"Ahaha, I was only joking. It's no big deal!" Seeing Clawdia practically baring her fangs, Az quickly corrected himself. "But I can't teach you for nothing either."
Altaïr and the others exchanged glances, clearly tempted.
Their original plan had been to find a Sea People Hunter in Moga Village to learn from, or a fisherman if that failed.
The Sea People who lived along the South Sea were notoriously fierce. Even if they weren't Hunters, they could take up harpoons and battle giant sharks underwater, so they should be more than qualified to teach the basics of underwater combat.
However, being able to ask Az, a powerful elder, for guidance would naturally be the best option.
"May I ask what sort of compensation you would require?" Altaïr asked.
"Hahaha, forget about compensation and all that. If you know any secret areas with good fishing, just tell me about them!"
Altaïr looked troubled; he was from the Great Desert, so how could he know any secret fishing spots?
But Isis's eyes suddenly lit up. "Actually, I think I do know one! The fish there are a special variety that even scholars can't identify, but they're a bit small. Would that bother you?"
"Where is it?!"
In an instant, Az seemed to radiate light.
Isis didn't play coy or say things like "teach us first, then I'll tell you." She spoke openly. "It's north of the central area of the Metapetatto Jungle, in a region with karst landforms.
In the middle of a great river, there's a rocky mountain. You can enter the mountain's interior through a waterfall, and inside you can see many ruins built into the rock.
In the upper section of the mountain's interior, there's a secluded, almost fairy-tale cave, which was originally the secret nest of an Estrellian.
There are many pools of water inside the cave, and the fish I mentioned live in those pools."
Halfway through Isis's explanation, Altaïr realized which place she was talking about.
His attention at the time had been entirely focused on that Estrellian hatchling; he hadn't expected Isis to actually remember the detail about the unknown species of small fish in that secret cave.
"Oooooh!!" Az let out a shout of excitement unbefitting his age.
The Jungle! Karst formations! An island in a river! Ruins! A cave almost untouched by humans! The nest of a mysterious Estrellian! Isis had described it plainly, without a single flourish, yet each term seemed to hit Az's interests with perfect accuracy.
"The special variety that even scholars can't identify" broke through the last of his restraint.
Were it not for the dignity of his elder status and the responsibility of his promise to teach, he would have wanted to pack his bags immediately and rush to that magical secret area right now.
"There's no time to waste. All of you get into the water now!" Trying to suppress his excitement, Az suddenly became serious, even strict.
"R-right now?" Jara swallowed and glanced at the sky. "Isn't it almost dinnertime?"
Nymera also raised her hand somewhat timidly. "Isis and I didn't prepare for underwater combat."
"Night combat in water is still water combat. As for you two, with those unmodified Gunlances and Bowguns, set your weapons aside first so the seawater doesn't ruin them. Even if you're not participating in underwater combat, you must at least learn how to swim. You'll need it later."
Suddenly crossing his arms over his chest, Az, acting every bit the instructor, gave them no chance to refuse and intended to start training right then and there.
Altaïr and the others looked at each other.
Fortunately, having traveled here these past two days aboard a luxurious Airship, there was no question of physical fatigue. Seeing that the old veteran's attitude was resolute, they could only begin helping each other remove their Armor.
"Why are you taking off your Armor? Do you plan to fight a Monster underwater bare-ass naked? All training is done in full gear. Keep your Armor on and jump into the sea!"
Altaïr didn't mind this rough and direct training style, but he had to speak up to remind him. "Senior Az, the three of us might manage somehow, but Isis in that super-heavy Armor set... she'd sink straight to the bottom, wouldn't she?"
Isis also looked at Az pitifully.
This Basarios Armor Set was far heavier than even her own body weight. It was hard to move fast on land; throw it in the water and it'd likely turn into a stone coffin in no time.
No matter how strong she was, she couldn't exert that power in the water, could she?
Az, his excitement finally cooling, came back to his senses. "None of your Armor has buoyancy modules installed yet?"
"Buoyancy modules?"
The other three all looked puzzled. Jara, the only one with underwater combat experience, quietly explained, "They're used to offset the weight of the armor and adjust your center of gravity. Essential gear for underwater combat."
Az sighed. "We have to start teaching from this point? Three out of four with absolutely no experience or common sense about underwater combat, yet you've come all the way to the South Sea to hunt Lagiacrus. You lot really have some nerve."
The group laughed sheepishly.
"Forget it. Looks like there's no training tonight. Follow me, I'll get you sorted out." Az waved for them to follow, but after just two steps, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Hold on, what time is it now?"
Altaïr pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at it. "A quarter to seven."
"We're done for. She's going to be mad." Az sighed, his footsteps quickening and soon breaking into a jog.
Altaïr and the others had no choice but to jog along behind him.
Moga Village was only so big. In a minute or two, they arrived before a small house that looked no different from the other fishermen's dwellings.
Az signaled for them to wait a moment, pulled open the door by himself, and said sheepishly, "I'm back."
A somewhat cool female voice came from within. "Fishing again until you forgot dinnertime? Why don't you just gnaw on a raw fish for dinner and be done with it?"
"It's not that! We have guests this time!" Az quickly defended himself, then turned around and waved them over rapidly.
Then he stretched out his arm and scooped up Clawdia, who was still a bit dazed, holding her up in front of him.
"Look who it is!"
"Roe? Ah, no. No Grimalkyne mane." The woman's voice from inside faltered. "Could it be Clawdia?"
"Nailed it!"
Isis stepped in at that moment, greeting the woman inside with a beaming smile. "Auntie Ursula~!"
Unlike Az, whose name she'd only heard and whom she'd barely met, she had a much clearer impression of Ursula. As far back as she could remember, she had seen her at least two or three times.
"Is that... Isis?!" The other woman froze for a few seconds, then stood up in delighted surprise. "You're so tall now! A whole head taller than me, at least!"
Altaïr and the others entered behind them.
She was a middle-aged woman dressed in a coarse linen tunic, looking at first glance no different from the fishermen's wives in the village.
But the lean, hardened musculature far beyond an ordinary person's revealed she, too, was a senior Hunter of no small skill.
"My, so many people?" The woman Isis called "Auntie Ursula" wore an expression of startled amusement. "Then this little bit won't be nearly enough food.
Az, hurry and fetch some fresh ingredients. I'll cook a whole new pot! Moga Village might not have much else going for it, but the seafood's second to none. Just a simple boil and it's delicious!"
"On it!" Az grinned in agreement.
He grabbed the fishing spear leaning in the corner, hoisted a large bamboo basket onto his back, strode quickly across the plank boardwalk, and plunged headlong into the open sea less than ten meters from the door.
Ursula had just ushered the group to sit around the massive earthen cookpot when two more figures appeared in the doorway.
"This one wants to eat, ja!" The Princess, still clad in her one-piece swimsuit, stood with her hands on her hips. "This one saw your whole group heading this way and knew there'd be good food, yet you didn't invite this one, ja?"
The Head Maid trailing behind her wore a look of resignation and embarrassment, bowing as she said, "Our deepest apologies for disturbing you all.
"The Village Chief had already made preparations, but Her Highness thought it would be more enjoyable to join you. Could you accommodate Her Highness? We will provide compensation."
"Who's this?" Ursula asked, utterly bewildered.
Clawdia, cradled in Ursula's arms, answered expressionlessly, "The Third Princess, meow."
"Uh..." Ursula's expression stiffened, clearly also familiar with the Princess's reputation.
"Well then, sit on down. No need for compensation. Seafood's worth less than fresh water around here."
The Princess excitedly copied the others and sat cross-legged by the large cookpot, only to discover that sitting cross-legged was uncomfortable and made her hips ache, so she switched to a squat.
She glanced left and right with rapt curiosity. "So when is the food coming, ja?"
(Translated by yourtl.app)