Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

It was early in the morning on March 15th, 2015. Vahn was being fitted into a set of ceremonial armor by Gray and Gareth. Though he could have equipped it with his Equipment function, it was something of a sacred duty for the most loyal servants of a Ruler to help them adorn their battle raiment. Since it meant a lot to them, Vahn decided not to be selfish as, while it took much longer, the solemn and intimate atmosphere actually sharpened his concentration a great deal.Most armor, at least when worn by Vahn, was more decoration than anything else. His battle raiment was no different but, as it looked 'badass' according to Nobunaga and Mordred, Vahn felt compelled to wear it. Presentation was very important for an Emperor and, by showing up in full raiment, it was the same as letting the Barthomeloi family know his intentions. If they insisted on pushing him, they needed to be prepared for the consequences of their actions.Compared to his normal attire, Vahn was wearing a padded black tunic with golden adornments and a pair of sleek black trousers. His raiment itself consisted of full-plate armor, formed from pure white metal that shone with divine light. This included greaves and gauntlets while, adding to the overall regal nature of the attire, he also wore a white knight's mantle that was colored royal blue on the interior. It was tied together at the front by thick golden cords while, around the collar, a thick fur plumage was present to increase the dignified appearance of the raiment.The most important aspect of his battle raiment, at least in Vahn's opinion, was that it was a close match for Artoria's own. Rather than wear her old battle dress, which was more-so beautiful than intimidating, she had adorned pristine white armor forged from the same metal as his. There were accents of blue and gold to increase its aesthetic appeal while, to complement his dragon motif, Artoria had the visage of a royal blue phoenix plastered on her breastplate.When standing side-by-side, Vahn and Artoria truly looked like an Emperor and Empress, especially with the crowns that had been designed by Da Vinci and forged by Vahn and Aeterna. His took on a form similar to golden vines that wrapped around his head, complete with two circular gaps where his horns would be able to grow in his Qinglong form. Since he didn't like gaudy designs, Vahn had chosen a very minimalist design that complimented Artoria's quite a bit. Her's took on the form of a golden plate that covered the forehead and followed the shape of the brows in a gentle arc. There were two tiny horns near the temples that poked out, obviously intended to emulate his own horns, albeit much smaller.Vahn found it rather amusing that he had based his battle raiment off of Artoria's armor, only for her to latter want newly designed armor that matched his. She paid attention to the small details and, if he were being honest, Vahn found it adorable. Though it was completely unnecessary, she even wore asked Luvia to teach her how to apply makeup so that she could accent her eyes with a bit of green and red. This gave her a 'slightly' more mature appearance and, with her raiment having the motif of a phoenix, it fit remarkably well with her silver eyes and regal disposition...The first time Vahn saw Artoria in her raiment, he was actually inspired quite a bit so, while it would have been better to request Da Vinci, he ended up creating a painting on the spot. He had a special item called a [Magical Canvas] that could form the image inside of a person's mind so, with his nigh-perfect imaging, the final product was almost photo-realistic. This made it seem less like a piece of art but, with Artoria's ephemeral beauty and regal disposition, it could easily serve as a centerpiece in an art collection.Artoria had been embarrassed by the impromptu painting, not because it existed, but because Vahn had placed it above the mantlepiece of the dining hall's hearth. This caused a lot of the other women to tease her when they took meals together but, as it was something Vahn had made for her, Artoria couldn't ask him to take it down. She could only tolerate its presence, even though she felt like Vahn had made her far more beautiful than she thought herself to be. This was the main reason why she was embarrassed as, with the painting being created from Vahn's mind, it served as a representation of how he saw her.Despite being one of the most beautiful women he knew, Artoria had, for reasons he would never truly understand, a complex about her figure. She genuinely believed she had boyish features and a rough body due to her harsh training as a youth. It didn't matter how much other people praised her beauty as, from Artoria's perspective, she was a woman that lacked charm. The most ridiculous and contrary part to this belief of hers was, despite having nearly identical features, Artoria had actually complimented Gray's beauty on several occasions.Fortunately, Artoria had made a lot of progress over the last two years so, while she hadn't exactly gotten over her complex, it no longer bothered her all that much. All that really mattered to her at this point was being loved by Vahn, managing the affairs of the Empire, being a good mother, and serving as a proper example for other young women. Since her eye color had changed, she knew it was only a matter of time before her body changed as well so, rather than beat herself up, Artoria had gotten much better at living in the moment while looking toward the future.It was with this frame of mind that Artoria craned her neck to stare up at Vahn's face, a confident glint in her eyes as she stated, "I'm ready." Since there was a 31cm height difference between them, Artoria's petite figure was far more prominent than it would usually be. Despite this, she gave off the impression that she was his equal in every sense of the word.Vahn resisted his almost instinctual urge to rub Artoria's cheek before giving a curt nod and smiling in turn. After that, with a fully armored Kenshin, Lakshmibai, Gawain, Galahad, and Gareth following close behind, Vahn activated the transfer portal. Gray was also accompanying them but, due to her combat style, she opted to wear her cloaked mantle rather than don heavy and restrictive armor. As for the rest of his entourage, Vahn had Merlin and Scáthach following at the back while, right behind him and Artoria, Fenrir, wearing a modified bodysuit and a cloaked mantle of her own, kept pace with them.This time around, the group exited from the center of Stonehenge as, after this event came to an end, it wouldn't really matter if the location of the Empire was known. Just knowing it was in a sub-texture of the world would deter the vast majority of people. Destroying one of the three Monarchal families also served as a powerful deterrent of its own, especially since the Barthomeloi family was considered the strongest in the entire world. Though several groups would begin to scheme and machinate, none of that would matter since Vahn only ever negotiated on his own terms, often with a complete disregard for material benefits...The moment his group passed through the massive transfer gate, Vahn wasn't at all surprised to sense spatial fluctuations in the immediate surroundings. His sensitivity to the unique energy had skyrocketed over the last few months so, even before he had appeared, Vahn was already looking toward where Zelretch's body would emerge from the void. This seemed to surprise the elderly Mage quite a bit but, rather than express shock, he smiled with the look of a hardened veteran as he eyed Vahn's group.Before anything else was said, Zelretch initiated the conversation by stroking his beard and musing, "So that's how it is...I had been wondering where your Empire was hidden away. It seems like you will have little trouble rivaling the major factions within the Association with a sub-texture of your own..."As he spoke, Zelretch's pupils would expand and contract slightly based on the person reflected in his gaze. When he saw Merlin, Vahn had noticed his brows twitch almost imperceptibly but, when he eyed Fenrir and Scáthach, a brief flash of uncertainty crossed his vision. He didn't seem surprised by the presence of Gawain and Galahad, likely having observed them in the past, but it was apparent, at least to Vahn, that he had a small amount of fear towards Fenrir and Scáthach. It was very likely that he was unable to see through them at all, especially with the latter being completely separate from the time axis.In response to Zelretch's remark, Vahn returned a smile before cautioning, "There will come a time when you will be allowed entry into the Empire so you would do well to temper your curiosity. If you try to enter into my dominion without permission...the Second Magic will not be able to protect you. Please, keep this in mind, Wizard Marshall..."Now that Zelretch knew where one of the gates to Avalon was located, it wouldn't take him much effort at all to gain entry. This, however, would not go unnoticed as, despite his mastery over Space and Time, Alaya, Vivian, and Merlin would all be able to track him. Unlike other sub-textures and Bounded Fields, Alaya's powers weren't restricted at all within Avalon. The moment Zelretch, or any other 'curious' Magi tried to enter, she would immediately alert him. Since this was indisputably an act of aggression or, at the very least, subterfuge, Vahn would make them pay dearly for invading his home.Zelretch had always felt a 'danger' lingering around Vahn's body so, while he might ignore the same words from the majority of other people, regardless of their power, he gave an understanding nod this time around. He also knew how capable Merlin, despite never having fought, so Zelretch had no intention of antagonizing the Empire unless he felt they were a threat to the world. Even then, he had already decided to gamble on Vahn as, no matter how strong he was, there was no way he could bring people like Merlin to his side unless he genuinely wanted to make the world a better place.As that thought crossed his mind, Zelretch decided to clear something up by asking, "Forgive my brashness, Your Majesty, but there was a matter I wanted to discuss with you..." Since it would be beneficial to ingratiate himself to the Empire, Zelretch decided to adopt a more formal approach as, while Vahn didn't seem to mind it, he was already earning a few pointed glares from the Knights at his back.Understanding Zelretch's intentions, Vahn smiled slightly before giving a small nod and saying, "Tell us, Wizard Marshall, what is it you wish to discuss? You don't intend to ask for leniency on behalf of the Bathomeloi family, do you...?"To Vahn's surprise, Zelretch actually snorted through his nose, almost as if he was offended by the notion of being accused of association with the Barthomeloi family. When he answered, however, his expression had become more respectful as he shook his head and clarified, "I will not intervene in the private affairs of the Empire and the Barthomeloi family. What stirs my curiosity is, as far as I am aware, a completely unrelated matter. It pertains to the sharp decrease in the number of abhorrent crimes taking place in the world...specifically those related to children. I wonder if Your Majesty has any knowledge of this...?"Even without Olivia providing them with constant updates, Da Vinci had already adapted her system to compile data directly from the internet. She used it to keep track of world new and, after a long discussion with Luvia, had even been using Ark to compile data on market trends. Thus, while he did not keep up to date on most matters in the outside world, Vahn had a good idea of what Zelretch was talking about. After all, it was a matter directly related to a decision he had made.Without beating around the bush, Vahn raised his head slightly before stating in a firm tone, "We are intimately familiar with this topic. Now tell us, is there a particular reason why this subject is of such import to you, Wizard Marshall?"Zelretch immediately shook his head upon hearing Vahn's question. Then, in a sincere yet solemn tone, he plainly stated, "Whatever your reasons were, I can only commend your benevolence. Only a true despot would fault you for taking action to protect children. My, or, more specifically, the Mage Association's concern is that the Holy Church has been taking credit for the act. They claim it to be some act of Providence....haaaa..."Vahn was tempted to laugh at Zelretch's expense as, in many ways, it wasn't an inaccurate account of events. After all, Vahn was indisputably a God now and, as a result of a decision he had made, it was easy to misconstrue the change to be some form of divine protection. Since Alaya was even the God worshipped by the Holy Church, they had struck at the truth of the matter, even if their reasons were wholly misguided.Now wasn't the best time to discuss his newfound Divinity, especially considering the form it took, so Vahn decided to keep it to himself. Instead, he gave an understanding nod before saying, "It is not all that far from the truth. Once the Empire has gone public, you'll learn that there are a number of Gods in our midst. The Holy Church is likely scheming something but, regardless of their intent, it is only a matter of time before the truth comes forward. Soon enough, the Holy Church will either fall to the Empire or fall in line with it..."Hearing the confidence in Vahn's words, Zelretch couldn't help but grip his cane a little tighter as, rather than pretentious bravado, the comparably young Emperor before him seemed absolutely sure of his claims. With Merlin smiling at the back, Zelretch felt as if his skin had become clammy as, in the back of his mind, he resolved himself to convincing Solon to stop antagonizing Vahn. His old friend was determined to find a method to defeat Vahn, regardless of whether or not the latter was an actual threat to the world. They were the type that couldn't rest unless they had come up with a method to deal with all threats but, no matter how he looked at it, Zelretch couldn't think of a way for Solon to defeat this particular opponent.Since it was getting closer to the time of the duel, Vahn decided to bring this conversation to an end, saying, "While it is always a pleasure to converse with you, our presence is required elsewhere. If it is not your intent to guide us to our destination, please, make way." Vahn had decided to give Zelretch the opportunity to further ingratiate himself as, from the very beginning, his impression of the man had always been relatively positive.Zelretch didn't misunderstand Vahn's intentions so, with what could only be described as a wolfish, battle-hungry, grin, he tapped his cane on the ground. Behind his back, the void began to tremble as a massive spatial gate was created. Reflected on its surface was what appeared to be a massive arena comprised of durable white stone. It was impossible to know its dimensions from the gate alone but, with his ability to perceive the space on the other side, Vahn felt the arena should be around 500m in diameter.Vahn felt this was extremely small but, considering it was the Mage's Association they were talking about, he didn't doubt they had the means to host a duel between Artoria and Barthomeloi. They could always just petition Zelretch to expand the space within exponentially, making the 500m closer to 500km if he so chose.Though it could be a trap, Vahn didn't hesitate at all to walk forward, leading his entourage directly through the spatial gate with a confident look on his face. Zelretch wasn't foolish enough to try and collapse the surrounding space on them so, regardless of what awaited them on the other side, Vahn was not afraid.After passing through the portal, the first thing Vahn noticed were the thousands of people in the stands while, at the very center of the arena, located around 200m above the ground, a monstrous crystal was present. It created large projections in the air, allowing people to get a clear view of what was taking place in the arena, regardless of where they were seated. Currently, dominating the large projection, Vahn could see his own confident visage, complete with a casual smile and sharp eyes...The moment Vahn appeared, the arena became alive with sound as, while they were anticipating the duel, nobody had expected his entourage to appear in the middle of the arena. It was customary for a senior Magi to introduce the parties participating in a duel so the sudden appearance of a large group of people was quite the surprise.Vahn had drawn a lot of focus at first but, as his entourage followed closely behind, the gazes of nearly everyone in the arena turned toward the group of inexplicably beautiful women. This wasn't outside of Vahn's expectations but, with his new Divinity, he couldn't help but feel more than a little annoyed. There was a big difference between knowing others were pining after your women and being able to 'feel' the intentions directly. Thus, to remind them of whose women they were eyeing, Vahn released a phenomenal aura that descended upon the entire crowd like the sky falling upon their heads. After this, the frenzy of the crowd was immediately replaced by an oppressive silence...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Heavenly Dragon and Divine Phoenix (UwU)...','RIP Solon','The Emperor has appeared')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

For the better part of a minute, there was almost no sound within the area as those with lesser wills had to fight just to keep their consciousness. It wasn't until Vahn had passed his eyes over the entire crowd in turn that the pressure began to ease up. At that same moment, he spoke in a solemn voice that resonated through the entire arena, reaching everyone's ears despite the distance, "We are the Sage Emperor, Vahn Aldrnari Mason. We are not a tyrant but, if you covet what is ours, do not blame us for protecting it."In the past, Vahn wouldn't have cared about a few people gawking at his lovers but, now that he had obtained a Divinity related to Sex, it was almost like they were actively catcalling. Since he would not let such grievances slide if he were to hear them, Vahn lacked the magnanimity to tolerate the errant thoughts of the Magi in the crowd. After all, there were many amongst their number who had used things like Hypnosis, Charm, and lesser forms of mind control to act with impunity. He could sense the malicious intent radiating from some people, the largest majority of which belonged to what he assumed to be the Noble Faction.Fortunately for the crowd, Zelretch had been close at hand so, after he approached with a wry smile, Vahn gave the crowd some leniency as he turned to the elderly Mage and asked, "We trust this is not the reception the Association had in mind for us, yes? Take us to where we need to be so we can get this farce out of the way."Zelretch issued a dry laugh in response to Vahn's words as he slightly regretted bringing the group directly to the arena. He had wanted to give them the chance to make a grand entrance since they cut quite the figure as a group of powerful individuals. Now, Vahn had caused the atmosphere in the arena to become incredibly tense, no doubt earning him the ire of nearly everyone in the crowd.During the month leading up to the duel, the Barthomeloi family, and the Noble Faction in general, had been campaigning to demonize Vahn and his Empire quite a bit. They spun the facts to present him as a cruel and uncaring individual who wielded his power with impunity and acted however he pleased. This display would undoubtedly fuel the fires of propaganda further, despite it being clear to many that Vahn was overprotective and borderline possessive, not someone who would give up his allies for something like a wager.Vahn didn't care much for pretenses, especially if they required him to simply ignore the faults of wicked individuals. He understood that his actions would have earned him several enemies within the Association but, as this made it easier to identify those with truly malicious intent, he didn't mind borrowing a page out of the Edelfelt's book. His cooperation with the Association was predicated on their willingness to accept the reforms he intended to bring. He would not pander to the Magi that could not accept the changes he would bring so, even if he upset the majority of people belonging to the Association, Vahn showed no remorse...By the time Zelretch had escorted Vahn's group to their designated waiting area, many in the crowd had already started speaking in hushed tones. As for those belonging to the Noble Faction, who had borne the brunt of Vahn's aura, they were spewing venom and vitriol as they criticized the 'so-called' Emperor's actions. Some even sent their Servants, other students, to spread the word about what had happened so that everyone else could be informed of the 'truth' of Vahn's tyranny.Among those who had witnessed Vahn's display, there was a sealed viewing platform that only those with the highest status among the Noble Faction could make use of. From here, they could view the various duels and events that took place in the arena in extreme comfort. The interior was filled with high-end furniture while the structure of the platform itself was reinforced using materials that could only be found within the various Spiritual Lands. Even if a stray A-Rank attack struck the platform, it would suffer minimal damage while those within wouldn't even feel the smallest of shockwaves.Despite these protections, several people seated within the viewing platform had dour expressions as, much like the rest of the Noble Faction, they had borne the brunt of Vahn's pressure. At the front of the group, a tall man and a relatively petite woman, each having hazelnut-brown hair, emanated an aura that caused the interior of the room to tremble slightly.While some had felt weak at the knees after experiencing Vahn's pressure, these two stood ramrod straight, hands behind their backs as they raised their heads in a dignified and prideful display. The shorter of the two, despite her diminutive size, gave off the impression of a stable mountain. As for her counterpart, his presence was vast and unfathomable, causing those that met him to feel as though they were looking up at the sky above, awed by the boundless expanse.Without changing his posture in the slightest, the man spoke in a deep and stern tone as he stated, "That man is not simple...his aura feels closer to the Divine Energy than mana. You have made quite the enemy for our family, Lorelei."If others were to address her by name, Lorelei would harshly rebuke or outright punish them but, this time around, she lowered her head slightly and stated in a solemn tone, "Forgive me, my Lord." She did not try to make any excuses for her actions as, regardless of her haughty and cruel nature, Lorelei was nothing but a little girl when comparing herself to the 'middle-aged' man standing to her right.Despite the fact that Lorelei was lowering her head to him, something that shocked everyone else present to the core, the man continued to stand tall without any discernible reaction. It wasn't until several seconds had passed that he stated, "It matters not. Be they God, Divine Spirit, or Magi, our family will emerge victoriously. Recent events have given us the opportunity to show the world why we are considered the most prestigious Magus family. Failure will not be tolerated."Still having her head lowered from before, Lorelei answered in a calm and collected tone, without a single sign of lacking confidence, "King or Empress, I will not lose to some relic of the past. My only concern is that you will find the proceedings droll and boring, my Lord."This time, there was a slight change in the middle-aged man's, Lord Bathomeloi's, expression. Then, without any hesitation, nor caring for the presence of others, he struck Lorelei across the face with the back of his right hand. A loud smack resonated through the room, bringing an eerie silence with it, much like standing within a graveyard in the middle of the night.Despite having been struck across the face hard enough to leave a trickle of blood running from her nose, Lorelei's expression was as placid and calm. She made no effort to redress any grievances she might be feeling. Instead, she fixed her posture before lowering her head slightly once again. Even if someone were to try and view her thoughts using Advanced Magecraft, they would find her mind to be in a serene and unperturbed state.After staring at his granddaughter for several tense seconds, Lord Barthomeloi turned his eyes back to the front as he stated, "As a Barthomeloi, you do not lack the prestige to look down upon others. That woman, however, is not someone you can afford to look down on. Her bloodline is something even our family cannot compare to. You will fight her to the best of your abilities from the start. I did not come here to watch a show. I came here to prevent those two old monsters from doing anything to interfere with our family's matters."Though this was his first time seeing Vahn directly, Lord Barthomeloi could already sense there was something 'inexplicable' about the man. Even with his eyes, he was unable to see through the depths of Vahn's power. He could tell that Vahn was weaker than he was but with the entourage he brought along, even Lord Barthomeloi couldn't act with impunity. He had never met Merlin but, after trying to see through the flowery Magus' depths, Lord Barthomeloi actually felt a backlash and, for a brief moment, he was certain the white-haired man had even smiled toward him.As one of the most powerful existences on the Surface, Lord Barthomeloi's mind was like a fortress. The vast majority of Magi, regardless of how powerful they were, would not be able to breach his mental defenses but, as if they didn't exist at all, he was certain the man at the back of Vahn's group had peered into his mind. This made him feel threatened for the first time in more than two-hundred years thus, after hearing Lorelei's remark, he couldn't help but remind her to treat this matter with the severity it was due.---At the same time that Lord Bathomeloi was thinking of him, Merlin was rubbing his with the back of his sleeve after surprising the entire room with a loud sneeze. This reminded everyone that he was still present, including Zelretch. When the old man realized he had been ignoring Merlin this entire time, he was slightly taken aback before hardening his expression. The only way he would have been able to overlook Merlin's presence, especially after seeing him earlier, was if the flowery Magus was proactively obscuring his perception.With a look of mock-embarrassment on his face, Merlin produced a wry smile as he stated in an airy tone, "Oh, pardon me. Spring allergies. Please, continue." This remark caused Artoria to sigh deeply while Vahn and Zelretch stared back at him with incredulous looks. There was no way someone that was literally known as the 'Magus of Flowers' would be affected by something like pollen. They were located in one of the most secure places within the entire Association, far beyond the means for any stray pollen to reach...Deciding not to bother with Merlin, Vahn shook his head before turning to Zelretch and asking, "Is Solon not going to preside over this duel? I believe a 'senior' Magus needs to be present to ensure the duel's conditions are not breached. With Lorelei's status, the only person who can preside over this match should be Solon, correct?"Instead of Zelretch answering, it was Merlin who issued a light chuckle before musing, "Little Solon is indisposed of at the moment. Don't worry, as someone rather special will be presiding over today's duel. I'm actually a little excited. Today is a day of many reunions~"Even without Merlin going into greater detail, it was easy to intuit that he was already meeting with Solon in private. This caused Zelretch to grip his cane a little tighter as realization dawned on him as to why he had been unable to sense Merlin for the past few minutes. The Magus before him was just another illusion, albeit one that was almost indiscernible from an actual person. He was aware of the fact that Merlin had been imprisoned on the Reverse Side of the World so, seeing him able to freely move about despite being severely restricted, Zelretch couldn't help but feel like he was in the same room as a monster.Merlin just laughed in response to the way Zelretch was looking at him. Then, with a playful wave of his hand, he began to fade away from the room without asking for permission to leave. He and Vahn had already discussed the meeting with Solon and, if not for their prior agreement, Merlin would not have revealed himself so early. There were far more dangerous existences in the world than anything the Mage's Association could throw at them so. Once it was known that he was present, there were a number of troublesome individuals who would immediately come seeking him...Zelretch wanted to follow after Merlin but, with Vahn's temperament, he felt the need to be present to avoid any troublesome developments. With this in mind, he could only release a tired sigh as, for a brief moment, his age showed far more than it usually did. He kept calm by reminding himself that Merlin, despite his eccentricities, was not a dangerous person. Though Solon would probably have to 'suffer' for a bit, they wouldn't be too affected by the relatively short meeting.In an effort to distract himself, Zelretch's eyes suddenly turned into a kaleidoscope of thousands of images as he was very curious about who would be arriving. This caught everyone's attention while Vahn, having witnessed something similar in the past, couldn't help but smile slightly. Zelretch's use of the Second Magic reminded him a lot of Ina's ability to view the future, albeit far more advanced. This was further proof that the most powerful abilities, regardless of their complexity, usually had an Innate that had similar functionality.After a surprisingly short period of time, Zelretch's eyes returned to normal and, replacing the dour expression on his face, he now had a wolfish grin before spontaneously laughing. Then, adding to the incredulity of the situation, Zelretch suddenly stopped laughing before adopting a very serious expression as he explained, "It seems three Mages will be gathering here today. Please, Your Majesty, do not offend the person coming to preside over the match. She can be a very hotheaded individual and I fear the Association will not be able to survive a conflict between the two of you..."Vahn looked at Zelretch like he was senile but, after processing his words, he answered, "We do not seek unnecessary conflict. Unless that woman antagonizes us, there is no reason for concern..." Even before he had finished his words, Vahn could see a dejected glimmer in Zelretch's eyes as he shook his head. There was a smile present on his face and, after a few tense moments, he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, it's been a while since I had to go all out. Don't worry. I'm not planning on fighting against you. If I don't interfere, all of London might end up being destroyed in the process."At this point, Vahn was getting annoyed by how Zelretch was obviously beating around the bush. At the same time, however, he was somewhat curious about what kind of opponent would require the elderly Magus to go all out. Based on Zelretch's words, it was obvious that the person he was talking about was a wielder of True Magic. After all, the only people that were allowed to call themselves by the title of 'Mage' were those who had either reached the Root, or inherited the Magic from their ancestors."Surprising Zelretch quite a bit, Vahn adopted a smile on his face as he mused, "Aoko Aozaki, the Fifth Magician..." with a fair amount of intrigue. Alaya had taken it upon herself to inform him of who was on the way, even without him asking for the information.Zelretch grimaced like someone who had their fun ruined but, rather than ask how Vahn obtained the information, he gave a curt nod before stating, "Indeed. It isn't an exaggeration to say that she is the most capable Magician in terms of destructive capabilities. Though she is still a little wet behind the ears, even I don't have the confidence in being about to outlast one of her tantrums. She is a good and honest lass, despite being a little temperamental..."While Zelretch was giving his explanation, Alaya, seated snuggly on Vahn's shoulder, gave her own accounting of Aoko's character, stating, "That woman is irresponsible. Though her actions are a necessity in guaranteeing the current cycle comes to an end, her use of the Fifth Magic will cause the inevitable destruction of the Universe. If she uses it haphazardly, even Type: Mercury will not be able to defeat her. I would advise you to exercise caution, Master..."Hearing Alaya's words, Vahn felt his scalp tingle as he couldn't even fathom how strong ORT was yet, according to his perpetual companion, she could even defeat an existence he had little, if any, hope of defeating. This was a jarring discovery as, while he knew the Administrative Functions were all very powerful, he hadn't expected such an information bomb at this point in time. He was actually a little annoyed as, until now, despite having discussed potential dangers several times, Aoko's name hadn't even been brought up.The 'original' Aoko was actually one of his targets but, for the past two years or so, Vahn hadn't even thought about the Quest that had been assigned to him by Akasha. Now that he knew she had such an extreme amount of power, he suddenly felt the need to increase his own. At the same time, Vahn couldn't deny that he was actually interested in seeing just how strong such a person could be. Since Merlin and Alaya hadn't warned him about her, she likely wasn't a 'threat', despite having more than enough power to oppose them.Recognizing the look in Vahn's eyes, Zelretch shook his head in exasperation as he said, "If you want to fight her, please do it elsewhere. I would hope that, as an Emperor, you have the wherewithal to avoid causing unnecessary collateral damage. I can help you arrange a battle if you'd like. Just don't do it here." The battle between Artoria and Lorelei was already pushing the limits of what the arena could withstand so, if two people capable of wielding True Magic began to fight, it was only a matter of time before everything was destroyed.Despite Vahn having never stated it outright, Zelretch considered him a wielder of True Magic and, now that rumors had been circulating, others saw him in the same light. He imagined this was the primary reason behind Aoko's visit as, even after the revelation of Angra Mainyu's emergence, she hadn't particularly cared. She wasn't too fond of the current Association, despite the Aozaki family being one of its core affiliates.Hearing Zelretch's words, Vahn dismissively waved his hand before saying, "Today is the opportunity for our Empress to display her prowess. I will only intervene if the Barthomeloi family tries anything shady. If Aoko is as you describe, I doubt we will come to blows. Rather, after this matter is settled, I would prefer to meet with her directly. I'm certain she would want to be present for the discussions so please inform Solon of her attendance. If she chooses to abstain, however, leave her be. It is only a matter of time before we sit down for a discussion as, with her power, I imagine she will have her own conditions to present to the Empire...hahahaha~"Zelretch could only shake his head with a wry smile after hearing Vahn's words. He could only hope that Aoko was in a good mood as, with her nature, she was the most likely person to start the fight. As for Vahn's remark about Aoko's conditions, Zelretch was genuinely afraid that she would actually ally herself with the Empire in the future. If that were the case, the Empire would become the most powerful force in the entire world overnight. After all, while the Fifth Magic had various uses, the one it was most famous for was being able to draw out a person's future potential in the present...With this in mind, Zelretch's gaze briefly flickered over Fenrir as, while she was one of the weakest in the procession, her potential terrified him. If she were to meet with Aoko on amicable terms, it was impossible to know exactly powerful she would become...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Smack*','RIP Solon','The Fifth Magician is a little scary...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After a very refreshing tryst with Circe and Gareth, Vahn helped the two girls freshen up in the bath before escorting the former over to Iris' room. He spent a few minutes talking with Iris while holding his daughter, Penelo, in his arms. After that, Gareth accompanied him to the Workshop so they could pick up Da Vinci and Sophia before heading to the real world to visit the Welsh Dragon's chamber.Vahn wasn't even surprised to find his daughter wearing a bipedal exoskeleton but, as it wouldn't function properly in the chamber, he made her leave it behind after promising to carry her the rest of the way. At this point, Sophia was close to twenty-two weeks old so, while still an infant, she was already able to speak without too much difficulty. Thus, while he carried her in his arm, she would continually pester him about various things she was interested in, a rather incredible sight if anyone from the outside world were to witness it.With Sophia in his left arm and Da Vinci clinging to his right, Vahn passed through a large mirror that had been set up for group transfers between the Projection and the outside world. Artoria and Gray were already waiting for him while, at the side, Merlin was leaning against the wall with his staff in hand.When Vahn appeared, Artoria and Gray immediately adorned cheerful yet elegant smiles, something he had grown accustomed to ever since obtaining his Divinity. In general, everyone in the castle was a lot happier than before, Vahn included, so it was a positive change.After sharing a few polite words, Vahn led the group into the Welsh Dragon's chamber and, after handing Sophia over to Gray, he wasted no time in activating the summoning system. He was about to summon one of, if not the, most instrumental existences to ensuring the success of his Empire. It wasn't an exaggeration to make this claim as, once Maxwell's Demon reached the requisite level, it was theoretically possible to summon a limitless number of Heroic Spirits. In a way, it also gave him the power to resurrect the dead as, through the use of the Throne of Heroes, he could transplant the person in question just moments before their death, bringing them to the present.Though Vahn fully expected 'something' to prevent him from using Maxwell's Demon in this manner, just the fact it could power CHALDEAS made it worth summoning. Vahn didn't plan to treat Maxwell like a battery without any rights but, so long as it wouldn't cause the peculiar Conceptual Entity any serious problems, he wanted to convince it to serve him. He didn't know what it would take to entice a Conceptual Entity but, as that was something he could discern after the summoning, Vahn quickly searched for Maxwell's Demon before confirming his selection.As had been the case in each previous instance, Vahn immediately found himself back in the real world as the mana contained within the summoning system quickly took shape.To Vahn's surprise, a gentlemanly-looking man with fair skin, a handsome face, and chestnut-brown hair that was neatly parted appeared. He was wearing an olive-green suit of relatively high-quality that looked like it had been produced in the early 1900s, complete with a flowery pocket square and a golden stopwatch neatly tucked away in his vest pocket. What stood out the most, however, were his eyes or, rather, his lack thereof...For reasons Vahn could only guess at, there were black voids where the eyes of Maxwell's Demon should have been located. Despite this, he didn't seem to have any trouble seeing as, after fixing his black tie, he smiled before saying, "This is quite an unexpected occurrence. I never expected to exist at this point in time. Hey, mind telling me why you brought me here?"Though Maxwell's Demon was behaving very casually, Vahn wasn't at all bothered by his words as, with what he intended to ask the man, it would be foolish to form any kind of animosity between them. Instead, Vahn adopted a similar smile before answering, "I won't lie to you. If possible, I would like you to become the catalyst to power this summoning circle while simultaneously providing your power to activate an extremely important system. I know it is a lot to ask, but it is important for the purposes of cementing the foundation of my Empire and setting the world on a new course..."Before Vahn had even finished, Maxwell's Demon had adopted an 'as expected' look on his face as he ran his fingers through his hair and mused, "Sure. That shouldn't be a problem. Every time I make an appearance, it is always for a similar purpose. Some world leader or tyrant always tries to use my power to advance their agenda. I just hope the course you've decided upon is actually for the benefit of everyone, not just yourself."Vahn felt a little awkward hearing the words of Maxwell's Demon but, as he believed in his cause, he didn't let them influence him too much. Instead, he kept a casual smile on his face as he asked, "So, what should I call you then? Maxwell?"With a dismissive shrug, Maxwell's Demon, in an increasingly casual manner, simply stated, "Does it really matter? I don't really exist so you can call me Batteryman or Lord Electricity for all I care. I don't have any attachment to my name or my creator so address me however you like, Master."Hearing Maxwell's words, Vahn released a light-hearted chuckle before saying, "You're an interesting character, Maxwell. Though you might not believe me when I say it, I'd like for us to become friends in the future. While it will make my burden lighter by having your power on my side, I will not force you to use it. My Empire isn't filled with incompetents so, if you give us enough time, we may not even need to rely on your power at all. Please, don't think that I intend to use you without treating you with dignity and respect. Even if you're a Conceptual Entity, I will treat you the same as any of my living friends and allies."Though his expression didn't change, Maxwell tilted his head slightly in response to Vahn's words. His abyss-like eyes looked directly at him for several seconds before he ultimately gave a small nod and stated, "Well, it would be a nice change of pace if that were the case. It really doesn't matter to me how you want to use my power so you don't have to come up with any excuses to convince me to give you a hand. Still, its better than being strapped up and locked away in a room with a bunch of cables plugged into my body. I look forward to working with you."Vahn nearly winced when he heard Maxwell mention having a bunch of cables plugged into him as, for a brief moment, it reminded him of his own past. Though he had gotten over the trauma at this point, it still allowed him to empathize with those who had similar experiences. Thus, even though it had been his intention from the get-go, he intended to befriend Maxwell and give the Conceptual Entity the freedom he deserved.---After a long discussion regarding the function of Maxwell's Noble Phantasm, chiefly moderated by Da Vinci, Vahn bestowed the title of Count upon the man before making a request to the Dwarves to build him a personal residence. He didn't want Maxwell to feel like he was just waiting to be used so, as often as possible, he wanted to let the man do whatever he wanted. So long as he followed the laws of the Empire, he was free to roam about the island and, though it would take a bit of time, he would also be able to freely roam the world later on.Fortunately, Maxwell's Noble Phantasm, aptly named [Maxwell's Demon], worked just about the way they had expected. It took on the form of his actual heart which, much like Artoria and Siegfried, had a functionally limitless capacity for mana. The primary difference was, Artoria's heart provided her a seemingly infinite amount of mana, albeit with limited output. As for Maxwell, his heart had no such limit but, unless Magical Energy was stored within, it could not produce any mana of its own.The most curious, and most important, aspect of [Maxwell's Demon] was, by continually channeling more Magical Energy into it, the maximum output was constantly increasing. Even if they only gave him a stable supply of 100 mana per day, his output would have been increased to 36,500 by the end of the year. This wasn't like a battery, however, as he would continually be able to output the same amount of mana, regardless of how much he expended.As far as they could tell, the greatest restriction to [Maxwell's Demon] was that he couldn't use the energy for himself, nor could he feed it into a system that returned the magical energy back to him. He could only accept external energy and, should he try to make use of it himself, he would, quite literally, cease to exist. He also had a Skill called [Devil's Proof] which, much to Da Vinci's chagrin, meant that his Noble Phantasm would cease to function if anyone truly understood how it worked.Since it was an abstract concept based on contradictions, any attempt to try and ascertain how it worked would ultimately invalidate the existence of the Noble Phantasm entirely. It was because of this that Maxwell didn't really care how Vahn referred to him as, if the latter was 'smart', he would never let others know he had been summoned. If his enemies put in the effort to try and 'prove' his existence and verify how his Noble Phantasm worked, it would simply stop working. Because of this, everyone that has ever summoned him always kept his existence a closely guarded secret, often by imprisoning or locking him away.Despite this revelation, Vahn didn't change his treatment of Maxwell, saying confidently, "Your power is not absolutely necessary for the success of the Empire. If your Noble Phantasm stopped working, I would still treat you as a friend and allow you to live your life however you like."While it was certainly convenient to have an infinite source of energy, there were actually a number of ways in which they could achieve the same result. Da Vinci had already made several important breakthroughs in the technology she had developed to convert Magical Energy into Divine Energy so it wouldn't set them back too much if Maxwell lost his power. He could already use the Throne of Heroes every two weeks, which was, admittedly, a little ridiculous. So complaining about not having infinite energy would be extremely petty of him.Maxwell was largely dismissive of anything Vahn said as, from his perspective, he only existed to serve a very specific purpose. If he was treated well, that just made his job easier so he just went with the flow of things, just as he always had. This mainly involved him sitting in a chair for a few hours a day to absorb an ever-increasing amount of Magical Power, enough that he would be able to power the entire summoning system in as little as two months, Projection-time. With this equating to little more than a week in the outside world, it wouldn't be long before the Empire simply built too much momentum to be stopped.Though it was possible to just brute force everything when they had indomitable power, Vahn still intended to keep his promise to Artoria. He didn't want to become a true tyrant so, as much as his enemies allowed, he would use dialogue and political maneuvering to build up his Empire. The first step towards this was winning the duel against Barthomeloi Lorelei so, in the final few days leading up to the climactic battle, Vahn spent the vast majority of his time helping Artoria polish her skills.---Ever since she became more 'proactive' in the bedroom, Vahn's relationship with Artoria had taken a strange turn as, for various reasons, she felt 'responsible' for everything that had happened. Because of this, she had become a lot more open about showing affection and, when they were alone, or at least with Gray, she was even a little 'perverted'. He liked to tease her by whispering this into her ear but, compared to her past self, Artoria made no effort to refute his words. Instead, she was often the one to come up with new and refreshing ways for them to spend time together, causing Vahn's heart to gradually soften.In stark contrast to how she behaved when they were alone, the current Artoria had blazing silver eyes as she wielded, not her [Excalibur], but the Holy Spear, [Rhongomyniad]. She was unable to use its full power, as there were thirteen restraints placed on it, but it was still one of the most powerful weapons in the entire world. Vahn could feel his instincts screaming at him to flee as, regardless of whether or not he had the power of a God, it seemed hopeless to even try and confront the awe-inspiring spear.When Vahn first saw [Rhongomyniad], he had been shaken to his core as, compared to any other weapon he had laid eyes upon, it was an indisputable masterpiece. It had an ivory white body that was obscured by thirteen bands that wrapped around it like metallic bandages. Towards the handle,these bands formed a guard of sorts that spiraled in a crisscrossing helical pattern that gave it a strangely noble appearance. Though these bands obscured the true appearance of [Rhongomyniad], Vahn was still very impressed since even his [Enkidu] seemed to pale in comparison to the seemingly limitless Holy Energy radiating off of it...Without giving him any time to admire the impossibly beautiful spear, Artoria had bent her legs ever so slightly before kicking off from the ground with enough force to rupture the hard white stone. In response to this, Vahn palmed forward with both hands, compressing the space between them with enough force to cause the void to fracture. Artoria, however, was completely undaunted by this and, with a look of absolute confidence in her silver eyes, time seemed to slow down as she shouted, "Let light be released from the Ends of the World. It shall split the heavens, and connect the land. Anchor of the Storm! Rhongomyniad~!"For a brief moment, Vahn could see seven of the bands around [Rhongomyniad] loosen as a pillar of bluish-white light smashed into his body, far faster than light should be able to travel. It was a nigh-instantaneous, impossible to avoid, attack that seemed to ignore causality altogether to strike the opponent directly. If not for the fact he had other bodies, Vahn wouldn't have even known what had happened as, the moment Artoria released her attack, the vessel he had prepared to fight her had ceased to exist. He had even been holding on to an [Effigy of the Hero] but, as if it simply did not allow its attack to be undone, even that had been destroyed by [Rhongomyniad]'s holy light.In the immediate aftermath of Artoria's attack, Vahn's main body collapsed to the ground as, for a brief moment, it felt like his existence itself had been erased. Fortunately, he had developed a bit of a resistance to this and, while his body had been destroyed in its entirety, there was a bit of ambient Source Energy left behind in the wake of the attack. If he put in an effort, Vahn knew he could reform his destroyed body but, as he had only created it for the purpose of the duel, he allowed it to slowly dissipate in order to further strengthen the Laws within the Training Orb.By the time Vahn came to, he was staring up at Artoria as she used her lap to provide a pillow for him. It had taken him a few minutes to collect himself so she, Gray, and Gareth had been having a rather heated discussion about their nightly activities. Since this was something Artoria never would have mentioned in the past, Vahn couldn't help but smile when he realized what the topic they were discussing. This brought the attention of the girls to him, bringing an end to the conversation as Artoria asked, "Are you okay...?" with concern in her voice.Vahn was tempted to tease her by asking if she had those same concerns before blasting his body away but, before the words could escape his lips, he began to laugh in a light-hearted manner. This caused Gray and Gareth to release a sigh of relief but, for a brief moment, Artoria puffed out her cheeks before lightly poking Vahn's. As a result, Vahn adopted a slightly apologetic expression but, rather than voice an unnecessary apology, he returned the smile to Artoria's face by saying, "You are really amazing. I almost feel bad for Lorelei...hahaha..."Though she had a smile on her face, Artoria had a serious look in her eyes as she confidently stated, "Those like Lorelei are undeserving of our empathy. They have done nothing deserving of our mercy so, in order to create the world you have envisioned, I will not hesitate to strike her down. I may be your Empress, but I am also your Knight...it is my duty..."Toward the end of her words, Artoria began to flush slightly as, while she started off strong, Vahn's smile had become progressively more pronounced. By the time she had finished, he had reached his hand up to cup her cheek and, almost as if to spite her serious words, her heart began to beat much faster than normal as Vahn stated with equal severity, "I love you, Artoria. Thank you...for being the amazing woman you are..."It hadn't been his intention but Vahn saw a flash of pink spread, not just across Artoria's eyes, but Gray's and Gareth's as well. This was the passive synchronicity his Divinity brought to him as, if there were multiple people nearby with similar emotions, they would simultaneously be heightened. In the bedroom, this was perhaps his most valuable skill as, much like when he used to benefit from Syr's presence, he could now emulate the effect on his own. Since he was a bit riled up after experiencing the 'nothingness' that followed Artoria's attack, Vahn decided to spend the rest of the evening just cutting loose...not that he had been spending them in any other way as of late.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Maxwell be like, "It is what it is, fam"','Holy Rhongomyniad, Batman!','RIP Self-Restraint')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1256: Setting Out