Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 151 (Part 2):

Luke’s expression soured. As he had said himself, he was the type to grab by the collar those who made him curious and force answers out of them.

“You’re trying to disturb my mental state before the match, aren’t you?”

“I wasn’t the one who started this conversation.”

Helmut coldly cut him off and left with one last remark.

“I hope you don’t use disturbed mental state as an excuse for elimination.”

“You little boy, really.”

Luke chuckled dryly. However, as soon as his name was called, his expression turned serious. He had to match the achievement of advancing to the round of 16, just as his opponent had.

***

“Here’s the information you were promised.”

Michael quickly handed over several documents. His flattery about how splendid Helmut looked today and how easy the victory had been came right after.

“Good work.”

Helmut felt a slight pang of conscience as he saw Michael looking intently at him.

Even if Michael was eagerly trying to pull him to his side, Helmut had received a lot from this exchange. Simply compensating for a room at the inn seemed insufficient. Transactions should balance out.

After some thought, Helmut proposed,

“50,000 marks.”

“What?”

“How about 50,000 marks as compensation for bringing the information?”

Michael burst out laughing. Had Helmut proposed too little? But Helmut wasn’t exactly swimming in money either. Prize money was expected soon, but that was in the future.

Helmut had only considered the money he currently possessed as his wealth.

“No need for that. Such an amount means little to me.”

Michael’s overt display of wealth shone through his eyes peculiarly.

“We’ll settle it another way.”

“There’s no guarantee I’ll give you what you want.”

“That’s fine. You just receive. When I ask, if you can give, then you give.”

“That sounds like a losing deal.”

“Being hung up on minor losses is for those with nothing or those who clutch their possessions without knowing how to use them. I have plenty, and those with plenty know when to invest.”

“And if that fails?”

“Discernment is needed. But the possibility of success is worth more than not trying due to the fear of failure. Doing nothing means just staying put, leading to obsolescence. In the end, it’s all the same.”

The opinion was interesting, but the problem was that Helmut was the subject of such an assertive plan. All this smart talk was surely calculated.

‘Swordsmen would easily fall for this.’

On the other hand, someone as intelligent and temperamental as Asuka might just throw a punch, calling it annoying.

“Anyway, take a good look at this.”

“The Palma Knights operate on a salary system. Your pay increases with years of service. Compared to other countries, knights are treated better here, almost like baron-level nobility. You also receive a mansion within the capital.”

Michael summarized as he handed over the documents. Helmut listened attentively.

“The primary duty of a Palma Knight is to protect Basor, and for this reason, they hunt desert beasts annually. Based on last year, the beast hunt took place about a month after the martial arts tournament.”

A beast hunt could be a good opportunity, especially if the Palma Knight Commander decided to eliminate Luke Yeager in the same manner as his great-grandfather.

“Recently, there’s been a rise in activity from the desert beasts. Sometimes they even come near villages, so the hunt might happen sooner. That’s about it; take a look.”

Following Michael’s suggestion, Helmut read through the few documents. The conditions mentioned for a Palma Knight were quite favorable.

‘Basor loves the strong. It doesn’t matter if you’re a commoner or whatever, and there’s hardly any interaction with academy graduates.’

It was a good position. Since Asuka doesn’t act rashly around the strong, being among the strong Palma Knights might suit him well.

Suddenly contemplating his future knightly career in Basor, Helmut refocused.

‘This isn’t the time for that.’

Now wasn’t the moment to worry about post-graduation plans.

“For your information, I can match the conditions mentioned there,” Michael added casually.

“And where I live isn’t hot.”

“…I see.”

Helmut organized the information in his head. The details about the Palma Knight Commander matched what Talon had told him.

The Palma Knight Commander generally stayed out of politics but was close to the First Prince. Hence, Michael’s documents stated the Palma Knights supported the First Prince.

‘The First Prince of Basor is the son of a foreign queen, a devout follower of Lumen, and supports the temple.’

The First Prince had persistently advocated for building a Lumen temple in the Basor capital and inviting priests. Although it hadn’t happened, it had caused conflict with his father.

The king was negative about the temple. He couldn’t let the temple, which had ignored requests for help against desert beasts, gain power in the capital now. That was the majority opinion among Basor’s upper echelons.

The First Prince couldn’t openly oppose his father. Basor’s king, still mentally sharp in his late seventies, held tight to power. Even the much older princes didn’t dare to challenge him.

Although Basor’s king had benefited from Darien’s deeds against the desert beasts, he was considered a wise ruler who had yet to name a successor.

He favored the 2nd Prince, born of a Basor native queen, as the rightful heir.

However, even the king couldn’t ignore the Palma Knights, so the First Prince remained a contender for succession.

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