Rowan glanced at him. "It was nothing."
"But if you hadn't stopped him, I would've been hit," the boy said. "The reason he looks down on me is because my father serves under his. Our families have history. His father always humiliates mine."
Rowan frowned slightly.
"Then listen to me," he said calmly. "No matter how low your rank is, never let someone hit you for no reason."
Neville looked up.
"Even if they're stronger than you, stand your ground. People only bully those they think won't fight back."
The boy clenched his fist.
"…Thank you. I'll remember that."
They returned to the line together.
Soon, it was Rowan's turn.
He accepted his uniform from the attendant and walked into the changing room.
The door closed behind him.
He changed quietly.
And when he stepped out—
As he walked, Rowan glanced down at himself.
"Wow… this actually suits me really well. How did they even get my exact measurements with no effort?" he muttered.
