Bora looked at them and spoke.
"The Emperor said you may enter as soon as he arrives. I am returning to my post. I wish you a good day."
Soren and Omar nodded in response. As Bora turned to leave, something occurred to Omar.
"Bora! It just came to mind—I spoke with some friends in the 47th Regiment. There's a female soldier there dealing with the same issue as you. Her name is Angelica Vangar. 4th Battalion, 12th Company, 7th Squad, sniper class. I'd say give it a chance."
Bora paused for a brief moment, then continued walking.
"Alright."
As Bora disappeared from sight, the two knocked on the door of the Emperor's chamber. From inside came a deep, authoritative yet calm voice.
"Enter."
They stepped inside. The room contained a library filled with various ancient books, and before it stood a futuristic desk—an elegant fusion of refined wood and advanced technology. On one side of the room was a minimalist seating area used for rest and receiving guests; on the other side was a compact kitchen.
Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man with slightly graying hair, a solid build, a rugged beard, and a charismatic, commanding presence. In one hand, he held paper documents; with the other, he was typing on a holographic computer. Important documents and projects were deliberately kept on paper, as there was little trust in the virtual realm. If one could build a secure cyber domain, then something equally powerful could be created to breach it. The emperors of Turanya and Azera viewed cyberspace as a double-edged sword and refused to take unnecessary risks.
Paper documentation, of course, had its own challenges—but the science behind "paper" had advanced immensely. It was far more durable than it once was; both the material itself and the writing upon it could remain intact even when submerged in a bucket of water. Its protective properties were equally robust.
The Emperor lifted his head, looked at the visitors, and stood up with a warm smile.
"Soren, Omar. Seeing you always gives me energy."
Omar and Soren placed their right hands over their left chests and bowed their heads slightly.
"It is always an honor to see you, Your Majesty."
Both spoke in unison.
The Emperor accepted their greeting and gestured toward the guest area.
"Come. I was about to eat—join me. Tonight's main dish is roasted lamb. We can talk while we dine."
Omar's stomach growled loudly at the mention of roasted lamb; the words alone made him instantly hungry. Soren had a similar reaction. Both were famished, and dining with the Emperor was always a pleasure—thanks both to his chef and his engaging conversation.
Chuckling softly, the Emperor moved to the seating area and sat at the table by the window, gesturing toward the adjacent chairs.
"Please, enliven my table."
With his other hand, he touched a control panel. Soren and Omar sat down respectfully. At that moment, the door opened and servants entered, carrying elegant, lidded copper trays. They began setting the table while the trio waited in silence.
Once they were finished, the Emperor addressed the servants kindly.
"Thank you for your efforts. Please convey my gratitude to the head chef and the kitchen staff—we will enjoy this meal with great appetite."
The servants placed their right hands over their left chests, bowed slightly, and withdrew slowly without turning their backs until they exited. After the door closed, the Emperor touched the panel again. An energy field formed around the room, the doors locked, and complete isolation was established. No one could listen in, nor could any hidden surveillance device transmit data outside. This system had existed for a long time, but after Soren became Chief Scientist, it had been significantly reinforced.
The Emperor turned to Omar.
"Omar, if you would, please serve."
Omar rolled up his sleeves and smiled.
"With the greatest pleasure, Your Majesty."
He lifted the lids from the copper trays, and a rich, savory aroma of meat filled the room. On the table were chickpeas with meat, rice, roasted lamb, salad, and chilled cranberry sherbet. The Emperor smiled.
"The head chef has outdone himself once again."
Omar quickly picked up the knives and began carving the steaming lamb, its meat a deep, glistening red. Soren took the Emperor's plate, carefully added rice and chickpeas, and placed it gently before him. Omar then added a full lamb leg to the plate. The Emperor nodded in thanks.
Omar placed a similarly sized leg on Soren's plate, then took nearly a quarter of the lamb for himself before adding rice and chickpeas. The Emperor and Soren exchanged amused glances. The Emperor spoke.
"Omar, if that isn't enough, take more. We are not strangers here."
Omar chuckled sheepishly.
"I know, Your Majesty… but my plate can't hold any more…"
The Emperor looked surprised and glanced at the plate, seeing a small mound of rice and chickpeas stacked atop it. Soren was equally stunned.
"I can't even explain your appetite with science."
Omar shrugged.
"Warriors have to eat. You haven't seen my fellow soldiers."
The Emperor laughed and gestured toward the food.
"You may begin."
They started eating. The Emperor looked at Soren with curiosity.
"Soren, Elenor's birthday is approaching. Have you prepared a gift?"
The Emperor felt deeply responsible for Soren's family; he often thought he should have insisted more back then—or arranged direct protection—but now it was too late. Omar, his mouth full and cheeks puffed out like balloons, turned an even darker shade. The Emperor glanced at him.
"Is it something excessive again?"
Unable to speak with his mouth full, Omar made a vague, dismissive gesture with his hand. Soren swallowed his bite, completely ignoring Omar, and spoke proudly.
"Your Majesty! My precious granddaughter has had a passion for motorcycles since a young age. So I built one for her with my own hands!"
The Emperor raised an eyebrow.
"That doesn't sound like an excessive gift."
Omar swallowed, took a sip of sherbet, and spoke in a weary tone.
"Just listen, Your Majesty."
The Emperor turned his attention to Soren, who explained everything in detail—going into aspects he hadn't even told Omar. At first, the Emperor listened calmly. Then he frowned, rubbed his forehead, and finally stared blankly at Soren. Omar, meanwhile, paid no attention at all, fully engaged in his personal battle with the food.
The Emperor spoke calmly.
"Soren… are you giving a gift to a young woman, or are you deploying a special forces operative on a mission?"
Soren remained unfazed.
"Your Majesty, as a grandfather, I simply wished to give my beautiful, beloved granddaughter the very best. I see no issue with that."
The Emperor nodded.
"You're right—there's no issue with wanting the best. But loading a motorcycle with this many features is a bit excessive. You even made the suit using nanotechnology. It sounds more like something designed for special forces or covert agents."
Omar nodded while chewing. Soren replied calmly.
"Nevarion is a dangerous place, my Emperor. My granddaughter needs to be able to protect herself. I cannot always be by her side. My inventions must at least cover some of her needs."
The Emperor thought for a moment, then sighed and accepted.
"Very well. But send the motorcycle's design to the defense industry. It could be extremely useful to us—especially in monster zones."
Monster zones were a simple term used for areas that, as the name suggested, had been overrun by monsters and could no longer be reclaimed.
Soran nodded as he took a piece of meat from his plate.
"No problem at all."
As the Emperor delicately tore a piece of meat from his own plate, he asked,
"So, Soran. How is our little project coming along?"
After chewing and swallowing his bite, Soran replied,
"It's almost finished, my Emperor. I am confident the device will work!"
The Emperor smiled; Soran had not disappointed him. As the Emperor continued eating calmly, he noticed the hesitant expression on Soran's face.
"You may speak, Soran. If there is something you need, say it. I would not turn away someone like you who has served the state faithfully—so long as what you ask does not go against the state."
Soran hesitated for a moment. What he was about to ask was not a simple matter. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.
"My Emperor! Please allow me to give this first device I have created to Elenor!"