What constitutes a Great Noble?

  The term "Great Noble" has many interpretations, but the most accurate ones are essentially twofold: either a noble rank high enough or a family lineage enduring long enough. The former is easy to understand: barons, counts, marquises, dukes—the higher the rank, the greater the power, status, and influence. The latter is different; even some earls can be called Great Nobles. Why? Because their family lineage is long enough, with titles inherited in perpetuity—as long as the bloodline continues, the family will exist indefinitely.

  Compared to those noble titles that are inherited with reduced ranks, these perpetually inherited titles represent the true Great Nobles with profound heritage and strength. Without perpetual inheritance, no matter how high the title, it will eventually be lost, and the family will be reduced to commoners. Only with perpetually inherited titles can a family continuously forge new eras.

  Tratt was clearly such a Great Noble. In terms of rank alone, his perpetually inherited earldom might be inferior to the many marquises and few dukes in the Capital, but no one would underestimate him. No matter how much time passed, as long as he did not commit treason, his descendants would remain earls for thousands of years!

  Compared to the manors of Golden Nobles, Tratt’s home was visibly "smaller" and less "radiant," even inferior to some wealthy merchants’ manors nearby. But no one dared underestimate Tratt, nor would they comment on his house.

  As it grew completely dark, instead of a grand dining hall or a ball, Arno escorted Celeste to sit with the Tratt family at an ordinary long table. The table was not truly long, only about two meters, and made of ordinary wood; the tablecloth was also plain. This was an ordinary family dinner, no different from those of commoners, with nothing special about it. But a family dinner, by nature, carries a meaning different from formal banquets.

  "After months apart, I didn’t expect you to have done better in Pramisburg than I imagined," Tratt said at the table, elegantly holding his knife and fork as he looked at Arno. "When I left, I was really afraid you’d achieve nothing, which would have made you lose face and me as well." His enthusiasm grew, and he became animated. "You can’t imagine how ugly Vito’s face was when he learned about your deeds in Pramisburg. He wore a foul expression for days. I can’t help but laugh whenever I think about it."

  Tratt put down his knife and fork, picked up a napkin to cover his mouth, and laughed several times. He leaned forward slightly in apology, addressing the two ladies at the table. "I’m very sorry, please forgive my impolite behavior, but this is really too funny."

  When Tratt was serious, his stern face gave the impression of being unapproachable and extremely troublesome. But when he set aside this demeanor and returned to normal life, he was a very witty person. Every mature politician has several "faces," switching between them repeatedly—so much so that even they themselves may forget which face is real and which is fake in the end.

  The two ladies did not mind. Tratt moved his stool closer to Arno and said in a low voice, "I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the old emperor fell ill so quickly that he didn’t have time to delegate many things. After Pars’ coronation, she may enter the Secret Vault. This is an opportunity."

  The Secret Vault was a special resource jointly controlled by Golden Nobles. Inside it, those with Sacred Blood could be granted certain special abilities by the ancestral spirits of the founders. Additionally, by reading some books preserved in the Secret Vault, one could learn a great deal of top-secret knowledge. Every clan leader had to undergo a ritual in the Secret Vault before inheriting their position. Arno’s father had died far too quickly and had no time to explain these things.

  After his death, it became extremely difficult for Arno to enter the Secret Vault. Without the care and support of elders, and with Golden Nobles quietly engaged in internal strife, even if Arno’s request was reasonable, others could delay it for three to five years. Eventually, he would definitely enter, but it would never be easy and would certainly require paying a series of costs and making promises.

  Upon hearing this news, Arno’s eyebrows rose. "I hadn’t heard this news."

  "Therefore, you’d better meet the old emperor tomorrow. If he nods, Vito won’t object."

  Arno nodded and asked, "I heard the old emperor’s condition is very serious? Can he still speak now?"

  Tratt sat up straight, picked up his knife and fork, and skillfully cut a piece of lamb chop, putting it into his mouth in one bite. After chewing gently, the delicious lamb turned into gravy and slid down his throat. He tilted his head. "Speaking is very difficult, but he can still nod or shake his head. They’ve prepared some cards, each with simple words written on them. The old emperor uses a small stick tied to his finger to 'speak' instead of his mouth. Of course, it’s still difficult to have too complex conversations and requires assistance."

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  After a stroke, if one cannot recover quickly, they basically become a major burden for the rest of their life. The old emperor was too old; he might die any day, and there was no thought of recovery. He considered each extra day in bed a bonus. He knew very well that the rest of his life was over, but fortunately, he could still linger for a few days, so he was not too sad.

  "It was just an incestuous farce—how could it lead to such serious consequences?" Arno was still curious and couldn’t help but ask.

  Tratt smiled mysteriously and shook his head. "There are other circumstances involved that I can’t mention. If I did, I might be killed in a few days. In short, the matter is more complex and dangerous than you imagine, and it has shaken the nation’s foundation. But… forget it, pretend I didn’t say anything." Tratt waved his dinner knife. "Remember, I said not a word!"

  Given Tratt’s solemnity, Arno did not press further. He grabbed a roasted lamb rib wrapped in tin foil and tore into it. The perfect cooking made the lamb shred into fine strips when pulled, without being too dry. The rich taste of lamb fat stimulated the taste buds, complemented by pepper, sea salt, and a touch of basil—delicious beyond praise. Celeste chatted very congenially with Tratt’s wife; the little girl was flattered by a few compliments from Tratt’s wife and quickly took a liking to her, letting her guard down.

  After all, she was a little girl who had not seen much of the world and had no secrets to hide; otherwise, Arno would not have brought her here.

  "I heard the monopolies established in Pramisburg are very interesting. The entire Capital has been discussing them recently, and I’m considering implementing something similar in my territory," Tratt said, shifting the conversation to a topic that could be discussed openly. "But I definitely don’t have your courage, with a governor breathing down my neck."

  Gradually relaxing in this environment, Arno shrugged. "Do you think I really wanted to face such pressure and oppose almost half the nobles in Bell Province? I didn’t want to, but I had to. Look at Pramisburg—what does it have? Besides various scoundrels and numb people, there’s nothing usable. I had no choice. I’m not planning to stay in that hellhole for five years." Arno complained nonstop, "If I didn’t have to go back, I’d rather be an ordinary person in the Capital."

  "This is your mission, Arno. Heaven has given you a special status, and you should fulfill your responsibilities."

  "Damn mission!"

  After dinner, the two went into the study and talked at length about what had happened in the Capital since Arno’s departure, including the enfeoffment of princes and princesses. Originally, everyone had been vying for the best fiefs, and the old emperor had not taken a stance, leaving hope for all. But no one had expected that after the old emperor fell ill, Pars immediately showed her edge and overturned all original plans. None of her siblings had gained any advantages; they had all received only small fiefs, and not a single one had been granted a hereditary title.

  While this made the new emperor seem harsh—treating her own siblings this way, she would surely be even harsher to outsiders—Empress Pars had also made many unexpected moves. In addition to exiling some nobles, she had elevated a group of new nobles and shown special favor to some old ones. Her actions were perplexing, and this perplexity brought many uncertainties. No one could figure out what kind of person this newly enthroned empress really was.

  For now, everyone was still in a wait-and-see period, and no one had taken the initiative to cause trouble. But this was absolutely not a normal phenomenon. The contradictions between the major noble groups and the Golden Noble group had a long history, ultimately stemming from the uneven distribution of interests. The empire’s three highest positions—Imperial Chancellor, Imperial Marshal, and Imperial Parliament Speaker—had always been controlled by Golden Nobles, practically equivalent to lifelong hereditary positions since the empire’s founding. This had caused great dissatisfaction among nobles from lower backgrounds.

  Just as the Golden Noble group had always been considering how to centralize the power granted through enfeoffment, the emerging noble groups were also actively scheming to acquire more power. The contradictions between the old and new ruling groups would only grow more severe unless one side compromised. However, compromise by either side would mean potential political elimination.

  Golden Nobles had never been soft-hearted, and the emerging noble groups were not all sycophants.

  In short, the political situation in the Capital was now very complex, with various factions standing in opposition, posing a severe test to Empress Pars’ governance.