SCENE: INVISIBLE RAPHTALIA is heading up the road towards the manor, only visible by an occasional shimmer in the air and light clouds of dust from her footsteps. It is an early morning, and the entire estate is busy with work. Humans and demihumans are running from place to place, carrying goods and tools. In the surrounding fields, demihumans are hard at work tending to cotton. Each group is led by a demihuman with a colored headband: a FOREMAN, with a whip at their waist.
INVISIBLE RAPHTALIA easily sneaks past and approaches the manor. It is a large, three story tall square building, built on top of an earth rampart. From the outside, the first story appears to be a solid brick wall. Above that, the walls are dotted with many windows, and beautiful towers rise up above the roof at all four corners of the building. A single gate, fortified with a portcullis, allows entry into the courtyard in the middle.
The courtyard is paved, and has several entrances into the building itself. Boxes and barrels are stacked in one corner of the space. In the middle of it there is a large obelisk with strange hieroglyphic writing.
As RAPHTALIA slips into the courtyard, she sees a commotion. A beautiful carriage, drawn by six filofials, has stopped in front of the main entrance into the building. As she observes, human SERVANTS open the doors of the carriage, and a gangly NOBLEWOMAN steps out.
Doors of the front door ahead of her open, and an obese man in expensive clothing strolls out. He has a yellow head of unkempt hair, a wispy mustache, and a large millstone collar. This is MARQUIS IDORU REIBIA. RAPHTALIA instinctively unsheathes her sword, before remembering her promise to NAOFUMI and reluctantly putting it back.
IDORU REIBIA: Leuria! Long time no see. How was the road?
NOBLEWOMAN’s face turns into a grimace.
NOBLEWOMAN LEURIA: Miserable as always.
IDORU REIBIA laughs. They hug, and proceed to the main entrance. RAPHTALIA slips in through a servant entrance, avoiding the pair, and sets out to explore the manor. She moves quickly between rooms, looking for an office.
She enters a long dining room, large wooden beams supporting chandeliers from the ceiling. There is a door on the other end, and RAPHTALIA heads for it. Just as she reaches the other door it opens, and a group of demihuman WAITERS enters, carrying plates of food. They are led by a demihuman FOREMAN wearing a colored headband. RAPHTALIA deftly dodges to the side of them, her footsteps muffled by a thick carpet. She hides in the corner of the room, glancing at the door she came from, but there are servants there too. She would risk running into someone if she tried to leave now.
Thinking quickly, she parkours off the wall and lands on one of the wooden beams underneath the ceiling. She sits down, deciding to wait them out. The waiters finish setting the table, and IDORU REIBIA and LEURIA enter and take their seats. WAITERStake places against the walls. RAPHTALIA scowls, invisibly. As the nobles eat, they start talking.
IDORU REIBIA: I have been quite lucky to get my hands on a set of crime records from Shieldfrieden recently, from a scholar I know. It’s quite an interesting read!
LEURIA: Is that so?
REIBIA: Oh yes. He is doing research on the racial differences in intelligence, you see, it’s a fascinating topic. Had some of my pets do puzzles as a “test”.
LEURIA wrinkles her nose.
LEURIA: You always had this light hand. Calling them “pets”, dressing them up.
LEURIA motions to the WAITERS.
LEURIA: I would never have let animals cook my food.
REIBIA waves her off.
REIBIA: Come now, they are fine if you make them wash their hands.
LEURIA does not respond, but doesn’t stop eating either.
REIBIA: As I was saying. I don’t know where he found these records, but they show just what you would expect: the crime in Shieldfrieden is ten times as high as here! And his tests show the same thing: there is a large gap between the intelligence of a human and a demihuman.
LEURIA: Any right-thinking person could have told you that without any tests.
REIBIA: Ah, but this is the century of science! Did you know how many superstitions there are among the people? We can’t just trust what they say. This is why his research is so important. Apparently there is a field of science called “phrenology” which proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the superiority of the human race. He explains it very well: on the inside of a demihuman skull there are these “bumps” which press on the brain and suppress its growth and amplify aggression.
LEURIA reaches for her glass of wine and finds it empty. She motions for the WAITERS to pour her a new one. One of them steps forwards and takes a wine bottle from a bucket of ice, but trips on the carpet and spills wine on the table. REIBIA falls silent. FOREMAN jumps forwards and grabs the tripped WAITER by the collar.
FOREMAN: Master, I apologize for not teaching this one better. I will have him whipped at once!
REIBIA doesn’t acknowledge them with a glance. FOREMAN drags the WAITER to the doors. RAPHTALIA takes this opportunity to get down from the rafters and take her exit behind them.
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SCENE: RAPHTALIA, FILO, NAOFUMI and CONSTANCE are sitting in their impromptu camp in the woods. NAOFUMI is making weapons using his shield. CONSTANCE has made a smokeless fire, and is cooking food. FILO is taking a nap, covering her face with a sleeping bag. RAPHTALIA is fiddling with her crossbow, trying to attach a quiver directly to it. The build is not fitting together, and she finally puts it aside, sighing.
RAPHTALIA: I don’t understand it. Why would a demihuman leap at the chance to punish other demihumans? Why do these “foremen” or “forewomen” do what they do?
CONSTANCE: They probably aren’t actually demihumans.
RAPHTALIA looks at CONSTANCE, confused.
RAPHTALIA: What do you mean? They have animal ears.
CONSTANCE looks up from her cooking.
CONSTANCE: They are probably half-bloods. Children of humans and demihumans. It’s a question of definition, I suppose, whether you call them demihumans or not. Their physical appearance differs depending on how much demihuman blood they have in them, but it’s generally in between humans and demihumans. Some even have both human and animal ears, though it is rare.
CONSTANCE looks back down, stirring the pot.
CONSTANCE: It’s common practice to have them working as foremen. Most estates in these parts do it this way. Of course, if there are no half-bloods, pure demis get assigned the job too. Humans find it too demeaning to directly order demihumans around, but they also do not think demihumans have the “bloodborne qualities” of leadership.
RAPHTALIA: And half-bloods… do?
CONSTANCE: Humans treat them as something in the middle. When it’s convenient, they get treated like animals; and when it’s convenient, as if they can think for themselves.
NAOFUMI looks up from his work, a pile of spears and shields slowly growing to the side of him.
NAOFUMI: It makes sense. It’s a pretty typical dynamic in racial hierarchies.
RAPHTALIA: Racial hierarchies?
RAPHTALIA turns to NAOFUMI. CONSTANCE angles her head in his direction, listening closely.
NAOFUMI: Yeah. A hierarchy is a system where some people are at the “top” and some at the “bottom”, with the rest arranged in between. You can think of it as a pile of rocks: there are layers above other layers. Those at the “top” are said to “deserve” better treatment, respect and adulation by virtue of their position in the hierarchy, while those at the bottom can lack them.
RAPHTALIA: So like a Queen is at the top, with nobles below her, normal people below that and slaves at the very bottom?
NAOFUMI: Exactly.
RAPHTALIA: Last time you called it a class system. What’s the difference between that and a hierarchy?
NAOFUMI: Directionality. Every hierarchy can be seen as a class system, but not all class systems are hierarchical. Imagine a fishing village with two classes: fishermen and woodworkers. Fishermen go out and fish, while woodworkers make fishing rods and boats for them. Because these classes are going to have different conditions and interests this would be a class system. Despite this, neither of these classes is clearly “superior”: they depend on one another to function. Therefore, this village has a class system, but no hierarchy. On the other hand, imagine that woodworkers would develop an ideology that they are “better” and “smarter” than the fishermen, and would use their monopoly on tool production to grant themselves a larger allotment of the caught fish. This would transform their class system into a hierarchy. Racial hierarchies are, in turn, a subtype which is based on your race - be it human or demihuman - instead of, for example, your economic conditions.
RAPHTALIA thinks about it for a second, then nods.
NAOFUMI: Hierarchies are one of the ways in which class systems justify their existence. If you think hierarchically, then the mere fact that some people are “at the top” will also be the justification for them remaining there indefinitely. It is a logical argument that supports its own axioms. Of course, this alone would not be a perfect defense, because not every person naturally thinks in hierarchical terms, so the justifications tend to also claim that the hierarchy is “natural”. There are many ways to do this, but one of the best ones depends on the existence of some factual difference in skill or ability between the levels of a hierarchy.
RAPHTALIA rubs her forehead.
RAPHTALIA: Like between humans and demihumans, you mean? I know many more humans can read. So someone could justify the hierarchy by saying that demihumans need to be led around because they couldn’t even read a book?
NAOFUMI: Yeah. The argument is absolute nonsense, of course: the same people who would claim they need to “protect” the demihumans because they cannot read are the ones who will whip any demihuman who picks up a book. But it works on some people.
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RAPHTALIA: Or that thing Reibia said with phrenology?
NAOFUMI chuckles.
NAOFUMI: No, that one I am pretty sure is just straight up made up. It happens a lot when you talk to racists: out of ten arguments, four will be conjured out of thin fucking air, another four will be based on technically true things which were blatantly misinterpreted, and the last two will inherently presuppose that people they despise are morally equivalent to dogs.
RAPHTALIA: Okay, this makes sense and all, but what does this have to do with the foreman?
NAOFUMI: Well, it’s quite simple, they are trying to keep their position in the racial hierarchy. They probably believe it themselves, at least to some extent, and so think they are “better” than pure demihumans. But of course they also realize that their position in the hierarchy is inherently dependent on oppressing those underneath them and serving those above: otherwise, they will slip lower down the ladder, and they know exactly how bad things are there.
CONSTANCE: It’s an unusual way of thinking about it, but you have it more or less right.
RAPHTALIA frowns.
RAPHTALIA: But at the end of the day they are in the same material position as the demihumans, except for some marginally better treatment, if that.
NAOFUMI: Just because someone is in the same position, does not mean they will realize it. Remember the organizing training I gave you? If people would simply realize that they are in the same boat, much of that would not be necessary. But no, this realization that you are in the same boat as other people, and only collectively you can change things is called the “class consciousness”, and it has to be built over time. Correspondingly, the set of ideological tools society uses to convince you this isn’t the case - such as by convincing half-bloods they are different from demihumans - is called the “false consciousness”, and you need to fight against it.
NAOFUMI finishes his crafting, a pile of weapons set to the side of him. CONSTANCE pours her soup into bowls and passes them around.
NAOFUMI: I think I have enough weapons here for everyone we plan to train. Let’s eat, and then we will teleport to the Lute village.
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SCENE: Square in the middle of the Lute village. The remains of the water tower are still laying in the middle of the square, though they have been gathered up into a neater pile. Around the square, people are busy repairing the buildings that have been damaged in the Wave.
NAOFUMI, RAPHTALIA and CONSTANCE materialize out of thin air near the middle of the square. Soon they are noticed, and people come to greet NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA. They go to the tavern, and OLD GUS joins their table for a chat.
OLD GUS: I thought you’d come back with Hank, didn’t know you could simply show up when you wanted to.
NAOFUMI chuckles.
NAOFUMI: I didn’t know it myself until a couple days back, believe it or not.
OLD GUS: Where is Hank, anyways? He didn’t come with you?
NAOFUMI: We left him in Malatok. He is probably still there, at the merchant guild.
OLD GUS leans forwards.
OLD GUS: You know, Naofumi, I think there is something here you’d like to see. You and Raphtalia.
He looks uncertainly at the masked CONSTANCE. NAOFUMI frowns.
NAOFUMI: I don’t have secrets from my party.
CONSTANCE shrugs.
CONSTANCE: I understand. I will stay here.
OLD GUS leads NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA out of the tavern, then out of the village, heading into the forest. Soon, they reach a clearing. Three corpses hang from the trees by their necks. A piece of wood with “murderer” written on it hangs from each of their necks. RAPHTALIA and NAOFUMI look at them, OLD GUS leaning against a tree expectantly.
RAPHTALIA: They are the soldiers from the Wave. I remember their faces.
NAOFUMI frowns.
NAOFUMI: There were more than three.
OLD GUS: Didn’t catch everyone yet, but we are working on it. Figured you’d like to know.
NAOFUMI turns to face OLD GUS
NAOFUMI: Did you question them?
OLD GUS: Question them? What, like the guards do before a judge?
NAOFUMI rubs his eyes.
NAOFUMI: It’s not about judges, or the law. Obviously if you put them in front of a judge they would get away with it. It’s about knowing what happened. Why were they there, who gave the orders? Clearly they weren’t just passing through. Was it the initiative of their sergeant, or did it come from the baron? Did they see us at the top of that tower and not care, or did they think everyone in the village was already gone? It’s not justice if you do it half-blind.
OLD GUS stares at NAOFUMI, then shrugs.
OLD GUS: Sure. Next time, we’ll grill them.
NAOFUMI: Thank you.
RAPHTALIA stares at the corpses, then turns around, and heads back to the village.
RAPHTALIA: Let’s go. There is nothing to do here.
They walk back to the village. As they reach the border of the forest, NAOFUMI speaks up again.
NAOFUMI: Listen, Gus, I have a favor to ask.
OLD GUS: Sure, speak up kid. You saved just about the entire village, we owe you.
NAOFUMI: I’ll need a place for some people soon. A lot of people. Good people, they can do work, help you with rebuilding the village. Mostly they just need a roof to stay for the next…call it a week, maybe two. I think there should be enough space for them in the mines, if the village would be fine with that.
OLD GUS: Will we have to feed them?
NAOFUMI: No. They’ll have their own food. I’ll bring them here the same way I appeared, and they will leave likewise. Nobody will see them on the road.
OLD GUS: What’s the catch then?
NAOFUMI glances at the OLD GUS. RAPHTALIA speaks up ahead of him.
RAPHTALIA: They are demihumans.
OLD GUS: Demihumans? Slaves, you mean?
RAPHTALIA: Freedmen, not slaves.
OLD GUS: Potato, potato. What I mean is that the royals would hang us if they found out.
NAOFUMI: It’s unlikely. How often do they even visit the village?
OLD GUS sighs.
OLD GUS: The village won’t like it, but I’ll see what I can do.
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SCENE: RAPHTALIA is pacing anxiously underneath the fallen tree, where their camp has been set up.
NARRATOR: Five days have passed!
NAOFUMI and CONSTANCE materialize out of thin air on top of FILO, and hop off. FILO turns into a person. FILO and NAOFUMI have large bags under their eyes. FILO flops on the ground and immediately falls asleep. RAPHTALIA rushes to them.
RAPHTALIA: We have a situation.
EXHAUSTED NAOFUMI: What?
RAPHTALIA: This morning there was a fight between one of our people and a foreman. Foreman got killed. They’ve managed to hide the body for now, but it’s just a matter of time until the overseers find out.
EXHAUSTED NAOFUMI slumps to the ground.
EXHAUSTED NAOFUMI: Fuck! I just…give me a second. I need time to think.
EXHAUSTED NAOFUMI closes his eyes. CONSTANCE looks at him.
CONSTANCE: You don’t need to think, you need to rest. Last time you had a full night’s rest was five days ago. Energy potions are not a replacement.
EXHAUSTED NAOFUMI opens his eyes and scowls at her, opening his mouth for a retort. RAPHTALIA interrupts him.
RAPHTALIA: She’s right. We’ll handle it. If we need you for fighting or teleportation, we’ll wake you up.
EXHAUSTED NAOFUMI looks at her with tired eyes. RAPHTALIA smiles and nods at him.
RAPHTALIA: Go the fuck to sleep, Naofumi. You aren’t the only one here who can do things.
EXHAUSTED NAOFUMI relents, closing his eyes and laying down on the ground. RAPHTALIA turns to CONSTANCE. CONSTANCE takes off her mask, rubbing her forehead.
CONSTANCE: You said they managed to keep it down for now?
RAPHTALIA nods.
RAPHTALIA: They hid him in a pile of logs they use for heating. I was going to see if I can bring the corpse here - figured since it isn’t alive, I should be able to cover it in invisibility - but decided to wait until it was cold.
CONSTANCE nods.
CONSTANCE: Without the body, they should think it’s just a runaway. The name of the game is stalling. It’s noon right now - if we get noticed before dark, we’ll be up to our ears in guards from the town. After it’s dark, it’d be much easier to keep things down.
CONSTANCE paces a bit, thinking.
CONSTANCE: It would be worth it to take out the overseer if you have an opening. If a foreman doesn’t report to them, they would raise a stink, but the overseer themselves failing to show up for a day should be less suspicious. Start bringing the weapons into the village too. I’ll head into the town to see if my people there can keep the town guards from interfering, distract them somehow.
RAPHTALIA: I was thinking of starting to take out guards myself, honestly. If the trick with the corpse works out, I could get them out of the manor without anyone seeing where they went.
CONSTANCE: It’s risky. The more people go missing, the higher the chance that someone’s absence gets noticed. Once the alarm spreads, we’d be in trouble.
CONSTANCE stops pacing.
CONSTANCE: There is one thing you could do to take them out earlier without arousing suspicion.
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SCENE: A bored GUARD is pacing around one of the towers on top of the manor. Suddenly, they are yanked to the ground by an invisible force, vanishing from view of the outside. RAPHTALIA fades into view, pinning GUARD’s arms to their sides with her legs, a hand covering their mouth and nose. She is wearing a backpack. GUARD’s eyes go wide, but his screams are completely stifled.
RAPHTALIA: Hello, friend. Do you like whiskey?
RAPHTALIA reaches into her backpack, taking a bottle of whiskey out.
RAPHTALIA: Well, after today, you sure will hate it.
RAPHTALIA opens the bottle with her teeth, and jams the neck into the GUARD’s mouth. She holds it in place with her shoulder, massaging their neck with her other hand to make them swallow. THE GUARD chokes, but the liquid is rapidly vanishing into their stomach.
RAPHTALIA: How many bottles do you need to get black out drunk?
GUARD whines something incomprehensible.
RAPHTALIA: Well, good news. The wine cellar in this place is quite large. Lots of time to experiment!
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DRAMATIS PERSONAE
NARRATOR. The voice of drama.
NAOFUMI IWATANI, THE SHIELD HERO. The first socialist. Protagonist. Knows some theory, makes weapons.
FILO. Tired, but happy to be fighting. Sleeps whenever possible.
RAPHTALIA. Master sneak. Junior socialist. Radical anti-teetotaler.
CONSTANCE VON MARUKIEVICH / FREDALIA. Planner. Knower of slavery lore.
IDORU REIBIA. Slaver. Owner of the manor. Held RAPHTALIA in slavery in the past.
LEURIA. Slaver. Somehow worse than IDORU.
OLD GUS. One of the leaders of the Lute village. Vigilante.