Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 108: Arc 3, - 18: The Smarter Choice

Her blonde mane flung forward with her, "Hotaru," she muttered awake. The memory of her filled in rage, seeing a redhead smiling in death, stuck in her mind like glue; then waking up.

"Jotou?" Fumeko glanced through eyes thinner than paper; she tried to speak with a dehydrated mouth as her bangs licked the sides of her nose.

The dream that passed... ’That wasn’t a dream... Didn’t that actually happen...?’ The dream was all fuzzy, much like any dream after waking up; Jotou could barely remember anything after stabbing, "Frye..."

Her brown pupils darted around the room—curtains blocking daylight, her nails long once more. Fumeko stretched awake and—"Woosh!"—blinked to the side of the blonde’s bed.

Jotou slid out of the covers and stood up in a cold sweat down her neck and on her palms. She pushed the blonde bangs away, apprehending the brunette in a hug, "Everything reset... Thank hell everything reset..."

Fumeko blushed—the panicked heartbeat from her crush beat against her eardrums as she just gave in—petting her back in return, "What are you talking about? What happened? Did you have a nightmare or something?"

"Oh Meko," Jotou let her go, examining the brunette again and again, tears dancing at the corners of her eyes, "There’s things I need to tell you."

Fumeko’s gaze widened, "Like... that you like me back?" her fists clenched.

’Third time and I still can’t give her an answer... Sigh...’ "Not that, something way more worrying."

"Wait," Fumeko’s eyes narrowed, "Why is liking me back worrying in the first place?"

"That’s not what I meant detective..." "Knock!" Jotou was saved by the knock on the door swivelling their attention.

"Rise and shine!"

...

"They left these at your door!" Asobi handed the soap and towels and Jotou grabbed her share. Little flicks of hair spiked atop the magician’s hatless head and yet her face remained cheery, bright and without a flaw.

"Do I have too...? I feel cute enough today," Fumeko grumbled.

"Go brush your teeth and take care of your hygiene," Hotaru had a small bag with her to go bathe, one ear was stuck bent down, but her face seemed refreshed. "Jotou...?" Hotaru blushed.

The blonde finally blinked, closing her mouth left ajar. "Sorry, just," Jotou ran forward, grasping her tightly into a hug before sniffling over the redhead’s shoulder.

"Oh," her tail wagged before she slowly wrapped her hands around the blonde’s back, "This is unexpected..."

"Hey, HEY!" Fumeko tried to pry her hands in between the two.

"Aw, morning hugs!" Asobi squished Fumeko from the side into the pile of comfort. The short brunette tried to flail her arms between three bodies.

Jotou let go—a sigh and marks of tear drops went down her cheeks. "That was... nice. What’s with the sudden compassion?" Hotaru’s fangs shined.

"Why are you crying Jotou?" Asobi tilted her head. Fumeko followed, furrowing her brows to the tear marks.

’Dammit... I have to explain it all again... Okay, take it slow. I don’t need them to think I’ve gone insane.’ "I’ll explain everything at breakfast," Jotou took a deep breath.

_

"How did you guess!? Are you psychic Jotou!?" Asobi giddied onto the table.

"Not exactly. I know your breakfast orders because it’s been the same before—twice."

"What are you on about?" Fumeko checked the menu again.

"Listen to me, very carefully..." Jotou explained all the events that occurred; or rather, would occur...

"Then, we go fight, but whenever we come close to winning..." Jotou knitted her eyebrows, beginning to exhale steam, "The rogue battalion’s lieutenant, Eli Frye resets it to today."

"So, why don’t we remember any of this again?" Hotaru’s ears bristled.

"Her body got sent back, but as Kor said, her brain has some sort of enchantment on it. So, her memories are intact," Fumeko went on.

"Right, same conclusion Fumeko made last time. Let me now explain the, complicated part with some philosophy... I’ll also add the milk analogy Hotaru made last time."

"The what?" Hotaru squinted whilst Jotou explained now everything, the theory, the idea...

"Ugh, as if I didn’t already wake up with a migraine," Hotaru rubbed her temples.

"Oh, you too? Must be the heat," Fumeko melted as she ate.

"I woke up with a headache, I’m not sure what a my-grain is," Asobi poked her head with the wand.

"That, is a headache Asobi... We all have headaches. This environment must take getting used to. Cravolta City won’t be this hot though, we’ll be there tomorrow," Hotaru faced the elf.

"No, remember what Jotou said? There’s gonna be a travel ban," Fumeko rubbed the back of her head.

Jotou narrowed her vision, "I don’t have a headache... And I’m pretty sure none of you had a headache the last two times. Then again, I didn’t ask."

Fumeko bobbed her head from side to side, "Could it be something with this thing the Frye guy had?"

"Maybe..."

"As much as a travel ban sounds possible, Jotou are you sure this is all, real?" Hotaru whispered slightly.

"It took us a while to believe that Jotou isn’t even a girl. She told us she’s from another world and guess what? It wasn’t an amnesia case, it’s pretty much proven now. But this you can’t believe?"

"No, Meko, I shouldn’t expect anyone to believe. It’s a hard thing to do with a story like this," Jotou put a hand out, then faced the redhead, "But Hotaru; trust me. I’m telling the truth."

Hotaru gleaned into her brown eyes... Her own brilliant blue squinting and her lips pouting to the side. "Uh, Sorry to interrupt, but thought you should know, plan’s changed," the driver’s tail swayed, a hat atop his head.

"All vehicles going in and out of Hartamat have to stay put for now. A battalion of Trailon soldiers apparently set up camp close by."

"Thanks for letting us know Aviv," Jotou gave a smirk. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Aviv cocked a brow, "How do you know my name...?"

"I’m the Thundering Blade. I also know, there might be a quicker way out of here."

"I mean, word around is a two day wait, but sure... It’s risky and it’ll cost you a little extra. These warnings aren’t something uncommon after all."

"Ooo! Is this where we bribe you and go anyway!?"

His tail spiked straight, "Hey! Quiet down elf, or else we’re all gonna spend way longer in Hartamat."

"We’re mulling it over. Though, it’s very likely that’s going to be happening, so, plan’s not really changed," Jotou hushed.

Aviv tipped his hat, "I’ll get the carriage and horses ready then. Security might be a bit tight," he began walking off.

"I may have a plan for that," Jotou told.

"Jotou? What was that?" Hotaru’s tail spiked.

"Yeah, we’re throwing away twenty armite!? Are you crazy?" Fumeko added.

"Not to mention, since everything’s been going the way you’ve ’predicted’, we’d also lose on our party’s reputation by not accepting that commission, right?" Hotaru leaned in.

"If we fight this loo-tenant this time, you have a plan for it, right!? We can take away whatever he has! Like stealing babies from a candy. Wait..."

Jotou faced the elf, her cheery smile and upbeat, squeaky voice that turned into pondering of her childlike confusion. Her simple naivety made her all the more charming...

Jotou stared... ’One killed Meko... Two killed Hotaru... ...I’m not waiting till three to make my thesis.’ "Asobi?"

With their breakfasts cleaned off the plates, the magician glanced up with glee, "Yes!?"

"Why don’t you go entertain some of the people here? I’m sure they’d love it."

"Really!?"

"Hang on, Jotou? What are you doing?" Hotaru glanced about.

"Oh please! Please! Please! Please Hotaru! Let me go show off a little bit of my tricks! The people of Hartamat would love them!"

"Yeah Hotaru, Please!?" Jotou smiled along to the confused redhead. "...Please...?" Jotou’s face dropped to a glare.

Hotaru shifted her gaze between the two, Fumeko shrugging... "Fine, be careful."

"Yay!" the chair nearly fell over as Asobi dashed to another table, butterflies following in her wake.

"Come on," Jotou grabbed Hotaru and Fumeko by the wrist, getting up from the table.

"Woah!"

"Hey!"

"We’ll be right around the corner Asobi! Give us a sec!"

"Okay!" Asobi waved, continuing her tricks to the random patrons.

_

Jotou made them follow her into a secluded alley nearby—not much foot traffic. They complied for the moment; Fumeko looked out onto the street whilst Hotaru folded her arms.

"Nice, we ditched her, let’s get out of Hartamat."

"Meko..." the other two glaring made the brunette recoil...

"I’m kidding..."

"You better be."

"And you better have a good explanation for dragging us here. Is this all a prank for Asobi?" Hotaru questioned.

"No... I, left out a very important part," Jotou stuttered, she tried, one word after the other; Fumeko dying the first time and Hotaru the second...

"Jotou..."

"If you two need more convincing, I can do that too. But those moments... don’t exist anymore and are only in my head now..."

The two stood in silence, contemplating, what do you even do with information like this? Jotou’s soft palms gently grabbed Fumeko’s open hand and then the other grabbed Hotaru’s.

They both looked up at the blonde; Jotou breathed heavier, watery eyes about to burst. Her hands gripped tighter and tighter, straining her entire arm to hold the two tight.

"As much, as I’d like to try again; I don’t know what’ll happen." Jotou sobbed, unable to contain the dews upon her cheek. "And I have you two back, here... I don’t wanna test what can happen this time...

I don’t think I can stomach," she whimpered, "Seeing Asobi, of all people, die; and I can’t watch either of you die again. And if I die I can’t change anything.

I care about all of you too much; that’s why I think it’s smarter for us to leave. We just walk away from this entire thing. Please. This is the easiest way out of this mess..."

Hotaru locked gazes with the blonde... Those eyes of hers, they held no lie... She moved forward, holding Jotou in a tight hug, "You poor thing... Of course we can," she rubbed the back of her neck.

"I already believed you," Fumeko glanced, a sense of sorrow upon her cheeks and eyes, "One hundred percent."

Jotou sobbed, letting it all go onto the redhead’s shoulder, "Thank you."

"It’s okay, it’s okay. We’ll leave, don’t worry," the calm promise uttered out of Hotaru’s lips into her ears, steadied her nerves; Jotou gulped, giving her thanks to the brunette with her eyes as well.

Fumeko regarded it with a little bittersweet grin.