"Welcome, young hero!" An old man laughed, his elegant white beard fluttering against his chest as he waved his arm toward the lone figure before him.
"Your Majesty." The young man bowed slightly, a small smile forming on his lips.
Unlike the old man garbed in the most luxurious robes, this young man wore simple white attire. Were it not for the sword strapped to his back, he would have looked like a scholar, with his calm demeanor and hair tied neatly in a ponytail.
"Your exploits... they resound loudly within my Royal Court!" The Emperor laughed again.
"How could I, the Emperor, not reward the young heroes? Especially after defeating Malum, that wretched demonic cultivator!"
"I got lucky." The young man smiled, his eyes drifting away from the Emperor for a moment as a figure appeared beside the golden throne.
"Haha! Seems like you've taken a liking to one of my treasures!"
"Come here, child. Let me introduce you to Hero Ira, one of this generation's youngest dark horses!" The Emperor, all smiles, pulled the young girl close enough for Ira to get a better glimpse of her features.
Ira's eyes widened slightly upon seeing her. Though the room was awe-inspiring, designed to showcase the Emperor's grandeur, this girl sparkled a million times more than anything else—a fiery beauty. These were the words that instantly came to Ira's mind.
Like a lion, her red hair fiercely flowed down to her waist. Below her thin, sword-like eyebrows were a pair of blazing red eyes staring curiously at Ira. The imperial robes she wore revealed just enough of her snow-white skin to make any man go crazy. She was indeed a kingdom-toppling beauty.
Despite the dazzling sight before him, Ira's glance was brief. He quickly composed himself, the light in his eyes fading as his usual scholarly demeanor returned.
"May this humble scholar know the name of the esteemed young lady?" Ira cupped his hands and bowed slightly.
"Ruby," she replied, her inquisitive eyes never leaving him.
"You'd better make good friends with Hero Ira, child! This young man here is already a Golden Core cultivator at eighteen! At this pace, it won't be long before our Empire has another powerhouse!"
Ruby nodded, seeming more interested in the simple-looking young man.
"Anyways, you two can get to know each other later. Let's talk about why I summoned you." The Emperor's tone turned serious, the neighborly old man vibe vanishing as he faced Ira with imperial authority.
Ira could feel his heartbeat fasten from the aura the Emperor emitted.
"He really is a Spirit Severing master..." Ira thought, closing his eyes. After a few breaths, he returned to his calm demeanor, unaffected by the pressure.
The Emperor raised an eyebrow, then smiled widely.
"I did not choose wrongly. I'll get straight to the point. One of my Elite Imperial Guards has recently retired. The position is still open. Ira, would you be interested in taking over his mantle?"
Ira laughed quietly to himself. It was clear the Emperor wasn't asking for permission. Whether he liked it or not, there was no denying the Emperor's will.
"It would be my honor." Ira bowed, accepting the position. Though not obvious on his face, he was truly delighted. Securing this role was like jumping from a small pond into the ocean—his growth would be limitless with the resources available as an Elite Imperial Guard.
"You won't regret this." The Emperor chuckled.
Done with Ira, the old man turned to Ruby, smiling mischievously.
"Now, Ruby, go ahead and escort Ira to his quarters. Make sure he gets familiar with the palace." He urged her to leave with Ira.