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?"

    "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.