He seemed to be asking Alea what she would do if he sought revenge—if he wanted to spill blood.

Alea tilted her head.

“You’re talking as if you’d give up if I didn’t want it.”

“Because you saved me.”

Although he thought he had lost everything, the things Helmut hadn’t completely lost returned to him.

A new beginning again.

But if he chose revenge, that path could lead to losing everything once again.

Helmut didn’t want to lose anything he now held in his hands.

He had already experienced terrible despair, and even though that despair had been healed, it left scars.

One such experience was enough.

So Helmut would never choose a path that led to losing Alea.

The words that encapsulated all of this were brief, but Alea understood. She tilted her head.

“You know, you seem to think of me as too good a person.”

“You taught me morality.”

“What? Haha! That’s right. I used to tutor you back then. It was really frustrating at the time.”

“I learned well.”

“Yeah, top of the Swordsmanship Department back in the day! Anyway, listen.”

Alea said, pointing her finger up.

“If you harm innocent people, I’ll stand in your way. But Renosa is different. You have the right to revenge.”

It’s not simply a matter of a mother abandoning her son.

Even after Helmut saved the Duke and Duchess of Renosa, they repaid him with betrayal.

In his weakened state, they handed him over to the temple and had him exiled to the Forest of Roots.

“If you take revenge, I’ll watch your back.”

Because the act of vengeance was Helmut’s to carry out.

Helmut shook his head slightly.

“Renosa is close to the temple.”

“Heike is also a public figure of the temple. Why couldn’t I be one too? I’ve passed through the sacred barrier and saved a Seed of Darkness holder. If the temple finds out about this, there’s no avoiding it.”

And then Alea asked a sharp question.

“But that’s not the issue, is it? Do you really want revenge?”

As is common with those who have been betrayed, it wouldn’t have been strange if he had been sharpening the blade of revenge in the Forest of Roots.

It would have been natural for him to want to burn everything down, from Renosa to even the temple.

Helmut answered after a moment.

“…I don’t know what I want.”

Helmut was originally not one to have big emotional swings.

He certainly felt something about the betrayal.

But it didn’t lead to destructive murderous intent.

If Helmut wanted to grab a sword and run to Renosa right now, that would be more strange.

‘Elaga would probably be excited to help me get revenge right away.’

Alea nodded.

“I thought so. Listen, Helmut.”

Her purple eyes took on a serious light.

“You can take revenge if you want. It won’t be easy, and it might become dangerous, but if you need to do it, then do it. But if you don’t want to…”

Alea spoke firmly.

“You don’t have to be bound by the thought that you must seek revenge. You can choose whatever you want. And I’ll support you. You don’t have to decide anything right now. If you need time, think about it as much as you want.”

“Alright.”

When he made a decision, Alea would be the first to know.

Helmut unconsciously placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Darien had refused to leave the Forest of Roots because he didn’t want revenge.

Darien had spoken as though revenge awaited him the moment he left the forest. He believed that those who sinned must pay for their crimes. That was Darien’s sense of justice.

In a way, Darien prioritized his ideals and principles over his own emotions.

Even if he didn’t want to, if Darien had come face-to-face with Lutus Cicero, he would have struck him down.

A swordsman’s conviction and a commitment to justice—those were what made Darien solitary yet steadfast.

That’s why he chose not to leave the Forest of Roots.

Even if someone came to rescue him as they did for Helmut, unless it was for a cause as significant as Basor falling to ruin, Darien would not have left the Forest of Roots.

But Helmut was different. It’s not that he thought Darien was wrong, but he didn’t want to choose something that went against his own heart. At least that much was certain.

‘My heart…’

Would he know what he wanted to do if he thought about it?

That was a question even Helmut couldn’t answer yet.

But there was still plenty of time.

*

As they were about to arrive at the eastern edge, Alea contacted Heike. A circular, opaque image immediately appeared right in front of her.

It was the first time she had heard such an urgent voice from Heike.

Startled, Alea answered calmly.

“Yes, we passed through the sacred barrier. It seemed like the temple was restoring the barrier, so I contacted you late in case you had been captured by the temple. We’re heading east as planned now. Though our numbers have increased more than we thought. Are you in the east?”

Her tone suggested she had done her best. Alea didn’t blame her.

“I thought that might happen.”

“It’s complicated to explain now… It would be better to talk when we meet.”

Alea turned the image floating in the sky to show her surroundings. Heike’s sharp mind quickly processed the sight of them seemingly riding on some huge beast in the sky.

“Please prepare to deal with it.”

The conversation ended briefly with that.

Otaku_Tensei

I'm currently Translating the following novel: Helmut: The Forsaken Child. If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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