(A/N):

Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.

Guys I hope you put more comments and power stones... Which will encourage me...

I was thinking about adding local deities too to the story. Any thought about This idea.

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After Two Days...

Two days passed after the divine night of Maha Shivaratri.

Yet the crowds inside Trivenivrata had not reduced much at all.

In fact—

More merchants had arrived.

Because while the spiritual impact of the Tandava still dominated conversations across temples and inns, another event now captured the attention of traders, guild representatives, wealthy financiers, and traveling business houses.

The royal auction.

Or as the kingdom officially called it—Kautilya’s Arthashastra Sabha.1

The very first grand economic auction of Trivenivrata.

And today—It would begin.

Which will impact the kingdoms economy.

From early morning itself, long lines formed outside the massive royal arena specially prepared for the auction proceedings.

Merchants from various kingdoms arrived wearing rich robes, layered jewelry, trade insignias, and carrying locked treasure chests alongside guards and assistants.

Some brought gold. Some silver. Some gemstones.

Some trade agreements already prepared in scroll form.

Others even brought rare goods hoping to negotiate outside the bidding itself.

Yet before anyone could enter—They were stopped by royal officials and soldiers stationed before the arena gates.

The process was strict. Organized. Professional.

Each participating merchant first had to officially register their trade house, region, and offered financial capacity.

Then came the unusual rule which immediately gained everyone’s attention.

The token system.

Every merchant participating in the auction had to purchase an official royal token before entering.

The cost alone stunned many smaller traders.

Twenty gold coins.

Merely for entry.

Several merchants nearly choked hearing the amount.

But the wealthier traders quickly understood the purpose behind it.

This was not merely entry.

It was filtration.

Only serious bidders would enter the arena not everyone.

No unnecessary crowd. No random disruption.

And importantly—The token itself acted as official proof of auction ownership.

A royal official explained loudly while assistants distributed heavy engraved bronze tokens marked with the roaring lion symbol of Trivenivrata.

"If your token is lost ...the auction rights cannot be granted."

That immediately made many merchants grip the tokens carefully like their lives depended on it.

Because today’s auction was not for ordinary products.

It was for trade rights. Supply rights.

Exclusive agreements. Agricultural access.

And potentially long-term wealth tied directly to Trivenivrata’s blessed lands.

The atmosphere outside the arena became increasingly intense as merchants whispered calculations among themselves.

"How much should we risk?"

"Which products hold highest future value?"

"Should we target fruits or medicinal herbs?"

"What if the fisheries become more profitable?"

"We must secure at least one contract."

Some traders had even formed temporary alliances beforehand to compete against larger merchant houses.

Meanwhile others quietly planned sabotage through bidding wars.

Because nobody intended to leave empty-handed.

High above the arena entrance fluttered the royal flag of Trivenivrata.

Sky blue. Red. Golden-bordered.

The roaring crowned lion beneath the radiant star.

And beneath that banner—The kingdom’s first true economic battlefield was about to begin.

Not with swords. But with gold.

Inside the grand royal arena of Trivenivrata, the participating merchants slowly took their seats one after another.

And the deeper they entered the structure—The more impressed they became.

The arena itself had been designed with intimidating grandeur.

Massive stone pillars surrounded the circular structure, each carved with flowing patterns inspired by rivers, mountains, lions, and sacred geometry.

Above them all, dominating the ceiling, four enormous roaring lions wearing crowns faced the four directions.

Their sculpted eyes seemed almost alive beneath the torchlight.

The merchants sitting below instinctively felt smaller beneath those stone guardians.

Several traders quietly exchanged glances.

Because the arena was not merely beautiful.

It projected authority.

Power.

Stability.

Exactly what merchants wanted from a kingdom they intended to invest heavily into.

Royal officials moved through the rows calmly, ensuring every merchant possessed their engraved participation token before allowing them to remain seated.

Some merchants already guarded their bronze tokens more carefully than their gold pouches.

Meanwhile servants distributed refreshments and water while the arena slowly filled with voices, calculations, nervous laughter, and tense speculation.

At the center stood the massive auction platform where future trade rights would soon be fought over.

Then finally—A royal guard stepped forward.

"The auction proceedings shall begin after half an hour. The remaining registered merchants are being processed." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The announcement spread through the arena.

That remaining time only increased the tension further.

Because every newly arriving trader represented more competition.

Some merchants spent the waiting period reorganizing their ledgers.

Others quietly reviewed bidding strategies with assistants.

A few wealthy merchant lords simply leaned back calmly like predators already certain of victory.

Meanwhile hidden among them—Several spies continued observing everything carefully for their respective kingdoms.

The organization. The crowd size.

The wealth flowing into Trivenivrata already.

The kingdom’s influence was growing faster than expected.

Then—The atmosphere inside the arena shifted suddenly.

Royal drums echoed loudly through the hall.

-DUM! -DUM!

Everyone immediately rose to their feet.

The royal family had arrived.

At the elevated section overlooking the arena, two ceremonial thrones had been temporarily installed.

And entering beneath the banners of Trivenivrata—Devara and Gandhari arrived together.

The merchants instantly bowed respectfully.

Even many older traders who normally cared little for royalty found themselves staring at Devara with unusual attention.

Because by now the stories surrounding him had spread everywhere.

The slayer of Kamsa.

The king who performed Tandava beside Shiva himself.

The founder of Trivenivrata.

And now—A ruler building economic systems bold enough to challenge established kingdoms.

Devara calmly took his seat upon the throne overlooking the arena.

Beside him, Gandhari sat gracefully, carrying herself with growing confidence befitting the first queen of Trivenivrata.

The sight of them together beneath the royal banners drew admiration from many present.

Then suddenly several merchants noticed something unexpected.

Standing at the central auction platform—Wearing a confident grin entirely too dangerous for economic stability—Was Prince Shakuni.

-Grin!

"...."

The moment some recognized him, quiet whispers spread immediately.

"Why is Gandhara’s prince there?"

"Wait... He’s the auctioneer?"

Indeed.

That exact responsibility had somehow been entrusted to Shakuni.

Which, depending on perspective, was either brilliant...

Or deeply concerning.

Shakuni meanwhile looked entirely delighted by the chaos potential before him.

He raised both hands dramatically as the arena gradually quieted.

Then with smooth confidence, he began speaking.

"Honored merchants... Travelers... Guild representatives... And brave souls willing to gamble against one another today..."

A few merchants blinked.

-Blink!

"...."

"...."

"...."

That was not how royal auctions usually started.

Prince Shakuni smiled wider.

"Welcome. To the first grand auction ever held within the lands of Trivenivrata."

The arena erupted into applause.

-Claps! -Claps!

-Claps!...

The applause inside the royal arena slowly settled.

At the center platform, Prince Shakuni stood with the confidence of a man who had discovered his true calling in life.

Public chaos management.

With dramatic flair, he spread his arms toward the gathered merchants.

"Then let us begin!"

Royal drums echoed once.

-DUM!

Shakuni grinned feeling the attention.

"The first product presented in the inaugural auction of Trivenivrata..."

He paused intentionally for suspense.

"...shall be the royal black grapes of Trivenivrata."

Immediately, several attendants entered carrying elegant trays filled with deep dark-purple grapes that almost shimmered beneath the sun light.

The fragrance alone caught many merchants off guard.

The servant women moved through the arena gracefully, offering sample portions to each participating trader so they could personally evaluate the product before bidding.

But something amusing happened almost immediately.

Most merchants barely touched the grapes.

Instead—Their attention snapped toward the scrolls distributed alongside the samples.

The arena gradually filled with the sounds of parchment unfolding.

And then—Frowns appeared everywhere.

-Frowns!

Because the contents of the agreement scrolls were unlike anything most merchants had encountered before.

Several traders read the clauses twice just to confirm they had understood correctly.

One merchant muttered under his breath:

"...What is this?"

Another frowned harder.

-Frown!

"These conditions are too detailed."

The scrolls outlined the licensing terms clearly.

The winner would receive official rights to purchase and distribute Trivenivrata’s black grapes for one year within specified regions.

However—The agreement came with strict obligations.

Minimum purchasing quotas.

Product preservation standards.

Restrictions against dilution or artificial mixing.

Mandatory royal seals on approved shipments.

Pricing regulations preventing exploitation.

Quality inspections by kingdom representatives.

And perhaps most shocking—Immediate cancellation of trade rights if fraud or corruption was discovered.

Several merchants looked genuinely disturbed by that part.

Because many kingdoms operated through looser verbal agreements, bribes, and negotiable enforcement.

This system—Was structured. Painfully structured.

One older merchant adjusted his robes irritably.

"They even included transportation responsibility clauses..."

Another frowned while reading further.

-Frown!

"...And compensation penalties for deliberate spoilage?"

Meanwhile only a smaller group of merchants had actually tasted the grapes already.

And their reactions became increasingly dangerous for everyone else.

"...."

"...."

"...."

One wealthy trader slowly looked down at the remaining grapes in his hand with widened eyes.

Then immediately grabbed another.

The sweetness. The texture. The richness. It was so absurd.

Another merchant who finally tasted them nearly cursed aloud from shock.

Because the product quality genuinely justified aggressive bidding.

Nearby, one younger trader finally looked up from the scroll toward Shakuni.

"These terms are unusually strict."

Shakuni smiled pleasantly.

"Yes."

That somehow made everyone more nervous.

He continued casually.

"His Majesty prefers long-term stable trade over short-term greed."

Several merchants immediately exchanged looks hearing that.

Because this confirmed something important.

The economic systems being built inside Trivenivrata were intentional.

Not improvised. This kingdom had thought ahead.

A lot.

Meanwhile high above the arena, seated beside Gandhari, Devara calmly watched the reactions unfolding below.

And beside him—Gandhari quietly hid a smile watching merchants mentally suffer through organized economics for the first time.

Meanwhile Shakuni finally clapped his hands once dramatically.

-Claps!

"Now then!"

"Since everyone appears spiritually wounded by paperwork ...shall we begin the bidding?"

Before the bidding could officially begin, hands immediately started rising throughout the royal arena.

Several merchants no longer looked at the grapes.

Their full attention had shifted toward the scrolls.

Toward the rules.

And more specifically—Toward the consequences written beneath them.

One wealthy trader stood first and folded his hands respectfully toward the royal platform.

"Prince Shakuni,"

He began carefully choosing his words,

"some of these regulations are... severe."

A few merchants nodded immediately in agreement.

Especially the clause involving permanent trade exclusion.

Prince Shakuni smiled.

Unfortunately for the merchants—It was the smile of a man enjoying this entirely too much.

Another merchant raised his voice next.

"If disagreements arise during transport?"

"What if local bandits interfere?"

"What if spoilage happens naturally?"

A third interrupted quickly.

"And what exactly qualifies as violation serious enough for license removal?"

The arena gradually filled with cautious questions.

Because the merchants understood something important already:

This kingdom intended to enforce its contracts seriously.

That made them both nervous...

And interested.

At the center stage, Shakuni casually adjusted his robes before beginning his explanation.

"First,"

He said smoothly not loosing his grounding,

"natural loss, accidents, and documented transport difficulties will be investigated fairly."

That eased several merchants slightly.

Then Shakuni’s smile sharpened.

"However..."

The atmosphere shifted immediately.

"If anyone intentionally dilutes products... Uses false royal markings... Smuggles goods illegally... Manipulates supply dishonestly... Or attempts to steal from the lands of Trivenivrata..."

His voice lowered calmly.

"...their ending will not be pleasant."

Silence.

"...."

"...."

"...."

Complete silence.

Because the way he said it carried unsettling confidence.

Several merchants instinctively glanced toward the throne above.

Toward Devara sitting calmly beside Gandhari.

And suddenly everyone remembered:

This was the same kingdom whose ruler personally killed Kamsa after transforming into Narasimha.

The same kingdom where Lord Shiva himself descended days ago.

Stealing from them suddenly felt spiritually unhealthy.

Meanwhile Shakuni continued pleasantly.

"Violators will lose their licenses immediately. They will be permanently banned from future auctions. All trade agreements with Trivenivrata will be revoked. And depending on the severity..."

He paused dramatically again.

"...further punishment may follow."

One merchant swallowed visibly.

Another carefully folded the scroll again with much greater respect now.

Because they finally understood the system fully.

Trivenivrata welcomed trade.

Encouraged profit. Rewarded loyalty.

But it would not tolerate exploitation.

And strangely—That realization made many experienced merchants trust the kingdom more rather than less.

Because stable enforcement meant predictable commerce.

Predictable commerce meant long-term wealth.

Meanwhile, one older merchant finally asked the question lingering in many minds.

"And if corrupt officials within the kingdom take bribes?"

That caused several merchants to immediately look toward Shakuni carefully.

It was a dangerous question.

Yet instead of anger—Shakuni smirked wider.

"A wonderful question."

Then he pointed toward Devara above.

"His Majesty already declared publicly that any merchant threatened by corrupt officials may report directly to the royal palace itself."

Murmurs spread through the arena instantly.

That level of direct royal accountability was rare.

Very rare.

Lord Shakuni folded his hands behind his back casually.

"The kingdom desires prosperous trade."

"Not leeches."

Some merchants almost laughed hearing the bluntness.

Others looked increasingly impressed.

Meanwhile seated above, Devara silently watched the arena dynamics unfolding exactly as intended.

Trust. Fear. Opportunity. Structure.

The foundation of a kingdom’s economy was not merely gold.

It was belief.

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(Author note:)

I hope you guys give me your opinion and idea’s.

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Don’t forget to review guys...

Guys I have a new fic which named: Karuppan: King of Openings.