Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After Illya had regained her composure, Vahn sat together with her on a sofa as they talked about the future a bit. Though it was somewhat difficult to imagine reaching such extremes of strength, Illya was determined to become a powerhouse Magus in the future. With her body being almost entirely comprised of Magic Circuits, combined with the fact she could pull almost limitless mana from the planet, she already had a very strong starting point. Better still was the fact that she had the Sorcery Trait and Origin of 'Wish-Granting', allowing her to cast spells without possessing the knowledge of the spell itself. At its most extremes, it allowed the user to skip the thaumaturgical process altogether and recreate miracles just through the use of magical energy.The major downside to 'Wish-Granting' was that it heavily depends on the mentality, imagination, and general comprehension of the user. While it effectively allowed Illya to use any kind of spell she had seen, or even cancel the spells of others, the resultant spells were often much weaker. As for countering spells, she would often have to see the same Magecraft several times in order to effectively negate it. Thus, if the opponent was skilled, they could overwhelm her by using various spells and forcing her to always be reactive. At the same time, if they were able to separate her from the ground, Illya would quickly lose the ability to fight as a result of her body's monstrous mana consumption and poor efficiency.Since she wanted to grow stronger, Vahn obviously wasn't going to discourage her and, as he could think of a variety of methods to cover for her weaknesses, they spent a few hours talking about solutions. Though using powerful equipment would be the simplest solution, there was a drastic difference between power earned and power borrowed. If she wanted to increase her Soul Tier and become truly powerful, relying on equipment is something that should only be considered against enemies. For training, it was better to rely almost exclusively on your own capabilities, unless of course you intended to pursue Laws related to specific weapon types.As Illya was an example of a 'Pure Mage', at least according to Eva's classifications, the most important thing she could do was focus on increasing her reserves and drawing out her potential in actual combat. Since she could already use any spell, albeit with limited efficacy, the best way for her to improve was to simply adapt to using those spells in combat. As her confidence grows, the spells in her arsenal would increase in power and, by furthering her comprehension of Laws, it was only a matter of time before Illya became a powerhouse. To that end, Vahn wanted to teach her in much the same way that Eva taught him, meaning he would focus on teaching her how to be extremely mobile while using barriers and artillery-class magic against her foes.The biggest downside to this form of combat, at least in Illya's case, was that she would actually be considerably weaker in the air, the dominion of most competent Magi. Though she could just focus on defensive Magecraft, becoming an existence similar to Terra, Vahn knew that Illya sought power to fight on foreign battlefields, not at home. It was comparably easier to focus on defense and, with several Magi already specializing in that category of Magecraft, Illya wanted the power to strike at her opponents. Thus, Vahn decided to help her increase her reserves while promising to help her come up with a method to pull mana from the atmosphere just as easily as she could from the ground.Since 'distance' itself was an illusion, at least when your comprehension of Laws reached certain extremes, he knew there should be nothing preventing Illya and Iris from using their greatest strength, even in the air. One method that came to mind was using a similar network to the one Da Vinci was already working on as it could already transmit Magical Energy while also allowing for near-instantaneous communication between the Companions and the Mother System. If that same technology could be adapted to transmit Magical Energy to a receiver, which would feed directly into a person's body, it was technically possible to power them indefinitely.Though this seemed like a fantastical concept, it was actually used by many of the more powerful Magus families and pretty much every Caster-Class Servant. The [Territory Creation] skill worked on the same principle while Bounded Fields could greatly increase the power of Magi that had certain lineages or knew how to tap into the Magical Energy contained within. Thus, fighting a Magi on their home turf was exponentially more difficult than drawing them out into the open as, in some instances, they were outright immortal unless you could sever their connection to the Bounded Field. Rin had even told him about the Caster from the Fifth Holy Grail War who, so long as she was not killed instantly, could even reverse time and effect causality to completely heal all forms of damage.Vahn's idea would essentially require them to turn the entire world into a Bounded Field which, while an extreme thought, wasn't actually that difficult in practice. Though others would struggle with it, they already had a system like CHALDEAS that was linked with the World itself. He already had the benefit of purchasing an extensive amount of data related to CHALDEAS from the system shop so, even though it hadn't been activated, Vahn knew it functioned the way it was purported to work. The system shop even included diagrams of upgrade modules, accounting for a little more than two hundred years of the Chaldea Security Organization's greatest achievements.Though there was no 'guarantee' these upgrades could be implemented in a short period of time, Vahn had an extreme level of confidence in Da Vinci's capabilities. It was actually after he shared this information with her that she came up with the idea of establishing a system to govern the entire world. Since they already had the means to observe the planet in the past, present, and future, everything from uprisings, natural disasters, and other troublesome events was well within their ability to predict. This, combined with the observation network of the Companions, would effectively mean they had no exploitable blind spots, so long as they avoided allowing anyone with malicious intentions into their ranks.Vahn could already imagine how Da Vinci would respond when he told her about his idea of converting the entire world into a Bounded Field as, if they wanted to push it to even further extremes, there was no limit to how they could shape the world. It would even be possible for him to establish a system that functioned similarly to Danmachi or, as they seemed rather popular in some areas of the world, overlay a projection onto the World that made it function similar to a video game. If people could track their experience, level up, learn skills, and study magic, Vahn felt like they would be better prepared for when the Surface slowly merged together with the Reverse Side.While she felt a lot of the things Vahn was saying were rather 'fantastical', Illya fully believed he was capable of achieving it. After all, if she helped him establish the Heaven's Feel ritual, there were theoretically no limits to how he chose to shape the world. As it was a ritual directly linked to the Root, the only real restriction behind its ability to grant wishes was dependent on the amount of mana contained within the Greater Grail. According to the data that had been gathered during previous Heaven's Feel rituals, there was a minimum of one-quintillion units of Magical Energy produced during the activation of the Greater Grail. When this value was converted into pure destructive power, this equated to an explosive yield of around 250,000 petajoules, more than enough to punch a hole through a continental shelf and shatter an entire continent.Destruction, however, was often the most inefficient use for Magical Energy as, with the Heaven's Feel ritual able to link directly to the Root, it was possible to make the 'impossible' into a reality. If you wanted to, rather than wishing for the planet to be destroyed, it was far more 'efficient' to just wish all life on the Surface world ceased to exist. Though there would undoubtedly be some who were able to even survive this, especially if they had enough Od, it would still eliminate more than 99% of all life. Even less destructively, it was possible to wish that every human in the world would be made into a Spirit, effectively granting them limited immortality.As for Vahn's purposes, even if it wouldn't affect some of the more powerful forces in the world, it was possible to change the perception of the global population in an instant, making the existence of Magecraft accepted without the transition period that would have otherwise been necessary. This was one of the primary reasons Illya had gone to reclaim her birthright as, though she knew it wouldn't be easy, she believed in the future Vahn wanted to create. Though 'fate' had a way of intervening in the easy execution of such plans, the fact he already had existences like Alaya on his side drastically increased the chances of success. He only needed to establish and execute the Heaven's Feel ritual a single time to have already won all current and future battles...With that in mind, Illya listened to Vahn speak rather passionately about the future, an affectionate smile on her face as a result of the fact she had a place of her own in his vision. Though he would tirelessly work to make everyone happy, she knew his highest priority would always be the people he cared about, herself included. He would support any goal they set for themselves, even if it was something 'crazy' like becoming an existence beyond the Gods. There were fundamentally no limits to the future, so long as they worked alongside and supported each other. To that end, Illya wanted to support him as well, even going as far as giving Vahn her entire family's heritage just to make things marginally easier for him...Not caring the least about wealth and treasures, Illya was happy just being able to spend time at his side, snuggling up against him and feeling his warmth flowing through her body. Though she still felt incredibly anxious around him, such feelings were never at the forefront of her mind when they were together like this. Instead, since they were alone, Illya would begin to feel emboldened, at times eyeing his lips while other times she nuzzling against him, hugging his body as tightly as her arms allowed. Since Vahn would often reciprocate, embracing her body, rubbing her head, or even giving her a short peck on the lips, many of Illya's happiest memories revolved around the time they spent together...This time, as Vahn had started to drone on a bit, Illya felt even more emboldened than normal and, as the time they had been apart had weighed heavily on her heart, she decided to go a step further than normal. Knowing he would be working hard to help the Homunculi she had brought to the castle, Illya wanted to show her appreciation for his efforts while also rewarding herself for her own hard work. With that in mind, using the opportunity when Vahn had paused to gauge her reaction, Ilya swallowed hard before mimicking his own action of stroking her face before shifting to sit in his lap as she kissed him far more passionately than normal...---Though there were a number of things he still wanted to take care of, the time which Vahn had allocated for rest had passed in what seemed like a flash. In the past, he would often lament that pleasant experiences always seemed to fly by but, as hard work and dedication ensured there was always more happiness to be experienced, he no longer let it bother him. If anything, he was more worried about the others but, as they were mostly strong and independent women, who did not need his constant care, Vahn focused on doing his best.Shortly after he had started the almost mechanical procedure of applying his Familia Crest and Ouroboros Seal, Vahn's almost business-like smile softened naturally. This was due to the fact that, as the most recent Homunculi, a woman named Elizabeth, left the operation room, a small pitter-patter of steps preceded the entry of Sakura. She had an apologetic expression on her face, seemingly afraid she was interrupting, but Vahn's smile caused her to relax considerably. Then, as he gestured to her to come over, Vahn asked in a gentle tone, "What brings you here, my little cherry blossom~?"Having found a bit of courage, Sakura answered in a quiet murmur, "I wanted to help you..." Even though she barely understood what had been going on in the room, Sakura knew her Otou-sama had been hard at work. She knew he was essentially a Doctor and, though there wasn't much she could do to help him, this didn't prevent her from wanting to do something to ease his burdens. The thought of being a Nurse also excited her a bit as, though she had already started her Knight training, Sakura's dream had always been to help take care of others. Since her Otou-sama was always supportive of her, she believed he wouldn't turn her away if she showed how serious she was about helping him...Seeing the resolute look in Sakura's teal-colored eyes, Vahn inhaled lightly before ultimately meeting her expectations by saying, "You can be my assistant, but you'll mainly just have to watch patiently, okay? As for what you can do to help, try making conversation with the Homunculi and, if possible, remember as many names as you can. They need our help to open their hearts and minds so always make sure to treat them with the same dignity and respect all living creatures deserve..." As he explained this, Vahn lightly stroked Sakura's head, earning a happy 'Nn' from her in response.Though Sakura's intrusion had been a small delay, as the next Homunculus had remained outside to avoid interfering in their conversation, it wasn't long before Vahn had explained the situation to those waiting. After that, a short-haired Homunculi with a rather rare ponytail entered the room, a small glimmer of light contained in her ruby-red eyes. This usually indicated that she was one of the members training with Kenshin who, as a result of being rather enamored with guiding a new group of trainees, spent a great deal of her time watching over their progress and polishing her own skills.Deciding to act normally, even though it was strangely unnerving to have his daughter present, Vahn stated in a calm and professional tone, "Sakura, take the patient's gown and place it on the hook." Then, turning his gaze to meet the Homunculus, Vahn smiled before gesturing toward the operating and examination table, stating, "After handing over your gown, please sit on this table and we'll begin immediately." As every Homunculus already knew what to expect at this point, due to them communicating amongst themselves, Vahn's newest patient gave an understanding nod before removing the white gown that had been issued to all the waiting patients.Though she often had to remove her top when she went to the Doctor to get a check-up and have her measurements taken, Sakura was a bit surprised when her Otou-sama had the rather beautiful Onee-chan take off her gown. When she saw the latter's unblemished skin, complete with ample breasts, a thin waist, and full hips, she felt rather flustered and strangely self-conscious. This didn't stop her from doing as she was told, however, as she quickly accepted the gown before placing it on the nearby hook. Then, with nothing else to do, she patiently watched her Otou-sama at work, listening to the questions he asked and paying close attention to how he attentively listened to the woman named Diana's responses.Even though this was her first time watching him, Sakura could tell that her Otou-sama was very good at guiding the conversation while also acting perfectly professional. Each of his words had a small effect on Diana, causing her to appear progressively happier as the operation continued. As for the application of the Familia Crest, something she had experienced herself, Sakura did her best to memorize the pattern, albeit with very limited success. Then, when her Otou-sama had Diana lay on her back, Sakura experienced another brief moment of perturbance. There was something about seeing a grown woman laying on her back, with her Otou-sama leaning over them, that troubled Sakura's heart. Though she knew he had other wives and children, it made her feel a little sad seeing him with a woman other than her mother, even if he was just carrying out a treatment...After Diana's seal had been carved, Vahn thanked her for being patient before sending her on her way, a pleasant smile now adorning her face. Sakura had the wherewithal to grab Diana's gown for her, earning a polite bow and an expression of gratitude from the mature beauty that caused her to fumble a bit with her own response. Then, in the moments before the next patient entered, Vahn stated in a gentle and guiding tone, "You did very well, Sakura. Thank you..." He had been able to tell she was uncomfortable but, as she still carried out her tasks, he felt inclined to praise her efforts.Hearing her Otou-sama's praise, even though she felt like she hadn't done much, Sakura beamed in a way that only children could manage, causing Vahn's own smile to soften. Following this, the next Homunculus entered into the room, prompting Sakura to take the initiative to say, "P-Please give me your gown and then take a seat on the table...!" This was met with a surprised blink by the new patient but, rather than voice her confusion, she simply complied.Much like Diana, the new arrival had relatively large breasts which, when revealed, caused Sakura to gawk for a brief moment before placing the gown she had collected on the nearby hook. Then, peeking over her shoulder to see if her Otou-sama was looking, Sakura cupped her own breasts and mumbled, "Will mine get that big...?" Though she had said this very quietly, Vahn's ears were extremely sensitive so he ended up overhearing her. As he had seen Sakura's adult form, Vahn knew she would actually have much larger breasts than this woman named Selkie but, as he had no grounds for explaining this to her, Vahn pretended not to have heard the remark. Instead, he continued to work with an infallible mask of professionalism, continuing without rest, even after Sakura had dozed off at the side and was carried away by one of his patients to rest...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Global Bounded Field (O o O)~!','Nobunaga would totally convert the Greater Grail into a bomb &gt;:D...','Sakura, working hard (UwU)...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though he had been able to speed up the process considerably, it still took around 113 hours for Vahn to finish treating an additional five-hundred Homunculi. He could have actually finished even faster but, after Sakura's first intrusion, she would return after finishing her daily training in order to help him out, even a little. Once, Mordred had accompanied her as well but, after sitting 'still' for a few hours, she got extremely bored before ultimately wandering off. Vahn had been somewhat sad to see her go as, for the three or so hours she had been present, things had been rather lively.Mordred might have had slightly destructive tendencies, breaking some of the equipment he had stocked in the room, but she was considerably less tense around the Homunculi than Sakura was. Fortunately, seeing the interactions between her 'Onee-chan' and the patients served as a proper example for Sakura so, even after Mordred left, she had made more of an effort to get them to open up to her. As the Homunculi were all starved for such interactions, and children were much easier to talk to than adults, many would politely make conversation with Sakura during the few minutes that Vahn engraved the Familia Crest on their backs.Seeing the positive reaction from the Homunculi had a similar impact on Sakura, causing her to fall into her role as his assistant quite well. She had a very kind and caring nature by default so being able to help others was something that made her happy. Since she would also get praised by her Otou-sama, Sakura ended up pushing herself a little too hard and, if not for the training she had been doing with Artoria, she wouldn't have been able to keep at it without complaint. As a result, when Vahn finished with his final patient, Sakura had already been dozing off at the side for around forty minutes, covered in a warm blanket he had pulled out from his Inventory.After seeing off the Homunculus named Sidney, Vahn picked up Sakura's adorable bundle in his arms before carrying her to the Inner Sanctum to rest. Since Rin was in her Magus Tower, busy with her research on [Primordial Rune] Magecraft, Vahn chose not to bother her as he placed Sakura in his own bed. This had disturbed Circe, who had been lounging in his bedroom with nothing better to do, but Vahn managed to pacify her easily after stealing her away to the connected bath. After the first time he had bathed her, this was one of the things Circe enjoyed the most and, as she had been behaving lately, Vahn felt inclined to reward her.When Artoria accepted to become his official Empress, there were many other things that had been discussed at the table, including who had access to Vahn's, and now Artoria's, room. Due to Circe's status, she was allowed to enter his bedroom freely but, alongside Fenrir and Medusa, they now shared a room together. When Vahn felt the need to relax and wanted to be pampered himself, he was supposed to be able to enter their room to cut loose.As for how and why they all ended up in the same room together, this was largely due to Fenrir's influence in the group, making her the de facto leader even with Circe's and Medusa's obstinate personalities. They were also the girls who had animal traits and, though Vahn felt it was a strange decision on their part, the three had decided to call it their shared room, which was arranged in a very abnormal fashion, the 'Emperor's Menagerie'. Though Vahn had yet to enter for more than a brief moment, he had seen the large wardrobes of costumes present and, instead of a normal bed, there was essentially just a large pile of fluffy cushions on a massive mattress. It was rather messy but, considering who the room belonged to, combined with its purpose, Vahn felt it was strangely appropriate...With Circe leaning against the side of the tub with a contented expression on her face, Vahn was absentmindedly manipulated a ball of warm water to 'comb' over her wings. He had gotten used to the powerful aphrodisiac her body naturally produced so, despite feeling considerably warmer than normal, he was able to remain relatively calm, even without proactively resisting her charm. This was also due to the fact that Circe herself had stopped proactively trying to 'test' him, her eyes a soft blue with a subtle hue of pink overlaying them.Vahn knew she was studying Magic under Fenrir, the thing that had made her open up to the latter, so it likely wouldn't be that long before they finally stepped across that final line. Knowing this, Circe was considerably less stressed out than in the past and, though she would get annoyed if he turned his attention to others, she had quickly learned that he could handle more than one woman at a time. Since she and Medusa had similar natures, the two got along well with each other and, though neither was particularly fond of Fenrir, they both respected her decisions as the 'leader' of their little group. This resulted in both girls getting pampered more often so, rather than stir up trouble, Circe had become decidedly docile compared to her past self.After finishing with her wings, Vahn noticed Circe shift as she began to fidget about in expectation, fully aware of where he would clean next. This caused him to smile in amusement before, meeting her expectations, cleaning her tail feathers, including the area where they connected to her lower back. As was often the case, Circe's wings began to twitch in response and, knowing it would get a small rise out of him, she made no attempt to hide her sonorous moans. At the same time, her aroma became significantly more potent but, as he had already been prepared, Vahn was largely unaffected as he gingerly cleaned around the especially sensitive area. Then, with her long ears waggling in front of him, Vahn found it impossible to resist so, trusting in the soundproof barrier, he bit down on the adorable extension, causing Circe to release a loud cry that echoed through the bathroom for several seconds after her voice lost its strength...---Though Vahn was tempted to accompany Circe to the Menagerie, he didn't want to leave Sakura alone. At this time, there were very few people resting and, if not for the fact Sakura had pushed herself, she would have gone to bed hours ago. As Vahn was also quite tired, he escorted Circe back to her room before doubling back and snuggling up with his daughter for a few hours. She often got nervous when it was just the two of them but, shortly after Vahn climbed into bed, Sakura sought out his warmth as if it was natural before muttering with a small smile on her adorable little face, "Otou-sama..." This caused Vahn's heart to feel as if it was gushing so, while she would probably be very embarrassed after waking up, he affectionately cradled Sakura in his arms before kissing the top of her head and whispering, "Have a pleasant dream, my little cherry blossom..."---Unlike most people, Vahn very rarely ever dreamed, something that had been a product of his [Will of the Emperor] blocking nightmares in the past. Now, however, the moments in which he was able to just 'shut down' were extremely rare so, when Vahn faded into unconsciousness, it was often pure darkness that awaited him. Even then, he was always aware of the passage of time and, even without his subprocesses to observe his surroundings as he slept, Vahn was still aware of almost everything going on around him. He could sense when Rin had poked her head into the room, the hesitation Artoria had while standing outside their door, and when Fenrir placed her paw against the door and wished him pleasant dreams...Vahn felt extreme gratification at times like this, almost as if he were the center of everyone's worlds, even when they were individual entities. Thus, while he slept, Vahn expanded his aura by instinct as he sent out calming energy intended to bring comfort to everyone within nearly five kilometers. This encompassed the entire castle and, though the effect was considerably weaker than if he were to use it directly, it still caused a warm and peaceful atmosphere to descend upon everyone within his domain. Even the Homunculi who now resided in the castle all stopped to experience the pleasant warmth flowing through their bodies while, locked away in their shared Workshop, Da Vinci set her tools aside before musing, "Perhaps I should take a cat nap myself..."With many of the others sharing this sentiment, it wasn't long before the majority of the castles residents decided to take advantage of the warm and pleasant atmosphere to take a nap. The only exceptions to this were people like Scáthach, who never truly slept, and Merlin, who was actually far more energized during the evenings than during the day. As an Incubus, a race that originated from the moon and fed primarily off the dreams of females, he was exponentially stronger after night had fallen. Under the light of the full moon, it wasn't an exaggeration to say he was without equal, able to castle illusions that could cover entire continents, at least until the sun rose once again...While most people fell into a peaceful slumber, Merlin had his usual whimsical smile while, instead of appearing in a Magus Tower, the interior of his chamber looked like an expansive meadow. With his limited omniscience, Merlin was aware of everything going on in the castle at almost every point in time, irrespective of its residents' wills. Though others might call him a pervent, and other dastardly names, he was not the type to leave things to chance. He opted to give people privacy when they were engaged in intimate acts but, even then, he always listened closely to any conversations going on within the castle, looking for the smallest signs that a traitor might appear in their midst.As he could not see the future accurately due to Vahn's presence, Merlin was far more proactive than he had been in the past, all so that a tragedy would not occur. Thus, if he found out that someone was slipping into a negative mentality, he would observe them closely for signs of dissent. Even if it might be an invasion of their privacy, this included intruding into their dreams as, compared to the awake mind, the subconscious was far more honest. If he found the seeds of ruin, Merlin would use his ability to outright devour such thoughts, replacing them with subtle hints that would guide them back onto the path of light. He didn't care if others resented him as, rather than controlling their minds, he only 'corrected' misunderstanding they had formed due to their misunderstandings and other insecurities...Vahn was unaware of it, but it had been Merlin's persistent efforts that allowed Mordred to accept her current position as, even though she was well-behaved on the surface, the conditioning of her mother, Mordred le Fay, was not something that could be easily overcome. This was especially the case when she was sleeping as, though she was happy and outgoing while awake, Mordred was plagued by nightmares as she slept. She had killed a lot of people throughout her life, including the person she had respected and looked up to the most. Thus, whenever she would fall into the abyss of her own subconscious, Merlin was always there to replace the memories with happy ones, mostly related to the time she spent with Vahn and Fenrir.Merlin had felt powerless against fate in the past but, now that he was under no such restrictions, he was doing everything in his power to make things go as smoothly as possible. As a result, everyone in the castle had rather pleasant memories every night, the only exceptions being Vahn, Fenrir, and Medusa. Try as he might, the two peculiar subordinates were beyond his means to effect without drawing their attention while Vahn's mental defenses were unlike anything Merlin had ever seen. He knew that, if he ever tried to pry into Vahn's mind, a world of pain likely awaited him for the attempt. Even a simple probe in the past had caused him to spend three days recovering and this was when Vahn had overtaxed himself after training with Scáthach, seemingly dropping his guard completely...Concluding that Vahn's mind was protected by the World itself, Merlin had never attempted trying to peek a second time. Instead, he had to rely on the Memory Link experienced by the Heroes Vahn had summoned which, admittedly, had been rather eye-opening. He felt that the world Vahn hailed from was very interesting and, though the Gods present were distinctly different from the ones in his memory, he simply chalked this up to how worlds could diverge to take on very different forms. His omniscience was bound to his own time axis and, though he was aware of the multiverse, Merlin was unable to enter into a world where his counterpart was already present. There were certain rules he had to follow in order to exercise his power and, though he was able to bend them a bit after Vahn's arrival, this didn't mean he could just ignore the 'purpose' he had been given.Thus, while the majority of the castle's residents slept, Merlin's eyes flashed with small lights, many subtle shades of pink and violet. It was impossible to discern through normal means but, from his perspective, Merlin was able to peer into the dreams of everyone within the castle simultaneously. He had also heard Vahn's remark to Sakura, hoping she was having a pleasant dream, so Merlin happily obliged. Previously, Sakura had a rather 'odd' dream where she was surrounded by several Homunculi, feeling somewhat envious of their development compared to her own. Now, with his intervention, Sakura was dreaming about flying through the sky alongside Vahn and Mordred, a simple way to reinforce the idea that she was happiest when together with them...After making a few tweaks, Merlin had an amused expression on his face as he stared at a small pink orb in his hand. The color of the orb always reflected the nature of the dream and, as a defensive mechanism of sorts against things like Depression, the brain often opted to trigger dreams that were related to rather 'precarious' or 'intimate' experiences. Even for someone as young as Sakura, though she herself was unaware of it, the way in which she viewed the Homunculi would subtly affect her mental image and how she acted around others. Since these memories were often tied to Vahn, Merlin knew one of the directions she could veer toward if left unchecked. Knowing this would only sew discourse within the Imperial Family, he dutifully tossed the small pink orb into his mouth like hard candy, enjoying the bittersweet taste as it melted in his mouth...While humming to himself, Merlin continued viewing the dreams of everyone else in the castle, his primary focus being those of Illya and Iris. They were curled up together within the Library, creating a scene that warmed Merlin's heart as he believed there was no greater expression of love than the moments shared between a mother and her children. Though his own mother had died giving birth to him, as she had been a simple human, Merlin felt a close bond with the woman as, during her pregnancy, she often spoke to him affectionately. He also spent a lot of time within her dreamscape and, though he had very little control over his power back then, she never once treated him like the monster others would view him as if they knew his true nature...Though it was almost impossible, Merlin's father had fallen in love with his mother, to the point he had even ceased to exist after going against his own nature and refusing to devour the dreams of others. Thus, from the moment of his birth, Merlin had been an orphan, born in the same meadow he now used to bring himself comfort when he felt lonely. Fortunately, he had been very powerful since birth as, rather than a normal Incubus, his father had been the ruler of his own Dimension located in the gap between the Earth and Moon. As a result, Merlin had inherited much of his father's power, including his responsibilities as a Beast of Gaia, even though he was considered a foreign and 'impossible' entity by virtue of his very existence...Lightly shaking his head, the image of a man and woman who had been standing behind him faded away as Merlin focused his mind on Illya's dream. Inside of an endless expanse of darkness, she and Cath Palug were huddled together in the embrace of a figure that looked similar to Vahn. Due to the small conflicts in how they viewed him, the image wasn't really true to form so Merlin made a few small tweaks, drawing the attention of his former Familiar. Unlike in the past, however, Cath Palug didn't show any hostility as it stated in a very clear tone, a stark contrast to the broken language it used to converse with others, "Do not mess around with my head..."With his characteristically whimsical smile, Merlin lightly mused, "Worry not, my friend. You know I cannot break my promises. Look, I'm just making the image a bit clearer for you. Shouldn't you be thanking me instead~?" Now, instead of the vague image from before, there was a distinctly Vahn shaped figure cradling the two, complete with fluffy white hair, large ears, and a curly tail. This was the form Vahn had taken when emulating Cath Palug, causing the small squirrel-like creature to give a small nod in response to Merlin's words. He did not, however, express his gratitude and instead just snuggled up against 'Vahn' with a comfortable smile on his face.Shaking his head, Merlin complained in a tone that Cath Palug wouldn't be able to hear, "I wonder why I even bother with you at times. Always so ungrateful..." Though he worded things in a way that expressed his frustration, Merlin still had a smile on his face as he left his former companion to his own devices. Then, as he was most fond of doing, Merlin took a peek into Artoria's dreams which, compared to the past, were usually filled with pleasant scenes instead of plagued by worries and thoughts of battle.Since she was very perceptive and had spent years learning from him within her own dreamscape, Artoria was able to sense if he tried to manipulate her. Thus, after entrusting her to Vahn's care, Merlin had only viewed from a distance rather than interfere directly. The fact that she still had pleasant dreams always brought a smile to his face and, even though he sometimes wanted to 'punish' Vahn, Merlin felt vindicated every time he saw his faux-daughter happy. It was Artoria's happiness that he was most concerned with as, after failing her in both the past and present, Merlin felt she deserved it. If she could be happy, he believed he would be liberated from his own curse and, though her played the fool around Vahn and Vivian both, Merlin genuinely wished to love someone the way his father had loved his mother...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sakura, number one assistant (T ^ T)~!','Circe is so spoiled xD...','Merlin is a surprisingly hard worker...? Still a Dick Wizard though (o 3 o)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though Nobunaga and Kenshin could often be found together, that was typically the result of Vahn seeking them out in the evening hours. As it was currently daytime, Kenshin's presence couldn't be felt within the castle, indicating that she was likely within one of the Trainings Orbs. As for Nobunaga, though she did train on occasion, Vahn found her waiting within the confines of her room. She knew it was only a matter of time until he came seeking her out so, rather than get herself psyched up for training, only to have it interrupted for a few months, Nobunaga decided to idle in her room as she did her best to remain calm.Unlike past instances, where he would find Nobunaga either drinking peacefully or performing maintenance on her rifles, Vahn was rather surprised to find her wearing a simple black kimono with her hair hanging loosely, a listless glint in her blood-red eyes. At this point, any conversation between them could be misconstrued as hesitation so, rather than play the fool, Vahn closed the distance to Nobunaga while peeling at the layers of his clothing. This caused her to swallow hard before using her right hand to move aside her long bangs as she stated in an irresolute tone, "You better be grateful..." In response to this, Vahn grabbed her wrist, bringing his face close as he whispered in a hot voice and resonant voice that caused her to groan, "Each and every day..."---Though there were no 'guarantees', at least under normal circumstances, it was all but set in stone that Nobunaga would inevitably get pregnant. This gave her a small confidence boost as, even if it didn't mean anything in the end, being the first to bear Vahn's biological child was significant to Nobunaga herself. Not only would this be her first child, but it represented a tonal shift in the life she had led up until this moment. Though she had no intention of settling down, as she one day intended to sail a ship through the starry void to 'conquer' new worlds, Nobunaga knew she had no place on the battlefields Vahn intended to fight.It wasn't impossible for her to grow stronger, much stronger, but it had never been her desire to arbitrarily seek strength. She only wanted to protect and liberate her people and, now that she had placed her dream safely in Vahn's hands, Nobunaga's only desire was to raise their child and then spend her remaining years extending his influence beyond the bounds of Gaia. Though she had no experience with such things, Nobunaga felt it was a rather romantic idea to sail a vessel through the night sky, commanding a fleet of ships as they set out to conquer and colonize other worlds...To that end, though she used to feel slightly insecure about how Vahn made her feel, this couldn't be seen at all as she curled up in his lap and enjoyed feeling his fingers trace through her hair. It made her feel like a pampered princess and, with a persistent warmth lingering in her body, this was one of the few times in her life where she felt content. For a few transient moments, she didn't care about anything else in the world but the time she spent together with Vahn. However, as all good things must come to an end, Nobunaga began to feel a little hungry and, betraying this sentiment, her stomach gave a loud protest as if voicing a complaint it had been bottling up since earlier...Though he had also been caught up in the moment, Vahn burst out laughing in response to the sudden grumble, causing Nobunaga to furrow her brows as she reached between his legs with a red face. This was enough to immediately put an end to his guffawing and, after coaxing her for a few minutes, Vahn escorted her to the dining hall before cooking a large meal as an apology. It would take a few days to be 'certain' but, expecting things to go well, Vahn made extra, pushing his luck by reminding her that she was now eating for two. This ended up being a slight mistake as, in response, Nobunaga warned him that she would turn into her youngest form and travel around in the outside world during her pregnancy to punish him if he continued teasing her...Knowing that Nobunaga was serious, as she always followed through with her threats, Vahn made a mental note not to tease her while she was pregnant. She would already be a little unstable, the result of her hormones going haywire, so it was best to stay on her good side. If she was pushed into a corner, Nobunaga way like a wounded tigress who, despite being on her last legs, would still find a way to sink her teeth into you before relenting. With that in mind, he decided to pander to her a bit, showing an excessively concerned expression that caused her to produce a predatory smile in response...---After parting ways with Nobunaga, Vahn decided his next destination would be the Library as, due to the fact it was daylight outside, Olga was away from her Observatory. Kenshin was still in the Training Orb so, while Vahn intended to have a 'discussion' with her later, it would have to wait. For now, he decided to attend the gathering of pale-haired women as, for one reason or another, Illya, Iris, Lakshmibai, and Olga were all in the Library. Vahn had taken a peek to make sure he wasn't interrupting anything but, finding Iris sitting at her desk while Olga and Lakshmibai were both seated near each other, each reading a book, it was clear they were just recreationally reading. As for Illya, she was working a little harder than the rest, sitting on the second level of the Library with a few books piled up around her as she studied seriously.Though the shelves had been empty at first, it hadn't taken long for Vahn to fully stock the Library which, with a total of three levels and 180 shelves, now housed more than sixty thousand books. This number alone wasn't that impressive but, considering the books on the higher levels cost several tens of thousands, to even hundreds of thousands of OP, it was a veritiable treasure trove for any Magus lucky enough to enter. Better yet was the fact that, while many of the books were compiled from a list he had obtained from Da Vinci's expansive memory, more forty-thousand of the books were from completely different Records. Vahn had recorded all the information in his mind but, for anyone wanting to expand their horizons through scholarly pursuit and research, the Library within the Inner Sanctum was the place to do so.Since it was open to everyone allowed within the Inner Sanctum, Vahn passed through the tall double doors without knocking. His arrival immediately drew the attention of everyone present, causing Iris to rise to her feet and greet, "Welcome to the Library, Vahn. Is there anything I can help you with today~?" Though she knew full well that Vahn had 'memorized' each of the books within the Library, this didn't prevent him from spending a few hours just reading something new he had procured from another world. Sometimes, he just wanted to read in order to relax so, if there was anything she could do for him, Iris was happy to oblige.In response to Iris' courteous behavior, Vahn returned a polite smile of his own, answering, "I just wanted to spend some time with everyone. Currently, I'm just wandering around the castle before my next 'shift' begins." It hadn't been his intention to cause anyone discomfort but, hearing what Vahn had said, Iris' smile become somewhat wry as an apologetic glint flashed across her eyes. It almost seemed like she was going to apologize for him having to work so hard on their behalf but, rather than say something that would trouble him, Iris fixed her expression before offering, "If Your Majesty is not against it, I would be more than willing to entertain you."Though he knew there was no greater meaning behind Iris' words, Vahn blinked in surprise while wondering just what she had in mind. At the same time, he was aware of the fact that Lakshmibai and Olga were both eyeing him instead of reading their books while, on the second level, Illya was peeking through the wooden guard rails with a peculiar glimmer in her eyes. Because of this, though he was tempted to accept Iris' offer, Vahn maintained a polite smile as he said, "Perhaps some other time..." Then, turning his eyes to meet Illya's, Vahn allowed his expression to soften after deciding how he would spend the next few hours. It had been a while and, though Illya had not brought it to his attention, Vahn was aware of the fact that Cath Palug had been causing her a few 'problems' after their return to the castle.Understanding Vahn's intentions, Illya's face became beet red while Iris, standing behind her desk, began to lightly chuckle before remarking, "Make sure you behave yourself. Even if my daughter is older than me, I won't tolerate any funny business before the two of you are properly wed~." This comment was said with humorous undertones but, based on how the smile didn't quite reach her eyes, Vahn knew that Iris was serious. At times, she could be very protective of Illya, not all that dissimilar to a mother bear protecting its cub. Though she trusted Vahn a great deal, Iris was still worried that her daughter was quite ready for a more 'intimate' relationship, even if she was already twenty-eight years old...With an even redder face than before, Illya leaped down from the second level before dragging Vahn away before her mother could say anything to embarrass her further. This caused Iris to smile in amusement while, seated in their respective chairs, Lakshmibai and Olga had complex expressions on their faces. For completely different reasons, both girls had wanted Vahn to call out to them but, deciding not to interfere with his decision, they briefly made eye contact with each other before returning to their novels. Then, even though the atmosphere had become a little odd, peace and quiet was restored to the Library, the only sounds being those of pages turning and Iris shelving the books left behind by her daughter...---As the Imperial Library was located within the Inner Sanctum, it wasn't that far away from where everyone resided. In fact, it was located in the westernmost region of the Inner Sanctum, forming a small annex of sorts that paralleled the 'trophy room' to the east. This was the place where war trophies, taxidermied animals, and other symbols of victory that weren't important enough to be kept in the Armory of Camelot were stored. It was also meant to serve as Vahn's private study but, as he had no use for such a large amount of space, he allowed it to be converted into a recreation room for everyone's use. However, even after he filled it with a few of the games everyone had been most interested in, it was very rare that anyone ever stopped by as, with their capabilities, it was generally more interesting to just go out and play, train, or research.Since she shared a room with her mother, Illya dragged Vahn all the way to the Recreation Room before closing and bolting the doors behind them. Then, with a pouting expression on her face, she turned to look up at him before complaining, "That was so embarrassing! I'm glad you want to spend time with me but...but...!" As her eyes had already started to flicker with violet light, Illya knew she didn't have much ground to stand on. In truth, she actually felt considerably guilty after Vahn had overworked himself to the point of retiring to his room. This wasn't her first time seeing him after he had awoken but, now that he wanted to spend time with her, Illya's heart felt like it was going to explode from her chest...Resisting Cath Palug's attempts to take control of her body, Illya buried her face into Vahn's stomach before wrapping her arms around his body and mumbling, "Thank you for working so hard..." She decided it was a waste of the precious time she got to spend with Vahn if she used it to complain. At the same time, even though she was keeping it restrained, her five senses were greatly enhanced by Cath Palug's possession so Illya's head was filled with Vahn's fragrance. She could also feel his warmth flowing into her body and, though it wasn't nearly as chaotic as her own, the powerful and steady rhythm of his heartbeat brought her an extreme level of comfort...Knowing Illya didn't really want him to respond, Vahn just stroked her head and back, gently holding her in his embrace so that she could calm down. Though just being in contact would make her slightly flustered, she would eventually settle down after a bit of gentle coaxing. Then, after she had got her own fill, it wasn't long before Illya had retreated into the back of her own mind, allowing Cath Palug to come forward. Signaling this change, her clothes turned into small particles that retreated into the choker around her neck, a mechanism Da Vinci had designed to meet Rin's and Illya's unique requirements.With Illya already clinging to him before, Cath Palug wasn't shy about taking advantage of the position, rubbing its face against Vahn's stomach and chest while happily intoning, "Fou~". It had been trying to forcibly take control of Illya's body as of late, intending to track down Vahn as early as his arrival at the Einzbern Castle. Though it still only had 99 Affection, Cath Palug's parameter had long ago shifted to 'Love', something Vahn had been able to confirm by having Alaya show its Strings of Fate. It actually seemed to love Fenrir and Iris as well but, as this was closer to it just imprinting upon them, especially in Fenrir's case, Vahn was generally the one to receive Cath Palug's rather peculiar affection...After it had gotten its fill of Vahn's scent, Cath Palug pushed against Vahn's body, an action he knew meant it wanted him to sit down. Instead, Vahn picked it up in his arms, something that caused it to happily squirm in his arms as, for one reason or another, it preferred Vahn taking charge. Since the latter didn't want to make a potential mess, he moved to one of the smaller storage rooms connected to the Recreation Room. Then, after setting up a soundproofing barrier, Vahn pulled out a plush bean bag-like chair before settling into it with Cath Palug snuggled in his embrace. It took this as its cue to reposition but, having learned from past experiences, it first changed into a one-piece dress with exposed back and shoulders before happily pressing itself against Vahn and play-biting around his neck and shoulders.As Cath Palug used its biting as an indicator of where and how it wanted to be bitten, Vahn had, rather awkwardly, become adept at understanding its wants and desires. Fortunately, it didn't seem to understand the intimacy between males and females so, at least for the time being, Vahn had been familiarizing himself with Cath Palug's behavior and ecology while slowly teaching it to behave. Thus, after it had made a slobbery mess out of his shoulder, Vahn gently stroked the inside of Cath Palug's large and fluffy ears as he reminded, "Use your words properly..."Though this caused Cath Palug's pupils to contract, it didn't get too upset before responding in broken Japanese, "Please...bite...aaaah~." To further communicate what it wanted, Cath Palug opened its mouth wide, revealing eight rather pronounced canines, four on top and four on the bottom. It even used one of its fur-covered hand to pull at the side of its mouth, making the 'Aaah' sound it had learned after observing Vahn feed and be fed by others.Since he could tell that Cath Palug was in a less compliant state than normal, the result of them being apart for a considerable amount of time, Vahn decided not to push it too hard. Instead, he dug his fingers into the sensitive spot near the base of Cath Palug's ears, causing it to mewl as it turned its head to the side and exposed its neck. Then, even though he would never get used to this particular kind of intimacy, Vahn brought his mouth to the tender flesh before sinking his teeth into it. This caused Cath Palug to tense up before writhing about excitedly in his embrace as it loudly exclaimed, "Fou! Fooou~!" while holding his head with its paws...In this manner, while slowly pacifying it through the use of Petting Laws, Vahn spent the better part of an hour calming Cath Palug down. It usually only took him around half an hour so this was a testament to how riled up it had been while also indicative of how strong Illya's willpower had become to keep it in check. She had been slowly cementing her place as the more dominant personality as, from the very beginning, Cath Palug had always been heavily influenced by Illya's mentality. Once Illya began to stabilize, it had started to calm down considerably and, according to Merlin, Cath Palug no longer desired to wipe out all the adults in the world. This could change very quickly but, so long as Illya continued to grow stronger, the greatest danger posed by Cath Palug was it 'awakening' after his and Illya's relationship moved to the next level...With Cath Palug slowly returning to its resting place in the back of Illya's mind, the latter opened her hazy eyes with a deep flush on her face. Though she had been considerably shaken the first time she experienced the interaction between Vahn and Cath Palug, now Illya was more troubled by the state her body was left in after the fact. Fortunately, even if she made a considerable mess, Vahn always had the wherewithal to avoid making any comments regarding it and, instead of tormenting her further, he always just held her until she was able to calm down.Illya understood just as much as he did how 'dangerous' it would be to go further and, though part of her strongly desired a more 'meaningful' connection with Vahn, she was the most aware of her own state of mind. If they were to progress their relationship further at this point, there was a non-negligible chance she would begin to resent the other girls around Vahn. Since even positive feelings could be considerably amplified by the presence of Cath Palug in her body, Illya wanted to become more emotionally stable before she gave him the green light. She also wanted to soak her body in a growth chamber for a few days as, even though she was still growing, it was almost painfully slow.At her current rate of growth, she would be in her fifties by the time she began to look like a teenager. Unlike others, she couldn't receive a body from Vahn as, with Cath Palug bonding with her, Vahn was unable to map and emulate the internal structure of her body to avoid any issues. Though he had told her about the existence of Loyalty, which would allow him to change her body and potentially even separate her from Cath Palug, Illya had dismissed that thought from the start. Even if it felt like she was taking advantage of Vahn, which wasn't far from the truth, Illya had already fallen in love with him a long time ago. Now, even if it was difficult for her to hold back, she would rather face years of mental and physical anguish if it meant she was allowed to continue loving him...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Don't fuck with Nobunaga xD...','Mama Bear vs. Sage Emperor!?','Illya and Cath Palug are quite the conundrum (o_o)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1196: Transient