Snigdha was now thoroughly panicked! She realized that she had fallen directly into the pit she herself had dug.
Stammering nervously, she began fabricating lies, "Lies! Absolute, barefaced lies! Jishnu, have you gone mad? Why on earth would I propose marriage to this farmer's son? He was always a top-class liar and an opportunist! That is precisely how he pulled off such fraudulent tricks to sit here as the Prime Minister! Only God knows how he became the Prime Minister!"
Raising his hand, Rupanjan spoke in a grave tone, "Snigdha, stop right there! Mind your language and do not repeat the same foolish, toxic rubbish over and over! I did not become Prime Minister through any conspiracy or fraud; I stand installed in this esteemed position today solely on the strength of my own competence, wisdom, and integrity! And as for what fools and lunatics like you say against me, it matters not a single bit to me. Listening to the words of the ignorant is a supreme insult to my own office!" Saying this with the full dignity of his rank, Rupanjan seated himself once more upon the golden throne.
Deep inside, Snigdha began burning with intense remorse and regret! She began beating her own forehead in her mind, thinking, "Ah! What a catastrophic mistake I made! Had I known beforehand that this Rupanjan had truly become the Prime Minister of Rupnagar, would I have ever decided to marry this useless, devilish Jishnu? Or exchanged rings with him? Shame, shame, shame! My move went completely wrong! I could have become the Prime Minister's wife and ruled over the entire realm as its Queen, and instead, I held the hand of this Jishnu!"
Seeing Snigdha's face grow distant and gloomy, Jishnu asked in a suspicious tone, "What happened, Snigdha? Why are you standing there so quiet and melancholy? Do you truly love Rupanjan, and are you running after him now just because he became the Prime Minister? Do you not like me anymore?"
To conceal the true reality of her mind, Snigdha flashed an artificially sweet smile, grabbing Jishnu's hand tightly, and said, "No, no, Jishnu! What are you even saying? I love only you! Rupanjan belongs strictly to the past. He was making up all sorts of lies about me... as if I would offer to marry him! As if I have nothing better to do than go marry that man!"—saying this, Snigdha held Jishnu's hand and stepped down from the stage in crushing humiliation and shame. Yet, the fire of regret burned fiercely within her heart.
Looking at the entire court with dignified gravity, Prime Minister Rupanjan raised his hand and proclaimed, "Beloved subjects and honorable guests present! Let everyone be calm. From this day forward, I take the solemn oath to serve you as the Prime Minister of this realm of Rupnagar. May you all now proceed to the royal banquet hall and partake in the grand dinner with joy!"
Upon the Prime Minister's command, the subjects and guests moved toward the royal dining pavilion. The royal assembly gradually emptied out.
At last, upon and around the beautifully decorated royal stage, only a few specific individuals remained—the Emperor, Prime Minister Rupanjan, King Aditya, Empress Arohi, Prince Prafulla, Princess Prabhasa, and the burning-with-humiliation Snigdha and Jishnu.
Rupanjan looked at the Emperor with calm, respectful eyes. Then, with deep reverence, he spoke, "Most revered Majesty! Alongside the governance of the realm, one supreme duty of my life remains. I truly wish to enter wedlock now. Would you make arrangements to find a most suitable, virtuous, and noble-charactered bride for my life?"
Emperor Rupen Dev already knew who dwelt within Rupanjan's heart! He knew that the worthy bride was none other than the chaste, innocent Princess Prabhasa!
With a deep, sweet smile gracing his face, the Emperor looked at Rupanjan and said, "Yes, yes, Prime Minister! Finding a bride for you is my ultimate privilege! However, I need not travel far to search for a bride... that most fitting and virtuous maiden is standing right before our eyes in this very court!"
Understanding the silent language of the Emperor's eyes, Rupanjan felt a profound sense of relief and joy within his heart. Though he had hesitated to accept Prabhasa's love in the past, now, after attaining his rightful identity and stature, he was a hundred percent prepared and eager to accept Prabhasa as his life partner!
However, hearing these words created a strange confusion in the mind of the sweet, simple Princess Prabhasa!
Prabhasa's innocent heart began to ponder, "The Emperor and Rupanjan must surely be speaking of sister Snigdha! When people say 'Princess', everyone naturally thinks of sister Snigdha... I am merely the daughter of a stepmother, an exceedingly ordinary girl. Why would I ever become the bride of this Prime Minister? Do I possess the worthiness to become the wife of such a handsome, wise, and grandly majestic Prime Minister as Rupanjan? Surely the Emperor is speaking of Rupanjan's marriage with sister Snigdha..."
Seeing the supreme simplicity and confusion written across Prabhasa's innocent, enchanting face, both Emperor Rupen Dev and Rupanjan smiled subtly to themselves. They realized how pure and free of ego Prabhasa's heart truly was!
On the other hand, the utterly foolish and arrogant Snigdha began floating in a supreme delusion!
Snigdha felt ecstatic in her mind, thinking, "Ha! That old King and Rupanjan are definitely talking about me! Even though Rupanjan is the Prime Minister, he secretly loves only me in his heart; that is why he spoke of his suitable bride before the crowded court! He knows that I am the only princess worthy of becoming the Queen of this realm in the future! How splendid this will be! Even if he is a minister now, when Rupanjan becomes the King in the future, I alone shall be the supreme Queen of this vast empire! Now I know exactly how to throw this useless devil Jishnu to the wolves and fool him!"
While this repulsive conspiracy and grand palace of pride were being constructed inside Snigdha's mind, the devilish Jishnu stood beside her like a fool, thinking Snigdha would forever remain his bride!
Thus, beneath the lamp-lit radiance of the royal court, a new light of truth and simplicity began to blossom on one side, while the shadows of pride and malicious schemes deepened on the other!