Emperor's Reckoning

Lyon and the group unanimously agreed to meet with the one putting the poster on the public notice after much thought, however, getting there was something else. 

"Aren't you excited? In a new city that you barely recognize," said Luna as she glimpsed side to side from one peddler to one merchant. The street was humming with aspiring bards trying to make it in the world of adventuring and cultivation. Street performer enticed the passing AT carrier to spend a token. It was a fun street to be on.

"Lyon, what do you say? Shouldn't we have this in the Phantera Kingdom?" asked Luna as she walked by the man who had his arms supporting his lazy head.

"Sure, why not? It's better to have a festive street than a silent one," said Lyon.

"Silence usually meant hidden problems," added Lumina.

"Well, to each their own," said Lyon. "Besides, not every street would be festive, and not every street would be as calm as the meadow."

"Did Grandpa Bapho tell you that?" asked Luna with her brows raised.

"Word per word," Lyon nodded in no shame.

"Heh," Lumina smirked.

"I think it's to the left of here," said Lyon as he caught an alley from the corner of his eyes.

The group turned as he suggested. The alley was narrow and had mos on the creaks of the walls. The group noticed a door at the end, a short building that seemed forgotten in the city. 

"Lyon," Luna pinched his cloth as she stood behind his shoulder. "I don't know why, but I feel really uneasy."

"Really?" Lyon raised one of his brows. "Is it that time of the month already?"

"Wha?! No! What are you talking about at this time!" Luna's face was flustered red before she pulled Lyon's ears.

"Ouch! Hahaha, ok ok, I'm just messing with you," Lyon smiled as he saw her cute pout, then he darted his glance toward the one with a sharp vertical glint of pupils.

Lumina shook her head, "No." It seemed like she was not going to entertain Lyon with his lame jest of the day.

"Ok," Lyon answered before he darted his glance toward the ordinary wooden door at the end of the alley. "Well, this is really shady."

"They might sell forbidden drugs here," said Graham. "It's a pretty common occurrence."

"Or it's just an old man living inside this old building," said Lyon.

"A hidden expert I presume?" said Luna.

"That would explain your uneasiness," answered Lumina. "I fear that we have to go in there."

"Alright, then I will go," said Lyon with a smirk before he put his hands down from supporting his head. 

"It's dangerous!" said Luna.

"Be careful," said Lumina.

Graham was silent as he saw his master leisurely taking his time approaching the door. He saw his hand reaching for the knob before stopping midway. His master's brows raised one before he smirked and coupled his fist. He knocked on the door twice.

The knock was loud and clear in the alley, however, it quickly dissipated as it hit the bustling street.

"Yes?" a hoarse voice was heard from inside before footsteps were trailed along.

The door was slowly pulled open before revealing a man that had barely had gray hair. He had a stature a bit taller than Lyon. His mustache was gray and his eyes were as sharp as the eagles. His hair was kept neatly with a comb and he was dressed in a common cotton sleeveless shirt that revealed his arms.

( This guy is a master! ) thought Luna and Lumina at the same time. Their eyes were shrunk to a dot as they saw him bending the world around him just by standing alone.

"Are you here to rob?" the middle-aged man frowned but didn't release his killing intent. He carefully looked at the group one by one in a fraction of a second before focusing back on the one that was standing right in front of him.

"Rob you?" Lyon raised one of his brows. "Why would we want to rob you, even if we do, we won't do it this way." Lyon shrugged his shoulders.

"Explain why you cover your faces," said the middle-aged man. "Are you here to carry out a forbidden transaction?"

"Forbidden transaction?" asked Lyon with one brow raised.

"Do you sell forbidden drugs or something?" asked the middle-aged man.

"No? Wait, do you want one?"

"No," the middle-aged man shook his head. "You guys look very suspicious, what do you want?'

"We cover our faces because of a personal reason that ultimately won't involve you, however, if you asked me what we want, then the answer would be to fulfill a quest."

"A quest?" the middle-aged man furrowed his brows. "What kind of quest?" he asked with furrowed brows.

The group was taken back. He was supposed to be the one that knows all of the details necessary for the hunt, however, the man instead furrowed his brows with questions on his forehead.

"What are you talking about? I haven't posted anything yet," said the middle-aged man with his arms crossed. "Are you trying to swindle me?"

"What?! Aren't you the one that posted the quest on the public notice board?"

"Public? Wait for a second, are you guys vagrant adventurers?"

"Ding Dong," Lyon made one single clap afterward," Yes we are, do you see any badges  embroidered on my cloak?"

The middle-aged man furrowed his brows before he looked at the plain cloak that the group wore. The was nothing plainer than the light brown color that they wore. 

"Well, you said just now that you didn't post any quest, yet here we are, being led to you by the address in the poster," said Lyon. "Are you sure you're not the one placing it?"

"Hmm, I swear that I never post anything about a quest before," said the middle-aged man. "Perhaps you are reading the address wrong."

"Well, maybe a Cockatrice would refresh your memory?" asked Graham.

"Huh?!" The middle-aged man had his pupils shrunk. His lips trembled before he asked, "W-What did you say just now?"

"A Cockatrice," said Lyon.

The middle-aged man gulped before he looked at the group, "Are you....?"

"Serious? Yes," Lyon answered with a nod. "It seems like we have jolted your memory back, old man."

The middle-aged man had his lips gaped open and no words came out before he closed his lips. He took a deep breath and heaved his chest before he calmly said, "Come on in."

"That's more like it," Lyon smirked.

The group entered the house at the end of the alley. The room was brighter and looked more thriving than outside. Paintings were on the walls and mana orbs lighted up the room. The room was not luxurious for the naked eyes, but the homey feel that it burst through, was.

The group sat on empty chairs anywhere in the room, meanwhile, the middle-aged man was sitting near the empty fireplace. 

"This place is really comfy," said Lyon.

"Thank you," the middle-aged man nodded. "I'm sorry for my previous behavior, it was uncalled for."

"You are forgiven," Lyon nodded and failed to see the twitching lips on the middle-aged man's face.

The middle-aged man shook his head before he looked at Lyon. "As you can probably tell from the poster that you saw, it's been a while."

"Has nobody ever taken this quest before?" asked Lumina. 

The middle-aged man shook his head, "I posted it on every notice board there is in Farvan, but none of them came knocking on my door, at least, not after the last ones died."

"They are afraid?" asked Luna.

"Certainly," the middle-aged man nodded before he looked at the empty fireplace, "What can be more terrifying than death."

The group didn't spare a word. All of them notice the tinge of emotion in the middle-aged man's eyes.

"Oh!" the middle-aged man raised his brows before he smiled at the group, "I forgot to mention, my name is Di."

"Di who?" asked Lyon.

"Just Di," said the middle-aged man.

"Justdy?" Lyon raised one of his brows.

"Yes, just Di," the middle-aged man nodded. "What should I call your group of brave vagrant adventurers?"

"We never have an official name, yet," said Luna.

"The Cloaked Guys!"

"No," Lumina flatly refused.

Di smiled as he looked at how amusing the group was. However, one was stoic and had a taller figure than him. He couldn't make a guess out of his expression due to the hoodie covering half of his face whilst his body language spoke none of the emotions.

"Before we get back to the problem of the quest," said Lyon before he leaned in a bit. "Let's talk about the reward first."

"Oh? What do you have in mind?" asked Di.

"Since it has been a long time and had taken many potential adventurers as a record, maybe it would take more than ten thousand AT for hunting it, now," Lyon smirked.

"As I said, what do you have in mind?" Di smiled.

"Mana Essence is what is in my mind, Justdy."