That morning, a thin mist still shrouded the harbor when Adrian knocked on the door of the small inn where Julian was staying. Adrian wasn't wearing his dock porter clothes; he wore a sturdy grey cotton shirt and a practical batik headcloth.
"Elias, you said you were a writer wanting to see the outside world," Adrian said bluntly. "I have business in Buitenzorg. There is a shipment of fertilizer and farming tools I must ensure reaches the villagers' hands without 'additional taxes' from Friedrich's men. Do you want to come?"
Julian nodded without hesitation. This was a golden opportunity to see how Adrian operated outside the tight surveillance of Batavia.
They boarded an economy-class train crowded with vegetable vendors and livestock. The air inside the carriage was stifling, but the scenery outside the window changed drastically—from urban density to vast green rice fields against the backdrop of blue mountains.
"You seem very familiar with these people, Adrian," Julian observed how the farmers in the carriage greeted Adrian with sincere, respectful nods.
Adrian gazed out the window, watching the train's shadow cut through the fields. "They aren't just 'people', Elias. They are those whose lands were seized for government sugar plantations. I help them get tools and seeds so they don't have to borrow from loan sharks backed by the Dutch."
Throughout the journey, Julian saw a different Adrian. This twenty-year-old possessed a sharp economic understanding. He knew the backpaths to avoid Marechaussee patrols and exactly which local officials could be bribed or reasoned with.
"You are performing the duties of a leader, Adrian," Julian whispered.
Adrian turned, his smile thin but cold. "I do what anyone who cares should do. In the Netherlands, perhaps leaders sit on thrones reading reports. Here, leading means ensuring your people's stomachs are not empty tonight."
As the train stopped at a small station on the outskirts of Buitenzorg, Julian realized this journey was his greatest lesson. He saw Adrian not as a threat to the crown, but as something far more noble: a protector grown from the very womb of his people's suffering.
Culture & Language Notes
Buitenzorg: The colonial name for Bogor; it was well-known as the country retreat for the Governor-General, but it also served as a major center for large plantations.
Ikat Kepala (Udeng): A traditional headcloth worn by Javanese men; it serves as a symbol of identity and a practical accessory for work or travel.