episode_0048

“Chairman, what on earth is going on?”

“Hey, Minister of Finance!”

I hurried into the chairman’s office, and the chairman, who was stamping his feet, ran towards me.

What the heck happened… … No, first of all.

“Who knows about this fact?”

“Well, it’s just me and the finance director. And a few professors in the magic department and Dean Billend. ”

“How did the professors find out?”

“After something exploded in Professor Circe’s lab, the hair-loss agent began to leak out. The nearby magic professors noticed it and reported it to the Dean, who then reported it to me.”

Dean Billend is one of the few people who knows about this . It’s a plan to blow up Professor Circe’s lab and spray a hair loss agent to stop the festival, so of course the Dean of the Magic Department should know about it.

To prevent any future chaos, we needed the Dean, who had the absolute trust of the magic professors, on our side.

Why would he use this method to stop the festival? The dean, who had been pushed out of the Imperial Tower due to politics and had grown old after Professor Circe’s declaration of conscience not long ago, didn’t ask any questions.

As expected, there’s something different about a smart person. He’s the most trustworthy person in this academy, next to the chairman.

Than that.

“Isn’t the cancellation day the second day of the festival? There’s still one day left until the festival starts, so why?”

“I don’t know that either! That’s why I called the finance director before going to the scene.”

“… … … Hmm.”

“Hey, Minister of Finance… … ? Well, since it’s come to this, aren’t you going to cancel the festival altogether?”

The chairman asked hesitantly, perhaps sensing some uneasiness in my silence.

To be honest, that was the first thought I had when I heard the news. That was what I had originally suggested.

But not now, even if it was a month ago when I first proposed it.

“We have already signed a contract with the top and the supplies, and if you try to refund the supplies before the festival even starts, they will strongly object. And above all.”

“Huh?”

“We did include a condition that we would give a refund if the festival was canceled for unavoidable reasons, but unfortunately, it was limited to ‘during the festival’.”

If you think about it, it was my karma. I was the fourth in the Raven family, right? Anyway, it was a pun I made to that guy.

To be honest, I wasn’t particularly good at negotiation skills, except for budgeting and bookkeeping, which I could learn and master. So my strategy was more about wordplay than high-level negotiation skills.

It was a strategy that was obviously possible because the Academy was in a superior position. Thanks to that, even I, a first-year finance director, was able to negotiate to some extent… …

‘This is when it becomes poison.’

The tops who have experienced my wordplay have often set precise conditions or restrictions to prevent wordplay. Wordplay is ultimately a method of exploiting loopholes, so I decided to just fill in all the loopholes.

The top players, who were originally flexible with Grandis Academy, my VVIP customers, started being strict with me because of me.

It was clearly a necessary prescription, but a poison is a poison.

“If the festival is canceled before it even starts, we won’t be able to refund the supplies, and we’ll have to pay a penalty or compensation on top of that.”

“… … I see.”

“I’m sorry, Chairman. It’s entirely my lack of negotiation skills.”

I bowed my head and apologized honestly for this. I study every day and try to get used to my work, but I am not a perfect superhuman, so this kind of mistake was inevitable.

It is a right that only students have when they do not admit their mistakes and make a fuss. As long as I have served as the head of the finance department, I have had to take responsibility for my mistakes.

The chairman, who had been quietly looking at me with my head down, placed his hand on my head.

“It’s okay. The finance minister is still young, right? And if you say it’s a mistake, the bankruptcy crisis is all my fault.”

“But Mr. Chairman.”

“Enough. If you’re responsible for the mistake, let’s replace it with finishing this job safely. I’ll expect your efforts.”

“… … Okay.”

If you look at it this way, the chairman is a really good leader. But didn’t you just say he’s young? Usually, in cases like this, don’t you say, “He’s still young?”

Come to think of it, considering the chairman’s age, I’m in my early 20s, so I’m not young, but I’m young.

I looked at the chairman with somewhat disloyal thoughts, and she narrowed her eyes.

“Minister of Finance, you’re not thinking of something strange, are you?”

“Absolutely not. First, go to the scene.”

“That’s right! Let’s go quickly!”

After I finished speaking, I immediately closed my eyes. Okay, I’m ready.

I think I mentioned this last time, but the professors’ research building is located quite far from the center of the academy. And the building where the chairman’s office and my office are located is right in the center of the academy.

A distance that would take a considerable amount of time to cover if run normally.

Of course, that’s the story of a first-class person like me, and it’s a different story if you borrow the power of the chairman.

Just one.

“I’ve arrived!”

“… … Ugh.”

“Mr. Finance Minister, are you okay?”

“I… … am not okay.”

The only problem is that when moving at a speed of 8th grade, my fragile semicircular canal is moving so violently that it almost flips over.

Normally, my body would be torn apart by just the sonic boom, but the chairman protects me with his power. However, even so, he cannot protect my insides, so I suffer from extreme dizziness, vision distortion, motion sickness, and nausea.

In a leisurely matter like a deserted island, the chairman can control his pace, but in an urgent matter like this, there is nothing he can do.

While I was calming myself down, the chairman, with a cold expression on his face, approached the professors who were gathered together.

At the forefront was Dean Billend, with a stern expression.

“Chairman, are you here?”

“Dean Billend. What’s going on?”

Of course, the Dean and the Chairman knew about the plan. However, they couldn’t reveal it in front of other professors, so they just asked casually.

The dean was quick to catch on and quickly explained only what the chairman was really curious about.

“Two minutes ago, there was an explosion in Professor Circe’s lab. However, since no walls were blown out or windows were broken, it is assumed that the explosion occurred underground.”

“… … Underground?”

“All magic research buildings have separate underground laboratories built to test substances that are dangerous when exposed to the outside. Fortunately, the explosion occurred there, so the building appears to be intact. Thanks to that, the hair-loss agent has not leaked out of the building yet.”

“Then what happened to Professor Circe?”

“After the explosion, students and professors who were passing by searched the area, but only the graduate students ran away, and Professor Circe was not there. It seems that she is still in the underground lab because she passed out from the shock of the explosion.”

If Circe fainted, this incident was not due to Circe’s recklessness or tyranny. From the beginning, Circe was desperate to recover even a little of her salary, so there was no reason to ruin her plan.

So it was just an unfortunate accident?

After calming down a bit, I walked towards Dean Villand.

“Dean, was there any sign of something? Like Professor Circe’s remarks?”

“There was nothing in particular. As the finance minister knows, Professor Circe was so focused on hair loss research that she didn’t even leave her lab except for lectures. After all, explosions themselves are a common occurrence… … … .”

He knew that it was not something to say in front of the finance director who was handling the repair costs for the explosion, so he mumbled and passed it over. I ignored him because I thought listening to him in detail would only stress me out.

If there had been no other warning signs… … Wait a minute.

“Didn’t you just say student? You mean graduate student?”

“No, I’m not. I’m a magic student.”

“Yes?”

No, wait.

This spill should not be known right now. Unless the solution fails and the students have to be evacuated, but since the hair-loss agent has not leaked out of the building yet, it is okay to just deal with it here.

Professors, the dean and the chairman just need to shut their mouths.

You’re a student?

“What kind of student are you?”

The chairman also realized the problem and asked about the student urgently.

Dean Billend actually seemed unconcerned.

“Don’t worry too much. I’m confident you can trust me with my honor.”

“Dean, how can you be so sure?”

“That’s right───”

“Because I know Dean Billend personally.”

Circe’s laboratory is covered in smoky fumes due to the leak of the hair loss agent.

First of all, doors and windows were closed and blocked, but magic professors were constructing barriers to prevent further leakage.

And a female student who was raising her hand among those professors.

Chloe Piste walked out, looking nervous.

… … No, why are you coming out of there?

“The Dean may not like it, but both you and I are from the Imperial Tower.”

“Pisty.”

“Dean, first of all, the boundary construction is complete.”

“Thank you. I wish I had a junior like you when I was in school.”

“You didn’t really like those days, did you?”

“That’s true. However, I still respect the Lord of the Tower. So you, his disciple, also receive my favor. If it were anyone else, I would have ignored you.”

Dean Billend attended the school before Chloe was born.

Of course, the two of them were not seniors and juniors at the Magic Tower, but from the moment Chloe came to an academy in a foreign country that was not the Empire, Dean Billend would have approached Chloe first.

Chloe is still the disciple of the great wizard whom the Dean respects. He must have wanted to take care of her since she was in a foreign country, and in the same academy.

So, it’s okay if the two of them just know each other and everything.

So why are you here?

“Student Chloe? How did you end up here?”

“Rain, I was on my way to have a cup of tea with Dean Billend when I happened to hear some loud noise. I immediately helped with the cleanup and the establishment of the barrier. ”

… … Yeah, well, Chloe would be fine.

He has the social status of a disciple of the great wizard, and I felt it when I asked him last time, but other than the fact that he harbors deep resentment towards Beatrice, he’s a pretty good guy.

Since they won’t know the whole story anyway, if you ask them to keep it a secret so that the festival won’t be stopped, they’ll keep it a secret. Dean Villand had his reasons for being confident.

anyway.

“Then I guess I should go into the lab right away.”

“That’s true, but… … .”

Dean Billend looked burdened. It’s natural for someone to look like that.

So, that means we have to go into the lab full of hair loss-causing agents, rescue Professor Circe, block the leak of the hair loss-causing agents, and clean up the mess.

Of course, there were reasons why professors were reluctant to come forward.

“Is there anyone among you who knows the structure of Professor Circe’s lab?”

“… … … … … .”

“… … … … .”

“… … … … … … .”

As I felt the last time I came to meet the Dean and Circe, the professors’ labs are all as complicated as a maze.

Because the building itself is frequently destroyed, walls and rooms are sometimes created while repairing it, and the space can become distorted due to the influence of magic.

To be frank, even professors have a hard time finding their way into another professor’s lab unless they memorize the building’s blueprints.

So, I had to go first.

“Then I will go in.”

“Hey, Minister of Finance!? Why the Minister of Finance!”

“Because I’m the only one here memorizing the blueprints.”

“… … Are you memorizing that?”

“It’s a natural thing to do as the Minister of Finance.”

It’s a joke. I memorized the structure of the building in advance in case it got stuck when I was training this little Circe.

But in these situations, people in society know how to mix in some lies and package things. Even if the chairman was like that, Dean Billend, the other professors, and even Chloe seemed to have changed the way they looked at me.

Of course, the professors are all high-level magicians, so it’s something you can figure out by going into the structure and using magic.

“The rest of the professors, please work hard to build the barrier. The chairman, please take control of this place.”

“Minister of Finance, just in case, I can join you… … .”

“If graduate students or other professors notice and come rushing in, things will be a headache. For the sake of the festival, this matter must be resolved right here, as quickly as possible.”

“… … Minister of Finance.”

“And in case something happens, only the chairman can quickly control the scene.”

“No matter what.”

“Didn’t you say you expected me to try? This is the effort I can make.”

I don’t want to go in there either. Who would want to go to a place that’s full of hair loss triggers and is like a maze?

However, Dean Billend and the magic professors have to build a barrier to prevent the hair loss agent from leaking out, and if the chairman goes in instead of me and other professors or graduate students rush in here, it will be impossible to control them.

There, I know the structure, so I can go to the underground lab by the shortest route. Above all, if not, there’s nothing else I can do here. If I don’t resolve this quickly and rumors spread, the festival will end, and I’ll have to pay compensation and a penalty.

It seems like the chairman is looking at me, especially my hair.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you can just go in.

“First, please cast all your protective and guarding spells on me. Even just blocking hair loss agents… … Just all the defensive spells you know, please.”

“Oh, I see. Let’s all help the Finance Minister!”

“”””Yes!!!””””

The magic professors, relieved that they didn’t have to go in, desperately cast defensive spells on me. Some looked at me as if they had seen me again, or patted me on the shoulder before leaving.

If it was just to block hair loss inducers, there would be no need to go this far, but it could also cause a secondary collapse of the building.

‘More than anything, we can’t rule out the possibility that it was that girl Circe’s trick.’

Even if Circe’s rank is downgraded, it will not be able to break through the protective magic cast by a 7th rank wizard and a 6th rank wizard.

And where is everyone going?

“I need a companion there.”

“Do, accompanying?”

“I’m not a first-class person. I know the structure, so I can quickly get to the underground lab, but it’s impossible to save Professor Circe and stop the leak. I need a skilled wizard. ”

“… … … … … .”

Wow, everyone’s quiet now. Even if their lives aren’t at risk, their hair could be, so all the professors are avoiding my gaze.

If they trusted their defensive magic, they could just close their eyes and go in. Is it just because of the possibility and ominousness?

The moment I, strangely twisted, was about to catch a suitable guy and take him away.

“Yes, I will go!”

“Chloe, student? It’s okay. The professors are here.”

“When building a boundary, it would be good to have at least one more professor. Since I have the lowest rank here, it would be perfect for me to join.”

“Pisty, that’s it.”

“Dean Billend, I believe in my magic.”

“… … … Hmm.”

“Ugh, ugh.”

Chloe’s last words pricked the consciences of the professors who couldn’t enter the hair loss inducer because they didn’t trust their own defense magic. The comedy was that no professor came out even after doing that.

Chloe stood next to me, looking nervous but somewhat confident.

“Then let’s go in! Mr. Finance Minister!”

“If that’s what Chloe wants, then I understand.”

To be honest, it’s easier to control Chloe than a professor whose face I don’t even know.

Amidst the chairman’s worried gaze and the professors’ murmurs of admiration.

Chloe and I entered through the slightly open barrier.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

I don’t know the exact reason, but Circe ruined the plan.

If it was intentional, of course I would catch him and punish him.

If it’s a mistake, catch it and punish it.

That’s it, you bitch.