Small Steps

When Sakura finally woke up, around five hours after Vahn had laid down with Rin, he helped pick out an outfit for her while she went off to the bathroom to dutifully brush her teeth. Afterward, he helped to brush her hair and style it up while, having never been much of a morning person, Rin took her sweet time crawling out of bed. By the time Sakura was ready to go, her mother had only just dragged her feet toward the bathroom, releasing a loud yawn along the way as she asked, "Are you going to breakfast...?"

Vahn gave her head a rub in passing, sending a wave of gentle yet stimulating energy into her body as he answered, "Yeah. I'm going to cook something up so hurry over. After that, we can take a walk over to the Knight's training field together. Sakura wants to see Mordred's morning training..." As she was near what Artoria stated to be the 'ideal' age to start Page and Esquire training, Vahn had a small expectation that Sakura might take an interest in it. She was at an impressionable age and, though it wouldn't be easy for her, there were a lot of people within the castle who would support her growth.

Unlike her mother, Sakura was already completely awake so she immediately followed up by pumping her little fists and exclaiming, "I don't want to be protected by Onee-sama! I want to become strong...!" As she had already seen Mordred vaulting through the air in a way she had not even though possible, followed by her dominance of all physical and skill-based recreational sports, Sakura had been inspired. She knew that Mordred wasn't even a year older than she was so if she began working hard, Sakura believed it wouldn't be long before she was able to do incredible things as well. This was why, when Vahn picked out clothes for her, she was given an outfit similar to what Artoria and Mordred wore during morning training, complete with an undershirt, tunic, trousers, belt, and springy riding boots that ran halfway up her calves to prevent her from rolling an ankle...

Though Rin was moments away from telling Sakura she didn't need to try and follow in Mordred's footsteps, she ultimately just smiled before stroking her daughter's head and saying, "You can do it, Sakura..." in a guiding tone. Even if the training was hard on her, Rin knew it would be better for her in the long run and, considering she would be under the tutelage of Artoria, there was little chance she would be in any real danger. If Sakura actually managed to reach the point of being a qualified Knight from Artoria's perspective, there would be few enemies throughout the entire world that would be able to contend against her. Thus, even though she kind of wanted Sakura to just live an easy and peaceful childhood, Rin instead decided to just support her decision...

---

After cooking up a large and hearty breakfast, at least until Circe eventually showed up to take over the kitchen, Vahn enjoyed another lively meal before placing a few dishes into a picnic basket and escorting Rin and Sakura over to the Knight's Training Field. Along the way, Vahn explained to Sakura what she should expect, including that most trainings took place during the day period. If not for the fact he had detected Artoria, Gray, and Mordred heading out earlier, her resolve would have to be temporarily quenched. As for why the girls were training during the night period, Vahn didn't really question it since it wouldn't be the first, or the last, time. With Catherine currently wandering around France with Astolfo and Nobunaga, Mordred didn't have any other lessons so it was a 'given' that she would be training with her mother...

As expected, Mordred and Artoria were currently in the midst of light sparring while Gray was seated on a blanket at the side. Most of Mordred's training took place directly in the Knight's Training Field instead of the Training Orb due to the seal on her body not really necessitating the use of the infinite white space. Though their fights could get pretty intense at times, Artoria emphasized 'control' over raw power as, with their use of [Mana Burst], it wasn't really necessary for them to exert themselves in the same way as others might. Instead, she was trying to hone Mordred's instincts further while helping her build up a stronger foundation, the antithesis of her previous, somewhat brutal, fighting style.

Almost as soon as they arrived in the field, Sakura stared in awe as her sister twisted her body agilely through the air to evade a sweeping blow from Artoria. In the same movent, Mordred tried to bring her own reinforced wooden sword to bear against her mother but, by simply adjusting her center of gravity and placing her sword at a sloping angle, Artoria was able to deflect the blow with finesse to spare. To her credit, Mordred was also about to react extremely quickly, kicking out with her left leg and releasing a small burst of mana that allowed her to flip over, performing a second strike that was evaded with a backstep from Artoria. She was taking advantage of her smaller stature and compact center of gravity to spin around in the air, combining offense and defense together in a manner that made it hard to follow her movements.

Unfortunately, while such techniques might take the average warrior by surprise, Artoria's expression remained unflustered as, after stepping back, she also released a small burst of mana through her feet. Mordred held her sword with the broad side facing Artoria's charge while condensing a thin membrane of mana around her body. This resulted in Artoria gripping her sword a little tighter as, like a professional batter, she slammed her sword into Mordred's, sending the latter flying backward for several meters. Artoria continued to press the attack without giving Mordred any leeway, forcing her back until the latter nearly reached the wall of the training field. Instead of allowing herself to be pressed to the wall, Mordred used her proximity to the hard stone surface to leap back, planting both of her feet against the perpendicular surface before launching herself forward with a powerful thrusting motion.

With Mordred now going on the offensive, Sakura continued to watch their battle with her mouth slightly agape before asking, "Is it really possible for me to fight like this...?" Now that she had seen an example of her sister's skill, Sakura had suddenly lost all of her confidence. Vahn answered her question by rubbing the top of her head, explaining, "If you work hard, you'll be able to do even more amazing things. One day, you'll even be able to fly through the sky and move faster than even the fastest airplanes..." As he said this, Vahn began to slowly levitate himself and Sakura, surprising the latter until she realized what was going on. Since he now had her full attention, Vahn smiled affectionately as he added, "There are no limits, Sakura...never be afraid to reach for even greater heights..."

Though they had both taken notice of his arrival, Artoria brandished her sword after deflecting another one of Mordred's strikes. This was the signal for their spar to end, causing Mordred to wipe the sweat from her brow as she looked up at the floating duo, adopting a wry smile before shouting, "Chichiue, Sakura, don't go flying around without me~!" In response to this, Mordred felt a tugging on her body that slowly lifted her into the sky, eliciting a happy snicker from the youthful Knight as Artoria shook her head and plainly stated, "I'll give her a ten-minute break..." With that said, Vahn alighted his two daughters into the night sky while Artoria made her way over to where Rin and Gray were seated, the basket of food and a thermos of hot tea waiting for her...

Vahn took Sakura and Mordred a few hundred meters above the training grounds, using his domain to keep away the frigid wind as he held the two girls' hands and slowly drifted through the air. He could keep her protected but, with Sakura's current physique, it wasn't safe for her to move around at high speeds. She would experience things like whiplash and gravitational strain if he accelerated too quickly, things her body wasn't able to withstand just yet. Thus, even though it was probably a little boring for Mordred, he just guided them slowly through the sky while, overhead, a half-moon illuminated the night, casting its gentle rays down on the uncommon trio. To add a bit of flair, Vahn channeled strands of Source Energy into his domain, causing bands of rainbow-hued light to spread through the surroundings, reflecting in Sakura's teal-blue eyes that had been glimmering, even as she tightly clung to his hand for dear life...

---

After setting back down on the ground just under ten minutes later, Vahn rubbed the tops of both girls' heads, promising, "I'll teach both of you how to fly in the future. Mordred, make sure you take proper care of your sister during training. The path the two of you walk may take different forms but it is still the same path. As Imperial Princesses, it is important that you are able to protect yourselves while also setting a proper example for those who will idolize you..." With that said, Vahn withdrew his hands from their heads while Artoria rose up from her spot and took over. She gave Mordred the task of performing a thousand sword strikes, using the proper form, while, as this was Sakura's first time even holding a weapon, Artoria had her practice just 'standing' in certain poses to start building up the muscles she would need for proper training later on...

While seated at the side with Gray and Rin, the latter spontaneously asked, "Should I start training with Artoria as well? I've always been a mid-range and close-combat Magus so it would probably be a good idea if I train seriously..." In response to this, Vahn brought his fingers to his chin, adopting a thoughtful expression as he remarked, "There is nothing wrong with pursuing such a path. The only thing that really matters is that you keep training persistently and with the correct mentality. Even reaching a level beyond the Gods isn't impossible, especially with proper guidance..." Though saying such a thing to Rin, who had two Goddesses inside of her, was a bit strange, Vahn was very serious when he made such claims.

Ishtar had actually seen mortals rise to a level that allowed them to contend against the Gods, she didn't really have much to comment on the matter other than telling Rin, ("It won't be easy but you'll have the two of us to help you. Just make sure to properly express your gratitude in the future, my dear vessel~.") At this point, Ishtar had become rather fond of Rin and, now that they were all with Vahn again, she was in a great mood. As for Ereshkigal, she sat in the corner of her own territory, nodding her head with a happy smile as she was surrounded by more than a hundred dolls that looked vaguely reminiscent of Vahn. She had been keeping herself occupied by practicing her sewing, something that both creeped out and amused Ishtar as they were forced to occupy the same space within Rin's soul...

Though she had been silent after greeting Vahn and Rin previously, Gray used this topic to enter into the conversation herself, remarking, "I would also like to become stronger...instead of always relying on Add, I want to be able to protect myself with my own power." This caused the small metallic cube in her sleeve to comment, "Hey now, you aren't intending to abandon me, are you!?" Though he had always kept quiet around Artoria, even though the latter was already aware that he was templated from the consciousness of her adoptive brother, Sir Kay, Add couldn't keep silent when hearing Gray effectively say she wanted to grow beyond having to rely on him.

Hearing the somewhat shrill metallic voice of Add, Gray held up his cage, shaking it around a bit as she complained, "I'm not going to abandon you, idiot...I just want to be stronger. I lose most of my combat ability when we are separated so I need to get stronger to avoid losing you..." This remark caused the vaguely humanoid face on the metallic cube to look rather embarrassed as, in a much lower voice than previously, he released an awkward laugh before remarking, "That's right, isn't it? Sorry, Gray, I said something thoughtless..." As 'he' had always been overprotective of her ever since the first incident with Svin, where he had been sealed away in a magical vault, Add had panicked a bit when it sounded like Gray was going to stop using him in combat...

Seeing the peculiar interaction between Gray and the small cube, Vahn had an amused expression, even though he knew Add's main weapon, Rhongomyniad, wouldn't be in his possession for much longer. With that in mind, he habitually stroked Gray's head, eliciting a sheepish blush from the monochromatic girl as he remarked, "The path you decide upon can take any form you please, Gray. You will have my support in anything you choose to do, even if you ultimately chose to spend the next couple of years enjoying life. I think it's long past due for you to experience some happiness so don't push yourself too hard until you have a proper understanding of your goals..." With nearly sixty years of additional prep time within the Projection, Vahn believed it might actually be better for girls like Gray to just take it easy for a short while. Even Nobunaga and Kenshin had similar ideas and, if she was able to find a 'new motivation', he knew her strength would increase explosively later on...

Gray found herself at a loss for words after hearing Vahn speak, lowering her head slightly as she just allowed him to stroke her hair for nearly a full minute before Rin nudged him. This was ultimately for the best as, while stroking Gray's head, Vahn had been very tempted to grab her wriggling ahoge as it danced from side to side in response to his caress. He had once grabbed Lakshmibai's in the past, eliciting a loud and startled 'squeak' from her, followed by an extremely embarrassed reaction that resulted in her giving him the silent treatment for a few minutes after the fact. As Artoria had also reacted in a rather adorable manner, Vahn felt that ahoges within the Nasuverse were a strange yet amusing existence that, even now, he didn't fully understand.

---

While making polite conversation with Rin and Gray, Vahn also watched the progress of Mordred and Sakura with a thoughtful light periodically flashing across his eyes. He could tell that Mordred was actually slowly breaking through the restrictions of her seal, even though it was still in full effect. Her body seemed to be adapting to its presence, causing her use of Magical Energy to become far more efficient than it had been in the past. Now, she could nearly fight as if the first part of the seal had been removed, something Mordred herself seemed to be fully aware of as she continued to exert herself long after her body was completely soaked with sweat.

Mordred always behaved this way whenever he would attend her training and, knowing she was aware of his gaze, Vahn would give an approving nod whenever she performed particularly well, even though he knew she was just showing off. In the past, this would earn her a reprimand from Artoria but, as she had slowly been learning what she could and couldn't get away with, Mordred had gotten better at avoiding lectures. At the end of her thousand swings, she just added a bit of Magical Energy into the attack, kicking up a small tempest of wind that caused her bangs to flair somewhat heroically as beads of sweat were sent flying from her body. Vahn was actually impressed by the sight so he gave the reaction Mordred sought from him, something made more meaningful since Rin and Gray also seemed impressed by her display...

Though significantly less impressive, Sakura was also working hard under Artoria's tutelage, even though her thin arms and legs were shaking after only a few minutes of training. Since she wasn't the type to show 'unnecessary' lenience, Artoria was using a thin wooden pointer to slightly adjust Sakura's position whenever her arms would start to fall. She knew Sakura's limits better than the young girl, using stern words as she strictly pushed her to the point of tears without showing any intention of letting her off. This caused Sakura to periodically look towards where her parents were seated, an act that normally earned her a light yet painful thwack as Artoria plainly stated, "Stay focused. It is always hard in the beginning, Sakura. After a few weeks of training like this, you will be able to stay in this position all day if necessary..."

To her credit, even though tears would periodically fall from her eyes, Sakura never once asked for the training to come to an end. Since her parents were present, and just watching from the side, she knew this was 'normal' training. Because of this, even though it hurt a lot more than she expected, Sakura continued to push herself far beyond what she believed her limits to be. The reason for this, and the purpose of this training from the very beginning, was due to her Magical Energy working to alleviate her pain and fatigue even without her directing it to do so. Sakura had a much higher than average amount of Magical Energy and, with proper guidance, she would be able to tap into this energy to greatly enhance her physical abilities. The primary difference between this and using Reinforcement Magecraft was that the latter needed to be activated while this harsh training would gradually improve Sakura's physical capabilities to the point that she could even rival a Heroic Spirit in the future.

After precisely thirty minutes of training, Artoria gave a curt nod before saying, "Good work, Sakura." These words were like a magical spell that caused Sakura's legs to immediately give out but, instead of crashing to the ground, her body was supported by an invisible force before she found herself being pulled towards the spot where her parents and Gray were seated. Artoria also flagged over Mordred, saying, "Breakfast time. Good work, Mordred." Then, emulating Vahn, Artoria stroked Mordred's hair and, even though she lacked any understanding of Petting Laws, this still elicited a toothy grin from her daughter. After that, they both made their way over to enjoy an impromptu picnic of sorts while Vahn let Sakura and Mordred use his lap as a pillow while he lightly stroked the former's head and fed the latter small pieces of fish and sausage with a pair of chopsticks...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sakura's conviction...! Fighto~!','Mordred isn't simply overcoming her limits, but her restrictions (O___O)...','Vahn spoiling his little Princesses as their mothers stare with deadpan expressions...')

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