Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 192 (Part 1):

[Congratulations on making it this far. You are a beautiful and talented young mage.]

It was a voice that seemed to directly pierce her mind, resonating with countless subtle echoes, unlike any human voice.

This voice was heard only by Alea. It was surprising enough that the corpse could produce such a sound, but Lampione’s gaze was intensely fixed on her.

His look seemed almost admiring. Of course, she was used to such looks, but this one was tinged with greed.

Greed. A raw desire visible in his eyes, wanting to possess.

As Lampione gripped her hand, he whispered,

[Your young and healthy body will contribute greatly to the advancement of powerful magic.]

Chills ran down her spine. Alea tried to withdraw her hand, but Lampione’s grip was unyieldingly strong and firm.

It was a chilling strength, uncharacteristic of someone who had been dead. She felt trapped.

A powerful magic force was invading her.

[Finally…]

Lampione smiled with a distant look in his eyes.

He had waited a long time for this moment—for a mage with intelligence and talent to solve his puzzles and reach this point. It felt like an eternity.

Perhaps no one else could have made it here, for Lampione was a genius among geniuses!

How could any ordinary person easily decipher the thoughts of such a genius?

Lampione had prepared challenges that tested both courage and ability, challenges that he could solve himself at the age of twenty.

Other mages didn’t even qualify to challenge this dungeon.

There was a hidden condition to attempt this dungeon. Only young mages under forty years old were eligible.

If someone could make it to him within the limited time, they would indeed be a genius.

And here was another genius, destined for Lampione!

[Young mage. You have no idea how eagerly I have awaited you.]

Lampione spoke softly. Even as a genius and an archmage, he had no way to overcome the limits of life expectancy, except by delving into dark magic.

But becoming a dark mage, extending life through such means, would utterly degrade his honor.

Everything he achieved would be tarnished and thrown into disgrace by the temples.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

Lampione found another way. It was his body that had reached its life’s end, but his soul was not bound by such limits. If he could transfer to a young, healthy body, he could live anew.

Ironically, stealing someone’s healthy body seemed better to him than becoming a dark mage—a twisted sense of morality.

Thus, he had preserved his body’s magic in the last room of the dungeon and kept his soul waiting in a sort of living death.

His life was sustained only in this space, in a state ready to perform one powerful spell.

If no one reached this place, it was also fine.

Better to remain here eternally dormant than inhabit the body of some fool.

If no such person existed, then Lampione would remain alone, an incomparable genius.

Lampione spoke with joy,

[You exist here for me.]

The silver-haired mage before him was beautiful and clever. His overflowing magical power was impressive.

Though he was too pretty for a man, he was a satisfactory vessel.

What Lampione overlooked, however, was that he never for a moment considered that the young, talented mage who would appear before him could be a woman.

Lampione was a proud and powerful archmage, always surrounded by beautiful women trying to seduce him.

He assumed the one who would solve all the puzzles and reach this place would undoubtedly be a man.

Also, Alea was surrounded by such powerful magic that it could deceive even a decent mage.

The magic of a grand mage, which Lampione couldn’t see through, made her appear as a man.

The bodies of women and men are different. Lampione had prepared magic only for a man’s body.

Therefore, at some point, he felt as if he had hit an invisible wall. Horror spread across Lampione’s face.

[Impossible, you are…!]

Only then did Alea smile. It was a beautiful smile like an ice flower, but it carried a chill.

Alea had realized what Lampione was aiming for—and that he would fail.

“An ugly old man. So, that’s why you created this painfully elaborate dungeon?”

Alea had been aware that Lampione might harbor malice. The only reason she risked it was out of necessity.

Sometimes, crises become opportunities.

The moment Lampione invaded Alea, she delved into his unconscious to find out where he had hidden his grimoires and legacy.

Having thoroughly understood the dungeon, Alea smiled triumphantly.

“Now that I know everything, all you need to do is disappear.”

[No, this cannot be the end for me!]

Hope turned to ash in an instant. The despair of falling from the top to the bottom was indescribable.

Enraged, Lampione gripped Alea’s wrist as if to crush it.

His magic began to change. He was altering its purpose to attack Alea.

Even with his constrained body, he was still the Archmage Lampione.

‘This is…’

Alea saw through his magic in an instant. What he wanted was mutual destruction.

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