After staying like that for a while, Erica moved her eyes for the first time. And the moment she looked at Walfred, a faint light gathered in her unfocused pupils.

"Lauren... H-how?"

"I was asked to find you."

"By, Lauren...?"

"That’s right."

Walfred nodded calmly.

He didn’t rush or push her.

He waited patiently until Erica could think and speak on her own.

After a span of no small length passed.

"Lauren, Lauren is..."

A single thread of light gathering in her hazy eyes.

A moment later, she gripped the hem of Walfred’s clothes tight with trembling hands.

"Lauren, is, she alive...?"

"Yes. She’s doing well and staying healthy."

"...!"

Pupils growing wider and wider.

Erica’s trembling intensified.

"Where, right now, wh-where is she...?"

"She’s staying in the Financial District right now."

Starting with that answer.

Walfred brought up the story about Lauren.

As the story went on, Erica’s expression gradually began to soften. And by the time it all came to an end.

"Ah, aah...!"

Erica plopped down where she stood as if the strength had drained from her legs. Then she buried her face in both hands and burst into tears.

"Lauren, to think Lauren was alive... Hic! Thank goodness. Thank goodness, really... Waaaah."

"This is wonderful. Really, really wonderful. Sob!"

She cried out loud like a small child.

At the sight of Erica returning to her senses, Marcie’s eyes welled up as she comforted her.

And how long had it been?

After sobbing for quite a while, Erica seemed to gather her emotions to some degree and wiped her tears. At that, Walfred spoke with a faint smile.

"Lauren will be truly overjoyed to learn her older sister is safe. For the sake of the day you two meet again, please be sure to take care of your health."

"...Yes. Thank you, thank you so much."

A face brimming with tears.

Erica bowed at the waist toward Walfred, conveying her thanks over and over. Then, just as she was about to head back into the shelter to rest.

"U-um, excuse me...!"

Erica called out to him again.

With a slightly tense expression.

"Could you tell me your name one more time?"

"It’s Walfred."

"Walfred... Walfred... Yes. I’ve got it memorized. I’ll never, ever forget it. Thank you."

Ending with a courteous farewell to the very last.

Erica headed into the shelter under the protection of the hunters and Marcie. Walfred waved until her retreating figure disappeared.

And as he did, a part of him wished fervently.

’I want to, no matter what...’

To reunite safely with Jenna too.

Just as he silently clenched his fist.

"Whew, glad that ended well."

Margaret let out a sigh of relief.

Walfred extended his heartfelt thanks to her as well, for having found Erica. Margaret, for her part, waved a hand as if to say not to mention it.

"We’d agreed to do it, after all. More importantly,"

After that cool reply.

The light in Margaret’s eyes sank low.

"Then it’s my turn now."

"...?"

"Before the Spirit King subjugation, there are some people I’d like to introduce to you, Walfred."

The instant those words finished.

Two figures, a man and a woman, emerged from the direction Erica had disappeared. They looked to be in their mid-thirties and late twenties respectively.

"These are A-rank hunters from our shelter."

"Ah, the ones you mentioned that time..."

"That’s right."

Margaret smiled.

And when she beckoned lightly, the two hunters stepped forward as if they’d been waiting.

"...Damon. Shadow attribute."

"I’m Julie, an illusion-attribute hunter."

At their self-introductions, Walfred too gave his name and attribute. At that, the two hunters narrowed their eyes and murmured.

"Hmm, frost attribute, huh..."

"Then you’re not that Walfred."

He had a feeling he knew who that Walfred was without having to ask. They had to mean the S-rank light-attribute hunter who’d become the talk of the community.

Of course, that Walfred was him.

But Walfred neither confirmed nor denied it, keeping his silence.

Just then.

"That’s neither here nor there."

Margaret cut into the conversation.

Then she pointed at Walfred and said.

"Walfred’s role isn’t combat. It’s to carve out a path so that we can reach the Spirit King while conserving as much of our strength as possible."

After reminding them of Walfred’s role once more.

Margaret spread out a map of downtown Philadelphia on the table. Then she pulled out a red ballpoint pen and drew a line between the Central Avenue underground arcade and West Philadelphia Station.

"Walfred. This is the shortest route to West Philadelphia Station. If possible, I’d be grateful if you’d carve the path along this route as closely as you can."

Walfred nodded.

It wasn’t particularly difficult. There was just one issue he had to bring up.

"What do I do once I’ve finished making the path?"

"Withdraw from the scene immediately. You could get caught up in the battle with the Spirit King."

Margaret said flatly.

"If aggro spills over during your withdrawal, we’ll handle it. As you can probably tell from these two’s attributes, they have plenty of skills for disrupting enemies."

Shadow attribute and illusion attribute.

According to Margaret, the two attributes could interfere with a target’s actions to restrain them, or scatter their attention elsewhere.

From this, Walfred grasped roughly how the Spirit King subjugation operation would unfold.

’While Damon and Julie each draw the attention of the common spirits and the high-ranking spirits, Margaret plans to take on the Spirit King alone, it seems.’

Whatever the case, he hoped it went well.

That way Erica would stay safe, and he’d get to monopolize the snow of pure mana inside the last remaining Frost Crown Stone too.

"Once the Spirit King is born, we plan to begin a large-scale evacuation at the same time as the subjugation operation. To keep non-combatants from getting caught up in it."

"By evacuation, you mean, to where...?"

"The primary evacuation site is Frankford Station."

The eastern terminus of Philadelphia Metro Line 1.

Margaret stated that she’d herd all the non-Awakened from the shelters around West Philadelphia Station over there.

"If you’re worried about Erica, you’re welcome to wait there together with her. I’ll let them know about you in advance."

It was a thoughtful gesture.

Walfred nodded quietly.

And so, after the briefing wrapped up.

"That’s the end of the explanation. Anyone have questions?"

"Me."

No sooner had she asked whether anyone had questions.

Julie shot her hand up.

"When do you think the Spirit King will be born?"

"You said there were nine Frost Crown Stones, so I expect it’ll be born before long."

Margaret’s eyes glinted.

Turning her gaze toward West Philadelphia Station, she spread her fingers and counted out the days.

"Probably two days at the soonest, a week at the longest..."

But she didn’t get to finish her guess.

Just as she was about to carry on with her answer, her vision abruptly flashed red.

"...Huh?"

And it wasn’t only Margaret.

For Damon, for Julie, and before Walfred’s eyes too, a crimson light flashed in a frantic, blaring rhythm. At the sudden phenomenon, everyone’s eyes went wide.

"Wh-what is this?"

"A warning alert? Wait, then that means..."

"...No way!"

And in that instant.

-----

[Warning! Warning! Warning!]

[The emergence of a powerful enemy has been confirmed.]

[Boss: Spirit King (Growth Stage)]

[Rank: S]

[This alert has been sent throughout all of Philadelphia. All hunters operating in Philadelphia, evacuate the city immediately!]

-----

Along with an alert that shattered Margaret’s prediction.

Rrrrrumble!

A tremendous tremor, like something out of a great earthquake, slammed into the Central Avenue underground arcade shelter.