"After I told her what had just happened to me, she was silent for a short time, before responding:
"Wow. What happened to you today is quite surprising. If I were you, I wouldn't have had the courage to say that to them and try what you did.
So you bet your life on a poker game?"
"It wasn't really a gamble, I just used the rules of the Final War to my advantage. It also allowed me to verify that this famous chip really works.
"Yes, a poker move, that's what I said."
"Yes, whatever you call it, I survived it. And the money, you're giving it to me?"
"Nah!"
"What? What do you mean, no? I answered your question, now you have to give me your money.
"So you buy some things before you see what the goods look like?
"No, of course not..."
I didn't have time to finish my sentence when she answered directly:
I didn't have time to finish my sentence when she answered directly: "Well, there you go, even you say so. So, we're going to see your house and then we can discuss the price I'm giving you.
"And because you decide the price of MY house?
"You're not really in a strong position to negotiate with me. You saw the reaction of those guys when you talked to them about selling a house. Anyone in their right mind is going to have that reaction when you tell them that. And your undead face isn't going to help. So I'm your one and only option. Either accept it or go back to promoting YOUR house."
It was hard to admit, but she was right all along. What I was trying to do was meaningless and probably had no chance of success from the start.
"Well, yes, you're probably right. I accept your proposal. But there will be a problem."
"Oh and what kind of problem?"
"My house is in a small village 28 km from Meh, we have less than two days to make this trip and I have only one bicycle to make this trip.
"Every problem has a solution."
"What solution?"
"Money."
"Money?" I asked astonished.
"Yes, yes, money.
"But how is money going to help us ride 28 km on one bike in less than two days?
"Given the ingenuity you showed earlier in the bar, I thought you were smarter than that."
"Intelligence has nothing to do with what I did earlier. In the bar, I just used that war to my advantage. And that's not about intelligence either, it's about common sense. How can money help us go faster?"
And suddenly, like a flash of genius, I found out what she meant by "money":
"Why yes, a carriage."
"Oh, I see that you gentlemen have finally used your brains. But unfortunately for you I have something better: a coach."
"A coach. A real coach?"
"Oh no, don't tell me you've never seen a coach in your life?"
I had only seen one coach in my life. I couldn't have been more than five years old. It was during a parade passing by Yo. It was so incredible that this simple carriage had become a real attraction for our small village during its stay. Unfortunately, due to several village wars in the following two years and the state of the road, we never saw this person with his carriage again.
So it seemed obvious to me that I would never see a coach in my life. At least, that's what I told myself.
"Well, no, I've never seen a coach in my life.
She answered me while holding back a laugh:
"But do you live in a cave or what? Everyone has seen a stagecoach, even the farthest inland farmers have seen one. Unless you live in a world parallel to ours?" She said as she circled me to check that I was indeed real.
Her little act was beginning to irritate me slightly, but I remained calm, because there was no point in getting angry:
"Is it OK? You've finished your circus, can we talk about the coach?
"Oh dear, you can be such a boring person. You'd better laugh sometimes, you'll see, it'll keep you from getting wrinkles when you're old.
"I can laugh. Except this is not the time or the place. When I have the money and I know my family is safe, then I can finally laugh.
"Oh, so it's for your family that you're doing all this? And for what?"
"It's personal, you don't need to know."
"Okay, I see, gentlemen wish to remain mysterious.
By the way, we haven't even introduced ourselves, you and Alia?"
"I don't want to be mysterious, I don't reveal my intentions to strangers and telling me your name won't change anything."
"I wasn't trying to find out why you're doing this, it's just good manners and politeness to give your name when someone else gives you theirs.
"You don't need to do an essay on the subject, I know very well that it's polite."
Alia looked at me skeptically, but didn't answer.
"Yùichi."
"What?"
"Yùichi. My name is Yùichi."
"It's okay, I like it." She said with a big smile.
"Are you judging my name?"
"Nah, I just said I liked it."
"Um, if you say so."
No one answering, I turned and walked back towards my bag and stuff.
"Yùichi, where are you going?"
"I'm going to rest until tomorrow morning. You should do the same. We'll meet back here tomorrow at seven.
"But there are no hotels on this side of town.
Nah. You weren't going to sleep out, were you?"
When she didn't answer, she laughed out loud:
"You're actually a very funny guy.
Well, come on, I'll pay for your hotel night. But on the other hand, you'll have to pay me back three times what you'll cost me.
"Wait a minute, I never said I'd take your offer."
"Didn't you? Well, you turned around and are following me. So that means you're interested in my offer.
Here, I'll give you 200 euros, that's more than enough.
"What? 600 euros? That's a lot of money, you realise I don't even have 100 euros, so how can I pay you back that much?
"Don't worry, I'll just deduct 600 euros from the price of your house. 600 euros less out of 200,000 is ridiculously small.
"You've already started taking money out of my house.
"Would you rather sleep outside?
"Okay, I'll accept that you take 600 euros out of my house's pay.
"There, I prefer that."
With that, we left for the nearest hostel.
A gentleman in his forties was sitting behind a counter with a book in his hands.
We approached him before we realised that he was asleep.
I was about to wake him up, but Alia held me back.
Just before I spoke I noticed that she was signaling me not to make any noise, then whispering she said:
"Don't wake him up, we'll take a key that's in front of him and we'll be able to sleep here without paying."
I answered her, also whispering:
I whispered back to her: "No way, if hitting someone is an offence then stealing a key and sleeping without paying is also an offence. And if that's the case, we'll die the moment we take that key. It's annoying, but we have to pay if we don't want to die."
"Oh yes, that's right, thank God you're here. Otherwise I'd probably be dead already."
Slightly annoyed, she woke up the hotel manager and banged three loud knocks on the counter. This did not surprise the manager who was only pretending to be asleep and he added:
"Well done young man, I really thought you were going to take that key.
"How many people have been fooled by this ploy? I asked.
"Nine in two days.
After hearing this sentence, I couldn't hold back my anger and walked over to the manager and punched him right in the jaw.