Chapter 5
“The children of Count Parden must be quite busy. Leaving already…”
At someone’s remark, the crowd all glanced toward the entrance of the hall. A woman in a sky-blue dress was stepping out alongside a dark-haired man.
“They walked in with their noses in the air, and they leave the same way. Not a single proper farewell to anyone.”
“Well, what can you expect? No matter how well-off they are now, they were just commoners a hundred years ago. They’re strangers to things like manners or class.”
As soon as the pair disappeared, voices rose louder. The remarks were blatantly sarcastic, but most of the people laughed in agreement.
“No amount of money can buy the refinement that comes from noble lineage.”
“Exactly right. Hoho.”
“Back in the day, they wouldn’t even be allowed to step on the same ground as us. The world’s gone mad, that’s all. Tsk.”
As the conversation grew more extreme, a few people in the hall frowned, glancing at the gossipers with disapproval. Yet no one said anything.
The ones mocking the departing pair were the central figures of today’s party. Centered around Duke Levantus, they represented a major faction of the capital’s aristocracy. Most hailed from long-established noble families, collectively referred to as the “Old Nobility.”
Though their estates were in the provinces, the Old Nobility had long established themselves in the capital as an entrenched elite. Apart from the emperor and the imperial family, they feared no one. But in recent decades, a new threat had emerged to their position: a group of wealthy individuals newly ennobled and referred to as the “New Nobility.”
“What can we do? That’s the law. I greatly respect the late Emperor Nicholas I, but on this issue…”
“Ahem! Be careful what you say. He was still the emperor. If the wrong ears hear you, it could be trouble.”
The New Nobility began to rise during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I over a century ago. As the Empire poured its energy into trade, the emperor actively utilized commerce to strengthen both internal and external affairs.
“Merchants who risk their lives at sea are the vanguard of unseen wars. I will ensure they receive the recognition they deserve.”
Emperor Nicholas I praised merchants who achieved great success in trade and granted titles and noble status to previously untitled aristocrats and traders who contributed to the imperial treasury. It was a shocking move, one that even the recipients didn’t expect.
Though only a few were actually ennobled by the emperor, the impact of the gesture was tremendous. Ambitious merchants threw themselves into trade, many failing—but a few struck gold and changed their fates entirely.
“This fabric is from Lufchen across the sea. Such a shade of blue is rare! Wearing it will make anyone shine.”
“These are the horns of a beast from the desert kingdom of Sidieu. Grind them into powder and your cough will vanish…”
With trade flourishing, the Empire became wealthier than ever. The populace was content, and the imperial family’s popularity soared.
“This is outrageous… It shakes the very foundations of the Empire!”
“What’s next? Street peddlers sitting above us?”
But not everyone welcomed Nicholas I’s policies. The Old Nobility, born into privilege, were furious. They couldn’t accept that mere commoners—people who once couldn’t even meet their eyes—were now legally equal in status.
“Your Majesty, please revoke the decree.”
“Duke, I fail to see the issue.”
“A person’s status is determined at birth. No amount of merit can change that!”
“Then aren’t you in trouble, Duke? Your own ancestors were but leather workers who served alongside my forebear, the First Emperor. It’s written in history—surely you haven’t forgotten?”
“Your Majesty!”
Despite fierce opposition, Emperor Nicholas I stood firm. When it became clear that the emperor wouldn’t back down, the Old Nobility began to express their dissatisfaction through actions: skipping court meetings and hosting rival banquets on the same days as the imperial ones.
Meanwhile, Nicholas I quietly built his base. He rallied the merchants he had ennobled, rural nobles oppressed by the Old Nobility, and bright, young, untitled nobles—forming his own faction. Just as people began murmuring the term “New Nobility,” a crisis struck.
“There’s been an incident! A ship departing from Haran sank just after leaving imperial waters. But the perpetrator is…”
A trade ship from the bustling port city of Haran was attacked and sunk almost immediately after setting sail. Witnessed by dozens in broad daylight, the event wasn’t met with panic.
“It’s obvious who did it. Count Logue again, no doubt. That temper of his… Tsk.”
Back then, such sabotage was common. The more extreme Old Nobles vented their anger at the emperor by targeting trade ships—especially those belonging to new or small merchant companies. Since they hired mercenaries and targeted only minor traders, the violence was easily dismissed.
No matter how much the emperor supported trade, small merchants lacked the power to accuse the influential Old Nobles of piracy. Most incidents were written off as pirate attacks. But this time, there was a special passenger aboard.
“He may be reckless, but the Count serves a purpose. Someone has to stand against injustice.”
“This isn’t about that! Prince Cassius was aboard that ship!”
“…What?”
The emperor’s third son, Prince Cassius, went down with the ship—his body never recovered. Enraged, the emperor launched a full-scale investigation.
“Dozens have died at your hands, Count Logue! Do you admit your guilt?”
“Y-Your Majesty! No, I—I didn’t…”
Within a month, Count Logue—a key figure in the Old Nobility—was identified as the culprit. It was suspiciously swift and tidy. The Old Nobility began to sense something was wrong, but no one dared speak out against the emperor, not after the death of his son.
“Why was the prince even on that ship?”
“The emperor ordered him to learn about trade firsthand…”
“From such a minor merchant group? That’s absurd. Besides, he never even acknowledged the boy as his legitimate son. Didn’t the Empress give birth after only seven months…”
“Shh! Are you trying to get your head chopped off? Watch your tongue!”
The emperor behaved in court as if he might start a sword fight at any moment. In the end, Count Logue was executed, his family either beheaded or exiled into slavery.
Following his death, the Old Nobility retreated into silence, while the New Nobility quickly filled the void. Wealthy and favored by the emperor, they rose faster than anyone expected, becoming a dominant force in the aristocracy.
“Well… I suppose the Duke has a point.”
“Y-Your Majesty…”
Once the New Nobility stabilized, Nicholas I no longer supported them unconditionally. In fact, he occasionally sided with the Old Nobility.
Eventually, the emperor sat on his throne, casually tapping the armrest while nobles argued around him. Everyone could tell that his lazy yawns came from the confidence of a victor.
“Whoever has the emperor’s favor is the winner. We’re not chess pieces, you know…”
As the Old and New Nobility clashed, the imperial family naturally rose to the top of the power structure. Elevated from referee to kingmaker, the emperor’s children were treated with unprecedented respect.
Even after Nicholas I’s death, the imperial family skillfully balanced the two factions. Everyone knew what the royals were doing, but the Old Nobility lacked the generosity to reach out, and the New Nobility lacked the deep roots to resist.
“Vulgar upstarts with no breeding or dignity.”
“Leeches living off inherited privilege.”
Both factions were too busy insulting each other to see the bigger picture. Who knew what the future held—but for now, this was the reality.
“Well… We can’t really blame the late emperor. He handed out rewards with generosity. The problem is those who accepted them without knowing their place and now strut around arrogantly.”
“Exactly. If they received an undeserved reward, they should show some humility… but all they flaunt is their wealth.”
The Old Nobles’ mockery of Aisha and Daniel at the charity party was another form of power play. As the children of Count Parden—a key figure of the New Nobility—they were considered enemies. Especially after Count Parden embarrassed the Old Nobility tonight.
Although the charity event aimed to fund an orphanage, most attendees were Old Nobles. The New Nobility, still small in number, had fewer representatives. Duke Levantus, leader of the Old Nobility, had ordered his allies to dominate the event through their presence.
“What else can they do but show off their money? They have nothing else.”
“Haha, exactly! Without money, they’re nothing but corpses.”
But Count Parden made a massive donation, ruining the Old Nobility’s plan. Though they had donated more collectively, the award for most generous contribution went to Count Parden, enraging the Old Nobles. Now, the mere mention of his name made them seethe.
