Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As she had long expected something like this to happen, Da Vinci's reaction to the destruction of the Skoll prototype model was rather tame. Though she was tempted to tease Vahn, she knew he was still upset and, even though it was just an adorably designed golem, he still treated Skoll as a living creature. Fortunately, it only took a few hours to produce a new one from scratch and, with the data Skoll had accumulated through observing Vahn, Da Vinci was rather excited to research it herself. Thus, when Vahn mentioned establishing a Sub-Space Orb within the Workshop, she was extremely supportive of the idea as it meant she would be able to use the Orb to conduct her own experiments in relative safety.

While Vahn was busy setting up a mana-gathering formation and creating a new Sub-Space Orb, Da Vinci worked on developing an upgraded Skoll, using the same template as the Prototype but enhancing its texture and feel. At the same time, Da Vinci gave it a skeleton comprised of a nigh-indestructible material she had named Perennial Gold. It had a fixed atomic structure while the composite molecules were arranged in a perfect hexagonal structure, neatly constructed by her [Gradation Air Printer].

Instead of materializing temporary objects using the same process as [Projection] Magecraft, Da Vinci had used the same technology that allowed for clothes and items to be stored within gems to produce a machine capable of constructing and printing anything that the user had been able to template within the system. This allowed her design three-dimensional objects within a virtual environment, linked to her own sub-processes, before entrusting the [Gradation Air Printer] to execute the building process. Though she had to feed it the constituent materials beforehand, as it was surprisingly difficult to have Magical Energy behave as 'anything' by default, this was only a small inconvenience with Vahn generally providing her anything she asked for.

Once the body of Skoll V3 was completed, Da Vinci a few small modifications to its programming before implanting the backup data stored by the Skoll Prototype. Each Companion was required to make a backup of themselves every time they obtained new data, storing it within the Mother system's archives for more comprehensive analysis. The only exception to this would be, through the analysis of the Mother system, when the Companion had started to develop sapience and an ego. In this instance, they would be isolated from the largest system for further observation, their developing ego being placed into a secure data structure that effectively allowed them to control their body remotely, removing any danger to their 'actual' self...

Compared to the original Skoll, the new model had a slightly more expressive face, even though it hadn't been given a personality or had any of its core programming altered. Since its purpose was to serve as a means for Vahn to train his Petting Laws, while also allowing her to collect data on his activities and breakthroughs, Da Vinci knew better than to skew the parameters of her own experiment. It was important to have an established control model and, with the potential of Vahn awakening the ego being intrinsically higher than anyone else within the castle, she wanted to see how Skoll developed from its nascent state to its evolutionary form.

Though there was still a lot of research and advancements that needed to be conducted, Da Vinci had already implemented the ability for the Companions to evolve. Currently, their adorable and diminutive forms were known as their nascent, or Larval state. Then, once they had imprinted on their owners, to the point of developing an ego, they would transition into their Pupal state, using the data they accumulate through observation to determine their Adult form. Though the current Companions would need to return to their base stations in order to facilitate this process, Da Vinci wanted to implement the ability to evolve based on the Magical Energy in the atmosphere before they were mass-produced.

Once Skoll V3 opened its eyes, its drooping ears stood up straight as it tilted its head to view Da Vinci. This brought a small smile to her face and, after deactivating the security barrier around the [Gradation Air Printer], Da Vinci lifted up the adorable creature as she teasingly remarked, "Don't let Vahn bully you too much, okay~?" Then, after playing with its fluffy ears for a few moments, Da Vinci set Skoll V3 down on the ground and allowed her to go observe Vahn. Since she was also curious about his progress, Da Vinci followed along, sliding frictionlessly across the ground as if she were on ice using a pair of riding boots she had developed to get around more easily.

Since it took around four hours to produce a Companion, Vahn was close to finishing the new Sub-Space Orb by the time Skoll and Da Vinci peered into the small and isolated room. As she was often troubled when people would interrupt her work, Da Vinci remained absolutely silent upon entry and decided to just watch at the side. Though she only diverted her main process to observing him, it was still an entertaining way to pass the time as it was always interesting to see how other people worked. In her previous life, Da Vinci had been rather fond of watching those labeled as her contemporaries at work, especially Michaelangelo...

Finding herself entering a complacent daze while watching Vahn in a deeply focused state, Da Vinci adopted an appreciative smile on her face. At this point, she had been interacting with Vahn for nearly six months and, though their physical relationship was still relatively young, she found herself become progressively more fond of him with the passage of time. Not only was he one of the few mysteries she had been unable to crack, despite a large investment of time, but he was extremely supportive of almost everything she did. It was incredibly liberating to have someone show an unwavering amount of support, especially compared to how she had been suppressed with extreme prejudice in her past life...

Before she realized it, several more of her processes had shifted to focus on Vahn and, as if time had been nothing more than an illusion, he was already finished with the Sub-Space Orb. Then, wiping the sweat from his brow, Vahn looked at Da Vinci, causing her smile to naturally blossom as she raised her head and asked, "How did it go, Master~?" Though she was in her more youthful appearance at the moment, a sultry undertone mixed into her voice as, feeling amused at how her own mind had wandered, Da Vinci knew she had been slowly changed by exposure to Vahn's presence.

Blinking in mild surprise, Vahn produced a wry smile that caused Da Vinci to giggle in response as he explained, "I went well..." followed by him asking, "Were there any issues with making Skoll a new body...?" Though he could see the adorable little Vanargandr sitting in Da Vinci's lap, Vahn felt the need to deflect as, with the amused light in the Omnipotent Genius' eyes, it felt like she might attack him at any moment. Fortunately, Da Vinci was extremely perceptive and observant so, while she was already in the mood to 'play', she had no intentions of 'stress testing' her more youthful form. That didn't mean she couldn't tease him, however, causing Da Vinci to adjust her seated position so that, if he was looking, Vahn would be able to glimpse up her skirt...

Shaking his head slightly, Vahn allowed Skoll to climb up his back before picking up Da Vinci in a bridal carry and moving into the adjacent room. Even before he passed through the threshold of the door, she had already gone limp in his arms. However, by the time Vahn entered the 'secret' Workshop that contained Ark and the Mother system, his heart had started to palpitate rapidly. Instead of the 'mature' version of Da Vinci he had become accustomed to, she was using three of her bodies simultaneously. This caused him to gulp as, in the past, Da Vinci had explained that her main reason for piloting one body at a time was because she didn't want to get distracted by herself.

Da Vinci already got mildly annoyed when another person was around while she was working so there was no way she could tolerate herself being the distraction. This was largely due to the fact that, even in her 'normal' state, Da Vinci was incredibly perceptive and capable of analyzing the sensory data her body was receiving. Generally, she used her sub-process to analyze this while her main process focused on other work. If she had to deal with gaining stimulus from multiple bodies at once, it would negatively impact her focus and, while it could be more efficient, she could make machines for that purpose instead of treating her own mind like one.

For Da Vinci to inhabit three bodies at once, Vahn knew it was her way of saying, at least for the moment, he was her main focus. This caused him to swallow hard and, after placing the more petite version of her body inside a docking station, Vahn accepted his fate with more than a little expectation in his heart. He had told Da Vinci in the past that he was perfectly capable of dealing with three women at a time and, perhaps remembering this, she seemingly wanted to experience whether or not his claims were the truth...

With a new location to train, Vahn split his time between developing a usable version of his new 'spell', spending time with the residents of the castle, and visiting London to spend time with his fiancee. Around the same time, he finally heard back from Astolfo's group, albeit as a result of Luvia informing him about some trouble they had gotten into. Apparently, after seeing the Eiffel Tower, Astolfo simply 'had' to climb to its peak. Though this alone wasn't really that much of an issue, it was the fact he had done it in broad daylight, drawing a lot of attention to himself with an unabashedly prideful smile on his face.

When Vahn saw the news feed of Astolfo happily flailing his arms while thousands of pedestrians looked on from below, his temples were abuzz with incredulity. Fortunately, instead of showing off his power and making an even bigger scene, Astolfo used a rappel rope to descend back into the tower before leading the police around on a chase and ultimately escaping. Since his peak speed could even dwarf Artoria's by a considerable amount, courtesy of being a Rider-Class, it hadn't taken much effort for the girlish boy the evade capture. Still, his antics were currently a hot topic in the media, primarily as a result of his daredevil attitude, his ability to flee the police, and his rather adorable features that made it impossible to identify if he was a boy or a girl...

Because she had known about Astolfo, Catherine, and Nobunaga, Luvia already had several small mercenary teams located in the most likely regions that their group would appear. Thus, shortly after he escaped pursuit, Astolfo was contacted by an Edelfelt mercenary team and, though this caused a small misunderstanding at first, nobody was injured too severely. Afterward, Catherine was the one to call Vahn via a secure line used by the Edelfelt mercenaries, resulting in him asking the group to return using one of Luvia's private jets.

Even if Astolfo and Nobunaga could easily outpace even the fastest fighter jets in the world, Catherine was still 'relatively' normal and, after the incident the errant Knight had caused, Vahn would rather he not draw even more attention to himself. As a result, Vahn was currently waiting inside a private lounge within the London International Airport, waiting for the group's arrival. It was a well-furnished room that had the appearance of a luxury suite, a stark contrast to the rather overcrowded and uncomfortable terminals that were used by the less affluent.

Thinking about how normal people got around, polluting the environment in exchange for mild and often unnecessary conveniences, the only thing preventing Vahn from frowning was the presence of Artoria, Gray, and Luvia. Since he didn't want to worry them over a non-issue, he kept such thoughts to himself and simply considered ways in which the system could be improved in the future. At the same time, he enjoyed casual conversation with the three remarkably beautiful women, finding their presence alone to be extremely therapeutic. Though it was a little strange to have Artoria and Gray act so respectfully towards Luvia, it was their own choice to do so and, as Gray had joined the Order of the Imperial Knights, he had nothing to say regarding their dutiful observation of etiquette.

While waiting for the jet to arrive, Luvia was also enjoying this lull in her rather busy schedule as, even though her engagement to Vahn hadn't been announced publically, she had already been setting the stage to prop him up. She also had to handle all of the important negotiations and provide proper advice to the hundreds of businesses she managed, even though she had a few trustworthy subordinates to handle the majority of the more mundane work. Still, the stress had been building and, if not for the fact she could dip away to the Ivory Castle for a few hours and have Vahn pamper her, Luvia felt like her current pace would eventually wear her out.

Fortunately, just a few hours with Vahn made her feel full of energy, even if she was generally exhausted immediately after the fact. Since his after-care was absolutely perfect, the time they spent together had become very important to her in the week or so they had been engaged. The only way in which it could be made even better was if she had already gotten pregnant but, as her period had come and gone without a hitch, Luvia could only look forward to the future with a fair amount of expectation. At this point, she was determined to be the first woman to bear Vahn's child in this world so, once all of the primary residents of the castle had gathered together, she intended to host a private meeting amongst Vahn's other Empresses and lovers...

With thoughts of pregnancy on her mind, Luvia leaned affectionately against Vahn's shoulder and, if not for the presence of the two stoic women seated across from her, she would have been very tempted to seduce Vahn here and now. Though she didn't consider herself an exhibitionist, Luvia felt it would be exciting to have sex in places other than the bedroom, especially knowing Vahn could sense the surroundings and ensure no accidents occurred. Since she had heard from both her Grandmother and Mother that it was far more exciting to do the deed in dangerous and other precarious situations, Luvia had a growing desire to try it herself. She was confident that Vahn was fully capable of blowing her expectations out of the water as, even though they had only had sex a few times at this point, Luvia felt like he set a standard others couldn't even hope to match...

Grabbing Luvia's hand to prevent her from stroking the inside of his thigh, Vahn gave the golden-haired woman a pointed look that only resulted in her laughing mischievously. Then, holding her hand to keep her under control, he made brief eye contact between Artoria and Gray, asking the latter, "How has your training been going...?" Though there were a number of more appropriate conversational topics, Vahn knew that Gray had been rather earnest in her attempts to improve under the tutelage of Artoria. They spent nearly the entire day together, minus the times she would seek him out after her desire to see him became unbearable.

Though she had been somewhat distracted previously, Gray's eyes blinked into focus when Vahn asked her a question, resulting in her smiling enthusiastically as she explained, "Since I want to be a proper Knight in the future, I've been learning how to use a sword and a lance. A scythe isn't the most befitting weapon to carry around if you want to make a good impression on people." As she also used clawed gauntlets and sickles, neither of which were considered 'proper' weapons, Gray had been shifting her focus while trying to adhere to the Chivalric Code Artoria had taught her.

Following up on what Gray had stated, Artoria gave an approving nod before adding, "Gray has been showing remarkable progress. Rather than completing her training in six years, I suspect she will pass muster in only two. I am looking forward to having yet another capable Knight within my Order. It is difficult to feel like a Knight Commander when the only members of the Order are our daughter and an apprentice trainee..." With Sakura already two-months into her training at this point, she had already started to build up a proper foundation. It would still take her years to reach the standard required to be considered a Knight but, as the training was supposed to take place over a period of six years regardless, Artoria was confident she would pass.

Hearing Artoria mention Mordred and Sakura, Vahn's expression became vibrant and, after saying a few words to encourage Gray, he asked, "Have the two of them been getting along well during training...?" Though he often spent time with Mordred and Sakura, Vahn rarely got to see them training since he would spend the majority of the daylight hours back in London. He knew that Sakura had been doing well, as she often happily told him about her achievements, but it never hurt to hear the opinion of her Mentor directly.

With a small smile blooming on her face, Artoria explained in a polite tone that was tinged with affection, "I think Mordred needed a younger sibling. She has been working harder than ever to be a good role model. As for Sakura, she has an incredible amount of Magical Energy within her body and, once she learns how to properly use it, I believe she will become a powerful Knight. My only concern is that her split focus on learning Magecraft and studying to become a Knight will limit her potential. Though I understand it is possible to reach the pinnacle in both disciplines, I believe the only one who would be able to teach her properly would be Lady Scáthach..."

Since Sakura lacked a predominant elemental affinity, only having a minor affinity with Water, her potential as a Magus was rather limited. Instead, she had been born with a natural affinity for the Space element, known as the Imaginary Number Element, or 'Hollow', by the Magus community. Though this often required an excessive amount of Magical Energy to manifest, it meant that she would one day be able to freely teleport around and store objects within her own Bounded Field. It was also the most powerful element against Spiritual beings, including Heroic Spirits, Demons, and Gods.

Due to her talent, and an overabundance of mana, Sakura was already able to execute [Shundo] over short distances, something not even Mordred had been able to pick up. As a result, Artoria felt she was better suited to focusing on the development of her body and physical skills as, if she pushed this talent to the extremes, there would be almost nothing that could touch her. However, as Sakura was also determined to study Magecraft, and Magic itself, Artoria was concerned that her young page would reach a bottleneck as a result of her own inability to teach her properly...

Hearing Artoria mention Sakura training with Scáthach, Vahn felt as if the blood had drained from his face and, even though he knew it wouldn't be nearly as extreme as his own, there was no way he would allow her to go through that at such an early age. Thus, understanding that it was almost exclusively more beneficial to become a powerful Knight, at least early on, Vahn gave the matter a bit of thought before saying, "I'll have Sakura learn theory from Fenrir while encouraging her to focus on her Knightly studies in the future. If necessary, I will help train both Mordred and Sakura, at least until they have matured into strong and independent women who wouldn't break from training with Scáthach..."

With Vahn's words easing her concerns a great deal, Artoria allowed a natural smile to spread across her face as she answered, "I understand, Master...thank you for your efforts..." Then, even though it wasn't necessary to behave properly in the relative privacy of the suite, Artoria gave a polite bow to express her genuine gratitude. Since Vahn had included Mordred in his comment about teaching the two girls, Artoria felt a bit of warmth spread through her heart and, with no other way to express it at the moment, she chose to do so politely...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Da Vinci just casually creating a Replicator...','Astolfo simply can't help himself xD...','Sakura, the Thousand Blossoms Knight. Teleporting around so quickly that there appears to be a thousand of her...!')