Isis crouched in the aisle at the very back of the lecture hall, staring blankly ahead.
The class was taking even longer than she had expected. More than half an hour had passed, and it still was not over?!
She had tried to listen attentively to pass the time.
However, even though it was a public lecture, it was still intended for future Scriveners and scholars. The subject matter was far more specialized than the ecology classes she had taken at the Hunter Training Camp.
Whenever Sheila explained something, Isis could understand only a few phrases at most.
The lecture seemed to be about some kind of Brightmoss.
Good heavens! Moss isn't a kind of grass? Its roots aren't actually roots, but... rhizoids?
Brightmoss has extremely strict growing requirements and is both fragile and rare? Whenever we find it in the hunting grounds, we just shoot it with our Slingers for fun...
Isis kept grumbling to herself, but there was no chance she would actually raise her hand and ask a question.
Forget it. I don't want everyone laughing at me!
At last, Sheila announced, "That's all for today's lesson. Class dismissed." The students gradually rose and prepared to leave.
Isis felt as though her entire world had brightened, only for it to darken again almost immediately.
The crowd surged toward the doors.
The lecture hall had only two exits, one at the front and one at the back, and Isis's large frame was blocking the rear aisle. Although she left enough room for one person to squeeze past, she inevitably caused a bottleneck, along with...
even more curious stares.
Not wanting to inconvenience anyone, she nervously stood and pressed herself as close to the wall as possible to clear the aisle.
Several more floorboards cracked beneath her feet.
"Wow, that shield and cannon look like they're made from Glavenus carapace!" a passing apprentice Scrivener exclaimed softly.
More people began whispering among themselves.
"What about her armor? Can anyone tell what it's made from?"
"I can't tell."
"That sandy-yellow hide... Could it be Cephalos?"
"How did you pass your exams? Cephalos scales are emerald green. They only look yellow because the mucus on their bodies picks up grains of sand and hardens into a layer. Don't you know that?!"
"I think it might be Diablos."
"Have you ever seen a Diablos in person?"
"No, but I'm only guessing."
"Why don't we just ask her?"
One particularly bold student squeezed through to Isis and asked tentatively, "Excuse me, Miss Hunter. May I ask what kind of Monster materials your armor is made from?"
Isis wanted to melt into the wall and disappear, but she could not bring herself to ignore such a polite question. "It's... Tigerstripe Zamtrios."
"Tigerstripe Zamtrios?"
"Have any of you heard of it?"
"No. It doesn't sound like a scientific name. It sounds more like a common name."
More and more people crowded around Isis, eager to ask further questions. Kitty desperately tried to "protect" her cousin, but her small frame was quickly swallowed by the crowd.
"Tigerstripe Zamtrios is another name for the terrestrial Subspecies of Zamtrios. It has a limited range in the Great Desert and is very rare."
A calm but stern voice rang out from behind the crowd. "All right, what do you think you're doing, swarming around someone like this? Have you completely forgotten your manners?
"Get back to whatever you should be doing! If you keep loitering here and causing trouble, don't expect to pass my class!"
Sheila's timely appearance rescued Isis at last. The professor commanded considerable respect among her students, and with Alma and the others helping her disperse the crowd, the congestion soon cleared.
There was probably no one in the entire Royal Academy taller than Isis, yet at that moment, she resembled a frightened Gargwa as she followed close behind Sheila. The group soon reached the professor's office.
"I'm sorry! I'll pay for the floor repairs!"
"My deepest apologies, Miss Isis! I never imagined this would cause such a commotion."
Finally given a chance to speak, Isis and Alma apologized in unison.
Sheila smiled and waved them off. "Forget about compensation. As for the apologies you owe each other, you can sort those out yourselves later."
Sheila placed her lesson plans on her desk and turned to Isis. "All right, tell me. What did you need to see me about?
"An elite Hunter like you wouldn't come all the way to the Royal Academy just to attend my lecture."
"My cousin is already a High Rank Hunter!" Kitty proclaimed proudly, her robe still rumpled from the crowd.
Sheila stared at Isis in disbelief.
"May I see your Hunter's Notes?"
"Of course." Isis handed them over. "I only advanced a couple of days ago, actually."
After personally confirming Isis's current Hunter Rank, Sheila returned the notes.
She straightened slightly, her manner growing noticeably more serious.
Sheila held the title of Professor, which was jointly recognized by several major academic organizations, and she was one of the Royal Academy's leading scholars. She was also nearly old enough to be Isis's grandmother.
Yet Isis's status as a High Rank Hunter alone entitled her to negotiate with Sheila as an equal.
Sensing the change in Sheila's attitude, Isis marveled inwardly once again. The status of a High Rank Hunter really does come in handy...
"I'm planning to hunt a Kuarusepu." Isis steadied herself. This was the first time she had taken the initiative in negotiating terms like this.
"There's very little information on Kuarusepu, so I need intelligence support. In exchange, I'm willing to provide samples from its body... if you need them."
As soon as she finished that last sentence, Isis regretted it. She had sounded timid, as though she had placed herself in the position of a supplicant.
If Altaïr or Francesca were here, they'd probably sound more confident, right?
Fortunately, Sheila was a scholar, not a merchant.
Her eyes lit up at Isis's offer. "Kuarusepu, you say? As it happens, the main research group I oversee has a project on the environmental adaptability of Leviathans. Our original subjects were Agnaktor and Glacial Agnaktor.
"Kuarusepu would also make an excellent... No, the ideal research subject. Including it would make the project much more comprehensive.
"I'll compile our information on Kuarusepu and send it to you as soon as possible. The Royal Academy can also help you locate your target. We can even search the Guild's internal records for Hunters who have hunted Kuarusepu before."
Sheila paused briefly.
"In return, we need more than a sample from one of its organs. We need a relatively intact Kuarusepu carcass."
Isis had been ready to agree on the spot, but that condition gave her pause. "When you say relatively intact, exactly how intact do you mean?"
Sheila understood her concern. "It simply can't arrive in pieces. I know Hunters usually target a particular Monster because they need its materials to craft equipment.
"You don't need to worry about that. We'll send a dedicated team to retrieve and dissect the carcass, then turn the materials over to you.
"You'll receive more materials of better quality than you would by carving it up yourself with a small knife."
That explanation made the arrangement clear to Isis.
It would probably work much like the Estrellian mission. The Hunter would reach the hunting grounds, slay the target, and fire a signal. A retrieval team waiting at a nearby camp would then arrive aboard a cargo airship and carry away the entire Monster carcass.
"With terms this favorable, I have no reason to refuse," Isis agreed readily.
"Then it's settled." Sheila extended her hand, and Isis shook it. "I'm sure we'll work well together."
Inwardly, Isis pumped a fist.
She had successfully represented herself and secured a partnership with the Royal Academy!
With their business concluded, the atmosphere in the office relaxed. Sheila glanced at her disciple, who had been standing quietly to one side, and an idea occurred to her.
She chose her words carefully. "Miss Isis, I have a personal request. Of course, you're free to refuse if you feel it would be inappropriate. It won't affect our agreement in any way."
"Please, go ahead."
"My disciple Alma is working hard to become a Handler. She has already completed all the relevant coursework with excellent marks.
"If you're willing, would you let her accompany you as support personnel for this operation?
"She can assist you with route guidance, supply preparation, academic support, tactical advice, and more.
"You don't need to worry about her safety. If you find that she gets in your way, you can order her to leave at any time.
"Simply put, as her teacher, I want to secure an opportunity for her to gain practical experience."
Alma was startled at first, then looked at Isis with both nervousness and anticipation.
"Uh, so you're assigning me an apprentice Handler to accompany me?"
"That's right." Sheila nodded with a smile.
"Can you cook?" Isis turned to Alma and mimed tossing food in a pan. "Out in the field, over a simple campfire?"
Alma blinked, clearly not expecting that question, but she quickly recovered and nodded. "Yes, I can."
"All right, then!"
* * *
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