In Karnavati, the rebuilding efforts were proceeding smoothly, like a phoenix rising from the ashes of war. The rubble that once symbolized destruction and despair was gradually being cleared, making way for the new foundation of hope and resilience. The fort was being rebuilt from the ground up.


    The once deste za now stood as a vibrant center of activity, its restoration marking a significant milestone. With its reconstructionplete, traders and merchants began to return, their caravans bringing life back to the city as the political situation in the kingdom steadily stabilized.


    Despite the progress, the throne of the kingdom remained unupied.


    Aadarsh continued to serve as the regent, shouldering the responsibilities of kingship.


    Hismitment to stabilizing the kingdom had earned him the respect and trust of his subjects.


    The political scenario in the Maratha kingdom was remarkably calm under his guidance.


    Instead, the nobles extended their unwavering support for the kingdom''s rebuilding efforts.


    The nobles recognized the sacrifices and contributions of theirte king and crown prince during the recent war. It was their courage and indomitable spirit that had saved the kingdom fromplete annihtion. Their willingness to stand against the might of the Mughals, despite overwhelming odds, had earned them admiration.


    As a gesture of gratitude and solidarity, the nobles contributed generously to the kingdom''s nearly empty coffers. These donations,bined with funds sent by the Empire, allowed the rebuilding efforts to proceed at a steady pace.


    Amidst this transformation, the capital itself underwent a profound change—not merely physical but symbolic.


    In the heart of Karnavati, a statue of Shivaji was erected by its citizens. It was abor of love and reverence, an acknowledgment of the young man''s unparalleled valor and courage in the face of the enemies.


    Shivaji''s valor, his lone stand against the Mughal onught, and his ultimate triumph had left a mark on the people''s hearts.


    The statue, crafted by artisans and craftsmen who offered their skills without any remuneration.


    The young man was immortalized on the soil he had so fiercely defended, his likeness a permanent reminder of the sacrifices made for freedom.


    Shivaji became more than a memory; he became a symbol of Karnavati''s soul. Every citizen looked up to him, drawing inspiration from his determination. Children dreamed of emting his bravery and leadership.


    Soldiers in Aadarsh''s army, who had witnessed the young Shivaji standing victorious atop the corpses of their enemies, spoke of him with awe.


    The alliance increased Aadarsh''s influence quite a lot more than he had expected. It gave him the mark of apetent leader. Although he couldn''t shake off an eerie feeling about the deal.


    The Emperor of Vijayanagara seemed too willing to give them their due. The negotiations were smooth and the Empire held its end of the deal very well.


    The road deal and construction were about tomence as the supervisors had already reached the Maratha kingdom and were surveying thend. The head of the road construction in the kingdom personally came to the capital, travelling an extra few weeks to inform them about the ns.


    Everything was nned and proper. They said that the cost would be estimated based on the road and the construction would be done in phases in regions. The first regions for the construction were the Surat and the Daman regions for the increased tradeponent.


    Aadarsh also reduced tariffs and issued an edict to all the merchant guilds in the kingdom to wee and trade with the Vijayanagara Empire.


    There has been no aggression by the Portuguese so far. It seems that the Empire''s promise was true after all. The standardized weight system that he got was introduced to some top merchants he knew in the kingdom. It wasn''t a new thing for them.


    They knew about this system from their own informants. The trade was booming thanks to this standardized system. It was highly regted and the scales weren''t given to unauthorized dealers. It would be quite hard for the other kingdom merchants to gain ess to them.


    He sort of looked up to the Emperor of Vijayanagara after their brief talk at Surat. He didn''t be the emperor by luck. The man''s elegant mannerisms and the talking told Aadarsh that he was a much more calcting man than he looked.


    His young demeanor would throw some people off.


    Aadarsh sighed and looked up at the ceiling in his study room.


    "Things are finally getting better."


    They started recruitment of the army. The losses on their sides were significant and theyck the manpower now. The recruitment was hosted in different cities and the young men willingly joined the cause. It was much easier than he thought. The stories of Shivaji helped a lot in encouraging men from allmunities.


    The first phase of the recruitment was underway. They also recruited men from the city they annexed from the Qutb sultanate. To their surprise, there were quite a lot of young men willing to join the army from the region.


    It wasn''t out of their loyalty to the nation. It was to feed their families. The Qutb rule left them starving and famished. To make ends meet, the men tried for the army recruitment.


    "There are more things to take care of."


    Naveen entered the room with a serious look.


    "Your Highness, we have some news."


    "Hmmm…." Aadarsh looked uninterested.


    "This is important."


    Naveen clenched his fist.


    "What is it?"


    "You. Need. A. Wife."


    Aadarsh looked at him like the world had crumbled down on him.


    "What?"


    Naveen seriously waved his hand. "We need an heir for the kingdom. Your Highness."


    "I can introduce you to many prettydies to your liking." He said, brimming with determination.


    "Oi.Oi Stop it. I don''t want to get married right now."


    "We need you to procreate to continue the legacy of the kingdom." He said with a straight face. He was serious.


    ''Is he seriously saying that to me?''


    Aadarsh''s brow twitched. "Um…."


    He didn''t want to marry yet. But he knew that persuading Naveen would take a toll on his mental health. An idea popped into his mind.


    "You see, the Emperor of the Vijayanagara isn''t married. There is time…" He tried to argue awkwardly, scratching his cheek.


    "His father is alive and there are two other princes." Naveen mmed his palms on the table. "Most importantly, Your Highness, he is just going to be 19 years old soon."


    Aadarsh shut his mouth.


    "Um…"


    "Wait, first let me ascend the throne. We can think about marriage after that."


    Naveen straightened his back and thought. With a sign, "Right, we can''t rush the ceremony. It will look bad."


    Aadarsh punched the air silently. ''Yes. I did it.''


    "When should we n the coronation ceremony?"


    Naveen scratched his chin. "I shall talk to the head priest first. We can decide on a date. It will be most likely the next month at earliest."


    "I see…."


    Aadarsh knew that the coronation ceremony would cost a lot, and he nned to call delegates from kingdoms like Amir, Yadavas, and the Empire and extend invites to Dutch.


    The coronation would also let him wield and showcase his influence in front of the world. He wanted to show that the Marathas shouldn''t be underestimated. They were still the same Marathas during the rule of his father.


    He remembered the coronation ceremony narration of Harsha narrated to him by Naveen. He said that he shuddered at Harsha''s cold and indifferent gaze. The room was silent and the delegates felt immense pressure in his court.


    He was yet to hear from the Dutch about the trade deal.


    Naveen cleared his throat.


    "Well, I came here for something else."


    "Speak."


    "We got a message from the Dutch."


    "What? Is it about the deal?"


    "It seems that the Dutch already sent a message prior to ours. It reached Surat and the capital today."


    "Hmm... I see."


    "What is it about?" Aadarsh nced at him, his eyes filled with curiosity.


    Naveen began to exin the contents of the letter. The Dutch wanted to strike a trade deal with the Marathas and they would help them with the protection from the Portuguese attacks.


    "Trade deal, eh? Just like the Emperor predicted." Aadarsh said. "It''s astonishing."


    "Honestly, he even predicted their demands. Seeing that they are willing to negotiate." Naveen nced at his papers. "They must hate the Portuguese a lot."


    "Of course. It seems some political problems between the both."


    "It''s a good thing that we can exploit this opening." He chuckled.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "What should I send? A favorable response and willing to negotiate in person?"


    "Yes, just like we nned." Aadarsh said. "We need a n to counteract the Portuguese."


    "Right, Your Highness."


    "How is the recruitment of the soldiers going?"


    "It''s actually going pretty smoothly. We will be beginning the second phase as soon as next week."


    "Right, the requirements should be strict. We need to uphold the essence of the Marathas. He dered.


    "I shall see to it, Your Highness."