Ram saw that none of them had any further intention to ask or say anything, so he started to answer the second and third points.
"So you both have been to Wooden Village before and have never seen the management elder."
Ram asked and looked at both of them, who just nodded.
"As Hanu said, it could be because of crises that they appointed someone to manage the village. Do you agree with this? Prakhar"
"What Hanu said seems logical; they appointed someone to look after the village while they focused on how to resolve the crises."
Ram heard Prakhar, then looked towards both of them and politely smiled while replying.
"Actually, both of you are right and wrong at the same time."
"What do you mean?"
Ram stopped both of them from speaking with his hand gesture while continuing.
"It is right that you both had never seen the elder before in the village, and you are wrong that it was not because the elder was appointed in times of crisis but because he was not an elder."
"The person we were talking to was actually the village leader of the wooden village in disguise."
"WHAT!" Hanu said and immediately stood up, while Prakhar remained shocked for some time, then started thinking something and started nodding as if he understood something.
"Hanu, Please have your seat; I'll explain what I mean."
After a few seconds, which took Hanu and Prakhar to process this information, Ram continued.
"I know he is not any management elder but the village leader. This will be proved to you after I answer the third question of what he gave me."
Then he took something out of his spatial ring and kept it on the table.
While both Hanu and Prakhar shifted in their chairs towards the item and became visibly shocked.
"When did he give you this? I remember there was only normal trade; nothing else happened." Hanu asked, while Prakhar just kept his focus on the item and kept thinking about something.
"Hanu, do you remember me asking him after the trade if there was something he wanted my help with?"
"Yes, I do, but I also remember him saying no, and even without telling his name, he just shook your hand and left. Wait…"
"Was it given to you while shaking hands?" Hanu asked as if confirming his doubt with a visible shocked expression.
"Yes, and let me ask you, as the son of a village chief and future leader of the village 'One', who do you think has the most authority in any village?"
"It's obviously the village chief, but he can't take all the decisions himself; he also has to answer to the villagers and elders, so most major decisions are consulted together before execution." Hanu answered with confidence, but it could be seen that he had started figuring something out.
Ram, while seeing him, smiled in acknowledgment and thought, "At least he is not all muscles; he also has the capacity to think and use his brain."
"Major decisions are to be taken after consulting each other, unless there is some kind of dictatorship rule, Prakhar. Tell me, was the wooden village under some kind of dictatorship rule?"
"No, they have never had any kind of dictatorship."
Ram gestured his hand to stop Prakhar from speaking further, and continued
"Crises, as everyone knows, are a major problem, and any help asked for from outsiders has to be discussed, and the leader can't take it directly."
Hanu and Prakhar both nodded at this, while Ram concluded.
"Now this also answers the first point of the crises being originated from the village; if the crises were due to an external factor or situation, they could have at least tried to get help from us when we met them, so I can say with the guarantee that the origin of the crises is definitely linked with Wooden Village directly. They, maybe out of guilt or some other reason, are avoiding outside help in the belief that they can still solve it themselves and that no one else should ever know about the main reason for the crisis."
There was immediate silence for some time before Ram spoke.
"Now for the reason why the leader of the wooden village gave me this item in secrecy while being fully aware that I was with the members of Village One and there was an extreme high chance that I would not stick to my word and disclose the content of the item to Village One, still indirectly asked for help, is that he is for some reason binded in something, either by some pressure or some other reason that he can't ask for help, but he is also aware that without external help they will never be able to recover."
"I am thinking it's both the external pressure and being helpless. I can't prove this, but you can take my word for now, and when the crisis is resolved, this should be disclosed on its own," Ram said to the already silent and attentive partners.
"I hope I have answered all the doubts you have had till now." he said, while Hanu and Prakhar slowly nodded.
"But none of what you say proves that it was not the management elder but the village leader whom we met, but I have a feeling this will be answered when we use the item given to you." Prakhar said, while Ram only smiled and
Then he stood up and said, "Before we use the item given by the wooden village elder, let me drink some water; I have spoken so much and my throat is drying."
Ram then went towards the back of Prakhar, picked up a container, and started drinking water while thinking.
"Though I am sure he was the village leader as I had seen his information with Supreme Truth Eyes, I can't say this to them, and I only hope this item can help me in disclosing it; otherwise, I would have to use some other plan on the wooden village later, which I am sure no one would like." Ram then sighed, kept the water container, and was turning back when he saw something.
He went towards it, saw it with his true eyes, turned towards Prakhar, and said
"Brother, can you explain what this is?" "I hope you don't mind me calling you brother."
Prakhar turned and said, "Not at all; we are all like brothers here, so it's fine." Then he saw what Ram was holding, and he started sweating.