Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After entrusting Olivia with the task of tracking down the Magus responsible for cursing Waver, Vahn returned to Avalon to spend some time with his family. He didn't want to think about the politics of the Magus community as, in the near future, he planned to flip tear it up from the roots, like a weed that had been choking the life out of small saplings and beautiful flowering plants. The only reason he didn't proactively begin eliminating them was due to his promise with Artoria and the warnings of Merlin. Still, with the former herself taking action, Vahn would have a lot of freedom in his own actions, so long as he never does anything that endangers the common citizenry arbitrarily.Right now, Vahn's main focus was consolidating the power of the Empire and stabilizing its nascent foundation further. After that, he would begin to form alliances with the existing world powers, be it through dialogue or force. This was necessary in order to keep and slowly change the policies of the various countries around the world as, for the time being, he simply didn't have the time to focus on governing the entire planet. Since the existing world powers already controlled the government from behind the scenes, he would rule over those that had consolidated power throughout the ages.Vahn knew it was necessary to delegate authority to others in the short term unless he intended to go with Da Vinci's idea and just 'split' the world. With the power of the Greater Grail, it wouldn't take too much effort to either create a divergent reality or a sub-texture of the world that was inhabited only by 'normal' people. This was the method that guaranteed the greatest number of people were able to survive the coming changes but, as Vahn felt this was forcing stagnation onto humanity, he had no intention of using such an extreme solution.With Da Vinci on his mind, it wasn't long before Vahn found his way to their shared workshop which, over the last few weeks, had become relatively silent. There, he found Da Vinci seated in an ornate rocking chair that had an auto-rocking function so that she could nap peacefully without needing to operate it manually.Since it was impossible to get anywhere near the Armory without Da Vinci's knowledge, she had a smile on her face as she asked, "Did you come to visit me or the baby~?" As this question left her mouth, a second Da Vinci poked her head out from the adjacent corridor, this one lacking the large belly that her primary counterpart was caressing. Vahn just shook his head lightly at her, causing the teen-like Da Vinci to playfully lick her lips before disappearing in the hallway and returning to her stasis pod.Vahn felt a strange feeling of loss when the younger Da Vinci parted as, with her [Mesmerizing Gaze] and [Fragrant Aroma], it was a temptation he rarely resisted. If he had been in the mood, even a bit, he would have readily accepted her offer. This time, however, he made his way over to the pregnant Da Vinci's side before helping her rise to her feet. After that, he sat down in the same rocking chair before letting her sit in his lap and recline against him.Though she didn't need to ask, as she could read Vahn like a book, Da Vinci interlocked her fingers with his as she asked, "Did something happen~?" In response to this, Vahn kissed the back of Da Vinci's head before deeply inhaling her calming aroma and explaining everything that had happened during his visit to London. Though pretty much everyone was willing to listen to him, Da Vinci had become Vahn's confidant over the last few months as, despite knowing almost everything that took place in the castle, she wasn't proactively involved with anyone.At best, Da Vinci would spend time with the other pregnant women when he invited her along, never of her own volition. The rest of the time, she stayed inside the Workshop conducting experiments and making upgrades to existing inventions. Even now, as she was relaxing in his arms, Vahn could sense another Da Vinci hard at work in her hidden workshop. She wasn't the type that could just put down all her work and completely relax, as this was what gave her the drive to continue living.Because of her general detachment from everything else, Vahn felt closer to Da Vinci than many of the other women in the castle as, while she was undoubtedly one of his lovers, she was also a good friend and a wise confidant. She had a solution to practically everything and, even if he was saying stuff that others would find nonsensical, she listened attentively and never showed any signs of even momentary confusion. The only person that could exceed the comfort she brought him was Fenrir but, as Vahn had an almost mutualistic relationship with the faithful Vanargandr, that was a nigh-impossible hurdle to surmount...---Elsewhere in the castle, a petite figure with midnight-blue hair, large pointed ears, and a thick bushy tail came to a stop as she turned her head toward the adjacent walls, seemingly looking far beyond them. This caught the attention of her young protege, causing the latter to turn back with a curious look on her face as she question, "Hey, hey, what's the hold-up, Aniue~?"Hearing the form of address, Fenrir's ears twitched as she turned her crimson-red eyes toward the golden-haired girl and stated, "Master was thinking about me." as if that was the only explanation required. This caused the golden-haired girl, Mordred, to begin laughing mischievously as she asked, "Should we go play a prank on him~?"Fenrir snorted in response to Modred's question before remarking in a gruff tone, "Only if you want to get another spanking."Though it had been some time since the punishment her Chichiue had given her, Mordred couldn't help but straighten her back when she heard Fenrir's remark. Her hands had even moved to protect her rear almost instinctually, causing Fenrir to snicker before she placed her paw on Mordred's head and said, "Come along. We don't want to keep the others waiting for us."After patting Mordred's head, Fenrir began leading the way towards their destination, leaving the former staring at her back with a thoughtful look in her eyes. For a brief moment, Mordred's gaze fell to Fenrir's tail which, in timing with her gait, swayed from side-to-side in a gentle curve. Then, before Fenrir could urge her onward, Mordred picked up Neko, her cat-like companion, and quickly caught up.Since Fenrir was sensitive to the gazes of others, she gave Mordred a side-long glance, earning a toothy-grin from the tomboyish Princess. She decided on the spot that their next training session would be a little harder than normal, as it was clear her young protege needed to vent some of her frustrations.---Though much of Fenrir's time was spent training, she always did her best to make sure her schedule always overlapped with her Masters' children and his own rest schedule. She would often be present when their training had come to an end in order to watch over them, sometimes directly, other times from the shadows. This was to protect them from harm and, if they were feeling lonely, she took it upon herself to either talk to them or mediate between the children and her Master.Children were rarely able to convey what was on their minds, especially toward a parental figure, so she tried to be friends with all the children. If necessary, she would express their concerns in one way or another to her Master, ensuring they were always happier than they otherwise would have been. This made her very popular with all the children, including the more reclusive ones like Juliet who, after being cared for, now wore a tiny tail-like trinket at her back in order to feel closer to her.Today, as they often did at least once a cycle, Fenrir was taking Mordred to meet up with the other children, including Sakura, Mash, Zoë, Astrid, and Juliet. Alex had been asked to join them several times in the past, but he always refused since they usually just talked, drank tea together, and ate a bunch of snacks. Sometimes, Fenrir would even sneak one of her Master's [Memory Sphere]s for them to peruse, but even that hadn't been enough to coax the boy away from Siegfried's side.Fenrir always made time to at least check up on Alex and invite him to their gatherings, despite the fact he might never acquiesce. She imagined he might be sad if she one day stopped trying to get him to attend so, while it was a little troublesome, she had never missed inviting him. Since she had spied on him waiting for her on several occasions, Fenrir knew it meant a lot to the boy to have more people caring about him.After arriving at Juliet's room, where their group usually gathered, Fenrir lightly knocked on the door. Moments later, a girl with platinum-blond hair, now styled neatly in a ponytail, opened the door with an inviting smile on her face as she happily exclaimed, "Come in, come in! We've been waiting for the two of you to arrive~!"Fenrir gave a polite nod to Zoë before matching her smile while Mordred, never being one for such formalities, explosively made her way into the room before plopping down around the low table that was already occupied by the usual members. This included Astrid, who was surrounded by numerous Companions, Mash, who was essentially the 'big sister' of the entire group, and Juliet who, even now, was wearing her modified Maid outfit.The only person absent was Sakura but, contrary to generally punctual nature, she often showed up late to their gatherings. Unless she accompanied Mash back, Sakura would usually stay back in order to ask Galahad a few questions. These often related to the lessons they had been receiving but, with the passage of time, Fenrir knew that Sakura had been asking the pale-haired Knight about his past and other, more personal, questions.Since her Master was already aware of Sakura's 'crush' on Galahad, Fenrir didn't do anything to try and intervene. Galahad was one of the few people that didn't trigger any alarms with her so Fenrir felt he was 'safe' for Sakura to be around, especially with the Companions and Alaya observing them. If anything happened, her Master would be the first to know so, much like she didn't do anything proactively about Mordred's crush on her, Fenrir largely ignored Sakura's on Galahad.After taking her own seat next to Juliet, Fenrir gave a glance toward Mash, earning a polite smile from the lavender-haired girl as the latter explained, "Sakura should be along in a few minutes. She told me to tell everyone not to wait up for her."In response to Mash's remark, Zoë began to snicker while Mordred, also aware of her little sister's crush, groaned loudly as she complained, "I'll never understand what she sees in that shield bastard. He is such a hard ass..."Without Fenrir needing to say anything, it was Mash who took on a stern tone as she stated, "I do not believe Master would appreciate you using such language, Mordred. Please, be more courteous, especially when you are talking about loyal Knights to the Empire. Hasn't Her Majesty expressed this time and again? You should treat your vassals fairly and with dignity..."Mordred groaned loudly as she listened to Mash's words but, rather than refute them, she decided to just change the topic after crunching on a fish-shaped pastry and gulping down a mouthful of hot black tea. Afterward, she wiped her mouth using a handkerchief before asking, "I get that you want to be a Knight, but why do you already refer to my Chichiue as Master? Is it due to that loyalty thing, or what?"Hearing Mordred's question, Mash's face gained a light blush as she lowered her eyes and explained, "Master has given me everything...a place to call home...a dream...and a purpose...I want to repay him someday, even if it is just a little. He is more than just an Emperor to me...though I'm not sure how to put it into words?"Toward the end of her words, Mash looked to Fenrir for guidance, earning an understanding nod as the latter added, "To us who seek to dedicate our everything to Master, things like titles and status don't matter. Master is Master, always and forever. Mash has a long way to go but, if you work hard, Master will treat you well. This is certain."Mash's slightly conflicted expression morphed into a smile when she heard Fenrir's words but, from the side, Mordred had an incredulous look on her face as she asked, "Wait a second...are you trying to become one of Chichiue's mistresses!?"Now, Mash had a beet-red face as she looked toward Mordred and exclaimed in a high-pitched tone, "Princess! Don't be ridiculous! I...I would never even consider such a thing...!"Despite Mash's insistence, the crack in her voice made it hard for Mordred to believe this fifteen, almost sixteen-year-old girl, wasn't conspiring to share her Chichiue's bed. She didn't actually have a problem with this, as it was 'expected' for people to pine after her Chichiue, but Mordred couldn't just let anyone target him. With this in mind, she crossed her arms challengingly and stated with a firm conviction, "I'll be watching you closely from now on. If you want to get to my Chichiue, you'll have to prove your worth. Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you work hard. It takes more than that to become the mistress of an Emperor~!"Without waiting for Mash to respond, Fenrir bopped Mordred on the head and, with a stern look, stated, "Do not bully others. Master has always said that there is no such thing as impossible. If Mash wants to set Master as her goal, others do not have the right to stand in her way. The decision is hers and Master's, no others..."Since Fenrir had used a bit of force, despite having very soft and squishy paws, Mordred rubbed the top of her head with a slight grimace on her face as she rebuffed, "Chichiue can't just accept every girl that wants to be with him. He is already troubled just keeping up with his current amount. I'm not trying to bully anyone...I just want Chichiue to be happy and stress-free..."Hearing Mordred's words, Fenrir began to lightly rub her head with an apologetic expression on her face as she explained, "Master might be troubled at times, but he always finds a way to make himself and those around him happy. Even if Mash doesn't become a concubine or one of Master's official lovers, she can still receive his affection. Master has a heart bigger than anyone else...he can fit a lot of people inside of it without breaking."Despite the conviction Fenrir spoke with, causing even Mordred to give an understanding nod, there was one person at the table who couldn't quite agree with her words. This was none other than Mash herself who, after hearing the discussion between the two, had a dark-red flush to her face as she shouted, "Please stop talking about such things! I'm not trying to have that kind of relationship with Master! Really!"The only thing Mash received in response to her outburst was Fenrir tilted her head to the side, her ears flopping as she asked, "You don't want to be with Master? What if he wanted to be with you?" As she couldn't really rationalize why anyone wouldn't want to be with her Master, despite all the progress she had made over the years, Fenrir couldn't help but question Mash's reasoning. When she noticed the girl didn't actually have a response to the latter half of her question, as her eyes had started to swirl around in their sockets, she just gave a nod as if to say, 'I thought so'.Fortunately for Mash, a light knock was heard at the door before she had to come up with an answer to Fenrir's pointed question. Though Zoë had hopped up to answer the door, Mash jumped up even faster than her, saying in a flustered tone, "I-I got it...!" before bolting toward the door.As expected, Sakura was the one who knocked so Mash was given a reprieve as, for one reason or another, Fenrir and Mordred never talked about such topics when she was around. Since she was only a Knight Trainee, however, Mash would not pry into the matters of the Imperial Family. Instead, she did her best to get along with the two Princesses who, despite having contrasting personalities, were both kind-hearted and thoughtful people...most of the time.Once everyone had settled down, the conversation became about what each person had done over the past cycle. This included everything from mundane topics, such as Juliet's training as Maid, to the more exciting subjects, such as the battle between Artoria and Siegfried earlier in the day. After that, Fenrir produced a [Memory Sphere], this one showing her Master's battle for the title of 'Strongest' Adventurer in Orario. She liked to show everyone her Master's greatest accomplishments as, even though she rarely had a part in them, Fenrir felt overwhelming pride every time she saw him achieve a feat others thought impossible.In this manner, the group spent the better part of four hours just socializing, watching memories, and enjoying delicious pastries. Though Fenrir cautioned the girls about eating too many sweets, as it would make them fat if they didn't exercise, she never stopped them. It didn't really matter to her how they turned out, so long as they didn't cause any trouble for her Master. The only people she was really concerned about amongst them was Mordred and Sakura, for obvious reasons. However, after the earlier 'revelation' from Mash, Fenrir now included the lavender-haired girl in her spectrum of concerns as, if she wanted to be with their Master, it was important to take care of her figure and teach her properly...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A dash of Da Vinci to soothe the soul','Mordred's body remembers...','Fenrir is better at corrupting people than Angra Mainyu...!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though it was a bit earlier than scheduled, Vahn found himself in the underground tunnels that had, in a very short period of time, become the home of the Dwarves and Vulcanae. It was nothing like the complex network of tunnels that Da Vinci's micro-golems had mapped previously. Now, a small city had already started to take shape several hundred meters beneath the island, home to a total of 419 Dwarves and an equal number of Vulcanae.Vahn had been invited by the Representative of the Dwarves, Gwent, and his partner Vulcanae, Firis, to the christening of their 'great forge', an object that represented the Dwarves intent to make the terrain beneath Avalon a permanant settlement. Previously, they only worked smaller individual forges, assisted in large part by their Vulcanae partners. Now, however, the Great Forge would serve as both the heart of the budding Dwarven community and the primary home of the Vulcanae.As Fire Elementals, Vulcanae could only propagate in places of intense heat and pressure. Though they had vaguely feminine features, they were completely asexual Spirits who breathed life into the embers of a forge when the concentration of mana was high enough. Due to their Covenant with the Dwarves, they only propagated when a new Dwarf was born, the only exception being when a new 'queen' needed to be born.This was the event Vahn was to bear witness to as, with the christening of the Great Forge, the new Vulcanae Queen was about to be born into existence. He knew from Merlin that Gwent intended to have the new Queen contract with him, essentially becoming his Partner while also serving to keep the other Vulcanae under control. Since they only listened to their Queen and their Partners, it was a necessary step to avoid 'accidents' like young Vulcanae setting fire to the surrounding forests, as they had an instinctual propensity towards setting things aflame.After reaching the Dwarven City, Avalon's Hearth, Vahn admired the earthen structures that served as both home and forge to each of the Dwarves within the City. He also got to see a female Dwarf for the first time, another sign that the Dwarves had truly made this place their home. They would never put their womenfolk and young at risk if they didn't believe they were safe from harm. What Vahn a little peculiar was that the adult women all had beards, much like their male counterparts, but the children were all petite and rather adorable.Though the males began growing beards as early as two years old, the females looked like human children with bronzed skin and slightly stocky features. He knew they would be this way for well over a hundred years, as Dwarves in the Nasuverse weren't considered adults until they were nearing their two-hundredth birthday. Since they had an average lifespan exceeding fifteen-hundred years, this wasn't too much of a surprise.Along the way to the Great Forge, a massive structure that looked like a fat vase from the outside, each and every Dwarf he passed either bowed or bent the knee. As for their Vulcanae counterparts, they would just laugh mischievously while some of the bolder ones amongst them even came up to circle around him playfully a few times. Since Vahn had an almost ludicrous resistance to fire, their heat didn't bother him in the slightest and, to ease the tensions of their Partners, he even extended his finger to shake hands with a few of them.Due to his 'friendly' nature, Vahn found himself crowded by a few dozen Vulcanae by the time he reached the Great Forge. However, since almost every Dwarf had been making their way over, this wasn't too much of a problem. Instead, he earned a few appreciative nods from some of the older Dwarves who, seeing how easily he tolerated the flames of the Vulcanae, understood why Gwent had spoken so highly of him. They were all interested to see his skills in the forge for themselves, as it was exceptionally rare for anyone to have skill rivaling even middling Dwarven Blacksmiths.When the large metallic doors of the Great Forge opened, a powerful wave of pressure and heat escaped, rapidly increasing the surrounding temperature by several tens of degrees. Even this wasn't enough to cause Vahn to sweat and, without any hesitation whatsoever, he made his way into the interior of the Great Forge where several stout figures, few exceeding more than 100cm in height, were waiting.At the foremost position of the group, Gwent, with his dark-grey beard now bereft of all ornaments, was wearing nothing by a thick smithing apron, dark gloves, thick pants, and sturdy looking boots. He was surrounded by a total of eight figures, six of which were males while two bearded women, possessing arms just as thick as their male counterparts, stood proudly with hammers at the ready.None of the Elder Dwarves were dressed up as, while they showed propriety when necessary, the Great Forge was a sacred place where such formalities could be considered a great insult to the sanctity of the forge. This was a place for forging and producing masterworks, not for pretentious political discussions and flowery ceremonies. If not for the respect Gwent had for Vahn, he wouldn't even be allowed to enter the Great Forge directly, regardless of whether or not he was an Emperor.Since Vahn already knew what to expect, he dismissed most formalities outright and simply nodded toward the gathering before smiling as he stated, "Thank you for your invitation. This place...is quite something. Truly impressive..."Though it might sound like Vahn was just being courteous, the Fire Elemental energy in the air was swirling around him in a perfectly natural way. Even the Vulcanae in the surroundings were tempted to join in, regardless of the silent protests of their Partners. This scene caused the nine Elders to give an appreciative nod toward Vahn while Gwent stroked his beard with and remarked, "You are loved by the flames...it's a shame you weren't born as a Dwarf, grahahahaha...!"With a few Vulcanae now seated on his head and shoulders, Vahn joined Gwent in laughing, causing the surrounding Fae to laugh alongside him. In truth, without the benefits provided by Akasha upon entering the Root, he wouldn't be able to resist the flames too easily. He no longer had the immunity granted to him by Hephaestus and the Eternal Flame but, as their flames didn't breach the damage threshold of a B-Rank attack, his body completely negated any damage they might have caused...While the residents of the Dwarven undercity continued to congregate within the Great Forge, Vahn joined Gwent and the other Elders at the mouth of the kiln. The temperature here reached nearly 1500 degrees while, at the centermost region, Vahn could feel temperatures close to 10,000 degrees, nearly five times hotter than coal-forges with an oxygen-rich environment. If not for the Vulcanae, these types of temperatures would be nigh-impossible to reach, at least without burning chemicals and manipulating the flames using a variety of special techniques.At the very center of the kiln, visible through the large opening, Vahn could see what looked like a pure white egg formed from flames. It was surrounded by several dozen Vulcanae and, after Vahn approached, most of the other Vulcanae in the room swarmed inside to feed their energy into the tiny egg. In the end, there were more than four-hundred Vulcanae dancing and singing around the egg containing their Queen while the most senior among them had their palms directly against the surface.As the temperature gradually increased, causing the flames near the mouth to exceed 3,000 degrees, the egg finally began to crack. Moments later, a fairy made of violet-white flames emerged from the interior of the egg, fully formed. She was twice the size of the other Vulcanae and even had twice the number of wings folded behind her, much like a damselfly. Given the color of her body, which was a stark contrast to the vibrant oranges and reds of her kin, Vahn assumed she was capable of creating temperatures far hotter than her counterparts.While the Vulcanae were loudly celebrating the birth of their new Queen, the Fae in question was already staring at Vahn, her eyes burning with a deep amethyst color. Like all Faerie Queens, she had inherited the memories of her subjects so, despite this being the first time she lay witness to Vahn, there was no confusion visible on her flame-wreathed face. Instead, she flicked her eight wings to life before flittering over to the mouth of the kiln, bringing with her a startling heat that caused all but Gwent and Vahn to take a few steps back.With the 20cm tall Fae only a few centimeters away from him, Vahn extended his hand with a smile on his face as he mused, "It is nice to meet you..." In response to his greeting, the Queen flittered to his palm before sitting down and curling up in a fetal position. Being born was a tiring process so, despite having much to discuss, she would rather get a bit of sleep. Before she closed her eyes completely, however, she looked up at Vahn and asked, "Name...?" in a voice that sounded like an amalgamation of serene sounds pulled from nature.Vahn found the Faerie Queen's actions rather adorable, despite the fact his sleeve had burned away due to the intense temperature she produced. When he heard her question, his smile turned gentle as he stated in a soft tone, "My name is Vahn...Vahn Aldrnari Mason...from now on, you will be known as Aeterna...Queen of the Vulcanae."Hearing Vahn's words, Aeterna gave a small nod before stretching her body and yawning in adorably before curling up in his palms and closing her eyes. This made him feel a little helpless as she was supposed to reside within the kiln, not within his palms. He couldn't really carry her around with him, especially if she continued to output such intense heat. Unfortunately, Gwent continued to stroke his beard with an amused smile on his face as he explained, "It isn't uncommon for Vulcanae to spend a few days synchronizing with their Partners. Make sure to care for her well, will ya? If she dies, the fire within the kiln will burn out and it will negatively affect all of our Vulcanae. We're counting on you, Your Majesty."After hearing Gwent's explanation, Vahn knew that he had been played by Merlin yet again. He could even hear the flowery Magus laughing in the back of his mind, something that annoyed him greatly, despite it just being an auditory hallucination. Fortunately, Gwent gave him an artifact that looked similar in structure to a lantern, albeit encrusted with gold and covered in complex runes. This was known as a 'Faerie Lantern' and, when not residing inside a hearth or kiln, most Vulcanae lived inside of the lantern-like object to conserve their heat and mana.Vahn placed the sleeping Aeterna inside the lantern which, contrary to its outward appearance, had a much larger interior. It also prevented any leakage of heat, allowing the outside to feel cool to the touch, despite the interior being nearly 5,000 degrees Celsius. Vahn was honestly a little amazed at the craftsmanship of the lantern which, according to Gwent, had been specially prepared for him and the new Queen. He had spent the last five days forging it without rest, putting his heart and soul into its construction as a means to express their gratitude for being given sanctuary beneath Avalon.Hearing Gwent recount the forging process he used, Vahn couldn't help but smile appreciatively as it was obvious the Elder Dwarf was exceptionally skilled. He might not be one of the great Masters of his people, but his skills were easily comparable to a [Master Smith] back in Danmachi. Vahn felt that he could help Gwent reach greater heights so, during the banquet following the christening of the Great Forge, he proposed having him undergo the Familia Induction Ceremony. This would allow the Elder Dwarf to take on Quests of his choosing, further contributing to the Empire while allowing him to finally reach the standards of other Master Dwarven Blacksmiths.Gwent had no reason to refuse Vahn's offer and, as he hoped it might serve to strengthen the bond between the Dwarves and the Empire further, he graciously accepted. In exchange, Vahn also gave him the official title of 'Lord of the Undercity' before applying the crest amidst the curious eyes of several hundred Dwarves and Vulcanae. After that, they feasted for several hours until it was finally time for Vahn to return.---As much as he enjoyed the lively and festive atmosphere of the Dwarves, there were other things on Vahn's plate. He also didn't like staying outside of the Projection for long periods of time as, during the short five-hour visit to the Undercity, thirty-five hours had passed within the Projection. This was time he could have spent training and interacting with his various lovers and children.Vahn knew things would eventually reach the point where it was counter-intuitive to remain inside the Projection, but that was still more than a decade away, at least from the perspective of those on the inside. He was already tempted to restrict access to the Projection to the evenings but, as there were too many threats present in the world, he didn't have a good reason to deny anyone access, at least for the time being. After all, it was simply too efficient to live inside the orb, especially during these chaotic times when the Empire was still in its nascent stages.The best example of the Projection's usefulness was the fact that Fenrir, compared to when she first entered the Record, was already at the point of being able to hold her own against Kenshin, at least for a few hours. She had the benefit of greater speed and range, allowing her to stay outside of the effective range of the monochromatic warrior. Though Kenshin could still target Fenrir with arrows that seemed to cut through Space and Time to reach their target, Fenrir had slowly learned how to deal with even this.According to Scáthach and Kenshin, it would only take another two years before Fenrir was able to directly contend against Kenshin during their spars. Though she would lose in a fight to the death, as Kenshin's was much stronger when she wasn't holding back, the fact remained that Fenrir's growth had reached monstrous levels. This was in spite of the fact she spent nearly half her time watching over Mordred and engaging with the other residents of the castle, himself included.Vahn could never truly express how grateful he was for Fenrir's efforts so, rather than use his words, he used his actions to convey his appreciation. There were times when he would just whisk her away so they could be alone together, usually to cuddle in some random location where they didn't have to worry about being found. At these times, Fenrir would behave very affectionately, releasing all of her pent-up stress on him as he pampered her, not necessarily to her heart's content, but enough to keep her going until their next retreat.This was how Vahn decided to spend his time after checking in on Nobunaga, Rin, Ereshkigal, Ishtar, Luvia, Da Vinci, and Circe. He had also spent some time with his children, made easy by the fact they were almost always together in the eastern wing of the Inner Sanctum. This was important as, even though only nine days had passed since the birth of the triplets, Isanna and Naavi were significantly larger than even Kamiya. They aged around 5~7 times faster than normal children, meaning they may very well be walking and talking in less than two months, Projection time.Fortunately, other than throwing a fit whenever they were separated from Daiki, both the Vanir were developing in a positive direction. They got along well with Kamiya and seemed to understand what people were saying when they were spoken to. Isanna had even started to exercise her vocal cords actively, speaking indiscernible baby-words that, with Vahn's auto-translate, actually translated to a rudimentary language. She seemed to be aware that he understood her as well, laughing happily whenever he responded to her remarks as if they were carrying on an actual conversation.It wouldn't be long before Isanna was capable of speaking coherently and, by the end of the year, outside of the Projection, she and Naavi would already be adults. This was a uniquely terrifying thought so, unless it was necessitated, Vahn felt compelled to stay inside the Projection so as not to miss them growing up. Even being gone for a single day could translate to more than a month in their development so he rarely stayed outside for more than a few hours.Still, this didn't mean he was always lingering around the young Vanir as, if he was present too often, they could become considerably spoiled in a very short period of time. Thus, like now, Vahn enjoyed laying in a field of perpetually blooming flowers which, despite the temperature being near-freezing, defied the chill as they proudly exposed themselves to the sun. At the same time, he had a familiar weight pressed into his chest, accompanied by the gentle nuzzling of Fenrir as he absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair and down the line of her back. He would always come to an end at her tail, causing her hips to raise slightly whenever he passed over the pressure point near the base of her spine.In this manner, Vahn passed yet another day in the Projection, enjoying the peace and quiet while, at his side, a small golden lantern pulsated in a rhythmic fashion, similar to a heartbeat. Aeterna would be sleeping for upwards of three days, according to Merlin, so Vahn had free time until then. Though this would translate to him having to undergo a unique hell after resuming his training, Scáthach had already stopped holding back against him so there wasn't much of a difference. The only real change would be how she treated him after the fact but, as he was already used to being reduced to nothing more than a puddle, even that didn't deter him from enjoying this moment...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Beards are a sign of status...!','Aeterna means 'Eternal' (^_^)','Vahn is living the dream, interspaced with various nightmares xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With three additional children to occupy his time, Vahn's schedule had become somewhat hectic. If not for the fact the Recreational Wing had been refurbished into a daycare, he would be running all over the place just to spend time with all his new children.Though it might not have too much of an impact on his sons, as it would likely be several months, or even years, before they begin forming lasting memories, Vahn knew the Vanir were already aware of their surroundings. He needed to be a permanant fixture in their lives during their formative years or it would be too late to regret when they began using their powers to harm themselves and others.All it would take was Vahn being going for a week in the outside world for the Vanir to have aged up to a full year. If he was gone for just four months, they would have already reached physical maturity, even if their mind hadn't fully caught up with their bodies. It was a truly terrifying thought, one that had caused Vahn to consider raising the Vanir outside of the Projection just so they wouldn't grossly outpace the development of their siblings. The only reason he decided against it was due to the fact that Isanna and Naavi, who would almost never cry, cried very loudly when they were separated from Daiki.It was also impossible for Rin, Ereshkigal, and Ishtar to separate themselves, meaning they could only be with their daughters outside, or their son inside. Though this wouldn't be a problem in the future, as Vahn was intending to prepare vessels and resummon the two Goddesses, it was still beyond their means for the time being. Until then, Vahn couldn't even imagine separating the children as, more so than Rin and Ishtar combined, Ereshkigal was extremely overprotective of all three.In the days following the triplets' births, Ereshkigal wouldn't let them out of her sight, even if they were just in the next room over. She would forcibly take over the body from Rin and Ishtar to make sure they were safe, overpowering the other two with pure willpower. This had put a lot of strain on all three of them so Vahn was intending to remedy this fact when the summoning system gathered the requisite amount of mana.Vahn knew his vessels would be compatible, even with the Ego of a Goddess, so it wouldn't be much of an issue to perform a second summoning. Since they were alive, just on the Reverse Side of the World, they wouldn't lose any of their memories in the process. It would just free up Rin from having to share her body with two other people, something that was beginning to wear on her psyche as the months turned into years.Fortunately, the upgrades Da Vinci had made to the summoning system, or at least the catalysts that powered it, had reduced the time between summons to only two weeks in the real world. This meant he could potentially summon both Ereshkigal and Ishtar before the duel between Artoria and Lorelei.At the very least, he would be giving Ereshkigal a body while Ishtar would have to wait an additional four weeks. He had already discussed this with the trio and, after talking things over with Artoria, Merlin, Scáthach, and Alaya, Vahn had another candidate in mind to summon before he gave them both bodies.Though there were no guarantees it would work, the limited-omnipotence granted to Merlin and Scáthach made them aware of a conceptual existence known as Maxwell's Demon. It was an entity that, in some tangential timelines, existed as a Heroic Spirit possessing no combat capabilities whatsoever. Despite this, it was one of the most powerful Heroic Spirits due to the fact it had theoretically infinite Magical Energy, just no way to use it.Vahn needed a way to power the summoning system and provide the necessary energy to activate and maintain CHALDEAS. Since he wanted to get the facility up and running after dealing with the Barthomeloi family, Maxwell's Demon had come up in the discussion about how they should power the phenomenally consumptive system. With the only requirement being that they needed to feed energy into the closed system to get it started, Maxwell's Demon was the perfect solution to the vast majority of their future problems.Eventually, Maxwell's Demon would reach the point that it could power both CHALDEAS and the summoning system simultaneously, seemingly without any consumption on its part. It was, quite literally, a source for infinite energy without any upper limits to its output. So long as they fed a constant supply of energy into it, the potential output of Maxwell's Demon would increase to the point it would even rival stars.The best part was, unless it faced against an existence that could erase contradictions and kill the unkillable, there was nothing capable of destroying Maxwell's Demon. It could be sealed away and imprisoned in tangential timelines, but it was virtually indestructible otherwise.According to Alaya, the only constructs capable of destroying Maxwell's Demon were the unsealed Rhongomyniad, Longinus, and Azrael. Though there were certainly other ways to destroy it, she was unable to reveal them to Vahn because, at the time, they did not exist. Since discussing the concept could give power to them, allowing them the means to exist in the present, she refused to discuss them. Vahn had actually been surprised to learn this as, if he looked at it from a certain perspective, it was clear that Alaya was being considerate of him, even without being 'forced'.Vahn had noticed that Alaya had mellowed out considerably since she first started accompanying him, something he hadn't expected for years to come. She would now silently drain his bodily fluids and, even without him asking her, she would give him some privacy the moment he was tending to his women and children.The most noticeable change, however, was the fact that Alaya would allow him to pet her without showing any discomfort. Instead, much like a Companion, she would silently tolerate the caressing with her eyes closed, seemingly enjoying it despite not showing any change in expression. This gave him a powerful urge to tease her but, considering she would probably get very upset, Vahn just took advantage of the change to enjoy petting the admittedly adorable blue creature.---While Vahn spent most of his time inside of the Projection, there were times when he would have to leave in order to handle the affairs of the Empire. This usually involved traveling back to London at the behest of Olivia after something particularly troublesome happened.Today, Vahn was visiting a place he had never ventured in the past, a large mansion that had only a dozen or so powerful figures when excluding the presence of the Edelfelt's forces. This was the home of Lord El-Melloi II, now Waver Velvet, and his wife, Reines Archisorte, now publically recognized as Lord El-Melloi. Unlike Waver, she didn't bother to attach something like 'the Second' to the title as, in the long history of the Magus community, only Waver had bothered to make such a distinction.After reaching the mansion, Vahn was greeted by the peculiar sight of two Maids, both having what could only be described as 'alien' appearances. One was comprised almost entirely of a silvery liquid, much like mercury, while the other was clearly some kind of Automata, if not a full-body prosthetic. He was able to see a few lines where the 'parts' of the Maid were pieced together, giving her a very unique appearance due to the two cat-like ears protruding from the top of its head.Despite their peculiar appearances, both Maids were clearly designed to be aesthetically pleasing to look at. Each had delicate yet mature features, with the silvery Maid having flowing hair that curled at the ends while the cat-type Automata had a 'cool' appearance with angular eyes and short black hair. Vahn's only complaint was, despite her white ears clearly being modeled after a cat, she didn't actually have a tail, at least for the time being. Since he had been able to pass his senses over them, he was aware that she had a 'port' at the base of her spine that accommodated the existence of a tail, likely as a means of charging itself.The moment Vahn stepped through the gates of the mansion, both Maids bowed at low, almost unnatural angles, as they simultaneously stated, "Please forgive our rudeness, Your Majesty. Our Lord asks that you forgive her lack of decorum by having others escort yo-" Before the girls could speak further, Vahn gestured for them to stop as he plainly stated, "Take me to Waver. I don't particularly care about the games Lord El-Melloi is trying to play."Hearing Vahn's words, the two Maids gave a curt bow before stepping to the side and allowing him to pass unobstructed. They fell into step behind Kenshin and Lakshmibai, falling in line with Gareth as they guided Vahn by politely giving directions. This wasn't actually necessary, as Vahn already had a complete understanding of the mansion's layout, but he didn't want to put too much pressure on the girls, despite them both being artificial entities. They were essentially golems without a real Ego but, as Vahn was of the mind that such existences had the potential of gaining an Ego in the future, he elected not to treat them poorly.After a short walk, Vahn found himself outside an ornate door that led to the master bedroom of the mansion. It was the second-largest bedroom after the 'dungeon' located beneath the property but Vahn chose to ignore the existence of the later since he was already familiar with Reines' personality. Instead, he waited for the Maids to announce his presence and, after gaining permission to enter, he stepped in the room to find Waver emaciated and bedridden while Reines stood unaffected at the side.Reines was holding the hand of a little girl with luminous green eyes and golden hair that was tied into two pigtails by red ribbons. She was wearing a frilly, doll-like, dress and even had a light layer of makeup despite appearing around 5-6 years old. Seeing this, Vahn couldn't help but glower slightly as he looked into Reines' eyes, understanding her intentions.Despite Vahn's sharp glare, Reines maintained a cool smile on her face as she performed a courteous bow and said, "I cannot express how grateful we are for Your Majesty's presence. I fear my daughter, Ridley, may have had to grow up without a father if not for the Sage Emperor's leniency..."As she mentioned her daughter, Reines pushed the small girl forward slightly. Despite her age, she had an astute and calculating look in her eyes and, without floundering in the slightest, performed a perfect curtsy as she stated in a bell-like tone, "Greetings, Your Majesty. My name is Ridley El-Melloi Archisorte. Thank you for coming personally to help my father."Vahn resisted the urge to rub his temples as he adopted a wry smile and said, "You are a very polite young lady, Ridley. However, I must ask that you excuse us for the time being. There are matters that I must discuss with your parents." Since he couldn't really blame Ridley for her behavior, as she was just a child, Vahn mentally pardoned her while his opinion of Reines, which had already been rather low, decreased substantially.Though she was the type that pushed the boundaries almost excessively, Reines wasn't a completely hopeless woman. She understood that Vahn wasn't very enthused by how she decided to introduce her daughter to him so, without letting Ridley continue the act, she had Trimmau, the Maid formed from silvery-liquid, escort her out of the room. Since the introductions had already been made, she could easily use her daughter as a talking point in the future, so long as she carefully considered her words and actions.Once Ridley had been escorted out of the room, Reines gave another courteous bow as she stated in an unrepentant tone, "It was not my intention to offend you, Your Majesty. Since you had not shown any interest in visiting my mansion any time soon, I feared this might be the only opportunity I had to carry out introductions. Please, forgive my impudence..."Since Reines had also dressed up, electing to wear a sapphire-blue gown that loosely hugged her mature figure, Vahn would have been able to get an eye-full of her cleavage when she bowed low. Instead, he completely ignored her as he made his way to Waver's side, grabbing his skeletal wrist and sending threads of Source Energy into his body. This caused Reines to frown for a brief moment but, when she noticed the eyes of Kenshin and Lakshmibai directed toward her, she adopted a wry smile before turning to Vahn and explaining, "He wa-"Without waiting for Reines' explanation, Vahn had already removed the malignant energy from the unconscious Waver's body. He had been afflicted with a powerful curse that was eating away at his vitality and artificially accelerating his age. Since his Od was well below the average of most Magi, he had almost no defense against the curse as it quickly ate away at everything, even his Magic Circuits.Fortunately, Waver's affliction was something Vahn could easily treat by making his Source Energy emulate Holy and Life Elemental energy. He had completely purged the malignant energy from the emaciated man's body and, though it would take a few days, he would make a full recovery.After treating Waver, Vahn turned his gaze to meet Reines', causing the cold beauty to swallow her words as she instinctually took a step back. Then, in a deep voice that caused the surrounding space to ripple, Vahn stated, "Even if your family is in dire straits, his condition shouldn't have degraded so far in such a short period of time. If you continue playing these games, there will be no place for the Archibald family in the future..."Though the curse affected Waver had nothing to do with Reines, it was obvious for someone with Vahn's medical skills that very little had been done to treat him. This indicated that Reines had been fine with letting the man wither away, potentially to his death. If this happened, she would have the leeway to seek another partner, either by trying to seduce him or one of the central figures related to the Empire. At the very least, she could use Waver's death as a means of strengthening the ties between her family and the Empire, exploiting Vahn's tolerant and empathetic nature...Despite the severity of Vahn's words, Reines made no effort to apologize. Instead, she dropped her act entirely, adopting a cold and calculating look as she stated in an almost emotionless tone, "Do not blame me for doing what I must to ensure my family's survival. I know you are aware of what I had to go through growing up. Though my nature may be despicable from your perspective, it was necessitated by the situation I had been thrown in. Make no mistake, Your Majesty, I have always loved my husband. My highest priority, however, has always been to reclaiming of my birthright and securing a position for myself and my descendants in a world that would readily erase us without a second thought."Reines knew she wasn't a good person but, unlike most of the people around her, she didn't pretend to be. She had been forced to enter the world of adults and politics when she was only six years old. If she hadn't been vicious and decisive in her actions, she would have either ended up dead or as the plaything of some errant Magus that wanted to collect her like a doll. In order to avoid this end, she had done everything in her power, even embracing a state of mind that cut off most emotions and allowed her to enjoy the suffering of others. Though Waver had helped her stabilize quite a bit, she could never relax until there were no more enemies capable of harming her and the few things she cared about.Seeing the resolute light in Reines' cold eyes, tinged by a glimmer of madness, Vahn couldn't help but furrow his brows. As she stated, he was already very aware of her circumstances as, even without Luvia explaining the situation, he had Merlin and Scáthach to fill in the blanks. She was the product of a society that had no qualms about victimizing children. In order to avoid becoming prey, she had adopted the mentality of a predator that skillfully lurked in the territory of monsters infinitely more powerful than herself. She had even been the mastermind behind the arranged marriage between herself and Bram Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, buying her enough time to reach maturity while scheming in the background.Regardless of her reasons, however, Vahn wasn't just going to tolerate Reines' actions in the present, especially if she was going to be an ally to the Empire. His gaze hardened as a divine light began to radiate from his eyes, causing Reines' legs to tremble due to the increasing pressure on her body. He waited until she was about to collapse before saying in a firm and commanding tone, "Do what you must, Lord El-Melloi...know that I will do the same..."After that simple statement, Vahn released the pressure on Reines' body, allowing her to release a series of labored breathes as she glared back at him, the light in her eyes visibly wavering. Though she felt compelled to defend herself, she had the distinct impression such an action would be the same as digging her own grave. Thus, after swallowing her pride with similar difficulty to swallowing a whole egg, Reines performed another courteous bow as she took a step back and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty...I will take your words to heart..."Though he knew this wouldn't be the end to Reines' schemes, Vahn gave a curt nod in response to her words before departing the El-Melloi mansion shortly thereafter. He left a few mana-rich fruits and vegetables for Waver's consumption before refusing an invitation to tea with the young Ridley. Part of him wanted to take the little girl back to Avalon with him so she wouldn't have to grow up under the influence of her mother but, as this could become a problem in and of itself, he elected not to. It wasn't his responsibility to raise the children of others and, while Ridley's situation was not ideal, it was an irrefutable truth that millions of children suffered worse fates...something he intended to change in the not-so-distant future.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's like getting ahold of yer mum's credit card in a gacha game &gt;:D...','Poor Ridley, growing up with a sadist for a mother and a doormat for a father...','Vahn's convictions are strengthening by the day')(A/N: For those worried about me working too hard, please don't xD. I'm not going to write all of them back-to-back, just before the weekly reset. I'll most likely write two now before writing the other two after waking up in the morning ^_^)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1244: Behind the Scenes