“Ts, ts, what has our future grown to be. The weak get loud while the strong hamper down,” the old lady said, turning around and striking Iris’s hand. Iris jumped up, rubbing her hand tenderly. “Tell me woman, were you about to watch a person that helped you get burned alive?”

Iris looked to her feat, her face turning red. She held one hand in the other as she fidgeted. “I…I don’t. I was about to stop him.”

“Do you still want to train under his family with the way they treat you?”

“I…”

“How old are you?”

“Nineteen,” Iris said with uncertainty.

The lady shook her head, clicking her tongue again. “Such wasted talent. You have no character, no bone. Just a dishonorable killer, no different than your father. Scram, Iris, scram. Don’t come back until you learn something other than slaughtering monsters.”

Nilbog couldn't identify the emotion Iris showed. She left without saying another word.

The same. Every one of them. They use and toss each other like nothing.

“You got something to say, pip-squeak?” the old lady said, getting uncomfortably close to him.

“You’re all the same,” Nilbog said, returning her glare. “Every one of you use and toss each other like nothing.”

“Ay, what about it?” she said, bending her neck forward. “You knew around here? That’s how the world works, child. Better get used…to it?” she said, her words fading at the end. She reached forward, clutching Nilbog’s face. She turned it from side to side, narrowing her eyes further than was humanly possible. “Not only do you look uncannily similar to him, you also spout the same nonsense. You’re not his bastard, are you?”

“Are you Barlom’s enemy?” Nilbog asked, ignoring her groping. Sentient Killer did not activate when they meant no harm.

She pursed her lips. After an unsatisfied grunt, she let Nilbog go. “As much as I would love to tear that prick a new one for ruining Iris’s chances of achieving the Cataclysm tier,” she said, fuming further with every word, “I cannot say I am. He is far too valuable to toss away, as you so adequately put it.”

“I see,” Nilbog said, nodding. He figured it out by now, but he still wanted to try the slimmest margins.

“Zion!” she cackled, waving her cane in the air. One of her guards steps forward. “Watcha want, boy? Crystals? A decent weapon to keep your weak ass safe?”

“Information,” Nilbog said.

“Ts, ts, you went after the most valuable of all. I underestimated you. Shoot. You got three.”

“What did you do to feel so much guilt whenever you look at me?”

“I can tell you, but I’ll have to kill you,” she said, not hesitating for the slightest moment.

“What can I do to defeat you, Barlom, and the rest of your miserable kingdom?”

That gave her a pause, though not the type Nilbog was expecting. Her face spread into something that might have resembled a smile. “Revenge! I can smell it on you, child. Very well—The United Ranker’s guild will remove us from the map if they find evidence of foul play. Using illegal skills or breaking the honor code is the most common ones. The last one you don’t need to know about.”

“Tell me about that last one.”

“Prick,” she said, spitting to the side. “Convince a Disaster Danger Rank to destroy us. Growing Iris into it is your best shot, though it will take time, knowledge, resources, and a shitload of charisma you don’t have to get her there. The other, and you didn’t hear it from me, is one angry Lordan that the United Ranker’s guild failed to completely kill. That abomination vanished from Ascender’s End last year. She either died as she should have 40 years ago, or she somehow got herself together. She's probably out for revenge, just like you sweety, and wouldn't mind adding a kingdom or two to her list."

“Thank you, Lady Ovalia,” Nilbog said, nodding. Her arrogance likely meant she was honest. He’ll need to digest this later. “Don’t die before get to you.” He picked up his bag, the dagger that Shon disregarded, and walked out, expecting to have a sword rammed through his back at any second.

“Give it your best shot, nameless one,” Lady Ovalia said, waving. “May you perish in agony as Jack has."