Warhammer Divine Throne-Chapter 591 - 259: Promotion to Count

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The King's Envoy, Armand de Aquitaine, holding the royal decree, stood in the center of the baron castle's hall.

The hall was crowded, with all the knights and officials from Laine Territory present. Laine knelt quietly in front of the King's Envoy, saying nothing.

"Baron Gene Laine Macado, since your self-investment, you have distinguished yourself in battle, excelled in governance, and used courage, glory, and faith to prove your worth to the Lady and the King. Here, the Brittania Knight King Dinua Jean Richard de Le Anglong hereby bestows upon Gene Baron Laine Macado the title of Count Glamorgan. May you prove your worth to the Lady and the King with your loyalty, your life, and your devotion," Armand said, unhurriedly, holding the royal decree.

"I accept the decree." Laine did not say much, he answered succinctly.

Because there was no need to say more, Richard did not want him to go to the royal capital to receive the investiture, but casually sent an envoy to perform the investiture ceremony. This was an obvious signal that the King was unwilling to invest him or see him; the investiture was out of necessity, so he sent an envoy directly to his territory.

Laine also didn't bother with empty formalities, just a simple acknowledgment sufficed.

Armand nodded: "May the Lady's radiance illuminate your path forward."

Then the King's Envoy waved his hand, and attendants brought in a few pieces of clothing from outside. The count's formal wear included a deep red velvet coat with a white fur-trimmed border, a soft hat sewn with three pieces of mink to indicate the rank, and a coronet with a gilt silver circle, the upper rim adorned with eight silver balls.

Armand used the longsword to heavily tap Laine's shoulder, granting him the sword, completing the ceremony.

In reality, this ceremony was somewhat irregular; typically, the King should grant the sword, but as mentioned, Richard did not want to see him, nor did Laine want to see the King; instead of mutual disdain, it was better not to meet at all.

From today on, Laine was both Gene Baron and Count Glamorgan. Thinking of this, Laine struggled to maintain his usual expression, but his shoulders still trembled slightly.

Twenty-five years, he had been in this world for twenty-five years, he was finally a hereditary great noble!

Twenty-five years of drinking ice, knowing the cold and warmth of it himself.

There are five levels of titles in Brittania: Baron, Count, Marquis, Duke, and King. Among them, the Marquis has only appeared in recent years as a special recognition and award to the Count, with little difference in essence compared to the Count.

Besides, there are Lords and Knights; the former is a reward for the nobility, while the latter can be awarded to anyone, and in Brittania's history, some peasants have been granted the title of Knight.

However, there is a significant difference between Count and Baron.

It is widely known that progressing from Baron to Count not only upgrades the title but also signifies a fundamental change; Laine, through his own efforts, officially entered the ranks of hereditary great nobility.

This begins with the status of Baron. In the dark ages before Brittania was established, due to the withdrawal of imperial power, Brittania fell into a dark age. At that time, tribal clans began to divide territories and autonomously govern themselves, leading to the emergence of duchy titles, typically bestowed upon tribal leaders who led their tribes in wars.

After the founding of the Knight Kingdom, twelve founding Holy Grail Knights were invested as twelve Dukes, forming twelve duchies and jointly establishing the Knight Kingdom; thus, Dukes are the highest rank just below the King.

To facilitate the management of their territories, Dukes further appointed Counts. The term "Fang Bo" denotes Counts who safeguard a region. Counts listen to Dukes and, unless special, do not heed the King's orders; if Counts dare to rebel, they will be suppressed by the royal army or sanctioned by other nobility. The title and responsibilities of a Count can be inherited by descendants, although some lack successors and thus decrease in number. Currently, Brittania has fewer than a hundred with the title of Count, and half are nominal with titles but no territories.

Next is the Baron. At the earliest founding of Brittania, there was the title of Baron but no Baron rank; Baron meant "free noble" or "King's servant." During the time of Arthur's eldest son, the second-generation Knight King Lewis, Barons were extensively appointed. Most high-ranking secular nobles were given the title of Baron, though few had actual territories — most were nominal.

Once Barons were abundant in the nobility, but later the Knight King realized that indiscriminate appointments of Barons were unfavorable, thus began controlling their numbers. Barons emerged as the highest rank within the Knight class and the lowest rank among great nobility.

According to Brittania law, Barons do not inherit their titles. A Baron's son must be recognized as Kingdom Knight to inherit their father's title, while a Duke's son does not need this.

To advance from Ranger Knight to Kingdom Knight, one must undergo life-and-death trials. Evidently, Baron inheritance prioritizes wartime capability and martial skill, whereas Duke inheritance focuses directly on bloodline.

Therefore, within great nobility, Barons have a low status. Strictly speaking, they are nobles with an unstable rank, entirely serviceable to wartime merit.