The Musafir
Morning at White Wind Port
However, a word Chitra Anggini has managed to leave a little curiosity in his mind. The young woman said that there had been a new kingdom standing on the island of Borneo. What would that kingdom be?
Mantingan intends to find his year tomorrow, if circumstances still allow. In two more nights, the Angel of the North River will leave Javadvipa, surely there will be many things to take care of.
“I've read about Chitra Anggini in your travel book.” The North River Angel opened his voice. “You tell me as if your relationship with Chitra Anggini was just an accident to meet on the street. But it seems, your relationship is deeper than that ..”
***
MANTAN shook his head. “For me, our relationship is nothing more than what I wrote in the book. But either Chitra Anggini thinks of it as what.”
The Northern River Angel nodded her head slowly. The words and the tone spoken by the Mantingan had been able to make him sure.
“For you indeed have no other lover of heart besides Rara, yes.”
Mantingan did not answer but merely smiled awkwardly. The words of the North River Angel again opened up the old question in his mind. Is it true that he still loves Rara until now?
However, Mantingan was unwilling to answer that question for now. Or rather, he felt that it was better for all romantic affairs to be avoided first.
The White Wind Harbor attack seven days ago has changed his thinking. The mantan feels he is still too weak to bear the nickname Hero Man.
Mantingan admitted that his martial arts were quite high, but Mantingan felt he could still reach much higher than that if only he stopped taking care of unnecessary things and lazing around.
***
White Wind HARBOR was preparing to welcome the arrival of their college chairman, Rama, when it was too early to say morning.
Mantingan observed the preparation from behind the window of his room while drinking hot tea—the inn shop was open for a full day since the auction made the guests who rented the room increase in numbers, that way Mantingan can order warm tea at any time.
It appears that the port is still crowded by stalls belonging to the wandering traders who stop by. The auction event was over last night, but the crowd at the port is expected to last for the next three days, so all the wandering traders chose to settle temporarily. Meanwhile, the White Wind Port gave seven days before their shops were taxed on par with the fixed stores in the port.
Judging from behind his window, there were White Wind School students cleaning up the trash on the streets. But of course they do not use brooms to clean up the garbage, but with the Science of Controlling the Wind!
“Sena! You are putting too much energy into your wind! Behold, the rubbish which I have gathered is scattering your country ...”
“Okay, ouch. Forgive myself! Let the trash you have collected be my responsibility.”
“Duhai, Sena! You also messed up my part!”
“Alright! Forgive me, let me take over.”
The mantel laughed a little when he noticed them. A teacher watching over them could only smile while continuing to stroke his long beard.
The mantan moved from his bedroom window towards his desk. Like what was his determination yesterday, he will not waste time lazing around or taking care of his love affair with Rara who never found the word after. The Spells will begin to re-learn the Book of the Lotus.
Mantingan remembered that the third part of the book had not yet been completed. Early morning like this time is very suitable to be used to read books that are classified as heavy science, because the mind is still fresh and the air is still very cool to cool the head.
The Book of Lotus which he stored in the best petals then issued slowly. Be grateful for it because the book did not suffer the slightest damage even though it has been taken traveling from Cape Kalapa to Earth Sagandu.
Slowly, Mantingan also opened the third part of the book that does not contain martial arts but can be applied to the science of martial arts.
***
WHEN the Mantingan finished reading the third part of the Lotus Book, the sun had risen from the vast ocean to the expanse of the sky that was no less vast.
Mantingan had indeed succeeded in reading the third part of the book, but did not immediately make everything in it he could understand at one time. Nevertheless, Mantingan has received a great deal of understanding from the book.
The knowledge he obtained was not martial science, for however he had known before that the Book of the Lotus was not at all a book of penyilatan. Nevertheless, the sciences in the book can indeed be applied into a silat style. The mantan only needs to retrieve the important keys from the book.
In the third part of the book, there is a verse that says:
t**will not be able to get someone to their destination
then as skipper
do not invite people to your ship
if it is still in a state of shipwreck
The verse, though at first glance only intended for sailors, but in fact it is intended for all human beings regardless of what their work. A shipwreck is just a figurative language.
What Mantingan can take from the verse is that if someone is still in error, then that person will not be able to bring others to the path of light. The blind man who leads the blind will only mislead.
The vision of the blind man Mantingan takes from another verse in the same passage:
Blind man's eyes
still much luckier
of a blind man of the mind
or a man blinded by his own mind
Blind people can walk on bright roads
but the blind man of mind is blinded by his eyes which are not blind
In the Book of the Lotus, one who is blind in sight will not be underestimated. It is precisely the mind-blind that is like a curse.
Yet, between the shipwreck and the mind-blind man, there is something even more misleading.
Blind people can be healed
The shipwreck can still be repaired
The one who is no longer blind
And the ship that no longer sank
It still misleads people with its ability
It must be destroyed
Mantingan remember that this happens often now. Where a person uses others for his own benefit. Disguised as men, monks, or courtesans, the truth is that they only want to deceive the crowd with their appearance.
So Mantingan until here also realized, that judging someone based on his appearance alone, is a big mistake.
Mantingan, also remembered that he had been miserable due to his very bad appearance. Remembering that made Mantingan become a little laugh.
___
note:
If this is the crazy up that the author can give to his beloved readers. Happy, slowly.
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