The Noble Lady of Lust

Chapter 383: Life Doesn’t Give Second Chances.

”Ha... haahh, what are the casualties?”

”Yes, Sir Raphael, there were eight people... none from our faction, all of them were the remaining mercenaries.”

”I see... Sir Vasil, what’s wrong with you?”

”Haaah~ no, it’s just that it feels a bit impartial and even deliberate.”

”No, it wasn’t, it was just bad luck... the healers only did what they should have done.”

”Yes, I know, even so, in the previous test they decided to obey us, now I feel bad that they died since we were partially responsible... not to mention those who failed the first tests. I just hope that here the penalty for failing is not death.”

”That depends on who left it, but seeing as it was human, there’s a good chance that, even though it could be lethal, it will be lenient with us.”

”Yes, I hope so.”

No, it’s the first legacy found from ancient times since they opened up the middle world. A few have been found, this one seems to be one of the most generous, but that’s why it can be dangerous.

Sometimes those who leave these legacies hope that their race or someone with specific qualities will inherit the legacy, and depending on the situation and who finds it, it can be very lethal, impartial, or safe.

And seeing that Artur was human, there was hope that they would not be lethal. Raphael remembered how he had even helped him with his interpersonal problems and he thought it was very likely that they were not in a lethal testing site with humans.

He really hoped his thinking was correct, because some central members of his faction had also failed the first tests, and it would be a great loss if failing meant death.

He looked around and saw that only 18 people remained after passing the fifth test, and those 18 were central members of both his faction and Vasil’s.

During the fourth trial, ten seconds were not enough, and just as Raphael had thought, many of the mercenaries rushed forward, coveting the elixirs.

Things were not as uniform as Raphael thought, as the remaining members of Clarens’ faction also joined the chaos to get a plate from the table.

Raphael was anything but foolish, and by this point he understood very clearly that any action linked to greed was a mistake, and obviously eating the dishes, although it promised power, and considering what Artur had told him and that the tests were linked, he understood that it would be more of a disadvantage than an advantage.

So before it was too late, he acted decisively, eliminating the first person who approached to take a plate and preventing anyone from touching the plates. Lirena and the rest of her faction were quick to imitate him and did the same.

Vasil hesitated for a moment, but finally joined Raphael as well. Just as they had thought, the ones causing the most trouble were the remaining members of Clarens’ faction, while some mercenaries had surrendered and said they would follow his orders.

Then, when order was restored, albeit by force, Vasil and Raphael discussed the matter and both agreed that it was better not to touch the Elixirs.

Ten minutes later, Artur reappeared and explained that the test had been passed, that they had fulfilled a hidden requirement, and that this would ultimately entitle them to an extra reward.

The next test, according to Artur’s explanation, was simply to fight a large golem made of valuable metals. It was slow but extremely tough, and its blows could kill almost instantly.

Only Vasil, who was a defensive warrior, was able to keep it at bay, along with Raphael, who was a warrior specialising in speed, stealing its attention and leading it away.

Whenever Vasil could no longer hold it off and it recovered, he would hold it off again, while the rest attacked it whenever they could.

The warriors attacked and retreated, the mages attacked from a distance, and the mages specialising in healing provided cures.

Even so, it was a chaotic battle, and both Vasil and Raphael were not always able to hold the golem’s full attention.

If it weren’t for the healing magicians, there would have been more casualties, but they, who were only two, gave priority to those in their factions when it came to healing, which meant that the casualties were among the non-members.

Hence the feeling of impartiality that Vasil felt, since technically they were a single group, but he would not say more about it, because even though it pained him, he would not sacrifice someone from his faction for a mercenary; that was the harsh reality that even someone like Vasil accepted.

”Haaah~, well, the core and materials of a golem like that are very valuable, pick it up and store it in...”

[[ Don’t waste your time, lad. That’s not real... This is an illusory realm. I am telling you this because you have already passed all my tests, although this last one felt a little bland compared to how I had prepared it.]]

”...What do you mean by illusion, Sir Arthur?”

”Eh? Raphael, how do you know his name?”

”I met him briefly during the third test.”

[[Yes, now I wonder if I should have told you that the fourth trial was connected... haaah~ this is difficult. The fifth trial felt more like a simple combat. It was supposed to be punishment for your greed in the fourth. I mean, for every plate they ate, the golem’s strength and speed would increase, and if they ate all six, a second golem would appear, forcing them to spend everything they had to survive, some even paying a high price.]

’...’

[[Yes, I’m just complaining a little here. I mean, in my day there were also legacies here and there; I completed some myself. I thought it would be easy to manage one, but the tests that took me so much effort to devise... I really thought they would be difficult enough that at least the first ones to arrive wouldn’t pass them. Haaah~ I should have taken it more seriously, but life doesn’t give second chances.]]

””...””

[[Aren’t you going to say anything? You seem cautious around me. Yes, that boy outside was the odd one out. Anyway, the time for complaining is over. Well, everyone has finished and everyone has the right to choose one of my treasures. But with the special condition of the fourth test activated, everyone present has two, and that girl over there, with her unrequited feelings, has three.

”Sir! Why are you saying that? Please, don’t talk nonsense. o(≧口≦)o”

[[Girl, I’m helping you a little. That boy seems nice, and you seem like a good girl. People with good character should be with their equals—not like that boy out there, and my descendant. I don’t know her, but with my lineage she must be someone with good character. Ahem. Anyway, lad, you seem to have things figured out, but take care of those around you. Not just your family, but those closest to you. From experience, I can tell you it’s unfortunate to realize how important they are only after they’re gone.]]

”...I’ll keep that in mind.”

[[Good! Now choose. You can take your time. Oh, and this test will remain here, but you can’t cheat, because once you know what happens here, you can’t come back. It’s up to you whether you want to take advantage of this or not. Now then, this was my personal collection when I was alive, so don’t hesitate to ask me anything. Oh, and lad, I recommend you choose the sword...]]

And while he was choosing, as if eager for conversation, Arthur began to recommend and explain the great things in his collection.

This time he got the reactions he expected. He thought that boy from outside was definitely the weird one, calling his precious collection rubbish.

..

.

”Well, it seems there’s no problem, and it wasn’t a lethal test. That’s Sir Clare-... Sir Vasil, what do you think we should do now?”

”Hey, Raphael, are you just going to pretend you didn’t see Clarens?”

”Honestly, I even want to erase what I just saw from my mind.”

”It’s weird for you to be so blunt. Ugh, but I understand you. It seems that the test has consequences, even if it’s not lethal. I guess this test and him didn’t go hand in hand, but seriously, how did it happen? Wasn’t it all an illusion? How do you think he—”

”I think they’re just unconscious. It would be more efficient if the conscious wizards cast a basic spell against fainting on the unconscious wizards, and when they wake up, they will wake up more.”

”You don’t want to talk about him, do you? But for his honour, wake him up before the rest.”

As Raphael said, everyone woke up with the basic anti-fainting spell, which was basically a very painful but harmless electric spell.

Once everyone woke up, they decided—with the recovered Clarens, whom neither of them wanted to look in the eye—that even though Artur seemed harmless, it was better not to stay under barriers that could attack them at any moment, and even with wolves, it was better to camp outside.

It should be noted that shortly afterwards, Clarens screamed as if he were in excruciating pain.

And it wasn’t because the pain in his butt came late, but because they explained to him what had happened and how basically everything he had, and everything they had obtained, was an illusion, and he lost the opportunity to achieve somethin

and they would not really gain anything, as it was an unspoken agreement — included in cooperation contracts — that if they found a testing site with individual rewards, it would not be shared.

Only after a while did he console himself with the knowledge that there was a mine of lunarite and fire amethysts that would bring them many benefits.

Although that caused someone further back, who was eavesdropping, to bang his forehead against the floor when he realised that he had foolishly used one of his choices on something that was abundant in the area.