"You're WHAT?!?" Kara almost lost her mind. In her mind Phina was not a viscous and heartless Enforcer! She was a poor little girl that didn't know any better.
Kara was not to blame for her poor opinion on Enforcers. Almost every born noble, or nobles that were ennobled young, had such an opinion on Enforcers.
While the Enforcers were the ultimate heroes of all peasants and commoners, they were an unending nightmare to nobles. The Enforcers' Exodia was formed to protect everyone from nobles, yet most Enforcers pretended that noble-on-noble crimes didn't exist. The Exodia had to impose forced missions to get the Enforcers to help the lower nobles from the higher nobles. While Enforcers had to do one forced mission from the remnant missions, the likelihood of it being a noble protection mission was high. That was mostly because Enforcers picked up the other missions to do and benefit from in their free time, and usually, only noble protection missions would remain. The Enforcers were all be divided into 7 Camps.
Firstly, the Revenge Camp. The Revenge Camp was full of Enforcers who have lost everything. Family, friends, property and wealth. Everything was lost to nobles, so they joined the Exodia in hopes of getting to relieve their hatred. They were usually assigned punishment missions. They would be tasked with publicly shaming, humiliating and punishing nobles who have broken the Exodia's rules. The Revenge Camp loved these types of missions because they were the safest and most satisfying type of mission for them. If a noble retaliated, not only would they lose their lives, but they could also implicate their entire family! Not one Enforcer in the Revenge Camp did not wish for such a situation.
Secondly, the Protection Camp. The Protection Camp's Enforcers were the ones who joined for the Exodia's family and friends protection rooms. Though they detested every mission they got and would rather spend all their time with their friends and family, they were usually assigned mundane tasks such as hunting, gathering and mining missions.
Thirdly, the Battle Camp. They were a crazy bunch. The Battle Camp, or the Battle Maniacs as they were nicknamed, were Enforcers who joined the Exodia in hopes of increasing their prowess through battling noble protectors and members from The Garrison. They're usually assigned war missions. War missions were Enforcer's nightmare, especially the Protection Camp, for it had the highest casualty rate of any type of mission. But it was a treasured opportunity for the Battle Camp, it was an opportunity to test their limits! War missions were missions employed from outsiders asking for the Enforcers' help in a warzone. Most Squad members came from this camp due to their high combat power.
Fourthly, the Darkness Stalkers. The Darkness Stalkers were infamous for being a Camp of actual lunatics. They were the true nightmare of nobility. They usually hungered for assassination missions, so much so that they pay other camps to give them their assassination missions. They loved to torment and torture nobles before killing them.
Fifthly, the Economic Camp. The Economic Camp was given a rather uncouth nickname which was "The Trash Beneath The Trash". The nickname was given due to the Enforcers of this Camp's attitude and background. Most of these Enforcers were children of powerhouse commoner families and viewed themselves as higher than the rest of the Camps. Even though nobles ruled the world, it was simply too huge for nobles to occupy all of it. Some commoner families worked hard to get a piece of the pie, the Kinus family being one of them. Marrow did not attain his nobility from birth. Neither did Kara, though she did at a young age. The Economic Camp was usually assigned business missions. They would be responsible for financing the Exodia's funds and shops around the world.
Lastly, the Wandering Camp. The Wandering Camp was the most welcomed Camp in all of the Exodia. The Wandering Camp was made up of commoners and peasants who had nothing to begin with. They never had any of the Revenge Camp's rage or the Protection Camp's aggression because they never had anything to avenge or protect. They were normal people who loved to travel the world and help anyone in need, whether they be commoners, peasants and sometimes even nobles! They were usually assigned negotiation missions and were the witnesses and Markers of War Declarations and Peace Treaties. Phina would definitely fall into this group.
"Oh, come on. Enforcers aren't that bad." Jack said lightly.
"You know what those bastards did to us two years ago!!" Kara was infuriated.
"I've also seen what nobles have done to my family a decade ago, what's your point?" Jack said casually.
"B-But..." Kara was taken aback by Jack's light tone and unaggressive attitude, it was the perfect opportunity to argue with her! He'd even be in the 'right'. Even though she was outnumbered, as Fardo and Jack have both expressed their approval of Phina joining with Marrow not saying a thing, she still persisted. "not all nobles are the same, Jack!"
Jack sighed as he leaned on Kara's room's doorway as usual, "Right back at you."
"Kara, enough." everyone expected Marrow to have said this, yet it was actually Phina! She looked to Kara with a stern look. "I was not asking for your permission, neither looking for your approval. I was just letting you know."
In all honesty, Phina did not actually care if Kara liked it or not. She had simply come here and told them to see if Jack could help here with something that the Exodia couldn't. She had expected Jack to give her his support, but Fardo came as a surprise. He was even slightly excited for her. Marrow, on the other hand, had not said a thing. He had been silent ever since Phina had said that she had visited the Vice Captain.
She was most disappointed with Kara. Phina thought to herself, 'Why is she acting so...childlike? And w-why do I feel so embarrassed?'
As she looked at Kara, she saw a very blurry mirage of a rainbow-haired woman almost copying Kara's movement and facial expressions. It felt like she was watching something so familiar, yet so unattainable. She hated this feeling. It further strengthened her resolve to join the Enforcers' Exodia.
"Seraphina." Marrow finally spoke. Everyone else, immediately fell silent. "As I have been a commoner for most of my life, I will give you my perspective from that point of view. The Enforcers are a group of heroes to all. They stop the unstoppable nobles, and protect the poor and weak commoners and peasants. They are a great group to join."
Kara immediately jumped in, "But, da-"
"Didn't I tell you to be quiet?" Phina shot her a glare.
"I..." Kara got a chill. She grit her teeth as she thought in rage, 'When did she get so authoritative?! It must have been that bastard William Acuter!!'
"Please, continue." Phina looked to Marrow with a pleading look. This was her future! She couldn't just rush in blindly, she could lose her life!!
"That was from a commoner's point of view." Marrow frowned. "But it was much worse from a noble's perspective. The Enforcers' economic powers would push down on us nobles, causing us to lose a lot of money. They would also randomly pick any assassination mission they could get their hands on. They would also punish any nobles they caught breaking the rules to the highest degree."
"Wouldn't that be righteous though?" Phina asked honestly. She was in no mood to suck up to Marrow for some brownie points and allowance. After all, she would no longer rely on his money to live off of, she would be living with the Enforcers.
"Would you like to be punished by public lashes to the back for throwing a piece of trash on the street?" Marrow did not take it to heart. After all, even he believed the same as she did before he started receiving such treatment. "Do you understand now? The Enforcers are a commoner's dream and a noble's nightmare. What kind of Enforcer you wish to be is up to you. Regarding the matter of joining, I don't think we can even convince you out of it, can we?"
Phina giggled lightly, "Thank you for your advice, Marrow. Trust me, I'll be a fair Enforcer."
"That's if you join! You still have the test, remember? Just do your best and rise up the ranks!" Fardo encouraged with a thumbs up.
"Why are you guys acting like the matter is settled?!" Kara nearly lost all pretenses as she grabbed Fardo by the shoulders. "She can't go alone, she'll be tricked into something or manipulated! She doesn't even have the Kinus name, she'll be blackmailed! Maybe eve-"
Slap!
Jack slapped Kara square on the cheek. Yet neither her father nor husband raised a voice of complaint. Jack grabbed the collar of her shirt as he shouted, "Get your shit together!! You're not her mother!"
Kara looked to the rest of the room for help, only to discover for the first time the look of disappointment in their eyes. She looked like a noble who was ordering around their slaves, all of them looked at her with slight disgust. All of them...except Phina.
Phina walked forward with a slight, forced, smile and said, "Kara. I...am an adult. I can take care of myself."
Phina had an incredible feeling rush throughout her body. It was as if a huge lie had been out in the open. A lie had turned into a truth. She was a giant child in the body of an adult back when she was Sera, yet now that she's finally facing the struggles of life for the first time, she was starting to become an adult.