Alva was both surprised and delighted by Gordon and Hayata's arrival, but under the circumstances, his surprise far outweighed his delight.
If he had a choice, he would have preferred to meet this terrifying couple at a casual get-together on a day off, or see them descend from the heavens to rescue him when Monsters had him cornered.
Certainly not like this. Just as he was about to embark on an expedition filled with unknowns and excitement, they had suddenly appeared with sinister grins and greeted him with a cheery "Hello."
"Family outing. We're taking you with us. Aren't you thrilled?" Gordon asked with a broad grin.
Hayata walked down the Airship's gangplank and gave Alva a polite smile that did not seem particularly friendly.
Truthfully, she was a little displeased that Altaïr had suggested inviting Alva along on their family outing. Thanks to a certain someone's bout of madness, however, this could no longer be called a warm family outing. It had become more of an assessment of the younger generation's Hunting skills.
From that perspective, Altaïr's approach was not wrong. Which meant it was all Gordon's fault!
Gordon had just been struck by his wife's sudden death glare. He laughed awkwardly, withdrew the arm draped over Alva's shoulder, and patted him instead, his expression growing slightly more serious.
"Anyway, it's more or less as Altaïr described. Are you coming or not?"
Gordon knew the question was rhetorical. Given Alva's personality, he would crawl there even if both his legs were broken.
Without waiting for an answer, Gordon glanced at the enormous vessel docked nearby. "Speaking of which, what ship is that? It looks a little like the Soaratorium, but something seems different."
"That's the Knowledge Seeker, a large research vessel directly under the Royal Academy. In terms of hardware alone, it's even more advanced than the Soaratorium!" Alva gave a brief introduction, pride coloring his voice.
"It's still in its shakedown phase, but it has already completed several research and investigation quests with flying colors!"
"Not bad. Are you the project lead?"
"Exactly!"
"Excellent! Then we'll send back the little Airship we chartered and transfer to the big one. Men always prefer the big ones, hahahaha!" Without seeming to realize what he had said, Gordon made the sort of crude joke favored by middle-aged men, then burst into booming laughter.
"..."
"..."
Altaïr stood awkwardly to one side, unsure how to respond, while Hayata barely resisted the urge to snatch up her scabbard and strike Gordon over the head.
The moment the scholars aboard the Knowledge Seeker heard that they had a new temporary investigation target, one drawn from a terrifying legend, their enthusiasm erupted.
Diablon, the "Demon King," had already been largely dissected, with nearly all the data on it collected, and immediately fell to second place in everyone's minds.
Some personnel remained behind to collect the final samples, and the Vanguard Hunting Party stayed with them to ensure their safety.
The Knowledge Seeker set off once more, flying at full speed toward the coordinates of the ancient city ruins.
To avoid unnecessary speculation, Alva chose not to announce that a 9★ Hunter and an 8★ Hunter had boarded the ship.
Although most of the crew saw the two Hunters and their imposing equipment, they had no idea who they were.
There were, of course, exceptions.
Kitty, who had spent an entire month doing menial work with the investigation team and had tanned several shades darker, spotted the pair and immediately rushed over in excitement.
"Aunt Hayata! Uncle Gordon!"
Hayata was rather surprised to find her young niece aboard as well.
The last time she and Gordon had returned to Dundorma, they had made a special trip to the Royal Academy to visit this rare bookish member of the family. They knew she was a freshman who had enrolled less than a year earlier, but Hayata had never expected to find her aboard the ship.
Kitty promptly displayed the scholars' talent for pushing their luck and asked "to come along and broaden her horizons."
Altaïr said nothing, since the request was not directed at him. Gordon did not object either. He felt confident that he could protect the little thing who barely reached above his waist.
But the kind aunt Kitty remembered gave her a particularly terrifying smile. A sharp knife-hand strike raised a large bump on Kitty's head, and after several hard swats to her bottom, Hayata bundled her back into the cabin.
The child was bright, but otherwise she had inherited a perfect blend of both parents' flaws. Without strict supervision, she would disappear the moment anyone looked away.
—--
The Knowledge Seeker far surpassed conventional small Airships in both speed and comfort.
The Hunters spent a warm, comfortable night aboard the Knowledge Seeker. When the morning sun barely peeked over the horizon, the ancient city, half-buried beneath the yellow sand, came into view.
"Should we hover at high altitude or land inside the ancient city ruins?" Alva asked as he approached Gordon at the bow.
Whether because Gordon was a 9★ Hunter or because of habits formed in his youth, Alva instinctively sought his opinion.
Gordon gestured toward Altaïr with his chin. "Ask him. He's more or less the leader of this investigation quest."
When Alva actually turned to look at him, Altaïr's face twitched.
You never discussed this with me. Even if I'm supposed to command this "pop quiz," the most I can order around is Isis. How am I supposed to command the two of you?
Team member Gordon, go cut down that Ghost Dragon for me. Would that count as passing the test?
Despite his inward grumbling, Altaïr considered the matter carefully before answering. "We don't know what's inside the ancient city ruins. Taking the Knowledge Seeker in could alert the target and create unpredictable risks. It would be safer to hover at high altitude and wait for our signal."
Neither Gordon nor Alva, the leader of the Knowledge Seeker's team, objected to this cautious judgment.
After one final check of their equipment and supplies, the party of four Hunters and one scholar descended in a small Airship.
—--
The landing site was still four or five kilometers from the ancient city ruins as the crow flew. Given their stamina, that distance amounted to little more than a warm-up walk. Just over half an hour later, they reached the edge of the Gilgamesh Ancient Ruins.
Altaïr studied the crumbling walls ahead, signaled for caution, then turned to Gordon and Hayata.
Understanding his meaning, Gordon lifted his chin and smiled. "Treat us like ordinary companions and give whatever orders you see fit. Apart from staying out of the actual fighting, we'll follow your lead in every respect."
"...All right."
Companions who follow my orders but won't fight? What am I leading, a pack of pacifist Felynes?
Altaïr only dared voice that complaint in his head. Truthfully, with these two legendary Hunters accompanying them, it was difficult to feel any real tension during the quest.
It was just like when they had Hunted that Espinas with Senior Maki accompanying them.
When you knew someone had your back and would keep you alive, some part of you inevitably relaxed. That was not a good sign.
Altaïr adjusted his breathing and allowed his thoughts to settle completely.
"Isis, you and I will take point. Mr. Gordon, please stay beside Mr. Alva and protect him. Ms. Hayata, watch the rear. We'll advance silently in a tight formation."
Everyone signaled their understanding.
"Oh, it's been ages since anyone commanded me. This feels rather nostalgic." Gordon clapped Alva on the back, sending him stumbling.
"Did you hear that? I'm supposed to keep a close eye on you. The youngsters are moving pretty fast, so let's hurry and catch up."
* * *
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