Babel

After awakening uncharacteristically early, Eliza groggily took in her surroundings, noticing they were different from the usual accommodations. This made her feel slightly alarmed, but, seeing Linnaeus and the 'hateful' Emilia curled up at the side, both staring back at her, she was able to breathe a sigh of relief.It was pretty rare for Eliza to wake up on her own so Linnaeus couldn't help but feel a brief moment of shock. Fortunately, this didn't show on his face, so, knowing she would want an explanation, he moved to a seated position and said, "There was a fire in the district our Inn was located in. It wasn't the origin of the inferno, though, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about."Though she didn't remember much from the previous evening, Eliza could vaguely recall waking up a few times to discover that Linnaeus was still carrying her. From this, she could guess they had been looking for another place to stay for a considerable amount of time, filling her with enough guilt to blush slightly as she said, "I think I'll stop drinking so much from now on..."As he had been intending to talk to Eliza about her drinking habits, Linnaeus concealed his surprise with a smile as he replied, "That is probably for the best...thank you, Eliza."Hearing Linnaeus suddenly thank her, Eliza was a little confused, but, as Emilia had been using their conversation as an opportunity to nuzzle inside Linnaeus' thighs, her annoyance had been swelling quickly...Sensing the 'killing intent' directed her way, Emilia's ears perked up and, before Eliza could smack her head, she quickly dodged to the side, laughing like a child who had successfully completed a prank. This only served to increased Eliza's frustration, but, before she could say anything, Linnaeus suddenly placed his hand on her head, gently stroking her messy hair as he explained, "Don't let her get to you. We're staying in a hostel so we should avoid causing a scene..."Since Eliza had fallen silent under his caress, Linnaeus felt as if his attempt to pacify her had been a success. This was only part of his job, however, so, while dutifully fixing Eliza's bed-head, he looked toward Emilia and added, "You know how your actions affect Eliza...at this point, your behavior will reach the point of becoming antagonistic by default. Please, show more consideration in the future."In response to Linnaeus' words, Emilia's ears drooped slightly, not because he had admonished her, but because she was envious of the face Eliza was getting her head rubbed.Seeing Emilia's reaction, combined with the fact she would periodically glance at his hand, it wasn't difficult to imagine what was going through her mind. As a result, Linnaeus internally sighed while externally smiling as he said, "Get dressed and ready to go. I'll help brush your hair after I finish with Eliza's."As if her previous melancholy had been an act, Emilia's ears perked up spiritedly, followed by her basically leaping out of the bed to grab her clothes. Watching her shimmy into form-fitting shorts would be a sight to behold for most people, but, with his focus on the tangled mess that was Eliza's hair, Linnaeus only spared Emilia a momentary glance before pulling out a comb and beginning his morning routine...---Perhaps as a result of their spontaneous change in residence, Linnaeus emerged from his room to find that even Krone had awoken earlier than normal. He was standing outside in the common area that connected the other eight dwellings, his expression just as distant as usual.Seeing Linnaeus emerge alongside Eliza and Emilia, Krone gave a small nod to acknowledge their presence before turning his back and heading outside. This earned a lighthearted laugh from Emilia, a harumph from Eliza, and light hum from Linnaeus, just to express solidarity.After following Krone into the dining hall, an area filled with a few long wooden tables with attached benches, they all sat down together. This drew the attention of the hostel's waitress, a petite girl with platinum-blond, almost white, hair. Like Eliza, her hair seemed to fluff up more than normal, but, with two curled horns at the side of her head, hooved feet, drooping ears, and a lion-like tail poking out from the ribbon tying together her apron, it was easy to deduce she was a member of the Bapho tribe.With a wide smile and large eyes, the young woman happily made her way over to their table, a pad in hand as she asked, "Good morning, everyone! My name is Khö and I'll be taking your order~! If you're in a rush, I can suggest warm rice pudding and freshly-baked bread. We have a pot that just came out ten minutes ago, and, with our famous Honeydew Jelly, you'll be ready to take on the day with a smile~!"To emphasize her words, Khö used her index fingers to push up the sides of her smile, showing off her pearl-white teeth. While this certainly made her smile bigger, it created a bit of a different impact than intended due to the fact that most of her teeth were sharp and angular...In response to the bubbly girl, Linnaeus did his best to return a smile as he answered, "Please bring as much food as 300 Soul Kindling can purchase. If the Honeydew Jelly isn't too expensive, we'll also take a small container to go."Knowing how much Eliza and Emilia liked sweet, Linnaeus didn't mind 'investing' into the rather well-known condiment. They, or, more specifically, Eliza, had a propensity for getting upset, so, if he could use sweets to pacify her, it would make his life a little easier.After scribbling down Linnaeus' order, Khö showed off her radiant smile once again, saying, "I'll have your food out as soon as possible~!" before turning tail and retreating into the kitchen. She seemed to really enjoy her work, but, based on the large collar that was visible around her neck, there was a good chance this was just a very practiced act.Though they weren't truly slaves, the way some Debtees were treated made it difficult to discern the difference between them and actual slaves. The vast majority wore collars to denote their status, so, even if there was little reason for Debtees to be treated poorly by unrelated people, many still went out of their way to mistreat them.Since the Bapho tribe was even rarer than the Vanargandr, a combination of their inordinately long loves and famously low fertility rate, very few people ever had the chance to encounter one. It was for this same reason that, even outside of the Tower, many Bapho were treated as 'rare goods', often forced to become the slaves and pets of the noble families.Eliza was the only one at their table who had actually seen a Bapho in person, but, in spite of this, even Linnaeus and Emilia could identify Khö's tribe. After all, the Bapho tribe was actually considered one of the strongest in terms of physical might and durability. Though they often appeared rather unassuming, due to their slow development, some were capable of transforming into mighty beasts that could even dominate members of the various draconic tribes.As a result of these factors, Khö's presence within the hostel was rather anomalous, causing Eliza to hushedly ask, "Didn't you mention that the owner of this hostel has been having trouble finding their footing in the Inner District? How could someone like that have a Bapho in their...employ?"Since it was Linnaeus' first time meeting Khö, he didn't really have an answer to Eliza's question. He couldn't deny that it was a 'very' strange circumstance, as, unless someone with considerable status was protecting her, Khö should be the target of various affluent people that wanted to 'collect' her.Though Leveling was near-impossible within the Crucible of Souls, meaning there was little value in raising her as a powerful bodyguard, the rarity of the Bapho tribe wasn't something affluent people could simply ignore. Obtaining her was a way to increase their status, and, while she might not be in possession of the coveted [Behemoth] Blessing, that didn't mean her offspring wouldn't possess it.With his instincts ringing alarm bells inside of his mind, Linnaeus quickly shook his head in response to Eliza's question before saying, "We should check out of this hostel and look for someplace else to stay before heading off to the Guild. Whatever the circumstances, getting involved with anyone that can openly parade around a Balpho doesn't seem wise..."Without even needing to discuss the matter, both Eliza and Emilia nodded their head in agreement, even if the latter also commented, "I feel bad for her tribe...our Elders tell us stories about how, even in the Tower, the Bapho are treated like slaves and forced to fight as Vanguards, even if their Blessing is better for support..."In response to Emilia's words, Eliza nodded her head, a melancholic expression marring her face as she added, "Every time a Bapho appears in the Tower, several Companies and Organizations end up fighting over them. Because of this, they are said to be a cursed tribe that heralds the beginning of conflict, delivering death and destruction everywhere they go. Some information brokers even claim that, in the distant past, the Bapho tribe was cursed by the God of Dragons after a massive war more than forty-thousand years ago. Since then, while other powerful races have thrived, they have been pushed to the brink of extinction...females are exceptionally rare so it is somewhat unbelievable to encounter one here on the Fifth Floor..."Hearing Eliza's words, Linnaeus could feel his pulse begin to accelerate and, though it didn't show on his face, he began feeling anxious. He was normally very curious, as knowledge and power were two sides of the same coin, but, with Eliza's reminder, it was obvious that this wasn't a 'normal' situation.Without knowing what the party of four had been talking about, Khö emerged from the kitchen with a smile on her face. She looked around the area to see if there were any new customers, but, seeing only Linnaeus' group still present, she smiled radiantly before waving back at them and shouting, "It will be out in just a moment~!"Remembering that Khö had told them the food was already ready, and that she just needed to grab it, Linnaeus felt his heart begin to accelerate even faster. It wasn't just him, either, as Eliza, Emilia, and Krone all fell silent, the atmosphere around them becoming tense in moments.After Khö vanished back into the kitchen, it was Krone who said, "We should leave..." while rising to his feet. They had already forked over 150 Soul Kindling, as most places required you to pay at least half up front, but, without even considering asking for a refund, Linnaeus nodded his head and said, "I agree. This situation doesn't feel right at all..."Immediately after Linnaeus' statement, the swing doors connecting to the kitchen burst open rather violently. This was enough to cause Linnaeus to pull out his daggers, but, to his and everyone else's surprise, Khö could be seen pushing a metallic service cart filled with several large bowls of food and a few trays of fragrant bread.Seeing Linnaeus suddenly pull out weapons, Khö stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening into full circles as her mouth gaped open. Then, in a sheepish voice that could inspire guilt in even inanimate objects, she stammered, "Y-y-you s-said you wanted a lot of food...I...I tried to be quick...I'm sorry if I upset you...please..."Even before Khö had finished speaking, Linnaeus put away his weapons, his expression losing the calm he had been trying to cultivate as he awkwardly answered, "Sorry...I was just a bit tense...the loud noise startled me..."Though he still felt a strong urge to leave, seeing how much food Khö had prepared for them made it a lot harder to just up and leave. Fortunately, Eliza was there to ease the tensions, so, while he was struggling to find the right words, she adopted a 'natural' smile and explained, "We need to depart soon, so, if you would be so kind, please ready our tab. Also, don't mind Lin. Our Inn caught fire last night so he is still a bit shaken. It wasn't his intention to scare you..."Eliza also felt like there was something wrong with the current situation. However, when she thought about it, the likelihood of it having anything to do with them was slim. It wouldn't take much effort to learn about Khö's circumstances later on, so, for the time being, she decided to ease the tensions so that they could leave without causing a scene.Hearing Eliza's explanation, Khö showed an expression of surprise before looking toward Linnaeus with pity and concern visible in her pink eyes as she said, "Oh, you poor thing...you must have been through a lot..." Then, like the flipping of a switch, her smile immediately returned as she added, "I know~! As an apology, let me talk to the Rhea about giving you a discount on the Honeydew Jelly!"Without waiting for their response, Khö, once again, disappeared into the kitchen. This left Linnaeus, Eliza, and Emilia gawking in their respective positions while Krone, wordlessly, made his way over to retrieve the service cart full of food...(A/N: Some people have pointed out the sporadic release rate, but, from the very beginning, this has only ever been a side project. Writing a novel actually takes a fair amount of effort and planning, so, with my focus being EPIC, I don't always have the time to dedicate to Babel. The donations I receive from my readers are literally what pays my bills so, unless I monetize Babel, it would always be just a side project. To that end, I actually got a contract invite back in December, so, if you would like daily updates on Babel, please express your opinion regarding the novel going premium in the comments section. The other option is to create donation options for Babel on my *******, but, as there aren't very many readers of this novel, at least for the time being, I worry about idea of self-publishing.)

To compensate for the trouble he had caused, Linnaeus ended up leaving a rather substantial tip for Khö. Afterward, he, accompanied by Eliza, Emilia, and Krone, promptly checked out of their rooms, practically fleeing from the hostel without turning back. It was only after they had checked in to a new Inn, located in the opposite direction, that the Party was able to breathe easily.Though he was still curious about the circumstances surrounding Khö, Linnaeus knew it would be exceptionally foolish to get involved with something like a Bapho. Even if she happened to still qualify for leaving the Crucible of Souls, her existence would invariably cause trouble, drawing entire Organizations to interfere in his affairs.Fortunately, his Party largely shared these views, so, while Khö's existence would undoubtedly be plagued with tragedy, deserving of a bit of sympathy, it had nothing to do with them. It wasn't as if she was the only one fated to suffer, as, in many ways, the billions born within the Slums had an arguably worse fate. After all, they rarely even had a chance to defend themselves, whereas, due to the sparsity of their race, most Bapho were treated relatively well, often becoming the pets of extremely wealthy individuals...By the time the Party had reached the Guild, Linnaeus had largely removed thoughts of helping Khö from his mind. He had more important things to worry about in the present, chiefly the fact that Renka was present and, going by her dour expression and the 'very' short line in front of her desk, it was very apparent that she wasn't in a good mood.Understanding the futility of trying to stand in a different line, Linnaeus, alongside Eliza, joined Renka's queue. They had a few Quest fliers in hand, but, before that, they needed to receive their payment for the materials they had dropped off the previous afternoon.Seeing Linnaeus and Eliza approach her desk, a small smile spread across Renka's face, followed by her musing, "Well, well, long time no see~? I hope the two of you had a better evening than I did. Now, let's see here..."Deciding it was best to avoid discussing their previous displacement, Linnaeus offered a polite smile as Renka sorted through the files kept beneath her desk. It didn't take long for her to find the documents relating to his Party, and, after sending a clerk to the back, she handed over a sack of Soul Kindling, stating, "Your Party is doing good work. I noticed you accepted a few requests related to the Quest I had assigned you. Very promising~."Linnaeus nodded his head in response to Renka's musings, adding, "We decided to do use our time more efficiently. With that in mind, we would like to accept these six Quests."Hearing Linnaeus' words, Renka squinted her eyes slightly, casting a momentary glance toward Eliza before saying, "I actually had a few other Quests lined up for your Party. Since you wanted to join the expedition, I thought I'd help you out a bit by allowing you to earn some merits. What do you say, Lin...?"Having anticipated such a response, Linnaeus didn't have to spend much time thinking about his own. As a result, he, calmly and casually, answered, "So long as it does not put my Party in danger, I don't mind completing extra Quests. However, I intend to prioritize the Quests we accepted as a Party, so, I can't say for certain whether or not we will agree to everything you propose..."As if she had already expected his answer, Renka just nodded her head in understanding before pulling out a file and saying, "It's good that you make decisions as a Party. Here, this Quest only requires that you bring back a few mandibles over 30cm in length. I imagine your Party is killing a considerable number of Monster Ants so it shouldn't interfere with your other requests."After reading over the document provided by Renka, Linnaeus didn't see any issues, but, before he accepted, he allowed Eliza to read it as well. This was noted by the fiery-haired beauty, a smile spreading across her face as she closely observed their interactions.With Eliza's approval, Linnaeus finalized their Party's acceptance of the Quest, bringing their total number of active Quests to seven. Renka had made a note of this within their file, and, after making sure everything was in order, she waved them away after saying, "You two take care now, ya hear? Things always get pretty tense before a big expedition so stay on your toes for the next month or so. I have a few expectations for your Party so it would be regrettable if you were to suddenly up and vanish on me~."Linnaeus wanted to ask why Renka had expectations for them, but, fearing an actual answer, he decided to leave it be. So long as she didn't expose them to anything dangerous, or try to involve them in the internal affairs of the Guild, it didn't hurt to get in her good graces...After moving a fair distance away from the reception and exchange counters, Eliza couldn't help but mutter, "I hate that woman..." in a demure tone.Though he didn't fully comprehend why Eliza hated Renka, as it didn't really make a lot of sense, Linnaeus still nodded his head. Then, knowing it would make her feel a little better, he grabbed her hand, pulling her along the rest of the way to where Krone and Emilia were patiently waiting to depart.---Several hours after Linnaeus' Party had set out, the majority of the Guild's staff performed a shift change. They typically worked between 4-6 hours at a time, with Renka's shift, in particular, being from 0400-1000. She would then take a break until around 1400, eating a meal and doing a bit of shopping before returning for her evening shift, staying until around 2000.With the upcoming expedition, things were beginning to get a little hectic in every Guild branch, her own being no exception.Every time a nuptial flight was approaching, each of the Guild branches was tasked with recruiting and evaluating as many new Adventurers as possible. There was even an ongoing competition to determine which branch had the greatest amount of success, resulting in incredible boons for the staff involved.It wasn't a well-known fact, as the people in power worked hard to keep it a secret, but, when it came to the 'Drop Items' on the Fifth Floor, the rate was exponentially higher for Potentiates. This was one of the driving factors behind why Renka had taken such an interest in Linnaeus' Party, as, due to the nature of the Fifth Floor, it was pretty rare to have unclaimed Potentiates arriving just in time for a nuptial flight.So long as Linnaeus' Party managed to accumulate the requisite number of points, a statistic that was tracked by the Guild in secrecy, his Party was guaranteed a spot on the Expedition. There was even a chance his Party would be scouted directly by the Briggs' Familia, even if the sole purpose behind their involvement was to increase the drop rate for everyone else.Depending on how well Linnaeus' Party did, the Guild branch that recruited him stood to receive numerous benefits. As a result, Renka had received direct orders from her older sister, the Branch Head, to make sure his Party didn't wander off to another branch. To this end, she had tasked the Guild's Intelligence Department to investigate Linnaeus and his Party, ascertaining where he had been staying, where they commonly ate, and the type of personality each member had.Using the information that had been gathered, picking suitable Quests for their Party was a simple feat. She even knew how she needed to react around them, but, given how 'smart' Linnaeus was, this ended up being unnecessary since he was willfully ingratiating himself to their branch.What was important to note, at least based on their investigation, was that Linnaeus, in particular, seemed 'very' serious about reaching the top of the Crucible. As a result, he proactively gathered information, investigated the local markets, and even looked into the procurement of Debtees to increase his earning potential. This showed that he was willing to do whatever it took to earn the requisite amount of Soul Kindling, making him relatively easy to exploit.While people, in general, weren't exactly difficult to entice, there was a very distinct difference between those who had decided to settle and those who proactively sought to rise up. The latter almost always drew the attention of Tenebrae, so, even if Linnaeus ultimately ended up failing his challenge, there was a fair chance he would receive a boon from the enigmatic Goddess.Whenever someone like Linnaeus appeared, various groups would go out of their way to try and recruit them. He didn't know it, but this was the primary reason his Party had been targetted back at the Southern Forests. His behavior drew a lot of attention to himself, so, until he no longer held his potentiate status, Linnaeus, and his Party, would constantly be badgered by forces looking to 'invest' in his future.It was due to this that, during the previous evening, Renka had been tasked with repelling a few 'poachers' who had been waiting to try and lure Linnaeus' Party to their side. Their Intelligence Operatives had found a few Merchant groups skulking around the location of Linnaeus' Inn, and, though this wasn't exactly uncommon, one of the men, unaware of Renka's actual identity, ended up trying to hit on her.Renka was generally quite fond of being hit on, but, with the other party being from the Orcus tribe, giving him a hulking figure, pig-like face, and a foul odor, she had taken exception to his comments about wearing her like a sheep's intestines. As a result, Renka made a snide remark about eating cooked pork, using her Blessing, [Vulcanae], to punctuate her statement.Unfortunately, the Orcus man actually had the [Anti-Magic King] Blessing, allowing him to repel most Magical attacks away from his body. As a result, she ended up setting fire the surroundings, and, though the incident wasn't publically blamed on her, she ended up getting chided, all the way until the start of her morning shift.With her first shift coming to an end, Renka was looking forward to getting some rest, but, before she was able to retreat into the comfort of her private room, located on the Guild's third floor, her passage was barred by a woman with 'very' similar features to her own. The only difference was, the woman before her had an even larger bust, and, though she could have gotten it treated, a very large scar ran from above her right brow, crossing her nose, and running down to her left jawbone.Despite the rather vicious scar, the wild-haired woman barring Renka's passage was considered one of the greatest beauties in the region. She exuded confidence from every fiber of her being and, while not the strongest in the entire settlement, even the Briggs Familia would think thrice before ultimately choosing not to offend her.Seeing her big sister in the flesh, Renka released a tired sigh before adopting a wry smile and saying, "Give me a break, sis...you know I didn't mean to set fire to the bazaar...can't I get a little bit of rest before my next shift?"Seemingly ignoring Renka's previous remark, the fiery-haired woman, known to most as Scarlet, the Ice Queen, plainly stated, "That Party of yours checked out of Porcello's hostel after their encounter with Khö. They are currently staying in one of the properties owned by Madame Xiao on the northern side of the settlement. If they end up getting poached by the northern branch, I will tan your hide until leather can be made from it."Hearing her sister's words, a chill ran through Renka's body, but, keying in on something her icy sister had said, she asked, "They actually met Khö? Whose idea was that?"Other than squinting her eyes in a warning gesture, Scarlet didn't bother to answer her sister's question. She ended up losing nearly 100,000 Soul Kindling as a result of Renka's mistake, and, while this wasn't a particularly large amount, the Guild Leader, who she had been dating for the past three years, ended up scolding her harshly. This left her in a terrible mood, so, before turning around and departing, she venomously stated, "No more mistakes..."

Though there was still a bit of light left in the day, Linnaeus' Party returned to the Briggs Fortress Settlement in the hopes of bypassing the evening rush. This ended up being a small blessing, at least from Eliza's perspective, as, for the first time since their registry, Renka was absent from the various reception and exchange booths.Seeing the troublesome redhead was missing, Eliza's mood had improved considerably, so, with Linnaeus and Emilia in tow, she happily dragged them off to secure a table. As for Krone, he had volunteered to exchange their materials, insisting that they should all take turns to avoid any kind of issues.Linnaeus didn't completely agree with Krone, but, as the man was trying to repay him in his own way, he elected not to mention the flaws in such an arrangement.Fortunately, contrary to Linnaeus' expectations, none of the other Adventurers gave them any real trouble, but, considering they were still inside the Guild, this wasn't all that unexpected. Though a few people had eyed Emilia from a distance, only one man had enough gall to actually approach the table in an attempt to proposition her. When she glared back at him, however, he was quick to depart, his own ears flattening as he awkwardly returned to his boisterous Party.Linnaeus had noted the man's wolf-like ears and a tail, but, based on the color of his fur, it was safe to assume he wasn't a Vanargandr. According to Emilia, the fur of every Vanargandr was a shade of blue, the only exception being the elderly and the so-called 'Children of the Moon'. The latter consisted of Vanargandr that had been born with pure white fur and, though there were a few exceptions, the vast majority also had moon-like eyes. They were greatly respected by every tribe, as, in exchange for significantly reduced physical prowess, the Children of the Moon often developed Blessing related to prophesy and foresight.The Vanargandr also lacked have the concept of prostitutes, even if it wasn't their intention, she felt greatly insulted by any man who thought they could mate with her for no better reason than her appearance. She was a huntress and a warrior before anything else, so, from her perspective, she should be the one selecting and protecting her mates, not the reverse.As a result of her frustration, Emilia made a show of sticking close to Linnaeus for the rest of the evening, souring Eliza's otherwise good mood. This resulted in the latter spending a little too much of her earnings on alcohol, so, for the second time in as many nights, Linnaeus was forced to piggyback her to the Inn, much to the amusement of various passersby...All-in-all, it was turning out to be a relatively uneventful evening, but, even before reaching their Inn, Linnaeus had the sinking suspicion things were about to become more complicated. There was more foot traffic than normal, and, even from a distance, he could see black smoke billowing from the direction of their temporary residence.Upon reaching the district where their Inn was located, Linnaeus, Emilia, and Krone stared blankly as several people worked together to put out a fire that had spread to several buildings, their Inn included.Based on the conversations in the surroundings, it seemed that a group of drunkards had tried to accost a young woman, who, in her rage, used her Blessing to severely injure her four aggressors. Unfortunately, as was often the case with fire type Blessings, she also ended up setting fire to the surrounding buildings and, despite a concerted effort to extinguish the flames, things got out of hand pretty quickly when a wagon carrying undiluted alcohol caught fire.Linnaeus' first instinct was to assume this was some kind of scheme, but, as it didn't make sense for anyone to go out of their way to cause so much collateral damage just to inconvenience his Party, he discarded the thought. The original attack happened within an alleyway connecting to the nearby bazaar, not their Inn, so, while it was frustrating and inconvenient, the likelihood it had any relation to them was small.Since it was rather loud in the surroundings, Eliza ended up opening her eyes groggily before asking in a slurred tone, "Wash goin' on...? Fire...?"Knowing she wouldn't really be able to hold a conversation in her current state, Linnaeus shifted Eliza so that she was properly situated on his back before softly muttering, "It's okay. You can go back to sleep. There is nothing to worry about..."Though the settling blaze served as a stark contrast to Linnaeus' words, Eliza didn't seem to care all that much, as, in response to his assurance, she just tightly hugged him before dozing off once again. This caused Emilia to issue a light hum at the side, drawing Linnaeus' attention to her eyes, which, due to the flames, reflected an eerie glow as she mused, "How envious~." while biting the end of her index finger.Since there was no sense in just standing around, Linnaeus elected to ignore Emilia's comment as he said, "We should find a place to stay for the evening. I doubt the proprietor of the Inn will be returning our booking fees so there is no reason to stick around."Hearing Linnaeus' remark, Emilia nodded her head in understanding, but, despite knowing the answer, Krone still asked, "Do you want me to carry her...?" in regards to the slumbering Eliza.Though he was beginning to grow a bit, Linnaeus was still around the same size as Eliza, so, when he carried her, it looked like a younger brother carrying his much older sister. Fortunately, even if it was his lowest Attribute, his Strength allowed him to carry Eliza without too much difficulty, so, without even having to consider it, he shook his head and answered, "She would be upset if she learned I let someone else carry her..."Krone already expected Linnaeus' response, but, as he could tell the latter wanted to go around collecting information, he felt obligated to offer. They could easily find each other using the Party function so it would have been more efficient to split up, even if it was also marginally riskier.It was difficult to guess what Krone was thinking. However, considering Eliza's character, things wouldn't end well if she awoke to find someone else carrying her. Emilia might be acceptable, to an extent, but, she would never accept Krone being the one to carry her unless it was an actual, life-threatening, emergency.Since he couldn't readily discard the slumbering Eliza, Linnaeus dutifully carried her during their search for a place to stay. She was actually a lot lighter than she looked, and, though it was a little awkward, the soft feeling against his back wasn't exactly unpleasant.The only real complaint he had about the situation was the fact that Eliza was drunk at all, so, in the future, he intended to address her developing habit in the hopes of nipping it in the bud. It might not matter all that much at normal times, but, during situations like this, she was a major liability to the entire Party.Fortunately, despite wandering around for nearly two hours, nobody tried to bar their passage or cause trouble. This coincided with the idea that the fire was completely unrelated to them, as, if it had been part of some grand scheme, someone should have appeared to at least lure them into a trap.Instead, Linnaeus and Co found a place pretty close to the actual gate they exited through when heading out for the Monster Ant Colony. There weren't any important buildings here, but, as they also served as the first line of defense when the Monster Ants assaulted the fortress, they were all very durable. The only problem was, in exchange for relatively low rates, you also had to sign a basic contract that stated you would directly assist in the defense of the premises should an attack occur.Though it was a mild inconvenience, the contract only applied when they were actually staying in the hostel-like dwelling. When the moved out, the terms no longer applied to them and, while they were outside the settlement, they obviously wouldn't be expected to defend the property. It was more of a way for the owners of the hostel, a portly merchant, to protect his assets.From the information Linnaeus was able to purchase, the same merchant owned most of the buildings and businesses within the area, so, in a way, he had his own small army for whenever an attack occurred. Despite this, he wasn't actually all that well off as, for the last couple of years, he had been trying, and failing, to secure a position within the Inner District.While this information wasn't exactly relevant to Linnaeus' Party, understanding the balance of power in the region was never a bad thing. After all, the clause within the contract hadn't stated they would only be required to protect against monster invasion, so, if there was any discourse between the merchant and surrounding businesses, there was a chance they would get wrapped up in the conflict.Fortunately, such conflicts usually took place behind the scenes, so, even if the merchant had the idea of using his guests as soldiers, it would be at the expense of their reputation. The fact he was unable to secure a place within the Inner District showed he hadn't made the type of connections that would grant him impunity, so, at least for the time being, there was no cause for concern...With his information gathering complete, for the evening, Linnaeus made his way back to their shared living space, a circular residential wing that connected a total of ten rooms into the same common area. This was one of the downsides to staying in a hostel as, not only were the rooms small, but even the bathrooms were communal in design, split between gender.Linnaeus didn't particularly care about bathing amongst strangers, as he had been forced to wash in public since he was a young child, but Eliza would undoubtedly insist they move out. It was for this reason he had been willing to sign the temporary contract, as, once Eliza finally sobered up, they would undoubtedly be moving to stay elsewhere.For now, however, Linnaeus checked in on Eliza and Emilia, finding the former sprawled out in a rather slovenly manner on the bed while the latter was performing routine maintenance on her spears. The fluid contained within a Monster Ant's body, known as hemolymph, could quickly rust weapons if they weren't properly cleaned. This would drastically reduce the sharpness and attack power of a weapon, so, unless you wanted to fight with your bare hands, routinely cleaning and oiling your weapons was necessary.Since it was a good opportunity, Linnaeus decided it was a good time to perform maintenance on his own gear. It didn't really bother him that she was only wearing her nightwear, so, after a quiet exchange of greeting, he sat down next to her before pulling out his own spear, following Emilia's example while also incorporating the techniques he had learned from Baro, the kindly Blacksmith that had provided him important information about the Fifth Floor.In this manner, the two sat in relative silence, but, even without looking, Linnaeus could hear the gentle thumping of Emilia's tail. She was, in many ways, a very honest woman, so, while she had a number of troublesome quirks, it wasn't difficult to get along with her. He also got the feeling that, even if the situation became life-threatening, she wouldn't abandon their Party. This was a trait he respected a great deal and, though it wasn't very realistic, this peculiar racial trait often made him think about trying to recruit other Vanargandr to their Party.Unfortunately, the Vanargandr were relatively rare, even within the Tower, so, even if they could find a few on the Fifth Floor, there was a very good chance they were already part of a 'Pack'. If Emilia's words were to be believed, members of the Vanargandr tribe would fight to the death for the Pack they had joined and, while smaller Packs often joined to form larger groups, the idea of betrayal was so frowned upon that it might as well be a foreign concept. This made them highly sought after companions when forming a Party, so, in many ways, Linnaeus had been fortunate to acquire just a single member of the gluttonous species for his own...

Chapter 85: Feelings of Unease