Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though Vahn had no intention of using CHALDEAS to unreasonably persecute people who had yet to commit crimes, that didn't mean it wasn't extremely useful for determining when an attack would come. While it wasn't completely accurate, as any major event could drastically change the future, the combination of CHALDEAS, Sherlock, and Ark left very little room for variance.Since the Imperial Gala was a relatively important event, one which gathered many of the world's most powerful people in one room, ascertaining whether or not something would go wrong was of paramount importance. Vahn couldn't risk seeding further doubts into the minds of the Magus community if he intended to use them to establish order. They needed to be confident and fearful of his power, believing he could protect them while knowing what fate awaited them should they choose to oppose the Empire.To this end, the Empire had made considerable preparations for what was to come. Though it wasn't obvious at a glance, the security of the Edelfelt Mansion, at least on this particular evening, was more comprehensive than could be imagined. So much effort had gone into the preparations that, even after half an hour had passed, there wasn't a single person in the hall who realized what was going on, outside of those who were informed directly...---While Vahn and Artoria were making the rounds alongside Luvia, allowing people to introduce themselves, Mordred and Sakura were doing much the same. The difference was, even without a mediator to ease the tensions, people weren't nearly afraid to approach them. After all, they had the appearance of fourteen-year-old girls and, after seeing how amicably they conversed with the other young men and women within the ballroom, the parents and colleagues of said children used the opportunity to weasel their way into the conversation.In many situations, the children belonging to the Department of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory had either distanced themselves from their families or, in some situations, emancipated themselves with the support of the Empire. Despite this, their shameless parents readily tried to exploit their progeny, some even going as far as to try and smooth things over in order to receive some of the benefits their children had been able to obtain through their own efforts.Though the more prideful and confident students were able to deflect without much trouble, that didn't mean there wasn't any drama whatsoever. One particular example had been when Sakura was talking with one of few students she generally got along with, an intelligent-looking young woman with neatly trimmed orange hair who could always be seen wearing an eyepatch, Ophelia Phamrsolone. Sakura had befriended the girl after Ophelia hesitantly approached her, asking for advice on how she could improve as a Magus.Sakura was a lot easier to approach than Mordred so, when it came to the more demure and shy girls, she was quite popular. Now, however, Sakura's brows had furrowed slightly as a young man with long golden hair, reaching past his shoulders, approached their small group. He was dressed like an affluent Noble but, as if to further elevating himself amongst his peers, he elected to wear a pure white outfit that was enchanted to prevent dirt or stains.At a glance, the man had a very princely appearance but, while his blue eyes were striking, his face was formed into an expression that seemed to look down on everyone around him. Even as he approached Sakura's group, his expression hadn't changed much and, though he managed to perform a flawless bow, Sakura couldn't shake the feeling he was looking down on, not just her, but all the girls gathered around her.Though nearly everyone knew who the young man was, Ophelia was the only one who had been affiliated with him in the past. Thus, when the man turned his icy gaze upon her, she shrunk next to Sakura, muttering, "This is Kirschtaria Wodime, the Head of a thousand-year-old Magus family. After Miss Animusphere left school to fulfill her duties, he became the next in line to become the Faculty Head of the Department of Astronomy..."With Ophelia fulfilling her 'responsibility', Kirschtaria seemed to immediately lose interest in her, adding, "It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Imperial Highness, Princess Sakura. I have heard tales of your beauty and prowess so it is truly an honor to meet you in person."Despite his flowery words, Kirschtaria's expression didn't change much and, while he was being polite, Sakura liked him less with each passing moment. However, due to her status, it was harder than she would like to simply chase people away. If she did so in a drastic fashion, it would harm the other person's reputation a considerable amount and, as Kirschtaria hadn't done anything to proactively offend her, she was obligated to tolerate him.Forcing a smile onto her face, Sakura gave the handsome man a small nod before issuing him a slight 'warning' by saying, "It is unfortunate, Lord Wodime, but I have heard very little of you prior to tonight. You must be quite capable to have won the favor of Lord Animusphere but, based on my friend's reaction, I must ask that you kindly give us some space. Unless you have a matter of import to discuss, I would prefer to continue our discussion, ladies only."Though his expression didn't change in the slightest, Kirschtaria blinked a few times in surprise, seemingly unaccustomed to being chased away. He held the current Rank 1 position for 'Most handsome man in the Clock Tower' and, due to his status and prospects, the number of women desiring his courtship, both young and old, easily exceeded three digits.Not wanting to offend an Imperial Princess, Kirschtaria ultimately performed a polite bow, stating, "It is unfortunate but, if that is the wish of Your Imperial Highness, I will readily excuse myself. One day, I hope my accomplishments are enough to earn your esteemed recognition..."After raising his head, Kirschtaria cast his gaze over Ophelia once again, his eyes squinting ever-so-slightly in an accusatory manner before he turned away, his cape flourishing slightly as a result. He was obviously displeased about how things had gone but, with a dignified countenance and perfect bearing, Kirschtaria boldly passed through the group lingering around the periphery of Sakura's group, each looking for an opportunity to make their own introduction.When the gap created by Kirschtaria gradually closed, Ophelia released a tired sigh at Sakura's side before lowering her head and saying, "I'm sorry about that, Sakura...Kirchtaria isn't actually a bad guy. He just doesn't know how to properly show emotions and, due to his family, the way he views others is...unpleasant. I used to look up to him but, after I left the Department of Astronomy in order to join the Department of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory, we haven't been able to see eye-to-eye. The Wodime and Phamrsolone families have had close ties for a long time so there is a good chance I would have been married off to him in the future. He didn't take kindly to the fact I ran away from my family as, while I did so for personal reasons, it was an indirect blemish to his pride..."Given how Kirschtaria elected to wear pure-white clothing, it was easy to see he was the type of man who abhorred uncleanliness. Even if it didn't actually have anything to do with him, any kind of blemish, even a perceived one, wasn't acceptable.Kirschtaria aspired to be the 'perfect' Magus and, as he had already been nominated as the next Head of the Department of Astronomy, combined with his nomination for the Rank of Pride, he had a lot of reason to consider himself above others. He was only nineteen this year and, even before the previous purge, he was considered one of the gems of the Mage's Association.Unfortunately, as it was all but impossible to succeed in the previous Association without having a certain kind of character, Kirschtaria embodied the Old Era to a startling extent. He appeared to carry himself with dignity and pride but, if you peeled back the layers of his character, you would find an arrogant young man who had never experienced any real setbacks. His family had never been one of the top ten but, with a legacy stretching back a thousand years, he had never been left wanting when it came to resources and opportunities. Though he certainly put in a great deal of effort, the fact he was always leagues above his peers had left a deep impression on the young man's mind.Part of Sakura's education included learning more about the former and current Magus families so, despite her earlier words, she knew a considerable amount regarding Kirschtaria, including his character and accomplishments. Sherlock had made a comprehensive profile of virtually every member of the Mage's Association so, if she were to access the system and elevate her request to a high enough level, she could even expose Kirschtaria's deepest and darkest secrets. This wasn't something she could just arbitrarily decide, however, as the young man had been given a 'Pale Green' status, meaning his threat level, from the perspective of the Empire, was negligible.The main reason Sakura had sent Kirschtaria away was out of consideration for Ophelia. She had learned a bit about the young woman's past and, due to her sincere desire to liberate herself and forge her own destiny, Sakura had grown quite fond of her. Though she was part of the larger group that revolved around Mordred, Sakura was also the leader of her own small social group, consisting predominately of shy and demure girls with gentle and kind natures. They all looked up to her so, if the opportunity presented itself, Sakura wouldn't just ignore them when they are in trouble.As a result of her personal resolve regarding the matter, Sakura nodded her head in affirmation but, rather than support Ophelia's attempt to smooth things over, she plainly stated, "You don't have to speak on behalf of others, Ophelia. You owe Lord Wodime nothing and, if it turns out he is truly a good man, he will distinguish himself through his actions. Putting pressure on you to try and get closer to me wasn't something a good man would do so, while I understand he isn't a bad person, that doesn't translate to him being a good one, either."Though her eyes revealed various complex emotions, Ophelia still managed an awkward smile, understanding that Sakura was supporting her. It didn't seem to matter that her status as Imperial Princess had been revealed, Sakura was still the same caring person they had all come to respect over the last few months. She unified all of the girls who sought to change their fates but, due to being pressured their entire lives, had trouble deciding upon the best course of action.With Sakura's guidance, they had all made incredible progress in their studies and, though the future still seemed uncertain, they chose to believe in the Empire's vision. They wanted to be able to choose their fates freely, not be forced into difficult situations for no better reason than the fact they had been born female.The Empire promised an equilibrium of status between genders and race, often with very serious consequences for violent offenders. Thus, while the Emperor was rumored to be a deviant with a harem exceeding hundreds of women, mostly Heroic Spirits, they still looked up to him. The fact he was able to produce children like Mordred and Sakura, people they greatly idolized, was more than enough reason for them to wholly support his vision. It helped that, despite the rumors that circulated about him, Vahn's appearance easily eclipsed even famous models. Since the girls all had his Familia Crest engraved on their bodies, he had, inadvertently, left a deep impression on their hearts as well...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Trying to surprise the Empire is quite difficult xD...','The embodiment of gentlemanly arrogance','Yes, FBI-san? He's over here...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With most power grids being taken down due to their influence on the environment and the waste they produced, the evening brought with it a veil of darkness, illuminated by nothing but the ocean of stars and the brilliance of the moon. As a result, it was a lot harder to get around late at night as, without anything to light your path, finding your way through the darkness was very difficult.As could be expected, there were some who thrived in this new environment as, with police and military forces being stretched thin, public order was at an all-time low. Though some regions had been less affected, such as areas where a large number of Magi congregated, the number of crimes taking place at night had skyrocketed. In some areas, humans, due to the circumstances and an ever-increasing amount of mana in the atmosphere, had even developed night vision as a result. This was just one of many adaptations that had started to proliferate around the world as, following Da Vinci's predictions, humanity was capable of rapid evolution when provided with adequate stimulus.This evening, the night was even darker than usual as, while the endless sea of stars slowly spun overhead, the moon was nowhere to be seen. While moonlight nights weren't particularly rare, as it was simply the phenomenon where the earth casts its shadow over the moon's surface, the fact it had been visible the previous night was a tell-tale sign that something was amiss. Though many overlooked this fact, entirely, there were some who noticed this incongruity almost immediately...Staring up at the endless sea of stars above, a man with pale white hair and tanned skin, attired in a casual outfit consisting of a black hoodie and grey slacks, pulled out a device similar in design and function to a cellphone. The primary difference was, instead of using satellites to transfer the signal, it sent messages through Imaginary Number Space, using a series of small waypoints to establish communication. Though it was several times less effective than the system developed by Da Vinci, it still allowed almost instantaneous communication, regardless of distance.With a deeply fatigued voice, the man held the 'Communicator' up to his ear, saying, "I'm calling off the operation. The enemy seems to have seen through our plan..."Normally, when a Communicator was used, it compiled a message into a single sound bite before sending it through to the receiver on the other side. This was generally denoted by a soft bell-like chime, often immediately after a message was sent. Though it was possible for various factors to delay the process, there were very few that could actually block the signal without cutting off the connection to Imaginary Number Space.For these reasons, the man released a tired sigh as, even after more than thirty seconds had gone by, the expected ping never came. This wasn't the first time he had tried, either, so he was close to pulling his hair out in frustration. With the exception of their so-called leader, his companions weren't exactly the brightest bunch. Some of them were outright idiotic and, rather than run from a fight, they were the types that threw themselves into the unknown with confidence...After running his hand through his hair in an effort to remain calm, the man released a tired sigh before jumping off from his perch, landing on the ground more than eight meters below. Even on contact, his movements didn't make a single sound and, after rising to his feet, his figure seemed to blur into the surroundings before completely disappearing moments later. It was obvious they had already triggered the enemy's trap but, as this was one of the few chances they had to strike a blow against the Emperor so, while his instincts were screaming at him to flee, he could only do so after confirming his allies had already withdrawn...---Without noticing the discrepancy with the moon, a trio of women, each wearing outfits that didn't match the time period, directly approached the front gate of the Edelfelt Mansion. One wore an ornate purple kimono, covered in an artistic pattern consisting of various flowers. As for her other two companions, one wore what could only be described as gladiatorial armor while the other, standing out in more ways than one, wore a skin-tight bodysuit, reminiscent of a scuba suit but covered in pale blue lines that gently pulsed in the darkness.As all three women were armed, the Edelfelt Security Forces immediately alerted the Command Center while simultaneously activating an extremely powerful barrier. This caused the woman at the front of the group, the kimono-clad Musashi, to shoulder her katana with a smile on her face as she mused, "You guys are pretty quick to respond. Nice and decisive. It's a shame you chose to serve an evil tyrant..."Since Musashi had been walking forward casually, the fact she already had her sword drawn and resting on her shoulder caused the scalps of every man and woman manning the gate to tingle. It had happened without a single one of them noticing and, though the barrier seemed to activate without issue, the edges seemed to be flickering unnaturally. Normally, it would cast a visible blue light that pulsed with vitality but, a stark contrast to what they were used to, it now seemed like an old lightbulb on the verge of flickering out the moment something touched it.As if to complete this illusion, the woman standing to Musashi's left, wearing extremely revealing white armor, reminiscent of an ancient gladiator, hefted her spear like a javelin, arching her body like a bow before loosing her spear like a beam of light. The Edelfelt Security Forces didn't even have time to move out of the way before the spear slammed into the barrier, shattering it without any suspense. It then contacted an area behind the gate, erupting into a plume of dust and debris as a shockwave akin to a truck of dynamite exploding shook the air and quaked the ground.Despite having tossed what appeared to be her only weapon, the bronze-skinned woman held out her hand and, after a flash of blue light, her spear returned to her side. Then, with her bunny-like ears flickering agitatedly, she asked, "What are we waiting for? Our enemies are going to run away if we just stand around doing nothing...!"Hearing her companion's shout, Musashi dug into her ear with her pinky, a lazy expression on her face as she answered, "You really need to stop stressing out over every little thing, Caenis. We're supposed to be luring our enemies out, not attacking them directly. There are over a thousand of those magic bastards inside. Do you really think they don't have the ability to defend themselves? Besides, that crazy Emperor went out of his way to personally assault our K2 base. You really think he is the type to just run away when we appear at his doorstep?"In timing with her words, a pillar of reddish-black light emerged from within the Edelfelt Mansion, destroying the front door and carving a channel through the ground. Despite this, Musashi made no effort to dodge as, while the beam of light seemed relatively powerful, most forms of Magic were completely useless against her. The moment the beam of light angled upward, seemingly intent on cutting through them, it split apart into hundreds of smaller destructive rays after hitting the invisible barrier that represented her [Magic Resistance].From within the destroyed section of the mansion, what appeared to be a very young woman emerged, her golden hair set into an ornate hairstyle that caused Musashi's brows to raise as she asked, "Wow, how much time does it take to style your hair like that?"With a smile on her face, the 'young' woman lifted her hand, creating a vortex of reddish-black energy more than a meter across as she answered, "I have a very capable hairdresser who is able to fix it in under two hours with advance notice~"To punctuate her words, the golden-haired woman released a much larger beam of magical energy, this time aiming it at the ground beneath Musashi's feet. Since her [Magic Resistance] had little effect on her surroundings, this forced the pale-haired samurai to release a small sigh, the hand gripping her katana tightening slightly as she prepared to cut it, and the woman, down.Truthfully, Musashi didn't like bullying the weak so, unless the opponent was near her level, it was difficult for her to get serious. Fortunately, she had a hyperaggressive, spartan-like, woman at her side so, without having to raise another finger, Musashi watched with a lazy expression as Caenis jumped in front of her, hoplite shield raised at chest level. Unfortunately, while she was able to easily intercept the beam of light, the golden-haired woman seemed proficient in the use of her Magic, changing the trajectory in an instant to forcibly redirect Caenis' shield.Moving with surprising swiftness, the golden-haired woman neared Caenis while the latter was still off-balance, several smaller orbs of magical energy dancing around her body in controlled orbits. This was enough to genuinely surprise Caenis as, due to her Lancer classification, she had A-Rank Agility. It was a nigh-impossible feat for a normal human to catch her by surprise but, lo and behold, she found herself at the mercy of a small and seemingly fragile maiden without even a shadow of fear visible in her flawless countenance...Despite having been caught completely off guard, Caenis managed to kick off the ground with her right foot, twisting her body in a whip-like fashion without trying to defend herself. This was enough to cause the golden-haired woman to try and open up a distance but, as she had already prepared her magical attack, Caenis found herself being impacted by several beams of reddish-black energy, about a finger's thickness in diameter.Though she was pushed back slightly, causing her kick to miss its mark by a few centimeters, Caenis was completely undamaged by the woman's attack. She also managed to recover almost instantly, jamming the tip of her spear into the ground to control her pivot and find her footing. In the next moment, she charged at the retreating figure of the golden-haired woman, spear angled low as she held her hoplite shield to cover her chest and the lower half of her face.With her attack impacting harmlessly against the bronze-skinned woman's exposed body, the golden-haired woman, Olivia, silently cursed in the back of her mind. She was forced to perform short-range teleportation just to avoid being skewered, a spell that took a considerable amount of her Magical Energy to perform. At most, she could use it up to five times before her reserves were completely drained, but, as it had been a long time since her last real battle, she still had a smile on her face.Tearing away the gown she had been wearing, Olivia revealed a dark-blue leotard that left very little to the imagination. Immediately afterward, a mana shroud covered her body and, while it wasn't too noticeable, all of her muscles became more defined. Then, without any fear at all, she charged toward Caenis, shouting, "Let's see what you're made of, girlie...!"Never expecting her opponent to suddenly charge after fleeing to safety, Caenis showed had a slightly incredulous look before immediately adopting a serious expression as she shouted, "Nice spirit! Come at me...!"At the end of her outburst, Caenis smacked against her shield with the side of her spear, creating a loud 'chnk' and, for a brief moment, drastically increasing her aura. The red tattoos covering her body began to glow and, despite the evening being pretty temperate, steam began to rise from her body as she released a loud war cry and moved to meet Olivia head-on, discarding her spear and shield in the process.As a Greek warrior, Caenis believed wholeheartedly in honor and the sacred rite of dueling. She was well versed in all Grecian combat arts so, seeing Olivia wearing attire befitting a wrestler, she had every intention of demonstrating her own prowess in the ancient art. Wrestling was, after all, the purest form of combat and, in her times, relying on weapons to strike down a much weaker, unarmed opponent, was heavily frowned upon.Though she didn't particularly care why her opponent had discarded her weapons, Olivia wasn't the type to back down from a challenge. Caenis was demonstrably taller than her but, as this was often the case, it ultimately didn't matter. Olivia was well versed in taking advantage of larger and less nimble opponents and, despite her diminutive size, she was supremely confident in her raw power.With neither woman making any effort to dodge, Caenis and Olivia slammed into each other, the latter using her shoulder to strike at the former's diaphragm. This would be a crippling blow for most people but, much like how her [Gandr] had struck harmlessly moments prior, Olivia felt like she impacted a solid wall, her shoulder screaming in protest. At the same time, Caenis attempted to grapple her but, having anticipated her attack doing little to no damage, Olivia headbutted the former's chin while doubling the side of her mana shroud in an instant.Caenis' head was knocked back by the sudden blow but, at the same time, she managed to wrap her arms around Olivia's body. Just as she was about to squeeze, however, Olivia seemed to 'slip' out of her grasp, almost as if she were covered in oil. She even managed to slide between Caenis' legs, striking at the backs of her knees but, in much the same way as her previous attacks, there were no visible indicators of damage.Undaunted by her failures, Olivia attempted to wrap her arms around Caenis' waist, intending to suplex her head into the marble pathway. This was where her luck ran out, unfortunately, as the larger woman leaned forward while striking backward with her butt. While this might have been a rather 'silly' attack, the strength of a Heroic Spirit couldn't be overlooked. Olivia ended up having the wind knocked out of her and, in the next moment, an elbow crashed down from above, hitting the crown of her head with enough force to dissipate her aura and rob away her consciousness in a single blow.Though Caenis hadn't put all of her strength into the attack, it was still enough to send Olivia's body crashing into the ground below, cratering it slightly. Then, after rolling her right shoulder and shaking out her wrist, she remarked, "You were very skilled. This match was determined by an absolute difference in strength and the blessing I received from that fishy bastard. I would have liked to fight you on even footing but, unfortunately, you are my enemy..."With her words trailing off, Caenis opened her right palm, her spear reappearing in a flash of light as she aimed it toward Olivia's back. The duel had already come to an end so Olivia's life or death was her sacred right to decide. Had she not been on the side of an evil tyrant, Caenis would have had no qualms about sparing her but, given the circumstances, she was compelled to eliminate any and all enemies in her path...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Piccollo lost his temper...','Musashi too imba','This was not a fair fight! How can it be an honorable battle when one side is resistant to magic and has impenetrable skin!? I'm calling hax...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Needless to say, the introductions of Mordred and Sakura had left a 'deep' impression on everyone in the crowd. Vahn's aura hadn't exactly helped to ease any of the tensions so, even when the lights came back on, the majority of people weren't sure what to do with themselves. Some thought about just turning around and leaving but, as the doors to the ballroom had been closed prior to Vahn's arrival, they feared the repercussions of trying.Seeing how uneasy everyone was, Vahn felt somewhat apologetic towards Luvia as it actually hadn't been his intention to ruin the mood. He always got carried away when it came to his children so, in a vain attempt to ease the tensions, he released a mellow and calming aura as he said, "This evening is meant to be a festive occasion. Truthfully, we are easier to get along with than you might expect...so long as you do not do anything untoward. For the next two hours, enjoy food and drink provided as a courtesy of the Empire whilst mingling with each other. We also enjoy conversation so feel free to introduce yourselves."Though it wasn't as effective as he'd have liked, Vahn could feel people begin to relax as a result of his calm aura and guiding words. He didn't imagine any of them would actually try and introduce themselves without a mediator but, so long as they didn't have any malicious intentions, Vahn didn't particularly mind conversing with anyone. The only reason he came off as an intense character was due to many Magi having untoward thoughts or malicious natures. At the very core, Vahn wasn't the type to seek conflict and, if he could get along with everyone, that would be ideal.What Vahn couldn't do was compromise with people who had malicious intentions as, the moment you showed any sign of weakness, they were like snakes primed to strike. If he was around kind and caring individuals, he could coexist with them without any trouble whatsoever. In fact, he preferred the company of Spirits and Fae for this exact reason as, other than fulfilling their purpose, the only other thing they cared about was ensuring each member of their race could live happily. There were some obvious exceptions to this but, in general, entities with an assigned purpose were a lot easier to get along with.With nothing left to say, Vahn escorted Artoria off the stage, followed by his rather large entourage. After joining the congregation on the lower level, he made his way over to where Solon and the rest separated into smaller groups to interact with the crowd. Some of the invitees were students of the Clock Tower, including a few belonging to the Department of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory, so the girls all had groups they could freely mingle with. As for Alexander, he immediately plowed through the crowd, making a beeline toward the buffet tables lining the far side of the hall...Before Vahn could reach Solon's group, his way was 'blocked' by the familiar figure of Reines and the deadpan expression of Waver. Vahn could see visible exhaustion in the man's countenance so, while he had been tempted to just bypass Reines, he internally sighed before halting his steps. Walking by Reines would be a pretty big slap in the face and, given her character, she wouldn't take it kindly. He had already taken steps to try and help Ridley but, in the hopes of helping both Waver and Reines herself, Vahn's brain began to mull over various solutions.Standing in the path of someone on the level of an Emperor was what many would consider foolish but, having a decent understanding of Vahn's character, Reines had been willing to gamble. She had made sure to approach from Artoria's side, leaving plenty of space to walk around if he decided to avoid her. Though this had its fair share of problems, Reines had been spreading rumors about her close association with the Empire and, even if she couldn't win Vahn's favor, controlling how others viewed her was well within the scope of her power.After performing a flawless curtsy, followed by Waver bowing politely, Reines smiled radiantly as she mused, "Your Imperial Majesties, it is a pleasure to see the two of you again. My husband and I have been wanting to express our gratitude ever since you visited our manor to heal his affliction. As this may not be the most opportune time, please allow us to pay you a visit in the future. My daughter, Ridley, also wanted to express her gratitude, but, due to her age, she was, unfortunately, whisked away..."Reines had made little effort to conceal her words so, while she hadn't said any lies, the complete lack of context made it very easy to misinterpret them. It made the relationship between her and the Empire seem infinitely more intimate than it actually was. Just mentioning the face he had personally come to aid them was a pretty big deal but, as he didn't want to publically shame her, Vahn kept his usual smile as he replied, "Having you visit Avalon is a matter for the far future but, if you would like to take tea, I'm certain Luvia can make the arrangements. Waver is a dear friend so I wouldn't mind conversing with him on occasion. Of course, as his wife, you are more than welcome to attend."Without directly refuting Reines' words, Vahn shifted the focal point to Waver, making it clear to the peanut gallery it wasn't the Archibald family, but Waver himself, that had his favor. Since Reines has pointed out his previous visitation, mentioning its relation to her husband, Vahn capitalized on the small oversight. As a result, despite the fact Reines was still smiling, Vahn could see a few additional purple and green bands within the pale-gray aura shrouding her body...Realizing what Vahn had done, Waver adopted a polite smile on his face as he bowed his head and answered, "To have His Imperial Majesty consider me a friend is a great honor. We will be certain to reach out to Lady Edelfelt in the near future. I am looking forward to drinking Your Imperial Majesty's tea once again."Though his wife's vice-like grip caused him a bit of discomfort, Waver knew he had a part to play and, for both of their sakes, he did his best. Reines would probably lambast him for not coming up with a way to elevate her status but, as her obsession was nearing the point of endangerment, he was hoping to resolve the matter in the near future. He lacked the ability to restrain her on his own but, with support from Vahn, it wouldn't be impossible.This time, instead of being dragged around, Waver was the one to lead Reines out of Vahn's way as, if she were to say more, it would only complicate matters. Vahn had already made a public promise to meet with them and, despite their relationship being 'peculiar', to the say the least, he gave them considerable face by calling Waver his friend. This was something Reines herself was very aware of so, even after Vahn and Artoria walked past them, she maintained a faultless smile before allowing Waver to lead her around, their roles suddenly reversed...---After 'deflecting' Reines away, albeit temporarily, Vahn neared the group now consisting of only Solon and Zelretch. Director Atlasia had wandered off to engage some of the students he had sent off to the Clock Tower while Da Vinci and Sion, neither fond of social situations, opted to alight to the private lounges adjoining the hall. They had only appeared as a matter of course so, after the gala officially began, they had no qualms about excusing themselves. Da Vinci, in particular, had grown rather tired of people trying to court her as, even with a device to conceal her beauty, her association with the Empire garnered a great deal of attention...Immediately after Vahn reached a comfortable speaking distance, Solon created a soundproofing bubble. Following this, Zelretch released a hearty laugh before adopting his usual sly smile as he said, "It may have just been my imagination but I would swear the temperature around that woman decreased by several degrees in an instant."Adding onto Zelretch's remark, Solon raised their head, looking directly at Vahn as they said, "That woman is a snake. I won't tell you how to handle your affairs but it would be foolish to trust her. That man has a few redeeming qualities but he is hopeless without the backbone to oppose his wife."Though he didn't exactly disagree with Solon's assessment, Vahn was briefly tempted to remark that there was nothing wrong with listening to your wives. He could also be considered to be henpecked but, unlike the situation between Reines and Waver, his wives genuinely respected his opinion. Even if he was wrong, they would still support him to the best of their ability and, as a result, they would be able to accomplish much more, together.Since Waver's situation was 'significantly' different than his own, Vahn issued a light chuckle before commenting, "I suppose we can't all be fortunate enough to have amazing wives. Even though I try to count my blessings every day, a new one seems to come before I'm able to finish."Hearing Vahn's flowery remark, the tips of Artoria's ears became almost imperceptibly redder. Her expression remained unchanged, giving off a dignified aura, but she couldn't hide the truth from him. This caused Vahn's expression to soften as he lightly rubbed the hand she had interwoven with his arm. He rarely passed up a chance to appeal to his women and, considering Solon had already erected an obscuration and soundproofing barrier, he didn't mind taking advantage of it.Solon was no stranger to Vahn's incessant wiling of women so, while Zelretch had an amused yet incredulous expression, the green-haired Magus appeared unphased as they muttered, "You really are a helpless fool...I suppose that is why so many women favor you?"With the latter half of their sentence being directed toward Artoria, indicated by Solon's slight turn of their head, the former gave a small nod before answering, "Vahn is a capable Emperor but, before that, he is a father, a husband, a teacher, and much more. We all support his vision, hoping against nigh-impossible odds that the world will become a better place through our efforts."This time, Solon's expression changed quite a bit as, unadulterated exasperation on their face as they shook their head and muttered, "I take it back...it isn't Vahn, alone, that is hopeless; the whole lot of you are beyond helping...!"Finding Solon's words disagreeable, Artoria's brows furrowed ever-so-slightly but, before she could retort, Vahn eased tensions by saying, "Relax." Then, projecting his voice so that only Artoria could hear it, he added, "Solon is just a Tsundere. They don't know how to express themselves so they just lash out whenever they are flustered. Don't let it bother you."As she was familiar with the term, Artoria briefly imagined Solon with twin tails, flinging gemstones at people with a red face. The latter seemed to sense her thoughts, their brows furrowing behind their blindfold as they asked, "What did that bastard tell you...?"Remembering how Solon always called Zelretch 'old bastard', the image of them being a Tsundere was cemented in Artoria's mind. Thus, while her instinct as an Empress and Knight was to defend Vahn's honor, she let Solon's comment slide with a 'knowing' smile. This only caused the latter to fume even more but, with a large audience, there was a limit to what they could say or do. Even the obscuration barrier wasn't perfect and, based on their body language, a lot of assumptions could be made.Deciding to give Solon a bit of leniency, as he knew they were easily stressed, Vahn redirected the conversation, explaining, "If nothing happens in the interim, we'll be making the announcement at precisely 9 PM. Until then, feel free to rest in one of the various lounges. Just make sure not to drop you guard...there is a decent chance some of some unexpected visitors making an appearance..."Hearing Vahn's warning, Zelretch adopted a battle-hungry expression while Solon, a small frown on their face, asked, "What are the odds? For you to be informing us...they seem quite high."Though he kept a casual smile on his face, appearing perfectly normal to external observers, Vahn's tone was firm as he unhesitantly answered, "There is room for variation but, based on our data, there is about a ninety-three percent chance of something happening. It would seem another example will have to be made before the integrity of the Magus community reaches an adequate level..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Relax, guys, just act casually :D...*world burning in the background*','Vahn's past training with Loki wasn't without results','Some things change, others remain the same')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1411: Support