Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 191 (Part 2):

Helmut crossed his arms and stood back. To him, all bees looked the same. How could one distinguish them while they were still in cocoons?

Alea pondered.

“The characteristic of this bee… it must be identifiable even in the cocoon state.”

Then, suddenly, Alea looked up, an idea striking her.

“This bee, in the case of a queen, builds a very peculiar cocoon. This cocoon has a strong resistance to electric-type magic. So strong that it can block an archmage’s magic. That’s why the cocoon is considered a rare magical material. Like this.”

Electricity flowed from Alea’s hand. She brought her hand close to the cocoons.

Electricity flowed evenly into the four cocoons. The surfaces of the cocoons receiving the weak current trembled in response.

However, only one cocoon remained unaffected, seemingly dispersing the current on its surface.

“That’s it. That’s the one to cut.”

Helmut immediately drew his sword. His blade pierced through the cocoon and the wriggling queen bee inside.

Crack! A chilling sound followed by the dripping of insect fluid below.

The buzzing sound ceased. They had chosen the correct answer.

Helmut reluctantly sheathed his sword. If the sword had a mouth, it might have screamed in protest.

‘I’d prefer to stop dealing with insects.’

For the first time, Helmut felt discontent. Since the academy exams last semester, he had grown increasingly averse to insects.

A door opened on the other side. Alea suggested,

“In this way, we might face more knowledge-combination type puzzles in the future. Let’s hurry.”

They quickened their pace. Step by step, they made smooth progress.

*

Finally, it was the last room. Both were exhausted.

Although Alea was used to sitting and studying for ten hours a day, and Helmut could swing his sword for the same duration without fatigue, constantly progressing through an unpredictable dungeon without losing tension was mentally draining in another way.

Fortunately, there were no overwhelmingly difficult problems.

However, there had been a moment when a grotesque bisque doll with twisted limbs had nearly scared Alea half to death.

Although they had spent more than five minutes on it, Alea managed to persevere with her resolve to solve the puzzle.

Later, a bizarre incident occurred where a lion with a human head sprang up and posed a challenge.

Nevertheless, they swiftly cleared the dungeon.

Entering the last room, Alea sighed with relief.

“So it’s the last challenge now.”

Her face brightened with a smile, her heart pounding.

The legacy of Lampione was almost within reach. If she could monopolize it, Alea’s magic would advance significantly.

It would be equivalent to receiving private lessons from two legendary mages, possibly making her the youngest archmage ever.

Helmut was slightly surprised by the time as he checked it in the last room. Although not every room had a clock, some did, and this one was no exception.

The clock on the wall indicated 59 minutes.

“One hour left. We’ve made it through faster than expected. Isn’t that enough?”

“It might take an hour for the last challenge. Let’s see.”

Until they obtained Lampione’s legacy, complacency was forbidden. Ruining things due to carelessness was not an option for Alea.

The last room was neither very spacious nor cramped, ambiguous whether a battle would unfold.

The interior, softly lit by an orange glow, was cozy, with magical runes filling the walls.

At the far end of the room, a large stone sarcophagus was placed. Alea soon realized.

“It seems to be a sarcophagus.”

If it was a sarcophagus, did it mean Lampione’s body was here? Helmut cast an intrigued glance towards the sarcophagus.

Alea slowly read the inscription on it.

“Lay your hand upon my heart. Only a soul untainted by malice and sorrow can inherit my magic.”

As she recited the inscription, Alea stared at the sarcophagus.

“Is it distinguishing whether one is not a dark mage?”

Helmut flinched slightly. It would be problematic if a person with dark magic was nearby. An archmage could see through the seeds of darkness. Unknowingly, he stepped back a few paces.

“It doesn’t seem like a code. If you open the sarcophagus and place your hand on the heart, if you’re not a dark mage, then you can inherit the legacy, right?”

Despite his doubts, they had to act.

Alea opened the sarcophagus lid. Inside, a young man with a neat appearance lay as if asleep, his eyes closed.

‘Is this Lampione?’

Preserving youth was a simple task for an archmage. Even an aged body could be reverted to youthful flesh.

Lampione, a genius of his time, had a face that reflected his brilliant sensitivity and spirit.

Moreover, he seemed to have met a peaceful death, not suffering in his final moments.

There was no chill, but he looked as if frozen, perfectly preserved, with no signs of decay.

‘Preservation magic. Could the heart be in a different place?’

Sometimes, humans exist with the heart in a different position than usual.

But that did not seem to be the case here. Although Lampione had died, his magic was still powerfully ensconced in his heart. The presence of that mighty magic was felt from the left side of the corpse’s chest.

‘Place your hand.’

Somehow, a foreboding feeling arose. Or was it more like anxiety? Perhaps it was just because they could not afford to let their guard down until the very end.

Alea stared intently at Lampione’s body for a moment.

Did this genius wish for someone to conquer this dungeon and inherit his legacy in his final moments, or not?

That was unknown. But Alea needed his legacy.

Having come this far, there was no turning back. Her ambition lay within reach.

Shaking off the temptation was impossible. Even if the last challenge was a trial, perhaps even a trap.

Alea placed her magic-laden hand on Lampione’s heart.

A hidden magic circle engraved on the sarcophagus emerged. A blue magic circle illuminated the sarcophagus with dazzling colors.

The power emanating from Lampione’s heart enveloped her hand. Intense magic poured into Alea.

For Alea, it was an inexplicable phenomenon. If this was magic, what kind of magic was it?

At that moment, Lampione opened his eyes!

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