Arya smiled while staring at Darman, who was also glaring back at him in anger.“Since I paid for the meal earlier, Aunt Kartinah is no longer working in your establishment. So what can you possibly do now?” he taunted.Darman’s eyes widened. His breath came fast, his chest burning with the rage that had taken over his mind. Not only had this young man insulted him, but he had also cost him an employee.“I’ll report you to Duke Wirayudha. You’ll surely be given a harsh punishment!”“Oh… so the ruler of this duchy is named Duke Wirayudha,” Arya nodded slowly. “You can report me to him all you want. But let me assure you—it won’t be me who gets punished. It will be your business license that gets revoked.”Darman fell silent, confused and bewildered by Arya’s words. Judging by his plain appearance, Darman thought it was nothing more than an empty threat meant to scare him. But considering the young man’s handsome face, and how easily he had produced a gold coin and given it to Kartinah

The two figures, who looked like beggars, were shocked when the young man before them was completely unaffected by the gusts of wind they had unleashed. Both of them increased their inner strength to amplify the wind generated by the spin of their yellow metal rods.Yet Arya still stood calmly in place, unmoved. Only his long hair fluttered wildly in the wind.On the other side, Ratnasari and Kartinah, who had just entered, were also hit by the gusts of wind from the two warriors known as the Wandering Beggar Duo. But the beautiful young woman reacted quickly, pulling Kartinah behind her and blocking the incoming wind with her own inner strength.“Can’t you produce stronger wind than that?” Arya sneered as he stepped slowly toward the two men, who were Purwanto’s personal guards.“There’s no point in bluffing him like this, Kirno…! He’s not affected in the slightest,” said the shorter of the two men dressed like beggars.“You’re right, Widji. We should just attack him directly!” repli

"Stop…!"A loud voice rang out from behind. All eyes turned toward the figure of a man in luxurious attire who had just arrived.Arya also turned his body to see who had just stopped him from delivering punishment to Purwanto and the owner of the eatery.The soldiers quickly formed ranks upon realizing that the person who had just arrived was Duke Wirayudha. Their heads bowed low toward the ground.“Our respects, Duke,” the soldiers called out in unison.The people of the dukedom also paid their respects to Duke Wirayudha, some even kneeling on the ground before the most powerful man in Kotasura.Seeing this, Arya’s face hardened. Without hesitation, he strode toward the villagers.“Stand up, all of you! What do you think you’re doing?”Not a single villager responded. They remained kneeling, eyes cast downward.Arya turned his head and saw Kartinah doing the same. “Kartinah, stand up! Do not demean yourself before another human being!” he shouted, walking toward her.Everyone who hea

A punch landed on Arya’s arm. Ratnasari looked annoyed because she felt ignored when trying to talk to her lover.“Bugh!”Arya winced, startled by the sudden pain in his arm. Though it seemed light, Ratnasari’s punch was like a sledgehammer when powered by inner strength.“Why did you hit me?”Ratnasari huffed in irritation. “Because you look like a lunatic, smiling and nodding to yourself.”Arya chuckled softly, noticing her lips protrude a few centimeters. “I was talking to Hydra just now.”“Tell him next time not to talk to you in a public place like this. Luckily there’s no one else in this tavern. If there were other customers, wouldn’t they think you’d gone mad?”Her slightly raised voice caught the attention of the tavern owner, who turned and glanced at them. A faint smile crossed his face as he saw the couple bickering.Before long, the food they had ordered was ready to be enjoyed—fresh chili paste, warm grilled fish, and steaming corn rice, all inviting them to dig in.The

Prince Suryalaksana could only bow his head. He couldn’t muster a single word of rebuttal, for he truly felt guilty. What mattered most to him now was correcting his mistakes. As much as possible, he would learn from his younger brother, who had made their father and mother proud.“Jaya is indeed worthy and highly qualified to be a leader. Aside from having a sharp mind, he also possesses great martial skills,” he said suddenly, still keeping his head bowed. “One day, he will lead this kingdom to the height of its glory.”King Dharmalaksana and Queen Dyah Pitaloka turned to look at Prince Suryalaksana. They were both surprised when their third son finally admitted that Prince Jayalaksana indeed possessed far more than enough capacity to become a king.“You’re right, Surya… but not completely,” replied King Dharmalaksana.Prince Suryalaksana looked at his father in confusion and curiosity.“A leader is not judged by his way of thinking alone. Your brother has the complete package to be