Reviving a Bankrupt Academy: My Financial Battle

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While the Finance Director was indulging in a frenzy of salary reduction, feeling a rare sense of exhilaration.

The Headmistress, who had left the conference room earlier, was walking somewhere with the Head of Academic Affairs and Professor Circe.

"...…."

"...."

"...."

Thud. Thud.

In the suffocating silence and heavy atmosphere.

The Headmistress, arriving in front of her office, gestured to the Head of Academic Affairs.

"Thank you for your hard work. You can go in first."

"I will carry out your orders as quickly as possible!"

"Please do."

Although it seemed like he could already hear the screams of the Academic Affairs staff, the Head of Academic Affairs only had a determined expression, as if he would definitely accomplish the task.

And so, he left first.

Only the Headmistress and Professor Circe remained in front of the Headmistress's office.

"Come in."

"…Yes."

The air was prickly. It was burning hot and freezing cold at the same time, as if there were invisible blades in the air.

Professor Circe felt her back getting wet with cold sweat as she followed the Headmistress.

The image the Headmistress projected to the outside world was simple: the Iron Ruler. A king and dictator who didn't tolerate any rebellion.

Of course, it was something that would make a certain Finance Director scoff, knowing her true personality, but the Headmistress was a Rank 8 martial artist and a war hero.

Thanks to that, she could easily act like an Iron Ruler. If the Headmistress truly unleashed her killing intent, most people wouldn't even dare to meet her eyes. She could easily instill fear.

And it was no different for Professor Circe.

Crack!

"Ugh…!!"

Blood rose in her throat.

Even though Circe was a considerably powerful mage at Rank 6, it was meaningless in front of the Headmistress.

As she struggled to maintain her composure while suppressing the blood, the Headmistress, who had unleashed her killing intent, sat in her chair.

Her black hair swayed.

A sharp aura emanated from her body, which looked like that of a teenage girl at first glance.

"I was foolish."

"...…!!"

"I was too indecisive and soft-hearted. I hesitated even after things had come this far. Until the Finance Director appeared."

The Headmistress didn't want a response. Professor Circe couldn't even respond.

It was just a one-sided statement.

"Is it really impossible? Is it arrogance for me, who could only kill people, to dream of saving and raising people? Was it a mistake to establish the academy in the first place?"

"Cough… sob!"

"I killed as much of my old self as I could. I have to be the Headmistress of the academy, not a human slaughterer. Because I have to be… I was used so much because I only knew how to kill people."

The Headmistress gave a wry smile. Professor Circe was now bowing her head, blood dripping from her mouth.

Many had used her. The Deans in the early days, the former Finance Department staff, self-proclaimed investors, and Professor Circe in front of her, among others.

Looking at Circe, who was on the verge of collapsing, the Headmistress had a cold look in her eyes.

"But I'm still trying. Even if I'm a pushover, betrayed, and used, seeing the students who graduate after seizing the opportunity to learn, unlike my past self, gives me the conviction that I'm on the right path. The students are my most precious treasure."

"Cough!"

"But these days… I have one more treasure."

The Headmistress smiled shyly. Professor Circe finally couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed.

Why did the monarch of a vast kingdom show her consideration? Why did the hegemonic Empire continue to send her love calls? How was she, who was severely lacking in financial sense and other skills to lead an organization besides killing people, able to lead the academy?

Rank 8. Human slaughterer. War hero. The strongest in the kingdom.

Over a hundred years ago, she, who no one could control and was fearfully called the Mad Dragon or the Human Slaughterer.

Brought out a tiny bit of her past self.

"So don't defy the Finance Director. Don't test my indecisiveness and naivety too much. I'm doing my best to kill my past self, and I've been wearing clothes that don't fit me for decades."

"Gasp…"

"More importantly—"

──In this vast academy.

──It would be difficult to find a professor if they suddenly disappeared.

"Please."

Don't make foolish choices.

May the day I stain my fists with blood never come.

So that I can remain the Headmistress of Grandis Academy.

"Make an effort."

***

Ah, how refreshing.

Back in my exam crammer days, there was a guy in the next room who got a job at the National Tax Service. We were quite close, and he would sometimes visit and buy me meat and drinks.

'He said he felt the best when legally collecting delinquent taxes.'

I think I understand that feeling now. It was truly amusing to see them react so dramatically to every single salary reduction.

In the end, it was decided to reduce their salaries by 50% for ten years. It was a feat achieved thanks to the active support of the martial arts and administration department professors.

'How much did we save with this?'

I had been stressed lately because of the protagonist and the Building Destroyer, but it felt like all that had melted away.

However, as a personal favor, I lowered the salary reduction rate for Dean Billend. Getting close to him would bring many benefits. When I secretly told him, he literally jumped for joy.

Anyway, I went to the Headmistress's office in a cheerful mood to report, but…

"…Huh?"

She wasn't there.

It was natural that Professor Circe wasn't there, but the Headmistress, who should have been there, was also absent.

It was supposed to be a meeting right after the conference in her office. The Headmistress wasn't someone who would break a promise.

After a moment of contemplation, I…

"As expected."

"...."

"Found you, Headmistress."

I was able to quickly find the Headmistress sitting on a bench on the rooftop.

Sometimes the Headmistress came up here to look at the scenery of the academy. It was also my favorite smoking spot since it was off-limits to everyone except the Headmistress.

But why was she here?

"The salary reduction plan has been finalized. 50% for ten years, and over 90% for Professor Circe… Headmistress?"

"…Finance Director."

"Headmistress, could it be… were you crying?"

On the Headmistress's face, who was squatting on the bench.

There were clear tear stains.

As I stared at the Headmistress with a bewildered expression, she lowered her head.

"I'm sorry, Finance Director."

"Why are you suddenly apologizing? Did you do futures trading again?"

"Just… everything."

Why was she acting like this when it wasn't even dawn?

I put the documents I brought next to me and quietly sat next to the Headmistress.

"What are you feeling to be acting like this?"

"I'm so… foolish."

"What?"

"If it weren't for the Finance Director, I would have glossed over Professor Circe's matter. Or at least, I wouldn't have resolved it in this way."

"Everyone has different things they can do. You're doing a good job as the Headmistress…"

"Being taken advantage of like a fool, pretending to be an Iron Ruler and putting on airs, always leaving everything to the Finance Director?"

"...."

Hmm.

I had nothing to say to that, it was the truth.

"I can be decisive when it comes to established rules. But this custom… I'm the one who started it. In the end."

"What does that matter?"

"If I were a little smarter, this problem wouldn't have occurred."

That was also true, but…

Since she was hitting herself with facts, I was at a loss for how to comfort her. What should I do?

"In the end, I dreamed too big."

"Dreams, you say."

"I didn't want anyone like my childhood self to appear again. I wanted to reduce the number of people suffering because they couldn't learn. Even though all I knew was to throw punches and kill people, I wanted to establish an academy."

That was the Headmistress's dream. A dream she had already realized, but was now on the verge of collapsing.

"I wanted to save people with the hands that killed people, and I, who killed people, wanted to raise people. To do that, the past human slaughterer had to disappear, so I forcibly killed my own personality."

The Headmistress.

Poured out her regrets along with her tears.

"At first, I didn't want to become an Iron Ruler. But when I did, the entire academy was tainted with corruption and bribes. I thought this couldn't continue, so I overturned everything and perfectly acted the part of a strict ruler."

"...."

"When I see those who taint my dream, my students, this academy, I want to beat them all to death. But I can't do that anymore. I'm the Headmistress of the academy now. So, there were many times when I let things slide or hesitated because they were part of the academy."

"In the end, all those problems piled up and led to this situation."

The Headmistress was hugging a wide-brimmed hat, something that didn't suit her as a martial artist.

It was something I had rarely seen, and I heard it was a memento left by a mage colleague from the past.

Holding it tightly, the Headmistress quietly murmured.

"So I'm sorry. It's all my fault, all these problems arose because of my foolishness and incompetence… and I'm pushing it all onto the Finance Director."

"…Hmm."

"Look at the Finance Director's clothes. They're all worn out, aren't they? And that fountain pen you were bragging about buying yesterday, and staying in that shabby dormitory because financial documents shouldn't be leaked."

"I thought everything would be fine if I just had enough money. When I first established the academy, I naively believed that everything would work out."

"But how did things turn out like this? I really wanted to do well. I wanted to be different from my past self."

"That custom too, it was all because I wanted to accept good professors as quickly as possible and have them teach the students."

"I'm sorry, Finance Director. I'm sorry, Adam."

"I'm so, so sorry…"

...I.

I thought of the Headmistress as a superhuman Rank 8, an existence beyond human who had lived for well over 100 years. Although she was quite lacking in financial sense and management skills, I never thought she would have such vulnerability.

But in the end, the Headmistress was also human. Someone who tried to change, who had dreams, who cherished a memento from a colleague, and who shed tears.

Therefore.

"Headmistress, what will change by crying like this?"

"Finance… Director?"

"Of course, you're quite naive, lacking in various skills, and often frustrating. When I first took on the role of Finance Director, I seriously considered running away in the middle of the night because there was so much work."

"...…."

"But are all the current problems solely your fault?"

From this rooftop, the entire academy was visible.

Countless classrooms, labs, and other buildings, the training grounds and duel arenas filled with cheers, the forest and artificial lake, the streets where students were laughing and running around, the market, the cafeteria, and so on.

This vast academy…

Was all built with the Headmistress's fortune.

"There aren't many people who would pour their entire fortune into their dream. Especially if it's not something that can earn more money, but an educational institution."

"...…."

"You've always thought of the academy and the students. That's not something just anyone can do."

Even I wouldn't have been able to do what the Headmistress did. I was just an ordinary civil service exam student.

No matter the current outcome, no one could downplay the Headmistress's dream, conviction, and effort.

Naturally, that included me.

"Mistakes? You've made them. Errors? You've made many. Problems? There's a mountain of them that needs to be solved."

"Finance Director…"

"But this academy, your dream, hasn't gone bankrupt yet. We're both working hard to do something about it, even though it's late."

Just like with Professor Alon's case, she had slightly compromised her beliefs.

And while I at least got to leave work, the Headmistress was practically living in her office, devoting herself to work.

Of course, the Headmistress was a superhuman Rank 8, and I was only Rank 1, but it wasn't normal for the Headmistress to work almost non-stop.

"We have to keep going, no matter what. We have to run until we're out of breath. And if we fail, then we can cry."

"...."

"As the Finance Director of the academy, I will do my best to the end, and I will ensure that your dream doesn't crumble. I will keep this academy running… and definitely make it my lifelong workplace to enjoy the benefits."

A lifelong workplace. A comfortable life after resolving the bankruptcy crisis.

It was true that I wanted that. In the first place, that was my motivation for trying to do my best as the Finance Director.

But for some reason.

Seeing the Headmistress, who never gave up on her dream and upheld her beliefs, right next to me… hmm.

'I don't know what to say.'

So, anyway.

Perhaps because I wasn't used to this kind of situation, I was lacking in eloquence, but…

I just wanted to help the Headmistress's dream.

It felt wrong to just let it crumble like this.

"So stop crying, and shouldn't you receive the salary reduction report now?"

"…I'm sorry, Finance Director. I'm always sorry."

"Please stop saying you're sorry. I'm sick of it."

"I'm sorry because I think I'll continue to make you work hard, Adam."

The Headmistress, who looked up at me with those words, had stopped crying and had a bright smile, so…

I took out a cigarette from my pocket and put it in my mouth. I also turned my head away because I felt awkward facing the Headmistress.

How embarrassing.

For some reason, I felt flustered and shy.

"Huh? Finance Director? Why aren't you looking at me?"

"I'm just having a cigarette. If you come closer, you'll inhale the smoke."

"Look. Doesn't this hat suit me? I originally bought it for myself, but my colleague took it. Don't you have anything to say?"

"Yes, yes, it suits you."

"Shouldn't you at least look at it and say something? I'll close my eyes. Hurry up and look."

"I can't hear you, I can't hear you."

While I avoided her gaze, puffing on a precious cigarette.

The Headmistress returned to the persona I knew.

Although this was also quite different from the 'original personality' she mentioned…

"Thank you, Finance Director."

"Are you expressing gratitude this time?"

"I didn't have anyone to talk to about these things. We were already bound by fate, but now we're even closer, aren't we?"

"It's truly an honor."

For some reason.

It seemed like it would be difficult to face the Headmistress properly for a while…