Dunia, 122 years after Megiddo:
The Long Night was over. The Dark Monster Lord Maou was no more, never to threaten the world again. The colossal city of Silberbonn, now ruling over a decentralized Human Federation rather than an Empire, had its fifth bi-annual conference. The Theocracy of Lescatie disbanded, with independent kingdoms, each having a say in the Federation, had their representatives gathered to discuss new decrees and patiently waited for the conference to finish.
"The council has decided." The Emperor Elect Friedrich struck his gavel with a thud. "Sending volunteer students of the Imperial Federation Academy to the Mamono Reik, with a quota of 75% male members too poor to afford the Tertiary Imperial Academies of Silberbonn, in return for reduced tariffs on Federation exports, is approved. The Reik will finance their education with guarantees of well-being and safe return except for volunteer stay, marriage, and criminal conduct. In return, High Elf and Dwarven mamono will be admitted to our academies, with a one-time offer of permanent defection."
The delegates shuffled, some standing up and folding their papers. After the cold war, it was the beginning of a thawing relationship. The Grand-Abbess, an elderly nun wearing ceremonial armor and sitting at the right hand of the Emperor Elect, was displeased.
"This is a dangerous proposition," the Grand-Abbess growled, clutching her rosary. "This opens many pathways to corruption: how long until we sell our young and criminals to the dark elves so they can have more cheap labor and breeder men? Will we establish slave markets of our own?"
The more religious representatives of Jagelonia and Muscovy nodded along, clearly upset. Their votes were not enough.
"Your protest is well received," The Emperor Elect sighed, adjusting his glasses. "And each kingdom is free to act as they wish. This motion, however, ensures those sent are strictly voluntary. Any expenses will be paid from Reik's coffers during their stay. Can I remind you that most visitors return safely, and the Reik has its human population to supplement the "monster-girl" requirement of life force? This motion will bring us intelligence and diplomatic contacts amongst the Reik's higher echelons. Besides, the monster girl empire has considerable advances in alchemy and material sciences, even though their manual labor dependence stunted their agricultural advancement." He did not enjoy elaborating on the usage of humans taken by the Reik across the centuries or born in their borders serving as farmers and agricultural slaves. It was still a touchy subject even though their treatment and comfort were on equal terms with human serfs in human kingdoms, with increased sexual and bodily freedom.
Especially for women who were protected from all sorts of sexual abuse by men in the Reik.
The Grand-Abbess sighed. "The weak-willed may migrate or submit."
"Then shepherd our flock to a life of traditional personal freedoms. The Federation will not abandon its faith in God All-father, nor allow any dark elves with ill intent on its soil. You have the freedom to preach everywhere in the Federation and interrupt any attempts at suborning our humans."
"Tell that to the Aquilonians or the Oost-Haarlem." The Grand-Abbess spat. "The former has known dark elf slave traders patronizing cafes looking for naive, lusty boys, and the latter even legalized an artificial port city for dark elf merchants, with pleasure houses and humans leaving with the ebon sluts to their lands as pets! The Flemish have always been sexual degenerates with their Red Lantern Quarters. Might as well be part of the Reik."
Grumbling and arguments flared, and Friedrich held his temples.
"It is technically not *on* Federation soil, Abbess," he wearily replied. "And from what my spies revealed, everyone involved is older than eighteen summers, with many checks and regulations involved. And it's often spinsters and single older women and men. We might as well tax it."
The old nun sighed and shook her head, gathering her papers and rosary.
"This will not stand. Degeneracy is the mamono's weapon. These people should stay in their lands and marry."
Already the meeting was over. Friedrich wanted a coffee more than anything now: the Church was part of the Human Theocracy, and even in the decentralized Federation, it still wielded considerable might. This bold program spearheaded by the Archmage Erasmus and Succubus Queen Jeanne would be controversial.
Very controversial.
*-*-*-*
The Silberbonn tavern Stomping Stag was open throughout the day. Most students from the Imperial Academies, first and second tier, found this cozy establishment their main watering ground. Located in the outer rings of the gigantic circular city, it was in a neighborhood with low rent and questionable safety.
Bernard, known as "Benny," sat at a table with his friends from the Second Tier Academy, discussing his options. He could return to his village, where his prospects were slim: be a sheriff's deputy, a guard, or a craftsman.
Or he could try the new exchange program. To live amongst monstergirls, with strict requirements and many caveats regarding liberty and safety. He could not fail a class twice, otherwise, he had to return to human lands at his own expense, effectively stranded in a land where monster girls hunted for men, sometimes literally. Female students were also allowed but were forbidden to be "monsterized" to be allowed to return. If any exchange students committed a crime, they would be on their own. If any exchange students married a mamono, they would not be allowed to return. From that moment on, they would be an alien. Any student falling/selling themselves to slavery to the charming, evil dark elves would be disavowed and struck from records.
It could be an important change in their lives; they would be on their own, away from any ally or family. The booklets distributed at the Academy had descriptions of available educational institutions in the monstergirl lands.
"Lilaryali is...so beautiful..." One of the only two female students at the table, Caitlin purred, adjusting her wizard hat. Much to the amusement of others, she insisted on wearing it everywhere, having graduated with good marks but too poor to afford the Archmagus' Third Tier Education. "A city of arts and beauty, where an elf, dark elf, all the mamono and humans live in beauty and harmony..." The pamphlets were colorized and tastefully drawn. "They say no one is unhappy there, even the...servants. It's built inside and around trees with magical plants that give light all the time!"
"They also say anyone leaving there will be sad for the rest of their lives," John smirked. An Imperial student in engineering, he was a budding student of etheric engines with middling grades but a talent for languages and mechanical systems. "Goblin-town is just the thing I need."
"And its endless hospitality of green shortstack sluts, eh?"
"Shut up!" He nudged his friend Arlo, a cadet in the Imperial Navy. Goblins were notorious for their lack of shame, rivaling the dark elves in bondage play. At least they were skilled and numerous, only employing free labor. The city was widely known as a hub for exotic technologies, strange vehicular experiments, and sex toys.
Lots. Of. Sex. Toys.
Students laughed, nursing their cheap beer. John grinned, flipping the last page of the small advertisement book:
"Anyone for Schwarzelfstadt? It has the best Magic Academy!"
Protests rose, though some more subdued than others, Caitlin even blushing and biting her lips.
