Reviving a Bankrupt Academy: My Financial Battle

A month passed by in a flash.

To be precise, I was so busy working that the festival was suddenly upon us.

Even though there were still two days until the festival started, the streets were already packed with students. Merchants were selling all sorts of goods, and parents and visitors were staying in the separate dormitories prepared for them.

A small parade was held, excited students got into duels due to their hot blood, magic exploded everywhere, the Security Unit was dispatched, buildings collapsed, the academy collapsed, and fuck.

It was such a financially disastrous scene that I drew the curtains.

"Haa…"

In the darkened office with the blackout curtains drawn…

Instead of watching the money-burning festival, I checked the report one last time.

The most important document kept in Grandis Academy, stamped with a seal indicating its top-secret classification.

The report with the names of the Headmistress, me, and Circe.

[Little Hair Plan]

The secret plan to stop this festival was ready.

'I've done everything I need to do.'

For the past month, I had been busy preparing for the problems that would arise if the festival was abruptly stopped after a day or two.

I added a little more hair loss agent to Circe's research to ensure a sufficient amount.

For the supplies purchased for a week-long festival, I bought them at a slightly higher price in exchange for adding a clause in the contract that stated 'a refund will be issued if the festival is canceled due to unavoidable circumstances.'

I allocated the dormitories for visitors near the entrance for easy evacuation.

I prepared a hair loss agent that quickly evaporated and had a weak effect, but would remain effective for at least a day with the help of the wind.

Ah, and I also set up a barrier around Circe's lab as a precaution against physical protests and complaints, under the pretense of research.

And I prepared countermeasures for various other problems, so…

All that was left was…

Clench.

…to set it off.

"…Finance Director? Why is it so dark in here? And why are you clenching your fists like that?"

"It's nothing. By the way, Headmistress, what brings you here? I just submitted the final report regarding the festival."

"Ahem! Well, even if it's the final report, it's all information you already know. I've finished everything, including that."

The Headmistress, who entered without even knocking, approached me with a smug expression that didn't match her age.

What's this? I feel a strange pressure.

"S-so, the festival ends on the second day, right?"

"Students who don't mind going bald can enjoy it longer."

"There's no way there would be such students. Anyway, well…"

The work might be over for the Headmistress, but I still had things to do, so I wish she would just say what she needed to say…

Or could it be…?

"You keep fidgeting, did you do futures trading again?"

"Th-that's impossible! That's not what I wanted to say…"

Then what is it?

Even though she's my boss, should I tell her to leave because I have to work, or should I just tell her to get lost?

Perhaps because it was my third all-nighter in a row, my head wasn't working properly.

Anyway, just as I was about to tell her to leave me alone because I had to work overtime for two more days until the festival.

"F-Finance Director!"

"Oh, you surprised me. What's wrong?"

"W-won't you go to the festival with me!?"

…Hmm?

I feel like I heard that a month ago.

And what?

"Headmistress, we can't just play around like the students during the festival. We'll actually be busier, so what—"

"I took care of the work!"

"…What?"

"I took over about half of the Finance Director's work and shoved the rest into other departments!"

"...…."

So.

She secretly dumped her work onto other staff members?

Is the Headmistress a god?

"You can leave work today! Of course, you'll have to work on the day of the festival… but considering the Finance Director's usual work speed, you'll probably have some free time around evening."

"Oh."

I didn't hear anything else she said. Only the words that I could leave work today were imprinted in my mind.

So I could sleep? Not a 10 or 20-minute nap, but a proper sleep for over three hours?

Is the Headmistress a god? Wait, didn't I think this before?

"S-so if you have some free time…"

"Let's go."

"Finance Director…!!"

"If I have free time, it's fine."

Although it wasn't something I, who tried to abolish the festival, should say, I did want to enjoy the festival to the fullest if I wasn't working.

It was a festival I couldn't properly enjoy during my three years at the academy. It was ironic that I was going for the first time as a faculty member, but oh well.

"R-really? You're not joking? You're serious!?"

"Have you ever seen me lie?"

"…Too many times."

"Then this time, I won't."

"Anyway, it's a promise!"

Why was she so happy about just going to the festival for a little while?

…Well, come to think of it, it was understandable.

'There's no one else the Headmistress can be comfortable with.'

The Headmistress had watched dozens of festivals over the past few decades. If she wanted to, she could have easily wandered around alone in disguise.

But wasn't it much more enjoyable to go to a festival with others rather than alone?

In that sense, there was no one for the Headmistress to go to the festival with. The Head of Academic Affairs, who was the most senior, revered the Headmistress like a god, and the other department heads were afraid of her.

Since she had the image of an Iron Ruler and a dictator, the Headmistress couldn't show her true self in front of them.

That's why I was the only one she could talk to comfortably and hang out with.

'Last year, I was too busy to even think about the festival.'

Perhaps this year was the 'first' festival the Headmistress could truly enjoy.

Thinking so, I felt a pang of sympathy. How old was the Headmistress anyway?

I placed my hand on her shoulder. Her eyes seemed to be getting teary.

"It's okay, Headmistress. It's fine to enjoy it from now on, isn't it?"

"Finance Director…? Wh-why are you suddenly touching me?"

"I understand. Let's definitely go to the festival."

"Huh…?"

What must the Headmistress be feeling, having to ask a young man over six times younger than her to go to the festival? For me, it would be like asking a three or four-year-old child to go with me.

I feel like my Confucian spirit is awakening after a long time. Of course, I should respect the elderly.

It was the same as a grandmother asking her grandson to go to a senior citizen center party with her. Maybe I was thinking too much about work.

I should stop nagging her about futures trading… no, let's not. That's unforgivable even considering her age. She wasted two years' worth of budget, so it's only fair to milk it for the next two years.

Anyway.

"I'm looking forward to the festival, Headmistress."

"Yes!"

So…

Can I really leave work now…?

***

"Is this right?"

Chloe looked up at the sky, muttering to herself, something she had already done hundreds of times.

It was a scene she would have normally seen in her private dormitory room or the training grounds, but.

It was a bit different now.

Clank! Bang!

"Hey! Build it over there! Tilt the angle a bit more!"

"The space between these stalls is too narrow, we need to widen it…"

"Move the materials quickly!"

"...."

A construction site filled with dust, sweaty men, and piles of logs, stones, and other materials.

Chloe was right there.

'…I thought I could slowly approach the Finance Director since he asked me for help.'

After being rejected for a festival date a month ago with a reasonable excuse.

Chloe, who was planning to get closer to him by working together, faced reality.

──What? Work? You can go to that construction site over there from now on.

──Me? I have to process documents in the office. Weren't we going to work together? How can I give internal academy documents to a student?

──Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do a great job, Miss Chloe. You'll get volunteer points and even a small scholarship!

Come to think of it, the Finance Director only asked her to 'help,' not 'work together.'

He was truly rational, sending her, a mage, to a place where she was needed instead of doing paperwork that anyone could do.

To this construction site.

"Hey, Chloe! Move some materials over here!"

"…Yes, yes."

"As expected of a Grandis Academy student!"

She moved heavy materials with magic, assembled them, trimmed them, and fixed them in place.

Although there were some mages among the workers since the Carpenters' Guild was in charge, there was no way there would be a mage of Chloe's level.

Her lack of experience was a problem, but it wasn't a big deal after working for a month. Since they weren't building proper buildings, but just festival stalls and temporary stages, Chloe was able to adapt easily.

The workers, who were initially wary of her, now jokingly called her "Chloe" or "Miss Chloe."

Naturally, with Chloe's personality, she wouldn't tolerate such jokes, but…

'Endure it, endure it.'

If she caused trouble here, it would immediately reach the Finance Director's ears.

For the sake of her deal with the adult Chloe, Chloe desperately endured it.

'Yes, you're doing well.'

'Please don't provoke me any further!'

'Have you forgotten everything I taught you?'

'…That's why I'm enduring this.'

Moreover, the adult Chloe kept her promise for the past month. The promise to teach Chloe magic.

Although she wasn't a genius, merely a talented individual, the lessons taught by her 'future self' were different.

It was a future where Chloe, also a talented individual, reached Rank 7. Naturally, she knew the perfect learning methods and insights for 'Chloe Piste.'

It was like struggling through an unknown mountain path and suddenly finding a paved road.

Following that path, Chloe's level significantly increased in just one month.

'If I continue like this for another year…'

'You'll probably be able to reach Rank 6. Multicasting will also become possible.'

'That's crazy.'

Rank 6. She thought it would take at least ten years after graduating from the academy, let alone one year.

It was that high of a level. Even reaching Rank 6 in ten years was considered very fast by the standards of the Imperial Magic Tower.

That Rank 6 was now just one year away.

…Ruth Spero suddenly came to mind.

'That bastard wouldn't even dream of Rank 6 if it weren't for regression, right?'

'The Ruth Spero I know was a perpetual last-place student. He was Rank 4 even when he graduated.'

'Regression… it's amazing.'

It was this effective just by learning from her future self, so what if her future self actually returned to the past?

It was like Chloe Piste, who had almost reached Rank 7, was currently attending the academy. At that level, it wouldn't just be the academy that would be in an uproar, but the entire Imperial Magic Tower.

Honestly, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that there was no one stronger than the adult Chloe in the Magic Tower besides her master, the Archmage.

'But, in the end, are you not going to tell me?'

'Tell you what?'

'About what happened in the future. You seem to know that Finance Director well, and even Ruth Spero.'

'…I know them, if that's what you mean.'

'What exactly happened?'

According to the adult Chloe, she was killed by having her neck sliced by the Dark Sword. It was Ruth Spero's doing.

Just hearing that, she didn't know if Ruth Spero suddenly went crazy and killed her, or if there was a reason, or if they had a grudge, or even if it was an accident.

And why did she become so fond of the Finance Director? Why did she travel with the Finance Director for years instead of returning to the Magic Tower? What was the reason they were together in the first place?

Chloe was curious about all of that.

'Didn't I tell you? I can tell you everything. But it won't be good for you.'

'....'

'You and I are ultimately the same Chloe Piste, despite our differences, and this is just a makeshift meeting through coincidence, not a proper regression like that bastard. Naturally, there will be problems.'

'Are you saying my mind is being consumed because of those problems?'

'To be precise, we're assimilating. As I keep emphasizing, think about it endlessly. You and I are the same, but ultimately different beings.'

'Ugh.'

In the end, the adult Chloe and Chloe were essentially the same being. It was impossible for them to exist as separate entities in the first place.

Although she thought that the adult Chloe was different from her when she saw her pathetic appearance, if she didn't continue to think that way, the adult Chloe and Chloe would assimilate.

In the first place, it was a problem that there were two 'me's in the same time period. The adult Chloe realized that within a month and warned Chloe.

That she had to think of 'adult Chloe' and 'current Chloe' as separate beings, and to stop asking about the future.

Even if it was the future, it was ultimately the future that the adult Chloe experienced. The more she knew about it, the closer Chloe would become to the adult Chloe mentally.

And in the end.

'Your mind will be taken over by me. You're too immature now.'

'This is annoying.'

'Moreover, even if that happens, since there's a disconnect between the body and mind, I will also disappear soon. In the end, only your body, turned into an imbecile, will remain.'

'That's horrible.'

'If you don't want that, stop asking and train. The higher your level, the less likely you are to assimilate even if I tell you about the future.'

'…I know.'

The conclusion was simple. The current Chloe also had to reach the end of Rank 7, beyond Rank 6, and even approach Rank 8, just like the adult Chloe.

But was that easy? Among the countless people on the continent, very few reached Rank 7, let alone Rank 8.

More importantly.

'But how can I change the future without knowing about it?'

'I'm not asking for much. At least the future I experienced shouldn't happen again.'

'So you're saying I should stop the Headmistress and the Finance Director from getting together?'

'That's the goal for now. But I don't know how the future will unfold.'

'That's why I asked you about the future, to try and do something about it. This is a headache.'

Chloe sighed. Even as she was trimming materials with magic using one hand.

This level of multitasking was familiar now. She had to get used to doing multiple tasks or thinking about multiple things simultaneously to reach the level of multicasting.

Chloe, who was trimming materials here and there while talking to the adult Chloe in her mind…

"…Huh?"

…turned her head towards a female student who was hurriedly running somewhere next to the construction site.

She was just an ordinary student. But why?

'What?'

From that female student a very faint, strange mana was emanating.

As if…

'Like the Dark Sword?'

'Yes, that's it!'

The mana of that ominous sword.

That the stranger, disguised as Ruth Spero, was holding that day.

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