Chapter 142: Someone Who Remembers Him
A girl who seemed to know Jenna.
And, on top of that, seemed to know him too. Walfred was caught completely off guard.
By then the girl had already run right up to him, and she narrowed her eyes as she studied his reaction.
"Mister."
"...?"
"Don’t tell me you don’t remember me."
"Uh, well..."
In that moment, he had no answer.
He knew a few of Jenna’s friends, but this girl wasn’t among them.
The girl let out a long sigh.
"It’s me, Alice."
"Alice? Oh...!"
The name brought it right back.
Jenna’s best friend.
The two of them had been inseparable since middle school, right up until recently. He’d even eaten with her a few times, so he knew her well.
But there was a reason he hadn’t recognized her.
’Her build is completely different.’
He remembered her being on the chubby side.
Now she was noticeably thin, and her face had changed a lot along with it.
She must have picked up on what he was thinking.
Alice smiled awkwardly and said, "I’ve lost a lot of weight since then, huh."
Well, the world had gone the way it had.
Then, in the moment that smile spread across her lips, he caught a glimpse of her old face.
So it really was Alice.
Glad to see her, Walfred smiled and held out his hand.
"Long time no see, Alice."
"Yes! It’s been forever, mister."
She clasped his hand and grinned wide.
Once the brief reunion was out of the way, Walfred got to the point.
"Do you happen to know where Jenna..."
"She’s in South Key West."
The answer came the instant he asked.
According to what she explained next, the odd-numbered classes had been sorted into Team A and were mostly at Coral Cave, while the even-numbered classes were Team B and were in South Key West.
Jenna was in Class 2, so she was Team B.
"I see."
Walfred nodded like it all made sense now.
The trip here had been a bust, but he felt at ease.
Because now he knew for certain that if he went to South Key West, he’d find Jenna. Just then Alice tilted her head at him.
"Anyway, weren’t you up in New York? How did you end up here?"
She looked genuinely curious.
Walfred gave her a short summary of everything that had happened. That he’d been Awakened as a hunter by chance, and had come to Key West to find Jenna.
When he finished laying it all out:
"...So I really did see what I saw."
Alice muttered it with a stunned look on her face.
He was about to ask what exactly she’d seen when her voice came again.
"Are you heading to South Key West now?"
"Yeah. I should."
There was no reason to stay here any longer if Jenna wasn’t around. Alice mulled over his quick answer for a moment, then spoke in a careful tone.
"Um, would it be okay if..."
"...?"
"Could I come with you?"
"To South Key West?"
"Yes! I want to see Jenna."
Her eyes were shining.
Walfred hesitated at the sight.
’I don’t really mind, but...’
There was a problem.
He glanced back at the Brooklyn Girls’ Academy students gathered in little clusters not far off.
"Cough, cough!"
"Ugh, why did it get so cold all of a sudden?"
"There’s a draft coming from somewhere."
The students hunched their shoulders against the chill.
It was the result of the [Cold Emission] he was still radiating in real time.
Guess I have to deal with this first.
Walfred turned to Aria.
"We’re done here, so please send them off."
"Oh, right! Girls, thanks for cooperating."
Aria dismissed the students.
They headed straight back to their tents.
Now only Walfred, Aria, and Alice remained.
"Is it not okay...?"
Maybe because she hadn’t gotten a straight answer.
Alice asked again, looking anxious.
Walfred shook his head.
"There’s no real reason you can’t."
"Really? Then...!"
"But it’s going to be pretty cold next to me."
The words were barely out of his mouth.
Cold radiated outward from him.
It was strong enough to make Aria, a B-rank hunter, shiver. Alice, on the other hand, showed no sign of feeling it at all.
What? Just as he started to wonder.
"Oh, that part’s fine."
Alice smiled brightly.
And in that instant.
Fwoosh!
A small flame bloomed at her fingertips.
Neither Walfred nor Aria had expected it, and both of their eyes went wide.
"F-fire attribute...?"
"Yep. I Awakened three days ago."
She smiled sheepishly.
Alice explained how it had happened.
"I woke up before dawn because my body was burning up, so I went outside. I was getting some air and taking deep breaths, and out of nowhere a notification popped up saying I’d Awakened."
I see. Walfred nodded.
Aria’s reaction was another matter.
"Hold on, if you Awakened you should have told us right away. Did you forget the shelter rules?"
Her tone was scolding.
It might have made someone shrink back, but Alice answered calmly.
"I was going to."
"But?"
"Everyone looked busy prepping for the gate raid, so I couldn’t find a good moment. I’m sorry."
"...Oh."
Aria’s eyes widened slightly.
Three days ago had definitely been in the middle of the rush to prepare for the gate. Realizing her mistake, Aria immediately bowed her head.
"I’m sorry. Now that you mention it, that was exactly when it was."
"N-no, it’s fine. Really."
Flustered by the apology, Alice waved her hands. Meanwhile, Walfred quietly watched Alice as she talked with Aria.
’Now that I’m focusing on it...’
He could definitely feel a faint heat.
But unlike when he’d met Lauren, his frost attribute skills didn’t deactivate even at this close a distance.
’Which means the cold I put out is stronger than the heat she puts out.’
Once he’d settled on that conclusion, Walfred’s expression darkened.
’More importantly, I need to figure out something about this cold before I see Jenna...’
His face filled with worry.
He checked the experience on Cold Emission.
[Passive: Cold Emission (Lv.4)]
▶ Current experience: [96.23]%
A little over 4% left until Level 5.
Once he hit Level 5, the Special Ability for [Cold Emission] would be unlocked. Please, let it come with some way to control the cold.
Walfred hoped for it desperately.
Just then.
"Mister."
He heard Alice’s voice.
She had somehow come right up in front of him, and she looked up at him steadily.
"So the cold problem is solved now. Does that mean I can go with you to South Key West?"
Her eyes shone with hope.
For some reason it reminded him of Lauren.
Walfred snorted a laugh.
"Sure. You can come."
"R-really?!"
"Yeah."
"Thank you! I’ll go pack right now!"
With that spirited answer, Alice headed off toward the tents. Walfred smiled watching her go.
’Jenna will be happy to have her along.’
Jenna and Alice had been as close as sisters.
They walked to school together every single day, and over breaks they took turns sleeping over at each other’s houses.
’As soon as Alice is ready...’
They’d leave the shelter and head straight for South Key West.
That was what Walfred decided.
And a little while later.
"Ah, there you are."
A familiar voice came out of nowhere.