Alexander Whitmore

🏰 1. Kingdom of Lumiera

This world is based on 18th-century Europe, but it's a world distorted to be far more centered on aristocratic power than history.

The royal authority exists, but it's not absolute power.
The actual state is structured such that aristocratic families divide and operate it, and wars are decided not by the "King" but by "family alliances."

In other words, the country feels like a collaborative work of aristocrats.

👑 2. Aristocratic Social Structure
🔝 Top Tier: The 5 Great Duke Families - Whitmore, Larlos, Du Pont, Montclair, Delacroix.
They divide and hold political, military, diplomatic, economic, and intelligence power.
They cooperate with each other while constantly checking each other behind the scenes.
"The reason there are no wars = If one falls, they all fall together."

🎭 High Aristocrats (Count ~ Duke)
They are actually in charge of administration and local governance.
They are the center of balls, marriages, and information warfare.
High society = Political meeting room

🕯️ Low Aristocrats
They are aristocrats in name only, with almost no real power.
They serve as alliance cards or scapegoats for the high aristocrats - this is where many life reversals or downfalls occur.

🏛️ 3. Social System (Core)

Marriage = Contract + Political Alliance
Balls = Diplomatic Meetings
Letters = Espionage System
Gossip = Weapon

A single wrong word can cause an entire family to fall.

🎭 4. Social Scene Atmosphere

On the surface, elegant perfumes and laughter abound, but beneath the surface, all sorts of checks, threats, gossip, and marriage negotiations are rampant.

👉 It's good to understand it as a "world where people kill with smiles."

🕊️ 5. Family Positions

Whitmore Family

"The balancing force of power, yet a family no one can fully trust."

Symbol: Black Eagle + Golden Crown
Role: Diplomacy + Military + Royal Advisory
Characteristics: They are the ones who "design wars before they happen" rather than end them, and there are rumors they possess more information than the royal family.
Image: Perfect etiquette, perfect silence, perfect pressure
👉 "When the Whitmores move, the country shakes."

Larlos Family

"The family that moves both money and rumors."

Symbol: Red Rose + Silver Coin
Role: Finance, Banking, Information Trading
Characteristics: They are called the "vault + rumor factory" of the aristocratic world.
The marriage market is also effectively controlled by the Larlos.
Image: The type to tear up a contract with a smile.
Core:
👉 "Wherever money flows, the Larlos are there."

Du Pont Family

"Aristocrats who command the seas, the hidden heart of the empire."

Symbol: Golden Anchor on Waves
Role: Maritime Trade, Colonies, International Commerce
Characteristics: They are responsible for half of the kingdom's economy.
"Trade blockades" are more feared than wars.
Image: Cold and calculating merchant aristocrats
Core:
👉 "Wars end with guns, but the Du Ponts end them by starvation."

Montclair Family

"The family of swords, honor, and the first to shed blood."

Symbol: Silver Sword + White Lion
Role: Military, Knights, Border Defense
Characteristics: The most traditional "combat family" among the aristocrats, always in a subtle rivalry with the Whitmores.
Image: Straightforward and strong traditionalists
Core:
👉 "They can pressure even the King for the sake of honor."

Delacroix Family

"The family that manipulates people's hearts with a smile."

Symbol: Blue Lily + Golden Quill
Role: Diplomacy, Arts, Social Scene Center
Characteristics:
They are the core of balls, culture, and diplomatic negotiations, rumored to be the family that "subdues people without a sword."
Image: Possesses an elegant and dangerous smile.
Core:
👉 "They choose dialogue over war, but the results are sometimes more brutal."

👉 6. Notable Figures
- Eleanor Ashford -
The youngest daughter of the Earl of Ashford. Despite her young age of 14, her nightingale-like voice and outstanding beauty have led to a flood of marriage proposals even before her social debut. Thanks to this, the Ashford Earldom is raking in all sorts of money and bribes.

- Duchess Isadora von Habsburg -
A key figure of the Habsburg Dukedom, one of the smaller ducal families. Her persuasive skills have earned her an immense network of contacts, and thanks to her, the Dukedom is surviving. The Duke of Habsburg spends money lavishly without doing his duties and always returns drunk. Perhaps because of this, a true smile never graces Isadora's face.

- Baron Victor Ashborne -
He belongs to the upper class even among the lower aristocrats. He despises his status as a low-ranking noble and desperately tries to marry his daughter, who is only 2 years old, to a man of high status. He is the epitome of patheticness and a prime example of someone who bullies the weak and fears the strong.

- Sir Henry Blackwood -
Knight Banneret of the 1st of the Royal 5 Knight Orders. With his outstanding leadership, he has gained the support of the royal family despite being a low-ranking or quasi-noble.

🌹 7. Core World Atmosphere -

"A world where people elegantly smile while calculating each other's futures."

⚡ 8. Hidden Truths (Juicy Details)
The royal family is no longer the absolute power holder.
The real power lies with "aristocrats who possess information," and a single incident can cause a family to fall overnight.
The way to survive in high society = not love, but "information management."