Leaving Rose's shop, I was treated to The Extreme Silence™ by Maria. Why she was pouting was completely beyond me, but she certainly was! Exactly what the hell was there to be upset about? I'd filled our packs with even more jewelry and magical gear, and had acquired the deeds to six slaves, a prestigious jewelry shop, and a large bank account – all without really costing us anything!
Women are damn crazy, and whatever Maria is miffed over, it's severe enough that she's now refusing to utter a single peep to me. The last thing she'd said to me before we left the shop was, "Fine. You and your new Nister sort out what to do next, since you can decide everything all on your own!"
Is she mad that I didn't consult her first? I saw an opportunity, and I took it. How can she be mad at that? It's not like she's been bothered to consult *me* over anything all morning long! She did all the talking and selling and trading at the school, and I never got upset at her!
"Where to now, Bad Lord Fizzydrinks?" Even little Tabitha was still giving me the stink eye, even though I've already made it up to her with a fresh drink and multiple snacks!
"Just take us back to the travel zone… No! Wait a moment. Scratch that," I reconsidered after the briefest of moments. "Lead us on to the temple. It's easiest to just ask if they can help Snow, before we go through the endless hassle of trying to drag her there somehow."
"Whatever you say, Stinky Sneezer-Dummy." Ouch! Tabitha must be trying to implement some insults similar to Rose's colorful style.
Sighing deeply, I hung my head and endured the silent, disapproving glares that both girls kept piercing my heart with.
Arriving at the temple, Tabitha was in such a mood that she didn't even bother to do her introduction for us. I've always heard women are social creatures and greatly affect each others moods and such, and I can now confirm that rumor to be one thousand percent true. One moody woman might calm down over time, but two moody women both fuming over the same guy, together at the same time?
It'd have to warm up to reach Absolute Zero!
Seeing neither girl had any intention of going inside with me, I simply sighed deeply and lumbered up the steps and into the rather plainish stone building on my own. Honestly, I have to admit, the temple surprised me by how common and utilitarian the place was. I was expecting gilded candlesticks, rich tapestries, thick carpets, and ornate pews and pulpits. Instead, it was a plain worn stone floor, old stained pews, and a simple stone alter and fountain at the far end of it all.
"Can I help you, sir?" Walking up to me was a common looking youth dressed in a simple tanned robe. Looking no more than perhaps thirteen or fourteen, I couldn't help but feel that he was an acolyte of some sort, rather than an established priest at his age.
"I actually need to speak to the best healer, if that's possible," I told him, as politely as I knew how. I don't know any actual etiquette for visiting this world's temples, but I know you don't piss in another man's pool, no matter how much you think the water stinks. I personally may not be religious, but I sure as hell ain't going to waltz into a temple full of people who can perform magical miracles, and then mouth off to them!
"Is it urgent?" The boy asked, bowing apologetically. "Big Mama is delivering a baby right now, and I have no way of knowing how long that will take."
"Not urgent," I assured him. "I mainly need to consult with an experienced healer to see what type of treatment might be available for some people whom I know are suffering terribly."
"Oh! In that case, let me lead you down to visit Sister Lilly. She's an expert healer, and one of our most outstanding alchemist as well. She's brilliant at diagnosing treatment options," the boy assured me, as he started to lead the way down a wide side passage, heading to a set of steps going down underground.
"Sure," I told him, rushing to catch up. The shitty little bastard wasn't going to wait on me at all! Either I hurried and followed his recommendation, or else I'd be standing there in the alter room twiddling my thumbs all forgotten.
Seems clergy in both worlds are assholes!
As the youth walked me down the steps and led me silently along a long stone passageway lit by floating yellow flames, we passed many other people going and coming just like us. One thing I quickly can to realize, there were primarily three, or maybe four, different factions of priests inside this temple, according to the differences in their robes.
The first faction was the tanned robes, like the boy who led me down the hall. Prim and proper, the tanned robes came across, in my first impression, of being the holier-than-thou types. None of them seemed to know the first thing about smiling as they all stoically went about their labors expressionlessly.
Second was the temptresses wearing what could only be described as red lace which vaguely looked somewhat like a robe. All females and all sex appeal, I could only imagine these women represented some aspect of lust or fertility. Yet, regarding this world's views on public displays of erections or lustful exuberance by free people -- they're a big no-no – I honestly didn't know for certain what their purpose was.
They swayed, wiggled, and flirted like lust-driven harlots, but who knew what their actual purpose was? Maybe a trial that if free folks fail, they end up getting enslaved for their lack of control? I don't honestly know, so I gave all those temptresses a wide berth every time we passed one!
And the last faction was mainly young women dressed in a pure white robe. Laughing happily wherever they went, hugs and kisses flowed jubilantly from them, staining the world with a smile. Both me and tan-robe were hugged and kissed at least a dozen or more times by various white-robes before we reached our destination – a large set of opened double-doors which led into a massive library.
The first books that I'd seen since coming to this world, and there were countless numbers of them! Rows of shelves went deep back into the earth, and a spiral staircase led downwards where even more levels of library existed uninterrupted. Taking a deep breath, I was surprised to see tan-robes hands light up with a slight tannish silhouette, before be bellowed in an booming voice, "SISTER LILLY!! YOU HAVE A VISITOR!!"
Echoes reverberated throughout the whole library as everyone stopped whatever they were doing and looked over at us dumbfounded. "It was the most efficient way," the tan-robed boy shrugged unapologetically. "If you'll wait here a moment," he bowed slightly before turning to head back out of the library, "I'm certain she'll be right along to see you in a moment."
Fortunately, he was right, as I don't know if I'd have the courage to stand there, exposed to everyone's curious glares, after his deafening bellowing. Luckily, it was only a few long seconds, before a bouncing young woman dressed in pure white robes energetically skipped over and hugged and kissed my cheeks several times in greeting. "Hi! I'm Lilly," she introduced herself happily. "Are you my visiter?"
"I… am… I think?" Yelling in a library had jarred my poor brain to the point where I wasn't honestly certain of anything at the moment. That type of thing just isn't done! "Can.. Can we speak privately?" I finally asked her, all flustered.
"Sure!" Not the least bit concerned about her own safety, Lilly grabbed my hand – a complete stranger – and dragged me across the library and into a private study room with only one table and a few chairs in it. "Now, what can I do you for," she asked, laughing happily.
"I have two real issues to ask about," I told her politely. "The first is actually a matter of life and death, I think," I told her in all seriousness. "Is there some way to undo a slave's uncontrollable lust?"
"That's a misconception," Lilly told me, assuming a serious, scholarly manner. "The slaves aren't made horny," she snorted, derisively. "Instead, they're given a drug that basically numbs and burns an affected area."
"Huh?" Were we talking about the same thing? From what I'd seen, it certainly appeared to be some sort of lust-inducing aphrodisiac.
"Have you ever had you hand go to sleep and get numb?" Lilly asked me, seeing my puzzled look. "Sleep or lay on it too long, and then you had to rub it to make it stop tingling and burning?"
"Well yeah," I shrugged slightly. "Everyone does that from time to time."
"Then imagine that tingling burning sensation covering your manly erection," Lilly told me, smirking lightly. "Imagine the numb burn on the *inside* of your ass, and that only rubbing it would give you any relief."
"Most slaves aren't ever actually horny," Lilly sighed heavily, "even if their actions might imply they are. They're just desperate for relief from that burning, never-ending tingling. Rub it and the itch goes away. Ignore it and the tingling will eventually turn into cramping and unbearable pain."
"Most slaves learn to stroke themselves very quickly after being shackled," Lilly sighed sadly. "Just to stop the cramping and pain before it can ever get to that point."
"That's horrible," I said, utterly disgusted. Honestly, my stomach felt weak just thinking about it and I felt almost like I was going to throw up. Slaves are considered less than human because they can't control their sexual impulses, while the truth is they can't resist their *pain* impulses!
"Is there an antidote for thar crap?" I asked Lilly dryly.
"Antidotes are illegal to manufacture, possess, use, or distribute," Lilly sighed sadly. "Once a slave, always a slave, and that's just something they have to endure under the laws of this land." Honestly, it didn't sound like Lilly likes the stupid practice any more than I do.
"Then what of a slave that's been deliberately overdosed? They just suffer mindless torment until they die?" Grimly, I had to ask, even though I had a feeling I truly wouldn't like the answer.
"How large an overdose?" Frowning, Lilly bit her lip lightly in thought.
"A whole jar, I was told. Enough for dozens of slaves, was how they put it." I tried to faithfully repeat back what Snow has told us before the torment grew too large for her to do anything but mindlessly rub at it.
"Outrageous!!" Stomping her tiny foot, Lilly's face turned bright red in outrage. "That's not training! That's not teaching them their place! That's some jackass trying to break their soul like a demon would!"
"You tell me who'd do such a demonic thing," Lilly promised me coldly, "and I'll heal their nerves to the point where a fly's breath will have them screeching in agony! I'll use them in my dissecting class without any anesthesia, and I'll heal them afterwards so they can be a study subject for the next thousand years! I might even plant them in the ground and heal them so they can enjoy knowing how it feels for me to grow a tree out of their ass!"
"That's all well and good, and I'll be happy to give you the guys name," I told her, swallowing down the lump of pure fright in the back of my throat. "But what about the slave girl I acquired yesterday?"
"According to the laws of *this kingdom*, we're not allowed to cure any slaves." Growling, the tiny little healer girl looked almost as if she was ready to overthrow the kingdom.
"Well I can fix that," I told her, suddenly hit by a flash of inspiration. "As of this moment, the girl's no longer a slave."
"This kingdom doesn't allow the freeing of slaves," Lilly snorted moodily.
"Don't give a fuck," I told her, smirking heavily. "I'm a Farwalker. The girl is currently in my land of birth and slavery is outlawed there. By entering our borders, she was emancipated and became a free person automatically."
"Then get her healed as quick as possible," Lilly glared over at me like I'm a complete and utterly worthless idiot.
"That's the problem," I sighed heavily. "My land doesn't have any healers of sufficient talent to fix the problem. It seems we're much better killers in my homeland than we are healers. A snap of the fingers and we could turn this whole city to dust, but we can't just cure our sick."
"Then bring her here," Lilly demanded. "And the sooner the better. If you can swear to Mother Life that your words are true, I'll fix her and if the kingdom doesn't like it, they can take it up with Mother!"
"Happily," I smiled over at her, and held up my hand stiffly. "I swear to your Mother Life that everything I've told you has been the absolute truth. My homeland doesn't allow people to be slaves. Snow is a free woman by our laws. Unfortunately, we lack any healers who can fix her."
"Good enough for me and Mother," Lilly nodded satisfied. "Now get the girl here as quickly as possible before her soul breaks under the relentless torment."
"Umm… Sure. Let me try something odd real fast…" Frowning, I wasn't certain if my idea would work, or if I'd end up looking and sounding completely crazy, but I wanted to try something I'd never actually tested much before.
"Vicky," I ordered firmly, "grab Snow in your arms and POOF yourself here."
Tic…
Tock…
Tic…
Tock…
Nothing happened…
Tic…
Tock…
Tic…
Lilly was raising an eyebrow and looking at me like I was utterly crazy…
Tock…
Ti..
"Yes, Master?" Appearing from literally nowhere, Vicky POOFED into the room with Snow held tightly in her arms.
"AES'NYR!! AES'NYR!! IT'S AN AES'NYR!!" Squealing like a schoolgirl who just met her favorite idol, Lilly was bouncing exuberantly up and down while pointing at Vicky.
"Uhh.. Maybe," I shrugged apologetically, not knowing what that was. "She's my shinta," I introduced Vicky, not certain how else to describe her.