Acedic Autocrats

Chapter 7

Junius 13th, 2164.

Four years after the council meeting, the empire began to calm down. This wasn't too surprising, working alongside the Daimonium Accidiae, and being Accetic himself, there was a long window of time before the duo caused more trouble.

This fact didn't ease Titanfather Meus' worries however as just as Domina Luna had been, he felt uneasy allowing Imperator Salim to continue his tyrannical reign unsupervised. As such, he sent me on another recon mission with instructions to report whenever the possessed Imperator committed another unholy act. Yesterday was one such day in fact where, at the unintended advice of his "Tertius Cognatus" he enslaved the ethnic groups in the empire.

It began a day prior to the annual Pinopsia celebration where Rey Tarang invited Imperator Salim and I to a feast in Madrid, signaling the beginning of the Reino's national holiday. At first Imperator Salim didn't wish to attend, however eventually the Acetic Autocrat accepted his "Cognatu's" invite when it was mentioned that he wouldn't have to lift a paw during the event.

While on the one paw him accepting El Rey Helado's invitation meant he was finally leaving the palace after fourteen years however for some reason the mention of "special servants" concerned me however, not wanting to seem inconsiderate I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind and packed for the journey.

"Salve "Cognatus!"" Rey Tarang exclaimed. "And to you as well Avunculus, I hope your journey went well." "Very well actually, Gracias," I answered. "Good. Now I'll have the servants take your luggage while I show you the banquet hall." A servant did indeed come and took our luggage to the guest quarters whilst Imperator Salim and I kept our gaze on El Rey Helado.

"Is the banquet hall where the feast is?" Imperator Salim asked. "No!" Rey Tarang answered. "That's simply where the meals are placed for inspection." "Why do you have to inspect them." I asked, "This is but a precautionary measure Avunculus," he answered. "A way of ensuring the meals is both appropriate and safe for consumption."

"Well, that's very considerate of you," I complimented. "Gratias Tibi, Avunculus," "Sounds like too much work to me." Imperator Salim commented. "Yes, but it's my duty." Rey Tarang gave a devilish grin to both of us. "And when it's not up to code it gives me a chance to have some fun and torment, I mean correct those responsible."

"That does sound fun," Imperator Salim said. "I know right, especially when I get to use my divine powers." "What do you mean?" I questioned. Rey Tarang scratched his chin as attempted to come up with an adequate yet deceitful response.

"My apologies I phrased that incorrectly," he said with a cocky smile. "I meant to say I meant to say correct them, not punish." "You had me worried there Tarang," I joked. "I thought you'd fallen into the same trap Bis Grandinem."

"Fear not Avunculus," he said reassuringly. "I'm but a humble soul fully aware that my accomplishments and belongings are blessings from the gods." Given that I knew Chenghiz would never say that I believed him.

The next day, Rey Tarang escorted us to the Pinospsia feast where a splendorous array of meats, fish, and sweets were awaiting us as to be expected. The banquet began and for the first half everything went swimmingly. However halfway through it, I noticed several witches who were usually in attendance, missing.

"Tarang," I called out, attempting to grab Mi Sobrino Nieto attention. "Yes, Avunculus," he answered. "Do you need anything?" "I've noticed several of your subjects are conspicuously absent from the feast. Did you forget to invite them?"

"I don't understand what you mean Avunculus, everywitch in El Reino is here. I made sure of that myself." That response left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I took one last scan around the area in an attempt to figure out who was missing.

"What about the witches of the Arenas tribe?" I asked. "Would you like to see them?" he asked. "Yes," I answered. Sitting up from the edge of the table, El Rey Helado rang a tiny bell, and several servants came rushing towards him.

It didn't take me long to recognize who they all were, as Tio Sancho I had brought Fratres Meus and I to see them many times when we were younger. I always felt bad whenever I saw them, forced to work in harsh snowy weather even during a blizzard simply because they were the minority.

When he became Rey, he finally freed them from bondage and gave them stable employment that didn't involve enslavement. During my quest with Princepess Azura and Imperator Grecundus during our second tale, the Arenas tribe'd already become active members of Reino Helado society and enslavement was forever outlawed.

"Tarang!" I exclaimed, as the servants walked away. "Why're the Arenas tribe members working as servants and not partaking in the banquet?" "Why should they?" he asked menacingly. "They're but a minor ethnic group, small parts of the population that're meant to serve the larger majority."

"You can just enslave minor ethnic groups like that?" Imperator Salim asked curiously "Of course," Rey Tarang answered. "As long as they've no means of revolting, enslaving them is simple." "Truly now?" Imperator Salim said, fascinated. "Yes, and it's a reliable way of acquiring free labor and saving resources."

"Wouldn't you have to grant them compensation?" he asked. "No not necessarily. We were granted this power by the gods themselves thus are free to choose how we use it. Besides this'd make running the empire so much easier."

Several hours later, after all the guests had departed for their homes, I sat on my guest bed lost in thought. Did he really mean that? I wondered. I mean surely, he's heard the stories, hasn't he? I spent the rest of the evening unable to sleep as I thought about Nepotem Meus' words.

The next morning, I was having some level of difficulty adjusting to the morning light, so I made my way to the bathroom to prepare for the day. On the way, I overheard another conversation between Mea Magna Nepotem Et Daimoniacus Parentes.

"Tarang is right Salim," they said convincingly. "Enslaving ethnic groups would make running the empire much simpler. It could further your goals of cementing your autocratic authority." "You've a point," Imperator Salim commented. "It would also save me a lot of work."

"Precisely," they said. "Very well!" Imperator Salim replied. "Send word to Dominicus Aziz." I was about to gasp in shock but was able to stop myself before it occurred. Though, I'd already suspected that Nepotem Meus'd fallen into Parentes' trap, I nonetheless hoped that I was mistaken. But nay, upon our return to the capital Dominicus Aziz Et Imperator Salim captured and enslaved every ethnic group in the empire, sending it into further decline.