He was a Hunter, not a scholar who demanded evidence for every last thing, so Altaïr voiced his hunch outright.
"I suspect the Chameleos left its original habitat and came here in search of food."
"Food?" Kral caught on quickly. "You mean the Vespoid? Hmm... now that you mention it, that is certainly possible.
"It's winter. Even in a tropical forest like the Telos Jungle, temperatures drop somewhat, but the urban heat island effect keeps Grom-Baum slightly warmer than the surrounding area.
"That makes it highly attractive to heat-loving insects with keen thermal senses. There may be nowhere within hundreds of miles with more Vespoid than this city..."
"Do Elder Dragons really get that hungry too?" Isis looked up from the pile of plates and swallowed her mouthful. "I thought Elder Dragons were supposed to be lofty beings beyond such mundane needs."
Nadia laughed. "Whether it's an earthworm burrowing through the soil or an Elder Dragon that commands wind and rain, every living creature's first priority is survival, followed by reproduction.
"It has just finished mating, so it's only natural for it to seek out somewhere it can gorge itself. Altaïr's theory is quite plausible."
"Indeed. If we consider its need for food, the male Chameleos's decision to leave its original habitat makes perfect sense.
"The female that just laid her eggs also needs an enormous amount of food. If both Chameleos stayed in the same area, they would have to compete for prey, so the male simply left in search of another feeding ground."
"And it wandered all the way here to Grom-Baum?" Guild Master Ota listened with one hand against her forehead. "I used to think Vespoid were merely noisy and liable to attack civilians if left unchecked, but otherwise caused no major trouble.
"Now it turns out they can lure a Chameleos here to feed as well? Why does such an irritating creature even exist...?"
Kral could not help reminding her, "This is only a theory."
"It's also the most plausible theory we have at present," Nadia said. "The observation balloon has now completely lost track of that Chameleos.
"I originally intended to begin our investigation where Linton was attacked, but now we have another lead.
"The Chameleos is unlikely to have lingered after attacking a Hunter. Searching the areas with the densest Vespoid populations may therefore be more efficient."
As the leader of the operation, Nadia revised the investigation plan so decisively that even Altaïr began to worry about what would happen if his hunch proved wrong.
"Come to think of it, if that Chameleos really came here only to feed, couldn't we simply let it roam the area?
"It could fill its stomach while helping the city with its constant Vespoid problem.
"Besides, Chameleos are quite docile. They almost never attack people and usually do nothing worse than play pranks, haha..." Kral said with a laugh.
Every Hunter around the table turned to stare at him. Even Isis set down her utensils, making the young scholar shudder.
Ota spoke in a low voice. "It may harbor no ill will toward humans or our city, but that does not make its presence harmless.
"To a Chameleos, a mere sneeze might release enough poison to kill an entire merchant caravan.
"If it ever came to the edge of the city in a foul mood and unleashed its poisonous mist at full force, one gust of wind could leave hardly anyone alive.
"We cannot gamble so many lives on its goodwill toward humanity."
Nadia added, "History is full of people who worshipped Elder Dragons or other powerful Monsters as gods and tried to live alongside them.
"Such arrangements rarely ended well.
"Those creatures might never deliberately attack humans, but even their unintentional actions can prove catastrophic to people who depend on them.
"That is why the Guild's policy toward Monsters has always been clear: coexistence is possible, but symbiosis is not. Humanity must remain independent."
"All right..." Kral scratched his head.
He had not expected his casual, joking suggestion to provoke such a strong reaction from the Hunters.
Unlike scholars, whose research encouraged them to explore every possibility, Hunters faced Monsters on the front lines. Only they truly understood how terrifying those creatures could be.
Even around supposedly docile Monsters, they never lowered their guard.
"Guild Master Ota, do you know which areas near the city currently have the highest concentrations of Vespoid?" Altaïr steered the conversation back on track.
"The place where Chameleos attacked Linton is less than fifty kilometers from Grom-Baum as the crow flies. It could easily wander this far over the next few days.
"I suggest we begin our investigation around the city."
"Hmm... the Forest Patrol would know more about that than I do." Guild Master Ota considered the question for a moment. "Besides patrolling the city and shooting down any Vespoid that enter, they also patrol the surrounding forests, gather information on Monster activity, and report it to the Guild.
"Vespoid rarely remain gathered in one area for long. They frequently shift their territory in search of food.
"No one should have more up-to-date information on where the largest swarms are than the Forest Patrol. Their reports come straight from the field."
"The Forest Patrol, huh? Has Tala already left?" Altaïr asked.
Isis frowned, looking somewhat worried. "Our investigation concerns an Elder Dragon. Wouldn't it be too dangerous for her? She isn't even an adult yet, is she?"
Ota laughed. "She'll be fine. That girl is sharp, grew up scrambling through the jungle, and recently passed the 1★ Hunter examination.
"That already makes her more capable than most members of the Forest Patrol. The unit was only founded two years ago, and many of its members are not skilled enough to qualify as Hunters.
"More importantly... she encountered an Elder Dragon as a child. In a sense, she already knows what she is getting into. That is why I sent her to guide you earlier.
"When it comes to leading you to places where Vespoid gather, few people would be better suited."
"She encountered an Elder Dragon as a child?!" Altaïr could not help exclaiming. The others looked equally surprised.
"Yes. When she was little, she accompanied her father into the mountains to gather mushrooms and was caught in a sudden downpour. Her father saw nothing unusual and assumed the storm had come from nowhere.
"But she had sharp eyes. Through the storm clouds filling the pitch-black night sky, she spotted a silver dragon with wings and four legs.
"Her father dismissed it as childish nonsense, but she ran to the Gathering Hall by herself and told the Guild receptionist. The Elder Dragon Observation Team later reported that a Kushala Daora had indeed passed nearby at the time, stirring up a tremendous storm.
"She saw an Elder Dragon that most Hunters never encounter in their entire lives and came away without a scratch. Doesn't that make her sound like the heroine of a storybook?"
"It does..."
"Kushala Daora... It's said to be a majestic, beautiful, and powerful dragon." Longing crossed Kral's face before giving way to disappointment. "Too bad I've never seen one. I've only seen that ugly Chameleos..."
"Then we'll go with her," Nadia said thoughtfully. "We only need her as a guide. She can leave before we reach the target area."
"Oh, one more thing you should keep in mind," Ota added with emphasis. "Her childhood encounter left her fascinated by every incident and rumor involving Elder Dragons. Don't tell her too much."