Draconia Offline vol. 1

55.3. Defining Moments - Part 3

"In a normal situation, I'd recommend Aefener should still rest today," Twyla is frowning. Liana asked the Earthborn rulers to check up on me in the morning but since I'm still pissed at Werden, only Twyla came.

"I'm quite fine," I insist and impatiently flutter my wings. "I need to stretch my wings anyway."

"Quite isn't totally fine," Erik disagrees.

"A minor headache is nothing new to me, I can work," I say confidently. "I'm used to it."

"Love, we don't want you being used to working with a headache," Gotrid caresses my feathers.

I blush when being addressed like that. Gotrid finally switched from my official title to my name and cute nicknames and since it's still very fresh from his mouth, it's making me embarrassed and moved. Also, I still haven't restored most of my mental blocks so I feel everybody's emotions much more sharply. Especially my lovers'.

"I'll rest properly after the conference. Maybe I can finally take some days off?" I look at Liana hopefully.

"Of course," she nods. "But, Aefener, are you really up to it? I won't force you this time, just tell me. I think we can manage a day without you."

"What if Takeda shows up again?" Gotrid worries. Erik briefed him about his findings immediately when we woke up.

"He won't," Liana is quite certain of that. "He must suspect that we know what he looks like and what he's capable of. And that we'll be protecting our Emperor from him."

"So can I go?" I stand up and wave at Ayala and Cien to dress me up. "You can't leave me here. As the Emperor, I'd go crazy knowing that you're discussing such important things without me."

"Okay, but I'll be checking up on you today," Twyla gives a condition. "You have to eat a lot and take a nap after lunch, is that understood? Gosh, you skipped dinner yesterday, didn't you? Again!"

"How do I take a nap at the conference?" I don't understand.

"Aefener, you're the Celestial Emperor, the organizers will fulfil your every whim," Liana says as if it should be obvious. "Just say that you're tired and ask for a private lounge for an hour. Your mana capacity is developing rapidly, remember? Let's just continue with our cover story."

We arrive at the hotel restaurant and the room grows unnaturally quiet the moment we show up. Everyone is craning their neck to take a better look at me. I guess I must have caused quite a scene, going down with a nosebleed. Emi and Deminas offered to lend me some of their guards in case I'm in danger from my presumed father but I refused. It would look too suspicious.

"Your Majesty, are you feeling well?" Elizabeth is the first person brave enough to approach us and address the elephant in the room.

"Much better, I was just fatigued," I try to sound easy-going. "My mana circuit was imbalanced, that's all. Sorry if I startled you, Celestials have delicate bodies and me especially."

"Oh, I'm so relieved. Could I steal your partner?" she asks innocently.

Hon, she might have some important information for us, Erik quickly sends me his thought. She helped me a ton yesterday.

What did she think she was helping you with?

Looking for your relatives in Japan so I was only half-lying. Don't worry, we can trust her, he assures me, kisses my hand and goes to sit with the Czech delegates. It doesn't look weird, he's just networking like everybody else.

"Your Majesty, Lord Gotrid," we're approached by two Thai delegates immediately after that. Elizabeth broke the ice. "Could we sit we you?"

"Of course, Mr Suwan, Mrs Nguyen," Gotrid answers. "My love, I've got to know these nice people yesterday, they want to thank you for sponsoring the Thai Draconian embassy."