Babel

Renka was in a bad mood, but, after serving as a receptionist for well over a decade, her expression didn't falter in response to Kano's question. Instead, she gave him a pointed look, stating in a curt tone, "The investigations conducted by the Guild are not the business of its affiliates. Unless there is something to report, move to the side so I can deal with other guests and clientele."Hearing Renka's response, Kano just snorted through his nose before looking over his shoulder at the virtually empty line. Few people were willing to antagonize him by standing in line whenever he was trying to hit on Renka. If they tried, his 'friends' would be paying them a visit soon after, making sure they never interfered in his matters a second time.As Kano looked behind him, Renka's frown deepened, her eyes darting to the other lines in an effort to find a scapegoat to send the man on his way. If she selected someone already in line, they would be unable to refuse. This would also put Kano into a disadvantageous situation, as, while he had the clout to throw his weight around, arbitrarily involving others would earn him the ire of Scarlet...Seeing Renka eye them, most of the Adventurers standing in line had thoughts of walking away, but, before they were able to, she pointed towards a group and said, "My counter is open. Get over here and report your Quest results. I know you've been standing in line for a while so be grateful that I'm willing to attend you."The moment he heard Renka's words, Kano glowered towards the Adventurers standing in other lines. Unfortunately, he didn't have the authority to effectively close down the Guild's functions just to hit on one of its receptionists so this wasn't the first time Renka had used this card to escape.Before Kano could offer any complaints or try to threaten the reluctant Party, Renka fixed her gaze on him, stating in a firm tone, "Adventurer Kano, you are interfering with the smooth operations of the Guild. Do I need to report your actions to the Branch Head?"In response to Renka's words, Kano elected to laugh in a lighthearted manner, dismissively waving his hand as he said, "I wouldn't think of interfering with the Guild's operation. I'm this Branch's Ace, after all, so I should be setting a proper example...isn't that right?"With his words finished, Kano turned to the trio that had approached the counter, an amiable smile on his face as he placed his hand upon the Party Leader's shoulder and said, "Forgive me for getting in the way, okay? As your Senior, feel free to let me know if you are having any trouble in the future. After all, my Company is always willing to support up and coming talents, hahahaha~."Since he didn't want to make an enemy out of the Guild's rather notorious 'Ace', the Party Leader offered a polite smile in response, answering, "I'll keep that in mind...thank you, Senior..."Hearing the man's response, Kano nodded in approval, lightly patting the man's shoulder a few times before walking off. What most people missed, including the man who had his shoulder struck, was a very brief flicker of bluish-white electricity flowing from Kano's palm. He wouldn't be able to put too much pressure on an 'unrelated party', but that didn't stop him from leaving a little surprise for the man to discover the next time he exerted himself...As she had been watching him closely, Renka hadn't missed the 'present' Kano had left behind in the unsuspecting Party Leader's body. Despite this, she wasn't going to directly intervene as, unless he wanted to have his Status depict him as a Murderer, Kano wasn't stupid enough to kill using his own hand. Thus, she would simply report his behavior to her sister, adding to the mountain-sized case file that was just waiting for Kano to slip up.Understanding her fault in the matter, Renka did her best to service the unsuspecting Party with a smile on her face. She also emphasized, several times, that they take it easy over the next couple of days. At the same time, she made a mental note to pass on instructions to the Guild's agents to keep an eye on them, and, if necessary, try to inflame the man's condition before he exposed himself and his Party to actual danger.Even if a person ended up losing an arm, they would eventually recover completely, so, while it was a little unfair to the unsuspecting man, Renka wasn't particularly concerned about his well-being. If he had been a Potentiate or a particularly useful member of the Guild, that would be one thing. Instead, he and his Party had been lingering around C-Rank for the last couple of years, appearing to accept Quests only when they had squandered all of their Soul Kindling.Though the public order on the Fifth Floor was relatively stable, that didn't mean it was an inherently kind place. They still existed in a society where the strong reigned supreme over the weak, so, if you weren't 'useful' to those that held real power, it was best to lay low and take on the jobs others were unwilling to do.After sending off the trio's Party, Renka pulled out her notepad to write a reminder to have someone watch over them for a few days. She might not really care about them, but, as their misfortune was the direct result of her actions, ignoring them completely was out of the question.Renka knew she wasn't exactly a 'good' person, but she also didn't consider herself to be a bad one either. If anything, she was more bored than anything else, directly contributing to her propensity to tease the various Adventurers that frequented her counter.Were it not for the fact she was actually a Debtee, purchased by her sister, Renka would have left the Briggs Settlement a long time ago. Instead, she was forced to dutifully work double shifts six days a week, leaving her with very little time to do other things. This had turned her life into a monotonous affair, one that was fated to continue even longer due to her most recent mistake...Just as this thought crossed her mind, Renka noticed a new Party enter into the Guild, lead by what could only be described as an adorable little boy. This returned a smile to her face, as, if things went well, there was a chance she could receive some clemency from her sister.Before he could send someone else to come up, Renka flagged down Linnaeus' Party with her hand, loudly exclaiming, "My counter is open, Linnaeus! Come on over, don't be shy~!"Hearing someone shout his name, Linnaeus couldn't help but frown, especially when his [Sense Danger] Skill was briefly triggered. His eyes quickly darted to his surroundings, but, after the very brief pulse of killing intent, it had faded away completely. All he saw were a few Adventurers with teasing looks on their faces, some encouraging him, others cursing him...Since he had already been called out, Linnaeus was intending to approach the counter. Before that, however, he turned to his Party, saying, "Stay on your toes...I sensed malicious intent directed toward us. Don't wander off on your own..."Despite taking Linnaeus' words to heart, Eliza and Emilia showed no change in their expressions as they nodded their heads in understanding. As for Krone, his face was as stony as his skin tone, so, from start to finish, he had a deadpan expression as he followed behind Eliza and Emilia, procuring a place to enjoy their dinner.With an unreadable expression of his own, Linnaeus fearlessly approached Renka's counter, his focus largely on objects in the periphery of his vision. Part of him was tempted to lambast the thoughtless woman for drawing attention to him, but, going by her expression, she was already aware of her faux pas.After reaching the counter, Linnaeus placed the materials his Party had collected on the countertop, explaining, "We weren't able to complete every Quest in a single outing. I'd like to accept a few other requests now so that we can head out in the morning without coming to the Guild. We'll finish up all that remains before returning around lunch...is that okay?"Though it wasn't the standard way they did business, Renka felt bad about drawing attention to the young Potentiate before her. She was actually quite fond of him, as he was rather adorable, so, with her fate somewhat tied to his, she ultimately nodded her head, answering, "Certainly. This will be an exception, though, so don't make a habit of this. We typically don't issue Quests while you still have ongoing tasks."Since he was well aware of the Guild's policies, due to a concerted effort to memorize the entire handbook they passed out, Linnaeus knew Renka was telling the truth. He took advantage of the fact she had made a mistake, both as a matter of convenience and to determine just how much special treatment their Party was receiving...After signing the pertinent documents and having his materials whisked away by an employee to be processed, Linnaeus gave a curt nod of approval before saying, "I hope you have a pleasant evening, Miss Renka. You seemed a little out of it today so I was worried about you. Take care of yourself..."Not expecting Linnaeus' sudden gentle words, Renka raised her brows in surprise before a smile spread across her admittedly beautiful face. She then shooed him away with her hand, saying, "Get out of here you little flirt. Don't think you can get away with teasing me so easily. The next time you comment on my evening, don't blame me if I whisk you away to teach you a lesson~."Though there were sound dampening devices to prevent the conversation between Guild employees and Adventurers from being easily overheard, Renka's smile and bodily reaction were easily seen by those closely observing her. As a result, Linnaeus felt another burst of killing intent directed toward him, confirming his earlier suspicions...While formulating a plan within his mind, Linnaeus made his way over to where his companions were seated, his expression and casual demeanor concealing the fact he was actually in an alert state. He knew someone was targeting him as a result of Renka's interest in him, but, even after searching his surroundings, Linnaeus didn't notice anyone displaying the tell-tale signs of a predator stalking its prey.Without knowing the appearance, characteristics, and strength of his opponent, Linnaeus felt like he had been completely exposed. This caused him to feel a small amount of hatred toward Renka, but, understanding her behavior was likely related to circumstances behind the scenes, he couldn't lay all the blame on her. After all, he didn't have to bait her towards the very end just to confirm whether or not someone was targeting him because of her.After reaching the booth where his Party was seated, Linnaeus sat across from Eliza and Emilia, rather than sitting between them. They interpreted this as him wanting to appear somewhat distant to them, as, if their enemies were the malicious sort, targeting someone's 'partner' was an easy way to knock them off-kilter.Linnaeus was grateful for how perceptive Eliza and Emilia could be in situations like this. It made it seem as though his efforts to teach them had paid off, making the smile on his face more natural as he enjoyed a rather sumptuous meal. There was no way to know what the coming night would bring so if this ended up being one of his last meals, he wanted to make it count...

After departing the Guild, this time without having to carry Eliza on his back, Linnaeus led his Party until they reached the edge of a high traffic area. Though it wouldn't afford them much privacy, it was a lot harder to stage an attack amidst a large population, as, depending on the circumstances, your actions could quickly draw the ire of various hidden figures.Without beating around the bush, Linnaeus explained, "There is someone within the Guild who has their eye on the Receptionist, Renka. Her previous outburst has brought unwarranted attention to our Party. I want to gather information so I need the three of you to return to the Inn, find a way to sneak out, and then secure a second place to stay. I'll use the Party System to track you down after learning more about whoever is targeting me..."Hearing Linnaeus' words, Eliza had a dour expression on her face while Emilia outright stated, "I'm not going to let you run off on your own when there are enemies targeting you. Our Party is like my pack. No matter how dangerous things get, the pack always sticks together...!"Though he could appreciate Emilia's sentiment, Linnaeus didn't hesitate to shake his head, saying, "I have no intention to fight. I'm only going to gather information, something I can't accomplish easily with others present. I'm not good at measuring my words and actions around others so I need to be alone if I want to avoid detection. I need you to trust me, Emilia, Eliza, Krone..."Emilia's frown only deepened in response to Linnaeus' words, but, before she could say anything, Eliza beat her to the punch, saying, "You ask us to trust you, but when will you start trusting us? It might be better for you to gain information on your own, but what happens when you overestimate yourself and end up falling into an enemy's trap!? There are several strong people on this Floor, Lin. You couldn't even sneak around undetected at the Southern Settlement so how can you expect us to just leave you alone when someone might be targeting your life!?"Due to how Eliza's voice had risen towards the end of her outburst, several people from among the surroundings had started to pay attention to them. One, a tall man with large horns on the side of his head and a ring through his nose, even commented, "Oi, get a room you brats. Everyone is still tense after the fire yesterday so you're bound to get arrested if you make a scene."Hearing the man's warning, Linnaeus just gave a curt nod, saying, "Thanks..." before pulling Eliza's hand. This was enough to get her to momentarily calm down, but, despite the minimal skin contact, Linnaeus could feel her pulse beating rapidly...Though he would never say it aloud, moments like this were what Linnaeus hated most about the idea of forming a Party. He felt like his judgment was being clouded by sentiment, as, while he was able to understand Eliza's concerns, it was unbelievably frustrating to have his movements constantly limited by the wants and needs of his Party members...After moving far enough that they would be able to discern whether or not anyone in the previous locations was following them, Linnaeus turned to Eliza, his usual calm nowhere to be seen as he said, "You..." before finding himself at a loss for words...Seeing Eliza glaring at him with tears streaming down her face, Linnaeus' brain completely stalled, like a wrench between through into a series of gears. It was a sudden and violent cessation, leaving him without the ability to form even a single syllable.Truthfully, Eliza wanted nothing more than to slap Linnaeus across the face, but, seeing his face contort into a stupefied expression, she felt slightly contented. She didn't want to risk sending him off in a fit of rage, so, instead of escalating things further, she stated in a sobbing tone, "I want to go with you...we can collect information together...we can protect each other...aren't these the reasons we formed a Party in the first place...are we nothing more than pawns to fight the battles you choose for us...?"Hearing Eliza's question, Linnaeus' mouth flapped open a few times as he stated, "I just...that isn't..." while looking between her, Emilia, and Krone. The latter had his usual expression, but, while not to the same extent of Eliza, Emilia was staring at him with a look full of blame...Seeing the looks on their faces, Linnaeus was momentarily reminded of a past incident with Saht. It was when they had first started working together, and, due to having been alone for a long time, he was still used to acting on his own. This earned him a rather severe beating, and, if not for the fact all wounds would generally heal after returning to full health, several parts of his body would still have bite marks...As this memory resurfaced in his mind, Linnaeus realized he hadn't exactly been treating his current Party as a 'permanant' fixture in his life. Though he would never outright abandon him, he was fully prepared to move on if they ended up deciding on a different path than the one he had set himself upon.No matter what happened, Linnaeus was determined to leave the Crucible of Souls, reunite with Saht, and track down his sister. This was something he had decided for his own selfish reasons, so, from the start, he had always expected that, at some point in time, their paths would diverge...Though this belief hadn't changed, the look of blame visible in the eyes of Eliza and Emilia made it apparent that, at least for the time being, they had no intention of separating from him. This would undoubtedly bring him trouble in the future, but, much like the decision he had previously made regarding Saht, Linnaeus resolved himself to deal with them as they came...After releasing an exasperated sigh, Linnaeus lightly complained, "What is it about the tears of a girl that makes them so unbearable...?" Then, before either of them could respond, he made eye contact with Eliza, saying, "Fine. We'll go together, then. You'll have to follow my lead and avoid causing any trouble. Don't let your emotions dictate your behavior so easily. There may be times when I have to use words I don't mean in order to obtain information. It will be troublesome if you get jealous over meaningless dialogue..."Eliza took exception to Linnaeus' words, but, knowing it was his inexperienced way of compromising with her, she ultimately chose to nod in affirmation before saying, "Just try to avoid anything overtly sexual and flirtatious. If you end up cheating...I'll tell Saht all of the details..."Though he knew she only tacked on the final few words as an afterthought, Linnaeus felt a shiver pass through his body. Saht might not actually care if he got involved with other women, but, if he did so without her knowledge, there was no way she would let him off easily.While he wasn't afraid of her, as she was actually pretty easy to manage, Saht could quickly get out of hand when she was in her [Demonification] state. He also cared about her quite a bit, so, unless someone took him by force, he would adamantly refuse any meaningful relationships before their reunion. This was something he wouldn't compromise on, as, after growing up in an environment where trust was a rare commodity, he and Saht had become a family...After returning an affirmative nod, Linnaeus said, "You don't have to worry about that." while turning his gaze toward Emilia for a brief moment. She noticed his gaze, rolling her eyes in spite of the fact she was the principal offender when it came to testing his abstinence.Truthfully, Emilia didn't really understand the sensibilities of tribes beyond her own, as, among the Vanargandr, it wasn't rare to have multiple partners. They would even, at times, exchange partners between each other when an especially virile male existed, spreading the strongest genes to ensure the survival of the next generation.While Linnaeus was far from the 'strongest', he had a few commendable qualities that, with a bit of polish, would make him a competent leader. She had already come to recognize him, but, much like how other women of her tribe would help to shape their men into suitable partners, she intended to continue pushing up forward to see how far he could take her...Unaware of Emilia's 'scheming', Linnaeus addressed his entire Party, saying, "I'm certain we are being followed. If we return to our Inn right now, there is a chance we will be attacked in the middle of the night. If we want to rest properly, we need to learn the identity of our would-be attacker, confirming the reason we are being targetted and the extent they are willing to go to..."After reaching this point in his explanation, Linnaeus paused for a brief moment, looking between Eliza and Emilia as he explained, "Don't jump to conclusions, but we're going to temporarily split up in order to try and discover who is targeting me. You'll follow close by with the Party system, taking the main roads while I stick to side paths and alleyways. I don't know this area as well as I'd like so if we want to lure them out in the shortest amount of time, this is one of the faster methods."Eliza didn't like Linnaeus' plan, as it still required them to split up, but, as it was better than letting him go off completely on his own, she said, "Okay, but if you move too far away from us, I'll come running to your position. If anyone attacks you, send a ping and rush towards us as fast as possible. It doesn't matter how strong the enemy is, we can take them down if we work together. They won't be able to resist my [Crush] magic, and, if they can be suppressed, Emilia can easily drown them until they lose consciousness."As her words coincided with his own thoughts on the matter, Linnaeus nodded his head, adopting his practiced smile as he said, "I agree with your plan. The moment I feel like I'm being followed, I'll try and cut a path towards the three of you. If I can get ahead of you on the same path, you should be able to see if someone is following me. Once we lure them out, incapacitating them and finding out the reason why I'm being targetted is our main objective."Though he had already made the association with Renka, Linnaeus still didn't know the intentions of his enemy. If it was just to cause a bit of physical harm or threaten him, it wouldn't really be that big of a deal. He wouldn't even mind taking a beating if it meant he had some leverage to use against Renka in the future, so, hopefully, things could be settled without him having to resort to his unique skillset...After organizing his thoughts, Linnaeus gave a brief overview of his plan before walking around with his Party, loudly discussing a false itinerary. He had no doubt they were already being watched, and, though their earlier actions had undoubtedly risen some suspicion, it would require someone with a Blessing related to hearing or sound to ascertain what they had been discussing privately.The vast majority of Blessings had little effect on a person's six senses, the main exception being any kind of transformative ability. This made those that possessed them outliers as, more often than not, Blessings that modified one of the six senses were exceptionally weak. Though they had the benefit of being perpetually active, making them easy to train, only those who put in an exorbitant amount of effort could bring out the full potential of such Blessings. Thus, while he was alert for anyone with rabbit-like ears or horns framing their jaw, Linnaeus wasn't particularly worried about their original plan being overheard...

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~?"

Chapter 88: Oversight