Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 226: Arc 4, Act II, - 71: Maleficos Ordinate, Cravolta Sector
"I’ve been into the city before, so let me be your guide. Detective Namora shall navigate us through the city!" Fumeko proclaimed with a finger in the air.
"You went on a carriage ride through the City Centre, I’d have the same guide with Asobi," the blonde tightened her lips.
"Ugh, fine."
Jotou and Fumeko stood around the fountain as their carriage was getting ready to depart. "Here you are, any purchase made will be covered by Tamara Palace.
The princess has allowed five hundred armite after Ms Hotaru’s and I’s estimations, however please bargain as much as you can," Feyan handed a sealed letter to them.
With gold bars for irises, Fumeko yoinked it and checked the seal. "Fare-thee-well!" Asobi skipped over and handed Jotou a set of her magician’s attire. "Ohp! And this," Asobi flipped Jotou her hat.
Jotou, who was already carrying her adventuring attire and Fumeko’s usual attire, let Asobi stack it on top. Meanwhile, the blonde wore skirted leggings and her yellow tie neck blouse.
Fumeko sported a frilly lavender shirt made by the palace and a pleated white skirt till her knees. "Be careful. I wish I could come, but it’s rare for Feyan to have free time to teach me," Hotaru waved.
"I’ll take care of her wolfy," Fumeko declared before hopping into the carriage.
Hotaru pouted to her, "Just, have fun, but not too much alright?"
’...Those two talked. What did they say to each other? Sigh, Hopefully things got resolved. ...Yeah keep hoping.’ "Same to you. We’re going on business, not some trip," Jotou reminded as she stepped in.
The coachman whipped and the horses neighed out of the gates, with their friends waving goodbye. "Into Cravolta City, properly," Jotou set the clothes aside to watch the lush grass and some tall trees pass by.
Fumeko curled her legs onto her seat and leaned against the windowsill. The sunrays pierced through the leaves, some storm clouds were present, but too distant to cause any alarm.
Onto the orderly streets of the city centre the carriage descended. The grey bricks, streetlamps across the pavements, heavy crowds; all of which the brunette had seen before.
Despite all that had happened in the palace, the hustle and bustle of Cravolta City had not changed. A vendor sold cones of fresh ice-cream under the shade of trees. Jotou heard a gasp and turned.
"Jotou... can we?"
"Let’s finish what we planned, alright?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Hey cheer up, you’re finally getting what you want."
"I know," Fumeko gazed at the blonde. She smiled, "Do you miss, the time we first met?" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
Jotou stared out the window, "I think I miss Kria in general. Hm. You were so confident in guiding me through Kria even though it was your first day there," she held a half-cocked smirk.
"I mean, we had our own little ventures in Kria."
Jotou hummed in reminiscence and tilted her head side to side, "That we did. Now spit it out detective, what did you and Hotaru talk about?"
"Uh..." a nervous sweat formed.
"It’s been five days since I asked you to talk to her, I think I’m allowed to ask; I presume I was the subject matter."
"Of course you would paranoiac."
"Detective~"
"DON’T USE THAT VOICE!!!"
"It’s so fun though. It only works cause you refuse to get over me," she beamed.
"Oh please, you’re just as stubborn as me."
"Maybe. You wanna talk about it or not?"
"You and her didn’t talk amongst the pillows?" she sneered.
"Not really; I don’t think she knows I told you to talk to her."
"Well... she does. I’ve now told all three of you about the, scars. And... I told her I liked you..."
Jotou raised a brow, "...And?"
"She said she was cool with it, just didn’t want me interfering so she kinda asked me to back off," Fumeko glanced to the market district spotting the tapestries and silks; the scent of spices creeped into the window.
Jotou squinted, "Are you sure she said that detective?"
"I... Okay maybe I don’t wanna talk about it. Promise me you won’t ask Hotaru about it either!" Fumeko furrowed her brows to the blonde.
"I’ll be damned if I don’t pester you about it," her eyes glazed over.
"We, talked about some private stuff," Fumeko twisted her legs and curled her fingers in, "Something I don’t want you knowing about."
’Great, that’s gonna be haunting some corner of my mind now. But.’ "Alright, I won’t," Jotou looked back to the window.
"Wait really?"
"Really."
"You’re not just lying to spite me are you?"
"Listen, I like pissing people off and friends aren’t excluded from that. But I can do things to truly piss people off and I won’t ever do that to the people I care about; especially important things like this.
If I do, I don’t enjoy doing it; and if I do enjoy doing it, then that isn’t me," the blonde’s face went to rest, no smile, no frown; nothing but a stare.
Fumeko held a bittersweet smile, "I trust you." Her sights were on the blonde strands coiling past her ears, parts of her skin no longer pale. How could she possibly get over her...? Fumeko glanced out the window, head siding against the curtains.
The rainforest park at the centre of Cravolta City, shadowing over the stalls. The streets led to a corner of the park where a tall tower loomed over, nearly reaching the height of the trees behind it.
A very familiar seeming black building that curved around the vicinity, shimmering of white sparkles on the black walls that one would have to stare a long time to notice.
The carriage stopped by the security gates, where the two got off to show their documents. "Tamara Palace scheduled our visit," Jotou handed the papers.
"Uh, there is no issue here just," the woman operating the gates took out a book and opened up a page, "Could you, give me your autograph Thundering Blade?"
Jotou squinted. ’There’s no getting used to this.’ "Sure, do you want one from the infamous Detective Namora as well? She helped solve the Velatos Case in Kria."
"Really?" the woman turned, then leaned from desk to see her.
"How could you miss my illustrious presence?" Fumeko flaunted her hair.
"Uh, if I could have both I would really appreciate it!" Both of them signed the page. Jotou’s being a ’J-H’ in an artistic curve that ended in a few slashes whilst Fumeko’s was simply her full name with twisting letters.
"Nice to make a fan happy," Fumeko strut into the Ordinate tower.
"I think she might sell it for some good cash."
"Stop being paranoid."
"I’d never," the two observed their surroundings. Unlike the Krian Ordinate, where the floors were open and there were many empty sections, this place was crowded.
Before and even after they entered, citizens and Ordinate members alike went in and out. There were five sets of elevators in constant use.
People lined up to the receptionists, holding tickets. Much like Jotou, some seemed to carry attire, armour and objects into the building.
"Welcome, welcome," he deeply bowed. Dark skin, burnt red hair, decorations glittering upon his clothes and a tiepin with a ruby.
"Chief Hernandeya," Jotou smiled and bent her knees to attempt a curtsy.
"We brought the stuff," Fumeko pointed.
"Right, if you would come along to my department we can get this done with haste," he turned, signalling them to follow. Many turned in perturbance to the line skippers.
Until it turned into squints and whispers; which in turn converted into gawks and gossip. "Your popularity might cause a commotion so best we hurry," he quickened his steps.
The other two followed, getting a glimpse of the inner workings of the Cravoltan Maleficos Ordinate. The people consulted with members at the desk, issuing tickets on which department would help most in their troubles.
"Whether it be tracking down your lost friend, assessing your magical artefacts, figuring out your affinities, applying for Ordinate scholarships, the Maleficos Ordinate provides all the magical solutions for your magical needs.
We have smaller departments across the province of Cravolta and all four provinces as a whole! The people you see here come from far and vastly different backgrounds all needing our assistance.
This is the hub, the centre of the Maleficos Ordinate, Cravolta Sector," he stepped onto a platform. With a snap of his fingers, the platform buzzed.
An aura of bronze squared around where they stood, creating a short wall before the floor shifted and the platform began elevating them.
The further up they went, everything below seemed like ants. Every floor was met with footsteps by the dozen or even by the hundreds.
The chief turned to them, "So honoured guests, survey all you want, request all you need. We will assist you to the best of our ability for any magical issue, guaranteed."
"I knew the Ordinate helped with magic and were basically researchers, but this just feels like a market," Fumeko snarked.
Jotou shrugged, "It is at the end of the market district..."
