Beatrice’s Repatriation Plan.
The benefits of this plan were threefold.
1. By sending back the Demolisher, Beatrice, we prevent future building destruction.
2. In the process, we can quickly receive additional bribery.
3. Moreover, without Beatrice around, the Mage Tower’s disciple will have no one to provoke, thus avoiding financial loss.
By sending back just Beatrice, we gain from bribery while also reducing costs since classrooms won’t be flying around anymore.
That’s why, regardless of whether Beatrice was a heroine in the Dark Kingdom or just a colleague, we must send her back.
And the key to this plan is the Headmistress.
“Headmistress.”
“Speak.”
“When I first told you about Beatrice’s situation, you said there was no problem.”
“And it’s still true.”
Of course, this plan wasn’t just made up. The day I received the bribery from Beatrice, I finished negotiations with the dwarves and immediately consulted with the Headmistress.
The only way Beatrice, unable to leave the academy as a hostage, could return to her home country was through the Headmistress’s intervention.
At that time, the Headmistress listened to all of Beatrice’s issues and told me not to worry.
I let it slide back then, thinking she was just busy preparing for the entrance ceremony and negotiating with bribery candidates.
But now that it’s time to put the plan into action… the Headmistress’s overconfident assurances were making me uneasy.
“…Can I really trust you?”
“Finance Director, why don’t you trust me? I’m a bit hurt.”
“Because you previously boasted about a large sum of money coming soon and then ended up in a gift transaction—”
“That was different! Anyway, this time it’s really okay! I’m planning to talk directly to that Aken guy!”
“Aken? You mean His Highness Aken Delminos?”
That’s our kingdom’s king!
I might have metaphorically said the king should crawl before the headmistress, but did she really have a direct connection with the king?
“King, smking, to me he’s still just a kid.”
“Does that connection mean Beatrice can be sent back to her country?”
“I know a very personal secret about that guy. He’d hate for that to get out, so he’ll do it. And honestly… the fourth princess of the Delphia Kingdom isn’t really that valuable. That border dispute isn’t even that important.”
“Hmm.”
Honestly, the Headmistress had a point.
Beatrice’s value doesn’t just come from her status as the fourth princess. The reason Beatrice came to Grandis Academy as a hostage under the guise of studying abroad was due to the border dispute between the Delphia Kingdom and ours.
If that dispute were that important, Beatrice would never be able to return home. She’s meant to be a hostage after all. However, if it were truly a significant dispute, the Delphia Kingdom wouldn’t have sent her as a hostage.
Ultimately, Beatrice herself likely thought she could return, and as the Headmistress assured, this current border dispute isn’t a major problem. If it were truly serious, they would have summoned her immediately to threaten an outright war.
It’s just a minor dispute, and since the Delphia Kingdom is a small nation, they quickly bowed down by sending the fourth princess as a hostage. That was how they didn’t keep a close watch on Beatrice as a kingdom. With just the right opportunity, they would let her go back.
‘The problem is, Beatrice moved first.’
It’s a completely different story when a kingdom decides to send someone back versus when Beatrice herself attempts to return first. It could end up looking like our kingdom is being ignored.
Just like how prison guards treat lesser offenders more leniently, but their attitude changes the moment they learn that the inmate tried to escape.
In the end, it could be said that after the Headmistress rejected her and her scheme was exposed, Beatrice faced stringent surveillance because it was a consequence of her actions.
If the Headmistress knows the king’s secret, then yes, that could lead to Beatrice’s repatriation… maybe.
“I suppose that means there’s no issue. Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Great! When can I send the message?”
“Right now.”
“…What?”
“Think of it this way: every day Beatrice stays at the academy, a classroom gets blown up.”
“…I’ll contact them through the fastest means possible.”
I need to dispatch the Demolisher as quickly as possible. The last destruction of five classrooms done by Beatrice was just this morning.
Compared to the complete collapse of the entrance exam hall or auditorium walls, the destruction of classrooms might seem like common chaos caused by other students, but losing five in just a week is something else.
‘The protagonist, the youngest knight, Beatrice, the Mage Tower’s disciple…’
Are they even students? They’re pests.
I couldn’t help but doubt whether these were spies sent from the Carpenter Guild to generate repair costs, and let out a sigh as I looked at the Headmistress.
“How long until you get a response?”
“All eighth grades in the kingdom have direct magic tools with that Aken guy, so at the latest, it should be within an hour.”
“Got it. Then I’ll go see Princess Beatrice immediately. If nothing happens, I’ll bring her back right away, so please make your appeal appropriately, Headmistress.”
“I had a hard time asking Aken. It was a rather cheeky proposition, but since you’re my student, I went through with it. Something like that?”
There we go, we’re on the same page.
I give a proud look at the Headmistress, who is slowly growing more competent, and added a remark.
“And you don’t need to mention that extorting bribes is my job. The Headmistress is an incorruptible and upright person, and I’m just a guy who loves money and bribery. We need to keep our roles clear.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
I don’t particularly enjoy playing a role like this either, but with the academy on the brink of bankruptcy, I can’t afford to worry about personal preferences.
‘By the way, if I want to repair all the classrooms as soon as possible, I’ll need extra funds…’
Ah.
I really need a smoke.
The tightness around my head and stomach has become familiar by now. Damn stress.
Even if things go smoothly and I manage to repatriate Beatrice today, I know there are still other financial demolishers remaining.
So I just breathed a sigh of frustration.
*
…I took a smoke break.
If Laura had been there, I would complain, but it’s work hours now. So I just quietly muttered curses to myself while smoking.
‘Already burned through a pack.’
Thinking about the financial situation, I should save on something as trivial as cigarettes, but I just can’t quit.
Otherwise, I feel like I’m really going to go nuts. Just today I confirmed another night shift. Memories of having gone home are starting to fade away.
But how am I supposed to get these smokes? These are ‘special products’ and not something easily bought like regular cigarettes.
‘Last time I bought them, they said I wouldn’t be able to get them for a while.’
Hearing that, I thought I needed to ration them, but I ended up finishing them all in just a week after the protagonist enrolled.
Handling repair bills for the entrance exam hall, the entrance ceremony auditorium, classrooms, and noticing my financial balance, I knew I couldn’t manage without smoking.
Honestly, shouldn’t I be sending all of them, including Beatrice, out of the academy? Should I cancel the protagonist’s enrollment right now?
While I seriously pondered the original story situation, I stopped in my tracks.
“What? What’s going on?”
“It’s a duel! They’ve been fighting all the time, but now they’re going to go all out!”
“In the middle of the street like this? Are they crazy? Sounds hilarious! Let’s go check it out!”
“…What?”
I was heading towards the royal residence dormitory where Beatrice was staying.
Since there are times when low-ranking royalty come to Grandis Academy to avoid purges or make connections, there’s a separate dormitory for royalty.
However, our kingdom’s royalty doesn’t enroll every time, and logically, foreign royalty wouldn’t just come to another country’s academy, leaving this dormitory empty more often.
But now, Beatrice, the only royal, was supposedly using it alone. What on earth is with this crowd?
“A duel?”
Are they really going to duel in the middle of the street, in front of the royal dormitory?
I’m already annoyed, and this just adds to my frustration.
Just as I was regretting the throngs of students crowding around and obscuring the duel, I couldn’t even see the crazy kids who were supposed to be fighting.
But then, as a first-rate, what am I supposed to do, push my way through these students?
“Guards, identify yourselves.”
“Huh, y-yes?”
“I’m Finance Director Adam Keynes. Identify yourselves.”
“F-Finance Director!? I’m Lowell from the 3rd Guard Company, 1st Platoon, 2nd Squad! I apologize for not recognizing you!”
“I didn’t know who you were either, so no need to apologize. Just help me disperse those students.”
“Understood!”
I caught one of the guards patrolling nearby. Hmm, he looks reliable with that build.
It seemed that every time I came here, there were unusually many people in the guard who didn’t know my face, but that couldn’t be helped.
It’s not like they’re supposed to know the Finance Director’s face; it’s different for those who see their peers more often like the Examination Supervisor or the Student Affairs Director.
Once Lowell, now set, stepped forward, a path cut through the thick crowd of students. After all, no student wants to be disciplined by getting in the guard’s way.
As we shoved through the students, I was shocked at how quickly more had gathered in just that short time.
“Get back!”
“Y-Yeah! It’s the guards!”
“Who’s the person behind them…? Looks like staff from their badges?”
“Hey, back off!”
The guards were easily recognized by their uniforms and weapons, making them easy for the students to recognize. Unlike me, who only had my badge to identify myself, they were more straightforward.
With Lowell leading the way with his sturdy build, a way through the previously piled-up crowd opened, for no student would wish to face discipline.
As we made our way through the throngs, I finally found…
“Surely you’re not stepping back, Your Highness?”
“…How dare you.”
“Your little princely status may have meant something in your tiny kingdom, but here, it’s a different country, right? You should be accustomed to this kind of treatment now.”
“It’s absurd to show no respect at all.”
“Well, why should I respect you when I’m not even afraid of you?”
“I think you’re being overly confident for someone who isn’t even royalty. The Grand Mage is your master, not your parent.”
“You think you’re not just some mistress‘s daughter?”
“You.”
“How dare? If you’re brave enough, come fight me. This place is perfect for me to make you cry in front of the dorm…!!”
Among the assembled crowd of students, two female students were facing off.
With yellow bracelets indicating they were first-year students in the field of magic; the magic power radiating from the two girls was alarming.
…They were Beatrice and Chloe.
The fourth princess of the Delphia Kingdom and her provocateur, a disciple of the Mage Tower.
It seemed quite the violent words were exchanged, and they appeared ready to clash right then and there.
“Finance Director, please come behind me. I’ll ensure your safety.”
“I’ll be fine, just follow me.”
“Finance Director!? You’re a Rank 1, shouldn’t you stay behind…!!”
Yeah, I’m Rank 1. But so what? I have means to defend myself.
However, it didn’t seem like I’d need to use that ‘means’ here. Given the costs involved, I wouldn’t want to pull it out unless it’s a matter of life and death.
Anyways, as Beatrice’s and Chloe’s magic swirled around, I stepped forward towards them and opened my mouth.
“What are you two doing here?”
“…Finance Director?”
“What about you… wait a moment.”
The students surrounding us whispered as they watched me approach, but none of them recognized me. However, these two were different.
I had already met one, and the other couldn’t possibly not know me due to her status. So there was no doubt they would stop fighting if I stepped in.
Beatrice, now looking flustered, and Chloe, with a slightly confused expression, turned to look at me simultaneously.
“Both of you, calm your magic.”
“But…”
“Do you want to receive a disciplinary action here?”
“…………”
Not only professors but also higher-ranking staff can give disciplinary measures to students when there’s a valid reason. Naturally, if students faced penalties in front of their peers, it would raise more than a few eyebrows afterward.
With a somewhat displeased expression, Beatrice calmed her magic, and Chloe, having confirmed my identity, quietly complied as well.
Gone was their earlier aggressive stance.
But that was only natural. Though they could argue amongst themselves, it would be madness to act that way towards a staff member.
“Finance Director Adam Keynes… right?”
“That’s correct. Chloe.”
Unlike before, Chloe approached me with polite speech.
I had heard about her exceedingly arrogant nature, but that’s only towards her fellow students. In front of a staff member capable of issuing disciplinary actions, she was quite respectful.
As the disciple of a prominent Grand Mage, being put on probation for unsavory conduct would also tarnish her master’s reputation.
In a gentle tone, Chloe smiled and continued speaking.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Chloe Pisty from the Imperial Mage Tower.”
“I’m Finance Director Adam Keynes. Can I hear what’s happening here, Chloe?”
“Of course. It’s a perfectly legitimate duel.”
A duel?
Is this really a duel? Not just some street brawl?
“Beatrice, is that true?”
“…………”
“Beatrice?”
“……Yes.”
Unlike their personal meetings, in this formal setting, Beatrice was also required to address me as a student.
Of course, that wasn’t always the case. It simply differentiated between honoring “Your Highness” and referring to “Student” depending on the atmosphere and situation.
And now, she called me student as I needed to assert myself strongly. She wouldn’t bring this up later, would she?
Anyway, this is indeed a real duel.
“Is there an official duel ground?”
“Yes. I received approval from the Student Affaires Director.”
“……Understood.”
An official duel arena issued by the academy. It even has the Student Affairs Director’s stamp, and it was issued just ten minutes ago.
Yeah, I see.
So why are they doing this here?
“I’ve confirmed this is an official and legitimate duel, but this duel—”
“I’m very sorry, Finance Director…”
“What is it?”
“I remember that no one, aside from the Headmistress and the supervising faculty member, can forcibly stop a duel approved by the academy.”
“…………”
“I’m exercising my rightful authority. No matter how much of a Finance Director you are, you cannot arbitrarily stop this duel.”
While she directly confronted me, Chloe’s intent wasn’t to oppose me or drive me away.
While she rebutted, her fierce gaze was firmly locked on Beatrice.
Though I didn’t know the precise circumstances, it seemed Chloe harbored considerable animosity against Beatrice. Her recent words were likely an expression of her eagerness to duel the princess.
But so what?
“Regulation 7 of the duel code states that duels approved by the academy should be held in designated duel grounds, training halls, or any other location with the approval of a supervisor.”
“Uh…”
“Who said anything about not fighting? I’m saying don’t fight here.”
Regardless of whether they fought or not, it was none of my business. Likewise, I didn’t care to know Chloe’s reasons for despising Beatrice.
But if they want to duel, then do it in the duel grounds. Why waste money building one otherwise?
You two are mages, right? Wouldn’t casting spells here cause buildings nearby to collapse and that would mean money, with repair costs? We could certainly seek damages from the bits broken due to a duel, but it’s also annoying, so it’s best if nothing falls apart.
Anyways, I figured I wouldn’t be able to discuss Beatrice’s repatriation until after their duel ended.
Let them fight, and wrap it up.
“The referee section is still empty; I’ll take on the role of referee myself. Let’s move to the duel ground.”
“………Yes.”
“Y-yes…”
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