26th September 1657


    Akhand Bharatiya Empire


    Meera Nayar, Kabir Mehta, and Aarav Sharma had transitioned to their new roles as editor-in-chief, deputy managing editor, and managing journalist at unimaginable speeds.


    It hadn’t even been a week since they were formally employed by the Raya Media Corporation, and they had already utilized their connections within the Bharatiya Internal Pragya to start recruiting journalists from the lower-level agents.


    Meera, Kabir, and Aarav being the top agents within the Bharatiya Internal Pragya, knew that the best candidates for journalists within the Empire could be found inside the intelligence department where they previously worked.


    Their close rtionship with director Selvan meant that the hindrances anyone else would face when recruiting from one of the three intelligence departments of the empire were not applicable to them.


    Within a few days, all the lower-level intelligence agents of Bharatiya Internal Pragya received offers to change their jobs from intelligence agents to journalists for the Raya Media Corporation. The offer immediately received widespread attention from the intelligence agents, as not everyone wanted to remain unknown and work in the shadows all the time.


    However, people were disappointed to find out that the requirements also included high literacy, excellent social skills, and a presentable appearance. The majority of the agents who did not meet all three requirements were immediately disqualified without even going for an interview.


    Currently, Meera is personally holding the interviews for the 422 applicants who have passed the first hurdle in the change of their careers.


    While the interviews were going on in the capital, Kabir Mehta travelled to the Kaveri River Bank Industrial Zone to coordinate with the Raya Printing Company about the printing of the newspapers.


    Kabir Mehta had to sit down with the director of Raya Printing Company to negotiate a long-term cooperation deal with the Raya News Corporation. Due to aw passed by His Majesty Vijay Devaraya, a publishingpany cannot control the entire industrial chain. For that reason, Vijay separated the Raya Printers from the Raya Media Corporation.


    For this reason, theoretically, bothpanies are different entities, and cooperation between them could only be discussed as separate entities. Each director is responsible for their specificpany and not the other, even if the otherpany has the same owner.


    Fortunately, to coordinate between everyone, Bhaskar Acharya, the General manager of all royal family assets, joined the negotiation between Kabir Mehta and Virat Sharma.


    At the end of the discussion, after considering the interests of all parties, a deal was reached between Raya Media Corporation and Raya Printers.


    Contract Agreement


    Parties Involved:


    Raya Media Corporation (hereinafter referred to as "RMC")


    Raya Printers (hereinafter referred to as "RP")


    Date: [26th September 1657]


    Terms and Conditions:


    Scope of Agreement:


    RP agrees to be responsible for printing all newspapers of RMC for a period of five (5) years from the date of this agreement. RP shall ensure there are no dys in printing.


    Emergency Scaling:


    RPmits to scaling up the printing quantity of RMC newspapers by up to two (2) times in cases of emergency, as requested by RMC.


    Profit Sharing:


    In consideration of its services, RP will receive ten Percent (10%) of all profits generated from the sale of RMC newspapers in the market, specifically those of the "Bharatiya Daily."


    Duration:


    This agreement will remain in effect for a term of five (5) years from the date of signing.


    Governing Law:


    This contract shall be governed by and construed in ordance with thews of the Akhand Bharatiya Empire, by the witness of Bhaskaracharya, General Manager of Raya Family Assets, and by the witness of Almighty Rama.


    ---


    While his media group is getting ready for the first-ever newspaper rollout, Vijay has set off to travel around the northern part of the empire, not only to inspect the progress made since the Mughal Empire was destroyed but also to see if there are any economic projects that could be implemented at the state level to further boost the state’s economy.


    Vijay currently has a n focused on creating an economic growth model for each state based on its specialities. This n has not yet been implemented because hecks knowledge about the northern states’ specialities and local conditions.


    He currently only has ideas for the southern states and their potential economic growth models.


    For example, in Cheranadu (Ker), an industrial chain focused onrge-scale coconut production and the development of its byproducts, such as soaps, oils, foods, beverages, wood, and more, could drive the main economic growth of the state.


    For Chpuri (Tamil Nadu), Vijay has considered making its economic model focused around tea production due to its excellent geographic conditions. Although he does not yet have the tea seeds, it is not a major issue, as the Bharathiya Empire now controls the Philippine archipgo, which is practically a neighbour of China.


    For Vijayanagar State (Karnataka), Vijay considered basing the economic model around coffee and silk.


    For Kakatiya Puri (Andhra Pradesh and Tngana), Vijay had no difficulty finding an economic growth model. The state of Kakatiya Puri has the potential for the strongest and most sessful economic growth model within the South, as it is famous for its red sandalwood, found in a quality unmatched anywhere else in the world.


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    Vijay could think of countless products that could be made from red sandalwood as a raw material, with antiques, furniture, medicines, incense, and perfumes being only some of them.


    For Anuradha Puri (Sri Lanka), Vijay has decided to focus its economic growth model on Silica processing and the development of marine resources. Anuradha Puri is the farthest and southernmost part of the Indian subcontinent, making it the closest to the core region of the Indian Ocean and the most advantageous ce to develop marine resources.


    For Satavahana, (Maharashtra) Vijay again had no difficulty in determining its economic growth model. Given Satavahana’s climate, soil, and geography, Vijay would be unwise not to assign winemaking as Satavahana’s major economic model.


    Vijay, from his past life, knew that the wine made near the region of Nashik is among the best produced in India; this wine even obtained critical acim internationally.


    Although it could not match the wine of the Italians or the French, it definitely ranks very highly among Asian countries. Vijay is eager to have the nation’s winemakers umte experience in winemaking and stand out as one of the toppetitors to the Italians and the French.


    Vijay is even more confident in making this happen due to his advanced knowledge, which would allow him to develop advanced wines that have not yet been invented.


    For Gangapuri (Odisha), Vijay, without any hesitation, decided to develop the iron ore industry and its corresponding industrial chains. In the India of his past life, the state of Odisha upied 28% of India’s iron ore, 24% of India’s coal, 59% of India’s bauxite, and a staggering 98% of India’s chromite deposits.


    Vijay could make Gangapuri the biggest iron producer on the Asian continent, providing the empire with the much-needed iron and steel during industrialization.


    As for Kchuri Nagar,(Chhattisgarh) Vijay once again decided on developing iron ore as its main economic growth model. Although Kchuri Nagar does not have as many resources as Odisha, it is still the second state in terms of iron ore resources. In his past life, Chhattisgarh upied 22% of India’s iron ore reserves.


    Since the states of Gangapuri and Kchuri Nagar are closely neighbouring small states, Vijay decided tobine the economic growth models for these two states and merge them into one.


    ---


    Kavya had a sad look on her face when she was sending off Vijay at the Shaurya Royal Pce. Agni was unaware of what was happening when his mother brought him to meet Appa. However, sensing his mother’s sadness, Agni couldn’t help but start to cry.


    Seeing the mother and son like this, Vijay didn’t know whether tough or cry. "Why are you two making such sad faces? I’m only going to my territory. Why act as if I’m going to war?" Vijay had a wry smile on his face.


    Kavya’s emotions did not calm down as Vijay had expected; instead, they tended to re up, and it was as if mother and son were synchronized, both crying out loud.


    Vijay had no choice but to coax the mother and child for a few more moments before he eventually set off to the North along with his royal guards.


    ---


    The arrival of His Majesty to the North was suddenlymunicated to the various major cities in the northern part of the empire. The management of the North is currently organized so that thergest city is taken as the capital, and decisions for the rest of the regions in this state are made by this capital alone.


    This governing model is highly inefficient and dangerous, but since these cities do not have military forces and their internal security is controlled by the police under the Imperial Committee, the risk of a Separatist movement seeding is minimized.


    Vijay had just crossed the border of Nagpur, which used to be the main defensive frontier against the Mughal Empire when it existed. Currently, it serves as an imaginary border to distinguish the northern part of the empire from the southern part.


    Vijay was travelling into the state of Madhya Pradesh to the upied city of Jabalpur. He was travelling in a carriage made by his ownpany, Raya Mobility. Due to Jabalpur being included in the major backbone roadwork of the National Highway Authority of Bharat, the roadid down was very smooth andfortable.


    The carriage was 50 kilometres away from Jabalpur and had stopped for an afternoon meal at a small vige. The vigers, recognizing the crest of the royal family on the carriage, came to greet Vijay. Vijay warmly greeted them and asked about their living conditions.


    This continued for a few minutes, but then he was called to have lunch. Vijay bid the vigers farewell and went to eat.


    Just as he was washing his hands with the basin provided to him, a feeling of impending death suddenly rose in his heart. Vijay was rmed, as he had not felt this sensation since the war with the Mughal Empire. However, being an experienced warrior, he acted quickly.


    He turned his head to the side, and just then, a dagger cut through the air andnded where his head had been moments before. Vijay saw that the perpetrator was a kid around 16 years old. The boy’s face was stunned as if he did not expect Vijay to dodge.


    Taking the opportunity of the distraction, Vijay immediately lunged forward and rolled towards the young man’s back. Before the kid could react, Vijay ced him in a chokehold and violently twisted his neck.


    *Crack!*


    A crisp cracking of the spine was heard as the boy fell to the ground without making a sound. Vijay looked around with vignce, worried if the kid had aplices. Fortunately, he neither saw any enemies nor did his senses warn him of anything.


    Vijay washed his hands once again and left the area.


    "There is a dead body of the assassin over there. Go and take care of it."


    The Royal Guards felt a chill run down their spines as they could not imagine how an assassin was able to get close to His Majesty while bypassing them. They felt extremely ashamed and immediately went over to the vige to inquire after collecting the dead body.


    Vijay finished his lunch, and by the time he was done, the Royal Guards were waiting for him outside. "Did you find out anything?"


    The Royal Guard nodded. "The assassin was named Balshankar. Apparently, his rumoured father was a local noble here called Saif Ali Khan. When Saif Ali Khan was killed in battle, only Balshankar was left. It was rumoured that Saif Ali Khan had an affair with multiple women and he had multiple children, so his suspected son was Initially spared in the cleanup believing the rumours to be fake.


    It now appears that the rumour was true, Your Majesty."


    Vijay was taken aback, as it was he who had ordered the military to spare family members after two generations and not to kill ording to rumours. It seems he had been too kind.


    A smile appeared on his face.


    "Interesting."