Emperor's Reckoning

Cyril, the blonde woman, was uneased seeing the smile from Elder Tamuh. Her feelings were shrouded with doubt, and couldn't help to think that the bald elder had something in mind from the way he looked at the three, especially how he talked to Jiji.

"Cyril, is something wrong?" Luvia asked.

"Hm? Nothing, nothing is wrong," said Cyril with a smile. (Elder Tamuh might not look like it, but, hmm....).

"C'mon Lulu, I'm starving," said Jiji as her face was pulled down by the gravity.

"Alright, haha," Ark laughed before pointing at an empty table, "Why don't we sit over there."

The group immediately sat down at the table with Luvia sitting together alongside Ark, and her friends sitting on the opposite.

"Hahahaha!"

"Hey! That's my glass Kesya!"

"How did you know?!"

"It was in my hand a moment ago!"

Ark frowned as he leered at the second floor. He couldn't see anyone but the noisy bunch brought discomfort to his ears. "Who are those people? Such brute!"

"Oh, Ark? You don't know?" a young man alchemist said.

"Hunes, long time no see," Ark smiled.

"'Long time no see' is not the correct words to use, you never go to the Third Hall before, so what's going oooooo...no..no..." Hunes looked at Luvia, Jiji, and Cyril.

"What?" Ark smiled, "This is Luvia, sitting across her is Jiji, and beside her is called Cyril."

"Good evening," Luvia nodded. (What's wrong with him? Why is he so surprised?).

"I know who she is Ark, and even worse, I know who liked her," said Hunes.

"You mean Renduval?" Ark smiled, "So what of it?"

"Didn't you hear, he is the hots now, in fact, he is on the second floor," said Hunes. "Along with the kunpeng hunters, and the headmaster!"

"The headmaster?!" the three women exclaimed.

Hunes nodded, "Indeed, I was surprised too, but rumor has it that even the headmaster showed extreme courtesy toward the leader of the kunpeng hunter! Lyon Torga! The latter and Renduval seem to be on good terms! Do you know what this means?"

Ark furrowed his brows, "What does that have anything to do with us?"

"No, not you, but her!" said Hunes as he pointed at Luvia.

Luvia's brows raised. "What?"

"Everyone heard what you said when Renduval arrived," said Hunes as he crossed his arms.

Luvia's pupils shrunk almost immediately. She glanced down slightly as she remembered what she had done toward Renduval.

"I also heard that Elder Malaqa obtained the carcass, the whole of it! Renduval is loaded now!" said Hunes before he let out a sigh, "Hah, it feels like it's only yesterday that he was a broke alchemist."

Ark looked at Luvia's grim expression before he averted his glance back at Hunes, "So what if he is loaded, it's a one-time gig."

"Yeah, do you think Renduval is that stupid? I mean I know he is but he is not an idiot Ark, with that huge boost, he has more than a chance to earn the gold cloak. You know as well as I do how desperately he wants to prove himself," explained Hunes.

"Oof, what a sudden turn of event," said Jiji.

"Jiji!" berated Cyril. "Read the atmosphere, would you?"

"Hehe, sorry," Jiji smiled wryly.

Luvia spoke not a word a she looked down against her balled fist that was pressing her thighs. Renduval had been famous, no, infamously had a huge crush on her. She herself knew this for a fact and whenever her friends brought it up, she always made a fake puking motion to reveal her distaste. However, the trash had slowly evolved.

"Renduval," Lyon called out.

"What?" He complied.

"Use the money wisely," Lyon smirked before he laughed against the ceiling.

"T-Thank you," Renduval nodded. (Damn it, it's hard to be entirely grateful to a person that both becomes the thief and your benefactor!).

"What is your plan going forward," asked Lyon.

"I will take on the test to earn my gold cloak," said Renduval before he muttered, "It's been long overdue."

"Ooh? Sounds interesting, when are you going to take it?" asked Lyon. "Can you take it tomorrow? I want to see."

"W-What? Why are you interested?" asked Renduval as he frowned.

"Well, this place is practically a bore to me, I mean, it's just books and cauldrons for the most part. This Third Hall and the First Hall is probably the most fun part about Alchemy Union."

Renduval was about to reply but Lyon continued, "Besides, I want to see you pulverized your old image in this place, so that the next time I come here, you would be somebody that they must pay respect to."

"W-What? Y-You think I can do that?" asked Renduval.

Kesya suddenly slapped the back of Renduval's head, "Listen up kid, you're talking to the person that convinced an old griffin to bring back the entire corpse of a kunpeng on its back."

(Yeah, I still couldn't believe it) said Renduval inwardly as he nervously nodded.

"Alright! Then it's settled! Let's just do it tomorrow! If you fail then, then do it again, it's that simple right? Hahaha!"

"You..." Renduval opened his eyes wide. He had never seen someone believe in him that much. It almost brought a tear to his eyes, but the fact that he still stole something from his pocket refrained him to do so. "Alright."

"Nice! Now let's toaaa- nah forget it," Lyon sulked as he looked away. As long as Assid was in the vicinity, he had zero chance to even drink something that remotely made him happy.

"Ceeeciilleeee," Lyon sighed as he looked at the ceiling like a defeated man.

"What is it, dearest?" Cecile smiled.

"Can I drink something other than water?"

"Hmmm, you can drink tea, juice, and well, anything that doesn't activate the Monkey King's wine hazardous effect."

"Hmm, damn it, Assid!" called out Lyon.

"Yes, young master," he immediately appeared right behind him. "Is there any drink that you want?"

"Coffee!"