Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 201 (Part 2):

Being a mage, Alea couldn’t possibly remain indifferent to the existence of a human with a seed of darkness she had never encountered before.

Alea had a different kind of interest in Helmut, though separate from affection.

‘If it’s interest, then so be it.’

Alea had no intention of using him as a test subject, but she occasionally poked and prodded at him, casting unknown, harmless spells.

While it was a strange feeling to be the subject of curiosity, Helmut let her be.

It seemed she had achieved some results in her research.

“So you need to hide ‘that’, right? But if someone is particularly perceptive, they might notice under certain conditions, like those white ones.”

She spoke cryptically, but it was understandable.

‘The white ones’ referred to the temple. The second high priest they met, Pascal, had been slower to react than the first, Dolos. Helmut suspected Pascal had not immediately noticed the dark seed within him.

But sensitivity varied among the high priests.

A more perceptive high priest might immediately sense the dark energy within the seed of darkness.

“It’s because of the temple’s permission that the academy of Baden could participate in the comprehensive swordsmanship tournament. If they attend, who knows if they might observe something. That’s why I thought about what we could do.”

Despite knowing of Pascal’s disappearance, the temple had not made a fuss or pursued the matter aggressively.

Alea, who often met with the dean, was aware of this.

Nonetheless, it was difficult to believe that they held no suspicions about the academy in Baden.

The timing was too coincidental. Just visiting Baden and then encountering them on their way elsewhere!

‘What’s done is done.’

Alea thought that Helmut must not get caught up in anything during the comprehensive swordsmanship tournament if the priests were watching.

The solution wasn’t simple. First and foremost, he should not manifest vis in its usual form. The dark energy carried by Helmut’s ashen Vis was unavoidable.

‘The trace of dark energy that seeps out when using Vis…’

Alea decided to approach the problem from a different angle.

“This bracelet creates a thin barrier around it to block the outburst of dark energy. Think of it as a derivative of my artifact. It won’t be as effective as the magic of my artifact, which overlays illusions, but it’s more natural since it’s mixed with cleansing magic, making it harder to detect.”

A modest amount of artifact use was permitted in combat, whether in a swordsmanship contest or a martial arts tournament. It wasn’t simply a matter of fighting bare-handed.

Participants could bring better weapons and wear better armor, as long as it wasn’t excessive.

“Thank you.”

Helmut grasped Alea’s hand eagerly. Alea smiled slightly.

“That doesn’t look like a thankful expression.”

Helmut’s expressions were almost always unreadable. This time was no different.

“Is that so?”

After a moment’s thought, Helmut reached out and pulled Alea into a tight embrace. Alea complied quietly.

Her hair rustled softly, and her body was frailer than it appeared, a natural consequence of her magic.

His heart thumped pleasantly. Dark emotions like malice, despair, and murderous intent fed the seed of darkness. What about such feelings then?

Helmut wondered.

One thing was certain: lately, the seed of darkness had not grown. It was quiet. He formed a hypothesis.

‘Could the thumping of my heart and its warmth enhance my control over the seed of darkness?’

Whether or not the hypothesis was correct, even if nurturing the seed of darkness, Helmut did not want to push Alea away.

If there had been any progress in their relationship, it was that their contact had become more natural. Alea, still disguised, was highly cautious of her surroundings, so timing was crucial.

“You inspire me. I’ve never before studied how to use magic for someone else. But look, I’ve made not one, but two bracelets for you.”

Alea spoke as if delighted.

‘Sounds like affection for a test subject.’

That was just the way of a mage.

Lifting her head while nestled in his arms, Alea’s eyes sparkled like stars.

“This weekend, there’s a place I’d like us to visit.”

“Alright.”

Asuka had suggested something, but it hardly mattered.

Helmut maintained a balance, spending half of his weekends with his friends, Asuka and Sian.

He sometimes visited the Kudrow Mansion with Alea, but not always.

Helmut actually wanted to lose that balance. But there was still much time ahead, and Alea was exceedingly careful.

‘Dating you might get us caught off-guard at any moment. One must always be vigilant about how things could turn out.’

Being caught in a romantic relationship might be better than being suspected of an inappropriate relationship between male students.

That could place their guardians, the dean and the instructor, in difficult positions.

The dean knew the truth, but Ethan Kudrow would be shocked to know Alea was a girl.

For that reason, Helmut was extra vigilant about their surroundings when with Alea.

“Remember the place we went for the last assignment?”

“Ah, yes.”

Lampione’s dungeon. Helmut didn’t say it aloud, but Alea nodded.

“It looks like it’s safe to enter now. I’ve been stabilizing it bit by bit each holiday. It was a complete mess, but it’s been cleaned up now. You had a stake in it too, didn’t you?”

“Is there treasure?”

“I don’t know. We’ll find out when we go in.”

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