Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 143 (Part 2):

Ethan did not know who had betrayed Darien or who had been hostile towards him. Where they lived, their status and positions. What he knew was only what was superficially known.

Of course, the tournament being held was good information. Helmut found a way to find out what he wanted to know without revealing his intentions.

Before leaving the dormitory, the last thing he did was use the crystal ball given by Talon.

The crystal ball given by Talon wasn’t activated by Vis per se, but it operated in response to Vis. Soon, a gentle light lit up inside the crystal ball, and a voice flowed out.

“Helmut, huh. I didn’t expect you to contact me so soon.”

He had expected some lackey or underling of the Black Hawk to respond, but surprisingly, Talon himself answered. His tone was as dignified as any noble’s. He asked calmly and leisurely.

“What information do you seek?”

“The Kingdom of Basor, the royal capital. I want to know about the organizers of the tournament and the power holders of that country, major events that have occurred in Basor. The king, the royal family, major nobles. The more information, the better. Preferably in detail.”

Helmut clarified his destination and what he wanted to know. By asking what he wanted to know and listening to what he needed to hear, he avoided the clumsiness of trying to cover his eyes, which would only reveal the fact that he was hiding something. The truth was like a ball mixed among many in a bag.

“Strengths, weaknesses, public opinions, policies implemented, personality, family relations. Even these?”

“Yes.”

If Helmut requested specific information, the Black Hawk would wonder why he wanted it. To prevent reverse-engineering facts about himself based on the information he sought, he asked for it broadly. That was Helmut’s strategy. After all, he couldn’t fully trust these people.

‘They’ll probably think I’m participating in the tournament of the Kingdom of Basor.’

Even if they asked, he had no intention of answering. Even if he participated, it wouldn’t be under his real name.

However, Talon asked nothing. As if he had no particular interest in what Helmut was planning.

“Alright. Heading straight to the Kingdom of Basor, then?”

“Yes.”

“Where should I send the documents?”

“Leave them at the mercenary guild in the royal capital of Basor. I’ll pick them up myself.”

The mercenary guild often acted as a custodian for such items.

For Helmut, revealing his disguised appearance by directly contacting the Black Hawk was out of the question. Since he had obtained a good artifact from the dean, he planned to act as discreetly as possible.

Luckily, the tournament allowed participants to conceal their identities. It was designed so that strong competitors from other countries could freely join.

“Good. I’ll contact you again once the documents are ready. Remember the passphrase well. An eagle’s claws never miss its prey.”

Talon, quick to catch on that Helmut had no intention of directly contacting them, swiftly provided a passphrase. Helmut committed it to memory.

“I’ve got it.”

“Then, I’ll arrange everything as we discussed. If there’s anything lacking, feel free to contact me.”

As the conversation ended, Helmut felt a complex emotion. He had always considered the Black Hawk, or Hawk Eye, as an enemy to be destroyed at any opportunity.

Yet, he found himself somewhat impressed by Talon’s straightforward handling of matters. His mind might change.

‘But let’s wait until I see the documents.’

Ethan Kudrow might not know, but Helmut was aware of who the traitor was. The plot to betray the Sword Saint Darien Deferth and cast him into the Forest of Roots was not something ordinary people could do.

Only those with power could execute such a plan. The documents from Talon would undoubtedly contain information about them. Helmut planned to judge them preemptively through that information.

‘There might even come a chance to contact them.’

Especially if he stands out in the tournament. The Kingdom of Basor revered strong swordsmen. Standing out was something Helmut was confident in.

The Kingdom of Basor was a military powerhouse with many strong swordsmen. The knights of Basor boasted a presence no less formidable than the empire’s.

The people of Basor loved strong swordsmen. From a young age, Basorians were accustomed to fighting with wooden swords; to them, the sword was life itself.

Thus, the identity of Sword Saint Darien Deferth in such a country needs no explanation.

Helmut, who had studied the history and familiarized himself with the Kingdom of Basor, found this to be the most puzzling aspect.

‘To stab Darien in the back in such a country.’

It was not something to be proudly disclosed. Even if Darien had plotted a rebellion, without a public trial, not even the king could have ousted him, a symbol of the Kingdom of Basor.

Darien Deferth disappeared one day, and the reason was not disclosed. Publicly, he was considered missing.

Helmut wondered how much the Black Hawk knew about Darien. Even if not up to the part about being sent to the Forest of Roots, did they know Darien was betrayed and eliminated? He thought that might be something he could find out from the documents.

The tournament held in the royal capital was an annual event of the Kingdom of Basor. During the holiday season, upperclassmen from the Academy in Baden often participated to test their skills.

Considering someone might recognize him, Helmut took his disguise very seriously. It wasn’t overthinking; Helmut was indeed a well-known figure at Greta Academy, almost always seen with Alea.

‘Moreover, this artifact is quite useful.’

Helmut looked at the second bracelet on his wrist. Although not an Archmage, the dean was a renowned mage. The duration and effects of the artifact were exceptional.

He wouldn’t have to worry about hiding his identity. The artifact was charged with enough magic to last up to three months.

After using the artifact, Helmut looked in the mirror and was satisfied with his altered appearance. Blond hair, blue eyes, a gentler impression. He was unrecognizably different.

He did not forget to wear the glasses he used last time to disguise himself from the Black Hawk’s pursuit. His current appearance was hard to associate with Helmut of Greta Academy, practically another person.

Helmut thought he looked a bit like Sian.

‘Not very swordsman.’

He might not look intimidating, but that didn’t matter. True strength is proved not by appearance but by skill.

Yet, Helmut would soon realize that the issue was not so simple to dismiss.

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