Even after losing to Betaal once, Vikram didn't stop trying and came back the next night again to take Betaal to tantrik.
It was a pure dark night and it was slightly raining. The sound of rumble is so loud that someone will think the sky becomes half. In the lightning different faces can be seen from different trees during the route. Raja Vikram was not fearful, he reached near the ancient tree and saw that a corpse really was hanging from the tree. He climbed the tree and put that corpse on his shoulder, then came down. While returning to that tantrik, en route when he walked 9 steps ( 27 square feet ), he was able to hear someone's loud laughter... "Hihihi Hihihi". Vikram asked loudly " Who is laughing ". The betaal inside that corpse said " Rajan !!! I'm a Betaal living inside this corpse from more than 800 years. I've seen many kings, people, changing of the throne and everything. I've just heard that there is a very virtuous and fearless king named Vikram ruling this kingdom now." Betaal continued " Now, I've even seen your charisma and your karma and I can understand why people like you. But even a knowledgeable king like you got trapped by that tantrik's mayajaal. That tantrik was a crooked one and he wanted to kill you to rule over the kingdom. The reason why he sent you to me so that I can kill you which will ultimately benefit him. Even if I failed and you succeeded in bringing me near him he had got enough tantra shakti to control me and use me against you. So it'll be better if you go back to your daily routine and don't be deceived by that trickster tantrik."
Vikram got very much confused about whom to trust and whom not to. Seeing Vikram confused about whom to trust Betaal sighed and continued "I've got enough power to kill you right now, But as you are a very virtuous person, I'll go on a condition to that tantrik with you. I'll tell you a story en route that I've seen in real life. And I've got a query I need an answer out of every story. I'll ask you the question. Upon knowing the answer you are bound to answer it. If you don't know the answer you can stay silent. But if you talk during our journey, I'll go back to my previous position in that tree. "
Raja Vikram knows that Betaal is very powerful. So he promised on the condition Betaal set. When he Took another 9 steps (27 square feet) Betaal spoke " Rajan !!! Hear this incident. "
[ Author Note : Upto this will always be there from the start of every story to the end of the novel ]
A long time ago, there was a king ruling the kingdom named "Sanchit". The king had the special hobby of going on a hunt within 5,6 days every time. Upon coming back from the hunt he used to change his attire and walked through the kingdom to inspect and know how people are doing or living in his rule. Sometimes he used to spend the night outside due to these reasons. Once when the king was walking in the night to check something some thugs surrounded him and tried to take away his money and threaten him with his life. A lumberjack was going that way when he saw all this. He helped the king from escaping that situation by fighting with those thugs with the help of his axe even though the king was an unknown person to him. After defeating those thugs with the help of lumberjack, the king came near that lumberjack and thanked him for saving his life.
Then after returning to his palace the king thought about the incident that happened to him the night before and decided to give prize to that lumberjack for saving his life. So he invited that lumberjack the next morning. But the lumberjack had no idea why the king's people were taking him to the palace. When he reached the palace, he was presented before the king. Seeing the astonishing face of lumberjack the king asked the lumberjack " Don't you know me. I'm the person whom you saved yesterday." The lumberjack became astonished and said "Oh. Ok. You are the guy who foolishly went out alone and met the thugs. You should know that one shouldn't go alone outside at night as it was dangerous." The court became silent, everyone was predicting that the lumberjack will be given a death sentence for his rude behaviour. But the king laughed hard and said " True, true sometimes the situation even makes a very powerful person to lose badly. But thanks to that situation you were able to help me. Not everybody is getting the chance to help the king." After saying this the king gifted 1000 gold coins to that lumberjack. That man who had a very poor background, who didn't see any gold coin in his life became surprised again. But he gladly accepted the gift and again said to the king "Listen , yesterday I was going through that root and I saw you by luck. But I'll not be there every time you face a danger. So be aware of your situation more and be vigilant and don't foolishly go out alone at night." Everyone became silent again. But the king again laughed hard saying "Wise words, wise words... thank you for your suggestions. I'll gladly work on it."
The court members and every minister of the king were surprised at the fact that the king didn't do anything to that lumberjack. Between them one famous scholar named "Akhay" was also seeing this. Akhay was very proud of his talent and seeing the incident he thought "The king mustn't know what dignity means. My knowledge is wasted on this foolish king. I should behave with the king like the lumberjack had behaved always." After some days passed, one day the king was discussing something with the scholars. He didn't understand one point of "Akhay" so he asked him to explain. Akhay proudly replied "Only a fool will ask such a type of question. How come you become such a fool king ? " The king and everyone became silent again. This time the king ordered his men to throw the scholar out of the palace court and banned him upon entering his kingdom again.
Betaal ended his story within 63 steps (189 square feet) .
He said to Vikram " O Rajan !!! Now answer my query !!! The king had behaved in a different manner with two people who showed the same behaviour. Why is there a difference between his behaviours towards two same attitude. I've got the general idea of his behavioural difference, but still I wanted to ask this. What is the reason for his different behaviour. Answer my query if you know it. Even after knowing if you don't answer, I'll break your neck and kill you here."
Vikram answered " The king was saved thanks to that lumberjack. One who saves your life should be respected in the same manner like you are respecting your father. So firstly the king owed his thanks to that lumberjack. Then lumberjack has the right to say things like this to the king just because he was warning him of potential danger and also he doesn't know the etiquette of the palace. Behind lumberjack's advice there is a goodwill which the king understood. But this is not the same for the scholar Akhay. He knows the normal etiquette of the palace. Also as one of the working members of the palace, he should be grateful and respectful to his employer. Instead he chose to behave rudely only due to his ego. If the king had spared him from punishment even with this, his value and dignity would have gone down within all other royal court members. So this is why the king has two different reactions to the same behaviour from two people."
Upon hearing Rajan's answers Betaal laughed hard and spoke " Well done, king. I am amazed by your judgement and your thinking of the exact answer and now I can see why the people in your kingdom respect you for your behaviour. But you spoke in between our journey Which broke the promise I've set from the start. So according to the promise I'm going back to my previous position." "Hihihi hihihi !!!" laughter sound can be echoed from the jungle and Betaal returned back to the same tree branch he was hanging previously. All of this happened within 9 steps (27 square feet).
Only before 9 steps (27 square feet) the King Vikram failed in bringing the corpse like the tantrik said. He returned back to his kingdom learning the lesson by Betaal on the quality of a king and judgement. But he wasn't able to keep the promise of bringing the corpse. So he decided to come back tomorrow and bring the corpse back...