Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 362 (Part 2):

Considering his sharp intellect, he wouldn’t be careless enough to overlook the movements of his rival.

If Michael had dug up information about Asuka, he undoubtedly knew about Charlotte’s connections.

“I see. I don’t know.”

“But you seem to recognize her. Were you with her?”

Asuka decided to feign boldness.

“Perhaps. We’re rather close, after all.”

The words tumbled out recklessly, almost on their own. They could be interpreted as suggesting the two had been on a romantic escapade.

Suspicion flickered across Michael’s face. He frowned and slowly looked Asuka up and down.

“That seems unlikely. Charlotte wouldn’t…”

He didn’t know Asuka’s true identity. All he knew was that Asuka was a commoner with exceptional swordsmanship skills.

In truth, he hadn’t bothered to investigate Asuka in detail. He had no reason to.

He hadn’t shown any notable behavior or gotten particularly close to Charlotte.

A commoner could become an imperial knight, and someone like Asuka, the top graduate of Greta Academy’s swordsmanship department, could join any knight order. So his presence here wasn’t suspicious.

Even Michael couldn’t immediately guess Asuka’s true identity.

‘Charlotte with a commoner? It wouldn’t be bad for me, but…’

Academies were good for building connections, but they were also good for forming romantic ties. It wasn’t uncommon for students to fall for each other.

Michael had been keeping an eye on Charlotte, worried she might form ties with influential nobles or royalty.

The worst-case scenario would be her getting close to the Crown Prince himself.

But a commoner? Michael knew Charlotte well.

As the Duchess of Renosa, she wouldn’t neglect her duties.

A love affair with a commoner, unbefitting her status, was something Charlotte would never entertain.

Michael, looking perplexed, stroked his chin and spoke.

“Hmm, hearing this suddenly… I always thought she preferred more elegant, aristocratic types.”

His words carried a hint of disdain, implying that the Duchess of Renosa wouldn’t associate with a commoner.

“Really? From what I know, she doesn’t care much for frail types. Maybe she has some issues with people like that. I think she prefers strong, manly types.”

Asuka retorted with equal sharpness, puffing out his chest confidently.

At some point, he had grown rapidly in height and build, and even among the burly swordsmen in the academy, he wasn’t considered small.

At least in terms of appearance, he was a handsome and well-built knight.

Michael nodded reluctantly.

“Physically… well, I suppose that’s possible.”

He still thought that even if Charlotte had met this guy, it wouldn’t be a serious relationship.

If she was just having a fling with a commoner, physical appearance wouldn’t be an issue.

A handsome, well-built knight might be tempting for a noble lady to indulge in for a while.

He had thought Charlotte wasn’t that type, but perhaps he was wrong.

After all, he hadn’t seen Charlotte in years.

‘Has she become more open since attending the academy?’

For some reason, it was shocking. The smile on Michael’s lips stiffened slightly.

“If you two have more to discuss, shall I arrange a place?”

The Crown Prince’s voice came from the side. Michael, momentarily stunned, collected himself and replied.

“No, my business here is done.”

He quickly took his leave. The Crown Prince also returned to his office and immersed himself in his duties.

But there was a hint of worry on his face.

By evening, he finished his work and gave instructions to the knights.

“Sir Asuka, stay behind. The rest of you are dismissed.”

It was appropriate to call a knight ‘Sir’. Everyone understood that the Crown Prince wanted to know what he and the Duke of Renosa had talked about.

Soon, Asuka was alone with the Crown Prince.

‘What is it this time?’

“What’s the matter?”

Asuka asked indifferently. His attitude was slightly different when others were present versus when they were alone. Of course, he always had a bit of insolence about him.

The Crown Prince rubbed his forehead.

“This is a headache.”

“What is?”

At Asuka’s indifferent response, the Crown Prince shot him a cold look.

“You have a talent for making small talk sound like nothing.”

“Maybe it’s because I don’t feel like making small talk.”

“About the Duchess of Renosa… no, that’s not important right now.”

Surprisingly, the Crown Prince didn’t seem interested in probing Asuka’s relationship with Charlotte. He shook his head and asked, “Do you have any idea why Michael came to see me?”

“How should I know?”

Asuka replied, looking bewildered.

They had spoken in a soundproof room for a reason, so how could he know?

“You’re not just an ordinary imperial knight. If you were of royal blood, you should be able to guess who I met and what we discussed. Surely you must have thought of something?”

“All I thought was how well you two looked enjoying tea together.”

A vein popped on the Crown Prince’s forehead. Asuka’s cheeky tone was both amusing and infuriating.

‘Fine,’ he thought. Making Asuka pay for his insolence is easy enough.

Suppressing his anger, the Crown Prince muttered, “It’s the temple. They’re always the problem.”

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!

•