On the other hand, inside the grand hall where the meeting of the royal officials was taking place, the atmosphere was tense. Duke Raden Mas Wiratma, Rara's father, sat in the front row, paying close attention to the conversations among the high-ranking officials. The king sat on his throne, while the royal judges began discussions on major issues concerning the government and welfare of the kingdom.
After several officials had finished reporting on the state of the economy and the tribute received from the regions, a royal judge stood up, his face serious. The atmosphere suddenly turned quieter, as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for what was about to be said.
"The royal judicial council has received a serious report regarding the embezzlement of tribute that has occurred over the past three years," the judge said in a stern tone.
"The case involves a number of former high-ranking officials as well as some honorable members of the kingdom."
Everyone in the room gasped. Their faces contorted with tension. Some began to whisper quietly, trying to make sense of the situation that was beginning to heat up. With the new King placing the report back on his throne table staring intently at the whispering council.
The judge continued, unrolling the large document he was holding.
"During our investigation, it was revealed that one of the former officials involved was Tuan Mahendra, who previously held an important position in the palace. However, more surprisingly, there are other names involved, including Duke Raden Mas Wiratma and his younger brother, as well as former prince Arya Wiradarma."
The atmosphere of the hall immediately turned chaotic. The officials began talking to each other in loud voices, unable to believe that big names like Adipati Wiratma and Prince Arya were being implicated in a scandal of this magnitude.
Raden Mas Wiratma was shocked, his blood rushing.
"This can't be!" he whispered, his face turning pale. He immediately rose from his seat, trying to control himself in the midst of the chaos.
The king, sitting on his throne, raised his hand in a calm yet dignified manner, signaling everyone to calm down. After the atmosphere began to subside, Raden Mas Wiratma came forward, standing before the King.
With a trembling voice, he pleaded, "Your Majesty, I ask for justice. I swear, I have never been involved in the embezzlement of this tribute. My name and my family have been defamed. I am ready to provide explanations and evidence that this accusation is not true."
The king looked at him sharply, his eyes calculating. "Duke, this case is very serious. Your name and that of your family have been mentioned in the investigation. However, I will listen to your explanation. If you are innocent, then the truth will be revealed."
The judge continued, "We will call witnesses and the evidence will be presented in the next Judicial Council hearing. Until then, Duke, you and your extended family are expected to remain in your residence and not travel out of the royal capital."
Raden Mas Wiratma felt his chest tighten. This accusation was not only a threat to his position, but also to his family. His thoughts drifted to Rara, his daughter, and how their future could be ruined by this accusation.
"Your Majesty," the Duke continued in a firmer voice, "I beg to be given the opportunity to prove the truth. I will not run away or hide. I am ready to face anything for the sake of justice."
The king nodded slowly. "We will wait for the evidence you will bring. However, remember, justice cannot be bent. If found guilty, severe punishment will await."
Raden Mas Wiratma withdrew with a heavy heart. When he returned to his seat, his gaze was blank, trying to understand how he and his family had gotten themselves into this situation.
--
The night was drawing in, and the duke's divisional prosecutor's office still seemed alive with lanterns hanging, casting a dim light inside and outside the building. Raden Mas Wiratma and his younger brother, Indra Wiratma, were busy organizing a pile of files that seemed to be getting heavier under the pressure of their family's troubles. Both worked silently, deep in thought, while the sound of the night wind blowing through the cracks in the building seemed to carry an aura of anxiety. Indra Wiratma, feeling the atmosphere growing tense, finally broke the silence.
"Duke," he said, straightening the file in front of him, "are we forgetting something? Isn't Nyai having a banquet tonight?" His voice sounded hesitant, with a look of confusion on his face.
Raden Mas Wiratma did not answer immediately. His eyes were still fixed on the pile of files he was facing, his brow deeply furrowed, as if he was searching for a loophole, looking for a mistake that might have been missed in the management of the royal administration. Thoughts of the looming embezzlement charges continued to haunt his mind. Even though his body was in the room, his mind drifted far away, thinking of the threats facing his family.
Indra Wiratma looked at his brother who seemed lost in thought. "Duke...?" he said again, more quietly this time. However, he understood from his brother's gesture that at this time Raden Mas Wiratma did not want to be distracted from the big problem they were facing.
Taking a deep breath, Indra nodded in understanding and went back to helping clear the files without saying much. The two now worked in silence again, with the burden growing heavier with each passing second.
---
Elsewhere, in a remote doctor's clinic on the edge of town, a man lay in a seemingly calm position. However, in his mind, a gripping scene kept repeating itself, like a never-ending nightmare. The smell of incense burning in the room enveloped the atmosphere, adding to the eerie silence.
The man, in his deep sleep, suddenly returned to the memory of his past, an incident that almost took his life. In a vague image, he saw himself surrounded by more than ten martial arts men, all armed with daggers. The onslaught overwhelmed him, though he tried to fight back with all his might. While dueling with the two men in front of him, an arrow suddenly shot out quickly from the west, striking his arm bone.
He was startled and staggered back, the piercing pain from the arrow causing him to lose his balance. The martial arts men surrounding him also seemed surprised by the unexpected arrow strike. They looked at each other, anxious, when suddenly dozens more arrows rained down on them, putting them on the spot.
In the confusion, the man seized the moment to escape. Despite his wounded body, he ran as fast as he could towards a nearby plantation. The sound of arrows and shouts continued to be heard behind him, but he was only focused on surviving.
BRAKK!
Before the images could continue, the man woke up with his eyes bulging, his breathing ragged, and his body covered in cold sweat. The man looked around in confusion. The room was small, simple, with the smell of incense still thick in the air. His injured hand was in pain as the man tried to get up from the bed.
As his gaze fell on his bandaged arm, the pain returned. He groaned softly, trying to endure the radiating pain. His consciousness returned fully, and he realized that he was not on the battlefield anymore, but in a strange place.
"Where am I?" he whispered softly, trying to remember how he got here. His face was still covered in confusion, but he knew that his life was still in danger, and time was not on his side.
--
The man, still panting and covered in cold sweat, stared around in confusion. Without thinking, his instinct for survival drove him to look for something that could be used as a weapon or tool to get out of this situation. Near the bed, his eyes caught a slender tube-shaped object lying on the table. He grabbed it quickly and grasped it tightly, as if it was his last hope.
Ignoring the pain in his arm that was still throbbing, he got up slowly. His legs were trembling slightly, but he forced herself to stay upright. His steps were slow but steady, eyes darting towards a door in the corner of the room. He walked towards the door carefully, his body still felt weak but his determination was strong.When the door opened, the cold night air immediately greeted him. The piercing wind made his goosebumps bristle, but this man endured it, only gritting his teeth and taking a deep breath. With slow steps, he exited the healer's clinic. His gaze went to the dark sky, devoid of moon and stars.
Outside, only the sound of the wind could be heard amidst the silence of the night. The man, with his hands still tightly grasping the slender tube, raised it high into the sky. His trembling fingers reached the small rope hanging below the tube. Without hesitation, he pulled hard on the rope.
"Wuinggg!!!"
There was a whoosh, followed by a flash of light that suddenly illuminated the night sky. A small explosion occurred in the air, "Duarr!!!" The beacon exploded, breaking the silence of the night with a shimmering light, signaling that the signal had been successfully transmitted. The man stood still, staring at the sky with an expectant and wary gaze, as if waiting for a reaction from afar. After a few seconds, the man lowered his hand slowly, his breathing still labored, but now enveloped in a sense of relief albeit brief. The sound of the small explosion would probably attract the attention of the people he needed, or at least let them know that he was still alive. Even though his body was injured, he knew that signal was his hope for survival.
However, in the distance, the sound of footsteps could be heard, approaching. The man was immediately alert, bracing himself for whatever came next. The signal he sent out was not only a sign for friends, but it could also attract enemies.
The man heard an anxious voice from the direction of the door. An old doctor, his face full of worry, stood in the doorway, "Sir? Are you awake? Don't open the wound again, hurry back inside and rest," the physician said in a worried, but also slightly confused voice. Nevertheless, he seemed relieved, as if he understood that this man was not a random person.
The man did not answer. Instead, he pulled something from his waist. It was a gold plate with a prominent tiger emblem and an inscription on it. Calmly, he held out the plate to the healer.
"Ohhh my goodness, sir... sir! Please forgive my impudence. It is my great fortune to be able to serve and care for you. I will only accept your orders while in this small clinic of mine," the physician said hurriedly, with a voice full of respect.
The man shot the physician a stern glance. "I must leave immediately. Tell me how I came to be here?"
The healer shook his head, still looking nervous. "Master, I'm just an old healer. Unintentionally, a woman and her servant came in a hurry that night. They brought a severely injured master. I didn't know who they were, as their carriage didn't have a residence flag that I recognized. The servants only called the woman 'Rara' ."
The man paused, pondering for a moment at the name. However, before the healer could continue, there was the faint sound of dozens of large horse hooves approaching the clinic. The healer was startled and looked out, his eyes widening.
The man immediately responded, "I must leave immediately. Prepare my clothes," he ordered as he handed the healer a silver piece.
The physician immediately bowed respectfully, hurrying inside to carry out his orders. Outside, dozens of horses stopped right in front of the clinic's gate. A man dismounted from his horse and immediately rushed towards the man still standing at the door. He greeted him respectfully with great politeness.
"Sir, we finally found you. Please forgive our negligence," the soldier said.
The man gave him a sharp look.
"Go back, and strike 20 hands," he ordered sternly.
"Yes, sir!" the soldier replied without hesitation. He turned around and returned to the group, giving orders to the other soldiers. Soon after, they left the clinic.
After things began to calm down again, from inside the clinic came the voice of a young man asking the physician, "Father, what's wrong? Why are there suddenly dozens of soldiers in our residence?"
The physician, who was still a little surprised, turned to his son with a small smile, trying to calm him down, "It's alright, son. Father was surprised too. An important noble of this country seeking treatment here is a blessing... by Minister of Defense and Justice Swarya Mahendra Rakrya Tumenggung."
---
As soon as the scroll was read, the atmosphere became even more chaotic. Some of the servants immediately got up and started running into the house to retrieve any salvageable possessions. Looking panicked and confused, they packed up their valuables in a hurry. The sound of crying and wailing filled the air, while royal soldiers stood alert all around, maintaining order.
Rara, who was still sitting on the ground, stared blankly at her surroundings. Her mind was spinning, trying to understand what to do next. Yuyun, who was sitting next to her, grasped her hand tightly. "What will happen to us, Miss?" whispered Yuyun in a trembling voice.
"I don't know, Yuyun... but we have to stay calm and think clearly," Rara replied quietly, though her own heart was full of anxiety.
On the other side, Pak Tirta stared intently at the soldiers on guard. His eyes swept over their every move, calculating what might happen. He knew that this situation wouldn't end well if they didn't take appropriate action. However, before he had time to think further, a soldier approached and blocked the male servants who were trying to escape.
Quickly, the servants were captured and brought to the front of the courtyard. "Don't let them run!" a soldier shouted sternly. Some of the maidservants who followed their mistress began to get scared, but stayed close to their master, while others quietly left the stable.
Rara saw all this with mixed feelings. On the one hand, she felt her family was being framed, on the other, she knew that this could be the end of the duke's family honor. She had to act quickly.
Rara immediately got up with alert eyes, scanning her surroundings. In the chaos, her eyes fell on a building in the corner of the courtyard that looked deserted and untouched by soldiers. It was their family's small library, a place filled with memories and knowledge passed down through the generations. Rara knew that although physical possessions were being confiscated, there was something more valuable there-knowledge.
Without thinking, Rara ran towards the library. Yuyun who saw her hurried to follow. Once inside, they were greeted by the smell of old wood and the dust of old books neatly arranged on wooden shelves. This room was not as crowded as the rest of the house, but there was something very precious in it. Rara remembered her grandfather's words, "Treasure is not just gold or jewelry, knowledge is the most expensive treasure."
Quickly, Rara began scanning the bookshelves, looking for important scrolls and books passed down from her family. Without hesitation, she picked up some of the books she thought were the most valuable and piled them on the table. Yuyun, a loyal helper, immediately picked up a medium-sized box and began stuffing Rara's chosen books and scrolls into it.
"Yuyun, get the books from my room. The ones I usually read, as well as the ones I just picked up yesterday," Rara said in an urgent tone.
"Yes, Miss. Just a moment," Yuyun replied, immediately running out of the library to carry out Rara's orders.
While waiting, Rara opened some old scrolls stored in the library drawer. She read quickly, making sure that she didn't leave anything that could jeopardize her family if discovered by the royal soldiers.
Rara spotted an unfamiliar-looking scroll, tucked away among other, older scrolls. However, the paper and red seal on the scroll looked very familiar. It was the seal of her grandfather, a man who was always full of wisdom and mystery. Without hesitation, she picked up the scroll, opening it carefully. As the scroll opened, his eyes were immediately drawn to the series of words arranged in the form of a poem:
"A group of flowers in the garden of a residence, and some bees guarding it.On a day when it can't be like any other day, the mind and heart are united, guarding everything and keeping away from what is not right. Those from outside the garden are constantly watching and eyeing. But the sun, moon, and deities in heaven know the truth of a wise and clean garden. Keep a clean heart and trust that all will pass as the wind brings food to the bees."
Rara paused for a moment, pondering the meaning behind the poem. She was sure these were not just beautiful words, but a hidden message from her grandfather that might help her family today.
"But the sun, moon, and gods and goddesses in heaven know the truth of a wise and clean garden," she whispered. Truth, honesty, and wisdom-that was the essence of everything her grandfather taught her. Perhaps this poem was an instruction to remain steadfast and not be tempted by the chaos that was engulfing her family.
But Rara felt there was more than just moral advice here. "The wind brings food to the bees," she said softly. Did this mean time would reveal everything? Or was there some action she should take immediately?
Curiosity got the better of her. Her grandfather could not have written this without a very important reason.
The situation outside the residence was getting more and more chaotic. Screams and clashing sounds could be heard from all directions, indicating that the commotion had spread to every corner. The royal soldiers rushed back and forth, busy carrying out orders to arrest the servants who tried to escape.
A person came with firm steps into the residence, his gaze straight and stern, several soldiers and the royal council saluted the person, his face was not visible, a black mask with a tiger pattern covered half of his face,
"lord some of the male servants have managed to escape, but what about the elderly servants?"
"arrest them immediately, and let the older servants go. "
"Arrest them immediately, and let the old ones follow Nyai"
"Yes sir"
"Which part hasn't been checked yet" he asked the aide
"There is one room there, because it only contains a pile of papers sir" without thinking the man immediately walked there followed by several soldiers
Rara was still silent in the room, her heart beating fast. The scroll in her hand was not yet fully understood, but she knew very well it could be the key to saving her family. But before she could hide the scroll, a tall, strapping shadow appeared behind her.
It was a man with a black tiger-print mask partially covering his face. His gaze was cold and stern, sending a wave of fear that instantly enveloped Rara. Her body froze, getting goosebumps instantly.
"Miss..." Yuyun's trembling voice came from behind, as the loyal servant had just entered the room. She too was shocked, seeing the masked figure.
"Miss didn't do anything... she was just trying to save these books," Yuyun added in a trembling voice.
But the masked man didn't seem to care about Yuyun's explanation.
"Give it to me," he said coldly, referring to the scroll in Rara's hand. His gaze didn't budge, making Yuyun panic even more.
Rara tried to remain calm. She knew fighting or arguing would only make things worse. Reluctantly, she handed over the scroll, hoping she could at least get a chance to reclaim it later.
An aide approached and roughly snatched the scroll from Rara's hand.
"Take it to the carriage," the masked man ordered expressionlessly. After giving the order, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Rara and Yuyun still shaken.
"Miss... Miss Rara, what should we do?" asked Yuyun, almost desperate.
Rara, although still in shock, knew she couldn't just give up. Yuyun's words caught a glimpse of the man, and made him startle as he turned his head slightly from a distance, and walked back outside.