Emperor's Reckoning

The neigh of the horse was like a roar against the sky. The rage could be heard as the absolute gallop was coming for Afurnae.

The carriage was shabby compared to priors but the old horse was relentless as every fiber inside her muscle synchronized. On the plain grass, the carriage's wheel rolled as the guards rubbed their eyes.

"Th-That carriage is not slowing down!"

"Oi oi isn't that the carriage that old man used to transport the outsiders."

"Never mind that, looked at the driver! He is not holding the reign!"

The guards looked at the horse's furious glare as her mane fluttered against the breaking wind.

"N-N, I think you need to slow do-OWWN?" asked the old driver as he looked at the tall man beside him.

"Can't, master order," answered Graham as he held the reign firmly.

"W-What?!" the old man opened his eyes in disbelief.

"Hold on, old man," said Assid as he placed his hand on his shoulder to keep him from jumping out of the seat.

The old man had his pupils shrunken as he felt his shoulder being locked down. (W-What strength!).

His eyes gazed upon his beloved horse (B-but, I've never seen her so furious before. She never ran this fast for all her years with me either).

"One must be proud of the horse for the horse to have pride on the master," Assid muttered.

"Huh?" The old man looked at Assid before the latter continued. "This is nothing but the horse's full potential unlocked. Not because of the food she ate but the one commanding her, riding her."

"B-But even then! We are so close to Afurnae! Aren't we supposed to slow down?!"

"No," said Assid as he revealed a glare that shrieked the old man.

The guards nervously gulped before they slowly approached the way that the carriage was about to take.

"S-Slow—"

A sensation of cold froze their figure the moment Graham put a glare against them.

The carriage passed the two guards before a blowing wind fluttered the guard's hair.

"T-That's Prince Rupert's carriage! Slow down! Slow Down! I beg of you! We gonna crash! Spare the horse!!"

His frail hand was holding Graham's massive forearm but couldn't do a thing even with tears rolling down his cheeks.

Inside the carriage, Lyon smirked as he muttered, "Jump."

Graham furrowed his eyebrows, "Jump! Veradil!"

The horse neighed against the world before under the onlookers' eyes she galloped.

Hilde gawked at the spectate as well as the other onlookers.

The confidence Prince Rupert opened his crossed arms as he looked up in the sky.

"Huh?!" his pupil's shrunken as he looked at the base of a carriage shadowing his figure. The moment the shadow left, his gawked expression was revealed.

*Boom!

The carriage slammed to the ground after the horse did.

Graham pulled the reign to reduce the horse's speed to a walking pace but not too hard to make her raise her hind legs. "Old man, where are we going?"

"C-Crash... F-Fly..." the old man had birds looping over his head with his eyes rolled up nicely.

"He's out," said Assid before Graham slightly grunted.

He pulled the reign slightly before making the horse stopped walking. Under the gawked atmosphere Graham got off from the driver seat. He immediately rustled the horse's mane as he whispered. "Good girl, good girl, here, eat this."

"Who.. is that?" muttered Hilde. She shared the same question with the other onlookers.

"T-That carriage belonged to the outsiders!" said one of the onlookers.

Hilde raised her eyebrows, (Ivy and the rest? Not good, though, the driving skill was legendary I admit, but they are jumping over Rupert!). She hovered her glance toward the prince (I knew it, damn it).

The prince was crossing his arms with his eyebrows furrowed. The frown on his face caught the onlookers shutting their mouths. His two female servants already standing by his side with their eyes ready to battle.

"You, who are you?"

Meanwhile, inside the carriage Porealus had his mouth twitched. (What a guy, we just came to Afurnae and he already offended the number one).

Ivy and the others were looking at Lyon who nonchalantly had a smirk all this time. His arms were crossed as if this was nothing but his own backyard.

(Amazing, the calm yet confident demeanor is amazing) thought Zet as he nodded. There were not many, perhaps none, that have the capability to stay one's true self in this situation.

Assid got off from the driver seat before he approached the door of the carriage and not sparing a single glance against Rupert.

"Oi oi oi, that's blatant offense."

"Is he nuts? The Golden Dragon is not someone you offend..."

The chatters of the onlookers were fused with worries in their tone. Hilde looked left and right (What should I do here, the outsiders were having enough trouble with Hezar already they don't need this!).

She let out a sigh (Look's like I have no choice but to reveal myself).

*Click

The door opened before immediately a beautiful figure stepped out into the sun whilst stretching.

"Hoam~" she yawned. "Afurnae at last."

Hilde's eyes immediately shrunken as she saw who was standing. "Impossible... she is here...."

"C-Cecile..." Rupert's stared in disbelief before he leaped out of the carriage. His frown immediately turned into a smile.

"Cecile, it's been a long time, come, let's have lunch together," said Rupert as he tried to grab her hand.

*Grab!

Rupert's wrist was grabbed. He looked at the person grabbing his hand before a smirk was the first thing he saw.

"Who is that..." asked Hilde to herself.

Rupert frowned as his vertical-slit blue pupils glared at the young man, "Let go of my hand."

The abundant pressure fell on Lyon's shoulder at the exact moment he said those words.

"Heh, you think that would work on me?" said Lyon nonchalantly.

"What?!" said Rupert in disbelief.

(What?! He didn't even flinch!) thought Hilde as she made a harsh gulp.

"Who are you?" said Cecile as she crossed her arms. She frowned before Assid stepped forward.

Assid whispered, "Leave my masters alone, or I will have to pluck your wings right here and now, reptile."

The surging killing intent almost made Rupert's eyes roll backward. The threatening words were not empty words. He could feel that this butler could really rip his wings.

Lyon let go of his grip before leaving the prince.