Chapter 66 (2/2)

***

When dusk had arrived, we had finally finished assigning everyone to their companies.

We had also finished giving equipment out to everyone that needed it. Now all of the soldiers, including us, were waiting in the camp. From what I’ve heard, the enemy is currently amassing more soldiers and fighting power on their side of the border. All the while, they’re still keeping an eye on us, making sure we’re not planning any attacks.

So, I have time to waste here with Allen.

I decided I should use this time to ask him some questions I’ve had.

“Allen-san, there’s something I wanted to ask.”

“What is it?”

Immediately after leaving the tent, I stopped him to ask him this.

“There are some things I’d like to know about the social classes of this country.”

It was something I was never able to talk to the Dark Elf about.

By the way, after Allen and I entered the tent, the Dark Elf seemed to have disappeared somewhere. Maybe she was just disgusted with the sheer number of people that were crammed insider there. Even when she was fighting with the Henry, Gonzalez, and the other adventurers, she seemed annoyed just being around them.

Besides Allen’s company, there were over a dozen other companies of equal size. These tents aren’t exactly spacious and the way they’re lined up side-by-side is similar to a settlement. The adventurers that have gathered here are also pretty rough looking, and I’m sure their blood is pumping in anticipation of the battle.

For such a big-breasted beauty to be in a place like this, especially considering she has a slave collar around her neck.

Just thinking about it makes me want to find an empty tent and release all my pent-up desires.

So that might be why she’s trying to stay away from any large crowds.

“It might be difficult for a foreigner like yourself to understand. The class system of the Penny Empire is really like nowhere else. It’s based a lot on one’s history or, more accurately, the history of their family. It’s rather hard to explain.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. For example, my rank, which is captain of the Order, is in the middle.”

“Klein was talking about how impressive you are for reaching your rank at such a young age.”

“No, I was just lucky. Despite my title, I’m really nothing more than a squad leader. There are many other regional knights that are the same age as me that fulfil the same duties I do. I just happen to be stationed in the capital and, therefore, my position is given more respect. If I were to join the order of knights assigned to Ester’s family, I’d become the squad leader there. Some might view this as a demotion, but in reality, I’d be in the same role I’m in now.”

“Umm, I’m sorry to keep interrupting, but when you talk about regional knights.”

“A regional order of knights are knights that are just assigned to less powerful lords. Although they’re basically private soldiers, they must receive permission from the capital before they’re allowed to create their own order. While the Order I belong to serves to protect the royal family above all else. The primary duty of these regional orders is to protect their respective lords.”

I see. It’s somewhat similar to different branches of a company.

“Are these two types of orders different?”

“Yes. The titles used are similar, but each order gives these titles their own ranking. And even those with the same title may be of a differing rank depending on which order you’re talking about.”

“I see.”

It seems a little complicated.

“It actually becomes quite troublesome for the Penny Empire. These ranks are given based on the knight’s background, history, their family’s history, and the relationships they have with the higher-ups behind-the-scenes. It’s a recurring issue for there to be two knights with identical titles, but one of them comes from a much more prestigious family and, therefore, feels like he is deserving of a higher rank.”

“I see.”

This really can’t be compared to a modern-day company.

It seems like the difference in rank can vary far too much. How exactly do they determine who is the higher rank? Are there any orders that rank higher than all others? I’d guess that would have to be the Royal Knights that Allen belongs to.

“And this isn’t just limited to the Order. The military, the imperial knights, and, in some cases, even monasteries use this ranking system. The ranking of your title may rise and fall depending on how much power the organization to which you belong holds.”

“It’s still confusing.”

A second lieutenant in the Self Defense Force is equivalent to an assistant inspector in the police force. I would sometimes see stories about this on the news. It seems that in this world ranks have become much more complicated because of the integration of jobs that are tantamount to those of the private sector in Japan.

At the same time, the feudal system that this country still uses further complicates things. I need to learn more about this system and consider it whenever I meet someone new.

Just thinking about it annoys me.

“So, more recently, there have been people saying that there needs to be a new system implemented to correct the differences in rank. That way, if someone were to leave the military and join a monastery, they’d still hold the power that they’ve rightfully earned.”

I think I remember Henry saying something similar to that.

“Learning a complicated system like this is probably hard for a foreigner, isn’t it?”

“That seems to be the case.”

Allen showed me a bitter smile.

It seems like this one system of this world has enough content to fill the entirety of a book. I’ll have to ask Edita Sensei to explain it to me. Maybe she can even put it into a book for me. I’m sure it would be a masterpiece.

I could even spend a few days reading through it with Sophia-chan in my dorm.

I need to stop thinking about Sophia-chan.

“There’s really only one class that doesn’t follow this system.”

“There is?”

“Yeah. The nobility.”

“of course.”

The nobles. Those ranked highest in any feudal class system.

“Whether someone belongs to the nobility or not will play a large factor in determining whether or not they rank above or below you.”

“That makes sense.”

“Of course, there are many different ranks among the nobility as well. But, given who we are, if you encounter a member of the nobility, it’s best to treat them with the respect their title warrants.”

“That actually makes things a little easier. I’ll at least know how to behave around them.”

“I agree.”

The only issue I see is how I should interact with people ranked below the nobility.

It’s rather unfortunate that I’ll need to remember all of these rules when interacting with someone.

It’s similar to trying to memorize the countless numbers on a quarterly report.

“I’m getting confused just listening to you explain it. I’m actually amazed that you were ever able to memorize that system. I think it will be impossible for me to ever know it as well as you do.”

“Well, my parents made sure that I learned stuff like this at a young age.”

“So it was like that.”

I bet he had good parents.

Or at least that’s how I feel.

Otherwise, an ikemen like him would never need to know anything about the real world.

More importantly, apart from the noble mage and Ester-chan, and to a certain extent Allen, I haven’t really interacted with many nobles. I’ll need to be sure to remember that I can’t behave the same way around other nobles that I do around them.

“When it comes to nobility, I don’t believe there is much difference in rank no matter what country you’re in.”

“I see. It’s a strange way of governing a country.”

“Well, they are the rules we live by and I wouldn’t attempt to go against them. Someone like Ester can be a bit more defiant due to her family name. The FitzClarence family has a lot of powerful connections but not many enemies.”

I can see a hint of a shadow on his face.

It’s possible he’s had a negative experience with the nobility in the past.

Or is he just thinking back to the attack on Ester-chan?

I’m not sure.

I could easily ask him, but I don’t want to meddle too much in his life. Especially considering how much that could backfire on me. I really don’t want to picture this womanizer together with that lolibitch. And what if I cause him to realize how everything bad that’s happened to him recently has been caused by me? I don’t want my blood to be spilt by this guy’s sword.