Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 58 (Part 2):

Thinking about it, there was no need to overhaul his entire mindset. What did it matter what he thought about? The issue was essentially a test of character, but one didn’t need to possess a particular character trait to find the correct answer. Unknown to Alea, Helmut, who had no qualms about killing, was inherently disqualified in this regard.

After explaining basic morals and conflict resolution, Alea presented a problem.

“Now, suppose a fellow student who is in a tough situation has stolen something of mine. What should I do? 1) Steal it back. 2) Secretly call them out, beat them, and take it back. 3) Call them out and warn them to return it or face reporting. 4) Considering the student’s circumstances, choose to remain silent. What’s the answer?”

Helmut pondered. All options seemed ambiguous, but he thought that one must avoid confrontation at the academy, so perhaps a moderate approach was best.

“4?”

Alea’s eyebrows raised.

“Are you a pushover? Why would you let someone who stole from you get away with it! Accepting your loss and allowing others to profit unfairly goes against the spirit of the academy. It’s not just.”

“…It’s a moderate solution.”

“Being moderate doesn’t mean you have to be a pushover, right? Of course, some people might let it slide. Maybe they feel sorry for the other person, or perhaps the item wasn’t that valuable to them, or they simply don’t want to cause a fuss. But that’s not the correct answer to this exam question.”

“What’s the correct answer?”

“3, call them out and warn them to return it or face reporting.”

“Isn’t that a threat?”

Reporting would lead to academy disciplinary actions. Helmut felt that forcing someone to return the stolen item through fear of punishment didn’t seem very moderate. He argued,

“The best solution would be to steal it back. Then it’s resolved without any issue.”

1 minus 1 equals 0. Thus, it’s as if nothing was exchanged. Alea could hardly contain his sighs, having grown somewhat accustomed to Helmut.

“Taking back your own property isn’t wrong, but turning a blind eye to the thief’s misdeed is. Even if you forgive them, overlooking the mistake doesn’t align with the ‘justice’ the academy speaks of.”

Helmut frowned.

“This is complicated.”

Attempting to learn through such complex concepts was a first for him. Alea crossed his arms, explaining,

“First, try to solve it through conversation. If that doesn’t work, then consider other methods. Forget about efficiency for now. Solving most issues through dialogue is generally the answer. It gets easier once you see it that way.”

After a while, Alea continued with his lecture and then presented another problem.

“Alright, next question. This one’s a bit harder. Suppose I discover a classmate has submitted my work as their own. What should I do? 1) Call them out, use violence to make them confess. 2) Formally notify the academy and request a handwriting analysis. 3) Ask them to apologize without making a big deal out of it. 4) Tell them I’ll overlook their mistake if they go to the professor’s office and swap the assignments back to my name.”

“…3.”

“Wrong!”

“Why again?”

It felt unjustly complicated. Why was the human world so troublesome? The academy’s sense of justice seemed filled with strange notions. Wouldn’t it be simpler to just confront them and make them pay for their actions? That was Helmut’s idea of justice.

Helmut grimaced, a rare display of emotion for someone who usually kept a neutral face, prompting Alea to reach out.

“Don’t look so grim…”

‘Is this an attack?’

Helmut hesitated, wondering if he should block the gesture. But before he could decide, Alea’s hand stopped. Attempting to pat his head, Alea blinked in surprise.

‘Why am I being so friendly to this kid?’

Quickly retracting his hand, Alea continued as if nothing happened,

“…Think about it. The answer isn’t perfect. It’s just the best one.”

Despite having spent a few days together, Alea wasn’t typically the type to get close to anyone. His exceptional magic skills, grades, and looks attracted many, but he kept a strict distance. Thus, spending prolonged time with someone was rare for him, possibly leading to feeling unexpectedly friendly towards Helmut.

‘Did I mistake this for friendship?’

Alea steeled his resolve. After all, once the tutoring ended and Helmut entered Greta Academy, they were unlikely to cross paths again, except possibly in some classes.

‘The fate of a mage might be at stake, but nothing’s certain yet.’

As Alea hardened his expression, the atmosphere returned to its formal distance. Helmut, after a moment of thought, asked,

“2?”

“Why do you think it’s 2?”

Since Alea didn’t outright say it was wrong, Helmut must have found the correct answer. He explained,

“1 can’t be right because violence isn’t the answer, and 4 has a chance of failure, so it’s not really a solution, right? 2 seems like it would actually resolve the issue.”

“The answer is 2, but not for the reasons you mentioned. 4 isn’t wrong because it might fail, but because it’s not the right way to solve the problem. Altering submitted work violates academy rules, as does tampering with assignments already handed in.”

“So, solving a problem in the wrong way is unacceptable.”

“Exactly, starting to get the hang of it?”

It seemed Helmut was beginning to understand. Alea nodded in agreement. Explaining through practical problems appeared to be the most effective method.

‘With good memorization, he should at least meet the average score cutoff for each subject.’

The entrance examination wasn’t a combined score of written and practical tests. The written exam was graded on an absolute scale. Passing the written exam led to a practical exam, which was then graded on a curve. However, this curve assumed a basic level of competence at least matching the year level attempting to transfer in. With a limited number of spots available at the academy, selection was competitive.

Given that the academy hosted nobility and royalty, academic interruptions due to political situations in their home countries were common, frequently opening up spots.

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