Chapter 146: Shelter Alliance
In front of the half-open door.
At the words that drifted out from beyond it, Jenna, who had been about to step into the conference room, froze in place.
’...What did she just say?’
Jenna stood there dazed, as if she’d been hit over the head with a hammer. She turned the name Elma had just mentioned over in her mind.
[Walfred]
The uncle who had taken Jenna in and raised her like his own child in place of her parents, who had passed away early. Her one and only blood relative and family in the whole world.
’But why would Hunter Elma...’
Why would she suddenly bring up her uncle’s name?
Jenna stayed rooted to the spot, peering in through the gap of the half-open door. Just then, the man addressed as Hunter James lowered his head slightly.
"I’m sorry. I tried to gather as much information as I could, but after Savannah, there hasn’t been a single new lead or sighting..."
"What about his community nickname?"
"...We couldn’t uncover that either."
They had even posted a notice on the international channel, but it had turned up nothing. At James’s answer, Elma let out a deep sigh.
"Haah, what a shame. If we could just get in contact with that man, so many of our problems would be solved..."
Her expression was tinged with lingering regret.
And then.
James changed the subject.
"More importantly, Chief."
"Yes?"
"Some troubling rumors about Hunter Edward have been circulating in the shelter lately."
James’s face hardened.
At the sight, Elma asked in a tone that suggested she already knew what he meant.
"Among the non-Awakened, you mean?"
"For the most part, yes, but there’s talk among some of the moderate faction Hunters as well. They say he’s been recruiting the Hunters who’ve stayed neutral until now."
"..."
"And given that he crossed the line several times at the meeting earlier, I believe some kind of measure is in order..."
"I know."
Her fine brow furrowed.
Elma murmured, almost lamenting.
"But maintaining the temperature inside the shelter requires the cooperation of the fire-attribute Hunters. Rashly pushing him out in a situation like this would only..."
Only make things worse.
Swallowing the rest of the sentence, Elma let out another heavy sigh. James agreed to a point, but he didn’t back down.
"Even so, we can’t just sit back and watch."
"Understood, for now. I’ll give that matter serious thought, so Hunter James, please devote everything you can to the search for Hunter Walfred... Hm?"
At that moment.
Her eyes met Jenna’s.
"...!?"
Jenna’s face filled with alarm.
Meanwhile, having spotted her, Elma immediately rose from her seat and walked over.
"Miss Jenna?"
"...! Y-yes...!?"
"Was there something else you wanted to say?"
"No! It’s just, I left my water bottle..."
Jenna pointed at the pink water bottle sitting on the conference room table. An empty bottle. Elma scooped it up and then murmured softly.
"Water."
With that single short word.
Water welled up inside the empty bottle.
With a miracle that created something out of nothing, Elma handed the bottle back to Jenna.
"Here you are."
"Th-thank you! I’ll be going now."
Leaving the gently smiling Elma behind.
Jenna bowed her head over and over and hurried out of the conference room.
"Whew, that scared me."
She never expected their eyes to meet like that.
Struggling to calm her pounding heart, she stopped for a moment. Then, looking back toward the conference room, she recalled the name Elma had mentioned.
’Could she have meant my uncle?’
The thought did cross her mind.
But she quickly shook her head.
’No, there’s no way.’
Her uncle was an ordinary office worker.
He’d never been active as a Hunter even before the world froze over. There was no way that same uncle had become someone an S-rank Hunter was keeping tabs on in barely half a year.
’It’s probably just someone with the same name.’
Still, that aside.
Hearing her uncle’s name for the first time in ages left a sharp ache prickling in one corner of her chest.
’...I miss you, Uncle.’
If her uncle were by her side right now, she would surely have felt so much safer. In an instant, a surge of longing and sorrow brought tears welling up.
"Ugh, I was trying not to cry..."
Jenna wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Then she took deep breath after deep breath, trying to settle the emotions that had come rushing up.
And she forced herself to smile.
’If it’s Uncle, he’s definitely okay.’
A guess without a shred of evidence behind it.
But if she didn’t believe it, she felt like she would crumble in no time. So she chose to believe.
’That’s why...’
I have to stay strong too.
For the day she would meet her uncle again, whenever it came. Clenching her small fists tight, Jenna marched briskly down the corridor.
---
The Hunter residential area of Coral Cave Shelter.
As he stepped into the space where non-Awakened entry was restricted, a rather serene atmosphere greeted Walfred.
Then, when Gordon came to a stop.
"So what is it you wanted to discuss in private?"
Walfred cut straight to the point.
Gordon seemed to take a moment to gather his words, then answered with an awkward smile.
"Hmm, call it a consultation of sorts."
"A consultation...?"
"There’s a matter I’ve been in close discussion about with Chief Elma of Coral World."
A matter under discussion with Hunter Elma?
That would mean it was something quite important, the kind of talk that only passed between shelter chiefs.
"Is this something I’m allowed to hear?"
"Yes. It’s a matter that concerns your niece to some extent as well, Hunter Walfred."
There he was, mentioning his niece again.
What kind of consultation could this be?
Walfred narrowed his eyes. At that, Gordon cleared his throat and said.
"Ahem! First, let me explain the matter I’ve been discussing with Chief Elma. To get straight to the conclusion, we intend to establish a Key West shelter alliance."
"A shelter alliance?"
"That’s right. So that when a crisis arises that any single shelter can’t handle on its own, we can dispatch Hunters to one another and overcome it together."