Emperor's Reckoning

The melodic voice of the chirping birds could be heard. The blazing sun started to rise from the east and illuminated the neutral city. The shadows from its destruction were still visible, and they reminded the cultivators that it was not just a bad dream. Two kingdoms had indeed fallen, and the structure of First Heaven had changed drastically in one single day.

"Nn..." Lyon murmured. He slowly opened his eyes as the light from the window basked his face. He put his arms right and left before his eyes snapped wide open. He quickly get up from his bed, looking left and right. It was empty. He was by himself on the bed,

(They are really such early birds) thought Lyon before he got to the side of the bed and yawned without even bothering to close his mouth. Lyon got up on his two feet before yawning some more. His eyes were hardly opened as little sleep crust was still etched on the corners.

"They are all punctual," Lyon sighed. "Well, it's time to hit the town I guess."

The city was not as bustling as before, but the moment he stepped outside, everyone batted their eye.

The person that was fully responsible for the destruction of Afurnae made his appearance. He was Lyon Torga, the man who hails from the mortal world. A slight disrespect, a slight offense, might make their head jump out of their neck.

"Never thought that the day would come when I would be feared in Heaven," muttered Lyon with a smile.

The cultivators smiled as he took a leisure walk on the street. Oddly enough he didn't meet the two princesses and of course, the beautiful queen of the Sverine Kingdom.

"Hey, the fortune-teller has arrived," said one of the passing cultivators.

"R-Reall? So that means she will read their future? I thought the tournament is over for good."

"The tournament is indeed over, but if he didn't get what he wanted, what would be left of Afurnae. Currently, he is the most dangerous person to deal with right now. With both Sverine and Bolg behind his back, he is most likely untouchable by common folks like us. Only those from Second Heaven and above can contend with him, or the hidden experts that dwelled in these lands."

Lyon raised his eyebrows (Right, they did say something about a fortune-teller, but didn't she say that the fortune-teller would come in the evening?). He looked at his shadow and could confirm that it didn't even past peak noon.

A smile puckered up from his lips before he turned the way he was facing.

The onlookers immediately caught this subtle turn. 

(Oh no!) shouted the onlookers inside their minds. They immediately knew that smirk on his face.

A magnificent red horse with blonde wings was seen pulling a simple carriage, along with a single coachman. The theme of the carriage was not luxurious by any means but they knew the cost of each of those materials was exorbitant.

The onlookers could see the silhouette from the windows and they called her by her title instead of her name.

"Miss Fortune-teller!"

"Miss Fortune-teller!"

Despite the apparent disheveling city, the small road that the fortune-teller took was quite festive. The silhouette slightly faced down before her lips opened up as if she realized something.

"Stop!" the fortune-teller said abruptly as her voice echoed. The atmosphere suddenly changed as the onlookers froze on their feet.

The coachman immediately pulled the reign slightly and made the magnificent horse its hooves. The horse snorted and shook its head as the coachman get off from his seat. He immediately approached the door of the carriage under a curious gaze.

"Is something the matter, lady?" asked the coachman softly as he slightly bend his back against the window.

The lady didn't answer but instead, under the silent atmosphere, leisure footsteps were heard. His hands were behind his head and his eyes barely opened as he walked. 

"T-That's?!" 

"Quick getaway!"

The coachman raised his eyebrows as he saw the masses suddenly dispersed, making a way for an unknown youth with a unique garment. He straightened his back before he walked forward and faced the youth.

"Are you bearing ill-intent toward the lady?" said the coachman as his eyes turned sharp. A furrow of his eyebrows create a gust of wind that flustered the young man's hair and the onlookers'.

"Oh shit," muttered one of the onlookers.

"Fuck, he didn't know how mad the one he is facing with."

"B-But wait, he might have a chance, after all, even the four kingdoms have to pay respect to her."

"Huh?" Lyon furrowed his eyebrows before he put his hands down. "What did you say?"

"I said, are you bringing ill-intent toward the lady?" asked the coachman once more.

"The lady?" Lyon raised one of his eyebrows. "You mean the fortune-teller?"

The coachman didn't answer but from his face, he was getting irritated by the aloof youth.

"Why would I bring ill-intent toward the lady that would read my fortune?" asked Lyon as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Then, why are you here?" asked the coachman.

"Why are you so uptight?" asked Lyon as he sighed. "I'm curious, as to how beautiful the lady that would read my future is, haha!" he laughed.

The coachman immediately furrowed his eyebrows till they met with each other. His pupils shrunken in rage as he gritted his teeth. His aura exponentially grows like nothing the onlookers had ever seen before. Not even the king of the Golden Dragon could compare to him. 

"YOU DARE TO DISRESPECT THE LADY?!" the coachman shouted as the onlookers gasped.

Lyon furrowed his eyebrows before he put his hands inside his pockets. "Tch, you guys are really offended by the slightest thing. How the hell is confirming someone's beauty, is called disrespecting. How ridiculous!"

"YOU?!"

"Stop," a soft voice came out from the carriage.

The coachman immediately lost his aura as his eyebrows rose. He immediately turned around and knelt to the carriage. "Apologies, my lady."

Lyon furrowed his eyebrows under the sigh of relief from the onlookers.

They knew that if another fight involving Lyon would break out, the city would be written off the map and could only be reminisced by the history books.

The coachman didn't dare to blink his eyes as his forehead was drenching with cold sweat.

"Are you the one responsible for the destruction of Afurnae?" the soft voice emerged once more.

Lyon crossed his arms, "No, the destruction of Afurnae wouldn't occur if they didn't do what they did."

Lyon didn't bother explaining the details nor did the onlookers dare to say anything to add.

"I see," the fortune-teller responded. "Would you mind if I do the reading at the originally appointed time?"

The response was quite the opposite of what the onlookers had in mind, even the coachman couldn't believe his ears. 

Lyon raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

The coachman had his pupils shrinking as he heard what Lyon had just said. Nobody had ever questioned the fortune-teller.

(What madlad) thought the onlookers as they shook their heads. However, he was truly mad.

"Well, the appointed time is in the evening, and the place is the arena, though, I doubt that we could call it arena anymore," answered the fortune-teller. "Would it be harmful to you that I do the reading at the time?"

"Barely," Lyon smirked. "You are the one that can read the fortune, not me."

"Alright, I thank-"

"However," Lyon crossed his arms. as he slightly raised his chin. "Under one condition."

The onlookers almost had their eyes jumped out of their sockets. Nobody had ever dared to even talk back against the fortune-teller publicly, let alone putting condition. Everyone was trying to curry favor her but he seemed to do the opposite.

The coachman balled his fist but an instruction from the fortune-teller by mana transmission made him hold his rage, though, barely.

"Oh? Intriguing, what is it?" said the fortune-teller.

"Not much, give me your name," said Lyon as he smirked.

The onlookers were surprised by his demand.

"Name..." one of the cultivators muttered. "That's right, nobody knew her name."

"That's... damn... I never thought of it before but now I want to know too," said another.

The coachman snapped before he stood up and put a glare at the youth, "The lady's name shall not be known!"

"Kneel"

The coachman immediately banged two of his knees against the ground as Lyon furrowed his eyebrows.

"My apologies, young master Lyon," said the fortune-teller. "However, regarding your condition, may I think about it?"

Lyon looked at the carriage before he smirked, "Sure."

He turned around before putting his hands behind his head and leisurely walked away as nothing had happened.

"Bring me to my inn," said the fortune-teller before the coachman immediately replied, "Yes, my lady!"

Inside the carriage, the fortune-teller lady had her eyebrows furrowed before she heard a question from her coachman.

'M-My lady, why are you stopping me from teaching that rough young man a lesson?'

'Because I still need my coachman.'

The coachman had his eyes widened in realization.