Chapter 1469: (Surprise 2/2)
Vahn wasn't foolish enough to trust Merlin completely, but, when it regarded things like Artoria's happiness, the flowery magus could be pretty reliable. Thus, knowing Artoria's 'true form' would be a reflection of her ideal self, it didn't matter what she ended up looking like. So long as she was happy, there was no reason for him not to be.
Originally, Artoria was fated to wait within the confines of Avalon for tens-of-thousands of years, her body remaining unchanged due to the few emotions she was able to cling to during her isolation. It was rather tragic, really, but, now that he had changed her fate so completely, such concerns would never be required. Now, they walked a parallel path, and, no matter what difficulties they faced, they would be able to meet them together...
After verbalizing these thoughts and explaining the process to Artoria, Vahn watched as his beloved Empress nervously activated her [Avalon]. He and Gray had also been affected by her tensions, but, as they had similar ideas of showing support, they managed to maintain comforting smiles as a veil of light shrouded Artoria's body.
Vahn could feel his heart begin to race madly as butterflies began to flutter around in his stomach, a combination that, despite his age, made him feel giddy. Then, with widening eyes, he watched as the proud and noble swordmaiden he had come to love began to shrink at a startling rate. Merlin's smile suddenly flickered across his thoughts, causing his hands to ball into loose fists as the light began to fade away, revealing a version of Artoria even more petite than Circe...
Unamused by the trickery, Vahn turned his attention towards the ceiling, stating, "If you don't break this illusion, so help me..."
Following Vahn's words, a laugh could be heard echoing in the surroundings as a hazy figure came into existence a few meters away. This was, of course, Merlin, who, upon seeing the look on Vahn's face, ceased laughing. Then, after lightly coughing a few times, he said, "You'll have to forgive me, Your Majesty. If I were to pass on such an opportunity, I would regret it for my entire life..."
As even Artoria was glaring at him with a rather vicious gaze, Merlin waved his hand through the air with an apologetic smile on his face, erasing the illusion he had cast over her body. Truthfully, he was just a little upset by the fact Vahn hadn't thought to inform him of his intentions. This was his way of getting even with him, as, while it may be a much more important even for the three of them, it was still a moment he had wanted to bear witness to...
With Merlin's illusion broken, Vahn couldn't help but gawk, his mouth hanging open rather sillily as even Gray's eyes became as round as saucers. As for Artoria herself, she hadn't been able to see all of the changes to her body, but, seeing the two large mounds that threatened to burst through her dress, a large grin had spread across her face. It was only when she looked up with an expression of pride that she realized just how much she had changed, as, compared to before, where she had to crane her neck just to look up at Vahn, she was now only a few centimeters shorter than him...
Vahn realized he had slightly underestimated Artoria's complex about her femininity, as, now that she was in her 'true' form, it was impossible to even compare her to her past self. She had become a startlingly beautiful woman, possessing mature features that greatly exceeded his expectations. Even Boudica would be hard-pressed to compare herself to Artoria, as, while she had shapely and natural-looking breasts, Artoria's seemed 'flawless', holding their shape perfectly despite their size...
While the changes to her bust were the most notable, Artoria's figure as a whole now possessed an indescribable quality to it. Though it was possible to use words to convey her beauty, any attempt to do so just seemed 'wrong', almost as if it was a libelous remark that blemished her otherwise perfect existence. The only way to describe her changes without it sounding like an insult would be to using the words 'mature beauty', as even describing her as 'godly' seemed inadequate...
Seeing Vahn's unbroken stupor, Artoria could feel a swell of emotions from deep within. Though he had always looked at her with love and affection, one of Artoria's secret desires had always been to take Vahn's breath away with her feminine charm. She had wanted to become a woman that could stand at his side, nay, a proud Empress that could match his stature.
Though it didn't seem to bother Vahn, it had always made Artoria feel self-conscious whenever she imagined how others perceived them when they were seen together. After all, Vahn was a tall and handsome man who could change the atmosphere of an entire room just by entering it. Inversely, while she also garnered a great deal of attention, the fact she looked even younger than some of his children was a great blemish on her pride. Now, she was confident she could stand at his side with pride, rather than forcing herself to radiate dignity she didn't believe she possessed...
Unaware of Artoria's true thoughts, Vahn slowly regained his senses, but, even after several minutes had passed, he couldn't find words to speak. This caused the smile on Artoria's face to grow, and, though it might be awkward to some, she didn't mind allowing Vahn to gawk until he was satisfied. His gaze made her feel beautiful, and, if not for the presence of Merlin, she might have given in to the urge to pose for him.
As Artoria's own excitement grew, nearly every set of eyes in the room looked downward, confusing her slightly. It wasn't until she followed their gaze that she realized the reason behind their peculiar line of sight, as, snaking around happily behind her body, a silvery-white tail had made its presence known. This was enough to cause Artoria herself to gawk, her stupor turning into abject shock as she reached out, confirming it was attached to her body...
Seeing Artoria's shocked expression, Vahn was finally able to recover completely, an amused smile replacing his previous, stupefied, expression. Then, before Artoria could embarrass herself, he gave a pointed look toward Merlin, stating, "I believe you have seen enough, yes?"
Hearing Vahn's words, Merlin awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, saying, "Well, I suppose you are right. Before I go, just let me say a few words, okay?"
Without waiting for Vahn's permission, Merlin made his way over to Artoria's side, surprising her, once again, due to how much her height had increased. Previously, she had been stuck at 154cm, but, after the changes to her body, she was now a startling 173cm tall. As Merlin was only 178cm in height, Artoria was able to easily maintain eye contact with him, a fact that caused a small smile to return to her face.
The moment he reached Artoria's side, Merlin surprised everyone present by reaching out his hand, stroking the top of her head as he said, "You've grown..." in an affectionate tone. This wasn't meant to be a sarcastic remark, rather, based on the sincerity visible in Merlin's countenance, it was like a father praising his daughter.
Artoria's expression immediately turned complicated upon hearing Merlin's words, her nose turning slightly sour. Truthfully, she had always considered Merlin a surrogate father to her, as, while he may have had the same expectations as everyone else, he always stood by her. He was the one who cared for her as a child, taught her how to use her sword, and, most importantly, comforted her whenever she was feeling doubtful or lonely...
Though she didn't cry, Artoria was very clearly on the verge of doing so as she closed her eyes and muttered, "Thank you..." in a low voice. At the very end, however, she added on one final word that only Merlin, who had been staring directly at her had been able to discern, 'father'. This caused his own eyes to moisten, but, not wanting to make this moment about him, he issued a soft laugh as his body faded away, leaving the trio to their own devices...
With Merlin's disappearance, Artoria felt a strange feeling of loneliness, but, with Vahn and Gray still present, a feeling of fullness spread through her body as she returned their smiles with her own. As a result, her silvery-white tail began rhythmically tap the floor, causing a slight blush to develop across her cheeks due to the awkwardness of having an appendage she couldn't control...
---
Though it had been obvious due to her physical transformation, Artoria's True Dragon blood was no longer sealed. Fortunately, most likely as a result of her own views on the matter, her transformation was only a partial one. With a bit of effort, it wouldn't be long before she was able to conceal her draconic features completely. Vahn, however, encouraged the opposite, as, rather than suppress her bloodline, it would be a lot 'healthier' for her to master it.
Artoria was troubled by the fact she now had a rather thick tail protruding from her backside, but, as she could also feel a phenomenal amount of power within her body, her jubilation greatly exceeded any of her concerns. She also knew that Vahn had a thing for women with exotic features, so, while it was undoubtedly the result of her dragon blood, Artoria silently speculated the 'true' reason behind the sudden emergence of her tail...
Vahn would probably reprimand her slightly if he knew her thoughts, but, Artoria was much happier with her current form than her previous self. Part of her had always felt strangely possessive of him, so, to have him look at her with such intrigue and 'want', it made her feel greatly vindicated. Though she would never even think of forcing him to give up other women, she had grown to feel prideful of the fact that, while he may be surrounded by beauties, she had been the one chosen as his Empress.
Now that she had become her 'true' self, Artoria was feeling more confident than ever before. It was like all of her repressed emotions were beginning to break free from their bindings, allowing her to feel truly liberated for the first time in her life. She could vividly imagine the reactions of every other woman in the Inner Sanctum, and, though she felt slightly apologetic towards them, Artoria felt as though she had completely eclipsed her 'other' selves...
After admiring the changes to her body in a standing mirror for nearly twenty minutes, Artoria met Vahn's gaze through the reflection, her eyes becoming slightly sharper as a smile spread across her face. He had been watching her with an amused yet possessive look on her face, while, at his side, Gray had a visibly envious look.
While she would never openly state it, Gray's envy made Artoria feel even more vindicated, her pale white pupils contracting slightly to form slits. This gave her a slightly predatory look, especially with her silver eyes glimmering slightly in amusement. She had the appearance of a cat who had found a mouse to play with, but, rather than act on this emotion, Artoria turned to face them, her expression softening slightly as she muttered, "It seems your surprise not only met my expectations but greatly exceeded them...I suppose I should thank you, shouldn't I~?"
Though Artoria could pull off being playfully seductive before, her current form radiated a mature aura that nearly caused Vahn to swallow, hard, upon hearing her husky voice. It had deepened a lot compared to before, now possessing a quality that could make a person's skin turn to goosebumps the moment they heard it. This wasn't due to disgust, however, but due to how sensual her neutral tone had become.
Without waiting for Vahn's response, Artoria's clothes began to dissolve into motes of silvery-white light, not to reveal her naked body, but to change into something completely new. Even she didn't know what form it would take, however, as she was merely following her instincts, activating one of the powers she 'knew' slumbered inside her body. All she knew was, based on her intuition, Vahn would greatly appreciate it, so, regardless of what form it took, she would make full use of it.
To Vahn's surprise, two silvery-white horns protruded from Artoria's head, appearing reminiscent of rabbit ears. More surprisingly, however, was how her bun partially loosened, allowing her beautiful golden hair to flow freely, while, in lieu of the form-fitting blue dress from before, Artoria was now wearing what appeared to be a white bunny suit. It was a highly revealing outfit, leaving very little to the imagination due to the various sections of exposed skin.
Though staring at any part of Artoria's body would be worthwhile, Vahn found his eyes drawn to her long, slender, legs. They were now covered in a pale blue mesh that, at a glance, appeared to be fish next hose. If you were to look closely, however, you would notice that the individual segments were actually thin blue scales, each glistening like the smooth underbelly of a snake. It was, honestly, one of the most beautiful and tantalizing things he had ever seen, causing Vahn's own draconic instincts to act up as a strong desire to 'conquer' his beloved Empress welled up inside him...
Artoria could feel a startling heat pass through her body upon seeing Vahn's gaze, but, feeling an equal desire to tease him, she chose to remain where she was, smiling seductively as she said, "This seems to be my Divine Raiment...hmm, I suppose it is true that rabbits often represent good fortune. I wonder if this form increases my own...shall we put it to the test~?"
Hearing Artoria's words, Vahn was able to ascertain several things, but, while he was certainly curious about her Divinity, that quickly fell to the wayside when his own words echoed through his mind. He knew what Artoria was referencing when she mentioned putting her fortune to the test. This caused his aura to begin swelling against his will, his eyes shifting from aquamarine to glimmering gold. In turn, Artoria's silver irises also began to glow, her pupils expanding and contracting slightly as their emotions caused an infinite loop of increasing tensions...
Though he actually had a lot of other important things going on, Vahn still found himself saying, "It is too dangerous to do it here...we'll end up destroying a part of the castle..."
Rather than answer his words, Artoria's eyes squinted slightly as a phenomenal, seemingly infinite, amount of energy emanated from her body. In an instant, their surroundings had changed from their shared chambers to an endless field of blooming flowers. Then, in a surprising act of aggression, she stepped forward, smiling greedily as she said, "I've waited long enough..."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn's curse','I may not be your father, but I am your daddy','The Goddess of Fortune places her bet...')
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