The list not only contained information on every noble to be ennobled, but also the Ennoblement Regulations, which gave a detailed introduction to the kingdom's noble titles. Liszt read it very carefully.
The noble titles of the Flame Kingdom were officially designated as eight ranks.
The highest rank was King; the second rank was Prince or Grand Duke; the third rank was Duke. These three ranks belonged to the high nobility. The King followed primogeniture and was the sole holder of that title. All knights of the kingdom had to follow the King, either unconditionally or conditionally, and obey his deployments.
Prince and Grand Duke were titles of equal rank. A Prince needed royal blood—in other words, Flame Family blood—and had to become a Dragon Knight. A Grand Duke had no bloodline restrictions, but had to ride a dragon not owned by the kingdom—in other words, Dragon Knights raised by the royal family could not receive the title of Grand Duke.
In other words, without a dragon wholly your own, don't even think of becoming a Grand Duke and founding a new nation.
The title of Duke was somewhat more complicated, with three main sources.
First, if a Grand Duke's descendants failed to become Dragon Knights, they would be lowered to Dukes and continue governing their own nation. Second, Dragon Knights raised by the royal family could receive the title of Duke after rendering military merit. Third, Domain Knights who repeatedly distinguished themselves in battle could also, as appropriate, be promoted to Dukes.
However, aside from the descendants of Grand Dukes, who, as dragon-raising families, could inherit the ducal title hereditarily regardless of their qualifications.
For the other two kinds of ducal title, their descendants had to become Domain Knights in order to inherit smoothly. To prevent a Duke from