Cain is not hiding his noble status, the kingdom they are in also knows his rank. The problem is the son assumed Cain was the son of a count not the count himself. as for his father due to his rank he wouldnt have been told of Cain before hand, Hes related to finacne not education.
Even then... Even as the presumed son of...
You have a special delegation of Special Kids staying over at your city on their way to a very major event.
There's no way the arrangements for that wouldn't have put the local authorities on High Alert. There's also no way in all hells anyone in that city in any position of power would not know
exactly who would be visiting.
Sons and daughters to be married off, and all. Unique opportunity to impress and rise in the Ranks. All that.
Unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to Impress and get Connected.
It's already strange the school kids don't know
exactly who everyone is. The idea that the adults don't know is... ridiculous.
Even ones as dense as Unobtanium as the Father and son here.
Standard stereotype tropey stuff and all, but the delivery makes no sense at all.
This is not a matter of "losing face". This is a matter of attacking a high foreign dignitary on Official Business.
If there wasn't a death penalty on that, they'd re-introduce it. Just to make a point.