CHAPTER 428: ARC 6, CHAPTER 44: HISTORY LESSON

One would think she was dragging her feet across the floor to do this. However, the blonde instead had a confident stride and a look of determination while going down the hall.

She approached the door she knew to be the one that belonged to the person she had to confront... and gave it three knocks. A few seconds passed before the lock clicked and the door creaked open... "Hi..." Hotaru’s face barely came into view through the gap.

"Can I come in?"

"Mhm." She opened up the door further.

Jotou stepped in and walked past her, eyeing the room much smaller than hers.

"Did you, want to talk about something...?" Hotaru shut the door, knowing that query was not even a question.

"Pretty much," Jotou took a seat on the bed built for two people. She looked around at Hotaru’s garments in her opened up luggage and strewn across the foot of the bed.

"Don’t keep me in suspense," the redhead dared not approach.

The blonde crossed her legs onto the bed and scooted further in. "Hotaru, I need a history lesson. You’d know the best."

Well that took the redhead off guard. Her ears flickered, "Really? That’s what you want to talk about?"

"Please~?" Jotou tilted her head and bubbled up her eyes a bit. ’Come on, this face’ll convince her if anything.’

Hotaru sighed and conceded, "What exactly do you want to know?" she approached the bed cautiously, testing if the blonde might shoo her away if she got too close.

"Everything about the origins of this second war; or at least enough to summarize. I didn’t go to school here and you excel in history."

"You’ve made your point about that," Hotaru stood across from the blonde...

Jotou watched the wolf-girl’s expression; her lips quivered, her blue eyes never made contact, her ears kept flapping every other second and her tail was pressed against her skirt, tucked in between her legs. The blonde hummed, before patting a hand next to herself.

Hotaru looked to where she gestured to and took a moment to simply stand. Each foot felt so heavy... But one step at a time she moved towards the bed and sat on the bedside.

There was an awkward silence... "I’m waiting," which Jotou promptly broke.

Like she was preparing to do some public speaking, she took a deep breath and relayed, "This war began forty-four years ago in the year nine-thirty-six. Well, almost forty-four years ago, it started around the middle of May.

The true date is unknown, because before a war becomes truly public there is a lot that goes unseen. But most textbooks would attribute it to the 17th of May. The day when one of the mainland countries first got raided by naval troops.

The Malecise Regime is the first that attacked—Burnetrout more specifically. A week later, the same happened to the borders of Cravolta and Avon by the other Regimes.

Many nations rightfully assumed that this was all planned far in advance. Two years into the war, Anas Khalil, a Cravoltan spy was able to confirm that the Malecise Regime was the one who banded them together for this attack.

Even so, all nations have an army and they were forced to defend their borders. Five weeks into the war, the Vandlevela Regime sprung an attack through Nirenusian waters against the borders of Luxinor.

The world went into full alert and the panic ensued. Increased tax rates, mandatory military drafting, applications of war time law—it was a mess. Though I guess that’s how all wars start.

Two months into the war, the Malecise Regime’s forces were pushed back and were fended off of Burntish borders, even with a surprise attack from some of the Burntish Maleficos Ordinate members.

After that, since the Maleficos Ordinate originated from the Malecise Regime and the organization already had questionable practices," Hotaru eyed and tucked her own tail onto her lap.

"Burnetrout ceased all Maleficos Ordinate activities within their borders and disbanded the remaining group. This prompted all other defending nations to do the same.

Within the span of a decade, most countries allowed Maleficos Ordinate activities to resume, mostly for their own benefit and under the ruling that they were an independent organization.

But Burnetrout did not let that bill pass and maintained their ban, even till this day. Hence why there isn’t an Ordinate in Burnetrout.

I can tell you what the textbooks tell you, but in my honest opinion, the information gets a little shoddy over the next couple of decades.

Most of the results you can see in present day, but the Maleficos Ordinate were simply outmanned and outmatched, making them the weakest of the Regimes.

But the whole story’s riddled with inconsistencies—disappearances of ships, odd sightings and just phantom reasons as to why they were so heavily overwhelmed.

In recent years, though the war’s come to more of a slog, it’s still going on. And the death toll isn’t pretty, but it’s definitely decreased. The Regimes don’t want to surrender willingly and peace treaties are just not happening."

"Have there been other wars between the first and the second?" Jotou, who was listening intently, spoke up.

"Well yes," she stated like that should have been obvious. "After the first war there were any number of wars ranging from civil to international, but this is the war.

It involves all of the world except one, who blissfully avoid it all, responsibilities included," she gave an eye roll.

"Hefaloss is and has been a peaceful nation then?"

"Considering that they like to keep information to themselves and their society being extremely classist, I’m sure there’s been much news of civil wars and rebellions that just don’t make it offshore.

The most stories you’re gonna get are from adventurers and bards wandering from guild to guild."

"Hm. That’s certainly insightful," Jotou’s thoughts began to wander. ’The cult’s involvement is a little clearer now. Especially paired with the inconsistencies.’ "A nearly forty-four year war..." she uttered aloud.

Hotaru watched her face. It was very clear that Jotou was theorizing, planning and connecting who knows what dots—knowing that, the redhead’s gaze grew a little softer. "It’s why defeating Trailon was such a victory," she uttered.

Jotou met her brilliant blue eyes, "It still wasn’t easy. A lot of things had to line up so that we got that chance."

Hotaru smirked, "A lot of things’ve happened and changed after you appeared."

The blonde stared.

"You’re not solely responsible of course."

"Obviously."

"But... you’re the spark that put the machine into motion. And it’s not just because you appeared, it’s because you’re really trying." Hotaru brushed a few strands of crimson hair away from her cheek. "I don’t think that can be understated."

Pink marks began to colour her cheeks, before her eyes welled up beyond her reasoning or control. She glanced to the nearest wall and wiped away the tears with a sniffle, before steeling herself.

"Sorry," Hotaru closed her eyes and smiled slightly.

Jotou gave her a look from the side, "I’m not upset."

"I can tell."

Jotou inched her hand across the bed and linked her fingers with Hotaru’s lying on the sheets.

Hotaru calmly looked at Jotou through her lashes before interlocking their fingers. The two stared around the room in silence for what felt like seconds, but was for minutes.

Then slowly, Hotaru retracted her hand. Jotou dragged her hand away and frowned, looking elsewhere, "Are you still mad at me?"

Hotaru longingly stretched her fingers across the fabric, but did not take the blonde’s hand, "Aren’t you?"

"Maybe a little, but I just want to be over it at this point. I don’t see any logic to dragging it on like this. Don’t you want to hold me again?"

"Don’t ask that."

"It’s a fair question. I don’t think either of us are doing well with this stuck in limbo. I wanna face it, head on. If we keep avoiding it, there’s no guarantee that last night’s not gonna happen again."

Hotaru looked up, riddled with guilt, "Are you... scared of me?"

Jotou’s brows knitted and she narrowed her eyes, "No, obviously not."

"Jotou, I really am sorry last night happened, I didn’t-"

Jotou reached a hand forward and placed a finger on the redhead’s lips. "Stop it. The only reason you’re apologizing is you’re looking for my forgiveness, which I already gave."

Hotaru did not fight it; she gave a nod.

"Answer me honestly, if I said I hated the fact that you got drunk and came stumbling into my room like that, before scolding you for it, is that gonna make you or this whole situation any better?"

"I... suppose not."

"Then it’s over. I know the guilt isn’t gonna go away anytime soon, but rest assured that it’s all fine now," Jotou repeated the sentiment again.

"Okay," a whisper voiced out, just about.

"Now, you on the other hand," Jotou removed a finger and leaned back on the bed, propped up by her arms. "Haven’t really forgiven me. Is there some other problem that you’re not telling me?"

Hotaru contemplated silently.

"There is, isn’t there."

The wolf-girl’s eyes shut in acceptance.

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