Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 200 (Part 1):

Liam Weiss, the dean of Greta Academy, was unusually safety-conscious for a mage.

Born into a prestigious noble family of Baden, he showed exceptional magical talent at an early age.

Even with his outstanding abilities recognized at Greta Academy, he merely aspired to achieve reasonably well as a mage.

Yes, just enough to elevate his family’s honor. No undue risks, just smooth sailing. That was his way of life.

Becoming the academy’s dean was almost predetermined.

Liam Weiss walked his path in a commendable and diligent manner, without overexerting himself.

But then, a change came into his life as well. They say people are drawn to opposites, after all.

It was inevitable that he would lose his heart to someone daring and adventurous.

Heike, two years his senior, was a dazzlingly beautiful and bold mage.

And she was quite perceptive too. Realizing early on that Liam Weiss had fallen for her, she toyed with him throughout their school days.

Liam Weiss ended up being strung along by her like a fool.

It was only around Heike’s graduation that Liam Weiss bitterly accepted that he was merely one fish in Heike’s pond.

That she did not see him as more than an endearing junior – a conclusion he reached after much anguish.

Heike disappeared, and he thought he would never meet her again.

Even when he heard she had become the target of the temple, even when he failed at married life and divorced.

But when Heike reappeared and approached him,

‘Please take care of my granddaughter. The poor child lost her parents.’

Liam Weiss could not refuse her request.

Unlike himself, he agreed to take in Alea, risking potential clashes with the temple.

Of course, it was not an easy decision. But Heike helped him make up his mind.

Heike had much leverage over his weaknesses.

Like the poignant, even embarrassing love letters Liam Weiss had written her, for instance.

Heike would happily wave them in front of him, laughing merrily – a smile reminiscent of her past self.

‘It would be so fun if I posted these on the academy’s bulletin board, don’t you think?’

It was not for nostalgic memories of first love. Liam simply could not bear such humiliation –

The thought of his pure feelings being trampled underfoot amidst snickering students. He had to curse his infatuated past self.

Naturally, he could not feel good about Alea either.

Despite her striking resemblance to Heike, occasionally evoking past memories.

Fortunately, Alea’s personality was completely different from Heike’s. A very cold and aloof girl.

Or maybe she did take after her. Heike was a witch with a heart of ice, after all.

Alea was a diligent and sincere student, with talent exceeding even Heike’s.

So much so that the dean himself found it understandable to have admitted her while disguised as a boy.

‘Yes, accepting a talented student is also good for the academy.’

Although Heike had become an enemy of the temple, she was a proud archmage bearing Greta Academy’s name.

Regardless of what became of her later, having produced an archmage alone was a great honor for the academy.

Liam Weiss hoped Alea would graduate smoothly, ending this arduous process forced upon him.

But it did not go his way. Upon receiving yet another message from Heike today, he cupped his face in his hands.

“Heike.”

[‘So that’s what happened. Well, it shouldn’t be much of a problem.’]

“Heike.”

Liam Weiss pinched the bridge of his nose hard.

“Are you telling me to overlook the death of a High Priest?”

[‘There was no choice. Those bastards recognized my granddaughter and tried to take her away.’]

She had no choice but to kill the High Priest. The ones who had unexpectedly encountered Alea tried to recognize and abduct her. The boy with her had fought alongside. That was Heike’s explanation.

Heike had admirably covered for the unintended extent of Alea and the boy’s actions.

When the temple learned of the High Priest’s disappearance, they would undoubtedly contact Baden.

Heike judged it better to inform the dean first.

And upon hearing her story, the dean felt not just difficulty, but shock.

‘Did I button it wrong from the start?’

He thought he only had to admit her granddaughter and look after her at the academy, but the situation kept escalating. It snowballed instantly.

For Liam Weiss, who lacked boldness and only dreamed the humble dream of being an academy dean, this was an overwhelming predicament.

Liam Weiss spoke carefully.

“I understand you had no choice. Then you must also understand that I have no choice?”

[‘My, are you really going to rat them out to the temple? Doesn’t the dean of Greta Academy have any pride as a mage? To grovel so much before the temple!’]

“There was a way to resolve this without killing him.”

[‘A way for my granddaughter to be unable to graduate from the academy and have to hide in fear? What about the innocent boy who was with her? Are you saying to pin the crime the official was involved in on that blameless kid?’]

“It would be better for the two of them to suspend their studies and hide, rather than murder a High Priest.”

[‘It’s better for you too this way. Since you’re the dean of Greta Academy who admitted my granddaughter, you can’t avoid responsibility. You can’t claim you didn’t recognize her as my granddaughter.’]

“As you said, I am the dean of Greta Academy. I can handle that myself.”

Liam Weiss shook his head defiantly.

“If you keep resorting to murder by force, how are you any different from a black mage?”

[‘I only kill those who threaten me, as you know. Liam, you know very well how I threatened you.’]

“That’s true.”

When they met again, Heike had infiltrated all the way to Liam Baise’s office. Liam didn’t notice her approach.

Heike could do anything to Liam. Control him, cast a curse to threaten his life, anything. That was the power of a great magician.

But Heike did not do that.

Instead, like before, she playfully waved the love letters he had sent her in the past in front of him with a smiling face, demanding a choice.

It felt like an even greater threat than a threat to his life.

Otaku_Tensei

I'm currently Translating the following novel: Helmut: The Forsaken Child. If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

•