Reviving a Bankrupt Academy: My Financial Battle

The Dark Sword, carelessly tossed aside. The mask and hood lying on the floor.

Even though the sun had risen, the curtains were drawn, and the dormitory room was dark.

Ruth was squatting on the bed.

"...."

The Dark Sword, which had fallen from Ruth's hand, lost its ominous aura and color, becoming a worn-out sword once again.

Even after sleeping and waking up after yesterday's incident in the forest, her mind was still complicated.

"…This is tiring."

It was a word muttered unconsciously, and also her true feelings.

There was a question that lingered in her mind since she first opened her eyes after returning to the past.

Why me?

'Why?'

The past Ruth was only Rank 6. She never reached Rank 7, and although she was overwhelming at the academy now, she wasn't particularly exceptional on a continental scale.

Her knowledge was also vague. She knew various things because she traveled the continent after graduation, but she was practically clueless about what happened at the academy, the most crucial part.

And she wasn't a great person either. She killed Circe, Chloe, and many other villains, but she didn't prevent anything beforehand. In the end, she only killed them after countless massacres and disasters occurred.

I'm so inadequate. If someone were to return to the past, there are countless others who would achieve much better results than me.

Why me?

"...…."

Naturally, no one would kindly give her the answer. Ruth, who had clearly seen the downfall of the Holy Kingdom, which sought God until the very end, didn't believe in God.

If there was a god, it would be an evil god.

An existence that threw people into suffering and death and laughed.

'…Chloe.'

She left room for doubt for now. Honestly, even Ruth thought the speculation she made in the forest was a bit far-fetched.

But she couldn't shake off the suspicion that Chloe was connected to Circe. Otherwise, how could she explain her calmness after seeing the basement and the summoning magic circle?

Therefore, she ended it with a warning. She would regularly monitor Chloe from now on and see if she met with Circe.

It seemed like an excessive reaction, but the image of Chloe burning down an entire small kingdom was still vivid in her mind.

How much did she struggle to kill Chloe? How many people died because of Chloe during that time?

Thinking about the remaining ruins and burned corpses, she couldn't help but be wary of Chloe.

And if Chloe really was Circe's companion and the mastermind behind Adam's downfall.

"…Adam."

The dormitory was spacious and luxurious, but lonely. But it was exactly the same as in her memory.

It was a past that only Ruth knew now. There was a time when they laughed and chatted in this dormitory.

'Why did this change too?'

Originally, it was a dormitory where Adam, the Finance Director, lived alone, befitting his position. She was so surprised to find the dormitory empty when she thought Adam would be here.

It was from then that she became certain that the future had changed for some unknown reason.

…In the slowly resurfacing memories, the Adam from the past had lent a room on the first floor specifically to Ruth. He even provided meals for free.

For Ruth in the past, who could barely afford the tuition, it was such a huge help that.

'I wanted to make him breakfast in return.'

She vividly remembered scraping together all the money she had, going to the market, and then having her wallet stolen, preventing her from buying the suddenly discounted eggs.

She was so upset back then. If she had those eggs, she could have made breakfast for the busy Adam. She felt so pathetic for missing even that opportunity.

All she had left were a few coins in her pocket. All she could buy with that was an apple, and she felt so ashamed and self-deprecating when she gave it to him as breakfast, but.

──Thank you, Ruth. I'll be full all day today.

Adam, smiling as he said that, was so dazzling to Ruth that.

She became obsessed with training and strived to escape from being a perpetual last-place student. She wanted to graduate from the academy with excellent grades, get a good job, and repay Adam. Although she ended up graduating normally, not as a top student.

Traveling the continent was also part of that repayment. She wanted to tell Adam, who always stayed at the academy, stories about various parts of the continent and give him souvenirs.

…But in the meantime, the academy collapsed.

The Headmistress died.

Adam disappeared.

And the Adam she met again in the remote kingdom was…

──It's nothing. I just burned everything down.

──It wasn't difficult. Things caught fire more easily than I thought. Blazing, just like the academy that day.

So different.

In addition to the sudden encounter, he didn't show her that smile from the past.

──But who's this…?

──Don't you remember? Ruth Spero, the perpetual last-place student.

──The one you were so concerned about at the academy? You're not still concerned about him, are you?

And Chloe was with him.

Adam, who had completely changed and fallen during Ruth's absence.

──Well, it's true that I was back then.

──Not anymore.

──Because it's meaningless now.

The past that denied even the time and memories they shared.

Even after the two disappeared, Ruth remained on the burning hill for a long time.

To tell Adam, she traveled all over the continent.

To give to you, she collected all sorts of souvenirs and items.

All.

Meaningless now.

"Adam…"

A trustworthy adult, someone she respected, a benefactor who helped her so much, someone she wanted to repay… the Finance Director.

Was this how it felt when a teacher she believed was always on her side betrayed her?

After that, Ruth frantically searched for Adam and Chloe.

And then she met Circe in the Holy Kingdom, Lisha in the kingdom, the Emperor in the Empire, and Beatrice in the Delphia Kingdom.

Following the traces of massacre, death, and destruction left by Chloe and Adam.

Finally, she killed Chloe.

And inside the cave that she protected until the very end.

Adam.

"...."

Therefore, when she was given another chance, when she returned to the past, she steeled her resolve.

Even if she faced Adam again, she would remember the death and destruction he caused.

He was ultimately an enemy, and if she saw any signs of him falling, she would not hesitate for the sake of the world.

That's why she was so harsh at the entrance exam and the entrance ceremony, but…

──Ruth, is there anything you want to eat? I'll buy it for you. I'm the Finance Director, you know? I have a lot of money because my salary is much higher than you can imagine.

──Why am I being so nice? It's an investment for the future. You're someone who will definitely achieve great things.

The more she faced Adam, the more she talked to him, the more warm memories of the past surfaced. She couldn't be harsh at all.

But at the same time, she saw the future Adam overlap with the present one during the deserted island midterm exam. It was as if he was whipping her to strengthen her resolve.

Adam smiling awkwardly, and Adam burning the world.

Which one was real? Which one was an act? Or were they both Adam?

Could she really do this? Could she change the future and all the disasters?

"…Adam, why are you treating me so specially?"

Those words she suddenly muttered.

Were the words she once asked Adam in this very dormitory, in this very spot.

The words Ruth, a perpetual last-place student who wasn't exceptional in anything, whether theory or practice, muttered to Adam.

Back then, Adam said.

──Hmm, you need something more impressive than simple words of encouragement or comfort, right?

──Uh… This is really embarrassing and awkward, so don't laugh after hearing it, okay?

──In my eyes, you're the protagonist.

──The protagonist of this world.

──…Hey! I told you not to laugh! I just think so!

"I… am the protagonist."

Ruth, with a slight smile as she reminisced about that memory, wiped away her tears and stood up.

Yes, I am the protagonist. It was none other than Adam who said that.

The words that gave Ruth strength countless times. The words she kept recalling even when she was ridiculed as a perpetual last-place student at the academy, and even after Adam's downfall.

Thanks to those words, Ruth was able to rise again.

At the academy.

In the crumbling world.

And even in front of Adam, who had changed so much, who said those words to her.

'But I'm not the protagonist.'

However, paradoxically, even as Ruth muttered those words, she didn't believe them.

Ruth only believed in the warmth and smile of Adam, who said those words to her; she didn't think she was truly the protagonist. She simply cherished those words as the last connection she had with Adam.

'Do I miss Adam, or do I hate him?'

…No man is an island. Even if they don't know it, people are connected to each other.

Although it was a connection that had disappeared.

Because its remnants were still alive within Ruth.

"…Let's go."

In a corner of the room, there was a storage room with a freezing artifact installed. Strangely, it was filled with nothing but eggs.

This was because, on the day she met Chloe, she couldn't buy the discounted eggs and ended up buying all the eggs in the store out of frustration.

After glancing at the eggs, which were too many to eat alone.

Ruth tidied up the room and went outside.

A promise made beforehand.

Adam was waiting for her.

***

Perhaps because of the heavy clouds yesterday, the sky today was clear without a single cloud.

The weather was pleasantly warm.

A short break under the pretense of work.

And coffee bought at a very cheap price with the employee discount.

Isn't this life?

BOOM!!!

"What? Where did it explode this time?"

"Lady Lisha and that madman are having a duel in Duel Arena 12!"

"The madman is Kaern Deste? This is going to be so much fun!"

"I heard they both got excited and left the duel arena!? Let's hurry up and go!"

It doesn't seem like it, damn it.

…No, wait. Lisha will probably bribe me more because she's wary of me, and Kaern will give me another chance to meet Moneybags Julius, right?

Go, Four Heavenly Kings of Finance Destruction. Destroy this academy. But don't destroy everything.

'Is this what they mean by "moderate destruction of buildings is beneficial to the finances"?'

As I was thinking about the nonsense I read in a business administration book, I saw a familiar face among the students running by.

It was the protagonist, who had become quiet lately, especially since he wasn't destroying any buildings.

"Student Ruth, here you are."

"…It's been a while, Finance Director."

"It's the first time since the deserted island midterm exam, right? I noticed your performance that time."

"Thank you…"

He doesn't seem to be focusing on the conversation.

The protagonist, who was staring at my business smile, closed his eyes for a moment and muttered something before sitting down.

What was that?

Anyway, I was the one who called him this time, so I looked at Ruth, who was sitting across from me.

"I have good news, so don't be too nervous."

"Good news?"

"Student Ruth, are you interested in the student council?"

"…What?"

Well, I thought about it.

It was a bit unsettling to be constantly worried about when he would destroy a wall or a building.

'If I can't control him anyway…'

It would be much better to keep him where I could always see him.

And the student council was also a concern. To be honest, this was the real reason.

It was about time for that junior to cause a big incident.

'If it were the original perpetual last-place student, it would be different, but…'

The protagonist, who was Rank 6 for some reason, would be able to stop that junior.

I trust you, protagonist. I really do.

More importantly, honestly, it wasn't a bad offer for the protagonist either. Training or sparring was meaningless for a Rank 6, and the only things he could gain from the academy were companions and connections.

'And it's easy to build those in the student council.'

The student council of Grandis Academy was, how should I put it, in a very special position.

It wasn't like they had absolute power, but they weren't just figureheads either.

"What do you think?"

"…Can you, the Finance Director, create a position for me in the student council?"

"It's a special recommendation system for faculty."

Of course, there was no such thing, but it wasn't a problem. If I just met with that junior and asked him to add Ruth, he would do it immediately.

A parachute appointment? A true parachute appointment was my case. More importantly, since he was Rank 6, everyone would understand if he joined the student council.

If he gave a positive answer? Then we would proceed.

If he gave a negative answer? Then I would ask him again. I would repeat it until I got a positive answer.

The protagonist, who seemed to be contemplating for a moment.

"I understand."

"You're accepting?"

"It seems like a really good opportunity in many ways."

"That's an excellent choice."

That junior was a really good guy. Well, good in a somewhat ambiguous way, so get used to it.

And do some work during the festival. The student council patrols with the Security Unit.

Anyway, since I achieved my goal, I should go back to the office.

"Uh, Finance Director?"

"Do you have something to say?"

"Where… are you staying now?"

"What?"

"J-just curious."

Why is he suddenly curious about where I live?

Was there some kind of record left in the dormitory I'm currently staying in? That dormitory was originally the one the Headmistress was going to give me.

"I'm just staying in a dormitory on the outskirts. It's quite a decent place."

"Outskirts? Which outskirts?"

"…Student Ruth?"

Why is he suddenly so agitated?

More importantly, why is a student interested in a faculty member's residence—

"Finance Director."

"…?"

"I came to see you."

I turned around as someone suddenly grabbed my shoulder, and.

Chloe, whom I met yesterday, was standing there. She came just as promised.

But.

"..."

"..."

These two.

Were they originally on bad terms…?

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