Draconia Offline vol. 2

90.3. Finally Face to Face - Part 3

I freeze, horrified. Did I... do that? B-but... I never wanted to hurt anyone, I just wanted to peak a little—make sure that their intentions were true. I can't hurt anyone through telepathy, can I? I don't know how! I don't want to!

"This just proves how desperately you need proper telepathic training," my father comments bitterly. "Actually, I'm amazed that you've never accidentally hurt anyone before."

I clutch Erik's and Gotrid's hands under the table. Of course, I haven't. The very idea of using telepathy as a weapon is downright disgusting to me. I love using telepathy to connect to my partners and it's also handy when commanding my subjects, but that's where I draw the line.

"P-please, here!" Liana tries to save the situation by passing the Divementis a box of tissues. "I'm sure our Emperor didn't do it on purpose."

"I... I'm sorry," I apologise, shaken by what happened.

I want to keep a stiff upper lip and act as the Emperor I am, but I can't deny what I've just done. I hurt these Divementis because I forced entry. I... invaded their minds. Frankly, I feel disgusted with myself right now.

Humans and Draconians are like open books to me so I'm just effortlessly picking up whatever is leaking out, but the Divementis seem to work fundamentally differently. I'm almost sure there's no telepathic or emphatic noise among them. Maybe it's even considered rude to bother others with one's constant thoughts.

"Your Majesty, it's okay," the Divementis next to my father says softly, quickly wiping their bleeding nose into the offered tissues. "We needed direct proof that His Highness indeed inherited the royal bloodline and we got the best proof we could possibly get just now."

"Still, this is a diplomatic negotiation and my son breached your privacy," my father purses his lips. "I needed to discipline him."

I stop feeling guilty in an instant and frown when my Emperor's pride is offended. Discipline me? What gives him the right to suddenly act all fatherly towards me? I might be his son, but my rank isn't any lower than his. We're both Emperors, sovereigns of two distinct and proud nations.

"Let's try again, please," the Divementis who spoke earlier pleads and puts a hand on my father's shoulder.

Wait, are they close or something?! It wouldn't be weird if my father found another lover because it's been more than twenty years since my mother died, but didn't he vehemently claim that my Mom was the only person he had ever loved?

"Unfortunately, the Crown Prince didn't grow up among his kind so he doesn't know what he should and shouldn't do," that Divementis actually defends me. "He pushed entry out of pure ignorance, not intentionally. Moreover, it was so easy from his perspective that it didn't occur to him that he could be hurting us. What better proof of his royal bloodline could we get?"

My father finally calms down. Whoever that Divementis is, it must be someone he respects and is willing to listen to. Moreover, it seems that he's more than content that his companion openly called me the Crown Prince. As for me, I don't know what to think about it. Is it a good thing or bad?

"Your Highness... I mean, Your Majesty," the Divementis rather decides to go for my Celestial title, "allow me to introduce myself. My name is Erevan Thalion Kaelen Nyx Draven, but feel free to call me Nyx. I'm the Chancellor of Defence."

Is that Divementis a man or a woman? Damn, I can't tell, I hear Erik lamenting in his mind.

When Nyx's mouth slightly twitches into a faint smile, I'm pretty sure that she could hear Erik crystal clear just now. I might be shielding my Consorts and subjects from their telepathic influence, but it seems I'm not able to block their strong thoughts from pouring out.

"The Divementis have little need to distinguish between genders from the linguistic point of view, but since we're using English, you can call me 'she'," Nyx sets the record straight.

Erik turns red, realising that Nyx could hear him. I feel Liana get even tenser. Nyx played it well indeed. She was amicable while clearly stating that my companions are still hopelessly exposed even under my protection.

My father then introduces the rest of his companions. Five of them are here as his bodyguards, but he also took four of the highest-ranking Divementis with him. They all have impossibly long names but benevolently offer their shortened versions.

Sythara, the male Divementis sitting to my father's left with a rather stern look, turns out to be the Chancellor of Science. Since my father positioned someone like him right next to his left hand, I conclude that the Divementis must really value science. I'm happy for that. It's nice to discover that we have something in common, even though our magical technology is fundamentally different and unlike anything humans or even other Draconians understand under the term science.

Solarae, another female Divementis sitting next to Sythara, is the Chancellor of Trade and Resources. I guess she's the person who manages the Divementis finances and takes care of business relationships with humans. I wonder what kind of fairytale-like funds the Divementis possess.

The last person my father introduces is Zalvial, a male Divementis sitting next to Nyx. I'm surprised to hear that he's not a chancellor but the lead developer of nothing smaller than Draconia Online! Did he know my mother well? I bet they must have been cooperating closely when she was still working for Nebula. I hope to have a serious chat with him later on.

"Now then, we have two main issues to discuss today," my father clears his throat. "Firstly, I'd like to officially ask for your cooperation with the monster invasion. I assure you that we're not the cause of it and that we're trying to stop it with everything we have. We're prepared to fully cooperate with you and answer all your questions regarding the Great Evolution."

I nod slightly, barely hiding my eagerness. Finally, we'll get the answers we so desperately crave. Finally, this mystery will be solved and we will be able to find our place in all of this.

"Secondly," my father continues and looks straight at me, "I'm officially asserting a claim to my son. No, to be more precise, the Divementis are officially asserting a claim to their Crown Prince."