"What did you say?!"
Dolus's frown deepened, and he fixed Chronos with a withering glare. He was an erratic genius who regarded his research as the pride of his existence, and he couldn't help feeling insulted by Chronos's comment.
But Chronos remained unperturbed.
"There is one factor that you might have overlooked,.." he said calmly.
Dolus snorted.
"Impossible…"
" What about the energy loss through friction and heat created when dimensional energy travels outside a being's natural form?"
Chronos asked, his curiosity piqued.
Dolus opened his mouth to rebut but couldn't find the words.
He snatched both Document Pads and scanned them quickly, muttering to himself as he paced back and forth.
Does dimensional energy create friction?" he muttered.
"Does electromagnetic force create friction? What is the relationship between the two? Can they be combined? How would they interact? What are the effects of the synergy...?"
As Senior Researcher Dolus rambled on to himself pacing back and force all jerky and erratic, Tao Tie leaned over and whispered,
"We've totally lost him. In a few seconds he'll start making his way back to his lab. Add me on your Comms Watch before I have to chase after him."
The two boys tapped their Comms watches against one another and approved their friends' requests.
"Let's catch up later in the week and hang out,"
Chronos extended an invitation with a smile.
TaoTie's eyes brightened as he nodded excitedly.
It was clear that he didn't have many friends himself; after all, they were only three years old and well-shielded geniuses in their own families.
As expected, Dolus soon walked off, muttering to himself about his research.
"Lessons over, let's head back to the lab!"
He exclaimed absentmindedly.
With an awkward smile, TaoTie waved his new friend goodbye and started chasing after his Grand Uncle.
Chronos let out a helpless smile and proceeded to close his eyes to consolidate what he had learnt today.
Senior Dolus's research was in its infancy but it was a new approach toward projectile manipulation that Chronos saw a lot of potential in.
As Chronos was deep in thought,
Buzz… Buzz… Buzz…
Comms watch buzzed once again, and with a light tap, Sophia's 3D holographic projection materialized in front of him.
"How was your lesson? I hope Dolus wasn't too out of line? He's one of those erratic geniuses with no care for social niceties. It was quite a miracle I managed to drag him out of his lab in the first place…"
Sophia asked, her tone full of concern.
Chronos smiled and replied,
"The lesson was great, actually. Thank you, Sophia. Dolus was a bit of a challenge, but I managed to make friends with his grandnephew, and he left with an 'eureka' moment, so I'd say things went pretty well."
"That's wonderful to hear! Oh, by the way, I'll be having lunch in the Astral Business District in an hour. If you'd like to join me, I can arrange for Hathor to provide transportation,"
Sophia offered.
Chronos pondered for a moment before quickly agreeing.
He had been in this world for three years already, but he hadn't really had the opportunity to leave the castle grounds due to his rigorous training schedule.
Between studying, strength training, practicing dimensional energy manipulation, ambidextrous training, and combat simulations, there was never much time for anything else.
====================
[ CAPITAL CITY OF AION - Astral Business District ]
[ Astral Royal Sisters' Entrees ]
The Royal Chariot pulled up to the entrance of a luxurious restaurant, its sleek and futuristic design exuding opulence and extravagance.
The vehicle's silver and black body was polished to a mirror-like shine, reflecting the city lights with predatory sharpness.
As Chronos emerged from the chariot, he exuded confidence and sophistication in his perfectly tailored suit, complete with his royal insignia shining on the lapel.
He strode toward the entrance of the upscale eatery, noticing the sign above the door that read:
"Astral Royal Sister's Entrees."
'A.R.S.E ??? HAHAHA I cant believe they didn't catch that! '
Chronos couldn't help but stifle a chuckle at the unfortunate acronym.
'I mean I expect it from Athena, but Sophia?!'
he thought to himself.
The attractive stewardess waiting at the entrance turned her attention to Chronos, her grace and poise embodying the essence of the restaurant's luxury.
She wore a sleek black uniform and her hair was pulled back in a smooth bun, giving her a regal air that complemented the restaurant's ambiance.
As Chronos approached, she greeted him with an Astralian salute, her eyes sparkling with a quiet intelligence and elegance.
The stewardess led Chronos through the bustling restaurant, her steps silent on the polished concrete floor.
He couldn't help but notice the futuristic décor and sleek design of the place, feeling like he was stepping into a different world.
As they walked, the stewardess gestured towards a private booth in the back.
Chronos followed her lead, and was amazed by what he saw.
The booth was a marvel of technology and luxury, with walls made of a transparent material that gave a panoramic view of the city outside.
The table was set with gleaming silverware and crystal glasses, and the chairs were upholstered in the softest leather, their contours perfectly suited to the human form.
As the stewardess pulled out Chronos's chair, he marveled at the level of attention to detail that had gone into the design of the booth.
The ambiance was almost overwhelming in its sophistication and refinement.
This was no doubt a fancy meeting place for the upper echelon of Astral.
Chronos was not the hypocritical type to berate and disdain opulence, in fact, because of his tragic PBS life, he relished it even more.
"Whoever said money couldn't buy happiness was clearly a dumbass, probably broke too!,"
He mused to himself with a chuckle.
" Do take a look at our menu, Princess Sophia will be arriving at any minute,"
The stewardess gave another Astralian salute before gliding out of the booth with a grace that belied the impressive heft of her tray.
Chronos watched her go, momentarily mesmerized by her poise.
He proceeded to peruse the menu filled with exotic dishes and fine wine, his eyes widened at the extravagant prices.
"Holy Astral, these prices are astronomical! Hehe "
Chronos couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as he took in the luxurious surroundings of the private booth.
The soft leather chairs, the gleaming silverware, and the crystal glasses all screamed opulence, and he couldn't get enough of it.