“Your students have particular circumstances that I believe make you uniquely qualified to teach them,” Kedrin began, ignoring Rainer. “I founded this school with the belief that all willing to learn are worth teaching, including commoners. Ms. Flemming and Mr. Carlisle are among the first of such commoners. We are delighted to have them here, but the school board agreed that a slow process of introducing them to the rest of the student body would probably be best.”

Kedrin was being very diplomatic in saying that the noble students and their families would throw a hissy fit if the school started mass admitting commoners. Aldric didn’t like the idea, and he was sure Kedrin and Zasia didn’t either, but it was important to keep the families of other students willing to stay at the academy. Academic clout and an excellent figurehead only got you so much in terms of funding and public goodwill. Trying to upend the status quo was a good way to lose all of that.

“Lord Caffaret charged us with seeing after his son, Codrin,” Kedrin continued. “He has had concerns over his son’s behavior and... spirited nature. He has previously proven to be a handful for his family’s tutors and for most of the staff here at the academy. It was his father’s hope that we would both educate and be a beneficial influence on him. He made it clear that this was Codrin’s last opportunity to prove himself.”

“And of course,” Rainer interrupted, earning a frown from Kedrin, “the young Lady Asimov is in your class. The Asimov family has a peculiar tradition of cutting off resources from their most promising heirs. They believe the strongest inheritors should be able to make their own way in the world, without the backing of a powerful family, and actively work to make their lives more difficult than necessary. Lady Lilianna is here because of her own personal connections, not her family’s. Being in a class with an untested professor further makes it appear as if she is being handicapped.”

“Which she is very much not,” Zasia said, her tone now sharp.

“Forgive me. I did not mean to imply such. I only wish to express my personal investment in the young lady’s growth. The Rainer family is a branch family of the Asimov house. It wouldn’t do for me to allow her potential to be stunted. The Asimov family does not allow direct assistance, but any resources Lady Lilianna can secure herself are fair game. I only wished to offer my help to her.”