Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 483 (Part 2): #Epilogue#

The young man who had just turned twenty, Finn, had taken his first step toward a long-held dream a year ago.

He had saved up money from working in a mercenary corps and opened his own shop at an earlier age than most.

Opening a small tavern selling food and drinks, he declared his ambition to himself.

‘I’ll grow this shop and open a grand restaurant in the capital where even royalty comes!’

But business wasn’t easy at first.

He was confident in his skills, but it was a tavern tucked away in a corner of a small city. It wasn’t easy to catch customers’ eyes.

However, as time passed, it resolved naturally.

Members of the Pace Mercenary Corps stopped by often, word spread among passing caravans, customers increased, and regulars started forming in the village.

It was on one such day.

As the sunset began to fall, Finn opened the shop.

The caravan that had come yesterday had left, so it would be quiet for a while.

Not long after, a customer entered the shop.

“Welcome!”

As Finn’s booming voice rang out, the customer smoothly removed the hood pulled low over their head.

The moment Finn saw him, he jumped in surprise.

“Huh?”

His eyes widened as he pointed a finger.

It was a familiar face. Not just the strikingly handsome features, but that aura. Jet-black hair like darkness, black eyes.

A face that, once seen, could never be forgotten.

“You told me to come if you opened a restaurant.”

Only then did Finn recall his name.

“Hel…mut?”

“That’s right.”

Finn’s memory wasn’t great. But he too had a memory he had cherished all along.

The friend who had given him a new dream. That Helmut from five years ago was here.

“How did you get here…?”

“I heard from Tanya. I stopped by during my travels.”

Helmut looked around and casually sat in the seat in front of Finn.

Finn eyed him with a dazed look.

The luxurious attire hidden under the black cloak caught his eye. Since Helmut was a swordsman of great skill, it wouldn’t be strange if he had received a title.

“Your clothes… did you become a noble? I mean, have you become a noble?”

It had been a year since he left the Pace Mercenary Corps.

Occasionally, members of the Pace Mercenary Corps stopped by, so he stayed in touch, but since he wasn’t a mercenary anymore, he was out of the loop on news.

Moreover, they hadn’t visited Finn’s tavern lately. They had all gone to the front lines of the Forest of Roots, or so he heard.

“I did become a noble. But… I’m here as Helmut, so no need to worry about that.”

Helmut glanced around the interior of the tavern.

Five years ago, Finn had been a timid boy unsuited to being a mercenary.

Seeing him open his own shop, small as it was, just as he had declared, brought a fresh wave of emotion.

Two lives that had branched off in completely different directions intersected here, beyond memories.

Finn smiled and rolled up his sleeves. His forearms, toned from chores unlike a mercenary’s, bulged.

“Alright, since you came all this way, I’ll show off my skills! Look forward to it!”

After he disappeared into the kitchen, someone entered the tavern.

A beautiful silver-haired mage in an emerald-green robe, Alea naturally sat across from Helmut.

“Did you order food?”

“The chef said he’d show off his skills.”

“Ah, right? That’s the person you said was your first friend?”

“Yeah.”

Alea smiled brightly. The two gazed at each other for a moment.

They were on a journey. A vacation, too.

After handling all the urgent matters, only returning to Renosa remained.

There, Helmut would walk the path as the heir.

The Grand Duke of Renosa had gladly granted Helmut, who requested a deferment, his freedom.

‘You have splendidly fulfilled your share. I’ll give you a year, so rest fully and return. Or… you don’t have to return.’

Those words didn’t mean he hoped Helmut wouldn’t be the heir to Renosa.

It meant that if he didn’t want it, he could leave and live freely.

Helmut no longer possessed the Seed of Darkness. The restrictions were gone.

There was no need to wield Renosa as a weapon or justification anymore.

He was a hero who had saved the world.

‘Understood.’

Suddenly, a certain memory came to mind.

The time when he had been briefly free while coming to Baden. That time flashed through his thoughts.

It was an opportunity. A chance to let everything go and wander wherever his feet took him.

Helmut decided to fully enjoy the given year. Naturally, Alea was with him.

Alea asked.

“Where should we go next?”

“Hmm, maybe look at a map.”

“At this rate, wandering aimlessly, we might end up in the Forest of Roots.”

“If we do, we’ll check it out. I’m curious how things are there.”

“Or should we cross the continent? Cross the sea…”

“That sounds good too.”

They planned to discuss how to live going forward at their leisure.

What lay before them was countless possibilities. And an endlessly stretching path.

Of course, he wouldn’t stop training.

After defeating the Demon King, Helmut had achieved growth as a swordsman once more.

He wanted to see how far he could go as a swordsman.

Someday, Helmut would surpass Elaga. The Elaga that remained in his final memories.

When that happened, Helmut would stand at a pinnacle where no one needed to be overtaken. He was gazing toward that pinnacle as if envisioning it.

Even if it was a long and arduous path, having already walked countless times, there would be no difficulties.

“Here, piping hot food is… Aaack!”

Seeing Alea, Finn screamed as if possessed by a ghost.

It was fortunate he didn’t spill the bowl. He barely managed to set it on the table and asked.

“W-who are you?”

“My fiancée.”

“I’m Alea.”

Toward Alea, who lightly raised her hand, Finn hurriedly bowed.

“I-I’m Finn.”

He immediately shot Helmut a strange look. Where did he find such a fiancée?

With that alone, complex thoughts swirled in Finn’s mind as he gauged Helmut’s success.

He soon turned and headed back to the kitchen.

“I’ll bring the rest of the meal!”

After he disappeared, the conversation resumed softly.

It was a cozy, warm time, talking from the near future to the distant one.

The sun set completely, and the darkness surrounding the tavern gradually deepened.

In that restful darkness, the tavern’s light shone vividly.

Just as a faint light feels bright in thick darkness.

It was the light Helmut had stubbornly grasped in the pitch-black darkness.

———————————————————

#Afterword# (The author)

With this, Part 2 of Helmut comes to an end. There are still side stories left, but I wanted to say goodbye here.

It’s already been two years since I started serializing Helmut.

I might want to write Part 3 someday, so I won’t definitively say “The End!” but the main story I envisioned concludes here.

Having taken one step at a time over the past two years and finally wrapping up one story, the feeling is profoundly new.

As my first long-form work nearing 500 chapters, there were times it was overwhelming, but I’m relieved to have finished it safely without regrets.

Like the coexistence of light and darkness, grasping hope amid despair, knowing the value of what fills the void because of loss, and being reborn from the bottom.

Even if there is sadness and pain, I wanted to write a story where joy ultimately awaits at the end.

I thank all the readers who joined me on this long journey.

Translator’s Note:
After two years of work, we have finally reached the end! For those who have been following along, the main story of Helmut is now 100% complete and free for everyone to enjoy. > However, for the most dedicated readers, some questions remain unanswered in the shadows. What is the ultimate destiny of the “Seed of Darkness”? What will become of the bonds between the friends as they face a new era? And perhaps the biggest mystery of all: What truly happened to Elaga?
The remaining Side Story explores these fates in detail and is available exclusively for Patreon subscribers.
https://www.patreon.com/c/otaku_tensei

Thank you for all the support over the last two years!
With deep gratitude,
[Your Translator Otaku_Tensei]

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!

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