Chapter 25

C25: Black Dawn (2)

Chapter 3/3 for the week.

'What are you two talking about now?'

Rudger was having an in-depth conversation with a girl. At least that's how it seemed. However, no matter how much I paid attention to my ears, I could not hear the conversation between the two of them from far away.

If that had been the case, Flora would have just thought that Rudger was giving students career advice or talking about lectures but she saw that a strange magical field was spread around Rudger and the girl.

'What is that? Magic? Does the field block out the sound?'

Flora Lumos has a secret she hasn't told anyone.

The reason why she was able to keep the title of genius even in Theon was because she has a peculiar constitution called <Synesthesia of Mana>. She could feel the 'color' and 'smell' of mana.

Most people perceive mana or magical power itself only as a visual thing but Flora also senses color. She sees a well-crafted magic recipe as a picture, and also feels the scent of delicious cuisine.

Born in an aristocratic family, she is very sensitive to such things, so she can easily find the difference in her manners even a little more than anyone else. It doesn't harmonize with other colors in particular, and it splashes out, or the stench mixes between the good smells.

Naturally, when she feels the right magic, she sees it with a completely different sense from other people. Like the colors floating around Rudger now. The magic that spread almost around Rudger was perfect.

It was far away, so I couldn't feel the smell, but the color of magical power was very clear through the glass window of the terrace.

'What the hell are you talking about?'

I was curious. If he was an ordinary teacher I would've ignored it but I couldn't help but wonder since it was Rudger.

'Shall I just pretend it's a coincidence and go?'

After thinking that far, Flora shook her head. Isn't that too deceitful?

'Absolutely not!'

Rudger was a wall she had to overcome.

On the first day, how much insult she felt in front of everyone. Of course, there was no dispute about her defeat. The source code that Rudger showed off was so strong that she had no choice but to lose.

'Still......It was something strange.'

When Rudger performed the source code magic, Flora's first sensation was visual pleasure and sweet fragrance that cannot be expressed in words. In particular, the source code magic unfolded by Rudger was like looking at a beautiful painting in which countless silver and gray metals were densely and firmly woven together.

Because of her unique constitution and talent, Flora felt boredom towards magic but source code shown by Rudger, rekindled her passion.

'One swipe......'

The moment Flora is about to move.

"Flora? What are you doing here?"

"Damn?!"

At the sudden voice coming from behind, Flora stood up and was surprised. Looking back she saw that her best friend Cheryl was looking at her with a questioning gaze.

"Cheryl, what's going on?"

"What's going on? It was Flora who told me to study together in the reading room."

"Ah, ah right. I did?"

"......Are you really okay?"

Cheryl gave her a subtly worried look. It's already well known that Flora was mistreated on the first day of class. Because of this, some students, who had always regarded her with respect, ridiculed her.

"Yes? Just~. Nothing."

"What is there? I think you were watching."

"No no. It's not like that. Come on, let's go study."

"Hmm."

Flora pushed Cheryl and headed for the library. Still, her gaze did not fall from the second floor of the cafe far away.

* * *

Having obtained information from Sedina Rosen, I left her a message that I would see her next time, and went back to my private office right away.

I hung my coat on the hanger and sat on the comfy sofa, stroking my chin.

'Let's organize everything first.'

There is a place called the Shamsus School, where warlocks and mad scientists join hands. It was them that made the werewolf as a test subject.

Although it is a separate group from the Black Dawn, they are still allies for now. One of the Black Dawn executives, Victor Dreadful, joined hands with the Shamsus School.

From Sedina's explanation, I guess she was in charge of research within the Black Dawn.

'The problem lies with the Shamsus School.'

The three werewolf subjects that the Shamsus School had secretly experimented with had escaped. I don't know the exact location of the lab, but if I look at the riots in Leathervelk, it's probably in the vicinity.

If the werewolf had been captured as soon as possible at the beginning of the incident, rumors would not have spread in the city. There were even deaths, so it is impossible to simply cover it up.

One of the werewolves even sneaked into Theon and put two students in the hospital. It is fortunate that there are no fatalities in Theon, but the problem is that the situation is out of control.

'It's their fault, so it's right to tell them to take care of it, but the problem is that the Black Dawn gave some support for this Shamsus school experiment.'

My Rudger Chelici identity is also involved in this and if other members are captured I might be caught as well. I want to survive, I have to catch the werewolves before everyone else.

'For now, my priority should be to get rid of the werewolf hiding inside the academy.'

At the same time, security patrols have been strengthened. Aside from the existence of the werewolves, it is certain that there are monsters wandering inside Theon, so the teachers will patrol until late at night.

No one would be surprised if I got rid of the werewolf here.

'I thought I quit my job as a hunter a long time ago.'

Five years ago, I ended my blood hunt and practically retired because I was too famous. Of course, I used the pseudonym of Abraham van Helsing in order not to reveal my true identity. However, after hunting the Jévaudan cryptid, I became so famous that more and more people tried to approach me so I retired and changed my identity.

'I changed my identity so many times.'

The last identity I used was Gerard, a wealthy middle-aged man with a lot of money. It's a fake life, not the real thing, but I didn't feel that I was particularly dissatisfied or frustrated. Was it because I was reborn in this world after I died once?

Little by little, my perception of life and death became different from that of others.

'Even so, I don't want to die again.'

I've already died once, so I don't want to die again. If possible, I wanted to live longer and more comfortably. But there were things that had to be done in order to do that.

Heading to the imperial capital this time was part of that but the train attack changed my life forever.

'For now, let's focus on catching werewolves.'

This must be dealt with first before anyone else finds them. I shook my head as to how to catch the werewolf.

* * *

Rumors of a werewolf among Theon students were like a hot potato.

Even the students, who had dismissed it as just a rumor, accepted the existence of a werewolf when they heard that there were two injured students this time.

Naturally, the teachers had to suppress the curiosity and vigor of such students as much as possible.

"Study! What nonsense are you believing? You'll have an exam today, so focus on it!"

"Everyone, this is patrol reinforcement week, so please go home as soon as the sun goes down. If you get caught walking around, you will be penalized."

Some students, who were timid at the teacher's warning, thought that they should return to the dormitory immediately after class, but there were not a few students who did not.

Naturally, the stronger the child, the more they want to do it when told not to do it.

"Aren't you curious about the werewolf?"

"What?"

"Let's do this."

"What? Haven't you heard that there is a penalty point for staying late outside?"

"Think about it. If we catch a werewolf, wouldn't the school reward us for doing well?"

"Then what if we get caught by the teachers before we find the werewolf?"

"We can't get caught!"

There was even an official notice in the newspaper stating that if a werewolf was caught in Leathervelk and a reward was published.

First-year students, who have not yet tasted the bitterness of the reality that they are not that great in Theon, dreamed of becoming a hero by hunting the werewolf.

"Aidan, what do you think?"

Leo asked, looking intently at the students who were clamoring for what to do with the bounty they would receive after catching the werewolf. At the same time, Aidan, who had finished writing a formula on the magic board, asked when he heard the voice calling him.

"Yes?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"Why? What did you ask?"

"What do you think about the werewolf incident?"

"Oh, that?"

Aidan laughed softly.

The teachers told us to be careful, so I guess we should just do it. If we get caught, we'll receive a penalty point."

"I thought you would say that."

"Leo, are you?"

"I'm not the type to particularly like to go out. If there are going to be victims in the first place, this is something teachers should take care of."

A female student approached the two of them while they were having a conversation. Her red hair was tied in large ponytails and her sharply raised eyebrows were of a very attractive beauty. She stood in front of Aidan's desk and pounded her table with her palm.

Leo had a reaction like, 'That woman is here again', but Aidan was different. He smiled brightly and greeted her girl, who was staring at them.

"Hi Tracey. Good morning."

"Good morning?"

The girl who received the greeting, Tracey Friad, wiggled her eyebrows at Aidan's greeting.

Leo sighed in response.

"If you lost against Aidan then, isn't it time to stop?"

"Lost? It was a draw. I haven't been able to properly settle with Aidan yet and this is mine and Aidan's business. Would you mind not interfering?"

"Ugh."

Leo shook his head.

It wasn't long ago that Tracey Friad approached Aidan. The trigger happened during a real magic battle. Aidan, who didn't know anything yet, got into a match with Tracey, and that's where the relationship between the two began.

The situation was favorable for Tracey, but the problem was the unusual magic that Aidan possessed.

"Let's fight again with all our might."

"Uh, huh? That, well."

The match then ended in a rather ambiguous result of a draw, but Tracey could not accept it. In order to revive the now-defunct Friad family Tracey has always done her best to study magic and worked hard.

She wanted to be the best in the first grade, in fact her admissions grades were in the top five. However, the fact that she could not win a proper victory over a commoner hurt her self-esteem.

"In the evening after class."

"I'm sorry, Tracey, I don't think I can do it today."

"Then tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow too......"

"Why!"

"Because there is a werewolf out there and we can't be active at night. If caught by the teachers, we'll be penalized."

"Ugh."

At Aidan's excuse, Tracey folded her arms, and then a smirk crept across her lips.

"Are you using that as an excuse to run away from me? I know everything. Are you scared?"

Caught by this, Aidan said,

"Yes. Okay. Then like that."

Aidan didn't want to fight with his friend—even though he would vehemently deny Tracey was his friend—so he decided to surrender.

Tracey raised her eyebrows and shouted into Aidan's face.

"I will win Aidan!"

"Yes? What?"

"If you can't fight, can you do something else?"

"No, so that's......"

"Werewolf."

When the topic came up, Aidan and Leo looked at each other and then stared at Tracey again.

He was already worried about what kind of absurd proposal she would come up with.

"Let's say whoever catches the werewolf first wins the bet. How is it? Are you sure you won't be scared and run away?"

"No......"

"Okay. I will do it."

"Leo?!"

Aidan tried to say no because it was dangerous, but instead he was astonished at Leo's action, which intercepted his words.

"Great! The loser grants a wish to the winner!"

Tracey replied 'Of course!' to Leo's provocation and left the room.

"Leo. Why did you suddenly accept such an outrageous offer?"

"Idiot. If you don't do it there, she's sure to annoy us again. So, I gave it a fair shot and passed it on. Look, she left right away now peace has come."

"Still...Lying is bad. I don't even care about the werewolf in the first place."

"You idiot. Is that the problem now? After all, the teachers will take care of the werewolf. We just have to stay still."

"Unless she's an idiot, she wouldn't do such a reckless thing on her own."

"... No way."

Aidan and Leo looked at the back door of the classroom where Tracey had disappeared at the same time.

"......."

"......."

No matter how reckless you are, you can't do something like that.

"...No way?"

"I'm afraid so."

Tracey was the kind of person who would do anything.

The two of them looked straight out the window. There, they saw the familiar red hair sprinting and heading somewhere. The direction was on the opposite side of the women's dormitory.

It was in the direction of a dangerous forest where teachers had warned never to go at the beginning of the semester.

"Something has happened."