Chapter 85 – No Such Thing as a Path of Flowers
A land rich with high-quality ore veins.
The dwarves had built a city near that land and created a thriving civilization. That city was Beneta.
The existence of the ore veins was so central to Beneta’s founding that the abandoned mine I had mentioned was once a vital location for the dwarves.
“How do you know about that place?”
“The abandoned mine?”
“Yes.”
I had been examining the display of liquor bottles when Fenry's question brought me back to the conversation.
Sinking into the plush sofa, I looked around the room.
This was Lord Dorneth’s private office.
As expected of a dwarf, the interior was adorned with impressive silver armor and weapons. The walls were lined with shelves packed with various bottles of alcohol.
“Isn’t it a famous story?”
“The mine closure is well-known, sure. But the fact that it was due to a curse? That’s something only Dorneth and the elders know. Didn’t you see their reactions earlier?”
Now that she mentioned it, the reactions had been intense.
Dorneth had personally clamped his hand over my mouth, and the elders had hastily adjourned the meeting.
Was it all because I said the word curse?
“Who told you about the curse? I only learned about it after forming the blood pact.”
Who else? You did.
After being cast out of Tobaron into the harsh outer world, Fenry had often lamented the lost potential of the abandoned mine. She’d said that if the dwarves had been able to use it, they wouldn’t have fallen so easily to the Butcher.
“Do you even know what kind of curse it is?”
Oh, I know very well.
Because you told me everything about it.
But I didn’t expect them to be so secretive about it. What’s more, the curse wasn’t widely revealed in the story until Fenry reached 6-star status and ascended to the level of a Special. That mine was a place she visited at the peak of her strength.
The only reason I had a chance of attempting this challenge was because…
“I have the Heart of Retonicalus.”
With the heart’s power, I had a fighting chance.
Still, it didn’t seem wise to elaborate further, so I chose to remain silent in response to Fenry’s question.
The "Eyes of Truth" were certainly a burden at times.
Seeing my reaction, Fenry smirked slightly and lifted her glass.
“If you continue hiding your thoughts even after forming the blood pact, you’ll die by my hand one day. I’ve placed a lot of trust in you. You know that, right?”
“……”
Her sharp instincts were as unnerving as ever.
But how could I possibly tell her, “Your future self told me”?
As I stayed quiet, she sipped her drink, sank further into the sofa, and began speaking slowly.
We still had some time before Dorneth arrived, so it seemed she planned to share some helpful information, whether I already knew it or not.
Nella had said this.
Destiny would guide him.
All Fenry had to do was follow and support him from behind.
Because he was a guide.
“Before Dorneth’s time, previous lords tried to break the curse on the mine but lost their lives. You know that Beneta went through four different rulers in fifty years, right? Along with them, three battalions—more than 350 elite knights—disappeared into that mine. The number of common soldiers who died? Too many to count.”
“Is there anything known about the curse itself?”
“Whoever goes in, never comes back out. In the end, the dwarves chose to seal the mine rather than keep waiting with tears in their eyes. The mine is more than just a resource to them; it’s a home and a lifeline. That’s how severe the curse is. And now, you’ve declared that you’ll march in there willingly.”
“……”
When I made that bold declaration to Dorneth, it had been on impulse—to prove my qualifications for the blood pact. But hearing Fenry explain it now, I felt like some deranged masochist eager to march into certain death.
‘Now that I think about it, there’s no need to rush, is there?’
I’d just woken up yesterday after being beaten unconscious.
The blood pact qualifications didn’t have an expiration date, so I could take my time, carefully prepare, and move at my own pace.
As I was considering whether to push back the departure date, the door burst open, and Dorneth strode in.
His expression was bright and cheerful.
So why did I feel nothing but dread?
“The discussions went well! Now we just need to resolve the issue!”
“Ah, about that… I was thinking we could push the departure…”
“We’re setting off tomorrow! I’ve already finalized everything, and the elders can’t overturn the decision now. Hahaha!”
“…Oh. Fuck.”
The elders must’ve held a separate meeting, and my proposal seemed to have been accepted.
If I resolved the curse on the abandoned mine, I wouldn’t just be accepted into the blood pact—I’d also be hailed as a savior of their race.
But why the hell did it have to be tomorrow?
I glanced out the window, where the crescent moon hung low in the night sky. Dawn was just around the corner.
‘Why does life never give me an easy path?’
It was my choice, sure, but the harder I struggled to survive, the further survival seemed to slip from my grasp.
A procession of servants followed Dorneth into the room, carrying piles of documents. They began stacking them neatly on the table in front of me.
Naturally, the short-statured Dorneth was the first to disappear from my line of sight behind the mountain of papers.
“…What is all this?”
“Information on the abandoned mine.”
“This much?”
“It’s that important to us.”
I skimmed through some of the documents but didn’t find anything particularly useful.
There were no survivors from the mine, so any meaningful information was bound to be nonexistent.
Still, I could tell that Dorneth had gone out of his way to provide what little he could. It meant that he had high expectations of me.
‘What exactly is he betting on?’
Whether it was this dwarf or that elf, both seemed excessively supportive of me, almost to the point of discomfort.
I pushed the stack of papers aside and stood before the two of them. The documents could wait; it was more important to understand their intentions.
“Now, tell me,” I began.
“Tell you what?”
“The reason why I’m so necessary to this blood pact.”
While I definitely needed the blood pact, I also needed to know why they needed me.
The two exchanged a brief glance before Fenry bit down on her pipe and answered.
“A guide.”
“…A guide?”
“This new divine name has changed our fate. Nella is one of the few remaining priestesses among the elves. She said you’re the guide who will lead our destiny.”
“…What does that mean?”
“She said it’s because of you that we received our divine names.”
Because of me, they got their divine names?
‘Not wrong, but…’
My interference had significantly altered the story. Among those changes, their transformations were the most dramatic.
But for their divine names to revolve around me? That, I hadn’t anticipated.
If this pattern kept repeating…
Would it ultimately work to my advantage or lead to my downfall? I’d have to wait and see.
For now, though,
‘It’s probably in my favor.’
The hands they extended toward me were sincere.
I had to grab hold of those hands and survive.
“Now that you know, focus on your task. If you fail, it’s all over, you understand?”
“Yes, yes.”
Though the documents didn’t seem very helpful, I’d have to go through them carefully—my life depended on it.
As I sifted through the files, I asked the two of them various questions about the abandoned mine.
I brought up the Black Market, Rengua the Dark Shaman’s divine name, and even Kamel Blazer.
The information Nella had provided on Tobaron was helpful, but the two before me were among its major powers.
Their insights were on another level entirely.
As the turbulent winds of change swept through Tobaron, I absorbed crucial information about the shifting dynamics and atmosphere of the region.
With the future altered, I too needed to adapt.
“At first, I felt hurt. But if it’s for my benefactor’s survival, I have to understand.”
“Thank you for understanding, Lady Sharbadin.”
The next morning, I sought out Sharbadin. Yesterday had been too chaotic, so I hadn’t had the chance to visit her.
She had initially been upset that the Dark Rose she’d given to me ended up with Fenry, but after I explained the circumstances, she seemed to accept it.
As expected, kind people have kind hearts.
Clicking my tongue, I glanced at Fenry, who was puffing away at her pipe and glaring at me with an annoyed expression.
“Well, passing it from benefactor to benefactor isn’t such a bad thing.”
Sharbadin smiled softly, her gaze falling on the Dark Rose adorning Fenry’s hair. She seemed to be attaching some deep meaning to it.
If she learned that the Black Rose’s flower language meant “You will forever be mine,” she’d probably faint.
Though, honestly, Dorneth might pick up a hammer and come after me before that happened.
Shaking off a sudden shiver, I stood up, ready to leave.
“I heard from Dorneth. You’re leaving for the mine today.”
“It seems that way.”
“I’ve heard it’s a dangerous place. Are you sure you’re not rushing this? You should prepare properly.”
Exactly.
That short, bearded man could’ve taken his time with this.
But since he was her husband, I couldn’t badmouth him in front of her. All I could do was smile awkwardly and feign confidence.
“Don’t worry. You know how good I am at staying alive.”
Sharbadin chuckled in response to my flippancy.
She knew me as the man who had crawled through the blood-soaked altar of the Mimic alongside her. A man who could make the impossible possible.
“Are you coming?” I asked.
“Why would I?”
When I gestured for her to join me, Fenry scowled, crushing a cookie in her hand.
“Never mind, then.”
“You must have a death wish.”
“Going with you increases my survival rate, doesn’t it?”
“Ha, how the hell did I end up stuck with someone like you?”
“You can decline. Shall we cancel the deal, then?”
“And what about that?”
“Who would I leave it for? I’ll hold onto it and die with it in my arms.”
“You crazy bastard.”
I’d thought this through last night.
I knew about the mine’s curse.
But even with that knowledge, I wasn’t confident I’d survive if I went alone.
So, the solution was simple.
Bring a reliable insurance policy.
If I pulled this off, I’d become a savior to the dwarves. That meant I’d likely earn another golden plaque.
Dorneth had subtly confirmed it when I tested the waters.
If I offered one of the plaques as a trade, I figured I could lure in at least one greedy elf.
Especially Fenry, who had already experienced the effectiveness of the Dark Rose. She’d have no choice but to bite.
Unintentionally, the Dark Rose had become the perfect bait.
“If I end up with two golden plaques, what a shame that would be,” I teased.
“……”
“Let me know if you’re interested. I’d be happy to share… one of them.”
“Shut up!”
She hadn’t fully taken the bait yet, but I was confident she would once we reached the Blacksmiths’ Garden.
Nobody can resist the allure of a golden plaque.
As I dangled the possibility of wealth before her like a carrot, Dorneth appeared in a splendid set of armor.
“Be safe, Dorneth!”
“My love, Shar, I will return to you.”
“You must come back!”
“I promise.”
The two of them exchanged hugs, kisses, and tender gazes as if parting for a long and perilous journey.
Except Dorneth was only accompanying me to the entrance of the mine.
Why the hell was he wearing full armor?
“Let’s go,” he said.
Following Dorneth out of the castle, we found a waiting wagon.
It was an ordinary cart, the type commonly used on farms.
The three of us—Dorneth, Fenry, and I—boarded the wagon and left the castle grounds.
This mission to the abandoned mine was officially mine to handle alone.
Though some in Beneta had offered to assist, I had declined them all.
Not even the former lords of Beneta had survived the mine despite leading elite battalions.
That’s not the kind of place you can solve with numbers.
Unless it was someone like Dorneth or Fenry, anyone else would’ve only gotten in the way.