Jonah stands just outside of the threshold to the Tower of Babel. He takes a deep breath and exhales while staring outward. It is noon and overcast, with patches of dampness suggesting a light rainfall this morning. Adventurers of all sorts are on the grounds, with those coming to the Tower or leaving it like himself.

Ahh, it sure feels good to be out and under the open sky again. He thought happily.

He starts walking, leaving the Tower behind and in thought.

I never encountered any of these adventurers before that dungeon town, nor after it on my way further down. All I can figure out is that I must have taken a different route than any of them. No use dwelling on it. I best think of my next course of action.

"When we get to the Guild," Jonah overheard one adventurer saying to another, "let me handle the stone transaction."

"Why you?!" That adventurer protested.

"Because you'll try to sneak some valis into your pockets, that's why," that adventurer countered sternly.

Got it. To the Guild then. Jonah thought.

As it was back when he first entered Orario, Jonah glances around at the sights. The infrastructure that is different from Yharnam's, and the people. Especially the people as they all just casually go about doing whatever; be it walking, business transactions, or just hanging out with family and friends.

Back in Yharnam, people locked themselves indoors while those who were outdoors hunted and burned the victims of the Scourge, even attacked strangers on sight. But in this city, not even dirty looks were directed Jonah's way. Some did glance at him but only that.

Jonah starts feeling as if his mind is outside of his head as everything starts becoming distant and fake to him.

A flash of Yharnam.

The smiles of the people start to become threatening, their laughter maniacal. Everything seems to slow. His breathing quickens as his heart seems to beat in his ears. He hurries into an alleyway and leans against a wall. Visions of his past battles in Yharnam flash in his mind. Battles with its deranged citizens, Father Gascoigne, Henryk, and other Hunters who went mad. Battles with the seemingly endless monsters that grew increasingly more powerful and abominable due to the growing presence of the Great Ones that he also ended up doing battle with.

All those battles that resulted in his own violent deaths. Hundreds of times.

Thousands.

"Watch it, you idiot!"

A woman had shouted, startling Jonah back to reality. He is confronted by an Amazoness glaring at him, along with two more women, an Elf with white hair and a Human with brown hair.

"Ah!" Jonah gasped as he touches his forehead momentarily while reigning in his thoughts. "I apologize! I was distracted! I hope I didn't hurt you, madam!"

"Just pay attention next time," the Amazoness sneered as she waves her hand dismissively. "If this were Telskyura, I would've pummeled you into the ground."

"Again, I apologize!" Jonah sighed.

Then hurries off upon noticing the skybridge behind the way he came. He hears them talk.

". . . At least he apologized . . ."

". . . He's sexy . . ."

". . . I think he might have Dungeon Sickness . . ."

". . . Check out that weapon on his back . . ."

The Moon-scented Hunter stops before the Guild and takes a deep breath as he scowls with bewilderment down at the sidewalk.

What the hell was that?! He thought. I was just in an alleyway! But I was walking the street in that state!? It was like I fell asleep!

He groans as he briefly rubs his mouth while looking up at the Guild entrance with its large though short swinging doors.

I need to focus. I have to keep a low profile while inside, so I can't go asking for help or else they could start questioning me.

Jonah walks in as he gets that sense of accusation, but he is ignored as adventurers and staff members go about their business, making him relax. Not wanting to stand there a second longer, he starts walking, calmly and casually while keening his Insight to gain a layout of the Guild without having to resort to gawking around and possibly gaining their attention.

He immediately gets a sense of divinity within this building and it is coming from an area behind the counter, though further in, prompting him to let go of his Insight.

So another one of those divine beings like those two women is also in here. Jonah thought. At least I still managed to get a layout of this place. Such as those people all dressed the same. They must be the staff since they are mostly behind those counters.

In his reference to the people who all wear clothing consisting of a black vest over a white shirt with a grey bow tie, black pants, black gloves, and black or brown shoes or boots.

Jonah next notices adventurers all lined up in rows at barred booths. He takes note of the ones in the front putting their stones into trays. He walks over to stand in the longest lineup to give himself more time to better familiarize with what to do with the stones he carries.

The Good Hunter observes the adventurers in the other lines putting their stones onto a tray, which next gets pulled in then pushed back out with coins on it.

"One thousand valis," one of those clerks intoned to one of the adventurers.

That adventurer takes those coins and walks away, making way for the next one.

Simple enough. Jonah thought as he takes out one of his stones.

He awaits his turn until it finally comes.

"I'll let you know when I'm finished," he said to the clerk, who nods in understanding.

Jonah proceeds to silently count out the stones as he takes them out of his pockets to place upon that tray. After the twentieth stone, he pauses.

Better not get too much money. He thought.

So he nods while gesturing at the clerk, who pulls in that tray of stones then pushes it back out minus the stones but with four large coins on it this time.

"Eight thousand valis," the clerk intoned.

Jonah takes the four large coins, gazes at them for a moment, and turns to leave with them in hand. Halfway to the exit, he stops and puts them into one of his pockets before continuing onward, leaving the building.


Up at the counter are two of the Guild Staff members working side-by-side. One is a stunning female Werewolf named Rose Fannett, she has red eyes with ears, tail, and long curly hair to match; the other is a petite Human female named Misha Flott, she has pink eyes and short hair to match.

"Hey, Misha," Rose said to her.

"Yes? What is it, Rose?"

"Did you just notice a Human male wearing a long bluish-grey coat, a brown sash belt, and carrying a saw on his back come in here, cash in some stones, then leave?"

"Yes I did. Handsome fellow." As she leers.

"Did you ever see him in here before?"

"No I didn't. Someone like him would be hard to forget." Again with a leer.

"Just as I suspected, it was his first time in here. He never came up to the counter, first nor last."

"Maybe he was in a hurry?"

Rose hums inquisitively while lightly tweaking her chin with a serious expression.


As Jonah walks along, he wonders what his next move should be. It finally comes to him as he catches a faint whiff.

Yes, I think I will go and take a bath next. He thought. I wonder if there's a bathhouse around here?

A horrifying noise fills the air.

No! He thought with a horrified expression as he darts a look to where it is coming from. Has one of Yharnam's abominations followed me here?!

The Moon-scented Hunter hurries toward the source of that horrifying noise. He does not quicken as he understands it could lead to more unwanted attention, but he does keen his Insight to help him find the shortest path to it.

Strange, it's not what I thought it was. He noted inwardly.

The noise stops as he arrives at the source. It came from a building with people lying around outside. He notices the sign.

The Hostess of Fertility. He read.

"YOU BRAINLESS FLEABAG!"

A roar of a shout from within that place that is immediately followed by the unnerving sound of somebody getting struck and a cat yowling in pain. Jonah removes the Saw Cleaver, unfurls it, and enters to a bewildering sight.

What the?! He thought as he stares around at more people prone over tables and on the floor, then to the staff staring back at him. Those women all have combat experience and are used to killing.

"Sorry to alarm you like that, stranger," Mia Grande sighed, "but what you just heard was this blockhead here singing." Glowering down at Anya while clasping her by the nape. "Something she will never do again, right?!"

Squeezing her nape.

"M-Meow! Meow the boss!" Anya squealed.

Jonah furls his Saw Cleaver and returns it to his back.

"That is quite the weapon you wield there, sir," Ryu said.

"Yeah, it looks deadly," Chloe added.

"It's called a Saw Cleaver," Jonah said. "It's excellent for killing monsters."

"Is it now," Mia Grande said. "But if you're thinking of having a meal or a drink here, adventurer, it's best you return after sunset. We only cater to regular people during the day. I want to try and keep a wholesome atmosphere in this establishment."

"Actually I am seeking information about a place where I can take a bath and have my clothes laundered," Jonah said.

"Heaven's Bathhouse and Laundry comes to mind," Lunoire suggested.

"Where's that?" Jonah asked.

"Go back up the street towards Babel," Lunoire explained, "then take the second street right."

"Go back up the street towards Babel, then take the second street right," Jonah repeated.

"Yes," Lunoire affirmed.

"Thank you and good day," Jonah said

He turns and leaves. The staff continue to stare at the exit with earnest expressions.

"That man is a hardened killer who has seen, fought, and survived horrible things," Ryuu said grimly.

"That he has," Lunoire said while still staring.

"I don't like him," Chloe said while frowning at the exit. "He wears a long coat, meow."

"Let meow guess," Anya said dryly with a sarcastic expression to her, "it hides hiss bottom."

"That's right, I don't know if he has an ugly butt or a beautiful butt," Chloe fumed back at her. "Grrr, I bet he has a beautiful butt, meow!"

"I thought mew only like the butts of meung boys, meow?" Anya asked.

"The butts of young boys are my favorite," Chloe said, "but if a man has a good-looking bootie I'm still gonna praise it, meow."

"Mew ass freak," Anya said dryly.


The Good Hunter continues walking along the prescribed route to the bathhouse/laundromat in question.

There you are. He thought when those pair of eyes flashed through his mind.


"He's back," Freya said while watching Jonah on her Divine Mirror as she loftily holds a glass of red wine, with Ottar standing by. "He didn't react to me so he hasn't noticed me. And since he wasn't present on the streets of Orario over the past four days, it could only mean that he was down in the Dungeon."

"I won't be surprised if he just came back from adventuring the Deep Floors," Ottar said.

"Neither would I."

"And that is an odd weapon he has on his back. But it is clearly designed to kill."

"I agree. That is not something Hephaestus nor Goibniu made."

"I find it a little confusing that you're at ease with that man, Goddess."

"I will admit that I was astonished when he looked straight up at me but I have come to learn never to make a move against people unless they are a true threat," then turns her head to look back up at Ottar. "Otherwise, I would have dealt with Ishtar a long time ago." She looks back to Jonah. "But that man is a curious one. However, he is someone I would rather view from a distance because I get the feeling that he is not here for whatever assumptions we could make about him."

"Have you inquired the other gods and goddesses about him?"

"Actually no. I want to maintain a veil of ignorance about him for the time being."