7 Wooden Stick

'Let's hope the Captain of Guard is as greedy as the general mass,' Kai told himself the third time.

This was also the third time for him to recheck and match the two Proof Letters. Not noticing anything out of place, Kai nodded. With a sudden twist of hands, he ripped all the parchments, leaving his imitated copy. Even the original one, especially the original one.

'It's a room with stopped time, for now, what about later?' Kai gave caution to his doubts. If someone were to come and found the folly he had done, at least his Luck wasn't enough to save him, Kai knew it. 'Best to give false suspicions than solid proof.'

Collecting every single piece of torn parchments, Kai approached the bed. Beneath the bed-sheet, a simple piece of cloth with faded color, there was a layer of straw. Unlike the damp smell, it felt dry, brittle, and perfect to hide something between its layers. Kai carefully spread the evidence of his crime throughout the straw mattress.

Kai took a last look at the room, making sure it wasn't telling any tale of mischief, but just orderly and chaotic enough that a person had been here. A quick step brought him to the closet. 'Nothing,' Kai observed, opening its creaking doors. He left it open and then held the mirror shard. No notification, no stats. It was just an ordinary item.

'Not for me,' Kai gravely reflected.

Putting the sharp edge against the skin of his left hand, Kai gave it a sudden twist. His skin separated, flesh torn, and the blood seeped out. But he had just lifted the mirror off his arm when the wound closed by itself. The flesh was the first, and the skin even faster. Kai rubbed away the blood, not letting it drip onto the floor.

'Almost no pain,' Kai noticed. 'Not much useful, still better than nothing.'

[Damage Taken: 1 Point]

The sudden notification took Kai off-guard. Three different colored bars appeared in front of his eyes with their numeric value at the bar's end. The topmost had the color of blood. The reduction of the bar was unnoticeable, but Kai saw the 100 against it becoming 99 and then regaining its actual value in the next moment.

'Fascinating!'

Hiding the mirror between his cloth-belt and loose pants, Kai held the letter and rolled it gently. He took a deep breath and calmed himself down. A life he had left behind, and now a new chance had been given to him, with endless possibilities.

Dying with the enemy was good, living was much better.

*

*

[Main Mission Timer is triggered. You have 48 hrs to complete the mission.]

The notification flashed twice before disappearing. The wooden floor creaked under Kai's feet as he stepped down the stairs. It was as he had thought, the moment he had come out of the room, it was like life had been imbued into a dead object.

First, it was the stinging smoke, then came the powerful smell of alcohol, both hit his nose unwantedly. They were closely followed by a cacophony creeping up in his ears from downwards. Down the stairs, with every next step he took, the noises became louder but distinct.

"The Wizard's Council is at it again! I tell you…"

"I thank Late Ms. Ignatia Wildsmith every day. How in God's name wizards used to commute before…"

"Go on! Don't dawdle here, yeah, I am speaking to you…"

A push shoved him down the stairs, and a plump man crossed him from behind, giving him a disgusting look. Then their eyes matched. Kai didn't mind any shove. All things were welcome that could make him a part of the crowd. But he hadn't expected what happened next.

The plump man stopped, the disgusting look all but vanished. Touching his hat, he gave an apologetic smile and then walked away.

Some noticed it, others didn't care.

'What was that?' Kai hated inexplicable things. He hated it, even more, when he didn't have the answers about the ones related to him. Many had died under his sabers because they didn't know enough about themselves. 'Strange place and stranger men,' Kai dared not share the same mistakes as his victims.

It was an inn, Kai guessed. The ground floor was the gathering place of drunkards, spies, and common people too if there were any. The upper floors were quarters, like the little room Kai had come out of.

Kai approached the counter and sat down on the empty stool. Many were looking at him, noticing his clothes, hatless head, white hair, but most were looking into his eyes. They were unusual, even in a Magical World, Kai noticed.

'My clothing isn't doing me any good either,' Kai tsked.

Kai could see the smiles turned to disgust, then struggling to know what to do when seeing his eyes. He looked around, spying on others as they spied on him. A hint he was looking for, hidden in the people and their casual actions.

"Order or begone," a voice came from behind, not unkindly. Just on the verge of harshness.

Kai turned and found the old innkeeper staring at him. He had no money if the bald old man was asking for money. With every passing second, Kai could feel the warmth in his wrinkly half-closed eyes becoming red with anger.

"I am looking for lightning," Kai said.

"…"

The old man's eyes widened, and it didn't look like a good sign to Kai. Before he could say anything, the old man roared. "Get out, or I will show you lightning right now, you peasant!" A wooden stick appeared in his hand. It was a frail thing, but Kai's mind rumbled. A deep sense of danger overtook him, and he didn't wait to dash away from the old man. It wasn't fear, it was the premonition of certain death.

Kai didn't even know when a man came and bumped into Kai's rushing figure.

"I heard you are looking for lightning," he mumbled. "Do you have thunder?"

*****

AN: Yes. Kai didn't recognize the wand. Remember that he had grown up in a scientific environment. He has knowledge equivalent to multi-doctorate works in fields related to beasts, as was expected of him in his previous life. Combine it with his age, and it had left him no time to dwell into other things. Even of Harry Potter and it's related works he had a fleeting memory. Much less needed to be said about the inner contents. He was from a post apocalyptic world, to begin with.

Our MC will learn with time, but he won't be a complete idiot about it.

If you want to know in which areas Kai's specialisations lie, then you can check Chapter 174 published at Webnovel. But, I won't recommend it. It will spoil the fun out of it.

Please vote PS for the AI to notice the work. Enjoy!