The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate-Chapter 143. Take Full Responsibility

The next morning, the central district of the academy, where the grand auditorium stood, teemed with more students than ever before.

"Due to the overwhelming number of participants, we will proceed with a lottery system!"

"Please maintain proper order, as expected from the proud students of the academy."

"Draws are being conducted on a first-come, first-served basis! Any attempts at cutting in line will result in disqualification from the draw..."

The sheer size of the crowd reflected Caron's towering reputation. Students were pressed together shoulder to shoulder, their faces alight with anticipation at the chance to hear a hero's lecture.

Amid the bustling throng, one figure sighed heavily. It was Caron.

"Ugh. This isn't good," he muttered to himself.

"What do you think?" Principal Octavio asked, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "Do you feel how much our students have been waiting for you?"

Caron shook his head in disapproval as he listened to the principal's flattery. He replied, "No, this isn't good."

"Pardon?" Octavio asked.

"This wasn't what I wanted," Caron answered.

He wanted to be seen as a troublemaker whose very name made everyone tremble in fear. But by now, it seemed he had come too far to truly become such a troublemaker. His image was just too far removed from that.

Still, he didn't let himself feel too disappointed. Even if the sky collapsed, there was always a way through. Today's lecture was an opportunity—a chance to eliminate his rivals early. That alone would be a considerable win.

Halo must have high expectations of me, too, Caron thought.

There was no greater disappointment than seeing someone who was once thought clever making a blunder.

Caron knew that he still had time. If he followed his plan step by step, there would come a day when he would rise to become the empire's greatest troublemaker.

"Oh, right. Principal," he said.

"Yes, Mr. Caron?" Octavio asked.

"The founding members of the Reformation Club should be sufficient now, right?" Caron asked.

"Absolutely! You've exceeded the requirements. I've already set things in motion to establish it as soon as your lecture concludes," Octavio explained.

The principal recalled the list Caron had handed him that morning—a roster of the famous troublemakers from each grade. He didn't know why the heirs of noble houses notorious for their arrogance had signed up for a club about reforming themselves, but one thing was certain.

"An unknown intruder broke into the dormitories, Principal. You must summon the Imperial Guards at once and conduct a thorough investigation into this serious matter..."

The stories the dormitory wardens had shared with him were undoubtedly connected to this. Yet, he had dismissed them without a second thought. Who the culprit was didn't matter. The result did.

My life depends on him now, Octavio thought.

Caron was his last lifeline. If today's special lecture went well, and if he could smooth things over with the Ducal Family of Leston, then his dreams of extending his tenure wouldn't be a mere fantasy.

While the principal drifted into sweet visions of success, Caron watched the students with a calm expression.

...How strange, he thought.

Today was supposed to be a joyous day—the day he would round up every troublemaker in the academy in one fell swoop. But something made him feel incredibly uneasy. It felt as if something had been needling at his senses all morning.

"I slept just fine," Caron muttered to himself.

After thoroughly thrashing the dorm troublemakers, he had slept soundly for eight straight hours. His body felt great, far too good for this unsettling sensation to be just a matter of mood. Experience had taught him that a feeling like this always had a cause.

Nodding slowly, he turned to the principal and asked, "There have been murders happening all over the capital lately. Is the academy safe?"

"The academy has always been off-limits to outsiders, except for staff and students. Even weapons aren't allowed here, except for a select few authorized knights," Octavio explained.

The academy, situated near the Imperial Palace and the Magic Tower, was one of the most heavily secured places in the capital.

"Since its founding, it has never been exposed to external threats," Octavio added confidently.

"Just because a shield hasn't been pierced doesn't mean it never will be. Complacency about safety is dangerous," Caron countered.

Perhaps it was nothing. Perhaps his instincts were wrong. But such matters were best handled with certainty.

Watching students walk into the auditorium, Caron asked calmly, "How many have entered so far?"

"About one thousand students have entered so far," Octavio replied.

"The auditorium holds 1,500 people, so it's about two-thirds full," Caron noted.

"Yes, Mr. Caron. Shouldn't you go in and start preparing for your special lecture soon?" Octavio asked.

"I'm not on right away, so there's no need to rush," Caron replied.

He had brought a special guest for the occasion—a connection he had formed from four years ago, someone he had met during his last visit to the capital. That person had said that they would handle the early part of the lecture, which gave Caron plenty of time. It was better to be thorough when his instincts screamed that there was something amiss.

Caron nodded to himself and summoned Pluto.

Meow.

"Do your thing, Pluto," Caron instructed.

The small creature dipped its head in acknowledgment and dove into the shadows among the students, vanishing in an instant.

Eyes widening in awe, Octavio asked, "Did you learn magic too?"

"Something like that," Caron said nonchalantly. "Anyway, Principal, why don't you head inside? I'll observe the students a bit longer before going in."

"I really shouldn't—"

A sharp glare from Caron stopped him cold. Octavio shivered and nodded, then said, "Understood."

The principal thought that Caron had to have a reason, and thus didn't need an explanation. Bowing deeply, Octavio hurried into the auditorium.

Now that Caron was alone, he heard a familiar voice echoing in his mind.

"Owner, there's no dark mana here."

"That's the problem," Caron muttered.

"Why is that?"

"It means the threat isn't something we anticipated," Caron explained.

His gaze shifted to a male student nearby who looked shifty-eyed and tense, glancing around as if he expected something terrible to happen.

Caron narrowed his eyes and said, "Let's check him out."

Whether it was a mere feeling or a genuine threat in a new form, he intended to find out. So with a decisive nod, he began to walk.

***

The students who had eagerly entered the grand auditorium, hoping to hear the lecture of a young hero, were greeted by an utterly bizarre sight.

"Wait... What's that?" one student muttered.

"Isn't that him? Bourbon, the fourth-year trash?" another whispered in disbelief.

"And over there... That seems like Garfield, the scum of the academy."

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The most notorious troublemakers of the academy were sitting in the very front row.

But what stunned the students even more was the state of their heads—completely shaved, gleaming under the lights as they sat stiff and subdued. It was an image none of the onlookers could have ever imagined, and whispers of astonishment rippled through the hall as the attendees took their seats.

Amid the murmurs, Principal Octavio stepped onto the stage, his expression one of deep satisfaction as he surveyed the crowd.

"Good morning, students. I'm honored to introduce someone very special to you today," he began, his voice amplified by the sound-magic array that filled every corner of the auditorium.

"Before we meet our distinguished guest, I'd like to welcome back one of our most renowned graduates, someone with a message to share with you all. Please give a warm welcome to the rising philanthropist, Drogol Kian!"

Thunderous applause erupted as a man with a slightly sheepish smile ascended the stage.

He was Drogol Kian, who had once been famous as the capital's most despicable delinquent, a scion of House Kian, and a former victim of Caron's merciless beatings. But now, he was a philanthropist who spearheaded countless charitable endeavors.

"Greetings, my young friends," Drogol said brightly, flashing a smile that revealed brilliant white teeth against his deeply tanned skin.

The auditorium broke into cheers. It was unsurprising, because Drogol had recently been voted the "Most Admired Alumnus" by the students.

"After all this time, I'm still a terrible person, so I initially refused the academy's invitation. But... I couldn't say no to the one who changed my life," Drogol continued.

The students murmured, eyes wide. Everyone knew that Drogol had once ranked among the worst troublemakers in the academy's history. Now, seeing him transformed was an astonishing spectacle.

Drogol glanced over the crowd, recalling the mess of his past.

And then—

Creaaaak.

The auditorium doors closed, and a man strode inside. Even from a distance, his presence was unmistakable.

It was Caron Leston. The very man who had put Drogol onto the path of reformation.

"Disappoint me, and you die."

Drogol shuddered at the unbidden memory of what Caron had said to him. He had lived the life of a troublemaker once. And the one who had guided him onto the right path, even after he recklessly roamed the world unaware of its dangers, was that very person.

Caron had beaten him into unconsciousness, only to bring him back with a potion to continue beating him up.

The fear he felt outweighed any gratitude. Drogol still woke up in cold sweats from nightmares of that day, four years past. He dared not imagine what fresh horror might unfold if he failed to meet expectations here, standing in front of everyone.

With a smile that barely concealed his panic, he began, "There's only one thing I want to tell you today: Live a life you're not ashamed of. Let me share a bit of my story..."

Sweat trickled down his brow as he spoke. Caron's displeasure was a risk he couldn't afford. He didn't know what kind of disaster would sweep through this place if he did.

"...People make mistakes throughout their lives," Drogol said, his voice echoing across the grand auditorium. "Some learn from their mistakes and grow. Others, like myself, stubbornly repeat them without ever reflecting."

Even though he was addressing the students, Drogol's eyes remained fixed on Caron.

Seemingly having noticed Drogol's gaze, Caron waved back warmly, even flashing a smile.

It was a smile that instantly sharpened one's senses.

Drogol clenched his fist and raised it high, pouring fervor into his next words. "But everything changed when I met a certain benefactor. A bone-crushing pain transformed me into a new man! They say people don't change easily, but that's a lie! People can change easily. Reformation? It's not difficult!"

The atmosphere took a strange, almost feverish turn. At that moment, thirty bald-headed students in the front row leaped to their feet, applauding with wild enthusiasm.

"Reformation! Reformation!"

"Live righteously!"

"Love your neighbor!"

The academy's most notorious delinquents—now chanting slogans of virtue—drew wide-eyed stares from the rest of the students. Some wondered what on earth had happened to them overnight.

"Everyone!" Drogol bellowed. "Wrongdoing always leads to punishment!"

The auditorium morphed into something akin to a fanatical revival meeting.

Caught up in the fervor, Drogol gestured to a boy with a swollen face seated at the front. The boy hesitated before trudging onto the stage.

It was Engel Leroy—the same boy Caron had slapped the day before.

Pointing dramatically at Engel's bruised cheek, Drogol declared, "This is what punishment looks like! And through this, Engel will become a new person! You don't think you can change? Don't worry! We have the answer. The method is simple—just take a beating! A few good smacks, and anyone will come to their senses!"

Principal Octavio and Professor Ulysses, watching from the sidelines, paled visibly. They wondered if this could even be called a lecture. They could sense it instinctively.

Severance pay... How much severance pay will I be able to get? The principal thought.

Dear, I'm sorry. I think I'm about to become unemployed, Ulysses thought.

Murmurs of disbelief swept through the students.

Then, Drogol pointed dramatically to a man in the crowd and shouted, "Now, let me introduce the man who saved my life, my greatest mentor, and the empire's hero—Caron Leston! Please give him a thunderous welcome!"

The auditorium erupted into cheers.

Caron finally stepped onto the stage, greeted by applause so loud it drowned out the earlier chaos.

"Hello. Nice to meet you, students of the academy," he said with a calm, warm smile. He looked around, taking in the crowd, then said in a soft but commanding voice, "Please listen carefully to what I am about to say."

After a brief pause, Caron issued a warning to the students. "I am now closing this auditorium. You must follow my instructions if you want to stay alive."