Chapter 27

◈ Chapter 27: The Werewolf (2)

After that, I patrolled around and caught nearly 20 students, gave them demerits, and forcibly sent them back to the dormitory.

I can't believe these kids are still wandering around even though it's nighttime.

Most of them are freshmen, so I can understand their lack of judgment, but seeing some sophomores among them made my head ache.

'They must all be really interested in this werewolf incident.'

The sun had already set, and darkness had enveloped the surroundings.

Other teachers are also patrolling and trying to send students back, but there are still quite a few hiding within the grounds.

'Fortunately, no one has come this far yet.'

Most teachers are busy patrolling and sending students back or preparing for any unforeseen events.

No one is thinking about where the werewolf came from or how it moved, or tracking its trail like I am.

That's because this isn't the way of a mage.

This is the way of a hunter.

While wandering through the dark sewage treatment plant, I finally found a clue.

'Footprints.'

The footprints clearly imprinted on the grass looked a few days old.

Others might overlook them, but I didn't.

When I examined them closely, I was certain.

'Comparing the size, it's slightly smaller than the one I encountered. It must be quite threatening.'

But there was one problem.

There were two types of footprints.

Both were presumed to be from werewolves.

Even more, the relatively larger ones seemed to have been made recently.

Could it be that both of them entered Seorun?

'I thought there was only one, but the marks suggest that the one that ate people in Leathbark came here.'

I slowly followed the trail of the footprints.

At first, they moved in the same direction, but eventually, they split.

The smaller one went right, and the larger one went left.

I didn't expect them to separate here.

Wolves are typically solitary, but in reality, they are pack animals. Werewolves, inheriting this trait, should stick together.

For some reason, they started moving separately.

I had to make a choice.

* * *

'This is bad. I'm too late.'

Rine, with her rare ash-gray hair, was running across the Seorun grounds, holding a magic textbook in her arms.

She had fallen asleep while studying in the library a little while ago.

As she pulled the hair off her cheek and glanced outside, she saw that the sun had set, and she hurriedly ran out of the library.

While running towards the dormitory, Rine couldn't help but blame herself.

'What an idiot! What a fool! Why did I fall asleep there!'

She had been cutting back on sleep to focus on assignments and studying over the past few days, and the fatigue had finally caught up with her.

The teachers had already warned everyone to go straight to the dormitory after classes due to the recent unrest at Seorun.

Thinking she could study a little more, she opened a book in the library and ended up falling asleep, which became the root of her problem.

Maintaining one's condition is a student's responsibility.

Even if she had fallen asleep, it wouldn't excuse her from getting a demerit if she were caught by a teacher.

'Ugh. Getting a demerit would be really painful.'

She was already struggling financially and relying on a scholarship at Seorun. If she got a demerit, the scholarship amount would decrease.

In severe cases, the application could be rejected altogether.

She wouldn't get such a severe demerit from this incident, but the mere fact of getting one was burdensome.

'But if I can get back to the dormitory before being caught, it might be okay.'

She needed to avoid the dormitory supervisor's eyes, but she was confident she could avoid detection by the supervisor, unlike the teachers.

Rine continued her anxious steps, walking quickly along the path lit by streetlights.

She thought a demerit was inevitable, but there was a slim chance she might not be caught.

'But it's still too much. Why didn't anyone wake me up?'

Thinking about it, Rine sighed deeply.

Ideally, she should have made friends and gotten along with others, but she had gotten into a conflict with a noble early in the semester.

Due to Dune Romley's punishment, Rine was seen as a disrespectful commoner by the noble students.

Other commoner students treated her as someone to avoid, thinking she had been marked by the nobles.

There were a few male students who asked if she was okay the day after the incident, but they were all just using it as an excuse to get closer because of her looks.

Rine didn't want to be close to such people.

'The librarian was also gone. They didn't even think about waking me up.'

The librarian, likely siding with the nobles, probably didn't care.

She must have already been disliked.

Rine bit her lip, feeling a pang of sorrow.

She decided to hurry back, wash up, and review today's lecture content.

──Rustle.

"Who, who's there?"

Rine stopped in her tracks, trembling.

The movement in the dark bushes beyond the trees was definitely not a mistake.

"Come out now. I'll call for help if you don't."

Rine had heard the rumors about the werewolf.

It couldn't be dismissed as a mere rumor since two people had actually been injured.

Thinking it might be the real werewolf from the rumors, a chill of fear ran down her spine.

Could it really be a werewolf?

Rine took a shaky step back.

At that moment, the rustling sound in the darkness quickly approached her.

Something suddenly burst out from the bushes.

Rine squeezed her eyes shut and screamed.

"Ah! Help me! I don't taste good! Eating me will just give you a stomachache!"

But the expected howl of a wolf never came.

Nor did the pain.

Rine opened her eyes slightly.

The first thing she saw was a head of golden hair, shining brightly even in the darkness under the streetlight.

Despite the leaves stuck to her, the nobility of the figure was undiminished.

The girl, who was looking at her with a peculiar gaze, was a senior and the princess of the country.

"Really. Talking about eating you. Isn't that a bit rude for a first meeting?"

"Eh, eh?"

Rine immediately recognized who was in front of her.

How could she not recognize such a symbolic figure?

"Princess, Princess?"

Erendil von Exilion, the third princess.

Rine had seen her in Ludger's classroom, so she immediately bowed.

It wouldn't be strange if the princess scolded her for being disrespectful.

But as Rine tried to bow, Princess Erendil stopped her.

"No, no, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

"But, but……"

"First, it was my fault for startling you. And this is Seorun. Remember? In Seorun, everyone is equal. You and I are the same."

Erendil's confident words made Rine's mouth drop open in surprise.

She never expected to hear Seorun's ideals from the princess herself.

Meanwhile, Erendil was busy brushing off the leaves from her body.

"Um, why are you here, Princess?"

"Don't call me Princess. You're a freshman, right? Just call me Erendil-senpai."

"Me, me?"

"I find it more convenient. Besides, I have no intention of using my position to boss people around here. You're Rine, right?"

"Um, you know me?"

"We have the same manifestation class. I have a good memory."

"Wow, that's impressive."

"Well, the class is quite unique. It left a strong impression, so most students remember it. And you stand out quite a bit."

Ah, she must be talking about my hair color. Rine smiled awkwardly.

I never thought my hair color would draw the attention of a princess.

"So, why are you wandering around so late at night, Rine? Didn't the teachers warn you?"

"Well, um……"

Rine, despite her embarrassment, honestly explained why she was out so late.

Erendil's eyes widened in surprise.

"What? No one woke you up? That's outrageous!"

"No, it's my fault for falling asleep."

"No! This is unacceptable. Such a despicable act. I'll have a word with the librarian……"

"Wait, wait! Senpai, what are you doing here?"

Rine quickly changed the subject, thinking it wouldn't do to let this continue.

"Oh, me? I'm here to find and send back students who haven't returned to the dormitory yet. It's quite noisy right now."

"Um, aren't you a student too, Senpai?"

"Don't worry. I have permission to be here."

"Oh, I see."

"Anyway, you should hurry back. If you go straight, you'll run into another teacher, but if you take this path, you won't be seen."

"Ah, yes! Thank you!"

Just as Rine bowed and was about to leave, a strange sound reached their ears.

If she hadn't misheard, it was definitely the sound of a beast.

"……Rine, step back."

Erendil glared into the darkness and drew her staff.

Two red eyes appeared in the darkness and slowly approached them.

The werewolf's form was revealed by the streetlight.

"……I never thought the werewolf would be real."

"The rumors, they weren't fake?"

"Don't be surprised. You were surprised when you first saw me too."

"Well, anyone would be surprised if something suddenly jumps out of the darkness!"

"Anyway, this is a serious situation."

The werewolf in front of them didn't look weak.

Its eyes were filled with clear malice.

Both Rine and Erendil were trying to hide their fear.

But as Seorun students, they couldn't just stand there and do nothing……

"──Step aside."

At that moment, a fierce flame erupted in the air.

The scorching fire engulfed the werewolf, burning its skin and fur.

Keeaaah!

The werewolf screamed and rolled on the ground.

It didn't die from the direct hit, likely due to its instinct to avoid fire, but it couldn't escape the burns that scorched and melted its flesh and fur.

The wounds were healing quickly, but enough time had been bought.

Both of their gazes turned to the source of the magic.

There he stood.

Rine involuntarily called out his name.

"Teacher Ludger!"

Ludger Chellis.

In his usual neat and sophisticated black suit and frock coat.

Ludger's icy gaze shifted from the werewolf to Rine and Erendil.

Pressed by his presence, the two of them waited for him to speak.

"Rine. And Erendil von Exilion."

"Yes!"

"Yes, Teacher."

They both felt relieved that he had come to their rescue and waited for his next words.

"You get 5 demerits."