They returned to their room, the door creaking slightly as they pushed it open. Vishwa flopped down onto his bed. Gagan visibly frustrated broke the silence. “Neel, can you believe it? This guy handed over 20 Gold coins to those culprits. How does that even make sense?” His voice was a mix of disbelief and irritation.
Neel turned to Vishwa, eyeing him for a moment, then simply said, “Pay up.” There was a quiet determination in his tone, as if he expected Vishwa to comply.
Vishwa pulled out a Gold coin from his pocket. Gagan, who had been lounging against the wall, suddenly exclaimed, “Hey! You’re just extorting him now too!” He pointed an accusing finger at Neel, his brow furrowed in mock accusation as he turned towards Vishwa. “If you’ve got so many coins and don’t like them, just hand them over to me!”
“It’s not like that! He paid for my meal yesterday,” Vishwa quickly clarified, trying to explain the situation.
“I don’t need your Gold coin, just give me ten copper coins instead,” Neel interjected, his tone firm, emphasizing his values.
“It’s fine, Neel, I have more than enough,” Vishwa reassured him.
Despite Vishwa's offer, Neel stood his ground, adhering to his principles. He was the kind of guy who only took what he genuinely owed. As the day turned into night, the trio made their way to the cafeteria for dinner, and Gagan decided to treat them for solving his first case in Gurukul.
The following morning, they began to prepare for the upcoming physical class, a mix of excitement and apprehension filling the air. Gagan, obviously not thrilled about the uniform, frowned and complained, “Why did this Gurukul choose brown for their uniform, anyway?”
Neel, ever the detail-oriented guy, corrected him, “It’s maroon, not brown.”
Vishwa, attempting to find a silver lining, chimed in, “At least we have black pants to provide a good contrast.”
Gagan rolled his eyes, not impressed. “Well, whatever it is, let’s just go.” Feeling a bit dejected, Gagan led the way out of the room, with Vishwa trailing behind him while Neel took a different route, evidently focused on his own thoughts.
Once they gathered, Guru Gopal assembled all the students on the ground. “To start off, you’ll each do ten laps as this is your first day,” he instructed, his voice booming with authority.
As the group began to run, Vishwa felt the strain after just five laps. He could see Guru Gopal trailing close behind, pushing them to keep going. The thought of stopping wasn't an option; he knew the consequences of slowing down—getting smacked by a stick was not on his to-do list.
After ten grueling rounds, the entire group was drenched in sweat, panting heavily. With a brief five-minute reprieve, they moved on to a variety of physical exercises: basic stretching, squats, pull-ups, and dragging a heavy sack of sand for a hundred meters. It was relentless and lasted for two solid hours, followed by a short break before they could pick the weapons they would practice with.
As Vishwa clutched his wooden club, he winced in discomfort and called out, “Gagan, can't I skip the weapons part? My body feels like it's going to give up.”
Gagan responded with enthusiasm, “Come on, brother, I don’t think you have that option. Don’t lose hope just yet.” He then turned towards Neel, trying to lift the mood, “Look at him, he’s surprisingly athletic for a skinny guy.”
'On what standards are you measuring? To me, he just looks healthy.' Vishwa thought and laid back on the grass, a thought nagging at him. ‘If this continues, how will I ever get noticed by my father?’ But gathering his resolve, he pushed himself to stand, a new surge of energy coursing through him. ‘I can do this,’ he screamed silently in his mind, determined to push through.
Yet, three hours later, after the class had ended, he collapsed onto his bed, utterly exhausted. As he lay there, he muttered to himself repeatedly, “I can’t do this. I can’t do this….”
Gagan, noticing his state, replied sympathetically, “Yeah, it’s tough brother. And this is only the light version he mentioned.”
“I can’t do this. I can’t do this…,” Vishwa continued his mantra, seemingly oblivious to everything around him.
Seeing that he was being ignored, Gagan finally asked, “What are you murmuring about over there?”
With a sudden burst of frustration, Vishwa shouted, “I CAN'T DO THIS FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS!”
Taken aback, Gagan exclaimed, “Woah! That was unexpected. How did you flip upside down from earlier?”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” Vishwa said, taking a deep breath to cool himself down. He shifted back to venting, “But look at it from my perspective—my left eye is broken! Forget the stone dagger; I can’t even lift the wooden club. How do you expect me to keep going with this tired and weak body?”
“Stop crying like a baby and go buy some glasses,” chimed in Neel bluntly. “With the money you keep donating, maybe focus on eating more instead.”
Vishwa was taken aback by Neel’s unexpected remarks. Something about them sparked a tiny ember of hope within him, and he found himself calming down. “Thank you,” he said quietly, surprised by the gratitude that welled up inside.
“No need. You were just disturbing my reading,” Neel replied, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
“Hahahaha,” Gagan chuckled, though the laugh came out more as a snort, catching him off guard. “Sorry! Haha!”
The newly found spark of hope that flared within Vishwa quickly flickered out, leaving him feeling dejected once more. He glanced over at Gagan, who was still giggling, and asked tentatively, “Can I buy glasses at Gurukul?”
“Ahem!” Gagan cleared his throat, collecting himself. “No, my friend. You have to visit the market near Pandu lake at the bottom of the mountain, and if you’re wondering; I’ll go with you.” He turned his gaze towards Neel, raising an eyebrow. “Do you want to come?”
Neel replied without hesitation, “I’m not interested in looking at girls like you nobles.”
“Girls!” Vishwa exclaimed.
“You are no fun, Neel,” Gagan said with a playful sigh, wrapping an arm around Vishwa’s neck in a friendly gesture. “Let’s have lunch first, rest a bit, then we’ll head to the market. How do you like the idea?”
Vishwa nodded in agreement. “Sounds good,” he said, feeling a sense of brotherhood.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the campus, Vishwa and Gagan made their way out, eager to explore the market located by the tranquil Pandu lake nestled between the majestic Tri-Peak mountains.
But as they approached the bustling market, Vishwa's heart sank. Just a few steps from the entrance, he spotted a group of girls from the Girls Campus. Instinctively, he lowered his gaze to the ground, feeling a rush of embarrassment. Gagan, on the other hand, had no such qualms; he began to comment on the girls loudly, his enthusiasm starkly contrasting with Vishwa's discomfort. As Gagan pointed out various girls, Vishwa's cheeks burned with shame, and he couldn't help but think, 'I really should've followed Neel's lead and opted out of this trip.'
Once they stepped into the lively market, they found themselves swept up in the myriad of activities around them. They indulged in a selection of fast foods, sampling everything from spicy snacks to sweet treats, and even browsed through stalls selling a mix of random items.
Gagan, in a rather bold move, treated a few girls to their snacks, paying for their purchases, while Vishwa kept his distance, positioning himself as far away from Gagan as possible. The experience left Vishwa feeling increasingly out of place.
After what felt like an eternity, Vishwa mustered the courage to approach Gagan with a suggestion. “Brother, it’s been an hour since we came. Don’t you think we should buy the glasses now? The sun is going to set soon,” he said, trying to redirect their focus.
Gagan, momentarily taken aback by Vishwa's interruption, responded with a hint of guilt, “Ah! Yes. Sorry for dragging you around like this. By the way, I noticed you bought shoes—how much did they cost?”
Vishwa, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over him, mumbled in a barely audible voice, “One coin.”
Gagan's curiosity peaked as he narrowed his eyes, “What coin?”
“Gold,” Vishwa replied, almost in a whisper, hoping Gagan wouldn’t pursue the subject further.
But Gagan was relentless. “What? Speak louder.”
“Gold,” Vishwa repeated.
Gagan's astonishment grew. “What! Who taught you how to handle money like this, brother?”
Vishwa chuckled nervously, scratching his head. “No one.”
Finally, Gagan relented, saying, “Let’s go find those glasses for you, and I’ll show you how I do the buying.”
"It's not like what you think," Vishwa insisted, trying to justify his recent purchase. "I know how to pay the right amount. That guy seemed like he really needed some money, so I ended up buying it at a high price. It felt like the right thing to do." He explained, feeling a mix of defiance and guilt.
"No brother," Gagan dismissed him, waving a hand dismissively. "You got scammed, plain and simple. Why did you think there would be anyone around here struggling in the Gurukul District? Even if there are folks who are having a tough time, most of them are merchants or at least noble or rich commoners."
Vishwa fell silent, suddenly aware of the harsh truth Gagan had laid out before him. As they made their way to the spectacles shop, the atmosphere shifted; Gagan bounced with excitement while Vishwa's frown deepened, and he instinctively positioned himself behind Gagan.
“Wh-What are you doing?” Gagan asked, his confusion evident.
“Nothing,” Vishwa quickly replied. “Let’s just buy my glasses and leave this place.”
Gagan didn’t press further; instead, he found himself captivated by a pink-haired girl nearby. They approached the counter, and Vishwa hastily picked out his glasses, eager to make the transaction and escape. As they were about to leave, Gagan called out, “Hey, which branch of Gurukul are you guys from?”
The black-haired girl standing next to the pink-haired girl responded firmly, “Stay away from my mi—my friend.”
Gagan took an involuntary step back, surprised by her protective stance. The black-haired girl then glanced at Vishwa, recognition dawning on her. “Aren’t you the Boar guy from yesterday?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
At that moment, the pink-haired girl turned to look at Vishwa, her red eyes sparkling with curiosity under the store's lights. Gagan shot a glance at Vishwa, confusion etched across his face. “Do you know these girls?” he whispered.
Feeling the weight of their stares, Vishwa's anxiety flared. “I don’t know them. Can we just leave?” he urged, trying to navigate away from the situation.
As they exited, the pink-haired girl, Kiran, spoke up. “Mina, can’t you at least address me as a friend properly while we’re out here?”
Mina’s head hung low as she replied, “With time, it will get better, Young Miss Kiran.”
“Again!” Kiran interjected, slightly frustrated.
“Okay, Kiran Missy... I mean Kiran.” Mina teased, her tone playful. “How do you think that silver-haired boy is allowed in the Gurukul?”
Kiran shrugged, her tone blunt. “How would I know?”
Once they were outside, Vishwa quickly veered off in a different direction, eager to escape the awkward moment.
“Brother, hold on for a bit! Show this type of energy on the practice ground!” Gagan shouted after him, bemused by Vishwa’s sudden change in pace.
Once he felt he was far enough away, Vishwa stopped and glanced up, fatigue washing over him. His gaze landed on a headline flickering on a nearby flying screen: OUR FIRST PRINCE RAVINDRA MOURYA ALMOST GOT ASSASSINATED.
His eyes widened in shock at the startling news. Gagan, catching sight of Vishwa's bewilderment, chimed in, “You must know the Prince since you worked at King's Castle. Didn’t you know about it? It’s all anyone’s talking about in the market today. Oh right, you weren’t with me at the start.”
Vishwa, curiosity piqued, asked, “What happened?”
“Nothing much, just another day with royal problems. Prince Ravindra used his Red Soul magic to defend himself from assassins and as a result of this incident, he’s now got the pass to enter Magic Gurukul directly in six months.” Gagan explained, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.
“He’s that proficient in using his magic!” Vishwa exclaimed, impressed and slightly envious.
“Apparently, he is,” Gagan replied with a hint of bitterness. “Why wouldn’t he be good at magic? He’s been around the Royal Magician all his life, learning and honing his skills.”
“Must be nice,” Vishwa blurted out and thought, 'He’ll definitely get praised by Father for this. In front of him, I’m nothing. No, I can’t think like that. If he can do it at my age, why can’t I? Forget the pain and suffering; I will graduate in the top five from Gurukul and earn their praise.' With this new resolve, Vishwa steeled himself for the rigorous training that lay ahead for the coming months at Beginner Gurukul.
“Let’s go. This has nothing to do with us,” Gagan said, giving Vishwa a friendly tap on the back as they began to head towards their campus. “And tell me everything about the girls in the spectacles shop.”