Emperor's Reckoning

His overbearing attitude made the nobles speechless. Everyone wanted to curry favor to the ones with high status but he just went to the entrance just like that. This action of his caught the anger of the two candidates left in the banquet.

"Where do you think you are going?" asked Prince Weiss as he slammed the long table and split it in half.

Except for the onlookers, only Prince Frey still looked calm on the outside. The crowd could feel that the tension in the room was getting heavier.

"Do you know what are the consequences of daring to refuse my offer?!" said Prince Weiss in a cold tone.

The nobles could only nod as they knew that Prince Weiss was actually tyrannical. He would use any means necessary to reach his goal but still looked calm and collected on the outside. He would prepare a legit excuse to cover up his acts, along with evidence to twist the truth.

Lyon didn't even bat an eye and still walked to the door in the south.

The nobles gulped at the scene, (What a man!). Their thoughts were unified as they secretly admired him. However, unbeknownst to them, Lyon's face gradually albeit slowly, turned a shade of red.

(Oh god, I'm getting dizzy!) thought Lyon as his steps quicken. Biane and Clemora instinctively walked the same pace as him. Clemora took a peek at his expression before the admiring face of her was replaced with a twitching mouth (Eh?).

(Don't tell me, the reason we are going home was that you have no tolerance with alcohol?!) thought Clemora as the reason was unbelievable. The man that could destroy someone of higher realms was actually weak to alcohol?!

"Hey, are you listening?! Someone stop him!" shouted Prince Weiss.

The nobles didn't dare to disobey him and grudgingly chased the three of them. As they were about to reach the target.

*hic

The sound of hiccup suddenly stopped their track as Clemora didn't dare to guess about what happened next. Biane opened her eyes wide as he looked at Lyon, "Are you.. drunk?"

All the people inside the room went agape as they saw the former calm Lyon suddenly staggered as he turned to face them. His face was shady red as he smiled at no one. He slowly walked to the crowd as they split to the left and right to give him the way.

Clemora and Biane were palpitating when they think about what Lyon's gonna do next. The young man was unpredictable, anything could happen.

Prince Weiss instinctively took a half-step back as he saw the drunken man slowly approached him. "W-what do you want?" asked the first prince nervously.

*hic

Lyon answered him with a hiccup before saying, "Y- you tell me!". He put his hand on Prince Weiss's shoulder as a support for him to stand.

Prince Weiss was having cold sweat that fused with his fuming anger. He grabbed Lyon's hand that landed on his shoulder and held it in the air. "You dare?!"

*pak

"Shut the fuck up and listen!" Lyon slapped him and sent him flying over the other side of the room, crashing the other long tables with gourmets on them before Lyon himself stumbled with a thud.

(WHAT!) the thought crossed everyone's mind with a flash. Their eyes bulged as if wanting to come out of their socket.

"Shit, the floor is hard, you fatso, come here and help me stand up," the 'fatso' he was referring to was none other than one of the candidates, Prince Frey. He was a highly admired pill-maker, a promising genius, yet someone just called him a fatso.

At this point, a few nobles vomited blood and stained the spotless floor. (This, isn't this kinda too overbearing?) thought the nobles as they wiped their mouths.

Prince Frey burrowed their eyebrows as he remained in his position. He didn't know if the young man in front of him really a cultivator or just a mad man.

"Fuck, fine! Your royalties are so full of yourself... Let's see here," Lyon contemplated as he propped up his half-sleepy head with his right hand. "Oh, right I have this one."

With a flick of his finger, he retrieved an item from his spatial rings that made Prince Frey's eyes opened wide. Even Prince Weiss that recovered from the fall couldn't say anything for a while.

"T-th-that's!" a few knowledgable nobles recognize the item Lyon's was holding. "A zither?!" exclaimed the nobles.

"It's not just a zither..." said Prince Frey softly under his breath, "That's..."

His words were intercepted by Prince Weiss, "That's 'the' zither father was looking for, the lost heirloom from the late queen."

Hearing the first prince acknowledgment, they started to see the zither with great interest. This item may very well be the turning point for this game of chess.

As if not noticing their gaze, Lyon casually put the zither vertically to help him stand up. The creaking sound that was made from the contact of its edge against the floor sent a sting to their heart.

*hic

"Alright, I'm gonna play some music, hmm... the balcony seems nice," said Lyon as he didn't bother to pick up the zither and just dragged it.

(Oh God please treat it with respect!) thought the onlookers as they wouldn't dare to voice it out. He just slapped the first prince and sent him flying, what chances do they have.

Prince Frey wanted to say something but his curiosity overwhelmed him while Prince Weiss was waiting for a chance. (How to take an item from someone that is drunk? Wait until he passed out) thought Prince Weiss.

Sitting on the fence of the balcony, he placed the ordinary zither on his lap. "Alright everyone gathers around."

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Lyon furrowed his eyebrows for not having an answer. Seeing his expression the nobles including the princes quickly gathered in front of him.

"Rejoice! As you guys will be one of the first to hear this killing note."

As his finger was about to pluck the string...

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.

.

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He paused. "Wait..." he furrowed his eyebrows as he focused his gaze on the zither. "Oh haha I was about to pluck the wrong one," said Lyon as he moved his finger to the designated string.

*ding

*BOOM

The balcony suddenly collapsed along with half of the room into the raging sea.