Agony

Despite an 'earnest' effort from Fenrir the following morning, Vahn still found himself feeling tense as he sat in the office Seras had prepared for him in the Imperial Academy. He had decided to take a break from his duties as an Advisor, but, not wanting Asuna to miss out on an opportunity to play with her friends, he kept a version of himself nearby at all times. Watching her wow both her friends and the teacher always brought a smile to his face, and, even though he was still feeling anxious, it didn't prevent him from finding enjoyment in everyday life.

With the exception of Fenrir, Medusa, and Laev-tan, everyone else was completely oblivious to his current state. Asuna seemed to have sensed something, but, after some light coaxing, she returned to her normal, smiling, self. She was slowly transitioning from a taciturn, doll-like, girl to one with a very outgoing personality. Theo and her classmates had, largely, been a positive influence on her, and, though becoming an Advisor had caused him a few problems, Vahn didn't regret it. Just seeing Asuna smile was enough to brighten his day, and, though it didn't get rid of the anxiety in his heart, it made things a lot more tolerable...

---

While his main body was watching over Asuna, another version of Vahn could be found seated on the edge of a partially destroyed bed. He was currently staring at nothing in particular as he used an oil rag to mechanically, yet skillfully, polish Laev-tan. Behind him, sprawled out on the bed with one arm covering her eyes, Fenrir could be heard breathing rather raggedly, her body tinged with a ruddy hue as she did her best to recover. Her sweat-covered body was unbelievably tantalizing, but, after going at it for nearly seven hours, Vahn, despite her protests, had to give her a break...

Hearing Fenrir's breathing gradually calm, Vahn turned his attention toward her, an affectionate yet apologetic smile on his face as he watched her chest rise and fall. The brief interlude had apparently allowed her mental fatigue to catch up to her, so, despite not requiring sleep to recuperate physical exhaustion, Fenrir had passed out. This wasn't unexpected, however, as Vahn had been proactively infusing calming energy into his domain specifically for that purpose. It pained him to see her trying so hard to ease his tensions, so, after realizing the anxiety in his heart wasn't going anywhere, Vahn decided to remove the burden from her, at least for a few hours...

After watching his hard-working companion sleep for nearly half an hour, confirming she wouldn't be waking any time soon, Vahn rose to his feet and began to stretch his body. He was still as limber and flexible as usual, but, no matter how hard he tried, the tension simply wouldn't fade away. Even Sis didn't understand why he was having such a reaction, reporting what he already knew; there was absolutely nothing wrong with his body. His heart was pumping regularly, there weren't any kind of chemicals pumping through his system to make him feel anxious, and, from what they could tell, it didn't seem like he was being influenced by anything externally. Vahn had even pushed his [Will of the Emperor] to its limit, fracturing Space-Time just from the pressure his aura exerted on the void...

Exhaling an uncharacteristically heated sigh, Vahn shook his head before openly asking himself, "What the hell is wrong with me? Is this the interference of an unawakened Innate...no...maybe it's an indicator that I'm nearing the peak of Tier 4...?"

Resisting the urge to tear at his own hair, Vahn created another version of himself to keep Fenrir company before departing the [Sub-Space Orb]. He didn't really need something like 'fresh air', but, feeling a strong desire to get out and do something, Vahn decided to trust his instincts. If he didn't find out what was wrong with him pretty soon, he was afraid he might actually lose it...

---

Though he would generally walk around without concealing himself, amicably interacting with the residents of Ariadne, Vahn made an exception this time. He felt like the attention he would normally receive was toxic to his current mentality, his mind to wandering the moment an attractive woman so much as smiled at him. The itchy feeling in his heart 'demanded' attention, so, from the moment he sensed the opposite party's interest, Vahn was seized by an urge to just give in to his instincts...

Before he realized it, the disguised Vahn, appearing as a plain young man with dark brown hair and no noteworthy features, was standing outside a poorly maintained gate. When he noticed where his 'instincts' had taken him, Vahn's released an exasperated sigh that earned him even more attention from the Guard monitoring entry into the lesser-known Academy. He didn't seem all that enthused by the fact some random passerby was standing outside the gate, so, after hearing Vahn sigh, the pug-like man asked, "Do you have business here, kid? If not, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave..."

Rather than respond immediately, the image of a woman with a toned body, short golden hair, and two rabbit ears danced across Vahn's mind. He could vividly recall the seductive smile she had sent his way, and, though it was imperceptible to others, he could smell her aroma lingering around the gate. Fortunately, or perhaps not, he could sense her in the middle of a lesson, her slim and athletic figure now covered by a set of robes as she, unaware of his presence, earnestly tried to teach the less-fortunate children who attended the underfunded Academy...

Shaking his head, Vahn looked toward the progressively more disgruntled guard, saying, "I came to make a donation to the school. Give this package to the Principal once he returns. Inform him that the Sage Dragon Emperor will be keeping an eye on how the funds are used..."

Breaking his transformation, Vahn returned to his default appearance as he pulled out a small box filled with Drachma. Both of these things were enough to completely cow the dog-faced man, the folds of his brow multiplying as he stepped against the back wall of his security booth and tried to stammer out an apology. To this, Vahn just shook his head, passing over the box before teleporting away in the blink of an eye...

---

Appearing several kilometers outside Ariadne's borders, Vahn consolidated a phenomenal amount of energy in both of his palms before blasting it towards the sky. His first instinct was to destroy the surrounding landscape, but, feeling this wouldn't be fair to the environment and the Elementals, he directed his frustrations toward the sky. He hadn't felt this way since the time Tiona had first kissed him more than two-hundred years ago. Back then, he had destroyed an entire forest despite being infinitely weaker than his current self, so, using what little self-control remained, Vahn directed his frustrations skyward, tearing a massive hole in the cloud coverage above...

After completely emptying his reserves, Vahn allowed himself to fall backward onto the ground, a light layer of sweat covering his brow. His breathing was also ragged, but, after a few seconds, it gradually returned to normal. At the same time, a tiny Wood Elemental emerged from the ground a few centimeters away from his face. It seemed to sense his frustration, as, after staring at him for a few seconds, it waddled over and began to lightly pat his head...

Understanding the adorable creature was trying to comfort him, Vahn's offered a wry smile as he gently picked up the Elemental, allowing it to sit on his chest as he muttered, "I'm okay...I'm just a little frustrated..."

Since nascent Elementals couldn't really understand and communicate with people, Vahn wasn't surprised when the Wood Elemental just tilted its head to the side. Instead, he lightly rubbed the tiny Spirit's head, causing it to release gleeful squeaking sounds. This drew the attention of other Elementals in the area, and, after a few minutes had passed, Vahn had more than a dozen of the tiny creatures either trying to comfort, or being comforted by, him...

Seeing so many Elementals gather for him, a natural yet apologetic smile had spread across Vahn's face as he came to a seated position and said, "Sorry, little ones, but I can't stay here for too long. I doubt the Mage Knights will just ignore someone releasing an ultimate-grade attack spell so close to the city. Return to your homes and be well."

Even if they couldn't communicate properly, Elementals were sensitive to intent, so, after hearing Vahn's words, they quickly dispersed. Some vanished into the ground while others, quite literally, faded into thin air. The last to vanish was the first Wood Elemental to show up, but, after giving him another light pat, it, too, jumped into the ground. Its departure caused a tiny flower to sprout from the earth, seemingly as a departing gift to try and cheer him up...

Chuckling lightly to himself, Vahn picked up the tiny white lily, admiring it for a few seconds before muttering, "Eva...I wish you were here right now..."

As the words left his lips, Vahn seriously considered using the pieces of the Tri-Force to find Eva's location, but, before he could make up his mind, a layer of frost spread for hundreds of meters as an icy cold voice, emanating from the void, asked, "Oh? And what would you do if she was...?"

For a variety of reasons, Vahn's body seized up, his heartbeat accelerating to hundreds of beats per minute as his body began to visibly shake. This seemed to amuse the voice's owner, a girlish giggle echoing through the surroundings as his shadow expanded to several times its natural length. Then, from within the darkness, a shadowy figure with ruby-red pupils slowly formed into an unbelievably beautiful woman with a voluptuous figure. His shadow seemed to cling to her body, becoming a black leather dress that barely contained her bosom while leaving her leather panties completely exposed...

With what could only be described as an 'evil' smile on her face, the mature, golden-haired, beauty traced her pointed nail, covered in blood-red polish, along her bottom lip. She seemed amused by his reaction, her icy voice taking on a sultry undertone as she mused, "How adorable...to think you could have such an innocent reaction despite playing around with so many women..."

Unable to find any words to express his current emotions, Vahn found himself burying his face into his hands in a vain effort to calm down. His breathing had become even more ragged than when he exhausted all of his energy, and, despite his best efforts, his body continued to tremble as he used every last bit of self-control in his being to restrain himself. His first instinct was to tightly embrace the woman, but, fearing she would vanish into thin air, likely after thrashing him, he forced himself to remain calm...

Though she was beginning to think his reaction was a little extreme, the woman, Eva, felt slightly vindicated. She had been watching Vahn for a few days at this point, and, after seeing him go at it with Fenrir and Medusa-like animals, she had been growing increasingly annoyed. The only reason she hadn't left was due to the fact that he possessed one of her dioramas so she was interested in whether or not he would use her scroll. He was already very powerful, so, depending on whether or not he could control the Magia Erebea, she would have to kill him before he could wreak too much havoc...

As this thought crossed her mind, Eva recalled how Vahn had addressed her, his voice containing a palpable longing. His reaction had caused her to momentarily forget why she had revealed herself, but, now that she remembered, her expression turned icy as she asked, "Tell me, boy...who allowed you to call my name so affectionately? I don't sense my imprint on you, so you couldn't have used my scroll..."

Hearing Eva's question, Vahn slowly raised his head, surprising her by the volume of tears that were flowing down his face as he answered, "There is so much I want to tell you..."

Seeing Vahn's expression, Eva felt slightly taken aback as a pang of guilt spread through her heart, causing her expression to become severe as she stated, "Well, out with it...I'm listening...don't test my patience...boy..."

Though she didn't understand the reason, Eva began to feel extremely nervous after seeing Vahn's tear-stricken face. Her mind began to race as she attempted to recall whether or not they had met in the past, but, considering most of the people she encountered were either dead or had no idea who she was, this was unlikely. Vahn clearly knew who she was, but, rather than fear, he seemed to emanate a combination of pain and relief...

Feeling his time was limited, as Eva would likely run away the moment the Mage Knights showed up, Vahn's panicky feeling compounded as he hastily explained, "There isn't enough time for me to tell you all the things I have bottled up. Just know that I have mastered the Magia Erebea, and, even if it might seem impossible, I came to this world at the behest of your memory fragment. I'll let you beat me up or even kill me as many times as you want, but, please, Eva, let me save you..."

Hearing Vahn's words, Eva showed an incredulous expression before immediately transitioning into an icy look as she venomously stated, "I don't need saving...what, do you think I'm some weak brat that can't take of her own problems!? Do you even know-"

Before Eva could continue lambasting him, Vahn created a small projection using his source energy, displaying Eva's 'true form'. This brought an immediate cessation to her words, as, even if Vahn had been able to obtain one of her scrolls, he shouldn't have been able to deduce her true form. There was no way one of her Memory Fragments would reveal the truth, not without something extreme occurring...

Taking advantage of the silence, Vahn slowly awakened his Magia Erebia constitution, causing Eva's expression to transition from suspicion to shock as she asked, "How...?"

Understanding what Eva was truly asking, as there was simply no way someone should be able to conceal her own technique from her, Vahn smiled wryly as he repeated, "There is so much I want to tell you...please give me the chance..."

Though her instincts were telling her to get as far away from Vahn as possible, there were simply too many questions that Eva wanted answers to. Thus, after an oppressive silence, she glared back at him, venomously stating, "If I find your explanation lacking, I will show you despair beyond your wildest imagination..."

Without waiting for Vahn's response, Eva 'blinked' behind him in an instant, grabbing the collar of his tunic before blasting off with enough force to create massive cracks in the ground. Then, like a rocket ascending to space, she dragged Vahn away at a blinding speed, far faster than the group of Mage Knights would be able to follow...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fenrir is working hard...','Vahn wants to smash them bun's buns...','This...I...')

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