Chapter 143: Chapter 140: News From Durvasa... Banter With Shakuni...

(A/N):

Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.

Guys I hope you put more comments and power stones... Which will encourage me...

I would like to this time choose a local deities.

--> Give me all the names you know. I would do research on them. Or you could share their story a little and their power and what they authority over.

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Trivenivrata....

Royal Palace...

Meanwhile... Far away in Trivenivrata.

The morning sun bathed the royal palace in golden light.

Servants moved through the corridors.

Officials carried reports.

Ministers discussed trade and administration.

The kingdom remained peaceful.

Completely unaware of the storm slowly gathering beyond its borders.

Inside the royal palace, Devara sat within his private study.

Several scrolls lay spread across a large wooden table.

Most contained reports regarding trade routes, harvest forecasts, and border activities.

One scroll, however, had captured all of his attention.

The seal upon it belonged to none other than Sage Durvasa.

One of his gurus.

A man who rarely requested favors.

And when he did...

There was usually a good reason.

Devara slowly unrolled the scroll once more.

His green eyes carefully moved across the contents.

A name had been written prominently within the document.

Sage Veenadhara Kashyap.

A once-respected wandering sage.

A man renowned throughout many kingdoms.

Not for warfare.

Not for spiritual power.

But for mastery over three unique arts.

Singing.

Playing the veena.

And riddles.

Extraordinary riddles.

The scroll explained that Veenadhara’s songs could bring entire gatherings to tears.

His veena performances were said to calm wild animals and soothe troubled minds.

But it was his riddles that had made him famous.

Or infamous.

His riddles were unlike ordinary puzzles.

Each contained multiple meanings.

Multiple layers.

Questions hidden within questions.

Answers hidden beneath answers.

Entire debates among scholars had begun because of a single riddle spoken by the sage.

Unfortunately...

Recognition had become arrogance.

Arrogance had become pride.

And pride had begun leading him down a dangerous path.

According to Durvasa’s report, Sage Veenadhara had begun humiliating others publicly.

Scholars.

Kings.

Priests.

Travelers.

Anyone who failed to answer his riddles became the target of ridicule.

Many had lost wealth.

Some had lost honor.

A few had even abandoned their studies after being publicly shamed.

The sage no longer sought knowledge.

He sought victory.

And worse.

Several information suggested he had begun using his gifts for personal gain.

Manipulating people.

Creating conflicts.

Turning kingdoms against one another merely to prove his intellectual superiority.

Devara finished reading the final section.

"...."

Then leaned back in his chair.

A small sigh escaped him.

-Sigh!

At the bottom of the scroll, Durvasa had written a final note.

The handwriting was unmistakable.

"Knowledge without humility becomes poison."

"This man once walked the path of wisdom."

"Now he walks the path of vanity."

"Bring him back."

"Or stop him."

Devara stared at the words for several moments.

The room remained silent.

Then he chuckled softly.

Only his guru would make a request that sounded like a mission and a life lesson at the same time.

The king rolled the scroll closed.

His eyes drifted toward the palace gardens visible through the nearby window.

Somewhere out there was a sage capable of reducing scholars to silence.

A master singer.

A master musician.

A master riddler.

And apparently a man in desperate need of humility.

Devara’s smile slowly widened.

He had a feeling this was going to be interesting.

Very interesting.

Especially because riddles were one of the few things that genuinely fascinated him.

And somewhere beyond the borders of Trivenivrata,

Sage Veenadhara Kashyap remained completely unaware that the disciple of a certain sage had just accepted the task of finding him.

A task that would soon place two very different minds on a collision course.

Across the room, Mahamantri Shakuni had been reviewing several reports of his own.

After becoming part of Devara’s court, he had quickly become one of the kingdom’s most capable administrators.

However, despite all his intelligence, his fondness for teasing family members remained unchanged.

Noticing the smile lingering on Devara’s face, Shakuni slowly lowered his scroll.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Then a grin appeared.

"That is a dangerous smile."

Devara looked up.

"Hmm?"

Shakuni leaned back in his chair.

"Should I be worried?"

The Devara raised an eyebrow.

"Worried about what?"

The Mahamantri Shakuni placed a hand dramatically over his chest.

"Perhaps a princess from some distant kingdom has finally written a love letter."

The room became silent.

"...."

"...."

"...."

Then Devara burst out laughing.

"-HAHAHA!!!"

The sound echoed through the study.

Even a few nearby attendants struggled not to smile.

Mahamantri Shakuni looked pleased with himself.

"There it is."

"The guilty laugh."

Devara shook his head.

"You spend too much time imagining nonsense."

"Nonsense?"

Shakuni pointed accusingly.

"You are smiling while reading a scroll."

"Either it is a love letter..."

He raised another finger.

"...or someone has offered to donate ten thousand gold coins to the treasury."

Devara laughed again.

"-Haha!!!"

"Neither."

The king finally rolled up the scroll and tossed it gently across the table.

Shakuni caught it effortlessly.

The Mahamantri opened it and immediately noticed the seal.

His expression changed.

"Maharishi Durvasa."

Devara nodded his head with a smirk.

"It arrived this morning."

Shakuni quickly skimmed through the contents.

His eyebrows gradually rose higher.

By the time he finished reading, he looked genuinely surprised.

"A sage?"

"Veenadhara Kashyap?"

Devara nodded once more.

-Nod!

"The very same."

Maharishi Shakuni reread several sections.

Then lowered the scroll.

A confused look crossed his face.

"Forgive me, Maharaj..."

He tapped the parchment lightly.

"...but why exactly has Guru Durvasa asked you to deal with this?"

Devara leaned back comfortably.

The smile never left his face. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Shakuni continued reading the scroll.

"From what I am reading, this Veenadhara Kashyap has become arrogant."

"Extremely arrogant."

"He humiliates scholars."

"Insults sages."

"Embarrasses kings."

"And turns every gathering into a contest designed to praise himself."

The Mahamantri folded the scroll.

Then looked at Devara.

"Wouldn’t it be far easier for Maharishi Durvasa to visit him personally?"

A grin slowly appeared on Shakuni’s face.

"I can think of a very effective solution."

Devara already knew where this was going.

"Can you?"

Shakuni nodded solemnly along with his confusion.

-Nod

"Yes."

"What solution?"

The Mahamantri raised a finger.

"One curse."

Devara laughed hearing the solution of Mahamantri Shakuni.

Shakuni continued with complete seriousness.

"Just one."

"Nothing excessive."

"Perhaps a curse that turns him into a goat for six months."

The Devara nearly choked trying not to laugh.

"A goat?"

Shakuni nodded confidently.

"Maybe a donkey."

"That would be educational."

The attendants standing nearby quickly looked away before their laughter became visible.

Devara rubbed his forehead.

"That is not how Guruji solves every problem."

Shakuni looked unconvinced.

"We are speaking about Maharishi Durvasa."

"His reputation suggests otherwise."

That only made Devara laugh harder.

"-Haha!!!"

After a few moments, the king finally regained his composure.

Then his expression became thoughtful.

"There is a reason."

Shakuni raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

"For Guruji sending me."

The king gently tapped the scroll.

"If Maharishi Durvasa truly wished to punish him, he could do so himself."

"If he wanted revenge, he would not need my help."

"If he wanted to curse him, he certainly would not send a letter asking me to solve it."

The Mahamantri considered that.

Slowly, he nodded.

"...."

The logic was difficult to argue with.

Devara looked toward the window.

Beyond it, the gardens swayed gently in the morning breeze.

"Guruji could have solved this problem himself."

His voice became softer.

"The fact that he didn’t means there is something else he wants."

Shakuni listened quietly hearing Devara’s answer.

"...."

Devara continued to explain.

"Perhaps he sees something worth saving."

"Perhaps he believes the sage can still change."

"Or perhaps he wants me to learn something from this encounter."

The king smiled as he flicked his hair.

"Knowing Guruji, all three possibilities are equally likely."

Shakuni chuckled how easilt Devara was taking it.

That certainly sounded like Durvasa.

The Mahamantri looked down at the scroll again.

Then back at Devara.

"So you are going?"

"Of course."

The answer came without hesitation.

The king’s eyes carried absolute certainty.

"He is my Guru."

"Guruji has never asked me for anything without reason behind it."

"If he believes I should meet this sage, then I will meet him."

Shakuni studied his brother-in-law for a moment.

Then slowly smiled.

"Poor Veenadhara Kashyap."

Devara blinked looking at his brother in law who was pitying the sage.

"Poor sage?"

Shakuni nodded with a sigh.

"Yes."

The grin on his face widened.

"He has managed to attract the attention of Maharishi Durvasa."

He pointed toward Devara.

"And now yours."

The Mahamantri leaned back comfortably.

"I am beginning to suspect his troubles have only just started."

The Devara simply laughed.

Shakuni tapped the scroll thoughtfully after hearing Devara’s explanation.

For several moments, the Mahamantri Shakuni remained silent.

"...."

Then he nodded.

"Very well."

He rolled up the parchment.

"I shall begin preparations for the royal journey."

Before he could stand, however, Devara shook his head.

"No."

That single word immediately made Shakuni suspicious.

The king was smiling again.

The same smile that usually appeared before one of his unusual ideas.

Shakuni narrowed his eyes.

"I know that smile."

Devara chuckled hearing him.

-Chuckle!

"Do you?"

"Unfortunately."

The Shakuni folded his arms.

"What are you planning?"

The Devara leaned back in his seat.

"This time I will not travel as a king."

That made Shakuni raise an eyebrow.

"...."

Devara continued to explain his plan.

"If I arrive as the ruler of Trivenivrata, every door will open."

"Every person will bow."

"Every answer will be carefully prepared."

"The sage will not show me his true self."

The Mahamantri slowly nodded.

He could not deny the logic.

Devara continued.

"I wish to meet him as someone insignificant."

"As someone he believes beneath him."

"As someone he would normally dismiss."

A grin appeared on Shakuni’s face.

-Grin!

"Ah."

Now he understood.

The king wanted to observe the sage without revealing his identity.

To see how he treated ordinary people.

To see how deeply arrogance had rooted itself within him.

The Shakuni laughed loudly.

"-Haha!!!"

"That actually sounds interesting."

Then he paused.

A dangerous gleam appeared in his eyes.

"Which is precisely why I am coming with you."

Devara blinked looking at the excited Shakuni.

"You are?"

"Absolutely."

Shakuni stood seeing Devara was about refuse him.

"I refuse to miss whatever madness is currently forming inside your head."

The Devara laughed.

"You and your Madness?"

"Experience."

Shakuni corrected immediately.

"I have learned that whenever you smile like this, something entertaining follows."

Devara could not argue with that.

Eventually he nodded.

"Very well."

The Mahamantri Shakuni looked pleased.

"Excellent."

Then he picked up several scrolls from the table.

"If I am travelling, someone must finish today’s royal duties."

The Devara stood from his throne.

"I shall leave those matters in your capable hands until my departure."

"How generous of you."

Shakuni deadpanned.

"...."

The king laughed once more before leaving the royal assembly chamber.

A short while later...

Inside the royal quarters.

King’s Chamber...

Devara entered his chamber.

The moment he stepped inside, he was greeted by a pleasant sight.

Gandhari sat near the window.

Beside her sat Rajmata Satyavati.

The two women appeared deeply engaged in conversation.

A painting rested upon a nearby stand while several cups of herbal tea sat untouched.

Both women looked up as Devara entered.

Gandhari immediately smiled.

The king walked toward them.

Satyavati noticed the expression on his face first.

"You are going somewhere."

Devara stopped. Then laughed.

"How did you know?"

The Rajmata looked extremely pleased with herself.

"I raised princes."

"I know that expression."

Gandhari’s smile faded slightly.

"You are travelling?"

The Devara nodded obvious to his wife changing reaction.

He explained Durvasa’s request.

The sage.

The journey.

The purpose behind it.

Both women listened quietly.

When he finished, Gandhari remained silent for several moments.

Then she asked softly.

"When do you leave?"

"In a few days."

The queen lowered her gaze briefly.

"...."

Then looked back at him.

"I am coming."

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(Author note:)

I hope you guys give me your opinion and idea’s.

-->

New Template:

But it will manifest little later into the story.

I would like to this time choose a local deities.

--> Give me all the names you know. I would do research on them. Or you could share their story a little and their power and what they authority over.

Don’t forget to review guys...

Guys I have a new fic which named: Karuppan: King of Openings.