Chapter 9

After a long... Hard series of contemplation over the ethics of owning a slave, as well as the world around me. I came to a solid realization that I needed help in this life as I couldn't just rely on myself to reach my full potential. I needed magical teaching to fully use my body mage magic, I needed more combat experience. And I needed to stock up on materials to use the smithing knowledge I had inherited.

I had a lot of wants and needs, but honestly at the core of such things, was the simple need for assistance in helping me level up and becoming strong. As the Demon and Orc armies weren't going to wait for me.

So after going to the New Atha library to gain information on the history of slavery and how it worked here in the city, I learned... A lot about it. And how it was so accepted, trusted, and even desired was simple.

True slaves came from the various churches spread across the world that had actual gods behind the churches with supplied said gods with faith energy. Slaves coming from any church regardless of the god or goddesse's domains had one immutable trait. The slaves almost conceptually couldn't or wouldn't betray their master consciously, due to two facts.

One, the slave's ego would be extracted during the process of which they sold or sent themselves into the church, meaning the slave's previous soul would be literally harvested and sent to the divine's afterlife directly and in the husk. A seed of divine power would be left, which would form the soul of the new soul to fill the slave body with personhood that would form over their training.

Two, both the master and slave would form a divine bond between the two of them. And the binding would be born of the power of the god's domains which would ensure I didn't abuse the slave abhorently. 

Disregarding the whole necromancy bit of soul extraction and forming new souls within the bodies of slaves. It seemed like a good system as true slaves made within the churches were just so fanatically loyal, obedient, and of high quality. That no one could find faults in the system... And anyone who tried out of some kind of misguided morality would be quickly swatted to death by the god or goddess behind the church.

Thankfully the gods and goddesses of this world were almost entirely content in watching from their higher dimension or whatever. Only prodding events into motion instead of painfully taking control of situations. So there wouldn't be any asshole Apollo moments, of him basically guiding an arrow into my heel or something.

"In the end... The question is, do I trust in a slave trained by the Light Goddess or Dark Goddess's people? Or can I trust any random person to join me in an adventuring party?" I mused under my breath as I tapped my fingers on the wooden table holding the book I was reading about the light and dark gods who were the primary religions here in New Atha.

In the end, slaves of either church's control or lineage had separate talents as well with their souls being divinely crafted rather than merely naturally born. The light goddesses having more clearly offensive means of engagement and were of purity. Whereas the goddess of darkness's slaves had talents in the manipulation of darkness and was noted for being cunning and working to help their master via their minds more.

After more thought, I took a breath and shrugged. "Alright, then a slave from the Light goddess then." If I already was doing this Isekai trip in part due to the light goddess I might as well get a companion from her camp as well.

So after going to the market and paying some of the hard-earned coins I got from the previous missions, I got some fresh blankets and other stuff for whoever I picked up and just threw all that stuff into my spatial storage with nothing special happening as I collected some living supplies.

Thankfully although many people were talking about me, none had so far recognized me, though I did not doubt that within a week or two, I wouldn't be able to go anywhere unmolested as people were waiting for the New Atha paper to publish my appearance which was noted down by artists that were present at my summoning.

With a bit of directions from the locals as I posed as a foreigner looking to convert to the light church I easily got accurate directions to the large cathedral that housed the Light Goddesses church in the northern district of the city. As I reached it, I could all but feel the divine essence filling the surroundings and I knew that no one would dare pull anything with a feeling over eyes roaming over your every action.

Or at least, I couldn't imagine trying to pull a crime with the feeling of an axe hanging over my head if I defaced the statues and artwork I saw as I entered the large courtyard of the church.

The Cathedral from the Light Goddess was utterly massive, bigger than many sports centers from my previous life, and made out of a pure white marble that had blue and golden highlights as its trim. Along with holy statues depicting heroes and martyrs for the faith lining the path to the actual cathedral.

I followed the pilgrims and people coming in the pray until I saw an older priest huddled up in the corner stacking some holy books carefully together into a stack. And seeing him alone and away from the crowds I peeled off towards him in hopes that I could ask a couple of questions.

"Excuse me?" I spoke getting his attention and the man's eyes snapped to mine and he smiled gently and responded quickly.

"Yes, young... Ah the Hero, may I help you!?" He said with excitement in his voice.

I winced and looked around and although some people looked over seeing why the older priest raised his voice, it didn't seem like they got what he said, allowing me to exhale in relief as I looked back to the old man. 

"I need to know the procedures to acquire a slave that could help me in my travels. As already people are trying to kill or mess with me," I said plainly and the priest grimaced at my words.

"That is... Most worrying news indeed, and as good as any reason to have trustworthy companions in these dark days." He said slowly and as he said that, I realized something.

'Besides the demon and orc army, I had no idea where it was. What else was the world's issue in which I was summoned here?' I thought and after a moment I adjusted myself and spoke. "Can we speak in more detail?"

The priest nodded and he lead me into a side room with him saying frankly. "This room is for the regular meetings between the Light Goddess church and the Dark Goddesses servants to discuss things." He explained and then at my request for him to explain the hoops I would need to jump through in order to get a true slave he spoke without hiding his fervor for the 'gods children'

"True Slaves as the faithless call them, are called within these and any other holy walls, the 'divines redeemed.' In sacrificing their flesh to be filled with the seed of the divine in a new soul untainted by mortality, the sins of free will, and other filth. The redeemed will bind themselves to their chosen partner, mirror their status's level and will share in any talents their master has to enhance their own great growth and talents they received within these holy walls to become the best they can become." There was both more and less in what he was telling me, compared to what I had learned in the books about the subject.

I coughed and then spoke lightly. "And... What will it take, for me... To try and make one of these connections?" 

The priest smiled and then rubbed his fingers together in the obvious manner of meaning money, and for a moment I though he wanted a bribe or something make him speak but thankfully he continued. "First is a very welcome donation to the church in which you desire a Reedemed from, which is to pay for their training, previous lodging and the resources used in forming the connection between the redeemed and the master." 

"Then after that, we will test if you are eligible for our god's grace in taking one of her children, to see if you two will work together." He finished and after a moment of thought I took out a gold coin from the money that Queen Tilda gave me for my living situation and to gather the supplies needed to do my duties.

I then spoke with a wry smile. "In fact, I was summoned to this world with the grace of the Light Goddess herself... It would be highly weird if she found me ineligible."

The priest's own lips twitched at the thought and nodded at my words and then he nodded so I respectfully handed him the gold coin which was the average wage of a low-income family for a good few years. "I see... Then that is good! Come, Hero. Allow me to take you to the dormitories to see who will connect with you." He said with determination as he led me deeper into the church.

As he led me deeper into the church, I could feel that divine gaze upon the back of my neck weighing heavier on me, which made my hair rise at the alien feeling.

"You will get used to the goddess gaze, she may see all, judge all. But unless you do something truly egregious she will not smite you in her holy house... More likely for assassins to gut you in the following night unless you have the clear intent of destroying the church." He said cheerfully making my steps almost falter at how candid he said it.

Once we got deep into the church he left me in another meeting room and said kindly. "Please give me but a moment Hero, I need to inform the redeemed's trainer of your arrival and for her to lead the ones available for bonding here."

-

After a good five minute or so wait in which I mostly just messed around in my status making sure everything was going well and I didn't have any hidden status or anything. I heard the door open up and my eyes widened as a highly curvaceous woman wearing a flattering version of a nunnery outfit led a dozen people into the room.

'Oh that's the nun from the Cyoa.' I thought with a small smile as I greeted her. "Hello, please just call me Jake. Being called 'Hero' or 'Chosen One' all the time can get a little weird." 

The nun smiled beautifully with her eyes lighting up at the sight of me before she bowed her head slightly and spoke gently. "Such a request from you may be an arduous task, for I cannot say enough. How you bring so much hope to New Atha."

She then coughed with a small flush entering her cheeks as she said more quickly. "Anyway! My name is Rose Winter, and I will be doing the test to see who you are eligible to be bonded to!" She said with excitement as she snapped her fingers and the dozen people moved closer and I began taking in their appearances.

And they were a varied lot, some male, some female. Some were beastkin, some were clearly elves or humans. It was the definition of varied and a reminder of how New Atha was one of the most progressive nations in the world.

"Now Jake, in order to test who you can bond with based on your own karmic souls. All you have to do is shake their hands." She said and I blinked at that.

She giggled at my obvious confusion and then went on to explain how each and every one of them was directly protected by the goddess of light... Anyone who didnt fit their natural personalities simply couldn't make contact past the goddess's protection without meeting that criteria.