Chapter 1: The Echoes Begin

After I ascended the throne, I was just about to have the court attendant announce the order to remove the Maharani and replace her with Consort Meera, when suddenly, several strange comment pop-ups appeared—

The velvet-wrapped court was silent except for the gentle shuffling of the ministers' robes. A faint smell of sandalwood drifted through the air from the diya burning near the throne. Her breath caught in her throat. My fingers drummed restlessly against the sandalwood armrest, the way Appa did before a risky gamble. My hand hovered, ready to signal the attendant. But then, as if the gods themselves were playing a prank, glowing lines shimmered in front of my eyes:

[This clueless Raja is really blind. The Maharani is so good, yet he doesn’t value her and even destroys her entire maternal family. Let’s see who will defend the kingdom for him when the Kaveripur army invades next year.]

[Who told him to like Meera’s type? Oh right, at this point he still doesn’t know the child in the noble consort’s belly isn’t his, right?]

[Although he’s a useless supporting male, at least he made the male lead’s son crown prince. After his death, even his body will be shamed by the male lead. Rather pitiful, honestly.]

For a moment, it felt as if I had eaten a raw mirchi—my hands shook so much that I almost dropped the royal decree. The attendant, a boy from Patna whose family had served the palace for generations, looked up at me with startled eyes. Without thinking, I snatched the decree from him, the golden wax seal digging into my palm. All the sardars and ministers stared, their eyes as sharp as the blades they wore at their waists. A sardar cleared his throat, shifting his turban; another tugged nervously at his beard, eyes darting between me and the Maharani. With a grim expression, I forced my voice to remain steady:

“I am not feeling well. Court is dismissed for today.”

As soon as I said it, a low murmur swept through the courtiers—one of those half-audible ripples you only hear in Indian darbars, where curiosity is always just behind a veil of respect.