Chapter 1468: Surprise (1/?)
Around the same time that he was discussing the summoning of Heroes, Vahn had freed up a bit of time, seeking out Artoria. He didn't want to surprise her by summoning a 'doppelganger' of herself without any forewarning, but, more importantly, he wanted to resolve the matter of her 'surprise'. It wasn't something that needed to be taken care of immediately, but, once she learned the specifics, there was a fair chance she might blame him for not bringing it up sooner.
Though Vahn could take a sneak peek into what the future held, doing so would spoil the surprise for both of them. He was very curious about the result, but, in order to share the moment with his beloved Empress, he diligently went in blind. After all, regardless of how things ended up, Vahn was certain Artoria would appreciate it quite a bit.
Carrying this conviction with him, Vahn sought out Artoria, finding her lounging in their room. This wasn't all that surprising, but, perhaps as a result of the stress she had accumulated throughout the day, Vahn was amused to find her wearing nothing but a blouse and panties as Gray straddled her back, massaging Artoria's shoulders. It was a rather 'intimate' scene, quickly turning comical when he startled them both by suddenly opening the door.
While Gray showed an expression of mild shock, Artoria nearly knocked her out of the bed when she suddenly flipped over and tried to cover herself. She looked like she had just had a heart attack, her face paling as a cold sweat quickly developed across her body. When she saw who had entered the room, however, her face became beet red as she exclaimed, "You...can't you knock or something!?"
Electing not to tease her too much, Vahn simply smiled, muttering, "Sorry, I'll keep that in mind..." as he walked over to the bed. He knew she would quickly realize how foolish it would be to require him to knock on his own bedroom. She was simply surprised, as, whenever he made time for his children, Vahn would stay with them for upwards of a day, on the low end...
While Artoria was recovering, Gray managed a slight smile, bowing as she politely stated, "Good evening, Master." The fact she was in her lingerie made this quite the appealing sight, earning an appreciative nod from Vahn as he answered, "Sorry to interrupt." in an amused tone.
Hearing her Master's words, Gray's smile only widened as she resisted the temptation to laugh, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she stated, "We were just getting to the good part too..."
The moment Gray finished her words, a white blur slammed into her head, knocking her off balance as Artoria, with a crimson complexion, readied another pillow and exclaimed, "Traitor...!"
---
After waiting for both Artoria and Gray to change into more suitable attire, Vahn preempted their questions, explaining, "I wanted to give you an update on the events taking place in the Moon Cell. Before I end up summoning anyone else, I also wanted to give you the surprise I promised. Though it could wait until later...well, let's just say this will make things slightly easier for me? Hahahaha~."
Now that she was fully clothed, Artoria had regained her calm demeanor, her expression forming a slight deadpan as she plainly stated, "You intend to summon another person that looks like us, don't you?"
Hearing Artoria's words, Vahn turned statuesque, earning a pointed look from his beloved Empress, who, with her arms crossed, added, "Your surprise better be good. I'm already expecting that glutton and battle junky to begin clinging to you in the future. You summoning more doesn't even come as a surprise at this point..."
Contrary to how she behaved when others were present, Artoria could be exceptionally shrewd when they were 'alone'. Though she was also prone to bouts of embarrassment, she became a force to be reckoned with whenever she regained her momentum.
Despite the slight pressure he experienced under Artoria's silvery gaze, Vahn felt as though he had an absolute advantage this time around. She seemed to notice this as well, her 'anger' beginning to subside even before he answered.
So as not to lose the momentum, Vahn took a deep breath, adopting a serious expression as he said, "After what happened with Scáthach...I invested a lot of time trying to comprehend everything that had happened. I've also been speaking with both Alaya and Merlin about concerns I have had for a long time, trying to grasp concepts regarding Space and Time. I'm so close to obtaining a Divinity in both, so a lot of my self-study relates to both subjects..."
Artoria didn't know what Vahn was getting at, but she began to feel more than a little nervous. Even Gray was showing an exceptionally serious expression, feeling as though she was bearing witness to an important, historic, moment.
With the attention of both women fixated on him, Vahn allowed himself to smile slightly, adding, "I promised to continue looking for ways to treat your current condition. I had discovered the solution some time ago, but, as I had many concerns, I never mentioned it. These last few days have changed my perspective a considerable amount, so, now that I have had time to consider it properly, I think it is time to come forward with my findings..."
Even without asking, Artoria knew what Vahn meant when he was referring to her 'condition'. She could feel her jaw begin to tremble slightly as she balled her hands into fists, doing her best to try and stay calm as he explained, "Your Chrono Displasia, it is not the result of you freeing Caliburn from the stone. Rather, from that moment in time, it was your inability to move forward that caused your body to cease developing. You were too focused on being the King others had always expected you to become, following the path they had set without deviating. By the time you pulled the sword from the stone, you had become that King, never changing from that moment onwards..."
Hearing Vahn's words, Artoria lowered her eyes slightly, memories of her past welling up, including many things she had come to regret. Though she had started letting these things go, there were still a few things that haunted her, even to this day.
Before Artoria could begin wallowing in the memories of her past, Vahn extended his hand, gently lifting her chin so that they were staring directly at each other. Then, before continuing where he left off, he softly stated, "You have come a long way, Artoria...you are no longer that young woman who was forced to bear a burden others thrust upon you. Raise your head, smile, and feel prideful of the progress you have made...the people you have touched..."
Placing her hand overtop Vahn's, Artoria was able to calm down considerably, a smile replacing the conflicted expression on her face as she answered, "You're right...the person I have become can't be compared to my past self. Sometimes, I forget...thanks for reminding me...Vahn..."
As it was virtually impossible to resist, Vahn reduced the already shrinking distance between them, kissing Artoria's lips in a delicate manner. He was tempted to go further, but, as he was starting to get a little excited for what was to come, he tempered his resolve, pulling away after a few seconds had passed.
Now looking like a demure maiden, Artoria had a slight flush on her face as she awkwardly combed her fingers through her hair. In truth, she was also tempted to continue, but, far more than Vahn, she was eager to experience what his words seemed to promise.
Contrary to her expectations, albeit only slightly, Vahn went on to explain, "That is the primary cause behind your body's physical development. The real problem, however, is the contract you attempted to establish with Alaya. Even though we have largely treated your trauma, your Soul is still linked to your original body. Time is an illusory concept, having no bearing on the Soul itself. Thus, while your original body remains removed from the Time Axis, your current vessel will default back to that state, even if someone like Aoko were to accelerate you time by millions of years..."
As Artoria had started to deflate slightly, Vahn began to lightly caress her cheek, a smile on his face as he asked, "Do you think I would tell you these things arbitrarily? Calm yourself. Take deep breaths and relax..."
Following Vahn's guiding words, Artoria took several deep breaths, leaning into his palm slightly with her cheek. Once she had calmed down an adequate amount, he went on to explain, "I spent a lot of time looking into the methods employed by Scáthach to link the Land of Shadows with the current Time Axis. I also discussed your original fate with Merlin, learning the conditions required for your return as the King of Utopian Avalon..."
Once he reached the part concerning Artoria's fate, Vahn felt a little awkward, but, knowing she would want to know the full details, he continued, adding, "One of the requirements was for your contract with Alaya to be annulled. This would have resulted in the death of your original body, but, due to the nature of your existence of the 'pillar' of the world, your physical body is simply a vessel. Your Soul, in the form of a Greater Divine Spirit, would have been transferred to Avalon, awaiting the world's destruction before allowing you to return, this time in your 'true' form..."
Though she knew Vahn would go on to explain, Artoria couldn't help but furrow her brows slightly, asking, "So, I have to die...no, you have to destroy my original body...?"
As she had hit the nail on the head, Vahn felt even more awkward, his smile turning wry as he said, "I can retrieve your original body from the severed Time Axis using the Throne of Heroes. Since you are currently inhabiting this vessel, this would cause your original body to break down into dust, ceasing to exist. The death of your physical body serves the purpose of creating a permanent gateway with True Avalon, one only you can open. From that moment onward, you would be able to summon True Avalon at will, but, most importantly, it will remove your Chrono Displasia entirely. Your true nature is that of a Greater Divine Spirit, one with Draconic heritage...once you are willing to accept that, there will be no limits to your future..."
Even before he had finished his explanation, Vahn could see hesitation budding within Artoria's silver eyes. Her aura had also become slightly chaotic, so, while it was somewhat unfair to her, he leaned in close, bringing his mouth near her ear as he whispered, "You will also be able to bear children..."
The moment her brain processed what Vahn had just said, which took a surprisingly long period of time, Artoria felt a resolution bubble up inside of her as she firmly stated, "I'm ready. I hadn't even thought about my original body in the last few years, so there is no sense in fretting over it at this point. Let us be done with this. Do it. Quickly."
Vahn wasn't too surprised by Artoria's fervor, as he knew she had been thinking about having an actual child even before the recent matter with Mordred. Becoming the latter's mother had been one of the most pivotal moments in her entire life, but, while she cared about Mordred deeply, it was impossible for her to quell the desire to bear one of her own. She had envied the fact that others were able to get pregnant, seeding thoughts of inferiority and causing her to, at times, question her value as a woman...
---
With Artoria having made up her mind, another version of Vahn, who had been waiting patiently in the Welsh Dragon's Chamber, opened his eyes. In the next moment, he found himself in the familiar black space, standing a few meters short of the Throne's terminal.
Though Artoria's name was actually greyed out, as she was already 'summoned', Vahn had already performed an experiment to ascertain whether or not his method world work. In the end, all he had to do was select the [Transmigration] option, and, though there was a fair chance her Ego would be transplanted into the new body, the end result would be the same. All that really mattered was that her physical vessel was destroyed, allowing the gateway to True Avalon to be established. If he had to transfer her soul into another vessel for a few minutes, it wouldn't make much of a difference...
Fortunately, Vahn was spared the additional effort as, after confirming his selection, he watched as the familiar bluish-white particles came together before ultimately dispersing. Her body didn't even manifest completely, but, within the Unit Management list, Vahn was able to confirm that her Chrono Displasia had disappeared. The only step remaining was for her to activate [Avalon], then, alongside Artoria herself, he would learn exactly why Merlin kept telling him he was in for a pleasant surprise...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Mmm, Artoria showing why she is the top waifu in the Nasuverse...','It's easy, really, we just have to kill you~!','I'm getting vertigo up here...')
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