章 2262: Legacy of a King

Interrupting the conversations taking place throughout the spacious hall, a deep-voiced Herald called out, "Announcing the arrival of His Imperial Majesty, the Sage Dragon Emperor, and Her Royal Highness, Princess Sandora...!"

"Uuuoooooh...!"

Seeing Vahn enter into the hall with Sandora's arm linked through his, it didn't take long for people to begin piecing together why they had been summoned to the Palace. A few of the sharper-eyed individuals even took note of the expensive-looking ring emitting a mystical red glow on Sandora's finger.

With her extra sensitive ears, it wasn't difficult for Sandora to listen in on conversations throughout the hall. She normally wouldn't be bothered by people chatting about her, but, hearing a number of people offering speculation on when her first child would be born, it didn't take long for her cheeks to shift from a pale, almost porcelain white to a healthy shade of red.

Just as Sandora was beginning to regret calling for a banquet, a mixture of surprise, confusion, and a fair amount of caution marred her countenance as she spotted a man in a wheelchair.

"Father..."

Hearing Sandora's utterance, Vahn's brows raised ever so slightly as he locked eyes with the pale-haired man he presumed to be the current yet inactive Floor Master of the North, Salamandra, aka the Fire Dragon King...

Meeting Vahn's gaze, Salamandra would be lying if he said he wasn't intimidated. It didn't show in his expression but a slight tremor had started in his body the moment Vahn entered the room. The last time he had felt this terrified was when he faced down the Demon God and nearly lost his life...

"What an absolute monster..."

Catching the aging King by surprise, Vahn projected his voice across the hall but in a tone that only Salamandra could hear, stating, "That isn't a very polite thing to say about your son-in-law..."

Exposing his canines in amusement, Salamandra gestured towards Frey, saying, "Take me over to him." in a commanding tone. She immediately moved to comply, but, before she could place her hands on the wheelchair's handles, Mandra stated, "He is no longer your Master. You do not need to obey his commands."

As Frey turned statuesque, Salamandra turned his head, glaring at his son before adopting an even bigger grin and repeating, "You little shit..." before gripping the sides of his wheelchair and adding, "Fine, I'll do it myself..."

Surprising virtually everyone in the hall, Mandra included, Salamandra forced himself to his feet before ripping away the various electrodes and lines connected to his body. It took significantly more effort than he anticipated, but, seeing the incredulous expressions on everyone's faces, the smile on Salamandra's face grew wider as he walked towards Sandora and Vahn.

"Father...!"

Concerned for her father's well-being, Sandora released Vahn's arm before running over to try and support him. Before she could, Salamandra's expression became severe, his tone grim as he barked, "Stop right there, Sandora! I'm not so feeble that I can't stand and stare my daughter's fiance in the eye..."

Ignoring the hush that had descended upon the hall, Salamandra continued forward until he was less than an arm's distance from Vahn. Then, to the surprise of everyone, he pulled off the ashen-white scarf that had hung around his neck for the past two hundred years, saying, "This is a scarf fashioned from the scales of the Demon God. It is borderline indestructible, and, even after more than two hundred years, the energy contained within rivals the purest magic crystals in the entire Little Garden..."

Extending the scarf towards Vahn, Salamandra's complexion paled as beads of sweat began to form across his forehead. The energy within the scarf was one of the things keeping him alive, but, at the same time, it was also responsible for his present condition. Without it, he would surely die within a few hours. However, contrary to what his son and a great many others believed, Salamandra wasn't desperate to cling to life. Rather, he had died more than ten years ago. The only thing that kept him going this long was his refusal to let the legacy of the Stellar Sea Dragon King end with him and his children. Now that someone like Vahn had appeared, he could finally be laid to rest in the place his heart had been buried years prior...

"Take it...let it serve as a reminder of the horrors that await those who succumb to complacency..."

Forcing the scarf into Vahn's hands, Salamandra was prepared to return to his wheelchair when a firm hand gripped his left shoulder. Before he could look back and demand to know what Vahn was doing, a fiery warmth saturated every single cell in his body. From the perspective of the crowd, the surrounding temperature suddenly shot up by several tens of degrees as the color of his lion-like mane of hair shifted from a pale, almost pink hue to a far more vibrant shade of red.

Though he could feel the weakness in his body fading away, Salamandra promptly smacked Vahn's hand away from his body, saying, "My era has long passed. If you want to help me, do right by my son and daughters. Even if I fade to dust, the legacy of Salamandra will live on..."

On that note, Salamandra used his authority as Floor Master to teleport himself to one of the most secure and isolated regions in the North. Then, even though Sandora's coronation had yet to take place, he transferred his authority over to her before looking up at the sky with a massive grin and saying, "Sorry, Mandra...your father may have been a piece of shit but I owe it to your mother to go out with a bit of class. If you really want to one-up me, be a better man than I ever was..."

Punctuating his words, Salamandra pulled out a small curved dagger embedded with a fiery red gemstone. Instead of stabbing himself in the heart, however, he placed it, and several other items, into a small lockbox. This included his eyes, his fangs, and, once everything else was prepared, he reached into his chest as if were made of liquid before pulling out a pulsating, gem-like heart...

...

While everyone else was in a mild panic due to the sudden disappearance of their King and former Floor Master, Vahn was observing the man with a solemn look on his face. Shiroyasha had already informed him that Salamandra wasn't exactly a kind and benevolent King, but, seeing how he the man had elected to spend his final moments, Vahn couldn't help feeling a tinge of admiration for the former tyrant.

Though there were a few notable exceptions, Vahn had always tried to live according to the belief that hatred directed at the dead was a toxin that affected the mind and corrupted the spirit. Even if the person had committed unspeakable acts during their lifetime, he would still pray that their next life was filled with happiness and joy. He had never understood the rationale of people who wished an eternity of suffering onto others. It was one thing if your vengeance compelled you to carry out their punishment directly, but, the moment you entrusted the task to another and simply moved on with life, such suffering served no purpose.

After watching his experimental version of Hell gradually amalgamate into a veritable vortex of negative energy, Vahn had reached the same conclusion as his childhood self. Realms that existed solely for the purpose of gathering positive or negative energies were inherently flawed. The only 'correct' method of dealing with Spirits was a fair and unbiased Cycle of Reincarnation that drained the energies within a person's Ego and returned them to the void. Unfortunately, this was a 'dead end' as far as reality was concerned, as, without 'good' and 'evil' people reincarnating with karmic advantages, stagnation would quickly take hold.

As Vahn's understanding of the Soul increased, he had come to realize that the means to seed life in a new reality involved enticing Souls to inhabit it. If your world wasn't interesting, it didn't really matter how much power or authority you had. You may be able to create life and produce artificial Egos, but, as time passed, you would quickly come to see the flaws in such designs. This was often how Creators Gods produced their first servants, entities that were infinitely close to perfection yet ultimately paled in comparison to the mundane life that invariably appeared on smaller, seemingly inconsequential worlds.

Simply put, even if Vahn wanted to create a perfect and objectively fair system, the Souls lingering outside the Records simply wouldn't inhabit it. It was the essence of the Soul to seek stimulus and experience new, sometimes harsh experiences. If the world was perfect and everyone was allowed to live in the exact same manner, compelling new Souls to inhabit it was virtually impossible. The moment you created a disparity between the entities that ruled and the creatures they ruled over, however, Souls would practically flood into your world. Life would prosper, and, in turn, so would death...

Seeing Salamandra turn to particles of light that dispersed through the mausoleum where his wife was buried, any feelings of enmity or judgment Vahn had towards the man faded along with them. In their place, a desire to protect the legacy Salamandra had left behind was seeded within him. He didn't care what atrocities the man had committed throughout his life. Now that he was gone, Vahn would do everything in his power to ensure others weren't made to pay for his mistakes. There was a memorable quote he recalled at times like this. There were countless versions of it but the one he enjoyed most was, "Never waste new tears on the past. Hatred and resentment towards a memory sever the path towards the future. If you really want to be happy, the only thing you can do is move forward, seizing each and every moment along the way..."

"Rest in peace..."

...

Though the banquet continued as scheduled, Sandora hadn't paid much attention. She had been lost in thought ever since her father transferred his authority as Floor Master to her. She had never been particularly close to the man, but, understanding she would probably never see him again, an indescribable feeling of emptiness had pervaded her entire being. Were it not for the fact that Vahn had stayed by her side throughout the entire evening, Sandora got the distinct impression she may have lost something important.

What brought Sandora back to her senses was Vahn entering her room rather than seeing her off at the entrance. She tried telling him she would be okay on her own, but, instead of listening, he made himself comfortable and stayed with her the entire night. By sunrise of the next day, she was feeling a lot better, but, even then, Vahn never left her side. Instead, he cooked a delicious breakfast for her before helping her freshen up by offering to brush her teeth, style her hair, and apply her makeup.

Though she adamantly refused his assistance for the first task, Sandora ended up accepting Vahn's offer to style her hair and apply her makeup. The notion that someone as powerful and influential as Vahn could style a woman's hair was simply too novel for her to refuse. When he ended up doing a better job than even her personal hairdresser, Sandora was at a complete and utter loss for words. When she later learned that he personally operated a spa within the Sage Dragon's Hearth, one that was frequented by virtually every member within, Sandora was completely gobsmacked...

Fortunately, while gobsmacked was rarely a good thing to be, it was infinitely better than wallowing in depression. Thus, for the better part of two and a half days, Vahn continued to pester, tease, and simply accompany Sandora until the indescribably bleak, black, and purple threads in her aura had either disappeared or diminished into less concerning colors. This caused Sandora to develop a bit of a dependence on him, but, considering what she had just lost, he didn't mind becoming her rock of support. After all, he was her fiance, and, more importantly, the man her father had entrusted to look after her...

...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Some real big pp energy coming from this man...','Grim reality...','Vahn is best support (O w O)...')

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章 2263: Business or Pleasure?

"Is this the North Side? It has a totally different vibe from the East. Kind of reminds me of when I visited London but everything is decorated for Halloween."

"You visited London? London, Paris...?"

Stepping out from the Astral Gate Terminal that allowed people to travel to the various regions of the Little Garden in an instant, Asuka couldn't help perking up when she heard Izayoi mention Paris. She often traveled on business with her Grandfather, but, for the most part, the regions she visited were limited to the South East Asian circle. Traveling internationally wasn't exactly easy around the end of the Second World War.

Shrugging his shoulders, Izayoi lackadaiscially replied, "I got around a bit when I was a kid. We can talk about it later. Our main focus right now should be searching for a place to stay. What say you, oh fearless Leader?"

Tearing his eyes away from Lily, a conflicted look developed across Jin's face as he answered, "Our invitation should allow us to stay at the Royal Palace. Prior to losing our name and banner, the No Names were long-time allies with the Salamandra Community. This is a good opportunity to find out why they never tried helping us..."

"Jin..."

Hearing the strain and frustration in Jin's tone, Lily couldn't help feeling a little worried. It wasn't particularly well known, but the two of them used to be good friends with Sandora. They had even bathed together as children so Lily was afraid Jin might say or do something they would all regret.

Shaking his head, Jin's expression relaxed as he said, "I'm fine. I just want to hear their reason. Even if they don't have one, I'm not going to throw a tantrum or accuse them of betraying us. I just need to know for certain..."

Though she wasn't exactly relieved by Jin's words, Lily offered one of her characteristically calm and supportive smiles as she answered, "I understand." in a soft tone.

Destroying the depressive atmosphere, Izayoi spontaneously picked up Asuka and shouted, "We'll see you guys there!" before jumping into the air and using the tops of buildings to avoid the heavy pedestrian traffic.

Not wanting to be a third wheel to Jin and Lily, Yo also bolted off but not before saying, "Enjoy the festival." in a supportive tone. Lily smiled in response to this while Jin, realizing he would be alone with his girlfriend during one of the biggest festivals in the North, began feeling nervous. He could barely display his affection in private. He also had a habit of holing himself in the library for days on end, so, as romantic as the notion of a festival date sounded, he wasn't looking forward to the idea of being surrounded by so many people. It would be one thing if he and Lily were still children, but, now that she had matured into one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes on, walking around in public was tantamount to asking for trouble...

Grabbing Jin's hand, Lily maintained a supportive smile as she said, "Everything's going to be okay, Jin. You're a lot stronger than I think you realize. You just need to be a bit more confident."

With Yo having already departed, Jin only hesitated for a brief moment before asking, "You mean like Izayoi and Vahn?"

"..."

Exhaling a sigh, Jin's expression immediately turned apologetic as he appended, "Sorry, Lily...I just..."

Shaking her head, Lily adopted an even brighter smile as she linked her arm with Jin's, her breasts pressing into him as she said, "It's fine, Jin. It really is. Now, come on. Let's have a bit of fun before going to visit Sandora-chan, okay?"

Though a ruddy hue colored his cheeks, Jin made no attempt to break away from Lily. Instead, he stood a bit straighter than before as he answered, "You're right...we don't get many opportunities like this. Let's make the most of it."

Suppressing the urge to sigh in relief, Lily surprised Jin with a kiss on the cheek before following it with a playful giggle and saying, "Let's go~!" in the most jovial and excited tone she could manage.

...

"Is this why you're so relaxed all the time? I'm honestly a little envious..."

Walking around the Palace with her arm linked through Vahn's, Sandora couldn't help staring in awe at the various people they passed along the way. Vahn had manipulated their relative flow of time to such an extent that everything and everyone around them appeared to be frozen in time. It was a truly terrifying ability, but, knowing she was betrothed to the person it belonged to, Sandora felt more excitement than trepidation.

Amused by Sandora's words, a light chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he explained, "That isn't the reason. As I mentioned previously, I often control multiple versions of myself at the same time. I meant that in the literal sense. Unlike Wu, I can't just create infinite copies of myself and let them run wild. I have to manually control each and every one of them. Staying calm makes it a lot easier."

As Vahn had already demonstrated his ability to produce multiple versions of himself, Sandora wasn't surprised by his words. Instead, she just tilted her head a bit, eyes focused on nothing in particular as she wondered what it would be like to control multiple bodies at the same time...

"Sounds kind of difficult..."

Nodding his head in affirmation, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as she said, "When we get back, I'll show you some of the memories from the time when I was first trying to master said ability. You wouldn't believe the number of times I walked into walls or tripped over my own feet..."

Imagining Vahn walking face-first into a wall, Sandora couldn't help giggling. This was one of the things she liked most about Vahn. He wasn't really shy about anything. Rather, unless it pertained to another person, he would share everything about himself.

Though her experiences were nearly inconsequential compared to Vahn's, his openness had given Sandora the strength and courage to share her personal history and traumas. Beforehand, he had promised her that talking about it made things a lot easier. She didn't believe him at first, but, after baring her heart, Sandor felt as though a tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was an incredibly liberating experience, and, more importantly, it helped her feel a lot closer to the man she was quicky falling in love with.

As that thought crossed her mind, Sandora rested her head against Vahn's arm with a contented smile on her face. It was a little eerie walking through halls filled with frozen people, but, so long as Vahn was at her side, Sandora felt like she could go anywhere and accomplish anything...

...

After breaking off from the rest of the group, Yo ascended to the top of one of the many clock towers present throughout the city before reaching into her pocket and pulling out an envelope with the symbol of Thousand Eyes embroidered on its surface.

When Vahn had initially told Izayoi and Asuka about the festival taking place in the North, Jin had vehemently refused their participation. He didn't see any reason for them to travel nearly a million kilometers just to participate in a harvest festival and bear witness to a coronation ceremony that had little, if anything to do with them. They also lacked the funding to make use of the Astral Gate, so, unless they entreated Vahn for an escort, they had no way of traveling such a distance in such a short period of time.

Though people like Izayoi were able to travel and dodge attacks faster than the speed of light, that didn't mean they could cover vast distances in a short period of time. The thing about traversing at such speeds was, more often than not, it was a quirk of relativity rather than raw agility. Simply put, those with sufficient authority or adequate comprehension of the Laws could ignore the restriction of physical laws within a given area. In other words, even if it appeared as though they were moving faster than light relative to others, their actual speed was comparably slow.

If he had the stamina for it, Izayoi could theoretically run from the territory of the No Names all the way to Kouen City in around 3.2 seconds. The caveat was that he would need to be running at max speed for around 400 hours. Since he would tire out after a few thousand, the actual journey would take around 49 days.

With less than three days till the start of the festival, Izayoi, Asuka, Yo, and Lily got together for a brainstorming session while Jin, as usual, holed himself up in the library. They concluded the only way for them to make it in time was to accept a commission, so, after mulling over the matter and conferring with Black Rabbit, they eventually paid a visit to the Thousand Eyes Community to see if Shiroyasha was willing to give them some work.

Though there were thousands of Gift Games taking place over the duration of the festival, the one most people had gathered to witness was the Battle of the Creators. For all intents and purposes, it was the main event of the festival, so, with the excuse they could use it to generate publicity, Izayoi, Asuka, Yo, Lily, and even Black Rabbit gathered to convince Jin to let them participate. He refused at first, but, after a private discussion with Izayoi, he eventually relented on the grounds they promised not to cause trouble during their stay.

As the name implied, the Battle of the Creators was a Gift Game that pit Players with Creation-Type Gifts against one another. This made it sound like it was restricted to individuals with Gifts related to forging and item production but the truth of the matter was that it also extended to those with Gifts related to conjuring, spirit creation, and even Gift production.

With a Gift that allowed her to absorb the genetic data of animals and reproduce them in the form of various armaments, Yo's Gift was the best-suited for the Battle of the Creators. She was also the second strongest member of the No Names, so, while everyone else was off exploring the city and enjoying the company of their respective partners, Yo set her sights on the large colisseum located on the far side and surprisingly attached to the Royal Palace.

Grabbing the wooden carving around her neck, dark blue energy burst forth from Yo's body before vanishing to reveal a buxom and shapely beauty wearing a skimpy outfit with wolf ears and a tail. It was a little embarrassing now that she had matured, but, as it was her most powerful form, Yo often defaulted to Fenrir's Vanargandr transformation whenever she was preparing for a fight.

Fortunately, ever since Vahn had given her the Maneki-neko, Yo no longer had to worry about the forms her armaments took. The moment she transformed, red and gold flames spread out across her body before forming into a less revealing outfit. More importantly, the Maneki-neko's warmth helped alleviate the cold sensation that would permeate Yo's body whenever she transformed into her Vanargandr form.

Feeling a lot more snug and comfortable, Yo bounded through the air on illusory platforms formed of icy magical energy. What she didn't expect was that the closer she got to the coliseum, or, more accurately, the Royal Palace, the giddier she would feel. She wasn't the type to get nervous about a fight, so, upon reaching the hotel located adjacent to the Royal Palace, Yo took a moment to close her eyes and focus on her senses. She couldn't actually smell him, but, for some reason, her senses were telling her that Vahn was nearby...

"What could Vahn be doing in the Royal Palace...?"

...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Jin needs to get his shit together...','I wonder what Sandora's Affection Value is at...?','Even if it's through an armament, there are none better at sensing her Master than Fenrir...')

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