The Musafir
A House that Can't Be Purchased
_____
MANTINGAN did not show any anger at all but widened his smile. A real smile made Kana feel guilty for saying that.
“It's okay if you really want to keep hating me,” he said, “I won't hate you guys, until anytime.”
Kana stared at Mantingan's warm face. He turned his face the other way. Don't want to be seen Mantingan. He wanted to present himself as a strong and reliable child to take care of his sister and the Northern River Angel. But in any case, he could not hate Mantingan. There's no reason for him to do that. Even if there was a reason, Cana would not hate Mantingan.
Mantingan then laughed loosely while saying, “Why are you crying, Kana? Don't you hate me and I hate you? It must be that the grieving me has been hated by you, even by Kina anyway.”
“My words were nothing but empty talk, Kaka. We can't hate Kaka. It never will. Like Kaka who will never hate us, we will also never hate Kaka.”
The mantel stopped his laughter and smiled subtly. “There's no point in harboring hatred, Kana. Because in every sense of hatred, there are also embers of revenge that can explode whenever the opportunity comes. Have you ever seen an explosion, Kana? The explosion would only destroy everything that was weak in the surroundings. Know that your power is not to destroy the weak, but to protect them. You can't do that if you still harbor hatred. O Cana, fill your heart with affection, so that your enemies will feel worried if they have to kill you.”
They remained silent for quite a while. The mantra let him think.
“Good.” Kana said with determination. His hands were tightly clenched. “I won't save hate anymore. To anyone, and to anything. Daku will spread affection, as Kaka Man always does.” His hands are getting clenched. The mantle looked at him proudly. “This manat will do wherever my feet rest. Whether it's in Javadvipa or Champa. No matter in the land of friends or the land of enemies. I will continue to spread goodness, which will then become the seedlings of the tree of goodness someday.”
“The world needs people like you, Kana. Don't make me regret training you.”
***
LAST NIGHT BEFORE departure for the White Wind College, Mantingan and the North River Angel sat next to each other on the terrace. Look at the clear sky of the mega-mega-grey. Weaving hundreds and a moon, which could somehow be hanging up there.
Mantingan said solemnly, “Saudari, look at the stars that are widely spread above.”
The Angel of the North River turned his eyes away from Mantingan's face, quickly pitting before Mantingan realized his actions. “I'm looking at them, Brother.”
“What is the sum of all the stars in the sky? Sometimes they look, and sometimes they don't. Are the stars a living being, like animals, or just a brightly glowing gemstone?”
“I don't know it, Brother. My eyes are too lousy to see them all clearly.”
The mantle smiled and fell silent. “The stars will drive Sister home.”
The North River Angel nodded. “The set of stars can be a guide for sailors.”
“When Sisters have gone sailing,” Mantingan said, “daku will look at the set of stars that Sisters pass through, that way, I will continue to be with you until arriving at Champa.”
“What if it turns out that I did not arrive at Champa, Brother? The vast ocean is not a place without humans who have bad intentions.”
“Your fear is excessive, Sister, the White Wind College fleet is not a fleet that is easily defeated.” Mantingan replied, “but if it should happen, then Sister will be immersed in a sea of omnipotence, as broad as your generosity. And if that should happen, Sasmita, you need not worry, the fish will take you on a tour.”
North River Angel smiled “If I get shipwrecked with my ship, how can you find out?”
Mantingan smiled meaningfully before replying, “I definitely know it. Because the rays of the stars and the moon will dim when they lose an angel like you.”
“Brother, just this time you praised me.”
“This may be the last we can talk like now. I'd rather praise you than sulk at Champa.”
The girl frowned without reducing the smile. “Why should it be the last? Can't we still have a casual conversation at White Wind College?”
“The White Wind Campaign separates women from men in two different places. Our meeting will be limited.”
The Northern River Angel suddenly fell. “It means ... tonight ...”
“Ya, right. This is the last night you can enjoy with me.” The mantel widens the smile. The look in his eyes continued to look at the sky, as if afraid of a star that suddenly disappeared if it was not observed. “But as warriors, we are both trained to leave what should be left behind. We are also trained not to drag on in sadness or romance.”
The North River Angel looked at Mantingan. He was compassionate towards the young man and towards himself. How as two warriors, they cannot live love as it should. Instead of accepting the presence of love, they are required to stay away from it until death picks up.
The mantel exhales slowly. “I hope Sisters can educate Kana and Kina to be useful for others. Believe that they will be good children after getting good teaching.”
The Northern River Angel nodded even though Mantingan did not notice it. “Once in a while Brother should visit Champa.”
“I can't.” Manten. As if I had ever said this.
“Why? With your present ability, you can easily go to Champa. No warrior dares to stand in your way.”
“For me, going to Champa is easy. It is as easy as navigating the island of Javadvipa. But accepting all the facts presented when I touched the Champa land is not an easy thing.”
“What reality can you not accept?” The North River's angel.
“Already. I can't reveal it now.”
But as the two young men have passed much sorrows together, the Angel of the North River actually knows what Mantingan is hiding. Nevertheless, the girl chose not to say it.
The Northern River Angel nodded slowly and smiled. “I will be very honored, Mantingan.”
***
THE MANTAN PULLED out a piece of thrower from inside the pocket of his robe. He put the petal on the table, which was then opened by the North River Angel.
“This is the first volume,” said, “daku has five completed volumes, while the sixth volume is still written.”
The North River Angel began to read the book that was side by side about the wandering of Mantingan looking for Kembangmas that has not been found until now. While the Mantingan went inside to take the remaining four volumes.
Until that night they spent no sleep at all. The Little Angel of the North River seemed to not want to be separated from the story that Mantingan had written, while Mantingan wrote a continuation of the story next to it. Several times the North River Angel expressed his opinion in some parts that made him amazed or confused, sometimes he smiled wryly while several times glancing at Mantingan.
This is what he said when he smiled wryly, “Why would you help a prostitute like Arkawidya?”
Mantingan only smiled as he asked the North River Angel to continue reading. Let the girl find the answer for herself as the story continues.
When mosquitoes flocked to them, as if forcing them to knead in their blankets, that's when Mantingan burned special leaves used to repel the mosquito entourage. That night they could spend without interruption.
***
NOT FEEL the crowed roosters began to unpretentious. Welcoming the arrival of the sun. It was then that the Wind Bell Village residents got up from their beds to start work. In an attempt to rebuild his once-destroyed village, they cannot laze.
Mantingan and Bidadari Sungai Utara. In that view, they realized that they had to rush to prepare for departure. Then by nodding once more, they had agreed.
Mantingan went around the house and made sure that none of the interests of the North River Angel, Cana, or Kina were left behind. While the Angel of the North River went to Cana and Kina's room, waking them both up.
When finished, Mantingan went to the White Wind Padepokan when the North River Angel, Cana, and Kina gosarapan. He had to inform the police so that they would send a horse-drawn carriage to his residence. It did not take long for Mantingan to finish everything he had to take care of at the White Wind Padepokan.
The mantle immediately flashed away after saying goodbye to the swordsman who was guarding there. This time his goal was the owner of the residence he inhabited now.
Mantingan managed to find a new home from the owner of the residence. Indeed, the middle-aged man's house was destroyed when the village was attacked by the Sea Beggar's Association. Now the house he built is much simpler than his old house.
Fortunately, the owner of the residence was watering plants in his yard, so that Mantingan can immediately greet him. The owner of the residence greeted Mantingan. After making small talk, he asked Mantingan to chat on his porch bench.
“Mr, I don't intend to be here too long, so there's no need to bother.” Mantingan said kindly when the old man almost asked his wife to serve him a warm drink.
“Why is too hasty to make children not have time to drink a cup of tea?”
Mantingan shook his head slowly and explained the purpose of his arrival, “Bapak, I want to buy a house that is now dangerous to live in. Can you, Father?”
The owner of the residence nodded. Almost made Mantingan disappointed if he did not say, “Sama I do not consider the building as my own again, Son. Now, that's your home.”
The mantle shook his head. “Mr, can't be like that. Sahaya will use the building as a place to run a business to earn money. It should have been a danger to pay for the house since a long time.”
“No!” The old man shook his hand with a friendly smile. “I heard that you have succeeded in defeating the Sea Beggar's Society. It's the same as saving the residents of Wind Bell Village and the residents in dozens of other villages. I won't take your house, it's a despicable act.”
Mantingan actually wanted to refute, but he remembered that forbidding people to do good was an arrogant behavior. Then Mantingan could only smile sincerely and bow respectfully.
“Thank you, Father,”.
“It doesn't need to be like this. I'm supposed to thank the kid who took such a good care of the house. I remember the house was initially very ugly, abandoned, and its shape was the same as a forest full of shrubs. But since the Son's arrival, the house has been transformed into a peaceful palace. Son has done something I can't do.”
Mantingan shook his head slowly, dismissing all the praise that led to him, “It has become an obligation for me to take care of the place, Father. If it is not the danger to do so, then someone else will. Serangan is nothing.”
“Child is too excessive in humble,” he said then laughed loosely. “But that's your attitude, isn't it? I heard that Hero Man does like to be humble, generous, and selfless.”
After talking for a while, he got a simple description of what the residents of Lonceng Wind Village would do. Villagers will remember Wiranti's services by building a large statue of him. Villagers will also rebuild an even bigger market. With the protection of the White Wind Padepokan, the village can hold a large auction without fearing outside threats.
Of course to get protection, villagers are required to pay a little tax. Really the tax was not troublesome for them, because in a month it only needed to pay for a piece of silver. However, if you want to hold an auction or similar event, it is not allowed adult performances, high-stakes gambling, and flower stalls.
The mantle flashed again after saying goodbye. He should have arrived at the residence since then. But Mantingan was forced to postpone it in order to get news of the village which was considered quite important.
Sure enough, in fact Mantingan has long awaited. The carriage waited to enter in front of the gate. Of course they could not pass through the gate, which was the same as going through the spell made by Mantan. Meanwhile, the North River Angel folded his hands and looked annoyed in front of the terrace.
The coat greeted the horseman and his bodyguard warmly while laughing crisply. He unlocked the spell before asking them to enter. Along with the entrance of the horse-drawn carriage to the courtyard of the residence, Mantingan faces the North River Angel. He smiled at the girl in veil and dressed in thick clothes.
“After you.”
“I visited the owner of this house, so it does take a long time.” Mantingan's warm smile turned into an awkward smile.
The North River Angel raised next to his eyebrows. “You didn't visit the village flower house, did you?”
Responding to the girl's cold words, Mantingan just laughed loosely. No doubt, the girl clucked in annoyance a few times.
