Chapter 1154 - Reunion

As he could already sense what was going on, Vahn just gave a curt nod to Da Vinci when the latter suddenly adjusted her spectacles, saying, "There are seventy-three weak magical signatures and six decently powerful ones present. It doesn't appear as if we're very welcome~?" Almost as soon as these words left her lips, Da Vinci used her personal staff, the [Key of Avalon], to generate a circular magic circle that absorbed a series of [Gandr], a reddish-black magical laser that served as one of the most common forms of offensive Magecraft taught at the Clock Tower.

Though the guards below were obviously hostile against them, Vahn reasoned that they were just doing their jobs and, as he was arriving unannounced, it wasn't all that surprising they would be attacked. As a result, he just placed Mordred down on the platform before making a barrier of his own, using small engraved stones that had the [Primordial Rune] for 'Protect' inscribed into their surface. By using his own Telekinesis to anchor them in the air, the runes formed a cube-shaped barrier that easily encompassed the entire group, the platform included. To strengthen it further, Vahn used 'air-inscription', one of the more advanced techniques of [Primordial Rune] to inscribe more 'Protect', this time on the barrier itself.

With a standard 'Protect' rune able to block B-Rank spells, Vahn wasn't worried the [Gandr] fired by the uniformed security guards would be able to break through. Though a red-haired woman fired a much thicker and faster beam towards them, it only caused part of the barrier to glow before the [Gandr] ultimately gave out. She fired several such beams but, due to the fact he used Source Energy when creating the second series of runes, the woman was ill-equipped to break Vahn's barrier. With Da Vinci analyzing everything that was happening, combined with Vahn's own ability to sense almost everything occurring around them, it was almost impossible for them to be taken by surprise as he slowly lowered the platform to the ground.

After realizing their attacks had no effect, combined with the fact Vahn's group hadn't attacked back, the ground forces slowly ceased their attacks after an order from the red-haired woman. They then moved to surround the platform while the woman stepped forward, her pale-green eyes passing over everyone within the barrier with a discerning gaze. Then, without Vahn having to say anything, she suddenly asked, "Are you the Sage Emperor, Vahn Mason...?" There was a bit of tension in her voice as these words left her lips, causing Vahn to smile as he nodded his head, answering, "I am Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the very same Sage Emperor." Since she had left out his middle name, even though that was the 'most' important part, Vahn knew she was trying to test him.

The moment Vahn finished his introduction, the woman raised her hand, shouting, "Stand down! Code Green!" Then, after a series of sharp movements from everyone surrounding the platform, the woman cut her hand down as the entire group simultaneously bowed low, shouting in a thunderous chorus, "Greetings to the Sage Emperor!" As Luvia had quite a few 'intentions' towards Vahn, he was a 'super VIP' that all of the Edelfelt Mercenaries and Security Forces had been made aware of. Only a few knew Vahn's 'real' identity, for obvious reasons, but they had painstakingly practiced the 'Code Green' protocol for several tens of hours.

After giving a small nod to Fenrir, the latter moved to protect Mordred while Vahn allowed his barrier to dissipate. Against enemies of this level, Vahn didn't really need to worry all that much but, as Alaya herself had said, there were a number of powerful artifacts that would be able to make him regret his complacency. Fortunately, even Mordred had the [Instinct] skill so, if there was any kind of danger at all, she would automatically move to evade it. Even in her sealed state, she was more than a match for a standard Magus. Just to be safe, however, Vahn removed two of the restraints, causing Mordred to fidget about with a battle-hungry smile on her face...

While the other Security Forces quickly moved to take care of their other duties, the red-haired woman who seemed to be their leader came forward, bowing yet again as she stated, "Please do not blame my subordinates for their audaciousness. I, Sophia Mayweather, take full responsibility for any slights you have experienced."

Seeing the sharply dressed woman with neatly arranged medium-length red-hair bowing before him, Vahn had the urge to shake his head and tell her not to mind it. There was no way they could have known the identities of the random group descending upon them from the sky, completely unannounced. However, with his status as an Emperor, it could potentially create problems if he didn't carry himself with a little bit of dignity. Fortunately, before he had to make a decision on his own, Vahn looked towards the entrance of the chateau as Gray stepped out from the interior. Her face immediately blossomed into a smile, causing Vahn to gesture for Sophia to rise as he said, "That will be unnecessary..." as he walked past her.

As she wasn't really the outgoing type, there was no situation of Gray running into his embrace as she and Vahn just walked towards each other at a casual pace. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, they embraced each other, Gray burying her face into his chest as Vahn habitually stroked her back and head. Moments later, as if she had confirmed he was real, Gray had a thin layer of moisture over her stark blue eyes as she whimpered, "I missed you..." while putting more strength into her embrace.

Vahn felt a twinge of pain in his heart after hearing Gray's words, causing him to kiss the top of her head as he answered, "I missed you too, Gray..." This caused her to raise her face, staring directly into Vahn's eyes as her own slowly closed. Understanding the cue, Vahn gently cupped Gray's cheek as he leaned in and gave her a short yet emotion-filled kiss. A single tear fell from her left eye, intercepted by Vahn's thumb as he wiped it away in one swift motion. He knew Gray was going to be extremely embarrassed when she came back to her senses so, out of consideration, Vahn could at least make it so that her tears were not observed by others...

After separating from Gray, her eyelids slowly peeled open as a light blush began to color her fair, almost pale white cheeks. There was a slightly dazed look in her eyes and, for a brief moment, Vahn thought she might want to go in for another kiss. Unfortunately, Mordred used this timing to laugh in a mischevious manner before commenting, "Hahaue, she really does look just like you. I thought you were exaggerating when you told me about her..." Then, as if it was impossible for her to read the atmosphere, Mordred walked over until she had invaded Gray's personal space, looking up into the latter's confused face. Following this, Mordred crossed her arms and adopted a prideful smile as she introduced, "Hey there. The names Mordred Pendragon. I'm something like your super-great Aunt. It's nice to meet you, Gray-chan~."

Hearing Mordred introduce herself, Gray had a completely blank expression on her face as she had no idea what to make of the situation. She recognized the name Mordred, for obvious reasons, but suddenly having a little girl introducing themself as King Arthur's killer was not something she ever expected to experience. Ultimately, however, Gray returned an awkward smile as she greeting, "It is nice to meet you, Mordred..." Since she assumed Vahn would explain the situation, Gray decided to just go with the flow as, even at a glance, she could see the very obvious similarities between Artoria and the young girl before her. If not for the dignified way in which Artoria carried herself, a stark contrast to the 'wild' aura that emanated from Mordred, the two would look like a set of twins who had somehow been separated by a few year's developments...

To prevent Mordred from causing any problems, Vahn placed his hand atop her head and began to ruffle her hair as the others joined their small gathering. Gray and Artoria both gave polite bows toward each other while Da Vinci had an intrigued smile as she observed the monochromatic girl and her peculiar garb. What she was most interested in, however, was the 'nothingness' hidden within Gray's right sleeve. She had already heard about Add from Vahn so, even without asking, Da Vinci knew the anomaly she was witnessing must be Gray's Mystic Codex. Since it was apparently able to freely change shape and had a degree of sentience, Da Vinci was very interested in analyzing its structure when she got the chance.

After a brief round of introductions, the woman named Sophia gave another polite bow as she asked everyone to alight to the inside of the chateau, even though Vahn's domain was keeping the snow and cold at bay. Since he wanted to see Rin and Sakura, Vahn gave a curt nod before gesturing for everyone else to follow. Fortunately, after increasing his perception by practicing within the Inner Sanctum, Vahn was able to easily see through the barriers within the large fortress-like building. Even without the veritable army of Maids and Butlers bowing as they gestured towards his destination, Vahn would have been able to navigate the interior of the chateau on his own.

---

As they had already received news that the incident outside was related to Vahn, Rin, Sakura, and Olga had gathered together in a large recreational study that had a fireplace, billiards, and several other means to keep yourself entertained. Though Olga felt extremely nervous, Rin had a calm and expectant look on her face while Sakura looked like she might jump up from her seat and seek out Vahn at any moment. To keep her in place, Rin was holding her daughter's hand while Olga stood awkwardly at the side, smoothening out the wrinkles of her clothing and failing to keep her ahoge down. She had always been bothered by her perpetual 'bed hair' and, now that she was meeting the man that controlled her destiny, Olga momentarily humored the thought of just ripping out the uncooperative tuft of hair...

Before Olga could muster up the 'resolve' to pull out her own hair, the sound of doorknobs being turned broke through the silence of the study as two prim and proper Maids opened the double-doors leading into the large room. Then, before they were even open fully, Sakura bounced up to her feet, shouting, "Otou-sama~!" as she broke free from her mother's hand and bolted across the room. Vahn took a knee as Sakura approached, allowing her to toss herself into his arms as she exclaimed, "I missed you so much! Please stay with us always from now on...!"

Though she had the Space-Time Orb to keep her company, even Sakura had started to feel there was something 'off' as time passed. The moment she hugged her 'real' Otou-sama, Sakura felt like she might start crying but, trying to avoid making their reunion upsetting for everyone, she did her best to swallow the building emotions, even as her nose felt sour and her vision became blurry. In response to this, Vahn picked up her body, holding her like the little girl she was as he gently stroked her back and whispered, "Don't worry my little cherry blossom...things will be different from now on..." Now that he had an official 'base', Vahn was confident he could protect both Rin and Sakura from danger as, at least for the time being, the Mage's Association should have no way of directly entering Avalon...

While carrying the trembling Sakura, who was still doing her best not to cry, Vahn walked over to the now standing Rin, answering her smile with a gentle one of his own. This only lasted for a moment, however, as Vahn immediately sensed something 'wrong' with Rin's body, turning his eyes toward her chest with furrowed brows. She immediately shook her head as if to say, 'we'll talk about it later', eliciting a curt nod from Vahn as he fixed his expression and said, "I missed you, Rin..." In response, Rin's smile softened as she replied, "I missed you as well, dummy..." The final word was said almost inaudibly but, as Vahn was more than adept at reading lips, he smiled amusedly as a warm feeling spread through his chest.

Just as Vahn was about to introduce Mordred and Da Vinci, the relatively warm atmosphere in the room suddenly became awkward when a young woman, who Vahn had previously thought was just another bodyguard, stammered, "G-Greetings! M-my name is Olga Marie Asmleit Animusphere! I may be in...inexperienced, but I will do my best...!" Ever since the first discussion she had with Luvia, Rin, and Gray, which detailed how she might be able to win Vahn's favor, much of Olga's free time had been spent thinking about their first meeting. Now that the moment had come, her face was simultaneously pale and flushed as a strong feeling of 'not knowing what to do with her hands' crept up from the back of her mind as she tightly clutched the hem of her skirt...

Though he was slightly taken aback by Olga's outburst, Vahn's expression remained unperturbed as he looked toward Rin for answers. She gave him a wry smile in response that spoke volumes about what had been happening while he was away. It was very apparent that a lot had been going on as, from their previous arrangements, Rin should have stayed in London for another five months, at the very least. The fact she was currently located in a 'fortress' in Northern Ireland, with a malicious burn mark embedded into her chest, was indicative that things hadn't gone as smoothly as he would have liked. At the same time, Vahn became more aware of the presence of Alaya at his side, causing the small blue Vanargandr to twitch in response...

Since now wasn't the best time to talk about any troubles that had arisen, especially with Mordred and Sakura present, Vahn decided to shelve the matter temporarily as he gave a polite nod toward Olga, answering, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Animusphere. You seem to be aware of my identity, but allow me to introduce myself. My name is Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the Sage Emperor..." As he introduced himself, Vahn was also paying more attention to Olga's appearance as, based on Rin's reaction, there was a good chance she would be accompanying them in the future. She was another uncommonly beautiful young woman with pale, almost white, hair and golden eyes that had a slight bronze hue.

Vahn deduced she was around twenty-two years old based on her aura and, now that he got a better look at her, it was clear to see from the quality of her clothing and the intricate way in which she styled her hair that Olga was likely an Aristocraft from a reputable Magus family. The moment this thought crossed his mind, Vahn remembered Rin's explanation of the most powerful families associated with the Clock Tower, the Animusphere family being amongst them. He deduced that they had formed an alliance and, based on Olga's presence here, the agreement undoubtedly had something to do with him. There was even a chance that the Animusphere family had helped out Rin and Sakura when they were in danger, increasing Vahn's opinion of the fl.u.s.tered young woman who, after seeing his smile, clutched her skirt even tighter...

---

During the time that Vahn had briefly been observing Olga, there were two others who had been having a staring contest of their own. Sakura, while hugging Vahn's neck, was able to see over his shoulder and, seeing another little girl standing amongst the group, intuitively 'knew' that she wasn't just some lost child that her Otou-sama had picked up. Even she could see the similarities between Artoria and Mordred, causing Sakura to squeeze her Otou-sama's neck even harder, her teal eyes locking with the green eyes of Mordred. As Mordred was already well-aware of the existence of her Imouto, she just smiled back in a disarming manner before waving her hand, an action that caused Sakura to avert her eyes with a small pouting expression on her face.

Breaking the momentary silence, Mordred began to laugh in response to Sakura's behavior, drawing the focus of everyone in the room, Sakura included, as she happily exclaimed, "Sakura-chan! It is nice to meet you! My name is Mordred Pendragon, your Aneue! If anyone ever tries to bully you in the future, I'll always be there to protect you from now on, okay~!?" As she would much rather be the Knight that protects the princess, rather than the princess herself, Mordred had always wanted to meet this younger sister of hers. Sakura, however, seemed less than enthused as, even though she had started to understand that the women around her Otou-sama weren't just his 'friends', it felt like her happiness was threatened by the existence of Mordred and the women that would get in the way of her Okaa-chan and Otou-sama...

As it didn't take a genius to understand that Sakura was less than pleased to suddenly have an older sister, Mordred's smile became somewhat awkward. She didn't give up, however, moving to a spot where she could see Sakura's face, smiling with a toothy grin as she said, "I really want to be Sakura-chan's friend...please...?" At the same time, Vahn lightly pat Sakura's back, whispering, "Sakura, your sister has really been looking forward to seeing you. There are a lot of things I need to explain to you about your heritage so please give her a chance. Don't worry, I'm not going to suddenly abandon you and your Okaa-chan...from now on, we will be one big family, living in a fantastical world beyond your imagination..."

Though she wasn't entirely convinced, Sakura had spent nearly half of her day, every single day, inside of the Space-Time Orb with her Otou-sama's memory fragment. She was unable to ignore his words, especially with the warm and calming energy flowing into her body from his hands. Deciding to trust in her Otou-sama, Sakura released a tired sigh that wasn't befitting of a girl her age as Vahn set her down on the floor. Then, though it didn't quite reach her eyes, Sakura managed a smile as she looked toward Mordred and muttered, "Onee-chan..." Though it wasn't quite the 'Aneue' she was looking for, Mordred didn't mind it all that much as she began to laugh in a cheerful manner before surprising Sakura as she picked up the latter, spinning around on the spot as she exclaimed, "Cute imouto, get~!"

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'All your base are belong to us','The self-propagating harem, a more powerful force than even the expansion of the universe','Resistance is futile, Sakura. Mordred will never let you go now (☼ w ☼)~♫')

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