The courtroom where Veerendra held his usual meetings was filled with men, yet the air inside felt anything but steady. Papers shuffled restlessly in nervous hands, calculations being checked and rechecked as though the numbers might somehow change if looked at enough times. No one spoke unnecessarily. No one dared. The memory of what had happened the last time still lingered too fresh, too sharp in their minds. No one wanted a repeat of it. No one wanted to be at the receiving end of Veerendra’s anger—especially not today, when his temper seemed to sit just beneath the surface, ready to snap at the slightest misstep.