The next morning Carseain revised the questions and left for the exam.
Rovenin who was a human super computer help him to revise the questions on his way in the carriage. Carseain could ask him any question and he would have the answer which was similar to revising a cheat sheet on your way to exam but it was a super efficient one.
Usually, Rovenin would not accompany him but today he had some business with the professors at the academy regarding his ongoing magic research. Nox also went with them.
As Rovenin was out on personal business he did not dress as a butler and instead sported an informal and comfortable wear which was similar to commoners of high quality.
Nox came to assist both of them and hence dressed as a butler while helping Rovenin carry the documents of his research.
The three reached the academy grounds and headed towards their destinations which were on the same path.
Amidst the question and answer revision session Rovenin realized that Carseain was a little grumpy.
Carseain : " Man~~, that looks so comfortable."
He groaned looking at his clothes adjusting his sapphire brooch on the cravat.
"Why do we have to wear all these unnecessary things? Just show off our standing?"
Rovenin shook his head with a grin.
" Oh, are you jealous? I don't think you should be because usually you don't even wear clothes to the point that the knights were doubting if you were a stripper....."
Carseain : " Grrr.... And who was it who started both the fiasco and that ridiculous speculation, yesterday? "
"Oh , you caught on? I thought it slipped out of your forgetful mind. "
"Oi .. don't Jinx me just before exam. I don't want to forget anything."
He said trying to recollect every bit he studied.
"Ah... Can you explain what was the theory that Rohanne Anamthera gave again?"
He asked with a confused head.
"Ah...sure..."
As the small revision session went on, they spotted a small altercation going on silently among students.
They were in the same year as Carseain.
It seemed like a wrangle between students of commoner origins and nobility.
" You can tell at a glance who is at fault here...."
Carseain recognized them as they would sometimes stay back to train more and often spar under instructor's orders. He did not mind because even though they were commoners their skills were better than most nobility.
However, even though he wanted to, he could never ask for their names or even talk to them. He would spar and get going like a one night stand.
Carseain would silently watch over them from afar during his breaks like he did with his Knightage. That is why he knew the names of his knights.
" Oi, don't you dare write the answers to all the questions this time...."
One buffed up guy said, squeezing the shoulders of a wispy one who was trembling.
He could do nothing but endure. However, one of the students who sparred with Carseain stood up for him.
"He obviously cannot do that. He needs the scholarship to continue studying at the academy."
The others with the buff guy started chuckling.
"How is that any of our concern?
You commoners just have to do as we say..."
A girl who seemed like a mage help the whisper guy up and said,
" However, it is the rule of the Zerous academy That all students regardless of their status shall be treated equally.
Even the imperial family follows it!"
"Tsk tsk tsk"
One of the so-called noble guys clicked his tongue.
"Look, it is because of him that the Young Lord of Anel whose family is known for their academics has fallen in ranks within class."
"Hey! You can't-"
Before they could speak it turned into a one-sided fist fight. It was one sided because even though they are of equal ranks inside the academy the consequences of hitting a nobility are the same regardless. The only difference would be that the consequences will be faced by their loved ones and benefactors outside and not them directly.
Carseain was simply watching.
"Rovenin, ya know ? You are a bad omen."
"Huh?!"
"Every time you come to the academy I run into these incidents. Last time it was Kiha and now this."
" Perhaps you should Thank your luck that I am with you while you are going to cause trouble. The cleanup will be short and Swift."
Carseain sighed.
"Huh?! Why would I go? I am not some Hero to go save them. James Jr is more than enough to take care of those punks."
"James Jr?! "
Nox and Rovenin thought perplexed.
"Ah.... It's a nickname that I gave to the guy who spoke up first. He stays back late to train and sometimes I spar with him."
In reality, there were many times that Carseain wanted to speak to him and the others but could not. He tried to imagine himself talking to them countless times but it was inconvenient as he did not know their names. Thus, he gave them nicknames.
' There is no way I am telling this to Rovenin and Nox. He will just rub it in with the no friends thing.'
"Ah... I see. "
Rovenin said silently as he saw Carseain making a frustrated expression.
"Is something wrong?"
" I don't know why that hotheaded James Jr. Is taking blows. He is on good terms with the academy instructor. He should retaliate and I am sure that the instructor would help him. I don't think there would be any dire consequences."
Carseain let out a scream of frustration.
" Isn't that obvious? It's because he does not want to cause him trouble."
Rovenin replied.
"Huh?! No way....
Isn't taking help much better than sitting there and getting your a** beaten by those wimps a billion times weaker than you..."
Carseain screamed.
"Young Master."
Nox called.
" I think anyone would do that for the benefactors and people they love. Even Kiha was just trying to settle her issue with a war of words and running away but she dared not use the brooch with the insignia. "
He said with a smile.
" I'd rather be in a little pain than causing trouble to my masters."
It was that time something hit Carseain. In his last life, he would also do the same. He would rather take punishment from the dean and write apology letters for the trouble he caused rather than asking his parents to come and settle it. Also, during his time as the team manager in his office while taking merit he would take his whole team but when taking blame for the troubles he would go alone.
Devastating the places he went and rampaging whenever he felt like on a whim was like his second nature as Carseain. So, he forgot. He forgot that he would also do the same. He was not aware that he could also sympathize with them.
"Ughh..."
Carseain groaned as he shook his head. Without any more delay he jumped over the marble railing and walked onto the grass towards them.
" I thought you were not going to play Hero...."
Rovenin asked.
" I am still not. Just gonna ask my sparring partner if he's got time after the exam....."
Rovenin giggled.
" Are you sure you should be going in that situation?"
He said pretending not to know.
" Since when did 'The Mad Hound' start reading the situation ? I am tactless so it's okay."
Rovenin and Nox just smiled as they watched him go.
-----
As the one whom Carseain called James Jr was getting hit , Carseain pulled him by his collar and put his hand around him.
"Hey, you got time after the exams?"
The person in question as well as the crowd present there froze up for a while and were not sure of what their next moves should be.
James Jr fell into a deep mental abyss while the others were still comprehending the flight or fight situation. Carseain still played the 'Mad Hound' role shamelessly.
Rovenin and Nox were watching from afar.
Nox : " Sometimes, I get confused if the Young Master is actually dense or not."
Rovenin simply laughed.
Carseain shook the guy with one hand to pull him out of his mental abyss.
" Hey, I'm asking if you ..."
Carseain suddenly had a doubt.
' I know I am famous for many reasons but still it is possible that he may not know me. After all, it's only me who's been aware of them and it's not like they have an obligation to remember all nobles. It's more than enough for a knight to just distinguish between nobility and commoner. '
" In case you don't know me, I am Carseain Esselgarde, your classmate. We've sparred quite a--"
" I- I do know you, Lord. It was just that I was surprised since it's the first time you've spoken to me."
Carseain thumped on his back three times, laughing.
" Oh so, that was it! I was wondering if I wasn't famous enough. hahaha.."
James Jr had a completely flustered face.
" How can I not? As a knight, one must be aware of the country's pride and honour, The Knightages and their Lords.
Umm...but Young Lord, what -"
" Ah... no need to call me Lord. Like that Dame said, we're all stripped of our statuses at the academy."
Otto and his mates exchanged confused looks. They were skeptical whether to accept it. Although it is the Academy rule on paper, rules cannot be enforced with perfection all the time. It was an unsaid rule that the nobles and commoners will be separated. There was an invisible glass wall even if they shared the same space. There are times when some nobles take initiative out of goodwill and mingle with everyone but are often shunned by their peerage. However, the glass wall is mostly broken by the nobles to make sure that 'the plebeians know their place', like now with Anel.
" Ah so, are you free after these written exams? And you too... You guys are free?"
Carseain asked, looking at the bunch he often saw in the training grounds.
" Ye-Yes, we are."
The others nodded in agreement.
"Alright then, can you accompany me for sparring before practical tests?"
They had suspicious looks. They wondered if he also wanted to use force to degrade their performance. For someone as strong as Carseain, he didn't need to do that. His intention remained unclear.
" Umm... with all due respect, may I ask the reason why you would want to spar with someone like us ?"