he next day, after reviewing all the CCTV footage from the past two weeks, Roni finally found something suspicious. The footage showed someone exiting the room where the ancestral land map was stored, clearly holding the very scroll that had now gone missing.
Without delay, Roni contacted Eyang Pradipa.
Ring...
"Yes, Roni? Any news?" Eyang Pradipa's voice was firm on the other end.
"Yes, Eyang. I've identified the one who took the map… and it turns out he's one of us."
"Oh? Bold of him... what's his name?"
"Karno, Eyang."
"Very well. Bring him here. But make sure he suspects nothing."
"Understood, Eyang," Roni replied with a serious tone.
Soon after, Roni called Karno.
"Hello, Karno. Where are you?"
"I'm at home."
"Come over. We'll be discussing the expedition to the ancestral land. I'll be calling the others as well," Roni said calmly, holding back a sly smile.
"Alright," Karno replied, unsuspecting.
After ending the call, Roni smirked slightly. Got you...
Moments later, Karno arrived at the family hall. But the atmosphere was not what he expected. The hall was empty, devoid of people—except for Eyang Pradipa, who sat alone on the family throne, staring straight at him.
Karno's steps slowed. A creeping unease settled in his chest. Something wasn't right. But he tried to maintain composure, hiding the growing panic within.
"Greetings, Eyang," Karno said with a bow, masking the tension in his voice. He glanced around the room. "Where is everyone? Are they running late?" he asked with feigned ease, then added mockingly, "Typical, slacking off at a time like this..."
Karno looked like the most righteous man in the room, yet behind his words was deep-rooted hypocrisy.
Eyang Pradipa remained silent. His expression didn't change, as though piercing through Karno's inner layers. The silence was thick until finally broken by a voice deep and full of pressure.
"Enough, Karno," Eyang Pradipa's voice echoed. "Spare us your rotten words. Now tell me—where did you take the map?"
Karno's face drained of color. Sweat beaded down his temples. Eyang Pradipa's presence was overwhelming, like a noose tightening around his throat.
"I... I sold it, Eyang… to the Surya family."
"Why did you sell it?"
Karno lowered his gaze, his voice shrinking.
"I... wanted to buy a red sempur stone ring, Eyang."
Eyang Pradipa's fury was now evident. With a wave of his hand, Karno's body was flung backward. Chairs flew and shattered. Karno crashed into an ancient carved wall and coughed up blood instantly.
He could no longer lie.
"Just for a stone, you sold a map that was our family's legacy? Unbelievable! You've completed many missions—you could afford it yourself," Eyang roared. "Tell me! What else did the Surya family offer you?"
Trembling, Karno replied, "They… they offered me the soul shard of a spiritual cultivator… at the Resi Loka realm, Eyang..."
Eyang Pradipa's anger surged. His face tensed.
"Fool! You actually believed such nonsense? There's no way a soul shard from a Resi Loka practitioner could just be handed out! They tricked you, and you were too stupid to see it!"
Karno stayed silent, limp and defeated.
"What punishment do you think is fitting for this betrayal, Karno?"
"Eyang… please… I beg your forgiveness… I—"
"Silence!! This concerns the future of our lineage. If I don't deliver proper punishment, I am unworthy of leading this family!"
Eyang Pradipa glanced to the side.
"Roni, come here."
"Yes, Eyang," Roni responded, rising from a hidden seat. Karno was startled—he hadn't even realized Roni was there all along.
"Take him to the underground prison. We will deliberate on his sentence later," Eyang commanded firmly.
"Understood, Eyang."
Roni led the staggering and resigned Karno out of the grand hall. Karno knew—it was over. All because of his own greed.
By the next morning, news of Karno's betrayal had spread quickly within the inner circle of the Baskara family. Though Eyang Pradipa initially asked for discretion, Karno's name was already whispered among elders and senior guards.
In a pavilion where the elders usually gathered, the morning felt different. Gone were the usual light jokes and casual talks. Tension hung in the air.
Elder Wira Dharma sat at the head, staring into space.
"So it's true… he sold the ancestral land map for personal gain?" he asked quietly, voice sharp.
"And not just that," Elder Kirandi added beside him. "He let himself be fooled by the Surya family over a fake soul shard. Utterly foolish."
"Aswina regrets it deeply," Elder Aswina's soft voice broke the silence. "Not just for the map... but for the trust. He was one of us."
Elders Cakra Dara and Phasta couldn't hide their anger. They were the loudest in demanding a harsh punishment.
"If we don't make an example of this, it could be the beginning of our downfall," Phasta said coldly.
But Eyang Pradipa remained composed. He entered the pavilion with slow, dignified steps. All the elders rose to greet him.
"Be seated," Eyang Pradipa said simply.
Once everyone had sat down, he began to speak.
"Karno has not only betrayed our bloodline, but also the trust of our ancestors. However, I do not want us to be divided by emotion. We will hold a formal family trial. Let the entire lineage witness and learn from this."
Elder Subhaga nodded.
"Wise decision, Eyang. But we must also hasten preparations for the ancestral land expedition. Time grows short."
Eyang Pradipa nodded.
"Roni will tighten security around the archives and other key locations. And all of you… ensure there are no more cracks in our ranks."
All elders nodded in agreement. The gravity of the situation still lingered, but the path forward was clear. The Baskara family could no longer afford to falter.
The next morning, under an overcast sky that seemed to reflect the heaviness of the day, the Grand Hall of the Baskara Family was prepared.
Inside, the family's key figures were already seated. The seven elders occupied the front row, while primary heirs lined the left and right of the hall. At the center stood a single, sturdy wooden chair—empty… awaiting Karno.
Soon, footsteps echoed. Roni entered with firm strides, followed by Karno, who walked slowly, pale-faced. He looked nothing like his former self—no sly smiles or teasing words. Today, he bore only regret.
With a calm yet stern expression, Eyang Pradipa began.
"Today... we gather not in celebration, but because of a wound. A wound from within. Karno, my nephew, a child of this bloodline... has sold the ancestral land map for selfish ambition."
Silence fell. All eyes were on Karno, who now sat in the center chair, head bowed deeply.
"Do you admit to your actions?" asked Elder Wira Dharma, voice heavy.
Karno nodded slowly.
"I… I do. I was tempted. I made a grave mistake..."
"Not just tempted," Elder Cakra Dara interrupted angrily. "You shattered our trust. That land isn't just ours—it's the legacy of our ancestors!"
Murmurs began rising, mostly from the younger family members who felt both anger and disappointment.
Eyang Pradipa raised a hand, restoring silence.
"We will not pass judgment in anger," he said. "But Karno's actions cannot go unpunished. This isn't about revenge. It's about protecting our family's honor. Therefore, I entrust the decision to our elders."
The elders exchanged glances, held a brief discussion, and then Elder Kirandi stood to deliver the verdict.
"Karno shall undergo spiritual imprisonment for seven full moons. He will be taken to the Inner Stone Meditation Chamber, where he must face his own soul in silence. If he emerges with true repentance, we may consider forgiveness."
Karno bowed his head deeply. He knew… there was nowhere left to run.
"Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Eyang Pradipa closed the assembly with a firm statement, "Let this be a lesson to all. This family is great not because of its strength, but because of its unity."
Karno was escorted out of the hall, and the session came to an end. Yet the echo of that decision… still lingered in the hearts of every family member.