Author's Fight before Departure

Chapter 5: Author's Fight before Departure

Currently I'm in the plaza, the villagers who want to go to the town gather here and prepared their thing. About twenty people who tagged along. The one guarding it was five Iron-rank warrior. This level, not that particularly strong, but suffice to chase away wild and weak Magical Beast. 

"Well, well ..., look at this guy here. So, you're the one who'll get married with Mu Ying, eh? Seems not much to me." said a tanned-skin young man taller than me. He's one of the iron-rank warrior guard.

He stood up directly in front of me, with his height it seems like he's looking down at me. I felt unpleasant feeling from his gaze, and so I just frowned and looked at him.

"Hey, what say you ..., let's fight with Mu Ying as the stake."

Why ..., suddenly turn into a fight? I can't comprehend his reasoning. Is he one of her suitor? As expected, someone as beautiful as Mu Ying must have a lot of suitor. And hey, don't you see that you're an Iron-rank while I'm a rank higher than you? I'm a bronze-rank for fu--..., wait, I never revealed my strength to them, don't I? 

"What, you're afraid?" the tanned-skin took my silence as sign of fear.

Ohh ..., alright. Let's do this, think of it as something to add my purse.

"Fine by me, what are you staking on?"

"Huh?" the tanned-skin dumbfoundedly stared.

"You're asking me to let go of my soon-to-be wife without compensation, at least you have to put on a bet of similar value. With that, I can accept the bet."

"Nah, it's impossible for you to win. Just why are you ..., guys, look at this fuckboy. He think he could defeat me, what is he, he thought he's someone awesome!" the tanned-skin pointed at me while ridiculing me to the other guards.

"If you can't stake a bet of similar value, then can you just shut up?"

"Hoohh ..., alright, fine. Let us fight before we depart, I'll be betting on something that of similar value with Mu Ying."

Yes, let's hear it. What did you got. Is it something like a family heirloom. Let's hear what is your similar value to my Mu Ying? I am curious about it.

"I'll give you my dear sister, Lanie. If you win against me in a swordfight." the tanned-skin loudly said. This made other villager noticed our conflict.

"Whu- ..., sorry, what?"

That's not according to the script! Why you just push your sister to me without hesitation? I ..., just what kind of brain did you use to think? At least, use material riches and not another human. Shit, do I must fight him, then? I feel bad using woman as the stake of a bet. Though, I am certain that I would win, this feel so wrong.

"Everyone, gather round ..., here's our young guard captain, Xu Lian. And here we have our newcomer who's under Grandma Jian's care, Alan. As you might know, Alan will marry to our most beautiful flower, Mu Ying, but this Xu Lian also have some feeling for her. And thus, he challenged Alan into a duel. If Xu Lian win the duel, he would have all the right to be together with Mu Ying. And if he lost ..., then Alan would wed two girls of our village next week. But haha, that's impossible isn't it. No one can't beat our village's Xu Lian!" one of the middle-aged man who volunteered to become the referee of this duel.

Shit, this feels like everything is orchestrated.

The tanned skin, Xu Lian or something unsheathed his saber and activated his battle aura of Iron-rank. He revealed a mocking smile at me. Damn you, are you really that confidence with your meagre strength? I'll show you! I'll show you for real what is a real strength!

"Hey miss, what's your name ...," I asked a girl around 17 who brought a dagger with her.

"Huh? Uhh, ermm ..., I'm Xu Lanie."

Ahh ..., so she's that tanned-skin little sister. She's not bad. Albeit not as pretty as Mu Ying, her almond shaped eyes and brown hair is perfect match with her small face. Her figure is also not bad. Oh well, it'd be awkward if I keep staring at her. I should say something.

"Miss, can I borrow your dagger for a bit?"

"S-sure, and please win ..., for my sake."

Did she just cheering for me? I just smiled wryly and took her dagger. I turn around to see the unpleasant face of the tanned-skin. His face distorted that it's look like he just ate a pillbug.

"You've quite the guts huh, to flirt with my sister in front of me."

"Let's get this over with, shall we?"

"Very well, let's end this!"

"Both side's ready? The duel between Xu Lian and Alan, start!"

The tanned-skin leaped forward with his two-handed saber. Swinging it forcefully with all of the strength in his arm muscle. Slow ..., I could see the saber trajectory and his move didn't contain any trace of feint at all. I could see his expression turned for the better, like he's looking forward for my body getting chopped into pieces.

"Watch out?!"

I heard a shriek in the milliseconds before I dodged, it's Mu Ying. Maybe she thought I'll be done for real. But nah, I dodged it. My reflex is quite good alright, I should be grateful transmigrated into this genius mini-boss level villain.

"You, dodged ..., that?" the tanned-skin asked in a dazed state.

I rolled my eyes looking at him helplessly. Didn't you know that I could slit your throat or stab your eyes in this range? I tapped his cheek with the flat side of the dagger as I said.

"Don't daze around, you're lucky that I'm not serious. I killed you once." I casually strolled back. Revealing my back is something that not good for a martial artist, but he's just Iron ..., I'll have nothing to fear.

"Heyyath!" he swung his sword diagonally to my exposed back.

I turned around and leaped forward. I ended up standing behind him with the hilt of the dagger in his neck.

"That's twice. Your war cry will cause more power to your swing, but are you really planning to sneak attack? That's just plain dumb ain't it? You revealed your position when you shouted."

"Seryaahhh!!" he swung his saber once again with horizontal swing.

This time I blocked it with my dagger. Ugh, my hand went numb. I leaped up front and sent him an abdomen kick but held back because I don't want to hurt him.

"All of your move is predictable and easy to block. And just after three swing your arm is already tired, right? Your hand's clearly not suited for heavy saber, why you use it?"

"Shut up!?"

We sparred, but I kept taking him lightly while occasionally pointed his fault. He kept denying it, but he grown tired. Such a waste for the title of the strongest youth generation in the village. Well, if the strongest is this weak, then what about the weakest?

"Enough of this ..., Xu Lian, you've lose!" there's a middle-aged man with stern face stopped the duel that become one-sided pointer exchange. 

"No, father! I can still go on."

"Humph, don't you see that your breath is rushed, and look at him ..., he's still fine. You are not his match! Return back to your home and reflect what're you doing, this time you won't be going to the town with them."

"I ..., yes, father."

"And you, kid, don't you even think about laying a finger on my daughter. If you do that, then you--"

"Ah, hold on. I never intended on taking the bet seriously. Heh, after all woman isn't a thing. They're human, wherever they will go is up to them."

"But what if you lose? Will you hand over Mu Ying to my son?"

"Of course not, but at least I won't be marrying her. And if he wants to marry her, he must ate all of her dishes like I did."

"Hi-hieeee!!" I heard a loud shriek in the distance, it was that tanned skin. What, did he fear Mu Ying's cooking or something?

"Fine, but I'll be keeping an eye on you ...," Xu papa narrowed his gaze on me. He then told everyone to prepare for departure. The crowd dispersed and they lost interest.

I turned around to see the brown-haired Xu Lanie standing there. I returned the dagger to her. 

"Oh here, and thank you ...,"

"Y-yes, your welcome."

I smiled and bade farewell to her. I then looked around but noticed the sour faced Mu Ying. I strode to her and asked.

"Hey hey, why look so glum, you're not mad aren't you?"

"I'm not mad, who's mad? And why I have to?"

She's really mad. 

"Eehh ..., come on, my pretty Mu Ying. Don't you happy because I won?"

"Not at all, if you winning meant that you will get a new wife, then how could I be happy." she pinched my waist, well at least she's not exactly mad.

"Then, should I lose?"

"Hmph, you're definitely toying with that bastard of a Xu. Why don't you just refuse the duel and not make ruckus out of it? Now you've entangled with another problem, and that Xu bitch ..., how dare she looked so bashful in front of you!?"

Uwahh ..., is she the same Mu Ying that I know? I felt she's somewhat different.

"Ehh, don't be mad. Like I said, I won't be accepting the bet right? You and her is not a thing, how could someone use you as a stake of a bet. Wherever you go, it's up to you. If I lose when I put you on a stake of a bet, then that's mean I'm dumb to put you as a stake on the first place. But well ..., as you see, I won't make a bet if I don't certain that I will win." 

I put on my most serious expression and raised her chin to make her look at me, I then said.

"It is fine if you displeased with me for what I just did, but I won't be putting you as a bet stake from now on."

"Hmph ...," she just hmphed and avoided my gaze.

Well, it seems I just avoided disaster. 

After that we departed to the town. The nearest town is Bluebell, located on the other side of the mountain. I don't recall that name just like how I never know there's a place called Blackbirch Village. It seems that, even if I'm the author there's too much thing that I don't know about this world. 

This is out of topic, but I still know the name of that mount, it's Silverpeak. I put on a great deal on drawing the world map that I even named some of the mountains, forests, lakes, and rivers. Of course, the countries and capital city of the country or the province also named. Even if the story just focused on the Redragia Kingdom, precisely on the Whitegold Capital City and it's surrounding, I wasted quite a time to write detailed settings for other kingdom.

Right, before I departed ..., I bought the thing that I want to sell in the town. 

The first thing was a set of glass goblet. It's not the kind of tall but fragile wine goblet, but strong and stout glass with engraving on it's feet and body. This goblet is in one set with a bottle of expensive red wine. I bought a similar liquor but in smaller bottle for testing. Because of that ..., I spent one gold and twenty silver for these. It's quite expensive

I also bought some porcelainware and vases made by Chinese and Japanese craftsmen.

Aside from that, I bought a silver and fifty bronze worth of glass marble bead. It's a lot, like a sack full of it making clinking noises. There are three size of glass marbles, the small, the regular size as a person thumbnail, and then the big one as big as adult toe.

Why glass marble? Well, just so you know that this thing has numerous use. First of all, there are a unique occupation called talisman master in this world. I write them not as traditional talisman master who use paper as a talisman, but using crystal bead as the medium of their spell. Though, that's the problem ..., the crystal bead is a processed gem which is rare. And this part of the world hasn't tapped the glassmaking technology just yet. And thus ..., I thought of selling this glass marble bead as a substitution for that crystal.

Ahh, and for my own safety, I bought a handgun and other stuff for seven gold. Yeah, this is important. It's a revolver handgun, the caliber of the bullet is only 5.56 mm and it could shot with low recoil. Oh well, with my enhanced muscular strength ..., I could handle the recoil of a Desert Eagle. But nay, I don't have enough money to buy one.

[1974 Lafitte Reserve 3,6 L + Wine Goblet] [x1] 1 G 25 S x 1 = 1 G 25 S 

[Huang Getou's Porcelain Set] [x1] 27 S x 1 = 27 S

[Takagahara's Autumn Tea Set] [x1] 31 S 50 B x 1 = 31 S 50 B

[Small Glass Bead(20 pcs)] [x50] 1 B x 50 = 50 B

[Medium Glass Bead(10 pcs)] [x50] 1 B x 50 = 50 B

[Big Glass Bead(5 pcs)] [x50] 1 B x 50 = 50 B

[Colt-12 Revolver] [x1] 6 G 30 S x 1 = 6 G 30 S

[Ammunition Box, 5,56 mm. (24 pcs)] [x2] = 15 S x 2 = 30 S 

[Swiss Army Knife Hunter Red] [x1] = 40 S x 1 = 40 S

[1976 Lafitte Reserve 1,2 L] [x1] 49 S x 1 = 49 S

[Aquarius Isotonic Drink 300 ml] [x5] 2 S 50 B x 5 = 12 S 50 B

[Frozt Mint Drop] [x1] 2 S x 1 = 2 S

[Qytella Cassava Chips] [x2] 3 S x 2 = 6 S 

Total = 9 Gold 54 Silver 50 Bronze

Available Fund = 10 Gold 20 Bronze

Return =45 Silver 70 Bronze

Confirm Purchase [Yes / No]?

As for the rest ..., I bought few snack for the travel because I heard the journey will be two days of walk. I still have forty five silver coin, but let's save it as safekeeping. I don't know what will happen along the way anyway.

I retrieve the goods in the graveyard and explained a great deal of lie to the convoy leader. Saying it was some herb from Granny Jian or something, sorry granny ..., but let me borrow your name this time around. 

We departed from the village that noon.