Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 69 (Part 2):

The swordsmanship department’s training grounds were numerous. Alea, having meticulously marked the map, stood up.

“Let’s go see.”

She was determined to capture the spirit, even as soon as today.

The training grounds of the swordsmanship department weren’t open to just anyone. They were divided by year, and even within that, there were distinctions. The swordsmanship department had a strong sense of hierarchy, so the training grounds were assigned based on grades. There were places accessible to everyone, but some were reserved only for top-ranking students. For higher grades, personal training grounds were allocated based on grades. Of course, preference played a role, and even those with personal grounds might choose the communal ones. Alea prioritized excluding the communal training grounds.

“Among the training grounds, it would choose a place with low usage. A place almost no one visits. It needs somewhere quiet to hide.”

The instructors of the swordsmanship department also had their personal training grounds. However, it seemed unlikely that Ethan often visited the Academy’s personal grounds.

“Ethan has a mansion near the Academy. It has a personal training ground. I’ve been there.”

“Did you feel anything strange?”

“Nothing. I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Then good, let’s start there.”

However, the stack of documents brought from the mercenary guild didn’t prove very effective in searching the personal training grounds.

“Personal training grounds of instructors are not accessible to outsiders.”

Ethan had already left for the day. Anyway, they had to search all the training grounds, not just his. To enter a personal training ground, one had to follow a specific procedure, so they requested the academy’s administrative staff on duty, but the response was as follows.

“Besides, you’re a transfer student this year, aren’t you? Even if it’s a request, investigating the instructors or seniors’ training grounds…”

It was an unusual request for the administrative staff. There had never been a case where a student from the swordsmanship department, working as a mercenary, came to investigate the Academy. Now that the transfer was confirmed, Helmut was a student of the Academy. His identity as a mercenary and a student of the swordsmanship department was conflicting. Alea, raising her eyebrows, presented the documents.

“This is a formal request from the Academy. You see the seal here.”

“Of course, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s a tricky situation. If we cooperate with this request, does that mean we have to accept even if you say you’re going to investigate the dean’s office?”

“If the Academy didn’t want its students to accept such requests, it should have specified that.”

“That’s our mistake, but a student doing mercenary work during vacation…”

It’s not a part-time job; ‘what is this?’ There was no need for Helmut to step in. Alea, burning with the desire to capture the spirit as soon as possible, had no intention of backing down.

“If you’re going to be uncooperative, I’ll inform the mercenary guild about this. Essentially, the client is obstructing the resolution of the request.”

Alea snapped back sharply. It wasn’t good for her as a student to treat the academy staff this way, but Alea, being the top student and famous for her beauty, wielded some influence. Sometimes, fame becomes power.

Clients who didn’t want to pay the request fee and sabotaged the resolution were rare but existed. They wouldn’t think of the Greta Academy in such terms, but even a small conflict with the mercenary guild would be a headache for the administrative staff. However, allowing them in and then facing complaints would also be problematic.

“My goodness.”

Timely, Ethan appeared. He had returned to the Academy because he had left something behind.

“What’s going on?”

After hearing the whole story, Ethan Kudrow looked thoughtful.

“So, you’re saying ‘that thing’ might be in my training ground.”

Alea nodded.

“There’s a possibility. Not just in Instructor Ethan’s ground but in other instructors’ grounds as well.”

It must be in one of those places. They were certain.

“Indeed, I’ve seldom visited there. Alright, let’s take a look. I’ll ask the other instructors for permission.”

Thanks to Ethan, Helmut and Alea could easily overcome the minor obstacle. As they headed to the training ground together, Helmut looked at Alea. Her brisk walk, her flushed face. Alea was always cool and orderly. This excited appearance was new to him.

‘If we can’t find it in the training ground, he really plans to storm into the dean’s office.’

Helmut wondered if he should stop her, leading the way like that.

Fortunately, they quickly found their target location. It was Instructor Alan’s training ground. He was an even more extreme case than Ethan, who said Alan had not visited his personal training ground inside the Academy since last October. He found the forest attached to the Academy more comfortable for training. The moment they entered Alan’s personal training ground, Alea muttered with a stiff face.

“This is it.”

Helmut nodded. A tingling sensation arose. Something was different. Dense, closer to natural presence. An aura that seemed like the smell of soil lingered here. Though subtle, it was an energy Helmut couldn’t feel in the previous appearances.

“Is this the spirit’s energy? Where is it?”

Alea cast a detection spell as she moved around Alan’s personal training ground.

“It’s not here now. It wanders well.”

“Will it appear again?”

“It won’t if we’re here. Come this way.”

Alea gestured towards a corner and beckoned. As Helmut approached, Alea quickly chanted a spell.

“Veil of concealment.”

Suddenly, a faint barrier rose, enveloping them. Helmut twitched his fingers towards the hilt of his sword. He disliked the sensation of magic being cast.

“Don’t stir up Vis. The barrier mustn’t be disturbed.”

“If you’re going to use magic, you should give a heads-up.”

Alea snorted.

“I’ll think about it next time.”

Her gaze was fixed straight ahead. Toward the empty space of Alan’s personal training ground.

“Now, we wait.”

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