Since they had no fiefdoms, these new nobles had no common interests with the traditional nobility. In fact, because the rising nobles were almost bound to the Royal Family in shared prosperity and ruin, they were, at least for now, practically natural enemies of the traditional nobles. However, Eluin's new nobles had yet to amount to much. One day, though, they would become a force the princess could rely on.
Brando had guessed correctly. The young man before him was named Hainf, and his father was a Royal Retainer. This position, which had once been utterly insignificant in Eluin's noble hierarchy, now held real power. It was said that Her Highness the Princess intended to imitate the system established after the Cruz Empire's reforms and reestablish the position of prime minister. Although Hainf did not expect his father to become the kingdom's prime minister, the rise of the bureaucracy meant that his father might reach a higher position within the system in the future, rather than remain an obscure Royal Retainer for the rest of his life.
Moreover, as the Royalist Faction gradually regained influence, Hainf's father—who had already been acquainted with Macaro—had risen along with it. Although his official position had not changed, he had already earned Oufwell's deep trust. The latter was practically the Empire's prime minister already; he simply had not been given the title yet.
The family's status had consequently soared. They had once been nothing more than an obscure minor noble family, but now they were vaguely developing in the direction of a great house. His eight-year-old younger brother had also been sent to Tonigell to study and grow up in the territory of that renowned count, with the family placing great hopes in him. Hainf himself had no great ambitions and was not jealous.