Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 181 (Part 2):

Alea watched Helmut’s face closely.

‘Could it be… because he likes me now?’

Was it essentially a confession disguised as casual companionship?

Helmut responded casually.

“Girl, friend.”

Alea only grasped the nuance after a moment.

‘A girl who is a friend.’

The realization was deflating.

“You really are something.”

Helmut quickly changed the subject.

“What do you want to eat? Any cravings for dinner?”

How long would they need to stick together? With Teresa’s interference and Helmut being a conspicuous figure, anything could happen if they stayed together.

They could part ways now, but somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

‘Helmut is planning to attend the cross-dressing contest, so I’ll stick with him till then.’

Alea compromised with herself, her stomach reminding her that she was indeed hungry.

“Should we just go wherever looks good?”

“That sounds fine.”

The nearest place was the academy’s student cafeteria.

The academy’s cafeteria was known for its decent food, certainly better than the makeshift eateries that popped up during festivals.

Given the focus outside, the cafeteria was quieter than usual.

They conversed naturally over their meal, more comfortably than one might expect for their first official day out together.

So naturally, in fact, that Alea was taken aback at times during their conversation.

Alea had to make an effort not to show how well she thought she knew Helmut.

‘It’s good Helmut is dense, otherwise he’d realize how loosely I’m playing him. That would be troublesome.’

She glanced up at Helmut, who was efficiently slicing through his hamburger steak, completely unbothered and evidently without a trace of tension.

Clearly, he was not someone who generated an atmosphere of romantic tension, just a person enjoying a meal with another.

‘He’s seen my face, and he felt nothing?’

Alea knew her own face well enough. It wouldn’t be troubling if he’d fallen for her at first sight, but sitting there so nonchalantly was somehow not pleasing.

Alea cautiously broached another subject.

“That strange woman earlier.”

“Yeah?”

“She’s not pretty?”

Though an annoying senior, Teresa was known not just for her magical prowess but also for her beauty.

Even if both were somewhat less than Alea’s own standards, minus her personality, she was generally likable. Objectively speaking.

Helmut swallowed his bite of steak before replying.

“She’s pretty.”

Helmut himself hadn’t really noticed, but everyone said so. On closer inspection, it seemed true.

“But why… reject her? She’s pretty.”

Alea almost bit her tongue. She wasn’t trying to push Teresa on Helmut, but it almost sounded like she was suggesting he should accept her because she was pretty.

“It doesn’t matter if she’s a stranger.”

And he didn’t particularly want to know her. A face was no use to him.

Sometimes, merely seeing someone could brighten your vision.

Especially Teresa, who seemed to have nothing to gain from being close. She was annoying and uncomfortable to be around.

‘Right, anyway, not Teresa.’

Alea mused inwardly, relieved by Helmut’s words.

In fact, many in the Swordsmanship Department said, ‘As long as she’s pretty, nothing else matters.’ Helmut was an exception.

Asuka might be different, though. He talked a big game about women, but he was fussy and could likely find a girlfriend today and break up tomorrow.

Alea found herself asking another question without realizing.

“What if… the girl was someone you knew?”

Helmut’s answer came easily again.

“I don’t know, haven’t thought about it. I’ll know when it happens.”

After the holidays, he seemed particularly sharp and focused. There wasn’t much time to look elsewhere. Even while studying, his gaze often drifted to the wooden sword propped up nearby.

As he moved through the semester, his thoughts, previously broadened, had narrowed back to the sword.

Sometimes anxiety crept up on him. Helmut reassured himself that rushing wouldn’t help.

But there were very few people who could step into his world now.

The festival was a rare break Helmut gave himself, a chance for different experiences. The puppet show was also quite unique in its way.

Alea rested her chin on her hands, observing him.

‘Does he have no interest?’

It wasn’t yet safe to assume. Some people were just slow to develop interest in others.

Helmut didn’t seem to particularly enjoy hanging out with friends nor did he show much interest in people in general.

‘But what does it matter to me what Helmut thinks?’

She shook off the thought. Alea asked, trying to understand his priorities better.

“So what’s the most important thing to you right now?”

“…There’s something I need to find. For that, I need to.”

Helmut stated firmly.

“Become stronger.”

“…That’s it.”

‘Just like me.’

Alea swallowed her words, pondering. It wasn’t just a childish desire to become powerful; it was a necessity, a goal.

As they talked, Helmut was the only person who made her feel that, despite everything being different about them, there were moments they felt remarkably similar.

Although one was a swordsman and the other a mage, their backgrounds, environments, and circumstances were entirely different.

Yet, those moments of alignment stood out like shining fragments.

So evident that they could only feel that they were truly facing each other.

Otaku_Tensei

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