[City of RIX]
The sun had set and the streets of the city were as empty as can be, with either only drunkard getting robbed in the alleyway or criminals partaking in some forms of gambling or drug abuse, the Princess may have tried to get rid of drugs completely by burning them up but there's always other small scale drug dealers that were not arrested
While this was happening outside, within the walls of Baron Philemon's house, two individuals were conversing, with one of them practically begging.
"Your Highness, please reconsider, you aren't truly going to take the word of these people without doing a proper investigation, are you?"
Barret questioned the princess who had thrown Alexander straight into jail after the testimony of both the guild master and the adventurers, the man couldn't help but curse everyone involved in the capture of his brother, not to mention this practically signalled the end of his small criminal syndicate.
"Why would not only the guild master and adventurers, as well as more than a small number of citizens want that man to be captured? Even if there's no evidence of his crimes, I can't just ignore their testimony"
The princess reasoned, although it wasn't just the testimony of those, thanks to the knights she was able to find accomplices to Alexander's crimes who confessed to the man having committed more than a few murders.
"Obviously the adventurers and the people of this city have a grudge against my brother, I will not sit here and tell you he is innocent but all these people are clearly lying and simply want to see people like me fail"
Barret defended, Reniella on the other hand couldn't help but feel like the man before him was a lot more involved in the crimes of this city more than he led on, sure his defence for Alexander is motivated by the fact that their brothers but even so she was still suspicious.
However, for the time being, she has him right where she wants him.
"Ok, you seem to be against this idea of jailing your brother with nothing but testimony from adventurers and peasants although there's other people who were accomplices to his crimes"
She explained, and Barrett could only raise a brow at her, curious to where she was taking this.
"So in exchange for letting him free, how about you and your brother work for me, and we'll use all the money you have to help this city prosper a little bit more? This way, you can help your brother pay for his crimes"
Barrett remained composed, his initial reaction was to shout in refusal, no way was he going to let his hard earned money be used for something so stupid, however he thought about it, if she's saying that Alexander will be free if they both work for her then it's not a bad deal.
However, at the same time, what worth did Alexander have to him? Was he just a fellow bandit he brought with him when Philemon wanted someone to ruin this city for the prince, or was he the brother that has been with him long before they become bandits.
"What's the catch?"
"The catch is both of you will be my debt slaves while you work for me."
She stated and Barrett nearly stood up and called her a bitch, but he was quick to compose Himself and began to think.
He was certain she wanted to bleed him dry and spend any money he has and especially make him lose everything before she releases him from being a debt slave, he can think of no other reason why she'd want him as a debt slave.
For the most part slavery was illegal within the borders of the Hendrix Kingdom however there were exceptions, such as criminal or debt slaves those were the only acceptable forms of slavery.
Of course with a debt slavery you couldn't just make someone your slave nor were you allowed to coerce or convince them to be your slave, that Individual had to come to that conclusion by themselves and anyone that is enslaved would need to be registered, there's a whole process which includes both the master and slave writing down the reason for the enslavement, with an added two month waiting period.
With criminal slavery you couldn't enslave someone for anything that isn't comparable to murder or rape, of course despite all these precautions there were still those who will play the game and find loop holes and of course the royal family could enslave any criminal as they were exempt from the rules.
"Can I think about it?"
"No, either agree here or your brother rots in jail, also keep in mind the only reason you aren't in jail is simply because you are innocent and I haven't found anything on you yet, but there are rumors"
She informed as she placed the crime boss between a rock and a hard place.
"Very well your highness, however could you make it that only my brother is your slave, I can simply sign a unpaid work contract, wouldn't that satisfy your terms after all you are allowed to enslave any criminal as a royal but you can't force me to be a debt slave"
Barrett said, his shoulders slumping down in a bit of disappointment, for the most part there was nothing he can do against the princess, he can't fight her and he can run away as that would mean going back to being a bandit.
'Sorry Al, I value my freedom more'
He thought to himself, an unpaid work contract was essentially what the name suggests or similar to volunteering.
"Excellent, nice to see that you value your family, just like me, don't worry I'm pleasant to work with"
'I'm sure you are, bitch'
…..
While the princess was striking a deal with a criminal, Reniris and Eon were given a room to share, of course the room had two beds. Reniris exited the wash room as she wiped down her long red hair with a dark brown towel and had another bigger towel around her body.
Eon found it interesting how there seemed to be modern bathrooms yet this world seemed to from the fourteenth century, although he supposed the fact it didn't smell of shit and piss when he arrived here should have tipped him off.
'Maybe I'm not the only other worlder to arrive here or maybe bathrooms aren't really that advanced and people from these times could easily figure out how to make one'
He thought, Although he felt like leaning towards the idea of bathrooms in this world being the handiwork of anotherworlder but that's just a bias on his part.
"You said you were going to explain about why the princess called you cousin."
Reniris sat on her bed and crossed her legs and Eon couldn't help but appreciate her impeccable thighs for a moment before sitting up, he was about to speak but he paused as he appreciated her figure again, the wet her was quite something.
"Yeah, I did, so get comfortable, what I'm about to say might sound a bit crazy"