In the end, Altaïr couldn't bring himself to walk up to Guildmarm Noya, the Metapetatto Guild's manager, and coldly tell her, "We might be gone for two or three years. Please cancel our registration with the Metapetatto Guild." Her personality admittedly left something to be desired, but she had genuinely treated them well.
He found an excuse to put it off. Whether they would ultimately join the expedition was not set in stone yet, was it? Francesca had said she was waiting for them in Dundorma for a face-to-face discussion, so he would leave it until after they had talked and finalized their itinerary.
If they really did join the expedition, they would eventually have to vacate their Hunter Cabin in Metapetatto and sort through all the items, equipment, materials, and so on in their item box before transferring everything elsewhere. They would have to come back anyway, so he could give Guildmarm Noya a proper farewell then. Lambert, however, was not nearly as conflicted as they were.
Lambert simply cleared out her "Hunter utility room" beneath the clock tower. She had spent no more than a handful of days in Metapetatto altogether, so naturally she did not have much luggage. All she had was a single bundle she could sling over her shoulder before setting off.
She could tell that her seniors were quite interested in joining the expedition. Given their frame of mind, the odds strongly favored them going.
As for Lambert herself, she was only a 2★ Hunter, so whether she could join would come down to luck.
If they accepted her, there was nothing more to say. She would happily set off with them.
If they rejected her and all three of the seniors she knew left, she would have no reason to stay in Metapetatto either. She could simply travel somewhere else on her own, saving herself the Airship fare for a return trip.
Having settled the matter in her mind, Lambert strode up to the counter with brisk decisiveness and declared, "I'm heading home to Dundorma. I'm checking out, and I'd like to cancel my registration."
Such a blunt declaration of withdrawal left the Guild Manager blinking in stunned silence.
A fresh and promising little sapling was flying away, just like that. Of course, Noya hated to see her go, but she had no real reason to make her stay. With tears glistening in her eyes, she could only say, "We hope you'll come visit us again."
To soothe her aching heart, she looked toward Altaïr, Isis, and Nymera, who were gathered in the Guild Hall lobby, and consoled herself. Don't fret, don't fret. As long as these three fully grown trees don't up and leave.
Besides, Lambert is leaving, but Vari is arriving. I'm not losing anything! Then she watched Lambert walk over to the others with her luggage, and the group left the Guild Hall together. The Guild Manager's expression went rigid.
Anxiety.
—--
Metapetatto and Dundorma lay on the western and eastern shores of the Inland Sea, respectively. Airships and sea vessels departed frequently, and the fares were quite modest. After paying for passage, the party of four reached Dundorma without incident.
Because they had concrete business to attend to, Isis and Lambert, both Dundorma natives, did not rush off to visit their families. Instead, they headed straight for the headquarters of the Sterling Merchant Guild.
According to Francesca's letter, she would be staying there for the time being.
As a major Merchant Guild whose business spanned both the Old and New Worlds, the Sterling Merchant Guild had built its headquarters on a suitably grand scale.
The four Hunters, two Felynes, one Palamute, and a bird charged through the gate in a chaotic swarm and, unsurprisingly, someone stopped them.
The staff member who intercepted them was quite courteous. Upon learning that they had come to see the young lady, the dutiful employee gave a slight bow.
"Everyone, please follow me. Miss Francesca left instructions that any Hunters coming to register should be brought directly to her office."
"An office, meow," Sajji muttered as he walked beside Altaïr. "It feels like the sort of thing only a real big shot would have, meow."
Altaïr did not respond. As the heiress to such a large Merchant Guild, Senior Francesca probably did qualify as a real big shot.
The staff member led the group to the end of the corridor, stopping before a pair of wooden doors whose value was obvious at a glance. Before the greeter's hand could even reach the knocker, a voice from inside said, "Come in."
The staff member bowed and departed.
Altaïr and the others exchanged glances. Between the staff's deferential attitude and the imposing wooden doors, which stood well over three meters tall, they could not help feeling a little tense.
Only Isis, utterly unconcerned, pushed the doors wide open.
"Sis Francesca! We're here to see you!" She strode into the office, glancing around curiously. "Come to think of it, isn't this your aunt Jessica's office?"
Francesca sat primly behind the wide, luxurious desk, her fingers interlaced beneath her chin and a pair of non-prescription glasses perched on her nose. At Isis's question, her expression crumbled.
"So it's you lot." Francesca tossed the glasses aside and shot Isis a displeased look. "My aunt is away inspecting the regional branches, so I borrowed her office to keep up appearances.
Geez, did you have to blow my cover the moment you walked in?"
"Tee-hee~!"
Isis plopped down on the luxurious long sofa, which seemed to be upholstered in wyvern hide. She bounced a little to test the cushions, then lay back with a long, satisfied sigh.
"This is great! I've wanted to try this since I was a kid, but I never dared do it in front of your aunt!"
"Right?! Sofas are meant to be sat on however you find most comfortable!" The displeasure vanished from Francesca's face. She dashed out from behind the desk and flopped onto the single-seat sofa beside Isis like a dried fish.
"I seriously suspect my aunt uses such fine leather for this sofa just to keep guests from sitting comfortably!"
"Yeah, totally!"
Altaïr and the others exchanged glances as they entered the office. After that exchange between the two women, not a trace of their earlier tension outside the doors remained.
Altaïr's gaze settled on the sofa set as he tried to identify what kind of Monster hide covered it. Then Sajji tugged at his sleeve and pointed toward the desk.
Only then did Altaïr notice someone familiar standing behind it.
What's she doing here? And why is she dressed like that?
Nymera tilted her head as well. "Miss Kagetsu?"
Kagetsu wore an impeccably tailored clerk's uniform and held a ledger of unknown purpose against her chest. Her hair was combed back into a tight bun, and her small face was taut as she stared straight ahead, the very picture of a professional secretary.
"Ah!" Realizing what had caught their attention, Francesca sat up on the sofa and called over her shoulder, "They're all acquaintances. No need to keep up the act."
At those words, Kagetsu's shoulders slumped. "You could have said so earlier. Holding that posture was exhausting."
"This is..."
"Kagetsu, an Insect Glaive user. It looks like you already know each other, so there's no need for a detailed introduction." Francesca drew her legs up and sat cross-legged on the sofa.
"You got my letter, right? Anyway, Kagetsu is also part of the expedition team.
As manager of the supplies section, I handle supply matters as well as some personnel work, like recruiting people.
I have a baby face, so some of the old-timers think they can push me around. I dress Kagetsu up as my secretary and have her stand behind me to lend me some authority. Borrowing my aunt's office serves much the same purpose."
"..." Altaïr was silent for a few seconds, then studied Kagetsu with an odd expression. "I thought you were working part-time as a guild receptionist at the Guild Hall?"
"Boss Francesca pays better," Kagetsu answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "All I have to do is change into these clothes and stand here with a stern face like a statue. I don't have to talk or even move, and I get 600z a day. That's hard to turn down."
"All right." Altaïr shifted his attention away from the impoverished Insect Glaive user. "Senior Francesca, we received your letter.
We're quite interested in joining the expedition team, but we need to learn more before we make our final decision."
"Great! Your interest is all I need. Whatever your requirements or conditions, I can meet them!" Francesca waved magnanimously, as if she could promise them anything.
She naturally would not have been so accommodating with other applicants, but Isis and Altaïr were "insiders," and Nymera was her friend.
She knew their dispositions well. They certainly would not make any unreasonable demands, and even if they did, she could simply be shameless about it.
"As for you, what are you here for?" Francesca's gaze shifted to Lambert at the back of the group.
The two knew each other, but they did not get along particularly well. Francesca still remembered Lambert describing her as someone who "just chased after whatever commotion came along."
She held a grudge.
Lambert pressed a fingertip to the corner of her mouth, pushing it into a smile. "I'm also here to apply to the expedition team, of course."
"What's your current Hunter rank?"
"2★," Lambert answered honestly.
At that, Francesca let out a short "Ha," leaned back against the sofa cushions, lifted her chin, and crossed her legs.
"Even my errand-running secretary is 3★. What makes you worth taking on?"
(Translated by yourtl.app)