Draconia Offline vol. 1

70.2. Newcomers - Part 2

When they leave, I check the rest of the list. Almost everyone will be arriving today, except for the Minister of Crafts and Fefnir who will arrive together in a few days. We decided and Deminas approved it that Fefnir should become the Minister of Defence and return to Europe after his short stay with the Patriarch.

As for the Minister of Labour, after very long consideration, we agreed that Rien would be a good candidate. Emi thinks the boy has potential and his family background and political education are a perfect combination. Besides, we desperately need at least one Clawfang in the government, so that all races are properly represented.

"You had some questions, Your Majesty?" Julia shows up just a few minutes after my request. "By the way, what's this?"

She points at a half-eaten sandwich next to my computer.

"I didn't send for you to scold me about my diet," I whine.

"But she's right, finish that, please," Gotrid nudges me.

I roll my eyes, but take the sandwich and resignedly bite into it.

"I wanted to ask you about the percentage of Draconia players who changed," I say between chewing. "It wasn't everyone, right?"

"Not by far," Julia shakes her head. "The scientists collected the data on players and created a pretty accurate statistic. It turns out a person would have to be playing Draconia for at least one year intensely and not stop playing until the Great Evolution started."

"So it rules out occasional players and people who stopped playing altogether," Gotrid ponders. "I guess that makes sense."

"We're not any closer to finding out how such a thing is even possible in the first place," Julia admits. "But, at least, we know the requirements now. Generally, people with longer gaming experience and higher immersion levels had the transformation quicker and are finding learning new abilities easier. But all Draconians have the potential to master all skills, it's just a matter of time and diligence."

"So Aefener with his 100% immersion level who was playing Draconia since its launch intensely every day would have the transformation quickest and abilities strongest," Gotrid summarises.

"Basically," Julia agrees. "Still, the study doesn't reveal what makes His Majesty the actual embodiment of magic because it's most probably not his immersion level alone."

"The fact that he's a telepath?" Gotrid tries.

"There are still many things we don't know," Julia sighs. "The research reveals the Great Evolution happened because a player's brain was convinced they were a different race, so it started to mutate one's DNA to match that mental image, but it's still thin ice. We don't know anything solid yet. Our current technology simply isn't advanced enough to cause something like this."

"Alien technology?" Gotrid suggests carefully because he's casually hinting that my father might be alien.

"I don't know, Royal Consort, but it's possible," Julia shrugs. "We'd know more if we could examine His Majesty before the Great Evolution. Now it's too late, I'm afraid. His Majesty's brain is still unique, but the rest of his body is purely Celestial."

"Ouch, w-wait a sec," I massage my temple.

"What is it, hon?" Gotrid clutches my hand and starts to panic a little.

"Strong disturbed emotions," I say and stand up. "Something must have happened, Clawfangs are in disarray."

"Your Majesty, you're not going there," Vermiel doesn't allow me. "Let Clawfangs sort their own business. Rien is there and should take care of it."