Episode 356 Crime and Punishment (2)
The lines Vikir left last night made headlines on the front pages of all the newspapers the next day.
[Extra] Night hound arrested!
[Breaking News] The identity of the night hound is revealed… Its identity is a freshman at Colosseo Academy!?
[Exclusive] “I am the night hound.” The true identity of the hound of the Villain Night that drove the imperial capital into fear!
[Additional] Shocking to be revealed as a private child of the 鐵血劍家 of the 獵犬 of the night sky 一波萬波…!
night hound. Its true identity is ‘Vikir Van Baskerville’, the illegitimate son of the iron-blooded swordsman Baskerville!
Officially, Bikir’s allegations were as follows.
1. Accusations of murder and escape committed inside the Baskerville family.
2. Accused of assassinating Evangelist Quilty, Cardinal Humbert of the House of Quo Vadis.
3. Accusation of assassinating Bartolomeo, head of the bourgeois family.
4. Allegations of involvement in the assassination and disappearance of numerous other prominent figures.
.
.
Even if you summarize a few important charges, the weight is considerable.
The terrifying villain ‘Night Hound’ that has shook the empire.
After the identity was revealed, the place where the aftermath was the strongest was, of course, the Colosseo Academy.
The students of the Colosseo Academy said that story unconditionally whenever three or more gathered.
“Oh my god… that scary monster was our classmate. I can’t believe it.”
“How did he hide so calmly? The world is really scary.”
“By the way, I was helped by him when I was trapped in Naraksu, right?”
“It must be a coincidence. Or is it because of the two faces of the killer?
“Anyway, it’s so terrible, really. I know he was in the newspaper department, but then did he write a self-criticism column? There is no such thing as deception.”
“Hey, I was in the room next to him~ It’s really creepy! I could hear something like a knife sharpening in the next room all the time…” ”
Me too! I also ate with him once during group practice! I felt cold because he was expressionless.”
“Ah, I always ran into them when I was exercising~ I almost got killed too!”
Public opinion was generally negative. Well, that’s natural.
Because the image of the night hound that has been steadily formed through newspapers has been the villain itself that threatens the peace of the empire.
But there were also a few who disagreed with the majority.
Tudor Sancho Piggy Bianca and others were them.
“Did you already forget the things in Naraksu? The subject that survived thanks to Bikire… Things you don’t even know grace.”
Hearing Tudor mumble, Sancho nodded.
Sancho, always deep inside, didn’t mind what happened with Bikir yesterday.
“Because Bikir calmly drew the line first, he must have shaken off even the slightest burden of his heart.
“That’s right. Bikir took measures so that sparks wouldn’t fly on us. He did it on purpose.”
Piggy also muttered in a sullen voice.
Then Bianca, who was next to her, snorted.
“Hmph. Who’s cheating if you act like that? It’s like Bikir and Sinclair. I’m really inexperienced at hiding my true feelings.”
“Am I inexperienced? How could I do that at that moment, when I squeezed out all my tears and runny nose as a traitor?”
“What!? My me when!”
Tudor’s sarcasm makes Bianca furious.
However, their bickering, which normally would have lasted for hours, faded within seconds.
Because they didn’t even have the strength to fight.
Even Tudor, always witty, had a dead voice.
“What can we do for Bikir?”
“…One thing is certain, it can’t just stay like this.”
“That’s right. We have to do something! It’s a trial soon! Shall we attend as a spectator and shout slogans?”
“Arthur. Then you’ll be dragged out right away? It should be a little more realistic and immediate…”
Tudor Sancho Piggy Bianca crossed their arms and began to put their heads together.
Right then.
“Let us help too.”
A low voice came from behind.
Where I turned my head, several students were standing hesitantly.
Gordon. Underdog. Grenouille. Hive, Middle, Bro. low bro.
They were people who were somehow entangled with Bikir in the Tower of Naraksu.
“I didn’t. We all survived thanks to Vikir. We have to repay the favor.”
“I could have met him and repented of my sins. If it wasn’t for Vikir, I would have been the devil’s plaything forever.”
“I don’t like Bikir, but… one of the girls I care about seems to be very concerned about him.”
“The lord is ours to protect.”
“We protect.”
“Keep it.”
Besides Tudor Sancho Piggy Bianca, there were others who thought of Bikir.
And one person walked out from the back of the group.
Student President Dolores.
She has been a secret supporter of the night hounds since ancient times. Ever since everyone cursed at night hounds, even the Tudor Sancho Piggy Bianca.
Tudor Sancho Piggy Bianca’s expression brightened when he knew the truth because he was also a member of the newspaper.
Meanwhile, Dolores spoke in a calm voice.
“The current situation is very bad, guys.”
Everyone was nervous at her words.
Bikir cut off all ties right before surrendering, so no one around him was harmed.
However, because of that, no one defended or defended Vikir, and Vikir had to pay for all his sins alone.
Dolores continued speaking in a calm voice.
“In the Baskervilles, the illegitimate son who murdered his second son and fled was arrested and said that he did not know that it was his own work.
tail cut. The Baskervilles took an official position stating that they had nothing to do with Bikir.
At least, the forces that would treat Bikir as a nobleman and avoid the death penalty turned a blind eye.
Dolores bit her lip.
“Vikir-nim will most likely be sentenced to death with a high probability. So we have to convince the jurors of this trial as much as possible in advance.”
The judge who judges the night hound is the emperor or the emperor’s representative.
The jury consists of seven members, and the seven families that support the empire send the heads of families or representatives of the heads of families to participate.
Dolores looked around.
Fortunately, the social status of students here is generally high.
Dolores gathered students who had the same goals and aspirations and divided the work.
“Convince Tudor the head of the Donquixote family and Bianca the head of the Usher family. Sancho appeals the truth to the mercenary guild in the north, and Piggy makes a newspaper with me. I’m going to tell the truth and sue. Gordon Underdog, please convince the nobles, barons, commoners, and student council executives respectively. Hive, Middle, Low, you guys gather as much information as you can from the Baskervilles. Extenuating circumstances may be possible. …”
Dolores closed her eyes and bowed her head.
“Please guys!”
Then everyone, including Tudor Sancho Piggy Bianca, nodded with determined expressions.
“You don’t have to ask. It’s what we desperately want. We’ll do everything we can.”
The students who gathered in a circle with Dolores at the center agreed in one accord.
“……thank you.”
Dolores looked back at everyone with wet eyes.
Even though there was nothing I could do right now, I felt as if my chest, which had been feeling stuffy and stuffy, had been slightly pierced.
It’s a little bit, but I feel like I’m moving forward.
……just then.
“It’s me. It’s a real kid’s idea.”
A sarcastic voice came from behind.
Where everyone’s eyes were directed, they saw a naked female student smiling like a flame.
“Hello? Vikir asked me to be friendly with you guys, so I came here.”
On her chest, you can see a name tag with the name ‘Morgue Mu Camus’ written on it.
“……?”
Dolores narrowed her eyes and looked at Camus.
His expression seemed to be asking for an explanation of what he just said.
As expected, Camus brought up the matter right away.
“The intention of persuading the jury to reduce Vikir’s sentence is good. Will Vikir really want that?”
“…What do you mean by that?”
Representing everyone’s doubts, Dolores opened her mouth.
Then Camus shook his head and tapped his head with his fingers.
“Use your head.”
“…”
At Camu’s words, everyone swallowed the wind. I never thought there would be someone who would say this to the world’s Dolores.
But Dolores was unfazed.
“I thought this was the best I could do… Do you think differently?”
“Of course. What you’re trying to do isn’t the best, and it’s not what Vikir wants.”
Dolores’ expression hardens at the continued provocation.
she asked in a firm tone.
“What is Vikir-nim looking for? And what are your plans?”
Then Camus smiled even thicker than before.
“I used to be just like you guys. I didn’t know a thing. What Vikir wanted.”
“……?”
“But I think I know now. What he’s preparing for, what he’s waiting for, what he’s fighting for. Everything.”
“……!”
In an instant, the smile disappeared from Camu’s face.
“Leave Bikir alone. He’s not a man who needs your concern.”
“Yeah how do you know?”
When Tudor asked, Camus gave him a pitiful look.
“Then don’t you know? That he’s so smart. And that he’s carrying a mission so heavy that ordinary people don’t even dare to understand.”
“…”
Everyone knows that.
It’s because I saw the numerous achievements that Bikir showed at the Colosseo Academy and in Naraksu.
Camus continued.
“Vikir’s every move is probably thoroughly calculated. It’s probably a lifelong plan. It’s not something we dare to worry about or interfere with.”
“…I admit that. So, are you saying there’s nothing we can do about it?”
At Dolores’ words, Camus shook her head.
“We should do what we can.”
“what is that?”
“It’s simple. We’re doing what Vikir used to do. Blocking it.”
“……Block? What Vikir-sama has been doing up until now has been blocking? What?”
Everyone sympathizes with Dolores’ question.
And in front of those gazes, Kamyu took out something from his bosom and put it on the table.
Tak-
Everyone who saw what was placed on the table hardened their expressions.
It was a mask with bloodstains stuck to it. It was a ‘picaresque mask’ that symbolized the hound of the night.
When everyone raised their heads in bewilderment, Camu opened his mouth.
“The gate that will soon open… ‘The Gate of Destruction’.”
