"Sometimes a book is not meant to be understood. Even if you read it, you're not meant to know what it is, sometimes a book is about the feelings, lessons, and humanity you gain from reading it," explained Marline's mother once.
That quote from her clearly depicted the two characters she was seeing in front of herself. She could not even tell if they were lying about their identities but she knew that the shorter man to the left, with light blue hair was definitely not showing his true personality. It was a hunch or a gut feeling. Yet, when it came to the taller man with black hair and facial hair partially growing (mainly a moustache) she could not hunch, guess, predict, or even see anything related to him. Almost as if his 'book' was not meant to be published to the real world. This sparked a curiosity in her. Who were these people really?
"So you were the men who caused the ruckus earlier right?" asked Marline Hermes.
Xeno chuckled while staring at Danso's clothes that were still a bit worn and torn due to the earlier battle.
"Yes, you are correct," said Danso embarrassingly.
Marline looked at the man, who was still trembling, and slapped him in the face. Danso was shocked at the act. As she was about to slap the man yet again Danso grabbed her hand and deflected the attack.
Julian stepped forward while Xeno blocked Julian from attacking Danso.
"Sorry for my friend here, he is very emotional," said Xeno.
"No need to know what he is. Just tell him to apologize and get lost," said Julian.
Danso gritted his teeth in anger and did not leave Marline's hand. Instead he stared at her with more anger and contempt.
"Why did you do that?" asked Danso.
"What do you mean? This man tried to murder me didn't he?" asked Marline.
"Don't beat around the bush, we all saw what you were about to do if I was a second late he would've exploded into pieces," said Danso.
"You don't know that Limian Mare," responded Marline.
"Anyone would know that the body would not be able to vibrate that size, it would disrupt the bodily functions and then explode into pieces since you used soul energy in the attack," said Danso.
"Smart," replied Marline.
Julian had enough of Danso's antics and forcefully removed his hand from Marline's wrist. Marline stretched her wrist and Julian landed a clean knock to Danso's cheek. Xeno quickly retaliated by kicking Julian on the face with his boot which caused Julian to bend down and spit out a drop of blood.
As Julian was about to attack again, Marline raised her hand and told Julian to pause. Even though it was hard to do, Julian listened and stood still. Marline walked a few feet closer to Xeno.
"What is your name?" asked Marline.
"My name is Anon," said Xeno.
"You do not have a last name?" asked Marline.
"No, I am an orphan," responded Xeno.
Once Marline heard the word orphan she reached to her back pocket and threw a gold coin to the ground.
"Go on, take it," said Marline with no expression on her face.
Xeno could not stand such disrespect. Throwing a coin on the floor and this woman asking him to pick it up like a dog playing fetch. He slapped the lady on the face which caused Julian to quickly rush and throw another punch on Xeno which caused him to fly back and land on some stalls.
Danso looked back before he was about to unsheathe his sword, but he stopped himself.
"If these people get to know I am Samurai they might report me to the Samurai clans and they would not handle this type of low-life in their clan so they will definitely send someone to kill me in honor," thought Danso.
Danso decided to stick to using his passive sword art instead of his sword. His fist lit on fire as he punched Julian, who was a few inches taller than him. Xeno's memory seemed a bit dusty. He knew he saw the woman somewhere so he pulled out his notebook. That notebook kept him tethered to his actual persona. Then there it was the name Marline Hermes. Xeno smirked knowing this was the chance he had been looking for the past five years.
As Danso and Julian were exchanging blows and dodging each other's attacks, Marline was just watching before throwing a book towards Danso. Danso looked at the book in a bit of shock and also a bit curious and suddenly the book exploded.
" 'Never trust an enemy, always be on your toes,' is what a famous samurai said back in the day," said Marline.
Danso had manipulated the fire in the bomb and caused more damage to happen to Julian than to him.
Xeno had finally reached back to the battlefield where he saw multiple customers and vendors eagerly watching the fight as even guards tried to intervene but the hordes of people were too much.
Xeno pushed and pushed using his soul energy to repel the others and eventually made it to the main battlefield by sneaking past the bodyguards stopping the crowd from intervening.
"Well, well we got the Mayor of Northguard City here," said Xeno.
"So you know who I am?" asked Marline.
Danso looked at Xeno in shock and then looked at Marline.
"How could she be a mayor? She's not a leader nor a nice person," thought Danso.
"What would the government do if I told them their representative is currently in an illegal market that is the number one on the banned list?" asked Xeno.
"I could say I am debunking the Black Market," said Marline.
Danso took a video as Marline and Xeno were talking. If she said anything out of line he could expose her right then and there. Xeno and Marline on the other hand did not know what Danso was doing.
"In reality I could throw all of you in jail right here and now," said Marline, turning around to see the crowd's panicked, sweaty faces and hearing the boos.
"Then why won't you do it?" asked Xeno.
"You want me to start with you?" asked Marline.
"I know you won't because you already bought something here. So in this case you aren't a mayor, you are nothing more than a customer as bad as these guys are," said Xeno.
"What would you do if I complained to the Terror Trinity about you?" asked Marline.
"Try it I dare you," said Xeno.
Marline lifted her finger and Julian handed her phone to her. She opened the phone with a swipe of her finger and decided to call Baltrax. The phone started to ring.
Elsewhere another phone also started to ring. Inside Xeno's pocket a phone rang.
"Oh you dialed Baltrax?" asked Xeno.
Marline did not respond via any words or emotion and just dialed another number. The phone rang and the next second another phone in Xeno's pocket rang.
"Oh Sudimous?" asked Xeno.
"How do you have the phones of these people? Who really are you?" asked Xeno.
"I told you I am Anon and I am here on behalf of the Terror Trinity," said Xeno.
"Interesting…What guarantees are there that your slip is not forged?" asked Marline.
"It is not since it has the Lukia Post Stamp on it," said Xeno pointing to the golden crown with a sword at the center symbol on the corner top left.
"You are very smart, but what government even exists at this moment, the President is killed and the cabinet is mostly gone, the country is in chaos Anon," said Marline.
"You're acting as if that means the law part of the government is gone. Only the executionary cabinet is gone," replied Xeno.
"You seem to have done your homework but down here anything can happen," said Marline as she stepped closer with a book in her hand.
Danso suddenly came out from hiding and held his hands up while showing Marline the phone's recorded video.
"If you know what's best for you then you will cooperate," said Danso.
Marline for the first time in her life got angry. Who were these people? They came out of nowhere and started to ruin the almost perfect kingdom she had built in a minute. She clenched her fist yet her crystal face did not seem to budge.
"What do you want? You wouldn't go this far for a simple man," stated Marline.
Danso and Xeno looked at each other before smirking.