Babel

After venturing a few blocks from the site of the fire, Linnaeus entered a small tavern called 'The Laughing Cow', a relatively popular location despite its small size. This wasn't due to their food and alcohol being especially delicious or inexpensive, but due to the fact that the Proprietor only employed women who weren't afraid to show a bit of skin in order to loosen their customer's coin purses.Eliza wasn't fond of Linnaeus' choice of location, but, as such places were often the best locations to gather information, he insisted they enter. Though this required they pay a fee before entry, the fact several bodyguards were posted around the premises guaranteed a certain level of privacy.After securing a booth that allowed them to see the entrance, everyone placed their drink orders with the relatively buxom waitress, a woman with small horns, drooping ears, and a cow-like tail.Seeing the woman's outfit, which showed off her ample bosom, Eliza couldn't help but glower a bit. Fortunately, she kept her comments to herself, waiting until the woman had gone to take the order of another table before muttering, "Stupid Kyrie woman..." in a hushed tone.The Kyrie were a self-proclaimed warrior tribe that, in spite of their claims, were more often found on farms than battlefields. They had a high affinity with nature, and, though their men were often large, muscular individuals, their women were relatively popular for their short statures, gentle dispositions, and well-endowed, perpetually lactating, breasts. This last quality made them exceptionally popular as wet nurses, to the point that even Eliza's Governess, the woman who had educated her, was also a Kyrie woman.Though it wasn't really necessary, Linnaeus reminded Eliza, "We are here to gather information. It will become troublesome if you offend the staff members, so try to withhold such remarks...I'll be approaching the bar and see if I can't loosen the Proprietor's lips. Emilia will keep an eye on the door for anyone suspicious. I won't be gone long."Eliza was briefly tempted to follow Linnaeus to the bar, but, understanding he wanted to try and gather information on his own, she obediently remained. Though she was skilled at negotiating prices, her looks provided her very little benefits when it came to raw information gathering. Thus, while it was more than a little annoying, she decided to leave things to the inordinately cute and unassuming Linnaeus...Unaware of what Eliza was thinking, Linnaeus made his way over to the bar, his eyes scanning the other guests before settling on the 260cm tall wall of muscle wearing a traditional barkeep outfit. Like many of the barmaids and waitresses present, he was also a member Kyrie tribe, possessing great physical strength, large curved horns, and a short beard that connected seamlessly into his mane-like hair.Seeing Linnaeus approach, the man threw crooked an eyebrow at him, asking, "What can I get for you, young lady?"Though he knew some races had difficulties distinguishing the gender of other tribes, it took a fair amount of willpower for Linnaeus to avoid glaring back at the mountain-like man. Fortunately, he had never been the type to let his emotions show on his face, allowing him to appear calm on the outside as he plainly stated, "I may not be a wall of muscle, but I'm still a man..."Hearing Linnaeus' words, the barkeep issued an awkward laugh, finishing up wiping down the glass in hand before saying, "Sorry about that, lad. Now, tell me, what can I get for you? If it isn't top-shelf, I'll pour you something light, free of charge."Though the most expensive liquor was often kept locked away under the bar, there were often many pricey alcohols visible on the various shelves lining the back wall. As you went down the line and moved to lower shelves, the prices gradually decreased, but, if you were just looking to whet your palette, they also served cheap mead on tap.Accepting the man's gesture of goodwill, Linnaeus asked for a plain glass of mead before taking a seat at the bar. He wasn't particularly fond of drinking, but, as it was a chance to build rapport with the barkeep, refusing wasn't really an option.After taking a few large gulps, much to the amusement of the Kyrie barkeep, Linnaeus placed the glass back on the counter, wiping away the excess from the edges of his mouth before saying, "I want to purchase some information."As it wasn't uncommon for people to come into his establishment for the same purpose, the man wasn't surprised by Linnaeus' words. Instead, he eyed the other customers at the bar, making sure none of them were trying to flag him down, before answering, "Sure. If it's just local rumors, I'll be glad to share for the price of a few mugs. If you're looking for anything more sensitive, you'll have to go in the back. That'll cost you a bit, though, as my girls ain't so keen on sharing secrets without proper compensation."Linnaeus knew the man was basically telling him to rent a private room with one of the barmaids, a rather common service among businesses that brokered information on the side. Unfortunately, while this would have been a viable option if he was alone, the presence of Eliza and Emilia made it a lot more difficult.After ordering another drink, leaving his previous glass half-full, Linnaeus asked, "Hear anything interesting about the first that started a few blocks over? I heard a woman from the Guild started the blaze..."Hearing Linnaeus' words, the man stroked his beard for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face as he muttered, "Oh? I wonder where you heard a rumor like that? The information circling in the markets tells a very different story."In truth, Linnaeus hadn't heard anything about the fire being related to the Guild, but, after seeing the three groups investigating the area, he had a hunch they were involved. Unfortunately, while it seemed like the barkeep knew something, based on the look in his eye, the price of a single glass of mead didn't seem to cover the cost.Since it would hurt his position to slowly increase the offer, Linnaeus pulled out a small gemstone, equating to precisely 100 Soul Kindling. This wasn't an exceptional amount, but it was enough to earn a small smile from the barkeep, causing him to pull out a small pad of receipt paper, writing a few quick scribbles before handing Linnaeus a small bottle of whiskey.Based on the man's behavior, Linnaeus could tell he wasn't willing to openly discuss the matter, indicating there were likely people from the three groups keeping an eye on the local businesses. This, alone, was an important piece of information, causing him to return a small nod to the Kyrie man as he accepted the bottle and returned to his table.Before Eliza could ask how things had gone, Linnaeus shook his head slightly, stopping her words until he sat down and said, "There didn't have the drink we were looking for. Do you think this will do as a substitute...?"Though it took her a moment, Eliza was able to realize what Linnaeus was trying to say after Emilia lightly nudged her before answering, "I don't know. Maybe we should search a few more places to see if they have what we need?"Seeing how quick Emilia was to realize his intentions, Linnaeus couldn't help but smile slightly as he shook his head and answered, "It's already getting pretty late. We should find a place to stay before everything fills up. There is time to finish our drinks, but we shouldn't stay too long."Understanding that Linnaeus was basically telling them the place was being watched, Eliza gave a small nod before finishing her non-alcoholic drink. She had promised to watch her intake earlier that same day, so, while she had been tempted to order something much stronger, she settled on a somewhat bitter apple cider instead.Once everyone had finished their drinks, Linnaeus was the first to rise from the table, tossing a tip to their waitress in passing. Then, once they were finally outside, he waited until they had traveled a full block before pulling out the slip handed to him by the barkeep. He had glanced at it earlier, but, as there was a chance someone had been spying on him, he elected not to read and discuss it while they were still inside.Though it appeared to be gibberish, understanding the context behind the words was enough for Linnaeus to understand that, according to actual rumor, the Guild was proactively concealing the reason behind the fire. Other than that, the only other information on the receipt were the words, 'Orcus Merchant' and 'Anti-Magic King'.After memorizing the contents of the receipt, Linnaeus shredded it into tiny pieces, ensuring it was impossible to reassemble and read. Then, turning to his Party, he explained, "I don't think this has anything to do with the person pursuing me, at least not directly. It seems like the Guild came into conflict with a group of Merchants containing a member of the Orcus tribe. Considering how they look...I can't imagine there are too many successful Orcus Merchants. If we can find one who has the [Anti-Magic King] Blessing, we'll be able to determine the original cause of the fire..."Hearing Linnaeus' words, Eliza frowned slightly, saying, "That's well and good, but it doesn't do much to alleviate our current problem. Investigating the people behind the fire might not have anything to do with the people targetting you. If we continue looking into things that aren't our business, we'll just draw more attention to ourselves."Though he understood Eliza's concerns, Linnaeus released a small sigh as he explained, "Even if it isn't directly related, we know the fire involves the Guild. Based on how Renka was behaving this morning and this afternoon, I have a hunch she was directly involved. From what I know, all of the Guild personnel stay within the same residential district. Since Renka seems to work shifts in the morning and afternoon, her being anywhere near our Inn during the time of the fire indicates she would have been there on official business. This could have nothing to do with us, but I can't rest easy until I know for certain that is the case..."As Linnaeus' words were rather convincing, Eliza couldn't help but frown as she muttered, "I knew that bitch was up to no good...why don't we just move to another district?"Shaking his head, Linnaeus explained, "Renka wouldn't have needed to investigate us personally. The Guild has personnel specifically assigned to gather information and conduct investigations so she must have been there for another reason. If she was the one who got into a fight, we need to find out their identity and why they were skulking around our Inn. Given the circumstances, there is a fair chance Renka was there to protect us..."Hearing Linnaeus' final statement, Eliza's frown deepened as she asked, "Why would she go out of her way to try and protect our Party? You don't think..."Before Eliza could finish, Linnaeus shook his head, saying, "I don't think she has any feelings for me, at least, not in the way you're thinking. If I had to guess, it would be our Potentiate status that is garnering us so much attention. Even when I went to investigate Debtees, the brokers seemed to pay a lot of attention to my Potentiate status. There are also various laws in place to protect the rights of Potentiates. While this could just be the result of an arrangement between Tenebrae and those in power, I wouldn't be surprised if there was more to it..."To prove his point, Linnaeus pulled out two pieces of paper, one listing the Quest given to them by Renka, the other pulled from the Quest Board. As for the difference, Renka had tasked them to collect 10 mandibles that were 30cm, or greater, in length. The other Quest, however, only listed mandibles that were between 20~25cm, with a bonus offered for any over 30cm in length.Seeing the two Quests, realization donned on Eliza, causing her to ask, "Are you saying that Potentiates have a better drop rate for valuable items..?" in a very quiet whisper.Though he had various thoughts on the matter, Linnaeus felt this was the only real answer that could explain everything that had happened to them. Even the previous ambush, it seemed that the other party was intending to forcibly recruit and make use of them, despite the fact it would have been much easier just to kill and rob their corpses.Linnaeus had always felt there was something strange about that encounter, so, from the time they had set out from Central City, he had been observing how others treated them. Renka was just the most obvious indicator that something was up, so, if it turned out she had actually been in the area to deter others from trying to approach them, it would greatly increase the leverage they had in future negotiations...

Though the 'safest' option was to team up with another Party, documenting each others' kills and determining the average drop rate of valuable goods, Linnaeus felt this wasn't ideal. It would take a relatively large sample size to make an accurate determination, and, while it was possible for them to track down Yorgen's Party, that was the same as wrapping them up in their troubles.Linnaeus felt Yorgen's Party could be trusted, but, with that being the case, he was even less inclined to involve them in the current situation. He felt there were already too few good people in the world, so, while it would help solve the mystery, the potential cost wasn't something he was willing to pay.After discussing it with everyone else, they came to the conclusion that the 'safest' option was to purchase a Debtee. They really only needed one additional person to determine whether or not their hypothesis was true, so, while Eliza wasn't fond of the idea of adding people to their group, doing so for a short period of time had undeniable merits.Unfortunately, even if they wanted to purchase a Debtee, doing so while Linnaeus was being tracked wasn't ideal. Debtees were compelled to obey the people who purchased their contracts, but, unless they got along well with their owners, their 'motivation' could be a serious issue. After all, few people wanted to be treated like slaves, so, while they would ultimately obey, it was challenging to try and force them to make an earnest effort.Ascertaining whether or not their drop rate was increased could wait for later. For now, it was more important to identify the person tracking Linnaeus, and, if possible, reason with them. After all, there was nothing going on between him and Renka. The opposing party would have to be exceptionally petty to continue targeting him if he had done nothing wrong...With this in mind, Linnaeus spent several minutes thinking before saying, "We should find a place to stay. Though there is a chance we'll be attacked, I doubt they will do so openly. Based on how much time has passed since we originally left the Guild, the enemy seems to be gathering information. The actual attack will most likely take place in a couple of days. If we can't determine their identity before then, things will become even more problematic..."Curious about the meaning behind Linnaeus' words, Emilia's wolf-like ears twitched slightly as she asked, "Why is that?"Before Linnaeus could answer her, Eliza briefly interrupted him, elbowing Emilia in the side as she said, "He would have already told us if you didn't butt in...!"Though Eliza's 'attack' hadn't actually done any damage to her, Emilia made a show of rubbing her side, an apologetic mask on her face as she said, "Sorry, sorry, I was just curious. I understand your reasons, Liz, but, aren't you letting this situation get to you?"This time, it was Linneaus' turn to interrupt, saying, "Please, both of you, calm down. Eliza, Emilia is right. You are letting your emotions cloud your judgment. As for you, Emilia, you should know not to rile Eliza up at this point. She is just worried about me, not seeking trouble. Now, let me finish so we can find a place to rest for the evening..."Though both girls looked like they still had something to say, now wasn't exactly the best time to argue amongst themselves. Thus, after exchanging glances for several tense moments, seemingly communicating through nothing more than their gazes, they both nodded in understanding and acquiescence.Seeing the two reach a silent compromise, Linnaeus restrained the urge to release a tired sigh. Then, with all eyes focused on him, he explained, "If the person targeting me is affiliated with the Guild, it would be difficult for them to do so directly. They will have to rely on hiring criminal organizations and mercenary groups, likely targeting us outside of the settlement. Not only would this allow them to continue hiring more people to come after us, but, even without doing so, the chances we would be attacked several more times. Prestige and reputation are two of the most important things in the underground society. If they are a reasonably powerful group, they would continue to try and hunt us, even if the original contract was retracted...the pride of organized groups is troublesome."After being hunted down for several years, Linnaeus was very familiar with the thought process of most criminal organizations. They would not allow their pride to be infringed upon, as, if others did not respect and fear them, doing 'business' would become difficult, if not impossible. They might be inclined to withdraw of their target's reputation was high, but, with Linnaeus and co being relatively new to the region, there was little chance of their enemies backing down.Eliza, Emilia, and Krone didn't have the same understanding of the criminal underworld as Linnaeus, but, based on the severity contained within his tone, they didn't doubt him. Rather, Eliza knew just how far people would go to protect something as 'silly' as pride. Her family had completely wiped out dozens of smaller factions, many for no better reason than paltry misunderstandings and even more insignificant grievances...Seeing that everyone had taken his words seriously, Linnaeus felt slightly vindicated, a very slight smile developing on his face as he added, "Fortunately, we aren't completely without backing. If our speculation is correct, the Guild is likely keeping tabs on us. I don't know if they will go out of their way to protect us, but, if we can prove ourselves a valuable asset, they won't let others target us so easily. The Guild is the most powerful faction due to its affiliation with the Briggs Familia. Even if our enemy is a powerful criminal organization, they wouldn't risk offending the Guild unless their client was also affiliated with the Briggs Familia. If that is the case, discovering their identity shouldn't be an issue..."Understanding what Linnaeus was trying to say, Eliza issued a light 'Nn' before saying, "The person targeting you must be famous within the Guild. If they are targeting someone with status, they must have a bit of their own. We should be able to ascertain their identity by gathering information at the Guild itself...right?"Nodding his head, Linnaeus answered, "That would be the most direct method. Unless our enemy is also a renowned criminal, they must have some form of repute to be able to operate without facing repercussions from the Guild. We should be able to learn more by gathering information, either at the Guild or in the surroundings taverns..."Though Linnaeus' words almost made it seem like their nightly venture had been a waste, the person in question didn't believe that was the case. Rather, his curiosity had often gotten him and Saht into trouble that could have otherwise been avoided.Linnaeus genuinely believed that knowledge was a power that allowed the weak to overcome far more powerful foes. As a result, gathering information, observing his target, and make preparations had become second-nature to him.Fortunately, nobody pointed out the time they had 'wasted', as, from the outset, they had been the ones to insist they accompany him. Linnaeus would have been perfectly content with venturing out and gathering information on his own, so, unless they wanted to undermine their earlier insistence, it would be difficult to complain about 'time wasted'...Unbeknownst to Linnaeus, Eliza, Emilia, and even Krone didn't consider the fact their time had been wasted. Rather, the first two somewhat enjoyed getting out of the Inn and skulking around with him. As for Krone, he simply didn't care how they spent their time, as, from his perspective, upholding his vow was of paramount importance. Where they went, what they did, these things didn't matter at all.Unfortunately, it was difficult to understand the thought processes of others, leaving people prone to assumptions and misunderstandings. This included Linnaeus, who, due to his upbringing, actually had an easier time seeing through his enemies, rather than his allies. Some would even say he had a gift for seeing through others, aided by an uncommon ability to extrapolate information from even the smallest clues.The problem with becoming inordinately good at seeing through your enemies, however, was that it left massive gaps in your perception when it came to allies, something he was slowly becoming more aware of with the passage of time...In the hopes of avoiding an argument, Linnaeus quickly changed topics to another important matter, asking, "Should we return to our original Inn or find another place to stay? Though it is impossible to be certain, the likelihood of an attack has decreased considerably since we left the Guild."Realizing Linnaeus was giving them the chance to alter his previous decision, the briefest hint of a smile could be seen on Eliza's face as she answered, "If we're basing our decision on the conclusions you have reached, it may be better for us to take a few steps back. If we assume everything that has happened over the last few days is interconnected, there is another alternative to our current Inn..."Though he was momentarily confused by Eliza's statement, it didn't take long for the gears to click into place within Linnaeus' mind. This caused a small frown to develop across his face, but, instead of refuting her words, he fell into a deep state of contemplation.Seeing Linnaeus fall silent, Emilia turned to Eliza, asking, "What happened...?" in a hushed tone. She already had a hunch about what Eliza was talking about, but, as it seemed somewhat nonsensical, Emilia couldn't help but ask for clarification.To both answer Emilia's question and convince Linnaeus, Eliza explained, "I'm talking about staying at the Hostel with that Bapho girl, Khö. We speculated that her presence there was unnatural, but, even if that weren't the case, her presence all but guarantees external forces wouldn't be able to act freely. To have a Bapho as a pet, you need a considerable amount of power, enough to deter anyone who wants to steal them from you..."Piggybacking off Eliza's words, Linnaeus nodded his head, adding, "Eliza is right. We don't know the full story regarding Khö's situation. Despite that, we can ascertain that the Hostel has some form of protection against those who would try to target her. If she is still there, that Hostel could serve as a temporary shelter against external threats. There is also a chance, however, that there is a powerful criminal organization protecting her...if they are the ones hired to deal with us, we'd be sleeping in a bed prepared by our enemies..."Hearing Linnaeus' reasoning, Eliza felt a little sheepish, but, before she could offer an alternative, he followed up, adding, "I think we should stay there, at least for one evening. If Khö is still present, we would have another lead to make use of in our investigation. At the very least, we can eliminate an unknown variable by learning about her situation directly. Even if she isn't there, that would serve as further proof that something is going on behind the scenes...I think it is a good idea."Happy she had given a suggestion that Linnaeus approved of, Eliza's face blossomed into a smile as she said, "Then we should hurry before it gets too late. We might not be able to enjoy a proper rest once things develop further so we should rest while we can."As there was some truth to Eliza's words, Linnaeus nodded his head in affirmation, albeit with far less fervor than she displayed. He wanted to point out the problems that would undoubtedly arise if Khö had been placed there for a specific purpose, but, as this was largely baseless conjecture, he decided against it. He would know for certain once they talked to the person in question, so, rather than talk in circles all night, ascertaining the truth for themselves would be far more productive...

After separating from his Party, Linnaeus moved with purposeful intent as he deftly navigated various back alleys and lesser-trespassed roads. He wasn't fond of wasting time, so, while he had the intention of luring out his enemies, his primary goal was to investigate the previous evening's fire.Though it didn't seem to have anything to do with them, the encounter with Khö had rekindled his suspicions. There was no way a Bapho's presence could be ignored, but, more importantly, Linnaeus hadn't heard anything about Khö's existence when he collected information the prior evening.Linnaeus had paid the portly owner of the hostel to provide information, so it didn't make sense for the man to overlook mentioning the fact there was a Bapho working in his establishment. That wasn't something you just forgot to mention, making it seem as though the man hadn't actually known she would be making an appearance during the morning hours...In order to ascertain the truth, Linnaeus wanted to learn more about the incident leading up to the fire. There were bound to be people still talking about the relatively recent event, so, using the opportunity he had been given, Linnaeus decided to take full advantage of his circumstances.Fortunately, whoever had been assigned to tail him didn't seem that competent, causing Linnaeus to feel as if he had lost them a couple of times along the way. While there was no way to ascertain whether or not this was the truth, as he had been unable to identify them, Linnaeus always trusted his instinct when it came to such things. He had spent much of his life being hunted by others, so, even if it was derived from his paranoia, it had kept him alive.Eventually, Linnaeus reached the section of the bazaar that had been burned down. He wasn't surprised by the fact that, even after such devastating fire, there were many merchants still trying to do business in the area. Some even seemed to be playing the part of victims, despite the fact they had no shops affected by the rampant flames...While waiting for his Party to catch up, Linnaeus spent his time profiling all the faces in the area. It wasn't 'normal' for people to linger around the site of a fire, so, while some people wandered out of curiosity, the majority had a 'reason' for being there.If you spent a lot of time watching people, it wasn't difficult to identify patterns that revealed their intentions. This was especially true for criminals and those involved in information trafficking as, compared to normal people, they were simply 'too good' at pretending to behave normally. This was enough to fool pedestrians and those who went about their business without minding such things, but, after seeing the same behaviors hundreds of times, it was almost too easy to notice when something amiss was taking place behind the scenes.By the time Eliza, Emilia, and Krone neared his position, Linnaeus had identified at least thirteen people that seemed to be investigating the area. He had also ascertained that they were part of three different groups, with the largest consisting of eight people. The other five were cautiously observing this larger group, but, based on their positioning and how they proactively avoided each other, it was easy to see they weren't part of the same organization...With a less-than-enthused expression on her face, Eliza approached until she was only a short distance away from Linnaeus before complaining, "We didn't find anyone. Even Emilia wasn't able to pick up anything."Nodding her head in response to Eliza's words, Emilia added, "I followed your scent closely while keeping an eye on the rooftops. We did see a group wandering around, but they weren't going in the same direction as you."Hearing the reports of the two girls, Linnaeus fell into silent contemplation before explaining his own views, stating, "I felt as though I had lost the person tailing me at several junctions. I tried to wait for them in order to reveal their identity, but they seemed to be able to find me again before I could discover their traces. Though unlikely, there is a chance my pursuer has something akin to the Blessing of [Invisibility]..."Though she didn't immediately dismiss the possibility, Emilia lightly hummed before saying, "I would still be able to smell them if that were the case. [Invisibility] only affects the body of its user, meaning they need to be naked to benefit from its use. This makes their scent easier to pick up, as there is nothing to prevent the spread of their pheromones in the surroundings..."As [Invisibility] was one of the better-known Blessings, as many people like to discuss how they would make use of it, even Emilia was aware of its capabilities. This was the reason Linnaeus had said the possibility was slim, stating it was similar to the Blessing of [Invisibility], rather than being one and the same.After bouncing a few more ideas between themselves, all while observing the three groups that seemed to be investigating the fire, Linnaeus and Co were no closer to identifying their enemy.The only things Linnaeus could be relatively certain of was that he had been followed and that the person following him wasn't that skilled, at least when it came to tracking. They were, however, very adept at keeping themselves concealed. This was a curious combination as, more often than not, those with the ability to hide were generally adept at pursuing targets...As this thought crossed his mind, Linnaeus proposed, "The person tracking me may be using an artifact, or series of artifacts, to conceal themselves. That would explain why they seem incapable of tracking me, even when I tried making it easier for them..."Hearing Linnaeus' remark, Emilia couldn't help but snicker, earning her a glare from Eliza. The latter was taking this situation very seriously, causing her to properly consider Linnaeus' words before saying, "If that is the case, the person tracking you has a lot of wealth to squander. That will help to narrow down the number of suspects quite a bit, but it also presents other challenges."Understanding what Eliza was trying to get at, Linnaeus nodded his head, adding, "If they have that kind of power, there is little reason for them to associate with a branch office. This means the person pursuing me has a fair amount of influence...they may even be involved directly with the Guild's internal affairs. I need to learn more about the hierarchy of the Guild, as everything stems from Renka as the source..."If it turned out he was being targetted by another influence within the Guild, Linnaeus knew their best option was to simply move to another branch. The person targeting him undoubtedly had a fondness for Renka, so it didn't seem worthwhile to continue operating in the same area, even if it drastically decreased their chances of joining the main expedition.Linnaeus was willing to do whatever it took to leave the Fifth Floor and exit the Crucible of Souls, but that didn't mean he wanted to get in between some kind of lover's spat. He had absolutely no tender feelings towards Renka so it was more than a little annoying to be targetted due a mistake committed by the careless Receptionist. There was a chance he could reap various benefits from staying the course, but, in the grand scheme of things, getting involved in someone else's drama was never a good idea.With this in mind, Linnaeus gave a curt nod before saying, "I'm going to spend much of tonight collecting information. Depending on what I'm able to discover, we may move to another district. There are too many strange occurrences in this area so it doesn't seem wise to stay..."Though she was also aware of the fact this was actually an opportunity for them, Eliza wouldn't pass on the chance to distance Linnaeus from Renka. He might have no interest in her, but, based on everything that had happened, it was transparently clear that Renka had an interest in him. This might have little to do with personal feelings, but that didn't really matter when she was willing to get them involved in matters completely unrelated to them.Linnaeus might consider Renka's faux pas an honest mistake, but Eliza wasn't foolish enough to believe this was the case. If that had been the case, she would have at least warned him of who he should be wary of, rather than leaving him to gather information for himself. With how things had developed, Eliza was all but certain than Renka had decided to use Linnaeus as a way to dodge one of her own problems, disregarding the trouble it would bring their way...In response to Linnaeus' proposition, Eliza nodded her head several times, saying, "I am all for leaving this area and moving to another. The Guild contract didn't stipulate which branch we operated out of, only that we accept and report Quests through them. Our encounter with that Bapho, alone, is enough reason for us to move far away from this area."Though he didn't disagree with her, Linnaeus knew he wouldn't be able to relax without learning exactly why he was being targetted. Trouble seemed to follow them wherever they went, so, while it was tempting to just move around to evade trouble, establishing themselves would be virtually impossible. He imagined this was a difficulty every Potentiate Party faced during their stint on the Fifth Floor, so, rather than run away, he wanted to at least understand their situation better.After deciding this, Linnaeus turned his gaze toward Emilia, asking, "How many have you been able to notice...?" in a subdued tone.Hearing Linnaeus' question, Emilia made a rather theatrical, yet convincing, show of yawning before answering, "I'm kind of sleepy, but I can still handle seven or eight more drinks before calling it a night. We should look for a tavern. The smell of burnt wood is unpleasant."Going by Emilia's words, Linnaeus was pretty sure she hadn't noticed the two groups that were moving about along the periphery. This indicated she still had a lot to learn, but, as he had spent years mastering this particular skill, it wasn't like he could blame her.Seemingly nodding his head in agreement with Emilia's previous statement, Linnause said, "I know about three places nearby. Try not to order more than two or three drinks, though. We're a little tight on funds these days so we'll have to be more frugal in our spending."Understanding what Linnaeus was trying to convey, Emilia scrunched up her nose, eyes darting to the surroundings for a brief moment as she answered, "You're the boss, Lin. Go ahead and lead the way."Following Emilia's remark, Linnaeus began to lead the Party through the area, eyeing the remains of several burnt buildings while discreetly pointing out the location of all thirteen people he had been able to discover. In the process, a fourteenth individual also made an appearance, but, as they only stopped to check in with the main group, it was easy to deduce they were nothing more than a messenger.Even after Linnaeus had pointed them out, Emilia wasn't able to understand why he thought they were spying on the main group. It wasn't until one of them looked toward her for a brief moment, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end, that she knew he was telling the truth...Fortunately, as she was accustomed to being stared at, Emilia didn't show any sign that she had identified the man as a spy. Instead, she offered an awkward smile before rolling her eyes at him, seemingly dismissing his attempts to flirt with her. This left the man slightly gobsmacked, earning him a few teasing remarks from his companion, who, for a brief moment, looked over with a hawk-like gaze...

Chapter 91: Intuition