Demon's Physco obsession

Bonus chapter: Empire of Blood and Love

By the time Aarav turned eleven, it had become evident—at least to Adhiraaj—that the education the boys were receiving in local schools was no longer enough. Arjun, Vihaan, and Aarav were not just quick learners; they were sharp in ways that required challenge, exposure, and a world far larger than the estate's guarded boundaries.

At first, Adhiraaj took it upon himself.

Evenings turned into extended sessions in the study—lessons that went beyond textbooks. Strategy, logic, negotiation, systems thinking. He taught them the way he understood the world. And the boys absorbed it—fast. Too fast.

It didn't take long for him to realise something else.

They needed more than him.

They needed the world.

And so, after weeks of quiet consideration, discussions with Ved, and careful vetting, Adhiraaj made the decision: an international boarding school just outside Pune. Structured. Rigorous. Unforgiving in the right ways. A place that could sharpen what they already were.

The announcement was made one evening in the main sitting room.

"Sit," Adhiraaj said, his voice calm but carrying enough weight to quiet the room instantly.

The casual chatter died. Even Vihaan, mid-argument, snapped his mouth shut.

Adhiraaj let his gaze move across them—measured, deliberate—before he spoke again.

"The boys' current schools are no longer sufficient," he said. "They've outgrown what is being taught there."

Vihaan frowned. "Outgrown? As in... we're too smart, or the teachers are too slow?"

Ved huffed a laugh. "Bit of both, apparently."

Adhiraaj ignored the interruption. "They need better exposure. Structure. Discipline that matches their capability."

A pause.

"I've found a school."

That was enough to shift the air.

Arjun straightened slightly. "What kind of school?"

"An international boarding school," Adhiraaj replied. Outside Pune. They'll join next term."

Silence fell.

Then—

Arjun nodded once. "Alright."

Vihaan sat up, eyes lighting up instantly. "Wait—boarding school? Like hostel, new campus, full freedom?"

"Freedom within rules," Adhiraaj corrected calmly.

Vihaan grinned anyway. "Still sounds better than here. I'm in."

Ved muttered, "God save that institution."

Jahnvi sighed. "At least I'll get some peace."

And then—

Aarav spoke.

"Do we have to go?"

The question was quiet. Controlled. But it landed heavier than anything else.

Adhiraaj's eyes shifted to him. "It's not about 'having to.' It's about what's necessary."

Aarav held his gaze for a second... then looked away.

Not on the floor.

Not at his cousins.

At Ankita.

She hadn't said a word.

Her fingers moved absentmindedly along Aanya's back, but her eyes had gone distant—blank in that familiar way.