With Jeff’s words the room seemed to go dead silent.

“ Let’s be realistic. Abolishing slavery is all good, but it isn't going to happen overnight. Hell, we all are literal slaves without collars at the moment. So I do not think our ‘benefactors’ will like it too much if we try to skimp on our debts due to technicality.

Next let's look at the rights of the slave owners, and from the perspective of a native. You take their property and pay them a ‘fair price’ for them. Yeah, I can see scams and grudges starting from this on day one.

Then you have to consider the slaves that are like that for a reason. I am talking about hard-core criminals. Kill entire villages just to power-level kinds of people. You do not want them free to resume their killing sprees of innocents.

Also, factor in those willing to be slaves. Sometimes some people just want choices taken out of their lives. It is a lot easier when you do not have to think for yourself for half your major life choices.”

Jeff pauses seeing half the room still against what he said when Janice gives her opinion.

“ Personally, slavery is wrong. And I am not going to argue for the morality or justification for it or against it. I am going to say this from the viewpoint of practicality of the now and future. Anyone of us who is a founding member of the guild will should be allowed to own slaves, but we are not going to be able to stop it. There will have to be certain terms and rights applied. Like having sex with your slaves. Forcing them to fight to the death for entertainment. Working them to death or not providing at least a decent living condition. In addition, we will not be in the business of buying and selling people. We will have contracts, strict but fair. Agreed to both parties.”

With that, the room erupted into a heated discussion about the topic. Ideas were written down and shared and it took three months of heated debate and compromise for the final draft of the Guild 88 to finally be complete. Named such for having a total of eighty-eight signatures of the original otherworlder founders. An event that will have far-reaching consequences for the future.

In the center of the chaos, the orchestrators ignore it as they pick up their card game again. Their intent to forward the draft of the guild charter. Which did not help much for Jeff’s mood as he lost the next four hands. With him down to less than ten coppers, he decides to call it a night. As he walked back to his room saw a message from Janice.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

[Coms: It as we thought. This method is being tracked as well. Back to the drawing board.]

[Mayor: Damn, I was hoping we would have some kind of method to talk about our future plans so we do not get screwed over.]

[LC: I know. I do not mind someone who wants us to succeed against the demons, learn about our plans. But I do not want them to stab us in the back afterward once we deal a serious blow. Look, you all will be all right but it will be me and Amanda who will get caught holding the bag if they decide I am too successful. They will target Amanda’s caravan of supplies and effectively cut me off after they deal with her. Leading to a similar scenario to the last batch of heroes.]

[Truck: You got that right. If I make it out alive, big if, our front line rep will have to either barter with the devil or die. That will set the guild back as a whole. Recoverable yes, but we will lose friends and face.]

[LC: Gee, so glad you are worried about your friends face.]

[Truck: You know what I mean Jeff. How many of us will be there with you when the knife comes for our back?”

Jeff pauses and closes his eyes a moment. Rereading the message in the darkness.

[LC: As many as possible who initially come with me. Xilna made me an offer for my first contract that I agreed to. So her mother bought my debt so I am only bound to one individual instead of a bunch. As I will be fighting demons it will also work to pay off everyone else's debts too.]

[Mayor: That’s good, what are the details?]

[LC: Don’t know too much. We will be acting as a reinforcement unit to one of the outlying dragon settlements. But I suspect it will be more than that. Anyway, I am about to my room. Night!]

[Mayor: Goodnight!]

[Coms: Nighty night!]

[Truck: Night, I think I will be heading out too]

Jeff smiled a little bit as he turned the corner to find several mana constructs and a young woman beside his door. In addition there are two swordman that were clearly from blue dorm. He was about to speak when one of the swordman noticed him and put a hand on his sword. Seeing the aggression, his boss construct matches the move. Seeing the shift, Rachal raises her hand to ease the swordman off.

“ I... can we talk.”

Jeff nods and moves to the door to open it for the group. Inside had changed in the two weeks as now there are armor stands for his dress uniforms as well as a weapons rack. The bookcase had been filled with books about the different races, geography, politics, and so much more. He even had a picture of a sunset on the wall. Which caught Rachal off guard. What surprised her most however was the five soldier constructs stationed around the room as guards and the two maid constructs. After a good minute for those outside the room to enter Jeff turned to Rachael wondering what was going on and where she had been.