Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Chapter 1188 - Residents

Chapter 1188 - Residents

After returning to Avalon, Vahn made some free time to venture towards Merlin’s Magus Tower, a place he admittedly should have visited more often. He knew Merlin spent most of his time simply watching the events of the world play out, only taking action when he had deemed it necessary to do so. However, as he had willingly accepted the Magus of the Court position, Vahn felt that there were some things he was obligated to inform him about.

As was often the case when he visited, Vahn found Merlin just lounging in a peculiar woven chair that seemed to have been naturally constructed, similar to the furniture produced by Yggdrasil back in his previous world. There were several small animals around him while moss, ivy, and other forms of fauna had spread throughout the interior of the Magus Tower. What Vahn always found the most curious, however, was the fact that there was always a gentle breeze blowing through the chamber, carrying with it the sound of a gently flowing stream...

Opening his eyes slowly, as if awakening from a nap, the surrounding illusions faded away, leaving the room mostly barren except for a small basin of water, an aged bookshelf, and the chair Merlin had been sitting in. Seeing Vahn standing in the threshold of the door, Merlin adopted a polite smile before rising to his feet and asking, "Your Majesty, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit~?"

Since there was no little chance that Merlin was unaware of his purpose, Vahn shook his head before simply stating, "You can’t keep me in the dark on matters like this, Merlin. Even if I’m busy, you could just send me a message. I trust you to do what you think is necessary but, as the Emperor, I need to know when major changes are afoot within the Empire..." As Merlin had the ability to use telepathy and could even enter someone’s dreams, it wasn’t even remotely difficult for him to send a message. Even if he was on the opposite side of the world, protected by powerful magical barriers, they would be unable to prevent him from sending messages. After all, his main body was still trapped on the Reverse Side of the World yet he was still able to manifest here without any major difficulties.

Hearing Vahn’s words, Merlin just showed his characteristically whimsical smile before calmly stating, "Your Majesty, I could never interrupt your ever-busy schedule. Matters such as this are reserved for when you hold Court or come seeking private counsel. Were I to seek you out merely to inform you of the decisions I had made, I fear others may misconstrue which one of us is in charge. To prevent these misunderstandings, I would suggest you hold Court properly, rather than leaving your Throne room unoccupied for weeks at a time~."

The moment he heard Merlin’s rebuttal, Vahn released a tired sigh as, even if he wanted to argue his own point, it was impossible to refute the words uttered by the whimsical Magus. This was far from the first time he had heard Merlin advise him to act more like an Emperor, nor would it be the last. What made matters more troublesome was the fact that even Artoria and Luvia had expressed their concerns regarding how he managed the Empire as, instead of focusing on expansion and policy, he treated the Ivory Castle as nothing more than a convenient residence. More than eight months of time had passed within the Projection at this point yet, during that entire time, he had not once held Court. Instead, most of the important decisions were simply discussed during meal times or when he arbitrarily decided to seek someone out...

Though he could concede the point to Merlin, as arguing would only be petty, Vahn still insisted that the airy Magus inform him about other changes that had occurred without his notice. In response to this, Merlin lightly tapped his staff against the ground, causing the surroundings to change, adopting an almost indiscernably sly smile as he explained, "I had hoped you would have come around sooner but, as you have been ever-so-busy with matters back in London, the opportunity for introductions has been delayed considerably~."

Vahn didn’t need to ask who, or what, Merlin wanted to introduce him to as, immediately after the scenery had changed, he was witness to a rather fantastical sight. There, walking across the surface of the nearby Lake, Vahn saw a woman comprised almost entirely of water. Though she was adorned with a rather intricately designed dress, even that was made of water so, if you looked close enough, it was possible to make out the outline of her translucent body. Curiously, rather than ’normal’ water, she had a sapphire blue hue, like looking into the sea’s depths, while only the outer layer, which was similar to the skin of a normal person, was crystal clear like spring water.

As if she could sense their presence, the woman turned her eyes toward Vahn and Merline, showing peculiar, icy blue eyes that, while having a translucent quality, didn’t cause any kind of uncanny feelings. Then, with her face forming into a smile, she slid across the surface of the frozen lake with a completely natural grace that gave her a similar quality to Merlin’s illusions. At the same time, Merlin explained in an amused tone, "This is one of the apprentices I was most proud of, though I’m afraid her fondness for me has faded with the years~."

The moment Merlin finished his remark, the watery-woman’s body began to ice over as she gestured with her hand in a sweeping motion that caused a large volume of frozen lake water to form spears of ice. Merlin made no attempt to evade these, allowing them to stab through his illusory body as he mischievously intoned, "Now, now, Vivian, is this any way to behave during your first meeting with your new Emperor~?" Though he said these words with a spear sticking through his face, it seemed to calm the woman down considerably as she looked between the ghostly figure of Merlin and Vahn before bowing politely to the latter, a soft voice that sounded like a whisper on the wind escaping her lips as she said, "Forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty. I hope my uncouth display has not offended you..."

Rather than admonish her for the faux pas, Vahn gestured for her to raise her head, smiling as he said, "No, it is perfectly fine. I must admit, it is rather refreshing to see Merlin skewered with spears of ice. I’m certain he has done something to deserve it, so please, feel free to continue..." This remark seemed to have earned him a few brownie points with Vivian as, even though it was impossible to see any change in her complexion, Vahn was certain she had a small blush on her face as she smiled and sent another spear into Merlin’s body.

Feeling wronged, Merlin adopted a pouting expression as he complained, "This is the thanks I get for traveling all the way to the bottom of the ocean to inform you that you may return to Avalon? Truly, I am heartbroken over this drastic change in behavior...you were such an adorable girl when we first met..." All this remark earned him was Vivian forming a pillar of ice, completely sealing off his body as she stated in a tone that caused the surrounding temperature to drop considerably, "You old fool. I might have shown you some gratitude if you hadn’t intruded in on my sanctuary while I was taking a bath...!"

Though he was somewhat curious about how a woman comprised entirely of water took a bath, Vahn couldn’t help looking toward Merlin with a similar expression of blame in his eyes. He knew that Merlin has voyeuristic tendencies and, though he largely ignored them, as even Da Vinci had yet to come up with a solution, it was troublesome to know he was embarrassing himself and the Empire by causing trouble with potential allies. What made matters worse was, even though he undoubtedly knew better, Merlin still defended himself by stating, "Come now, Vivian. It wouldn’t be the first time I had seen you n.a.k.e.d and, if I was so desperate, I could simply-"

As Merlin moved about, completely uninhibited by the fact he was entombed in ice, he gestured with his hand to create a dozen Vivian’s that were only indistinguishable from the real one due to the face they were all n.a.k.e.d. Thus, before he was able to finish his words, Vivian released a scream that sounded like the whistling whine of a high-intensity gale. In an instant, the illusion Merlin had created was broken, sending Vahn and the now pale Magus back to his Tower. Then, coughing in an awkward manner, Merlin remarked in a subdued tone, "Mayhaps, I went a little too far? Oh my, I had not expected my cute disciple to have changed so much in only fifteen hundred years..."

Shortly after Merlin’s remark, a block of ice slammed into the Magus Tower, fragmenting against the powerful barriers the protected the Ivory Castle from harm. Fortunately, this was just a parting blow from the angered Elemental Fairy, as she knew better than to continue attacking the castle. Instead, the ice was able to invade through the seemingly impenetrable barrier, forming runes written in the Language of Fairies that said, ’Please forgive me, Your Majesty. This eve would be inconvenient, but I would like to meet you properly in the future. The doors to my castle are always open to the allies of we Fairies...’.

Though the message seemed rather peaceful at first, the second series of runes formed as the first faded away, this time causing the interior of the Magus Tower to freeze as they informed, ’Merlin. If you show your face around me again, I will make you pay dearly. This is the last warning I will ever give you.’. Then, with her message delivered, the runes turned into normal water, losing the mystical blue light they had been radiating. At the same time, Merlin released a profound sigh before tiredly musing, "I suppose I only have myself to blame..."

Since legends stated that Vivian was actually the person to imprison Merlin, Vahn knew there was a deeper meaning behind the otherwise polite Fairy’s wrath. Merlin, seeming to understand what he was thinking, created a powerful barrier within the room as he explained, "I ask that you reserve your judgment, Your Majesty. Truly, it was never my intention to leave such a deep wound on her heart. I had thought she knew my true nature well...how could I have known she would have reacted in such a way..."

Even though he felt it would be a bit rude towards Vivian to pry, this was a rare chance for Vahn to learn more about Merlin’s rather enigmatic past. Thus, his curiosity piqued, he asked, "What did you do...?" with a bit of skepticism in his voice. This didn’t go unnoticed by Merlin but he still explained, "Truth be told, Vivian and I were deeply in love a long time ago. I taught her everything I knew, all so that we could share our eternity together. However, once she found out about the truth of my origin, she had...taken exception. After that, I was lured into my current prison, trapped in a stone circle that can only be trespassed by those who had maintained their innocence..."

Understanding that Merlin was being intentionally vague, Vahn knew it would be wrong of him to pry any further. All he could say on the matter is, "I can’t speak regarding the matters of another’s love as I often fail to understand how my own function as well as they do..." Though he had intended to try and console Merlin a bit, as it was clear the man was heavily affected by Vivian’s actions, this intention was quickly dashed when the airy Magus immediately retorted, "Isn’t it because you make them feel special and proactively endeavor to tame them in the bedroom...? I’m Half-Incubus and I wouldn’t be able to emulate your results without some powerful illusions and brainwashing..."

Taking in a deep breath to remain calm, Vahn suddenly felt himself standing firmly on the side of Vivan as, regardless of his intellect and unrivaled skill with Magecraft, Merlin was an ’idiot’ when it came to socializing. He could even understand why Vivian had imprisoned him in a tower that could only be trespassed by v.i.r.g.i.ns, punishing Merlin’s whimsical and licentious nature after realizing the almost complete disregard he had for the feelings of others. Though it was obvious that, even now, he was still in love with Vivian, the man was simply incapable of expressing it properly.

Vahn suspected that Vivian only bothered returning to Avalon due to her desire to see if Merlin was capable of changing as, compared to his past, it was obvious he was taking far more proactive action for the world’s benefit. It was clear she still had some affection for Merlin or, rather than lashing out at him, it was far more likely she would just avoid him outright. Merlin himself seemed oblivious to the fact he was being afforded a second chance by the inordinately beautiful Elemental Fairy, which was rather strange considering how perceptive he was in most situations. However, recalling this was the same man that allowed Artoria to be s.e.x.u.a.lly abused, just because she was proactively seeking punishment, Vahn knew Merlin’s thought process was significantly different from the norm...

Deciding to drop the matter until he could discuss it with Vivian, as it was clear she had something important to convey, Vahn just shook his head and asked, "Is there anything else?" In response to this, Merlin simply tapped his staff once again, changing the surroundings. This time, they were atop the second-highest point on Avalon, the peak of where the orchards were built like shelves into a tall hill. Then, though not as mystical as the Elemental Fairy, Vahn could see several rather petite girls with brown skin, pointed ears, green hair, and golden eyes. Their bodies were covered in nothing but leaves and vines, exposing a considerable amount of skin but keeping all of the important parts properly concealed.

Unlike Vivian, these entities had no way of sensing Merlin’s illusory projection, allowing one of the child-like humanoids to walk straight through his body like a hologram. This caused Merlin to issue an amused smile as he explained, "Vivian is not the only Fairy that had come to reside in Avalon over the last two weeks. I have acted as an emissary of sorts, paying a visit to Celia, Titania, Una, and Effe. In exchange for sanctuary, they will increase nurture the spirituality of Avalon, greatly increasing the amount of Magical Energy in the atmosphere. For now, they have only sent a few of their daughters as a means of testing the veracity of our claims so please inform Princess Mordred not to try and hunt any of them~."

Knowing that Mordred’s sensibilities were also skewed from the norm, Vahn knew that Merlin wasn’t joking when he made his suggestion. As Fairies were known to play pranks on people, sometimes in the form of rather malicious games, there was a good chance an incident could occur if this matter was not properly discussed. He didn’t need to just discuss the matter with the castle’s residents, either, as it would be equally important to come to an accord with the Fairies themselves. In the past, their kind had been the group to construct Avalon itself, including the Ivory Castle and the sealing chamber where the Welsh Dragon resided. If he could come to an agreement with them, they would potentially even make Da Vinci’s Golems seem inefficient by comparison...at least until she upgraded them.

Though it wasn’t necessary, Merlin gestured towards one of the Fairies who, just by extending her hand, was able to cause the apple tree’s branches to bend, depositing the vibrant fruit into her open palm as if it was alive. While this was occurring, Merlin explained, "These rather adorable little ones are known as Dryads. Do not let their appearance fool you. Their physical appearance is wholly the result of the amount of vitality they have drained from others. Since most Fairies have been in hiding for the last few hundred years, even matured Dryads rarely get the opportunity to feed on humans. As for where these little ones hail from, they come from the Land of Twilight, the Dominion of the Fairy Queen, Celia."

With his explanation finished, Merlin tapped his staff once again, the surroundings changing to reflect the cold and dark waters surrounding the island. Seeing that Vahn had no reaction at all, Merlin made a pouting expression while commenting, "Your Majesty is quite stoic...most people would have panicked if they were suddenly at the bottom of the sea..." Then, without waiting for Vahn’s response, Merlin pointed towards a group of small houses that seemed to be constructed out of coral and massive shells, much larger than those used by any living crustaceans or gastropods.

As if following a cue, a humanoid creature with blue skin but distinctly fish-like features emerged from a hole within the coral structure. Though they were somewhat cute, they were far more alien than the Dryads that lived on the surface after having adapted to live in the depths of the seas and oceans. Though the explanation was once again unnecessary, Merlin explained, "These little ones are known as Undines, though some refer to them as Water Sprites. They will build a coral wall around the entire island, making it impossible for naval vessels to approach. At the same time, they have a habit of herding fish populations while also increasing the overall water purity, eventually turning ocean water into freshwater by their presence alone~."

While Merlin was giving his explanation, the Undine he used as an example swam through the water like a torpedo, easily overtaking a school of fish before using a bident to definitely skewer a few. This entire process only took a few seconds before they had already swum back to their domicile, passing through a thin membrane that clearly indicated there was an air pocket on the other side. As there was a phosphorescent green light shining from within, it was possible to view the interior of several homes which, despite their small size, seemed to house several Undines in a manner similar to how the Xenos lived back in Spero Village.

Before Vahn realized it, Merlin had already tapped his staff again, causing a small ’tak tak’ sound, even though he struck against empty seawater. With the change in scenery, he added on to his previous words, stating, "The Undines are the descendants of Una, the Queen of Fairies that had been harboring Vivian for the last fifteen hundred years..." Then, without holding for questions, Merlin pointed towards two groups this time, one consisting of diminutive and stout individuals who were less than 100cm in height while the others had bodies comprised entirely of flame. The former group was predominately male, having rather ugly features that included large noses, messy beards, and perpetually messy garments. As for their much smaller counterparts, who were barely larged than a hand’s length, they were exclusively female, their bodies wreathed in flames as thin wings flickered behind their backs.

As he seemed inclined to do, Merlin took it upon himself to explain, "This group may be the most important for Your Majesty in the near future. They are known as Dwarves and Vulcanae respectively. As I’m certain you are aware, they are some of the best craftsmen amongst all Fairies, responsible for the creation of most legendary weapons and Noble Phantasms that have appeared in history. They may be as fiery-tempered as the flames they work with and embody, but they can be fiercely loyal if you manage to win them over~." With this said, Merlin changed locales once again, this time with a rather significant pout as, even after having Vahn appear in mid-air, the latter showed no reaction.

Without letting it bother him too much, Merlin explained, "The Dwarves and Vulcanae hail from the dominion of Effe, the Fairy Queen of Flame. As for this last group, they are the smallest in number but considerably more powerful than most. They are proud and unfettered servants of Titania, the most powerful of the Fairy Queens. In modern times, they are known as Sylphs while, back during the reign of King Arthur, the peasantry gave them the rather unfortunate name of Wind Demons. As a result, they developed a propencity for causing hailstorms to kill crops, forcing rain to persist for days on end, and tearing down hovels and barns with powerful winds..."

As Merlin gave his explanation, two semi-transparent figures dashed through the air, each only around thirty centimeters in length as they flittered through the cloud coverage, seemingly playing a game of tag. They moved with extreme swiftness that made them almost impossible to discern with the n.a.k.e.d eye but Vahn had been able to see rather adorable pale-skinned humanoids with pointed ears, dragonfly-like wings, and green dresses made from a type of fabric he was unable to discern. They both had pale-pink eyes and blond hair that was tinged with green on the ends, appearing somewhat spiky and windswept. It also became apparent that, rather than playing tag, the two were actually dueling rather fiercely.

With a wry smile on his face, Merlin ignored the sound of thunder crackling as one Sylph threw a bolt of lightning towards it ’companion’. He tapped his staff against the air, reverting the setting back to the comfort of his Magus Tower as he explained, "Sylphs are extremely prideful and even more competitive. Fortunately, they are rather easy to pacify and, so long as you do not upset them, they rarely cause too much trouble. The biggest issue regarding Sylphs is that, even if you won them over on one day, they could turn against you on the next. They have no loyalty towards anyone, not even Titania. Still, you can trick them into temporary contracts pretty easily so I’m certain you will be able to rein them in properly~." Then, after moving over toward his chair, Merlin asked in a polite tone, "Was there anything else, Your Majesty~?"

(A/N: Alternate Titles: ’Merlin be like, "Why do I have to work while you slack off...?"’,’Poor Vivian, falling in love with a socially inept D.i.c.k Wizard xD...’,’New Troubles on the Horizon? Time for Vahn to actually be an Emperor (UwU)~!’)

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