He blinked slowly, trying not to lose composure. Somehow, the floor beneath him felt a little less stable.
Still reeling, he asked carefully,
"Can you tell me about the general strength level of nobles in your Empire?"
Lana tilted her head thoughtfully.
"I haven't seen many personally, but from what I've observed… the Barons we interacted with were usually around Rank 14, and those above them, like Counts or Margraves, were in the 17 to 16-17 range."
CRACK.
Roland didn't know whether it was the chair beneath him or his will to live that just cracked, but something definitely broke.
'Rank 15? Rank 17?!'
'I thought I was doing well, being the strongest in the whole kingdom, but… I'm nothing but a strong foot soldier compared to them.'
He lowered his eyes for a moment, lips twitching.
'No, Roland. Don't be disheartened. You're still alive, aren't you? You're still growing. If you endure the storm, you'll walk beyond the clouds.'
He straightened his back and smiled calmly.
