CHAPTER 2: RAGE BAITING

’Hm... Incest?’

Xenos shook his head.

’But yeah, that explains the state of my body. Guess I’m some kind of weak outcast in this House. That’s a bit cliché, but at least there’s a reason for it. That’s sometimes more than you can ask from most authors... Or maybe I’m expecting more out of ’Them.’ Still, it’s a decent start. This’d do well as the beginning for a fanfic of the game. I bet their community would dig the hell out of it.’

Of course, he called them family, but that was all it was. A word. They were strangers wearing the mask of kinship, and he wasn’t interested in playing a part in such a relationship.

’I wonder if they’ll be useful...’

Thinking that, he continued on his way, passing maid after maid who looked away, acting as if they didn’t see him.

He did the same, though not on purpose, as his attention was taken by the views outside.

Below and far out on the green and the marble, he saw people celebrating, waving large flags that held... Runes, seemingly screaming the same thing over and over.

’The Day of Runes... so it’s today, huh?’

Runethera.

This was the name of his new home, a land of Runebearers.

It was commonly known that when the Gods created this world, ’They’ sent down every Rune there was. But since then... the Day of Runes, which the world now celebrated, no more Runes were sent down.

The only way more Runes came into being was when they were bestowed upon children on the Day of Runes, their ’coming of age’ event.

That naturally made the world a dog-eat-dog one where everyone fought another for Runes, and that phrase came in almost a literal sense because there certainly were a lot of bitches around.

One might commonly find nobles killing their children to bear their Rune.

He didn’t doubt that this was something this family planned to do to him, a moment that, oh, he so waited for... the face slapping would be delicious.

Well, it would if he survived what was coming next...

And yes, what he stood on the precipice of was most difficult.

The usual awkward and unnecessarily dramatic scene of him meeting his family!

...May the Gods help him.

Click.

That sound announced the opening of the massive doors before him, welcoming him to the breakfast hall, if one could even call it that.

It was an absolutely massive room with long tables, high ceilings, and huge windows overlooking the gardens outside. Fresh bread, fruits, cheeses, and meats were already laid out like a mini buffet.

At the head of the table sat his "father," already sipping what smelled like black coffee. His "mother" sat to his right, her hands folded neatly in her lap. His "older brother" lounged casually, one boot propped up on the chair’s lower rung, while his "older sister" sat with perfect posture, glancing at her reflection in a polished spoon.

Xenos looked at them one by one, and just like that...

Flashes of memories he didn’t really want settled into his brain.

Lessons, scoldings, family dinners, punishments, and cold shoulders.

Surprisingly, no pain came with the memories; they were always there; he just didn’t know how to recall them.

’Guess we’re avoiding that cliché today.’

Acting completely beside himself, Xenos gave them a polite nod.

"Good morning, Father Veynar. Mother Lyssandra. Elder Brother Draven. Elder Sister Selvara."

All of them blinked in surprise, not at all expecting this type of greeting.

Usually, he mumbled something like "mornin’" and kept his head down, but not today.

Without waiting for permission, he walked over and plopped down into his seat, grabbing a plate and piling it up with food.

Draven let out an annoyed scoff but said nothing more, knowing that his message was received.

Caring not for that, Veynar clasped his hand and ordered:

"Let’s begin."

Everyone dug in after that...

Everyone except a certain mother.

Lyssandra glanced over at him, frowning slightly.

"Is something wrong today? You’re different than usual."

He took a bite of bread, chewed, swallowed, and then casually asked:

"Do you know anything about a group of eight Higher Gods with really colorful eyes?"

She blinked once more, stunned, while across the table, Selvara stiffened, shooting him a warning look.

"It’s a simple question. Please answer it."

Underneath the table, his older sister kicked his shins hard, but he didn’t even appear to acknowledge it.

"No..."

Eventually, Lyssandra shook her head.

"But if you focused on your lessons, you’d know that there isn’t such a group."

Xenos nodded.

"Yeah, I know, it’s mostly Greek stuff, the lower caste of their Gods, but it’s weird; I never knew this group existed before, and that doesn’t make sense to me, like, at all. You can’t really play a game for at least ten thousand hours and not know such a massive part of the lore."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Dead silence met his words.

But, of course, he didn’t stop.

"Besides, I cracked the game, so most of their weekly updates didn’t even get sent my way. People don’t really know that you can do that to MMOs, but it’s very possible. It was a bit annoying adding the DLCs manually, but eh, it’s not too much trouble."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Everyone kept staring at him like he’d grown a second head, not understanding a single word that he said.

"What? You all think I’m cheap?"

His smile widened a little.

"Oh, yeah, I am. Piracy for the win... unless it’s for novels, and don’t ask me why I say that."

"..."

They all wanted to say something, ’ask’ something, but his sister was the first to do so:

"Ten thousand hours?! Lore?! Piracy? MMOs?! What in Tartaros are you on about?!"

Or rather, she was the first to snap, and before Xenos could answer, his mother ’snapped’ too:

"Language, young lady!"

Though for an entirely different reason.

"I’ve taught you better than to utter such a word in vain."

After her... stern reprimand, she turned back to Xenos, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"And you—can you stop being weird for one day? I get that you’re... lacking... but can you at least try to be more like your older brother?"

Xenos glanced left, where his "older brother," Draven, sat, puffing out his chest like he was the Gods’ gift to humanity, or perhaps a rooster ready to fight.

"Hm."

He tilted his head.

"I’d rather die than be that."

"Huh?!"

Draven shot up, slamming his fists into the table hard enough to rattle the dishes.

"Say that shit again, you waste of Divinity!"

Xenos’s smile didn’t falter, his eyes returning to his mother.

"Don’t ignore me, XENOS!"

"Ah... right."

He fully turned to him, seemingly coming to another realization.

"Not used to being called that yet."

His head nodded a few times, as if his ’realization’ turned into a Divine understanding.

"Also, brother, what do you think of my name?"

Draven, becoming as confused as the rest, began to calm, sitting back down.

"...T-Think what?"

"It is Greek, right?"

"Greek?"

Ignoring his confused question, Xenos continued:

"It means ’Stranger,’ so I feel like it’s Fate. What do you think?"

"..."

Even though he wasn’t given an answer, he still damned continued:

"Hey brother, you know how the popular Greek Gods aren’t around? I mean, sure, I know that they’re here and there, but they’re mostly lesser-known Gods... Hm. Maybe the studio didn’t have the licensing or something. Wait, was there even licensing for Greek stuff?"

Xenos didn’t know, so of course, he asked:

"Hey, do you think it’s because of the licensing?"

Now, more frustrated than confused, Draven clenched his fists.

"Fuckin—The what?!"

"The licensing."

"And I’m asking you, what is it?!"

Xenos shook his head.

"Ah, what an idiot."

Draven snapped back up, enraged.

And Xenos’s smile widened even further...

’Rage baiting—is this what my niece called it?’

Before he turned to his father, expecting the classic:

"Enough."

And sure ’enough—’

"ENOUGH!"