Ray Warner's real name was Ray Kurtz Absberg.
He had never liked that name.
Not because it sounded like a fucking tongue-twister, but because it tied him to a man he wanted nothing to do with — Arminius Kurtz Absberg, one of the two Eastern Dukes.
Yes, Ray was a Duke's child.
…Though his father wouldn't appreciate it if he heard him claiming that.
Duke Arminius was a fierce man, respected by his allies and enemies alike.
He had built his empire brick by brick, corpse by corpse, all on his own. He climbed his way up the noble ranks until he was finally a Duke.
Since there were only ten Dukes in the entire world — two under each Monarch — becoming one of them was not exactly an easy task.
You'd either have to overthrow one by force — in which case, you'd be held in contempt by the Monarchs — or wait for one of them to fall so you could take their place.
As said, it wasn't an easy task.
Still, Arminius did it.
