Emperor's Reckoning

"I'm in Alchemy Union," said Lyon nonchalantly as he shrugged. He stood there like he had owned the place. Not a single sign of nervousness was found. His enigmatic presence was something that hovered their minds.

"Damn, that man is mad," said one of the onlookers.

"How can someone be that confident," one onlooker shook her head.

"I would be confident too if I could hunt a kunpeng with a damn griffin," replied another.

Ark was not amused by his answer. He was a gold cloak alchemist and not the azure one like Renduval nor the three women behind him used. He was one of the elites. The cloak alone brought unprecedented status and garnered respect, not only from his fellow alchemists but outside as well. It was the symbol of greatness.

"Hmph!" Ark crossed his arms, "It seems like you think of me as a joke."

"It seems like you think of me as someone without class," said Lyon as he furrowed his brows. "I said that this kunpeng belongs to my client, and not mine."

"Who would believe that Renduval, that trash, could afford someone to hunt a kunpeng?" said Ark obnoxiously.

Lyon shrugged. "That's none of my business, I got the pay and I deliver."

"Tch!" Ark clicked his tongue. "Then I will speak to Renduval."

"Hah! How does it feel, the feeling of needing to talk to trash," said Lyon as he smiled and shook his head.

"Kh! Y-You!" Ark glared to the point that his eyeballs almost jumped out of their sockets.

However, Renduval didn't feel any better either. (I'm somehow got hurt by his words).

"Clearly there is a misunderstanding here though," said Lyon. "Renduval is not the one that threw this carcass here, it was me."

The alchemists gasped but some of them knew that Renduval wouldn't have the guts to do something as gutsy as this.

"O-Ohh!" Ark grinned. "Then you are the one responsible for almost killing Jiji!"

"Maybe?" Lyon smirked.

"M-Maybe?! Y-You monster!" Luvia shouted with a glare.

"Ah~ Please do excuse me, I think that ther is some misunderstanding here," Cherie suddenly stepped out from Lyon's group.

"And who are you?" asked Ark.

"Wait, I think I saw her before," muttered Cyril as she squinted her eyes.

"I'm princess Cherie from the Sverine Kingdom, pleased to meet you all," Cherie nodded. "Then let me explain what happened briefly."

"As you all know, this carcass of kunpeng is by no means light. Even our dear Griffi was having a hard time going here."

"Griffi?" the alchemists muttered as they looked at each other in confusion.

"Thus explain our late arrival. However, once we went past the huge mountain. His hand slipped and thus the accident happened," said Cherie with a tinge of regret. "That was what happened."

"H-His hand slipped? Y-You mean he carried it here?" asked Cyril.

"Well absolutely," Cherie smiled as she nodded. "Why wouldn't he? Don't you see his strong arms?"

Lyon smiled inwardly. (This woman is just like her mother).

"But still!" shouted Luvia. "You are still responsible for endangering my friend Jiji!"

"Lulu, it's fine, I'm not wounded at all," said Jiji albeit the shock made her mentally exhausted.

"Shut it, we must get you checked first," said Luvia without even looking at her.

"And you still need to apologize to Renduval," said Lyon before he smiled wickedly, "Because you falsely accused him in public."

"L-Lyon..." muttered Renduval as his eyes see a different light in him. He gritted his teeth as he balled his fist. He instantly regretted calling him a peasant. (I never expected that I would find a friend at a time like—hm?).

He saw a little pouch at the size of a good luck charm peeking out of Lyon's pocket. His eyes slowly widened as he recognized the blue string. (Is that my powder... MOTHERFUCKER!).

"Kh!" Luvia hesitated. (Apologizing to that trash?! No-No way! No way it will happen in my lifetime! What the hell! Did he set me up for this?! That must be it, no other explanation than that!).

Her lips quivered.

"Then why don't you apologize to Jiji?" asked Ark as he crossed his arms.

"Alright," said Lyon with a smirk before he opened his crossed arms and calmly approached the quartet.

Ark furrowed his brows the moment they stood against each other. He could feel his presence being trampled as he pathetically tried to raise his chin and looked down on Lyon. However, the latter was unhinged as he smirked and passed him without any sort of palpitation.

Lyon found himself standing in front of the frightened three women. He leered at Luvia before averting to Cyril, then finally smiling at the woman with the black hair, Jiji.

"Jiji," Lyon immediately took her hand and clasped them together.

Her face immediately turned red as she looked at her hand then at his face, back and forth repeatedly.

"I'm sorry for almost wounding you," said Lyon with a smile that could move the moon.

Lyon smiled before he let go and turned. He walked back before lightly smacking Ark on the back and laughing. "No need to be so tense, hahaha!"

"You!" Ark glared as he saw him nonchalantly walk back.

"Oh?" Lyon. "I do have a price for the kunpeng that I'm definitely will agree on."

"Hm?" Ark frowned.

Lyon leered back with a smile, "Your gold cloak, for the whole carcass, hahaha!"

"YOU!" Ark's eyes almost turned bloodshot from the rage he felt within.

"I see that you still have a fond in wearing our cloak." A cute voice was heard.

"Kh?!"

"?!"

"That's?!"

Every alchemist in the vicinity immediately bowed their head as a small figure calmly made her way. Ark, Luvia, Jiji, and Cyril immediately gave none of their attitudes.

Renduval had his mouth opened, "T-That's!!". Then the words from Wanda rang inside his mind.

'Someone that even you wouldn't dare to even show the slightest discourteous'

He gulped. "Don't tell me..."

"Huh?" Lyon leered back.

"How are you, boy?" smiled Elise Growthort.