Chapter 26:
Maa-Beti
Hizashi No Kage
Hizashi No Kage
Chapter - 26
The ceremony was still going on. Zavier was eating with his friends. Manjula and Ramya were opening the gift boxes together. Some boxes contained golden clothes, while others had diamond jewelry. Manjula would set such items aside.
Just then, Akash entered the hall. He was wearing the same simple home clothes and the same slippers. Whoever saw him couldn’t help but laugh.
Akash immediately looked for Manjula and walked up to her. He was carrying the same drawing file in his hand.
“Manjula, can I give you this gift?” Akash said, stepping in front of her and extending the drawing file.
Manjula wasn’t so heartless that she would humiliate Akash in front of so many people. Besides, she couldn’t possibly reject a simple drawing file.
“Thank you,” said Manjula as she accepted the gift.
Seeing this scene, everyone around started whispering.
“A drawing file! Seriously?”
Anyone who didn’t understand the intention behind the gift was laughing at Akash. Zavier and his friends were also laughing.
But Akash didn’t care at all. Smiling, he walked away with his head held high.
Manjula and Ramya knew Akash’s nature, but even they were a little surprised today. It was a pleasant kind of surprise.
It was around 2:00 AM. The party was over. Akash lay on his bed, thinking about the new path he had chosen — to live by kicking away arrogant rich people. How far would he be able to go on this path? Would he ever be able to defeat Zavier? No, there was no possibility of that. But he would never accept defeat. Never.
Suddenly, some thought crossed his mind. He picked up his flute and sat by the window and began to play. Today he played the flute differently. He was simply playing while thinking — ‘Manjula, I love you… Manjula, I love you.’
These feelings from his heart were flowing out through the flute in the same way. Anyone listening would feel that the person playing the flute was expressing his love.
Like Akash, one girl also had the habit of staying awake at night. That girl heard this tune and was moved. It was Manjula. She was watching and listening to all this from her room. She became so lost in the melody that she slowly started dancing and singing along.
It felt as if Akash was secretly giving Manjula yet another gift, hidden from the rest of the world.
After swaying like this for a while, Manjula suddenly came to her senses and realized what madness she was doing. Her cheeks turned red. She then promised herself that she would have to stop listening to Akash’s flute, otherwise she would really go crazy.
At the same time, Akash also stopped playing the flute.
---
Only two days of the holidays were left, and today was practically the last day because they had to leave for the academy tomorrow.
Akash was meditating in the grounds of the outer palace. Just then, the sound of wooden swords clashing could be heard. Using his light radar, he saw that Zavier and Zakaar were practicing sword fighting. Although the swords were made of wood, the speed at which both of them were swinging their swords could cause serious injury to anyone.
Akash immediately went towards them. A fierce clash was going on between Zakaar and Zavier, but gradually Zakaar started gaining the upper hand. Finally, with a super-fast swing attack, Zakaar knocked Zavier to the ground.
Zavier thought the match was over, but Zakaar continued the attack. Zakaar knocked Zavier down and kept striking him repeatedly. Zavier couldn’t even defend himself. It was no longer a match — Zakaar was simply beating Zavier.
In the end, Zakaar tried to strike Zavier’s right hand with the tip of his sword, but a light shield appeared in between. Akash had activated this light shield from the outer palace. He was standing right at the boundary of the inner palace.
Zakaar got furious. He immediately spotted Akash and pointed his sword towards him, saying, “How dare you interfere?”
“Forgive me, but I cannot allow you to beat my classmate like this,” Akash replied clearly.
Before Zakaar could say anything, Zavier shouted, “Hey, who do you think you are to come between me and my brother? He is my elder brother. He can beat me as much as he wants.”
Akash had no answer. He just couldn’t digest the fact that these two were brothers. Were brothers supposed to be like this?
Zakaar left angrily. His entire fun had been ruined. Then Zavier also left, but not before threatening, “Stay away from my matters, woodcutter, otherwise it won’t be good for you.”
Akash couldn’t say anything. Just then Ramya arrived there. She had heard that last remark. She walked up to Akash and asked, “What happened here?”
“You won’t believe it, Ramya. Zakaar was about to break his younger brother’s hand, and he was laughing while doing it. If a knight student’s hand had broken… you understand what I mean, right? But I don’t understand what the problem is between these two brothers,” Akash said, explaining everything.
After listening to everything, Ramya said seriously, “Akash, it’s better if you don’t get involved in such matters. Royal families have thousands of complications.”
Then, to change the topic, she said, “By the way, when are you leaving for the academy? You’ll go with Bob, right?”
“I will go with Bob, but nothing is finalized yet. But why are you asking all this? Aren’t you going with Manju—”
Cutting him off, she said, “No, I won’t go with Di. I can’t sit between a loving couple for 10 hours. That’s why I’ll go with you two.”
Akash understood everything and didn’t say anything.
---
That same evening, Manjula was strolling in the garden with Zara. Suddenly, Zara flew after a butterfly. Manjula also followed behind Zara. While chasing the butterfly, both of them reached the outer garden.
“Zara, don’t eat it,” she was saying when suddenly Manjula’s foot slipped and she fell. Her knee got slightly scraped and started bleeding.
Just then, a woman came running and helped her up. It was Angela.
“Dear, it’s not hurting too much, right?” Angela asked in a concerned voice.
Manjula couldn’t speak at first, but then replied, “No, I’m fine. Thank you for worrying about me.”
But Angela didn’t listen. She said, “Beti ( daughter ), listen. My son knows healing magic. My house is also very close by. Can you come with me? It will only take two minutes.”
Manjula was initially suspicious seeing Angela’s light blue hair, but she soon realized that this was Akash’s mother. Still, she couldn’t refuse her and went along. Zara also came with them.
Akash understood from the sound of footsteps and the fragrance that Manjula had come with his mom. He immediately came out of his room. The moment he saw Manjula’s scraped knee, he reached from his room to the main gate at light speed and healed it.
Before Manjula could understand anything, she was already healed.
Angela was also surprised. Zara was quietly watching everything.
Manjula then thanked him.
To this, Akash said with a smile, “No way, just a ‘thank you’ won’t do. Take out the money.”
Manjula didn’t understand his joke. She actually started taking out money.
Then Angela scolded Akash, “Akash, since when did you start charging money for healing magic? Need a slap?”
Akash burst out laughing. “Mom, the girl you brought home is the princess of the country. Ramya’s elder sister. Did you know?” Akash said, still laughing.
Angela was shocked. Then Manjula herself said, “Aunty, please treat me the same way you were treating me earlier. I am not a princess.”
After staying silent for a while, Angela said, “Then what should I call you?”
“Just ‘beti’ ,” Manjula replied immediately, then felt shy.
Zara was also eager to say something, but Akash signaled him to stay quiet.
Then Akash said, “Manjula, Mom made kheer today. Would you like to have some? It’s really delicious.”
Manjula couldn’t refuse — out of respect for Angela.
Angela happily went to the kitchen to bring a bowl of kheer for her.
Then Zara immediately flew to Akash and asked, “Is she my grandma?”
“Yes, but don’t say anything right now, okay?” Akash said softly and sent Zara back to Manjula.
Then Akash said to Manjula, “Princess Manjula, will you be able to sit on the floor of this poor man’s house and eat?”
“Yes, of course,” Manjula replied immediately.
Akash then spread a mat. He himself went to the kitchen and brought kheer for Zara and himself as well.
Now Akash, Manjula, and Zara were sitting together eating kheer while Angela stood nearby, watching them.
Akash was filled with joy from within. He thanked his mother a thousand times in his heart. All of this was possible only because of Angela.
Manjula quickly finished her bowl. The kheer was truly very delicious. After that, she got up to leave, but when Angela asked if she should bring a little more kheer, Manjula agreed again. Now Manjula started eating kheer for the second time. Akash would eat sometimes and look at Manjula at other times. He wanted to capture this moment forever.
But then he noticed tears flowing from Manjula’s eyes. Angela also saw it. She immediately said, “Are! Are! beti, what happened? What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?” Manjula asked, because she herself didn’t realize she was crying. But then she felt something near her eyes. She touched it with her wrist and understood that she was crying.
“Oh this… how…” As she said this, her throat choked up. Now she started crying fully. She immediately lowered her head. Trying to control herself, she said, “Forgive me… I don’t know how this is happening…” and started crying again.
Angela immediately went behind her and hugged her. Akash and Zara quietly watched everything.
Somehow Manjula calmed down and finished her kheer. Then she got up. As she was about to leave the house, Angela took her hands in hers and said, “Beti, if you ever want to come here again, please do. I will be very happy.”
Manjula’s eyes filled with tears again. Angela gently stepped forward and took her in her arms. Manjula seemed to melt in her embrace.
With that, she and Zara both left.
Then Angela said to Akash, “Is there something wrong with my cooking? Everyone starts crying after eating it…”
Akash burst out laughing.
Then Angela said one more thing, “I wish such a daughter-in-law would come into my house…”
Chapter - 26
The ceremony was still going on. Zavier was eating with his friends. Manjula and Ramya were opening the gift boxes together. Some boxes contained golden clothes, while others had diamond jewelry. Manjula would set such items aside.
Just then, Akash entered the hall. He was wearing the same simple home clothes and the same slippers. Whoever saw him couldn’t help but laugh.
Akash immediately looked for Manjula and walked up to her. He was carrying the same drawing file in his hand.
“Manjula, can I give you this gift?” Akash said, stepping in front of her and extending the drawing file.
Manjula wasn’t so heartless that she would humiliate Akash in front of so many people. Besides, she couldn’t possibly reject a simple drawing file.
“Thank you,” said Manjula as she accepted the gift.
Seeing this scene, everyone around started whispering.
“A drawing file! Seriously?”
Anyone who didn’t understand the intention behind the gift was laughing at Akash. Zavier and his friends were also laughing.
But Akash didn’t care at all. Smiling, he walked away with his head held high.
Manjula and Ramya knew Akash’s nature, but even they were a little surprised today. It was a pleasant kind of surprise.
It was around 2:00 AM. The party was over. Akash lay on his bed, thinking about the new path he had chosen — to live by kicking away arrogant rich people. How far would he be able to go on this path? Would he ever be able to defeat Zavier? No, there was no possibility of that. But he would never accept defeat. Never.
Suddenly, some thought crossed his mind. He picked up his flute and sat by the window and began to play. Today he played the flute differently. He was simply playing while thinking — ‘Manjula, I love you… Manjula, I love you.’
These feelings from his heart were flowing out through the flute in the same way. Anyone listening would feel that the person playing the flute was expressing his love.
Like Akash, one girl also had the habit of staying awake at night. That girl heard this tune and was moved. It was Manjula. She was watching and listening to all this from her room. She became so lost in the melody that she slowly started dancing and singing along.
It felt as if Akash was secretly giving Manjula yet another gift, hidden from the rest of the world.
After swaying like this for a while, Manjula suddenly came to her senses and realized what madness she was doing. Her cheeks turned red. She then promised herself that she would have to stop listening to Akash’s flute, otherwise she would really go crazy.
At the same time, Akash also stopped playing the flute.
---
Only two days of the holidays were left, and today was practically the last day because they had to leave for the academy tomorrow.
Akash was meditating in the grounds of the outer palace. Just then, the sound of wooden swords clashing could be heard. Using his light radar, he saw that Zavier and Zakaar were practicing sword fighting. Although the swords were made of wood, the speed at which both of them were swinging their swords could cause serious injury to anyone.
Akash immediately went towards them. A fierce clash was going on between Zakaar and Zavier, but gradually Zakaar started gaining the upper hand. Finally, with a super-fast swing attack, Zakaar knocked Zavier to the ground.
Zavier thought the match was over, but Zakaar continued the attack. Zakaar knocked Zavier down and kept striking him repeatedly. Zavier couldn’t even defend himself. It was no longer a match — Zakaar was simply beating Zavier.
In the end, Zakaar tried to strike Zavier’s right hand with the tip of his sword, but a light shield appeared in between. Akash had activated this light shield from the outer palace. He was standing right at the boundary of the inner palace.
Zakaar got furious. He immediately spotted Akash and pointed his sword towards him, saying, “How dare you interfere?”
“Forgive me, but I cannot allow you to beat my classmate like this,” Akash replied clearly.
Before Zakaar could say anything, Zavier shouted, “Hey, who do you think you are to come between me and my brother? He is my elder brother. He can beat me as much as he wants.”
Akash had no answer. He just couldn’t digest the fact that these two were brothers. Were brothers supposed to be like this?
Zakaar left angrily. His entire fun had been ruined. Then Zavier also left, but not before threatening, “Stay away from my matters, woodcutter, otherwise it won’t be good for you.”
Akash couldn’t say anything. Just then Ramya arrived there. She had heard that last remark. She walked up to Akash and asked, “What happened here?”
“You won’t believe it, Ramya. Zakaar was about to break his younger brother’s hand, and he was laughing while doing it. If a knight student’s hand had broken… you understand what I mean, right? But I don’t understand what the problem is between these two brothers,” Akash said, explaining everything.
After listening to everything, Ramya said seriously, “Akash, it’s better if you don’t get involved in such matters. Royal families have thousands of complications.”
Then, to change the topic, she said, “By the way, when are you leaving for the academy? You’ll go with Bob, right?”
“I will go with Bob, but nothing is finalized yet. But why are you asking all this? Aren’t you going with Manju—”
Cutting him off, she said, “No, I won’t go with Di. I can’t sit between a loving couple for 10 hours. That’s why I’ll go with you two.”
Akash understood everything and didn’t say anything.
---
That same evening, Manjula was strolling in the garden with Zara. Suddenly, Zara flew after a butterfly. Manjula also followed behind Zara. While chasing the butterfly, both of them reached the outer garden.
“Zara, don’t eat it,” she was saying when suddenly Manjula’s foot slipped and she fell. Her knee got slightly scraped and started bleeding.
Just then, a woman came running and helped her up. It was Angela.
“Dear, it’s not hurting too much, right?” Angela asked in a concerned voice.
Manjula couldn’t speak at first, but then replied, “No, I’m fine. Thank you for worrying about me.”
But Angela didn’t listen. She said, “Beti ( daughter ), listen. My son knows healing magic. My house is also very close by. Can you come with me? It will only take two minutes.”
Manjula was initially suspicious seeing Angela’s light blue hair, but she soon realized that this was Akash’s mother. Still, she couldn’t refuse her and went along. Zara also came with them.
Akash understood from the sound of footsteps and the fragrance that Manjula had come with his mom. He immediately came out of his room. The moment he saw Manjula’s scraped knee, he reached from his room to the main gate at light speed and healed it.
Before Manjula could understand anything, she was already healed.
Angela was also surprised. Zara was quietly watching everything.
Manjula then thanked him.
To this, Akash said with a smile, “No way, just a ‘thank you’ won’t do. Take out the money.”
Manjula didn’t understand his joke. She actually started taking out money.
Then Angela scolded Akash, “Akash, since when did you start charging money for healing magic? Need a slap?”
Akash burst out laughing. “Mom, the girl you brought home is the princess of the country. Ramya’s elder sister. Did you know?” Akash said, still laughing.
Angela was shocked. Then Manjula herself said, “Aunty, please treat me the same way you were treating me earlier. I am not a princess.”
After staying silent for a while, Angela said, “Then what should I call you?”
“Just ‘beti’ ,” Manjula replied immediately, then felt shy.
Zara was also eager to say something, but Akash signaled him to stay quiet.
Then Akash said, “Manjula, Mom made kheer today. Would you like to have some? It’s really delicious.”
Manjula couldn’t refuse — out of respect for Angela.
Angela happily went to the kitchen to bring a bowl of kheer for her.
Then Zara immediately flew to Akash and asked, “Is she my grandma?”
“Yes, but don’t say anything right now, okay?” Akash said softly and sent Zara back to Manjula.
Then Akash said to Manjula, “Princess Manjula, will you be able to sit on the floor of this poor man’s house and eat?”
“Yes, of course,” Manjula replied immediately.
Akash then spread a mat. He himself went to the kitchen and brought kheer for Zara and himself as well.
Now Akash, Manjula, and Zara were sitting together eating kheer while Angela stood nearby, watching them.
Akash was filled with joy from within. He thanked his mother a thousand times in his heart. All of this was possible only because of Angela.
Manjula quickly finished her bowl. The kheer was truly very delicious. After that, she got up to leave, but when Angela asked if she should bring a little more kheer, Manjula agreed again. Now Manjula started eating kheer for the second time. Akash would eat sometimes and look at Manjula at other times. He wanted to capture this moment forever.
But then he noticed tears flowing from Manjula’s eyes. Angela also saw it. She immediately said, “Are! Are! beti, what happened? What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?” Manjula asked, because she herself didn’t realize she was crying. But then she felt something near her eyes. She touched it with her wrist and understood that she was crying.
“Oh this… how…” As she said this, her throat choked up. Now she started crying fully. She immediately lowered her head. Trying to control herself, she said, “Forgive me… I don’t know how this is happening…” and started crying again.
Angela immediately went behind her and hugged her. Akash and Zara quietly watched everything.
Somehow Manjula calmed down and finished her kheer. Then she got up. As she was about to leave the house, Angela took her hands in hers and said, “Beti, if you ever want to come here again, please do. I will be very happy.”
Manjula’s eyes filled with tears again. Angela gently stepped forward and took her in her arms. Manjula seemed to melt in her embrace.
With that, she and Zara both left.
Then Angela said to Akash, “Is there something wrong with my cooking? Everyone starts crying after eating it…”
Akash burst out laughing.
Then Angela said one more thing, “I wish such a daughter-in-law would come into my house…”
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