59 Incongruous : Information

The conversation between Linnaeus and Eliza ran much later into the evening than the former had expected. His original intention had been to venture out under the cover of night but, much to his surprise, there were various light fixtures illuminating the city as a persistent amount of foot traffic breathed life into the streets below.

Everything Linnaeus was experiencing on the Fifth Floor subtly changed his view on what society, in general, was supposed to be like. The people going about their business seemed full of purpose and, though it was clear that some were in more dire states than others, the tension he associated with large groups of people simply didn't exist.

According to Eliza, this was actually very normal as any place with an established hierarchy generally became civil and organized. There were few benefits in suppressing people as they were much easier to exploit when the option of being 'content' and 'happy' was given to them. After all, if their efforts would never amount to anything, most people would resort to violence and underhanded methods just to survive.

Linnaeus could understand the logic behind Eliza's words but, having grown up in the slums, he had a lot of trouble overcoming the incongruity in his own heart and mind. If society functioned in the way that Eliza claimed, he wondered how the slums could even be a thing. The only possible reason he could think of was that those in power had orchestrated the existence of the slums and, from the time since its establishment, they had endeavored to force those born within to stay impoverished...

As there was no sense in brooding over the matter unless he one day escaped the Tower, Linnaeus ultimately decided to do what he always did, adapt to the situation. He waited until after dinner to mention he would be venturing out into the city to collect information. It might be a different kind of place than the slums he had grown up in but, compared to Eliza, Emilia, and Krone, he was the best at gathering information and moving undetected.

Though Eliza and Emilia actually wanted to go exploring themselves, they decided to hole up inside the Inn for the night while entrusting Linneaus to his self-assigned task. Eliza, in particular, had been looking forward to enjoying a hot bath before sleeping in a comfortable bed so she wasn't against the idea of waiting at least one evening. As for Emilia, she was content with having food to eat and, coming from a tribe that always stuck together, she wasn't going to wander around on her own.

With everyone on the same page, Linnaeus pulled aside Krone and, though the grey-skinned man didn't seem fond of the fact, he calmed down once the former said, "I'll entrust protecting those two to you. They may be able to take care of themselves but I feel they are being too complacent. While I'm away, please take care of them..."

Krone only snorted in response to Linnaeus' words but, based on his body language and the way he became more vigilant, it was obvious he had taken the words to heart. Since his 'mission' was to help Eliza reach the highest level of the Crucible of Souls, he wasn't going to let anything happen to her if it was within his power to prevent.

After watching Krone walk away for a few seconds, Linnaeus immediately changed focus as he exited the warm and fragrant inn. The first thing he noticed was that the evening temperature was a little brisk but, with the warm lights coming from the windows of various buildings, it felt strangely warm and pleasant.

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Without letting this illusion affect his mentality, Linnaeus began to follow the flow of traffic, his eyes darting around as he made a mental note of how people behaved and interacted with each other. At the same time, he checked the prices of various goods so he could get a feel for the average cost of living as there was a good chance that Eliza and Emilia would want to stay for a few days, at the very least.

Much to Linnaeus' surprise, there were various fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and even meat being sold in the stalls. Even more surprising, however, was the fact that the vendors didn't seem especially warry of potential thieves. They all put on a mask of amicability as they enthusiastically greeted each customer that entered their sales area.

Even though he was dressed like a wild child that had been lost in the woods for years, Linnaeus was treated like a guest of honor after entering a weapons shop. There, a stout man with an intricately braided beard and a large nose waved in his direction as he shouted, "Hey there little one! What can ah get for you today? Routine maintenance starts at 5 Kindlin' and, if you want any custom wares, we have commissions startin' at 50 Kindlin'."

Linnaeus was taken aback by the man's vigor but what truly surprised him was the fact that several weapons were on display without any discernible security features. There was even a barrel in the corner with the word 'discounts' painted on the side, filled to the brim with lower quality swords, spears, and other weapons.

Seeing Linnaeus look around, the man gave a knowing smile as he asked, "Yer one a' those types that ain't used to enterin' a real weapons shop, eh? If I had to gander, yer probably new to the floor as well, aye?"

Hearing the man's words, Linnaeus made a mental note to fix his behavior in the near future. For now, he gave a curt nod before saying in the most neutral tone he could manage, "This is my first time seeing a shop with weapons placed so haphazardly. Are you not afraid that people will try to steal them...?"

As if he had just heard the funniest thing in the world, the bearded man began to laugh boisterously while slapping his palm against the countertop. This caused Linnaeus to tense up as a powerful urge to turn around and leave the shop began to well up inside of him...

After collecting himself, the man wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye before explaining, "I haven't laughed like that in a while. Thanks fer that, kiddo. As for yer question, well, it isn't all that rare for someone to try 'n snitch a good here and there. These are usually greenhorns that only just arrived in this 'ere Fifth Floor. If yer smart, you'll learn quickly that causin' trouble for others just ain't really worth the risk. Everyone with a shop here in the central district is under the protection of the Lord's family, Caulder. Besides, here, come 'n take a look see."

Though he was hesitant to simply listen to the man's words, Linnaeus didn't feel any hostility coming from him. This was despite the fact that the man pulled out a sheathed longsword before setting it on the counter.

As he had entered the shop to try and gather information, Linnaeus ultimately walked over to the counter as the bearded man used a hammer and a rod to remove the pin keeping the sword's blade rooted to the handle.

With a patient and guiding tone, the man pointed to a small mark on the previously concealed slat of the blad, explaining, "Anyone competent enough to forge a blade can print their Maker's Mark on the inside. If an item isn't purchased properly, the mark gives off a signal that can be easily be traced by anyone with the proper insignia. Only a fool would try an' steal a hand-forged item from a shop!"

Linnaeus had heard that many blacksmiths like to leave their names on the items they forged but this was the first time he was hearing about the function of the mark. This was an important piece of information and, while it didn't explain everything, he was beginning to understand why businesses didn't show any fear of having their items stolen.

Feeling that this man was a good source for information, Linnaeus pulled out a bright red gemstone with ten small flecks of light floating inside. At the same time, he pulled out one of his hand-carved daggers, asking, "Can you teach me how to maintain my weapons properly? I've yet to get a grasp of the Fifth Floor so I'm hesitant to spend my Kindling haphazardly."

Accepting the horned-rabbit dagger without any hesitation whatsoever, the man began to turn it over a few times in his hand before saying, "Yer luck musta been quite bad, kid. To be usin' the horn of a Horned Rabbit as yer weapon means ye must've died before reachin' the Tenth Floor, aye?"

Linnaeus' face tensed up a bit at the man's words, earning a light chuckle from the latter before he tossed the dagger into a pile of materials at the side. This caused Linnaeus to take a step back and prepare to reach for another dagger but, before he could complete the action, the man raised his brow in amusement as he set a hunting dagger on the countertop and said, "Here, kid, you can have this one, on the house. From what I can tell, you've had it pretty rough. Maybe this'll turn your luck around, aye? Now, come over here an' watch closely. I'll teach you how to sharpen and oil the blade properly so you don't end up squanderin' my kindness."

As if he wasn't afraid of Linnaeus at all, the man turned his back to grab a whetstone and a few other materials for maintaining a weapon. It wasn't until he noticed that Linnaeus was still standing a few meters away that he cocked his head to the side, asking, "Don't tell me you'd rather keep that trinket than use a proper blade...?"

Hearing this question, Linnaeus pretended to drop his guard as he walked closer to the counter and asked, "How do I know someone won't track me down using the Maker's Mark? It isn't my intention to offend you, but I've...experienced a lot..."

Rather than be offended, the bearded man seemed amused by Linnaeus' response as he began to chuckle in a lighthearted manner. He then separated the dagger's blade from its handle and said, "This dagger be gifted to another." This caused the Maker's Mark, which had previously been black in coloration, to flash slightly before losing its luster and turning an inert grey.

Without waiting for Linnaeus to ask, the man explained, "When a transaction is completed properly, the Maker's Mark loses the tracer function. For an item of this quality, nobody would bother putting on a second trace as it is only worth around 30 Kindlin'. If it was a custom build, you can pay extra to have a tracer put on it that is linked to a unique insignia. This would let you track down the item if it was ever stolen so keep that in mind if your hands start itchin' in the future."

Linnaeus didn't understand why the man was being so helpful to him but, considering he had gained a net profit of 20 Kindling, he wasn't complaining. He was learning a lot of new information, some of which had a chance of saving his life in the near future. After all, his primary role in a Party was Scout and Thief so, if the opportunity presented itself, he was prepared to use his [Steal] with impunity. The bearded-man seemed to understand this and, without saying it directly, cautioned him against doing anything that might get him into trouble...

If Linnaeus had known that the only reason the man had been kind to him was due to the fact he thought the former was a young girl, his current good mood would have quickly spoiled...

(A/N: For those that don't follow EPIC, I've been sick the last couple of days so my update schedule took a hard hit. I've been feeling better so there should be one chapter per day unless something else happens. Thank you for your patience and sorry for the delay.)