Draconia Offline vol. 2

78.1. Japan Here We Come - Part 1

"Ryuu..."

I don't want to wake up. I can't believe it's morning already because I still feel like sleeping for three more hours. We had so much work yesterday, so many things we had to finish no matter what before—

"Love, wake up!" Erik tickles me under my feathers because I ignored him completely the first time.

I unwillingly open my eyes, disoriented for a moment because I don't recognise my surroundings and my back is a bit stiff.

"Didn't you say that you're too anxious to fall asleep during the flight?" Erik teases me. "Your ability to fall asleep anywhere and anytime never ceases to amaze us."

"We're landing in twenty minutes and the maids need some time to make you presentable," Gotrid jokes and he caresses my ruffled bed hair.

"Landing...," I yawn and in that very second my drowsiness finally wears off. "WE'RE HERE ALREADY?!"

I hurry to the window and look outside. We're not above the sea anymore, Japan is stretching below us. I hardly remember my childhood in Japan, but that view still moves me somehow. My homeland.

"Your Majesty, we don't have much time," Ayala and Cien kidnap me for a makeover session because my current robe is crumpled from the long flight.

"How am I supposed to fly in it?" I protest because I see them holding brand-new ceremonial attire.

"Carefully," Cien shrugs and starts to put on me layer after layer. In times like these, I'm really grateful that I don't need to pee anymore.

"At least tie my hair," I plead.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but we won't have any time to change you later," Ayama says apologetically and braids my hair. "The Prime Minister will be waiting for you at the airport to officially welcome you and the biggest Japanese media agencies will be present as well. You have to look gorgeous."

"Doesn't he already?" Gotrid sends me an air kiss while Cien is helping him with dressing up as well.

I see Erik change his shirt and take out a new jacket, but he's done quickly. If anything, human fashion is definitely more practical.

"I hope you slept well because we're not hitting the bed anytime soon," Liana appears in our cubicle, perfectly dressed already. "It's only eleven in the morning here and we're having lunch with the Prime Minister in an hour."

"Ryuuto might be the only person on the plane who actually managed to take a nap," Erik smirks. "Everyone else was too nervous to doze off even for a minute."

"I'm nervous as well," I set the record straight. "It's just... my brain is always so overwhelmed that it happily takes every opportunity to shut down."

"We know, hon, we're just teasing you," Erik winks at me and, because Ayala is done with me, she takes a moment to style Erik's hair.

"So, it will go like this," Liana starts explaining. "The Prime Minister will welcome us at the airport, but we shouldn't spend too much time on it, it's just necessary politeness. We're meeting him properly at lunch. The Japanese Royal Guard will escort us to the estate while Erik rides with Ichikawa."

"Time for some quality bonding," Erik tries to joke, but I can tell he's very nervous about it.

He might be used to politics by now, but he doesn't know proper Japanese manners that well. He did want to spend some time and prepare in advance, but Liana decided it won't be necessary. He's the Royal Consort and thus represents Celestials. And Celestials bow to no one but their Emperor even if it's just symbolic and out of politeness.