Chapter 169: Hunter Elma Just Arrived
The moment she heard it, Jenna understood what Elsa meant.
She probably meant they weren’t related by blood. The way she was looking at her, like a stranger, proved it.
Still, Jenna didn’t back down.
"That’s okay, though."
"Huhhh...?"
"Even if the blood isn’t the same, people can still be family."
Just like her uncle and her.
"Even if we don’t smell the same?"
"Yeah. Just like Uncle said he thinks of me as his daughter, I think of him as my dad."
She looked over at Walfred with a bright smile.
Meeting her eyes, his went round in an instant. He hadn’t seen that coming at all.
"Hmm, I don’t really get it, but..."
Elsa chewed on Jenna’s answer for a good long while. Then, apparently reaching a conclusion, she nodded, her face lighting up.
"If you think of Daddy as your daddy, then you’re the same as Elsa!"
"That’s right. Same as you."
Jenna beamed.
And a moment later, the way Elsa looked at her changed. She wasn’t looking at a stranger anymore. She was looking at her the way she looked at Walfred.
"Then can I call you big sis?"
"Of course. I always wished for a cute little sister like you, so this works out perfectly."
"Yeah! Big sis!"
The permission was barely granted before Elsa’s eyes lit up and she hopped right onto Jenna’s lap. Then she started chattering away without pausing for breath.
A little ways off, Walfred quietly watched the scene.
’How do I put it.’
Their hair and eye colors were different, sure.
But everything else about them looked so alike that they could have passed for real sisters. Just watching them warmed something in his chest, and he found himself smiling.
And then...
Crunch!
Somewhere not far off, he sensed an unfamiliar presence. Small, quiet footsteps. A moment later, young voices came from the entrance.
"J-Jenna..."
"Can we come in?"
One girl and two boys.
They were the children Jenna had protected, sharing her own body heat to keep them alive. Hearing their voices, she nodded readily.
"Of course. Come on in."
The kids came running the second they had permission.
Then they spotted Elsa sitting on Jenna’s lap and all stopped short at once.
"Huh? Who’s she?"
"I’ve never seen her before..."
The children tilted their heads.
That was when Elsa spoke up.
"I’m Elsa!"
"...Elsa?"
"Yeah!"
Elsa grinned brightly. Then Jenna introduced her in a gentle voice.
"She’s my little sister."
"Really? Oh, now that you mention it..."
"They kind of do look alike."
The kids stared, fascinated.
Meanwhile, Jenna kept her eyes on Elsa as she introduced the others.
"Elsa, these three are basically my little brothers and sister too."
The girl’s name was Mindy.
The boys were Damon and Evan.
Mindy was a year or two older than Elsa, and the other two looked about the same age or a little younger.
Once the introductions were done, Elsa announced with obvious delight,
"If they’re your little brothers and sister, then they’re my friends!"
Uh, is that how that works?
Jenna tilted her head. But Elsa already seemed to have filed them away as friends, so she didn’t bother correcting her.
"They’re all around your age, so play nice, okay?"
"Yeah! Got it."
Elsa smiled brightly.
And it wasn’t long at all before the kids’ shyness melted away faster than snow in front of a campfire.
Probably because there were hardly any other children their age in the shelter.
"Wow, your hair is so pretty."
"You look just like a princess!"
"A princess? Oh! Like in the storybooks?"
"Yeah, that’s right."
"Jenna used to read them to us every night before bed."
Storybooks.
At that, Elsa’s ears practically perked up. Her eyes sparkled as she spun around to face Jenna.
"Big sis!"
"Yeah?"
"Can you read me storybooks too?"
"Hmm, I can’t exactly read from an actual book, but I can tell you stories."
"Wow, really? That’s amazing!"
No, it really wasn’t that amazing.
Jenna laughed awkwardly. Elsa, meanwhile, was making a huge fuss, honestly impressed.
Total strangers minutes ago, and already the children were giggling together like old friends. Watching the peaceful scene left a warm feeling behind.
And then...
Thud, thud!
Another presence appeared at the entrance.
Heavy footsteps, nothing like the light patter of the children a moment ago. Before long, a familiar voice reached his ears.
"Hello, Hunter Walfred."
A woman in her twenties with short brown hair.
Aria, the B-rank wind attribute hunter.
She approached hesitantly and offered the greeting in a careful voice. When Walfred raised a hand in response, she spoke again.
"U-um, so..."
"Go ahead."
"I’m sorry to interrupt, it looks like you’re having a nice time. But do you have a minute?"
She asked cautiously.
Only then did Walfred turn to face her.
"Is something wrong?"
"Ah, well, it’s not that, exactly..."
Aria let the sentence trail off.
As if debating how to phrase it. Then she lowered her voice to something close to a whisper.
"Hunter Elma just arrived."
"...Elma is here?"
This fast?
Walfred didn’t hide his confusion.
Naturally. He’d been able to get here quickly because Elsa had flown him through the sky, but Elma had nothing resembling a flight ability.
’So how did she catch up already?’
Did she have some kind of teleportation item, like his [Returner’s Compass]? He was still tilting his head over it when Aria continued.
"She said she has something important to discuss and asked us to gather every hunter in the shelter at B-rank or above. So if you have the time..."
"Let’s do it, then."
"Oh, really?"
Aria asked back, looking surprised.
Walfred nodded.
If Elma had come in person and requested a gathering limited to B-rank and above, it felt like she had something important to say.
Before heading off, he walked over to Jenna.
"Jenna."
"Yeah?"
"Something important came up, so I need to step out for a bit. Will you stay with Elsa while I’m gone?"
"Sure. Go on, don’t worry about us."
Jenna answered with a bright smile.
Elsa didn’t object either, apparently happy enough to stay with Jenna. Walfred turned and started toward Aria.
[Elsa.]
As he walked, he sent her a discreet telepathic message. With him away, someone needed to look after Jenna.
[If anyone you don’t know approaches Jenna, stop them, no exceptions. Understand?]
[Yeah! Leave it to me.]
The reply came back reassuringly firm.
With that, Jenna’s safety was as good as guaranteed. Feeling considerably lighter, Walfred turned back to Aria.
"Let’s go."
"Oh, yes. Right this way."
As if worried he might change his mind, Aria hurried out in front.
And so Walfred set off toward wherever Elma was waiting.