章節 1167: Pioneer
After a longer than expected session of lovemaking, as Luvia ended up getting a 'second wind' after going at her own pace for a while, Vahn found himself helping place rollers and pin curls into her hair after taking a hot bath together. She would normally have a number of stylists help give her hair the characteristic shape women in her family were so fond of. Since none of her servants had been brought along, Vahn ended up displaying his skills as a stylist, earning a few compliments from Luvia in the process. Still, as much as she appreciated his efforts, Luvia expressed the importance of always maintaining a large staff, both as a means of providing jobs and cultivating loyalty while also serving as a way to balance the status quo and free up hands for menial tasks.
With her financial clout, Luvia could purchase land in another country and have an entire Mansion constructed in only two days. Though this wasn't beyond means, Luvia reiterated a few lessons that Vahn had already heard back when he was in Danmachi, chiefly that he 'needed' to delegate work and responsibility to others in order to elevate his own status and alter the perception people had, both towards him and their position in the structure of society he was creating. The easier he made things for others, and the more he took personal action, the less self-reliant his people would become. At the same time, they would begin to expect that he would make life easier for them, to the point that they would even blame him for small inconveniences later on down the line.
Even if he wanted to turn the Island of Avalon into a meritocracy based Academy, people needed to be able to measure their accomplishments by overcoming difficulties, not having everything handed to them. Though creating a system that everyone could flourish in, assuming they made the efforts, was a commendable sentiment, 'nature' proved such systems never worked unless strictly enforced. The more power people had to regulate the system, forcing a rigid hierarchy later down the line, the greater the potential for future corruption. Luvia even suggested having the governance and policies of the Empire being separate from those that were followed by their subjects.
Assigning Governors and giving land rights to trusted families, essentially establishing his own system of Nobility, was the only way he would be able to one day govern the entire world. Then, so long as he mandated that it was a requirement of all heirs to first graduate from the Academy on Avalon, he would be able to keep power consolidated within the Capitol, just as he had intended to do back in Danmachi. This would also allow him to incentivize and reward the various Heroic figures he was calling into the present day as, in many situations, they had been rulers themselves.
Though there were some who would be perfectly content helping him protect the world from Angra Mainyu, those sentiments would fade with the passage of time. After all, having a 'purpose' was fine, but it was infinitely better to give them 'meaning beyond purpose'. If they had the promise of being able to manage their own territory and build a family anew in the present, the number of Heroes he could pull to his side, including various kings, queens, and other rules, would drastically increase. This would be incredibly important as the Surface and Reverse Sides of the World began to merge as, without forces present all over the world to protect the people, billions would lose their lives...
Vahn appreciated how much thought Luvia was already putting into the management of their Empire as it was infinitely better to get these matters sorted out before things reached the point that they 'needed' to be decided. Though Vahn had actually put a fair amount of thought into it, even coming up with a potential 'solution' for government with Da Vinci, the system Luvia proposed was a good template to use if things went south. As for his and Da Vinci's idea, the latter plainly stated that humans were fundamentally incapable of governing other humans as, regardless of how righteous an individual was, there would always be conflicts of interest that forced them to compromise. Even Vahn wasn't immune to this as, depending on the circumstances, he could become a very ruthless individual, at least towards his 'enemies'.
In order to collect data from all over the world, and garner a better understanding of their subjects on an individual level, Da Vinci had devised a 'network' that wasn't all that dissimilar in concept to the internet. Instead of giving people access to arbitrary information, however, Da Vinci believed it was a potential solution to have people grow alongside Artificial Intelligences that were imprinted onto their users and connected to a larger system. She got the idea after designing Skoll and Ark, wanting to combine the two together and mass-produce even small versions that would be issued to everyone throughout the world. These AI would observe their users throughout their entire lives, giving them access to information they were 'qualified' to receive and providing them educational resources that coincided with their interests.
As someone who had experienced first hand how genius could be suppressed, Da Vinci wanted to completely 'destroy' the current educational system as, other than producing easily manipulated people to support a broken system, she wanted education to become an entirely individualized experience. She wanted the companions to be able to monitor the physical and mental health of their users while also providing them unlimited access to any information they themselves had become qualified to receive. At the same time, it would become 'impossible' to gain access to information and resources you weren't properly qualified to use, avoiding the situation where people rose to positions they were not suited for, weeding out corruption and exploitation by removing the 'human' element entirely.
So long as a person was able to prove to their companion that they had a proper understanding of whatever they had taken an interest in, the AI would be able to access the larger system and allow them to move to the next level. She even wanted to design it like a game, making an achievement system while 'destroying' the larger internet as, in its current form, it was grossly inefficient. Other than existing as a means to monitor its users an monetize their very existence, it seemed useful for nothing more than 'wasting' time. Since Da Vinci concluded that laymen only relied on such things because they lacked proper stimulus, she wanted to redesign the system from the ground up to promote individuality instead of monetizing stagnation.
The 'best' part of the system Da Vinci wanted to implement was the fact that, instead of just being adorable little companions, the AI would also serve as familiars and amplifiers. If there was ever a global threat, the 'Mother' system, meant to monitor every other AI, would be able to repurpose the adorable little creatures to act as a Global Defense System, channeling Magical Energy through billions of catalysts that would allow them to destroy even moon-sized meteors inbound toward the planet. Though some, especially in the current social climate, would consider the companions an extreme invasion of privacy, that was a mentality that had been cultivated by the current media and emphasized by the powers that ruled the world in the shadows.
When the world shifted towards a social structure that made Magecraft commonplace, the perception of people would change within a single generation. Though it would not be an easy transition, especially with most conglomerates and corporations rallying to vilify the use of AI, something they had already been doing for decades, it was only a matter of time before each of these organizations was completely dismantled in the not so distant future. Treating people as a commodity to be exploited, while promoting a system of waste that slowly siphoned the life of the planet, simply couldn't be allowed to exist in any world that wanted to avoid extinction and one day be able to colonize other planets. People needed to get out of the mentality where the only thing that mattered in the world was money and personal possessions. In order to become a species that could one day populate entire galaxies, they needed to transition into a mentality where the 'goal' of the species was more important than the consolidated power of a few individuals.
In Da Vinci's system, resources would always be allocated to the people most qualified to use them while most menial tasks such as labor and agriculture would always be handled by golems and non-sentient species. People would be left in a state where work itself was simply unnecessary unless you wanted to increase your status and prestige. Though some people would undoubtedly complain about not being able to eat their favorite fast food or purchase commercialized products from a supermarket, that type of mentality was cancerous to humanity as a whole. With the companion AI monitoring the development and health of its users, they would always be provided with a properly balanced and nutritious diet.
Things like obesity and sickness would become a thing of the past unless, for one reason or another, the person themselves used their companion AI to set themselves on a path where they were able to eat whatever they liked. This would require them to study cooking, tasting, and other specializations related to Gourmancy, it was possible for them to become world-famous as a Chef or Food Critic. They just needed to 'earn' the right to have those resources spent on them without endangering their mental and physical health. In this manner, people could become an 'Elite' in anything they chose to specialize in, from something as simple as playing a board game very well, to becoming a frontier explorer that was able to visit other worlds without ever having to worry about financing and political interference. The only thing anyone would need to do in order to be able to explore space was to become 'qualified' through their own efforts...
After explaining this to Luvia, she gave him a look as if he had said something extremely fantastical, as it was easier to imagine the existence of Gods wandering the lands than the system Da Vinci wanted to implement functioning without issue. It would essentially require destroying the Holy Church in its entirety and rooting out fundamentalist ideologies throughout the entire world. At the same time, all governments would have to be dismantled from the top down while literally billions of companion AI would need to be produced. The only way she could imagine such a system being successfully implemented was if around 80~90% of the current population was simply wiped out.
With how long they had been manipulated, people were 'extremely' resistant to such change and, even with Magecraft being introduced into the world, she knew there would actually be a number of zealous individuals who would sacrifice their lives to protect a system meant to exploit them. There would be others who would form communities that 'refused' to ever use such systems and, even if they were isolated from other communities, these would become the seeds for future rebellion and other issues. The only way such a system could be implemented was if people felt 'there is no other choice'. This would require 'forcing' those that resist to obey or, if they were allowed to form smaller communities, cutting them off completely from the existing system of governance.
Eventually, with resources becoming scarce, these individuals would ultimately be 'forced' to comply by necessity or, in the more likely case, resort to violence and other crimes to 'take' what they need. Thus, even if Vahn wanted to try and implement Da Vinci's system which, while almost impossible, would certainly allow all the peoples of Gaia to prosper, he would have to put people in place to prevent such outbreaks. If this was left to the very companion AIs that were their partners and protectors, people would grow increasingly fearful of them with the passage of time. These could be people that had 'earned' the right to police others, through their own personal convictions, but there simply 'had' to be humans regulating humans in some form just to prevent people from feeling as if they were just cogs within a new system meant to keep them from under control...
Though Vahn could understand Luvia's concerns, he knew that Da Vinci would never introduce such a system and simply trust that it was 'good enough'. She would infinitely innovate upon the system she established, fixing every issue that arose by looking at the data gathered from billions of people all throughout the world. He also knew she intended to make 'artificial wildlife' that was practically indiscernible from real animals, meant to cover up the cracks and allow for proper monitoring of the entire planet. Just the micro-golem ants she had made would be enough to spread throughout the entire world, taking geological samples, collecting Magical Energy, and working to tirelessly maintain the infrastructure of the idealized society she wanted to create. If given enough time and data, there was 'literally' nothing she wasn't able to accomplish as, with [Pioneer of the Stars: EX], it was only a matter of time before she turned the species of Gaia into a multi-planetary civilization...
To that end, it would come down to Vahn in order to negotiate with the planets themselves to allow for colonization but, as that was a matter in the distant future, he wasn't too worried about it in the present. So long as the implemented a system that didn't arbitrarily exploit the environment and drain the life of the planets they inhabited, he expected they wouldn't mind all that much. After all, while the planets had their own self-preservation instincts and were governed by unique logic that might even contradict that of Gaia, there was always a common grounds to be found. They wouldn't have compromised with Gaia so many times if they were incapable of being reasoned with so, once he reached Tier 5, Vahn intended to become an ambassador of sorts, representing his Empire as its people expanded to other planetary bodies...
It wasn't a simple feat to envision the future he was working to create but, as Vahn knew he would one day have to govern entire Records, he couldn't be afraid to expand his influence beyond a single planet. One day, he would become the Emperor of an Interplanetary Empire that, with the passage of time, would evolve into an Intergalactic Empire. He couldn't even imagine what kind of troubles he would face in such an endeavor but, so long as he continued to press forward, Vahn knew it was only a matter of time before he found success. His was an existence beyond concepts such as death and, with a lifespan that made eternity itself look like a singular blip in the infinitely vast expanse of incalculable Records, Vahn knew he was still at the very start of his journey...
---
After their long back and forth discussion, Luvia ultimately conceded on the matter as, while she was extremely astute when it came to business, she lacked the hubris to consider herself an intellect on the same level as Da Vinci, someone with the [Natural Born Genius: EX] skill. She could understand that, as prodigious as she was amongst her peers, she was simply another one of the people that believed certain things were simply 'impossible'. Da Vinci, however, was an existence that 'literally' existed to make the impossible into the mundane, dulling it down so that even laymen were able to benefit from her research. Since she had already decided to invest everything into Vahn, expecting even greater returns, Luvia was content with just receiving his care, at least for the time being.
To that end, things had developed to the point that Vahn was straddling Luvia's backside as he helped massage her to sleep. Though it was still 'early', considering she had only awoken a few hours prior, Luvia's body needed to rest properly after exerting herself so much. Since she was unable to fall asleep on her own, as her mind was still wide awake, Vahn didn't mind helping her ease into a gentle and comfortable slumber. This was one of the things he took pride in and, with Luvia drifting off only a few minutes after he started, Vahn couldn't help smiling in response. Still, for the better part of twenty minutes more, he enjoyed the feeling of straddling Luvia's plump backside as he systematically worked the tension and fatigue out of her muscles...
Satisfied with his efforts, Vahn playfully patted Luvia's perk white buttocks like a pair of drums, using a gentle amount of force as he didn't want to stir her awake. After this, he levitated himself out of the bed before landing silently on the floor near the door. Then, after changing into suitable attire to walk around, Vahn's long night continued in earnest. He knew that tonight was one of those peculiar instances where his presence was 'required' in various places, meaning it would be some time before he was able to rest. This didn't bother Vahn at all, however, as he was looking forward to spending time with Gray, remembering his promise to take her to a place he believed she would appreciate a great deal.
After his moonlit rendezvous with Gray, he needed to at least have a discussion with Olga, hopefully after she had calmed down by talking with Lakshmibai, Fenrir, and any others she encountered over the next couple of hours. Vahn knew she had likely formed some unhealthy delusions so, for the time being, he was intending to just help her establish a Workshop and Observatory. If he could get her talking about the things she was passionate about, Vahn knew he could look for opportunities to give her the praise she needed in a more 'productive' setting. He wanted to avoid seeding the idea within her mind that the praise she sought from him would be in the bedroom. By making her work the primary focus, he could slowly guide her along the path she had already set herself upon while any relationship they developed would just be secondary...
Though it didn't seem that common within the Nasuverse, Vahn knew that Astronomy actually had a lot of hidden potential outside of simply predicting the future. There were Laws related to the Stars themselves, providing extremely pure and borderline Holy energy that could be used to completely overwhelm enemies. Ryuu had been one of the few people that, even after becoming a God, Vahn knew she would be able to deal heavy damage to him. He intended to help Olga build confidence by introducing her to other aspects of Astronomy that her family, and seemingly every else, had simply overlooked. After all, some of the most powerful Gods in every pantheon were those that embodied the Stars and other Heavenly Bodies so Vahn felt it was silly that the Magus community considered Astronomy a dying form of Magecraft when, even compared to Elemental Laws, it was one of the most powerful systems of Laws he had ever seen...
With that in mind, Vahn expanded his senses, covering the entire Ivory Castle in his perception, with only a few dark areas beneath the superstructure of the castle itself. He could sense Artoria and Gray leisurely strolling around the castle, likely as a result of the former simply showing around the latter. As for Mordred, she was with Sakura, helping her younger sister work on her fundamentals as they played together in one of the castles many large halls. Fenrir was also with them, allowing Vahn to breathe easily as his attention shifted to where Lakshmibai and Olga were still conversing over tea.
Just as before, they were located in the Library and, as this was the closest destination, Vahn decided to move Olga up on his list of priorities. It was important that Artoria and Gray were able to bond without his interference as, with the subtle changes in Artoria's nature over the last six months, Vahn knew she needed someone to look up to her. He had been considering summoning someone she was familiar with but, if Gray could fulfill that role, Vahn could delay introducing new elements into the castle as the current residents adapted to each other. Currently, he was waiting for Da Vinci's formation to accumulate enough energy for a standard summon, with the first candidate on his list being Karna.
Though this could change depending on his interactions with others, Vahn felt that it would be best to introduce more male companions into his inner circle, both as a means to give Siegfried more companionship and avoid a repeat of his situation in Danmachi. Since Karna was supposed to be a Demigod that was extremely empathetic towards the people, while being fiercely loyal to the one he served, Vahn was interested in introducing him earlier, rather than later. For his type, it was far more meaningful if he was summoned early as, if he was only brought in during an emergency situation, he would feel less valued and more like a tool. Vahn wanted to avoid this scenario so, while there weren't too many major events going on, he wanted to summon Karna and genuinely befriend the man beforehand...
While thinking of how his number of drinking buddies might expand in the future, Vahn stepped through the open doors of the Library, this time startling Olga and earning a pleasant smile from Lakshmibai as Fenrir hadn't been present to alert them to his arrival. Vahn returned a smile of his own before asking, "May I join you...?" in a polite manner. Without missing a beat, Lakshmibai rose to her feet, walking over to meet Vahn as she answered, "Please, it would be our pleasure. We were just talking about you so your timing is impeccable..." As she reached his side, Vahn's smile widened as, contrary to her nature of rarely showing displays of affection in public, Lakshmibai gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He knew she was being more 'forward' than normal, perhaps as an example for Olga to follow, so Vahn unabashedly placed his hand around her waist as they walked toward the very nervous-looking pale-haired woman on the sofa...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'People are fundamentally incapable of governing other people xD...','Luvia knows that EX-Ranked skills can't be ignored...','Siegfried also needs more friends. An Emperor and a 'peculiar' Paladin aren't really the best companions for cutting loose (>,...,<)~!')
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
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章節 1168: Belief
So as not to give Olga a panic attack, Vahn ultimately pulled out a second sofa from his Inventory, placing it across from her as he and Lakshmibai sat down. Based on how nervous she was, Olga had clearly been thinking too much about how she needed to behave around him. However, after seeing Vahn pull out an object from thin air, she was briefly reminded of her deceased Governess, asking in a subdued tone, "You have the Imaginary Number Element...?" Though she had already assumed as much due to the existence of the Projection, Olga was still a little surprised by the fact that he could just whisk items from a space with such precision that she couldn't even sense subtle fluctuations in the surrounding mana.
Mildly surprised that Olga was the first to break the building tension, Vahn's impression that she was the type that could get distracted by the things that interested her seemed to be accurate. With this in mind, he gained a slightly amused smile, answering, "My specializations are Creation, Space, Time, Forging, and Destruction. What Magi refer to as the Imaginary Number Element is simply one aspect of Space Laws, something you will come to learn more about in the coming days. Though the world is filled with infinite complexities, one thing you will soon understand is that, so long as you pursue a specific Law to its extremes, there is limitless potential, not only in the Thaumaturgical schools but in abstract and seemingly arbitrary concepts as well. Even the Astronomy your family has studied, there is an infinite potential that has yet to be untapped, for no other reason than the perspective your family had adopted in relation to the Stars and their significance..."
Though she knew Vahn wasn't insulting her family's work, it was never easy to hear someone explain that the basic premise of their research was misguided. Due to their status difference, Olga decided against trying to argue, instead, asking, "How can you be so certain? What are these 'Laws' you keep mentioning...?"
With Olga actively participating in the conversation, Vahn knew he already had her hooked, even if she also seemed mildly offended. He kept the same smile on his face, answering in a calm and polite tone, "There is a reason why, after all this time, only five people have been able to reach the Root. It is because, from the very beginning, the basic principle most Magi operated under was flawed. Even your own family believes that, by pursuing a specific Thaumaturgical principle to the extreme, you would be able to gain access to the Root, correct...?"
As Vahn's question struck at the heart of the matter, Olga furrowed her brows, answering, "Yes...we have been continuing with that ideal for hundreds of years..." Though it was obvious that Olga was trying to defend her family's work, Vahn gave a curt nod in response to her words before adding, "And others have been doing similar work for thousands of years. Still, despite their efforts, they are no closer to reaching the Root. Do you not think this is strange?"
Hearing Vahn's question, Olga's frown deepened further as, by reflex, she answered, "This is due to the stagnation of mana within the atmosphere and the limited availability of resources. As we shift further away from the Age of Gods, it becomes progressively more difficult to reach the Root..."
With a progressively more amused smile, which was beginning to irk Olga a great deal, Vahn simply asked, "If reaching the Root represents the pinnacle of developing a specific ideal, why were Gods and other Spiritual creatures unable to reach the Root? If mana was denser in the Age of Gods, when Mystery was still present throughout the world, why is it that most of the Magi that have reached the Root existed in the Age of Man? Why is it that, Gods who literally represent specific principles such as Life and Death were unable to reach the Root, even though they governed these principles during their reign...?"
This time, Olga felt less certain in her answer but, as she had studied the curriculum of the Clock Tower, she still managed to answer, "Because Gods are Divine Spirits that are associated with Nature. The only way to reach the Root is by going against the natural order and pushing an ideal beyond the scope of the natural world..." As one of the foundational principles of Thaumaturgy was that it existed as a representation of humanity's beliefs, Gods and other Spiritual lifeforms were unable to reach the Root as, instead of pushing their Mystery to greater heights, they simply 'existed' as a representation of that Mystery. Humans were creatures that the World itself was proactively trying to eliminate and, by always seeking greater understanding, they were even able to overcome the Gods themselves and reach the Root, the origin of all things...
Almost as soon as Olga had given her answer, Vahn immediately rebutted, asking, "Then why are so many people, including the more influential families in the Mage's Association, obsessed with trying to understand Mystery and the Magecraft from the Age of Gods? If the only way to reach the Root is by breaking free from the natural world and pushing an idea to its extreme, why do all established families research theories and Thaumaturgical principles from a Bygone Age? Why is it that older forms of Magecraft are intrinsically more powerful while the Holy Sacrament of the Church is the most established and stable form of Thaumaturgy in the entire World...?"
Hearing Vahn continually ask her difficult to answer questions, Olga's expression had become rather dour as, anything she said, felt like it would simply be rebuffed by him. She knew he was trying to help her reach the conclusion herself but, as it felt like she was being lectured, Olga was beginning to get upset. Even so, she felt there wasn't much room for her to remain silent so, after sorting her thoughts, Olga answered, "It is the beliefs of people that empower Thaumaturgical principles...the reason my own family had been on the decline is due to the existence of Physics and humanity's errant belief that it is slowly removing the Mystery contained within the Universe..." As she said this, Olga felt a bit of resentment in her heart, blaming modern media and Physicists for her family's struggles...
Ignoring the negative emotions flickering in the depths of Olga's eyes, Vahn cocked his brow, asking, "If belief is what powers Thaumaturgy, how do you benefit by 'believing' the beliefs of others is what is weakening your family's Magecraft? You have just stated that the only way to reach the Root is by going against the natural order and pushing an ideal to the extreme. How can that be possible if the beliefs of others have anything to do with it? Humans have a propensity to desire for themselves while simultaneously wishing that others are not able to accomplish what they themselves are unable to do. If this is part of our nature, how could anyone possibly reach the Root if they are concerned with how other people view them and their research? Why is it that geniuses like Da Vinci are unable to reach the Root, even though they can use S-Rank Magecraft of every Thaumaturgical school with greater versatility than families that have existed for thousands of years...?"
Listening to Vahn's words, Olga's eyes began darting around in their sockets as, no matter how she thought about it, there was no way for her to answer. The way he worded things made her earlier statements sound more like the excuses of the ignorant instead of the 'truths' that were believed by most modern Magi, including those in established families. However, even though this was the truth accepted and propagated within the Magus community, it was also an irrefutable truth that only five people in History had been able to reach True Magic.
Though it seemed like an easy argument to make, pointing out that the only reason others hadn't reached the Root is due to their failure to reach the 'pinnacle', this wasn't exactly substantiated by real-world evidence. People only had the very limited accounts of those who had reached the Root to go by to draw their conclusions. However, as there was no way for others to follow the same route to reach the Root, so long as the previous user of True Magic still existed, the only thing most families could do was pursue a new route, believing there was no other way...
With Olga failing to answer his question after several tense and awkward minutes, Vahn gave a small nod before explaining, "All things within the multiverse originate from the Root, existing as part a self-contained system that is governed by a strict set of Laws. It isn't by developing Thaumaturgy to the extreme that you are able to reach the Root, but by doing nearly the opposite. You must seek the 'origin' of the concept itself and, by gaining proper comprehension of the Laws that govern that form of Thaumaturgy, you are able to reach the Root. This is why, even though the Second and Fifth Magics are both associated with Time and Space, they are able to take completely different forms solely due to their user's understanding of the Laws involved..."
Seeing that Olga was paying close attention to what he was saying, Vahn adopted an approving expression as he added, "The thing referred to as Mystery by the Mage's Association is the very same thing as the Laws themselves. What they fail to realize is that, instead of seeking the Mystery itself, looking into the past for answers, they should be pursuing the Laws as they exist in the Age of Man. From the very beginning, the Laws have not changed and, though there is significantly less mana in the Current Era, the Laws have never required mana to function. Mana only exists because there are Laws to govern it, not the other way around. By convincing yourself that certain things are necessary, you, and almost all modern Magi, have been limiting yourself. Only by letting go of your misconceptions, clearing your mind and focusing solely on the Laws themselves, would you be able to reach the Root..."
Vahn allowed his words to trail at the end, giving Olga ample time to take them in before smiling in amusement as he continued, explaining, "However, once you reach that point, gaining access to the Root becomes a moot point. By comprehending the Laws, you are already at the level of being able to use True Magic. Reaching the Root at that point would only become another limiter as, instead of continuing your pursuit further, most people would become overwhelmed by the 'truth' contained in such power. Even without reaching the Root, it is possible to become an existence beyond the level of the Gods...tell me, what use is borrowed power at that point?"
Hearing Vahn explain that reaching the Root was fundamentally pointless, Olga's face morphed into a dour expression. However, when she thought about his words from a logical perspective, she could see the reasoning. Even going by the current understanding of the Magus community, there would be nothing to stand in your way if you truly reached the 'pinnacle' of any school of Thaumaturgy. The only reason people truly cared about reaching the Root is that it was the same as receiving 'verification' that you had managed to reach that point. At that point, just as Vahn said, there was 'theoretically' nothing as, at the pinnacle, how much further could you go? If the power you gained access to came from the Root itself, how could you ever possibly become 'stronger' than something that comprises one of the foundational principles that govern the World itself...?
Olga felt extremely confused and, with no way to make sense of what Vahn had explained to her, she simply asked, "How do you know all of this...?" As Olga asked this question, she was briefly reminded of her first encounter with Luvia, Rin, and Sakura. Their interaction seemed to imply that Vahn was capable of using True Magic and, with his earlier admission of specializing in various Laws, Olga felt as if his silhouette had suddenly grown larger. It was almost like sitting at the foot of a mountain that had impossibly steep walls, feeling pressured just by being in its presence...
In response to her question, Vahn smiled radiantly, an action that caused Olga to take a sharp breath through her nose as, with his appearance, it was a rather devastating sight for a young woman. Then, while picking up Alaya and holding her out in front of him, he casually explained, "There are many things you will come to understand, in time. The most important thing for you to know, at least in regards to your question, is that I am able to reach the Root and, if you are willing to learn, I can also teach you True Magic. However, what I teach you will make accessing the Root unnecessary as, once you understand the 'purpose' of the Root itself, you will understand that there has never been a point in accessing it from the start..." Vahn wanted to add that, the harder you tried to reach the Root, the more inaccessible it would become. However, as Olga's eyes were swimming, he decided to go easy on her...
Though Vahn's words were hard to believe, the fact he was holding an existence that even users of True Magic feared increased the veracity of his claims. The existence of Alaya, and her partnership with Vahn, had already been clearly explained to her. It was very difficult to believe but, after being transported with extreme ease by the rather adorable blue creature, Olga knew that, at the very least, it was a monstrously powerful entity. Seeing Vahn handle her freely was a rather unnerving sight, even though Olga also had a strong urge to pet Alaya's large ears...
After processing what Vahn had said, even though she was still confused about many things, Olga almost felt like she was making a deal with the devil. His words promised great power but, in her errant thoughts, Olga could only think about was the cost of such power. The most fundamental principle of all Thaumaturgy was that of equivalent exchange; There was nothing that could be obtained for free, especially when it was related to great power. She had come to Avalon with the intent of serving Vahn in an effort to gain his favor, believing it was the only way in which her family would be able to rise beyond its current status. Now that he was dangling something even more tantalizing in front of her, Olga felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest as she considered what he might ask of her in exchange...
Recognizing the tell-tale light in Olga's eyes, Vahn knew her thoughts were beginning to wander in a strange direction. Before she could delude herself completely, he decided to shift the conversation toward a different, but related, subject, explaining, "I'm going to help you set up an Observatory and Workshop. I want to get a better understanding of your current comprehension in order to guide you properly in the future. You may have to work alongside Da Vinci on some of her projects but, if you take her lessons to heart, you will be able to greatly advance your understanding. Once I have been able to get my footing in London, we'll discuss the matter of Chaldea's funding. Until then, you should acclimate yourself to the castle and focus on your research. If you have any questions, there are numerous people who are qualified to answer, myself included."
With that said, Vahn looked toward Lakshmibai, asking with his eyes what she was intending to do. She returned an understanding smile before saying, "I will stay here...I'm partway through a novel and I would like to finish it. I'll likely be here for a few hours before retiring to my room later on..." Though she didn't expressly state her intentions, Vahn knew there was an invitation contained within Lakshmibai's words. He gave her hand a light squeeze in response, eliciting a marginally larger smile from the beautiful brown-skinned woman as she rose to her feet, bowing politely as she said, "If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty..." Then, after receiving a nod from Vahn, Lakshmibai left the room, causing Olga to become increasingly more nervous with each step she took to depart...
After hearing Vahn 'clarify' things, Olga misconstrued his words to mean that he had already decided how to treat her. She suddenly felt as though he had given her a 'time limit' to prove her usefulness and, if she failed to make an impression in that time, the chance she would receive funding became increasingly slim. Since he mentioned being away in London, Olga believed Vahn was 'reminding' her that he wouldn't always be around, meaning she would need to be more proactive if she wanted him to properly consider her. Thus, as Lakshmibai was leaving the room, another thing that seemed to be 'arranged' by them in advance, Olga's heart began pounding as she began feeling a shortness of breath...
Seeing Olga's reaction, Vahn's smile turned slightly wry as he watched her tightly clench the hem of her skirt, seemingly contemplating if she should raise it in an attempt to appeal to him. Her ears and cheeks were completely red while, dancing atop her head, her prominent ahoge was writhing around as a result of her nervousness. Vahn knew he would need to go against Olga's expectations in this instant so that she would be able to behave calmly around him in the future. He still wanted her to develop the habit of seeking praise for her achievements, not her appeals.
With that in mind, causing Olga to flinch as if she had just received a shock, Vahn rose to his feet, saying, "Let's go. I'll let you pick out a Magus Tower for your Observatory and Workshop. You just need to list the supplies you'll need and Da Vinci and I will take care of their acquisition." As he spoke, Vahn made things easier, and simultaneously more difficult, by extending his hand to Olga. For an Emperor to extend his hand to someone, it would be considered 'extremely' rude to refuse and, with her current delusions, Olga had no room for such thoughts. As a result, she lightly bit her lower lip and, with a bit of moisture building in the corner of her eyes, accepted his hand. Then, even though it wasn't Vahn's intention to lead her along, Olga linked arms with him, her face beet red as she averted her eyes to the side...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Welcome to the desert of the real...','Vahn dropping knowledge bombs','Olga is even worse than Risna xD...')
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