Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

After a rather humorous incident where Sakura awoke to find herself drooling against his side, Vahn helped her prepare for her evening lessons. He had already talked to Rin about having Sakura first pursue the path of a Knight and, as her Od was already expanding at a much faster rate than normal, there shouldn't be any difficulties in her future path. Thus, instead of spending the evening learning Magecraft, Sakura learned etiquette alongside Mordred, Fenrir, Medusa, and Gray.Just as she took training very seriously, Artoria was rather strict when it came to teaching the girls Court etiquette. This was especially the case for Mordred and Sakura, as manners and discipline were very important for cultivating the proper mentality as a Knight. Now that she was going to be Vahn's Empress, Artoria considered it her duty to make sure his children were educated properly. Though he might not be concerned with such things, she knew that their future enemies and allies alike would scrutinize Mordred and Sakura, seeing them as a representation of Vahn's own prestige.If Vahn's children acted spoiled and undisciplined, they would be seen as a weakness that could be exploited. Inversely, if they were extremely well-behaved and ladylike when presented before others, it would cause anyone harboring intentions towards them to hesitate. When one party seemed to be high-born, it would cause those that were more politically oriented to measure their behavior. After all, offending a Noble could undermine their own status considerably, making them fearful of ever getting on Mordred's and Sakura's bad sides. Thus, while it was fine for them to be polite and even outgoing at times, they should never seem 'friendly' and 'weak' in the eyes of their contemporaries.Since Vahn had always entrusted the rearing of his children to the women in his life, he had no issues allowing Artoria to act as she saw fit. As for why Fenrir and Medusa had decided to participate, they both wanted to learn how to be more ladylike so they didn't embarrass him in the future. Vahn had even found Medusa wearing a frilly white dress, looking much like a little Princess. Generally, she was not fond of wearing clothes and, other than the skin-tight bodysuit and equipment forged from her own scales, she tended to avoid other 'restrictive' clothing. However, understanding she could not wear such things in public, Medusa had followed in Fenrir's footsteps. Since her Master would always compliment her when she wore cute clothing, she had slowly been growing accustomed to wearing them whenever she left the Inner Sanctum...With Sakura entrusted to Artoria, Vahn stopped distracting everyone before heading back to London to check on Luvia and see if she intended to spend the evening in the castle. Unfortunately, she had traveled abroad on a business venture, taking Siegfried with her. He had the option of teleporting to her side but, after keeping Olivia company for a few minutes, she managed to talk him out of it. The truth of the matter was that Luvia had been falling behind in her work so, to avoid appearing weak in the eyes of her competitors, she was taking more proactive action to keep them on their toes. Thus, after refusing Olivia's invitation to a late dinner, Vahn promptly returned to Avalon.Ever since the decision to travel outside, Vahn knew he had been falling behind on my of the things he should be focusing on as well. Though he had made a few small breakthroughs, the number of items on his plate had been increasing exponentially. With that in mind, he decided to follow Luvia's example and, rather than waiting for Kenshin to appear, Vahn entered into the Training Orb to seek her out directly. There, he found her and a group of more than one-hundred Homunculi occupying a small training field that had been constructed with materials imported from outside.Though having an endless white space for training was extremely useful for high-intensity combat, it could dull the senses of anyone unaccustomed to the rather peculiar environment. Since a person's mental state was one of the most important factors when it came to training, using an environment that emulated reality was infinitely better than spending time in an endless white void. This had been true even back in the Record of Danmachi where, after decades within the Orb, it had started to look like a small world that was rather comfortable to live in. When the girls had started Cultivating, even things like small mountains, cave systems, and waterfalls had been constructed.For similar reasons, there was now a large eastern dojo that had a stone stage that was around 500m in diameter. Currently, the group of Homunculi had formed into neat rows and columns, copying the techniques that were being demonstrated by Kenshin at the front. Since the latter had spent much of her formative years in a Zen Buddhist Temple, even serving as an Apprentice Master, she was adept at teaching others proper form. It helped that the Homunculi were both receptive and exceptionally attentive to even the small details. They also had considerable stamina and, with thousands of years of memories related to combat, they were some of the best possible students any Master of Martial Arts could ask for.With Vahn's arrival, Kenshin had immediately taken notice of his presence, straightening her body and performing a salute that was emulated by her students as they all simultaneously shouted, "We greet Master!" Then, in almost perfect unison, the group of Homunculi all sat in seiza, their backs straight and their eyes directed to the front. It was a commendable display of discipline that caused Vahn and Kenshin to nod in approval, an action that resulted in a peculiar atmosphere descending upon the group of remarkably similar women. Compared to the majority of Homunculi, quite a number of those present had a focused and clear light in their eyes, showing they were quickly awakening an Ego of their own, albeit one derived from martial discipline...It felt a little awkward to have interrupted things but, knowing Kenshin had been pushing herself a little too hard lately, Vahn guided her to the side after she called up a Homunculus named Shion to lead the group in their next set of exercises.Once they were alone, Vahn released an exasperated sigh that caused Kenshin to show an apologetic expression as she explained, "Don't blame me too much, okay? You've also been working hard and, with how much these women look up to me, I can't help but push myself...don't be mad..." As they were out of sight from her students, Kenshin, despite the fact she was only wearing a thin Gi and was covered in a thin layer of sweat, wrapped her arms around Vahn's body. He knew this was her way of keeping him from being too harsh, even though it wouldn't have bothered her all that much. Still, she had changed considerably since their first meeting and, unable to be mad at her, Vahn released a small sigh as he reciprocated her embrace and whispered, "Don't push yourself too hard..."While laughing in response to Vahn's concern, Kenshin rested her head against his shoulder before muttering, "I already know you've been looking for me...before it's too late, I wanted to help these girls build up a basic foundation. Since I won't be able to exert myself as much in the future, please allow me to be a little selfish for now..."Hearing Kenshin's words caused Vahn's heart to beat a little faster, something that was easily picked up by the peculiar white and black-haired beauty due to their proximity. This caused her to feel more mischevious than normal, a sly smile spreading across her lips as she rested against his chest and asked, "Ara? To think even His Majesty gets flustered when it comes to such discussions...or perhaps you are just excited? Does the thought of impregnating me make your heart go doki doki~?" As she was listening closely, Kenshin noticed that Vahn's heart did indeed fluctuate a few times in response, causing her own to flutter quite a bit...Snorting lightly through his nose, Vahn continued to hold Kenshin in his arms as he mused, "You have become rather bold..." This caused Kenshin to laugh in response before reminding, "Is that so? As I recall, I had no qualms about how you wanted to treat me from the start. My purpose in this life was always to serve Master, even before you allowed me to love you. Now that I've made my choice, what reason could I possibly have to hesitate~?" To punctuate her words, Kenshin leaned her body in Vahn's, allowing his leg to slip between her thighs as a hot sigh escaped her lips, tickling his chin.Though he didn't dislike when his women were more proactive, Vahn also wasn't the type to just sit back and remain passive. When Kenshin leaned into him, he lifted his leg slightly, allowing her to rest against it as he cupped her pert buttocks with both hands and lifted her body. This caused her to take a deep breath and, as she had already warmed up from training for several consecutive hours, a small puff of condensation escaped her lips as she exhaled. Then, though she wouldn't refuse him if he wanted to take her here and now, Kenshin extricated herself from Vahn's embrace so she could calm down. She could still feel the heat from his hands on her backside, a tell-tale sign that he had been taken in by her momentum, something Kenshin always found rather refreshing...After cupping Vahn's face with her hand, Kenshin continued regulating her breathing as she stated in a 'calm' tone, "As you allow me to be honest, I would prefer if you were to defeat me in battle before we produce an heir. Until then, I will continue to train these women as warriors before allowing them to choose their own path. I have already found my happiness so I will do my best to open the way forward for others. Know that you take my heart with you wherever you go, Master, so do not feel pressured to move forward and rush things. When you are ready, I will be waiting for your challenge anytime..." With that said, Kenshin briefly overlapped her lips with Vahns, allowing her emotions to reach him before resolutely returning to the training field to carry out the duty she had assigned herself...Watching her departure in silence, Vahn couldn't help but feel that Kenshin was a strong woman, not that any of the women he was involved with were weak. She was perfectly capable of forging a path for herself without anyone needing to direct her, all while keeping the emotions she had developed safely within her heart. Even if they were apart for several years, Vahn felt that Kenshin's heart would never waver, a sentiment that gave him considerable peace of mind. The women he was most fond of were generally those that didn't need him in order to thrive and prosper as, when he was battling, one of Vahn's greatest concerns was how those who had become dependent on him would live after his passing...Kenshin had a deeply rooted trauma and, though she still had a long way to go before she was able to truly empathize with others, she had made remarkable progress. Vahn felt that she saw herself in the Homunculi as, much like her past self, they showed little to no genuine emotion. If she were able to help them, it was a way in which she could validate her own progress. After all, rather than having others tell her she had come a long way, Kenshin was more so the type that sought 'proof' through her own efforts. Introspection could only take you halfway towards enlightenment and, unless you were able to help others find their way, you were nothing more than the proverbial frog in the well...Deciding not to interfere with Kenshin's efforts, Vahn directly exited the Training Orb before, his mind thinking about the best course of action. He could technically show up just about anywhere without anyone complaining about his presence but, much like Kenshin, it was also true that the girls had their own things going on. This was one of the major downsides to living inside of the Projection as, if they had a more standardized lifestyle, it would be much easier to decide when and how to spend his free time. Now, everyone's schedules could be all over the place and, though they would always make time for him, Vahn felt a little guilty knowing he was interfering with their growth just to cut loose...Shaking his head, Vahn dismissed any potentially negative thoughts as, even if he was getting in the way a bit, it was another expression of their will if they chose to make time for him. He hadn't forced any of his women into their current position and, knowing they would admonish him if he showed 'unnecessary' concerns, Vahn decided it was okay to be a little selfish. With that in mind, he decided to invade Rin's Magus Tower, choosing to enter in through the window after taking flight from the Knight's Training Field. Once Sakura had decided to focus on her Knightly studies, Rin had started spending most of her time researching [Primordial Rune] Magecraft during the evenings. As for her physical training, she followed a training menu given to her by Fenrir, albeit with limited success and a lot of muscle pains...Though he had concealed his presence, Rin didn't even look back at the window as she commented, "Give me a moment to finish this up, okay?" From the moment Vahn had decided to 'surprise' her, Rin had already been made aware of his presence, even if she couldn't personally sense him. Since she was currently engraving a rune onto a cut ruby, she couldn't split her focus without risking the entire thing exploding. Fortunately, her [Parallel Thinking] was extremely useful in situations like this as, even with part of her focus on Vahn's arrival, she didn't wave in the slightest as she used a set of gem-cutting tools to finish the engraving.Without making a single sound, Vahn closely observed Rin's work without allowing his thoughts to trigger her intuition. She had made a lot of progress over the last two months but, as [Primoridal Rune]s weren't exactly simple, Vahn guessed she was around D-Rank. Unfortunately, lacking his 'cheat', Rin had to spend a lot of time comprehending each rune as, rather than just being a few simple strokes on a surface, most runes were three-dimensional while also requiring a very finely tuned amount of mana to be infused into them during their creation.If not for the fact she was a prodigy in her own right, Rin would have needed to master [Rune Magic] before having any hope of understanding the logic behind [Primordial Rune]s. However, with a bit of guidance from Scáthach, combined with her understanding of [Jewel] and [Catalyze] Magecraft, Rin was steadily progressing toward mastery. Though some of this could be credited to the presence of Ishtar and Ereshkigal in her body, with the former sharing some of her experiences with Rin, it was still a testament to the fact that she was a genius, even if not quite at the level of someone like Da Vinci.After finishing the engraving, Rin used a magical tool modeled after a Jeweler's Loupe to analyze the structure of the gem and make sure it was not damaged by the rune. Even hairline fractures could drastically alter the effect of the rune and, though people like Scáthach could even use simple stones to achieve ideal results, Rin needed to be very cautious to avoid any accidents. This particular rune was a combination of 'Torch' and 'Ash', meaning it provided a significant increase to the destructive power of the gemstone once it was infused with Magical Energy. In fact, even by using a fraction of the standard amount of Magical Energy, Rin could achieve twice the output at a tenth of the cost.Confirming there were no structural issues with the gemstone, Rin released a sigh of relief before placing it on a small cushion atop her worktable. Then, turning around with a slight look of blame in her eyes, Rin half-heartedly complained, "I wish you would have informed me earlier. If I knew you were going to stop by, I would have prepared...tea..." As a table had appeared out of thin air as she was speaking, complete with a steaming tea set, Rin allowed her words to trail before shaking her head and walking over to sit next to Vahn. She honestly didn't mind the intrusion and, if not for the fact she had been in the middle of an intensive process, Rin would have been more than willing to attend him.With Rin sitting across his lap as if it were perfectly normal, Vahn produced an affectionate smile as he placed his left hand around her waist while resting his right palm atop her thigh. He didn't do anything untoward but it still caused Rin to give him a 'warning' look with her eyes as she relaxed her body and asked, "Did you get chased away by someone...?" Though Vahn was still an enigma, Rin liked to think she knew him well enough to read his expressions, even if he masked them. Thus, even without him answering, she lightly pinched his side in protest without further comment. This caused him to show an apologetic smile but, knowing Rin didn't really want to hear any excuses, Vahn just spent the next few hours making it up to her, passing the time idly and talking about everything from the weather on the island, her research results, and Sakura's upcoming birthday...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Artoria, Empress and Tiger Mom','Kenshin is a strong woman','Rin is working hard')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

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

Chapter 1197: Peaceful Slumber