Finch sank into his seat, a small, satisfied smile curling across his lips as he observed Ryaen acknowledge his greeting. Her subtle nod, though brief, carried a weight that made the gesture feel significant. Following him, William greeted her with equal propriety, his tone polite yet firm. Despite having encountered her earlier, William didn't even dare consider himself friends with Ryaen; she remained the heir to a Duchy, and he to a Barony. Courtesy and respect were thus not optional, they were required.
Though the Star Academy did not segregate students based on imperial rank, instead prioritizing power above all else, first-year students were still new to its intricacies. They had only recently been admitted and remained mindful of social etiquette and the importance of acknowledging those of higher status, whether noble or exceptionally skilled. Greeting someone like Ryaen properly was as much a matter of survival within the Academy's unspoken hierarchies as it was of decorum.
