Emperor's Reckoning

The onlookers were left flambergasted before the other passengers stepped out of the carriages.

The first one had appealing jade hair drape around her shoulder. Her eyes had a vertical slit of silver but she didn't spare a glance to the prince standing just right beside her. She immediately followed Lyon without caring for the onlookers' gawked expressions.

Rupert immediately had an epiphany (A dragon race?!). His bloodline resonated with the woman of jade hair. He furrowed his eyebrows (But her eyes are silver and jade).

It was one thing after another. He couldn't believe that someone dare to threaten him in this land, especially in Afurnae. Now, a dragon bloodline he didn't recognize showed up. (A mixed blood?).

Just as soon as he was about to open his mouth, another beauty stepped out of the carriage. Her hair was half blonde and half black. Her ears were full black as her blue eyes were more vibrant than the prince of the Golden Dragon himself.

Kesya didn't care for the prince either. She took a deep breath before following the others before her nonchalantly. The half-elf half-dark elf couldn't care less.

Hilde furrowed her eyebrows. Though she was a princess herself, the figures that came out after that young man was not by any means ordinary. (I thought he was one of the results of Hezar's attempts in tampering with the preliminary, but I doubt even Hezar would offend Rupert).

Then the familiar figures started to show up.

"Ivy! It's Ivy, she is back!"

"Porealus and Zet too!"

The three of them stood in front of him before paying respect to Rupert.

"Greetings, Prince Rupert," said Porealus before he let out a smile. His eyes twitched as he felt the pressure of a mountain crashing down his soul. (To think that Lyon withstands this without breaking a sweat).

Rupert crossed his arms as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Who was that man, why is he with her?"

(There it is) thought Porealus. The three of them could guess that he would ask about his identity especially after what just happened.

"Greetings, Prince Rupert," Verdu stepped out as he paid his respect just like his son. "Regarding the identity of that young man, he was one of the ones that passed the preliminary."

Rupert furrowed his eyebrows, "Is he from your world?"

Verdu looked at the blue eyes belonging to Rupert before he nodded, "Yes, he is from our humble Mortal World."

"Hmph! Doesn't seem so humble to me," hissed Rupert. "What is his relationship with Cecile?"

"Alright, alright," a blonde noblewoman suddenly stepped out from the crowd.

Rupert immediately turned around with a glare at the woman, "Who are you?"

"Rupert, it's been a while," said the woman with a smile.

The onlookers gasped in horror. There was enough disrespect against the number one already yet here comes a woman with a shrimp brain.

"Rupert?" he muttered with his eyes twitching. "You... Hilde."

Hilde snorted, "I know this thin disguise cannot avoid that sharp eyes of yours."

"What are you intending to do?" asked Rupert. He noticed that she was wearing noble clothes rather than royal ones like the ones he currently wore.

"I'm intending to make you move your carriage, the others are waiting outside," said Hilde as he lightly pointed at the problem.

Rupert glanced beyond his carriage to see that her words were true. The others were lining up behind him, however, none of them dare to say anything as expected.

He averted his glance back toward the smiling Hilde before snorting and moving away.

Hilde merely smiled as she shook her head (At least he is not that hot-headed). She turned her gaze toward Ivy before saying, "Ivy, can you enter the top ten this time?"

"It is my goal and is my last chance," said Ivy as she showed her determining eyes.

"I see, then I wish you luck, and you guys too," said Hilde before she excused herself.

Her leave immediately made the onlookers snap back into reality.

"H-Hilde? As in Princess Hilde?! But we just saw her not too long ago!"

"W-Wait a minute, so that woman is actually Princess Hilde?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? I should have kept the conversation longer then!"

The onlookers immediately made the silent atmosphere become noisy again.

The old driver had snapped back to consciousness before he quickly grabbed the reign and moved the carriage away.

Prince Rupert returned to his roofless carriage and stood with his arms crossed, however, the proud smile on his face was no longer present.

"Prince, do you need us to do something?" said one of the female servants by his side.

"No, not now," answered the prince with a solemn tone.

"Understood."

The carriage moved forward before going to its designated inn. The inn, likewise, had the insignia of a dragon just like the one adorned on the carriage. The receptionist immediately greet him but the Prince paid no heed.

Hilde returned back after taking a glance against Rupert. She bitterly snorted before her side of receptionist came rushing with tears in his eyes. "P-Princess Hilde!"

(Ah) she rolled her eyes but the receptionist already stood in front of her and begged.

"Please, Princess Hilde, you should stay at the inn. Your parents would kill me!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure," said Hilde. "The effects are wearing off anyway."

"Thank goodness," he let out a sigh of relief as he clenched his chest.

Closing the door to her room she sat facing the window whilst contemplating, "Who in the world was that young man? He could withstand, no, as if he felt nothing standing in front of a Golden Dragon bloodline."

"More importantly, his relationship with Cecile, don't tell me he is her boyfriend... no wait... I did see a platinum ring on his finger. No way..."

Hilde made a harsh swallow. "This is going to be a headache but, I'm interested in him as well. He could stand nonchalantly against a Golden Dragon face to face."

"Hey, this inn seems nice," a familiar voice was heard as Hilde raised her eyebrows.

Hilde immediately got out of the room and went to the lobby.