With Nala's response, Abigail relaxed a bit, but she seemed more anxious than before. From what I understood, everything will depend on how Mom will behave and how I will be treated.
So, I think I don't need to worry too much. I doubt it will be difficult for Mom to be responsible for me and end up isolating herself again for some reason.
"I hope you are aware of this, Inessa, and that you don't think about trying to get rid of your responsibilities or to absent yourself from your duty to your territory and Apollo. This will be your trial period; any slip will only worsen your case, and any failure you make will be ruthlessly punished."
Nala also seemed to have the same thought, but she said it in a much more ruthless way than I was thinking.
After these words, Mom collapsed, now without a chair, only the ground was left for her to fall on, and so she did, sitting on the grass, crying with her hands covering her face...
I don't know what to say, but I think the sudden relief was more than enough to make her release the emotions she had been containing. Fortunately, the situation is not that bad; it's much better to let her vent her emotions.
Nala didn't take long looking at Mom, now on the ground and crying; she turned her attention back to the other person at the table.
Abigail was more composed than Mom but also very relieved. So, Nala, didn't bother to look at Abigail for more than 2 seconds.
Nala, with me in her lap, continued to play with me and observe me for a few good minutes while occasionally looking at the other two. And so, while playing with me, she said to Abigail:
"I believe you want to do and say many things, but first of all, comfort your friend."
As soon as Nala said this, Abigail, who was still paralyzed, suddenly turned her attention to Mom and thought about what to do.
She spent a few seconds looking between Mom and Nala, with a bit of indecision and anxiety. I think she was trying to choose between asking Nala something else or following what Nala said.
Ultimately, Abigail chose to comfort Mom without asking any more questions. She got up from her chair for the first time since Nala arrived and walked to the other side of the table.
Mom was sitting on the floor since the chair was nowhere to be seen, so Abigail also sat on the floor and started comforting her friend.
Nala, in turn, decided to go to the seat that was initially empty and sat down on the chair. Next to us was Aglaya, and now I noticed that even after about 20 minutes of conversation, the girls were still fainting.
Nala, with me on her lap, continued to play with me and watch me for a good few minutes while occasionally glancing at the other two.
I suspect the conversation isn't over yet and she wants to say something. But in the meantime, she also keeps testing me with her Aura pressure from time to time.
After what seemed like another 10 minutes, Mom calmed down enough to get up and compose herself. Abigail continued to stay by her side; the other girls still hadn't woken up, so sticking together was the best choice in the current situation.
"I see that you have composed yourself... That's great, but I have to remind you that all this was your own fault. You decided to connect yourself to the baby without any kind of supervision, even knowing that you were in the sights of your superiors."
With both feet on the table, Nala spoke to them but without taking her eyes off me and without stopping playing with me. And she continued:
"Your selfish and foolish decision to isolate yourself has earned you some powerful enemies, Inessa. You seem to have forgotten that your territory is protected but cannot be neglected. And that's what you did, even at the cost of other people..."
These words didn't sound nice at all. It seems that someone very important must be keeping an eye on Mom's territory. And important people watching someone else's property is always bad news.
"I will solve my problems one at a time, Lady Nala... But first of all, there is still much to be explained, Lady Nala. Apollo is not a Dragon or even half-dragon; it should be forbidden for him to go to the Sanctuary..."
Mom just mentioned Sanctuary? What kind of sanctuary are we talking about? A Religious Place, a protected area, a Refuge, a Tranquil Area, or a place of Worship and Adoration?
I hope this sanctuary has nothing to do with ancient monasteries or nunneries. Anything resembling either won't be a good place for me. I definitely wouldn't do well in such a place.
Fortunately, I probably won't go there... I hope...
"Yes, I understand, Inessa. But it's not me who makes the rules, so if you make any mistakes, he will be sent there directly. And he will receive the same intensity of training as the other young dragons. Of course, proportionately..."
"But still, Lady Nala, the Sanctuary is not a place for a vacation, let alone for a non-dragon to undergo training at such a young age. The convent is specially designed to train male dragons until adolescence. What would Apollo do there?"
Abigail spoke with a bit of dissatisfaction and indignation. She managed to express my complaints very well. What the hell am I going to do in a place that only has dragons? I'll be burned to a crisp in a few days, for God's sake...
"I think I may have an idea of what the Council has planned... And I believe that if my deduction is correct, it will be a great relief for you, Inessa."
Nala stopped talking for a moment, letting the tension and apprehension grow in us. She enjoyed looking at anxious faces... But after a few seconds, she continued:
"Apparently, the Council Ladies also want to try to punish Lord Akachi. So it was decided that if Apollo is removed from his guard, he will be trained by Lord Akachi himself. Hahaha, I think this time he really annoyed them."
"That is..." Mom seemed surprised by the revelation, but at the same time, she was still a bit confused.
"Yes, girl, this is an unprecedented opportunity since Lord Akachi has no history of students, perhaps because of his lack of responsibility and his famous habit of disappearing."
So far, it's confirmed that Akachi is the name of the Golden Dragon that rescued me from that forest yesterday. Or was it a few weeks ago?
I don't know much about the master-apprentice relationship in this world, but by any chance, are these good qualities of a teacher? Should I worry if I'm put as a pupil of this man?
"As you know, Lord Akachi is an extremely recognized teacher but has still taken no disciples. This is leaving the Ladies a bit... Dissatisfied with him. Since he doesn't take it seriously, but this is a matter of pride among our kind."
Hmmm... Not bad; he seems to be someone who is good at teaching. But what is exactly the relationship between the Council's Triad and this Lord Akachi?
"But Lady Nala... Lord Akachi is not known for his commitment and responsibility; leaving a child in his care is almost madness. Also, how will he be able to train a human child? What will happen if he accidentally puts Little Apollo in mortal danger, or worse, if Apollo ends up dead?"
I think these questions from Abigail hit a very fragile point of this decision. I won't even comment on Mom's pale expression.
"As I said before, Lord Akachi called Apollo a 'very special child,' something that opened a loophole for the Ladies to use to resolve the pending issue. As far as I know, they have been discussing the matter with Lord Akachi for several decades, but he has never shown interest in any candidates presented..."
Nala stopped talking for a bit; she took her feet off the table and returned to sit normally in the chair. After adjusting herself in a comfortable position, she continued:
"This time is different; Lord Akachi has shown interest in a child, something that has never happened before. And this is the best opportunity the triad has had in centuries... It's a chance for them to prove Lord Akachi's talent to our society and get rid of this flaw in Lord Akachi's reputation."
After finishing her words, Nala finally stopped looking at me and turned her attention back to them.
"You should be more careful with your words, especially if those words can reach the council... The last time someone dared to say something disrespectful about Lord Akachi in front of Lady Alexandra, the unfortunate one was stripped of titles, territory, property, and name... She became a nobody."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I hope you can help me correct any spelling errors in the chapters.
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