Babel

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..."

Figuring it wasn't a good idea to spend too much time underground, at least until there were used to it, most of the Quests procured by Linnaeus ended up being on the surface.Though there were fewer valuable materials on the surface, it was much easier to both fight, and, in the event things went south, run away. It was also significantly less claustrophobic, so, compared to how he had been fighting the previous day, Krone was cutting loose, tearing through Monster Ants like a scythe through wheat.Every time he looked over to make sure Krone wasn't getting surrounded, Linnaeus would always see a rather shocking scene. There was even one moment where Krone was using the head of one Monster Ant, still twitching in the throes of death, to bash the head of another over and over, using its sharp and durable mandibles to cause devastating damage...With everyone becoming increasingly efficient at killing Scouts and Workers, Linnaeus was free to focus on mastering the use of an arbalest crossbow. Though he still intended to replace the heavy weapon with a lighter variant in the future, that wasn't an excuse to simply abandon it. If he could learn to hit targets at a distance with one weapon, it would undoubtedly increase his accuracy with future weapons due to the correctional bonus of the [Archery] Skill.Currently, Linnaeus' limit was accurately striking a target at around 20~30m. Unfortunately, this was predicated on the basis that the target was immobile or distracted, a rare occurrence in the midst of combat.The problem with hitting targets at a greater distance was accounting for factors like wind direction, speed, resistance, and, most importantly, gravity. These variables were the bane of anyone lacking a Blessing related to archery, as, without a considerable amount of experience, striking distant targets was little more than a pipe dream.Conversely, if you had a Blessing such as [Archery Master] or [Child of Wind], striking distant targets was your greatest strength. There were even 'legends' of some people being able to shoot through the loop of a key at distances greater than 300m, blindfolded.Blessings didn't mean other people couldn't emulate your accomplishments, but, if both sides put in the same amount of effort, the one with the Blessing would greatly eclipse the abilities of others.Even if you had never drawn a bow or fired a single arrow, you functionally became a prodigy the moment you received a Blessing. This was true for all Skills, including forging, swordsmanship, and, perhaps most notably, healing.So long as you put in an exorbitant amount of effort, anyone could learn to use Healing Magic if they were devoted to the task. However, compared to the most basic spells used by Blessing holders, it would always pale in comparison. This deterred the majority of people away from learning the rare and coveted Magic, elevating it to its current status as the most highly sought after Blessing.It was this knowledge that served as the basis for Linnaeus' motivation, as, due to the fate that had been assigned her, Gwen was bound to suffer a similar fate to the Bapho. To many people, she was nothing more than a prize to be won, a convenient tool that would allow them to advance further than their peers.Though it was unlikely he would be able to liberate Gwen from her fate, this wouldn't stop him from doing everything in his power to protect her. There were bound to be at least a handful of kind and caring people that were willing to accept guardianship over her, but, before any of that, he needed to become much, much, stronger...With such thoughts serving as the basis for his motivation, Linnaeus lay flat against the ground, tall grass serving to cover his position. He regulated his breathing to the point he was taking fewer than five slow and steady breaths every minute. He would use the interval between breaths, where his body became stillest, to gently squeeze the trigger of his arbalest...Once the lever holding the metallic tendon taut breached a certain threshold, it would snap forward with tremendous force, firing a 70cm bolt forward with enough force to pierce cleanly through the body of a Monster Ant. Though this also left a rather fierce bruise on Linnaeus' collar bone, he didn't even flinch before silently pulling another arrow from the large leather sheath at his side, his [Stealth] still active in spite of the loud noise generated from the previous arrow's release.Though he wasn't quite sure how it worked, Linnaeus readily exploited the 'guaranteed critical' that was provided by his [Assassination]. This turned simple arrows into devastatingly powerful projectiles that, at times, would even blow away large chunks of a Monster Ant's body on contact.With his [Stealth] and [Presence Concealment] allowing him to easily blend into the surroundings, combined with the fact Monster Ants had terrible eyesight, Linnaeus was able to turn his inaccurate strikes into crippling, or outright lethal, blows. Though this made it impossible to shoot anywhere near his Party members, for obvious reasons, he was able to practice his [Archery] with impunity, his Skill Level increasing to LV7 by the time they were preparing to return.Unfortunately, perhaps as a result of his reliance on other Skills, Eliza's [Archery] had developed to LV16, even though she spent a fair amount of time gathering and organizing materials. This was due to a fundamental difference in the emphasis they placed on mastering the Skill, as, without anything to modify her damage output, Eliza had to focus on precise strikes to be effective.Changing your mentality was one of the hardest parts of learning new Skills, so, while he could close the gap in the future, Linnaeus wasn't actually that keen on doing so. Their Skills might be the same, but their methods of fighting were fundamentally different from each other. If he stopped advancing his other Skills for the sake of mastering a supplemental combat style, he would be undermining the years he had spent developing his current skill set.Through and through, Linnaeus' combat style revolved around quickly and efficiently dealing with his opponents, ideally without ever revealing his position. He wanted to push this to the extreme as, despite the versatility of his [Barrier Master], there would undoubtedly be opponents with the ability to counter, or outright ignore, the functionality of his Blessing.Unless they had a powerful defensive Blessing, there were few people that could survive a surprise arrow to the back of their head, especially if it also dealt a 'critical' hit. While some might consider this a cowardly combat style, the fact those same types of people often freely exploited others made it exceptionally difficult to care about their opinion on things like pride and honor...---With the sky beginning to darken, Linnaeus had everyone regroup, asking, "Have we been able to collect any mandibles over 30cm?"In response to his inquiry, Krone pulled out a single black mandible, approximately 33cm in length, saying, "I received this one after killing a Soldier Ant. The Scouts fail to drop anything over 25cm in length."Supporting Krone's statement, Emilia nodded her head, adding, "I haven't been able to obtain any over 30cm. There aren't many Soldier Ants in this region so we'll probably have to move deeper if we want to complete our secondary objective."Though he agreed with Emilia's assessment, Linnaeus spent a few moments staring at the sky above before saying, "We should return for the day. We have completed most of our gathering Quests so it isn't necessary to stay outside on behalf of the Guild. Tomorrow, we'll discuss venturing deeper into the mountains or delving underground before taking the day after as a rest day."Hearing Linnaeus' words, Eliza's eyes immediately came to life, followed by her closing the distance between them to ask, "Will you accompany me that day? I want to walk around and visit a few shops that have caught my eye. I feel like I'll spend less if I have you around..."Though he knew she was only making excuses to spend more time together, Linnaeus only had one thing planned for that day so he didn't mind accompanying her for a few hours. Thus, without taking too long to reply, he offered a polite smile, answering, "Of course. I have a few things I want to take care of in the afternoon but that still gives us a few hours between breakfast and lunch..."Even before Linnaeus had finished speaking, Eliza pumped her fist in a victorious gesture, a smile on her face as she glanced toward Emilia. This caused the latter to raise her brows slightly, but, instead of insisting she also come along, a mischievous smile spread across her lips.Seeing Emilia's reaction, Eliza couldn't help but swallow a knot that had formed in her throat as she wondered what her counterpart could be plotting...Linnaeus' eyes still functioned properly so he wasn't ignorant of the silent exchange between the two girls. Rather than comment on it, however, he lightly shook his head, saying, "Let's return..." in a casual tone. At the same time, he passed his gaze over Krone, earning a dismissive shrug from the grey-skinned man before he hefted a large rucksack filled with supplies.---After her afternoon encounter with her sister, Renka was in an even worse mood than she had been during her morning shift. As a result, her line was practically empty, excluding a bold few who, over the years, had been trying to court her. She was quite popular among the various Adventurers, but, knowing the majority of them only sought her as a result of her status, Renka rarely gave them more than a few teasing remarks to keep them working hard.Unfortunately, there were also a few Adventurers who thought too highly of themselves, so, in spite of the fact she gave several hints that she wasn't interested, they were annoyingly persistent. Among this subset of people, the worst was a Namur man named Kano, a cocky Adventurer who possessed the tiger-like features that his tribe was known for.Worst of all, Kano had inherited his tribe's most famous Blessing, [Byakko], allowing him to reach Level 51 before he lost his life through 'mysterious' circumstances. He would never tell anyone what had killed him, but, based on how he would often look around overhead, many speculated he had been the unsuspecting victim of a falling object.Renka didn't particularly care about Kano's past, or anything relating to him for that matter. Despite this, she was forced to tolerate the man's courtship as, due to the rarity of individuals over Level 50, their branch needed him in their employ. Kano seemed to understand this, so, while others knew not to pester her when she was annoyed, he unhesitantly swaggered over with a smile on his face...Seeing the rather handsome man with a muscular figure, striking blue eyes, and windswept white hair, Renka couldn't help but release an exasperated sigh. Others might be fond of Kano's handsome looks, especially with his fluffy round ears and thick striped tail, but, no matter how he looked on the outside, Renka knew he was completely rotten on the inside.The one time she had humored Kano's persistence, the man had tried to slip a powerful, highly addictive, aphrodisiac into her drink. If not for the information her agents had gathered, painting Kano as an irredeemable womanizer, she might not have noticed his blatant attempt to turn her into a drug-crazed sex slave...As if he had never done anything wrong in his entire life, Kano maintained a natural and confident smile on his face as he unhesitantly approached Renka's desk. Then, despite the fact it was against the rules of the Guild, he placed his elbow against the countertop, leaning against the surface as he asked, "I heard there was a fire in the nearby bazaar, yet, even after a day has passed, nobody seems to know who set it off. I wonder if the Guild's agents have been able to discover the identity of the culprit~?"

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.)

Chapter 86: Coincidence...?