Sage Chanakya's Speculation

It was shortly after the Emperor and the important figures of the empire arrived in the tempest manor.

Sage Chanakya tried to meet Ashoka and Sudhatta but...

"The Emperor has ordered not to allow anyone to meet the young princes until his majesty has an audience with them"

That was the response Sage Chanakya received from the Guardian Knights stationed at the tempest manor.

Though it wasn't hard for Sage Chanakya who was a grand magician to contact someone using other means, he was wary of the eyes watching him from the dark waiting for just that one moment when he makes a mistake.

And it didn't take him much longer to figure out the reason for such an order from the Emperor.

but Sage Chanakya was hoping that the Emperor wouldn't be aware of that matter.

However, it seemed like things didn't go as he hoped as exactly what he feared happened.

"Why are you both in such a state?"

Lady Chandra asked her dear sons with a worried expression.

Sage Chanakya, Sage Vyasa, and Royal physician, Pingala were surrounding Ashoka and Sudhatta who came out after having an audience with the Emperor.

But there was something wrong with them.

Ashoka and Sudhatta's clothes were torn here and there and both of them were in a ragged state.

Sweat could be seen dripping down their face as they both stood terrified at what just happened.

There was even blood visible on the corners of Sudhatta's mouth.

Ashoka was comparably fine than Sudhatta but even his complexion didn't look good.

Everyone who was waiting for them outside was wondering what happened inside that they are in this state.

It was after some time Ashoka and Sudhatta went to talk with the Emperor.

The people outside felt a strong aura leaking out of the chamber where the Emperor was having an audience with them.

Although Sage Vyas tried to intervene immediately, he was stopped by the royal escorts guarding the chamber.

And not long after, the aura resided as if it was a lie and the two children came out.

Seeing their state, everyone bombarded the kids with questions about what happened and why they are in this state but Ashoka and Sudhatta were too terrified to say anything.

It was common for Sudhatta who was a child to be terrified by the emperor's aura, but even Ashoka, a reincarnator with 20+ years of experience in his past life and six years as a prince, became afraid of what he just witnessed.

The aura from of the emperor which formed the image of a gigantic red-maned beast was that much intimidating for him.

'The hell, I thought I would die.'

Ashoka gulped down his saliva still recovering from the shock.

"Did the emperor learn about what kind of mana you both awakened?"

An unexpected question came from Sage Chanakya who was silent the entire time.

Sudhatta turned towards the sage and said in a meek voice.

"His majesty asked us about what attribute man we have awakened, I said I have awakened Light and fire attribute"

Sudhatta explained to Sage Chankya before which Ashoka continued.

"and I said I awakened Dark and shadow element, I don't know why but he seemed enraged at something after hearing it"

It wasn't just his opinion, Ashoka felt that the emperor was enraged because of him.

But he didn't know the reason why.

Sigh...

Sage Chanakya sighed while nodding his head.

He looked Ashoka in the eyes and suddenly the atmosphere changed.

Everyone got silent without even realizing and silence descended in the room.

"Listen, Ashoka", said Sage Chanakya.

"The current emperor, he hated his father very much. By his father, you know what I mean, right?"

Ashoka nodded in response to Sage Chanakya.

If he was calling him the father of Emperor Bindusara, then it was none other than the previous emperor, Chandragupta Maurya.

"The previous emperor wielded the same mana attributes as you, the power of darkness and shadow."

Sage Chanakya continued.

"You may already know, it is very rare to find someone who has awakened more than one type of attribute, more so if it was rare attributes like dark and shadow."

As Sage Chanakya said, it was so rare to that among those that awakened dark and shadow elements, the only other person that Ashoka was aware of was the previous emperor.

"He was very strong, so much so that no one in the whole Mauryan dared to go against him, even those that live on the other side of the great seas were afraid of the previous emperor"

It sounded like a fairy tale from point of Ashoka but nevertheless, he continued to listen to him.

"I don't know the reason why, but Bindusara disliked the previous emperor very much, his hatred for him run so deep that it might exactly be why he got enraged at you."

Ashoka listened to Sage Chanakya intently.

"I can't say it for sure, but it is better for you to stay on your guard for now"

For a movement, Ashoka thought it was absurd.

Why does the emperor hate him just for having the same mana attributes as his father, the previous emperor?

But he forgot that the world he was in was not the advanced earth but a fantasy world.

"Besides, the Emperor favors the crown prince and wants him to ascend the throne after him but what do you think will happen if the world learns that another child of the emperor possesses the same mana attributes as the previous emperor?"

Sage Chanakya questioned before continuing as if it was obvious.

"The nobles and citizens would start to split. Those who are in favor of the emperor would support the crown prince while those who respected the previous emperor will want you to ascend to the throne."

It was speculation of Sage Chanakya which doesn't make any sense for Ashoka.

Why would the others support him if they respect the previous emperor and why is sage Chanakya assuming that he would fight for the throne?

Despite his confusion, Sage Chanakya continued his speculation.

"And the emperor does not want that kind of situation to happen, what do you think he will do in this scenario"

Sage Chankya turned towards the others present in the room.

Chandra's face turned grim after hearing what sage Chanakya said and everyone's expression turned serious.

"That's right, the best course of action would be to eliminate the variable"

He told the hard truth.

"No, How can that be?!!"

Chandra was the first to deny the thought.

"How can his majesty, the emperor kill his own child?"

Sage Vyasa also refused to believe the thought.

Sage Chankaya sighed.

"You truly don't know anything about the emperor, do you?"

His voice was filled with sarcasm as he said that.

"Let me ask you something, why do you think the tempest manor was built?"

Sage Chanakya stared straight at Sage Vyasa.

"Isn't it to avoid a situation like what happened 50 years ago when seven of the princes were killed by rebels?"

Sage Vyasa answered his question as it was obvious.

"That's what the world knows, but the one who planned their assassination was none other than the current Emperor, Bindusara Maurya himself"

It was not Sage Chanakya who answered him but the royal Physician, Pingala.

"No way"

"Now tell me, do you still think the emperor would hesitate to kill one of his many children to achieve his goal?"

---***---