Just as the three drunkards were downing the volcanic region's signature rye beer and boasting about everything they had done in the years since they had last seen each other...
The door to the Gathering Hall tavern suddenly swung open, and Altaïr walked in beside Morgan.
Judging by the map, the straight-line distance from Dundorma to Harth did not seem much greater than the distance to the mine where the Kuarusepu had been causing trouble.
However, Altaïr and Morgan had traveled aboard a commercial passenger airship, which did not fly directly to Harth. It stopped at several major cities to pick up and drop off passengers, so the journey had taken four full days. They had only just reached their destination.
Both the Hunt and commissioning equipment from the Master Craftsman who lived here would take time, so the pair naturally went to the Gathering Hall first to arrange lodging.
Malika, whose seat faced the door, spotted them entering the Gathering Hall and whistled.
Altaïr looked over. When he saw Malika waving, he led Morgan to their table.
When they had parted ways in Manti Town, Ted had told them that he and his wife planned to spend part of the winter in Harth, drinking, soaking in the hot springs, and recuperating. Altaïr was therefore not surprised to see them.
His gaze lingered briefly on the unfamiliar woman with light-golden waves and boldly revealing clothes, then quickly shifted away.
Her muscles were firm and well-defined. Although she could not compare to Isis, her build was clearly beyond that of an ordinary person. She did not quite carry herself like a Hunter, but the goggles on her head suggested that she was probably an artisan.
A friend of the two veterans?
Altaïr could only guess.
Noticing Malika's wave, Ted turned around as well. The moment the massive, stout man saw Altaïr, he bared his teeth in a broad grin.
He raised his glass. "Hey! If it isn't young Altaïr! Back from Dundorma, huh?
"His Immenseness summoned you for a meeting, didn't he? Gave you a few words of praise and encouragement, then pushed you a little higher up the ranks?"
A hint of helplessness crept across Altaïr's face. "Exactly as you said."
"Ha ha ha! I knew it!"
Malika craned her neck to look behind Altaïr, then asked in confusion, "Where's Isis? Didn't she come with you?"
"Isis?" The bold woman raised an eyebrow at the familiar name.
"Isis plans to hunt a Kuarusepu for a new Armor Set, but she wanted to challenge it alone, so we split up for a while," Altaïr answered honestly.
Altaïr and Morgan joined the three drunkards at their table.
Morgan was as taciturn as ever and showed no intention of joining the conversation. He sat there like a puppet, with the words "distant and aloof" practically written across his forehead.
Ted shouted for the server to bring over a few more glasses of ice-cold rye beer. A glass was slammed down in front of each newcomer.
His broad palm, larger than a dinner plate, struck Morgan on the back and nearly sent him face-first into the table. "Kid, stop walking around with such a sour expression! It's downright intimidating.
"You did damn well in that defense battle! That's what I call a real man. Here's to you!"
Morgan stared at him in surprise.
He had met Ted and Malika in Manti Town and knew that they were veteran Hunters who had retired years ago. He simply had not expected Ted to offer him a drink of his own accord.
More importantly, being called a real man had instantly warmed Morgan to him. Although Morgan was not much of a drinker, he still raised his glass, clinked it against Ted's, and took a polite sip.
Beside them, Malika began making introductions.
"This is Gemma, a longtime friend of ours. Don't let her youthful appearance fool you; she's a highly skilled artisan. Harth's Troverian Master Craftsman and Village Chief is her father."
Gesturing toward the other two, she continued, "And these are Altaïr and Morgan. Altaïr and I come from the same homeland, and both of them are exceptionally promising young Hunters.
"Oh, right. Altaïr is also Isis's partner." Malika winked at Gemma as she spoke.
Gemma set down her glass and studied Altaïr with open curiosity. "An Espinas Armor Set and a weapon I've never seen before... The way this sword was worked looks strangely familiar. Doesn't it resemble my master's handiwork?
"Never mind, we can discuss that later. The Isis you're talking about... Is she the Isis I know?"
"Who else could it be?" Malika grinned.
"Wasn't Isis only about this tall?" Gemma held a hand at roughly the height of a Felyne standing beside the table.
"That was twenty years ago," Malika said with a laugh. "I was shocked when I saw her again a while back. She's more than a head taller than me now, nearly two meters tall!"
"Twenty years? Has it really been twenty years since that journey?" Gemma murmured, looking somewhat dazed.
"It's been twenty years since Isis was born," Malika corrected her. "That journey you took must have been about twenty-five years ago."
"Good grief..."
Harth. An artisan. A journey twenty-five years ago...
As Altaïr listened, he gradually connected the woman named Gemma with another name Isis had once mentioned.
"Are you... Aunt Isana, the one Isis told me about?" Altaïr ventured.
"Aunt?!" Gemma froze as though she had been punched. "You called me Aunt?!"
Ted, who had just clinked glasses with Morgan, looked over and gave her a crooked grin. "What else should he call you? Count your age on your fingers."
"...Fine." Gemma pressed a hand to her forehead. "Yes, I'm Isis's 'Aunt Isana.' Isana is my nickname. Hardly anyone but Dad calls me that anymore.
"But don't call me Aunt or Senior or anything like that. Just call me Gemma. I'm still young, you know."
"All right, Miss Gemma." Altaïr settled on a safer form of address.
As though trying to rescue herself from the awkward subject of her age, Gemma changed the topic. "So, what brings you two to Harth? Are you here to mine ore or dig for Talismans?"
Altaïr answered honestly, "We're planning to hunt a Brute Tigrex and craft a Brute Tigrex Armor Set. Morgan also wants to use materials from the Teppeki Shen Gaoren we hunted to forge a Heavy Bowgun."
Apparently accustomed to dealing with gifted Hunters, Gemma did not seem surprised that they intended to hunt a Brute Tigrex.
She rubbed her chin and muttered to herself, "A Brute Tigrex Armor Set, huh? That's excellent armor. The Second Fleet Master's modifications made it even more offense-oriented.
"Speaking of which, what's a Teppeki Shen Gaoren? Some kind of Shen Gaoren subspecies? I can forge a Shen Gaoren Heavy Bowgun, but with materials from an unknown subspecies like that, it would be safer to let my old man handle them."
Malika laughed beside them. "Don't let that baby face fool you. She may look about your age, but her skills are top-notch. Twenty years ago, she was already helping forge all kinds of ancient... I mean, all kinds of top-tier equipment. After years of traveling, her craft has only improved. For standard High Rank equipment like the Brute Tigrex Armor Set or Kuarusepu Armor Set, you can safely leave the work to her. There's no need to bother the Master Craftsman with that. Save the opportunity for later, or use it to trade for Talismans instead."
At Malika's suggestion, Altaïr immediately abandoned his original plan to use the Manti Ticket to commission new armor.
"Miss Gemma, once we hunt the Brute Tigrex, could we commission you to forge a Brute Tigrex Armor Set?"
"No problem. It'll give me a chance to stretch my muscles." Gemma agreed readily, as though Altaïr had asked her to craft an ordinary Bullfango Set rather than High Rank equipment.
Morgan then asked about Gemma's father, the legendary Master Craftsman of the Troverians.
He wanted his new weapon forged as soon as possible so that he could confidently cover Altaïr while his companion used the Brute Tigrex to "sharpen his blade."
"Oh, Dad should be at the Smithy. You must have seen that building shaped like a human head near the village entrance. That's the one. He rarely crafts equipment for anyone himself these days, but since you have that ticket, you can go straight to him."
"What if I wanted to purchase a Talisman from the Master Craftsman?" Altaïr asked tentatively. "The town chief of Manti Town told me this ticket could also be exchanged for Talismans."
"Talismans, huh?" A sly grin spread across Gemma's face. "How about you pick up the tab for this round, and I'll take you to my old man's place to choose one later?"
Altaïr adopted a solemn expression. "When meeting an elder for the first time, it's only proper to treat them. Server! Bring us the menu!"