Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After helping Rin set up her own workshop, leaving Sakura to play with Mordred under the watchful eyes of Artoria and Gray, Vahn found himself in his own workshop alongside Da Vinci. She was currently overhauling Ark with a series of upgrades after having changed back into her more youthful form. Though she now had three bodies with the [Golden Rule: EX] skill, she still preferred this form, saying it was easier to have smaller hands and not have to work around her b.r.e.a.s.ts when she was hunched over and focused on a project. It was also the form that Vahn was least likely to make any advances on, allowing her to comfortably snuggle up with him whenever she wanted to take a break.

Since Da Vinci was currently tinkering with an electronic brain that had used her own as a template, Vahn chose not to interrupt her work. Instead, he picked up a clipboard and a pen before moving to the area where Da Vinci had been conducting tests with his blood and other bodily fluids. Though it made him feel a little bit like her assistant, Vahn didn't really care all that much since he was also extremely interested in her research. Unfortunately, even Da Vinci's best efforts had yielded results not all that dissimilar to Vahn's own findings. This included the fact that, regardless of the structure of his cells, even if he turned them into solid metal, they would always carry the same purification properties for up to twenty-four hours. As for the bodies he had produced for the others, they had also lost this unique quality, even though they were still comprised entirely of Source Energy.

What this research proved was, instead of his cells themselves being unique, something else was responsible for giving them their purifying qualities. Curiously, the purification effect seemed much stronger when it was in the form of blood, indicating that it may have something to do with Blood or Purification Laws. It was very difficult to discern, however, as both types of Laws were usually pretty easy to detect. Vahn's blood, however, was impossible to analyze as, even when it was structured as a red blood cell, even the most powerful microscopes weren't able to identify their structure at all. His blood didn't even serve the same function as other people as, regardless of if they were exposed to oxygen or within a perfect vacuum, they would never decay until they lost their 'purification' properties. After that, they would break down into 'literal nothingness', as not even subatomic particles were left present in their wake...

Da Vinci's current theory was that, instead of simply 'purification', his cells themselves were made up of a completely unknown form of energy, one that wasn't governed by Law or Mystery. Rather than a 'physical body', she determined that Vahn's form was more of a 'projection', not all that dissimilar to her Conceptual Vessels, just infinitely more complex. He completely lacked things like DNA and, unless he was guiding the processes, there were times when Vahn's cells would just 'do nothing' until they were observed or 'needed' in order to repel invasive energy. Then, even if it had been a simple protein strain or an individual blood cell, they would instantly change form and function to automatically react when Vahn was in danger, turning into a form of energy that was impossible to detect with any of her existing tools. Though it was possible to destroy his body faster than this autonomous reaction, Vahn's body seemed to 'remember' what had injured it in the past, developing resistance to even the tools she used to take measurements...

Though Vahn knew the energy comprising his body was Source Energy, a lot of the other findings Da Vinci had made were completely new to him. Since he was, for lack of a better explanation, an Avatar that had been manifested specifically for the Nasuverse, the comparison between his body and a Conceptual Vessel wasn't all that far off. His form always took on the 'image' he had formed, representing his ideal except when he willfully changed it to something else. This was similar to how Da Vinci's Conceptual Vessels would change based on her perception, just pushed to an extreme as he could change without limit while her bodies took a lot of preparation to develop.

The most important discovery, though it was actually rather obvious if he thought about the past, was the fact that his body was developing a resistance to 'everything' outside of itself. Since it was always changing based on his perception, it was a given that anything that had caused him pain would become less effective. Though his body didn't filter out the pain any longer, at least after his [Pain Tolerance] had evolved into [Rakshasa Body], this was an important mechanism for keeping him focused. As he could actually turn off his ability to feel pain, Vahn knew it was a very bad idea as, without proper stimulus and feedback from your body, you actually had to pay a lot more attention to your own state or you might even up losing a limb without even noticing it...

As for why this was an 'important' discovery, it implied that his body was always evolving and adapting to new stimuli and threats. If given enough time, he could theoretically become immune to anything as his resistances even seemed to apply to Laws. This could be seen from how his regeneration, while also improving gradually, was less affected by Kenshin's 'Martial Laws' and Scáthach's Anti-Divine weaponry. In a way, it was almost as if he was naturally cultivating a unique kind of Defensive Law that was slowly turning him into an existence like Jeanne back in Danmachi. As the Nasuverse also had things like [Magic Resistance], [Physical Resistance], and Siegfried's [Armor of Fafnir], it wasn't outside the realm of possibility to believe he would one day reach a point where 'nothing' could harm him. He had even experienced something similar in Danmachi where, after reaching Tier 4, attacks from anything lower than his Tier couldn't even damage him due to the protection of the Record's Laws...

---

Even after taking all the measurements and checking all the vials, Da Vinci still wasn't finished working on her project so Vahn decided not to bother her. As it really wasn't all that important to discuss the ideas he had in mind, at least right this instant, Vahn left the Workshop and instead decided to check on Olga or see how Luvia was doing. He hadn't seen the former since she had retired to her room previously while the latter had gone off to explore the castle alongside Fenrir. Since there was a good chance she had already explored most of the interesting places, as much of the castle was still barren, Vahn expected he would encounter Luvia either near the residential areas or on the western side of the castle near the Knight's Training Grounds.

With the current size of his domain extending to nearly 4500 meters, it didn't take long for Vahn to identify where both girls were, especially since they were together alongside Lakshmibai and Fenrir. Though this caused a small flag to raise in Vahn's mind, he wasn't going to back away just because the situation might turn awkward. Based on their arrangement, Vahn expected that Luvia might be trying to cement herself in the group hierarchy or, based on what he had observed from her, Olga could be asking them for advice. She seemed like an awkward young woman, not all that dissimilar to his impression of Risna, albeit less of a shut-in and just generally lacking social grace. It was obvious she was having a dialogue occur within her mind so Vahn was expecting her to 'explode' at some point in the near future after her delusions reached a certain point...

As the girls had met up in the Library, a public area, Vahn didn't bother knocking as he walked through the large open doors, drawing the attention of everyone present. Since none of them seemed surprised, he assumed Fenrir had alerted them to his presence long before his arrival, something he was easily able to confirm when her ears twitched and she averted her eyes for a brief moment.

After rising from the lounge she had been seated on, Luvia smoothed out the creases of her dress in a natural manner as she remarked, "My Emperor, what brings you here on this lovely evening? Were you perhaps looking for me~?" As she knew there was actually a high chance of this being the case, Luvia bit the bottom of her lip with a slightly seductive look in her eyes as, other than Vahn, the others could only see her back. She didn't seem aware of the fact that Fenrir could 'smell' her but, as the latter had already broken the habit of calling people smelly, Luvia was able to avoid that rather embarrassing label.

With her question not far from the truth of the matter, Vahn gave a curt nod in response and, as Luvia had already walked over, he gestured toward the door, asking, "Shall we alight...?" Though such manners weren't really necessary in this situation, Luvia had referred to him by his title so Vahn had decided to go with the flow. He didn't know if she was trying to make things clear for Olga, who had been statuesque since his arrival, so it was best to play his part in such situations. Thus, when Luvia linked her arm with his, Vahn escorted her out of the room in the proper manner while giving a polite nod to the other girls present.

Shortly after leaving the room, Luvia, now happily clinging to his arm, informed, "That girl seems to be struggling. If she is troubling you, I can always arrange different terms with the Animusphere family. It would compromise the foundation of our alliance but I could buy out all their assets so that Da Vinci can research them freely. Though there is a good chance a lot of the data would be lost or destroyed-." Before Luvia could continue any further, Vahn had guided her to a stop before looking at her with a hint of sharpness in his eyes. He understood it was 'normal' for established families to take advantage of others, especially in this politically driven world, but that wasn't how he preferred to do things. Though he would, at times, put pressure on others, this was usually necessitated by the situation, not his personal preference...

When Luvia had trailed off her words, meeting his sharp gaze with an elegant smile, Vahn shook his head before saying, "Though she may feel pressured to be in this situation, she also had the resolve to see it through by coming here. With how she behaves, I can guess that her past has had its fair share of troubles. If possible, I would like to help her overcome these things and become a stronger person in the future. The only thing that keeps me from taking action right now are the elements of uncertainty surrounding her. Even if I go easy on her, there is a good chance a person with Olga's personality would develop a dependency on me in the future..."

In response to Vahn's words, Luvia gave an understanding nod, adding, "Indeed. Even I am taken aback by the type of person she turned out to be. The few times we had met in the past, she seemed like an unnecessarily haughty woman who was putting on a strong front. Now that she is in a weaker position, her personality has essentially flipped...hmmm...is it so bad that she is dependent on you? With the amount of time available within this place, I'm certain she will eventually grow beyond her current limitations if you guide her properly. Besides, aren't those other three girls rather dependent on you...?"

Hearing Luvia's question, several faces flashed through his mind, including Illya, Medusa, Circe, and Lakshmibai. Though they all had strong personalities, Vahn could imagine them having breakdowns if he ever expressed he was no longer interested in them. This would never happen but, while girls like Lakshmibai would probably dutifully serve at his side, Illya could potentially threaten the entire world while Circe would undoubtedly do something like trying to poison everyone else. Medusa was the most stable of the four but, as she was also the 'closest' to him, if for no other reason than the strange bond linking them, Vahn knew she had the highest potential for doing great harm in a short period of time...

Seeing the look in Vahn's eyes, Luvia knew he had understood who she was talking about, causing a smile to spread across her lips as it was always preferable when the person you were talking to was able to quickly intuit the meaning in your words. This showed that Vahn regarding everything she said seriously, something that would be very important if she were to one day be his Empress. With that in mind, Luvia decided to give him options, adding, "That man, Siegfried, seems like the docile and caring type. If you do not wish to address the matter of Olga personally, you can always play matchmaker between the two of them. Though she would lose the status of being directly involved with you, the most important thing is to avoid internal conflicts and unnecessary troubles."

Though it didn't seem like a terrible idea, as Siegfried would undoubtedly treat Olga well, he knew it wouldn't necessarily be 'healthy' for either of them. Vahn knew Siegfried well after spending months confiding in the stoic man whenever they both had free time. If he asked him to, Siegfried wouldn't hesitate for a moment to commit himself to Olga, as that was his nature. However, as a result of his past experiences and the life he had lived, there would always be a 'disconnect' between him and Olga that, even after decades, may never be bridged.

For better or worse, Siegfried was simply unable to lie. If Olga were to ask him why he liked her, or what he liked about her, rather common questions in Vahn's experience, his answer could devastate her. Though he would likely say something complimentary, it would only be a matter of time before the 'truth' came out. Since it was virtually impossible to have them develop a relationship naturally as, even if she were to approach him of her own accord, the current Siegfried would never accept such sentiments. If there was even a negligible chance his actions could be misconstrued as having betrayed Vahn, he would always er on the side of caution. Though he was alive in the present, the current Siegfried had already assigned himself a purpose and, as the one who had inadvertently given it to him, Vahn knew well how his friend would react to Olga's clumsy advances...

After thinking about the matter, Vahn ultimately shook his head, saying, "I'll deal with Olga's matter personally. Though the chances I'll ever gain a full understanding are slim, I've come to learn a lot about women over the years. Based on how she reacts to every little thing people say about her, it is clear that Olga is the type that is sensitive to praise. If I leave her as she is, the chances of her being taken advantage of by someone would increase exponentially. As she has already developed certain expectations, she would only get worse if things don't develop at least in the same direction. I can't have a Director of an organization that is meant to monitor the entire world if she is vulnerable to being exploited by others..."

Vahn could see any older man, or even strong women like Nobunaga, easily wrapping Olga around their finger and leading her by the nose. Unless he paid close attention to her, the odds of her being manipulated in the schemes of others was very high, with Olga herself being none the wiser. She was simply too eager to please others, to the point that he could probably even leave her to Fenrir for a while and she would likely become another 'devoted' follower of his.

Since it was infinitely better to change her perspective from 'seeking praise from others' to 'seeking praise from him', Vahn had a rough idea of how he needed to treat Olga moving forward. At least in this manner, whenever others tried to manipulate her, Olga would become immediately skeptical of them since she would always pass things through her lens of 'is this what Vahn would want?'. From there, he could help Olga become a stronger and more confident woman and, though the odds of her leaving his side would decrease exponentially, she would at least be a much better person by the time he had finished influencing her.

Vahn was well aware of how his treatment of women could drastically alter their perception of both themselves and the world around them. Even girls like Tiona were 'very' perceptive, especially once they gained a bit of confidence, so Vahn believed that it wouldn't be long before Olga decided on a path of her own choosing. Though her path had a high chance of running parallel to his own, even if she diverged a bit, Vahn was confident she would never betray the trust of the people who helped her set the course. He could easily see her becoming good friends with pretty much everyone in the castle at some point as, once she broke out of her shell, girls like Olga were usually eager to increase their rapport with others. Then, with so many other powerful personalities surrounding her, it was only a matter of time before Olga herself became one of them...

Understanding that Vahn had made up his mind, Luvia dropped the matter entirely and just clung to his arm with a smile on her face. Matters of Vahn's private life, at least for the time being, were not her primary concern. Since she had been the one to boost Olga to her current position, Luvia wasn't going to undermine her own efforts as, from past experience, her intuition regarding such things was always accurate. Olga had a lot of 'investment potential' and, with someone like Vahn present in her life, it was only a matter of time before she reached heights that would have been impossible for her back in London. Luvia herself felt stronger just by having Vahn's Familia Crest carved onto her back and, knowing its functions, she was rather eager to return to the Clock Tower and negotiate access to the Spiritual Tomb, Albion...

After a few minutes of silence, Vahn and Luvia ended up outside of her room as, understanding her own intentions, Vahn had a few of his own in regards to the buxom golden-haired beauty. With them being in direct contact, he knew from the moment they had left the Library that Luvia had been anticipating what they might be doing. Though they had yet to marry, even her mother had gotten pregnant before finally sealing the deal with her father. One of the most important 'duties' of the Edelfelt heir was to find a suitable partner to pass on their genes to the next generation, with marriage usually being a byproduct, not a requirement. With the valuation of Vahn being 'limitless', Luvia was rather eager to sink her teeth into him and, if necessary, vice-versa...

With their intentions aligning, Luvia opened the door to her room before inviting Vahn in with a slightly red hue to her face. This was her first time but, as Rin had already spilled to beans about what to expect, she was less nervous and more excited than anything else. After all, Vahn had even conquered Goddesses related to S.e.x and, seeing how the other women in his life simply 'accepted' his relationsh.i.p.s with other women, Luvia had very high expectations. Even if they were close, it was rare for women to coexist with each other without small conflicts so, eliminating other factors, this meant they had unified together as a result of a commonality between them. Though Vahn's nature wasn't all that bad, Luvia knew it took more than that to win the hearts of so many women...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Da Vinci's Loli Defense Matrix','Vahn, "I don't want people to be dependent on me..." *petting Circe into oblivion*','RIP Luvia')

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