Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 193 (Part 2):

The usually alert and meticulous Alea looked almost cute, sprawled out like that.

Helmut considered his survival strategy.

‘No water bottle, so I’ll have to drink straight from a stream. Cooking’s out, so I’ll look for fruits or mushrooms I can eat raw.’

In a situation with no ingredients or tools, that was the best he could do.

Helmut found himself brooding over food issues for the first time since leaving the forest of roots.

Now that he was fed, it was time to move. Helmut picked up Alea and started walking.

Her weight had become familiar. It would feel strange when Alea could walk on her own again.

Carrying someone through the forest was similar to the training at the swordsmanship department; it was physically demanding enough to strengthen muscles.

Of course, for Helmut, who was accustomed to training, it wasn’t too difficult. It just made him hungry quickly.

Unlike at the academy, where meals were provided, he had to find his own food here.

Helmut keenly felt how comfortable his life had been until now.

A day passed. It felt like a thousand years.

It was too much to hope that Alea would wake up after just one day.

Helmut knew only that they were headed toward Baden.

Helmut resolved himself.

“Maybe I should practice Vis while staying somewhere suitable.”

Conserving energy and being near water would naturally secure drinking water and game. If nothing else, he could catch fish.

Finding a stream, Helmut decided to stay there until Alea awoke.

The forest’s atmosphere was filled with vital energy. His training was quite fruitful.

After half a day immersed in Vis practice, his body was filled with energy. He had regained more Vis than he had expended in the dungeon.

‘Staying here isn’t so bad after all.’

Being near starvation made his mind sharper. A swordsman who uses Vis can survive longer without food than most people.

He thought it might not be so bad to keep fasting. After all, if he continued without food, he wouldn’t feel hungry.

‘It’s a bit of an extreme situation.’

Just Alea being unconscious had brought Helmut to such a situation. It was unfamiliar and somewhat absurd.

Helmut glanced at Alea. Despite being unconscious, her magic maintained her appearance; she still looked impeccably clean and had the appearance of a male figure. It was almost miraculous.

‘She must be alright.’

Was Alea in a situation similar to when Helmut had just left the forest of roots?

No, she was probably in a better state. She might have exhausted all her magic, but at least she wasn’t physically hurt.

‘She isn’t hurt, right?’

Helmut approached Alea to check her body, intending to see if there was anything else amiss.

No matter how gently Helmut handled her, he couldn’t be sure if she hadn’t been hurt when he had set her down.

‘Fortunately, there are no scratches.’

There were no signs of bleeding or any visible issues.

Alea’s robe was enchanted with protective magic, shielding her body from most impacts.

‘Is her magic recovering smoothly?’

There was no need to undress her. Helmut’s keen senses allowed him to perceive the changes occurring within Alea’s body.

Her nearly depleted magic was slowly rising. It was still a small amount, but a noticeable change.

The forest, filled with natural energy, was beneficial not just to Helmut but to Alea as well.

In a few days, Alea would awaken, and once she restored her magic through meditation, they could return to Baden. They wouldn’t need to wait too long.

Helmut was contemplating the future optimistically when he took a break.

Suddenly, a prickling sensation near his heart startled him. Helmut knew what it meant. The seed of darkness had reacted.

‘What’s this?’

In such a remote forest, why would the seed of darkness react?

‘Could it be…’

With a grim expression, Helmut stood up. He had a bad feeling about this.

Expanding his senses and concentrating, he faintly felt ripples spreading through the atmosphere.

Helmut realized what these subtle ripples were.

‘Holy power?’

Why would sacred magic be used here? Could it mean that there was a priest nearby?

‘This is not good.’

He had a good idea of what kind of sacred magic had been cast. Scrying.

And whoever had cast the magic likely realized that Helmut and Alea were here.

Helmut pondered what to do next. Alea was unconscious, and if a battle ensued, he would have to protect her while fighting.

The problem was, Helmut was weak against holy power.

‘Should we flee?’

But doing so would alert them that something was amiss here.

If the sacred magic caster had seen Helmut, he couldn’t run away. He’d better stay and silence them.

‘If it’s a priest, there’s no problem in taking them down.’

Receiving sacred magic might even help suppress the seed of darkness.

Helmut waited.

‘They’re approaching.’

Indeed, they weren’t going to let it go. He could sense someone approaching.

Measured footsteps. The movements felt unified as if they were few, but they were definitely multiple people, and well-trained ones at that.

Whether it was right to confront them here, Helmut became uncertain.

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