How to Survive as a Mage Inside a Game-Chapter 40: Ruins Exploration (6)

As soon as everyone was inside, the door slammed shut on its own.

"Kyahaha!"

"Kyahahaha!"

The lumps let out an unsettling laugh and then began bouncing in place.

"Kik! Challengers, challengers! How long has it been since we last had challengers!"

"So happy! So happy!"

"Stop dawdling and come forward already! The trial won’t start until you do!"

The expedition carefully approached the two lumps.

Up close, they could see that these things had short arms and legs. Just one eye each.

They were holding strange boxes—each one had a box, and some of the people started suspecting they had something to do with the trial.

"You heard the explanation from the stone outside, right? Now begins the first trial, the Trial of Wisdom! Kyak!"

The lump on the left started explaining.

"One of the two boxes we’re holding has the key to the next trial! You get to ask us one question, just one, and you’ve gotta figure out which box the key is in!"

The lump on the right picked up from there.

"But one of us will only tell the truth, and the other will only lie!"

"...!!"

"One more time—just one question! And if you get it wrong, you fail the trial right then and there! So think carefully and give it a shot, kyakyak!"

"And by the way, there's no such thing as quitting! Until you get it right, no one’s leaving this place!"

Done with their explanation, the lumps crossed their arms and plopped down on top of their boxes.

Swinging their legs, they scanned the people, daring them to step up.

"...Does anyone know the answer to this?"

One of the mages looked around and asked.

But everyone just looked puzzled.

Two boxes, and two freaks—one who tells the truth, one who only lies.

And you’ve got one shot to figure out which box has the key.

Some of them didn’t even seem to grasp the problem properly.

Everyone fell silent, lost in thought, trying to figure out the answer.

"What kind of ridiculous problem is this..."

Rosariel muttered, frowning.

If you just ask which box has the key, the truth-teller would point to the right one, and the liar would point to the wrong one.

Since the answers would be different, there’s no way to tell who’s who or which one’s correct.

The knights, the adventurers, the priests—and even the mages, who usually strutted around all proud of their brains—were all speechless.

"Why is everyone overthinking this?!"

That’s when Arman shouted.

"These little walnut-sized freaks? Just kill them and take the key! Easy as—urk!"

Suddenly, the left lump vanished from sight and reappeared above Arman’s head in a flash.

Like teleportation—an insane speed.

The thing smashed Arman into the floor and plopped right back down on his head.

"Insolent worm! If you don’t take this seriously and try something stupid, you’re dead meat!"

"Idiot! Dumbass! Kyak!"

Everyone shook their heads at the pitiful sight.

The statue outside was that strong—why would these things be any different?

Leaving Arman groaning on the ground, everyone went back to thinking.

But no matter how much they thought about it, no one could come up with an answer. They didn’t even have a clue.

"I really don’t know. It's a fifty-fifty chance, so isn’t it better to just guess?"

"You’re willing to gamble everyone’s life here on a coin flip? Let’s think it through a bit more."

Meanwhile, as everyone else was holding their heads and struggling, one person stood quietly smiling inside.

'Ah... Galleos, my lord.'

Outwardly, she was a devout priestess. Inwardly, a devout worshiper of a dark god—Berren.

She was overcome with emotion, calling out to her deity.

When she first joined this expedition, she hadn’t thought much of it.

The Marquis' house had requested her, and by the command of the High Priest, she’d been more or less forced to come along.

All she wanted was for it to end quickly so she could get back to the surface.

After all, in this group crawling with knights and mages, there hadn’t been a single chance to offer prayers to her dark god.

Usually, she lured orphans from the streets and sacrificed them as live offerings, but now, she’d gone too long without.

But now, this?

Had her god, moved by her devotion, finally revealed himself before his lowly servant?

This wasn’t a trial to her—it was the blessed moment she’d waited for, the chance to finally offer everything to him.

But she alone wasn’t enough.

'The trial must fail. Only then will all these filthy heretics become food for him.'

That’s what the statue outside had said.

So she was determined to do everything she could to make sure they didn’t pass.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

She wanted to step forward right now, pick the wrong box, and fail the trial.

The only problem—she didn’t know the answer either.

If she guessed wrong and picked the right box by accident, she’d just end up helping them.

But with no one having a clue yet, there was still time.

Berren closed her eyes, thinking hard, trying to figure out the answer.

And then it happened.

"I’ll take the trial."

A voice broke the silence.

Everyone jumped and turned toward the source.

It was Karl.

"Oh, already? Kyakyak! We told you, you only get one shot!"

"No backing out now! You said you're in, so ask your question already!"

The two freaks grinned at Karl.

The others stared at him, pale as ghosts.

"Y-You madman... What the hell do you think you’re doing?!"

"It’s fine. I’ve got the answer. Just watch."

Karl answered calmly and stepped forward.

The two lumps beamed at him.

"You know what happens if you get it wrong? Everyone here dies! Horribly!"

"Yeah, yeah! Before we peel off your skin and bones, we’ll rip out your guts and eat 'em up! The both of us! Kyakyak!"

Karl smirked.

"Shut up and listen to the damn question, walnuts."

"...Wha, what! Walnuts! How dare you!!"

"Now, if I were to ask that guy next to you which box has the key, which one would he point to?"

Freeze.

The freaks, who had been about to explode in outrage, suddenly stopped dead in their tracks.

Their single eyes trembled like there’d been an earthquake.

"What, no answer? You first. Go on."

Karl looked straight at the freak on the left.

"Y-You...!!"

The left freak glared at Karl like it was going to explode, then reluctantly pointed at its own box.

Karl smiled and turned to the right freak.

"And you?"

He already knew the answer, but asked anyway—just to mess with them.

The right freak ground its teeth and pointed at the left freak’s box.

Without hesitation, Karl chose the right freak’s box.

"This one’s the answer."

He opened the box, and inside was a rusty key.

The people watching from behind stood there blankly, totally lost as to what just happened.

A few, though, finally understood and let out surprised gasps.

"R-Right...! That’s how you were supposed to ask!"

With Karl’s question, both the truth-teller and the liar would be forced to point to the box that didn’t have the key.

Not everyone got it, but it didn’t matter. Karl had nailed it with ease and gotten the key, and now everyone was cheering.

"You really are something! Incredible!"

"How the hell did you even think of that? And so fast...!!"

Honestly, Karl was starting to feel a little awkward from all the praise.

Because, to be fair, this was something he already knew. On Earth, this whole angel-demon logic puzzle was famous.

He’d actually spent a while racking his brain trying to remember the answer, only just stepping up now.

'...Hm?'

Suddenly, Karl felt a sharp gaze on the back of his head and turned.

[Lv.38]

[Heretic, Demon Worshipper]

He caught sight of the priestess, quickly changing her expression as their eyes met.

Putting on that sickeningly fake smile like she was oh-so-happy for him.

Karl chuckled to himself.

'Mad she missed her chance? Too bad. Should’ve solved it yourself.'

Her attitude just now confirmed it.

She was definitely trying to sabotage the trial and get the whole expedition killed.

If only there were a chance to kill her quietly—but that was impossible right now.

With all these mages packed in so close, the moment he tried to draw power, he’d be caught instantly.

Of course, no one else knew she was a demon worshipper, and there was no way for him to prove it.

If he killed her outright, everyone here would turn on him.

And that would mean failing the trial for sure.

'For now, let’s just watch.'

First things first, it was time to move on to the second trial.

"Ugh, this is unbearable! Unbearable...!!"

The expedition, riding a small wave of confidence, passed the furious freaks pounding the ground and stopped in front of a stone gate leading to the next trial.

Right in the center of the gate, there was a keyhole that ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) perfectly fit the key they’d just obtained.

Click. Creeeak...

The stone gate opened, and once again, letters appeared in the air. But this time...

「The Trial of Sacrifice」

Sacrifice.

Just that word alone sent a wave of unease across everyone’s face.

The room was completely empty.

No freaks this time, either.

Just a large, mysterious circle drawn in the center.

Then, new letters appeared in the air.

「The trial begins once all challengers step into the circle.」

"Hmm... well, let’s move in, then."

Everyone hesitated, but one by one, they stepped into the circle.

Pakion, standing next to Karl, glanced around.

"The Trial of Sacrifice... surely it doesn’t mean someone has to die?"

"Hey, don’t jinx it," Eril snapped.

He shut up quick.

Fwoosh!

As soon as everyone was inside, a blue light flared from the edge of the circle.

"Uh, guys, look..."

And then more text appeared in the air.

This time, it was longer.

It explained the rules of the Trial of Sacrifice.

1. The trial will begin in five minutes.

2. After five minutes, when the circle turns red, each person must think of one person to sacrifice.

3. If everyone receives exactly one vote, no one dies, and the trial is passed.

4. If not, the person with the most votes will die, and the trial will repeat.

5. No one will know who voted for whom.

6. You may choose yourself as the sacrifice.