Upon hearing Haltor's declaration, the group of non-mages—Leir standing naturally as their head—turned their attention to the mystery of the three statues.
Each figure had been carved with astonishing detail, their sorrowful expressions almost lifelike in the dim torchlight of the cavern. Eliane studied them quietly before speaking.
"I may be mistaken," she said cautiously, "but at first glance… it seems each statue represents a concept."
"Just shut your mouth," Levor snapped harshly. "Who said we needed a spoiled brat's help."
Eliane pouted at the insult, shrinking slightly as Eliakim moved closer to comfort her.
Yet to Levor's surprise, Leir did not dismiss her words.
"She may be right," he said thoughtfully.
His hand rested beneath his chin as he studied the statues with unwavering focus.
"What!?" The reaction came almost simultaneously from the trio of bullies.
Levor stared in disbelief. Even Eliane herself looked stunned that her observation had been taken seriously.
"There is an ancient poem written by a dark mage called Ashokaya Nebulon. I believe it may offer some guidance here." Leir spoke calmly.
"A poem? How is that supposed to help us?" Haltor asked, confused, much like the others.
"I first read it when I was two, but I can still recall it clearly." Lei declared.
Silence fell.
"He could read at the age of two?" Haltor blinked slowly.
"Is he joking?" Levor's thoughts echoed the disbelief shared by Manir and June.
"And he still remembers it?" Elsewhere in the group, Mathurin, Eliane, Eliakim, and Sigrid were equally stunned.
"The lad is frighteningly gifted." Taro Maro folded his arms, impressed.
"That seals it. He's the love of my life!" Ezabel, on the other hand, gazed at Leir with shining eyes.
Victoria remained indifferent.
Leir himself seemed unaware of the silent admiration his intellect had inspired.
"In the poem," he continued calmly, "Ashokaya insists that all mortal paths—those not guided by the heavens—ultimately lead to vanity and destruction." He stepped closer to the statues.
"The more I observe these figures, the more I sense their meaning. It is almost as though they are breathing… speaking to those willing to listen."
The others watched him intently.
"I believe I understand what they represent." Leir added.
"Go on," Haltor urged.
"The woman holding the healthy newborn." Leir gestured toward the statue at the top.
Her stone face was twisted in sorrow, tears forever carved upon her cheeks. "She symbolizes unusual grief."
"Unusual Grief?" Mathurin repeated.
"Yes," Leir replied. "She weeps not because the child is cursed, but because he was born pure into a cruel world." His gaze sharpened.
"A world where such innocence will suffer more than it will bless."
He then pointed toward the statue on the left. "The second woman mourns for a different reason." This statue clutched a child whose body had been grotesquely distorted.
"She weeps because her child was born deformed and crippled—denied the strength needed to endure life's hardships."
Leir then turned toward the final statue. Unlike the others, this woman's arms were empty.
"And the third woman…" he continued quietly, "…weeps because she cannot bear a child at all. That's why she's empty handed." His voice lowered slightly.
"Life has offered her no such blessing. Yet she still longs for the happiness a child might bring."
The cave grew silent as the group considered his words.
"In truth," Leir concluded, "these statues seem to reflect the very mystery of hearts."
"The mystery of hearts…?" Sigrid murmured. Leir nodded slowly.
"In my humble opinion, they depict the lack of mortal contentment."
A faint melancholy touched his expression, as he slowly closed his eyes. For in truth, his own heart was no different. Despite the extraordinary intellect he had been born with, he still yearned for more.
"But how does that connect to the three warnings?" Haltor asked. "How are we supposed to link each warning to the statues?"
Leir's lips curved slightly.
"At this point, the connection becomes clearer." He pointed again toward the woman holding the healthy child.
"This statue corresponds to the final warning:
'Challenge the heights, and death shall be your portion.'" He folded his arms behind his back.
"A woman blessed with a perfectly healthy child has received a divine gift. To mourn such a blessing would be seen as sacrilege—an offense against the gods themselves." His gaze darkened.
"A life destined for greatness… yet cursed by dissatisfaction."
He then turned toward the statue of the barren woman.
"She represents the second warning:
'Defy the Honoured one, and misery and torment shall be your oath.'" Leir's tone grew thoughtful.
"A woman denied the gift of birth might seek to defy the gods themselves." He raised a finger slightly.
"Through her own blood, sweat, and soul, she would attempt to create life—fashioning something that might rival perfection." His voice carried quiet intensity.
"A being so extraordinary it would forever disturb the balance of existence."
Lastly, he indicated the statue of the deformed child.
"This one represents the first warning:
'Dare the beast, and wrath and desolation shall be your reward.'" He studied the twisted child carved in stone.
"Such a life may seem tragic… but perhaps its purpose is destruction." His words echoed softly through the cavern.
"A being born not to preserve existence—but to devour it. Hence, preserving the balance of existence. For to each genesis, an apocalypse is assigned." Leir exhaled slowly.
"That is my interpretation."
For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Taro Maro let out a low whistle.
"Well now," he said with a grin. "I thought you were clever the moment you opened your mouth, but that—" He shook his head. "—that's cleverness surpassing cleverness."
Levor, however, looked unimpressed.
"This proves nothing," he scoffed. "Everything you said is just your own opinion."
"But…. That's what insinuated by emphasising on the fact that this is merely my interpretation." Leir thought, his facial expression driven by comic confusion.
"Yes, what exactly proves you're right?" June asked.
Haltor remained thoughtful.
"He raises a fair point," he admitted. "Your explanation connects the elements well… yet you added many interpretations beyond what we see." He studied Leir curiously.
"Where does such insight come from? What is the foundation of such conclusion?"
Leir sighed faintly.
"I sometimes find people more exhausting than riddles."
A few members of the group chuckled.
"Do you truly believe this is my first attempt to obtain magic?" His gaze moved across them.
"For years I served as an apprentice to various mages. I studied their works… read countless tomes… searched endlessly for some path that might grant me the gift of mana." He paused.
"At one point, I even considered studying alchemy."
Manir blinked. "Alchemy? What's that?"
"Do not trouble yourself with it. You wouldn't understand anyway." Leir rubbed his temple.
"Was that an insult…?" Manir frowned, wondering.
Leir continued.
"My point is this: the mystery before us is not so different from the texts I studied." His voice grew quieter.
"Over time, all those books led me to a single conclusion." His expression darkened slightly.
"A conclusion I refuse to accept. That is why I came here."
"And what conclusion would that be?" Haltor's curiosity deepened.
Leir chuckled softly—though the sound carried frustration rather than amusement.
Before he could answer, another voice spoke. Victoria's.
Until now, the fallen princess had remained silent. But in her mind, patience had run thin.
She had no desire to linger in endless discussions. Her thoughts burned with a single purpose.
"Tonight, I will obtain magic.Tonight, I will return to my world. And tonight… Helios will die by my hands."
"His interpretation is quite simple." Her voice cut through the cavern with calm clarity.
All eyes turned toward her.
"As he pointed out, these statues represent our lack of contentment." Her gaze remained cold.
"He already said that! Are you trying to act smart by repeating his words!?" Levor shrugged, mocking her.
"I wasn't done speaking." She shot back nonchalantly, a gesture that twisted Levor's face in frustration.
"In other words… it tells us we should accept the fact that we were born without magic." Her words echoed in the cavern. "This gate is meant to mark the end of our path."
"Nonsense!" Levor's furious shout shattered the stillness of the cavern.
"Like hell we would listen to that!" His eyes burned with defiance.
"If it were impossible from the start, why would this ceremony even exist?!" Victoria regarded him with calm indifference.
"Use your brain for a moment." Her tone was cold and measured. The words struck Levor like a slap.
"What did you just say to me?" he growled, veins rising along his temple.
"You heard me right." She did not even bother raising her voice. "I never claimed our goal was impossible." Her gaze swept across the ancient gate.
"All I said is that we are being warned to stop here. If we continue, there will likely be a price to pay."
Eliakim timidly raised a hand.
"Excuse me, big sis… but isn't the praise we're supposed to offer the price?"
"I fear not." Victoria shook her head.
"The praise seems to be a mere offering to the goddess. Even so, we must reach her first or our praises will be useless." Her voice lowered slightly.
"But this gate… demands something else." She paused. "A right of passage I guess."
A faint unease passed through the group.
"It seems a decision must be made here first."
"Well… things just became far more troublesome." Taro Maro leaned back against a nearby rock and sighed heavily.
While the others pondered Victoria's words, Levor's mind burned with something else entirely. Her insult echoed again and again in his head.
"Use your brain for a moment?"
"Where did she get this confidence from? Is she counting on that big guy over there!? Fuck that!!" He thought angrily.
Slowly, he stepped forward. Manir and June noticed his surging fury immediately.
"Levor—wait," Manir whispered. They both grabbed his arm, understanding exactly where his thoughts were leading. Picking a fight with Haltor's supposed group would be foolish.
But Levor tore free from their grip. With a sharp motion, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside. His chest rose with heavy breaths as he marched straight toward Victoria.
"You…" He stopped directly before her. "…did you just insult me? You worthless scrap of filth." His voice was low, dangerous.
Victoria did not move. Instead, she raised a hand toward Sigrid.
"Leave this to me." Reluctantly, Sigrid stepped aside.
Victoria fearlessly stepped forward, standing face to face with Levor.
The tension in the cavern thickened.
"Bow before me," Levor said coldly. "Kiss my feet and beg for my forgiveness." His eyes glimmered with cruel amusement. "And perhaps… I will find a way in my heart to pardon your insolence."
"Impossible!" Victoria's lips curved into a faint, icy smile. Her gaze did not waver.
"Queens do not bow." She took a single step closer. "They are the ones others bow to."
The air between them felt like a drawn blade. Several members of the group held their breath.
Even Haltor remained silent. He had intervened earlier because Victoria had seemed like the weaker party. But now…Now he simply watched. He wanted to see what gave this frail girl the courage to provoke such danger.
"You? A queen?" Levor's face twisted with disdain. "Ridiculous!" He laughed harshly.
"I'll beat you to a pulp and see whether your knights come running to save you." His right fist clenched tightly. He drew his arm back, preparing to strike.
But before the blow could fall, Victoria spoke.
"You will not harm me." Her voice carried quiet certainty.
"Not even if the entire world was offered to you."
Levor froze. Manir and June exchanged confused glances. Victoria continued calmly.
"You and your minions are not exactly the brightest minds in this cave."
Levor's jaw tightened.
"The only reason that 'smart man' over there was able to decipher the earlier puzzle…"
She tilted her head slightly toward Leir. "…was because I translated its meaning."
Her eyes returned to Levor.
"From here onward, we have no idea what trials await us. "She gestured toward the sealed passage ahead. "But the first test already made one thing clear." Her voice hardened.
"Most—if not all—of these trials will rely upon solving riddles and unravelling mysteries."
She stepped closer, close enough for him to feel her breath.
"If you kill me…" Her gaze sharpened like a blade. "…one of the key minds of this group disappears."
"How then will you solve the next puzzle?" She posed the question slowly. "How will you reach the magic you desire so much?"
Levor's fists trembled.
"You cannot achieve your goal alone." Victoria's voice became sharper.
"So, stop behaving like a fool and allow those with sufficient wit to solve the riddles of this door." A faint, chilling pressure seemed to rise from her presence. The same unsettling aura that had surfaced earlier in the Magenta Woods.
Levor stared into her eyes. There was no fear there. Not even the slightest flicker. Only cold determination. Slowly, painfully, he realized she was right. He needed her. But his pride could not accept that truth easily.
"You better prove useful," he muttered quietly, leaning close to her ear. "Or I will kill you myself."
Victoria leaned closer in return. "Then dig two graves."
They stared at one another for several long seconds. Then Levor turned away, retrieving his shirt and pulling it back over his shoulder.
"She truly faced him head-on… That was intense" Sigrid exhaled slowly, beads of sweat rolling down her face.
"That girl has it in her, I can feel it. She is terrifying." Even Taro Maro looked impressed.
Haltor allowed himself a small smile. Mathurin sighed in relief. Meanwhile Eliane and Eliakim clung to one another warily, half expecting a battle to erupt. Leir, however, looked puzzled. Not because he misunderstood their motives…
But because he simply could not comprehend why anyone would waste energy on such pointless conflict in their current situation.
Meanwhile, Ezabel remained completely absorbed in her gaze, her hands cupping her cheeks as she blushed like a tomato, in contemplation to Leir as one who obviously stands out.
"He's so amazing…"