Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As one of the closest countries near Ostia, the first destination Arika had decided upon was one of the nine Holy Lands, the Sacred City of Light, Nyandoma. It was a land predominately inhabited by members of the various Demihuman Cat Tribes, and, as its names implied, it was an area under the protection of the Great Spirit of Light, Nyon Utu.

Though there were many places Arika wanted to visit, Nyandoma seemed like the best choice since it would take less than three hours of total travel time. She had stayed up nearly the entire night, so it simply didn't seem sensible to push herself by choosing a more distant location. Her Airfish might have an auto-pilot cruising function, but, if their flight path intersected with another ship or a group of migratory monsters, it could spell disaster...

---

Despite arriving in the Record relatively recently, Vahn had a better grasp of the geography than most of its residents. His sense of direction and spatial awareness, combined with the fact he had a Map Function, made it almost impossible for him to get lost. Thus, even without asking about their destination, he already knew where Arika was taking them.

Vahn had always been rather fond of Cat People so he was very interested to see what an entire country full of them was like. He already knew it was a moderately 'oriental' country, borrowing a lot of inspiration from countries like Japan, so spas, saunas, and hot springs were popular tourist traps within the fantastical City of Light. These were things he had always been fond of, so, after a quick meeting with the Great Spirit of Light, he was intending to enjoy himself for a few days.

Seeing what appeared to be an Ancient Japanese City looming on the horizon, complete with large tiered pagodas, large shrines, and a bevy of slope-tiled buildings, Vahn's could feel his anticipation steadily increasing. It was like stumbling upon a treasure for the first time, as, due to their peaceful coexistence with nature, there were very few Airfish flying around Nyandoma airspace. Rather, there were quite a few laws preventing flight over residential areas, so, before Arika made the mistake of trying to fly directly over the city, Vahn teleported into the common area before entering the bridge through the main entrance...

Though she enjoyed flying quite a bit, Arika had never been at the helm for several hours in a single sitting. She had also never flown while mentally fatigued, so, with nothing to keep her focused, she had been on the verge of dozing off for a while. When she heard the hissing of air that denoted the opening of the bridge doors, however, she snapped back to awareness in an instant, her expression a perfect mask of unwavering focus as she muttered, "We will be arriving in a few minutes."

Resisting the urge to point out the small amount of drool visible near the corner of Arika's mouth, Vahn just gave a curt nod before saying, "We don't have a permit to fly over Nyandoma airspace so we'll have to either land outside the city or request access to their private Fishport. Remember, this isn't Ostia so you can't just fly around with impunity."

Hearing Vahn's words, Arika lightly snorted through her nose before saying, "I am well aware of the laws and policies of foreign nations. This ship is equipped with a concealment function, so I will find a place for us to dock within the nearby finger mountains..."

Rather than question the veracity of Arika's claim, as she was undoubtedly very familiar with foreign policy, Vahn just nodded his head. There was no need to point out that she had been flying directly toward the city, only turning towards the mountains after his reminder. Instead, he said, "Once you find a place to dock, we'll stop for a few hours to rest. Asuna probably won't wake up for five or six hours so it is a good opportunity for you to shower and take a nap. I'll wake you up when it is time for lunch."

Though Arika's first instinct was to protest, saying she didn't require rest, she ultimately decided to remain silent after hearing him mention Asuna. The idea of a hot shower, a decently long nap, and a delicious meal was also very tempting, so, after a few seconds of silence, she stated, "I agree. Asuna is still very young so she needs adequate rest and nutritious food in order to spur her growth. After I find a place to settle down, I will follow your advice for her sake..."

Realizing it was probably going to take Arika quite a while to be able to converse 'normally', Vahn adopted a wry smile before handing her a handkerchief and departing the bridge. He didn't bother to explain what the handkerchief was for, allowing her to stare at it for several seconds before she brought her fingers to the side of her lips. Then, since he had already left the room, the briefest hint of an embarrassed flush colored her cheeks as she quickly wiped away the evidence of her dozing off...

---

Designed during a period where she contemplated running away from home, Arika's unnamed Airfish came complete with a fully furnished kitchen, a sizeable bathroom with both a bath and a walk-in shower, a spacious common area, a decently-sized cargo bay, two crewman quarters, and, as could be expected, a rather large Captain's quarters. It was also fully equipped with anti-pirate and anti-monster armaments, so, despite its cute appearance, the goldfish-like ship was actually an A-Class Superlight Cruiser, one capable of even scuttling a Dreadnought under the right conditions.

After finding a good place to dock, Arika activated an invisible gravity anchor that would prevent the ship from crashing into the nearby rocks before turning on the powerful cloaking device. The ship was usually undetectable by most forms of radar and magical sensors, but, when the cloaking function was activated, the large barrier surrounding the ship could refract light in a way that made it completely invisible. This required a substantial amount of energy, crippling most of the weapons systems, but it was a small price to pay for complete concealment.

With the ship successfully docked, Arika released a tired sigh, reclining in the pilot's seat for several seconds before ultimately rising to go enjoy a hot shower. The moment she exited the bridge, she could hear the sound of something sizzling from the kitchen, and, though it was currently very light, a fragrant aroma had already started to pervade the ship. This brought a slight smile to her face, as, in the past, she had never particularly cared about the taste of her food. Now, however, meals were a time to look forward to rather than just another block in her schedule.

After enjoying the fragrance for a short while, Arika made her into the belly of the ship, the location of the crew cabins, cargo bay, and bathroom. She was still a little bitter about the fact her room had been occupied by Vahn, but, after thinking about it during the flight toward Nyandoma, she could understand the reason. He hadn't been assigned Guardianship over her and Asuna, but, as a result of his status as both an Ancient Dragon and an Emperor, her mother had 'requested' Vahn to take care of them. It simply wouldn't be proper for her to force him to stay in the crew cabin, as, not only was his status higher than her own, he was also the one taking care of and protecting them...

While thinking about the complexities of her current situation, Arika began to peel off the pieces of her clothing, neatly folding them before placing them into a clothes bin. There was a large mirror in the bathroom, so, after stripping down completely naked, she expressional stared at her own figure, complex feelings swirling in her heart. She wasn't a vain woman, but, based on what she had heard, she should be quite beautiful. Her hair was neatly trimmed and well maintained, her body was clean and unblemished, and, though she hadn't fully matured, she had filled out in the places men should find attractive...

After staring at the reflection of her body, Arika made eye contact with herself before extending her hand to touch the surface of the mirror. The structure of her face was equally as flawless as the rest of her body, but, due to her lack of expression, it almost seemed inorganic, much like a mask. It had never been an issue in the past, but, after seeing Asuna slowly become more expressive, combined with the 'zest' that seemed to radiate around the woman named Fenrir, Arika was beginning to feel as though her 'face' was a problem...

Allowing a tired sigh to escape her lips, Arika turned away from the mirror, activating the magical formation that powered the steamy shower. She allowed the warm water to remove some of her fatigue and melt away the frustrations that had been growing in her heart, things she didn't fully understand. She somewhat wished that Vahn had arrived sooner, as, after seeing the difference in his treatment of Asuna and herself, she couldn't help feeling slightly envious. Now, even if she had the heart to ask him to spoil her, it simply wouldn't be proper due to her age...

Leaning her forehead against the shower wall, enjoying the soothing vibrations of the hot water striking her scalp, Arika fell into a deeply contemplative state. She had discussed the matter with her mother, and, though she wasn't quite sure how to go about it, her mother had basically given her consent to do whatever she pleased. She was given permission to follow her heart, and, though she wasn't quite sure where it would take her, Arika knew she wanted something more, something she didn't fully understand...

---

Though he was largely focused on cooking, Vahn was passively aware of everything taking place in his domain. As a result, he wasn't unaware of the subtle changes Arika was undergoing, causing him to shake his head in mild exasperation. She was very confused right now, but, after traveling around and experiencing more of the world, Vahn was hoping she would stabilize a bit. The only reason she liked him was because he was the first reasonably powerful man that treated her well. She was stuck in a peculiar equilibrium between viewing him as something akin to a surrogate father and a future love interest, something he had encountered surprisingly often after entering a new Record...

Shaking his head once again, Vahn began to dexterously flip the stir fry in his wok before letting it simmer on the stove. He had already made his decision, so there was no sense in letting it bother him too much. In fact, the more he allowed it to affect him, the worse the issue would become due to how perceptive young women like Arika could be. It would be easier to all-in on treating her like a child, as, even if she 'resented' him externally, he knew she would be internally happy.

At this point, the best thing Vahn could do to prevent the situation from getting further out of hand is making sure Fenrir didn't try to 'convert' Arika and Asuna. She had a habit of conditioning others to view him in an excessively positive light, so, if left to her own devices, the number of people that could be classified as his Believers would steadily increase. She also had a habit of cultivating those closest to him into being 'good girls', effectively instilling the idea of 'work hard and receive lots of pampering'...

---

The moment her Master started thinking about her, Fenrir's ears twitched slightly, her eyes opening to reveal a curious glimmer. She could sense he was thinking about something complicated, and, as the person who knew him 'best', she could guess what was troubling him. She basically had a sixth sense when it came to other people like her Master, so, from the moment she saw the members of the Ostian Royal Family, she saw them in a very positive light. After all, anyone who liked her Master was either exceptionally intelligent or a relatively good person...

With this thought in mind, Fenrir looked toward the sleeping Asuna, finding the young girl to be an exceptionally adorable creature. Though she also had something very 'dangerous' sealed inside of her, this was actually pretty normal for anyone her Master had taken an interest in.

Using the back of her paw, which now looked almost indistinguishable from a human hand, albeit one covered in soft blue fur, Fenrir gently stroked Asuna's bangs. She had always been rather fond of children, so, knowing how protective her Master was regarding them, Fenrir would not hesitate to protect them with every fiber of her being. This elevated Asuna's status to a considerable extent, to the point she was only beneath her Master in terms of importance...

As this thought crossed her mind, a smile spread across Fenrir's face as she pawed aside Asuna's bangs and planted a kiss on her forehead. Then, like a mother embracing her child, she held the sleeping princess close, gently nuzzling her as a soft layer of fur spread across her entire body...

---

Sensing the changes in Fenrir, Vahn couldn't help but lightly chuckle as he threw all the food into his Inventory for later consumption. Then, deciding to get some fresh air, he teleported outside the ship to sit atop one of the relatively common 'finger mountains' that existed throughout Mundus Magicus. These were massive, pillar-like, structures that were typically composed of a type of dense white stone. Some were several hundred meters in diameter, making them exceptionally popular for hermetic Mages looking for a place to build a retreat.

Sitting on the very edge of the 1700m tall rocky pillar, Vahn wondered whether or not it would only cause more problems if he were to introduce Arikia and Theo before they were originally intended to meet. Theo didn't seem as prone to imprinting on others as the taciturn Queen, but, with a bit of 'coaching' from Fenrir, there was no way of knowing what would happen.

Remembering his last encounter with the tomboy princess, Vahn adopted a wry smile as he shook his head. Then, startling a flock of pterosaur-like creatures that had inhabited the surprisingly lush forest atop the finger mountain, Vahn began to laugh out loud without any inhibition. In the end, it was entirely up to him how things developed, so, rather than worry about future troubles, he would continue to live in the moment. He could even play matchmaker, and, if he really wanted to, there was nothing stopping him from blasting entire worlds into oblivion...

As if one some kind of divine cue, a thunderous explosion sounded just as Vahn reclined against the soft grass. This caused him to immediately revert to a seated position, his pupils expanding greatly before contracting as he looked toward another finger mountain that was collapsing around twenty kilometers away. Then, from within a reddish-pink cloud of magical energy, a large dragon emerged like a meteor as it crashed to the densely forested area near the base of the mountain range...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'An Otaku's paradise','This chapter gives a feeling of Deja Vu...','It seems Vahn is, once again, practicing the ancient art of flag-raising')

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