Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 162 (Part 1):

Six Beasts.

That was the number of beasts waiting in the ambush, having dug a trap in front of the oasis.

A brief calm before the oasis. Horten, having finished his healing with a magic scroll, mounted his horse.

The sound of another knight explaining to Luke Yeager was heard.

“These creatures wait in pits they’ve dug to catch prey that falls in, so they’re not that strong. The only caution is fighting on sand makes it hard to maintain balance. They’re not common, but we handled them well.”

As he passed by, patting Luke on the shoulder, Luke scratched the bridge of his nose and proudly went straight to Helmut.

“Did you see me in action?”

“Ah, yes.”

Helmut had not intervened. He had only watched Luke Yeager’s back as he charged forward.

‘Considering their magical power, they were too insignificant.’

He had deemed it something that could be handled without his intervention. A skilled person like himself would step forward only in front of a significant challenge.

“Getting paid a lot to laze around at the back.”

“There are those who get paid more than you but still stay put.”

Helmut gestured toward the commander of the knights. There was someone who hadn’t intervened when his own subordinates were nearly killed. His salary, as seen in the documents related to the Palma Knight, was enormous.

“Anyway, it’s fortunate that everyone is safe. I was shocked to see someone fall into a sand pit.”

“You’re quick on your feet to have saved him.”

“A colleague, after all. Should I have left him to die just because we’re not on good terms?”

Looking at him smile slyly, a strange feeling arose.

Helmut would have abandoned him without hesitation, taking the chance to eliminate him due to their poor relationship. But he wasn’t Helmut.

‘Is this what it means.’

The humanity that Darien talked about. It was fully present in Luke Yeager.

The teachings Darien had imparted to Helmut were ingrained in his body.

Luke Yeager was a young adult who had just come of age. His worldview had been formed since childhood, inherited from his grandfather.

Darien’s son, whom Darien had thought little of, had run away unable to withstand harsh discipline, but he had properly passed down what he had learned to his grandson.

He had raised an heir named Luke Yeager to inherit Darien’s sword. Darien would have been satisfied if he had seen him.

Not only the swordsmanship but also the mindset had been inherited. And Luke was more amiable than Darien.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Well, I guess I was quite impressive?”

‘…except for this point.’

Helmut turned his gaze away from him.

‘I’ll never be the ideal successor Darien had in mind.’

Even setting aside skills or talents, he was not accustomed to bearing responsibilities.

Though he had become somewhat refined through group life, Helmut was fundamentally cold.

His life in the Forest of Roots had made him that way. He consciously followed Darien’s teachings only.

‘But if Luke Yeager survives, he might be able to become that.’

Then, it seemed possible to completely repay the debt owed to Darien.

And by establishing Luke Yeager in his place, as Helmut and not as a disciple of the Sword Saint, he could live freely.

‘Is this a good thing?’

He increasingly felt the need to keep Luke Yeager alive. It would be troublesome if he became too attached to that idea.

“Train hard once this subjugation is over.”

So that he can bear the renown of Darien Deferth.

“…What are you talking about?”

Helmut passed by him, wearing a dubious expression.

Soon, the Palma Knights resumed their march toward the oasis.

Upon reaching the oasis, they dismounted one by one to survey the surroundings.

The village’s condition was tragic. Buildings had collapsed, leaving only parts of walls standing.

The villagers had disappeared without leaving even bone fragments behind. Judging by the bloodstains occasionally buried in the ground, they must have ended up in the stomachs of the beasts.

However, the actual beasts were no longer there.

“Look at this.”

The members of the Palma Knight who had found something in front of the oasis frowned.

It was the form of a giant scorpion. They nearly drew their swords on sight. Someone murmured.

“It’s just a shed skin.”

A dim magical aura emanated from the dark red shed skin, left behind as if to mark the invasion. The presence of the creature felt vividly real.

Some knights stepped forward to examine the skin.

“It’s not dry yet. It hasn’t been long since it was shed.”

“It seems that it was enjoying its life these days to the point of shedding its skin?”

“Don’t touch it. It might be poisonous.”

“Just like humans, they hit the oasis and fled. Leaving only a few behind to make it seem like they were still here.”

“The water isn’t contaminated.”

“For beasts to act this way? It’s uncommon.”

“What should we do?”

The vice-commander sought the commander’s opinion.

Lutus Cicero took out a compass from his possession. His compass reacted to the magical residue left on the skin. He calmly ordered,

“Search the surroundings first. It would be better to deal with any remaining creatures around here.”

Given the state of the village, it seemed unlikely that there were any survivors.

After completing their search, the commander decided on their next move.

“We’ll rest here and then move to a nearby village.”

Other oasis villages were not far away. Since not everyone could have evacuated to Deser, it was time to check on them.

In this desolate desert, it was clear which places would be targeted by monsters that had tasted human flesh.

As they rested in the ruins of the village for about an hour,

The vice-commander’s magical communication tool lit up. His expression gradually became serious as he received the message.

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