After a brief moment of contemplation, Isis accepted Altaïr's proposal.
His combat style seemed rather chaotic to her, but he had managed to hold his own against the Barroth alone before she arrived. When she was injured, he picked up her Long Sword and single-handedly subdued the Barroth.
In her eyes, his situation was the opposite of hers.
She held the title of a 3★ Hunter but only possessed the combat ability of a 2★ Hunter, while he, despite being a 2★ Hunter, had the strength of a 3★ Hunter.
She wanted to hone her skills and make a breakthrough by hunting 3★ Monsters, but that didn't mean she was reckless.
This hunt had failed; she was badly injured but managed to escape. What about next time? Or the time after that?
Having a companion would make all the difference. When she was struggling, the two of them could fight together.
Or they could take turns engaging the Monster, covering for each other. This way, they could ensure basic safety while still having opportunities to improve.
As for his request to teach him Long Sword techniques, she had no issue agreeing to it.
Her martial skills were taught by her elders, and there were no so-called school restrictions. As long as she was willing, she could teach anyone.
Moreover, there was something he didn't know.
The Long Sword wasn't the only weapon she was proficient with, she was also skilled with the Great Sword.
That was why she had been particularly upset earlier when she saw Altaïr wielding a Long Sword like a Great Sword. It was doubly frustrating.
Altaïr, pleased with the agreement, happily extended his hand and shook Isis's. "Then it's settled.
By the way, did you come to Val Habar specifically to hunt the Barroth, or do you plan to stay here for a while?"
"I'll probably be here for quite some time." Since they had decided to cooperate, Isis saw no reason to hide her plans. "At least until I become a Hunter who truly deserves the 3★ rank."
His question made Altaïr curious. "I'm intrigued. Earlier, you called yourself a 'half-baked' 3★ Hunter, and now you say you don't deserve the rank.
Why do you feel you're not worthy of your current level?"
Isis pursed her lips, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally spoke. "There's really no need to hide it, though it's a bit embarrassing.
The reason I was able to advance to 3★ so early wasn't entirely due to my own strength."
Hearing this, Sajji curiously climbed up and leaned over the edge of the table. "Not entirely your own strength, meow? Did you get help for your 3★ promotion test, meow?"
Altaïr flicked the tip of his ear, signaling the little one not to pry too deeply.
Isis lowered her head and replied in a soft voice that didn't match her tall stature, "It was my hunting partner. It's very strong, I even think it could have taken down that Yian Kut-Ku on its own without me.
Ever since I became a 1★ Hunter, it has always looked after me, giving me the illusion that 'I'm not so bad either.'
It wasn't until after my promotion to 3★ that I secretly went to challenge the Yian Kut-Ku alone again, and the result was a crushing defeat.
That was when I realized I was just a 'half-baked' Hunter who had been carried along. So I temporarily parted ways with it and came here alone, hoping to fill what I'm missing and become a truly excellent hunter."
Altaïr and Sajji exchanged glances.
Sajji couldn't help but confirm: "That hunting partner you mentioned... is that your Palico?"
"Mhm."
Altaïr began to understand where her lack of confidence might stem from... essentially, "I'm not even as good as my own cat?"
Wake up! That's definitely not your problem, it's just that the cat is way too strong! Even Sajji felt discouraged by this!
Watching Isis, who had just cheered up after the lavish meal, sink back into low spirits, Altaïr rubbed his forehead.
He genuinely felt that instead of constantly challenging Monsters to improve or prove herself, she should focus on rebuilding her confidence first.
During their earlier cooperation to repel the Barroth, he had noticed that Isis had no issues with combat skills, at least from his perspective, there were no flaws, and she wasn't lacking in practical experience either. Yet she seemed somewhat hesitant and restrained. Now it appeared this was likely a manifestation of her lack of confidence.
How could she regain her confidence?
Hunting a 3★ Monster through her own strength was the most direct method.
Well, that created a vicious cycle.
Reminding Isis with these words would be pointless. She seemed like an honest kid, but she wasn't foolish at all, she should clearly recognize her own issues.
Otherwise, she wouldn't keep using phrases like "break through my limits" instead of the more direct "I want to become stronger."
But what good did knowing do? With psychological issues like this, the more you focused on them and rushed to solve them, the worse they became.
From this perspective, Isis's current approach was actually the best method. With her sword skills and talent, even if it took a year or two of grinding, how could Monsters like Barroth or Yian Kut-Ku possibly stop her forever?
With absolute strength, psychological issues like lack of confidence would naturally resolve themselves.
"Let's go." Having figured this out, Altaïr stood up. "We've eaten and drunk our fill. Let's rest early and recover properly. Once your injuries have fully healed, we'll go face that Barroth again."
"If one isn't enough, we'll hunt five. If five aren't enough, we'll hunt ten. There are plenty of 3★ Monsters, we'll just hunt them one by one. Accumulate more mission records, which will make it easier to promote to four stars later."
"Mhm." Isis glanced at Altaïr with a hint of envy.
While she was still thinking about how to prove herself as a qualified 3★ hunter, he was already considering accumulating missions for a 4★ promotion. If she had that same drive, maybe her Palico wouldn't keep knocking her on the head.
The two hunters and one cat bid farewell to Chef Meow and prepared to return to their respective lodgings.
As it turned out, they walked together all the way to the entrance of the Guild Hall Dragonship. They silently exchanged glances, of course, it made sense. Neither of them were locals of Val Habar; where else would they stay besides the Guild Hall?
"Um, Altaïr, could you do me a favor?" Isis suddenly whispered.
"What is it?"
"Go in first and check if there's a woman wearing glasses and a green dress suit in the lobby."
Altaïr naturally guessed who she meant. "You mean Guildmaster Sophia?"
"Mhm." At this moment, Isis looked like a little girl who had returned home late and was worried about being scolded by her parents. Lowering her voice, she said, "If she's not there, give me a signal."
"If Lady Sophia is here?" Altaïr asked with amusement.
"Then, then..."
"Alright, so you failed a mission once, it's not that embarrassing. Would the Guild Master really scold you for that? Everyone has their off days."
"It's not that..."
Before Isis could explain, Altaïr had already lifted the cloth curtain at the Guild Hall entrance.
His gaze swept across the room and landed on the Guild Master, who sat behind the counter with the poised demeanor of a scholar, quietly reading a heavy book.
The boisterous atmosphere of hunters feasting and shouting in the tavern did not affect her in the slightest.
As if sensing the young hunter's gaze, Lady Sophia looked up toward the entrance and gave an almost imperceptible nod in his direction.
Then her eyes fell upon Isis, who was trying to slip away outside the Guild Hall.
A glint of light reflected off her spotless glasses.
"Isis?"
"Eek–" A pitiful whimper escaped Isis's throat.
There was no escape now.
"Isis!" Lady Sophia called her name again, her tone noticeably sharper than before.
She hurried out from behind the counter, nearly jogging over to Isis. "Why are you covered in injuries?!"
"I'm fine, they're just superficial wounds," Isis mumbled.
"Superficial wounds? With a leg brace and rib splints? I suspect you've broken several bones." Lady Sophia's tone was unexpectedly stern. "Go wait at the counter and stay put. I'll fetch a physician to examine you properly."
Watching the Guild Master's hurried departure, Altaïr made what seemed to him a reasonable guess. "Is Guild Master Sophia your mother?"
"No." Isis replied with a miserable expression. "The Guild Master and my mother are close friends. They traveled together in the past."
Altaïr: "..."
Why did it feel like a similar conversation had just happened moments ago?