Emperor's Reckoning

The source of the voice came from the west side, as a slender figure slowly approached the three of them. The moon shone down as it revealed the beauty.

She had a brown-apricot hair that was tied up into a ponytail with a single string of curly hair hanging down the left side of her cheek. Her snow-white complexion and her pinkish-red lips were the perfect combinations with her small yet pointy ears. Her cute little nose would make anyone want to take a piece.

She wore a short red cape that was covering her shoulder and a bit of her breast region but it still left a hint of cleavage. Her tight pale-white school vest outlined her narrow waist as she wore a black box-pleated skirt, embroidered with a golden swallow.

Her movement brought grace as her bearing was revealed. Her steps were making the world kneel by her presence and admired by her beauty.

The guard stood up straight like a pole as they saluted the figure. "Good evening Princess Chloe."

Lyon raised one of his eyebrows with a smile as he heard her identity. (Is this luck? No this is fate!) thought Lyon as he laughed inwardly.

"Well, would you mind explaining yourself?" said Princess Chloe with a cold voice toward the guards.

The guards were having a hard time to explain the situation. They could tell her that the young man was trespassing but they would suffer too since they couldn't explain how.

Seeing the troubled guards, Princess Chloe furrowed her eyebrows as she turned to the smiling young man standing on the base of the stairs. As she was about to say something the young man voiced out first.

"Good evening beautiful..." said Lyon as he enjoyed her beauty before turning his head up in the sky.

Instead of being delighted, Princess Chloe further furrowing her eyebrows with an annoyed expression. (Another one of this kind!). She was a princess after all, everywhere she went in Deo, people would curry favor her. Only in her academy, she didn't get this kind of attention sure there were a few but not everyone.

"Surely, you must have heard that kind of line a million times, just like how many the stars above us."

Lyon's second sentence got Princess Chloe's intention halted. She was about to tell the guards to drag him out but her annoying feelings lessened.

With a smile, Lyon suddenly leaped and landed near Princess Chloe, "A princess walking alone when there is a banquet, either she is heartbroken or hates the crowds, if its the latter, will you show me around the palace?"

The two guards almost had their hearts running from their bodies as they saw how this young man acted. Nobody in Deo dared to get closer to Princess Chloe as she thinks that Deo was beneath her.

"Hmph! How bold of you to assume I would do that," said Princess Chloe with a hint of disgust.

Lyon sighed as he shook his head, "You're right, I'm just a stranger to you after all... guess I have to do it myself then."

Princess Chloe's mouth twitched as she heard what he just said. She couldn't believe this kind of man existed.

Lyon calmly turned back and walked to the east side with his hands behind his head. "Hey wait!"

A call made him stopped in his track as he turned to the source of the voice. The evident annoyed little princess made him chuckle inwardly.

"Changing your mind?" asked Lyon with a hint of tease before continuing, "You got nothing to lose anyway, besides, your cultivation realm is probably higher than me, what can I do?"

Princess Chloe immediately sensed that Lyon was at the peak of the Soul Realm. She was a lot stronger than him so there was a minuscule probability that something bad would happen. Even though she didn't care that much, Luderia was still her home.

"Tsk, fine, I guess would act like a princess once," said Princess Chloe. She would never think back then that taking a stroll would have this kind of outcome. Usually, she would flatly reject the request but her boredom was killing her inside.

She didn't care for the two guards as they know how fierce she was. They wouldn't tell a soul as long as they live regarding this, or their heads would be deep underground without their family knowing.

The two of them walked as the princess was in front of the young man leading the way.

----------

The ponds were glimmering with sparkles as the reflection of the stars was on it. The creaking voice of a frog was occasionally heard as the wind continuously fluttered the grass. As the lotus flower was highlighted by the moon, two figures were seen walking beside the pond.

Princess Chloe didn't say anything for the duration of the walk while Lyon was lazily taking his time following behind her.

"Hmm, don't you want to ask me anything, like which noble I'm from or why would I want to take a stroll in the palace? Don't you afraid if I were to make rumors about this?"

Princess Chloe suddenly stopped her track as she chuckled, "Why should I? Your own family would disown you if you make that kind of rumors. I won't even ask your name, I would forget about you anyway since I won't be going back to Deo. I'm not interested in ruling Luderia since this world is too weak compared to the academy I currently enroll."

Lyon said nonchalantly, "Oh hey, I'm in the academy too, in Nostria to be exact." (Well I did attend the class once).

Princess Chloe chuckled while shaking her head, she refused to talk further as they walked through a long hall leaving the pond. They could hear a lot of chattering behind a wide double door.

Lyon stopped his track as he said with a smirk, "Princess Chloe."

She stopped her steps as she calmly turned back to face Lyon, "What?"

"Are you sure you will forget about me?" asked Lyon still with his smirk.

Princess Chloe annoyed, "Are you still worried about that? I told you that-"

Suddenly Lyon flashed as not even the wind could follow him. He smoothly tackled one of her feet and caught her with her left hand. Their eyes meet each other as they could feel each other's breath. There was greenish mana that Chloe overlooked swirling around Lyon's feet.

She was caught up by surprise before rage was boiling inside her.

*pak

A resounding slap was heard as her left palm landed on Lyon's right cheek even though her body was still being supported by his left hand. Enduring the pain, Lyon quickly sent a palm to the double door.

*boom

The door opened wildly as it caught the attention of the people inside.