Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 158 (Part 2)

Upon entering the waiting area, Helmut looked at Luke Yeager.

“What happened?”

“From the looks of those corpses, it seems a magical beast might have attacked a village in the desert.”

“Is it common for magical beasts to behave like that in Basor?”

“Of course not. I was just as surprised.”

So it wasn’t a normal situation. Helmut expressed his disappointment.

“We didn’t even get to fight properly before it ended.”

“That’s not what’s important right now. What’s crucial is figuring out what the magical beast is up to.”

It sounded quite knightly.

Soon, a familiar presence approached the waiting area.

The door opened, and in came Lutus Cicero, the commander of the Palma Knights. He stopped Luke, who was about to greet him, with a gesture and spoke with a heavy voice.

“Due to the unfortunate incident, we cannot proceed with the final match. The tournament grounds are being cleared, and the spectators are being evacuated.”

He added with emphasis,

“It’s a national crisis; this is not the time for a final match.”

He wouldn’t have ruined the tournament over 2 million marks that he wasn’t even paying.

Helmut closely observed the one he suspected to be orchestrating this situation.

Lutus Cicero continued, unfazed,

“Furthermore, Luke Yeager, a member of the Palma Knights, will be drafted for a mission.”

“I accept the command.”

While it was obvious for Luke, Helmut felt differently.

“So how will the winner of the final match be determined?”

“We’ll reschedule for a suitable time later.”

Rescheduling was inconvenient. There was no telling how long “later” could be, and Helmut couldn’t stay in Basor indefinitely.

‘If Luke Yeager dies, I would be declared the winner.’

But it was imperative to prevent that scenario from happening.

“That would be problematic.”

Lutus Cicero casually offered a solution.

“Alternatively, we could combine the first prize of 2 million marks with the second prize of 500,000 marks, making 2.5 million marks, and split it equally between you two. This approach could work as well. It would be better for you, especially since you are not a native of Basor and cannot wait indefinitely for a rescheduled final match.”

It appeared he wasn’t just there to inform them about the situation but also had the authority to negotiate the division of the prize.

“What are your thoughts? We don’t have much time.”

Knights were busy evacuating the royals and nobles who had come to watch the tournament. There was much to do, including reporting to the king and preparing for deployment. Lutus Cicero was clearly under pressure.

Helmut inquired softly,

“What if I have a better suggestion?”

“If it’s within my authority, I’ll consider it.”

“How about this: I join the Palma Knights on their quest to hunt the demonic beast. The one who achieves more merits wins. What do you say?”

Hunting demonic beasts was Helmut’s specialty. Luke Yeager had only been with the Palma Knights for eight months and likely hadn’t participated in such a hunt before. Helmut felt he had the upper hand in earning merits.

“…Do you remember the offer I made to you before?”

“Yes.”

“Are you considering joining the Palma Knights?”

“I am considering it. But I want to experience the difficulty of the mission firsthand.”

Helmut gave a plausible excuse, akin to job shadowing. He had heard that academies sometimes offer similar experiences.

Lutus Cicero frowned.

“This is no joke. The desert’s demonic beasts are no easy foes. You could die. There won’t be anyone to look after you.”

“Who could possibly look after me?”

There was a calm yet arrogant air about him, a sharp presence momentarily emanating from his body.

Realizing something, Lutus Cicero finally said,

“Right, you’re a finalist. You’d be a valuable asset.”

No matter how young and frail the boy might seem, his skills were beyond doubt.

After a moment of contemplation, possibly reluctant to introduce an unknown factor into his plans, Cicero conceded.

“This is a matter of national duty for Basor. Normally, we wouldn’t include non-knights. But given your proposal and the unresolved duel, it seems fair. Having a skilled swordsman is indeed valuable, so I agree.”

Helmut’s slight smile indicated his victory; he was now free to disrupt Cicero’s plans as he pleased, unbeknownst to Cicero.

“However, since you’re an unexpected addition, your mission fee will be calculated based on the second-rank mercenary rate. Understood?”

“Yes.”

Helmut had expected nothing, but Basor, being a wealthy nation, ensured everything was accounted for.

Even if Cicero had refused, Helmut would have followed secretly. Surely, in the desert filled with demonic beasts, Cicero would seek to eliminate Luke Yeager. It would be natural in such circumstances.

‘Perhaps he wanted to prevent Luke Yeager from winning the final and revealing himself as Darien’s great-grandson.’

The fact that the second prince had sought an audience with Luke Yeager, and that he had come to the waiting area, would have been known.

The second prince wanted Luke Yeager to reveal his lineage as Darien’s great-grandson. Lutus Cicero would have been aware of this.

“Whether you live or die, Basor will not be responsible. You will obey orders. Do you agree?”

“Yes.”

“Prepare with Luke Yeager and join us. He will inform you of what you need. We depart today, so hurry.”

After Lutus Cicero left, Luke asked,

“Are you sure you’re up for this? Hunting demonic beasts is challenging enough, but you’re accustomed to the comforts of a good inn. The desert is nothing like the capital; it’s deathly hot during the day and freezing at night. You might still consider taking the commander’s offer.”

Helmut disliked the heat but was accustomed to the cold. However, he had someone he needed to look after.

“What’s with that look? What does it mean?”

Reacting sharply, Helmut offered Luke Yeager a piece of advice.

“Take care of yourself.”

“…You take care too. Anyway, if you’re coming, follow me.”

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