Reviving a Bankrupt Academy: My Financial Battle

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"So… you're saying that you're going to live here with Student Ruth Spero from now on?"

"Yes, Headmistress."

"Are you crazy?"

That night, after finally having a decent meal for the first time in a while…

Although he had brought his luggage, Ruth hadn't finished cleaning his room yet, and there were still things like his bed and wardrobe to bring over, so he went back to his original dormitory for the time being.

He would probably finish moving as soon as classes were over tomorrow.

However, it seemed like this dormitory might be destroyed before that.

By the incredibly furious Headmistress.

"Cancel it."

"But Headmistress."

"This place is under the Finance Director's name. It doesn't make sense for another student to live here."

I didn't ask, "Isn't it fine since it's under my name?" because this wasn't the first time the Headmistress had acted like this.

Perhaps because I had seen quite a bit of the Headmistress, I could classify her anger into several stages, like in some sitcom drama.

And despite her tone, the Headmistress's current anger was at a rather ambiguous level. She was angry, but she didn't have a way to persuade me, so she was practically throwing a tantrum.

Wasn't she over a hundred years old? This was what happened when menopause hit. Menopause… right? Anyway.

"Still, I can't pass up fifty times the rent."

"But, but it's not that much money when you consider the entire academy's finances!"

"That's true, but…"

"So…!!"

"It suddenly makes me realize how amazing you are, Headmistress, for blowing through two years' worth of the academy's budget in one go."

"...…"

Headmistress, sunk.

Was I perhaps the only Rank 1 to have defeated a Rank 8? Anyway, I helped up the speechless Headmistress and sat her down on a chair, then handed her the tea I had prepared beforehand.

It was quite expensive, but it was the Headmistress's favorite tea. I kept it on hand specifically for occasions like this.

"Headmistress, you know I wouldn't do anything to harm you or the academy."

"…Even if Ruth Spero is a male student, he's a Rank 6 swordsman. Remember the entrance ceremony? What if he suddenly goes crazy and attacks the Finance Director?"

"Hmm."

"I'm always protecting the Finance Director with my Aura, but I don't know what would happen if a Rank 6 went all out while I was off guard."

The Headmistress's concern wasn't unfounded. There was a reason I was living in this kind of dormitory.

Aside from the old facilities, this was the 'safest' dormitory. The alleyways leading here changed every time, and only the Headmistress and I knew the pattern of change.

But if the protagonist lived here, there would be one more person who knew the pattern. The Headmistress couldn't help but worry.

After all, I was a very weak Rank 1, even by the academy's standards.

'Frankly, if they attacked while the Headmistress and I were asleep…'

Even then, there was no guarantee that they could break through the Aura the Headmistress used to protect me, considering she was Rank 8. But the mere possibility made me uneasy.

If it were another student, the Headmistress wouldn't have reacted this way. It was because it was a Rank 6 student, who might be able to break through the Aura.

I understood her feelings, but…

"Headmistress, do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then I hope you'll trust my judgment. Student Ruth isn't that kind of person."

"...…"

No, really, he wasn't. He was the protagonist for a reason. Aside from breaking walls and blowing through budgets, Ruth Spero was the person I trusted the most after the Headmistress. The thing I trusted the most was money.

Besides, there was another reason I could persuade the Headmistress.

"And right now, it might be more dangerous for me to be alone."

"What…?"

"The spies from the Wish Cult. I suspect that aside from Milia, there's at least one more high-ranking individual, Rank 6 or higher, hiding here. More importantly, they managed to avoid your detection, even with the help of Dark Sword."

"…The Wish Cult."

"We can't predict what kind of abilities they have. And since I'm the one who initiated this attack, they're likely to follow me. If they somehow manage to reach this dormitory…"

"You're saying they could harm the Finance Director."

"In that case, Student Ruth would be a great help."

Of course, it would be best if that didn't happen. It would also put the protagonist in danger.

Moreover, it was also problematic to tell the protagonist, "Be careful, a mysterious entity might ambush you at night." Why not just tell him that an attack on the academy was imminent?

It was a tricky situation. Having the protagonist in this dormitory would create problems, but there were definite advantages. It seemed like the Headmistress had somehow come to terms with that as well.

It was more like she was throwing a tantrum even though she already knew.

Seeing me trying to persuade her with a smile while she drank her favorite tea seemed to satisfy the Headmistress.

"If that's what the Finance Director wants, then alright. And… you look better."

"Huh?"

"I specifically asked the dining hall to increase the faculty discount, but you haven't been using it, have you?"

"…Well."

"I told you, you need to eat well, especially since you're not sleeping enough!"

Due to the security measures of this dormitory, we couldn't have a chef come here to cook or have food delivered. In the end, I had to either cook myself or eat out.

To be honest, my cooking skills were mediocre, and the Headmistress was working even more than I was, so she didn't have time to come and cook for me. So eating at the dining hall was the best option.

'That's why I've been buying boiled potatoes with a discount…'

This was one of the few things the Headmistress nagged me about. I tried to save money on food, with or without discounts, and she wanted me to at least eat well.

I had nothing to say to that. It was as if I was rejecting her concern and efforts.

But who knew what would happen to the money saved this way? More importantly, I was afraid that if I paid attention to food, the various desires I was suppressing might burst out in an uncontrolled manner.

I was human too. I wanted to play, eat, and rest. But I was enduring it for the sake of my position as Finance Director and my future.

Seeing my wry smile, the Headmistress sighed and looked at me with a slightly reproachful gaze.

She knew I wouldn't listen even if she said more. This kind of bickering had repeated several times, and I was grateful that she still cared for me until the end.

"…Anyway, how are you going to explain things to Student Ruth? He might suspect that something is about to happen at the academy. And that the Finance Director is involved. But you can't just not tell him anything when there might be an attack."

"There's a simple solution."

"Yes?"

"Just don't stay in the dormitory."

"But Student Ruth has already moved his luggage… Ah!"

It was me who wouldn't be staying there. It wasn't long until the final exams anyway, when I would be planning the attack.

I could just eat, sleep, and wash up in my office for about two weeks. And if I stayed right next to the Headmistress, there would be no risk of being attacked.

The Headmistress, her face strangely brightening, stuck out her tongue for some reason, then suddenly looked at me with a questioning gaze.

"But if you're not going to stay in the dormitory anyway, you don't need the excuse of Student Ruth protecting you, do you?"

"…Well."

"Be honest. You couldn't resist fifty times the rent, could you?"

"No, how could I resist? It's fifty times the rent!"

Fifty times, fifty times, huh? It's like money multiplying fiftyfold just by doing nothing.

And while it might be a small amount compared to the entire academy's finances, even that small amount… fifty times the rent in our current urgent situation…

Honestly, I couldn't refuse. It was better to accept first and then come up with a reason.

"Anyway, first, the attack plan."

"The Wish Cult will be contacting us soon, right?"

"They read my mind and said they would do it, so they'll come. We could go and meet Milia, but…"

"Absolutely not."

"…Alright."

I didn't want to give the Wish Cult the initiative, but I had to be the only one who stepped forward in this matter. If the Wish Cult sensed even the slightest involvement from the Headmistress, they would immediately flee.

Moreover, it was almost certain that at least one more high-ranking individual, Rank 6 or higher, was involved. If I tried to take the initiative and went to find Milia first, things could take a turn for the worse.

For now, it was best to wait for the Wish Cult to make the first move.

"Still, I've prepared a report outlining our course of action based on how the Wish Cult responds."

"I've also compiled everything I know about the Wish Cult. First, the Wish Cult began even before the Holy Nation became the dominant power—"

And so, I talked with the Headmistress throughout the night. I was tired, but perhaps because I had a hearty lunch and dinner, I was able to endure it. For the record, dinner was omelets and pasta. Long live the protagonist.

Of course, I wasn't completely skipping sleep, so we parted ways around 4 a.m., and I planned to get an hour of sleep before leaving, but…

"…You're awake? Have some breakfast."

"…Student Ruth? How did you get here?"

"Why, is it a burden?"

"No, that's not it."

"Your breakfast is getting cold."

"Thank you for the food!"

Ruth, how did you get here? The alleyway pattern changes every time.

I put aside that trivial question and started devouring the crispy grilled sandwich and scrambled eggs. It felt strange to be eating breakfast made by a man, but stuffing my face was the priority.

And the protagonist wouldn't have known, but I liked sandwiches with the crusts grilled. People in this world always cut off the crusts when grilling sandwiches, such a waste.

It must be that the protagonist also liked this kind of sandwich, but it was an amazing coincidence. He even had my favorite apple juice.

'Do I really need to stay in the office?'

It was delicious enough to make me seriously consider that.

Was this what life was all about…?

***

Rustle. Rustle.

The curtains were drawn, and the door was blocked, making the room pitch black.

The space, originally meant to be a female student's dormitory room,

Was now in disarray, with someone moving about in the darkness.

"…Tsk, it's all useless."

Muttering so was the room's owner. Milia, the Rank 3 mage from the Administration Department.

As a rare Rank 3 mage in the Administration Department, she had received a private room in a relatively good dormitory, but…

Now, Milia was cleaning up all sorts of things in the darkness as if she were in someone else's room, with an air of annoyance.

Crash!

"Not here either."

Where the hell did you put it?

It was clearly Milia, but there was something off about her, a sense of discomfort as she frowned with irritation. Any student who knew the original 'Milia' would question if this was really her.

It was natural to think so. The person rummaging through the room was indeed Milia, but…

At the same time, she wasn't.

'That damn woman.'

This wasn't the Rank 3 mage from the Administration Department, but the leader of the Wish Cult who once plunged the continent into chaos.

The one who had killed even the Rank 8 sent by the Empire by sacrificing hundreds of thousands of her followers.

The 'Milia' who proclaimed herself the savior and the new Pope.

That was the only Milia here now.

'Useless.'

The one Milia was constantly cursing was none other than the original Milia.

Pope Milia was certainly dead. But for some unknown reason, she had awakened in her past self's body.

Despite once being the self-proclaimed Pope, Pope Milia, whose true strength was only Rank 3, couldn't understand this situation.

Nevertheless, Pope Milia didn't panic. It was her creed to simply ignore what she couldn't understand.

However, as Pope Milia's personality awakened, the original Student Milia's personality practically died.

This was only natural. Unless it was controlled through magic like some peak Rank 7 mage, personalities usually couldn't coexist. This was especially true when it wasn't a case of mental illness or dissociative disorder, but truly the same personality.

And since Pope Milia was far superior to Student Milia in terms of life experience, knowledge, and temperament…

Student Milia's personality had almost all of her soul ripped away without a chance to resist, unable to even make a sound.

'Hey, you bitch. Say something. Say something, I said?'

At first, Pope Milia didn't care much, but now it was becoming a problem.

She didn't care how she woke up in her past self or what happened to her past personality, but because she had unilaterally killed it off, she couldn't fully access Student Milia's memories or knowledge.

Why would it matter, since it was her past self anyway? Pope Milia thought so too, but things were different now.

This was clearly the past, but it was somewhat different from the past Pope Milia knew.

'I didn't use this kind of room. I stayed in a much better room. And my major wasn't civil engineering, it was psychology. What the hell is going on?'

No matter how much she asked in her mind, Student Milia could barely maintain her existence. There was no way she could answer.

Pope Milia clicked her tongue in annoyance and crouched down in the darkness.

"Where the hell is the communication tool?"

As a spy of the Wish Cult who infiltrated Grandis Academy, Milia naturally had a means of communicating with the cult.

In her 'original' memory, it was a communication magic tool. It was a very expensive item, but it was a sure way to guarantee secrecy. That's why she naturally assumed it would be the same this time.

But no matter how much she searched this damn cramped and shabby room, there was no sign of any communication magic tool.

Pope Milia was frustrated.

'That Finance Director bastard did propose the attack, though.'

Finance Director Adam Keynes. As far as Pope Milia knew, he was the most ridiculous and half-crazy bastard. An idiot who proposed an attack on his own academy.

What was his reason again?

'Some kind of training? Raising the protagonist? I think he said something like that.'

She couldn't hear it clearly because she was eavesdropping, but that was enough to convince her that the Finance Director was a crazy bastard.

Training? Protagonist? Growing my ass. He was clearly delusional or suffering from some mental illness.

In any case, the attack itself would be of great help to the Wish Cult, or to be precise, to Pope Milia. That's why, as soon as she woke up in her past body, she accepted the attack and immediately came to the dormitory to assess the situation. But…

It was different from the dormitory she originally lived in, her major was different, and even other things were different.

'That bitch I have to kill is Rank 6?'

Ruth Spero. The one who killed Pope Milia, the one she had to eliminate beforehand.

Just from the rumors she overheard on her way to the dormitory, Pope Milia could tell that something had gone wrong.

So she tried to contact the cult to see if anything had changed on their end, to find out their current situation. But…

"This is fucked up."

She couldn't even find the communication magic tool.

There were letters on the desk she had roughly handled earlier, but they wouldn't have used such low-grade paper for communication when they weren't short on money.

She deliberately darkened the room and tried to summon the power of Dark Sword according to the cult's doctrine, but even that didn't work properly.

It would be stolen by that bitch later, but Dark Sword should be safe in the cult's possession now, shouldn't it?

'Sigh, still…'

She had returned to the past. That fact alone brought a wicked smile to Pope Milia's face.

If she could somehow eliminate the variable that was Ruth Spero, she wouldn't fail this time. She would become the Pope and the savior, reigning at the top of this world.

And for that…

'First, let's get the sacred treasure back.'

She just had to pretend to cooperate with that Finance Director bastard and retrieve the sacred treasure from that monstrous Headmistress.

The foolish cult headquarters didn't know, but the sacred treasure the Headmistress possessed wasn't just a powerful artifact. Only Milia knew its true function.

In the previous timeline, she risked her life to steal it after the Headmistress died and the academy collapsed, but…

'This time is different.'

If she could somehow retrieve the sacred treasure quickly, there would be no need to stay in this academy for long. The academy wouldn't collapse for another two years, and Pope Milia couldn't bear to wait that long.

It seemed like she might get a chance to obtain the sacred treasure during this attack.

Pope Milia smiled, the corners of her lips stretching wide.

It was a truly wicked and…

…in a way, ignorant smile.

——————-