Reborn in The Princess Diaries: My Multiverse Empire
Chapter 13 – Preparing for the Presentation
The next few days became extremely busy for Anshul.
Passing the first round of the National Student Innovation Challenge was only the beginning. The second round required something far more difficult than writing code.
He had to present his idea clearly.
And that meant preparation.
Early in the morning, before leaving for school, Anshul sat in front of the family's desktop computer. The bulky CRT monitor flickered to life with a soft humming sound.
The dial-up internet connected with its familiar screeching noise.
Anshul waited patiently until the connection stabilized.
Then he opened the StudyFlow files.
The program loaded slowly, but smoothly.
He reviewed every feature carefully.
Subject planning.
Study reminders.
Progress charts.
Everything worked exactly as expected.
But winning a competition wasn't only about building software.
It was about convincing the judges that the idea mattered.
Anshul opened a document file and began writing the outline for his presentation.
Problem: Students struggle with time management.
Solution: A structured system that helps organize study schedules.
Impact: Improved study discipline and exam preparation.
He paused and tapped his pen against the desk.
Then he added another point.
Future Development: Expanding the system for schools and educational institutions.
That part was important.
Judges liked projects that had growth potential.
Once the outline was complete, Anshul printed the document using the family printer.
The printed pages slid out slowly.
He picked them up and began reading aloud.
At first his voice sounded awkward.
"StudyFlow is a software platform designed to help students…"
He stopped.
"No, that sounds too stiff."
He tried again.
"This project was created to solve a common problem many students face…"
Better.
Public speaking required practice.
And practice required repetition.
He spent the next hour rehearsing the presentation again and again.
By the time he finished, he felt far more confident.
---
Later that day at school, Rahul approached him the moment classes ended.
"So," Rahul asked eagerly, "when is the second round?"
"Next week."
Rahul whistled.
"That's soon."
"Yeah."
Rahul leaned against the desk.
"Are you nervous?"
Anshul thought for a moment.
"A little."
Rahul grinned.
"That's normal."
Then he added proudly,
"Don't worry. Our school's reputation is in your hands now."
Anshul laughed.
"That's a lot of pressure."
But Rahul wasn't entirely joking.
Several teachers had already heard about Anshul's project.
One of them even asked him to demonstrate StudyFlow in the school computer lab.
The program ran well on the lab computers.
A few teachers seemed genuinely impressed.
One of them even said,
"This could actually help students prepare for exams."
Hearing that gave Anshul a quiet sense of satisfaction.
Because that was exactly why he built the program.
---
That evening, after finishing his homework, Anshul walked onto the balcony of the house.
The warm night air carried the distant sounds of traffic and conversation.
He leaned against the railing and looked at the sky.
Somewhere across the world, in the city of San Francisco, Mia Thermopolis was probably finishing her own homework.
Completely unaware that her life would soon change forever.
And completely unaware that someone in India was slowly preparing to enter her world.
Anshul smiled faintly.
Everything was moving step by step.
First the competition.
Then international exams.
Then university applications.
Every step brought him closer to his goal.
Closer to San Francisco.
Closer to Mia.
He turned and walked back inside.
Tomorrow he would continue preparing.
Because the second round of the competition was only a few days away.
And Anshul Giri intended to make the most of it.