Monster Hunter Volume 3 Chapter 2

"Excuse me..."

Called upon by a distant voice from beyond the dream world, Becky straightend up as she felt her consciousness being pulled back together.

Just a little longer and she would have gotten to eat that extra-large rolled Rathian egg, but it was taken away at the last moment.

A registration book dropped loudly onto the floor. With sleepy eyes, she looked on as it filpped open.

She wondered, how many times has it been now?

It had fallen so many times that the corners were all dented. Although it wouldn't be so difficult even in her sleep to grab it while it was falling, it would be annoying if someone were to make a fuss out of it.

As she picked up the registration book and yawned casually, the same voice could be heard once again.

Turning around, a young man was standing in front of the gathering hall's counter.

His approximate age should be... eighteen or nineteen? He was a new face, and seemed to be quite restless as he cautiously minded his surroundings.

His face had a childish look, and he seemed to be well-raised, with tall stature and solid build.

Not only that, his way of standing with a bent back made him stand out unnecessarily.

In this kind of place, looking like that is dangerous. It's like having a sign saying "I'm a newbie" hanging from one's neck. He might have difficulties in finding companions, but worse than that, he might lose his life from being tricked into doing something beyond his level.

Becky readjusted her hat, which is part of her uniform, before standing up and turning to face the counter. She then habitually wiped the counter's surface, which has gained a black l.u.s.ter from absorbing a mult.i.tude of alcohol over the years.

While visiting hunters at this time are scarce as it is before sundown, there are those who were here all day, loitering and drinking since morning without heading off to hunt. The hall's interior reeks of tobacco smoke and alcohol all year long, which can make some people drunk from the atmosphere alone.

Because of that, the boy's face going all red is not from nervousness alone. And judging from his demeanor, he seems to be from some urban area. As of late, more and more young ones with

such origins seem to be turning up. They are the kind who come with admiration of the hunting occupation, as there have been increased opportunities of seeing monsters in the safety of cities.

That in itself is not a bad thing. They own their lives and the right to choose their path. They have the fortune to work towards a future of their own choosing, one with value enough to risk their lives for.

For them, the guild will offer as much a.s.sistance as it can.

There is always the possibility that skilled hunters are hiding among those people, and ones with such skills will be a great a.s.set to the guild. For that reason, being from an urban area is never a reason for the guild to turn someone away.

"Welcome."

As Becky said with a smile, the boy reddened up even more-- a favorable impression for her.

It just couldn't be helped that the boy's line of sight has dropped down to the woman's chest. It is only natural for boys his age, and the boy himself turned away soon enough. She finds this kind of innocence to be quite likeable.

Among hunters, there are many who is of the rowdy, uninhibited types. Although she could take care of them if they were to come forward, she wouldn't be albe to keep the gathering hall under control if she were to worry about every little thing.

"So, on what businesses have you come here today?"

"Ah, um... I'd like to register as a hunter, please..."

It was hard to comprehend those words as his voice blended in with all the background drunken laughter, but it was better that way.

That is because, among those who don't head out to hunt, there are ones who will never miss an opportunity to lecture newcomers.

The types that tries to scam newcomers into buying stuff would be promptly thrown out, but most are of the type that do nothing but boast about their past exploits or give unhelpful advice.

The Guild Master told her to just ignore them, but Becky herself has always wanted to do rid the guild of those people.

Another reason is that most of them are the type to drink on the tab.

When it's time to pay up, she would kick their a.s.ses and send them away to work on a suitable quest, but among them are those who would leave without ever coming back.

Such is a possibility of a hunter's life, but it dampens her mood all the same when it happens.

Becky took out a different registration book from under the counter, opened it to a new page, placed it on the countertop, and pushed it towards the boy.

"Read what's written here, then sign if you agree to comply with all the terms, alright? Do you have an introduction letter?"

"No... Um... Am I supposed to bring one...?"

"No, no, you don't have to-- Anyway, make sure you read everything carefully."

"Y-- Yes..."

The boy cast his eyes down on the registration book and started reading intently, just as he was told to.

Seeing that his equipment was of the Velociprey set, apparent from their dull blue color, he seems to not be a complete beginner. Still, one must not jump to conclusions. There still is the possibility that they were not manufactured from materials he had gathered himself.

The weapon on his waist was the Bonespike, a one-handed sword.

Its primary components were monster bones, making it lightweight and wieldy, but less durable than metal swords. However, it has upgrade potential, able to be turned into the embodiment of a fire wyvern's power if done right.

Before long, the boy nodded vigorously, raised his face up, and began looking around for something.

Becky pa.s.sed him the fountain pen and ink bottle that was on the countertop. A faint, bashful smile appeared on the boy's lips as he received them and signed down his name.

He's called Bra.s.s Lagoon, apparently.

"Alright, Bra.s.s, next up is this."

Becky took out a yet another registration book, placing it before the boy.

Under normal circ.u.mstances, handling new guild registrations would be the Guild Master's job, but it was entrusted to Becky for today. The Guild Master has had too much to drink the previous day, and is now still asleep in his room.

Bra.s.s wrote down his information as the book prompted him to, showing no doubts in them. Age, gender, and most proficient weapon-- the basic profile.

The guild a.s.signs jobs to hunters based on those information. There are no particular issues with writing down false information, but if that were the case, they might end up paying for it with their lives.

"...Done."

"Alright, thanks."

Becky took the registration book and scanned it over. Bra.s.s was younger than what his first suggested, being only sixteen years of age. But of course, hunters of that age aren't nonexistent. Besides, this world is a compet.i.tion, and starting early is sure to give an advantage, or at least, the chance to do over.

On the column for past hunting experience, it was written that he had hunted several Yian Kut-Kus back at his home region.

"Have you ever been on a Rathalos hunt?"

As Becky asked that, Bra.s.s anxiously knit his brows and shook his head.

"Um... Do I have to...?"

"No, no."

And so it's confirmed that he's a genuine beginner. If he doesn't carefully choose who he teams up with, it'll be all downhill from there. Furthermore, in the miscellaneous column, he'd written that he's handy for support roles, and that he has three Books of Combos with him.

"...So, why have you become a hunter?"

Becky asked as she was about to close the registration book. The reasons for coming to register as hunters greatly depend on each individual. Although they're generally here to make a living, she had a feeling that this boy is different.

"Um... I... I'm here to prove something."

"Prove? Prove what?"

"That I'm not a coward."

Although the boy declared as such, he was still like a frightened rabbit.

Surely, this line of work isn't where cowards thrive. It requires a great deal of courage to face wyverns so large that they could swallow a person in one gulp.

Fear saps strength away from the limbs, and takes away freedom of movement from the body. Such is what happens to hunters no matter their degree of mastery, as they are involuntary reactions of the flesh, not impulses of the heart.

It's understandable that if he had the courage to face a Rathalos, then he wouldn't be called a coward. But of course, he has to come back from it alive, too.

"That's good."

Becky closed the rigistration book and smiled. Ones who are aware of their own fears are ones who have the makings of a good hunter. That is because they know who themselves are. If he

comes back alive, his experiences will acc.u.mulate well-- But then again, if he were to be overly cautious, then that would make him truly a coward.

"...Alright, you're all set with the registration. Your hunter rank may still be Ranger-- the lowest level-- but do your best out there."

"Y-- Yes!"

This time, his face being red was probably not due to shyness, but rather anxiety, antic.i.p.ation, and excitement.

Becky then pa.s.sed him his guild card and told him where to find the guest house. He'd be surprised, that's for sure.

The rooms to accommodate new hunters are more or less equal to animal coops, after all.

If he's unable to stand just that, then he'd be unfit for the hunter's line of work, where one has to camp out and go multiple days straight without bathing while out hunting.

The boy took the guild card and held it to his chest, said his thanks and bowed, then picked up his luggage and headed for the gathering hall's exit.

Seeing the hunters who entered at the same time as the boy made his exit, a faint frown appeared on Becky's brows.

The air was heavy, filled with the mood of uneasiness.

Bra.s.s tried to avoid them, but his luggage b.u.mped into one among them. The boy bowed to apologize, but it seemed like the group hadn't noticed him at all.

Leading the crew was a girl with a stern expression painted on her face, and a ma.s.sive hammer, the rare Breath Core, on her back.

They were the party led by Elmeria Franport.

Behind her was the veteran hunter Gannon Denon, wearing armor with giant horns on its shoulder pads. Following him was Fradio Heart, the hunter who never takes off that Gypceros Cap of his;

he had recently turned thirty according to the registration. The last to enter was Zeeg Grandest, carrying his helmet in his arms, with an ill-tempered expression.

("I wonder what happened?")

Usually, those four aren't the type of hunters to show such att.i.tudes.

The other hunters reacted to them, sensitive to the irregularity in the atmosphere. But it was somewhat mitigated by the fact that commotions are commonplace in the gathering hall.

The split between Elmeria and Zeeg were especially bad. They were like melting iron bars.

With the expression of discouragement of their faces, the quartet headed straight for the counter, stopping right before Becky. They probably came in here right after arriving in town. It was apparent from the dust on their armor, and their sour body odor that came mixed in with the stink alcohol.

"...Sorry, we failed."

Elmeria said, as if just throwing it out.

Becky immediately knew that she was referring to the Rathian subjugation contract, which they committed to.

Of course, if they were successful, their expressions would be far more merry compared how they looked when they came in. Even for Fradio, whose facial expression remains unseen, a difference be noticed from the look in his eyes. Although he seems to be finding amus.e.m.e.nt in the current group dynamics, he certainly isn't satisfied with it.

"I see."

Becky said, while picking out the quest registration book.

This kind of thing is not that big of a deal. It may be unusual for the likes of Elmeria, but wyvern hunts don't usually end in success. They are just that dangerous, so to speak.

A Rathian that's taking care of its young are especially brutal, to the point of being untouchable. And in this case, it was a Rathian that had just reitred from its motherhood, which would probably mean its extra ferocity was still remaining-- That was what Becky thought, but she recalled that this isn't the only time Elmeria party's hasn't been able to fulfill their requests.

If memory serves her right, they should have failed the previous quest, and the one before that as well.

Becky opened the registration book and checked the quest details. One quest was to hunt two Basarios, and the other was to gether Powderstone. The Bararios quest was abandoned mid-way beause Elmeria was injured, and during the Powderstone quest, they seemed to have timed out due to spending too much time driving away a Rathalos.

Putting down the registration book, Becky then looked at Elmeria and her team. Although it's unknown what happened, the acc.u.mulated friction among them was apparent. Zeeg and Elmeria aren't

even looking at each other at all, and Fradio seems to be quite fed up with such state of affairs.

"Thanks for your hard work... But too bad, the contract fee can't be refunded. Do your best next time, too."

Elmeria nodded, without a shred of enthusiasm. In a plausible state of an undefeated hunter who suffered repeated defeats, as if being stuck in a bottomless swamp of disappointment.

One would think things will be fine since they have the veteran hunter Gannon Denon with them, but as it turns out, it is not necessarily the case.

"Want something to drink?"

As Becky asked her, Elmeria only ordered some food and alcohol over her shoulder and headed to a table. Gannon and Fradio followed her, saying nothing. Looking at them go, Zeeg clicked his tongue in annoyance, but went after them all the same, taking a seat diagonally opposite to Elmeria.

Becky pa.s.sed the order of Aptonoth-Bullfango Ground Meat Sausage and Pickled Vegetables to the kitchen, then took a look at the party's savings in an account book.

In general, hunters do not carry their cash with them. The possibility of theft exists if they were left at the guest house, and if they were lost at the hunting grounds, it wouldn't be something one could just cry off.

And because of that, the guild offers its services to keep and manage their money.

For the most part, if the hunters were directly paid their rewards, the money would be all turned into alcohol and food, right on the spot.

Although it is profitable for the gathering hall, there would be none left for upgrading weapons and armor, increasing the number of hunters who are unable to tackle bigger challenges.

Such circ.u.mstance is undesirable for the Hunter's Guild.

So for that reason, and also to avoid unnecessary trouble among hunters as result of theft, the guild offers to temporarily keep their money and manage their payments in their place.

Becky swiftly flipped over the account book and checked Elmeria's balance.

She had sunk a considerable amount into polish up the Breath Core, resulting in her savings going below even the average rookies for a time, but right now it seems to have come back to the usual level.

The same goes for the other three.

Especially Zeeg, who seems to have some sort of goal he's working towards, apparent from his acc.u.mulating savings and him barely doing any shopping. He's probably gathering what he needs on-site.

A female guild employee, wearing the uniform called the Maiden set, came in through the back door and placed some report doc.u.ments on the counter.

The report concerns the hunt which Elmeria's team had just came back from.

Showing little interest, Becky picked it up and scanned over it. According to what's been written in the report, the cause of failure was being too cautious. Apparently, the Rathian got away as much as three times, and the party wasn't able to finish it in the end.

Looking at the whole picture, Becky suspected that Gannon's injury was perhaps another reason.

Under the helmet, his face could be seen wrapped in bandages over the left eye. Hit by Rathian poison, according to the written report. Although he must have received treatment promptly, things are still uncertain, since it did get into his eye.

"Food's ready!"

Called by a voice from the kitchen, becky closed the account book and stood up, pushed open the hinged door, and took the food platter. It was filled to the brim with grilled sausages, giving off quite the nice smell. Only a slight movement of the platter would cause the sausages' casing to burst open, sending meat juices gus.h.i.+ng out, and also causing the uniquely sweet smell of meat to drift off.

Becky held the platter with one hand, and with the other, she nimbly picked up four mugs by their ears, used one of their rims to knock off the beer barrel stopper, then filled the mugs with the alcohol that came pouring out.

When all the mugs were filled, she used one of thier rims again to put the stopper back in place, then pushed open with her rear the hinged door between the counter and the hall, and headed to the table where Zeeg and the others were seated.

Each one of them-- except Fradio-- had already taken off their helmets, but it seems that they still haven't said a word to each other.

Although an air of uneasiness is surrounding them, it is quite a normal occurrence for parties that had just returned from a failed quest.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting. These are some good stuff for filling up your stomachs with, eh?"

Becky said, and placed the platter on the s.h.i.+ny black table.

No matter how bad one's mood, even if to the point of nauseating, hunger always prevail. Even more so if one hasn't had a proper meal for close to a week while they're out at the hunting grounds.

The most they could have eaten out there would be grilled salt-cured meat, or mushrooms and honey gathered on-site.

They were nothing compared to these sausages, which has been brought to its best flavors by a variety of spices.

And above all else, this place has the booze.

Moderately chilled beer-- it's the one thing that can't be surpa.s.sed.

The four hunters dropped all their thoughts, even if only briefly, as they picked up their mugs. They chugged down the contents-- the golden nectar under the thick bubbling cloud, so bitter yet so sweet.

"Kuhaah--!"

Exhaling in a manner that made her look like an old lady, Elmeria banged her mug down on the table, paying no mind to any beer that might have spilled off.

Even Zeeg, who usually doesn't even drink beer, is drinking quite a lot today.

Seeing them in that state, Becky broke off from their table and headed back to the counter, pulling out a large teddy bear and holding it in her arms.

But it seemed that Zeeg and the others hadn't noticed her doing so.

Each of them, with forks in hand, started tackling the sausages. The sound of those forks piercing the smoking hot casings could be clearly heard, even in the bustling gathering hall.

Life returned to Elmeria's disheartened face, her cheeks turning back to the color of brilliant rose red.

Even so, all of them still kept silent, which is quite the unusual occurrence.

When one is faced with failure, it is only natural that they would spend time to reflect in silence. But it doesn't seem to be the case for the team, at least for today.

Becky rested her chin on the teddy bear's head and looked around, noticing that most of the other hunters were staring intently at Zeeg and the crew.

In this City of Minegarde, those four are quite famous.

Not only had Elmeria attained a high Hunter Rank at such a yound age, she had also obtained the Breath Core, a hammer so rare that it might as well be considered a myth, not to mention that it can't be recreated by current technology. As for Zeeg, he was able defeat a Mon.o.blos by himself-- an impressive feat considering that he had started his career just a year and a half prior.

Although young hunters have been increasing in number lately, there are not many who soared up the ladders like those two. Before getting to that point, most of them would lose their lives, give up and return to their hometown, or play it safe and gradually sharpen their skills.

But those two were blessed with luck. Natural talent also playd a part, of course, but without skilled senior hunters to guide them on their way, they probably wouldn't have come close to the level they currently are on.

And because off that, their recent string of failures are catching the interest of everyone.

That includes the guild.

Because the points that dictate each hunter's ranks are automatically granted for every party member upon completing a quest, if someone like Gannon were to do the most work, then the raking system would not be indicative of each individual's skills.

But of course, Becky herself doesn't doubt Elmeria and Zeeg's individual abilities, and if she were to be ordered to write up a report, she would write it as such. Her opinion would act as a verification of their abilities, at least to an extent.

Besides, they were only one step away from finis.h.i.+ng off the Rathian. The problem was that they couldn't take that one last step.

As Becky watched over them dragging on their silence, she noticed one drunk hunter swaying up fron his seat, approaching the four.

The hunter was a young one, his face in deep red due to intoxication.

Becky recalled that the young man once tried to court Elmeria, which only resulted in him being given the cold shoulder. His armor was of the Vespoid set, crafted from sh.e.l.ls of the giant bug monster Vespoid, and on his back was a set of lance and s.h.i.+eld.

This time, Becky doesn't intervene immediately. She would come forward if the fight escalated to the point of weapons being drawn, of course, but hunters are as used to fist fights as saying their greetings.

"Ya guys~ Failed 'nother quest, eh~~?"

The young man said, brus.h.i.+ng up the forelock that got in the way of his eyes. Elmeria and Zeeg stopped their hands. The young man rambled on, unaware of the situation.

"Like ay~e saiddd~ you should just join up with us~~ And thennn~ I-- wiuugh--!?"

Two forks, both with sausages stil on them, flew into the his gaping mouth like straight arrows.

They were thrown at the same time by Elmeria and Zeeg, with magnificent precision. If the sausages weren't still on them, they probably would have pierced the inside of the young man's mouth. And probably because he had come to such realization, the young man fell on his b.u.t.tocks, his face changing from red to pale blue as he swiftly backed away.

Elmeria and Zeeg both let out a sigh, then, at the same time, reached out to the platter, stopping when their hands b.u.mped into each other. This time, it was not due to feelings like shyness.

With them glaring at each other like that, they only gave the impression of being mutual enemies.

"...So, you reflected on any of that?"

Zeeg was the first to fire a shot. His words gave the impression of bottled up feelings finally bursting off.

"Reflect?"

Elmeria returned fire, letting out an arrogant snort. Licking off the meat juices from her fingers, she then wiped her hand on the table.

"I don't have anything I need to be reflecting on."

"What do you mean?"

Zeeg's hands, rested on the table, clenched into fists.

"What, you don't know? Didn't we end up like this because you were acting on your own?"

"And when did I act on my own!?"

"Well, didn't you totally do that!?"

Zeeg knocked his fist on the table, and as if doing so in retaliation, Elmeria bagned her mug on a wooden tray.

The platter and the sausages in it sprung up, but the two adults of the group paid it no mind as they continued eating and drinking in silence. They would definitely intervene when push comes to shove, but now is not the time.

Ignoring that those two adults were even there, Zeeg and Elmeria both leaned forward as they glared at each other.

"What did I do, huh!?"

"Well aren't you the one who always jump in on your own!? Like when we were hunting the Basarios, didn't you ignore what we said and kept on swinging that sword!? Thanks to that, our

teamwork was totally ruined! And I also got hurt!!"

"Wasn't that because you didn't say things clearly!? I mean, sure, cornering them one by one is important! But isn't it ridiculous when we can't finish off even one of them after half a day!? We had less time than usual to do that quest, you know!? If you're not satisfied, then why didn't you be more decisive!?"

"Isn't that obviously to minimize danger and maximize benefits!? Don't you get it!?"

To vent off her frustration, Elmeria banged her mug on the table again and again.

"Look, what's most important to hunters is to come back alive! And to make sure everyone's safe, isn't it obvious that it'd take up more time!?"

"Yeah, that's right! But! There's a difference between prioritizing survival and being a coward, you know!"

Elmeria stiffened up slightly.

"...So you're saying I'm a coward...?"

"Th-- That's right!"

As he said that, Zeeg's face suggested self-awareness of going too far, but he was probably too stubborn to pull back from what he'd decided to do. After the first word was out, all the

feelings he'd bottled up burst forth, as if a dam had been breached. He was unstoppable.

"You've been way too careful lately! You're thinking about so many things in your head, but aren't there a lot more that you wouldn't know for sure if you're not in the real action!?

Planning things through back at camp is important and all, but if our prey ran away, then what good would all those strategies do!? What is the purpose of us hunters!? Isn't it to hunt things!?"

Elmeria's face turned redder and redder. But not due to alcohol. Those lips of hers quivered, turning red like strawberry as she bit them down.

Zeeg averted his eyes from the girl and chugged down his beer. He then scowled, likely because of the bitter taste.

"...Th-- That kind of thing-- You didn't even need to tell me..."

Before long, Elmeria spoke up in a s.h.i.+vering voice. Becky observed that her shaking must be coming from something other than anger.

That is because Zeeg's words totally hit bull's eye.

They all line up with the report doc.u.ments, which stated that Elmeria's recent actions have been overly cautious.

She used to lean more toward the daring type.

And in the first place, the party was supposed to be relying on Gannon to draw the monsters' attention, and also to compensate for Elmeria's boldness. If the primary attacker were to chicken out, then getting good results would surely be difficult.

"But--!!"

As Elmeria said that, her eyes slightly watered up. At first glance, one might say that she's just drunk, but looking more closely, it's also possible that she was on the verge of bursting into tears.

"The party's leader is me! I'm the one who decides how we hunt! Don't get any ideas!! This isn't your party! It's mine!!"

This time, the one whose facial expression changed was Zeeg.

He could get up and punch Elmeria at any moment now-- That was what his expression suggested.

Becky then noticed Gannon, who seems to be pretending to not hear a thing, but is actually keeping a sharp ear on the situation, and is clearly prepared to break a few bones in an instant if the boy were to make a move.

Although it's unknown whether or not Zeeg is aware of the large man, he soon sat back down and looked up at the ceiling, then took a deep, slow breath.

He then reached for the platter, picking up a sausage and popped it into his mouth, then made a bitter face as he chugged down all of his remaining beer in one go. After all that, he stood up from his seat.

"Wh-- Where do you think you're going?"

Elmeria's voice was audibly discomposed. She's likely wondering why the boy is standing up all of a sudden.

"...Back to my room. I'm taking a bath."

Saying that, Zeeg picked up his Rathalos Helm and the luggage at his feet, then turned away from the table. The Lacerator Blade+ on his back, plastered with dirt, rang a metallic chime as it swayed around.

Elmeria did nothing to stop him.

Zeeg walk away alone without looking back again, exiting the gathering hall.

He didn't greet Becky on his way out-- another rare occurrence. Although she definitely was there, the boy probably didn't notice her. His face suggested that he was lost deep in thought.

"...What the-- What's up with him?"

Elmeria chugged down her beer, then wiped off the bubbles around her mouth. Then, she looked at Gannon and Fradio. She was looking for rea.s.surance that she was not in the wrong.

And just as she expected, Gannon nodded as if to say that the girl was right. Elmeria's expression lightened up, but Becky felt apprehensive about such an att.i.tude.

Gannon has always had quite a soft spot for Elmeria.

Although he's just technically carrying on his duty for the aristocrats to whom he's indebted, in a prectical sense, their relations.h.i.+p seem to be one between a mentor and his student. But on the other hand, the relations.h.i.+p between a young mistress and a loyal retainer is still there. Not absolute obedience, but quite close to it.

But he's getting too old for this.

There's no way he can be a hunter forever. The day will come when Elmeria has to lead her party by herself. Up to now, there are many times when things went well only because she's had

Gannon there to watch her back. But is the girl aware of that?

Surely, listening to what the leader says is key to a successful hunt. If each individual were to act on their own, then there wouldn't be any reason to team up.

But that doesn't mean rigid rules could be enforced. There are no social statuses for hunters, after all.

Even though the guild has a ranking system, it was created so that one could only accept jobs appropriate for them, and not as a social status. The differences in lodgings and food, too, were enforced as motivation factors for hunters, and a way for the guild to show confidence in them. And still, a beginner wouldn't even be able to pay rent for the better rooms anyway. Preventing them from renting in the first place also serves as a preemptive measure to unwanted complaints.

From Elmeria's att.i.tude when she spoke to Zeeg, she was obviously putting him lower than herself. It was natural that Zeeg would get angry. The girl not realizing that she is doing so is a problem, and it falls to Gannon to be mindful of such things.

But he didn't say anything about it, and even went so far as to nod in approval to the girl's actions. At this rate, she would never realize her mistakes. Which raises some concerns of danger down the line, if she intends to keep on being a hunter.

As for Fradio, he's still doing things at his own leisure as if unconcerned by the exchange that had just happened. Still eating the sausages, inserting them under that rubber mask of his, so as to not show his face.

Because the guild has always held the policy of not prying into hunters' personal backgrounds, the man remains an enigma. But all that matters is his skill. Though Becky herself has to admit that she's curious.

"That guy just doesn't get it! He doesn't get it at all! Right!?"

Elmeria leaned further and further forward in Gannon and Fradio's direction, expecting them to agree with her, but she also seemed to not be expecting them to reply.

"He's letting things go to his head! Hunted a Mon.o.blos!? So what!? If he can't hunt one after sticking with us for a year and a half, then he'd be better off going back to the sticks! Isn't that right!? That stubborn little... stubborn... little...!!"

Frowning so hard that her forehead wrinkled, Elmeria banged her mug loudly on the table. She then held it up high and waved it around.

"--Becky, bring me more beer!"

"Alright, coming right up."

Becky tucked her Sleepy Bear away on the other side of the counter, then stepped out to collect the empty mugs. "Anyone else want refills?" she asked, and the customers on other tables here and there raised their hands.

She then turned back to the counter, signaling other waitresses to come out and collect the mugs.

The skirt of their uniforms were slightly shorter than Becky's. As they went around to confirm the orders of other tables, Becky came to take the mug off Elmeria's hand and smiled,

"Beer refill for you, right? --Want to order some food to go with it, too?"

"d.a.m.n it all!"

Zeeg shouted as he threw the luggage he was carrying at the wall.

Without bouncing back, a blunt impact sounded as the leather bag fell to the floor.

Some medicine bottles inside could have been broken, but the boy paid it no mind. His priority was on venting his irritation.

But that did nothing to cool down his anger, which continued to erupt forth like molten rock.

Catching sight of the properly made bed, Zeeg's fingers wriggled. He raised his hand, reached for his back, took hold of his great sword's handle, and glared at the bed.

He wondered, how would he feel if he were to smash the bed to pieces with a sword as powerful as a wyvern's jaw? Chips of wood would scatter around, and the mattress' plumage would disperse in the air. Looking at such a scene could help calm his nerves.

But the boy ceased such thoughts. Considering the clean-up afterwards, it'd result in more trouble than it's worth.

Where Zeeg is currently staying is called the Bishop Room, decorated with a good amount of high-grade appliances and furniture. It's easy to break them to pieces, but as the boy is currently burdened by expenses left and right, it would hurt to increase them.

Sighing heavily, Zeeg took the great sword off his back and hung it on the wall, then took a seat on the chair.

Although the Rathalos armor is lightweight compared to metal armor due to being created primarily from wyvern sh.e.l.ls, it is quite heavy nonetheless. The chair creaked faintly, as if it was about to scream. The boy felt that it could break apart if he moved his body too much, but he didn't want to lay down on the bed while wearing dirty armor.

("Dammit...")

Putting his helmet down on the round table, Zeeg then unfastened his hair strap. The dusty black hair was let down, releasing a greasy stink and making the boy feel itchy as it touched his cheeks.

He noticed that his hair has grown quite long.

The hair strap in his palm was one of the things be brought with him when he first left the village. It was decorated with a scale of the first Yian Kut-Ku he had defeated.

Compared to back then, he has improved quite a lot, if he says so himself. He felt like writhing in embarra.s.sment as he recalled his immaturity, like a fruit on the verge of ripening, so full of hope and energy.

Compared to back then, what about now?

What opinion does he have on himself?

Being able to hunt a Mon.o.blos by himself at least suggests that he has skills. Not that he's meaning to boast, but he has proof of it in the form of the wyvern's remains. He's also earned enough recognition that he'd recieved some requests of which the clients wanted to be done by him specifically.

But he's seeing no fun in them.

He has a feeling that at this point, he'd hunted every known monster at least once.

The piscine wyvern Plesioth, said to boast the largest size among all wyverns, and even the armor wyvern Gravios. He had also hunted a number of Basarios and Rathians, even though the latest attempts at them failed.

The requests are also becoming repet.i.tive. At this point, he couldn't even count how many Wyvern Eggs he'd trasported.

("Man, it sure is getting boring...")

Swaying his body around on the creaking chair, Zeeg looked out through the window. A small black spot could be seen on the blue sky. Judging from its size, the boy a.s.sessed that it was a

Yian Kut-Ku. Probably chased off by hunters somewhere out there, but there's no way it's coming to the city.

And suddenly, the boy thought about Freda.

A girl from the same village, Freda Esgrand is a lone hunter who was acknowledged by the legendary hunter of Kokoto, and was granted his sword.

Hunting in armor made from pale white hides of the Khezu, she had become an emotional inspiration for many hunters with her unrelenting determination.

However, that determination of hers is not fit for hunting together with others. Being determined to never give up-- That is what could lead to the death of her comrades, or even herself.

Despite that, she has never lost her goal of becoming a hero. Even after she was acknowledged by the people as a new hero, she continues to sharpen her skills and swing her sword in order to help those in need.

Freda once said to Zeeg that it's even more difficult for a hunter to keep on being just a hunter. Those are also the words of the Hero of Kokoto.

Those words proved to be true.

Although he has been fairly successful in hunting, he certainly fees less grat.i.tude for such victories. Letting his guard down could still cost his life, of course. But he's starting to get used to even such risks.

("And that's no good at all.")

The boy also felt that the respect he once held for the monsters' lives has been waning.

Particularly the recent times, during which he's been hunting only for money and materials for his weapon.

And that goes against the original philosophy of hunters, which is to take lives only so that one's own kind could survive-- That was what he thought.

Maybe it's time to stop being a hunter and look for another way to live life-- Just as the boy considered it, he felt as if he was plunged down a dark, bottomless pit at his feet.

He broke into cold sweat.

It was a different feeling from when he was facing wyverns, but he was scared of it all the same.

It reminded him that there's no way he could possibly stop.

That there's no other way of life he could possibly choose.

Stop being a hunter, and his life ends-- What's left is only an empty sh.e.l.l. It's way too soon for that. Move on as long as his body is able, and dying in exhaustion at the hunting grounds.

That was the boy's ideal life of a hunter.

("C'mon, this isn't the time and place to complain about being bored!")

If one thinks so, then it'd be better to look for the reason and deal away with it.

Zeeg scolded himself, feeling quite embarra.s.sed for being an eighteen-year-old brat who thinks he already knows everything in the world.

Pulling himself together, the boy tried to find out since when did he think things are becoming boring, and soon realized that there was no need to go so far back.

Half a year ago, when he hunted the Mon.o.blos all alone, he was very much satisfied with his life.

Even while recalling it, his heart pounded in excitement.

Which would mean the when he'd started to feel bored would be after that point.

And so Zeeg remembered.

It was around the time his team's hunts started to not go well.

Although the real failures were from the latest few times, there were also a few close calls before then.

Around the same time, he also started feeling annoyed that Elmeria's strategies were becoming cowardly.

Normally, Zeeg and Elmeria would frequently get into minor arguments, but recently, it escalated way beyond the point of being able to laugh off.

The topics also changed. Changed to things concerning their hunts. Things that must be given serious thought.

But no matter how much input Zeeg gave, Elmeria would never listen to him. Gannon would always take her side, of course, and Fradio would always be fine whichever way.

All Fradio cares about is playing around with Gypceros, to the point that he doesn't seem to even want new weapons and armor-- unless they're new models created from Gypceros's Rubbery Hides, which makes him likely to be unconcerned about the team's failures.

But Zeeg was different.

Most importantly, it felt like he'd been hit with Ioprey poison, not getting his suggestions accepted even though he thought things would go better that way.

Zeeg then suddenly recalled what Elmeria said back at the gathering hall, feeling that he has finally thought of a way.

--This isn't your party! It's mine!!

That's what she said.

It's a party led by Elmeria, so she's naturally the one who calls the shots.

She's the one who looks for requests, and the one who decides whether or not to accept them. Although she does accept everyone's opinions to an extent, she is still the one who makes the final decision.

And in the first place, Zeeg being added to her party was something which stemmed off from the Guild Master's personal intervention. It's only natural that the girl is the one who decides their strategies.

("Oh c'mon, isn't it so simple?")

Zeeg felt clear-headed, as if something that's been possessing him had finally slipped off. As if the fog in his head had instantly lifted.

It was actually so simple. If he isn't liking it, then he'd be better off bowing out. It's not like he's being bound by any legal force or formal contract.

And then, he could make a new party-- A party with him as the leader, hunting in the way he wants.

Zeeg stood up, unable to contain the excitement in his heart-- the excitement he hasn't felt in quite a while.

His own party-- those words sounded so enchanting.

The boy has an interest in making a name for his party by making it one with a specific hunting policy, like the Crimson Avian Wings who have mastered the art of hunting Yian Kut-Ku, or the Giant Spiders who hold the policy of fighting neopterons exclusively.

There are also those who are wildly enthusiastic about specific wyverns such as Khezu or Gypceros. As for Zeeg himself, the wyvern he considers to be his most worthy opponent would be Rathalos.

The Rathalos, the wyvern of wyverns. The boy strongly regarded it as such.

No matter how many times one has faced it, they run the risk of losing a limb or even their life if they let their guard down for even a moment. Only when Zeeg faced such an opponent would his lukewarm blood boil in excitement.

If that's what he's going to be satisfied with, then his party would have to be trained through numerous smaller quests. Not the training of each individual, but training to work together as a party. Still, that is also part of the fun.

Perhaps the same is true for what Elmeria has been striving for in her party.

It's unfortunate, but that as not the same as what the boy has been striving for. Or rather, they have ended up not being the same along the way.

Still, it is what it is.

And that is why the boy isn't feeling at home.

("Alright! I'll create a party of my very own! In the way that I want it to be!")

However, gathering new comerades in this city would prove to be difficult.

Elmeria's party is quite famous around these parts. Skilled hunters would be wary of joining up with the boy who had just left such a team.

It pains him to admit it, but it's only natural that one would want to join Elmeria's party over his.

Althought it's quite an annoying thing he's thinking about, the boy is perfectly calm. Could this be what they call becoming more like a hunter?

Zeeg picked up the leather bag that he had thrown at the wall, checking its contents. Luckily, no bottles had been broken. Though the only other things in it were a change of clothes and tools for equipment maintenance.

Materials obtained during the hunt are being transported back separately, but he's not in immediate need to use anything. Them being delivered a little later is no problem at all.

Taking out the necessary items out of the item box and packing them into the bag, Zeeg then opened up the Guild Handbook and looked up the information on the other cities.

The closer to Minegarde, the better.

That is because there are many good hunting grounds around these parts. Although not same hunting grounds as the ones managed by this city's guild, they are still in the region of fertile lands.

The boy then wondered if Elmeria would be disappointed in him for leaving, but he was also convinced that it would not be the case.

Zeeg shook his head, sat down cross-legged on the floor, then kept on reading the handbook with much enthusiasm.

Elmeria groaned as light pierced through her eyelids. She felt as if her head had been stabbed by sharp needles.

She tried to lift her arm, heavy as it it had was being held down by ten people, to block her eyes from the light.

As she slowly breathed out, she was a.s.saulted by the terrible stink of alcohol.

It's as if she'd been thrown into a beer barrel. As if the blood in her body had been fermented into the golden fluid.

"Young Mistress, I think it is about time you woke up."

Today, even Gannon's perfectly soothing voice sounded like a hammer knocking on a metal basin. The sound rang from her head down to her stomach.

The girl knew full well how she ended up in such a state.

That is, she's had too much to drink last night.

After all, she'd stayed at the gathering hall way up to dinnertime without even bathing, binge drinking until she'd forgotten what came next.

She couldn't even recall how much she'd drank. Nor what she'd been doing and saying during the time.

Getting up, she noticed that her armor had been removed, but her dirty unders.h.i.+rt had been left on as is. Of course, even Gannon wouldn't dare to remove the girl's clothes.

And Elmeria herself would definitely be opposed to let herself be seen naked, not even by a foster parent-- Or rather, especially a foster parent.

At any rate, right now, she's a total mess.

Her unders.h.i.+rt was all stained and reeked of beer, likely because she spilled them herself. This is definitely the reason she felt like she'd been in a beer barrel when she first woke up.

There were also dark red stains, likely blood, but unknown whether it's of herself or other people. From the quant.i.ty, there's no way it's from a monster.

When the girl tried to sweep her hair up, something struck her fingers.

Stuck to her hair were dirt and dried alcohol-- and also some other thing she couldn't quite make out. It'll take a lot of effort to get it back into shape-- The girl felt bored even thinking about the process.

Turning around to the window with swollen eyes, she could see Gannon in his usual dress suit, opening the curtains and tying them up with strings. His face was still wrapped in bandages, but it looks like they'd been replaced with new ones. The wrapping was neat and firm, unlike when Elmeria wrapped them for him.

"Would you like me to prepare some food?"

Only thinking about eating made the girl feel sick in her stomach, wanting to vomit out all the old stuff in there. But maybe because what the ate and drank last night were all digested, nothing came rus.h.i.+ng out.

"No, I don't, but... Water..."

Whimpering out a hoa.r.s.e voice that didn't even seem like her own, Elmeria was shocked. She felt stringy on the inside of her mouth. Gannon brought with him a pitcher and a small cup, pouring the water into the cup before pa.s.sing it to the girl. She drank it, feeling the coolness spread throughout her mouth, and another faint, strange taste in her throat.

"...What's wrong with me?"

The girl asked while she was poured another cup of water.

"Slight overconsumption of beer, I would presume. Your demeanor was... less than admirable."

"Sorry."

The girl apologized meekly. Normally, she would never forget to watch her drinking limit. She'd been drinking moderately most of the time, even. But last night, she just couldn't stop. She would get riled up every time when thinking of Zeeg's att.i.tude.

And of course, it's not that Elmeria doesn't care about the team's recent failures.

She might be seen as overly cautious from Zeeg's point of view, but for the girl, there's nothing better than ending things with n.o.body being injured.

For example, if the boy were to finish off the Rathian alone but lose an arm in the process, the victory wouldn't be worth it.

It might have been worth the price if the hunt were something that happens only once in a lifetime, but not for hunters who need to keep on hunting.

If she had to overdo things to the point of losing parts of her body, she would rather choose failure.

It is her job, after all.

She wondered, why didn't he get it? That was what grinded her gears, and before she knew it, she ended up trying to drink it off.

Pa.s.sing her cup to Gannon, the girl let out a sigh.

After this, she most likely would need to talk it over with him. If she doesn't clearly teel Zeeg that she's not being a coward, he'll get seriously hurt sooner or later. The girl decided to do so.

But before that, she'd need to take a bath first.

There's no way she would go anywhere while reeking of alcohol like this. Especially going to confront Zeeg. No one knows what kind of jokes the boy would make-- Anyways, it's just unpleasant.

"Gannon, could you go heat up the bath?"

"Immediately."

Gannon bowed, then went out of the room, headed to meet the manager of the guest houses. Here, there is a separate bathroom for tenants of Queen Rooms to use, if they wish to do so.

Letting out another long sigh, Elmeria then turned around as she heard laughfer from the direction of the window.

It was Fradio, in his usual equipment that give off the impression of an executioner who is about to bring down the axe, crouching on the window frame like a monkey.

"I see that you're quite late to get up today."

"Got a little too much to drink, you see. I didn't even bathe... It's the worst."

"You're in quite the terrible shape, yes."

"I know, I know. You don't even have to tell me that."

Elmeria pouted.

While out on the last hunt, she didn't get to properly clean her body either. She might have managed somehow if it was a hunt in places with clean water like the Forest and Hills, but the last hunt took place in the Jungle. The air was damp, the temperature was high, and the river water was far from clean.

"You alright there, Fradio?"

"Me? But of course. I didn't drink much, you see. I also took a bath and made sure to eat my breakfast. I had scrambled eggs and sliced sausages grilled in plenty of cheese--"

"W-- Wait-- Stop!"

Elmeria raised her hands in a panic. Even listening to just that explanation made her feel sick in the stomach. The girl searched her memory to see whether or not did Fradio really not drink much, but she came up with nothing.

By chance, he could still be suffering hangover, but with his face hidden under that helmet, no one would be able to read his expression.

Feeling her nause subside somewhat, Elmeria licked her lips a few times.

"Oh, yeah-- ...Where's that guy, by the way?"

"That guy?"

Fradio's red eyes blinked, and his head under the helmet decorated with goatlike horns tilted slightly.

Elmeria felt irritated once again. He's definitely feigning ignorance when he should be knowing full well what the girl was talking about. The man is one who would always stand between Elmeria and other people, mediating their relations.h.i.+ps, but on the other hand, he has quite a bad habit of finding enjoyment in people's reactions to him messing with them.

"...I was talking about Zeeg. He hasn't shown his face yet, but if he's reflected on his att.i.tude and isn't coming because he's to embarra.s.sed... Well, I guess I'll have no choice but to forgive him."

"If it's him, he already went out of town."

Elmeria blinked in confusion.

Although those words were clearly delivered to her ears, but it took a while for her body to react and shape the contents together into something understandable.

Went out of town? What did he mean, went out? Did he go out for a walf or something? No, if that's the case, then Fradio wouldn't have said it in that manner--

"Wh-- What's the meaning of this!?"

Before she knew it, the girl was already standing right next to the window. Under the glossy, rubbery mask, the look in Fradio's red eyes suggested that he's finding amus.e.m.e.nt in the situation.

"He went away somewhere this morning, on the first departing carriage. It wasn't a Hunter's Guild carriage, so he might have just went back to his village..."

Fradio reached under his mask and scratched his chin.

Went out of town! --As those words finally sank in and were fully interpreted, Elmeria immediately rushed out of her room. In other words, that guy ran away!

"That-- That idiot--!"

Anger coiled around her chest like a wyvern's tail.

"Young Mistress, where--"

Ignoring the words of Gannon, whom she pa.s.sed by at the room's entrance, Elmeria went out to the corridor. She ran on, rus.h.i.+ng down the stairs heavily like a hunter knocking dirt off the soles of their shoes, then stopping at the Bishop Room Zeeg was renting.

She clenched her fist and knocked on the door, as if to smash it to pieces.

Although she knew full well that he already left, she couldn't help but come check this place first because she'd thought that he might have come back.

But there was no reply, as one would expect.

But perhaps he was in a hurry to come back and already fell asleep again. If so, then she'd knock until he waks up-- As Elmeria was about to raise her hand again, she was stopped by the manager, who came running upon hearing all the noise.

"If you're looking for the hunter who was using that room, he'd already moved out this morning!"

"Tell me where he went!"

Elmeria grabbed the manager by the collar of his s.h.i.+rt. The man's face immediately turned red, as if he'd been left drying out in the desert. The girl wasn't even sure why she was this angry. All she knew was that she couldn't calm down.

"I-- I don't know! Wouldn't it be better to go ask Becky!? She's the one who manages the hunters going in and going out, not me!"

Clicking her tounge, Elmeria then let go of the manager, but in a manner closer to shoving him aside.

Although she'd intended to do it lightly, she unintentionally exerted a little too much force. His back hitting the door, the man then moaned in pain as he laid there.

Turning her back on him, Elmeria then rushed down another flight of stairs. The lower-ranked hunters peeked out of their rooms to see what's going on, then promptly looked the other way as

the girl turned to glare at them. And so, she exited the guest house.

As bright light shone down from the clear blue sky, as if to thee the girl that it's already past noon.

She felt dizziness and a sharp pain as her head throbbed, as if there was another heart beating inside. Although she would normally find the commotion in the market be likeable, right now those sounds only serve to grate her ears. She plowed her way through the noise, putting up with them as much as she could.

Her anger at Zeeg for leaving without saying a word, and the question of why he did so, are the things that keep her feet moving.

Elmeria swung open the gathering hall's door and went inside, then immediately felt like vomiting as she was. .h.i.t with the stink of tobacco and alcohol.

All the daytime drinkers directed their lines of sight at the girl. Likely because her face was in a shambles. Although she herself had yet to look in the mirror, judging from the looks she got, she must have looked as broken as a corpse.

Heading straight to the counter, Becky waved her hand as she saw her. The woman's carefree att.i.tude, too, is rubbing Elmeria the wrong way today.

Somehow limping her way there, the girl clung on to the counter and looked at Becky. The woman's expression suggested that she already knew what the girl wanted to ask.

"Sorry, but I can't tell you where Zeeg went."

"Why not!?"

As Elmeria slammed her fist on the s.h.i.+ny black countertop, the whole gathering hall fell silent, as if it was turned into a wyvern's lair. Becky was unfazed, only shugging her shoulders.

"Did Zeeg ask you not to...?"

The girl asked, for some reason, in a fearful voice. Becky thought about it for a while before saying yes.

Feeling strength draining from her knees, Elmeria felt like sitting down on the spot. She felt humiliated, that she was still barely standing only thanks to her hands clinging to the countertop. She felt a mixture of emotions, none of which were anger nor frustration, draining away the strength from her body.

"Now, I knew something was up when he left without saying a word, but I'm sure he thought it through."

Becky said, as she helped Elmeria stay up by grabbing her arm.

"It'd be quite hard for him to part ways with you guys otherwise, don't you think?"

"Then why'd he even go away in the first place!? Isn't that strange!?"

The girl just doesn't get it.

Sure, they did get into a big argument, so it's understandable that he wouldn't want to meet her right now. But leaving the party without saying anything and going away from this city just like that is quite excessive.

"Without us, he would've been eaten by some monster already! I can't believe he's returning the favor by doing this! What a disgrace to the hunters' reputation of loyalty!"

Becky sighed.

"Now, I'm not saying I don't understand how you feel about all this, but Zeeg didn't violate any of the guild's regulations. Hunters team up for huts, remember? They're obligated by rule to

stay during the hunt, but after the quest was done, the party is immediately considered dissolved by the guild. After that, it's up to each hunter to choose who they team up with next or where they go-- Well, that's speaking in a technical sense, of course."

Elmeria looked at Becky, in a manner closer to glaring.

Although the girl knew that venting it out on Becky wouldn't do any good, she couldn't help but feel annoyed at being taught something she already knew full well.

"Elmeria. Do you really not know why he did that?"

"...No, I don't."

She said that not because she was being stubborn, but because she truly didn't know. Getting arguments is like their daily routine. It being the reason is, at this point, inconceivable. Not even what happened yesterday. After all, there have been worse instances before, when they came forward and start a brawl, which Gannon had to break up.

Becky leaned forward on the counter and shut her lips close. It was so that the other hunters wouldn't hear what she was about to say.

"Yesterday, you said this to him, right? --That it's not his party, but yours?"

The girl had a feeling that she did.

But then she wondered, so what? Wasn't she just stating a fact?

That thought of hers must have leaked out somehow, seeing that Becky is having quite a troubled expression painted on her face.

"That's exactly why. Zeeg must have realized that he can't hunt the way he likes if he's going to stay in your party. The fight yesterday was because of this, too, wasn't it?"

The girl finally made the connection.

Lately, she was getting irritated at Zeeg for often doing things at his own accord. But now she understands that the boy was also getting irritated with her as well.

"...That guy just doesn't get it."

Elmeria said, as if spitting the words out. That's right. He just doesn't get it at all. What it means to be leading a party.

It means to shoulder the responsibility to the lives of others.

Hunters are still their own individuals, of course. They still are responsible for their own lives. But when teaming up for a hunt, the leader's decisions can also affect their lives as well.

Although the leader is not obligated to take responsibility for any deaths and injuries, the wound would still remain in their hearts. Zeeg still has no idea how deep that wound could be.

"I know what you're thinking, Elmeria. But I'm sure also know that you can't control how Zeeg feels, right? Any hunter would want a party of their own at some point. It's just that kind of time for Zeeg, that's all. Besides, I think it's better for you this way, at least for now."

"...What do you mean?"

"Well, aren't your recent failures a result of being too careful? --Being too careful about getting Zeeg into danger?"

Elmeria had gooseb.u.mps upon hering that.

She'd never thought about it that way. The girl tried to laugh it off, but she could feel her head stiffening up. The look on her face suggested that it's nothing like that, but her body language, on the other hand, seemed to confirm what Becky just said as the truth.

Becky gently patted Elmeria's hand, as if trying to console her.

"Now, it's not like you won't get to meet him ever again. But since things are still pretty awkward, I'd say that you shouldn't try to contact him for a while. I think this is an important time for him to spend on his own, too."

The girl understood what Becky wanted to say.

What she meant was, if Zeeg truly wants to have a party of his own, it'd be better for Elmeria not to oppose him. This is so that he wouldn't do things recklessly out of spite.

She understood it well.

But even though she understood, it didn't mean she could calm herself down. And so, instead of giving any response, Elmeria ordered some beer, binge drinking right there until it went dark.