-645- Jack the Ripper reborn

"Since last year, in this academy, there have been disappearances every once in a while," Sigmund began.

"At first, there was no connection between the missing individuals—no specific gender or abnormal signs. Some were laughing with friends one day, only to vanish the next," he continued.

Upon hearing this, Rozen and Yaya exchanged glances.

Yaya cautiously spoke up, "Could it be they voluntarily withdrew? I heard the courses in this academy are quite demanding."

This possibility was exactly what Rozen wanted to say. Just like at Onmyou Academy, the difficulty increased significantly from the first to the second year. For students with insufficient talent, the burden became too heavy, forcing them to choose withdrawal.

Walpurgis Royal Academy of Machinart was among the world's top magic institutions, and the coursework was undeniably challenging. Only a few managed to graduate successfully.

Given the exorbitant tuition fees here, it was almost impossible to afford them without substantial support.

Unless it was a company, prestigious family, or government official from a nation, covering such high fees was improbable.

Rozen, for example, was sponsored by Karyusai Shouko, the top puppet craftsman in the realm of automata, making it possible for him to enter. Otherwise, without a present Akabane family in this world, Rozen might not have been able to afford the costs.

The corporations, elite families, and the military that sought exceptional puppeteers usually became sponsors. They scouted talented individuals through various channels and sent them here for further education, shouldering the hefty expenses. Upon graduation, these students were bound to serve them faithfully.

In such circumstances, if a student applied for withdrawal, their backers would certainly not agree. They might demand a refund of the hefty tuition fees and possibly even seek compensation or breach-of-contract penalties. In the worst-case scenario, one's life might be at stake.

Therefore, for overwhelmed students who didn't want to succumb to the pressure from their sponsors, quietly disappearing from the academy without formally withdrawing was not an uncommon occurrence.

However...

"This is still possible. Similar cases have happened before. But starting from the new school year last year, the number of such cases has noticeably increased. As of now, there are a total of twenty-six individuals," Sigmund said, his tone serious.

"Moreover, when I mentioned no connection earlier, it referred to the students' backgrounds and identities. In fact, there's a significant commonality among these missing individuals."

A commonality? What was it?

"All of their automatons were completely destroyed and left behind in the academy," Sigmund explained.

"Automatons destroyed?" Yaya was taken aback.

"I see," Rozen said, understanding.

If the disappearances were simply students trying to quietly leave to avoid trouble from their sponsors, they wouldn't intentionally damage their automatons.

Automatons were not only a puppeteer's power but also crucial assets. Even if they no longer needed them, they could be sold. There was no reason to destroy them.

Furthermore, for students who chose to withdraw midway and had offended their sponsors, they would find it nearly impossible to reintegrate into society and might resort to hiding in the underground world. They would either make a living through illicit means or even turn to a life of crime. All of these actions would rely on their abilities. Damaging their automatons would be counterproductive.

In other words, there was an abnormality behind this situation.

Combined with the recent attack and Charl's mention of "Cannibal Candy"...

"So there's a 'Jack the Ripper' in this academy?" Rozen murmured.

"That's quite an apt description," Sigmund couldn't help but smile wryly.

Jack the Ripper.

Starting from August 31st, 1888, for two months, this individual murdered at least five prostitutes in London, UK.

He sent letters and body parts to newspapers, all signed, making him the epitome of a sensational serial killer. He was the world's most notorious and elusive serial killer, leaving no concrete evidence except the victims' bodies. Even to this day, their identity and gender remain unknown, shrouded in mystery.

The reason Rozen likened this academy to Jack the Ripper was here.

"Except for the damaged automatons left in the academy, there's no trace or clue. It's essentially like being killed by Jack the Ripper," Rozen said.

"And the 'Jack the Ripper' appearing in this academy should be this so-called 'Cannibal Candy,' right?"

Exactly.

The so-called 'Cannibal Candy' refers to the attacker within the academy who assaults students, causing them to go missing, and damaging their automatons in a mysterious manner.

Where the missing students ultimately went, no one knows.

As for why the assailant would do such a thing, opinions vary.

But there is one thing everyone unanimously knows.

'The attacker likes to eat automatons,' Sigmund said gravely. 'The damaged automatons not only bear signs of being gnawed upon, but the magic circuits, including the 'Eve's heart,' disappear completely, just like they were devoured by a wild beast.'

Upon hearing this, Rozen remained unfazed, but Yaya seemed visibly disturbed.

'Consuming automatons...' Yaya's expression turned rather unpleasant.

Just as humans find it uncomfortable to hear about cannibalism, for automatons, knowing that other automatons have been consumed would undoubtedly be quite unsettling.

'So the mysterious attacker who devours magic circuits is called 'Cannibal Candy'?'" Rozen rubbed his chin, looking at Sigmund. "In other words, you believe this so-called 'Cannibal Candy' attacked me?"

This answer was correct.

"Although, with your current popularity, it wouldn't be surprising if someone attacked you, but if it's an attacker on the level of the 'Thirteen,' the first thing that comes to mind is the 'Cannibal Candy,'" Sigmund nodded, saying, "The attacker is a person of exceptional strength, someone who not even the Disciplinary Committee and the Security Corps working together can trace. We can deduce that their skills are highly advanced, at least on the level of the 'Thirteen.'"

If that's the case, it's starting to get intriguing.

Rozen's mind became more active.