Yamiyo no Hotaru

Chapter 150

 Nobles, or the noble class, are a privileged class in Fusō-kuni. They correspond to a status higher than the exorcists' families or warrior households.

 Their origins trace back to before the establishment of Fusō-kuni. Before the foundation of Fusō-kuni, there were hidden villages of only people scattered throughout the land. Even the large ones were groups of a thousand or two thousand people, but except for the slave dynasties, they were the largest social groups for the people of these islands at that time.

 Frightened and prostrated before the gods or the malicious rulers of the slave dynasties, they were fragile beings who hid in fear, sometimes offering sacrifices, yet still vulnerable to destruction with just a change in their mood. That was the existence of the people of that time.

 But a young man dared to venture into danger, traveled as if peddling goods, took the lead, deceived monsters by leading the people, and stole the bountiful land. Thus, the country of the only people in the Far East, Fusō-kuni, was founded. The village chiefs of the hidden villages were appointed as the earliest nobles.

 In the advancing era, as Fusō-kuni expanded its influence and the population grew, the aristocrats who had their roots in the local region began to move to the capital. Branch families were established, and new emerging households/families were formed by either separating from existing ones or incorporating external groups. The old families, especially those with the bloodline of high-ranking officials, were highly respected.

 The long-standing privileges led to corruption or sparked dissatisfaction with their rule. However, the greatest weapon for the aristocrats was their subtle political power and the scheming that exploited the nuances of human emotions.

 Attempts at rebellion by exorcist families and warrior/samurai families in the past were suppressed through division, mutual distrust, and internal strife. Instead, the authority of the aristocrats expanded, to the point where even the emperor reigning at the pinnacle of the court began to be treated more like a puppet.

 ...However, not all aristocrats basked in glory, despite appearances. With an increase in their numbers, disparities emerged among them. People started scheming against each other, and fights for control became very common. Some people were removed from their roles for reasons that existed before these conflicts started.

 For her, Princess Kudzu, the foundations of her families had already tilted when her awareness became clear. Despite the tilt, no one did anything. They simply sat back and watched.

 Her family, the Miyoshi family, defeated in the court struggle of the previous generation, was a lower-ranking noble family, and their finances were never good to begin with. The estate they owned in the countryside was small, and ideally, they should have served in the imperial court to receive a stipend, or worked as a teacher of the arts to earn a reward.

 The current head, who is also her father, is a libertine and a lazy person, always accompanied by his favorite mistress and often drunk. He refuses to work in the imperial court, claiming it's because of his family's pride. He also declines the option of becoming a teacher, considering it beneath him to work for ordinary warriors, exorcists, or merchants.

 Despite this, he continues to live the life of a noble, steadily selling off the assets accumulated by his ancestors. The treasures in the mansion gradually diminish, and by the age of five, the storehouse is empty, while by the age of ten, all the estates have been sold.

 The limit is bound to arrive. Laborers and maids discuss abandoning the house, whispering to each other about finding employment elsewhere. Due to the family's notorious behavior, they are finally stripped of their status by the Ministry of Rites, and even support from the Minister of the Left is cut off. The spendthrift mistress, who constantly whispers unnecessary things, has vanished without a trace too.