"Are they nobles from the Guard Palace, or from elsewhere?"
Sonia raised an eyebrow slightly, showing some disdain, "The second son of the great Vosloda, has actually fallen to the point of being an intermediary?"
It was only natural for a Holy Sanctuary Mage to be ennobled, but unless the mage was born a noble from the Guard Palace, they were usually granted noble status within the Guard Palace system.
The only scenario in which a Holy Sanctuary Mage not of Guard Palace nobility but is ennobled with a Guard Palace title is through marriage alliance with Guard Palace nobility who then transfer their title to the mage.
If the Guard Palace nobility had not cultivated an elite mage for many years and faced the risk of having their titles ’adjusted’ by the Noble House, their only solution was to draw in a Holy Sanctuary Mage. Therefore, when Felix asked her which title she preferred, Sonia’s first thought was that Felix was representing some declining Guard Palace nobility seeking a marriage alliance with her.
But Felix was well aware of her character; even a village girl had outright refused his proposal of a sham marriage as payment, how could she, now successful and renowned, possibly agree to a marriage alliance?
"You’re mistaken, I had no intention of letting you inherit the name of a declining noble family," Felix shook his head, "You don’t need to marry into a wealthy family now, you yourself will soon be one."
"But a Holy Sanctuary Mage can indeed directly obtain a Guard Palace noble title, it’s just that most refuse it. If you don’t believe me, you can go back and ask Professor Trozan."
Sonia was taken aback, "But Sister Trozan is only a Sword Knight, if she could become a Guard Palace noble, why would she refuse?"
University professors belong to the administrative staff of the Education House, their salaries supported by both the university and the Education House, naturally falling under the Judicial System. A Two-winged professor is a Gun Knight, a Three-winged professor is a Bow Knight, and only deans and school presidents are Armor Knights.
Sister Trozan... Felix raised an eyebrow at this title and continued, "Aside from the lowest rank of Sword Knight, higher ranks of enfeoffment must undergo the Stars Blessing, you know that, right?"
It was precisely because of the existence of the Stars Blessing that the nobles who hold legislative and executive powers cannot act unlawfully or favorably; they must dedicate themselves to the public good and strive to build a Kingdom of Stars.
Nobles have more rights, but they must also undertake more duties.
Sonia’s view of the nobility system was only average, but everything is relative—after hearing about the state of the Blood Moon Society from the Observer, Sonia’s approval of the Stars system surged dramatically.
After all, though the Kingdom of Stars has a clear hierarchy and strict class barriers, it’s a stable and harmonious society. Commoners might not be wealthy, but they can live comfortably. Like those short-sighted people in her hometown who’ve never been to Jiale City, yet can return home after a day’s work to watch the Light Screen, unknowingly and happily living an ordinary life.
Compared to the Blood Moon Kingdom with its myriad orphans, Blood Moon Judgements, and family disintegration, the nobility system of Dazzling Star was hardly worth mentioning. Moreover, the nobility system has always operated efficiently and effectively, with society developing steadily.
"Like noble titles, the Stars Blessing also comes in different ranks," Felix explained, "The ’Star Cluster’ in Stars Blessing not only refers to the nobles as the nation’s Star Cluster, but it also directly points to the nature of this blessing—that it requires the Star Cluster to be effective continuously."
"For instance, a Shield Knight requires one star for the continuous blessing, a Gun Knight two stars, a Bow Knight three stars, an Armor Knight four. As one’s rank increases, so does the strength of the Stars Blessing. It not only increases a noble’s loyalty to the country but also enhances insight, learning ability, delays aging, and so on."
"For Guard Palace nobles, upgrading their titles is definitely profitable."
Sonia caught the subtext in Felix’s words, "Does becoming a noble of the Guard Palace mean a loss then?"
Felix smiled slightly, "The Stars Blessing bestowed on the lowest rank of Guard Palace nobility, the ’Viscount’, also comes with powerful blessings such as extended lifespan, eternal youth, undiminished vitality, extraordinary memory, keen insight, and enhanced analytical abilities. If an Armor Knight receives blessings from five stars, then at least a hundred stars bless a Viscount."
"Isn’t that great?" Sonia asked, "So, isn’t the requirement for Guard Palace nobility just to be loyal to the country?"
Felix shook his head, "No, like the Guard Palace, their will is still influenced by only one factor, which is absolute loyalty, and it remains the highest priority to bring prosperity to Dazzling Star."
"Then why—" Sonia began to ask, then suddenly realized something.
"You see it, don’t you?" Felix smiled, "Guard Palace nobles are only responsible for execution, meaning that their absolute loyalty only requires ensuring they don’t make mistakes, don’t slack off, and don’t show favoritism. But the responsibility of Guard Palace nobles is to propose bills in Parliament, steer the nation, and lead the people!"
"Now, when a Guard Palace assembly member - energetic, with an extraordinary memory and enhanced analytical abilities - needs to fulfill his duties and propose a reasonable bill, guess what he will do?"
Sonia murmured, "Conduct field research, analyze and study..."
"The widely celebrated ’Star Forge Duke’ Vosloda spends more than half of the year with his advisors traveling across the Kingdom of Stars," Felix said calmly, "Among Guard Palace nobility, assembly members of different ranks need to propose different levels of bills. If a Viscount assembly member has his own team, setting aside three months a year might suffice to complete the tasks. Earl, Marquis, Duke—the difficulty increases with rank. If a noble’s fortune has dwindled and they can’t afford to hire Advisors, it wouldn’t be surprising for an assembly member to spend the entire year on it."