"I don't know what a good, obedient imperial spirit is like here, but I could tell them specific things about your behavior that you want them to know about. If you were man-in-the-middle-ing my conversations, would that also let you spy on me when I was alone?"

The most obvious way to do it would be to lend you a Domain Seed. Temporarily. It is... Me, in the way that gods are in their shrines. When you are near it, I would be able to spy on you or translate for you. It will only function relatively nearby. The village would be fine; The next one over might not.

I would offer to escort you to a representative of the Ministries, who will at least know the laws best... But I don't want to deal with the paperwork. Or to the He clan, who might protect you hoping for gratitude... But I think the current generation are idiots. They've been going downhill ever since my partner founded the clan. They'd be idiots about this, too.

"Does the village have a more local government I should speak to first?"

They have a few people who suffice to count as 'a government', I suppose. The priest. The farmer-leader. The teacher-clerk. The governor. The warden. Which of these, do you suppose, is the most important?

The frog groans in satisfaction.

That is enough cranberries for now. I will fetch the Domain Seed. It will also suffice as a sign of my favor.

And it stands taller for a moment, looking majestic and powerful, before vanishing into the water.

It's back after just a few seconds, clutching in one webbed foot a knuckle-sized brown-hulled seed, showing green between it, that feels like it is obviously magic and special and could sprout into a healthy, sturdy plant at any moment.

"Should I return this to you before I sleep, so it'll be safe with you and I can have some privacy?"

I think that would be best, yes, for you to come here to receive it each day and return it each night. It is around noon, now.

"Thank you. Is this thing fragile or is there anything I need to do to take care of it?"

I don't think you could destroy it if you tried.

But don't try.

Spirits or cultivators might be able to harm me through it if they're strong or clever. I will be watching for this.

"Okay. Is there anything else we should talk about before I go talk to people in the village?"

Probably. But part of the fun will be seeing your outside perspective. You're not a barbarian, not quite, but neither are you imperial. The most wonderful innovations can come from this sort of thing.

"I'm from a different empire." Shrug. "I'm glad I met you."

And he'll take the seed and go look for someone else, if this person doesn't stop him.

For a few minutes' walk, the dirt path snakes around creeks and small lakes. Then it goes over a hill, and after that is a clear demarcation- A line of carved wood or stone statues once every hundred or so feet, extending off in both directions parallel to the path. Beyond it are crop fields, with people working in them. Mostly cranberry bogs, but also rice paddies on hills. The people haven't noticed him yet.

Crossing the ward line also feels like something. But it's hard to tell exactly what.

Crossing the ward line also brings someone running from the village, at a speed that looks like it's probably some kind of magic.

The man who approaches is dressed in much nicer clothes than the various farmers, and stops suddenly, assessing him from a distance before asking a question.

...That's Warden Ke. He says 'Be safe within our village, stranger. We were not expecting any visitors, especially from the direction of the shrine. Is there some trouble?'

You may think or speak your reply clearly, and I will listen, then provide sensations of the sounds you must make to convey your meaning. This will also help you learn.

Warden Ke gives the amulet a startled look.

"I don't think any trouble will follow me. I came by accident and I'm lost."

...He bows.

"If you have earned the approval of our guardian spirit, it surely is my duty to provide you hospitality." And watch carefully. "I am Ke Huang, a humble warden of the yellow rank. I have a guest room in my house, if that would be an acceptable place to rest."

"I don't know much about the circumstances where people here consider themselves to have incurred duties, and hope you'll warn me if I seem to be incurring any I might not know about."

"Ah."

"...I will bear this unfamiliarity in mind, and not expect you to have incurred any duty unless it is clearly explained. However, I may fail in this courtesy, especially in matters of manners or respect. Imperial citizens usually consider themselves to have duties to each other, and may expect you to, as well. These customs are called 'manners' or 'civility' and are... Difficult to summarize. In entering the protected area under my watch, you would accept a duty to inform me of any obvious threats to the village that you are aware of. I will not hold it against you if you, knowing nothing of imperial ways, fail to recognize such a threat that would be obvious to me."

"I will try to keep an eye out and let you know, though I also might end up making the opposite mistake and telling you about things that aren't threats. I might also be able to help protect the village against some kinds of dangers."

"It would be better to take time to be warned of something that is not a danger than miss something by inaction. Villages have died for a single missed spore, and not infrequently this close to the wall."

"I don't even know what kind of spore you're concerned about."

"It is merely an example of a class. Small things, infused with spirit, or spirits themselves. For anything truly dangerous, my duty is to survive long enough to report it to my superiors. Is your home so safe that this kind of duty is not needed?"

"I've traveled very far and I've seen a lot of different kinds of dangers - I've seen a kingdom of fish-people in danger from a cloud that liked to hurt and kill everything it could reach. I was born in a place where the winds coming from the sea were so strong they could rip trees out of the ground. My home might be safer, but it's not just that. Everywhere has different kinds of dangers. And everywhere has different things that aren't dangers, too. So everywhere I go, I have to learn which things are dangerous."

"Ah, fish-barbarians dealing with some cloud spirit isn't unheard of. That's exactly the sort of thing we Wardens must watch for. Nor are storms that tear the very soil from stone. While typically the threats are lesser, we must remain diligent."

"...Okay. So the dangerous spores you mentioned are the same kind of thing as the evil cloud god?" (He brings in loanwords from Hylian because he wants to know if "evil cloud god" is going to translate easily.)

"From your few words on this cloud spirit I suspect so. The spores would be the malignant tendrils of something greater, a way for a thread to infiltrate underhandedly. A being that can stretch its influence to a vast region, threaten entire cities, and even perhaps be in multiple places at once? Fourth or fifth realm, perhaps. Our Glorious Emperor, Long May He Reign, rests in the seventh- Far above such paltry threats. Even the illustrious Duchess Cai, may her sword remain sharp as justice's execution blade, would no doubt make quick work of such a pest! Why, her campaigns against the cloud barbarians probably give her plenty of experience dealing with unruly clouds! Ah, but the strongest are few in number and cannot be everywhere, and humble ones such as I must serve in less populated areas."