[ Hilda can't help but make a face at how focused the Free Cities seem convinced military prowess is the way forward - pointed and unabashed of doing so when it's just the two of them on the deck. ]

Nothing's really changed here too much from my world then. Claude and I had to start going straight to noble's doors to get them to listen to us [ 'Force' would have been a better word for what they did, but details. ] - but it sounds like you two have tried something similar.

[ She mulls something over, a thought forming along with the gentle rocking of the boat. ]

And I'm sure you two have done this too but are private patrons something you could look into?