Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 273 (Part 1): Reunion

This is a relatively recent event in the long history of the Forest of Roots.

About 6 years ago, Elaga, the ruler of the Central Region, eliminated Naho, the ruler of the Eastern Region, and devoured its core.

The core from the two-headed snake was filled with pitch-black and evil energy, and even madness could be felt as Naho was half-insane when it died.

What it contained was Naho’s will. If Elaga failed to digest it after swallowing it, it was powerful enough to drive all the beasts in the forest into a frenzy.

At that time, Elaga made a judgment.

‘If another creature swallows this, a beast as formidable as Naho would appear.’

A demonic beast as strong and as evil as Naho!

Demonic energy is a pure force close to instinct in itself. Although that purity tends to lean towards evil, Naho was an exceptionally wicked beast even in the Forest of Roots.

With Helmut gone, Elaga had no need to protect anyone.

Even if another creature like Naho appeared, it wouldn’t be a problem. Because Elaga was strong!

‘Still, I don’t want such a creature to appear again.’

It was unsettling, but since Elaga had already eliminated Naho, it decided to handle it properly. That was Elaga’s resolution.

However, contrary to its resolution, Elaga wasn’t very thorough.

When Elaga left after absorbing Naho’s core, Naho’s body was left behind.

The remnants of blood from Naho’s body and the demonic energy from the core merged and formed a lump.

A fragment of that power remained faintly in that place.

That which contained Naho’s evil power was like a seed of darkness. A very small seed of darkness.

But it had enough self-awareness to influence will.

Like a seed of darkness, it had a will that could dominate someone.

It was hard to consider this as Elaga’s mistake. Because the death of a regional ruler was unprecedented.

Soon, a small, perceptive monster was drawn to that place where Elaga had left. To gain even a little remaining demonic energy and become stronger.

It was a white rabbit, close to the bottom of the food chain in the Forest of Roots.

The white rabbit, which had been sniffing around, swallowed the fragment of Naho that was glimmering with a black light, as if it was calling to it.

And the rabbit’s feeble self-awareness was instantly devoured by the fragment.

Yes, it was Naho’s soul. Although not a complete soul. A broken, shattered, and maddened soul. But burning with a single-minded will.

‘Elaga, Elaga, Elaga!’

What dominated it was resentment and anger towards Elaga, who had killed it.

But charging at Elaga in a white rabbit’s body would be a shortcut to death.

So it waited. It didn’t need to wait long, as Elaga began to care for two human females.

‘Weakness… its weakness!’

The white rabbit rejoiced. Humans are fragile, and it could easily kill them with its current body.

But approaching them was the problem. They were in Elaga’s territory.

Because the Forest of Roots was so dangerous, Elaga kept the two of them close and cared for them.

If it approached with the intention of targeting them, it might become Elaga’s meal, again.

‘Right, not yet. Elaga needs to spend more time with those humans. Only then will it be even more painful when it loses them!’

The white rabbit decided to become stronger. By absorbing the demonic energy of the Forest of Roots and devouring other beasts, it gradually grew stronger.

Because it was imbued with a fragment of Naho, who had been a regional ruler, it was easy for it to become stronger.

Stronger and stronger, smarter and smarter.

As its strength grew, the white rabbit, now more aware of its malevolent nature, eventually attained intelligence equal to that of a human.

When Helmut returned to the Forest of Roots, the shock of encountering him only heightened the rabbit’s malice.

The white rabbit was consumed with thoughts of revenge.

‘Human, the human who tore my eyes!’

This was an opportunity for it.

That human who had left the Forest of Roots and was out of reach had returned.

However, Helmut was stronger than the white rabbit. Far too strong to be challenged with its current body. It was frustrating and infuriating.

But Helmut created an opportunity.

It was about three years after Sarah began learning swordsmanship.

As she started to act separately from her mother Susan, she gradually moved out of Elaga’s sight. This was because she wandered around Elaga’s territory too much, supposedly for training.

Elaga couldn’t protect both Susan and Sarah, so as time passed, it chose to protect Susan rather than Sarah, who had become strong enough to flee from or resist beasts.

Although she spent time with Helmut as well, he didn’t follow her around to take care of her. During the times she wandered for physical training, she was alone.

The white rabbit cautiously approached her.

Seeing its appearance, Sarah opened her eyes wide and pointed.

“Oh? There’s a white rabbit here. You must be a demonic beast too, right? You’re really pretty!”

Fortunately, the white rabbit’s appearance was quite convincing. A large rabbit with pure white fur and red eyes.

It was hard to imagine that it harbored a fragment of the vicious Naho, and its fur color being very similar to Elaga’s made it seem even more familiar.

Moreover, rabbits are herbivores. No sharp claws or teeth.

But the wariness didn’t disappear from Sarah’s face.

No matter how plausible its appearance, a beast is a beast.

The weaker and smaller the monster, the more it follows its instincts. The instinct to devour humans!

Elaga’s scent on Sarah was suppressing that instinct, but for most demonic beasts, humans are just prey.

Then the white rabbit abruptly spoke.

[Hello, human. I no eat human. Safe. Very.]

Naho likes young humans.

The moment it first saw her, it salivated, but the white rabbit hid its appetite with clumsy speech.

Sarah was startled.

“Oh, rabbit? Can you talk?”

[Talk. I, human, first see.]

“I’ve never seen a talking beast other than Lord Elaga either!”

[I, bit smart. I, weak but smart rabbit.]

Sarah, who had no one to talk to except the extremely taciturn Helmut, her mother, and Elaga, instantly felt a sense of familiarity with this talking white rabbit.

Although it was three times her size, it was adorably small compared to Elaga.

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