57th of Season of Air, 57th year of the 32nd imperial era

"Thank you for everything, Lady Valiant." Newt bowed deeply to Lady Frostgrave and her charges as they got off the highway, a mere mile from the twenty-seventh imperial city called Star's Fall.

Lady Frostgrave nodded, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "You are welcome, but we're coming with you. I want to double check the slave contract you're about to sign."

Newt's skin crawled and his breathing grew labored. "Slave contract?"

The valiant gave Newt a confused, questioning look, before confirming his discomfort and bewilderment were genuine. "Yes, a slave contract. Those unable to pay for their apprenticeship in the orders must sign it. Otherwise, what would stop you from leaving once you have realized your full potential?"

"My honor?" Newt offered, and Lady Frostgrave visibly suppressed a scoff.

"While honor is admirable, it doesn't pay for the resources. Training an elite is a huge expense, something not even nobility beneath the ducal houses can afford. Otherwise, marquesses and viscounts would command forces more powerful than independent chivalric orders." Lady Frostgrave moved towards the city. "Follow me. I will answer all your questions."

Newt followed and learned many things. The funds needed to reliably raise twenty generations of sixth order mageknights required manarium and initial investment into infrastructure large enough to see a talented individual advance from infancy to eighth realm. But an organization could do with only half as much if they had a stable source of income to cover a portion of the cost.

The talk about wealth and expenses seemed appropriate as Newt's group reached the majestic imperial city. The white stone walls stood over a hundred feet tall, decorated with inert runic formations.

The odds of a saurian onslaught reaching so deep into the empire were close to zero, but over the tens of thousands of years of human history, it had happened more than once. The line of those waiting to enter was huge, but Lady Frostgrave's prestige and realm led them to the head of the line for awakened.

She graciously paid a second realm crystal for each of them, and the party entered a city so huge Newt's mind couldn't process its size.

Newt stared at the street wide enough to accommodate twenty carts easily. Sidewalks nearly as wide as the road itself flanked it, teeming with pedestrians. There were no street stalls or hawkers, yet the drone of humanity talking and walking reminded Newt of the buzzing of a beehive.

The buildings of glass and polished stone appeared pristine, each exactly the same height. Like an endless cliff, they turned the street into a canyon, expanding into the distance. And there, dozens of miles ahead, a towering structure of green and gold loomed over the city.

Newt took a second to take it all in while Lady Frostgrave never stopped talking.

"We will take more than a whole day of walking to reach the port where my friend is waiting. A useless warning, only imperials enjoy the privilege of unregulated flight in the princely cities. Royals and those at the ninth and tenth realms may use movement spells and such, as long as they don't rise above the highest rooftops." Lady Frostgrave pointed towards the distant city center and the gigantic structure rising like a mountain, reaching for the clouds. "No roof in the city may rise higher than the lowest entrance into the princely palace. If someone builds above that height out of arrogance or simple labor incompetence, the law enforcers will raze the offending building to the ground."

Newt nodded as the party moved towards their destination, matching the speed of Lady Frostgrave's weakest charge. While there were no hawkers and stalls, each building was a shop, a restaurant, or a business of some other sort. Each had several sharply clad first order awakened, who approached passersby and politely asked to visit their store, offering discounts and advertising their premier goods.

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Despite countless glances towards them, none dared approach Newt's group as they moved deeper into the city.

"The knight valiant I will introduce you to is called Lady Leucaena Alabaster. A long time ago she was a mere earth mage, but she managed to evolve her core at the peak of the fifth realm and she now stands firmly in the sixth. I decided to introduce you to her primarily because Everlast told me you don't know any earth spells, and Lady Alabaster is an extremely capable earth mage, most of her power stemming from her magical prowess."

Several hours later, just as the sun started setting, Lady Frostgrave led them into a restaurant called The Pleasant Night.

"Good evening." The greeter bowed low to the group, maintaining the pose. "Thank you for gracing our humble establishment with your presence. How may we serve?"

"We're looking for dinner and four rooms."

"Yes, honorable mageknight, I will have the best prepared for you. As for dinner, please follow me." The still-bowing man took a step back before righting himself and heading into the dining area.

The Pleasant Night only had a dozen or so patrons, less than a quarter full. Newt found the atmosphere as classy as the Noble Dragon, with dim yet pleasant lighting. Paintings of landscapes dominated the walls, but one differed from the rest, drawing Newt's attention.

A group of awakened in heroic poses battled a dreadwalker. The titanic saurian's scale was wrong, making it much smaller, so it could fit into the painting, but the artist had done a great job imbuing it with a savage ferocity that sent chills down Newt's spine.

The meal was enjoyable, but soon Lady Frostgrave excused herself, as did her youngest charge, leaving Newt with the three more senior members of Everfrost Order's younger generation.

"So," Newt looked uncomfortable, unsure how to broach the subject, so he just decided to be blunt about it. "Are the three of you slaves?"

It seemed like a rude question, but the way Lady Frostgrave nonchalantly spoke about signing the contract, it could have been a normal thing.

"Technically we are," Everlast said, "but I don't think any of us views themselves as a slave."

She glanced at her senior and junior, who both shook their heads.

"We are indebted to the order and it's our obligation to pay it back. We are willing slaves, free to reject anything going against our moral code. I understand why you are hesitant, but the contract really isn't anything bad, even if it is a magical tool to keep you loyal."

Everlast didn't and couldn't understand Newt's hesitation. What had happened to his parents was a clear sign that the willing slave contract can be used against you.

"And Lady Valiant?" Newt asked.

"I believe Master is similarly bound, but we aren't privy to such information. I do know that as you grow, the contracts change."

"Then who are the free people in chivalric orders? Who is in control?"

"The exalts and grandmasters for certain," Pearl, the fourth realm mageknight joined the conversation. "I'm guessing all the chaplains have paid their dues too, since those focused on advancing rarely take managerial roles, as it takes up too much time. In general, you regain your freedom within ten to fifty years after reaching your peak and after you stop advancing your realm."

"And then?"

"And then you are free to do as you will, but generally all organizations will offer benefits to sufficiently high-realm individuals if they choose to stay. The system might appear exploitative, and it potentially is, but I'm not so sure. Why would Master need us to go slay third or fourth realm frostworms when she can just wave her hand and exterminate the whole cave herself? Chivalric orders are more about the preservation of tradition and legacy than exploiting a cheap labor force. Especially since we aren't all that cheap if you think about it. Why pay a first or second realm awakened in manarium to rake the leaves when a commoner would gladly do it for a meal and a bit of silver? It sounds like a losing proposition to me."

Newt had to agree that the woman's argument was making sense.

"Besides, from our point of view, how many years would you take to earn two thousand second realm manarium pieces? Discounting the fortunate encounter you four had, most people take years just to earn the realm advancement resources, what about weapons, armor, potions? There's a reason powerful hedge awakened are few and far between. Instead of taking twenty-thirty years to reach the perfect third realm, wanderers take fifty, and that's if they are geniuses. And again, that's if you go for the barest of the bare. Where do you get the education? The weapon instructor? A spell master?"

Pearl spoke with zeal. She was in the fourth realm, and she must have already considered the topic at length.

"And if you don't like it, just stop taking the resources and perks, work your debt off, and leave. Though I would never do that."

She has a point.

"And if you're fast enough, you don't even have to pay all the interest rates."

Just as he was getting onboard, Newt's jaw dropped. Interest rates?

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