Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 349 (Part 2):

Of course, even among nobles, only those with particularly nasty tempers would pour hot water on someone.

But so what? The victim was just a maid. It was excessive for venting anger, but not enough to make a big deal out of it.

Other servants quickly took the maid away. Asuka stared at the scene for a moment before asking.

‘What if I made a mistake like that? Would you have done the same to me?’

A cold glint flashed in Asuka’s eyes as he asked the question.

‘Of course not. You’re different.’

‘How can you compare a maid’s mistake to yours?’

Whether they realized it or not, Asuka couldn’t tell then, and he still can’t now. Asuka blurted out.

‘I used to be a commoner, too.’

The expression that appeared on their faces at that moment is something Asuka will never forget. From that day on, their shallow friendship was over.

Nobles and commoners. The royal family, nobles, and commoners. The world was divided in a way Asuka had never known before.

Because in the rural village where he had lived, everyone was equal, and the only person who could be considered a noble was his grandfather.

His grandfather was a respected elder in the village, but he wasn’t treated as a noble, nor did the villagers find him intimidating.

This new world that had suddenly come upon him was strange and unfamiliar. The nobles of the capital were especially authoritative.

They treated commoners as if they were mere livestock, separate from themselves.

As a member of the royal family, seeing how nobles treated commoners was strange, unpleasant, and sometimes even disgusting.

They groveled before him, a member of the royal family, but treated commoners with disdain and discrimination simply because they were commoners.

Of course, there were those who didn’t act that way, but Asuka had no connection with them.

Asuka rejected all the friends his father introduced to him. If that’s what friends were like, it was better not to have any.

He even told his father when he was called to his presence.

‘I don’t need friends.’

For one, he couldn’t trust his father’s judgment. The high-ranking noble children he brought were especially prone to such behavior.

To Asuka, who declared this boldly, his father suggested.

‘Then how about you seriously start learning the sword?’

According to the tutor, Asuka was intelligent but had no interest in academics and enjoyed physical activities.

The royal bloodline had a talent for the sword. Asuka was also interested in the sword, so he had learned basic swordsmanship and received fundamental training under his grandfather’s guidance.

His father proposed that he learn the sword, build his skills, and enroll in an academy.

‘At the academy in Baden, you can hide your status and make friends comfortably. The academy’s policy prohibits students from revealing their status. How about finding friends there who suit your taste?’

His father thought it wasn’t good for Asuka to live in isolation, interacting with no one.

As a member of the royal family, as long as he had a certain level of refinement, it didn’t matter if he wasn’t exceptional in any particular area, but it was better to stand out in swordsmanship if not in academics or magic.

It would also showcase him as the legitimate heir of the Grand Duke of Farnese.

Asuka immediately nodded.

‘Alright.’

Asuka started learning the sword the very next day. His talent was beyond imagination, to the point where everyone was astonished.

The desire to escape this stifling place and go to the academy became a powerful motivation for Asuka.

He was a hardworking genius, and his efforts were enough to form a river of sweat.

Within a few years of properly learning the sword, he demonstrated exceptional skill among the new students and successfully entered Greta Academy.

That was Asuka’s past before entering the academy. Sian, who had been listening intently, shook his head.

“Not as much as Helmut, but your life is quite, well, how should I put it? It’d fit perfectly in a novel.”

“Look who’s talking—the descendant of the legendary Spirit Mage.”

There was no need to worry; even after hearing his story, Sian’s reaction didn’t change.

He was already used to Helmut and Charlotte, the children of the Grand Duke of Renosa. There was no difference between them and Asuka.

“Anyway, so that’s why you pretended to be a commoner at the academy. It’s amazing no one found out.”

“Hardly anyone knows I’m the son of the Grand Duke of Farnese. I’ve never been in social circles. Those three probably went to the imperial academy. Besides, they were bound by a gag order not to talk about me.”

“But when you left for the academy, didn’t your mother struggle? And after graduating, you ran away because you didn’t like it there.”

“It’s not running away; it’s independence. And my mother, well, she’s naturally optimistic, so she adapted well there. My parents get along well. My mother seems to prefer life in the capital to life in the village. The capital is glamorous, and people treat her with respect as the Grand Duchess of Farnese.

My mother is good at winning people’s favor, and, well, she’s a bit simple-minded. That’s why she tends to think positively no matter how others speak or act. Even if something difficult or unpleasant happens, she forgets it quickly.”

Asuka shook his head, and Sian spoke in admiration.

“That’s a great personality for living happily in the world. Ah, I’m not being sarcastic.”

“I think so too. Anyway, my mother is fine. The problem is me. I don’t like this place.”

“I can see why you don’t like it, but you’re still a member of the imperial family, after all.”

At that point, it wasn’t a matter of liking or disliking; his status didn’t allow for a free life.

Running away wasn’t exactly going to solve anything.

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!

•