Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 42 (Part 2):

Despite the overt display of murderous intent, Antiol did not flinch.

“Indeed, secrets are necessary.”

He approached, creating a thin barrier around them. The buzzing sound indicated a separation of space.

If he could instantly perform such intricate and high-level magic, he truly deserved the title of archmage.

Finn’s shouts from the side were inaudible. Antiol said,

“I am a mage. And mages do not think from the perspective of ordinary humans. Neither enemies nor allies. I have been exposed to many secrets of the world and have remained silent about them. Secrets reveal themselves to those who keep them. I have always respected truths that should remain hidden beneath the surface. So, the thing you worry about will not happen.”

“Can you swear to it?”

Helmut mentioned something he had heard before. Violating it would result in a significant loss of magical power, known as the “Mage’s Oath.”

While it wasn’t a matter of life or death, mages were obsessed with their magical power and would not break such a vow unless under extreme duress.

Antiol stroked his long beard.

“Yes, the Mage’s Oath. You’re well-informed! I, mage Antiol, swear not to divulge that the boy Helmut harbors a seed of darkness.”

He had indeed seen through Helmut. The power imbued in his words granted them efficacy.

Feeling the spread of magical energy, Helmut’s murderous intent subsided.

He changed his tone, indicating he was ready to converse amicably with Antiol.

“I’ve heard the temple is hostile towards you.”

“Yes, those fools are hostile towards me, and I am fervently against anything they stand for. We maintain a healthy relationship of mutual antagonism.”

His tone was peculiar. He spoke of enemies yet did so cheerfully.

“I have a question.”

“I suspect I know what you’re curious about. You’re worried about the dark power at the core of your heart, aren’t you?”

Helmut nodded.

“You, being an archmage, might know how to eliminate it.”

“You know what power it is, don’t you?”

“The mark of the Demon King. A mass of magical energy. If left alone, it will grow and consume one’s reason, posing a latent threat.”

Sometimes, the seed of darkness felt not just like a mere presence of power but as if it had its own will, potentially the will of the Demon King himself.

A will towards destruction.

“As a swordsman who has reached a certain level, you have some leeway before the seed of darkness grows enough to consume your reason, unless you encounter a significantly devastating event. You seem to have a temperament that maintains calm well.”

His expressionless face and calm eyes. The seed of darkness dulls emotions while drawing out evil and rage.

However, the boy before him was composed and did not seem to have a ferocious nature, likely influenced by his achievements.

Reaching a certain level means having better control over oneself.

Despite his young age, the boy before him radiated an immense presence.

Accumulating such presence requires more than just talent. Likely, a renowned swordsman had taught him the way of the sword.

“Not much is known about the seed of darkness. There weren’t enough subjects for study. But I am an archmage. So, I do have some knowledge.”

The elder boasted slightly as he stroked his beard, beginning to share what he knew.

“A child born with the seed of darkness manifests magical energy from birth. The temple has means to detect the emanation of magical energy. A detected child is either killed or sent to the Forest of Roots. This method allows the child’s magical energy to be isolated in the Forest of Roots along with them. However, sending them to the Forest of Roots requires a significant amount of divine magic, making it a difficult choice.”

He continued after clearing his throat.

“Such a child would likely be devoured by magical beasts in the Forest of Roots, a place teeming with them. The seed of darkness aids in physical growth and development of reason, but humans need time to grow. Unlike beasts, human children grow slowly, and that’s an insurmountable issue regardless of their talents.”

“Couldn’t a child who survives and leaves the Forest of Roots exist?”

Helmut asked nonchalantly.

“Once you have magical energy, you cannot pass through the divine barrier. It’s the most powerful barrier on the surface, incomparable even to those that detect mages, passed down from ancient times.”

Fortunately, Antiol seemed more focused on his own thoughts than on Helmut’s words.

“To elaborate, the seed of darkness is closely related to life. The prevailing theory is that it dwells in children who should have died in the womb due to frailty. By saving a life destined to die, it instead takes that child as its host. But, the seed of darkness is ultimately a mass of magical energy. If purified by a barrier, the seed will burn away, extinguishing the host’s life as well.”

‘So, I truly survived because my presence protected the seed of darkness.’

It was a close call. Helmut’s seed of darkness had nearly been extinguished. At that time, Helmut was on the brink of death. His survival was miraculous.

Thus, Helmut’s emergence from the Forest of Roots was not in accordance with successful theory. It was as if heaven itself had intervened.

Antiol concluded,

“Therefore, what you mentioned is impossible based on my knowledge. Unless there’s another theory.”

While he speculated beyond common knowledge, the mage before him seemed unable to imagine that Helmut had come from the Forest of Roots.

“Your case is… rare. The seed of darkness is scarce, too weak to manifest in infancy and thus evading the temple’s notice. Those who grow up as mages or swordsmen rapidly advance, but they don’t live long.”

“Why is that?”

“Because the temple hunts them down. Mental growth cannot keep pace with the seed of darkness consuming reason, becoming increasingly ferocious and eventually rampaging, or showing abnormal signs before that. Magical energy attracts magical energy, after all. The seed of darkness seeks growth, but acquiring magical energy while living among people is not easy unless you’re chewing on the cores of magical beasts. Instead, it pursues negative emotions: fear, murderous intent, and rage. Historically, all brutally vicious murderers had the seed of darkness. That’s an unofficial fact.”

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