Bang! Pow!
The fireworks lighting up the night sky cast shadows that quickly vanished over the two figures on the rooftop.
The Finance Director and Chloe.
They were sitting close together.
Uncomfortably close.
‘……….’
Chloe had a question. Why wasn’t the adult Chloe possessing her body right now?
The reason for getting closer to the Finance Director was an order from the adult Chloe. Just a month ago, in Kirke’s research lab, she had possessed her, so why was she now just sitting still?
Honestly, she wanted the adult Chloe to take that spot right away. It was only natural.
It had been something she had dreamed about for so long.
‘…Adam.’
Even though she was just a spirit, the adult Chloe was on the verge of Rank 8 and could roam freely around the vicinity of Chloe’s mind.
This was something Chloe didn’t know. It was kept a secret on purpose.
At some point, this gap in information could be the sharpest dagger. After all, it was just insurance.
Of course, that didn’t mean she could drift away completely. She was, after all, a spirit inhabiting Chloe’s dream, and as she drifted further away, her own self would become fainter. If she went any further, she would cease to exist.
And now, the adult Chloe had slipped out and was beside her on the rooftop.
A place overlooking both Chloe and the Finance Director, but not quite ideal to see the fireworks.
…It was a familiar place.
‘It was here back then too.’
The academy life the adult Chloe remembered was blissfully delightful yet dreadfully terrible at the same time.
She was happy to be next to the Finance Director, Adam.
But at the same time, she could never truly take his side.
‘Back then too, I was here…’
Just like now, she was gazing at Adam.
Chloe had asked at one point. How did she know such a place? How did she know the Finance Director would be here?
The answer was obvious. It was because of “something that happened in the past.”
She had coincidentally spotted Adam while walking and had hesitated in embarrassment, wanting to suggest they hang out. In the meantime, Adam climbed up some building on the other end. The adult Chloe couldn’t understand why Adam went to such a place.
But she figured it was an opportunity. She was just pondering on how to naturally approach Adam, who was oddly sitting on the rooftop.
In the midst of that, someone else appeared.
‘…Headmistress.’
Remarkably, the Headmistress, dressed more elegantly than usual, sat beside Adam, blushing. It was absurd.
The Headmistress was even of an age where she could be called a hero from a generation above, being a grand mage. To think she would target Adam?
But the adult Chloe couldn’t find a way to step in.
Was it because the Headmistress was scary? No.
It was because Adam was smiling.
Brighter, more radiant, and happier than when he was with her.
It was a face he had never shown the adult Chloe.
Boom!
The sound of fireworks echoed. It was the same sound whether now or in her memories.
So, the adult Chloe could only blankly watch Adam and the Headmistress. Even as they teased each other while laughing, she hid nearby on the rooftop, merely watching them.
Then finally, when the fireworks reached their peak.
The Headmistress, that woman…
To Adam—
‘…But.’
It was now a future that would never come true. Because the adult Chloe had altered it herself.
The future of this world was already different from what the adult Chloe knew. Adam had chosen Beatrice, not Chloe, and for some reason, he looked far more rushed and weary than in her memories.
An unexplainable change. It might be a concern for someone, but for the adult Chloe, it was a miracle.
Just like now.
She had managed to dodge one of the worst futures she had known.
‘You just stay there.’
The adult Chloe sneered at the building where the Headmistress’s office was located, one of the tallest in the academy.
The Headmistress was in there. Normally, she would have reached there much earlier to perform her wicked and abhorrent deeds.
But the Headmistress wouldn’t be able to come here.
Even if she was just a spirit, the adult Chloe had the advantage of being ‘the current Chloe.’
…After the Headmistress’s death, she would have to find some flaw in her to sway Adam’s heart. It was a bitter memory.
Among the information she had gathered, there was something useful now.
‘I didn’t lie.’
A mage on the brink of Rank 8, strictly speaking, not even alive, and at this point, an ‘unbeknownst code’ to anyone.
So, the adult Chloe deceived the Headmistress.
Boom!
Amidst the explosions, the adult Chloe grinned, casting a sharp glare at someone.
Though she took action against the Headmistress, she still needed to be here for any unexpected contingencies. If she were beside Adam, her mind would be filled with happiness, leaving no room for other thoughts.
Thus, the target of her glare was certainly not Adam. It wasn’t, but…
‘………….’
The Chloe Pisty of this world.
The past version of herself who had unequivocally claimed she didn’t like Adam.
The adult Chloe silently watched her.
With dangerous and undulating eyes.
*
The festival of budget explosions ended. Or was it the fireworks event?
In any case, blowing up the academy budget was definitely true, so it probably didn’t matter.
At first, she thought it was quite a spectacle, but then, considering the budget and materials spent on that event, she found it rather concerning.
Why do something that only lights up the sky with magic, which wouldn’t even have any effect on productivity or education?
At least they had restrictions to prevent just anyone from shooting magic under the guise of safety, so they managed to cut down the budget somewhat.
‘If I calculate it all… it’s manageable.’
Sure, the booming profits she had earned would dwindle considerably, but at least for this year, it was acceptable.
Yeah, just this year.
‘From next year, I’ll definitely eliminate it.’
Even if a miracle occurred within a year and the academy’s finances got back on track, she would still make sure it was canceled.
And whom are you going to blame for the miracle? If you want, you can secure funding for the festival yourselves.
In that sense, not everything was bad.
“Thank you as always, Lady Lisha.”
“What? Maintaining a good relationship with the Finance Director is never a waste. Oh, and this is…”
“……pure gold and jewels, huh? This is far more than you usually give me?”
“Grandfather told me to make sure to send more. Also, this will be delivered packaged as a ‘gift basket.'”
“Thank you to the Claudia family for your generosity!”
“It’s us who should be asking for your continued support.”
Firstly, it was true that the bribes given by the bribing students, led by Lisha, had increased.
After midterms and the festival, it had been three months since she maintained relations with them. They certainly seemed confident that they could continue to rely on this relationship.
To think that the Headmistress, known for being strict regarding bribery, had not caught on for three months? That offered some degree of safety and perhaps a bit of trust. Because of that, the incoming bribery had significantly increased.
She had also gained some good information in addition.
‘Even if it’s not a formal event, a mere lady can call the lord by his title.’
This hinted at an unexpectedly close relationship between the lord and Lisha. It was worth remembering.
Thanks to the increased bribes, her fixed income also rose, but that wasn’t the only good thing.
‘I’ve secured some justification.’
It was truly peculiar, but this academy was not normal in many ways. Putting financial issues aside, the professors’ perceptions were another matter.
Which academy in the world has explosions as a normal occurrence?
That’s how it had been ingrained for decades. Even though injuries occurred, there were never any fatalities.
Naturally, these explosions caused collapses and building repairs hit the finances of Grandis Academy hard.
Repair costs labeled as ‘fixed expenses’ were something this darn academy could proudly claim as unique.
‘I’ve been waiting for this opportunity.’
Such perceptions should be changed slowly at first. Trying to change them drastically would only provoke backlash and conflict.
Of course, that wasn’t her concern. A backlash or conflict wouldn’t sink the academy, right?
Moreover, she didn’t have the time to change things slowly, so a shocking and radical trigger was needed.
‘The hair loss-inducing substance leak incident could serve as reasonable justification.’
It was almost a dangerous accident that nearly caused the festival to be canceled because of the professors’ ‘common’ explosion incidents. More importantly, if they failed to respond appropriately at the outset, they could socially ruin the important guests visiting the academy.
As of now, only Dean Villend and a select few professors in the magic field knew about it, but if she decided to use it, she could use it to her advantage as well.
But.
‘It needs to be a decisive blow.’
The hair loss-inducing substance leak? Of course, it was a significant incident. However, it was also a situation where those who had been used to the customs could easily argue and say it had been manageable until now.
Certainly, by using the Headmistress, she could step over such opposition, but in the end, it was the professors who would trigger the explosions. No matter how forcefully she pushed, unless the professors themselves changed, her actions wouldn’t be very effective.
Before using the Headmistress, it was important to find another decisive justification.
A flawlessly perfect reason that no professor would dare contest.
And that justification was…
‘…Finally, it’s time.’
She had already put everything in place. Although she had drafted a proposal earlier, it had been on hold due to poor timing, but it seemed she finally had a use for it.
Somehow, the plan she had devised was… No, even she felt it was really crossing the line.
But there’s no way to change the professors’ perception of explosions or the academy’s finances by conventional means.
In a state so near bankruptcy, extreme measures were necessary.
With a determined expression, she pulled out the plan she’d been keeping safe and entered the Headmistress’s office.
“Headmistress, it’s me.”
“Fi, Finance Director!?”
“I wanted to give you a day of rest since you’ve been working hard due to the festival, but it is, after all, important business.”
Tap, tap.
Seeing me enter, the Headmistress hurriedly stuffed whatever she was focused on into her desk.
Of course, it was her personal life, and she didn’t care much to find out, so she ignored it.
“This is the proposal.”
“Uh, yeah…”
“More importantly, Headmistress, are you feeling better now?”
“Eh? My health?”
“You couldn’t come yesterday because you suddenly came down with a fever. But it looks like you’re fine now, at least!”
“Y-yeah…”
Eventually, the Headmistress hadn’t come to the rooftop yesterday. She had just watched fireworks with Chloe.
After wondering why she hadn’t come, she had knocked and tried to go in after she returned to the headmistress’s office.
──I, I’m a bit sick! I can’t move, so don’t come in!
…She’d said that.
A fever severe enough to put her at Rank 8 would be nearly lethal to someone at Rank 1 like herself. Upon hearing the Headmistress’s words, she wisely ran straight to the dormitory.
She worriedly wondered if the Headmistress would feel feverish today as well, but considering the exposure of the proposal, she couldn’t entrust it to anyone else. It was pretty important.
She had thought the Headmistress would heal her if she caught it somehow, but thankfully, it seemed she had recovered.
Anyway, a Rank 8 having a fever was absurd, right? She’s just a little worn out from working overtime.
She didn’t mention watching fireworks with Chloe. In any case, there was no need to bring it up awkwardly since she was looking forward to it but missed out due to her fever.
Anyway, she placed the carefully drafted proposal onto the desk.
“Then please take a look at this proposal.”
“……….”
“Headmistress?”
“Sorry, I was just lost in thought for a moment… I’ll read it now.”
At a glance, it was clear the Headmistress was still fixated on whatever she had just hidden in the drawer, but eventually, she picked up the proposal and began to read.
At first, she showed signs of anxiety, then confusion, moving on to disbelief, and finally, astonishment.
The Headmistress, who had completely forgotten whatever was in her desk, looked at her with wide, shocked eyes.
“Y-you’re serious?”
“I am always sincere, Headmistress.”
“But this…”
“I understand it carries significant risk, but if successful, it’s a method to catch two birds with one stone.”
“This isn’t just a matter of great risk!”
Flutter.
With a rare outburst at her, the Headmistress held up the proposal’s title.
[Proposal for Securing Donations and Reducing Fixed Maintenance Costs through Academy Terrorism]
Yeah.
I was.
“Let’s terrorize the Grandis Academy.”
In order to save the academy.
I was thinking of terrorizing it.
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