Leaning against the doorway with satisfaction, she suddenly felt a sharp, piercing headache. A searing pain shot through her skull, forcing her to clutch her head as she sank to the floor.

  Alarmed, a young man dashed toward her, his eyes wide with concern. He knelt beside her, supporting her, but she barely registered his presence. Her vision blurred, and then—

  A translucent blue board materialized in front of her, flickering with a series of notifications:

  "Congratulations! You have succeeded in the subquest."

  Reward:

  Reputation Increase: +10%

  Obtained an Eternal Sister – Chayya

  Abilities:

  1. Possesses 25% of all your abilities.

  2. Acts as your surrogate for seven days.

  3. Can withstand heavy explosives and extreme heat.

  4. Three-day cooldown after use.

  "Congratulations! You have obtained the ability of Pathosight."

  Right eye can shift between microscopic and macroscopic views.

  Usability: Three times per day.

  "Congratulations! Player has awakened the Chamber of Self."

  Player can now receive game update notifications.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Can check stats and skills in the Chamber of Self within the psychic abode.

  A strange weightlessness overtook her. Her body felt like it was floating. When she came to her senses, she found herself cradled in someone's arms—in a princess carry.

  Panic surged through her. Instinctively, she clung to him.

  Sensing her movement, he stopped in his tracks. His voice, laced with worry, reached her ears.

  "What happened to you? Does your head still hurt? Are you feeling dizzy?"

  The warmth in his tone softened something in her chest. She exhaled and replied, "It hurt before, but not now. Put me down, I can walk."

  But as if he hadn't heard, he carried her to the stone platform beneath a sprawling Banyan tree. Only then did he gently set her down.

  "The fresh air will help," he said, his voice steady and calm.

  The scenery around them was breathtaking. The night sky stretched endlessly, free of clouds, with stars twinkling like scattered diamonds. The nearby torch cast a golden glow, painting one side of his face in warm light, while the other remained in soft shadow. A short distance away, a mountain stream flowed gently, shimmering like molten gold and silver under the moonlight.

  Adhitya unbuckled the leather pouch strapped to his waist and retrieved a ripe mango. He walked over to the stream, rinsed it carefully, and then pulled out a sharp knife. Watching him slice the fruit with practiced ease, Sanjana couldn’t help but wonder—was that knife really just for cutting fruit? She sighed inwardly, shaking off the thought.

  Looking at him, she asked, "What do I call you?"

  He offered her a neatly cut slice as he answered, "I am Adhitya. Please don’t ask anything else about me."

  She accepted the fruit without hesitation, a small smile playing on her lips. "I understand. Thank you for always helping me at the right time."

  Her expression held a deeper meaning, and she chuckled lightly as she tasted the sweet mango. "And… I am Sanjana. You can ask anything about me." She said this with a generous, open expression.

  Adhitya let out a low chuckle. "Hahaha, that’s an honor, ma’am. But right now, I only want to know one thing—how hungry you are." He handed her another slice.

  Sanjana hesitated before taking it, a shy smile forming. "Thank you again for your chivalry, Mr. Adhitya. I had some refreshments before we set off. I’m not that hungry, so you can have the rest."

  But when he still extended another piece, she sighed in playful exasperation, giving him a helpless look.

  "I need your thoughts on something, and for that, you need to have energy. So eat more," he said, his tone light yet firm.

  Amused, she raised an eyebrow. "Oh my, and what might that be?"

  His expression shifted, turning serious. The flickering torchlight reflected in his eyes, making them appear darker, more intense.

  "You heard Soori’s talk earlier, didn’t you?"

  Sanjana tilted her head slightly. "You mean before the camp began?"

  Adhitya nodded. "Yes. What’s your take on it?"

  Sanjana leaned back slightly, thoughtful. "Mmm… He wasn’t wrong. The situation for the people of the Third Zone is anything but fair. The government exams aren’t an equal competition either."

  She paused, glancing at him before continuing. "Take health issues, for example. Just last week, I helped deliver a baby for an aristocratic woman. The baby was massive, and the mother was diabetic. But here? The newborns are SGA, and the mothers are severely malnourished. You don’t need advanced tests to see the difference—it’s obvious to the naked eye."

  Adhitya remained silent for a moment, absorbing her words. The crackling of the torch and the distant rush of the stream were the only sounds between them.

  Then, he exhaled slowly. "That’s exactly what I was thinking."

  His tone carried an edge—something deeper, something unresolved.

  "Everyone resents such rulers, right?" Adhitya’s voice was calm, yet there was an edge to it. He turned the mango slice between his fingers, eyes glinting with thoughtfulness under the torchlight. "The sun can’t be this biased… Right? From your perspective, what could be a solution to this situation?"

  Sanjana leaned back slightly, gazing at the night sky as if searching for answers in the stars. "Yeah… The sun can’t be biased. Never."