Chapter 1624: Increasing Tensions
After arriving at the northern-most end of their little private island, Asuna and Euryale were happy to discover a small cove with a small beach and a rocky region filled with tidal pools. This stirred the curiosity of the young Asuna, and, though she wasn't that interested in the micro-ecosystems within the tide pools, Euryale still followed along with Chachazero in her arms.
Knowing the duo would be getting hungry relatively soon, Vahn allowed the girls to enjoy exploring as he pulled out a few beach chairs, a large parasol, and a grill. Then, without even needing to jump into the water, he waved his hand and used Telekinesis to extract a variety of different fish from the nearby sea. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy fishing the normal way, but, as Asuna could eat several kgs of food in a single sitting, Vahn didn't want to keep the young glutton waiting too long.
It was around the time he was preparing to skin and clean the fish that Vahn sensed the approach of a familiar presence. A natural smile spread across his face, and, though she had yet to appear, he still happily mused, "It seems I'll need to prepare a bigger lunch~."
Appearing almost immediately after her Master's musings, Fenrir's ears seemed to droop slightly before immediately perking back up when she saw the former's smile. Then, despite there being no real need, she explained, "I sensed you were thinking about me and decided to come over. Should I go and catch something from the ocean...?"
Before answering, Vahn made a come-hither gesture with his hand, affectionately stroking Fenrir's head the moment she got into range. He was always happy to see her, and, if he hadn't known she was in the middle of cultivation, he would have invited her to come along. Thus, rather than put her to task, he scratched the sweet spot near the base of her ears as he said, "Leave lunch to me. Take a break, watch over the girls, or go swimming. I already set out some beach chairs so you can also try sunbathing. Even if you can't tan, it can be pretty enjoyable to nap under the sun."
Though she heard her Master's words, Fenrir didn't immediately reply. Her head was all fuzzy from the pleasant sensation spreading through her head, and, for a brief moment, it almost seemed like her foot was going to start tapping as she squinted her eyes contentedly.
As tempting as it was to keep petting his adorable companion, Vahn brought Fenrir back to reality by framing her face with his hands and giving her a small peck on the lips. She immediately blinked back to awareness, and, seemingly having considered each of the options, answered, "I'm gonna go swimming. I'll make sure there aren't any hidden hazards in the water so that Asuna and Euryale can go swimming later on."
With her mind made up, Fenrir pounced on her Master, tightly squeezing his body and nuzzling against his chest for a few seconds before releasing him and using magic to change into a dark-blue bikini. She had never particularly lacked confidence in her figure, but, after several stages of maturation, Fenrir had come to embrace her wild femininity. She would never show off in front of other people, but, when it was just her Master around, she enjoyed being seen.
Understanding his responsibility, Vahn shamelessly admired Fenrir's figure, his eyes lingering on her bushy tail and the almost imperceptibly lighter areas around the edges of the swimsuit. She might not be able to tan, but, whenever she was stripped naked, 'certain' areas of Fenrir were slightly paler than the rest of her body. Vahn always found this slight contrast extremely tantalizing, and, though nakedness was certainly beautiful, the allure created by barely concealing such areas was even more potent than a Siren's call.
Satisfied by her Master's response, Fenrir playfully waggled her tail a bit before taking a few steps and leaping high into the air, producing a flawless arc that allowed her to dive in the exact center of the cove. It was a lot deeper than a traditional, seemingly formed from a massive impact, so, even though she leaped high into the air and produced a membrane of ki to reduce friction and protect her swimsuit, there was no risk of accidentally hitting the bottom.
Vahn had little resistance to Fenrir's temptations at the best of times, so, with one version of himself engaged in some rather deviant acts with Eva, he actually needed to run his fingers through his hair a few times, benefitting from the use of his own Petting Laws. It was challenging not to get riled up when a version of himself was already doing something best left for the evening hours. Fortunately, Asuna and Euryale were distracted by Chachazero wearing a creature that resembled a hermit crab on her head, so, at the very least, he didn't have to worry about the former giving him one of her characteristic 'knowing' looks...
---
Having stumbled across the Great Spirit of Wood while she was bathing in a spring, Nagi and the rest of Ala Rubra had been forced to beat a speedy retreat when Tamaki Damu, backed by more than a hundred Priestesses, transformed into a horde of Wood Dragons in an attempt to capture them.
Fortunately, despite appearing like a piece of junk on the outside, the Airfish employed by Ala Rubra had been modified and enchanted to the extreme. It could easily outpace a normal Airfish, and, though it wasn't fast enough to outrun a horde of angry Dragons, Nagi and Zect had been able to deter a prolonged pursuit by paralyzing nearly thirty percent of the horde using lightning magic. This wasn't really the preferred method of dealing with a problem they had created, but, as it didn't seem like Tamaki was willing to forgive them, they were left with little choice in the matter.
Now, after arriving on the outskirts of Al Jamila, Nagi had a depressive atmosphere about him as he had just learned about Vahn's departure nearly two days prior. This made it impossible to track him using his Master's artifact, and, to make matters even worse, there were no information brokers in Al Jamila to lend any insight into Vahn's potential destination. All they knew was that he had gone East, and, after traveling several hundred kilometers, his vessel had simply 'vanished' from the view of those attempting to keep tabs on him.
Causing even greater confusion, they had received information that the Princess of Vespertatia had reappeared in Ostia. This all but verified the rumors that Vahn had the ability to freely teleport vast distances, as, if the information was accurate, the Custos Rosea had been more than six-thousand kilometers from Ostia at the time of its disappearance. There was a chance they had doubled back after evading their pursuers, but, as that seemed like a completely unnecessary waste of time, it was far more likely that Vahn had teleported the Princess back to her homeland while the Custos Rosea continued heading eastward.
Needless to say, Nagi was extremely frustrated by the fact he had missed his opportunity to battle against the increasingly infamous Sage Dragon Emperor. As a result, he was wearing nothing but swimming trunks as he lay languidly atop his staff as if it were flat ground. Beneath him, the bodies of several large sea monsters would periodically flicker with electrical currents, as, in an attempt to cool his head, he had gone a little wild...
While the red-haired youth was seemingly lost in thought, a silhouette nearly three times the size of a blue whale's appeared beneath the surface of the water. It's size and outline rapidly became more pronounced as a spiral horn pierced the water's surface, followed by a monstrous entity that looked like a narwhal covered in a layer of bony spines and protrusions. It attempted to devour Nagi in an instant, but, at the exact moment its massive maw emerged from the water, the former appeared to flicker out of existence.
Carried by its phenomenal momentum, the narwhal-like creature emerged nearly thirty meters from the water before crashing back down with tremendous force. Its overall length easily exceeded one-hundred meters, so, while it hadn't fully emerged from the water's surface, it generated a miniature tidal wave of seawater and froth as its colossal figure crashed back into the sea. Then, in an attempt to either flee or line up a second sneak attack, the massive creature angled its body downward and began to dive, its four-pronged tail breaking the sea's surface for a brief moment.
Denying the creature any further opportunities, Nagi appeared at the exact moment it was about to begin its descent. He grabbed its tail with a single hand, and, against all conceivable laws of physics, pulled the colossal beast out of the water, grinning confidently as he shouted, "Hey now, what's the rush? I went through all that effort to give you a chance to ambush me. The least you can do is stick around for a few minutes...!"
Unable to understand human speech, the narwhal-like creature just floundered helplessly in the air as its body crashed towards the sea's surface. Before it could hit, however, Nagi appeared beneath it, striking upward in an action pose as a massive shockwave emanated from his palm. This not only bounded the 500,000kg creature back into the air, but it also caused a large indentation in its side that subsequently collapsed into a geyser of blood and gore.
Clicking his tongue, Nagi used a chantless short-range teleport spell to evade the shower of gore, reappearing several meters away as he complained, "How can something so massive be so fragile? Did you really have to die after a single hit!?"
Though it wasn't actually dead yet, the narwhal-like creature had a hole in its side large enough for a small Airfish to pass through. Its blood caused the already tumultuous surface of the sea to turn a deep shade of crimson, and, for the umpteenth time that day, surrounding shoals of fish were given the opportunity to engorge themselves upon prey that usually made a light snack out of them...
Seeing the scene of carnage, Nagi, who was standing on the air as if it were flat ground, shook his head in exasperation before turning to the figure that had appeared like a phantom nearby, asking, "Weren't magical creatures supposed to be scary powerful? Everything I've faced so far is just super weak. When am I going to get to fight something strong, Master?"
Despite appearing like a ten-year-old youth, Zect stroked his chin in a sagely manner before saying, "It isn't that they are weak, you are just too strong. Don't worry. Soon enough, you'll have plenty of powerful opponents to test your skills against. You just need to increase your reputation and show some results in the coming war. As your fame and notoriety increase, the number of people trying to prove themselves by defeating you will gradually increase. For now, you should remain patient and continue to hone your skills further. You are already very powerful, but, due to your age, there are quite a number of individuals who could wipe the floor with you."
Rather than take offense to his Master's words, Nagi displayed an excited smile at the prospect of facing powerful opponents. He knew there were actually a number of Demons more powerful than himself, as, like his Master, they had thousands of years to improve their strength. There were also beings like the Great Spirits, Ancient Dragons, and even Manifested Gods, so, while the majority of magical creatures didn't pose a threat to him, there were a number of 'true monsters' just waiting for him to defeat them...
Feeling more motivated, the staff floating behind Nagi began to spin rapidly, lightning flashing across its wooden exterior as his aura spread caused a massive depression in the sea's surface. At the same time, Zect released an exasperated sigh before raising his hand and saying, "Come with the intent to kill."
Immediately after he heard his Master's words, Nagi surged forward so quickly that it appeared as if he had teleported. Then, causing the sea to turn concave for more than a hundred meters, his fist impacted his Master's palm with enough force to create a visible vacuum, repelling the surrounding atmosphere and causing lightning to dance across the periphery...
---
Though they could feel the effects of the battle all the way from the mainland, the Al Jamilans were instructed by Eulimene Ea not to send anyone to investigate. She had already been approached by Albireo Imma after the arrival of Ala Rubra, and, though she would normally never acquiesce to the demands of a stranger, the man gave her the impression of an unfathomably deep abyss. Thus, on the grounds they would not harm the people of Al Jamila, she agreed to ignore their actions out at sea.
Fortunately, Albireo didn't seem to mind when she lied and told him that Vahn was never even in Al Jamila. Instead, he just smiled before pulling out a book that gave her a dangerous feeling, asking a number of seemingly random questions before snapping it shut and departing like a phantom. This had given Eulimene Ea a strong urge to smash his face in, but, trusting her instincts, she decided to let him depart without obstruction. The sooner his group left, the sooner peace would return to Al Jamila, and, though it probably wasn't necessary, their departure would allow her to try and contact Vahn in the hopes of passing on a warning...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: '(O w O)~!','RIP Narwhal-san...','A group of true monsters...')
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Chapter 1625: Development
Though she hadn't been able to emerge victoriously, Theo's demonstration was more than enough to qualify her as an adult. Her performance easily put her among the strongest, not just within the Empire, but the entire magical world. This, combined with the fact she had already been performing her duties as an Imperial Ambassador, made it very difficult to argue against her qualifications, and, though there were a few who tried, the Emperor quickly shut them down.
Michael wasn't particularly enthused about the fact his daughter had seemingly become submissive to a foreign entity, but, after seeing how powerful she had become, it was too late to complain. The simple truth of the matter was that he actually expected 'something' to happen prior to sending his daughter to mediate the issues in Ariadne. It was the fact she had already received the favor of the Sage Dragon Emperor that led to her being designated as an Imperial Ambassador, and, though he never intended for this particular development, Michael had tried to take advantage of the situation to further the interests of the Empire.
Fortunately, though it was never easy, it wasn't as if Theo was his first daughter to walk down such a path. Rather, during the transition from adolescence into adulthood, all Hellasians would undergo a phase where their instincts heavily influenced their decision-making process and the adult they would develop into. All of his children had gone through the same process, and, generally speaking, it was following this phase in their life when most people were considered true adults.
By the time most Hellasians reached maturation, they would have fallen into one of three categories depending on their social status and a variety of other factors. In the case of Aristocrats, they would generally develop slightly sadistic tendencies as a result of their background and the general power disparity between Nobles and commoners. This was especially true if they attended a place like the Imperial Academy, as, with very few exceptions, they would drastically eclipse their peers in virtually all aspects related to combat.
With the exception of Theo, all of Michael's children had developed along the 'expected' route, and, at one point in time, the First Princess even had a 'collection' of various different races. A number of these former slaves had grown to become her most trusted officers and bodyguards, and, with the exception of a peculiar human boy, all of them were inordinately powerful. This had been the main purpose of her collection, as, rather than see them waste their potential away for the entertainment of others, Malina had secured them for her own 'personal' interests.
Though there were times when things got out of hand, it was generally considered a rite of passage for members of the Aristocracy to recruit their own bodyguards, confidants, and even servants. This not only gave them the opportunity to vent some of their frustrations and curiosities, allowing them to gradually mature while concurrently allowing them to develop an eye for people as they slowly filled their entourage with capable subordinates.
In many situations, especially when they were younger, an individual Noble's competency could be evaluated based on the company they kept. If they surrounded themselves with 'yes men' or simple sex slaves, they were generally looked down upon or outright disdained. The same could be said if their subordinates weren't expressly loyal to them, as, if they were able to be converted by others, it negatively reflected the quality of their leadership and overall charisma.
Under normal circumstances, the subordinates of an Aristocrat should be willing to lay down their lives for their 'Master' without a second thought. This was the main reason why it was so common for Aristocrats to develop slightly sadistic tendencies, as, without the ability to inspire reverence and instill discipline into one's subordinates, securing their status would be very difficult. For this reason, it was rare for outliers like Theo to appear, as, without considerable support, overwhelming power, and remarkable intellect, other Aristocrats would not hesitate to try and exploit them.
With the majority of Aristocrats having moderately sadistic tendencies, they would not overlook the existence of someone with a submissive or potentially masochistic nature. This was especially true when the person in question was a member of the Imperial Family, so, while very few were brazen enough to openly discuss the matter, there were numerous discussions taking place behind closed doors. There was a lot of speculation regarding who had conquered the willful Third Princess, and, as could be expected, there were also detractors disparaging the fate of their Empire should it fall into the hands of someone with a submissive personality.
Fortunately, regardless of what was said, Theo's power, competency, and birthright all but assured she would hold the title of Empress. She had more than enough power to secure the position, and, with the support of various influential figures, even openly opposing her was difficult. Doing so was the same as inviting misfortune or death upon themselves, as, if the speculation was to be believed, there was really only one person who could have tamed their Princess. This was largely hearsay, but, considering the consequences, very few were willing to ask for clarification or put the theory to the test...
---
Following an impromptu city-wide celebration that rocked the entire capital, Theo found herself, once again, within her father's Throne Room. This time, the only people present were close family and confidants, so, unlike her previous visit, things were a lot less formal as she happily received her father's half-hearted yet sincere congratulations.
Though she understood what was likely weighing on her father's mind, Theo wasn't going to be the first to broach the subject. Rather, even if someone tried to force her to disclose the truth, she had absolutely no obligation to answer. Her position as Crown Princess actually afforded her a variety of privileges she had never taken advantage of, and, now that she was recognized as an adult, the only person who could reasonably hold her accountable was the Emperor himself. Thus, unless he asked her about the truth in confidence, she would hold it near and dear to her heart until she eventually reached a point where she could proudly declare it to the entire world.
Seeing the unperturbed smile on his daughter's face, Michael couldn't help but repress a sigh as he forced a smile and said, "It seems you grew up the moment I took my eyes off of you. Your mother, Gods bless her, would have been proud to see the women you've grown into..."
Not expecting her father to suddenly mention her mother, Theo felt a sour sensation in her nose, but, having decided to behave more maturely, she fought back the urge to tear up. Instead, she did her best to smile even more radiantly as she answered, "Thank you, father. Though I might make a few mistakes along the way, I will do my best to lead the Empire towards an even brighter future. I will make both of you proud; I swear it."
Though it could be attributed to the naivete of youth, Michael, and everyone else present, could see the conviction in Theo's eyes. Various thoughts raced across their minds, but, ere anyone else could react, it was Vrixho Nagasha who stated, "The road you travel is bound to be wrought with various hazards and hardships. Never forget the conviction you feel at this moment, Theo. Not only will it prevent you from being led astray, but, one day, it will become the torch you pass down to guide future generations. We all believe in you."
Hearing Vrixho's statement, the atmosphere became somewhat solemn, but, more than anything, his words deeply resonated with everyone present. This included the eldest Princess, who, despite her father's insistence, intended to get to the bottom of the events leading up to Theo possessing a choker. She didn't want her beloved younger sister and Empire being manipulated by some strange dragon that seemingly came out of nowhere, but, if she really thought about it, it was almost as if Theo was returning to their roots. After all, the Empire wouldn't even exist if not for the forbidden union between Vrixho and the Hellasian woman who gave birth to the first Emperor...
Realizing the direction of her own thoughts, Malina couldn't help but frown slightly as she took a long and hard look at the choker around her sister's neck. This didn't go unnoticed by Theo, but, rather than shy away in the slightest, she raised her chin slightly as if to say, 'You can look all you like but don't even think about touching it'.
As everyone could see the brief interaction between the two sisters, the First Prince, Casimir, broke the awkward tensions by plainly asking, "What are your intentions now that you have successfully completed your Rite of Challenge? If you've no other considerations, it would greatly improve the morale of our troops if you demonstrated your power on the frontlines.
Though it was a fair question to ask, nearly everyone within the Throne Room looked toward the First Prince with a glowering expression. Even Vrixho wasn't an exception to this, stating, "This was not a war sought by Theodora. I will not prohibit her participation but it is senseless to ask her to fight when even senior members of the Aristocracy have yet to make their move. Do not treat my inheritor as a weapon for the convenience of fools who would lead the Empire to its destruction."
Contrasting his usual calm and composed demeanor, Casimir rapidly waved his hands from side to side as he hastily clarified, "You've misunderstood my intentions! I would never think about turning Theo into a weapon. I just thought it would motivate the soldiers on the frontlines if she showed off her power in another exhibition match. Theo is beloved by the people, so, if they see how hard she is working to become stronger, I thought it might motivate them to work harder..."
Seeing how almost everyone was still glaring at him, Casimir turned to one of only two people who hadn't taken offense to his words, Theo herself. She still had a vibrant smile, and, noticing his gaze, offered an even more radiant version as she unhesitantly shot down his proposal, saying, "I plan to continue serving as an Imperial Ambassador and Auditor. I'm actually against this war, and, though there is little I can do to prevent it, I plan to do everything in my power to bring it to an end. There is something fishy going on behind the scenes and I won't rest until I expose the corrupt fools who think they can treat the Empire like it is a tool to further their personal interests."
Surprised by his sister's statement, Casimir found himself at a complete loss for words. The same could be said for his sister, but, as they were better informed regarding Vahn's nature, the Emperor, Prime Minister, Vrixho, and Jack weren't particularly surprised. The latter even laughed a bit before adopting an expectant smile and saying, "I always knew the Empire was bound to be flipped on its head with a tomboy princess at the helm. I can't wait to see the expressions of those despicable old snakes when they get pulled out of their hidey-holes by the future Empress. Count me in, brat!"
Much to the chagrin of the First Princess, who had once failed to turn Jack into her subordinate, the uncouth man burst into laughter following his outburst. At the same time, Theo adopted a cheeky grin as she stood, arms akimbo, and snickered like a child who had just completed a prank. This was always something that had annoyed her, as, despite her best efforts to be a reliable older sister, the person Theo had most imprinted upon was the unrelated Jack.
Crossing her arms in a characteristically haughty display, Malina gave Jack a sidelong glare, earning the attention of the brutish individual as she said, "I believe it would be prudent if the Special Grand Martial measured his words more carefully. I have always found your influence on my younger sister to be problematic. If I find out you've been planting thoughts in her head-"
Before Malina could finish her words, the left side of Jack's smile curled up as he said, "It has been five years, Princess. I know I spanked you pretty hard but that's no reason to act butthurt every time we see each other."
If not for the thin coat of white hair covering them, everyone present would have been able to see the tips of Malina's ears turn red as she continued to glare at Jack without any noticeable change in expression. Then, after several seconds of silence, she casually raised her hand before chanting in a dull monotone, "Shatter bone. Lapis Niger...!"
Following Malina's simple chant, several black stones, each shaped like spearheads, formed out of thin air. At the same time, a series of tiny magic circles appeared, some with the function of greatly increasing speed and rotation while others enchanted the stone spears to have a homing property. Overall, this process took like than .3 seconds to complete, and, following Malina's pointing, they all fired toward Jack with several times the force of a specialized magical bullet.
Though the stones might have posed a threat to most people, Jack's only response was to hold his hand up to shield his face as the black stones smashed into his body, forearm, and palm. They had absolutely no hope of penetrating the thin layer of Ki that enveloped his body like an impenetrable wall, a truth Malina knew all too well. In fact, she was responsible for giving Jack one of his most famous aliases, calling him, 'That damn guy who you can stab with swords all you like and it won't do a thing, dammit!'
Unsurprised by the failure of her attack, Malina elected to completely ignore the brutish man as she looked back at her sister and advised, "Please don't do anything that would unnecessarily endanger your life. If you ever need help or advice, I am always willing to make time for you. Never forget that your big sister is always on your side, Theo."
Having said what she intended to say, Maline decided it would be best to leave before she caused a bigger commotion. She knew Jack wasn't shy when it came to making a scene, so, if she took things too far, the one to suffer would be her. He had actually gone as far as to spank her in the middle of an Imperial Gala after winning a bet. Though this was the result of her own hubris, her pride made it impossible to forgive him, as, following that incident, she was too embarrassed to even stay in the Capital. As a result, she became the Commander of the Southern Fleet, a post she had held for the last five years in the hopes that people forget the incident entirely...
---
Seeing his eldest daughter depart, Michael gave Jack a pointed look that caused the man's gaze to break away from the First Princess' backside. She was one of the most beautiful women in the entire Empire, and, though Jack tried to be 'relatively' respectful to the Imperial Family, there was a reason numerous women referred to him as a perverted gorilla. He primarily acted as such to keep people off-kilter, but, as a healthy man who had a considerable interest in strong women, even he couldn't help but admire beauties like the First Princess.
Maintaining his pointed look, Michael did his best to repress a sigh as he gazed into the eyes of the most powerful man in the Empire, stating, "Spare me from having to explain to another family why my daughter is no longer available to be wed..."
Finding the Emperor's remark rather amusing, a massive grin spread across Jack's face as he rubbed the back of his head and saying, "Gimme a break, Michael. Even my boyish good looks wouldn't last if I was assaulted every day by Miss Black Rock Shooter. Don't worry, you won't catch a mutt like me trying to mix with a member of the Imperial Family."
Though Michael wasn't fond of Jack referring to himself as a 'mutt', he still took the man's words to heart, nodding curtly as he said, "That puts my heart at ease. The Gods know I have enough trouble with my youngest running rampant..."
Seeing her father direct his attention toward her, Theo emulated Jack's action, rubbing the back of her head and smiling mischievously without showing even a hint of remorse in her crystal clear blue eyes...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's not just a phase! This is who I am!','That's a long time to be butthurt','I feel like Michael is going to be forced into early retirement...')
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