SCENE: NAOFUMI, RAPHTALIA, FILO and CONSTANCE approach the palace. FULANA JEN steps out of the shadows, and motions for them to follow. They head past the palace guards, through numerous corridors, past many rooms, and soon come to a large set of doors guarded by a pair of SHADOWS. They enter, and find themselves in a luxurious audience room. The room is dimly lit by magic sigils glowing on the walls. In the center of the room there is a coffee table, surrounded by fanciful leather sofas. There are two sets of doors on opposite sides of the room. SHADOW 1 is keeping watch in one corner of the room.
FULANA JEN: Her royal highness will be with you shortly.
FULANA JEN bows, and leaves the room through the set of doors on the other side of the room. NAOFUMI, CONSTANCE and RAPHTALIA sit down on a sofa. NAOFUMI supports his head with one of his hands, clearly not looking forward to the conversation. FILO looks around the room before glancing upwards, and parkours off the wall to land on a large chandelier, from which she hangs by her legs upside down. SHADOW 1 glances at her, but doesn’t comment.
Some time passes, and MELTY and FULANA JEN enter the room together, accompanied by a pair of SHADOWS. The SHADOWS take place outside of the room at the doors. MELTY is carrying a thick blue folder. FULANA JEN is carrying a tray with a tea set and a bowl of cookies.
CONSTANCE rises from the sofa and makes a curtsy. NAOFUMI and RAPHTALIA remain seated. FULANA JEN sets her tray down on the coffee table. MELTY approaches the couches.
MELTY: Sir Naofumi! How nice to see you here today.
NAOFUMI nods to MELTY, but doesn’t get up.
NAOFUMI: I do not know the etiquette rules in Melromarc, your highness. Is there a formal greeting I should make?
MELTY waves him off.
MELTY: Neither do I. To tell you the truth, I am more used to Faubrey culture.
MELTY sits down on the couch opposite them, tucking her legs under herself. FULANA JEN starts to prepare tea.
MELTY: For example, this is tea. It’s common in Faubrey, but sadly lacking in Melromarc.
FULANA JEN pours MELTY, NAOFUMI, RAPHTALIA and CONSTANCE a cup. She glances around for FILO, before she finally looks up and frowns. FILO waves at her, but FULANA JEN chooses not to mention it.
NAOFUMI: We had tea in my world too. But I don’t think that you’ve called us here to enjoy drinks.
MELTY picks up her cup and blows on it, cradling it in her hands. She nods.
MELTY: Goal directed as always. I noticed your party left early during yesterday’s proceedings?
NAOFUMI: We had some business to attend to.
MELTY: I thought it might be due to something else. I wanted to apologize for the deception in concealing my name.
NAOFUMI stares at MELTY, then picks up his own teacup and sighs.
NAOFUMI: There is nothing to apologize for. There has been enough bad blood between me and your family that I would not have come to our first meeting if I knew who you were. Of course, you also had the obvious concern for your personal security on top of that. I would be lying if I said I have buried the grudge, but that is my business, and no fault of yours.
MELTY nods.
MELTY: It is good to have this out in the open. I am sure you would be happy to know that Myne has been removed from all her cabinet positions. She left town early this morning, alongside the Spear Hero, though they will be back for their marriage ceremony later this week.
NAOFUMI nods.
NAOFUMI: That is good.
CONSTANCE: She may be down, but she isn’t gone, your royal highness.
MELTY sighs, sipping her tea.
MELTY: I fear you may be correct. My sister is definitely tenacious, among other things. But enough about her - let us discuss what I could do to help you with the Waves. I have already talked with Sir Ren about this in the morning, so it is time to bring you up to speed. I plan to establish a fund with the express purpose of funding defense against the Waves. The timing for this is auspicious - all of the dukes are already going to be in the capital for my sister’s wedding, and so we should be able to set everything in motion quite quickly. A part of that fund, naturally, will be allocated to your activities. After it’s in place, we can discuss how to direct the funding - be it to purchase equipment, mercenaries, or something else.
NAOFUMI glances at CONSTANCE, then back to MELTY.
NAOFUMI: We had our own plans for what to do with the money.
MELTY raises an eyebrow.
MELTY: There are great advantages to involving the crown in the process. We have easy access to many things that you would not.
NAOFUMI: Still.
MELTY smiles.
MELTY: You did say that you have not buried the grudge. If you want the funds as a lump sum, you will have them, but it would be better to resolve this problem directly. Is there anything I could do to gain your trust?
RAPHTALIA leans forwards.
RAPHTALIA: Repeal the demihuman treason act, for one.
MELTY nods.
MELTY: The one supposedly passed in reaction to the alleged murder of Marquis Idoru Reibia in the north, to strengthen existing demihuman regulations? Sir Ren has already told me about it. I haven’t had time to read it yet, but if it is as he said, you can consider it axed.
MELTY picks up a cookie from the table. She bites into it with a shrug.
MELTY: But that will just bring us back to where we were at the start of the week, would it not? No, I think to properly build trust in one another we’d need something more. I figured this would come up, so I came prepared.
MELTY picks up her folder and opens it.
MELTY: You brought up this slavery issue last time we met. Unfortunately, we haven’t had an opportunity to discuss it properly. If we managed to reach an agreement on it like reasonable people, wouldn’t you say that your trust in me would increase?
CONSTANCE glances at NAOFUMI, then frowns at MELTY.
CONSTANCE: Your royal highness, this is a very contentious issue, and all of us have very strong views on it. I don’t think -
MELTY waves CONSTANCE off.
MELTY: With all due respect lady Fredalia, shut up. I am only interested in the opinion of Sir Naofumi, as he comes from a different world from ours.
NAOFUMI boggles at MELTY.
NAOFUMI: You actually want to talk about slavery?
MELTY shrugs, biting into another cookie.
MELTY: Back in Faubrey, I was a part of my university’s debating society. I admit that with the stress of travel and dealing with Myne, I crave something familiar, yet no such thing exists in Melromarc. You wouldn’t begrudge me a spirited debate, will you? I’ve had one of my Shadows prepare quite a bit of information about the topic, and I know you must have a very unusual position. Those make for the best debates.
MELTY taps her folder. NAOFUMI looks at CONSTANCE. CONSTANCE shrugs performatively, and motions her lips being sealed.
NAOFUMI: Your highness, this cannot possibly end well.
MELTY: Oh come now, this isn’t my first time. Do you expect me to be a sore loser? I have lost debates before.
NAOFUMI frowns.
NAOFUMI: This is a topic that quite obviously concerns your family.
MELTY puts the folder down on her couch and crosses her arms.
MELTY: Even if it’s true, so what? I can separate my personal feelings from the topic. But if you are so worried about me retaliating -
MELTY takes out a small glass globe from her pocket, and holds it in front of her face. The globe starts to glow slowly, and she speaks into it.
MELTY: I, Melty Q. Melromarc, swear to hold no ill will towards Naofumi Iwatani for any insult - perceived or otherwise - made during a debate with me.
The light fades from the globe, and MELTY hands it to NAOFUMI. NAOFUMI puts the orb in his pocket.
MELTY: There you go. I trust that you know how to use a recording orb? The word of the royal princess is worth quite a bit.
NAOFUMI: I don’t think -
CONSTANCE rubs her forehead.
CONSTANCE [WHISPERING]: Oh, this is going to be a disaster.
CONSTANCE sighs and stands up.
CONSTANCE: Naofumi, you don’t have a choice. Look into her eyes. She’ll just keep pushing until you finally lock horns over it. Might as well get it over with when the circumstances are peaceful, if we want to get those funds.
MELTY sips from her tea cup.
MELTY: How very perceptive. Where do you find these people, Sir Naofumi?
CONSTANCE: I hope your royal highness would not begrudge me going for a walk? I worry seeing what is about to happen would not be good for my heart.
MELTY waves her off.
MELTY: Sure, absolutely. Take one of the Shadows from the door as an escort.
CONSTANCE heads towards the door. RAPHTALIA jumps up and follows her. CONSTANCE turns around.
CONSTANCE: Try and keep the blast area to the minimum.
MELTY raises an eyebrow. NAOFUMI purses his lips and nods. CONSTANCE and RAPHTALIA exit the room. MELTY puts down her cup of tea and clasps her hands.
MELTY: Now, where were we? I should probably explain how debates work. Normally we would have an audience to vote on who won, but we are only debating for fun. We would also usually flip a coin for who would take which position - but since you don’t have experience with formal debates, I don’t think you’d do a good job defending slavery.
NAOFUMI crosses his arms, but listens attentively. MELTY nods at him.
MELTY: Only thing left is some opening statements for us to have something to bite into - why don’t you start.
MELTY takes another cookie from the table and reclines on her couch, relaxing, and motions to NAOFUMI. NAOFUMI sighs.
NAOFUMI: I don’t really know where to start.
MELTY waves him off with a cookie.
MELTY: It’s your first time, don’t worry about it. Just focus on the things you actually believe.
NAOFUMI: Things I believe?
MELTY: Sure, just open your heart.
NAOFUMI: Alright. Slavery, both as an institution and as a practice, is immoral and is one of the most evil and vile things one person can do to another. It cannot be justified on any level, and it is the responsibility of every right-thinking person to oppose it whenever they can, and to push for its abolition, in all its forms, as soon as possible.
MELTY holds her cookie with her mouth and does a little clap for NAOFUMI. When she is done, she bites into the cookie and continues.
MELTY: Now this is what I was talking about. I knew that what you said in that tavern was watered down. This is going to be good.
MELTY dusts off her hands on her knees and picks up her folder, flipping through it.
MELTY: Now for my opening statement. Slaves produce the vast majority of cotton, rice, tobacco and sugar in this country, as well as large amounts of wheat, barley, olives and grapes. Abolition of slavery would put an end to these areas of agriculture, ruining hundreds of thousands of lives that depend on it, and causing famine across the country. In the context of the Waves, and the associated increase in wild monster activity, which are already putting a severe strain on the economic systems of our country, slavery abolition becomes a completely unworkable proposal. The only question left to address is a moral one, but seeing how objectively determining wherever something is immoral is impossible, this cannot be used to drive national policy.
MELTY puts her folder down, and rubs her hands together, smiling at NAOFUMI. NAOFUMI is frowning.
MELTY: Alright, now you can go ahead.
NAOFUMI: Why do you think agriculture would be destroyed?
MELTY blinks.
MELTY: Because without the slaves, there would be nobody to farm?
NAOFUMI: People are people, they can farm when they are free just as well. Give the farms to the newly freed slaves, and you will have your agriculture.
MELTY: The work the slaves do is incredibly grueling. No free person would agree to do something like that!
MELTY opens her folder again, and flips to one of the pages.
MELTY: Take cotton as an example. An efficient plantation in the northern provinces has slaves work from dawn till dusk, with only short breaks for food. Typically, an overseer must drive the slaves to move quickly, because their natural inclination is to slow down. This is not something that a free person could do of their own volition.
NAOFUMI: So they would choose to work shorter hours. That is a far cry from “putting an end” to those areas of agriculture.
MELTY: Fine, that was an exaggeration. But it changes little. Rice, wheat, sugar - all of these are essential food crops. A raise in their prices would be crippling to the country, and could indeed lead to famine.
NAOFUMI’s frown deepens.
NAOFUMI: Who said the prices would rise?
MELTY crosses her arms.
MELTY: Now you aren’t making any sense. If you shorten the hours, the farms would produce less food. The less food is produced, the higher the price - this is basic market economics, straight from Madam S. Mith.
MELTY smirks.
MELTY: Perhaps you aren’t familiar with the cutting edge of Faubrian economic theory due to coming from a different world - an understandable ignorance, really.
NAOFUMI’s mouth twitches.
NAOFUMI: Your highness, let us not compete over the number of books we’ve read - let me just say that there was a reason why in my world, out of a hundred adults, ninety nine could read and write. Let us instead consider the flow of money and goods.
NAOFUMI reaches into his pack, and takes out a notebook. He flips to an empty page, and transforms his shield into an inkwell. MELTY raises her eyebrows curiously at this, and leans forwards to watch.
NAOFUMI: Consider a plantation of rice. Slaves plant and harvest the crop, then give it to the plantation owner, who sells it to a market. In turn, plantation owner purchases various things for the slaves - food, clothing, materials for constructing housing - which they pass down the line.
NAOFUMI sketches a simple node structure.
NAOFUMI: Of course this is a simplistic model - a real plantation would no doubt plant and harvest multiple crops, as well as have some of the slaves work as carpenters and other craftsmen that could produce things that are consumed on the plantation itself. But this would not change the fundamental picture of where the resources flow.
[https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/g3Mz_TDc9o48Q2hOr0d-hslwnLpw1JLoZlPUneNs5POtVD85l8zCjIuO2mUeFNtVgQr-zhXNdsI_cOSR9k8PtgRHK4eXfJ0izpKNWgTq6qdy8Db-h4peK5wg4i744HJMUihGU4g4SHo1QbUzGQOPRhg]
MELTY nods as she watches NAOFUMI draw.
NAOFUMI: Of course, the plantation owner isn’t running this operation out of the goodness of their heart. They also want to pay for their own life, for various servants they employ, the running of their estate, all the guards they need to keep the slaves in check, and so on. I would simply label all of these expenditures as profit.
NAOFUMI adds a fat arrow leading away from the plantation.
NAOFUMI: Let’s compare this model to what would happen if freedmen were to run their own farms. As we’ve already said, the flow of rice towards the market would be reduced because less work happens in the fields. But by virtue of removing the plantation owner from the chain, we have also removed their massive drain on the funds. This means that if the numbers work out right, there is space to reduce the effective work hours and improve the freedmen’s quality of life while keeping the price of rice - that is to say, the ratio between the amount of rice produced and the amount of money brought back to the plantation - the same. How this space can be used is a separate question.
MELTY frowns, and picks up another cookie from the table.
MELTY: You keep talking about “removing the plantation owner”. But it’s their fields, they own them. How do you suppose that happens?
NAOFUMI shrugs.
NAOFUMI: You asked me how to keep famine at bay, I showed you. Observing the so-called “property rights” of plantation “owners” was not part of the task description.
NAOFUMI makes mock quotes with his fingers. MELTY hums.
MELTY: Setting proposals of large-scale repossession aside, this so-called “model” just does not work. Plantation owners analyze markets and perform accounting - things no slave could do. You cannot simply “eliminate” this “profit” arrow.
NAOFUMI: Could do or can do? I have no doubt that right now, enslaved people do not have the skills for accounting work. But this is simply a consequence of their training. If given the time and opportunity, they could learn to do this work just as well as any current plantation owner - basic accounting is not particularly complex.
NAOFUMI empties his cup of tea to clear his throat.
NAOFUMI: But the issue of skill goes deeper than this. Suppose that one of the slaves has a special talent of some sort - longer arms that make them better at picking fruit than at sowing cotton, or a particular affinity with woodworking. Would they have any reason to tell their master about this talent? I do not see any: they would be worked to the bone, from dawn till dusk regardless. Or suppose that one of the slaves notices a way that they could improve the plantation’s operations somehow. Would they tell their master? But why should they - this won’t make their work any easier. In fact, their master may even beat them for trying to find a clever way to get out of work. Perhaps the plantation owner really is especially talented at organizing the labor of their one hundred slaves, and noticing special talents among them - but are they one hundred times more efficient? That seems doubtful. No, the plantation system inherently reduces the economic productivity of any place where it is employed.
MELTY bites into her cookie with a smile.
MELTY: Maybe you have read Madam S. Mith’s theories, or something close to it. But your argument still doesn’t work. To organize people - slaves or otherwise - you need a central figure, a decisionmaker.
NAOFUMI: That’s not true. I do not know about this world, but in mine, there were cooperatives - companies organized by workers democratically, with no boss to speak of.
MELTY: And how well did that work?
NAOFUMI shrugs.
NAOFUMI: I have never looked into it. But I know they existed, and that means they could not be disastrous.
MELTY: But they were not widely used, I take it? Does this not imply that this form of organization is fundamentally inferior? In fact, if your argument about the economic productivity of plantations was correct, then abolition would be superfluous - slavery would die out on its own, and get replaced by a “superior” economic system.
NAOFUMI frowns again.
NAOFUMI: No. You are confusing overall economic efficiency with sustainability as a system.
MELTY raises an eyebrow.
MELTY: How so?
NAOFUMI sighs, and reaches for his cup of tea, finding it empty. He reaches for the kettle, but is stopped by MELTY.
MELTY: Allow me.
MELTY holds the cup in front of the kettle nose, and presses her hand on top of the kettle. Tea sprouts from the kettle, landing exactly in the cup without spilling. MELTY hands the cup to NAOFUMI, who nods in thanks.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
NAOFUMI: It’s really quite simple. When you calculate efficiency across the board - in terms of goods or services provided to all people on a certain territory - slavery is, of course, inefficient. But for the slavers, it is immensely efficient. It is, indeed, the most efficient way to extract profit from a populace by working them to the bone. As a result, slavers end up as the richest and most influential people in a given region, if they weren’t already. Indeed, once the slavers are - like you said - the legal owners of the land, then no agriculture will be possible without their involvement, and without paying them their undeserved cut. From this position, they can control all other government policy, and sustain the slavery system indefinitely, regardless of how inefficient it may be on pure economic terms. It would not only fail to die out - it may in fact spread further, as the small, rich class of slavers will find it much easier to coordinate than the numerically larger classes of workers.
MELTY hums.
MELTY: It is a cute hypothesis. But at the end of the day this is all it is - a hypothesis. On the other hand, the system of slavery has managed to sustain itself for generations, and produce immense wealth for Melromarc. And you have said it yourself - you don’t have any data on hand to back up your claim that this system of “cooperatives” you advocate for would be better.
MELTY leans forwards with a smirk.
MELTY: So in other words, you have absolutely no idea if it could be used on an economic scale.
NAOFUMI opens his mouth to respond, but MELTY waves him off.
MELTY: But there is a second assumption underlying your economic argument. You assume that demihumans can learn any skill a human can learn - yet as far as I am aware, the entire scientific community of Melromarc would disagree with you on this point.
NAOFUMI scowls.
NAOFUMI: Oh please, are you an actual phrenologist?
MELTY: I am not vested in the field - merely reporting the current state of research. Do you have a counter argument or not?
NAOFUMI fumes.
NAOFUMI: We had the same fucking argument in my world. They said it about the Irish, and it was false; they said it about the Poles, and it was false; they said it about black people, and it was false; yet now, when I hear it about demihumans, you expect me to believe it to be true?
MELTY looks down at the table, as she pours herself a new cup of tea with more water magic.
MELTY: Correct me if I am wrong, but your world did not have demihumans?
NAOFUMI: No.
MELTY: And have you looked into our medical literature, or perhaps done some experiments yourself to establish their similarity to humans, since you came here?
NAOFUMI picks up a cookie and angrily consumes it.
NAOFUMI: No.
MELTY looks directly at NAOFUMI, smirking as she stirs sugar into her tea.
MELTY: So in other words, you have no proof - not even indirect proof, based on verifying that demihumans are medically similar to the people from your world - that demihumans are as capable of intellectual pursuits as local humans?
NAOFUMI scowls again.
NAOFUMI: There is plenty of indirect proof. Demihumans look, move and behave exactly like humans. They eat the same things, age the same, grow the same, and can freely interbreed with humans. All of that points to them being the same species, which means they must work the same on an intellectual level too.
MELTY waves him off with her teacup.
MELTY: Is a “species” yet another term from your world? What evidence do you have that science from your world works the same way here? You cannot simply assume this.
NAOFUMI: Raphtalia is as capable as anyone else I know -
MELTY: Oh come on, a single case? That might have been affected by your Shield in a dozen different ways? Even if we assume your obvious magical nature didn’t interfere - the argument here is obviously statistical, and a single point proves little. Obviously individual demihumans might be capable of learning these skills - the question is wherever there is enough of them, on a population level, to support a fundamental economic change.
NAOFUMI leans forwards.
NAOFUMI: There is literally an entire country of Shieldfrieden right next door to Melromarc. If demihumans couldn’t farm on their own, it would have collapsed within a year.
MELTY waves him off again, smirking.
MELTY: Shieldfrieden has, historically, always been poorer, less populous and less advanced than Melromarc. It is entirely plausible that farming techniques that work for them would not work for us here, due to needing to squeeze more crops out of the same acreage of land to feed our denser population.
NAOFUMI: Did them being poorer have something to do with Melromarc invading and pillaging their lands?
MELTY: Perhaps, but such an invasion could have only been possible in the first place if they were already, initially, poorer. I will grant you that this evidence is not strong - yet whatever evidence it is, it does not lean in your direction.
MELTY puts her cup down on the table and spreads her arms apologetically.
MELTY: To summarize, your economic argument is based on economic models that, as far as I know, have never been tried here, and medical theories borrowed from your world that you can neither prove nor demonstrate their applicability to our conditions. You might as well simply say “Trust me, your royal highness” instead of constructing this complex argument that, in fact, is built on sand. At best - and this really is the best you can prove - this could support a small, localized experiment to see if slaves could manage themselves, but certainly not a national abolition of slavery.
Smug MELTY leans back. NAOFUMI is gritting his teeth.
MELTY: It was a pretty good attempt! Sadly, without data to back up your claims, you cannot win this.
MELTY picks up her teacup again.
MELTY: Despite the easy loss, I think you’d make for a pretty good opponent, so I would love to debate you on other topics in the future.
MELTY motions to FULANA JEN.
MELTY: Kindly send for his party members.
FULANA JEN nods and heads towards the doors. NAOFUMI visibly forces himself to exhale.
NAOFUMI: You are forgetting something. My opening statement was made of two parts.
MELTY raises an eyebrow.
MELTY: Do you really want to reiterate a moral argument? Come now, that’s an unwinnable position.
NAOFUMI: Are you conceding defeat then?
MELTY rolls her eyes, but smiles.
MELTY: I am saying you’d be wasting your time. But if you insist, I am always happy to take a second win in one evening.
MELTY motions for FULANA JEN to stop. FULANA JEN returns to her window. MELTY crosses her arms.
MELTY: Well, how would you like to approach this? You come from a different world, so naturally we would have different moral systems and axioms. Even if you proved that within your system of morality slavery was, as you said, “evil” - what good would that do? It would not translate to my moral system, let alone pave a road towards making an argument for the necessity of abolition.
NAOFUMI seems to have outwardly calmed down, but his eyes are shining with concealed fury.
NAOFUMI: I don’t need to translate anything, because our morality is based on the same axioms. You said so yourself.
MELTY raises an eyebrow in confusion.
MELTY: I did?
NAOFUMI: Yes. You said that slavery abolition would ruin hundreds of thousands of lives, didn’t you? This means you value the life and happiness of people in Melromarc.
MELTY frowns.
MELTY: Sure, but so do most people.
NAOFUMI: That’s all I need to construct my argument. You’d then agree that the more people are happy about their lives, the better?
MELTY: In principle, sure.
NAOFUMI: Then by your own logic, the system of slavery harms the lives of close to four million people in Melromarc. It does so constantly, every day of their lives, by virtue of them being enslaved.
MELTY’s frown deepens.
MELTY: This is circular. You can’t prove that slavery is bad by assuming that being a slave is bad.
NAOFUMI: Would you like to be enslaved?
MELTY avoids the question by brushing a strand of hair away from her face, and flips open her folder with one hand.
MELTY: This is an appeal to emotion. I wouldn’t want to be poor either, but according to all the numeric data I have, the lives of slaves are no worse than the lives of poor peasants in other countries, or indeed in Melromarc.
NAOFUMI: Data, huh. Well, I happen to have some data on this topic.
NAOFUMI reaches into his bag, and takes out a red binder - the same binder that RAPHTALIA used to collect testimonies from DEMIHUMANS during the trial of IDORU REIBIA.
NAOFUMI: These are some testimonies of actual slaves about their life on a plantation. Let’s see what they say, hm?
NAOFUMI opens the binder, and flips through it.
Author Note: following two paragraphs contain graphic descriptions of abuse, skip them if you don’t find it palatable.
NAOFUMI: How about this: the son of one Lerrema, a female slave who worked in the master’s house, fell so sick he could not work. Their overseer thought the boy was faking it, so he had him flogged; when that naturally did nothing, he refused to provide any treatment. The boy was nine years old. Lerrema stole some honey from the master’s pantries to make herbal medicine against the sickness, but was caught. As punishment, she was chained naked to a tree stump in a nearby forest above an anthill and covered in honey; their owner ordered this and oversaw the punishment in person, stating that “now she will have all the honey she needs”. She begged for death, but their master put up guards, and her husband could not get to her. After a week of this, she died from gangrene.
MELTY cringes from the graphic description, clearly put on the back foot. NAOFUMI flips through the binder to another page.
NAOFUMI: Or why don’t we look at the account of Ermet, who, when harvesting cotton in the fields, happened to miss a couple stalks. For this heinous crime, he was tied to stakes by the arms and legs, whipped so much his back was nothing but one large wound, and then had salt rubbed into the wound and left lying for an hour. Thankfully, he survived this.
MELTY cringes again as if slapped. NAOFUMI calmly flips more pages in the binder.
MELTY: Stop.
NAOFUMI: Or how about this: their master happened to take a liking to Messel, a young slave woman -
MELTY: Oh enough!
MELTY is breathing heavily. NAOFUMI shrugs and slams the binder shut and gestures with it, his voice rising.
NAOFUMI: Do you think this is remotely comparable to a peasant? How can you justify slavery when it leads to this?
MELTY: This is anecdotal -
NAOFUMI leans forwards out of his couch, his rage poking through again.
NAOFUMI: Oh please, would you like to go on a tour of the country? Say the word - I can teleport you to a hundred different cities, so we can visit many, many plantations. You could talk to the slaves in person! How many testimonies do you need for a survey? I have over two hundred here, all in the same key. Would a thousand suffice? Would ten thousand?
MELTY scowls back at NAOFUMI, her face going red, as she sits straight on her couch and leans forwards to match NAOFUMI.
MELTY: Fine, you know what? Even if you show that slavery is evil, this still means nothing for your argument, because you have to prove that it is necessary to remove it. You cannot do this - I didn’t put them in bondage, I didn’t set up this system, and I have no duty to the slaves - so even if I support their plight, I have no obligation to do anything about it! For all your talk, you still lose this debate!
NAOFUMI’s upper lip is trembling in rage, his face matching MELTY’s in tone.
NAOFUMI: Oh cut the bullshit. Out of anyone in this entire country, literally anyone, you are the worst person to say this. You are the single person with the most power to stop this, should you wish to - and if you have power to stop evil, you absolutely have the responsibility to exercise that power. A single word from you and we could be done. If not you, then who?
MELTY: Do you think we rule alone? If the dukes themselves won’t have me out of this castle by morning, my mother will have me whipped for that when she returns.
NAOFUMI throws his hands in the air.
NAOFUMI: Then fucking hang anyone who dares move against you! Are you a royal or a wet blanket? Is your word worth nothing?
As NAOFUMI and MELTY argue, doors behind NAOFUMI open, and SHADOW 2 steps through, carrying a candle for light. FULANA JEN turns towards the newcomer, but turns away when they recognise them. Once they have turned away, SHADOW 2 (revealed as ASSASSIN 1) takes out a bomb from underneath their cloak, lights it from the candle, and throws it at MELTY. They are seen by SHADOW 1 from the other corner of the room, but it is too late.
MELTY’s angry eyes move away from NAOFUMI’s face, attracted by the movement of the bomb. As the bomb flies, they open wider in recognition, and her mouth opens for a scream. MELTY brings her hands upwards, as if to shield her face. When the bomb is mere inches away, a flat plane of pressurized water shoots out from MELTY’s hands, and cuts the wick on the bomb. Disabled bomb falls on MELTY’s couch.
SHADOW 1 rushes towards MELTY to protect them. ASSASSIN 1 calls out, and pulls out a small crossbow from their cloak. FULANA JEN turns back towards them and darts in their direction, but she is too slow. ASSASSIN 1 aims at MELTY and fires.
An arrow hits MELTY in the front, piercing through her lung. MELTY screams in shock. FULANA JEN reaches ASSASSIN 1 and pulls out a pair of knives. ASSASSIN 1 drops the crossbow and barely manages to take out their own knives to defend themselves. NAOFUMI turns back towards the fight, finally realizing what is happening.
Both pairs of doors bang open, as ASSASSIN 2 enters the room behind NAOFUMI, while ASSASSIN 3 and ASSASSIN 4 enter from behind MELTY. They are likewise dressed as SHADOWS, and carrying crossbows, and point them towards MELTY. MELTY has to throw herself to the ground to avoid the bolts. SHADOW 1 rushes towards them to stop them.
NAOFUMI jerks to stand up, but seems to think better of it, and sits down, consciously relaxing. His eyes meet MELTY’s.
MELTY: Why are you just sitting there? Do something!
NAOFUMI crosses his arms and scowls. Sounds of fighting come from beyond the doors to this room. ASSASSINS 2, 3 and 4 drop their crossbows and pull out knives. ASSASSINS 3 and 4 engage SHADOW 1, while ASSASSIN 2 joins ASSASSIN 1 in the fight against FULANA JEN.
NAOFUMI: I don’t see how any of this is my problem.
MELTY: What? Help us, you bastard!
MELTY gets up, wincing from the arrow still stuck in her body, and brings her hands up, cupping them and aiming at ASSASSIN 3 and 4. A sphere of water forms in her hands, and a ray of pressurized water shoots out, cutting a jagged line through the floor, and causing ASSASSIN 3 to dodge aside. ASSASSIN 4 parries the blades of SHADOW 1, and manages to ram his blade into SHADOW 1’s throat. SHADOW 1 falls to the ground, dead.
On the other side of the room, FULANA JEN is holding off ASSASSIN 1 and 2.
NAOFUMI: Why should I? I am not actively doing anything, am I? That means I am off the hook, right? That’s what you said! Your internal noble squabbles and mutual assassinations have nothing to do with me.
ASSASSINs 3 and 4 head towards the couches, heading for MELTY. ASSASSIN 4 suddenly skids to a stop and tries to jump aside, but is not fast enough. FILO falls from the chandelier under the ceiling, a column of wind whipping behind her like rocket exhaust, and catches ASSASSIN 4 by the arm. ASSASSIN 4 loses their footing and, as FILO turns her downwards momentum into a spin, is whipped by his arm in between FILO and the floor. FILO’s knee comes down on their chest with the force of a falling stalactite, and with a crunch of bones turns ASSASSIN 4’s ribs into splinters, killing them instantly.
FILO somersaults off their corpse, and comes down on the balls of her feet in a fighting posture. She glances at NAOFUMI for directions.
FILO: I think Fredalia wanted her alive? Are you sure we want to stay out of this?
Something in NAOFUMI cracks, and his rage lets up.
NAOFUMI: Fine, let’s help them.
ASSASSIN 3 heads for MELTY, but isn’t fast enough as NAOFUMI encases her in a shield prison. FILO turns towards ASSASSIN 3 with a cheerful grin, and ASSASSIN 3 backpedals away from her. Streaks of air around FILO whip through the corpse of ASSASSIN 4, picking up both of their blades. One of them flies towards ASSASSIN 3, while the other one heads towards ASSASSIN 2, homing in on them unerringly. ASSASSIN 3 manages to parry the flying blade, while ASSASSIN 2 is struck by the blade in their stomach, crying out in pain. FILO rushes at ASSASSIN 3 with a loud cheer.
FULANA JEN uses the distraction of the flying blade to dispatch ASSASSIN 2, but ASSASSIN 1 manages to sink their blade into FULANA JEN’s thigh. Soon enough, FILO dispatches her opponent, and together with FULANA JEN they finish off the last ASSASSIN.
Their fight over, FULANA JEN limps over to her doors, and closes them, leaning against them. A SHADOW comes from the other set of the doors, their daggers drenched in blood, and FULANA JEN motions to them to close their set of doors too. The only ones left alive in the room are MELTY, NAOFUMI, FILO and FULANA JEN. FULANA JEN takes out a healing potion and drinks it.
Shield prison vanishes, and NAOFUMI runs towards MELTY, his hands glowing with healing light. MELTY has bubbles of blood coming out of her mouth, but NAOFUMI stabilizes her. As her wounds are healed, the parts of the arrow outside of her body clatter to the ground. FILO comes closer and crouches next to MELTY. NAOFUMI hands MELTY a pair of potions.
NAOFUMI: Against poison, and a healing one, in case I missed anything.
MELTY coughs up some blood, and nods in thanks, drinking the potions.
Sounds of running footsteps come from behind FULANA JEN, and she gets up off the ground, taking out her knives again. The door bangs open with great force, sending her reeling back, and RAPHTALIA steps through, holding her sword, which is drenched in blood. CONSTANCE follows after her, holding a pair of daggers. They glance around the room.
RAPHTALIA: Anyone dead?
NAOFUMI: Nobody of ours. Close the doors.
RAPHTALIA nods, and closes the doors, leaning against them. FULANA JEN heads towards MELTY and helps MELTY up as NAOFUMI moves aside.
CONSTANCE: We were heading back when we heard the fighting. Some Shadows tried to hold us off.
FULANA JEN swears.
FULANA JEN: Traitorous dogs. What Shadow raises a hand at their sovereign?
MELTY breathes deeply as the adrenaline of the fight leaves her, and leans against a couch.
MELTY: I…oh god, I almost died. Oh god.
MELTY’s breathing accelerates, her face going white, and she moves towards a window. FULANA JEN pushes her back.
FULANA JEN: No, your highness. Windows are dangerous until we secure the palace: you might get shot. Stay behind Shield Hero.
MELTY nods and moves back to the couch. FULANA JEN approaches the window, glancing out of it cautiously. FILO paces around the room with her eyes closed, frowning in concentration.
FILO: I can’t hear anyone outside. There’s the shadow outside the doors, some more people in the corridors, and us here, I think.
NAOFUMI nods to FILO in thanks. MELTY doubles over and vomits on the floor.
CONSTANCE: It’s a good thing you were here to stop them. If they killed her royal highness, we’d have been blamed for it. It would have been impossible to do any business afterwards.
NAOFUMI’s face goes white. CONSTANCE leans against the back side of the room.
NAOFUMI: Who do you think is behind this?
CONSTANCE: Myne, who else. I’d put money on it.
FILO looks over the room, and starts counting something on her fingers. MELTY glances towards CONSTANCE, wiping her mouth. Her hands are shaking.
MELTY: My sister? No, it can’t be. I know her, she wouldn’t -
CONSTANCE: Your royal highness, nobody else would have had the loyalty of the Shadows. There is only one possibility here.
FULANA JEN frowns from near the window. FILO heads in MELTY’s direction with a frown.
FULANA JEN: Frankly, I agree, your royal highness.
MELTY: It can’t be. I refuse to believe it. My sister - ah!
ASSASSIN 5 fades into existence behind MELTY, their blade pressed against MELTY’s neck.
ASSASSIN 5: Nobody moves, or the princess gets it! I -
ASSASSIN 5 is facing everyone except CONSTANCE, who is behind their back. CONSTANCE reaches into her clothing, pulls out a revolver, and aims it at their head.
BANG!
ASSASSIN 5’s brain splatters across the room. CONSTANCE breathes on the end of the revolver and approaches MELTY, helping her up.
CONSTANCE: It seems that you may have to face some unpleasant realities soon, your highness. If you would have the advice of this old woman, it would be to dress in short skirts and strong boots, leave your jewels at the bank, and carry a Faubrian revolver. This goes double if you aim to deal with your sister.
NAOFUMI sighs.
NAOFUMI: Well, I hope you can handle it from here, Fulana. We must be going.
MELTY: Going?! You are going to leave? No, nonono -
MELTY begins hyperventilating again.
MELTY: You can’t go. If you go, I’ll die. No, I forbid it, absolutely fucking not.
NAOFUMI frowns at MELTY.
NAOFUMI: We must prepare for the Waves, your highness. We can’t - and won’t - stay around the palace.
MELTY: Then take me with you!
NAOFUMI: What?
FULANA JEN: Your royal highness, I could not -
MELTY scowls at FULANA JEN.
MELTY: Shut it. Until you clear the other Shadows, this palace is the most dangerous place for me, and you know it.
MELTY turns to NAOFUMI.
NAOFUMI: This is ridiculous.
MELTY: Why?
NAOFUMI: Because you need to be in the palace to rule?
MELTY: Nonsense. Myne travels with a hero, and damn it but she is safer for it.
NAOFUMI crosses his arms.
NAOFUMI: Do you think you can enter our party by ordering us? That’s not how it works.
MELTY: Fine, then bring me back in the morning! But not today. If I sleep here today, I’ll die.
MELTY’s teeth are clattering in fear.
NAOFUMI: And you actually think you’d be safer with us? After what I said today? After what I heard from you? How do you know Raphtalia won’t strangle you in your sleep?
RAPHTALIA raises an eyebrow. MELTY scowls.
RAPHTALIA: What in the name of the spirit beasts did you two talk about?
MELTY ignores RAPHTALIA and focuses on NAOFUMI.
MELTY: Debate is a debate, you moron, it’s a competition. Obviously I don’t actually believe everything I said. But at the end of the day, you saved my life instead of letting me die, didn’t you? And I don’t think you thought about being blamed for my murder while you did it.
CONSTANCE approaches NAOFUMI and whispers in his ear.
CONSTANCE: Look, Naofumi, I think we should agree with her here.
NAOFUMI whispers back.
NAOFUMI: How the hell do you want us to do anything with her around?
CONSTANCE: Obviously we won’t be bringing her with us all over the place. But there is no reason why we can’t keep her in a safehouse in the middle of the country. And the position of guarding the current ruler, given that her hold on power is extremely shaky, is incredibly strong.
NAOFUMI purses his lips. Finally, he sighs.
NAOFUMI: Fine.
MELTY’s body visibly relaxes.
MELTY: Oh thank god.
MELTY turns to FULANA JEN.
MELTY: You are staying here. Figure out how deep this conspiracy goes. I will be back tomorrow.
FULANA JEN nods unhappily. MELTY, NAOFUMI, FILO, RAPHTALIA and CONSTANCE head for the doors.
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DRAMATIS PERSONAE
NAOFUMI IWATANI, THE SHIELD HERO. The first socialist. Protagonist. Amateur debater.
PRINCESS MELTY Q. MELROMARC. First heir to the throne of Melromarc. Debatebro.
RAPHTALIA. Second socialist. Does not like debates.
CONSTANCE VON MARUKIEVICH / FREDALIA. Secretly demihuman. Close ally of NAOFUMI. Old.
FILO. Amateur paratrooper. Fighting enjoyer.
FULANA JEN. Trusted agent of MELTY. Head Shadow.