I haven't quite felt like myself since yesterday. After Asher's sudden vow of loyalty I've felt off... I somehow managed to respond, but left immediately after their training resumed.
Furthermore, I am sure I have worried Magdalin. She appears to have been worried, for when I got down Ameline had made certain that there was fish for breakfast. As usual Magdalin and Amelin were incredibly sensitive of my state of mind, overly so perhaps. I've merely felt odd, it is nothing to make such a fuss about. Still, if it is fish I will not utter any complaints.
Still, I find it quite odd it had such a big impact. Is it the feelings of the original Lily? I was quite certain we'd mixed quite fully by now though.
All of that is well and fine... but...
"I came to escort you to class, my Lady."
Asher met us outside the female dorm with a determined and perceptive look.
Was he going to be following me around? It is not that I am not used to the feeling of having a bodyguard. In fact, as Rei I had a bodyguard for years. I was valuable after all. Still, this didn't fit that well with stalking our beloved Heroine. That, and I still hadn't figured out why his words yesterday had bothered me. It was a declaration of loyalty after all.
It wasn't like I dislike Asher either. He's a brave one and a determined one. Becoming a knight in this world isn't easy, and I can imagine that it took him not only hard work, but also only happened because of his bravery during the siege. I respect that. Furthermore, he is well behaved as well, and leaves no doubt as for his service. He's a loyal one. Umu. I do not feel uncomfortable with him, but with those words.
"Good morning, Asher," I reply simply and continue undisturbed. Magdalin keeps stealing half frowny glances at him, but Asher doesn't seem to mind though he noticed. Asher himself doesn't intrude on anything but merely keeps his eyes on our surroundings.
I could insist that I have no need for an escort, but it would probably fall on deaf ears if there has been multiple attempts on Alstair's life already...
Wait... There has been no attempt on my life yet... Gil's teasing doesn't count, and both Bridgette and Jesmaine had nothing lethal in mind. How... odd... I should have been jumped at least once as Alstair's fiance, if he was hit more than once.
Were they perhaps preparing a kidnapping?
I mean, one would happen later where the Heroine would be kidnapped, but I wasn't supposed to be a part of that. That was an event between Claire and Soleil.
I do suppose a kidnapping could make sense, if the enemy tried to bring out Augustus...
I glance to Asher who seems unalarmed. He probably made the same conclusion I just did. I see. He was guarding me.
My classes today consist of commerce and dancing lessons primarily, so at least I won't see our beloved heroine until the dancing lesson. Perhaps I'll be able to hear if rumors of the assassination attempts have spread.
---*---
There were no rumors of the attempted assassinations at all though. Was Alstair keeping it quiet?
I slipped into the classroom and left Asher behind outside. He had classes as well after all. He seemed dissatisfied with leaving but bowed gracefully.
"I will be back to pick you up after class, my Lady."
"Very well, Asher. I will see you after class," I replied and gave him a satisfied nod, with a small promise that I would expect foul play if he wasn't there. I wasn't sure if he picked up on that intention, but if not, then he probably would soon.
Magdalin was joining me in this class. Our standard classes aside there were some free to choose, and this was one of them. Magdalin was a clever girl, so of course she would choose a down to earth thing like this over sewing.
I move onto my seat around the middle layer as usual and watch as the rest of the room fills with mainly low noble girls and... mainly commoner girls. It is likely a more useful class for commoner women, that still have to deal with their deal of commerce in their everyday lives.
Magdalin's eyes lock onto a figure on the front rows, and to my annoyance I recognize the figure. It's Helena. While I do have suggestions for her motives, I can't tell whether she's going to scheme against me. She seemed to do so in the bath after all
---*---
Our class started quietly with application of the basic mathematics we've already been put through, along with the subject of determining value of a person's worth and the worth of their work. All in all things went well until the teacher said the following:
"Well, we've finished ahead of time. Are there any subjects you would like to talk about until class ends?"
While I would like to talk about military expenditures I know I canno-
"Since we have time, I would like to present and like you to consider my proposal for a tax reform."
I nearly choked on my own saliva.
Who?! Helena?!
A COMMONER?!
I swallow the surprise rising to my head. This is... incredibly bold. A tax reform? This is elementary commerce you know? Then again... our teacher is the second son of House Marique, so the proposal is likely her trying to sway him. Still... I thought Helena focused on information gathering.
"As it is currently, only the privileged are taught to read, and many do not have the money to pay for medicine. This causes high death for infants and children that are too young to fight off diseases on their own, and for farmers to be tricked out of their goods because they do not know basic mathematics."
Well, so far things were fine, but if she wants to solve this she must have some rather drastic changes in mind.
"Nobles have plenty of resources to start up a single business, and as such I suggest that we use the entirety of the taxes collected for the people, to assure education for the kids. These kids will be able to boost innovation, and will boost economy as they prevent exploitation of the farmers."
I waited for her to take a breath... and when she did I took the opening to apply my given duty.
"That is enough, Miss Helena. You clearly haven't thought this proposal through, and as such it will be dismissed."
There was no need for the teacher to answer. As the current fiancé of the crown prince I had quite the right to cut down her question. However, Helena didn't seem to understand what I meant. Her eyes narrowed firmly.
"I have thought this through quite thoroughly Lady Lily!" She insisted fiercely.
"Then tell me, Miss Helena, how is a knight family supposed to survive? And what about a Marquess family like House Tepet?"
She stared at me haughtily at my words.
"Perhaps you did not listen, Lady Lily, but as I said, you have plenty of resources to start a business. That should be enough to make your economy run properly. After all, you have no need of all those fancy jewelry you waste all the tax money on."
I didn't miss that insult. Fine. If you want to run it like this.
"As you seem to be unable to read between the lines, I will be generous and go through the flaws in your proposal step by step." I gave her my most polite smile, and she gave a confident one in return.
"Becoming a knight is an incredibly difficult matter, which you have to practice from childhood. By the time they finally get landed, they haven't received any lessons in territory management. In other words, they will have neither skills nor money to start a business big enough to keep the castle or mansion properly maintained. You'll kill off their opportunity to ever get started, making the gap between commoners and nobility wider.
Furthermore, what you suggest will not change anything. What will happen is as follows: The Nobility will forcefully claim the businesses that prosper and simply give the former owners a wage that will never change for the rest of their lives. In other words, the income of the commoners will no longer depend on how good a harvest is, but if the harvest is bad then the nobility won't pay the peasants."
I gave a small pause to let Helena speak. She was quiet for a moment.
"...t-then the lord that knights a knight should help them set up a business, and there should be a law preventing that nobility takes the businesses of the peasants..."
She started patching her idea.
"In worst case no squires will be knighted and kept only as men-at-arms. If the king was to make such a decree then the nobility would turn against him and we'd have a revolution on our hands," I ruin her patchwork.
She presses her lips together and narrows her eyes at me. Of course I am not done with her, but I am going to get all the arguments out of her first.
"Then the amount of money should me limited to a certain amount, so that their personal pocket money is the same as that of an average person. There is no reason for such extravagant and wasteful handling of money as shown by many greedy and cruel nobles."
I am getting tired of this.
"As an 'average person'. Do you perhaps mean a commoner?" I ask, almost sarcastically.
"Of course. You are no better than us after all, we even get better scores in the Academy than many nobles."
I raise an eyebrow at her.
"In other words, you wish to say that we are equal, despite our titles?"
She then puffs up her chest a bit. I think she snapped and went crazy after I cut down her suggestion as well as her patching.
"Yes."
That one word. For that one world I should cut her down.
For that one word she would have been cut down in my old world... and I would make sure she would be shut up firmly.