Garleans and the ancients. (Spoilers)

[MrThinker]

Errr... Nero climbed to the rank of being second-in-command of Gaius' Legion. That's... he is of a higher rank than Cid is. Not that it helped him in being though of better than Cid.

What happened was that Cid escaping to Eorzea under the Empire's nose made him even more famous back in Garlemald.

I think "fame and popularity " is exactly what Kesey meant by "standing in the Empire".