In the solemn quiet of the royal palace, the heavy doors of the council room swung open to admit the Prime Minister. He walked forward with measured steps, his expression grave and composed. The king of the Kingdom of Macro, a man of imposing stature and piercing gaze, stood near a large window overlooking the meticulously maintained palace gardens.
"Your Majesty" the Prime Minister greeted respectfully, offering a slight bow.
The king, dressed in a simple yet elegant suit, turned, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Come in, Prime Minister. You requested an audience urgently. I trust this is worth my time."
"This is a matter of utmost importance, Your Majesty," the Prime Minister replied in a steady tone.
"It concerns a certain… Monsieur X."
The king's eyebrows furrowed slightly at the mention of the name. He moved to sit in one of the chairs arranged around the long council table, gesturing for the Prime Minister to join him.
"Monsieur X, you say? The one who enabled us to dismantle the spy network from Geria?"
"The very same," confirmed the Prime Minister. "But it seems his brilliance far exceeds what we previously imagined."
The king listened intently.
"Explain yourself."
"Here is what the Director General of the Police reported," the Prime Minister continued.
"Monsieur X has developed a revolutionary technology—a fully immersive virtual reality headset. The Director was given a demonstration and was… astonished. According to him, this invention could have applications in numerous fields, including military training."
The king interlocked his fingers, thoughtful.
"An invention like this would change everything. But tell me, this Monsieur X… Do we know who he is? What his goals are?"
The Prime Minister shook his head.
"That is the problem, Your Majesty. He remains a mystery. The Director himself only described him as an ordinary-looking man, reluctant to reveal himself, acting more on whims than ambition. And yet, his ability to solve complex problems and produce such advancements defies logic."
The king frowned further, his gaze distant.
"A genius lurking in the shadows… Fascinating, but also concerning. If he is capable of such feats, imagine what he could do in the wrong hands."
"That is precisely why I brought this to your attention, Your Majesty. I believe it is time to meet this man. Thank him for his past services, of course, but more importantly, understand who he is and what his intentions are."
The king sat silently for a moment before rising slowly.
"You're right. This man is a critical piece on the chessboard. If we are to secure our future, we must ensure he remains on our side. Inform the Director General that a meeting with Monsieur X must be arranged. But do it discreetly. We cannot draw too much attention to him for now."
"Very well, Your Majesty," the Prime Minister said with a nod as he stood.
"And one more thing," the king added with a slight smile. "Make sure he feels honored, not pressured. Geniuses do not like being treated as ordinary subjects."
"I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty."
---
Meanwhile, Lassen was sprawled across his couch, the VR headset half resting on his head, the other half serving as a makeshift pillow. The system had just finished briefing him on the next probable series of events.
[Host, it seems you will soon be summoned by the king himself.]
"The king? The real king? Our king?" Lassen asked, eyes half-open in disbelief. "What does he want now? A medal for my brilliance?"
[Perhaps he simply wants to see the man behind the legend of Monsieur X. Or maybe he plans to give you yet another burden to carry.]
Lassen let out a loud sigh.
"I hate obligations. The last time I left my chair, I almost broke a sweat."
[You could refuse, of course. But imagine what Adrian or Alex would say.]
As if on cue, Adrian entered the room, arms crossed, already looking prepared to lecture him.
"Master, I received communication from the Director General. An official summons will soon arrive. You should take this seriously."
"No," Lassen said without hesitation.
"Master, that's not an option," Adrian replied sternly.
Lassen groaned, sitting up to remove the headset.
"Fine, fine. But I warn you, if it's boring, I'm leaving. It's not my fault their world moves too slowly."
[Host, I think this will be a good opportunity to test your patience. And besides, meeting a king is kind of cool.]
"Cool? Maybe for you. Me? I'd rather finish my novel."
---
At the Police Headquarters
The Director General sat at his desk, reviewing the latest communication that confirmed the king's interest in meeting Monsieur X. He sighed, rubbing his temples as he stared at the report.
"What game is this man playing?" he muttered, still trying to piece together the enigma that was Monsieur X.
One thing, however, was certain: the mystery surrounding the elusive genius had reached new heights. The king himself wanted an audience, and in a country like Macro, such a summons carried a weight that could not be ignored.