It was a clear sky, when the dragon flew above the sky. Big, 3 meters long beast of a reptile, when he started flying down to the location of a drop. Under its belly, there was a canopy, containing 24 legionaries, equipped with new weapons. Revolver rifles. They are about to conduct a secret military operation, that is about to test the theory submitted to them by the Princess herself. With a wooden weapon finished with the iron mag under this, they went into the location as the dragon hovers below the beach and the door opens. The dragon pilot claps his head twice as the gates open and the soldiers jump out on the ground, readying their weapons as they move in.
Men dressed like the roman legionaries, approach the area of operations, as the gargantuan beast of a lizard flies off as it made its job. The guns the imperial legionaries bare, are named BAR by the factory that delivered these weapons to them. 24 guns, firing .308 bullets according to the design submitted to the factories and tested now in combat.
A very unique mission might be told as they enter the private property of the industrial baron, Arnold Ress. Big, 8 floors big, imperial-style mansion. This is going to prove interesting as the imperial army is advancing through, breaching in.
Guards who do not know what is going on, spot the guards. This prompts them to open fire at them and the loud thunder of the gunpowder used to ignite the hammer of the bullets fills the air as the guards of the baron, are dead.
"Clear.." One of the guards said as he put a finger on the rune in his ear.
"Clear." Another Imperial soldier said as he did the same when he received the message.
"Clear! Sector clear!" Imperial commander of the squad said as he approached them. "All right, gentlemen. We are to go loud on this one. Considering this is a decree… Slavery-related operations are to be ended by beginning with possible slave trade center in the mansion of Arnold Ress."
"Ain't he the owner of 20% of the country's steel industry?" One of the guards asks as he is wondering about that.
"Yes, he is… And this makes him a fine message, according to our Emperor. How are the guns?" Captain asks as he checks his own.
"So far so good. But the recoil… I would never want to lay down suppressive fire on the enemy with that." The soldier complained as he shrugged.
"I know.. This will be probably taken into account when they will make a new version." The captain said as he had a good look at the mansion. "Veles… How much does such a mansion costs!?"
"A lot, captain. Even with our very generous paychecks from the Emperor's vault… We could only afford such shit if we were 250 men team… Working for 2 years and saving all of the cash we get.." He said as he gave the idea of how much they would have to work for it.
"Naaah. It would take this much just for the land. Did you check the prices recently? They are huge! Nobody will pay 100 000 Crowns for this litte! 40 meters? I know the math!" One of the soldiers mentioned as he was annoyed.
"You are addicted to the exchange, Ivan." One of the soldiers pointed out. "I stay away from this place."
"Because you are not interested in what the fuck you have to do with your retirement fund!" Ivan threw back as he was interrupted in his argument by the other soldier.
"Ivan, Jim… Save your strength for the burglarise." The captain said as he looked at the building. "We are going in." The captain said as he got on the road that lead to the building.
"Aye aye!" Imperial soldiers said as they went with the Captain, leading them inside the mansion. Killing off two people, guarding it with one shot.
"Damn these are far better than the revolvers!" One of the soldiers said as he made a smirk.
"New invention from the Imperial Academy, people.. The future might be now." The captain said as he praised how the guns worked.
The night went on as the men and women of the business, the old royal families whose wealth was growing, magicians with lineages pre-dating the Imperial Founding and Edward the Impaler or even earlier than that.
They were all dressed in interesting clothing. Modern businessmen and tycoons, like Arnold Ress, were wearing the modern business suit, an attire made out of black jeans, a white shirt, and a dark jacket. Older families tied up to the roots of old were wearing more flashy dresses, resembling the old nobility's habits of showing off their wealth with them.
As the stage, itself was illuminated by the runes creating the beams of light, around the catwalk, the man in the black robe, with gold trims, probably a magician himself, and the auctioneer, smashed his hammer to bring the trade to the attention of the others.
"I am pleased to announce that Ress Resources is to open the most famous Slave Auction, in the Empire. It might be your best time to buy your very own slave today!" The man before the announcement table announced the opening of the auction.
At the same time, a maid entered the room. It was a beautiful, young elven girl. She bowed before Arnold and his friends who took attention to the maid.
"Master Ress.. We got a security breach." She said with a whisper as she tried not to cause a panic.
"By whom?" Arnold asks as he wonders who is behind this. "Komarov, you like raiding places like this no?"
Ignis turned his head around. "Why the fuck I would send my own men, into a place like this when you got nothing I am interested in?" Ignis still maintained his persona of Lord Komarov as he could not afford to reveal to the public that the feared C'araboth line still exists.
"Right right, sorry for that suspicion. Just you have very sketchy orders recently for your criminals." Arnold said as he was suspicious of why he is using that gang.
"As I said, no issue with you, Ress… Not yet…" Ignis said with a threatening look, as his eye was lit on fire… Not literally but those who could use guardian magic could notice.
"All right, do not blow up that place, Komarov.. By Veles's beard." He said as he quickly managed to deescalate the situation. "Do not use the guardian either."
"Fine, Ress.. But only because you always get fine specimen on the auction." Ignis admitted as he let out a smile, correcting his hair, looking at the stage when the lights went off, and the curtain opened, introducing the first female.
"Human. 20. Breasts the size of a melon…" The presenter of the auction said, as the girl in the red Chinese-like dress appeared, and grabbed her breasts, squeezing them to show that they are natural. "Natural beauty… Redhead.." He said out loud, as he whispered to her. "Turn around bitch. Do as you are told."
She looked into him with fear for a moment as she nodded, turning around with the presented moving his hands on her ass, squeezing it roughly.
"As you can see ladies and gentleman, this slave is a fine specimen! The perfect girl for work as a servant or a lover." He said as he moved his hands from her ass. "I BEGIN THE AUCTION! LET ME HEAR YOUR FIRST BETS, PEOPLE! WE START WITH 500 CROWNS!"
He yelled out as he could see how the noblemen and the growing elite of businessmen, raise the plates, with numbers of 500, 520, 550.. 600.. When in the same time, Ignis decided to yell out his number. "9001!". The number instantly brought the attention of the elites who looked up to the VIP chambers above the auction.
"By Veles, you crazy, Komarov!? OVER NINE THOUSAND FOR A SLAVE!?" Arnold asks as he complains about this, being afraid that he will buy out all of the slaves. "If you want one as a gift, tell me."
"Hehehe.. You know I love raising stakes on such auctions" Ignis said as he smiled, genuinely enjoying breaking the slave auctions with money, some were given freedom even when he bought them up.
"Whatever." He said as he noted, looking at the auctioneer who hit the hammer three times against the auction table.
"SOLD! THIS BEAUTIFUL LADY, GOES TO… THOMAS KOMAROV! WHEN WE WILL AWAIT PAYMENT?" He asks the nobleman as he makes a grin on his face.
"In 30 days." He said loud without screaming, as he made him nod.
"Agreed. Milady, please go upstairs."
"Wha… Fine." She said as she got upset, with the fact she was bought – let alone for such high prices.
The redhead went into the second floor and to the VIP section. Then Komarov approached the girl.
"Your name?" He asks as he wants to know how to call her.
"M… Matilda." She introduced herself as she was ashamed of her fate. She did not expect, Komarov was planning on buying out all the slaves around.
"Matilda, dear… Come with me." He said as he bowed down in respect to his host as he grabbed the leash she got, made out of chains, as he went outside.
"He really is a man of culture, huh?" One of the nobles asks Arnold, as he nods.
"Yea.. He got the biggest tits around we got for the trade." He said as he stated what kind of slaves will go through.
In the meantime, the palace was continued to be raided by the Imperial Army's special dispatch group, who scanned the area. It so happened that on their way out, they stumbled upon Thomas and Matilda.
"Imperial Army." He said as he put himself in front of the maid, thinking they came for the slaves.
"Lord Komarov, please go back." The captain said as he aimed at him.
"You have your way of dealing with this, I have mine. I just bought her… And I intend to free her after some training… She was probably trained well… To be an obedient slave."
This set of words chosen by the aristocrat shocked her. Freedom? She was just bought. Is she not good enough? She thought to herself as she panicked. Thomas noticed that.
"Eh… Matilda… Calm down.. You are a free woman.." He said with a smile, as he cuddled her.
"Well.. You put a lot of work into this." The captain said as he did not expect the nobleman to buy out slaves and give them freedom. This is definitely a nice touch.
"I know. And you are running it, soldier." He said as he knows what to do. "But you can ruin it completely. Go downstairs two floors. To the basement. There is a holding place for hundreds of slaves. Free them."
"That's what we were about to do anyway." The captain said as he admitted why they were sent in.
"Wait we were not supposed to say anything!"
"Shut up."
"Captain.. Soldiers… Did something happen? Why the Imperial Army is intervening in my operations.." He asked as he referred to the interception of slaves.
"Well.. Imperial Parliament decided to proclaim slavery illegal. And so we are enforcing this law." He said with pride as he looked around.
"If you will find me or others from my household, know this… We are freeing them using our old money." Thomas stated as he received smiles of praise.
"We will keep it in the record." The captain said as they let Ignis go with Matilda. As the guards did their job, Matilda looked at him confused.
"You said that on purpose, didn't you?" Matilda asked when she looked at the guards, who vanished from the eye's sight.
"No. I genuinely want to give you freedom." He said as he made her confused.
"Wait… But…" Matilda said as she followed him.
"I will not throw you into a civilization with nothing though. You will get what you need at my home. In exchange I want you to work for me." Ignis said as he presented her his offer.
"V… Very well, master.. I will." Matilda said as Ignis felt disgusted a bit with this.
"Matilda.. Call me by my name.. Thomas." Ignis said as he smiled, gently patting her head…
"Right.. Thomas." She said as they both went to the dragon stable.
It was a big, separate section of the mansion, holding plenty of dragons. When he was approaching with a slave, he noticed nervous guards.
"Halt!" The guard of Ress estate stopped them. "Comrade Thomas, where are you going?"
"I finished buying my slave. I am taking her home." He said with a calm tone.
"This quickly? It's unusual for you." Guard said as he noticed how unusually quick, the leave was, prompting suspicion.
"I received a message from a servant of mine. There are troubles in my estate." He said as the guards gave him a nod.
"All right. We will not stop you then." He said as he went from the door and opened it for him.
The two went into the place where the stable was present and got on the top of the dragon's back, and asked one of the men to help her with it. After this was done, the noble quickly went with the starting procedure.
"This is Komarov.. Permission for lift-off." Ignis said as he made contact with a make-shift control tower in the stable.
"Komarov, this is control. Your flight is marked as K-01. Permission granted, you can lift off."
"Thanks, control, happy new year," Komarov said as he whipped the string required to hold the dragon and the beast flapped its wings to ensure they are in the air.
"Thanks. Ain't it two months before that?" Control asked before looking at the radar.
"No, We would not meet in a long time so that's why I am saying," Komarov said as the control noted that out.
"Roger. You are free to leave, altitude restriction lifted." Control said as the dragon flew to the Komarov mansion.