Emperor's Reckoning

Vivi stood up after seeing nobody else seemed to have the right to step forward. She was immediately greeted with the two beautiful princesses from Sverine and the Bolg Kingdom. 

"Thank you for your service, lady fortune-teller," Cherie nodded with a smile on her face.

"The pleasure is all mine." Vivi nodded.

"Please come and visit us sometimes, as a guest of course," said Hilde with a smile.

"Oh, we would love to have you with us over tea," Cherie nodded. Seeming agreed with Hilde's idea.

"That is a tempting over, I will keep that in mind, but no promises," Vivi smiled.

"As long as you keep it in mind," smiled Hilde.

Vivi smiled before she turned around and looked at his driver. The latter immediately knelt before she spare a word. 

"Yes, my lady?" asked the driver.

"I will depart tomorrow first thing in the morning, so please prepare the carriage by then," said Vivi.

"Understood, my lady," the driver nodded. 

"Alright," Vivi turned around before adding, "Don't forget to eat too, Sverine Inn will be hosting our expenses, so go wild. However, bear in mind about your manner, I could only save you from powerful people many times, but if you cross it over, not even fate will save you."

The driver was stunned by the severe warning from the lady he respected the most. His eyes widened as an image of a young man appeared right inside his mind. The arrogant young man demanded his lady's name.

"I understand, my lady, I will be on my best behavior," said the driver.

"Thank you," Vivi nodded before she walked away.

"Ah, please hold on a moment," said Cherie as she called out the lady fortune-teller.

"Hm? It's something the matter?" asked Vivi as she turned around.

"Nothing but, we need you to stay here until we close the reward ceremony," asked Cherie.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry I totally forgot about that," Vivi chuckled before she stood between the two ladies.

The two princesses proceeded in giving speeches and how wonderfully lucky they were with the presence of the lady fortune-teller. Although, they were beautiful especially with the smiles on their faces. It didn't change the fact that the arena was destroyed and so did more than half of the city. 

"Ah yes, please don't forget the important part of today's event," said Cherie before adding. "There will be our usual open banquet, open for all!"

The onlookers were astounded by her words.

"A banquet? Open for all?"

"That means we can savor those dreamy foods? For free?!"

"But is it really the time and place though, with how Afurnae state is at.."

Some of the onlookers were happy and some were disappointed. One could see it as dancing on top of another's misery while the rest saw it as a golden opportunity. Cherie knew she won't be able to please everyone equally and she had no intention in the first place.

"A banquet?" Vivi muttered. Even she was surprised by her idea.

"Yes! A banquet!" Cherie smiled at her. "An open banquet where everyone can meet and greet, no matter what status they have. Now..."

She placed her hand on top of her heart as her eyes shifted from the usual radiant to somewhat melancholic. "Obviously everyone can see that Afurnae is not at its best due to some unfortunate events, however, the repair is going as we speak, the buildings, the streets, everything. In light of that, I think that we must close this event on a good note."

"I agree, and the Bolg Kingdoms will do everything to help," Hilde nodded.

(She is quick-witted) thought Wanda as she smiled.

"Free food, free drinks! Everything! So merchants! Please open all of your stands and let the merry begins tonight!" said Cherie as she opened her arms.

"Yeah!!!!"

A loud welcoming roar soon ensued from the audience and the onlookers alike. All cultivators were invited, no class, no status, no cultivation levels required. They were all invited to this banquet from the two kingdoms.

"Well, certainly this is not the plan that I have in mind, but what can I do against fate," Vivi muttered before she talked to her driver. "Look's like we will be dining together in a festive atmosphere."

"Y-Yes, it would be an honor!"

---

The evening quickly came with a myriad of stars shimmering in the sky. Golden lights of decorated lanterns were hung on the streets. The merchants open their stalls with smiles on their faces and children ran around on the streets with the laughter of joys. There was hardly any frown glimpsed and people were drinking and side hugging.

The joy-filled atmosphere was spread evenly. Especially with the long tables that were set in the middle of the street. All delicacies anyone could dream of were presented on this long table. The fragrance of the delicacies was exorbitant and could fully revitalize a man dying of hunger by drinking their own saliva.

The sum of cultivators of the city was not as big as either one of the four kingdoms, but the resources used were not by any means, frugal.

Wanda appeared. She just walked a few steps without any deliberate action to make her presence known, but everyone was already turning their heads. The queen of the Sverine Kingdom was not a beauty to be passed by without people clinging to their hearts.

She smiled a queenly smile as she greeted the common people as if they were in the same class like hers. She was approaching the stall that interested her the most and conversing with the people that had the same interest as hers. This act of blending in with the masses brought superbly positive images of hers to a new height.

"I can not believe it..."

Lyon shook his head as he saw the festive on the streets just outside his inn. "What just happened? Did I fall asleep or something?"

"Apparently, the princess of the Sverine Kingdom and the Bolg Kingdom, agreed on having an open banquet for the closure of this tournament, oh and, good evening young master, hehe," Kesya immediately humped on his back before nibbling his ear.

"An open banquet?"

"En, it's a banquet where everyone is invited, though we can assume that it's probably just nearby cultivators who joined in, after all."

"After all, this is a banquet that was announced seven hours ago without proper preparation, oh, and good evening young master," said Assid who stood by his side.

"Tch! I was going to tell him that!" Kesya pouted. Her blue eyes looked at her young master's defenseless ears before she bit it. "~"

"Clearly, you need to eat, Kesya," said Lyon as his eyebrows twitched.

"Do you want to eat these abominations, young master?" asked Assid as he pushed his glasses. "Just look at how dirty the utensils are, it's not even properly lined up, disgrace."

"Oi, oi, oi, no need to be so harsh on them, they only got seven hours of preparation, besides it's a festival! Loosened up a bit, Assid," said Lyon as he patted Assid's shoulder.

"Yeah, you tell him, young master," said Kesya as she leered on Assid with a smirk on her end.

"Though," Lyon chuckled as he shook his head.

"What's wrong young master?" asked Kesya as she perked her black ears.

"I wonder how Lumina will take on these, she had just eaten back in the restaurant, haha!" laughed Lyon. "On a side note though, where is she?"

"What? I thought that she is with you?" asked Kesya. "You just said that she was eating in the restaurant."

"Yeah well, I'm not going to wait by her for her seven hours of feasting," Lyon shrugged before muttering, "How much can a female dragon eat anyway."

"Assid, why don't you take a stroll in this banquet and eat! Enjoy the life that has been given to you," said Lyon as he patted his back.

"And let you go unsupervised with alcohol and wine that's only an arms reach?" said Assid with his glaring eyes.

"Tch!" Lyon looked away. "Where is Graham anyway?"

"Oh! I bet he is looking for innocent chicks to slay right now," said Kesya before she nodded, "En, en!"

"Doubt it."

"No way."

Both men disagreed at the same time.

"Haha, I'm just joking," said Kesya.

Lyon let out a sigh before noticing the smiles the cultivators were having. They were chattering, complaining about their woes, sharing their goals, they were connecting.

"Peace is not that bad..." Lyon smiled.

"Lyon, do you mind if we walk together? We don't have the chance last time."

A delicate invitation was heard before Lyon turned around to see a pink robe fluttering around and a thin scarf hovering by her shoulders. Her eyes were looking at him with a seductive glance and he could notice the smile under her pink veil.

"Vivi?" muttered Lyon.

"Lady Fortune-teller," Vivi closed her eyes as her smiles had a slight twitch.

"Oh, right, haha!" Lyon laughed before Kesya got off of him.