Reviving a Bankrupt Academy: My Financial Battle

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"…Me?"

"What else would I look like?"

Chloe and Chloe looked at each other.

One was the dreamer, the student Chloe. She had an incredulous look in her eyes, as if she couldn't believe it.

The other was the Chloe in the dream, the grown-up version, different from the present. She didn't react much to this situation, and her eyes were half-dead.

Chloe shook her head for a moment and glared at the adult Chloe.

"No, that's impossible."

"Is it?"

"It's obvious. Just like at the Magic Tower—"

"Mind magic, a curse, or the manifestation of your inner self due to stress?"

"...."

"How typical. Well, it's a reasonable thought for the current you."

The adult Chloe, with dead eyes, looked down at Chloe, who was wary of her.

With her hands in her pockets, she said nonchalantly,

"Then let's just go with that."

"…What?"

"Honestly, this is just an unexpected result of coincidence. Naturally, I didn't want this either."

The adult Chloe's words were different from what she expected.

If it were mind magic or a curse trying to manipulate Chloe, she would try to persuade her here, but why?

For a moment, she thought it might be a lie, but the adult Chloe turned away with a truly unmotivated look and started to walk away.

Chloe hurriedly shouted at the adult Chloe, who was about to chase after Adam again.

"W-wait!"

"What? Don't bother me and get lost."

"Are you really me? Not mind magic or a curse?"

"Didn't I say you wouldn't believe me? Let's just go with that. Now go back."

"I said wait!"

[Chain Binding]

Iron chains sprang up from under the feet of the adult Chloe, who was walking away, ignoring Chloe's words as if truly annoyed.

This was a dreamscape after all. Chloe was the dreamer, and if she could maintain her mental clarity, she could overpower anyone, whether it was mind magic or a curse.

Even in a dream, or rather, especially in a dream, Chloe could use all the magic she knew. Of course, she couldn't use magic beyond her capabilities, but it didn't matter. If the opponent was just mind magic or a curse, they would have no combat ability besides mental interference.

Therefore, she used [Chain Binding], one of the most powerful magic spells she could cast, but.

"Chain Binding? How typical."

"…What?"

[Dispel]

With a wave of her hand, she dispelled [Chain Binding], one of the highest-level Rank 5 magic spells.

It wasn't simply possible because this was a dream. Just now, the adult Chloe clearly used magic as an independent entity, not as mind magic or a curse.

Dispel, a dispel magic that only worked properly when there was a clear difference in ability between the caster and the target.

For Dispel to work on Chloe, a Rank 5 mage, there was only one conclusion.

"Rank 7? R-really?"

"It's annoying seeing that dumbfounded look on my face."

"Then, you're…"

Mind magic or curses appeared as a single form in dreams to deceive the target. Chloe had already met another version of herself in this way at the Magic Tower.

However, such an existence could never use magic and only spoke without any combat ability. But the existence in front of her was clearly different.

It wasn't an existence created by external factors, but a living spirit with its own will.

Not only was her ability far superior to the current Chloe, but even the unique habit she showed when using Dispel magic just now.

Slightly tensing her left elbow before casting magic was a very minor habit that only Chloe herself knew. None of those who imitated her so far knew about that habit.

Chloe came to an unbelievable conclusion.

"The future… me?"

"...."

It didn't make sense. It was simply a violation of the basic laws of magic. Time magic was nonsense that only appeared in fairy tales.

But after facing it herself and confirming it, she couldn't simply deny it.

"H-how? Has time magic really been developed in the future!?"

"Tsk, I told you. This is a damn coincidence."

"Coincidence?"

"You, you've been having the same dream for weeks, right? The dream of chasing after Adam."

"Th-that's right."

"That's the influence of the lingering thoughts in the Dark Sword. Even then, it's just a dream and wouldn't have any further meaning, but because you came into contact with the Dark Sword, my lingering thoughts within it met with this dream… and my consciousness awakened."

"What?"

Dark Sword? Dream? Lingering thoughts? Consciousness?

Chloe was momentarily flustered, but she was able to understand it roughly.

'Could it be that the dream and the spirit residing in the Dark Sword combined, allowing it to have a form and consciousness, even if only in the dream?'

But even more questions arose.

"Then why am I having this dream?"

"I told you, it's because of the Dark Sword."

"Wait, wait a minute. What is that Dark Sword in the first place? And why are my future thoughts contained in it?"

"Because I died by that sword."

"…What?"

"The Dark Sword is a fucking cursed sword. It gradually grows in power by absorbing a little bit of everything it cuts down. Perhaps the thoughts of everyone who died by that sword, not just me, are in there."

The Dark Sword, if it was the Dark Sword.

It was obvious without even thinking. The sword that the unidentified stranger she met in the forest today was holding.

Was it because that sword touched her neck?

"I was also in there, without any consciousness, and because it came into contact with 'me,' it flowed out. It's a shitty situation."

"But that… doesn't make sense."

Chloe came into contact with the Dark Sword just today.

How could the adult Chloe's thoughts be contained in that sword?

Chloe glared at the adult Chloe with a hint of suspicion at the logically absurd contradiction, but.

"Because he regressed, of course."

"What? R-regression?"

"The Dark Sword regressed to the past with that bastard. He must have been wary of the Dark Sword, but he didn't know that the thoughts and memories that should have been contained within it would return to his 'past self.' How could he know? It's not like he's ever gone back to the past with it."

"Return to his 'past self'…"

"Perhaps those who died by the Dark Sword are experiencing unknown dreams or flashbacks? It's not like he only killed one or two people."

The adult Chloe seemed genuinely disgusted as she said that.

Regression. Returning to the past from the future.

It was all unbelievable, but if it was truly regression, everything made sense.

More importantly, after talking a bit more, she realized. The adult Chloe was truly herself.

The naturalness and voice that couldn't be imitated by mind magic or curses, the way she breathed, the movements of her muscles and mana, everything was real.

Chloe, after briefly organizing her thoughts, looked at the adult Chloe again.

"Then did I die by that stranger? But I seem to be older than that…"

"Stranger?"

"You would know if you're really my future self, but I met a stranger with the Dark Sword today. He said he would keep an eye on me, but did I die by that bastard in the end? Even after becoming Rank 7? Is that even possible? That bastard seemed like a Rank 6."

"Hey, didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Why?"

"That bastard regressed with the Dark Sword. Of course, he's trying to change the future he knows. He didn't have the Dark Sword when he was at the academy."

"That's… true… But the conclusion is the same, isn't it? I have to prevent myself from being killed by that bastard."

"What are you talking about?"

"Huh? Weren't you trying to prevent your death in the future?"

If her future self, the adult Chloe, also died by that stranger, this was practically a miracle. She could avoid death at the hands of that stranger with the help of her future self.

If she had erased the dream with Forget magic, she would have died by that stranger without knowing any of this. Of course, she thought they shared that goal, but the adult Chloe had a dumbfounded expression.

"Didn't I say it at the beginning? Don't bother me and get lost. I have no intention of helping you."

"W-wait a minute!? Then why did you explain all this?!"

"Because I know how annoying you are, or rather, I am. If I didn't explain it like this, you would have kept bothering me, wouldn't you?"

"…That's…"

"Anyway, I told you everything, so get lost."

"No, that's not right! You're also me! Why are you being so cold!?"

"It seems like you've been misunderstanding something."

"…!!"

Crack.

Powerful mana leaked from the adult Chloe's body.

The dreamscape shook and cracked at her overwhelming presence.

She wasn't just a Rank 7. At this level, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she was on the verge of Rank 8.

Despite possessing such power, despite returning to the past by chance, the adult Chloe's eyes were still dead.

As if there was no hope left.

"You are me, but you're not me."

"What…?"

"You are certainly Chloe Piste, the Archmage's disciple, and a student attending Grandis Academy, but you're already very different from me."

"What are you…"

"I read your memories. You didn't meet Adam, did you?"

"Adam?"

Adam Keynes, the Finance Director?

She had forgotten for a moment because of the shocking conversation. Come to think of it, why did the Finance Director appear in her dream?

Could it be that I, in the future…

"I… truly loved the Finance Director?"

"You're not me anymore since you haven't met Adam. You're just another possibility of me."

"W-wait."

"I'm just a lingering thought, a remnant, an obsession. It's much better to eternally chase after Adam than to help Chloe, who hasn't even met him."

"If I die, this dream will…!!"

"Disappear, right? That's what I want. In the end, I'm just a loser who couldn't protect Adam. I should have died and disappeared long ago."

Gloomy, sticky, and persistent.

The same voice she heard when she first had the dream. It was the same voice she heard during their conversation earlier, but now it felt much louder.

This is the end?

To be rejected by her future self, who she met through a series of coincidences, and just wait to be killed by that stranger?

Even I, who became Rank 7, died. It was questionable whether she could even graduate from the academy safely now that she was targeted at this weaker stage.

That bastard with the Dark Sword regressed and was trying to change the future. Then would he try to kill her before she became Rank 7? But then why did he spare her in the forest?

All sorts of thoughts and worries swirled in her mind as the adult Chloe walked away without hesitation.

In that gap.

Chloe realized.

'Even if she's different, even if she says I'm not her…'

In the end, that Chloe was also herself. The same Chloe Piste.

So.

"Then what about the Finance Director?"

"...."

"Honestly, I can't relate, but you love the Finance Director, don't you? Wouldn't it be better to go meet the real Finance Director again, rather than chasing after him until I die?"

"I can't listen to this anymore."

"The current Finance Director is still alive."

"…You."

"From what you said earlier, you, the future me, couldn't protect the Finance Director, right? But it's different now."

Just as the adult Chloe explained about the regression and the Dark Sword to get rid of Chloe.

Chloe also had to do something to persuade the adult Chloe.

Chloe Piste was a truly troublesome person, and she preferred justification and logic to simple appeals.

This kind of self-reflection was quite painful.

"And I'll make this clear. I, here and now, don't like the Finance Director. And I never will."

"That's nonsense."

"You said you were just an obsession, but if you still have the power of a Rank 7, you can possess me, right? You can meet the Finance Director that way."

"You're going to give me your body?"

"Of course, if you cooperate with me. You're my future self, so you can teach me efficiently, can't you? Teach me magic until I become Rank 7, your level, and help me not die by that stranger."

"...."

"In return, I'll also actively approach the Finance Director. You can use my body if you want."

She still seemed a bit indifferent, so…

She had to deliver the finishing blow, even if it was hard to say it herself.

Words that would provoke 'Chloe Piste's' pride.

"Or are you going to let the Headmistress take away the Finance Director you love so much?"

"…What?"

"You said you read my memories, right? I also heard your voice. That dead woman must be referring to the Headmistress, right?"

"Th-that's…"

"Honestly, I can't believe the Headmistress is dead, but seeing the jealousy boiling up inside me every time I see her, it seems to be true. In the end, you lost to the dead Headmistress, didn't you? Are you really going to be a loser again this time?"

"…As expected of me, even if I'm rotten, you're quite irritating."

"Well, I don't care if the Finance Director loves the Headmistress. But you do, don't you? I'll cooperate fully. Shouldn't you achieve your unrequited love this time?"

Immediately after, the adult Chloe was standing right in front of Chloe. It was teleportation magic used without her even realizing it.

The adult Chloe's eyes were still dead, but her expression was distorted.

"You said the right thing, though."

"Then…?"

"Meeting Adam again is too extravagant a desire for someone like me. But I can't stand to see that woman take Adam's heart again."

"As expected, no matter what you say, you're still me."

"Seeing that annoying pride and confidence, you're definitely me."

And so, the adult Chloe and Chloe faced each other once again.

It wasn't that they had become friendly or considerate of each other. Whether it was the future or the present, Chloe Piste wasn't that kind of person.

She would thoroughly use even herself if necessary.

Just as Chloe, relieved that her persuasion worked, was about to ask her to teach her magic.

"Anyway, a deal is a deal, so I should tell you about that bastard."

"Are you talking about the stranger who regressed with the Dark Sword? So, he's a professor at the academy?"

"A professor? No. It's someone you know."

"What?"

Not a professor?

She was sure it was someone from within the academy. And someone she knew?

Suddenly, a name flashed through Chloe's mind.

The person she had already thought of but dismissed as impossible.

And the person she had talked to just a few days ago.

A student of Grandis Academy, just like Chloe.

"Ruth Spero."

"…Crazy."

"That bastard is the Regressor."

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