Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 211: Another variable?

Purana Qila, Delhi , 19th April 1557.

On the same day when the Northern Imperial Corps was occupied with finding an alternate route to Kashmir, the capital city of Delhi was in an uproar.

A week earlier, during a court meeting where the second official reform was being discussed, several significant developments occurred. These not only shifted the empire’s direction but also altered its geopolitical standing with other kingdoms.

Initially, news of the Kashmir attack diverted everyone’s attention to the remote member kingdom, as it threatened the empire’s precious Silk Route trade connection between Asia and the Western world. As a result, discussions about the company’s business were postponed, though the draft for reforms had already been settled, but awaiting few changes.

Regarding the patent reform bill that was introduced by Aditya, it was accepted by the council under the pretext of a 20-year time period before being renewed at the mercy of the Trade Minister appointed by the crown, which was again Aditya himself. So this way, the tussle for private armies died down legally, with only the mercenary army allowed in the empire to be held by Aditya, and that too recognized as the Grand Mercenary Army, though it maintained the restriction of heavy infantry for security reasons

This outcome not only gave Aditya an unprecedented advantage over other financial entities but also solidified his position as a potential successor to the throne, despite being known as bastard child.

Despite these successes, Aditya had something else on his mind as he practiced his sword training with Bheem in the training grounds, even though it had been way past his scheduled time.

The training ground echoed with the sharp clash of metal as Bheem struggled to block Aditya’s relentless, deadly strikes. His hands trembled under the force of each blow, the pressure becoming overwhelming.

Panting heavily, Bheem gasped, "Cut me some slack, will you? It’s already afternoon, Your Highness."

Ignoring him, Aditya launched into a diagonal slash, only to swiftly rebound into a horizontal strike. Bheem barely managed to block both, adjusting his sword’s positioning at lightning speed, but the attacks came too quickly for him to counter. Dodging a downward blow, he narrowly evaded an upward strike that followed, Aditya’s blade cutting the air as he parried effortlessly.

"Hey! Are you trying to kill me? That was way too close!" Bheem exclaimed, desperation in his voice. But Aditya remained silent, pressing him with a flurry of strikes that drove him back step by step. Then, with a final leap, Aditya brought his sword down in a powerful arc. Bheem tried to block, but the impact was too strong . His sword slipped from his grasp and he fell to the ground.

Aditya, nearly lost in his own trance, was about to land a final strike when he suddenly halted, his blade stopping mere inches from Bheem’s face. The sword grazed Bheem’s nose as he lay in surrender, sweat trickling down his face.

"Just kill me already," Bheem muttered, catching his breath. "Maybe my death will solve Kashmir’s problems faster."

Aditya snapped out of his trance, realizing he had gone too far. He sheathed his sword and offered his hand to Bheem. "I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to lose control."

Bheem took his hand and stood up, shaking his head with a sigh. "I get it. You’re frustrated because they won’t let you go to Kashmir. But there are some things we can’t control." Dusting himself off, he added with a wry smile, "Besides, you’ve got the Dutch expedition to handle in the south soon enough. They can’t have you getting too distracted."

Aditya threw his sword to the ground, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "It’s not just about Kashmir. It’s the double standards of my own people who are treating me differently, and I can feel it. I don’t understand how long will they test my loyalty?"

Bheem frowned as he picked up both fallen swords and remarked, "You’re asking the wrong guy the wrong question, Prince. I can’t make sense of your half-baked questions, but from what I do understand, you should just play it cool like you usually do." He placed the swords on the nearby stand and added with a grin, "Or maybe hang around with some princess and relieve some of that stress. No need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders all alone."

Aditya took a towel from a nearby servant and wiped his sweat. "It’s a waste trying to make you understand. It’s my fault to bring it up here." After brushing off his hair, he asked, "What’s the schedule for today?"

Bheem scratched his chin thoughtfully. "You missed the session with Acharya Raghunath requested this morning. Next up is the meeting at Khirkee village. We have plans with Vinayak and that foreigner brute to discuss some... ’stupid inventions...’"

Aditya cut him off with a smirk. "It’s not a stupid invention; it’s a clock and the Bessemer process. These two.. "

But just then, Hari Singh, his butler, arrived and interrupted their conversation. "Greetings, Your Highness. The special consignment from the Portuguese has arrived. The guards are waiting for you at the entrance to clear the shipment."

Aditya chuckled. "Right on time, Hari Singh. Can you arrange a meeting with Acharya Raghunath tonight? I hope he and his team are comfortable."

Hari Singh’s brow furrowed. "Certainly, Your Highness, but I’m afraid it may be difficult to arrange a meeting with the Acharya. You also have a prior appointment with the Gorkha princess this evening."

Bheem teased, "And I was about to remind you.. so we better return from the village before its too late."

Aditya frowned and handed the towel back to the servant. "Oh, I forgot about her. Fine, we’ll meet her tomorrow then." Turning to Hari Singh, he ordered, "Send her an apology letter, stating I was caught up with something important and couldn’t make it."

Bheem suggested with a worried expression, "Forgive me, Your Highness, but let me remind you that you’ve already delayed three times on their request. This time it might come off as too rude."

Aditya sighed, feeling overwhelmed. "It cannot be helped; the meeting with Acharya is more important. She will understand..." Not wanting to dwell on the topic, he ordered, "Now, lead us to the guards. Let’s see how the weapons are."

Hari Singh nodded. "Certainly, Your Highness. Please follow me."

He led Aditya and Bheem through the expansive grounds outside the palace, where the air was filled with distant chatter of royal guards looking at the vast consignment and the Portuguese soldiers present as escorts.

As they approached, Aditya’s gaze fell upon neat rows of carts draped in black cloth, meticulously arranged under the watchful eyes of imperial soldiers ,gawking at them with curiosity.

The atmosphere was charged with anticipation. The covered carts loomed ominously, hinting at the valuable contents hidden within. Aditya felt a rush of excitement at the prospect of new weaponry and supplies that could strengthen his forces.

As the trio drew closer, a figure emerged from the shadows of the carts. The representative of the delivery, was a Portuguese envoy who stepped forward with an air of confidence. He bowed respectfully and greeted in Devanagari, "Your Highness, it is an honor to meet you."

Aditya returned the envoy’s gesture with a warm smile. "The honor is mutual. So, are these all the items for now?" He gestured toward the covered carts with curiosity lighting his eyes.

The envoy straightened, his demeanor shifting to one of professionalism. "Yes, Your Highness. Each cart contains a selection of firearms, ammunition, and those," he pointed to the bulkier carts, "are the cannons you requested. We ensured that the quality meets Your Highness’s standards."

Feeling relieved, Aditya gestured, "Please, show me the weapons."

The envoy bowed and clapped his hands, prompting the Portuguese logistic soldiers to unfurl the carts. The sight of the majestic bronze cannons, each weighing 12 pounds, gleamed in the sunlight.

Pleased, Aditya turned his attention to the carts as they unfurled to reveal 300 muskets neatly arranged within. The envoy continued, "These 30 carts contain a total of 3,000 matchlocks. The rest of the consignment will arrive within ten days due to unforeseen delays."

"Very well," Aditya replied with anticipation. He reached for a rifle but frowned as he checked the lock system. His hands trembled, and the rifle slipped from his grasp, sweat trickled down his forehead.

The Portuguese envoy, confused, inquired, "What happened, Your Highness? Is there a problem with the muskets?"

Aditya quickly composed himself and asked, "Can I see your weapons?"

The envoy obliged, handing a musket to Aditya from one of his escorts. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

As Aditya examined it, his heart beat skipped a beat. The lock system was a miquelet lock, a more advanced form of the matchlock that was not supposed to appear until the late 17th century. The implications of this discovery sent a chill through him. If such technology was present here, it indicated only thing: a second variable and that too in Europe who most likely had accelerated the pace of development. For the second time in his life, he felt a deep, paralyzing fear of death since reincarnating before the battle of Panipat.