Just as Ludwig was taking another look at his current status screen, admiring the steady progress he had made, a sharp knock echoed through the door of his room. The sound was insistent, almost urgent, pulling him away from his thoughts. He sighed, closing the status screen with a flick of his wrist, and strode over to the door. When he opened it, he found the same student council member from earlier that morning standing there, her expression a mix of determination and unease.
“I already told you I need more time to think about it,” Ludwig said, his voice calm but firm. He wasn’t in the mood for another round of persuasion.
The council member, however, didn’t budge. “We have an update to the case,” she said, her tone serious.
“Case? Are we detectives now?” Ludwig raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with sarcasm. He crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe.
“That’s part of our job as council members—to uphold the peace of the academy,” she replied, her gaze unwavering. “But this update changes things.”
“What does it matter to me?” Ludwig asked, his tone indifferent. He wasn’t sure why he was being dragged into this mess.
“Because we found another body,” she said bluntly, her words hanging heavily in the air.
Ludwig’s expression shifted slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his skeletal features. “Oh…” he murmured, his voice trailing off. He hadn’t expected that. “And this is relevant to me how?”
The council member stepped closer, her voice dropping to a lower, more urgent tone. “Some of our members still had doubts about your innocence. But the new body we found was discovered in the forest. It was heavily decayed, with the same marks and method of death as Von Hubert. We estimate the corpse had been there for at least thirty days—maybe more. That puts you in the clear, since you only joined the academy recently. Now, the president of the student council wants you to help us investigate further.”
Ludwig tilted his head, considering her words. “Although I feel sorry for whoever lost their life to this… thing, I don’t find it in my interest to do any favors for the council,” he said, his tone dismissive.
The council member didn’t back down. “There will be compensation from the academy if we reach any conclusive evidence about the killer. A crest, actually. Are you still not interested?” she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him.
Ludwig paused, his interest piqued. A crest? That changed things. He had already been considering joining the council out of sheer boredom and to fulfill the quest from Necros. But now, with the promise of a crest, the offer was far more tempting. “Sure thing, then,” he said, shrugging. “Though I doubt I’ll be of much help.”
The council member nodded, a hint of relief in her expression. “Professor Joana recommended you. She’s convinced you have strong deductive abilities, especially since you recognized that Hubert’s death was caused by a parasite. That was the same conclusion Professor Vastion reached. We’d like your help. The teachers are keeping the normal students in the dark, but as the student council, we have more leeway to figure out the truth.”
Ludwig thought for a moment, then nodded. “I don’t promise anything, but sure, take me with you,” he said.
The council member thanked him and led the way. They left the dorms and made their way to the main academy building, descending a set of long, winding stairs until they reached a large, ornate door. The council member pushed it open, revealing a spacious room filled with several figures seated around a large table. Most of them wore the same uniform as the girl who had brought Ludwig, complete with the distinctive arm ribbon that marked them as council members.
There were four guys and two girls in the room, all of whom turned their attention to Ludwig as he entered. He recognized two of them immediately: Bron, the same guy who had caused trouble back in the Pseudo Dungeon, and Ravi Vondel, Thomas Vondel’s older brother. Both of them snorted in unison as Ludwig walked in, their expressions a mix of disdain and annoyance.
Another woman waved at Ludwig from across the table. It was Minerva, a fellow freshman who had been part of Bron’s team during the dungeon incident. She had been the one who had kept them alive with her healing and support skills. Without her, there likely would have been more casualties. Ludwig gave her a slight nod in acknowledgment.
The others in the room were unfamiliar to him. They wore robes with different patterns, indicating they were likely seniors. Ludwig’s presence seemed to stir the room, and he could feel the weight of their scrutiny.
“What’s he doing here?!” Bron demanded, his voice loud and accusatory.
Before Ludwig could respond, another figure entered the room from a side door. He was tall and slender, with a pair of glasses perched on his nose. His demeanor was calm and composed, and he exuded an air of authority. “I invited him personally,” the newcomer said, his voice smooth and confident. “Ludwig Heart, my name is Danny Thompson. I’m the student council president. Welcome.”
Ludwig nodded, his expression neutral. “What am I supposed to do here?” he asked, cutting straight to the point.
Danny smiled, unfazed by Ludwig’s bluntness. “We’re at a bit of an impasse in the case, and we heard you might be able to provide some assistance. Would you mind taking a look at some of our findings?” He gestured to a stack of pictures and documents on the table.
Ludwig stepped forward and picked up one of the photos. The image was gruesome: a body twisted and mangled, its chest torn open and its limbs contorted in unnatural angles. The decay was severe, making it difficult to discern many details, but the similarities to Hubert’s death were unmistakable.
“I don’t suppose we have access to the body?” Ludwig asked, his eyes still fixed on the photo.
Danny shook his head. “No, the morgue took it. The professors are concerned it might be infectious, especially if it’s parasitic in nature. They don’t want us risking exposure.”
Ludwig nodded, understanding the caution. But as he flipped through the documents, something caught his eye. He frowned, his brow furrowing as he studied the report more closely.
“That’s not right,” he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.
Danny leaned forward, intrigued. “What is it?”
Ludwig looked up, his expression serious. “This thing… I’m not so sure it’s parasitic anymore.”
“Why not?” Danny asked, his interest clearly piqued.
“There are no signs of struggle on this body,” Ludwig explained. “Unlike Hubert’s body, which was riddled with scars and wounds, this one has none. It’s too clean.”
Bron scoffed loudly, interrupting. “It’s decayed, you dumbass. Why would it have scars if the flesh has rotted away?”
Ludwig ignored the jab, his focus unwavering. “Hubert’s body had its bones slashed through with a sword. His fingers were broken, and his nails were torn out. The autopsy deduced that his wounds were all self-inflicted from the types of the wounds, This body doesn’t have any of that. Even the nails are intact. If a parasite was forcing the victim to harm themselves, you’d expect to see evidence of that—scratching, clawing, anything. But this kill is too clean. It doesn’t add up.”
Danny’s eyes widened as he processed Ludwig’s words. “You think he was ambushed?”
Ludwig nodded. “I believe so.”
The room fell silent as the implications sank in. Danny leaned back in his chair, his expression grave. “Then this changes everything. We’re not looking for a creature… we’re looking for a serial killer.”