Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

When Sakura finally woke up, around five hours after Vahn had laid down with Rin, he helped pick out an outfit for her while she went off to the bathroom to dutifully brush her teeth. Afterward, he helped to brush her hair and style it up while, having never been much of a morning person, Rin took her sweet time crawling out of bed. By the time Sakura was ready to go, her mother had only just dragged her feet toward the bathroom, releasing a loud yawn along the way as she asked, "Are you going to breakfast...?"Vahn gave her head a rub in passing, sending a wave of gentle yet stimulating energy into her body as he answered, "Yeah. I'm going to cook something up so hurry over. After that, we can take a walk over to the Knight's training field together. Sakura wants to see Mordred's morning training..." As she was near what Artoria stated to be the 'ideal' age to start Page and Esquire training, Vahn had a small expectation that Sakura might take an interest in it. She was at an impressionable age and, though it wouldn't be easy for her, there were a lot of people within the castle who would support her growth.Unlike her mother, Sakura was already completely awake so she immediately followed up by pumping her little fists and exclaiming, "I don't want to be protected by Onee-sama! I want to become strong...!" As she had already seen Mordred vaulting through the air in a way she had not even though possible, followed by her dominance of all physical and skill-based recreational sports, Sakura had been inspired. She knew that Mordred wasn't even a year older than she was so if she began working hard, Sakura believed it wouldn't be long before she was able to do incredible things as well. This was why, when Vahn picked out clothes for her, she was given an outfit similar to what Artoria and Mordred wore during morning training, complete with an undershirt, tunic, trousers, belt, and springy riding boots that ran halfway up her calves to prevent her from rolling an ankle...Though Rin was moments away from telling Sakura she didn't need to try and follow in Mordred's footsteps, she ultimately just smiled before stroking her daughter's head and saying, "You can do it, Sakura..." in a guiding tone. Even if the training was hard on her, Rin knew it would be better for her in the long run and, considering she would be under the tutelage of Artoria, there was little chance she would be in any real danger. If Sakura actually managed to reach the point of being a qualified Knight from Artoria's perspective, there would be few enemies throughout the entire world that would be able to contend against her. Thus, even though she kind of wanted Sakura to just live an easy and peaceful childhood, Rin instead decided to just support her decision...---After cooking up a large and hearty breakfast, at least until Circe eventually showed up to take over the kitchen, Vahn enjoyed another lively meal before placing a few dishes into a picnic basket and escorting Rin and Sakura over to the Knight's Training Field. Along the way, Vahn explained to Sakura what she should expect, including that most trainings took place during the day period. If not for the fact he had detected Artoria, Gray, and Mordred heading out earlier, her resolve would have to be temporarily quenched. As for why the girls were training during the night period, Vahn didn't really question it since it wouldn't be the first, or the last, time. With Catherine currently wandering around France with Astolfo and Nobunaga, Mordred didn't have any other lessons so it was a 'given' that she would be training with her mother...As expected, Mordred and Artoria were currently in the midst of light sparring while Gray was seated on a blanket at the side. Most of Mordred's training took place directly in the Knight's Training Field instead of the Training Orb due to the seal on her body not really necessitating the use of the infinite white space. Though their fights could get pretty intense at times, Artoria emphasized 'control' over raw power as, with their use of [Mana Burst], it wasn't really necessary for them to exert themselves in the same way as others might. Instead, she was trying to hone Mordred's instincts further while helping her build up a stronger foundation, the antithesis of her previous, somewhat brutal, fighting style.Almost as soon as they arrived in the field, Sakura stared in awe as her sister twisted her body agilely through the air to evade a sweeping blow from Artoria. In the same movent, Mordred tried to bring her own reinforced wooden sword to bear against her mother but, by simply adjusting her center of gravity and placing her sword at a sloping angle, Artoria was able to deflect the blow with finesse to spare. To her credit, Mordred was also about to react extremely quickly, kicking out with her left leg and releasing a small burst of mana that allowed her to flip over, performing a second strike that was evaded with a backstep from Artoria. She was taking advantage of her smaller stature and compact center of gravity to spin around in the air, combining offense and defense together in a manner that made it hard to follow her movements.Unfortunately, while such techniques might take the average warrior by surprise, Artoria's expression remained unflustered as, after stepping back, she also released a small burst of mana through her feet. Mordred held her sword with the broad side facing Artoria's charge while condensing a thin membrane of mana around her body. This resulted in Artoria gripping her sword a little tighter as, like a professional batter, she slammed her sword into Mordred's, sending the latter flying backward for several meters. Artoria continued to press the attack without giving Mordred any leeway, forcing her back until the latter nearly reached the wall of the training field. Instead of allowing herself to be pressed to the wall, Mordred used her proximity to the hard stone surface to leap back, planting both of her feet against the perpendicular surface before launching herself forward with a powerful thrusting motion.With Mordred now going on the offensive, Sakura continued to watch their battle with her mouth slightly agape before asking, "Is it really possible for me to fight like this...?" Now that she had seen an example of her sister's skill, Sakura had suddenly lost all of her confidence. Vahn answered her question by rubbing the top of her head, explaining, "If you work hard, you'll be able to do even more amazing things. One day, you'll even be able to fly through the sky and move faster than even the fastest airplanes..." As he said this, Vahn began to slowly levitate himself and Sakura, surprising the latter until she realized what was going on. Since he now had her full attention, Vahn smiled affectionately as he added, "There are no limits, Sakura...never be afraid to reach for even greater heights..."Though they had both taken notice of his arrival, Artoria brandished her sword after deflecting another one of Mordred's strikes. This was the signal for their spar to end, causing Mordred to wipe the sweat from her brow as she looked up at the floating duo, adopting a wry smile before shouting, "Chichiue, Sakura, don't go flying around without me~!" In response to this, Mordred felt a tugging on her body that slowly lifted her into the sky, eliciting a happy snicker from the youthful Knight as Artoria shook her head and plainly stated, "I'll give her a ten-minute break..." With that said, Vahn alighted his two daughters into the night sky while Artoria made her way over to where Rin and Gray were seated, the basket of food and a thermos of hot tea waiting for her...Vahn took Sakura and Mordred a few hundred meters above the training grounds, using his domain to keep away the frigid wind as he held the two girls' hands and slowly drifted through the air. He could keep her protected but, with Sakura's current physique, it wasn't safe for her to move around at high speeds. She would experience things like whiplash and gravitational strain if he accelerated too quickly, things her body wasn't able to withstand just yet. Thus, even though it was probably a little boring for Mordred, he just guided them slowly through the sky while, overhead, a half-moon illuminated the night, casting its gentle rays down on the uncommon trio. To add a bit of flair, Vahn channeled strands of Source Energy into his domain, causing bands of rainbow-hued light to spread through the surroundings, reflecting in Sakura's teal-blue eyes that had been glimmering, even as she tightly clung to his hand for dear life...---After setting back down on the ground just under ten minutes later, Vahn rubbed the tops of both girls' heads, promising, "I'll teach both of you how to fly in the future. Mordred, make sure you take proper care of your sister during training. The path the two of you walk may take different forms but it is still the same path. As Imperial Princesses, it is important that you are able to protect yourselves while also setting a proper example for those who will idolize you..." With that said, Vahn withdrew his hands from their heads while Artoria rose up from her spot and took over. She gave Mordred the task of performing a thousand sword strikes, using the proper form, while, as this was Sakura's first time even holding a weapon, Artoria had her practice just 'standing' in certain poses to start building up the muscles she would need for proper training later on...While seated at the side with Gray and Rin, the latter spontaneously asked, "Should I start training with Artoria as well? I've always been a mid-range and close-combat Magus so it would probably be a good idea if I train seriously..." In response to this, Vahn brought his fingers to his chin, adopting a thoughtful expression as he remarked, "There is nothing wrong with pursuing such a path. The only thing that really matters is that you keep training persistently and with the correct mentality. Even reaching a level beyond the Gods isn't impossible, especially with proper guidance..." Though saying such a thing to Rin, who had two Goddesses inside of her, was a bit strange, Vahn was very serious when he made such claims.Ishtar had actually seen mortals rise to a level that allowed them to contend against the Gods, she didn't really have much to comment on the matter other than telling Rin, ("It won't be easy but you'll have the two of us to help you. Just make sure to properly express your gratitude in the future, my dear vessel~.") At this point, Ishtar had become rather fond of Rin and, now that they were all with Vahn again, she was in a great mood. As for Ereshkigal, she sat in the corner of her own territory, nodding her head with a happy smile as she was surrounded by more than a hundred dolls that looked vaguely reminiscent of Vahn. She had been keeping herself occupied by practicing her sewing, something that both creeped out and amused Ishtar as they were forced to occupy the same space within Rin's soul...Though she had been silent after greeting Vahn and Rin previously, Gray used this topic to enter into the conversation herself, remarking, "I would also like to become stronger...instead of always relying on Add, I want to be able to protect myself with my own power." This caused the small metallic cube in her sleeve to comment, "Hey now, you aren't intending to abandon me, are you!?" Though he had always kept quiet around Artoria, even though the latter was already aware that he was templated from the consciousness of her adoptive brother, Sir Kay, Add couldn't keep silent when hearing Gray effectively say she wanted to grow beyond having to rely on him.Hearing the somewhat shrill metallic voice of Add, Gray held up his cage, shaking it around a bit as she complained, "I'm not going to abandon you, idiot...I just want to be stronger. I lose most of my combat ability when we are separated so I need to get stronger to avoid losing you..." This remark caused the vaguely humanoid face on the metallic cube to look rather embarrassed as, in a much lower voice than previously, he released an awkward laugh before remarking, "That's right, isn't it? Sorry, Gray, I said something thoughtless..." As 'he' had always been overprotective of her ever since the first incident with Svin, where he had been sealed away in a magical vault, Add had panicked a bit when it sounded like Gray was going to stop using him in combat...Seeing the peculiar interaction between Gray and the small cube, Vahn had an amused expression, even though he knew Add's main weapon, Rhongomyniad, wouldn't be in his possession for much longer. With that in mind, he habitually stroked Gray's head, eliciting a sheepish blush from the monochromatic girl as he remarked, "The path you decide upon can take any form you please, Gray. You will have my support in anything you choose to do, even if you ultimately chose to spend the next couple of years enjoying life. I think it's long past due for you to experience some happiness so don't push yourself too hard until you have a proper understanding of your goals..." With nearly sixty years of additional prep time within the Projection, Vahn believed it might actually be better for girls like Gray to just take it easy for a short while. Even Nobunaga and Kenshin had similar ideas and, if she was able to find a 'new motivation', he knew her strength would increase explosively later on...Gray found herself at a loss for words after hearing Vahn speak, lowering her head slightly as she just allowed him to stroke her hair for nearly a full minute before Rin nudged him. This was ultimately for the best as, while stroking Gray's head, Vahn had been very tempted to grab her wriggling ahoge as it danced from side to side in response to his caress. He had once grabbed Lakshmibai's in the past, eliciting a loud and startled 'squeak' from her, followed by an extremely embarrassed reaction that resulted in her giving him the silent treatment for a few minutes after the fact. As Artoria had also reacted in a rather adorable manner, Vahn felt that ahoges within the Nasuverse were a strange yet amusing existence that, even now, he didn't fully understand.---While making polite conversation with Rin and Gray, Vahn also watched the progress of Mordred and Sakura with a thoughtful light periodically flashing across his eyes. He could tell that Mordred was actually slowly breaking through the restrictions of her seal, even though it was still in full effect. Her body seemed to be adapting to its presence, causing her use of Magical Energy to become far more efficient than it had been in the past. Now, she could nearly fight as if the first part of the seal had been removed, something Mordred herself seemed to be fully aware of as she continued to exert herself long after her body was completely soaked with sweat.Mordred always behaved this way whenever he would attend her training and, knowing she was aware of his gaze, Vahn would give an approving nod whenever she performed particularly well, even though he knew she was just showing off. In the past, this would earn her a reprimand from Artoria but, as she had slowly been learning what she could and couldn't get away with, Mordred had gotten better at avoiding lectures. At the end of her thousand swings, she just added a bit of Magical Energy into the attack, kicking up a small tempest of wind that caused her bangs to flair somewhat heroically as beads of sweat were sent flying from her body. Vahn was actually impressed by the sight so he gave the reaction Mordred sought from him, something made more meaningful since Rin and Gray also seemed impressed by her display...Though significantly less impressive, Sakura was also working hard under Artoria's tutelage, even though her thin arms and legs were shaking after only a few minutes of training. Since she wasn't the type to show 'unnecessary' lenience, Artoria was using a thin wooden pointer to slightly adjust Sakura's position whenever her arms would start to fall. She knew Sakura's limits better than the young girl, using stern words as she strictly pushed her to the point of tears without showing any intention of letting her off. This caused Sakura to periodically look towards where her parents were seated, an act that normally earned her a light yet painful thwack as Artoria plainly stated, "Stay focused. It is always hard in the beginning, Sakura. After a few weeks of training like this, you will be able to stay in this position all day if necessary..."To her credit, even though tears would periodically fall from her eyes, Sakura never once asked for the training to come to an end. Since her parents were present, and just watching from the side, she knew this was 'normal' training. Because of this, even though it hurt a lot more than she expected, Sakura continued to push herself far beyond what she believed her limits to be. The reason for this, and the purpose of this training from the very beginning, was due to her Magical Energy working to alleviate her pain and fatigue even without her directing it to do so. Sakura had a much higher than average amount of Magical Energy and, with proper guidance, she would be able to tap into this energy to greatly enhance her physical abilities. The primary difference between this and using Reinforcement Magecraft was that the latter needed to be activated while this harsh training would gradually improve Sakura's physical capabilities to the point that she could even rival a Heroic Spirit in the future.After precisely thirty minutes of training, Artoria gave a curt nod before saying, "Good work, Sakura." These words were like a magical spell that caused Sakura's legs to immediately give out but, instead of crashing to the ground, her body was supported by an invisible force before she found herself being pulled towards the spot where her parents and Gray were seated. Artoria also flagged over Mordred, saying, "Breakfast time. Good work, Mordred." Then, emulating Vahn, Artoria stroked Mordred's hair and, even though she lacked any understanding of Petting Laws, this still elicited a toothy grin from her daughter. After that, they both made their way over to enjoy an impromptu picnic of sorts while Vahn let Sakura and Mordred use his lap as a pillow while he lightly stroked the former's head and fed the latter small pieces of fish and sausage with a pair of chopsticks...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sakura's conviction...! Fighto~!','Mordred isn't simply overcoming her limits, but her restrictions (O___O)...','Vahn spoiling his little Princesses as their mothers stare with deadpan expressions...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After a much longer discussion than anticipated, the topic suddenly shifted to Vahn's immediate plan of action when Luvia asked, "Will you be returning to Avalon or do you intend to accompany me to London? I must admit, I am quite looking forward to seeing the legendary Ivory Castle of Camelot~." This was a sentiment shared by most of the people present within the room but Vahn didn't plan to start using Alaya as a convenient transport just to help people get around. If they wanted to stay in Avalon for a few days, that would be fine, but it was obvious from their prior discussion that even being away from London for this long was a bit of an issue.With how chaotic the Clock Tower was right now, Olivia had been staying within the Edelfelt Mansion to protect her Grandaughter. Even her parents had recently flown over from the main Edelfelt Estate, a monstrously large castle-fortress that had been constructed like a military base in the mountains of Finland. Though their core members were all Magi, the Edelfelts owned one of the largest private mercenary groups in the entire world. Their people were outfitted with the most advanced weapons technology on the market, much of which was developed in their own private Research and Development Division.For the last few weeks, they had been in a constant 'yellow' state of alert, the third-highest within their escalation system, constantly waiting for a fight to break out. As Vahn had no intention of being the catalyst for a large-scale battle this early on, he intended to take Luvia with him to Avalon while having her parents and grandmother return to London until things had stabilized a bit. The fewer people that were tied to their Sub-Texture of the World, at least until Vahn had established himself as a faction head, the better.With that in mind, Vahn answered Luvia's question, saying, "My current plan is to drop Rin, Sakura, and Gray off within Avalon. I'll spend the night there before taking Da Vinci with me to establish contact with Type: Mercury. Even if I have no use for it right now, it would be best to already have it on my side in the event something unexpected happens. If you'd like, Luvia, you are more than welcome to accompany me to Avalon. When I'm finished dealing with Type: Mercury, I can pick you back up, or we can stay for a few days within Avalon before returning to London. There are a lot of preparations I need to make and, even though I intend to move forward with what we had decided, I can't arbitrarily act without clearing things up with my current allies."While still clinging to his arm, as if letting him go for even a moment would allow Vahn to escape, Luvia nodded her head, commenting, "I would also like to see this Type: Mercury with my own eyes. I am curious about what form such an alien creature might take. Knowing such powerful entities exist on other planets is quite a surprise. At least I managed to get my hands on the best of them all, ohohoho~." As she said her final statement, Luvia began to squeeze Vahn's arm even tighter, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder in a rather unlady-like manner. This caused Rin's brow to twitch but, as she was doing her best not to make a scene, she just coughed to bring Luvia back to reality.---After a bit more discussion, followed by Vahn refusing a dinner invitation, it was well past time for them to head back. Though he had intended to stay outside for a few days this time around, that plan had drastically changed from the moment Vahn learned why Rin, Sakura, Gray, and Olga were in Northern Ireland. Now, one of his highest priorities was just guaranteeing they were safe and, with Avalon essentially existing in its own world, there were few safer places. As it was better for them to start familiarizing themselves with the castle sooner, rather than later, Vahn shared a few parting words with Olivia, June, and Samuel. The latter tried to test Vahn's grip when they shook hands but, after a 'very' brief exchange, he politely withdrew his slightly bruised hand without even flinching as he muttered, "Take care of my little girl..."Shortly after seeing the trio off in their strange hybrid aircraft, which Luvia had identified as a V-22 Osprey, Vahn gathered everyone together after pulling Da Vinci away from a now disassembled and modified computer before asking Alaya to transport them back to Avalon. Before the transfer, he picked up Mordred and Sakura, still wearing their tiger pajamas, holding one of the girls on each arm as the entire group vanished in magical blue light. When their surroundings suddenly shifted, Sakura, Rin, Luvia, Gray, and Olga were all slightly disoriented but, after looking around at the masterfully constructed interior castle walls, they quickly got over it.As Vahn had hurried things along so that they wouldn't miss the sunset, which came rather early during January, the first thing he did was guide the group to the nearest access point to enter the Sub-Space Projection Orb. Entering into a mirror was a surreal experience but, as each of the girls, sans Sakura, were rather used to such things, they didn't even hesitate to follow the group into the silvery surface. After reaching the other side, Vahn explained, "Within this Projection, time flows at a rate of seven-to-one. A single day and night in the outside world translates to a week in here so keep that in mind if you intend to spend a lot of time inside."Though Vahn was tempted to prohibit Sakura from entering into the Projection for long periods of time, he knew this probably wouldn't go over well with the young brunette. Unless he was away, she would probably spend a lot of her time within the Sub-Space Projection, studying, training, or playing with her newly acquired older sister. As he allowed Mordred to use it freely, Sakura would easily be upset by the fact the difference in their age would gradually increase while, even though they didn't have anything like a rivalry in the present, Vahn could see the two girls competing later on. He would need to discuss the matter with Rin but, if she wasn't against it, Vahn had already decided to allow Sakura free access to the Orb whenever she wanted.In response to Vahn's comment about the time dilation, though she had already been made aware of it previously, Luvia cubbed the side of her face and complained, "I'll need to start taking even better care of my body. At this rate, I'll almost be as old as my Grandmother by the time the battle actually begins~." Though there wasn't a single part of Luvia's body that looked like it had even remotely started to be affected by the detrimental effects of aging, Vahn knew she was more or less asking how he intended to prevent this.Luvia had undoubtedly heard several things from Rin, especially with Sakura staying with her, but, understanding her intrigue, Vahn explained, "I intend to place my Familia Crest onto everyone's body. This will allow me to keep track of everyone's growth while also serving to promote the increase in your body's parameters. Though the long-term effects still need to be observed, this alone would increase your lifespan considerably without any adverse side-effects. There are several other things you'll be made aware of in the future but, so long as you do not desire it, I have the means of preventing or reversing aging entirely..."As this was the first time Olga was hearing anything related to the Sub-Space Orbs and extending her lifespan, her eyes had gone out of focus for a moment before she asked, "Are you saying it is possible for you to make others immortal...?" In response to this, Vahn scrunched up his nose a bit before saying, "It is possible, yes. However, I'd rather help to extend your life and increase your vitality than make anyone immortal. That is something people need to achieve on their own or it would consume them in their later years. We'll talk about this later but, the only thing you really need to become an immortal is to increase your Soul Tier to the fourth Tier. After that, it isn't an exaggeration to say you would have attained godhood as the Fourth Tier is known as the Divine Soul Realm."With every new resident of the Ivory Castle having been a part of the Magus community for most of their lives, Vahn could see the glimmer of intrigue in their eyes. Before they could pester him with questions, however, he plainly stated, "We have plenty of time to talk about things like that later. For now, we need to get everyone situated in their rooms and have dinner prepared. Now that we are inside, we have about three hours until sunset so there isn't any particular rush but I would like to have everyone situated before the twilight descends. It is actually quite beautiful..." As he knew it hadn't truly set in for them how much time they now had, Vahn felt the need to remind everyone so that they wouldn't just continue to stand around awkwardly in the chamber that had been designated for transportation...Following Vahn's words, everyone, including Olga, even though she was technically only a candidate for permanant residence, migrated toward the Inner Sanctum. There were more than enough rooms for everyone to have their own place to stay but, at least for the time being, Rin and Sakura were sharing the room next to Mordred and Artoria while Gray, even though she was fine with staying in the Knight's quarters, would be bunking up with her Ancestors for a few days. The only person who ended up picking out her own room from the start was Olga, choosing a spot near the end of the long hallways, while Luvia had been rather adamant about staying in the same room with Vahn since it didn't seem like Rin would be fighting her for the position outright.Fortunately, Vahn managed to keep Luvia at bay by mentioning they were only engaged and not actually married just yet. Since Circe, Medusa, and Fenrir stayed in his room during most nights, he knew it would be very chaotic if she were suddenly added into the mix. Though it was only a matter of time before they slept together, it wasn't the first thing on Vahn's list of priorities. As neither Circe nor Medusa had been fond of the idea of a new roommate, it was for the best she picked out a private room to stay in. It was a boon that Luvia was very perceptive to social cues so, after seeing the petite Demi-Goddess and peculiar Gorgon, she hadn't tried to insist and instead dragged Vahn off to help her decorate...---After stealing Vahn away to her room, Luvia closed the door behind them, asking, "Are there any kind of security measures to prevent others from accessing the interior of these rooms?" Though she could see complex bolt locks and several magical formations present, Luvia didn't know what they meant at a glance. After all, many of these formations were ancient, some using runes and languages that no longer existed within modern times.Hearing Luvia's question, Vahn produced a wry smile explaining, "There is a place in the closet that serves as the 'center' of the formation. If you drip your blood there, only you and members of the Imperial Family that have been registered to the 'main' formation would have access to this room." After saying this, Vahn showed Luvia where she needed to drip her blood while also going over the room's security features. He had some expectations about what she had in mind but, as there were other commitments he had made, Vahn was already considering how to gently refuse her proposition.Contrary to his expectations, though it seemed to be going in that direction, Luvia removed her winter coat, revealing the skin-tight combat leotard underneath as she said, "Though it may not matter all that much with everything else going on, I want you to promise me that you will never discuss my skills and abilities with others. My family has a secret it has protected for generations and, though I will reveal it to you, I don't want others knowing. Even if we can trust everyone here, there is no way of knowing what the future holds. As the Head of the Edelfelt family, I have a duty to protect the secrets my Ancestors have kept closely guarded for more than five hundred years."As he understood the importance of having secrets that you only shared with a select few people, Vahn didn't try to pressure Luvia on the issue of hiding things from the others. Instead, he gave an understanding nod before promising, "I will protect your secrets, Luvia. Unless you reveal them yourself, I will never speak of them with others. However, you should know that there are several people inside the Ivory Castle who may be able to see through your secrets from the start. Merlin and Scáthach would be able to discern almost everything about you, even though neither would ever disclose that information to others."Hearing Vahn's words, Luvia stopped removing her leotard just after pulling the straps free from her shoulders. This left her hugging her rather large breasts with a complex expression on her face but, as even Mystic Eyes hadn't been able to expose her just yet, she decided it wasn't that big of an issue. Besides, she trusted Vahn and, if he said Merlin and Scáthach wouldn't expose her secret, Luvia believed him. With that conviction, she rolled down her leotard to her waist, allowing her large breasts to hang freely while showing off her fair-skinned and toned body. She noticed Vahn blink in mild surprise before an appreciative light flashed across his eyes, easing Luvia's own nervousness as she straddled a chair and left her back exposed to him.Vahn had always had an appreciation for women who had a bit of visible muscle ever since his first interactions with Hephaestus and Tsubaki. Since Luvia was also in the category of women who had rather large and shapely breasts, combined with an almost perfectly round and toned butt, Vahn couldn't deny her figure checked off a lot of his preferences. The only thing he found odd was her choice in hairstyle but, as he tried to imagine Luvia with a more normal style, the image actually didn't suit her at all. She was almost the personification of a well-bred noble lady at a glance but, hiding beneath her stylish outerwear, Luvia hid an amazing body that seemed to brim with raw power...As he had stalled for a few seconds, Luvia looked over her shoulder with a seductive glimmer in her eye as she remarked, "My...I did not take you as the shy type...how long are you going to keep a lady waiting, Darling~?" This caused Vahn to lightly chuckle as, without any actual hesitation, he walked over and traced the line of Luvia's back with his index finger. Since she was teasing him a bit, Vahn felt like doing the same so, with extreme subtlety, he used his [Hands of Nirvana] to send a shiver up her spine as his finger traced from the base of her neck to the fabric around her waist. Then, without needing to prick his finger, Vahn created a small hole to let his blood flow out as he began the process of drawing his Familia Crest on Luvia's back...-------------------------------------------------------------------[Status]Name: [Luviagelita Edelfelt]Age: 28Race: HumanStrength: 7EEndurance: 12DAgility: 6EMagical Power: 3EGood Luck: 23CCircuit Quality: 21CNoble Phantasm: (-)Origin: War, Star, WealthSkills: [Noble Discernment:Innate:B], [Call of the Battlefield:Innate:C], [Astraea's Heir:Innate:(sealed)], [Golden Rule:EX], [Charisma:B], [Martial Arts:B], [Etiquette:B], [Dancing:C]Magic: (-)Magecraft: [Od Conversion:B], [Conversion:B], [Catalyze:B], [Jewel:A], [Reinforce:A], [Mystic Code:D], [Magic Coat:D], [Gandr:A+], [Restoration:E], [Familiar:E], [Projection:E], [Alchemy:E][Golden Rule]Rank: EXUse: The user's fortune concerning their ability to accumulate wealth. At this rank, it is possible for the user to accumulate all the world's treasures.[Charisma]Rank: BUse: The natural ability to command an army and inspire allies. At this rank, the user is qualified enough to lead a country.[Martial Arts]Rank: BUse: The culmination of all martial skills that have been learned by the user. Increases spatial awareness and enhances the efficacy of strikes.[Etiquette]Rank: B-Use: The knowledge and experience to allow the user to navigate high-society with elegance and grace. Due to the user's nature, this skill has a chance to be negated under specific circumstances.[Dancing]Rank: CUse: The natural grace to follow a tempo and move the body in an elegant fashion. At this rank, the user is competent enough to avoid embarrassment during a Ball.[Gandr]Rank: A+Use: A physical curse magic that takes on the form of a hazy black laser than can punch through magically enhanced armor. Due to special modifications, the size and shape can be adjusted with extreme precision, drastically increasing offensive power and versatility.-------------------------------------------------------------------Seeing Luvia's parameters and skills, it was easy to see how she and Rin had been rivals for more than a decade. Though it was common for everyone attending the Clock Tower as a student to get a basic foundation in the primary schools of Magecraft, both girls had similar specializations. Luvia had a clear advantage against Rin, especially in her physical parameters, but that had changed due to the latter's training and her becoming the vessel of two Goddesses. The most notable thing, however, which Luvia undoubtedly intended to keep secret, was the existence of her [Golden Rule: EX] skill.When he saw the general description, Vahn's eyes widened considerably and, even if she herself had been okay with sharing, he would have advised her to keep it a secret. What the skill implied was, so long as she wasn't killed or interfered with, Luvia would eventually accumulate all the world's wealth and treasures. When he had looked at Gilgamesh's skills on the Throne of Heroes, even the King of Heroes had only developed the skill to A-Rank. Since his [Gate of Babylon] purportedly had every treasure in the World, past, present, and future, Vahn couldn't even fathom the extent of Luvia's potential to accumulate wealth. Considering how she had built a business empire that made her one of the wealthiest people in the world, all while researching Magecraft and training her body, it was a little scary to imagine what she could accomplish given more free time...Sensing that Vahn's rather hot finger had stopped moving around on her back, Luvia released a sigh as she looked back to gauge his reaction. As he had already corrected his expression, Vahn met her gaze with a smile, commenting, "You're amazing, Luvia..." This elicited an awe-inspiringly beautiful smile from the golden-haired woman, followed by her reaching up to cup his face with her hand, her hot breath tickling his face as she mused, "Now, now, you can praise me all you want later...we have our entire lives ahead of us, ohohoho~." With that said, Luvia stole a kiss from Vahn's lips, leaving him with a somewhat silly smile on his face as she quickly donned her leotard and changed into more appropriate clothing to view the impending sunset...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You can't escape Luvia any longer xD...','Vahn's room is guarded by the youth troupe...','Take all of Gilgamesh's treasure...!','Who is the 'trophy' in this situation...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1163: Twilight : Darkness