The unique structure of the Northern Lands gave the lords here identities unlike any others.
Being the lord of a great territory did not mean being inferior to the ruler of a duchy. Likewise, some duchies were not necessarily stronger than a single lord.
A duchy was, in reality, an alliance formed by more than ten lords, and the leader of that alliance was granted the title of Grand Duke.
Any power capable of governing more than three duchies could call itself a kingdom.
As for an empire, referring specifically to the Constellation Empire, it had little value as a point of comparison.
A great territory like Dawn Light Territory, whose influence radiated for several thousand kilometers in every direction, possessed military strength no less than that of a duchy. Moreover, unlike other Grand Dukes, its lord was the supreme master of the territory. Whenever he wanted to take action, he did not need to notify the other lords, great or small, within the duchy, nor did he need to be constrained by them.
Take the Blood Orchid Duchy, for example. If Dawn Light Territory truly launched a major war against the Blood Orchid Duchy while taking advantage of the Blood Orchid Grand Duke's death, then with its outstanding mobilization capabilities, the one that would ultimately be defeated and destroyed would definitely be the Blood Orchid Duchy.
Dawn Light Territory was jointly ruled by its lord and more than a dozen ennobled knights. Although "knights" belonged to the class of nobles without territories, in terms of status, they were on the same level as lords even in the Blood Orchid Duchy. If one day the lord of Dawn Light Territory wished to establish a kingdom, these knights would become the first batch of lords, helping the lord of Dawn Light