Emperor's Reckoning

Lyon crossed his arms. He looked at the field down with Renduval waiting for his turn. His brows furrowed before he turned, "Why is no one waking me up?"

Cecile chuckled. "We were about to, but you were already here."

"Really?" Lyon squinted his eyes. "Why is no one paying it upfront for me then?"

"They won't accept it," said Lumina as she shook her head, "We tried giving the receptionist the money but they crossed their forearms at us."

"Oh," Lyon raised his brows. "Well, can't blame you for that. I guess fate is playing a trick on me."

"Hehehe," Kesya chuckled, "We can always go for the drastic measures but I doubt that everyone would agree with what to expect."

"Certainly," Lyon twitched his lips. "Well, this is getting boring fast."

"Really? It's your idea in the first place," said Lumina as she squinted her eyes.

"Yeah..." Lyon put his hands behind his head whilst stacking his thigh on top of another. "It was the atmosphere that brought me to it."

The princesses smiled wryly.

---

Meanwhile.

The headmaster's creases turned heavier as he was inching closer to Elder Anna's hill. Every passing alchemist was looking his way and bowed at him but he dismissed it with a wave of hand. His eyes were weary with time and his steps belied his weighted heart.

Nit— the personal bodyguard that was accompanying Elder Anna —was outside her little hut. His arms were crossed and his back was leaning against the wall. He was looking down at the ground before he noticed his presence.

"Ah, headmaster good to see you," said Nit as he smiled.

"It's good to see you too, young Nit," said the headmaster with a smile, "Is she home?"

"Well, sadly she won't be back until later in the evening," said Nit with a wry smile.

"Oh? Where she could have gone?" asked the headmaster.

"The usual garden at the back of the hill," answered Nit with a nod.

"Ah, there," the headmaster nodded. "Alright then, I will visit her in the garden myself."

"Huh?" Nit raised his brows as he watched the headmaster leave to the garden behind the hills.

"Oh right," the headmaster turned. "Please don't let anyone come to the garden until you see me coming back."

"Uh... sure?" Nit answered with slight hesitation. (What is he up to?).

The garden was slightly on the lower slope of the hills. A plethora of colors immediately greeted his old-timer's eyes with the scent of nature dancing inside his nostrils. The chirps of birds soon followed as a pair flew over his gray hair.

The headmaster looked down as gentle wind brassed the lone woman's hair that was tending the garden. Her glasses were slightly hanging as she bent down and smelt the flower to the touch of her nose.

"Anna," The headmaster approached. 

"Hmm?" Anna turned and saw the sparkling white cloak. Her lips curved upward, "How are you, headmaster?"

The headmaster laughed, "Hahaha, what do you mean by that? I rarely go outside."

Anna smiled, "That's, even more, the reason to ask you."

"You have a good point," said the headmaster before Anna returned tending the flowers in her garden.

The headmaster pressed his upper lips before he sighed.

"What's the matter, headmaster," asked Elder Anna with a smile. "You seem to be in a pretty heavy mood. Did I do something wrong?"

"Perhaps, it is," said the headmaster.

Elder Anna straightened her back as she looked at him with her brows raised. "What is this about?"

The headmaster couldn't hide the sense of concern in his eyes which indefinitely brought the serenity in the atmosphere to a tense.

"It's about the old rumor," said the headmaster as his eyes turned sharp.

"Old rumor?" Anna smiled confusedly, "What old rumor?"

"The one where you were younger and got pregnant," said the headmaster.

Anna's shoulders stiffened as her eyes trembled. She forced a smile as she said, "W-What? That's just nothing but a rumor headmaster. Why are you bringing it up?"

"Because it was not just a rumor isn't it?" asked the headmaster. 

"No! It's just a rumor!" said Anna as she clenched her chest. Her pupils shrunk as she took half a step back.

"Why are you getting flustered, Anna. If it was just a rumor, you have nothing to worry about," said the headmaster as he took a step forward. "It's better that you admit it."

"W-What?! No!" Anna waved her hand furiously and accidentally slapped off one of the flowers. Petals fluttered and at the mercy of nature's whistle.

"Why not?" asked the headmaster. "Why is it so hard to admit your own child?"

"Because!" her figure shuddered before she fell with both knees on the ground.

"Anna!" the headmaster hurriedly approached her. He knelt down and noticed her panting. Her eyes were not focused as she held her temples. The headmaster frowned looking at her reaction before sitting down right across her.

"It seems like your child's existence has more stories than it is," said the headmaster. "However, it is something that you must face eventually, for the child is looking for you and she is here in Alchemy Union."

His words brought her trembling to a stop and made her head lookup. "She... is here?"

"She is," the headmaster nodded. "Are you not going to admit that she is your child?"

Anna looked down as she rested her palms on her thighs.

"Do you know her name?" asked the headmaster.

Anna's head felt heavy as she shook it. "I didn't give her a name."

"Her name is Ivy Yuki, she has been raised in Yuki Clan," said the headmaster. "Her matriarch told me yesterday night when I was having dinner with young friend Lyon."

"Lyon? That kunpeng hunter group?" Her eyes widened (That girl!).

"Yes, her hair is different than yours, she is the one with the icy blue hair," said the headmaster. "You would recognize her right away."

"I met her," said Anna.

"Oh? You did?" the headmaster raised his brows. "Then...?"

Anna shook her head, "I didn't know it was her but."

"But there is a feeling that you are somehow connected to her?" the headmaster smiled. "It's your maternal bond."

Anna nodded, she didn't dare to meet the headmaster right in the eyes. "However, she said nothing to me either."

"She knows who you are," said the headmaster before Anna's eyes widened. "She is here because of you."

The headmaster shook his head, "I don't know the full story of what happened between you and her, but if she came all the way here to look for her, the very least that you could do is talk to her."

Anna shook her head, "I'm not worthy of her mother, I'm a coward."

"You are a coward, Anna," said the headmaster. "But you are also a woman who gave birth to a child. I will not ask who her father is but Alchemy Union doesn't forbid its elders from having a child or more. What are you so afraid of?"

Anna shook her head. "I..."

"Don't force it if you can't tell, at the very least the one that has the right to know is not me, it is your child," said the headmaster. "She might have friends growing up, but you, you are her flesh and blood."

"I'm not worthy," said Anna as she shook her head. "I forsook her when she was just a little baby in my arms."

"Then would you forsake her again when she has understood the hardship of the world?" asked the headmaster.

Anna looked at the headmaster with glimmers in her eyes. Her lips trembled. Her nose had a red hue. She was on the verge of tears but nothing escaped her eyes before she wiped it off with her arm.

The headmaster continued, "I've heard that you are looking for that flower again, they say that you are going to ask young friend Lyon's group to that cave. The Hundred-Petals Flower, it's quite a dangerous quest. Why don't you use this chance to get to know her better? After all, you are going to be their guide alongside young friend Nit."

Anna closed her eyes before she took a deep audible breath. "Thank you, headmaster."

The headmaster shook his head, "Don't mind me, it is my duty to look after Alchemy Union. My lips will stay shut regarding your relationship with her. It is up to you whether you want to make it public or not, however..." he sighed.

Anna raised her brows.

The headmaster let a long sigh than before. "Another problem here is none other than our young friend, Lyon."

"What's... with him?" asked Elder Anna.

"Well, how should I put this..." the headmaster crossed his arms as he clenched his glabella with his brows.

Anna never saw the headmaster acting like this.

"He might refuse your offer in going to that cave," said the headmaster with a wry smile.