“The professors in the field of magic have been picking a research achievement they desired to keep for themselves all this time. This was a privilege granted by the headmistress to attract excellent professors in the early days of the academy’s establishment, but it no longer needs to continue.”
Dun dun dunnnnn!
Professor Circe’s words were pleasant to hear, like a smart person giving a lecture rather than a confession, creating a kind of classroom atmosphere.
BAM!
Maybe that’s why the reactions from the professors were overwhelmingly intense.
“Professor Circe! Stop your recklessness!”
“Circe! What on earth are you talking about!”
“That’s our tradition!”
It’s fair to say that the magic field, boasting the highest number of professors, had the loudest voices because they were the ones involved in this conscience declaration.
WHAM!
Combining the martial arts and administrative field professors, their numbers surpass those of the magic field. However, they didn’t react as wildly as the magic professors.
They were already well aware of the fact that if you were a professor of Grandis Academy, there was no need to get overly excited.
WHIRR!
Professor Circe continued speaking despite the uproar from the magic field professors.
“With that privilege and welfare, the professors in the field of magic have continued to keep research achievements that were profitable or significantly beneficial for their careers. When I was first appointed as a professor, this welfare was what I heard about most.”
With a hint of crafty ambiguity, Professor Circe reflected a certain advice from a finance director.
It was true that magic field professors traditionally had profitable or career-boosting achievements. However, even if a profit was minimal, it still counted as a profit, and were there any achievements that didn’t help with one’s career?
ZOOM!
As Dean Villend cautiously reacted, the magic field professors knew very well that if they overstepped, it would lead to consequences. So they avoided owning excessive research achievements.
But not all professors in the magic field were the same, and even the mere potential to own large-scale research itself infuriated professors from other fields.
The magic field was simply the most dominant in Grandis Academy, and since the founding headmistress implicitly sanctioned it, they hadn’t been able to voice complaints until now.
But now, the situation was different.
BAM!
Even though the martial arts and administrative field professors were aware that Professor Circe was intentionally speaking ambiguously to incite emotions, they willingly decided to let it slide.
There was no need to pinpoint details.
“What do you mean by owning research achievements?!”
“No matter how much the magic field represents Grandis Academy, isn’t this going too far?!”
“According to the contract, the academy clearly holds ownership of the research achievements, so are you saying the magic field was violating that under the excuse of tradition?!”
“Oh, that’s outrageous! You’ve done that for decades?!”
“There must be plenty of important researches that have already been owned! Are you guys still calling yourselves academics?!”
Although every professor was aware of the tradition in the magic field, the martial arts and administrative professors expressed indignation and resentment as if hearing it for the first time.
The former was a lie, but the latter’s emotion was genuine. Is it reasonable that only the magic field professors receive such benefits while they are also professors of Grandis Academy?
The resentment and jealousy that had built up from favorable treatment.
When it comes down to it, the root cause was the implicitly approved headmistress, but back then, there were reasons such as establishing the academy and attracting professors. More than anything, human nature tends to hold grudges against those who continually reap the benefits rather than the one who originally authorized them.
Thus, the martial arts and administrative field professors raised their voices against the magic field professors.
SHOUT!
In an instant, the meeting room transformed into a marketplace.
“I felt joy at this welfare, but I also had great doubts. It was truly a dual-faced act. If I remained silent, as it had always been, this privilege would have continued under the name of tradition. But I just couldn’t bring myself to do that.”
THUD!
The tradition had already been exploited thoroughly; it even became something of a rarity.
“We didn’t become professors purely to seek profits. We are scholars and educators who wanted to pursue our desired field of study, martial arts, and reach the end of our research. How could such educators turn a blind eye to their conscience?”
It wasn’t wrong, but many professors had seen the industry’s top-level salaries and various benefits. Professor Circe herself was not particularly different.
“And so, after much contemplation, here I stand. No matter if I am branded a traitor, receive disdainful looks, or even face dismissal, it’s fine.”
GASP!
Not fine. If she really were to be dismissed, Professor Circe would fight tooth and nail.
“I am simply making a conscience declaration as a professor of Grandis Academy.”
Ultimately, it was a confession laced with falsehoods. Those who knew Professor Circe’s truths would certainly curse her as a fantastic hypocrite.
But the tradition surrounding her was kept under wraps, with only Dean Villend, the headmistress, and the finance director wise to it. Likewise, no one was privy to any backdoor dealings with the finance director.
WHACK!
If no one knows, does it count as a lie? Even if someone were to know, it’d be fine.
As long as it benefits them, even if it’s just lies, many would turn a blind eye if it feels morally justified.
And so, with the conclusion of Professor Circe’s conscience declaration…
Silence…
In the midst of silence filled with mixed emotions from the professors, the martial arts field dean, a middle-aged man with numerous scars, nodded.
“Thank you for your conscience declaration, Professor Circe.”
CLAP!
The older female dean in the administrative field smiled warmly.
“It must have been no easy task; what a courageous act.”
Then, the dean of the magic field received all eyes filled with questioning looks while standing beside the stern-faced headmistress. It all made sense.
Dean Villend, having already received prior counsel from the headmistress, finally spoke.
“…Professor Circe’s conscience declaration causes me to feel a great sense of guilt as the dean of the magic field. Headmistress.”
GASPS!
“Dean!”
“Dean! No! What are you doing!”
“Professor Circe! You…!!”
“Everyone, quiet.”
SHUSH!
Silence…
The headmistress, who sat at the head table, silenced all with a cold expression, having quietly listened to everything.
Her influence as someone who maintained the academy solely through her own finances, without any funding or donations, was absolute. There wouldn’t be any interference with vested interests, allowing her to adhere firmly to her beliefs.
With just her word, Dean Villend could genuinely resign. Beyond that, a purging of the magic field professors could happen…… although it would likely cause great chaos, it was possible, given her authority.
All the professors looked at the headmistress, filled with a mixture of expectation, anxiety, frustration, hope, and resignation.
“…This story dates back several decades. Back then, I had just established Grandis Academy and was busy ensuring I could properly teach students and recruit capable professors.”
“There were people who came to me because of my name, but the majority were from the martial arts field, while almost none were from magic. So, during my contemplation, the then-dean proposed to me.”
“To attract professors from the magic field, let’s allow special ‘privileges.'”
“After deep contemplation, I accepted the proposal. Now, decades have passed, and I never imagined that this privilege would continue as a tradition and convention until now.”
WHAT?!
No. The headmistress remembered the convention. It was simply that she had authorized it, thus she kept it discreet.
From the professors’ perspective, it was a reasonable story. The headmistress ruled the academy like a philosopher king, and typically such rulers place upon themselves a corresponding workload.
It was already a known fact that the headmistress’ office light hardly ever went out at night. So much so that some students consider it lighthouse-like.
However, with the professor of the magic field, even the academy’s brightest young genius making a conscience declaration…
The headmistress had gained a clear motive and conviction.
An opportunity to eliminate the tradition she started, accompanied by a certain conviction.
Wooosh!
It wielded a kind of self-loathing.
“As the headmistress of the academy, I bear significant responsibility for not noticing this malignant growth sooner.”
“Headmistress.”
“Dean Villend, I shall reject your resignation request. And Professor Circe.”
“Yes, headmistress.”
“If not for your conscience declaration, this harmful tradition named privilege would have continued. I sincerely thank you.”
“You flatter me. I’m merely doing what is right.”
“And obviously, this issue will not be brushed aside easily.”
The headmistress stood like a judge issuing a verdict. But what kind of punishment should she deliver?
Eliminating the tradition was only natural, and it had to sufficiently quell the discontent of the martial arts and administrative field professors, who had been aggrieved for decades over the magic field professors enjoying the sweet life.
Yet the magic field itself was indeed central to Grandis Academy, and it couldn’t be allowed to topple entirely.
Was there any punishment that could achieve this? The professors speculated as they anxiously awaited the headmistress’ words.
“Academic Director, Finance Director.”
“Yes, headmistress.”
“Yes, headmistress.”
The headmistress suddenly summoned the two directors who had come in with her.
With icy composure, she instructed the Academic Director.
“Academic Director, reassess the research achievements of the magic field and organize the research they have owned according to tradition for submission.”
“Yes!”
Even with that daunting task of reviewing decades of research, the academic fanatics responded with enthusiasm.
“And Finance Director.”
“Yes.”
“For the next ten years, reduce the salaries of all professors in the magic field.”
GASP!
“W-what, headmistress!”
“Of course, the salary of any newly appointed professors won’t be reduced. This applies only to currently serving professors.”
“Understood.”
Typically, a professor’s income does not consist solely of salary.
Aside from salaries, there are various sources of income such as paper allowances, research grants, and compensation for conducting external research.
But in the case of Grandis Academy, things were a little different. The basic salary alone was transcendently high. Simply put, they earned ten times more than professors at other private academies. Other bonuses or special allowances were separate, of course.
Because of this, professors often relied heavily on their salary for a living. Hence, the mention of salary reductions drew far more stark reactions from them.
SHOCK!
With their main source of income so immense, they didn’t care much about secondary sources. However, because of that, reducing their main income via salary was seen as a highly significant punishment within Grandis Academy.
The professors in the martial arts and administrative fields appeared largely satisfied. They understood how powerful a pay cut was within this academy.
Although discontent sparkled in the eyes of the magic field professors.
“Is there a complaint?”
“Um…”
As soon as the headmistress’ gaze fell upon them, they all fell silent and lowered their heads.
It wasn’t just about presence and authority; merely facing someone of rank 8 naturally made their mouths shut.
“Other than the salary cut, I won’t be touching anything else. Is there still discontent? After all those years of holding onto research achievements and receiving different privileges than professors from other fields?”
“…No, headmistress.”
“Dean Villend. Although this should never happen again, if any strange tradition or convention… the remnants of this malignant system arises in the future, report it without fail.”
“I will remember that.”
“Then.”
After uttering those words, the headmistress quietly left the meeting room. The Academic Director followed after her, and perhaps wise to the situation, Professor Circe also exited with her.
And naturally, the eyes of the magic field professors turned towards Dean Villend, the only remaining Finance Director, Adam Keynes.
While the headmistress had mentioned salary reductions…
WHEW!
… she hadn’t specified by how much.
“Dean Villend.”
“…Finance Director.”
“Let’s have a meeting regarding the salary reductions from now on. Please take a seat at the dean’s desk.”
“Understood…”
Dean Villend’s face clouded. After our conversation, he likely went to the headmistress’ office to be fully informed about the situation, which must have weighed heavily on him.
He would lament why such a situation arose during his chairmanship, and perhaps even hold resentment towards me.
“Sigh…”
“The punishment isn’t for the convention; it’s the result of Professor Circe’s voluntary conscience declaration.”
But that’s not entirely false. This was all for the purpose of reducing costs, a significant portion of which came from “professors’ salaries.”
What would he say if he realized that?
Quietly, I surveyed the other field professors laughing at the downtrodden magic field professors.
“Hah! Everyone’s the same.”
The only difference was the sheer scale of the magic field, but similar traditions or corrupt practices certainly existed in other areas.
Of course, most professors were good people. Proper scholars and educators, diligent individuals.
But like all organizations, a few bad apples tend to spoil the bunch.
“Bring it on, you guys.”
Last year, adapting to the work left me with no room for such considerations, but this year was different.
Starting from the magic field’s tradition…
SWISH!
…I was going to thoroughly cut costs and increase revenues to save this academy from the brink of bankruptcy.
I have to…
I have to…
— Finance Director, I’m sorry… because of the foolish headmistress.
— You live on. Live for me instead…
…What was that again?
HAAAH?!
I felt like I heard a voice just now.
SHAKE SHAKE!
I shrugged it off as my imagination and brightened my eyes.
I realized that the future of the next ten years rested in my hands, as the magic field professors’ eyes filled with fear.
GIGGLE!
“So, how much should I cut for the rumors of a ‘proper’ pay cut to circulate?”
With the main income being exorbitant, they wouldn’t need to fret over secondary sources. But the main income dropping meant an enormous punishment when it came to Grandis Academy.
Although I had refrained from slashing the research funding budget to prevent the whole field from shaking.
WHOOSH!
Anyway, with a legitimate reason now in my hand that no one could question, it was time to dance with glee.
DANCE!
“Let the fun begin!”
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