"Everyone, I have some bad news. We need to discuss it."
That evening, as the group met up at the Guild Hall to compare their preparations, Jara's face was grave.
"What bad news? Couldn't get the right tickets?" Altaïr asked casually.
There was no need to guess, since buying the tickets had been Jara's responsibility.
"Yeah."
Jara rubbed his round, chubby cheeks. "There are plenty of Airship flights from Val Habar to Port Tanzia, but none that go directly to Moga Village.
"That village is too remote. Port Tanzia is already the closest city to Moga Village, but if you want to get from Port Tanzia to Moga Village..."
Clawdia, nearby, picked up the thread. "You can only get there by supply ship, meow. The travel time isn't fixed; at best, one departs every two or three weeks, and at worst, there might be only one ship every two months, meow."
"That's exactly it." Jara sighed. "My idea is to first take a passenger Airship to Port Tanzia, and then, from there, rent an Airship or a boat to Moga Village.
"That's a lot cheaper than chartering an Airship for the long haul directly from Val Habar, but... the expenses are still huge."
"How huge?" Isis pressed.
"The passenger Airship between Val Habar and Port Tanzia is straightforward. You all fly by Airship often, so you should know; it's about 1,000z per person, one way."
"Yeah." Altaïr nodded.
This was the main reason many Hunters, especially low star-ranked Hunters, would rather waste time taking land routes than fly by Airship. It was just too expensive.
4-5★ Hunters could generally afford the fares with their rewards, but for 1-2★ Hunters, the quest reward might not even cover the travel costs.
"But the price of chartering an Airship, even just the most ordinary small Airship, ranges from 5,000z to 8,000z per day.
"We'll need time to rest and prepare in Moga Village, right? Special training for underwater combat will take time too. A week can easily slip by, and considering the return trip, we can't just rent it one-way."
Hearing this, the expressions on Altaïr and the others' faces finally changed.
By this estimate, each person's share of the travel expenses would be in the five figures at the very least.
"Ma-Maybe we should just forget it." Isis stammered. "We could just hunt the Lagiacrus in Leke Bay. For making equipment, any Lagiacrus is the same, after all."
Like Jara, she loved food. For the sake of something delicious, she could grit her teeth and part with that much money.
The problem was that Altaïr and Nymera weren't as obsessed with eating as they were. Those two were only coming along to help; dragging them into splitting such a huge bill made her feel genuinely guilty.
Altaïr and Nymera exchanged glances.
Normally, Isis rarely made requests, and even when feasting, she always scrambled to pay. The two of them had no objection to indulging her once in a while.
"Then it's settled. Even though the travel costs are a bit steep, let's just treat it as a vacation," Altaïr said with a smile.
Nymera, also smiling from the side, chimed in, "Lagiacrus soft roe... I am very much looking forward to it too."
"Ho ho ho. It seems your companions dote on you quite a bit, chirp." An aged voice, thin and sharp enough that it was hard to tell whether it belonged to a man or a woman, sounded from behind Isis.
The group followed the voice to its source.
A Wyverian elder, wearing small, round spectacles and the genial smile of a career merchant, took a seat beside Isis without waiting for an invitation.
In his hand, he carried a key-shaped khakkhara staff, its surface covered in hanging keys. Whether they opened cabinets, houses, or even warehouses was anyone's guess. Isis blinked, then cheered, "Grandpa Merchant!"
The elder Wyverian stroked the beard braided into a small plait at his chin and spoke with a peculiar regional verbal tic. "Long time no see, young Isis, and you too, young Altaïr, chirp.
"And this one here must be young Nymera, yes? I've heard about you as well, chirp."
Nymera was somewhat taken aback. She was certain this was her first time meeting the old man and didn't understand how he could know her. She could only offer a restrained, "Nice to meet you."
As Isis happily chatted with the elder, Altaïr leaned over and quietly introduced him to Nymera. "You've probably heard Isis mention that her mother joined a caravan when she was young.
"The Guildmarm from Val Habar, the Felyne Chef, the wyverian artisan, his disciple Gemma, and this old merchant here; all of them were members of that caravan.
"This old gentleman's connections are truly extraordinary. They say there isn't a product in the world he can't get his hands on. He's a man of immense influence and reach."
"I see." Nymera nodded in understanding.
Though advanced in years, the old merchant's hearing was surprisingly sharp. He turned to them with a smile, waving his hand dismissively. "Oh my, 'immense influence and reach' is far too exaggerated.
"I've just been alive a long time and happen to know a few more people than most, chirp."
Altaïr looked a bit embarrassed at being caught gossiping.
"You're planning to go to Moga Village to hunt a Lagiacrus, gather materials to craft new equipment for Isis, and while you're at it, get a chance to taste the legendary Lagiacrus soft roe. But you're at a loss when it comes to transportation, chirp?" the old merchant asked, his eyes crinkling with mirth.
Isis was taken aback for a moment before she realized. "Ah! You were eavesdropping!"
Since he was one of her close elders, she didn't mince words.
The old merchant maintained his smile. "Eavesdropping is such an unpleasant word for it. Gathering intelligence in a tavern is a mandatory lesson for any merchant, chirp."
"Isn't that still eavesdropping..." Isis muttered under her breath.
The old merchant remained as cheerful as ever, showing no trace of embarrassment. "Even if you can afford the fare, that doesn't mean you should throw money away, chirp.
"Use your heads, make the right pitch, and not only can you save that money, you might also seize the chance to turn a tidy profit from the trip, chirp."
"What do you mean?" Altaïr felt like he was grasping at something.
The old merchant adjusted his small, round spectacles and smiled at him. "Young Sophia mentioned that you have a quick mind. Don't limit your thinking to just what's right in front of you, chirp.
"Take a higher view, think a little more broadly, and try to step outside your own professional way of thinking."
Altaïr fell into deep thought.
Step outside his professional way of thinking. That meant not looking at it from a Hunter's perspective. So, viewing the Lagiacrus Hunt from outside a Hunter's perspective... from a merchant's perspective? Or perhaps...? Lagiacrus soft roe, the legendary delicacy... ah. He seemed to be getting it.
"Do you have someone suitable you could introduce us to?" Altaïr asked the old merchant.
The smile on the old merchant's face grew even more pronounced. "Your line of thinking is correct, but even without my help, you'd manage, wouldn't you?
"As I said before, don't just stare at what's right in front of you. Look further ahead, chirp."
"I understand. Thank you for your guidance." Altaïr stood and gave a slight bow to the elder in gratitude.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Isis beside him grew more confused the more she listened.
After sitting back down, Altaïr explained with a smile, "Lagiacrus soft roe is a delicacy that cannot be preserved. To taste such a rare treat, one must be present on-site.
"The Autumn Harvest Fest and the food festival only just ended. Loc Lac is brimming with gourmands from all over the world, and naturally, among them are great merchants and nobles for whom money is no object.
"If we send a letter back and find someone suitable to ask around, we can easily find people willing to sponsor our endeavor.
"Hmm... I know a young merchant named Karim. He should have the right connections. I can write to him."
"Karim of Loc Lac. I've heard of this person, chirp," the old merchant said with a chuckle. "A young merchant with good judgment. His growth has been quite rapid in the last couple of years, chirp.
"He gains goodwill and showcases his connections; you gain tangible benefits; and those gourmands with more money than they know what to do with get to taste the cuisine of their dreams.
"This is good for everyone. This is how a network of contacts is gradually built, chirp."
Having finished speaking, the old merchant stood. "Find more arrangements where everyone walks away happy, and then you'll discover that every path you take grows smoother and smoother, chirp."
(Translated by yourtl.app)