Though not too loud, it was enough to be called a commotion.
And, of course, a 'commotion' had triggere—attracted the attention of this station's guards.
One of the Hierophants clicked his tongue, waved the other away, and walked over, annoyed already.
That was Xenos's goal.
'Smart.'
And Eris seemed to have finally picked up on his plan.
'Thanks.'
Saying that, he lowered his head slightly at the Hierophant he towered over.
"Ah, sorry, sir. I was just teasing the young lass; don't worry about me."
The Hierophant's words died on his lips as he stood there.
After a moment, he sighed and took a few steps back, his gaze remaining locked on Xenos.
It seemed that he was going to stay to see if this lanky bastard would cause trouble again.
'Good.'
Something that Xenos seemed to have wanted.
Turning his gray eyes back to the frustrated clerk, he apologized:
"Sorry about that; I'm mentally retarded."
Her anger turned back into confusion as she stared at his smiling face.
Yeah, anyone who would say that with such a smile was undoubtedly retarded.
"No... no worries, let's just get this over with. What's your name?"
Xenos took a moment before saying:
"Theodore Veynar."
The name of that blond-haired bastard and his own father.
Yes, he could be that lazy at times, not bothering to think up a proper fake name.
"Are you..."
She was going to say something but quickly decided not to.
"You don't have a Mark and an ID, correct?"
He showed his hand and put it under the lamp on the table.
"No, I just came of age yesterday, and I can't afford an ID."
The clerk nodded and brought out a Divine Relic, which looked like a stamp.
This stamp had the base of a... clock face? Yes, a clock face, but without hands, and instead of the usual twelve lines and sixty dots, there was a single green root, reaching the first hour mark from the center.
It pulsed as she held it up, pausing it above his hand.
"I'm under an obligation to inform you of two things before I mark you as a Runebearer. First, once you are Marked, if the Houses of Gods ever decree the Final Hour, you will join their call in this realm's war against Tartaros, no matter your condition."
He said nothing, and she continued:
"Second, something which I'm sure you already know, there are Twelve Classes in the Divine Hierarchy of Runebearers. As you've only 'just come of age,' you are a Seeker, the Twelfth and weakest Class. There are eleven above you, namely..."
Xenos stopped listening for a moment... though he struggled memorizing ranks in most mediums he consumed, or in this case, 'classes,' he knew these by heart.
—
12th Class: Seeker.
11th Class: Disciple.
10th Class: Priest.
9th Class: Shepherd.
8th Class: Scholar.
7th Class: Judge.
6th Class: Elder.
5th Class: High Elder.
4th Class: Patriarch.
3rd Class: Friend of God.
2nd Class: Commander of the Faithful.
1st Class: Saint.
—
They were pretty simple.
"...I doubt you'd even become a Priest, but I digress."
Xenos nearly chuckled at that, enjoying how good he was at angering people.
"Do you understand?"
He nodded, giving her the go-ahead.
She held his wrist down on the table and stamped the back of his hand.
Once she took off the Divine Relic, a small golden root was left behind, pulsating.
In moments, the glow left it, and it sank deep into his skin, disappearing.
"Now, you are officially a Runebearer. Congratulations."
Xenos actually found himself feeling something for this.
Truly, his journey had just begun.
'Congratulations.'
"Thanks."
Thanking them both, such feelings quickly disappeared.
"Since I'm a Runebearer in Hieron's eyes now, can I also ask for a rank up on my Mark?"
She, a clerk for many years, was stunned, as was the Hierophant listening in.
Most Seekers couldn't find a Rune even after months of doing all they could, unless, of course, they went to the Pluto Academy, which gave Seekers a Rune on admission, but that was reserved only for Nobles and the talented...
Judging by what they saw, he certainly wasn't that, yeah, not at all.
Thankfully, Xenos barely, if ever, left his manor, so this played out to his advantage.
"Y-You.."
Looking down, she sighed and asked:
"Are you saying that you've already gotten your second Rune?"
Xenos, with no shame at all, nodded.
"Yes, I've gotten really lucky."
He wasn't exactly lying.
...At least not about that last part.
Sighing once more, she glanced behind her and asked:
"Are you sure?"
"I am."
"Fine... but you shouldn't try your 'luck' too much."
The clerk pointed at the far end of this area, a place he could safely deposit his belongings.
"Most often end up finding themselves short."
Xenos held back a laugh at her cold line and simply said:
"Oh, good thing I'm quite tall~."
She barely stopped herself from lashing out as he walked away.
NO WAY SHE WOULD GIVE THIS BASTARD THE PLEASURE!
Unfortunately for her, she already did.
Xenos walked to the same 'newbie' that ran into him last time.
Only she worked in this area, making it obvious that just the lower rung of officers were given the displeasure of existing as a sort of locker room assistant for most of their early lives.
'At least that's better than working as a cashier... a waiter too.'
Pausing before her, he puffed up his chest and adopted his brother's demeanor.
"Maid, think quick."
Before she could turn around fully, he threw, with hidden struggle, his rucksack at her.
Catching it at the last second, she looked up at him, now as confused as the other clerk had been.
"W-What—"
"I'm Xenos of House Kharon, son of Veynar, and these are MY belongings."
He cut her off and leaned in, towering over the poor girl.
"I'll pay you extra later, so don't you dare lose them."
She nodded hesitantly and scurried off, knowing better than to anger a Noble.
Xenos looked at her go and let out a long sigh.
'Maybe I really have some Chinese blood in me.'
He did all that just so that he didn't need to pay; after all, his savings plan would be for naught if he spent all his coppers here just to lock up his stuff for later.
And of course, it was also in preparation for what was to come.
Xenos casually walked back to the two, knowing that they didn't hear him.
Ignoring the old clerk who was about to call out to him, he paused before the Hieorphant.
'Don't die.'
Then, before the eyes of nearly everyone in the room, he—
Smack!
Slapped the man's face.
This time, the smacked one's head didn't move.
No, rather, it remained locked, its eyes staring at the slapper.
Those eyes... once forgettable, now revealed a most obvious emotion.
Rage.
"BY THE DIVINE! I SHALL HAVE YOU ARRESTED AND SENT TO PRISON!"
Xenos' journey had begun, and his first destination was prison!
"I WILL HAVE YOU PUNISHED!"
Or more accurately...
"YOU DAMNED PEST!"
He was getting a free ride!