"Ara, gomen ne," he says ruefully, choosing to take that as the request for clarity that would serve him. "Well, what I mean is that... words can get in the way of understanding when they mean several things at once. Don't you think? What I'm getting at is... in any age, the common man's respect, admiration, and service will go towards a small number of roles; of professions or vocations or titles. But what fills those roles can change, and one era's or culture's admiration may be given to holders of a profession another culture would despise."