Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After a much longer discussion than anticipated, the topic suddenly shifted to Vahn's immediate plan of action when Luvia asked, "Will you be returning to Avalon or do you intend to accompany me to London? I must admit, I am quite looking forward to seeing the legendary Ivory Castle of Camelot~." This was a sentiment shared by most of the people present within the room but Vahn didn't plan to start using Alaya as a convenient transport just to help people get around. If they wanted to stay in Avalon for a few days, that would be fine, but it was obvious from their prior discussion that even being away from London for this long was a bit of an issue.

With how chaotic the Clock Tower was right now, Olivia had been staying within the Edelfelt Mansion to protect her Grandaughter. Even her parents had recently flown over from the main Edelfelt Estate, a monstrously large castle-fortress that had been constructed like a military base in the mountains of Finland. Though their core members were all Magi, the Edelfelts owned one of the largest private mercenary groups in the entire world. Their people were outfitted with the most advanced weapons technology on the market, much of which was developed in their own private Research and Development Division.

For the last few weeks, they had been in a constant 'yellow' state of alert, the third-highest within their escalation system, constantly waiting for a fight to break out. As Vahn had no intention of being the catalyst for a large-scale battle this early on, he intended to take Luvia with him to Avalon while having her parents and grandmother return to London until things had stabilized a bit. The fewer people that were tied to their Sub-Texture of the World, at least until Vahn had established himself as a faction head, the better.

With that in mind, Vahn answered Luvia's question, saying, "My current plan is to drop Rin, Sakura, and Gray off within Avalon. I'll spend the night there before taking Da Vinci with me to establish contact with Type: Mercury. Even if I have no use for it right now, it would be best to already have it on my side in the event something unexpected happens. If you'd like, Luvia, you are more than welcome to accompany me to Avalon. When I'm finished dealing with Type: Mercury, I can pick you back up, or we can stay for a few days within Avalon before returning to London. There are a lot of preparations I need to make and, even though I intend to move forward with what we had decided, I can't arbitrarily act without clearing things up with my current allies."

While still clinging to his arm, as if letting him go for even a moment would allow Vahn to escape, Luvia nodded her head, commenting, "I would also like to see this Type: Mercury with my own eyes. I am curious about what form such an alien creature might take. Knowing such powerful entities exist on other planets is quite a surprise. At least I managed to get my hands on the best of them all, ohohoho~." As she said her final statement, Luvia began to squeeze Vahn's arm even tighter, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder in a rather unlady-like manner. This caused Rin's brow to twitch but, as she was doing her best not to make a scene, she just coughed to bring Luvia back to reality.

---

After a bit more discussion, followed by Vahn refusing a dinner invitation, it was well past time for them to head back. Though he had intended to stay outside for a few days this time around, that plan had drastically changed from the moment Vahn learned why Rin, Sakura, Gray, and Olga were in Northern Ireland. Now, one of his highest priorities was just guaranteeing they were safe and, with Avalon essentially existing in its own world, there were few safer places. As it was better for them to start familiarizing themselves with the castle sooner, rather than later, Vahn shared a few parting words with Olivia, June, and Samuel. The latter tried to test Vahn's grip when they shook hands but, after a 'very' brief exchange, he politely withdrew his slightly bruised hand without even flinching as he muttered, "Take care of my little girl..."

Shortly after seeing the trio off in their strange hybrid aircraft, which Luvia had identified as a V-22 Osprey, Vahn gathered everyone together after pulling Da Vinci away from a now disassembled and modified computer before asking Alaya to transport them back to Avalon. Before the transfer, he picked up Mordred and Sakura, still wearing their tiger pajamas, holding one of the girls on each arm as the entire group vanished in magical blue light. When their surroundings suddenly shifted, Sakura, Rin, Luvia, Gray, and Olga were all slightly disoriented but, after looking around at the masterfully constructed interior castle walls, they quickly got over it.

As Vahn had hurried things along so that they wouldn't miss the sunset, which came rather early during January, the first thing he did was guide the group to the nearest access point to enter the Sub-Space Projection Orb. Entering into a mirror was a surreal experience but, as each of the girls, sans Sakura, were rather used to such things, they didn't even hesitate to follow the group into the silvery surface. After reaching the other side, Vahn explained, "Within this Projection, time flows at a rate of seven-to-one. A single day and night in the outside world translates to a week in here so keep that in mind if you intend to spend a lot of time inside."

Though Vahn was tempted to prohibit Sakura from entering into the Projection for long periods of time, he knew this probably wouldn't go over well with the young brunette. Unless he was away, she would probably spend a lot of her time within the Sub-Space Projection, studying, training, or playing with her newly acquired older sister. As he allowed Mordred to use it freely, Sakura would easily be upset by the fact the difference in their age would gradually increase while, even though they didn't have anything like a rivalry in the present, Vahn could see the two girls competing later on. He would need to discuss the matter with Rin but, if she wasn't against it, Vahn had already decided to allow Sakura free access to the Orb whenever she wanted.

In response to Vahn's comment about the time dilation, though she had already been made aware of it previously, Luvia cubbed the side of her face and complained, "I'll need to start taking even better care of my body. At this rate, I'll almost be as old as my Grandmother by the time the battle actually begins~." Though there wasn't a single part of Luvia's body that looked like it had even remotely started to be affected by the detrimental effects of aging, Vahn knew she was more or less asking how he intended to prevent this.

Luvia had undoubtedly heard several things from Rin, especially with Sakura staying with her, but, understanding her intrigue, Vahn explained, "I intend to place my Familia Crest onto everyone's body. This will allow me to keep track of everyone's growth while also serving to promote the increase in your body's parameters. Though the long-term effects still need to be observed, this alone would increase your lifespan considerably without any adverse side-effects. There are several other things you'll be made aware of in the future but, so long as you do not desire it, I have the means of preventing or reversing aging entirely..."

As this was the first time Olga was hearing anything related to the Sub-Space Orbs and extending her lifespan, her eyes had gone out of focus for a moment before she asked, "Are you saying it is possible for you to make others immortal...?" In response to this, Vahn scrunched up his nose a bit before saying, "It is possible, yes. However, I'd rather help to extend your life and increase your vitality than make anyone immortal. That is something people need to achieve on their own or it would consume them in their later years. We'll talk about this later but, the only thing you really need to become an immortal is to increase your Soul Tier to the fourth Tier. After that, it isn't an exaggeration to say you would have attained godhood as the Fourth Tier is known as the Divine Soul Realm."

With every new resident of the Ivory Castle having been a part of the Magus community for most of their lives, Vahn could see the glimmer of intrigue in their eyes. Before they could pester him with questions, however, he plainly stated, "We have plenty of time to talk about things like that later. For now, we need to get everyone situated in their rooms and have dinner prepared. Now that we are inside, we have about three hours until sunset so there isn't any particular rush but I would like to have everyone situated before the twilight descends. It is actually quite beautiful..." As he knew it hadn't truly set in for them how much time they now had, Vahn felt the need to remind everyone so that they wouldn't just continue to stand around awkwardly in the chamber that had been designated for transportation...

Following Vahn's words, everyone, including Olga, even though she was technically only a candidate for permanant residence, migrated toward the Inner Sanctum. There were more than enough rooms for everyone to have their own place to stay but, at least for the time being, Rin and Sakura were sharing the room next to Mordred and Artoria while Gray, even though she was fine with staying in the Knight's quarters, would be bunking up with her Ancestors for a few days. The only person who ended up picking out her own room from the start was Olga, choosing a spot near the end of the long hallways, while Luvia had been rather adamant about staying in the same room with Vahn since it didn't seem like Rin would be fighting her for the position outright.

Fortunately, Vahn managed to keep Luvia at bay by mentioning they were only engaged and not actually married just yet. Since Circe, Medusa, and Fenrir stayed in his room during most nights, he knew it would be very chaotic if she were suddenly added into the mix. Though it was only a matter of time before they slept together, it wasn't the first thing on Vahn's list of priorities. As neither Circe nor Medusa had been fond of the idea of a new roommate, it was for the best she picked out a private room to stay in. It was a boon that Luvia was very perceptive to social cues so, after seeing the petite Demi-Goddess and peculiar Gorgon, she hadn't tried to insist and instead dragged Vahn off to help her decorate...

---

After stealing Vahn away to her room, Luvia closed the door behind them, asking, "Are there any kind of security measures to prevent others from accessing the interior of these rooms?" Though she could see complex bolt locks and several magical formations present, Luvia didn't know what they meant at a glance. After all, many of these formations were ancient, some using runes and languages that no longer existed within modern times.

Hearing Luvia's question, Vahn produced a wry smile explaining, "There is a place in the closet that serves as the 'center' of the formation. If you drip your blood there, only you and members of the Imperial Family that have been registered to the 'main' formation would have access to this room." After saying this, Vahn showed Luvia where she needed to drip her blood while also going over the room's security features. He had some expectations about what she had in mind but, as there were other commitments he had made, Vahn was already considering how to gently refuse her proposition.

Contrary to his expectations, though it seemed to be going in that direction, Luvia removed her winter coat, revealing the skin-tight combat leotard underneath as she said, "Though it may not matter all that much with everything else going on, I want you to promise me that you will never discuss my skills and abilities with others. My family has a secret it has protected for generations and, though I will reveal it to you, I don't want others knowing. Even if we can trust everyone here, there is no way of knowing what the future holds. As the Head of the Edelfelt family, I have a duty to protect the secrets my Ancestors have kept closely guarded for more than five hundred years."

As he understood the importance of having secrets that you only shared with a select few people, Vahn didn't try to pressure Luvia on the issue of hiding things from the others. Instead, he gave an understanding nod before promising, "I will protect your secrets, Luvia. Unless you reveal them yourself, I will never speak of them with others. However, you should know that there are several people inside the Ivory Castle who may be able to see through your secrets from the start. Merlin and Scáthach would be able to discern almost everything about you, even though neither would ever disclose that information to others."

Hearing Vahn's words, Luvia stopped removing her leotard just after pulling the straps free from her shoulders. This left her hugging her rather large b.r.e.a.s.ts with a complex expression on her face but, as even Mystic Eyes hadn't been able to expose her just yet, she decided it wasn't that big of an issue. Besides, she trusted Vahn and, if he said Merlin and Scáthach wouldn't expose her secret, Luvia believed him. With that conviction, she rolled down her leotard to her waist, allowing her large b.r.e.a.s.ts to hang freely while showing off her fair-skinned and toned body. She noticed Vahn blink in mild surprise before an appreciative light flashed across his eyes, easing Luvia's own nervousness as she straddled a chair and left her back exposed to him.

Vahn had always had an appreciation for women who had a bit of visible muscle ever since his first interactions with Hephaestus and Tsubaki. Since Luvia was also in the category of women who had rather large and shapely b.r.e.a.s.ts, combined with an almost perfectly round and toned butt, Vahn couldn't deny her figure checked off a lot of his preferences. The only thing he found odd was her choice in hairstyle but, as he tried to imagine Luvia with a more normal style, the image actually didn't suit her at all. She was almost the personification of a well-bred noble lady at a glance but, hiding beneath her stylish outerwear, Luvia hid an amazing body that seemed to brim with raw power...

As he had stalled for a few seconds, Luvia looked over her shoulder with a seductive glimmer in her eye as she remarked, "My...I did not take you as the shy type...how long are you going to keep a lady waiting, Darling~?" This caused Vahn to lightly chuckle as, without any actual hesitation, he walked over and traced the line of Luvia's back with his index finger. Since she was teasing him a bit, Vahn felt like doing the same so, with extreme subtlety, he used his [Hands of Nirvana] to send a shiver up her spine as his finger traced from the base of her neck to the fabric around her waist. Then, without needing to prick his finger, Vahn created a small hole to let his blood flow out as he began the process of drawing his Familia Crest on Luvia's back...

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[Status]

Name: [Luviagelita Edelfelt]

Age: 28

Race: Human

Strength: 7E

Endurance: 12D

Agility: 6E

Magical Power: 3E

Good Luck: 23C

Circuit Quality: 21C

Noble Phantasm: (-)

Origin: War, Star, Wealth

Skills: [Noble Discernment:Innate:B], [Call of the Battlefield:Innate:C], [Astraea's Heir:Innate:(sealed)], [Golden Rule:EX], [Charisma:B], [Martial Arts:B], [Etiquette:B], [Dancing:C]

Magic: (-)

Magecraft: [Od Conversion:B], [Conversion:B], [Catalyze:B], [Jewel:A], [Reinforce:A], [Mystic Code:D], [Magic Coat:D], [Gandr:A+], [Restoration:E], [Familiar:E], [Projection:E], [Alchemy:E]

[Golden Rule]

Rank: EX

Use: The user's fortune concerning their ability to acc.u.mulate wealth. At this rank, it is possible for the user to acc.u.mulate all the world's treasures.

[Charisma]

Rank: B

Use: The natural ability to command an army and inspire allies. At this rank, the user is qualified enough to lead a country.

[Martial Arts]

Rank: B

Use: The culmination of all martial skills that have been learned by the user. Increases spatial awareness and enhances the efficacy of strikes.

[Etiquette]

Rank: B-

Use: The knowledge and experience to allow the user to navigate high-society with elegance and grace. Due to the user's nature, this skill has a chance to be negated under specific circ.u.mstances.

[Dancing]

Rank: C

Use: The natural grace to follow a tempo and move the body in an elegant fashion. At this rank, the user is competent enough to avoid embarrassment during a Ball.

[Gandr]

Rank: A+

Use: A physical curse magic that takes on the form of a hazy black laser than can punch through magically enhanced armor. Due to special modifications, the size and shape can be adjusted with extreme precision, drastically increasing offensive power and versatility.

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Seeing Luvia's parameters and skills, it was easy to see how she and Rin had been rivals for more than a decade. Though it was common for everyone attending the Clock Tower as a student to get a basic foundation in the primary schools of Magecraft, both girls had similar specializations. Luvia had a clear advantage against Rin, especially in her physical parameters, but that had changed due to the latter's training and her becoming the vessel of two Goddesses. The most notable thing, however, which Luvia undoubtedly intended to keep secret, was the existence of her [Golden Rule: EX] skill.

When he saw the general description, Vahn's eyes widened considerably and, even if she herself had been okay with sharing, he would have advised her to keep it a secret. What the skill implied was, so long as she wasn't killed or interfered with, Luvia would eventually acc.u.mulate all the world's wealth and treasures. When he had looked at Gilgamesh's skills on the Throne of Heroes, even the King of Heroes had only developed the skill to A-Rank. Since his [Gate of Babylon] purportedly had every treasure in the World, past, present, and future, Vahn couldn't even fathom the extent of Luvia's potential to acc.u.mulate wealth. Considering how she had built a business empire that made her one of the wealthiest people in the world, all while researching Magecraft and training her body, it was a little scary to imagine what she could accomplish given more free time...

Sensing that Vahn's rather hot finger had stopped moving around on her back, Luvia released a sigh as she looked back to gauge his reaction. As he had already corrected his expression, Vahn met her gaze with a smile, commenting, "You're amazing, Luvia..." This elicited an awe-inspiringly beautiful smile from the golden-haired woman, followed by her reaching up to cup his face with her hand, her hot breath tickling his face as she mused, "Now, now, you can praise me all you want later...we have our entire lives ahead of us, ohohoho~." With that said, Luvia stole a kiss from Vahn's lips, leaving him with a somewhat silly smile on his face as she quickly donned her leotard and changed into more appropriate clothing to view the impending sunset...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You can't escape Luvia any longer xD...','Vahn's room is guarded by the youth troupe...','Take all of Gilgamesh's treasure...!','Who is the 'trophy' in this situation...?')

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