Emperor's Reckoning

Ayumu was about to approach the flying old man that burst through the metal gate. Anyone with half a brain knew that the Treas wouldn't make the gate to the castle out of some junk secondhand steel. The power that could destroy that must be devastating, however, she was more concerned about the one that could make Emperor Jin flew like that.

"Go..."

"Eh?"

Ayumu didn't even manage to reach the vicinity of his eyes before the latter raised his arm and shooed her away with a gesture. The 'old man' had his face swollen to the brim. Even the blood that came out from his broken nose had a dark hue. There was no telling how powerful the attack was but it certainly looked painful. Her face slightly shrunk as she saw the vessel under his skin popped. It seemed like there was internal bleeding somewhere.

"A-Are you sure?! Uncle, you don't look so good."

(No shit I don't look so good!) "Y-Yeah I'm fine, I think it would be best for you to confront her, she is probably at the... time of the month. Don't worry this kind of bruise is nothing compared to... err... nothing I guess, by the way, it's all up to you now!"

"Her? Oh...."

Something suddenly clicked in her head. She quickly realized the identity of the person that would dare to even take on Emperor Jin right in his face. She let out a sigh with a shaken head before turning around and left him with his shallow dignity. 

"Fusya?"

Not long after Ayumu went on, the ever trusty giant salamander that could move at high speed and carried a lot of weight effortlessly soon followed before stopping with its head slightly tilted. It looked at the old emperor whose face was swollen before approaching him slowly. 

The old man furrowed his eyebrows as he laid his back against one of the empty buildings. He grimaced as the giant salamander approached him like he was some sort of weird food. 

"What? Can't recognize me without my... wait a minute, where's the little girl?"

Fusya suddenly twitched a little bit before standing on its two legs, it stood towering before looking at the castle and went on its way without further ado. 

"Huh," the old man looked at the excited giant salamander that went on its way meanwhile...

"Guh!"

"Huh?"

The old man glance toward the incoming meek of a voice that was quite soft. He looked at the source before finding a certain tail waggle. Tuey was actually facing the ground with her figure laid flat. 

"Heh, looks like not even you could control the fella, huh?" chuckled the emperor with his swollen face.

"Ayumu? Is that you? My, come here, let me take a good look at you."

Even though Ayumu knew that she will meet the woman after entering the gate, she was always caught off guard by her greetings that were full of affection in her words. She was slightly agape before it turned into a smile. She tidied herself before she walked slowly toward the charming woman. However, before she greeted her formally her figure was suddenly in her embrace.

"My, you have grown big, you even cut your hair," she took a good look at Garuda's Daughter before pinching her cheeks, "c'mon smile, let me see that cute dimples."

"Aunty Val, please..." Ayumu's cheeks turned a red hue before she meekly smiled.

"Ah, there they are..."

"Aunty Pris, I need to see Empress Cecile for a second."

She slightly tilted her head before her lips pointed upward as she tapped the point of Ayumu's nose, "just call her big sister like you always do."

"B-but,"

"No but, don't worry about it, she won't get butthurt by you calling her like you used to before. After all, being called big sister would actually enliven her mood."

Ayumu could only smile wryly at the mature charming woman. However, the latter's face turned a bit sour before letting out a sigh.

"Sadly, I'm afraid she is occupied at this time... by the way..." the aunty raised her eyebrows twice before making a cheeky smile, "have you set your eyes on a man yet?"

"W-what? N-no, no of course not yet," she was clearly surprised by her sudden question but nevertheless, the latter won't let go.

"Oh c'mon, you can share your secret with me, don't worry, I won't tell your mother."

She could only smile wryly before she shook her head, "I'm sorry Aunty Pris, but I need to see Em... I mean big sister for a second."

"Hmm...?" she looked at the seriousness behind those eyes of hers. 

"Sadly, she is a bit occupied with a... matter. Do you mind telling me what's wrong? Maybe aunty can help you?"

The kind gesture was not out of the ordinary, she knew that even though the latter was born from a powerful family, she didn't act arrogantly nor coldly toward those that were close to her.

"Well... it's about my father."

"Oh...."

Her face turned to grimace as she heard the words from Ayumu's tightened lips. Her father had been terminally ill but the sign of death never came. As long as the latter kept breathing, she will not lose hope.

"I see, but what would Cecile do? You know she is not a physician or some sort right? I've been her mother her entire life and I never see her even approaching a single cauldron."

"Hmm.. well actually, who I wanted to meet was not her but her..."

"Hmm?"

Ayumu was fighting inside her soul. She still refused to believe that it happened. She had a hunch before where she was in the other plane with Lyon but to be able to see it in her own eyes still swayed her heart to believe that it was true. She could only guess what her Aunty Pris would react if she said the word.

"You are going to meet that young man she carried in her arms?"

Her eyes opened wide as she looked at the shaking head of the charming woman. She was surprised that Aunty Pris herself would say it instead of her. She knew Empress Cecile was bold, but she would have thought she was that bold. In the end, Ayumu nervously nodded.

"Hah...." the woman let out a sigh before her eyes turned serious, "is he a physician or some sort?"

"No, to be honest, I don't know, he said that he probably had a way to wake my father from his sleep. So..."

"Hmm... he is not using your excuse to his benefit now is he?" the tone was cold and stern but it was understandable from her point of view. She looked at Ayumu as a desperate little girl trying to save his father from unknown doom. The pride of Garuda was thick within her veins. However, she was still a little girl in her eyes at the end of the day. She might get used by other people after knowing how easy it was to lure the noble girl.

"I... don't know."

"Ow..."

She embraced herself once more and put her head on her shoulder. The pink-haired woman was on the brink of hopelessness. Walking on a thin rope that she didn't even know if the end of it was attached to something. She could fall at any time and be swallowed by her own darkness. Her Aunty Pris had offered massive help but the man in question was unaidable, the best alchemists that she knew of through both her husband and herself only shook her head.

"It's okay to cry Little Ayumu, it's okay to feel weak."

"Fusya?"

"Eh?"

The salamander had come inside the castle through the broken gate effortlessly. It was standing with its two feet as it looked at the two women who hugged each other.  Its deep black eyes were blinking as it tilted its head curiously. However, the smile that the pink salamander had never pose a threat to anyone.

"What...?"

"Wu?"

A little black wolf also tilted his head looking at the two. Aunty Pris was lost for word. What or where did they came from and why were they here? The questions in her head stayed in her head. There was no way that the animals themselves could answer it.

Ayumu finally noticed the awkward air before she turned around and saw the giant salamander which she outraced toward the castle from before.

"Wu!" the cute little howl of Fenrir caught their attention before, under that sudden change of atmosphere, the little black wolf entered the castle.

"EEeek! A rat!"

"Wu!"

"Eeek a dog!"

"Wuwu!"

"That's a wolf."

"Wu."

Fenrir nodded after one of the maids got it right however he soon realized that the maids were glaring at him instead of thinking that he was cute. Looks like his charm was still inadequate compare to his master. There was a hint of punishment intent behind those glaring eyes before the giant salamander joined the party.

"Fusya?"