Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn wasn't sure how much Nyon had gleaned, but, based on how the shift in the atmosphere, it was pretty obvious that chubby cat had gleaned something. This was his only major concern when explaining matters of the future to Arika, as, in the Akamatsuverse, there seemed to be quite a few ways to read minds or share memories. There was even a species that seemed to possess this as an Innate, the descendants of the Elementals, the Elves. By coming into contact with other people, they were able to share everything from emotions and thoughts, to deeply repressed memories.

Because of the nature of Elves, they had nearly been pushed to extinction in ages past, and, if not for an international treaty and the protection of an Ancient Dragon, they would have been wiped out long ago. The saddest part about this was, rather than for their own sake, Vahn suspected the only reason the Elves were spared was so that they could still be of use. They were worth a fortune in the Black Market, and, if you peeled back the layers of a so-called intelligence organization, you would almost always find a few Elves being manipulated for their ability.

One of the main reasons Vahn hadn't visited the diminutive Elven nation of Elfenhof was due to the fact that they simply didn't allow outsiders into their country. He would still be able to visit, as there were very few places that could actually keep him out, but Vahn felt now wasn't the best time. Most of the Elves very rarely spoke, relying on direct contact to communicate with members of their own species, so it wouldn't take long for him to be exposed. Their diminutive population allowed them to know virtually every member of their species with a degree of familiarity that was unmatched by any others. The moment one of them came into contact with him, it would already bee too late to make excuses.

After spreading his name through the international community, Vahn was intending to relocate the Elves to an area where they wouldn't have to fear the machinations of other countries. He was also intending to liberate any Elves he encountered during his travels, as, regardless of what excuses the host country might come up with, the act of keeping an Elf isolated from its people was, objectively, evil. Most were kept in near-complete isolation to prevent them from so much as touching anyone they were not 'supposed' to touch. This meant the only memories they ever came into contact with were those of criminals, spies, or enemies of the organization they were exploited by. It was a truly nightmarish way to live, and, due to magical seals placed on their bodies and minds, the only hope they had of release was being executed in order to prevent their intel from falling into the hands of others...

While Vahn was thinking about the best way to protect the Elves from greed and corruption, Arika had finished conveying her hopes and dreams to Nyon, earning a small nod from the plush cat as it said, "Though you have quite the idealistic ambition, I can tell you are a realist who has put a lot of thought into this. You will struggle to move forward on your own, but, with the proper support and motivation, I believe you will go far...funyaaa..."

Though it had been enjoying Vahn's aura and caress, Nyon allowed itself to slink off his shoulders before approaching to within paw's reach of Arika. This caused her to tense up slightly, but, instead of shying away, she held her ground as it placed a visible paw print between her brows, saying, "In accordance with the Ancient Covenant, I cannot follow and support you. Instead, I will grant you my Blessing so that, when you meet with my kin, they will be more inclined to listen..."

Hearing Nyon's words, Arika felt extremely gratified, but, before she could express it, her mind drew a complete blank when it leaned in and whispered in a surprisingly feminine voice, "My Blessing is said to increase a person's fortune in all manner of things. I'm certain your efforts will bear fruit if you allow yourself to become more honest with your desires, nyafufufu~."

Unable to respond, Arika could only stare blankly as Nyon laughed at her expense before drifting back to Vahn and rubbing its body against his cheek. This caused a feeling of perturbance in her heart, especially when she saw the teasing glimmer in the peculiar Great Spirit's eyes...

After bidding farewell to Nyon, promising to visit again in the future, Vahn descended down the mountain with Asuna in tow. She was now carrying a tiny gelatinous creature that radiated a gentle glow in her arms. It was actually very cute, possessing cartoonish features such as two nubs atop its head and a tiny tail that loosely resembled a kitten's. This had been a parting gift from Nyon Utu, a Lesser Elemental Spirit formed directly from their essence, or, as Nyon themselves had put it, their child.

Nascent Elementals were invisible to most people, but Lesser Elementals could be seen without too much difficulty. Among the Spirits associated with the Element of Light, Lucky Cats were especially rare, and, according to legend, denoted a person as having the Great Spirit of Light's protection and favor. This was generally accepted as truth in Nyandoma, so, with the adorable ball of light in two, most people who saw them even gave polite bows after realizing what exactly Asuna was holding.

Vahn felt it was rather silly, not because of the respectful looks people were giving them, but due to the fact that Asuna had placed the gelatinous creature on top of his head as she rode his shoulders. It was like he was wearing a buoyant hat, and, though it didn't actually bother him, Vahn would feel a modicum of embarrassment whenever a child would point and laugh in the characteristic manner of Cat People.

After reaching their inn, Vahn removed Asuna from his shoulders as the Lucky Cat leaped from his head and landed with a curious 'poi' sound. It seemed to be able to bounce like a rubber ball, but, when it wanted to stay still, it could adhere to a surface without leaving behind a sticky residue. If this hadn't been the case, Vahn's hair would have turned into quite a mess after having it 'washed' by the peculiar creature along the way...

Changing his focus from Asuna's new friend, Vahn turned to Arika and asked, "So, what do you wish to do from here? We can probably stay here without any trouble now that you have the Blessing of Nyon. The Lucky Cat will also serve as a deterrent to most people, so there is no real rush to depart the city."

Though she was also interested in exploring, Arika felt that now wasn't the best time to do so. The world was currently on the verge of a catastrophic war. She might not be able to outright prevent it, but, if she used the next two years to increase her strength and gather allies, they could bring it to a swift conclusion. To that end, she stared back at Vahn with a rather intense gaze, causing his smile to gradually turn wry due to the long silence the preempted her saying, "I want to meet Ala Rubra before the onset of war. I also want to become stronger...strong enough to grasp my own fate and protect the things I wish to protect."

As it would obviously be better to form a counter-organization before Cosmos Entelecheia began to carry out its plans, Vahn could understand where Arika was coming from. He was also somewhat interested in power and character of Nagi Springfield, so, before things got too far out of hand, he wanted to meet the fiery youth. Arika seemed to have developed a negative opinion of the young hero, but, when it came to the Protagonists of the world, they were rarely lacking in charisma. There was still a chance Arika might fall for the youth, so, before she became even more 'resolute', Vahn wanted to, at the very least, have them meet each other...

Nodding his head in approval, Vahn smiled as he said, "We'll stay one more night be departing. I'm not sure Ala Rubra is presently active in Mundus Magicus so our next destination will be Ariadne to the West. They might be a City State of the Hellas Empire, but their creed is fundamentally different from their Parent Country due to their focus on academics. Their Capital is even known as the City of Education, so, in order to keep my promise to Asuna, I would like to see the educational standard of this world."

Hearing her name mentioned, Asuna turned her attention away from playing with the Lucky Cat, staring back at Vahn with a slight smile on her face. She had never doubted his words, but, knowing he was already taking measures to keep his promise, Asuna felt very happy. As a result, she walked up to Vahn, surprising him slightly by tightly hugging his waist...

Feeling his heart soften, so too did Vahn's expression as he began to affectionately stroke Asuna's hair. This was observed by Arika for a few moments before she ultimately nodded her head, saying, "I understand. It is good that you are so considerate of Asuna's needs. I, too, had desired to attend school when I was younger. I hope she is able to experience all the things we members of the Royal Family were never able to obtain..."

Though she spoke eloquently and without pause, Vahn could sense the sadness contained in Arika's words when speaking about missed opportunities. This gave him an almost irresistible urge to sigh, but, instead, he gestured for Arika to come closer. This caused her to tense up, but, rather than shy away, she obediently moved until she was well within reach of his hand.

While slightly shaking his head, Vahn began to caress the top of Arika's as he muttered, "I might not be able to meet all of your expectations, but you are allowed to behave like a child around me. Even if you are a grown woman and Queen, you are still very young compared to me. I can pamper you a bit, so long as you keep things within moderation..."

Arika felt strangely annoyed by Vahn's words, but, knowing he was trying to be considerate, she fell silent for nearly a full minute before lightly nodding her head. If she were being honest with herself, she was somewhat envious of Asuna's treatment, but, not wanting to be treated like a child, she just buried her minor resentment deep in her heart. Vahn's words made her feel frustrated, but, in spite of this, his concern caused a feeling of warmth to spread, not just from her head, but from the same area where she buried most of her wants and desires...

Since it was still pretty early, Vahn spent the remainder of the day escorting Arika, Asuna, and Fenrir around the capital city of Nyandoma. Most places were closed, but there were still plenty of tourist traps and scenic venues to tour, so long as you had the money. Since finances were the least of his concerns, Vahn allowed the trio to enjoy themselves while rewarding the young children that were kind enough to show them around the area. This was relatively common within the country of Cat People, allowing the adults to man and operate the various businesses while entrusting tourists to large groups of very 'handsy' children.

Unfortunately for the 'mischievous' little Cat People, Vahn didn't carry a wallet on him, and, despite their high-born status, Arika and Asuna didn't wear things like jewelry. Even his usual pendant was missing, as he had yet to reforge it, so the only thing they could have possibly stolen was Fenrir's collar. This, however, was completely impossible, and, due to the natural aura that permeated from her body, even the boldest of the mischievous tour guides didn't dare tempt fate. Instead, they had grown into a veritable flock by the time Vahn's group returned to the Inn, largely due to the excess of treats and pocket money he handed out...

Compared to the previous evening, very few people showed any hostility towards them, both as a result of the gentle light that seemed to radiate from Arika and the chubby cat that seemed to have become fond of riding atop Vahn's head. The flock of children also deterred any potential trouble-seekers, as, despite their growing disdain for outsiders, they understood the reason for such a large group. Nyandoma was actually experiencing a recession right now, so, if they tried to get in the way of their own people making money, they were likely to be lambasted by their peers and elders...

Prior to entering the Inn, Vahn had the children line up to receive a bronze Drachma and a tiny bag of sweets. They had become surprisingly obedient after following him for a few hours, so, without trying to cheat or cut in line, all twenty-three children formed an orderly queue. They also didn't shy away from having their heads pat, allowing Vahn to lightly ruffle their unkempt hair before sending them off with a smile.

There were actually a number of children with underlying illnesses and chronic diseases so Vahn was using the brief moment of contact to treat most of their conditions. The cookies he gave them were also functionally similar to the rations that had been developed by Da Vinci, so, even if they ate them all at once, the nutrient-rich substance would remain in their body, slowly digesting as they required sustenance. This would allow those who were on the verge of starvation to make a full recovery, and, though it wouldn't treat the underlying issue, it would drastically improve their chances of survival.

Once all the children had departed, Vahn turned to the trio patiently observing them, smiling as he said, "Thanks for waiting. Now, how about something light and nutritious for dinner? The food we got from the stalls wasn't bad, but I can still recall the feeling of grease lining my throat. How about something like a garden salad and some rice pudding for dessert...?"

Rather than comment on the dinner arrangements, Arika decided to confirm her suspicions, asking, "Did you treat those children?"

Chuckling lightly in response to Arika's inquiry, Vahn just casually replied, "Of course. Didn't I say it back when I first treated your mother? What use is having such a skill if I don't use it to help those in need? Some of those children had sticky fingers, but, with war looming over their heads, they are just doing what they can to survive. Did their actions upset you...?"

Without needing to think about it, Arika shook her head, stating, "No. You did the right thing. I just think that ability of yours is very strange. It doesn't seem like any kind of Magic I have ever seen or heard of. You were even able to treat my mother when others had abandoned all hope. If possible, I would like to learn such a mysterious technique. If it is a secret, however, please forget I mentioned it."

This time, it was Vahn who shook his head, explaining, "I don't mind teaching others, but the skill I use is one that takes decades to achieve even a marginal amount of mastery. It requires advanced knowledge of the physiology and structure of anyone you want to treat, and, without the ability to see the internal structure of your patient, it is almost impossible to use effectively. There is a chance you will do more harm than good, so, while I can teach you, using the technique before I have given my approval is forbidden. It is also one of my personal techniques, so, if you wish to inherit it, you would need to become my official apprentice and vow never to use it with the intention of causing harm..."

Arika wasn't surprised to learn there were strict requirements to use such a mysterious technique, but, when Vahn got to the part about becoming an official apprentice, the thought of addressing him as Master briefly passed through her mind. This caused a strange feeling in her stomach, but, without letting it show on her face, she waited until Vahn had finished speaking before answering, "I will keep that in mind." before turning around and retreating inside the Inn...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Damn, these Elves be tragic...','I'm surprised Vahn doesn't have a Divinity related to the protection of children at this point...','Doki-doki Arika Ojou-sama...')