Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 349: Arc 5, - 43: Breaking News!

As the four wandered about the place, exploring nooks and crannies for perhaps crumbs of information or to eavesdrop on some conversation, they heard a subtle whine coming from the front of Kazuo Namora’s office.

They all walked towards the office to see Morgana—arms crossed—glancing down with glazed over eyes. Kira stood right next to her, looking up to the same figure.

A lean-looking figure wearing a white button up with the sleeves rolled up—perhaps a smidgen shorter than Jotou. A pinkish belt went sideways around her waist and she wore tapered black trousers.

"Oh, come onnnn! I made’it all the way here and I can’t even enter the detective’s office?" the bubbly and quick-talking voice pleaded—barely even pronouncing her R-s as she spoke.

"You know exactly why," Morgana replied. "We can’t have you snooping around the sensitive documents in there." Kira walked in front of the door and blocked it with her wings.

Her chubby cheeks pouted, "Cross my heart and hope to die, I’d never do that!" as she moved her right arm, it jingled a couple of pink bracelets—one with a few charms on it.

Morgana glared...

"While he’was still in there anyhow-" she smiled. However, her ear practically twitched as she heard the approaching footfalls. Her black court shoes, with pink bows at the front, clacked as she turned to face them.

Her lips of pastel pink smiled wider as she jumped forward and approached. Through her light brown hair cut in a blunt bob, there were some pink-hued strands at the front and undersides, while sapphire-blue strands were behind her neck.

Around her shirt collar, dangled a thick leather camera strap and above her left breast pocket she wore a brass pin of a phoenix feather.

Before any of them spoke, she raised the bulky, black, accordion-like camera and- "FLASH!" They all shunned from the flash of it, except Asobi who beamed wide.

"HEY!" Fumeko yelled and rubbed her eyes.

As their visions slowly came back, the woman had already put the camera down. Three prongs stuck out of the right side of the camera like antennas, each ending in circular lenses—red, then green, then blue.

Hotaru’s ears flickered, "You can’t just take pictures without consent and publish them!"

"No, no, no~! This is for keepsakes," she corrected her pink ribbon bow and adjusted her round glasses with a brass frame.

"Alicia, I assume," Jotou blinked a few more times for good measure.

"Oh woww!" her striking pink eyes darted up in glee as she rushed forth and took Jotou’s hand into both of hers and shook, "I heard tale and talk, but hearing the songbird-like voice in the flesh’s somethin’ else!"

"Uh, thanks-" Jotou knitted her brows.

But the reporter had already moved on to shake another’s hand, "Ms Kinoshita, big fan of your work! Passing that bill for licensing formal trade between Trailon and Galuvit—genius!"

The redhead seemed to perk up, "Ah well, it’s the council that passes regulations like that, I’m just an advisor," her tail wagged.

"Well, well, well~ The Amazing Asobi; I only caught tail ends of the circus shows whenever they’d be’in the city. Never did get an interview with that ringmaster of yours."

Suddenly Asobi’s bright beam dropped and she fluttered her lashes, "Oh, well-"

"That’s all behind you now," Alicia patted the back of Asobi’s hand comfortingly, "Leading a new life of adventure and excitement! Sorry to bring it’up."

The cheer returned on the elf’s face and she titled her head, "It’s okay! It’s been fun since... I love your hair!"

Alicia chuckled, "Why thank you. Did’t all by myself," she flipped a couple of strands back.

"Ahem," Fumeko crossed her arms.

"Come on now, I wouldn’t forget Fumeko Namora, solver of the Velatos Case, the young detective travelling across the world!" Alicia gave her hand to shake. "I have so many questions~!"

"Hm, that’s more like it," Fumeko shook her hand with a smirk. Then the brunette paused and leered up, "If the questions are about my dad, forget it..."

"Not at all, not at all!" Alicia raised her hands in a bit of surrender. "Not all of them are about him anyhow," she muttered under her breath. "Note to self, daughter’s as sharp as the father."

"I can hear you," Hotaru side-eyed.

"I’m well aware of that," the reporter turned with a wide grin. "M’not tryin’ to hide the truth or anythin’ of the sort! Now, now, I was told by the number one detective that my services were needed-

So, what’s the news, what’s the happenings, what’s the weather like in those juicy, story-filled heads of yours? Alicia Langstirk, reporter, journalist and photojournalist for Phoenix News. Don’t leave me on’a nail-biting cliffhanger."

_

"So, you need my assistance in anythin’ related to the ol’ spook case that ain’t so old. Find out the whereabouts of the next victim and report back," she paced back and forth, biting the brass frames of her glasses she held now.

Her stud earrings of gleaming white gems glimmered every time she turned within the dull grey room with a single white light above.

A large mirror sat beside the door of the room and a long table with three chairs were set up in the otherwise empty interior. Jotou, who sat on the table’s edge, spoke, "Can you do that?"

"Is my camera primed with a film with thirty-one blank pieces?"

"I... wouldn’t know?"

"Yes, the answer’s yes," she flipped her glasses back on. Swiftly she took a notepad out of her pocket and one of the many colourful pens from her breast pocket. "Though, a lotta things’re strikin’ my fancy ’bout all this.

Did Detective Namora hire these capable adventurers to take this case into their own hands? What’s the reasoning for the Thundering Blade involving herself in some serial murder case?

What prompted you lot to come all the way down to Burnetrout? Lovely time of year, spring’s ’bout to bloom, but this little case in jolly ol’ Dolpool seems too little for this much attention.

If so, if so, do the victims of the case connect together in some grand conspiracy? Also, knowing all this information, is it’a fair guess to say you have witnessed the scenes of these murders using sensitive information yet to be released to the public-"

"Hey train-mouth, this needs to be secret," Fumeko interrupted from her seat.

Alicia turned to her and pouted before placing her hand on her waist, "Y’know who you’re talking to, right? Are you suggesting I keep my hands away from the typewriter for all this? This is a huge scoop not to gobble up."

"We’ve come to you for help, because you might be able to help us solve this case and even stop the murders," Hotaru stated. "We don’t have the authority to say this can all go public."

"More so, if this information does go public, you lose a lot. This entire company might crumble and the detectives who work here, won’t anymore. Not to mention, the panic you’ll bring to the citizens," Jotou replied.

"If it’s somethin’ that big, the world has a right to know and protect themselves. You’re acting like panicking’s the wrong thing to do when there’s a serial killer on the loose—unless it’s more than some serial killer-"

"We can’t let people know," Fumeko hissed. "There’s a lot of things we can’t really confirm or prove yet. You’d just be writing paranoia in the papers."

Alicia stared to Fumeko for a moment... Her lips twitched left and right, "Sounds like some big conspiracy’s afoot. Wouldn’t happen to be the Deuctus Cult now, would’it?" her pink eyes quickly darted to the reactions of the others.

Hotaru’s ears bristled, Fumeko’s brows furrowed and eyes widened, whilst Jotou kept her face the same with the slightest knit of her brows and Asobi kept an innocent smile.

"Hah!" Alicia quickly jotted something down.

"Why would the cult be involved with the murders? Seems silly to me. I mean, what would they even get by killing random people? We’re just trying to stop the murders since we were in the city," Asobi tilted her head and poked a wand under her chin.

"In the city," Alicia’s eyes narrowed a smidgen. "This time a’year, must be your graduation little detective," she pointed the end of her blue pen towards Fumeko.

"Yeah, that’s why I came back," she crossed her arms.

"I already knew that," Alicia tapped her pen against the notepad, "But with the sudden burst of thunder recently," she eyed the blonde.

Jotou sighed, "Sounds like a desperate reporter writing up whatever news they can get their hands on to me—fake or not," her eyes darted away.

"We’re heroes, it seemed natural to help. We’ve helped many people before," Asobi reasoned.

"Hey, hey, desperate’s a bit much don’tcha think? I must admit, you lot do have a knack to go around helping people," she stared down to her notepad and sighed out long and hard. "Alright, alright, my lips are sealed for now.

You’ll have to fill me in on the details of the case as you get ’em, deal? I think that’s fair."

"As long as it won’t be publicized until the resolution of the case," Hotaru said with no emotion on her visage.

"Ooo, you run a hard bargain Ms Kinoshita, but I’ll take it!" she wrote down something on another page and tore the previous note before crumpling it up.

"So, the next victim; how exactly would you even go about finding that out?" Fumeko asked.

"I have my people and they’ve got theirs. I can’t guarantee a time, but you’ll be the first to know if I even get a crumb," she smiled.

"Thank you!" Asobi beamed.

"I have to say, good work on your deception, I almost believed you," Alicia beamed right back.

The raven-haired woman tilted her head, "What deception?"

Alicia seemed amused, "You’re really good," she chirpily commended.

"You can drop it Sobi," Jotou replied without batting an eye.

"Really? We were supposed to keep it all under wraps," Asobi queried.

"Don’t say that!" Fumeko shouted.

"I wasn’t born yesterday y’know, I had my suspicions before you even called. Am I right detective?" Alicia waved to the mirror.

Everyone turned to the mirror...

"That needs to be secret too, for obvious reasons," Hotaru uttered.

"Oh I know, I know," Alicia smiled.

’If she has criminal contacts and whatnot, it’s not that surprising she might know more than she’s letting on... Who’s to say this information won’t be sold for a higher price?

I know Meko’s dad trusts her, but...’ "Well, seeing that things are settled, what about in the meantime, you get an interview?" Jotou approached the reporter.

"Oh!?" Alicia’s attention turned immediately. "Now that sure’ll be something for the meantime," she gave a wink.

Hotaru glared and coughed to get their attention, "Are you sure?" her eyes were more so on Jotou.

"Why not? I mean, if it’s gonna be revealed sooner or later, better let it be announced by a professional," Jotou replied.

"Exactly! Wonderful you get my point Ms Howllett; shall we schedule an appointment? Sometime this evening?" Alicia hopped closer with her notepad up.

Hotaru’s tail spiked as she glared even more—this time at Alicia. Fumeko stood up and walked around the table, "You have a case to get to, right?"

"I’m sure we’ll cross paths again, we can set a time then," Jotou smiled. ’Plus, if I can make a statement on that loud thunder throughout Dolpool and say it wasn’t me, publicly, it’ll probs help cover our tracks more.’

"I got the message loud and clear," Alicia stepped away and turned. "Some other time, for sure. For now, I’ll be off~" she walked for the door.

"Bye!" Asobi waved.

"Wait, you know how to reach us, but how do we get into contact with you?" the blonde halted her.

"The same way you did before, or better yet, by the number on your hand," she stepped out the door.

Jotou knitted her brows and looked at her palm. In pinkish ink, ’FL-3-4557’, was written—a little smudged rather than written, but still readable.

The blonde leered up to catch Alicia waving her hand as she left—with smudged and faded pinkish ink on her right hand. As she left, Morgana entered the interrogation room right after. "Got what you wanted?" she folded her arms.

"Kinda," Fumeko blinked towards her. "I’m surprised you’re not opposed to us even being here," she looked up.

"I’m as surprised as you are," Morgana remarked. "Clearly our dear detective thinks you can do something. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had to convince me beforehand. Don’t think my eye’s not on you kid."

"You think we’re gonna screw up?" Jotou shot a glare.

"Yes."

The blonde’s eyes sparked.

"Is there some case you’re working on?" Asobi queried and got up from her chair.

"Matter of fact, I am. A few break-ins at Fentamose Mall, some cat-burglar on the loose," Morgana stood upright.

"Someone’s stealing cats!? What menaces to society would do that!?" Asobi’s eyes widened.

"Sobi..." Hotaru pulled the elf back down and explained to her.

"Care to give me some details!?" a bubbly voice came from far behind Morgana.

"Piss off," Morgana twisted her head to say.

"Right, understood!" Alicia walked further away.

Fumeko stood silent in contemplation, till she looked Morgana in the eye, "I realize we screwed up last time. We didn’t take the right actions. But I promise you, we’re not gonna make the same mistakes and this time, we’ll blow this case wide open."

"Let’s hope you will," the apathetic Morgana turned and walked away. "Or else, there’s not gonna be another chance." Shadows glimmered in Fumeko’s eyes as she watched the woman in blue leave...