she said, "Very well then, I will call you Master from now on. You can call me Da Vinci, Vin, Lisa, Leo-chan, or anything else you feel like calling me~." Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Da Vinci began to strip off her gloves and stockings, leaving them littered on the ground as she added, "Shall we start the presentation? Feel free to let me know your honest opinion as I will be taking detailed notes to improve upon the quality of future products. I'm intending to make a full line of women's lingerie for all the girls in the castle so all feedback is appreciated. Of course, if you want to try some on for yourself, it will be just our little secret~."By the time Da Vinci reached the corridor leading to her room, she looked back at Vahn with her characteristic smile and a glimmer in her eyes as she loosened the band holding up her skirt. This caused the red pleated garment to drop to the ground, revealing Da Vinci's plump butt, slightly deformed by the intricately designed flesh-tone lace lingerie. There were several semi-transparent sections that caused the lacework to stand out, even more, drawing the eye around the pattern of the fabric as if you were exploring the intricacies of a painting. This seemed to be Da Vinci's desired reaction as her smile blossomed even further as she began to undo the strings of her corset while walking further down the corridor. It was obvious by the 'trail' of clothing she was leaving behind that Da Vinci wanted Vahn to follow behind her...Feeling his heart racing a bit, Vahn shook his head in mock exasperation as it was beginning to seem like Da Vinci's 'Omnipotent Genius' wasn't just restricted to her craft. Though he didn't think he was giving her much to work with, it was clear that Da Vinci was beginning to figure him out very quickly. Her seduction techniques were improving at a demonstrably monstrous rate and, even though he was certain he hadn't looked too much, the fact that Da Vinci wore flesh-tone lingerie to further accent her flawless rump implied she understood his preferences well. He knew she was only doing this because she was interested in his body but this meant that her interest would actually never be curbed as, even if she studied him to the point of ascending to Tier 5 herself, she would be no closer to unveiling the 'truth' she sought from him. In a way, this meant Da Vinci would be an extremely reliable ally but, at the same time, her curiosity could deviate down any number of random paths in the future...Since the summoning system also showed the alignment of Servants, Vahn knew that Da Vinci was classified as 'Chaotic-Good'. This meant she was always acting according to her interests, limited only by her consideration of the status quo and the availability of resources. If left to act as she pleased, with unlimited resources, Da Vinci was the type of person that would shape the entire world around her. Though this would invariably be a 'good' thing, as she was benevolent and considerate enough to avoid causing unnecessary harm, it could also be rather oppressive at the same time. She needed someone to rein her in and, based on how she called him 'Master', it was obvious that Da Vinci herself had decided to place him in that role. She didn't leave any room for him to allow them to be equals and, though she would undoubtedly tempt him every chance she got, Da Vinci would ultimately leave it up to him to decide how their relationship developed...Vahn felt strangely pressured by the knowledge that he had the responsibility of reining in history's most prodigious genius but, considering he also had to deal with two existences that could wipe out all of humanity, it was surprisingly a light burden to bear. Depending on what he wanted her to do, Da Vinci could advance humanity by centuries over the course of just a few decades. Since he was intending to change the status quo of the entire world in the future, there was literally no better ally to have on his side. Merlin had obviously seen through this and, though he undoubtedly knew that the Da Vinci he would summon had a high chance of being a female, this was actually a 'good' thing as he was far more proficient in handling women than trying to work alongside men. Had Da Vinci been a male with the same attributes, showing his perversion towards the girls or even possessing homosexual interest in Vahn, that would have led to a far more complicated situation.Though he was already very aware of the fact he had played into Merlin's hand, Vahn couldn't help but feel that his Magus of the Court had actually made the right decision. For the future of the Empire, and the world itself, he would become Da Vinci's Master, fellow researcher, teacher, student, research specimen, and, as she seemed intent on arranging, lover. He doubted she was even capable of experiencing such a complex emotion, as her mind would undoubtedly analyze and break down everything to its most basic state, but that wouldn't change their status. So long as she could never understand him, Da Vinci would never lose her interest in studying him. To that end, they would have a long-lasting and unshakeable relationship that would never be on the level of actual lovers, even if it was considerably more 'developed' than even married couples.With that in mind, Vahn took a deep breath as he picked up each piece of clothing and followed behind Da Vinci, curious to see what kind of 'presentation' she had prepared for him...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Endless Innovation','Da Vinci with her goggles, "Ara, ara~?"','Vahn is like a single note reed, getting played super easily xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1136: Duty