Draconia Offline vol. 1

43.2. Consequences - Part 2

"Our Emperor was attacked by humans without any kind of provocation," Liana hisses through her teeth.

"Mob mentality, nothing else," Delgado opposes. "Any normal person would go crazy is they saw the Celestial Emperor loitering in a park. What were you even thinking letting him out, Miss Richter?"

My wrath gets stronger again, I can't believe my ears. Did he just call Liana by her human name even though he must know how it triggers Draconians? And did he just address her instead of me? I focus on my friends' emotions as every single one of them gets gravely offended. I sense catastrophe.

"Mr President," Bennett interferes, sensing imminent danger as well. He might not be on our side but he's at least trying to keep things peaceful. "I have to remind you that Draconian races have been acknowledged as nations and their forming governments are official now. We have to use their preferred names and titles."

"My bad, it's still very fresh to me," Delgado apologises but not with much sincerity.

"Are you blaming the victim, Mr President?" I ask coldly, barely keeping my Celestial wrath in check.

My friends shiver. Was my tone too harsh? Or did I release some of my mana accidentally? The room does feel colder.

Delgado is studying me. It seems hard for him to accept me as his equal because I used to be just a student who was earning money by gaming. But he can't find anything from my old self in my new appearance. I must seem totally alien to him and that unnerves him because he can't read me.

"His Majesty is right," Myren Duke, the UN Secretary-General, coughs. "Maybe he shouldn't have appeared in front of humans but it would be an exemplary victim blaming if that's your main argument, Mr President."

Delago frowns. He still wants to put all the blame on me but if he did, he would come out as a bigoted dinosaur despite his young age.

"I agree," Bennett surprisingly seconds. "Still, His Majesty seriously needs to be more careful from now on and be mindful of his behaviour. While there're four more race rulers, he's the face of Draconia whether he likes it or not. And the fact that he looks so divine isn't helping."

There's nothing wrong with the utterance itself, it seems like Bennett is trying to help us a bit, but the way he's saying it makes me mad. He's not even addressing me directly—his speech belongs to Liana whom he considers to be my caretaker.

My remaining hesitation disappears instantly. It's not like he hurt my ego, I don't care about something petty like that, but because he thinks that if I'm politically weak, the whole Celestial race can be manipulated.

I simply can't have that. I have to protect my people and if it means becoming sharper, so be it. The weight of responsibility is overwhelming but I feel strangely excited at the same time. I'm the Celestial Emperor and I finally feel like one now. It is how it should be.

Aefener, don't say anything stupid that you won't be able to take back! Liana screams in her head, startled, because she feels my emotional state through our connection.

I keep eyeing the EU President but, in reality, I pay more attention to Liana now. She's my trusted Viceroy. I love her immensely and I'm endlessly grateful for taking care of me and Erik but she's overstepped the boundary just now.

Don't call me stupid, Liana, it's unbecoming towards your Emperor, I say plainly on purpose.

I don't even send any dark emotion to her but she flinches so wildly that it makes everyone notice her weird behaviour. Hopefully, they won't make anything out of it.

"Mr Bennett," I address the EU President coldly, "I'm sure you're brave enough to talk to me directly. Liana is indeed my Viceroy but if you studied Celestial lore, you must now that she's simply my most trusted advisor. She's authorised to take care of things in my absence but when I'm present, you talk to me."