Bab 1562: Approach
Though the distance between Nyandoma and Ariadne was only around 7,000km, it generally took between two and three days to traverse. They had to fly around Hellas controlled airspace, and, due to the restrictions placed on most flight technology within Mundus Magicus, Airfish were generally limited to traversing specific Air Streams. There were ways around this, primarily through the use of magical catalysts and other fuel sources, but these were significantly less efficient.
In total, there were thirteen circular magic currents that existed within the upper atmosphere of the Magical World, and, so long as you used these for travel, most Airfish could fly indefinitely. Though some were hybrids that could make use of traditional fuels, the majority made use of a special type of engine that recycled magical energy from the environment. These were generally referred to as Prayer Spirit Engines, but, as their true form was just an exceptionally complicated Array that made use of interconnected pentagrams, the full name was Prayer Spirit Pentagram Ritual Formation.
Due to the complex nature of Formations and Arrays, it took several years for even the most skilled Magical Engineers to construct a Prayer Spirit Engine with more than ten components. This typically meant that larger Airfish, such as Air Whales, required multiple engines to remain afloat. Even then, they had to rely on comprehensive auxiliary systems, often drawing power from a hybrid engine, or they would simply fall out of the sky.
A stark contrast to commercial Airfish, Arika's ship made use of a single 18 Prayer Spirit Engine, a marvel of Magical Engineering that had been designed by Arika herself. This allowed it to directly contend against much larger Airfish, and, when it came to speed, it could even outpace specialist craft that had been specifically designed to overtake other ships. It truly was the Queen of the Skies amongst Ultralight Cruisers, and, as a result, it was also the nightmare of any Sky Pirates that were foolish enough to mistake its 'endearing' design as a sign of weakness...
---
Though there were areas where clear skies could be found, all of Mundus Magicus' Air Streams were densely populated with a perpetual layer of white clouds. There were also countless rocks of various shapes and sizes, which, in defiance of the laws of gravity, listed aimlessly through the Air Stream. These rocks were often responsible for scuttling the ships of lesser experienced pilots, but, despite living most of her life in the palace, Arika was an exceptionally gifted pilot. As a result, she was able to dive in and out of the cloud sea without fear, relying on her super-human reaction time and split-second decision making to evade any obstacles.
A stark contrast to Arika's skills, the eight remaining ships pursuing them were quickly reduced to seven after failing to evade a pillar-like stone that 'gracefully' ambled through the sea of clouds, propelled only by the wind. At the same time, the Anti-Demon Lightning Cannons located near the aft section of the ship accurately targetted the remaining craft, peppering their barriers or forcing them to take evasive action to avoid destruction.
Despite the rather intense scene playing out before him, Vahn had a relaxed smile on his face as he sat atop the deck. He would periodically swat away physical projectiles and missiles that were shot toward them, but, other than that, he allowed Arika to deal with the situation herself. He knew she enjoyed the action quite a bit, as, after their previous engagement with a band of pirates, she had a rare smile on her face that even surprised Asuna...
Seemingly losing it over the death of several comrades, one of the only custom Airfish amongst the pirates, looking similar to a hammerhead shark, broke off from the rest. Immediately thereafter, two fiery lines erupted from the aft section of the ship, greatly increasing its speed. It was attempting to pass through the magical barrier surrounding the ship so it could use the javelin-like protrusion on the bottom to release powerful lightning magic at close range. This was a risky maneuver, but, if it could be pulled off, it was almost guaranteed to disable the ship due to lightning elemental energy having the ability to disrupt the flow of magical energy.
Under normal circumstances, a mid-sized ship like Arika's would struggle to deal with a smaller craft designed to pursue and harass a target. Unfortunately for her enemies, Arika wasn't a conventional pilot, nor was her Airfish constrained by common sense. As a result, she performed a maneuver that few would even attempt with a mid-sized vessel, rolling her ship belly-up so that the twin cannons on the underside could still be of use. Then, before the desperate pirate could penetrate the barrier, it was blasted out of the sky before Arika quickly righted the ship's orientation, executing the entire maneuver in a single smooth motion.
After the death of their presumed leader, the remaining six ships gave of pursuit, attempting to flee in multiple directions to reduce the number of casualties should their quarry decide to turn around and become the hunter. Unfortunately for the remaining pirates, their blackened auras had already determined their fates. The moment they turned to flee, invisible lines passed through space much faster than most people could perceive. Immediately thereafter, every ship was cleanly cut into two distinct parts, their pilots killed in an instant as Vahn returned to his seat, casually pulling out an oil rag to polish Laev-tan...
---
With the battle coming to an end, Arika exhaled a sigh tinged with a bit of warmth as she flipped a switch on her console, disabling Attack Mode. As a result, the lighting on the bridge shifted from red back to a neutral white color. At the same time, the extra terminals that had surrounded her station, giving her a panoramic view of the situation, slowly faded out of existence in a relatively futuristic manner, while, at the side, Fenrir could be seen stretching her body as she said, "That was kind of fun~."
Though she wasn't particularly fond of the woman, Arika felt it would be petty of her to not offer praise when it was due. As a result, she adopted an almost imperceptible smile, stating, "Your skills as a gunner are impressive. Had you missed the final target, we may have sustained a direct impact on our stern. Good work."
Hearing Arika's praise, Fenrir made an 'ok' gesture with her paw before rising to her feet and saying, "I wouldn't have been able to hit them if you didn't roll the ship at the correct moment. You deserve just as much praise for your piloting as I do for my accuracy. I'm sure Master will have something to say about it once he returns~."
The moment she heard Fenrir mention Vahn, Arika turned her attention towards the screen that showed the upper deck of the ship. There, Vahn could be seen polishing his cherished sword with a calm and reflective look on his face...
As if there was nothing outside his perception, Vahn immediately raised his head when she looked at him, smiling back at the small camera present near the base of the Airfish's dorsal fin. In the very next moment, he appeared within the bridge itself, sheathing his katana as he said, "The two of you did very well."
Since he had appeared next to Fenrir, Vahn began habitually petting her head as he turned to Arika and asked, "Did you have fun, Ms. Queen of the Skies...?"
Though she knew Vahn was teasing her, Arika combed through her fringe bangs, her face a mask of calm as she answered, "Indeed. The more Sky Pirates we can eliminate, the safer the Air Streams will become for both people and merchants. You did well by not letting any escape..."
Hearing Arika 'praise' him, Vahn lightly chuckled, barely resisting the urge to tease her further as he simply stated, "Thanks." before asking, "How long until we reach Ariadne? I'm actually surprised we have encountered so many Sky Pirates near a City-State famous for its Aerial Knight Squadron."
Tapping an icon on her console, a holographic panel showing the entirety of Mundus Magicus came to life in mid-air. Arika then pressed on one of the 288 squares, each denoting an area equivalent to 640,000 square-kilometers. The one she clicked on displayed runes that, when translated, denoted a small dot near the very center as Ariadne, and, a little to the East of that, a small green blip could be seen slowly moving across the map...
Truthfully, Vahn could have just looked at his own map to confirm their location, but, knowing Arika would want him to ask, he did so. She took being the Captain of the ship pretty seriously, so, unless he deferred to her every now and again, she would become moody.
With the map visible to everyone in the room, Arika pointed at the red icon near the center, a slight smile on her face as she explained, "We're approximately 284km away from Ariadne. At our current cruising speed, we should reach our destination in just under twenty-three minutes. Though we will have to undergo an inspection, Ariadne allows commercial and private Airfish to operate within the city limits. If I reveal my identity, we should be able to berth the ship within the Imperial Academy's private dock to avoid the inspection entirely."
Though it would likely cause an incident, Vahn understood the merits involved with docking at the Academy's private dock. It was easy to imagine the Grandmaster of Ariadne and the Arch-Dean of the Academy coming out to greet them. This would give them a considerable amount of freedom when it came to exploring the Academy City, but, in exchange, they would be closely monitored or escorted by the Ariadne Mage Knights.
Vahn wanted to avoid politics, but, in order to grant Asuna's request, he also wanted to observe the various Academies and Research Institutions within Ariadne. He might even be able to enroll Asuna into one of the more prestigious Academies, even if only for a few months. This would undoubtedly limit his movements, but, with the ability to produce multiple bodies, Vahn wasn't too worried.
With his mind made up, Vahn nodded his head, saying, "We'll go through official channels this time around. I made a bit of a scene in the Hellas Empire not too long ago, but they never officially put a price on my head. I'm somewhat curious to see how they will react once they learn I have appeared in Ariadne."
Though it would be a simple matter to conceal his identity, Vahn was intending to make a name for himself. He wasn't trying to hide away, and, though it would place a small burden on Arika, she was already prepared for the consequences of pursuing her ambitions. She wasn't afraid of the political backlash of being labeled an associate of someone who would undoubtedly become wanted, as, in the grand scheme of things, her reputation was more than enough to cast doubts on anyone that wanted to slander her name.
Hearing Vahn's response, a look of conviction flashed across Arika's eyes as she said, "I understand. I will do my best to secure allies within the Imperial Academy. With the support of the Ostian Royal Family, there is a chance Ariadne could be convinced to split off from the Hellas Empire before the onset of war. Even if that is not the case, I am confident I can find people willing to support my goal of creating a better world."
Resisting the urge to chuckle, Vahn smiled in response to Arika's words, reminding her, "You're free to act as you please, but don't forget your training. Unless something goes awry, there is a chance we will be staying here for a few months. Also, there are times when we will act independently from each other, but, if you feel it is necessary, I will always be at your side. You don't have to feel guilty or afraid of relying on me, as, until you finish your training, I am responsible for your safety. I might not fight your battles for you, but that doesn't mean I'll allow others to harm you."
Though she wanted to say she didn't need his protection, Arika understood there were people in this world who greatly exceeded her in strength. In the past, she would have performed her duties without taking this into consideration, but, after seeing Vahn's strength, she knew there was a vast gulf between her and the top. Thus, in response to his words, she lightly combed through her hair, a slight smile on her face as she answered, "I'll keep that in mind...thank you..."
Seeing Arika playing with her fringe bangs, a tell-tale sign that she was happy, the edges of Vahn's smile curled up slightly as he added, "I'm going to help Asuna get ready. She is pretty excited to be able to tour the Academy City so she has been reading a lot of books about Ariadne ever since we set out. Since meeting with the Grandmaster and preparing accommodations will probably take a few hours, I'll be splitting my body into three, one to accompany you, one to protect Asuna, and the other to guard the ship..."
As he was explaining his intentions, Vahn lightly ruffled Fenrir's hair, adding, "Though it will be a little boring, I'll have you accompany Arika and me. I want you to try and memorize the scent of the Grandmaster and any other important officials. We might have to go 'hunting' at some point, so it will make things easier if you can track them on command."
Hearing the word 'hunting', Fenrir's smile became a toothy grin before she answered, "Leave it to me. Even if they try to hide in another dimension, I'll be able to sniff them out without fail~."
Though it might sound like an exaggeration, Fenrir could actually lock on to a person's scent and trace it to the location where they had entered another Dimension or Realm. This hadn't really been necessary after the planetary body of Gaia became his territory, but, never the type to slack off just because her skills weren't needed, Fenrir continued to polish her senses to an extreme degree. She also enjoyed hunting together with the more bestial members of the Menagerie, so, while she still lost out to Tier 5 beings like Illya, Fenrir's sense of smell was nigh-unparalleled.
Feeling a bit prideful of his faithful companion, Vahn ruffled Fenrir's hair a little harder, causing the mischievous Vanargandr's tail to waggle as she nuzzled against his palm. This earned him a pointed look from Arika, but, without minding it, Vahn began using both hands to dig into Fenrir's fluffy fur, continuing even after being kicked off the bridge...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Arika, Aerial Ace, Queen of the Skies','Vahn about to educate the people of the Academy City (UwU)...','You think the Godhand can be daunted with a mere gaze!? Heresy!')
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Bab 1563: Tensions
As the Western-most territory of the Hellas Empire, Ariadne enjoyed the benefit of being one of the furthest territories from the Megalomesembrian Confederacy. Though it was surrounded by various monster-infested forests, it also had direct access to the sea, arable lands, and, most importantly, an inordinately high concentration of Elemental Spirits. This made it one of the most enchanting places in Mundus Magicus, a land where ancient scholars had congregated to appreciate the splendor and research the phenomenon of the Magical World.
Ariadne had remained one of the most beautiful and scenic places in the entire Magical World ever since it was first established more than thirteen hundred years ago. This would have normally made it a hotbed for migrants and refugees, but, due to their founders' desire to preserve the untouched beauty of the land, they had exceptionally strict immigration policies. Unless you were a member of the faculty or a student within one of the academies, the longest any visitor could stay was seventy days out of a 687 day calendar year. The only exceptions to this were if you had received a special permit from the Grandmaster or the Emperor, the latter being far more common, and exploited, by members of the Nobility.
Originally, Ariadne only occupied a little more than 850 of its 269,000 square kilometers of territory. The rest of the land was either untouched or occupied by orchards, vineyards, and a few other types of non-destructive agricultural facilities. Over time, however, large swaths of land had been cleared to construct grand estates and summer homes for the Empire. To further exacerbate matters, many of these estates were only constructed for the purpose of exploiting the land of its resources, often without providing any benefits to Ariadne.
Though the overall size of the Capital hadn't changed in more than a hundred years, the amount of land occupied by agricultural estates had grown to more than 30,000 square kilometers in the same amount of time. This had been a point of contention between Ariadne and the Empire ever since it became a City-State. Now, with war looming on the horizon, the Empire had even begun pressuring Ariadne to allow it to build a Military Base and Air Field to the West of the city, stating it was for the city's benefit and protection despite the Ariadne Mage Knights being one of the most elite forces in the entire Empire.
The Grandmaster of Ariadne knew that, if she were to acquiesce to the Empire's demands, it would be the effective end of her country and the principles it had clung to for more than a millennium. If they had Imperial Forces on both sides of them, they would be effectively be cut off from the rest of the world, completely subsumed by the Empire. Not only would they require a ridiculous amount of land and resources to support their new base, but, after securing their position, it wouldn't be long before members of the Nobility began asking why Ariadne needed something like a private military when the Empire was so 'magnanimously' protecting it. In the end, Ariadne would be stripped of its autonomy in its entirety, and, within a few generations, the population would likely explode in order to further the profits of the Empire's Nobility...
---
Seated within the highest tower in all of Ariadne, a middle-aged woman with long blonde hair and two curved horns that jut out from the sides of her head in an s-shape could be seen sitting at an ornate wooden desk. She was nursing a cup of piping hot black coffee, slowly savoring the contents of her porcelain mug as she stared at what appeared to be a much younger version of herself. This was the woman's daughter, the current Headmistress of the Imperial Academy, and, should Ariadne still have a future, her successor as Grandmaster.
Though she already knew her daughter's answer, the woman, Grandmaster Sidra Avenarius, offered an apologetic smile as she said, "The Emperor has, once again, expressed his desire to unify our two families. The Second Prince seems quite taken with you and continues to press His Imperial Majesty to arrange your betrothal..."
Hearing her mother's words, the young woman, Seras Avenarius, adopted an expression of visible disgust as she plainly stated, "With all due respect, Madam Grandmaster, I would rather leap naked into the Cerberus Canyon than become that vile man's plaything. I have expressed this in writing to both the Emperor and the Second Prince. This is just another petty scheme of theirs to try and seize our land for their personal gain. They are already beginning to demand we move our forces to the Eastern border despite trying to justify the need to construct a military base in the West...it is truly disheartening..."
Rather than show any concern for her daughter's moderately treasonous tone, Sidra just took a sip of her coffee before nodding her head and muttering, "Fortunately, the more they insist that a new base is necessary, the easier it is to avoid sending reinforcements to the border. The Emperor is also not as greedy as his son and the members of his Court, so, unless something drastic happens, he is not likely to support the growing movement to seize Ariadne. Unfortunately, we will probably have to cede even more land so that he can appease the Grand Duke's faction...haaaaa..."
Feeling exhausted despite being on her fifth cup of coffee for the day, Sidra placed the cup down onto its saucer before linking her fingers together with her elbows on her desk and stating, "Well, it might not be all that bad. The reason I called you to my office is to task you with an important duty. You see, the Princess of Vespertatia has requested permission to berth her vessel within the Imperial Academy's private docks. I'm uncertain as to the purpose of her visit, but, considering the timing, it undoubtedly has something to do with the coming war. As for why she would come here instead of heading straight to the Imperial Captial...well, I can only make assumptions. Regardless, I want you at my side when I meet with Her Highness."
Understanding the implication contained within her mother's words, Seras felt a small amount of anticipation as she performed a curt salute and said, "I understand. I will personally ensure that the Princess' stay is a pleasant one."
Nodding her head in approval, Sidra rose to her feet, and, despite wearing what appeared to be a prim and proper women's business suit, including a pencil skirt, began to stretch her body. She still had a number of years before retirement, but, with the combined stress of dealing with the Empire, managing the Academy City, and leading the Ariadne Mage Knights, her body was constantly filled with tensions. She was only thirty-seven years old, but, despite the longevity of her species, she had a few troublesome wrinkles that detracted from her once-famous beauty.
As she had served under her mother for years, learning everything she would need to know in order to fulfill her future responsibilities, Seras had long already gotten used to how slovenly she behaved in private. She honestly couldn't really blame her, and, though she was proud of the fact she would one day serve as the Grandmaster of Ariadne, Seras wasn't particularly looking forward to the side-effects that came with such a strenuous duty. Rather, due to the constant insistence of the Second Prince, she was already beginning to feel the pressure.
Two years prior, Seras had been engaged to wed one of her former classmates, a handsome boy who had left quite an impression on her in their youth. He was, fortunately, a member of a rather prestigious family, so, after a brief period of discussion regarding the benefits both families would obtain, they were formally engaged. Unfortunately, soon after their engagement was announced, her fiance's body was found along a riverbank, his face bloated beyond recognition and large parts of his body missing. The reports stated the cause of death as drowning due to intoxication, but, as her fiance had never been known to drink, Seras had always suspected foul play. It didn't help that, shortly thereafter, the Second Prince came to give his condolences before subsequently offering to accept her as his bride...
Remembering the abhorrent experience, even Seras' shoulders began to feel a little stiff, but, unlike her mother, she had yet to dismiss with propriety in its entirety. She was currently on duty as both Headmistress of the Imperial Academy and Vice-Commander of the Ariadne Mage Knights. If she slacked off in private, Seras was afraid she might slip up in front of her subordinates, so, at least for the time being, she did her best to show discipline at all times...
---
Though Arika was already considered the Queen of Vespertatia, her appointment had never been made public. Until then, she could only address herself as the Queen-incumbent, but, as that was only valid within Ostia, itself, her official title abroad was 'Crown Princess of Vespertatia'. She was also the official Ambassador of the Ostian Royal Family, so, immediately after declaring herself, a contingent of Mage Knights, once again looking like a group of lance-wielding Valkyries, came out to escort her.
Seeing the group of thirty heavily armored knights gliding through the air, Vahn couldn't help but be reminded of the Proto Dragon Suits that had been designed by Da Vinci. The latter allowed the wearer to trespass virtually any kind of environment, and, though they required quite a bit of skill, even with an onboard AI, they were true marvels of Magic and technology. As for the winged armor used by the Ariadne Mage Knights, they were significantly less advanced, but, due to their unique design, Vahn found them rather charming.
Noticing the reminiscent smile on her Master's face, Fenrir, even without asking, knew what he was thinking about. As a result, she moved closer to him, deftly linking her right paw with his left hand before resting her head against his shoulder. In response, he gripped her paw a little tighter before gently leaning over and kissing the top of her head...
Arika had also noticed the look on Vahn's face, but, before she could ask if he was interested in the Enchanted Armor of the Mage Knights, she was left bewildered by the abrupt display of affection between him and Fenrir. She had only recently allowed them back onto the bridge, so she couldn't help feeling slightly annoyed by the fact they were shamelessly cuddling together without minding their surroundings...
Forcing herself to simply ignore the affectionate display, Arika turned her attention to the primary viewport, saying, "We'll be mooring shortly. If you're going to sneak out with Asuna, you should do so soon. If not, wait for me on the deck. Once I've anchored the ship, I will come out to join you..."
Understanding Arika was basically kicking him off the bridge again, Vahn answered with a curt nod before departing, hand-in-paw, with Fenrir. He could feel Arika follow their departure with her eyes, but, rather than react to it, Vahn continued to fawn over Fenrir as if he were oblivious.
Truthfully, Vahn knew he was being a little unfair towards Arika, but, if she did inevitably fall in love with him, she would need to accept his relationships with other people. Even if she were a thousand times more amazing, there was no way he would simply abandon his other relationships in order to appease her. Thus, rather than shy away from displaying affection while she was around, Vahn did so rather shamelessly. He had already informed her about his harem and the primary reason he had come to this world, so, unless she opened her heart and accepted others, there was simply no way he could reciprocate her burgeoning feelings...
---
Not that he was surprised to see them, Vahn smiled wryly as he saw his other self emerge from the bridge alongside Fenrir. This didn't go unnoticed by Asuna, who, after craning her head to see what he was looking at, turned to face him, asking, "Is it time to go?"
In response to his nod, Asuna hoped up from Vahn's lap with a 'hup', quickly grabbing a few snacks from the table before downing the remnants of her tea. Then, picking up her rather cute backpack, she hefted it onto her back and said, "I'm ready." in a marginally excited monotone.
Though he assumed it had something to do with her powerful fate, Vahn was surprised at how cute he found all of Asuna's behaviors to be. She was more than a little spoiled, and, rather than asking for things, she always said what she wanted with a straight face. He would normally try to curb this kind of behavior, but, perhaps as a result of her kuudere-like nature, it only made the adorable doll-like girl more endearing...
Before picking Asuna up, Vahn pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away a bit of powdered sugar and crumbs from around her mouth. She made no effort to resist his actions, rather, whenever he doted on her, Vahn could feel Asuna's aura swell slightly due to how happy she was. It didn't show on her expression unless something major happened, but she was a lot happier ever since they had begun their journey than she had been back in the palace.
Once Asuna's face was clean, Vahn gave her a quick once-over to make sure she had everything she needed before they set out. She was currently wearing a frilly collared smock dress with a bright red ribbon tied around her neck. This was a stark contrast to the qipao-like robe she often wore, and, to complement it, she also had on a frilly black skirt with white trim, black leggings, and a pair of dark-red leather shoes. All of this, combined with the large backpack that served as a container to house the Lucky Cat, made her look like an adorable young preschooler attending class for the first time.
Though he was the one to pick out the clothes, Vahn couldn't help but nod in approval before smiling as he said, "It seems you have everything. I'm not too worried you will run off, but try and stay close to me at all times, okay?"
Rather than answer, Asuna just looked up at him with a blank expression, her ahoge twitching a few times before she reached out and grabbed his hand. This caused Vahn to lightly chuckle, and, after waving towards Fenrir and his counterpart, he teleported himself and Asuna down to the streets of Ariadne, a city almost exclusively comprised of schools and dorms that perfectly blended victorian architecture with various fantasy elements...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Greedy Nobles? Who'da thunk','Comment section be like, "New harem candidate?"','Asuna is receiving signals from the mothership with her antenna...!')
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