Chapter 28: The Rise of the Tea Cult

Cahaya had barely recovered from the Coffee Uprising when yet another storm brewed on the horizon. This time, it came with porcelain teacups and an unsettling amount of cucumber sandwiches.

It started with whispers in the dark corners of Cahaya's libraries and tea houses. Then, one day, the citizens awoke to an even greater horror than a coffee drought: every mango smoothie in the city had vanished.

Roy K, the ever-relaxed Prime Minister, sipped a glass of water and shrugged. "Huh. That's weird."

Aziz, now sporting a permanent stress-induced eye twitch, slammed his hands on Roy's desk. "Sir! This is serious!"

Farah burst in, waving another file. "Sir! We have a name! The culprit is—"

She hesitated. "The Grand Earl."

Dramatic music played. Roy had upgraded his emergency drama button after the Coffee Uprising.

Aziz groaned. "Sir, please, not again."

Roy gasped. "Not The Grand Earl! He's a legend! A ghost! A shadow in the night!"

Farah sighed. "Sir, he's an old man with a monocle and an obsession with tea."

The Tea Rebellion Begins

Posters appeared overnight, plastered across Cahaya:

"DOWN WITH MANGO TYRANNY!" "INFUSE, NOT BLEND!" "TEA FOR ALL, OR TEA FOR NONE!"

A group calling themselves The Tea Cult emerged from the shadows, led by The Grand Earl himself. Dressed in Victorian coats and wielding teaspoons like daggers, they seized control of every café, restaurant, and vending machine.

Aziz clutched his temples. "Sir, we can't let this happen again."

Roy leaned back. "Relax, Aziz. It's just tea."

At that moment, a BOOM rocked the city.

Aziz's eye twitched. "What. Was. That."

Farah checked her reports. "Sir… they've built a—"

She gulped. "A Tea Zeppelin."

Dramatic music played. Aziz ripped out the emergency drama button.

The Infusion War

The sky darkened as the colossal Tea Zeppelin hovered over Cahaya, its steam vents releasing a soothing aroma of chamomile and fear. A broadcast crackled to life:

"Citizens of Cahaya!" The Grand Earl's voice echoed. "Surrender your mangoes, or prepare for scalding-hot Earl Grey rain!"

Roy squinted at the blimp. "That's… actually kinda cool."

Aziz groaned. "Sir, focus!"

Farah handed Roy a hastily scribbled note. "Sir, their demands."

GRAND EARL'S DEMANDS

Mango juice shall be banned. Tea shall be Cahaya's official beverage. Roy K must kneel before the Grand Earl and recite the sacred tea oath. Free scones for all.

Roy slammed the file shut. "Over my dead body!"

Aziz sighed. "Sir, we just went through this."

Roy's Plan™

Roy cracked his knuckles. "There's only one way to settle this, Aziz."

Aziz groaned. "Sir, please don't say—"

"We challenge The Grand Earl to a tea duel."

Aziz walked out of the room. Farah followed. Neither returned.

The High Tea Showdown

Roy and his team infiltrated the Grand Earl's floating tea fortress. Chandeliers gleamed, fine china lined the walls, and the air smelled of bergamot and aristocracy.

The Grand Earl stood before a towering samovar, his velvet cloak billowing. "Ah, Roy K. We finally meet."

Roy smirked. "Earl, you've steeped for too long."

Aziz appeared out of nowhere. "Sir, I will quit."

The Grand Earl raised a silver teapot. "If you wish to reclaim your mango empire, you must defeat me in—"

He took a dramatic pause. "A high tea duel."

Roy grinned. "You're on."

ROUND 1: TEA ETIQUETTE

The Grand Earl poured a flawless cup of Darjeeling, pinky raised at a perfect 45-degree angle.

Roy picked up his cup and chugged it in one gulp.

The judges were horrified. Roy received a negative score.

ROUND 2: SCONE SLICING

The Grand Earl delicately sliced a scone, adding a perfect layer of clotted cream and jam.

Roy bit into a scone and nearly broke a tooth.

Aziz whispered, "Sir, please."

FINAL ROUND: THE ULTIMATE TEA BREW

The Grand Earl unveiled his final weapon: The Infinity Kettle, capable of brewing tea so powerful it could rewrite reality.

Roy turned to Aziz. "Release the pigeons."

UNLEASH THE PIGEONS—AGAIN

The same trained pigeons—veterans of the Mango Summit and Coffee Uprising—descended upon the fortress. Feathers and tea leaves filled the air.

Amidst the chaos, Farah and Aziz disabled the Tea Zeppelin.

Roy stood on the Grand Earl's fallen samovar, raising a mango triumphantly. "Cahaya belongs to the fruit!"

The Grand Earl, defeated and covered in Earl Grey, collapsed. "Curse you, Roy K…"

AFTERMATH: PEACE RESTORED

The mango supply was returned. The Tea Zeppelin was converted into a floating café. The Grand Earl was sentenced to 100 hours of coffee service.

Aziz resigned for the 14th time.

Roy raised a mango smoothie. "Another crisis solved!"

Aziz groaned. "Sir, I swear, if there is one more beverage war—"

Just then, a messenger ran in. "Sir! The Soda Syndicate is rising!"

Roy's eyes sparkled. "Oh, this just keeps getting better."

TO BE CONTINUED…