'Invitation to the House of Hikma'.
The coin laid flat on a table. The sound of a pot clinking could be heard nearby.
Otto was stirring a pot of tomato soup. A nicely seasoned aroma swirled around his nostrils. Steam bathed his face warmly.
He scooped the red mash with a wooden ladle and slowly shoved it into his mouth. His irises brightened, the flavour melted on his tongue.
I should thank Ms Helia after this. He closed the recipe book on the countertop and grabbed a small bowl. His mouth watered before swallowing.
He sat down at the table, savouring every scoop.
After everything was cleaned up, he focused his attention on the coin of invitation.
This must be a prank... The longer he stayed in this world, the more confused he became. Just what could the House of Hikma possibly want from him? Are they the culprit behind his transmigration?
Otto couldn't answer that. In fact, he doesn't even know where this House of Hikma was located.
An organisation... No, it's more like a school of thought based on that merchant's description. He was reminded of Ryatt's description of this school of thought.
He had no knowledge of its structure, so he decided to ask Gerav after his return.
Likewise, he picked up both items—the coin and the recipe—and went back to his room. He of course, didn't forget to extinguish the kerosene lamp on the wall.
...
The morning sun showered its radiance upon the town's street. The street was packed with vendors. Smoke climbed up from a few of the stalls.
Among the pedestrians was Otto. Draped in a brown cloak, he squeezed through the crowd, searching for a travelling merchant.
Other than miscellaneous, intel can also be sold as premium if sold to the right person. That was a merchant's second source of coins.
He looked left and right, and then left again. No merchants. Only vendors and the dense crowd could be seen.
He sighed heavily before striding forward once again. His legs were starting to numb. His muscles were crying in agony.
He slumped against a bench—exhaustion had washed over him.
Where are all the merchants?! He began to suspect the town mayor for banning all merchants from entering Venim before dismissing such a thought and rubbing his temple.
He stared into the distance, thinking of an alternative for his search. Then, his eyes widened. Not because of his non-existent idea, but because of a caravan parked in the distance.
He rose to his feet, his legs were still limp, but he marched forward anyway. He walked to the front of the caravan, expecting to see a kind merchant. Upon seeing the occupant, his joyous smile immediately vanished.
"Ah, we meet again, my friend!" A figure waved his hand to Otto. Otto was not delighted whatsoever. His eyes twitched as memories flooded his mind.
-Make sure you pay it double. May we meet again!
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This encounter sure brings back memories. "What are you doing here, merchant?"
"Why, for business, of course. By the way, do you have the coins you've promised to pay back?" Ryatt reached out his palm with a smirk on his face. Otto knew this would come, he already had a plan in mind.
"Actually, I take back my promise. You can have these coins back." He handed the merchant the same number of coins back to him.
Ryatt replied with a 'tsk'. "You can't just break our promise and walk away. Such an act will be considered…"
He inspected the coins mid-sentence and paused momentarily. His smile faded, like a mask wearing off itself.
'Invitation to The House of Hikma'.
"H-house of Hikma? Where did you get this?"—He instinctively looked up, his eyes narrowed—"Who are you exactly?"
Otto raised both of his hands and shook his head. "Look, I don't know what they want from me. I just want to know of their whereabouts."
Ryatt examined both sides of the coin. "It doesn't seem to be a counterfeit either…" He let out a sigh. "I can't believe it. It's an invitation from the house itself—the real one. Who gave you this?"
Otto opened his mouth, before closing it. He pointed a finger. "If you want to know, please pay two silvers. After all, knowledge is expensive." He reached out his hand towards the merchant with his chin raised. Ryatt grumbled inwardly before stepping out of the caravan. He handed Otto the silvers.
The latter confirmed the coin's authenticity and stored them. "A man just came up to me and handed me a few silver coins, saying that I 'left' some of them in the bar."
Ryatt nodded and leaned forward. "Mhm. And then?"
Otto raised his brow. "Are you trying to find that man yourself?"
The merchant backed away while rubbing his hands. "What? No, haha… I would never…" Before he could finish, the latter snatched back the coin and walked away. "H-hey! Where are you going?!"
"If you don't want to share their whereabouts, then our deal is closed." Otto waved his hand, his back facing the merchant.
Ryatt chased after Otto before obstructing the way ahead. He took a deep breath, sweat came down his forehead. "Will you please hear me out first? I know where it is—far off to the west, a land full of sand lies there. From that point on, you'll be entering Ard Muhtarama—the homeland of the House of Hikma."
Why is he so excited about it? Otto—who had already halted his pace—nodded attentively. "I see. Well, thanks for the information." He patted Ryatt's shoulder before walking away.
"Are you forgetting something?" The merchant grabbed Otto in time. Otto tilted his head before coming into realisation. "Ah, you still want to find that man?" A smile took over his face. He immediately took advantage of the former's curiosity.
"Alright then, why don't you follow me instead? That way, we can watch each other's back." A smugness—followed by a chuckle—formed in his face.
Ryatt nodded vigorously, his gaze locked onto Otto. "Let's go."
Without hesitation either. This man... He took note of Ryatt's behaviour before turning his gaze behind the merchant. "What about your caravan?"
"Oh, that's not mine." He glanced at the caravan behind him—the brown horse was tied to the waggon.
Right, his horse was white back then. The both of them began to walk away. It took them a while before a sign that says 'Inn' could be seen in the distance. They both stood in front of the entrance.
"Right, you met Father Gerav, right? What sort of person is he, may I ask?" Ryatt looked to his left. Otto pondered for a moment, to which he replied. "I can't describe it fully in a sentence. You'll get it once you've met him."
Just when Ryatt was about to comment, a glass-shattering sound was heard nearby. An object flew right in front of Ryatt, flinging him away, followed by a series of hard cough.
Otto dazed momentarily before quickly turning his gaze to the window, his senses heightened.
The window had been shattered. Inside was a group of men cursing at each other while throwing punches.
Then, a figure came downstairs. "What is the meaning of this?" The whole crowd directed their gaze to the voice. Silence immediately smeared across the room. The bartender—who had been hiding under the countertop all this time—emerged from his hiding spot, hesitating before deciding not to utter a word.
"N-nothing, just a sparring lesson, that's all. Haha…" A man laughed bitterly, followed by everyone.
Otto scrutinised the figure, his eyes widened. He knew who this figure was. The black clergy robe. His white, unkempt beard. The man who always revealed his soft side to Otto was now exhibiting a terrifying expression towards them.
Otto felt the air tightening around him. He recognised that sensation—Essence.
Right, he should've known it by now. Such a man cannot be beaten by just learning a few moves from the book. Especially if that opponent was a Kythrain soldier. And from the guidebook he was given, he knew that man was also an honoured soldier before his exile.
Gerav Swoltski—Otto's current mentor and the final obstacle he had to face in his trial.