Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

In a warm room, illuminated only by a few fragrant candles, the bodies of two nearly identical women were intertwined with each other. They were attired in nothing but lace brassieres, barely covering their rather diminutive assets, short skirts, no longer than the length of one's hand, and stockings, complete with garter belt.The figure with golden hair, attired in pure white garments, was leading her counterpart, identifiable with grey hair and black garments. Together, they formed a licentious and irrefutably lewd piece of artwork, something far beyond most masterpieces and viewable by only a single, solitary individual.Vahn was always surprised with how aggressive Artoria could be when she was in control but, when remembering that she had a wife of her own, it wasn't hard to understand where her confidence came from. Since Gray put a lot of trust in her, obediently following her distant Ancestor's lead, the two could play off each other in a way few others could emulate...Shaking his head to clear his wayward thoughts, Vahn's attention returned to the present moment. Though it was very pleasant it was to reminisce about such things, as his recollection of events was borderline perfect, he had other matters to attend.Now that his short break had come to an end, Vahn picked up his hammer once again, an act that caused his mind to immediately focus as the atmosphere around him changed subtly. He had just finished replenishing his reserves so, without wasting any time, Vahn began to hammer the piece of dark-red metal before him without even heating it up.With each successive hammer strike, a pulse of sorts would spread through the hammer without even producing any sound. Vahn was constraining his domain around the blade itself, trapping in his Source Energy and causing the blade to heat rapidly, even without a forge. This was a technique that Scáthach had suggested he work on as, if he could get used to refining and shaping metal without the use of a forge, it would make his future projections far more powerful.Though this might seem like a downgrade compared to shaping the blade and enhancing it directly, it gave him a lot of practice with his domain and helped externalize the 'image' inside of his head. Since his domain was essentially an extension of himself, Scáthach believed he could even overcome his weakness of being able to use his Source Energy externally.In the end, it all came down to control and, though he might waste a lot of Source Energy during the process of casting spells, there was no reason why he couldn't shape and control the energy after the fact. Instead of letting it dissipate, his current training direction involved manipulating the end result of Magic spells, greatly increasing his efficiency by preventing unnecessary waste. Since it was a lot like Elemental Manipulation, Vahn had already achieved some success so, in order to push his skills further, his demonic Shishou had him work on fine-tuning his control...After a short seventeen minutes of hammering, Vahn held up the white-hot blade without using any tools whatsoever. It had a slight rainbow hue to it and, even without placing it into his Inventory, he could discern its rating to be near A-Rank. Since his goal was to push himself to the point of being able to shape middling, or even peak, A-Rank equipment, this was just another small step toward his goal.Before the blade had even cooled, Vahn focused his mind and whispered in a solemn tone, "You will be [Proto Laevateinn V113]." This caused the blade to darken, gaining a basalt hue as the runes he had set into its surface began to glow dark-red with wisps of flame dancing across its surface. The mere act of naming it cemented the blade at the A-Rank and, so long as he channeled his Source Energy into it, it could serve as a powerful Mystic Codex.Once the blade had become dormant, Vahn checked its status and, after giving an approving nod, tossed it into his Inventory alongside the other 112 iterations of the same weapon. In the future, he wanted to be able to emulate Gilgamesh's [Gate of Babylon] and, as he had made some progress in his [Acceleration Gate] Magecraft, he needed a lot of expendable weapons. Though it might be cruel to the blades themselves, they had been created for the purpose of destruction and, so long as he had the time, Vahn would recover their materials and reforge any damaged ones.Though he still had an ample amount of Source Energy to expend, Vahn liked to be at his peak when forging as, even more so than the materials themselves, the mentality of the Blacksmith determined the final quality of their products. Thus, as his reserves gradually replenished themselves, he allowed his mind to wander to the day of Artoria's reward. This time, rather than envision the two in lingerie, he had a grin on his face as he remembered Artoria making him swear never to tell anyone that he had her dress in a version of tiger pajamas that had an 'ease of access' hatch...---After completing up to [Proto Laevateinn V120], Vahn decided it was time for a much longer break as he had already spent more than forty hours within the Space-Time Orb. On his way out, he made an updated version of his memory fragment before leaving behind a few research and entertainment materials. He then bid farewell to his counterpart and the small host of Companions that now called the Space-Time Orb home after he asked Da Vinci to produce a Nexus and a Factory for his personal use.Though it was impossible to bring Companions into the Space-Time Orb directly, despite them being largely inorganic, there was nothing preventing him from bringing in the equipment required to produce them. Now, rather than a simple domicile and forge, the interior of the Space-Time Orb looked like a high-tech laboratory and, instead of empty white space, there was now a small forest that had grown over the hundreds of years that had passed within the Orb.Upon leaving the Space-Time Orb, Vahn immediately felt a familiar warmth surrounding his body. He opened his eyes and smiled affectionately at the girl laying to his right, as she snuggled up against his body, ears twitching periodically. She produced a lot more body heat than the person on his left but, for two very obvious reasons, Vahn couldn't help but be hyperaware of Iris. Currently, she was using his shoulder as a pillow while tightly holding on to his arm to the point it was nestled between her breasts while his hand was dangerously close to a far more potent source of heat.This wasn't the first time he had shared a bed with the mother-daughter duo, as he would usually stay with them at least once during a day-night cycle. Recently, however, he felt that Iris' defenses had lowered considerably and, though it was subtle, she seemed to be becoming more emboldened with the passage of time. A few weeks ago, Projection time, she had even started wearing a negligee rather than normal pajamas, claiming it was more comfortable. Since Illya hadn't offered any kind of objection, Vahn had accepted her excuse at the time but, now that his arm had been 'claimed' by the immaculate beauty, he could feel what little inhibitions he had toward her slowly chipping away.Fortunately, as he had timed his use of the Space-Time Orb with the moment they were supposed to wake up, Vahn managed to extricate his arm from the sleeping beauty, waking her and Illya in the process. The latter sat sleepily atop the bed as she released a long, drawn-out, yawn. Since she had long ago developed the habit of using his shirts as pajamas, the sleeves dangled adorably beyond the reach of her arms as she stretched her body.While Illya was slowly building the resolve to leave the bed, Vahn gave her head a few pats, causing her ears to twitch happily as she mumbled a girlish, 'mnnyaa~'. This earned her an elegant giggle from Iris who, after waking, dutifully hopped out of bed to get changed. Since wearing accessories for a long period of time could sometimes be uncomfortable, most people would take them off before going to bed. This allowed Vahn the option to watch Iris dress down into nothing but her underwear as she took her sweat time to pick out an accessory for the day.Though he never stared directly, Vahn was very aware of what Iris was doing as, for better or worse, his senses allowed him to perceive such things in high definition. His mind stored this information passively and, with perfect recall, he could even 'remember' a scene from a perspective other than his own. This was a dangerous voyeuristic capability that he tried not to exploit so, in order to avoid the 'trap' Iris had set for him, Vahn kept himself distracted by helping Illya prepare for her day. She used to get annoyed at him for treating her like a child but, as she was far from a morning person, she had eventually accepted his assistance graciously.After escorting the two to the Library, where they often spent the majority of their time, Vahn began to consider how he should spend his time. Since he generally didn't plan his evenings to the same extent as his days, due to this being the period where he usually spent time with his various lovers, Vahn had quite a few options.Usually, when he couldn't think of anything on the spot, Vahn would just go pander to the pregnant troupe as, while it was somewhat troublesome at times, he genuinely enjoyed being together with them. This time, however, he turned his head to Gareth who, knowing full well when he would wake up, had arrived outside of Iris' room around half an hour prior. She used that same time to get some rest herself so she was always in an upbeat and happy mood by the time she greeted him.With her Master looking toward her, Gareth's smile instantly became more radiant as she excitedly asked, "Is there something I can do for you, Your Majesty~!?" To this, Vahn gave a habitual chuckle as he extended his hand out and began stroking her head with a smile on his face. This caused Gareth to close her eyes with a contented smile on her face as Vahn answered, "Since you're supposed to be my Page, why don't I teach you a few things?"As if he had said some magical words, Gareth's eyes became starstruck as she tightly gripped her fists and shouted, "Yes! It would be my honor!" Since it was an opportunity to spend time with her Master, learn something new, and get praised, there was no way Gareth would refuse. She had been looking forward to the moment when he began to teach her as one of the primary duties of a Page, before becoming an Esquire and a Personal Knight, was learning from the person you had tasked to serve. This was how Knight's trained their apprentices and successors, often superseding the official Knight training.Vahn was already very familiar with Gareth's capabilities at this point, as she was very enthusiastic about displaying her capabilities to him, so he had a few ideas about how she could improve. Since she focused on speed, jousting, and defeating her opponents without killing them, Vahn wanted to teach her [Cantus Bellax], [Shundo], and [Koku Shundo]. She already had extremely high Agility and enhanced reflexes due to her bestial traits so she should be able to emulate Fenrir's combat style, to an extent.To avoid any teasing accusations from a certain crimson-haired individual, Vahn took Gareth with him to the primary training orb near the Knight's Training Field. It had changed a lot over the past few months, now possessing several buildings and an extremely large hot spring, but those were places Vahn had forbidden himself from venturing due to the hundreds of Homunculi that partook of the mineral-rich waters.In many ways, this training orb had become the dominion of Kenshin but, if you traveled far enough away from the center, it was possible to find twisted landscapes that had been brought to ruin in the conflicts between people like Artoria, Karna, Heracles, Kenshin, Siegfried, and Scáthach. Even though weeks had passed since the apocalyptic battles, their energies still lingered in the area, a testament to how monstrously powerful they were when they got serious.Vahn specifically chose the location where Karna had used his full-powered Noble Phantasm, causing a massive crater that was more than a kilometer wide to scar the landscape. The center depth had even reached a staggering 13m below the standard plane of the white stone, a material that could be directly compared to refined Tungsten in hardness and compression resistance.Gareth was awed by the devastation but, rather than the terrain, the majority of her attention was focused on her Master. She was really looking forward to what he would teach her so she wanted to avoid giving him the impression that she was distracted by other things. What she didn't expect was for him to suddenly nod before saying, "Okay, I want you to use your maximum speed to reach the edge of the crater before returning here. Also, remove your shoes, as it will be important for your training."Rather than question her Master's intentions, Gareth instantly plopped onto the ground before pulling off her shoes. She also had a [REquip] system but, rather than use it for casual wear, hers had been calibrated to her armor and other armaments. Though it was possible to use more than one at a time, she didn't like wearing accessories, feeling they didn't suit her self-image while also being uncomfortable. The sole exception to this was the choker she wore around her neck, though, at a glance, many would misconstrue it as a collar...After setting aside her shoes and removing her leggings, Gareth wasted no time in sprinting to the edge of the crater and returning. In total, this took her almost exactly two seconds, indicating her base speed was close to 2100km/h. This was actually a bit slower than Vahn had expected from her 47 Agility but, considering she had to stop for a brief moment before returning, some variance was to be expected. If she really pushed herself, she should be able to reach upwards of 2,500km/h in short bursts.With an approving nod, Vahn pat the eagerly waiting Gareth's head, saying, "Very good. Your speed is quite something, Gareth." This caused her to laugh somewhat abashedly but, without refuting his words or trying to brag, Gareth just accepted the praise despite her embarrassment. She was a bit sad when he pulled his hand away but, knowing this was training, she did her best to prevent it from showing on her face.Though her knew Gareth was aware of the existence of [Shundo] after her training with Fenrir, Vahn was actually intending to see how quickly he could refine this unpolished gemstone who, according to Artoria, Gawain, and Galahad, had the potential of becoming one of the most powerful Knights. Since Artoria was the one who came up with the idea of making Gareth is Page, Vahn felt he should treat her training seriously so that he had a better understanding of how to draw out the potential of others in the future.After formulating a plan in his mind, Vahn squared up his feet and said, "Watch closely...", despite the fact that Gareth rarely even looked away from him. Then, straining himself to his limits, Vahn's body flickered slightly before he released a small sigh and asked, "How long?" This caused Gareth to blink in confusion but, fortunately, Alaya was there to answer, "0.19 seconds" in a voice that only Vahn could hear. He parroted this value, surprising Gareth once again as she asked, "You...moved...?"As the version of [Shundo] Vahn used formed near-perfect after images, combined with the fact he had set two anchor points from the start, Gareth had only seen his body twitch momentarily before he suddenly asked her how long it took.Finding her reaction more than a little adorable, Vahn couldn't help but smile, earning him a chiding remark from Sis as she said, (*Your bad habit is flaring up again.*). This caused Vahn's smile to turn a little wry as he promptly decided not to tease his young Page. Instead, he adopted a more serious demeanor as he explained, "Though my maximum speed with [Shundo] is a bit slower than Fenrir's, there are all kinds of tricks you can incorporate into Magic Spells to greatly increase their versatility. My version of [Shundo] makes use of both Space and Time, while the original spell only uses the former. As for Fenrir, she has a version that incorporates Yin Elemental energy into her steps, causing the terrain and surrounding air to rapidly freeze as she moves around."Gareth was wide-eyed when she heard her Master claim that Fenrir was even faster than he was as, even with her enhanced kinetic vision, she hadn't been able to follow his movements. Though she knew the peculiar Vanargandr was much faster than her, which was why she felt embarrassed by her Master's remark, she didn't think the gulf between them was that vast. She suddenly began to feel as if her value had been lowered but, before she could give in to such negativity, her Master began to caress her head as he confidently stated, "I will help you develop a version of [Shundo] you can call your own. When your training is complete, even your base speed should more than double."Hearing this, Gareth immediately set aside her previous train of thought, allowing it to fade away completely as she excitedly exclaimed, "I'll do my best!" Then, causing her little heart to perform an acrobatic routine within her chest, her Master gave an approving nod before saying, "Change into this outfit and then sit down with your legs crossed. Your D-Rank Magical Power and C-Rank Magic Circuits are holding you back. I will help you refine your Magic Circuits by circulating my own energy in your body. This process will take a few months to complete but, even without further training, you will be significantly stronger."Though she attentively listened to everything her Master had said, Gareth had to fight against the urge to snatch the top he had produced out of his hands. It looked like a sports bra in structure, as it was very form-fitting, but the back was almost completely exposed. She knew what he had in mind by having her wear such a thing so she was greatly looking forward to their future training. What she didn't know was that Vahn had actually elected to use a less efficient method as, if he sat with his palm on Gareth's abdomen for several hours, he was afraid she might pounce on him at some point.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Irredeemable!','TFW other people understand your abilities better than you (UwU)...','Gareth may not be the goodest girl, but she has a lot of potential~')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though it was possible to delay things until after the birth of his children, Vahn received a message from Olivia through the communication device that Da Vinci had installed. It was a hyper-advanced piece of technology inspired by Chaldea's research. By using something called Spiritrons, which were like quantum particles that, irrespective of Space-Time, allowed the 'Soul' to manifest a projection of itself upon reality.In the Nasuverse, the Soul was considered the Second True Element within Thaumaturgical Theories. It was considered an independent existence that overlapped with the physical vessel yet, while there were several methods to interact, and even alter the basic structure of said existence, the true nature of the Soul was largely unknown. To most, it was considered nothing more than a Higher Order, an existence bound to the Astral Plane that stored memories and formed the foundation for a person's Od and Magic Circuits.Spiritrons were essentially the secondary structure of mana which, in its most elementary form, made up the building blocks of reality, far smaller than even quarks. Thus, it was inaccurate to say there was a direct relation between Spiritron Particles and the Soul, even though it was almost impossible to distinguish them from the amalgamation of data that comprised the Ego. In other words, as was often the case even amongst Gods, the Ego was mistakenly misconstrued as the Soul which, from what Vahn had been able to ascertain, was derived from something beyond the Records entirely.Still, by understanding the structure of the Ego, it was possible to emulate and project a person's existence in another timeline, so long as they maintained a connection to their original selves. This was a form of quantum entanglement which, when broken down at the basic level, was essentially just a transference of data between a fixed anchor and a projection. Thus, in that same vein, it was possible to send other forms of information through a similar system, allowing for instantaneous communication despite both distance and the flow of time.Because of this, it was also impossible to intercept these communications as, unless you were at the anchor or its projected point, there was simply nothing to intercept. It didn't move between the two points but existed simultaneously in both places at the exact same time. Since all the anchor points would be located within Avalon, trying to steal the technology was equally as impossible as, even if you could erect field that completely stopped the flow of time around the projected point, it would be impossible to analyze as, the moment the connection was severed, it literally didn't exist to steal.The only person who could steal Da Vinci's communication device was Zelretch but, considering he was able to travel through infinite futures, yet brought back none of the major advancements, this didn't seem to be his modus operandi. This was likely due to not wanting to become the lynchpin for reality as, the moment he started making such proactive changes in the 'present', he would have sole responsibility for the future.For the time being, they didn't have to worry about their location and communications being traced so, after receiving Olivia's message, Vahn soon found himself back in London. This time, he brought along Olga, Gareth, and Lakshmibai as the incident was directly tied to the pale-haired woman who carved a small yet comfortable place for herself in his heart.Rather than get directly down to business, however, Olivia opened the conversation by asking, "That Quest Board of yours...is it possible to produce more? I must admit, the rewards were far beyond my initial expectations..."Though the battle against the Malevolent Otso had been a difficult trial, it more than made up for any losses with the reward of Variable Experience and access to the Skill Tree. Even more than these two things, however, Olivia had been shocked by the bonus items she had obtained. This included a charm that, after their research team analyzed it, qualified as an S-Rank Mystic Codex. Though it was only a single-use item, it allowed her to make a contract with the Malevolent Otso, purifying it and allowing it to become a guardian of the forests around their primary stronghold back in Finnland.Responding to Olivia's question, Vahn maintained a calm demeanor as he answered, "Nothing is impossible. I would argue it is more impractical and unnecessary than anything else, at least at this point in time." Since he had no intention of splitting himself any further, as there were times when he would space out and get distracted, Vahn wasn't going to make any promises.Giving an understanding nod, Olivia quickly changed the subject to what they were here for, saying, "The Barthomeloi family has started to put pressure on our allies and a few of our businesses. For the time being, there aren't any major issues but it won't be much longer before the Animusphere family is crippled. Though we can provide financial support and security, there isn't much we can do about the number of people loyal to the Animusphere family without directly lending people to fill certain positions."Since even the Chaldea Security Organization had been infested with corrupt and vile Magi, it was a given that most of the Animusphere family's branches were equally as rotten. Even their foundation had been unstable since the time of Olga's Grandfather so they had done a lot of restructuring in the last month and a half. With the Barthomeloi family putting even more pressure on them, only the most loyal members of the extended Animusphere family were willing to stay the course. The vast majority, however, had already jumped ship and, fearing the repercussions of upsetting one of the Three Monarchal Families, many were just as quick to change allegiances.Even without Olivia explaining, Vahn could already guess what Lorelei was up to, stating, "They are trying to antagonize us to see how we respond. If we don't step in, they will only press the attack even harder to test the limits of our patience..." To this, Olivia gave a curt nod, adding, "I imagine they have already made arrangements, including negotiations with other families. There is a very good chance they have set some kind of trap. At the very least, this is their attempt to get a better understanding of the Empire's power. They want to determine how much of a threat you are."Olga, having grown up fearing the power of the Three Monarchal Families, was quick to pale when she realized how serious things had gotten. She wanted to ask Vahn for his help but, knowing how powerful the foundation of the Barthomeloi family was, part of her wanted to just flee back to the sanctity of Avalon with her father and their closest subordinates. Before she could muster up the resolve for either course of action, however, Vahn began to stroke her head somewhat roughly, albeit in a strangely comfortable manner.Rather than fear the Barthomeloi family, Vahn had an eager smile on his face that wouldn't lose out to the one on Olivia's. He had actually been waiting for his enemies to lose their patience and, as the Edelfelts were not afraid of a battle, their fervor had been awakened. Since he knew there was no way she didn't already have a plan, Vahn asked, "So, what do I need to do?" as his eye emanated a pale blue light.In response to his question, Olivia's smile grew even larger, looking similar to a predator as she answered, "It depends on the outcome you desire. If you just want to teach them a lesson and strengthen the Alliance, we may be able to settle things by bringing this matter to the Mage's Association. They can handle arbitrating this matter but, if you're feeling a little vindictive, you can always just challenge Barthomeloi Lorelei to an official duel. I'd like to see the look on that brat's face when she gets knocked down from her high horse."Though Vahn knew this was only the tip of the icebergs as far as their options were concerned, he was rather fond of the idea of a duel. Rather than fight Lorelei, however, he would prefer to battle it out against Lord Barthomeloi himself. The problem was, even if they publicized the matter and tried to put pressure on the Barthomeloi family directly, there was little chance their Lord would directly take to the battlefield. Though they could anger him considerably, it was far more likely that their family would just shore up their defenses and start using more underhanded methods to silence any dissent about their actions.Since he already knew the way duels were carried out within the Mage's Association, Vahn asked, "What are the chances that Barthomeloi Lorelei actually accepts a duel? What kind of terms to you think she would offer?" As the terms for a duel were often decided by the side that was challenged, they were at a slight disadvantage to be the ones issuing the challenge.Having thought about the matter in detail, Olivia quickly answered, "As confident as Lorelei is in her own power, she isn't an idiot that would risk everything in a single duel. She is most likely going to target the assets of the Animusphere family. If she is feeling testy, she might also try and target one of the people you are close to in order to rile you up. I can imagine her demanding that girl named Gray. At this point, it is certain that the Barthomeloi family knows her true identity so there is little they wouldn't do to try and obtain the Blood of Kings for themselves."Even hearing Olivia mention the possibility of Lorelei targetting someone he was close to caused Vahn's aura to shake his surroundings. Though he didn't put pressure on anyone directly, that didn't spare the inanimate objects that were outside his scope of leniency. Before he could break anything, Olivia sent a small [Gandr] shot toward him, hitting him square in the forehead as she asked, "Is this how an Emperor should act...?"Though the little laser-like bolt of magic did no damage to him, Vahn rubbed the spot that had been struck as he answered, "Yes, if he chooses." This answer seemed to surprise Olivia, causing her brows to raise ever so slightly before she began to laugh uninhibitedly moments later. Toward the end of her outburst, she slammed her hand down on the ornate wooden table separating them, sending a few cracks through the surface as she exclaimed, "Well said! An Emperor is just a man, so what is a man without a bit of backbone!? Ohohohoho~."---After Olivia settled down, they began discussing their own terms, assuming Barthomeloi Lorelei had indeed already made preparations for a duel. If they came forward with the truth about Gray's origin, they would have a lot of wiggle room in making their own demands. They could also ensnare Lorelei with something the Barthomeloi family simply couldn't refuse, such as the information pertaining to the Heaven's Feel Ritual or the production method of the Holy Grail. Since many of the fragments he had provided the Mage's Association had been appropriated by the Three Monarchal Families for 'research', it was obvious they wanted to either summon their own Heroic Spirits or have their wishes granted.With [Spiritual Evocation] and significantly advanced [Conjuring], it was already possible to summon a Heroic Spirit, even without an event like the Holy Grail War taking place. The downside to this was that, without something like the Holy Grail to keep them manifested, most Heroic Spirits wouldn't be able to stay in the modern world for more than a week's time. They also had no reason to accept the summoning as, without the enticement of having their own wish granted, there were very few Heroic Spirits who would willingly subjugate themselves to others.Since he had turned over several fragments of the Greater Grail to the Mage's Association, it was only a matter of time until someone managed to make a breakthrough. Though this would require them dedicating a phenomenal amount of resources, it wasn't impossible to stage a small-scale, or 'false' Holy Grail War. There were even several records of this within some of the historical texts he had purchased from the system shop so Vahn knew it was possible.Even if they thought he was just trying to deceive them, the fact he had not only won the Holy Grail War, but turned over several of its fragments, was too tantalizing to pass up. They were likely already aware of the fact he had even more Heroic Spirits at his side so, by putting the Holy Grail itself on the table, there was a chance he could reap considerable rewards after winning the duel. Though this was predicated on the fact that Lorelei actually accepted, which wasn't too likely, he would still be able to essentially show off the power and prestige of the Empire by forcing her to take a step back.The only thing they really needed to be cautious of was the possibility that the duel itself was just the first stage of a much larger trap. It was a certainty that they wanted a better understanding of his power but, depending on the circumstances, they could use this as an opportunity to expose him as some kind of dangerous entity that threatened the very existence of the Magus community. After all, showing up with an entourage of Heroic Spirits, especially if they had been given physical forms, was likely to set off a few alarm bells amongst the established powers. Then, if he didn't present himself as enough of a deterrent, they could either come out in full force o,r far more problematically, come up with a method to interfere with his future plans behind the scenes...Vahn also had the option of sewing the seed of doubt by having someone like Artoria or Scáthach fight in his stead, allowing his own power to remain an unknown factor. Since he was an Emperor, it actually didn't make much sense for him to be the person fighting and, with so many powerful allies supporting him, it would be a good opportunity to expose them to the public while also increasing his prestige. This had the dual purpose of allowing him to force Lord Barthomeloi to come out and accept his challenge as, if they wanted to fight him, they would 'obviously' have to send someone with comparable prestige.Though there was a chance the Barthomelois would try to call into question his status as Emperor, Vahn actually hoped they had the audacity as he could use it as an excuse to take far more proactive action against them. After all, it was a rather heinous slight to question a person's status, as it was the same as elevating yourself above them and lambasting the other party at the same time. Since he was an Emperor, a position much higher than something like a Monarchal Lord, he would have every justification to seek recompense from them.No matter how many preparations the Barthomeloi family had made, they would be powerless once he had the justification to take action against them. Even if his own power might be lacking, he had Alaya to supplement his reserves and, if they had somehow come up with something he couldn't deal with, ORT was always waiting to take action. Though it rarely communicated with him through words, Vahn had been able to undergo something similar to a memory link with the alien entity so he had a pretty good understanding of its capabilities.ORT was actually just a fragment of the original Type Mercury who, from the memories Vahn had seen, was a colossal entity that made the entire core of the planet Mercury it's home. It was the last line of defense and the ultimate weapon that protected the Will of the Planet, Mercurius. With this in mind, it was created with the functions of slaughter, assimilation, conversion, and evolution. Even if its current body was destroyed, another could be produced, this time being virtually immune to what had killed it.As scary a thought as it was, Vahn could essentially have a fleet of ORT at his beck and call, so long as Gaia herself didn't deny them entry. Since each planet as a 'Planetary Bounded Field' as one of its primary means of self-preservation, it was almost impossible for external entities to venture into its domain without permission. Though they could force their way through, the Laws and Logic of each planet were fundamentally different from each other, making it very difficult for alien entities to exist for long periods of time after being cut off from whatever provided them power in the first place.ORT had responded to the call of the planet when it was on the verge of death and, as it had arrived several thousand years too soon, it was forced to stay dormant in the Crystal Valley. If it ventured out before the promised time, Gaia could expel the foreign logic, causing ORT to either cease to exist, or adapt a form that allowed it to exist within the planet's Bounded Field. This meant it would need to assume the form of the highest existence it had consumed, such as a Dead Apostle or a God, both of which were bound by various rules and restrictions that would make life on the planet difficult, to say the least.Vahn's interactions with ORT made it more evident that he needed to establish contact with Gaia but, at least for the time being, he could rely on its help in otherwise precarious situations. So long as he had administrative authority over other Types, it wouldn't matter how strong the foundation of his enemies was. The Barthomeloi's would struggle to even best a God so, with a being that could easily slaughter dozens, if not hundreds, of Gods, their actions only invited destruction upon themselves.As strange as it was to consider, there was a very real chance that a family that had existed for over two millennia was about to be wiped out due to a single woman's brash remarks...it made Vahn feel like quite the Tyrant, or perhaps the Emperor of Garbagemen. After all, from a certain perspective, he really was just taking out the trash...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '"Quantum Computing, how elementary...ufufufu~" -Da Vinci-chan','TFW you learn your special blood isn't the specialest blood...','Vahn can end the world with a statement...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Following the departure of Rosemanis and her attendants, Gawain wasn't even given the chance to introduce the next group as, apparently having waited long enough, the Sylphs burst into the Throne Room, bringing tempestuous winds and laughter along with them. Though he didn't mind people being willful and whimsical, Vahn's gaze sharpened when he saw this disrespectful display. He might not have done anything to earn their respect just yet but this did not grant them the impunity to act however they pleased.Since they had been flittering in the air previously, the trio of Sylphs, standing only 30cm in height and possessing semi-transparent skin, felt the wind elemental energy around them suddenly out of their reach, causing them to crash to the ground unceremoniously. The leader of the group, with light-blond hair, dragonfly-like wings, and garments formed from a wispy green fabric, stared back at Vahn with pale-pink eyes and visible frustration on her face.The moment their gazes overlapped, Vahn squinted his eyes, a solemn expression on his face as he stated, "It is our intention to treat all Fae with the respect they deserve. However, if you cannot show even a basic amount of courtesy, do not expect any in kind." Though Merlin had warned him not to make an enemy out of the Sylphs, Vahn didn't feel like going through the hassle of tricking them. If they were going to cause trouble and ignore the rules, they had no place in Avalon, a place of peace and sanctuary to other races.While rubbing the bump on her forehead, the leading Sylph exclaimed in a high-pitched tone, "You are a big bully! Jerk! Meanie!" Then, creating a small ball of electricity in her palms, she attempted to send it toward Vahn but, before it could fully form, a dozen Homunculi had surrounded her with very real Halberds. This caused the Sylph to quickly hide her hands behind her back, pretending she had done nothing wrong as she looked at the surroundings and asked, "What, do you need something?"Despite being surrounded and unable to use most of her power, the petite Sylph showed absolutely no sign of being afraid. Instead, she actually had a challenging glint in her eyes, something shared by the other two Sylphs at her back.Seeing how things were developing, Vahn resisted the urge to rub his temples while saying, "Stand down." in a commanding tone. This caused the leading Sylph to puff out her non-existant chest but, before she could say anything rude, Vahn caused a mountainous pressure to descend upon the trio as he added, "Your actions have resulted in the expulsion of the Sylph from Avalon. In the future, no Sylph will be allowed to venture into Avalon without the express permission of the Imperial Family."Hearing Vahn's decree, the yet unnamed Sylph acted like a cat that had its tail stepped on, her wings flittering rapidly as she stamped her feet and exclaimed, "Hey, hey, you can't just decide that! We like this place! You can't make us leave!" As the air around Avalon was completely devoid of pollution, it was a very comfortable environment for all the Sylphs. They had been enjoying their time playing around over the last month so, hearing Vahn say they were no banished, she couldn't just accept it.Without showing any change in expression, Vahn stated in a firm tone, "You have given us no reason to tolerate your presence. The Empire does not need troublemakers who act without consideration. This land is not your playground, nor are its people subject to your whims. If you cannot live among others in peace, you have no place here."Apparently not taking Vahn's words seriously, the leading Sylph adopted a pouting expression, her brows furrowed deeply. Then, to further exacerbate matters, she shouted with a red face, "Just you wait! I'll see to it that this smelly island never has a sunny day again! Hmph! Hmph!" With that said, she attempted to exit the Throne Room in a huff, only to find that the surrounding temperature had dropped by several degrees. At the same time, her body became paralyzed by the pressure that was being emanated by Vahn as he stated in a cold tone, "If you cannot accept responsibility for your actions and intend to attack my Empire, do not expect leniency."Vahn was very aware that the Sylph could easily cause severe thunderstorms and flooding, damaging the island in the process. Though he could easily deal with this, he would rather avoid having to use force to expel them from the Empire.Feeling the severity of Vahn's threat with their bodies, the Sylphs trembled as they stared back at him with their pale-pink eyes quivering. Despite this, he could see indignation deep within, causing Vahn to sigh as he released his pressure and reminded, "You have been warned..." in a solemn tone. After this, the three quickly alighted from the Throne Room, moving faster than the natural eye could see as they exited the castle and ascended into the clouds above.Almost immediately following the Sylphs exit, Merlin apparated out of thin air, a wry smile on his face as he remarked, "That certainly could have gone better." To this, Vahn gave another sigh before commenting, "There is a myriad of creatures and Spirits who will call Avalon home in the future. If the Sylph cannot coexist without being pandered to, they have no place here. Feel free to negotiate with them at your leisure, but I will not compromise on the safety and security of all our people for a single group of selfish Fae."With an understanding nod, followed by a courteous bow, Merlin stated, "His Majesty's concerns are the same as my own. Please, leave this matter to me." Then, with Vahn returning an approving nod, Merlin's figure vanished into an illusory mist. Though Vahn may not be willing to take advantage of the Sylph's nature to trick them into a contract, he was more than willing to act as a proxy. Having a proper balance of Fae was necessary to ensure Avalon's stability and, though there were a few viable replacements for the Sylphs, they were much harder to convince than the relatively simple species of Fae.After Merlin's departure, Vahn gazed over his surroundings, stating in a commanding tone, "If there are any other matters, bring them forward now." Since this was his first time holding Court, it was the best opportunity to address important matters, especially those concerning the governance of the Empire. Though they could easily be discussed in private, officiating them during court proceedings was the standard and, if he intended to treat his position as Emperor seriously, Vahn needed to start familiarizing himself, and others, with the proper proceedings.Following his statement, Gawain was the first to bring several matters to light, allowing for the other members of the Court to make arguments for, or against, the proposed changes. After hearing both sides, Vahn would make the final decision as an Imperial Decree, setting in motion policy and other important changes. This time around, most of the matters discussed were just a formality, as they were things that had already been decided, but it was still important to discuss them to address any oversights.With the most important matters taken care of, the proceedings moved to the segment where the members of the Court were allowed to make personal requests and voice grievances. Though this seemed unnecessary with their small numbers and close interpersonal relationships, it was still a necessary practice to establish. If everything happened behind closed doors, it would complicate matters when his Court expanded beyond the people that occupied the Inner Sanctum.Surprisingly, the first to come forward was none other than Karna, requesting, "Your Majesty, if it would not inconvenience the Empire, I would like to venture forth into the outside world. It has been several millennia since I walked the Earth and there is much I wish to see with my own eyes." As he said this while bowing low and almost reverentially, Vahn felt a bit of pressure, even if it didn't show on his face.Since this was a good opportunity, Vahn made a show of considering the matter, remaining silent for several seconds before answering, "So long as it does not compromise the standing of the Empire, it is the right of everyone here to freely pursue their own path. Though there are obvious restrictions regarding age and status, I will not prohibit anyone from leaving the island, so long as they have a proper reason for doing so. If you wish to travel the world, please accept a Quest to that end and, to the best of your ability, avoid causing trouble."With another respectful bow, Karna answered, "Thank you, Your Majesty." before rising to his feet and resuming his place on the lowest step. Despite being a Demi-God that had already attained a Tier 4 Soul, Karna was not an arrogant and prideful man. Though he could seem cold, detached, and unapproachable, this was largely due to his propensity to overthink things. He would carry out full conversations in his mind and properly considered all of his words, something you wouldn't expect when first seeing his sharp, seemingly unforgiving, gaze.After Karna's request, the next to step forward was Gareth, causing Vahn to internally sigh as he wondered what the puppy-like woman would request. She had a vibrant smile on her face as she stepped into the Throne's well and kneeled. Though it would have been more proper for her to curtsy, Gareth had a somewhat boyish personality, despite the fact she was wearing a pleated skirt with skin-tight leggings.Rather than a request, Gareth decided to use the opportunity to publically pledge her loyalty to the Empire or, more specifically, Vahn himself. She practically had stars in her eyes as she proclaimed her intention to follow him loyally for the rest of her life, earning a few chuckles and one very profound sigh from the other members of the Court. Vahn felt pity for Gawain's plight as an older brother but, as he didn't want to embarrass Gareth, he dutifully acknowledged her vow and offered a few words of encouragement.Fortunately, though he somewhat expected Gareth to have started a trend, she was the only one who went out of her way to pledge her loyalty. As for people like Fenrir and Medusa, they didn't feel the need to do something so embarrassing as the only person they needed the recognition of was Vahn himself. Gareth was just doing what she thought was necessary as a former member of the Round Table, even if he also knew she just wanted an excuse to follow him around even more in the future.Following Gareth's outburst, there were a few other small matters brought to light before the session was brought to an end after Luvia's requests. She wanted to establish a permanant point of contact with the outside world and, as it had been growing rapidly since being transplanted at the bottom of Vivian's Lake, she also wanted to make use of [Das Rheingold] to supplement some of her family's expenses. Since Da Vinci had already established a means to send messages to the outside world, Vahn readily agreed to the first request but told Luvia she would have to discuss the matter of [Das Rheingold] with Illya.Though Illya had given the treasure to him as a gift, Vahn still felt it was not a decision he should make alone as he wanted to respect Illya's intentions. Since she had not been in attendance, due to it being almost impossible for her to sit still in her pseud-transformed state, they would have to talk it over in private. Luvia had no problems with this so, without further ado, Vahn brought the session to an end after dismissing everyone. The only ones who remained behind were Artoria, Gray, Gareth, and Gawain. The former and latter wanted to talk about how things went while Gareth and Gray had essentially become Vahn's and Artoria's shadows.Other than the incident with the Sylph and his attempt to act casually with the Dwarves, everything else had gone smoothly. Gawain had a few tidbits of advice, as he had held Court hundreds of times in the past, while Artoria supplemented with her own take on things. Overall, they commended him on a job well done as, despite how things had gone with the Sylph, it was important to stand firm on issues, especially if they pertained to the core ideologies of the Empire.After thanking Gawain for his advice, Vahn allowed him to return to his duties before making his way toward the Inner Sanctum alongside the three girls. He could hear Gray praising Gareth's display of loyalty, earning him an amused smile from Artoria in response to his own wry smile. Fortunately, as the two were following a respectable distance behind, so as to allow their Emperor and Empress a bit of privacy, this had gone unnoticed by the faithful duo who, for the last few weeks, had gotten along splendidly with each other.Vahn was somewhat worried that Gareth would be influenced by the fact that almost everyone she associated with was sleeping with him but, as he had already accepted the inevitability of things, he made no effort to address the matter. He fully expected Gareth to eventually find her way inside his bed at some point, most likely when he was visiting the Menagerie in the near future. Though they were being very secretive about it, he was pretty sure she had already come to an agreement with Medusa who, after an additional molt, had become slightly taller.Though Medusa seemed confident that her bust would eventually start to grow, the fact she was already 153cm, with almost no development in that regard, seemed to indicate otherwise. Previously, she hadn't really cared about such things, much like Fenrir and Circe, but Gareth's presence seemed to have awakened her competitive spirit in a strange way. She had even considered putting on a bit of weight so she could ask him to alter her appearance with Modify but, as Vahn refused to accede to such demands, as it would set a dangerous precedent, she quickly gave up that train of thought.Vahn would never understand the need for some of his women to compare themselves to others as, from his perspective, they all had their own individual charm. Medusa was flexible to an extent that was completely impossible for others to emulate, due to her bones themselves being flexible. She also had pliant and well-shaped thighs, complimenting her perfectly round and plump butt. This, combined with her ability to manipulate her hair as they snuggled in a decidedly intimate way, gave her more than enough unique traits. He had even pointed out that, if her breasts grew too large, she wouldn't be able to cling to him as much as she currently did, causing her to have an expression like she was on the verge of an existential crisis...Remembering the conflicted look on Medusa's face, Vahn's wry smile turned more natural, causing Artoria to ask, "What are you thinking about...?" in a curious tone. Since he knew she would be able to determine if he was telling the truth, Vahn immediately seized the opportunity to tease her, asking in a casual tone, "I wonder if my Empress won't give me a reward for doing my best during the court proceedings~?" As he asked this, Vahn began to stroke Artoria's hand with his thumb as they had already been holding hands during their walk.For a brief moment, Artoria seemed confused by his words, asking in an innocent tone, "Reward...?" It was only after this that she noticed Vahn's mischievousness, causing her face to turn red as she quickly averted her eyes in a bashful manner. Though he was good about not teasing her in most situations, the only people present right now were themselves, a woman who often shared their bed, and her completely oblivious, puppy-like niece. This caused Artoria to put more thought into Vahn's words than she ought to, resulting in her seriously considering the matter.Vahn was thinking about teasing her even more but, as if she had made up her mind, Artoria gave a nod in response to his earlier words before stating with an apple-red face, "S-So be it..." Then, after they turned the approaching corner, she added, "Just for today...I'll dress up..." This caused Vahn's mind to blank for a brief moment, followed by his eyes blazing with divine light as his face formed into a large grin. This caused Artoria to lightly elbow his side but, as she had already sealed her fate, Vahn slightly increased their pace as he practically dragged her toward their bedroom.Noticing the increased pace of Vahn and Artoria, Gareth's ears perked up as she immediately moved to catch up with them. As for Gray, she was momentarily confused but, with her bond only losing out to people like Fenrir, she quickly realized what was going on. This caused her own face to flush as, if things went the way they normally did, there was a good chance she would be able to participate in whatever her Master had decided. Though this would have made her unbelievable nervous in the past, the current Gray quickly increased her speed, matching pace with Gareth as she began looking forward to spending more time with her Master and Mistress...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Come up in my house like you own the place!?','Gareth is quite bold','Doki Doki Gray-chan (UwU)~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1233: A Master's Duty