Festival.
Even back in my student days, I never understood the reason behind this event.
Sure, if it were about a leisurely field like magic or martial arts, I’d get it. But in the administrative domain, which is considered the hope of commoners, most of the kingdom’s genius commoners flock here. Maintaining top-tier grades in such a place means I had to study like crazy.
Around me, aside from Laura, the daughter of the Edelwein Baron who didn’t care about grades, everyone else focused on homework and studying rather than festivals.
So, honestly, unless you’re a student who’s decided to fully devote themselves to having fun or giving up on studying, festivals just don’t resonate in the administrative field.
‘Ah, I hear the magic and martial arts guys are having a blast.’
Maybe it’s because of such experiences. To be honest, even though it’s called a festival, I still don’t understand why we even have to hold one.
Does it help with academics or education? No.
Is there some meaning of rest? Seeing students wandering around drunk every night seems to suggest they’re managing to rest just fine.
Can it secure finances? Forget about it; it’s obvious they’ll just ask for a festival budget.
They say a festival is a common rule in the academy? Please, shut it down. Are you going to take responsibility if the academy goes bankrupt because of it?
No matter how I think about it, the festival should be abolished.
Besides, I’ve seen in web novels that merely holding a festival can lead to all sorts of crises like terrorist attacks or raids.
So, having come to that conclusion, I hurriedly drafted a festival cancellation proposal the moment I returned to my office and handed it to the headmistress.
“Director of Finance?”
“I believe the headmistress will understand perfectly.”
“Well, even so, this seems a bit… off.”
“Huh?”
Headmistress.
What do you mean by that?
*
The headmistress, who had just returned to her office after meeting Julius, couldn’t help but panic.
She hadn’t even had time to process the news her brother, the duke, had given her.
The Director of Finance had come with a truly earth-shattering proposal.
“So, you’re saying to cancel the festival?”
“That’s right.”
The headmistress was about to respond, ‘Does that even make sense?’ to the Director of Finance’s expression that seemed to imply, ‘What’s the problem?’
However, she swallowed those words back down.
That’s because she knew all too well what kind of person Adam Keynes was.
‘You can’t use simple emotions or reasons.’
As the Director of Finance, Adam Keynes was someone who viewed everything through the lens of money.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, Adam was someone who, despite having no experience or knowledge, had studied tirelessly and worked hard to achieve his current results.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he essentially governed Grandis Academy alongside the headmistress herself.
… Of course, it was more like he was struggling to keep it alive.
Still, this matter was somewhat shocking.
‘It’s an event that has been held every year since the beginning.’
It’s not just because of that symbolism. The indecisive and gullible headmistress had been ‘killed’ since the rooftop incident. Now, she just wanted to think that only the iron-blooded headmistress like Adam remained…
Regardless, as Adam said, holding the festival in the current financial state of the academy was not a good idea. Moreover, Grandis Academy’s festival was a huge week-long event.
However, there was a reason the headmistress opposed Adam’s opinion.
“We’ll face a huge backlash from the students, no matter what other issues we set aside.”
“That’s a part we have to endure.”
“Well, since you come from the administrative field, you might not know the specifics… but to the magic and martial arts students, the festival is a pretty important event.”
“Are you saying that while the administrative field is pulling all-nighters to study, they are drinking, falling in love, and partying like crazy?”
“That is true, but to be more precise, it’s particularly important for the children of the high nobility.”
“……Hmm.”
“As you know, due to the bribes, there are many highborn children at the magic and martial arts departments, such as Lady Lisha’s family, Count Claudia, and Count Kellam. And for them, the festival is a legitimate venue for socializing and trading.”
Is it acceptable to use an academy—a place of learning—as a political arena?
The headmistress’s answer to that was ‘it doesn’t matter.’
Those born into high nobility cannot shed that shell for life. While the nobility’s facade protects and feeds them, it simultaneously traps them, making it impossible to escape the standards of nobility.
Even if they come to the academy and gain student status, it’s the same. Their essence is still that of the nobility, and every action and word has political implications.
The headmistress was not someone who couldn’t understand those aspects. Right now, she was also ‘the headmistress of Grandis Academy’ while simultaneously ‘Rank 8 of the kingdom.’
For the children of the highborn, politics and intrigue are everyday occurrences, and the festival serves as the grand stage to amplify those dynamics.
“Since Grandis Academy became the best prestigious school in the kingdom, the children of high nobility began to enroll, and they naturally came together during the festival as a ‘tradition’ to share various stories.”
“So it’s another tradition.”
“But it’s not something that’s a bad habit or corruption. I don’t know everything about the academy, and had it not been for some hints from the Academic Director, I wouldn’t have known.”
“Oh, that person was the third son of Count Kellam?”
“Ultimately, he got kicked out of his family due to factional struggles but worked as the Academic Director, so his knowledge remains intact.”
“Then…”
“Lady Lisha and others also take bribes, so if we suddenly cancel the festival, naturally, they’ll come asking the Director of Finance what happened. It’s not something we can just shove through.”
“……Hmm.”
The headmistress thought she had convinced the Director of Finance, but it seemed she had failed.
Then at the very least.
“I’ll find a way to raise the festival budget…!”
“Are you planning to go monster hunting? If the headmistress, who has been quietly serving for decades, starts suddenly gathering money by hunting monsters, nobody would suspect anything at all.”
“Then maybe I could go on a deep-sea fishing expedition like last time.”
“Are you serious? That’s not why you were sent there in the first place. It was merely to help you experience how much money you lost through gift trading.”
… So that’s what it was.
Indeed, during that week on the deep-sea fishing vessel, she hadn’t slept at all, hunting sea monsters and returning every single ship fully loaded.
Yet the money earned was barely enough for a day’s budget for the academy—minimal costs, excluding labor and maintenance.
Since then, she had become much more sensitive to expenditures.
“For decades, if the headmistress suddenly starts making money outside, everyone would suspect the academy’s finances are in serious trouble, even if it’s not bankruptcy. So the hardest physical labor was chosen in secret as deep-sea fishing.”
“……That’s a point.”
“Besides, after slaying the Kraken this time and receiving a reward from the margrave of the port city, how many people in the kingdom can handle such monsters? Even if you try to keep your identity hidden, your combat style would inevitably give you away.”
Moreover, just as the Director of Finance said, it wouldn’t be possible for the headmistress to stay away from the academy for long.
So, was it really inevitable to cancel the festival?
The headmistress, who had felt slightly downhearted, said:
“Well, regarding the festival, even if there may be some backlash, it shouldn’t be such a situation to flip the academy upside down, so ultimately, canceling it would be the right choice.”
“Is that so…”
“……However, there’s some validity to the headmistress’s words. If we suddenly cancel it, we’re likely to be caught in troublesome aftershocks.”
“Director of Finance?”
“So, we need to find a middle ground between keeping the festival and cancelling it.”
“Pardon?”
What on earth does that mean?
The headmistress couldn’t comprehend how to seek a middle ground between two incompatible things, but the Director of Finance nodded as if a conclusion had been reached.
“Let’s limit it to just a day or two.”
“… The festival?”
“It’s originally a week-long festival, right? If we do it for just one or two days, we can minimize students’ dissatisfaction and various side effects. Highborn gatherings could take place within those days.”
“Are you serious?”
“Additionally, looking at last festival records, we see that more than half of the revenue from attendees comes from the first and second days. While most of that goes into the pockets of students and shop owners, the academy still brings in something, which is better than nothing.”
“B-but how…? Do we just issue a notice about shortening the festival period?”
“That’s possible, but there’s no need to go through the hassle. I have a good proposal.”
“What kind of idea?”
“We can say there was an unavoidable accident.”
That sounded very ominous.
“An… accident?”
“Something that necessitates shortening the festival to one or two days. Something that all students can easily comprehend, of course—not something like ‘the academy is on the brink of bankruptcy, so we can’t hold it any longer.’”
Are they really going to have such a convenient reason?
Yet, the headmistress knew from experience that the Director of Finance’s confident suggestions, while radical, were undeniably based on solid reasoning and necessary actions.
Most importantly, hearing that they would still hold a festival, the headmistress looked at the Director of Finance with a thread of hope.
“Four incidents in the last four days, three incidents two days ago, one yesterday, and just one today.”
“…….?”
“Those are the instances of buildings either exploding or collapsing somewhere in the academy. By now, for the students, such incidents are a norm—they just accept it.”
“Wait, you’re saying…?”
“We shall claim an accident occurred during the festival. In the professor’s research lab of the magic department, if an explosion or collapse occurs due to a leakage of ‘hair loss inducing agent’, it will be blown right over to the central academy due to the wind…”
“……”
“If we continue with the festival, students will obviously reject it.”
Has the Director of Finance finally gone mad due to stress at work?
The headmistress, who thought highly of the Director of Finance, was taken aback by such a proposition.
But putting the plan aside, what if it succeeds?
‘The cancellation of the festival was an unavoidable circumstance; thus, both students and shop owners will be persuaded, and they had already held a festival, so dissatisfaction will significantly decrease. All disappointment regarding the cancellation will be directed toward Professor Kirke, who caused the accident. Since it will be canceled halfway through, we can recover the budget and use the remaining supplies as we wish.’
Despite the small hiccups from the supplies bought considering a week-long event, any approach should let us hold a festival while minimizing the festival costs.
However, this plan had one flaw.
To be precise, it was an issue the headmistress could resolve.
“… How will you convince Professor Kirke? If this plan goes through, she may become the public enemy among the students or face huge dissatisfaction.”
“Oh, that’s true.”
“Unless you have a great way, leave it to me. I’ll ‘persuade’ Professor Kirke.”
Of course, the Director of Finance wouldn’t know how that ‘persuasion’ would unfold. It suited him just fine.
For a moment, the headmistress had a cold look in her eyes, but then she said:
“No, it’s alright. While Kirke may be an insufferable scapegoat, we mustn’t push too hard. We have to throw a few carrots, too.”
“Carrots?”
“Just trust me.”
As the headmistress observed the Director of Finance’s smiling face, she found herself at a loss for words.
It wasn’t so much about him being handsome or charming.
“Expect good results.”
“…”
It was because of the truly diabolical grin the Director of Finance occasionally wore.
Am I really so far gone that I feel thrilled by such a face?
The headmistress lowered her reddening face and quietly prayed for Kirke’s soul.
*
“Are you, are you out of your mind?! Why would I accept such a ridiculous plan? Especially when the magic department professors often cast magic on me by pretending to have accidents, and now the students are all turning against me—”
“Professor Kirke, your attire seems rather shabby.”
“…………….”
“I noticed the number of graduate students has decreased significantly. It must be why the cleaning isn’t done well. Yet, I’m relieved to see your research progress isn’t impacted.”
“That’s because someone slashed my salary by 98%!”
“Nevertheless, your research funds still come in regularly. Of course, you’d be finished if you used them privately. In any case, this matter is beneficial for you, Professor Kirke.”
“What utter nonsense…”
“Twenty percent of your salary back from the cuts.”
“………!!”
“If you agree to this plan, I’ll return it. You’ll primarily be doing research during the festival anyway, right? We’ll reduce your teaching duties to a minimum; you can focus solely on your research until your grievances dissipate.”
“W-wait, I wasn’t going anywhere during the festival!”
“Then you’re in agreement, aren’t you? Twenty percent, only that.”
“…… Twenty percent?”
“That’s ten times what you’re receiving now.”
“…… I will do it.”
“Couldn’t hear you, could you repeat that?”
“I’ll do it, I’ll do it!! I can’t stand surviving on just water anymore! I want to at least eat like a person…!!”
“An excellent decision, Professor.”
“………You devil.”
“Ten percent?”
“I won’t speak nonsense again. I will follow whatever the Director of Finance says!”
“Of course.”
Professor Kirke.
Solidity obtained through salary negotiations?
Upon leaving the research room after the negotiation wrapped up, I strolled briefly down the academy’s streets.
Though the negotiation was done, there was still work to be done.
‘It’s evident that Kirke is acting strange.’
I had considered that Kirke seems poor at concealing her own thoughts and emotions. Perhaps it’s because she was revered as a genius, never having to hide anything.
Regardless, anyone could tell she looked like she had personal plans for the festival—whether it was for herself or revenge on me, I couldn’t quite say.
As I mulled over this while remembering Kirke, I suddenly heard a voice.
“Uh, Director of Finance.”
“Hmm?”
“Uh, I just happened to pass by and thought you seemed troubled.”
That voice sounded familiar.
With red hair, a black ribbon tied on a ponytail, and an awkward approach—she was Chloe Pisty, the female student I met during my duel with Beatrice.
“Chloe?”
“Is there something I can help with…?”
Hmm.
Come to think of it, she was just the right person for the job?
“I can’t offer academic bonuses or scholarships, you know?”
“That’s… it’s okay.”
“Then you arrived just in time!”
“Eek!?”
She seemed to want to flee, yet at the same time, it was evident she was somewhat forced to approach me.
But who cares? She’s a high-quality resource I can use for free. I grabbed her shoulder to prevent her from escaping.
“I just need a few things, Chloe.”
I said with a smile.
“… Y-yes.”
Chloe, awkward yet slightly natural, nodded her head.
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