Emperor's Reckoning

“That’s a good answer,” Cecile added with a smile. “Waiting might just be inviting more trouble than it should.”

“Really?” Lyon raised his brows.

“Some beasts are a fool, master,” said Graham. “After it finished gnawing its victim, it will depend on whether the beasts’ stomach is full or not, if it’s the latter, then it would hunt us unnecessarily.”

“So they’re just animals?” asked Lyon

“Every monster spoken here are basically beasts, however, if you want to see why they are called monsters in these parts, you should go deeper into the Dark Continent,” said Cecile as the pair of horses started cantering.

“Good thing the horses are blindfolded, they might run at the sight alone,” Lyon sighed.

“That’s true, otherwise we are going to have a bad time,” Cecile added with a smile.

“Hehe,” Lyon smiled wryly, “It’s kind of scary sometimes how versed you are in this adventuring stuff.”

“I learned a lot from your mistakes, Lyon,” said Cecile.

“I see— wait a minute, what? My mistake? You mean our mistakes, right?”

“Nope,” Kesya, Graham, and Cecile answered at the same time.

“Oh c’mon, that has to be a lie, don’t tell me you guys never make a mistake,” Lyon rolled his eyes.

“We do, but it was never as fatal as yours,” Cecile sighed. “See, Lyon, nobody is stupid enough to steal Bahamut’s eggs, but you.”

“Bahamut?!” Lumina exclaimed. “You mean that draconic beast that ruled over the sky— or so the legend said.”

“Or that time where you piss inside a cursed emperor’s tomb— but to be honest, you can’t help it at the time but the least you could do was not to piss on the runes at the wall,” Kesya sighed before chuckling.

“W-What happened then?” asked Luna.

“We killed the ghost,” Kesya nodded.

“You mean exorcizing, him?” asked Assid.

“Nope, just beat the ghost up to a shimmer,” Kesya nodded. “However, it was quite a tough opponent, we were all beaten black and blue, but of course, with emperor’s heroic might! He saved the day yet again!”

“More like he caused it,” said Cecile before she and Graham sighed.

“Damn,” Lyon pulled back from his peeking before he sat down with his legs crossed. He crossed his arms, “It seems like I miss a lot of fun memories.”

“Heh, it’s alright,” Cecile smirked. “You will experience it all, again, and might be in just one minute.”

“Woah, that sounds overwhelming,” said Lyon before gulping.

“That’s why I want you to cultivate and just strengthen your soul, your soul will immediately collapse experiencing a lifetime of memories although it seems like your instinct slowly return on its own after you descend down naked in Nostria.”

“Okay, I still have some issues with the whole naked thing,” said Lyon as he tightened his crossed arms and furrowed his brows. “I’m sure that any of you are strong enough to summon me, but what’s the deal with summoning me after I took a damn bath!”

“Oh so that’s what happened,” Cecile raised her brows innocently, “I don’t know that you will be summoned—… hmm..”

“What? Why are you pausing?” asked Lyon.

“Can I ask you something, Lyon?” Cecile furrowed her brows.

The atmosphere suddenly turned tense inside the caravan, more so than ever albeit the ambiance of the cantering from the pair of horses.

“About what?” asked Lyon.

“About when you are summoned, how did it happen?”

Lyon furrowed his brows as he savored the craving curiosity inside the glance from his wife. He took an audible inhale before he recited the story of his beginning.

….

“Woah, that’s, interesting,” said Luna.

“What’s a fridge?” asked Kesya.

“A fridge is a place like a wardrobe but for food, we store fresh food or processed food there,” said Lyon. “And they can last a few days more, albeit at the cost of quality and taste being lessen each day, but it should still keep the original flavor give or take.”

“Fascinating!” said Assid out of the blue. “Imagine how many new ways to cook with that thing.”

“It’s called a fridge,” Kesya rolled her eyes.

“Hmph!” Assid immediately grabbed her ears and pulled them down.

“Ah! Ah! Ah! Stop it!”

Assid released her grip after he saw a hint of tears in the corner of her eyes.

“Wuwu,” Kesya sulked at the corner, “He ripped my ear…”

“So three balls of light chasing you, huh,” Cecile crossed her arms before she let out a sigh.

“I won’t say balls, I don’t really see it that well, but I was panicked! It was not normal to have a flying sphere chasing after you, who they appeared from a dreadful vortex that appeared out of nowhere,” said Lyon. “At least it was better than a truck, I would admit.”

“A truck?” Cecile raised her brows.

“Nah, never mind,” Lyon shook his head. “Let’s get back to the main topic, why do you ask that? You seem so serious.”

“Well, it’s quite funny,” Cecile chuckled.

“What? What so funny?!”

“I mean, with how perverted you are, and how you are actually to be summoned naked, it’s like the ‘word’ exists because of you,” Cecile shrugged with a grin.

“Alright, get to the point,” said Lyon despite the chuckles from the other women.

“Well, those three spheres of light each represented me, Selena, and Maria that’s indeed true, however, it seems like fate has other plans, for we actually summon you at the same time, somehow.”

“What? What do you mean at the same time, somehow?”

“If you just picked one of the spheres, then you might end up with one of us instead of flashingly naked in front of the whole kingdom, during a speech nonetheless, and more, in the presence of its queen,” said Cecile with a chuckle.

“Are you kidding me?!” Lyon shouted from inside the caravan. “You mean to tell me that if I have chosen one sphere to guide me, I wouldn’t have my butt pierced! And I also might have some alone time with my wife?! Fuck!”

“You can’t change the past Lyon, I’m sorry,” Cecile chuckled. “What can I say, we all want you at the same time I suppose.”

“As good as that warms my heart, I’m still pissed! Gah!” Lyon balled his fist. One mistake that he took, was turning his destiny, were he to take one of them then, he was sure to have a better experience than in Nostria.

Lyon was fuming before he took a glance at Luna and Lumina by the side. His chest immediately heaved down. It was the mistake that led him to these two, were it not for it, the chances of them meeting each other were perhaps not as wondrous.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that, I mean, it’s just painful to have your ass pierced the first day, right in front of stunned people.”

Luna smiled before she said, “I know Lyon, I was there when you arrived.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but you know what, now the people heralded you as their king— The king of Deo, sounds nice right?”

“The little story of your origin would spark more passing cultivators,” Cecile chuckled.

“Alright, stop sugarcoating something bad,” Lyon sighed. “Thank you though, I do feel a little better than before, but the pain remains!”

Cecile smiled seeing how his husband react to an unfortunate event. She crossed her arms under her cloak. ( However, that proves one thing. Selena is obvious, but Maria, you as well were summoning for his return, which means you’re still alive, and somehow managed to write the inscription to summon him with your ring. Just where are you Maria, even the sheer puked-out blood searching for you… )

“I think we are nearing this city on the map,” said Assid.

“Damn, people are living here?” asked Lyon as he saw thick walls spanning his view.

“That’s a late question, but this is the lighter region of Dark Continent,” Kesya nodded after clearly banishing her sob to the netherworld. “Having a city here is not that common, but of course, mostly this city is just full of adventurers and cultivators.”

“Then who ruled the city?”

“We have no idea yet,” Assid shook his head, “But we just have to deliver the goods to the person ordering the goods.”

“Yeah, about that, is the option of consuming them still available?” asked Kesya.

“No,” all of them except Lyon answered simultaneously.

“Cheapskate!” Kesya sulked and crossed her arms before her ears twitched.

Assid furrowed his brows as he saw the two adventurers at the gate of the city waving against them and shouting inaudible words.

Kesya opened the curtain at the back before she smiled. “Look’s like we have a hungry guest.”