When the Emperor spoke those words his reflex made him subtly reach for his sword. He suspected anything could go wrong now. Luckily the Ryccian Chancellor had stood up just in time.

It had appeared the true leader of the Empire had revealed himself at last. At first glance it looked like a sentient snob fox, but nonetheless he knew where to direct his politics from now on. The King also noticed the Emperor talking with one of the flamboyant Ryccian officials. It was clear now that the aristocracy had become decadent in the Ryccian Empire. The only thing calming him down now was the hope of reasonable Ryccians on the rural worlds.

"But please do tell me, Chancellor, how did these practices originate? Is it an old tradition that goes way back when there were no such policies? Does the rural population also endorse this?"

"And let this never happen again in the surroundings of any Stoinian official, is that much clear?"