Be a lord in the world of Indian mythology

Chapter 45 Kingly Demeanor

The distant death ceremony still resounded with chanting, and obscure incantations drifted on the wind, making one's heart tighten.

On the murky river surface, dried-up corpses occasionally drift downstream with the slow current, gently swirling in the shallows like abandoned deadwood.

The entire valley was shrouded in an atmosphere of deathly silence and frenzy, and no one knew what would happen next.

On the stone bridge, the atmosphere had reached its peak of tension.

The metallic gleam was blinding, and the murderous aura pressed down like a tangible force, as if the air itself were on fire. With just a spark, a bloody battle would erupt, and blood, death, and wails would add another sin to this Valley of Death, becoming yet another offering to the Lord of Death.

At this critical moment, when war was about to break out, the silent stone fortress gate on the other side of the bridge suddenly burst open.

"Stop!" A clear, authoritative, and undeniably powerful command came from the direction of the fortress gate.

The voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to carry some kind of divine revelation, piercing through the noise and killing intent of the entire arena.

Before Vilandra could react to what was happening, the city guards who had just been so menacing suddenly stopped all movement as if they had heard a command from Brahma.

Almost simultaneously, they sheathed their swords, planted their spears on the ground, and parted to the sides in perfect unison, quickly forming a straight and respectful line. Their expressions were solemn, and even their breathing was soft, clearly as if they were welcoming someone of extremely high status.

The fact that these city guards held the city in such awe suggests that the visitor's identity is definitely extraordinary.

Then, a procession slowly walked out from inside the stone fortress gate, with a young man riding a tall, snow-white horse at the very front.

He was tall and handsome, with an innate nobility and majesty between his brows. Although he looked to be only a little over ten years old, his demeanor made everyone present involuntarily lower their heads and dare not look him in the eye.

It's no surprise that this must be the most noble Kshatriya in Mohenjo-daro.

The young man rode his horse to the center of the stone bridge, his gaze calmly sweeping over the tense men and horses on both sides. With a simple gesture, he completely stopped the impending conflict.

He didn't look at the enraged warriors, but instead looked directly at the caravan, his voice clear and solemn: "Who goes there? Why do you trespass into this forbidden area and disturb the peace?"

As the commander of the caravan's guards, Vilandra had to step forward in this situation. He dared not be negligent in the slightest, immediately sheathing his weapons, kneeling down, and bowing respectfully. His tone was sincere and fearful: "Your Excellency, we had no intention of offending your majesty! We are a caravan from Harappa City, and we only wished to use the bridge for passage. However, your warriors demanded that we leave one-third of our goods as tribute, an amount that is far too large for us to bear. This is why the dispute occurred, and we had no intention of disturbing this place."

Vilandra did not speak of the insults suffered by her lord, clearly wanting to downplay the incident.

Upon hearing this, the young man frowned slightly, turned his gaze to his own warrior squad, and his eyes instantly turned cold.

As noble Kshatriyas, it is their duty to protect merchants and maintain order within their territory; to condone their subordinates' plundering and robbery is a desecration of their status.

The boy offered no further reprimands, only speaking calmly, yet with an undeniable air of authority: "Remove your armor and accept your punishment."

Those three simple words sent a jolt through everyone present.

The arrogant samurai commander who had demanded tribute turned pale instantly. He dared not resist in the slightest and immediately took off his armor, threw it on the ground, and left shirtless as the soldiers dragged him toward the stone fortress to be punished.

He didn't utter a single word of explanation or hesitate for a moment, which was enough to show how supreme his authority was in the city.

After dealing with the disobedient warrior, the young man looked at the caravan again. The coldness on his face faded, replaced by a hint of apology and gentleness. He sighed softly and said sincerely, "By Brahma, a very important and important ceremony is being held in this city. There are many complicated matters, which have affected your journey. This is really not my intention."

"On behalf of the city of Mohenjo, I apologize to everyone."

This attitude greatly surprised Vijay.

Although he had not had much contact with high-ranking Kshatriyas, he knew that the vast majority of nobles were arrogant and aloof, never taking Vaishyas or Shudras seriously.

Such a young man, who holds a high position yet remains humble, polite, responsible, and composed, is extremely rare.

He possessed no arrogance whatsoever, yet exuded a kingly aura that commanded respect without anyone noticing.

Vilandra composed himself, maintaining his respectful half-kneeling posture: "My lord, there's no need to blame yourself. We understand the city's difficulties!"

Then, his tone became somewhat elusive, "Judging from your appearance and demeanor, sir, you possess an extraordinary bearing. I vaguely recall catching a glimpse of you before the New Year. Could you perhaps be the young lord of Mohenjo City?"

Upon hearing this, the boy looked down at him, a gentle smile appearing on his lips, and nodded slightly: "I am indeed the son of the city lord, Gautama Yamuna, stationed here to maintain order during the festival."

"This warrior is somewhat unfamiliar!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.

The city lord's son!

He was the rightful heir to Mohenjo-daro, the future master of this land, and the most noble Kshatriya!

Whether it was Vilandra, the accompanying soldiers, or the Vaishyas and Shudras in the caravan, everyone except Mu prostrated themselves at the same time, their foreheads pressed to the ground, not daring to even breathe.

"Please rise, everyone." The boy's voice remained gentle, without the slightest air of arrogance.

Only then did everyone dare to stand up cautiously, but they still kept their heads down, not daring to look directly at each other.

The boy looked across the bridge at the city shrouded in deathly aura and at the frenzied sacrificial crowd on the riverbank in the distance. He sighed softly again, his tone filled with undisguised weariness and helplessness: "The city's festival will continue for many more days. It is of great importance, and the other side involves the city's top secrets. Therefore, according to the rules, this stone bridge cannot be opened to ordinary merchants for the time being."

"If you are not in a hurry, you may wish to wait here for a few days until the festival is over, and then you can continue along the main road."

This was perfectly reasonable, and before Vijay could raise any objections, Vilandra immediately spoke up, "By Brahma, young city lord, you are too lenient, but..."

"We must continue our journey eastward; we cannot afford to delay any longer!"

Yan Muna shook his head, his attitude resolute, and his face showing difficulty, indicating that this matter was difficult to resolve.

That's fantastic!

Vijay's lowered face could no longer conceal the smile on his lips.

Despite some setbacks, the caravan has stopped here. It's unclear how many more days the festival will last. If it goes on for more than three to five days without supplies, the caravan will have to turn back!

Now no one can find fault with themselves!

The matter should have ended there.

Just as Yan Muna was about to turn back to the stone fortress, he seemed to suddenly remember something. He abruptly stopped, turned around sharply, and fixed his sharp gaze on Vilandra. His tone carried a hint of barely perceptible excitement: "I think I just heard you say that this caravan is from Harappa City and is heading east?"