Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Chapter 1661 Changes, Both Subtle and Drastic

With the loss of nearly forty percent of the Senate, the destruction of various facilities, and the mass liberation of innumerable slaves, few were surprised when the Confederation began suing for peace with the Empire. The demonstration of the Sage Dragon Emperor’s might made it clear to most that he was against the War, and, though he was currently ’playing nice’, the actions he had taken within the Senate demonstrated he would hold those in power accountable rather than the soldiers on the frontline.

After witnessing their contemporaries executed with a simple wave of the Sage Dragon Emperor’s hand, the surviving Senators weren’t in a hurry to paint a target on their backs. They immediately rescinded the bounty placed on both the Sage Dragon Emperor and the Scarlet-Eyed Wolf King. It was clear the two were closely affiliated, so, while there were several private bounties still in effect, the current political stance of the Confederation was in compliance with the Sage Dragon Emperor’s demands.

Though ’everyone’ knew there was more going on behind the scenes, the sudden suing for peace came as a great relief to the nations nearest to the frontlines. It was always these smaller nations that suffered the most during a conflict, as, whenever either side was looking for a vantage point to attack from, they almost always cut through neighboring territories. They would also be ransacked for supplies during a prolonged engagement, and, though there were several accords intended to inhibit such behavior, many small towns and villages became ’playgrounds’ for war-weary soldiers looking to relieve some stress.

With the Confederation suing for peace so soon after the war began, the common people felt as if a great blessing had descended upon them. As for the various unscrupulous merchants, arms dealers, nationalists, and soldiers on both sides, they couldn’t help but feel notably frustrated. This war had been an opportunity for them to either make a considerable profit or elevate their status, so, even if they had seen the Sage Dragon Emperor’s might first-hand, there were still people who lamented even the mention of peace talks.

Fortunately, at least for the common people often victimized during such conflicts, the leaders of both sides were very self-centered and egotistical. They wouldn’t hesitate to send millions to their deaths, shouting nationalistic ideologies and inciting the people to take up arms in the defense of their nation, but, the moment their own lives were on the line, they were exceptionally quick to seek a compromise, emphasizing the value of restraint, virtue, and the need for peaceful coexistence...

---

Though the Empire had yet to reach a consensus, Arika took advantage of the opportunity created by Vahn to try and mediate between the two superpowers. As a result, she soon found herself in an ornate reception room, silently sipping away at tea whilst waiting for an audience with the Emperor of Hellas. Across from her, wearing attire that wasn’t exactly proper for a Princess meeting a foreign dignitary, an ever-vibrant Theo could be seen sitting with her legs crossed, smiling cheekily as she said, "I’m guessing Eva already departed for Mundus Vetus. Asuna must be driving Vahn crazy right now~."

Hearing Theo’s reminder, Arika couldn’t help releasing a small sigh before lightly shaking her head and saying, "That girl is better at handling Vahn than any of us...I just hope she doesn’t take things too far..."

Amused by Arika’s concerns, Theo snickered in her characteristic manner before saying, "Asuna is a good kid. She might be a little precocious, but I can’t really condemn her. I have to train my body at least six hours a day just to avoid breaking things. You’ve also been struggling, right?"

Though her expression didn’t change much, a rosy hue spread through Arika’s face as she averted her eyes and simply intoned, "Nn..."

Seeing her kindred sister’s reaction, Theo’s smile became even more prominent. Though Arika was probably less affected than she and Eva were, Theo knew it couldn’t be easy for her. She struggled when it came to being honest with herself, so, without a bit of coaxing, Arika likely had no way to deal with her urges. Theo could even imagine her just curling up in bed, tightly hugging a pillow for a few hours, constantly thinking about taking action but unable to due to her feelings of shame and embarrassment...

As that thought crossed her mind, Theo considered giving her best friend a helping hand, a sadistic smile spreading across her face as a result. A desire to dominate everything had been seeded inside of her ever since she awakened as a ’Dragon’, and, for reasons she assumed to be related to the Tri-Force of Wisdom contained within Arika’s body, Theo felt an increasing urge to push her down. Not to take advantage of her, but to strengthen the bonds she had with her beloved big sister...

Feeling a strange sense of panic welling up inside of her, Arika turned her attention back to Theo, a questioning look visible in her eyes. At the same time, she felt a sensation similar to burning in her left hand, and, though it wasn’t visible to other people, both she and Theo could see a glimmering golden triangle glowing through her glove. This caused a cool feeling to wash over her mind, and, as if everything had suddenly become clear, Arika’s eyes widened slightly as she plainly stated, "I’ll have to refuse your offer...unless Vahn is with us, I’m not comfortable doing such things..."

Arika’s calm yet demure tone did little to address Theo’s urge to push her down, but, even if the compulsion was several times stronger, she would never force someone against their will. Two of the most important lessons her Master had taught her was about consent and trust. You needed both if you wanted to maintain a healthy relationship, so, while the smile on her face didn’t fade, Theo nodded her head in understanding before teasingly commenting, "I’ll keep that in mind the next time we’re all together, shishishi~."

Understanding Theo’s meaning, the ruddy glow on Arika’s face became even more prominent, but, rather than refuse, she responded with a small nod. She was actually a little interested in the things that Theo and Vahn did together, so, while she didn’t really have the courage to participate, part of her had always wanted to watch...

Starling both girls, though neither really showed it, a loud knocking could be heard from the ornate metal door that represented the room’s primary entrance. In response, Theo was the first to alight from her seat, her movements swift and sure as she appeared next to the door in an instant before using her tail to practically force it open and ask, "Has my Father called for us?"

Surprised by how quickly the door had opened, the trio of Maids on the other side couldn’t help but take a few steps back. One even fell down, her skirt magically hiking up more than it ought to as she landed hard on her butt, her lips parting on instinct to attempt an apology.

Amused by the trio’s response, a playful glimmer reflected across Theo’s eyes as she bypassed the first two Maids to help the one who had fallen. This caused the Maid in question to feel incredibly flustered, but, before she could say anything, a crimson flush appeared on her face when she heard the Princess state, "Black suits you..." while winking.

Though it didn’t immediately hit her, the Maid quickly realized what the Princess was talking about when she mentioned the word ’black’. This caused illusory steam to rise from her head, and, though her education trained her to always maintain her bearing and behave respectfully towards members of the Nobility, she couldn’t help but lower her head while gripping the front of her skirt.

Seeing the Maid’s reaction, Theo’s smile became wide enough to display her prominent canines. A very strong desire to tease the Maid began to well up inside of her, but, having already dedicated herself to her Master, she managed to restrain the urge. She could make an exception for Arika, as she was another one of her Master’s women, but, when it came to others, Theo needed to temper herself. She was unwilling to betray her Master’s trust, and, even if it was just ’playing around’, she knew it would be inappropriate for her to do such things without his permission.

Nodding in approval of her own thoughts, Theo lightly pat the Maid’s shoulder a few times before turning to face the leader and stating, "You never answered me."

Hearing the Princess’ remark, the senior Maid showed an expression of surprise before immediately lowering her head and answering, "Forgive me, Princess Theodora. To answer the Princess’ question, yes, His Imperial Majesty is ready to receive Her Highness, Princess Arika Anarchia Entheofushia."

Though she already expected such a response, Theo nodded her head a few times before looking toward Arika and saying, "Well, you heard her. Let’s get this over with so I can show you around the Capital. There are a ton of things I want your advice on and I know a few interesting places we can visit to have a bit of fun~!"

Hearing how their Princess was addressing a Princess of Vespertatia, the trio of Maids and a few nearby Imperial Guardsmen all began to sweat. They had heard the rumors stating that Theo and Arika had become friends during their time in Ariadne, but, as the Ostian Royal Family had always been neutral, it was very strange to hear their Princess speak so casually. After all, the matter they were about to discuss with the Emperor was directly related to the war, not something you just ’got over with’ before going off to play.

Ignoring the looks from her surroundings, Theo continued to smile radiantly as she exacerbated the matter by grabbing Arika’s hand and pulling her along. This was enough to cause even Arika to feel slightly troubled, but, rather than pull her arm free, she just smiled politely towards the trio of Maids as Theo ’guided’ her to the Throne Room...

---

With everything that had been happening recently, Michael had been experiencing hypertension-induced migraines. As a result, he had dismissed nearly the entire Court before removing his crown and asking a very mature-looking woman with a low-cut gown to massage his temples. This earned him a few envious looks from the remaining members of the Court, but, with the exception of Jack, none were bold enough to say anything. As for the man in question, he had left the Capital in order to complete a secret mission, so, with the Emperor cracking down on corruption as of late, nobody was willing to speak out...

Just as Michael was thinking about asking the buxom woman to hug his face, a method that greatly aided in relaxing his mind, a thunderous sound echoed through the chamber like an explosion. This startled most of the people present, but, having grown accustomed to such surprises, as they were one of the causes for his migraines, Emperor Michael just casually waved aside the bronze-skinned servant before donning his crown and musing, "Lively as ever..."

Though he had spoken very quietly, Theo’s enhanced hearing was able to pick up on her Father’s words with considerable ease. Her smile became even more prominent, and, as there were fewer and fewer people bold enough to call her out on not behaving like a Princess, her Father included, Theo no longer bothered with trivialities such as decorum and obeisance. She had always preferred being more direct, and, though she could play the political game well, there was simply no need to when you had uncontested might and popularity.

The citizens of the Hellas Empire already considered Theo a ’Princess of the People’, so, even if she didn’t behave like a Noble, none of them would judge her. As for the rest of the Nobility, she didn’t really care about their opinion, as, unless they were willing to commit themselves to the Empire, she had no need for the majority of them. Those that sincerely supported the Empire would never care about trying to ’correct’ her behavior, so, by acting out and controlling the pace, Theo could expose potential dissidents by simply annoying them until they exposed themselves.

With that in mind, Theo snickered towards a number of Nobles present, earning various reactions as she guided Arika, now less forcibly, towards her Father. Then, without bothering to bow or lower her head, she displayed her most radiant smile as she said, "Hey there, Papa. I wanted to introduce you to one of my friends, shishishishi~"

(A/N: Alternate Titles: ’I have always been against such barbaric conflicts...’ -Former War Advocate and Arms Dealer’,’Black suits most people (UwU)...’,’Theo has really grown...kinda...maybe...’)

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