Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 96 (Part 1):
It was a statement with implications. Asuka, in his subtle way, bent slightly towards Helmut, but if his grades turned out to be higher, he might change his attitude and become condescending.
The Department of Swordsmanship had a ranking system, and Asuka also valued hierarchy.
Currently, he instinctively ranked Helmut above himself, but there was no harm in that since he had the temperament of a child.
In reality, Asuka was surprisingly sharp-witted. He lacked patience but excelled in talent and knowledge.
That’s why the students in the Department of Swordsmanship disliked him even more.
“If you don’t want to see that sight, you should work harder, right?”
Alea couldn’t let go of her mindset as a private tutor.
For some reason, she was concerned about Helmut’s grades, as if his performance was a matter of personal honor.
‘Well, I’m also a top student, so it’s not a bad thing if my roommate becomes a top student too.’
Alea justified it briefly.
“What I mean is, practical exams are about showing your usual skills, right? If you’re confident you can do it perfectly, it would be better to focus on the written exam.”
“Right.”
Helmut nodded.
“But you know, I have a good idea.”
Alea’s eyes glittered with determination. That look gave an unsettling premonition.
“I could help you with that exam. In exchange, how about one wish?”
“You’ll help me?”
It was surprising that she volunteered to be a private tutor. But, there was no such thing as a free lunch from Alea.
Helmut looked at her suspiciously.
“I took that class last year too. I mean, the curriculum should be similar, so I could probably guess the exam questions. Even if they change it from previous years, the scope is limited. You know the test range for ‘Understanding Magic’ is wide, right? Besides, you’ve never taken a written exam.”
That’s why he wasn’t confident he could get a perfect score. Helmut frowned.
“You already have one wish from me.”
It didn’t make sense to stack up wishes like inventory.
And it’s not like Helmut had sworn an oath or anything, so what was she trusting?
But Alea had her calculations too. Helmut was a skilled swordsman with a mercenary background. Having a debt owed to her could be advantageous.
It was an impulsive thought, but it seemed plausible. Alea smirked slightly.
“That’s right. But isn’t one wish different from two?”
‘Does this mean she’s going to make a difficult wish worth two?’
He had a bad feeling about this.
“Let’s hear your wish first, then decide.”
“It’s a secret. I have something in mind, but it’s not certain yet.”
Alea raised her eyebrows slightly.
“There’s no need to overthink it. You just have to accept. I’ll be straightforward, I’m the only one who can give you what you want.”
She said it confidently, as if stating a fact.
If it was for Asuka, maybe he would have a different opinion about what Alea claims about herself.
Most of the academy students wanted to befriend Alea, but Asuka had evaluated her differently.
‘Why not just give up on being the top student in the Department of Swordsmanship?’
He briefly considered it, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
For some reason, he couldn’t give up on that side of himself that had solidified as Alea’s roommate, who constantly talked about being a top student.
Ethan also seemed to have some expectations. He had asked, ‘Are you confident you will do well on the exam?’ a while ago.
If the student he had recommended performed well, it would reflect positively on him.
One thing was for sure.
“Can I refuse that wish?”
He wasn’t sure how far he had to keep the wish he vowed with words.
Even though Greta Academy valued honor, it didn’t mean that he had to stake his life on keeping a promise no matter what. There’s some flexibility.
“If you want to refuse, go ahead. I won’t ask you a wish where you run around the field on all fours barking like a dog anyway. You know?”
“…Of course not.”
Alea had a cold personality to the extent that she could ask for something like that, but she also had a practical side that wouldn’t waste a wish like that.
The analogy was weird. Anyway, once it was clear that there was a choice, the decision was easy.
“Then, okay.”