Emperor's Reckoning

The next day came with a blazing sunrise from the east. The light crept up and heat up Lyon's cheeks without mercy. His eyelids twitched before he opened his squinted eyes while yawning. He sat up— while yawning once more —and looked to the sides of the bed.

"Damn it," said Lyon the first thing in the morning. "They're such early birds."

Lyon got off the bed before going for the window and threw the curtain open as if he owned the place. The flash of the sun blinded his eyes for a few seconds before he regained his vision back.

"Oh wait, it's already noon?" Lyon looked up at the sky and the sun was happily settling. "Honestly, this First Heaven and the Mortal World has no significant difference at all."

Lyon let out a sigh, "I guess I better start going."

He left the room and entered the Second Hall. The long carpet stretched far and was never-ending. He had noticed that it was actually one roll carpet to conquer the entire five halls of the Alchemy Union rather than multiple— short carpets.

He put his hands on his back and calmly made his way toward the Fourth Hall. The time it took was not long and he was not particularly in a hurry even though he should. Along the way, he saw courtesies from the passing alchemists. He had made his name known in a single day more than anyone else ever could. His rumored affiliation with the headmaster brought up this unbelievable image of him, and the nonchalant bearing that he exuded, further intensified his presence in Alchemy Union.

The Fourth Hall was nothing like the others. It was the largest of them all and hosted the four elders— and the instructors as well as the students —inside.

The open field immediately greeted his eyes with the majority of the alchemists walking around with bright eyes— hungry for knowledge. He saw hardly any cloakless people around in this place for an obvious reason however, he didn't see any of his group at all. Lyon smiled wryly as he realized how dependant he was on Renduval in touring this place around.

"Well, if I'm going to explore it, might as well go all the way," Lyon smiled before he walked to the middle of the square.

His eyes wandered and saw four adjacent hills on the back and at the base, there were signs. He furrowed before he calmly approached it and read.

"Elder Anna, huh." Lyon raised his brows. "So like, this whole place is Elder Anna and her student's dorm? That's actually quite a lot."

He saw numerous little houses made of bricks before one particular giant house stood at the very end of the hill.

Lyon smiled. (So that's probably her house then. I wonder if I should take a visit).

"Nah," he turned and looked at the others. "Huh?"

His brows rose as he noticed how empty one hill was. The other three looked packed but this was more like a ghost-hill. It only had one house and it was at the end of the hill. There was only a lush full grass with a single straight path cutting the hill.

Lyon approached the hill's foot before reading the sign. "Elder Elise."

"Damn," Lyon smiled. "Never thought her place would look so free! No neighbor is the best neighbor! Hahaha!"

His laughter caught the passing alchemists' attention before one of them sprung up to his courage and warned him.

"Sir, please don't take a step further, only alchemists are allowed to enter the hills."

"Hmm?" Lyon turned and faced the unknown alchemist. "Then, tell me the places that I can go."

The alchemist was surprised by the question. He had never seen someone being out of place in Alchemy Union before. "W-Well, you can go to that building over there. Currently, an event has taken place there."

"What event?" Lyon asked.

"One of our alchemists is undertaking a test to raise his rank and earn the gold cloak of Alchemy Union. It would be a very insightful event for sure."

"Hmm, insightful huh?" Lyon said so with a sarcastic tone. "Then why aren't you watching that event if it's so insightful?"

"E-Errr, I have my own matters to attend, please excuse me, and please don't enter the hills without special permission," the alchemist immediately scurried away.

"Heh," Lyon smirked after he muttered, "Permission? She invited me last night."

His eyes landed on the building that was not far away from the circular square. The building was smallish and shaped like a small dome with a rooftop. It only had one entry point and exit point for both common cultivators and alchemists alike.

He calmly approached the building and entered it. The front desk— with three alchemists wearing azure cloaks standing behind it —immediately caught his eyes. He smiled before he came to the middle one.

"How can I help you, sir?" asked the female alchemist.

Lyon smiled. "I'm here to watch Renduval's test."

"Ah, yes, you're in luck! The show is about to begin," the alchemist smiled.

"The show?" Lyon snorted a smile. "I guess so."

"That will be one imperial bead please," said the alchemist with a smile.

".... what?" Lyon froze his smile whilst blinking his eyes.

"I-It's one imperial bead, sir," said the female alchemist once more. Her eyes were evidently doubting him. (Isn't he the Lyon Torga? The infamous kunpeng hunter that's circling recently?).

"Er..." Lyon lightly scratched his cheek with his index finger. "I'm with the others before me here. I'm with Princess Cherie, yeah that's right."

"Ehm... sorry," The alchemist put her palms together as she apologized. She then asked the two other alchemists that were standing by behind the front desk with her.

Lyon furrowed his brows when he saw them shaking their heads.

"I'm sorry, sir. However, apparently, there is no message nor there was an upfront payment for you."

"Ugh!" Lyon was petrified. He couldn't believe that he was forsaken by his own group. He could believe that most of them would forget but Assid, Assid was a different breed in his opinion. (Assid, don't tell me you choose to be forgetful on this day!).

"Sir? Are you alright?" asked the female alchemist. (He is not broke is he? There is no way someone that had dinner with the headmaster is broke... right?).

Lyon let out a sigh, "I-I'm fine."

"Then..."

"Then what?" Lyon asked.

"The one imperial bead, sir?" the female alchemist smiled wryly. She was in a difficult position for the young man in front of her was far from ordinary, she couldn't afford to be rude. The highest courtesy was necessary, but she needed to abide by the rules set by Alchemy Union.

"Ah yes... wait for a second and let me... Elise! That's right, I'm with Elder Elise," said Lyon as he crossed his arms and nodded.

"Y-Yes, but you still need to pay, sir." said the female alchemist (He's broke...).

"C-Can you bend the rules a little so I can get in?" asked Lyon with a smile. (All eyes are all on me, it's too late to even sneak in, damn it!)

"N-No, sir, that would be not err.. admirable," said the female alchemist (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!).

"Hah~" Lyon sighed before he heard footsteps approaching. "Hmm?"

One cultivator was walking with a bright smile on his face. However, what make Lyon furrow his brows was the thing inside his hand. (A scroll?)

The cultivator stood in front of the other alchemist and greeted the latter with a smile. He spare no words and gave him the scroll in his hand. The alchemist nodded before opening the scroll— reading the content then nodded.

"Please go inside, and good luck."

"Hmm?" Lyon tilted his head as he rubbed his chin. "Hmm..."

"Heh," Lyon smirked as he turned and faced the female alchemist.

(W-What's with that look... it's... it's really) she didn't finish her thought before she heard a thud against the desk. She glanced down and noticed something was under his hand. She averted her glance back to see Lyon smirking.

"Perhaps, there is another way to get in," said Lyon with a smirk. He pulled his hand off the desk and watched the pupils of the female alchemist shrink.

She gawked at the sight of the red scroll on the table. "This... this is..."

The alchemist beside her took a quick glance, "Huh...? No way....". She stood up and approached her friend.

"What? Wha—?!" The other also stood up and approached her friend.

It was daringly red— different from the one that the other cultivator just handed over. This one signified a symbol like no other.

"R-Red scroll... an elder's requirement," the middle one gulped before she mustered up her strength to her trembling hands. She grabbed it then quickly opened it for the three of them to read. Their eyes only widened more, for the name that was written, never made it to the front desk until now.

"Elise Growthort."