Chapter 19

So, from that moment onward, Max no longer questioned how these coincidences happened around her.

The only thing was that, he… was actually jealous. He wanted her luck. But of course, since it was not possible, he didn't think too deeply about it.

They went to the cave and made a simple camp. Max dealt with the bonfire and cooked the game he hunted previously.

Throughout his cooking, he would project seasoning to enrich the meat. Since they were simple objects, he could project for up to an hour and it was more than enough to cook the meal and eat it.

The taste would disappear afterwards but since the meat would stay, it wasn't a big problem. They wouldn't go hungry after all.

A wafting aroma scattered throughout the cave, and when the the mean was done, Max cast Reinforcement on it to make it much more tastier and healthier.

"Finally!" Mebd hurriedly took a bite.

'Yeah, my cooking is better.' Max thought. The food he had the previous day was like a black stain on his consciousness.

He was someone who came from the modern times when the culinary art was much more developed than his current world. It was obvious that with the spices and the cooking styles he used, there would be no other chef better than him.

"Hrrrkhrlsod"

Just as he was savoring the flavor, a sound echoed from deep within the cave.

"What was that?" Medb perked her ears and looked deep into the cave.

"I sneezed." Max said while eating without changing his posture.

"That was not a sneeze!" Medb said. "There is something in the cave. Let's go take a look." She offered while getting up.

"No. Why would we do that?" Max asked.

"Why? What do you mean why? We should check it out right?" Medb asked while tilting her head.

"You mean," Max finished eating his last bite and got up slowly, "We should delve deeper into the cave we found by chance while running from heavy downpour, without any information or a torch?"

"You can project one can't you?"

"Yes, I can but that's not the point. Why do you want to check what's in there while we can rest here peacefully and wait until the rain stops?"

"I'm curious? Okay, enough with whining let's go." She declared and turned around to walk deeper into the cave but noticed the absence of another presence next to her. She turned around to see Max standing where he was before.

"Suit yourself." She said and went deeper into the cave.

Max just chilled where he was and watched the heavy rain accompanied with occasional lightning and thunder. There wasn't anyone around him to yap all day long and irritate him. "Haah this is peace." He sighed.

But then became alert because the cave started shaking. "What did she do this time!" He yelled furiously and projected a torch in his hand.

He followed Medb's tracks and found her among the remains of a few skeletons. "What did you do?" He asked.

"Me? Nothing. The door did that." She pointed with her finger.

There stood a heavy door around fifty centimeters in thickness. It was lifted off the ground by a hidden mechanism.

Behind the door was pitch black like the abyss that was beckoning them in.

It really was, as Max felt like something was calling out to him. It was like a piece of him that separated from him a long time ago and now reunion was at hand.

He got excited as this could be a clue. "Let's go." He took the lead this time.

"Oh and now you want to take the lead. Medb is not pleased." She pouted but still followed.

The duo continued through the underground cave. There were different murals etched into the walls. Some depicted bears, some eagles, some foxes, and some dragons.

'Should I actually continue going deeper?' Max had second thought about the situation he found himself in.

The lessons taught by Leopold still rang in his ears. Never go unprepared.

And here he was. Overexcited about a suspicious cave that may or may not have something related to him.

He was getting uneasy.

And skeletons that popped out here and there didn't help either. 'What if there is a Tyrant at the end?' He still clearly remembered the terror it brought onto the battlefield.

And no one anticipated its participation. But his feet kept dragging him forward. He was curious.

So he kept his doubts to himself and continued forward until they reached a closed door that had some sort of puzzle lock.

There was a snake, butterfly, a bear and a dragon.

"Now what?" He asked.

Medb took a peek over his shoulder and said, "I don't know, try touching butterfly." She said.

Max shot a doubtful look at her but complied regardless as he was aware of her abnormal luck.

After touching the butterfly etching, it lit up.

But nothing happened except for that.

"Hmm dragon." Medb said.

Max did as she said and it lit up also.

"Now snake."

Same thing before. It only lit up but nothing happened. And there was one last etching that didn't lit up. The bear.

Max was sure that something would happen as long as he touched that but he was hesitating. 'What if it was a trap?' His heart was about to burst.

It brought feelings of reunion mixed with unease. He felt that once he opened that door, he would reach peace.

His hand trembled as he reached for the last etching but Medb's voice was heard. "You know what? I don't wanna look inside there anymore." Then turned around and walked away as if nothing happened.

Max heaved a sigh of relief as he also gave up on opening the door and walked away.

Whatever inside there was still trying to reach out to him but he paid it no mind. He turned to Medb, "Why did you change your mind?"

"Just because. I was curious at beginning but then got bored. No other reason." She shrugged.

Max thought about the luck and thought that it was warning her not to open that door that's why he didn't question her further.

Medb went to her bedroll slept soundly while Max placed some traps around the area before he also went to sleep.

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