He gave a slight bow, his tone shifting. "I'm just not sure—once we join the Empire, will we be required to relinquish our territories? Or, perhaps, you have other arrangements in mind for us?"
Ronin smiled faintly. "Traditional nobles are required to offer their loyalty to the King and fulfill obligations such as military service. The nobles of the Star Kingdom are no different in that regard, but there are some distinctions."
He explained, "Traditional nobles must be self-sufficient, deriving their income from managing their own territories. For the nobles of the Star Kingdom, however, the lands granted to them are their private property. While they must pay a ten-percent tax to me, I, in turn, must pay them a salary."
