[My dear Isis and young Altaïr, I have no idea which city you two have wandered off to, so I sent letters to Metapetatto, Val Habar, and Loc Lac.
I wrote this letter on the second day of the new year. If it is already February by the time you read this, then do not bother with what comes next.] A sad face had been drawn at this point in the letter.
Altaïr and Isis exchanged a glance. It was still early January. Mail from Dundorma to Metapetatto generally traveled by ship across the Inland Sea, following a more or less direct route, so delivery was still fairly quick even without a Carrier Pigeon. Had they still been in Loc Lac, the letter might not have arrived until the end of the month.
"See what it says next!" Isis urged.
Altaïr unfolded the pages of the letter.
[I've landed a big project! The Guild and the Merchant Guild have jointly organized a survey and pioneering operation to open up a massive island in the South Sea, off the ElDe Region.
They call it an "island," but conservative estimates put its area at more than thirty thousand square kilometers, nearly the size of an entire region! The Guild hopes the pioneering team can establish a foothold there and lay the groundwork for the construction crews that follow.
And I am the person in charge of this pioneering operation!] Reading this, Altaïr could not help exclaiming, "Surveying and pioneering a giant island spanning more than thirty thousand square kilometers is a major project, even for the Guild. It will require an enormous investment of resources.
For Senior Francesca to be placed in charge of such a project at her age... that's truly incredible!"
[All right, I was just boasting. The leader obviously would not be someone as inexperienced as me, but since our Merchant Guild is the project's main financier, I managed to snag the title of supply squad leader.
Mm, it sounds like a very demanding position.] Altaïr was speechless.
It truly was the first time he had seen someone pull a bait and switch in a letter.
He had nearly fallen for it.
[The reason I am writing is to ask whether you two would be interested in taking part in this pioneering operation.
Because this is not a large-scale internal project run entirely by the Guild, like the Research Commission in the New World, the Guild will not assign Hunters to us directly; we will have to recruit them ourselves.
The Guild will also dispatch a dedicated team to establish a Guild Hall and handle administration and quest distribution. The Merchant Guild will provide subsidies on top of the standard quest rewards as well, so the pay is quite generous.
Moreover, this relatively isolated island has unique ecosystems and Monsters. For Hunters who relish the challenge of facing unknown Monsters, it is the perfect opportunity.
However, there is one thing I need to make clear upfront. This pioneering operation may last two or three years, and leaving midway will not be easy. I hope you will consider it carefully.
If that sounds interesting, come and see me at the Sterling Merchant Guild in Dundorma before the end of January. I will explain the details in person, and you can make your final decision then.
XOXO~] The pair, who had huddled together to read the letter, looked up from the heart-shaped doodle in ink at the end of the message. Isis then handed it to Nymera beside her.
Isis's face brightened with excitement as she asked, "What do you think? Should we go?"
Altaïr's brows furrowed slightly. "This is not something we can decide on the spot. Two or three years is a long commitment. We need to discuss it properly."
After quickly scanning the letter, Nymera also looked a little hesitant.
She had left home and crossed the vast ocean to the Old World to train and grow stronger so that she could return to Kamura and better protect her homeland.
Her goal was to become a High Rank Hunter.
Once she advanced to 6★ and became a High Rank Hunter, she would truly be able to help the people of her village. At that point, she would leave the Old World and return to Kamura Village.
She had not hidden this intention from her companions. On the very day Altaïr and Isis invited her to become a permanent teammate, she had made a point of mentioning it.
Still, only a few months had passed since she advanced to 5★.
Although the Guild had adjusted its policies in recent years, tacitly allowing Hunters to join quests one star above their own Hunter rank and taking other steps to accelerate younger Hunters' advancement, those measures mostly applied to the lower ranks.
When it came to assessments for advancement to High Rank, the Guild had never relaxed its standards. Her chances of reaching 6★ and becoming a High Rank Hunter within two or three years were practically nonexistent.
Even so, the timing would allow her to join the pioneering team, and the various incidents and Monsters encountered during such an expedition would provide excellent training.
From that perspective, she was eager to join.
What truly made her hesitate was the prospect of being unable to leave midway.
The calamity of the Rampage had been brought to a definitive end more than twenty years ago. Yet Kamura had never been calm or safe.
The land's unique energy drew many powerful creatures there, and some disaster was almost guaranteed to strike every few years.
Even setting more distant history aside, in the years since her birth alone, she had lived through the wind that laid waste to the Moon Capital, the Gaismagorm Calamity, and the Frenzy Virus outbreak... Elder Dragon attacks were too numerous to count.
What if another disaster struck Kamura during the two or three years she spent with the pioneering team? Would she abandon her duties there and return home, or remain at her post while her homeland was in danger? Either choice would be agonizing. Altaïr keenly sensed Nymera's inner turmoil and immediately understood what troubled her. After thinking it over, he suggested, "Perhaps we should first speak with Senior Francesca and learn more.
An operation to pioneer a giant island would require far more than a handful of Hunters. Although the island lies out at sea, it is still part of the Old World and nowhere near as remote as the New World.
If circumstances truly forced us to leave midway, our group could submit a request with a valid reason. A brief absence should not pose much of a problem. We can confirm that point first.
We would still need a more detailed understanding of everything else before making a decision."
"Exactly, exactly!" Isis nodded rapidly in agreement.
Hearing this, Nymera gave a soft chuckle. "In that case, I see no reason to reject the idea outright either.
Lady Francesca and I are also good friends. Whatever we ultimately decide, this is a perfect opportunity to pay her a visit."
"Oh, right! Nymera, you're friends with Sis Francesca too!" Isis clapped her hands, looking as though she had just realized it.
Altaïr gave Isis an odd look, momentarily unable to decide whether her memory was excellent or terrible.
She remembered that Francesca had introduced the Vanguard Hunting Party to them, yet had completely forgotten that Francesca had also recommended Nymera to them in a letter. It was not hard to guess why Francesca's invitation mentioned only him and Isis, not Nymera.
In a sense, this invitation amounted to Francesca "asking for a favor." She obviously understood Nymera's situation and, as a friend, did not want to put her in a difficult position.
Isis was different. She and Francesca had grown up together, and their bond was closer than that of many biological sisters.
If Francesca had written only to Isis, she would not have needed more than a note saying, "I need your help with something! Get over here, Isis!" followed by the time and place of the meeting. Isis would have come running, and they could have sorted out the details once they met.
Seen that way, the letter's contents had probably been intended mainly for him.
But then again, he and Nymera were both Isis's teammates, so why did Francesca feel no pressure at all about "asking him for a favor"?
(Translated by yourtl.app)