Kotori and her party quickly made their goodbyes and left the village.
Before Kotori and her party left she made one last visit to Winry's place and to personally say goodbye. Winry seemed sad to see them go. Kotori had also gone to pick up a few things. She personally commissioned before she left.
“Are you sure we can have this?” Layla asked
The things Kotori had gone pick up from Winry were several items that she was sure would help them on their trip and she promptly gifted them to her party as an apology for her making them leave the village.
For Umi she gave her a necklace studded with mana crystals. The necklace was covered in glittering crystals and was meant to hold extra mana for Umi.
For Layla she gave two small rings which Layla instantly interpreted as a marriage proposal. When activated the rings would cover her hands in fire. The fire would something akin to “paws” to be honest it was quite cute and almost looked like cosplay. Despite her high-class tone, Layla was actually a close-ranged fighter which meant these were perfect for her
Shu received a breastplate that when activated would turn into a full suit of armor. It was a rather simple item but the armor was probably strong enough to withstand a tank shot.
Lastly for Amelie Kotori gave her a new sword that she personally filled herself. Kotori had drained herself dry the past few days filling these items so she wouldn’t have to recharge them for a while. The sword was ironically very similar to Yooma’s [Sword Smith] skill and was able to transform itself into whatever Amelie desired.
Of course, all the items were made of manatanium which Kotori had farmed herself. The metal slime population of the dungeon nearby had dropped dangerously low and Kotori stopped herself just before the dungeon collapsed on itself. She didn’t know any other place where metal slimes spawned and she was damned if the best food source for gourmet was going to just disappear due to her over-consuming it.
Kotori set out in her palanquin frankly it was big enough to hold everybody, so they took turn walking and sitting inside it. The only exception was that Amelie stayed firmly inside since she was the most recognizable of their group. The path to the capital was quite a way away and would take over two weeks of travel. For now, they followed the main roads since they were mostly unrecognizable now. They still avoid the major cities since it was easier to make an escape on the roads instead of inside walled cities
People only recognized Shu and Umi in their animal spirit forms. Layla was completely new, and Kotori had grown quite a bit over the year they had spent in the dwarf village.
She was around 11 now but she looked like a girl in her early teens.
Their group caught several stares, but most seemed to assume they were traveling nobility. Most of the stares were people gawking at Umi and Layla, but Kotori caught several men looking her way
[Lolicon!] She often thought.
The roads slowly began to get better as they got closer to the capital.
Dirt turned to cobblestone then turned to paved stone.
The number of travelers was slowly starting to increase, and Kotori could notice quite a bit of people looking at them.
She began to wonder if she should be less inconspicuous. She eventually decided that Amelie would wait outside the city while Kotori, Shu, Umi and Layla would sneak their way in and buy a title for nobility. It would be easier to avoid getting caught that way. Amelie was good at hiding and had her [Ninjitsu] skill so it should be fine.
The first Kotori noticed when she reaches the capital was the sheer size of it.
It was an oblong shape surrounded by increasingly taller walls. The walls were made of solid stone and encapsulated a towering citadel covered in white stone it was so tall Kotori could see the citadel from quite far away
[This seems excessive] Kotori thought
The reason she thought this was because it was unnecessary. The kingdom of Faramouth had only one country bordering them which was Atlea. Although both squabbled over the border near the great forest neither side could launch a clear attack due to how it was to traverse the forest. Having such a fancy castle for the capital seemed more like a display of strength than anything borne out of necessity.
They waited until nightfall and then Kotori used Hikari to raise them above the castle walls. As for the guards?
Who would expect a metal blob to sneak people OVER the wall?
Most of the guards scanned the ground and the area near the walls.
Nobody was looking above to the skies of course.
Kotori and her party alighted down and waited for the sun to rise. The city was well protected of course but Kotori knew based of her visit to the frontier city that the guards only kept track of the people who entered the moment her party entered the city it was extremely unlikely they would be found out to be trespassers unless they got in trouble which was something Kotori was taking extra care to avoid.
Buying nobility was a rather easy process.
In the Faramouth kingdom, there were two types of nobility. Hereditary and bought titles.
Hereditary titles were self-explanatory they were “true” nobility their children will have nobility status and they were usually quite rich.
Bought titles were a little different. They were usually reserved for merchants and the rich. It allowed for them to buy audiences with the king and they would be treated like nobility. Most merchants did it to own land and build factories.
[Is this what they call bourgeoisie?] Kotori thought as she briefly considering the concept of BUYING nobility.
[Maybe Marx was onto something]
Britain did this for over a thousand years. Buying Title meant basically the People that affected the economy most had the most power over it. That how the house of Lords worked and many will argue it but interesting coincidence when house of lords was divested of all power was just around the time the Economy of the UK crashed. The argument was the house of lords could slow down the Parlement of elected officials if they wear doing something stupid for popularity.. As Lord that where bad at making money would wind up selling the title to those that wear good at making money, After the house of lords became nearly honorary only the value of titles dropped to nothink. Now you can buy a Title in England for as little as 75 pounds...As it has no voting power but the original idea that the wealthy could buy a seat in the government was ethically horrible, but in practice worked great. Kept Britain out of countless wars.
it's because they actually had land and people that they own so they actually had to care different from today politicians barely have ties with the country they live in and prefer to live at the cost other people
@yokai1235 In the beginning it was land but as time went on it was merchants and insurance companies.All the old Feudal Lords sold their titles. ( Were {Lords of London, insurance company }got its name) And prefer to live at the cost other people? Not really. The Lords worked very hard for that money it's why there was a House of Lords to begin with. Those that had made money bought titles to have a say in government.
You could get Title by a act that contributed to the nation but Most ended up Selling it for real money to those that wanted it.
Lords were very much d*cks but you can say that for anyone wealthy but it Evolved into True Autocracy. Anyone with enough money could be in the house lords that's my point you bought and sold title like any commodity.
[Is this what they call lumpenproletariat?] Kotori thought
Maybe Marx was onto something
That is not what the lumpenproletariat is, the people buying the titles in order to own land and build factories are capitalists. Like literally as in they own capital.
The lumpenproletariat would be all of the serfs, dock yard workers, and even the lowly guards (anyone who isn't a capitalist, a member of the aristocracy, or a member of the clergy if they hold political power) who are not class conscious. So in this setting that seems to be mostly fuedal nearly everyone is going to be part of the lumpenproletariat other than the already wealthy and powerful who are not even members of the proletariat.
lumpenproletariat IIRC are people who could own wealth but did not truly own the means of production. But I will adjust since you are right that since the merchants own land they wouldn't be considered lumpenproletariat anymore.
Some quick edits:
pick up a few things. She personally commissioned -> things she
The fire would something akin to “paws” -> would look like something(?)
Kotori set out in her palanquin frankly it was big enough to hold everybody, so they took turn walking and sitting inside it. -> Kotori set out in her palanquin. Frankly it was big enough to hold everybody, so they took turns walking and sitting inside it.
They still avoid the major cities -> avoided
wonder if she should be less inconspicuous. -> less conspicuous/more inconspicuous
The first Kotori noticed when she reaches the capital -> The first thing Kotori noticed when she reached the capital
covered in white stone it was so tall -> stone, it
attack due to how it was to traverse the forest. -> how hard it
Kotori knew based of her visit to the frontier -> on her
people who entered the moment her party entered -> entered. The
(Kotori, if you're planning on being loud and proud with your plan to buy your nobility, why are you sneaking in? As if they wouldn't run a background check on someone trying to buy a title!)
Buying nobility was a way to bypass the horrors of feudal tax laws. It worked for a short time but issue was that the most basic noble privilege was to avoid dues and taxes. Which meant within two generations the tax generation capabilities of say, France was close to collapse. This inability to tax most of the currency in the kingdom was one of the major and most direct causes of the French Revolution. ;)
Shu received a breastplate that when activated would turn into a full suit of armor. It was a rather simple item but the armor was probably strong enough to withstand a tank shot.
To be a smartass, HEAT or APFSDS? :p
Despite her high class tone Layla was actually a close range fighter and
Something seems off about this sentence......
Doesn't seem complete.
Fixed