The next day, Aaron brought Strange to Kathmandu, Nepal.
Countless palaces, temples, monasteries, pagodas, as well as monks and worshippers everywhere along the bustling streets, seemed to be the city's defining features.
"The City of Temples truly lives up to its name!" Aaron remarked with emotion. "More than eighty percent of the residents here follow Hinduism, nine percent follow Buddhism, and a small number follow Islam and other religions."
Strange gave a perfunctory nod. Even after setting foot on this unfamiliar land, he still felt lost.
Yesterday, he had tried asking Aaron about the prophecy, but aside from a meaningful smile tinged with envy and pity, he had received nothing.
"Is Kamar-Taj the name of a temple?" Strange asked tentatively. "You want me to take Ancient One as my master. Do you want me to study religion?"
"Don't overthink it. You'll understand once we get to Kamar-Taj." Aaron said absentmindedly as he used a compass to find the right route.
"By the way, didn't you confess to Christine yesterday?
Did it work?"
"Uh..." Strange pondered for a moment. "She accepted the roses, but the ring..."
"What about the ring? Did she reject it?"
"Not exactly, it's just..." Strange said hesitantly, "she said neither of us was ready yet, so she told me to keep the ring for now."
Aaron raised an eyebrow and looked at him teasingly. "Not too bad. At least your relationship has gone from more than friends but less than lovers to lovers."
"Really?"
"Doctor Strange, don't tell me you've never been in a relationship. Do you think a woman would casually accept roses from a man?
And you're so familiar with each other. She couldn't possibly have thought it was a prank!"
"But don't celebrate too soon. Even lovers can break up.
Later, you..." Aaron trailed