45

The food was splendid and was better than anything I had tasted. Taking a small sip of the sake, I pushed down a frown, I wasn't a big fan of alcohol, but it would be rude to refuse to drink my own brew.

Soon enough, we were finished and ready to start talking again. I decided to be upfront with my goal. "I wish to gain access to your library. I heard it is the biggest source of magical knowledge in Gensokyo."

Taking a sip of her sake Remilia's eyes widened as she took another hasty gulp before setting the glass down. "I see." She said. "Unfortunately, I don't control access to the library, so you would have to talk to Patchouli about that."

Humming, I nodded as I let my fingers run over my glass; before I could reply, Remilia asked another question. "How did you make this sake, and would you be amenable to selling more."

I knew the sake was quite good, but I wondered why she would want to buy more now. As I was thinking it through, it hit me. Mother Knows Best enhanced everything when it came to working with children, and Remilia held the form of a child.

Mother Knows Best worked even on much older people than children so long as their body was young. That meant my sake which was already the epitome of sake, would taste much better to Remilia.

"Of course, I have more, and forgive me if this is rude, but you're a vampire, correct?" I asked; I knew she was a vampire, but it was better to be polite.

Taking another gulp, she gestured for Sakuya to pour her another glass promptly; after taking another sip from the fresh glass, she replied. "Yes, I am. Does that bother you?" She asked with a grin on her face.

"Of course not, you see, I like to consider myself an amateur mixologist, and I thought that I might see if I could add blood to this sake of mine. You would, of course, be the perfect customer."

My plan was twofold. I would purify blood that was sourced from my own Alter Self form, which still had veins and the like on the surface.

I would then mix it with my sake and sell it to Remilia. It would provide me the benefit of getting in with one of the power blocs of Gensokyo, as well as providing me with funds.

Grinning, her eyes lit up, and she shivered with barely contained excitement. "That sounds wonderful. When you have your offer, let me know." Turning to Sakuya, she spoke to her as well. "Please direct Aidan to the Voile Library and ensure that Patchouli knows he is a guest."

Nodding, Sakuya turned and started to walk out. "Follow me," She said as she pushed the doors open. Standing up, I gave a polite bow to Remilia as she took another long drink of the sake and walked out.

The walk was mostly silent except for the clicking of Sakuya's heels as we walked through the massive manor. As we walked, I traced our path with my intuitive space sense so I wouldn't get lost.

A few minutes later, we arrived at another set of doors. Tapping her hand in a rapid pattern, the doors shuddered open, revealing the most extensive library I had ever seen.

Taking a few steps inside, I looked around in awe. Even with my Servant-enhanced eyes, I could not see the end of the library. It was clear why space was twisted to expand the interior to hold millions of books.

I shook my head and refocused. I couldn't be distracted; I had a job to do and magic to acquire. Looking back to Sakuya, I politely nodded and thanked her. "Thank you, Miss Sakuya, and have a nice day."

Giving a slighter deeper bow, she replied, thanked me back. "It is no problem, sir; if you require my aid, speak my name, and I will help you."

"I'll make sure to do that," I responded as she took her leave. Rolling my parasol on my shoulder, I strode deeper inside the library. While an average person would be hopelessly lost within moments, my Arcanum allowed me to find the path towards the center of the magically spacious room.

As I walked, I marveled over the books and stopped a few times to peer at the more interesting books. Their books on everything from esoteric magic methods cast using only your index finger to massive tomes about the history of France.

There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to how they were organized, and a thick layer of dust covered a decent chunk of the tomes I looked over. However, I assumed the owner had a method to find what she wanted without looking by hand.

As I was walking, I turned the corner and saw a figure pulling books off the shelf and stuffing them haphazardly into a sack. The figure was a girl around sixteen to seventeen with long blonde hair down to the middle of her back.

She was clad in a black and white witch's garb and had a broom leaning up against the shelves. As a few of the books she grabbed were wrinkled, I frowned as I felt my fingers twitch.

I had worked on my temper for years and had managed to stifle it for the most part, except for two things. The first was my family. If you insulted or harassed my family, I got pissed real fast, and while I couldn't do much physically, I was much better with insults.

The second was books; they had been my sanctuary for years, and seeing people treat them carelessly pissed me off. Seeing this witch stuffing books haphazardly into a sack made me want to smack her over the back of the head with something hard.

As the Grimoire grew, I felt a tingle in the back of my mind. Ignoring that, I pushed down my rising anger and floated behind the girl before tapping her on the shoulder. This caused her to spin around, and I dropped to the ground looking down at her. I noticed for a moment her yellow eyes.

I then realized that I towered over her. I was around six feet tall as I hadn't bothered to change my height with Alter Self which placed the witch almost a foot shorter than me, about five feet tall.

She tensed for a moment before laughing and beaming up at me before speaking rapidly. "Name's Marisa Kirisame: Ordinary Magician. What are you doing in this library?" She asked as she stopped shoveling books into her bag.

Seeing that she had stopped, I gave her a polite nod while reaching out to shake her hand. "The name's Aidan, no title; I'm looking to talk to the owner of this library about procuring a magical battery."

Tilting her head in confusion at the shake, she then grabbed my hand and pumped it twice, long-forgotten memories seemingly having surfaced. After we exchanged greetings, I approached the other topic.

"I presume you are not allowed here based on your speed and disgusting disregard for the books. I feel it is safe to assume you are stealing them." I said dryly, smoothing my voice out as my fingers twitched and my voice tightened when I saw her flagrant disrespect to the books.

Marisa took on an over-the-top expression and placed a hand on her chest. "I'm not stealing these books. I'm merely borrowing them for sixty or so years. Patchy can have them back after I'm dead."

Humming, I let the facts tumble through my mind before settling on a plan. "I must ask, are you human, as yellow eyes aren't common with people? Of course, I could be mistaken, and the light distorted it." I said, pushing an air of confusion into my voice.it

Marisa looked confused at my non-sequitur before peering into my storm-gray conjured eyes as she babbled. "Nah! I'm fully human, 'ts why I'm called the Ordinary Magician, ya see!"

Nodding, I hummed along as I slammed a heavy blast of Hypnotism into her as our eyes met. While I felt a decent amount of pushback, she still dropped like a sack of bricks.

Even powerful humans couldn't resist hypnosis if they were caught unaware. I wouldn't do anything harmful to her as that could bite me in the ass later, but my simulacrum could entertain her for now.

A slight twist of my parasol opened a portal back Home, and I then picked up the girl and her broom before I dumped her inside the pocket dimension. Poking my head inside, I shouted out to my simulacrum. "Make the girl comfortable and ensure she doesn't blow anything up, please!"

Hearing various hums and sounds of agreement, I closed the portal and returned, walking toward the center of this massive library. It didn't take long before I saw a small arrangement of tables with two figures around them.

The first was slouched over a book with dozens neatly stacked next to her. She had purple hair that I could tell wasn't dyed and was clad in purple and white pajamas. The white hat with a golden moon on the front completed the strange look; I noticed how sickly she looked as if she was about to kneel over any moment.

The other person was dressed in typical office clothing, and she wouldn't look out of place except for two things. Her hair was red, and she had two pairs of wings. The first was on her back and looked like a stereotypical devil's wings. While the second was the same but much smaller and on her head.

Strolling closer, I coughed lightly to get the two people's attention, so I didn't startle them. This caused the figure at the table to slide her gaze over to me. She slowly and carefully placed a bookmark in the book she was reading and set it down.

"Hello, Miss, my name is Aidan. I am looking for assistance in magical knowledge and was told I could talk to you for aid." I said, giving a respectful nod as I stood back, relaxed, and waited for a response.

Tapping her fingers lightly on the table, she nodded and spoke with a slightly raspy voice from disuse and illness. " I am Patchouli. What is it you are looking for?"

I nodded and stepped closer before settling down in the chair across from her. Her lilac eyes roamed across my form before I spoke. "I am attempting a massive ritual and need something that can store enough energy to get it off. I have the source. I just can't run it through myself without serious harm."

Nodding slowly, she replied in that same slow-thinking tone. "I see, and what do you have to offer?" Reaching into my robe, I pulled out one of the Health Potions the Grimore had given me. They had been made explicitly for a sickly archmage who would kneel over dead without them. I doubted that Patchouli would need the full effects, so one a day should suffice to ensure her health.

"This potion was something I have found and was designed to relieve the symptoms of a powerful archmage of an illness that would have him kneel over dead without several of these a day. In practice, they are powerful healing magic capable of healing a single mortal wound and suppressing illness and disease."

At that, one of her eyebrows raised, and she reached out before stopping for a moment and looking at me. I nodded in approval, causing her to grasp the glass bottle and look over it while muttering softly in a language I didn't understand.

After several minutes, she set the small bottle down and looked back at me with a hint of surprise in her eyes. "I must admit they are quite impressive; however, I will require more than a single sample to trade a powerful artifact."

"Of course, I am willing to supply you with them. I am also an expert in ritual craft and have ample knowledge I am willing to share," I said as I leaned my parasol against the table and rested my interlaced hands on the table in front of me.

Thinking it over for a few moments, Patchouli finally nodded before speaking. "I will give you an artifact capable of storing nigh-unlimited power. In exchange, I want a constant supply of these potions. The exact amount can be discussed; however, I am not willing to accept less than two a day."

I could give her up to six a day if I were unwilling to attempt other methods of creating more. I suspected that Dust might work, given that it could create magical items in Endless Legends. However, that was also limited until we got access to a large body of water to crank up Dust production.

I could also theoretically use my Lunar devices to create a potion of conceptual 'Health'; however, I didn't know how that would affect somebody, so that would have to wait for testing. Composing my thoughts, I started to reply. "I am willing to trade three a day. However, due to the limits of the potions, they will not stockpile until I get another source set up."

Frowning, Patchouli looked over the potion. "Why is that?" She asked with a slight head tilt. I didn't know the exact method, and I couldn't explain that a magic book gave it to me, so I decided to go with the next best thing and how I suspected they did work.

"They are based on a template of the actual potion. However, while the effects last, the potions themself fade away once used, and I only have six at a time." I replied while spreading my hands in a what can you do motion. "However, I am experimenting with another method to create them, and once that works, I am willing to give you the permanent copies."

She blinked slowly as she picked up the potion again and looked it over more closely before replying. "I will accept so long as you give me one of these temporary potions along with the two permanent. Until you set up the method of brewing more, I will accept three potions a day."

Humming, I looked over the proposal in my mind. It was quite good as Arcana Of Renewal healed my injuries rapidly, which meant that if I needed more than one healing potion, I was deep shit and likely dead. I could afford to give up three now and one later; I would also need a method to give some to her once I left Gensokyo, but I could figure that out later.

Nodding my head, I reached out to shake her hand. "That sounds wonderful, Miss Patchouli. I will endeavor to get the proper potions for you soon." Taking my hand and giving it a weak shake, she agreed. "I agree and hope we can do business in the future."

As we released our hands, she turned to the other figure, who had been looking with curiosity as we talked. "Koakuma, go to storage room 3M and retrieve the large opal on the right," She said louder than her usual near whisper before settling back and picking up the book she had been reading before I arrived.

Tapping my fingers on the table, I decided to wait. While waiting, I looked across the table at the book Patchouli was reading; it was labeled: Space and You, a Novice's Guide to Teleportation and Portalmaking. Based on that title, I assumed it was about making portals and teleportation.

It was a bit strange that she was reading it since the entire manor was heavily distorted from normal space, but I suppose that catching up on the basics was good from time to time.

A little while later, Koakuma returned with a raw opal a little larger than her head. She carried it without difficulty and set it down with a thump on the table far away from any of the books. Dusting off her hands she stood to the right and behind Patchouli with her hands clasped in front of her.

Slowly placing the bookmark back in and setting the book down, Patchouli sat up and looked over the opal with a keen eye for a few minutes. "This opal is able to store and transfer large amounts of power; however, it is not unlimited, so if you are going to be draining a metropolis, it will explode. I also request that when you perform the ritual, you allow me to witness it. In exchange, you will be allowed to freely browse the library so long as you do not remove any books." She said while gesturing for Koakuma to bring it to me.

"I understand, and when I am ready to perform the ritual, I will bring you," I said as I grabbed the massive gem. I then tucked it up against my side, both Class Card Heart and Power Overwhelming allowing me to carry it easily.

Picking up my parasol, I gave the purple-clad magician a polite nod and opened a portal home. "Thank you for the item Miss Patchouli, and I look forward to seeing you again," I said as I turned to leave. She answered back with, "I, too, hope we can collaborate in the future."

Stepping inside my home, I closed the portal behind me and strode through the field of sunflowers toward my house. Stopping for a brief moment, I saw that Marisa was sitting on the porch drinking from a teacup and laughing wildly while one of my simulacra told a story complete with my wide gestures. I also noticed a bottle of pure sake that was half empty in between them.

Striding up, I handed the opal off to one of the simulacra, who was lounging about listening to the story with half-closed eyes. "Take it out back; that's for Scion." Turning back to the story, I sat down and listened in; as I sat, the Grimoire expanded and caused my eyes to twitch as new knowledge infused me. Ignoring it for now, I listened to the story.

"So there I was sitting across from the biggest legends, King Arthur, Alexander the Great, Gilgamesh, and when asked who I was to sit with these kings, I told them I was the heir to the moon!" This caused another eruption of laughter from both the simulacrum and Marisa.

Catching his breath, he chuckled a few times before counting. "I then corrected them by saying that I was technically third in line, as if that matters!" Chuckling, he took a sip from the cup in front of him, poured a bit from the opened bottle into another cup, and passed it to me.

Marisa turned startled before relaxing, her ever-present grin not fading in the slightest. "Heya! That was a nice trick ya did their mind explain how you did it?" Taking a sip of the sake, I raised an eyebrow and leaned back before replying.

"Hypnosis. The way it works is you infuse a person's brain with magic and nudge their thoughts or mind in a direction. For you, I made your mind think it was asleep, and your body followed after."

Sitting forward, she took a swig from her cup and spoke. "That's pretty neat! Where am I, anyway? This place reminds me of Yuuka's place." Raising an eyebrow at the name, I replied to the question sweeping my hand across the area. "This is my home; it's a pocket dimension that I control with an ever-changing exit."

"Huh, that's neat," She committed. "This sake's good, anyway. You new to Gensokyo cuz I haven't seen you around?" Taking another sip, I settled against the wall in a more comfortable spot. I then grabbed my parasol and sat it on the ground next to me before I responded.

"I'm fairly new here, yes. Komainu recommended it as a place where I could unwind and not have to worry about fights to the death. I would say that so far, it's held up." Marisa nodded in response to my response before taking another sip of the sake.

"I gotta ask, where did you get this stuff? It's amazing!" She blurted out after a bit of us simply sitting and looking at the sunflowers. I chuckled in response to the exclamation; it seemed my sake was a big hit.

"I made it over in that corner," I said, pointing towards the area free of sunflowers that I had converted into my Lunar science station. "However, I wouldn't head over there as the devices purify everything around them, and that would likely kill you."

When I pointed off towards the section Marisa had seemed ready to dart off, but as I continued and she heard of the dangers, she settled back down. However, she still occasionally set glances towards the Lunar machines.

"Anyway, I do have stuff to do, so if you don't mind, I'll need you to leave," I said as I stood up. "Where would you prefer to be dropped off." Standing up as well, Marisa grabbed her broom and brushed off her dress before speaking.

"Well, if you could drop me off outside the Forest of Magic, that would be great." She said as she adjusted her hat before looking off in the only direction free of trees, which was the exit from my home. I, however, decided to test out my newest power as well as prevent Marsia from possibly getting into the Lunar section and being purified.

My new power had enhanced Arcanum and granted me new knowledge of space. This allowed me to do quite a few new things. I could act like a better version of Vista by twisting space around like a pretzel.

I could also teleport by removing the space between here and there and transforming doors into portals anywhere in the world. I was also able to twist space to prevent almost anything from entering locations and have excellent Clayrvince that allows me to see in multiple places at once.

I could allow myself or others to be in multiple places at once so long as they did not meet. Lastly, I could open a portal to the gap between everything that would grant me access to a location that no one would be able to access unless I let them or met another mage from the World of Darkness Universe.

Due to the Gap's nature as between everything, they could also act as portals by allowing somebody to enter them before leaving at a different location, and that was what I was going to have Marisa travel through.

Opening a gap in front of Marisa, I gestured for her to enter the black void. "This is the gap; when you enter, it will drop you off outside the Forest of Magic," I said while Marisa's eyes grew wide, and her head turned to face me. "Are ya some long lost sister er brother of Yukari or somethin?" She asked while looking at me with a thinking expression on. "I do have ta ask, are you a girl or boy?"

"I don't know who Yukari is, and I'm a boy," I stated, the corner of my mouth turning up while looking at her. This caused her to look me up and down in surprise before speaking. "Well, neat, you could pass for a girl if your voice was a bit higher, shrink a bit, and you could hit the kid looks like Rumia."

"I don't know who Rumia is as well, but would you mind heading out? I have magic to do." I responded while leaning on my parasol, waiting for her to leave. "Wait! Let me stay here. I want to see what kinda magic you do," She shouted out as she tried to dart towards me.

I responded by opening a Gap in front of me, and a slight twist of space caused her to go sailing into the Gap. I then slammed that one shut before opening a small one to peer at her. She was looking around in confusion for a bit before I opened a Gap beneath her feet and a few feet off the ground in front of Kourondou's.

As she fell out and the Grimoire grew, I started barking orders at the simulacrum. I had one last task to do before I could simply explore, and that was setting up my home as a proper mage's sanctum. I had been ignoring all of the things my powers could do to make it a proper fortress.

Powers Gained

The Leaner

Well, as you're certainly the newcomer here in this world, you've got a lot to learn. You learn new things 10 times as fast until you reach what would be considered an average level of proficiency. You also get a flat ×2 multiplier to any form of learning or training that you do. You can also learn innate traits of other beings, although it will be harder to do so than normal.

Arcanum

You may ward your sanctum against intrusion, forbidding entrance to certain objects, creatures or individuals, for space itself bares their passage. You may see into many places at once as well as binding or severing sympathetic connections as you are able. If you desire it, you may use your magics to transform a door into a portal to nearly anywhere else in the world.

You are very nearly unbound in space. You may be in more than one place at once, with the aid of appropriate arcana, though your spatial doppelgangers may never meet. You may use the threads of space to entangle enemies or bind them to a given location. You may travel without motion, disappearing and reappearing as you cross the illusion of distance. If necessary you may step into the gap between spaces, waiting in an impermanent tiny universe until you are needed.

You are able to alter the amount of space an object takes up, reducing a house to the size of a cat, or making a lonely road stretch out near infinitely. Just as you are able to be in several places at once, so to may you draw objects, places and even other people into a similar disassociated state of being; allowing them to be in more than one place at the same time. You may conceal locations within gaps in space, and twist the bonds of it to ensure that no mortal is ever able to find it. If you desire, you may ensnare others in twisting roads and winding paths with neither origin or destination.