Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 187 (Part 1):

“What is this supposed to mean?”

It was filled with incomprehensible gibberish. Alea smiled faintly.

“Read it carefully. These words hint at the location of the dungeon entrance. Lampione left it with the Mages’ Guild.”

The Mages’ Guild had monopolized Lampione’s will for a long time. Yet, even after investing nearly a century, they couldn’t locate Lampione’s dungeon, so they finally made his will public.

It seemed they hoped that anyone who could discover the dungeon would advance magical research.

Helmut read the note again.

“I stand alone, towering, born from the belly of darkness without a speck of light, enduring eons of fiery torment. From this place where verdant life abounds, the journey begins. On nights as dark as my body, when I look up to see the moon shining, a full moon in the deepest darkness, six stars will illuminate the path. Those who wish to walk this path, show your worth. When truth and falsehood intersect, the door shall open.”

Mages like metaphors, but Helmut couldn’t understand why they would leave wills like this.

Looking around, however, he guessed something.

“Verdant life means water, and water that abounds might be in the middle of the ocean.”

“Surrounded by the ocean, a black rocky cliff rises from volcanic activity. There’s the entrance.”

Naturally, his gaze turned towards the ocean. A black cliff not far from the mainland was visible.

The cliff, covered with grown trees and grass on top, was strikingly beautiful even at a glance.

“Places like that aren’t unique. How did you find it?”

“I researched Lampione’s life and deeds. He had a significant epiphany here that influenced his magical achievements while strolling along this coast.”

“Why couldn’t the Mages’ Guild find it?”

“Lampione lived long and traveled extensively. There are many similar places. The Mages’ Guild found this place but wasn’t as certain as me. They should have looked more carefully. Lampione wasn’t the kind to be helpful. Even if you’re sure, it’s not easy to find.”

“Didn’t he want to pass on his legacy?”

“Perhaps? Lampione was an archmage who achieved extraordinary feats. He lamented being a mere mortal despite his genius. He didn’t create an heir simply because no one met his standards. Perhaps it galled him to think of passing on his achievements after death.”

“That’s…”

Similar to Darien. Darien wasn’t stingy, just had high standards.

Darien had only chosen Helmut as his successor later in life, whereas Lampione seemed to have set up a way to choose his successor posthumously.

“Lampione loved puzzles. His dungeon, a vast sub-space, is filled with all sorts of challenges. Some can’t be solved just intellectually.”

“You have to solve all those puzzles to inherit the legacy?”

“Yes, it’s like a complicated test for a prospective successor.”

“Is there… a treasure inside?”

By now, this was more than a mere assignment. It was exciting to think about treasure hunting.

“Probably. It’s the dungeon of an archmage, after all. Perhaps he’ll even hand over the ownership of the dungeon. Then the treasure would naturally follow.”

Mages are wealthy. Lampione’s legacy would surpass even Darien’s.

Though getting there might not be easy. It could be more perilous than the battles in Basor.

‘I have enough money. But.’

“If more comes our way, there’s no reason to refuse it.” Alea added lightly.

“It’s encouraging to hear. The dungeon opens at night, right?”

“Yes. And the dungeon only opens to the same individual once a year, for six hours. If you can’t solve the puzzles within that time, you’ll have to wait until next year. I tried once before entering the academy, but had to stop midway.”

It was a wise decision. She didn’t seem capable of going further at the time.

“Are the puzzles always the same?”

“I hope so, but they might not be. Lampione registered a huge number of puzzles, and they’re drawn randomly.”

“How many puzzles are there?”

“I don’t know. I’d guess about a hundred.”

No matter how smart one is, it’s impossible to solve so many puzzles in time.

Maybe Lampione never intended to pass on his legacy, just created an impossible dungeon to frustrate everyone.

Helmut briefly doubted. As he voiced his skepticism, Alea shook her head.

“I’ve researched Lampione. Considering the period he was believed to have constructed his dungeon, he couldn’t have created that many puzzles. There must be an end. This time, we’ll surely see it!”

Alea’s amethyst eyes sparkled. Helmut stared at her. It was the first time he’d seen Alea so excited.

Even when they went to Baden for fun, or when she saw something new, Alea was always composed. Seeing her scared during the festival was surprising.

“So, when do you plan to move towards that cliff?”

“Ah… Let me meditate first. To recover my magic.”

Alea quickly assumed a position and sat down, placing her hands on her knees.

Like a knight recovering his Vis through training, a mage recovers magic through meditation.

However, meditation requires focus and physical strength. It’s useless to meditate in a poor state, so she had been resting until now.

To prevent any disturbances during meditation, a barrier surrounded her.

Helmut felt the energy of the atmosphere being drawn towards Alea. Through meditation, she transformed the atmospheric energy into her magic.

Her silver hair fluttered, and a white light illuminated around her like a halo.

A mage’s magic resides in their heart as energy.

Helmut felt the flow of power converging towards her heart. The sight was mystical and fascinating.

But it seemed it wouldn’t end soon. Helmut decided to explore the sea he was seeing for the first time.

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