The Musafir
Uncle Shop
Free, the Mantingan did not find a human form that emitted that sound. But Mantingan knew, that the voice came from the owner of the tavern.
That sound is pretty creepy. So heavy and hoarse. But Mantingan did not look daunted by him.
Mantingan already clearly knew what the person's words meant. If Mantingan wants to stay inside the tavern, then he can't get out of there unless the day is light. Even though the voice was full of threats, Mantingan decided to keep stepping in.
Inside the shop was another atmosphere. The sounds of crickets and night beasts outside were not heard inside here, whereas the door was clearly wide open until any sound was possible to enter.
“You're so brave, Young Man.”
Now the voice was heard again, but the man appeared. He was an old man with a strange smile, and had just walked out of the back room welcoming Mantingan.
“What are you looking for, Young Man?”
Mantingan immediately replied, “I want to stay and eat here.”
“Eh? Swordsman like yourself should not need a room for shelter, nor food to hold hunger.”
“I'm not a swordsman, Uncle.” The man tried to answer politely.
“That means that what you said this afternoon was a lie?”
The mantel held his breath. How could this man know what he said during the day, when Mantingan said that he was a free-flow swordsman in the guard soldiers? Suspicious of this person, but Mantingan chose to be calm.
“I am not a swordsman, and indeed what I said this afternoon was a lie.”
“Oh.” The old man rubbed his beard and laughed. “Good to be blunt to me. I understand your current condition. A little lie is no big deal. After all, you really want to be a swordsman, right?”
The mantel held his breath again. He could still accept that if this old man before him knew what he had told the guard soldier this afternoon, suppose he was in that place. But Mantingan could not accept with common sense if this man knew his thoughts, Mantingan's desire to become a swordsman was never spoken by his mouth. Is it possible that this man could read the minds of others?
“Well, where are you going?”
Mantingan quickly replied, “Mount Kubang, Uncle.”
“Then, surely you want to go to White Wind College.”
Choked mantle. How did he know about that? This question also never came out of the mouth of Mantingan.
Then dare Mantingan ask, “How can Uncle know the contents of my mind?”
“No, no. I was just guessing. Thank goodness if it turns out to be right.” The old man showed his strange smile. “Now, come with me inside, let me show you a comfortable room for a traveler like you.”
But Mantingan did not move from his position at all, making the old man look at him in surprise.
Then Mantingan asked, “Who exactly is Uncle?”
The old man laughed instead, as if Mantingan's question was very funny.
“I have no name, but people used to call me ‘Uncle Kedai’!”
Now it was the turn of the Mantingan who could not hold back his laughter. What kind of stupid name is that? If indeed he has a shop, it does not mean he can be named ‘Kedai’. Without Mantingan knowing, this is his first laugh since Rara's death.
“He! Don't laugh like that. Let my name be strange, but my name is very much feared in the jungle!”
The mantel stopped his champ and cleared his throat several times. Just remembered by him that this old man had extraordinary abilities, definitely not an ordinary human either. The regretful mantan had laughed like that, it could have been that this person felt humiliated and killed him instantly.
But Mantingan's guess is probably wrong. The old man in front of him did not take out any weapons or attack him, and the Mantingan was not killed. The old man kept smiling, even though his smile was terrifying.
Matingan replied, “Mantingan.”
“Mantingan yes ... we have something in common, you want to know what it is?”
The mantle scrunched his forehead. “What is it?”
The old man laughed again. “We both use pseudonyms.”
The mantle is back. Most likely if the parents named this store has a special ability to read the minds of others. Danger if so, Mantingan should not think bad things about him. But this is just a guess Mantingan alone, can be right and can be wrong.
“Back I will ask!” said Uncle Kedai. “Do you want to sleep inside or hear me tell you stories until morning?”
Mantingan silently thought, then replied, “I don't want to trouble Uncle Kedai, let me just sleep.”
“And I'd love you to hear my stories, what a pity.”
“Then let me hear Uncle.”'s story
“But don't you need a break?”
“Alright, I'll take a break, Uncle.”
“So you don't want to hear my stories?”
“Alright, I'll hear the stories from Uncle!” The team is running out of patience.
“I'm happy, but what if your body needs rest?”
“What do you want your Uncle really?!”
The mantan was completely out of patience, he said in a high tone to the old man. But the old man was not offended that he had been yelled at by a child much younger than him, Uncle Kedai laughed out loud. A strange laugh, Mantingan almost screamed that the sound of laughter Uncle Kedai like the sound of a monkey cut tail.
Slowly Uncle Kedai stopped his prisoner, again he said with his heavy voice. “You did manage to change your timid habits to be brave, but you did not increase your patience.”
“How can I be patient with someone like Uncle.”
“The martial world will demand high patience if it does not want to be harmed, Mantingan. If you cannot face me, how can you face the annoying warriors?”
Mantingan took a long breath. Facing Uncle Kedai this could make him go crazy, just as crazy as that madman. Which crazy person opened the tavern at night dangerous like this? Which madman named himself a Shop? Which madman asks others to understand his madness and even tells him to be patient? That crazy guy's Uncle Shop!
“So right now, do you want to sleep or hear me tell you a story?”
“My decision has been firm, Uncle Shop. I want to sleep now, I'll hear your story tomorrow.” The mantingan again lowered his tone.
“So you think I'm chatty?”
“Not really. I just want to rest after a long journey. Uncle Kedai must remember that I am an ordinary man, not a swordsman.”
“You really don't want to hear myself tell a story?”
“Tomorrow I'll hear, Uncle Store.”
Uncle Kedai clapped his hands once. “Good! This kind of determination is what you need. Now come with me inside, O Mantingan!”
