Princess Raatri, laughing in her mind at Maharaj Kuler—
"The energy of the Light Essence… with me?
Perhaps this fool doesn't even know that the Light Essence is a divine energy, and divine energy can never belong to a demon.
I am the Queen of the demon realm.
But fine… this will make dealing with this fool even easier."
"Maharani, now I know that you have no energy left, because I have taken away all your power. So what will you do now?
Your people are waiting with the hope that you will protect them and bring their family members back safely. But who will explain to them that their queen is no longer capable of protecting them?
When their hope breaks, I will enjoy watching it.
I could destroy you and your people in a single moment, but there would be no fun in that.
So first, I will make you feel helpless in front of your people. Then I will turn their love and trust for you into hatred.
And in the end, I will make you so helpless that you will have no option left except to take your own life.
Only then…
only then will my heart find peace.
And then I will appear before the people of the Illusion Realm as their savior, solving all their problems and becoming worthy of their respect and love.
Now I take my leave.
My respects, Maharani."
Saying this, Maharaj Kuler leaves.
Princess Raatri is still thinking about his words when a soldier arrives—
"My respects, Maharani.
Everyone is waiting for you in the public court. Please come."
"You go, I am coming."
"Yes, Maharani."
After some time, Princess Raatri enters the court.
All the members of the assembly enthusiastically chant, "Victory to Maharani!"
Princess Raatri greets everyone and takes her seat on the throne.
"Trishulam ji, begin today's proceedings."
"Yes, Maharani."
A woman comes forward with her problem.
"Maharani, my name is Sumitra.
I have come here seeking justice. Please help me."
"Yes, tell me, what is your problem?"
The woman looks around for a moment, then says—
"Maharani, I cannot present my problem in front of everyone. Please grant me privacy."
"Alright.
Prema, take Sumitra to the guest chamber. I will meet her after the court is adjourned."
"Yes, Maharani."
After she leaves, the same man comes forward again, crying—
"Maharani, where is my family?
You promised to bring them back safely. Please let me meet them."
"First, stop crying. I have already said—
I will bring your family back safely. Have patience.
Don't you have faith in your Maharani?"
"It's not that, Maharani. I have complete faith in you… but not in Maharaj Kuler.
If there is even a slight delay, what if he harms my family?"
Princess Raatri thinks to herself—
"He won't do that. If he harms them, how will he gain their sympathy?
His goal is to bring me down in your eyes and present himself as your savior."
"Nothing like that will happen. Go and take care of your health. Your family will be with you very soon."
"Yes, Maharani."
After ending the court, Princess Raatri goes to the guest chamber to meet the woman.
Seeing her, the woman stands respectfully—
"My respects, Maharani."
"My respects. Sit."
"Yes."
"Tell me, what problem is so serious that you couldn't say it in front of everyone?"
"Maharani, I want to become independent like you.
I want to make every decision of my life on my own.
My family has given me complete love and protection.
Earlier everything felt fine… but now I feel suffocated.
This question is destroying me from within. I don't understand how to explain this to my family and the people around me.
Everyone is so bound by traditions that whenever I try to speak, they look at me like I am an enemy of society.
Now the pressure from my family has increased so much that sometimes I feel like ending my life to escape all this.
You have always been my inspiration, so before making any decision, I felt I should talk to you once.
Please guide me, Maharani."
"That is all fine, but I can only help you if you tell me your actual problem.
What is that question which is troubling you so much that you are thinking of giving up your life?"
The woman is about to speak when a servant arrives—
"Forgive me, Maharani, but I had to inform you urgently, that's why I interrupted."
"What is so urgent that you couldn't wait?" (angrily)
"Forgive me, Maharani…
but suddenly, people across the kingdom are developing blisters all over their bodies.
From some of these blisters, white worms are coming out.
Many have become so weak that it seems they have only a few moments left."
"What?!"
"Yes, Maharani."
Princess Raatri immediately goes to the people.
The atmosphere there is so terrifying that she becomes restless seeing it.
"What is all this?!
How did this happen?!"