As Aditya took to the ground to address everyone, the crowd fell silent and paid heed to his call.

  With all eyes on him, he began his pnned speech, "It is heart-warming to see all of you excited about the weapons we have demonstrated. I can assure you that with these, you will become stronger. As much as I would like to sell all these to you and build mutual trust and alliances, we have conditions set by our Samrat to ensure they are not turned against us."

  He scanned the crowd, who awaited in pin-drop silence, and continued, "I have to ensure we abide by these rules. So here are the conditions for the weapons we are going to sell."

  A hushed murmur spread among the guests, skeptical of what restrictions were to come.

  He gestured at the cart carrying crossbows and shields and began, "We don't have enough of these weapons in stock at the moment, so immediate sales are not possible. You will need to pce orders in advance. Payment can be made ter, but shipments will only be sent once full payment is received. Base price will be the same for everyone."

  Vishal Rai of Garwhal stepped forward, "Can't we have a few samples with us?"

  Aditya nodded, "Yes, as long as we make a deal."

  He added, "I assure you, these weapons are unique to this Indian subcontinent. To maintain their authenticity, we will not tolerate any copying or reengineering without our consent. We will sanction any kingdom that viotes this and cease further dealings in all trade with them. Trust me, these are not the only weapons in our arsenal."

  Protests began as many leaders realized their pns had been obstructed. They had intended to buy a few and reengineer the rest, but now the prince was establishing a complete monopoly.

  Vishal Rai was the first to raise his voice, "But your highness, once we purchase anything, what rights do you have over what we do with it?"

  Meenakshi of Vijayanagar also joined in, "Indeed, prince. Also, what will we do if we need them urgently?"

  Vishwa Gajapati raised his concern, "What if someone who hasn't bought them copies and uses them against us?"

  Viraj Parmar of Malwa also protested, "Forgive me, your highness, but this trade seems unfair. I suggest you reconsider."

  Aditya smiled and expined, "I am not going to stop anyone if they do. I am just stating our company and empire's conditions. Also, the leakage of weapons is their responsibility. If it's too much, then it's regretful that we can't have any deal."

  The crowd went silent, understanding the repercussions. The prince's stance not to force them gave them space to decide for themselves if they felt no need for further trade. There was also a hidden message that the prince had more in his arsenal, making maintaining good retions crucial to gaining those than risking copying more. Also the sanction of trade from empire would be a huge blow to economy.

  The Portuguese envoy Diego stepped up and inquired, "What if we develop a better product rather than copying it, your excellence?"

  Aditya replied with a smile, "I have no objections, but for doing so, consent must be taken from us." Diego chuckled, understanding the hidden message of further payment or favor in return for using their technology. He marked this monopolistic concept and decided to discuss it with his superiors for future negotiation standards.

  Aditya continued with his other conditions as he gestured toward the carriage carrying Pinaka and rocket artillery. "Regarding the siege weapons," he began, "we are not directly selling these but only providing services. This policy applies to both member and non-member kingdoms. However, member kingdoms will have the privilege to request services for both types of weapons."

  A murmur of protests erupted immediately, but Aditya raised his hand to calm the crowd. "The Pinaka is avaible to non-member kingdoms as well," he crified, causing a hush to fall over the audience.

  "These weapons are designed for defense, and to ensure they are not misused, we will offer them on a rental basis annually, complete with our crew. However, you will need to purchase the ammunition separately."

  Diego, the Portuguese envoy, raised an eyebrow and spoke up, "Then do we have to pay for the crew's maintenance as well?"

  Aditya shook his head with a confident smile, "No, that will be covered in the rental price."

  Tejpal Singh of Amber stepped forward, concern evident in his voice, "What if there are internal disputes? How can you ensure that the crew you send won't be bribed?"

  Aditya addressed the concern earnestly, "We are selling these weapons to our allied members with the mutual trust that they will not be used against each other. In case of internal disputes, whether in member or non-member kingdoms, the use of these weapons is strictly prohibited. If any bribery occurs, our company will take full responsibility and will deal with it accordingly."

  Vishwa Gajapati of Gajapati Kingdom openly criticized, "So you're selling us showpieces? To use them, we need your permission every time, despite the great distances between our capitals. What's the point of buying these weapons if we can't use them however we want?"

  Aditya remained calm, "With great power comes great responsibility, Prince. I am certain you would not like to become the target of these weapons yourself?"

  Vishwa Gajapati was taken aback by the polite yet pointed response, sensing a hidden threat beneath Aditya's words.

  Aditya continued, "If these weapons are used offensively, it would drag the Samrajya into conflicts we wish to avoid. These rules are designed not only to protect our interests but also to ensure the safety of our allies. They are meant to be a deterrent, making it clear that they are not easy to subdue. This is our baseline, and we will not make any deals if these conditions are not accepted."

  The guests, particurly those from non-member kingdoms, were visibly annoyed. They realized that Aditya's conditions were meant to restrain their rights under the guise of responsibility and peace. Some even saw it as a btant trap to join the Samrajya for more privileges. However, the terms were idealistic enough that it was hard to refute him directly.

  Leaders from remote areas like Garwhal had already decided to risk it and break the rules once they got their hands on the weapons. Foreign power like Diego couldn't help but amuse himself, pnning to export the technology to Europe for further study and development. He knew that if these weapons were not used in the Indian subcontinent, Aditya might not even be aware, and who could predict the future?

  Member kingdoms had fewer objections. They dared not oppose the Samrat's name and knew they couldn't use the weapons offensively anyway. They were content with possessing the best technology avaible. Silence fell over the crowd as everyone decided to stay quiet to secure the weapons.

  Aditya then added, "I understand there are matters that cannot be resolved through mere talks. For that, you can hire our mercenary services. Be it diplomatic or military missions, our company offers all types of services, provided the reasons are justified."

  At this point, the non-member delegates lost respect for Aditya. To them, his image hit rock bottom. Just moments ago, he portrayed himself as a beacon of peace and justice, and now he shamelessly promoted his company, which had been established only a month ago. They internally cursed him, recalling his reputation as a sly bastard of lowly birth. They felt he could have simply stated the conditions rather than portraying himself as a saint, but they maintained their facades of all-knowing smiles.

  Pratap from Mewar was the most amused. Having known Aditya for a few days, he figured some drama was at py. He sighed, wondering if he would really get the promised discount.

  Meenakshi of Vijayanagar felt bewildered, questioning whether this man, who changed colors like a chameleon, could be relied upon. However, she still held hope, as he mentioned providing mercenary services, which she was keen to discuss.

  As the tensions eased and agreements settled, Aditya announced that due to the recent introduction of their mudra currency, transactions could continue using the widely accepted mohurs.

  Prices were set: repeating crossbows at 10 gold mohurs with ammunition priced at 2 copper, and ntern shields at a reasonable 5 gold mohurs. Delegates nodded in approval, relieved that the costs fell within their expectations.

  However, when the prices for the Pinaka and rocket artillery were disclosed, murmurs swept through the gathering. The rocket artillery commanded a steep price of 500 gold mohurs for a bundle of five rockets, equating to 100 gold mohurs per rocket alone.

  Meanwhile, the formidable Pinaka was priced at 1000 gold mohurs, with each magazine of arrows costing 1 gold mohur; enough to purchase ten 6-pounder cannons outright with full ownership.

  Despite protests against the high prices, Prince Aditya's firm stance of "take it or leave it" left them little room for negotiation. Witnessing the devastating power demonstrated earlier, each delegate was determined to secure at least one prototype.

  Yet, hope lingered as Aditya unexpectedly called for private meetings to discuss further negotiations on prices, citing concerns about distance, delivery logistics, and maintenance. The message was clear: there was still interest, and the possibility of expanding their arsenal with more advanced weaponry was enticing.

  Just like the first delegate meeting in capital, gold coins numbered for order of meeting were distributed among them. Diego received the lucky coin marked with number one, while others grumbled about their less fortunate draws.

  They were escorted to a grand tent to await their turn, while Aditya took a break to breath.

  The sale of conventional weapons promised returns tenfold their cost, while siege weapons offered profit margins soaring as high as a hundredfold.

  He felt dizzy, his body tired, but despite all this exhaustion, the adrenaline rush of securing his first major profit drove him onward, toward the tent where the future of his company would be determined.

  *************************************

  //A/N:

  1 gold mudra = 10 gold mohurs = 100 silvers

  1 gold mohur = 10 silver or 10 rupees of that time.