Luke Yeager lacked any talent for fabricating lies or concocted stories.
To properly convey Helmut's scenario, he had to practice it multiple times.
However, when they prepared for everything and returned to the village, they were greeted by an unexpected situation.
At sunset, they arrived at the village.
Having presumably cleared all the monsters, the village, bathed in the red glow of dusk, was shrouded in silence.
Yet, they sensed the presence of many people within the village.
'Has the relief team arrived?'
If so, among the Palma Knights might be those close to Luke, making the story easier to tell.
However, upon entering the village, they encountered an unforeseen individual.
"It's fortunate that you're safe. I searched the vicinity for you both but to no avail."
It was the Second Prince, accompanied by his direct knights. Surprised, Luke skipped formalities and asked,
"Your Highness, the Second Prince? What brings you to this place?"
The prince, unfazed by his rudeness, simply smiled.
"I had a bad feeling. When I went to Desser, I heard that the Palma Knights were headed this way."
He then scrutinized the wound on Luke Yeager's shoulder.
The Second Prince himself possessed skills comparable to those of the Palma Knights. His presence wouldn't be a burden to the Knight Commander, but the others couldn't refuse him.
Helmut immediately realized something. It seemed the prince was more wary of the Palma Knight Commander than he had thought.
He asked,
"Where is the Palma Knight Commander? Wasn't he with you, Luke Yeager?"
"That's…"
Faced with an unexpected situation due to the prince's sudden appearance, the normally honest Luke Yeager found himself at a loss for words.
The prince's presence changed things. Helmut offered to explain.
"It would be best to discuss this inside."
Sensing the subtle nuance in his words, the prince, with narrowed eyes, agreed.
"Let's do that."
Amidst the murmurs of the Palma Knights, they moved into one of the buildings in the village.
There, Deputy Knight Commander Dacim Alvis joined them.
"Tell us what happened."
After ensuring Luke Yeager remained silent with a glance, Helmut began his explanation.
It was a new version of the earlier scenario, closer to the truth.
The Palma Knight Commander attempted to lure Luke Yeager to the rocky cliff to kill him.
Helmut, who had been following them, was attacked by the red scorpion controlled by Archdeacon Dolos and engaged in battle.
Destroying the sacred orb controlling the scorpion caused it to turn on Dolos, and both perished in mutual destruction.
Immediately afterward, Helmut went inside the cliff and witnessed Luke Yeager and the Palma Knight Commander fighting.
Helmut and Luke Yeager then collaborated to kill the commander.
The only deviation from the truth was that Helmut did not actually join the fight. At 16, actually 15 years old, Helmut knew it was extraordinary for someone to defeat the Palma Knight Commander in a one-on-one battle.
To avoid being entangled with Basor, it was crucial to keep himself hidden.
'Luke Yeager knowing this is enough.'
"Indeed, the Palma Knight Commander targeted you."
The Second Prince sighed as if resigned. Luke Yeager asked,
"Did you know, that he had betrayed my great-grandfather?"
"Yes, I was aware. In fact, my father also had suspicions… about my brother's actions and Lutus Kykero becoming the Knight Commander following the disappearance. The movements of the temple. But we only had suspicions, no concrete evidence. That was the problem."
Deputy Knight Commander Dacim Alvis nodded in agreement.
Surprisingly, he appeared to be aligned with the prince, despite seeming loyal to the Knight Commander.
"I see. What will you do now?"
"I was contemplating whether revealing the truth as it is would be wise."
His tone suggested dissatisfaction with that option. The prince stroked his chin.
"Are you calculating which option would benefit the succession to the throne?"
Luke Yeager asked sarcastically, a bold move.
Helmut was slightly surprised. After all, it was he who had been cautious around the prince until now.
'Even before becoming the Knight Commander, his attitude has changed.'
There's a saying that positions change people. Perhaps Luke Yeager already considered himself the Knight Commander.
The prince did not take offense. Instead, he spoke seriously.
"While I won't deny such calculations play a part, there are many other issues to consider. Darien Difert is almost a divine figure in Basor. Imagine the public finding out he was betrayed and met a mundane death. Have you thought about the aftermath?"
"I don't quite follow."
"Ridiculously, it would tarnish the Sword Saint's honor. The people would be shocked and thrown into chaos. This isn't just about the Sword Saint's honor but directly linked to the honor of Barsor's greatest knight order, Palma. This dirty conspiracy would damage the pride of the people of Basor."
"Is that more important than revealing the truth?"
"Sometimes, a beautiful lie is preferable to a painful truth. I'm in a position to make that judgment. My father has entrusted me with full authority over this matter. Do you think it's common for a prince to lead soldiers to such a place?"
The king views the First Prince unfavorably and considers the Second Prince his successor. Helmut had been aware of this, and it was now reaffirmed.
Luke Yeager's expression remained unsatisfied, but he eventually spoke calmly.
"As a knight, I must follow His Majesty's will."
"Just keep your mouth shut. That'll be enough."
"Yes, sir."
"And normally, outsiders shouldn't know such things."
The prince's gaze fixed on Helmut. There are two ways to handle an outsider knowing too much: eliminate them or make them an insider.
But Helmut showed indifference. He was strong enough not to choose either option.
Moreover, he knew the pressure was just a bluff.
"I'd like to receive my reward as soon as possible."
"You plan to leave Basor?"
"Yes, after Luke Yeager shares half of Darien's wealth with me, I'll leave."
Luke Yeager looked incredulous at the mention of sharing the wealth.
Helmut knew silence paid better when compensated.
Both parties would benefit from him collecting his due and leaving. The prince chuckled lightly.
"Then it's also payment for your assistance to Luke Yeager."
"Correct."
"Seeing you don't boast about your deeds, you're clearly not meant to be tied to Barsor. Already thinking about leaving without issues…"
"…"
The prince had a sharp edge.
"Do you have a master?"
"I have no master."
"I appreciate your help with Luke Yeager. I'd prefer if you kept silent, but…"
"Soon, the individual known in Barsor as Hydr won't exist. Hence, Hydr cannot speak."
Helmut planned to return to Baden, to the Greta Academy as a second-year student, Helmut. His link to Barsor would disappear.
The prince did not probe further.
"I want to confirm the Palma Knight Commander's death. His death and that of the red scorpion need to be verified. Where is his body?"
Luke Yeager awkwardly scratched his nose.
"Well, actually…"
Thus, Helmut's earlier scenario became the prince's scenario.
For Barsor, blaming the temple as the center of conspiracy was convenient. They had no qualms about it, given the strained relationship with the temple.
Whether the temple's conspiracy would be exposed to the public remained to be seen.
The conflict between the two giants, Barsor and the temple, was not an easy issue to handle.
Hours later, the Palma Knight Commander's horse appeared in the village alone.
Helmut had loosely tied it upon arrival, so it naturally sought out an oasis village with water.
This naturally confirmed the Palma Knight Commander's death.
Though they lost the Knight Commander, the red scorpion was dead. Bearing this undeniable fact, they returned to the royal capital the next day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As intended, Helmut's existence was concealed, and upon arriving in the royal capital, he promptly received a generous compensation from the prince, including his reward.
Afterward, Helmut and Luke Yeager visited the bank in the royal capital with Darien's sword.
Darien's sword served as a key. Inserting it deeply into a specially carved slot activated a magical recognition, opening the vault door.
Inside the vault lay a fortune of 50 million marks.
'Splitting it in half gives me 25 million marks.'
Luke Yeager couldn't contain his smile.
Helmut deeply regretted hastily agreeing to share the wealth with him.
Although it wasn't an immense fortune compared to the Sword Saint's reputation, it was a substantial amount by any standard.
One thing became clear: Luke Yeager was incredibly lucky.
Eager to avoid further entanglements, Helmut planned to leave Barsor as soon as possible.
Before departing, he had conversations with two individuals.
One was Mihail, who surprisingly asked nothing.
When Helmut visited the Golden Leaf Inn, Mihail seemed ready to leave Barsor, having finished his preparations.
It appeared he intended to bid farewell before leaving.
"Aren't you curious about who I am?"
"Well."
"I won't be staying here long, so I'll wait for you."
The enigmatic boy smiled brightly.
"We'll meet again. Somehow."
His words sounded like a confident assertion that he could find Helmut, no matter who he was.
Helmut thought Mihail could indeed track him down. But that was a concern for another time.
Helmut bid him a leisurely farewell.
"Don't fall, and safely escape Barsor."
"What? Hahaha!"
Leaving Mihail's laughter behind, Helmut encountered Luke Yeager waiting outside the inn.
"So, what's your real name? Can't you tell me now? I swear I can keep a secret."
Though his promise was dubious, Helmut planned to reveal his name.
"Helmut. And I'm actually fifteen."
"What!"
Facing the wide-eyed Luke Yeager, Helmut coldly added,
"I hope you prove to be worth saving and become the Palma Knight Commander as you should."
"You annoying brat! Remember my promise is still valid, wherever you go."
"Sure."
Whether he would need Luke Yeager's help remained to be seen. But not just Luke Yeager, all of Barsor owed Helmut.
After these conversations, Helmut mounted his horse. Fortunately, White had fully recovered.
Finally, he was returning. To Greta Academy.
It had been an endlessly eventful journey, feeling like an eternity of experiences.
During this time, Helmut had grown, avenged Darien, and despite the hardships, felt satisfied.
'There are still things left to do.'
But he believed those too would eventually be settled. It was uncertain how long he would remain at Greta Academy.
Helmut, as a being, was too vast for Greta Academy to contain, and he was still growing.
For now, Greta Academy was where he needed to return.
After a brief glance back at Barsor, Helmut spurred his horse.
"Let's go."
Leaving behind one chapter of his life, his departure was light as air.