Kiran walked across the port with an unhurried pace.

The scent of the salt, fish and sweat assaulted his nose while the shouts of the hawkers and arguments of the men bombarded his years. At the same time, the humid and hot air clung to his body like a second slimy skin.

But it all bothered not the plain-faced man.

His white robes and bald head drew attention and brought in respect. He was a [Shishya]. He was an ascetic. He bothered not with the daily struggles of life. He knew it. And the people knew it.

Kiran continued to walk at an unhurried pace the crowd gave way. The people took in his appearance and dipped their head in respect before continuing with their life.

With his path clear and way parted, the ascetic arrived at the office of the captain, whose ship he wanted to board, and entered. His arrival drew eyes and a clerk ran in from somewhere.

“Revered ascetic.” The clerk greeted with folded hands before leading the white-clothed man inside and to the sitting area. “Please sit. Please sit.”

Kiran smiled and followed the man who had features almost as unremarkable as Kiran himself and if one did not know him personally, they would find it hard to remember his face.

“What can I do for you?”

“Thank you for your hospitality.” Kiran smiled. “I wish to board the ship and journey into the unknown.”

The clerk’s plain face twitched at the declaration.

Life of an ascetic was an arduous one. At the same time, it was also a life of knowledge and renunciation. It made ascetics revered and famous. People recognised them on sight and none dared to cross them.

But it also made ascetics dirt poor. They had renounced the world and its desires. They often followed it with such austerity that they declined even the money offered for their services.

It was not a surprise thus that the ascetics that travelled outside their Ashrams lacked the money to even buy food and relied on donated grains and vegetables to feed themselves. The clerk, thus, eyes the man sitting before him and his eyes twitched again.

The white robes of the man, though clean, had long lost their brilliance as they had become a shade that could only be called dirty white. The robes clung to his thin and gaunt frame as if clothes hanging from a hanger.

“Umm…revered ascetic.” The man hesitated. “While I would like nothing more than to allow you on the ship, the rules are quite strict. I am afraid the ship is taking very few passengers and each spot is quite sought after.”

Kiran nodded as he understood what the clerk was trying to say. After all, the clerk had not been quite subtle as he had given Kiran a once over. And although Kiran was not filthy and dirty, he was far from presentable.

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However, the situation could have been quite worse if Kiran did not have the kind of Skillset that he had. His ability to heal meant that he never ran out of people to help. Though, as he healed those that belonged to the lowest rungs of society, he rarely got a nice meal in return.

People gave him what they had.

This did not mean, of course, that Kiran had helped the people out of goodness of his heart. No, that had not been the case. Instead, Kiran had done what he had, simply because it had been what had been expected out of him.

It had been nothing more, nothing less.

“Please don’t worry. I shall not be a burden.” Kiran said and the clerk’s face froze in embarrassment. “I am equivalent of a Level 24 [Mender]. Hence, I can lighten the burden of the [Healer] that you’d have on board.”

“Ah, this…” The man’s brows furrowed as he got up. “Please wait for a moment. I will have to get permission from the captain.”

The man went into the office and came out a few moments later. “If you’d follow me, revered ascetic.”

Kiran followed the man and soon stood before a dark chamber that had carvings all over the ground and some of them were even on the walls. The room had clearly been placed under some powerful wards.

Kiran’s brows furrowed and he turned to face the clerk who dipped his head in apology. “I beg pardon for the offence, revered ascetic, but this is an expedition sanctioned by the royal family itself…”

“What wards are these?”

The man let out a relieved sigh. “These are judgement and purpose wards to seek out malice and lies. Please forgive the offence, revered ascetic.”

Kiran’s furrowed eyebrows smoothened at that while his eyes widened. “Purpose wards? Your captain had a Tier 3 [Ward Smith] do this bit of warding?”

The clerk smiled, quite pleased. “This was done by our own [Ward Smith]. As he will be on board, he insisted on handling all the wards. He did not want to leave any margin of error.”

Kiran blinked as he was taken aback at the statement. “You have a Tier 3 onboard?”

“We have quite a few Tier 3 on board.” The clerk openly smiled. “Our captain is a [Ship Captain] while out healer is a [Healer]. We even have a [Monster Tamer] on board.”

“A [Monster Tamer]?”

“She is the captain’s wife.” The clerk whispered. “However, her monsters are not be looked down at. They are the real defence of the ship.”

“Royal expedition indeed.” Kiran nodded, suitably impressed and the clerk laughed, rather pleased.

“If you would enter into the room, revered acetic,” the clerk prodded, “the sooner this ends the better.”

Kiran hesitated and asked. “What would happen if someone tries to lie within the chamber?”

“In that case, the ward will bind them and knock them out while they get charged with treason and conspiring against the crown.” The clerk answered nonchalantly.

Kiran nodded and entered into the room.

Even though Kiran had no mana sensing Skills, he felt the increase in mana density the moment he crossed the threshold. It was almost as if something was weighing him down.

“Revered ascetic, if you would please speak out your name, Class, Level, Skill, Spell and purpose of joining the expedition.”

“I am Kiran Pratha, a Level 24 [Shishya]. My Skill and Spell are [Anatomy Vision] and [Stimulate]. Both at Level 24.” Kiran answered without any hesitation. “My purpose for joining the expedition is to experience the world and increase my [Reflection].”

“I hold no ill will for the expedition or anyone on board,” Kiran added after a moment.

The dense mana within the chamber churned but there was no visible reaction from the room itself. Kiran stood there and waited for a moment.

“You can come out now, revered ascetic.” The clerk smiled.

“Is that all?” Kiran’s brows furrowed and he began walking.

“Yes. Quite simple, isn’t it?” The man almost laughed as he guided Kiran back to the sitting area. “Now the captain just needs to confirm and you are all good to go.”

“When will that be?”

“It will take a few days depending on when the manager here can get hold of the captain.” The clerk brow’s furrowed and he continued after a moment. “It would be better if you check in next week though.”

-X-

Within a desolate desert, inside a dilapidated shop, on a simple chair, a youth seemingly slept.

-X-