Helmut regretted not voicing his opinions more when applying for the artifact. Nonetheless, it wasn't the principal's fault.
Despite its many drawbacks, such as the heat, the traitors to Darien, and the desert monsters, this country had its merits.
You could fight back against those who provoked you. Killing was out of the question, but breaking limbs was fair game if you won the fight. It was astonishingly lenient towards victors.
Helmut lightly flicked his sheathed sword.
"If you want to pick a fight, come at me. Don't just run your mouth."
Without his cloak, modified for coolness, Helmut was irritable from the heat.
"Look at this one?"
"Presumptuous for such a young kid."
Rough men approached him aggressively.
"Fighting is prohibited near the tournament grounds!"
The clerk shouted out loudly.
"Looking like a girl but quite bold, aren't you? I'm Jackal."
One of the provocateurs passed by, shrugging.
"Let's see you in the preliminaries. No one will save you then."
Helmut memorized the faces of those around, hoping not to encounter them in the preliminaries. He wouldn't let them walk off the stage unharmed.
A cold light flashed in Helmut's eyes.
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"3,000 marks. Your cloak is of fine quality. It didn't take much effort to add the functionality, so we're only charging a little."
A little was 3,000 marks. Though it equaled the daily rent of his extravagant lodging, Helmut found the cost excessive.
After paying, Helmut returned to the inn, feeling considerably more comfortable with the cloak's cooling effect. Freed from the heat, his mood improved.
"I might survive this."
That thought lasted until he returned to the inn.
"Ah, there you are. Please, have a word."
Upon entering, an employee who recognized him beckoned over.
A sense of foreboding washed over Helmut, anticipating troublesome developments. These premonitions were seldom wrong. A man, previously conversing with the employee, approached.
"Are you the guest who rented the Emerald Room on the 5th floor?"
"Yes."
A knight, presumably. His skin tone suggested he wasn't from Basor, and his tone, while calm, carried an air of authority.
"My lord requires accommodation, and we find ourselves without. We're willing to pay handsomely for your room."
"Finding another lodging seems troublesome."
Seeking another room was unappealing, risking the need to sleep outdoors in this heat.
Helmut already considered the 200,000 mark prize his. Minor expenses were of little concern.
"You're alone. The room includes smaller quarters for attendants. We'd appreciate if you could accommodate us."
It seemed the employee had been too talkative. Even if he was open to negotiation, revealing his solitary status was unnecessary.
Did the inn, flourishing despite its high prices, feel emboldened to act this way? Or was it typical for such establishments to be discreet?
'They underestimated me.'
The employee was untrained. A lesson was in order.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. Try finding another inn."
Helmut had been open to negotiation had they approached him differently, but now that option was off the table.
As he turned to leave, the knight's hand clasped his shoulder.
"Sir! I said we would pay!"
At that moment, a lethal chill flashed in Helmut's eyes. This country must have a bad aura. It clashed with him, continuously provoking people. His voice turned icy.
"Let go, or I'll cut you."
A single warning. His hand reached for his sword's hilt. Would three seconds be enough? He wondered if this would affect his tournament participation. And if it did...
"Stop, Robert. Don't be rude to another guest on my behalf."
A gentle voice intervened. It had an oddly compelling quality. Helmut glanced towards the source.
"I apologize for my knight's behavior. He acted as if he were a native of Basor."
A young boy, dressed in high-quality travel clothes, approached Helmut and spoke softly.
Perhaps thirteen or fourteen years old, with pale skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. His slender face bore a smile, exuding a noble and dignified air.
The term "doll-like" shouldn't have been applied to Helmut. This boy before him truly resembled a doll. In Basor, he would undoubtedly attract as much trouble as Helmut.
Robert, the knight, grumbled.
"Prince Mihail."
The boy had a delicate and radiant appearance, unlike any man Helmut had seen.
'A girl in disguise?'
This thought came naturally to Helmut, but without any magical aura and considering the visible Adam's apple, it seemed unlikely.
Though Aska was known for his delicate features, he was unmistakably male.
'Do these types always gravitate towards me?'
Helmut wondered.
"I apologize for my knight's rudeness. I'm physically weak, so finding a suitable room elsewhere is difficult."
"Is that so."
Helmut responded indifferently, intending to ignore the boy, but something about him made that difficult. The boy had an unreadable look and an unnaturally calm demeanor for his age. Interestingly, he caught Helmut's attention.
"Without revealing my physical condition, finding accommodation is tough. We came here out of necessity. But I have an idea."
The boy's smile was enough to make any woman provide a room, even if it meant creating one from thin air. But Helmut was unaffected.
"What's your idea?"
"How about this? I need a room for my people, and you just need a place to stay. We share the room, and I'll cover the accommodation costs."
Robert protested loudly.
"Prince Mihail! That's absurd. How can you suggest sharing a room with a stranger?"
"Mihail, do we have another option?"
The prince's gaze turned cold, silencing Robert. The boy seemed to hold considerable sway over his subordinates, contradicting his innocent appearance. Smiling, he persuaded Helmut.
"You're not afraid of me, are you? I don't have any troubling habits. The room is spacious enough for an extra bed."
Sharing space wasn't a big deal for Helmut; he had experienced it at the academy. But was there a reason to agree? He pondered.
'A new experience.'
The boy was secretive, artificially cheerful, unlike Alea's straightforward nature. Intriguingly different.
'He doesn't seem to wield Vis. No threat there.'
He seemed harmless enough to be easily subdued by Helmut.
'Curious, but what's he up to?'
Helmut considered the proposal positively. A novel situation indeed: sharing a room with a mysterious young noble.
'Not a bad idea.'
He wasn't keen on agreeing outright, though.
"That's not enough."
Helmut initiated a negotiation.
"I'll cover the dining expenses at the inn as well."
"That's expected. Anything special?"
Helmut was curious about what the boy could offer.
"Something special? Material or emotional, perhaps?"
"Either."
Mihail clapped his hands together, having an idea.
"You're not from Basor, and you're here for the tournament, right?"
"Correct."
"Then let's do this. I came to watch the tournament. I'll support you. Having someone cheer for you will give you strength."
'Cheer for me?'
Helmut was momentarily speechless. It was an unexpected offer, yet strangely appealing. He had never encountered such a proposal before.
'Well, there's nothing else to ask for.'
While he could have asked for money, his accommodation and meals were now covered. Helmut decided to accept the deal lightly.
"Agreed."
The employee who had informed Mihail's party about Helmut's solo occupancy of the Emerald Room returned the prepaid money to Helmut.
Helmut slapped the employee's cheek. Not hard enough to cause a nosebleed, but enough to turn his head. The employee looked at Helmut in shock.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Be careful with your tongue in the future."
The employee seemed to understand the warning and retreated cautiously.
'I need to assert myself in this country.'
Being alone and non-confrontational, Helmut was seen as an easy target. He had been underestimated everywhere.
Upon entering their shared room, the inn's staff cautiously brought in another bed, setting them apart.
The small, unnamed rooms attached to the Emerald Room were taken by Mihail's entourage. From knights to servants, the boy appeared to be a high-ranking noble's offspring.
After talking with his people, Mihail approached Helmut.
"We'll be sharing a room, so we can't keep calling each other 'you.' What's your name?"
"Hel... Hyde."
Helmut was unaccustomed to using a pseudonym. Mihail seemed to catch the slip.
"Heide?"
"No, Hyde."
"Are you a noble?"
"Think whatever you like."
Helmut was slightly irritated. Since attending the academy, he had naturally spoken informally to those younger than him.
But commoners shouldn't speak that way to nobility. Even though Helmut was technically of noble birth, without proof, it was irrelevant.
"I'm Mihail, from the Empire. I'm a noble, but let's keep my last name a secret."
"I didn't ask."
"Hyde, you're really straightforward. But being straightforward isn't always good. Sometimes, it's wise to choose who to be open with. If I were royalty or of equivalent status, you might find yourself in a difficult position."
Helmut found the boy's veiled insinuation annoying.
"I don't need your advice."
"Everyone needs advice. No one can know and handle everything alone. Even a passing child can teach you something."
'He's annoying enough to make me want to hit him.'
Helmut thought. However, he couldn't just strike him.
He seemed too fragile. Male, but a child. A single blow could end him. Unintentionally committing murder was a real risk.
Helmut understood why Asuka found Alea so unbearable. Specifically, that irritating feeling.
Helmut decided to test the waters.
"Are you an academy student? From the Academic Department?"
"No, I couldn't enroll in the academy due to my weak constitution. Asking me that implies you're an academy student, right? People tend to see others through their own experiences."