Chapter 120
Salt is God and Invincible – Part 5
『 Translator – Divinity 』
Equipment No. 2 left the office after making a fuss over the high-quality salt. It was an obvious act asking for more, but I thoroughly ignored him.
However, he seemed motivated after I mentioned that the faster he made the artifact, the bigger the bonus. It was nice that he was so honest.
With No. 2 gone, the office became quiet, as always. Equipment No. 1 had returned to the darkness to research the hair loss cure, and Milia had gone downstairs to handle other tasks.
I finally felt like the business trip was over.
‘It was longer than expected, but oh well.’
The piled-up work was an everyday occurrence, and thanks to Milia’s decent handling, it wasn’t that much. Besides, it would be taken care of when I woke up after sleeping.
Rather, there was something more pressing than work.
“Headmistress, are you here?”
“…Yes.”
“Why are you so embarrassed?”
“Well… it was my f-first kiss, even at this age.”
So you know it was an old-fashioned thing to do.
Naturally, I didn’t say it out loud.
“Do you even know how awkward the atmosphere in the carriage was after you left? There was no need to show that to Student Ruth and Student Chloe.”
“Wouldn’t the rumors spread faster if I did that?”
“That’s true, but…”
“I let them know in advance since they would find out anyway. So those youngsters who haven’t even reached fifty wouldn’t get any funny ideas.”
Come to think of it, I wasn’t that much younger than Ruth or Chloe.
As I looked at the Headmistress, she blushed and turned her head away, perhaps understanding what I meant.
“Anyway, was everything alright at the academy? You suddenly disappeared, Headmistress.”
“…The Head of Academic Affairs handled things well, so there wasn’t much commotion.”
“As expected of the Head of Academic Affairs.”
He was reliable, that Headmistress fanatic!
He was from a great noble family, capable, highly experienced, and charismatic.
I briefly wondered if things would have been better if he were the Headmistress, but then I felt like he would prefer a supporting role rather than being the leader.
“By the way, how did you meet the Head of Academic Affairs?”
“It’s nothing special. I persuaded him to work at the academy when he was about to graduate, about 20 or 30 years ago.”
“Ah, was he a Grandis Academy graduate?”
“He was under a lot of pressure from his family back then. I felt sorry for him and gave his family a bit of a scolding, and the head of the family kept bowing to me. I scouted the Head of Academic Affairs right then and there, and here we are now.”
…The Head of Academic Affairs’ family was a great noble family? Even if it wasn’t on the level of Margrave Gregory’s Claudia family, it must have been a family with considerable influence.
Even a family like that had to bow to the Headmistress with a single word from her. Well, it was only natural since their family could be physically wiped out.
Considering that the Head of Academic Affairs was suffering from pressure from his family back then, it was understandable that he would consider the Headmistress his benefactor for helping him leave that family and even providing him with a job.
Hmm, I see.
“Considering that he also helped resolve the situation during your absence, Headmistress, it would be a good idea to show some consideration to the Academic Affairs Department this time.”
“Huh?”
“Even someone blindly loyal to you, Headmistress, needs some carrots and rewards.”
“That’s true, but how can we show consideration… Ah!”
The Headmistress exclaimed as if she had just remembered something she had forgotten.
Did she really forget? Well, she didn’t really do anything even when she attended those meetings, so it was understandable.
‘The first semester of the academy is almost over.’
The midterms, the festival, and the final exams had passed. All that was left for the students was the vacation they were all waiting for. There was still some time left, but from the students’ perspective, this semester was practically over.
But it was completely different for the staff. The staff didn’t get a break just because it was vacation.
Especially for me, the Finance Director, a big event was waiting.
“The budget planning meeting for the second semester is coming up soon.”
“During the first semester, I was… on the deep-sea fishing trip and couldn’t attend.”
“You’ll be attending this time, of course, and sitting there with a stern expression. It probably won’t go smoothly, but I’ll handle everything, so don’t worry.”
“Does that mean the budget planning meeting will be quite chaotic? Why?”
“Well, wasn’t there a salary cut for all the Magic Department professors because of the equipment, or rather, Professor Circe?”
“Ah.”
It happened quite a while ago, but thanks to Professor Circe’s single-handed (?) confession of corruption, the Magic Department professors were hit with a pay cut. That, in turn, greatly contributed to the academy’s finances.
The pay cut itself would be maintained and wouldn’t be revoked, but because of that, they would be even more desperate at the departmental budget planning meeting.
This was especially true since this meeting was an exceptional one.
“But we can use the terrorist attack as an excuse to reduce the overall budget for the department, so it won’t be a big deal even if it gets noisy.”
“…The terrorist attack is more useful than I thought.”
“We’ll be using it as justification a lot in the future.”
Who would demand a bigger budget after being subjected to a pay cut while the academy was being rebuilt after a terrorist attack? They would just be crazy.
Of course, the professors wouldn’t remain completely silent, as their research and livelihoods were at stake, but they wouldn’t raise their voices either. Especially with the Headmistress, who killed the Rank 7 leader of the terrorists, sitting right in front of them.
Originally, the departmental budget planning meeting was held once a year. We were holding a separate meeting for the second semester budget under the pretense of the terrorist attack; this wouldn’t normally happen.
‘And the reduced overall budget will continue into next year.’
We reduced the overall budget by nearly 40%, citing the reconstruction costs. In other words, no matter how much the professors try to fight for their departments, the total amount of money has decreased.
Moreover, since the reconstruction wouldn’t be finished in just half a year, they wouldn’t be able to complain even if we continued to lower the budget next year.
Naturally, the 40% that was cut would be used for the finances.
The Headmistress seemed to feel a great sense of dissonance and absurdity at the fact that the academy terrorist attack was actually saving the finances, but anyway.
“Then shall we practice beforehand?”
“What? Practice?”
“This is our first official appearance together, isn’t it? Shouldn’t we coordinate how we’ll act?”
“First… th-that, th-that’s what you mean.”
It wasn’t our first official appearance together. There was also the entrance ceremony. What I meant was that this was our first official appearance after deciding to have a ‘fake lover’ relationship.
It was an event where we had to subtly appeal to our relationship by engaging in physical contact to protect me.
The second semester budget meeting would be the perfect place for that.
“Th-th-then…”
“You’re stuttering quite a bit.”
“A-another kiss…!!”
“That’s not it.”
“Oh…? Did you not want to do it with an old woman like me after all?”
“Stop with the strange victim mentality. We have to create the atmosphere gradually; what’s with suddenly rushing into it?”
I was prepared for the rumors to spread, but a kiss was too much. It might be different later, but this was our first time showing it, so we had to be moderate.
…Perhaps it was a thought I could only have because I wasn’t serious about this relationship. After all, from the Headmistress’s perspective, she was entering a relationship, even if fake, with the person she confessed to.
‘Alright.’
Slide.
Crack!
“F-f-f-Finance Director!?”
“Relax your grip. It really hurts.”
“I-I’m sorry…”
Didn’t you just hear the sound of a bone cracking? Was holding hands that surprising?
It was fine since it was quickly healed thanks to the Headmistress infusing it with aura. It was still better than when my arm bone was broken by the Headmistress’s playful punch when I first became the Finance Director last year.
Damn Rank 1 body…
***
Murmur murmur.
“It’s the familiar ceiling.”
“Cut the crap and get ready. We can’t miss this opportunity.”
“How can all the representatives be the same without a single exception?”
“You’re also a chosen representative. Endure it.”
In the grand conference room where all the academy professors gathered on the weekend,
As with any gathering of over a hundred people, the conference room was quickly filled with chatter and whispers. However, there was a sense of déjà vu in the scene.
It was like the budget planning meeting held before the start of this semester, even before the entrance exams.
“W-we meet again after half a year. Professor Rooster.”
“Stop repeating that stupid line. Professor Elfinweiser.”
“Both of you, stop that idiotic bickering every time we meet.”
“Professor Ariel, stop acting mature when you’re the youngest.”
“That’s because you guys are acting like children.”
Professor Rooster from the Magic Department, Professor Elfinweiser from the Martial Arts Department, and Professor Ariel from the Administration Department.
The representatives who were the troublemakers here half a year ago, the shameless, loud-mouthed, and thick-faced talents (?) of each department.
However, unlike Elfinweiser and Ariel, who seemed relatively relaxed, the most desperate one was Professor Rooster, who was fidgeting even now.
“Professor Rooster? Aren’t you being a bit too restless? You should take some nutritional supplements. Ah, that’s right. You don’t have the money for that, do you?”
“Professor… Ariel.”
“Professor Ariel, don’t be so harsh. They’re professors from the noble Magic Department, they can survive on dew alone, can’t they?”
“…You’re really determined, aren’t you?”
A 50% salary cut for ten years.
The punishment the Magic Department professors received after Circe’s confession of corruption literally cut their livelihood in half.
It would have been fine if they were from noble families or were originally wealthy, but it was a critical hit for those who were used to the generous support of Grandis Academy.
Professor Rooster was one of them. A typical Magic Department professor who relied on his salary for living expenses and poured all his remaining funds into magic research.
Professor Rooster’s eyes were bloodshot, having to halve the frequency of his small joy, drinking beer.
“Watch your words. I have those dew-drinking professors behind me.”
“Considering all the corruption they’ve been enjoying, it doesn’t seem like balance has been achieved yet.”
“Are you planning to complain to the Headmistress? Please do, it would be quite a sight.”
“Damn it…”
However, as much as Rooster was angry, the jealousy and hatred of the Martial Arts and Administration Departments towards the Magic Department professors were also immense.
The Magic Department had been taking almost half of the budget every time, receiving all sorts of hospitality because they were the largest and most prestigious department, and even enjoying benefits like taking research results, which was practically corruption.
It was inevitable that dissatisfaction would build up due to the difference in treatment, and it exploded with the incident involving Professor Circe. Of course, not all professors in the Martial Arts and Administration Departments were openly sarcastic like Elfinweiser and Ariel, but that was the general atmosphere.
“So, where is the Honorary Professor of the Martial Arts Department?”
“He’s also the Honorary Professor of the Administration Department, isn’t he? I don’t see Professor Circe.”
“…Professor Circe is immersed in her research in the lab.”
“You didn’t bully her into that, did you?”
“I would never do such a thing!”
“Don’t shout so loudly. You look weak.”
Professor Circe, who could be considered the root cause of all this, had been holed up in her lab for a long time.
She heard that she had a long meeting with the Finance Director and the Headmistress, but after the hair loss potion incident during the festival, she completely shut herself in her lab, so no one could complain to her.
Circe had already become a public enemy in the Magic Department, but that was when she was still visible. It had been a month, two months, since she was last seen, so she was no longer a public enemy or anything.
There were strange rumors that she sometimes stuck her head out of the Finance Director’s office window to get some sunlight, but that couldn’t be true.
“This time… we’re going to take an even bigger share of the budget than before, so be prepared.”
“The budget itself has been reduced due to the terrorist attack. To take more than the 60% you took at the last meeting…”
“Why? Just say you’re not going to give any budget to the Martial Arts and Administration Departments.”
“That wouldn’t be bad either!”
A battle of glares unfolded between Rooster, Elfinweiser, and Ariel. The professors in the back, who had been noisy, also fell silent and glared at the other departments.
Under the unprecedented circumstances of the academy being attacked by terrorists, the second budget planning meeting, which wouldn’t normally be held, was convened.
The amount they secured this time would determine the ratio for this year, and perhaps even next year. As such, the professors couldn’t back down.
In this tense atmosphere,
“The Headmistress is arriving. All rise.”
“””Rise!!”””
The Head of Academic Affairs, who entered first, made the announcement in a solemn voice, and all the professors stood up.
Finally, the door to the grand conference room opened, and…
“Let’s go in, Headmistress.”
“Yes… Finance Director.”
“…?”
The Headmistress and the Finance Director entered together, hand in hand, a sight completely different from their usual demeanor.
Even the Head of Academic Affairs, who seemed to have expected everything, was shocked.
“The Headmistress and the Finance Director…?”
“Their age gap is seven times… Ugh!?”
“W-what’s wrong with you all of a sudden? By the way, if it’s seven times, that means I’m dating someone from my childhood… Gah!?”
There was a minor incident where some professors suddenly collapsed for unknown reasons, but it didn’t cause a commotion because the appearance of the Headmistress and the Finance Director was much more shocking.
The Finance Director seemed relatively calm, while the Headmistress’s face was flushed red.
Judging from their appearance, the Headmistress looked younger, but the problem was that the professors here knew exactly what kind of person the Headmistress was.
“Did the Headmistress finally devour the Finance Director?”
“Poor guy. I respect the Headmistress, but as a romantic partner, well…”
“If my great-grandmother were alive, she would be around that age.”
“It’s been 30 years since I joined the academy… and she’s with a man that young…”
“It’s unfortunate for the Finance Director. But if it makes the Headmistress happy, isn’t it fine?”
“He’s not a sacrificial offering… Well, thinking about it, he is. Sigh.”
As some professors, unable to hold back their words, expressed their sincere sympathy, turned their heads away as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have, or pitied the Finance Director,
Rooster, Elfinweiser, and Ariel, who were usually at each other’s throats, all shook their heads in unison.
It was a stroke of luck that the Headmistress, overly conscious of the hand she was holding with the Finance Director, didn’t hear most of those comments. Only a few who were insensitive enough to speak loudly or were unlucky enough to be heard by the Headmistress fainted.
Otherwise, all the professors would have fainted, making the budget meeting impossible.
They did manage to show that there was something going on between them, as the Headmistress and the Finance Director intended, but…
It was a bit different from what they had in mind…