Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 404 (Part 1):

It was a private training ground assigned to the finalists of the martial arts tournament.

Today, just like yesterday, Helmut was there.

It wasn’t because he was tense about facing the holy knight sent by the Temple and had suddenly thrown himself into training. For him, this was simply routine.

He had long surpassed the limits that talent alone could take him.

The opportunity to learn the sword, bone-grinding effort, and adversities that had knocked him down to the very bottom—all of it had combined to shape the person standing here now.

As a swordsman, Helmut had reached a realm that few in history had ever achieved, and at an age far younger than most.

How much further he could climb, he didn’t know. There was no one left to teach him.

No one could help him now. Only a solitary, lonely path remained.

Yet, even if no visible progress lay ahead, he was accustomed to pouring endless effort into his craft. Every day of his life had been like this.

But today…

Helmut’s sword had been still for a while now.

In the distance, the flickering lights of the banquet hall shimmered. A maddeningly distracting glow. Faint sounds seemed to drift toward him—indistinct voices, impossible to identify.

Yet, for some reason, they grated on his nerves. Enough that, for a moment, he couldn’t focus on his blade.

“How do you feel?”

At the softly spoken question, Helmut turned his gaze. Beneath the moonlight, silver hair glimmered like snow in his vision. Alea.

“It’s the night before the final.”

Mysterious violet eyes studied him. Perhaps with a hint of concern. There was no need to hide anything from her.

Yes, he knew exactly what was bothering him. His gaze shifted again—toward the banquet hall.

“My mother is there.”

She was undoubtedly among those flickering lights.

Asuka had informed Helmut that she would be attending a banquet hosted by the Empire’s representatives and those of Renosa.

That alone was enough for him to realize one thing.

Helmut spat out the words tersely.

“My enemy.”

Alea blinked. She knew just how much time it had taken for Helmut to finally define his mother as such.

Not because any affection remained, but because despite her betrayal, she had still been his mother. The one who bore him, gave him his name, the owner of the voice that had led him out of the Forest of Roots. That alone held meaning.

A smile played at her lips.

“Seems you’ve steeled yourself. I was worried you might waver.”

“She’s no longer someone I can afford to be weak against.”

[Good. You’re thinking clearly now.]

A white cat slinked out from the direction Alea had come from, as if it had followed her.

[Half-hearted resolve won’t cut it. This is just the beginning. You have no idea how vile those Temple bastards can be.]

Helmut raised an eyebrow.

“Elaga, you’ve never even fought the Temple’s people.”

[They’re the bastards who locked me in the Forest of Roots for nearly a thousand years. Think about it. How merciless is that? What a barren hellhole that place is. They tell us to live out there, fighting and clawing at each other while they enjoy the outside world.]

Though Elaga himself rarely thought about being confined, having risen early on to dominate the Forest of Roots.

In the world of demonic beasts, where survival depended on eating or being eaten, his words carried little weight. How much of that barrenness had Elaga truly experienced?

If anything, his life had been leisurely and dull enough that he took in a human child to raise.

“It’s animal abuse, if you think about it.”

Alea nodded in agreement, though for entirely different reasons. Elaga huffed.

[Anyway, Helmut, make sure you teach that bastard a lesson tomorrow. Kill him, or at least make him tremble at the mere sight of your shadow.]

“That’s the plan.”

[If you mess up, I’ll jump onto the stage myself.]

“That won’t be necessary, so just sit back and watch quietly.”

Dealing with Elaga always made Helmut’s emotions fluctuate. That damn nagging—he’d never get used to it.

Helmut frowned.

At the very least, Elaga’s complaints had forcefully seized his attention. Enough that his irritation drowned out everything else.

[You talk big. Well, confidence is good. But about that Temple guy… He’s got something weird on him.]

“…Did you approach him?”

Hadn’t he told Elaga to be careful not to reveal himself? Helmut’s gaze sharpened. But Elaga shook his head.

[No, I was hiding in the bushes when he happened to pass by. I kept myself low so he wouldn’t notice! But his sword… It gave off a nasty vibe.]

“His sword?”

Alea explained.

“Lumen’s holy knights wield specially forged blades. They’re said to be blessed by the Temple. Since they’re imbued with holy power, it’s only natural Elaga would sense it.”

[Hmm, is that so? It felt odd.]

‘Almost like it was alive…’

Elaga tilted his head. When the holy knight had passed by, he had sensed a flickering sacred energy—like a live fish twitching in response.

As if the sword itself, as a living entity, had detected Elaga’s massive concentration of demonic energy nearby.

But the holy knight hadn’t noticed his sword’s reaction. His attention had been elsewhere.

‘Truth be told, I was there to see that woman.’

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!

•