The Cosmos branch in Triven was into the festivities as much as anyone else. More so than its sister buildings if the overcompensation of decorations was any indication.
Most buildings added a mannequin or two in the shape of monsters, maybe some paper mâché with depressing colors. This one painted the whole damn place with depictions of heroes and monsters and decorated its walls to the point that it didn't even look good. Like it wanted to show itself off but didn't know the meaning of modicum, only obnoxiousness.
Roesia, Nora, and Yvain found Nelimir looking at such a spectacle with clear distaste.
"Been waiting long?" Yvain asked as he approached, Selt's food in hand inside a wooden container.
"A bit. Didn't really eat much. I left right after to wait here for you guys," Nelimir said as he looked away from the building's walls. "Shall we get this over with?"
"After you," Yvain said as he gestured for the door.
Everyone moved inside.
Nora swung her head from side to side trying to take everything in at once.
"What's wrong? You don't have Cosmos branches back home?" Yvain asked.
"We do," Nora said. "I'm just curious to see if I'll find anything standing out or missing. Clearly guilds in Empryon are treated differently on many levels."
"If there's one thing that might be different it's that there's no one here," he said.
Out of the way branches like these usually had little traffic, but they were never so empty. There was a single woman at the other side of the room managing one counter out of three. She didn't notice the group walk in, instead shuffling papers in a hurry and quickly writing on them.
As they walked closer, Yvain made out makeup that was probably meant to be a monster of sorts. Yet somehow the way she put it all together made her look like a sheep. Her twitchiness and glasses detracted even more from her already inadequately intimidating look.
Nelimir stopped in front of her and waited for any sign of recognition, none came. The girl kept to her nervous work.
"Hello?" he said.
"Ack!" the girl screamed and dropped half the papers on her hand into the floor. "Oh no, oh no," she said as she quickly bent and picked all of them up before organizing them again. She then looked angrily at their leader.
"What do you want!?" she yelled.
The sudden outburst took everyone aback, but Nelimir quickly recuperated and stated his business.
"We're here to add someone into our guild," he said.
"Now of all times? Can't you come tomorrow?" the girl practically begged.
"It has to be today, we're on a tight schedule," Nelimir said.
That's weird,
Yvain thought. He couldn't remember a single time where they were turned away. What was she busy with anyway? There was no one there besides them. The papers in her hands weren't that many either.
"Stars
smite
you, Cristina! Where are my damn files!?" a loud grating voice burst out from the door behind the girl.
"Coming!" Cristina said and rushed to the back of the building, going out of view.
"Where are the rest!? Are you insane!? Do you
want
me to look bad!?" the voiced screeched rapid-fire questions to which Cristina stuttered out answers trying placate the angry man.
"I-I'm taking care of some guests out front," she said.
"Why should I care!? Send them away!" the man said.
In the silence that followed the tapping of the girl's shoes rang sharp as she came back to her station teary-eyed.
"I guess tyrants can be found anywhere," Nora muttered with distaste.
"Please come back tomorrow," Cristina said as she went back to the files that were still left.
"What's his name?" Nelimir asked and the girl confusedly looked at him.
"His name," he repeated, pointing to the back of the building.
"Eddie?" she said.
"Eddie!" Nelimir yelled, startling Cristina into dropping some more of her files. "Come out here!"
"Do I need to call the guards!?" Eddie threatened as he came barreling out the back door.
Cristina quickly picked up her work and moved out of the line of fire with her head bowed.
"We need to add a member to our guild," Nelimir said.
"And why should I--" the heavy-set man began as he wiped his brow of sweat with a dirty napkin. But then his eyes bulged out as they registered who he was talking to.
"Oh stars I'm so sorry sir-umm prince, majesty, how may I be of service?" Eddie said as he quickly waddled up to the front.
"I said we need to add a member to our guild," Nelimir said, ignoring the fawning of the fat man.
"Of course, your majesty, of course," Eddie said as he bowed several times as far as his stomach allowed. He then turned and in front of everyone slapped Cristina across the face, sending her glasses sliding on the floor.
The girl gave a startled whimper as Roesia gave a low gasp and Nora's body violently shook; her hand quietly venturing to crush Yvain's as she stared death at Eddie.
"Did it slip your rotting mind that our guest is his
majesty
!?" he screamed. Cristina didn't say anything as she choked back a sob and held her reddening cheek. The quickly changing colors of her new bruise revealed what were bruises covered by cleverly placed make-up Yvain hadn't noticed before.
"Go grab the blasted application before I send you back to your family," he said, looking away from her and pasting another dishonest smile for the audience as Cristina grabbed her glasses and left.
"An application?" Nelimir asked.
"Only a formality your majesty, your new member will be added to the registry immediately," Eddie said and moved his eyes over the rest, "may I ask who you'll be adding?"
"Me," Nora said as she walked up next to Nelimir. Yvain had tried to hold her back by the hand but only half-heartedly. He released it soon as she made the slightest effort.
Eddie did his best to keep his eyes from making conscious decisions, but it seemed difficult to ignore the goddess's massive breasts.
"I'll need to ask for a few details," he said as his eyes attempted to remain on her face.
"What is she to you?" Nora asked.
At first Eddie showed a questioning stare, but soon after he realized what the goddess referred to and rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Please stay out of our matters," he said with practiced ease and raised his hand to show off a beautiful ring, "we're married to each other, not you."
"The moment you--"
"Nora," Nelimir interrupted, "don't forget that we have no say on what goes on between two married individuals."
The goddess looked at him with incredulity, but he shook his head seriously.
"You'd do nothing?" she asked.
"It's not our place, and we have an important mission, remember?"
The goddess kept silent for a second or two.
"I do," she said, and looked back at Eddie with barely masked rage, making the fat man unconsciously take a step back. His cloth going up to his forehead again to wipe his brow.
"Thank you, your majesty," he said.
"Just make sure to add her into the registry with haste," Nelimir said and soon after Cristina appeared holding a single sheet of paper which she handed to her husband before standing a bit behind him.
Grabbing a pen, he asked, "Full name?"
"Nora Genesis," Yvain said.
"From the Genesis family?" Eddie asked as he wrote down the name.
"Not yet," Yvain said. "We're to be married soon."
Eddie's pen stopped and he peered at Yvain, "Ah, I should have known. The right-hand man of his majesty."
"Not officially," Yvain said but still nodded.
Cristina slightly lifted her head and gave the couple a demure smile, "Congratulations."
Eddie quickly backhanded her. Not as strong as before, but still with enough force for it to be audible.
"No one asked for your opinion," he said.
Cristina slumped her head and remained quiet.
Then, before anyone could understand what happened, Eddie flew over the counter and toward the building's exit. His body heavily slammed against the wall next to the door, several of his bones giving a sickening crack before he fell on the ground.
Cristina, who had had her head down, didn't see what happened. But with the loud crash she looked up to find her husband on the other side of the building clutching his chest and doing his best to breath.
The poor girl fainted, and Nelimir rushed to catch her over the counter.
In that time Nora appeared next to Eddie and slammed her foot down on his head.
He grunted and attempted to speak through what was probably broken ribs.
"You bitch," he rasped, "do you understand what you're doing?"
"More than you do," she said.
Eddie laughed, "Anyone who attacks a Cosmos agent will automatically receive the penalty of death."
Nora looked to Yvain for confirmation, which he gave.
"And why should that matter to me," she said as her slitted pupils pierced the fat man again.
Eddie gasped a few incredulous incoherencies as he stared up from under her shoe.
"Release him Nora," Nelimir said as Roesia quickly took Cristina out of his hands with ease. "You of all people should understand the consequences of doing something like this."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Nora said as she pressed her foot harder on Eddie's head and his breath became panicky.
"Your majesty, save me!" he yelled.
"Yvain why in the stars haven't you stopped her yet?" Nelimir asked in frustration.
