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Gusion just shook his head and put a talon on his beak.

"This is why I never bothered with marriage. I simply took mistresses. The children all have different mothers, actually. It gave me a variety of statures and temperaments to work with regarding the three of them, even if only two remain."

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Gusion was sincerely hoping the queen was making a jest. If Athena shared that level of dark ambition, then he would have to keep as close of an eye on the people around her as he did the girl herself. Though it seemed the matter was closed for now. It was probably for the best.

He knew Vine wasn't one to talk business often, but then again, so many things were merely a game to her. Still, he had his answer and he would let the subject rest.

He would change to a lighter subject. Some matter of minor gossip that was still nonetheless entertaining. "I am due to be banned from the Greed Ring in two weeks." He idly says, "Mammon will finally hear of my foresight and take appropriate measures to protect the profits of his casinos. I look forward to finding a way to see his reaction. I am considering planning a coffee break around it."

He had to give Vine this, as serious as the Duke often was, she did have a point when it came to taking pleasure in the little things sometimes.

In short? No.

Athena's future was like an open book to her. The third eye didn't lie. And that Goetia's story was most riveting indeed.

But the grimoire could only show so much, and it was more suited to things set in stone. But what more could Gusion do? He had not been the Oracle of God as she was once.

"Athena comes across too many crossroads, of which she chooses too quickly to ever be predicted by grimoire or spell." She said simply. "My visions of the future are always perfect; but at present I am more interested in being surprised."

And with such a winding river sweeping before Gusion's daughter, it would be a wild ride indeed.

"I suggest you not worry too much. I'll protect you if it comes to something awful. Patricide for example." Vine made a mischevious face. "Though you must forgive me if I let your daughter have some sport in her life. At my age, entertainment is everything."

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Gusion watched the pages of his grimoire burn and rewrite themselves in real time. This was going to have far reaching implication for the future. A lot of implication.

"Turn down any and all further questions regarding the future of this edict until things... settle." He orders.

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Point out a flaw of my muse and see their reaction!

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Gusion shook his head. "The same problem would have presented itself. The boy would have been overloaded with too much fresh information and in an addled state from what happened to the sigils. Reflect on how he is now and how he has reacted to you and this information. This was after he managed to collect the rest of his situation to a usable point."

He let the implication stay. "I know it hurts, Theadora. I am not so callous as to refuse to acknowledge your feelings, but it is my duty to think in the long term- the longest term possible. This was the best outcome. I reiterate, this was the best outcome."

The calamity at Castle Noctua was unavoidable. It wasn't out loud but in her mind she mocked the stoic, simplistic way he said it. Who in their right might would say a calamity of any sort is unavoidable. Especially if it involved your SON without any amount of emotion. For the moment though, those words did not fall from her beak, but instead a huff of annoyance, a frustrated eyeroll and fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve were the only things she managed while he continued talking.

"You could have told me that he was alive and going to come back again. That would have at least eased my mind-I could even have kept looking for him if that would have been needed. I could have just maybe gotten an ounce more sleep for instance. Instead I worried myself sick some nights instead of actually living my own life. Because, despite this being an arrangement- I love him. I have loved him. And both you and he knew it."

"Unlike most of the population, I am capable of keeping secrets, Duke Gusion." She cocked her head to the side. "It runs in the family, after all." She wasn't pulling rank, she really did not care. She also knew he knew, but if she didn't let out some of her frustration in words and remind him that she could deal with keeping secrets - she might burst. She knew he always had his reasons and she knew she always found them infuriating.

"You're irritating." She stated simply, not worried he'd actually be bothered by the statement. That was actually one thing she appreciated, that she could say it because it was rarely about him it was about his job. Sometimes you just couldn't say things but it never made it any less annoying.

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Gusion turned and held up a talon. "Ubi." A crest appeared in his hand and the room blurred, walls and shelves rushing past them like a film reel being skipped at high speed before they stopped in front of a massive imposing door.

The entryway was thick wood and above it was a metal plaque that read "RESTRICTED." It was on the Duke's private floor and still bore such a sign; that fact said more than enough. He turned toward Caim slowly. "You will have to be the one to open the door. I will be able to follow, and I highly suggest you not venture into this room alone. The risk to your emotional state is too great."

He pauses and takes on a more understanding, less stern gaze at the young woman. Young to him, at any rate. "The risk is not the magic or the reality of other decisions you could have made. It is the imposing danger of regret you didn't think you would have. You will never be able to unlearn what you see- what you could have done or experienced or known. You may find a life far better than the one you lead now that you will never have. Remember that it does not exist in some far flung reality. This is chances lost to you because of key decisions you made or didn't make. There will be no 'butterfly effect' from minor happenstance here. You will know the decisions you made that lead to what you will be reading about."

He stepped aside from the door, waiting to see if Caim would follow through with this.

Hearing him say it aloud made Caim realize how foolish she was to ask such a thing. Her son's future had yet to be determined, and there was no way of telling how it would go. While she felt that cutting him off from his goetian heritage might harm him later on, there was also the chance that keeping him among her people and in the human world might be the best thing for him. If he were to be raised among the goetia, there was little doubt he would be friendless and lonely. At least in her world he could pass for a student, go to school, make friends, and possibly meet other youkai children his age.

He could be happy if she left well enough alone.

When Gusion mentioned her life and possibilities, Caim decided that it would be better to look at those and leave her son's future well enough alone.

"...I do," she said quietly. "I will leave Yukitaka's future and possibilities well enough alone, but I do wish to peer at mine." She would have to guard her heart and her mind so that she wouldn't be swayed by what might have been.

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Duke Gusion nodded sagely and then turned to Andrealphus. "If you wish to capitalize on this rare opportunity, Marquis, I would suggest speaking to my servants and getting yourself a library card. The Ars Goetia have access to several floors that the common people do not. My private library is still mine and mine alone, however."

He then turns to the young man at the table. "Keep note of that."

With that, he started to finish his own meal exactly as he knew the conversation would end for him. The food was prepared to be the right temperature right at this moment. Punctual chefs were mandatory in the Duke's estate for just this reason. When they were told to make something specifically at a certain time, it was imperative that they did.

"Are there any further questions?"

Yukitaka listened carefully as Gusion spoke. Staying with the duke, he knew, was the best option; it would allow him to be close to the magic needed to send him home, and Gusion would be able to shield him from any threats during this time period. Yukitaka had long heard from his mother just how many despised his existence, namely Paimon and his many children. Staying out of their way while training diligently would allow him to get home faster and in one piece.

"...then I will be staying with you. Thank you for taking me into your care," he said, bowing his head respectfully as his mother had taught him.

Andrealphus watched the entire exchange quietly. While he was disappointed that he could not spend time with this version of his son, the marquis knew he needed to be there for the fledgling that existed in this time. He would eventually see Yukitaka grown up, anyway.

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Send 🍁 + Any question you’ve been curious to know about my muse!

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[keeperofanswers]

@a-hell-of-a-time

Gusion let that question just linger unanswered. Focalors knew full well the answer to that. "You know I would not have bothered bringing you here if it wasn't important." He folded his talons in front of him while he let the woman devour her snacks.

"Who exactly are you planning to rile up this time?" While he knew the answer, sometimes it was better to make sure the other person was the one speaking. For someone as obstinate and contrarian as her, this would have to be a conversation and not a lecture.

Taking a seat at the table, the duchess immediately started helping herself to the offered snacks. If she was going to be in for another lecture, she might as well have comfort food while being forced to listen.

At the comment, Focalors gave him an incredulous stare. "And since when have I ever done something stupid?" Sure she tended to act rashly and without thinking, but in the end everything worked out, so there was no problem in her eyes.

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Gusion knew that was going to be the response. He was frustrated about it anyway.

He would need someone else to have that discussion. Though because Athena's future was so difficult to ascertain for whatever reason, he was back to good old fashioned guesswork and learning.

It was annoying.

He folded his arms and considered a different approach. "I am sure you've noticed that Athena's future seems strangely in flux- moreso than anyone else. It is as if something is blocking my grimoire from seeing into her possibilities. Have you had such difficulties?"

"Mm-"

Vine could see that meeting.

Athena was quite the firecracker. Her advice wouldn't be taken in quite so easily as Gusion thought.

"I could. Naturally." She shrugged. "But my influence is far subtler than a mere 'go find a rival' speech in polite quarters. I'm afraid if you want my assistance, it's going to have to be through other means. But trust in me my dear, it will all be well-"

After all. She could just go send the blasted rival to Athena direct, and let the sparks fly.

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Ask my muse invasive questions! Nothing is off limits and they have to answer honestly-

No matter how uncomfortable they are! Happy TMI Tuesday~

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Gusion shook his head. "You are asking a lot. What are you defining as 'the end'? How far ahead are you trying to see? The farther you look the murkier the future can become. There are decisions yet to be made and they can change what is happening. The last thing you need is to be riddled with indecision over the possibilities or become obsessed with a specific future and try to force others around you to conform to its outcome."

He rose and a few imps wandered into the room to tend to the Duke's feathered cape as he stood. "As for what you have already done, I can grant you access to your possibilities. These are rows of books that contain the untold stories of your life. These are the decisions you did not make or futures that were closed to you. One word of warning I will give you is to be extremely careful. It is far too easy for someone to become lost in what could have been and be left with nothing but regret."

Gusion's eyes narrowed. "Do you understand me, Caim?" Again, he knew the answer, but only because he asked the question in the first place. Still his delivery contained a practiced emotion to it. It needed to in order for the question to actually make an impact.

"I want to see if Yukitaka will be happier in the end following the current state of affairs, or if he would have been happier if I had married Andrealphus and he was raised among the goetia." She needed to see the outcome of both paths, for it would tell her if she had made the right choice. Caim was well aware that seeing what would have been might be more damning than good, but that was a risk she was willing to take.

If it turns out that Yukitaka would have been better off being raised a goetia, then she would have to see if there was a way to curb what had happened. Perhaps her father could work something out to get her position restored, and perhaps Andre would agree to take her hand again.

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"Bring it to me."

"My Lord?"

"Bring it to me."

"You cannot mean-"

"You know I do not take this lightly."

"Yes, Sire."

Gusion looked over the grimoire- and its most dire prophecies. "What did this act ensure?" He mutters, staring grimly over the tome.

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Gusion crosses his arms. "I am half tempted to make it a command. Your problems are about to make my life a lot more chaotic, so the least you can do is take care of yourself so I won't be the one handling it all."

He waved his talon again and several other little mirrors shone in front of them, showing different bustling mortal cities. "These are a few of my personal favorites. The mortal realm is a good place to find rest if you know where to go." It was also convenient that as immortal demons with almost no known way of being harmed by them, they could also afford to be adventurous if one was feeling particularly bold. Though, the duke felt that was the last thing Andrealphus wanted. "Where do you want to go? I had been considering Tokyo. It has been nearly fifty mortal years since I was last there in earnest. Besides that, does your ex-fiance not also live there? She and her wife may appreciate a visit."

The question caught him off guard. Andrealphus knew it had been quite some time since he last took a vacation. In fact, it had been Caim who dragged him out of his office and into the human world when he overdid it with work, and that was a good few years ago. The marquis was long overdue, but with the current state of affairs he simply couldn't drop everything and leave.

...could he?

"...is this a suggestion, or an invitation?" he asked, looking skeptically at the duke. Yes he now has a steward who could take over most of his affairs, which would make leaving to go on a vacation a non issue, but again Andrealphus felt responsible to keep pushing through his work. Besides, it wasn't like the duke was actually inviting him on any sort of vacation.

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B-But Daddy Gusion, I love you!

"I SAID BEGONE!"

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Could I please call you 'Daddy,' Gusion?

"You will refer to me as Duke Gusion, Your Grace, Your Highness, or My Lord. Nothing else. Now begone."

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"That is correct." Gusion stated between another mouthful of his own food. One more gulp before he continued. "When you return very little time will have passed on your side. At least if the spells to do so are prepared correctly."

He already knew the answer Yukitaka was going to give, but he wouldn't do so without the choices being provided. It was always a chore when one half of the conversation had basically already experienced it. At this point the Duke was simply going through the motions. Half the time it felt like reading from a script.

Small wonder he was so distant with his own family.

"Where else would you go that is safe?" He countered. "I can foresee all possible guests that would arrive so we would have ample warning if you had the possibility of being discovered. I can offer you an itinerary of safe rooms to be a specific times in case of such events. Furthermore very few can navigate the whole of my library without my guidance. This is going to be the best place for you moving forward. When someone finally does discover you, it would be best for them to only know that you are my ward and that to question me further is not permitted." This implied that he wouldn't be discovered by anyone higher ranking than the Duke. Hopefully the young man would pick up on it.

When both of them settled, Yukitaka was the first to begin putting food on his plate. However, before he could give the customary phrase, the Duke's words captured his attention. He knew that there were some goetia, namely the king himself who cared little for his existence. It was why he spent the majority of his days in the human realm and rarely visited his father. It only made sense that his existence be hidden.

When the duke mentioned 'this time,' it all suddenly made sense. The reason his father seemed off to him was due to the fact that the man sitting next to him was his father from the past; the father he knew was still in Yukitaka's present, no doubt panicking alongside his mother as to where their son ended up.

"So wait a second: I travelled through time?" He already knew the answer, but the teen still wanted some form of confirmation none the less.

When it came to where he would stay, Yukitaka's first instinct was to say his father's place. However, that would interfere with his younger self, and put him at risk of being discovered. He also didn't like the idea of staying with this duke's children, who were just as much strangers as the goetia before him.

That left only one option. "You are offering for me to stay with you?"