Shadows

The medics were treating the unconscious Narayana in the clinic, carefully applying fresh bandages to his battered face. He had been unconscious for half a day, and Rama Nayaka had come to visit him after managing the aftermath of the morning's chaos.

Suddenly, Narayana jolted awake, as if emerging from a nightmare, panting heavily with palpable tension in his eyes. He quickly looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

"ARGHH," he groaned, wincing in pain as he touched his aching face and sore muscles.

Rama Nayaka stepped closer. "Narayana, take it easy. You're in the clinic. The medics are taking care of you."

Narayana's eyes darted towards Rama Nayaka, his memories of the fight flooding back. "The prince... I... I lost," he muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Yes, you lost," Rama Nayaka replied, his tone firm. "And you disobeyed a direct order. You let your pride get the better of you."

Rama Nayaka continued, "The prince has decided not to punish you, so be thankful for that. There is a direct order from above to assign you and Varun to the Royal Training Hall for morning training."

Narayana's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why? The Royal Hall? And Varun?"

Rama Nayaka met his gaze. "His Highness Harsha Deva Raya has ordered that you and Varun spar with him daily in the morning."

Narayana's eyes widened in surprise and a mix of emotions. "Spar with the prince... every day?"

Narayana vividly recalled the memories of the prince rushing at him barehanded, laughing with wild eyes, and pummeling him down with ease as he couldn't defend against any of the prince's attacks.

"But... isn't the prince strong enough?" Narayana muttered, a hint of fear in his voice.

"Follow the order with no questions," Rama Nayaka said coldly, his gaze piercing. Narayana's mouth snapped shut, realizing the gravity of the situation.

"Rest and recover," Rama Nayaka ordered. "You need to be at your best for training with the prince."

With that, the vice-commander left the clinic, leaving Narayana alone with his thoughts and the daunting task ahead.

Meanwhile, in the royal complex, Harsha was immersed in writing down plans for developing the Empire's roads. Although initially unsure of his purpose when he was reborn into this world, he had found enjoyment in navigating court politics. Now, he sought to delve deeper into kingdom management—a new area he had never explored in his previous life.

He meticulously noted the cities and inspected the terrains of various existing passageways. The Empire's cartography was quite poor, leading to inaccurate maps and difficult navigation. Harsha knew that improving the infrastructure would require better maps and a thorough understanding of the terrain.

After a bit of reading and scrutinizing the maps, he concluded that visiting some places in person would be necessary to grasp the terrain accurately. 

He had already decided on the road construction method he would pursue. During his test subject days, his brain had been flooded with various types of information through a cerebral injection node, training it to handle and process large amounts of data efficiently.

This process resulted in an extensive repository of knowledge, including an effective road construction method that was ideal for this era. Implementing this method could lay a strong foundation for the Empire's future.

"Ahh!! I am so sleepy after a good workout and lots of reading," Harsha yawned, stretching his sore shoulders and limbs.

He closed the book and jumped into the cosy bed, feeling the moonlit night envelop him. The soft mattress gradually eased his fatigue, providing a sense of relief. As he sank into the bed. The day's efforts melted away, and he soon drifted off into a deep, comfortable sleep.

Meanwhile, at some other place, A lady was restrained by two men and gagged, blood dripping from her forehead and mixing with sweat as it hit the ground. The room was dimly lit with candles and A shadowy figure sat before her on the plush sofa, engrossed in a book, indifferent to her muffled pleas.

"Take her gag off," the shadowy figure commanded, his voice cold and detached.

The gag was removed, and the lady gasped for breath, her eyes filled with terror and desperation. "So... Now tell me why did you return empty-handed? Didn't I give you a task to complete?" The figure continued reading, not sparing her a glance.

"Master! His behavior has changed radically after the head injury. Please forgive me for my failure!" she begged, her voice trembling.

The figure sighed, closing the book with a soft thud. "Haaa! I am disappointed. If he has changed, you should also change your strategy," the figure said, his tone tinged with irritation.

Just then, A man dressed in black, his face concealed by a mask, entered the room with silent footsteps. He slightly bowed towards the seated figure. "Master! I have returned from the mission."

His gaze fell upon the woman, panting heavily and bruised on the floor. "What happened here?" he inquired.

"Nothing to note. She failed her job," the seated figure responded, dismissing her plight with a wave of his hand.

"Umm... Is that so," the man in black said, casting a sidelong glance at the woman.

"Anyway, you don't have to monitor the prince anymore. I will use some other way!" the shadowy figure declared.

"But—But Master! Please give me a chan—" the woman pleaded desperately.

"SILENCE!!" The command echoed through the room, leaving a chilling silence in its wake.

The figure placed his book on the table and fixed his gaze on the man in black. "I have a mission for you. Assign someone to monitor the Nayakas Patriarch and report any strange movements. Try to intercept any contact from the Crown Prince."

He gestured to the two men restraining the lady. "Take her away."

As she was being dragged out, the lady cried out, "Master! Please, one cha—"

The figure stood up, moving to the window. He stared out at the night, the soothing breeze calming his tense frame. "Take her along with you as well."

The man in black hesitated. "May I ask why, Master?"

"Use her as a maid or something to gather information inside the Nayaka family. If she fails, dispose of her before she leaks any information. You may continue the other mission I gave you, appoint someone to oversee her,"

"Understood, Master."

The man in black left as silently as he had come in, demonstrating his immense ability and experience in maintaining stealth.

The figure remained by the window, feeling the breeze. "Haa! So he has changed, eh? This is going to be interesting." A crazed laughter echoed through the room, mingling with the moon's glow, filling the air with an unsettling aura.

Next Day

Harsha had completed his morning routine of rigorous training and sparring in the Royal Training Hall alongside Varun. Narayana, still recovering from the injuries sustained during their previous spar, was absent. After freshening up, Harsha enjoyed a plentiful breakfast, preparing himself for a day dedicated to researching terrain and maps for his ambitious road development project.

Immersed in his intense reading, Harsha was interrupted by a knock on the door. Looking up, he saw a rugged man with slanted eyes and a droopy posture enter the room. The man, dressed in a simple robe and dhoti, carried several books in his hands.

Harsha regarded the man with curiosity. "What is it?" he asked, his voice commanding.

The man bowed slightly, his movements respectful. "Your Highness, my name is Prashant. The Emperor has assigned me to assist you with the road development project. I have experience working in the field and possess substantial knowledge of the terrain. Additionally, I have some understanding of the political intricacies in the various regions."

Harsha furrowed his brows. "Ahh! I see!" He gestured for Prashant to place the books on the table. 

Prashant placed the books gently on the table and continued, "These are some old records and maps from the archives. I thought they might aid you in your research."

Harsha reached for one of the books, eagerly flipping through its pages.

"These will be very useful," he said, a smile playing on his lips. "So Tell me, which regions do you think we should prioritize for the road development?"

"I think we should prioritize the inter-city roads to facilitate the fast movement of goods within the Empire and boost trade, Your Highness," Prashant replied after some deep thought.

"That's a correct answer if you're not looking at the big picture," He responded.

"The big picture?" Prashant asked, intrigued.

"We trade with the Europeans a lot. Many of them avoid traveling deep inside the Empire due to bad road networks and long time constraints for goods. What if we connect the nearby cities to the ports with roads first?" Harsha proposed, leaning forward.

Prashant's eyes widened as he grasped the intentions of the young prince. "A huge increase in trade with European merchants?"

"Bingo!" Harsha exclaimed, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

"By creating efficient road networks from the ports to the major cities, we can ensure a smoother flow of goods. This will not only make it easier for European merchants to conduct trade but will also encourage them to venture further into our empire, increasing our economic reach."

Prashant nodded, seeing the brilliance in Harsha's plan. "Your Highness, This will require careful planning. We'll need to identify the most strategic cities and ports to connect first."

"Agreed," Harsha replied, his mind already working on the logistics. "We'll start by mapping out the key trade routes and identifying the cities with the highest trade potential,"