Emperor's Reckoning

The blue pill looked ordinary to Lyon but the other two were astonished, especially Rowland, he couldn't help but droll at the sight.

"How is this possible?" asked Princess Aelina as her eyes still fixated on the result.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" asked Lyon while slightly raised one of his eyebrows.

"It was impossible for a lower grade soul flame to produced a higher grade pill than its own," said Princess Aelina.

"Is it?" replied Lyon in confusion. He himself didn't know that what he did was an impossible feat, in fact, he couldn't even explain the thing that he had just done.

Rowland nodded, "Niece is right. It was impossible, well, at least until today hahaha!"

"Nevertheless, you are amazing Lyon. This is the first time, wait, this is your first time doing alchemy right?" asked Princess Aelina in suspicion.

Lyon nodded, 'Of course, this is my first time, I mean look, even my soul flame is white."

Princess Aelina mused (That's right, his soul flame is white, the lowest grade of a soul flame. However, it was different. His soul flame blazed like an undying fire).

Patting Lyon's shoulder, Rowland smiled, "So, what does the blue pill do?"

He was trying to entice him in selling the level two grade pill to his store. With this, he would have an upper hand against other stores across Deo.

"I don't know," said Lyon nonchalantly as he lightly threw the pill to Rowland's hand.

"What?! What do you mean you don't know?! You are the one who made it!" asked Rowland frantically.

Lyon shrugged as he said, "It means that I don't know, maybe an appraiser can appraise its uses. Wait, there is an appraiser for pills right?"

"Yes there is, just call one uncle, I will pay for the service," said Princess Aelina.

"Yes my beautiful niece, I will call one right now!" said Rowland as he hurriedly disappeared from the spot.

Lyon looked at the beautiful young noble and smiled before saying, "You are a kind person Aelina."

The princess blushed as she couldn't help but look away from him.

"Thank you," said Princess Aelina under her breath.

The third floor only left both of them, a man and a woman. The princess couldn't help but having her heartbeat rapidly getting faster and faster. In the end, she was never in a room alone with a man before.

"Aelina, you should take days off from Luderia, things are about to get heavy in the next few days. With your status, I know it will impact your safety and family since the elections are coming soon," said Lyon in a concern.

His words couldn't help but made her put a wry smile. She found it even harder to confess her identity to him.

She shook her head before saying, "Sorry Lyon but I can't."

She took a few steps away from him and continued while facing the ceiling, "You know... if things were different, I would really like to experience traveling the world, not just Deo but everywhere, however, reality doesn't allow that."

.

.

.

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"Hahaaha!"

She turned back to see Lyon was laughing wholeheartedly. Her face was undeniably confused at his reaction.

After having his fill, he took a deep breath before facing the dumbfounded princess. "Reality does not allow you? That's a really good joke."

Princess Aelina furrowed her eyebrows in annoyance.

"You mean 'you', does not allow yourself!" said Lyon as his eyes turned sharp while pointing at her face. His deep eyes seemed to contain the universe's secret and his captivating determination couldn't help but sway the hearts of the listeners.

The princess's eyes slowly opened wide as she continued to listen.

"Reality has nothing to do with this, you are the one that's holding yourself back! Who told you to not do the things you want? It doesn't take a genius like me to understand the heavy responsibility of a nobility,"

"You are a woman of status, surely people had high expectations of you. Growing up you worked hard to not fail their expectations, groomed to be the perfect noblewoman.

You are too kind Aelina, you work so hard that you forgot that you too have a life to live."

Her eyes slowly turned red as she heard what he said. A budding liquid slowly formed on the edge of her eyes before one fell a stream across her cheek.

She didn't have a talent as her siblings had, so she worked extra hard to not fall behind them. She trained twice as hard, she failed twice as much. (But for what?) thought the princess. She was to focus on chasing them that she forgot why she worked hard in the first place.

She never desired to be a ruler of Luderia in the first place, in fact, it never even crossed her mind. (He is right, it was a stupid reason, I just don't want to disappoint the people's expectations of me).

Suddenly, a thumb gently wiped her tears as a warmth hand held her beautiful face. (Look at you Lyon, you made a beauty cry) thought Lyon to himself.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things," said Lyon with regret.

"En-nn," replied Princess Aelina as she shook her head.

"Please don't be, you are just stating your point of view, there is nothing wrong with that, I'm not hurt or anything, I'm just disappointed at my self," said the princess with a smile.

"Ummm, you can let go of your hand now," continued the princess as she blushed away.

Lyon raised his eyebrows as he just realized his hand still gently placed on her cheek, he smiled wryly as he retracted it, "Sorry hahaha."

The princess looked at the laughing young man as she thought (What a unique person he is, a little bit mischief, but he is actually a caring person).

"Hahaha, anyway, I heard you have a sister? Or was it a little sister?" asked Lyon.

(Oh right, he is a huge pervert) thought Princess Aelina.