The chair screeched back; her hands slamd against the desk as blonde strands flew forward even whilst tied back.
Little sparks of yellow flashed across her hair for a second, "You knew !?" her voice never raised, but the elegant tone she couldn't change.
"Not ... but whoever this was. You knew Anastasia and you never once thought to co find the answer for yourself? You know how long I've been looking for answers? I can't even sleep sotis there's so many!"
A soft grip went around the enraged woman's hands, easing her to let go of the tight grip she had on the table, "Jotou, calm down... there must be a reason," ...Hotaru managed to make Jotou let go.
Kor had not shifted an inch; his gaze remained down till Jotou was done being upset. He finally peered up, "That's the first ti you ever scolded I suppose..." he sighed.
"Look at him; there's clearly so regret," Hotaru pulled Jotou back.
"I'm on Jotou's side, why the hell haven't you reached out? You knew her since she ca back from the dead didn't you?" Fuko had her arms crossed, a glare from her brown eyes.
'I would've gotten at least so answers; maybe I'm overreacting. It's not like knowing who she was is suddenly going to change everything. Ugh... why can't this just be easy?'
Jotou let out all the breath she had. Her brows unknitted, "I was moving past that detail slowly; that just brought it all up again. Sorry," she sat back down.
"Why is everyone being scary? I had enough from the velatos," Asobi gripped her wand tightly.
"People get angry Asobi; you might not, but it's normal," Hotaru soothed the magician's shivering.
"I'm sorry as well. I don't feel regret just sorrow that I couldn't et you sooner. You must understand, every consequence of my actions doesn't only affect .
It reflects upon the Ordinate of Kria and the Maleficos Ordinate across the globe. You were a suspected velatos and even past that you were associated with the Adventurers Guild due to your ability to defeat velatos with no magic.
There were too many suspicions and too many rumours ready to be spread if they saw the acting chief interacting with you. The conspiracy theories would be countless."
"I didn't even know you knew," Jotou leaned into the chair more.
"You- I an, Anastasia Princely was my personal secretary," Kor stated.
Fuko narrowed her glance more, "Wait a minute, I read Jotou's arrest docunts before I saw her, it didn't ntion anything about working for the Maleficos Ordinate. And how has no one recognized her?"
"I know that one; all public record is shredded after a citizen of Kria passes away. The private records are only accessible after approval of a judge. That would explain at least why the newspapers haven't gotten her old na yet," Hotaru inford.
"I did read so of the public records before they were shredded. However, there are only a few that would recognize her and I specifically ordered no one to utter that na during your visit."
"So... if we find those shredded papers and get all the pieces together, we'll know who Jotou was! We're gonna need a lot of tape!" Asobi planned.
"Were you dropped as a child?"
"Many tis! I think..." Asobi answered Fuko's taunt.
Kor accidentally let out a chuckle, "There's no need for that," he steadied, "I can probably explain most of who she was.
To be honest, I thought upon seeing , maybe your mories would return or at least ask those questions. How foolish of ," Kor continued.
Jotou sighed, "You were just holding out hope. But as I said to her father, I have no mory of her. Whoever Anastasia was, she's long gone." 'And there's not a day that goes by that I don't feel guilty for being in her body.' Her thoughts twisted.
Through the hue of his eyes, one could see Kor accept this fact, "Still, I promised information. So, I will not ask you to know who she was if you would rather not."
Jotou cleared her throat and sat up straight. Not the ti to be sulking, "No; I want to know everything that you know. Who she was and how you knew her; what kind of a person was she?"
"Hm... Where to begin... The Princely family is a noble bloodline that lives in the far northern region of Cravolta. John Princely or, John Henries, was a teashop owner from Kria who went on a rchant trip.
I don't know the details, but I assu that's when Layla Princely and John first t. Besides all the noble drama, I know that Layla Princely was ostracized from the Princely family when she eloped with John.
That's when she ca to Kria for a new beginning, her husband taking her na and giving birth to a daughter they nad Anastasia Princely.
Since I only knew you- I an, her, as an employee, there's only so much I know of her childhood; the main one being that she was not the greatest in her academics, but above average at least.
The thing to note being, that she was remarkably well in understanding and explaining magical principles. She could take any Maleficos Ordinate garble in her interviews even though she had no affinity herself.
It made her the perfect candidate when I had just been promoted to vice-chief of the Ordinate last November. She had a bright smile and an even brighter mind. Her work ethic was diligent, she would never even yawn.
One thing however always bothered about her; whenever she would leave or enter the building, she always wore a hood. It didn't matter if it was raining or sunny, she would only take it off when at work.
As far as I'm concerned, she has no friends, not even acquaintances. She was making a living for her retired father and dealing with her late mother.
Much like , she was never seen outside of the office or her own ho. Perhaps it was because of positions or because she could not tolerate the catcalling she would receive.
This must be the reason why not many seem to recognize you as her, Jotou. I knew she also lived in Old-Town so, the more high-end places where there's more public traffic definitely won't recognize you.
Regardless, I confronted her about it after rely a month of working together. I asked her, "You never take a day off do you Ana?"
To that she replied, "What do I need a day off for? I'm working my dream job; it doesn't even feel like work!"
"Don't you have friends? I'm sure they'd like to spend so ti with you," maybe that was the wrong way to put it... Her cheery smile dropped into a gloom. It was the first ti I had ever seen her sad.
"I... I'm not good with people. It's just easier taking notes while standing next to you," she answered.
Then I realized; she would never speak to anyone unless necessary. She faced her interview only with answers she needed to say. She had difficulty socializing, but she seed to be growing closer to .
She would smile at everyone, but it was never an act to ; it was sincere. One night, I was in the office pulling an all-nighter. I thought everyone left, but she knocked into my office.
"Hi Kor. You probably didn't eat dinner, did you?" she ca in and ate with till the dawn had co again. I don't think I ever heard her talk that much.
She asked about a small box I hid in one of my drawers, "That's for the girl you've been seeing, right?" she laughed, "Let say congratulations now. She's very lucky," at New Year's I had wedded my now wife.
Ana beca more jovial; she would co visit the entire week. She burst into my office with a cupcake one dat, "It's my birthday!" she said on the 12th of January-"
"Wait," Jotou paused, "My birthday's on the 9th," Jotou thought out loud. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe it was a clue... "Sorry, you can continue," Jotou shook her head.
"It's alright," Kor went back to where he left off, "When I was working outside of my office, she was still the sa Ana I t; quiet and reserved, but I knew now who she really was.
Fifteenth of January was when I was left in charge of the Ordinate; Legisvia went off to the Ordinate in Luxinor to be stationed for reasons I'm not allowed to say.
In any case, Legisvia had taken her secretary with her; leaving Ana to also be my right hand in taking care of the Ordinate. I told her things were going to get a lot tougher.
She smiled and said, "I understand; we'll do our best!" and I was not wrong. A week after the chief had left, began the velatos and then the Velatos Case.
We all had to work twice as hard and twice as fast. She kept up without an issue. All the garble, all the magic she comprehended and wrote down without a single detail out of place; even corrected certain reports she received.
She truly loved her job and magic, even though she couldn't use it herself. Then..." Kor's voice cracked, "29th of May... she was found in an alley in Old-Town.
Stabbed in the chest and her belongings stolen in a mugging... because I hadn't had dinner that night either... I left my condolences at her coffin..." he held back the flood gates.
"The last words I rember, was when she laughed, "Oh!? What are you gonna na her?" and we realized we were no longer working and just slacking.
I don't rember what she said when she left in a rush," he gulped, taking a bottle of water out from under his desk.
The room did not et eyes, the ticking of a clock on the wall. Fuko sighed, "You were with her the night she got killed?"
"Afraid so."
"And you don't rember ANY of this?" Fuko turned to Jotou.
Jotou couldn't look at Kor in the eyes, "Afraid so." She could feel it; the dagger in her heart. One or two droplets ran down her cheeks.
'Why is it so easy to cry? Why am I in her body of all people...? I'm...' A hand rubbed across her knuckles while she fed on guilt; Hotaru's hand soothing her.
'No. I'm here now and she's not. I was just a shut-in freelancer anyway. It doesn't seem like we were too unalike.' Jotou took a breath, "I should probably take my leave then," Jotou spoke.
"You don't have to feel obligated. I'll see you out myself; it's the least I can do. Oh, also you might want to tend to her," Kor pointed to the floor.
A curled-up body lying there, wand in both hands while she sobbed in foetal position, "I don't wanna move," Asobi whined.
Reviews
All reviews (0)