At the door the blonde stood, staring into the house. Eyelids having to forcefully be kept open, to see the mess cleared out at the very least.
The sunlight had breached long before the Krialin arrived—two of them crouched at the body, zipping it up. Daylight shined behind the blonde through the door left ajar.
Fumeko stood near the counter; she dipped a butterknife into a jar of jam and was making a sandwich on a step stool—facing away from the body lying there.
'Did I seriously kill someone…? How could I… I… He broke into our house, tried to harm or kill us and tried to possess me… I shouldn't feel remorse.' But the thoughts could not leave her head, looping, over and over.
Dark circles under her eyes, the blonde blinked once… "Asobi," she opened them back up to see the elf standing in front of her with her top hat.
"Hey Jotou! You seem a bit… sad," Asobi tilted her head.
"Not, sad per se… Are you, alright?" Jotou looked her over. Through the laceration and piercing marks on Asobi's clothes she could see the healed up skin.
Asobi nodded with a gleeful smile, "I feel great and I got my hat back!" Asobi held her hat and one leg in the air as she posed with a wink.
Jotou sighed, "I'm sorry you had to see a, a dead body… I'm just, justifying it in my head is all. I'm not- I'm not," Jotou could not finish the sentence, ending it with a heavy breath.
Asobi stood straight—the top hat giving her a slight height advantage over the blonde. Her lips sided to one cheek, "You did it to protect us, right?" she quizzically put.
Jotou faced her as she noticed the elf's hand was atop her blonde hair. Asobi ruffled her hair, giving Jotou a surprise head pat, turning into a slight scratch.
"You did what you needed to; he was a big meanie with creepy ghosties," Asobi messed up her hair, "Jotou's a good girl."
Left bewildered to Asobi's smile… 'That… that was surprisingly reassuring…'
The blonde's brows softened, at least by a tiny bit. The Krialin carried the body bag past them, through the door. "Asobi, you should go get some rest," Hotaru came up from behind the elf.
Asobi hummed a yes before turning back, wand in her grip. Hotaru stood next to Jotou, but right before, Asobi turned around. The raven-haired woman grasped them both by the neck and gave them a hug, before running away.
She ran towards Fumeko, "Don't even think about it, I'm holding a knife," Fumeko never glanced up.
"Silly Meko, that's a butterknife!"
"Oh is it now?" Fumeko waved it out of the purple jam, "Care to test it?"
"Ehe… I'll just hug you after I wake up!" Asobi squeaked and went to her room.
Hotaru looked to Jotou, "It smells like this in here and that girl still has an appetite," she hushed behind Fumeko's back.
"Ms Howllett," a familiar voice came from behind her. He stood at the door. Jack Tenner, folded his arms and leaned against the doorframe with his side, one foot over the other held up by his shoe tip.
"Hey," Jotou greeted for the second time.
"You should be fine to clean up any leftover mess now. Ms Kinoshita, you wanted to take a look at the body?" Jack nodded his head outside.
"Uhm yes. I'm not a doctor, but I just wanted to check. I didn't want to mess with it before," Hotaru scurried past, giving Jotou a small pat on the shoulder.
"No worries, we will take it to a proper autopsy," Jack relayed as Hotaru left.
A few carriages and carts sat outside, most with the emblem of the Krialin. "Oh, hello Kor," Hotaru waved as she went by.
"Kor, you made it," Jotou forced a minor smile.
"Long time no see Jotou. The Krialin told me much," Kor stood at the other end of the door, crossing his arms as Jack and him greeted each other with their eyes.
Both men in uniform whilst Jotou stood in her adventuring gear, sword by her side. Jack stood up a bit to give his hand out, "The Maleficos Ordinate on the scene. Jack Tenner, I believe we've only conversed by letters."
Kor returned with a firm handshake, "Of course, Kor Azveal, Acting Chief of the Maleficos Ordinate, Kria Sector. Right now however, I'm just Kor Azveal so, Kor will be fine."
Jack cocked his brow, "I'm… I'm quite aware," he let go.
"I'm sorry I called both of you… I just wasn't sure what to do at the time. Honestly, I should've just buried him in the backyard and not waste people's time," Jotou rubbed an eye.
Fumeko, after hopping off the stool, approached the three with two sandwiches; one for each hand. She stood with them by the corner of their conversation.
Jotou's eyes trailed to the short brunette as she listened in. "I," Jotou looked to the girl munching with her cheeks full like a chipmunk… "I got your number from Jack," Jotou continued.
Kor waved his hand, "It's fine, I would've given it to you myself. Although, if I understand this matter correctly, it's all private for now?"
Jack answered, "Rest assured, the only ones who know of this matter are in this vicinity. Having a remote location has its benefits. For now, all of this will be kept hush-hush from the public.
Speaking of your method of disposal Ms Howllett, it was the right choice to contact me. I'm not sure of the jurisdiction of the Ordinate in this matter, but the Krialin will investigate all of this in private.
No news outlet will receive this information and even when the time comes, it will be extremely watered-down. The reason I'm explaining, is because of something that might be in everyone's interest.
A quick peek under his fabric would reveal an emblem. One with a ship helm, surrounded by three five-pointed stars…"
"The Trailon Regime?" Kor narrowed his gaze.
Fumeko gnawed harder.
"The Regime? You're telling me one of the Regime's sent a spirit-mage? Well, spirit-assassin more so. I thought Kria wasn't associated with global political problems," Jotou's haunted look turned into a serious stare.
"We're unsure of his allegiance to the Regimes. It could be that there is no association and this whole 'attack' was fabricated to advance the war.
Kria is known to be exempt from the current war. Any attacks on the City of New Beginnings would be a war crime. Still, it simply meant we'd be distanced from political quarrels.
There was a reason to keep panic at bay with regards to the Velatos Case. The Trailon Regime making a direct attack, which already happened when the war started, was pushed back.
If anything were to happen to Kria again, which is the designated centre point between all the nations, more action would be taken rather than just defending by the others…
If the Regimes saw taking Kria as a risk they're willing to make, then this spirit-assassin would be crucial evidence. However, if news about this makes it out…"
"The war would advance faster and more reckless. More nations would rally to attack the Regimes," Kor finished.
"So, the attack could be made up by one of the defending nations to justify attacking the Regimes back?" Jotou connected.
"Indeed," Jack sighed, "Though, one thing tells me it's not fabricated…"
"And that would be?" Kor had an inkling of the answer.
"Attacking the abode of the Thundering Blade of Kria, one of its new found guardians. The constant news about your achievements may lead to the Regimes to think we're bettering ourselves to attack.
Only an assumption of course, but trying to, in theory, recruit the Thundering Blade by means of 'spirit-assassin' might be their counter."
"My thoughts exactly," Kor agreed. "If make a fabricated attack anywhere, why make it on her?
It would be much easier to target someone like the mayor and deliberately fail to make it fit to attack back, but someone strong like the Thundering Blade? It's unlikely that's the case."
"Well, I haven't exactly been the most hidden person to find. I've seen people easily follow my trail so, it wouldn't be too much of a leap. Maybe I need to be more careful with my identity…" she rubbed the hilt of her sword.
Kor placed a hand under his chin, "When magical surges occur in Kria, they're normally monitored by the Ordinate. That includes the surges of thunder that follow Jotou.
I suppose the Ordinate sector within the Trailon Regime would have the same surveillance capabilities… Which, then begs the question…"
"Who's in Kria leaking information to the Regimes and how…" Jack verbalized.
Fumeko moved on to her other sandwich, watching the conversation unfold.
"Geah!" Jotou let out a sudden moan, flinching her eyes shut, a sharp pain in her head.