Aryan took a deep breath, forcing the whirlwind of thoughts about the forbidden name and family lore out of his mind. He was a professional. He had a duty to perform. He carefully picked up the items from the table, his movements precise and respectful.
"The Family Head asked me to give you these," he said, his voice now back to its formal, clipped tone. He presented the items one by one.
First, he laid out a sleek, black wallet, an expensive, luxurious item. "This contains your new identity, sir. A full background that shows you as a normal civilian. All legal and with a clean history."
Next, he slid a thin, titanium bank card across the table. "This is a direct line to the family's assets. There is no limit, and it is untraceable. All you need to do is enter your thumbprint."
He then held up the intricate black badge with its golden inscription. For a moment, his hand hovered over the table, but he hesitated, pulling it back. He looked at the man's face, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. He slowly placed the badge in his own pocket instead.
Finally, Aryan produced a small wooden box from his pocket. It was simple, unadorned, and looked ancient, a stark contrast to the modern items on the table. He laid it carefully in front of the others.
"And this was given to me to present to you," he said.
Anand's gaze fell on the small wooden box. He reached out, his curiosity piqued by the simple, unassuming container. The contrast between it and the modern, high-tech items was stark. He opened the lid with a gentle click.
Inside, nestled on a bed of dark velvet, were two rings. One was a deep, dark purple, and the other a solid black. They looked almost like they were carved from solidified shadows and moonlight.
A genuine smile touched Anand's lips as he picked them up. The moment they touched his skin, a familiar energy coursed through him. It was a cold, alien power, like holding a piece of the cosmos itself. He slid those rings onto the his index and ring finger of his right hand . A small tremor went through a spoon on the breakfast cart. He glanced at it, and the tremor ceased.
As the rings settled, a flicker of a memory passed over his face, a private moment that only he could understand.
Aryan, watching his every move, was frozen in his seat, his eyes wide in shock beyond belief. He knew those rings. His three generations of family had passed down the stories of the Patil family heirlooms. They were not just jewels; they were a sacred set, each piece a symbol of a different part of the Founder's legacy. The two rings, a mythical sword, and a necklace which he has only seen afar.
The star sword and the necklace were sacred items, currently held by the Family Head and the young leader as tokens of their supreme authority.
As the rings settled on the man's hand, a new theory solidified in Aryan's mind. He was now quite certain that the man in front of him was an illegitimate child of the Family Head. He was a forbidden secret, being kept in the dark, and now, the Family Head wanted to give him a part of the family's authority through the sacred heirlooms.