Babel

After leaving the weapons shop with two new daggers stowed away in his Inventory, Linnaeus began searching for his next destination, an armorsmith. He had noticed that most people had forgone the use of their self-repairing bodysuits so, if he wanted to avoid standing out, he would need to change his clothing.For now, Linnaeus decided to stick close to buildings and alleyways, using the skills he had acquired in the slums to get a better grasp of the territory around the Inn. He knew the importance of having a proper grasp of the terrain around one's home as it could allow him to escape pursuit and drop a tail if he was being followed.Fortunately, while most people went about their business without paying much attention to their surroundings, Linnaeus made eye contact with several others in the same 'profession' as him. They too kept to the places where people didn't typically look and, while they didn't seem as active as the thieves in the slums, it was obvious the timeless trade had continued in the Crucible of Souls.Had there been fewer thieves, Linnaeus wouldn't have been able to relax as he couldn't fathom the existence of a society that functioned in perfect order. He believed that the more peaceful a society appeared to be on the surface, the darker the shadows laying underneath. This was the conclusion he had come to after his discussion with Eliza and, after changing his perception slightly, Linnaeus had started to notice things he had previously overlooked as a result of the incongruous feeling that had plagued him since entering the Fifth Floor.The blacksmith with a beard, who Linnaeus had come to know as Baro, had mentioned that this city was protected by the Lord's Familia, Caulder. They were a large organization of powerful individuals who, failing to exit the Crucible in time, formed a contract with the Lord of the Crucible, the aptly named Goddess of Darkness, Tenebrae.Though the terms of the contract were not made public, it was an inviolable truth that, in the central district of the Fifth Floor, the Caulder Familia reigned supreme. They worked tirelessly to keep order over the last 800 years and, despite many powerful figures passing through over the centuries, their rule had been largely uncontested.From Baro, Linnaeus learned that the members of the Caulder Familia all wore a similar emblem somewhere on their body. With this information, he was able to glean some insight into the means used by the Caulder Familia to keep order as, during his skulking about, Linnaeus noticed that nearly every thief he came across had the identifying mark.Eliza had mentioned that a structured society was very orderly but, from what he could tell, Caulder and his Familia were just a very organized gang. The only thing that made them 'good' was the fact that they were the strongest faction as, in the endless annals of history, the victor was justice while the losers' reputations were dragged through the mud...Fortunately, Linnaeus had come to learn much about the Fifth Floor through Baro so, even if Eliza and Emilia pressured him to stay for an extended period of time, he should be able to convince them to spend their time productively.The Fifth Floor was a vast plane of various different environments, each rich with both monsters and resources. There, you could earn more Soul Kindling for yourself and, if you obtained rare materials, converting them into greater wealth, weapons, or armaments was an option.Linnaeus realized that the Fifth Floor was one giant trap but, considering what awaited them in the Fourth through Second Floors, they needed to be prepared. They only had a year since the time of their entry into the Crucible to reach the surface so, if they became complacent and used to living on the Fifth Floor, there would be no escape. From then onward, they would be bound to the Crucible of Souls until their bodies turned to ash.While this may not seem like the worst fate, as living on the Fifth Floor seemed rather comfortable, the truth of the matter was that the longer you spent in the Crucible, the more of yourself that was lost. You would slowly begin losing your memories and, after a few decades, even your basic senses would begin to fade away. This could be tentatively treated by consuming Soul Kindling but, from that moment onward, you would need an ever-increasing amount to keep yourself functioning.Linnaeus wasn't fond of the idea of being trapped inside the Crucible until his very existence began to fade away so, in order to return to the Tower and reunite with Saht and his sister, he would gather the necessary Soul Kindling to purchase a new life from Tenebrae.According to the information he had obtained from the inordinately kind Baro, reaching the First Floor alone granted you the right to make a contract with Tenebrae. There, in exchange for 100,000 to 1,000,000 Soul Kindling, you would be allowed to return to the world of the living. This value was based on how long you had been inside the Crucible of Souls and, according to Baro, how much the temperamental Goddess favored you...Though Linnaeus had yet to meet Tenebrae directly, he had the distinct impression that the Goddess was over-fond of him based on his conversation with his fellow Party members. They all had similar experiences with the lascivious-sounding Goddess of Darkness and, prior to hearing her interact with him, her voice had been distant and cold when they had to interact with her.Linnaeus had no idea why Tenebrae was so taken with him but, from what he was able to glean, she apparently just picked people at random to show favor to. He didn't believe this in the slightest bit, until he could meet with her directly, there was no way to ascertain why she was so fond of teasing him.What mattered at the moment was that Tenebrae's 'affection' was a costly burden to bear as, rather than make the price more affordable, the Goddess hiked up the cost for those she favored. This was so that she could keep them in the Crucible and, while it was frightening to imagine, Linnaeus heard the Goddess kept a vast collection of the people she cherished the most back in her palace on the First Floor.In order to avoid this ridiculous end, Linnaeus would need to earn upwards of 4,000,000SK as his instincts told him the Goddess would extend the same 'favor' to the rest of his Party. There was a good chance that Krone wouldn't want to return to the Tower but, so long as he was Party Leader, Linnaeus would always look toward the 'best' route forward for his entire Party.This was where the Fifth Floor came in as, even if you weren't a powerful combatant with a high Level, you could still earn a fortune. There were various materials that could be found in the vast wilderness surrounding the five major districts circling the central region dominated by the Caulder Familia. Some of these could be exchanged for thousands of Soul Kindling at a time and, if you were fortunate, obtaining a rare artifact that auctioned for several hundred thousand wasn't impossible.The caveat to this system was that, in order to pass through the Fourth, Third, and Second Floors, the number of Soul Kindling you possessed determined the difficulty of the trials you would face. If you did not possess adequate willpower and resolve, passing through would be impossible as Tenebrae would not so easily allow you to simply move on whenever you'd like.Linnaeus assumed that she used the first three Floors as a metric to determine the type of person you were so, after hastily moving on from the Sixth Floor, he imagined she was eager to force him into a difficult position. Fortunately, at least according to Baro, most of the challenges on the next three Floor weren't strictly combat-oriented as it would otherwise be impossible for those with non-combative Blessings.Without having to be asked, Baro had regaled for Linnaeus the tale of his own ascent through the Crucible so, unless the middle-aged man was lying to him, the information should be trustworthy.From this story, Linnaeus learned that Baro had been required to forge one-hundred high-quality weapons back-to-back with the only rest afforded to him being when he was polishing the edges of various blades. If he stopped for more than a half-hour at any point, the room he had been forced into would begin to rapidly decrease in size, threatening to skewer his body with the very weapons he had forged.This seemed to be an impossible task in Linnaeus' mind but, from how Baro talked of the event, it apparently hadn't troubled him all that much. Rather, it was the challenge on the Second Floor that was his undoing as he had been forced to clear nine rooms, each containing a progressively stronger Doppelganger of himself. He was only able to clear up to the fifth room before he was forced to give up, a right that was allowed to everyone at the expense of never being able to leave the Crucible in the future.After failing his challenge, Baro was sent back to the Fifth Floor and, with no way to move upwards, decided to settle down. It was rumored that, if you lived a good life on the Fifth Floor, you would be given the chance to reincarnate into a better standing in your next life. There wasn't any evidence for this but, after being sent to the Crucible of Souls upon their first death, many of the residents on the Fifth Floor believed in things like reincarnation.Linnaeus felt that this was just something the ruling families came up with to keep people in line but, as there was no harm in believing in an ideal that made people live better lives, he didn't mention his opinion. Rather, he eventually realized that Baro thought he was a girl when the man told him that, if he failed to leave the Crucible, he could always return to the weapon's shop. After that, he began to talk up how 'kind' and 'hardworking' his grandson was, alerting Linnaeus to the misunderstanding his appearance had caused...Fortunately, Baro seemed rather amused by the fact that he was a male and, towards the latter half of their conversation, he began droning on about eating more meat and exercising frequently. He even tried to convince Linnaeus to purchase a warhammer and a battleax, claiming they were the types of weapons used by men to build strong upper bodies and toned back muscles.Though it was a uniquely 'frustrating' conversation, Linnaeus appreciated Baro's advice as the man had given him a lot of information for no real cost other than a bit of his dignity. He was actually a little inspired to take advantage of his looks more often but, remembering the fate of many women in the slums, Linnaeus had no intention of following through on this urge. Though he might be able to trick a few people, there was a chance he would trick someone he had no hopes of defeating and, as a result, suffer an extremely terrible end.To avoid this, Linnaeus had found a relatively affordable clothing shop before purchasing distinctly male clothing. He also used his newly acquired dagger to give himself a haircut as, without any real need to maintain it, his bangs had grown near eye level while the back of his hair had nearly reached his shoulders. In hindsight, it was easy to understand why some people would mistake him as a girl, especially with his small stature and thin frame. Unfortunately, cutting his hair actually made his face stand out even more so, after returning to the Inn for the night, Eliza pestered him for more than an hour before he was finally able to rest...

Since the time he turned ten-years-old, Linnaeus could count the number of times he slept under a roof on both hands.Being constantly hunted down made you quickly realize that confined spaces were dangerous so he would generally find a location where other vagrants gathered. This allowed him to blend in a little better but, no matter how much time passed, it wasn't something anyone could ever get used to.Linnaeus was such a light sleeper that the subtle change in a person's breathing was enough to stir him awake, his nerves tensing as his fight or flight instincts took over. This habit was ingrained so deeply into his character that, even when he lived alongside Saht, it was impossible to ever lower his guard enough to get a good night's rest. In fact, unless he had been knocked unconscious, sleeping for more than fifteen minutes at a time was a rare occurrence.Now, Linnaeus was in a familiar scenario, the warm body of another person pressed snugly against his own as he stared aimlessly at the back of his eyelids.When Linnaeus had left to gather information the previous night, Eliza had moved their individual beds together, forming one large, shared, bed. As it didn't matter to him, either way, Linnaeus had ultimately given in to her pestering as, for reasons he was only vaguely aware of, her presence was very calming to him.Linnaeus knew that Eliza put on a pretense of being a big sister but the truth of the matter was that she seemed to be trying to act as his surrogate mother. While she didn't show it much around Emilia and Krone, she would hug him tightly when they were alone together. There had even been a point where she caressed his head while humming a lullaby but, after failing to lull him to sleep, she began using more direct methods to try and get him to relax.Though he had come to know her better, Linnaeus didn't completely understand why Eliza acted in such a way toward him. He speculated that she missed her own mother and, learning he had grown up without one, wanted to help ease both of their burdens slightly. The only other reason he could think of was that she showed him empathy so that he became more reliant on her, effectively tying their fates together and ensuring he would do everything in his power to protect her.Ultimately, it didn't really matter why Eliza behaved this way as her presence did actually help him relax. He still couldn't fall into a deep sleep but, with a warm body at his side, something deep inside him appreciated the gesture of kindness and affection. It also helped that she had particularly large breasts so, even if she was squeezing him a little too tightly, it wasn't uncomfortable...---As was the case every time they slept together, it was Linnaeus' duty to stir Eliza awake as she wasn't exactly a morning person. He had to practically drag her out of bed and, for the briefest of moments, their roles were reversed.Fortunately, Eliza had enough sense to wear her bodysuit at all times so, even in her most slovenly state, she wasn't exactly indecent. Though the skintight suit left little the imagination, it was better than being completely naked as, despite what she might say, he knew it would be impossible for them to have a completely platonic relationship if things developed to that point.Linnaeus wasn't a child and, while Eliza herself was still a maiden, he already had a bit of experience, even if it was derived from 'necessity' more than lust. This was an inherent truth so, no matter how much she tried to coddle him, his innocence had died a very long time ago.Eliza, unaware of the thoughts going through Linnaeus' mind, released a long yawn while the latter used a simple comb to untangle the curls in her hair. It had gotten a little out of hand as a result of her having to rough it for more than a month so, while he was out last night, Linnaeus purchased a small jade comb as a gift.To her credit, Eliza managed to pretend she wasn't annoyed by the many times the comb got caught on a knot. This was something that caused pain regardless of Endurance and [Pain Tolerance] but, to avoid a situation where Linnaeus never combed her hair again, she lightly clenched her teeth while pretending to be half-asleep.Linnaeus was, of course, aware of this fact. However, he wasn't the type to ignore the efforts of other people. They had a strange synergistic relationship going on so, while it had an illusory quality, he was willing to keep it up as long as she was.When he finally managed to comb through all the knots, Eliza's previously 'puffy' hair had become considerably more manageable. It still curled naturally but, compared to the bird's nest it had been before, it was a significant improvement.As it was his honest feelings, Linnaeus used the opportunity when their gazes met in the mirror to smile slightly and comment, "Your hair looks a lot nicer like this. Before moving on to the next Floor, I'll make sure to pick up some hair care products and soap..."Hearing Linnaeus' remark, Eliza rolled her eyes but she couldn't hide the smile on her face due to the two tiny dimples on her cheeks. She knew he was just being nice and, while his words sounded like a compliment, it was more-so a statement of basic fact than anything else. Still, it made her happy just knowing he showed at least a basic level of consideration for her as, compared to the scheming and pretentious nature of the people she had been forced to associate with, his honesty was a breath of fresh air.Eliza knew she wasn't a beautiful woman by any means. While she wasn't ugly, her plain looks had always been a sore spot as a result of being born in the Evendoom family. She hated hearing people compliment her with words they didn't mean so, while Linnaeus was still a little awkward, his honest and straightforward remarks, combined with his own inordinately beautiful appearance, dealt critical damage to her heart.In order to hide her embarrassment and happiness, Eliza stretched her body and, before he could get away, she pushed Linnaeus into the chair and said, "Comb." in a stern tone. This made him frown ever so slightly but, after a moment of consideration, he ultimately relinquished the comb, allowing Eliza to return the favor from before.Unlike her own naturally curly hair, Linnaeus had a propensity to grow straight while forming small, gently flowing, locks. He had his [Barrier Aura] active at almost all times so dust, humidity, and other stressful factors for any woman had no effect on him whatsoever. This gave his hair a natural, silky smooth, quality that honestly irked Eliza more than a little.With his hair far more agreeable than her own, Eliza managed to comb through it in less than a minute. He had cut it short the previous night so it was a lot easier to deal with than it otherwise would have been.Once his hair had been combed through, Linnaeus managed to extricate himself from the chair and say, "We should get ready. I'm certain Emilia is already awake so we'll knock on Krone's door before heading down for breakfast. There is a lot we need to discuss and I'd rather get it out of the way sooner, rather than later..."Eliza had given Linnaeus a hard look when he escaped her grasp but, by the time he was finished speaking, she returned to her usual calm and collected self. There would be plenty of time for the two of them to bond in the future so she wasn't going to pressure him too much. Rather, she was very curious to know what he had learned since he was unwilling to divulge everything the previous night.With Eliza behaving, Linnaeus fixed his own equipment before making his way out into the hallway. At nearly the exact same moment, Emilia's door opened and, with a smile on her face, she poked her head out and asked, "Sleep well~?"Understanding she was trying to tease him, Linnaeus maintained his usual calm as he nodded his head and answered, "It was very comfortable. How about you, did you sleep in long...?"Eliza had been just behind Linnaeus when he made his remark so her face turned scarlet as several thoughts ran through her mind. She didn't have to imagine what part of her was 'comfortable' so, before Emilia could recover from her surprise, Eliza balled her hand into a fist before lightly smacking Linnaeus' shielded head.As Eliza wasn't actually trying to hurt him, Linnaeus' [Sense Danger] didn't activate so, upon feeling an impact against his [Barrier Aura], he quickly rolled to the side before bounding up, daggers drawn as his red eyes came into focus. This caused Eliza and Emilia to stare back at him, their expressions a perfect representation of their loss for words.Realizing she had made a mistake, Eliza quickly recovered her senses and, with a genuine expression of concern, she muttered, "I'm sorry, Lin...I shouldn't have hit you, even if I knew it wouldn't do any damage..."Understanding what had happened, Linnaeus forced himself to calm down. He realized his words could be misinterpreted the moment he said them but, without consideration for how Eliza herself would react, he made a thoughtless remark just to catch Emilia off guard. In essence, it was his fault that Eliza had struck him so, while part of him couldn't reconcile this, Linnaeus' rationale allowed him to hang his head slightly as he apologized in turn.Eliza could tell that Linnaeus hadn't completely forgiven her as, when she stepped toward him, his body had visibly tensed. Despite this, she continued to slowly close the distance between them, her steps slow and measured until she was right in front of him. Then, at a very slow and easy to avoid rate, she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly as she repeated, "I really am sorry, Lin. Please forgive me..."Hearing the pained undertone to Eliza's voice, Linnaeus slowly began to relax his body as he took a few deep breaths. This was extremely awkward for Eliza, as she was hugging his face near her bosom but, not wanting to spook him any further, she tolerated the fluttery feeling in her stomach. It helped that Emilia was still present as she had someone to glare at...Emilia was also feeling a little awkward as, with her enhanced senses and the thing walls of the Inn, she knew Eliza and Linnaeus hadn't done anything. She only wanted to tease him a bit since he was always so serious. His response had nearly brought a smile to her face but, seeing how he reacted when Eliza lightly struck the back of his head, it was very apparent that Linnaeus still hadn't opened his heart to any of them.Not wanting to be the only one left out, Emilia did something inexplicable to both Linnaeus and Eliza as she moved to a seated position before laying down on her back. She had her head angled toward them and, after moving her hands up to her chest, she cocked her head to the side while turning her eyes up at the duo and saying, "I'm sorry..." in a sheepish tone.Seeing the rather ridiculous display, Linnaeus' tensions seemed to release all at once and, while still in Eliza's embrace, he released a light chuckle. This caused the tense atmosphere to quickly dissipate, just in time for Krone to come out of his own room, a dull look on his face as he saw the trio putting on some kind of play...

The conversation between Linnaeus and Eliza ran much later into the evening than the former had expected. His original intention had been to venture out under the cover of night but, much to his surprise, there were various light fixtures illuminating the city as a persistent amount of foot traffic breathed life into the streets below.Everything Linnaeus was experiencing on the Fifth Floor subtly changed his view on what society, in general, was supposed to be like. The people going about their business seemed full of purpose and, though it was clear that some were in more dire states than others, the tension he associated with large groups of people simply didn't exist.According to Eliza, this was actually very normal as any place with an established hierarchy generally became civil and organized. There were few benefits in suppressing people as they were much easier to exploit when the option of being 'content' and 'happy' was given to them. After all, if their efforts would never amount to anything, most people would resort to violence and underhanded methods just to survive.Linnaeus could understand the logic behind Eliza's words but, having grown up in the slums, he had a lot of trouble overcoming the incongruity in his own heart and mind. If society functioned in the way that Eliza claimed, he wondered how the slums could even be a thing. The only possible reason he could think of was that those in power had orchestrated the existence of the slums and, from the time since its establishment, they had endeavored to force those born within to stay impoverished...As there was no sense in brooding over the matter unless he one day escaped the Tower, Linnaeus ultimately decided to do what he always did, adapt to the situation. He waited until after dinner to mention he would be venturing out into the city to collect information. It might be a different kind of place than the slums he had grown up in but, compared to Eliza, Emilia, and Krone, he was the best at gathering information and moving undetected.Though Eliza and Emilia actually wanted to go exploring themselves, they decided to hole up inside the Inn for the night while entrusting Linneaus to his self-assigned task. Eliza, in particular, had been looking forward to enjoying a hot bath before sleeping in a comfortable bed so she wasn't against the idea of waiting at least one evening. As for Emilia, she was content with having food to eat and, coming from a tribe that always stuck together, she wasn't going to wander around on her own.With everyone on the same page, Linnaeus pulled aside Krone and, though the grey-skinned man didn't seem fond of the fact, he calmed down once the former said, "I'll entrust protecting those two to you. They may be able to take care of themselves but I feel they are being too complacent. While I'm away, please take care of them..."Krone only snorted in response to Linnaeus' words but, based on his body language and the way he became more vigilant, it was obvious he had taken the words to heart. Since his 'mission' was to help Eliza reach the highest level of the Crucible of Souls, he wasn't going to let anything happen to her if it was within his power to prevent.After watching Krone walk away for a few seconds, Linnaeus immediately changed focus as he exited the warm and fragrant inn. The first thing he noticed was that the evening temperature was a little brisk but, with the warm lights coming from the windows of various buildings, it felt strangely warm and pleasant.Without letting this illusion affect his mentality, Linnaeus began to follow the flow of traffic, his eyes darting around as he made a mental note of how people behaved and interacted with each other. At the same time, he checked the prices of various goods so he could get a feel for the average cost of living as there was a good chance that Eliza and Emilia would want to stay for a few days, at the very least.Much to Linnaeus' surprise, there were various fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and even meat being sold in the stalls. Even more surprising, however, was the fact that the vendors didn't seem especially warry of potential thieves. They all put on a mask of amicability as they enthusiastically greeted each customer that entered their sales area.Even though he was dressed like a wild child that had been lost in the woods for years, Linnaeus was treated like a guest of honor after entering a weapons shop. There, a stout man with an intricately braided beard and a large nose waved in his direction as he shouted, "Hey there little one! What can ah get for you today? Routine maintenance starts at 5 Kindlin' and, if you want any custom wares, we have commissions startin' at 50 Kindlin'."Linnaeus was taken aback by the man's vigor but what truly surprised him was the fact that several weapons were on display without any discernible security features. There was even a barrel in the corner with the word 'discounts' painted on the side, filled to the brim with lower quality swords, spears, and other weapons.Seeing Linnaeus look around, the man gave a knowing smile as he asked, "Yer one a' those types that ain't used to enterin' a real weapons shop, eh? If I had to gander, yer probably new to the floor as well, aye?"Hearing the man's words, Linnaeus made a mental note to fix his behavior in the near future. For now, he gave a curt nod before saying in the most neutral tone he could manage, "This is my first time seeing a shop with weapons placed so haphazardly. Are you not afraid that people will try to steal them...?"As if he had just heard the funniest thing in the world, the bearded man began to laugh boisterously while slapping his palm against the countertop. This caused Linnaeus to tense up as a powerful urge to turn around and leave the shop began to well up inside of him...After collecting himself, the man wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye before explaining, "I haven't laughed like that in a while. Thanks fer that, kiddo. As for yer question, well, it isn't all that rare for someone to try 'n snitch a good here and there. These are usually greenhorns that only just arrived in this 'ere Fifth Floor. If yer smart, you'll learn quickly that causin' trouble for others just ain't really worth the risk. Everyone with a shop here in the central district is under the protection of the Lord's family, Caulder. Besides, here, come 'n take a look see."Though he was hesitant to simply listen to the man's words, Linnaeus didn't feel any hostility coming from him. This was despite the fact that the man pulled out a sheathed longsword before setting it on the counter.As he had entered the shop to try and gather information, Linnaeus ultimately walked over to the counter as the bearded man used a hammer and a rod to remove the pin keeping the sword's blade rooted to the handle.With a patient and guiding tone, the man pointed to a small mark on the previously concealed slat of the blad, explaining, "Anyone competent enough to forge a blade can print their Maker's Mark on the inside. If an item isn't purchased properly, the mark gives off a signal that can be easily be traced by anyone with the proper insignia. Only a fool would try an' steal a hand-forged item from a shop!"Linnaeus had heard that many blacksmiths like to leave their names on the items they forged but this was the first time he was hearing about the function of the mark. This was an important piece of information and, while it didn't explain everything, he was beginning to understand why businesses didn't show any fear of having their items stolen.Feeling that this man was a good source for information, Linnaeus pulled out a bright red gemstone with ten small flecks of light floating inside. At the same time, he pulled out one of his hand-carved daggers, asking, "Can you teach me how to maintain my weapons properly? I've yet to get a grasp of the Fifth Floor so I'm hesitant to spend my Kindling haphazardly."Accepting the horned-rabbit dagger without any hesitation whatsoever, the man began to turn it over a few times in his hand before saying, "Yer luck musta been quite bad, kid. To be usin' the horn of a Horned Rabbit as yer weapon means ye must've died before reachin' the Tenth Floor, aye?"Linnaeus' face tensed up a bit at the man's words, earning a light chuckle from the latter before he tossed the dagger into a pile of materials at the side. This caused Linnaeus to take a step back and prepare to reach for another dagger but, before he could complete the action, the man raised his brow in amusement as he set a hunting dagger on the countertop and said, "Here, kid, you can have this one, on the house. From what I can tell, you've had it pretty rough. Maybe this'll turn your luck around, aye? Now, come over here an' watch closely. I'll teach you how to sharpen and oil the blade properly so you don't end up squanderin' my kindness."As if he wasn't afraid of Linnaeus at all, the man turned his back to grab a whetstone and a few other materials for maintaining a weapon. It wasn't until he noticed that Linnaeus was still standing a few meters away that he cocked his head to the side, asking, "Don't tell me you'd rather keep that trinket than use a proper blade...?"Hearing this question, Linnaeus pretended to drop his guard as he walked closer to the counter and asked, "How do I know someone won't track me down using the Maker's Mark? It isn't my intention to offend you, but I've...experienced a lot..."Rather than be offended, the bearded man seemed amused by Linnaeus' response as he began to chuckle in a lighthearted manner. He then separated the dagger's blade from its handle and said, "This dagger be gifted to another." This caused the Maker's Mark, which had previously been black in coloration, to flash slightly before losing its luster and turning an inert grey.Without waiting for Linnaeus to ask, the man explained, "When a transaction is completed properly, the Maker's Mark loses the tracer function. For an item of this quality, nobody would bother putting on a second trace as it is only worth around 30 Kindlin'. If it was a custom build, you can pay extra to have a tracer put on it that is linked to a unique insignia. This would let you track down the item if it was ever stolen so keep that in mind if your hands start itchin' in the future."Linnaeus didn't understand why the man was being so helpful to him but, considering he had gained a net profit of 20 Kindling, he wasn't complaining. He was learning a lot of new information, some of which had a chance of saving his life in the near future. After all, his primary role in a Party was Scout and Thief so, if the opportunity presented itself, he was prepared to use his [Steal] with impunity. The bearded-man seemed to understand this and, without saying it directly, cautioned him against doing anything that might get him into trouble...If Linnaeus had known that the only reason the man had been kind to him was due to the fact he thought the former was a young girl, his current good mood would have quickly spoiled...(A/N: For those that don't follow EPIC, I've been sick the last couple of days so my update schedule took a hard hit. I've been feeling better so there should be one chapter per day unless something else happens. Thank you for your patience and sorry for the delay.)

Chapter 60: Knowledge