Emperor's Reckoning

Princess Chloe stood straight as her eyes were vigilant toward the young man that was on the floor. Regardless of what the surrounding says, she had her focus on this fight. She knew that when her knee hit Lyon's head there was no bone that cracked. Normally people would die receiving a blow like that from her, especially if they were in the lower realm.

She squinted her eyes as she noticed one of Lyon's finger moved. "Stop playing dead, or I will make it your reality," said Princess Chloe with a cold tone.

Lyon immediately got up as he wiped his bloodied nose before saying, "Am I that obvious?" with a light chuckle.

The onlookers were surprised to see him survive that kind of blow, not to mention from the princess. Even though his nose was bleeding, that already was such an amazing feat.

Lyon suddenly raised his eyebrows before turning to a nearby table and said, "Clemora? Biane? Wow, you both look really beautiful," with a thumbs up.

Clemora and Biane couldn't help but blush a little, even though they received such praise a million times, it was different when someone you like said it to you.

As Lyon greeted them, a looming shadowy figure made his back tingled. With a smirk, he whispered, "Got ya!"

Princess Chloe raised her eyebrows as Lyon suddenly turned toward her with his left palm moving forward to her left chest. Her brain knew what was going on but she couldn't do anything since she was in the middle of a leap. She closed her eyes as she prepared for the impact.

*boom

The loud boom was making their way as the beautiful figure was pushed back five tiles. Despite so, she had zero visible injuries but her forehead was palpitating and her breathing was getting rapid.

The onlookers had their mouth opened wide as they saw Lyon could actually fight back. She was famous for her agility and quick-thinking in battle but this rumored driver actually pushed her back. Fortunately, however, the onlookers including the three other candidates didn't realize that something else was going on from the palm Lyon sent.

(This garbage of a man! He-he... What kind of attack was that!) thought Chloe inwardly as she knew what was going on.

She knew the moment the impact hit, she didn't feel a palm, at least not the one that pushed her back. Even though she closed her eyes at the time, she knew what she felt.

Lyon repeatedly opened and closed his left fist as he looked at it. (Fine contour, great elasticity, firm yet soft) thought him as he tried to get the feeling once again. He now had the look of a perverted man despite his good looking,

He smiled as he looked at the blushing Princess Chloe. Lyon couldn't tell whether she blushed because of the fuming rage or the attack he just did.

*clap

*clap

A sudden clapping was heard before everyone slowly averted their gaze toward the source.

"What a fine display of skills!" The one that said it was none other than the first prince as he walked toward the two. "You two are really a show-stealer and bring more hype to this banquet, I admit it myself that this kind of banquet is really boring."

The onlookers tentatively listened to the first prince as he must be up to something. What was the real purpose of having this banquet? This had been looming in their heads from the moment they receive the invitation.

Prince Weiss spread his arms as he continued, "Their fight truly gave me such an inspiration that I will propose a tournament, no... a battle royal!"

His sudden announcement gave the onlookers a wild look. They watched each other's expression as they discuss among themselves.

Hearing the distress from the crowd Prince Weiss smiled as he said, "I know, I know this was out of the blue and crazy. But! As you know the king or my royal father didn't have much time left in this world sadly. The decision must be made before his passing or else Luderia will be in chaos and the neighboring kingdom would dare to strike us."

"What exactly are you planning, first prince?" the voice caught the attention as they saw Prince Frey calmly confront his big brother.

The way Prince Frey called him made people realize that the candidates have stopped pretending. They could feel that the feud for the throne was about to reach the final conflict. In the last years, they have been hiding and attacking from the shadows in an attempt to take the ultimate prize, but as reality suggested, it didn't work.

Prince Weiss smiled as he said, "I'm just thinking that the next ruler of Luderia should be decided sooner. With a battle royal, the four of us would send our candidate or ourselves to battle."

"I object," said Prince Frey without thinking any further before he continued, "This would only favor those with strength. To be a good ruler, one must not only have considerable strength but smart and wise as well in other words the mental strength."

"So what are you suggesting?" asked Prince Weiss.

"I demand a pill-making on top of your battle royal!" requested Prince Frey with determining eyes before he continued, "The pill-making technique requires high mentality or the stability of the state of mind. If one rule with arrogance and emotion, Luderia wouldn't last long."

The crowd instinctively nodded as they agreed with his explanation. An egoistic ruler would make the people suffer more and killed the country from inside out.

"Alright, I agree, what about you, youngest sister?" nodded Prince Weiss before he asked Princess Chloe.

The now calm Princess Chloe shrugged as she said, "I don't care about you guys, you three can fight the throne for all I care, why would I want to be the head of a chicken if I could be the tail of a phoenix?" (Besides, I'm in the middle of a fight with- huh? He is gone?)

Lyon had disappeared from the spot he was standing under everyone's eyes.

Princess Weiss nodded, "Okay, then what about you Princess Aeli-". His sentence stuck in his throat as he glanced at the balcony.

The wave crashed the high cliff as the moon shone above a young man that knelt in front of Princess Aelina with her right hand kissed.