Professor Stone thought he had seen everything in his line of work. The bloodiest of crime scenes, the most viscous of murders, and gruesomely dismembered corpses. He’s even been as deep as sewers to find the truth to one mystery after another. However, he wasn’t at all prepared in witnessing a human being who was so disconnected from the reality around him. It was like, watching a mouse with brain damage trying to figure out which way to escape the maze first.
“Kim? You alright? I have plenty of room in the car.”
“..."
No one can blame Martial Kim. A formidable master and a knight-errant of the martial arts world, he is well versed in riding horses and commandeering regular horse carriages.
Modern cars – sigh – was a whole new mountain he was not ready to scale today.
“Professor Stone,” the young master gulped, trying to hid his discomfort (at least in front of Keekee). “Er...Where is the entrance?”
“...It’s the door is right in front of you. You’re touching it.”
For clarity, let’s explain how a regular horse wagon works. A simple covered carriage with two wheels and drawn by a horse, simple enough right? Did you know the only way to hope in, was through an opening in the front where the driver would sit – not like the common and convenient side doors found in Western style carriages.
The ‘door’ was nothing more than a curtain that people climb in and out like a camping tent.
So you can’t blame Martial Kim for fumbling to find that said curtain-covered opening to climb right in. Especially when cars you know are sealed on all sides with metal and glass. Even now he was wondering, what was the magic trick to get inside this vehicle.
Prof. Stone helped Keekee inside, so what was the secret?
“Kim,” Prof. Stone cleared his throat, trying not to be mean, “As a gentlemen, I open the car doors for young ladies like Keekee. You’re not going to make me break my record, and open the door for a man like you, right? Hahaha...ha...Kim?”
“N-no, I understand. I should figure it out own my own...Ah, is this the way in? Oh. The opening is also blocked by something transparent. Is this glass?”
“...Yeah. That’s called the trunk.”
Just when Prof. Stone thought he could solve this conundrum by opening the side passenger door of his sedan, he came across another simple problem he didn’t know how to solve.
A regular horse wagon would just have a simple cushion seat, near as flat as the floor. It really was just a glorified tent on wooden wheels if you think about it.
The modern car instead had a lot of stuff in the way for Martial Kim to clamber over, called the car seat.
“Oooof! K-Kim are you okay?”
“Miss Keekee! Forgive me, I did not mean to lean in such a vulgar manor. I almost...” Martial Kim blushed and he had absolutely no clue where to look as he entered the car as if crawling through a rabbit whole. If he forced himself in, his face would surely land on the film assistant’s chest and that would be inappropriate!
Prof. Stone thought he truly seen everything except for this game of Twister and charades. He’s probably thinking, is this young master in his right mind?
“Say, uh, Kim,” Prof. Stone spoke up after everyone was settled in their seats. “Don’t forget your seat belt.” There was a reason why he said those words as he kept his eye on the rear view mirror.
An experiment to confirm a theory.
“...My...what?” Martial Kim fumbled in the passenger seat, padding his hands around like a mole looking for its glasses. It was thanks to Keekee’s intervention that the matter was also resolved. Even then, the young master kept tugging and pulling at the strapping that wound across his body and hip. “Uugh! P-Prof. Stone! Th-these ropes, are they alive? I cannot breath, th-they are gripping on to me!”
“Keekee, mind if you help Kim and reset his seat belt. I think he pulled too far on the safety lock or something. There we go.”
Normally, Prof. Stone would only need three minutes to get ready to drive. He never expected this carpool would be ready in 45 minutes. What he didn’t expect the most, was the noise that came from starting the engine – and it’s not the machine we’re talking about.
VRRRRRRRRRRRRM!
“A TIGER!? THERE IS A TIGER IN THE HORSE WAGON!?”
“KIM! KIM, CALM DOWN! THAT’S JUST MY ENGINE PUMPING HORSEPOWER!”
“HORSEPOWER!? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? WHERE ARE YOUR HORSES!? GASP, THE TIGER MUST HAVE DEVOURED THEM! EVERYONE OUT, QUICK!”
1 hour and 30 minutes later, the sedan was finally able to leave the parking lot. And boy was it a long drive home.
image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/e5d49d01-e685-46aa-8d92-b07d57dc33fb/didaiyy-7cc70b06-faf9-4771-a24f-b7127efe7b76.png/v1/fill/w_1280,h_207/moon_tavern_page_break_by_suimaifiles_didaiyy-fullview.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MjA3IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvZTVkNDlkMDEtZTY4NS00NmFhLThkOTItYjA3ZDU3ZGMzM2ZiXC9kaWRhaXl5LTdjYzcwYjA2LWZhZjktNDc3MS1hMjRmLWI3MTI3ZWZlN2I3Ni5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.V__LDKPGxPLEElJXKGgxKvmlMcRIG9Nv3hgCGY_VlEE]
Prof. Stone thought he saw a whole new world in the time span of two hours. So no one can blame him for drinking two cups of coffee and chewing the stirring stick until it was a twisted mess. Granted, finding the log cabin in the mountains was not the main problem.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
It was the strange series of events he experienced during the entire ride. Not to be rude, but it was worse than a school bus of wild kids going on a field trip – or a road trip with a family of four.
“Keekee, do you have a minute,” Prof. Stone whispered to Keekee, the second they entered her grandmother’s cabin. “There’s a question I’ve been dying to ask.”
“...It’s about Kim, isn’t it?” Keekee replied with a sheepish groan. After helping to set the young master – equally shaken by his new world experience – at the dinner table, she chanced to speak with the forensic chemist in a corner of the cabin. “I swear, he’s harmless! He’s just...really into character...I think.”
“In character?”
“Y-yes. Ever since I first met him, back in the filming camp, he has been acting like he was a character straight out of a medieval movie. The way he talks, the way he movies, and acting as if clueless to technology. Sometimes, I feel he is trying to hard to impress my director, or even me.”
“...In character?” Prof. Stone had no choice but to repeat those words as he chewed on the stirring stick. Any more, and the head of the plastic may have severed off like a guillotine to a head, “Tell me more.”
“It’s...really hard to explain really. I-I can’t put my finger on it.”
Prof. Stone then had another idea. He pulled out his phone, “What was your phone number again?” After Keekee told him, they both snuck away out of view to spy on the young master from a corner.
Ring Ring. Ring Ring. Ring Ring.
What was Prof. Stone planning? Calling Keekee’s cellphone out of the blue? It kept ringing and ringing, but no one answered.
Of course no one would. Keekee was right next to him – and her phone was on the table. Next to Martial Kim.
“...........” The young master was spooked at first, hearing a musical tone coming out of the thin air. When he thought he was alone in the kitchen, he couldn’t help but stare, even eye the musical phone as if it was some brand new creature before his very eyes. “...Musicians? Inside of this tiny box?”
Prof. Stone and Keekee exchanged worried glances, and the former kept ringing.
Ring Ring. Ring Ring. Ring Ring.
Martial Kim started to get worried. Was this some sort of magical box, or some cursed instrument coming to life? It kept ringing and singing, like a ghost out of the blue. For the sake of his sanity, he had no choice but to pick it up – as if it was a spider of some sort – and dashed about trying to figure out what to do with this thing.
The ghostly singing, it won’t stop! What to do?...Ah, the young master knew.
Gingerly, he dropped it into the sink. There, safe!
“KIM! WAIT!” Keekee burst out of her hiding place and swiped her phone out. Too late, it fell into a bowl full of sink water. “AAAAH! NOOOOOOO!!”
“M-Miss Keekee! Miss Keekee!” Without thinking, he grabbed the film assistant and yanked her away as if from a burning building. “B-be careful! I-it could be some trap!”
“Trap my ass, Kim, that’s my phone! My entire life is on this thing and I already cracked it once! Aaaaah, it definitely got through the waterproof guard. Crap, crap, crap, I can see water sloshing around under the screen! Aaaaah!”
“W-wait Miss Keekee, it’s dangerous. We should—Miss Keekee come back!”
It’s too late Martial Kim. You never get in between a person and their smartphone in this day and age. Keekee hurried to rescued her drowning phone and bring it to her room, to set up a make shift operating table to try and drain the fluid out before it ruined the electronics. Hair dryer, where is her hair dryer!?
Leaving the young master alone...and confused.
The good news was, Prof. Stone kept him company.
“You alright, Kim?” He asked as he approached the table as if nothing happened. “I’m starving, what you got?”
“W-wait.” Martial Kim didn’t know if he should answer the forensic chemist or race after the film assistant, “S-should we not wait for Miss Keekee?”
“Nah. She’s going to be busy, giving her phone C.P.R., you know.”
“...See...Pee...Are?”
Prof. Stone started to play his next words carefully, “Yeah. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Big words, I know, but everyone knows it. First Aid and all.”
Martial Kim spoke like he just had a stroke, “C...Cardi...First Aid?”
“You don’t know, Kim?”
“...”
--- What do I say? I have already made a fool out of myself one event after another. With this matter of fact question, what do I do to save some face? I cannot lie, he would know. And he is not a simpleton!
Prof. Stone wasn’t a mind reader, but he was kind enough to deduce what the young master was thinking right now without poking fun at it. So he helped by changing the subject, “Please sit down. Let’s eat together. You must be super hungry after being stuck in prison for so long. I mean, there is no way I can eat this pyramid of burgers alone right?”
Martial Kim was unsure what to address first: helping Keekee, figuring out what C.P.R. means, or food.
...Food sounds like the safest choice right now.
“You must really like burgers,” Prof. Stone chuckled as he plucked some choices from the pile. “I mean, Keekee put in a pretty penny to get the pile this high.”
“Burgers are most delightful. I never had them before until a few days ag...o...ah.” Martial Kim clicked his tongue, his true feelings spilling out. He tried to compose himself. “I mean uh—”
“Did you hit your head?”
“I-I beg your pardon, professor?”
“No need to tense up. Here, have a Teriyaki Burger, go on,” The forensic chemist chuckled and swiped up a chicken burger for himself. Ooof, spicy...ah, he’ll take it. “I heard from Keekee, you had a lot of blood on your person. You know, when you rescued her from those mountain bandits.”
“The blood was not mine.” It was the woman he failed to rescue, was what he finished in his heart.
“Then explain to me,” Prof. Stone went on “Why did Keekee find you wandering the mountains? By her account, you had no coat for the cold, you didn’t have any camping gear, and you were in a bit of a mess.”
Martial Kim was hungry, but he didn’t know whether or not he should let his guard down and eat at this point. He felt like he was being interrogated!...Albeit, not as bad as that rowdy detective, “My situation, is a story as long as a cloth belt.”
“Interesting choice of words.” Prof. Stone tried to take another bite of his spicy chicken burger, but his tongue was on fire. So he ended up just plucking piece of the bread bun on top like popcorn, “Where are you from?”
The young master kept his silence. He couldn’t bring himself to tell the truth or tell a lie.
“Do you know how you got here, Kim?”
The young master shook his head. That was the truth, but even then he realized how ridiculous it looked.
Prof. Stone went ‘aha’ when he tapped a hand across the table, “You do not have to hide it anymore, I know what’s wrong with you.”
“P-Professor? Wh-what do you mean?”
“The answer is rather elementary if you think about it. So no need to lie to me anymore, Kim.”
Oh? Did the sleuth Professor Stone finally realized, Martial Kim was from another world? Or was there another secret that not even the young master knew he was hiding!?
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