Hi! Sea Clan merchants also do not have to purchase permits to sell their wares. Imperial guard is not as coveted a position in the Empire of the Crashing Wave, so rather than being nobles trained from childhood, guards are more often average people with fighting skills who seek a steady income. The Sea Clan views execution of criminals as brutish and barbaric, so it may be better to get on their bad side than the Mountain Clan's.

Empress Youmi is the law of the land in the Empire; although she does have advisors, she is a stronger and more experienced leader than Empress Nama, and does not allow herself to be pushed around by them. At the end of the day, her word is law, regardless of what they say.

A library can be found as far from the sea as possible within city limits (they don't want the books to get moldy). Many of the books are fiction or poetry, but there are also a few non-fiction books which can tell Simon and Veronica this information. They will also be able to find books detailing the lives of past Empresses, who have taken both male and female spouses without fanfare. Both opposite- and same-sex marriages are commonplace among the Empresses, whether it be for love or politics, and it is not uncommon for a childless Empress to appoint an unrelated heir.