"So, Ms. Lambert."
Gael leaned against the desk, looking uncertain. "You mean you want to join the training camp and become a Hunter to pursue your 'dream of music'?"
"No! It's not just about melody! It's about emotion! The emotion that erupts in moments of life and death! That is the finale only death can bring!
Whether it's a monster's death or my own, just imagining that scene makes my blood boil!" The girl's tone was so earnest it was chilling.
Everyone in the office gradually realized this girl wasn't just impulsively indulging a whim; she truly might sneak into the wilderness alone, find a monster, and sacrifice her own life to hear that final sound.
Isis carefully hid behind Gael, fearing that crazy girl might pounce on her again.
However, the girl's parents, who were both musicians, could understand their daughter's thoughts a little better.
Artists sacrificing everything for their art aren't rare, but they were just musicians making a living, not quite "artists."
Moreover, pursuing an artistic dream at the cost of one's life seemed far too heavy for them as parents.
Gael stared at the stubborn-faced girl, her frown deepening.
This child was actually quite similar to those battle-crazed lunatics who crave life-and-death thrills, even if their goals differed; their actions in pursuit of those goals were identical.
Such lunatics grow quickly but rarely end well.
Though for them, quietly dying of old age on a bed might not count as a good end either.
For people like this, persuasion is useless; the only thing that might hold them back is human bonds.
The family trio seemed to have decent rapport; perhaps she might give up her pursuits to avoid worrying her parents, but no one knows how long that lock can hold her.
"You should talk properly with your parents." Unable to think of a better solution, Gael could only say this.
"Speaking of which, consider working at the Arena later?" Francesca suddenly spoke up from the sidelines, making a cutting gesture. "Or the slaughterhouse?
The death finale you want plays on repeat daily there."
"..."
The office remained silent for several seconds.
The girl's parents looked hopefully at their daughter. Though going from a Symphony Orchestra musician to a slaughterhouse butcher was a bit odd, it was still better than Hunters risking life and death, right?
The girl named Lambert was stunned for a moment before screaming, "It's not that kind of meaningless death!
It's the collision of lives risking everything! It's the roar of fighting back with all your strength at death's door! It's the despair of resisting death yet ultimately falling powerless!
Do you understand fighting spirit?! Fighting spirit!"
"If you let the pig loose when you go to kill it with a knife, you'll get pretty much all that..." Francesca muttered quietly.
Lambert flushed angrily, looking ready to rush over and scratch her.
"Please shut up..." Gael helplessly pinched Francesca's mouth shut. "Who did you learn such rotten words from? Your dad isn't usually talkative either?"
Francesca looked aggrievedly at her.
Meanwhile, Lambert's parents took their daughter to a corner, and the three engaged in intense discussion, occasionally erupting into arguments.
Gael's gaze then fell on Isis and Francesca.
"So, why did you two come?" After fiddling with Francesca's face a bit, Gael stared at them.
Francesca gave an ingratiating smile. "To visit you, Mom..."
"Stop it, I saw you last night. Tell the truth."
"... Isis wants to strengthen her body training and hopes to find an Instructor to help design a training plan, preferably borrowing the training camp's facilities."
"You can forget about the facilities." Just as Francesca had guessed earlier, Lady Gael, the chief Instructor, refused without leaving any wiggle room.
"As for Isis's training plan... why don't you ask Amos? Which Blademaster Instructor in the training camp is better than him?"
Isis could only briefly explain the situation. "Amos said I should let things develop naturally, but if I can meet the requirements faster through training..."
"Alright, you don't need to say more." Gael frowned and made a 'pause' gesture. "Amos is right. Focus on practicing your Gunlance.
I know about those Great Sword moves he mentioned; there are only a handful of people in the world qualified to learn them.
Don't consider such things before reaching High Rank. If you really can't settle down, take out your previous training plan from when you studied Great Sword, increase the intensity, and practice more regularly to keep your Great Sword skills sharp."
"Alright..." Isis muttered in agreement.
As their discussion concluded, the family trio's argument also reached its end.
Lambert's mother gripped her daughter's hand, unwilling to let go. Her father walked over, face filled with unconcealable worry. "We can't persuade her."
"Clearly, you two aren't forceful personalities." Gael shrugged. "This kid clearly hasn't been disciplined enough growing up."
"... Ma'am, we'd like to ask: we heard the Hunter Training Camp's admission requirements are very strict; only those with outstanding physical conditions have a chance to enter, right?"
"Of course. Being a Hunter isn't a regular profession. Based on past years' admissions, the pass rate is about thirty percent.
Over the next several years of training, at least half of these will be eliminated." Gael nodded in reply.
"What about the 'Excellent' rate?" the man cautiously inquired further.
"Five to ten percent."
The man relaxed slightly. "So that's how it is. Our meaning is, give her one chance to try. If she can pass the test with 'Excellent' results, let her enter the training camp to try.
If she can't, whether as a musician or blowing a Horn at the Arena, she'll have to pursue that 'dream' another way."
Gael glanced at the stubborn girl nearby; Lambert stared back fearlessly.
This kid was really quite persistent.
Let her be persistent then.
Many things won't change just because of willpower. Like her daughter Francesca, who since childhood kept saying she wanted to grow taller than Isis. Now Isis is over 190 centimeters, and she's still around 160.
She chuckled. "Since the little girl is so confident, we'll test her according to high standards."
—--
"This isn't reasonable..." Gael looked at Lambert's test results, muttering incessantly.
The Guild has a comprehensive method to assess every aspect of a person's physical fitness, even glimpsing some of their future potential.
This test is flexible. For example, if a homeless child is malnourished, their physical condition naturally won't be great, but if they have extremely firm willpower and potential in other areas, the training camp's Instructors might let them pass under consideration.
Maybe after training for a year or two in the camp, they improve dramatically?
But such trainees cannot receive an "Excellent" evaluation during the initial test.
What is "Excellent"? It means their current performance in various aspects is outstanding, even without considering undeveloped potential.
Such trainees often come from Hunter families or laborer households like blacksmiths or farmers who perform heavy labor from childhood.
The former relies on earlier training; the latter because labor makes people strong.
She didn't think the girl named Lambert could pass with "Excellent" results precisely because both parents were professional musicians.
Heh, how could a child raised studying music since childhood have good physical fitness?
But she realized she was wrong...
Key aspects like strength, explosive power, endurance, reaction speed, etc., her performance was actually quite decent.
Though incomparable to Isis's astonishing results that stunned many Instructors back then, it barely reached the "Excellent" baseline.
What does this mean? It means her physical fitness surpasses ninety percent of her peers...
No, how is that possible?!
Francesca, who had watched the entire testing process, nudged Gael, whispering to explain to her mother, who had never touched music: "Learning instruments is exhausting, especially large ones. She practiced the tuba; her lung capacity isn't ordinary...
And she said she often imagines herself smashing things with instruments, so she often swings heavy objects around for fun..."
Gael covered her face.
Though she felt somewhat sorry for the girl's parents and didn't know what trouble the kid might cause in the future.
But she wouldn't falsify results, nor reject a promising seedling with unreasonable excuses.
Using one hand to cover her eyes, pretending she couldn't see it, but her other hand still signed her name on Lambert's admission document.
(Translated by yourtl.app)
─────────────────────────────────────────
TL NOTES — LORE SECTION
Some terms and creatures referenced in this story may be unfamiliar to readers new to the Monster Hunter universe. The following entries provide additional context.
CONCEPTS & SYSTEMS
High Rank — One of the progression tiers in the Monster Hunter hunter ranking system, sitting above Low Rank and below G Rank (also called Master Rank in some titles). Reaching High Rank generally means a hunter has demonstrated the ability to take on significantly more dangerous monsters and is considered a serious professional by guild standards. Amos uses it here as a threshold below which Isis should not attempt certain advanced techniques.