Emperor's Reckoning

"Mana Essence," Di repeated the word to which Lyon nodded and leaned back.

"Your little apartment is quite cozy and nice," said Lyon as his eyes darted over from one wall to another. His nose took a breath and savored the calming scent premating in the air. He crossed his legs before he smiled. "I believe that you have a small vial of Mana Essence laying around right?"

"Apartment? That's a new word, where are you from?" asked Di.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, don't swerve the topic now," Lyon gestured with his fingers. "Do you have a vial of Mana Essence or not?"

"I presume that you are the captain of the ship?" asked Di with his brows slightly furrowed.

"He is," said Graham as he leered over from leaning on an empty wall.

Di raised one of his brows. ( The silent guy is answering but somehow, I'm still not convinced ) Di hovered his glance quickly to the other two cloaked cultivators. ( They didn't exude a ruler's aura too ). He hovered back at Lyon before finding him smiling at him.

"Mana Essence is a valuable thing that can't be passed around that easily," said Di. "That thing could spark enmity between fellow adventurers, or worse, fellow guild members, are you sure that you want that thing?"

"It is necessary for me to have it," said Lyon with a smile. "Why would you care what I will do with it in the first place?"

Di smiled, "You're right, forgive me for offending you."

"You are forgiven," said Lyon as he raised his chin a bit. "I won't ask the reason why you would want a Cockatrice killed, so don't ask why that thing is necessary to me."

"Mana Essence can only be used for breaking through the next realm or next level," said Di. 

"Think what you will," Lyon shrugged. "We can kill the Cockatrice, for a vial of Mana Essence."

"A vial is not cheap," said Di. "It would cost around five hundred thousand AT before inflation rose because of high demand, they were never sold in a store, they are always in an auction and that is the base price before jolting up to a number that, let's just say, discouraging."

Lyon nodded as if he knew it all along. All he knew was that the price was around five hundred thousand AT, he missed the auction part. "That's the small vial."

Di nodded, "Exactly, a small vial is already a fortune that made many swords tremble."

"Funny of you mentioning swords, I didn't see any weapon on you," said Lyon. "You're pretty confident that we won't provide any danger to you, or, are you looking down on us?"

"Hehe," Di chuckled, "There are four of you, but I believe that I won't be robbed in my own house. Not because you're weak, but because I'm stronger."

"If you believe that you are stronger, why didn't you kill the Cockatrice yourself?" asked Lyon as he raised one of his brows. 

"Because that thing has quick feet and cowardice mind. They will never attack you head-on, but when they do, you'll die," said Di before he crossed his legs. "Which brings me a question, how exactly are you going to kill that thing."

"We have our own ways," Lyon smirked. "We are not even discussing about how to hunt the Cockatrice, surely you noticed that."

( He is right! They didn't even ask how to kill the beast at all ) Di raised his brows in relaxation before he frowned, "However, what can you do? Magic took too long, and arrows hardly did any damage."

"I told you, we have something that you might don't, regardless of how much of an expert you are," said Lyon as he clasped his hands together.

"Oh?" Di finally took a glimpse of the superiority that his dealer showed. It was clear now who was the captain of the ship he asked about earlier.

"You spoke so highly of yourself," said Lyon. "But we don't care for the moment, what we care about is the Mana Essence that you can offer up for this quest."

Di furrowed his brows as he looked at Lyon smiling. There was not a single doubt in any of his words that he would fail the quest. ( What tricks is he hiding from me? ) thought Di.

"A small vial of Mana Essence, for the dead of a Cockatrice," added Lyon. 

"Are you sure that you can kill a Cockatrice? I mean, I know strong vagrant adventurers myself, however, they are even rarer than a diamond in the sand," said Di with a smile.

"That poster has been hanging for a long time, Justdy," said Lyon. "The dust on that thing might be older than the lifespan of a cow."

"Heh," Luna chuckled under her arm.

"You are asking more than ten times the value of the original reward," said Di. "Don't you think that your offering is a little bit absurd?"

"Considering how long has it been, the Cockatrice might have grown stronger than before, in the passing time that no one took it on," said Lyon. "I don't want to risk my men's life hunting a cock for mere Adventuring Token worth ten horses."

( He really said that word because he saw the chance, didn't he ) thought Lumina before she made a light sigh.

"It's more than ten good horses," said Di.

"That's not the point," said Lyon. "The point is, you give us Mana Essence, you will see the chicken's corpse by next week. You can stew it later for the night too."

"Next week?" Di raised his brows before he shook his head. "Doesn't matter, but a vial of Mana Essence is still an exorbitant amount for a six stars quest."

"That's on you," said Lyon. "I'm merely offering you a deal for the quest, after all, nobody has taken this quest very seriously."

"Forgive me, but it's really hard for me to believe that you guys can pull it off, what if you lie to me?" asked Di.

"Lie? Do I look like someone who would— I, I uh, I don't normally wear this cloak. We wouldn't lie, Justdy, we are trustworthy."

"That's even more suspicious," muttered Di as he smiled wryly.

"Either way, that is the truth," said Lyon. "Mana Essence for the chicken's head."

"Well, what if you failed?" asked Di.

"Fail? Then you don't have to pay us a single dime of AT," said Lyon. "Sounds fair right?"

"Hmm," Di furrowed his brows as he looked at Lyon with a bit of skepticism. They were weaker than him, weaker than his pair of fists. He could obliterate them albeit with one or two surviving, but that strength would severely be not enough to hunt a Cockatrice. ( If only he wasn't asking for Mana Essence, I would be glad to take up the offer ).

"This is taking a pretty long time, hurry up would you, I have a wife waiting," said Lyon.

Di raised his brows at the tone that Lyon gave him. The latter was in full force in his arrogant department despite being weaker than the former.

"You think that your wife is more important than Mana Essence?" asked Di.

"Hah! Don't be ridiculous!" Lyon waved his hand. "Of course she is!"

Di was taken back by his sharp tone. There was no doubt in his words that he would put first and foremost his wife.

"She must be a lucky woman, having someone madly in love with her," muttered Di before she glanced over a distant painting in the room.

"We are both lucky," said Lyon before he shook his head, "However, I'm in particular, vehemently lucky."

"Fine then," Di answered with his glance still locked on the distant painting.

"Hmm?" Lyon crossed his arms and straightened his back. He saw him turning around and smirking.

"I accept your offer, a vial of Mana Essence," said Di firmly.

The two women had their faces brightened up, whilst Graham made a silent smirk.

"Heh," Lyon smirked before he stood up and offered his hand, "You made the right choice."

Di stood up and shook his hand, "I hope you too."

"Hahaha," Lyon laughed before he turned. "No need to see us leave, we will close the door for you. Just make sure that you prepare the vial of Mana Essence, else, you know how vagrant is unaffiliated with any guild."

Di frowned as he saw the door closing. The parting words made him smirk.

Meanwhile, outside the house, the group had already hit the street before Lumina followed up with Lyon and asked.

"Lyon, did you notice that small painting? Is that why you mention your wife?"

Lyon who had his hands supporting his head, raised his brows, "Hmm? Did you notice it too?"

"So you did," said Lumina. "I guess that sharp eyes really came in handy, huh?"

"Hahaha, I'm just probing, never thought that I would be right," said Lyon before he smirked.