Emperor's Reckoning

In the largest cell of the prison were two people with a contrasting background from one another. Wall that was shimmered by the only source of light above had been ruthlessly destroyed by pulling the chains that were still attaching to the woman's wrists and ankles. The brown rust of the weakened metal still had a far breaking point despite the fragile look. The chains were long enough to go as far as the light went but that much of freedom clearly couldn't compare to the unchained. Beyond the light was darkness and beyond that was the gate made of metal bars, the entrance of freedom. However, for the woman who had no one in her life, all of that didn't matter.

The auburn woman was still in her ragged clothing that was not made for a human. It had holes and her cheeks had imperfect blemishes. Nothing was outstanding on her besides that frivolous hair and pair of eyes but the bruises on her body had receded to an unnoticeable state. Obviously, her healing capabilities were impossible to do such a feat in the span of less than a week.

"Cecile, you know, I think you need to take a bath," asked Lyon out of nowhere.

The young man was sitting crossed leg on the floor with both of his arms also crossed as he closed his eyes with a repeated nod. He didn't feel any shame at all creeping his body when he said that to the innocent woman in front of him.

Cecile Auburn immediately felt attacked before she immediately turned around and sulked in the corner. The way that she didn't say a single word brought him to make a wry smile. When was the last time she had taken a bath? She couldn't even remember. The stinking smell of her body had been deteriorating her presence each day that had passed. However, because of her horrible experience of living, the pain that she bore in her heart far exceeded the bad smell permeating out of her own body so much that she didn't even notice it until the words coming out of the young man's cold-hearted lips.

(Maybe I should learn some utility magic in the future) thought Lyon before they heard a slight knock on the metal bar.

"Oh, it's eating time! Hahaha!" laughed Lyon as he stood up before playfully tied his wrist with the same rope that was used to capture him.

Hearing his word, the beautiful lady slightly jolted from her squat before she glanced over. She couldn't believe his word as she gulped but the young man kept on walking further forward toward the gate with a smile on his face. There was no reason that she would have been given food now since the gone were the days she had been treated like a human.

Meanwhile, Lyon took one last step before he stood up with a smirk on his face and risen his chin. Despite being the criminal inside a cell, it seemed the unbalance of power was in his favor.

The guard couldn't help but made a harsh swallow at the intimidating presence the young man exuded. He was probably twice and a half of his age but the atmospheric power that could choke an infant by a gaze was upon him. He tried to regain his composure by making a pacifying behavior such as moving his toes that were inside his soles. However, despite so, the words that came out of his mouth couldn't help but turn a stutter.

"I-I'm risking my life on the line here. The king himself had told us not to feed that traitorous ungrateful woman any food."

Lyon's eyes immediately turned sharp before his irises immediately changed devilishly red as his pupils thinned to a vertical in under one breath. His huge shadow suddenly crept in and oversized the guard's gawking face before the latter instinctively took a step back.

"W-Wai—"

Lyon's hand won't have any of it before it went through between the bars and grabbed the guard by the neck and pulled him in.

*DONG!

The head immediately crashed upon the bar as he gritted his teeth while suppressing the pain that he felt. His eyes looked at the young man's dead expression who had lost his smile the moment he made a bad remark about the woman.

Lyon didn't say a word before he pushed him and pulled him again to result in another loud crash. Cecile looked at him as her eyes gradually expanded. Looking at him bullying the guard without any effort was unbelievable to her sight. How could a criminal fight against a guard, there was nothing but irrational thought in her mind? For all she knew, prisoners were at the mercy of the guards and even normal civilians, however, that young man had nothing to fear.

She slightly darted her glance from them to the wall that was brutally crushed by him to prove a lasting impression in her, though her limbs were still bound.

"Guha!"

Lyon stopped what he was doing before raising the guard's figure slightly so that the latter's feet left the ground.

"You dare to badmouth about her again, not only you, but your mother, your father, your pet, your kids, and everyone you know..."

Lyon didn't finish his word but the glare was enough for the middle-aged man guard to understand what he was about to say. Lyon darted his glance from the guard's submissive eyes to the spoiled food on the ground. His face turned a grimace before the guard shrieked instinctively. The casual hit against the bar had deformed and broke his nose and bumped his cheeks. Blood was all over his face as tears escaped from his eyes. All those discipline years he took to become a proper guard were not present in front of the young man.

"You know what to do," muttered Lyon before he let go of his grip.

The guard immediately fell on his knees before furiously coughed to the ground. The pain on his neck left a choking bruise that could be seen in plain sight. With blood kept pouring out of his nose he couldn't even struggle to fight back. He could only look up as his eyes begged for mercy despite his position was supposedly higher than him.

"Don't forget to wear your helmet, I don't want any blood on my plate and hers got it?" said Lyon as he casually crossed his arms and revealed the undone rope right in front of him.

"Y-Yes!" the guard could only reply and obeyed.

Lyon slowly darted his glance toward the side where a guard of lower rank was seeing the whole thing. His cold glance sent shivered down the newbie's spine as jittering of metal could be heard from his noodle-like legs. The sharp red eyes were penetrating as the aura of a ruler without words towering him down. He could feel that the criminal had the authority of life and death themselves.

Lyon turned indignant of his presence before as he turned around, his red eyes turned normal under a blink. Leaving the guards in that manner his face had turned up a smile as he looked at Cecile, the criminal with a bad odor on her body.

Cecile looked at him while sitting with her knees touching each other as her shoulders slightly slouched.

Lyon stood with his free hands as he glanced down looking at her.

"Looks like we have to wait for a little more haha! Don't worry, the food they bring will be able to satisfy my belly and especially yours haha!" Lyon laughed.

"Err... sorry to startle you with that loud noise early on," muttered Lyon as he scratched his head like a fool.

He sat down across her directly under the illuminating light before he slightly raised one of his eyebrows after looking at her gawking expression.

"What are you looking at? Is there something wrong with my face?" asked Lyon as he touched his face while showing his cheeks left and right to her.

"Hey stop gawking, the great food will all felt dry if you don't close your mouth," Lyon sigh as it seems like the woman froze somehow.

Cecile suddenly blinked before Lyon twitched his eyebrow.

"Why... I don't understand, what use do I have now that you can possibly take advantage of?" asked Cecile as she looked at her dirty palms.

Lyon let out a hum before he slightly tilted his head as he appeared contemplating while closing his eyes. His action immediately courted her attention before he playfully opened his eyes.

"Want to know?" grinned Lyon as he put his hand on his waist while straightened his back puffing his chest.

Cecile didn't answer with her word nor with a nod, but he could tell from his eyes that she wanted the answer. He suddenly leaned his face forward before his nose almost touching hers to her surprised. Unbeknownst to her consciousness, her cheeks turned red as she could feel the warm breath from him.

"None."