章 1114: My Beautiful Father
For what felt like several long months, experienced the phenomenon of being surrounded by a warm pressure, the only distinct sounds coming from the two heartbeats and the subtle echoes of bodily functions. However, though it was far less clear, there was a persistent muffled sound that constantly droned on for hours at a time, each word ingrained deeply into the heart and mind of the infant he was observing from a third-person perspective. These words contained hatred, promises, and bloody conviction towards the child's father, the one true King, Arthur. The owner of the voice was none other than the child's mother, possessing a hatred so fervent that, when Artoria was given the means to produce an heir, she bewitched her own kin to steal the seeds of life for nothing more than petty revenge and overwhelming jealousy...
Though Mordred wasn't even able to understand what her mother, Morgan le Fay, was saying, the words were still deeply ingrained into her body like a curse. Thus, before she was even born, the seed of, not only her father's downfall, but her own had already been planted. To emphasize this further, from the very moment of her birth, Mordred's body was soaked in enchanted snake venom to greatly enhance her strength and physique, at the cost of reducing her life to only a fraction of what it should have been. By the time seven days had passed, she had grown from a mere infant to a young woman, her body shaped to her Mother to be an almost perfect replica of her father's.
During this seven day process, Mordred experienced a painful burning sensation in her mind that, no matter how she cried out, never ebbed in the slightest. Knowledge and memories were being forced into her rapidly developing mind, many relating to the most terrible aspects of humanity. Before she even knew how to think for herself, Mordred witnessed humans fighting against each other over petty disputes, terrible crimes of both greed and passion, torture and murder to a sickening degree, and, worst of all, the unwillingness of others to act against great evil for nothing more than their own desire to avoid trouble. She saw how they embraced the mundane and wasted away during times of prosperity, putting on a pretense of civility and 'humanity' yet, the moment poverty reared its head, humans become extremely self-centered and would commit horrible atrocities against each other to gain small advantages. Instead of uniting together to overcome their struggles, they would become less than beasts by stealing, killing, and 'worse'. Yet, when things once against transitioned in the direction of prosperity, they would pretend to be righteous once again, blaming the times and situation for how they had acted as if it were someone else's problem...
Seeing the way in which human's lived, while being aware that her own foundation was that of a human, Mordred's developing mind began to greatly resent them. It wasn't until, when things got especially bad, the first ray of light appeared within her cold and dreary world. She witnessed, on the edge of ruin, humans banding together, hope and expectation clearly visible in their eyes as they looked toward a platform upon which a sword and a stone rested. At first, a tall and sharp-eyed man had tried to release the sword from its purchase, earning a dreary sigh from the crowd in response to his failure. The fact some besmirched him for even trying caused Mordred to feel a seething rage, at least until the next person came up to the platform. Unlike the tall man, it would have been more accurate to call the second person nothing more than a fair and youthful boy. It looked like he didn't have even the smallest amount of power contained within his thin body but, with each and every step the young boy took towards the sword, anticipation began to build within the crowd. Then, even though it seemed to defy all logic, the young boy pulled the sword free before raising it high into the sky. The grey clouds overhead parted to reveal rays of sunshine, bringing warmth to the cold and cruel world as everyone shouted, "All hail King Arthur! Long live the King!"
Starting from the moment King Arthur liberated the sword from the stone, the visions forced into Mordred's mind became filled with warmth. She saw how the previously divided humans would band together under the direction of their King, accomplishing feats they would never have even strived for on their own. Instead of living as individuals, everyone began to work together towards a shared goal, slowly ushering in an era of prosperity under their combined efforts. Instead of stagnating and simply reacting to whatever life threw at them, blaming the 'times' for how they acted, they began looking towards a brighter future. Though they were unable to envision it themselves, they trusted their King to guide them in the right direction with unwavering determination and foresight they themselves lacked.
Mordred watched as King Arthur slowly brought his country back from the brink of ruin, tirelessly endeavoring for his people without complaint, no matter how bad things got for him. He devoted his everything to his subjects and, even against seemingly insurmountable odds, claimed an endless string of victories in order to ensure greater prosperity for the Kingdom. However, as their prosperity was secured, the nature of humanity reared its ugly head once again. Their expectations for the King steadily grew and, even though they were more prosperous than ever before, those that sought to take advantage of the situation crawled out of the woodworks like termites that threatened the very foundation of the Kingdom. Even this wasn't enough to deter the King, however, as he continued to tirelessly endeavor to improve the public order and guide the people back to the proper path...
It was with thoughts of wanting to help this great and noble King that Mordred first opened her eyes to the world, not as an infant, but as a young lady on the cusp of becoming a woman. However, she would quickly learn that it was not the fate of a woman that awaited her as, with a crazed light in her muted silver eyes, Mordred's mother, Morgan le Fay, stated, "My precious Mordred...my son..." From that day forward, Mordred was given another crash-course education directly from his mother. She had him shadow her around everywhere, allowing Mordred to experience the cruelties of the world directly. When Mordred saw things like this, the rage that had been embedded deep within his heart and mind would immediately break free from its restraints. Over the first three years of his life, the number of criminal scum that had died at Modred's hands numbered in the thousands. He gradually built up his proficiency in live combat, making a name for himself as a 'hero' that fought against the tyranny of those who would oppress others...
However, what made Mordred even more famous was the suit of armor and the helmet his mother had forced him to wear, explaining that he was to never remove it in the presence of another. As there was always a powerful compulsion within each of Morgan's words, something that caused great turmoil in Mordred's heart, he was forced to obey. It had only taken him a few months to understand that his own mother was one of the despicable people that he would normally kill but, no matter how much rage disdain he held towards her, Mordred was never able to raise his hand against his own mother. Like this, tales of a silver-armored hero who never revealed their face began to spread all throughout the land. When asked why he never removed his helmet, Mordred used the excuse that his mother had given him, claiming that the armor bore a powerful curse that even the most powerful Magi within the Kingdom could not remove...
After a little more than three and a half years, Mordred found himself in the fabled land of the great King Arthur himself, the Castle City Camelot. He could see the massive Ivory Castle in the distance, filling him with great pride and expectation as, according to his mother, the Knights of the Round Table, the Kingdom's greatest military force, had been asking around about him. Though some had taken to calling him a mass murderer in recent months, it seemed that the Knights of the Round Table had an appreciation for his strength. As a result, Mordred attended a military parade on the eve of yet another successful campaign by King Arthur and his Knights.
With high-quality weapons and armor being things that even Knights struggled to afford, Mordred stood out from the rabble gathered to welcome their King's triumphant return. It wasn't long before he had been approached by a robust man with a stern face and deep purple hair. At his side, a rather petite young woman who had tomboyish traits and an innocent glow in her green eyes asked if Mordred was the Knight rumored to roam the lands and help the innocent. Though this wasn't the truth, as Mordred only fought for himself and his desire to purge the leeches that clung to the underbelly of society, he still nodded his head in response to the question. His mother had already taught him everything he needed to say and do before bringing him to the capital. She had even chosen the spot where he was to wait, drawing the attention of Lancelot and his esquire, Gareth.
Following the confirmation of Mordred's identity, he was given the chance to display his abilities in a spar against Lancelot himself. The two fought for nearly a full hour before the fight was brought to an end by none other than Arthur himself. When Mordred finally saw the King he had respected dearly his entire life, it was almost as if he had become one of the peasants standing beneath the platform on the day Arthur loosed the sword from the stone. The moment Arthur gave him the chance to become a member of his Round Table, Mordred did not hesitate to bend the knee, feeling as if his life could be given greater purpose if he followed this 'perfect King'. Though he would never lump himself together with the disreputable humans that lived lives no more fulfilling than cattle, Mordred believed he could also move towards a better future under his King's guidance...
It wasn't long before Mordred began to distinguish himself in actual battles, tearing through scores of enemies with the force of a natural disaster. This terrified most of the common soldiers but, with their own power not all that dissimilar to Mordred's, the Knight of the Round Table did not hide their appreciation for his power. Though he was eventually relegated to the role of a 'Guerilla Knight', tasked with hitting the enemy's flanks and harassing their encampments, Mordred happily accepted his duty since it brought even greater prestige to his King. From the time he had pledged his fealty to Arthur, Mordred's mentality had changed greatly compared to the past. So as not to tarnish his King's honor, he endeavored to improve his disposition and fit in better with the common soldiers. Though he would quickly lose his temper whenever someone slandered his King, often with deadly consequences for the offender, nobody complained as he was just executing people for the crime of Lèse-majesté, 'wronging the King's dignity'.
For more than a year and a half, Mordred dutifully served as a member of the Knights of the Round Table, greatly increasing his fame as a result of his battle prowess and his natural charisma. From the moment Mordred made an effort to get closer with the other soldiers, his popularity skyrocketed as, even though his actions were sometimes extreme, there were few as outgoing as Mordred within the King's army. He even turned the tide of battle several times by going against his standing orders and arriving to aid troops who were on the verge of collapsing under the enemy's forces. Though these actions were only motivated by his desire to ease his King's burden, as the latter blamed himself for each fallen soldier, public opinion painted Mordred as a selfless hero of the people, a rumor made stronger by his past exploits traveling around the country and eliminating 'evil' at its roots...
When Mordred's popularity was at its peak, it was then that his mother finally revealed to him the truth that he had always known deep in his heart. Though he had spent nearly his entire life wearing a suit of armor, there were times when Mordred had to clean and relieve himself. He had seen his own reflection in a mirror, one so similar to his King's that it was almost uncanny. When his Mother revealed that he was actually the son of King Arthur and the rightful heir to the Kingdom, Mordred felt an unbelievable sense of pride well up inside his chest. Since there were rumors circulating that the King had failed to produce an heir, making him unworthy of his position, Mordred felt like he would be able to bury such slanderous claims by coming forward and revealing the truth.
Shortly after learning the truth, Mordred requested a private audience with his father, something rarely granted even to the King's closest aides. It was then, after bending the knee for what felt like the thousandth time, that Mordred finally removed his helmet. To his exuberance, the King didn't even seem surprised by the fact that Mordred shared his face. However, these feelings of joy didn't last for long as, after revealing his identity the only question Arthur asked of him was the name of his mother. Since he had not been forbidden to speak of such things, Mordred felt it was his duty to be truthful to his King and Father, declaring Morgan le Fay to be his mother. This immediately caused the King's expression to darken as, though it wasn't well-known to the public, Morgan was his sister, sharing both parents with each other. As this wasn't the first time he had been plagued by Morgan's meddlesome ways, Arthur didn't lash out at Mordred, nor did he blame him for being a pawn in the treachery of another. However, regardless of whether or not Mordred was his actual son, Arthur denied him any right of succession, claiming he was unsuitable to become a King.
Feeling as if his entire world had come crashing down, Mordred, for the first time in his life, ended up spending the entire evening thrashing his small estate and crying tears of rage and frustration. He couldn't believe that his father had refused to acknowledge him, especially after everything he had done to protect his reputation and win glory for him on the battlefield. He suddenly felt that his position as the twelfth seat of the Knights of the Round Table, something that had been a mark of pride for him in the past, was a great smear on his pride. Though the rankings were not determined by strength, the higher seated members were given greater prestige and authority compared to the other members. Since Gareth, the King's niece, a person Mordred could easily defeat in battle, was ranked as the 7th seat, it felt like he had been betrayed and used as nothing more than a tool. The lack of surprise on Arthur's face now made it 'apparent' that he had already known the truth but allowed Mordred to serve him just so he could make use of his power...
From the moment he was denied his father's acknowledgment, Mordred became a bitter and silent person. Though he still carried out his duties, his change in disposition had a big impact on the morale of the soldiers that had come to rely on his boisterous and courageous nature. They still followed him into battle without fear and hesitation, but it was clear to everyone that 'something' drastic had changed. Soon after, as if to validate these fears, a great chasm formed within the Knights of the Round Table as it was revealed to the public that Queen Guinevere, Arthur's wife, and his most trusted Knight, Sir Lancelot, had a forbidden tryst. In accordance with the Kingdom's laws, Guinevere was tried and found guilty for the heinous crime of adultery. She was set to be publically hanged while Artoria was still away on a campaign, a matter he learned about far too late to directly intervene with.
When the day of the execution came, there were several Knights of the Round Table standing witness, including those who opposed the hanging of their Queen while the King was away. This included Gareth who, in protest of what was occurring, had forgone bringing her weapons and armor to the event. Most people didn't even know she was a girl but, as if such things never mattered to her, Gareth stood as solemn witness, compelled to due so as a result of her duty. The only thing she was rewarded for her honor and loyalty was having Lancelot, the person Gareth respected more than anyone else, even more than her King-Uncle, arrived in a crazed fit as he attempted to rescue Queen Guinevere from her fate. Without any hesitation at all, regardless of the fact that Gareth made no attempt to defend herself, Lancelot unceremoniously crushed the young girl's head amidst the shocked cries of the crowd. Gareth had been one of the most beloved of the Knights of the Round Table so seeing such a young and innocent girl slaughtered by her own teacher shook the entire crowd to its core.
Following the death of Gareth, Sir Lancelot and Sir Agravain, the very Knight of the Round Table who had exposed the tryst and rushed the trial, became locked in a long and arduous battle. During this battle, Sir Lancelot, purported to be even more skilled than King Arthur himself, fought like a crazed beast to protect the Queen's life. By the time Arthur arrived, nearly three days later, three Knight's loyal to the Crown had lost their lives at Lancelot's hands. Accompanying them to the afterlife were hundreds of soldiers that had tried to capture the mad Knight who, even with Queen Guinevere begging him to calm his rage, continued to strike down anyone who attempted to approach the Queen. It was almost as if he had been inflicted with a curse of madness as, regardless of how close they had been to him previously, Lancelot brutally slaughtered friends and kin alike...
When Arthur saw what had become of his most 'loyal' Knight, a rare pained expression could be seen on his face. Mordred remembered seeing this look at the time and sneering beneath his helmet, believing Arthur had wrought this tragedy upon himself. What happened after that, however, caused Mordred to nearly have a mental breakdown as, after Lancelot was finally apprehended and imprisoned, Arthur later pardoned him completely. Even after he had killed three other members of the Round Table, including Arthur's own kin...even though he had been sleeping with Arthur's own Queen behind his back, seemingly for several years, Arthur surprised the entire Kingdom by granting Lancelot a pardon.
As a result of Arthur's decision, the Knights of the Round Table were split into two and, as a result of his behavior leading up to Lancelot's betrayal, many believed Mordred had foreseen this outcome. With his mother manipulating information behind the scenes in Mordred's favor, he became the de facto leader of his own growing faction, all while still performing his duties as a loyal Knight in the service of King Arthur. When Lancelot fled shortly after his pardon, unable to continue serving as a Knight after having betrayed his King, Arthur denied the cries of one of his few remaining Knights, Gawain, to pursue the traitorous ingrate who had killed their kin. This inaction by Arthur only created an even greater wedge in the Knights of the Round Table, to the point that civil unrest broke out into actual war a few months later.
During this inner turmoil, the Saxxon armies managed to get a foothold in the Kingdom's territory, razing and pillaging on their conquest inland. Arthur was forced to meet his enemies in battle, leaving Camelot in a severely weakened state that allowed Mordred to break into the armory of Camelot and stealing Clarent, the sword of succession and Kingship. With Clarent in hand, Mordred became even more powerful while his Charisma was also considerably bolstered. Around this time, he also revealed to the people that he was the rightful heir to the throne, revealing his face to the public and claiming he would strike down Arthur to claim his birthright. Though he did this for entirely selfish reasons, and simply wanted people to know why he acted as he did, the repute Mordred had built up caused many to gather at his side. He didn't understand why so many would turn against the King that was, even now, fighting for their prosperity but, after witnessing the 'true nature' of mankind from a young age, Mordred simply didn't care.
Finding himself suddenly surrounded by thousands of soldiers that believed they were fighting for a better future against a King that had failed them, Mordred carried Clarent into battle against his Father on the fields of Camlann. After surprising Arthur's forces after a long and tiresome battle to repel the Saxon invaders, Mordred's forces quickly overwhelmed her father's. However, with some members of the Knights of the Round Table still loyal to the King, this was only a small victory as the tides of battle quickly shifted in Arthur's favor. He had never known defeat on any battlefield so, after several hours of gruesome and gory battle, both armies had been reduced to only a fraction of their initial numbers. Toward the end, Mordred had slaughtered nearly six-hundred soldiers on her own. He had even seriously injuring Gawain, elder brother to the brutally murdered Gareth, in single combat before moving on to face a battle-weary Arthur.
Seeing the calm expression on his father's face, even after several grueling hours of battle, Mordred removed his helmet as he held up Clarent, shouting that he was there to claim his birthright. In response to this, Arthur simply shook his head before angling the Holy Spear, Rhongomyniad towards Mordred. Before Mordred even knew what was happening, a painful and hot feeling ran through his entire body as a beam of light pierced his abdomen. In the next moment, Arthur appeared right in front of him, skewering Mordred along the same trajectory as the beam of light. This caused Mordred to vomit up a mouthful of blood, marring Artoria's almost expressionless face as the latter plainly stated, "Not once did I despise you. There was only one reason I would not give you the throne...you simply lacked the capacity to be a King..."
With those parting words, Arthur pulled Rhongomyniad free from Mordred's abdomen, causing intense pain and an incredible amount of blood to pour out over the already blood-saturated ground. Mordred lost all feeling in his legs, falling to his knees before his King one last time as the latter turned his back, eyes looking for the next enemy as if the final moments of his son meant nothing to him. As darkness began to encroach on his vision, Mordred muttered, "Father..." with a tear-stained face. This seemed to catch Arthur's attention as he turned to look back at Mordred just as the latter felt an intense rush of power that caused his body to regain its strength for a brief moment.
Without guiding his own actions, Mordred and Arthur both observed in shock as the former ran his Clarent through the latter's abdomen. Since the Holy Scabbard, Avalon, had been stolen from Arthur during the battle on the border, his purported invulnerability was no longer in effect. Mordred's last moments before fading into blackness was pulling his sword free from Arthur's abdomen before watching his father drop to the ground. Then, for the first time in his life, Mordred saw Arthur turn his face toward the sky as tears began to pour down from his eyes. At this moment, a flash of blue light seemed to replace the darkness in his vision before, moments later, Mordred began to experience a long dream...just as his first life had begun with witnessing a series of memories, so too did Mordred's second life...this time, however, he saw a dream of hope instead of despair...
---
Around the time when Mordred likely started dreaming about his past life, Vahn's eyes opened back in the real world. His body felt strangely cold, even though he had Fenrir and Circe warming his body from both sides. Though the latter still restained her chastity, she had still been very proactive during the hours preceding their sleep. Now, much like Fenrir, she was curled up against his body without a single piece of clothing covering her soft and surprisingly hot body. Because of this, the chill Vahn had been feeling was slowly melted away as he hugged the two girls against his body. As Fenrir had awoken around the same time as him, she made Vahn feel even better by gently licking around his neck and jawline. This helped Vahn relax considerably as he ruminated over the 'dream' he had just witnessed.
Though it wasn't beyond his expectations, Mordred's life was still a shocking series of events to witness, even from the perspective of an observer. She had been manipulated by Morgan until the very end, even losing control over her own body at the very end, forced to stab the person she had wanted nothing more than acknowledgment from. Vahn had felt the anguish in Mordred's heart as her sword pierced through Artoria's abdomen, especially when she saw the latter fall to her knees. It made the cold melancholy she felt upon seeing Gareth's death seem negligible in comparison. She had actually been rather fond of the young female Knight, at least until Morgan's curse twisted Mordred's mind to resent everyone Artoria. If she had taken action, it wouldn't have been difficult for Mordred to save Gareth's life, something he knew she deeply regretted in her heart in the months leading up to her rebellion...
Remembering the face of Artoria's niece as her own beloved mentor grasped her head in his hands, Vahn felt slightly nauseous. Even when Lancelot had begun to put pressure into his hands, Gareth had smiled with tears in her eyes, fully believing in the person she trusted more than anyone else in the entire world. The only thing she was awarded for her loyalty was the grissly sight of her face being deformed into mush as her brain and eyes were squeezed from her skull like a child kneading mashed potatoes. Though Vahn had seen a lot of terrible things, the look of betrayal in Gareth's eyes at the very end was deeply ingrained into, not just his mind, but Mordred's. Now, Vahn felt like he 'needed' to summon Gareth in the future while any intention he had of calling upon Lancelot, even though he knew the man was under someone else's control, was set aside almost indefinitely...
For the rest of the night, Vahn ruminated on how he could help Mordred find happiness as, even with their current actions, he wasn't quite sure it would be enough. She had gone through far more than he expected and, though her kill count wasn't nearly as high as his, Vahn knew she had a lot of blood on her hands. Though it would be best if she could put these things behind her, Vahn knew that such things would eventually come to haunt Mordred as she grew happier. The more 'human' she became, the more her past actions would weigh heavily on her heart. To avoid prevent this, Vahn knew he would need to take a far more proactive role in Mordred's life. Since he also needed to do the same for Illya, Vahn knew his greatest challenge in the future wasn't Angra Mainyu, but helping ensure these damaged and traumatized girls were able to find happiness...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Morgan is a cunt','Poor Gareth...Lancelot is also a cunt...!','RIP Angra Mainyu, get relegated kid')
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章 1115: Similarities
As much as he wanted to act on his sentiments, Vahn knew there were other important things he needed to take care of, not just the girls themselves. After spending a few hours collecting his thoughts, Vahn reminded himself that his whole reason for coming to the Nasuverse was to increase his strength. If he put that on the back burner and spent all his time and energy on helping the girls find happiness, it was the same as inviting tragedy into all of their lives. The closer he was to the people around him, the more pressure he would feel when danger reared its ugly head.
Fleeing a second world, just because he wanted to avoid putting the people he cared about in danger, would just be repeating his past mistakes. Even if he had such intentions, it would amount to nothing more than wishful thinking if he didn't even have the means to earn enough OP for purchasing a second [Dimensional Anchor: Stasis]. Though it was possible to 'will' a Quest into existence pertaining to its acquisition, Vahn knew the Objectives would be difficult to achieve and, much like his previous Quest, they would loom over him for the entire time he was in the Nasuverse...
Just as Vahn had previously decided not to use the View Affection Function, he was now beginning to feel that the Quest Function was equally as troublesome. Though it was certainly nice to have a means of replenishing his OP and earning rewards, it made his actions seem less 'real' since he was always basing his choices on the Objectives he had yet to complete. If he had a Quest that required him to do something ridiculous like build another expansive harem with every race, Vahn felt like it would pollute his relationships since it was almost like crossing out items on a checklist. It hadn't bothered him that much in the Record of Danmachi, as it seemed like an 'interesting' thing at the time, but now Vahn had a new perspective after leaving his previous world behind.
Ultimately, Vahn knew he would need to focus on achieving some kind of balance in his life, even if his main priority was still growing stronger. The more power he had, especially while his karma was still relatively low, the less likely any 'real' threats would reach the people he cared about. Though he certainly wouldn't ignore his relationships, Vahn knew the only way he would make 'real' progress was if he kept focused on his goals and just did his best to reach an accord with everyone he was involved with. So long as he didn't find himself making compromises that endangered everything they were trying to achieve, Vahn believed it would work out...
With that in mind, Vahn lightly stroked Circe's side until her eyelids peeled open, revealing a soft blue color with only a tinge of pink. When she looked back at him, however, the blue slowly receded until around three-quarters of her irises had become pink. On his other side, Fenrir had already sat up and started stretching her body, making no pretense of shyness even as she extended both of her arms out across the surface of the bed with her butt poking up in the air. Circe noticed that Vahn's eyes wandered away from her own, causing a small frown to adorn her otherwise flawless features as she lightly pinched his side. Vahn, however, largely ignored this as he also came to a seated position and said, "I'm going to summon Medusa. Fenrir, I will be entrusting her to you. If possible, I'd like for her to become friends with Illya and Mordred. Just make sure she doesn't try and pull any 'clever' pranks on anyone..."
After moving to a seated position herself, Fenrir nodded her head in understanding, saying, "I will make sure she behaves. Master has to be stern with her as well, though, or she will quickly get out of control..." As she said this, Fenrir looked toward Circe with an accusatory look that caused the petite Demi-Goddess to hmph as she leaned against Vahn, rubbing her cheek against his arm. In response to this, Vahn slid his hand between Circe's thighs, startling her a bit as he began rubbing her right leg while saying, "Medusa is a lot like you, Circe. She is one of my companions from my previous world so I expect the two of you to get along. Even if you butt heads against each other, I'll punish both of you if I catch wind of it..." Since he knew it was practically impossible to 'force' Circe to change quickly, Vahn just wanted to remind her that he was paying attention to her behavior.
In response to Vahn's words, Circe lightly clung to his arm with her hands as she released a hot sigh and answered, "I'll be a good girl..." At the same time, she seemingly attempted to 'trap' his hand between her thighs but, with her meager strength, Vahn moved uninhibitedly as her body began to gradually heat up. Following this, Vahn decided to release some of his tensions that had built up after viewing Mordred's memories, primarily relying on Fenrir who, being the 'reliable' woman she was, even taught Circe a few things. The latter was still very awkward but, due to her uninhibited curiosity, it was a refreshing experience watching her fumble about and get excited at every little thing...
---
With their morning exercise completed, Vahn had the two dress themselves as he set up a small magic formation within the room. Though he could just ingest a bunch of consumable items in order to summon Medusa, Vahn also knew it wasn't 'necessary' to do so. When he had been thinking deeply about the future, Vahn realized he had probably been a little 'too eager' to use up his OP. There was a fair chance he would be able to get Akasha to provide him a large number of materials in the future but, as he didn't even understand how his own summoning system worked, contacting her was easier said than done. Thus, with the assistance of Sis, Vahn drafted a plan to limit his use of OP by setting a daily cap on what he could spend. Though he would undoubtedly 'invest' a large amount of OP towards materials for Paracelsus, Merlin, and his own production lines, that would always have some kind of return while also greatly strengthening his Empire's foundation.
In order to save on a few thousand OP, Vahn drew out a formation that allowed him to gather mana from the surroundings, even going as far as linking it to the inscribed defensive formations already present within the room. When he was done, Vahn sat down within the primary ward and began to focus his mind while holding Medusa's Magic Core within his hands. Fenrir and Circe watched on silently from the side as the density of mana in the surroundings quickly began to dry up as it flowed into the formation around Vahn. Though Medusa was considerably weaker than many of the girls back in Danmachi, she was still a 'monster' that had been on the verge of reaching Level 6. Since the power of monsters wasn't derived from a Falna, it meant she would still inherit most of her strength and abilities even after being summoned...
After a few minutes had passed, the Magic Core in Vahn's hand lost its structure as it broke down into particles of purple and rainbow-colored dust. Moments later, a petite girl, even smaller than Circe, popped into existence without a lick of clothing on her tiny frame. She had long silver hair, growing past her feet, and a pair of golden eyes that could, quite literally, petrify anyone looking into them. As for the rest of her appearance, she wasn't all that dissimilar to girls like Fenrir and Circe, meaning she was very thin while having almost nothing in the breast department. Contrary to expectations, however, Medusa actually had a well-shaped and firm bottom with a thin waist that almost had the same flexibility as her previous Rainbow Viper form. Since there was a segmented golden tail, accented with a few rainbow-hued scales, it was difficult not to notice her pert rear even when she was wearing clothing...
As if she had just awoken from a very long sleep, Medusa blinked a few times while looking at Vahn with drooping eyes. Though Vahn knew she was only 'pretending', Medusa tried to sell things even further by releasing a cute yawn and muttering, "Master came to me in my dreams again...ufufu~." While saying this, Medusa's hair snaked towards Vahn as she tried to crawl into his lap and snuggle up without any regards to the two pairs of eyes locked onto her from behind. Since he felt a little guilty to have her sitting inside her Magic Core for a few months, Vahn lightly stroked Medusa's head and allowed her to cling to him, though not before saying, "Wear your clothing properly or you'll have to spend the whole day training with Fenrir..."
Knowing her trickery had been exposed, Medusa lightly 'bonked' her head with her right hand before saying, "Ehehe, Master is so perceptive~." Then, after picking up the neatly folded clothes that Vahn had already set out for her, Medusa looked at Fenrir with slightly furrowed brows before turning her attention to Circe with mild confusion. Since the latter had wings on her back, Medusa figured she was another 'competitor' for her Master's affection, instantly reducing her opinion of Circe before they had even spoken to each other. When Vahn had likened the two girls to each other, it wasn't an exaggeration as, much like Circe, Medusa was somewhat haughty, airheaded, and prone to petty jealousy.
After spending a few minutes slinking into her skintight snake-skin bodysuit, Medusa went through the somewhat arduous process of wearing her gauntlets, greaves, breastplate, and helmet. When she had first assumed her 'human' form, Medusa had been attired in golden armor that was naturally produced by her body. Though she was unable to manifest it like Fenrir, it was still considered a part of her so Vahn had been able to keep it in his Inventory. Unfortunately, due to the complex nature of their design, Medusa actually had to rely on Fenrir's assistance a bit. When she was fully dressed, Medusa tugged at the skin-tight fabric around her butt while turning to her Master and asking, "Did my butt get bigger...?"
Since he was already familiar with Medusa's antics, Vahn looked directly at her butt before reaching out and stroking it lightly. The fabric was very smooth to the touch and, with the fact it clung to her without leaving anything to the imagination, Vahn knew she would need to wear shorts or skirt in the future. She actually hated wearing any kind of clothing at all but, so long as he was just a little firm with her, Medusa would always listen to his commands. In exchange, he just needed to give her a bit of attention every now and then, yet another trait she shared with Circe. Thus, after stroking her pliant butt for a few minutes, Vahn answered, "It feels the same to me..." This caused Medusa to pretend pout before flicking her tail towards his face in a playful gesture. Though she was only 139cm tall, her tail actually extended around 80cm in length and, as she had lived her life as a snake previously, Medusa was even more adept at using it than Haruhime.
With their playful exchange out of the way, Medusa adopted a genuinely troubled expression as she asked, "Master, what took so long? Medusa was very lonely..." Since he had already expected this, Vahn just bit the bullet and said, "I know...I should have called you sooner. Sorry, Medusa. Later on, I'll make sure to make it up to you. For now, you'll have to follow Fenrir so she can teach you how to read, write, and speak the language you'll need to converse with people in this world. I have high expectations for you, so please work hard...also, try to get along with everyone since we have a big threat to face in the future. We'll need all the help we can get so don't go making enemies out of people, okay...?"
Though she didn't seem all that interested in making new friends, Medusa still gave a small nod before saying, "I will always do my best for Master. In exchange, make sure to pamper me lots and lots so I know I'm doing well~." Since the only two things she cared about in life were her Master and being pampered by her Master, Medusa would do whatever it took to get what she wanted. Even though she liked snakes and reptiles far more than all the annoying and smelly people that surrounded him, she still did her best to meet her Master's expectations. Ever since he had beaten her and spared her life, Medusa had decided she would follow her Master forever. As a result, though it was nowhere near Fenrir's, her Loyalty was a commendable 127,091 points, even though he never seemed to have time for her...
Knowing that Medusa would certainly make an effort, Vahn gave an approving nod before gesturing towards Circe and saying, "This is Circe. She is a Demi-Goddess of the Moon, Magic, and Love. She is similar to you so I know the two of you could get along, even if you butt heads with each other." Then, looking toward Circe, Vahn changed to Japanese as he said, "Fenrir won't be able to have Medusa shadow her at all times. When she isn't training her learning, please take care of her to the best of your ability. I know you may not like associating with other women, but Medusa has a very potent poison that I think you might be interested in. Please do this for me, Circe..."
If Vahn had asked her such a thing earlier, Circe would have been far more reluctant to agree. This was why he had spent the better part of an hour tending to her and Fenrir before the summoning. As a result, Circe put on a slightly annoyed expression but ultimately said, "Fine. I will teach her a few things if she isn't too troublesome. I am a little curious about her poison..." At the end of her words, Circe gave Vahn a look that pretty much screamed, 'pamper me', causing him to smile in return before saying, "I have some things to take care of but I should be back early in the evening. If things go well, I'll show you something new when I get back..." Though he had already given Circe a 'Full-Service' before, that didn't mean he had used all his techniques on her. In fact, due to how curious she had become since then, there were 'a lot' of things he could teach her.
Feeling her body warm up after understanding Vahn's intentions, Circe was in a much better mood. Even if she had to spend her day doing something she didn't really feel like doing, it would all be worth it in the end. In a way, though for entirely different reasons, Circe felt like her life suddenly revolved around Vahn and the moments they could share together. This was why she had wanted to become his personal attendant and, no matter how troublesome other things were, she didn't mind them nearly as much as she would have in the past. After all, so long as she put in just a bit of effort, Vahn could make her feel better than she had even thought possible in the past. Even though she had to share him with Fenrir the previous night and this morning, Circe didn't care since she got to experience a floaty feeling that even actual flight and weightlessness couldn't match...
---
After leaving his bedchamber, Vahn made his way outside of the Inner Sanctum to one of the small dining rooms located nearby. Other than the main banquet hall, there were several smaller dining halls where residents of the castle and its staff would have been able to enjoy meals in the past. Originally, the Ivory Castle had more than four-thousand staff, even though many of the 980 rooms were left unoccupied. Most of them would have lived in the nearby castle town before spending a few days inside the castle performing their duties. While staying there, they would reside in servant's quarters that were almost all located on the western side, right next to the Knight's barracks and training field. The fact that such a massive castle had a mere fifteen people in it was actually rather eerie, as there was a persistent and solemn atmosphere present in this borderline sacred place...
Because of how few people there were, the only other person present within the dining hall was Astolfo, wearing what appeared to be a pink pajama top that loosely hugged his torso and a pair of similarly colored short-shorts that had frills on them. He was even wearing a pair of white stockings that ran up to the middle of his thighs, each having small ears pointed ears and a small cat-like face. When he saw Vahn arrive with Fenrir, Circe, and a completely new girl, Astolfo stretched his body while sticking up one hand in a salute, exclaiming a high-pitched, "Yooosh~! Good morning, Vahn! Who is this cute little girl you picked up in the middle of the night~?"
Though Medusa couldn't understand what Astolfo was saying, she furrowed her brows before standing a bit behind her Master since she couldn't 'read' this strange creature that had appeared before her. This behavior caused Astolfo to snicker amusedly before saying, "She is adorable. It doesn't seem like she likes me all that much though. Unlucky~." With that said, Astolfo once again yawned, allowing his snaggletooth to be on full display before muttering a 'munyaa' sound and swallowing. Vahn just shook his head when he witnessed this, choosing to ignore Astolfo's eccentric behavior as he sat down and explained the Medusa's situation. At the same time, Circe wandered off the kitchen where Catherine was already busy preparing breakfast. It wasn't long before she had kicked the demure woman out but, considering the difference in their cooking ability, Catherine didn't mind that much as she came out to join the conversation, albeit with very little to say.
After talking for a while, Catherine, not all that surprisingly, volunteered to help Medusa study as, unlike most of the people in the castle, she felt out of place. She wasn't a superior Magus and, even if she trained hard over the next ten years, this wasn't likely to change all that much. Since she had spent most of her life plagued by sickness, Catherine was just happy to be able to function and walk around without experiencing endless aches and pains. She had no drive to grow stronger and, as long as she could be of just a little help to others, that was the limit of her ambition. Thus, Vahn explained the situation to Medusa who, knowing it would be much easier to interact with a docile woman than her 'Big Sis', readily agreed to learn from Catherine...
In record time, Circe poked her head out of the kitchen to explain that breakfast was ready but, before anyone dug in, Vahn excused himself from the table to go pick up Illya and Mordred. He had actually expected the latter to have been awoken by Artoria but, remembering the rather 'trying' day they both had, it wasn't too surprising if they had slept in. When he reached their rooms, however, neither answered and, after checking inside, Vahn saw they were both absent. Even without thinking too deeply, Vahn realized that Artoria had probably woken up Mordred early in the morning to start their training. They had most likely gone to the western side of the castle to use the training field so Vahn decided to leave them to their own devices as he made his way to Illya's room. Fortunately, as she rarely left her room these days, Illya answered relatively quickly. As she had done several times before, she looked up at him with her large, ruby-red, eyes and said, "Good morning Onii-sama. Do you want to come inside...?"
Though he was certain she would be 'happiest' if he decided to spend the morning lounging in her room, Vahn gave an apologetic smile as she shook his head and answered, "I want you to come and eat breakfast with everyone. Come, I know you like the taste of Circe's cooking, even if you won't admit it..." As he spoke, Vahn picked Illya up into a princess carry, eliciting a small groan from her, even as she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. While he carried her to the dining hall, Illya rested her head against his shoulder, lightly clinging to his tunic with her right hand as she asked, "Do you think I will be happy if I spend more time with the others...?" Though she already knew what Vahn would answer, Illya still felt the need to ask. She wasn't 'certain' about anything when it came to her own happiness so, in a manner not all that dissimilar to Medusa and Circe, she entrusted it to Vahn...
In response to Illya's question, Vahn's expression morphed into a confident and supportive smile as he nodded his head and answered, "Of course. Don't you feel a little happier whenever you spend time with Fenrir...?" To his surprise, Illya's body tensed up slightly when he asked this, causing Vahn to feel a bit anxious until she eventually nodded her head before muttering, "Fenrir is very nice to me. She isn't like normal people either so I feel less anxiety when I'm around her...however..." When she got this far, Illya's face actually gained a slight blush as she added, "I think Cath Palug really likes her...a whole lot...it feels awkward when they interact with each other because I can feel my body heat up..."
Hearing Illya's words, Vahn recalled the rather peculiar sight of Fenrir and Cath Palug placing their paws against each other and simply staring into each other's eyes. In a way, they were both Beasts of Destruction as, without a lot of people helping to raise her, Fenrir would still be plagued by her insatiable hunger. Maybe Cath Palug could sense that Fenrir had a similar nature to it and, as it had no other kin, the two might be bonding a little bit more than Vahn had anticipated. This could be a good or a bad thing, depending on how Cath Palug reacted to the situation, but Vahn trusted that Fenrir had a rough idea of what she was doing. Even so, since it seemed to make Illya uncomfortable, Vahn asked, "Should I ask Fenrir not to interact with Cath Palug that much in the future...?"
Almost as soon as she heard what he said, Illya shook her head before saying, "No. I just said it was awkward, not that it was a bad thing. Fenrir seems to understand Cath Palug much better than me and I think she is trying to 'teach' him not to be so aggressive. Besides..." When she got to this point, Illya extended her neck until she was just a few centimeters away from Vahn's ear, adding, "Fenrir is always talking about her precious 'Master'. Ever since the last time, Cath Palug has 'really' wanted to play with Onii-sama again...Illya too...ufuu~"
At the end of her sentence, Illya blew into Vahn's ear with a slightly warm voice that caused him to produce a wry smile in response. He knew something like this would happen sooner or later so, to keep things under control, he answered, "So long as you are making an effort to open up to the others, I don't mind stopping by and spending time with you when I have the opportunity..." This seemed to be the answer that Ilya was looking for as, immediately thereafter, she gave him a kiss on the cheek before happily kicking her legs as he continued to carry her through the halls...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Earning morning exercise (UwU)...','So many girls are reliant on Vahn...','Not sure if Fenrir is the best wingman or biggest flag-setter...?')
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