Nobles are generally divided into two categories.
The first is the Nobles who control territory in the name of the Kingdom.
The second is the honorary nobles who do not have territories.
The first is just like it says on the tin. They're nobles who were granted land by the Kingdom, use that land as their base, rule over that land, acts as lords of that land, and whose responsibility is to develop that land.
Those nobles have the right to form private knight orders, raise armies, and have high amounts of authority. They're able to basically control everything within their territory. It's only when they end up committing a major crime or is unable to show any improvement in their territory for years on end that their territory might be confiscated and themselves demoted. Beyond that, other than their requirement to present 20% of the territory's gains to the Kingdom as taxes, those nobles are basically the highest authority within their territory, and not even the royal family have the right to interfere.
The latter won't get any territory, but they have equal levels of authority as the former. Not only can they form private knight orders and raise armies, but they also receive a salary from the Kingdom. Depending on their noble title, the amount of salary that they get also varies.
Some of them have jobs and responsibilities within the Kingdom and hold various authorities within the Kingdom or territories. Some however make their own living and move on their own. There are even quite a lot of honorary nobles who work as adventurers.
Megis and Leili's Latrard family for example are honorary nobles. Their rank is that of marquis and are responsible for all matters relating to the adventurers guild. Their family has controlled the adventurers guild for generations. Aldia's Arbin family is the same. Their position is over the Royal Knights, but they are honorary nobles at their base, and with the rank of marquis as well.
It's also only natural that the territorial nobles are also deeply involved with the Kingdom.
After all, they have territories of their own, so there's no way that they wouldn't be involved.
Honorary nobles tend to have relatively more freedoms unless they have position of major authority and responsibilities within the Kingdom. Baring that, the Kingdom will basically not interfere with their lives so long as they don't do anything to harm the Kingdom.
The honorary nobles who don't have a formal job within the Kingdom really only have a single responsibility.
And that is that they must lend their aid when the Kingdom is in peril.
Given all that, for someone like Shien, it's unquestionable that becoming an honorary noble gives him relatively more freedoms.
Lucy told Shien that he can choose between becoming a territorial or honorary noble.
"In that case, I'll be an honorary noble!"
Shien made such a decision without the slightest hesitation.
Thus, Lucy immediately made promises to Shien in the name of the royal family.
"Since you decided to be an honorary noble, then the Kingdom won't be granting you a territory. However, you still have the right to form a knight order and raise private armies. That said, the numbers you are allowed to recruit for your knights and armies are dependent on your noble rank."
"For example, the lowest noble rank of baron only give them the right to form a knight order numbering 100 and an army of 1000. The sizes of their knights and army is not allowed to exceed those numbers."
"Viscounts are allowed 1000 knights and armies totaling up to 10,000."
"Counts are allowed 10,000 knights and armies totaling up to 100,000."
"Marquis are allowed 100,000 knights and armies totaling up to 1,000,000."
"Dukes are allowed 1,000,000 knights and armies totaling up to 10,000,000."
"These are the rules, not to be violated."
So long as its within those limits, then nobles can organize their knights and private armies however they like.
Shien kind of wanted to point out the obvious issue here.
"The first few are one thing, but it is really possible for the last couple of ranks to just randomly throw out armies in the millions?"
Take just the knights for example, even the National Knight Order numbered less than 100,000. Even if a marquis had the right to keep 100,000 knights, so what?
Would he even be able to gather that many individuals?
Never mind the dukes then. The whole thing with them being allowed a million knights and ten million soldiers, isn't that just a complete joke?
Shien laughed at the idea in his mind.
That said, Shien did understand that it's just a limit. It's basically only used to limit the relatively numerous lesser nobles from being allowed too much private soldiers. For the high nobles, those rights are basically just a matter of prestige. As for whether or not they'd actually be able to build up that many knights and soldiers, well, that depends on their abilities.
As for Shien though…
"Due to your two achievements, the Kingdom has decided to grant you the rank of viscount." Lucy told Shien.
"Viscounts may keep 1000 knights and a private army of 10,000. They are also entitled to a yearly salary of 10,000 gold. Besides that, you'll also be given a house within the noble district, but the exact one given will be chosen by the Kingdom. If you're personally dissatisfied with it, then you can also instead ask for 1,000 gold from the Kingdom instead and buy a house in the Noble district for yourself."
Out of everything Lucy was saying, Shien only really cared about the salary of 10,000 gold and the right to a house in the noble district.
It's because it meant one thing to him.
"Not only do I have a 10,000 dollar… No, 10,000 gold job, I'm even a proper homeowner now?"
Is this the trope of a poor kid suddenly turning rich?
Lucy, who didn't know what Shien was thinking, continued her explanation.
"After becoming an honorary viscount, if you want a governmental job within the Kingdom, then you can ask for it directly at the palace. After an examination, the Kingdom will appoint you a suitable position."
"The higher your noble rank, the better the position. If you can become an honorary count, then you will be directly appointed to a high position of power and be given the right to participate in the national parliament."
"Of course, you probably won't want something like that."
Thus, Lucy explained to Shien the various rights and authorities of a noble.
This made Shien suddenly feel like maybe becoming a noble that bad a thing after all.
Although he's not all that interested in job positions, but Shien does feel like some of the rights and authorities are pretty decent.
If not for those, then why else would so many people want to become nobles?
Especially…
"The laws of the Kingdom disallows polygamy for commoners. They're only allowed to take a single wife. Only merchants who have contributed to the Kingdom are allowed to also take a concubine."
"Nobles however do have the right to polygamy, but it's also dependent on their noble ranks."
"Barons may have one wife and one concubines."
"Viscounts may have one wife and two concubines."
"Counts may have two wives and three concubines."
"Marquis may have three wives and four concubines."
"Dukes may have four wives and five concubines."
"Only the royalty are unlimited in this manner. They can have as many concubines as their harems can hold, however the children of concubines lack any inheritance rights. When the next king is decided, their siblings by concubines also won't be granted the rank of duke either. Only the children of the proper wives, who have inheritance rights, will be given a ducal title if they do not ascend to the throne. Therefore, there is also a limit on the number of wives, limiting to five at most."
When Lucy said those words, she was staring intently at Shien.
And as for Shien?
He stood up the moment he heard that viscounts can have a wife and two concubines.
"My loyalty to the Kingdom can be witnessed by all. Therefore, I shall become a noble without reservation!"
The way that Shien spoke so seriously like that made the corner of Lucy's mouth twitch. She seriously wanted to give him a few good bites at that.
Wasn't he so adamant just a moment ago?
Go and keep doing that then! You piece of shit!
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