Hogg still didn't understand why Sera trusted him so much, but that didn't stop him from going through with the deal. He was only unlocking her Psionic Energy permissions. Surely nothing could go too wrong, right?
"Surely not!" The Emperor's voice rang with absolute certainty, dispelling the last of everyone's worries. But he immediately asked, "How much longer will the modification take? And are you cosplaying as a Servo-skull?"
In a warm greenhouse filled with the breath of nature, several animals were gathered. Add Emilia, who was frying and grilling bacon nearby, and the scene looked straight out of a fairy tale.
But Hogg had ruined it all. His current appearance was just too hideous: a floating dog's head with half a spinal column attached, several cables trailing from him all the way to the distant laboratory.
"Two weeks. The Golden Men's genes are far too complicated, and I don't have the Psychic Network to provide computing power, so I can only build things up bit by bit. This is an unprecedented, highly unusual project. The slightest mistake could cause that woman's genes to collapse. I... don't want to just phone it in."
"So when you say you don't want to phone it in, you mean sneaking off to have a picnic?"
The Emperor pursed his lips. It looked ridiculous on a weasel, but Hogg could tell he was being mocked.
"You're not seriously treating her like an ally, are you?"
"Of course not! She's just a temporary business partner. I'm only helping her because of those ten ships of rare metals." Hogg hurriedly protested, but with nothing left of him but a dog's head, his indignant expression was as comical as Old Man Yellow's. The Emperor could only sigh.
He casually grabbed a slice of meat from the grill.