Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 266 (Part 2):

Alea’s concealment magic and the barrier set up by the dark spirit were instantly shattered by the gust of demonic energy.

They were exposed bare before the demonic beast’s gaze, as if it had targeted them from the start.

[Well, well, four humans? I never thought I’d see such a lucky day in my life.]

A clear voice rang out.

“Aaah! The bird is talking!”

Asuka shouted, pointing his finger. Sian poked him in the side to make him shut up.

“It’s not just a bird, it’s a demonic beast.”

‘A talking demonic beast. A demonic beast strong enough to have such intelligence, with this level of demonic energy… could it be a ruler of one of the regions?’

As if responding to Alea’s suspicion, Igrelle gracefully greeted them.

[Allow me to introduce myself, humans. My name is Igrelle. They call me Igrelle of the South.]

“The ruler of the southern region of the Forest of Roots.”

[Oh? So my name is known even in the human world?]

Igrelle laughed merrily. It was a clear, melodious birdsong that bewitched the ears.

Not only its appearance but even its voice was beautiful, seemingly out of place in the Forest of Roots.

However, separate from that, a terrifying demonic energy could be felt from it. An overwhelming, explosive demonic energy that made their skin tingle.

The eyes of the group, who had been confused by its sudden appearance, hardened. Asuka and Charlotte both tensed up and reached for their swords.

‘I didn’t expect to encounter such a powerful demonic beast so quickly.’

But crisis was opportunity. Alea stepped forward in front of the group and spoke politely.

“My name is Alea. Do you happen to know a human named Helmut?”

[Oh, human! Are you speaking to me? You’re as beautiful as my feathers. Go ahead, say my name.]

It was an irritating way of speaking. But the demonic beast before them was so strong.

Alea wasn’t foolish enough to act arrogantly in front of a powerful being. She was pragmatic and good at assessing situations.

She calmly asked a more detailed question.

“Yes, Lord Igrelle. Do you happen to know anything about a human named Helmut?”

With no one else to ask, it was fortunate that they could communicate.

[Helmut…]

Igrelle blinked. Of course, he remembered the owner of that name. There weren’t many moments as impressive as that one in Igrelle’s life.

[Well, I do know. The first human to leave the Forest of Roots! In all my life, I’ve never seen a human with such guts. Such a tiny thing, but with such lively eyes. A sense of intense desire, you could say. You could feel the ambition.]

Alea gathered from Igrelle’s words that he had encountered Helmut before.

Before Helmut left the barrier, he must have encountered this bird. And since Helmut had left the Forest of Roots, there was a high possibility that this bird wasn’t hostile towards him.

Alea casually asked a question.

“He has returned to the Forest of Roots due to an unfortunate incident. It’s been quite a while since he returned. Have you seen him?”

A moment of silence passed. Igrelle tilted his head nonchalantly.

[Returned, you say? Well, that could be. I don’t know if you’re aware, but the Forest of Roots is quite vast, so news doesn’t travel that quickly.]

Even if it weren’t vast, demonic beasts wouldn’t have proper communication among themselves.

Igrelle lowered his head slightly and asked casually.

[So, are you humans that Helmut befriended in the human world? Is that why you’ve come to find him? Into this Forest of Roots, fearless despite being human?]

“Yes.”

[How curious. Is this what humans call friendship? Affection? Something like that.]

Igrelle looked at Alea with meaningful eyes.

‘Is she Helmut’s mate?’

Alea, having removed her disguise, was a beautiful girl with silver hair and violet eyes.

The fact that she was a mage, wearing a white robe, was irrelevant to Igrelle.

What use was a mage, a weak human, in front of Igrelle, the ruler of the southern region, in this Forest of Roots, the holy land of demonic beasts?

‘Her eyes are truly like jewels. It’s rare to find a human as beautiful as my feathers.’

A glint of greed flashed in Igrelle’s eyes. Alea calmly continued her questions.

“Do you know a leopard named Elaga, by any chance?”

[That smelly, savage leopard? Of course I do. Its smell gets worse by the day. I can smell it even from afar.]

“That must be troublesome.”

[Indeed, indeed. Well, it’s not that we’re on bad terms, but…]

For some reason, Igrelle seemed to hold back at the end.

“I see. Thank you for answering my questions. If we meet Elaga, we’ll send your regards. Now, let’s go.”

Alea tried to naturally lead her group away from the spot.

However, Igrelle wasn’t so accommodating.

[When did I say I’d let you leave?]

‘As expected, if it was going to let us go easily, it wouldn’t have appeared like this.’

Alea asked with a serious look.

“What do you want from us?”

[Well, you see…]

Igrelle flapped his wings as he looked at them, drawing out the moment.

[I don’t usually eat humans. The humans in the Forest of Roots feel somewhat unclean. It’s like my noble beak would be sullied if I pecked at them.]

The expressions of everyone except Alea turned sour at once.

[So, humans were originally outside my sphere of interest, inferior beings. But after seeing that Helmut fellow, I’ve had some thoughts about humans.]

“What kind of thoughts?”

[Elaga raised that human Helmut from childhood. It was different from keeping other demonic beasts as subordinates. So…]

Igrelle, who had been tilting its head, spread its wings and declared triumphantly.

[You shall groom my feathers. If you groom them to my satisfaction, I might let you go.]

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