Emperor's Reckoning

Though it was a really cold night, the young man with his compressed shirt felt as if it's just any other day for him. Busy contemplating he didn't notice that a guard was approaching him.

One of the guards got near enough to the young man and greet him politely, "Good evening sir,"

His voice slightly startled the young man as he broke out from his contemplating. Furrowing his eyebrows, he looked at the guard but soon noticed the building beyond the gate.

"Good evening to you too," said Lyon with a smile. His annoyed expression was erased the moment he knew had arrived at the destination.

"May I ask where are you going sir?" asked the guard politely. It was normal for him to ask this question since Lyon's clothing was out of the ordinary.

"Oh, I'm going to the banquet," said Lyon as he pointed out the building on top of the stairs.

The guard looked startled for a while before furrowing his eyebrows. (With this kinda getup? You must be joking right?) thought the guard. "Can I see your invitation letter?" Nevertheless, he must verify it first.

"Hmmm..." Lyon was suddenly in deep thought. His action caused the guard's suspicion grew in folds.

"Well, sadly you can't," said Lyon as he shook his head.

His words turned the guard's suspicion into confusion in a snap of a finger. The guard couldn't believe what he just said, (Huh? What do you mean you can't?!). From all the guests he received not one person ever said 'you can't'.

"Uhhh, why not sir?" asked the guard. Usually, the guard was allowed to reject Lyon right there and then but his curiosity got the hang of him.

"Well, because my wives got it and they are inside already," sighed Lyon as he acted like a pitiful husband.

The guard almost believed his acting before asking the question, "W-who are your wives, sir?"

"It's Clemora and Biane,"

The guard squinted his eyes as he immediately put up his weapon, "I'm sorry sir, but I have to ask you to leave."

Lyon looked confuse at the guard sudden change of mood, "What? Why?"

With a smirk, the guard proudly said, "Lady Clemora and lady Biane are the top beauties in Luderia, they are not married yet! If they do, surely we, no all Luderia would know!"

"Hmm, I guess you're right," said Lyon as his expression suddenly turned calm. He knew that there was no way to prove to them that he was their 'husband' so he stopped his act. (Well, you asked for it).

"Okay, okay I'll leave, but I want to clarify something first," this time Lyon was the one smirking. "Is your job to guard the gate and receive the guests of the banquet while preventing outsiders to come inside, right?" continued Lyon.

His sudden question caught the guard off guard for a second before replying with a nod, "Yes, that's right."

Lyon spread his arms, "Then, those ones that are beyond the gate that you guard is no doubt a guest right?"

The guard contemplated for a second before affirming with a nod, "That's correct."

Since the guard was watching the gate for the whole duration of the banquet with his partner, then whoever person that was behind the gate was no doubt a guest for the banquet.

"I see, that's all I need to know then, good evening sir," said Lyon as he turned back and walk to a distance before turning a corner, disappearing from the guard vision.

The guard furrowed his eyebrows for a while before shaking his head and returned to his post. "Man what weird guy."

"I know, I have ears," said his partner.

The guard was too tired to reply to his nonsense and got back at guarding the gate.

.

.

.

"Damn, aren't these stairs kinda too high?" a voice startled the two guards as they immediately turned to the source.

Their eyes opened wide as they saw the young man they just referred weird just stood at the base of the stairs. "Yo," greeted Lyon with an innocent smile.

"Y-You!" The guard was about to approach him before Lyon waggled his index finger side to side.

With a smirk, Lyon said, "Based on our conversation just now, I am a guest of the banquet."

"Ghh!" The guard gritted his teeth. (So this was your plan all along?!). He didn't know how Lyon got there, the fence was impossible to miss and he was going the opposite way just now. None of that matters since the reality was in front of him.

"Of course, if you are a man surely you would not betray your own words," said Lyon.

His obvious sarcastic tone annoyed the guard but he could do nothing about it. "You are a shameless man you know that!"

Lyon spread his arms, "A little bit of shamelessness can get you far in life."

The guard almost splurted out blood before he gulped it down. As he was about to refute, his partner patted his right shoulder. The guard looked at his partner shaking his head before averting the gaze back to the trickster.

"Listen guys, I'm just playing with you, I could force my way in but that would make too much-unwanted attention. I could kill you two in silence but I'm not a killing addict," said Lyon as he sighed before he looked at the two guards doubting face.

"Oh, you guys don't believe me?" said Lyon before the manas around him turned greenish as they swirl around his figure with his eyes slowly turned sharp. The air rapidly got denser and heavier around the two guards.

"Gah!" The two guards suddenly kneeled as a pressure heavier than a mountain was raining on them. (S-such strength! From his presence alone?!).

Lyon suddenly averted his gaze to the east with a smile before releasing his pressure.

The two guards were unharmed but they still struggled internally. With their forehead drenched on a cold sweat, a voice suddenly turned them rigid.

"What's all the ruckus here?"