Despite the reforms Emperor Bersun has achieved throughout his reign, Orrun’s society still greatly values the aristocratic Venerant families and discriminates against Commoners. The novel explores how affluent individuals or elite classes secure, preserve, and reinforce their power across generations, often by having a hand in shaping systems that protect their wealth and status. Wealth becomes self-perpetuating, allowing those who possess it to maintain dominance even when social conditions begin to change. Through these sociopolitical dynamic, the novel exposes the oppressive nature of class hierarchies.

Though Bersun began his reign with encouraging various reforms—most notably, his reform allowing monasteries to open their doors to accepting Commoners—there is still heavy discrimination against the Commoners. When Neema has the opportunity to share her concerns with the headmaster of the Raven monastery, he not only brushes off her concerns as unfounded complaints, but punishes her by expelling her from the monastery and revoking her status as a Raven. Neema realizes that their informational interview had been a trap from the beginning and that “for some reason he’d wanted her to fail. He’d orchestrated it” (79). He let Commoners like her into the monastery to appear benevolent and inclusive, but would do anything he could to prevent them from actually succeeding while there.

Cain Ballari is a Scrapper—even lower on the social hierarchy than Neema—yet raises himself to be not only a well-liked Fox graduate, but their chosen contender for the throne. Though Neema believes him ruling would be a disaster, she can’t deny “what an extraordinary feat that would be […] To see a Commoner sit upon the throne for the first time […] to even imagine it—was a thing of wonder” (92). Cain, however, faces danger from Ruko and his supporters, who regard the throne as destined for the aristocratic Ruko. The Tiger abbess’s urging of Ruko to kill Cain in whatever way he can during the Trials speaks to how even Commoners who manage to rise against the odds through merit meet fierce resistance from the status quo, with the elite wishing to preserve power and prestige for themselves alone.

The Venerant and High-Middling families benefit most from current society in Orrun. It is a repetitive scenario throughout the novel, seeing these families resist change. Tala Talaka is open about her aspirations to take on further reforms if she becomes empress, and that makes her a less desirable candidate amongst the wealthy. Meanwhile, Ruko and Havoc represent traditional values that will help the wealthy stay wealthy, making them the most popular candidates for the throne, especially amongst the court. When Cain reveals to Neema Emperor Bersun’s secret favoring of the Venerants, she realizes that social mobility has long been an illusion in Orrun, solidifying her opposition to the system.