Draconia Offline vol. 1

40.2. Restless - Part 2

"No, it's this little fork," Liana lightly slaps my hand and sighs. "How come magic comes so naturally to you but you can't remember a few pieces of cutlery?"

"That's not a few," I cry over my lunch. A highly formal lunch with the Prime Minister. Bauerova is watching us, amused. Liana wouldn't be teaching me table manners in front of other state officials but it seems she does consider the Czech Prime Minister to be her friend even if she doesn't admit it openly.

"This should make it easier," Erik passes me his phone with a diagram picture of the formal dinnerware setting.

My chin drops. This is easier? What the hell is an oyster fork? Celestials can't even eat seafood to begin with. And a butter knife? I don't see any butter in front of me.

I look at our newbie, Rien, who is sitting just two seats away from me. He's skilfully cutting his steak with the right tool and has a napkin on his lap. At first, I feel envious because he looks so good at it but then I realise that he feels anything but that. His clawed hands are too big for that tiny cutlery, he's forcing himself to nibble salad and doesn't feel happy at all.

"This isn't natural for Clawfangs," I mumble.

"Hm?" Bauerova looks up from her plate.

Oh, I didn't mean for her to hear me. But then I decide to say it properly because I get upset that Rien is struggling against his Clawfang nature just to please his aunt and meet certain rigid expectations.

"At least don't force him to eat salat, you're torturing him," I say aloud.

"Rien, is it that unpleasant?" Bauerova asks, startled. It seems she didn't realise.

He twitches his whiskers and hesitantly nods.

"I'm sorry," she apologises readily. "I thought you just prefer meat now, not that you started to hate all vegetables."

"We should act more according to our natures," Fefnir approves and doesn't bother with anything besides his own giant steak and some chips that used to be potatoes ages ago so he doesn't mind.

"Which has nothing to do with our Emperor refusing to learn proper table manners," Liana resumes her lesson.

Celestials like acting all dignified, hm? Erik comments, sending me his thought distantly. Clawfangs might get away with bad manners but not you.

More or less, I answer and resist sighing.

It's so strange. I don't struggle with my Celestial nature anymore and I'm gradually starting to feel as the Emperor but it doesn't make things any easier. Endless meetings, formal lunches, making decisions that can influence the whole world... this new reality scares me.

"No telekinesis at the table," Liana clicks her tongue when she notices I'm trying to get a bowl of fried onion that's too far from me using levitation. "You either politely ask someone to pass you things or tell your servants."

"To be honest, I don't like formal eating either," Bauerova winks at me, trying to ease my pain and awkwardness. "Don't believe that's what the rich and royalty do all the time, Your Majesty. It's for appearances only. Most of the time I just get takeaway and eat it in front of my computer or on my sofa watching TV shows just as any other normal person."

I smile at her, grateful for that calming remark, and relax a little. Right, Liana is teaching me for representative purposes only, it's not like I'll be doing it every day.

After lunch, we form those work groups Bennett was talking about earlier. Me, Luvi, Erik, Rien and Ms Ortega make one group that's supposed to discuss social and cultural differences of new races while Liana, Fefnir, Ingri, Bauerova and Dubois make another that will focus on security. We take a smaller briefing room and connect to delegates that were assigned to us. I'm pleasantly surprised that Twyla and Werden also participate. So Deminas will be with Liana I assume?