Altaïr had originally planned to rent a Hunter Cabin at the local Gathering Hub, but Nymera and Yomogi insisted that they stay in the guest room above Yomogi's Tea Shop instead.
That evening, they also met Yomogi's husband and Nymera's adoptive father, Master Iori.
He oversaw Kamura Village's Buddy Plaza, where he trained Palamutes and helped Palicoes find work. He was an exceptionally genial man.
As soon as the Airship had landed, Hibiki had disappeared to find him. Now the Palamute clung to his side like a sticky rice cake, refusing to leave him for even a moment. He was never this affectionate with Nymera, his actual owner.
The group enjoyed dinner together.
Altaïr and Isis had worried that the meal might once again consist of overly sweet Bunny Dango, but fortunately, that was not the case.
The main dish was small grilled fish, accompanied by a chilled vegetable salad, miso soup with tofu, and rice. It was a perfectly ordinary meal for the locals.
Knowing how much Hunters ate, Yomogi had prepared extra-large portions. The grilled fish on Isis's plate formed a small mountain, and even her rice came in a soup bowl. It was just enough to fill her up.
To anyone accustomed to Old World cuisine, Kamura's food tasted rather mild, but Altaïr quite liked it.
The small grilled fish, for example, had been seasoned with nothing but salt. The fish itself was exceptionally fresh, and such a simple preparation brought out the ingredients' natural flavors.
The local diet was certainly healthy, but its energy density was a little too low for Hunters.
No wonder Kamura's Hunters filled up on Bunny Dango before setting out. The principle was the same as with Well-done Steak or cheese. Glutinous rice, fillings, and generous amounts of sugar allowed Bunny Dango to supply enough energy for intense combat.
After eating their fill and chatting a while longer with Yomogi and Master Iori, Altaïr decided to return to the guest room and rest.
Then Isis, Sajji, and Clawdia, one human and two Felynes, followed him inside, each carrying a stool.
Altaïr lay down on the bed. The three sat beside it, their eyes fixed intently on him as though afraid he might suddenly lose his mind and do something terrible.
Altaïr sighed. "You might as well tie me up with a rope."
"Mr. Yan told us to keep a close eye on you," Isis said solemnly. "He said the potion should take effect tonight. Does anything feel wrong right now?"
Altaïr was not treating the physician's instructions as a joke. He closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't feel anything. I'm just a little uncomfortable."
"What kind of discomfort?" Isis pressed anxiously.
"The kind that comes from being stared at." After answering irritably, Altaïr sat cross-legged, laid Tyrant Blade [Heaven Swallower] across his knees, and closed his eyes in meditation.
There was no hope of sleeping under these circumstances. He might as well meditate and treat it as an exercise in willpower.
Altaïr's behavior remained perfectly normal, but the human and two Felynes still did not dare relax their guard. They watched him in silence.
Before even an hour had passed, Clawdia could no longer keep watch, or rather, could no longer be bothered. She curled into a ball and nestled in Isis's arms.
The moon had passed its zenith, and the night wore on. Sajji had also dozed off, leaving only Isis beside the bed, rubbing her sore, tired eyes as she fought the encroaching drowsiness.
Suddenly, a blood-red aura erupted around Altaïr, jolting Isis wide awake. At the same moment, Altaïr opened his eyes, breaking his meditation.
The aura vanished just as quickly.
Isis shot to her feet, every muscle in her body slightly tensed as she prepared to subdue him by force at a moment's notice.
Clawdia, who had been sleeping soundly in her arms, cried, "Meow!" as she tumbled to the floor in a clumsy somersault.
"Don't worry. My mind is completely clear," Altaïr said quickly.
Had he hesitated for even another second or two, Isis might already have pounced on him. Her strength was terrifying, and she would probably pin him down within a few moves.
Isis carefully studied Altaïr's eyes. Only after confirming that he was fully lucid did she breathe a small sigh of relief. "What was that just now? It looked like... the fighting-spirit aura of Demon Mode."
"Yeah." Altaïr frowned. "I can't quite describe it. I just felt this... urge to roar. I forced it down, and then my blood began to boil, throwing me into Demon Mode.
"But I still had control of my body and fighting spirit. As soon as I realized what was happening, I suppressed it again."
"Let's find Mr. Yan. We need to tell him about this immediately."
"All right." Altaïr no longer objected.
Even if the potion had amplified the effect, Demon Mode activating on its own was enough to prove that some kind of abnormality truly existed within his body.
If nothing was wrong, he had no reason to frighten himself. If something truly was wrong, he would not shy away from treatment.
After briefly explaining the situation to Nymera and the others, who had come out to investigate the commotion, Altaïr and Isis hurried to Yan's home.
—--
The lights in Yan's home were still burning. Only a few seconds after they knocked, the door opened from within.
Clearly, he too had stayed awake and was waiting for them.
After listening to their account of what had happened, Yan knit his brows and considered it in silence.
His expression made Isis's heart clench with anxiety. Unable to hold back, she asked, "Mr. Yan, is it serious?"
Yan came back to himself. His brow relaxed, and he gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. This isn't an especially serious reaction.
"That potion greatly amplifies the effects of Elder Dragon factors or an Elder Dragon's aura. Even so, Mr. Altaïr only felt an urge to roar and inadvertently sent his blood surging, which activated Demon Mode. That suggests the influence is relatively benign."
Yan looked at Altaïr. "The human body slowly metabolizes foreign substances. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but the edges of those black scars have already begun to fade.
"In a few more years, the effects of that Elder Dragon's blood may disappear entirely."
Yan paused, then continued, "In my view, if you can avoid anything that might provoke it, such as extreme emotional upheaval or exposure to another Elder Dragon's aura, these lingering effects are mild enough to ignore.
"But I doubt either of you is the type to lead a quiet life, are you?"
Altaïr gave a dry laugh, unable to argue.
"To be safe, you should learn how to control it. I suggest starting with Demon Mode.
"As it happens, the Village Chief is also highly skilled in that area... Perhaps fate led you here, or perhaps another cycle is beginning..." By the end, Yan's voice had faded into a murmur as he lowered his head.
Altaïr and Isis exchanged a glance but did not interrupt him.
After muttering to himself for a moment, Yan looked up and gave them an apologetic smile. "Forgive me. I became distracted.
"Please wait a moment. I'll prepare an antidote to neutralize the effects of the first potion.
"Once you've taken it, go back and get some proper rest. Don't burden yourself with too much worry.
"The fact that you suppressed the urge to roar and immediately brought your surging blood back under control shows that you have a strong will and excellent command of your fighting spirit. This won't affect you much."
After preparing the antidote, watching Altaïr drink it, and briefly checking his physical condition, Yan saw the two of them out of his cabin.
—--
Yan watched the two young people disappear into the night and sighed softly.
It was not the worst-case scenario, but it could not be called a good one either.
He had deliberately downplayed the problem as much as possible to ease Altaïr's mental burden, lest suspicion and fear gnaw away at his will.
Still... from a Hunter's perspective, perhaps this would count as a good thing?