The victory against the cult left lingering complications. Ravi and his band of misfits were heroes, but also a glaring irregularity in an otherwise mostly-functional kingdom. The Queen, while relieved at the averted threat, had an increasingly exasperated glint in her eye when she summoned Ravi to her audience chamber."Absolute," she began, with a regal sigh, "you are an undoubtable...asset. But Eternal Moon, this organization of yours, has caused..." she searched for the right word, "disruptions."Ravi couldn't help but grin internally. Disruptions were his specialty. "Your Majesty, Eternal Moon, serves the kingdom!""By turning the Royal Archives upside down and searching for hidden demon portals?" The queen's voice rose slightly. "Or inciting a pastry-flinging riot amidst peace negotiations?"He winced. Those incidents had sounded far better in his head. "Unforeseen side effects in the pursuit of ultimate vigilance, your Majesty!"Her smile was thin. "The cult is neutralized for now. It's time for Eternal Moon to..." she hesitated, "become less disruptive."Ravi felt a spike of panic. Less disruptive? That went against everything he stood for! But defiance seemed unwise. With a dramatic sigh, he agreed.What followed was the most challenging period of his life. He disbanded the mop-wielding brigades, reluctantly returned the 'borrowed' plunger-relic (there were tears), and even attempted to wear something other than pajamas during official meetings. The boredom was unbearable. Yet, even in the return to normalcy, the absurdity clung to him.A visiting scholar mistook his panicked attempt to hide a half-eaten forbidden text on 'Aquatic Demon Summoning' as profound research. One particularly adventurous pigeon, allegedly enticed by the crumbs on his academy robes, became revered as 'The Sacred Snack-Seeker of Absolute'. Ravi began to suspect the universe itself conspired against him, turning his every attempt at a mundane existence into a beacon of the bizarre.Then, the Academy Headmaster summoned him, a mischievous twinkle in the old mage's eye."Mr. Sharma," he began, stroking his impractically long beard, "a most peculiar situation has arisen."The Headmaster revealed a collection of frantic letters from neighboring kingdoms requesting Ravi's 'wisdom' on matters ranging from troll infestations to rogue weather patterns. Apparently, the tale of 'Absolute and the Everlasting Stink Bomb' had spread far and wide.Ravi blinked. This was unexpected."Send them... chickens," he blurted out, the first utterly ridiculous idea that sprang to mind.A week later, a delegation of baffled knights arrived from a kingdom plagued by a rogue basilisk. Their confusion turned to horrified awe when they discovered the beast terrorizing their village had been lured into a pen by a trail of grain and was now contentedly clucking alongside a crate of very ordinary poultry.Whether it was luck, absurdity, or some bizarre form of tactical genius, Ravi couldn't deny the results. Word of his 'chicken solution' (accompanied by increasingly outlandish tales) spread like wildfire. Soon, Ravi found himself bombarded not only by internal kingdom issues but with a never-ending stream of pleas from neighboring lands seeking the wisdom of the 'Chicken Oracle'."Absolute!" Priscilla burst into his chambers, clearly at the end of her rope. "We have a delegation from the Northern Isles requesting your divine opinion on the ideal frosting-to-cake ratio!"Ravi, munching on a suspiciously glowing pastry pilfered from the Royal Kitchens, shrugged. "Send them two chickens." He considered it for a moment. "No, three. And a pastry."Priscilla left in exasperated despair, only to return the next day bearing news of the Northern Isles finally achieving the perfect dessert balance. Ravi couldn't even bring himself to be surprised.The truth, which even he struggled to admit, was this: his influence, while utterly absurd in origin, was having a positive impact. The threat of the cult had united those who normally squabbled. His nonsensical directives forced creative solutions. Kingdoms laughed together at his chicken-based diplomacy, and laughter was the first step towards peace.One evening, as he sat atop the academy's tallest tower (the dramatic view aided contemplation), a familiar figure joined him."Don't tell me," Olivia said dryly, "you're up here plotting world dominance with pigeons?"He grinned sheepishly. "Perhaps a slight exaggeration. But I have been thinking.""Don't strain yourself," she teased, yet there was a warmth in her eyes that hadn't been there before."It's all gone too far," he admitted. "The prophecies, Eternal Moon... I never intended for any of it to be real."Olivia was silent for a long time. "And yet," she said quietly, "it has become real. Isn't that the strangest form of power?"Ravi turned the thought over in his mind. The pajama-clad hero, the accidental mastermind, the chicken oracle—none of it was how he'd imagined it. But somewhere in the absurdity, he'd found a different kind of strength. He wasn't the Ravi he'd envisioned, but perhaps that wasn't the point."Perhaps," he conceded with a smile, "it's enough to just be me."And as a flock of pigeons—rumored to be Eternal Moon's elite intelligence force—wheeled across the darkening sky, their slightly confused coos seemed to echo his sentiment.