Dark Fate, Chapter 185 (Patreon)

Chapter 185 – News

I considered just taking her then and there, but that would have hardly been fair to my little summoner. Oh, I don’t doubt she would have enjoyed it, and there was nothing in the laws of Ceres that forbid it. However, she had been treated like an object before, so for her first time since then, it was best to make her truly feel like a woman.

Which meant that we were heading back to the palace. Sure, I could have just found a hotel room to rent for an hour or two, but that would come off as a bit desperate on my part. Better to just go back to the palace, and enjoy every bit of Yuyu’s charms in my own bed.

“Your Majesty?”

I looked over and saw Ambassador Hwang, the North Korean representative, walking my way. “Ah, Ambassador. How are you today? Enjoying a stroll?”

“I’m doing well, your Majesty. And while the embassy has plenty of room, including exercise facilities, sometimes going for a walk out in public gives you perspective on things. Actually, I was just heading back to the office to contact your people.”

“Oh? Something come up from your government?”

“Yes,” Hwang nodded. “The outside consultants you provided have effectively removed the last roadblocks to reform in the North, allowing Leader Oh to push through more of the reforms. As you suggested, allowing people to join the Adventurer’s Association and letting them explore dungeons has given people an outlet for excess energy, and allows them to earn more money. Combined with the economic reforms to address the new realities, things are looking up.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I know that cultural inertia can be difficult to overcome at times. A proud people can get stuck in thinking that because something has been done a certain way in the past, that it must continue to be that way in the future. When the powerful have a vested interest in seeing those ways continue, it is even more difficult to get things moving. Sometimes you have to knock things about a bit to force people to see the light.”

“It is as you say. Regrettable as having a few powerful, but loyal, malcontents be removed from their positions can be, we have to do what we have to do. And, now that things are moving, Leader Oh has sent word that her schedule is open enough that she can start making official visits outside the country’s borders. The Leader has informed me that she wishes to visit Ceres, first of all, since it was Ceres that did so much to aid us in the transition from a pre-System to post-System state.”

That brought a grin to my face. The deal to remove the problem children who couldn’t accept the loss of personal power that adapting North Korea’s economy and government to reflect the realities of the System was proceeding just as I intended it to. Kill off a few detractors, let the people know they were in the way of making sure everyone had food and shelter, and boom, change starts happening. Especially since the dungeons in the country were boosting the economy.

As for what Ceres got out of the arrangement? That was simple. We got preferred trading status with the DPRK, and citizens of Ceres could freely travel to the country and visit the dungeons. This allowed my kingdom to get materials that would otherwise be difficult to acquire, as well as giving my people more room to test themselves and level up. And it gave me another fallback point on Earth, just in case something happened to Ceres.

Then there was the state visit. The first official visit by Leader Oh to another country since she took control following the System’s activation, and the death of the former Leader. It was also the first official visit by a head of state to Ceres, making it a feather in both our caps. Everyone won with this. Well, everyone except the people who wanted to preserve the status quo. And I didn’t much care about them.

“That is excellent news, Ambassador Hwang. Obviously, I need a bit of time to ensure everything is in place to receive someone of Leader Oh’s importance, but I believe a week or two is more than enough time. My people will work with yours to set the timeline. Is there anything in particular the Leader would like to see during her visit?”

“Well, there were a couple things that were mentioned in the preliminary message. The first would be the public duels that you’ve set up. I’ve seen a few bouts, myself, and it is quite the spectacle. There was some consideration of watching the Ceres Slavefighting League, but that would not be acceptable, politically, back home. While the System has forced us to become more progressive, there are still plenty of very conservative voices in my homeland, especially when talking about sex and such things.”

“I understand completely, Ambassador. These things cannot be rushed. Too much change, too quickly, causes people to instinctively rebel. And when you’re already making great strides changing the economy, it is best not to poke sleeping dragons. I’m told they have entirely no sense of humor about such things.”

Hwang paused, and said, “I know that with, well, demons and the like being real, now, that was always an option, but are you saying that there are actual dragons around?”

I chuckled, and said, “If there are any on Earth, I haven’t met them. Which does not mean they aren’t around, but hiding somewhere. After all, in many stories, dragons have the ability to change shape and take on human forms. But I do know that there is at least one which serves as a leader in the Great Horde, one of the more prominent groups towards the galactic core. From my information, dragons are born as Tier 4 races, meaning that they are incredibly powerful even right out of the egg.”

“Incredibly powerful, but not all powerful or immortal, I take it?”

“Exactly. And they are supposed to be intelligent enough that they would understand the folly of uniting people against them. The System may penalize people trying to fight creatures above their Tier, but with the right skills and gear, it can be done.”

Hwang shook his head slowly, and said, “That is something I never thought that I would actually be thinking about. But we’ve gotten off topic. In addition to witnessing the dueling arena, the Leader wanted to know if it would be possible to see some of the fighters that made such a splash fighting against the pirates. You call them ‘Renegades’ and ‘Hunters’, yes?”

“A tour of the hangar bay could be arranged, yes. And yes, those are the names for our initial fighter types. We also have the Interceptors, as well. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of letting the designer watch science fiction movies for inspiration, so the Hunters get called X-wings, and the Interceptors are known as A-wings by the pilots, and it just isn’t worth the hassle to try and keep correcting them.”

“Ah, yes. The unfortunate drawback to having very creative people on your staff is that sometimes they have eccentricities that you have to indulge to keep them producing quality work. But you continue to indulge them because they really are that good,” Hwang nodded. “While we are speaking of fighters, the Leader asked if I could make the first inquiries about whether any of the fighters or weapons your navy fields might be for sale? I know the antimatter weapons are off the table, but what about some of the others?”

“Well, I can’t promise anything at the start. The antimatter weapons are definitely off the table, but we may be able to work out a deal for some of the other stuff. I’ll talk to my people, and have a list of things that we might be able to trade before the Leader arrives for her visit.”

“Thank you for your consideration, your Majesty,” Hwang said, bowing. “And now, I must return to the office so I can start all the official notifications and such, so I won’t take up any more of your time. Have a good day, your Majesty.”

I bowed my head, as the ambassador took his leave, before turning to look at Yuyu. “Sorry about that, my dear. Even when I’m out on my own time, it seems that business never stops calling. Come, lets return to the palace. After all, I think it is time you learned how good sex can actually be.”

The summoner smiled. “Please, don’t apologize, Master. I know you have many things going on, beyond just me. That you still take time to speak to your servants, despite everything, proves that you are worth all the work I, and others, have put in, doing what we can to support you.”

I chuckled, and let my hand rest on the girl’s backside as we began walking once again. “Then let this be a lesson for you, Yuyu. A Summoner is not so different from a Slave Master, after all. Summoning a creature and forcibly binding it to your will is not unlike placing a Slave Collar or Slave Brand on someone. However, if you treat your servants as mere disposable tools, they will strive to rebel however they can, and usually at the time it will hurt you most. After all, if you die, then there is a chance that they can break free.”

Yuyu frowned slightly, obviously thinking about that. “Master, I know that any summons bound to me will be freed at the moment of my death, but I thought that, if a slave’s owner died, then the slave passed to their next of kin, like the rest of their property. How could a slave break free under those conditions?”

I nodded. “A good question, Yuyu. And one that may prove useful for your children to know, when they’re old enough. Simply put, the automatic transfer you’re talking about only happens when there is some kind of System contract or will in place, or if it happens in some kind of formalized duel. In that case, the System transfers things at the moment of the former owner’s death.

“However, if there is no contract or will as part of the System? Then, things get interesting. The Slave does not lose their Slave title, and they cannot remove their collar or brand. However, at that moment, they are an unbound Slave, one with no owner. That means that two Slaves could remove each other’s collars, for instance, or someone with the right skills could dispel the Slave Brand, freeing an unbound Slave.”

I looked over at Yuyu, who was paying close attention. “But an unbound Slave is in a very delicate position. They are not forced to obey any Master, but so long as the Collar or Brand remains, anyone can simply apply their blood to it, and become their new Master. And the only problem that new Master might face is having to pay the value of the slave to the inheritor of the estate, or return them to their new owner. And sometimes, even a ‘trusted friend’ might give in to temptation.”

Yuyu nodded, and asked, “Master, what happens to the children of slaves? Are they enslaved automatically, or do they have a chance for freedom? I am happy with how things have turned out, now that I am with you, but a child knowing nothing else…”

“That is something that depends on the Master, and the local laws. Especially if the child is theirs. Some are enslaved the moment they come out of the womb, and others have some years of freedom before their fate is decided one way or the other. Some might also put the child up for adoption. Under Ceresan law, the Slave’s Master would decide the child’s fate, since they are the legal guardian of both the Slave, and their child. As for my children, they will not be enslaved, even if their mothers are slaves.”

Yuyu smiled as we passed the palace gates. “Then, Master, I hope to get to work on providing you another child. My former owner ensured that I had the [Carnal Arts] skill, and I still have all the knowledge that the skill gave me, despite it being a while since I’ve used it.”

I laughed, before leaning down to steal her lips. After a moment, I broke the kiss, and looked her in the eyes. “In that case, you might barely be able to keep up as a Greater Incubus focuses all his attention upon you.”