1465 CE
The three Houses.
Mostly everyone knew about them one way or another and in some cases, it was because of fear and oppression.
House Apocalypse, the "Overseer," was the ruler of the other two houses, House Schariac and House Kaslana. The former represented the "Divine Maiden," while the latter represented the "Knight."
In simpler words, the ones under were soldiers, and unfortunately, the family above them was not any good in terms of morality. They shielded their horrible actions under the words of protecting the world against Honkai, yet also partook in multiple wars with human beings.
In such a place where friendship should be the last thing on someone's mind…
"Otto, hurry up!", Two people were running after a flying toy.
The white-haired girl, Kallen Kaslana, easily kept up with it while the blonde boy, Otto Apocalypse, lagged behind. Exactly because he enjoyed playing like this, he did not want to destroy all of his stamina.
This routine started over a month ago once Kallen randomly jumped over a wall with his plane and said how amazing it was. He had considered it crude work since then, but it didn't seem to change her mind.
"You will hurt yourself running around like that.", He eventually spoke, but his words were shrugged off.
"I am still a warrior unlike you! Hehe.", She laughed freely with her bare feet touching the grass.
It was true though. His family wasn't known for their combat abilities at all, but it was hard to say they cared about the mind instead.
His inventions were frowned upon and he was considered the shame of the family. Such was the fate of simple creativity.
No wonder the territory was falling apart.
Still, they were having fun.
Who cares beyond that?
Such thinking is meaningless in the faces of children.
The toy continued to move through the air until landing softly under a tree.
Rustle… rustle…
And from a random bush right next to it, someone just grabbed it.
""???"", Both blinked confusedly at the development.
It was definitely a human hand, but simply taking something while hearing other people run toward it is outrageous.
"SSSSSIIIIIRRRRRRRRRR!!!", Kallen cried. "Please give it back! It's my friend's!"
"...", Eventually a small boy came out while still looking over the plane. "It's a rather interesting contraption."
"It's-", Otto tried to shield his friend, but she pushed him away right after.
"Amazing! Right? I have been trying to tell him, but he won't liste-", She gets cut off as her cheeks get pinched. "Hey, what was that for!"
"You take this too easily.", He turns to the stranger again. "My name is Otto Apocalypse. Who are you?"
""Ha."", The irony of just telling your name after not trusting strangers wasn't lost on the other two people. "Fritz. I ran into a problem and tried to find a town."
Gesturing to his attire, they realized the burnt and torn bits and the girl ran over as if at superspeed to check for bleeding wounds. Weirdly, she found none.
"...Did you just steal these to have something?", She blurted out.
"No, they used to be my clothes."
"Uh…bullied?", Maybe instead of Honkai Beasts, it was just a power move from other people?
"I didn't encounter-"
BOOM!
A loud explosion happened within seconds right next to the group.
"Ugh…", An armored dying man was embedded into the ground with a glowing lance falling out of his hand.
Kallen tried to get closer, but Otto caught her shoulder as if he knew what she would do. Right after, he went to gauge Fritz's expression.
'You can deceive people with words, but not your expression.'
…Ignore the fact that a child thought this.
"..."
"..."
"Hey, O-"
Mumblings were mulled over as if he watched intensively the carefree smile that was on the boy's face. Even as screaming and further battle could be heard, he didn't bat an eye to the surroundings for the first time in his life besides his expression. It was not forced nor predatory which only puzzled him further.
It was as if someone's death never affected him.
As if he was taking a leisurely walk.
CRASH!
More soldiers were sent flying towards their area which got the girl trying to help even more, but as detached as he was, Otto still held onto her the hardest he had ever. It was a subconscious reaction to keep his only friend safe.
The people continued having some ominous glowing weapons or armour which seemed to spark some interest in Fritz, but nothing changed outwardly for other people to see.
Turning his gaze to his eyes, he noticed one of his eyes seemed to be constantly unfocused. It also moved weirdly fast and with a delay between each movement.
Overall, he was definitely off-putting.
So much so it got him curious. Moreover, looking at the anxious stare Kallen gave towards him, it seemed like separating wouldn't happen.
And, so…
"Hey, weirdo.", He called out.
"Otto?"
"Me?", The str- no, the thing stared back at him with the same grin. "What do you need?"
"Are you interested in a job?", Otto muttered with a deadpan tone.
""Hah?""
Without further ado, he grabbed both and started running back to the town. Kallen kept calling him as if he was the one without shoes and Fritz laughed like Otto was the weird one.
Yet none rejected his hand.
One out of friendship.
Another out of pure disinterest.
'This doesn't change anything after all.'
Still, a job offer was new and who was Fritz to say no? If someone puts that much "trust" into you after one meeting then there is no need for choices.
"Ah!", Kallen went back to her usual self like she hadn't encountered anything traumatizing. "Fritz, do you want to save the world with us?"
She wholeheartedly smiled.
Fritz blinked, while Otto just smiled and shook his head.
'More new things.'
-
"Bodyguard? Otto's?"
Inside a heavily decorated room, an old man with a long beard and red robe over stylized royal clothing looked at the kneeling man reporting his son's activity.
This was Nikolas Apocalypse, the current head of House Apocalypse and ruler of these lands.
'Getting a bodyguard is obviously not unheard of, but…'
Simply put, no one cared about Otto. He was dead last in terms of ascending the throne, didn't show any desire for it, and was barely thirteen years old.
Moreover, the one hired was an unknown child who had to be given clothes.
"Ah.", He clutched his head. "This isn't doing any good to my health… Fine, let him play with what he wants."
'He should hope this isn't putting him in the sight of others even more…'
"Yes, my lord.", The long white haired man got up.
"...Francis.", That got him to stop.
It wasn't every day Nikolas would call him by his actual name.
"...Yes.", He answered meekly.
"Your child started meeting with Otto lately."
"...", The head of the Kaslana family didn't answer his heavy tone.
"I am telling you to watch.", He finally locked eyes with his old friend for a moment. "It wouldn't be the first or last time one or multiple noble children just happened to die."
"...Yes. Unfortunately."
"...", Nikolas closed his eyes for a few brief seconds as if reminiscing some old memories, only to end up staring at the floor. "Unfortunately, huh… Go now."
Creak…
The door hinges groan, then-
Thud.
It closes.
The man continued looking down.
There was no end to problems in this place.