"YOU LEFT YOUR HOUSE?!"
Arc loudly screamed it, making heads turn, dozens of them.
Even Gaia, stuck at the entrance surrounded by her new fan club, froze.
Her wide eyes shot straight toward Xenos's row, and with that came the whispers:
"He left a main House?"
"Who does that?!"
"Is he crazy?"
"Without a House, he'll never get any Runes!"
Xenos blinked, looking around.
"…What? It's not that deep."
He leaned forward on his desk.
"Houses aren't all that useful to me anyway."
A scoff was heard from someone two rows down.
It came from a girl of white and gold.
Both lion and eagle.
A Gryphon.
Ariadne.
The same one the crowd yapped about earlier.
"You can't be serious."
Xenos shrugged.
"I am."
He was serious, and yes, they were right...
Why would anyone leave a MAIN HOUSE?
Most would kill their mothers to be in one.
Without a prominent House, gaining new Runes would be near impossible.
Of course, they could in the Pluto Academy Olympia Trials, their Colosseum Games, but that was only one Rune that'd be fought over by hundreds of Disciples; the average Disciple had no chance and would most likely be cannon fodder for the other Disciples to kill.
The only way for them to get stronger would be to hug a thick thigh...
And what thighs were bigger than a House?
"My thighs are bigger."
The room fell silent, a long beat passing.
What in Tartaros did Xenos just say?
Only Eris in his mind, and Aspen shook their heads, one laughing, the other giving up.
Arc, meanwhile, scoffed and looked away, thinking that Xenos was somehow teasing him again.
Though the Griffin folk spoke once more:
"…What?"
"My thighs..."
Xenos repeated with a straight face.
"Bigger than any House's... I go gym."
The collective confusion in the room could've powered a small nation.
"You should never change."
Aspen chuckled under his breath while Arc groaned:
"You're insane."
And Xenos hummed.
"Hmm-hmm…"
Raising his right arm...
"Hmmmm~"
He lowered it on top of Arc's fluffy head.
"Good boy~."
And that sent him off!
"Y-YOU BASTARD!"
Arc shot up, hands slamming on the desk.
"HOW DARE YOU?!"
His whole face went red as Xenos tilted his head innocently.
"You bark louder than usual today."
Aspen laughed quietly.
"You missed him, didn't you? She wasn't there to take his place."
"I did not! And I don't care about her either!"
Arc yelled, crossing his arms, glaring upward.
"Besides, I was perfectly fine without this idiot around!"
Xenos leaned back, grinning.
"Sure you were—"
"Excuse me."
A soft voice came from his left, nearly cutting him off.
Many turned again as Gaia, the same girl from before, now lifted her skirt slightly and elegantly sat beside him, lowering her head from all the staring faces.
"What? You…"
Arc froze mid-sentence, confusion overtaking his anger.
Xenos glanced her way, blinked once, then looked away.
Yes, they were almost married, but she didn't interest him...
At least not yet.
'It's becoming a bit crowded.'
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he stood up, about to jump down a level, but...
Clack!
A cane made itself known, making everyone turn towards the wooden doors.
There, a tall man stepped in, his gray beard trimmed to a point, eyes scanning the hall.
His staff tapped the marble floor with each step until he stopped before his lectern.
"Alright, children. Settle down. I don't get paid enough to listen to your chatter."
The Disciples' voices died instantly, and Aspen leaned forward, whispering:
"That's Shepherd Lothar. He teaches Elemental Alignment... Synaxis."
Xenos slumped back in his chair.
"Great. Maybe he'll herd Arc away from me."
"What was that?! You Nameless wretch—"
Arc hissed, only to be cut off:
"Quiet."
Lothar's cane smacked the floor, echoing loudly through the hall, shutting everyone up.
He looked around slowly, his eyes catching every face—until they stopped on Xenos.
"You... You're the one who made a mess of the Colosseum this morning, aren't you?"
Xenos lifted a hand lazily...
"You've caught me, Shepherd."
And chuckled.
"But don't act like you don't know exactly who you are talking to."
A few muffled laughs came in response while Lothar raised an eyebrow.
"Hm, you are either brave or stupid."
"Both."
Aspen muttered, and Xenos shook his head.
"Mostly bored, actually."
The old man's frown deepened, but he turned away without another word.
"Fine. Let's begin."
Xenos leaned his head against his hand, whispering under his breath:
"…This is going to be a long day."
Gaia looked at him from the corner of her eye.
"You... you don't like classes?"
"Not when the teacher's voice sounds like a dying goat."
Her hand went to her mouth, barely hiding her giggle as Arc shot him a glare.
"Stop talking; you'll get us in trouble."
"I'll get you in trouble. I'll be fine."
The cane slammed the floor again.
"Silence!"
Xenos raised a brow.
"See? Goat."
Gaia nearly burst out laughing.