Reviving a Bankrupt Academy: My Financial Battle

The two women faced each other. One with hostility, the other with suspicion in their eyes.

The Headmistress was hostile, and Chloe was suspicious.

That's how unbelievable the reality was for Chloe.

'No, but, why?'

'You're not going to deny the detection magic, are you?'

'…Is it real?'

Why did the detection magic aimed at Adam react to the Headmistress's lips?

The answer was obvious. She must have kissed and… done other things with Adam with those disgusting lips.

The emotion Chloe felt at that moment was…

'Is she crazy?'

'In what sense?'

'In every sense, of course!'

This is clearly sexual harassment and an abuse of power. For the Headmistress, who is over 100 years old, to be kissing and doing that with Adam, who is in his early 20s, is a serious offense.

Although sexual harassment isn't explicitly defined as a crime in the laws of the kingdom or the Empire, this is a matter of conscience that goes beyond the law.

'I must save Adam from that crazy bitch.'

'You finally understand.'

At this moment, Chloe and the adult Chloe were in agreement. The two Chloes looked at the Headmistress with clear hostility, not just suspicion.

Even while Chloe was in turmoil, the Headmistress glared at her from beginning to end.

The two Chloes, feeling a sense of superiority from the fact that the Headmistress was jealous of her, and wondering, 'Does she have no conscience at that age?' that the Headmistress was actually jealous of her…

Under the guidance of the adult Chloe, Chloe spoke up.

"Anyway, as I said earlier, I met with the Finance Director."

"So… on the last day of the festival…"

"I saw the fireworks with the Finance Director. Thank you for recommending such a good spot, Headmistress. Thanks to you, I had a great time."

"…Ha."

Although Chloe started it, it was the adult Chloe who was assisting. She was laughing gleefully in Chloe's mind and whispering all sorts of provocative remarks.

'But was it really the Headmistress who told you about that spot?'

'Don't you remember? Adam asked if you were the Headmistress when he first saw you. He was planning to send you away and come later. He must have wanted some time alone with her, right?'

'But she didn't come in the end.'

'Well? Maybe there was a reason. Anyway, the facts are clear. That spot was the one the Headmistress recommended, and she couldn't come.'

Then, all she had to do was talk appropriately.

"Did you have a good time?"

"As expected of the spot recommended by the Headmistress, the fireworks were exceptional. I happened to be passing by and saw the Finance Director, so I approached him, and he told me to sit next to him."

"...."

"The Finance Director was waiting for you… but you didn't come even after waiting for a long time, and I couldn't just leave him alone, so we watched the fireworks together."

Chloe was smiling brightly as she said that, as if there was nothing wrong with it.

The Headmistress clenched and unclenched her fist.

Chloe momentarily broke out in a cold sweat at that simple action, but the Headmistress didn't throw a punch.

Even Chloe thought it was natural. Did it make sense to throw a punch just because of this? Even if Chloe was Rank 5, she would die if the Rank 8 Headmistress punched her.

However, the adult Chloe reacted a little differently.

'Prepare teleportation magic.'

'What?'

'Just in case. If that old hag really throws a punch, I'll buy you some time, so teleport immediately. The location is the Headmistress's office.'

'Why there?'

'Why, you ask? The Headmistress showed her weakness first, so we have to go to Adam right away. But it would be strange to teleport directly to Adam's office. We're going to the closest place possible.'

'....'

The adult Chloe's words were, how should she put it, a bit obsessive. It was as if she had imagined this countless times.

Come to think of it, that was true. The adult Chloe had been trying to win Adam's heart after the Headmistress died.

It was ironic that she was so unbelievably shy, but at least in her imagination, she must have thought of all sorts of methods.

What she just said seemed to be one of them. Imagining herself taking Adam, defeating the Headmistress.

At least it was helping her now, so Chloe quietly followed the adult Chloe's advice.

But while she was thinking about how to respond and hesitating for a moment.

The Headmistress, who had been grimacing, took a deep breath and regained her composure.

"I see. Did you enjoy the fireworks?"

"Yes, I did."

"I'm glad you enjoyed them. But the Finance Director looked very tired. You didn't keep him for too long, did you?"

"That's…"

"He must have wanted to leave work right away, but he stayed and watched the fireworks with a 'student.' The Finance Director is truly a wonderful 'faculty member.'"

"...."

She twisted Chloe's boast into a 'faculty member who was just being nice to a student.' It was even more painful because she couldn't deny it.

After all, Chloe really did just watch the fireworks with Adam. The conversations they had also maintained the line between faculty and student.

Although they decided to call each other by their names at the end, even at that moment, it felt like Adam was just giving in, not because he felt close to Chloe.

The Headmistress smiled at Chloe, who was momentarily speechless.

"I heard that you've been helping the Finance Director lately. But please don't tire him out too much."

"Tire him out?"

"I check on him regularly every day, but his dark circles have gotten worse lately. He should be resting more since you're helping him with his work, but how flustered he must have been. He couldn't just tell you to leave when you, a student who was helping him, approached him. He must have just told you to stay and watch the fireworks together."

"…He didn't seem particularly tired."

"Of course he hid it in front of a student. I also wouldn't normally say this to a student, but please don't bother the Finance Director too much. He's the most important person in the academy."

And you sexually harassed that important person?

Chloe managed to hold back the words she was about to spit out in anger. In her mind, a vivid image of the old hag Headmistress forcing herself onto Adam, and Adam, unable to say anything despite his unwillingness because she was his superior, was already playing out.

More importantly…

"Well, I'm 'comforting' him every day. So don't hold onto the Finance Director too much."

"...."

Comforting.

Comforting, she said.

'She deliberately stroked her lips just now, didn't she?'

'She must know that we're using detection magic. How shameless, I'm not even a student at the academy anymore, but you're still a student.'

'Is that what happens when you're over 100 years old and have never been in a relationship?'

'Maybe she's like that because she's menopausal despite being a virgin. Is that even possible?'

"..."

"...."

The conversation lulled. They had exchanged a punch each and were now waiting for the right timing.

The atmosphere, which had been tense and sharp like gladiators waiting for a chance to strike a fatal blow…

Buzz.

"Huh? Finance Director?"

—Headmistress, where are you?

"W-well, as the Finance Director knows, I'm just outside for a bit…"

—It's been 20 minutes. Why are you doing this when we're so busy these days? Please come to the Headmistress's office right now.

"Yes…"

…subsided as soon as the Finance Director's angry voice was heard from the communication magic tool in the Headmistress's pocket.

While the dejected Headmistress was listening to the Finance Director's nagging through the communication magic tool…

Chloe, hearing Adam's voice, immediately shouted.

"Finance Director! I'm here!"

—…Student Chloe? Are you with the Headmistress?

"Yes!"

"W-wait a minute!"

"Didn't you just say not to bother the Finance Director too much? Isn't it much 'less' bothersome to communicate from afar like this?"

"...."

"Finance Director! In that sense, receiving a communication magic tool like the Headmistress…"

—Student Chloe, there's no need for such a thing between a student and a faculty member, and it's an unnecessary expense. But it's good that you're with the Headmistress.

"What?"

"Pardon?"

—I have something to tell both of you, so please come to the Headmistress's office. You can come together. That's all.

Click.

"...…."

"...…."

After Adam curtly hung up, as if he was busy.

The Headmistress and Chloe fidgeted in the incredibly awkward atmosphere.

"S-shall we go?"

"…Yes."

The Headmistress, who was trying to set the mood just moments ago but was harshly rejected by the Finance Director.

And Chloe, who jumped at the opportunity but was bluntly turned down by the Finance Director.

And even the adult Chloe, who was a bit excited by Adam's firm voice.

They quietly walked towards the Headmistress's office. They didn't say a word even after walking the same path for over ten minutes. Since the Finance Director told them to come together, the Headmistress couldn't go first, and Chloe couldn't use teleportation magic.

Although they were hostile towards each other just moments ago.

A strange sense of camaraderie enveloped them now.

***

Circe.

Felt as if she had awoken from a long dream.

'What… is this?'

A sense of liberation. A strange sense of liberation.

A feeling of being liberated from this mundane world, from worries.

And so, Circe opened her eyes.

"Professor Circe, are you awake?"

"...."

"Professor Circe?"

She closed her eyes again.

Liberation and all that bullshit, with that devil in front of her, all she felt was despair. Circe missed her lab and the infirmary where she had been lying for days.

However, this wasn't the infirmary, and since she had already been discharged, she couldn't escape reality forever.

With a deep sigh, Circe opened her eyes.

Rustle.

"Ah, your hair is falling out again."

"Ah, ah…!!"

"Although you received purification magic and the church's blessing right after the accident, you were in the midst of all that hair loss agent without any protection… you're lucky it ended with just this."

The Finance Director wasn't wrong. It was ultimately Circe's own fault that the component analyzer exploded, and thanks to being rescued less than ten minutes after the accident, she was able to avoid becoming bald.

However, she had a bald spot on the top of her head. Moreover, this mark of social death was gradually growing larger. Circe looked at her lost hair with empty eyes.

Yes, what he said was undeniably true.

But why was she so angry?

Couldn't he at least soften his words in front of her—

"Ah, you could say you're unlucky. Considering the compensation you have to pay."

"…It's all my fault. So please, anything but a salary reduction!"

"Oh, what are you saying?"

"Finance Director…!"

"This isn't something that can be resolved with just a salary reduction. Your salary has already been reduced by 98%, Professor. Even if we deduct another 2%, it won't be nearly enough."

The Finance Director, with a smiling face, nonchalantly pushed Circe into the abyss of despair…

…and started counting numbers while flipping through the documents he was holding.

"Normally, the academy takes care of repairs in case of explosions or collapses, but this case is a bit special. Looking at the circumstances of the accident, it was 100% your fault, and moreover, the hair loss agent almost spread throughout the entire academy."

"Th-that's! You were the one who asked me to do that, Finance Director!"

"That's correct. If the accident had occurred on the second day of the festival, I would have considered increasing your salary, Professor Circe. That would have been more convenient for me as well. But that's not the case, is it?"

"...."

"Anyway, a salary reduction isn't nearly enough, so you'll have to use your personal funds, Professor Circe, but you already said you don't have any more money, didn't you?"

"…Yes…"

It was true. She had been spending money whenever it came in to fund her various schemes, and after her salary was reduced by 98%, she couldn't even maintain those schemes, let alone her livelihood, as she had no savings left.

Naturally, she didn't have the money to pay the compensation demanded by the Finance Director.

But for some reason, the Finance Director was smiling as if it wasn't a problem.

That smile…

Circe was terrified.

"Then we'll just have to settle for the next best thing."

"What? The next best… what?"

"Simply put, you can pay it back with something other than money. For example…"

The Finance Director's gaze swept over Circe's body. Circe hurriedly covered her chest at that creepy look.

You despicable and dirty bastard. Was that what you were after?

Although Circe gritted her teeth in anger, they held the power. All she could do was glare at the Finance Director with contempt.

"Your research."

"…What?"

"The hair loss cure research. Aren't you more desperate now? You originally said it would take 20 years, but it seems like you'll starve to death before that, and your bald spot is getting bigger."

"Uh, uh…"

"I've also acquired some good manpower. You'll have to devote yourself to the research with them."

If it was about the hair loss cure research, she was already investing all her time in it except for the bare minimum. There was no way the Finance Director didn't know that.

Yet, for him to say this.

"I've already built a new lab. You can take care of your food, sleep, and other necessities there from now on. Your classes have also been suspended indefinitely. There were many students worried about you, Professor Circe."

"W-wait a minute. Finance Director?"

"Don't worry. We'll provide you with the food you request. You'll also be allowed to go out once every three months. Of course, you'll have to be accompanied by our personnel."

Food? Request? Once every three months?

Circe hurriedly got up from her seat at the ominous words, but…

Click.

"F-Finance Director. I'm here…"

"Finance Director, me too."

"Headmistress, Miss Chloe. You both came? Say hello, this is Professor Circe."

"…Ah."

She couldn't help but tremble in fear at the sight of the two people who entered, especially the Headmistress.

While she was speechless… the Finance Director placed his hand on Circe's shoulder.

"You just have to focus on your research from now on. We'll let you go as soon as you develop the hair loss cure."

"...…."

Finally, Circe succumbed to reality.

For the sake of the plan, for moving to the Holy Kingdom, for her career, and for her livelihood and hair…

Tears fell from Circe's eyes.

Coincidentally, they weren't very visible as they fell along with her hair.