章 1595: Focus
With the sun having long set over the horizon, Vahn found himself standing on the bow of Arika's Airfish, the aptly-named 'Custos Rosea', literally translating to 'Pink Guardian'. He was enjoying the feeling of the evening air running through his hair, while, back on the deck, Fenrir and Eva leaned against the guardrail, silently watching him.
Eva wanted to admonish Vahn for fretting over nothing, but, whenever she mustered her courage to try and approach him, she would ultimately get cold feet. She didn't really know what to say, but, seeing him like this made her feel uncomfortable. His relationship with Theo wasn't 'that' close, so it was a bit disconcerting to see how much their separation had affected him. It actually made her feel a considerable amount of guilt, as, on several occasions, she had wondered whether or not it would be for the 'best' if she just disappeared...
Fortunately, after idling for a little over an hour, Vahn turned around with his usual smile. There was still a melancholic gleam in his eyes, but, compared to how he was behaving earlier, it was a marked improvement. This allowed Eva to breathe a sigh of relief, her concerned expression relaxing into an uncharacteristically sympathetic look as she said, "It's good that you came back to your senses. Your behavior directly affects everyone onboard...if you need to talk..."
Remembering Vahn could simply retreat into his Realm to recuperate for as long as he wanted, Eva was ultimately unable to finish her statement. She wanted him to rely on her more, but, as that was a two-way street, it was hard to give advice when she often bottled up everything. Vahn didn't need her coddling, and, unless she was willing to be more honest, it would be hypocritical of her to force him to-
Unable to finish her train of thought, Eva found herself being embraced by a familiar warmth, her face buried into Vahn's chest as he softly stated, "Thank you, Eva. Now that we're finally engaged, I'll be sure to rely on you more often..."
Though she was slightly startled by Vahn's words, Eva was even more surprised when Vahn stopped her from replying with a kiss. Then, under the light of the twin moons, he continued kissing her for several minutes before finally letting her stand on her own two feet. By the end of it, her face was a deep shade of crimson, and, as a result of the chaotic state of her mind, the only reaction she could manage was 'glaring' at him with upturned eyes and a slight pout...
---
Having calmed down a bit, Vahn returned to the interior of the Custos Rosea to put everyone else's minds at ease. There, he found a rather heartwarming sight, as, despite their age difference, Asuna had quickly become friends with Euryale. They were playing a card game that was even popular in a place like Mundus Magicus, as, unlike traditional trading cards, the monsters and heroes were able to level up and grow over time. Rare and high-level cards could actually sell for tens-of-thousands of Drachma, but, despite the costs involved, it was still 'very' popular...
Noticing Vahn's arrival, Asuna and Euryale, without needing to say anything, simultaneously came to the conclusion of suspending their match. They helped each other pick up their respective cards while Stheno, who had been lazily lying on the sofa with a fashion magazine, readily tossed it to the side as she pounced over with a radiant smile. Her maroon-red hair, which now extended well past her feet, became suffused with a violet hue, the tips morphing into rather vicious-looking snakes as she constricted Vahn hard enough to pop his back...
Rather than showing any discomfort, Vahn just chuckled lightly as he wrapped up the adorable little Gorgon in his arms. Her hair had always been very honest, similar to her mother's, so, whenever she got excited, it was easy for her to lose control. Fortunately, after the preliminary crushing force, the tension in her hair would quickly reduce to a more tolerable level. Head pats sped this process up, so, after a few seconds had passed, Vahn managed to transition Stheno to his left arm, bringing her face close enough that she could sneak a peck on his cheek before tightly hugging his neck.
By the time Vahn was preparing to take a seat, Asuna and Euryale had finished cleaning up their card game. As a result, he ended up having to produce two extra bodies, one to accommodate the two girls while the other sat between Fenrir and Eva. Around the same time, Arika, having noticed the gathering due to the interior surveillance system, emerged from the bridge. She occupied the remaining sofa on her own, lightly shaking her head in response to the questioning look that had briefly flashed across Vahn's countenance.
With the exception of Xiao Bai and Medusa, everyone currently onboard the Custos Rosea had gathered together within the common area. As for Zhuque and Qinglong, they had been tasked with the protection of the Ariadne and Theo, respectively.
Vahn's intuition told him that 'something' might happen in Ariadne following his departure, so, for the time being, he had Zhuque watching over the Grandmaster and her daughter. As for Qinglong, Vahn trusted him a lot more than Vrixho, so, until Cosmo Entelecheia had been exposed, he wanted the former to protect Theo. She was more than strong enough to fight her own battles, but, due to her character and lack of experience, Vahn couldn't help but worry about her.
Prior to their separation, Vahn had entrusted Theo with the [Tri-Force of Power], so, unless she was in mortal peril, Qinglong's primary responsibilities would be shadowing her from the void, helping gather information, and assisting in her training. Theo was descended from Vrixho, so, while it was currently sealed, she had the potential of awakening her draconic heritage.
Theo was already capable of performing a weakened version of a Dragon's Roar, so, with the proper guidance, she was bound to reach her full potential even without her Diorama. The only thing she really needed was powerful opponents and sufficient external pressure, so, even if it made him very nervous, Vahn wouldn't interfere with the internal affairs of the Empire unless she directly asked for help...
---
With everyone gathered, Vahn spent a few moments to allay their concerns about his mental state before reiterating their current objectives. They had already discussed them at length over the last few years, but, now that they were officially underway, it felt like a good idea to reaffirm everything from scratch. Thus, after quickly preparing tea and snacks, he explained, "According to the reports I have received from Fairy Xuan, Ala Rubra has already made quite a name for itself over the last half a year. They have even managed to win the favor of a few Senators, elevating them to the status of 'Special War Power' within the Confederacy. Though there are several indicators showing they don't actually sympathize with the Megalomesembrian Senate, it seems like they are already determined to fight against the Hellas Empire in the coming war..."
In the original timeline, Megalomesembria had been the ones to instigate the war, but, due to a few internal conflicts, the Hellas Empire had managed to win a number of key battles pretty early on. As a result, Megalomesembrai had been forced on the back foot almost immediately after the onset of war, losing all westward momentum. This caused a few of the greedier Nobles in the Hellas Empire to petition for a reverse invasion, shifting the objective from protecting territory to conquering and seizing Confederate lands.
While it wasn't uncommon for the tides of battle to shift in the wake of an attempted invasion, the majority of historians and scholars heavily criticized the Hellas Empire for their actions. After all, the lands occupied by the Confederacy weren't exactly prosperous, so, other than Megalomsembrian technology, there was very little to gain from a reverse invasion. To make matters worse, they had to occupy several other countries just to establish an extended supply line, forcing them to shift a considerable amount of resources to support the frontline. This left the Capital largely unprotected, and, due to rampant conscription, famine and economic instability quickly followed after a number of water sources had been poisoned.
As a result of their desire to monopolize and seize Megalomesembrian technology for themselves, rather than try to negotiate for it, the Hellas Empire ended up grossly overextending their forces. It became progressively more difficult to protect their supply lines, and, after a climactic battle near the Argyrian frontier territories, they ended up suffering a major defeat at the hands of none other than Ala Rubra.
Prior to the battle near the Argyrian Sea, Nagi's party had primarily focused on aiding the people affected by the war. Though they had conducted a few raids on supply lines, becoming known as 'The Great Nagi Guerrilla Knights', they hadn't proactively participated in the war. It wasn't until the Empire began razing fishing villages to try and starve out the Confederacy that they became fed up with the state of affairs, pushing back with extreme prejudice. From that moment onward, Nagi had become known as the 'Red-Haired Demon of the Confederation', as, without any help from the rest of his party, he managed to wipe out three battalions of Imperial soldiers, sinking seven Air Whales in the process...
After realizing how terribly they had erred, the Hellas Empire attempted to remedy the situation by hiring Jack to hunt down Nagi's party. They had originally tried to conscript him, but, as the leader of the most powerful band of Mercenaries, that hadn't gone over too well. His troupe had taken up the responsibility of protecting various towns and villages, so, compared to the Aristocrats who had caused them to suffer great hardships, his popularity, for lack of a better term, was extreme.
In the end, it took the Emperor agreeing to shift a large number of forces away from the frontlines to convince Jack to mobilize. This ended up saving countless lives, as, shortly following the shift in the war's momentum, an especially harsh winter swept across the Empire. This would have made it even harder to maintain the already dwindling supply lines, so, even after a number of Nobles had attempted to label Jack as a traitor for joining Ala Rubra, many within the Hellas Empire considered him a Hero. He was so well-liked, in fact, that, following the abduction of Theo, the attempted coup of the Second Prince, and the exposure of Cosmo Entelecheia, many within the Empire began to vie for Jack's claim to the throne...
Ideally, the war could be prevented in its entirety, but, unless he was willing to deal crippling blows to both the Empire and the Confederacy, resulting in tens-of-millions of deaths, it was impossible to stop. Both sides were simply too eager for the conflict, and, as a result of decades of propaganda, a majority of the public fully supported the idea of going to war. For many, it was their only chance to distinguish themselves and earn promotions for meritorious deeds and dutiful service.
If not for the tides shifting twice in a relatively short period of time, coinciding with famines and economic instability on both sides, the Great Magic War likely would have lasted for several years. Thus, when it was revealed that the 'true masterminds' behind the war were Cosmos Entelecheia, a group with the penultimate goal of 'destroying the world', the Empire and the Confederacy didn't hesitate to lay all blame upon them. In the end, the Great Magic War hadn't even lasted an entire year in Mundus Magicus before the destruction of Ostia.
Following the destruction of Mundus Magicus' oldest Kingdom, both sides formed a loose alliance to battle against the forces of Cosmo Entelecheia, but, other than supporting Ala Alba, they actually contributed very little. Rather, Megalomesembria was still under the influence of Cosmo Entelecheia for years following the completion of the war, and, if not for the timely efforts of Nagi and his party, Arika would have been executed as part of a conspiracy they had propagated...
As it stood, the best course of action was to bring the war to an end as quickly as possible. In order to accomplish that, Arika would need to forge alliances with influential figures and both sides. Theo was already the best possible ally they could hope for within the Empire, so, if they could meet with Ala Rubra before the onset of war, they would have a lot more options moving forward. Nagi might be an idiot, but, as this was often the case when it came to 'protagonists', allying with him wouldn't be a detriment to their cause. Rather, unlike a burgeoning protagonist like Bell or a fallen Hero like Shirou, Nagi possessed a truly phenomenal amount of power, to the point of compelling Fairy Xuan to express her concern...
In hindsight, Vahn realized it would have saved him a lot of problems if he sought out Nagi's group early on, but, despite a fair amount of headache, he didn't particularly regret how things had turned out. Not only had he encountered Eva early on, but, despite his initial inhibitions, Vahn had come to respect and love both Arika and Theo. They had grown on him over the last four years, and, though it might have been more 'convenient' if they had ended up with someone else, he would now fight for them if it really came down to it...
Though it was bound to create some awkward tensions, Vahn was looking forward to meeting the party that, at least for the time being, was entirely comprised of men. He had made friends in both the Nasuverse and Danmachi, but, as a result of his empathic nature and 'bad habits', Vahn found it very difficult to forge genuine relationships with other males. This issue was further exacerbated by the number of beautiful women who accompanied him, as, even if their intentions were pure, it was hard not to admire a beauty when they were right in front of you...
Vahn was often surrounded by some of the most beautiful women in the entire Record, and, as a result, it was very awkward for other males to hang around him. Though not impossible, it wasn't easy for members of the opposite sex to maintain platonic relationships. There was a reason Envy and Lust were two of the cardinal sins, as, after prolonged exposure, it was virtually impossible to prevent positive emotions from turning into covetous desire.
Once the seed of attraction had been sewn, even if it was completely one-sided, it was hard to stop your imagination from running wild. As a result, you would begin to interpret things like kindness and familiarity as interest and physical attraction. Eventually, you would even convince yourself that the other party was having the same kinds of thoughts that had started to develop within your own mind, forcing you to confront them in the hopes of confirming your suspicions. From that moment onward, it was no longer possible to maintain a platonic relationship, as, once desire had taken root in a person's heart, it would either blossom or begin to fester...
Fortunately, while he had dealt with a fair amount of drama, Vahn had never had to contend against another for the affections of someone he loved. More often than not, he was actually the one being pursued by a member of the opposite sex, so, for the most part, there was no real competition. As a result, he had missed out on the opportunity to forge lasting bonds with other men. Though he was able to befriend them relatively easily, it was only a matter of time before things turned awkward as a result of his many relationships. Even dauntless characters like Alexander had gradually distanced themselves from the members of the Inner Sanctum, pointing out that men could never thrive in an environment where the 'competition' was already decided...
While it was probably too late to ensure a seamless integration of their two groups, Vahn was still looking forward to meeting the members of Ala Rubra. Even if Jack had yet to join, he believed he would be able to get along with people like Nagi relatively well. There was also a skilled swordsman in the group, so, while the difference in their skill had likely created an unbridgeable gap, Vahn was looking forward to seeing the legendary Shinmei-ryū techniques for himself. Even their most basic techniques were effective against Ghosts, Spirits, and Immortals, and, by the time they reached the level of Swordmaster, they could even cut through concepts. Since the technique scroll was listed at 300,000,000OP in the shop, Vahn had high expectations for the man rumored to slay Dragons and cut through lightning with a wooden sword...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Eva on the defensive...!','The corrupt Nobles be like, "Yes, it was all the fault of Cosmos Entelecheia! They are so vile and greedy! Absolutely shameless!"','Alexander is very wise...')
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