So, out of curiosity, will we be marrying more women than the current two?
I understand the slave girl staying a slave for the moment, though I would like to raise her up to equal status wife at some point, but the other characters like the Cleric who is currently a "concubine", will we ever be marrying them? She's a cleric not a priestess so I don't see that she'd have to give up her position to marry like a priestess would.
But yea, specific charters aside, will be getting more wives that just the first two?
I missed your post, my bad. Responding too late, yes, there will be more wives. Avila will be the next one.
Cleric and priestess are roughly the same thing. The reason Monica is a concubine and not a wife is that nobles do not marry commoners, they take them as concubines.
Only Priestesses of Ishtar leave their position. Because Ishtar is not only the Goddess of fertility, she's also represents motherhood and wives. For her, a wife needs to concentrate on her family first. And a woman cannot do that while being in service of a deity.
And something not explained in the VN yet, but not really a spoiler:
Priestesses of Ishtar are rewarded with a ward that appears on their body, that protects them from the nefarious effects of the Curse. Their first child has as much chance of having a boy than a girl. It makes former priestesses of Ishtar prized wives as you can imagine.
When the ward is finished and is black, it is time for the Priestess to search for a husband. She finished her service to Ishtar.
As for slaves, yes, some will be freed, and some will raise through the ranks of society. Aetas culture is one where social mobility exists, to a point. A slave, through great deeds, can be freed, or even become a noble. but it's rare.
Salve being freed is more common, it is traditional for someone to put his favorites slaves in their will.