Alva gathered the ship's crew for a strategy meeting.
There were not many participants, and most were young. Among the people Altaïr and his companions recognized were Erik and Alma, and even Kitty and Quinna had come aboard.
Unlike the full-fledged scholars, whose schedules were packed and whereabouts unpredictable, the apprentice Scriveners and students who had yet to graduate were a readily available pool of labor.
It was clear that the Knowledge Seeker had embarked on this voyage in considerable haste...
"This is a map of Esther Lake. What do you plan to do?" Alva asked as he handed it to Altaïr.
Altaïr looked over the available personnel.
Trainees such as Kitty, who had not even qualified as apprentice Scriveners, certainly could not be allowed to venture into the wilderness.
They would have to remain aboard, handling logistics and screening and collating the information once the Merchant Guild's reports arrived.
Even counting Alva, who was in charge, and apprentice Scriveners such as Erik and Alma, no more than five or six people were qualified to enter the wilderness and face Monster threats.
Finding one particular Estrellian within the hundreds of square kilometers surrounding Esther Lake in a short time would be impossible with so few people.
They would have to lure her out.
"Let's grill some bacon!" Isis suggested. "The little one may not eat cooked food, but bacon loves the mingled scent of spices and smoke.
"Her sense of smell is incredibly sharp. She can pick it up from a long way off, and curiosity should bring her over to investigate."
"And bacon is...?" Alva looked puzzled.
"That's the name Isis gave the Estrellian hatchling," Altaïr explained. "She responds to it. If one particular Estrellian reacts to that name, she's most likely the one we're looking for."
"I see." Understanding dawned on Alva's face. "That's a sound plan. It is efficient, and if it fails, it should not provoke the other Estrellians."
"We cannot produce a mountain of bacon out of nowhere. Are there any spices aboard? Burning spices and certain aromatic woods produce much of the aroma we need.
"Burning the spices with damp wood should create a similar scent.
"Do we have enough spices in the ship's stores?"
Everyone exchanged glances, but no one could answer.
Alma had temporarily taken over Francesca's duties, but she had only had time to record the quantities of essential supplies such as food, water, fuel, and ammunition. As for nonessential seasonings such as spices, she honestly could not say.
Just as she began to panic, Erik slapped his hands together. "No problem! There's plenty of bacon! I made a special trip to the market and bought a huge batch before we left. I dumped it all in cold storage!"
Alva looked at his junior with surprise and approval. "You thought of this method from the start? Good thinking."
"Honestly, I just wanted the princess to like me. Could you leave me a couple of strips? If I smell like bacon, maybe she'll look at me a little longer."
Alva fell silent for a moment. "No. I am commandeering this batch of bacon on behalf of the Royal Academy. You will be reimbursed later."
Watching Alva appropriate the food with a straight face while Erik protested furiously, Altaïr lost all desire to pay attention to either of them.
He turned to Alma. "Check how much bacon we have, along with the types and quantities of spices. I need to work out how to make the lure as effective as possible."
Alma nodded and hurried away.
Isis reached out and poked Altaïr's shoulder. "What if we don't have enough bacon? We aren't trying to eat it. We need to spread the scent over a huge area, right?"
"If there isn't enough, we'll supplement it with spices."
"It isn't the same." Isis shook her head firmly. "Burning spices doesn't smell the same as roasting bacon. The most important part, the meaty aroma, is missing. If even I can tell the difference, bacon definitely will."
"So?"
"Then I'll hunt a couple of Mosswine, and you can make more bacon."
"..." Altaïr stared at Isis, at a loss for words.
All that roundabout reasoning...
Isis puffed out her cheeks. "What's with that look? You're acting as if I only suggested this because I want to eat it. I'm serious, okay? Bacon takes time to cure. If we rush it, it won't taste good, but it'll still work as scented bait. I wouldn't even want to eat it!"
Altaïr hesitated, studying her eyes for another few seconds.
In the end, he decided she was sincere and genuinely focused on completing the mission.
Had he... underestimated her?
—--
Esther Lake was silent and beautiful at night.
Its blue-green water lay smooth as a mirror, and the lush vegetation shone like emeralds. Even the exposed rock came in vivid shades of dark red and grayish yellow.
A faint mist drifted on the breeze, and soft moonlight washed over the lake, transforming the region into an otherworldly scene.
It would have been idyllic if not for the sharp, heavy smell of roasting bacon permeating the air...
"Achoo! Sniff... Is this really going to draw bacon out, meow?" A gust blew the smoke into Sajji's face, making him cough and sneeze repeatedly.
"Maybe." Altaïr shrugged as he slowly roasted a strip of bacon on a portable grill. "The weather is mild, and the wind can carry the scent a long way. This lake is also the Estrellians' primary feeding ground. There's a good chance she notices it and comes to investigate."
"It's about to burn," Isis warned softly from beside the campfire.
Altaïr glanced at her, raised the skewer away from the flames, and continued roasting the bacon in the heat above them.
Glistening fat seeped from the strip of meat and dripped into the campfire.
"Sizzle!" A tongue of flame leaped up, and the aroma of hot fat grew even richer.
Once the strip had crisped and rendered most of its fat, Altaïr lifted the skewer and waved it through the night air to cool it.
Isis's gaze followed the skewer's every movement.
Without thinking, as though he were teasing Sajji with a blade of grass, Altaïr held the roasted bacon in front of Isis. Just as she opened her mouth, he pulled it away.
A vein throbbed at Isis's temple.
Coming back to his senses, Altaïr laughed awkwardly and pushed the strip of bacon into Isis's mouth. The crisp meat crunched between her teeth, and she licked a smear of grease from the corner of her lips.
For a moment, Altaïr felt a little hungry himself.
Sajji covered his face with his little paws, unable to watch.
Erik, who had accompanied them, completely missed the small exchange. With several branches arranged over his body as camouflage, he crouched in the bushes holding a telescope, his unblinking eyes fixed on the surrounding forest.
—--
The hours slipped by, carrying them into the latter half of the night.
Isis was already full, but they could not waste the strips of bacon that had been roasted dry. She wrapped them in oiled paper to save as snacks for later.
Suddenly, a flash of orange-red light flickered deep within the secluded woods.
Erik had been watching the forest constantly. He lowered his telescope and rubbed his eyes. Certain he had not imagined the light, he started to scramble out of the bushes.
Altaïr stopped the restless young man with a look and pressed a finger to his lips.
A moment later, a figure of exquisite beauty cautiously poked her head out from the forest, the furtive motion entirely at odds with her elegant appearance.
* * *
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