Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn felt at a loss to see how things had turned out. He didn't understand how his words had set off such a reaction in Nero but, in hindsight, he realized the deeper meaning behind Nero's actions. She had left her fate in his hands, earnestly believing he had called her here because he needed her. This was why she didn't allow others to get to her as, in the end, the only person who truly mattered, at least to Nero, was the one who had called upon her.Based on how Gray had reacted, it was clear that Nero hadn't really been accepted by the girls within the Inner Sanctum just yet. Her behavior made it difficult for her not to stand out so, even if she did her best to avoid offending people, they would always feel uncomfortable due to her unrestrained and prideful nature. They saw Nero as a threat, someone who seemingly believed themselves to be of a higher standing; someone who looked down on them.The truth of the matter, however, was that Nero didn't actually look down on anyone. Rather, she did her best to try and understand what she had done to upset them. Unfortunately, this was something that would take a considerable amount of time and an equal amount of effort.Nero originally believed that the unique gathering of people would make it easier for her to fit in but, after the discussion from earlier, she realized it would be very difficult to mesh well with most of them. She couldn't understand them, despite her best efforts. Inversely, they made no effort to even try and understand her, judging her based on how she carried herself as an Emperor. She could tell that, if they had the option, almost everyone within the Inner Sanctum would avoid her.Vahn couldn't have known what Nero was thinking about as, due to how deeply she had buried her true emotions; it was impossible to ascertain how she truly felt. He could have used View Affection to guide his actions based on the changes in her affection value but, after having decided not to rely on this ability; Vahn primarily made use of it only when dealing with enemies. He could usually sense the wants and needs of the people around him on a nigh-instinctual level so it hadn't really been a problem before now.Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret so, having failed to understand what she needed from him, Vahn made Nero feel as though he had pushed her away. He was, quite literally, the very thing that anchored her to this world so, for him to tell her to seek happiness on her own, while also placing so many restrictions on her; Nero couldn't help but feel he had abandoned her. His words made it clear, at least within her mind, that he didn't actually need her. Even if she was to disappear from this world, Vahn, the man she called her Master, could just replace her at his leisure...Now, Vahn could only watch with a pained and solemn expression on his face as Boudica held the borderline catatonic Nero in her arms. Her emerald green eyes had now lost their luster, revealing the true state of Nero's psyche as she stared back at him with a slightly confused expression. It was clear she didn't understand Boudica's sadness or the pain visible in Vahn's eyes. She could only feel that she had done something wrong and, if not for the crimson blood flowing from Boudica's hand, she would have tried to take her life a second time.Since standing around would accomplish nothing, Vahn eventually steeled himself as he walked over to the duo's side. Boudica actually glared at him for a brief moment but, after a few seconds passed, she just shook her head and hugged Nero even tighter. Her look made Vahn feel as though his guilt had compounded but, doing his best not to let it show; he knelt down so that his face was only a few centimeters away from Nero's as he muttered, "Never again...I won't allow it..."Feeling his own emotions begin to burst forth, Vahn had to take a deep breath through his nose as his eyes began to sting slightly. Fortunately, he was able to keep his composure enough to carry out his original intentions so, before Nero could ask what he meant; Vahn placed his hand atop her head as he solemnly stated, "It is an order...as your Master, I expressively forbid you to try and take your life, Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. Your life had value...more than you seem capable of understanding. I hope, one day, you will understand the pain you have caused everyone here..."After triggering such an extreme response from her earlier, Vahn didn't really know what to say to the current Nero. Part of him wanted to just hug her, holding her body tightly until she realized just how important her life was. Boudica, however, didn't seem intent on letting her go any time soon so, using Nero's earlier words to guide his, Vahn decided to play the part of her Master...As this thought crossed his mind, Vahn briefly remembered the peculiar incident that had occurred prior to Nero's summoning. He had nearly selected the Lily version of Nero by pure happenstance and, now that he saw her like this, part of him wished that he had done so. Nero, in many ways, was like a child that desperately needed the guidance of parental figures. She didn't know how to take control of her life without being in control of everything. Boudica could fill the role of a surrogate mother but, in the grand scheme of things, there was only one person who could have been a father to her...Realizing these things, Vahn released a melancholic sigh as he continued to caress the confused Nero's head. Now, even if he wanted to treat her as his daughter, Nero's experiences made this all but impossible. Though he could give her a new vessel, just like Mordred, she would still have a lot of trouble fitting in with others, both children and adults. The 'best' option would be to tweak her memories but that wasn't really a solution, not in this case.Since she had been watching him the entire time, Nero could tell that Vahn was struggling. She was unable to understand exactly why he was upset but she knew he was saddened by her actions. Since he had even used a command spell to prevent her from committing suicide, Nero began to feel like she had misunderstood the situation. It seemed like he still needed her so, even if she was unable to understand why, exactly, Nero began to feel her dark thoughts slowly fading away.Like a switch had been flipped, Nero's smile spontaneously returned, her aura blazing like a golden sun as she broke free from her catatonic state. She then used her free hand to lightly pat Boudica's head, saying in a gratified tone, "Thank you for worrying about me. I'm fine now, umu, please release me...grkk...you are a lot stronger than you look. Umu..."Hearing the first half of Nero's words, Boudica put even more strength into her embrace. However, when she heard the former groan, she immediately weakened her hold, saying, "You're not okay...not yet. Don't think you can fool me with words alone..."With Boudica refusing to release her, Nero couldn't help but furrow her brows slightly but, just as she was considering breaking free, calming energy flowed into her mind, courtesy of Vahn. When she turned to look at him, the latter had a wry smile on his face as he stated, "Consider this your punishment for worrying us. It is okay to not be okay, Nero...you don't have to force yourself to put on an act. Nobody here expects you to be a perfect Emperor without any flaws...after all, I have a fair number myself. If you want to fit in and understand others, you have to be willing to expose your true feelings to them. Don't be afraid to ask for help...if there is something you don't understand, we will help you find the answer..."Though it was probably impossible for him to fill the role of a parent to the current Nero, that didn't mean Vahn couldn't help guide her. She had clearly been shaped from a young age to behave in a certain way so, even if it caused a few awkward moments between them, Vahn needed to be willing to reprimand and guide Nero when she made mistakes. He could also have her help test the Virtual World simulations with Da Vinci, potentially giving her the chance to live and grow from childhood without having to make any changes to her current self.For now, however, Vahn needed to show Nero that she wasn't unnecessary. She needed to know she had value, even if it would take her a long time to understand exactly what it was. With this in mind, he looked toward Boudica, adding, "For now, I'll have you move into the Inner Sanctum as well. It will take a few weeks before we're ready to establish the European Supercolony. Until then, I want you to live alongside Nero. I believe she will learn more from interacting with you than observing Artoria...is that okay?"Though Nero seemed like she wanted to disagree, Boudica preempted her response by hugging her tightly and saying, "You don't even need to ask." Then, in order to convince Nero, she whispered, "It will be okay. Your Master can be a bit of an idiot at times but he is surprisingly competent when it comes to things like this. Trust that there is a reason behind his decision and give it a chance...it may take a while, but I promise to teach you how to be happy."Nero wasn't completely convinced by Boudica's words but, with her pointing out that this was the decision Vahn had made, she ultimately nodded her head in agreement. She was aware that she and Boudica would be working together during the establishment of the European Supercolony so, for the time being, she would do her best to get along with the buxom woman. This would also allow her to interact with the rest of the Inner Sanctum's residents with greater ease, borrowing on the rapport that Boudica had built with them.With Nero's acquiescence, Boudica's mood was instantly improved. A loving smile spread across her face before she noticed the wry one on Vahn's. Then, remembering she had just called him an idiot, her brows furrowed in an apologetic manner. This caused Vahn to lightly shake his head, his smile returning to normal as he added, "I can't force her to stay in one place but I'll also leave Spenta in your care, at least for the time being."Hearing Vahn mention Spenta caused the tensions in the air to dissipate slightly as even Nero had become rather fond of the adorable white-haired girl. Not only did she have a calming aura, but her skin was very soft to the touch. This, combined with her naturally high body temperature, made her an ideal companion for sleeping, something Nero had confirmed several times.Feeling everyone's mood improve, Vahn's own tensions relaxed. He was hoping that Spenta would be the glue that brought Nero and the others together. Even if they didn't like Nero, there was no way they could refuse Spenta as she was the literal manifestation of 'All the World's Good'. The one time Vahn had sent Spenta away, as he had been rather busy, he ended up being filled with so much regret that he ultimately dropped what he was doing to go spend time with her.Now, until Nero was able to relinquish her facade, Vahn would surround her with caring people who would never stop trying to peel back her protective layers. At the same time, he would try to become a good Master to her and, if necessary, a surrogate father. Though would never refer to himself in such a manner, as that would likely cause even more problems, that didn't prevent him from treating Nero with the care she seemed to desperately need. Then, when she had finally opened her heart to others, he would reward her until she was completely satisfied...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'There will always be someone pained by your actions...','Boudica got that glare only a Mother can pull off...','Spenta is 'literally' the goodest girl...at least in the Nasuverse (UwU). She still has a long way to go before reaching Fenrir, however~')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

At times, Vahn felt like he would have a day that felt exponentially longer than others. It was barely approaching noon, but, from his perspective, nearly five days had passed. In that time, he had babysat his children, engaged in a contest of strength, visited multiple people, forged an S-Rank weapon, fought against his Memory Fragment, and participated in no less than two orgies. It had been a very eventful day, and, with his upcoming meeting with Solon, followed by the lecture he was scheduled to advise, it was nowhere near completion.Fortunately, Nero was in the care of Boudica so Vahn was able to relax while his main body waited for the arrival of the children. He had already been sitting there for around twenty minutes in utter silence as the matter with Nero had required a lot of focus. Now, he rested with his back against a cold stone pillar, pretending not to have noticed Mordred goading Mash to sneak up on him. They knew it was impossible to actually surprise him but, never one to spoil the children's fun, Vahn just sat with his eyes closed, pretending to meditate.Though Mordred's plan was to have Mash surprise her Chichue with a hug, the bashful girl didn't have the heart to do such a thing. Instead, she just lightly poked Vahn's cheek, her finger leaving a small imprint. When he didn't react, she blinked in surprise before turning back to see Mordred giving her a thumbs-up gesture and a large grin. This caused Mash to swallow the knot in her throat but, still unable to go through with the plan, she instead lightly pat the top of her Master's head with a small smile on her face.Seeing Mash's behavior, Mordred ran her hands down her face in exasperation before slapping her cheeks a few times. Then, before Mash could react, Mordred tackled her from behind, crashing into the 'sleeping' Vahn with a bit of force. This caused Mash to fluster with a red face but, just as she was about to apologize, the surroundings 'shattered' as Vahn appeared standing behind, a gentle smile on his face as he mused, "You shouldn't tease Mash too much, Mordred."Since they were now standing back near the entrance to the Transfer Room, it didn't take long for the girls to realize that Vahn had 'counter-pranked' them. Mash, however, still had a red face as she bowed low and stammered, "Please forgive me, Master. Mordred may have come up with the idea but it was still my decision to carry it out."Before Mash could say more, Vahn stroked both of their heads as he said, "It's nothing to apologize for. A bit of mischief is healthy. Just make sure not to push yourself."Though it wasn't the first or even the thousandth time she had her head rubbed, Mash could never get completely used to it. As for Mordred, she fully embraced the caress, a cat-like smile on her face as she unashamedly rubbed her head against his palm. It didn't matter to her if she had returned to her 'adult' form, she still enjoyed skinship with her Chichiue. If her Hahaue wouldn't reprimand her for it, she would still ride on his shoulders or hang off him like a monkey whenever the opportunity presented itself...With Mash sitting at his side and Mordred sitting happily in his lap, Vahn waited for the rest of the children to arrive. He could sense all of their locations so he knew they were already on their way; he had just arrived a little early. If he really wanted to, he could just teleport them directly to the Clock Tower without escorting them but, as that felt too impersonal, Vahn made sure he always made time to take them to, and from, school.Eventually, Sakura and Zoë showed up together, their entrance preceding Astrid's by less than a minute. Since Vahn knew the latter was on the way, he had Mordred vacate his lap before rising to give the new arrivals a cursory head pat. This was basically his way of greeting people so they were completely used to it. Rather, it would be more accurate to say they looked forward to it as Vahn's legacy as the Godhand hadn't exactly faded with time.Once Astrid arrived, Vahn greeted her in the same way as everyone else before asking the group, "Is everyone ready? I'm not going to teleport back if you forgot something." Then, despite them saying nothing was amiss, Vahn looked toward the sleepy-looking Zoë, asking, "Where is your pendant...?"Hearing Vahn's question, Zoë's hand immediately moved to her neck, finding her usual pendant missing. This caused her face to pale before immediately turning scarlet soon after as she bowed in a flustered manner and exclaimed, "P-please wait a moment! I'll be right back...!!" Then, with speed far greater than a normal human child, Zoë attempted to bolt out of the room to go and retrieve her pendant.Before she had made it more than ten steps, Zoë felt herself be pulled back, her feet leaving the ground as she slowly drifted through the air. She felt both confused and embarrassed but, when Vahn suddenly handed her a small peridot pendant, she breathed a sigh of relief before muttering, "Thank you..." in a small voice.It was a simple feat for Vahn to 'grab' items from pretty much anywhere within the Ivory Castle using his domain so there was no sense in making Zoë retrieve it herself. He just wanted to help her wake up and give her a reason to pay more attention to her preparations in the future. She had obviously been sleeping prior to arriving in the Transfer Room as her uniform was still disorderly, despite the fact Sakura had helped to fix her up.Now that everyone was actually ready, Vahn asked one final time before they all transferred directly to the Sage Aldrnari Commons. From there, he parted with the children after telling them to do their best, leaving them to basically sprint the rest of the way across campus. They still had a few minutes until class was supposed to start so, even after stopping by their dorms to pick up a few things, they had more than enough time to reach the classroom, assuming, of course, they ran at their fastest speed...---After taking a few minutes to just sort his thoughts, Vahn stood up, stretched his body, popped his back, and then teleported to the underground elevator that led to Solon's private garden. It didn't take long for the elevator itself to descend so, after boarding, Vahn steeled himself to meet with Solon, this time without an entourage. He would normally have someone like Artoria present but, out of consideration for Solon's character, Vahn felt things would go a lot smoother if they were alone.Fortunately, Zelretch had been extremely busy as of late so, upon ascending to the usual circular stone platform, Vahn found his surroundings bereft of a greeting party. Thus, without dallying, he made his way up the winding stone steps before opening the large stone doors of the temple-like construct at the end. Inside, he found the usual pathway that led to the suspended platform at the very center of the garden. There, Solon already had an annoyed expression on their face as, even without knowing why Vahn had arrived, his presence all but guaranteed trouble.Without minding Solon's pointed look, Vahn made his way over, sitting down on one of two chairs that had been prepared. Since the table between them was empty, he pulled out some piping hot tea made from literal Yggdrasil Leaves. This obviously caught Solon's attention as, even if it had no relation to the tree they received their power from, there was a certain vitality emanating from the pot, one they were very familiar with.Before questioning what trouble Vahn brought their way, Solon poured a cup of tea for themselves, sampling the contents like a cat. This caused Vahn to raise his brow slightly but, deciding it was best to avoid teasing the emotionally unstable Magus, he focused on the contents of his own cup.After sampling the emerald-green tea, Solon's eyes widened marginally before they downed the entire contents of their cup in one go. For a brief moment, they seemed to forget Vahn was present, releasing a hot and contented sigh before slouching in their chair, a comfortable expression on their face. It was only when they opened their eyes to find Vahn staring back at them did Solon seem to remember the origin of the tea. Their expression became dour in an instant but, before they were able to say anything, Vahn plainly stated, "Don't...you'll ruin the taste of the tea. Just relax..."Following his own advice, Vahn refilled his cup before leaning back in the ornate wooden chair, his mind wandering to pleasant thoughts of home and family. This earned him a prolonged glare from Solon but, after a few seconds had passed, they finally relented before pouring themselves a second cup. They knew Vahn would undoubtedly say something unpleasant so, given the option between dealing with him before or after the tea, Solon ultimately decided upon the latter.Like two old men who had just returned from a hard day's work, Vahn and Solon both sank into their chairs, holding their cups with both hands like a mug of hot cocoa. The tea, when combined with the peaceful surroundings, created a sensation as if their souls were being healed. Thus, for a short few minutes, all of their past animosity was forgotten. There was only the tea, the peaceful atmosphere, and a surprisingly comfortable wooden chair...Unfortunately, a single pot of tea between two people didn't last so, after around twenty minutes, Solon claimed the final amount for themselves before asking, "Why have you come here? Even if you told me it was just to have tea, I would never believe you..."Since there was no sense in beating around the bush, Vahn stared into Solon's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, something very few could manage, as he answered, "Simply put, circumstances require that I make you into my direct subordinate. Now, before you lash out at me, hear me out until the end..."Though Vahn was speaking calmly at first, his expression and tone become stern to match the fierce expression on Solon's face. Even the cup in their hand had started to tremble slightly as the tension between them began to compound exponentially. In the end, however, Solon made an earnest effort to calm down, breathing somewhat loudly through their button-like nose for several seconds before giving a small nod.Seeing Solon forcibly restrain themselves, Vahn allowed his own aura to mellow out slightly as he explained, "I won't bother trying to convince you through words. We both knew the current status quo would be impossible to maintain during the coming convergence. The Empire has decided to move forward with some of our larger plans, many of which include the Mage's Association..."Vahn said he wasn't going to convince Solon with words but that didn't mean he could just avoid explaining what propelled him to move forward with his decision. To this end, he pulled out a stack of documents related to the creation of the Supercolonies, allowing Solon to view them while he added, "As you can see, I intend to plant World Trees at the heart of every Supercolony. Though I can create a Spirit to manage them, I know of your association with the original Yggdrasil of this world. If you are willing to become my subordinate, I will allow you to become a Sacred Tree Spirit, Guardian of the World Trees...what say you, Solon Yggdrasil?"With how much Solon's hands were trembling, it gave the impression they were moments away from tearing the documents to pieces. Instead, they glared back at Vahn, asking, "Did that flowery asshole tell you...?" To this, Vahn simply nodded his head in response, earning an aggrieved, teeth-gnashing reaction from Solon. In the end, however, they slammed the papers down on the table and shouted, "You already know I can't refuse this! Tell me, what do you want from me you...you bastard!?"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Would you call this productive...?','Mordred's antics never cease','How to tame your Sacred Tree Spirit...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Since he still needed to take the children to school, Vahn wrapped up his discussion with Merlin while, back in his chambers, he listened to as Nero droned on about how severely she punished those responsible for Boudica's rebellion. As for the woman in question, she just silently listened at the side with a polite smile on her face. She, like Artoria, always sat in a very ladylike manner, her hands neatly folded in her lap unless she reached for her teacup.Feeling that Nero could talk forever, as she changed topics quite a bit, Vahn eventually raised his hand in a placating gesture to have her calm down. To his surprise, this caused Nero to fall silent, so, for a brief moment, silence dominated the room as all four girls attentively waited for him to speak. Things like this always gave Vahn the urge to smile wryly but, understanding there was little he could do to change how they acted around him; he maintained his usual smile as he said, "It seems like you are getting along well. That is good to hear."In response to his words, Nero nodded her head with an 'umu' before answering, "Indeed. It is as you say, Master. I greatly respect people like Artoria and Boudica. Umu, it is not easy to lead your people during trying times. Now that fate has gathered us together like this; it eases my heart to be able to clear up matters that always weighed heavily on my consciousness."Hearing Nero's words, Boudica issued an elegant, pleasant-sounding, laugh. She used her gloved hand to politely cover her mouth, her aquamarine eyes glimmering with complex emotions until she noticed Vahn's glance. Her laughter had turned everyone's attention to her, so, with a kind smile on her face, she stated, "Pardon my behavior...". Then, turning her eyes back to Nero, she added, "I, too, am pleased by how things have turned out. Vahn's power grants us a unique opportunity...the ability to correct the mistakes of the past. The future he envisions...we should do our best to make it into a reality."As she spoke, Boudica brought her hands together like she was praying. This caused a scene that would shake most men to their core as, with her large breasts and low-cut dress, it almost looked like they would pop out at any moment. As a result, Artoria, Gray, and even Nero glared at the deep crease while Vahn, with his eyes closed, sipped at his cup of tea. He would have no part in whatever they were thinking inside their minds, at least for the time being...Though her eyes and briefly focused on Boudica's breasts, Artoria quickly cast a glance toward Vahn before ultimately nodding her head and saying, "I cannot help but agree with your words, Boudica. The only thing I would change is...the future is not Vahn's alone to decide. We, too, must work hard to make our dreams a reality. I have chosen a path that runs parallel to my husband, not behind him. This is my conviction as both an Empress, a Mother, and a Knight."Vahn felt extremely gratified to hear such words from Artoria, his gaze overlapping with hers as they both stared at each other, eyes filled with passion, resolution, and love. It was only when Nero began to lightly applaud that they looked away from each other, staring at the golden-haired beauty who had a brilliant smile on her face as she lightly exclaimed, "Bravo~! Well said! Umu! Umu~!" Then, as if the gazes of everyone empowered her, Nero rose to her feet, hands on her hips as she stated, "If this is how things are to be, I, too, have made my decision! Umu!"Following her outburst, Nero moved toward Vahn but, before she could cross the relatively short distance, Gray barred her passage; her icy-blue eyes turning a deep crimson as she asked, "Have you forgotten yourself?"Though she had already broken free from his absolute authority over her, Gray had a propensity to be overprotective of her Master. She didn't like how Nero behaved so, seeing her try and approach Vahn after interrupting the moment between him and Arotira, Gray was more than a little annoyed.Nero appeared slightly taken aback by the fact Gray had blocked her passage, her smile growing in size as she took a slow and deep breath through her nose. Instead of lashing out or doing anything to cause a further scene, however, she ultimately released an exasperated sigh before shaking her head and saying, "I merely wished to bend the knee to my Master. Forgive me for lending a bit of gravitas and flair to a climactic moment in my life...it was never my intention to offend. Umu..."Hearing what Nero had to say, Gray suddenly felt a little anxious and, though she had gotten a lot better at controlling it, her face took on a ruddy glow due to her rising embarrassment. Fortunately, her Master helped to deescalate the situation, rising to his feet to pat the top of her head as he said, "Thank you for worrying on my behalf, Gray...please, take a seat."Backing down on her own would have been difficult so, after enjoying her Master's caress for a short while, Gray returned to her seat. Nero's eyes had followed her throughout the entire process so, with the golden-haired Empress observing her, Gray lowered her head apologetically. This caused Nero's smile to return to normal, followed by her turning back to Vahn; their height difference requiring her to crane her head a considerable amount to lock eyes with him.With Nero looking directly at him, Vahn gave a nod of approval while maintaining his usual smile. In response, she lightly pulled at the side of her dress while lowering her body. This allowed the cloth to flare out in a graceful manner, almost like a flower blooming as she lowered her head. By doing so, she was effectively throwing away her status as an Emperor. Though it had been an empty title in the present, the only person who could truly strip away Nero's title was the woman herself...The problem with this situation was that Nero hadn't made clear exactly what it was she had decided upon. Her taking a knee was symbolic of loyalty and service but, in the grand scheme of things, there was any number of official roles and responsibilities to assign her. Like this, it almost felt like she was leaving the decision in his hands, a troublesome matter to be sure.As if to indicate this was, indeed, her intentions; Nero remained silent, her golden bangs and forelocks concealing her face from view. The only thing Vahn had to go off was her massive ahoge, the largest of all the girls residing within the Inner Sanctum. If he had thought about it prior to this moment, Vahn would have been able to understand just how deep Nero's trauma had been. After all, the existence and size of an ahoge seemed to be directly tied to how much a person had suppressed their emotions...Seeing the gravity-defying ahoge begin to dip slightly, Vahn began to feel slightly anxious and a little apologetic. Even the gazes of Boudica, Artoria, and Gray seemed to become a little tense so, after a moment of internal deliberation, he took a deep breath and, not really knowing what else to do, as he couldn't just arbitrarily assign a post to Nero; Vahn reached out his hand and began to stroke the top of her head.Though the atmosphere immediately became a little awkward, Vahn decided not to mind it. Instead, he continued to rub Nero's head, periodically removing his hand to see the state of her ahoge. It had reverted back to its usual vitality and, after a bit more effort, began to wiggle around a little. Once it seemed 'happy', Vahn retracted his hand as he softly stated, "I will not tell you what path you should follow, Nero. All I've ever wanted for others was their own happiness...so long as it does not interfere in the happiness of others, feel free to follow the route you please. Happiness is something you find within yourself so only you can make decisions about your future."While it may sound a little hypocritical given the fact he had summoned her to this timeline for a very specific purpose, Vahn still wanted everyone he summoned to be happy. In exchange for their service, he would do his best to grant their wishes. Nero's wish wasn't something he was privy to so, without knowing more about her character; he was simply unqualified to determine what path she should walk. At best, he could give her a small push but, in the end, only she could take those first few steps...Hearing Vahn's words, Nero lifted her head to show a mixture of confusion and loss in her eyes. She didn't seem particularly upset but, within her emerald-green irises, a deeply rooted uncertainty was visible. Her smile had also faded away to reveal a largely neutral expression while her aura, usually vibrant like a golden sun, had turned mellow and calm. It reminded Vahn a lot of Kenshin, someone who had cultivated a certain personality their entire life...someone who emulated emotions without truly understanding them.When Nero finally spoke, Vahn didn't quite know how to respond as she plainly stated, "You are a strange one...". Then, after looking around at everyone else in the room, Nero turned back to him and added, "Is this why people love? Compassion...empathy...or is it your strangeness that attracts them? If I sincerely wanted to become your sex slave, would you allow me to walk that path? What if I chose to abandon the Empire and live amongst the masses? Would you let me go, knowing full well how my personality would influence others?"Without waiting for an actual response, Nero shook her head as if to dismiss her own ideas. She then adopted a serious expression as she plainly stated, "I never wanted to be an Emperor. I never wanted the responsibility of leading people I could never understand. Even now, I never wanted to return to this world, summoned into a situation entirely unrelated to me. Here, I have nothing, know nothing, am nothing. All I desire is acceptance...a place to belong...someone that understands me..."Toward the end of her words, Nero averted her eyes once again, looking between Boudica, Artoria, and Gray. A wry smile then slowly replaced her blank expression as she added, "I wanted to believe this was the place that would accept me...".At this point, the atmosphere had become tense and solemn but, as Nero was not yet finished, they could only listen silently as she turned back to Vahn, smiling in a way that didn't read her eyes. This caused the latter to feel as if she suddenly gripped his heart tightly, a painful feeling seizing him as she stated, "It seems I was mistaken. I believed you had summoned me here because you wanted me to be here. I thought that after nearly two-thousand years...someone finally needed me. Now, I have come to learn just how mistaken I was..."Before Vahn was able to say anything to refute Nero's claims, the latter pulled out a small dagger that had been concealed between her hands. Time seemed to slow to a crawl in an instant as all the hair on the back of Vahn's neck stood on end. He instinctually moved his hand to intercept the small blade but, catching movement from the side, he slowed his actions marginally to avoid crashing into Boudica. She knew better than most what the look in Nero's eyes represented so she wasted no time in interfering, blocking the blade by grabbing it with her right hand.Due to how quickly she had moved, Boudica ended up basically tackling Nero to the ground, their bodies tumbling a few times in the process. When they came to a stop, Boudica had an angry and teary-eyed expression on her face as she shouted, "You stupid girl!" in the characteristic way only mothers could manage. Then, as confusion colored Nero's expression, Boudica hugged her tightly and began sobbing in a heartwrenching manner...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Literally the longest day ever...','TFW you dodge a trap only to step on a landmine...','A wild Boudimama appears...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1368: Burdens of the Heart