Thanks to Sajji and Morgan stepping in to explain, Altaïr managed to avoid a bout of domestic violence.
Isis was not quick-tempered, but when her temper flared, she would still land a few punches on the meatiest parts of your body.
For an ordinary girl, that might have seemed like playful roughhousing, but if Isis did not hold back, she could send someone flying, armor and all.
Of course, once she learned that Altaïr had been injured during a Hunt and was having trouble with his ears, rather than deliberately playing dumb to tease her, her mild anger gave way to concern.
Without even waiting for Altaïr to settle the quest at the Quest Counter, she dragged him off to see the doctor.
After a thorough examination, the doctor's diagnosis was much as Altaïr had expected.
He had a concussion and hearing damage, along with some minor internal bleeding. Potions had mostly healed the internal bleeding, but the concussion and hearing damage would need more time to recover.
At the moment, he could walk and move normally, but when handed a sword and asked to strike a precise target, a task that would ordinarily have been child's play for him, he missed again and again.
According to the doctor, damage to his inner ear had impaired his balance. It also explained the tinnitus and hearing loss.
Isis, Sajji, and the others grew more anxious the longer they listened. Only Altaïr remained calm.
Because he could not hear...
Fortunately, the damage did not appear to be permanent. With medication and rest, he should begin improving within a week, though full recovery would take around two weeks.
During that time, he should avoid not only Hunting but even his daily sword practice, lest he lose his balance, hurt himself, or otherwise hinder his recovery.
Hearing that he would recover fully, Isis finally released the breath she had been holding.
Less than half of the two-month grace period following their promotion to High Rank had passed. Their new Armor would also take time to forge, so there was no rush to embark on their next Hunt.
"Think of it as a vacation. Get plenty of rest for a while."
After thanking the doctor, Isis suddenly turned around as they were about to leave the clinic. "By the way, why don't we take this chance to return to Tidal Island and say goodbye to everyone?
Otherwise, once we all go our separate ways, who knows when we'll see each other again."
"Agreed." Morgan nodded approvingly.
"What are you talking about?" Altaïr tilted his head, completely out of the loop.
"..."
Isis took a deep breath and leaned close to Altaïr's ear, ready to demonstrate her lung power, but the doctor hurriedly stopped her. "Don't communicate that way! Didn't I tell you to keep him away from loud noises?!
Use sign language or write things down. Shouting like that could easily cause further damage to his hearing!"
"Oh, okay..."
Isis quickly clamped her mouth shut, took Altaïr's memo pad and pen, bit the tip of her tongue in concentration, and wrote down both the doctor's instructions and their plan to return to Tidal Island.
With Master Amos supervising her education from an early age, Isis was actually quite well educated. But she usually held a Gunlance in her hands. When did she ever have time to hold a pen?
As a result, she wrote painfully slowly and pressed down far too hard. Altaïr genuinely worried that she might snap his pen; he was rather fond of it...
After an agonizing wait, Isis finally finished writing.
She shoved the memo pad back into Altaïr's hands. Looking at the palm-sized pages, where every character was nearly as large as a coin, Altaïr winced.
"Why'd she write so big? A few sentences took up several pages. And her handwriting is awful. I'll have to make her practice her penmanship next time," Altaïr muttered under his breath.
Normally, he kept such muttering quiet enough that only he could hear. With his hearing impaired, however, he could not control his volume properly, and his private thoughts came out as an audible grumble.
Isis was speechless.
When he looked up, he found Morgan pursing his lips and turning away, while his girlfriend glared at him furiously. Altaïr realized his mistake.
He let out a dry laugh and raised both hands in surrender.
At the same time, he resolved to communicate in writing as much as possible until his hearing recovered, avoid speaking whenever he could, and strictly forbid himself from muttering aloud.
The three decided to return to Tidal Island, but getting there posed a major problem.
Although Tidal Island lay very close to Harth in the ElDe Region as the crow flies, finding transportation was difficult, whether by Airship or by sea.
Tidal Island was still in the early stages of development, and no passenger routes had been established. Anyone traveling there independently had to charter an Airship or ship, and the price was anything but ordinary.
Even if they were willing to pay, they would still need luck. Harth was only a village, not a major city like Loc Lac or Dundorma, where Airships filled the sky.
Gemma could not help them either. She had once owned a travel Airship named after her, the Arluq.
But that Airship had been destroyed in battle long ago. Even as the Village Chief's daughter, she could not conjure another one out of thin air for them.
—--
At a loss, Altaïr and the others decided to try their luck with Ted and his wife, who were vacationing at the hot springs, and ask whether they knew anyone who could help.
Ted lounged lazily in the hot spring like a well-fed Congalala. The sulfurous tang was a little pungent. He raised one eyelid toward the three who had come specifically to ask for help and said in a gruff voice, "Easy. Take your Hunter's Notes to the Quest Counter in the Gathering Hall, find the receptionist, and tell her, 'This big shot wants to go to Tidal Island, so arrange it pronto.'"
"..."
The three crouching beside the hot spring looked blankly at one another.
"Ted, would that really work?"
"Are you joking with us?"
"What did Ted say?"
Looking at the young Hunters who clearly did not believe him, Malika laughed. Wrapped in a towel, she held a bottle of wine and took a sip every so often. "We're not joking. People always talk about the privileges High Rank Hunters receive. What did you think that meant? Being able to order fancier meals at the Gathering Hall tavern? That's not all.
"We have to accept Guild assignments and carry out all kinds of difficult, dangerous tasks, so naturally the Guild has to take care of our problems."
"If you run into trouble in your daily life, go straight to the Guild. They'll usually sort it out for you."
"Kids, you're High Rank Hunters now. That makes you important people, so have some confidence."
—--
The three approached the Gathering Hall with lingering doubts.
Before they reached the Quest Counter, Morgan stopped and looked at Altaïr and Isis. "You two go ask. I'm just a thoroughly ordinary Low Rank Hunter; I'd only embarrass myself up there."
Altaïr could not hear clearly, but he could guess what Morgan had said. He looked at Isis, pointed to his ears, then spread his hands.
The meaning was obvious: I'm deaf and communicating is difficult, so you go.
Isis was speechless.
These two worthless friends!
Isis reluctantly shuffled up to the Quest Counter. Under the curious gaze of the receptionist, who tilted her head, she pulled out her Hunter's Notes and tentatively handed them over.
"H-hello... I-I'm the High Rank Hunter Isis. I need to get to Tidal Island for something... Um, could you... help us arrange transportation?"
"Oh, right! That one over there is also a High Rank Hunter. We're together!" After stammering through those words, the naturally shy Isis blushed deeply.
The receptionist did not notice Isis's embarrassment, or perhaps she noticed and pretended otherwise. After quickly confirming her identity, the receptionist's expression turned serious and solemn. "Of course, Miss Isis. We'll arrange an itinerary for you and your companion as soon as possible."
Isis breathed an enormous sigh of relief, then composed her expression, nodded, and said, "Then I'll leave it to you."
With that, she turned and raced back to her companions, her face alight with the excitement of someone discovering an entirely new world.
"It really works!"