Vol. 6 Ch. 31

On the third floor of the castle, the "Hell’s Joke" team arrived at a door tucked into a corner, following the clue they had received earlier.

"This is it. We can complete an antidote task here," Aurora said as she lowered the simple map they’d obtained from a previous mission. She stepped forward and carefully pushed the door open.

The three of them entered the room.

There wasn’t much in the way of furnishings—just a display pedestal in the center of the room.

On the pedestal sat a scrambled Rubik’s Cube.

"Try solving it," said Tana, who walked over cautiously and picked up the cube. As soon as she touched it, the pedestal’s magical projection mechanism activated.

A line of text appeared in the projection:

"A Rubik’s Cube, symbolizing a child’s innocence, has been imbued with holy magic to dispel disease. However, it has been scrambled by the vengeful spirits in the castle. Please restore it to regain its power."

Hefei’s puppy-like eyes sparkled with curiosity. "So if we solve the Rubik’s Cube, Father’s poison can be cured?"

Aurora nodded. "It seems that way. Let’s get started, Uncle Constantine."

Constantine grunted in acknowledgment and lowered his head, beginning to fiddle with the Rubik’s Cube.

The first few minutes were… rough. His clumsy, hesitant movements as he turned the cube were awkward to watch. Hefei couldn’t help but snicker quietly.

The first time she played with one of her older sisters’ Rubik’s Cubes, she had solved it in less than five minutes. Watching Constantine struggle, it seemed like he wouldn’t even get close to solving the puzzle within an hour.

Aurora didn’t rush him, though. She waited patiently with Hefei by her side.

Minutes ticked by. Aurora glanced at her Memory Stone, noting the countdown timer. She calculated that Constantine had just over an hour before the poison would take full effect.

Her gaze shifted to the Rubik’s Cube in his hands.

It wasn’t exactly the same as when he’d started—it was worse.

Aurora contemplated stepping out with Hefei to search for clues and complete other tasks while Constantine stayed to solve the cube. That way, they wouldn’t waste too much time.

But seeing Hefei’s anxious expression, Aurora realized she wouldn’t leave until her father was cured.

Sighing, Aurora finally spoke up. "Uncle Constantine, time is running out. How about I help you solve it?"

Constantine paused and looked down at her.

"You can solve this?"

"Yes, I’ve played with these before."

"Alright," he said, handing her the Rubik’s Cube.

The moment her fingers touched it, both Aurora and Constantine’s Memory Stones emitted a chime.

Aurora’s Memory Stone displayed a line of text:

"Unfortunately, you accidentally touched a carrier of the plague. You are now poisoned. Please complete an antidote task within one hour."

Constantine’s Memory Stone, on the other hand, displayed:

"Violation detected: The antidote task must be completed by the assigned individual and cannot be transferred to others.

Note: Some tasks may be completed with guidance from teammates, depending on difficulty."

"Ugh—why did I get infected too?!" Aurora exclaimed, visibly distressed.

"Sorry, I didn’t know direct contact would spread it," Constantine said with feigned remorse.

Aurora waved it off and steadied herself.

"It’s fine. Since I can’t solve it for you directly, I’ll guide you step by step. Let’s solve this cube together, and then we’ll look for another antidote task to fix my condition."

"Alright."

"Okay, turn the top layer to the left half a turn, and then…"

Under Aurora’s patient instructions, the Rubik’s Cube gradually began to take shape.

Throughout the process, Constantine’s expression didn’t change much. But if Aurora had observed more carefully, she might have noticed subtle differences.

Normally, Constantine’s "calm" demeanor exuded the gravitas of a stern monarch.

But now, there was something almost mischievous hidden beneath his impassive exterior—

as if he were suppressing the smug satisfaction of a plan perfectly executed.

Because Constantine had orchestrated the entire situation to infect Aurora with the plague.

From the start, everyone knew that contact with the dolls would transmit the plague, so they all avoided the plague-ridden dolls.

But Constantine, with his combat skills, could have easily avoided the dolls indefinitely.

Instead, he had "lost control" and "punched one of those cursed dolls," conveniently infecting himself.

For anyone else, this would have led to complaints and wasted time on antidote tasks, potentially delaying the team’s progress.

It might even have raised Leon’s suspicions.

But for Constantine—the hot-tempered and impulsive Red Flame Dragon King—"losing his cool and punching a doll" fit perfectly with his character. No one questioned it.

He had used this as an excuse to get himself poisoned, forcing the second group to slow down and complete the antidote task instead of advancing the main storyline.

Now, as he deliberately fumbled with the Rubik’s Cube, Constantine managed to drag out the process further, knowing full well he could have solved it in minutes.

When Aurora took over, it played right into his plan. He had gambled on whether direct contact would infect her as well—and the gamble paid off.

Not only had he delayed their progress, but he had also managed to get Aurora poisoned, tying up even more resources.

Finally, the Rubik’s Cube was solved, and Constantine’s bracelet turned green again, signaling that his poison was cured.

"Great job, Aurora! Now let’s hurry and find another antidote task to help Aurora!" Hefei cheered.

"Alright," Aurora said, letting out a tired sigh.

"This is going to set us back even further," she muttered, her shoulders drooping as she covered her face with her hands. Her tail drooped as she walked out of the room.

Hefei quickly ran after her, trying to comfort her.

Watching the children leave, Constantine sighed dramatically.

"Why does it feel like I’ve become the villain in this game too?"

Not only had he targeted Aurora with his schemes, but he had also done so repeatedly.

Tragic. Utterly tragic.

As he placed the Rubik’s Cube back on the pedestal, Constantine thought to himself,

"I’ll have to seriously prepare some apology gifts after this game ends."