Two days later, the core hall of the Grand Temple, where the Rasputin school was stationed.

……

"It's hunting time again?"

"Yes."

Willy nodded.

"And, starting next week, it's the annual spring hunting festival."

The witch looked accustomed to the hectic work of the witch dressed in robes, holding a parchment roll and a quill in her hands, reporting and answering questions, as well as taking notes on the words of the wizard leader.

Hunting Hour is a custom that has been prevalent in the Tower for more than 800 years to train young wizards.

Wizards and witches in their youth need to prove their abilities by fighting demons and extraordinary beings, and in the process, they will be tempered and grown.

Perhaps it is because there is a certain similarity with the Supreme Wizard Council of the Black Tower, which inherited the name of "Steppenwolf", this more primitive selection method, from the beginning to the end, is full of a wild roughness; And the next generation cultivated from this is the biggest difference between the Wizards of the Black Tower and the wizards in other places.

The people who created the customs in the beginning intended from the beginning to cultivate the people who lived in the tower as vicious wolves; And the young wizards who are still in their "golden career" are wolf cubs who host possibilities.

The implication is so obvious that even as primitive tribes had to perform rituals and dances to invoke the blessings of heaven before hunting wild beasts en masse, the Black Tower has a similar custom.

However, not every hunting time occurs, and it is only before the start of the largest hunting event of the year, known as the "spring hunt", that there is a grand festival. The date is usually set after the end of the "fireside meeting".

"Teacher, will you attend the festival?"

The witch waited for a moment, but received no response, before asking again.

Unlike fireside meetings, which do decide the actual affairs of the tower, while nothing is mandatory for wizard leaders, they will still attend for their own benefit and that of their school, and the pre-spring hunt ceremony is more of a traditional ritual, with the presence of Steppenwolf members motivating young wizards to participate in the hunt, but not every wizard leader will be willing to attend in person every time.

Just like Rasputin in the past, he never joined in the excitement.

“......”

I'm not going. Richard wanted to answer like this, after all, if there was anything in common between himself and Rasputin, I am afraid that the only thing he would have in common was the fact that he preferred to stay at home.

However, he suddenly realized something, and asked again:

"Where will the spring hunt be held?"

Richard heard from the Morningstar of Cummins that the emissary group of Queen Mary, disguised as a caravan and mixed in with important members of the Holy See, was approaching in the direction of the Magic Tower, apparently with a plan; And the hunting time is the time for the inhabitants of the Magic Tower to leave in a big way.

Although he couldn't guess the Holy See's intention, it was likely that he came to the magic tower or himself.

Could there be some kind of correlation between the two?

He doesn't want to think in terms of conspiracy theories in everything, but ......

"It's on the east side of Silent Ridge, the exact location is still undecided, and tracking prey will also be part of the hunting test."

"What about the goal?"

Demons and humans alike are the objects of the shaman's hunting moment.

During the period when the Tower was ruled by a few cruel dark wizards, the heads and wealth collected from the young wizards would be the standard for grading.

At that time, the Wizards of the Black Tower were the most vicious bandits in the kingdom of the earth, raiding villages and warehouses, and doing everything they could. When it is most arrogant, it will even attack the big cities guarded by regular troops.

After all, unarmed civilians are as weak as insects compared to hunting dangerous demons in the wasteland. Ordinary soldiers were no match for them either, and by the time the local lords summoned the extraordinary ones to act collectively, they would have retreated to the Magic Tower.

This state of affairs did not last long, as the Holy See's power spread throughout the Holy Alliance, churches were set up in every village, and the human kingdom became strong and prosperous in a centuries-long era of total peace, the hunting moment of the Black Tower, although still existing, could no longer be as reckless as it had been in the past.

Today, young wizards often train with thieves, mercenaries, or wanted criminals.

The most common targets are demons, who use magic like human beings, and their body structure is mutated due to the high concentration of magic elements. From them, precious alchemy materials can often be extracted.

"The destination this time was proposed by Lord Longman Hall. The target is an adult fog demon. ”

“......？”

Richard frowned subconsciously.

As far as he knew, the fog demon was not something that ordinary wizards could deal with.

Although it does not move in groups, it is far more dangerous than the average nest creature

The king species in the fog demon clan is rated above the "super dangerous species", which is equivalent to the master rank of human beings, and adult fog demons need at least a plural high-level wizard who has been fully prepared to be able to fight.

But most importantly, the demon's body can exist in a misty form that is simply imperceptible.

The prey hunted by the fog demon is often killed by the cold mist after invading the respiratory tract and internal organs under this unwitting situation.

"How did I not know there was such a thing?"

“…… It should have been proposed at a fireside meeting, and with everyone's consent. ”

The blonde girl, though she couldn't see Richard's frown, was keenly aware of the low pressure that lingered around the teacher, and she replied cautiously.

..... It's a shame that I wasn't in the mood to listen at the time. Richard sighed slightly, and said:

"Fog demons are not ordinary demons, and ordinary people can't detect their traces at all. What are they going to do? Relying only on a group of young people, let alone how to deal with it, before that, how to find a target? ”

"It is said that Lord Longman Hall has invited a family of prophetic wizards to visit, and it has been decided that a younger generation of astrogazers will be sent to join us in the spring hunt. With the help of this group of people, we were able to calculate the whereabouts of the fog demon within a certain range. ”

"So, Willy, do you want to participate?"

"Yes, teacher. As the chief student, I am obliged to participate in the spring hunt as a representative of the school. ”

She bowed her head.

"As long as you don't object."

Stargazer ...... Fog Demon ......

Richard inadvertently tapped his hand on the armrest.

After half a ring, he whispered.

“…… There's one thing, Welllet. ”

Richard did not call the girl the nickname again, but replaced it with her full name.

It was like a reminder that the girl was nervous for no apparent reason.

"Yesterday, you saw my face under the mask, right?"

"Hey......?"

These unexpected words made Willett's expression stiffen.