— Wow, look at all the ships at the pier—Ty Lee commented, looking around the dock, leaning on the railing. This was precisely where the princess's vessel was headed.
There were indeed many ships at the pier, just over twenty. Some were large, made of steel, others were smaller wooden counterparts to their metal brothers. Some of them were military, but most belonged to merchants and were transport vessels for various cargo. The ships varied greatly in size, from small skiffs to a full-fledged frigate comparable in size and military strength to the princess's ship. Such a ship was intended exclusively for the defense of the port, but there were others, smaller escort ships for the merchant vessels.
It was a bright sunny day. The pier was filled with a diverse crowd of people, the majority of whom were ordinary laborers working tirelessly. Some goods were being unloaded from the ships and carried deeper into the city to the market or warehouses, while others were being loaded onto ships, preparing for shipment to other trading posts, cities, or to the front for military needs.
— So many armed people—the acrobat muttered thoughtfully, having finished surveying the port and the people working in it. There were indeed several times more soldiers and guards than usual.
— This city is too close to Earth Kingdom territory. The border is less than two days away by land and less than one by sea. The increased number of guards, both from the city and from the arriving merchants, is completely justified—Azula spoke, standing next to her friend, surveying the pier and the ships.
— Is that so…—the acrobat replied thoughtfully, looking closely at her friend who had approached. It was as if her gray eyes could notice something visible only to her.
— Did your circus never travel to border towns?—Azula asked, after thinking a little about her friend's behavior and emotions.
— No. We only traveled through the old colonies and island territories, never getting close to the borders—Lee replied with a slight smile, recalling the good and somewhat carefree time she spent with the circus.
— The circus owner must be quite intelligent to have made such a wise decision—Azula voiced her thoughts aloud after a brief reflection. This quickly earned her a puzzled look from her friend.
— Huh? Why did you decide that?
— There are many reasons for the circus not to visit border towns and those captured a couple of years ago: low standard of living, precarious order, tension in society, a high crime rate, and harsh actions by the guards, as well as the proximity of the Earth Kingdom army and a large number of refugees who don't always even have food. I doubt people would spend precious money on a circus visit when they are facing a question of survival. Despite the fertile territories of the Earth Kingdom, an epidemic with famine could flare up again in some regions. Some have forgotten the lessons of history, and this happened quite recently, during my grandfather's reign.
— Ah-ha-ha…—the acrobat exclaimed in surprise, — I never thought about all that before.
— And that's terrible, Lee. Where did the knowledge you gained at our nation's best academy go? Was the time spent studying and self-improving all in vain? As a noble girl from a noble family, you should be ashamed. Your parents spent a lot of money on your education, and you use it so… unwisely.
— That sounded a bit hurtful. *Sniff*. Not that you're wrong, it's just that I haven't faced the need for that knowledge, so it became clouded. *Sniff*, and as for my parents, you don't know anything, *sniff*—Ty Lee began to make excuses, with tears welling up in her eyes, sniffing and holding back the tears.
— I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. You're right about some things. You don't need to know such details about the politics of war and its consequences, unlike me. As a princess, I need to know a lot about the world and many different things that are completely unnecessary for someone else—Azula began to show remorse surprisingly quickly, seeing her best friend's tears and feeling a slight pang of conscience.
— *Sniff-sniff*—the words didn't help much; Ty Lee just began to wipe her damp eyes. A couple of lonely tears rolled down her cheeks.
Moving closer, the princess embraced her friend, genuinely regretting her words and wanting to comfort her.
— Please stop, where is the lighthearted, cheerful Ty Lee that I know? And don't forget that you will be standing next to me throughout the inspection. You need to look presentable—Zula said with a feigned severity, releasing the girl from her embrace.
— And you know, I only said that because I'm a little jealous of you—Azula whispered, leaning in slightly, covering her lips with her hand so that no one could not only hear but also read what she said. Although the ship's crew was busy with their duties, so no one could eavesdrop on them.
— You're jealous of me? But why? You are the smartest, most beautiful, and strongest girl in the whole wide world—the acrobat was surprised, immediately stopping her sadness and pointless tears.
— True, and I like that, but none of it made me… are you already feeling better?—Azula was surprised by her friend's rapid change of mood, — Were you pretending?
— Only a little—the acrobat admitted with a slight smile.
— You tricked me…—Azula muttered softly, impressed, but quickly composed herself: — Impressive, but don't do that again.
— Whatever you say—Lee replied easily, after which she sharply changed the subject: — It looks like the ship will dock at the port soon.
— Correct. And where is Mai disappearing to at a moment like this? She should have been here already, standing next to me as part of my personal entourage.
— She's probably hiding her daggers in her clothes; you know how much time that can take. And speaking of the absent. Do you know where Yoaru is? I haven't seen him since the morning.
— He's busy—Azula answered a little too sharply in a slight fit of jealousy. After which, she quickly composed herself and added in a calmer tone: — He is carrying out my request.
— I see…
During the brief conversation, the girls waited until the ship docked. Before disembarking, Azula warned all her people to be extremely cautious. Since she was a princess, secret Earth Kingdom agents, as well as various spies, might attempt to assassinate her in the city. She conveyed her message to her subordinates concisely and with maximum information. She told them that an armed conflict might occur in the city and everyone should be prepared for it, being as vigilant as possible so as not to allow a possible assassination attempt to succeed, for Agni's sake. Only after the briefing did the princess, along with her escort, disembark, heading straight for the city hall. She had a meeting scheduled with the governor of the surrounding lands and the town's mayor.
Having descended from the ship, the entourage almost immediately saw numerous beggars gathered against the walls of the buildings, asking for alms from passersby. For the most part, they were elderly men or very young boys. There were practically no girls or women among the beggars.
Walking through the city, the entourage was confronted with poverty, filth, and the malicious, envious looks of casual passersby in not-so-new clothes. In a word, the city was going through tough times, and if this wasn't very noticeable on the pier, then in the city itself, the terrible standard of living of the local population was easily visible.
— What are you doing?—Mai asked with slight interest, watching her friend Ty Lee behave quite strangely. Cupping her hands around her eyes, joining her fingers like binoculars, she was looking intently at the people their group was passing.
— Huh? That way, it's easier to see auras at a great distance. I don't like this city. The people in it are angry and unhappy, and their auras are quite dark—Lee replied, removing her hands from her eyes and sighing sadly. She sympathized with all these poor people; her kind heart was breaking with sorrow, but there was nothing the girl could do.
— Can you tell that just from their auras?—Mai continued the conversation in a calm tone, her face expressing only boredom.
— Yes. A person's mood is always reflected in their aura. Looking at a crowd of unhappy people is quite spooky. That's why I'm not thrilled about this city.
— We'll discuss this later, Lee, but focus now!—the princess stopped the idle talk in the ranks, mentally making a note to reflect on the new information later. Too many questions arose in Azula's mind; she was seeing all her interactions with Ty Lee in a new light.
Meanwhile, the entourage moved on in complete silence until they reached the square. And there they encountered some of the most unpleasant realities of war. Several bodies were hanging on gibbets, rotting successfully in the sun for more than a day. A wooden plaque hung on the chest of each body, on which the crime committed by the person was written.
"Piracy. Banditry. Theft. Espionage"—Ty Lee read mentally, after which she hastened to look away. She found looking at corpses unpleasant. Seeing them, she understood the princess's recent words much better, as well as the reasons why the circus did not visit cities like this one.
— Ugh, what a smell. Disgusting—Mai grimaced, covering her mouth with her palm. The other members of the entourage were more restrained, not daring to squeak unnecessarily, fearing the princess's wrath.
— A small price for order—Azula noted, indifferently looking at the bodies swaying in the wind.
The entourage moved on, toward the necessary city hall building, which was very close. Soon, Ty Lee was the first to spot a ghost flying out of the building. It was her acquaintance—Yoaru. He was flying quickly through the air directly toward them. Soon Azula also noticed him, and he stopped next to her, drifting in the air, moving parallel to the entourage.
— Azula, I have urgent news, you will be deeply shocked! The governor has fled along with the mayor. Both headed east. In the port, some of the merchants are actually pirates, while another part are Earth Kingdom spies. They have some agreements with the local authorities. There is plenty of evidence of my words in the building itself. The governor's subordinates tried to cover their tracks, but I stopped them. I think enough evidence remains in the building, as well as living guards. I had to use a little force, but I didn't kill anyone. I decided that they should be judged first, and then the measure of punishment for everyone involved in the crimes should be determined. I advise you to act fast!
With each sentence from Yoaru, the princess's face showed a new emotion. And if at first, it was surprise and shock, Azula very soon began to display her anger. There was no one to restrain it…
***
It's finally over. At least, it's over for me; the princess still has to restore order in the city. I didn't think I'd expend so much energy in such a short time, but I had to give my all and strain myself well for success and the punishment of the criminals. And having finally handed the matter over to Azula, I can relax, enjoying the fruits of my actions.
Azula had asked me to fly out for reconnaissance early this morning. We had discussed this since visiting that one village. As soon as land came into view, I set to work, having properly recharged my energy from the girl. Next was a short flight to the pier, inspecting the ships, finding suspicious individuals, traitors, evidence of their criminal activities, and, of course, spies. Being a spirit, I was the most excellent spy and scout in the whole world; literally, no secret could escape my attention. But time constraints didn't allow me to inspect every ship, and I hastened to move on to the main course.
After the pier, I went to investigate the governor's mansion. Finding the right house wasn't too difficult. The local corrupt officials didn't even suspect who was sailing towards them and with what intentions. To their misfortune, mobile communication didn't exist in this era yet, so I managed to learn a great deal before the criminals began covering their tracks and hastily fled the city.
Azula was approaching; they had known about the inspection for a long time, but it was still a big surprise for them. The greedy fools wanted to profit more before escaping to the Earth Kingdom, but they lingered too long, miscalculating the princess's sea route. After all, many factors changed our route, and the governors were only informed of a possible inspection this year with a single letter, without exact dates and times.
However, the escape was more or less prepared; the right people quickly set about destroying the evidence. I had to intervene and use force, which is why I missed the main criminals. I had no desire to figure out who was guilty and who was an unwise fool who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Using force, I easily beat up over a dozen guards; their skills left much to be desired, and what could they do against an invisible opponent? In the process, I followed the direction of the main fugitives, and when I finished all that, the princess was already approaching the building.
After relaying all this to the girl, all that remained for me was to enjoy the inevitable punishment of the criminals. Azula began to act quickly, harshly, and even swiftly. Her people quickly occupied the mansion. I only helped justice prevail a little with my kind word. A squad of Yuan archers was sent after the fugitives; they were excellent trackers, and I had no doubt about the inevitable punishment of the runaways.
Afterward, the princess began to restore order with the reinforcements that arrived from her ship. I, having replenished my strength from the girl by this time, gave her a couple of pieces of advice and withdrew, not getting in the way of the enraged princess who was about to pronounce sentences on the caught scoundrels. Leaving Azula, I found a quiet place, waiting for the return of the sent archer squad, resting in the meantime.
— Yoaru?—hearing a familiar voice, I stopped looking out the window, turning back.
— Ty Lee?—I looked at the girl who had entered the mayor's room in surprise. — Don't you want to watch the punishment of the criminals and the sentencing?
— Uh-huh, and you…—approaching closer, the girl peered out the window, — Oh.
The girl was a little flustered, or even scared, seeing the newly hanged criminals in the square. The square itself was quite visible from the top floor; it was a couple of hundred meters away from the mansion. Azula was quick to dispense justice and knew no pity, though the girl listened to my advice, and only a few were executed. There was nothing particularly cruel about it; the criminals were punished according to the letter of the law, but Ty Lee found it unpleasant to watch. She was too positive for such dirty things.
— This is the only room where it's calm and relatively quiet—I explained to the girl so that she wouldn't inadvertently think I enjoyed watching the execution.
The acrobat silently settled against the wall, near the window, sitting on the floor and wrapping her arms around her knees. The recent events clearly plunged her into a slight depression; observing Ty Lee like this was somewhat unusual. I was too used to the cheerful and vibrant acrobat.
— Isn't this too cruel?—the girl quietly spoke after a short silence.
— Perhaps. However, the crimes committed by these people cannot simply be forgiven. Doing so will only make things worse, much worse—I shared my opinion, which held no pity for the criminals.
— There are mines, prisons, correctional labor.
— Life imprisonment? How unexpected to hear that from you. To me, it's better to die than to spend the rest of your life in factual slavery, but for the country and society, your suggestion would bring more benefit. Don't worry, not everyone was executed in the square; most of the guilty will be sent to a tribunal and then distributed to prisons. Your laws are quite merciful in some parts.
— That's not what I meant—Lee replied in a slightly louder tone. She didn't like how I interpreted her words.
— I know…
We were silent for a while; I looked out the window, and she looked at the floor. Faint echoes of the princess's subordinates working could be heard outside the walls. Conflicts and misunderstandings were quickly suppressed, so everything was relatively quiet, not like in the first minutes of Azula's arrival at the mansion. In any case, she will manage; there was no doubt about that. All I had to do was enjoy the calm and wait for the archer squad.
— Yoaru, why did they do this?—Ty Lee unexpectedly spoke, breaking the silence between us.
— They probably thought they would succeed. They desired to possess more than they had, considering their salary too small. Their greed ruined them. This city perfectly shows how one shouldn't deal with criminals.
— I don't understand, can you explain it to me—the acrobat quietly requested, casting a glance at me. It was practically impossible to refuse such a sweetheart, but I wasn't going to refuse anyway.
— Of course. You see, if a gang takes root in a city and the authorities turn a blind eye to it, whether due to bribes or other reasons, the gang, as an element of crime, will develop and grow. Driven by the eternal hunger of greed, the band of bandits will become larger and larger until it suddenly becomes bigger and stronger than the official authorities. And when that happens, ordinary people can only suffer under the new rule of the criminal syndicate, which will devour the official authority, just as it devoured everything else before. There is no other way with crime. It must be pulled out by the roots and cauterized with fire. People who think they can escape punishment will only be more eager to try to bypass the law.
— That's a bit too cruel—the girl replied thoughtfully to my speech.
— The world is not made up of only joy and cheer. However much we might wish it were—I declared to her, looking intently out the window. Among the people on the street, I almost immediately found what I had been waiting for for a couple of hours.
— Hmm. Our conversation will have to be interrupted, Lee; the Yuan archer squad is returning with an unlucky fugitive—I told the girl, and only then did I remember the fact that there were two fugitives. Did one of them manage to escape? Azula will be furious.
While I was pondering this, Ty Lee stood next to me, looking out onto the street through the window. Down in the city streets, the squad of super-archers was marching with stone faces. The men calmly dragged the bound fat man across the ground, ignoring his leg wounds. With his legs shot, he definitely won't run anywhere, I approve…