ดาวน์โหลดแอป
47.65% Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos / Chapter 1122: Trying Times

บท 1122: Trying Times

A stark contrast to the warm and comfortable atmosphere that permeated the almost empty Ivory Castle, a cold and stuffy atmosphere was present within a large forum filled to the brim with various affluent and reputable Magi. Only those of a certain amount of status were able to occupy the long rows of seats that surrounded a set of low chairs and podiums at the center of the chamber. They would stand as witness to the trials held by a Tribunal of Magi selected from the various Department Heads through what was supposed to be a random selection. However, fairness was the last thing on the mind of the woman sitting at the very center of an elevated platform that was raised even higher than the viewing stands. She had sleek brown hair, styled in a neat ponytail, and cold brown eyes that showed absolute contempt for the people gathered below...

Fortunately, even for someone as influential and haughty as Barthomeloi Lorelei, the woman presiding over the trial of Lord El-Melloi and Rin, she wasn't able to strongarm the system to get the other two Judges on her side. Though she had been able to pressure the Director to get her own name confirmed as a Judge, her two counterparts had been selected from the Democratic and Neutral Factions respectively. She had originally tried to get Lord Sophia-Ri on her side, as he held a deep resentment towards Lord El-Melloi II after the latter married his arranged fiancée, Reines El-Melloi Archisorte. The original purpose of their engagement was only meant to further cripple the young Heiress but, after seeing the young girl slowly transform into a beautiful woman, Lord Sophia-Ri had developed a possessive mentality toward her. As he was also considered one of the most coveted and handsome men within the Clock Tower, the fact she had slighted him to marry her own adoptive brother was a smear on his honor he would not soon forget.

Instead of her desired ally, Barthomeloi Lorelei now had to put up with the troublesome Rocco Belfaban, a member of the Neutral Faction and the Head of the Department of Summoning. He was an eccentric and carefree man who had been the Department Head for over sixty years at this point, leading many to refer to him as the 'remnant of the old guard'. From all accounts, he had been an old man even before his tenure at the Clock Tower but, as he had collected several hundred Mystic Codexes and Summoning Catalysts over the decades, many simply assumed he had one that allowed him to persevere despite rumors claiming he was well over one-hundred years old. To make matters even worse, he was a known associate of Lord El-Melloi II, even though there were few who would claim them to be more than simple acquaintances...

Adding to her headaches, and the primary reason things had been drawn out for nearly two weeks at this point, was the identity of the third Judge. He was a handsome man with soft-blond hair that bordered on being white, possessing clear and gentle eyes of similar color and quality. There was always a smile plastered on his face, even though the Department he Headed, Astronomy, was considered one of the 'dying' Thaumaturlogical principles. This didn't stop him from enjoying a powerful status, however, as he was both the Lord of the Animusphere family and the leader of the Democratic Faction. As a result, he was the man Barthomeloi Lorelei hated more than anyone else, to the point she would often curse his name, Marisbury Animusphere, when she was frustrated. Since he just took this in stride, maintaining his smile through any kind of trouble, Barthomeloi Lorelei hated him even more...

When the trial had first begun, Barthomeloi Lorelei had wanted to have Lord El-Melloi II stripped from his title, as she believed a 'commoner' should have never been granted such an honor, while Rin was to be placed in confinement and given a Sealing Designation. Though there were rumors that Sakura Matou had survived the destruction of the Makiri, these were mostly unsubstantiated claims that were hard to verify. As a result, Rin was considered the last surviving Tohsaka and, as both she and Sakura had been candidates for a Sealing Designation in the past, her recent high-profile actions could be used as a justification to keep her from drawing even more attention to the existence of Magecraft...

Unfortunately, all of the crimes she attempted to lay at Rin's feet had been counter-argued by Lord Animusphere each and every time. When asked to provide credible evidence that could be used to justify any punishments against Rin, everything had been proven circumstantial at best. Since Rin had actually remained relatively low-key during the Holy Grail War, with Vahn doing most of the actual fighting, there wasn't really anything they could pin on her besides being 'associated' with a high-interest target who, in much the same way, had no actual crimes pinned on him just yet. As a result, Barthomeloi Lorelei had been trying to sway the audience in her favor by making a few promises behind the scenes but, as Lord Animusphere cited their own laws, followed by asking if the Barthomeloi family no longer regarded such things as sacred, she could only grit her teeth while trying to draw things out.

Ultimately, the only person that could truly be held accountable for what had happened during the Holy Grail War was Lord El-Melloi II himself. However, as there was an extreme amount of evidence showing that the Holy Church had intervened, combined with the fact several unexpected variables had appeared during the ritual, there were unable to punish him too severely. This was largely due to the fact that he had reported the incidents as they occurred and documented all of the attempts made by his group to maintain order. He had carried out his duties diligently and even brought back several large fragments of the destroyed Greater Grail, something that earned him considerable favor with Rocco Belfaban as the Head of the Summoning Department. He hadn't been all that vocal during the proceedings but, whenever Barthomeloi Lorelei thought she had gained an advantage, he would say a few words that made it apparent he agreed with Lord Animusphere...

Understanding she wasn't going to be able to get her way without 'forcing' the issue, something that would potentially harm the prestige of her family, Barthomeloi Lorelei's gaze could make a demon shudder as she looked down at Lore El-Melloi II and stated, "Though it cannot be denied that you attempted to perform your duties, this incident has made it apparent you are simply unqualified to have such authority in the future. Were it up to me, you would have already been stripped of your title and sentenced to acting as an experimental subject. At least then you may be of some use to 'real' Magi..." As Lord El-Melloi II, despite his best efforts, was only considered a Second-Rate Magus who would never rise beyond the rank of Fes, there were more than a few within the viewing stands who agreed with her sentiment.

In response to Barthomeloi Lorelei's harsh words, Lord Animusphere, the smile never leaving his face, politely stated, "Madam Barthomeloi, I do not believe such words are appropriate given the achievements Lord El-Melloi II has accrued over the years. Though his talent may be lacking when compared to the prestigious lineage of the Barthomeloi, there is none present who would be able to refute that Lord El-Melloi II had accomplished many things that even Magi of higher rank have struggled with. If we cannot appreciate the phenomenon of a person performing above their given rank, would that not make us appear petty in the eyes of our peers...?"

Hearing Lord Animusphere's words, Bathomeloi Lorelei felt like she was going to have an aneurysm, especially when Rocco Belfeban stroked his chin and added, "Well said, Lord Animusphere. As the purpose of the Clock Tower has always been to preserve and advance Magecraft, it would be counterintuitive for us to suppress our those making an effort to do the 'impossible'. The moment we purport the idea that those of lesser talent are unable to rise above their standing in life, the decline of Magecraft will become irreversible. I'm certain most of the fine Gentlemen and Ladies present have benefitted from making promises to aspiring Magi, regardless of their low status. I find it difficult to believe they will come forward and argue that Lord El-Melloi II is in the wrong for no other reason than his status and talent are beneath that of a family with thousands of years of history. Many would even argue that such comparisons alone would harm the prestige of such families, wouldn't you agree, Madam...?"

While swearing she would personally witness the final moments of these two men, Barthomeloi Lorelei begrudgingly nodded her head before answering, "I cannot argue that there is simply no grounds to compare a talentless commoner who borrows the status of others to an established Magus family. However, regardless of how you try to twist the facts, the truth remains that someone must be held accountable for the failures in Fuyuki City. The destruction of the Greater Grail, the annihilation of the Makiri family, the devastation of the Einzbern Forest, and the powerful quake that had shaken the city after the disappearance of the anomaly, Vahn Mason; these aren't things that can simply be overlooked...!" To punctuate her words, Barthomeloi Lorelei slammed her fist on the table, causing most of the people in the room to flinch due to the loud noise and the pulse of magical energy that had spread through the surroundings.

Without shying away from the pressure emitted by Barthomeloi Lorelei, even though she glared at him with venomous eyes, Lord Animusphere politely explained, "Though the Greater Grail had been destroyed, it was never the property of the Mage's Association. The fact that Lady Tohsaka was even willing to turn over the fragments she had been able to recover more than makes up for the fact something that didn't even belong to us was destroyed. As for the annihilation of the Makiri family, though it is an irrefutable tragedy, our investigations have shown this to be an event unrelated to the Holy Grail War. We cannot expect Lord El-Melloi II to somehow predict conflict between Magus families that are entirely unrelated to his own duties. If he had such a power, I'm certain his status within the Mage's Association would be much higher..."

When he said the last remark, Lord Animusphere smiled in a good-natured manner toward Lord El-Melloi II before turning his attention back to Barthomeloi Lorelei and adding, "Regarding the fire and devastation of the Einzbern Forest, this event has already been confirmed to have been the result of a battle between the Einzbern's representative Master and the Hero King, Gilgamesh. The latter was also tied to the destruction of the Matou Residence, making the accountable party not Lord El-Melloi II, but Gilgamesh's Master. Lastly, unless you hold Lord El-Melloi II in much higher regard than I was aware, do you mean to fault him for a natural disaster that occurred after he had already left Fuyuki City? Though I will not deny that the event was relatively close to Lord El-Melloi II's departure time, Japan is host to an average of 1,500 earthquakes every year. This year alone, there have been five earthquakes of similar size to hit the Japanese Archipelago. Are we going to try Lord El-Melloi II for these as well...?"

By the time Lord Animusphere was done speaking, Barthomeloi Lorelei had decided that she would never sleep peacefully again before she found the means to seek revenge against the Animusphere family. This wasn't the first time she had held such conviction but, now that Marisbury, the true name of Lord Animusphere, was continuously rebutting everything she said, Barthomeloi Lorelei wouldn't be satisfied just ignoring him any longer. The Aristocratic and Democratic Factions had been at odds with each other for decades, for a multitude of reasons, but now things felt more personal than they had been before. What made matters worse was, as if he wasn't troubled by her ire and indignation, Lord Animusphere just returned a polite smile in response to her glare...

---

After several more hours of deliberation, punctuated by a recess until the following day, Rin, Lord El-Melloi II, Flat, and Gray all exited the Tribunal chamber with tired expressions. The least affected was Flat, as he had avoided any real accusations against him, so he had a somewhat easy-going smile on his face as he lingered near Gray and asked, "Gray, how about grabbing a bite to eat now that we're free from that freezer~? I could use some fresh air, delicious food, and good company!" In response to this, Gray shrunk away from Flat before shaking her head and answering, "Sorry, but I will follow Rin back to the Edelfelt Mansion..." Though she and Flat were still good friends, Gray felt awkward around him ever since separating from Vahn. Since they had 'history', she was a little insecure about being alone with other men after deciding to pursue her happiness at Vahn's side...

With an amiable yet sad smile on his face, Flat rubbed the back of his head while saying, "Aww, Gray has been so distant lately. I wonder if I did something to lower my Affection Points~?" As he treated life almost like an actual game, Flat would sometimes say senseless things that caused the people closely associated with him an endless number of headaches. This time, however, Gray furrowed her brows since she felt like Flat was implying there was actual affection between them. Since he had been engaged for the last three years, it felt especially awkward to hear him make such thoughtless remarks in the current situation. He actually seemed to realize this after seeing Gray's reaction as, after placing both palms together and bowing almost comically low, Flat shouted, "I'm sorry, Gray! I was only trying to crack a joke to lighten the mood!"

Upon completing his apology, Flat had the distinct impression that he wasn't as welcome as before so, after a few parting words, he walked away with a quickened pace to go grab a bite to eat. At the same time, however, he was somewhat happy that Gray had refused his invitation as there was a slightly troublesome individual who had been pestering him to meet her, their shared acquaintance, Svin Glascheit. He was steadily reaching the point of becoming a Brand, the second-highest rank a Magus could have within the Mage's Association.

Though they had all been students together, Svin had quickly surpassed Lord El-Melloi II's and Rin's rank of Fes, rising to the rank of Pride at the impressively young age of nineteen. In the past, he had a somewhat unhealthy obsession with Gray and, though she had given him a chance, things had reached an almost dangerous point that required outside intervention. Since then, Svin had apologized for his behavior several times and had kept a respectable distance from Gray. However, as he began looking towards the future and laying his own roots, Svin had been making a few attempts to rekindle things between him and Gray.

Even without having met Vahn, Gray had no intention of ever getting back together with Svin, largely due his possessive nature and the way in which he tried to control every aspect of her life. Towards the end of their relationship, he even refused to let her leave the house for nearly a month, the same act that had drawn the attention of their friends. Since he used Beast Magecraft, combined with Reinforcement, Svin's senses and instincts were far more developed than most humans. As a result, his passion and obsession quickly reached dangerous levels, to the point he would yell at her when she had talked to other men. He had even confiscated her cell phone and locked Add away in a magical vault during her confinement, something Gray was not willing to go through a second time...

While thinking about how his friend had strayed onto a path that could only lead to a 'Bad End', Flat released a tired sigh while running his fingers through his hair. He had actually been Gray's 'rebound' at the time and, though he tried to treat her well, they simply weren't suited for each other. Svin had also been less than enthused about the development so, after only a few weeks together, Flat had ended things on rather amicable terms. Now, he was essentially the only link between Svin and Gray as the latter simply refused to answer Svin's calls, going as far as changing her number periodically and never setting up a voice mail. It was a troublesome situation since, even though he knew Svin was in the wrong, Flat wished things could go back to the way they were between the three of them. Unfortunately, unlike the games he habitually played, there were no save points in real life and, as people were so 'fond' of telling him, Flat knew he could only grow up and move on...

After reaching a small burger joint a few blocks away from the Clock Tower, Flat slapped himself on the cheeks before adopting his usual smile. Then, even though there was a bit of cold sweat on his back, he opened the door to find a pair of predatory blue eyes focused on him. Though it was only there for a brief moment, Flat had felt a small amount of killing intent coming from his 'friend', something that had been there ever since his short relationship with Gray. It had faded away in an instant, revealing a handsome man with an amicable smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. This was something he and Svin had in common as, regardless of his efforts to patch things up, Flat knew the tall and muscular man, dressed in expensive and stylish garments, would never forgive him...

---

Though it took more than an hour by car, Rin and Gray managed to reach the Edelfelt Mansion without encountering any difficulties. The ride had been rather awkward, as Gray had fallen silent due to her guilt of refusing something as simple as a light lunch with a friend. Her intention to join Vahn's side had even caused her to gradually isolate herself from Lord El-Melloi II. Though she was never his 'official' personal attendant, Gray had been following as his shadow for nearly half her life so she felt a little insecure being away from his side for a long period of time. However, as Lord El-Melloi II himself had told her there was nothing wrong with seeking her own happiness, Gray had continued to protect Rin and Sakura as promised...

Shortly after entering the Mansion, guided by four Maids, Rin and Gray ended up in a small room that was decorated from top to bottom with cute things. There, curled up on the stomach of a giant teddy bear, a small girl with short brown hair was holding a golfball-sized rainbow-hued sphere in her hands, seemingly asleep. Rin released an exasperated sigh when she saw this, even though there was a smile on her face as she muttered, "This girl is going to develop a father complex at this rate..." Then, turning to Gray, Rin asked, "Do you want to go inside this time? I have a few things to talk with Luvia about so I don't mind." Since she could tell Gray was in need of some 'attention', even though she didn't actually have anything to discuss with Luvia, she was more than willing to occupy Vahn later in the evening.

Hearing Rin's words, Gray's somewhat pale complexion gained a light blush as, if not for the fact she had been allowed to use the Space-Time Orb on occasion, she might have already broken down. The trial had been troubling her more than she imagined, especially since it felt awkward to be around others at the moment, so she had been seeking refuge in the Orb periodically to spend time with Vahn's Memory Fragment. Though she knew it wasn't the 'real' him, the experiences they had shared were precious treasures that also served as an emotional anchor during these trying times. Thus, even though she felt a little apologetic to Sakura, Gray nodded her head and muttered, "Thanks..."

Following this, Rin placed her index finger on the Space-Time Orb, activating its safety measure that ejected whoever was using it whenever it was removed from someone's hands. As a result, Sakura's eyes widened in an instant as her face immediately formed into a sad pout. Before she could cry, Rin lightly pinched Sakura's nose and said, "It is time for lunch. You know your Otou-sama would tell you to come eat like a good girl..." This was enough to prevent Sakura from crying but it did nothing to stop her from sniffling a few times as she answered, "Okay, Okaa-chan..." Then, after being picked up in Rin's arms, the latter handed the Space-Time Orb over to Gray before carrying Sakura to go eat lunch and kill a few hours of time. As for Gray, she had a red face as she alighted from the room, moving next door where her own room was located. Since Rin had a key, Gray locked it behind her before diving into her own bed and, perhaps a little too eager to make her bad thoughts go away, she sunk her consciousness into the Space-Time Orb to experience Vahn's care and concern for a few hours...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Lorelei's a cunt','Marisbury used 'Logic and Reasoning'...Critical Hit! It's not very effective...opposing Lorelei has flinched!','Dependency is a dangerous thing o_o...')

https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)

paypal.me/Einlion

Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE


บท 1123: Expectation

Though there were a few detriments, such as aging several times faster than people in the outside world, the number of benefits that came from using a Sub-Space Orb more than made up for it. Chief amongst these, at least in the present moment, was that Vahn's cooldowns were affected by the flow of time just as much as his body itself was. As a result, he was earning seven times the amount of Daily Premium Gacha while the cooldown on his [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] was considerably reduced. The former hadn't been all that important previously, as it often gave items that Vahn simply back to the system, but today proved to be an exception to the norm.

Like most other days, Vahn had decided to use his Premium Gacha while his body slept, as it gave him plenty of time to think and plan for the future. This time, however, when the giant wheel spun around, it spat out something that caused Vahn's mind to completely blank as he looked at the violet orb that was covered in a slight rainbow hue. Since the rarity of items was based on the Record he was in, the fact he had gotten a Violet orb meant there was a good chance the item within was Tier 5 or higher. Thus, feeling like a giddy child that had just found a pile of presents, Vahn opened the orb with his mind, marveling at how it shook wildly before releasing a rainbow-hued explosion of light. Then, when it faded away, he looked with glimmering eyes at the description of his new prize...

-----------------------------------------------------------------

[Ethereal Queen's Grace]

Rank: SSS (Celestial Treasure)

Origin: Record of the Star Ocean (1-5)

Use: Allows the user to create a gateway by which the Ethereal Queen may be summoned. It is said that those who can win her favor will be without equal under the Heavens. **Use With Extreme Caution! The Ethereal Queen summoned is not a product of the system and cannot be regulated by system restrictions!***

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Vahn had been excited when he saw the rank of the small gold coin that was produced from the violet sphere but, after reading the use and attached warning, he couldn't help releasing a heavy sigh within his mind. Immediately following this, Sis emphasized, (*I do not believe it is a good idea to use this item until you reach Tier 5 or encounter an enemy that you otherwise couldn't defeat. She doesn't seem to be a normal existence...*). For The Path to include a warning saying that the Ethereal Queen couldn't be regulated by the system, it seemed like a 'very' bad idea to summon her without taking precautions. Since the description of an item's usage were rarely exaggerated, the fact her grace could make someone without equal showed that she was not a simple being. At the same time, it revealed that you weren't automatically guaranteed to receive her favor and, depending on the circumstances, could even become a victim if you managed to offend her...

Even without Sis' reminder, Vahn had already determined that it wasn't a good idea to summon a Tier 5 entity that was beyond his control. Fortunately, he could trace back the origin of the item to do a bit of research on the type of existence she was. This quickly proved that it was a very bad idea to summon her as, while there was a functionally infinite number of texts describing her, there was actually almost no information about the Ethereal Queen other than the fact she was the 'strongest'. She was an existence the represented the absolute pinnacle of power, serving as the final challenge for anyone that desired to reach the peak themselves. Though he certainly desired such power, Vahn didn't miss the implication that he would need to defeat the Ethereal Queen to gain it. If he already had the power to defeat her, there was virtually no reason to summon her other than to 'prove' that he was the strongest...at least within a Tier 5 Record.

At the very least, though the item seemed useless right now, Vahn could use it as a measuring stick of sorts before he entered into Eva's Record. If he was able to defeat an existence that embodied the pinnacle of a Tier 5 Record, there was a good chance he would be able to defeat the Mage of the Beginning as well. Depending on the circumstances, he might even be able to gain another powerful ally, albeit one that would undoubtedly bring a lot of trouble as well. He didn't imagine that a Queen who stood above all would be too fond of others, especially anyone close to the person she granted her 'favor' to. Though the word had any number of meanings, Vahn's intuition warned him that the Ethereal Queen wasn't simply looking for someone stronger than her without a reason...

After deciding to place the [Ethereal Queen's Grace] in the very last slot of his Inventory, while also giving Sis the express order not to let him 'accidentally' use it, Vahn decided to get some rest. He had gotten a little too excited to win a jackpot gacha item only to have cold water poured on his head the moment he learned what it was capable of. At times, Vahn wondered if he should use all of his OP on gacha just to see if he might get an item that could prove useful in the future. This actually guaranteed that he would get greater value out of his OP than he otherwise would have, as the value of items often greatly exceeded the input, but it was just as likely he would end up with a bunch of relatively useless items, regardless of whether or not they were worth a fair amount of OP. As this was obviously a terrible idea, Vahn managed to rein in the urge whenever it presented itself...

---

Without any major incidents occurring, Vahn was enjoying the relatively peaceful lifestyle he enjoyed while still doing his best in both his training and studies. His bonds with everyone were progressively growing stronger while Lakshmibai had actually developed in a peculiar, albeit expected, direction. During one of the moments when it was just the two of them, she had asked him to be a bit rougher than normal, as being treated gently all the time seemed to weigh heavily on her heart and mind. As a result, through her own insistence, Vahn ended up introducing Lakshmibai to a world he had only ever explored with Anubis, Loki, and a few times with Fenrir. Though things had only developed to the point that he tied up Lakshmibai's arms to the headboard, she had a rather 'extreme' reaction that implied she would undoubtedly seek even greater stimulus in the future...

Inversely, Vahn's relationship with Nobunaga had become relatively tame yet extremely intimate as, without Paracelsus to share his 'burdens' with, she was the next closest thing to a male friend that he had. They would often spend hours talking about their pasts as, even though they had seen each other's memories, it wasn't as if it showed them everything. Much like the [Heart's Desire]s Vahn had viewed in the past, the memories shared through the memory link were only the more important moments in a person's life. Because of this, Nobunaga could be considered Vahn's closest friend and, even though he couldn't get drunk, that didn't prevent him from accompanying her until she was completely wasted. As for their sex life, it was a lot more lovey-dovey than most of Vahn's other relationships as there were times when he and Nobunaga would just embrace each other in long kissing sessions without even having sex...

That was how Vahn was currently spending his time as, though she wasn't drunk, Nobunaga was straddling his hips while wearing nothing but a pair of panties and a loose dress shirt as the two continued to just kiss and hold each other for more than twenty minutes. At the same time, Vahn took advantage of their positions to gently massage Nobunaga's plump butt while periodically tracing the line between fabric and flesh to tease her. This would usually cause Nobunaga to bite his bottom lip or tongue in protest though, unlike the past, she made no actual attempt to stop him. Out of respect, however, Vahn knew not to take things too far as Nobunaga, regardless of how bold she could be at times, wasn't actually all that interested in having sex. She certainly enjoyed teasing others but, the feeling of vulnerability she experienced with Vahn had made her rather passive in the bedroom when it was just the two of them.

It was for this reason that Vahn had been tempted to use his [Divine Energy Cube] to summon a Heroic Spirit that Nobunaga was familiar with. Though he enjoyed the time they spent together, it was very apparent that she could use someone else to confide in other than him. She got along with everyone well enough, to the point of even becoming something of a big sister to Mordred, but Nobunaga also spent a fair amount of time drinking alone. Vahn felt that summoning one of her former vassals to serve as something of a companion to her would be better for Nobunaga in the long run. Though she would probably be happier when they started taking action in the outside world, it was a fact that Nobunaga would probably be sticking around for a few decades, if not longer. Having more people to talk to would be good for her mental wellness as, even though she didn't seem to be in the danger of falling into depression, it was still a little troubling knowing that most of her recreational time was spent drinking alcohol and lounging about...

With that in mind, Vahn gave Nobunaga's butt a firm squeeze, eliciting a subdued moan from the cool beauty that caused her eyelids to peel open in response. She knew Vahn well enough to know he wanted to say something so Nobunaga licked her lips clean before asking, "What is it? I'm not really in the mood to have sex right now..." Though she liked kissing and spending time together, Nobunaga would rather avoid having sex too often with Vahn as, immediately following that, she would need a few hours of rest that was often followed by a long period of reflection. She didn't hate it, as that didn't really seem possible when it came to him, but Nobunaga felt like she was beginning to lose her edge as Vahn's care slowly caused her heart to desire the life of a simple housewife at times...

Vahn couldn't help chuckling at Nobunaga's remark, causing her brows to furrow slightly until he explained, "Relax. I was just thinking about whether or not to summon one of your vassals again. Since there is something I wanted to try, I've been thinking about using the system more often lately." As he wanted to try and make another exchange with Akasha, one which would make the system much easier to use in the future, Vahn had been seriously considering the matter. Though now wasn't a good time to summon someone like Gareth, that didn't mean there weren't other viable Heroic Spirits to call upon.

Merlin had proposed the idea of summoning people like Leonardo Da Vinci or Daedelus so that he could either innovate or restructure the surroundings to make them more suitable for the future inhabitants of Avalon. According to Merlin, Da Vinci had the highest possible ranking of the unfathomably rare skill, [Pioneer of the Stars]. This was a unique skill that allowed the user to turn the 'impossible' into 'events that can be realized'. All those who had the skill were individuals who had brought about great changes in history, often serving at the catalyst for civilizations makings leaps and bounds in the progression of technological innovation.

Though Vahn agreed it was a good idea to summon someone with such a skill, he felt it was a little too early as he didn't necessarily have the resources to allow them to reach their full potential. There was also the simple fact that such people often had very strong personalities as, regardless of what others told them was possible, they followed their ideals through to the point they had changed the course of history itself. Even someone as prodigious as Paracelsus, considered the 'Father of Modern Alchemy', lacked the [Pioneer of the Stars] skill. This was largely due to his pacifist nature, at least in Vahn's opinion, but that didn't diminish the fact that anyone possessing the skill would be very 'difficult' to deal with. Because of this, Vahn would rather summon someone that could help one of his most important allies achieve mental and emotional stability...

As this wasn't the first time they had discussed the matter of summoning someone she was familiar with, Nobunaga gave a wry smile in response to Vahn's words. She knew he was just worried about her, one of the very things that 'troubled' her heart over the last few months. Because of this, she was tempted to tease him about summoning her vassal, Mori Ranmaru, a boy she had been rather fond of in her past life. However, as Vahn would likely seriously consider the matter, Nobunaga decided to avoid that triggering that landmine as she answered, "If you really want to summon someone from my era, you should consider Uesugi Kenshin. That battle junkie might actually be able to put up a fight against the purple demon. She is a bit of an idiot, but that makes her fun to tease..."

Though Nobunaga had only met Kenshin a few times during her lifetime, the memories she had of the latter's exploits on the battlefield were deeply carved into her mind. Even when she had gathered together more than 50,000 men, led by several of her best generals, Kenshin had routed her forces with only 30,000 strong, sustaining fewer than six thousand casualties in a battle that cost her more than twenty-thousand lives. Even if she hadn't been the one leading the assault, the fact that Kenshin had won so decisively, going on to become a thorn in her side until the latter's death from sickness, had earned Nobunaga's respect and admiration. If she had the chance to have Kenshin on her side this time around, Nobunaga felt they could become 'very' good friends since the latter was an idiot when it came to everything but fighting...

Since Vahn had expected Nobunaga to ask him to summoner her younger brother or one of her children, he was slightly taken aback by the fact she wanted an 'enemy' instead. She had actually complained about Kenshin several times during their discussions so Vahn hadn't expected that the first person to come to Nobunaga's mind when summoning a future ally would be one of her greatest enemies. However, considering that Nobunaga hadn't even resented the vassals that betrayed her in life, it made sense that she didn't hold any hatred toward her enemies either. She had simply lived as they thought best, doing everything she could to ensure that her people were able to move towards a better future. Since Kenshin was rumored to have 'never' lost a battle, even again seemingly impossible odds, Vahn was also somewhat interested to meet someone that could potentially rival Scáthach...

Before moving forward with the decision, Vahn adopted a serious expression as he asked, "Do you not want to reconcile with your brother or any of your other vassals? You don't have to think about what you think is 'best' for us, Nobunaga...it is important to me that you are able to be happy, even if-." Knowing Vahn was about to say something very annoying, Nobunaga reached up with her hands and began pulling his cheeks with as much force as she could manage, saying, "Just go summon Kenshin you dumbass. Besides, more than anyone I have ever met, that woman could use a good fuck. Maybe it'll knock some sense into her if she gets 'defeated' in the bedroom, ufufufu~."

Hearing Nobunaga's words, Vahn stopped her from pulling his cheeks as he asked, "Kenshin is a woman? How is it that every powerful male figure in history somehow ends up actually being a woman? I swear, the next thing I know, someone is going to tell me that even people like Atilla the Hun and Genghis Kahn were actually females..." At this point, Vahn wouldn't even be surprised if he summoned a female version of Gilgamesh that somehow turned out to also be a little girl. Though his reaction caused Nobunaga to cackle at his expense, Vahn was genuinely a little annoyed. From Nobunaga's words, he could assume that there was 'something' about Kenshin that would invariably draw him to her, even if it was just a direct result of Nobunaga teasing the girl...

In response to Vahn's 'complaint', Nobunaga eventually managed to calm down enough to answer, "It probably has something to do with the powers in the shadows wanting to suppress women or something. A lot of the oldest societies are Patriarchal in nature and it wasn't even uncommon in my time for a man to take credit for a woman's accomplishments. I even encountered a Father-Daughter duo where the father collected the bounties for the criminals his daughter had slain. I eventually had him executed after it was discovered...well, let's not talk about such dark subjects. Just know that people can be pretty fucked up and it's obvious to anyone that knows the true history of the world that a few entitled twats have been changing things for their own benefit. Didn't you say that old bastard in the Clock Tower was more than two-thousand years old? I can't imagine he has been sitting on his ass doing nothing that entire time...hmm..."

Understanding Nobunaga's point, Vahn could only lean back against the sofa as he released a tired sigh. He was very aware that history had been heavily censored in an attempt to ensure Magecraft would never propagate to the public. Those that currently held power went to extreme lengths to make sure there were no threats to their lasting rule over mankind. Even though things had reached a point where many thaumaturgical principles were being weakened by the progress of Science and Technology, so long as it didn't hurt their own powerbase it didn't matter to them how much the rest of the Magus Community suffered. This was made apparent by how many factions existed, both within the Mage's Association and within each individual branch.

Since Vahn was intending to oppose these deeply rooted powers, he knew it would be necessary to have powerful allies on his side. Though it almost felt like a better idea to summon someone like Leonardo Da Vinci now, someone who Vahn knew was male based on the various portraits that had been published, he didn't want to take a step back after asking for Nobunaga's opinion. Having one more woman to worry about wouldn't add all that much stress to his current lifestyle, especially with Nobunaga obviously intending to mess with Kenshin, so Vahn ultimately decided she would be the next person he summoned. Though he might have to treat her cancer, that wasn't all that difficult with his current skills. Thus, after discussing the type of person Kenshin was for around half an hour, Vahn took Nobunaga with him to discuss the matter with the others before leaving the Sub-Space Projection Orb and sacrificing the [Divine Energy Cube] to the summoning system...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Get Prank'd boi','Vahn is about to learn the difference between good and bad civilization...?','Gaining an unbeatable ally for the low-low price of 2 billion OP and a few sexual favors (U w U)...Vahn's pay-to-win lifestyle')

https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)

paypal.me/Einlion

Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE


Load failed, please RETRY

สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์

ป้ายปลดล็อกตอน

สารบัญ

ตัวเลือกแสดง

พื้นหลัง

แบบอักษร

ขนาด

ความคิดเห็นต่อตอน

เขียนรีวิว สถานะการอ่าน: C1122
ไม่สามารถโพสต์ได้ กรุณาลองใหม่อีกครั้ง
  • คุณภาพงานเขียน
  • ความเสถียรของการอัปเดต
  • การดำเนินเรื่อง
  • กาสร้างตัวละคร
  • พื้นหลังโลก

คะแนนรวม 0.0

รีวิวโพสต์สําเร็จ! อ่านรีวิวเพิ่มเติม
โหวตด้วย Power Stone
Rank 200+ การจัดอันดับพลัง
Stone 98 หินพลัง
รายงานเนื้อหาที่ไม่เหมาะสม
เคล็ดลับข้อผิดพลาด

รายงานการล่วงละเมิด

ความคิดเห็นย่อหน้า

เข้า สู่ ระบบ

tip ความคิดเห็นย่อย

คุณลักษณะความคิดเห็นย่อหน้าอยู่ในขณะนี้บนเว็บ! เลื่อนเมาส์ไปที่ย่อหน้าใดก็ได้แล้วคลิกไอคอนเพื่อเพิ่มความคิดเห็นของคุณ

นอกจากนี้คุณสามารถปิด / เปิดได้ตลอดเวลาในการตั้งค่า

เข้าใจแล้ว