Altaïr felt something was slightly off about this Wyverian guild receptionist, but he didn't say much.
He reached out and pressed Isis's shoulder, signaling her to stay calm, then looked at the Wyverian guild receptionist named Noya and asked:
"We're in no rush regarding the Rank-Up Quest. Could we rent two Hunter Cabins first?"
"Of course!" Noya nodded vigorously. "Little Lillian, quickly show them the list!"
"Understood!" The young guild receptionist pulled a sheet of paper from the counter; it appeared to be a price list.
"Uh, Soldier-class Deluxe Room, Fighter-class Deluxe Room, Knight-class Deluxe Room... what in the world are these?" Altaïr looked at the two guild receptionists with confusion.
He naturally knew what the so-called Soldier and Fighter classes referred to.
Soldier, Fighter, Knight, Fortress, Queen, King, Dragon, Hero, Legend, and above all else, "Sky."
Many years ago, Hunter ranks were divided this way, but they were later replaced by the more convenient and memorable star-rated system.
Even so, this grading system was preserved to some extent. For instance, many hunters were still accustomed to classifying Talisman grades using this system.
This ranking was also applied to some meal sets provided by the Guild, as well as Hunter Cabins.
For example, a Soldier-class room would be the most common and basic Hunter Cabin, with rooms naturally becoming more luxurious further down the list.
Rooms like the Queen-class or King-class couldn't be stayed in even if one had the money; a corresponding Hunter rank was required, serving as a special privilege granted by the Guild to the powerful.
Neither Altaïr nor Isis were people who craved luxury, and they usually stayed in the most basic Soldier-class rooms, but the "Deluxe" suffix on these listings made his skin crawl slightly.
The young guild receptionist explained earnestly, "All the rooms at our Metapetatto Guild are super-deluxe without exception!
Even our most basic Soldier-class room is comparable to the Knight-class facilities in other Guild Halls. As for our Knight-class Deluxe Rooms, you can experience a high-end stay that rivals a King-class room!
Well? Care to try one?"
"Then what's the highest-level Sky-class room like, meow?" Sajji climbed onto the Quest Counter and asked curiously, "Is it in the sky, meow?"
Altaïr patted its head. "No matter which Guild Hall it is, the highest-tier Hunter Cabin only goes up to King-class. The ranks beyond that are only used for classifying Talismans."
Hearing this, Sajji tilted its head. "Then if a 9★ Hunter Master came by, would they also stay in a King-class room, meow?"
"A Master-rank Hunter?" the Wyverian guild receptionist blurted out. "Then he can stay wherever he wants! He could even stay at my house!"
Altaïr: "?"
There was definitely something wrong with this guild receptionist.
He looked down at the price list again. The prices were actually quite reasonable and no more expensive than other Guild Halls. After a brief discussion between Altaïr and Isis, they decided to just rent the most basic Soldier-class rooms.
The two guild receptionists didn't push for a hard sell. After briskly completing the registration, Noya had the young guild receptionist, Lillian, lead them to their rooms.
—--
To Altaïr's surprise, the two guild receptionists had actually been telling the truth.
The so-called "Soldier-class deluxe rooms," in terms of both space and amenities, were not inferior to the Knight-class rooms he had seen in Loc Lac; they even had private baths.
Looking at it this way, the room prices on the list were surprisingly cheap.
Was the Metapetatto Guild really this wealthy?
—--
Carrying this confusion, they dropped off their luggage and returned to the tavern area.
They had made an appointment with those stranger hunters earlier and couldn't break their word. Besides, he was genuinely curious about the situation of the guild here and wanted to ask the local hunters.
Seeing the two of them approach, the hunters who had greeted them earlier waved them over and made some room.
"Over here! Come quick, we've been waiting for you!"
Altaïr and the others smiled as they went over and sat down at a long table with them.
A Hammer user who looked to be in his late twenties, not particularly tall but with very broad shoulders and thick, sturdy limbs that made him look like a steel barrel, pushed two mugs toward them.
"Come, come! Look at all that dust on you, you just got off the road, right? Have a drink to moisten your throat first!"
"All right! Thanks!" Isis happily took the mug, which was nearly the size of a human head, and downed it in one go, earning a round of cheers from the group.
Altaïr didn't have such a high tolerance for alcohol and didn't plan to show off, so he set his mug down after a few sips.
"The name's Buck, from Dundorma. I used to operate around Grom-Baum, but I only moved here a few months ago," the Hammer user introduced himself, patting his belly.
The tall, thin Heavy Bowgun user next to him continued, "Brandley, also from Dundorma. I guess I'm this guy's partner."
The Hammer user wore a Tetsucabra set, while the Heavy Bowgun user wore a Shogun Ceanataur set, materials sourced from 3★ and 4★ threat level monsters, respectively.
Considering that a Tetsucabra is known for its prominent strength among 3★ monsters, and given their status as partners, it was highly likely that both were 4-star Hunters.
Altaïr made his guess internally.
Besides these two, there was a young girl at the same table who looked to be seventeen or eighteen. She had a Hammer placed beside her as well, and based on her equipment, she seemed to be a rookie who had just become an official hunter.
"I... I'm Balina, a local from Metapetatto, a rookie training under Master Buck. Please look after me!" the girl said loudly.
"Gah! I told you not to call me Master, it makes me feel ten years older!" Buck said, waving a large hand.
"Understood! Master Buck!"
"...Suit yourself."
A combination of two highly capable veterans leading one rookie?
Altaïr nodded and gave a brief introduction of his own. "I'm Altaïr, from Loc Lac. The two of us are currently traveling."
Isis wiped the beer foam from the corner of her mouth. "Isis! You could say I'm from Dundorma. It's my first time in Metapetatto! What a great place!"
"Isis...?" Buck rubbed his scruffy chin. "Isis... I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before, and you look a bit familiar too.
Did you graduate from the Hunter Training Camp in Dundorma as well?"
"Yeah!"
"What year did you enroll?"
Isis counted on her fingers. "Five years ago!"
"That doesn't add up; we'd already graduated from the Training Camp by then," Buck muttered.
The Heavy Bowgun user named Brandley stared at Isis for a few seconds. After a moment of thought, he asked with some uncertainty, "Do you know Miss Francesca?"
"Sister Fufu? Of course I do!"
At those words, a look of realization dawned on Brandley's face. "I thought so. Boss Fufu told us about you before."
Boss Fufu.
Altaïr's mouth twitched at the way they addressed her.
"Right, right, it's coming back to me, Francesca's sister, right!" Buck slapped his palm. "I knew it sounded familiar... wait! Ah... ah! I remember now! I saw you at the Training Camp back then. You're the daughter of those two!"
Buck stood up so abruptly that the long table shook.
He grabbed Isis's hand and shook it vigorously twice. "When your parents brought you to visit the Training Camp, I was lucky enough to get their autographs! I've cherished them ever since!"
Isis was a little dazed; she had a vague memory of her parents taking her to the Training Camp to visit Francesca, but she couldn't remember the details.
"It really is a small world," Buck remarked, slamming the table again. "No, this isn't enough food and drink! Waiter! Bring the menu!"
While Buck was loudly ordering more food, Brandley explained their history.
The two of them had met Francesca at the Training Camp. Brandley had even been part of a small clique of Gunner trainees led by her, which was why he habitually called her "Boss."
Realizing they weren't just from the same town but also shared mutual acquaintances, the group bonded instantly. After a few more drinks, they were already addressing each other as brothers and sisters, and more personal topics began to flow.
His face flushed with alcohol, Buck laughed. "I'm not bragging, but our Vanguard Hunting Party is pretty famous back in Grom-Baum! We heard things were developing fast here in New Metapetatto, so the Boss brought us here to try our luck!"
Hearing this, Isis asked curiously, "The Vanguard Hunting Party? The Boss? Do you mean Sister Fufu?"
"Ah, no. Only Brandley calls her Boss Fufu. The 'Boss' I'm talking about is the leader of the Vanguard Hunting Party. Actually, Francesca was the one who introduced us to him."
Buck grinned widely and said, "His name is Serl. He's a bit younger than us, but he's already a 4-star Hunter!"
Hearing that familiar name again, Altaïr's eyes widened.
Just as he was about to press for more, a curious Isis beat him to the punch. "Sister Fufu helped set up your hunting party, but she didn't join it herself?"
Normally, a hunting party consisted of four hunters.
Serl, Buck, and Brandley already made three permanent members. If Francesca was also part of the Vanguard Hunting Party, then Balina, the "apprentice member," seemed a bit redundant.
"Ah, about that..." Brandley started, sounding hesitant as if wondering how best to explain.
Buck didn't care about such nuances and said casually, "As for Francesca, her heart just wasn't in being a hunter, so Boss Serl decided to phase her out."
"..."
(Translated by yourtl.app)
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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.
MONSTERS
Tetsucabra — A large Amphibian-class monster built like a living siege engine. Its most distinctive feature is a pair of massive downward-curving tusks, which it uses to scoop up boulders and hurl them as projectiles. Its thick hide and powerful forelimbs make it exceptionally durable and dangerous in open terrain. Among 3★ threat-level monsters, it is considered one of the more formidable opponents, and its materials are prized for crafting heavy, impact-resistant armor and weapons. Threat level 3★.
CONCEPTS & SYSTEMS
Old Hunter Rank Naming System — Before the current star-rating system was adopted Guild-wide, hunters were classified using a named tier ladder: Soldier, Fighter, Knight, Fortress, Queen, King, Dragon, Hero, and Legend, with the honorary pinnacle title "Sky" reserved for those at the absolute summit of the profession. This system has largely been retired from official use, but survives in certain Guild traditions, most notably in the grading of Talismans and the naming of premium Hunter Cabin tiers.