70.2. Newcomers - Part 2

When they leave, I check the rest of the list. Almost everyone will be arriving today, except for the Minister of Crafts and Fefnir who will arrive together in a few days. We decided and Deminas approved it that Fefnir should become the Minister of Defence and return to Europe after his short stay with the Patriarch.

As for the Minister of Labour, after very long consideration, we agreed that Rien would be a good candidate. Emi thinks the boy has potential and his family background and political education are a perfect combination. Besides, we desperately need at least one Clawfang in the government, so that all races are properly represented.

"You had some questions, Your Majesty?" Julia shows up just a few minutes after my request. "By the way, what's this?"

She points at a half-eaten sandwich next to my computer.

"I didn't send for you to scold me about my diet," I whine.

"But she's right, finish that, please," Gotrid nudges me.

I roll my eyes, but take the sandwich and resignedly bite into it.

"I wanted to ask you about the percentage of Draconia players who changed," I say between chewing. "It wasn't everyone, right?"

"Not by far," Julia shakes her head. "The scientists collected the data on players and created a pretty accurate statistic. It turns out a person would have to be playing Draconia for at least one year intensely and not stop playing until the Great Evolution started."

"So it rules out occasional players and people who stopped playing altogether," Gotrid ponders. "I guess that makes sense."

"We're not any closer to finding out how such a thing is even possible in the first place," Julia admits. "But, at least, we know the requirements now. Generally, people with longer gaming experience and higher immersion levels had the transformation quicker and are finding learning new abilities easier. But all Draconians have the potential to master all skills, it's just a matter of time and diligence."

"So Aefener with his 100% immersion level who was playing Draconia since its launch intensely every day would have the transformation quickest and abilities strongest," Gotrid summarises.

"Basically," Julia agrees. "Still, the study doesn't reveal what makes His Majesty the actual embodiment of magic because it's most probably not his immersion level alone."

"The fact that he's a telepath?" Gotrid tries.

"There are still many things we don't know," Julia sighs. "The research reveals the Great Evolution happened because a player's brain was convinced they were a different race, so it started to mutate one's DNA to match that mental image, but it's still thin ice. We don't know anything solid yet. Our current technology simply isn't advanced enough to cause something like this."

"Alien technology?" Gotrid suggests carefully because he's casually hinting that my father might be alien.

"I don't know, Royal Consort, but it's possible," Julia shrugs. "We'd know more if we could examine His Majesty before the Great Evolution. Now it's too late, I'm afraid. His Majesty's brain is still unique, but the rest of his body is purely Celestial."

"Ouch, w-wait a sec," I massage my temple.

"What is it, hon?" Gotrid clutches my hand and starts to panic a little.

"Strong disturbed emotions," I say and stand up. "Something must have happened, Clawfangs are in disarray."

"Your Majesty, you're not going there," Vermiel doesn't allow me. "Let Clawfangs sort their own business. Rien is there and should take care of it."

"Do you sense danger, love?" Gotrid asks.

"Danger? No, not really," I shake my head. "But the emotions are really tense."

"Probably because of the new ambassador, she arrived with the last transport," Luviael declares. "Emi warned me she's an alpha. I bet her presence is making Clawfangs all crazy and threatens Rien's authority."

"Wait, there can be more alphas?" Julia gets confused.

"Emi is the Supreme Alpha," I explain. "Individual packs have their own alphas."

"Are you okay, love? Did you develop a headache? Damn Clawfangs, always making a ruckus," Gotrid pets my wings to comfort me.

"I'm okay, Draconian emotions don't overwhelm me as much," I assure him. "Oh, Erik is here again!"

Welcome back! I send him my thought together with my love.

Ryuu, you startled me! Erik replies immediately. I have the engine running, dummy.

Sorry!

I'm sending another family your way. Then one more trip for the scientists. Love you!

"Your Majesty, you need to stop doing that in public," Luviael warns me. "What if somebody, who isn't supposed to, notices something's off?"

"It's only people who know about my telepathy here," I protest.

"I apologise for my bluntness, Your Majesty, but you're not as careful as you used to be," Luvi berates me a little bit. "Draconians in the skyscraper are suspecting there's more to your blessings than just a taste of your mana. Also, some noticed that Celestials flinch seemingly out of nowhere when you're reaching to us telepathically."

"Okay, I might have gotten more lenient lately," I admit. "That's because I really enjoy not having to hide it all the time."

"And we understand that," Gotrid kisses my feathers. "We're just concerned about the possible consequences of your telepathy getting out. Apart from the global craze that would cause, politicians might become afraid to deal with you in person."

"I know and I will try to be more careful," I promise. "If I don't seem that worried anymore, it's because I trust you'll protect me even if it gets out."

"Your trust in us is heart-warming, Your Majesty," Luvi smiles. "Still, it would just complicate things unnecessarily at this point."

"Point taken," I give in. "By the way, another new Minister and his family are here."

"Perks of having the telepathic Emperor," Gotrid grins proudly and nods at the guards to let the newcomers in.

I knew that our Minister of Foreign Affairs is bringing his whole family from India, but I wasn't prepared for the avalanche of emotions. A family of five comes in and, except for the Celestial Minister and a little human girl, everyone is feeling scared and conflicted. Scared of me and conflicted about being forced to move to Prague.

"Laurin, welcome," I greet the Minister, a Celestial man with brown skin, long black hair and bronze wings.

"Your Majesty, it's an honour to finally meet you in person," Laurin bows deeply and pulls one of his human sons down with him because the boy just stands there. "Your presence is just as godly as I heard."

"I don't know about godly, it's just my mana," I murmur and look at the rest of his family.

The boy Laurin had to pull down for a bow doesn't look older than thirteen and his expression is both scared and defiant. A slightly older boy is a puma Clawfang with black fur, so another gamer in the family. Laurin's wife is a dignified lady in her mid-40s and the youngest member is a little girl no older than five, probably less. I was never good at guessing ages.

"Dad, that angel is so pretty!" the girl exclaims excitedly. "Can I pet her wings?"

Laurin turns pale and starts to panic.

"I'm so sorry for Desna, Your Majesty," he blurts out, embarrassed. "She's just four, she doesn't know better."

"That's okay," I chuckle and duck to the girl. "Hello, Desna, my name is Aefener. I'm not a lady."

"Not a princess?" Desna blinks, totally confused. She studies my face and even dares to touch my hair before Laurin can stop her. "You look like a princess," she pouts which is unbelievably cute.

"I'm the Celestial Emperor," I say. "Basically... your father's boss?"

"What's a boss?" Desna is even more confused now.

"Sorry, I don't know how to talk to children," I bite my lip.

"I'm really sorry, Your Majesty," Desna's mother takes the girl away from me.

"Think nothing of it," I stand up, still smiling.

The family leaves soon after, but I ask Laurin to stay for a while longer to tell him about my telepathy. I'm surprised he didn't know either. Are Celestials really that devoted to me that they wouldn't babble about it online even to other Celestials? I have to admire them for that.

When Laurin leaves, I finish two more minor tasks when I notice that Erik is back again. This time for good. He was right, I didn't have time to feel lonely, but I did miss him. I don't know if it's my telepathic brain or just my personality that makes me addicted to my partners, but, the truth is, I crave him. When he appears at the door, still in his sexy pilot uniform, I envelop him in my wings and start kissing feverishly.

"It's been just a few hours," Erik laughs, amused, but happily accepts my affection.

"Was it safe? Did you have a good time?" I ask between kisses.

"The media were a bit annoying, but Bauerova helped," he informs me. "As for the flight, I really enjoyed it."

I delve into his mind, as deeply as he lets me, and I'm joyful that he's joyful. I want him this happy more often. Generally, Erik is more than content with his current life and the state of things, but the flight made him ecstatic. He loves flying almost as much as Celestials do. I do not doubt that if he played Draconia, he would be a Celestial.

That idea crossed my mind before, you know, he says in his mind because he doesn't want Gotrid to hear it. If I played your game, I'd definitely pick a Celestial.

Erik with wings. I try to imagine that and just the mere idea arouses me. But I love Erik as he is. I love Erik the human. I don't need him to be a Celestial. The only thing that bothers me is our entirely different life spans.

With the current medical care, humans can live up to a hundred these days, but Celestials live much longer than that. Much, much longer. We still don't know if everything that's in our lore will come true, but I can tell that my mana circuit is automatically repairing my body cells, granting me miraculous longevity.

I love everything about Erik, yet I fear this one thing. Him inevitably dying of old age. What if we find the device that stands behind the Great Evolution and it still works? Would it be possible to change Erik into a Celestial? And would he even want that? I lean for another kiss, intentionally hiding my worries from him.

Laurin and his family by Sasi