《Just Flip a Coin, Otherworlder》Chapter 14: The Otherworlder and the Train to the Capital (1)
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Rocking from side to side, the Otherworlder sat with his legs crossed on the cushioned seat of the train. He kept his back upright and his eyes closed as the train rattled on its path. An old school steam engine dragging four lavishly made passenger carts with it, the train was apparently a transport reserved for the military and the higher class of nobility.
There were passenger trains as well, but they were scarce and in poor condition, so people of the country didn't use them unless an emergency came up.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Sir Iatra."
Just then, Raeran came up to the Otherworlder and spoke with a gentle tone. The Otherworlder had been sitting alone near the front of the train with the brunette knight girl a seat away and the rest of the platoon behind him.
The Otherworlder calmly opened his eyes and nodded, gesturing at the seat across from him. The lavish train had its flooring carpeted with two sets of seats facing each other on both flanks and a foldable short table attached to the wall. It was an arrangement like one would see in a diner or a hotel.
"The formal questions we have for you will have to wait till we reach the capital. I hope you don't mind." Raeran said.
He most certainly did mind, but the Otherworlder didn't exactly have the option of pointing it out.
"It's fine, I understand. How long do you think it will take us?"
The Otherworlder spoke in an attempt to continue the conversation. This whole morning, he had received a lot of information from Vera about the hero, the figures who were affected by his death, and the people he might need to watch out for.
"It will take us a few hours."
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Raeran Yllafir. He wasn't included in any of those lists, but the way he carried himself spoke volumes about his character and potential. Apprehending a person who may or may not be involved with the hero's death. Such an assignment ended up in the hands of the greedy ones in power, even with little favoritism. It would be strange for him to come here and not have considerable backing.
"I see," The Otherworlder nodded. "In that case, would you like to join me in a simple game, Sir Raeran?"
The knights of the seventeenth platoon, who didn't seem to be bothered till just seconds ago, all had their ears perk up at the Otherworlder's words.
"Interesting… What kind of game do you have in mind?" Raeran asked. He couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes at the sudden challenge.
"It's simple, really." The Otherworlder reached in the inner pockets of his mahogany coat while unfolding the small table on the walls of the train. He took out a pouch of coins and set them on the table.
The knights around them had turned in their heads in curiosity.
With a haughty smirk, the Otherworlder opened the pouch and took out a few coins. "I have ten coins in my hand here. One person will toss them in the sky, and the other has to guess how many will land as heads and how many as tails."
"And the one closest wins?"
"Correct."
Raeran scoffed as he leaned back in his seat. He spread his to his side and looked at the coins placed on the table by the Otherworlder. "Just winning and losing will be a turnoff, won't you agree?" he said. "How about a few stakes?"
"Alright. What do you want?"
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"The winner of each round can ask the loser a question. Of course, you can choose to answer it or not."
The Otherworlder crossed his arms and thought for a few seconds before nodding in agreement. "Fine by me," he said.
Both parties had agreed to the terms. The Knights of the seventeenth platoon found their interest increasing more than they could hold in as they started leaving their seats to observe the two.
A person given the moniker of 'the destroyer,' the person who had the guts to flip a coin and decide whether he would follow the imperial knights and the person who they were taking in under suspicion of murdering the country's hero. Such a person was going to face off against their mysteriously powerful and commanding leader. It was an event too exciting for the knights to sit out from.
With relaxed smiles and narrowed eyes, the Otherworlder and the elf knight matched each other's gaze.
"I will go first." Raeran extended his hands and swooped the ten coins into his palm. Enclosing the coins in his left hand, the knight placed his hand above the table. The knight then threw the coins up in the air as they flipped above them.
"Three heads, seven tails."
-Clang clang clang!
With the Otherworlder's words as cue, the coins fell back on the table.
Four heads and six tails.
The observing knights broke out in oohs and aahs at the close number. But the two participants had a completely different reaction, as they practically ignored the results and moved ahead with the game.
This time, the Otherworlder picked the coins and placed his hand above the table. In one go, he tossed the coins in the air.
"Six heads."
-Rattle!!
The coins fell down and danced on the table before falling still.
"Ooh!"
"Wow!"
There were six heads facing up on the table. A feat of superhuman luck. It was at this point did the two players fall back to their seats. The true game was beginning now.
"Mr. Iatra…" Raeran peered into the Otherworlder's eyes. "What exactly is your role? Your physique and mana really reveal little. Are you a wizard, a warrior, or an ability user? Or maybe you might possess something different altogether?"
A simple question with no other implications. Or a way to judge his strength. There were many interpretations one could make of the simplest of answers. An ability user will be placed under extreme suspicion. A mage with the quality of mana like his own will be considered a taboo magician, and if he abstained, they could make up any explanation they want and even apprehend him.
"I can fight in the front lines and use some magic as well. My main weapon is a stick that I can use better than most people."
The Otherworlder thought this will do. He had been taking a long baton-like stick to the adventurer's guild every time he went there. He actually didn't know how to use a stick, which counted as an actual weapon, unlike his strings. It was to the point where his Spirit Badge didn't even recognize his skills with it.
The elf knight seemed satisfied with the answer, as he didn't show any particular changes in his demeanor.
"Well then," the Otherworlder said. "Should we begin the next round?"
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