CARAVANSERAY

Dear my silent reader, soon this story will grow even complicated. I can not avoid writing part of this story from many points of view.

That'll make the stories feel jumping backward or even more forward. I hope that you'll enjoy the stories even more.

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Asri Inn, Crocodile's Tear Town, same day, Evening.

Unlike the ordinary Inn found anywhere, Asri Inn much more resembling a mix-matched between inn, tavern, and caravansary.

The inns were primarily found in towns and cities, and most of them very quickly became landmarks of the settlement they were in. The inn of a town was usually located in a central location such as the town square, or in places where trade roads met.

The innkeeper was a very rich and influential man in most towns. He was part of the urban elite, part of local government, and also acted as an expediter and banking agent for mercantile transactions.

While a caravansary was a roadside inn where travelers or caravaners could rest and recover from the day's journey. Unlike the inns or tavern, Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information, and people across the network of trade routes covering Niujvantara archipelago, Phanaphecius archipelago, Balakka archipelago, Perxia, Sinosia, Hendia or even Herencia most notably the Gold Road.

Yes, part of Asri Inn was located in a roadside outside the Town.

This was made Asri Inn become very popular, bigger and crowded. As if this was another town itself.

Asri inn served both food and drink. The drink was sourced from the local vintners and breweries, while some inns had cellars containing the most exotic of wines and beer from all over Iocyania.

"Puah.. ! What is this ?" A mage with the blue cloak spouting the drink.

Splash!

"Hey, That is our most expensive ale! Are you insulting me? Are you looking for trouble?" That muscular bartender grabbed the mage's collar and lift him up. He glared at him full of intimidation.

The mage snorted, he is annoyed. He picked up something from his sleeve. A bottle! Made from some glass-crystal-like-material!

The bartender widened his eyes.

" This is the real deal, moron!" He said while lifting that bottle up.

The bartender snorted. "Hmpf! Anyone could use a random bottle just for show." The bartender snorted. His mustache was prancing up. He had an appearance which is similar to Hulk Hogan of WWF, but more macho.

"Hah? Random Bottle?" The mage's lips twitching as if he just heard improper insults. "Let's make a bet. If you survive not to faint from drinking this first glass, you win."

"Oho! Sure I will win. So the winner will take all, the loser should obey!"

"Deal!"

"Guys! We had a drink competition! It's Helck Logan versus... hey, who's your name ?" Someone shouted.

"My name is Jack !"

"Everyone! We had a drink competition! It's the great bartender, Helck Logan! Versus the wanderer mage, Jackal!"

" Horaaaa ...!" Everyone shouted.

"Hey, bastard, my name is Jack. Not Jackal!"

Thus tavern main room is getting hot and crowded.

"Drink !"

"Drink !"

"Drink !"

"Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!"

Everyone shout rhythmically as if it was a big match between Jean-Claude Van Damme versus Bolo Yeung.

Someone took two glasses from the bar and then snatch that bottle from Jack's hand.

He filled the glasses and gave to Jack and Helck.

Horaaaaaa ...!!!

The spectator shouted rousingly. Provoking those two to start the game. Some spectators even had gathering fund for the bet.

"Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!"

"Hahaahaa... !" Helck laughed vulgarly to intimidated Jack.

But Jack did not care.

With his poker face, he drank everything in his glass until dry. And with a provoking manner, asked for the second's glass.

"Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!"

Helck feels as if he just being slapped on the face. With a reddened face he followed Jack's example, but..

Bruk!

He got drunk in the first gulp. His eyes are both closed. His drunk endurance was below Jack's. He could not consume everything.

Jack's the winner !

"The winner iiiiiiiiisss.... Jaaaackaaal !! "

" Hoooraaaaay..."

"Booooooooooo " shouted the spectators who lost their bet.

" Hoooraaaaay..."

Someone throw a bag full of gold coins into him and laughed "Here is your share's Jackal !"

Jack lift the bottle up. "Free drink for everyone !!"

" Hurray !!!"

" For those who want to try my drink !" Jack lift four bottles of his drink. "Free as long as these bottles are not empty !"

" Hurray !!!"

Then, tonight guest star was Jack, who won the sudden drink competition.

Fifty minutes later...

Thus tavern main room is full of the snore and the fallen drunkards. No one could resist Jack's drink.

Heck's boss threw a bucket of water to his subordinate. She looked so angry.

" Bastard, how dare you drink in you work hour !"

Byurr !!

" Bllrppp! Boss! Sorry, boss !"

" Now, get back to work !"

" Yes, boss !"

Helck then desperately run toward the bar. Everyone laughed at him.

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"Hey, Helck. I am sorry about that. Here, a bottle of mine. You may have it !" Jack pat Helck shoulder to show his sympathies.

Helck looks at the bottle with teary eyes. "Thank you, Jackal !"

"It's Jack! Not Jackal! And it's not free!"

Helck laughed. "How much ?"

Jack wiggled his index finger, giving a code that he must come closer.

Helck laughed again. "Okay, how much ?" He whispered.

Jack whispered "As much as every latest information related to Magelang kingdom, their enemies and any secret related." Jack put half of the bag of coins in his arm.

" You got it. I'll compile it first. I'll give you the answer in the middle of the night."

" Excellent !"

" By the way, Jackal, what's your purpose here?"

" Well, I'm a mage apprentice, maybe I could serve as something to someone important here or there.."

" Then you should come to him." Helck pointed his finger into a man in the corner.

" Who is he ?" Jack whispered.

" I heard he was former Earl Fritz Hayes's left hand and ex-elite soldiers of Earl Franc Zonk," Helck whispered while covering his mouth with his palms "He had done all their dirty job but had not been paid well so he decides to left."

" What kind of dirty job ?" Jack whispered.

" The biggest rumor said, he was responsible to every deceased person in Titan Family," Helck whispered.

Deg !

As if heard something explode in the middle of the night, Jack's heart beating faster.

" You know, Hayes and Zonk families hold an irreconcilable grudge toward Titan Family. But none from them dare enough to confront the Titan's directly. So they decide to borrow other's hand, that is that man over there."

" How they do that ?"

" Some from Titan's were assassinated in the middle of the war, by their own comrades. Some others are poisoned."

" Is he an assassins ?"

" No, he is an alchemist. A peerless one. But walk on the dark side."

" Who's his name? "

" Cargeo Flamas!"

" I see.." Jack take something more from his sleeve. It was another bottle of glass. " This is another drink from my home town, called Balinese honey arak, brewed under the light Denpasar moon over twenty years..." Vulgarly Jack's open the cover. The nice fragrant assaulting Helck nostril and stimulates his saliva.

" Please, give me a gulp. " Helck desperately asked him.

"Now, this will be yours, but please give him a glass, that Cargeo Flamas guy. Give him a big one. Tell him, it's my treat." Jack said while throwing that bottle into Helck.

" As you wish, Sir." Helck smile while hugging the bottle.