Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With a full month having passed in the real world, Vahn found himself at the Edelfelt Manor enjoying a light lunch alongside Olivia, Luvia, Da Vinci, and Artoria, while Gray, Okita, Jeanne, and Gareth were waiting at the side. They had already eaten prior to the departure from Avalon so, while it was always a little awkward to have people he cared about act the part of an attendant, Vahn knew the girls in question preferred to play the part quite a bit.

At this point, they had discussed the negotiations several times so, while the luncheon was a good opportunity to rehash things, Vahn dismissed the matter as there was no way of knowing how things would turn out until the negotiations began. He would rather just enjoy his lunch without worrying about such things and, though Olivia looked like she had something to say, even she didn't force the issue. Thus, while the luncheon didn't take as long as normal, it was a pleasant experience since the primary topic related to Ulla and the other children.

Unfortunately, while it was a viable strategy in some situations, Vahn didn't want to keep Solon and the Director of the Atlas Temple waiting for him. If things went well, the Empire would be working in conjunction with the Mage's Association for the foreseeable future so, in order to decrease the odds of something going wrong, he decided to give them a bit of face by arriving early, albeit by breaking into the Bounded Field around the Clock Tower with a spatial transfer.

As could be expected, the security of the Clock Tower was surprised by the intrusion but, as they had already been informed by the Administration, they were prepared to receive Vahn's entourage. To his surprise, the person leading the procession was none other than Waver and a young woman with a pixie-style haircut that Vahn had only met once before, Samantha, Rocco Belfeban's granddaughter.

It only took a moment for Vahn to realize why they were the ones to receive his group so, with a smile on his face, he mused, "It pleases us to see you in good health, Waver Velvet...I trust you have had fewer issues since the last time we met?"

Waver gave a low bow after being addressed by Vahn before answering in a courteous tone, "Thanks to His Majesty, the El-Melloi family has been very prosperous as of late. My wife wishes to express her gratitude but, due to personal circumstances, cannot do so in person..."

Vahn's mood was lowered by the mention of Reines but, considering she had the wherewithal to lay low for a while, he wasn't that affected by Waver's words. Instead, he gave a small nod before giving the gentlemanly Magus leniency to stand before turning to Samantha and saying, "It has been some time since our last meeting. I hope you and your Grandfather have been in good health."

Samantha was looking decidedly nervous compared to the last time he saw her and, while she still had a ruby-red pixie cut, Vahn could tell that she was growing it out. She was also wearing a suit, a stark contrast to the rather boyish and casual style she had worn during the previous banquet.

Much like Waver, Samantha gave a too-low bow upon being addressed, something that nearly threw off her balance as a result of rather healthy development. Fortunately, as a Magus that specialized in physical combat, she managed to avoid a faux pas as she answered, "Thank you for your kind words. My grandfather is as healthy as an ox and eagerly awaits a meeting with Your Majesty...!"

With the edges of his smile curling up slightly, Vahn gave a small nod, stating in a casual manner, "If time allows, I'm certain a meeting can be arranged. I may have to trouble him with paying a visit, however, as it is not convenient for me to visit others."

Though it didn't actually matter all that much to him, Vahn had his status as an Emperor to consider when it related to social and political affairs. He couldn't simply go seeking out Rocco as it would be giving the man too much face at no real benefit to the Empire. Since the man wanted to probe him for information, it was a given that he should be the one to seek out an audience as, in the present moment, they weren't even acquaintances yet.

As a sensible woman, Samantha understood the meaning behind Vahn's words, her face turning a little pale. She regretted her choice of words but, seeing the relaxed smile on Vahn's face, she was able to breathe a sigh of relief before answering, "That is a matter of course, Your Majesty. I will let my grandfather know you are willing to meet with him. I'm certain he will jump at the opportunity for an audience at the earliest convenience for His Majesty."

While it was very apparent that Samantha still had a lot to learn about interacting with others in a formal matter, she had made a lot of progress in the short month or so since their last meeting. He had to give her credit as, while a considerable amount of time had passed in the Projection, the real world flowed at a much slower rate. This made it harder to ascertain how quickly those in the outside were progressing but, with his memory, Vahn didn't have too much trouble comparing her current self to the young woman he had met at the banquet...

---

After a bit of polite conversation, Vahn was leisurely strolling through the hallways of the Clock Tower, this time without anyone attempting to bar his passage. While the presence of his group garnered a lot of attention from the student body and faculty alike, the corridors were largely empty as nobody dared to earn his ire by blocking his way. This made Vahn feel a little like a tyrant but, as it was actually quite annoying to be stalled for some arbitrary reason, he didn't mind the awkward and tense atmosphere.

Since he had a detailed map of the Clock Tower already stored within his mind, it didn't take long for Vahn to reach the restricted access elevator that led to Solon's personal Bounded Field. This was the furthest people like Waver and Samantha could go so Vahn thanked them for their guidance before making his way onto the platform alongside Artoria, Gray, Da Vinci, Okita, Jeanne, and Gareth. It was a bit of a tight fit at first but, before the platform even began to rise, it seemed to double in size due to the manipulation of space around them.

Okita was alerted by the not-so-subtle manipulation but, with a simple gesture from Vahn, her body relaxed considerably, even if her grip on her katana remained unchanged. If it came down to it, she would not hesitate to cut down anyone who tried to harm her Master and, with her [Further Earth], even Zelretch would be forced to remove himself from the axis of time and space just to evade her...

This time around, the elevator ride didn't even take more than a minute before the space around them seemed to expand into a full world. The elevator platform itself merged together with the much larger floating lookout while, waiting for them on the landing leading up to Solon's Garden, Zelretch and a man Vahn assumed to be Director Atlasia stood with smiles on their faces.

The moment Vahn saw Director Atlasia, his brows lifted slightly and, skipping formalities, he asked, "Is it common for high ranking members of the Mage's Association to be Dead Apostles...?"

Zelretch began laughing rather boisterously in response to Vahn's words while, at the side, Director Atlasia cleared his throat before answering, "While I may be a Dead Apostle, I am not the same kind of existence as the monsters that play with human lives. I keep my thirst in check using a specialized compound that provided similar benefits without the usual mess. Also, if not for the request of the Association Director, I would not have left my Temple...with that in mind, I would request that Your Majesty does not make tasteless jokes..."

Vahn was somewhat amused by Director Atlasia's response but, as it was actually a little rude of him to point out the man's 'affliction', he decided to give an affirmative nod. This returned the smile to Director Atlasia's face while Zelretch, having laughed to his heart's content, gestured toward the Temple above as he said, "Solon would have come out to meet you but they have been experiencing a few issues as of late. Inside, you'll find some rather high-quality tea waiting so please follow along, Your Majesties and esteemed guests."

With Zelretch leading the way, followed closely behind by Director Atlasia, Vahn and his entourage quickly followed suit. The usual formalities were unnecessary when all parties had significantly high status so, while Solon's absence was a small offense, Vahn didn't particularly mind it. He knew that the Director needed a way to save face for themselves and, after previously hearing about their past from Merlin, it didn't hurt to give them some leniency.

Upon entering Solon's Garden for a second time, Vahn briefly glanced around the area, finding it in the same exact state as his last visit. It was quite the sight to behold but, as he wasn't here to take in the sights, he turned his attention to the floating platform in the center of the building. There, Solon could be seen wearing much thicker robes than normal as they sat around a low table with a solemn and tired expression on their face.

Vahn was a little surprised to find Solon in such a state but, with the obvious intent of preventing him from asking, Zelretch lightly explained, "Solon has had a lot to deal with in the aftermath of the Barthomeloi family's fall. Try to cut them a bit of slack this time...they are a little more temperamental than usual..."

Though he had several questions, Vahn just gave a curt nod in response to Zelretch's 'plea'. He knew the elderly Magus had been far busier than the Director so, while the matter of the Barthomeloi was certainly troublesome, there had to be a different reason for Solon's current state. He assumed it had something to do with Merlin but, as the latter always deflected when probed about the topic of their discussion, Vahn had no way of knowing for certain.

Despite having the same youthful figure, Solon looked particularly ragged by the time the group reached the floating platform and took their seats. Even their emerald-green hair had lost a bit of its usual luster and, while their eyes were still a striking blue with pink circles around their pupils, much of their intensity had been lost. Now, rather than a predator that was about to leap onto its prey, Solon gave off the feeling of a wounded animal that didn't have any strength to resist...

Once everyone had been seated, Solon preempted the discussion by issuing a tired sigh and sitting a little straighter. A bit of their prideful aura returned as they stated, "Let's get this over with as soon as possible. I'm certain you have already prepared some kind of offer, right? Let me see it..."

To smooth things over a bit, Zelretch made a show of clearing his throat, earning a deadpan stare from Solon before the latter rolled their eyes and added, "We have already discussed the matter with the most influential affiliates of the Association. They are willing to make some compromises so long as the Empire does not make excessive demands. If you haven't prepared a draft, we can draw up a contract that guarantees some benefits for both sides. Since you're allied with the Edelfelt family, do not pretend you haven't already come up with a list of demands..."

Vahn was increasingly surprised by how things were developing as he had expected Solon to be the same obstinant person as before. Now, it seemed like the peculiar Magus had no will to even put up any meaningful resistance at all, something that made him feel strangely guilty. Still, as this was an important matter for both the Empire and his children, he pulled out the contract that had already been drafted and began discussing the various benefits for both sides...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Discussing politics makes the food taste worse','Vahn, the unobstructed tyrant of the halls...!','Solon seems depressed ( o _ o)...')

(A/N: There will be two more chapters later today, alongside one Babel. I should be on the fixed schedule starting tomorrow but, even if I'm not, there will still be an average of 12-14k words of content per day.)

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