Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

In order to complete Ana's treatment, Vahn ultimately accepted her offer to reside within one of the many empty rooms of the palace. There were a number of things he was curious about, but, more than anything else, he wanted to bait out Cosmos Entelecheia. He would not allow them to bring Ostia to ruin, as, despite its flaws, it was easily the most progressive Kingdom in the Magical World. It served as an example of what the other countries could be, so, in lieu of expanding his Empire, he could lend them a bit of support in the hopes of making the world a better place.

Fortunately, due to how empty the palace complex was, Medusa didn't seem to mind staying for a few days. She even seemed to get along relatively well with most members of the Royal Family, largely due to the fact they were very taciturn by nature. They could speak eloquently when the situation called for it, but, unlike 'normal' people, they would spend hours at a time just sitting in silence, even when others were present. It was almost like they had no emotions or personalities, only coming to life when they were required to fulfill their duties as members of the Royal Family...

In total, despite a history that dated back to the establishment of Mundus Magicus, there were only five members of the Royal Family. These were the former Queen, Anarachia, her younger sister, who was actually her niece, Vesperina, the incumbent Queen, Arika, and the daughter of Vesperina, a two-year-old girl with red pigtails and a perpetually blank expression, Asuna. As for the final member of the Royal Family, Vahn only knew that she existed, something Ana had attested to but could speak no further of.

The Ostian Royal Family seemed to hold a number of secrets, but, the ones which stood out the most were the methods in which they ruled and their manner of reproduction. There were no Ministers anywhere within the palace complex, and, though there were quite a number of influential people within Ostia itself, the Royal Family seemed to have absolute authority in all state, civil, and military affairs.

From Vahn's perspective, the Ostian Royal Family were closer to Gods than a traditional family of Aristocrats. They seemed to solely produce female Descendents, and, after getting to know both of them, Vahn learned that neither Arikia or Asuna had a father. When he tried to inquire further, he was surprised to learn from Anarchia that, depending on the needs of the people and the state of the world, they would naturally produce offspring...

The more he interacted with the Ostian Royal Family, the more incongruities Vahn noticed in regards to their existence. They were great rulers who cared about their people and the state of the Magical World as a whole, but, much like Greater Spirits or Gods, they seemed to exist only to fulfill their purpose. He could tell they weren't completely emotionless, as even Asuna had her fair share of quirks, but they willingly suppressed their own wants and needs in order to better serve the duties and responsibilities assigned to them.

Even without exposing the truth, it wasn't difficult to extrapolate that the Ostian Royal Family had basically been 'programmed' to think and behave a certain way. Their lineage could be traced back to the Mage of the Beginning herself, so the most likely truth was that they had, quite literally, been created to govern the Magical World. They were simply too perfect as rulers, and, based on the orderly structure of their nation, despite the lack of Ministers, it was obvious there were other factors at play to ensure peace and stability were maintained.

With his knowledge of both the past and future, Vahn felt the existence of the Ostian Royal Family was a little strange. The fact they existed at all showed that, at some point in time, the Mage of the Beginning wasn't evil. Rather, according to legend, Mundus Magicus had been created specifically to escape hatred and persecution back on Earth. It was intended to be a Utopia where Mages could live in peace and harmony, coexisting with nature and enjoying a life free from suffering.

Vahn couldn't be certain when it had happened, but, at some point in relatively recent history, the Mage of the Beginning had simply given up on trying to create a paradise. She seemed to have grown jaded, and, based on his own experiences, Vahn could understand why. Creating a perfect world was simply impossible as the Universe itself always sought to create a balance between positive and negative karma. This was inarguably one of the most frustrating truths about the world, and, if you have a compassionate or empathetic nature, you were bound to face countless difficulties on your quest to ensure the happiness of others.

As someone walking a similar path, Vahn could empathize with the difficulties that had been faced by the Mage of the Beginning. He still couldn't condone what she had done, however, so, regardless of the truth, they would likely remain enemies. She likely had a number of ways to justify her actions, but, with the fate of every resident of Mundus Magicus on the line, there was little chance they could reach a compromise. At this point, it was better for her to die and reincarnate, freeing her from the broken existence she had become after straying too far from the path she had initially decided upon...

Thirteen days after his arrival in Ostia, Vahn could be found in what some would consider a rather scandalous position. He had Ana, now looking more beautiful than ever, laying naked atop one of his massage tables. His hands moved slowly but with purpose as he meticulously massaged each of her major muscle groups. She had just recently finished an arduous session of rehabilitation so he was helping to loosen up her muscles while also removing any negative sequelae that may have appeared after pushing her recovering body to its limits...

As was often the case during times like this, Vahn had an attentive audience of expressionless people watching from the side. These were obviously Arika, the near-identical, albeit far more mature, Vesperina, and, the only one with truly distinct features, Asuna. Unlike everyone else, the doll-like two-year-old had reddish-orange hair that was neatly tied, using golden ribbons, into pigtails. Even her eye color was inverted, making her left a sapphire blue and her right an emerald green, the exact opposite of the golden-haired beauties surrounding her.

With his knowledge of the future, Vahn knew Asuna played a major role in the plans of Cosmo Entelecheia. Though the details were not recorded in history, things such as her rescue during the Great Magic War and her future as one of the great heroes of the Magical World had been written down and passed into legend. This was no real surprise, as, after meeting her for the first time, Vahn had been gobsmacked at just how powerful the flow of fate around Asuna was compared to virtually everyone else...

Though Arika's own fate was noteworthy, it was inconsequential compared to the tiny girl that, over the last few days, had followed Vahn virtually everywhere. It was like comparing a puddle that formed after the rain to a literal ocean, and, after having her follow him around for a few days, Vahn felt as if his own fate was beginning to mix into the powerful flow that followed the admittedly adorable girl everywhere she went. He could, of course, simply ignore this, but, as it seemed like she would experience great tragedy if he left her alone, Vahn had been doting on Asuna quite a bit over the past two weeks...

After firmly pressing into the final few pressure points of Ana's body, causing a drawn-out sigh to escape her lips, Vahn pulled two towels out of thin air, one for himself and one for her as he said, "At this point, you could probably live for another hundred years without any problems. I have enjoyed these little sessions of ours, but, unfortunately, all good things must come to an end."

Hearing Vahn's words, Ana rose to a seated position, dabbing away her sweat without actually trying to cover her naked body as she said, "That is truly unfortunate. I have grown rather fond of these treatments. Your skills are truly befitting the title of 'Godhand'."

Having grown accustomed to Ana's praise, Vahn shamelessly nodded his head, adding, "But of course. I am no braggart, so, if I say my skills are unrivaled, it is an objective truth. Though I might pale in comparison to some specialists, my overall skill is something even gods would envy."

Amused by Vahn's words, Ana adopted a hint of a smile as she muttered, "Ah, yes, how could I forget such a simple truth? This Queen is grateful for the Sage Dragon Emperor's lesson..."

In response to Ana's words, Vahn theatrically puffed his chest out while raising his chin high enough that he could stare directly at the ceiling. Then, after several seconds of silence, it was Asuna who stated, "Bad acting..." in a small voice. This shattered the tensions, causing Vahn to chuckle lightly as Ana, Vesperina, and Arika all adopted slight smiles...

While waiting for Ana to return from her bath, Vahn, alongside Medusa, was preparing a meal for everyone as Arika and Asuna closely observed from the side. He had grown used to being observed by the taciturn duo over the last two weeks, so, while it was a little strange, Vahn let them do as they pleased. He knew they were simply curious, and, with little to do but research and train, they had made a habit of simply observing how he lived and behaved.

When Vahn had first arrived in the palace, all food had been prepared automatically using a very advanced kind of Magic that automated the entire process from ingredient preparation to dishwashing. The tools had literally operated themselves, moving as though a full staff of ghosts had been preparing the meals. It was quite a sight to behold, but, after just two days of eating bland yet nutritious food, Vahn had decided to take matters into his own hands. Since then, he and Medusa had prepared food for everyone in the palace, adding variety and flavor to the colorless lives of the machine-like women...

Smelling the fragrant aroma wafting through the kitchen, Asuna's tiny nose twitched a few times before she monotonously asked, "Vahn, what are you making...?"

Hearing the expected question, Vahn issued a light chuckle before pulling out a ladle filled with a creamy red liquid and saying, "Come and have a taste. Be careful, though, as it is still a little hot."

Without further questioning, Asuna hopped off the counter in a rather nimble fashion before making her way over to the proffered ladle. Then, like a rabbit or a tiny kitten, she spent a few seconds just sniffing at the unknown substance before very tentatively licking a small amount. This caused her eyes to immediately widen, not because it was hot, but because it was much sweeter than expected.

Enjoying the reaction of the usually expressionless girl, Vahn adopted a teasing smile as he explained, "This is my special curry blend, combining both sweet and savory flavors in a way that is appealing to both children and adults. Is it suitable for the Princess' palate~?"

Adopting a tiny frown, Asuna, who was only around 86cm tall, looked directly at him as she stated, "I don't like it when you call me Princess."

After placing the ladle back into the pot, causing a defeated atmosphere to permeate around Arika, Vahn gently ruffled Asuna's hair, saying, "Sorry, sorry, I was just teasing you a bit. Don't be too upset, okay, Asuna...?"

Further completing the illusion of a cat, Asuna closed her eyes whenever she received head pats, her mouth forming a shape similar to an inverted v as she enjoyed his habitual display of affection. She only responded when he pulled his hand away, opening her eyes with a slightly aggrieved look as she muttered, "Okay..." before scampering over to where Arika was being moody.

Seeing the look in the expressionless young woman's eyes, Vahn maintained his smile as he picked up another ladle and asked, "Mind giving me your impression as well, Arika? When it comes to the food everyone enjoys together, the more input I have, the better it will be."

Though it didn't show on her face, Arika seemed more than happy to give her input, walking over with graceful yet hasted steps before answering, "I understand. Since you go out of your way to prepare delicious meals for everyone, this is the least I can do."

Since Arika had come over a little too quickly, the curry was still a little too hot to sample for a normal person. Vahn could have let her burn her tongue, but, knowing every member of the Royal Family had what some referred to as a 'cat's tongue', he moved the ladle away from her face and said, "Woah now, no need to rush. Let it cool down a bit before you taste it. It would be difficult to give your opinion if you end up burning your tongue..."

Though she was near twice the height of Asuna, 163cm tall, Arika still had to turn her head up if she wanted to make eye contact with Vahn. This gave her expressionless face the quality of a girl pouting as she plainly asked, "Do you enjoy teasing me so?"

Ignoring Arika's accusation, Vahn made a small swirl with his finger, creating a miniature air current to rapidly cool down the curry before presenting it to her and saying, "Let me know what you think."

Though she still felt as though Vahn was teasing her, Arika only hesitated for a few seconds before sampling the curry. The first thing she noticed, other than the rich yet sweet flavor, was that the ladle was still a little hot. This made her feel a little guilty, but, knowing there was a fair chance he was still teasing her, she ultimately withheld her apology, saying, "It is a very sweet yet mellow flavor...did you mix in coconut...and some kind of fruit?"

Shaking his head, Vahn explained, "You might taste something similar to mango, but that is a combination of the cumin powder, ginger, and honey. These would normally be even more mellow, but, by producing the curry powder using ingredients rich with magical energy, it is possible to create a balance between the flavors. So, what do you think...?"

As if it was a serious matter, Arika lowered her head in contemplation for nearly a full minute before ultimately nodding her head and saying, "It is good. Thank you for letting me sample it."

Choosing not to comment about how long it took for Arika to say something so simple, Vahn just smiled before lightly ruffling the young woman's hair as he said, "You're welcome, Arika."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Two empaths on a collision course','Vahn is like a strange creature to these girls xD...','Arika wants to be spoiled (UwU)...')