Emperor's Reckoning

Vivi smiled despite the atmosphere was not as festive as it was in the last tournament. The arena was devastated and it was not welcoming for a person of her stature. However, she didn't pay any mind to it. What she was paying to, was the lack of presence of the two people that made her mind occupied.

(Regarding Mother Luce, I need to re-affirm it on my own... but... the temptation is killing me!!) said Vivi inwardly as she squirmed her lips.

"Hey," said one of the onlookers as he tugged the person beside him.

"What?"

"Have you seen him? I don't think I've seen him anywhere."

"Who? Oh... you mean Lyon?"

"Duh, who else?"

"I don't know, maybe he has left the city already?" he shrugged.

"With how the hospitality of the Sverine Kingdom? I doubt it."

"But where is he? Why is he not here?"

Whilst the two cultivators conversing with each other, the princess nodded at the cultivators present.

"Now, then, according to the usual custom, the top ten are eligible to ask whatever it is that they seek," said Hilde with a smile before she continued, "You can ask for cultivation guidance to the next realm, or you can ask for whatever that you want, as long as Lady Fortune-teller permits it."

Cherie nodded, "Please use this opportunity well. For this chance is as rare as a fortuitous encounter itself. Please, once again, use this opportunity well."

Vivi shook her head before she said, "Let me remind you that I do not create opportunity, I can merely give you pointers about the next advancement of your cultivation level."

"That in itself is a tremendous help," Hilde nodded with a smile. "Your guidance back then made me who I was today, conquering my family heirloom was not an easy task but I doubt that I could do it without your guidance."

The audience gasped.

"So that's the key to her breakthrough."

"Still, it's still an amazing feat to conquer Gae Bolg at such young age."

Vivi shook her head, "I merely give you hints, you will be able to conquer it sooner or later without my help then."

Hilde shook her head, "I shall deny this, for it is with your help that I am who I am today."

Vivi nodded. (Okay woman, whatever you say).

"That also goes for me," Cherie bowed.

"Please, your courtesies are enough," said Vivi before she nodded at her driver.

The latter understood immediately through a nod before he stepped forward. His voice was rough and deep as he said. "For those of you that are eligible, please step forward. It doesn't have to be in a particular order."

Zet looked at Porealus as the latter shrugged with a smile on his face. His face was brimming before he raised his hand.

"Eh," his eyes blinked twice in confusion. He saw the lady with a glance as cold as ice, stepping forward before he could even say a word.

Her eyebrows were furrowed. Her steps were decisive. She looked at the lady fortune-teller with her lips slightly tightened up.

Vivi quickly noticed the cold beauty approaching her before she let out a smile under her pink veil.

"What is it that you want to ask?" Vivi quickly initiated the conversation seeing the tight smile that Ivy gave. "Is it guidance to your next cultivation realm?"

Ivy stood still as she balled her fist.

Vivi's driver furrowed his eyebrows but Vivi quickly raised her hand to stop him. He bowed immediately.

"Sit down, cross-legged," said Vivi with a smile before she sat down first.

"M-Miss, please don't sit on that dirty floor," the driver begged before he gave his glare toward the two princesses. "You, give my lady a worthy chair!"

The commanding tone brought Hilde and Cherie to furrow their eyebrows in unison. The tone was definitely, not welcome, especially in public. Nevertheless, they were still the princesses of two respectable kingdoms, they still deserve the respect for their statuses

"No need," said Vivi before she told the driver, "Apologize to both of them."

The driver had his eyes widened in a flash of a second before he begrudgingly bowed his head, "I apologize."

The princesses answered with a nod while Cherie further added, "It's alright."

Vivi smiled as she slightly nodded, "I do apologize for my driver's rude behavior, please don't take it to heart, he only thinks of my well-being."

Hilde shook her head with a smile, "There is no need to apologize, your driver's act is justified given your grand status."

Vivi smiled as she shook her head, "I'm merely a fortune-teller, my status is not that all great."

"I'm sorry but I don't believe that," said Hilde with a smile on her beautiful face.

Vivi shook her head with a smile, seeming not to want to continue the matter. She looked at Ivy, before she asked calmly, "Please sit across me."

Ivy nervously nodded before she sat down with her legs crossed.

Suddenly the two beauties captivated the atmosphere. The destruction of the city felt minuscule to these two people that were staring at each other.

'I understand that you want to ask something privately?' asked Vivi through mana transmission.

'That's right, I'm glad that you understand,' answered Ivy.

The matriarch of the Yuki Clan was watching from the sidelines with a glance of sadness as she muttered her disciple's name, "Ivy..."

'What is it that you want to ask about?' asked Vivi.

The onlookers could see her taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes. She could feel her heart thumping more viciously than it used to be. She opened her eyes with a laser-sharp focus within.

'I want to know my mother's whereabouts,' asked Ivy as she furrowed her brows.

Vivi didn't seem to be surprised by her request as she kept her smile.

'I have to warn you beforehand, you only have one chance, meaning, one question to ask me. Is this truly what you want to ask?'

'Yes,' Ivy firmly nodded.

'I understand, touch my hand,' Vivi closed her eyes before she extended her hand for Ivy. The latter instinctively grabbed her hand.

The onlookers immediately noticed the slight change.

"Look, it's starting."

"Hush!"

The mana surrounding the lady fortune-teller started to show some changes. A soft gust of mana grazed her skin as her black hair slowly waved and fluttered. The red jewel on her glabella shimmered before she saw a figure of a woman walking back and forth with books in her embrace. She was a beautiful lady wearing glasses. She would occasionally see black cauldrons as well.

Vivi opened her eyes before she smiled and asked the lady in front of her, "You see what I saw did you?"

Ivy's eyes were still widened by the ethereal feeling that she had just experienced. She was both real and unreal. She was not the master of her own eyes but the slave of Vivi's. However, there was no mistaking of who that figure was.

"So she is really over there," said Ivy as she slightly had her chin lowered.

"Oh, look's like you are familiar with the place, do you still want me to tell you? She is in Alchemy Union, which fortunately for you, you all will be going tomorrow," Vivi smiled and nodded.

"T-Thank you," Ivy nodded. (I had a hunch that she was there, but now, I'm certain).

'However, I will give you a warning about that highly sought place,' Vivi added. 'The fact that she got her own room, proved that she not a nobody, be careful, they might not see you too kindly.'

Ivy nodded, "I know that already."

"Ah..." Vivi was surprised by her answer but she nodded.

Ivy let her hand go before she returned. Along the way, the onlookers were prying to what had just transpired but there was hardly any sense no matter how they far used their imagination. Alas, the beauty had her head hung down before she saw a familiar pair of shoes.

"Do you get what you wanted?" asked the matriarch of the Yuki Clan as she smiled under her thick veil.

She nodded as she looked at the matriarch akin to her own older sister. "She is in Alchemy Union."

"I see, then it will be tomorrow," said the matriarch.

"Yes," Ivy nodded. "I will have the answer then."

"Me! Me! I'm next!"

The shout suddenly came and broke the atmosphere between the master and disciple.

Porealus chuckled as he hold his stomach holding his exploding laughter. He couldn't believe that Zet would go down his way like a kid.

"Ha!"

The onlookers laughed for a single 'ha' before they quickly shut their mouths up. They realized that Zet was from the Mortal World, and he was affiliated with that young man with that iconic smirk. The guy even called him his older brother.

"Oh you seem really enthusiastic," Vivi chuckled as she saw the red-haired swordsman make his way to her.