The Falling of Empress Malty

Chapter 2: The Slaves of Notre Dame

"Tax the poor" Empress Malty interrupts. "What would they do with that kind of money". She hates the idea of the lower class having any wealth what so ever. She rejected the ideas of socialism, communism, nor capitalism, ideologies created by France, Belgium, and America respectively. She promptly declared heavy taxes to fill her treasury and build her wealth. No one is richer than her. To keep her power and position, she restricted a lot of freedoms like speech, press, religion, and privacy. No one is allowed to worship anything other than the three heros; and any criticism of the empress and her regime will be suppressed.

"Yes. Most wise your Graciousness" Tenya responds. He would have said otherwise, but his job was on the line, as well as his life. "Might I add that we raise tariffs on luxury amenities, like pearls, crabs, maybe whales?".

"Are you kidding?" Malty scoffs "I will not raise tariffs for the good of foreign relations". Which was a bluff, no one wants to be friends with Rome because of all the controversies it had acquired in the past years. "Besides, the demand for whales for the nobles are astronomical".

"Oh! How wise your Graciousness" Tenya says. "Off that note, we shall have this wonder done by the end of the year".

"And I'll make sure that these slaves finish it on time, or else" Motoyasu says, spear in hand smirking. All of a sudden a guard comes in shouting.

"Sir Motoyasu! Sir Motoyasu!" The guardsman shouts."There is something you must address".

"Well, Show the way" Motoyasu says. "Follow me your Graciousness" he says as Malty follows him to the other side of the cathedral. On the other side, two guardsmen were holding a young slave boy in their arms. A weak, scrawny boy with dirty blue hair, a weird red tattoo on his right eye.

"Sir Motoyasu" the guardsman shouted. "This Egyptian boy here was caught raiding the store houses last night while we were off guard. This brat thinks he can get away with theft of Roman property?" The young boy falls down on his knees as the guards throw him to the ground.

"Really!?!" Motoyasu said "What do you have to say for yourself ya brat?". Motoyasu grabs him by his rag.

"I-I was trying to feed my friends" the boy pleaded. "W-we're starving. We're going to die if we don't eat something". Now, it was either the abuse, the hunger, or the health of his friends, but the boy began to develop tears in his dull, chocolate brown eyes, cracking under the suffering of slavery, Empress Malty doesn't pity the boy and punches him in his stomach. Motoyasu drops the boy on the ground as he coughs and vomits out blood, lying on the ground.

"How DARE you!" Malty shouts angrily. "You don't know how fortunate you are to be working under the Roman Empire. If it weren't for us, you'd be living in some hell hole. We pious people took you in and those working for us should be grateful!"

"Please calm down your Graciousness" Tenya says to Empress Malty, trying to keep her calm. Not wanting another murdered child on his hands. Granted the empress can get away with it, but Tenya dares not fall behind and dead slaves equal wasted workforce. Instead, Sir Motoyasu goes up to the boy and with his baton, pushes it under the chin of the boy.

"Tell me boy. What is your name?" Motoyasu Asked.

"J-Jellal.  Jellal F-Fernandes" The boy Jellal said, weak and febishly.

"Well, Mr. Jellal Fernandes" Motoyasu said in a sarcastic, sadistic tone. "We don't take kindly to those who steal from us gracious Romans". With anger, Motoyasu kicks him in the same place where he punched him. "My Gracious Empress!" Motoyasu said, turning to Malty. "What shall be your order. Under such divine power of the Three Heros". It is clear that Malty did not adhere to the standard sentencing conventions agreed upon at the Vancouver Convention of 1920, therefore her sentencings are cruel and unusual. But today she's feeling a bit playful. She goes up to the boy.