Ceaseless Pursuit

Though he could have gone on, quite literally, forever, Vahn decided to call it quits after everyone except Illya, Arcueid, Aoko, Okita, and Fenrir collapsed. He had been enjoying himself for a few hours, and, soon enough, he would have to take the children to school. There was also the simple fact that if he didn't stop quickly, girls like Medea, Jeanne, and Okita might end suffering a trauma.

Vahn had been curious about their presence at first but, after Circe began an impromptu lesson on sexual etiquette, it became clear why they had stayed. She wasn't the most qualified teacher but, with Fenrir having difficulties explaining things in an easily understood manner, Circe was the best alternative.

It was a little awkward having such an attentive audience but Vahn had grown accustomed to such things due to his past experiences. He wasn't a particularly shy person, so, knowing it would make things a lot easier for the inexperienced girls; he let himself be a test dummy. Besides, it was amusing seeing Circe try to restrain her urges while trying to explain things to her fiercely blushing niece.

Medea had gone so red that her ears were practically glowing with a crimson color as she sat at the edge of the bed in a pale-lavender dress. As for Jeanne and Okita, the former had a wide-eyed look as she formed her lips into a perfect line, a somewhat overwhelming reaction as it looked like she was trying to avoid saying something. Okita, however, just watched on with a disinterested expression despite the intense focus in her gaze...

Though the lessons alone were rather intense, Vahn's Divinity ensured they wouldn't soon forget the event. He generally projected his aura radially, so, like the other girls on the massive bed, they were well within the area of his influence. As a result, they could feel everything Circe was experiencing, albeit to a lesser extent. Still, this was more than enough stimulus for pure girls like Medea and Jeanne, even if the latter took it surprisingly well at first.

Fortunately, Medea had Medusa hugging her from behind, the latter's hand lightly stroking the area beneath her navel to help her relax. Medusa was still a virgin, but she was rather fond of 'helping' out when Vahn was having sex with the other residents of the Menagerie. She had also dutifully learned the very basics of [Hands of Nirvana], so; while her skills were negligible compared to her Master's, it was useful for things like massages and helping people relax.

The real problem was the inclusion of girls like Arcueid and Illya as, compared to 'normal' women, they experienced something that others would describe as transcendental. Even Vahn wasn't able to fully resist their influence, so; shortly after he and Illya began making love, Medea ended up briefly losing consciousness. Since she insisted on being allowed to stay, regardless, she ended up being put through the wringer along with the rest of the girls present...

In the end, only those who had a high tolerance, immortal bodies, or a considerable amount of experience had been able to stay conscious. The rest ended up succumbing to the shared waves of pleasure; Hati and Medusa included. It was Hati's collapse that caused the event to come to an end as, though fundamentally different than Fenrir; she was still a Vanargandr. For even her to fall prey to the veritable ocean of pleasure, well, it was a red flag in a lot of ways.

Fortunately, Arcueid and Aoko were pretty easy to calm down so, after coaxing Illya and Cath Palug for a few minutes, everyone had been freed from the seemingly endless cycle. Afterward, Vahn helped to wake up the collapsed girls, checking on their bodies to make sure there were no sequelae. Though Medea ended up needing to cool her head for a short while after awakening, Jeanne, Hati, Gareth, and Medusa were all in high spirits.

Once Circe had finished talking with Medea, everyone decided to take a bath together using the sizeable in-ground tub. Though not quite an onsen, it served a similar function as it was capable of comfortably seating fifteen people, something that would undoubtedly be necessary for the future. For now, Vahn just enjoyed soaking his body in the steamy water with Illya and Fenrir flanking him. They had always been relatively close, so, after sharing a bed, they were practically on the same wavelength, both wholly fascinated with their 'Master'...

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As much as he would like to spend all of his time with his family and lovers, the latter of which could be attested to by his Divinity; Vahn couldn't allow his indulgences to supersede his actual duties as Emperor. He still had a purpose to fulfill, starting by meeting with Gawain to discuss the deployment of the Imperial Forces. Afterward, he visited Olga to spend a bit of time with her, checked up on Lilith, and wrapped things up at the Hanging Gardens. Then, when everything else was was said and done, Vahn entered his personal [Space-Time Orb] with the ever-mischevious and adorable Aeterna.

One of the things Vahn felt compelled to complete was the forging of [Lævateinn] so, even if he was busy with other matters, he always found at least an hour to focus wholly on forging. This hour translated to fifty within the [Space-Time Orb], time that was necessary to keep his skills sharp and Aeterna happy.

Vahn had once failed to visit the affectionate Vulcanae Queen for three days in a row, resulting in the Dwarves having to send a plea to have him visit as she had effectively made the Great Forge unusable due to feeling neglected.

Spirits were emotionally sensitive creatures, and, as a Greater Elemental Spirit, Aeterna suffered from this same quirk. She was also pretty young, so it was easy for her to fall into a negative mindset, even if she was smart enough to know he hadn't abandoned her. Instead, the main reason for her dour mood was the fact that much like Vahn himself, she was very eager to complete the forging of [Lævateinn]'s penultimate form. It was something they had been working for virtually her entire life, so, in a way, [Lævateinn] was even more critical to Aeterna than it was to Vahn.

Now, Vahn could focus all of his attention on the internal structure of the blades they were forging as Aeterna dutifully managed the heat. Their cooperation had long reached the point where it didn't require them to communicate with each other verbally so, while they had yet to achieve their shared dream, even the 'failures' they produced were always A-Rank and higher.

At this point, almost every item forged between Vahn and Aeterna approached the level of a masterwork, not just their [Lævateinn] prototypes. As a result, they had even been able to outfit both Gawain's and Kenshin's battalions, earning him quite a bit of rapport with both the Commanders and the Homunculi themselves...

The curious thing about this was; by having people appreciate and laud his work, Vahn noticed that the quality of his forged equipment gradually increased. He didn't know if it was due to his [Will of the Emperor], which unilaterally increased his capabilities based on things like Loyalty, Respect, and Adulation, but it was a 'very' noticeable change. The only other explanation was the 'Power of Belief,' something he needed to account for within the Nasuverse. After all, it was similar beliefs that allowed many Heroic Spirits to make use of unique abilities, some of which they may not have had during their lifetimes.

Semiramis was one of the best examples of this quirk as, during her lifetime, she had nothing to do with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. She hadn't even seen it during her lifetime but, because she was often associated with the Hanging Gardens by countless people, it had become a part of her actual Legend. Because of this, she has an intuitive knowledge of how to construct it and, despite the real Hanging Gardens being nothing more than an intricate garden; it was even able to fly due to the imaginations of people who imagined it to be.

Since even Concepts could be manifest with a physical form, Vahn wasn't too surprised by the fact that his skills and abilities were becoming more powerful due to the perception of people around him. Even his ability to pleasure his women had experienced a qualitative improvement, something he had heard with increasing frequency as of late. Thus, with these factors driving him, Vahn was encouraged to continue working hard, continually aspiring to reach even greater heights...

It was with this mentality that Vahn was able to forge an S-Rank [Lævateinn], one of five 'successes' he had managed to achieve over the last few months. This caused Aeterna to happily rubs her cheek against the rather vicious-looking blade before flittering up to Vahn's face, kissing him on the cheek before chiming, "We did it, Vahn~! Hurry, name it, name it~!!"

With a gratified smile showing his appreciation and pride, Vahn did as Aeterna suggested, pointing the newly forged blade toward the sky as he exclaimed, "Henceforth, your name shall be [Lævateinn: Epsilon]. Become a blade that vanquishes the Empire's foes and protects its people...!"

Since this was his only real opportunity to use [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] these days, Vahn didn't hesitate to use up his current charge. Each successful [Lævateinn] he forged was infused with his and Aeterna's hopes and dreams so; while not on the same level as his actual children, Vahn wanted his masterworks to be able to grow without restrictions.

As if to respond to this desire, [Lævateinn: Epsilon] flashed with chaotic energy that seemed fueled by the Laws of Destruction. It gave it an awe-inspiring, albeit tyrannical, aura, one which threatened to lay low any you crossed its path.

At the same time, it's four 'brothers' resonated around it as Vahn always made sure they bore witness to the birth of their sibling swords. They currently lacked a real Ego, but there was a nascent seed of awareness within each of them, crying out in celebration of their newly forged brethren.

When the light had faded away, [Lævateinn: Epsilon]'s Grade had advanced to what Vahn would estimate to be the middle of the S-Rank. Like it's sibling-swords, it even had an unlimited ability for growth, represented both by its Parameters and Abilities. He would need to wield in battle but, from the very beginning, Vahn's journey towards the peak hadn't exactly been a peaceful one...

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[Lævateinn: Epsilon]

Rank: S (Divine)

Slots: 1

P.Atk: 2407+240

M.Atk: 1692

Abilities: Acknowledgement of the Emperor(-), Lævateinn(S), Flame Wreath(S), Spirit-Siphon(A), Familial Bond(-)

One of five swords possessing the legacy of the legendary Lævateinn. The flames emitted by this sword cannot be extinguished by normal means, burning all things recognized as an enemy by the Creator. Due to its Creator's desire to forge a blade with limitless potential, this sword has a very high chance of developing a Spirit that embodies this desire.

Restrictions: Vahn Aldrnari Mason, Progeny of Vahn Aldrnari Mason

Unique Restriction: Can only be used by those with a sincere desire to protect the Empire and its citizens from harm

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Seeing Epsilon's stats, Vahn felt even more pride than before he had named it. He was unable to restrain himself, so, along with the other four [Lævateinn] variants: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, he exited the forge to give the newly forged blade a test run. He could feel their excitement bubbling up with his own, each desiring the thrill of battle.

Fortunately, he could create a new Memory Fragment on the fly so, for the remainder of his session within, Vahn, and the five vermillion blades, cut loose. Though the Memory Fragment lacked the use of his Innates, it was able to change its shape freely, and, with its ability to use [Laplace's Key], Vahn was one of his most terrifying opponents. By the end of his session, it had become a 'beast' that was more than 10m in height, formed from metallic black ooze that unhesitantly used various Laws in unique and 'educational' ways...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is a monster o_o...','Aeterna doesn't like being ignored (T ^ T)','Vahn is basically an eldritch entity at this point xD...')

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