The imperial sentinel took the lumberjack and his henchman Baba to the doorstep of the palace's main building where two servants were waiting for them.

The maids collected the guests' baggage from the imperial sentinel and invited the Commander of the imperial forces Babida to come in along with his aide-de-camp.

As for the camel, it was taken to the backside of the imperial palace by the guard.

The servants that were radiant young maidens conducted the visitors to their apartment. It was the most luminous and spacious room of the palace after that of His Majesty Batang V, the lunar chamber.

The guests marveled and thanked the maids for their kindness as the hosts were leaving them.

"Comrade, let's take a shower fast, for I guess soon we might be called for supper and we better be ready now." Babida suggested to his henchman Baba.

"Correct, My Commander! I am going right away to the bathroom." said the youngster Baba.

The aide-de-camp thereupon rushed to bathe and was done very quickly.

The Commander in chief Babida went after him to shower as well and finish pretty fast too.

Within half an hour, the two men were cleaned and dressed in sparkling military uniforms.

Toc, toc!

Someone knocked at the room's door. Baba hurried to open and saw the two beautiful young servants who invented them to follow them to one of the palace salle a manger.

"Right away, Miss!" replied the henchman with a seductive voice.

Baba informed his superior Commander Babida who thus exited the room.

Both men then began to walk at a slow pace behind the two gracious maids who showed them the way to the eating room.

After snaking the endless corridors of the imperial palace, the guests finally reached the venue.

As they entered the place, they were dazzled by the long table at the left corner filled abundantly with the finest delicacies of the empire and surrounded by ten other gorgeous servants.

Crabs, chicken, goat, mutton, fish, snails, gorilla, snake, vegetables, plantain, cassava, fruit, and all sorts of desserts were aligned from one end of the fitting to the other.

"Wow! What an imperial welcome this is!" exclaimed the woodsman as they were being guided to their seats by a maid.

However, given the circumstances, they had to display good manners and refrain from their gluttonous habits.

So Babida and his henchman Baba ate what was just enough for their stomachs and in a very civilized way.

The guests were also served the most delicious palm wine their papillae had ever tasted, which they managed to drink responsibly since they were also making sure to appear sober the next day at the lumberjack's elevation ceremony as the new Governor of the province of Okunde.

Full and very satisfied with the special treatment provided to them by the gracious servants of His Majesty Batang V, Babida the lumberjack and his henchman Baba left the eating room and returned to their apartment so they could rest after their tiring voyage from Okunde to the imperial city Ekule.

They shared the same bed and slumbered profoundly till daybreak.

The logger was the first to wake up and geared up in a brand-new magnificent military outfit.

He then waited patiently for the signal of the servants or the imperial sentinels of the palace.

The henchman Baba finally woke up and was surprised to notice that the Commander in chief was already set for the elevation ceremony.

A bit embarrassed that he overslept, he asked the woodsman to forgive him and rushed to the bathroom.

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But for the logger, his henchman's lateness wasn't a big deal.

"Take your time, Comrade!" Babida told to him as he stood up and opened the window.

He saw the imperial sentinels receiving visitors who were coming to his nomination as the new Governor of the province of Okunde.

He then looked amazed at a squad of imperial sentinels that were parading at the left corner of the palace's main yard.

And unexpectedly a pigeon came up to the window and landed on the sill, making the lumberjack smile.

The latter extended his hand to pat the bird but it flew away under the powerless eyes of the woodsman.

Toc, toc!

Someone suddenly slightly banged the door and caught Babida's attention. He walked up to it and pulled the handle.

The two beautiful young maids of the past evening were standing in front in different clothes, even more shining than those they were wearing at the guests' arrival at the imperial palace.

"Greetings, My Commander! You may come with us, please." One of the servants said to the Commander of the imperial forces.

"Right away, young Miss!" Babida replied to her.

He then inclined backward and looked to the right side of the room and saw his henchman Baba who was at last ready, walking up to him.

"Come, it's time for the big moment!" Babida told his aide-de-camp.

"Yes, My Commander!" The youngster replied.

They thereafter left the apartment and followed His Majesty's servants.

The radiant maids guided Babida the lumberjack accompanied by his aide-de-camp Baba through the long corridors of the imperial palace.

As they marched forward, the woodsman began to feel the weight of his soon-new charge.

He entered a deep daydream, for he suddenly had the impression that he was advancing alone to the ceremony's venue.

Everything around him ceased to exist. There was only him and the unknown in front of him.

A cold wind commenced blowing and fear took hold of his body. He trembled like a leaf and his five-kilogram axe was now too heavy for his frail right hand.

The solitary moment lasted till...

"My Commander!" A man whispered.

"My Commander!" The man repeated with more intensity in his tone.

"Yes?" replied Babida as he came back to himself with flurry eyes.

"That's His Majesty! You may bow." The man advised, astonished by the lumberjack's sudden trouble.

The woodsman looked at his interlocutor once again and realized that was his henchman Baba who was talking to him.

He then glanced in front of him and recognized the charismatic and huge man who was wrapped with the most valuable fabric of the empire and was sitting in a golden chair.

The imposing individual was no one else but His Majesty Batang V.

Therefore Babida precipitously threw himself on the ground and bowed before the most powerful man of the land, causing the laughter of the Emperor and the hundreds of subjects that surrounded the place.

"You may rise, Commander." then said His Majesty Batang V to the lumberjack.

Babida did as he was told. He changed his prostating position and took the kneeling stand.

The Emperor ordered that they played the trumpets to open the woodsman's elevation ceremony as the new Governor of Okunde.

Once the musicians were done. The imperial Ruler got off his gilded seat and read a long speech in which he lauded the bravery of Babida first in his time as a civilian and then as a full-time military before enjoining that they brought him the majestic sword.

The supreme Leader laid the weapon three times on the head of the lumberjack, then declared: "I, Batang V, fifth Ruler of the Batang dynasty, I hereby proclaimed Babida the lumberjack, Governor of the province of Okunde. He has my total trust and all the subjects of the land shall treat him and respect him the same way they would do to me."

"You may now stand up, Governor." The Emperor then told him.

Babida did as he was instructed and the crowd acclaimed him joyfully.

The first part of the elevation ceremony was over. The second part then followed.

Emperor Batang V ordered that the banquet for the new Governor of Okunde, Babida, started.

So the servants brought rolling tables filled with varieties of food and beverages.

They strolled around the venue and the guests served themselves. They picked whatever they desired and ate and drank happily.

The Emperor invited the lumberjack to his private eating space since according to the superstitions of the land, it wasn't good for the Ruler to eat in public and risk embarrassment in front of his subjects such as dirtying his magnificent garments with sauce or whatever aliments.

The Ruler had to always distill in the mind of the people that he was a half-god. He had to be feared, though he could be kind.

His Majesty Batang V and his guest, the newly appointed Governor Babida, arrived at a small but sparkling room and there was a gilded table that contained nearly all the marvels available in the empire.

There was notably a big lamb that was toasted and was also the favorite meal of His Majesty.

"You may sit by my side, Governor." uttered the Emperor as a maid pulled his massive chair so he could sit.

Impressed, the woodsman remained speechless. He wasn't expecting such a degree of attention from the half-god.

The new Governor sat on the right of the Ruler who was at his ease contrary to his guest.

Babida was intimidated. However, he tried the best he could to conceal his nervosity.

The Emperor with a silent look at the maid on his left side ordered that the latter serve him the lamb, which she hastened to execute.

She cut a big chunk of the meat that she then put in a golden plate that she laid in front of the Ruler along with a silver fork and knife.

Unexpectedly the Ruler passed on his dish to Babida who was shocked by the gesture.

"But Your Majesty..." The woodsman said with a shy and shaky voice.

"Good appetite, Governor!" His Majesty Batang V wished him.

And with another silent look at the maid, he commanded that she serve him once again, which she did.

The servant took another gilded plate and gave a bigger piece of lamb to the Ruler.

Then with his guest Babida who was waiting for him, they savored the tasty and mellow flesh of the sheep.