Emperor's Reckoning

The moment Hilde made the last turn to arrive at the lobby of the inn, she immediately saw the young man that was making a scene. It was the same young man that disregard Rupert's overbearing pressure.

He was standing in front of the receptionist's desk and was in the middle of a conversation.

"Sir, this is not a public inn," said the receptionist as he bowed.

"But you have a vacant room right?" asked Lyon.

"That's... We do have vacant rooms but the rooms are not for outsiders," said the receptionist.

"Then, how can I become an insider," asked Lyon.

(W-What? What the hell is this guy saying?!) thought the receptionist. "W-Well, you have to be married into the family or become a knight under the kingdom."

Lyon contemplated as he held his chin, he muttered, "I see, becoming a knight under the kingdom is a viable option but getting married into the family? Now that's the option I must take! Is what I want to say...."

He let out a sigh before he rested his arms on the desk. "Can you tell me why is there one really shabby inn for the mortal cultivators?"

The receptionist smiled wryly, "I'm afraid I have no right to say anything about that."

"Look's like you are a person that I can talk with."

The soothing voice brought Lyon's and the receptionist's attention. Lyon's gaze landed at the beauty coming in but the yell of the receptionist broke the mood in the atmosphere.

"Ah, Princess Hilde!" The receptionist immediately left his post before coming over.

(Princess?) thought Lyon.

"Please princess, please stay in your room until the tournament commences," said the receptionist as he bowed repeatedly.

"What am I? A cattle?"

"Ah? N-No I don't mean it like that!"

Princess Hilde chuckled seeing the flustered receptionist. "Relax, I'm not going anywhere."

She walked past him before approaching Lyon. "Hi~"

"Hi?" Lyon raised one of his eyebrows before snorting with a smile. "This is the first time a princess greets me with a 'hi'."

"You!" The receptionist glared at Lyon before he approached him. "You need to show some respect toward Princess Hilde! Don't you know that she—"

"Enough!" Hilde rose her tone before making the receptionist shriek. "The matter with him being respectful to me or not will only be between me and him, got it?"

"Y-Yes, duly noted."

"Good." (He can stand toe to toe with Rupert, your scrawny figure would be shattered by a flick of his fingers).

Hilde averted her glance back toward Lyon. "I see that this is not the first time a princess greets you."

Lyon shook his head, "I have the princess, the queen, and latest an empress."

Hilde raised her eyebrows delightfully with interest. "I see, you are quite a charmer to a woman then."

Lyon's head grew slightly bigger, "Well, I'm not really that good, to be honest."

"Hahaha, please excuse my joke," said Hilde. "Do you mind having a talk with me?"

"Over some food?" asked Lyon with a smile.

"Absolutely," Hilde smiled.

"You... eh..." Lyon suddenly hesitated.

Hilde made a few blinks. "I'm what?"

"You pay right?" Lyon let out a big grin.

(Wow what a broke shameless guy! Aren't you too shameless now?! Where is your pride?! This is a princess!) thought the receptionist.

"Oh, haha!" Hilde laughed before she looked at Lyon tilting his head (Wait, you're serious?).

She made a slight cough, "That's not something you should be concerned with. This inn belonged to me, well, my family anyway."

"Great!"

"Great! Receptionist, prepare a table for two," said Hilde as she showed her fingers.

"Yes!" The receptionist immediately ran from his post and went to the east side of the building.

"Shall we?" asked Hilde.

Lyon nodded before he walked with her side by side to the east side of the building. 

"I know that you know my name already but you haven't told me yours yet," said Hilde.

"How did you know that I know your name?" asked Lyon.

"Hm? Didn't the receptionist call my name?"

"Oh, right. My name is Lyon Torga."

(Torga?? Hmm, didn't ring a bell) thought Hilde. "Why did you come to my inn?"

Lyon let out a sigh, "The inn that was designated for me was too ugly and uncomfortable."

"Ah, I see, so you naturally look for a fairly decent inn, but, you know, aren't your taste a little too high here? Hehe," she chuckled.

"Really now?" he chuckled.

"Are you here alone?" asked Hilde.

"I'm with you now," answered Lyon with a smile before they arrived at the restaurant. It was a short walk but a delightful one.

The restaurant was quite fancy and no eaters could be seen. There was a little round table set up and a pair of chairs sitting across each other.

Hilde showed her courtesy and let Lyon sit first as he was the guest. 

He nodded before the two of them found themselves sitting one across another. 

There was nothing but an empty plate on the table and he couldn't hear the chefs cooking inside the kitchen.

"Lyon, I have some questions inside my head and I hope that you can answer them truthfully," said Hilde.

"Ask away, take it as compensation for treating me food," said Lyon with a laugh.

(Really?) thought Hilde as she smiled wryly.

"Are you entering the competition?" asked Hilde.

Lyon merely nodded.

"Good, then you must know something about the preliminary."

"Hm? What about it?"

She looked left and right before closing her eyes. Her divine sense spread out before noticing no one was in the vicinity or hiding. She opened her eyes once more but they had sharpened.

"I've heard that the spot for the outsider, or should I say, mortal cultivator, is cut to only five spots?"

"I think I've heard of something like that? Yes, that is correct," Lyon nodded.

"Then, do you know a man named Hezar?"

*Thump

Her eyes opened wide as the atmosphere shifted. The young man in front of her smirked as the chilling bones from his gaze froze her soul. Her mind temporarily turned blank as only her hearing sense worked.

"I know, he will die later."

Her pupils were shrunken.