Newly promoted 4-star Hunters Altaïr and Isis happily tucked away their respective Hunter's Notes. They walked toward the tavern area alongside Serl, who wore a slightly depressed expression, and found a table to sit down.
Since the other two members of the Vanguard Hunting Party, Buck and Brandley, had taken Balina out on a mission and were currently away from the city, there were only the three of them and two Felynes at the long table, making things feel a bit quiet.
However, that didn't stop Isis from ordering a massive spread of food.
After traveling for the past few days and gnawing on rations the entire time, she was absolutely famished.
When she usually traveled with Altaïr, he would always find a way to cook something as long as conditions allowed.
While it wasn't exactly high-class cuisine, it was far better than rations or haphazardly roasted meat. Isis felt that her tongue could no longer tolerate the "edible bricks" known as rations.
While waiting for the food to be served, Altaïr and Serl chatted about the Vanguard Hunting Party, including how they had come together through Francesca's connections and subsequently "optimized" Francesca, who claimed to be the team's core, out of the group.
During their conversation, Serl keenly noticed that Altaïr and Isis seemed to have a significant misunderstanding regarding Francesca's true strength.
But considering that woman was obsessed with saving face, he helped play along and didn't expose her.
Beside the table, Isis seemed restless, shifting in her seat as if it were covered in thorns. She kept glancing up at the two of them but didn't join the conversation.
At first, Altaïr thought she was just impatient for the food to arrive, but knowing her as well as he did, he soon realized Isis wanted to say something; she just couldn't find a gap to jump into their lively discussion.
Finding an opening, Altaïr turned to her and asked, "What's on your mind?"
There was no need to beat around the bush with her; being direct was always best.
Serl, who had also noticed Isis's restlessness, looked at her curiously as well.
Sure enough, Isis pointed to the giant bundle filled with Basarios materials that she had hauled back all the way, saying with an air of mystery, "I carved something amazing off that Basarios! But I don't know how to handle it!"
"Something amazing collected from a Basarios..." Serl guessed, "Could it be a Wyvern Gem?"
Isis never liked wasting time. She jumped up from her chair, ran to the massive bundle, and buried herself in it to rummage around. Soon, she pulled out a tapered object over a meter long.
The main reason the bundle looked so large was that this thing was propping it up.
She excitedly held the object high. "It's this!"
"A Basarios Tail... I should have known," Altaïr muttered, covering his face with his hand.
Serl let out a confused "Ah," looking like he didn't quite know how to react.
Isis nodded vigorously. Since she was a child, she had only eaten Basarios Tail twice, both times back in Dundorma last year when Altaïr celebrated her birthdays with her. The flavor was something she could never forget.
She had no other expenses and never lacked money due to the number of missions she completed, so she was more than willing to spend her gold on food.
But given her and Altaïr's previous Hunter ranks, they hadn't been eligible to order such a high-end ingredient; they could only stare at the menu and drool. So, when Altaïr had suggested she hunt a Basarios to promote to 4★, she had agreed quite readily.
It was hard to say that this tail wasn't a part of the reason.
Altaïr had Isis place the Basarios Tail, which, including its outer shell, was heavier than most grown men, onto the table. He leaned in for a closer look and poked the cross-section with his finger.
The meat at the cut was dry and slightly carbonated; it had clearly been smoked with fire to prevent rot. The entire tail was quite well-preserved and lacked any foul odor.
It even felt a bit cool to the touch, despite it being the height of summer.
"You didn't actually bring Ice Crystals specifically for preservation when you set out on the hunt, did you?" Altaïr asked, staring at Isis.
Isis chuckled, looking rather proud of herself. "I brought a few. I kept them in the Supply Box at the camp, then tucked them under the parcel on the way back.
Clawdia taught me that! Otherwise, in a place as hot and humid as the Swamp, the meat would have spoiled ages ago."
"..."
So, while he had been taking on an Urgent Quest and risking his life to rush and save people, this girl had embarked on a quest for gourmet ingredients?
He felt an inexplicable spark of annoyance, forget it, he couldn't really blame anyone for this.
Altaïr rubbed his face. "So, what you're saying is, you want to stew this thing?"
"Mhm!" Isis nodded with an expectant look. "Back when we ate at the People's Tavern, a single serving was just one small chunk. This tail is enough for three or four servings. I want to eat my fill all at once!"
Looking at the sparkling eyes of Isis, Altaïr spread his hands helplessly.
"I can't make it."
"Eh?" Isis tilted her head, looking as if she didn't understand what he was saying.
"No... do you have some kind of misunderstanding about my culinary skills?" Altaïr resisted the urge to poke her forehead.
"I can cook, but only with relatively simple ingredients, things like bacon, mushrooms, cheese, or steaks carved from Monsters. I can roast them over a fire or sear them in a pan with some basic seasoning.
But a high-end ingredient like Basarios Tail? Do you think just anyone can prepare that? I don't even know how to cut it open!
Even a professional Felyne Chef might not be able to pull off this dish. Dundorma can serve it because they're close to the Swamp and their Felyne Chefs are exceptionally skilled.
Look at the menu in this tavern. Do you see Basarios Tail listed anywhere?"
Serl added from the side, "Actually, geography is more important than skill. For instance, the Felyne Chefs in Metabettat can even prepare obscure ingredients like Congalala large intestines, so they are certainly skilled.
But Basarios don't appear in the Jungle, so they likely wouldn't know how to handle one."
"Is... is that how it is?" Isis's expression wasn't just one of disappointment; she looked panicked.
"But, but even with Ice Crystals, the Basarios Tail won't last more than a few days in this weather! Is it just going to go to waste?!
Does anyone know a chef who can handle a Basarios Tail? Someone, save it!" Isis began to ramble incoherently.
Altaïr looked at her speechlessly. This girl couldn't possibly think that chefs capable of preparing rare ingredients were just everywhere, could she? Where were they supposed to find a chef who knew how to handle a Basarios Tail on such short notice?
"Actually, meow, I might know a little bit about how to handle this thing, meow."
The group's gazes snapped in unison toward Clawdia, who had just spoken.
"You can cook, meow?" Sajji looked particularly skeptical. "The only thing of yours we can trust is your blade work, meow. I wouldn't dare eat anything you made other than sashimi, meow."
Clawdia bared her fangs at Sajji in indignation.
Altaïr pressed down on Sajji's head. Although Clawdia had some personality flaws, she wasn't the type of Felyne who liked to boast recklessly.
Furthermore, according to what Isis had said earlier, it was Clawdia who had told her to sear the cross-section of the Basarios Tail to prevent rot and to use Ice Crystals to keep it fresh.
This gave Clawdia's words a bit more credibility.
"Where did you learn all this?" Altaïr couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.
Clawdia licked her paw. "I didn't study it specifically, meow. I saw it, meow. A few years ago, while training with my father on the frontier, I saw him prepare Basarios Tail twice, meow.
I might not remember the details very clearly, but I generally know the basic process, meow."
Altaïr looked at her with a strange expression. "Your father? Isn't your father Isis's father's partner, that legendary Palico? He was a Canteen chef too?"
If it were just a basic level of cooking skill, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to master the preparation of a rare ingredient like Basarios Tail.
As her father's most loyal admirer, Clawdia was highly dissatisfied that any of his abilities, even just his culinary skills, were being questioned.
She squinted at Altaïr. "You're a Hunter, can't you cook too, meow? The Canteen meals Father made can't be compared to those of ordinary chefs, meow!"
Altaïr didn't mind Clawdia's slightly prickly words at all; instead, he excitedly pulled out his portable memo pad.
"Come on, for the sake of Isis's stomach, share the recipe you saw from your father."
"There is no recipe, meow."
"Then just tell me everything you saw!"
(Translated by yourtl.app)