Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Due to the lack of faculty members and the ongoing construction of the 'Aldrnari College', classes for the new department weren't scheduled for the first two weeks. Vahn had set this up to allow the children time to adapt to the campus and, if they wanted, find other classes they were interested in. It also allowed word to spread regarding the benefits of joining the nascent department as, with so few staff members, it would be problematic to accept new students after the lectures and classes had started.As could be expected, the introduction of five new mysterious girls, each possessing some degree of beauty, caused a few ripples within the Clock Tower. This was especially true for Mordred and Mash as, despite the former being a bit of a tomboy, she had a very similar appearance to Artoria. As for Mash, she projected a calm and intelligent aura and, despite only being fifteen, had a developed figure that earned her a considerable number of admirers in a very short period of time.One of the things that annoyed Vahn the most about this situation was that it wasn't just students trying to meet with the children. Rather, due to the complex internal politics and the traditions of the Clock Tower, relationships between faculty and students weren't nearly as regulated as they should be. This led to situations where some Professors used their position to proposition female students in exchange for better grades while, in some situations, high ranking faculty members would even pressure students into becoming 'research assistants' well after their graduation.These were all things Vahn intended to change, especially after he noticed some forty-two-year-old Professor from the Faculty of Zoology trying to coax Astrid after learning about her preference for animals and unique creatures. While others may seem this as a relatively harmless attempt to try and scout a new student, Vahn's Divinity made him very aware of the intentions of others so he ended up paying a personal visit to the man to 'explain' the meaning of propriety.If he were being honest, Vahn was disgusted with the current system so the rules he drafted for the operation of the Faculty of Unified Theory of Magecraft were drastically different. His agreement with Solon allowed the rules he had established to supersede the Clock Tower's own, at least within the department, Vahn was determined to set a better example. As for why he didn't try and force the Clock Tower to implement changes to the existing system, it was because there were a number of students who actually took advantage of it as well...While not the healthiest or 'best' choice, there were a number of poorer students that readily took advantage of their looks and other assets to further their education. Having change suddenly forced upon them would put them into an even more difficult situation as the larger portion of the student body was too used to the existing system. After all, the loose nature of the restrictions placed upon them was what allowed them to act with impunity in the real world. If they suddenly had to face the reality of a changing world, one they were grossly unprepared for, the dissent would be widespread.Vahn understood that it was futile to try and force change unless he was in complete control of a situation. Many of the current generation of Magi were already corrupted by the system so, while it was not impossible to correct their course, it was easier to target and empower those that naturally resisted the current system. He would rather save and protect those that desired change, rather than waste time and resources trying to forcibly change people that based their entire world view on the premise of benefits and exploitation.Eventually, once his department began to grow and stabilize, a natural rift would form between the 'normal' students and those affiliated with the Faculty of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory. This would eventually lead to conflict but, as this was necessary to implement real change, Vahn was already anticipating it. He would do everything within his power to prepare the students and, when the time came, keep them safe, all while cutting the heads of any enemy brazen enough to try their luck at antagonizing the Empire...---As he had originally promised, Director Atlasia eventually arrived from Egypt after meeting with the veteran Alchemists of the Atlas Temple. It didn't take much effort for him to convince them to work alongside the Empire once they became aware of the fact he had Alaya as a 'familiar'.At Director Atlasia's behest, a total of ten students of the Atlas Temple were enrolled in the Faculty of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory. He even brought his Vice-Director, a young woman named Sion, to act as a supplemental instructor and an understudy of Da Vinci. She was a brilliant woman with long purple hair, tied into pigtails, deep purple eyes, and a set of glasses that also served as an advanced Mystic Codex.Like the students, Sion wasn't exactly human. Rather, she was an artificial lifeform that had been created by Zepia in the past. She was one of many subjects that he had developed while trying to research Dead Apostles so, as a result, she was also a modified Vampire. This allowed her to use a very advanced form of the Mystic Eyes of Charm, the reason why she needed her glasses. It wasn't that her eyesight was bad, rather, she used them to block the effects of her charm.Fortunately, Sion was a sensible woman and, though she had a few quirks, there was a reason why Director Atlasia had raised her as both his daughter and successor. She was fully dedicated to the preservation of humanity and, unlike the rather somber and borderline emotionless students, she radiated an aura of positivity. Though he hadn't spent much time around her, Vahn had yet to see her without a genuine smile on her face, a stark contrast to the 'students' hailing from the Atlas Temple.As the Atlas Temple very rarely scouted outsiders, almost every student and internal member of the Atlas Temple was some kind of Artificial Human or Homunculus. There was even one, a petite young girl named Rani V, who embodied the so-called 'pinnacle' of Atlassian Alchemy. She was an Artificial Intelligence given a biological form.Rather than a normal nervous system and Magic Circuits, she had an artificial nervous system constructed of pure Ether that had been condensed into a macro-filament held together by organic nanomachines. As for her Magic Circuits, they were an intricate weave of circuits that, while not as high quality as a 'Perfect Homunculus' like Illya, made all natural-born Magi seem obsolete.Rani was the fifth generation 'Ultimate Lifeform' that had been developed by the Atlas Temple in an attempt to further human evolution and prevent the extinction of the species. Her brain had greater processing power than even Ark and Mother as, much like them, she had been modified to allow for split processing using Spiritrons. This turned her brain into a biological supercomputer, something that Da Vinci found 'extremely' fascinating.Unfortunately, in order to power and maintain her body, Rani V had an 'Artificial Dragon's Heart' comprised of a complex matrix of Etherlite, the same material serving as the framework of her hyper-advanced nervous system. This gave her a functionally infinite amount of mana but, as a result of her brain's requirements, she was a very low-energy girl with a perpetually blank expression. Her mind was capable of processing so much information that she spent more time lost in her thoughts than focused on reality, giving her a distinctly machine-like personality.The most troublesome aspect of Rani, however, was that her heart was an incomplete product and, as the very existence of an artificial Dragon's Heart went against the Laws of the world, her nervous system would be slowly damaged beyond repair due to the strain. While this would still allow her to be of use, as her mind would still be active, she would spend her final years as nothing more than a living computer that would eventually reach a critical level, exploding like a medium-sized nuclear warhead.As this wasn't something Vahn was willing to tolerate, he gave Rani, and all the other students, a modified version of the Ouroboros Seal. In Rani's case, hers was designed to actually siphon off a bit of the magical energy her Etherlite heart produced as, unlike the other students, she was the only one in danger of potentially exploding in the future. He would eventually either give her a new body or, as was the more likely scenario, allow Da Vinci to develop one for her. This was Director Atlasia's and Sion's hope as well so, in order to ensure there wasn't a need for a Rani VI, they would do what they could to guarantee the current generation model was capable of 'upgrading' itself...---With the inclusion of the ten exchange students from the Atlas Temple, another wave or ripples spread through the Clock Tower. This was largely due to the fact that the Atlas Temple was much older than the Clock Tower and, as a result of their reclusive nature, had almost no contact with the outside world. Even the 'Ten Major Families' had very little contact with them and, regardless of how powerful and influential you were, it was virtually impossible to pressure the Atlas Temple into doing anything. They were an extremely unified organization, one which even the Holy Church had failed to shake, even at the peak of its power.As could be expected, the students of the Atlas Temple inspired just as much mystery and intrigue as the Mordred, Sakura, Mash, Astrid, and Zoë. However, as they were extremely anti-social due to their origins, the flair resulting from their enrollment quickly wore off. The only exception to this was Rani who, despite having a very peculiar appearance, could qualify as a beautiful and petite girl. She had dark skin, much like Lakshmibai, which paired surprisingly well with the pale purple hair that reached all the way to her lower back.What stood out the most was that Rani generally wore golden rings and accessories on her body and, perhaps as a quirk of her original creator, had a very lean and petite figure by design. Though she looked more than a little childish, despite being sixteen years old, she had an adorable quality that increased her appeal to both male and female students. This, combined with her intelligence and the 'aura' the emanated, inspired a lot of male students to try their luck at getting to know her better.Unfortunately for them, Rani had absolutely no interest in anyone outside of the Faculty of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory. It wasn't an exaggeration to say she had been 'programmed' to fulfill a very specific purpose. If a matter had no relation to her objective, she treated it as if it didn't exist, at least in so far as her behavior was concerned. This actually gave her a cult following among a select group of students but, as it was quickly being established that students involved with the new department were 'untouchable', they could only observe her from a distance...By the time two weeks had passed, the total number of prospective students had increased from twelve to thirty-seven. This was only a fraction of the ones that wanted to join as the vetting process had eliminated more than seventy percent of applicants almost immediately. The rest were filtered out as a result of the investigations into their character, conduct, background, and situation. This meant that, of the four-hundred-and-nineteen applicants, only around five percent met the criteria that had been established for prospective students.There was a considerable amount of dissatisfaction with this arrangement, especially when people noticed that the Aldrnari College could easily facilitate a thousand students, but Vahn didn't really care. He knew a few rotten fruit could spoil an entire harvest so, if they had a high chance of causing trouble, the students were not allowed to enter his department. It didn't matter how much that tried to complain as, from the very beginning, the Faculty of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory operated in sovereignty from the rest of the Clock Tower.Vahn, and by virtue his department, were accountable to no one, not even Solon. Even if the Lords of other departments and factions tried to appeal to him directly, he would not allow their hand-picked spies and arrogant descendants to enter into a class that basically served as protection against them. They had nothing of value or interest to offer him and, as Sherlock had been compiling several thick stacks of documents pertaining to the crimes they had perpetrated, Vahn had absolutely no patience when it came to playing political games with them...Due to the hard stance he had taken, Vahn had very few friends among the other factions, especially those associated with orthodox practices and traditions. Inversely, he was immensely popular in the unnamed faction headed by Waver, even if there were a number of 'commoner' students who had accused him of favoritism and discrimination.Even during the two weeks leading up to the start of class, there were several rumors fueled by the other factions that came up with a variety of bogus justifications for why some were accepted over others. This was a sad attempt to vilify the students who were fortunate to be accepted but, as the average student had become pretty skeptical due to recent events, they rarely gained much traction. It helped that, every time another rumor was spread, the culprits behind its propagation would be quickly exposed. At the same time, a number of their past scandals would be made public, sending many departments into damage control in a vain attempt to salvage their nonexistent dignity...Needless to say, Da Vinci's technical prowess, combined with Sherlock's investigative ability, was a nightmare in the Information Era...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Clock Tower is kind of fucked up','Every time Rani's heart beats, it is like the pulse of a nuclear reactor :D...','Vahn is really riling up the other factions (UwU)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though the majority of students within the new class were experienced when it came to schooling, even those that had been third and fourth years were extremely nervous. The two weeks leading up to the start of class made it apparent that their school life had been irreversibly impacted by their decision to participate. Despite this, only a few of the students had genuine misgivings but, in order to grasp at a rare chance to improve their fates, they still showed up.At this point, Mordred, Sakura, and Mash had made an earnest effort to at least know the names and backgrounds of their classmates. There wasn't anything like a Class President within the department but, despite not knowing the girls' background, the rest of the class had quickly understood which of the girls had the most 'authority'. This made Mordred the center of attention and, as a result of their close association with her, Sakura and Mash had also earned a fair amount of respect.Currently, Mordred sat at the very front and center seat of the entire class, her back straight and a confident smile on her face as she awaited the arrival of their teacher. Unlike her usual troublemaker self, she gave off the aura of a dutiful student with no visible flaws in her appearance and demeanor. This further elevated her status in the minds of the other students and, as the similarities between her and Artoria were extremely obvious, they had already guessed her's, and Sakura's, actual status.Despite this, none of the students lacked the tact to ask Mordred to clarify as, if she was not making her status known, it would be an extreme faux pas to put her on the spot. After all, if she really was the Imperial Princess of the Aldrnari Empire, they couldn't afford to offend her. If things went as they hoped, there was a good chance they would be her subjects in the future. Thus, so long as she was playing the part of a student, they would respect her decision while trying to get closer to her over the course of the next few years...---At precisely 0800, Da Vinci opened the door to the lecture hall, bringing stillness to the already silent class. While girls like Mordred, Sakura, Mash, and Rani stood out as beauties, Da Vinci's appearance was on a level that was hard to even describe to others. When she was present, Da Vinci became the center of attention and, though the results had yet to be observed, she expected the male students to work very hard in their vain attempts to impress her.With a smile that could only be described as a masterpiece, Da Vinci passed her gaze over the class before saying, "Good morning, class. It is good to see that everyone is on time. While it is fine to be late every now and then, remember your reasons for deciding to become students within this new department. If you slack off, the only ones to blame for your failure are yourselves~"Though her words were stated in a gentle and elegant tone, most of the new students, excluding those from the Atlas Temple, felt a chill pass through their bodies. They could tell that their Professor wasn't the type that gave partial credit and, while she gave off a very motherly vibe, she carried the same terrifying aura that their own mothers possessed...Now that she had everyone's undivided attention, Da Vinci projected a screen on the air itself. This wasn't derived from some high-tech device; It was the result of masterful control over the mana in the air itself and, while most students didn't understand the principles behind it, those from the Atlas Temple adopted very serious and observant expressions.One after the other, the basic data of each student flashed across the projection. It even included a very basic analysis of their presumed parameters, skills, abilities, and known forms of Magecraft. This was enough to bring absolute silence to the classroom but, before they were able to make sense of the situation, Da Vinci explained, "As you can see, we have compiled a comprehensive analysis of every single student in the class. This may terrify some of you but it is a simple truth that, in a world with unrestricted science and magecraft, collecting such information is an easy feat. You should have the expectation that your enemies know everything about you so, while this may unnerve some of you, know that we collected this information in the hopes of making your future path smoother."As could be expected, most of the normal students had paled slightly in response to Da Vinci's words. Even if they knew it was the truth, as even average students had various means to spy on others, nobody liked having it pointed out how little secrets they actually had. They would rather be ignorant of the truth but, in order to make them stronger and more mentally mature, Da Vinci was intending to force them to face reality. People that spent their lives protecting secrets were very easy to take advantage of when their enemies got ahold of their weakness. Those that had no secrets to protect were impossible to exploit as it ultimately didn't matter what your enemies knew. The only thing that mattered was what you knew and the type of person you wanted to be...While the students were still in shock, Da Vinci changed the image in the projection to show a very high definition picture of Skoll, explaining, "As explained previously, each of you will be assigned a Companion, an Artificial Lifeform that serves various purposes. They are not pets but, if you want to pet and cuddle with them, feel free to do so. I won't go into too many details about their capabilities but, at the very least, you should know they can amplify your Magecraft. They also have a number of powerful defensive capabilities so, if you find yourself in a sticky situation, they may very well save your life."Prior to being accepted as students, everyone in the class had been given a handbook to study over the last two weeks. This detailed various rules and regulations, including a large section detailing the proper care and treatment of Companions. As the mistreatment of a Companion was an automatic qualifier for expulsion from the course, everyone in the class had read these particular rules several times...Once her explanation had finished, Da Vinci waved her hand through the air, sending the projection away as a small teleportation circle appeared on the floor. This alone was a jarring display as, unless they had an extreme prowess in regards to spatial transportation, most teleportation magic circles took several hours to set up. They were also entirely stationary and required powerful catalysts just to power them for a few minutes.Seeing their Professor casually demonstrate mastery the vast majority of them couldn't even begin to fathom, the classroom continued its trend of absolute silence. It wasn't until Da Vinci began to call them by name, having each student stand in front of the teleportation circle, that people began to speak in hushed tones. They already had some expectations about the purpose of the magic circle and, seeing an admittedly adorable dog-like humanoid appear, their guesses were proven accurate.To further clarify, Da Vinci explained, "Based on an analysis of your nature, your likes, dislikes, and favorite animals, a Companion has already been chosen for you. They will grow alongside you and, as is mentioned in the handbook, have an unlimited potential for growth and evolution. If you treat them well and train hard, it is possible that your Companion may even evolve into an existence that is fundamentally similar to a Phantasmal Species. They can even become something like a Dragon, a Griffin, or a Pegasus. With this in mind, I encourage you to get along with your Companion well as they may very well become your closest and most trusted ally in the future."While Da Vinci's claims were hard to believe, the casual tone she used, combined with how easily she used complex Magecraft, lent certain veracity to everything she said. It helped that, of the small class of thirty-seven students, twenty-eight were female. They found their new Professor rather inspiring and, as the Companions were extremely cute by design, they were looking forward to being able to have one of their own. As for the nine boys, some of them had started to imagine what it would be like to have an actual Dragon as their ally...After everyone in the class had been given their Companions, the atmosphere in the classroom had lightened considerably. The presence of thirty-seven adorable humanoid creatures sitting in people's laps and on their desks was a peculiar sight to behold and, from the perspective of some students, they had a hard time comprehending the reality they had found themselves in.With the intention of removing this incongruity and inspiring the students to raise their Companions well, Da Vinci surprised the class by clapping her hands together and exclaiming, "Today is supposed to be a short day since some of you have yet to settle completely into your dorms. We have a special lesson planned to ease everyone into the new curriculum so please form an orderly queue. We'll be making our way to the training field that has been prepared for your physical education~"As they had already been issued their uniforms, the sight of thirty-seven students forming a neat line as they passed through the hallways gave off a distinctly militaristic feeling. This was emphasized by the general lack of expression on the faces of the Atlas Temple students but, with an equal number of Companions, the image of an organized and professional group of people was completely ruined. Rather, most of the students didn't really know what to do with their Companions so, while some of the girls happily carried theirs along, other Companions were left to waddle after the procession with awkward yet practiced steps...Upon reaching their destination, a field that was 300x80m in length and width, the class was once again surprised when they found Vahn, Galahad, and Sion waiting for them. The tensions suddenly increased to a palpable level but, when Vahn just laughed it off, his voice having a strangely calming sound to it, the class began to calm down. Though some of them had misgivings about being made to stand in a military-style formation, none of them complained.With Da Vinci finding a place next to him, Vahn took the initiative to break the silence, a casual smile on his face as he explained, "Your Companions are very special existences. They will help nurture you as both True Mages and Magic Knights. If you trust in them, they will allow you to reach heights that many of you will struggle to understand until you witness it for yourself. In the hopes of helping you understand this, you will now be given the opportunity to fight alongside your Companions..."Though some had already guessed the reason they had been made to file into the training room, it was still a surprise to hear they would be sparring as part of their very first lesson. However, this was only the beginning of their surprise as Vahn followed up, adding, "My department rewards people based on their contributions and merits. While your academic scores will be very important, we also evaluate you based on your physical performance and the judgment you show under pressure. This first lesson also serves the purpose of deciding your initial ranking within the class. The benefits of a high ranking will become apparent in the next few months but, even if you find yourself in the last position, that does not mean you will be treated poorly. Rather, there will always be someone in the last position, even if every single one of you becomes a prodigy..."As it wouldn't take long for even their worst student to eclipse the best the Clock Tower had to offer, Vahn didn't want the children in the lower positions to feel bad. He spent a few minutes making it very clear that, while the ranking did matter, it was secondary to hard work. After all, some people just had more potential than others due to their circumstances. This could eventually be overcome but, at this phase in their education, it would be very difficult for those with a poor foundation to rank highly.Once his preliminary speech was finished, Vahn referenced the data stored in his mind, saying, "Your first opponent will be someone of equivalent skill. Victory will award you three points while defeat will earn you one point. The victors of each match will face off against each other, much like a tournament. As for the defeated, they will also face off against others who had lost their bouts. Every match will be allotted five minutes and, if victory cannot be decided by then, the judges will be the ones to determine who advances. Any questions...?"Being in a formation had a strangely sobering effect on the minds of people, especially when they were young. Everyone instinctually stood a little straighter and, even though they had not been told talking was against the rules, they remained completely silent. The downside to this was that it made it very hard to be the one to speak out, something Vahn had intended. He wanted them to become a unified group that slowly developed their individuality over time as, only by feeling as though they 'belong' to something bigger than themselves can they truly escape the grasp of the Association's teachings...With nobody willing to be the one to stand out and draw attention to themselves, there were no questions. Vahn gave them an 'approving nod', emphasizing to the students that they were doing the right thing, despite the 'right thing' never having been clarified. Then, playing to the situation even further, he had the groups split into two columns that lined the battlefield before calling out the first two names and having each contestant introduce themselves...and their Companions.(A/N: Alternate Titles: '[Charisma] is very effective xD...','Treat your Companions well &gt;:O...!','Vahn is becoming a Cult Leader...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After leaving Da Vinci and Galahad to carry out the rest of the orientation themselves, Vahn returned to the Faculty Room, a large three-story building that had both living and work spaces. Here, Okita, Jeanne, and Gareth, his usual entourage, were waiting while, seated at a small table, Zelretch could be seen nursing a cup of black tea.Seeing Vahn enter in through the front door, Zelretch inhaled one final whiff of the fragrant tea that had been provided to him before asking, "How is it, being an Advisor? I wish I had been there to see the surprise on those children's faces, hahahaha~"Taking a seat of his own, followed by Gareth dutifully pouring him a cup of tea, Vahn answered, "It won't be long before the number of prospective students explodes. I'll need to make sure the other Factions keep their noses clean, lest I have to bloody them..."Zelretch couldn't help but laugh in response to Vahn's words as he could, quite literally, imagine a few Nobles getting more than their noses bloodied by the latter's actions. There were some people who, despite all the evidence acting as a deterrent, would still seek death as a result of their errant actions. This was especially so for the Factions that had been eyeing certain students, students who would now, undoubtedly, seek shelter in the Empire.Understanding this, Zelretch adopted a more genial expression as he mused, "I should have taken more proactive action to redress the flaws in the world. Now, I can only leave the matter to you. It is high time I take a backseat and observe the passage of time...perhaps I'll even take in a new disciple. I can't deny that your words, back then, have left quite an impact on me...hmmm..."Hearing Zelretch's words, Vahn tilted his head to the side in rumination before stating, "You may not be qualified to teach others. Those that have lived far beyond the normal lifespan of the people they teach have a difficult time empathizing with them. In the past, you let your experiences shape how you educated your disciples, breaking them in the process. If you're looking for someone to succeed you, I can pull someone suitable through the Throne..."Zelretch made no attempt to refute Vahn's words, even though they were a little harsh. Instead, he began to stroke his beard in a self-calming manner before asking, "Did you have anyone in mind? I already had a few suitable candidates but, after hearing your words, that may have been misguided on my part..."In truth, Zelretch had several potential candidates to succeed, not just his Magecraft, but his actual Magic itself. He had even included Vahn in this list in the past but, after visiting Avalon, he no longer thought the Emperor before him needed the power and guidance he could provide. Rather, due to the same experiences Vahn mentioned, he almost had to recuse himself from getting involved in the events that would be taking place in the near future.Vahn couldn't immediately answer Zelretch's question as, in his opinion, True Magic itself wasn't that unique. Though the original wielders were undoubtedly terrifying existences, the restrictions on the use of Administrative Functions made it a dead-end pursuit. It would be completely useless outside of the Records of the Nasuverse so, rather than focus on borrowed power, he was more interested in teaching people how to obtain lasting strength...Still, it wasn't too difficult to come up with candidates that would benefit from the tutelage of a True Magician. They just needed to have a positive alignment, the mentality of an immortal, and a strong sense of responsibility. It was almost impossible for a normal person to become the apprentice of a True Magician as, as could be observed in Zelretch's case, their perspective was too skewed from the norm. Only those with powerful quirks, bordering on psychosis, that would be able to emerge from the training without any mental trauma.After thinking for a few moments, Vahn asked, "How about the first generation director of the Atlas Temple? Their organization has been protecting the world since before the Mage's Association even existed. The Atlas Temple also has the most developed understanding of Laws so they would be a suitable candidate. After all, they already have the ability to see the future and view parallel worlds, albeit to a lesser extent..."Hearing Vahn's suggestion, Zelretch just laughed as he shook his head. This earned a raised brow from Vahn until the former explained, "That bridge has already been burned. Atlasia didn't much appreciate the influence I had on the future so we had a few...disagreements...hahahaha~"Remembering that Zelretch had traveled at least a few hundred years into the Age of Gods, Vahn wasn't too surprised that he had met the first Director of the Atlas Temple. Though it would have been more accurate to call them the High Priest, as they were a descendent and worshipper of Isis, the future generations of the Atlas Temple recognized them as such.Rather than offer another name, Vahn shrugged his shoulders and said, "Your biggest issue will be finding someone that you can treat as your equal. If you only want a protege to follow everything you say, it will be impossible to rear a capable Mage. You may have had some disagreements with Atlasia but that is all in the past. There is an unlimited future ahead of us so you shouldn't dismiss the idea outright."Finding a grain of truth in Vahn's words, Zelretch nursed his black tea for a few moments, his mind wandering to distant memories. When he regained clarity, however, he shook his head again before saying, "I can't deny the wisdom contained in your words...maybe it's because I'm an old man but, if I'm to choose a successor, I'd want them to be a blank slate. Atlasia was a capable alchemist with a very powerful foresight but, as a result of their upbringing, it would be impossible to take them as a disciple. Rather, I imagine it is more likely they would become the head of the Atlas Temple or try to work with your Empire..."Understanding the logic behind Zelretch's argument, Vahn gave a small nod but, hearing the man mention a 'blank slate', he asked, "Why not rear an artificial human or a conceptual entity? They are your best option for finding a blank slate. If you raise them properly, they could become the most ideal version of the successor you have in mind. As for everyone else, they will always have a history and an ego, one which can be shaped based on the circumstances of their environment. To that end, you don't really have much of a choice in the matter."Zelretch couldn't help but frown in response to Vahn's suggestion. He didn't think it was wise to entrust such power to an artificial lifeform but, when considering his own metrics for choosing a student, it did seem like the best choice. After all, it was difficult to find even poor candidates for an apprenticeship, much less 'ideal' ones. There were too many uncontrollable variables and, with the existence of Vahn, any small hiccup in their training could have disastrous consequences...While Zelretch was feeling conflicted, Vahn shook his head before lightly tapping on the table and saying, "It really doesn't matter. You're putting too much thought into something that shouldn't be a problem. Stop trying to control everything and just do your best as a teacher. Even if your student goes astray, you should just guide them back onto the correct path. The more you try to force them, the greater the contradiction you'll create in their mentality. People become great because they are inspired to greatness by their circumstances. If you try to engineer greatness, forcing it upon those who don't have the capacity to accept it, you'll only end up creating a monster or, at best, a puppet."This time, Zelretch entered a very long and solemn silence as, with thousands of years of experience to draw from, he knew there was a great deal of truth behind Vahn's words. While it was possible for a powerful individual to rear up others, they were often inclined to play favorites and allow those of their choosing to take shortcuts. This generally built up positive rapport between Master and student but, when things didn't go as planned, a great rift could be formed between them, often ending in a great tragedy...Without a better response, Zelretch released a tired sigh before asking, "How can someone like you, who has so much control over everything, advocate the idea that it must be relinquished? What you have done thus far seems contrary to the point you are trying to make..."Vahn furrowed his brows slightly in response to Zelretch's accusation, his mood soured slightly at the lack of awareness the elderly man had. Still, he had put a lot of thought into his actions so, without a single fluctuation in his voice, he explained, "My actions are necessitated by the state of the world. It is the inaction of those that should have acted, combined with a lack of accountability on behalf of those who have power, that requires me to do establish the Empire. None of that has anything to do with my personal stance on education and rearing disciples...rather than throw out accusations, you should see for yourself how I operate. I am not a hypocrite that simply spews platitudes, old man..."Zelretch was a little surprised by Vahn's hostility but, rather than be offended, he was actually more relieved than anything. It was too easy to compare Vahn to the people that he had encountered in the past, something that emphasized that he did, indeed, rely too much on his experiences. Because of this, a part of him was always skeptical of what people said and did as, in many instances, even the best of intentions could be led astray by simple setbacks...What Zelretch often forgot, even though it was one of the more important aspects of Vahn's very existence, was that the man was not from his world. He was a fundamentally different existence and, in the short time he had existed, great changes had already been introduced. Just the presence of Alaya at his side showed that he was, in many ways, an incomprehensible existence. After all, while others had to fight hard to obtain their power, scheming and machinating to rise above others, Vahn was already there. He had enough power to easily dominate the world by force yet chose to focus on building the foundation for a better future by empowering the younger generation and inspiring them to greatness...It was only now, when he compared himself to Vahn, that Zelretch began to understand the very different ways in which they viewed the world. He was too used to the 'certainties' that came with being able to use the Second Magic. As for Vahn, he never cared about the future and its myriad paths. Rather, his only concern was on the present and how his actions in any given moment would shape, not just himself, but the very world around him. The future was completely inconsequential as, by measuring all of your actions against things that have yet to happen, you were already too detached from reality to live a meaningful existence...With a crooked smile spreading across his face, Zelretch began to stroke his beard as he mused, "It really is a shame...if I had met you a thousand years ago, I may not be as hopeless as I am today. I've only ever considered what my successor might do in the distant future...it is no wonder my students have been unable to break away from the path I foresaw...I forced them to take it..."Vahn was still a little annoyed with Zelretch but that didn't prevent him from nodding his head and adding, "The worst thing a parent and a teacher can do is neglect those in their charge. It is our duty to establish a baseline of consistency, one which allows them to freely choose their future. It is when you begin acting contrary and going against your own teachings that they begin to stray. So long as you help them build a strong foundation, focusing on morals and merit, children, and people alike, have no limits to what they are able to achieve."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Senile Old Man','Experience can lead to wisdom but, more often than not, it instead becomes bias...','Believe in the future, not the one you have planned, but the one that will be created by your children. Be good to people.')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1287: Ripples