Royal Palace, Hampi
For the past six months, Harsha had dedicated himself to intense physical training, pushing his body to its limits. Each morning began with gruelling exercises and ended with hours of honing his skills in various martial arts. The fruits of his labour were evident; he could now feel every muscle working with precision and strength.
Harsha had reached a level of fitness at which he could barely match the Emperor in combat.
Though he knew the Emperor's strength was unmatched, Harsha felt confident in his own abilities. His extensive training in martial arts gave him a strategic edge in a one-on-one fight. The combination of physical conditioning and his diverse combat techniques made him a formidable opponent.
"Ah, I want to fight the Emperor so bad," Harsha muttered to himself as he stretched his muscles after a refreshing bath.
Viswa entered the room quietly, his footsteps barely making a sound. "Your Highness, I have some news for you."
Harsha, still stretching, nodded for him to continue. "Go on."
"Both candidates have passed the test," Viswa reported. "Additionally, Karna has assembled a rudimentary group of followers. He revealed this information voluntarily after passing the test."
Harsha raised an eyebrow. "You weren't aware of this?"
Viswa's expression hardened. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I failed to uncover this detail."
Harsha waved a dismissive hand. "It's fine. If you missed it, Karna was aware of our investigation. Revealing his group on his own was likely his way of showing loyalty. Moreover, the fact that his group managed to remain hidden from both your and Rama Nayaka's spies indicates they are quite adept at evading detection."
He gestured toward two small books with leather covers lying on a nearby table. "Take these to Karna and his group. Their next mission is at the Patwardhans."
Viswa looked curious. "Have the Patwardhans finally aligned with us, Your Highness?"
"Yes," Harsha confirmed with a nod. "Bhima has done well in securing their support."
Harsha's expression turned grave. "Also, I have an uneasy feeling. It seems that someone is brewing something sinister, but it isn't coming from the first or second prince. They are hiding their intentions exceptionally well—perhaps too well."
Viswa looked at Harsha with a nod. "Understood, Your Highness. I will investigate further. Is this related to the maid named Rukmini?"
"Yes," Harsha said, his face hardening. "Her traces vanished completely after that incident. It feels like someone with substantial power is manipulating things behind the scenes."
Viswa raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain it's not the first or second prince?"
"I'm not sure," Harsha admitted, "but keep an eye on anything unusual. Also, watch Alfonso closely. I suspect he's hiding something significant beneath his charming facade."
"Understood, Your Highness."
With that, Viswa left the room. Harsha watched him go, a thoughtful look on his face.
"It's getting interesting," Harsha muttered to himself with a dark chuckle. "HAHAHA."
Viswa navigated his way through the capital's bustling streets, finally arriving at the shop nestled at the city's edge. He made his way to a discreet door leading to a basement meeting room, ensuring no one was watching him.
As he entered the dimly lit room from the shadows, he found Mithun and Karna already waiting.
"So, you managed to gather on time," Viswa said as he emerged, his voice cutting through the silence.
"Of course," Mithun replied.
"What did the Prince say?" Mithun asked, leaning forward.
Viswa's face remained impassive as he set two leather-bound books on the wooden table between them. "Fortunately, you both passed the test."
He continued with a serious tone, "These are the new orders. You are to travel to the region under Patwardhan's jurisdiction and complete the tasks outlined in these books."
Karna raised an eyebrow, "Orders so quickly? What's the urgency?"
"Do you have a problem with that?" Viswa responded coldly.
Karna smirked and said, "It's fine."
Viswa added. "But don't fail, or you'll disappoint the prince.
"What if I fail on purpose, huh," Karna taunted with a wry smirk.
Viswa's demeanour turned menacing as he straightened his posture. "Is that a challenge?" he said, cracking his knuckles with a grim expression. "Because if you fail on purpose, I could easily eliminate your entire group right here and now."
The atmosphere in the room grew tense. Viswa's icy stare and the coldness in his voice sent a shiver down their spines. Karna's smirk faded, and he fell silent, his bravado slipping away under the weight of Viswa's threat.
Mithun stepped forward, trying to defuse the tension in the room. "We will handle it. Is there anything specific we need to be aware of besides the tasks in these books?"
Viswa's gaze moved to Mithun, his expression thoughtful. "Yes," he said, his voice cold. "There has been recent contact between the Third Prince and Prince Bhairava. Given that it's the Third Prince, this likely involves the Portuguese."
He continued, "Focus on monitoring the Cochin Port."
Mithun raised an eyebrow. "Not the Goa Port?"
"No," Viswa replied. "The Second Prince's base is in Cochin. If the Portuguese are involved, it makes sense they'd use Cochin. However, keep an eye on Goa as well. The main focus should be Cochin."
"Understood," Mithun said.
Viswa then turned to Karna. "Your ragtag group won't be sufficient for this mission. You need to expand it quickly while you're in Patwardhan. Seek out talented individuals regardless of their background."
Karna's expression grew serious as he nodded silently, understanding the gravity of the command.
"Don't make me interfere!" Viswa warned as he left the room.
As the door closed behind Karna, Mithun turned to Karna with a worried look. "Are you suicidal? Do you want to kill us? You know he's not someone you want to cross paths with."
Mithun's face remained stoic and continued. "He might seem meek around the prince; he's no one to be underestimated. Where did the prince even find him?"
Karna, still simmering from the recent confrontation, felt the sting of defeat keenly. The encounter with Viswa had been humiliating, a blow to his pride he hadn't anticipated. He gritted his teeth, determined to one day surpass and defeat the demon butler who had so effortlessly put him in his place.
"Thanks for stating the obvious," Karna said sarcastically.
Mithun sighed deeply, frustration and exhaustion evident. "Ha! Why am I always stuck with such crazy people?" He lamented, throwing his hands up in exasperation.