63.2. A Breather Before the Storm - Part 2

"Ryuu," Erik touches my arm. "Are you listening?"

"Sorry, I wasn't," I admit and try to hide the fact that my eyes got teary.

The Prime Minister sent me a police file on my Grandma's murder this morning and as I was reading it, sadness overcame me again. I took a glimpse of the crime scene and just that made me nauseous because I recognised Grandma's kitchen in the photo... and bloodstains. I wasn't brave enough to see the body.

"Don't look at it," Erik forbids me and closes the file for me. "In fact, put someone else on the case. You're too sensitive about it still."

"You're right," I nod. "What were you saying?"

"Our lawyers need to know if you want to sell her apartment," he repeats.

"Her apartment?" I don't understand.

"You're her only inheritor so everything she owned belongs to you now," he explains patiently and hugs me in advance, sensing my mood deteriorating quickly.

"Sell it and use that money for one of our projects, I don't want it personally," I whisper and a tear drops down my cheek after all.

"Love, breakfast is ready in the dining room and...," Gotrid enters the lounge and becomes horrified when he sees me half-crying.

He hurries to me and embraces both me and Erik into his wings. In times like these, my two partners cease to be rivals and become allies. We stay like this, hidden from the eyes of my omnipresent guards, until my eyes dry.

*****

It was supposed to be just a regular health check-up so the worst I expected was to be yelled at about losing weight during the conference. I certainly didn't expect to arrive at Julia's infirmary and find the doctor, Noage and Liana waiting for me with dead serious expressions.

"Care to explain this?" Liana narrows her eyes and purses her lips at the same time which makes her look especially strict.

At first, I have no idea why she's holding one of my feathers. Was another one that was ripped from my wings by humans found? Then I realise I left one hidden in my wardrobe.

"They found it when remodelling the apartment and moving your stuff," Liana continues. "We're lucky our people have enough subtlety to keep their mouth shut when it comes to state secrets."

"So? Ryuu wanted to keep it," Erik doesn't understand the fuss whereas Gotrid gets the gist almost immediately and his eyes widen.

Erik doesn't understand because he can't feel it. The others missed it as well before because their senses were still developing and weren't as acute. But that's in the past now and any Celestial should be fully attuned to sensing even the slightest amount of mana from any source.

"I wanted to tell you but I forgot," I blurt out apologetically.

"When?" Liana clicks her tongue.

"E-eventually?" I gulp. "I wanted to experiment a bit but I never got to it. Too much work."

"Tell WHAT?" Erik demands, impatient at this point. He's always on edge when Draconian matters elude him.

"Apparently, our Emperor's feathers have the unique ability to store mana," Julia explains. "Moreover, even after they've been ripped off from him."

"They do?" Erik is shocked.

"Magical," Gotrid caresses my wings with awe. "Why can't we normally feel it?"

"Because His Majesty's mana is so enormous that it's impossible to distinguish mana from his mana circuit from mana stored in his feathers when they're still attached to the wings," Noage takes over. "That's our scientific explanation anyway, not that neither me or Dr Julia can feel it, sadly."

"We are you angry, Your Excellency? Do you expect anything less from our embodiment of magic?" Gotrid chuckles and doesn't stop petting me, mesmerised by the discovery.

"In that aspect, no," Liana admits. "But we promised no more secrets. We guard our Emperor fiercely but we still allow too many people to touch his wings. What if someone dares to rip his feathers again?"

"Oi!" I shudder just thinking about it.

"This could serve as a mana battery, Your Majesty, don't you realise?" Noage points out. "It could be a game changer when it comes to casting spells."

"I'm sure gems would prove much more practical than plucking my feathers," I puff.

"Gems!!!" Liana slaps her forehead. "We never asked Mrs Anya if that ring you enchanted for her worked."

"Right, let's contact Deminas later on, I'm also curious," I nod.

"How can you be so calm about all this?" Liana shakes her head and squeezes my feather between her fingers.

"I just said I'm also curious," I frown.

"He knew from the beginning it would work," Gotrid shrugs and there's a mischievous smile on his face. "Why are you still surprised by what our embodiment of magic does, Your Excellency?"

"Why indeed," she rolls her eyes.

"Hey, we don't know that until Mrs Anya confirms it," I oppose.

"Ehm," Julia coughs to clear her throat and to cut us off because we're just bickering at this point. "It seems we need a Celestial scientist as neither me nor Noage can sense mana. We can examine His Majesty's feather under a microscope but mana is still undetectable by current human technology."

"I hope there will be more than one with thousands of new Celestials coming from America and potentially the rest of the world," Liana says. "Ask Taranah for help in the meanwhile, he's more than eager to explore our magical possibilities and he's not busy with politics."

Julia's emotions flutter and she gets irritated when mentioning his name.

"Jul, is something the matter?" I ask.

She sighs. "I asked Taranah for help before but he was a prick about it."

"What?!" I'm confused. "Why?"

"You really didn't notice? Or did you subconsciously choose to ignore it?" Julia looks at me with pain in her eyes. "Your Majesty, not many Celestials treat humans as their equals. Taranah refused to work with me because he didn't receive an order from you and voluntarily he wouldn't spend more time with a human than he has to. Erik is a rare exception, Celestials accept him because they see he makes you happy."

I stare at her and anger mixed with disappointment starts to build within me. Was I really that blind? For a telepath, I'm sometimes so slow. Or do I choose not to see things I don't like about my own race as Julia indicated just now? She might be right. Dammit. How could I overlook something huge like this?

"Erik? How do you see it?" I'm almost afraid to ask.

"Ehm," he bites his lip. "Your subjects are very courteous towards me so I wouldn't know first-hand but I suspect they don't treat other humans the same as me. I'm not saying they would ever refuse to rescue humans in case of another monster attack but I'm afraid they're gradually starting to see humanity as inferior."

"Li?" I turn to my Viceroy to make sure. "Do you see humans as inferior?"

"Well, strictly speaking in terms of skills, longevity and...," she says and doesn't have to finish that sentence.

"Unbelievable," I shake my head at both the revelation and my total ignorance.

"That's why we're so glad you're our Emperor," Liana adds hastily. "We're well aware of our tendencies, don't you think we aren't. Heck, if I have to be totally honest, we even have a tendency so see other Draconian races as inferior. Superiority complex and hubris is our main racial flaw after all. But we don't have to succumb to our tragic flaw and are super lucky that we have such a kind Emperor."

"Gotrid?" I look at my second partner, hoping his answer won't break me. "Do you see Erik as...?"

"No," he says firmly. "Not after you connected all three of us anyway. I see him the same way you see him, my love. But that only applies to Erik I'm afraid. I have nothing against humans in general, honestly, I do wish to protect the innocent, but I would be lying if I claimed that I see them as equal to us. Because they aren't."

I'm left speechless and find myself hugging Erik. I'm glad that at least he is treated fairly by my subjects but I'm still crushed about this unfortunate discovery. I want to see humans and Draconians cooperate, live in peace side by side and coexist. I don't wish for Celestials to strive for the world dominance.

"Do you see it now? It's not only about you being the embodiment of magic," Liana speaks because I stay silent. "We also value your kindness. Humans might be afraid of you but even they realise that you're the sole guarantor of fragile peace between our races."

"So that's resolved, let me work now," Julia claps her hands because I don't feel like replying anyway. "His Majesty's thorough medical check-up after the conference is in order."

I was dreading it but, fortunately, it's not that horrible with Noage doing it. Since Erik weighted me already, I don't have to undress and all Noage has to do is unroll my sleeve and connect his rooty tentacles to my forearm.

"Ehm... you have to let me in, Your Majesty," Noage comments, surprised that he can't connect to me.

"Oh, right! Sorry, I'm on guard since the conference," I realise I put on a block subconsciously. I don't block outer emotions anymore but I created a shield against intrusions.

"You can prevent an Earthborn from connecting to you? That's new!" Julia takes a note and looks excited about it. "Her Excellency told me everything about your telepathy level-up but she omitted this detail."

"I didn't know," Liana sighs that there's more she had no idea about. But she knows that I just forgot to mention it.

"So?" Gotrid hurries Noage because the Earthborn doctor doesn't open his eyes for several minutes.

"His Majesty is healthy but he's being strained too often and doesn't eat enough," Noage concludes. "But I think you already know that. Why aren't you doing something about it then? When did you finish work yesterday?"

"Ehm... half past nine," Gotrid admits. "There was an emergency, another attack. I'm sure you heard."

"We're well aware that we're straining him," Erik starts massaging my neck. "But what can we do? Everybody's working super hard, the situation didn't calm down much ever since the Great Evolution started."

"Her Excellency promised a regular day off once a week," Gotrid says quickly in order not to anger the doctors.

"And can she actually unsure His Majesty will get it?" Julia raises her eyebrows and looks at Liana accusingly. "Actually, it was me who insisted you rest after your return to recover from jet lag. Yet, you ended up working anyway."

"There was an emergency," Liana repeats.

"Jul, Erik is right—everybody's working super hard and that doesn't exclude me only because I'm the Emperor," I pull her sleeve.

"Everyone should get proper rest and nutrition but I'm so adamant about Your Majesty especially because you're the Emperor AND a telepath," Julia insists. "You're making decisions that affect global politics which is something not to be taken lightly so your mind needs to be clear. Also, don't get me started on how Celestials freak out every time something happens to you."

"What do you propose then?" Liana folds her hands resignedly. "I want to give our Emperor more free time but most things can't be resolved without him."

"Be flexible about it then," Julia suggests. "Don't insist on one specific day of the week but release him whenever there's opportunity. You should be dividing work between more Celestials anyway, His Majesty's can't be expected to do everything."

"We've named most ministers already," Liana assures her. "They're on their way from various corners of the world. It takes longer because they're relocating with their possessions, often bringing family and friends. We should have a fully functional government by the end of the month and transfer some of Aefener's responsibilities to appointed officials."

"Good, until then, try not to overwork His Majesty to collapsing," Julia nods in agreement. "The same applies to you as well, Your Excellency."

"I don't have a demanding telepathic brain, I can work just fine," she waves her hand.

"You still have a fragile Celestial body," Julia reminds her impatiently. "You hired me to keep all of you healthy so don't disregard my advice, please."

"She's headstrong, I like her," Gotrid suddenly laughs, breaking the tense atmosphere. "A human berating the Emperor and the Viceroy at the same time, Dr Julia is just priceless."

"She is," Liana concedes. "Sorry, doctor, you're right and I'll do my best to follow your advice."

Noage releases his rooty tentacles and looks at Julia with admiration. I feel from him that he enjoys working with her. That's good, we desperately need more Draconians like him.