Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 232 (Part 1):
Charlotte was confused.
‘Does he not know my mother? Then how does he know the name Margaret Irene? And why did he say I resembled her?’
Helmut didn’t seem like someone who would lie.
But something felt off. Before she could ask more, Helmut quickly ended the conversation.
“I want to focus on training now.”
Helmut had another match tomorrow. For those selected from Greta Academy, the match took priority.
Charlotte nodded and stepped back.
“Oh, okay.”
As she left, still mired in doubt, Charlotte realized something. Helmut was hiding something.
It was about her mother. Charlotte’s gaze grew serious.
‘Could it be something that would harm my mother or Renosa?’
If that were the case, she couldn’t leave it alone. But it didn’t seem likely.
Was knowing her maiden name really that significant?
‘The tournament comes first for now.’
They were in the semifinals. Charlotte was aware of how lucky she had been.
Her next opponent was tough. Robin from Matesis Academy, whom she had previously clashed with at the training ground.
Though Taren, a more skilled opponent, was eliminated, it was because he faced Helmut.
If not for that, Taren would have been a strong contender for the championship.
Robin wasn’t much weaker than Taren.
Which meant Robin was stronger than Charlotte, who was just a first-year.
Robin was a championship contender, second only to Helmut.
Charlotte watched Robin’s matches for analysis. And she realized Robin was stronger than her.
Until now, she had fought and won against opponents she thought were stronger than herself.
It was due to her effort, her luck, and the fact that her opponents underestimated her.
Charlotte’s skills were now proven by reaching the semifinals, and her opponents knew her abilities.
They knew her small stature and unique fighting style.
She wasn’t confident. But even without confidence, she wanted to reach the finals.
It would bring great honor to Greta Academy and herself.
She was the duchess of Renosa, and this was the capital, Ratona.
‘For now, I should think about how to win this match.’
Of course, winning the championship would be even better.
But Charlotte didn’t think she could defeat Helmut. Compared to him, her next opponent seemed more possible.
Charlotte set aside her doubts about Helmut. It was her mother’s matter to deal with.
*
That night, Helmut’s crystal ball lit up.
It was a message from Talon.
“I’ve delivered the documents to the Mercenary Guild.”
With a brief message, Helmut nodded.
Now, he had one chance left. One chance to get information from Black Hawk. He had to use it very carefully.
Helmut went straight to the Mercenary Guild to retrieve the documents, moving stealthily to avoid detection.
Back in his room with the documents, Helmut quickly scanned through them.
He had ordered a thorough investigation of the current Renosa Grand Duchy.
“Members of the Renosa Grand Duchy.”
The list contained the names of everyone bearing the Renosa surname, whether directly or through branch families.
Though he skimmed through it, Helmut’s name was not there. He had likely been erased from the family records.
It wasn’t particularly bitter.
That was the fate of a child with the Seed of Darkness. To be erased immediately upon discovery at birth.
But fate failed to erase him.
Helmut had returned to the place of his birth, escaping the fate meant for a child with the Seed of Darkness.
Or was this also fate? Helmut wanted to decide the end of this fate with his own hands. That’s why he became stronger.
Lost in thought, Helmut flipped through the documents.
His eyes stopped on a familiar name. He hadn’t noticed it while looking for his own name, but it was there in the list.
“Michael.”
The name was listed as a direct descendant of the Renosa Grand Duchy, alongside Charlotte’s.
At the sight of the name, Helmut frowned.
‘He is…my brother.’
It flowed naturally, allowing comprehension – why he had been unusually generous towards Michael, despite him not being a descendant of Darien who owed Helmut a debt like Luke Yeager.
There had been a moment when Helmut felt reluctant to silence Michael if he caught on, unlike his usual ruthlessness.
Helmut knew well that he was a cold-hearted person.
Most people don’t consider killing or sparing a life so easily.
But beyond Michael’s kindness.
Michael had something that made him reluctant to act against him. Blood was indeed thick. They were twins.
‘Michael resembles our mother.’
Though he hadn’t been aware of it, it seemed that way. He knew Michael wasn’t a good or trustworthy person.
Telling him the truth would be hard. He hadn’t even decided whether to tell their mother.
Even without familial affection, it felt strange.