There was nothing quite so awkward as staying at your girlfriend's home with her guardian while she was away.
Altaïr kept reminding himself that Master Amos was not only Isis's guardian, but also his own swordsmanship instructor. There was nothing strange about a student staying at his teacher's house.
Yet that did not change the fact that this was his girlfriend's home...
So, on the very night he returned to Dundorma, Altaïr hurried to the post office, hired a Carrier Pigeon, and sent a letter to Port Tanzia.
Once you've all had your fun there, hurry back...
—--
Unfortunately, four or five days passed without a reply or any sign of his companions. Altaïr silently resolved that if Isis had not returned within another two days, he would fly to Port Tanzia and drag her back himself.
What's taking them so long? Are they having so much fun they can't tear themselves away?
Sitting across from Amos at the dining table as they quietly ate breakfast, Altaïr ground his teeth in silence.
Just then, a newsboy's shouts rang out beyond the door. "Extra! Massive earthquake strikes Port Tanzia! Tsunami leaves the port devastated! Many dead, injured, or missing!
"Extra! Massive earthquake strikes Port Tanzia..."
The old man and the young man, who had been eating in silence, both shot to their feet. Each saw the same shock and panic reflected in the other's eyes.
Altaïr, the younger and quicker of the two, dashed to the window, shoved it open, and called to the newsboy to buy a newspaper.
Before he could even read it, Amos snatched the paper from his hands.
Just as the newsboy had cried in the street, the front-page headline announced the massive earthquake in Port Tanzia.
Both Altaïr and Amos began to panic. Had Isis encountered a Monster, they could have trusted in her strength. But a natural disaster...
Before the might of nature, there was little difference between a High Rank Hunter and an ordinary person.
"I-I'll go buy an Airship ticket right away!" Altaïr's thoughts were in complete disarray, and he made to bolt out the door.
"Come back!" Amos barked, stopping him in his tracks. "With Port Tanzia in the middle of a disaster, where do you expect to buy an Airship ticket?"
With that, Amos rolled up the newspaper and headed for the door. "I'll go to the Guild with you. They may have made arrangements there.
"Given our standing as High Rank Hunters, we should be able to secure passage aboard a ship heading over."
Altaïr opened his mouth, wanting to tell Amos that he was getting old and had only one arm, and that Altaïr could handle this himself.
In the end, however, he could not bring himself to say it.
Isis was Altaïr's girlfriend, but to Master Amos, she was family, the granddaughter he had raised as his own. Altaïr had spent nearly five years at Isis's side, day in and day out, but Amos had been the one to raise her, one meal at a time...
Amos's fear and anxiety were no less intense than Altaïr's own. How could Altaïr possibly expect him to remain quietly at home and wait for news?
Neither of them said anything more. They left the house together and hurried anxiously toward the Guild Hall.
—--
At the Guild Hall, Amos led the way past the counter without stopping to question a guild receptionist. The two entered the office area in a manner that came close to "breaking in" and went straight to the Guild Manager's office.
Amos raised his lone arm and rapped sharply on the door, then led Altaïr inside without waiting for an answer.
The Guild Manager's office was crowded. Several people were in the middle of a discussion, and the two visitors' sudden arrival caught everyone by surprise.
Amos swept his gaze across the room.
Every face except the Guild Manager's was familiar. The Professor, Fabius, Master Campbell, and Julius, leader of the Guild Knights, were all senior Guild officials.
Amos came straight to the point. "We heard about the earthquake and tsunami at Port Tanzia. Isis is there. We're going immediately."
The people in the office exchanged glances. Finally, Master Campbell spoke.
He made a calming gesture toward Amos. "We are discussing the situation in Port Tanzia right now. Cough, cough... As for Isis, you can set your mind at ease. She's unharmed.
"The urgent letter from the Port Tanzia Guildmarm said that several young High Rank Hunters had provided considerable assistance. Cough, cough, cough... Isis was among them."
"That's good. That's good..."
The tension visibly drained from Amos's face, and his expression softened in an instant. He waved a hand with a trace of weariness. "In that case, I'll take my leave. I sincerely apologize for interrupting your meeting."
With that, he bowed his head in apology, turned, and left without another word.
Altaïr breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to follow, but the Guild Manager called him back. "Altaïr, you stay. We were just about to send someone for you. It's fortunate that you came on your own."
Altaïr glanced instinctively toward Amos, but the man was already outside the office and had even pulled the door shut behind him.
Left with little choice, Altaïr found a place to stand.
Master Campbell chuckled and patted the seat beside him, motioning for Altaïr to sit.
"..."
Altaïr desperately wanted to say that he was fine standing, but under the collective gaze of all those important figures, he could only edge over and sit beside Master Campbell. He perched on the edge of the chair with his back ramrod straight.
The meeting resumed.
No one paused to explain matters specifically to Altaïr, but as he listened, he gradually pieced together the general situation.
In short, following the earthquake and tsunami, the Monsters around Port Tanzia had become unnaturally active.
The Guild suspected that the earthquake was linked to the increasingly frequent and violent geological events of recent years. It was not purely a "natural disaster."
Considering the prophecy delivered at the Tower not long ago, a single underlying cause might lie behind this entire series of catastrophes.
The Guild hoped to identify that cause while resolving the Monster unrest around Port Tanzia, then formulate a plan for a permanent solution.
"Therefore, we want you to lead your small team in an investigation," the Guild Manager said, looking at Altaïr. "Confirming the source would naturally be ideal, but even if that proves impossible, finding some leads would still be a great success."
"Us?" Altaïr pointed at himself, momentarily speechless. "We may all be High Rank Hunters, but to be blunt, we're still new to the rank. We were promoted less than a year ago. Are you sure you want to entrust such an important quest to us?
"Wouldn't it be safer to assign more capable senior Hunters instead?"
"Don't sell yourselves short," the Guild Manager said with a smile. "High Rank Hunters are already few in number. Hunting groups made up entirely of High Rank Hunters who work well together are rarer still. Even counting your group, you would not need all ten fingers to count them.
"There are fewer candidates capable of handling this quest than you might think.
"Moreover, the crux of this quest is investigation, not direct combat. Groups that truly excel in that area are rarer still.
"..."
The Professor chose that moment to speak. "Leaving combat strength aside, the only teams that clearly surpass yours in investigation and reconnaissance are the Silver Lining hunting group and the Ace Hunters as they were before Fabius retired from front-line duty.
"Not even the Wycademy's Cross Squad hunting group can compare. All three of its members are exceptional 8★ Hunters. Aside from the Silver Lining hunting group, they may be the strongest combat team around. The problem is, they've grown accustomed to simply following the instructions of Wycademy scholars. They're not exactly... quick thinkers."
"..."
You certainly don't mince words, old man.
"Add to that the fact that Isis and the others are already in Port Tanzia and personally experienced the earthquake, and all signs point to your group being the most suitable investigation team."
"All right." Altaïr nodded. Refusing after all that would have been downright ungrateful. "I'll pack a few things and leave immediately.
"First, though, I need to confirm something. What level of support can the Guild provide? An investigation quest isn't like a standard Hunt. The four of us alone can't possibly uncover everything."
The Guild Manager offered a faint smile. "Supplies, personnel, transportation, high-level combat support, and anything else you deem necessary. The Guild will provide all the support you need."