Ad aspera

For the foreign woman, the inquisitive faces of the guards and their attire were as strange as she was to them, but the woman did not react and, with an indifferent expression, stepped down the steps to the ground.
— Good day to you, defenders of this land, — she said, bowing politely to the guards, — I am Kotori from the Shinomiya clan, and I have come from the distant western islands. — After a short pause, she continued. — Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the local customs, but I would not want to cause any trouble for the local people, so if you would be so kind, could you tell me about my rights and obligations during my stay here?

Kotori was surrounded by three guards at once...
— Oh, Lady Kotori, I will gladly tell you everything and even show you... — the first one tried to make a gallant gesture, but after receiving an elbow in the ribs from his comrade, he sighed and stepped back.
— Calm down, young man, — the second, outwardly the very embodiment of the ideal guard: tall, well-built, and with a terrible mustache covering half his face, pushed his comrade aside and began to speak. — So, rights. Or rather, not rights, but prohibitions. They are probably the same as everywhere else. Don't steal, don't argue with the guards. Obey the nobility. The nobility is not quite the same as everywhere else. Everywhere there are feudal lords, seigneurs. We have not only that. We have a free people. We have a city council. Laws. Here...
He speaks so solemnly, so convincingly, and so meaninglessly that his speech is like thick tar, viscous, murky, and completely uninviting. Attention is drawn to the third guard, who skillfully stands between the second and Shinomiya, and now bombards her with meaningless and more personal questions than the situation requires.
— So, you are from that very shogunate? And why did such a beautiful lady decide to leave her homeland? And why is the lady traveling alone, isn't that dangerous? And does the lady have a husband?...

— Hey, you fools, — the fourth one, who had been talking to the ship's owner, interrupted, his coat had a different patch than the others — a sign of a guard officer. — Stop bothering the lady, don't embarrass yourselves and the city. I should have come up to you right away... I apologize for my subordinates, lady... Kotori Shinomiya, right? Welcome to Tirren. Lieutenant of the Guard, Fabris Allegro. First, please tell me the purpose of your arrival and your profession, and I will tell you about the laws and rules for foreigners.

Before handing over the money, Unus asked

— How do I prove to your colleagues that the tax has been paid?

The captain sighed heavily.
— You will show my receipt to the guard, if they ask, — he waved the paper on which he had been writing all this time. — It has a permit for preaching, my seal, and my signature. Even my illiterate fools will recognize them. By the way. The city guard could use some new... that is, volunteers. Especially those who are capable of fighting. So you know what to do if your purse is empty. Any more questions?