- “Dhruv!” someone calls out my name.

I turn to my right.

A little distance away, my parents, elder brothers, and sisters-in-law are standing there, beckoning me.

My heart fills with happiness.

Just as I’m about to run toward them, someone calls out from behind, “Dhruv!”

I turn around.

A little distance away, stand Iki, Mr. Ruka, Riki, Ina, and many others unknown to me. All of them are extending their hands toward me, as if they need me.

No. I can’t go to them.

I have to go to my family.

No one is more important than family.

Suddenly, a bright blue light descends from the sky.

The light touches the ground and takes the shape of a person, a girl with a pair of large wings.

Her face is hidden behind the blue glow.

She asks in a sweet voice, “Dhruv, what have you decided?”

- “What’s there to decide? I’ll return to my family.”

- “Why?”

- “Because they are my family. I need them, and they need me.”

- “Look at the other side. They need you too.”

- “No, they don’t. And I, a magicless creature won’t be useful to them. More importantly, everyone here is a stranger to me. Even this world is unknown to me. Why should I abandon my family for them?”

- “You were sent here for a purpose. You cannot return without fulfilling it.”

- “I am a human from Earth. My foremost purpose is to support my family, not strangers.”

- “But didn’t your family teach you something different? They taught you to help others, protest injustice, and fulfill your duties. And now you’re running away from the purpose God has given you. You’re disrespecting your family, Dhruv.”

- “But....”

- “No, Dhruv. Go to your new family. Stay with them. Help them. Let them learn from you, just as you will learn from them. Don’t worry about your family. From now on, they are my responsibility. I will protect them with everything I have.”

I smile and say, “I feel like I can trust you. So yes, I will stay with them and fulfill the purpose I was given. Please take good care of my family.”

She flies toward my family and says, “I will, Dhruv. You have my word. Now go to them.”

I walk toward Iki.

“Open your eyes, Dhruv,” Iki says. “I’m waiting for you.”

I open my eyes and startle.

Iki is sitting beside me on my bed and she’s smiling.

Iki is smiling!

She says in the sweetest voice, “Oh, you’re awake! You really slept deeply, Dhruv.”

Am I still dreaming?

This can’t be her.

I get down from the bed.

Wait! how will I brush my teeth here?

I didn’t bring a toothbrush or toothpaste. Not like I had time to bring anything.

I ask, “Do you Rukarians wash your mouth in the morning?”

“Of course,” Iki replies. “Wait here.”

She returns with a cup filled with a blue liquid.

Is this poison?

Did Iki finally gather the courage to eliminate me?

Maybe she notices my expression.

“Rinse your mouth with it and spit it out,” she says. “Don’t swallow it.”

Trust me, Princess. I wasn’t planning to.

I do as she says.

It works better than my toothpaste.

Iki keeps staring at me.

I’m no expert, but her eyes clearly say she wants something.

There’s a song in Bengali that goes something like this:

“The eyes speak the words of the heart.

It’s not just about meeting eye to eye.

To understand the language hidden within,

One must have eyes that truly see.”

I sigh. “Alright, Princess Iki. What do you want?”

She adds honey to her smile. “Nothing much. There are only a few bananas left. You need to buy some for me.”

Now, think carefully.

If the ferocious tiger can turn into a cat for bananas. Then she can definitely turn into a dragon if she doesn’t get any banana.

Best to maintain her banana supply.

“Alright,” I say. “But let me finish my morning workout.”

My eldest brother always forced my middle brother and me to work out every morning. I’m sure he’d be proud seeing me like this.

I step onto the balcony, remove my shirt, and start working out.

Wow. My body feels incredibly light.

I really did receive insane strength from the Turner spell.

As I do sit-ups, Iki asks, confused, “What are you doing?”

- “Workout.”

- “And what does that do?”

- “Keeps my body fit and healthy. Increases strength, stamina, focus, memory, many more.”

“All of that?” she asks. “Hard to believe.”

I finish my routine and stand up. 

I say, “Take a good look at me and tell me what you think.”

Iki stares at my body with wide eyes.

My shyness kicks in.

I quickly wipe off the sweat and put my shirt back on.

I drink some water and ask, “So, where do I go for your bananas?”

Again, with that honey-coated voice, she says, “Go outside the students hostel and head toward the teachers hostel. There’s a road beside it. Follow it until you see a weird tree. Turn left, walk a bit more, and you’ll reach the town market. There’s a banana shop there.”

She hands me a gold coin.

What! This is like a Carrom coin.

Is she planning to buy an entire banana forest?

Not my business.

I grab an apple and leave the room.

My first mission in this world: "Hunting bananas for the princess."