* * *
I eagerly explained the mirror magic tool to Zahid.
When I told him it could only be used during the full moon because the Grand Temple was built on land overflowing with divine power, which weakened during that ti, Zahid openly looked disappointed.
—Shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.
He murmured, staring straight at .
—I thought maybe I could see you every day now. I was even thinking I should hurry up, finish everything, and lock myself up in prison.
"Finish everything..."
I already knew why he’d infiltrated the Temple—Julian had told .
"The map left by the forr Duke Dyfenril... it really does seem connected to the High Priest’s weakness. Considering I went to the Holy Land of Arhad in the past, that place must be related sohow. But no matter how hard I tried for nine years, I couldn’t get any info. So I had no choice but to go inside myself and dig around."
I looked at Zahid’s calm face and asked, worried:
"It’s not dangerous, right?"
—Even if it is, I still have to do it. But I’ll co back alive, no matter what.
Zahid studied carefully as he spoke.
—I can’t stand the thought of seeing you marry another man.
"What? What are you talking about, another man?"
I blurted out, startled, and Zahid smiled faintly as he answered.
—If I die, you’ll grieve hard, then say, "The living must go on. Zahid in heaven would want to forget him and be happy," and then you’ll grit your teeth, marry Ray Lavendal—who His Majesty set you up with—and live well.
At that, I clapped my hands in admiration.
"Wow, that’s the longest I’ve ever heard you talk in one go. You must’ve really put effort into imagining your own death."
Zahid snorted lightly and then just stared at .
Honestly, that kind of blunt stare felt unfamiliar, even compared to before regression.
"Hey, why are you looking at like that? It’s embarrassing, you’re gonna burn a hole through ."
—I’m looking to see what’s different, what’s the sa, what’s not how I imagined it... It’s just so fascinating, I can’t stop looking.
Zahid tilted his head lazily as he spoke.
—Besides, there’s nothing else I can do right now but look.
"Huh?"
—If I could do sothing else, I would.
His voice was playful but thick with restrained heat, and my cheeks turned red.
Honestly, I found his grown-up appearance fascinating too. I thought I already knew what he looked like from mory, but seeing him again in person—he was way more handso.
His long legs, solid build, the defined shadows on his face, those big hands...
I was taking in every bit of him, and then he asked with amusent:
—Were you looking at with those eyes too?
"Uh... probably."
—If we et in person, it’s going to be a disaster.
My thoughts exactly...
I was nodding like I was hypnotized, then snapped out of it in shock.
This wasn’t what I ca here to talk about!
"Anyway, be careful, Zahid. I’m really worried. You really are sneaking into the High Priest’s quarters, right?"
—Assistant Yuta gave super detailed directions, so it’s fine.
Zahid smiled to reassure .
—I promise. I won’t push myself.
He lifted his pinky in a playful promise. I nodded slowly, and a brief silence followed.
After that, with him watching , I fidgeted with my fingers. There was sothing I really wanted to tell him.
After ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) hesitating for a bit, I finally spoke slowly.
"Zahid, listen."
—Yeah, go ahead.
Zahid whispered with a small smile.
—You’ve looked like you’ve been wanting to say sothing for a while now.
Of course he noticed.
I blinked a few tis, took a mont, and said:
"I’m going to try becoming the master of the four Divine Beasts."
At that, Zahid asked, without much change in expression:
—Think you can handle the Earth Divine Beast? Don’t push yourself. You said you don’t even know how.
How to beco the master of the four Divine Beasts... I still had no clear idea.
When I beca the master of Athena and Liri, I’d been so emotionally overwheld that I just blurted out anything, so I couldn’t really rember.
When I said sothing like this to Yuta, he’d passed a note that said:
Maybe that’s the answer? Losing control and saying whatever cos to mind in a special situation.
Let give you so advice, Rosie.
Don’t overthink it, just throw a tantrum like you always do and get super annoyed.
Everything goes according to the will of the gods.
It was absolutely useless advice, but I decided to take it as: "Believe in yourself and follow your noble emotions in the mont."
—Rosie.
Zahid looked at quietly and said:
—When you’re heading sowhere, there’s never just one path. And if there is, you can always make a new one.
I had a feeling I knew what he was thinking.
—Besides that vague prophecy about the four Divine Beasts, there’s gotta be another way.
The map left by the forr Duke Dyfenril had been fully deciphered.
According to the ancient language written there, if you follow the map to a pond inside a cave, the Divine Beast and its master could rge and awaken, unleashing great power.
‘I just don’t know where the hell this place is, and that’s the problem.’
And I wasn’t sure how powerful "great" really ant, but judging by how the High Priest had a fit over it, it was probably strong enough to kill him.
"This place is described as land rich in divine power... That only leaves the Grand Temple or the Holy Land of Arhad, right? But Yuta said Arhad’s got nothing to do with it. There are no caves there, just relics. I’m stuck at square one."
I paused, rembering what Julian had said, and then spoke.
"But Zahid."
—Yeah.
"I just can’t stop thinking about Linna."
Honestly, the real reason I tried so hard to see him today was to talk about this.
In a way, Zahid was a victim of Linna, so the fact that I kept thinking about her made feel guilty toward him.
"I know your parents died because of a landslide, but still... I can’t stop thinking about that girl."
As I struggled to get the words out, Zahid gave a small laugh, like he completely understood why.
—That’s your heart, Rosie.
"But..."
—Don’t worry about . Just follow your heart.
Zahid stared straight at and said lowly:
—Ray and I probably won’t ever really like Linna. But we do know that when she hard us, she was just a kid who didn’t know anything.
I slowly nodded.
It never really felt like Linna had acted on her own back then.
—You almost got hurt bad on your fake birthday because of Linna. But if she still weighs on your mind, who am I to stop you?
Zahid smiled softly as he added:
—Before I’m your fiancé, I swore loyalty to you. Don’t forget that.
I swallowed hard.
That had been nine years ago already.
"I, Zahid Dyfenril, vow to protect and serve Miss Rosie Noart, and to follow her will."
Even after all that ti, the weight of those words hadn’t changed.
—Maybe I like you this much because you’re the kind of person who can’t just ignore Linna Idra.
As I sat there sulking, Zahid’s reflection in the mirror smiled at encouragingly.
—I believe in you, so be confident and walk your path, Rosie. I’ll do whatever it takes on mine for your sake.
It was so gentle, so full of love—it made my heart lt.
—I’ve only ever had you on my path, but of course, your path can have many people in it, wherever your eyes fall. But...
Of course, his gaze still burned with that relentless, possessive intensity.
—When it’s all over, let your final road ho be with .
I couldn’t breathe.
"But Zahid, if I really get out of this prison... where do I go? I don’t have the Noart estate anymore, or my brother..."
"You’ll co with , Rosie."
"Huh? Where?"
"We’ll sit on the steps above the Temple for a long ti, and then we’ll go back together. Wherever that may be."
I clutched the hand mirror and held back tears.
Whether I was trapped in prison or not, what he wanted never changed.
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