Mage And Wolf
Chapter 129

Chapter 129: Chapter 129

Jun explains the sorry state of things here. Illiterate nobles spending like drunken sailors and an impending war against their creditors if the peasants don’t touch it off first.

Some parts of the country are already in rebellion. Even going as far as bribing ambitious cultivation Sects to lend discrete aid in exchange for being the new rulers.

"All this and you want us to stay out of it? That didn’t sound fun at all" I sulk.

"We make good mercenaries, perhaps you’ve got missions to take care of troublemakers?" Karl suggests. "From the Sects or random monsters if you’d rather we left the Civil War to the civilians"

Devon looks pretty sad at the idea we will not be helping as much as he hoped, but Karl sends him a stealthy wink.

"Now that that’s sorted, shall we take a wally through the city, see the sights?" Jun asks.

"Certainly. Just let us book some rooms here and we will be good to go."

The innkeeper saw us come in and has had a suite freshly cleaned in anticipation. The merchant and Jun are also staying here, so we’re trusting their judgements on what is a decent hotel by local standards.

The fashion of the area is quite varied. What are almost Jeans and t-shirts, cargo shorts, 3 piece suits, cultivators robes, martial arts outfits. They’re all a go for men’s fashion.

I also see a surprising number of women, given what I was told by the peasants about their numbers being wiped out. Their outfits are pretty normal, but something is off.

They’re all accompanied very closely by a male guardian, and three quarters of them wear collars and leashes.

"So are the city residents kinky, or are they so bad at pleasing a woman that they need to keep them restrained to prevent them running away?" I ask Jun and he almost chokes on his tongue.

"Ahem, as you might have heard, there is a gender imbalance. Most of these women were brought to the city to find suitable husbands."

"But they didn’t and ended up married anyhow, wishing they could go home?" I ask, raising an eyebrow in question.

"I’m told it’s not that bad. They all marry wealthy nobles once they get to the cities, it’s far from the life of a peasant."

I know the lives of random strangers in another world aren’t my issue, but I do kind of want to end this city. Looking carefully at Jun, his look of disgust belies his politically correct words. Perhaps a little chaos might be just what the Goddess ordered?

"Over there is the senate building, now that there’s no monarchy, the decisions are made by a council of Dukes. They meet every morning until lunch, very dull affair, full of brown nosers and power hungry lower nobles." Jun narrates as we go by.

"That’s the old palace, tomorrow morning most of the women in town will be gathered for a ritual to the fertility Goddess, if you’re interested. No men allowed though, sorry fellas"

"This is the Knights barracks" he points out a huge stone building by the Senate’s gardens. "The Order is currently in the midst of being renamed, as their previous leader lost his title in shame due to gambling."

All in all, it’s about what I would expect of a boring, medieval city. They don’t even have good markets, it’s all bland and unenthusiastic. No shouting or hawking, just standing there, looking hopeful someone will come by.

"Hey Karl, what do you think of a little game?" I whisper and he smiles.

"What’s the plan?"

"I have a load of Spirit Toxin pills. I’m going to dissolve them into the ceremonial drinks at the Ladies festival."

"And anyone who touches them will die the next time they advocate their cultivation?"

"It’ll be pretty diluted, most probably won’t die, they’ll just want to. But I’m going to try to give the Ladies an option, I just haven’t figured out how yet." I whisper in closing and we both return our attention to the sights of the city.

Jun brings us to a nice restaurant for dinner and we chat about a bit of everything from his life here in the city, to the worlds history, and finally into the important topic. What the fertility ceremony is all about.

"The men say it’s a worthless superstition, but it’s tradition for thousands of years. The ladies gather for a light meal, wash in the palace’s blessed fountain and finally drink from a blessed goblet before returning to their husbands with the blessing of fertility."

"Might they want a proper High Priestess to oversee the ceremony? The Goddesses respect the good will of one another."

"That’s why I’m here actually" the merchant mentions. "I have the Holy wine, and I will be doing the blessing, as this country has no clergy"

"Might I step in for you Priest? I know it’s your duty, but surely it’s better if a Priestess does the fertility blessing?"

"It certainly would be, they’re just not willing to come here, given the rumors of the locals abducting women." He sighs.

"Then please, allow us. As city rules say I need a chaperone, I shall take dear Jun with me. You and his Highness Karl can do your other trading here and we will all meet up at the hotel for lunch. How does that sound?"

The merchant turns over the sanctified wine and I store it away, surprising Jun. He’s seen storage devices, but never one that can hold that much. I guess it’s not surprising, these ones were made by a strong immortal after all, and this world doesn’t have them.

Karl has planned a little more fun for the day. The council will be working until lunch, when they go to pick up their women after the ceremony, and Karl plans to use the time out from under Jun’s watch to create Golem doppelgangers of them.

Even better, not to do anything nefarious, but to continue the Council session after they leave and create doubt as to their identities.

The ceremony is beautiful, relaxed ladies in elegant dresses enjoying a meal, a few ceremonial words before they wash in the blessed fountain, which truly is blessed with cleansing abilities. Then finally the moment of truth.

I’ve altered the words a bit, this time each lady will be met with a simple request "speak the truth of your heart, children for your nursery or vengeance on your husband?"

And then when everyone leaves the traditional farewell is given to the women and their husbands "Let none unkindly touch those blessed here today, or face divine wrath".

I suspect there will be more wrath than usual. Ninety percent asked for vengeance. I split a few mass fertility aid pills between those looking for children, can’t anger the fertility God by shirking my duty. That should ensure at least a few children out of the ceremony.

The spirit poison should start activating within 12 hours, with the last at 18 hours from now. Just late enough they’ll wake up thinking it might actually be Divine punishment.

It’s been about an hour since all the ladies went home, but Karl’s plan seems to have been a dud. No panic or anything. Even he doesn’t know what’s wrong, they’re supposed to be impersonating the council in the council hall, hasn’t anyone noticed?

In the end, nobody tried to enter, so nobody found them. They spent an entire day debating in peace, before vanishing. Which is absolutely hilarious in its own way.

"I’m proud of you, you didn’t do anything improper at the ceremony" Jun says "I watched it all and nothing at all, you were a Proper High Priestess, despite your misgivings."

"That’s the catch." the merchant laughs "she’s a High Priestess. Anyone who wasn’t nice to their wife tonight might actually suffer divine punishment"

"I should have known better" he sighs