Chapter 983: Atmosphere
With two sets of eyes, Vahn awakened to find himself staring at two distinctly different roofs. As was often the case, his body was surrounded by a comfortable warmth but, as was also often the case, the sources were very different from each other. Back in his own bedroom, Vahn had been spread out with his arms wide as Hestia, Eirene, and Artemis snuggled up against his body as if they were seeking out his warmth. Loki had also been present the previous night but had left shortly after their evening 'event' had come to an end. As for what his other body was up to, Vahn had participated in an impromptu slumber party within Preasia's room alongside many of his children. They had played around in the Dreamscape for what felt like several days, enjoying the fantastical world created by Preasia's Innate to the fullest extent.
Feeling a wet spot on his arm, Vahn turned his head to see that his daughter, Meinya, had been openly drooling on his sleeve. Since he was used to more 'problematic' waterworks, this small, albeit rather uncouth display, simply brought a small smile to Vahn's face. This didn't last for too long, however, as a small figure lifted out from the area between two pillows, revealing a rounded head that was adorned with a vibrant pattern of scales. In the next moment, Vahn found a small tongue flickering against his cheek before a smooth yet slimy sensation passed across the area where the Rainbow Viper rubbed against him.
Knowing what was about to happen, Vahn had a wry smile on his face since both of his arms were currently pinned by his children. As a result, he was unable to prevent the Rainbow Viper from taking her 'favorite spot' within his tunic as she coiled her body into a bundle near his navel. To make matters worse, Vahn felt a ticklish flicker against his bellybutton moments later that made him sweatdrop before he unequipped his tunic to use telekinesis to remove the troublesome creature. She looked as if she wanted to resist but, knowing the outcome of thrashing about when the children were around, the Rainbow Viper became limp as she made the closest expression to a 'pout' that a snake could manage.
As if to capitalize on the moment, Vahn caught a silver shimmer out of the corner of his eye that revealed the 'smiling' face of the Silvervine Python as it enjoyed the suffering of its fellow reptile. The Rainbow Viper had noticed this immediately, glaring at Natalie's Guardian with eyes filled with blame. In response to this, Vahn simply stated, "Get along..." in a low voice, causing both snakes to turn their gazes toward him as a result. The Silvervine Python immediately gave a small nod while putting on an 'apologetic' expression as she curled up near the nook of Natalie's neck. As for the Rainbow Viper, she didn't seem to have gotten over things just yet but, with Vahn's eyes meeting her own, she gave a few small nods before playfully flicking out her tongue as if she had been 'playing' around the entire time.
Releasing a small sigh, Vahn lightly shook his head before deciding it was time for him to go through the arduous process of liberating himself from the veritable pile of tiny bodies clinging to him. He quickly equipped a new tunic while using his telekinesis to gently remove each sleeping girl, doing his best not to disturb them from their slumber. Unfortunately, either as a result of their instincts or the training they had been receiving, Vahn hadn't been able to complete the task without both Meinya and Sakuya waking. To her credit, Sakuya managed to stay relatively silent as she quietly muttered, "Good morning, Papa...". As for Meinya, however, she still had a half-awake expression on her face as she began to laugh happily, and loudly.
This time, Vahn withheld a sigh as Meinya's laughter stirred most of the children in the room awake. He knew he would probably be stuck in the room helping to comb hair and brush teeth for well over an hour now but, if he were to be honest, Vahn didn't really mind all that much. A gentle smile spread across his face as he began to help his children prepare for the day while, back at his other body, Vahn was manually wearing his clothes with the assistance of Eirene and Artemis. Though he could easily just equip what he wanted to wear, they had developed a habit of 'taking care' of him, much like he would take care of them after their long evening session had come to an end. It was a way for them to express their affection in their own way so Vahn had grown rather fond of the short few minutes where the girls would help him prepare for the day...
---
After enjoying a lengthy breakfast, Vahn found himself away from the comfort of the Hearth Manor as he made his way towards Babel Tower. He had been 'given' the top floor of Babel by Freya so, with no better alternatives to serve as the 'center' of his Empire, Vahn had accepted her offer. Hephaestus and Hestia had previously talked about having an actual palace constructed but, given the layout of Orario, Vahn didn't think it would be a worthwhile endeavor since the Tower of Babel was a landmark that would always overshadow other constructs. If anything, he would put in the effort to construct a floating palace once again as, even if the purpose wouldn't be the same, Vahn understood how useful it was to have a mobile teleportation platform. The most 'efficient' methods of teleportation connected spatial coordinates without any obstructions so it was much easier to teleport from the ground to a relay point in the sky before continuing to your destination.
With such thoughts on his mind, Vahn landed at an open balcony on the 50th floor of Babel before making his way through an incredibly thick membrane of magical barriers. As an artifact that had been created in Heaven, the Tower of Babel had many ancient arrays that gave it almost unbreakable defense and inviolable security. Though it wasn't impossible to break in, a person's location would constantly be tracked by the Guild while long-term exposure to the mana within would 'mark' the person so they could be easily found even after leaving the tower. Fortunately, Vahn had been registered as the owner of the 50th floor so he wouldn't have to worry about such tedious affairs, not that the barrier would have actually been able to detect him if he chose to remain hidden.
Unlike in the past, where there were very few people allowed within the confines of the 50th Floor, it was currently rife with movement as more than a hundred Valkyrie's moved around in their Maid attire. As they had taken to learning their new 'duty' very seriously, most of the Valkyrie had become very serious about their role as 'Battle Maids' after receiving a crash course from Syr, Emiru, and Maemi. Though some of them had been a little twisted by exposure to the two loveable Snow Leopard girls, gaining strange natures in the process, Vahn was happy to see that they had become a little more expressive...
Almost as soon as he had arrived, Vahn was greeted by Brynhildr and Sigrun, both immediately bowing low as they greeted, "Welcome, Master." in elegant and respectful tones. Vahn gave them a small nod before raising his hand, allowing the two Valkyrie's to raise their head as he asked, "Brynhildr...how many have shown up at this point?" In response to this, Brynhildr's wings flickered slightly as a small smile adorned her beautiful face. She seemed happy to have been addressed by name and, instead of the relatively cold tone most Valkyrie were known for, there was a bit of warmth mixed in as she replied, "My Master, everyone on the guest list is already in attendance. They have been gathered together in a small banquet hall where my sisters have been 'attending' them."
With their inherent pride, Valkyries would never serve anyone that didn't respect, the only exception being if they were given the duty to attend others by whomever they identified as their Master. Since Vahn hadn't told them to take care of the foreign dignitaries that would be attending his conference, the Valkyries had gathered everyone together before placing out a single barrel of wine that they could serve themselves. This wouldn't have been much of an issue, if not for the fact that the 'guests' hadn't been provided with anything to hold their beverages. Since they also had the eyes of several powerful Valkyries watching their every move, the banquet hall had been extremely silent as everyone within awaited the late arrival of their new Emperor.
Because he could sense what was happening within the banquet hall, Vahn produced a small smile before giving a small nod in response to Brynhildr's report. Though he wasn't against extending courtesies to guests, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing to create a tense atmosphere for what was to come. Since he didn't want to 'force' the Valkyrie to serve other people, as it wasn't even their main duty, Vahn let the small disservice slide. He would hire a few normal servants that would attend to such matters in the future, though only after modifying the current status quo to make a clear separation between the Battle Maid Battalion that would serve as his Imperial Guard and the normal servants that would clean his residences, excluding the Hearth Manor.
With Brynhildr and Sigrun following closely behind, Vahn made his way towards the central antechamber before entering into a large circular hall where an ornate throne now stood. Though the decor had previously been closer to that of an ancient temple, a few makeshift renovations had turned the area into a throne that was truly fit for someone with the status of an Emperor. Vahn even suspected that, until he had constructed his personalized floating palace, this place had held his original throne in the Divination. It was certainly in Freya's nature to try and bestow upon him such things so Vahn was relatively certain this had been the case during both timelines.
Without worrying about the similarities between his present and Divination self, Vahn sat upon his rather comfortable throne without hesitation. From the side, a Valkyrie named Skeggiold, gave a polite bow as she proferred forth a red embossed cushion that held his crown. Since only gods were allowed to place it atop his head, a rule that had been created by the Divine Council, Vahn reached out to wear the crown with his own hands before accepting the scepter offered to him by another Valkyrie, this one named Gisela. She had a touch of gold to her wings, the result of her Innate, that set her apart from many of her sisters. Vahn gave her a small nod in response that caused Gisela to nearly fluster as she backed away from the throne. Another rule that had been established was that, unless he had given them direct permission, nobody was allowed to turn their back to the Emperor within the throne room.
The last part of his getup was his mantle but, as it was an optional part of the attire, Vahn decided to forgo wearing it since it was uncomfortable to wear a thick cloak while seated. He also didn't want the fabric to get torn, a completely unnecessary concern as it would take a concerted effort from Vahn to even have a hope of damaging it. Regardless, it was his choice whether or not to wear it so Vahn continued sitting after gesturing towards the two Valkyries that were holding his cloak. They gave a polite bow in response before neatly folding the cloak and placing it into an ornate golden case that was embossed with various gemstones.
His preparations now complete, Vahn took a deep breath before sitting with his back absolutely straight and his head slightly raised. With practiced movements, Vahn turned his eyes towards Brynhildr without moving his head much before saying, "I will now grant an audience to our guests. Brynhildr, I will entrust you and your sisters with keeping order during the coming conference."
With each of his words causing the void to tremble slightly, even as he spoke relatively quietly, the atmosphere around Vahn had changed drastically in an instant. As a result, the present Valkyries all felt pride welling up inside themselves, Brynhildr being one of the proudest amongst them. Instead of bowing like a Maid, she gave a warrior's salute by placing her fist over her heart and exclaiming, "This one shall personally see to it that there are no issues...!" Normally, this action would have been rather inspiring as the Valkyrie would be wearing metallic breastplates and gauntlets. This time, however, Brynhildr was wearing a Maid outfit that was predominately comprised of durable fabric so her fist impacted her left breast, causing it to deform and shake slightly as a result...
As if he didn't notice the red creeping up her face, Vahn gave a small nod before saying, "I will entrust this task to you. You may leave." In response to this, Brynhildr quickly performed an about-face before exiting the chamber with hasty steps. Since she had been given permission, Brynhildr was able to turn away to hide her shame, something Vahn had intended from the outset. When she had exited the chamber, Vahn was fighting back a smile but, seeing the usually proud Valkyrie's on the periphery unable to restrain themselves, he allowed the corners of his mouth to curl up slightly. It was very rare to see Brynhildr make such a mistake so Vahn was in a great mood, causing the rather solemn atmosphere to collapse for a brief moment...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Living the good life','A Throne fit for an Emperor','RIP Brynhildr xD...')
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Chapter 984: Audience
Not allowing her slight mishap to set her back, it took significantly less time than Vahn expected for Brynhildr to gather the majority of the dignitaries that he would be granting an audience. She had them all file up outside in an orderly fashion as a small squad of Valkyries kept everyone from acting out. Regardless of if they were Kings, Governors, Mayors, or Clan Chieftains, their status was not important as, in the present moment, the only titles that mattered were those that Vahn allowed others to keep. If they decided to come under the influence of his Empire, Vahn intended to treat those worthy of trust with the respect they were due, allowing them to manage their own affairs. So long as they implemented the changes he required of them, it didn't matter who was in charge of any given territory. For those who decided to either rebel or take a stand against his budding Empire, Vahn intended to expose all of their crimes publically before either eliminating or imprisoning them. He had long grown tired of the type of people who thought they had a 'right' to rule over others by virtue of nothing more than the situation they were born into...
In the span of a ten minute period, Brynhildr had gathered everyone together before giving them a very stern lecture on how they should behave in the presence of the Emperor. Though some didn't seem satisfied with the treatment they had received, there were none amongst those that had been gathered who were unable to understand the situation. Most of the truly troublesome individuals had forgone accepting Vahn's summons, making them easy to deal with at a later date. It was the calculating, moderately intelligent individuals, and cowards who had gathered together at Vahn's behest. Since he had already met with many of them during the months prior to the meeting, backed by the information that had been provided to him by his own network of informants, Vahn already had a relatively decent understanding of each person's true nature.
After her explanation had concluded, Vahn could sense Brynhildr press her palm against a small magical ward, causing a small hum to resonate through the throne room. With this signal, he fixed his slightly lax posture before hardening his face and commanding in a low rumble, "Enter." This caused the two doors at the far end of the throne room to open soundlessly, creating a tense atmosphere as the Valkyrie began to direct each person to their assigned position. Vahn had those he had evaluated as trustworthy placed closer to him while those he had already marked as incompetent were placed at the periphery. This was noticed almost immediately, causing those at the front to restrain exuberant smiles while those forced to the outside had ghastly and solemn visages...
Without allowing his gaze to wander, Vahn waited patiently while exuding a subtle pressure that, with the passage of time, seemed to increase in intensity. This wasn't the result of any action on Vahn's part but, from the perspective of those that were forced to stand before him, it felt as if they were standing at the base of a mountain that was even taller than the Tower of Babel. He may not be outwardly dangerous, as Vahn's reputation painted him as a rather benevolent and amiable personage, but there was the lingering 'promise' of a swift demise if you somehow managed to offend him. As a result, amidst a series of shuffling noises and some particularly audible heartbeats, there were absolutely no other sounds as everyone obediently took their assigned positions...
Seeing that the strongest person present was only Level 3, belonging to the Chieftain of the largest Kyrie Tribe on the Continent, Beldum, Vahn couldn't help but internally shake his head at the blatant audacity of those gathered to believe themselves above others. As for Beldum himself, he was a massive individual who stood at 264cm tall, towering over everyone else that had been gathered. His position within the group was near the center but, just to keep things from looking grossly imbalanced, Vahn had him dividing the group by standing directly parallel to his throne. Beldum seemed to take pride in this fact as his rather fierce visage had softened slightly while a small smile was adorned on his lips. Vahn had a relatively good impression of the man so, even though it was somewhat rude to smile before the Emperor in such a fashion, he didn't particularly mind such a small sleight.
Once everyone had assumed their positions, it was time for Vahn, as an Emperor, to speak his first words to those that would either become his vassals, allies, or enemies. Lifting his hand to prevent Brynhildr from trying to force everyone to kneel, Vahn waited for the Valkyrie to give a polite bow before she commanded everyone else to their own positions. As a result, the foreign dignitaries were flanked on both sides by a total of twenty-four Valkyries, even though a single one of them would have been enough to completely devastate the entire group. This was something everyone gathered was very aware of and, feeling the pressure of the steely womens' gaze, even proud warriors like Beldum had the hairs on the back of his neck standing straight.
As soon as Brynhildr had taken her position near the base of his throne, Vahn inhaled a silent yet deep breath before his voice echoed through the chamber, sending ripples through the void in much the same fashion as Ouranos as he stated, "When I asked for your presence within the City, I was but the Supreme Commander of the Alliance. Many of you came here seeking power, opportunity, or, fearing an end to your line, absolution...now, as you are all undoubtedly aware, things have changed quite drastically. You are all aware of what I wish to achieve thus, without footing around the issue, I will ask you now...will you join me in uniting our peoples and creating a better future for everyone...?" Vahn didn't bother asking the second part of his question, which related to whether or not they would 'rebel' against him, as there was none present who were unaware of the consequences of such action.
Almost as soon as his words had fallen upon them, those closest to Vahn took the opportunity to kneel in a respectful manner, regardless of their status and assumed Nobility. There were even some at the back of the group who had taken a knee, grasping at what little hope remained to them. Vahn found this strangely amusing, something he hadn't quite expected to feel while witnessing those he had already judged as incompetent trying to preserve themselves. He momentarily wondered if his nature was changing slightly with his rise to prominence but, having already made the decision, Vahn wasn't going to change his mind just because they had taken the knee. He would, however, show them some small amount of leniency by granting a reprieve to their children by having them attend the School to be evaluated for their candidacy as a ruler...
Without waiting for the indecisive within the group to make up their mind, Vahn gave a curt and appreciative nod while passing his gaze over everyone that had taken a knee. This was immediately followed by his voice, once against echoing throughout the throne room, as he said, "The Empire, while having great power and wealth, will only truly prosper if there is unity between everyone within its borders. I have in mind a great many changes that must be implemented to ensure that, unlike the past, all those who reign over others will be highly qualified to take up the task. Each of you that have decided to pledge your loyalty to the Empire will be granted a grace period after taking your vows. I will allow you to bring forth your chosen descendants who, after graduating from the Academy on the 50th Floor, will be granted the title they have earned for themselves. If you truly believe your lineage to be unique, you must continue to put forth the effort to improve, all while holding yourselves to a higher standard than you would your own people. It is only through earning the right to rule that, in the future, such rights will be granted..."
Though few understood the full meaning behind Vahn's words, everyone that had taken a knee still lowered their heads in a respectful manner. The one thing they were all aware of was the fact that, if they intended to continue ruling over their own countries, they would be required to take even stricter vows than the members of the Civilian Legislative Branch. They knew their new Emperor wasn't the type to simply take people for their word as, in this world, where even Gods were bound by vows and Laws, talk was cheap. One of the reasons that corruption had become so deeply rooted in many cultures is that, instead of treating their position with the seriousness it deserved, many took advantage of the power they had inherited to simply act as they please without repercussions. This would no longer be the case in the world that Vahn wished to create, as only those who had earned the right to rule would be afforded the opportunity to even consider themselves Noble.
Immediately shifting his focus to those still standing, Vahn's gaze briefly passed over the mountain-like Beldum before a small smile appeared on his face as he stated, "I am not the type of person who is unable to understand the significance of cultural values, especially to an organized group that has persisted through the generations without causing great strife across the lands. Just because you have not pledged your loyalty to me, you need not fear that I will arbitrarily seize your ancestral lands and subjugate your people. I truly desire a world where everyone is afforded the opportunity to prosper without fear that they would be looked down upon as a result of their origin. So long as you continue to govern your people justly, the Empire will always recognize such capable individuals as allies. I will, however, require that you make a simple vow before you leave this throne room today. Not everyone born into a particular tribe is able to prosper in the conditions that have been provided to them. There are always outliers who, for no other reason than because they are slightly different, will be ostracised by their community and looked down upon for no justifiable reason. Do not misconstrue what I'm saying as a request as, from henceforth, if anyone wishes to migrate from their homeland to seek a better life within the Empire, I will not allow even the King of a nation to oppose such a decision. Though there will be obvious exceptions in regards to criminals, they must have been found guilty in an established court of law, not declared guilty at the behest of people who think themselves above the law..."
In a world where individuals could gain enough power to even topple small mountains, Vahn knew that there would always be a few who rose to prominence that would try to repress others. It would take an even stronger power to keep such people in line which was why making it so that the Empire showed no tolerance towards such actions was very important. So long as he reigned, even the most arrogant individuals on the Continent would need to take measured action, lest they risk being outright eliminated as a result. After all, it wasn't necessarily 'power' that made someone a good ruler, at least within a peaceful society. Vahn knew he couldn't eliminate 'evil', as there was always a need for a certain balance within the world, but he could at least make it very difficult for anyone with oppressive personalities to rise to prominence...
After letting his words settle for a few seconds, Vahn turned his attention to a few within the group that he knew would have to be 'removed' from their positions. This included several people kneeling at the back who, after feeling Vahn's gaze upon them, began trembling with a mixture of complex emotions. Some knew the futility of trying to resist, holding onto the hope that they would be shown leniency, while others were shaking as a result of the incredulity and rage they were experiencing. Amongst this second group, even before Vahn could speak out, a woman with violet hair raised her lowered head to suddenly shout, "What right do you have to make such decisions!? You are nothing more than a commoner that has been promoted to their position after becoming the pawn of Gods...!"
Without Vahn needing to say or do anything, the woman's outburst was punctuated by a white light enveloping her body. Before she could even scream out in pain, her body was broken down into fine motes of light as a Valkyrie named Myst lowered her hand. There weren't even ashes left in the wake of the powerful Light Elemental magic, causing those that had thought to make complaints of their own to fall silent. The woman had been the Queen of a small country to the North-East, called the Rosemary Kingdom...
Three generations prior, her family had been nothing more than wine merchants who, after finding a small territory that was highly suited to growing their precious strain of grapes, founded a small kingdom as a result. She had been someone who had been given everything she had wanted from a young age, causing her to become spoiled to the point that many within her own country hated her vehemently. Even so, as a result of being the only child to a sickly King, she had been crowned as the reigning Queen after his death and a small power struggle between herself and the former Queen...
The only reason she had been able to gain the throne, however, was due to the support of a rising faction within the Kingdom that had intended to use her as a puppet, pacifying her wants and needs while controlling the direction of the Kingdom to fill their coffers. After sending her to the meeting, these same individuals had outright disappeared from the Rosemary Kingdom after completely emptying the treasury. Vahn had been aware of all of this, as the Shadow Corps had already captured most of the traitorous Nobles, so he held no pity towards the misguided woman who, upon their first meeting, thought she could seduce him to secure a position for herself...
After sending a small prayer, hoping the woman would live a better life in her future incarnation, Vahn passed his gaze over the now silent gathering before saying, "There are those amongst you who have looked down upon others your entire lives, treating those you should have been dedicating your lives to as nothing more than a source of income. Now that I am Emperor, you will be held accountable for your actions, regardless of if you had manipulated the laws of your country to make your actions justifiable. If you have any real sense, you will face justice with the dignity of a genuine Noble and, so long as your progeny haven't been corrupted by your influence, there is still a chance for your lineage to continue. Know that I am not a cruel person by any means and, if not for the acts you had perpetrated before this moment, you would have never been required to face my ire and scorn. I would encourage you to take the necessary time to reflect upon the life you have lived before preparing yourself for what is to come...!"
Though he had been restraining his aura for much of the audience, Vahn chose this moment to allow his domain to weigh down with full force. With the 'upgrade' he had received after becoming a genuine Emperor, even people like Beldum were immediately brought to their knees as a result of the irresistible power radiating from Vahn's body. It wasn't just them, either, as the surrounding Valkyries and the very foundation of Babel Tower seemed to tremble in response to Vahn unleashing the full power of his domain. If not for the fact he was trying to uniformly spread it outwards, combined with the sheer durability of the Tower of Babel, there was a very real chance that Vahn could have collapsed the 50th floor in its entirety.
Surprised by the power of his own domain, Vahn began to reign it back a bit since those he had directed his intent toward had all passed out. Only the Valkyries around him and those that had already taken a knee were spared any serious consequences, causing Vahn to gulp slightly in response to his own power. He hadn't noticed it much during the fight against the One-Eyed Black Dragon, as her existence wasn't so easily suppressed by simple pressure, but Vahn now realized that his [Will of the Emperor] had experienced a qualitative increase after officially gaining the title. He had certainly been feeling much stronger than in the past but, up until this very moment, Vahn hadn't realized just how powerful he had become...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'New Emperor, who dis...?','You had your chance; now we do things my way...','Bruh...')
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Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
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334 Power
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