Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 264 (Part 1):

“You’re a woman? Impossible!”

Although they had entered through the door, everyone was frozen in shock, unable to take in their surroundings. Asuka shouted accusingly, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Alea, who had been standing quietly, snorted.

“Shall I prove it to you?”

Alea moved, casually removing her bracelet.

In an instant, the magic dissipated, revealing her true appearance.

The subtle effects that had made her appear male were gone.

Now standing there was a beautiful woman with silver hair and violet eyes.

A woman’s appearance, unfamiliar even to herself. Having lived in disguise for so long, Alea felt strange standing before others as a woman.

And as unfamiliar as she felt, so did the others.

No, it was downright shocking.

“This can’t be. It’s impossible…”

Asuka wore an expression of wanting to deny reality.

For some reason, it seemed that to him, Alea was a being who could never be a woman.

Sian, who had been stunned for a moment, finally came to his senses and muttered.

“I see, so that’s how it was. I thought something was odd. You two were always together. Then, you and Helmut…”

Alea raised an eyebrow without answering. Charlotte, with a somewhat complicated expression, spoke up.

“So that’s why Senior Alea was so proactive.”

So for her, Alea would be her brother’s girlfriend. It was a completely different feeling from just being a close friend.

Asuka and Sian looked at each other and exchanged words.

“I thought she was too pretty for a guy. But why didn’t we notice at all? You didn’t know either?”

“I didn’t. I might have vaguely suspected at some point, but you know her personality…”

Alea was arrogant, distant from everyone, and her manner of speech was extremely rigid.

Her strong and solitary demeanor, which had no hint of femininity except for her appearance, eliminated any chance of suspicion taking root.

“So that bastard Helmut was secretly dating in the academy without us knowing? What a deceiver. Pretending not to have a girlfriend!”

“They even shared the same room! This is reportable! Co-ed living in the academy dormitory!”

“You’re receiving support from the Dean. How… Wait, is the Dean an accomplice? Surely he couldn’t have been unaware?”

“Hiding it until graduation, what a tough woman!”

“It feels weird to refer to Alea as a woman. It gives me goosebumps.”

Sian frowned and shook his head vigorously.

“Alea, when and how did you start dating Helmut?”

“Were you two going on dates while sticking so close together?”

Alea responded indifferently to their interrogation.

“That’s not what’s important right now.”

“But Alea, you’re unexpectedly romantic?”

“Risking death to save your boyfriend. Isn’t this pure love? Pure love.”

Asuka, who had spoken teasingly, felt the cold gaze directed at him and flinched, closing his mouth.

Somehow, Alea as a woman seemed even scarier than Alea as a boy.

“Enough chatter.”

The group fell silent as if under a silencing spell. Even while chattering, they had been steadily walking.

The place they arrived at after passing through the door was a path with forests stretching out on both sides, and all they had to do was follow that path.

The shock of learning that Alea was a woman had prevented them from noticing anything else.

And at the end of the path, an old man was waiting for them.

Antiol, with his long white beard and monocle, emanated an indescribable aura.

Because of this, everyone recognized his identity as soon as they saw him.

‘Archmage Antiol.’

A man famous enough that any decent mage would have heard of him.

While archmages were capable of maintaining a youthful appearance, he seemed to have fully embraced the passage of time.

Alea bowed her head in greeting to him.

“Lord Antiol.”

“I heard some commotion earlier. Seems there was some issue.”

“It’s nothing. I’ve brought everyone. We’re ready to depart.”

“He really looks like an archmage,” Sian whispered into Asuka’s ear from the side.

“Yes, and you look like a spirit mage. A rare talent.”

Despite the low voice, Antiol pointed it out precisely, making Sian flinch.

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