{Niat ingsun amatek ajiku si semar mèsem
(My intention is to unravel the mystery of the smiling Semar)
mut-mutanku inten
(My steps are careful)
cahyané manjing pilinganku kiwa lan tengen
(His light illuminates my left and right)
sing nyawang kegiwang
(Revealing secrets concealed in the corners of my heart)
apa manèh yèn sing nyawang kang tumancep kumanthil ing telenging sanubariku
(Who could have foreseen the destiny entwined with the hidden figure)
ya iku si jabang bayi Ken Dedes
(Yes, it is the legendary baby Ken Dedes)}
[ The above note is a popular Semar Mesem Mantra as a love spell in ancient Java.]
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"It should have passed by now. Why is it still taking so long?"
"I've been waiting here for ages. Why do we have to be the ones stuck as guards in this deserted path?"
Kamaniya blinked her eyes repeatedly. Her vision was still blurry, and her head throbbed as if hit with a hard stick.
However, one of her hands felt warm. Kamaniya looked down and saw Yada's strong grip. When she looked up, he pressed his index finger to his lips.
Through a slight wink, Yada gestured to the left. Kamaniya followed his gaze and was stunned.
"I don't know where we are right now, but it seems like a filming location," Yada whispered.
Kamaniya's eyebrows furrowed beautifully. Her experience as a time traveler whispered that this was not a film set.
The props were too authentic, and the two people dressed in outdated clothes were too immersed for a mere play.
No, this wasn't filming. Kamaniya was taken aback when she realized that the people hiding behind the bushes might actually be real bandits.
"This isn't a filming location," Kamaniya hissed.
Yada's expression remained blank and empty. But the next second, he opened his eyes wide.
"You mean... the light earlier took us to the past?"
"Maybe," Kamaniya didn't dare to have high hopes. Still trying to recover from the blinding light that gave her a headache, Kamaniya tried to figure out where she was.
The rough-woven garments stood out in Kamaniya's eyes. Not because of their color, but the patterns reminded her of the events when she emerged in the Kingdom of Kediri.
"Kam, Kama."
Kamaniya turned again. "Yes?"
"Are we in ancient kingdom times?"
Kamaniya shrugged. "I don't know."
"What are you thinking right now?" Yada was curious as he stared intently at Kamaniya standing before him.
"I'm thinking about why you keep holding my hand."
Yada grinned widely. Leaning in to make sure his voice wouldn't be heard by the two bandits hiding, he whispered into Kamaniya's ear.
"Because holding you brings me peace."
"What?"
"Come on, Kama. You're like a wise elder to me. You've traveled through time before. You have experience here, while I don't."
Kamaniya couldn't resist giving Yada a firm jab on his forehead. She also shot him a fierce glare to keep him quiet, as they were hiding from the bandits themselves.
"I'm not that old. Don't just call me an elder like that."
"Then what should I say? Do you want me to call you my sweetheart?"
Kamaniya's glare became even fiercer. "You're a professor, but why doesn't your brain reflect wisdom?"
Yada suppressed a chuckle. He loved it when Kamaniya got emotional.
After all, she usually seemed as cold as an iceberg. Kamaniya rarely showed any emotions, and smiles were a rarity on her face.
Kamaniya presented a unique challenge for Yada to conquer. Instead of letting go of their grasp, he playfully swung Kamaniya's hand.
"My brain loses its function when I'm near a beautiful woman," Yada winked.
"Yada," Kamaniya grumbled annoyed.
"Shh... don't be so loud. Luckily, we're behind this big tree. Don't let those two people in front notice us."
Kamaniya instantly fell silent.
"Can they see us?"
She answered without looking at Yada. "They should be able to."
"Well, I wonder if they'll be surprised by our appearance?"
Kamaniya stood upright. Reflexively, she checked her own outfit.
A pair of jeans bought by Arum, a form-fitting shirt that highlighted her figure, and a pair of flat shoes also gifted by Arum.
[Well, these aren't exactly ancient clothes.]
Kamaniya grinned amused. A gentle breeze made her lift her head. Her sharp instincts warned her that this breeze was not ordinary.
As expected, the sound of carriage wheels and the neighing of horses reached Kamaniya and Yada's ears.
Two bandits a few meters ahead of them pulled out their machetes and assumed a defensive position.
"Do you think they're going to rob someone?" Yada whispered.
"Seems like it. Let's see."
"Hopefully, no one gets killed. People from ancient times often don't value lives."
Kamaniya ignored Yada's hope. Her gaze was fixed on the wide dirt road that cut through the forest they were in.
The thick foliage and dense trees formed a canopy that protected the road from the scorching sun. Yet, enough light seeped through, indicating that it was a hot noon.
"Who's coming?" Yada craned his neck.
Kamaniya remained alert. The sound of the horse-drawn carriage grew louder. Then four soldiers in brown uniforms appeared first, followed by a majestic and fairly large carriage.
From its exterior appearance, the horse-drawn carriage belonged to someone quite wealthy. Kamaniya frowned when she didn't find any insignia on the carriage.
"Goodness, it's a real horse-drawn carriage."
Kamaniya was at a loss for words to describe her feelings. On the one hand, she was astonished by Yada's lack of fear.
Typically, people would scream hysterically, feel scared, or even faint when entering a light that took them to an unfamiliar land. But that didn't apply to Yada.
Instead, the man appeared incredibly curious. His eyes sparkled as if he had stumbled upon an extraordinary stroke of luck.
Yada's curiosity didn't last long. The next moment, he let out a soft gasp as he saw two bandits emerge from their hiding places.
Without mercy, the bandits swiftly slit the throats of the two front guards. It became evident that these guards lacked combat skills.
The atmosphere turned tense. The remaining two guards stood frozen, staring at their fallen comrades.
Thankfully, they retained enough presence of mind to draw their swords. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. Confronted by two bandits who displayed a savagery akin to wild beasts, the remaining guards eventually met the same fate.
"Oh my God..." Yada staggered backward.
Kamaniya clicked her tongue in annoyance. She quickly covered Yada's mouth and whispered a warning, "Don't let them see you, Yada."
He nodded in agreement.
"You handle the two bandits. I'll assist the carriage passengers."
Yada immediately grabbed Kamaniya's arm. He spoke in hushed tones, "Seriously, Kama. How can I fight those two criminals?"
"Goodness, you're a modern human. Show some self-defense skills, just like when you saved me at Gong Cave yesterday."
"The ones at Goa Gong were just drunken thugs without weapons. In the end, I got knocked out by their kicks. Now you want me to fight two armed and ruthless individuals?"
Kamaniya rolled her eyes. She roughly removed Yada's grasp on her arm.
"Then are we supposed to just stand here? We can't let there be more casualties, Yada."
"Wait. Kamaniya, wait." He tried to persuade her.
"Consider this: if we really are in ancient times, the people we might save could be historically significant figures. If we interfere, we might change the course of history in the future."
Kamaniya fell silent for a moment. Memories of her attempt to meddle in the life of a prince from the past flashed in her mind.
Meanwhile, a prolonged scream echoed as the bandits started to open the carriage door. Kamaniya's thoughts were interrupted. The sight of two women being forcibly dragged out of the carriage disturbed her conscience.
"The most important thing is to prevent further loss of life," Kamaniya responded coldly to Yada's argument.
Without waiting for Yada's reply, she swiftly moved forward. Kamaniya executed a high leap, utilizing her body-lightening technique.
In a matter of seconds, she found herself beside the bandits who were dragging the carriage passengers. Kamaniya struck one of the bandits directly on the neck with a punch.
The woman was slightly surprised as her punch sent the bandit flying. Kamaniya stared at her own hand, amazed by its newfound strength.
"My power has returned?" She wondered, "I can use my internal energy again?"
Without much thought, the bandit swung his machete towards Kamaniya's head. In a reflex action, she ducked and hooked the bandit's ankle.
One of the bandits fell hard to the ground, groaning in pain and uttering impolite curses. As he got up, his face was covered in blood from a broken nose.
"Alright, my strength is back," Kamaniya beamed.
She looked at the other bandit, who had received a punch from her and was now limping as he fled into the woods.
The bandit next to Kamaniya spoke with a trembling voice. His wild, glaring eyes were fixed on her.
"You saved the wrong person," he snapped harshly.
"No innocent person deserves to lose their life," Kamaniya retorted.
"But she had to die!" The bandit pointed behind Kamaniya.
Kamaniya paid no attention to him. She picked up a pebble and callously hurled it at the bandit. A howl of pain cut through the air as the pebble struck his arm, making him drop his machete.
"Leave, or I'll turn you into dust," Kamaniya threatened.
Without needing to be told twice, the bandit limped away to join his companion in the woods. Only Kamaniya remained, along with the two carriage passengers standing behind her.
"Are you both alright?"
Instead of answering Kamaniya's question, the two women, dressed in beautiful garments resembling sarongs with thick necklaces adorning their chests, stared at her.
One of them made Kamaniya raise an eyebrow in surprise. She whispered the name soundlessly.
"Who are you? Are you the witch people speak of?" The woman pointed at Kamaniya.
Kamaniya tilted her head, unable to suppress her amusement.
Each time she entered a different era, this question always came up. People often questioned her identity due to her attire, which didn't match the fashion of the time she appeared in. But this was the first time Kamaniya was mistaken for a witch, which brought a tickling sensation to her heart.
"I'm not a witch. I'm just someone who's lost," Kamaniya replied casually.
At that moment, Yada took the opportunity to step forward. He jogged towards Kamaniya.
The two carriage passengers moved further back, their eyes filled with fear upon seeing Yada. There was a hint of terror in their large eyes.
"Kama, you're amazing! You're incredible!" Yada exclaimed cheerfully.
Kamaniya gave him a warning glance. He understood the signal and changed his expression to a more serious one.
"Remember our conversation about the true appearance of ancient princesses, Yada?"
He nodded.
"Well, allow me to introduce you to the woman we were discussing," Kamaniya whispered, unable to hide her delight.
"What do you mean?"
"This is Ken Dedes," Kamaniya nodded towards the woman in the most striking attire, "and I believe the one next to her is Dharsana, Princess Dedes's beloved handmaiden."