Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 123: Arc 3, - 33: Little Butterfly

"M-master, what do we do...?" rainbow tears went down her face—standing no taller than a table, gripping a wand made out of wood.

A faulty rack of dumbbells scattered across the floor; blood trailing in a small river, from a ginger woman dressed in red...

"Nothing Asobi, nothing. Forget you saw anything, shut up and I’ll deal with this. We can always find more talent. Stop crying girl, nothing happened. You understand? Nothing happened!" Zayexiwovu shook her. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Asobi froze in place, her arms as stiff as wood, "Y-yes... I understand..." she gulped.

Zayexiwovu sighed, "Hey, look behind you, it’s a butterfly," he pointed. Asobi turned teary-eyed; an illusory white butterfly, she conjured by instinct just as he told.

"Now, why don’t you go after it and play with it for a bit," he pushed her forward. Asobi walked after it, mouth still agape. Zayexiwovu shook his head, "Need to make sure she’s kept in check..."

Her slightly knitted brows relaxed as her walk turned into a skip towards it. Why worry? Nothing had happened after all!

_

"Asobi, of all the times for you to decide to think for yourself you think now’s the time? I thought you just ignored the problem and moved on, living in your illusory fantasy-

I’d rather you be safe, than running around unable to cast or end up like me when I fail my spells.

And I don’t need you freezing in place once something bad happens and you can’t fully ignore it immediately. You can’t always be a blank slate waiting for orders Asobi."

Jotou’s words rang in her head... Asobi snapped out of it, her eyes widened as she felt the tears going down her cheeks. She heard something—a scream.

Asobi glanced to her left... A soldier’s body, dead—a bad guy. Next to it, arms that flopped before they could reach her neck, face peppered to unrecognizability—if it were not for two limp ears on top...

Her jade-green eyes followed along to Hotaru’s fallen legs, to another body once lying in her lap, trying to be healed. Her brown hair drifted past her legs, blood leaking down her head.

Red, orange, yellow—Asobi slowly stood up—green, blue, indigo and violet in every drop—her legs shaking. Both hands gripped her wand as she took one step over the other.

She peeked out the tent, to the dozens upon dozens of bodies; fifty? Maybe sixty? Chunks of sand stuck out like branches of coral whilst rain came down faster.

That scream... The magician peered with watery eyes into the night rain, at a blonde that gleamed in the dark, on the ground whimpering.

Asobi jolted to the cold water hitting her head, before dodging back into the tent for cover. Why didn’t she bring her hat with her? Sure, it was hot before, but here, at night; had she just forgot?

Asobi gulped as she looked into the tent, "Hotaru, what should I do?" a flickering illusion of her dead friend showed up. The elf wiped her tears. "Everything will be fine, right?"

The illusion of her barely stayed up, but even so, she could see Hotaru’s eyes softening, "No Asobi. I don’t want to lie to you," the redhead’s voice projected.

"Then, what do I do?"

"I’m not sure. I’m not here."

Asobi’s eyes widened, she looked back to the corpse of the person she spoke to. Asobi flinched back, "No, no, say something, please!"

"Asobi, you realize I’m just in your head, yes? I don’t know anything you wouldn’t."

"But, you’ve always said useful things! I’ve talked to you so many times before!" Asobi pleaded—more tears forming.

"I think that would be general advice... Listen, Sobi, I care for you, a lot. If anything, I think something’s messing with your affinity."

"My affinity? Hm... I guess my illusions have been going buzzy. Jotou said something about joy and entertainment?"

"See what I mean Sobi? You’re just pulling on memories of us. You already have the idea, you just don’t dig deep enough. My best advice? Think. You know what to do."

The illusion disappeared of its own accord. "No, wait! Oh, I made you go poof... Think Asobi, think!" An illusion of Fumeko appeared.

"Go help Jotou dumbass. She said these two days have been resetting and we come back to life, remember?" a flickering Fumeko glared.

"Oh! I can help Jotou to bring you back to life! Thanks Meko!" Asobi went to hug the illusion only for it to fade and her to realize when she turned around, "Right," she shook her head.

The little rain had gone back to a drizzle as Asobi stepped out of the tent, looking to her friends in a frown, "I’ll help Jotou. I’ll help bring you back," illusions went over them, as if they were never injured.

A squad of Hartamat soldiers ran forward. "You! What happened here? We heard thunder all over the field, Lieutenant Knox is down. Where’s the Thundering Blade!?" the squad leader questioned.

With massacre around their feet, one soldier held his mouth. The intoxicating scent of freshly stricken lightning still lingered in the air, the bodies wet from the light rain.

"She took care of the bad people trying to come into this area," Asobi pointed to Jotou in the near distance, "There she is. I’m going to go help her reset all this time and I won’t remember anything! Bye!"

Asobi skipped off in the damp sand; the illusion upon her friends she left behind never faded, not even a flicker. "Hey, kid, wait!"

The squad leader put an arm over the soldier who tried to halt her, "Leave her be. She’s with the Thundering Blade; better for those group of maniacs to be dead."

_

"Jotou...?"

Jotou stopped whimpering for a second, "Asobi?" she saw the magician smile, "Asobi..." Jotou began to sob again.

Asobi tilted her head, the smile on her empathetic, "Jotou, we can’t cry yet. You said it yourself, this can all be reset, right?"

"Asobi," Jotou’s head shivered, "I can’t do it... I can’t do it anymore, I CAN’T!"

Asobi recoiled as the blonde bared her teeth. Both hands gripped her wand, "What do you mean... you can’t?"

"I... I can’t save everyone... Someone has to die because I can’t figure it out... I keep failing, I can’t see you all dead again. Frye’s not gonna reset it... He’s won..." her eyes stared into the distance.

"Well..." Asobi frowned, "Why can’t we try again? You said it’s only been three times before. Maybe, fifth time’s the charm!"

Jotou glanced to Asobi—staring, gazing—brown to green. Jotou chuckled, then began crying again, "Sobi..." she squealed, "Just leave me here... I’ll live, because I somehow always DO! ...Go, go, find some place happy for you."

"But Jotou... I’m happiest with all of you. I’ve known you all longer than most people except one."

"Don’t," Jotou pursed her lips, trying not to cry, "Don’t say that."

Asobi crouched down, "And you guys helped me when I was sad and alone. You took me in and we’ve been on fantastical adventurers ever since. It’s been scary, but also amazing! And fun! And so magical!"

"Asobi please... Go away. He’s too far and I have no strength. My legs can’t move. I’ve had enough... I just want to rest, forever," the blonde’s protests were in vain as she felt a hug cover her form.

"Silly Jotou, that’s why I’m here to help," the elf nestled into her blonde locks.

"Sobi..." Jotou cried onto her shoulder reluctantly, "I’ve tried Asobi, I’ve tried. You said it yourself; just four times and I’ve given up. I can’t do anything."

Asobi patted her back, "There, there. What makes you think that after everything amazing and awesome and spectacular you’ve done?"

"Amazing and awesome... Most if it can just go to luck..."

"We all need a little luck! We need Hotaru and Fumeko back, don’t we?"

"You’re right... They helped me so much; Hotaru healed me back to life and here I am, crying about her death when I can do something. What a great friend I turned out to be... That promise..." she sobbed.

"Jotou, how can I help?" Asobi heard the marching of soldiers coming in this direction.

"That promise... That promise... Asobi, I can’t move, I can’t move," her legs had given out long ago, as much as her will tried, "Asobi, you need to make Frye reset this."

The blonde sobbed, pushing Asobi away, "Asobi, I’m so sorry. Maybe I’ll just stay put the next time. But I can’t do next time; I can’t even move.

Eli Frye—big guy, leather armour, black hair. He’s the rogue lieutenant Schroeder told us about. You need to find him, hurt him or make Trailon lose, whatever so that he decides to reset this, PLEASE!"

Asobi tilted her head, held by the blonde; only now did she the blood adorned all across Jotou’s face, "Jotou... I can only, do illusions. I can’t hurt people. I can, blind them?" she shrugged.

"Asobi, you have to try something. I don’t know what to do. Get Schroeder, get the Hartamat soldiers, make them invisible and go in for the attack- something. You’re good at tricks; just put on a show," she begged.

"Will that make you... happy? I can maybe... put on a show to make them think they’re losing?" she cocked her brow, not even sure how she would begin doing that.

"If you can... please do so," Jotou let go of her and her palms fell into the sand. "Please Sobi," Jotou fell and lied in the sand, "Please end this suffering loop... I’m sorry... I’m so sorry..."

Like a broken record, the blonde kept repeating her apology, fallen into the damp sand while light drizzle still making its way down. "Okay Jotou... Okay. I’ll put on a grand spectacular just for you."

Asobi stood up, holding onto her wand as she looked onto the soldiers coming into sight... "For you, and me, and Fumeko, and Hotaru," she closed her eyes.

_

The soldiers marched, muskets at the ready. The thunder echoed till their base and now they knew the origin—with their fallen comrades in view. They looked in shock and disgust and yet, the perpetrator nowhere in said view.

"Greetings rogue battalion! I’m the Amazing Asobi! Coming to you from Kria to Hartamat on a grand tour! Please, enjoy this spectacular for the ages!" the voice echoed.

The soldiers turned left and right, to the skies and to their feet. "Is this some sort of trick?" Frye walked out of his tent with his rifle in hand. From afar, he peered through his telescope.

"There’s no way; the Thundering Blade should’ve been dealt with. Is she more powerful than expected? Maybe we should’ve called more reinfo- What the..."

Like kites, reddish serpents began drifting through the skies, larger than buildings. White butterflies sparkled across the entire field, dancing and fluttering.

A magician appeared out of invisibility from their view, twirling and dancing with her wand. Moonlight gleamed off of her as glittering constellations formed in the clouds above.

Slow moving illusions created a grand light show to their awe. "Is this, their surrender? Can this experiment finally be a success?" Frye sighed, watching the dazzling fireworks begin. He spoke into his transceiver.

Asobi had her eyes closed, moving and twisting. Alongside her, the illusions of Hotaru, Fumeko and Jotou mimicked her dance. A smile plastered across her face.

"The lieutenant said it’s a surrender," the soldier relaxed his shoulders.

"I guess they lost too much."

"I didn’t realize a surrender would be accepted like this. It’s, beautiful," a man raised a hand to catch one of the butterflies. "Tsss..." Only for it to burn right through his hand with searing light.

"GAHHHH!!!"

The others around him stared. Another opened his transceiver, "Liuetenant! It’s not a surrender! It’s an attack-!" the firework blew up as sparks of light fell onto their hats, melting them on contact.

"Huh?" Asobi’s eyes opened halfway to the sudden screams. She saw the melting helmets and soldiers beginning to fall from injuries. She squinted, continuing her performance... "I can...?"

The giant red serpents went white as it drifted down from the skies. "GAH!" "AGHH!!!" "SOS, SOS!" burning light against their skin, charred them upon contact. Some bullets fired into the illusions, but they had no effect.

"We warned about the illusions! There’s an illusionist in their ranks! Find them and terminate!" Frye yelled into the transceiver, watching people burn from the light. He laid his hand on his belt... This might be another loss...

What remained of the soldiers, charged forward, crying out loud. They looked to the elf, dancing in the middle alongside three others.

"Blast! Blast! Blast!" Shots fired through all of them; none of them were a real person. The real Asobi reappeared right next to them as the soldiers came to a confused halt—alongside her, a blonde in the sand.

She twisted and twirled, much like Jotou’s blade movements as a blade made of light began forming at the tip of her wand as she twirled and—"TSSS!!!"—their screams were melted away with a giant sword of light, that slashed through all of them in one swing.

Asobi breathed; all the illusions died down... She watched the corpses fall... However, her attention was more focused on the tip of her wand; her brows furrowed. A tiny butterfly flapped on it...

Jotou looked up, "Asobi...?" she looked to all the lights fading and the fresh corpses that just fell.

Asobi watched the tiny white butterfly, like a moth to a flame... She poked her finger- "Ow!" She flinched away from the sudden burning sting of the butterfly. She then looked to Jotou, "...I didn’t know... I could-"

A white flash took over her sentence and her view. Jotou widened her eyes to the elf, not even a chance at a thank you or another sorry before it was all gone again...