Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 228 (Part 2):
“How was the tournament venue? Was it comfortable to watch?”
“Yes, it was. It was in full view. Normally, Michael would have attended, but he’s ill… He told me about your match. He’s been thinking a lot about you lately.”
Margret spoke softly, as if encouraging reconciliation.
“I hope Michael gets well soon. Unfortunately, I can’t visit him.”
Charlotte responded calmly. It wasn’t just because she was participating in the tournament.
Michael disliked it very much when Charlotte visited him while he was ill. He probably felt inferior.
Charlotte quickly changed the subject.
“Has anything special happened? Did you see anything unusual? It’s been a while since you came to watch a swordsmanship tournament, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, it has. Something unusual…”
Margret’s eyes narrowed. She spoke, shaking off her heavy heart.
“I saw a boy with black hair in the audience. I couldn’t see his face well, but he seemed to be about your age. He had black hair and black eyes like the Duke. Really, as dark as the abyss.”
Margret thought the boy also resembled Charlotte. Charlotte tilted her head.
“Could it be senior Helmut? He might have come to watch since he doesn’t have a match today.”
“Helmut… you say?”
Margret’s hand twitched. Charlotte didn’t notice her reaction.
“Do you remember? I think I mentioned it during the vacation. He’s a senior, a year above me, and a commoner with exceptional skills… Though he’s said to be a commoner, I suspect he might be a distant relative of our family. He might have inherited the blood of Renosa in some distant way.”
“Why do you think so?”
“I heard some people say he resembles me.”
To say that the daughter of the Duchess of Renosa resembled a mere commoner would be enough to warrant execution outside the academy.
But the academy students didn’t know Charlotte’s true identity. They spoke without hesitation.
They, too, were mostly nobles, so they felt no restraint.
“Really? They say you resemble a commoner.”
Margret frowned. She had lived her entire life as a high-ranking noble.
Even if she didn’t despise commoners, she had never considered herself equal to them.
“Still, I think we look quite alike. They say we look like siblings when we stand side by side.”
Charlotte felt a vague sense of closeness to Helmut. Despite his cold and somewhat eerie impression.
Charlotte thought it was probably because she and Helmut looked alike.
“Do you really resemble each other that much…”
Margret trailed off. Charlotte resembled her father. That meant she resembled the Grand Duke of Renosa.
That boy named Helmut must also resemble the Grand Duke of Renosa.
Charlotte spoke without much thought, but it was a situation that could raise suspicions of illegitimacy.
But Margret didn’t consider such doubts. She gently pressed her temples.
Her insides felt hot. Margret couldn’t resist the turmoil rising within her heart.
‘It doesn’t make sense.’
It was an impossible situation. But what was this feeling? Sometimes, there are things that cannot be explained by words.
It was an inexplicable force that couldn’t be ignored as if nothing had happened.
Noticing Margret’s distress, Charlotte quickly added.
“Don’t think too much about it. It’s just my guess. I’ve heard that senior isn’t from Renosa or the empire.”
The Grand Duke of Renosa hadn’t left the empire or Renosa in the past 15 years.
Moreover, if it were the Grand Duke, he would have treated his illegitimate child decently or taken care of him completely.
He wouldn’t have left his illegitimate child to grow up secretly as a commoner.
“Is that Helmut boy really that skilled? For you to be so interested.”
“Yes, I can assure you it would be strange if senior Helmut didn’t win this tournament. He’s a senior I can learn a lot from as a fellow swordsman.”
“I see… interesting.”
Margret responded with a squint. Her confusion was gradually clearing up.
She just hadn’t known what to do. Now she knew what to do.
‘I need to meet him.’
Margret decided. Charlotte, thinking her mother was starting to take an interest in Helmut, quickly continued.
“Senior has advanced to the second round, so he has a match tomorrow. Though it will be over quickly. Senior Helmut doesn’t like to drag things out.”
Even if he didn’t join the Black Wing Knights, it wouldn’t hurt to impress the Grand Duchess of Renosa.
Charlotte thought positively.
“Hmm. I understand.”
Margret replied, speaking slowly after a moment.
“I’ll have to watch him.”
“Won’t the Grand Duke be attending?”
The Grand Duke was interested in swordsmanship tournaments, unlike Margret. He was a swordsman himself.
“The Grand Duke has left Ratona for some business. He won’t be back for a while.”
“I see.”
Charlotte didn’t ask further.
The only one who could ask beyond that was the Grand Duchess of Renosa. Here was simply Charlotte, Greta Academy’s representative.
“Then you should go rest.”
“I’ll see you from a distance tomorrow.”
“Come back to the palace as soon as the tournament is over.”
“Yes, mother.”
The conversation ended with smiles. But the confusion from the new information was just beginning.
Watching Charlotte leave the room with a bright face, Margret placed a hand on her chest.
Her heart was pounding. She hoped to find out the reason for this throbbing.
The dead cannot return.
But Margret needed to confirm it.
‘Confirm it and…’
What would happen next was still unknown.