"SEIZE THIS MAN FOR HIS INSOLENCE!"
Arcadia's command resounded loud and clear, but...
"Sorry, my Lord, we can't and we shouldn't."
No one followed them.
"He's our savior; I'm sure you understand that he was only joking, right?"
Instead, they smiled at him; some even laughed, making this seem like a common sight.
"You heard him, Lord~. I was only joking."
Caring not for them trying to appease Arcadia, Xenos doused this fire with all the world's oil by patting the boy's fluffy gray hair.
"Please don't hurt me, oh soft one."
Arcadia, his ears and tail pointing up, bared his fangs and clutched Xenos's hand.
But before the wolf-boy could bit—
"Op, op, op, not so fast~."
Xenos pulled back and raised his hands in surrender.
"I didn't mean anything by it, Lord Arcadia; please forgive me."
Speechless, "Lord Arcadia" stood stunned, not knowing what to do.
"Oh, did you not like me calling you Arcadia? I understand..."
His grin was too obvious.
"It's a pretty feminine na—"
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Screaming his lungs out, the wolf-boy pointed forth once more.
"ASPEN! KILL THIS MAN!"
Again, instead of doing what they were told, the guards laughed, finding this scene quite comedic, while Aspen, their leader, quickly patted their Lord's back, barely stopping himself from cracking a smile.
'They seem quite close as well.'
Xenos nodded at Eris and, after a subtle warning from Aspen, apologized:
"Sorry, Lord Arc, I only wanted to tease you a little."
Arc looked at Xenos for a few moments, then "humphed" his head away.
"F-Fine, I'll be merciful."
The guards all smiled at each other and kneeled before him.
"Thank you for your mercy, my Lord."
Nodding, as if proud of himself, Arc gestured for them to move.
"Go gather our belongings! We are to move!"
As they finally followed his commands, Aspen looked at Xenos and pointed his chin to the distance, away from the rest of his people.
'Hm.'
Xenos approached, finally getting what he had waited for.
"You wish to talk privately, Guard Aspen?"
Aspen nodded and asked in a low voice:
"Are you knowledgeable of how we Anthropos have come to be?"
Xenos raised a brow, not expecting this conversation to take such a direction.
"Yes... Your blood comes from a being who became a Class Three."
Aspen smiled, his long teeth showing.
"Indeed, we Anthropos, the animal folk in all our different kinds, each come from a lineage of a Friend of God... once, way too long ago, we were rare, a true Blessed, but now, with our blood so diluted, we are no different than the average human."
Xenos glanced at Arc, who was staring at them from a distance.
"Let me guess... somehow your Lord is different."
Aspen nodded a second time.
"Correct, our Lord's blood is purer; he is... 'soft' because of that."
The way he said that word made Xenos chuckle a little.
"Is that rare among your Lords? Is that why those bandits were sent after him?"
The Lyacon's blue widened a little, finding this human before him too impressive.
"Correct again, Stranger. Lord Arc's existence threatens them."
Xenos tilted his head.
"But isn't he of Hades? Who would dare assassinate one of this stratum's only Great House?"
Aspen's lips twisted.
"Who would dare?... Who else but Lord Thantaos's direct family?"
Much like Aspen of earlier, Xenos's eyes widened.
"Are you telling me that the boy's assassination came with his approval?"
Aspen lowered his head.
"...Unfortunately, yes."
And that...
"Fuck."
That changed everything, instantly making this Arcadia kid useless in Xenos's eyes.
Sure, he could still get some drachma out of him, but would that be worth it?
The risk of staying close to the boy was too high.
Yes, it wasn't Thanataos himself sending the assassins, but it might as well have been.
No wonder they cut through unowned lands, staying far from the main roads.
They knew that their Lord would have bastards sent after him.
'You've troubled yourself for naught.'
Eris's words were true.
He needed to leave them before he was caught up in it.
"Before you go, Sir Seeker, would you listen to me?"
Xenos's eyes snapped to his.
"You know of my class?"
Aspen's smile returned.
"I can... smell how young you are. And judging by the direction you are heading towards, Pluto Academy is your destination, correct? I'm sure you've already summarized, but it is ours as well."
Xenos said nothing, and he continued:
"I've seen many young Runebearers do the same as you on our journey. Though I've only seen their mauled and rotting bodies... you are the first to survive the many dangers that I'm sure have come to you."
Again, Xenos said nothing, his face uncharacteristically blank.
"And that's for good reason. You are both smart and resourceful, knowing who to use and who to abandon."
Aspen gestured at his people, at whatever they had left.
"You see correctly. We are trouble, and you'd be better off abandoning us."
Xenos tilted his head and asked:
"But?"
Aspen chuckled, finding his belief further acknowledged.
"But I'm sure journeying with us would benefit you in other ways."
"I don't see how that would be true, so please..."
Xenos made a performative bow and gesture.
"Enlighten me."
Raising his sword, Aspen took a stance.
"Sure."
Almost immediately, Xenos did the same with his bare hands, a grin returning to his face.
"So you want to die then?"
Away from them, murmurs picked up as the rest of the guards tensed up.
They hadn't joined the two yet, not wanting to escalate things.
Or rather, they were too confused about what was happening.
"No, I want to live long and watch over our Lord."
Xenos's muscles tensed.
"Then why threaten me?"
Chuckling loudly, Aspen sheathed his sword.
"I wanted to be sure, and now I am."
While the rest let out a breath of relief, going back to what they were doing, Xenos paused for a moment, many thoughts passing through his head until...
"Ah."
He finally realized what this wolf-man was getting at.
"You're smarter than you look."
Ignoring Xenos's jab, Aspen nodded.
"Grinning even when surrounded by swords that could potentially be aimed at your neck... I know your type; you're not right in the head, chasing after what makes you most alive... death."
Relaxing his body, Xenos shrugged.
"You got me..."
But that made him think about it for a moment.
Schizoid Personality Disorder.
Why did that remain the same even though he now resided in a different body?
Wasn't it a brain thing? Or was it a Soul thing? Or was it not a 'thing' at all?
Perhaps it was something more than that, disguised as a disorder.
He didn't know.
"I have 'got you,' so that makes me think..."
Aspen looked at his Lord.
"Wouldn't you like the danger he brings?"
Xenos closed his eyes, his smile turning... defeated.
"Maybe, but—"
Aspen cut him off.
"There's going to be a lot of fighting."
"Hm..."
Xenos paused, looking lost in thought.
"That's true."
Aspen followed up:
"Yes, it's true."
And Xenos confirmed:
"I will be fighting a lot."
As did Aspen:
"You're exactly right."
Until finally...
"Fine, count me in."
Xenos agreed.
"Great."
"Great."
"Great."
Aspen bowed towards him and returned to his lord.
Xenos watched him go, his smile dimming.
'Careful of that boy; he's a sharp one.'
Eris's warning was light.
'I will, don't worry.'
He was interested to see if this lot would survive.
After all, bringing him along would only invite Calamity.
They didn't know what they had just done to themselves.
'I definitely will~.'