For a while now, it was obvious to Xenos that the previous owner of this body wasn't exactly a learned kid, more so because he barely ever left the manor, leaving him clueless about some extremely important and basic things in the world.
In turn, he, who now took hold, wasn't sure that the Rune-Leash Decree was still a thing or if it was just a mechanic the game used to improve a player's Diving experience.
Thankfully, it was real; he would've easily lost control of his life otherwise.
In Runethera, the Houses of Gods and the High Temples of Authority, who were in control of Hieron, the police and official military of this entire realm, instituted what became known as the Rune-Leash—a divine law binding all Runebearers to their Stratum and their families, even beyond death.
Meaning if Xenos died, by law, his body, and most importantly, his Runes would be given back to his family.
On the surface, it was justified as an act of piety: ensuring no Runebearer's body was left unburied, that their Runes were returned to the sanctity of their House, and that their kin could mourn with proper rites.
But beneath the veil of sanctity, it was a machine of control.
The Rune-Leash was, therefore, both leash and noose.
Naturally, most, whether in his position or not, would not have such a thought, using its existence in such a way, never, but that was exactly why it was so beneficial to him.
With it, he could calm Veynar, a reminder that he had complete control.
That, in turn, would delay his death, as whenever his father lowered his hand and ordered his death, it'd be at the opportune moment, giving Xenos much more time to prepare for that outcome.
Of course, Veynar might not have him killed, but Xenos didn't work like that.
If the possibility was there, he would be sure to ready himself for it.
'Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.'
He knew that law by heart.
...
"Hmmmm~"
Xenos calmly walked back to his room, hands behind his back, shoulders loose.
"Hmm-hmm…"
Every maid he passed flinched, glancing at him from the corners of their eyes like he was some ticking bomb.
'Guess news of what happened already made the rounds.'
He was amused.
'Maybe they think I finally snapped.'
Very, very amused.
'That I became some monster.'
A Neglected monster.
He wasn't offended, though.
Again, he barely knew these people.
Sure, he remembered them, but he didn't know them.
The difference between the two was both non-existent and as far as life was from death.
Once inside his room, he shut the door with a soft click and leaned back against it for a second, his eyes staring at the ceiling.
Xenos didn't want to break everything down like your usual protagonist.
That became a bit cliché by now, especially the arranged marriage part.
He wanted to start flipping out, destroy the room or something, but...
Such a 'want' was impossible.
His mind had already calculated it.
Step one: Establish the obvious.
'Forced marriage.'
Step two: Establish the other obvious.
'No obvious starting quest or guide.'
Step three: Establish the third obvious:
'I haven't died yet or been attacked... weird by this game's standard.'
Step four, finally switch things up and stop repeating the word obvious:
'Maybe... maybe there's a prerequisite?'
'Something I have to accomplish first to get a quest?'
Or perhaps it was literally like a game where he had to be given those by NPCs.
It made sense.
Why else would the {Quest} tab leave only what 'They' had given him, something that would ultimately take him many, many, many years to achieve, if at all?
Nodding to himself, he pushed that final thought aside and turned to the main problem at hand:
Packing.
Veynar, and consequently the entire manor, wouldn't help him in any way, shape, or form; he only had what this room offered... and that didn't seem to be much of an issue to him.
'It should be here...'
Lowering himself by the bed, he reached out to the dark beneath it.
'Yes, it is~."
His hand found a soft leather strap, and he pulled it out.
'A rucksack!'
Indeed, it was a rucksack, and quite a big one at that.
'My Rune's paying off already~.'
Though he said that jokingly, it wasn't exactly false.
Neither was the fact that he walked around and grabbed everything that seemed remotely useful, stuffing it full.
A few shirts and pants, rough and plain, but durable.
A simple but heavy coat, thick enough for travel.
A few pairs of boots, barely worn.
A small pouch of copper coins—'lucky' find number two.
A plain knife, it was more of a utility tool than a weapon.
A tiny flint and steel set for fires.
A single thin book titled [Basic Herbs and Potions.]
'Guess this dumbass was an engineer too… though a chemical one.'
Xenos clicked his tongue at himself.
He kind of hated those types, always so obnoxious, never a shred of humility with them, and that meant a lot when coming from someone like him... anyways, he had also found some dried jerky from a wooden box hidden in his wardrobe.
That, alongside the flint and steel, made it obvious that his dumbself once planned to escape but was too much of a coward to actually go ahead with it.
'Don't worry, I'll at least do that for you~'
He grinned while also raiding the bathroom, grabbing:
A weird wooden toothbrush.
A block of rough soap.
A tiny, battered comb.
Some kind of herbal deodorant stick that smelled... acceptable.
And, of course, a small rag he figured could double as a towel.
'Just 'cause I'll be stuck traveling in a medieval dump doesn't mean I'm going to walk around smelling like ass... these people might be fine with it, but I'm not.'
He explained himself to no one in particular and strapped up the rucksack.
Then, Xenos sat down on the bed, arms crossed, tapping his foot rhythmically.
"Hmm~ hm…"
He was already thinking ahead.
"Hm-hmm-hmmm~."
Tonight was going to be a big night, he'd test his luck and start moving forward. He already had a plan... But first, he had to survive the afternoon circus, and what a circus he knew it'd be.