Hail the Almighty Deity of our prosperous nation of Venerai, the Unifier of the World, Ikasil!

…I do not mean to doubt the Unifier’s all-powerful-ness. I merely want to state that my opinion is of that the recall of slavery is not satisfactory to my ignorant, humble self. I strive to know the Unifier’s wishes, but as of recent I struggle to understand the correct intentions of the almighty deity.

Only a mere six days and thirteen hours ago, the Unifier of the World’s advisor, the incomprehensible Alseni, returned with guests. Humans. The filthy worms who struggle on the ground, their paper-thin flesh always exposed. Their cloth made of inferior, non-magical materials protects them from nothing. But seven of these disgusting creatures were allowed to enter Renairis Palace? The personal domain of the holy Unifier?

I cannot accept it. Oh, may the Unifier smite and punish me for my transgressions. I have locked myself in the chamber of repentance for a week without light, food, or water to repent for my ill thoughts.

I may as well purge these treacherous inklings here rather than in the Unifier’s glorious domain. So, I prostrate on the dry, cracked ground, the damp draft whistling in from an unknown direction.

One month and eight days, seven hours ago, an impossible feat occurred on the ashes of the Destructor nation, the Potonic Ocean. An entire nation was whisked into existence from another world. This nation is of the like of the Evil Syndicate, harboring these fleshy humans. They didn’t waste a single second before launching their warmongering selves into a conflict with the less disgusting kingdom of Oso.

Though dwarves are red, hairy slobs wasting their lives on fermented wine, at least the most productive of them create useful magical machinery for use. Even the glorious domain of the Unifier has use for their concealment devices. They are also stronger and more durable than humans.

But to my dismay, not only was this summoned nation not crushed succinctly, but Oso was defeated in only three days! It would be acceptable if this nation full of inferiors at the very least took the territory, but no! For an inexplicable reason, it left Oso with minimal tribute taken from it.

I have knowledge of the Deity Advisor of the Unifier’s views on this nation. He appears to welcome them. I haven’t even sensed a drop of magic from them. However, it seems that their god is one of concealment. At the very least this summoned nation known as the United States of America isn’t without divine guidance.

And the name of this nation! It isn’t like any other name ever seen on this planet. It sounds like a confederacy, but it appears that it isn’t. The nation’s government is unheard of as well. The great advisor attempted to explain, but I could not for the life of me comprehend it. It seems that the people can choose their leader. An interesting concept. That was the only section comprehensible. The rest was unfortunately gibberish.

Hm, this may be the only boon from this United States of America. I am interested in how democracy, this esoteric concept, can be implemented. It sounds like in order to achieve a proper election, the people would all need to have a high standard of education. This also implies that—if what the United States of America claims is not spurious—the entire nation is well educated as all citizens over eighteen are able to vote. I do not understand why the minimum age is eighteen—perhaps that is when their people’s education is complete. Of course, perhaps education is not widespread and even uncultured peasants have the ability to vote.

Apart from education, this nation also appears to have the technology of the dwarves. Mage capsules are generally regarded as dwarven technology as only dwarves have the knowledge and ability to craft them. The only way for other nations to obtain mage capsules is through the Alcriwazi Combine. Venerai itself has none. Dragonair have no use for heavy, slow chunks of metal that disallow the ability to fly.

However, despite its status as a pure human nation, the United States of America has many of these mage capsules. Additionally, the nation has an abundance of aircraft. I have not seen the capabilities of these technologies from the nation, so I shall reserve my judgement on their practicality.

…Upon ruminating upon the nation for a while longer, it seems that the United States of America isn’t such a weak nation. I have seen the summoned heroes from Ebvirsjo, who admittedly have stronger magic than most dragonair. Perhaps these humans are less inferior. They aren’t from Echarit, after all.

Oh, almighty Unifier of the World, Ikasil, I have realized my mistakes! I now see your great vision for this nation. I was foolish and blinded to why the Species Extermination Program was canceled and why slavery was banned. It is to secure relations with this interesting nation, a far wiser investment. Admittedly, I was reluctant to close the slave market. Mayhap, I was even greedy? I was even entertaining the idea of starting a black market! A black market in your domain! Forgive me for my transgressions!

If it is your intention for Venerai to become a “democracy",” then I shall welcome this change! Your mercy in giving your people power is immense! Yes, I shall go out right this instant to rid your domain of these slave markets you deem illegal. But…I still think other species should be exterminated. Perhaps the United States of America can be an exception?

Ah! I apologize, but I simply cannot yet see your glorious plan in all of its entirety!

…And I also know that the Unifier cannot hear me; the Unifier's divine domain is teleportation, not telepathy. But, in this dark and eerie cavern, I cannot help but feel lonely. And a smigen awkward when addressing no one. Mere mortals cannot surpass the divine’s ability to shirk worldly emotions.

But, I have a new mission. I must leave this chamber and perform my duty.

…My legs seem to have been replaced with a human’s. It pains me to admit, but I spend a few minutes struggling to fight the aches of an aging one hundred fifty-three years old dragonair before realizing I could simply open my wings and flap once. All this monologuing about humans has made me forget what makes dragonair superior. Aside from enhanced quality in general and innate enhancement abilities.

I groan as I land on my stiff ice blocks of legs. Unfortunately, I did not inheirit my parents’ good genes and was left with human-like legs. Though only human in appearance, as most races are. To alleviate the cramps, I slam my long, thin tail down for balance.

It is time to serve the supreme Unifier. I flick to night vision, my yellow eyes presumably becoming green. The door appears to have gotten behind me.

It creaks open. This rotting wooden door has not been well maintained as the chamber of repentance is not meant to be comfortable. Though it’s unfortunate the noise alerts the guards who, against my orders, stood outside.

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“Alatier Tranim! …It’s a bit early, isn’t it?” The guard to my right seems awkward at my four day early emergence.

“I did not come out to avoid punishment. I came out as the closing of the slave markets must be overseen by the Alatier,” I neutrally explain.

Their expressions are unreadable. I do not wait for their response and simply walk to the market square. It is quite a while away from the chamber of repentance as the chamber is situated in a cave outside the city. The two elite guards seem to have decided to follow me from the sound of their white and gold plate armor clacking obnoxiously.

The two guards have the highest reoccurrence of disobedience whenever I retreat to the chamber of repentance. The taller one covered in orange scales is called Rinar. She was the one who exclaimed earlier. The other with two purple sub-wings, two normal wings and an elongated snout is annoying.

Unfortunately, as young dragonair with speed enhancement, the two catch up before I can even reach the road. I hoped they would be led astray by the roadless forest, but it seems that they have come here too many times.

The annoying one attempted to stain my shoulders with her unwashed claws, one of which still held her divine fragment pike, until Rinar hastily prevented her. Rinar reprimanded the annoying one without my asking; however, the annoying one merely clicked moodily and chirped, “Not gonna run away from Alseni’s orders this time?”

“Don’t talk to the Alatier in such an informal manner,” hissed Rinar as she smacked the insubordinate one in the head.

The hit unfortunately did not faze her. “Aw, will that snail punish me for saying a few words?”

Rinar smacked her again, this time wrestling the pike from the immature one’s grasp. “I swear, if you weren’t the only daughter of the Grand Duke and if he wasn’t so lenient on you, I would challenge you to a Duel of Dishonor and rip that snarking snout off.” She turns to me. “Apologies for the…display of violence.”

I wave a hand. “I understand.” I would do the same. If any one of the annoying one’s protections were removed, her head would not still be on her shoulders. Which is why I greatly encouraged the Grand Duke to have another child. Unfortunately, his previous wife died.

We have now reached the road. From here, forty-six minutes are required to enter the city by flight. As the market square is a mere eight hundred five ments west of the gate and dragonair without buffs can walk five times faster than a human, we would take four hundred two and a half seconds long…Erm, a little less than seven minutes. I wish I knew where the remainder of division disappears to.

Now flying, I am much faster than the annoying one, especially with enhancements. But I do not use my flight enhancement as Rinar would not be able to keep up either.

I am curious about the “snail” the annoying one had referenced prior. I ask Rinar what this is.

“A new animal from the United States of America. I believe Harpashi was insulting Your Eminence before as snails are said to be slow, slimy creatures.”

I am merciful. The insulting one will be spared for now.

The gatekeepers give me entrance after I present them my identification contract. The mage on duty makes use of the phase object device newly ordered from Alcriwazi to allow us the walk straight through the tall, white piece of metal. It was installed as the gate shortly after the last batch of products from the Alcriwazi Combine arrived a few weeks prior.

The entry plaza opens up into a glistening fountain, powered by water mana storage crystals. Two rows of residential buildings create a straight passageway to Renairis Palace, seen in the distance. The powerful white spires stretch into the sky, normally casting shadows over its surroundings. An enormous divine fragment crystal sits on the top of the tallest of the spires. That’s the gift from the all-powerful Unifier. It shall cast an impenetrable shield after all ninety-seven standard shields, forty-two contingency shields, and all mages who could cast even the weakest shield have fallen. But! Unlike the mortal-made shields, the shield is said to stretch even into the space above the sky, where the Sun and moon reside.

There is no need for a clergyperson to travel to the east of the city, the Military District. Ordinarily, a high ranker such as I would not step foot in the western Merchant District either. However, the market square is in there.

It is disconcerting, to say the least, to not pass through the two buildings to the blue Rilet Canal, then further into the brightly lit Nobility District. The passageway between the left building and the city wall is less impressive.

There are no decorations of any kind. It is acceptable if instead of gems and gold, perhaps flowers are used. But no. The streets are only decorated with magical light orbs, not even of the same color. It appears as if a unicorn…has gotten sick and excreted the contents of its stomach into the streets. At the very least, there are not erratic splotches of paint in various images and messages splattered onto the walls, like the poorer cities.

As the residential buildings morph into various buildings used by the Merchant Practical Guild, more and more people appear in the vincity. Fortunately, the waves of people part as I walk through, not impeding my movement in the slightest.

Finally, I reach a fairly large, but squat orange building with gold lining. Why is it orange and gold? It looks like some sort of eatery, not the slave market.

I walk up the brown stairs to the also brown patron of this windowless buildings. Two brown pillars hold the awning up. Rinar and the annoyingly chatty one follow behind. I’m fortunate Rinar silenced the annoying one for most of the journey, else I would have pulled out a concealment device and disappeared.

The brown sign has “Eirck Official Slave Market Branch” in gold letters. Official is a bit redundant; there aren’t any other markets besides one in each major city or region in Venerai, and especially not underground ones.

I swish the door open and strut in. If I had reservations about closing the markets in the chamber of repentance, I certainly don’t have any after seeing the color of the building. The interior is no better.

There are no fountains, no plants as decorations, and nowhere to sit. There is simply a desk to the right and aisles of cages. These cages are the same gold used for everything in this place. I should have been involved in the location of the capital market branch.

The black-haired receptionist stands up and bows in greeting with his hands clasping in front. “Greetings, Alatier Tranim. What brings you here today?” He must know, but still has the obligation to ask.

“The closing of the slave market, as per the Deity Advisor’s orders,” I simply state.

The receptionist nods and calls the employees, who have already received the plans for the shutdown procedure. It was difficult to figure how to free the slaves; a curse is used to enslave them. Curses cannot be dispelled by even the caster. Perhaps contracts should have been used in their place, but I doubt slaves would sign them. Though I do not know why, shouldn’t these inferiors be pleased to become property of the Unifier?

To free the slaves, a carefully worded contract was created. This contract should allow the signers to not need to follow orders by having obedience as a requirement. Then, the punishment would be to dispel the curse. The curse punishing disobedience to the master with extreme pain would then be erased, the contract dissolving as it is a one time use. It’s genius.

Of course, unless created by a god, these contracts would have no effect on a curse.

…Yes, I obtained the idea and contracts from the Deity Advisor. This was unavoidable. Mere mortals cannot circumvent the natural laws of the world.

The soon to be former slaves were released from all restrictions one by one. Then, they lined up to sign the contract, when the manager of the branch would tell them to sit. They would refuse and the curse would dissipate. We also have to provide them money and basic necessities, including housing. Temporarily, they will stay in the former market building until they purchase housing elsewhere.

That is fine. But why should we allow these creatures jobs in our nation? The equality the Deity Advisor talks about does not seem beneficial to Venerai. But, I shall not object until the Unifier does so. In the meantime, I shall organize the immediate demolition of this disgusting looking building once the former slaves leave.

…And I need to tell Rinar to bring the annoying one home. She is attempting to beat a human into meaty pieces.

…Now Rinar is attempting to beat a dwarf into a red bush. The employees do not appear to be able to stop them. I suppose merchants do not have the magic power of an elite selected to guard the Unification Church…

I do have to stop them, I suppose. So, to the aggressive one’s ear-piercing shrieks and Rinar’s protest of, “We weren’t supposed to stop them?” I blast them with orbs of purple fruit energy until they fall asleep. I tell the employees where they live, write a note so they will not be stopped by the police, and go home.