An Unexpected Bestowal

“What do you mean by that, Your Grace? Please speak plainly.”

“I have already submitted a formal petition to His Majesty Rudolph to confer the title of Sir of the Kingdom of Lande upon you. Her Highness the Princess is also very supportive. Through her mediation, Emperor Rudolph II has already granted his approval. One of Her Highness's objectives in visiting Rhine for this inspection is to formally announce this news at tonight's ball, which is why I repeatedly reminded you that you must attend.”

“I don't quite understand.” Lynch frowned. This truly touched upon a blind spot in his knowledge. “What good does this do me?”

“First of all, you must understand just how rare such a bestowal is in our Kingdom of Lande,” Duke Vane explained patiently, glancing toward Princess Sophia's side to see that she would likely still take some time. “Sir is the lowest rank of honorary noble, so low in rank that it practically has no rank at all. Yet in Lande, ever since King Luca III ennobled Countess Hathaway a century ago, the kingdom has not added a single noble family in the past hundred years. In other words, not a single new family above the rank of Baron has emerged in a century. And as for honorary nobles holding the title of Sir, only three military nobles have been knighted across five wars in the last hundred years, all conferred by virtue of extraordinary military merit—and not a single one has been appointed in the past fifty years.”

“Wait a moment, let me sort this out. It's a bit tangled.”

Lynch cast a plaintive gaze toward Miss Valente in the distance, his heart brimming with anticipation. Unfortunately, the noble lady was currently accompanying the performing Princess and could not sense Lynch’s longing at all. Left with no choice, Lynch had to sort it through himself:

“As I understand it, 'Sir' is merely an honorary title that cannot be passed down to descendants, nor does it grant any noble privileges. It's simply something pleasant to the ear—is that what you mean?”

“Of course not.” Duke Vane sighed, a rather forlorn look in his eyes. “Mr. Levive, in your eyes, am I really that sort of exceptionally cunning, deeply treacherous, vicious noble who would do everything possible to squeeze benefits out of you without coughing up a single crumb in return? ...Why are you making such a shocked face, as if asking me how on earth I figured that out?”

“Ahem, a misunderstanding! I'm just surprised that you would think that way.” Lynch quickly rubbed his face, wiping away the thoughts written plainly upon it. Who knew, maybe this really was something good. “Forgive me for not being clever enough, Your Grace. Please continue your explanation—just treat me like an idiot and explain it in standard terms for fools.”

“The kingdom never confers titles upon fools,” the old Duke shot him an annoyed glare and explained. “What you said earlier was correct in that this title is not hereditary and is valid only for your lifetime. But do not forget, no matter what, it is still a noble title. In modern Lande, starting from scratch to become a noble is virtually impossible. Yet once you are invested as a Sir, the difficulty of rising any further drops by more than a hundredfold. That is to say, the first benefit is that if you are interested in becoming a hereditary noble, you can work toward it in the future and become a true noble, founding the Levive family. Even if you are not interested in that...”

I've already embarked on the path of immortality, so why would I care about a noble title? Though founding the Levive family does sound rather interesting, it holds little practical meaning.

Lynch held little interest in hollow prestige, but hearing that Duke Vane had more to say, he continued to listen attentively.

“This brings us to the second benefit: for as long as you live, you will enjoy all the rights possessed by Lande nobility without diminution. Not only will you receive the nobility's basic monthly stipend of twenty pounds, but you will also possess the standing to participate in and discuss state affairs, effectively granting you status in the political sphere. When the time comes, all government officials will have to address you as 'Your Excellency' or 'My Lord.' To put it vividly: as long as you reveal your identity, you could walk into City Hall, push open any office door, point at the official's nose and berate him, and when you're done, he would have to beam at you, praise your scolding for its profound depth, and pour you a glass of water to soothe your throat.”

“Including Chairman Grant?”

“Uh, given his standing, he might trade insults with you, but he certainly wouldn't be able to kick you out of his office. If you're interested, you can give it a try after the investiture.”

That sounded quite fun. Maybe he really should try it? Just as Lynch was pondering the idea, the Duke put away his smile and spoke solemnly:

“What I just mentioned were merely minor details. The greatest significance of this title is that you will be a noble of the Kingdom of Lande, one of the world's five great powers. This status is recognized by every nation across the globe. That is to say, wherever you go, as long as you reveal your identity, you will receive treatment befitting your station. This applies especially to government departments—in any country's government offices, so long as your request is not overly unreasonable, you will receive full cooperation.”

Hiss... Now that was genuinely appealing. To walk the path of immortality to its end, Lynch knew full well that he couldn't just hole up in Rhine for the rest of his life. Sooner or later, he would have to face the wider world: Middle Earth, the Old Continent, the New Continent... his footsteps were bound to cover the entire world.

If he had to start over from scratch every time he arrived in a new place, building prestige and connections bit by bit, even ten lifetimes would probably not suffice. But with this title, he could stand at a vantage point looking down on most people right from the start, granting him massive boosts to both credibility and renown.

Because he would represent Lande, standing among the thousand-odd most valued individuals in the entire realm.

Seeing Lynch's expression, the old Duke smiled, patting Lynch's arm with an unexpectedly earnest look. “Everything I just said was the official explanation. While appealing, it is not the most important part. What I consider most important is that you truly need this title.”

“Hm? Why?”

The old Duke cast a glance in Miss Valente's direction. “Miss Diana is the eldest daughter of a Count's house, and what about you? You are merely a commoner. Granted, she is a Soul Severer and enjoys considerable autonomy; she might not care about such things or mind your station, and you might not consider the difference in social status either. But have you considered the thousand-year reputation of the Valente family? Do you want a Count's family to endure a century of ridicule?”

Lynch parted his lips, but found himself rendered speechless. This was yet another issue he had never contemplated.

The old Duke smiled and said softly, “Some matters are intensely practical. Everyone must bear responsibilities equal to their station; as long as one enjoys the benefits brought by their status, they can never escape that duty. Therefore, once certain things come to light, the Valente family's reputation will inevitably suffer damage and invite covert mockery. No, in fact, signs of this are already surfacing. You two interact far too frequently to keep it hidden. Rumors have already begun circulating within aristocratic circles, and they show signs of spreading. But now it is different. Being closely associated with a newly knighted Sir is not a disgrace to their station; it is a display of astute vision and savvy investment. Not only will their reputation remain undamaged, but the Valente family will also receive countless envious looks.”

The old Duke gave Lynch's shoulder a firm pat, speaking sincerely: “You have done me a tremendous favor, and I truly wish to repay you. There are things you do not understand, and she will not tell you so as not to put you in a difficult position. Thus, I felt it necessary to think things through on your behalf and find the best possible solution.”

Lynch fell silent for a moment. Then, bringing his heels together, he gave the old Duke a deep bow, his heart brimming with gratitude.

He was indeed not mature enough and didn't understand the intricacies of these matters, nearly landing Miss Diana in an awkward predicament.

The old Duke had struck right at Lynch's vulnerable point. A person living in this world could not think solely of themselves. He could afford not to care, but he had no right to be shameless on behalf of Miss Valente or her entire family. In hindsight, this reward from the old Duke was extraordinarily useful—so much so that Lynch felt it exceeded the merit of his deeds.

“I suppose this is also an advance payment of sorts,” Lynch asked proactively, recalling the old Duke's earlier declaration that they were going to start using him. “What do you need my help with?”

“They've wrapped up over there; our time is up. Once the ball begins shortly, Sophia will explain it to you in person. No need to look so solemn—you have already done a great deal for Lande. You have earned this.”

The more Lynch looked at this old man, the more amiable he seemed. Just as he was deeply moved, Lynch suddenly realized a problem.

Huh? The ball is starting? I was dragged over here before I even got to eat! My delicious food! You old fox, you definitely did this to save on a meal!