C30: The person who sees, the person who solves (2)
Rudger stood still, staring at the place where the werewolf had been before. He burned it all down without a trace. All the evidence that he was a test subject, not a real werewolf was gone.
‘It’s over now.’
But Rudger’s heart was not at all at ease. Until the other teachers who turned on their magic lights from afar arrived at the site one by one Rudger stood still.
* * *
The werewolf incident that made Theon Academy tumult came to an end when new teacher Rudger Chelici eliminated the werewolves.
Several students argued that this incident was simply an inflated rumor but Rudger’s bloody battle with a werewolf on the roof of a building under the full moon has already spread among students.
Students have already talked about this incident in <Akashic Records>.
-Is it true this time it was a real werewolf?
-I actually saw it. On the roof of the laboratory building, the new teacher was fighting a werewolf, and it was really cool.
-It’s not a lie?
-Actually, a part of the roof of the lab 3 building was broken, and there were signs of a fight.
-Wow. So, did the real new teacher catch the werewolf?
– Even if he’s a new teacher, it was said that he is a former soldier. Then it is possible.
-Awesome.
So there was a question as to what the werewolf was and where it appeared. Some even argued that the werewolves were actually controlled by someone in the dark. However, in the absence of any clues, such opinions were nothing more than gossip.
-Ah. I got caught and got 5 demerit points.
-Me too.
-Yes. I don’t mind with 5 points~. I got merit points in advance.
– Where do you live?
Most of the students who went out to catch the werewolves this time were caught and were baptized with demerit points.
130 out of all students and there were even 3rd graders among the dogs, so it was noisy.
They set out to become heroes but instead they got penalty points so most of the students ripped their heads off in regret as to why they did it.
It was the same for Aidan, Leo, and Tracy.
“Aww! It’s ruined! After all, it was taken by Mr. Rudger!”
Currently, the three have been called to the interview room for a meeting with the president.
Aidan had a serious face as if he was still pondering something, but Tracy was different, she was restless.
She should have never have thought of using a loophole to rebuild her family, but this werewolf incident did not compensate for it, but rather was stamped out by Rudger.
Tracy, out of anger, glared at her Aidan, but then she bit her lips and ruffled her hair wildly. She couldn’t blame Aidan. It was, after all, Aidan who rescued her by throwing her away from her werewolf attack.
‘Yes. I was just, I couldn’t do anything back then…….’
Feeling so foolish for herself, Tracy grabbed the skirt of her uniform with trembling hands. Did 10 minutes pass like that?
The door to the interview room opened and the three Musketeers Aidan, Leo, and Tracy, who were sitting, jumped up.
The president had pure white hair on the outside but inside she had an unusual pink e colored hair and she was walking into the interview room with a smile on her face.
Following in the footsteps of the president was a man with a sober impression. It was Rudger Chelici, who had defeated the werewolf the night before.
Rudger looked as usual. His attire was a long red coat, not the black frock coat he wore in the past, but his unwavering cleanliness was still there.
“Now. All three of you sit comfortably.”
At the president’s words, Aidan and the three other people looked at each other and sat down again.
The president also sat in the empty chair.
“Sit down, Mr. Rudger.”
“I will stand here.”
“Well, if that’s what you’re comfortable with. So, let’s get to the point then. Do you know why I called the three of you?”
No one answered hastily but they knew. There is only one reason why the three of them are here. Because they witnessed the werewolf up close and got caught up in it.
Tracy, who didn’t know she was going to face the President, thought that Rudger was really determined and sharpened her teeth. What does it mean to tell the president not to just give penalty points? Isn’t this a declaration that it will never end with ordinary discipline?
‘Damn!’
She was desperately holding back her tears. From that day on, she never forgot that she had vowed to herself that she would never cry again. Above all, she was also stimulated by the way Aidan and Leo were sitting casually.
“How are you doing?”
The President opened her mouth first but as she spoke, Aidan’s gaze did not depart from Rudger.
“Why do you think I called you?”
“……It doesn’t seem like it’s just to give us penalty points.”
“That’s right.”
It was then that Rudger opened his mouth.
“The three of you ignored Theon warning and went all the way to the forest to endanger yourself. If the situation had changed a little, someone in this place would have been dead.”
The three of them had their mouths shut.
“There was no accident and no one died, but I thought you should know for sure how serious your negligent behavior was. That is why I made a suggestion to the president.”
They knew that those words had absolutely no good intentions for them. As a heavy atmosphere lingered in the interview room, the president clapped with both hands.
“Now, now. Everyone, don’t look like the world is collapsing, think positive. Mr. Rudger, your words were a bit harsh and scared the students.”
“President, this is not something to pass on like that.”
“Of course, it is true that no one was injured thanks to Mr. Rudger’s struggle, and it is also true that the students behaved complacent. But in the end, it ended well, didn’t it?”
“……I do not understand.”
“They are still children and Mr. Rudger already explained to me the situation. Aidan?”
“Yes Yes!”
When his name was suddenly called, Aidan hurriedly answered.
“I heard that you intervened to save Tracy from danger?”
“Oh no, that’s……just.”
“Competition among students is important, but it is better to help each other live than that. You also stayed with Aidan and faced the danger together.”
At the words of praise that came out of the president’s mouth one by one, embarrassment lingered on Aidan, Leo, and Tracy’s faces. Why is the president like that?
“Your actions are clearly wrong. So I decided to take Mr. Rudger’s opinion and give you 10 penalty points each.”
10 points is twice the number of points the other students received.
“But.”
At that moment, the president’s clear voice awakened the three of them from their thoughts.
“Your actions at that moment of crisis are definitely worthy of praise. So I’m going to give all three of you ten merit points.”
“Yeah?”
“Oh, is that really true?”
The 10 penalty points disappeared in an instant but the president’s speech did not end there.
“Aidan. You showed the courage to think of your colleagues before your own body in a moment of crisis. I will give you an additional 10 merit points.”
“Ugh!”
“Leo. You did not forget to grasp the situation calmly even in an emergency, and you deliberately left a trail here so that others can follow along.”
“How……”
“I’ll give you 10 additional merit points and Tracy Friad.”
“Yes, yes!”
“The courage to fight a werewolf without running away, some will say that you’re naive but you’ve probably realized something. I hope you will keep that unshaken heart forever.”
“Yes Yes! All right!”
“I will also give you 10 merit points.”
As a result the three of them received 10 merit points each.
“Mr. Rudger, don’t you have any complaints?”
“……If that’s what the president wants.”
Rudger took a step back and drew a line that he had no objections.
“Congratulations. Keep working hard in the future.”
“Ah yes! Thank you President!”
“But don’t overdo it. Alright you can leave now.”
The three students left the interview room feeling like they were still dreaming. Aidan, who was going out last, stopped and looked at Rudger, but Rudger didn’t even look at him.
‘What was the reaction that Mr. Rudger showed at that time?’
Aidan left the interview room with unresolved questions. The door closed, leaving only Rudger and the President in the interview room.
“Mr. Rudger, are you satisfied now?”
The president said that when she completely lost sight of the students.
“I was really surprised. Mr. Rudger himself is asking me to take care of those children.”
With her head tilted back and her legs waving, the President glanced at Rudger with half-open eyes.
“Besides, do all these things like I did.”
“Because it wasn’t a very good picture to do like I did there.”
“I know. Are you saying good cops are bad cops? Do you consider yourself a villain? Aren’t you sorry?”
“I just chose the most efficient way.”
“Oh yeah? Well, you’re fine, so I won’t ask any more. In the end, it was a good thing for the students.”
The president jumped up from her seat, approached the window where she could see Theon, and wiped the transparent window with her slender fingertips.
“Mr. Rudger. You said you dealt with the werewolves yourself?”
“Yes.”
“What did you see there?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did something unusual happen?”
Despite the president’s words, which seemed to be somewhat sharp, Rudger’s expression did not change.
“I didn’t feel that way.”
“Okay?”
“Yes. I just pursued the werewolf and removed it for fear of being a threat to the students, just like I did in the military.”
“Hmm. Well, then there is nothing I can do.”
The President did not ask any further questions. Rudger’s protection of students and fighting werewolves was already famous enough to spread throughout the school.
“Anyway, I have to thank Mr. Rudger once again. Thankfully, no one died.”
“I was just doing my job.”
“Such a proud attitude, I like it. Can I expect more from you in the future?”
Rudger nodded without a word and returned to his office.
As Rudger sat down, leaning against the back of his chair, he remembered what had happened the night before.
He was surprised to see that the body of the werewolf cub that was hidden in fallen leaves that others had not yet discovered was obviously of a human child without animal hair.
‘The Shamsus School did not use wolves as subjects to create werewolves.’
Rather, it was the opposite: they used humans. Instead of substituting human genes into wolves, they captured humans and forcibly mixed them with the elements of beasts.
The bizarre behavior of the werewolf, who threw the shattered debris with his hands when it became an emergency, was now understandable. He wondered why his head was spinning so well that he didn’t seem like a beast that should have no reason.
’A cub and his mother?’
The three werewolves who made Leathervelk and Theon noisy were a family. Child and two parents, just ordinary people caught up in an unfortunate incident. Rudger killed the three with his own hands.
He clenched his fists.
‘I have no regrets for my actions.’
If he had gone back to that time, Rudger would have made the same decision. Otherwise, he would have been in danger. All subjects had to be eliminated, and the clues that he was involved in the situation had to be erased. There was no other way.
There have already been deaths due to werewolves. They killed and ate people so they were killed. Yes, that was it.
‘Pupil.’
Those clear eyes of the baby that looked back at him at the end while licking his mother. Even while he was preparing his magic to kill them, the eyes staring at him did not contain any rebuke or anger towards Rudger.
“……”
Rudger stood up.