Emperor's Reckoning

Clemora and Biane immediately recounted the event that happened in the forest to their father. His eyes gradually looked serious as he heard their explanation.

"And that's how we escaped from the assassins clutch," said Clemora as she purposely missed out on how Ryona killed the assassins in a brutal way.

Biane took out the zither, "This is the item father, it was kept by a hidden expert in Mist Clan by the name Old Sean."

"Old Sean, hmmm, it doesn't ring a bell, but alas, it matters not right now, I will take the item and you two should prepare yourself for a banquet tonight in the castle ballroom, the invitation was for the younger generation only so I will not be joining you," said their father before he continued, "There you two shall meet with the one you have an arranged marriage with."

Biane immediately replied, "Father, for the last time, I will pick who my husband will be and so will my little sister!"

The feeling of the oppressed daughter finally erupted. Life was always for those who lived it. Biane finally found the courage she needed to fight for her freedom.

Clemora looked at her older sister with awe. She might be the smart one out of the two, but she without a doubt always look up to her older sister. Unlike her, Biane was brave and daring. In Biane's case, it was never about the odd, it was about how much she wanted it.

His father opened his eyes with surprise before he furrowed his eyebrows as anger built up inside him, "You dare to talk back to me?! Think about the result you would be having if you married to a higher rank noble! You will live in leisure!"

"Are you sure it is about living in leisure? Not about power and possession, you would have?" asked Biane with a smirk.

Her father couldn't retort at her since she was right. "Why don't you understand that the life you have right now was from the title of nobles handed down from our family! Can you imagine if my title is promoted to a duke!? We would have real power in Luderia! All I ask is you to see the bigger picture."

Clemora became irritated as she reprimanded, "Bigger picture? Your daughters would have been dead right now, but all you said to us was to head to the banquet tonight! Do you really care about us? Are we just tools in your eyes?!"

Seeing how both his daughters objected him made his forehead full of veins as his hand slowly made a fist.

"Our ancestors made it to the rank of the noble because of their merits, not marrying into a higher up! Father do you forget what a noble truly means?!" said Clemora with her determining eyes.

"Gah! You girls and your naivety! How many nobles do you think did this before us?!" reprimanded her father,

Clemora couldn't retort his question as reality was not as pretty as fairy tales. What differs the elites from the commoners was that they dared to sacrifice something for a bigger gain. They would kill, abuse, steal, et cetera, but they would keep a smile to the public. True some were just and right, but they were too few to mention.

"Hmph!" their father grunted as he continued, "I expect you both to be corporating in the banquet tonight, he is of an esteemed guest. Your future husband will be none other than.."

"Me." Lyon casually completed his sentence.

His voice caught the three of them by surprise. Biane and Clemora, in particular, couldn't expect this kind of reply. (Is this heroic or narcissism? It must be shameless) thought both of them.

"You!" said their father as he pointed at Lyon.

"Yes, me." nodded Lyon nonchalantly.

"You still owed me an apology... Elgome," said Lyon with a cold voice.

"Don't speak of my surname so lightly you commoner!" before he continued, "An apology you said? Why should I do that? You are just an outsider here, you are the one who should apologize to me!"

Elgome grunted before continuing once more, "You should blame your useless father or grandfather for not leaving you any hereditary title!"

Lyon's eyes flashed as a memory resurface. It was the most gentle True Dragon's eyes he had ever seen. With its loving gaze and soul body, he said, "Anytime kid..."

Lyon's usual lazy eyes became sharp as if it would rip a bone with a glance. Though there was no wind, his hair slowly fluttered. His hand slowly turned into a fist as veins coiled around his forearms. Greenish aura slowly enveloped his entire body as his pupils turned divine green.

Elgome instinctively took a step back, (What the, what kind of power is this?! Is it his bloodline?!). The figure in front of him was no longer a youth with commoner's bearing. He was now facing a different entity, not even the king made him felt this way. He couldn't help but having a batch of cold sweat on his forehead.

"W-what are you doing?! Ghghhg," Elgome panicked before a hand strangled his neck. He was clearly having the highest cultivation realm in the room but he couldn't even fight back the force that the arm was emitting.

*boom

His body was forcefully pulled down as his knees destroyed the hard flooring. The blood that rushed to his mouth stuck in his throat. His bulging eyes were looking for help as he glanced at his daughters, however, they could only look away. Then he averted his gaze to the 'commoner' who was strangling him like a chicken.

"I was already lenient to let you off with an apology... yet, you dared to say my grandfather is useless?!"

Lyon then leaned to his ear, "Hereditary you say? Then let me show you what my grandfather gave to me!"

Lyon raised his left arms as a massive torrent of mana spiraling it. "Hah!" he threw Elgome outside the window, breaking the glass and leaving a massive amount of dust as a bunch of furniture was broken in his launch.

A nearby maid noticed his master was on the ground facing the sun with one of his eyes open. However, before she could get near, a person leaped out of the massive dust.

Elgome's eye opened wide as Lyon hide the sun with his back, "True Dragon Art! Palm of Shattering World!". A dragon silhouette was coiling around his left palm as he attacked.

*Boom

A faint of a dragon roar was heard as it connected to Elgome's chest. He could feel every meridian inside him exploding as his skin cracked like glass.

*Boom

A wave of wind was created at the center of the impact as the whole Luderia quake. The ships at the port were swaying uncontrollably and people falling down to the ground because of imbalance.

Lyon stood alone at the center of a wide crater as his hair fluttered.