Shambhu led the way, walking along a narrow path—barely a meter and a half wide—the only comfortable route through the dense terrain. But as they progressed, a dull ache began to creep into their shoulders.“Miss Miralda, how are you holding up so far?”Keshab turned around to check on the young woman. He asked out of genuine concern, though mostly because he himself was growing tired. In his mind, if he was already feeling drained, surely she must be, too.But when his eyes fell on Miralda, they widened in shock.“W-what the...”Keshab was speechless. The girl he was worried about didn’t look the least bit fatigued.Miralda walked calmly and effortlessly, as if she were enjoying a leisurely stroll. There wasn’t a hint of strain or exhaustion on her face.“Is she even human?” Keshab wondered, utterly stunned. “I don’t think she’s even broken a sweat.”He couldn’t begin to guess what kind of technique she might be using. While he was practically drenched in sweat, she looked completely

"So? What do you think, Miss Miralda? Was my answer right?"Keshab scratched his head, clearly hoping he’d gotten it correct. But Miralda simply burst into laughter, shaking her head."Close," she said with a playful grin, "but still not quite right. The real answer is—"Before she could finish her sentence, Shambhu's voice suddenly rang out from up ahead, loud and laced with irritation."Grab your buckets. We’re moving out."He didn’t bother repeating himself. In fact, he didn’t even slow down, let alone glance back to check if the others were ready. It was obvious he had no intention of waiting."Miss Miralda, I think we better hurry," Keshab said quickly, slinging his two buckets back over his shoulders. He didn’t comment on Shambhu’s attitude, but his hurried movements made it clear: if they didn’t catch up soon, Shambhu would leave them behind.The four of them scrambled to follow Shambhu, who was now walking even faster than before. It didn’t take long for the three men trailing

While Miralda clearly understood what Keshab was truly going through, Shambhu had an entirely different idea. Smirking smugly, he believed he’d taught the chubby man a valuable lesson—pushing him past his physical limits.“Serves you right for getting close to my girl,” he thought, convinced that by now, Keshab had to be running on empty.“That fat pig’s gonna drop any second now.”He was still caught up in that belief when a sudden thud echoed behind him.Thud!“Yes! Finally!”Shambhu grinned ear to ear. Hearing something fall, he was absolutely certain it had to be one of the guys walking behind him. And since the weakest among them was undeniably Keshab, there was no doubt in his mind who had hit the ground.“Told you you’d collapse eventually!”Shambhu was practically cheering inside. His little mission of petty revenge had finally paid off. But his glee was short-lived.“Brother, please stop for a moment. I think Tirtha’s really exhausted.”Ujwal knelt beside Tirtha, who was spra

Shambhu stopped in his tracks and turned around.“Miralda, I know you’re just joking, right?” he said with a smile.In his mind, there was no way this girl could be serious. She had never even set foot near this forest—Shambhu was sure of it. In fact, not just her—no student from the Temple of the Divine Meditation had ever come anywhere close to it.But his smile faded when he heard what Miralda said next.“No, I’m serious,” she replied softly, her expression grave. “We should have taken the left path, not the right one.” She pointed toward one of the narrow trails at the fork in the road.“Heh… Miralda, you’re really funny.” Shambhu still couldn’t believe she meant it. “You’re just saying that to lighten the mood, aren’t you? You know—”He was about to say that simply being with her was the greatest joy of his life, but he caught himself. This wasn’t the right time for romantic words. Instead, he chose something else.“No junior master other than me has ever come here. Especially no

“Miss Miralda, you truly are remarkable!”Keshab couldn’t hide the joy and admiration in his voice. In just fifteen minutes, the young woman had led them to the foot of the mountain—a route that not only felt shorter but was far easier than the path they’d taken before.When they’d traveled with Shambhu, it had seemed endless. The base of the mountain—clearly visible just a kilometer away—felt as though it drifted farther and farther from them no matter how far they walked.“Master Keshab, what are we waiting for?” Miralda’s eyes lit up as she gazed at the slope ahead. There was something in the air here—an aura that made her feel at peace.“Let’s get to that well!”“Of course, miss!”Keshab quickened his pace, almost breaking into a jog. Thanks to the enchantment Miralda had cast on him earlier, even the uphill climb didn’t tire him in the slightest. Not only was he free of fatigue—he didn’t even feel the faintest strain.Within another fifteen minutes, they reached their destination