Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Before Vahn had busied himself with treating the Homunculi, one of the last things he had done was pick up Luvia from London. As the original purpose of him contacting Illya was so that he could sort the internal affairs of the Imperial Family, they had plenty of time to discuss the matter while he was hard at work. Ultimately, he had the power to override any decisions but, having learned from prior experience, Vahn knew it was better for the women to sort things out themselves before he stepped in. This would allow them the opportunity to reach an accord without his interference and, though this would cause a hierarchy of sorts to develop between them, such things were impossible to avoid when politics, business, and security were concerned.

In an effort to clarify everyone's stance and position for the future, as Vahn would not be the only one responsible for handling the affairs of the Empire, Luvia played host in a closed-door discussion attended by Rin, Illya, Iris, Nobunaga, Kenshin, Lakshmibai, Artoria, Gray, Fenrir, Medusa, Circe, and Olga. As for Da Vinci, Scáthach, Mordred, and Sakura, they were all exempted from the discussion for obvious reasons. The latter two were Vahn's daughters and, though they had their own parts to play, they were removed from contention for any of the positions of higher authority. As for Da Vinci and Scáthach, they were uncontrollable elements that only Vahn could rein, being intricately involved in the internal affairs of the Imperial Family without being accountable to anyone but the Emperor.

Initially, Luvia believed it would be a rather simple conversation as, even though her status might not comparable to people like Artoria, Lakshmibai, and Nobunaga, their sensibilities were considerably dated compared to modern times. Amongst them, only Nobunaga even showed any sign of wanting to contest her position but, that might not even matter at this point. Previously, Luvia had thought her finances, understanding of politics, and her family's military forces gave her an insurmountable edge against the competition. Now that Illya had returned with several thousand Homunculi, each the better of more than ten of her men. More troublesome was the fact she also brought 'infinite' amount of wealth and treasures that would have sent the entire Magus community into an uproar.

Once things had settled down, Luvia intended to move some of her forces to Avalon, having them become the first official 'subjects' of the Empire. This would allow her to deeply entrench her family's roots in the heart of the Aldrnari Empire, land that would one day become the most important in the entire world. Now, not only were Fae already beginning to move in, but Illya had essentially brought an army of faux-immortal Homunculi that would serve as Maids, Servants, Knights, and Magi. Many of them were even capable of bearing children, meaning they were already an irreplaceable element that would guarantee the prosperity of the Empire. When people learned that Avalon was a land full of beautiful women and fairies, there would be no end to the number of individuals who would want to reside here in the future...

With everyone gathered around the table, leaving the 'head' seat empty, Luvia looked around with a smile on her face, disguising the concern she felt in her heart. Fortunately, the 'biggest' threat to her claim, Fenrir, didn't seem interested in the position at all. This gave Luvia some small comfort as she stated in a sonorous and confident tone, "Thank you, everyone, for gathering together on such short notice. I understand things are rather chaotic right now so I appreciate your willingness to attend this gathering. It is my hope that, by the end of this meeting, we will be able to present a strong and unified front to support Vahn and the Empire."

Showing that she intended to butt heads with Luvia from the start, Nobunaga didn't waste any time, snickering as she stated in a sly tone, "What are you playing at, Ojou-chan? We all got along before your arrival so why meet together like this? Is your perceived status really all that important~?" As Luvia reminded her of the Nobles she had overthrown during her conquest, Nobunaga's impression of her wasn't all that positive. She seemed like the type that, for the sake of profit and convenience, would allow people to stagnate, allowing progress only when it was beneficial to her finances. Even if the chances of Vahn falling for her wiles were less than a single percentage, Nobunaga felt it was her duty to always oppose such people.

Hearing Nobunaga's retort, Luvia furrowed her brows slightly but ultimately kept her composure as she explained, "My intention is transparency. Though our husband's capabilities seem to be without limit, we cannot entrust everything to him. If the Empire is to have any success in establishing itself amongst the other forces within the world, our internal affairs must be put in order. We are the key factor that allows Vahn to function in his full capacity as Emperor so, to alleviate any concerns he might have about the future, we must come to an accord. If we cannot present a unified front, our enemies will exploit even the smallest gaps in our defenses."

Though she waited for Luvia to finish speaking, Nobunaga didn't take her words to heart, retorting in a cold tone, "The only thing that matters is loyalty. Politics, and all those other things, they are just a pretense fools use to try and manipulate others. We're already all working hard to support Vahn in our own ways, without having to compromise who we are. I can understand assigning roles and all that, but playing politics amongst ourselves is the exact type of shit that will stress Vahn out. The moment we try to act like something we're not, Vahn will notice and begin to worry, that's the type of man he is. Instead of trying to force the broken system of politics that Vahn is trying to abolish, why not just do your best without minding the small matters, eh, Ojou!?"

Feeling a slight headache creeping up on her, Luvia shook her head in mild exasperation, doing her best to stay calm as she stated, "I can agree with many of your points, but that is not how the world works. The system you're familiar with has become obsolete with the passage of time. If Vahn is to reign as Emperor of the entire world, the only means available are through diplomacy or conquest. You might be okay with slaughtering millions to achieve your end goal, but do you think Vahn is the type of man who can remain stone-faced as his future subjects die as a result of his actions?" Even if Nobunaga's presence indicated that Vahn wasn't against conquest, Luvia knew he was the type that only resorted to such methods after exhausting other options...

This time, Nobunaga didn't have an immediate answer, leaving space for Rin to release a tired sigh before commenting, "Though I lament to agree with Luvia, these kinds of arguments show that it is necessary to have these kinds of discussions. You both make good points but this is all predicated on the fact that the world you envision coincides with Vahn's own vision. If you'll remember, it is his intention to slowly merge together the Surface and Reverse Sides of the World, invalidating much of what the two of you think about the situation. The best we can do is compromise while doing our best to support him. He is receptive to what we have to say so if we can come to an agreement, that will simplify things considerably..."

With Rin's words lingering, Luvia and Nobunaga fell into a temporary silence that was only broken when Fenrir plainly stated, "The most important thing you can do for Master is focus on growing stronger and learning how to share happiness. All he ever wants, for each and every person, is for them to be happy. Fighting will only drive us apart, causing sadness for ourselves and Master...if you cannot get along, you should not be here. Seek your happiness elsewhere and, even if you are not in his heart, Master will never turn his back on you..."

As Fenrir's words held the most credibility, everyone present around the table hung their heads in contemplation. Most of them had understanding expressions while only Luvia, Olga, Medusa, and Circe had more complicated emotions visible in their eyes. Eventually, it was Illya who broke the silence, stating in a calm voice that was tinged with warmth, "Fenrir is right...the only thing that Vahn cares about is protecting us and doing what he can to spread happiness to others. Everything else is just a means to an end. I will do my best to support him...I will become much stronger in order to ease his burdens. He works so hard to make my wish come true...I want to do the same for him!"

Following her daughter's words, Iris had a contented smile on her face as she added, "I will do my best to protect the happiness Vahn has given me. Status doesn't mean anything if it is only gained through sacrificing the things that truly matter..." Though she was content with just being the castle's Librarian, her return to the Einzbern Castle had reminded Iris that power was always necessary if you wanted to protect what was most important. Status was something that could either be earned or given but when it came down to it, only power mattered in the end...

Though it felt like her argument was much weaker than before, Luvia smiled wryly in response to Iris' words before stating, "I do not truly care for status...the only thing that matters to me is having the power and authority to protect myself, my family, and our assets. The Edelfelts have always tried to live righteously, aiding those-". Before Luvia could continue, Nobunaga's gaze turned sharp as she completed the former's sentence, spinning it by adding, "Aiding those who could bring you the most benefits...even if the knowledge provided by the Greater Grail has gaps in it, I've already seen with my own eyes how f.u.c.k.i.e.d up this world is. There are people sick and starving all over the world. It might not be your responsibility, but don't pretend to be truly righteous when you decorate your fancy mansions in gold while children die in the streets..."

Hearing Nobunaga's words, the tension at the table became palpable while Luvia was forced into silence. There were all kinds of ways in which she could retort Nobunaga's words but, as the latter had already admitted, it wasn't really her responsibility. It was the various governments of the world that had failed their populous and, though many of these were just the puppets of the major powers ruling from the shadows, she didn't have the freedom to arbitrarily give handouts. Her family already ran several international charities, providing vaccinations, food, and disaster relief, but there was only so much she could do without having her own family exploited by others...

Seeing Luvia's reaction, Nobunaga knew she had gone too far and, especially since she wasn't doing anything to 'fix' the problem. In fact, while Luvia's family provided millions of jobs to people all over the world, she spent most of her time lounging about, only training when she got bored and felt like moving her body. The only reason she lashed out at Luvia is that she hated the type of people who spewed platitudes and pretended to be righteous, often elevating themselves above others. This was something Nobunaga had proactively avoided when she was conquering Japan and, even though it caused some to label her as a Demon King, she was at least able to hold her head up high without pretenses...

Though many showed signs of breaking the silence, it was ultimately Artoria, with a bearing none at the table could match, who stated, "I still have much to learn, but one of the most important lessons I have received from Vahn is the fact that success is a transient thing that only exists in the present. Despite our best intentions, we cannot know with absolute certainty what the future will hold. To that end, it is important that we make the most of each and every moment. Even if we fail, we need only pick ourselves back up and do better. I believe in Vahn and the future he wants to create...I want to see a world where everyone can be happy..."

As Artoria spoke, it was almost as if there was an aura of light radiating from her body and, if Vahn had been present, he would have seen her 'fate' flowing into those around her. Though Luvia had the same [Charisma] rating, there was a significant difference between a King and the Heiress of a wealthy conglomerate family. Luvia had to pull a lot of strings behind the scenes while Artoria had always held her head up high, allowing her actions to be scrutinized by her people. Even when the general populous had turned against her, with her own Round Table splitting in two, she had always performed her duty as King. Till the very end, thousands of people had been able to die in her name, never once doubting their path and the glory owed to them for dying nobly.

Hearing Artoria's words, Nobunaga snorted lightly through her nose and, though she wasn't the type to ever simply apologize, she decided not to be so harsh toward Luvia in the future. She didn't want to make trouble for Vahn and, as he had already placed his trust in Luvia, who actually worked very hard on his behalf, being obstinate would benefit none of them. With that in mind, she crossed her arms and fell into silent contemplation with her eyes closed, earning a small laugh from Kenshin, seated to her right. At the same time, tensions around the table calmed down considerably while, even though Luvia was still seated at the position closest to the head of the table, Artoria became the central focus of everyone present.

Luvia didn't miss this shift in everyone's perception, including her own. From Nobunaga's outburst and what everyone else had said, she was beginning to realize that her methods might be just as antiquated as Nobunaga's. The future Vahn wanted to usher into the world was like the change in an Era and, though the politics and business sense she had cultivated over the years would certainly be useful in the short term, standardized currency may not exist in the future Vahn wanted to create. He had allowed her to read Da Vinci's 'plan' and, though it seemed like complete nonsense on paper, she was already beginning to see the signs that it could become a reality...

Suddenly, though it left a slightly bitter taste in her mouth, Luvia realized she may not be suited to the position of Vahn's Empress. The only reason she could even claim the position was due to the fact that others simply weren't contesting it. This made it seem like she was unnecessarily trying to elevate herself, even though the subtle difference in status would be completely meaningless within the privacy of the Inner Sanctum. It would certainly be useful in political situations, but that may very well be meaningless with how much power Vahn was consolidating. Eventually, one of their enemies would try to test his strength, only to find themselves the proverbial egg smashing against a rock. He not only had functionally infinite wealth but could summon Heroic Spirits and create items out of thin air...

Realizing she had been viewing things as 'just' a human, ignoring the fact that Vahn was essentially a God with nigh-absolute power, Luvia suddenly felt rather small. This didn't bother her, however, as she knew her own existence would be amplified just by associating with Vahn. He would also be the father of her children, making her the mother of literal Demi-Gods who would, like their father, have unlimited potential. This thought brought a smile to Luvia's face and, as if all her prior apprehensions were meaningless, she plainly stated, "Vahn should still have an Empress, one that can stand at his side as an equal, regardless of how the future changes. Though the position could be left open for another to claim int he future, I believe there is already an ideal candidate among those gathered here..."

Though it could have been misconstrued as self-promotion, it was clear from Luvia's gaze that she was not referred to herself. Instead, as everyone else had been doing previously, she was looking toward Artoria, meeting the latter's crystal clear gaze which, contrasting her own, possessed a certain nobility that was impossible to emulate. Even if Artoria was dressed in rags, people would still feel as if she was an existence above them, even if she never once postured to present herself as such. Even when she ruled as King Arthur, Artoria had elevated her Knights to a similar status as her own, caring more about fulfilling her duties and protecting her people than the title of King. Thus, even if she was given the highest position within the Imperial Court, second only to Vahn, she would remain completely unaffected by the politics and machinations of others...

With everyone turning their attention toward her, Artoria nearly recused herself from any potential contention as being a Queen-Empress Consort and Knight Commander was already enough for her. Since she had failed to rule as King, Artoria felt she was unqualified for ruling alongside Vahn as his Empress. However, remembering her own words about making the best of each and every moment, combined with the fact she was trying to comprehend 'King's Laws', Artoria's eyes ultimately shone with a resolute light as she stated, "If there are none against it, I will accept the responsibility. If it will help ease Vahn's burdens, I will do my best, regardless of the position I am required to fill."

Hearing the conviction in Artoria's words, combined with the fact that she was generally popular amongst everyone present, nobody voiced any complaints. Instead, even though it was unnecessary, many answered in support of Artoria becoming the Empress, Fenrir included. She had a positive impression of Artoria so hearing the latter say she would do her best to support their Master was all that mattered, at least in her opinion. Thus, while many abstained from commenting on the matter entirely, it was quickly decided via consensus that Artoria would become Vahn's official Empress. As for Luvia, after a great deal of discussion, she would distance herself slightly from the crown and, at least for the time being, assume the position of Empress-Consort and Keeper of the Seals...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Nobunaga and Luvia don't mesh well xD...','Fenrir, the voice of reason!?','Once a King, now an Empress. Once for duty, now for love...?')

(A/N: For those that are unaware, the Keeper of the Seals can, at times, has the same authority as a King or Emperor. It essentially qualifies Luvia to carry around Vahn's Imperial Seal, meaning she is able to act as his proxy, even without being his Empress.)

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