Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 141

The archmage’s coffin looked incredibly old, as if it might crumble at any moment. Black sand was scattered messily around the altar where the coffin rested. At the sight, Ludwig’s brow furrowed.

 

“Is the treasure you’re looking for inside that?”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Without hesitation, Ludwig began walking toward the coffin. I quickly grabbed his arm. He turned to me, puzzled.

 

“You can’t just go like that.”

 

I walked toward the altar and drew a magic dagger, scraping the floor from the outside in. Fwoosh! With a bright burst, the hidden defensive magic circle flared red before instantly dissolving into nothingness. The black sand scattered across the floor was all that remained of those who had recklessly charged in without knowing about the barrier, reduced to ash.

 

To think Kobel gave me nothing but a magically enchanted stick in my past life, despite how dangerous this barrier is. Because of that, I suffered a hand injury from the magic circle’s backlash back then. Though it healed surprisingly fast, it was a clear indication of how Kobel viewed me. Anyway, this time, thanks to bringing a dagger imbued with advanced magic, I managed to dismantle the magic circle without getting hurt.

 

“Your Highness, it’s safe now.” I stood up and turned around to speak.

 

Ludwig stared at me, unable to close his mouth. “You are… far too mysterious.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“I mean you are mysterious.”

 

I approached the archmage’s coffin alongside Ludwig. The coffin, which had seemed on the verge of collapsing just moments ago, transformed into a gleaming, luxurious casket once the magic circle was dispelled.

 

This must be its true form. Ludwig absentmindedly reached out to open the coffin but quickly stopped himself and looked at me. “Is there another trap on this thing?”

 

“Not anymore. It’s safe to open now.”

 

Ludwig effortlessly opened the heavy coffin. Remembering how hard I had struggled to open it in my past life, my eyes widened in surprise.

 

“Your Highness, you’re really strong!”

 

At my genuine admiration, the corner of Ludwig’s mouth twitched. “This is nothing.” However, it didn’t take long for the smile on Ludwig’s face to stiffen as he peered inside the coffin.

 

I calmly looked into the coffin. Inside was the skeleton of the archmage, with nothing but bones remaining. However, only his heart was still in its place, beating steadily.

 

“What in the world…”

 

“The mana lingering within his heart is so immense that it continues to beat.”

 

“Does that mean he’s still alive in this state?”

 

“No. He’s dead. It’s just his heart that’s beating.”

 

Ludwig stared at the archmage’s corpse with a face full of curiosity. I could tell he was extremely curious, yet he refrained from asking questions out of consideration for me.

 

I spoke nonchalantly. “I heard he suddenly appeared one day and rebuilt the crumbling Magic Tower.” As Ludwig looked at me, I continued calmly. “He left a will asking for his grave to be placed somewhere no one could find it.”

 

“A place like this would certainly be difficult to find.”

 

“Why else would someone build a hunting ground here without even knowing there was a grave beneath it?”

 

“And yet you found it.”

 

“Together with Your Highness.”

 

As I said that, I reached toward the heart. The intense warmth and passionate throbbing of the heart could be felt not only beneath my palm, but in every joint of my fingers. I gripped it tightly and pulled the heart out of the coffin.

 

At that moment, a blinding flash of light burst forth from the heart. Ludwig, perhaps thinking it was dangerous, wrapped his arms around me protectively. Contrary to his concern, the flash quickly dissipated. I glanced sideways at Ludwig, who was still holding me tightly.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“…”

 

“It’s okay now.”

 

At that, Ludwig lifted his head. He was so close that I flinched in surprise.

 

“Are you really okay?”

 

“Yes, so you can let go now…”

 

Ludwig carefully moved away from me. His gaze turned toward my hands that had just been holding the archmage’s heart. But the heart was gone, and there were only my two tightly clenched hands. He asked in confusion. “Where did the archmage’s heart go?”

 

I slowly opened my clenched hands. In my palm, a radiant red orb revealed itself.

 

“Did the heart turn into an orb?”

 

“Yes. It contains all the power of the archmage accumulated throughout his lifetime.”

 

“Now, we can heal your mother with that.”

 

Ludwig smiled as if relieved. However, my expression darkened.

 

“There’s something we need to do first.”

 

“And what is that?”

 

I suddenly grabbed Ludwig’s wrist. He flinched.

 

“W-What are you doing…?”

 

“We need to get out of here, now!”

 

Still holding his wrist, I began running toward the exit. At the same time, cracks began spreading across the ceiling. This tomb was being sustained by the mana that had come from the archmage’s heart. Therefore, the moment I took his heart away, the tomb began to collapse. Soon, the sound of the ceiling and walls crumbling echoed behind us.

 

“This won’t do.” Ludwig scooped me up in his arms.

 

“Your Highness?”

 

“It’ll be faster if I carry you and run.”

 

Holding me tightly, he sprinted toward the exit at full speed. But the exit we had fallen through was located in the ceiling.

 

“It’s fine. If we climb the wall—”

 

“Your Highness, wait a moment. Put me down.”

 

Once I freed myself from his arms, I turned a protruding stone on the wall to the side. Then, a door opened in midair, and stairs emerged from the wall.

 

“Let’s get out!”

 

Instinctively, we grabbed each other’s hands and threw ourselves toward the exit. Boom! The moment we got out, the archmage’s tomb completely collapsed. As we descended the hill, even the hill itself trembled and sank down.

 

Ludwig let out a sigh of relief and spoke. “We’ve certainly had quite an interesting experience.”

 

It was then that I felt a chilling sensation down my back. Holding my breath, I whispered to Ludwig. “I don’t think that experience is over yet.”

 

Ludwig glanced back, and his face stiffened.

 

The wolves, enchanted by magic, which had chased us all the way to the tomb, were still there. Their red eyes gleamed as they waited for the right moment to attack us.

 

Ludwig grabbed my hand. “Shall I carry you?”

 

“Thanks to carrying me earlier, I’ve got plenty of strength left to run on my own.”

 

“Alright. Then from now on, we will run together.”

 

With his words, we sprinted forward with all our might. The wolves, who had been waiting for their chance, howled and began chasing after us. Since there was no proper path here, rocks and trees frequently blocked our way. It was difficult for us to escape, but that also meant it was difficult for the wolves to pursue us.

 

It was just when I began thinking that we could not keep running away like this forever.

 

“Gasp!”

 

Our steps came to an abrupt halt at the same time. We were just one step ahead of a cliff. Below, a raging river flowed with a fierce current.

 

“Grrr!”

 

The murderous howls of the wolves rang out right behind us. We looked at each other and nodded. Then, holding hands, we jumped down. The instant we hit the water’s surface, instead of a splash, there was a loud sound like something breaking apart violently. The impact caused me to lose my grip on Ludwig’s hand. Thankfully, I didn’t lose the archmage’s heart orb, which I was clutching tightly in my other hand.

 

I sank deep into the water but managed to swim back up and break the surface. “Haa.” What I saw after that was the wolves looking down from the cliff before turning away and leaving. But I couldn’t afford to relax.

 

“Your Highness!”

 

I frantically searched for Ludwig. He was found not far from where I was. But Ludwig was unconscious, barely floating on the surface of the water.

 

“Your Highness, Your Highness!”

 

I swam toward him in a panic. But no matter how much I called out, he didn’t open his eyes. Grabbing him from behind, I swam toward the shore.

 

“Your Highness, please open your eyes! Your Highness!”

 

Fortunately, Ludwig was still breathing, but he wouldn’t wake up. The impact of jumping from such a height, even into water, was no small thing. Ludwig might have suffered severe internal injuries. The thought of it made my chest feel like it was being torn apart. To make matters worse, raindrops began to fall from the sky, one by one. I supported him and carried him into a nearby cave.

 

“Your Highness, I’ll call for help as soon as the rain stops.”

 

I held Ludwig’s hand and made a promise. But his hand was so cold. I wasn’t sure if he could hold on.

 

A foreboding feeling swept over me. If I just left him like this, Ludwig might die here. I can’t think any longer. Right away, I wrapped my entire body tightly around him. It was to protect him with my body heat.