Now that my ideological conflict with Enki has calmed down, my 'colleagues' look at me less like I spend every afternoon cooking babies. You have to start from somewhere. The naughty reinir rebel is falling in line, praise the World Bird! This new-found tranquillity causes unexpected changes in some people' attitudes, notably Uru who, it seems, is trying to catch my interest. Does the epitome of masculine perfection want to enjoy my delightful company? What should the brutish Ishtar answer to him?

On one side, our friend was constantly defending Enki. On the other, I am desperately unfulfilled. I already proved that my mental abilities are often subordinated to parts of my anatomy unsuited for intellectual tasks. My neurological conditioning turns against me so much that it is laughable! Wait... here is the opportunity to talk about that! All humans undergo this procedure during childhood. A specialized team visits you for your fifth birthday to inject molecular ribbons directly into your brain, which will « connect » or « disconnect » neural links.

The influence of the process will, in synergy with genetic engineering, impose specific features on children that should be useful for their future career. Yet, the system has its limitations and will be more effective if the curriculum is kept straightforward. Yes, we could turn a kid into a fanatic slave... but he will eventually have doubts. However, making him a bipolar autistic homosexual is a formality. Conditioning can increase, or reduce, aggressiveness and libido. Elohim are more responsive because their brains are averse to change.

Why then are not all of us modified in this way? One reason, very obvious: not all children reach enlightenment and we have to recoup our failures. Also, becoming an Eloah tends to render said process unpredictable. The more complicated you make it, the riskier it gets. Long ago, the kingdom of Sied tried to play with that. They spawned an entire generation of Lichs. Since then, it has become a galaxy-wide felony. You can instruct easy guidelines, but major alterations are reprehensible.

My country did not like the idea of an Eloah being produced for a matriarch's personal satisfaction. We sire new members for a clan, never an individual. They admitted the oddity of my own case on one condition: that I be allowed to decide, always. Nobody can force me into wedding or any profession. This is not specific to my circumstances. If tomorrow the queen came in person and ordered you to marry her, nothing in the universe could force you to agree. Reiner is a nation that prides itself on its moral rectitude.

Of course, it only applies to girls. The boy rarely has a say. He is too sought after, too expensive, and too essential for family diplomacy to tolerate such a degree of independence. In an exclusively female land, men are a resource, a power for those who know how to use it. Marrying gives obligations to wives. A man is some kind of prized jewel. The ultimate symbol of wealth.

The funny thing is that Zhijia, my wife's clan, are specialists in producing males. They spend a fortune for this task. A dangerous strategy, which nobody dares to imitate given the amount of waste. How do we do? Simple: my family offers to pay half of the costs incurred to produce their offspring to smaller houses. In exchange, all boys in the batch return to us. He fails to become an Eloah? The kid will be sold back to the Xi, owners of Yah'lès and Ganthra. He becomes enlightened? Our domain inherits a son. So we perpetually have someone new to marry.

None of these guys have the slightest physical resemblance to us, as you can imagine. We go to great lengths to secure about fifteen men each century. This tactic pays off: a third of all matriarchs are in a relationship with one of us. It's our specialty. Zhijia collect intelligence from their daughters-in-law and can ask them favors. Do you realize the political influence that brings?

I must seem to be drifting away from the main subject, but there is a justification for me to talk about that: my family specializes in creating spouses. It wasn't the fact that this idea came up which was perceived as peculiar. The weirdness was in wanting to get a custom-made girl. A troubling, and potentially dangerous, legal precedent. The royal council met to discuss it. They came to a clear verdict: I was to be given an opportunity to reject this marriage, more than anyone else. My answer is no? Too bad for Leilin.

My bride-to-be agreed, aware that she could influence my decision through neurological conditioning. I underwent a thorough grooming process. Engineers insisted on a few things. Firstly, to create the ultimate lover. They modified my behavior accordingly. My natural tendencies were designed to provoke desire. Secondly, to ensure that I fall in love with Leilin. You think it's difficult? That love is a feeling that cannot be tamed? Not at all. This was the easiest step. And third, to guarantee my sexual orientation, heterosexuality being proscribed in my case. Three victories.

Not long before my 17th birthday, they added two more: that I have an insatiable craving and that violence affects me in a positive way. Basically, I need to fight to make it « work ». I was now my sweetheart's perfect woman. Still, one small mistake occurred. I wasn't supposed to end up straight, it was the exact requirement. Unfortunately, the individual in charge of my conditioning wanted to have fun at my expense, so instead of being made a lesbian, I turned out to be bisexual... with a preference for dudes! Oops.