In A Plague Tale: Requiem, Chapter 9 features a hidden puzzle involving four windmills. Solving this puzzle unlocks a secret cave containing the Magic Bracer, a powerful piece of armor that boosts your recovery speed after enemy attacks. Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough to help you unlock it.

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Location: Chapter 9 – Near the Beginning

As you begin Chapter 9, you’ll come across four windmills, each marked with Roman numerals I, II, III, and IV. These are key to solving the optional puzzle that unlocks the Smugglers’ Lair, where the armor is hidden.

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Step-by-Step Guide to the Windmill Puzzle

Windmill I:

• Approach the windmill.
• Enter through the front door.
• Interact with the brake to turn it off.

Windmill II:

• Locate the rope pulley mechanism beside the windmill.
• Pull the rope to drop debris and create access to a crawlspace.
• Crawl through, then interact with the brake inside to turn it off.

Windmill III:

• This windmill is already on by default.
• Do not interact with it. Leave it running.

Windmill IV:

• Crawl under the cart to reach a fenced-off area.
• Climb the ladder and look through the window.
• Use your sling to shoot the lock off the inside door.
• Enter through the front, find the brake, and turn it on.

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Opening the Smugglers’ Lair

Once the windmills are set correctly:

• Windmills I and II: OFF
• Windmills III and IV: ON

Head to the area between Windmills II and III.

• Look for stone arches and follow the path under them.
• At the end of the path, you’ll find a ladder descending into the ground.
• This is the entrance to the Smugglers’ Lair.

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Inside the Secret Cave

• Explore and collect valuable resources like tools and crafting materials.
• Follow the linear path deeper into the lair.
• At the end, you’ll find the Magic Bracer.
• A cutscene will play and your character will comment on its power.

Effect: The Magic Bracer improves recovery speed after being attacked.

Additional Notes:

• This item carries over to New Game Plus.
• It’s especially useful for tougher combat sequences later in the game.

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Final Tips

• If you missed this during your first run, you can replay Chapter 9 to obtain it.
• Pay attention to the controller vibration and dialogue cues indicating the puzzle was completed successfully.

Grab this powerful item to give yourself a big advantage in your journey with Amicia and Hugo. Enjoy the hunt!