Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After helping everyone get settled in, Vahn gave a general tour of the main areas most residents frequented while Circe, after a bit of coaxing, went to cook a large feast. Medusa also accompanied her as, with Sakura and Mordred around, it was almost impossible to be her usual clingy self. She was actually a terrible cook but, as Circe could turn even a beginner's efforts into a delicious meal, the two could often be found together in the kitchen. Vahn had even seen Medusa using her hair like several extra sets of hand, causing incongruous feelings that he couldn't quite put to words. It was actually a surprising display of dexterity and skill but, just imagining the unlikely scenario of Medusa leaving behind a strand of her incredibly long hair in a dish led to Vahn advising against it. Besides, there was no sense in splitting your focus on several tasks when you struggled to make a single palatable dish...

While touring around the castle, the newer residents, excluding Luvia, all had expressions of awe and wonder on their faces as, in the present day, it was nearly impossible to find wonders like the Ivory Castle. Even the basic structure of the walls and supports were masterfully designed while each of the long corridors connecting different sections of the castle was lined with beautiful stained glass windows. Merlin had mentioned that the castle used to also contain several works of art but, with the passage of time and the looting the preceded the Dragon's Breath, most of them had been lost or stolen. Still, the castle itself was a marvel of architecture that, at a glance, seemed to be beyond the means of humans to construct. This was due to the fact that it was primarily constructed with the use of powerful Magecraft that bordered on the realm of True Magic, using the assistance of Faeries and Spirits in, once again according to Merlin, only three month's time.

With Luvia and Rin sparring often, combined with the fact that Sakura would also begin her own training in the next year or so, Orb-Time, the first place Vahn took them to was the Knight's Training Field in the westernmost region of the castle. While there, he introduced everyone to Siegfried who, at the time of their arrival, had Skoll seated atop his head as he carried around a lounging Susu in his arms. Upon seeing the stoic and rather handsome Knight, Vahn wasn't all that surprised when Luvia, Rin, and Olga all gave him appraising looks with mild surprise in their eyes.

As Siegfried's power was significantly reduced if he covered the scar on his chest and back, he often wore clothes that showed off his muscular figure which, when combined with his handsome and chiseled features, were rather effective against most women. Seeing him walking around with the adorable Skoll on his head, all while he maintained a serious expression, created a 'gap' that was hard not to appreciate. Other than Olga, however, Luvia and Rin quickly collected themselves and, as Vahn considered Siegfried his friend, he didn't feel threatened by the fact the girls had gawked at him. As Siegfried greeted them with the same stoicism that Vahn had come to expect from the pale-haired Knight, it was apparent he wouldn't do anything that might betray his trust...

Though Luvia ended up challenging Rin to a 'light' sparring session when the group entered into the Sub-Space Training Orb, Vahn was ultimately able to prevent a fight from breaking out. From there, the group doubled back towards the main residential area, a walk that took between twenty minutes to an hour, depending on how quickly you rushed. The complex structure of the Ivory Castle made it easy to get lost but, so long as you stuck to the main access corridors, it wasn't that difficult to get from one section to another. Fortunately, there were various Golems that could be found tirelessly wandering the halls so, if you ended up getting lost, they could guide you to your destination.

With Sakura riding on his shoulders, as her feet had started to hurt from all the walking, Vahn guided everyone back to the large dining room. Medusa had just brought in more than ten different dishes, adding to the dozens of small plates of meats, vegetables, fruits, oats, and pastries. Though Circe liked to make 'big' meals, such as whole roasted pig and lamb, she had changed her cooking style to reflect more appropriate portions as seeing a plate of partially eaten food caused her quite a bit of frustration. This was one of the reasons she got along well with Fenrir, at least after they had warmed up to each other, as the latter could 'literally' eat an infinite amount of food.

Seeing the amazing variety of foods, Sakura released an awed, "Wow...Otou-sama, there are so many different foods~!" This caused Vahn to lightly nod and, as Circe was just stepping out of the kitchen, he allowed his voice to carry as he remarked, "Circe is an amazing chef. Make sure you only select foods you intend to finish though, as it would be rude to her if you left anything on your plate..." In response, Sakura shouted a lively, "Haaaiii~" while, at the threshold between the kitchen and dining room, Circe puffed out her modest chest with pride as her long elf-like ears wiggled in response to Vahn's praise...

During the rather lively dinner, Vahn discussed various matters of importance regarding the castle and areas that could be dangerous if ventured into haphazardly. Fortunately, even Astolfo couldn't 'accidentally' enter such areas as, even without the Golems that had been posted to turn people away, there were powerful magical formations to prevent unauthorized access. Still, as there was no way to be certain something wouldn't happen, Vahn made sure they were aware of areas like the Armory of Camelot, Da Vinci's Workshop, Paracelsus' Magus Tower, Tristana's Botanical Garden, and the northern walls of the castle as an accidental slip would lead to a nearly 300m drop into jagged rocks and cold seas.

As the Ivory Castle had 'literally' been built into a small mountain, there were only a few access roads leading to the main gate and a secret port that connected to the castle's waste management system. This area was also off-limits as the sluice gate that was supposed to keep the tide at bay had yet to be repaired, leading to the chamber flooding during the evening hours. Now that Sakura would be wandering around the castle, Vahn was planning to have the gate fixed, just in case. Even if there was always someone escorting her around, he wasn't the type to leave such things to chance, regardless of how 'bold' Sakura became due to Mordred's influence...

After dinner had come to an end, Vahn took those that were interested to view the long sunset atop the castle's ramparts. As this was a popular past-time within the castle, the only two to abstain were Medusa and Circe as the former was weak against the cold while the latter would rather sit under the moonlight than watch the sunset. In that regard, she was a lot like Lakshmibai who, being one of the few to stay behind in the castle, had been hitting it off surprisingly well with Olga. The latter seemed to feel out of place amidst the stronger personalities and entities within the group. As Lakshmibai had experienced something similar in the past, she had taken it upon herself to proactively engage the young Animusphere heiress.

Vahn appreciated the efforts the women around him went through in order to make sure everyone was happy as, much like what he had seen in the Record of Danmachi, their 'sisterhood' was one of the most important factors to prevent future problems from arising. Fortunately, for the most part, he was slowly balancing things out by introducing people he wouldn't be having a relationship with. Unlike what he experienced in Danmachi, where it felt like an inevitability that he slept with everyone in the Hearth Manor, with a few obvious exceptions, Vahn wanted to reach some kind of equilibrium in the Nasuverse. Presences like Astolfo, Catherine, Siegfried, and even Merlin went a long way in avoiding a repeat of the phenomenon that had occurred in the Hearth Manor.

Though Vahn understood the chances of 'something' happening would increase every time he summoned a powerful personality, he trusted the women he surrounded himself with. With the exception of Olga, he couldn't really imagine any of the women around him being influenced by another man to the point they would go behind his back to engage in an illicit relationship. At the very least, Vahn expected them to be forthright on the matter and, if there was genuine affection between both parties, he wouldn't resent either party. Though he would certainly fight for them, Vahn would never 'force' any woman who was no longer in love with him to stay at his side. It was an inevitability that, during the eternity he would experience, there would be those who either strayed from his side or fell out of love...

For now, Vahn didn't have to worry about such things as, in this singular moment, the only thing that mattered was the people at his side as they all watched the sunset together. He had set out a thick blanket for everyone to sit on and, with Sakura already dozing away in his lap, Vahn gazed out over the horizon with Rin seated on his left while Luvia leaned against his shoulder on the right. A little further down, Artoria and Gray were seated next to each other while Mordred reclined against her mother's legs as the latter was seated in a seiza-like position. On the opposite side of Rin, as if united by their rather 'wild' hairstyles, Fenrir, Lakshmibai, and Olga sat together, the latter seeming to enjoy the company as, back in London, she actually had few 'true' friends...

Seeing everyone together like this, Vahn felt extremely content and, while the future held an infinite number of possibilities, none of that really mattered. Just seeing the sleeping face of Sakura as she leaned against his arm, a line of drool escaping her lips, was enough to fill Vahn's heart with a great deal of warmth. It was moments like this that made all the other struggles worth it and, though it also made him miss his the children he left behind, Vahn knew it was only a matter of time before he was reunited with them. He didn't know what kind of existence he would become by then but, so long as he never forgot these emotions, the feelings he was experiencing right now, Vahn believed he would still be the same person they loved...

---

After watching the sunset for the better part of two hours, Vahn felt it was better for Sakura to sleep in her bed, regardless of how comfortable his lap might be. He carried her back, Rin following close behind as everyone retired to their own rooms. It took a bit of time to acclimate to the Sub-Space Projection Orb but, with every day outside being seven days inside, time was one of the things they had to spare.

While tucking Sakura into the bed, Vahn sent a glance towards Rin, softly whispering, "I'll stay here tonight...I would feel bad if Sakura woke up and I was missing." Though Vahn knew there were quite a few others who wouldn't mind sharing a bed with him for the evening, Sakura and Rin were two of his highest priorities. Even though he was more than a little tempted to visit Luvia, the night within the Projection was 'very' long, affording Vahn plenty of time to make it up to her after she was well-rested. He had nothing else going on until the sun rose in the real world and, though he had a few things he wanted to discuss with Da Vinci, she had disappeared to their shared Workshop when Vahn was helping everyone else get settled in.

As she had already expected Vahn to say something similar, Rin's expression softened in response to his words. She began to remove the ribbons from her hair, asking, "Will you join me in the bath...?" Though her face turned slightly red when she asked this, Rin felt like it had been too long since she and Vahn had an intimate moment together. As they obviously couldn't do anything with Sakura sleeping in the same bed, taking a bath together wasn't a bad alternative. Vahn, however, was more than a little surprised by the offer, causing Rin's face to turn even redder after she saw his reaction. Before she could change her mind, Vahn had almost instantly appeared at her side, his hands finding their way to her h.i.p.s as if that was their natural resting position as he whispered, "There is no way I could refuse such an offer..."

In the next instant, Rin found herself being whisked away to the connected bathroom, a furious blush on her face as she hadn't expected Vahn to be so 'enthusiastic'. Then, for the better part of an hour, Vahn enjoyed a long 'bath' with three different women as, after helping to 'wash' Rin's body, it wasn't long before Ishtar and Ereshkigal also made an appearance. Though the first thing he did was heal Rin's left b.r.e.a.s.t, this hadn't taken up much time so Vahn was able to enjoy the soapy experience a great deal. Ereshkigal, under the guidance of Ishtar, even helped to wash his back and, though she lacked any experience doing such things, her earnestness was very refreshing...

After Rin had been given control over her body once again, Vahn helped her change into sleepwear before carrying her over to the bed. Sakura was a surprisingly deep sleeper and, as Vahn had been keeping tabs on her through his domain, he knew she hadn't woken up while he was tending to Rin and her residents. She didn't even stir when Vahn set Rin down in the bed next to her, only reacting when he himself climbed into bed on the opposite side of her. Though Vahn had experienced this 'phenomenon' several times in the past, it brought an amused smile to his face when Sakura almost immediately snuggled up against him. Rin's own reaction was less enthused, followed by her lightly pinching Vahn cheek as she asked, "Are you cheating to try and win over our daughter...?"

Issuing a light chuckle in response to Rin's words, Vahn grabbed her hand, holding it in his own as he answered, "It isn't a competition...you have been doing well, Rin...thank you..." With that said, Vahn gave Rin a light kiss that caused her frown to turn awkward before she ultimately released a sigh and smiled. Then, while continuing to hold Vahn's hand, they both snuggled up with Sakura in between them, finding comfort in each other as sleep slowly overtook Rin's fatigued mind. She had gone through a lot over the last month and, though it was only a short moment, the time she had spent in Vahn's 'care' caused a lot of her tensions to simply melt away. Now, even though she knew it was impossible to keep him for herself, Sakura felt content just sharing this moment together...

---

While everyone else was sleeping rather peacefully, there was one person within the castle who, even with a comfortable bed and thick blankets, simply couldn't relax enough to fall asleep. Even though Olga had grown up surrounded by Magecraft, everything that had happened over the last day had considerably shaken her perception of the world. Just the fact that she was sleeping in a massive bedroom within the Inner Sanctum of the Ivory Castle was something she never would have even considered in the past, much less while in a world where time flowed seven times faster than normal. She couldn't help imagining what the future might hold for her, mulling over all the different possibilities while periodically glancing toward the door of her room, wondering if and when it might open...

Olga knew she was worrying too much as, unlike most of the men she had associated with, Vahn gave off a very different vibe from the norm. If anything, rather than looking at her as something to be possessed, he seemed to show mild concern regarding her and, with Lakshmibai and Fenrir both trying to befriend her, Olga felt like he was actually afraid of making her feel pressured. Instead of allowing her to feel calm, however, Olga felt even more pressure as a result of Vahn's concern as she simply didn't know how to deal with it.

Long ago, when Olga was only four years old, her father had abandoned her while trying to deal with her family's financial issues. She had been left in the care of her Governess, a woman named Trisha Fellows who, up until the time she was eleven years old, had been her caretaker and mentor. As a result, her upbringing had been very strict and, in the hopes of garnering her father's attention, Olga had put an earnest effort into everything she did. More than anything else, she just wanted him to praise her a bit and, despite the ridicule she faced from her peers for studying a 'dying' School of Thaumaturgy, Olga never gave up trying to be the best heiress she could be.

Unfortunately, around the same time that she met with Lord El-Melloi II and Gray for the first time, Olga experienced a major trauma that she had carried with her ever since. Trisha, who had been the closest thing to a parent she had while growing up, ended up losing her life as a result of Olga's selfishness in insisting they participate in a dangerous auction. To make matters even worse, Olga had discovered Trisha's decapitated body as, in an effort to prevent her Mystic Eyes from being stolen, she had sealed her own head within an Imaginary Number Space, a secluded Space Pocket that could only be opened with a password. Later, after discovering the sealed space, Olga opened it with the password Trisha had taught her, the latter's still-living head, preserved due to no time passing in the Imaginary Number Space, spilling out to utter its final words...

From that moment onwards, Olga had been mostly self-taught in her studies while following the curriculum of the Clock Tower. She blamed herself for Trisha's death, even going as far as to use it as a reason to justify her father's abandonment of her. Thus, until she had attended a dinner party after her fifteenth birthday, where she had been proposed to by Allard Trambelio, Olga had limited human contact and almost no social experience. She had been led around easily by the tall and oppressive man's flowery words and, even though his presence alone terrified her, Olga felt like the only choice for someone like her was to listen to his words. If not for her father's timely intervention, she likely would have become the next 'lamb' to be sacrificed to the voracious second son of the Trambelio family...

After that incident, her father began to pay more attention to her and, though the Animusphere family was still going through tough times, he began personally grooming her for her position as heiress. Though she hadn't realized the dangers at the time, Marisbury Animusphere was very aware of what had almost happened and, though he hadn't given her all that much attention as she was growing up, he still cared deeply for his daughter. However, even after she became his protege, Olga was playing catch up when it came to dealing with high-society so her father was very strict in his teachings. He almost never praised her, despite Olga's best efforts, even going so far as to gently admonish her for being so eager to seek the approval of others.

Olga's father wanted her to be more confident and assertive but, after failing to take care of her during the formative years of her life, this was virtually impossible for him to achieve. He knew almost nothing about her and, due to how busy he was with his own duties, most of the time they spent together was him teaching Olga what she would need to know for the future. It didn't help much that Olga never really opened up to him about the things that were troubling her as, after losing Trisha, she internalized most of her problems and rarely shared with others. Thus, rather than a true father and daughter, the relationship between Marisbury and Olga was closer to that of a researcher and his assistant...

Due to her upbringing, Olga had deeply rooted abandonment issues and an almost pathological need for praise. Now that she was placed in a position where people showed her care and concern, Olga was afraid she would somehow mess everything up, losing any chance her family might have at success. She was worried that, with Vahn acting so cautiously around her, that he would eventually grow tired of her presence. At the same time, however, Olga didn't know what she needed to do in order to make a good impression on her, even with Lakshmibai and Fenrir both telling her she just needed to relax and focus on her own happiness. As this was an almost entirely foreign concept to her, Olga could only ruminate over hundreds of different possibilities as, for the tenth time in the last hour, she looked towards the door to her room, wishing Vahn would just show up and tell her what she needed to do. If she knew what he wanted, she would be able to take action and, if she worked hard, there was even a chance he might praise her efforts...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I can imagine Siegfried covered in various Vanargandr-type Golems clinging to him as he walks around with a completely neutral expression on his face...','Little moments of happiness can go a long way...','Olga needs a therapist (O _ O)...')

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