"The orcs are not our friend, they are monsters! Can't you see that? They exist to be our slaves!" A demonstrator said at the middle of the crowd.
"Yea!!!"
"That's right!"
"They are inferior race!"
"They should be our slaves!"
"Romans are better than Orcs!"
Amulius first observed these demonstrators while they didn't noticed their arrival. One thing that Amulius noticed is most of them are former patricians and well-off plebeians. They long to regain their superiority or gain advantage towards others. That might work back in Roman Empire, but these people are still thinking that they are in the same world as the Roman empire. There are only a hundred of them, but killing them will only lessen their labor force. He wants to educate them, that the only patricians here are the Emperor and the Senators. The old system is gone, they are trying to build a community of a strong but respectful society.
"You, what is your name?" Amulius finally step up. He wants to confront these demonstrators to solve this peacefully.
"So what now, are you going to arrest us? Then arrest us! We are all working in the fields or in the mine anyways." The seemingly leader of the demonstrator said to Amulius.
"Everyone are busy improving our lives, but all of you still have time to slack off here? Men.. Help them realise their mistake." the fifty guards round up the hundred of demonstrators as they were tied up in Rostra.
Amulius and the team left the punishment of the demonstrators to the fifty guards. The tied up activist were given a hundred slash each until they were freed. Amulius wants to set them as an example for people who have no respect to the authority. In Amulius view, there is a civilized way to properly address their concerns.
Back to Curia, the meeting continues once Amulius returned to his seat. Everyone are debating on how to address the demands of the activists, they don't want to make this big because it will be harder once it becomes a rebellion.
"As I said, we should just enslaved the Orcs just like what we did to the Goblins. It's not like we're going to give them a special treatment." Senator Titus said.
"Excuse me, our goblins are not slaves. They are also working like anyone else and we give them proper compensation." Senator Felix said.
"No, I think what if we just make the non-Romans into slaves? And the former slaves that we have will be plebeians." Senator Rabirius said.
"You're just saying that because you have a former patrician lover. We should give equal treatment to every citizens of Romavena and equal respect to non-residents of Romavena." Senator Marius said.
After a brief of silence, Amulius decided to break the ice. "Uncle, what do you say? Should we utilize the slavery system or we can just collect more slaves."
"To be honest, I never think that slavery is an effective system. It will just breed more anger and misfortunes to us based on my experiences, those slaves are human too." Justus finally spoke.
"So what do you suggest that we do?" Amulius said.
"Ministry of Labor, that's the answer. It will function as a Labor rights for the working class and it will supervise the employer-employee contract. We can just set a favorable benefits for Romavena citizens and lesser benefits for non-citizens. I know that most of you are not in-favor of this but those people did not chose their race just like us. " Justus said.
"Let's take a vote? Raise your hand if you are not in favour of Justus. " Amulius asked everyone.
In the end, the majority of the Senate voted for creating of Ministry of Labor. The issue for labor rights in the future will be solvable and that treatment among workers will less likely to be questioned due to a promulgated guidelines of Ministry of Labor. Either side of the party who will encounter an issue in the employment contract, will be heard by an Arbitrator.
Meanwhile, back in Gehlgica tribe...
"Now is the perfect time to drag him out of his throne!"
"Yes, humans are never to be trusted. They are weak and inferior species! They will just take advantage of us."
"Then, how are we going to dethrone Langyako?"
"Easy, shi shi shi... Most of his loyal supporters are out pillaging in Nescaria, we can take power before they come back!"
"Power will once again revert back to the council."
The elders of the Gehlgica tribe are conducting a secret meeting. They did not become elders for nothing, they want power and prestige. But with Langyako in power, they are just mere bystanders with almost no real power within the tribe. However, they become Elders for a reason. These old orcs are once seasoned warriors and influential within and outside the tribe.
Ever since Princess Kwinpia left Gehlgica tribe, the tribe has been very quiet all of a sudden for undefined reason. Maybe this is because of the Orcs that their is a war coming, and that they are all involved in it. Yes, Chief Langyako and the orc elders knows this. It is inevitable, there is no other way to settle this other than a bloody ending.
The month of Augustus, year 2 R.A. (Roman Arrival), A lot of humans have been coming to Gehlgica to set up shops or to hire orc workers. This is due to encouragements of Amulius and the Senators to make profit from Gehlgica and expand labor force of Romavena using the orcs. The orc workers are set to be construction materials transporters, additional miners, town cleaners and other medium to hard jobs.
The entry of the orc workers relieved the stress of the Romavena citizens, more of them have a better social life and personal time. This led to openings of Inn and lodgings for stay or short time intimacy, pubs, gambling dens, brothels where women orcs are whores, and horse to orc races. The evils of Roman nature is surfacing, orc men were made to work harder jobs, while orc women were mostly made to be whores in a brothel. Fortunately, no one in Romavena thought to make the orcs as pets.
"Why is this happening? Explain yourself Senator Banarius!" Senator Justus enraged in the Curia.
"Uhh, I think this might be because of our Labor code?"
"So you're saying that we should make amendments in our Labor rights code?"
"Enough! We should first review the Labor rights code and decide if there's a need for a revision." Emperor Amulius said.
The Senate is in a panic state since more of the Romavena citizens are now living a sinful life and that the rights of an Orc workers are being neglected. It is not enough to have a contract to be signed, every employment contract should be inspected by the Ministry of Labor and impose a ban to activities that are not productive or leads to negative impact to mental health of the people. It is good that Emperor Amulius is not of a dictator attitude within the Curia, Senators' talents in managing their respective ministry are good. However, if a ministry is not doing well, the Senator handling the ministry is also accountable and that the Emperor and the Senate will work together to solve the problem if the Senator is unable to do so.
For final amendment, "All sinful activities shall be limited to one day a week. A one day rest shall be entitled to every Romavena workers. Orc worker rights shall be respected." The final amendment was made to curb the sinful activities of Romavena citizens and also to avoid a possible rebellion by the orc workers.
"That was very sweet of you darling.. I knew that you care about orcs" Kwinpia said to Amulius while they are lying in bed.
"I'm just doing what is right. I may have an evil nature, but I still have humanity in me. I believe that the true nature of man is kindness."
"That's what I like about you darling, fierce but kind. A beast inde--ah!" Kwinpia said then Amulius suddenly inserted his rod to her. The night inside Regia is now full of moan.
'I will kill that ugly b*tch. Just wait, Amul is mine! He is mine!' a girl watching from the open door.
In the month of Herculius, year 2 R.A., the atmosphere inside the Gehlgica tribe has changed. At a first glance, it looks normal and fine. But as you observe the orcs more, there is a division forming within. This does not left reported by the ears and eyes of Amulius inside Gehlgica. The orcs are known to be proud and open people. They speak their mind but in this case, an internal strife is not something to talk aloud. Instead, the followers of the orc Elders started to harass the Roman merchants.
"Please, do not destroy my products sir" a Roman merchant plead to a bully orc.
"You do not belong here! Go back human scum!" An Orc wrecking the products.
"Haha! Right, go home weaklings!" Another orc joined to destroy the products and finally the shop itself.
In the months of Romanus and Amulius, year 2 R.A., this harassment became a norm inside the Gehlgica fortress. More and more Roman shops are destroyed or looted by orcs. A number of reports are being sent to Regia and Curia, the Senate wants to take immediate action about it but Amulius is hesitant. This harassment issue is part of a far more bigger conflict. If they take action now, it might heighten tensions inside the Gehlgica fortress. They cannot afford to let Roman blood to spill, and Amulius doesn't want to be crushed between the conflict of orc chief and orc elders. However, Senate are just aware of the harassments but they do not have the same info that Amulius knows. He doesn't want the Senate to meddle in the Orcish affairs, they should be focusing on addressing the emerging social problems within Romavena.
The diplomatic agents are holding back their anger due to diplomatic reasons, they cannot afford to ruin diplomatic relations between the Romans and orcs. As long as no Roman is harmed, they will not take action. Same with the Orc chief Langyako, he is fully aware of this but he chose not to take action since this might be a provocation made by the elders. As a result, these harassments was left unpunished because the agreement just stated that no Romans or Orc shall be harmed but it fails to mention the destruction of belongings or properties.