Chapter 14

  Vega

  Part Two

  The sight of Sevavann from her room’s balcony drew her in. The twinkling stars above painted the sky with a vividness that created an almost ethereal atmosphere. She sensed Vega’s presence behind her. “He’s kind.”

  ‘Yes Ms., though he looked kind of sad.’

  “He should be. He didn’t get what he wanted.”

  ‘Yes, Ms.’

  A sudden bang echoed through the air, and the sky erupted into a dazzling display of firecrackers shimmering in brilliant shades of blue.

  ‘The entire Sevavann is congratulating you.’

  Her brows furrowed. “Me?”

  ‘Yes Ms. And it’s time to show a glimpse of you to the natives.’

  “Why and How?”

  ‘By projecting your current self.’

  “Like right now?”

  ‘Yes Ms. Should I allow it?’

  She hesitated at first, but Manya’s curiosity led to her nod.

  A firework, soared higher and brighter than the rest. Its explosion high above mimicked her current form, both amazing and stunned.

  ‘I am sorry to intrude Ms., but it will be correct to smile and wave.’

  The projection in the sky mirrored her movements, resulting in an enchanting live display.

  “So, everyone can see this?”

  ‘Yes Ms.’

  “I like this gesture.”

  ‘It’s not all. The entire land will be themed blue for a week. You are already trending on all social media platforms. Fans have already created your honour accounts.’

  Manya’s eyes widened. “Vega, you said to me you can provide any information I need?”

  ‘Yes Ms., except the restricted ones.’

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  “And everything I ask you or told you to search, will you tell anyone? Or, like, can someone access the history?”

  ‘No Ms., I have been assigned to you solely. All interactions between us will be stored and can only be accessed by you. If you need it.’

  “So, you are totally anonymous. Wait—what if the people at the top decide to access the data?”

  ‘They can’t. Only Yajvan can get access to such sensitive data, but the chances of him accessing your data are lower than none. Unless you search for a way to harm him, or Sevavann.’

  “Don’t worry, the information I want is far from harming anyone.”

  Her heart quickened; she requested Vega to search for information about Atharv. She had kept their exact relationship a secret. To her surprise, Vega quickly responded, sharing that she had discovered information about him that was restricted at the “Yajvan level.”

  “Yajvan level?”

  ‘Yes, Ms.’

  What if Atharv might be lurking around on this planet or in this castle? She bit her nails. Happy had mentioned about the changed objects and potential external involvement. What if Yajvan had actually assigned undercover Sevavann’s officials to capture Atharv? Happy appeared to be a government or king’s servant with compassion and a willingness to go to any lengths to serve his planet, even if it meant taking part in morally ambiguous activities but now her friend. But he… he never seemed dangerous. Her friendly affection towards him overpowered the doubt of him being a bad guy. He’ll surely know. I need to find him!

  “Vega, I need you to find another person. His name is Happy. He’s a Sikh.”

  Despite finding hundreds of entities with the same name, none of them matched the one Manya was searching for.

  ***

  Next Morning. “Did you find him?” Manya said while swimming. She couldn’t stop herself after looking at the advance swimsuits, customised to her taste.

  ‘Sorry Ms., there’s no Sikh guy on the entire Sevavann named “Happy.”’

  “And I thought it to be a common name. Ok, try this.” Manya gave her the detailed information about Happy’s appearance. As her description ended, Vega’s intense gaze remained fixed on Manya.

  “What happened?” Manya said while being surprised by the swimsuit, which took a second to dry itself and her.

  ‘There’s no sign of deceit, which proves your words to be true.’

  “Deceit? Wait. Do you think I am lying to you?”

  ‘Based on observations, it does not seem to be the case.’

  “Why would I lie about the appearance of a guy I met on a mission?”

  ‘It is possible that, similar to others, you derive joy from fantasising, influential and renowned individuals.’

  Dumbfounded, Manya said, “What? Vega. I think there seemed to be a misunderstanding,” she approached her. “You found the guy I asked you about?”

  Vega nodded. ‘Yes Ms., I found the guy matching your description.’

  “Where is he?”

  Vega activated the roof’s transparency and pointed towards the terrace. ‘Right there.’

  “Where?”

  A sudden roar of excitement filled the entire Sevavann. Vega packed the room with the screens covering the entire awake population, stuck to their devices and the ones on-road, turned their vehicles into a chair equipped with a world of items and a display.

  The biggest screen in the middle displayed a focused image of the terrace balcony, where a shadow steadily approached, gradually causing the doors to take shape.

  The sight of an AI (Vega) acting like a crazy fan left Manya in surprise.

  Despite the shadow still being in darkness, her heart felt warmth.

  The doors on the terrace slowly took on the appearance of a gleaming throne, whiter than ice. And sunlight highlighting its grace.

  The figure that had lifted everyone’s spirits emerged from the shadows. Joy spread across every face and making even the brightest light blush in response to his vibrant energy.

  Wearing a red turban. Square sunglasses. He stood there, his entire body covered in an otherworldly garment, resembling an overshirt with long sleeves. The garment was open from the middle, exposing his impressive but hairy abs. The garment had a white colour, with intricate gold designs highlighting its features.

  Manya startled. “That idiot’s a king?” With a wide smile, her heart skipped a beat.