Babel

After a relatively uneventful night, Linnaeus was performing maintenance on his equipment when an incongruous feeling passed over him. At the same time, Emilia, who had been sleeping at the side with Eliza, twitched awake and, a stark contrast to Eliza, seemed completely awake in an instant.Without the need for words, Linnaeus made a small hand sign before using a small cloth to wipe the oil from his daggers. He pretended not to have noticed the presence outside while Emilia, following his orders, snuggled up next to Eliza, albeit with a tense body...Just as Linnaeus was considering whether or not he should take proactive action, a loud knocking was heard against the door. Immediately after, a slurred yet feminine voice shouted, "Hey, ey tol' you notsch to locksh the doooooooor~" while wiggling the doorknob.Though it seemed like a misunderstanding, Linnaeus didn't drop his guard at all. Rather, the feeling on incongruity was even stronger than before and, never doubting his gut, he stood up silently with both daggers in hand as he stared back at the door.Eventually, the abrasive and annoying noise awoke Eliza and, as if she had no sense of tension at all, she shouted in an even louder voice, "This isn't your room you dumbass...!" in a sleepy tone.In response to Eliza's outburst, the shaking of the door ceased in an instant. Then, after several seconds of silence, an awkward laugh rang out from the hallway. Based on the sound, it could be inferred that the person outside was walking away but, even after the sound had faded entirely, Linnaeus kept in a battle-ready stance as Emilia helped Eliza come to her senses.It was only when she was wiping the sleep from her eyes that Eliza realized the state Linnaeus was in. This caused her to stare at him for a brief moment before all the tiredness faded from her body and mind. She became significantly more serious as she asked in a low whisper, "What happened? That knocking...did someone try to break into our room...?"Without taking his eyes away from the door, Linnaeus lightly shrugged his shoulders as he didn't really know the other person's intent. He couldn't even be certain she was a female as it wasn't all that difficult to mask your voice if you put a bit of effort into it.Realizing that Linnaeus and Emilia weren't saying anything, Eliza ultimately decided to stay quiet as well. She quickly readied her own equipment without bothering to fix her hair. It was only when she was prepared that Linnaeus finally moved from his position, his steps absolutely silent as he stalked toward the silent door...Once Eliza and Emilia had fallen into their own positions behind him, Linnaeus reached for the door's knob after deftly disabling the series of locks. Then, with a single motion, he swung the door open as he lifted up the dagger in his left hand, the point facing outward as a young girl with pale blond hair set into two parted braids walked by with a pile of linens.Seemingly very surprised, the young girl startled like a cat with its tail stepped upon, the linens in her hand being thrown upward like an eruption. At the same time, Linnaeus formed a barrier to separate his body from the young girl just as a thin-bladed weapon, much like an ice-pick, stabbed toward his neck.As if his barrier was completely useless against the highly penetrative weapon, Linnaeus twisted his body to the side as the thin blue membrane shattered like a piece of glass. At nearly the exact same moment, Emilia emerged from behind him, spear extending outward toward the seemingly young girl with an average and homely appearance.Rather than try to defend against the attack, the young girl rolled in the opposite direction from Linnaeus. This was around the same time that the linens began to settle so she grabbed one in a single swift motion, throwing it between herself and Emilia as she tumbled several times in a deft and controlled manner.Since bundled cloth was surprisingly difficult to cut through, Emilia's spear tip ended up being wrapped by the fabric but, rather than hold on to an entangled weapon, she placed it back into her Inventory before pulling out a second one without any delay. This caused the homely girl who, upon closer inspection, had two curved horns at the side of her head to muse, "You all aren't bad at all~."Knowing the foolishness of communicating with an enemy mid-combat, Emilia largely ignored the girl's words as a ball of water formed at the base of her spearhead. She moved fast enough to vault over a thin piece of metal that had been thrown out by the girl then, using the roof as a footstool, lunged down with lethal momentum.Now with a smile on her face, the homely girl squat toward the ground as if she wasn't even going to try and dodge. The hair on Emilia's neck stood on end in response as she had yet to identify what kind of Blessing the opponent had before charging into her range.As if having read her mind, a thin blue membrane appeared in front of Emilia's trajectory, allowing her to quickly change direction in exchange for considerable discomfort and a bit of joint pain. At the same time, the girl released a light chuckle as, instead of attacking, she sank into the shadows beneath herself...With the incongruous feeling fading away in an instant, Linnaeus furrowed his brows while Eliza, having just left the room moments prior, muttered, "So much for laying low." in an annoyed tone.Hearing her remark, Linnaeus shrugged his shoulders before placing his daggers into the sheaths at his lower back. There was a lot he wanted to say but, seeing several people exiting their rooms while the Inn's owner quickly ascended from the lower floor, he knew it wasn't really the time to talk about the identity and purpose of their attacker.Unlike the kindly Sara, the owner of the Inn was a mountain of a man with a 'mane' of blazing red hair. The muscles on his body rippled with each of his movements yet, despite his rather bulky figure, he moved with precise and smooth movements. It would be impossible to run a business if you lacked connections and individual power so most established business owners were retired Hunters or high-level craftsman.Fortunately, the man didn't immediately accuse Linnaeus' group of causing trouble as there was no reason for them to stay behind if that were the case. He could tell they were all extremely tense so, while he did question them, it wasn't difficult to guess they were the victims. Since this type of event wasn't all that rare outside of Central City, he even offered them a free meal as an apology for the inconvenience.Linnaeus was honestly surprised by this reaction as he was used to people using any opportunity to con others. If not for the casual demeanor of Krone and Eliza, he would have refused the offer as he would have instinctually assumed the owner of the Inn was related to his attackers...Once the questioning had come to an end, Linnaeus and co were gathered around a circular table at the corner of the Inn's floor room. They had a massive amount of food piled before them, much to the satisfaction of Emilia, but Linnaeus elected not to partake as he quietly explained, "I believe the purpose of our attackers was to collect information, not assassinate us. That girl was extremely swift and it's not the first time I've seen someone use [Shadow Step]. If her purpose had been to kill us, it would have been easier to attack us a few hours before sunset. There would have been no reason to use such a roundabout method..."With her cheeks stuff with food, giving her an appearance similar to a small rodent, Emilia nodded in response as she added, "She was watching us all closely. Her speed was also similar to mine but she chose to keep a distance, despite having short-range weapons. Based on her movements, she wasn't inexperienced in intrapersonal combat. If she was serious, fighting inside of my range would give her a big advantage."Though she didn't disagree with Emilia's analysis, Eliza picked at the food on her plate as she lightly muttered, "We can't dismiss the possibility that she fought in such a way as a result of not knowing our capabilities. Like Lin said, it is obvious they were just feeling us out...if I'm not wrong, we'll learn her intentions in the near future...haaaaa...."Eliza was actually very accustomed to people targetting her and the people around her but, now that she was living a second life in the Crucible of Souls, it was disheartening to have people targetting her again so soon. It hadn't even been two full months since she died yet, despite making an effort to lay low, people came seeking trouble with her...Unaware of the fact that Eliza had essentially condemned the people targetting them to death, Linnaeus mulled over the event within his mind. He considered everything Eliza and Emilia had said before hanging his head in a thoughtful manner and whispering, "It is impossible to be certain but the most likely motive seems to be recruiting people. If we're weak, they would probably suppress us and force us to pay a protection fee. Now that they've confirmed we're able to protect ourselves, the odds of a secondary force being sent to...negotiate...are pretty high."As they had already come to similar conclusions, Eliza and Emilia nodded their heads while, at the side, Krone had his usual stern expression as he remarked, "If we leave the Southern Forests for another region, I doubt they would follow us. To use these kinds of methods, our enemies must be cowards who rely on a few powerful individuals to exploit anyone weaker than themselves. Staying here will just make us a target, either for recruiting or showing off their power..."Linnaeus could understand Krone's point but, considering they had traveled more than half a day just to reach the Southern Forests, combined with the fact they had diminishing Kindling reserves, it would be extremely detrimental to leave so soon. There was also the simple fact that, if they couldn't even move freely in the 'weakest' territory, how could they expect to carry themselves confidently in other, markedly more powerful, regions?In spite of his usual caution, Linnaeus shook his head, not to disagree with Krone but to deny the underlying suggestion contained within his words. Then, crossing his arms to put on a confident air, Linnaeus explained, "I don't want to stick out too much but, if we hang our heads and let people push us around, even living on the Fifth Floor will be made difficult. I say we focus on our original purpose while coming up with a solution to this problem...based on how the Proprieter behaved, this isn't the first time something like this has happened."Remembering how the man had acted, Linnaeus was certain this was an arranged scheme, one that was directly supported by the Hunting Guild. They likely had a shadow organization that dealt with any troublesome elements that threatened the Guild's interests. For now, it was clear their intention was to simply gather information but, depending on how things developed, they may very well be targetted for elimination.For now, Linnaeus wanted to gather information and, if possible, recruit people in a similar situation as them. Unfortunately, this would be very difficult as, if they approached people immediately after they were attacked, the logical conclusion was that they were the perpetrators behind the attack.With this in mind, Linnaeus began to lay out a plan with his Party, one that focused on playing the part of bait as he gathered what information he could. They would keep Eliza's power concealed for as long as possible and, in order to trick the enemy into mislabeling his ability, Krone would only absorb the traits of his gauntlets. There were very Blessing that allowed a person to change the basic composition of their body so it wasn't difficult to mislead observers...

As the 'weakest' region on the Fifth Floor, the Southern Forests were relatively safe, regardless of the nature of your Blessing.So long as you avoided venturing too far South, traveling for well over three days, there weren't any particularly dangerous enemies. Rather, there was an overabundance of Slime-Type monsters, to the point it was nearly impossible to find an area without at least one Slime present.Other than the Blue, Green, Rock, and Metal Slimes he had previously encountered, Linnaeus quickly came to learn that there were a variety of Slimes outside his existing knowledge. This included types with light purple skin, capable of producing electrical impulses, a type with dark purple skin, capable of spitting corrosive venom, and various elemental Slimes capable of using very basic Magic spells.Linnaeus was honestly a little surprised at the variety of the creatures and, if time allowed, he would have liked to better understand the nature of their existence. Instead, his main focus was harvesting the coveted Slime Gels, a stable source of income due to the constant demand. They were used in everything from Alchemy to Blacksmithing so there was never enough to flood the market.The only gripe Linnaeus had about the current situation was the fact many of the elemental Slimes looked almost indiscernible from their much weaker counterparts. Water Slimes looked like Common Mountain Slimes while Windswept Slimes looked indistinguishable from Green Slimes. If you weren't on your toes at every moment, there was a non-negligible chance you would eat a Water Bullet or an Air Blade, each capable of causing extreme damage depending on the area hit.Fortunately, after absorbing the properties of the metal in his gauntlets, Krone was largely immune to weaker Magic spells. He also had extreme resistance to physical attacks, albeit at the cost of more than half his total Agility.With Krone acting as the Vanguard, the Party only needed to be cautious of the dark purple variety known as Toxic Slime. Its corrosive venom had the ability to melt minerals so, with his body being comprised mostly of refined steel, Krone was extremely susceptible to this particular variety. In fact, he had half his left arm melted after crushing a Toxic Slime with his bare fist, something he quickly learned was a bad idea.If not for the inherent ability of everyone to heal from wounds, so long as they were not in a Critical Health state, Krone may have actually lost his arm to a Slime. This seemed to prick his pride a bit so, from that moment onward, he focused on being reactive and observing his opponents rather than charging them directly. Had he stayed within the effective range of Linnaeus' [Barrier Aura], the Toxic Slime's venom wouldn't have been able to affect him in the slightest...In this manner, the Party continued to refine its cooperation while simultaneously building trust in each other. They spent much of the daylight hours gathering materials and exchanging them at the Hunting Guild while, in the evenings, Linnaeus would gather information.Since the preliminary attack, three days had passed without incident but, from experience, Linnaeus knew this was likely the enemy's attempt to lull them into a false sense of security. There was a good chance they were still being 'tested', likely to determine how patient or paranoid they were, so there was no way Linnaeus would drop his guard. If they thought he would become a soft target due to complacency, they severely underestimated him, a person who had lived for years without dropping his guard for more than a few minutes at a time...The downside to this kind of mentality, however, was that Linnaeus became increasingly silent and anti-social. He was always tensed so, when Eliza would try to get in his personal space, he wouldn't allow her to hold him for more than a few seconds.As a result of Linnaeus' behavior, Eliza was already pushing to have the Party to leave the Southern Forests. She, like everyone else, was in a tensed state but, seeing how 'serious' Linnaeus was, it was beginning to stress her out.Unlike Linnaeus, she had learned the importance of relaxing your mind and body when given the opportunity to do so. It was impossible to stay in a reactive and alert state forever and, the longer you tried, the more unhinged you would become. While this may not be a big issue when you were alone, or perhaps with one other person, it wasn't behavior suitable for a Party Leader.Ultimately, Eliza pulled Linnaeus aside when they retired to their room, explaining in a stern yet guiding tone, "I'm not telling you to drop your guard but your tension is affecting everyone else in a negative way, Lin. A Party Leader needs to be calm and confident at all times in order to ensure that the Party's morale is in high form. Seeing you become this...machine-like creature...none of us are able to relax..."Having seen the changes in his Party members, Linnaeus knew there was some truth behind Eliza's words. In fact, their change had been weighing heavily on his heart and mind but, with the enemy having someone that could literally move through shadows, he couldn't relax. He would even stab his own shadow periodically as, even with [Shadow Step], a person could be injured if you hit the shadow they currently inhabited.Since he couldn't ignore her advice, Linnaeus answered Eliza's words with a curt nod before relaxing his shoulders a bit and saying, "It's just...I would never forgive myself if something happened due to my own complacency. I'm not trying to stress the three of you out...I just want to protect the things I want to protect..."Hearing Linnaeus' words, Eliza turned her eyes up at him with a slight smile on her face. She reached her hand out to gently stroke his head, saying in a light murmur, "That is very good, Lin. Wanting to protect things is a commendable trait to possess. Just remind yourself that there is more to protect than just the physical body...if the mind breaks, it doesn't matter how a person appears to viewers. In many cases, the thing you should do your best to safeguard is the person's mentality...wounds heal and scars fade...remember that, okay...?"Linnaeus blinked in surprise after hearing Eliza's words. He could understand the truth contained in them as, during his time as a Street Urchin, the thing he focused on preserving, more than anything else, was his sense of self and his desire to protect. This hadn't changed even after he obtained his Blessing, rather, even after being separated from his sister, the one thing that kept him from straying onto a much darker path was imagining how she would react upon their reunion...No matter how much physical torture he experienced, regardless of how much mental anguish he had to go through, Linnaeus was determined to keep the seedling Rebecca had placed in him from being crushed by the immense darkness he was exposed to. He desperately wanted to be a good person, someone that broke free from the cycle that was endlessly perpetuated within the Slums...Without realizing it, a gap had formed in Linnaeus thought processes but, rather than harm, he came back to his senses when Eliza hugged him tightly, his face smothered by her disproportionately large breasts. It was only then that he realized his vision had become a little blurry as, for a brief moment, Linnaeus felt as if he had failed to preserve himself. He had killed so many people and, even though he tried to help people when the occasion arose, he couldn't help feeling like a hypocrite that just took advantage of the situation.Realizing Eliza was yet another person he was taking advantage of for his own ends, Linnaeus felt an extreme amount of guilt. Despite this, he didn't vocalize his thoughts and, though it made him feel even worse, he ultimately returned her hug in silence. He was too weak to stand on his own and, as she had put herself in a position to prop him up and support him, Linnaeus couldn't be completely honest with Eliza just yet...What Linnaeus didn't realize was that Eliza was having similar thoughts as, from the moment they began to interact with each other, she decided to make herself into an irreplaceable existence to the young boy. She would do her best to be everything he needed, not because she outright wanted to manipulate him, but because she feared the loneliness that had eaten away at her mind during that month of solitude.When she was at her darkest moments, Linnaeus had appeared like a gentle ray of moonlight. He didn't put on pretenses, acting like some 'holier than thou' person who was incapable of admitting wrongdoing. Instead, he simply existed as he was, a boy who experienced the darkness of the world at a very early age without being completely consumed by it...While Linnaeus and Eliza were having their moment, Emilia was sitting cross-legged on the bed with a meat skewer in hand, her eyes curiously watching their interaction. With her enhanced hearing, she could easily hear everything they were saying but, as it didn't really matter all that much, Emilia only listened out of general curiosity.As could be expected, Emilia had her own thoughts about the current situation and, though it was a little awkward, she was happy to see the bonds between everyone strengthening. In her mind, those who fought alongside each other were comrades while those unhesitantly risked their life for each other were family.Linnaeus gave her the impression of someone who would go to any lengths to protect the things he had sworn to protect so, while she felt he had a long way to go as a Leader, she already considered him family. If she wasn't willing to protect the people that would risk life and limb to protect her, the spirits of her Ancestors would scorn and admonish her.Prior to being thrown into the Crucible of Souls, Emilia believed she had failed her tribe and unborn descendants by losing her life in such an unceremonious manner. Now, however, she had a unique opportunity to prove herself, not once, but twice over. She would fight to regain her life and, with a few trustworthy allies at her side, fight to reclaim her honor and become a proper adult.The Vanargandr were a tribe enamored with fate, family, and food so Emilia didn't believe it was a coincidence she had met Linnaeus, Eliza, and Krone. They all had their quirks but, deep down, she could tell they were the type that would fight for others. The past few weeks had been a testament to this as, despite ongoing tensions, they had quickly familiarized themselves with each other.Emilia's only real complaint was that Linnaeus was still a little weak, despite having proven himself as a capable leader in his own way. She felt he was someone that needed to be protected, not a leader who could protect others and inspire confidence in his pack. He didn't give off the impression of an Alpha in the slightest, something that made Emilia feel uncomfortable at times.Despite this, she had come to trust Linnaeus' judgment and potential as, while he seemed weak and frail at times, there were certain moments when his aura alone would trigger her instincts. When he wanted to protect something, he gave off an aura that could rival even the strongest warriors from her tribe. During those moments, Emilia would feel very excited and, if not for Eliza's presence, she would have tried to secure Linnaeus as her mate. Her people believed that the will of the parents was transferred to their children so, with his strong desire to protect others, Emilia believed Linnaeus was a suitable father for at least one batch of cubs...

Having already paid for their rooms for several days, Linnaeus and co decided to use their remaining time gathering more information and making preparations for their journey South. They were strong enough to visit the other regions but, knowing how useful the Slime Gels could be, Linnaeus elected to make the Southern Forest their first destination.Though he felt a strong urge to leave the Crucible as soon as possible, Linnaeus' cautious nature was still a core part of his character. He wasn't going to risk rushing things, at least until he had a better understanding of the situation.Fortunately, while it would be a little dangerous, their Party had the option of venturing into the Hell Hole without too much difficulty. So long as they were strong enough to defeat most foes without taking damage, they would be able to harvest the valuable resources in the depths without having to worry about the toxic fumes and acid pools.After a cursory exploration of the Southern Forest and Monster Ant Colony, they would immediately move to the Hell Hole to find their fortune. This was the most efficient method available to them so, if everything went as planned, Linnaeus expected to leave the Fifth Floor within two months.Most people would scoff if they heard this estimate but, after gathering more information about the Fifth Floor, Linnaeus learned that a capable Party could earn several tens of thousands of Kindling even in the Southern Forests. As for the Hell Hole, it was considerably more dangerous but, if you had the capabilities to venture into the lower levels, earning upwards of 50,000 Kindling a day wasn't impossible.Though it would be cutting it close, Linnaeus was confident they could earn the four million Kindling necessary for their entire Party within the two month period. The only thing that would set them back, outside of personal motivation, was general expenses related to equipment and supplies.Linnaeus was hoping their trip to the Southern Forest and Monster Ant Colony could offset these expenses but, by the time they began their trip South, Eliza and Emilia were both broke. They had both purchased satchels that had dimensional pockets inside, each filled with items they believe to be essential for future travels.Since he couldn't really control how the girls spent their Soul Kindling, Linnaeus, at the time, could only stare back at them with a blank face as Eliza complained about not having enough Kindling for a room. Fortunately, she didn't nag him after he found a relatively cheap Inn to stay at, one that had group rooms with thin cots instead of beds.Eliza, fortunately, had enough wherewithal to know better than to pressure Linnaeus into spending his Soul Kindling for no better reason than to pander to her. Her intention was to spoil him a bit, not be spoiled by him so, while she was obviously bothered by the arrangements, she didn't complain in the slightest. As for Emilia, she grew up in a nomadic tribe that used hammocks and sleeping bags in lieu of actual beds so she didn't mind roughing it at all.With neither girl having a problem with arrangements, combined with the fact that Krone had opted to stay in the group room as well, Linnaeus felt that their Party wasn't completely hopeless. Krone's display of solidarity was greatly appreciated by him as, rather than offer up his Soul Kindling to pay for Eliza to have a better room, he went along with the initial decision. Though it was obvious he had been tempted to make the offer, Eliza's silence on the matter had likely kept him from speaking out...---As a result of their preparations, the Party reached the Southern Forest the evening of their sixth day on the Fifth Floor. There, they found a small settlement almost entirely comprised of Inns, Taverns, and, at the very center of the settled area, a massive four-tiered building that said 'Hunting Guild' in bold letters at the very top.Linnaeus had already gathered information on the various organizations and Guilds on the Fifth Floor so, as a form of insurance against predation, their Party ventured into the massive building to register as a Free Party. Becoming an official member would require a monthly fee but, by agreeing to a relatively loose contract, they could avoid being attacked by members of the Guild in exchange for a much smaller fee. This would prevent them from attacking other Parties associated with the Guild but, considering they had no intention of causing any trouble, Linnaeus didn't consider this a detrimental arrangement.The first floor of the Hunting Guild was a large open area, more than half of which seemed to serve as a tavern for official members. There were various groups, some looking roughshod while others appearing to be just as new as Linnaeus' Party based on their equipment.Knowing how to carry himself without appearing as a 'soft' target, Linnaeus made brief eye contact with various people that looked at his Party with interest. He made no effort to conceal his blood lust so, unless they had a strong enough willpower, most people were cowed by a single glance. As for the rest, some senior members of the Guild seemed amused by his display but, understanding there was no merit in causing a scene, they made no effort to bar the group's passage.With the way largely cleared, Linnaeus and co made their way to a reception desk, one of twenty that lined the far side of the first floor. He could tell that some were specifically for the exchange of materials while only the central stations were for registration, accepting, and reporting on various tasks.Manning the desk was a woman with olive-brown skin, dagger-like ears, and sleek black hair. Rather than a delicate maiden, however, she gave off the feeling of an unsheathed blade as her hair, apart from a series of angular bangs partly covering her right eye, was done up in a rather wild ponytail.To complete the look of a seasoned veteran, the woman wore form-fitting leather equipment that was both stylish and functional. She clearly didn't worry about anyone gawking over her figure and, rather than hide her 'charms', it seemed like she wanted people to see the various scars that covered parts of her body, some belonging to blades, others clearly the result of vicious monster attacks.Though he didn't gawk in the slightest, Linnaeus did wonder about the practicality of allowing her cleavage to be on full display. He imagined it was a useful distraction against male opponents but he couldn't really imagine being able to pull his eyes away from the woman's face if they were to fight against each other. She had angular eyes with dark red irises and, much like Krone, black sclera that gave her a distinctly predatory gaze...While leaning somewhat lazily on her countertop, the receptionist woman eyed Linnaeus' entire Party before turning her attention back to him and asking, "How did you manage to become the leader of this group, squirt? From what I can tell, you should be the weakest among them, right?"Without showing any sign of the indignation he felt deep inside, Linnaeus kept his composure as he plainly stated, "We would like to register as a Free Party."Rather than be offended by Linnaeus outright ignoring her questions, the receptionist woman gave a light chuckle as she pulled out a stack of documents and a crystal ball. Though she was tempted to tease him a bit, the Guild Leader would give her an ear full if she caused trouble while on duty.After reading through the contract to confirm its contents, Linnaeus and co signed the documents before the former dripped his blood onto the crystal ball. The paper documents affected them as individuals while the crystal ball was intended to register their Party itself through Linnaeus as the proxy.Once the process was completed, Linnaeus gave the sharp-eyed woman a simple nod before he turned away without further comment. This caused her to lean against the table, elbows supporting her body while simultaneously pressing her less-than-modest breasts together as she mused, "Hey, try not to get yourself killed out there, squirt. If you have any trouble, don't be afraid to come and ask for advice. If the price is right, I don't mind teaching you for a bit~."Hearing the woman's words, Linnaeus' steps slowed to a stop. He had to resist an overwhelming urge to sigh as he looked back, his expression affixed in the same unperturbed visage as he said, "I'll keep that in mind..." before turning away.Though his remark earned him a pointed look from Eliza, Linnaeus knew he would become a mark for opportunists if he acted flustered or dismissive. He knew the woman was trying to feel him out as, in her line of work, understanding your clientele was extremely important. She wasn't actually trying to seduce him, rather, much like the other people within the Guild, she was merely testing his character.Eliza understood this as well but, as was often the case, she didn't appreciate Linnaeus' choice of words. She knew he wasn't trying to flirt but, for reasons she couldn't quite understand, he seemed to be a natural at it when the situation arose. It was this quirk of his that likely led to him developing the Skill in the first place, irrespective of his actual intent...Linnaeus, unaware of what was going through Eliza's mind, led the group to the western part of the settlement to secure lodgings. They had arrived in the evening and, while hunting at night was one of the things their Party may very well specialize at in the future, it was still better to head out early in the morning.Understanding they would pay him back the following day, as monsters still dropped Soul Kindling, Linnaeus elected to pay for Eliza's and Emilia's booking. They had already tolerated staying in a sorry excuse for an Inn so, in order to increase Party morale, forking over a few hundred Kindling wasn't a bad investment.As they could have just as easily spent the night in the forest, Eliza's mood improved noticeably the moment Linnaeus led the group to an Inn. Though she also felt a little guilty, believing her previous mood had pressured him into the decision, she wasn't going to refuse Linnaeus' good intentions.Since he could be a little awkward when it came to socializing, Eliza made a point to thank Linnaeus in a very open and direct manner. This caused him to tense up slightly but, much like their previous interactions, she was eventually able to get close enough to give him a hug, gently patting his back as she whispered, "Thank you, Lin..." in a gratified tone.Seeing this rather common interaction between Linnaeus and Eliza, Krone largely ignored them as he made his way toward his own room. As for Emilia, she patiently waited at the side, earning a pointed look from Eliza who reluctantly released Linnaeus from her grasp.As if it was the most natural thing in the world, Emilia hoped over to Linnaeus' side, triggering a statuesque response from him as she unabashedly hugged him with enough force to lift him off his feet. This kind of skinship was becoming increasingly common between them, not because Emilia had any intimate feelings for Linnaeus but due to her pack mentality and a building recognition that he and Eliza were 'family'.The most obvious indicator of Emilia's acceptance of the Party was that, when they were among just themselves, she would openly display her tail. This indicated both trust and familiarity as the tail of a Vanargandr not only made their emotions transparent but, if it was targetted during combat, they would effectively be crippled if someone managed to get a firm grip on the paradoxically fluffy yet sleek appendage...(A/N: Sorry for the drop in chapter releases. I had a very bad ear infection that essentially took me out of commission for a full week. Even now, I still have pressure and discomfort in my ears but I can at least think clearly. Unless something else happens, I'll be back to the normal release rate now that I'm on the mend.)

Chapter 64: Shadows