Goku followed Saevia and Seraphiel as they floated toward the enormous crystal palace that shone with the light of millions of galaxies reflected across its surface. The closer they got, the more imposing the structure became, to the point where Goku had to tilt his head back to try to see the top.
"It's huge." He murmured, unable to hide his amazement.
"And this is just the main entrance." Said Saevia with clear amusement in her voice as they passed through an invisible barrier that surrounded the entire palace.
When they crossed that barrier, Goku felt an immediate change in the atmosphere. The air, if it could even be called that in the middle of empty space, felt denser and charged with an energy that made every cell in his body vibrate with anticipation.
'This place is on a completely different level.'
The palace doors opened on their own at Saevia's presence, revealing an interior that left Goku even more impressed than the exterior.
The main hall was so large that it could have easily contained the entire Capsule Corporation several times over without any problem. The walls were made of the same crystalline material as the exterior, but on the inside they glowed with a soft, constant light that had no apparent source. The floor was completely smooth and reflected everything like a perfect mirror, creating the illusion that they were walking over the void of space itself.
And floating at different points throughout the hall were spheres of light that pulsed rhythmically as if they were living hearts beating in unison.
"What are those things?" Goku asked, pointing at one of the nearby spheres.
"They are cores of pure energy." Seraphiel explained as she walked elegantly across the crystalline floor without making any noise with her steps. "They keep the structure of the palace stable and provide energy to everything that exists within these walls."
"Each one of those spheres contains enough power to destroy an entire universe if it were released without control." Saevia added casually as if she were talking about the weather.
Goku swallowed as he looked at the spheres with renewed respect and a bit of nervousness.
'I'm definitely not going to touch any of those.'
They continued moving through the hall until they reached a long corridor that extended to the right. As they walked, Goku noticed that there were several doors on both sides of the corridor, all identical to each other with no distinctive mark to differentiate them.
"This is where the rooms for the palace's guests and servants are located." Seraphiel explained, stopping in front of one of the doors about halfway down the corridor. "This will be your room, Goku."
The door opened automatically, revealing the interior.
Goku stepped in slowly, and the first thing he noticed was the size. The room was easily three times larger than his entire house on Mount Paozu. There was a massive bed in the center that seemed to float above the floor without any visible support, a sitting area with sofas that looked incredibly comfortable, and an entire wall made of transparent crystal that faced directly into outer space, displaying an impressive view of the surrounding galaxies.
"This is... too much." Goku murmured, looking at everything with wide eyes.
"You'll get used to it." Saevia said, stepping in behind him with her hands behind her back as she observed his reaction with obvious amusement. "Everyone who comes here for the first time has the same reaction."
Seraphiel also entered and walked toward the center of the room before turning toward Goku with that serene expression she always maintained.
"You have complete freedom to use this room however you wish. If you need anything, you only have to ask for it out loud and the palace will respond automatically."
"The palace will respond?" Goku repeated, confused.
"The palace is alive in a certain sense." Seraphiel explained. "It is directly connected to Saevia-sama's will and can fulfill almost any reasonable request made to it."
Goku nodded slowly as he tried to process all that information. He still found it hard to believe that he was really here in the Omni-King's Royal Palace after everything that had happened in the past few hours.
"Get some rest." Saevia said as she walked toward the exit. "In a few hours we will come to get you to begin your initial training."
"Wait." Goku called before they could leave completely. "Can I ask you something?"
Both of them stopped and turned toward him with curious expressions.
"Of course." Saevia replied, tilting her head slightly to one side.
Goku hesitated for a second before speaking, but he finally decided to ask directly.
"Why me? There are warriors much stronger than me in other universes. Why did you choose me specifically to be your guardian?"
Saevia and Seraphiel exchanged a quick glance before the Supreme Queen responded with that playful smile still present on her delicate face.
"Because you are interesting, Goku. More interesting than any other mortal we have met in eons."
"Interesting?" Goku repeated, not fully understanding what she meant.
"Your potential is limitless." Seraphiel explained, taking a step toward him. "Every time you face a stronger opponent, you find a way to surpass them no matter how impossible the situation may seem. That capacity for adaptation and constant growth is something extremely rare even among the most talented mortals."
"And besides." Saevia added with a mischievous gleam in her bright eyes. "We like you."
Goku blinked, surprised by that last statement, so simple yet direct at the same time.
"You like me?"
"That's right." Saevia confirmed, nodding her head. "You are honest, straightforward, and you are not afraid to be yourself no matter what others think. That is something we greatly appreciate."
Goku felt something warm expand inside his chest at those words. It was strange to hear something like that coming from the two most powerful beings in the multiverse, but at the same time it felt good in a way he could not fully explain.
"Thank you." He finally said with a genuine smile on his face.
Saevia returned the smile before turning toward the exit again, followed by Seraphiel, who gave him one last approving look before disappearing down the corridor, leaving Goku alone in his new room.
When the door closed behind them, Goku let himself fall onto the floating bed and was surprised to discover that it was even more comfortable than it looked from the outside.
He stayed there lying down, staring at the crystalline ceiling that reflected the galaxies of outer space as he tried to process everything that had happened from last night until now.
'Everything changed so fast.'
Less than twenty-four hours ago he had been celebrating with his friends after the Exhibition Tournament, thinking that everything was fine and that they could finally have some peace for a while.
But then everything fell apart in a matter of hours.
His friends blamed him for putting the universe at risk.
His wife told him she needed time away from him.
His children looked at him with disappointment and left without looking back.
And now he was here, in the Omni-King's Royal Palace, about to begin training that would probably take him to levels of power he had never imagined possible.
'Did I do the right thing by accepting to come here?'
That question spun around in his head for several minutes as he kept staring at the ceiling without really seeing it.
But then he remembered Seraphiel's words.
"You would be in a place where the way you are is appreciated and not constantly judged."
And Saevia's words.
"We like you."
He closed his eyes, feeling that warmth in his chest expand even more, slowly replacing all the bitterness and confusion he had been carrying since last night.
'Yes.' He finally thought, with a small smile forming on his lips. 'I did the right thing.'
He remained lying there in silence for what felt like hours but were probably only minutes before he finally fell asleep with that smile still present on his calm and relaxed face for the first time in a long time.