Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 440 (Part 1):

“Elaga, is it?”

Igrelle let out a scoff.

The Grand Duke stared with a peculiar expression at the cat that had suddenly appeared through an unusual route, bypassing the guards entirely.

It was an understandably strange situation. Even knowing that it was Helmut’s cat didn’t make it any less odd.

[I heard everything.]

Elaga, landing on the floor, raised his head proudly.

[If Igrelle can roam about freely, why should I keep pretending to be just a cat?]

The Grand Duke’s gaze darted quickly between Elaga and Helmut. Half in shock, half demanding an explanation.

Helmut felt an urge to press his hand to his forehead.

He had always known he’d have to reveal it someday, but this situation was far too abrupt.

“You *are* a cat. Just… a very large one.”

Igrelle sneered.

[Shut up, you weakling.]

Unable to deny the jab, Igrelle clamped her mouth shut.

[More importantly, is it true there’s a hole in the sacred barrier? I was just making an excuse.]

“An excuse?”

[Yeah. That High Priest—or whatever she was—asked me where I came from, so I said I came from the Forest of Roots. Told her the sacred barrier’s full of holes, so she’d better check it out.]

“Oh, so you even fought a High Priest?”

[Just recently. It was no big deal.]

Elaga, puffing up with bravado, hid his front paw, where the fur hadn’t fully grown back.

The pain from that encounter had felt like being seared by fire.

He’d rather face Naho again than endure the touch of holy power.

Alea interjected, summarizing.

“Then the Temple must know about this as well.”

With a demonic beast from the Forest of Roots standing right before them, they’d have no choice but to inspect the sacred barrier.

It was unclear how they would interpret this situation. Elaga shrugged.

[As expected, I’m pretty great. Must’ve sensed something wrong with the barrier instinctively.]

“Just a coincidence, probably.”

Even as she muttered, Igrelle wondered if her own journey to the Forest of Roots might have been driven by the same instinct.

A demonic beast’s instincts are powerful.

As their demonic energy develops, they gain control over those instincts, but the senses they provide grow even sharper.

‘If that’s the case, why would I, a demonic beast, feel uneasy? A broken sacred barrier doesn’t harm me, does it?’

For humans, it’d be a crisis, but for Igrelle, who ruled over the Forest of Roots, it was hardly a significant matter.

As the conversation lulled, the Grand Duke turned to Helmut, speaking gravely.

“…Hold on. I think an explanation is in order, Helmut. Why is your cat—no, your demonic beast—fighting High Priests?”

Even after hearing such shocking news, he maintained his composure, befitting a lord.

But he needed a convincing answer.

Helmut chose his words carefully.

It was a bit awkward, but he figured it was just as well. This was a chance to explain everything.

The Grand Duke listened silently to Helmut’s account.

He explained that Elaga and Igrelle were demonic beasts from the Forest of Roots, and that Elaga, in particular, had protected and raised Helmut since childhood.

He emphasized that neither beast ate humans and were, in fact, friendly, even protecting humans from other demonic beasts.

Of course, Igrelle wasn’t exactly fond of humans, but she didn’t eat them either.

“Without these two, I wouldn’t have made it out of the Forest of Roots. And so far, they haven’t caused any trouble.”

The trouble Igrelle had caused was unavoidable.

The Grand Duke sharply pointed out.

“Then what’s this about fighting a High Priest?”

“Well…”

Wasn’t that trouble too?

As Helmut searched for an answer, Alea swiftly responded.

“It was a strategy. Helmut didn’t know about it.”

“A strategy…?”

The Grand Duke frowned.

“This concerns the fate of Renosa. How could you devise and execute a plan on your own?”

“You would’ve stopped us if we’d told you. And whether it succeeded or failed, it would’ve been an incident unrelated to Renosa.”

“Did you and that demonic beast attack the Temple?”

“To be precise, Elaga attacked alone. I just transported him and brought him back.”

Alea nodded lightly.

The Grand Duke could likely guess why they’d kept Elaga’s existence a secret.

He wasn’t entirely on Helmut’s side, and wielding a powerful demonic beast could highlight Helmut’s connection to the Seed of Darkness.

Until now, the Grand Duke had considered Helmut’s Seed of Darkness as the only risk factor, so he likely felt deceived.

Unless it was the final moment, a demonic beast couldn’t be considered an asset.

Renosa had raised its sword against the Temple, but it still had justification.

The corrupt and fallen Temple had provoked Renosa first by invading.

If they openly wielded demonic beasts, they’d become the evil army the Temple claimed them to be.

And yet, it had already happened. Had he known, the Grand Duke wouldn’t have allowed it.

Even if striking the Temple’s stronghold from behind to force their retreat was the most effective strategy.

The Grand Duke understood Alea’s choice.

But he felt displeasure at the fact that her decision went against the will of Renosa’s lord.

Yet, it was in the past. Having defeated the Temple, they were now irrevocably on the same ship.

They couldn’t disembark until they reached their destination, unless the ship sank.

Moreover, the Grand Duke wasn’t in a position to blame Helmut.

After a moment of closing his eyes, the Grand Duke sorted his thoughts.

“Helmut.”

He called Helmut’s name softly.

“Yes.”

“Is there anything else you’re hiding?”

Helmut paused to think.

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