Short Stories

Isekai Medieval Style

I walk down the hard packed road, my ill-fitting robe dragging in the dust to create a type of mysterious-ness to my humble self. To be honest, I can't really see with my cloak pulled down like this, so I can only pray I don't hit someone. My prayers have been answered, as I reach the city gate unhindered. But the guards stop me and ask for identification. 

I smile mysteriously, "I don't have any. Just let me pass, my wares are guiding people to maximize their potential." No, I am not a scam. But they cross their spears in front of me. Dafuq? I was even blindsided to the fact that we now need identification, but now they can even detain someone? Times have changed, times have changed. I'm just too old. 

Ah, old me needs to find my filial disciple, lest I wander off like a senile old man. I guess we have to do this the hardest way, then.

"Ahhhhhh, please let me in! My daughter lives in this city. I was living with my grandson, but a beast tide came, and all I was left with was a home in rubble and a thriving son who stole my money." The guard backed up a step after I fell to my knees, and I scooted up to hug his thigh. 

"Please! I'm so old, if I lie down out here and sleep, I'll freeze to death, never mind youngsters these days. I' get beaten up and robbed! This old man had to break his back just to be able to travel here! What can I do if you refuse me? Ah, I don't even get to chose a nice place to be buried. I'll just be stopped naked and thrown by the roadside! Who knows who will trample me, then!  Boohoohoooooooooo!"

"Sir, cal-"

"AHHHhh waaaaaaaaaa ahhhhhh..."

"Sir, please, you're holding up t-."

"Uggghhhhhh ahhh asjkldfrsfgfnadhjllhfaqghjj..."

The guard I am holding trips, and I clamber on the his chest to hug him like a body pillow. He looks up panicked, but somehow can't escape poor, malnutritioned, frail me.

"Ahhhh! God why!..." I take a deep, shuddering breath, "what  have I done to deserve this?!"

The other two guards who have just arrived looked at me with awkward faces. They asked if it was alright to just let this old man in. I sob violently and shake the guard I've assaulted back and forth. Poor, frail me. My children are so unfillial. How could the world be this cruel.

In the end, they come to a concensus I don't know and try to pry me off, but I stick to him like a octopus. Only when I knock my forehead into his quite painfully do I let go out of shock. Ahhh, it hurts. 

.....

After they pried me off, they threw me into the city, but with a side entrance so I wouldn't assault other travelers. All in all, great custom service, I got what I wanted, zero stars! 

Usually, just walking straight would bring you to the market place, so I plod along like that. I of course join the main road, admiring the architecture. Houses we crammed, but alleyways were plentiful and a few places managed to have a fenced-in garden. Human ingenuity of corse let them build two-story buildings with shopfronts and store as the first story for some. Others were probably rented out, or were just places that were closed to the public eye.

What surprises me more is that gathering air doesn't smell like shit of any kind. Dog shit, horse shit, god forbid- or maybe not- human shit. It smelled like fermenting sweat, but just that. What hygiene. I just knew showing my disciples what pathogens looked like with magic wasn't a bad idea! 

The air carries the scent of food and magical my nose. Oh, if it isn't the marketplace! It was also a bit in the morning, perfect for people to gather. 

The air swarms with flies that go bzzzt bzzzt and the single path splits into multiple walkways that meander through canopied stalls. Some are just people on bamboo mats, but others have tiny shops or just a place to showcase ones wares on tables. The tinkle of trinkets in the wind and people's hands is delightful to the ears. Hawkers scream their wares and prices, covering this place in a din and making us all feel homogeneous. The air feels significantly heavier and thicker with everyone's brushing shoulders. Ah how wonderous, but those bzzzt bzzzt flies...