The pride of an alpha, and one that's even a royal wasn't enough to staunch the fear of death, Asd had no idea what was coming his way, and when this officer turned his sights upon the recently christened Alpha, Asd felt his heart skip even more beats than it has in the last few moments. He idly thought that he was about to receive the verdict from the empire, the condemnation of going up against such a colossal power that has kept his entire species under heel for over a thousand years, he was scared. He wasn't resigned to dying as he hasn't really lived for long, which was why he decided that no matter what, if it came down to it he would fight for his life and run for the heels.
As it stands with Gaia connected to the school's network he did not need the academy, he could take some of the people here, and try to see which one of them could train in and master magic, just like Lucian had. So he would fight, with the interface leveling up and Gaia taking the initiative to assimilate with it, she could alter information, and even they could track him, he would run and train and grow strong until that connection is completely cut off. The soldier cleared his throat again and began speaking.
"with that unpleasant business out of the way let us move on to the next. By order of the emperor all the Were-people of the Black mountain mine would be given their freedom effective immediately!" and truly the effect was immediate, in much the same way he felt when he was free, every were person around seemed to undergo a qualitative change as power, one that belongs to their very bloodline flooded them in an extreme magnitude. Howls and roars filled the sky, which was quickly followed by sobs and crying, Asd shook his head, the joy palpable within him, and above all the power he also felt increased.
An alpha shared power with his pack; if an alpha is strong so too would his pack be, and the amounts of members in a pack and their overall strength and ability adds to the power of the alpha. Before he was alpha to bound slaves, now he was the alpha to free men, free werewolves and Caith-Siths, and Were-tigers and Jaguars, and as many of them that would join him. It was intoxicating and his red eyes blazed even more brightly than before.
"Moving on!" the officer shouted to drag all attention back to himself, Asd was grateful that he at least gave them a few moments to be happy about this, but at the same he was still worried that this was far from over.
"As I was saying, the werepeople of black mountain would be granted their freedom and assimilated into the empire as its 'own loyal citizens' for the next ten years they have exclusive rights to mine the black mountain and use its revenue to build up a future for themselves. However, a required 50% increase to the current production quota would be required as they would mine for the empire without pay, but will be allowed to market any excess Ionite left over.
They will answer to a representative of the empire, an officer that would be duly appointed as a liaison between the werepeople and the empire. You would also be required to deliver 50 able bodied young men and women every year to serve a mandatory service of 5 years in the empire's military. The accepted age would be 17 years old to 25, and the first of them should be ready in under a weak for shipment to the naval came south of the sand sea where they would undergo three months intensive training before being deployed to the battlefield. After ten years, exclusive rights to the black mountain mine would be rescinded by the empire, and all would be forbidden to mine here without a license or under employ of the empire. Apart from the required quota of fifty youths, the military is willing to accept any and all who are willing to serve for the glory of our illustrious empire."
There it was, the catch, the but in them gaining their freedom, and there was a lot of it. Sure without being constrained by the slave seal production in the mine would see a rise. But there was no telling how much such a percentage would be, especially with the Zaragites infesting the mine by the thousands if not hundreds of thousands. Then the young, the children were being sent to be trained as soldiers so that they could die on the empire's battlefield. And for some there was not a choice in it. If they won't slave away and break their backs for the empire then they would die for it, and just like that the happy and infectious mood had suddenly died down, leaving a cold ambivalence into the air.
But even more so they weren't going south to the unclaimed wild of the beast men continent, or further south to the brewing conflict with Anoai democracy, or east to the now open skirmishes with Long empire, or even North where the Reich have begun their mission of world conquest and domination. They were going north to the sand sea, also known as the Dune sea of Ahmet. It was the home of the Scorpios, sentient Were-scorpions, though theirs was a different species as they're incapable of shifting like most other Weres. They shared a somewhat similar ancestry to centaurs, and satyrs. However, the big problem about this was that the Scorpios of Ahmet were antagonistic to everybody.
They sailed their sand sea, roaming every square inch of it not as guards of soldiers against the empire, but as pirates. And occasionally a few of them have come down from sea, using airships to pillage and attack towns, villages and cities of the Albion and any other empire with colonized locations on the beast continent. More often than not lives are always lost, with the Weres always being the most. These Weres are dangerous, this was suicide mission. But it seems the bad news aren't over yet.
"And in recognition of his budding ability, Free Were; Triskele Mage Asd Elmalk Leo has been given the officer rank of Sergeant, and a sum of 10,000 gold. He is also expected to report to the naval base and the boundary of the sand s e a where he would be put in charge of his own skiff and squad of trained Werepeople to lead and bring an end to the threat of the were-scorpions. He is expected to report for duty in three months, and is expected to have already become a 1st circle mage by then or his rank would be removed and he would once again be enslaved for a duration of two years. This is signed Emperor Cornelius Roterlei Pendragon! Glory to his name!"