“You can’t come here and sell people… people!” Says the off duty police officer to the shopkeeper, who seems a bit flustered.  “But officer… these aren’t people. They are partially made constructs. They are basically golems.” He explains, trying to reason with the police officer, who is growing more and more annoyed by the minute. “Listen Ikal… the law has changed. You cannot sell these anymore. It’s illegal.” Says Arvid, the off-duty police officer who is currently having to enforce the law, even in his leisure time.

Fortunately the market is beginning to grow more active, and the market is a good distance away, so any police officers who are on duty won’t be nearby. Some of them are less human, and less compassionate, than Arvid is. He’s a native. Born and raised in Ciel, and thus is someone who is known for trying to convince people in the area to follow the law, even when they don’t. He’s respected by locals, and is cared for by them. And in return he tries to do what he views as “right” by them, so that they don’t spend time in jail. Many of them even listen to him. Arvid knows that Ikal is a good person, the danger is that Ikal only views humans as people, but the law disagrees with him. The law in Ciel is that sentient beings are considered “people” even if they are made by sorcerers in secret labs. far from the prying eyes of royal wizards and witches.

The constructs that Ikal is peddling are unmarked, but Ikal can’t tell because he isn’t gifted in magic, and he doesn’t have one of the “perks” given to Arvid by the royal magic users. This perk is a basic one, given to men and women (and other beings who can’t really be described as either gender or any other gender that can be used to describe humans) assigned to portal the market and other places of business which allow them to determine whether or not the government has allowed for the creation of constructs like this. Ones that aren’t created by the government, or at least with it’s permission aren’t by definition “defective” but they can be confiscated at any time by police officers. Arvid was debating what to do, because he could take them, but that’d mean that Ikal wouldn’t get any money for them and he’d have wasted his hard earned cash. Arvid was annoyed that he was having this conversation at all. “Listen Ikal… stop trying to sell these. If anything I guess you can keep them here but these constructs are unmarked.” The police officer says to the shopkeeper. Ikal’s face instantly started to turn scarlet. “What? I was told they were marked!” And at that Arvid laughed. It was a harsh sound, but it was necessary to teach Ikal a lesson he wouldn’t forget anytime soon. As Arvid looked at the constructs again, he still didn’t identify any of the necessary markings to brand a construct as government made, or government sanctioned. “Sorry kid.” He said, his Universal blunt. He didn’t have time to try and sound pleasant. He preferred instead to be taken seriously and respected by his coworkers due to his work-ethic, rather than his “kindness”. It was only to the people he sought to protect that he tried to be kind. Normally when he spoke, his Universal would be harsh and blunt, but that wasn’t what natives to Ciel would hear unless he needed them to remember how they felt at the time he spoke the way he did to them. This was one of those moments.

Arvid would spend a few minutes helping Ikal modify the constructs to help out around the shop. It was the only thing they could do, unless Ikal decided he wanted the next police officer to come and confiscate them. And even with them helping, police officers could come and legally confiscate them. But Arvid would tell them not to, so that Ikal doesn’t get unduly harmed (financially) by his lack of skepticism. Every purchase of a construct, or golem, or any other non-naturally occurring magical being carried this risk. That’s why people don’t sell them. Usually when people tried to sell them they’d get hurt, economically. Doesn’t stop some from trying. Ikal now joined their ranks. And that’s a shame.

Welcome to Ciel. The land where skepticism will help you out of a pinch, even if the people who are selling you swords are also selling bottles with actual genies in them. I hope you enjoyed the first Story Time Sunday! Let me know what you think. Ciel is a city, in a fictional world I’m creating where I fuse all sorts of mythologies together and see what happens. If you want to see more of this, than you should let me know!