Chapter 30

◈ Chapter 30: The Observer, The Solver (2)

Ludger stood still, staring at the spot where the werewolf had been just moments ago.

He had completely burned away all traces of it.

Including the evidence that it was an experimental subject, not a werewolf.

It was alright to feel relieved.

Because it was over now.

However, Ludger's heart did not feel any lighter.

Not even when other teachers, who had lit the area with magic from a distance, began to arrive one by one.

Ludger stood rooted to the spot.

* * *

The werewolf incident that had caused a stir at Seolren Academy was brought to a close by the new teacher, Ludger Chellis, who eliminated the werewolf.

Many students speculated whether the incident was just an exaggerated rumor, but numerous witnesses who had actually seen the werewolf put such doubts to rest.

The story of Ludger fighting the werewolf on the rooftop of the research building under the full moon had already spread among the students.

- Is it true that it was really a werewolf this time?

- I saw it myself. The new teacher fought the werewolf on the rooftop of the research building, and it was really cool.

- Are you sure you're not lying?

- They say part of the rooftop of the third research building was broken, and there were signs of a fight.

- Wow. So the new teacher really caught the werewolf?

- He's a former soldier, right? So it's definitely possible.

- Impressive.

So, what exactly was the werewolf, and where did it come from?

Some even suggested that the werewolf might have been a secret experimental subject, a theory that gained some traction.

But without any leads, such theories were nothing more than unverified gossip.

The important thing was not that.

- Ah, I got caught and received 5 demerit points.

- Me too. This makes my academic warning a bit precarious.

- Yeah, but I don't care about 5 points. I already saved up some merit points.

- Where do you live?

Most of the students who had volunteered to catch the werewolf were caught and received demerit points.

A staggering 130 students out of the entire student body.

Even some third-year students were involved, so it was bound to be noisy.

They had set out to be heroes, but instead received demerit points, and most of them were pulling their hair out in regret.

This was true for Eidan, Leo, and Taeji as well.

“Aaah! It's over! It's over! I got caught by Mr. Ludger!”

Currently, the three were summoned to the interview room to meet with the principal.

Eidan still had a serious look on his face, as if he was deeply thinking about something, but Taeji was different.

She was fidgeting.

She couldn't afford to show any weakness, as she was trying to revive her family's name, but this werewolf incident had not only failed to earn her any credit but had also gotten her in Ludger's bad books.

Taeji glared at Eidan in frustration, then bit her lip and roughly shook her head.

She couldn't blame Eidan.

If it weren't for him, she wouldn't even be standing here.

It was Eidan who had jumped in to save her from the werewolf's attack.

‘Yeah. I just, I couldn't do anything back then...’

Feeling like a complete fool, Taeji clutched the hem of her uniform skirt with trembling hands.

About ten minutes later, the door to the interview room opened.

Eidan, Leo, and Taeji, who had been sitting, jumped to their feet.

The principal, with her distinctive hair that was white on the outside but pink on the inside, entered the room with a cheerful smile.

“Please, all of you, sit down comfortably.”

Following the principal's words, the three cautiously sat back down.

The principal also took her seat at the head of the table.

“Mr. Ludger, please sit down as well.”

“I will stand here.”

“Well, if that's what you prefer. Now, let's get to the point. Do you know why I called you three here?”

No one dared to answer immediately.

But no one was in the dark.

The three were gathered for one reason: they had been the closest to the werewolf and had gotten involved.

Taeji thought Ludger must have been determined to make an example of them, as they ended up being reported to the principal, not just given demerit points.

It was a declaration that he wouldn't let this end with just a simple punishment.

‘It's over!’

She desperately held back her tears.

It was a matter of pride.

She had made a promise to herself that day that she would never cry again, and she never forgot it.

She was also spurred on by the calm demeanor of Eidan and Leo.

“What’s going to happen to us?”

Eidan spoke first, but his gaze never left Ludger.

“Do you think I just called you here to give you demerit points?”

“...It doesn’t seem that simple.”

“You’re right.”

Ludger spoke then.

“You three ignored Seolren’s warnings and ventured into the forest, putting yourselves in danger. And you almost did. If the situation had turned just a bit, someone here might have died.”

The three, who felt a pang of guilt, remained silent.

“Although no one died in the end, I think it’s important that you understand how serious your reckless actions were. That’s why I suggested to the principal.”

They realized how serious it was.

No one could miss the fact that his words were not meant kindly.

As the heavy atmosphere lingered in the interview room, the principal clapped her hands.

“Now, now. Don’t look like the world is ending. Think positively. And Mr. Ludger, you scared the students a bit too much.”

“Principal, this is not something to be taken lightly.”

“Of course, thanks to Mr. Ludger’s efforts, no one was hurt, and it’s true that the students were reckless. But ultimately, it ended well, didn’t it?”

“...I cannot accept that.”

“They are still children. And despite your harsh words, Mr. Ludger, you did explain the situation to me in great detail, didn’t you? Eidan?”

“Y-Yes!”

Eidan answered hastily, surprised to be called out.

“I heard you jumped in to save Taeji when she was in danger.”

“A-Ah, that was... just.”

“It’s good to see students helping each other, even in competition. And the two of you didn’t run away, but stayed to protect Eidan.”

The praise from the principal left Eidan, Leo, and Taeji feeling bewildered.

Why is the principal acting like this?

“I will give each of you 10 demerit points, as Mr. Ludger suggested.”

10 points!

Not 5, but 10 points, which was twice the penalty of other students.

It was clear that this would work against them.

“But.”

At that moment, the principal’s clear voice snapped the three out of their thoughts.

“Your actions in that moment of crisis were certainly praiseworthy. So I will also give each of you 10 merit points.”

“Huh?”

“Is that really true?”

10 demerit points, but with 10 merit points added, the demerit points effectively canceled out.

The principal wasn’t done yet.

“Eidan, you showed courage by thinking of your teammate before yourself in a crisis. I will give you an additional 10 merit points.”

“H-Huh!”

“Leo, you remained calm and assessed the situation even in a panic, and deliberately left traces to help others follow. I will give you an additional 10 merit points. And Taeji Priad.”

“Y-Yes!”

“The courage to face the werewolf without running away. Some might call it recklessness, but you must have learned something. I hope you can maintain that unwavering spirit.”

“Y-Yes! I understand!”

“Because of that, I will also give you 10 merit points.”

Thus, the three ended up receiving more merit points than demerit points.

The principal smiled at the three, who still couldn’t believe this was real, then turned to Ludger while seated.

“Mr. Ludger, are you satisfied now?”

The principal spoke only after the students’ footsteps had faded away.

“I was really surprised. You, Mr. Ludger, asked me to look after these children.”

Leaning back and swinging her legs, the principal glanced at Ludger with half-open eyes.

“And you asked me to make it seem like I did everything.”

“I didn’t want it to look like I did everything because it wouldn’t have been a good image.”

“I see. Good cop, bad cop, right? Taking the bad guy role yourself. Aren’t you disappointed?”

“I simply chose the most efficient method.”

“Ah, I see. Well, if you’re okay with it, I won’t ask further. It was a good thing for the students, after all.”

The principal, who had risen from her seat, approached the window where Seolren could be seen, and swept her delicate fingertips across the transparent glass.

“Mr. Ludger, you said you dealt with the werewolf directly, right?”

“Yes.”

“What did you see there?”

“What do you mean?”

“Wasn’t there something unusual?”

Despite the principal’s sharp tone, Ludger’s expression remained unchanged.

“I didn’t notice anything unusual.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I merely chased the werewolf and eliminated it to protect the students, just as I did in the military.”

“Hmm. Well, if that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do.”

The principal didn’t press further. Ludger’s fight with the werewolf to protect the students was already well-known throughout the school.

“Still, I must thank you again, Mr. Ludger. Thanks to you, no one died.”

“I was just doing my job.”

“I like that confident attitude. I look forward to seeing more of it in the future.”

Ludger nodded silently.

After finishing his conversation with the principal, Ludger returned to his office.

Sitting down, Ludger leaned back in his chair and recalled the events of the previous night.

What had shocked him.

The small werewolf’s body, hidden by fallen leaves, which no one else had noticed.

It was clearly the body of a human child, not yet covered in the fur of a beast.

He hadn’t imagined it.

It was definitely the body of a human who had not yet transformed into a werewolf.

‘The Shamshus School didn’t use wolves as experimental subjects to create werewolves.’

It was the opposite.

They had used humans as experimental subjects to create werewolves.

Not by inserting wolf genes into humans, but by forcibly mixing beast traits into captured humans.

Now, the werewolf’s strange behavior of picking up debris with its hands during the crisis made sense.

It was unusual for a creature without reason, but it had a clear purpose.

The small werewolf was obviously a child.

The one who had stood in front of him to protect the child must have been the mother.

‘A family, perhaps.’

The three werewolves that had caused a stir in Leathbark and Seolren were

a family that had been used as experimental subjects.

A child and two parents.

Ordinary people, caught up in a tragic event.

Ludger had killed them with his own hands.

Silently,

Ludger clenched his fist.

‘I have no regrets about my actions.’

If he could go back to that moment, Ludger would make the same decision.

If he hadn’t, he would have been the one in danger.

All experimental subjects had to be eliminated, and the connection to this side had to be severed. There was no other way.

And there had already been deaths due to the werewolves.

Even if it was necessary to kill to survive, they had killed and eaten someone.

So he killed them.

Yes.

That was enough.

‘The eyes.’

The clear eyes of the small werewolf, which had looked at him while licking its mother, in its final moments.

Even as it was manifesting the magic to kill him, its gaze held no condemnation or anger towards Ludger.

Just one thing.

Gratitude for ending this terrible life.

“...”

Ludger stood up from his seat.