“You must henceforth value honor above life, fear cowardice more than death, protect the weak, and uphold virtue as a noble of the Empire.”

—Bradley, head of the Somerset family, hereby appoints you as a baronet in the name of Emperor Leonius.

In the grand hall of the Somerset mansion, the air was uncharacteristically solemn. Marquis Bradley stood before Esteban and Duma, who knelt at his feet, and gently tapped their heads and shoulders with a ceremonial sword.

“I now grant you the surname Rude. From this moment onward, Esteban Rude is declared a baronet and a noble of the Empire.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

The marquis’s declaration announcing Esteban as a newly minted noble echoed through the hall, quickly followed by a thunderous round of applause and cheers from the gathered crowd.

“How impressive.”

“Indeed. It’s practically impossible for a merchant to rise to nobility.”

“It’s thanks to the Somerset family’s fairness and willingness to give opportunities that this could happen.”

Merchants who had dealings with Somerset or Yuren had also been invited to the ceremony. Watching the event unfold, they exchanged envious remarks.

Merchants were among the wealthiest and most successful commoners, often considered a privileged class.

However, in reality, they occupied an ambiguous middle ground—despised and belittled by the nobility.

‘How dare these money-grubbing merchants meddle in the affairs of the realm!’@@novelbin@@

No matter how much wealth they accumulated, merchants were forever at the mercy of nobles, who monopolized legislative power.

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