章節 1228: Promises Kept
Vahn was never the type to just let a woman fall to the ground. The moment Gareth collapsed, he dutifully caught her armor-clad body before shifting her into a princess carry in a single movement. He had gotten very accustomed to carrying girls like this so it was almost muscle memory at this point, allowing him to see the pained expression of Gareth up close...
The moment Vahn had started a second summoning, Gawain had been watching attentively after his former King ordered him to be patient and observe. He still lacked a full understanding of everything that was occurring, despite the information supplied by the summoning system itself. Thus, when he saw the magical energy taking shape, he couldn't help feeling a little curious.
Gawain had already anticipated that Vahn might summon other Knights of the Round Table but, for reasons he didn't quite understand himself, part of him never expected one of his siblings to be the next called into service. When he saw the familiar figure take form, Gawain felt like his heart tense in his chest and, when Gareth collapsed forward, the only thing stopping him from going to her side was the fact Vahn had already caught her.
Though he was not the type to shed tears, only having cried at the very end of his life, Gawain felt a sour feeling in his nose as memories of that fateful day resurfaced. He wasn't afforded much time to brood over them, however, as Vahn had already made his way over, an expression of concern and, for some reason, acceptance in his eyes. Gawain found this reaction curious but, as Vahn passed over the unconscious figure of his young sister to him, he attempted to dutifully accept, only to find that he had started to hug the armored figure instinctively...
Seeing the siblings reunited, Vahn gave an approving nod before pulling out, of all things, a bed and a chair. He then explained, "She has experienced a severe trauma but should wake up within the next four or five hours. We won't be down here for very long but I will entrust her care to you, Sir Gawain, at least for the time being." Though he could help her awaken soon, Vahn was buying time so that Gareth could undergo the memory link process. Karna hadn't wasted any time in starting the process himself so, with the latter being inside the projection, it would only take around half an hour before her slumber was extended by four.
Gawain didn't immediately set his sister to rest in the bed. Instead, he looked directly at Vahn with his aquamarine eyes glistening with moisture as he said, "Your Majesty...thank you...I can never repay you for this kindness...I swear, I will serve the Empire until my dying breath...!" To this, Vahn just gave a light-hearted laugh, confusing Gawain somewhat until he stated, "It seems my Empire has earned a staunch protected for the next few decades...however, I would prefer if you settle at some point. The Empire is wanting for residents...hahahaha-"
As Vahn had the mentality of befriending the male Heroic Spirits he summoned, he didn't want his new Knight to dedicate his entire life to the pursuit of his duties. Though some accounts stated he had multiple children, Vahn knew from Artoria that Gawain had died without descendants. Because of a mistake he had made in his youth, he believed himself unworthy of leaving behind an heir and had done everything he could in service of the Kingdom. He had also been worried that his children would make a play at the throne as, being the proxy to Artoria, the majority of the Kingdom believed he was the true King.
Hearing his Emperor's words, Gawain experienced a short pause in his thought processes, losing him the opportunity for further words as Vahn had already turned his back. Fortunately, his Empress had been nearby, showing him leniency by explaining, "Have patience, Sir Gawain. All will be brought to light in due time. You need not burden yourself with overthinking things as I intend to clarify matters personally after the next summon."
Since his mind was practically hard-coded to follow Artoria's orders, Gawain bowed reflexively before answering, "I understand, Your Majesty. Thank you for helping to clear my clouded mind..." Then, as it was somewhat awkward to keep holding onto his sister when there was a bed nearby, Gawain set her down and began removing her armor. She was wearing green pantaloons, a green undershirt, and a beige blouse underneath so removing her armor was just a way to help her sleep comfortably.
---
While Gawain was taking care of his sister, Vahn's mind had already submerged into the Throne of Heroes once again. This time around, the process was even faster as, having already messed around with each member of the Round Table previously, his curiosity had been sated. Thus, after a very brief interaction with Akasha, he quickly scrolled through the three panels of data before confirming his next summon, Galahad, son of Lancelot.
According to Artoria, Galahad was the 'perfect' Knight, even more so than his father, especially after the latter's betrayal. He was even recognized as a Saint, though not because of Alaya's selection. His Sainthood had been earned after he obtained the Holy Grail, the actual vessel, not the wish-granting device used in the Fuyuki Holy Grail Wars. Though it could have granted him almost unlimited power and eternal life, Galahad had instead returned the Holy Grail to the Heavens, believing that any such power, despite originating from a holy artifact, would corrupt the individual who received it.
From that moment onward, though he was one of the youngest members of the Round Table, only a few years senior to Gareth, Galahad was considered a true paragon amongst other Knights. Since he feared that his own prestige would ultimately lead him down the same path of corruption, Galahad had even abandoned his sword and lance, becoming the protector of the Kingdom by using nothing more than a shield. Because of this conviction, Artoria had asked the Faeries to literally convert the Round Table into Galahad's shield, showing just how much trust she placed in him.
After confirming his selection, Vahn found himself back in reality, watching as a figure that stood around 173cm in height formed into existence. He was a bit shorter than Karna and Gawain but, even before he had taken shape, Vahn felt like Galahad gave off the impression of an immovable wall. When the light faded away, there was a man wearing dark-purple armor, complete with a light-purple mantle and a similarly colored cloth around his waist. He also had somewhat unkempt white hair and, as he opened his eyes, Vahn saw golden irises that, curiously, emanated a subtle light from the very center of Galahad's pupils.
Understanding that this was due to Galahad's [Pure Eyes of the Saint], Vahn gave a small nod, even if the rank of the Skill was much weaker than a True Saint. He would still be able to see the negative karma of individuals, allowing Galahad to become one of the most reliable protectors of the Empire. Vahn had every intention of making him the guardian of his children in the future and, as Artoria was not suited for training each new batch of Knights, Galahad would assume this responsibility as well.
As Vahn looked down at him with an approving gaze, Galahad stared back at him with an unfaltering one of his own. He found the aura around his new Master's body to be strange, being paradoxically pure yet overbearing. This was a strange contrast but, as he could also feel the overwhelmingly pure aura of his King nearby, Galahad averted his eyes slightly to see Artoria's dress-clad figure. As he was unaware of his King's true gender, Galahad experienced a momentary pause due to shock, even if his facial expression didn't change in the slightest...
Though he did not bend the knee, as he would never wholeheartedly serve a person whose motives he had yet to understand, Galahad gave a Knight's salute, stating in a calm yet firm tone, "Galahad answers the call of his Master, Vahn Aldrnari Mason." As the information provided to them included the name of their summoner, alongside information about the modern world, Galahad obviously knew Vahn's identity, though this was the limit of his knowledge.
Since he didn't expect everyone he summoned to immediately bend the knee, Vahn just gave a small nod in response to Galahad's introduction before explaining, "You have many questions, no doubt. I will leave my Empress, Artoria, to explain the finer details of the situation. In time, I hope you see me, not as a Master, but as an Emperor and friend..."
Hearing Vahn address his former King as 'Empress', Galahad had a slightly better understanding of the situation. He still did not bend the knee, however, as his loyalty had always been toward the people, not the person ruling over them. Since he did not understand the situation completely yet, he could not place his trust in Vahn, especially with his paradoxical aura. Even then, he still gave a low bow after learning of Vahn's status, adding, "Galahad pays respect to His Majesty, the Emperor."
Though Vahn was tempted to correct the form of address, he instead gave Galahad leave to raise his head before having him join Artoria, Gawain, Da Vinci, and the sleeping Gareth. While they were in the midst of their greetings, he wasted no time in activating the summoning system once again. He was beginning to feel a strange fatigue, perhaps due to his consciousness being shuffled around a bunch, but it was nothing compared to his training sessions with Scáthach.
This time around, Vahn intended to summon Heracles' wife, Megara, before latter summoning his two sons, Therimachus and Deicoon. Vahn was actually a little curious about the Wife of the famous Hero as he couldn't help imagining what kind of woman could pair with a 253cm tall, 311kg man. He had learned from Heracles that his current form wasn't all that dissimilar to his original appearance, something Vahn found both strange yet fascinating. (A/N: Btw, this Heracles looks more like his FGO counterpart, not the weird monstrosity from Stay/Night.)
After sifting through the three panels, Vahn discovered that Megara's parameters were only slightly higher than a normal human's, even with the perks of being a Heroic Spirit. Though her Avenger form was actually quite powerful, the [Transmigrator] perk defaulted her to the Archer Class, with parameters and Skills exclusively at E-Rank. Even her Noble Phantasm was E-, the first time Vahn had ever seen such a ranking outside of Lakshmibai's original Luck parameter. The only thing to note was that her Endurance was graded at 7, but even that wasn't considered too remarkable.
Reasoning that Megara was just a normal princess, Vahn went ahead and confirmed his selection. He would get more information from seeing her up close than looking at a series of lists so, as the mana gathered from the summoning formation, he watched on with an expectant gaze. As the light faded away, it revealed a woman with a rather 'developed' figure, even if she was only 159cm tall. She had what some referred to as an hourglass figure, complete with a large bust, willowy waist, and shapely hips. With her light garb, consisting of nothing more than a purple cloth, there wasn't much left to the imagination. She also had maroon-red hair, styled into a loose bun that curled and frayed at the ends due to the non-existent hair care products of the time.
Vahn had the distinct impression that Heracles wouldn't appreciate him handling his wife so, before she could collapse, Vahn used his Telekinesis to stabilize her body before wrapping her in a fur coat and laying her on a second bed. Heracles was waiting for them on the surface so, after summoning his two sons, Vahn would reunite the family who had been brought to ruin by Hera's machinations. This time around, they wouldn't have to worry about the petty interference of the Greek Gods, even after the convergence of the Surface and Reverse Sides of the World.
Not wasting any time, as his mind was beginning to dull slightly, Vahn used the first of his final two [Divine Energy Cube]s to enter the Throne once again. This time, Akasha was not waiting for him so Vahn quickly made his way over to the Throne before searching for Therimachus. Vahn was a little surprised by how high the boy's parameters were but, considering he was a quarter-god, and the son of Heracles, it was to be expected. What he found more interesting, and strangely annoying, was the fact that the boy was just over seven years old at the time of his death. This caused Vahn's brow to twitch slightly as his instincts as a father alerted him to various future possibilities.
After taking a deep breath, Vahn ultimately finalized his selection, unwilling to go back on his word over something like a hunch. The future was formed from infinite possibilities and, even if something happened between his and Heracles' children, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. So long as they did not inherit the 'nature' of the ancient Greeks, which shouldn't be a problem considering their age, he shouldn't have to worry too much. With proper guidance and a comprehensive education, Heracles' sons would probably become powerful Knights or protectors of the Empire. They were also Princes, even if Heracles no longer had a Kingdom to rule, so the decision was ultimately his daughters' to make.
This time around, Vahn watched as the mana formed into the shape of a figure who looked closer to ten than seven. When the light faded away, a 134cm tall youth, with an extremely athletic figure, had appeared before him. He had dark brown hair and a tanned body, a stark contrast to the white and gold toga-style garb he was wearing. It was clear that he had taken after his father and, in the future, Vahn imagined the boy would be a giant amongst men. This caused his brain to buzz slightly at the potential implications but, suppressing the emotion as much as possible, Vahn set the boy next to his mother before entering the Throne for the final time...
Being the younger of the two, Deicoon was only five years old but, much like his older brother, his parameters were noticeably higher than normal. Vahn managed to better retain his calm this time around and, without incident, summoned the young boy into existence. He was garbed in similar attire to his brother and, despite the fact he was only five, it was clear to see that he would also be a very athletic or muscular figure in the future. Seeing this, Vahn could only shake his head before he set the boy on the opposite side of Megara. Then, after lifting the entire bed using his Telekinesis, Vahn turned to the waiting party and said, "Let us return."
---
As could be expected, Heracles was waiting anxiously for the group to exit the Inner Sanctum. He was standing with his arms crossed and a vicious expression on his face, causing Galahad to move in front of Artoria as Gawain seemed to consider what to do with the unconscious body of his sister if a fight were to break out. Fortunately, Artoria dealt with them both by stating in a commanding tone, "Stand down, both of you. This man is the Guardian of the Empire." This was enough to make both former Round Table members stand at attention, though Vahn could still see caution visible in their gazes.
Despite how scary his expression was to others, Vahn could see the pain and concern in Heracles' expression. The moment he saw his sleeping wife and children, the mountainous man fell to his knees and, creating one of the largest 'gaps' in history, began to bawl like a child as he bowed his head to the floor and stated, "Thank you...thank you..." over and over. This caused Gawain to issue an awkward smile while even Galahad, having shown no change in expression up till now, awkwardly scratched his cheek. As for Vahn, he walked over to Heracles' side, using a single hand to lift the man from the ground as he reminded, "We're friends...this is the least I could do..."
Seeing the 'grim' expression of Heracles looking back at him, even Vahn felt slightly intimidated, despite the fact the former was showing sincere gratitude in his eyes. He then smiled in an almost unnatural way as his deep voice echoed, "Yes, that is true, isn't it...it is my honor to be your friend, Your Majesty..." With that said, Heracles roughly pat his shoulder, causing Vahn to feel his bones creak slightly, albeit not enough to cause any visible discomfort on his casually smiling face. He then watched as Heracles plopped down next to the bed, a thoughtful look in the latter's eyes as he stared unblinkingly at his family...
Part of Vahn's agreement with Heracles was erasing the memories of the incident from his children's mind but, as he wanted to face the responsibility directly, Megara would keep hers. He believed the woman he had loved would understand as, even toward the very end, she never stopped trying to break him free of his madness. Together, they would build a new life for themselves in Avalon, free from the Gods' influence for the first time in their lives. He also swore to protect the Empire with all his power, believing Vahn to be the one man he would willingly lower his head to. Since the latter had kept his promise, he would do the same, no matter the cost...it was the least he could do.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gawain was not ready for today...','Vahn's fatherly instincts xD...','Not all Greek Heroes should have their stories end in tragedy...')
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章節 1229: Page
With Gareth already undergoing the memory link and Da Vinci returning to compile the data she had collected, this left Vahn and Artoria seated across from Gawain and Galahad as they explained the situation. Informing them about the memory link was unnecessary, as it was included in the information provided by the summoning system, so the meeting was more of a formality to explain Artoria's situation than anything else.
Needless to say, the two former Round Table members were more than a little surprised to learn that the King they had dutifully served was actually a woman. However, with Merlin also showing himself, combined with the fact they were in the Ivory Castle, they knew it was the truth. This affected Gawain a lot more than Galahad but, as his greatest regret in life was placing his own pride over his duty, he quickly set aside his conflicted thoughts to discuss the state of the Empire and its goals.
As the Knight Commander of the Interior, Gawain would be tasked with selecting Knights to guard the Ivory Castle and its residents. In the Knight Orders, it was a position second only to the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights, a position that would be held by Artoria until she trained her successor.
Despite his trustworthy nature and adherence to duty, Gawain had never been allowed in the Inner Sanctum unless specifically requested by Artoria. This was usually only to access the Armory of Camelot as, even with his prestige and status, he did not have the right to enter the Inner Sanctum of his own accord. In the future, these kinds of distinctions would become very important so, now that their numbers were beginning to grow, Vahn had to clearly lay the groundwork for how they would operate in the future.
With no Knights to command, at least for the time being, Gawain's most important task would be filling the position of Grand Marshall until, much like Artoria, he groomed a successor. This actually gave him more authority during certain situations than Artoria, the Queen-Empress Consorts, and the Imperial Princesses. Though this only applied when Court was officially held, it was a very high position, one which Gawain had accepted graciously.
After the discussion of Gawain's duties, the conversation moved towards Galahad, despite the fact he had not accepted any status within the Court, including Knighthood. Vahn didn't really mind this so, after preventing Artoria and Gawain from pressuring him, he gave Galahad considerable face by requesting that he take the position as Knight Instructor. He actually wanted to assign Galahad the title of 'Shield of the Empire', so that he could protect the Imperial Family directly, but that would have to wait until he won the man's trust.
As it did not conflict with his sense of justice, Galahad accepted the position without any argument, feeling it was a task he could dedicate himself to. So long as Vahn did not ask him to wield a blade to strike down the Empire's enemies, Galahad had no problem training future Knights, not to serve the Empire persay, but its future peoples. When he later learned that Avalon would one day become a Bastion of Sanctuary to the Fae and other exploited creatures, his convictions were cemented on the spot.
With their duties assigned, the conversation began to shift toward tenser discussions before finally settling on the most 'troublesome' matter that needed to be addressed. Vahn tried to segue things naturally by using Galahad's duties as a talking point, mentioning, "There is something you must be made aware of. This is a matter of extreme importance and, regardless of your personal experiences, I will not tolerate any dissent over this issue..."
Since it was a matter concerning his daughter, the pressure released by Vahn caused both men to feel a powerful suppression. This wasn't solely due to Vahn, however, as Artoria also had a serious expression on her face. She had fully accepted her role as Mordred's mother and, though she had a lot of other concerns that needed to be addressed, she would not allow her daughter to shoulder the blame for Morgan's machinations. Since Gawain was actually Morgan's son, meaning he was Mordred's sister-cousin, she would make him see reason and understand who was truly at fault for his family's suffering...
After the tension increased to the point of causing the furniture to tremble slightly, Vahn began to explain Mordred's situation. Though Galahad didn't seem heavily affected by the revelation, Gawain had become pale as he continued to listen further. After all, his final memories before awakening in the Welsh Dragon's chamber were his remorse at having failed his King. He did not blame Mordred outright for their deaths, as it was his own pride and dismissal of Lancelot that ultimately resulted in their end. At the very end, he had even made a vow that, if he were given a second chance at life, he would dedicate everything, mind, body, and soul, to serving his King...
Despite this vow, it still weighed heavily on him that one of the people he was now sworn to protect was the same person who had killed him in the past. Still, he was a man of honor and, after making his previous vows, which included his oath towards Vahn, he resolved himself to let the matters of the past lay. Though fresh on his mind, it had been more than fifteen-hundred years since that tragic day. Now, just as his Empress requested of him, he would do his best to live in the present, believing in the future they envisioned.
When neither Gawain nor Galahad made much of a fuss about Mordred's identity, Vahn's impression of the two had taken a decisive shift toward a positive light. He did not want all of Mordred's efforts over the last year to go to waste and, if they were able to watch her grow, Vahn believed any grudge between them would fade away with time.
With Mordred's matter addressed, at least for the time being, Vahn began talking about some of the Empire's Trump Cards, both as a means to allay any concerns they might have and, to a lesser extent, give them pause if they ever thought to betray him. Needless to say, they were quite surprised when Alaya presented herself to them, causing Gawain to sweat noticeably while Galahad actually seemed relieved. His [Pure Eyes of the Saint] allowed him to understand that Vahn was telling the truth and, though the latter's aura still troubled him, the fact he was the 'champion' of Alaya alleviated most of his concerns.
---
After talking about the more pressing matters, the atmosphere began to lighten up a bit, courtesy of the food and drinks Vahn had provided. He had wanted to ease tensions before Gareth awoke which, according to Sis, should be any minute now. This didn't go unnoticed by Gawain who, throughout the conversation, would periodically look toward her sleeping figure at the side. Though it was more than a little strange to see a bed in the middle of a private meeting room, he didn't really question his new Emperor's logic as even Artoria, his former King, showed a completely neutral reaction.
As if she hadn't gone from experiencing a severe trauma to witnessing years' worth of memories in turn, Gareth rolled onto her side before curling up in a fetal position. For a brief moment, she began to suckle on the end of her thumb before slowly opening her eyes after hearing a familiar sigh. Her ears twitched in response to this and, after seeing a group of familiar faces staring at her from a small dining table, Gareth felt like a bolt of electricity ran through her body as she immediately hid her hands behind her back while sitting up straight atop the bed.
Though she was clearly flustered, Gareth had a natural smile on her face and two small blush marks that gave her an even more youthful appearance. This, combined with her dark-green eyes, left quite the impression but, even more so than both of these things combined, it was the two twitching dog-like ears drooping at the sides of her head that caught Vahn's attention. She had a pair of normal ears hidden within the locks of her boyish hairstyle but, much like Circe's winged attachments, this extra set of ears, looking more like hair extensions, functioned all the same...
Gareth actually had quite a bit to say to everyone seated at the table but, seeing Vahn looking back at her, the two dog-like ears began to twitch happily as her smile grew wider. She had just watched his life play out from start to finish, including some things that Vahn probably would have wanted to keep from her, so he had left a very big impression on her mind. Thus, while smiling so radiantly it felt like the room had been illuminated slightly, Gareth exclaimed, "Master, it is good to finally meet you! Please, is there is anything I can do, anything at all, just let me know~!"
If Gareth had a tail, Vahn imagined it would be thumping against the top of the bed or wagging furiously from side-to-side. She reminded him a lot of a younger Fenrir, albeit with a different kind of innocence and significantly less bloodthirst. Even amongst the Knights of the Round Table, she was known by her nickname, Beaumains, meaning 'Pure Hands', as she believed it was never justified to take a life. When she was given the opportunity to place a restriction on Artoria's armaments in the past, a ceremony all Knights of the Round Underwent, the restraint she had given was 'The battle must be with the intent of preserving life, not taking it.'
While Gawain wanted desperately to pull his sister aside and address her behavior, he didn't have the right to dismiss himself without permission from Vahn. Even speaking out of turn could be a grave offense in such a situation, as Gareth had addressed Vahn directly. If they were in Court, he would have some leniency to reprimand Gareth but, at least in the present moment, his actions could be misconstrued as speaking 'for' Vahn. Thus, he could only sigh in exasperation while doing his utmost to retain his composure.
Understanding Gawain's struggles, Vahn couldn't help laughing internally while, on the outside, his expression was predominately calm as he smiled in response to Gareth's words, saying, "Lady Gareth, it is good to see you in high spirits after your ordeal. As for what you can do, that is a matter for my Empress, Artoria, to decide..." In truth, Gareth wasn't part of his future plans for the Empire and, at least for the time being, his plan was to allow her to decide her own future while acting as an anchor for Artoria's, Gawain's, and Mordred's mental wellness...
Hearing Vahn's somewhat dismissive words, Gareth's ears drooped somewhat pathetically and, as if she wasn't seated before her Emperor, she slouched atop the bed with a defeated look. This display caused Gawain's brain to buzz slightly but, surprising everyone present, Artoria restored the smile to Gareth's face by stating in the same tone she used to issue orders, "You will be the Emperor's Page in the future, Lady Gareth. I'm certain you will serve him dutifully..."
Vahn felt like banging his head against the top of the table, despite the fact he wore a calm mask on the outside. As for Gareth, she seemed enthused at the idea, her ears protruding out to the side in an adorable manner as she held both fists in front of her body in a guts pose, exclaiming, "Leave it to me, Your Majesty!" before shimmying out of the bed in the next moment. She gave a quick glance at her own appearance before looking around for her armor. Then, finding none, Gareth gave a small shrug before practically skipping over and standing to Vahn's left at attention.
During Gareth's peculiar display, Vahn had gauged the reaction of everyone seated at the table. To his surprise, Gawain actually had a relieved look while, as was often the case, Galahad had no change in expression. As for Artoria, she gave him a rare 'warning' look out of the corner of her eye, causing Vahn to shelve any comments he had about the arrangement until they were in private quarters. He didn't doubt Artoria's decision and, as she had undoubtedly thought about this a lot more than him, Vahn decided to go with the flow until things could be clarified later.
---
With Gareth's awakening, Vahn guided the conversation towards its conclusion, dismissing Gawain and Galahad after advising them to find the time to rest. Neither needed a tour of the castle but he still suggested they walk around a bit to acclimate to the new changes while inside the Projection. If they had any further questions, he told them to save it until after they had experienced the memory link as, more than likely, they would receive their answer there. After that, so long as he wasn't busy, they could ask for a private audience or wait until he called upon them in the near future.
After releasing Gawain and Galahad, Vahn was left with a slightly apologetic looking Artoria and a completely oblivious Gareth. She had a permanant smile affixed to her face, almost as if her muscles had adapted to make that her resting expression. Vahn noticed that, whenever he looked toward her, Gareth's ears would perk up as an expectant glimmer flashed across her crystal-clear eyes. Then, as he turned his attention elsewhere, her smile would return to normal as her ears drooped sadly for a few seconds. Honestly, she was quite adorable but, until he had cleared things up with Artoria, Vahn resisted the almost instinctual urge to pat her head...
Since a Page's duties also involved carrying messages, Vahn decided to give Gareth her first mission, stating in a firm tone, "Gareth, I want you to familiarize yourself with the castle. Things have changed since the last time you were here so it is for the best that you see these changes with your own eyes. A woman named Fenrir will find you shortly. She is your senior and will teach you everything you'll need to know in order to serve as my Page..."
With eyes glimmering like stars, Gareth gave a proper salute before cheerfully saying, "Leave it to me, Your Majesty~!" After that, she alighted from the room with considerable speed, moving with clear purpose and an unwavering gaze. Vahn watched her departure with a neutral expression before tracking her through his domain for a few seconds. When she had moved a considerable distance from their location, he turned his attention to Artoria once again. Her previous stoicism was nowhere to be seen now as she averted her eyes with slightly slumped shoulders.
Seeing her like this, Vahn released a sight before lightly patting Artoria's head and asking, "What is this about, Artoria...?" Though he already had his suspicions, even before summoning Gareth, Vahn wasn't the type to just assume such things. He needed Artoria to explain herself to avoid confusion as, if he acted arbitrarily, that would inevitably result in even greater misunderstandings.
After taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Artoria turned her gaze back toward Vahn, explaining, "I fear that, despite the tragedy she experienced, Gareth would not be able to set aside her loyalty towards Sir Lancelot. Though he never had a place for her in his heart, even I can understand that he had taken up the largest part in hers. It is my most sincere desire that Gareth has the same chance at happiness that I obtained...with her nature and your character, I believe the shadow left behind by Lancelot can be removed completely..."
Though she had never abandoned her feelings for Shirou, Artoria knew first-hand how fulfilling it was to receive Vahn's care and love. Their time together had allowed her to experience many things she never thought possible, not least of which was the almost omnipresent sense of security Vahn brought to them all. He also tirelessly worked to improve himself while simultaneously encouraging and enabling them to do the same.
Vahn felt a bit of deja vu after hearing Artoria's words, causing the image of a Tione to flash across his mind. This, in turn, reminded Vahn of Tiona and, as her personality overlapped with Gareth's by quite a bit, he couldn't help but smile while releasing a sigh. In truth, he felt fatigued by the harem lifestyle but, as this kind of complaint would be disrespectful to the women who had entrusted their affections to him, Vahn willingly shouldered the burden. In the grand scheme of things, he may very well have thousands of lovers over the course of eternity so one more was almost inconsequential in the long run...
As this thought crossed his mind, Vahn could hear Sis sigh in the back of his mind, causing him to laugh internally as he resolved himself. Though he didn't decide to outright make a move on Gareth, he wouldn't deter her budding affections for him as they continued to interact with each other. With that in mind, he gave a small nod toward Artoria, saying, "I will treat her well. Though I believe there may be others suited for the role, I will not turn her away if she chooses me..."
Hearing Vahn's words, Artoria released a sigh of relief as, despite what he might say, everyone in the castle knew he had several weaknesses. His biggest weakness was children, who he earnestly sought to protect, but his most prevalent weaknesses were people with a tragic past and anything that was even remotely cute.
Vahn might not notice it himself but, with his propensity to tease them, it was very apparent to his lovers that he liked to see them acting in 'cute' or 'adorable' ways. During his breaks from training, he could even be found lounging with a flock of Companions, a quirk he shared with Siegfried. Thus, while there were many uncertainties about the future, Artoria felt it was more likely for the sun to disappear from the sky than for Vahn to resist his own urges around Gareth...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Bullying Mordred is like poking a sleeping dragon xD...','Gareth is eagerly awaiting head-pats (UwU)~!','Vahn's weaknesses...')
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