Chapter 211 - Day DCIV, Part II

- Please, spare some food for an old man.

I suddenly heard a weak voice coming from the side. There was an old man sitting at the corner of the establishment. He had long, messy grey hair, and a badly kept bird of identical color. He was wearing rags colored by dirt and blood. He was sitting straight on the cobblestone with a small, wooden bowl in his hands.

I came closer to him and crouched down. Our eyes met. He was definitely injured, and malnourished. He endured my gaze. Not only that, there was something in him, that actually forced me to break the eye contact.

- Here - I put two crystals in his bowl.

- Thank you kindly.

I left him there and entered the pub. It was surprisingly decent with nice tables and chairs. Not too many, so there was enough space to walk between the furniture. There was a counter at the back, with a big, bald, older fellow witch gray beard, wearing a green apron. At first glance, he seemed friendly. Smiled a lot, that's for sure. Behind him, I noticed few shelves with botels, grasses, and mugs. There were also barrels.

I noticed also a bunch of people drinking and talking, but there was plenty of free tables. I went straight to get myself a beer.

- Welcome - I was greeted by the man. - You are an unfamiliar face... Wait, aren't you the guy everybody keeps talking about? What was your... Peter?

- Yep.

- Well... I'm Vin. Vin Othmar - he extended a hand.

I shook it.

- Do you have any crystals? I need to write you down in my book.

I put the three I had left on the counter, and pushed them towards him.

- Good.

He then pulled out a regular book covered in leather, full of yellow pages, and also a pencil. Then he wrote down my name and a number next to it. Three hundred.

- Great. Now... What can I get for you?

- Just a beer.

- One mug of beer incoming! - he turned around for a second, grabbed a mug from the shelf behind him, and poured me a beer from one of the barrels resting on some kind of rack. - Here.

I grabbed my drink straight from his hand and went to find a spot for myself. There was an empty table in the corner at the back, close to the entrance. Then I started slowly sipping my beer, and thinking, but not for long.

- You really are a degenerate, Peter. Drinking at this hour?

- Fuck you Amit.

He laughed.

- May I join you?

- Sure.

- Ok. Let me grab a drink first.

And he went to the counter, and returned with a mug, then sat on the opposite side of the table.

- Hatta told me to apologize.

- And?

- Well.. I'm sorry, I guess?

- You are an asshole - I said with a smile.

- I'm just trying to make sure all this fame won to get to your head. We don't need an idol here. There is also the thing that you piss me off a lot.

- No need to worry. I'll never be an idol. And that pissing-off part, can you elaborate?

- You tend to create problems where there aren't any, Peter, and then those problems kick everybody in the butt. So if you could stop that, I would happily stop being an asshole.

- What do you mean?

- I told you - he lowered his voice. - Just let that crazy woman get what she wants for now. We need to stay united. Everything is working well so far but if they go crazy...

- It's not my fault she is fucked up - I responded quietly. - Aisha put her in the position of power, not me. She might be onto something.

- Well... She put her in a position of power knowing about her obsession with you, so in the end, you would be in charge. Not some random person, but somebody we know and can rely on. I don't know about you, but for me, that's a great plan. Bet you didn't expect that.

- Wait... You all knew?

- Yes. She came with the idea to Hatta and the rest when you were absent.

- Then why the hell didn't you tell me?!

- Because this - and he spread his hands a bit. - We knew you would say no, but the alternative was a lunatic that would start some kind of crusade, inquisition, or whatever you want to call it. Look, Peter... We can't afford another war. You know it as any of us. Especially not now, when we are not ready. I know it's a tough pill to swallow, but you just have to take one for the team.

- Ugh... Fuck you guys.

- Don't be a child, Peter. Take a hit, and we will help you recover. Besides... Would it really be that bad? Come one. You banged three chicks. What worse could happen? They will call you almighty and bring you a bowl of ice cream and cold beer?

- Very funny.

- It is. It really is. If I were you, this conversation wouldn't have to happen.

- But you are not.

- In this case, sadly, I'm not. If I would, there also would be no problem, but I understand that you and I are different, so just think it all through, ok? You have time, Peter. You don't need to go there and become their... Whatever they want to make of you. Just don't push them towards conflict. That is enough.

I sighed.

- I understand that much. I'm not dumb.

- Well... Sometimes I feel like you are.

I didn't answer to that and just drunk my beer. He did the same thing, finishing before me.

- I have to go now. Just think about it... - And he left, putting the mug on the table.

I was left sipping my alcohol and trying to figure out what to do. Then I went to grab an additional portion. A bit of time passed, and suddenly I was approached by the same old man, I just gave him two crystals.. He was holding a piece of bread in his shaking hand, slowly munching on it.