CHAPTER 426: ARC 6, CHAPTER 42: SO IT CONTINUES

’I came. I actually liked it that I came... twice. Like a needy girlfriend, I just gave in to her like that... We kept going for an hour before she quite literally collapsed into sleep.

I know I’d like her using my ass, hell I knew that about myself before I came into this world. But is she even gonna remember it? Using me like that for the first time? She was zonked out of her mind, came falling into my room mumbling nonsense...! And I let her do all of it...

I can’t believe myself... Not even oil or lube, just when she shoved that thing down my throat. Even when it hurt I didn’t stop her cause I was that damn desperate? The hell am I doing to myself? Do I just say this was just one night that things turned out like this?

Will this happen again if we don’t make up? Do I want this to happen again? Fuck no, but in the heat of the moment for some reason I decide otherwise. And look at her.’

In the late morning hours, Jotou’s drowsy eyes darted to the side. There she was—the redhead—mouth agape and drooling onto the pillow with a bright goofy smile.

’So why?’ Jotou’s expression softened while she gazed at Hotaru’s figure under the blanket. She tucked a finger into Hotaru’s hair, moving it away from her sleeping face. ’Is it cause I love you? I still trust you, don’t I? That’s why I let it happen... isn’t it?’

Jotou nestled her head a little closer towards her. She watched her lashes, the slight quiver of her lips, the sharpness of her fangs. Her crimson ears were drooped into her hair—one flickered of its own accord.

’So why haven’t you made up with me yet? Why drunkenly complain? Am I not understanding something Hotaru? Last night could have been so much more fun if you had just... Sigh...’

Jotou turned to face the ceiling. ’What am I gonna do with you...’

"Mmh..."

Jotou’s eyes darted to the across and felt the cover shift. She turned her head to the other side and closed her eyes, leaving her mouth agape.

Hotaru droned on for the next few seconds, stirring herself up. One ear was bent down and she inhaled audibly as she lifted her head. While the room around was still a blur, she licked her lips and grimaced—it felt like sandpaper.

She clasped a hand over her mouth and formed bits of water to quench her thirst, before pressing a knuckle firmly in between her eyebrows. A finger grazed over an eye each until finally, her head spun around the room.

Her gaze lingered on the blonde in bed next to her. Her brows furrowed as much as her eyes widened each second. She sprung up. She mouthed the words ’Oh no’ and cupped her hands over her lips.

Her bent ear pricked up and she stared at the bottom of the bed—wide-eyed. "Shit, what did I do," she whispered into her hands till she simply buried her whole face in her hands. "Oh no, no, no," she muttered.

Revealing her eyes, they narrowed in focused thought. Her head ached, but while her eyes darted around she seemed to trace the steps and recall last night the best she could.

She glanced down and covered her bare chest by pulling up the covers. Her lips pursed with guilt whilst she sat in Jotou’s bed and watched her ’sleep’.

Jotou mumbled something on purpose and slowly rolled her head across her pillow. With a slight mutter, Jotou pretended to wax her eyes open lash by lash.

Hotaru faced away and lifted the bunched up sheets further up to her neck.

Jotou faked a yawn and looked at the redhead in a daze, "Hotaru?" her words came out hushed. "Morning."

She had to bite the bullet. The wolf-girl twisted her head around, just enough so that merely her eyes could meet the others, "Jotou, I, uhm..."

Jotou knitted her brows, as if she did not know what was going on.

"Just to confirm, we uh..."

The blonde raked through her hair that webbed over the pillows into neater locks, "You don’t remember last night?" she queried, poised and with a touch of a husky morning voice.

Hotaru palmed her own face, "Bits and pieces; it’s a little hazy. But I do remember, no I was in the tavern and... then I was on top of," she glanced at Jotou and reddened at the cheeks.

"I see. There’s a blank in between the tavern and that?"

"Mmm," the redhead rubbed her own forehead and pushed her bangs up. "Did I- hm... Did I happen to... go for your rear end...?"

Jotou winced an eye and snarked, "Very elegant way to put it after you practically impaled me on it repeatedly."

"Agh," Hotaru sunk her face into both her palms, letting the covers fall, but she hardly cared.

"Seems you do remember then; everything after I helped you restore your inhibition that is."

"Barely," Hotaru rasped. She swivelled her head to Jotou, "I’m, so, sorry," she enunciated every word proper. She bowed her head in apology, "I’m so sorry that happened, I’m sorry I got drunk and I’m sorry I came to your room, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry."

Upon watching her on the verge of tears, Jotou decided to sigh, "It’s fine. You did what you did and it’s done. I could’ve stopped you at any point too."

"I’m sorry," Hotaru could no longer face her. "Why, didn’t you?"

"...Well. I don’t know."

"Sorry."

"Look, I have mixed feelings about it. Whatever the case, I hope this is leading towards us getting things back to the way they were. It’s clearly not doing any good for either of us staying the way we are."

"Back to the way they were..." Hotaru whispered to herself. "You genuinely believe that?" she turned her head even further away.

"That that could happen? I don’t see why not, it just depends on us."

Hotaru paused, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She shifted herself out of bed and went about grabbing her attire, "I’m sorry about last night. But it doesn’t mean anything."

"Excuse you?" Jotou did not feel like propping her head up.

"Last night was just... I’m sorry Jotou, but nothing’s magically solved because of this." She dressed herself as quickly as she could. "Our situation’s the same, I’m sorry."

Jotou glared, "You’re so- Ugh. Get out of my room."

Without another word or a glance, Hotaru ducked her head and left the room with haste.

_

"Mastering a new spell so quickly is not an easy feat; I must congratulate you," Colwyn bobbed her head.

"Ha, thy reverence is acknowledged by the void. Truly, mine arcane prowess is as such, that one such as I need only a meagre glance upon an invocation’s inscription to surmount it. Inborn talent be mine weal, gifted by the Sea of Stars."

"That’s nice," Colwyn’s eyes drifted to the ceiling of the guild in thought. "I need to study and practice, and study, to get all of it correctly. Otherwise it’s a right mess."

Fumeko had her mouth covered with a hand while she jotted down notes separately, referencing one of the tomes she flipped the pages through. "It’s still a relatively low level spell you’re boasting about," she remarked.

Tiffany side-eyed the brunette.

"The level has little to no bearing on the complexity of learning a spell, it depends on the person casting it. Taming an expert level spell is nothing to scoff at," Colwyn absentmindedly replied and sipped her tea.

"Then the levels are a joke," Fumeko flipped a page. "I get that most adventurers think expert level is a good achievement, but it’s the minimum level to face the threats out there."

"Thou speak of scourges such as those bastard deities and the Regimian War. Most mages need not handle encounters worthy of historical feats. Does thou find some necessity to dishearten mine accomplishments?"

"No, I didn’t mean it in that sense," Fumeko looked up. "Most adventurers, sure. Unfortunately, you’re not in that position. You’re with us; so, you’re gonna be involved in those scourges. Be prepared is all I’m saying, I’m not trying to put you down."

"Hard-arse..."

Fumeko’s eyes glazed over.

"The Adventurers Guild needs to use some form of measurement; especially when deciding who is qualified to take on more complex quests," Colwyn interjected softly.

"Isn’t that measurement also somewhat arbitrary?" Fumeko retorted.

The pale blonde cocked her head, "Beginner, Intermediate, Expert, Master, Grandmaster, Haros, Champion, Legendary and Supreme—all levels in order.

I think anyone beyond haros level is nearly impossible to find. Which is probably why there are so many people even worshipping the new gods for their potential. Nobody’s seen their level of magic in decades, if not ever; who knows what bloody level they even are.

It’s the same as school or the orphanage—there’s always a hierarchy and in the end, the weaker ones follow the stronger ones and alienate anyone who doesn’t. Whether that be for safety, fear or true worship."

"Let’s not compare popular kids and their followers to cult fanatics," the brunette raised a curious brow.

"Not that I’m backing out of an agreement, but do you truthfully think we’ll be able to overthrow them?" Tiffany’s lips twisted askew.

Fumeko shrugged, "Who else do you want to handle this? The government? We saw how well they did even with our involvement. Foreign nations aren’t gonna meddle with a civil conflict, Hotaru would say as much.

It’s not a matter of can we, it’s a matter of we’re gonna have to try. Either way, level’s only a label. They can still come crashing down all the same. I’ve seen it happen too many times and have done it myself. The new tosspots aren’t gonna deviate from that rule."

Tiffany relaxed her shoulders and gave a nod. "That grants some confidence."

"Good."

"You can speak in a normal manner?"

Tiffany jumped, realizing Colwyn was still sitting beside her, "Ah, ahem! Apologies, one merely conversed with the language a simple commoner could comprehend."

"I understand both ways you talk dumbass."

"Observe; does thou hark the crudity in which it speaks?" Tiffany pointed towards the brunette.

"It?" Fumeko’s eyes narrowed.

"That I do," Colwyn tittered.

"Meko," someone hooked the arm of said brunette. "A second, please?" It was Hotaru who had approached from her side.

Fumeko furrowed her brows, "What is it?"

Hotaru tugged on her arm, forcing Fumeko onto her feet. The redhead pulled her aside, away from the other two and against a secluded enough wall. "I, might have done something stupid," Hotaru uttered.

The brunette backed up against the wall and reached up to push Hotaru’s risen shoulders down. "Where’ve you been all morning, it’s noon."

"I overslept, alright, that’s not the problem," there was still a panic across the wolf-girl’s face.

"I figure the problem has to do with Jotou, so it’s not pressing as far as I’m concerned."

"How do you- Never mind, yes, it’s about her," Hotaru immediately faced the floor.

"..." Fumeko squinted. "What did you do?"

The redhead gulped. Her fallen ears could not stand, "I... may have gotten drunk last night and..."

"You’re kidding..."

"Well, before that we had a nice walk and we nearly kissed, but I backed out of it, so she stormed off. I don’t know, maybe it got to me and then I guess I went to her room and, I can’t believe myself, she had to take care of me?" she hid her face in her palms.

"That’s it?"

"No," she shook her head. "I slept with her, but I think I pushed her into it? She made me restore my inhibition so I have a rough idea."

"You got drunk, went to Jotou’s room and assaulted her?" Fumeko crossed her arms.

"Don’t say it like that!" Hotaru looked up, wide-eyed as her ears bristled.

"Well?" there was a flash of anger in her tone.

"She’s fine... She said she had mixed feelings about it, but that it was fine and she wanted to in the end too," ashamed, Hotaru turned her head to the side.

Fumeko took a breath and sighed. "So, what’s the issue here? Beyond your obvious offence."

"I-I needed to talk to someone, you said I could always talk to you."

"Here’s my perspective. ’Oh no, my girlfriend wants to make up with me over a fight that probably doesn’t even matter at this point, so I decided to spiral and get myself wasted.’

My pity only goes so far you know. I don’t even know what exactly started all of this, but I don’t understand why you haven’t made up or if there’s a reason why you haven’t talked with her about it like I told you to. Did you?"

"No, not yet..."

"Not yet?" she said with a tick of annoyance. "What, waiting for an angel to fall from the sky and give you its blessing to go forward?"

Hotaru huffed, "It’s complicated; this, this is all coming from you being vexed that you aren’t in a relationship with Jotou, isn’t it," she leered for a moment.

Fumeko did not bat an eye, "I’m allowed to be annoyed that I didn’t get to be with her. Cause I know I wouldn’t be treating her the way you’ve been doing recently.

Have you ever realized that Jotou’s not once gotten drunk? Not even Daiyu had a story for that."

"..."

"Me and Jotou’ve argued multiple times before, but I don’t think it ever escalated to this degree or lasted this long. Actually, we talk it out within the same argument.

You’re both just being petty and somehow, Jotou decided to be less pettier than you," Fumeko widened her eyes to look at Hotaru, somewhat mockingly. "D’you realize how alarming that is? She gave up being more spiteful, so you could not be upset with her."

Hotaru’s posture drooped even more. She pursed her lips, "I suppose... she did."

"Get it together. You’re not a child being oppressed in Kria, you’re the Azure Firefly. If you haven’t noticed, we’ve got bigger problems," Fumeko blinked behind Hotaru and walked back to the table she was at.

"Yeesh..." hurt by her words, Hotaru looked at her walking away. She sulked in the same spot for a moment longer before she departed...