章 1593: Gifts, Promises, and Partings
Though the actual graduation was only for Senior students, there was a small ceremony at the end of each school year to celebrate the successful completion of the grade. It was also one of the only days throughout the year where outsiders were allowed to enter the Academies, so, compared to the norm, there were quite a number of people moving about. As a result, Vahn found himself being pestered by quite a number of profligate families and minor Nobles, many taking advantage of the fact he had advised their children to try and foster a positive relationship with an 'Ancient Dragon'.
Fortunately, with very few exceptions, most of his students were able to dissuade their parents from trying to pester him. They had come to venerate and admire him quite a bit, so, for the most part, it was the families of his fans that pestered him. This included quite a number of people who wanted to hire him as the private tutor for their children, but, as Vahn had no interest in such things, he did his best to 'politely' refuse them. In most situations, this was more than enough to deter people, as, after 'purging' quite a few disreputable Nobles, there weren't many who wanted to offend him.
The only families Vahn didn't immediately send away were those of the students he had counseled over the last few months. This included the family of Naomi, who, upon learning of his impending departure, spent nearly every lunch period in his office. She had gradually opened up to him about her problems, and, to the best of his ability, Vahn helped to rebuild her confidence. She still had a long road to recovery, but, after talking through her problems and making an effort to become one of the best students in her year, she was able to smile a lot more than before...
Though he wasn't too surprised, Vahn had a wry smile on his face as he hugged the crying Naomi in his arms. Her mother, father, and grandmother all had similarly wry smiles, but, more than anything else, they had sincere gratitude visible in their countenance. Though they would have preferred not to experience such a tragic sequence of events, their family had prospered from Naomi mustering up the courage to ask for Vahn's help. All of their debts had been absolved, and, most importantly, their daughter had received a number of blessings to ensure a prosperous future. Not only was her schooling completely paid for, no matter how long she wanted to stay, but, out of consideration for the trauma she had experienced, the Grandmaster had promised Naomi a position as an Associate Professor once she decided to graduate...
After a fair amount of coaxing, Vahn managed to get Naomi to stop crying long enough to say, "It is good to cry...emotions aren't something that should be bottled up...Still, I don't want you to feel sad about our parting. Rather, I want you to see this as an opportunity to show me just how much you can grow without my help. You are a smart girl, Naomi, and, believe it or not, your heart is very strong. If you continue to look forward, there is no limit to what you can achieve. When I return to Ariadne in the future, I want to be able to praise your accomplishments...do your best, not for me, but for yourself...okay?"
To punctuate his words, Vahn hugged Naomi's trembling body tightly, gently caressing her small back until she managed to calm down enough to answer, "I'll do my best..." in a meek, sobbing, tone of voice.
Hearing the young girl's response, Vahn slowly released her from his embrace, a radiant smile on his face as he said, "I'm so proud of you, Naomi...here, I want you to have this. It isn't much, but, whenever you feel lost, it will help show you the way forward..."
As was often the case when someone received a gift, Naomi's mood improved quite a bit as she looked at the curious octagonal pendant Vahn had given her. She noticed it had a clasp on the front, and, after opening it, the interior revealed a peculiar compass. Instead of pointing towards the direction of North, however, the red arrow seemed to be pointing directly at Vahn no matter how she moved it.
Noticing the direction of the arrow, Vahn issued a light chuckle before explaining, "This is known as the [Sparrow's Wayfinder]. In the hands of a skilled user, it will allow them to locate everything their heart desires. Here, without looking, try and focus on your mother while staring at the red arrow..."
Having developed the habit of always listening to Vahn's counsel, Naomi stared at the red arrow while doing her best to imagine her mother. Though it continued to point at Vahn for the first few seconds, it began to gradually flicker the more she focused on her mother. Then, pointing through her, the arrow locked in on the location of her mother, bringing a happy smile to her face as she looked toward Vahn for praise. This caused the arrow to immediately snap back to him, but, as she had managed to follow his instructions properly, Vahn lightly chuckled before ruffling her raven-black hair...
---
After finally seeing off Naomi and her family, Vahn rejoined Eva, who, for quite a while, had been staring at him from the side. She wasn't really mad, but, with a serious look on her face, she didn't hesitate to ask, "Was that a good idea? If other people find out about the use of that Artifact, there is a good chance she will be targetted."
Though there was some truth to Eva's words, Vahn shook his head, smiling wryly as he asked, "What Artifact are you talking about...?"
Hearing the unexpected question, Eva frowned deeply as she considered lambasting Vahn for how casually he was treating such a serious subject. The moment she tried to recall the Artifact, however, she was surprised to discover that she couldn't actually remember what he had given away. Rather, she couldn't even remember who he had given the Artifact to...
Understanding Eva's confusion, Vahn took the initiative to explain, "It is an ancient magic spell from another world, one known as the Fidelius Charm. It is a spell designed to conceal a secret within the Ego of an individual, making the contents of the secret impossible to discern. Unless they are able to pry the information from me, nobody will be able to recall the function of that Artifact or who I had given it to. Even her family would immediately forget about it the moment they look away, so, unless something unexpected happens, she should be safe from harm."
Though he had placed a number of other enchantments on the Artifact, Vahn didn't feel the need to mention them. He obviously wouldn't give such a powerful item away at random, so, after failing to use the unique compass to locate the Mage of the Beginning, Vahn modified it to protect the girl whose bravery had saved hundreds. Though he would have always discovered what the former Arch Dean was up to, there was no way of knowing how much time would have passed before then. She might not see it that way, but Naomi was a hero to the students who had suffered alongside her...
After trying and failing to recall who and what they were talking about, Eva eventually released an exasperated sigh, crossing her arms as she said, "I sometimes forget how ridiculous you are...is that charm in one of the books we have in the library or is it something floating around in that endless expanse you call a mindscape...?"
Without commenting on Eva's barb, Vahn pulled out an ancient-looking text with the words, 'How to Keep a Secret' written across the surface in golden-leaf. Then, before he could hand it over, Eva snatched it out of his hands with a greedy look in her eyes. She had always been the type to put a considerable amount of effort into her magical studies and research. Without this quality, combined with her genius-level intellect, Eva's life would have been 'a lot' harder...
After stowing away the text in her own pocket dimension, Eva turned to Vahn, a teasing smile on her face as she asked, "So, how much longer are we going to idle around here? Don't you have a big fan meet to attend? Those brats would be disappointed if you didn't show up."
As it was already common knowledge that he would be leaving Ariadne at the end of the school year, Vahn's fan club had been planning a grand event for the last two weeks. To make matters even worse, it had been officially sanctioned by the Grandmaster. It was even on the brochure that was being passed around to visiting parents, designating two hours of time immediately following the graduation ceremony taking place in the main venue.
Though there was still more than half-an-hour until the graduation ceremony was supposed to start, Vahn decided it wouldn't be the worst idea to attend. He was very aware of his popularity, so, if he could make the day special for the graduating class, there was no harm in attending. They had helped contribute to the growth of his power in the Akamatsuverse, so, while it would certainly be a little troublesome, it was the least he could do in return.
Deciding there were no serious downsides, Vahn nodded his head, extending his hand to Eva as he said, "Shall we alight, my beautiful Fiancee~?"
Hearing Vahn's address, Eva lightly snorted through her nose, but, rather than refuse, she dutifully extended her own hand. Then, earning quite a number of envious looks, she walked alongside him as they went to retrieve Asuna...
---
As it was impossible to have any proper interactions when Vahn was around, as he quickly became the center of attention, Asuna had been alone with her classmates for much of the morning. Some had gone off with their parents to visit Vahn in his office, but, for the most part, everyone gathered together for one final celebration as classmates. They had all put in a considerable amount of effort to become the most prodigious class in the entire Academy, so, while there was still a bit of tension between some individual students, everyone generally got along well with each other.
Without the distraction of Vahn, Asuna was the center of attention, especially with her peculiar style of clothing. She wasn't the only one wearing casual clothes, but, unlike her classmates, her clothes seemed to be imported from Mundus Ventus. This stood out quite a bit, as, for the most part, even the children of rich and affluent families still wore old-fashioned clothes made from cotton, linen, or wool. Only a few people could afford clothes made from silk and synthetic fibers, so, despite their relatively simple design, Asuna's clothes seemed like 'high fashion' to most of the impressionable young girls.
Asuna didn't particularly enjoy being the center of attention, but she had always done her best to try and make as many friends as possible. She wasn't able to understand the behaviors and thought processes of some of her classmates, but, for the most part, she had figured out how to get along with most people. The key seemed to be simply listening to their concerns and showing an interest in what they were interested in. A surprising number of people just wanted to be heard, so, even if you didn't actually care about what they were talking about, simply showing an interest was enough to win over even proud and haughty Nobles...
After being pestered about her clothing for quite a while, Asuna perked up slightly when one of her classmates, a girl that started wearing her hair in twin-tails a few months prior, asked, "Aren't those different from your normal bells, Asuna...?"
Though she had been smiling the entire time, Asuna's face brightened up when someone asked about her bells, happily answering, "Vahn gifted them to me just this morning. I'm glad someone noticed. Thank you, Amalia~."
Hearing they were a gift from Vahn, nearly ever girl surrounding Asuna eyes the pair of golden bells framing her twin-tails. Amalia even seemed like she was on the verge of trying to snatch them, but, knowing there was a drastic difference between Asuna and herself, she stayed her hand. It was well known that Asuna was a Princess of Vespertatia, so, even if she was tempted to use the status of her family, Amalia knew the only thing she would accomplish was disappointing Vahn...
Restraining the urge to chuckle in response to her classmates' greedy eyes, Asuna adopted a casual smile as she said, "There is no need to fret. Knowing Vahn, he has prepared gifts for the entire class. You just need to wait until he shows up..."
Toward the end of her statement, Asuna's ahoge twitched in a tell-tale manner. Everyone who had been listening to her instantly turned their heads to the entrance of the classroom, their expressions lighting up as Vahn stepped inside. Then, like a school of fish shoaling, they all migrated over as a singular mass to surround Vahn and Eva. This was par for the course whenever Vahn entered the classroom, but, triggered by Asuna's promise of presents, they were even more eager than normal. Fortunately, as had been prophesied, Vahn had, indeed, prepared presents for everyone in the class, teachers included...
To prevent any kind of argument or infighting, Vahn had procured high-quality magic brooms for each member of the class. These were more advanced than anything on the market, and, unlike the traditional variety, consisting of a simple wooden handle and bound straw, they were more practical and stylish. Not only were they curved in a way that made them easier to sit on, but, unlike most of the commercial brands, they had hinged footrests to allow for greater balance and control. This was typically only seen in brooms designed for racing, but, as it didn't really make sense not to include them, Vahn made sure to incorporate them.
Though some of the students weren't too enthused by the fact their presents were brooms they weren't even allowed to use, their mood instantly improved when they found out Vahn had made each of them by hand. Not only did they have his Maker's Mark embossed into the side, but, unlike a traditional magic broom, they were all B-Rank items with several powerful enchantments placed upon them. This included anti-theft and auto-pilot functions, but, most importantly, they came with B-Rank 'Shock Mitigation' and a toggleable 'propriety' function that obscured the view of anyone looking up at the girls from below. He had also discussed the matter with Sidra, so, unless they got into an accident or caused trouble, everyone in his class was allowed to freely ride around the city after completing a mandatory course on broom etiquette. Once they learned about this, the only thing preventing Vahn from being stampeded by the excitable horde of students were the brooms themselves...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Stay strong Naomi (T ^ T)...','Asuna is very meticulous (O x O)...','Vahn just became an enemy of every tourist lingering around the female Academies of Ariadne xD...')
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