Emperor's Reckoning

The headmaster looked at Lyon's smile, with his eyes slightly squinting. (That smile, what does it mean?) uneasiness immediately stepped in as the youth in front of him asked.

"Renduval said that there were only six floors in the building," Lyon smiled. "What's in the seventh, headmaster."

"Ah," the headmaster smiled wryly. "The seventh floor is not exactly like the other floors, but if you have the mytrhil badge, then the seventh floor is accessible as well. It's an auction."

"Auction?" Lyon raised his brows, "This place also deals with an auction? Never thought about it after seeing your room, or office, or whatever that hut is."

"Ah, haha," the headmaster smiled wryly. He had never heard someone give a negative comment about his room. He had garnered respect from the arduous career path that he had taken and conquered, but the young man in front of him gave no bat of an eye.

Some would say that this young man was nothing but a pampered young noble from a foreign land. His eyes saw nothing but the things that were beneath him. He had the ferocious aura of adolescent wild youth, but his eyes showed that he had the very inch of capabilities to back up his frontal demeanor. Scheme or brute, the headmaster's eyes couldn't tell which one was which. He could only assume that he was both.

"By the way, where is Renduval?" asked Lyon before he sighed. "Where is our escort at this point in time."

"I'm here."

"Hm?" Lyon raised his brows as he looked over and saw Renduval who clearly turned more radiant than he was four hours ago. "You... did you go to the beauty clinic?"

"What?" Renduval creased his brows.

"That's a new term... what is it, young master?" asked Kesya as she looked at Lyon with eyes begging for an answer.

"Beauty clinic, hmmm, young friend, I have lived a long life, but I dare say I've never heard of the term until now," the headmaster smiled.

Cecile chuckled, "It seems like there is a ton of things that you have experienced and never had the chance to tell us."

Lyon sighed, "Beauty clinic is a place where you can get your skins taken care of and stuff, don't ask me further, I'm not the expert in that."

"Hmm, interesting," Kesya nodded. "Is this place in Nostria where you were summoned?"

"Summoned?" the headmaster raised his brows.

"Oops, tehe~" Kesya covered her lips with her hands.

"No," Lyon shook his head before he looked at Cecile with a smile, "It's in the place before I was."

Cecile smiled, "I guess there are a lot of interesting things in that place."

"Maybe not," said Lyon with a smile before he turned his head back to the headmaster, "When will the auction be held?"

"Auction? How did you know that?" asked Renduval.

"Well, dear escort of mine, I got the source of information sitting right in front of me, where do you think I know of this stuff when you didn't tell me?" Lyon leered at him.

"Hah, haha," Renduval smiled wryly, "It's not because of that, but because it's meaningless, that floor is the same as the sixth floor in terms of badge level but it is highly pricey that you wouldn't even believe what numbers are at play there."

"I agree with Renduval," said the headmaster. "The prices on that floor are supremely extravagant."

"Are you telling me that I'm a broke man, headmaster?" said Lyon as he leaned forward with his elbows both pressing against the table. His hands clasped as his eyes turned sharp. The dreadful eyes that he showed were in a comparable level with the glare from Lumina.

*Gulp!

The headmaster's gulp was audibly heard by himself. Slight cold perspiration was visible from his weary creasing forehead as he locked gazes with those pair of eyes behind the clasped hands. (What presence! This is not some cocky arrogant young master from a foreign land! This is comparable to a king, no, a high king!).

"P-Please don't twist my word, young friend," said the headmaster with a wry smile. "I clearly don't mean that."

Lyon furrowed his brows, "I'm just kidding headmaster, haha!"

"Renduval who did you sell the kunpeng to?" asked Cecile.

They hadn't taken a break from the tense atmosphere before their attention was averted. "Well, to Elder Malaqa of course!"

"I see, she is really lucky to be able to buy one straight out from you, haha!" the headmaster laughed.

"Thank you, headmaster," said Renduval with a bow before smiling. "And thank you to you too, Lyon. I owe you one."

"More like a whole kunpeng," Lyon jested before he said to the headmaster, "Don't forget what I've told you back in the hut."

Renduval furrowed his brows as he saw the headmaster nervously nod. (What the hell happened in there).

"Renduval, why don't you call out the others, I don't know what's holding them on the second floor but it's time to eat," said Lyon.

"I-... I understand," said Renduval as he nodded before turning around and leaving through the staircase.

Assid slightly peeked down and saw how Renduval was respectfully welcomed by the others, especially the alchemists of his level. They all wore smiles, and everyone including Renduval himself knew why it happened.

(A sudden boost of financial success, heck it's not even sustainable, and they turned all smiles. When I got nothing, they kick me in the mud. What trashy people!) said Renduval inwardly despite showing a smile before taking his leave.

Kesya chuckled, "Young Master, it seems like you have changed the trajectory of that guy's life."

The headmaster smiled. "As the headmaster, I must thank you, that boy grew up under the care of his late grandfather, and the latter was my student until he passed."

"No need to thank me," said Lyon as he shrugged. "I never meant to give him that carcass, but the situation..." He sighed, "I did it on a whim, that's all."

"Well, he might not be the brightest alchemist here, but he sure hardly gave up. Though, his attitude is still a problem," the headmaster sighed.

"Well his attitude apparently born from the situation here," said Lyon nonchalantly. "There is no need to talk about him, he might sneeze to death if we kept on going."

"Hahaha, that's true," the headmaster laughed before the waiters and waitress came up to the second floor with trays in their hands.

The waiters and waitresses started to roll down the food on their table with extreme courtesy and the brightest of smiles. Everyone on the second floor immediately turned around and saw how extravagant the group was being served. Being on the same table with the prominent figure in the Alchemy Union was once in a lifetime opportunity, at least for most of them.

Lyon disregard the food that was placed right under his nose and looked at the headmaster with a confident smirk. "Can I see the mithril badge, headmaster?"

"Hm? Such an odd request, but alright," said the headmaster casually outstretched his arm before revealing the badge inside his hand.

"Can I examine it?" asked Lyon.

"Well of course young friend," the headmaster nodded.

Lyon took away the badge from his hand and looked at it against the light. His eyes were fixated on the badge and pondered a thousand thoughts.

"Hahaha," the headmaster laughed. "Do you like what you see, young friend?"

"Can't say, but," Lyon averted his glance back to the headmaster, "Why would you even need a badge to enter the sixth and seventh floor."

The headmaster smiled. "Even though I am the headmaster in Alchemy Union, I cannot go in the woman's bathroom now can't I?"

"Heh," Lyon smiled, "I like your analogy."

"Integrity, huh," muttered Lyon as he looked at the mithril badge. "Is this the only badge that can open the barrier in Alchemy Union?"

"Hmm? I'm sorry but I don't get what you're saying young friend," the headmaster furrowed his brows.

"Never mind then," Lyon smiled before he flicked the badge like a coin.

"Hmm?" the headmaster caught it in his palm before Lyon suddenly said, "Can that thing open the barrier to the third floor in the library?"

"No, young friend," the headmaster shook his head with a smile. "It's the cloak that allowed you to enter the third hall."

Kesya immediately grinned on the side as Assid smirked.

(Hmm..? What's this sensation... it feels like I just made a grievous mistake) the headmaster closed his eyes with a frown. He slowly opened his eyes (Just who is this young man).

"Are you alright, headmaster?" asked Lyon with a smile. "You seem a little bit off."

"Oh no, dear young friend, I'm just a little bit hungry, that's all," the headmaster smiled.

"Well, why don't you eat," asked Lyon.

"It would be unruly of me to eat without the others joining in," said the headmaster with a smile.

"I see," Lyon nodded with a smile.

"I've heard that the headmaster is dining here, never thought it would be true," Elder Tamuh smiled.