As it turned out, when a child is disobedient, it is most likely because they haven't been beaten enough.
Hibiki, who previously listened to no one, became obedient and docile after being taught a lesson by Clawdia.
Before this, Nymera would never have dared to take him toward the crowded shopping streets like she was doing now.
If this fellow had suddenly lunged and flipped over someone's stall, then injured or trampled a few people, she wouldn't have been able to hold him back even with a lead.
But now, the lead was no longer necessary. Clawdia sat cross-legged on his back, and Hibiki's head was hanging so low it nearly touched the ground as he persistently nudged his way close to Isis.
A single concept was now firmly rooted in his mind.
If he provoked the demon on his back, he would die, and the only one who might save him was the human standing before him, who was barely taller than he was.
Seeing that the cat and dog were getting along "harmoniously," Isis finally felt at ease.
She looked at Nymera and asked with a smile, "Sister Nymera, have you ever toured Dundorma before, other than just passing through? There are still a few days left before the assembly date. If you're interested, I can take you on a tour of Dundorma."
"I have visited a few times in the past, so a tour is unnecessary," Nymera said, shaking her head. "I have been idle for far too long; compared to you, I am utterly ashamed. Rather than sightseeing, I would like to find a suitable Training Area to recover my rusted instincts."
Isis tilted her head and thought for a moment.
Unlike a Blademaster who only needed a training dummy or even just a bit of open space to practice, Gunners had much higher requirements for Training Area facilities.
The Training Area in her own basement definitely wouldn't work; the longest side was only about ten meters, which was point-blank range for a Gunner, making it impossible to even practice target shooting.
Actually, the best method would be to pick up a random quest to hunt Small Monsters and head out into the field to practice.
However, the assembly date was approaching, and they would be taking an Airship back to Metapetatto in just a few days, so there didn't seem to be enough time for that.
As for Training Areas in the city suitable for a Gunner, there were only two. One was at the Hunter Guild Hall, but it was usually crowded, required waiting in line, and made it difficult to train freely.
The other was at the training camp, which had larger grounds and more complete facilities; however, to prevent Hunters from swarming the place and taking over the students' space, they were, in principle, not allowed to use it freely.
After Isis briefly explained the situation, she continued, "I suggest using the Gunner Training Area at the Guild Hall late at night. Especially in the small hours of the morning, there will be very few people, and training will be quite pleasant. As for the training camp, well, perhaps we could try asking Sister Francesca's mother? She is the Head Instructor of the training camp, though she might not necessarily agree..."
"The Training Area at the Guild Hall will suffice," Nymera chose the former without hesitation. The latter violated regulations and required using a personal favor, which was truly unnecessary.
After discussing it, the two decided to have a grand feast at the People's Tavern, eat until midnight, and then head to the Gunner Training Area at the Guild Hall to practice.
Although training right after a midnight snack was a bit strange, neither of them minded.
Hearing they were going for a big meal, Hibiki's ears perked up. He had heard long ago that the Old World possessed a culinary culture entirely different from that of Kamura Village, and he loved nothing more than trying new things he'd never seen before!
"Keep your head down, you're blocking my view, meow." A cold voice drifted down from his back.
"Woof..." Hibiki lowered his head aggrievedly.
Isis purposefully led Nymera on a long stroll through the streets of Dundorma. It wasn't until the sky had completely darkened and their stomachs began to growl that she turned toward the People's Tavern.
At this hour, the People's Tavern was at its liveliest.
Adorable guild receptionists and servers carried trays piled high with food and drinks, weaving between the massive tables.
Every table was laden with huge slabs of meat and oversized mugs of booze.
The laughter, swearing, and shouting of hundreds of Hunters and patrons merged into a cacophonous wave of sound, hitting Nymera with such force that she froze in her tracks the moment she pushed open the door.
One would never see such a scene in the Kamura Village Guild Hall. While it wasn't true that they only ate Bunny Dango there, the food was generally light and refined, and the same went for the drinks.
There, people admired the blossoms, sipped their drinks, and chatted, cheerful, but never rowdy.
The taverns in Geo Wandreo were lively, of course, but they couldn't compare to the sheer scale of Dundorma.
The sheer boisterous intensity of the scene made even Nymera, who usually preferred peace and quiet, feel a surge of excitement.
"Well? Quite the feeling, isn't it?" Isis said with a grin. "The People's Tavern at dinner time is one of the special sights of Dundorma."
"It truly is extraordinary!" Nymera praised from the bottom of her heart.
Hibiki, who loved a good crowd and was prone to getting overexcited, began to hop about.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
"Quiet, meow."
"Woof..."
The two humans, one Felyne, and one Palamute threaded through the dining tables in search of a seat.
Everyone was used to seeing Felynes, but Palamutes were a rarer sight. Many people, seeing such a large, fluffy dog for the first time, couldn't help but reach out to give him a pat.
Their petting techniques weren't nearly as professional or comfortable as those of a certain Princess; there were even drunks who tried to tug on his tail. Hibiki wanted to bristle and bare his teeth several times, but Clawdia suppressed him every time.
He was forced to tuck his tail and hurry through the crowded areas.
The People's Tavern in Dundorma wasn't open only to Hunters; once dinner time hit, finding a seat was genuinely difficult. In the end, a guild receptionist helped them set up an extra temporary table near the Quest Counter.
Having trained for most of the day and then led Nymera on a grand tour of the city, Isis followed her usual habit and began ordering from the menu by the page.
Soon, all manner of delicacies were delivered one after another.
Thanks to the presence of Isis and Hibiki, the food was being cleared almost as fast as it was served; otherwise, this small temporary table likely wouldn't have been able to hold everything.
Gripping a massive mug filled with ice-cold beer in one hand and a giant haunch of meat in the other, Isis was eating with gusto when she suddenly spotted a familiar figure walking their way.
"Professor!" She jumped up, waving a hand vigorously at him. "Come join us for a bite!"
In the eyes of the Professor, he saw an exceptionally tall girl waving a piece of roasted leg meat at him with great enthusiasm.
The Professor, who had originally intended to go straight to the Quest Counter, thought it over and changed course toward them. Isis bit into the meat and pulled over an empty chair from the side, while Nymera hurriedly stood up to greet the elder.
"Isis, and Nymera, correct?" The Professor nodded back to them. "Don't trouble yourselves; I don't eat such things in the evening."
Despite saying so, the old Wyverian sat down anyway. Valuing efficiency above all else, he went straight to the point: "I just received a letter sent by Erik. Has Altaïr mentioned it to you?"
Isis and Nymera exchanged a glance and shook their heads in unison.
"To keep it brief, certain anomalies have surfaced in the Metapetatto Jungle. The Guild and various academic organizations have already dispatched multiple investigation teams to look into it. I originally had no interest in getting involved.
However, just a few days ago, a 9★ Palico took the lead in forming a small investigation team to enter the Jungle. The members include Erik and Altaïr.
Oh, and you should be familiar with that Palico, Isis; it's Shalan, your mother's hunting partner."
"Meow!!"
Clawdia, who a second ago had been slowly picking bones out of a roasted fish, had an immediate stress reaction at the mention of that name. Her fur puffed out until she looked like a giant ball of fluff.
"Uh... Auntie Shalan?"
Isis's head was full of question marks, unable to understand why Shalan would be running off with Altaïr and Erik.
"According to Erik, they plan to enter the northwestern area of the Jungle to conduct a 'preliminary investigation.' They then hope for me to form a more complete investigation team to follow up."
"Mhm, mhm." Isis nodded, showing she was listening intently.
The Professor cut her a sidelong glance. "Don't just 'mhm' me. Don't you have any other thoughts on the matter?"
Isis looked blank.
Nymera, however, picked up on something from the Professor's tone. "You aren't very optimistic about their operation?"
"Optimistic? Heh..." The Professor gave a cold laugh. "Let us look at the composition of this so-called 'investigation team.'
One Palico with decent abilities but absolutely zero practical experience as a leader.
One young Hunter who is likely the de facto leader, yet hails from the Great Desert and lacks any understanding of the Jungle... and presumably, he brought along a cat also from the Desert.
And finally, a fledgling nerd who just received the title of 'Scrivener,' possesses extremely meager field experience, couldn't even defeat a Kelbi, and can never control his habit of wandering off everywhere.
With such an 'investigation team,' rather than expecting them to bring back results, it is more practical to pray they don't meet with disaster."
"Uh..."
"Sigh..."
The Professor let out a heavy sigh. "Be that as it may, Erik is still my student. I intend to hire two Hunters to go and fish those fools out.
Since I happened to run into the two of you, you'll do."
(Translated by yourtl.app)