“It’s not like that,” said Max, blushing again. “Not all of us are as obsessed as you are!”

“Fine, be that way,” said Sakura. “Have fun at the library, nerd.”

Sakura then gave Max the address and he left the apartment for the day.

The tower-zone library was a large stone building with roman columns at the entrance and leafy green vines growing along the side.

Max walked up the steps and entered the building.

The library was a grandiose hall with high ceilings, polished wood, and dim lighting. The place was filled with the smell of old books.

Max wasn’t really sure where to start so he went up to the girl at the front desk.

The librarian behind the desk was a pale girl with bright blue eyes hidden behind large rimless glasses. She had very long and straight blonde hair that she kept in a ponytail at the side.

When Max approached her she said in a very quiet voice, “How can I help you?”

“Hi,” said Max. “This is my first time visiting the library. I wanted to do some research on contemporary tower climbers working today.”

“Great,” said the girl, not raising her voice an octave. “If you want the most up-to-date information, your best bet is to check the climber database on one of our computers. Since this is your first time here, let me make you a library card so you won’t need to sign-in for a visitor’s pass if you come in again.”

The girl asked him a bunch of questions and then paused after she asked him what his profession was.

“I guess I’m a student climber,” said Max, scratching the back of his head.

“A...a...climber?” stuttered the shy girl. “But...you’re...so...nice?”

“I’m not sure what you mean by that,” said Max. “Are climbers not usually friendly?”

“Not all of them, but quite a few, refer to those without traits as traitless. They think they’re better than everyone else,” she said. “Not all climbers, but quite a few. Especially, young student climbers.”

Max sighed. Based on Cyrus and the other climbers he met yesterday, he could see how some of them probably walked around thinking like they owned the place.

It was so crazy to contemplate that he used to think the divisions in Zestiris came down to simply those who lived in the outer-rim and those who lived in the tower-zone. Yet such divisions didn’t even scratch the surface of the myriad of social hierarchies that existed here.

“Oh well, I’m sorry they’re unfriendly,” said Max. “A trait is something one should be grateful for having. A privilege that should be respected. Not used as a tool to lord over others.”

She smiled at that and gently pulled a lock of her hair behind her ear.