Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 264 (Part 2):

Antiol observed them with a smile, as if examining them.

“To have four such promising young people risking their lives on this journey. It seems that fellow didn’t live in vain. And you, are you of his bloodline? You look very much alike.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“From what I can see, it looks like the Renosa bloodline. Are you a defector from the family? Or…?”

Antiol’s eyes shone sharply. Charlotte spoke firmly.

“I’m just doing what I believe is right. I have something I must return to him.”

“What you believe is right… That’s a youthful thing to say. But the world isn’t that simple. When the time comes to make a choice, what will you do then?”

Antiol’s question was sharp. It was a difficult question asking whether she would choose her family or Helmut.

Before Charlotte could answer, Alea interjected.

“We are prepared.”

After all, Charlotte’s value lay in being a useful force in the Forest of Roots.

Even if she were to turn her back after rescuing Helmut, it wouldn’t be an immediate problem, so there was no need to complicate things prematurely.

Antiol’s gaze returned to Alea.

“Did Heike agree?”

“It’s my choice. There won’t be a problem.”

Alea’s words were no less resolute than Charlotte’s.

Of course, Heike didn’t agree readily. But the reason for her disagreement was different.

‘Good heavens! My granddaughter risking her life for a mere boy! Half the world is men, what on earth is so special about that guy.’

However, despite her initial incredulity, Heike came to terms with it using her own logic before Alea could say anything.

‘Well, that fellow was exceptionally handsome. Such men are rare.’

‘…’

In any case, Heike decided to cooperate with Alea, reasoning that it would be worth it if she could see a handsome grandson-in-law.

Only, she said she wouldn’t accompany Alea.

No matter what preparations were made, heading to the Forest of Roots was a dangerous adventure.

Because of this, Alea didn’t expect that much from her either.

Antiol nodded.

“Well, alright. If Heike hadn’t permitted it, she wouldn’t have let you come this far. I too have finished my preparations.”

“Um, I have a question,” Sian quickly raised his hand. His manner of asking questions like a model student seemed quite familiar.

“Why are we here? Alea didn’t tell us anything about it.”

Sian subtly pointed out Alea’s unfriendliness. At this rate, it seemed they would be swept along without knowing what they were doing.

Antiol stroked his beard.

“Right, I should explain. How much do you know about the Forest of Roots?”

Sian and Charlotte shared the knowledge they had gathered about the Forest of Roots.

Naturally, Asuka just watched blankly as they talked, knowing nothing. He had been solely focused on honing his sword skills all this time.

“It seems you’ve picked up as much as is commonly known. As you know, no one who has entered the Forest of Roots has ever come out. Except for that boy, Helmut, previously.”

“Then how do we enter the Forest of Roots? Can we just walk in?” Sian asked curiously.

The Forest of Roots is a place you can’t leave once you enter. Because of this, no one tries to enter.

So there was no information on whether entering was possible without any hindrance.

There was no treasure hidden in the Forest of Roots, and no one was willing to risk their life trying to enter a place teeming with demonic beasts.

“I’ll explain it simply. First, the sacred barrier is a boundary. A boundary that separates the inside from the outside. Separation means division. In other words, the sacred barrier prevents both coming out from the inside and going in from the outside. Of course, the latter is much easier than the former.”

“So you mean it’s not easy to enter either?”

“Yes, it might actually be easier for an ordinary person with no power in their body. Holy power and demonic energy are incompatible. To a lesser extent, holy power also repels other powers. Magic power, then Vis, in that order. The resistance to magic power is quite strong, while the resistance to Vis isn’t that great. However, the greater the power one possesses, the stronger the sacred barrier’s resistance becomes, so the power consumption increases.”

“Then when we cross the sacred barrier and enter the Forest of Roots, sword users would be in better condition than mages, right?”

Antiol nodded.

“Here’s where the problem lies. According to my research, the sacred barrier acts differently when exiting and entering. When exiting, it’s particularly sensitive to demonic energy, not allowing even a little demonic energy to leak out of the barrier. In exchange, it’s relatively less sensitive to other powers, but when entering, the resistance to other powers is quite significant.”

“How challenging?”

“Right after you enter the Forest of Roots, mages might not even have the strength to stand. Sword users would be in a better situation, but entering in such a depleted state is risky in itself.”

“How did Helmut, who was sent to the Forest of Roots, overcome this resistance? He has both Vis and demonic energy… Ah!”

Sian exclaimed as if he had realized something.

“Yes, the only ones who can pass through the barrier without any loss of power while possessing power are those who can use holy power. In other words, sacred magic. All those who have been sent to the Forest of Roots so far were sent through sacred magic. Sacred magic allows even those with demonic energy to pass through the sacred barrier without any problem.”

“Then if we kidnap a priest and make them get Helmut out?”

Sian’s eyes sparkled as he suggested something dangerous.

“That’s only for entering. As I said, the sacred barrier acts differently when entering and exiting. The barrier doesn’t allow those with demonic energy to escape even through sacred magic. And to begin with, sending someone to the Forest of Roots through sacred magic requires the mobilization of many priests or a high priest. Are you suggesting kidnapping a high priest?”

Sian scratched his cheek.

“That would be… difficult, right?”

“The Forest of Roots is an extremely dangerous place. Formidable demonic beasts might be lurking near the barrier. Only strong ones would be able to suppress the instinctive pressure felt from the sacred barrier. Entering the Forest of Roots after consuming a lot of power carries too much risk.”

After pouring out his words, Antiol opened his mouth confidently after a moment.

“That’s why I’ve devised a method.”

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