The Return of the Iron-blood Sword Hound

Chapter 225: Tuition Fees (Part 1)

The festival had come to an end. However, even after the festival concluded, the passion still lingered like embers, oddly exhilarating the students. Students would still enthusiastically discuss the happenings during the festival whenever three or more gathered.

“Did you hear? Someone from the Hot Department Class A is now dating someone from the Cold Department Class B.”

“Wow, when did they start dating? It was bound to happen eventually.”

“They confessed during the festival’s fireworks at night. How romantic.”

“Oh? I heard that another couple broke up on that very day.”

“Really? The CC [Cold and Cute] couple split? That’s a bit shocking.”

Whether someone was confessing, engaging in a flirtation, falling in love, fighting, or breaking up, it was the gathering place for the youth in their teens and twenties, making love affairs the hottest topic.

Apart from love stories, rumors of students getting drunk, fighting, participating in debates, exposing truths, and taking leaves of absence were gradually spreading.

…Nevertheless, the most heated topic was this:

“By the way, did you hear that Night Hound came to the academy during the festival?”

“Yeah, and he was planning to terrorize again. Shiver me Timbers ????.”

“But the professors stopped it!”

“It’s terrifying. Shouldn’t the Imperial Guard do something about these villains quickly?”

“Exactly. Lock them up in prison; that’s where such villains belong.”

“But according to someone who saw it firsthand, Night Hound is incredibly powerful.”

“And they say a new villain appeared this time. An unregistered Black Mage?”

“But the two villains fought each other. Thanks to that, the professors easily drove them away.”

“It’s a shame. It would have been better if they could have been arrested.”

Unaware students chatted cheerfully with an innocent tone. The ‘Night Hound Incident,’ which could have turned into a horrific tragedy with the slightest mistake, seemed to fade away as a mere creepy gossip.

…

However, there was one student here who couldn’t dismiss it as just an urban legend.

“Hey, everyone.”

Dolores, the student council president, shouted with determination, forcefully opening the newspaper department’s creaking door.

“Who wrote this article?”

She asked with a slightly uncomfortable tone in her voice.

In Dolores’s hand was an article not yet published in the newspaper.

[Exclusive] Night Hound, and his Atrocities…

The Night Hound’s misdeeds have gone too far. On the 0th day of the month, the Night Hound, attacked the academy, a crucial institution for the empire’s future… Young sprouts responsible for the empire’s future must be protected, and any act targeting them is inhumane and against the nation… He is undoubtedly a villain who must face punishment… Meanwhile, before the festival, the Night Hound also destroyed several key facilities in the Imperial City, including the Imperial Bank, the Venetior Clock Tower, the Indulgentia Orphanage etc.

It’s a scathing piece that condemns the Night Hound. “The Night Hound didn’t cause any disturbance during the festival,” Dolores said calmly.

The commotion was caused by the Black Mage.

Reading this article, it appears that the Night Hound arrived at the festival and massacred students.

According to the empire’s rules, he’s a criminal, but on that festival day, he didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. The article should present facts without elaborating on them. “So, who wrote this piece?”

Upon Dolores’ question, all the members of the newspaper department, including Tutor, Sancho, Figgy, Bianca, Sinclaire, and others, kept silent, their gazes pointedly avoiding a particular spot.

…

Silence hung in the air.

…

Everyone’s attention was unanimously focused on one place— Vikir.

Dolores sighed, “Vikir. It’s you again.”

The one writing scathing criticism articles against the Night Hound, as if having an unknown grudge against him. There was no justification for condemning someone designated as evil by the empire.

However, Vikir responded with his characteristic emotionless tone, “I wrote the article as per the instructions of Professor Banshee”

“Then why did you choose a time when I wasn’t around…”

“Chief Dolores, weren’t you busy with student council work throughout the festival season? I coincidentally had time during that period and wrote the article according to Professor Banshee’s instructions.”

In retrospect, everything Vikir said was correct. Dolores sighed softly.

“This morning, an official statement came from the Imperial Guard. According to them, the one responsible for the recent attacks on major facilities in Venetior, including the festival assault, is not the Night Hound.”

At this revelation, all the members of the newspaper department widened their eyes.

Dolores continued, “According to the Chief of the Imperial Guard, the Night Hound’s primary weapon is a knife. However, recent scenes of terror show almost no knife marks. Instead…”

Dolores displayed several screenshots.

Scenes of collapsed buildings, including the clock tower, bank, mansion, and more. Only marks resembling the trail of a giant serpent remained.

“…These aren’t the marks that a knife could create. Therefore, the culprit is an entirely different villain.”

The Imperial Guard identified a separate villain, and their name was ‘Ms. Ouroboros,’ an ominous and unknown terrorist.

“It’s a suspected female assailant. The purpose of this terrorist is unknown, as is the affiliation, but it’s generally estimated to be at the graduator level. Even the weapon used hasn’t been disclosed. All witnesses are dead.”

The emergence of a new villain made all students shudder slightly. If it’s a graduator, they are usually treated with kindness wherever they go in the empire. They are the pinnacle of martial prowess. If such a figure harbors evil intentions and carries out acts of terror against the general population, the repercussions could be immense. The amount of blood that will flow in the future remains unpredictable.

From the Night Hound to the unregistered Black Mage and now Ms. Ouroboros, terrifying villains are causing chaos. The residents of Venetior are undoubtedly restless, unable to sleep at night.

Dolores firmly stated her position in light of these facts, “So, let’s not solely blame every misdeed on the Night Hound from now on. We should communicate facts, not take sides. There are three villains now, and we must clearly distinguish each criminal act, right?”

Everyone nodded in agreement with her words, as there was no flaw in her logic.

Vikir also nodded, thinking, ‘…It doesn’t concern me much.’

Vikir criticized the Night Hound vehemently as a precautionary measure. If he ever found himself suspected as the Night Hound, maintaining a critical image of the Night Hound would likely help him avoid suspicion.

Meanwhile, as Vikir was momentarily lost in thought, the conversation among the members of the newspaper department took a different turn.

“By the way, who or what is this ‘Ms. Ouroboros’ villain?”

“All witnesses are dead, so there’s no testimony. We don’t even know what she looks like, her primary weapon, or her motives.”

“The only thing known is the ‘trail resembling a giant snake crawling.'”

“Also, it appears that she moves along the locations where the Night Hound was last seen.”

“Indeed, if you follow her movements, it appears that she wishes to meet the Night Hound. Is she holding a grudge?

”

“But why didn’t she come to the academy? The last place the Night Hound was found is the academy.”

“Uh, let’s hope she doesn’t. With the heightened vigilance of the professors due to that, she probably can’t come now.”

“…But how do they know she’s a woman?”

“There were footprints with high heels found around, and there were lipstick marks on discarded vodka bottles.”

“Is it impossible for an ordinary man to enjoy high heels and lipstick?”

“Of course, there’s that possibility too. It’s quite common these days.”

Ms. Ouroboros, an unknown terrorist destroying major facilities of the empire, was already known to Vikir through information provided by Cindiwendy.

‘She’s chasing after me.’

Why was she pursuing the Night Hound? Vikir wasn’t particularly interested in whether it was admiration, resentment, or curiosity driving her actions.

‘Disturbances are allowed as long as they don’t interfere with demon hunting. I’d rather focus on the fingers moving diligently and on the knitting needles right now.’

Meanwhile, Sinclaire, who was nearby, admired Vikir’s knitting. “Wow, Big Brother, you’re really good at knitting!”

It’s only natural. No one else will patch up torn battle gear after his battle with Sere.

Vikir felt the need to reinforce his mask further due to the recent events.

Therefore, he was currently remaking the mask, cape, and mask with the leather from Cerberus, which he had obtained long ago.

He used Cerberus’s leather’s toughest and most robust parts, ensuring it wouldn’t tear again. Currently, he was stitching together the useless remnants of Cerberus’s leather, creating a scarf.

“I made it as a test for the scarf. I don’t really need it. Do any of you want it?”

Vikir extended the scarf made from Cerberus’s leather to his friends.

“Ugh, what’s this? It’s scratchy and has a weird smell.”

“It has a weird smell that I don’t like.”

“And it’s quite heavy.”

“Who would wear something like this?”

“Big Brother… This is a bit much.”

To this, Vikir nodded his head. “Well, it did taste a bit odd as well.”

???

Question marks appeared over the heads of his friends. Sinclaire hesitated and asked, “Big Brother, have you eaten this before?”

Vikir remained silent but nodded slightly.

In the era of destruction, one had to eat anything to survive the harsh battle for survival. ‘During the siege of Torchika Fortress, it was really tough.’

During the siege of Torchika, when he would have been trapped in the deep trenches for several days, there was nothing to eat. That was when he had to boil and chew on leather boots made of Cerberus’s leather for the first time.

“It tasted like eating rotten fish dried in the strong sun, smeared with spoiled milk.”

All his friends covered their mouths quietly after hearing Vikir’s statement.

At that moment, someone shouted, “Hey, Vikir! You’ve got a letter!”

Outside the window, a senior waved at Vikir. A notice was delivered to Vikir, and the same was received by Tutor, Sancho, Figgy, Bianca, and Sinclaire.

“…What’s this?”

Vikir tore open the envelope and took out the contents. The document had the following information:

[1st Semester Tuition Payment Notice]

Name: Vikir

University: Colosseo

Department: Cold Department

Major: Archery

Class: B

Roll Number: 20

Grade: 1

Semester: 1

Type: Tuition (A)

Tuition Fee: … G

For some students, it might just be an overlooked notice, but for others, it was a dreadful reminder.