Emperor's Reckoning

Meanwhile, Sakya noticed how Zelena was standing straight without any subtle hints of breathing. She furrowed her brows. What Di had delivered through his mouth was definitely affecting her greatly. Zelena might have beheaded a Bahamut, but what Di had just said made her stand still. An emotion that Sakya didn't know Zelena had.

However, Di also frowned albeit inwardly. He was as surprised as his leader was. He never thought that proud smirk that left him standing outside his own home would signify the truth of the matter. ( To think that it's true! That means she really has a sister! The rumor was never a rumor, it is a fact! ) thought Di before Lyon's face freshly appeared inside his mind.

"What? What nonsense are you talking about?!" asked Lorey with his staff tapped against the floor.

"Are you making biased assumptions?" asked Baik before he clicked his tongue and shook his head, "Is he that desperate to meet her? Gotta hand it to him, he got guts stirring up something he shouldn't."

Di smirked at the words coming out of Baik's mouth. ( He had no idea who is he talking about ).

Sakya said, "Are you doubting my second-in-command? My vice-leader?"

Di immediately raised his hands the moment he saw the party was about to open their mouths. Their intention to berate was clear as day outside. "I think that you misunderstand what I am."

"I'm just delivering a request, a promise I made with a friend," said Di. "And let me iterate, that I'm not here to demand, but to ask, the decision is up to you, Fang of Leviathan."

The party furrowed their brows before they saw Zelena turning around.

She had a smile on her face, "Let him come to the banquet in three days' time."

"Zel?!" Lorey and the rest were surprised by her words. She was about to let a nobody come and see her in person, not to mention in the banquet in celebration of beheading a Bahamut and a new area that they had explored.

Sakya raised her brows. ( Damn, I never thought I would see the day that she agreed to meet someone ).

"Then I would let him know," said Di. "Thank you for answering my promise."

Di turned around and left as Sakya followed whilst the party dumbfoundedly looked at their backs.

Nise turned her glance toward the Fang of Leviathan and caught her in the middle of leaving. "You're not serious, are you?"

The other party shifted their glances as well.

Zelena stood paused before she continued walking away from their sight.

"Ah..." Harmon tried to call her but Baik stopped him by catching his hand. The latter shook his head before crossing his arms as he too looked at Zelena and went further inside the Guild Link Hall.

"That's odd," said Lorey as he furrowed his brows. "She never lost her cool like this, could it actually be?"

"That she really indeed has a sister all this time?" asked Baik.

"But what does that have anything to do with us?" asked Harmon. "We all have our personal life, right? What does the significance of her having a sister implies? This is a quote on quote, self-proclaimed brother-in-law anyway."

"I think it's a ruse," Baik shook his head.

"You think?" Nise raised her brows.

"Yeah."

"Wow, that's rare," said Nise.

"Huh, what are you talking abou—!? You!!"

"Enough," Lorey tapped his staff. "What is your opinion?"

Baik glared at Nise before shaking his head, "Think about it, if Zelena had a sister, her brother-in-law wouldn't be a meager vagrant adventurer, now would it?"

"That's a valid point," said Harmon. "It just doesn't add up."

"Then why did she say yes then? Why does she want to meet a con artist?" asked Nise.

Baik shrugged his shoulder, "I never thought of it that far."

Lorey answered, "Perhaps she wants to use this chance, this opportunity to cement something about the rumors floating about the existence of her sister. Besides, why would she want to hide her own sister? She has no motive at all."

"Or, she really does have a sister," said Nise.

"What? You think so?" Baik raised his brows.

"No beings in this world can understand what woman wants, for the women themselves are confused," said Nise before she sighed. "She might have petty reasons for all I care, however..."

"However?"

Nise smiled as she unfolded her fans audibly. She hovered it with her hand and covered her nose and under. Her eyes showed a sharp glint. "It's exciting, a man declaring himself as her brother-in-law rather than her husband, that piqued my interest."

Baik slouched his shoulders down with black lines over his head. He shrugged whilst shaking his head giving up on her.

"I want to see his prowess, no I need to see his prowess," said Nise. "If he can make Master Di go all the way to this place for a promise, he is not ordinary, in fact, he could possibly be supremely extraordinary."

Harmon and Lorey raised their brows at her remarks.

"I don't understand woman at all," Baik twitched his lips. "He is a married man for fuck sake."

"That's why you're still a virgin," said Nise before she vanished from his sight.

Baik was petrified whilst Harmon took a cold breath.

"Baik, you want a cold one?" asked Harmon. "My treat man."

"S-Shut it!" Baik answered angrily. "I don't drink."

Harmon sighed, "You know, it's not really important if you're a virgin or not, as long as your heart is made out of steel, nothing can penetrate you... unless, you know, you're into that kinda—"

"SHUT UP!" Baik rushed outside.

Meanwhile, Lorey the Eyes of Leviathan was pondering about the whole situation and missed the little bits of conversation between Harmon and Baik entirely. ( Someone out of the blue just claimed to be her brother-in-law, I doubt that this is a coincidence, not to mention Di was actually the messenger. Damn it! I have no clue, is this a little piece of something grand that is about to happen? Fuck! I can only wait until the banquet?! This is excruciating ).

He gritted his teeth before Harmon asked, "Hey man, no need to get angry."

"It's excruciating!" Lorey said coldly with a tremble of his jaw.

"What?" Harmon raised his brows before he looked left and right. He gulped before speaking softly, "You've experienced it before?"

"Yes!" he glared. "I hate it when I'm vulnerable!"

Harmon had his pupils escaping his eyeballs as he heard bits of curses as Lorey left the building. He was ghastly. He faced a large beast and numerous before the Bahamut, but the shock even left his armor to be still. He didn't blink for an entire minute even after Lorey was gone from his line of sight.

"E-Excuse me, Harmon, are you alright?" asked an old man who had returned after seeing the party was done with whatever they were doing.

"W-What?" Harmon snapped back to reality with a few blinks.

"Are you alright? Lorey seems angry as he left," said the old man.

"Oh no, I'm fine, I'm fine," said Harmon as he walked away. He muttered, "I need a cold one."

The old man tilted his head a little in wonder as he watched Harmon leave the building.

...

Meanwhile inside the carriage of the Flame Guild.

"What the hell was that!?" Sakya exclaimed as she looked at Di in disbelief.

"What?" Di responded.

"You didn't say anything about someone being her brother-in-law!" Sakya put her hands on her head.

"Why are you even panicking right now? You were composed then," said Di.

"I have to compose," said Sakya as she shrugged her shoulder in sarcasm. "But you didn't mention the person promising you is her brother-in-law."

"You never asked," said Di. "Besides, it's not like it would do any harm, it's just a message."

"It sounds more than a message, think about it, why would he need you instead of just asking her directly since he is her brother-in-law?" asked Sakya. "He must have something under his sleeves, well, if he wears any, does he?"

Di smiled, "He wears a good quality cloak, he is not the most charming but—"

"That's not the point!"

"Calm down," said Di. "What he will do has nothing to do with Flame Guild as a whole."

"But everyone will think so!" said Sakya before she sighed. "Ah, this is making me hungry."

"Then we need to eat good food, it's been a while since I'm here, might as well lavish in old favorites, then go straight back."

"Huh?" she raised her brows. "You're not even planning to visit the headquarter? They would be delighted to see you."

"Hahaha, they all can see me in the banquet," said Di. "But for now, I need to deliver his good news."

"You'll be joining as well?"

"I'm intrigued, something is about to unfold in three days' time, so of course, I'll attend," Di smiled.