Before Vahn could sit down and discuss things with Olivia and Aoko, the former made him return to Avalon to pick up Luvia and Ulla. Though it wasn't exactly the best time to bring Ulla outside of the Projection, Olivia needed Luvia to help clean up the aftermath of the Barthomeloi's fall. Even with Scáthach wreaking havoc, there was a non-negligible chance that one of the remaining members of the Barthomeloi family could do something drastic.
When Vahn arrived with the mother-daughter pair, the most surprised was Aoko who, before seeing Ulla directly, hadn't even known Luvia was pregnant. In fact, even inside of the Edelfelt family, very few people knew that their current head had not only gotten pregnant, but had already given birth.
Luvia wasn't surprised by Aoko's presence, as Vahn had already explained the situation, so she just smiled tauntingly while flaunting Ulla as she said, "Don't worry, Aoko, there is still time for you to find a man and settle down, ohohohoho~"
Hearing Luvia's remark, the veins in Aoko's temples began to throb as she tightened her right hand into a fist and, with a crooked smile on her face, asked, "It has been a while since our last duel. How about a round of light sparring...?"
In response to Aoko, Luvia just covered her mouth, giggling in a haughty manner before saying, "My, my, ever the brute. It is because of your nature that you only ever have any luck with boys half your age, you know~?"
Aoko's hair began to flare up and glow in a vibrant red color in response to Luvia's taunting but, as Vahn immediately stepped between them with a warning look, she managed to calm herself down. She didn't need anyone to explain to her who the adorable little baby belonged to so, while it was a little annoying that Vahn immediately went to Luvia's defense, she could understand his reasoning.
Fortunately, before Luvia could tease Aoko further, Oliva unhesitantly smacked her granddaughter on the back of the head before saying, "Don't go picking fights with my great-granddaughter in your arms. You might have a family of your own now, but don't think I won't discipline you, brat." After stating her piece, Olivia robbed Ulla from Luvia's arms, leaving the latter nursing a visible bump on her head while Aoko laughed uninhibitedly at her expense...
After everyone had settled in, Vahn explained the situation regarding the Barthomeloi family. They had already discussed the matter prior to the duel but Luvia couldn't help but follow up by asking, "Are we really not going to try and seize any of the Barthomeloi family's assets? I understand that the Empire isn't exactly left wanting for materials and wealth but..."
Vahn caused Luvia's words to trail off by shaking his head and reminding, "If we try and do anything with the Barthomeloi's assets, it will cause the other families to panic. I want it to be very clear that we don't care about personal gain and status. This will cause the other families to fear us but, at the very least, we can avoid them taking desperate action in the interim. They will continue to try and get away with things behind the scenes but this increases the chances they will at least pretend to adhere to the reforms I intend to impose."
Olivia gave an approving nod in response to Vahn's decision but, as she didn't like the thought of their enemies getting ahold of artifacts they could have seized, Luvia released a subdued sigh. As for Aoko, who was listening in on the discussion as if it was only natural for her to be there, she decided to ask, "How strong is your Empire, exactly? All I've really heard are rumors, nothing concrete. It is a little weird to me that you're already doing whatever you want before people even understand how strong your group is. If you continue being secretive, you're only going to cause a lot of unnecessary conflicts."
Hearing Aoko's rather thoughtless words, Luvia decided to rebuff her, stating, "While there is some merit to what you are saying, there is an order to everything. Vahn only arrived in this world a short while ago so you can't blame him for trying to be cautious. You don't know what he wants to protect so, while you think he is acting with impunity, he has been measuring his actions quite a bit. Don't lump him together with those scheming bastards that hide in the shadows and build up their power at the expense of others, Aoko."
Aoko frowned slightly in response to Luvia's words but, rather than outright refute them, she said, "Fine. But you should know better than most that those same old monsters are very resistant to change. If you're taking down major families, you can't afford to do everything in such a roundabout way. This will only encourage them to plot and scheme behind the scenes, wasting your efforts to deter them entirely. I've tried using my Magic to keep those bastards in line but, after they realized I'm not willing to start a war, they've been pestering me like mosquitos ever since."
Despite Aoko addressing Luvia, Vahn was the one to answer, stating plain and simple, "That is the biggest difference between us, Ms. Aozaki. If necessary, the Empire will not hesitate to go to war. The world is already on the verge of destruction, even without Angra Mainyu's emergence. Gaia, the very planet itself, is hateful and afraid of humanity. She is proactively doing everything in her power to try and destroy them, all while they continue to live blissfully unaware of the truth. This world is built on a foundation of lies and, instead of building a better future for everyone, the powers that be focus more on maintaining the status quo and holding on to their own power. While you might be content to just sit around and play games, I intend to save, not just humanity, but all creatures...including the planet itself."
Aoko was a little taken aback by the severity of Vahn's words but, when she heard him say that she was just sitting around, her blood pressure began to rise. When he was finished speaking, she didn't hesitate to exclaim, "You can't just go around making assumptions like that! I'm also doing my best to try and change things for the better, you know!?"
In response to Aoko's outburst, Vahn craned his head to the side slightly, asking in a pointed tone, "Oh? Other than try and reform your family, what exactly have you done to try and change the rest of the world? You have personally experienced how corrupt the Mage's Association is but, instead of taking a stance against them, you just hole yourself up in Japan and ignore it..."
At this point, Aoko was half-standing but, before she could interrupt him, Vahn raised his hand and, with a pointed glare, added, "Truth be told, you have no responsibility to change anything. There is nothing wrong with wanting to protect and preserve your family, Aoko. What makes you out of line is how you spew platitudes and lay expectations on other people, despite essentially living however you want by relying on the Fifth Magic. Other people aren't as strong as you, so they have to suffer under the tyranny of the current system. Since you have the power to oppose them, you have much greater freedom than others. Don't blame me for taking the necessary steps to make sure everyone has the same amount of freedom you currently enjoy..."
Aoko was at a loss for words after hearing what Vahn had said. She wanted to argue against them but, as she had actually just returned from a two-month-long vacation, it was very hard to say she had been working hard. Even the emergence of Angra Mainyu wasn't really on her radar as, after dealing with the harassment of the Mage's Association in the past, she largely ignored them unless it was a direct request from the Director.
After plopping back down on the sofa, Aoko crossed her arms with a conflicted expression on her face. She had always lived her life without regrets, living life to the fullest and never second-guessing her decisions. Though she had made a lot of mistakes because of this, she just had to work hard to make up for them after the fact. She had even been able to make up with her sister, Touko, who she had feuded with for several years due to the latter being passed up for the position of family head.
It was only now that Aoko was forcibly reminded of the fact that she was exceptionally fortunate compared to the average Magus. She had been able to live a normal life until she was fifteen, not even aware that magic was a thing until her grandfather suddenly decided she would inherit the Fifth Magic. Since her sister had been training for nineteen years to become the next head, it had caused a massive rift in their relationship.
After their feud started, Touko had even been given a Sealing Designation and, in her attempts to try and have it revoked, the Association even tried to place a Sealing Designation on her. It took several years of effort to have both of their designations removed. From that moment onward, Aoko did her best to try and enjoy her newfound freedom and patch things up with her sister, sometimes chasing the latter halfway around the world just to spend time together.
No matter how anyone looked at her situation, she had been forced to go through a lot of things, none of which she had chosen for herself. Despite the chaotic world she was thrown into, Aoko had always done her best to push forward yet, hearing Vahn's words, she was suddenly reminded of how ignorant and immature her sister claimed her to be. After all, while she had certainly gone through a lot, she had the Fifth Magic to rely on and, no matter how dangerous things got, she had the power to overcome almost any trials handed to her from the very beginning...
Vahn hadn't expected Aoko so suddenly act depressed. Since she had a lively personality, he felt a little guilty and, if not for several of the women present giving him pointed looks, he would have apologized. He didn't like seeing lively girls suddenly lose their smile as, even if his words were the truth, he felt like a jerk for having pointed them out.
Fortunately, Artoria extended him a lifeline by entering into the conversation, stating in a calm and guiding tone, "As my husband pointed out, there is nothing wrong with living a free and unfettered life. You have the power to bring about change but that does not mean you have to use it on behalf of others. So long as you are not misusing your power to cause harm, there is nothing wrong with just enjoying your life and protecting the things you want to protect. Many would use that same power to suppress and take advantage of others so you have no reason to feel ashamed of yourself, Ms. Aozaki."
Perhaps as a result of her A+ Rank [Charisma], Artoria's words seemed to have a strong impact on the depressed redhead. She immediately returned back to her cheerful self, smiling radiantly as she said, "Don't worry. I might get down at times but I promised to live a life without any regrets. Still, I appreciate your kind words..."
After addressing Artoria with a smile, Aoko then turned her gaze to match Vahn's, her lips twitching slightly as she struggled to continue smiling as she said, "You're right. I don't agree with some of the things you said, but I feel that you aren't wrong in wanting to bring change. I just don't want to see millions of people die for a cause, regardless of whether or not it is for the 'best'....haaaa..."
Vahn could only sigh in response to Aoko's words. Then, after organizing his thoughts, he explained, "Death is not the end of life, just a part of it. I will not go out of my way to kill people but, if it would make the world a better place, I would not hesitate to eliminate even the majority. If I found a group of a thousand people cheering on as two children brutally fought to the death, you can be certain I would eliminate the one-thousand in order to preserve the lives of the two. Prioritizing life without consideration for how others are forced to live just allows corruption to spread rampantly..."
Hearing Vahn's words, Aoko tried to think of what she would do in the same situation. She would obviously save the children but, unless they continued trying to attack her, she would only destroy the arena while trying to limit casualties. This, however, would only be a small setback to the people staging the fight as, unless she forced them to stop, it was only a matter of time until they repeated their errant ways. By removing them completely, the fights would be brought to an end and, after the matter spread to the public, very few people would try to repeat the despicable act...
Aoko felt like pulling her hair out because she couldn't decide whether or not the extreme measures Vahn talked about were really for the best. She felt that people could always be redeemed and, even if they had done reprehensible things, there was a chance they would become better people in the future. The problem with this was, unless someone was there to 'force' them to change, the chances they would truly reflect on their actions were slim, at best...
Ultimately, Aoko ended up shaking her head and saying, "I guess this is why you're an Emperor and I'm just a small family head. I can't make these kinds of decisions, regardless of how much power I have. Though I can see your reasoning, my gut instinct just tells me its wrong."
Somewhat against her expectations, Vahn did not try to lecture her. Instead, he had a smile on his face as he nodded his head approvingly. Then, surprising her further, he stated in a calm tone, "The world needs people like you, perhaps even more than it needs people like me. Being an idealist and staying true to your convictions are two things most people struggle with. I actually respect people like you a great deal, Aoko. I even have a friend named Paracelsus who, while we do not see eye-to-eye, we are able to work together to make the world a better place. I would never expect others to step in line and try to perform the same feats as myself...after all, they are not an Emperor. It is my responsibility, not theirs."
Though they had not orchestrated the event, almost everyone in the room smiled in response to Vahn's words. Luvia and Artoria, seated at Vahn's flanks, even had proud expressions, leaving Aoko as the only person in the room who didn't know how she should respond. It actually made her feel strangely relieved to hear Vahn say he respected her, even though she didn't really need someone like him to acknowledge her.
Not really sure if she should smile or frown, as her emotions were very conflicted, Aoko decided to just stop worrying about it entirely. Instead, she shifted focus, tilting her head to the side and saying, "Well, I guess it really isn't my place to advise you. Rather, the main reason I came here was because I wanted to ask you a few questions. Is that okay? I don't really want to hold up your discussion so I can always come back later..."
Vahn was tempted to laugh at how quickly Aoko, irrespective of the atmosphere, just went at her own pace. She seemed like someone who would be easy to tease but, knowing his intentions might be misconstrued, both by Aoko and his surroundings, Vahn restrained himself. Instead, he gave a small nod, answering, "Feel free to ask what is on your mind."
Aoko's smile returned when Vahn gave her permission to ask questions so, without beating around the bush at all, she asked, "Are you really from the Outside? What is it like beyond the Root? Is it true that there are other worlds and realities completely separate from our own...!?"
Though these things had been discussed several times in the past, everyone present showed equal interest to Aoko's own as they waited for Vahn to answer. He couldn't talk about The Path, and a few other key details, but that didn't stop him from giving a brief overview. Besides, there were ways he could talk around the issue without actually lying as, with what he knew now, there were quite a few ways to answer the question 'truthfully'.
After taking a few moments to organize his thoughts, Vahn answered, "I am, indeed, from what you refer to as the Outside. As for what lays beyond the Root...well, the most accurate answer would be 'nothing' and 'everything' at the same time. The laws that govern reality there are simultaneously rigid yet, from the perspective of those inside the Root, they are extremely loose. If you were to go beyond the Root, it would be possible to create an entire Multiverse of your own design, granting you power far beyond the ability of most people to even conceive..."
Vahn's words caused the atmosphere to become a little tense with excitement but, before anyone got any strange ideas, he added, "Power rarely comes without cost, however. While you may become the pinnacle of an entire multiverse, you will have a lot of restrictions placed on you. Those seeking an absolute understanding of everything would likely enjoy the experience but, more often than not, it is far more pleasant to live ignorant of the truth. As for your final question...well, that is a given. It isn't widely known but, even within the Root, there are a plethora of other worlds and even entire separate universes. Some even have entities that possess extremes of power that make True Magic seem mundane in comparison..."
Hearing Vahn's explanation, Aoko felt her palms sweating a little as her smile began to gradually fade away. If what he said was true, passing through the Root wasn't really something she wanted to consider. Thus, with that out of the way, she asked the question she really wanted an answer to, "Do you know anything about the 'Red Shadow'?"
Rather than Vahn having to come up with an answer for himself, Alaya's eyes flashed for a few moments without his notice before she began to explain in his ear, "The Red Shadow is the Veil of Truth. It is a conceptual entity that has no true name or origin. It kills those trying to reach the Root and tries to hunt down those who have obtained its power."
Vahn repeated what Alaya had told him, even though he had the sinking suspicion there was more that she wasn't telling him. Fortunately, Aoko seemed satisfied by his answer, even if she suddenly seemed very tired as she mumbled, "So it's like that..." before adopting her usual smile and saying, "Thanks for the information. I guess I'll just have to put up with it until I pass on the Fifth to another, huh?"
After her remark, Aoko crossed her fingers before stretching her body and rising to her feet. There was a lot she still wanted to talk about but, as most of her questions likely related to the secrets of the Empire, she didn't feel comfortable with asking them right now. With that in mind, she rubbed her neck in a self-calming gesture while saying, "I shouldn't hold up your own discussion any longer. I'll try and get in touch after things calm down. Is that okay...?"
Since he knew Aoko was being considerate, and likely had a lot to think about, Vahn didn't try and keep her any longer. He returned a smile to her before casually remarking, "You don't have to worry about the Red Shadow. Unless you began using your power to try and destroy mankind, it doesn't have the authority to try and claim your life. If you want, I can help you deal with it in the future. For now, we'll just leave things as they are. I look forward to meeting with you again, Ms. Aozaki."
Aoko blanked for a moment when she heard Vahn's words but, hearing him call her Ms. Aozaki again, she winced a little before saying, "Just call me Aoko. Calling me Ms. Aozaki feels impersonal and makes me feel like an old lady. We might not be friends just yet, but I don't think you're a bad person. Well, anyway, I guess I'll see you later, Vahn."
Despite it being a relatively serious breach of etiquette for Aoko to just arbitrarily start calling him by name, Vahn just laughed it off before saying, "Yeah. I'll see you later, Aoko. Take care of yourself and try to stay out of trouble. I'll try and do the same, so long as my enemies allow it."
Though she wanted to rebuff him, Aoko just shrugged after hearing Vahn's words before waving her hand and following a Maid out of the room. After that, she left the mansion before flying off into the sky like a hypersonic rocket. She really did have a lot to think about but, before she made any major decision, Aoko wanted to talk with her sister and the rest of her family...
Shortly after Aoko left the room, Luvia wasted no time before remarking, "Don't let her fool you. She might look like she is in her early twenties, but she is close to double that in age. Still, she would be a powerful addition to our forces so good luck, Darling~"
Vahn didn't need to ask Luvia to clarify the meaning behind her words. Instead, he just shook his head with a wry smile on his face before changing the topic to discuss their future plans...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Good men that are afraid to act only perpetuate the cycle','What is the true identity of Red Shadow-chan!?','Luvia is always scheming to make the Empire more powerful xD...?')
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In the wake of Aoko's departure, Vahn escorted the majority of his group back to Avalon. Those that remained behind were Olivia, Luvia, Fenrir, and Gareth. The former pairing had a lot to take care of in the aftermath of the Barthomeloi family's fall while the latter two were there to accompany him as he waited for Scáthach's return.
Vahn felt guilty about Scáthach always doing his dirty work but, without him asking her to do so, she had volunteered herself, stating, "You carry enough burdens. So you don't lose focus in your future training, I will shoulder a few on your behalf."
Though she still seemed to be the same emotionless woman he had met nearly two years prior, Vahn knew that Scáthach was actually a caring person at heart. He knew she wanted to protect him from the darkness of the world so that, no matter how heavy his burdens became, his path would never divert from the light.
In truth, Vahn felt that Scáthach's concerns were unwarranted, even if he understood where she was coming from. After all, he had already experienced the darkness of the world on an intimate level. It had weighed heavily on his mind, heart, and soul for years but, after experiencing an overwhelming amount of love, combined with his encounter with Eva, Vahn had set his past behind him. He knew there was a chance he could relapse, especially if something happened to one of his children, but it was not necessary to coddle him any longer.
Despite feeling this way, Vahn allowed Scáthach to act as his spear in the shadows as, regardless of her reasons, it was something she had decided upon. He did not want to dishonor her convictions and, as he was trying to rely more on others, Vahn ultimately left this matter to her. With her Innate, [Wisdom of the Haunted Ground], there was literally no better person suited to the task...
---
It is said that, in the modern era, even the most powerful Magi would not be able to contend against a single serious Caster Servant. This was due to the fact that, with few exceptions, most individuals that qualified for the Caster Class hailed from the Age of Gods. During this period of time, Magecraft itself was close to the level of True Magic. While the number of practitioners was very limited, even the weakest was monstrously powerful compared to the standard set by modern Magi.
Ever since the Age of Gods came to an end, the amount of Mystery in the World had rapidly declined and, while the number of Magi had actually increased, their power had gradually decreased. This led some to believe that Magecraft was wholly dependant on the number of users that used a specific form of Thaumaturgy, to the point that, more than two thousand years after the Age of Gods came to an end, this was the prevailing belief.
Despite this 'common knowledge', there had always been outliers and exceptions, some of which wielded such extremes of power that they became legends in their own right. Among these groups, the most prominent of all were those that lived during the Ulster and Arthurian Cycles. The Ulster Cycle related to the Matter of Irish and Scottish lore, dating back to the 1st century, while, as the name suggested, the Arthurian Cycle was part of the Matter of Britain, hailing back to the 3rd and 5th century.
During this period of time, heroes and legends were common to the point that, over the course of a short peasant's life, averaging thirty-six years, they would hear the tale of several dozen heroes rise and fall. This was a time when Spirits still roamed the land and, while survival was difficult, those that made a name for themselves quickly rose to prominence. It wasn't even rare for a single person to, over the course of a few short years, gain enough power to contend against entire armies on their own.
Within the historical texts of the Mage's Association and Holy Church, this five-hundred-year period was classified as the Age of Heroes. This was largely due to the fact that, rather than Magical Power and Mana, the power wielded by those known as Heroes was something 'different', something that had not been prominent before. This latter became known as the 'Power of Belief', or the 'Law of the Common Man'.
The Holy Church credited the existence of Heroes to their God and, as this was a period in human history where people were susceptible to such things, they quickly gained this power for themselves. As for the nascent Mage's Association, they were still shaken by the rampant decline of Magecraft and, fearing it would be lost forever, were doing everything in their power to preserve it. This made them an easy mark for the Holy Church who, using their newfound power, attempted to quash all other systems of belief.
Ironically, while the Holy Church managed to establish permanant roots, which had expanded to give them nearly two-billion followers in the modern era, their actions ultimately brought an end to the Age of Heroes. People began to believe less in themselves and began looking toward God and other systems of belief in order to find answers. Rather than resist the rise of tyranny and corruption, they spent their time praying to a God that offered no answers as, so long as they were alive, Alaya did not care about their suffering.
With the end of the Age of Heroes, the Mage's Association made a major comeback as, for various reasons, Heroes had been a perfect counter against most Magi. They had unnaturally high Magic Resistance and, in many cases, had some form of diving protection that allowed them to triumph against all but the most powerful Magi. Thus, as a result of their own machinations to gain absolute power for themselves, the Holy Church ultimately undermined their own efforts.
The only true counter the Holy Church had left against the Mage's Association were the Sacraments and the existence of Saints. Sacraments were the most powerful form of Thaumaturgy, despite the Holy Church's attestations that it was Providence, not Magecraft. As for the Saints, they usually had a higher degree of 'divine protection' than even Heroes but, due to the nature of their existence, they were exceptionally rare. The Holy Church actually experimented in trying to artificially create Saints but, as could be expected, their efforts generally resulted in twisted amalgamations of humanity, not something divine.
With their efforts ultimately resulting in countless failures, the Holy Church instead began using the bodies of the Saints themselves as a catalyst to produce various weapons, relics, and other forms of armaments. They discovered that, by inflating the accomplishments of dead Saints and manipulating the belief of the devout, they could greatly strengthen the efficacy of their creations. This ultimately allowed the Holy Church to level the playing field against the Mage's Association as, by convincing their believers that 'magic doesn't exist', they were able to actualize the concept and nullify the spells of weaker Magi...
Though there had been several skirmishes between the Mage's Association and the Holy Church over the years, they currently enjoyed a period of relative peace. This was brought about by the end of the Second World War as, due to the Nazi's attempts to unify the thaumaturgical principles of both the Holy Church and the Mage's Association, both groups had to work together to cover up the truth behind the global catastrophe.
Since then, tensions had always been high between the two organizations but, with the rampant modernization of humanity, they had been more focused on controlling the populace than trying to deal with each other. Now, however, things were changing faster than either organization could realistically adapt to...
Even without a 'prophecy' delivered to them by Alaya, the Holy Church eventually found out about the imminent emergence of Angra Mainyu. To exacerbate matters even further, most of their means of communing with God no longer functioned, despite the fact they were in perfect working order.
This, as could be expected, caused a lot of tension within the organization and, as a result, people all over the world began to feel as if their connection to 'God' had diminished. Fortunately, just when it seemed like things were going to reach a breaking point that required immediate action, a genuine miracle occurred.
Inexplicably, and without notice, the amount of violent crime involving children decreased at a rate that simply couldn't be ignored. At the same time, people all over the world, regardless of religion, had attested to feeling a 'presence', almost like a voice, guiding them to take action. With millions of such cases happening all over the world, it didn't even take any effort on the Holy Church's part to proclaim the phenomenon an act of God.
With such an event taking place, the number of people who believed in God, or some other higher power, was increasing rapidly. At the same time, people all over the world began talking about the 'end of days' as, even without practicing Thaumaturgy, there were a number of people throughout the world who were attuned with the metaphysical and spiritual aspects of the world. Most of these people were largely considered hacks but, as there were some notable individuals with large cult followings, the movement was gaining momentum.
The Church, and the Holy Church supporting it, were doing their best to keep order on the surface while, behind the scenes, they too were scrambling to make preparations. They knew for a fact that, while it may not be their version of the Devil, it was inarguable that Angra Mainyu was an enemy of the same magnitude. While some wanted to discredit its existence entirely, the members of the Holy Church knew that such inaction would ultimately lead to their destruction.
To prevent the collapse of their belief system, the Holy Church fixed their attention wholly on what was taking place within the Mage's Association. Despite decrying their very existence on principle, it was an inarguable truth that, when it came to the unknown, the Mage's Association was leaps and bounds ahead of the Holy Church. After all, one embraced the truth and did everything they could to try and uncover it while the other professed their belief system itself as truth, discrediting everything that contradicted their doctrine.
While it was impossible for the most powerful members of the Holy Church to operate within the territory of the Mage's Association, this didn't stop them from using relatively normal people as a proxy. With special blessings and weak artifacts, they were able to largely resist the effect of the barriers intended to obscure their perception, allowing them to keep tabs on students commuting to and from the Clock Tower. After all, not every student stayed within the dorms and, even if they did, many would want to go out and explore London when they were bored.
The Holy Church had a number of informants ranging from baristas to prostitutes so, while most of the more pertinent details might be overlooked, major events always reached them relatively quickly. People simply couldn't help but gossip and, after a few drinks and some powerful narcotics, the lips of a young Magus could be just as loose as any other...
With a month's time to hype up the event, it was a given that the Holy Church had been made aware of the duel between Artoria and Lorelei. This also confirmed speculation that Vahn had some kind of dealings with the Mage's Association and, after investigating the matter, they also learned about the apparent existence of his hidden Empire.
After the incident in Fuyuki, Vahn was the highest priority target for the Holy Church. Not only was he an unknown element, as there were no 'real' records pertaining to his existence, but the amount of power he wielded was a genuine threat. To make matters worse, there were some who believed that Vahn had used the Greater Grail to produce the actual Holy Grail. Since their investigation had proven the existence of several other Heroic Spirits, each given a physical form, this seemed to be very near the truth.
The Holy Church could not tolerate another party possessing the Holy Grail as it was one of the most sacred artifacts associated with their religion. It had disappeared nearly 1500 years prior and, though various false grails had come into existence since then, the true Holy Grail had always eluded them. If Vahn truly possessed the Holy Grail, they would need to recover it as soon as possible. This was even more important now that Angra Mainyu was on the verge of destroying the world. They would need the power of something like the Holy Grail to be able to resist its influence, especially with their God suddenly turning a deaf ear to their prayers...
With this focus on the Mage's Association and all matters related to Vahn, there had been a special task force prepared to take action on the day of the duel. They had two groups, one positioned a few kilometers south of the Edelfelt mansion and the other located in a secure safehouse beneath the basement of a large cathedral.
The Holy Church fully expected a major battle to take place following the completion of the duel, regardless of who emerged the victor. Their mission was to observe from afar and, if the opportunity presented itself, take advantage of the conflict to secure their priority target. With their Sacraments and Scriptures, they were confident in being able to capture Vahn and, though it would likely cause the outbreak of another war, it was a small price to pay if they could secure the Holy Grail.
What the Holy Church could not have anticipated was the fact that, rather than a major battle, the duel between Artoria and Lorelei ended wholly in the former's favor. Then, more surprising still, one of their priority targets over the last millennia, Lord Bathomeloi, had also been eliminated. To cap off everything, the Edelfelt mansion showed no signs of impending conflict while, on the outskirts of London, the estate belonging to the Barthomeloi family was up in flames.
Rather than a large battle, it seemed that a single assailant had been tearing their way through the estate with impunity. Since it would have taken them an entire division to even breach through the Bounded Field of the Barthomeloi Manor, the task force formed by the Holy Church had no idea how they should react to this information. All they knew for certain was that Vahn's Empire was far more powerful than they had initially anticipated...
Leading the task force was a petite figure that only stood at 143cm in height. Despite almost every other member of the task force looking like a battle-hardened veteran, they looked like an innocent child with raven black hair, cut neatly at shoulder length, and dark purple eyes. If not for the fact that their eyes lacked the light of innocence entirely, looking more like a dark abyss than anything else, it would have been easy to mistake them as an actual child.
While everyone else was wearing tactical equipment and customized cassocks, the raven-haired child was wearing a white tunic, loose-fit black slacks, and polished dress shoes. What stood out the most, however, were the eight golden rings on their fingers and, on the back of their right and left hand, two crimson red markings that seemed to glow in the low light of the room. Their face seemed to be formed into a perpetual smile that never quite reached their eyes, unnerving anyone who had the misfortune of being in their presence for a long period of time.
The others were unable to see what was going on within the Barthomeloi family but, while it was a little difficult, this particular individual was able to see the interior of the Bounded Field. This would have been impossible under normal circumstances but, with Scáthach rampaging within the Manor, the Barthomeloi family couldn't exactly spare anyone to monitor the grounds.
With nobody to stop their advancement, dozens of peculiar-looking mice with glowing red and purple eyes were sifting through the debris and corpses littering the Manor. Though many had lost their lives the moment they came anywhere near the purple-haired demoness, they still fulfilled their purpose in helping to gather information for the task force. Their death caused the eyes of the youth to squint almost imperceptibly but, as they could always produce more, it didn't matter if Scáthach tore through a thousand, much less ten.
After witnessing the carnage for the better part of an hour, the youth suddenly shook his head. They turned to address their companions, each showing a serious expression, before saying in an amused tone, "We don't have the right equipment for dealing with this. Contact the Agency and have them send the Seventh. This mission will be put on hold for the time being. I would rather not fight a God-Killer if I can avoid it, hahahaha~"
Within the group of elites, a man with short blond hair and circular glasses made a motion to push them up before commenting in a stern tone, "Father Solomon...do you believe it wise to jest during such an important mission? The Cardinal will not appreciate such remarks..."
Instead of taking offense to his subordinate's remark, the youth began to laugh uninhibitedly before remarking, "I suppose you would harp over such matters. Well, it doesn't really matter in the end. We still need the Seventh to deal with this situation as our target isn't something that can be killed with the means we have prepared. Besides, they also have someone who was able to take out Lorelei, a person that could even contend against Dead Apostle Ancestors within their own Territory. Go and fight if you want, but you'll only be dying for a God that will not mourn your passing~"
Hearing their superior's words, everyone in the task force was more than a little offended, especially with the news of their God's silence being fresh on their mind. They knew this person before them wasn't a true believer but, to hear them slander their God and insult their beliefs, they could not help but feel incensed. Despite this, however, they made no attempt to try and seek recompense as, while not a devout follower of the Sacraments, this youth before them wasn't an opponent they had any hope of matching.
Seeing how their colleagues had reacted, the youth's smile turned into one of ridicule as they turned their back and mused, "If not for the possibility of securing the Holy Grail, I would not even be here. Now, let's see if there are any treasures to be plundered during the chaos~"
(A/N: Writing anything related to the Holy Church is mind-numbing xD. It is so convoluted!)
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