Every late night, I still remember the coffee my kuya used to make for me whenever he caught me still awake, buried in schoolwork. I really miss moments like that, simple, quiet, unremarkable, yet somehow heavy in the chest when you look back on them. To be honest, now that I think about it... There's a bit of guilt mixed in. Because the truth is, I wasn't really studying most of the time he saw me up late. I was usually scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, watching anime, and all that useless crap. After a while, I felt something damp slide down my cheeks. I wiped it away with my palm.
"Giben, are you okay?" Mayari asked me. GIRL. Like—are you okay!? Her lips were completely dry, and she was panting like a damn horse. Seriously? She looked like she was the one about to collapse.
"Are you okay...? Where's Wan?" I asked her.
It took her about ten seconds to answer because she was still catching her breath.
"I let him go ahead first—" she paused, inhaled deeply, "—to check if there are any Iberians up ahead."
It was probably around four in the morning. Before we left the cave, Mayari counted our numbers. We were forty-five in total, including some of the slaves they had freed from Kubiz. Not all of them came with us, some left, saying they would return to their hometowns.
Mayari divided us into groups of five. My group was her, Agni, Wan, Agustin, and me. She tried to match my pace as we walked. Agustin was piggybacking on Agni, fast asleep, heh... must be nice. Mayari spoke again after a while.
"Giben, I want to apologize."
I immediately looked at her. Oh god, is she dying now?
"Huh? Why?" I asked. From what I could see, we were close to getting out of the forest.
"I dragged you into all this shit," she said. I could see the sincerity in her eyes. "Because of those fucking bastard maginoos of Tundun..." and there it was again, her street-mouth slipping out, "...your life keeps getting put in danger."
"It's fine," I told her.
"Fine?"
"I mean... it's okay. Really. No problem," I clarified.
She nodded, repeating the word under her breath. She was still panting, especially now that she was trying to keep up with me.
"Don't worry. Once I've settled everything, I'll do everything I can to find a way to send you back to Eyart."
"It's Earth, not Eyart," I corrected her as we kept walking. The scent of morning dew clung to the leaves. "By the way, where are we heading?"
"To Itakam," she answered, stopping for a moment to catch her breath.
"Are you alright, my lady?" Agni asked.
Mayari stretched a hand toward him, signaling him not to help. "I'm fine," she murmured. "Let's keep moving. By now, Kario and the others should already be in Itakam."
A few minutes later, Wan returned. I noticed Mayari immediately fix her hair, wipe the sweat from her face, and straighten her clothes. Ohhh girl. I see you.
"Wan, how was it? Did you see anything?" Mayari asked, her voice noticeably firmer.
"All goods. Road's clear," he said while munching on a banana. He handed each of us one. Then he walked beside Mayari. "Dang, you, okay? Hahaha, you look like a drowned rat."
Mayari's face turned red. "Fuck you, Wan!" she snapped, then walked faster, like she wasn't about to collapse earlier.
Wan chased after her, laughing. "Oi, I was just joking!"
For about three hours, we kept walking. Agustin was finally awake. We had to stop several times because Mayari almost collapsed more than once; she really wasn't built for long marches or physical strain.
"Are we close?" I asked Wan.
"How would I know? I'm from Pailah. I've never wandered around Tundun before," he replied.
A few minutes later, I spotted a long wall in the distance. It was made of stone, probably two stories tall.
"That's Itakam," Agni said as he walked beside me. "The largest city in Tundun."
I just nodded. What else was I supposed to say? As we approached the gate, Mayari pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. There were four guards at the entrance, but with the sheer number of people coming in and out, they didn't bother checking everyone closely.
Once we entered, it felt like the world shifted. After nearly two weeks in dense forest, the provincial feel of Kubiz, and the scorching midday heat of rough dirt roads, I saw something that felt... almost like home. The wide streets were paved with red bricks. There were lamp posts. People moved fast, busy, purposeful. Most of the buildings were around three stories tall.
"Oi—oi! This city's huge!" Wan shouted like an excited kid. People turned to look at him. "Damn, look at those houses! They're tall as hell!"
The buildings were made of stone and brick, unlike Kubiz where most were wooden. Some were still wooden here, too, but more refined, almost built for aesthetic. They reminded me of houses in Vigan, while the city walls gave off strong Intramuros vibes.
Along the streets were stalls run by vendors selling fruits, plates, utensils, and clothes. Mayari grabbed my hand and dragged me toward one of them.
"Giben, pick some clothes you like," she said.
"Huh? Are you serious?"
"Yes. You've been rotating that white outfit of yours and Hiraya's shirt for almost two weeks now," she replied. "Pick three clothes."
I looked down at my dobok. She was right, its hem had gone stiff from sweat and dust. I stared at the clothes hanging and laid out. Damn. The colors were bright. Like, really bright. I suddenly realized almost everyone in the city wore vivid colors.
"Oi, what's going on?" Wan asked Mayari.
She just raised an eyebrow at him, then looked at me. "Giben, well? What do you want?" she said, after shooting Wan a glare.
"Oi, are you still pissed about what I said earlier?" Wan asked.
"Can you please stop bothering me!?" Mayari snapped. Then she turned to me again. "Giben, this would suit you." Damn this too... like, just make out ok?
She held up a blue top with gold lining. The cut only reached my waist. Then she picked up a white undershirt. "This looks good underneath." After that, she turned away to pick more clothes.
"Oi, what's her problem?" Wan whispered to me. Honestly, in every universe, are guys always this dense?
"That's your problem to figure out, silver boy," I teased, walking toward Mayari. I glanced back briefly and saw Wan scratching his head.
We bought more clothes, and after that, Wan's stomach growled loudly. Hearing it, Mayari admitted she was hungry too and wanted to eat. So, we looked for a place to eat. Wan and Agni lagged behind a bit, they seemed to be talking about something. Anyway, just across the street, we entered a— Wait. Is this a café?
The name was "La Campana."
The palette was brown and beige, and it had a rustic look like the theme my cousin used during her debut. Through the large glass windows, I could already see the warm interior glowing from within.
As soon as we entered, my nose was immediately hit by the incredibly fragrant smell of cinnamon and freshly baked bread... and then something familiar. Something comforting. Something that felt like home. Something I smelled in this world for the first time.
Coffee.
"What's that smell?" Mayari asked, squinting as she searched for the source. Then she pointed at the sacks of coffee beans near the counter. "There. That's where it's coming from."
Wait. Seriously? Has she ever smelled or tasted coffee before? What kind of sheltered noble-ass life is this?
"That's coffee," I said. Agustin also looked visibly unfamiliar with it.
"Coffee?" the two of them asked in unison.
"Yes, girl. Don't tell me you've never tasted one."
"Yes," she replied.
MY GOD. We looked for a vacant table, walking across the varnished wooden floor. There were drawings on the walls of the café, they looked like maps. I noticed Mayari staring at one of them for a while, then she chose an empty table directly facing the map and motioned for us to sit there.
Only then did I really take a good look at the drawing. It was done in chalk—typical café aesthetic—colorful, detailed, and very artistic. On the side, written in neat lettering, were the words:
"Itakam, home of the first café in Ma-i."
Ooooh. That explains it. Coffee must be pretty foreign to most people here. There weren't many customers inside yet—probably because breakfast had just ended. Mayari was still gazing at the map like it was some kind of puzzle. Agustin, meanwhile, was completely locked onto the breads displayed on the counter where the barista stood.
Ensaymada. Pandesal. Cinnamon rolls. Egg pie. And a bunch more. A few minutes later, Agni and Wan entered the café. Wan was clearly holding himself back from drooling over the bread. He sat beside me, facing Mayari, while Agni sat beside Mayari.
Mayari stopped staring at the map and immediately put on her irritated face. HAHA. Adolescent arc unlocked. Agni glanced at Wan, then subtly moved his eyebrows and lips like he was silently giving instructions. Wan caught on and reached into his pocket.
"Oh," Wan said, placing something wrapped in cloth in front of Mayari. It was small, something you could hold in one hand.
"What's this supposed to be?" Mayari asked, her tone slightly sharp.
"Why don't you open it fir—" Wan didn't finish because Agni fake-coughed subtly.
"Ah—uh—I mean—it's a gift. For you."
Mayari raised one eyebrow as she took it. Slowly, she unwrapped it. I noticed she was clearly trying—and failing—to hide her smile. These flirty assholes... When she finally opened it, a red comb slipped into view.
"A comb?" Mayari asked, using an exaggeratedly annoyed tone.
"Yes, uh..." Wan glanced at Agni again for help, but Agni just gestured for him to talk.
"Uh... because your hair looks really nice when it's combed..."
"Huh!?" Mayari blurted out.
"I mean—what I meant was—your hair is nice—"
WHAT IS HAPPENING!?
"Huh!? What are you even saying!?" Mayari snapped, putting on a stern face—
—and then she broke.
She burst out laughing. We all froze, watching her laugh so hard she almost cried. Agni let out a small, relieved smile. Wan, meanwhile, looked completely lost.
"Hahaha—thank you—HAHAHAHA—thank you, Wan," Mayari managed between laughs.
"Hah... uh... okay," was all Wan could say while forcefully smiling awkwardly like an idiot, gesturing 'ok' at her.
A waiter approached and asked for our orders. Wan spoke first. "Do you have tapsilog?"
The waiter shook his head. "Sorry, we don't."
"Oh... okay," Wan replied.
Mayari stepped in. "What would you recommend?"
The waiter smiled at her and said their specialties were hot ube pandesal, ensaymada, pancakes, and sandwiches. Mayari initially asked for tea, but I convinced them all to try coffee instead—and good thing, everyone agreed.
"Wait—what's coffee made from?" Wan asked.
"Hmmm... as far as I know, berries."
"Berries?" Mayari echoed while slowly fixing her hair using the comb Wan gave her.
"Yeah, kind of like grapes."
"Oooh, that sounds good," Wan said.
A few minutes later, the waiter returned with our coffee. Wan greedily grabbed his mug first. The waiter handed the rest to Mayari, Agni, and Agustin, bowed, and left.
Wan didn't hesitate—he took a huge gulp. And as expected, he immediately spat it out.
"THE FUCK! Where the hell is the grape part!?" he yelled, causing nearby customers to stare.
"Are you part scammer or something, Given? This is bitter as hell!" He looked like he was about to scrub his tongue raw.
"You idiot," I shot back, handing him the sugar. "You're not supposed slurp it, not gulp it straight like a freeking beer!" I took a teaspoon and put sugar and creamer in it. Though I told them it's only optional.
They followed my lead. And I watched all their eyes light up. Mayari looked genuinely amazed. Agni made a face that clearly said not bad. Wan's expression completely changed.
"Oi—oi! What the hell!? The taste changed!" Wan exclaimed, taking another sip.
"It's bitter, but sweet too. This is actually really good."
Then the bread arrived. I told them to dunk the pandesal into the coffee and add milk if they wanted. Mayari and Agustin felt disgusted at the thought, but they did it anyway. And just like that—new coffee addicts were born. They dipped the pandesal, took a bite, and it was like heaven personally shook their hands.
"Damn, this is better than tea," Wan declared.
Agni countered that taste is subjective, which somehow made it funnier. While we ate, Agni quietly asked Mayari what our next move would be. Mayari sighed, trying to focus. I noticed that every time she pressed her palms together in a steeple against her lips, like she was praying, it meant she was thinking hard.
"In the battle at Kubiz," she said, "I realized how serious Penumbra's lack of strategic knowledge, organization, weapons..." There was a bitter look in her eyes, like she hated admitting what she was about to say.
"And above all—"
"Your lack of experience," Wan cut in.
Damn.
Agni shot him a sharp look, but honestly, even he seemed to agree.
"You're right," Mayari said quietly. Then she glanced around the café. There were quite a few people inside now, well-dressed, some wearing coats, others in colorful satin clothing like ours. Some humans, some not. Very different from the atmosphere of the roadside eatery we stopped at on the way to Kubiz. Some people were reading newspapers or magazines. Others were playing board games.
"To be honest," Mayari continued, "I want to use Yizmael's next move."
"What do you mean, my lady?" Agni asked.
"Based on what we know of Yizmael, from when we were still in the capital, when my father was alive, what do you think he'll do once he learns what happened at Kubiz?" she asked, sipping her coffee.
"He'll act immediately," Agni answered, serious. I could see the gears turning in his eyes.
"Exactly," Mayari said. "Based on that bastard's personality, he'll act fast to assert dominance over the rebels. Burning nearby towns, for example, if they can't produce any rebels." She tapped the table with one of her fingers. "I plan to use his brutality to recruit more members for Penumbra."
"Wait—wait," I cut in. Something about that made my ears ring. "You mean you expected, I mean, you knew, that one possible result of the Kubiz attack would be this Yizmael burning nearby towns!?"
Mayari just closed her eyes and calmly sipped her coffee. "Yes."
One word. No remorse. No hesitation. Nothing.
"Ma—Mayari... are you saying—"
"Yes. I intend to use the people who may die from Yizmael's actions as leverage to gain sympathy and recruits."
What kind of person is she!? Agustin didn't seem to understand what was happening, our voices were low, so he just kept eating.
"Mayari... those are people," I said. "They have fa—"
"I KNOW," she snapped. Every letter was hard and deliberate. "Do you have a better way to recruit more people faster? If you do, please tell me."
I froze. I couldn't answer. She was right—I didn't have one. I wasn't as smart as her. I don't really even fully understand what's happening. But damn it. That meant entire towns could be destroyed. Hundreds of people losing their homes. Their lives.
"Oi—oi—calm down," Wan cut in, grabbing more bread. "Based on what we've seen outside and here inside, it looks like your governor-general hasn't done anything yet."
He shot me a look that clearly said let it go. Mayari took a breath. "You're right. It's been three days, and still nothing. No news. Not even rumors."
She sipped her coffee again. "Even if they tried to hide it, it wouldn't be easy if an entire town suddenly went up in flames, especially not here in Itakam. Unless..."
"Unless?" Agni prompted.
"Unless someone else has entered the scene," Mayari replied, her brows knitting together.
Someone she hadn't accounted for.
"Could it be Aslon, my lady?" Agni asked.
"No," Mayari answered. "Yizmael thinks too highly of himself to take advice from a Tunduvan." She glanced at me, then looked away. I did the same.
"He loves grand displays and lacks restraint when challenged," she continued, pressing her palms together again. "So, there's only one explanation, another Iberian advised him. An Iberian of higher rank. Someone capable of restraining his emotions."
"Could it be one of the three governors from the other kingdoms?" Agni asked quietly. "Impossible," Mayari said. "One of the reasons they killed my father was—" I saw her jaw tighten, "—the alliance between that bastard Yizmael and Aslon was meant to prove to the other governors how absolute his control over Tundun is. That no one can oppose him here."
"So... who outranks Yizmael?" Wan asked.
"If I'm not mistaken... Yizmael is a Viscount," Mayari said. "Middle nobility of Iberia—just below a Count. Whoever advised him is intelligent. They understand the consequences if Yizmael carries out his plan."
Then Mayari looked directly at Wan. "By the way... you're going to play a very big role in what happens next."
"Oi. What do you mean by that?"
She gave a small, knowing smile. "You'll see."