Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 125 (Part 1):
“I found a much more comfortable place to stay than wandering around the forest. Look over there.”
Team member Dino pointed with his fingertip to a small clearing beside the road. Although it wasn’t free of tree roots or grass, the ground was fairly flat. It was a suitable place to rest.
James, dismounting from his horse, rubbed his aching buttocks and exclaimed in admiration.
“Wow, there’s such a nice little campsite here.”
“There’s a spring nearby too. No need to go far to fetch water. Isn’t that great?”
“It seems like this place gets visitors just like that larger campsite, doesn’t it?”
“Well, students from Baden’s Academy’s Magic and Academic Departments often come out to this forest, so yeah.”
“They would be more familiar with camping.”
“We’re lucky. Not all twelve teams get assigned such a place.”
They were grumbling about the distance, but now, dropping comments one by one, they all dismounted.
Helmut looked around. Nothing seemed amiss. Just this place, somehow it felt familiar. He felt like he had camped in a place like this before.
‘Was it when I was escorting Xenia of Zahringen.’
It seemed like it was also in a clearing with a spring like this one. And everyone had fallen asleep.
‘Will something similar happen this time?’
Helmut first went to the spring to drink some water. He couldn’t be sure.
The reason they had fallen asleep back then was because the thieves had concentrated Rosetta root in the spring. Rosetta root is odorless and tasteless, but when concentrated, it has a slight taste.
This meant that if it wasn’t concentrated, Helmut wouldn’t be able to taste it.
If diluted, it could naturally induce sleepiness without causing one to sleep so deeply as to not awaken from noises.
Helmut stood up. He wouldn’t know unless he tested it on someone first. It wouldn’t affect him anyway.
“What are you doing, Helmut? Let’s unpack.”
It was still afternoon. Seeing Basil’s leg bleeding profusely from a trap, none of the team members wanted to hunt.
They had enough food supplies. Enough to last until tomorrow.
On the last day, when they return to the campsite, they will prepare a meal for the students who were left hungry.
At Asuka’s suggestion, Helmut tied up the horses and started unpacking.
Asuka, who had also tied up his horse and started unpacking, stretched as if he was sore. He didn’t seem in the mood for a nap.
The others, perhaps intending to train in this unusual place, one by one took out their swords and found spots to practice.
Seeing this, Helmut felt a twinge of guilt. He had been neglecting his training recently.
But before that, he wanted to explore the surroundings.
“I’ll go gather some firewood.”
As Helmut spoke and moved, Asuka quickly volunteered to join.
“Me too.”
“…”
‘Annoying to have him tag along.’
Asuka took the lead and headed into the forest without a plan.
However, the leadership quickly changed.
Asuka didn’t know much. The forest was dense with trees and underbrush, making it difficult to even walk through, let alone look around.
“Is this good enough for firewood?”
“That’s too damp. It won’t catch fire well.”
“Isn’t this too small?”
“Look for something that’s completely dry. It’ll catch fire easily. Try gathering these.”
Helmut picked up a branch of suitable thickness to show Asuka, who then started collecting branches from all around. He was soon humming a song.
“Camping, camping, exciting camping! Yay.”
Asuka was tone-deaf. Helmut, pained by the noise, looked over.
“Asuka, be quiet.”
His singing was so provocative of violence that Helmut wanted to stuff the piled-up firewood into his mouth. Asuka grumbled.
“Not talking makes it boring, and now I can’t even sing. Are you a tyrant?”
Then, Helmut called out to him.
“Asuka.”
His voice sounded unusually cold. Asuka was puzzled.
‘What? Is he mad? What did I say?’
He asked cautiously.
“Why?”
“Take these back to the team first,” Helmut pointed at the pile of firewood.
“Don’t ask, just go.”
Even Asuka, with his strong personality, couldn’t retort upon seeing Helmut’s cold, black eyes.
“Alright.”
Asuka, carrying a load of firewood, kept looking back as he returned the way they came.
Helmut was left alone in the forest. His gaze was fixed on something deep within the shadowy forest.
He sensed a presence. Asuka hadn’t noticed, but the deliberately revealed presence was stealthy. An extraordinary expert.
“It seems you’ve decided to finally show up now.”
He was tired of waiting.