Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 22 (Part 2):

“The guy who went to fetch water saw you in rags and screamed, thinking he had found a real corpse. It’s a relief that you’re in better shape than I thought. Why were you in such a place in such a state?”

Helmut furrowed his brows at the barrage of words. He could understand them.

But the unfamiliar gaze, the tone of this woman’s voice didn’t quite resonate with him.

Only confusion. Yet, he felt no hostility from them.

She tilted her head.

“Still groggy? What’s your name?”

“Helmut.”

Helmut answered hesitantly as he regained his senses.

“I don’t remember anything else.”

Helmut recalled Darien’s advice.

‘You grew up in a unique environment. If you’re unsure what to say, claim you don’t remember. It’s common to lose memory from a head injury.’

His hesitant speech unintentionally appeared sincere. Tanya frowned.

“Really? That’s troublesome. You seem to have lost your memory. No major trauma visible, but did you hit your head?”

After a moment of thought, she smiled broadly and extended her hand to Helmut.

“My name’s Tanya. A 3rd-rank silver medal mercenary of the Pace Mercenary corps. Your sword is beside you. That sword looks nice, doesn’t it?”

The hand she carelessly held felt oddly warm.

Startled as if bitten, Helmut quickly checked the items brought from the Forest of Roots, including his pendant.

Tied tightly to avoid falling off, fortunately, it remained intact.

It seemed scratched and dirty, likely unnoticed.

“You’ve been applied with a potent medicine, so you should feel somewhat better. You seem to have a good recovery rate too?”

Helmut belatedly realized the rustling noise every time he moved. He hadn’t felt it due to partially numbed senses.

“My clothes…”

He had been changed. And inside, ointment was applied liberally, and bandages were wrapped around.

“Your clothes were torn to shreds, so that boy changed you. He also applied the medicine, so say thanks later!”

Tanya gestured towards a boy sleeping on a blanket nearby.

“Ah, and just to be sure, you do know how to speak formally, right?”

Helmut felt a sense of déjà vu at her scowling expression.

“Yes.”

“Good, that’s settled then.”

Tanya’s expression changed dramatically, smiling broadly.

As Helmut checked his body, she went to the fire and returned with a bowl of soup soaked bread.

“Here, eat up.”

‘Daryan said not to carelessly accept food outside.’

Helmut hesitated for a moment.

But to the woman before him, he seemed like a vulnerable boy in need of care. She wouldn’t feed him something strange.

The growling in his stomach at the sight of food indicated his extreme hunger.

Helmut decided to eat first and think later.

The first meal outside the Forest of Roots was unremarkable but tasted good.

“So, do you know where you are?”

“No, I don’t?”

“This is Decay Forest. Don’t remember? Doesn’t ring a bell?”

“No.”

Tanya persistently dug into Helmut, who had finished eating.

Having never experienced memory loss, Helmut naturally didn’t know much to begin with, mimicking amnesia.

Tanya seemed to believe Helmut had lost most of his memory except for a few basic facts.

“This is tough. Then, what do you remember?”

“My name. And that I can use a sword.”

If it’s hard to fabricate lies, stick to limited truths, Darien’s lesson, which Helmut faithfully executed again.

“Know how to use a sword? That’s good news. You need to recover first, though. Can you stand?”

Helmut stood up. Although there was remaining pain, his body was more cooperative than before he lost consciousness the second time.

Seemingly being in a deep state of unconsciousness had its benefits.

Tanya nodded.

“You seem fine physically, but what about your head? Might improve after seeing a doctor. We should visit one in the village.”

A man suddenly interjected.

“Hey, Tanya. Are you going to hire a new errand boy?”

“He was abandoned in such a place, looking pitiful. Lost his memory too! Since it’s come to this, we should take care of him until he can walk on his own.”

The man reluctantly nodded.

“Well, that’s true.”

Tanya, patting Helmut’s shoulder, cheerfully said,

“Don’t worry, just trust me. I’ll take responsibility for you for now.”

Though bewildered, the warmth in her bright brown eyes and the smile showing her teeth conveyed inexplicable kindness.

They had just met today.

Yet, no ulterior motive seemed present in her gaze.

‘Feels like I’ve been through this before.’

Helmut vaguely remembered a similar situation long ago, also in the Forest of Roots.

‘Is there such a thing as a destiny to be picked up and cared for?’

If there was, it seemed to be Helmut’s fate.

Helmut knew what to say to this earnest benefactor.

A faint smile curled around his lips.

“Thank you.”

But Tanya sternly said,

“Yeah, but first, you need to clean up. When Finn wakes up, go wash up together.”

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