Chapter 23

◈ Chapter 23: The Hunter in the Mechanical Winding City (2)

‘Phew. Seriously, I almost got caught up in the suspicion myself.’

Hans, holding Ludger’s suit case, slowly walked down a dark alley to avoid the sudden gaze of the police who had arrived at the scene.

Although he had only arrived here today, Hans already had the map of Leiderbeck City memorized, so he didn’t get lost.

‘But, going to catch a werewolf. When does he plan to come back?’

Just as he was thinking this, something dropped right in front of him from the sky.

It rolled to his feet—it was the head of a giant wolf.

Eek!

Hans shuddered and desperately tried to suppress the scream that was about to escape his lips.

“Scared?”

From the darkness of the opposite alley, Ludger slowly emerged.

Wearing shoes and leather pants, a snow-white shirt and a brown leather vest over it, a dark long coat, and a hat on his head.

His appearance exuded a presence that could have made anyone who met him by chance collapse on the spot.

Hans, trembling, shouted.

“Damn it! Sir! At least say something before you appear like that! I almost dropped the bag!”

“Would have been fine if you didn’t.”

“Man. More importantly, is this the werewolf? I’m not underestimating your skills, but it’s impressive that you managed to catch such a terrifying creature in that situation.”

After confirming the head of the werewolf, which had died with its tongue hanging out, Hans trembled and handed the black suit case to Ludger.

Ludger, taking it, turned and walked ahead.

Hans followed him.

“Can we just leave that head like that?”

“Yeah. We don’t need it anymore.”

“Then why did you bring it?”

“To scare you.”

“...You’re still holding a grudge about me pranking you in that alley earlier?”

Ludger remained silent, and Hans sighed deeply, raising his hands.

“Alright. I give up. I’ll never do that again.”

“Let’s see.”

After leaving the alley, the two of them walked to a street where pedestrians could be seen.

“So, what was the identity of that werewolf? A real Cryptid?”

“No. It was an artificially created experimental subject.”

“Experimental subject? I guess I’ll have to be more careful while I’m in this city. If the people who created it are here...”

“Actually, I have something to tell you about that.”

“Something to tell me? I suddenly feel very uneasy. Can I not hear it?”

“...”

“Alright, alright! Just tell me what it is.”

“I need to speed up our original plan.”

“Our original plan? You don’t mean...”

“I think it’s better here than in the capital.”

Ludger tossed two bags to Hans.

When Hans opened them, one was filled with gold coins, and the other contained the antidote to his beast transformation.

“Sir, what is this...?”

“We need to establish ourselves soon.”

“Here in Leiderbeck? Where it borders Seorun and the secret society, the Black Dawn, might be present? And with gangs in the back alleys of such a large city?”

“Yeah.”

“I see.”

“Use the funds well and gather information diligently.”

“What about you, Sir?”

“I can’t move rashly as I’m an academy teacher. The chancellor still suspects me.”

“So, you’re making me do all of this alone?”

Ludger shook his head.

“I’m not asking you to do everything. First, gather important information. Who the gangs in this city are, if there are any mafia, how the underworld operates, and how we can establish ourselves there. Once you find out, report back to me.”

I’ll take action then.

Hans, understanding Ludger’s unspoken words, swallowed hard and nodded with a smile.

“Sure. That’s my specialty.”

* * *

After returning to the academy dormitory, I unpacked all the items I had brought.

I entrusted Hans with the task of gathering information, but I’m sure he’ll handle it well.

Though he may seem unreliable, his ability to gather information is unparalleled.

I didn’t bring him along for no reason.

‘I need to build my own power base in case of any unforeseen situations.’

Since I can’t move immediately, I decided to prepare for now.

As long as the chancellor still suspects me and the exact intentions of the secret society, the Black Dawn, are unknown.

Rash actions would only backfire.

After quickly unpacking my luggage, I sat on the soft sofa and reviewed the events of the day.

‘That werewolf. It wasn’t a pure Cryptid but an experimentally created subject.’

The existence of werewolves isn’t surprising.

Monsters existed in this world, and although they were driven beyond the Shadow Wall, which is now considered outside the continent, their traces still remain.

Cryptids are a prime example.

These monsters, a sub-species, are now more like urban legends or tales of abnormal magical occurrences.

The werewolf I caught this time is a type of Cryptid, but it’s more accurately a fake.

‘Experiments to create werewolves have been known to exist for ages.’

There’s a cursed potion made by mixing various herbs into water with wolf tracks and adding wolf hair.

A transformation potion that can turn a normal human into a beast.

Naturally, this is black magic.

Black magic is banned by the state, and if caught, the penalty is immediate execution.

It hardly circulates even in the underworld.

‘But to openly create a werewolf. And with the marks of an experimental subject, it seems like a significant force is behind this.’

The collar suggests that a wild wolf was captured and mixed with human traits.

The marks of the containment device and other experimental traces on the werewolf’s body.

It was clearly the result of scientific intervention.

The potion that turns humans into beasts is now almost exclusively the domain of black magicians.

The involvement of science means...

‘Someone intentionally encouraged this.’

Then, who could it be?

To secretly create such an experimental subject, a regular space wouldn’t suffice.

A large laboratory would be needed, and it must be hidden from public view.

Space, secrecy, and the ability to conduct experiments.

Considering all this, it suggests that a major backer with substantial funds is involved.

A noble, or a millionaire.

‘There must be someone suspiciously wealthy within the empire.’

I shook my head.

I don’t know who to suspect, but since I’ve already dealt with the werewolf and collected its serum, I don’t need to worry about this case anymore.

It’s a rare weekend, and I don’t want to get entangled in more troublesome affairs. I’ll rest well today.

‘More importantly, I need to prepare for the next class.’

There’s too much to handle, and it’s giving me a headache.

* * *

On a peaceful Sunday, the start of a new week on Monday morning.

After a simple breakfast of toast and coffee, I went to my personal office in the main building.

Although classes start tomorrow, I need to show up as a new teacher.

That’s part of social life.

I sat at my desk and opened today’s newspaper to check if anything happened in Leiderbeck or Seorun.

However...

‘What is this?’

On the front page of the fresh morning newspaper was a large headline.

[Unidentified Murderer Appears in Leiderbeck. Still on the Rampage!]

- Last Sunday, five more deaths were reported in Leiderbeck, bringing the total number of victims to over ten. The identity of the perpetrator is still unknown, but according to witnesses, it was a terrifying beast with black fur. The police announced that they would capture the mad killer soon, but citizens remain anxious.

‘What is this?’

I read and reread the article on the front page.

This was clearly about the werewolf I killed last Saturday.

But the newspaper said the deaths occurred on Sunday.

Five of them.

‘I’m sure I cut off its air supply. So, does this mean there was more than one?’

The moment I felt something was off.

Beep! Beep!

The semi-transparent crystal ball on my desk began to flash and make a strange sound.

I know what this is.

‘The chancellor is calling.’

It’s a signal artifact used to gather teachers for a meeting.

This meant there was something to discuss.

‘I need to go.’

I stood up, put on my coat, and headed out.

Suddenly, I remembered what Selina said during dinner last Friday.

She mentioned that students had reported seeing a werewolf within the academy.

‘The victims in Leiderbeck, and the sightings within the academy.’

Even excluding the one I hunted, there could be at least two more werewolves.

Perhaps even more.

Trying to push aside these unsettling thoughts, I headed to the meeting room where the teachers gather.

Murmurs filled the air.

The meeting room on a high floor of the main building was packed with teachers.

Each one was skilled in their respective fields.

As I entered, everyone’s gaze turned to me.

Most of the curiosity in their eyes was directed not at me but at the source code I invented.

‘Teacher Ludger! Over here!’

I saw a familiar pink-haired figure waving from a corner.

Spotting Selina waving at me, I walked over.

‘Is this Ludger Chellis?’

‘He’s supposed to have invented a remarkable magic. Is that true?’

‘He’s from a fallen noble family, but he sure knows how to carry himself.’

Some teachers, aware of my background as a fallen noble, looked at me with hostility.

Their hostile and envious gazes were quite intense, but I ignored them.

Sitting next to Selina, she greeted me.

“Did you have a good weekend?”

“I rested well. How about you, Teacher Selina?”

“Yes, it was a rare chance to rest thoroughly. By the way, have you heard the news?”

“About this meeting?”

“Two first-year students were attacked by a thug last night and suffered serious injuries.”

Selina explained the situation.

Last night.

Two first-year students were attacked while returning to the dormitory from an outing in Seorun.

They were not in danger of losing their lives, but their injuries were severe, and the fact that this happened inside Seorun was shocking.

One of the students who woke up this morning said:

“A terrifying beast attacked me.”

“The rumors about werewolves seem to be true. There are also victims in the nearby city of Leiderbeck.”

“I see.”

It was hard to dismiss this as a mere hallucination, as the wounds on the victims resembled those inflicted by a beast.

This meeting was likely called for that reason.

As teachers of Seorun, we were expected to act as a force in emergencies.

This meant that the internal security and staff alone couldn’t handle the situation.

‘If the opponent is a werewolf, it’s better to send elite teachers rather than waste manpower.’

Seorun teachers don’t just teach students.

Given that they teach prestigious Seorun students, their skills are guaranteed to some extent.

“Chancellor is coming.”

A woman in her mid-50s with wrinkles on her face announced, and the teachers, who were chatting among themselves, fell silent.

Selina explained to me.

“This is Teacher Marie Ross. She’s been here for over 20 years and teaches pharmacology.”

“I see.”

Over 20 years at Seorun? That means she must be exceptionally capable.

She was the one who calmed the situation, and the other teachers fell silent.

“Chancellor is here.”

The door opened, and the chancellor entered.

She was always beautiful, with mesmerizing golden eyes and two-toned hair of white and light pink, naturally drawing people’s attention.

“Good morning, everyone. I’ve called you here urgently because I have an announcement to make.”

Without wasting time, the chancellor got straight to the point.

The teachers in the meeting room perked up their ears.

“A thug has appeared within Seorun. Last night, two freshmen were attacked and seriously injured.”

“Who is the culprit?”

“It’s still unknown. However, according to witnesses, it was a werewolf, or a Cryptid.”

The mention of the rumored werewolf caused a stir among the teachers.

“That’s impossible. Chancellor, are you sure? A Cryptid in Seorun?”

The one who spoke out so openly was a greedy-looking middle-aged man in his mid-50s.

He had greasy, unkempt blonde hair, a mustache, and a face that exuded malice.

He reminded me of the strict head of a department that every school has.

His appearance changed the atmosphere in the meeting room.

“Do you have something to say, Teacher Hugo Burteg?”

“This is Seorun, under the protection of the Exilion Empire. A werewolf in Seorun? I think the students might have just believed in a circulating legend and made a mistake.”

“Teacher Hugo, didn’t I just say there were two victims?”

“I know. Both were from noble families. That’s why I think it’s not the work of a werewolf.”

Hugo Burteg scanned the room.

“I believe the culprit is a student from Seorun, and a commoner at that.”

“What?”

“Otherwise, it’s impossible that only the children of nobles were injured among so many students. A werewolf attack in Seorun? It’s more plausible that some students are pretending to be werewolves and causing trouble.”

His words had a certain convincing power, but I couldn’t help feeling an instinctive discomfort.

Yes, he’s not genuinely questioning the situation.

He’s just nitpicking the chancellor’s words and trying to pin the blame on certain students.

After assessing the atmosphere, I nodded inwardly.

‘Ah, I get it.’

As an organization, Seorun has factions.

Students are divided into commoners and nobles, and the same applies to teachers.

There’s a subtle tension between commoner teachers and noble-born teachers.

Even the new teacher, Chris Benimore, who entered with me, refused to eat, citing his fallen noble status.

‘I thought the Black Dawn would be the only problem, but it seems there’s more to it.’

If it were just Hugo acting out, I might not have noticed, but the problem is that quite a few people subtly agree with his opinion.

It’s a faction of noble-born teachers that has formed.

And their relationship with the chancellor’s faction doesn’t seem good.

At a time when they should be working together, this internal conflict is a serious issue.

Just as I was thinking about the reality of Seorun, a small bug crawled up the wall and onto my shoulder.

I was about to flick it away when I hesitated.

It wasn’t a bug but a small, thin piece of paper shaped like a bug.

Fortunately, no one else noticed.

I naturally picked it up and checked the content without drawing attention.

Most of the teachers were focused on the tension between the chancellor and Hugo, which was fortunate.

“...”

After reading the content, I pressed my slightly throbbing forehead with my fingers.

「Three experimental subjects have escaped. Immediate capture is required. If not possible, eliminate.」

I immediately knew who sent this message and who was behind the creation of the werewolf.

But the most important part was the last sentence.

「If the experimental subjects are taken, our identity may be exposed.」

Oh, God.

Why must I face such trials?