Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 377 (Part 2):

One thing was certain: like Asuka, Helmut didn’t pay attention to the Crown Prince’s mood.

Moreover, there were several striking characteristics about Helmut.

No matter what happened, no matter the pressure, he remained eerily calm. As if none of it affected him in the slightest.

They said he was an exceptional swordsman. Perhaps it was because he had weathered countless storms, but even among the many swordsmen present, Helmut stood out.

He exuded a force like iron, sometimes like a rock—a heavy, serene, and vast lake-like power. Even his simplest movements drew attention. That power was evident in him.

It wasn’t a power that came from his achievements as a swordsman.

It was something that originated from within him.

Moreover, the unshakable self-confidence and unwavering will that emanated from him. His high concentration and calmness. These weren’t just qualities of an excellent swordsman…

They were the qualities of a ruler. And that was an exceedingly rare trait. The difference between someone who possessed the qualities of a ruler and someone who didn’t was far greater than the difference between a noble and a commoner.

The Crown Prince believed he possessed those qualities.

The high loyalty of the Imperial Knights wasn’t simply because he was the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince had captivated them and made them loyal to him.

What Helmut possessed was even more powerful than the Crown Prince’s, despite the Crown Prince being much older and more accustomed to a life of leadership. It was enough to momentarily make the Crown Prince feel threatened.

The Crown Prince felt a chill run down his spine.

‘If this man becomes the Grand Duke of Renosa…’

Could that not become a threat to the Empire?

Even if Helmut possessed qualities superior to Michael as the Grand Duke of Renosa, that wasn’t the real issue.

From the Empire’s perspective, as long as an utterly incompetent ruler didn’t ascend to the throne in Renosa, it was fine.

Although relations had soured due to cooperation with the Temple, Michael was quite capable.

Especially since his frail body served as an excellent obstacle to his outstanding talents.

‘Is it worth risking placing this man as the Grand Duke of Renosa to make the Temple pay for targeting me?’

The Crown Prince couldn’t answer that question.

Helmut didn’t seem to harbor any ambition. His actions and words were straightforward, making it difficult to believe he was hiding anything.

But people change according to their position.

While it’s said that as one reaches higher levels in magic or swordsmanship, human desires diminish, if someone who has reached such heights harbors ambition and gains the power to support it…

If Helmut, as the Grand Duke of Renosa, pursued hegemony and set his sights on the Empire, the Crown Prince couldn’t dismiss that risk as nothing.

But the only judgment the Crown Prince could make at the moment was this:

‘He seems qualified. Qualified to be the successor to the Grand Duke of Renosa. But beyond that…’

It wasn’t for him to decide.

After all, the Crown Prince was still young, and it was hard to say that his judgment of Helmut was superior to that of others.

The rest would have to be left to others.

The Crown Prince slowly opened his mouth.

“First of all, congratulations on winning this small competition. For something put together on such short notice, your archery skills are remarkable.”

Asuka looked at the Crown Prince with a suspicious gaze, as if wondering, *’Why is he acting like this?’* Ignoring him, the Crown Prince continued.

“There must be someone in the Empire you wish to meet.”

The reason Helmut had come to the capital was because Asuka’s father, Grand Duke Farnese, wanted to see him.

And because he hoped to gain the support of the Deus Empire.

‘Just like Basor, the Empire wants to make the Temple pay. And they want it intensely.’

That was a fact both Helmut and the Crown Prince agreed on.

Now that even the Crown Prince, who was to ascend the throne, had nearly been killed by their schemes, it would be difficult for anyone, no matter how cold-hearted, to think clearly.

And the Empire had long been working to root out the Temple’s influence. This was an opportunity for them too.

Helmut had brought them a golden opportunity that might not exist in the future.

If it was a mutually beneficial deal, there was no need to back down. The Empire’s army wouldn’t set foot on Renosa’s land to help Helmut.

What Helmut needed was legitimacy, not military force.

Above all, the Empire had more than enough military power.

The Crown Prince’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“You’ll soon meet the person you wanted to meet. That’s the prize I’ll give you.”

Helmut responded briefly after a moment.

“I’ll gratefully accept that prize.”

His voice remained calm.

The next day, Helmut finally met with the Grand Duke in the Empire.

A long conversation took place, similar to what had happened in Basor but with some differences.

And a few days later, Helmut set foot in the Imperial Palace for the first time, where he would meet a man.

The man with the highest status in the Empire. The one who held all decision-making power over the Empire.

The Emperor of the Deus Empire.

How the conversation with him would conclude was entirely up to Helmut.

One thing was certain: gaining the Emperor’s support would be no easy task.

A new path was opening.

Just a few days later, the party of the Grand Duke’s daughter of Renosa, who had set out from Baden, officially visited the Empire.

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