Babel

Though there were some hiccups along the way, the rest of the journey to the Monster Ant Colony went without any major issues. The only real setback occurred when a monstrous three-legged avian creature attacked the convoy, damaging one of the carriages and killing several Dumbswallows. Its speed was unlike anything Linnaeus had ever experienced but, when it came around a second time, a man with a large halberd was waiting to meet it. He managed to cleave off one of the hypersonic creature's wings in a single strike, bringing it down to the ground for his Party to finish off.From Yorgen, Linnaeus learned the massive flying creature, covered in black metallic feathers, was known colloquially as the King of the Skies. Though the Akashic system referred to it as an Onyx Bomber, the number of victims created by the creature, with a wingspan extending almost fifteen meters, earned it quite the reputation.Fortunately, most convoys prepared to an encounter against the infamous solitary hunters so, while six Dumbswallows ended up becoming casualties, they were only set back for the brief interval it took to repair the damaged carriage...---Much like the Southern Forest Settlement, the Monster Ant Colony also had a place where people gathered together. Unlike the former, however, the settlement near the Monster Ant Colony had the appearance of a massive fortress rather than a homely village.Rather than a single defensive wall on their outer perimeter, the settlement was surrounded by a total of three, each growing progressively taller as you neared a castle-like fortification at the very center.In between each wall, various Inns, Hostels, shops, and other facilities could be found. Unlike normal buildings, however, they were made from extremely durable materials and, for reasons that weren't immediately clear, covered in sloping roofs.While the buildings themselves were rather strange, what really stood out were the large defensive towers that were evenly spaced within the general residential and commerce areas. Each of these structures was around 30m in diameter, covered in smooth metallic sheets, and outfitted with a total of sixteen large ballistae. Around the base, a wide moat lined with metal spikes and filled with a substance similar to boiling tar deterred anyone from getting anywhere near the structures, turning it into a veritable fortress all its own.Even without gathering information, it was easy to deduce that the rather spacious settlement was subject to monster attacks on a regular basis. Despite this, hundreds-of-thousands gathered in this area, each seeking their fortune against the plentiful Monster Ants located in the distant mountains.At a glance, these Mountains looked like normal geological formations but, if you observed closely, it quickly became apparent they were anything but 'normal'. Rather, the entire mountain range was an artificial construct, painstakingly built over millennia by the Monster Ants calling it home.Linnaeus had never encountered a Monster Ant but he knew normal ant colonies could sometimes have millions of individual worker ants. This made the distant colony mildly terrifying as it wasn't all that difficult to imagine an endless swarm of the creatures sweeping across the settlement, wiping it away in a single evening...---Though there were several small Merchant companies in the outer wall, most convoys had clearance to enter within the second set of walls. Here, the fortifications were even more noticeable than those outside and, as could be expected, so too were the various buildings lining the interior. They were of a much higher quality than their counterparts in the outer region, a testament to the wealth disparity between those living further in and those forced into the periphery.After passing through a series of security checkpoints, navigating 100m long tunnel, and crossing a large bridge, the convoy finally began staging its carriages outside a large warehouse. Here, a team of workers was already waiting to unload all the equipment and supplies while, near the exit of the staging area, the former convoy leader was waiting with payment for each Party. From there, they could either retrace their steps, moving to the outskirts where prices were significantly reduced, or move further inside the second middle district, taking advantage of the fact they had already been able to pass through checkpoint, something which generally required a heavy fee to be paid.When it came time to make this decision, Linnaeus was somewhat hesitant as, for the last few days, he had gotten along relatively well with Yorgen's Party. As a result, once they moved over to gather their reward, he asked the stoutly Dwarf, "What are your intentions, Yorgen? Will you head outside or explore the middle district?"While weighing the cloth purse he had received in his left hand, Yorgen gave Linnaeus a wry grin before saying, "This ain't our firs' time venturin' to these lands, lad. We'll be headin' outside to find more agreeable pricin'. You 'n your lot should explore around for a bit, though. If fate be willin', we'll meet again durin' the upcomin' expedition."Since it wasn't a simple matter, finding a Party you could mesh well with, Linnaeus was somewhat disappointed by Yorgen's words. He didn't allow this to show on his face, however, as he gave an understanding nod and said, "We'll meet again; I'm certain of it." Then, shaking hands with the kind Dwarf, Linnaeus forced a smile as Yorgen's much larger hand crushed his own...While Linnaeus was sharing parting words with Yorgen, Krone somewhat awkwardly ruffled the fur of Cyrus' head while Eliza and Emilia had a staredown with Amanda. The only one without someone to talk to was Zezim but, with an aloof smile on his face, he just looked around the area before finding a Dumbswallow staring at him. This caused his smile and wings to twitch slightly as a strong desire to visit a pub or brothel swelled up inside of him...When the time for their parting came, Linnaeus' Party saw off Yorgen's until the latter crossed the large mechanical bridge and passed through the first checkpoint. Afterward, Linnaeus turned to his cohorts and said, "We'll most likely be able to gather more information here in the middle district than outside. Let's find a place to stay for the evening before splitting up to search the various shops present within. Try to gather information about the upcoming Expedition while preserving as much of your Soul Kindling as possible. Tomorrow morning, we'll head to the outer district to cut on living expenses until we get a better grasp on our income..."Since it was the best course of action, given their current circumstances, none of Linnaeus' Party members had a problem with his suggestion. As a result, they quickly found a place to stay away from the outskirts of the middle district, avoiding the 'cheap' room and board offered by various Merchant Companies near the checkpoints.Merchants, even those that operated above-board, were all somewhat shady by virtue of their trade. If they could make some extra profit, they didn't mind falsely advertising their rates as being cheaper than others, even if venturing just a few blocks inward proved this claim to be false.Linnaeus was a skeptic by nature so, if something seemed too good to be true, his default mentality was to confirm it for himself. As a result, they found a place that was nearly 30% cheaper, despite the accommodations being far superior...After securing two small rooms for themselves, Linnaeus had Eliza accompany him as they spent a bit of time making small talk with the Proprietor. He had already learned that Inn owners were rather fond of conversing with their guests as they spent most of their time tending to the Inn. This could get rather boring so, whenever they got the chance, they were more than happy to share what they knew in exchange for interesting news or a few Soul Kindling.Eliza was surprisingly good at getting people to talk so, with his own social skills lacking, Linnaeus had come to rely on her for things like this. All that was required from him was appearing interested during the conversation and grateful for the information provided. This was enough to make a good impression on the various Proprietors they had met, often resulting in extra benefits like cookies or other baked goods during their meals.From the Proprietor, a middle-aged man with ram-like horns and a massive build, Linnaeus learned that the Expedition was always hosted by the ruling family that presided over the 'Briggs Fortress' at the very center of the territory. There, the Briggs Familia had been ruling over the region since it was first settled more than eight-hundred years prior.In order to prevent the Monster Ants from building up enough forces to sweep across the entire region, the Briggs Familia sponsored the creation of a Guild specifically for contending against the Monster Ant swarm. They were charged with organizing monthly Expeditions to sweep through the area, dealing as much damage to the ant population as possible while reserve forces and groups specializing in the harvesting of raw materials followed in their wake.Unfortunately, even with these monthly Expeditions, the Monster Ant Colony would swell in size once or twice each year. This always coincided with a phenomenon known as the Monster Ant Nuptial Flight, a period where some Monster Ants suddenly sprouted wings and tried to settle in other regions. Many of these ants were nascent Queens and virile males so, if they weren't taken care of quickly, new colonies would erupt throughout the surrounding regions, leaving nothing but havoc and devastation in their wake.To prevent a major outbreak, the Briggs Familia would personally lead an Expedition directly into the heart of the Monster Ant Colony, their goal to kill as many Queens and brood as possible. By dealing a crippling blow to the existing ant infrastructure, the Nuptial Flight could be interrupted as, without a Queen, the existing colony would eventually collapse. As a result, the Monster Ants would fall back into their burrows, shoring up their defenses for several months for fear of being wiped out...This was all important information as, if they wanted to try and secure a place for themselves among the main Expeditionary Forces, Linnaeus and co had less than two weeks to prove themselves at the nearby Guild. Though they could make a decent profit by serving with the reserve forces, joining the main forces guaranteed a lump payment of 50,000 Soul Kindling just for participation.Joining the main expedition was a dangerous task but, at the same time, the rewards far exceeded those of the reserve forces. After all, the most coveted materials could only be obtained by entering the brood chambers and fighting against the various Majors and Super Majors. There, they could obtain the coveted Golden Honey and, if they managed to actually kill one of the Majors, harvesting their gem-like eyes guaranteed massive profits.Though obtaining a place with the main expedition would be difficult, the benefits far outweighed the potential danger. This was especially true for Linnaeus and his Party as, after the completion of a large expedition, the number of Monster Ants would generally thin out considerably. This meant, if they didn't take advantage of this opportunity, their trip to the Monster Ant Colony itself could turn out to be a waste of time.Since there was a very real chance they could earn enough Soul Kindling to move on to the next series of challenges, Linnaeus managed to convince Eliza, Emilia, and Krone to take the risk with him. They would register at the Guild's main office before heading to the northern section of the outer district. From there, they would venture into the Monster Ant Colony, gaining experience against the ferocious creatures while completing various Guild Quests.It wouldn't be easy but, if they were able to distinguish themselves, there was a fair chance their Party would be accepted as part of the main expedition. After all, various Parties would migrate to the fortress city around this time so, while the competition was fierce, the chances of joining, even as a relatively new Party, were quite high.

With limited Soul Kindling between them, there wasn't much reason to explore the middle district other than with the intent of gathering information and evaluating the market. This didn't stop Eliza from dragging off Emilia to peruse various clothing stores, however. As for Linnaeus, he spent a bit of time mapping their immediate surrounding before wandering toward the markets closest to the Central District, home to Briggs Fortress.While exploring, he only places worth noting, at least in Linnaeus' opinion, were the Monster Association and, to a lesser extent, the Debtor's Guild. He had taken an interest in tamed beasts after discussing them with Yorgen and Cyrus so, with several hours before nightfall, he decided to gather more information about them.As the name suggested, the Monster Association dealt with the acquisition, exchange, breeding, and distribution of various monsters. So long as you had the funds, it was possible to obtain a variety of different monsters, many of which were useful as either battle companions or mounts. The only real downside was, without a Blessing related to taming, it could take several years to build the requisite rapport to have a monster fight loyally at your side.This was where the second organization of interest came in, the Debtor's Guild. Here, people that had fallen into debt could be contracted and, so long as you had the funds, they would effectively become your faux-slave.Despite their apparent status, contracting someone from the Debtor's Guild didn't mean you could treat them however you wanted. The purpose of the Guild was to repay debts, not get their debtees killed, so, unless the debtee had agreed to an unrestricted contract, it was the obligation of the one who had purchased their services to care for them.Since he was interested in expanding his Party without the threat of being backstabbed, Linnaeus had taken an interest in the Debtor's Guild the moment he heard about it from a stall vendor. He had seen a young woman walking around with two burly individuals, each with collars around their necks so, after purchasing a few skewers for Emilia, Linnaeus followed the vendor's directions to one of the tallest buildings in the entire middle district.As could be expected, the Debtor's Guild was operated by the Briggs Familia, indicated by a massive emblem depicting a castle wall and a lion's head could be seen. This was important for a number of reasons as, not only did the Brigg's Familia serve as a Guarantor of the facility but, if you violated the terms of your contract, it was the same as offending one of the most powerful factions on the Fifth Floor.Linnaeus had no intention of making even more enemies but, with a two-week window to earn a position with the Main Expedition, it didn't hurt to take a look. His Party was in desperate need of ranged attackers so, unless he or Emilia wanted to pick up a new specialty, they needed to scout a competent archer or someone with precision magic.Since forming a secondary Party and establishing a Company was a high hurdle, at least for the time being, supplementing their needs with temporary members was the next best option.It was with this mentality that Linnaeus first stepped into the Debtor's Guild, a surprisingly orderly place with a prim and lavish interior. There, dozens of uniformed staff were waiting to happily deal with any customers that wandered in, much like an Auction House. The main difference was, rather than be ignored, it took less than thirty seconds for an intelligent-looking woman with sharp eyes and even sharper ears approached him, asking, "Have you come with the intent to purchase or sell?"When he heard the woman's question, Linnaeus quickly realized why she hadn't ignored him, despite his rather slovenly attire. He imagined it wasn't all that uncommon for people to take the initiative to sell their debt directly to the Guild, likely to escape whoever they had indebted themselves to in the first place...Without letting the woman's words bother him, Linnaeus stared back at her with a calm expression on his face, plainly stating, "I am interested in acquiring the contract of someone competent with a bow or precision magics. Please, show me what you have available."Hearing Linnaeus' response, the woman gave an understanding nod, her expression never changing from the professional smile she had been wearing since the beginning. Then, after a courteous bow, she gestured toward the side, stating, "If you'll follow me, I would be happy to facilitate your needs, Young Master."Linnaeus wasn't fond of the way the woman addressed him but, with a mask of his own, the woman was unable to see through him as they alighted to a private room. There, Linnaeus was invited to sit in a surprisingly comfortable chair while the woman rang a small silver bell that had been sitting on the large wooden table separating them.In response to the bell, a door at the back of the room quickly opened to reveal two neatly-dressed servants, each wearing fitted dresses with relatively short skirts. From this, Linnaeus assumed that the golden bell, positioned next to its silver counterpart, likely summoned male servants.Seeing her client remain unfazed even in the face of two beauties, the female Broker couldn't help but squint her eyes slightly as she tried, and failed, to get a read on him. Even when he was offered tea by the bustier of the two women, the young boy just gave a small nod in response, observing the contents of the cup before immediately setting them aside...Realizing she had yet to learn the boy's name, the female Broker gestured for the servants to stand at the side before saying, "You have impressive bearing for someone so young. Despite being taught never to judge a book by its cover, it would seem I still need a bit of practice. Please, might I ask for your name, Young Master? As for my own, you may refer to me as Rune."Though he would have to sign his name on a contract if he wanted to obtain a debtee, Linnaeus had misgivings about arbitrarily giving his name to random people. Thus, without necessarily lying, he gave a curt nod before answering, "Hearing someone call me Young Master is unpleasant. You may refer to me as Finn, Ms. Rune."Hearing Linnaeus' response, Rune answered with a curt nod of her own before saying, "I hope we are able to enjoy a lasting partnership, Mr. Finn. As this seems to be your first time visiting the Debtor's Guild, there are a few matters of varying importance to discuss. First of all, I am obligated to inform you that, should you choose to move forward with the acquisition of a contract, I will become your permanant Broker. Secondly, before I can show you any of the contracts we have available, there is a 100 Soul Kindling consultation fee that must be paid in advance..."As information was never free, Linnaeus' wasn't too surprised by Rune's words. What he did question was whether or not the fee was actually 100 Soul Kindling but, knowing he would lose all leverage by footing around the issue, he opted to simply pay it. If he couldn't even fork over 100 Soul Kindling, it was unlikely Rune, or any Broker for that matter, would treat him as a serious customer.Seeing Linnaeus unhesitantly pay the consultation fee, Rune's evaluation of the poorly-dressed youth went up by a few points. He was difficult to read but, based on his words and behavior, she got the impression he specifically dressed as such to lower the guard of others. This wasn't all that uncommon amongst affluent people who liked to see how people treated them based solely on appearance so, rather than offend a potentially powerful individual, Rune decided to play it safe by bowing politely as she accepted Linnaeus' payment.Linnaeus could feel a change in the way Rune and the two servant women looked at him but, with the same neutral expression as always, he sat quietly as the former listed off various contracts. Most of them had exorbitant prices, ranging between 3,500-5,000 Soul Kindling per month but, every now and then, a relatively cheap contract, around 800-1,500, would come up. Linnaeus felt Rune was just throwing these in to gauge his reaction but, without revealing his actual thoughts on the matter, he had her run through a list of thirty-seven individuals without pause.What was worth noting was that the fact that the listed rate was just to obtain the contract of the person. From there, epending on the terms agreed upon, the contract could easily exceed several tens-of-thousands of Soul Kindling per month as a liability clause. Most of these clauses determined the treatment of the debtee and, if you wanted to have them risk their lives, there was even a clause that required you to continue paying off their debt, even if they died...Most debtees didn't include the option to risk their lives but, in exchange, they would have to agree to various other 'services', some of which were arguably worse than death. Though this all depended on how much the person buying them was willing to pay, it was something to consider if he wanted to acquire someone's contract.What bothered Linnaeus was the fact that, due to his status as a 'Potentiate', meaning he could still climb the Crucible of Souls, he needed to pay upwards of 30% of the person's total debt upfront as a precaution against people amassing debtees to farm Soul Kindling and then simply departing the Floor.Worse still was the fact that, if he left the Floor with an active contract, it would still be in effect if he ended up failing his trial. As a result, he would be shackled with a massive debt if he was sent back to the Fifth Floor, essentially becoming a debtee himself for several decades.This seemed to be a surprisingly common outcome as, among the thirty-seven contract detailed by Rune, twenty-nine belonged to people who had failed their trials. In a way, this system was a trap to ensure they always had a stable supply of debtees as, due to time constraints, Potentiates would be desperate to acquire Soul Kindling by any means necessary. As a result, they would readily violate the clause as, if they ended up leaving the Crucible behind, their debt within didn't matter at all...As someone in the same boat as these individuals, Linnaeus wasn't deterred by the overbearing clause as, if he failed to return to the Tower, his life would have lost all meaning. If he had to spend a few decades as someone's servant, that was merely penance for his failure.Fortunately, even if he did fail, Linnaeus had the distinct impression that Eliza would fail alongside him. He could easily imagine her purchasing his contract and, though this would make things a little awkward between them, it wasn't the absolute worst outcome.With this in mind, Linnaeus ended up paying a holding fee on a Level 31 Dáilin male with the [Child of Wind] Blessing. He didn't want the stigma of purchasing a female's contract as, with Eliza and Emilia opting to share a room with him, it would put him in a difficult position. Males were also a lot cheaper, on average, so it was also the most economical choice given his current financial status...Since it wasn't uncommon for people to place holding fees, as purchasing a contract outright was only something a wastrel would do, Rune's evaluation of Linnaeus didn't drop all that much. Rather, after learning he was a Potentiate, she became even more eager to complete a transaction with him as it guaranteed a higher commission. She would also be the one to obtain his contract if he failed his future trials so, with very little to lose, Rune happily carried out her duties as Linnaeus' Broker.(A/N: I am very sick right now. I wasn't going to write a chapter today but, as it felt awkward to post a notice after failing to publish one yesterday, I opted to write a chapter to let everyone know what is going on.)

Though Amanda's behavior was a mild concern, the fact she had yet to even speak to him outside of their initial introductions gave Linnaeus the impression she wasn't a real threat. Thus, in response to Zezim's concerns, he gave a shrug of his own before disappearing under the cover of night.As someone with [Night Vision], Linnaeus already expected to be given a similar task to Emilia so he took the initiative to venture out ahead of time. While it may not be safest to go alone, his [Presence Concealment], [Stealth], and [Assassination] were far more useful when he could actually make use of them.With this in mind, Linnaeus trecked out a few hundred meters from the convoy, scaling a nearby hill to give himself a better vantage point. Truthfully, he was more worried about being attacked by the members of the convoy than any dangerous monsters as, while the night often brought danger, the plains and forests outside of the established gathering areas were sparsely populated with genuine threats.In the low light, it was easy to mistake friends for foe so, if he encountered another member of the convoy, there was a non-negligible chance they would mistake him as a scout. This was the danger of not knowing everyone else on the convoy but, due to having signed similar contracts, they would at least receive a notification after the first attack; warning them of the penalty if they continue to attack an ally.While the Akashic System served as the foundation for virtually everyone's life, that didn't mean it was completely without loopholes. Those that were clever could manipulate others to carry out all kinds of schemes that violated the usual rules and restrictions put in place by the system. Thus, in the brief moment where they didn't know whether or not they were friends or foes, there was a chance people could kill each other without getting flagged by the system. After all, in situations like this, accidents did happen...Fortunately, even after an hour manning his post, Linnaeus only saw a single duo approach near his position. Most people didn't venture nearly as far out as he did so, with the distance between each of the carriages, overlap was only possible if someone decided to roam around, patrolling.Since they wanted to make use of the same hill he was using, the duo approached until they were only a few meters away from Linnaeus' location. Despite this, they didn't seem to notice him at all as they were more focused on their hushed conversation than their actual surroundings.Hearing the duo talk about mundane topics, Linnaeus just rolled his eyes while internally willing them to move on quickly.As if to spite this thought, the male of the duo sat down on the grass and, after teasing his female companion, they ended up flirting together while watching the faux-stars overhead.Realizing they were going to stay for the long haul Linnaeus focused his mind, ensuring his presence was completely erased as he did his best to ignore them and focus on his surroundings. They were actually giving him a bit of experience every couple of seconds so, while it was annoying to have a couple flirting nearby, he at least received a minor benefit as a result.---Just under four hours after the change in shift had been called, a trumpet sound could be heard echoing throughout the area, breathing life into the convoy once again. This caused the duo who had been cuddling to rise with a start, departing from the hill to return to their own place in the convoy.Finally liberated from his unsuspecting companions, Linnaeus appeared a few seconds after the duo had departed, a bit of fatigue visible in his eyes as he stretched his limbs. Staying still for nearly three hours wasn't the most pleasant experience as the blood would settle due to poor circulation. As a result, his left leg had temporarily lost feeling and, even after it began to return, Linnaeus had to deal with a prickly feeling for several seconds before he was finally able to jog down the hill...Though she was never a morning person, Eliza was waiting for him near the back of the carriage with visible bags under her eyes. It was easy to see she had stayed awake all night but, knowing it wasn't the best idea to inquire, he offered a slight smile and said, "Good morning, Eliza."In response to his greeting, Eliza released a loud yawn before closing the short distance between them and giving him a quick. Then, after issuing a small hum, she released his body and said in a slightly more energetic tone, "Good morning, Lin...have you eaten anything?"Shaking his head, Linnaeus said, "I'll get something to eat once we start moving. If you're still tired, try and get some rest after we depart."Since it looked like the convoy would set out at any moment, Linnaeus felt they didn't even have time to stand around talking, much less eat breakfast. Eliza seemed to realize this as well so, after an acknowledging smile, she climbed into the back of the carriage, joining the waiting Emilia, the latter of which was already snacking on a large sweet bun full of curry...Seeing the ravenous girl happily busying herself with breakfast, Linnaeus just waved at her before hopping onto the staging perch next to a disgruntled-looking Yorgen. When he noticed Linnaeus was looking, however, a smile returned to his face as he lightly nudged the former with his elbow and asked, "How'd tha night watch go, lad? Any troubles afoot?"Though Yorgen would undoubtedly get a kick out of it, Linnaeus elected not to mentioned the duo that had 'invaded' his post during the watch. Instead, he just shook his head, explaining, "It was an uneventful evening."Hearing Linnaeus' response, Yorgen gave a half-laugh-half-snort, a peculiar reaction that Linnaeus didn't really know how to interpret. Fortunately, he followed up the strange noise, explaining in a hushed tone, "It was a right battle around 'ere, ya keen? Them lasses don't know the meanin' of civility. Never in me life did I regret choosin' ta stay back and keep watch more'n I did last night."Since it didn't take an overactive imagination to understand what Yorgen was getting at, Linnaeus offered a wry smile in response, choosing to withhold a remark. He had the distinct impression that all three girls had heard Yorgen's remark as, despite his efforts to speak in a hushed tone, his deep and gruff voice carried far.Fortunately, before Yorgen could say anything else to potentially trigger the girls, Krone and Cyrus returned to the carriage, the latter actually sitting on the former's shoulders.Seeing the unexpected sight, Linnaeus was at a momentary loss while Yorgen, reacting as if it was the most normal thing in the world, just asked the duo, "How'd tha night watch go? Any troubles?"Krone wasn't the most personable person in the world so it was Cyrus who, after hopping off the former's shoulders, answered, "We were attacked by a small group of Rashu but, thanks to Big Bro, I was able to deal with them without too much trouble~!"Hearing how Cyrus addressed Krone, Linnaeus gave the latter a questioning look but, instead of an actual response, the grey-skin man just snorted before disappearing around the carriage to sit at the front.Though Krone's response wasn't all that surprising, the fact Cyrus happily followed after him caused the cogs in Linnaeus' mind to jam up. This was noticed by Yorgen who, after a bit of gruff laughter, took it upon himself to explain, "Cyrus is a good lad. He's always had a knack fer makin' friends. It don't matter if yer the quiet type or the gruff type. If Cyrus wants ta be yer friend, he'll find a way to break through yer shell."In response to Yorgen's claim, a feminine voice rang out from within the carriage, stating, "Yorgen may be our Party Leader but Cyrus is the glue that holds us all together. If he hadn't begged to have me join the Party, I would have stayed in the Western Kingdom."Hearing Amanda suddenly insert herself into the conversation, Linnaeus turned his head to find the sensual woman smiling at him. In response to her words, however, Yorgen guffawed before stating, "Don't let that lass' words fool ye. She ended up following our little lad back like a lost kitten, ain't that right, Mandy?"Rather than dignify Yorgen's words with a response, Amanda crossed her arms, propping up her breasts slightly as she turned her head in a huff. This resulted in another loud bellow from Yorgen while, back in the carriage, Emilia and Eliza were looking at the brown-skinned beauty with what could only be described as 'taunting' expressions...---After about fifteen minutes of checking the wheels and axels of each carriage, each of the drivers, starting from the rear, issued a loud bellow. This continued until their shouts reached the very front of the convoy. Afterward, a loud sequence of trumpeting echoed through the area, followed by the convoy setting out.If they made good time, it was possible to reach the Monster Ant Colony without having to set camp for a second night so, with this in mind, the Dumbswallows were urged to increase their pace. Since he was riding on the back of a carriage, Linnaeus was able to see how swiftly the ground was moving beneath them and, while he could move faster in short bursts, the fact the silly-looking birds could keep the pace for more than half a day reminded him that monsters couldn't be underestimated.With another carriage following on a few dozen meters behind theirs, Linnaeus could see into the eyes of the Dumbswallows at the very head of the procession. They seemed to genuinely enjoy the act of running as, rather than anguish or frustration, they had glimmering eyes filled with happiness as they somehow managed to keep pace with each other, rarely falling out of cadence.Other than strange thoughts of what would happen if he accidentally fell off the back of his carriage and got trampled by the resolute birds, Linnaeus found himself wondering what it would be like to ride on the back of a Dumbswallow. He knew they could be mounted, as he had seen several people riding them around, so it was worth looking into if they ended up wanting to travel without relying on merchant convoys in the future...As if he could read Linnaeus' mind, Yorgen nudged him slightly, stating, "Don't stare too long, lad. Some say Dumswallows have the power to make anyone that looks into their eyes just as dumb as them. Yer better off gettin' a Pack Lizard or a Steelback if ya want to find a mount. They may be a wee bit slower but they're a lot easier to rear than the onery bastards."Though Linnaeus knew what a Pack Lizard was, as they were nearly as common as Dumbswallows, he had never heard of a Steelbacks. Since he was always eager for new knowledge and information, he immediately inquired further, asking, "Can you tell me more about Steelbacks? We're still pretty new to the Fifth Floor so any information is helpful."Like most of the Dwarves Linnaeus had encountered thus far, Yorgen had no problem at all when it came to sharing information. Their entire race seemed to be full of rather jovial fellows so, without beating around the bush in the slightest, he happily droned on about Steelbacks for nearly half an hour. As a result, Linnaeus learned they were basically giant feline creatures but, rather than a coat of fine fur, they were covered in sleek, steel-like, scales.Though it took some training to ride one, Steelbacks were far more nimble than Dumbswallows and, in a combat situation, they were capable of providing direct support due to their ferocity and razor-sharp claws. The females even had retractable spines on their tails, able to pierce through plate steel and demolish tree trunks with considerable ease. The only real downside was the fact you had to be present at the time of a new Steelbacks birth so they could imprint on you. They were fiercely loyal creatures so, unless you had a Blessing related to taming, it was impossible to acquire one without contacting a specialized breeder and waiting upwards of half a year...(A/N: Sorry for the recent delays. I ended up getting sick for a short while but, rather than sickness, the main reason behind the slow releases was due to the fact I was plotting out the story. Originally, I started writing just to create a unique world from scratch but, as I don't want the story to go on for thousands of chapters, I had to plot out a more comprehensive storyline. Now that I have a better idea of the direction I want the story to take, I will be returning to daily releases once again. Thank you for your patience and understanding.)

Chapter 77: Arrival