READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Protagonist Isn’t Hiding His Power – Part 1
"…That's all for the report, Department Head."
"Ms. Laura. What are your thoughts?"
"Pardon?"
"About the matter the Finance Director handled this time. Do you think it was well concluded?"
"Yes… I believe it was well concluded."
"No, you're wrong."
"What? Why?"
"It wasn't just well concluded; he achieved the best possible outcome for the academy."
"..."
"If it were me or you, we would have simply switched the supplier to Albatross. If that had happened, Albatross, being a rival, would have offered a price even lower than the original. We could have benefited from that too, but…"
"Instead, he renegotiated with Raven Trading Company…"
"At half the original cost. It's not just half; it's practically like we don't even need to allocate next year's food ingredient budget. To put it bluntly, it's as if he single-handedly eliminated the work our department would have had to do next year."
"...…"
"That can't be explained simply by intelligence or quick thinking. That Finance Director has a natural talent for sniffing out money."
"A natural talent."
"Now I understand why the Headmistress entrusted the Finance Director position to a newcomer. Ms. Laura, you said you were classmates, right? Was he like this even as an undergraduate?"
"Due to growing up as an orphan, he had a strong tendency to be fixated on money. But…"
"But?"
"I didn't pay much attention to it because I thought it would all be resolved if he became a graduate student."
"…Ahem! Ahem! I'm aware of all the rumors circulating among the academy staff about the Finance Director. I was also unsure, but this incident has shown me that they are baseless accusations. The Finance Director is an outstanding talent."
"I see."
"It's remarkable that he broke the tradition of the Headmistress handling the academy's finances alone. The Headmistress's insight is truly admirable."
"…Indeed."
"Ms. Laura?"
"Indeed, we must definitely drag him into graduate school…"
"Um, well."
The head of the food supply department, hurriedly averting his gaze from Laura, who was muttering "graduate school" with a chilling glint in her eyes, looked out the window.
Gazing out at the vast expanse of the academy, her alma mater…
"…Anyway, if it's that man, I can trust him with the academy."
The department head resolved to discuss the Finance Director again with the other department heads she knew.
She dreamed of a bright future for the academy, excellent benefits, and a lifelong job with an even more excellent salary.
******
"This academy is doomed."
"F-Finance Director! We're meeting after a week, and those are the first words out of your mouth?!"
"I apologize, Headmistress. The reality is just too bleak."
"Ugh… Forget that, just knead my shoulders harder. My shoulders are stiff from being on the boat for a week."
If a Rank 8 martial artist's shoulders were stiff, shouldn't the other sailors be dead?
While contemplating whether I should smack the back of the Headmistress's head for her blatant lies, I massaged her shoulders with my left hand. With my other hand, I handled the reports.
My respect for the Headmistress wasn't this low to begin with, but after the futures trading incident, her standing in my eyes had been plummeting.
Saying it went from bankruptcy in five years to three years was one thing, but the two years' worth of budget for this massive academy was truly astronomical.
And she blew it all away with a single futures trade.
Unconsciously, I put more strength into my shoulder massage, but the Headmistress just hummed a tune.
"Hmm? That's a bit better. Put a bit more strength into it."
"..."
Well, no matter how much force I, a Rank 1, exerted, it wouldn't even register for the Rank 8 Headmistress. But why was she making me give her a massage anyway?
In any case, she did diligently go on the deep-sea fishing trip, so I decided to just play along quietly.
"While you were away on your business trip, Headmistress, the research budget allocation meeting concluded without any issues, and we were able to reduce the food ingredient purchase budget to half. The details are in the report, so please read it."
"Oh my… If you reduced it by half, then surely bankruptcy is also…"
"Correct. It has been extended from bankruptcy in three years to bankruptcy in three years and two months."
"That's… good, right? And what about the money I earned this time?"
"Indeed, the amount you earned, Headmistress, exceeded expectations."
"I knew it!"
The Headmistress of Grandis Academy, one of only four Rank 8 individuals in the kingdom, couldn't openly board a deep-sea fishing vessel, so she thoroughly disguised herself and limited her power usage to Rank 6 level.
Even considering that, the amount of money she earned in just a week was substantial.
It wasn't just any deep-sea fishing; the Headmistress's work output was beyond imagination, they said she filled two boats to the brim every day.
And so, the money the Headmistress earned…
"Extended bankruptcy to three years, two months, and one day, it seems."
"O-one day?"
"One day is significant, Headmistress."
"I-I know that, but…"
How much money does this academy spend in a day? Considering the dormitory water bills, the mana fees for lighting, the daily wages of temporary workers, and the cost of materials for environmental maintenance and research, even one day is a huge amount.
No matter how lacking in management skills she might be, the Headmistress, who had been in charge of the academy's finances for decades, couldn't possibly be unaware of this.
She was probably just feeling a bit empty.
"After all that hardship for a week, not even getting a wink of sleep…"
Even though I often criticize the Headmistress, she's a genuinely good person when it comes to matters other than finances.
'She invested her entire life savings into the academy and improving the quality of education.'
As far as I know, she doesn't even have a separate house and sleeps in the academy dormitory.
She could be called a true teacher and a true Headmistress who cares about the students and education.
The problem is that she's a failure as a manager.
"Was it very difficult?"
"You're asking me that? I literally didn't sleep for a single minute. It's a good thing I'm Rank 8, otherwise—"
"If you're fine after not sleeping for a week, how about your next job? We have salt farming and mining available."
"..."
"Just kidding, just kidding."
Actually, if we had the time, I would have sent her for real, but the Headmistress couldn't afford to be away from the academy now.
The entrance exams for this year were about to start.
"Still, I always feel happy around this time. Students eager to learn come to the academy, and our Grandis Academy extends a hand of knowledge to them."
"Those students might be the last ones. If we really go bankrupt in three years, this year's batch will be the last to graduate. Future students won't even be able to graduate."
"…Finance Director."
"I'm bringing this up in this atmosphere because I'm also a graduate of this academy. For the sake of the education that you, Headmistress, cherish, we need to do something within the next three years."
"Ah, I understand. But we have me and the Finance Director! We'll figure something out, won't we?"
"That's reassuring."
It was an optimistic statement, but not entirely wrong. Like with the Raven Trading Company incident, if we continued to find ways to cut costs, we might find a solution.
Moreover, the Headmistress was a Rank 8. It wasn't just that she was powerful; she also had a certain degree of social connections.
And although I couldn't say it to the Headmistress,
'Even in the worst-case scenario, as long as we get the protagonist to graduate, we'll be fine somehow.'
Although I only cleared the first part of the three parts of
The high difficulty is just a game element, and once they graduate from the academy, they'll save the world on their own, right?
There's a tremendous risk of me losing my lifelong job, but wouldn't that be better than the world ending?
I have no intention of interfering with or getting close to the protagonist.
As the Finance Director, my job is simply to ensure the academy's survival.
So.
"Headmistress, can I see the list of applicants for this year's entrance exam?"
"Hmm? Why all of a sudden…?"
"Is that not possible?"
"Oh, come on, there's no document our Finance Director can't see! Just wait a moment."
The Headmistress chuckled and rummaged through the pile of documents for a bit before pulling out a thick binder and handing it to me.
There were so many applicants just for the entrance exam.
"Is there someone you know applying this year, Finance Director? It would go against the fairness of education, but if it's an acquaintance of the Finance Director, I could turn a blind eye and let them pass…!!"
"What are you talking about? You know I'm an orphan. I don't have any acquaintances besides my academy classmates."
"…S-sorry, Finance Director."
"There's no need to apologize. I'm just grateful that you think so highly of me, Headmistress."
"That's right! I think so highly of the Finance Director that I could…"
"Yes?"
"…It's nothing."
Was she implying that I should tear up the resignation letter in my pocket? How did she know I had it?
I felt uneasy, as if my last resort had been subtly exposed, but I opened the list of entrance exam applicants anyway.
'There are no photos, of course, and many applicants haven't filled in all their personal information.'
But at least they had to write their names clearly.
Moreover, in
'There it is.'
Ruth Spero.
According to the TMI in the game reviews, it means "light and hope" in Latin.
It could be considered a fitting name for the protagonist in a game titled
And this year was the year the protagonist entered the academy.
'The protagonist, who received the lowest score in the entrance exam, will grow remarkably during their three years at the academy.'
Thinking that the timeline of the game I played had finally arrived, my heart swelled with excitement… Not really.
I wouldn't be seeing the protagonist anyway. But as the Finance Director, I could at least help them grow a bit better.
Good luck, protagonist. I'll do my part.
"Finance Director, what's wrong? Is there an applicant you're keeping an eye on?"
"It's nothing. Let's get back to the paperwork. I need your help, Headmistress, to schedule a meeting with Professor Circe as soon as possible."
"Professor Circe…"
"If she can successfully develop and distribute the hair loss cure before the academy goes bankrupt, we can significantly extend our survival."
"Can't I just talk to this Professor Circe?"
"If you, the Headmistress, go directly to a professor and ask them to share the profits from their research, it'll be seen as coercion. If we were truly desperate, we might have to resort to that, but we still have some time."
"We only have three years left…?"
"We can't tarnish the academy's reputation like that for research that might not even succeed within three years. Moreover, such actions could raise suspicions that the academy is facing financial difficulties."
"Ah, I understand."
Even though we weren't in a position to be picky, we couldn't afford to give up the few advantages this academy had.
The Headmistress's authority and the prestige of being the kingdom's best.
Those things themselves didn't generate any money, but they would be of great help to the plans I had laid out.
If the Headmistress, instead of me, went and practically threatened someone, it would only lead to unnecessary gossip.
'…But if I can't meet her in time, I'll send the Headmistress.'
I had to make sure before Professor Circe started her research. Interfering in the middle of research would complicate things.
And I had to make it absolutely clear that she couldn't do anything foolish like donating her research again. It would be a breach of contract. You better be prepared to be squeezed dry.
While I was thinking about the future schedule and Professor Circe,
"..."
The Headmistress was looking back and forth between me and the list with a strange expression.
Just do your work.
******
"Headmistress? There's no need for you to attend the entrance exam in person, it's not the entrance ceremony…"
"Is there a problem you can't show me?"
"Absolutely not! It's just that the students might get unnecessarily nervous."
"That's unfortunate, but there are retakes for such cases. On the contrary, some applicants might perform even better with me watching."
"That was foolish of me! Please enjoy the viewing!"
After the flustered entrance exam supervisor bowed repeatedly and left.
The Headmistress looked down at the examination hall from a hastily constructed private room above.
'The list of applicants that the Finance Director was looking at. He was particularly focused on a few specific applicants.'
The Finance Director, a mere Rank 1 commoner, wouldn't have known, but.
The Headmistress's Rank 8 senses allowed her to grasp all nearby actions in real-time.
Even without directly observing, she could easily discern which names on the list the Finance Director had focused on, which names he had scrutinized, all through her heightened perception.
That's why she had secretly come to the entrance exam hall while the Finance Director was working. To see for herself the applicants he had taken note of.
'The Margrave's youngest daughter, the princess of the neighboring kingdom, the youngest boy to be knighted, the promising talent from the magic tower… Well, they're decent talents.'
Though renowned in the world, they were nothing more than fledglings in the eyes of the Headmistress, who had reached Rank 8.
Had the Finance Director focused on such individuals?
The Headmistress, who had been indifferently observing the talents showcasing high scores in the entrance exam, suddenly perked up.
"Next! Ruth Spero!"
"…Ah."
As the name the Finance Director had particularly lingered on was called, the Headmistress unconsciously leaned forward.
Ruth Spero. Compared to other talents, he had no fame, no known skills, nothing.
He had a surname, but wasn't of noble birth, just a descendant of a long-fallen noble family, that was all.
What had captivated the Finance Director about this applicant?
Thud. Thud.
Ruth Spero, who stepped forward, was a handsome boy with white hair.
With delicate features that could be seen as feminine, he possessed an androgynous charm.
Of course, the Headmistress remained indifferent.
"Ruth Spero, what will you be tested on?"
"…The sword."
"Alright. Draw the sword you brought and strike the measuring device in front of you."
"With all my strength?"
"Are you worried? This device can measure up to Rank 5. It means even if young students like you strike it with all your might, it won't even get a scratch. Don't worry and proceed."
"…Understood."
Ruth Spero nodded slightly and drew a clearly worn-out sword.
It would have been much better to use one of the prepared training swords, so why did he choose that one? Was it a cherished weapon he had used for a long time?
Anyway, since this applicant was the last one the Finance Director had focused on, the Headmistress watched Ruth, and then…
"…Wait, what?"
Rumble rumble rumble!!!
Right after she stood up in surprise at the tremendous light emanating from Ruth's body,
Ruth Spero, channeling all that light into the sword, struck the measuring device.
CRASH!!!!
The unleashed sword strike not only shattered the measuring device but also reached the wall behind it.
The wall instantly cracked and crumbled.
"Wh-what's happening!?"
"Quickly stop the collapse!"
While the panicked examiners rushed into action,
The eyes of the Margrave's youngest daughter, the princess of the neighboring kingdom, the promising talent from the magic tower, the youngest knight, and others were all fixed on Ruth.
"Interesting."
"Oh my, who on earth is that applicant…?"
"Insolent."
"What a magnificent sword."
Thus, many applicants took notice of Ruth Spero, and
The Headmistress, who had jumped up from her seat at the display of power easily reaching Rank 6 level,
"…We're in big trouble."
She quietly trembled, staring at the completely wrecked measuring device and the collapsing wall.
She pictured a certain Finance Director rushing towards her from his office far away.
In her eyes, Ruth Spero didn't even register…