“Your Highness”

 

“Your Highness”

 

“Your Highness”

 

“Your Highness”

 

The Imperial Palace as massive and grand as the exterior is can do no justice to the absolutely gigantic interior, hundreds of people are required to take care of it from maids, butlers, guards, and supporting staff such as cooks, messengers, musicians, and groomers, it was like an ants nest serving its queen, and like the loyal worker ants they will climb all over their ‘Queens’. To Alex, this ‘climbing’ is nothing but a file grating at his patience as he is not used to every one of them stopping what they are doing to utter two words three times a day at the minimum. 

 

Even with the constant uttering of those two simple words, he couldn’t find himself angry at it, not because of his former condition but because anger is like spicy food after eating nothing but pure shark fin for years, it was like food from a luxury restaurant. In fact, every emotion he was now feeling, as faint as they may be, brought joy.

 

Besides the four hours he would spend with the best mind healer in china, Alex was forced to take etiquette classes where he would relearn how to do everything including walking and breathing. After the mid-day classes, he would find himself wandering the halls of the palace admiring every vase and painting for intricate details and fine craftsmanship or away from the chaos of the palace servants in the lush gardens and pavilions overlooking calming creaks and streams, It was a calming time reminding him more of normalcy he had before he entered the magical world.

 

“Alex, It's time to go are you ready,” Guo asked standing over a relaxing boy laying in a beautifully crafted lounge chair next to a more violent stream.

 

“To go where” he politely asked while standing up.

 

“Shūshì shēhuá de chángpáo, the best clothing boutique in china and dare I say the whole world, No grandson of mine will be wearing muggle clothing any longer” Guo explained before reaching out for the boy’s hand.

 

Reapperating in front of a store both of them began to walk to the building while Alex also looked around and noted the total absence of any persons, he speculated it had something to do with the dozens of guardsmen in pure black robes that were already there and more popping into existence.

 

Entering the actual clothing store to Alex’s actual faint surprise there were an incredible amount of stands showcasing hundreds upon hundreds of both wizard fashion and wizard-made muggle fashion choices, any stands that didn't have a set of clothing had stacks of clothes and other materials for the shopper to feel and inspect. Walking down the main aisle of the store they both soon came into vision of a dozen employees stashed at the back of the store.

 

“Your majesty” They all bowed in unison showing infinitely more respect to the emperor than the goblins did “as requested we have reserved the whole day for you” To which he simply nodded curtly.

 

“now what can we do for you?” The more senior-looking woman asked respectfully.

 

“This one will be getting a whole new wardrobe,” Guo said while resting his hand on Alex’s shoulder who was silently watching.

 

“Then we shall start in the measuring room, this way please” 

 

Following the woman they entered a room filled with materials yet no clothes, while multiple floating papers and quills awaited with the quill jumping of the paper like it was sleeping. With a flick of her wand, the shirt and jeans that he was wearing jumped off of him tearing at the front and reforming after they were off of him.

 

“Now while he is getting measured, What exactly are you looking for??” She asked only to get a piece of paper listing the items. while a measuring tape was wrapping itself across the boy in multiple areas with the quill writing down the result.

• Three Ceremonial Japanese Haori

 

• Three Ceremonial Hakama Kimono

 

• Two Informal Japanese Haori

 

• Two Informal Hakama Kimono

 

• One Ceremonial Hussar Jacket

 

• Five pairs of Ceremonial Pants

 

• Ten Pairs of Informal Pants

 

• Three Pairs of Ceremonial Sherwani 

 

• Two Pairs of Informal Sherwani 

 

• Three Thobes

 

• Two Pairs of Sirwal

 

• Two Ghutra

 

• Two Igal

 

• Four Muggle Suits

 

• Two Muggle Tuxedos

 

• Two Ceremonial Tang Style Robes

 

• Three informal Tang Style Robes

 

• Two Ceremonial Hanfu Style Robes

 

• Three informal Hanfu Style Robes

 

…

 

“Ok, for the Japanese Haori and Hakama Kimonos what would be the material?” She asked 

 

“Acromatula Silk”

 

“Would you like armor plating to be sewn in between the layers” she inquired while ten looms began to furiously make the robes the back 

 

“Yes, for all of the other items as well”

 

“Of course, and the Color?” she asked standing next to the first of the Japanese style robes.

 

“completely black with a white sash, the pants a gray and white gradient as a top-bottom type gradient” as the woman heard the colors she wordlessly began to change them at their request flick by flick.

 

Eventually, after a few hours, they finally left the clothing store while the tens of thousands of galleons worth of clothing resting deep in the spatial ring on Guo’s finger, a well-spent expenditure to properly cloth his grandson who was now wearing one of the informal Hanfu robes which had a dark blue inner garment while the overcoat was completely black with a golden embroidered Dragon along the bottom and another one on the back while the collar was white.

 

“Now before we go back to the palace we must get you some spatial storage devices,” Guo said while turning to the handsome black-haired boy “Would you prefer a ring such as this one, or a suitcase”

 

“What are the pros and cons of each?” Alex asked politely 

 

“Well the ring has no storage limit but it's not possible to enter, a suitcase has limited storage but it is possible to enter”

 

“I’d like a ring then” Alex declared after a brief minute of thought

 

“Ok, grab my hand we go to the greatest craftsman I know” Guo replied post haste with his hand extended to the boy. and once again they apperated, this time they reappeared in front of a small bastion occupying a mountain peak. While they were safe from the wind and snow pelting the wards it didn’t change how cold it was thus they hurried into the fortress through a small wooden door.

 

Inside the castle were only a few servants who all bowed before resuming their duties cleaning the grey stone walls or dark brown wooden flooring with numerous spells, traversing the winding pathways they turned into a small stone winding staircase heading down further into the castle. At the end of the staircase was a small empty open room lit by a few torches, the main attraction, however, was the massive wooden doorway laced with visible wards.

 

Walking through the wards like they weren't even there the door opened to reveal a small but cozy room furnished with three couches, a fireplace, and a desk, while the walls were covered from floor to roof with bookcases themselves filled with hundreds of books. 

 

Entering the room from the side was an older man hunched over with a cane in hand, his beard extended to his knees while his eyebrows extended past his cheekbones “Ahh brother what a pleasure it is to see you again” he said with a very aged voice.

 

“The pleasure is all mine” Guo quickly replied before walking over and hugging the old man gently “Still training the brat?”

 

“Of course! No wet behind-the-ears trainee is going to be taking my legacy!” He laughed heartily “So what brings you to this cold and desolate mountain peak”

 

“We are here for my grandson's first spatial ring” 

 

“The First is always the most important” The old man grinned from ear to ear before yelling out a name “Feng!!”

 

“Yes master” a man ran out from the same door the old man exited 

 

“Why are you so slow, soo disappointing!” he berated “Get the highest quality spatial stones, pure goblin silver, gold and black gold, along with diamonds of all colors”

 

“Yes master”

 

Soon they all found themselves in a medium-sized room with a forge, a desk with a glass panel connected to the desk which magnified the ring stand. They stood behind the old man who prepared to make the ring while the assistant named Feng stood opposite to him prepared to assist and watch him craft the ring as if that was his only purpose in life.

 

“First we are going to find your center stone,” the old man said while holding numerous colored stones “Hold out your hand”

 

One by one each of the center stones were placed into his hand while nothing happened until a brilliant imperial green jade gemstone began to glow on his hand. Understanding what type of ring he was going to make the old man prepared.

 

Grabbing a small plate of black gold he heated it up briefly before grabbing a hammer and very carefully beating it into a perfect circle. After he inspected the black ring for cracks or malformations he used magic to indent the middle. Picking up the yellow gold he cut very thin strips.

 

Bending the thin yellow-golden strip around the black gold in the indent he inspected for any diameter changes between the golds, upon feeling a completely smooth exterior he grabbed a cup with a thin stick, it was at this moment that Feng moved something other than his head by grabbing the cup while the old man pulled at the stick with great effort, after finally getting the stick out of the cup a glistening sticky substance shinned on the wooden surface, of which only two people in the world knew how to make being the old man and the assistant Feng.

 

Placing the thin long stick atop the cup the mastercraftsmen turned back to the rings using levitation he placed diamonds around the ring in a dozen different configurations before stopping and looking back at Alex which lit his figurative lightbulb. around the top and bottom of the black band, there were small purple diamonds studded around the whole thing, inside the indent diamonds of all colors from red to green, purple to orange speckled the surface.

 

Next, he took the stick laying on the cup and began to rub it on the sides of each piece of yellow gold, which he extremely carefully placed at the top and bottom inside the indent. Finally, he placed the ring into the forge, which made the gold glow a little. Levitating hundreds of small diamonds a size similar to the stars in the night sky he forced them into the gold by throwing them into the softened gold before rubbing the stick around the diamonds. Picking up the center stone he rubbed the stick on the bottom of it before more carefully embedding it into the gold before doing the same with the larger royal purple diamonds.

 

Finally, he took a brush and wrote out “Natus est Vincere, Natus est Plumbum, Natus Superior” or Born to Conquer, Born to Lead, Born Superior in the interior of the ring band quickly turning red as if steel left in the forge for too long before disappearing.

 

Placing the ring in the forge the glue shrunk into the cracks as if it wasn’t even there.

 

“Alright Kid hold out your hand,” he said while holding a small knife.

 

‘Yet another cut to my hand, what is it with blood in the wizarding world?’Alex thought while holding out his wand waiting for that cut, however, the old man only pricked the tip of his finger allowing for a drop of blood to drip onto the center stone after which the prick point healed like it never happened.

 

“The best ring you could possibly hope for from the best craftsman,” Guo said looking mesmerized at the craftsmanship while also rubbing his equally impressive ring with his left hand.

 

“Alright, it's done” The old man muttered slightly winded after all of the blood slipped into the center stone “my finest piece of work, do take care of it” he finished while handing the ring to Alex who put it on and it perfectly fitting showing the skill and experience of the old man who could tell the size of his finger at a glance.

 

“Thank you,” Alex said sincerely while slightly bowing 

 

“Oh stop you are going to make me blush” He laughed in response “well I'm going to retire, anything else can be handled by Feng” he sighed while walking into the main room to sit next to the fire in his chair, “Oh and Feng don't forget to make 50 practice rings!”

 

“Yes master!” Feng replied post haste before turning to the two and asking “Is there anything I can do for you?”

 

‘Hah he speaks something other than ‘yes master’’ Alex thought

 

“No, we will be leaving now” Guo replied before coaxing Alex out of the forge and into the main room, all the while he was admiring the extremely handsome ring.