That morning, Ardhanusa was shrouded in a thin mist, like a curtain deliberately lowered by the sky to hide something. In the front courtyard of Ardhanusa's small palace, Ardhana Wiratmaja stood dressed in simple attire, accompanied by several of his new guards in light armor made from pure iron.
He sensed the presence of the visitors before they were visible.
Light, almost silent, but orderly steps.
Movements only a trained soldier could possess.
"They're close," Ardhana murmured, his eyes fixed on the outer gate.
And indeed, they were.
The mist slowly parted, revealing three figures in dark clothing with the Majapahit emblem delicately embroidered on their chests. They were no ordinary envoys. Not merchants, not nobles. They moved too silently... and their gazes were too sharp.
Majapahit's Secret Guards.
Walking in front was a tan-skinned man, slender in build, whose eyes reflected his long experience in the battlefield. His demeanor was calm, almost like a living shadow.
He stopped three steps away from Ardhana.
"Greetings from Majapahit," he said flatly but with authority.
"My name is Rakai Mahesa Lodra."
Ardhana replied with a small nod.
"Ardhana Wiratmaja. Welcome to Ardhanusa."
From behind Mahesa, two other guards surveyed the entire environment: the factories, the stone streets, the wooden cranes at the harbor, and the watchtower. No detail escaped their eyes.
Mahesa glanced around at the clean, flat stone street.
"We've never seen a road like this before, even in the center of Majapahit."
Ardhana smiled faintly.
"Ardhanusa is small, but we walk our own path."
---
Small Audience Room — Two Conflicting Viewpoints
In the audience room, Mahesa sat quietly while Ardhana offered the warm tea. There was no excessive ceremony. Ardhana deliberately created an atmosphere of dialogue, not submission.
When the tea was placed…
Mahesa immediately brought the cup to his nose and took a whiff.
"This tea… is not from an ordinary garden."
Ardhana nodded.
"The box irrigation we built increases yields."
Mahesa stared at him.
The gaze of a hunter finally seeing the true form of his prey.
"Majapahit sent me to assess. Not to intimidate, but to ensure that what is happening here… is not a threat to the balance of the archipelago."
Ardhana stared back undaunted.
"Balance? Or fear?"
Mahesa paused, then let out a short laugh.
"You speak as if you are not a child of a small kingdom."
"Because I have no intention of remaining small."
The room fell silent.
Two worlds weighed each other.
---
The First Test — Determination or Arrogance?
Mahesa finally said:
"Very well, Ardhana Wiratmaja. Allow me to see your ironworks. If our reports are true… then Majapahit can no longer underestimate Ardhanusa."
Ardhana rose.
"With pleasure."
They walked toward the factory. Workers moved giant bellows, heating pure iron to a golden red. Smoke rose, the sound of metal hummed, and large water wheels powered automatic hammers—a sight not even large cities could boast.
Mahesa squinted.
"…This… is not just hard work."
"This is the knowledge of generations yet unborn."
Ardhana smiled without answering.
Mahesa then approached the forged iron blade and tapped it with the hilt of his dagger.
TING!
The sound was long, clear, and clean.
Mahesa was clearly impressed, though he tried to hide his expression.
"If Majapahit had a thousand blades like this…"
He exhaled.
"Any war will be won before it even begins."
Ardhana replied:
"I am not calling for war, Rakai Mahesa. I am calling for the future."
---
Even Though Sharp
As evening fell, Mahesa prepared to return to his temporary camp outside the village. But before leaving, he took a long look at Ardhana.
"Ardhana… your strength can be the protector of the archipelago… or the trigger for an unstoppable war."
Ardhana replied evenly:
"The future always has a price."
Mahesa nodded slowly.
"Majapahit… will test your heart, not just your steel."
Without another word, Mahesa and his two secret guards disappeared into the dusk mist—just as they had come.
Ardhana stood silently in front of the factory, the afternoon breeze blowing his clothes.
Today was not just a meeting…
This was Majapahit's first acknowledgement that Ardhanusa was no longer a small kingdom to be dismissed.
The world was beginning to take notice.
And that means competition is coming soon.