episode_0012

“With this, negotiations with the dwarves are complete.”

“… … … … .”

“Chairman?”

“As expected… … That’s right.”

The chairman sighed deeply after hearing my report.

What? You weren’t satisfied with the negotiations and the results? I thought a new measuring instrument along with the repairs would be a pretty good deal.

However, what came out of the chairman’s mouth was a slightly different story.

“Like last year, I should have negotiated this time too.”

“But Mr. Chairman, isn’t this something you’ve already discussed with me?”

“I know. But the Treasury Secretary was almost seriously injured.”

Well, that’s it.

The chairman’s gaze was drawn to the bandaged wrist. When I threatened the dwarf with my dagger, the dwarf grabbed it and slightly cracked the bone.

Fortunately, the chairman treated me directly without me having to go to the infirmary, but I still felt a little sore.

But if you look at it differently, that was all.

It’ll get better with a little treatment, that’s it.

“It was necessary. Don’t you know the nature of dwarves?”

“… … The dwarves I met when I was young weren’t like this.”

“More than 50 years have passed. In the meantime, the dwarven city has collapsed, and the dwarves have changed.”

Strong, weak, weak, strong.

I said it as if I was laughing, but it’s not a complete lie. The dwarves treat strong people like the chairman well, but if they judge that the opponent is clearly weak, they ignore them without mercy.

And this distinction of ‘weak’ is mainly determined by force. Things like social status and wealth are also criteria, but in the end, from the perspective of dwarves, who have different races and living areas, even if they are considered as human beings, they are not greatly affected.

Unless you’re literally a king, emperor, or a high noble, I guess they’re all roughly similar. It’s similar to how I see dwarves as all messy and similar.

So I had to do something I would never normally do: swing a dagger.

You may not be able to defeat a dwarf with a dagger, but showing your venom and grit in the process will be enough.

In fact, the dwarf was not so much terrified by the dagger itself as he was just observing my unwavering stance.

‘That’s why everyone is reluctant to negotiate with dwarves.’

This isn’t some kind of sparring match or a life or death battle. Does it make sense to have to do this every time we negotiate?

If a dwarf comes to the academy to negotiate, the repair costs must be significant, and it is impossible for the person with real power not to be present in such a position.

So, someone who has the skills to be recognized by the dwarves and also has real power.

That was the reason why the chairman took charge of negotiations every time.

“That’s why I told you. From now on, I, not you, should be in charge of negotiating with the dwarves.”

“But it’s easier when I step forward. Even the dwarves behave well in front of me.”

“So you almost blew up the chairman’s office last year?”

“That’s it! Those dwarves insulted the finance minister who was standing behind me… … … .”

“I know what the Chairman is thinking. It is true that negotiations become easier when the Chairman steps forward. However, that does not always lead to the best results.”

“… … … … … .”

“If the chairman had come to the negotiations this time, could he have brought not only the repairs but also another measuring device? Instead of making additional suggestions, the dwarves would have done as the strong chairman said and ended up doing it.”

In short, it’s a question of efficiency.

Of course, it’s true that it’s the easiest way for the chairman to step forward. I won’t have to hear any swear words from the dwarf, and I won’t have to do anything crazy like this.

But there are advantages to being recognized in that way. It’s the same reason why the CEO doesn’t negotiate in a company.

Because it is a negotiation between practitioners, there are more benefits to be gained.

If this opponent had been the chairman, would the dwarf have offered to give him a measuring device instead of making the contract and actual payment amounts different?

The dwarf wanted to gobble up the difference, and I wanted to lower the price. Our interests coincided, and we both benefited.

But is this really such a huge gain?

‘That’s not it.’

To be honest, the amount of money I saved this time is not that much. If the Academy’s finances were sound, I would have just left it to the chairman instead of going through all the trouble.

But now the Academy is a few years away from bankruptcy, and it really needs to do something to cut costs and increase profits.

I had to step forward and negotiate with the dwarves, even though objectively it wasn’t a big deal.

A small amount compared to the entire academy.

And it was said that the Academy was in such dire straits that it had to worry about such amounts.

“There will be more of this in the future. There will be bribes from nobles, negotiations with dwarves, and more. And we must pursue thorough efficiency.”

“… … … … … .”

“To keep this academy alive, to avoid bankruptcy.”

Even though the opportunity was coincidental, I ended up taking on the position of Minister of Finance.

I will do my best.

“So, Chairman.”

“… … … Yes.”

“The chairman should not worry about me, but be happy that the negotiation went well and be happy about what to do with the new measuring instrument. That’s all.”

Although I teased and ignored the CEO all day, she was definitely a respectable person.

When I looked at the chairman with a confident smile, she also smiled.

“I am always grateful, Mr. Finance Minister.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

“Okay. Then let’s think about where to put the new measuring device! Since the entrance exams are over, it’s okay. Should I put it in the measuring room or martial arts training center like before? Or, maybe I can lend it to a professor of my choice!”

“Huh? What are you saying?”

“… … Yes?”

“Of course I should sell it. Do you know how much this is? If I just sell it to the academy next door, I’ll make 10 times the amount I saved. ”

Judging by the fact that they decided to sell it for cheap, it must be a pretty old item, but even so, it’s an item that can’t be obtained because there’s no grading machine.

Even humans can make things that measure down to low levels, but only dwarven items can measure up to level 5 or 6.

However, the demand is overwhelmingly greater than the supply of dwarves. So even if it is an outdated measuring device, you can make a considerable profit by selling it to other private academies.

Only the chairman had his mouth wide open.

“You’ve been doing fine with 10 so far. Adding one now won’t dramatically increase the measurement speed, so it’s best to just sell them.”

“… … … … .”

“What do you think, Chairman?”

Well, even if you say it like that, if the chairman objects, it’s a total bust.

But I just created a slightly emotional atmosphere for this. Even the chairman can’t say that we shouldn’t sell the measuring device in this atmosphere.

“Phew.”

“Chairman?”

“Yeah, that expression. That strangely evil expression suits the Finance Minister very well.”

“… … … ?”

Evil? Me? Isn’t this workplace bullying?

The chairman, who was smiling faintly as I was dumbfounded, picked up something from a box on the desk.

A bribe box received from Beatrice, half of its contents handed over to the dwarf.

The chairman took out a small coin from inside and flicked it to me.

“What is this?”

“It’s a performance bonus. Well, you can think of it as a bribe to ask for your continued support.”

“Didn’t you say that you would never accept or give bribes?”

“Except for the finance minister. And about the measuring instrument, I will talk to the chairman of the nearby private academy. I can’t leave this up to the finance minister.”

“… … Okay.”

What the heck. I thought the chairman would say that measuring devices must be installed for the students.

My prediction was off, but it was a good miscalculation. I roughly estimated the sales price of the measuring device and looked closely at the gold coin the chairman had given me.

A gold coin made of pure gold. One of these could pay the entire daily wages of the daily workers employed by the Academy.

As the Minister of Finance, I should use the budget instead of accepting it as a bribe.

“Okay, that’s it! Let’s finish work for today!”

“Wait a minute, Chairman? Whether it’s a bribe or something, I have to save even this coin───”

“I won’t listen to any objections. You worked hard today, right? Now, rest!”

bang!

With a single wave of his hand, the chairman sent me out of his office, lifted me into the air, and locked the door behind me.

In an instant, I left work with a single gold coin in my hand.

“… … Well, anyway, I’m getting off work.”

After work. How sweet was this sound? I put the gold coin in my pocket and started walking.

The direction was opposite to the faculty dormitory where I stayed.

There was a place I had to stop by before leaving work.

*

“It’s here, after all.”

“What, Laura?”

“Adam, what are you doing alone?”

“Don’t you know it when you see it? He’s just smoking a cigarette.”

The corner of the building where the chairman’s office and my office are located.

Because it is such a huge building, there are many places that people don’t see. The place I found was one of those places. It was also my own smoking area.

As usual, I was crouching down to smoke a cigarette, but an unexpected intruder accidentally inhaled the smoke and made me choke.

Laura, how does she know about this place?

“The manager told me. He happened to see you here smoking alone.”

“… … Food Materials Management Manager.”

“I’m more surprised. You smoke? You didn’t smoke two years ago.”

“You were a student back then.”

I didn’t smoke when I was studying for the civil service exam in the original world. So I don’t know if the cigarettes in this world are the same as those in the original world.

I don’t know if it was just a coincidence, but even the name ‘cigarette’ was the same. Was there a Korean senior who came to this world first?

“When did you start to bloom?”

“1 year ago.”

“… … Since you took over as Minister of Finance.”

“Well, something like that.”

It’s something I’ve gotten used to now, but after suddenly becoming the finance manager from the youngest employee who just got hired… … there were a lot of difficult things in many ways.

The academy’s finances are on the verge of bankruptcy, the gossip and glares from the staff, the alienation from colleagues due to sudden promotion, the situation is getting worse and worse.

Still, I ran around here and there and somehow achieved results, but I couldn’t help but feel stressed.

At some point, I was naturally smoking a cigarette. I was smoking alone and secretly.

“Why don’t you go to the smoking room?”

“Laura, would you like to run into the finance director in the smoking room?”

“I’m fine.”

“It’s okay because I’m your friend. It’s polite to avoid such things and avoid each other.”

Above all, there will be a lot of gossip and swearing about the boss in the smoking room, so what will happen if the person involved goes there?

I just felt comfortable blooming alone in a corner like this.

“More than that, Laura, why are you suddenly looking for me?”

“Huh?”

“I haven’t seen you in a year since you became the Minister of Finance.”

That was a bit of a grumble. A small complaint I had toward Laura, who had been my friend for the three years I was attending the Academy.

When I first became the Finance Minister and was going through a hard time, I didn’t know that Laura, even though she was my classmate, would avoid seeing me.

I called once, but there was no answer. I thought maybe he hadn’t answered, so I called a few more times, and the food management manager spoke to me directly.

“You said you felt burdened by me.”

“… … … .”

“I was quite shocked at the time. Thanks to that, I was able to become good friends with cigarettes.”

Even though I sang graduate school songs all the time, Laura was my friend and one of the few people I could openly talk to.

It’s okay now, but back then I felt utterly lonely.

It’s a bit weird to be whining about that now.

Maybe it was because I was smoking a cigarette after work. I felt a little emotional.

“… … Sorry, Adam.”

“Well, that’s just what happened. You must have been busy too.”

“It was a small thing compared to you. But everything was resolved… … Now, I want to be by your side.”

“Like in the academy?”

“As it has been for the past 3 years.”

Yeah, that’s kind of good news.

I was a little creeped out because I was thinking about going to graduate school again, but whatever.

Isn’t what’s good good?

“By the way, you were super busy today. From the entrance exam hall collapse, to where you went after that, and even negotiating with the dwarves.”

“Really?”

This happened today.

While I was doing paperwork, the entrance examination center collapsed, I went there to check the damage estimate, received a bribe from Lisha regarding the protagonist’s admission, reported to the chairman, went to the dormitory for those who passed, met with Beatrice, negotiated, and received the bribe, then returned and immediately engaged in a knife fight with the dwarves under the pretense of negotiating.

Are you busy? It’s about the same as your usual workload.

I would rather be walking around and seeing people’s faces than doing this. The last time I was in my office for 48 hours without sleep, processing ledgers and financial reports, I really wanted to kill myself.

Still, definitely.

‘Considering the bribes received this time, half of the precious metals in the box handed over to the dwarf, the wages and food of the day laborers that will be paid as usual, the magic tax for maintaining the lights and hot water, and other maintenance costs, and the money that will come in from selling the measuring device.’

We’ll have to calculate it in the office to know for sure, but it’s safe to say that it’ll delay the Academy’s bankruptcy by about a week.

A week. To some, it was just a week.

“Adam? Why are you laughing?”

“Just, nothing much.”

If I keep earning money like this, even if it’s just for a little while, won’t I be able to avoid bankruptcy someday?

There is a lot to do. I need to ask the nearby carpenter’s guild to repair the entrance examination hall, take care of the remaining paperwork, have a meeting with Professor Circe about the hair loss medicine revenue, ask the magic tower to create a new spell for the entrance examination hall, and get estimates for the repairs and reconstruction of the buildings that break down several times a week.

There, he must also discuss the details of the negotiation with Beatrice with the chairman in advance, meet other bribe candidates and receive bribes, and keep an eye on the protagonist who has been admitted.

There was so much to do, and the future was bleak.

When I feel the gold coins in my pocket, I vaguely think of that.

The thought that something will work out somehow.

‘This is something the Minister of Finance, who is supposed to be the most realistic, should not think about.’

I wondered if I had gotten this from the chairman, and smiled bitterly.

“… … Adam, take this.”

“Huh? What is this?”

“It’s chocolate. I feel like I’ve always been looking at paperwork, so I need to replenish my sugar in my head.”

“Thank you.”

“What do you mean, thank you? That’s a bribe? Since you took a bribe, give more budget to the food management department from now on.”

“Huh.”

Bribe, bribe.

Just how many bribes did you receive today?

A bribe from Richa, a bribe from Beatrice, a bribe to the chairman, and even something from Laura.

It’s a bribe.

“You took a bribe, so you have to repay it.”

“Huh?”

“Are you done with work? Let’s go eat at a place we used to go to when we were students. I’ll buy it.”

“… … Yeah.”

He smoked out the rest of his cigarette and smiled.

You worked hard today too.

To gain strength to work tomorrow too.

*

Time passes, and the entrance ceremony approaches.

The entrance ceremony is not simply an event where students and faculty gather together and give a few speeches. Of course, this was only applicable to me as the finance director.

Students are just happy that the entrance ceremony is finally starting, and the teachers and staff don’t have much to think about, just choose their clothes, and prepare their own speeches.

Since yesterday, I’ve been looking at documents, reports, and receipts, and while receiving reports on the items and expenses to be used for the entrance ceremony, I’m processing them.

“The current entrance exams are not enough to properly evaluate students! So let’s release the monster’s illusions at the entrance ceremony and watch the response!!”

“… … Yes?”

“Chief of Finance, trust me and leave the work to me! I will show you the power of fantasy magic!”

no.

What are you again?