"Did you help me because you're the disciple of my great-grandfather's teacher?"
"Correct. Even though Darien was unaware of your existence."
Helmut answered lightly.
"How did you... With that level of skill, is that what you achieve when you're taught by the Sword Saint at your age?"
"It couldn't be. Darien wouldn't have been at my level when he was my age."
Annoying kid. Luke glared at him for a moment.
"I trained incredibly hard, to an extent you can't even imagine. It's only natural."
The discipline Darien's runaway son received probably seemed laughable compared to what Helmut endured.
Helmut pointed out one fact.
"But watching you fight for a bit, I didn't feel any killing intent from your sword."
Despite knowing his opponent was his great-grandfather's enemy, Luke seemed shocked but not enraged.
'Well, it's a great-grandfather he's never seen. Maybe it'd be stranger if he did feel something.'
"…For me, it was an unforeseen situation where the person I trusted and followed drew his sword against me. I fought because I had to."
"You're too soft."
Was it a kind of frailty, being unable to ruthlessly confront someone you've given your heart to?
'After all, Darien didn't tell me to seek revenge.'
Perhaps it wasn't just because he was worried about Helmut's danger but maybe for that reason as well.
Helmut tilted his head slightly. Now, it was something he could no longer know.
"What about the tremendous noise outside? What happened?"
"Ah, outside. There was an incident. And there's something you need to do."
"Hmm?"
"Follow me."
Leading the way out of the cave, Helmut was followed by Luke.
Stepping out of the dark cave into blinding sunlight, Helmut squinted before witnessing a scene.
"This... someone took the core."
Lying near the cave was the corpse of the giant red scorpion, but its torso had a gaping hole.
A beast of this magnitude would have a core filled with potent magic. Helmut had refrained from meddling, fearing it might feed the darkness within him, but someone had swiftly taken advantage.
'I was going to leave it to Luke to handle.'
Though damaged by sacred magic, the core would have been valuable. It was a regrettable loss.
Helmut surveyed the desolate desert, now the domain of whoever had taken the core.
Luke asked, upon approaching.
"Did you defeat this? How did it follow human commands?"
"Archdeacon Dolos was controlling this red scorpion, guarding the entrance alongside the Palma Knight Commander."
Realization dawned on Luke's face.
"They intended to kill me and then blame it on the scorpion."
"Likely."
"And the archdeacon?"
"Underneath this creature, if not consumed by whoever took the core."
A sinister smile flickered across Helmut's lips as he remembered the encounter vividly.
Helmut had targeted the sacred orb embedded in the scorpion's forehead. Not lethal but vital for control, the scorpion had been fiercely protective of it, likely on Dolos's orders.
Resisting the urge to approach the orb, due to the darkness within him reacting violently to sacred magic, was not easy.
The moment the orb shattered, Helmut felt a paralyzing shock.
'Maybe if the scorpion had taken advantage of that moment, I would have been in danger.'
But Helmut knew the scorpion, long dominated as prey by humans, harbored deep resentment against Dolos.
'I freed you. Now kill him.' Helmut didn't need to say it aloud.
Once freed, the scorpion must have realized it was its chance to unleash its pent-up wrath and break free from the loathsome archdeacon.
Despite being weakened, the scorpion didn't succumb easily to sacred magic. It wasn't weak enough to be captured without a fight.
'You vile creature, I'll turn you to ash!'
As Dolos attempted a powerful sacred spell, the scorpion leaped, aiming to strike before the spell's completion. A tremendous collision ensued.
'The scorpion attacked immediately upon release, killing itself against the completed sacred magic, and Dolos was crushed and dying underneath.'
An unwittingly perfect situation unfolded. Helmut had caught two birds with one stone.
Crushed under the scorpion, Dolos pleaded amidst agony.
'Please, save me! I'll pay you. Forget today's events... I'm an archdeacon!'
'I can help, if you answer my questions.'
From Dolos, Helmut extracted the names of the other two archdeacons involved in sending Darien to the Forest of Parhae.
Afterward, Helmut, infusing his leg with Vis, kicked the scorpion's body away.
Dolos, unable to scream any longer, met his end. Helmut had assisted him out of his misery, fulfilling his promise in a twisted sense. Shortly after, Helmut proceeded towards the rocky cliff where Luke Yeager and the Palma Knight Commander were engaged in battle.
This sequence of events led up to the prior confrontation.
Luke Yeager seemed to have somewhat grasped the situation as well.
"It's a clever move. To think that this notorious red scorpion could be dealt with so easily."
He admired the giant carcass of the scorpion with astonishment. Even without its core, the scorpion's body would fetch a high price. A monster of this size was not a common commodity.
Helmut decided to make one thing clear.
"The scorpion was defeated by me, so the reward should be mine."
"…Of course, as if I would claim the reward now."
Helmut had saved his life, and now he was even offering a share of Darien's inheritance. Helmut himself thought he was being overly generous.
"Fine, I'd accept it anyway."
Luke Yeager cleared his throat. Helmut glanced at him and then turned away.
Soon, Helmut would regret this conversation, but that was yet to be known.
"What should we do now? The village is waiting for the rest of the Palma Knights. What should we tell them?"
The remaining knights were so loyal to the Palma Knight Commander that even if he had seemed slightly suspicious, or even if he had claimed to have killed Luke Yeager, they would have remained silent.
They would not believe if Luke claimed he had been attacked first by the Knight Commander. They might even consider Luke an assassin.
It would be hard for them to accept that the Palma Knight Commander had betrayed Darien and even attempted to kill his descendant. Such was the influence of the Palma Knight Commander within the order.
"I have a good idea."
During the short walk out from the rocky cliff, Helmut had contemplated how to handle the situation.
Fighting the few Palma Knights in the village was not a good idea, especially since there was a reward to be collected.
After hearing Helmut's proposed scenario, Luke Yeager, puzzled, questioned him.
"So, you're saying I did it all, and you'll stay behind the scenes?"
"Yes."
"Why? You're the heir to the Sword Saint's swordsmanship. Just revealing that fact should be enough to…"
It would lend credibility to the theory of the Palma Knight Commander's betrayal. It would also bring prestige and advancement in Barsor for Helmut.
"Why are you insisting on hiding your existence?" Luke found it hard to comprehend.
"I have no intention of taking Darien's place here in Barsor. That's your role. Even claiming the position of the new Palma Knight Commander."
Indeed, the position of Palma Knight Commander was now vacant. It wouldn't be easy for Luke, but not impossible. Luke frowned.
"That's…"
"You need to reclaim your rightful position. As a descendant of Darien Difert."
"I'll try. But what about you?"
Luke attempted to broach the subject again. The explanation seemed insufficient.
Helmut finally admitted.
"I have many enemies, not just those of Darien. It's not yet time to reveal myself."
Dolos's death here would attract the attention of the temple. It was not yet time for Helmut to step out of the shadows.
Dolos might have been weak for an archdeacon, but it was risky to expect the same from the others.
The temple not only had priests but also a considerable number of holy knights, not inferior to the Palma Knights.
Being vulnerable to sacred magic due to the darkness within him, Helmut could not confidently claim victory over them.
Moreover, being marked as a public enemy by the temple for harboring darkness within, would make the entire human world his adversary, viewed as a potential mass murderer with the power of the Demon King.
"If that's the case, I can't argue."
Understanding the boy's predicament seemed plausible, given his exceptional abilities. Luke decided not to pry further and nodded.
"But since you saved me, I owe you. If you ever find yourself in trouble, I'll help. After all, you're the disciple of my great-grandfather."
Under the name of Darien, the two were now linked. While Luke might claim the honor of Darien, Helmut had received the essence of his swordsmanship and sword.
The path ahead for Helmut was fraught with danger. Not wanting to bind Luke to his perilous journey, Helmut coldly cut him off.
"Help from Palma Knight Luke Yeager would be useless to me. Let's talk about that after you become the Knight Commander."
"You and your way of talking."
Luke grumbled, feeling somewhat relieved as the pain in his shoulder had almost vanished.
Helmut moved his hand towards his sword hilt.
"Then, I'll take care of the aftermath."
His gaze shifted towards the rocky cliffs. The cliffs that had engulfed Darien and nearly became Luke Yeager's grave would collapse today, never to be used by anyone again.
The narrative Helmut spun was as follows: they were ambushed by the red scorpion controlled by Archdeacon Dolos at the entrance. The Palma Knight Commander fell into its trap and was crushed to death by the rocky cliffs.
Helmut then appeared, joining forces with Luke Yeager to shatter the scorpion's sacred orb, and Dolos, in turn, was attacked and killed by the rampaging scorpion.
This was the scenario Helmut had devised.
The Palma Knight Commander would not even leave a corpse behind. A fitting end for a traitor.