Youri did not ask for permission this time.
He simply bent down, slid one arm beneath Leonora's knees and the other behind her back, and lifted her as though she weighed nothing at all.
For a heartbeat she stiffened.
Then she exhaled.
Her hand curled lightly against his chest, fingers gripping the fabric of his uniform. The tension that had been holding her upright finally loosened. She rested her head beneath his collarbone, silver hair falling across his arm as he stepped into the corridor.
The halls of Central Command were always cold—sterile metal, controlled lighting, disciplined silence.
Tonight they felt different.
Officers and soldiers paused mid-step as the Duke of Kaelthorn walked past carrying their general in his arms.
They had seen Leonora in countless briefings—upright, composed, iron-spined. The Royal Knight Commander who never flinched.
Now she looked… human.
Vulnerable.
Not weak—but unguarded.
Some of the younger soldiers quickly looked away out of respect. Others stared in stunned silence. No one spoke.
Youri did not acknowledge them.
He kept walking.
In his arms, Leonora's breathing steadied.
"You didn't have to do this," she murmured quietly.
"I know," he replied.
The med bay doors parted with a soft hiss. White light spilled over them as medical staff rushed forward.
Youri laid her gently onto one of the beds.
"Run a full scan," he said calmly. "And make sure she actually rests."
Leonora shot him an irritated look.
"I can give orders myself."
"And you will," he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face, "after you sleep."
For once, she did not argue further.
He turned and left the med bay.
The corridor seemed longer on the way back.
Word had already spread.
Crew members watched him pass, whispers trailing behind him—not out of gossip, but unease.
The Empire had been challenged.
And the Duke was moving.
By the time he reached the hangar, mechanics were already crawling over the damaged NOIR unit.
Its dark silver armor bore the scars of battle—deep plasma scoring along the torso, microfractures across its shoulder joints. The once-smooth surface now looked like something that had survived a war rather than a prototype deployment.
Youri stopped in front of it.
"Can we strip the main armor," he asked one of the senior mechanics, "and apply a new design over the core frame?"
The mechanic blinked. "Sir… this is a prototype unit. Only the Science Division has clearance to modify NOIR-class frames."
Youri exhaled slowly.
"I assume the Science Division is located here at Central Command?"
"No, sir," the mechanic replied. "Their headquarters are in the capital."
Youri's gaze traveled up the towering machine.
The rogue orbiton had adapted mid-fight. It had overdriven beyond Royal Knight thresholds. It had forced them into reaction instead of strategy.
That would not happen again.
"Prepare a transport," he said calmly. "I need to reach the Science Division."
The mechanic hesitated. "Immediately, sir?"
"Immediately."
News travels fast within a military structure.
It traveled even faster when it involved a Duke.
Leonora was halfway through a forced rest cycle when an officer quietly informed her of Youri's departure plans.
She sat up instantly.
"What?"
"He's preparing a transport to the capital, my lady."
Her bandaged arm protested as she swung her legs over the bed.
"That idiot…"
She stood, ignoring the medic's protests, and marched out of the med bay.
The hangar doors were already cycling when she arrived.
Youri stood near a sleek atmospheric transport vessel, issuing final instructions. The ship's engines hummed in low standby.
"Where," Leonora's voice cut across the bay, "do you think you are going?"
Youri turned slowly.
For a moment, he just looked at her.
Her arm was now properly treated, wrapped and supported by a sling across her shoulder. The bleeding had stopped, though fatigue still shadowed her features.
"You should be in bed," he said evenly.
She smirked.
"If you think a scratch like this is enough to knock me down," she replied, stepping closer, "you still haven't realized who you married."
Without waiting for further argument, she walked past him and boarded the transport.
Youri stood there for a second.
Then a faint smile curved across his lips.
He shook his head and followed.
Hours later, the transport descended through the capital's upper atmosphere.
The Science Division Headquarters dominated the skyline.
It was unlike any military installation.
Bold. Aerodynamic. Elegant.
A wide circular base anchored the structure, wrapped in angled glass panels that reflected the sky in pale blues and silvers. The lower levels were transparent, revealing researchers moving between holographic displays and suspended components.
From the center rose a slender, tapering tower that seemed almost weightless despite its scale. A vertical column of glass ran along its spine—elevators gliding visibly through its core like veins of light.
Midway up, rounded platforms protruded outward like docking nodes.
At the summit, a vast circular dome crowned the structure, resembling a spacecraft ready to detach from the Earth at any moment.
They had not announced their arrival.
Which made the reaction at the entrance all the more dramatic.
Security personnel straightened instantly as the Duke and Duchess of Kaelthorn stepped onto the platform.
The guards bowed.
"My lord. My lady."
Inside, researchers froze mid-conversation. Assistants hurried out of corridors to catch a glimpse. Whispers followed in their wake.
A woman in a gray, skin-tight uniform approached them with composed efficiency. Her hair was tied back neatly, her posture disciplined but respectful.
She bowed deeply.
"I am honored to be in your presence, my lord, my lady."
She rose smoothly.
"I am Diana, senior research coordinator. The Director is on his way. If you would allow me, I will provide a brief tour."
Leonora nodded once.
Diana guided them through the facility.
They passed development chambers where orbiton frames floated in magnetic suspension fields. Holographic schematics rotated in mid-air, layers peeling away to reveal mechanical musculature beneath armor shells. Engineers calibrated energy cores the size of compact vehicles.
"This sector focuses on adaptive plating," Diana explained. "We've been experimenting with layered composite alloys capable of redistributing kinetic impact."
Youri's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Redistributing," he repeated quietly.
"Yes, my lord. Instead of absorbing force directly, the plating disperses it across multiple structural channels."
Interesting.
They moved through propulsion labs, neural interface rooms, and experimental weapons research sectors.
Then—
A man approached briskly down the corridor.
Mid-to-late forties. Dark, curly hair slightly disheveled. A silver lab coat hung loosely over his shoulders, sleeves rolled to the elbows. His eyes were sharp—analytical, restless.
Diana gestured toward him.
"This is Director Makali. Head scientist and one of the original researchers behind orbiton core architecture."
Makali stopped in front of them and offered a respectful nod.
"My lord. My lady."
His voice was low, measured.
Youri extended his hand.
Makali took it firmly.
"I hope Diana's tour has been satisfactory," Makali said as they began walking toward his office.
"Impressive," Leonora replied.
Makali's office overlooked the central research atrium. Transparent walls displayed live data feeds—energy outputs, structural stress tests, prototype performance metrics.
They took their seats opposite his desk.
Makali folded his hands.
"How may the Science Division assist the Empire's finest?"
Youri did not waste time.
"Director Makali," he said evenly, "by any chance… do you believe there has been a leak in the projects under your jurisdiction?"
The room stilled.
Makali's expression did not change immediately.
"A leak?" he repeated.
"We encountered an unidentified orbiton in the Outer Rim," Leonora added. "Its architecture does not match any registered foreign power. Its energy output exceeded Royal Knight limits. Its combat adaptability suggests familiarity with our systems."
Makali's eyes sharpened.
"That is a serious implication."
"I am aware," Youri replied calmly. "Which is why I am asking directly."
Makali leaned back slowly in his chair.
"All NOIR-class and Royal Knight specifications are compartmentalized," he said. "Access requires triple authorization clearance. Core architecture is stored offline within isolated quantum servers."
"And yet," Leonora said quietly, "something out there mirrors our advancements."
Makali's gaze shifted between them.
"Describe this unit."
Youri activated his wrist interface. A holographic projection of the rogue orbiton materialized above the desk—matte-black armor, amber visor slit, twin vertical cannons.
Makali leaned forward.
His expression changed.
Not shock.
Recognition.
"Impossible," he murmured.
Youri noticed immediately.
"You've seen something like this."
Makali hesitated.
"There was a concept," he admitted slowly. "An early design proposal years ago. It was rejected. Deemed too unstable. Too aggressive in its core-output amplification."
Leonora's eyes narrowed.
"Who proposed it?"
Makali met her gaze.
"A researcher who left the Division shortly after."
Silence settled like weight in the room.
Youri's voice was calm—but colder now.
"Name."
Makali exhaled.
"If this design has resurfaced… then we may not be facing a random enemy."
His fingers hovered over the console on his desk.
"The name," he said carefully, "is Dr. Serin Valis."