Sanbica, who was being watched by the two, lowered her head like a quail, playing with her fingers, as if she hadn't heard the conversation going on around her.
This is probably Sanbica, who suffers from a social anxiety so severe that even the "Herb for All-illnesses" couldn't help her, doing everything she can to avoid talking to others.
Even though she's familiar with people like Menchi and Buhara, she still behaves this way—saying as little as possible, which makes her feel more at ease.
Menchi didn't push her, but seeing her like this, it was clear that she most likely hadn't been an examiner before.
Well, it makes sense. With her personality, becoming an examiner would be too difficult. An exam would probably drag on for a very long time before it ended.
No, maybe it could end in an instant, who knows...
After that, Menchi's gaze shifted past the non-professional hunter, Shizuku, and landed on Germain.
Germain had only become a professional hunter last year, so it was impossible for him to have ever been an examiner. However, Menchi turned to him because she remembered something else.
"By the way, Germain, I remember you have a disciple named Kurapika, right? Will he be taking the professional Hunter Exam this year?"
Germain, wearing a triangle hat and wrapped in a black cloak, was watching the moose centaur troops running back and forth along the path, scouting.
When he heard Menchi's question, he turned his head.
"Kurapika? I remember he said he was going to participate. He's probably on his way to the exam site now."
Menchi nodded in satisfaction.
"He should be going to take the exam. However, being the disciple of the famous 'Germain,' he's probably going to feel a lot of pressure."
"All the hunters in the professional Hunter Exam will be keeping an eye on him, and since he's learned Nen, he should be able to sense those gathering gazes."
"With all this attention on him, I wonder how well he'll be able to perform?"
Kurapika struggling under pressure?
Germain, however, didn't have such worries. After several months of being together, he knew very well that Kurapika was one of those rare people who had a big heart even in large, intense situations.
"He'll be fine."
"Hoh—" Menchi glanced at Germain in surprise. "You're really confident in your apprentice... that's impressive. Buhara, do you think we should take on an apprentice too?"
Buhara scratched the back of his head in a simple, good-natured manner.
"Menchi, you could give it a try. I think I'll pass though. I'd probably just take the apprentice around eating and drinking, no way they'd amount to anything…"
"Well, I'll pass too. I know my own temperament. I get angry too easily, I wouldn't have the patience to teach an apprentice. But to become a two-star Hunter, it's probably better to have one... it's really troublesome though…"
"Hmm? Menchi, are you mocking 'Tiger,' one of the 'Twelve Zodiacs,' Kanzai?"
As a professional Hunter, everyone knew that Kanzai had a quick temper, lacked common sense, and was very impatient. Menchi definitely wasn't on Kanzai's level though.
"No, no, how could I say something like that?" Menchi gave Buhara a cheeky wink, revealing her true thoughts.
As Menchi and Buhara continued chatting, Sanbica was playing with his fingers while Bisky was chasing after Ging. Germain locked eyes Shizuku beside him.
Since that day, it had been hard for the two of them to find any time alone. There were just too many people around.
For now, they could only communicate like this, in a kind of silent connection. But Shizuku kept staring at him, and if this kept up, Bisky would definitely notice.
At this moment, Scela trotted up from the outer edge of the group.
He and Kioris had made a deal with Gon that day, so their weapons were enchanted with "Alchemy Plant Magic."
Scela's spear was engraved with "wind elemental patterns," upgraded into the "Whirlwind Spiral Spear."
Kioris's scimitar was engraved with "water elemental patterns," upgraded into the "Crescent Bloodblade."
The brothers, feeling quite satisfied, fulfilled their promise and prepared a group of people for Germain and Ging to help build the castle in the ancient Labyrinth.
However, one of the brothers had to stay behind in the tribe to guard against any external attacks, so Kioris stayed in the tribe and didn't come along.
Scela brought fourteen moose centaur warriors, all young and strong. With him included, there were a total of fifteen. That should be more than enough to help with the castle construction.
By the way, after receiving a nod from the old chief, they could begin their bartering with Germain and Ging.
Out of the fifteen moose centaurs, five were carrying food and herbs, as the first attempt at trade.
At the same time, they needed to familiarize themselves with the current path to ensure the safety of future trade.
Scela and the moose centaurs were used to this kind of work.
Their tribe wasn't isolated from the world, and when needed, they traded with other tribes of demi-humans, so this wasn't their first time doing this.
Scela ran over to Germain, then slowed his pace.
"Mr. Germain, the fifth wave of scouts on the outer perimeter have reported in. The result is that it's safe, and we can proceed smoothly."
"Good. Thank you for your work."
"No problem, it's what we're supposed to do."
After a while, Scela showed a hesitant expression, but eventually, he spoke up.
"Mr. Germain, you have the 'Sacred Moonlight Sword.' Really, don't you believe in it?"
Faith?
This wasn't the first time Scela and the others had tried to convince Germain to follow their tribe's beliefs about the "Moon," the "Sacred Moon," the "Blood Moon," and the "Red Moon."
In fact, they were all different forms of the same symbol.
Germain had never been very interested in the faith of gods, so he had turned down Scela's group several times, and this time was no different.
Scela couldn't help but show a look of disappointment, but he didn't force Germain to believe in the "Moon God," and he let the matter rest.
The conversation about faith actually started when Germain himself asked about the beliefs of the moose centaur tribe.
He wanted to know, aside from the "Red Moon," what other beliefs existed on the Dark Continent.
The old chief's explanation was that the "Red Moon" was the one and only god, but under it, there were four "Hands of God." Beneath the "Hands of God" were many "Followers Before God."
However, compared to the "Red Moon," the power of everything else—the "Hands of God" and "Followers Before God"—was false, because all life's power in the world came from it.
It is said that the ancient labyrinth was once the palace and home of one of these "Followers Before God."
As for anything beyond that, the old chief didn't know.
This explanation was just one side of the story, and Germain didn't fully trust it; he simply kept it quietly in his heart.
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 30 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer