Teacher Karin planted herself directly in front of Altaïr, while Haifa dragged Rand over beside her so the two of them stood like walls blocking the cave's exit.
Isis watched him tensely, her gaze fixed on the back of his neck, his abdomen, and other vulnerable spots where a single strike could knock him unconscious.
Altaïr stared at them in silence.
Seriously? Did they really need to be this on guard?
He admitted that his heart had raced for perhaps two or three seconds when he heard the Grimclaw Tigrex was nearby, but that was all.
Did they really think he would roar, "I'M GONNA KILL IT!" like a madman, grab his weapon, and charge out without a second thought?
Now completely calm, Altaïr sat back down beside the campfire. He lifted the lid of the stew pot simmering over the flames, checked inside, added a little more water, and said, "All right, relax. I'm not a lunatic.
"I do want to Hunt the Grimclaw Tigrex myself and take my revenge, but not now. I'm still not strong enough to face it, and I'm not used to fighting on a snowfield.
"We haven't made any specific Hunting preparations or tactical plans, either. I'm not going to embark on a guaranteed suicide mission."
"Really?" Haifa eyed him suspiciously. "You know, when you were a kid and heard that a Tigrex was causing trouble near the city, you really did charge out all fired up like that."
"...How many years ago was that?"
"And that's an Elderfrost Gammoth out there! A Deviant! Its Danger Rating is only 7★ because it doesn't actively attack humans, but that thing is terrifyingly powerful!
"This time, it's clearly come for the Grimclaw Tigrex. If those two clash, there's a good chance they'll both be badly wounded. That could be the perfect opportunity to kill the Grimclaw!"
"..."
"...So do you want me to stay away from the Grimclaw Tigrex, or do you want me to Hunt it?" Altaïr asked in exasperation.
Truthfully, when Haifa raised that possibility, he had been tempted for a moment, but reason immediately stamped out the impulse.
Again, they had made none of the necessary preparations. The snowfield was unfamiliar terrain, and there were too many unpredictable factors. Even a badly wounded Grimclaw Tigrex could still wipe out the entire party.
He would not gamble with his companions' lives.
Seeing his reaction, everyone finally lowered their guard.
"Hah, you should've said so sooner! If we'd known you'd be this sensible, would we have needed to get so worked up?" Haifa returned to her usual carefree self.
"And somehow this is my fault?"
Haifa reached out and vigorously ruffled Altaïr's hair, then chuckled and lifted the pot lid. "Let's see what you've been cooking..."
"Bacon chowder! Hurry, pour me a bowl. I'm freezing!"
The others gathered around the campfire again, and the earlier tension dissipated.
Altaïr served Karin and Haifa a large bowl of hot soup each. The others had already eaten, but when he saw Isis eyeing the chowder longingly, he ladled out a bowl for her as well.
"So, what do you plan to do from here?" Altaïr asked casually.
Haifa's eyes immediately sharpened with suspicion again. "What are you up to?"
"...I was only asking. Am I really that untrustworthy?" Altaïr rolled his eyes.
Karin took a sip of hot soup. "Nothing. Whether they pass without meeting or fight until both are badly wounded, we won't intervene.
"We are only observers. We'll record what happens and report back to the Guild."
That answer was exactly what Altaïr had expected. For Monsters that posed no immediate threat to humans, the Guild's standard response had always been to observe.
"Hmm..." After a brief pause, Altaïr said, "In that case, I'd like to join the quest."
"No." Haifa refused without hesitation. "I knew you weren't about to behave, brat. So this was what you were waiting for?"
Altaïr set down his soup spoon, his expression serious. "You've misunderstood. My reason for wanting to join the quest has nothing to do with the Grimclaw Tigrex.
"You two are 6★ Hunters. Tracking and monitoring a relatively docile Elderfrost Gammoth is easily within your abilities. But the presence of a Grimclaw Tigrex with an 8★ Danger Rating changes everything. Even if you avoid making contact, it could still attack you.
"I only want to join because I don't want either of you to come to harm, especially when I can reduce that risk."
Hearing Altaïr speak so earnestly caught both Karin and Haifa off guard.
In their minds, Altaïr was still the child who needed their care.
Four or five years had passed in the blink of an eye for them. Who could have imagined that the boy would catch up with them in only a few short years?
Perhaps Haifa was a little less surprised, since she had fought alongside Altaïr and the others in the defense of Loc Lac just over a year ago.
To Karin, however, it truly felt as though the child had grown up in the blink of an eye.
Haifa gave a soft snort. "You certainly know how to talk. Do you use those sweet words to charm girls often, brat?
"Is that how you won Isis over... Wait, then who's this pretty girl?"
Haifa's eyes widened as she looked toward Morgan, who had barely spoken or moved the entire time.
"Last time we saw you, wasn't there a curvy Gunner traveling with you? Nymera, I think? How did she suddenly get replaced by this cool, aloof girl?
"Damn, brat. Are you actually a scumbag? Karin, did we forget to teach him that this kind of thing was wrong?"
Altaïr was speechless.
Morgan stared expressionlessly at Haifa.
Karin sighed. "His name is Morgan. He's a man. You even spoke to him about a month ago at the Guild Hall in Liber. Have you forgotten? He was wearing his Seltas Queen Gunner Set then."
"Ah... Oh! It's you!" Realization dawned on Haifa's face. "You changed your armor and hairstyle, so I didn't recognize you at all!
"You're a friend of Altaïr and the others? Why didn't you say so sooner? Those brutes may not be bad people, but none of them has a filter. A warning from me could've saved you a lot of trouble."
Haifa and Karin had first met Morgan at a tavern, where Haifa had seen a drunk harassing him and stepped in to help.
Altaïr also looked at Morgan in surprise.
Before Morgan left for the north, Altaïr had specifically given him a handwritten letter and told him that, if he went to Liber, he could turn to Karin and Haifa for help.
Apparently, Morgan had not said a word about it.
"I can handle things like that myself. There's no need to trouble either of you," Morgan replied calmly.
Well, Altaïr should have expected this from Morgan. He tapped his forehead twice with his fingers, then pulled the conversation back on track after Haifa's detour.
"I know you're both worried that I might still be plotting something involving the Grimclaw Tigrex. Honestly, it's difficult for me to prove otherwise.
"How about this? We'll leave finding the Grimclaw Tigrex and monitoring it to Sajji and Clawdia. They can burrow into the ice and snow at any time, so the Grimclaw Tigrex won't be able to do much to them.
"Isis, Morgan, and I will monitor the Elderfrost Gammoth from another direction. We'll keep our distance from you while remaining close enough for either team to support the other on short notice.
"As soon as the Grimclaw Tigrex approaches, our hunting partners will send a warning signal, and we'll pull back to observe from farther away.
"Once the battle is over and the outcome is clear, we'll leave the area and head back."
"Do you need me to join the operation?" Rand pointed at himself.
Altaïr shook his head. "No, Rand. Stay here and guard the camp."
"All right." Rand nodded. Truthfully, he was not confident about joining a fight at the High Rank level either.
Haifa sat cross-legged beside the campfire with her arms folded, scratching her chin with a skeptical look. "Do we really need such an elaborate plan?"
"Not really, but this will minimize the chance of something going wrong."
Altaïr glanced at her. "If the Grimclaw Tigrex approaches the Elderfrost Gammoth, notices you two, and decides to deal with you first... honestly, shaking it off won't be easy, will it?
"But with two teams covering each other, even in the worst-case scenario, the retreat will go much more smoothly."
Karin and Haifa put their heads together and conferred in hushed voices. Finally, Karin nodded. "Even if we said no, you probably wouldn't simply leave.
"All right, we'll do it your way. Isis, keep an eye on him for me. If he makes any irrational decisions, knock him out."
"Got it!"
Altaïr was speechless.