Chapter 192: Chapter 192

Zahid stared into the pitch-black cave with dry eyes.

As if beckoning them to follow, a narrow stream trickled away into the darkness.

Funnily enough, the first emotion that arose in that moment wasn’t fear or sorrow—but emptiness.

‘To think I’d lose to you.......’

The ‘you’ Zahid referred to was Rosie’s first love, the one he had been fighting against since childhood.

That unknown person Rosie saw through him, the one she remembered every time she spoke to him.

There had always been parts of Rosie’s behavior that didn’t quite make sense.

From the beginning, she had suddenly sought him out, declared her feelings, and proposed an engagement. And despite him only giving her curt responses, she had poured her affection on him.

‘He must be connected to that guy.’

He hadn’t dared ask in more detail—afraid that doing so might destroy what little they had now, or stop her from expressing affection altogether.

He had tried expressing himself a few times, but each time Rosie fell silent, and it only made him more certain he shouldn’t pry.

‘The one who died when Rosie was a child.’

It must’ve happened when she was younger than twelve, yet the shadow he cast over her life still loomed so large—it was baffling.

But if he was someone who had died for her, then it made sense.

Zahid had once had this conversation with Julian:

“That Yuta bastard went off to Itaa Kingdom for volunteer work, saying he’d distract the High Priest? What if he dies out there?”

“Lord Julian, you get annoyed every time, but it seems you’re really worried about Lord Yuta.”

“The dead can’t be beaten!”

“If he dies doing that, then the most amazing older brother Rosie’s ever had will be Yuta! Even though I’m supposed to be that brother! I lost my memories, lost my skills, and turned into a dumbass, but it’s supposed to be me!”

Back then, Zahid had laughed inwardly at those words—but now that he stood in that position, he understood.

You can’t win against the dead.

Especially not someone who died for the person you love—no one can forget someone like that.

Even if everything ended and he and Rosie got married and lived happily ever after, Zahid was sure he’d always live under that shadow.

He’d never show it—worried Rosie might feel guilty—but on sleepless nights, it would torment him.

Who was that man? How did he die? What would it take for Rosie to forget him...?

Of course he wanted to monopolize even the memories of the person he loved.

When Zahid had once asked Rosie, “What would you do if I said we should break off the engagement?”, she had answered :

“You might meet someone better than you one day.”

Zahid had once thought that in that sentence, he wasn’t the “you”—but the “someone better.”

And now, he had come to die for her too. Which meant he no longer had to fight that man’s shadow.

At the very least, he wouldn’t live a life where he’d lost to some nameless, shapeless rival.

Of course, Rosie would grieve deeply for his death...

But she might also go on to live happily with someone “better.”

‘She already did once, after all......’

In that case, he was probably just another man who passed through her life. Still, he wouldn’t place any meaning in that.

No matter how many men passed through her life, none of them would love her more than he did.

Even if she didn’t acknowledge that—he knew it himself, and that made it meaningful.

Zahid looked calmly into Fire’s eyes as he spoke.

Fire silently met Zahid’s gaze. Then, slowly, he nodded.

Even if the path ahead would kill his master—if the master’s will was firm, the Divine Beast would follow.

“I’ll save the final goodbye for the very end.”

Zahid said, stroking Fire’s fur.

Fire, who used to bark ferociously with loud ‘keong-keong’ sounds, didn’t make a sound now and only lowered his head.

Tears welled silently in his eyes. Zahid smiled faintly and pretended not to notice.

The sunlight reached only the entrance of the cave.

Zahid picked up some twigs and used Fire to ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ light a torch.

A long, narrow, and dark path stretched out into the distance, as far as the eye could see.

Soon, the shadows of the wolf and the young man stretched long behind them—and then disappeared into the cave.

At some point, the stream had grown too narrow to ride the boat any further.

After carefully packing the supplies Abraham had given me, I disembarked from the boat with Athena.

Athena matched my fastest possible pace as she took the lead.

The only way to go was to follow the water. That made the journey far from comfortable.

I’d changed into clothes easier to move in when I left the marquisate, but even those were a mess now. Still, I didn’t stop—keeping up with Athena as best I could.

The stream had led us to the Temple of Memory.

A strange feeling stirred in me as I looked at the ruined temple grounds. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

Following Athena, I crossed the temple ruins and headed to the back mountain connected to the site.

And at the entrance to the back mountain—I finally found it.

It was Fire’s paw prints.

The prints were massive, clearly belonging to a large wolf—impossible to miss.

“They must have passed through recently.”

Thrilled, I eagerly poked the paw prints with my finger.

“We’ll catch up soon.”

It was worth not giving up.

I held back my tears and tightly gripped the strap of my bag again.

“Athena, did you notice?”

The path Athena was following and Fire’s paw prints overlapped.

Running ahead with energy, I chattered brightly on purpose.

“This bag’s packed with emergency medical supplies, all kinds of camping magic tools, and even emergency rations. There’s even dried fish!”

I was still constantly worried—what if I was one step too late? This was how I tried to keep myself steady.

“Dried fish from the Sinesse Marquisate—sounds delicious, right? I saved them until now to share with Zahid. You can have some too, Athena. Looking at Fire, it seems even Divine Beasts like food that people enjoy.”

For the first time, Athena—who had been silently guiding the way—answered.

It meant she could sense how tense I was too.

And then, finally, when we reached the cave—

I stopped in my tracks.

The stream that had flowed alongside us, weaving ahead and behind, continued to flow inside.

Athena, who had been about to enter without hesitation, suddenly turned to look at me. She stopped flapping her wings and landed at the entrance of the cave.

Only sunlight reached the mouth of the cave, and my heart began to pound.

Inside the cave, where Fire’s paw prints continued...

It was narrow and dark.

The path remained narrow, damp, and dark.

As if there had never been any sunlight, the inside of the cave was pitch-black.

Holding a torch, Zahid moved forward without hesitation and murmured,

“Rosie would never be able to come here......”

A low sigh followed his murmur.

“I’m sorry! No, please! Please forgive me! Don’t lock me in! I’ll be good! Aaaaaaaaah!”

He had once seen Rosie trapped in Ethan’s wardrobe at the Noart estate.

Even back then, it felt like his heart was being torn apart.

Rosie had always smiled in front of others and handled everything with ease—so seeing her like that hurt even more.

Still, it was a relief she was the type to know how to protect herself.

Even when he was imprisoned by the Temple, she had used a strange magic device to communicate with him, saying she couldn’t go into small, dark spaces.

“If you can avoid it, live your whole life avoiding it, Rosie.”

Zahid muttered, gazing at the flickering torch.

“Don’t take on painful or difficult things.”

He knew full well these words would never reach her.

“I’ll do whatever I can for you.”

But he wouldn’t have much more time to say things to Rosie.

“Just... that’s how I feel.”

The trickling stream beside him grew wider and wider. Just like the map had shown.

Without hesitation, Zahid walked through the unnaturally clean cave, where not even a single bat flitted.

And at the end of that path—

A vast pool appeared before Zahid’s eyes.

He looked around. Then, finding a suitable stalactite, he hung the torch there.

The pool, round and dazzlingly clear, looked to be about twice the size of Fire’s body.

Zahid sat nearby and dipped his finger into the water.

As if awakening, divine power surged into his exhausted body, snapping his mind into clarity.

“This is the place, Fire.”

He smiled faintly and stood up.

The awakening of the Divine Beast.

He felt like he instinctively knew how to do it.