Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After a week's worth of preparation, the day for the Imperial Gala finally arrived. It had been set to take place at the Edelfelt mansion and, though the guest list contained well over a thousand total guests, there was still plenty of space within the massive, highly decorated, ballroom.

Those that had attended parties at the Edelfelt mansion in the past weren't all that surprised by the glamor and decor but, considering the vast majority of invitees were 'new' families, they were quite taken aback by the splendor. Though some rationalized that the Edefelt family had always done everything in a very showy manner, others interpreted the display as her family showing off the benefits they had received from the Empire.

During a time where nearly every other family was struggling, as it became increasingly difficult to acquire various goods and services, the Edelfelt family had continued to thrive. This had caused a number of people to feel bitter but, with fake smiles on their faces, they still flocked to the Edelfelt family in the hopes of obtaining their own benefits. The only path to prosperity was throwing your lot in with the Empire so, in order to preserve their family and legacy, most Magus families, both old and rising, sought to ingratiate themselves to the Edelfelts.

Luvia was no stranger to people trying to cozy up to her for benefits but, with the Empire at her back, the only thing she stood to gain from any of them was 'authority'. There were few benefits to associating with the older Magus families and, while they provided an ample workforce, even the up-and-coming families weren't particularly beneficial to the Empire. Vahn had established a system with functionally infinite resources, including Magical Energy, so the 'value' of everything had immediately become inconsequential...

Fortunately, people themselves still had considerable value and, as Vahn intended to establish a system based on individual merit, there were quite a number of reasons to proactively socialize. It was impossible to completely remove the idea of perceived and inherited status from people's minds so, given enough time, there was certain to be a perceived class divide in the future. After all, if a reasonably powerful person made a name for themselves, acquiring great fame as a result, the common consensus of people would be to elevate that person and their family.

Even without a monetary system, people would never stop seeking to distinguish themselves from others. The vast majority of humans had an intrinsic desire to elevate themselves amongst their peers; This was one of the cornerstones of human society so, despite Vahn's optimism, Luvia knew it was only a matter of time before someone exploited the system and tried to directly oppose him.

To prevent Vahn from being blindsided by 'human nature', Luvia was willing to act as one of the many shields that protected his vision. The Edelfelt family had always been gifted with the ability to game the world's system and, as the latest and greatest in her line, Luvia would elevate her status and fame to the point that, when others attempted to do the same, she could knock them down if they proved to be a threat. After all, in the world Vahn wished to create, one of the most powerful political tools would be dragging your opposition's reputation through the mud using the leverage you were able to obtain...

---

With the Imperial Gala scheduled to start at 7 PM, most guests had made sure to arrive at least an hour early. Nobody wanted to show up later than the Guests of Honor so, even before the gates of the Edelfelt mansion had been opened, many had gathered in the periphery, patiently waiting for their chance to enter. This included the so-called high-brow members of society as, no matter how highly they regarded themselves, any status they held prior to 'The Fall' had lost its meaning.

Though some people still clung to old titles and holdings, it was no longer something they openly bragged about. It had become dangerous to stand out in the current political climate so, fearing the loss of what little they had been able to preserve, even 'former' Nobles did their best to lay low.

Among the exceptions to this rule were those like Reines El-Melloi Archibald, the current Lord El-Melloi Archibald. While the status of Lord had all but lost its meaning over the past few months, she had spent decades trying to reclaim her family name and title so, as one of the first members of the Alliance, she unashamedly flaunted her status.

While most people just silently lingered around the ballroom awaiting the arrival of the Emperor and his entourage, Reines, wearing a lavish, sapphire-colored, dress, wasn't shy when it came to drawing attention to herself. She, accompanied by her husband, Waver, and her daughter, Ridley, wasted no time in approaching Luvia the moment she arrived. Her aura was enough to drive away the couple that had been previously conversing with Luvia who, upon seeing Reines, offered her usual business smile as she said, "I'm glad you were able to attend, Reines. We have a daycare set up if you'd like to send little Ridley off to play with the other children."

In response to Luvia's greeting, Reines returned a cold and calculating smile of her own as she mused, "You are looking as radiant as ever, Lady Edelfelt. Tell me, when is His Imperial Majesty's group expected to arrive? Rumor has it that the Imperial Family will be in attendance so I would like to properly introduce Ridley to her future friends and colleagues."

As if acting on a cue, Ridley performed a prim and proper curtsy immediately after her mother's words. This caused Luvia to offer a polite smile in turn but, within the sanctity of her own mind, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Reines had always been an opportunist but, if she kept trying to push her daughter forward without proper consideration, it was only a matter of time before she stepped on Vahn's bottom line.

Causing Reines' expression to darken perceptibly, Luvia waved over two neatly dressed security personnel, saying, "Please escort Miss Ridley to where the other children are playing. Make sure she is well fed and properly entertained until her parents are ready to depart."

Since Luvia was hosting the gala, Reines didn't have the leeway to try and overrule her decision. She was well aware of the fact that her status couldn't be compared to the golden witch standing before her so, while it caused her eyes to sharpen slightly, she allowed Ridley to be escorted away before asking, "What is this about, Lady Edelfelt?"

Now that Ridley was, albeit momentarily, removed from her mother, Luvia adopted a moderately serious expression as she answered, "I do not wish to see you and your family brought to ruin by your lack of consideration. The Empire is vehemently against the idea of exploiting children and using social gatherings like this to forge connections and arrange marriages. With how drastically things are changing, how far do you think your outdated sensibilities will take you? If you want to succeed within the Empire, you'll need to work on that character of yours."

Though it didn't show on her face, at least from an outsider's perspective, Reines was incensed by Luvia's words. She wanted to say something about how Luvia had just been lucky to jump on the bandwagon as a result of her relationship with Rin but, knowing the former wasn't shy to violence, she opted to withhold her comment. Instead, she did her best to remain calm, intertwining her arm with Waver's as she said, "I'll keep your advice in mind, Lady Edelfelt. Truthfully, I just want to provide my daughter with the opportunity to succeed in this changing world. Surely, you will not begrudge me for thinking about her future..."

Without footing around the issue or using flowery words, Luvia gave a curt nod in response to Reines' words before saying, "If you are concerned about your daughter's future, become a better person. You aren't a fool, Reines. Though your interactions with Vahn have been limited, you have had plenty of time to properly consider things. If you keep trying to take shortcuts in an effort to increase your status and authority, you're going to hit a wall. If you're truly concerned about your daughter, stop treating her like a political tool."

In the past, Luvia wouldn't have particularly cared about how Reines raised her daughter but, after becoming a mother herself, her perspective had changed a lot. The way Vahn raised his children had left a deep impression on her and, after spending a considerable amount of time with Ulla, it became impossible for her to empathize with anyone who treated their children as tools...

---

After being separated from her mother, Ridley's doll-like face had been set into a tiny frown. She hated being treated like a child as, despite the fact she was only six-years-old, she had mastered the basic curriculum taught at the Clock Tower. Her mother had educated her to be far superior to her peers so, while others her age were filled with whimsy and a general zest for the world around them, Ridley, emulating her mother, had already become a cold and calculating young lady...

Upon seeing a number of young children, many of whom were even younger than her, Ridley's face visibly darkened as she turned to her escort and asked, "Would it not be possible to have a private room? I am not feeling well and I would hate to get anyone else sick..."

While others might be easily tricked by Ridley's words, the elite security forces of the Edelfelt family weren't so soft. The room housing the children was the most heavily protected area of the entire mansion so, if there was an enemy attack, she would be much safer inside. Since it would also require them to send several people to watch over her elsewhere, the young man instantly shook his head, stating, "You will stay with everyone else. If you are feeling tired, rest on the sofa or eat some of the snacks provided. You needn't worry about getting anyone ill as you would not have been allowed to pass the barrier if you carried something infectious."

Seeing how quickly her escort had shot her down, Ridley's face morphed into a dour expression as she issued a 'hmph' and entered the room. Immediately afterward, the two men exchanged a knowing look between them before the man who had refuted Ridley just shrugged. They weren't authorized to actually enter the room so, without idling about any longer, they quickly alighted to return to their duties...

Despite her general loathing for other children, Ridley knew that everyone gathered within the room should be the sons or daughters of affluent families. With this in mind, she forced herself to at least make an introduction as, for all she knew, there could be children with a much higher rank and status than her own. She would eventually be forced to interact with her peers at some point in the near future so, rather than make a bad first impression, Ridley adopted her practiced smile before approaching the two oldest girls in the room, both having peculiar white hair.

Even before reaching the two girls, Ridley felt a strange sense of incongruity as, for reasons she couldn't fathom, part of her felt a strong desire to actually befriend these two girls. She did her best to bury this thought in the back of her mind but, by the time she was standing in front of the strange duo, her smile became noticeably more genuine as she politely curtsied and said, "Good evening. My name is Ridley, daughter of Lord El-Melloi Archibald. If possible, I would like for us to be friends..."

Though the older of the two girls just tilted her head cutely, the white-haired girl around her own age smiled in a way that made her seem much older as she answered, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ridley. My name is Aura and I'm always happy to make new friends~."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'If someone has power, someone else is coveting it','Luvia might be one of the best when it comes to playing politics but that doesn't mean she is playing games >:D...','It's a trap...!')

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