Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 105 (Part 2):
The preparation for the midterm exam, which required him to stay still in the study room all day long, staring at white paper and black letters, ended smoothly.
‘Sitting for so long is making my body stiff.’
Helmut rubbed his stiff neck. It was the first time he had been so inactive since he came out of the Forest of Roots and experienced being a semi-corpse.
Whether it was training or whatever, there was no time to wield a sword except for the early morning hours.
Magic Understanding, according to the standards of mages, was not considered a particularly difficult subject. Is this how wizards usually study?
Alea, in particular, dug deep into each problem. Very deeply.
Even small pieces of logic had to originate from background knowledge, so it was no different from engraving a tree with countless branches into his head.
He learned a lot, but this was definitely not his aptitude. His head was steaming.
The words that Darien casually threw were not considered study. He would have preferred physical exhaustion.
‘Anyway, since Vis and magic power collide, a swordsman cannot be a mage.’
Looking at the answer sheet Helmut handed over, Alea nodded her head.
“This is passable.”
“Is it not enough for a perfect score?”
“The standard for a perfect score is my answer sheet. It’s on a level that can’t be compared with your answer sheet.”
The tone was matter-of-fact, but the content was quite arrogant. Sian, who was sitting next to him, coughed, and Asuka immediately frowned.
As the midterms approached, they returned to the study room after briefly wandering.
Alea occasionally muttering something was always annoying. Sian, who had become accustomed to it, let it slide, but Asuka muttered intentionally.
“How annoying.”
“You better not take the essay exam. You’re going to submit an answer sheet that will impair the examiner’s vision anyway.”
“What did you say? What is this!”
As Asuka clenched his fist in response to Alea’s cold side-glance, he grinded his teeth and lowered it again.
Feeling annoyed and angry, he couldn’t bring himself to throw a punch. Whether it was instinct or conscience, something stopped him.
‘I can’t even beat up this weakling as I please.’
Physical strength was the only thing Asuka had the upper hand in. In this close sitting position, there was no need to say anything about dealing with an unarmed mage.
‘If only he wasn’t deceptively pretty.’
Asuka was not one of Alea’s fans. But that face, it felt like a sin just to touch it.
As Alea, who had finished tutoring Helmut and had some leisure time, looked at him and propped her chin, she even sparkled. But Alea’s inner feelings definitely didn’t sparkle.
‘I feel it again, this guy is quite peculiar.’
“You’re lucky.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m preparing an offensive spell, but you haven’t attacked once. Are you scared, or is it just an animal instinct?”
‘If he had charged without knowing the subject, I would have made him unable to take the midterm exam.’
Alea’s violet pupils narrowed. Asuka seemed to have been hit on the back of the head.
“What did you say?”
His eyes quickly turned. If he didn’t respond to such a provocation, he wouldn’t be the crazy dog of the Swordsmanship Department.
This time, he really had to give a good punch to that annoying kid. The emotion was intense, like sparks flying.
“Stop.”
The one who stopped Asuka’s fist, as always, was not Sian. Before it could be extended, he grabbed his wrist. Asuka’s face twisted.
“Helmut, are you taking his side because you’re roommates? Didn’t you hear that annoying kid provoking you?”
Helmut calmly replied.
“You started the argument.”
“That annoying kid said something to you first!”
Helmut might have been calm, but Asuka, who listened, was the one who got agitated. It was like he was talking about someone else’s business. It was an unjust situation.
“Alea just answered my question. I asked, and she told the truth. What’s the problem?”
If asked to wield a sword and strike, Alea would show an inadequate performance even from Helmut’s perspective. While her intellect might make her learning speed fast, Helmut thought it was okay to point out her shortcomings in his area of expertise.
So, conversely, it’s okay for Helmut to be criticized for lacking in Alea’s area of expertise. That was Helmut’s thought.
But for Asuka, who was criticized by Helmut’s tone, it was a significant difference.
“Ah, come on. It’s no use taking sides!”
Asuka grumbled but withdrew his hand. No matter what, he thought beating up Alea was a bit much.
After all, she was a mage. If she doesn’t stop breathing, she’ll retaliate somehow, and then it will be hard for a swordsman to defend. It would be an incredibly difficult and tiring situation.
There were many ways, like spells causing leprosy or spells inducing nightmares.
That was a retaliation that even the recently softened crazy dog won’t bear.
“But you’re also stopping me. You’re usually quiet. What’s going on?”
Helmut was indifferent, no matter who argued or fought. Asuka suspiciously stared at him. Helmut couldn’t explain.
‘Because…Alea is my tutor? ‘
That seemed to be the most fitting explanation, but it felt a bit different. The moment he thought Alea might be right, his hand moved involuntarily.
Would this be a closer answer?
‘I think because it’s Alea.’
Sian, who was quick-witted, also noticed that there was something unknown between Helmut and Alea.
But even he, who was quick-witted, couldn’t guess what it was. They are not the kind of guys who give hints to guess.
Rather than letting his head ache in vain, Sian decided to do what he was good at.
“Alright, it’s snack time now. Aren’t you all hungry? The tutoring must have ended successfully. How about we all go together this time?”
Immediately changing the atmosphere.
“There’s a waffle shop in the alley ahead that’s open until late. It’s said to be delicious among the magic department students. How about checking it out? They generously pile on sweet and tangy strawberry cream. Oh, and there’s plain whipped cream too!”
The perceptive Helmut looked at Alea. If she objected again, saying something about they are not allowed because of the sugar or whatever…
Well, as a student, what else could be done but follow the tutor’s words?
“You always say you eat snacks, but are there still places you haven’t been to? Are there so many places open at this hour?”
“The alley in front of the academy is very lively. There are a lot of street vendors too. Especially during this time. It’s already a well-known story that our academy students study until dawn when they have exams.”
So, the shops are all open late at night due to the boom. Alea, who seemed to be thinking about something for a moment, nodded her head.
“Okay, let’s go.”
“You guys are going too, right?”
“Of course.”
Following Asuka, who readily agreed, Helmut got up from his seat without answering.
Is he finally experiencing the full-fledged nightlife of the academy? That’s what he expected as he held onto that anticipation.