In the study, besides Hurbert Rodney himself, who was sitting, Silas, Vanessa, Nero and the butler were all standing. It was how Hurbert expected things to be. He was someone who deserved great respect, for his achievements had directly affected the fate of all of Kolar, if not all mankind.
Although he himself was only an Arcanist despite his mature age, the card recipes he had created could empower countless who were stronger than himself. They changed the tides of many battles and influenced the results of many critical situations. Although he could not claim to be solely responsible for the success of countless key figures in Kolar, it was more or less certain that at least some of them would have died without relying on his works.
So, although he himself had yet to achieve a higher realm, his influence more or less equaled one beyond the Arcanist level. That was without even considering his status as director of an army division.