Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 121: Arc 3, - 31: A Sound That Leaves A Mark
Jotou peered to the silent elf, sitting next to Hotaru as the carriage wheels bumped on every brick possible.
’Was I too harsh? No. She needed to hear it, one way or another. I can’t risk losing her either and if that means scolding her, then that’s fine by me; I can make it up to her later.’
Hotaru sat with both hands on her tail brought forward. Asobi played with her fingers while staring at the floor. The redhead then brought her elbow up to the window, eyes siding to the lieutenant keeping an eye on them all.
Jotou sat upright, shoulders tense. She looked out the window; any view was better than this depressing one. Though, the thought lingered as the blonde’s body rattled along.
Houses passing by, school children in brown and gold uniforms setting off for school from their homes. A shadow casted down, the Sun barely peeked through.
’Asobi asked if I was okay. Of course I am... I don’t know why the hell I’m getting sudden bursts of laughter, but that can’t be good... I haven’t felt this stressed or tense in a while...
The last time was... an episode with my parents... Even now you haunt me huh? Sigh... But even when every muscle in my body wanted to crush something to a pulp... the laughing’s new... Am I really losing it?’
"That little shit..." a mutter came from Jotou, watching out the window, eyes widening. A boy with a reptilian tail and emerald green scales that went under his school uniform.
He put on his backpack, saying bye to his parents as he left his house. As the door closed, the boy took a doubletake then scurried to the back of his house with shifty eyes before Jotou’s carriage went past the point of viewing him. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
"What is it Jotou?" Hotaru turned, "And stop doing that, I thought I told you before."
Jotou glanced back; her elbow was on the windowsill and her fingers near her mouth. Jotou’s nails had bite marks, the last fingernail yet to be bitten.
"I," Jotou opened her palm, examining her nails again and again, "I didn’t even- Sorry," she shook her head.
_
They were checked again in the office, being logged into the books to enter. The top of a head poked out from the chairs—one with a purple headband.
"FINALLY!" the brunette got up and yelled across with hands on her hips. The other soldiers in the room gave perturbed looks to her as she blinked across the room to them.
What appeared to be excitement, upon closer inspection was frustration, "How was jail?"
"Fine, considering," Jotou eyed the lieutenant practically breathing down her neck.
"I hope we don’t have to be there again. Once this little excursion is over, we’re going to be in Hartamat for much, much longer," Hotaru’s ears fell with a sigh.
"Well, if maybe someone had shown a little more restraint while I wasn’t there," Fumeko glared up to the blonde.
"I did what I had to. I’ll explain later when the zombie’s gone," Jotou rolled her eyes, then faced the lieutenant.
Fumeko did the same before she faced someone else, "What’s wrong with you?" she crossed her arms.
Asobi, "Hm?" peered up from the floor, "Nothing."
Fumeko leered, "Hey lapdog, you better give Asobi her wand back and let her do a few tricks before I find where you’re hiding all the muskets."
Lieutenant Knox shook his head, "Your weapons will be provided when we depart. And might I remind you Ms Namora, you’re not permitted to use magic either."
"What’re you gonna do? Lock me up in a cell I can blink out of?" Fumeko raised a brow.
"Right this way to the major’s office and we can inform you of everything we know about the battalion," Knox walked past.
Major Schroeder had set up a map on a board with a few chairs seated to a table. He watched them enter as he took a seat across, pointing with an open hand to the seats on the other side of the table.
The four of them huddled close around the maps, documents and instruments. The lieutenant stood by the door; the major looked at each of them from under his cap.
"If you try anything during this briefing, I have a dozen armed soldiers at the ready to shoot any and all of you on sight, understood?"
"Maybe. We’ll just have to trust each other for now, won’t we?" Jotou barely waited for him to finish his question.
Hotaru pouted to the blonde, "Sorry; yes, we understand major." Fumeko, sat between the two, glared to them both before keeping her eye on the prize.
"Alright then. The enemy is a rogue battalion that’s deviated from Trailon’s invasion force on the western border of Galuvit.
The rogue Lieutenant Eli Frye has taken with him four hundred soldiers to further the invasion and surround other territories to put pressure from all sides."
Jotou’s eyes bubbled, "Four hundred?"
"Yes. Should be no issue for you, correct?"
"Are you positive it isn’t two hundred and your scouts didn’t count double?"
"Positive. F-o-u-r hundred, in the opposing battalion."
"I get it." ’I don’t get it. How did it double!?’
The major paid attention to the others, "Moving on, his plans were apparently denied by the invasion force and that’s how this rogue party formed from our sources. So, no backup will arrive for them.
If it does, then it confirms suspicion that Trailon did approve of this and thus would warrant further and more drastic action from Cravolta’s end.
I understand you four exposed a war crime committed by this Regime so be on your guard in case of any surprises; they will use any means to secure victory.
As for their offence, they are all armed with muskets, seventy metre range, but thirty metres for an accurate shot. They are also equipped with combat knives in case of close quarters.
The base and tents will be set up on our arrival; artificial cover will be planted in the ground to provide shelter from shots here, here and here," he circled the general areas.
Most of the briefing was the same as before, mundane. ’Two hundred became four... Does someone else remember? What’s outside that border of tall grass? Ai, ai, ai, I’ll figure it out once this is all over; one problem at a time.’
_
Her thoughts muddled, the next moments a blur. The hazy sky, filled with darkened desert clouds. Sand beneath her feet as they were given back the sword, the wand and the dagger.
Asobi picked it up with no haste as the four of them were left to their own devices in a lone tent; the tent Jotou recognized as another checkpoint at this point.
"We’re alone now," Hotaru checked around, "So, now that we have some time, could you please explain everything?" her ears flickered.
Jotou faced them, all under a yellow light, staring at her... "Yes. One by one then..."
She proceeded to explain the basic concept, the same two days repeating being the reason for their headaches, Frye somehow controlling it, seeing them dying, why she can remember and Fumeko’s theory—not really elaborating too much on the details.
_
"And then I wake up, all of you forget everything again. I tried to hide it this time around, but I covered it for a whole ten seconds," Jotou shrugged.
"We... die?" Asobi held her wand tightly.
"Okay. That all sounds like me and what I would say. It makes sense why you knew to check the minister’s office which might I add, was a complete gamble," Fumeko crossed her arms.
"I’m aware."
"So, out of all of that, can I ask you a question about this time then?"
"What?"
"Are you crazy killing all those guards when you could’ve simply held them off!? What’s the point of killing of them!? What possible difference did you make!?"
Jotou knitted her brows, "To protect all of you obviously! And look who’s talking, Ms Jump-into-danger-with-an-impromptu-plan!"
"If even I’m suggesting it then you know you’ve screwed up!" Fumeko bared her teeth. "You not only put yourself on a criminal record, but you’ve got these two in it too!
I should be the last one to talk about reckless, but I expect for how clever and paranoid you are, there would be a second of forethought!"
Hotaru stepped in between the glaring eyes, Asobi shrunk further into the tent. "Jotou was trying to protect us Fumeko," she shot daggers to the brunette.
"If we take everything she said as truth then you shouldn’t be calling her crazy. Leave her be," Hotaru watched as Fumeko scoffed in her direction.
’Screw this.’ With a huff, Jotou walked off, water boiling in her head. Fumeko kept an eye whilst Hotaru sighed and then walked after the blonde.
Asobi held her wand, peering to the whites and blacks of it. A small illusory butterfly of bright white flickered; one second, two, then gone the next...
Hotaru grabbed Jotou’s shoulder and twisted her around. The two were out of earshot of the others. The blonde with a frown, grunted as she held her own shoulder from being pulled so firmly.
Hotaru’s ears spiked, "I’m all for defending your actions in front of them, but you better have a better reason than that for killing so many people. She’s right, we could’ve easily just defended."
"Then why did you follow me?" the elegance in her tone, like a privileged noble being told no.
"Because I trusted you’d have a good reason!" her tail hairs stood on end, "You killed a fleeing troop of guards and I was there by your side! Why would you do that for that reason alone!?"
Jotou clenched her fists, squeezing her eyes shut, "Because anything CAN BE a threat!
And if I don’t take care of anything that dangers ANY of us then there’s a chance someone dies again. I’ve seen ALL of your dead bodies enough times as it is!"
"What were a few fleeing guards going to do to us!? You had them scared off! What the hell has gotten into you!? You’re smarter than this!
If your mind’s this clouded from all that trauma you should stay back. Rethink your plan before fighting this or so help me I will shoot your leg myself! And I’m not healing it till you put yourself together!"
Reddened eyes, "I NEED TO STOP ANY THREATS TO OUR LIVES! YOU’LL BE THANKING ME ONCE ALL THIS TIME BULLSHIT IS OVER AND YOU’RE STILL BREATHING.
I’M A DAMN BLESSING TO YOU AREN’T I!? IF YOU WANT TO BE AS DEAD AS YOUR FATHER THEN YOU SHOULD’VE GIVEN UP DURING THE VELATOS ATTACKS!"
...
...
...
Tears welled up in the brilliant blue eyes... "SLAP!"
Jotou’s head sided to the desert sand; no arcs of lightning over her hair, no warning from her senses. An open palm planted against the blonde’s face.
A red handprint began to form as Jotou’s arm shook in anger and she stared to the right, huffing.
Hotaru’s lips wriggled... ears bristled and tail spiked. She bit her bottom lip as her brows lowered and wrinkled. One, then two, then a river of tears leaked from her brilliant blue.
Her crimson locks whipped the air as she turned, striding away—leaving the blonde.
Jotou stared—stared till the footsteps sounded far enough... She looked the other way. ’What did I just say...’ Jotou’s palms grazed over her face. "Gah!" she kicked the sand, nearly clawing her own face off.
