It was a truly shocking offer.

Royal duke! It was on the same level as a grand duke, but it meant something very different. A grand duke was a noble with great authority while a royal duke was literally a king. He wouldn’t be bound to Meltor Kingdom but would wear the crown as the master of an independent state in a hierarchical relationship with Meltor. Moreover, since all the territories in the East Continent would be recognized as his, it would be possible to build a kingdom that was larger than the Meltor Kingdom.

It was a temptation that ordinary people couldn’t turn away from.

“Hrmm.”

However, Theo thought about it clearly.

His Majesty knows... This isn’t an offer he would’ve thought of. Then the appointment of royal duke must be something that the nobles gathered together and petitioned for.

The loyalists in Meltor would have a fit, but it was Meltor that would lose out if he became a royal duke. Theo hadn’t lost his magic abilities, but he had a lot to deal with as Chief Tower Master. If he vacated his position, the work would accumulate in seconds and the necessary budget would have to increase. Additionally, the amount of money and labor...