Emperor's Reckoning

The White Crow was rinsed with the wave of silence and fear from the presence that emptied their lungs away with a mere glance, however, all other adventurers could only tell from the way Lyon walked on the street, that he had resolved the issue and stopped the chain of battles that were about to escalate.

"Let's go hunt the Cockatrice then," uttered Lyon as he watched the passing clouds above.

"I can solo it," said Graham, "Just say the word, master."

"Heh, that easy huh?" Lyon jested with a chuckle.

"I can do it too," said Kesya. "Without my eyes close!"

"That's reckless," said Assid. "A glance from the Cockatrice would still hurt your soul."

"Soul?" Lyon raised his brows. "So, all that instant death nonsense is actually because its glance is an attack on one's soul?"

"En, en," Kesya nodded rapidly. "That's why so many adventurers are frightened by it. It's quite hard to measure a soul's strength to the point that some of them believe that there is no such a way at all."

"Is that so," Lyon rubbed his chin. "Wait a minute, if that beast is killing your soul, won't an alchemist would be the best to do the job? They honed their soul every day by using the soul flame, that is if they trained every single day." He smirked.

"As expected of the young master," said Assid before he nodded in acknowledgment.

The group soon returned to the inn without any prying eyes. They ascended the stairs before Lyon opened the door toward the room they had purchased for a night. 

Cecile had her legs and her arms crossed. She gave a bright smile as she saw the return of her husband. 

Luna who was by her side immediately ran up to him and asked with worry in her eyes, "How did it go?"

"It was smooth," Lyon grinned before he laughed at the ceiling. "All that had happened was planned perfectly and it went just like that, well, roughly."

"Roughly? Did something go wrong?" asked Lumina who raised her brows. She looked at the others and realized that none of them showed any signs of unbecoming trouble. 

"No, it's not, nothing went wrong," said Lyon. "It's just that, I didn't expect someone with the authorities would come to the guild."

"Someone with authority? Someone like Avi?"

"No," Kesya shook her head. "This time is the second-in-command!"

"The second-in.... command?!" Lumina uttered. "Then, what happened?"

"We stick to the plan," said Lyon with a smirk. "Furthermore, it works beautifully."

"Oh, that's a relief," said Luna as she placed her hand on her chest after releasing a sigh. "I thought that things would escalate to a point of..."

"Of what?" asked Lyon.

"Destruction," Luna smiled wryly. The man in front of her might treat her gently on the bed, guide her as if he was the sole star in the dark night of the galaxy. However, the gentleness didn't leave the bed. He was ferocious when the situation pushed him so. He will resolve issues even if the issues kept evolving from the old ones.

"One kills the son, the father will avenge, one kills the father, the grandfather will avenge, this goes on and on," Cecile chuckled. "Unless they really wanted to be uprooted, they should stay shut or curry favor."

"Yeah," Lyon sighed.

"We are going very early tomorrow," said Cecile. "The Cockatrice still has the head of a chicken, so it would be best if we sleep early."

"Oh c'mon, there's no way," Lyon chuckled. "Because he had a cock's head, doesn't mean that it would cuckooldadoo or whatever they are doing."

"Hahaha!"

Lyon raised his brows before turning his glance toward the unlikely individual to laugh at the such matter. "Graham? Are you alright? Are you sick?"

"That's mean," said Luna as she furrowed her brows.

"Hey, I mean, it's rare for him to laugh like that."

"Sorry, master," said Graham before he smiled. "It's just that, some memories resurfaced after what you said."

"Really? Well then spill it! I can't read people's minds," said Lyon.

Cecile sighed. "Was it the part where he wanted to test the Cockatrice if they made a noise at dawn just like a literal chicken?"

"Yes, big sister," Graham laughed.

"What? I've hunted those before?! Oh wait, maybe I did," Lyon pondered. His memory from the past life had yet to return due to the voice from inside the gate in his sea memories told him not, furthermore the danger that shrouded it.

"Long story short," Cecile exhaled a heavy breath. "One morning after failing to hunt those intelligence beasts, you thought, 'hey, what if the Cockatrice do what normal chicken do in the morning?'"

"C'mon," said Lyon flatly.

"You woke Graham up and immediately make haste, because you know I will disagree with your idea."

"But lo and behold?" Lyon raised one of his brows.

"Lo and behold," Cecile sighed. "Not only one, but the entire flock of Cockatrice was there."

"Hahahaha!" Graham laughed.

"However, you didn't take the account that their gazes were still deadly," said Cecile, "So I have to fetch you and Graham before they feed on you."

"Oh..." Lyon stood silent. "Well, alright, lesson learned! I guess we wait for you in the early morning?"

"It has to be, before dawn," said Cecile before she opened her crossed arms and approached her husband. She grabbed both of his shoulders.

"Huh?"

Cecile smiled before she pushed and guided him outside with his feet keeping backtracking. 

"Good night," said Cecile before she pushed him outside.

"Woah, wait a minute! Why can't I sleep there?"

"Because we won't sleep if you 'sleep' with us," Cecile smiled before Assid and Graham both exited the room.

"Hey! That's the whole point right?!" said Lyon. "I mean, cuddling! Cuddling! C-U-D-Dling," said Lyon before he saw her shaking her head. He immediately seek approval from the lady with gorgeous jade hair beside her, however, she too shook her head. 

"Lu!"

*Click!

The door was closed right in front of him. Despite the material of the door not being made from the highest quality and he could destroy it easily, he only let out a sigh. His shoulder was patted by Graham.

"We need to prepare for early morning, master," said Graham.

"I'm sure that you would do well, young master, your legend will resurface!" said Assid as he gave him a fist of approval and a nod as an extra.

"Yeah, yeah sure," said Lyon as he waved his hand. He sighed before he turned around. He looked at the ceiling then he looked at the floor. He sighed once more. 

"Young master, you seem to have many things weighing your shoulders, are you alright?" asked Assid.

Lyon looked at Assid before he darted at Graham. He smiled. "What do you say, guys night out?"

Assid and Graham looked at one another with slight confusion, however, before they knew it, the three of them already hit the street with their cloaks off.

Lyon stride in the middle with Assid and Graham on his sides. There were no heavy cloaks on them and the adventurers couldn't recognize them at all. 

"I have several artifacts here! Come and buy them!"

"Apples! Pineapples! Pen! I got them all!"

"The street is for the feet, I got what you need! No need to look like a freak, I got what is sick!"

Lyon was taken back as he strolled the night market. "Woah, they are upping their game."

"What?" Graham raised one of his brows.

"It's a marketing technique to attract customers, well, just attract," said Lyon. "However, that's not important right now, are you guys up for a street noodle?"

....

"Welcome! Please have a seat! What will you be having today?" asked the noodle maker behind the counter.

"The best you got for me," said Lyon merrily before he darted over to the two of them. He furrowed his brows before he called out, "Assid, relax, put down your glasses."

"S-Sorry, young master," said Assid as he bowed and stopped prying the cooks.

"Never mind that, order something, it's all on me," said Lyon proudly.

"I will have two of your special," said Graham as he raised his hand.

"Good, good, let the warmth of the broth flay your cold emotion," said Lyon before he laughed and made the other customer feel irritated by him.

"Here you go!" said the noodle maker as he served all three of them at once.

The broth fogged up Assid's glasses before Lyon laughed, "I told you to take off your glasses."

"Let's eat!!" Lyon merrily dug in before his eyes opened wide the moment his tongue sparked the flavor inside the noodles. ( Wow, this is crap ). He immediately slowed down before he darted over and cursed.

"Welcome! Ah, the usual?"

"Yes, one bowl, with extra chili this time."

"Ah, you must be having a good day today, alright! Have a seat!"

A familiar voice made Lyon raise his brows. He turned around before he smiled. ( Justdy! )