Chapter 118: To Buddhas Temple (1/2)

After they escaped from the venue and large crowd, Hermes and Alex crossed paths with the Boddhisatva, Padmapani.

When the monk saw Alex, he lightly bowed.

”Oh, hello,” Alex greeted the monk.

”Sir Alex, have you made a verdict on the matter I have discussed with you?” Padmapani politely asked him.

'What matter? Ah, the meeting with Buddha...'

Truthfully, Alex did not wish to meet him before, but he had a change of heart.

The Buddha promised to mediate conflicts between the gods, yet he didn't intervene when Indra attacked them and heavily harmed Hermes.

'I need to confront him about it...'

”Bodhisattva Padmapani, I have decided to accept your invite,” Alex nodded.

The monk happily cocked his head, and informed them, ”I will be departing tomorrow, would that align with your schedules, sirs?”

”Hermes, we don't have anything left to do here, do we?” Alex turned sideways at Hermes.

Hermes shook his head.

”Then it's decided, let's depart tomorrow,”

_________________________

After they made their decision, they parted ways, and Alex and Hermes waited for the ceremony to end.

Fortunately, it didn't take too long, and a large chariot soon entered the estate.

When it reached the gates of the Imperial Palace, the doors of the chariot opened and a crown-wearing young man exited in slow steps.

It was Aadityapal, the Emperor of the Maurya Empire.

'I wonder where Master and Sir Hermes are...?' Aadityapal recalled how the two escaped the square, and couldn't help but laugh.

Guards followed him into the palace and led him to mysterious chambers that he hadn't entered before.

The living facilities of the previous Emperor, Ashoka.

They were very satisfactory, and Aadityapal felt fulfilled as he laid down on the bed that now symbolized that he reached his life-long goal.

'Oh yes, before I forget...' Aadityapal called two advisors to the chambers.

The two managed matters of state religion and architecture respectively.

”Would it be possible to build temples for Master Alex?” Aadityapal demanded.

Alex often interacted with Ashoka, so the advisors were familiar with him.

One of the advisors replied, ”I believe it would certainly be in the realm of possibility.”

The other advisor also agreed.

Aadityapal then nodded and exclaimed, ”Well then, have the best craftspeople of the Empire build a million temples for Master Alex!”

The advisors were stricken-aback since they didn't expect 'a million' temples.

Meanwhile, Alex sneezed.

'Strange? I can't fall sick, can I?'

The rest of the day was mundane, but to celebrate the coronation, Aadityapal hosted a large banquet.

Most of the guests were Brahmins, and most of them had unpleasant expressions since they all wished for their own children to succeed the throne.

However, there was one woman who had an extremely joyful face.

She was middle-aged, and when Aadityapal saw her, he bowed lightly, ”Mother, welcome!”

The woman didn't bother with formalities and instantly hugged the emperor.

Aadityapal was bewildered, and she whispered, ”Congratulations, son!”