"...."
Latania dropped to her left knee, her right fist slamming against the cold, metallic ground with a sharp
clang
, her eyes locked downward, unwavering. She couldnât raise her head. She
dared not
... Her entire body trembled, shoulders quivering as a stream of sweat rolled steadily down her temples, soaking the edges of her collar.
Her very first encounterâher very first meetingâwith His Majesty, and she had already disgraced herself in front of him... no, worseâhe had directly
threatened
her!
She clenched her teeth.
This wasnât just a failure.
This was a disaster. An
unforgivable
humiliation.
The
worst
possible outcome.
"..."
An oppressive silence swallowed the atmosphere whole.
Not a whisper, not a breath, not a twitch.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
Every head was bowed. Every face turned away in shame, reverence, or sheer fearâexcept for two.
Robin... and Latania.
Robin narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression unreadable. Then, unexpectedly, he raised both eyebrows in silent thought. Normally, he never paid attention to appearances, never lingered too long observing someoneâs body unless necessaryâbut this situation was different.
Something needed confirmation.
A faint flash of light shimmered across his eyes as his divine perception activated for a brief moment.
And there it was.
Bold and unmistakableâglowing under her uniform like carved starlightâthe fourth stage of the Body Strengthening Divine Tattoo, the Nihari Giants edition!
"Hmm... So itâs true, after all," he muttered, a subtle nod following. "You really
are
from the Imperial Guard."
With that single statement, all the heavy tension in his aura vanished. His hostility dissolved into a mild, almost inquisitive interest. He tilted his head slightly, regarding her with curiosity rather than judgment.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, voice calm but firm.
"In response to Your Majesty..."
Latania began, her voice formal but restrained. She paused for a brief moment, glancing cautiously at the surrounding guards and servants who still lingered at a distance. Her eyes sharpened.
Then, almost inaudibly, she whispered,
"Leave."
"Kieh!!"
With a sudden ripple of movement and a gust of spiritual wind, dozens of armored figures blurred away in all directions, vanishing into thin air without protestânone of them wanting to linger a second longer after hearing that one word spoken in
that
tone.
The space became instantly emptier.
Latania slowly lowered her gaze again, inhaling deeply.
"His Highness Prince Theo managed to trace Your Majestyâs registration her as a professor at Dawn Light Stellar Academy. The alert reached us immediately to get here. Wherever Your Majesty walks, the Imperial Guard must be close behind. That is our sacred duty."
She hesitated briefly, then continued.
"At first, the entire Guard Battalion wished to come. But the Supreme Guardian advised against it, saying Your Majesty would not approve. In the end, the order was given to dispatch only three of us."
"...The three of you?" Robin asked, his voice carrying a hint of suspicion.
"Yes. Commander Malek and Commander Wadeâleaders of the First and Second Divisionsâare stationed here as well."
Her tone was rough, yet respectful. It carried the strength of a soldier, but the reverence of a believer. She glanced up quickly, just for a second, then bowed her head again as if scorched by the weight of his gaze.
"Your Majesty..." she said softly, hesitation evident in her voice, "I offer my deepest apologies for the... disgraceful scene earlier. It was nothing more than light activity. Simply sparring to pass the time."
Robin stared at her for a moment, then allowed a faint smile to curl on his lips.
"No need to apologize," he said with quiet amusement. "Iâm sure you did it for their own good."
Ba-dump!
Lataniaâs heart skipped a beat as she raised her head a littleâthen thundered in her chest.
The last time the Empire saw His Majesty...
It had been years ago, during the grand coronation.
He had worn his hair long, reaching his shoulders, his face clean-shaven and youthful.
But now...
Short, slightly messy hair. A sharp, trimmed beard.
A matured presence that couldnât be captured by any photograph or projection.
It was like standing before an entirely different being.
That was what made recognizing him so hard for most...
But once you
felt
itâ
Once you felt
this
âthere was no mistake.
Even seated, even bandaged, even bruised and bound to a chair... His Majestyâs presence felt like a mountain pressing down on the room.
A tidal wave held back by mere thread.
An aura so potent, she could barely breathe beneath it.
If he willed it... he could probably crush her with just his
will
.
Even though she
knew
he hadnât yet reached the World Cataclysm level of power... somehow, it didnât matter.
This... was the majesty of the man who forged the Empire of True Beginnings out of nothing.
This... was the overwhelming presence of the one who battled not oneâbut
two
Nexus State cultivators... and forced them both to retreat.
This... wasâ
"Wait!!" Latania jerked her head up, utterly shocked. "Your Majesty is injured?! What happened to you?!"
Her aura erupted chaotically, uncontrolled and fierce. In an instant, the odd hat and the moisturizing mask vanished like smoke. Her expression turned razor-sharp.
"Who dared to lay a hand on His Majesty?! Who has the audacity?!"
"..." Robin exhaled slowly, watching her murderous aura surge. For some reason, something inside him whispered that he probably shouldnât mention Shaddadâs name. "Itâs just... a cultivation method. A brutal one to strengthen the body. Iâll be fine within a few weeks."
He then lifted his face slightly, tilting his head with a faint gesture. "Go summon the other two. Weâre heading out."
"Yes, Your Majesty!!"
In a blink, her furious and battle-ready aura shifted into sheer delight. They had stayed in this place for far too long... sheâd almost forgotten the outside world even existed!
Whoosh!
At that moment, another figure materialized in the area. A blond man with a small, pointed beard, and eyes narrowed under blade-like eyebrows. His aura was soaked in killing intent, as if he had just emerged from a pool of endless blood.
In each hand, he gripped the neck of a different person. Then he smirked coldly and spoke mockingly, "Hey, little girl, I caught your slaves running around like headless chickens. Whatâll you pay to them back?"
But his laughter died quickly as he noticed the scene before him. "Hm?"
His usual rival, Lataniaâthe one who always stood toe to toe with him in both height and rankâwas kneeling on the ground, lowered in submission. He was used to teasing her, competing with her, provoking her...
But like this? Kneeling before someone?
It was... disgraceful.
"..."
Latania simply smiled without saying a word.
In truth, her entire soul hoped that her rival would embarrass himself today.
BAM
BAM
With a sharp motion, the manâWadeâhurled the two guards in his hands left and right. Each one smashed into a nearby house and disappeared through the walls.
"Oi. What the hell is going on here?" he growled.
"The way you appeared out of nowhere like that..." Robin looked him up and down with a curious smile. "Are you the captain of the Space Division in the Imperial Guard?"
"...?"
Wade narrowed his eyes and turned to Robin with a confused frown. He glanced back at the kneeling Latania. Then to Robin. Then to her again. Thenâ
BAM!
Wade dropped to one knee and slammed his fist to the ground.
"Wade, Captain of the Imperial Guardâs Second Division, greets His Majesty!!"
"Go and retrieve your third member," Robin ordered simply, his voice calm yet firm.
"At once!" Wade nodded sharply while remaining on one knee, and vanished immediately.
Robin grinned, watching the spot Wade had just disappeared from.
"Iâve used the Law of Space extensively throughout my life... but this is the first time Iâve ever seen someone else use it in front of me. How should I put it... itâs kind of exciting."
"Would Your Majesty like to see me use the Law of Resonant Waves?!"
Latania lifted her head, her voice bursting with enthusiasm.
"Youâll get your chance soon enough," Robin chuckled and turned his chair around, leaving her behind. "Letâs go. Weâll wait by the gate. We need to reach the Mission Hall as fast as possible."
Woosh
Latania immediately leapt forward, closing the distance between them in a flash. She grabbed the handles of his mobile chair and began pushing him herself, full of energy.
"May I ask where weâre going, Your Majesty?" she asked eagerly.
"..." Robin smiled with deep determination.
"To the place where I will become... a Royal Soul Master."