Arc 2, Chapter 35: Presumptions of a Paranoiac

"Are you guys sure?" Hotaru swayed from side-to-side whilst sending them off. The swaying came from Asobi hugging her and pulling her back and forth.

"Jotou asked me to keep an eye on you," Asobi replied as Jotou sheathed her blade to her side and walked out the door.

"Practice your magic, do whatever you want. I'm not letting you go adventuring and whatnot so early. Just try and rest, and Asobi, make sure she doesn't use rejuvenate," Jotou gave a wave as she left.

"Aye, aye, Captain!"

"Keep safe wolfy; I'll make sure Jotou's safe," a self-satisfied grin grew as Fumeko left, leaving Hotaru glaring back when the door closed.

The two hopped in a carriage and Jotou told Fumeko of her day before—the wild goose chase of finding John Princely, conveniently leaving out her breakdown.

_

Fumeko studied Jotou, "Kor would've known her address, right? He and Ana were really close."

"I thought about that, but the thing is, I don't trust the Ordinate. I don't think Kor lied to us.

But we saw how much he bent the rules to get info on his own people. I didn't feel like giving him a heads up on my movements," Jotou didn't share a glance with her.

"That's bullshit. With how sincere he was to you, I think he would've given us more than Jack," Fumeko's brows furrowed.

"Maybe. I didn't have the Ordinate's number and even if I sent a letter, what's stopping it from being intercepted? Any letter from the Thundering Blade would be suspicious; an anonymous one even more so."

Fumeko had her hand to her chin, "I did send a letter to Kor… I still haven't gotten a reply."

"They hid information from us and then told us they knew nothing when they got called out. I started questioning that and it doesn't make sense.

How can we, people who literally learned magic within the past month, figure out more than experts who've been researching it for more than half a year?

They could've told us what all had been crossed out, but they didn't. They didn't even tell Kor the proper truth. There's a high likelihood they would've known I was looking for John Princely.

And if something was up, I didn't want them knowing my exact plan. That's even why I addressed the letter to Jack personally rather than sending it to Kria Estate as a whole."

"Well, if that's the case, why didn't you go to the Ordinate yourself? We used the boon before, but they'd probably let the Thundering Blade in. Kor himself would've."

"If I did that, I'd be using my title; in turn, using something the mayor gave me. That authority when used, will probably get me roped up in that stupid contract.

All I can do with that title currently, is flaunt and intimidate. I can't do anything in an official capacity. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I already did it my way so can we forget about it?"

Jotou sighed, "Besides; I didn't feel like talking to him while looking like her…"

Fumeko's lips parted, "Why didn't you just say that in the first place…? Wait… Don't tell me because you didn't feel right talking to him, you made up a bunch of excuses to justify not asking him…"

Jotou's mouth pinched together, "It's not the easiest way, I know… But the direct way was filled with potholes. I can talk to him now that I've put the whole Anastasia thing behind me, but I couldn't yesterday."

"I've always seen you as Jotou; whoever was in that body before, I don't know her, so stop-"

"I realize that," Jotou replied, "I trust Kor and what he said. I don't think he's bad. But haven't you had that feeling; of not telling someone something even though you trust them?" their eyes met.

Fumeko blinked, staring back… "Yeah… I know that feeling," she glanced to the side.

"Even with that, it doesn't take away the logic and thought I put into my excuses. If the information I told Jack was leaked, it wouldn't really matter.

Me looking for John Princely though, might've attracted some attention. It was safer not to tell and I couldn't risk the Ordinate nor the mayor knowing.

If they have information they're not telling us, I'm not letting them know what we're up to. If anyone knew, there might be complications."

"What could possibly happen? I assume the answer's in those paranoiac eyes of yours."

"They would know I was looking for what happened to Ana. From what Kor said, Ana was constantly coming to work early and leaving at the dead of night wearing a hood to cover her identity.

It sounds like quite the coincidence it was just some random mugging incident. She was regularly doing that for months, but that one day, they decided to target her?

A mugger around an area with drunkards all night would need to pick a target and hunt carefully, night or not. They just kept track of her for months before taking the chance? No.

Random incident? If you need the extra cash sure, rob someone—that makes sense. But if it was just some random mugging, from a random mugger?

A young woman who couldn't fight and was not athletic should be an easy target. Steal her things, knock her to the ground, whatever.

Why was she stabbed then? A random mugger isn't gonna be so quick to kill someone to risk a higher sentence if caught.

Stabbing a woman who probably didn't put up much of a challenge? Either you're the weakest mugger in the world or it wasn't a mugging.

If the mugger was ready to kill, then they must've known the area and person they were targeting; so why wait for so long? It must've been a murder made to look like a mugging…

This was a planned killing and if whoever this was found out that a Jotou Howllett was looking for John Princely… They'd put two and two together and needed to tie up some loose ends.

John Princely would've been easy to kill and when I was in that house, nobody else was on the street. My body could've just been another smell in that house of rotten junk.

Due to being nobles, Layla and Anastasia would disguise themselves to make sure not to be targeted by strangers, but also… Princelys.

Kor said there was a lot of noble drama and that Layla was ostracized by the Princely family. If Layla insisted that she and her daughter wear hoods; was she hiding herself from something else?

Could it be that the Princelys wanting to get rid of the loose branch in the family tree? Or some mercenary sent to kill me? I can't say for sure.

If any information was to get out about my search for John and if there's some mob or gang around Kria that can get their hands on that information, I would've been betting on my life when I sent that letter."

Fumeko listened to her every word, "But you wouldn't've known the Princelys and targeting part till after you would've sent a letter."

"True," Jotou agreed, "But even with the prior information, it already seemed suspicious to call it a mugging.

Not to mention, even the velatos researchers were not okay with me, which is probably why I didn't want to tip the Ordinate off, even if a leak was unlikely.

Is it too much of a leap to a conclusion, given all the factors denying a mugging? Especially when no assailant was ever caught for said crime? Surely, I would've known otherwise.

We can assume it was covered up or the assailant was really good. Which then circles back to, why stab her if it was just a mugging?"

Fumeko stared at Jotou, "I guess it's not. It actually makes a lot more sense than a mugging. There's always random coincidences and low likelihoods, doesn't mean it can't happen, but logically… you're right."

Jotou took a breath, having to explain her entire hypothesis. "I've already let that go though. I spent most of my time here with you guys since the first day.

I wasn't really left alone. That might've deterred people who wanted to make sure I was dead. I can fight, I have an affinity, I can move on; that case isn't bothering me anymore."

"That's really good detective work Jotou…"

"Uhm, Meko?" Jotou squinted to her.

Fumeko narrowed her eyes, "Hm? I'm not being sarcastic, don't worry-"

"No, uh, your face," Jotou pointed around her cheeks. Fumeko patted her own cheeks, feeling warmer than usual. "You're red; you, okay?"

"Oh!" Fumeko's eyes widened, staring back to Jotou as she covered and rubbed her face, "It's nothing, you're just really, clever and I think, I was uh-"

"Blushing?"

"No! I was just thinking of it all and a lot of blood went to my brain, through my face, that's why its red, obviously," Fumeko shied her face away.

"Okay…"

Fumeko took a deep breath, "So, if all of that went through your mind. What plans do you have with the Lexokodac?"

"Gaining information, that's it. Maybe combine our efforts to end the case sooner."

"Hm… they would know more about the case. They've been here since it started," Fumeko stated.

"Exactly; let me do the talking. And don't tell them about the healing magic. They might not know and that's useful info to have.

Speaking of which… when were you going to tell us about your little theory?" Jotou's eyes glazed over.

"Ehe…"

Jotou rolled her eyes, "Seriously, what else have you figured out? Why haven't you told us?"

Fumeko's lips twisted, "I'm just, not a hundred percent sure… I was wrong about so many things… I even thought rejuvenate was a healing spell… I thought the eyes were a weak point…

I couldn't find anything on that whale and you've found out more about Anastasia Princely on your own when I said… I would help you…" she slouched.

"I just didn't want you to call me stupid again… I wanted to wait till I can figure it all out," her voice grew lighter, "I couldn't even teleport to save Hotaru… Sorry…"

The blonde smiled a little, "Hey," she held Fumeko's shoulder, "I wouldn't be here without you," pushing her up, "You got me out of the Krialin station and got us into the guild by taking me to Layla Princely.

You're the one who suggested that the Princelys have something to do with Ana on my first night here. You're the one who got us to the Ordinate.

Without you, none of this would've started. Don't have regrets; they only weigh you down. We're here now and you're allowed to make mistakes.

As long as you keep trying again; you can't be afraid to try because you might be wrong. In fact, prove every single one of your doubts wrong," she smiled.

"Don't let an idiot like me judge you. I only call you stupid… well, because you're my friend. I know that head of yours is much brighter than mine in different ways.

You figured out the healing thing on our second day here. It took me till the day before yesterday," Jotou chuckled.

Fumeko looked at Jotou… The smile creeping up kept away the tears that never dripped, "Thank you Jotou. I- I'm lucky to have you," she leapt to the other side for a hug.

Jotou's arms stood in the air, eyes jolted open. "You just need to believe in yourself," she gently reciprocated her hug.

Fumeko pulled away, exhaling her stress out, "Don't tell anyone I hugged you," she quickly blurted out.

"Maybe I will, you can't stop me."

"Promise me!"

"No." The carriage came to a halt as Jotou replied.

"We're here," Fumeko opened the curtains.