Kotori instantly bit her tongue. Ever since she had started taking the purple hydrean extract she had been unconsciously speaking and acting. Even when she was being careful, she would sometimes find herself patting Umi’s head or “Mofu Mofu”ing Layla’s tail.
She did not know what would happen if her attention lapsed.
On darker notes, the mere thought of Eris sent her on rage-filled rampages. Her vision turning a cold white before eventually finding herself exhausted in the middle of a shattered room.
[This is not something sustainable] Kotori thought as she listened to his latest budget report
The costs of maintaining the palace had skyrocketed according to Fawks, even though they had gotten better at locking her into a room before an episode happened.
She briefly considered stopping taking the extract but she didn’t like that line of thinking. Quitting would be an insult to her own pride.
Thus she could only endure.
“Holding up Kotori?” Fawks said, his voice trembling. He looked tense, ready to order the nearby soldier to stick her in a room to cool down as soon as possible.
Kotori waved him off,
“I’m fine, continue.”
Fawks remained tense and continued to give his report. Once he finished, he quickly scurried off, likely not wanting to draw the ire of the already sensitive Kotori.
“Your highness, you have a visitor?”
Kotori felt herself raise an eyebrow at the news given by the attendant who had snuck into the room while she was being briefed
“And? Why are they still here, your job is to turn them away,”
She had restricted the number of visitors who could see her since taking the drug, it was too dangerous for her them to be in front of her if she was needlessly triggered in some way.
“They insisted to see you and refused to leave” The attendant’s face was visibly sweating as he gave this information. He had stories of the new queen’s temper and he didn’t want to be on the receiving end.
Kotori was not annoyed at all, rather she was a little intrigued. Who would be the person who came to the palace and needed to see her so desperately?
“Who is it?” She asked the attendant.
“The man at the door is ‘Hectaire’” The attendant said.
[Oh?] Kotori thought as her eyebrows raised at the news. She was surprised that he would come over to the palace after being humiliated by Kotori, still, with her [authority] skill it wouldn’t pose many problems to talk to him, she could shut him up before anything triggering came out of his mouth.
“Let him in” Kotori said.
The nervous attendant quickly bowed and then sprinted out of the room, no doubt trying to avoid Kotori.
Kotori slumped into her throne and sighed, as much as she tried to institute a gag order on her new behavior, it was impossible. News had spread that the new queen was temperamental and prone to fits of rage, and while that wasn’t wrong Kotori still slightly bother by the drop in public approval.
Normally, she would not be that bothered by it, but the feeling was exacerbated by the drug and had turned into a gnawing anxiety in her heart.
[This drug is truly troublesome] she thought while sighing internally.
** ** **
Hectaire was silent as he walked into the hall and likewise, Kotori was silent as well. Their positions were now calcified, she was his queen and he was technically her subject.
Hectaire walked towards the throne before giving a deep bow.
It was Kotori who spoke first. Common Eris court etiquette that she was taught by Fawks, a ruler had a duty to greet their guests.
“Speak”
“it is nice to see you again my queen, I thank you for your… graciousness in letting me stay in Eris…”
Hectaire seemed nervous.
Kotori felt herself sighing once more. The reason for his nervousness was rather evident. Since Kotori had ascended as the queen, common tradition dictated that she should hunt down the allies and other queen candidates. Of course, Kotori didn’t care for that sort of quibbling and avoided passing the order once she had been coronated.
In all honestly, she never had the intention of ever passing the order, but it seemed like Hectaire was still anxious about it.
[Ah, this isn’t going to work] She thought.
“Spit it out,” Kotori said. Her patience had also become more difficult to control with the drug, the slightest bit of frustration would make it difficult to be patient in the first place.
“I know how you can control the drug better!”
This time it was Kotori’s turn to be surprised.
“How… Do you know about that! That practice is archaic now.” She said, her outburst more potent than usual.
Hectaire's eyes flicked about like he was looking to run
“From the stories I’ve heard… it sounded like you have been sweetleaf extract”
“And how do you know about that?” Kotori asked.
“My father was a tribe leader and I was the next in line, he forced me to take it. I became an adventurer… it’s also how I gained my berserk skill.”
Kitsura
Wake up Kitsura posted a new chapter.
By the way, I'm a vtuber as you can tell by the recent profile changes. Here is my Twitch and my Twitter
I spend most of my time malding in league of legend or being down bad on Twitter but you can go bother me for more chapters there. Feel free to call me out for more chapters. I should honestly be writing more.
“So, what do you want?” Kotori asked, if Hectaire was coming to tell this information he obviously wanted something out it.