Emperor's Reckoning

Assid had his brows furrowed as he put his leg down. His glasses reflected the shine of the moon before it revealed the sharp eyes.

The driver had his pupils shrink to a needle before his throat shook.

"Guha!"

The man puked out blood as he knelt with both knees on the ground. He was palpitating with blood running out of his mouth. His eyelids won't close as he looked at his trembling hands before he noticed a pair of shoes. He slowly looked up to see the butler with his slicked-back hair, and white clean gloves.

Assid leered down before he knelt on one knee. He looked at the driver right to his very eyes. The calm gaze immediately put a cage over the driver's soul.

(What the hell... is he....) said the driver inwardly as his eyes widened in fear. 

Lyon furrowed his eyebrows before he slowly move away from Vivi's face.

"Ah?" Vivi blinked twice before she realized what had just transpired right before her. The onlookers gasped but they didn't even dare to comment in the atmosphere that was dead silent.

"Hah," Lyon sighed as he slouched his shoulders down. "Alright, Assid that's enough."

"Yes, young master."

The butler stood up with one last glare to the driver before turning around.

"I'm sorry for ruining your private stroll with your esteemed guest, young master," Assid bowed. "I should have taken things more, delicately."

(Yeah, I'm sure he would be dead before I could stop you if you took that approach) Lyon smiled wryly. "I don't want any fight to occur in this festive evening, there is enough blood spilled yesterday and I don't want any bad blood today."

"I understand, young master," Assid nodded. "But please do keep in mind, that you are not allowed to drink wine."

"Damn it," Lyon muttered as he looked away. 

"Then I will take my leave," said Assid before he vanished within a blink of an eye. Not even the wind caught his figure.

"Well, that was anti-climatic," Lyon chuckled before he look at Vivi and bowed, "I'm sorry for what he had caused."

"Oh? Oh, no need, there is no need to apologize, this is nothing but an unfortunate circumstance," quickly said Vivi before she turned around and addressed her driver. "Are you alright?"

"Ye-Yes, my lady, I'm sorry to have caused you to worry," said the driver as he knelt with one knee.

"There is no need to pretend," said the fortune-teller as she shook her head, "I can see your skin pale without the help of the moon."

"Ah, this, this is nothing, my lady," said the driver hurriedly.

"No, you need to rest and eat," said Vivi as she shook her head. "That is an order."

"I-I... understand," said the driver as he was defeated by his master.

"Can you stand up?" asked Lyon.

"I can," said the driver with a slight discontent before he strugglingly got up by himself.

"Heh," Lyon smirked.

"Oh? I wonder what happened here," a familiar voice hits Lyon's eardrums like a melody. She had platinum blonde hair that was staring. She blended in quite easily with the masses due to her vast experience.

"Queen Wanda?" Lyon raised his brows before looking at her up and down.

"You see something that you like? Young master Lyon?" asked the queen of the Sverine Kingdom with a smile on her face.

"You look beautiful tonight," said Lyon nonchalantly.

"Oh my, thank you," the queen smiled. "However, how could I compare to the lady beside you. She is the star of the night, isn't she?"

"Oh please, don't flatter me like that, prestige Queen Wanda, I'm nothing but a passing fortune-teller for the fated," said Vivi with a chuckle.

Wanda smiled, "I hope you enjoy this open banquet to the last second, we are truly sad to see you go tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, me too," said Lyon as he turned his glance toward Vivi, "Is there any way to make you stay for longer?"

Vivi smiled under her pink veil before she shook her head, "I'm afraid, fate calls me and not the other way around."

Lyon raised his eyebrows as he smiled. "Is that so?"

"Indeed so," Vivi nodded. "I can tell you that our meeting is not by any means coincidence."

"It is fated? Oh my, people will take that the wrong way, lady fortune-teller," Wanda smiled.

"Then that is also, must be, fate," said Lyon as he smirked at the lady fortune-teller.

"Perhaps," Vivi nodded with a smile. (However, your fate is probably not with me, but with Mother Luce).

Wanda raised her eyebrows as she noticed someone in the vicinity. She smiled before she said to Lyon, "Would it be alright if I borrow the lady fortune-teller for a bit, Lyon?"

"Hm? I don't mind," Lyon smiled before he walked away.

Queen Wanda smiled as she took a glass from the passing waiter. She played with the glass as she looked at Lyon going to the opposite way of where she noticed the figure. "Decisive and daring, isn't he?" she smiled.

"Daring and stupid are two siblings that don't go together, " said the lady fortune-teller with a smile. "Is there something in your mind, queen of the Sverine Kingdom?"

Queen Wanda averted her glance toward the lady fortune-teller with a smile on her face, "As a queen myself, there is always something in my mind."

"It is the cost of your position, of your status, and more importantly, the result of your strength," said Vivi with a smile before she too took a wine glass off of a tray from a passing waiter.

"En," the queen nodded before she placed her lips on her glass and savor the wine. "Do you mind if we walk further?"

"Why not? After all, I will leave tomorrow morning," said Vivi.

"Tell me, lady fortune-teller, why him?" asked Wanda she walked alongside her.

"Why him? I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Queen Wanda," said Vivi with a smile.

Wanda chuckled, "I've never seen you taking so much interest in a man that much."

"Oh my," Vivi chuckled. "It must be your imagination."

"Oh no, in the last banquet you clearly converse with everyone equally, but not a single one of them even managed to touch your hand without your permission," said Wanda.

"I see," Vivi smiled (This woman was there the whole time).

"Is he that special to you?" teased Wanda with a smile.

"He is indeed special, but not in a personal way," answered Vivi with a smile.

"Then in what way?" asked Wanda as she furrowed her brows.

"You will have to find that out on your own," said Vivi as she smiled.

"So fate does not permit me to know by your words, does it?" Wanda raised one of her brows.

Vivi didn't answer her but merely smiled at her instead.

The two continued their chatters unperturbed. The beauty that these two excellent women exuded was extraordinary and made people turn their heads but on the other hand, there was the young man that was walking along with his hands behind his head.

(Man, one minute walking with a beauty, next minute I'm alone again) Lyon sighed inwardly as he watched the night sky. (But hey, I now have a wife I can touch and kiss all day) he smiled. (However, they really ought to have their discontent and fear against me to diminish already, this festive atmosphere is as not as enjoyable as it should have been, Oh?! Wait, I bet I can).

Lyon suddenly paused and stopped walking. He put his hands down as he furrowed his eyebrows. 

The onlookers were already gulping their saliva down as they blame their seven generations' luck for going to the same road as him. Lanterns might be hanging but the light inside it was nowhere near the wild spark that the young man had. He was walking time bomb and nobody knew how many times the clock had ticked.

Lyon suddenly put a glare at a random cultivator nearby.

"Eek! F-Forgive me!" the random cultivator screeched before kneeling down.

"Hah!" Lyon grinned before he walked away. (Damn, so this is the kind of power my presence now has, haha!).

*Grab!

Lyon raised his eyebrows before he felt his shoulder being grabbed. 

"Lyon."

"Cecile?" Lyon raised his eyebrows before he turned around. His pupils immediately dilated with a radiant as he saw the tall beauty in front of him. 

She put a strand of her auburn hair to the back of her earlobe as she coquettishly smiled at him. She didn't wear any fancy dress but his eyes were captivated. He could feel his heart racing and heard her chuckling.

"You're blushing, dearest," she said softly.

"Heh," Lyon smirked. "It would be a sin if I don't."

Cecile suddenly grabbed his hand and dragged her with him. 

"W-Where are we going?" asked Lyon before he saw her wife turn her head around and smiled, "A date."

Lyon smiled before he walked alongside her.