Come daylight, there was little that Aleko could do, but to put himself into motion and face another day. His body barely crept out of the bed, and when he did find himself standing on his own two feet, he would lag in every motion: it took him twice as much to bathe and gussy up, twice as much to pick suitable garments for himself to wear that day. He took a bit of his time to gaze upon his bare frame, noticing the rather jarring pairs of bags under his eyes, and the slightly sad state of his fur. But, even in this state, it looked rather decent, if at his healthiest it looked silky smooth. But even when he was done checking himself, his walk to the diner felt twice as long, and his meal arrived after an unreasonable amount of wait. As the heir sat alone, trying to chew away at his food with little to no interest and enthusiasm, tried to find the roots of this apparent exhaustion, seen as he didn't subject himself to enough physical effort for his body to slow down and ask for respite. 

[i]It has to be the lack of sleep,[/i] he first told himself, his blue orbs gazing emptily through the table while his jaw mechanically minced a toasted sandwich, [i]but, I feel it's more than that. My mind would be sleepy and slow, but why does my body feel as if I've walked in full plate for months? Those strange happenings, they're getting to me.[/i]

When he did raise his gaze from the table, he took a moment to look around the dining area and its denizens, happily conversing to each other while they broke their fast with various hearty combinations of food, ranging from roasted bacon with fried eggs and a ladle of spinach, to still-hot scrambled eggs layered with melted cheese, served with crisp sausages coated with a spiced tomato sauce and brown beans. While the air was filled with mixed scents, Aleko didn't quite feel attuned to the cheery ambiance. If anything, he couldn't help but to notice how lonely he was, how he had no connection to anyone there other than through his rank and status; they all knew him as Emperor Aleko Farland Sendrakon, the first of his name, endearingly called Frosty. Yet, no one there really knew the entire meaning of this nickname he had been given, why so many referred to him like so; sure, the first thought that would come in one's mind is that his fur attracted the amusing name, but there has yet been one to invest time and try to communicate with "Frosty", to sit down with him at the table and talk anything else but the status of the Empire. Yet, there wouldn't be room for such pleasantries, as the reports for that day arrived, and they all looked quite favorable: the mage tree affair went just as he wanted it to go, as well as the whole Ice Troll infestation that bothered the dwarves. It was a rather nasty problem with many complications, but against the brute force of nature, at least double the ferocity was required to tone it down. Then, he found his snout to be plastered with a big smile as he read about the communicators being mass-produced and being already implemented for use by the military. While the passcode was rather out of place, and a tad predictable in his mind, it would work for now.

[i]I will have to pay Gudwyn, Reginal and Tch... the lizard man a visit after I've talked to the envoys.[/i] Aleko thought as he delivered his half-empty plate to the server before he walked his way to the council chambers. 

Again, he found it to be a way-too-long journey, the halls felt as though they had no end, but at some point, he managed to stumble inside the room rather groggily, and closed the doors behind him rather roughly. This time, the emperor had donned a scarlet long-sleeved doublet with a black sword embroidered upon the left side of his chest, a pair of black trousers snugged into a pair of similarly colored boots. Although he wore a lively color, he acquitted himself rather limply, as he slowly poured himself into his seat, with a silent sigh stifled through his nostrils. There was a sort of tension in the air, and for once, he thanked the stars for it being so, since he had a moment to close his eyes and have his brain rest for a couple of moments before he started to write his first sentences in his mind. When his cold, piercing gaze was unraveled by his eyelids, his long maw opened to talk.

"Before you present to me your matters of utmost importance, I'd like to point out that my stay has accumulated a fortnight. While, our steps were meager, in this timespan, we have managed to gain some strength and invest into our people, our military, and into vital research venues. Thus far, we've done decently. Fine work, my lady and gentlemen." He stared, his voice rather raspy and absent.

"Our focus now is to recover some of the currency we've invested into our initial plans. We'd might require to implement higher taxes and raise the price of our exports, since it would be ludicrous to disband our military when we're but a small force, or rescind our interest in research, for the sake of having our chests filled with gold. That prospect may sound rather abysmal to some, but right now, we're investing in the future. Having gold in the moment to spend away at nothings would prove to be a transient pleasure, at the cost of a permanent loss. Therefore, if I find any other plans brought to the table to be too costly, I'm afraid I will have to reject it."

The heir took a deep breath and stepped away from his chair, so that he could serve himself with a goblet full of water; once he dunked it down his gullet, he filled it again and promptly emptied it. Once he took his seat again, he deflated with a long sigh, his frost-laden gaze washing over every individual present in the chambers.

[i]Fill me with your pity, then.[/i] He sourly thought. [i]Or perhaps I think too highly of myself to deserve your sincere apologies and supportive thoughts? Well then. Let's see what business plans you wish to present.[/i]

"I'm listening."