A small room on one side of the Entrance Ceremony auditorium.
In a room filled with just two people and a table, I was facing Ruth.
“Ruth Spero, we meet again since the entrance exam.”
“…Indeed.”
“It’ll take a little while before the entrance ceremony resumes. So there’s no need to be nervous.”
“…Yes.”
Unlike my relaxed smile, Ruth looked somewhat uncomfortable.
Thinking about facing someone esteemed from the academy, it was a totally understandable reaction, but for some reason, Ruth seemed a little fidgety to me.
A different kind of anxiety altogether.
However, instead of studying Ruth closely, I pulled out some documents I had brought along.
“Anyway, you already know why I’m here.”
“…I know.”
At my words, the somewhat trembling Ruth seemed to make up his mind, took a deep breath, and looked me in the eyes.
Why the sudden change?
“If it’s about the restrictions, I remember. Still, the fact that you intentionally used your Sword Aura means you—”
“Excuse me? What are you suddenly talking about?”
“…Weren’t you here because I used my Sword Aura just now?”
“No? That’s something the Student Affairs Head, who works late and has dark circles under his eyes, should handle. As you know, I’m the Finance Director.”
“Um…?”
“Explaining the reasons and circumstances of using Sword Aura can be addressed later with the Student Affairs people. I’ve come for this.”
The document I pulled out had simple words written on it.
Tuition Fee Notice.
“…Oh.”
“You said during the entrance exam that you would pay five times the tuition fee. Do you remember when I offered to prepare the documents myself?”
“Yes…”
“I’ve been busy with the entrance ceremony these last few days, but I found the perfect timing to prepare it.”
According to regulations, you can’t just increase the fee to exactly five times because you said you would. If that were the case, there would be no reason to set a specific tuition fee.
You can’t receive several times the tuition fee every time nobles or merchants entrust their children.
Still, the reason I accepted the protagonist’s five-times bet was because, ‘there was no need to block the admission’ and…
I needed a situation where I could directly interfere with the tuition notice, just like now.
“Here’s the newly prepared tuition notice.”
“…It seems like something’s been added.”
“It’s a kind of trick.”
If you can’t just charge five times the tuition, what should you do? The answer is simple. Create previously nonexistent entries.
Like academy donations, academic operational support fees (optional), stationery purchasing fees, curfew extension fees, etc.
Other students can also choose to pay these additional charges when paying their tuition, but it’s illogical to have such details.
I included everything I could find, referencing the old regulations. It was quite a bit of work.
The total amount that came out was…
“Between five and six times.”
“…Hmm.”
“Would you be opposed to paying more than five times?”
“N-no, that’s fine.”
“Then there’s no problem!”
It was a lie.
Of course, the explicit amount was indeed between five and six times the original tuition. But you had to read the contract carefully.
The small, densely written parts regarding tuition fees and other content below the notice.
I slipped in a few lines.
Because of Ruth, I mean, the protagonist’s hazardous tendencies.
‘So far, this guy has broken two walls.’
And not just any walls, but a whole side of a rather large building!
Just thinking about the repair costs made me breathless and shaken, making me naturally reach for a cigarette. I almost threw a punch when I impulsively met the protagonist again earlier, you know?
So I made extra safety arrangements. Just in case the protagonist breaks another wall.
“The pen is here, so take your time reading and just sign at the bottom.”
“…”
Naturally, I’m not going to demand reparations every time a facility at the academy is destroyed.
The safety provision I included was, ‘only when restrictions are violated’ in case walls or other facilities were broken.
If I demanded reparations for every destruction, it would be an unfair contract. Though I’d love to create an unfair agreement given what I’ve seen from the protagonist, these things could come back to bite me later.
So I put the condition that it only applies when restrictions are breached. This part was crucial.
No matter how strong a Rank 6 knight is, it’s hard to completely demolish a building wall or facility without using Sword Aura.
‘Most they could do is crack it?’
If it’s just that, it’s fine. Fixing the training hall every day gives leeway.
Additionally, the restrictions I promise to the academy are things the protagonist must practice over the next three years. So adding reparations wouldn’t be an issue.
Like saying not to drink and drive, but if you do and break a wall, reparations would apply.
I initially thought it was necessary when the protagonist became a monstrous Rank 6 student instead of the lowest-tier student in [Dark Kingdom], but considering the costs for what he just broke today, this was essential.
Ultimately, I accepted the protagonist’s five-times tuition to add this provision, although I kind of regretted not just charging ten times.
“…”
Urgh.
He’s taking longer than expected to review the notice? I did tell him to read it slowly, but usually, people at that age just skim through, right?
Is he really reading every single line about kingdom laws and additional clauses written below? There are even footnotes thickly written on the back of the notice!
‘What if he finds out?’
Of course, even if he did, it wouldn’t be an issue… No one would question it since he’ll stick to the restrictions, right? If he asks why I threw in the restriction, I can answer perfectly.
Still, why was there a drop of cold sweat on my back?
Ruth, who seemed accustomed to examining contracts, went through the notice line by line.
“…!”
‘He found out.’
He paused exactly on the point where I added the safety provision.
“…”
After a moment of hesitation, he finally signed the document.
“…Congratulations on officially enrolling at Grandis Academy.”
“Thank you.”
What’s this? He must have noticed the safety provision, yet he just went along without mentioning it?
Is it because he won’t breach the restrictions anymore? Considering he caused quite a ruckus today?
‘The exact content of the safety provision…’
──Article 13 Clause 6. Ruth Spero (hereinafter referred to as ‘Party B’) agrees to compensate the academy for any material damage or facility destruction caused by breaching the restrictions established with the academy. However, considering Party B’s student status, if such incidents occur, the Finance Director Adam Keynes will meet with Party B and may waive this clause at his discretion.
It’s precisely as I remembered it.
In addition to the safety provisions for reparations, I also included terms for future interactions I might need for any incidents the protagonist might encounter, as per the original game’s events.
I had thought that being Rank 6, he might have changed or distorted my safety provision somehow, but it seems completely intact.
For now, I’d have to go back, show this to the chairman, and confirm if there’s no issue.
“Please… take care of everything.”
“Huh?”
“For various reasons… for the next three years, all of it.”
Only then did I finally notice Ruth showing genuine emotions.
It was a somewhat sticky smile that could easily go unnoticed unless looked at closely. At the same time, Ruth’s eyes were sunken somewhere deep.
I couldn’t help but flinch── flinch for what?
“Sure.”
“…”
“Please take care of it.”
Honestly, I’d be more terrified of the wall repair costs than of the original protagonist who disrupted the established narrative and became a Rank 6 student.
Ruth probably had no inkling, but I mustered my strength and secretly pleaded fervently while shaking hands with him.
Please don’t break anything.
If you must, please only break something while violating the restrictions!
You have to graduate before the academy goes bankrupt, right?
Just as I was about to leave the room after this sincere handshake with Ruth…
“…Watch out for Lisha Claudia.”
“Huh?”
“Even if she may be a good person herself…”
“She may be different when wielding her ‘weapon.’”
*
Days passed after the noisy entrance ceremony.
Due to the illusory attack from a Manticore, much talk circulated among new students and guests even after the entrance ceremony ended. New students spoke of countless tales, while the guests only spoke of investments and the future ahead.
And as I had heard beforehand, the staff were startled beyond imagination by the illusions, but they enjoyed the cheerful atmosphere right after the ceremony.
This is one of the perks of working at an academy. Unlike the everyday grind of office work, where you see the same faces repeatedly, you get to see fresh, young faces every year.
Watching the newly arrived chicks chirping and the sparring sessions made me feel satisfied, realizing that my efforts weren’t in vain. I could bring joy to younger students like them.
The reason the resignation rate among the staff at Grandis Academy isn’t high… is, of course, due to the exponentially higher salaries and plenty of benefits compared to similar industries, but it also helps alleviate mental fatigue.
Ah, of course.
That’s a story in a different world from mine.
“This is the total cost incurred during this entrance ceremony and the illusion magic event.”
“…I expected it, but the immediate expenditure is significant.”
“We did gain some extra bribes and income from selling information about the event, but even then, the costs of the illusion magic event don’t quite cover it all. I did hear that the investment in the illusion magic department was agreed upon, though.”
“Hmm, I put in some effort there.”
“The problem is that it takes time for the actual funds to come in. Given the amounts involved, the transfers normally wouldn’t take less than a month. To cover the entrance ceremony costs with that 40% cushion will likely take at least two months.”
“Ugh…”
Two months. Considering it could take a month for the investment funds to come in, we’re talking about covering the entrance ceremony costs in just one month. Given that the entrance ceremony bears the most expenditures among all Grandis Academy events, this is an enormous amount. If 40% results in this level, it’s frightening.
But what the chairman and I were worried about wasn’t whether the investment funds for the illusion magic department would keep rolling in at this pace.
Because investment funds aren’t like salaries, and once the big-name guests learn they invested, they’re far more likely to funnel money than to withdraw it.
The problem is the timing before those funds arrive.
That gap of one month was critical.
“And this is the projected cost needed for the upcoming month.”
“…It’s close.”
“And that’s the issue.”
Grandis Academy will go bankrupt in three years. That’s an undeniable truth regarding the present situation.
However, there can be a misunderstanding. Some could think that if it’s going to go bankrupt in three years, that means there won’t be any issue with operations until then.
That’s not the case at all.
‘The budget was just barely allocated to meet monthly expenses and have a cushion for three years.’
Suppose this month’s required cost is 1 million won. The academy surely wouldn’t prepare exactly 1 million won.
It would be normal to prepare adequate reserves alongside fixed costs since nobody knows how things will unfold in life. Unless you have a surplus capital base, of course.
Grandis Academy leaned more towards the latter. The chairman of the academy was so wealthy that he had just pulled funds out every time there was a shortage.
The problem now is that we can’t do that anymore.
Plus, the admission of so many variables is now an issue.
“There are four key individuals we need to watch out for.”
“New students this year, right?”
“Two in Martial Arts, two in Magic.”
At least the administrative department seems to be functioning properly.
But the problems lie with the other students.
“Ruth Spero, a Rank 6 knight. He breached restrictions by using Sword Aura, completely demolishing one wall of the auditorium. Due to urgent need, we paid an exorbitant fee to repair it. No incidents have occurred since the entrance ceremony, but overall, the damage is substantial.”
“Kaern Deste, the youngest knight appointed. Although he has a just character, he has a strong sense of rivalry towards Ruth Spero, which has led to him exhausting over 20 practice swords during training.”
“Amatrius Delphia Beatrice, the Fourth Princess of the Delphia Kingdom. Although she has been assessed as talented enough to become a grand mage, she cannot control her magic and has already obliterated several classrooms and other rooms.”
“Chloe Pisty, a promising student and apprentice of the Tower Master. Besides her exceedingly arrogant personality, there haven’t been any significant issues, but her relationship with Princess Beatrice isn’t good; they provoke each other every time they meet. This has led to two classrooms being destroyed.”
Are you four turning into the Four Horsemen of Finance Destruction at this academy? Seriously, each of you is just adding fuel to the fire.
In [Dark Kingdom], the narratives often depict structures being blown up due to the students’ vigor. It’s a given with rampant students like them. While playing, I often found satisfaction in destroying buildings.
But now being in a position of having to repair those buildings and pay for it? It’s infuriating.
Thinking that each year, a whopping 20% of Grandis Academy’s overall budget goes toward those damn repair costs makes it even more so!
‘I remember reading in some web novel that academies always get ruined and terrorized.’
Is this the fate of the academy? But why is all this happening while I’m the Finance Director?
If we think rationally, all the previous Finance Directors were chairmen, and the structures were getting wrecked before too. It isn’t just a problem that popped up during my tenure.
Of course, that’s a perspective that’s rationally accurate. Right now, though, my purpose is to curse reality like a common office worker, so it didn’t matter.
‘If only Professor Circe hadn’t been such a shitbag.’
Is it reasonable for someone to research with our funding and then donate the results outright to the church? If I had noticed in advance, I would have obviously prevented it—yet she handed over the rights on the very day of success, leaving me helpless to act. Even more so because the church makes it hard for us to take a stand.
Although it hasn’t been officially announced yet, maybe the church is holding off to avoid knowing the blow it’ll level against their image. Wouldn’t it be more problematic if they knew? Anyhow, I made appointments regarding the hair loss research; we’ll have to deal with that later.
With wall-smashing pupils, professors who loudly demand more research funds, resentful staff members, and let’s not forget the chairman who has lost the most to gift trades.
For just a moment, as I sighed in frustration over this ongoing situation, the chairman, looking serious at the four harbingers of financial destruction, asked me.
“You’re saying you can’t predict what those students will cause within this month before the investment money arrives?”
“Precisely.”
Can you guess what’s the most irksome reason for a company’s bankruptcy? It’s when money is about to come in, yet it goes bankrupt due to an immediate cash flow problem.
That’s precisely the current state of the academy. While last year’s repair costs were somehow manageable, these four troublemakers have, within a week of the entrance ceremony, managed to blow through 20 practice swords, demolish one wall in the auditorium, destroy five classrooms, and wreck two labs.
Comparing it with last year’s repair costs, we are already over twice as much. Adding on top of existing repair costs, my financial statement is screaming out that it’s going to kill me.
…If this trend continues for a month.
The academy won’t last not three years, but a year at best. I hadn’t even thought of what would happen if it got worse, and yet here we are.
Thinking simply, I was planning on spending 1 million won each month for three years.
But now—‘due to unexpected variables’—if those monthly costs rise to 2 million won, the duration we can hold on diminishes significantly.
‘Aren’t you guys dubbed the Golden Generation? Then why are you treating me like this?’
This isn’t the Golden Generation; it feels more like the Devil’s Generation! Just a bunch of devils snatching every penny I’ve been able to earn through bribery or other budgets.
That’s why, exceptional measures are necessary.
And that’s exactly why I’m here, looking serious, facing the chairman.
“While we need measures for each of these key individuals, the most urgent one is… this student.”
“…Princess Beatrice.”
“I’ve already mentioned the case of Beatrice. Do you remember?”
“Right, you took a bribe to help her return to the Delphia Kingdom.”
“Exactly. Since that’s what she desires, we need to send her off.”
Otherwise, she’ll smash another classroom or lab tomorrow. We need to send her away as soon as possible.
Just as expected of the Demolisher, never failing to meet my expectations. Just please don’t let me down this time!
“It’s been about a month since our agreement, so let’s send her back.”
Go, Beatrice.
Just go!
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