The Real Oil
As Tara disappeared behind the crimson curtains...
Silence settled over the street.
Chandraveer never took his eyes off the entrance.
"..."
"..."
Nayan quietly stood beside him, pretending to browse a nearby pottery stall while secretly keeping watch on the same doorway.
A few steps behind them...
Mira let out an exaggerated sigh.
"...How much longer?"
Neither man answered.
She looked from the shop...
...to Chandraveer...
...then back to the shop again.
A mischievous smile slowly appeared on her face.
"You know..."
"You've become incredibly boring."
Still no response.
Chandraveer remained completely focused.
Mira folded her arms.
"I've watched you stare at one shop for nearly ten minutes."
"I refuse to waste my afternoon doing the same."
She glanced across the street.
Her eyes immediately sparkled.
An elegant boutique stood beneath a carved wooden balcony.
Silk scarves fluttered in the breeze.
Delicate jewelry glittered beneath the sunlight.
Perfume bottles from distant kingdoms rested upon polished shelves.
Several noblewomen happily browsed inside.
Mira pointed toward it.
"I'm going there."
Nayan finally looked up.
"Devi Mira..."
"Our mission is—"
"To follow Tara."
"I know."
She waved dismissively.
"But Brother clearly doesn't need my help."
She looked directly at Chandraveer.
"He's doing an excellent job of following her all by himself."
Nayan quickly coughed to hide a laugh.
Chandraveer didn't even react.
His eyes remained fixed on the entrance.
Mira rolled her eyes.
"...Hopeless."
She turned around.
"If either of you remembers I exist..."
"...come find me."
"And don't interrupt me unless the capital is on fire."
Without waiting for permission...
She disappeared into the boutique.
Inside...
Mira's serious expression vanished almost immediately.
"...Oh."
"...This is beautiful."
She picked up a finely carved bracelet.
Then another.
Then a Kashmiri silk shawl.
Then a tiny crystal perfume bottle.
The shopkeeper smiled warmly.
"You have wonderful taste, young lady."
Mira grinned.
"I know."
Completely...
Utterly...
She forgot about Tara.
Meanwhile...
Across the street...
Chandraveer remained exactly where he was.
The curtains finally shifted.
Through a narrow opening...
He caught sight of Tara.
She was walking farther into the establishment.
Nayan quietly stepped beside him.
"...Young Master."
"We should not stand here."
"It will attract attention."
Chandraveer gave a small nod.
"I know."
His eyes searched the building.
"There."
"The side window."
The two men casually walked around the building until they reached a narrow wooden window left slightly open for ventilation.
They carefully positioned themselves beneath it.
From there...
Only fragments of the room were visible.
Enough to observe.
Not enough to hear every word.
Inside...
One of the attendants politely guided Tara toward a quieter corner.
A lone man sat waiting beside a low wooden table.
His face remained partly hidden beneath a broad hat.
He calmly rotated a small bottle of oil between his fingers.
Without looking up...
He spoke.
"So..."
"...you're looking for the genuine oil."
Tara stopped.
"...How did you know?"
The man finally lifted his head slightly.
"Because people who come here for that oil..."
"...always wear the same expression."
Tara blinked.
"...What expression?"
"...Complete embarrassment."
For a brief second...
Tiny chibi Tara appeared beside her.
Bright red.
Hands flailing.
"...I DO NOT LOOK EMBARRASSED!"
The illusion immediately vanished.
The real Tara cleared her throat and tried to recover what little dignity remained.
"...Let's pretend that never happened."
The mysterious man smiled faintly.
"As you wish."
He gently placed the bottle back onto the table.
"This shop sells only diluted versions."
"The genuine warming oil..."
"...is sold elsewhere."
Tara frowned.
"...Elsewhere?"
He nodded.
"If you truly need the original..."
"...you'll have to come with me."
Outside the window...
Chandraveer couldn't hear the conversation.
All he saw...
Was another man calmly speaking with Tara.
Then...
The man stood.
Tara stood as well.
The man gestured for her to follow.
She hesitated...
...then nodded.
Everything inside Chandraveer shattered.
A tiny chibi emperor appeared in his imagination.
His soul floated out of his mouth.
His heart cracked dramatically into two pieces.
Rain clouds gathered over his tiny head.
He slowly turned toward Nayan.
"..."
"...Did..."
"...did she just agree to leave..."
"...with another man?"
Nayan looked through the window.
Then back at Chandraveer.
"..."
"...It certainly..."
"...looks that way."
That was the wrong thing to say.
Chandraveer's face became completely pale.
His hands slowly clenched into fists.
"...No."
"...Something isn't right."
Nayan immediately sensed danger.
"...Young Master."
"I respectfully request..."
"...that you remain calm."
Chandraveer never blinked.
His eyes followed Tara as she began walking after the mysterious man toward the rear exit of the establishment.
"...I can't."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"...He's taking her somewhere."
Nayan quietly closed his eyes.
"..."
"...This day is about to become much worse."
The Merchant in the Shadows
The mysterious merchant gently lifted the flap of the small side door.
"Come."
Tara followed a few steps behind, her eyes instinctively scanning the surroundings.
The lively music of the Entertainment District faded the moment they stepped outside.
Only a narrow stone passage separated Govinda's magnificent establishment from the neighboring buildings.
The towering walls blocked most of the afternoon sunlight, leaving the passage pleasantly cool but noticeably dimmer than the bustling street they had just left.
Just a few paces ahead...
Beneath a faded canvas roof supported by old wooden poles...
Stood a tiny shop.
Calling it a shop was almost generous.
The cloth canopy had been patched so many times that no two pieces were the same color.
Its wooden shelves leaned slightly under the weight of dozens of clay jars and glass bottles.
There were no polished decorations.
No attendants.
No luxurious perfumes filling the air.
Only rows upon rows of neatly arranged oils.
Tara couldn't help comparing it to Govinda's establishment behind her.
One resembled a palace.
The other...
Looked like it barely survived each monsoon.
She looked at the merchant.
"...This is your shop?"
The man smiled faintly.
"It has been."
"For nearly twenty years."
He brushed a layer of dust from the counter before carefully placing a small clay jar upon it.
"The wealthy buy beautiful bottles."
"The wise buy what's inside them."
Tara found herself smiling.
"...That's quite a line."
"It wasn't meant to be."
The merchant carefully broke the wax seal.
A gentle aroma of cedar, sesame oil, mountain herbs and medicinal roots drifted into the air.
Unlike the heavily perfumed oils inside Govinda's establishment...
This fragrance felt natural.
Fresh.
Almost comforting.
The merchant dipped a small wooden stick into the oil before holding it toward her.
"You may smell it."
Tara leaned closer.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment.
"...This..."
"...smells completely different."
The merchant nodded.
"It should."
"No perfumes."
"No coloring."
"No unnecessary ingredients."
"Only what is needed."
Tara slowly opened her eyes.
"...Then why doesn't Govinda sell this one?"
The merchant chuckled softly.
"Because simplicity isn't profitable."
He gestured toward the magnificent building casting its shadow over the little tent.
"Customers admire silk curtains."
"They admire polished shelves."
"They admire smiling attendants."
"They happily pay twice the price for half the quality."
"I..."
"...cannot compete with that."
He gently pushed the clay jar toward Tara.
"But I can compete with honesty."
For a brief moment...
Tara simply looked at the tiny shop around her.
A tiny chibi Tara appeared beside her.
One miniature Tara looked toward Govinda's luxurious building.
"Fancy shop!"
The other tiny Tara hugged the plain clay jar.
"Cheap... and authentic!"
The two miniature Taras immediately began arguing.
The real Tara quietly laughed to herself.
"...I think I know which one I'd choose."
The merchant smiled.
"So..."
"Would you like a travel bottle?"
"It'll be easier to carry during your journey."
Tara nodded.
"Please."
The merchant reached for a small glass bottle resting on the highest shelf.
"I'll prepare one."
Across the street...
Chandraveer hadn't moved an inch.
His eyes remained fixed on the narrow passage beside Govinda's establishment.
"..."
Nayan quietly followed his gaze.
Neither of them could see the tiny shop.
Govinda's enormous building completely blocked their view.
From where they stood...
It looked as though the mysterious man had simply led Tara into a dark, hidden corner.
Then...
They vanished.
Completely.
Nayan frowned.
"...Young Master..."
"I believe they've only gone behind the building."
"They're probably still nearby."
Chandraveer said nothing.
His gaze never left the shadowed passage.
Inside his mind...
Every possibility raced at once.
"Why there?"
"Why somewhere people can't see?"
"Why did she follow him?"
His jaw slowly tightened.
A tiny chibi Chandraveer appeared beside him.
The miniature emperor clutched his head in panic, running frantic circles while shouting silently.
"THIS LOOKS BAD!"
"THIS IS VERY, VERY BAD!"
The real Chandraveer unconsciously took one step forward.
Nayan immediately noticed.
"...Young Master?"
No response.
Another step.
"...Young Master..."
Still nothing.
Nayan hurried after him.
"Please."
"We don't know what's happening."
"We should observe a little longer."
Chandraveer finally stopped.
His eyes remained locked on the alley.
"...You're right."
His voice was unusually calm.
Too calm.
"We'll observe."
"...Just a little longer."
Inside the little tent...
The merchant carefully poured the golden oil into a small travel bottle.
His movements were slow.
Precise.
Experienced.
When he finished, he reached toward Tara.
"The bottle."
"I'll hand it to—"
Outside...
Through the narrow gap between the buildings...
Chandraveer saw only one thing.
The merchant...
Reaching toward Tara.
Inside a secluded, shadowed corner.
Something inside him finally snapped.
The world around him fell silent.
The musicians.
The laughter.
The conversations.
Everything disappeared.
Only that single image remained.
His fist slowly clenched.
"...I've seen enough."
Nayan's eyes widened.
"...Young Master..."
"...No."
But Chandraveer was already moving.
He stepped into the alley.
Then another.
Then—
He broke into a sprint.
The Undercover Officer
The merchant had just finished pouring the warming oil into a small travel bottle.
He gently extended it toward Tara.
"Here."
"Have a look before you decide."
Tara reached out.
Just as her fingers were about to touch the bottle—
BANG!!
The canvas flap exploded inward.
The entire tent shook violently.
The merchant barely had enough time to turn his head.
"...Wh—"
THUD!!
A powerful fist crashed squarely into his jaw.
His hat flew into the air.
The bottle slipped from his hand.
The poor merchant spun once before collapsing flat onto the ground.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Silence.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Tara stared at the unconscious merchant.
Then slowly turned toward the masked stranger standing before her.
"..."
"...What?"
Before she could react—
He seized her wrist.
"Come with me."
"W-Wait!"
She stumbled forward.
"Wait!"
"What are you doing?!"
He didn't answer.
He simply dragged her out of the tent.
Several moments later...
They stopped inside a quiet alley.
Only then did the masked man stop walking.
But...
The masked stranger didn't release her wrist.
His grip remained firm.
Almost desperate.
Tara frowned and tried pulling away.
"...Excuse me."
No response.
She tugged harder.
"...Would you let go?"
His hand tightened without him realizing it.
"Ow!"
She winced.
"Stop squeezing!"
"You're going to break my wrist!"
The words finally reached him.
He blinked.
As though waking from a dream.
His fingers immediately loosened.
Tara quickly pulled her hand back and rubbed her sore wrist.
She glared at him.
"What was that?"
Before she could continue—
He spoke.
"What were you thinking?"
His voice was sharp.
Filled with genuine frustration.
"What were you doing inside Govinda's establishment?"
"And why were you following that suspicious man into a dark tent?"
"Do you have any idea what places like those are used for?"
Heat rushed to Tara's cheeks.
"I..."
She instinctively looked away.
"...That's..."
She searched for an excuse.
For just a second.
Then stopped herself.
Her embarrassment vanished almost instantly.
She folded her arms.
"...Wait."
"What does any of this have to do with you?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Who even are you?"
"You grabbed my hand."
"You dragged me halfway across the district."
"You punched an innocent man—"
"—at least as far as I know."
"So tell me..."
"Who exactly are you to question me?"
For the first time...
The masked man hesitated.
"I can't tell her I'm the Emperor."
"Think..."
"Anything..."
The first lie that came to mind escaped before he could stop it.
"...I'm an undercover officer."
Silence.
Inside his own head...
A tiny chibi Chandraveer buried his face in his hands.
"Undercover officer?"
"Seriously?"
Tara blinked.
"...Undercover officer?"
He quickly nodded.
"We've been investigating that man for some time."
"He approaches young women."
"He earns their trust."
"Then convinces them to follow him somewhere isolated."
Tara's expression slowly changed.
"He drugs them."
"They lose consciousness."
"And by the time they wake up..."
"...their belongings are gone."
His voice became firmer.
"You followed him into a place where nobody could see you."
"You separated yourself from your companions."
"If I hadn't intervened..."
"...things could have ended very differently."
Tara looked back toward the shadowed alley.
The little tent.
The old merchant.
When he explained it like that...
It truly did sound suspicious.
She lowered her head slightly.
"...I'm sorry."
"I didn't think that far ahead."
The tension in Chandraveer's shoulders finally eased.
"...Good."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
The distant sounds of laughter drifted from the Entertainment District.
Somewhere nearby...
A flute continued playing.
Finally—
He broke the silence.
"So..."
"What possible reason did you have for entering those establishments?"
Tara immediately looked embarrassed again.
"...That's..."
She scratched her cheek.
"...Still none of your business."
He simply waited.
She sighed.
"...Fine."
"I was looking for Himalayan body-warming oil."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The words echoed inside Chandraveer's mind.
"Body-warming... oil?"
The expedition.
The Himalayas.
Freezing nights.
Mountain winds.
Everything suddenly connected.
Every ridiculous assumption he had made...
Collapsed like a house of cards.
Inside his imagination...
A tiny chibi Chandraveer stared at a mountain of broken assumptions.
Then quietly picked up a sign.
"I may have overreacted."
The tiny emperor slowly walked into a corner and sat facing the wall.
Back in reality...
He simply stared at her.
Not speaking.
Not moving.
For the first time since meeting her...
He truly looked.
Not at the Minister of Culture.
Not at the woman wandering into dangerous places.
Just...
Tara.
A gentle breeze wandered through the narrow alley.
A loose strand of hair slipped across her face.
Without thinking...
She tucked it behind her ear.
The afternoon sun barely reached the alley.
Yet one thin ray of light escaped between the rooftops...
Falling across her face.
"...Officer?"
Her voice broke the silence.
She tilted her head.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?"
He blinked.
"...Nothing."
He quickly looked away.
"...You needed the oil..."
"...for the expedition?"
She nodded.
"Of course."
"What else would I need it for?"
She genuinely looked confused.
He coughed awkwardly.
"...Nothing."
"...Then why not buy it from Govinda?"
"Why follow that merchant?"
Tara gave an awkward smile.
"...Because..."
"...Govinda's prices were ridiculous."
"That merchant said he sold the exact same oil."
"Without the expensive bottles."
"Without the luxurious shop."
"So..."
"...it was much cheaper."
Now it was Chandraveer's turn to frown.
"...You're a minister."
"How are you worried about money?"
Tara blinked.
"As if ministers are supposed to be wealthy?"
She laughed softly.
"My salary is enough."
"But most of it disappears."
"Travelling."
"Inspecting villages."
"Organizing festivals."
"Helping artists."
"Supporting craftsmen."
"Temple restorations."
"And normal living expenses."
She smiled sheepishly.
"...By the end of most months..."
"...I'm usually counting coins."
Then she shrugged.
"I suppose that's what happens when you refuse bribes."
Silence.
Chandraveer's eyes slowly fell toward the small coin pouch hanging from her waist.
It wasn't embroidered with gold.
The leather had faded from years of use.
One corner had been carefully stitched back together by hand.
He hadn't noticed it before.
Now...
He couldn't stop looking at it.
"She wasn't exaggerating..."
"She's really living like this..."
Something tightened inside his chest.
One of the empire's hardest-working ministers...
Was bargaining over a bottle of oil.
Because she couldn't comfortably afford the expensive one.
A silent promise formed in his heart.
"When this expedition ends..."
"Things will change."
"...Officer?"
Tara's voice pulled him back once more.
"You keep staring."
He quickly cleared his throat.
"...No reason."
He straightened his posture.
"You have your oil."
"Now return to your companions."
"And..."
He glanced toward the small bottle she now held.
"...Don't lose it."
Tara looked down at the bottle.
Then back at him.
A warm smile spread across her face.
"I won't."
She gave a polite bow.
"...Thank you."
She paused.
A playful smile appeared for just a heartbeat.
"...Mr. Undercover Officer."
For the first time all afternoon...
She sounded almost teasing.
She wasn't completely convinced by his story.
But she chose not to expose him.
She turned and walked away.
Chandraveer watched her disappear into the crowd.
Inside his imagination...
Tiny Chibi Chandraveer sighed dramatically.
"...She definitely didn't believe that undercover officer nonsense."
The real Chandraveer quietly adjusted the edge of his mask.
"...That..."
"...was embarrassing."