[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith":3,"chapter-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-625":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Childhood Friend of the Zenith",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1240475,1667,"Chapter 624","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-625",625,"\u003Cp>Chirp—! Chirp—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of birdsong tickled my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sunlight warmly poured down,and the breeze, carrying the essence of the season, was refreshingly cool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaves full of life gleamed, their colors beautifully transforming in welcome of the coming autumn.Just looking at them made my heart race.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truly, an incredibly beautiful place.If I were walking here alone, I might’ve stopped without realizing it, simply to take in the scenery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was that breathtaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this place?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t just marvel at the scenery with a carefree heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just moments ago, this world had been nothing but the sound of burning ashes.Why had it suddenly transformed into this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more than that...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why does this feel...?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I looked around, an earthquake seemed to shake my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place was unfamiliar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, I had wandered so many places that it might be somewhere I had passed by at some point.Even so...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why does it feel so familiar?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t the kind of familiarity you get from passing through a place once.This was something deeper—nostalgic and sorrowful, all at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An incomprehensible wave of emotions surged through me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this place?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did I feel like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it seemed like I was seeing it for the first time,the coexistence of strangeness and longing made no sense.It was a sensation I had never felt before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of a waterwheel turning snapped me back to my senses.I turned to face forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, what I needed to focus on wasn’t the scenery—it was the figure in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Nameless?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nameless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was how the woman had introduced herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I recalled that, I looked at her again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t see her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her appearance was still indiscernible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was hazy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite her presence being so overwhelming, for some reason, I couldn’t perceive her clearly.It was as if my mind was refusing to recognize her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is she?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew there was a lot going on inside me,but right now, both Noya and Keureung were absent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So there were only two possible candidates I could consider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she wasn’t a blood demon spirit—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And not the Divine Sword either...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what on earth was she?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoo-hoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard the woman chuckle softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have the same expression.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That face you always make when you’re deep in thought. It’s strangely comforting to see it again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words, tinged with amusement, made me scowl.It was as if she knew me well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I subtly moved my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flame began to flicker to life—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiss—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only for it to disappear just as quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is driving me insane.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was supposed to be my mental space.And yet, I couldn’t even wield my power as I wanted. What kind of absurd situation was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you, and what is this place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to ask outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my question, the woman tilted her head slightly,then glanced around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked me in return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think it’s beautiful?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t answer her.I thought it was absurd to even entertain such a question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps it is beautiful. It’s the place you loved most.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She continued speaking, not caring for my lack of response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When autumn came, this place was especially vibrant. The surrounding abundance made it a wonderful place to live.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She picked up a falling autumn leaf and handed it to the child in her arms.Though the child’s face remained filled with fear, they didn’t reject the leaf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why you kept coming here. I watched you countless times as you stood here, gazing quietly at the sky. This place holds those memories.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words were incomprehensible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just this house,but this place—I had never been here before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it a memory? Or perhaps a regret? What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need to answer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it were you, you’d probably say it was regret without hesitation. That’s the kind of person you are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That smile—it made my chest ache for reasons I couldn’t explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hurt. And it was cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those were the emotions I felt as I looked at her.That’s why—despite having so many questions, I couldn’t bring myself to ask any of them.It was undoubtedly because of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sniff...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The child in her arms shrank further into themselves.The woman gently stroked the child, her movements careful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s okay. Everything’s okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sniff... Mommy...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The child’s quiet call for their mother made the woman pause for a moment,but she didn’t stop her soothing touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching this, I came to a realization once again.This wasn’t the time to hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped closer to the woman and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Give that to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What will you do if I do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as I spat out those words without hesitation, the woman’s expression didn’t change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She simply asked. And I answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because it has to be done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, this was something that had to happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in the haze clouding my thoughts, this one thing was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Something that has to be done, you say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman nodded at my words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, it must be done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, hand it—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I won’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her refusal made my face twist in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry, but I can’t give you this child.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of nonsense is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was mine.I was taking back what was mine. What kind of ridiculous statement was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glared at the woman in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she only tightened her hold on the child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As I said before, I didn’t want you to make this choice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The child also clung tightly to the woman, as if refusing to let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And I’m sorry. I’m the one who pushed you into this situation despite not wanting you to choose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words made my eyes widen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pushed me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean? You’re the one who pushed me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid her incomprehensible words, the sound of the waterwheel echoed once more.That was the signal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That you were forced to go back in time...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice rang out, striking me deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That you were turned into something as monstrous as a dragon to endure this harsh current...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My breathing, which had been steady, began to falter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That the heavy burden on your back is all because of me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My trembling breaths made it nearly impossible to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What had I just heard?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is she saying?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the one who sent me back?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That couldn’t be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who sent me back...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was the Heavenly Demon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Sword had said so.And the Heavenly Demon had confirmed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who sent me back was the Heavenly Demon—not this woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Wait.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I tried to process it,I felt something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her blurred form had become slightly clearer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, as my gaze met hers, I thought I understood something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t tell me, you’re the Heave—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zzzt—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden pain forced me to one knee.Gripping my head, my body shook violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain wasn’t physical.It came from my very soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A warning that recalling certain things would shatter my soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haah... haaah...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Struggling to breathe, I barely endured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman, still standing before me, simply watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t see her expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she had smiled, I could somewhat tell, but now, I had no idea what kind of face she was making.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even through countless lives, the life you desired most was an ordinary one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I couldn’t see her expression,I could hear the sorrow in her voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And so, I didn’t want you to live this kind of life. That’s why, whenever you tried to choose, I made you hesitate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words only made my head spin more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I delayed your decisions. I clouded your vision to make you lose your way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if confessing, she continued to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The memories surfaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The countless times I had declared I would use any means necessary, only to hesitate.The way I had already become a dragon yet still longed to remain human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was all of that... her doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I still remember,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When we first built this house. The smile you wore back then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t understand her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe that’s why. I’m still here, in this place. Perhaps...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She whispered softly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll remain here forever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Which is why, I hope you never remember fully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice reached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I couldn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The voice...!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sound came out.My body was stiff and wouldn’t move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle—! Snap—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to force myself to move, but it felt like something was crushing me, making it impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forgetfulness is the best I can give you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap—! Crackle—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An unnatural sound came from my strained arms.I knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I forced it any further, I’d be completely broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain wasn’t physical—it reached my soul.It was excruciating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So much so that I wondered if such pain could even exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And so, even if one day you come to know everything...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I barely managed to lift my head to look at the woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the end of it all, I hope you still won’t remember me. That is my only wish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t understand what she was saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only were her words incomprehensible, but I couldn’t grasp who she was or why she had appeared within me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap—! Crackle—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever I tried to think, it wasn’t just my body—my mind itself felt blocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah... Hah...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry. This child...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman spoke as she gently cradled the child in her arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll hold them close and hide them from you. To the you that awakens, it’ll be as if they never existed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, the woman began to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craaaack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she stood, the sky began to fracture.Instinctively, I knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once this moment passed, my body would awaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And if, by some miracle, you recall me one day... will you resent me? If so, I’d welcome it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman let out a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Resentment means you remember me. And that alone would be enough for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She began to move.As she spoke, the woman slowly started walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craaaack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky continued to fracture, and even the ground beneath her feet began to crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman passed by me, carrying the child in her arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to stop her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to take the child from her, and I needed to ask her identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle—! Snap—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation of being bound grew stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my teeth.I couldn’t just let her go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That single thought drove me to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crrrrack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body felt like it was breaking apart.Ignoring the pain, I spoke to the woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Don’t... go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice I couldn’t muster earlier finally came out.Even as I spoke, the pain didn’t relent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn’t matter. That wasn’t important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman stopped walking.Seeing that, I thought—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had I told her not to go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it to demand she give me the child?Or was it to make her reveal her identity?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body and mind were both in chaos, as if being forcibly erased.Even so, I felt an overwhelming need to stop her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the only feeling I had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Don’t go,” I said again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my words, the woman turned her head toward me.But I still couldn’t see her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her obscured face remained hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh... heh...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman let out a soft laugh.It was the same laugh I had been hearing, but this time, it was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re always so cruel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice, now trembling with emotion, seemed to release something she had been holding back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once again, you’ve left me with an unforgettable moment. And yet, you’ll forget it all over again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel a faint resentment in her tone.It was an emotion I hadn’t sensed from her before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Thank you. For giving me one more thing to hold onto.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she said this, the woman waved lightly in my direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Now, return. This is no longer a place for you to stay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground beneath me began to fracture as well.Seeing this, I urgently tried to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure around me intensified, as if warning me that there would be no leniency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The hesitation you carry—I will take it with me. You no longer need to falter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to form words with trembling lips, but it was no longer possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for indulging my selfishness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with those words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clink—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the sound of a lock opening, something seemed to unseal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An unknown sensation surged through my body.It wasn’t energy—it was closer to an awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barriers that had been holding me back crumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And from beyond them, things hidden deep within me poured out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The empty spaces inside me filled again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t an epiphany.It was the awakening of something I had possessed all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As these unfamiliar sensations shook my consciousness,the woman, standing amidst the fractures, spoke to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if the path you take is harsh and terrifying, I hope that, at its end, you find happiness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing her words, I reached out my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—! Snap—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as the pressure tore at my hand and pain surged through me, I stretched it forward.I reached out to grasp the woman standing beyond the fractures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Always,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, I couldn’t reach her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is my only wish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fractures swallowed me whole, and my body disappeared from the space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh—.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world around me faded, leaving behind only ashes and embers in its place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle—! Snap—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of burning reached my ears.The dark world had returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that scorched world—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman stood silently, staring at the spot where I had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was because she had seen me for the first time in so long,but she felt she had spoken far too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the burning world, her hands were crumbling away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, she thought to herself with a faint smile,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I was happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hoo...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A quiet breath escaped from the child in her arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The child had fallen asleep at some point.The woman gently stroked the child’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, she thought about the lie she had told.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is my only wish.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What she had just said—It was a lie. Or at least, only half true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her wish wasn’t just for him to be happy.The woman had one more, hidden wish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Just once.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it was only once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Call me by my name.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name he had given her long ago.She hoped he would call her that name again, just once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a wish she couldn’t let go of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Ha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she thought of this, the woman let out a bitter laugh and erased the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was such a pitiful, cowardly wish.Especially after the choices she had made.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman stood for a moment before finally moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps, contrary to her wish,he would never call her by her name again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, her name remainedNameless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooosh—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Palace Lord couldn’t hide her shock at the unfolding situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only had the Ice Essence begun to glow,but all the cold energy within the space was now in motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The force of the energy was so overwhelming that even the Palace Lord had to exert herself to endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What in the world—!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation had taken a sudden turn.Had some kind of anomaly occurred?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not, there was no way the space could become this chaotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooosh—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a raging typhoon, the cold energy swirled endlessly.Amidst the storm, the Palace Lord could sense it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huff—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What in the—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the cold energy moved, she could feel her own energy being drawn away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caught in the flow, even the energy she possessed began to shift.The Palace Lord forcefully pulled her energy back to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then was she able to withstand it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was beyond comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could it be...!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze turned toward the center of the cold energy.She looked at Gu Yangcheon, who still had his eyes closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What she had thought impossible seemed to be happening.The cold energy within the space was being drawn toward Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even her own energy wasn’t safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At this rate...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would even the energy of the Ice Essence be absorbed by him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ice Essence, glowing in front of her,the object that created the North Sea’s perpetual frost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The North Sea’s eternal snowfall and unyielding cold were born from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that Ice Essence were to disappear entirely—what would happen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That fleeting thought passed through her mind,but it didn’t linger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooosh—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The raging cold energy—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gradually slowed, its motion becoming sluggish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huff—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the storm ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swirling winds calmed,and the once-flapping robes fell still,as if the typhoon had never been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sudden stillness, before the Palace Lord could fully assess the situation—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Huh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An abrupt sensation made the Palace Lord instinctively step back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not from anyone else—but from Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keeping her distance, the Palace Lord observed Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been no more than ten seconds since he had closed his eyes.Yet, in that brief span, the Palace Lord sensed a significant change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guuu—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air had shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where it had once been only cold and sharp,it was now heavy and unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of sensation was this?As the Palace Lord remained on guard, trying to understand—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a subtle movement from Gu Yangcheon, who had been standing still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Ah....”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A short breath escaped her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon slowly surveyed his surroundings,then turned his head toward the Palace Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she saw his face, the Palace Lord flinched in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His features hadn’t changed drastically, but something about his demeanor had shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His blue eyes, now sharper and more vivid than before,and the heavy, profound aura he exuded were unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that wasn’t the only reason for her surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Young Master Gu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Gu Yangcheon looked at the Palace Lord,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why... are you crying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unbeknownst to him, tears were streaming down his face.\u003C\u002Fp>",3067,"2026-06-05T15:10:11.188Z",1,"novelbin.me","2bb9ebe5834b827aecd0d8cf772abb10ff168c9511727796f63da1b2f7d13790","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-626","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-624",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]