Draconia Offline vol. 2

87.3. Enough - Part 3

The atmosphere in the mansion hasn't become any more relaxed while I was napping and everyone is extremely nervous around me. The maids and the guards keep their expressions strictly professional, but their movements are mechanical and they are afraid to meet my eyes.

The Celestials I encounter on my way to the throne room are bowing to me a bit too deeply and the usual excited chatter is gone entirely. It seems that the final realisation that their embodiment of magic isn't purely Celestial hit them hard. The Emperor is considered to be magic itself so they're used to me doing miraculous stuff, but they tasted a full salve of my alien part. I hope that they will recover quickly because their current emotional state is suffocating.

They will come over it eventually, Gotrid and Erik keep assuring me. In the end, I'm glad that I have them by my side and didn't leave them in our apartment. Despite always being surrounded by dozens of people, it's not the same as being in the company of my beloved. Not even the maids come close to the comfort they provide me with their mere presence.

"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence arrived five minutes ago," Luviael announces when I sit on the throne and she's also afraid to meet my eyes. She keeps staring into her tablet. "Her Excellency went to fetch them."

"Thank you, Luvi," I appreciate and look at the Celestials standing by the sides of the hall. Everyone is fluttering their wings nervously, but otherwise, they stay absolutely quiet. "I would like to talk to the Japanese representatives in private. I'm afraid that they won't open up easily with too many Celestials present."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Gavreel obeys even though I can tell that he would like to oppose that. Still, with so many guards staying with me no matter what, he can't say that I'm not properly guarded.

I'm surprised to see that the Japanese delegation consists of only two people this time—the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence. And they are both as tense as it gets. Whatever they are about to reveal to me, it's definitely no small matter.

Naturally, Liana arrives with them as well and I study her emotional state. She looks into my eyes confidently and a bit defiantly, but I'm actually glad for that. The Viceroy, of all people, should be someone who isn't afraid to give me honest feedback if need be. I can't have her be afraid of me.

Do you feel strong enough, Your Majesty? Did you manage to get some rest? she asks in her thoughts, knowing that I can hear her if she focuses on it.

I did, I assure her. Please, don't worry, I feel much better.

It's my job to worry about Your Majesty's health, she retorts slightly.

I know, Li, but I'm fine, I reassure her. There's a huge difference between me being unable to rule and just being temporarily weakened. You need to learn how to distinguish between those two and let me do my job when it's the latter case.

That's hard to do when my Celestial instincts panic in both cases, she pouts but shows the ministers where to sit without letting nothing show on her face.

"Your Majesty, are you okay? What happened?" the Prime Minister Ichikawa asks with genuine concern. "You fainted during the battle without any apparent cause and shocked the whole world."

"I was trying out a new spell," I quickly come up with a cover story. "I thought that I could close the rift before more monsters came through. Unfortunately, I overestimated my current strength, channelled too much mana and fainted as a result."

"Oh, so that's what happened?" he's visibly relieved. "But it is really possible? Closing rifts with Celestial magic?"

"That remains to be seen," I shrug. "However, that's not what you came here to discuss today."