Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After waiting within the Transfer room for a few minutes longer, Kenshin, Lakshmibai, and Olga all arrived together. When they noticed Vahn had arrived first, Kenshin and Lakshmibai both gave polite bows while Olga fumbled around for a bit before doing the same. She was obviously very nervous as this would be the first time she met with her father after staying in Avalon. There were many things she wanted to discuss with him as, over the last few months, her perspective of the world, Magecraft, and Astronomy, had been completely shattered.

With Luvia staying behind, the away group had all gathered together, Companions included, so Vahn initiated the transfer after confirming they were ready. He had to rely on Alaya this time around, as they were transferring directly to London, so the process was almost instantaneous once he gave the go-ahead. Though this wasn't her first time experiencing it, Olivia couldn't help shaking her head as she commented, "This ability alone makes you a terrifying opponent. I'm glad we're on your side~"

Vahn lightly chuckled in response to this before the group made their way out of the bas.e.m.e.nt, their destination the lavish dining hall where the Edelfelt's entertained their guests. This time around, he wouldn't have Luvia at his side to direct things and, as Olivia had already moved into the shadows of politics, it was a major statement that he would be the one receiving guests. Since it was important to make it very clear who was in charge, the Edelfelt family had essentially given him free rein to act as he pleased, so long as it didn't directly hurt their bottom line.

As Olga was whisked away by a group of Maids to change into more appropriate attire, Vahn found himself seated at the head of the table while Lakshmibai and Kenshin flanked him. Though they were both Empresses, they took their duty as his escort seriously and, as this was a meeting between Vahn and an established Lord, it was important to pay attention to basic etiquette. In the future, once their status was known better, it would be quite intimidating to know he was attended by Empresses who, if allowed to fight freely, could wipe out small countries on their own.

While waiting for Lord Animusphere's arrival, Vahn made casual conversation with the two, primarily discussing the possibility of establishing an actual Menagerie in the future. Kenshin was very fond of animals and, as there weren't any real dangers associated with keeping them, especially with Circe and Da Vinci, Vahn felt it wasn't a bad idea. They could even genetically engineer a few species that had been lost to time, filling the forests of Avalon with fauna that its future residents would be able to interact with freely.

Around half an hour before lunch was intended to be served, a very prim and proper Butler arrived to inform Vahn that Lord Animusphere had just entered the premises. This brought the conversation to an end as Vahn gave an order for the staff to enter standby while a duo of Maids went to retrieve Olga. After that, he just waited patiently within the rather comfortable chair, his eyes closed with his back ramrod straight. At the same time, a subtle pressure began to fill the large room, indicating the subtle shift in his mentality from being casual to serious. This, in turn, caused the two girls flanking him to stand straighter than normal, compounding the effect and causing the staff located nearby to hasten their movements.

When Lord Animusphere arrived in the dining hall, his usual amicable smile was nowhere to be seen and, the moment he set eyes upon Vahn, his expression turned rather solemn as he bowed at a low angle and stated, "I owe Your Majesty a great debt. If not for your intervention, I fear everything my family had worked toward over the last century would have gone to waste..."

Hearing Lord Animusphere's words, Vahn kept silent for a few seconds before saying, "Raise your head, Lord Animusphere. Come, sit down, we have much to discuss." Though he was interested in Chaldea, Vahn didn't particularly care about the scheme he had circ.u.mvented. So long as it was dealt with, the only thing that mattered was preventing future troubles from arising.

Feeling as though he had been given a reprieve, Lord Animusphere adopted a smile but, despite his best efforts, it didn't seem to quite reach his eyes. Even so, he moved to take a seat on the left side of the table and sat down as directed. Following this, Vahn asked in a stern yet curious tone, "I trust those doc.u.ments are for my perusal? Though it would be best to wait for lunch to conclude, I would rather know about important matters sooner. I'm certain this will be preferable to you as well, Lord Animusphere, as your daughter will be in attendance shortly."

Since he hadn't been informed of Olga's attendance, Lord Animusphere was more than a little surprised, his expression showing a bit of concern as he asked, "My daughter is here...?" In response to this, Vahn gave a curt nod, causing the former's smile to become more genuine, at least until he began to consider the implications behind her presence. This was only for a brief moment, however, as he quickly set the matter of his daughter aside so as not to waste Vahn's time.

As Lord Animusphere brought out a small briefcase full of doc.u.ments, he adopted the same solemn appearance as before, stating, "Know that I intend to take full responsibility for what had transpired, even though I had no direct knowledge of such experiments. I am truly ashamed of what happened and will do my best to address the matters personally. Please do not let this matter influence your decision to support Chaldea and my daughter..."

Without answering Lord Animusphere directly, Vahn began to peruse the doc.u.ments, some of which were direct accountings of the inhumane experiments that had been conducted in Chaldea. As there was a large stack of files related to the 'victims' of said experiments, pictures included, the pressure in the surroundings gradually increased as Vahn's expression darkened. Eventually, he had to rub his temples just to remain calm, understanding there was no sense in blaming Marisbury for the things people had done behind his back. He was a good man who wanted to protect humanity but, due to his financial circ.u.mstances and the machinations of other people, he had been taken advantage of...

Before speaking, Vahn went over the files in a red folder, showing only a handful of survivors with the oldest being a young girl named Mash Kyrielight. In her photo, she was wearing a medical eye patch over her right eye while the left one seemed to have lost the light of hope completely. Vahn knew her life hadn't been pleasant and, with an 'expiration date' less than three years away, there wasn't much hope for her to live a normal life without intervention. The most infuriating part was that she had been created by Chaldeas, meaning her entire life had been an extended nightmare where even the possibility of death was denied...just like his own, long ago.

In total, there were only five survivors from the 'Designer Baby' experiment, as there hadn't been funding for the project since 2010. As a result, Mash was the oldest while the youngest was a boy with silver hair and light purple eyes, named Adam Smith. Much like Mash, his body had visible scar tissue but, rather than having lost the light in his eyes, Vahn could see madness and rage contained within the nine-year old's gaze. As for the other three survivors, they were all young girls like Mash and, if the data Marisbury provided was accurate, those who had harmed them were fortunate he wasn't the one to pass judgment against them...

After collecting himself, Vahn stared directly at Marisbury, stating in an icy tone, "I do not blame you for this...but know that I will never entrust you with a position of oversight in the future. As for these children, I want them all transported here as soon as possible. They do not deserve to be imprisoned in some lab in the middle of a frozen wasteland..." Since Avalon was supposed to be a land where the beaten and downtrodden could live their lives freely, Vahn wasn't going to expose these children to further experimentation. He didn't give a damn about the Designer Baby project as, in the world he intended to create, lacking Magic Circuits would be rare.

Hearing Vahn's words, Marisbury felt as if a heavy weight had been removed from his chest, though he resisted the urge to sigh with every fiber of his being. Then, surprising Vahn, he managed a smile as he explained, "I moved the five to my estate during the restructuring of Chaldea. Since then, they have been kept safe and provided for both mentally and physically. It shames me to admit there isn't much else I can do for them but making sure their lives are comfortable is within my means."

Though Marisbury could probably be trusted with their care, Vahn immediately shook his head after hearing his statement, reiterating, "Those children deserve more from life than simple comforts. I will take them with me to Avalon and allow them to flourish. Even if you intend to do right by them, they would not have experienced this trauma if you hadn't authorized the Designer Baby project."

As Vahn didn't give any room for discussion on the matter, Lord Animusphere gave an affirmative nod before saying, "I will see to it that they are safely transported to the Edelfelt Mansion...please, if you'll excuse me for a moment..." Since he could tell that Vahn wasn't content to let the children remain in his care even a moment longer, Marisbury decided to make a call and have them moved over as soon as possible He also instructed the Governess who had been placed in charge of their care to make sure they were neatly dressed and presentable, enough to meet with an Emperor.

Around the same time that Marisbury was returning to his seat, a light knock sounded at the tall double doors located near the entrance of the dining hall. Immediately after that, the same duo that had gone to retrieve Olga opened the doors, causing the tense atmosphere to melt away as Vahn and Marisbury saw the pale-haired beauty making her entrance.

Rather than let her hair hang somewhat wildly, as per usual, Olga's current style was similar to the one used by Artoria and Gray. Rather than a simple braid surrounding a neat bun, however, Olga had several intricate braids congregating into a complex bun that would have even taken Vahn over a half-hour to style. As for her attire, she had changed out of her scholarly clothes, which made her look somewhat like a student, replacing them with a red c.o.c.ktail dress. It was decorated with an ornate flower pattern while the h.i.p.s and left thigh were decorated with an intricate arrangement of flower adornments that further accented her beauty. What stood out the most, however, other than her breathtaking beauty, was the fact the dress exposed the back and shoulders, giving the illusion that it would fall off and expose her perfectly shaped b.r.e.a.s.ts if she made any big movements...

From the moment Olga stepped into the room, she already had a red face but, seeing the look on Vahn's, she became beet red in an instant. This was the most revealing outfit she had ever worn and, just like Vahn, she was very worried that it would 'slip', despite the adhesive pads she had been given to keep it in place. Since her father was also present, it felt like there was a swarm of butterflies in her stomach and, without the ushering of the Maid duo, even making it to the dining table would have been a difficult feat.

Having already placed the doc.u.ments away, Vahn's mood did a complete one-eighty as he looked toward Olga and commented, "Simply breathtaking..." This caused her to freeze on the spot but, with the help of the two Maids, she finally managed to reach the chair to his right. Though it was considered proper to leave it to the staff, Vahn decided to take the initiative to pull out Olga's chair for her, causing Marisbury to rise to his feet as the two Maids bowed politely and backed away.

When Olga was finally seated, Vahn returned to his own seat and, for a few tense seconds, a rather awkward atmosphere began to permeate through the chamber. It wasn't until Olga bashfully stated, "Thank you for the compliment..." that time seemed to flow again. Then, turning her eyes toward her father, Olga murmured, "Father...it is good to see you again." with a small smile on her face. These words broke Marisbury from the spell he had been under, causing him to blink a few times before he returned a smile and remarked, "You look beautiful, Olga...just like your mother...she would be proud to see you right now."

Hearing her father's remark, Olga felt a sour feeling in her nose but ultimately managed to keep her emotions in check as she answered, "Thank you. I wish she were here as well."

Since Vahn was trying to allow the two a chance to speak, as this was their reunion, he had kept mum after his previous compliment. Hearing Olga's words, however, he furrowed his brows a bit and was tempted to remind her of the fact he could always summon her mother. She had already made him aware of her past and, knowing the trauma Olga had experienced, Vahn had considered whether or not he should summon her former Governess. The only reason he had yet to do so was the simple fact that, if he began arbitrarily using his summons in such a way, it was very likely that others would come to him in order 'resurrect' the dead. Since Olga's mother had died from chronic illness when she was only six years old, it felt like the window for reuniting them had passed...

Deciding to shelve the matter until later, Vahn entered into the conversation by stating, "There are important matters I wanted to address, Lord Animusphere. Before then, let us eat our meal while the two of you catch up as father and daughter. Due to the nature of Avalon, it has been more than half a year since Olga came to the outside world so I'm certain she has much to say..."

With Vahn's words lingering, the staff that had been waiting in the periphery quickly moved to set out a tray of appetizers before handing out menus. As for Lakshmibai and Kenshin, they moved to the operations room as, having them stand behind him while eating would be a bit awkward. This was especially so for Olga who, knowing the identities of the two women, felt a considerable amount of pressure to be seated while they were standing...

At Vahn's behest, Olga and Marisbury carried on a polite conversation between themselves as Vahn quietly observed from the head of the table. Though this made them feel a bit pressured, Olga was the type to gradually relax when she was talking about the things that interested her. Thus, by the time lunch was served, most of the tensions had faded away as she began recounting her research findings and the progress of her own training. Needless to say, Marisbury was quite taken aback to hear how enthusiastically his daughter discussed her time in Avalon as, previously, he had been very worried about her treatment.

Eventually, Olga began talking about a few 'sensitive' matters related to the Empire, allowing Vahn the opportunity to naturally enter into the conversation. Though this caused her to fl.u.s.ter a bit, he kept her from apologizing with a gesture, explaining, "One of the matters we will be discussing latter pertains to the ongoing alliance between the Empire and the Animusphere family. For now, feel free to discuss the results of your training but, until matters have been clarified, please keep the methods a secret."

Since she had nearly blurted out the existence of the Quest Board, Olga bit her bottom lip in concern as she followed Vahn's words by lowering her head and swallowing her apology. Fortunately, Vahn didn't appear to be mad at her so, after he began to guide the conversation by showering her with a fair amount of praise, Olga was able to relax as the smile returned to her face. Marisbury, of course, had seen this entire event play out and, with his daughter acting like a bashful maiden, it didn't take a brilliant mind to deduce what Vahn wanted to talk about in the future. This actually wasn't all that surprising, however, as he had fully expected something to have happened between them. What did surprise him was the fact that, given Olga's behavior, it didn't seem like she had been pressured into a physical relationship despite several months having passed.

Though Marisbury's opinion of Vahn was largely positive, he began to see the Emperor in a new light as, in similar situations, there were few who wouldn't have taken advantage of the situation. He had even provided his daughter with the necessary equipment to continue her research and, if her words were to be believed, she had grown considerably as a Magus in a relatively short period of time. She also seemed to have developed a sincere attachment towards Vahn, to the point she would glance his way as if seeking permission when she was speaking. Then, when he would praise her in turn, her face would brighten up noticeably, leaving Marisbury both happy and seriously concerned for his daughter's future.

By the time lunch had come to an end, the mood had become somewhat lively, even though things had shifted to the point that most of the discussion was driven by Vahn and Olga. This left Marisbury sitting at the side with a wry smile, knowing where the conversation was going before Vahn brought it to light. His daughter also seemed to be aware of it as, after the plates were cleared away, she had a red face and had started fiddling with the flower ornaments on her dress. Then, meeting both of their expectations, Vahn stated, "Know that, regardless of the decision made here, I intend to support the operation of Chaldea. Thus, I would ask that you not let such matters influence your choice...to that end...know that I intend to take Olga as my Consort in the future. The decision is ultimately her's to make, but I have grown rather fond of her over the last few months..."

Before Marisbury could say anything, Olga hopped up from her chair, slamming both hands against the top of the table as she exclaimed, "I accept! One-hundred percent!" Then, realizing what she had said, Olga's face became scarlet as she became statuesque. Vahn was just grateful that her top didn't slip off due to her spontaneous action, causing his face to show relief that was misconstrued by both Olga and Marisbury. They thought he was worried she would refuse, causing Olga's heart to twist in her chest as Marisbury released a profound sigh and remarked, "All children must leave the next at some point...very well, though it may not have mattered, know you have my blessing. I will entrust my daughter's happiness to you, Your Majesty..."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The pursuit of progress leaves many victims...','A flower blooms','I kind of feel bad for Marisbury xD...')

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