Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

(A/N: I realize I may not have described Nero's outfit properly, causing a bit of confusion. Though the final design will be left to your imagination, she isn't wearing her Red Saber outfit. Rather, she is wearing something akin to a translucent wedding-dress with three key parts. The top is a strapless lace bodice that hugs her figure, accenting her bust due to its deep cut. Instead of wrapping all the way around like a normal bodice, however, there is a gap in the back which, when combined with her white gown, form a small window. As for the other two major components of her attire: the gown is actually the closest thing to the original dress, just imagine it without the red cloth covering it at all. Lastly, in lieu of any kind of armor, she has lace stockings that rise to her thighs. She has nothing covering her neck and shoulders but, starting from her elbows and flaring out like a flower near her hands, she has lace sleeves. I may have an artist create a rendition of this in the future but you'll have to use your imagination for now~! The sexier it is, the closer you are to the truth...!)

Having explained much of what he expected from Nero, Vahn had the distinct expression she turned her brain off while others were speaking. Though she seemed to hear what he was saying, it felt like her eyes weren't looking directly at him and, throughout the entire explanation, she didn't even blink a single time. It wasn't until he had finished completely that she seemed to return to life, movement restored as she dutifully nodded her head and said, "Umu, you are quite the ambitious one. Truly, a man suitable to be my Master. I do have one question though, if I may?"

Since the entire purpose of the discussion was to clear things up for her, Vahn nodded his head in approval but, when he actually heard Nero's question, the mental fatigue that followed summoning seemed to hit him like a brick wall. It wasn't that she asked something improper, rather, with a mildly curious expression on her face, she cocked her head to the side, asking, "Was this explanation really necessary? Umu, I'm certain the Memory Link will clarify everything, will it not?"

Though it was rarely at the forefront of their mind, all Heroic Spirits summoned through the Throne of Heroes were aware of the existence of the Memory Link. It was part of the information provided to them by the Summoning System itself; alongside knowledge about language and other modern conventions.

Vahn was too used to Heroic Spirits being somewhat disoriented upon their summoning so, hearing Nero's question, he couldn't stop himself from releasing a small sigh. To this, Nero herself just smiled radiantly, placing her hands on her hips and saying, "Umu, worry not, my Master, nobody is perfect. Even one that embodies perfection, such as I, am not entirely without flaw. Umu, umu."

Hearing Nero's words, Vahn wanted to point out her vocal tick but, feeling it wouldn't really phase her in the slightest, he just gave a small nod before addressing everyone, saying, "Let's return to the surface. I need to recuperate my mental energy but, tomorrow, we will have a competition of sorts to clarify matters. Artoria, Alexander, you will wait until then before you go around challenging others. I do not wish to see conflict amongst allies; remember this well, Alexander."

Despite the fact that Vahn had singled him out, Alexander just smiled in response without offering any comment on the matter. In his mind, an Emperor was not something that could be restrained so easily and, from what he had observed between Vahn and Nero, it seemed his new Master lacked the qualities of a 'true' Emperor. Alexander wouldn't point this out but, if it turned out that Vahn lacked the qualifications to rule, it was only a matter of time before someone usurped his power, something that had briefly crossed the minds of both Ozymandias and Nero as well.

Though he didn't know what they were thinking, Vahn never expected that dealing with such strong personalities would be easy. Despite this, he wasn't particularly worried they would do anything as, once they better understood his power, they would realize the futility of such action. Their beliefs of how an Emperor should behave had no value in the present as, from the very beginning, Vahn would rather be a deterrent than an actual ruler. Besides, when it came to being selfish and resolute, he had more than the three of them combined; much like his compassion, empathy, and, most importantly, his authority...

While he had no intention of denying their past titles, Vahn had no intention of bestowing the title of Emperor to any of his summoned Heroes. To make it clear that they wouldn't be getting any kind of special treatment, they were given similar quarters to Gawain and Galahad, at least if they chose to stay within the Ivory Castle. Those that chose to live outside were able to stay in one of the various small yet lavish manors that existed, much like Semiramis had in the past. These came with a staff of up to ten Homunculi but, from the very beginning, Vahn made it 'very' clear that they were not to be treated as simple servants.

Since he had to consider things on a much grander scale than most could even imagine, Vahn rarely took insults, admonishment, or even assassination attempts against himself to heart. However, if you targetted or mistreated one of the people he wanted to protect, there were very few circumstances that wouldn't end with you losing your life at his hand. This protection extended to the Homunculi that had taken it upon themselves to act as servants, Knights, and even Governesses for his children. If they were mistreated in any way, it didn't matter how useful a person may be to the Empire, Vahn would bring down his unfiltered wrath upon them...

Fortunately, his message seemed to get across to even people like Alexander who, for the first time since he had been summoned, lost the smile on his face. Vahn's aura had a peculiar calming aspect to it at most times but, when he was warning them not to mistreat, harass, or threaten the citizens and servants of the Empire, this vanished in its entirety. Instead, his aura became unfathomably cold, almost like a void that could swallow up anything without leaving even the smallest trace behind...

In the end, Ozymandias and Nefertari took up temporary residence in one of the smaller manors on the south side of the island. As for Alexander and Nero, they both opted to stay within the castle; the former unhesitantly finding a place for himself near the Knight's Training Field alongside the former members of the Round Table. All he needed to know was that everyone went there to train, making it the obvious place for someone that reveled in the thrill of battle.

The first real issue arose when Nero insisted she be allowed to stay within the Inner Sanctum, her justification being that she was both an Empress and Vahn's servant. She refused to stay elsewhere, pointing out the many people that shared similar traits to herself, both in appearance and status. It was incomprehensible to her that she be excluded from the Inner Sanctum as, despite evidence to the contrary, she automatically included herself as part of Vahn's assortment of women. Since nearly every female he had ever summoned was involved with him, she considered it ridiculous that she be excluded just because she was summoned later.

This was, for various reasons, a painful point to make as it emphasized just how lacking in discipline and restraint Vahn had been. While it wasn't entirely true, as exceptions such as Spenta and Boudica existed, the former was a perpetual child while the latter probably wouldn't be against the idea. She and Spenta were also allowed to stay within the Inner Sanctum at their leisure, something that had only ever been truly denied to Semiramis; for obvious reasons...

Still, it wasn't as if they could just acquiesce to Nero's demands so, deciding to take advantage of the woman's unwavering confidence and all-consuming ego, Vahn discussed the matter with Artoria and several others within the Inner Sanctum before coming to a compromise. If she was able to impress during the coming competition, Artoria would recognize Nero's claim as one of Vahn's Empresses. It actually made her uncomfortable to imagine Nero with someone other than Vahn so, after humbling the woman in a duel, she was hoping the haughty Empress would mellow out a bit.

With his Empress and Consorts coming to an agreement, Vahn informed Nero of the decision while Artoria, followed closely by an entourage of annoyed women, went to seek out Merlin. They knew he must have a reason for insisting that Nero be summoned but, regardless of how he tried to justify it, they wouldn't be pacified until he experienced their frustration. He wasn't the one who had to deal with Nero so, whenever the latter annoyed them, it was all but guaranteed the girls would choose Merlin and Vahn to vent their frustrations, albeit in very different ways...

After leaving the Inner Sanctum, Vahn, now accompanied by Okita, Jeanne, and Gareth, found Nero sitting in the waiting room separating the Inner Sanctum from the rest of the Ivory Castle. She didn't immediately react to their presence as, for reasons unknown, Spenta and several Companions had arrived at some point to keep her company. The Companions, in particular, weren't that much of a surprise to see but, upon noticing the presence of the loveable white-haired girl, Vahn couldn't help but squint his eyes as his mind began speculating why she would gravitate toward Nero...

Though he knew there had to be some tragedy in Nero's past, the way she behaved didn't make it apparent she was all that affected by it. Even her aura didn't appear remotely disturbed, possessing a quality similar to a pure golden sun. This gave off the impression that she was an existence far above the mundane affairs of man, untouchable; lacking a single blemish.

The presence of Spenta, however, negated this impression entirely as the young girl almost always went to the place she was most needed. She was even sitting in Nero's lap, tightly embracing the woman who, even now, had a confident smile on her face and an undisturbed aura. Her demeanor seemed to convey that she expected to be loved unconditionally so, without knowing exactly what Spenta was, Nero allowed the girl to snuggle up with her; reciprocating in kind...

As if only realizing Vahn was present when Spenta looked over, Nero followed the young girl's gaze, her smile increasing marginally as she mused, "Umu, I trust you came to an appropriate conclusion. Tell me, my Master, what have you decided? Have you come to your senses~?"

Hearing Nero's question, Vahn was freed from his contemplation, answering in a calm tone, "It has been decided that you will stay outside the Inner Sanctum until tomorrow's competition. If you are able to prove yourself in battle, the girls will welcome you without fuss. For now, a suite has been arranged for you near the Residential Area. If you wish to explore the island or venture around the castle, there are a number of people who are more than willing to guide you around."

Since Spenta was still sitting in her lap, Nero was basically trapped on the bench; unable to rise to her feet. Still, she managed the first mildly annoyed expression Vahn had seen on her face, her arms tightening around Spenta marginally as she asked, "Umu...will you show me around, then? Don't tell me you can't even be bothered to escort a woman you haphazardly summoned without asking their consent?"

Perhaps realizing she couldn't act with impunity, Nero's mood seemed to shift in an instant. Even her aura, which had been blazing like a sun, began to shift into a hazy blue as it began to pulse; similar to the beating of a heart.

Seeing this sudden change, Vahn was slightly taken aback but, as he had actually intended to be the one to show Nero around; he realized she had misinterpreted his words. Thus, before she could lose her spirits completely, he hastily explained, "You misunderstand me, Nero. If I didn't intend to help you settle into your room, I would have sent someone else to deliver the message. Afterward, I was going to show you around the castle and introduce you to the various hotspots. My comment about exploring the island pertained to your options after I return to my other duties. The days and nights within the projection are long so I assumed you might end up wandering around if you got bored..."

As if her earlier mood had been nothing more than an illusion, Nero began nodding her head while intoning 'Umu' over and over. Then, hugging Spenta in her arms, she rose to her feet and, with the same confident smile as before, exclaimed, "Umu, then I'll be in your care, my Master. Please, lead the way; I will follow along without falling behind~"

Vahn nodded his head in affirmation to Nero's suggestion but, even as he began leading the way, he took note of the fact that the proud Empress continued to carry Spenta along with her...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Don't fuck with the things Vahn cares about o_o...','RIP Merlin','Hidden flags and heavy burdens...')