Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 230 (Part 2):

Helmut raised his head and looked at the audience with his black eyes.

His gaze, containing a hidden flame within the ice, seemed arrogant.

But the arrogance of a victor was natural. Even though this was not Basor but Renosa, at this moment, no one could deny Helmut.

Waaahhhh! Loud cheers strike the stage.

Again.

This time, he didn’t make the conspicuous move of striking his opponent with his sword sheath.

He simply swung his sword, disarmed his opponent, and pointed his sword at him.

His opponent stood helpless before him, as if stripped naked.

Helmut had made it so.

‘I must win.’

As if it were obvious, Helmut muttered to himself. He wanted to show it.

It wasn’t vanity or arrogance. Just as in Basor, he liked winning.

He liked the feeling of having his existence and strength acknowledged and confirmed.

The audience began cheering for him wildly, and that cheer would likely continue until Helmut was crowned champion.

And his mother was watching.

It felt like he had left the Forest of Roots for this moment. Perhaps that was indeed the truth.

Helmut’s gaze moved upward. The inside of the canopy was quiet.

But he felt a gaze directed at him from inside.

He couldn’t know what it was, but his mother was agitated.

Was she also instinctively feeling it?

If he won the swordsmanship contest, he might meet the members of the Grand Duchy.

His mother would probably be there. No, she definitely would be.

If she had seen Helmut, she would want to confirm it.

He didn’t know if he could reveal the truth.

But Helmut finally felt certain about what he needed to do.

He had to win.

Helmut bowed his head toward the Grand Duchess, as if apologizing for his earlier rudeness.

Applause poured out.

Margret clenched and unclenched her hands several times. Her gaze wandered anxiously in the air.

Even when Michael had collapsed, she had never felt such an emotional upheaval.

Since losing her first child fifteen years ago, she had lived quietly, like a calm lake, despite the despair, pain, and sorrow she had endured.

As the Grand Duchess of Renosa.

But now, a stone had been thrown into her lake.

A maid asked worriedly,

“Your Grace, why do you look so restless?”

The maid was concerned that the Grand Duchess might be shocked by doubts about the Grand Duke’s fidelity.

In Renosa, those who knew the Grand Duke’s face would start to harbor such suspicions one by one.

It was terrifying talent and skill for an ordinary commoner boy to possess.

Margret made up her mind and spoke.

“I must meet that boy.”

“Your Grace, shall I send someone to bring him here?”

But Margret shook her head firmly and stopped her.

“No! No. I cannot meet a tournament participant privately… That would not be proper.”

It was something she couldn’t tell anyone. Not even the absent Grand Duke.

It was a truth she couldn’t reveal to Michael or Charlotte.

They didn’t know how their eldest brother had died. They had only vaguely heard that there was a stillborn child.

Margret had never once let them see the grief she had experienced in the past.

Helmut had been buried and dead in her heart.

But it was as if a corpse had walked out of the grave, as if he had been pulled out of the tomb in her heart.

The lady-in-waiting gently suggested,

“Don’t worry, Your Grace. We can bring him secretly.”

“No… If someone were to see him, there would be unnecessary rumors. False rumors.”

She couldn’t act recklessly. Margret quickly came to a decision on what to do.

With a look befitting a wise Grand Duchess, she spoke.

“I must observe this tournament further.”

“I will clear your schedule.”

“Good, and… is Charlotte here? There are too many people in the audience.”

“I have kept track of Lady Charlotte’s whereabouts. Shall I call her over?”

“Yes, please do.”

Margret closed her eyes. Numerous emotions and anguish were etched on her elegant brow.

*

“Isn’t he amazing? Senior Helmut.”

Charlotte, who had just been called, was excited. She spoke as if watching the exploits of a very close friend, her own brother.

Even if it had been Michael, she wouldn’t have reacted like this.

To Margret, Charlotte’s reaction felt surprisingly significant.

Margret spoke warmly but clearly, drawing a line.

“Yes, he is quite an impressive commoner for you to praise him so highly. To achieve victory with a single swing of his sword. It was impressive.”

“Mother, status doesn’t matter at the academy. Senior Helmut is a swordsman I respect.”

“Yes, I understand. You seem to be quite close with him.”

“Yes, we’ve dueled before and were in the same selection group.”

Charlotte nodded cheerfully. Margret naturally inquired,

“Then you must know him well. Could you tell me more about him?”

“So, Mother is interested in Senior Helmut too? Well, Senior Helmut…”

Charlotte chatted away about the rumors and academy life of Helmut.

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