"Lady Nair," August greeted, dismounting from his automaton horse. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"I imagine the pleasure is all yours," Nair said. "And call me Vera. We're equals, are we not? You're a Bastion, I hold a knighthood and am a sorceress."
Fei didn't even try to hold in her displeasure and shot Vera a scowl. But August patted the beastkin on the shoulder and gave her a look before she said anything.
While the sorceress was clearly being disrespectful, August had nothing to gain by biting back. And she was technically correct.
In terms of nobility, a Bastion was one of the lowest ranks. Equal to a knight, but above an untitled and unlanded noble.
All nobles who had been granted land as part of their titles—known as landed nobles—were superior to a Bastion in rank. Baronets, barons, counts—it didn't matter. Holding land made a noble superior to a Bastion.
