Chapter 142. The Treasure Hunt Bet
On the outskirts of Eckhart Territory, in a long-abandoned forest where no human had set foot for ages.
The moment they stepped inside, an eerie, otherworldly air clung to their skin—completely different from the outside.
"The air... is quite chilly."
Ancient trees, hundreds if not thousands of years old, towered densely overhead, blotting out the sky. Despite it being broad daylight, the forest interior was as dim as twilight, the damp stench of rotting leaves and moss thick in the air.
Above all, the dense mist coiling around their ankles made it impossible to see clearly even ten steps ahead.
"Ugh, it's so muggy. My skirt's going to get soaked."
Violetta clicked her tongue irritably, kicking the ground with the tip of her shoe.
"Such brutish search work should be left to the knights, overflowing with stamina. My eyes hurt, and my legs are killing me."
Rimeyer, of course, didn't miss that grumbling. She shot Violetta a sidelong glance, her posture as rigid and cold as ever, and sneered.
"Naturally. The great Archmage is hopeless at searching and has pitiful stamina, so she should rest now if she plans to hide behind us later and lob a single fireball like some child playing with flames."
"What? Playing with flames?"
Violetta let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Hohoho! There's nothing my magic can't find. I'm just conserving my mana to shove it right into that filthy dark mage Belial's face. By the way, why does the Ice Witch insist on swinging a sword and sweating it out instead of using magic like a normal person? If you're dumb, your body suffers, as they say."
Rimeyer's eyebrow twitched violently. She loathed the moniker "Ice Witch"—an insult to a noble knight like her.
"Watch your tongue. Before I freeze that wagging tongue of yours and snap it off."
The two women glared at each other, tension crackling as if they were about to clash with magic and sword aura at any moment.
Lucian, watching from behind, tilted his head slightly in bemusement.
'Those two... Every time they meet, they fight like they're trying to kill each other, yet they always stick together. At this point, isn't it just their weird way of showing affection?'
From the moment he first saw them together in the Royal Library's underground to now, it was clear their relationship was anything but ordinary—both brimming with competitive spirits down to their bones.
Lucian surveyed the misty forest and spoke up.
"The forest is too vast, and the trees are too dense. With this fog limiting visibility, sticking together will take days to search. We'll cover more ground if we split up."
"Agreed. Perfect timing."
Violetta clapped her hands together, glancing at Rimeyer.
"Then how about a little bet between us? Whoever finds Belial's hideout first gets to claim whatever side dish they want at dinner tonight."
"How childish. But watching the mage starve after I take her food doesn't sound too bad. I accept."
The continent's greatest Archmage and the Kingdom's Knight Commander were once again radiating murderous intent—over a dinner side dish.
"Are you joking right now?!"
Lucian stepped forward, exasperated.
"We're not here on a picnic. We're hunting a vile dark mage who threatens the kingdom and has taken countless lives. Stay focused. This isn't the time for bets—"
"Oh? What's wrong? Scared?"
Violetta smirked, poking Lucian's chest with a finger.
That provocative gaze and the primal taunt of "scared?" ignited Lucian's pride—a man who would rather die than admit defeat.
"...Fine. I'll join. But something as trivial as side dishes is beneath me."
His crimson eyes gleamed.
"If I find it first, each of you owes me a wish. If I lose, I'll grant one wish to each of you."
"Deal."
"I won't back down."
And so, the childish bet between three of the kingdom's most powerful figures was sealed.
Despite walking into the heart of enemy territory where their lives were at stake, not a trace of tension could be seen on their faces.
If anything, they looked like they'd finally found something fun to break the monotony of a dull stroll.
"Here, take this."
Violetta pulled out small, glass-like orbs from her robe and handed one each to Lucian, Rimeyer, and Kara.
"If you find the hideout, rub the orb and toss it high into the air. It'll burst like a firework and glow red. That'll be the signal to regroup."
Lucian pocketed the orb and turned to the soldiers behind him.
"You—return to the castle immediately. Inform the Captain of the Guard and request reinforcements."
"Yes, my lord!"
"You two—stay at the forest entrance and guard the horses and supplies. If you spot anything or something happens, fire a signal flare immediately."
"Understood!"
Finally, Lucian turned to Kara, standing beside him.
"Kara, take the remaining soldiers and search in a direction that doesn't overlap with ours. Don't push yourself—if you see anything suspicious, regroup at once."
"Understood, my lord."
After issuing orders, Rimeyer and Violetta swiftly disappeared into the mist, each heading their separate ways.
Just as Lucian was about to step forward, Kara urgently grabbed his sleeve.
"My lord. Um..."
Her face was oddly flushed, unlike her usual composed self. She met his gaze and bit her lip.
"I... I want to join the bet too."
"Huh? What bet?"
"The... wish-granting one."
A strange desperation and sticky longing flickered in her eyes.
Lucian stared at her blankly for a moment before clearing his throat and nodding.
"Oh? Ah... R-right. Sure. If you find it, send the signal."
Kara, having secured his agreement, smiled faintly and led the soldiers into the forest's right side.
Lucian, Rimeyer, Violetta, and Kara's squad—four teams in total.
The search competition had officially begun.
Lucian walked alone toward the deepest, darkest center of the forest.
Crunch, crunch. Only the sound of leaves underfoot broke the silence.
But as time passed, his brow furrowed deeper.
The forest, long abandoned and overgrown, showed no signs of ruins where Belial might hide.
"Strange."
He thought he'd been walking straight along a visible path, yet a massive thicket of thorns now blocked his way like a wall.
Forced to turn back, he searched for another path—only to realize the scenery felt eerily familiar. The twisted ancient tree, the moss pattern on the rocks.
He had passed this exact spot ten minutes ago.
"..."
Lucian stopped and surveyed his surroundings.
Impenetrable fog, identical grotesque trees in every direction.
His sense of direction was slowly numbing.
'This isn't just a natural forest.'
He waved a hand through the mist.
Every path he took led to a dead end, and every detour brought him back to the same place.
The entire forest seemed alive with malice, moving to trap intruders. Far from finding Belial's hideout, even escaping felt impossible.
Gradually, the thought that this was an inescapable "maze" sent a chill down his spine.
In the mist-shrouded abandoned forest, Lucian wandered aimlessly before abruptly halting.
"...?"
Beyond the fog, someone sat atop a rotten tree stump. At first, he thought it was a mirage conjured by the forest.
But as he approached, the figure became clearer—a suspicious person in a deep black robe, their back turned.
"What are you doing here alone?"
"Eek!"
The woman flinched at Lucian's low, heavy voice and spun around.
Her appearance was jarringly out of place in this forsaken forest.
Pale, bloodless skin, disheveled ash-gray short hair. The inky robe draped over her slender frame barely concealed her sickly white neckline and a dangerously deep cleavage that drew the eye.
Her crimson-painted lips and sharply upturned eyes exuded an undeniable decadence and allure, impossible to hide even in her hunched posture.
'Holy hell! Those red eyes—it's Lucian von Eckhart!'
She was the witch Morgana.
She had been brainstorming countless cruel and perverse plans to capture Lucian, taking a break to cool her head—only for her prey to stumble right into her lap before she could even act.
Up close, his towering frame and menacing crimson eyes were even more overwhelming than from afar.
Morgana gulped. She wanted to cast a spell immediately, but facing this monster head-on was suicide.
'Stay calm. If I catch him off guard, I can bind him with magic. He's a notorious lecher—my face and body should be enough...'
Forcing a composed expression, she subtly parted her robe to reveal more of her pale cleavage and whimpered pitifully.
"Ahh, you scared me... Sniff
... My little brother suddenly fell ill, so I was taking a shortcut to fetch a doctor, but I got lost in this forest..."
She lowered her eyes slightly, peering up at Lucian through her lashes.
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