The Veyris Empire was peaceful that morning.
Golden sunlight illuminated the Imperial Capital. Crystal towers shone beneath the endless sky, floating islands drifted between magnificent palaces, and citizens from hundreds of different races filled the streets.
Inside the Imperial Palace, however, Kael Veyris had a rather unusual idea.
He wanted to test his power.
Again.
Kael stood in an enormous training realm constructed far beyond the Empire's inhabited territories.
Beside him stood his old friend, Aurelion Veythar, who had reluctantly agreed to accompany him.
Aurelion folded his arms.
"Let me guess. You said you wanted to take a walk, but we're actually here because you want to test something ridiculous."
Kael smiled faintly.
"You're getting better at understanding me."
"That's because every time you say those words, something ridiculous happens."
Kael raised one hand.
The sky darkened.
Thousands of magic circles appeared overhead, each one larger than the last. Ancient runes rotated around them, while streams of energy flowed through the empty realm.
Aurelion slowly lifted his head.
"Those are some impressive magic circles."
"Ninth-tier magic," Kael explained.
Aurelion turned toward him.
"Ninth tier? I thought that was the highest level of conventional magic in this system."
"It is in the system I created for this experiment."
Kael's eyes glowed with a faint silver light.
"Of course, magic has many more levels beyond this. Ninth-tier magic is simply what I want to test today."
He extended his index finger toward the sky.
"Ninth-Tier Summoning Magic: The Eternal Sovereign of the Final Abyss."
BOOOOOOM!
The magic circles ignited.
A gigantic summoning gate emerged above the realm. Its surface resembled a black ocean filled with countless stars. Chains made of ancient runes stretched across its borders, and an enormous silhouette moved behind the gate.
Aurelion's expression became serious.
"Kael… what exactly are you summoning?"
"Something that should be able to survive a little test."
"That answer doesn't reassure me."
The gate opened.
A towering being descended from the darkness.
It possessed six enormous wings, a crown of black crystal, and armor covered in glowing crimson runes. Its presence distorted the surrounding space, while countless magical symbols revolved around its body.
The summoned being looked down at Kael.
"WHO HAS SUMMONED THE SOVEREIGN OF THE FINAL ABYSS?"
Its voice shook the entire training realm.
Kael calmly raised his hand in greeting.
"Hello."
The being paused.
"...What?"
"I'm Kael Veyris. I summoned you because I wanted to test the strength of ninth-tier summoning magic."
Silence followed.
The Sovereign stared at him.
Then it laughed.
"YOU DARE SUMMON ME FOR SUCH A TRIVIAL PURPOSE? I HAVE DESTROYED COUNTLESS REALMS! I HAVE DEVOURED CIVILIZATIONS AND OVERCOME ANCIENT GODS!"
Kael nodded politely.
"That's impressive."
Aurelion covered his face with one hand.
He's doing it again.
Kael considered the summoned being for a moment.
"I wonder how much of my power I should use."
Aurelion immediately turned toward him.
"Not much."
"Agreed."
Kael raised one finger.
"I'll use approximately 0.0000000000000000000000000001% of my power."
Aurelion stared at him.
"That is an absurdly small amount."
"Exactly."
The Sovereign of the Final Abyss roared.
"STOP IGNORING ME!"
It unleashed its full power.
A massive crimson spell formed above its head. Dark lightning spread across the realm, and countless magical spears emerged from the void.
"BEHOLD! THE FINAL JUDGMENT!"
The attack descended toward Kael.
He didn't move.
He didn't even raise a shield.
The spell reached him.
And disappeared.
Not deflected.
Not absorbed.
It simply ceased to exist, as though it had never been cast.
The Sovereign froze.
"What…?"
Kael glanced at his finger.
"Hmm. I may have used less power than I intended."
Aurelion slowly lowered his hand from his face.
"Kael, you just erased its strongest attack without doing anything."
"Did I?"
"YES!"
The Sovereign screamed and unleashed every ability it possessed. Its wings spread, its armor cracked with energy, and the entire realm filled with waves of destructive magic.
Kael watched patiently.
Then he released the tiniest pulse of his chosen power.
There was no explosion.
No flash of light.
No dramatic shock wave.
For a fraction of a moment, the Sovereign simply encountered something it could not comprehend.
Its magic vanished.
Its armor dissolved into harmless particles.
Its enormous body became transparent.
The summoned being looked down at itself in disbelief.
"N-no… I am the Sovereign… I cannot…"
Kael tilted his head.
"Your summoning was impressive. However, your strength wasn't enough for this experiment."
The Sovereign tried to speak again.
But its manifestation had already disappeared.
The summoning contract dissolved, returning the remaining energy to the magic circle.
The training realm became silent.
Aurelion looked at the empty space.
Then he looked at Kael.
"Did you just kill your own summoned creature?"
Kael's expression turned thoughtful.
"I suppose its manifestation couldn't withstand the difference in power. I should have made the test gentler."
"You think?"
"I'll improve the summoning formula next time."
Aurelion sighed.
"Please don't summon anything else today."
Kael smiled.
"I wasn't planning to."
Aurelion narrowed his eyes.
"That sounded suspiciously like a lie."
As they left the training realm, Aurelion suddenly stopped.
"Kael, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Why do you keep testing your power when you already know that almost nothing can challenge you?"
Kael didn't answer immediately.
He gazed toward the distant horizon, where the golden towers of the Imperial Capital shimmered in the sunlight.
"Because knowing that I can do something isn't the same as understanding how to use it properly."
Aurelion listened quietly.
"Power isn't difficult for me," Kael continued. "But controlling it carefully, protecting others, and allowing the world to develop without my interference… those things matter."
He placed his hands behind his head.
"And sometimes, I simply want to know whether I can learn something new."
Aurelion smiled.
"That's a much better answer than 'because I was bored.'"
"I was also bored."
"I knew it."
Kael glanced at his friend.
"Speaking of which, I'm hungry."
Aurelion blinked.
"You're hungry?"
"Yes."
"You were just experimenting with a power that erased a being from an entirely different order of existence."
"And now I want lunch."
Aurelion stared at him for three seconds.
Then he laughed.
"Fine. Let's get something to eat."
Kael's eyes brightened slightly.
"Actually, I have an idea."
Aurelion's laughter stopped.
"Why do I suddenly regret agreeing to lunch?"
Several minutes later, the two friends arrived at a famous restaurant in the Imperial Capital.
The establishment was called The Golden Dragon's Table.
It was a magnificent restaurant known throughout the Empire for serving enormous meals to dragons, giants, demons, and other races with extraordinary appetites.
Its owner, a cheerful dwarf named Borin, nearly dropped his menu when Kael and Aurelion entered.
"Your Imperial Majesty! Lord Aurelion! Welcome!"
Kael gave him a friendly nod.
"We'd like to order."
"Of course! What would you like?"
Kael looked at Aurelion.
Aurelion looked at Kael.
Both smiled.
Borin immediately sensed danger.
"We'll have one hundred roasted dragon-steaks," Kael said.
"Two hundred plates of crystal noodles," Aurelion added.
"Fifty giant honey-glazed hams."
"Three hundred dumpling baskets."
"Ten whole roast beasts."
"Every dessert on the menu."
Borin's pencil snapped.
"E-EVERY dessert?"
Kael nodded.
"And please bring plenty of drinks."
Borin stared at them.
"Are you hosting a banquet?"
"No," Kael answered. "We're having a competition."
Aurelion grinned.
"Whoever eats the most food the fastest wins."
Kael held out his hand.
"Agreed."
Aurelion shook it.
Borin slowly turned toward the kitchen.
"THE ENTIRE KITCHEN! WE HAVE A ROYAL EMERGENCY!"
Within minutes, the restaurant was in chaos.
Chefs rushed between ovens. Waiters carried enormous trays. Magical storage compartments opened to release freshly prepared dishes, while the kitchen's enchanted cooking equipment worked at maximum capacity.
Other customers gathered around the two friends' table.
Some were curious.
Others had already started placing friendly bets.
A young dragon asked his father, "Can those two really eat all that?"
His father watched Kael calmly unfold his napkin.
"I don't know, son. But I suggest we stay and find out."
The first dishes arrived.
Roasted dragon-steak.
Crystal noodles.
Honey-glazed ham.
Golden dumplings.
Kael and Aurelion sat opposite each other.
Borin raised a small flag.
"Ready?"
Both nodded.
"Three!"
The crowd leaned forward.
"Two!"
Aurelion cracked his knuckles.
"One!"
"BEGIN!"
Aurelion attacked the food with the determination of a warrior defending his homeland.
Kael, meanwhile, ate with perfect table manners.
One plate disappeared.
Then another.
Then ten.
Aurelion glanced up.
"Stop eating so politely!"
Kael swallowed.
"Why?"
"Because we're competing!"
"I know."
"THEN EAT FASTER!"
Kael smiled.
Suddenly, the plates before him began disappearing at an astonishing rate.
Aurelion's eyes widened.
"HEY! YOU WERE HOLDING BACK!"
"You didn't say I couldn't."
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"
The crowd erupted in laughter.
Soon, hundreds of plates covered the tables. The kitchen delivered more food as quickly as possible, and the restaurant's magical refrigerators were working overtime.
Aurelion devoured another stack of dumplings.
"Ha! I've caught up!"
Kael glanced at his friend's empty plates.
"Congratulations."
Then another hundred plates disappeared from Kael's side.
Aurelion froze.
"...I hate competing with you."
"You suggested the challenge."
"I WASN'T EXPECTING YOU TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!"
Kael laughed.
For once, he wasn't thinking about the Infinite Library, the structure of reality, or the countless responsibilities of his Empire.
He was simply enjoying a meal with an old friend.
And that made the moment more valuable than any cosmic victory.
After an hour, the restaurant was filled with empty plates.
Borin stood beside the table, looking as though he had witnessed an impossible natural disaster.
Aurelion leaned back in his chair.
"I… refuse… to lose…"
Kael finished another dumpling.
"Would you like to stop?"
"NEVER!"
Aurelion grabbed one final honey-glazed dumpling.
Kael picked up one as well.
The entire restaurant fell silent.
"Three… two… one!"
Both ate their final dumplings.
Borin examined the tables, counted the plates, consulted the restaurant's enchanted tallying crystal, and announced the result.
"The winner is… His Imperial Majesty, Kael Veyris!"
The restaurant erupted in applause.
Aurelion stared at the tally.
"How many more did you eat than me?"
Kael considered the question.
"I lost count."
Aurelion slowly covered his face.
"I challenged the Architect of Existence to an eating contest."
"Yes."
"And I lost."
"Yes."
Aurelion lowered his hands.
"Never speak of this again."
Kael smiled.
"I'll have Shalya record it in the Imperial Archives."
"KAEL!"
The entire restaurant burst into laughter.
Even Borin laughed so hard that he had to lean against the counter.
When the meal was finally over, Kael paid the restaurant generously, including enough to cover the ingredients and reward the exhausted kitchen staff.
Borin bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! You have our gratitude!"
"Thank your cooks," Kael replied. "They prepared an excellent meal."
The two friends stepped outside.
The afternoon sun illuminated the bustling streets, where children played beside fountains and merchants called out their wares.
Aurelion stretched his arms.
"That was a terrible idea."
"Would you do it again?"
Aurelion considered it.
"...Perhaps."
Kael laughed.
They walked together through the Imperial Capital, without guards surrounding them or crowds kneeling in their presence.
For a little while, they were simply two old friends enjoying an ordinary afternoon.
Then Aurelion glanced sideways.
"Next time, we're doing something normal."
"Of course."
"No testing cosmic power."
"Agreed."
"No summoning beings from the abyss."
"Certainly."
"And absolutely no eating competitions."
Kael nodded solemnly.
"Understood."
Aurelion relaxed.
Then Kael added, "What about a cooking competition?"
Aurelion stopped walking.
He slowly turned his head.
"Kael Veyris."
"Yes?"
"You are the most dangerous being in existence."
Kael smiled.
"And yet you remain my friend."
Aurelion tried to maintain his serious expression.
He failed.
"Unfortunately, yes."
Their laughter carried through the golden streets of the Imperial Capital.
Far above them, countless stars shone beyond the boundaries of the realm.
The Architect of Existence could summon impossible beings, wield powers beyond comprehension, and reshape realities with a thought.
But on that particular afternoon, none of those things mattered.
Kael Veyris had won an eating contest.
And Aurelion Veythar was already planning his rematch.