After a while later, a teenage boy with a yellow complexion, brown eyes, and black hairs appeared alongside with the servant. The boy had freckles over his face and had slight baby fat over his big round face.
"Did you call for me father?" the boy had a questioning look on his face.
The fat landlord looked at his soon and nodded before pointing towards Rudra. "Yes, you would be taking over the supervision of cattle in animal husbandry. All servants there will report to you about the trivial matters. If there is something you can't figure out, just look for me."
Then he looked over to Rudra then said to him, "Boy! From today onwards you will be taking all the cattle for grazing on the small hill nearby. Then you will herd all the goats and sheep, clean their coats and rear them. Is that clear? Oh! What was your name again?"
"Yes my lord. I understand and my name is Rudra." Rudra replied and bowed.
"Good! From now onwards you will report to the Marichi about everything." the fat landlord nodded and pointed at his son. "Someone will count the number of cattle and sheep daily; if anything is found missing then you would be responsible for the loss. Now go to the husbandry, someone will teach you what to do next." The fat landlord waved his hand and dismissed the people present there. Only he and his eldest son Marichi were left in the hall.
"Father! Why you bothered me with such a small task to look after a small runt? What value does that mere peasant have for you to trouble me?" Marichi angrily asked the fat landlord.
"Calm down! My dear son. You may never know when they would be of worth to you. We are Vaishyas, the varna of merchants; what others may think as a trash can be gold in our eyes. It is just the perspective with which you look at the things." The fat landlord merrily patted the shoulder of his son and calmed him down.
"Also don't forget it was the same peasant whom you just scorned that saved your life twelve years ago. It was twelve years ago when it was our household's turn to prepare the offering for the Rakshasa. The village prepared all the necessary food and what was just left was a human offering which was supposed to be prepared by our household. We could have sent any of our loyal servants to the Rakshasa as food. But what that darn Rakshasa liked is the tender meat of young children aged under ten. We were caught in a dilemma because the only young child to offer was you, my dear son." The fat landlord reminisced about the event twelve years ago.
"So, it was at that moment I remembered the peasant who just left 'Adhiraman' had a son nearing the age of ten years. That little runt worked in our fields and was particularly very hard-working. But we needed to save you my child, so I called his father and made a deal with him to deduce half of their loan in exchange for replacing our household for the human offering for theirs'. The father was hesitant to part with his son. But the son upon hearing the term happily agreed. Thus, we were able to save you from the clutches of that Rakshasa." The fat landlord looked at his son gently and stroked his hair.
"Do you know how much my heart bleeds on just hearing the thought of you parting with me." The fat landlord embraced his son in his arms and hugged him tightly.
"Father! Then what about the debt, did you deduce it by half" chimed Marichi who was still hugged tightly in his father's embrace.
Releasing the hug, the fat landlord chuckled slightly and said in a shrewd voice with a gleam in his eyes, "Haha! What debt! There was no debt, to begin with. Haha!"
"Then what about the debt you mentioned just a moment ago," asked Marichi confusingly.
"Oh! That! It was a lie fabricated by your great grandfather to control these puny peasants to work for us without any wages. It was many decades ago when the grandfather of that peasant took a loan of one bronze mudra from your great-grandfather. Shortly, after repayment of the bronze mudra that peasant died leaving behind his idiot of a son. So, at that time your grandfather just took hold of this opportunity and prepared a fake IOU and presented it to the father of the peasant demanding the repayment of now exaggerated one gold mudra. These Sudras being illiterate to their core thought it was the truth and dedicated their blood and sweat to earning more money for us. Haha! How hilarious it is."
"Your grandfather told me about this when I first took over the business and was your age. Now I am telling you about it and I hope you do a good job of maintaining our family business."
"Yes, father! I will take care of our family business properly and it will only prosper under my care" replied Marichi with his fist clenched and a face brimming with confidence.
"Good! Good! Your younger brother just turned nine. He will soon start his basic education under Guru Bharstacharya in the 'Path Shala'. He is a very intelligent boy, I hope after completing his education he would be able to move to the capital earn the rank of an official, and further raise our standing in society from a remote village to the vast flourishing capital. I am looking forward to the day when we would have a big manor in the Capital Hastinapur and live their carefree without the fear of any Rakshasa." The fat landlord sighed and came out of his daydreaming and waved his hand at his son,
"Go! And oversee the workers. Those damn lazy fellows relaxing the moment you shift your gaze elsewhere."
As the father and son duo were about to leave the hall; an anxious servant came huffing and puffing and stood silently in front of the fat landlord while catching his breath. Upon seeing the still huffing servant the fat landlord frowned and barked in a hoarse voice,
"What's the Matter? What are you so anxious about? Spit it out, don't waste my breath and time on the likes of you."
The servant trembled with fear and replied hurriedly, "My lord! It is the Village Head. He is….. he is….."
"Just speak up why village head is here? Don't dilly-dally around wasting my time. On second thought, you go and attend to the needs of the Village head I will be there shortly" the fat landlord dismissed the servant.
"Son! Come with me in the future you will deal with several officials, today will be your first time. Watch me how to do it, to earn the good grace of officials, and get yourself their favorable impression." The fat landlord advised his son.
"Yes, father! I will keep it in mind" replied Marichi.
The father and son duo entered the guest room where a middle-aged man with a faint gray hairline was sitting on one of the seats majestically exuding the air of a higher rank official. The brows of the fat landlord twitched, this village head of their always liked to put on airs. Still, he respectfully greeted and boot-licked the Village head, "Pranaam, Sarpanch! What good deeds we have done for the respected Sarpanch of the village to grace us poor merchants with your auspicious presence."
The Sarpanch nodded his head faintly upon seeing the respect brimming from the eyes of the merchant before him and smiled slightly upon hearing the praise from the words of this fat merchant. He then waved dismissably and said,
"This time I am here regarding a serious matter. So, listen well."
A frown emerged on the brows of the fat landlord and he thought, 'This Village head discussing the serious matter is a big problem.' So, he cupped his hands and bowed slightly,
"What serious matter could make the great Sarpanch to personally pay a visit to this lowly one."
The village head took a deep breath and then spoke to the fat landlord, "It is regarding the matter of the human offering this time. The appetite of that Rakshasa is ever increasing as you know. We have to prepare all the necessary offerings a month before the awakening of that foul Rakshasa, to appease its hunger and curb its' anger or lest it may fate the doom of entirety of our village."
"I know about the details Lord Sarpanch, but what matter is so pressing on! I am rather unclear about your intention of bringing this matter to me. If it is about the ration I will have my share prepared right away" replied the fat landlord with worry and fear apparent in his voice.
"No! there is no need for you to prepare the ration this time....." the Village head paused for a moment and looked at the fat merchant then spoke in a low voice,
"because you will be preparing the human offering this time."