Emperor's Reckoning

Before one could eat the food with their mouth and crunched it with their teeth to bits of chunks before the tongue could embrace the huge palette of its ecstasy. One will eat them either visually or by the guidance of aroma firsthand. 

Cecile's eyes were dilating at the approaching food that was held by Lyon's hands on top of a wide tray. There were much variety of delicacies that she had never seen before. The glistening moist of the meat made her droll as every fiber in her muscle craved for that nutrition. She couldn't help but took a harsh swallow as her sight didn't leave even when Lyon put down the tray gently on the floor. 

Her sulked had vanished without her even realizing it. She turned around as she sat down with both of her knees pointed against the food. Her frail hands were pushing her thigh down as her head was hanging on top of the tray. She didn't even blink the entire time as she was smitten by what she was seeing. The droll was coagulating before the massive weight was pulled by the gravity as it left her lips. 

*Thud!

Her eyes opened wide as she saw a white napkin seeped in before a stain of a slight drench from her droll did she noticed. She gulped her saliva before she finally looked up to see Lyon's smiling face. That innocent glow permeated out before her cheeks slightly turned a red hue. The muscles in her face slightly contracted as her lips quivered before she took a step back and apologize.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

She bowed down her head submissively.

Her act caught a bitter sorrow slice to his heart as his smile turned into a furrow. He shook his head before teasing her.

"What's this, don't you think that it's a little too late to act all modest now? You were trying to grab a hold of my neck the first time you see me."

"I..."

She was lost for words to explain her action. She knew it was wrong but she couldn't help it with the life that she had experienced. 

"I'm just joking," chuckled Lyon before he folded the napkin neatly and gave it to her.

Her eyes were opened in confusion before she looked at an arm reaching out to her with a napkin in its hand. The sheet of white fabric was upon her before once again she looked up to his face.

"You can't eat with those tears in your eyes now, can you? I wouldn't have any of it even if you can though, hahaha!"

Hearing those warm words only glistened the tears that were already begging to escape out of her eyes. Her hands were trembling before she clasped his hand to his surprise. He could feel that emotion running through the course of the tremor as she gritted her teeth with tears running down her cheeks.

"P-P-Please, don't be so kind... please... I don't want to get hurt anymore..."

Lyon's heart clenched as he heard those begging words. He had never met a person begging to stop a kindness that was pointed at them. What kind of life did one have to experience to felt such a thing.

"I'm not being kind, I'm just being a gentleman," answered Lyon before he reached out her chin with his other hand then slightly pushed it up so that her crying face was looking at him. He smirked before he slowly put the white sheet of the napkin against her cheeks. He gently patted out the tears without exerting unnecessary strength. 

She could only close her eyes as she felt the gentle touch of the young man. She had not felt such care before in her entire life of living. While everyone had a parent, she didn't. Everyone was having nice clothes, she didn't. Everyone was being cared for, being trusted, she didn't. 

"Alright, no need to sleep now."

"Wah?! N-N... I didn't!"

"Hahaha!"

Lyon had a good time teasing her and making her blush. As Cecile was getting embarrassed, Lyon suddenly grabbed one of her hands before putting a fork on her palm. He reached out another one and put the knife on the other. 

"Listen, Cecile, if you don't finish this entire meal, I will then after your body. I will lick all over it, drolling on it, smeared your face with the leftover sauce before I taste every square meter of it. Nipping your ears, put ice on your back, encircled the chain on your waist, slapping your butt red with this silver tray, ran across this knife between your bountiful breast, and as no matter how much strength you have, you will never get out of my grasp. Realizing that you are in despair and have nothing to fight back, you surrendered yourself to me as I do as I please. Oh and I do some nasty things, so nasty that those gods in heaven needed to go to hell and personally write my name in their guest list."

"W-Wha- What?"

Lyon grinned before he stood up and turned around, leaving Cecile fear-stricken. She heard every word that came out of his mouth as dreads and she couldn't help but make a harsh swallow as to pacify her fright. (He, he is not serious is he?) thought Cecile before Lyon glanced back at her with a perverted laugh.

Lighting jolt inside her neurons as it shot toward her brain before her goosebumps rose. She immediately looked down and put the only two utensils to good use. There was no wasting time as he could be back at any moment. She ate like a hungry monster before her throat bulged from the queue of the food that didn't manage to go down. She repeatedly hit her chest but it didn't go down until she drank a full three gulps of wine from the nearby gourd. There was no stopping as she wiped the excess liquid beside her lips with her arm before gorging at the next dish. The noise of the utensils hitting the plate was heard reverberating the cell and the whole prison.

Lyon raised one of her eyebrows as he turned around and smiled. He put his hands on his waist as he shook his head looking at him. The auburn-haired woman managed to take a glance looking at him before the latter suddenly grinned and barred his teeth menacingly. Needless to say, that triggered her movement to a new level. 

Lyon puts his hand to cover his mouth to not burst a laugh before turning around.

(Delicious!).

(This is so good!).

(This is amazing!).

Screamed Cecile inwardly as tears already ran across her cheeks nonstop. She had never had a meal like this before, not even saving up the pay from her former job would grant her the delightfulness of the meal. 

Lyon went toward the bar where the guard was already waiting for him. It was clear that the one who reigned in the prison was not the guard, was not the kingdom, but the perverted thief that stole the queen's undergarment. 

"Tell me what do you need, I will fulfill it," said the guard as he bowed his head slightly. He didn't mind the pain on his face. The wound had already frozen up and the blood stop leaking out.

"Emptied out the royal bathroom."

"Na?! What?"

"Emptied out the royal bathroom, replace the water with a new one. Make sure to have the best soap ready, the best conditioner, I want nothing but the best. I want it done by the time she finished eating."

Lyon finished his words before pulling the bar open as if it was always unlocked from the start. He walked out under the guard's disbelieving eyes and harsh swallow. The presence though not as severe as the time where his eyes glowed red, the fear had instilled inside his soul as not a single complaint he dared to utter.

"M-May I know where are you going?"

Lyon kept walking toward the exit without answering his question. Right in front of him was the junior guard, his legs were already shaking before a word even came out of Lyon's mouth. Lyon's sharp gaze alone was enough to make him doubled his nervousness. In the end, he could only stand as he let Lyon past him and off to the light.

The wind fluttered his dark hair as he brood over the city below his sight. The hustle and bustle of the cultivators below could be slightly heard from where he was standing. There was a very distinctive dividing line between the residents of the nobles and commoners, and of course, the palace itself.

Lyon silently jumped down before entering the city via the bustling market. He noticed there was not a single portrait of him being planted on the wall before he smirked. He naturally blended in like he was local in no time. With that image of her cry, his eyes turned determined.