Main Hall - Nevermore Academy
"Art is a way of connecting the work with the artist..."
In Nevermore's spacious main hall, a place with grand staircases and wide stone arches accompanied by antique-looking furniture, lamps and large chandeliers hung from the high ceiling and illuminated the place with a warm orange light.
Dozens of students gathered around a small stage. As it was a voluntary event, the spacious venue was not packed, but there were still quite a few people, especially girls and younger students.
A new display case occupied a place right in the centre of the large paintings that adorned the walls. The new grand trophy from the inter-school art competition organised by Mr. Vivero occupied a prominent place, and right next to it was a photo of William with his hands behind his back and a smile that some would consider presumptuous.
Principal Weems gave a speech on the importance of art, her elegant cream-coloured trench coat and platinum blonde hair synonymous with elegance and powerlessness.
"Is he distracted?" - Yoko -
"He's definitely distracted." - Enid -
Enid pressed her lips together when she saw her boyfriend's attitude, realising that William was not paying attention to Weems' words.
The glowing words floating in front of William were more interesting to him.
[End of Hunting Season - Reward: Rings of the Beasts - Claimed.]
[Reward for hunting Bear-type Selkie: Selkie Shoulder Guard - Claimed - Selkie Medals - Not Claimed.]
(Depending on the size, type, and danger, the system may give me a medal, a piece of armour, or a ring of the beasts.)
(The only major rune I won was for a sporting event... I wonder if this art competition will count as an event.)
"Now let's give a big round of applause to Mr. William Stone for winning this honour for Nevermore Academy and proving that we Outcasts are better than the Normies in many ways."
Principal Weems' last words were spoken with fervour. Several art majors participated in this intercollegiate competition.
*Clap!!* *Clap!!* *Clap!!!* *Clap!!!* *Clap!!* *Clap!!!*
Loud applause filled the room as the red curtain covering the painting fell to the floor, revealing the majestic silver Drake with his jaw broken into pieces, blood dripping all over the floor, accompanied by the throatless maiden crying with extreme sadness over the death of her father, a weak body burned to charcoal crumbling between her fingers.
"William, would you like to say a few words?"
Weems stepped aside and gestured towards the microphone.
"It was an honour for me to represent Nevermore, and I hope to do just as well in next year's tournaments."
William smoothed his golden hair, stepped forward with his back straight and his chin lifted with pride, his words brimming with confidence.
"Tsk, now he looks like a show-off."
Divina clicked her tongue jokingly as she rested her arm on Yoko's shoulder.
"Is it just me, or does he look more motivated now?" - Yoko -
"Wohhooo!!! - Ajax -
"That's right, Peacock!!" - Xavier -
Yoko raised an eyebrow in doubt, Xavier cheered William on loudly, as did Ajax. Their whole group of friends were just on the periphery of the small event, somewhat away from the crowd.
"Didn't you participate too, Xavier? What place did you get?"
Divina was curious. She remembered that both of her friends had taken two of Nevermore's spots in the competition.
"Fifth place in the second round."
"Is that good or bad?"
Yoko had no idea if Xavier had done well.
"Pretty average, Xavier spent a lot of his time with Bianca." - Enid -
(Not to mention wasting it.) - Enid -
Enid answered for Xavier, who seemed reluctant to talk about it.
The reason William now had more motivation was the bright blue screen in front of him.
[Reward for winning the Art competition - Belt of Callisto]
[Belt of Callisto: Contains all the information on the Ursidae family - Never comes off - Adaptability carries items.]
William smiled and waved to Enid, who did exactly the same but with more enthusiasm, jumping up and down.
(She looks like a pink bunny jumping around) - William -
Most of the crowd began to disperse, but not before taking a photo of the painting and posting it on their social media or sharing it with their friends who couldn't attend.
"I spoke to your mother about your performance. She is very proud of you, and I know it doesn't mean much, but I am also very proud of you."
Weems ruffled William's hair. She was about 10 centimetres taller than William, and with her heels, the difference was even more evident.
"Thank you very much, Principal Weems. I will try not to disappoint you."
"Even if you lose in the future, you will not be a disappointment."
Weems said those words before having to retire to her office, where papers, documents, and matters to attend to for the end of the second semester of the school year were piling up in a small mountain.
Morgue - Jericho
"Why is there only half an Oso, Galpin?"
Noble asked the question everyone in the room was thinking.
"He exploded."
"I know that, I can see it. I want to know how the hell it happened."
Noble looked at Oso Negro's body, lying on an autopsy table in Jericho's cold, dry morgue. The white lights contrasted with the silver instruments and blue walls, creating a depressing and somewhat suffocating atmosphere for a normal person.
*Sigh*
"I have no bloody idea. Ritchie and I shot him down, and seconds later he exploded on his own."
Galpin stroked his white hair and held his hat to his chest in dismay.
"Maybe it had something to do with those guys."
"Enough, Galpin. Whatever the case, Oso is no longer a problem."
Noble adjusted his tie. He knew who Galpin was referring to: the students of Nevermore.
"How is that possible? He's no longer alive, unless he turns into a brain-eating zombie!"
The coroner, Reggie Anwar, was the only one who could make such an unfunny joke in an atmosphere like this. Years of working with corpses had made him somewhat insensitive to this tense environment.
"Are we sure it's our Bear?"
Galpin did not press the issue. Noble would not easily go against Nevermore, considering his close business relationship with the academy director, who had contributed a huge sum of money to his mayoral election campaign.
"Well, I understand it devoured at least five people. I was hoping to find at least a fragment of bone, some hair, or a fingernail..."
"Get to the point, Reggie."
Galpin didn't want to hear any more.
"Nothing. A black bear's digestion of meat is rapid due to its large size, but it's still strange not to find any human hair between its teeth."
"How rapid?" - Noble -
"Twelve to sixteen hours, but there should still be some trace of human remains." - Reggie -
"We must continue searching the forest. There may have been another bear..." - Galpin -
Sheriff Galpin heard what he wanted to hear, quickly put on his hat, and set about preparing his officers. The hunt would continue.
"Galpin, stop!!!." - Noble -
"You heard the Doc, there should be some trace." - Galpin -
"It's been weeks since the last victim and it wasn't even able to devour him." - Noble -
"You heard Matt's statement, he saw it face to face and said it was bigger than a normal bear, this one is average size."
Galpin's tone became aggressive, and Noble frowned.
"Actually, a little smaller than average for wild bears."
One look from Noble was enough to silence Reggie.
"Watch your tone, Galpin. If you want to keep your job, Reggie, talk to the local newspaper and tell them the bear problem is solved."
"..."
Galpin clenched his fists but kept his mouth shut; his job was all he had left.
"Tell them to only take photos of the head." - Noble -
Jericho General Hospital.
"How is my son, Doctor?"
"Fantastic. Are you sure he didn't take any medicine?"
"I couldn't buy any; all our money went to pay my husband's hospital bill."
"Hmm, Steve, Bear Attack."
The doctor quickly looked at his terminal, searching for another patient with the same surname as the boy.
"That's right."
The mother squeezed her son's hand as he looked at his new friend through the curtains.
"We can talk alone."
"Sure, Toby, you can go play with your new friend. I'll talk to the doctor for a moment, and then we'll go home and have a sandwich."
"Okay, his name is Caleb. His parents are also in this hospital."
Toby happily climbed down from the bed and whispered to his mother. Lately, he had noticed her anxious to know who he was with and where.
Both children ran off down the corridors.
"I'm sorry, we had a little accident at the festival. What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Your son was showing signs of a serious case of Atec pneumonia. We didn't notice the symptoms the first time he was here, so I called you in for a second check-up."
"Toby is much better than before. I think he's better now."
"That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. He's perfect, healthy on his own. It's almost like a miracle."
"Atec disease has no cure or treatment and mainly affects children. They die within a matter of months."
*Sigh*
Toby's mother breathed a sigh of relief. She already had enough problems with her husband; she couldn't bear to have another one with her only son.
"He has money problems. If you let me observe your son for a few nights in the hospital and do a couple of tests, I can pay you."
The doctor leaned in almost too close to the woman, who was clutching her handbag tightly to her chest.
"Experiment."
"Yes, no!!!... It will just be a small study, some observation and maybe some blood samples."
"I need the money."
The doctor smiled when he heard the middle-aged woman's words as she stood up and slung her handbag over her shoulder.
"That means..."
"But there's no way I'll let you treat my son like a guinea pig."
"It will be harmless, I'm sorry if I didn't express myself clearly."
"Have a good afternoon, Doctor."
The woman took her son's jumper and left without looking back. Only she knew how close she had come to accepting the proposal.