episode_0014

For a moment, I suspected that he was the chairman’s doppelganger, but fortunately my misunderstanding was quickly resolved.

“Of course, we must definitely ensure the safety of the students.”

“Oh, thank goodness.”

“Chief of Finance? Why are you sighing all of a sudden… … More importantly, why are you holding the file like that? Like you’re going to hit me with the corner.”

“That’s true. It’s a chronic disease that all office workers have, so don’t worry about it.”

“I don’t have that disease?”

“Well, the chairman doesn’t have a boss.”

“Ah.”

Well, anyway.

That’s what the CEO said, and the way she said it itself seemed pretty good.

Since they are already in a relationship of giving and receiving bribes, they take money in return for providing information about the entrance ceremony in advance.

It is a way to appeal to the other person that you are helpful enough while also making them feel like you are really on the same boat.

“But are you okay with that? Isn’t this essentially a test content leak, and even a grade manipulation? Something the chairman doesn’t like… ”

“It’s okay. I don’t plan on giving grades to how you deal with fantasy at the entrance ceremony.”

“Yes?”

“So it’s not an evaluation, it’s part of the class. You can give them attitude points, but it’s definitely not something that will affect their ranking or grades.”

In the end, it turns out that it wasn’t a leak of ‘test’ content, but rather a leak of ‘class’ content.

In short, it would be a big problem if you received information about the midterm exam in advance, but it wouldn’t have a big impact if you received information that there would be a note test during class today.

However, this would have been an act that went against the chairman’s educational beliefs, but it seemed like he had compromised somehow.

‘If I hadn’t had strong beliefs, my finances wouldn’t have come this far.’

If the chairman’s beliefs had wavered even a little, he would have raised tuition fees, received generous donations, or made other profits to maintain the academy. Instead, Grandis Academy would not have the status it has now. The current Grandis Academy is the result of investing all of its finances in education and students without sparing any effort.

But that wasn’t the case. I was able to come this far because I was a person who had no compromises when it came to education and students.

… … In return, we are now facing bankruptcy, but anyway.

The Academy can still last for three more years, and the chairman has made a very small compromise.

It would be nice if we could just accept the chairman’s plan and resolve it.

“If you do as the Chairman plans, you will benefit.”

“I see, right!?”

“Then it’s time to pay attention to the things you’ve been deliberately ignoring.”

“Ignore… …huh?”

“It’s a fantasy, but you’ll have to destroy the entrance ceremony auditorium to make the sudden monster attack feel natural, you’ll have to manage 2,000 new students without them getting hurt or crushed to death as they run away in confusion, you’ll have to take the risk of mental trauma, and it’ll be hard for administrative students to even get that attitude score, etc.

“… … … … … .”

The chairman was silent. It wasn’t because he had nothing to say.

Although they started to compromise little by little, the chairman’s top priority is the safety of students and the quality of education. There is no way she did not consider the problems I mentioned.

That is, she already has a solution. But she does.

There was no point in telling me now.

“… … I guess I need to call a meeting of managers.”

“Yes.”

This isn’t something that can be handled by just the two of us like the bribery case.

The entrance ceremony is attended by 2,000 new students, almost all of the professors of the academy, and many distinguished guests. The decision to launch a fantasy monster attack in such a place is not something that even the chairman can make alone.

To be exact, it could be done, but the aftermath would be no joke. It’s scary to imagine professors rushing at monsters, mistaking them for real, or VIPs fainting in shock.

So a managers meeting was needed.

“The Dean of Academic Affairs, the Director of Planning, the First Guard Captain, and Professor Alon, the person concerned, should be sufficient.”

“Just in case, let’s call the medical director too… … .”

“Then I won’t be participating, is that okay?”

“… … I will let you know separately when things work out.”

It’s unbecoming of a social being to insert personal likes and dislikes into an important meeting, but even taking that into account, I was scared of that woman.

The chairman also knew what I had done to that woman, so he agreed. He was the only one who could have a normal conversation with that crazy woman.

Anyway, the meeting has been decided.

“I’ll put in the contact information. Let’s go straight to the conference room.”

“I’ll leave it to you, Minister of Finance.”

“By the way, Chairman, it was unexpected. What do you think about accepting more bribes?”

“No big deal! I was just thinking about how I could squeeze out more money if I were the finance minister! It’s just a drop in the bucket compared to what finance ministers always do!”

“That’s right… …I see. It’s proof of growth.”

“But I thought about it myself and realized. After all, only the finance minister can have such dark, evil, and money-crazy thoughts! Still, I will help as much as I can while ensuring the safety of the students!”

… … That’s strange. It’s clearly a good thing that the chairman is saying that he will actively help.

Why do you feel bad?

“Chairman, I have something to say before the meeting.”

“Minister of Finance?”

“In addition to the Chairman’s plan, a piece of advice just occurred to me.”

“───Hmm, indeed.”

“How is it?”

“As expected, the Minister of Finance is crazy about money! I believed in you! I am far behind!”

“… … … … .”

*

There are several departments in Grandis Academy.

The academic affairs department handles the overall affairs of the academy.

The student affairs department handles student-related matters.

Planning department in charge of events, festivals, contact with graduates, etc.

A security guard who manages the security and patrols of the Academy.

An examination officer who administers all types of tests.

Even the Food Management Department, which tracks and orders all food, office supplies, and daily necessities within the academy.

Although there are smaller categories under each department, Grandis Academy is largely divided into six departments.

It was like that until just last year.

“We will now begin the meeting on the realization of the fantasy monster attack event at the entrance ceremony. I, Adam Keynes, will be the moderator. ”

The new department created last year, the Department of Finance.

Although it was a department with only one member, its influence could not be ignored anywhere in the academy.

Adam Keynes, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was a hot potato due to his unusual appointment, took the stage.

One of the countless conference rooms in Grandis Academy. The highest-ranking conference room used only for meetings attended by department heads.

A middle-aged man dressed in a suit raised his hand first.

“Dean of Academic Affairs, please speak.”

“The Department of Academic Affairs strongly opposes this event. Mr. Finance Minister, are you really going to accept Professor Alon’s outrageous proposal?”

“Huh, how absurd… … !!”

Professor Alon, who looked more nervous than anyone else here, shouted angrily, but the Dean of Academic Affairs, who had a serious expression on his face, didn’t even look at Professor Alon.

He just stared at me, who was standing in the audience.

“This time I’m only participating as a moderator, but I think I can answer the question you just asked. I set a condition, and I haven’t heard the answer yet.”

“Conditions?”

“Professor Alon’s proposal was to donate 20% of all future investment to the School of Fantasy Magic.”

“2%?”

Was the content unexpected? The Dean of Academic Affairs muttered the number 20% and fell into thought for a moment.

The man sitting next to her, with his eyes half-closed and a grin on his face, then raised his hand.

“20%. Minister of Finance, I have a question. ”

“This meeting is not a Q&A session for me.”

“I and the Dean of Academic Affairs sent Professor Alon to the Dean of Finance, so please understand.”

“… … Then please tell me.”

“Are you really going to accept the 20% offer? If it were the finance minister I know… … … .”

“I don’t know why you insist on cutting it short there, but the additional conditions I have set are a 30-year term, an increase in the ratio when the target investment amount is not met, and the level of the title.”

“Oh, that’s quite generous. Professor Alon, are you lucky?”

“Planning Director… … ? What does that mean?”

“Unfortunately, the Adam Keynes I saw was not a man who compromised or was considerate, at least when it came to money. Still, the fact that it ended with these conditions means that they are still lenient because they are fellow academy members.”

“Sigh… … !!”

“By the way, Professor Alon is also really amazing. It’s true that I told you to go to the finance director, but you actually went to see him… … I thought you turned him down well.”

Even while the head of the planning department was giggling, the head of the academic affairs department was still thinking about something.

Professor Alon was sweating profusely and glancing at me after hearing the planning director’s words.

While the strange atmosphere was being created, a heavily armored knight wearing plate armor covering his entire body and a helmet over his head, completely out of place for the occasion, raised his hand.

“Captain of the 1st Guard, please speak.”

“I don’t know much about investment amounts, ratios, or anything like that. I want to ask something else.”

“What is it?”

And the voice heard from within the plate armor was a woman’s.

It was a great surprise, if anything, but no one in the conference room, including Professor Alon, seemed surprised by it.

Well, the captain of the first guard was a ‘celebrity’ of the academy in many ways.

“Fantasy Monster Attack, if we look at the report, it says that if this plan is put into action, there will be great chaos in the auditorium.”

“There is a very high probability that it will be so.”

“The intention is good. It’s just the intention. The auditorium where the entrance ceremony is held is large, but there are 2,000, 2,000 people gathered! If a monster, especially a manticore, suddenly attacks in such a place, you can tell what kind of chaos it will cause!”

Woozijik!

The first captain of the security unit, unable to control his excitement, smashed the armrest of the chair he was sitting on with just his strength.

He turned his head towards Professor Alon, who had been standing there as if he had been a criminal, and glared at him from inside his helmet.

“You professor, you don’t even think about that?”

“Oh, that’s a misunderstanding! The plan I first submitted clearly included safety measures for students.”

“This is the content where the 1st Guard intervenes and calms the chaos? And that’s the end of this one line? Even if it’s only in the planning stage, I would really like this content? Huh?”

“That’s harsh! As if I were ignoring the safety of my students… … !!”

“Then you’re ignoring them? Even if the 2,000 people in the crowd are capable enough to enter Grandis Academy, they’re still kids. Those kids will get confused and try to push everyone around them and escape the auditorium. They’ll get entangled and fight each other, and the 1st Guard won’t be able to intervene, let alone get in! ”

“That… … … .”

“Even if there are many weirdos among the professors in the magic field, this is crossing the line! But what? 20% of the investment? Appealing to fantasy magic? Just kill me by my hand!”

“Hey, wait!?”

“First Guard Captain, the use of force is strictly prohibited during this meeting. Please take your seats.”

“Are you ordering me around just because you got the position of Minister of Finance, when you’re still a young man with no blood on your head?”

“That’s right. If you understand, sit quietly.”

“You little punk, you caused all sorts of troubles while you were attending the academy───”

“What are you doing in front of me right now?”

“───!!”

moment.

The body of the first captain of the guard trembles as he approaches me in anger.

That wasn’t all. Professor Alon’s cold sweat grew even worse, the planning director still had his eyes half-closed but his smile was slightly erased, and the academic affairs director bowed his head in a very polite manner.

I may have been mistaken as I have been answering questions up to this point, but I am not the host of this meeting. Why would I have taken on the role of moderator?

The chairman, sitting at the top of the conference room, remained silent.

With just one word, he took control of the atmosphere in this conference room.

‘Oh, it’s hard to breathe.’

It wasn’t a metaphor. The air inside the conference room really moved according to the chairman’s will.

The heavy air that made even breathing difficult. It was not the result of any action, but simply the aftereffect of the chairman’s light gesture.

He’s being bullied by me every day, but the chairman is one of only four 8th-ranked people in this vast kingdom, and he’s considered the strongest among them.

The reason the royal family couldn’t treat the chairman rudely was because if the chairman really decided to stage a coup, the country could be destroyed.

The first captain’s plate armor trembled with excitement, then he assumed a sharp posture and bowed down directly to the chairman.

“… … I’m truly sorry, Chairman. I was rude. ”

“What a disappointment, Captain 1st Guard. That’s all you’re capable of.”

“That, that’s it.”

“Go back and sit down. This is not a request, this is an order.”

“… … … Yes.”

As expected from the chairman. He still earns his keep.

While fiercely pressuring the first security captain, I saw the chairman secretly giving me a like under the table as if to say, “I did a good job, didn’t I?”

I smiled bitterly for a moment and then continued speaking.

“Then, the chairman who is hosting this meeting will speak.”

“Let me get to the point. If it’s a safety issue that the 1st Guard Captain mentioned, then you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Can you tell me why?”

In this position, the only ones who can add to the chairman’s remarks are the most experienced head of the academic affairs department or me, his closest aide. No matter how much of a planning department head or the first security chief, they cannot carelessly interrupt the chairman’s words.

I feel like I’ve said this many times, but the chairman is a bit of a brat in front of me, but he reigns as an iron man at the academy.

Anyway, after the Dean of Academic Affairs gave an appropriate answer, the Chairman nodded slightly and declared.

“I’ll do it myself.”

A mad declaration that he would take full responsibility for the safety of the 2,000 people attending the entrance ceremony.

Even though the first captain had just given all sorts of practical reasons, the chairman remained calm as if he didn’t need to worry about such things.

It’s not that the chairman suddenly went crazy and ignored the students’ safety, nor is it that he turned a blind eye to realistic issues.

just.

“If the Chairman himself takes action, it will be sufficient.”

The words of the Dean of Academic Affairs were not empty flattery.

Like the planning director and the first security captain nodding as if it was a given, and Professor Alon sighing in relief.

Because it was enough for the real CEO to step forward in person.

‘I’ve already heard this far.’

About 2,000 people shouldn’t be a problem. Safety will definitely be guaranteed.

However, the chairwoman does not just sit still at the entrance ceremony. She has her own role to play and conversations to share with the kingdom’s distinguished guests.

Putting all that aside, I’m going to make sure that the students are safe from the fantasy monster attacks.

“So, Professor Alon.”

“ㄴ, yes!”

“There isn’t much time left until the entrance ceremony, so I don’t think there is any way to ensure the students’ safety better than me stepping forward.”

“That’s right! That’s a wise decision!”

“Then I guess we need to talk about the conditions again.”

“Yes… … ?”

“40% of the investment amount.”

“… … !!!”

“My time is quite expensive?”

Right here.

That was the ‘advice’ I gave to the chairman.