Reviving a Bankrupt Academy: My Financial Battle

Crash!! Bang!!!

Buildings exploded and crumbled. The cult members were running amidst the chaos.

All the cult members dispatched from the headquarters were at least Rank 4. Considering that even a Rank 4 was considered a significant force in most places, they were a force to be reckoned with.

At the same time, this was all the power the declining Wish Cult could muster. It showed how much they were betting on this operation.

Naturally, the cult members had come here with determination and a sense of purpose, but…

"Hans, this is really Grandis Academy, right? The one from the rumors?"

"Yes… probably."

"Well, it's incredibly large, and the fact that this entire place is the academy is causing some cognitive dissonance."

After arriving at the legendary Grandis Academy, all they saw were absurd things.

Grandis Academy was the most prestigious school in the kingdom. The cult members had heard of it, but none of them were graduates. In fact, few of them had ever even attended an academy.

It was only natural. Those who joined the cult, labeled as heretics by the Holy Kingdom and oppressed by the Empire, had difficulty leading normal lives. There were some elites among them, but none were Grandis Academy graduates.

Therefore, all they knew about Grandis Academy was from the decades-old plan, Milia's letters, and generally available information. The fact that the cult's headquarters were in the Empire and they weren't familiar with the kingdom also played a role.

But the academy shocked the cult members in many ways.

"That person we saw earlier… was he really the Finance Director? Not a tour guide?"

"He was exactly like the guide who led the tourists in our village. Were we here for sightseeing…?"

"And what's with those security guards?"

Hans, Delian, and Kaylee, selected for Group 1, were running along their designated route, destroying buildings.

While Hans, the group leader (?), checked the map, Delian and Kaylee, the mages, combined their powers to demolish buildings.

The sturdy buildings, strangely enough, crumbled effortlessly under the magic of the two Rank 4 mages.

No, wait.

All the designated buildings were either dilapidated or clearly uninhabited.

"We're here for a terrorist attack, right? Not a demolition job?"

"…Still, thanks to the collapsed buildings, the security guards are definitely blocked. It must be that only the buildings that are easy to destroy were designated."

"Then are those security guards normal?"

Delian, with a truly bewildered expression, pointed at…

"Ugh! Ah! Ouch! They're too fast—!"

"3rd Security Unit protocol number four! If the opponent is judged to be of higher rank, don't forcefully arrest them, but drive them away! I remember it well!"

"Rescue the injured! Search the collapsed building!"

There were the security guards, behaving theatrically, as if they were acting.

They chased the cult members while glancing around as if someone was watching, shouting lines from their manuals. Their strangely stiff postures were a bonus.

Why were they shouting what they were going to do before every action?

"…I don't know."

What was even more frightening was that the level of these security guards, who were acting so ridiculously, was by no means low.

None of the security guards who had chased them so far, shouting about rescuing non-existent injured people and stopping midway, were weaker than the cult members.

On the contrary, there were even a few Rank 5s among them.

'That's the 3rd Security Unit…?'

According to the information they received beforehand, the 3rd Security Unit mainly patrolled within the academy, and as such, their overall strength was supposed to be the weakest.

If that security unit was at this level, what about the 1st and 2nd Security Units?

Hans couldn't stop the cold sweat.

"Let's quickly get to the secret vault while they're busy with their clown show. We're halfway there, and we don't have much time left!"

"This is annoying. Can't we just blast them with magic?"

"Are you crazy? Kaylee, shut up and run. We just need to destroy the designated buildings and regroup at the secret vault. That's it!"

"Alright, alright. I'm destroying this!"

Crash!!!!

They couldn't understand why the security guards were acting like that, but it was certainly working in their favor. Hans, Delian, and Kaylee continued to advance, destroying only the old and dilapidated buildings.

The security guards chasing them continued their theatrical speeches and acting, and as they ran towards the location of the secret vault…

"Here it is!"

Hans, having reached the doorstep of the vault, jumped into a dark alley. According to the map, the secret vault was in the building right ahead.

It was a narrow alleyway, and if they were surrounded, it would be over. If they destroyed the building here, the cult members would be buried alive, so all they could do was run.

He wasn't sure if they came to carry out a terrorist attack or to run away, but Hans and Group 1 sprinted through the alleyway.

"He…re?"

"What? Another alley?"

"Hey Hans! Are you sure you're looking at the map correctly!?"

"I-I am, but… huh?"

Turning through alleyways, turning and turning,

As they continued through the endless alleyways, Hans's face hardened.

[This concludes the terrorist response training. This is a real situation. Unidentified assailants have infiltrated the academy by taking advantage of the training.]

"…Huh?"

[All members of the 3rd Security Unit are to apprehend the assailants immediately.]

Hans…

…couldn't hold back his curses.

***

I had a thought.

While having the cult members carry out the terrorist attack, I also had to ensure that they weren't all captured. If they were, they might reveal my involvement.

In other words, the terrorist attack had to happen, but most of the cult members had to escape safely. This was a trickier problem than I anticipated.

Putting aside all other reasons… it was simply because the power difference between the 3rd Security Unit and the cult members was too significant.

'I heard they were at least Rank 5 decades ago.'

They must have been the elite, but they were definitely weaker compared to back then. I had put so much thought into it after receiving the list from Milia.

And then I came up with…

"Terrorist… response training."

"Even if I let them in, the cult members will definitely be caught with their skills. I guarantee that all but a few will be wiped out."

"…I can't argue with that."

"So we'll call it terrorist response training. That way, even if the security guards see the cult members, they won't think they're actual terrorists."

The Headmistress had gone to the Druid's forest to oversee the final exams, but what if I, along with a few others, monitored the 3rd Security Unit's actions and evaluated their performance?

Additionally, we could say that we needed to assess their various response capabilities, so they shouldn't capture the terrorists immediately, but focus on the incidents caused by them. That would be perfect.

The security guards would probably put on an Oscar-worthy performance.

"B-but…"

"Yes?"

"It's not really my place to say this, but wouldn't there be a problem after the terrorist attack? Not only would it negatively impact the 3rd Security Unit for failing to prevent the attack, but it would also affect you, Finance Director, for announcing it as training. I don't recall that being in the plan."

"…Hmm."

"What's wrong?"

"No, it's just that I'm surprised to see a spy concerned about the academy."

"...…"

Milia was right. If things went well, the real problem would be the aftermath.

Even if the damage wasn't significant, it was still a terrorist attack. Not only would the 3rd Security Unit be held accountable for failing to prevent it, but I would be in the most trouble for covering up an actual terrorist attack as training.

And of course, I had a solution.

"Then we just need to make it not a training exercise."

"According to that plan?"

"Hmm, it should be about time."

In a separate prepared building,

Adam, who had been comfortably resting while receiving updates on the situation from various locations as the cult members engaged in a desperate WWE match with the security guards,

Picked up a magic tool, looking at the uneasy Milia.

It was a communication magic tool connected to the academy-wide speakers.

[This concludes the terrorist response training. This is a real situation. Unidentified assailants have infiltrated the academy by taking advantage of the training.]

"…I…"

[All members of the 3rd Security Unit are to apprehend the assailants immediately.]

"I don't know if this is right."

Click.

Milia looked at Adam, who had just changed the WWE match into a UFC fight with just two sentences.

Of course, Milia knew all about this. She was the one who approved the plan.

What she didn't know was Adam's way of handling the aftermath. And it was on that point…

That Adam and Milia made a deal.

"What do you mean? You were the one who requested this deal."

"...…"

"Don't worry. I want to stay on good terms with Student Milia, so I'll definitely keep my end of the deal."

Adam's smile was truly wicked.

And Milia also slightly raised the corners of her lips.

As if all the concerns she had shown were just an act. As if she had a completely different motive.

The professionals of the academy and the cult joined hands.

And right after that,

—Static

"What's this…?"

"It's a call from the Archbishop. Archbishop? We're proceeding as planned. Have you retrieved the sacred treasure?"

—…Follower Milia. It seems we're too late.

"Excuse me?"

—The announcement was made right in front of the secret vault. Damn it.

The announcement Adam made was a kind of time limit. A time limit until the cult reached the secret vault and stole the sacred treasure.

It was a delicate balance – giving them more time was risky, but giving them less would make it impossible to even reach the secret vault. Adam gave them a reasonable amount of time, considering the physical capabilities of high-ranking individuals.

Neither Milia nor the Archbishop thought there would be a problem with that. The challenge was finding the sacred treasure in the secret vault, not reaching it in time.

But they failed. And it was none other than the Archbishop who failed.

Despite the Archbishop and the Paladin Captain being the only Rank 7s and acting alone without forming groups, this was the result.

"…Paladin Captain? How are you doing?"

────────.

"Paladin Captain Malton?"

Milia desperately shouted into another communication magic tool, but there was no response. The Paladin Captain, who, like the Archbishop, was supposed to be acting alone, remained silent.

Whatever had happened, one thing was certain.

The retrieval of the sacred treasure was a failure.

"Then we need to get the cult members out of here immediately."

"…Finance Director."

—Finance Director, give us more time.

"I can't. Didn't you promise? If I give you more time, the 3rd Security Unit Captain and the 1st and 2nd Security Units, who are outside, will block all exits from the academy. More importantly… the Headmistress will arrive. You know what that means, right?"

—...…

"I'll gather everyone at the designated location, as I mentioned before, since I need to collect all the communication magic tools I handed out. It can't be helped if any cult members are late."

—…Understood.

"Archbishop."

—Follower Milia, there's nothing more to say. This operation… is a failure.

What was the reason for this terrorist attack in the first place? To retrieve the cult's sacred treasure from the Headmistress.

But even with the ample time the Finance Director gave them, they couldn't even reach the secret vault. Naturally, the Archbishop and Milia had nothing to say.

In this situation, the top priority was to gather their forces and escape quickly.

Milia was momentarily shocked by the failure to retrieve the sacred treasure, but she soon regained her composure and grabbed the magic tool.

"All cult members are to gather at the designated location immediately! The plan has failed. Escaping is the priority now!"

"Student Milia, please leave first. I'll take care of things here and follow you."

"Alright."

If this place was discovered, the connection between the Finance Director and the cult would be revealed. Since they failed to retrieve the sacred treasure this time, they had to maintain a close relationship with the Finance Director for future attempts, so they had to avoid that at all costs.

For a moment, Milia trembled with the fear of becoming a slave to work again like she had been for the past two weeks, but wisely, she briefly escaped reality and quickly agreed.

Thus, Milia left the building to manage the cult members, and…

The Finance Director, left alone…

"Hmm, if this happens…"

"It's the best outcome."

"...…"

He stopped what he was doing at the sudden voice in this place where no one should be.

There was an uninvited guest in this place where there should be no one.

The Finance Director quietly turned around.

"Paladin Captain Malton?"

"You're foolishly alone here. You're not even enveloped in the Headmistress's Aura… How foolish."

"What are you talking about? The plan failed, you need to get out of here. Even if you are Rank 7."

"That alleyway, it was your doing, wasn't it?"

"Excuse me?"

"That annoyingly diligent Archbishop might have destroyed all the designated buildings along the way, but I'm different. I went straight to the secret vault."

"...…"

"And right in front of the vault, I kept going around in circles in that damn alleyway! It was a damn trick. You gave each group a different route and different buildings to destroy, and by subtly making them wander through the alleyways at crucial timings, you skillfully manipulated the time. It was an admirable feat. Admirable enough to make me want to crush your skull."

Malton slowly approached Adam.

Rank 7 and Rank 1. An overwhelming, even transcendental difference in rank.

Malton was already confident of victory.

"Retrieving the sacred treasure was impossible from the start. I doubt that there even was a sacred treasure in that so-called secret vault."

"So, what are you planning?"

"What else? I'm going to do things my way now."

Grab

Malton, grabbing Adam by the collar, laughed.

Even though he should be furious about the failure to retrieve the sacred treasure due to Adam's tricks,

He was laughing as if he had wanted the plan to fail from the start.

"With this, that bishop candidate bitch won't be a threat to my position anymore."

"I heard the cult is crumbling. What an ugly power struggle."

"That's reality. You're also aiming for something by attacking this perfectly fine academy, aren't you? We're both the same…"

Malton paused, sensing a strangely familiar presence, and looked around, but…

He soon laughed hollowly as if it couldn't be, and glared at Adam.

"…What are you going to do with me?"

"What a naive question. You're coming with me. If I cover up that bishop candidate's failure, I can become the next archbishop…!!"

"Do you think I'll go with you so easily?"

"The Headmistress isn't here. I don't know what you're so confident about. I'm a bit pissed off about being played, so watching a Rank 1's meaningless struggle might be a good distraction."

Malton's smirk and Adam's tense gaze clashed. In this world where individuals could possess power that rivaled groups, Adam, a mere Rank 1, was utterly powerless.

No matter how much social standing and connections he had built as the Finance Director, when it came to raw power like this, he was no different from an ordinary person.

Malton slowly tightened his grip on Adam's collar. If he moved his hand just a little bit more, Adam's neck would snap.

In this precarious yet static atmosphere…

…the shadows flickered.