Chapter 184: Prayer Ritual
Zenith earnestly followed the middle-aged monk to reach the western side of the shrine, where there was a giant black hematite rock placed in the middle of a floweryard. This was the spot where the family members would hold prayer meetings for their lost ones.
Reaching that place after a very long time, Zenith’s heart grew heavy with grief as he felt very guilty for not fulfilling his liable duty as Zorina’s son until now.
But now he was determined to fulfill all of his duties and become the kind of person his mother would be proud about.
Just looking at the surroundings, it was pretty clear that countless devotees must come to that mountain shrine every day to offer their prayers in front of the haematite rock. It had a unique polishing shimmer under the glistening sunlight, which was also said to hold spiritual powers. It was decorated with thousands of candles, and colorful flowers, and on small paper plates, ripped persimmon fruits were offered to the rock, which seemed to be a ritual of offering to the demised ones by their families.
While Zenith was staring at his surroundings, the monk collected a few ripped persimmon fruits for him on a paper plate and handed it over to him, before conveying in a gentle voice, "You should pray for your mother’s eternal rest here, my child. Offer her these fruits and tell her to eat well, and sleep well. Go."
For a brief moment, Zenith felt it too hard to believe he acted like the kind of arrogant scum who brutally bullied any student in the Academy who used to hold any firm belief in deities as well as the divine Moon Goddesses. He never wanted to believe in these kinds of spiritual existence, since his inner darkness had completely numbed his emotions deep inside.
But being together with Kylian had finally opened his eyes, teaching him the true meaning of finding eternal solace in someone who didn’t approach him seeing his power and worth, but just a simple person.
By now, Zenith felt very peaceful after coming back here to fullfill the last rites for his beloved Mom who perhaps had never rested peacefully until now. He humbly knelt down before the Haematite rock and offered the fruits as he was old, as well as lit up a few candles.
The monk started chanting the prayers aloud, sprinkling holy water all around the area while Zenith kept his eyes closed, folding his palms for the prayer.