Posts from The Empire of Reimia (3)

I wish I could spend those two hours on the kitchen instead of grinding for experience.

What were you doing there?

Sonata Realm.

During the reign of Thiar, a craftsman was a regular visitor to the "Sonata" brothel, where the former empress was forced to work at that time. Rumor has it that he spent most of his earnings on visits to this establishment.

Only now I realized that the brilliant emperor simply resorted to extreme measures to combat the budget deficit, and his contemporaries did not appreciate it.

I wish our new prince would use such a method. It's a pity that his contemporaries won't appreciate it.

The next stop for the tour group was Endless Swords Street.
The Great Amphitheater of Reim
— Despite its bloody past, the Amphitheater has a rather interesting history with changes in its name. Originally, it was called the Colosseum and was famous as a venue for various military tournaments, where duelists came not only from all corners of the empire but also from abroad; both ordinary people and members of the imperial family took part in the battles here. Then, in 762, Sonato Reim and her government decided to ban such events as relics of the past that were dangerous to life, and the Colosseum was renamed the "Great Amphitheater of Reim." Instead of bloody battles, musical concerts, sports competitions, and other entertainment events began to be organized here. However, with the coming to power of Tiaria Reim, the Amphitheater was renamed back to the Colosseum, and tournaments were held there again, and they were even more dangerous and brutal than before. And only during the reign of Kamia Ren did the Colosseum once again become the Amphitheater. Who knows, maybe someday it will be renamed again? Ha-ha, if that happens, I hope it won't be the Colosseum again.
The Martial Arts Guild
— This building had to change its name twice; first, it was known as the "Guild of Masters," where masters of martial arts were located, and then as the "Guild of Skill," a place for registering combat techniques and styles. Both times, the organizations that occupied this building had to close, and today it is known as a place for training in unarmed combat.

Since there was nothing else particularly noteworthy in this part of the city, the group moved on to the Reim Gardens.
— Previously, this part of the city was known as the Taehan Quarter. As the name suggests, it was founded by overseas settlers. They lived here, did business, and spread elements of their own culture. Many residents of the capital loved to visit here, as they enjoyed it so much, but with the coming to power of Tiaria, the residents of this region had a hard time; they were forced to flee or were persecuted. Many women, especially those involved in the popular culture and martial arts industries, were forced to become prostitutes and concubines. Today, almost no representatives of this people remain in this part of the city, but traces of their presence and past influence are still visible here.
— That wasn't quite the case," Romeo said, allowing the teacher to finish, "and although I have no doubts about the authenticity of the information you provided, some moments in history were not revealed, which may lead students who are not aware of these events to form an incorrect opinion about them.
Yuki smiled, as if he had expected this reaction from a particular student. "Yes, perhaps that is true. Why don't we take this opportunity to test your knowledge of the city's history, Romeo?"
— With pleasure. The aristocrat took a more comfortable position so that he could be heard better by the other students. "The beginning of the Taehan persecution was the rejection by the head of this district of the authority of the new emperor. Under Sonato Reim, Han Yongji held the post of Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the empire, as well as Director of the Academy of Idols and the unofficial head of the "Taehan Quarter." Using the remnants of her influence, she openly criticized Tiaria Reim and called on people to gather for rallies and sometimes interfered with the work of government agencies. Tiaria Reim, of course, would not tolerate disobedience and demanded absolute obedience from both her subjects and guests of the country. As a result, for her actions against the crown, Han Yongji was sentenced to death, but she avoided it thanks to her unparalleled skills in unarmed combat. Tiaria considered this an insult and decided to take revenge, if not directly, then through the quarter that was so dear to her. The "School of Serenity," where they taught a special style of unarmed combat, became a new brothel, and the Academy of Idols was transformed into a place for training future concubines of the emperor, many of whom later gave birth to his illegitimate children.
— Excellent," the historian commented on the student's explanation. "I could not find any errors in what I heard. Allow me to ask, how do you personally feel about the emperor's actions, Romeo?
— I believe that the ruler must be responsible for his subjects, and not vice versa. In this example, Han Yongji was the unofficial owner of the Taehan Quarter, and therefore she alone should have been punished for her own actions and the actions of her people. My attitude towards the transformation of the academy and the school of martial arts is contradictory. On the one hand, the emperor's will must be absolute, but on the other hand, I am against baseless violence, and as a person, and not a citizen of the empire, and even more so as an aristocrat, I cannot agree with such methods.
— Very good. The teacher nodded approvingly to the student and turned to the others. "People's opinions about historical events, as well as on everyday issues, sometimes differ greatly. You can agree with them or completely reject them, but remember that your opinions and views should be formed exclusively on the basis of your own reflections, acquired knowledge, and life experience. Otherwise, not only will your position be very fragile, but you yourself risk being disappointed or deceived.
The Academy of Idols
— After the end of Tiaria's reign, this academy was closed, and the government repeatedly intended to transform it into something else, but for various reasons, these projects were repeatedly postponed until two years ago, when the academy was restored to its original form by Kamia Rinze. Currently, classes are being actively held here, and young talents are being prepared.
The Music Academy
— This academy was opened in the sixties of the last century and has survived numerous changes and tragedies that have befallen our country. Its tasks have never changed, and here you can always learn music from professionals.

— So, if you have any questions, now is the time to ask them, because after that we will stop for a snack and continue on.

Romeo either didn't understand the question or avoided answering it, but if that's the case, there's no point in dwelling on the topic.
- That's what I concluded during that demonstration. I see that I wasn't wrong about the voice – there's no better candidate to represent us than someone who understands the nuances and is aiming for it himself. Well, you can count on my support," Lat smiled.

— Excellent. The aristocrat nodded approvingly and gracefully walked away.
!Information about the participants in the conversation in the corridor has been updated, relationships have changed.

After such long, detailed, and thorough explanations, Morineru also wanted to ask something, but, unfortunately, nothing worthwhile came to mind. Instead, he tried to appear as engaged as possible, carefully listening to the wise speeches of the more enlightened individuals.

Parfinora had no questions and only hoped that she would soon be able to eat something. Ideally, lemon cupcakes.

Parfinore was lucky; Yuki led the students to an establishment called "Akeso," which was famous for its delicious dishes and exquisite pastries in particular. However, their visit didn't go exactly as planned by the instructor – at the exit of the restaurant, they encountered a girl they didn't recognize. Perhaps one of the students had seen her somewhere before, but nothing specific came to mind. "Oh, Yukki, hello." The girl waved and soon approached the group. "Are you taking your little soldiers out for a walk?" "My students," Yuki quickly corrected her, but he soon realized that he had fallen into a trap. "But still, you are taking them out," the girl walked up to one of the students, grabbed him by the hair, and began pulling him back and forth. "Ah, good boy, good." The guy wanted to protest, but then he remembered something and unexpectedly surrendered to the stranger's will. She stopped only when Yuki approached her and freed the guy from the frail woman's teasing. "Ah, Yukki, you're just like Yuji. Fun and joy in life are unknown to you." The girl turned her head towards the students and gave them an arrogant, mocking look. "Try not to listen to him, or you'll end up being boring too." She went up to the class III instructor and kissed him on the cheek with laughter, much to his disapproval, and then disappeared lightly into the crowd. Her bodyguards, who had been completely unnoticed until now, followed her. After this small incident ended, the group took their seats at the restaurant; Yuki offered to pay for lunch and suggested that the students choose whatever they liked and not be shy.

"I hope he wins the real election," thought Lattro, continuing on his way. Among the working class, where he grew up, there was always a prejudice against the nobility. They were called names, accused of arrogance, cruelty, and greed, and they discussed, as he hoped was not serious, while smoking a cigarette behind the pigsty, how great it would be to one day break into someone's mansion with pitchforks and torches, destroy everything, and set it on fire. Lattro himself had never met an aristocrat before, and therefore he was glad that he was at least lucky enough to have one noble classmate. He believed that the root of all these conversations was simply the envy of the common people towards those whose ancestors had put more effort and work into elevating their family in their time, and less into drinking vodka in a tavern. Although most of his acquaintances and neighbors in the village were pleasant and friendly people, some of them clearly showed malice and dislike when it came to such things.
"I think that over time, the situation will change for the better, when the old people retire and their place is taken by educated young people with great potential," he concluded his chain of thought, which improved his mood for the rest of the day.

-I would like a well-done steak from marbled sirloin, a glass of semi-dry rosé wine with it, your choice, and a lemon cake for dessert,” Parphinora said after placing her order, then looked at the instructor. “Sir, I must confess that I sometimes feel a lack of proper etiquette. Could you please clarify what would be the most appropriate way to address you?”

— You, my students, can simply call me Yuki. Of course, first and foremost, I am your instructor, and you should listen to my instructions, but besides that, I am also your friend and ally. I want you to understand that.
While the curator was answering the question, the students were brought their orders. Berwang ordered some soup with toast, which surprised the waiter a little, and Romeo ordered a veal steak with salad and a glass of plain water.

meat and beer, please

- Is that your girlfriend? - Bertrand asked as the girl left.
The elf decided to order something light, like soup or salad, because there were still several hours of walking ahead, and it's not very pleasant to walk on a full stomach. For dessert, he chose a piece of chocolate cake, as sweets provide energy and improve mood.

- Your friend? - Bertrand asked as the girl left.

Parfinora giggled, but tried to turn it into the most graceful and inoffensive laugh possible.

- Will the tour focus solely on the main streets and well-known places, or will there be stories about less popular and potentially dangerous areas of the city? - Bert asked during the meal.