Draconia Offline vol. 1

15.3. Roots, Fur, Scales and Feather - Part 3

We took our time because comforting me somehow developed into cuddling so when we return to the study, we find everyone hard at work. Ingri gives me a thumb-up when seeing my new haircut.

"You look totally Celestial now," she comments.

"I... somehow I had a sudden urge to cut it," I say.

"Everything's okay, Erik?" Liana looks up from her computer and analyses my new haircut for a few seconds. Then she nods in an approval.

Oh, I totally forgot to ask him about that work phone call! I was selfish again and focused only on my problems. But Erik clutches my hand, silently telling me that it's okay.

"It was very unpleasant," he sits down on the sofa heavily and grunts. I sit next to him. "They were asking me what my intentions are... whether I plan to return... telling me that being that famous might interfere with my work if I do return... They basically proposed I leave voluntarily."

I open my mouth and stare. Erik might lose his job because of me? B-but...

Not because of YOU, he's almost screaming in his thoughts. Because of my prejudiced superiors. And it was my decision to publicly appear by your side, never forget that.

"No problem, I can employ you and offer you much better salary I bet," Liana says nonchalantly.

"You need a helicopter pilot?" Erik is genuinely surprised.

"Nope, I already have one," she shakes her head. "I'll employ you as my spokesperson. As one of the benefits, you can borrow my helicopter from time to time. You became a pilot because you love flying, right? I don't want to rob you of that but at the same time I desperately need you. All Draconians need you."

"Okay," Erik answers without any hesitation.

"Y-you really okay with it?" I gasp. "You love your job!"

"I love helping people and flying," he corrects me. "And Laura Richter offers me a job where I can do both for a much better salary while staying with my boyfriend. A dream come true."

"Great, my HR will prepare a contract for you," Liana grins victoriously. "To be honest, I wanted to offer it to you whether they fire you from your current work or not. This makes it much easier."

"Will you employ the rest of us as well?" Fefnir is hopeful. "I can't exactly go back to school and my part-time job either."

"Sure, sure," she nods. "I need you with me. Forget about mundane jobs, we'll work for our people. There's no more important work right now."

"Sweet, even me?" Ingri beams.

"Even you, hon," Liana confirms. "Sorry I took you only for a naïve lolita girl I have to take care of at first. Your work with social media is excellent and I need an assistant I can trust and who is a Draconian. But you still need to take online classes, okay? Your parents would be angry at me if you dropped out of high school."

"What about my school?" I realise I still haven't read those emails.

"I'm afraid you have to discontinue your studies for a while, Aefener," Liana sighs. "You'll have much more work than Ingri."

"B-but... my scholarship...," I lose my voice.

"I'm going to pay you much more, don't worry about money," she waves her hand and suddenly freezes with a sudden thought. "Aefener, did you check your bank account recently?"

"Hm? No, why?"

Liana performs an exemplary face palm.

"You still have your donations running, don't you?" she asks.

"Y-yeah," I answer slowly. "But I don't stream anymore."

"We've been sooo oblivious," Erik laughs excitedly. "Love, check your account immediately."

I frown but do as they say. I expect next to nothing because I usually monetise my gaming videos, detailed walkthroughs or merchandise which are things I couldn't do since it all started. So you can imagine my surprise when I open my donations account to find an unbelievable number.

"E-Erik," my voice cracks, "am I seeing right?"

"Damn, Ryuu," Erik is speechless.

Ingri, Fefnir and Liana jump to me to see the number for themselves. Liana shrugs, commenting it's petty money to her but Fefnir and Ingri are left speechless as well.

"Never underestimate internet fame, Aefener," my viceroy shrugs. "Draconians and people who aren't against us want to support you. They know what we're trying to do."

"I... I can pay off my debt," I realise and can't believe it.

"Sorry to intrude but what kind of debt is it anyway? You mentioned you have some financial issues once," Liana asks carefully.

"Debts from my late Mom," I decide it's okay to tell them now. "From some project of hers that went bankrupt."

"What kind of company transfers a debt to a little kid?" Ingri frowns.

"The kind of company that lends money to the terminally ill," I say weakly. "I don't know the details, I was four back then. She might have thought the research will help cure her tumour."

"Why would anyone think that?" Fefnir is confused.

"Why would anyone think that VR can mess with our brains to such an extent that it changes our bodies completely?" I shrug. "Compared to the radical change of our DNA, curing tumour seems like nothing."

"And we're back to the big topic," Erik coughs. "How is your transformation even possible in the first place and who would want such a thing? Why? For what purpose?"

And does it relate to your telepathy? It can't be a coincidence. I bet your mother was experimenting with VR long before you were even born, he adds in his thoughts. She might have messed up her own brain and transferred it to you when she got pregnant.

What a scary thought.

"The developers claimed to know nothing and now they're missing," Fefnir scratches his scaly chin. "I tried contacting them again and again but there's only the usual low-tier customer support that's pretty much useless now that Draconia Online is out of service permanently."

We discuss things for a full hour but we can't really conclude anything. Liana, practical as she is, finishes the topic by saying: "We'll find out sooner or later anyway. Now we have more pressing matters like looking for missing friends, organising Draconians and making sure our humans rights still apply."

I take a look at the 3D projector that is constantly broadcasting news with turned off sound. Some researcher has named the event the Great Evolution and the term is trending.

"How fitting," Erik points to the title below the reporter. "They call it the age of roots, fur, scales and feather."

The Great Evolution... the century when four new races mystically started appearing on the Earth literally overnight, each one of them so different from humans. What does it all mean? Is it a spontaneous evolution because our brains got used to VR too much or someone's manipulation?

I'm safe in Liana's mansion, yet I find myself trembling. Part of it is that I'm feeling cold, the other half is fear. I look around and calm down a bit. I have my friends, I'm not alone in this. Their minds are soothing, familiar. And I have Erik which is more than I deserve.

I breathe in deeply but the moment my body relaxes, my mind somehow stretches and suddenly I feel everyone in the mansion and even on the premises. Twenty... thirty... forty-seven humans.

My head spins and I throw up.