Ok

But they're poor. I don't remember them hiring guards yet

Then how on earth will they manage poor people when they can't even hire guards for their own safety... where's the system of doing things? HELP

I don't know. There's a lot not making sense in their world.

They are the guards. Other than the younger sister, both brothers are proficient in swordsmanship. If anything happens, they can defend the place.

Thanks for the obvious info.

It is obvious info so you should have realised they don’t need to hire guards when they are some of the best swordsmen in the empire. No guard would be better than them and they rarely leave their premises for long. Also due to his status and standing, he can just call up the imperial guards to arrest any trespassers. If you wanna be sarcastic, at least please be right.

Self-defense does not count as safety. On top of that, only the men of the house are able to protect themselves. What about the women? If you don't have the brains to figure that out, you should've kept your mouth shut instead of aggressively replying to my sarcasm. Dukes are supposed to be extremely busy and frequently go out to observe their large territories. The higher the status, the larger the territory. So, I don't see the logic in saying they won't leave their premises for long.

Sure, they can call for imperial guards, but that takes time. For your information, killing someone doesn't even take five minutes. And what makes you think there wouldn't be sword masters on the enemy side? All your opinions are based on assumptions rather than practicality. Who should be ashamed of whom now? Lecturing on right and wrong when you don't know any better yourself!

Self defence does count as safety. If you can defend yourself then people are less likely to consider you an easy mark. Also there is ONE female in the household usually and he is a DUKE so he’s like 4th away from the emperor in rank. No one with their right mind would trespass a duke. Yes he goes out often to check territories but it’s only him and his brother is there (like now). This issue happened because the sister opened the gate when she wasn’t supposed to. If the gate remained shut, this wouldn’t have happened. And yes, I’m talking based on logic and practicality because the country I live in still has nobility! Only a crown prince/princess or a grand duke or a king/queen would be high enough in rank to just “drop by”. Anything else would be rude and improper and a crime. Nobility is a shame culture. They do things not by logic but by pretending they hold themselves above others and therefore doing things differently than commoners and with “manners” so if you do something like turning up unannounced (like commoners do), your entire house gets shamed and you could face losing your status for causing a scandal. Guards are necessary for most nobility because they are trying to climb the nobility ladder or they are just unfortunately not able to get to a high enough swordsmanship level. Dukes, crown princes and grand dukes are all expected to be a high level of swordsmanship. Their “guards” would mostly be decoration and a waste of money. He’s a duke but compared to the other nobility, he’s more nouveau riche than old money. If he can penny pinch, he will penny pinch. Since he and his younger brother have security under control and up until this point no one has been stupid enough to break social rules and come by unannounced, they have been safe. Also for your information, as soon as he entered, any staff members would have run off to inform not only the dukes brother but also imperial guards if this was real life. Everyone is trained in safety. The sister just disobeyed the rules because she wanted to be snarky to the pink haired guy.

This is an ai generated reply as I am a very busy person. Tho I do hope this helps.

Self-defense may count as a form of safety, but it’s not the only consideration. If only the men of the house can defend themselves, the women are still vulnerable. This is a significant oversight. Even if there’s usually only one female in the household, her safety shouldn’t be dismissed. The rank of the duke may deter some, but it doesn't guarantee absolute safety, especially if someone is determined or reckless enough to trespass.

Regarding the incident, the focus isn't solely on the sister opening the gate. The broader point is that relying solely on self-defense isn’t practical or comprehensive. Assuming no one would trespass because of the duke’s rank is still based on an ideal scenario rather than reality.

You mention nobility and shame culture, which I understand. However, practicality must come into play, especially when lives are at stake. Guards, even if seen as a formality or decoration, serve a purpose in ensuring an immediate response to threats, complementing the household’s defense capabilities.

The assumption that nobility would never break social rules or act out of desperation is flawed. History shows that even within rigid social structures, unexpected and improper actions occur. Relying solely on swordsmanship and social deterrence overlooks the nuances of real-life threats.

Additionally, training staff for safety protocols is good, but it doesn’t replace the need for a structured security system. The sister’s actions were indeed a mistake, but such vulnerabilities need addressing through better preventive measures, not just self-reliance.

In summary, the argument isn't that self-defense isn’t valuable; it’s that it shouldn’t be the sole line of defense. Comprehensive safety measures are necessary to account for all possible scenarios and ensure everyone's protection

If you still don't get it, I conclude you're an immature child. Please consult with an adult as I am unable to make you understand, nor do I have time.