The Musafir

A Plan to Visit a Piece of Civilization

CHITRA Anggini nudged Mantingan's arm while throwing a mocking look. “Oh, so are you envious?”

“Iri?” The mantle folded his forehead, asking cluelessly.

“Yes, didn't you break up because you couldn't get a crush?”

Perfect Mantingan pinned the woman's head. His face instantly became riled up.

“Do not bring that up again.” The mantle said coldly. Since becoming familiar with it, Chitra Anggini has become more frequent in ‘itu’.

“What's wrong?” Chitra Anggini shows a face that does not accept. Rubbing his head that had just been hit by Mantingan.

“Many mistakes. You haven't even told me about anything the girl told you.”

“I'll be more happy to tell you after we get to Koying.” Chitra Anggini shook his head. His face was back in earnest. “Don't you during the trip, the wind blows so strong? I don't want to bother yelling against the sound of the wind just to convey it to you.”

After hearing the name Koying alluded to, the look of Mantingan's face also changed. Become more serious.

“After arriving there, what should we do for the first time?” Chitra Anggini again asked after swallowing goat-fed porridge in his mouth.

Mantingan weighted goods for a moment while looking at the bowl of porridge. Only then did he answer, “First of all, we have to find an inn that we can stay for one or two weeks. It would be nice if we did not disguise ourselves as ordinary citizens, because I heard that Koying is the paradise of warriors. If disguised as a layman at our age now, it will attract a lot of attention.”

Mantingan found out about it after the Book of the Unnamed which contains the life history of the Unnamed Woman. It is said that the villages of the Koying kingdom had at least two low-skilled warriors, and the cities had at least one hundred medium-skilled warriors as well as ten high-skilled warriors. That was enough to describe how Koying was a paradise for warriors. What about the capital?

Chitra Anggini nodded in agreement. “If it is the first thing, then the second thing what should we do after?”

“We must find the swordsman.” Mantingan said as he looked at Chitra Anggini meaningfully. The girl quickly understood.

Talks concerning the task of saving Tapa Balian should not be discussed openly in this store. Or even better not to talk about it.

“Do we really have to hire the services of underground society—like what we have planned before—to find the swordsman? But, how?”

It is very clear that the underground association referred to by Chitra Anggini is none other than the Leaf Dance Group. Hasn't Kartika promised to help from behind by putting together a mature strategy? But until now, they still do not know how Kartika will convey the strategies. There was no agreement and no deal of any kind before.

“Maybe we should keep renting it.” Mantingan. “But we also have to prepare as late as possible. There is no guarantee at all that we will successfully get help from that underground network.”

***

They continued their journey after paying. This time, Mantingan decided not to fly. Also approved by Chitra Anggini. They will pass through a small piece of civilization in the form of a village not far ahead there, whose number and level of warriors fill the village is still unknown.

Moreover, it is not impossible that there are many expert warriors who are located some distance from the village. They usually just want to train themselves, but do not want to be too far or too close from human civilization. Such fighters would be very difficult to deal with.

If the Mantingan still decided to fly, then indeed he would not face a fight in the near future. But when he arrived at Koying, there could have been countless numbers of seasoned warriors looking for him.

The most dangerous thing is not the fight, but the spread of news. If warriors in or around the village saw a flying buffalo ridden by two humans, then they would not have time to chase or even forage for it, but they can still spread the word about what they have seen.

A buffalo flew in the sky, two people rode on it, going towards Koying. That is the form of news that they will spread.

After all, who would not be interested in flying buffalo?

However, the wind blew strong in the martial world. Any kind of news will spread quickly. Like being carried by the wind.

“I want to buy more covered clothes.” Chitra Anggini breaks Mantingan daydreams. His face was a little red when he said that. “Almost a moment in that village won't be a problem, will it? It is a market day, there is definitely a market and many are sold there, including clothing.”

“As long as you do not put on a face like you want to be challenged to fight it.” Mantingan had repeatedly said that to him. Chitra Anggini's face was too cold and taut, as if deliberately asserting that he was a martial world warrior who was always ready to be challenged to fight to the death. According to him, Chitra Anggini should get used to smiling a lot if they do not want to get into trouble in Koying later.

The woman took a long breath. Glancing briefly at Munding, asking for approval, dear buffalo was just a short bellow. Doesn't seem to agree or disagree.

“Smiling and looking sweet is not who I am, Mantingan.” Chitra Anggini then went back to explaining at length that he had swallowed the bitterness of the black pejilatan world, making his smile almost disappear all.

“You're too callous.” Mantingan replied lightly, making Chitra Anggini's chest feel tight for a moment. “You can change at any time. The past you said just now is good to be a lesson, not a reason to make you not baha—”

“Be quiet.” Chitra Anggini cut. “Your words are making me unhappy. So hush. Do not equate me with you whose life is always happy without ever experiencing suffering as I feel.”

Mantingan did not reply to that assumption. Absolutely wrong! Is life always happy without ever experiencing suffering? He could only laugh bitterly in his mind.