Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 99 (Part 2):
“Asuka, why make trouble from the morning?”
“Hey, Helmut, you cheeky brat! You should have waited a bit. I came out just a little late.”
He seemed to be particularly low pressure, and that seemed to be why he was in a bad mood.
“So, did you pick a fight with that guy because of that?”
“No, who said that? He’s as big as a mountain, and blocking the way.”
Pierced like a needle, Asuka turned his head abruptly. It might be a scene that many found cute, but Helmut didn’t feel any particular charm.
He had no talent for distinguishing right from wrong, but Asuka, this guy, was just completely wrong from start to finish.
“Don’t waste your strength unnecessarily. We have a major announcement today.”
Instructor Patricia had said so yesterday. He had a hunch what the major announcement was. It would be related to the practical exam.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll get a perfect score even at first glance.”
Asuka declared confidently. Helmut spoke indifferently.
“That duel, don’t bother those poor guys, do it with me.”
“…Why all of a sudden?”
Asuka, who had been nagging for a duel and then stopped and acted on his own, looked at him with wary eyes.
“The midterm exam is coming up soon. It wouldn’t hurt to loosen up your body a bit.”
Dueling in class had been banned since the incident with Helmut and Asuka.
But there was a hope that it might be allowed from this week with the exam ahead.
It was strange in itself that they couldn’t duel because there had been a bit of an accident in the swordsmanship department.
“You’re not scared, are you?”
Asuka’s eyes, challenging as usual, sharply lifted as He retorted.
“Who said I’m scared?”
“Well then, that’s good.”
Helmut nodded his head. If he broke him in front of everyone, Asuka might quiet down a bit. There was that calculation.
“Hey, there’s the instructor!”
Instructor Patricia, who appeared just in time, called for attendance. After checking the number of people, she clapped her hands.
“Attention, everyone!”
Having already sensed that something was happening through the chaotic atmosphere, she cast a sharp gaze toward Asuka. She delivered a warning with her eyes and raised her voice.
“The midterm exams are about to begin. Due to unfortunate incidents, dueling has been prohibited until now, but starting today, we will resume sparring.”
“Oh!”
The students, who had been dueling secretly among themselves, cheered with anticipation.
After all, they didn’t feel as tense as they did during official duels in class.
“The purpose of dueling is solely to prepare for the midterms. So, if any incidents similar to before occur, we will strictly crack down.”
‘Helmut, that guy, well, he seems to get along pretty well with other guys, but Asuka is the problem.’
It seemed like a good idea to make a separate request to Helmut, who was rumored to be the boss. Hold the leash a bit.
It was a necessary procedure to safely take the midterm exam.
“Now, let’s talk about the exams. Listen carefully.”
Instructor Patricia, slightly pausing, began to speak.
“In this midterm exam, you will face the first year of the swordsmanship department. Next week, we will have a light warm-up and the first round, and the full-scale exam will be held over the next week.”
There were objections among the instructors about pitting first and second-year students against each other.
However, the opinion that it was a good opportunity to clear up the blurred atmosphere was predominant.
An opportunity to erase the lingering conflict among the second-year students and unite the entire grade.
The academy’s curriculum extended up to the sixth year. As students progressed to higher grades, there was a difference in skill level. Therefore, pitting students against each other was not common.
As graduation approached, students devoted more effort to training, and their physical growth was completed, so it’s a natural progression.
But it was different for lower grades. There wasn’t much difference in skill between first and second-year students.
Even this year, the average level of the first-year students was higher than usual.
Although a dark horse named Helmut appeared in the second grade, all the instructors acknowledged that fact.
“I will give you 10 minutes from now. Decide on a duel opponent and line up. If you can’t find an opponent, come to me, that’s it!”
During those 10 minutes, a conversation poured out.
“Wow, I didn’t know we were going to take the exam with a duel.”
“Was the ban on dueling a penalty?”
“What’s the point of losing to a first-year?”
“Will I lose, no way.”
Someone sneakily brought up a topic.
“That, there’s a very pretty freshman in the first year, right?”
“Yeah, the only girl in the swordsmanship department for the first and second years. She was stunningly beautiful. How can such a girl be in the swordsmanship department?”
“Wait, there’s a girl in the first year?”
“Why are there no girls in the second year? I suddenly want to beat those first-year guys so badly.”
“They say in the Greta Academy, guys mainly apply to the martial arts department from some time ago. There were a few above the fourth year, but we don’t have any in our year. Girls prefer the Matesis or Loen Academies over Greta. I heard they only take exams at those two places.”
Matesis and Loen were also academies located in Baden. The two academies were situated on the opposite side of Greta Academy, so encounters were less frequent than one might think.
“Does Greta Academy have a certain image that’s causing this?”
“Is it an image like muscular guys making a lot of noise?”
“There are many girls in other departments. Especially in the magic department. Our academy’s magic department is particularly famous, so maybe they apply a lot?”
“The problem is the image of the swordsmanship department.”
“What’s wrong with us?”
“Don’t you know that Greta Academy is rumored to have only burly muscle masses? Of course, there are guys who aren’t like that, but that’s how the rumor likes to describe it.”
The sound of the conversation died down. Their gaze glanced at Asuka.
Asuka’s notoriety surpassed his appearance, which would have been popular as a pretty boy if his personality wasn’t like that.
Helmut heard everything with his excellent hearing, but fortunately, Asuka didn’t seem to notice.
He was mumbling as if he liked the content of the exam, stroking his wooden sword.
“First year? I’m going to face the first year?”
Whether he liked the appearance of new guys he could beat up, his fighting spirit seemed full. It’s a bit of a dangerous state.