44.3. The Emperor Within Me - Part 3

I don't feel that much different but at the same time everything is different. I'm not forcing myself to think human anymore and I'm not forcing myself to think as a common Celestial either. Every Celestial I meet on my way to the office I see as a precious subject I have to protect. Have to... but also want to. It's both an obligation and my genuine wish.

As I'm walking the corridors, I'm making eye contact with as many Celestials as I can and try to remember their faces. I feel concerned about every single one of them and my heart aches when I'm thinking about Celestials who are out there in hiding and possibly in danger.

With other races, it gets more complicated. I don't feel the same burning desire because they don't belong to me but I don't feel indifferent. Celestials are my utmost priority but I wish to protect all Draconians. As for humans, though... to be honest, the only human I really care about is Erik.

Unexpectedly, we encounter Dubois standing in front of a vending machine near Liana's office. His emotional state isn't stable today and he's irritated for some reason.

"Good morning," I greet him casually, curious for his reaction.

He flinches and his eyes widen when he looks at me. After yesterday, he finally learnt that he can't mess with me. He can hear that my tone is much firmer now and that I don't experience any discomfort when dealing with him anymore.

"Good morning, Your Majesty... Mr Anderle," he greets us both and even bows because that's what the protocol dictates.

"Trouble with the machine?" I tilt my head and notice that a chocolate bar he paid for got stuck. I decide that I'm feeling generous today even towards him and push the bar with my telekinesis. "You're welcome."

He opens his mouth to reply something but I'm already passing him. Erik smirks.

"The window is fixed, we can go to the main office," Miruel, who's the captain of today's shift, informs us. "Please, don't break another, Your Majesty."

"I won't," I assure her because I feel she's nervous about it. "My wings are still resting after yesterday's strain. But tomorrow... ehm... not sure about that."

"His Dominance is working on securing your flying sessions," she says. "He mentioned observatory drones."

It's a bit weird to hear Fefnir's official title but it's just a fragment of how I'd feel about it before. Everything clicked for me finally, it's how it should be. Funny that I was probably the last one to become fully Draconian mentally, especially considering that my physical transformation was the fastest.

I think it's because of me, Erik says, catching my thoughts I keep channelling to him upon touch. I was holding you back. I made you cling to humanity.

Even if it was true, I don't mind. I think I'll be a better ruler exactly because I have you by my side.

"Oh, Your Majesty, good that you're here," I'm apprehended by Taranah the moment we show up in Liana's office. He bows to me as if it's the most natural thing to do. "Can you look at this training plan and authorise it? And just a reminder that our training is today at four."

"Good morning to you too," I reply sarcastically but assure him that I certainly will.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?" Liana greets me enthusiastically but unlike Luviael and other people, she doesn't bother standing up to bow to me.

I'm really happy about it. I feel like the Emperor through and through now but that doesn't mean I require that kind of highly formal behaviour from my closest friends. Liana knows that, of course.

"Really well," I thank her. "Where's Fefnir and Emi?"

"Fefnir is working on the ways how to secure your flights and Emi is bonding with her pack," Liana says. "It's apparently super important to Clawfangs. As for today's agenda, we have a ton of things to take care of so let's start working on it right away. Switch."

"Hm?" I don't understand what she means until she stands up.

"I'm not taking your place, Liana, there's no reason to," I frown. "I'm quite happy with..."

But my Viceroy doesn't listen to me and ostentatiously sits behind the desk that used to be mine and which probably belonged to her human assistant. Was I too harsh towards her yesterday? I was just annoyed that she called me stupid but it seems that the side effect was that I also put her to her place. I didn't mean to.

Was I too strict with her? I ask Erik with worries.

I don't think so, she needed to hear that. Go rule, my Emperor, he kisses me and then claims the chair next to Liana.

I sit down reluctantly. Liana's desk is super spacious, real wood, with many drawers and built-in tech. I almost feel like I could rule the world from here. Well, maybe not the world but definitely a huge company. Is government a kind of company?

I look at the screen and sigh when I see a long list of tasks that await me. I decide to start with appointing our new officials which is something that I was supposed to authorise yesterday before I flew away. I hope that if I give more Celestials privileges to act in my stead, not everything will have to go through me and my workload will become lighter.

If you need help, just call me, Erik sends me his thought long-distance. I inconspicuously look at him and have to smile that he's mastered to act as if nothing extraordinary is happening. I also need to train my poker face. Being so playful, I hope that he's mostly recovered from the yesterday's shock. But I know that he didn't. He's just a good actor.

I go through the candidates and have to thank Luviael that she'd already filtered only the best ones. Still, how am I supposed to choose between people with such good qualifications? And will they come to AstraTech's skyscraper once I choose them?

It's rather funny and it's actually me who has the worst qualification with an unfinished degree that isn't useful at all. Not that it matters. Nothing matters when one is proclaimed to be the embodiment of Celestial magic.

"Luvi, can you arrange short interviews with the candidates?" I give a task to my adjutant. "We should talk to them before we choose."

"Of course, Your Majesty," she nods. "Should I put them into both your and Her Excellency's schedules?"

"Please," I say. I need Liana to be present.

I finally feel and think like the Celestial Emperor but it doesn't mean that I suddenly miraculously know everything. A Celestial character flaw is arrogance so I have to be wary. I've always had a problem with the opposite—lacking self-confidence—but that doesn't mean I can't develop arrogance gradually now that I don't suppress my nature anymore. I really don't want to.

At ten, we move to the main conference room. The Czech Prime Minister Bauerova is already waiting for us and she brought two ministers with her. One of them I do recognise, it's the Minister of the Interior Kovar I've met before. The other person is new to me.

"Your Majesty, this is Mrs Hanzelova, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs," Bauerova introduces her.

Mrs Hanzelova is a lady in her late forties but she's one of those people who could be ten years older and you wouldn't know. She's wearing an expensive business suit, her brown hair is tied into a perfect know and I feel from her that she's a practical person who doesn't beat around the bush.

"Your Majesty, Your Excellency," she bows to us.

Her expression doesn't show anything but I can tell she's glad that she doesn't have to shake our hands. She's scared of us. Minister Kovar is braver but, unlike Bauerova, he doesn't feel relaxed in our presence either. But they calm down a bit when they look at Erik. A perk of having a human boyfriend. Erik is an excellent mediator.

The meeting starts and I'm secretly communicating with Liana the whole time. We're supposed to discuss financial aid, work opportunities and security but I'm barely keeping with all those professional terms they throw at me. From time to time, I ask Liana aloud because I don't want to seem unnaturally knowledgeable. Erik is openly taking notes, bless him, I'll need to study those later.

The meeting ends at with a formal lunch. I finally manage to choose the right cutlery without Liana's hints and Erik is making sure that I finish everything on my plate. It's strange to eat in a presence of someone who is scared of you but I should get used to it. I don't know what scares them more—that I look so alien or the power I'm holding.

*****

"Ryuu? What is it?" Erik asks because I close my eyes when sipping my afternoon coffee. The Czech representation left so we can relax for a few minutes.

"Just checking everyone," I say and quickly scan the whole building with my telepathy.

I have to smile because I can feel the Clawfangs being totally euphoric that their Supreme Alpha is back. Close to Emi, I feel Brina and her partner. I open my eyes again and flinch because Erik is staring at me just a few centimetres in front of my face.

"W-what?"

"Don't do it in public," he forbids me. "You don't pay enough attention to your surrounding when your mind wanders like that."

"I wouldn't. It's only us here."

"Us," he clicks his tongue. "Not just the two of us, though."

He's right. While Liana offered to escort our guests out, we're still left with six guards and Ayala the maid. I don't find anything wrong with that anymore but Erik does.

"Don't mind them," I poke him, put away my coffee and since we're sitting on a sofa, I move to his lap. I want to kiss him but he catches my chin.

"In front of them?" he rolls his eyes.

"Don't mind them," I repeat and enclose us into my wings. "We have to use every possible opportunity."

With my wings blocking the view, he finally relaxes a bit and is willing to cuddle. But he's not particularly content with it. He longs for real privacy.

"Oh," I have to pull away when I feel strong irritated emotions all of a sudden.

They aren't dangerous and they belong to Draconians so I don't worry but something is definitely happening.

"Miruel," I open my wings and address the guard captain. "Two Dragonkin and three Earthborn are arguing. They should be somewhere around floor 22. They're becoming hostile towards each other. I guess they strongly disagreed on something. Racially different points of view."

"Understood, Your Majesty," Miruel steps closer, takes out her phone and calls the security. "Don't worry, we'll take care of it and calm them down. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."

"Thanks," I appreciate and want to return to cuddling my partner.

Erik's emotions flutter.

What is it? I ask softly.

It's still you but at the same time... I'm having the Celestial Emperor on my lap, he says and plays with my hair, saddened. In times like these, I truly realise the difference between us. The way you acted just now...

Just now? What do you mean? I blink.

Ryuu, you miraculously perceived a problem happening dozens of metres away from us and gave an order to resolve it as if it was nothing special, he explains.

Because it was nothing special, just a minor quarrel that could grow into something bigger if not stopped, I still don't understand what he's hinting at.

My beautiful angel, Erik shakes his head. You really have no idea how normal things work anymore, do you? Or maybe you never did. Have you even shown me everything? he asks bluntly all of a sudden and clutches my feathers. Have you ever shown me yourself fully? Or were you afraid that I wouldn't be able to take it?

Erik, I...

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid your break is over," Miruel interrupts us. I get tiny bit angry at her but she can't know that we're talking telepathically about such an important topic.

"There you go," Erik gently lifts me and put me on my feet. It comes to him as a painful realisation that overpowering me physically is the only advantage he has over me.

"Erik, I...," I repeat, this time aloud.

His phone vibrates. He takes it out of his pocket and glances at the screen. It'd be rude if only we didn't have to be available all the time and when every message can be of grave importance.

"Oh," his eyes widen. "It's not work, it's... my parents."

"That's also super important," I nudge him. "Are they okay?"

"They're texting me if we're free this Saturday afternoon," he says. "You know... to officially meet you."

"Riiiight," I smile. "I'm sure we have work because it's not like we have free weekends but I'll beg Luviael to clear our schedules for them."

"Thanks," he nods and writes them back to confirm the date.

I expected him to feel more joyful about me finally meeting his parents but somehow Erik isn't as excited as when they first proposed it. He doesn't want to admit it consciously even to himself but he's worried.

He's worried that his parents will be afraid of me.