The Academy is Doomed

Chapter 17

‘It’s chilling. It’s like a punch in the chest.’

A messenger rushing to the Academy with urgent news?

It was obvious why.

Given what happened yesterday, the Emperor must be up to something!

‘But what kind of trick?’

As I hurried back to the academy and headed for the headmaster’s office, Anar’el was sobbing.

“No, Headmaster!”

“……Ah, Mr. Amon.”

What kind of situation is this?

The messenger turned around and said.

“Are you Amon Drake?”

“Yes, I am…….”

“Well, since I’m here, I’ll repeat the Emperor’s message to you.”

The messenger coughed, then spoke.

“Hmph! I speak in the name of Emperor Amonis XVIII, the rightful authority of the Amonis Empire! For the disrespect shown to this Emperor by ‘Amon’ of House Drake, a teacher at your Amonis Academy, I recommend his dismissal! Over!”

As the messenger finished speaking, Anar’el began to sob even harder.

“Hmph!”

Amon’s dismissal!

The Emperor had intended to summon Amon as soon as daylight broke, hoping to offer a conciliatory gesture, but when he realized that the man had gone rogue, he was furious!

Then the messenger, who had rolled up the letter in his bosom with satisfaction, spoke.

“I do not know what kind of rudeness you have committed against His Majesty the Emperor, but I appreciate His Majesty the Emperor’s great generosity in ending with a recommendation for dismissal. I will now leave.”

The messenger retreated, and Anar’el, her shoulders heaving, said.

“Ah, Teacher Amon……What on earth happened in the capital? Why did the Emperor suddenly recommend your dismissal…….?”

As she grabbed my shoulder and shook me, I thought to myself.

‘Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that.’

Are you going to ruin the academy?

Why did I choose such a hard path!

‘If I’d known it would be like this, I would have traveled to the capital, just to see the Emperor’s face!’

Then I could have finished it quickly, gotten a reprimand, and returned to my estate!

‘And since I’m not quitting of my own free will, I won’t have to pay a penalty for breaking my contract!’

Amon laughed bitterly, rebuking his own foolishness.

But to Anar’el’s eyes, it was a grudging, resigned smile.

“Ah, Mr. Amon……what on earth happened to you?”

“Well……I’m not sure of the exact circumstances, but it seems that there has been some unpleasantness between my House of Drake and the Emperor’s House. He was very upset with me yesterday.”

“That, that…….”

Anar’el cried, covering her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes.

“I can’t believe I have to let teacher Amon go for something like that……after all you’ve done for this academy…….”

Well, I have done a lot in a short time.

Securing the academy’s funding, curbing the ambition of the vice-principal, and growing the students to the point where they can compete in competitions.

‘It’s been a hell of a ride.’

That’s why I can say with a straight face.

“Well, it’s what it is, and I’m grateful for it.”

Gratitude is bullshit.

It’s a pretty way to say goodbye.

After all, a human being should be beautiful even in the place where he or she has stayed.

But for Anar’el, the words felt like a bitter pill to swallow!

How heartbroken she must be!

“Hmph, I’m sorry, Mr. Amon. I just don’t have the strength…….”

“Hahaha, what could possibly be wrong with the headmaster, nothing, nothing.”

Just stamp it and send me on my way.

But could it be that Amon’s good heart, which covered up his incompetence, stimulated Anar’el?

“……Hmm, okay.”

What? Like what?

Anar’el said with determination in her voice, tears in her eyes.

“I’ll ignore the Emperor’s advice.”

Amon gasped at that.

“What, what do you mean……!”

“Mr. Amon, in the first place, our academy has been advised by the Emperor to cease operations.”

That’s right.

We participated in a contest to have it rescinded, only to find ourselves on the receiving end of a recommendation for dismissal.

“As an educational institution, the academy has a certain amount of independence. In the end, the emperor’s recommendation is literally a recommendation, but it doesn’t force us to make a choice.”

She’s got a point but Amon had a hunch that if it were to happen, the academy would face an even worse situation.

‘Even now, when we’ve only been advised to cease operations, there’s no influx of students or teachers. And now the academy is going to keep a teacher who has been recommended for dismissal by the emperor?’

What kind of crazy students and teachers would want to come here!

And that means I can’t leave this place!

Realizing this, Amon hurried to say something, but the determination in Anar’el’s eyes never faded.

“It is absolutely unacceptable for me, as headmaster, to turn a blind eye to the loss of a great teacher like Mr. Amon! It is my pride and belief as an educator!”

Amon finally exploded at the eloquence of Anar’el’s words.

“Okay, fire me immediately!”

“Pfft, Mr. Amon, don’t worry about the aftermath, I’ll do something about it, you can’t give up!”

“No, damn it, I don’t want to give up, I want you to fire me, please!”

“Amon, please don’t give up hope!”

“Aaaaah!”

I’m speechless!

“This, this sulky elf is trying to kick me off a cliff…….”

Despite being labeled a cranky elf, Anar’el was undeterred.

Instead, she wiped her tears and smiled.

“You may say what you will, but it doesn’t change my resolve, and my academy will see you through to the end!”

How could she say such horrible things while wearing an elven mask!

The realization hit home.

“What’s all the fuss about?”

“Vice Headmaster……!”

Amon had returned to the Academy first, so Vice Headmaster Brestle arrived late.

When Amon saw Brestle, he felt as if he had been chased by a tiger and had found a cord of copper from the sky.

‘The vice principal hates me! When she hears about the situation, she’s going to kick me out!’

So, I stammered and explained the situation.

“You’re being recommended for dismissal?”

“That’s right!”

Amon said, quickly placing his hand on his chest.

“So please fire me!”

Brestle, who hated me, would be quick to accept the request!

But then Brestle said.

“I can’t do that.”

“Yes! Thanks…… What?”

Brestle said,

“Even if it’s the Emperor’s recommendation, I can’t imagine dismissing you after teaching your students so well. It’s impossible.”

At that, Anar’el exclaimed.

“So that’s what the deputy headmaster thinks too!”

“Of course, Headmaster.”

“Well, well, well, you finally understand…….”

Anar’el’s ears perked up in agreement, and as she glared at the smirking Brestle, Amon realized.

‘You, you damned thing…….’

Brestle’s eyes were glazed over with meanness.

‘You know you want me fired, and you’re doing this just to fuck with me!’

I felt like I was going to cry with frustration.

That was the moment.

“Principal, I wanted to report the results of this contest……Huh? What is this situation?”

Marion came to the principal’s office.

‘Don’t drink, Mr. Marion!’

The problem with Marion is that when he’s drunk, he’s not even human, but when he’s sober, he’s ‘at least’ normal!

‘You’ve served in the army, Marion, so you know how serious the Emperor’s advice is!’

I quickly explained the situation to Marion.

“Oh, His Majesty the Emperor has recommended that you be dismissed!?”

“That’s right!”

So you’ll have to dismiss me!

But Marion was furious.

“What an injustice!”

“……?”

“From what I’ve heard of the situation, you’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Now, wait…….”

“Well, I can’t help it, I have a connection with Marquis of Williams, my commander in the north, I’ll speak to him and ask for an audience with the king, I’ll make a plea to his majesty!”

This behavior is tolerated because the Emperor values the opinions of his subordinates.

‘Such a bastardized case…….’

Amon covered his face with his hands.

And Marion, mistaking it for emotion, patted him on the shoulder and said.

“Don’t worry too much! His Majesty will be lenient……”

Anar’el exclaimed.

“That’s right! As the head of this academy, I, too, have written a letter to the Emperor…….”

Brestle said.

“I’m getting hungry.”

Amon was so enraged that he simply fainted.

* * *

Amon stared at the penalty section of the teacher’s contract.

The sum of money made him shudder just to look at it!

‘I’ll have to sell the entire potato field on our estate.’

Is there any way out of this?

Scratching his head, Amon suddenly frowned.

‘Yes, I thought we were supposed to take a vacation and go home after the contest?’

My wise father might have something good to say.

‘I don’t think I’ll hear anything good about it, but……might be a good idea.’

Amon got up and headed to the principal’s office.

When he told her that he wanted to take a vacation, she nodded happily.

“That’s great, I’m sure you’re feeling down, and I think you should go home for a change of scenery!”

It didn’t feel so good to hear the person who was causing the issues speak.

“Anyway, since you’ve been here for about three months now, you’ve accumulated three days of vacation time, do you mind if I take it for you?”

“Yes, okay……Wait a minute.”

“What?”

Amon remembered something he’d forgotten.

“It takes two weeks just to get to my estate.”

“……ah.”

This is where the math gets weird.

‘I’d have to take a month of vacation before I could go home, right?’

The problem is that “regular teachers” are not allowed to accumulate more than a month’s worth of vacation under the Academy’s rules.

This means that I can’t go home, not now and not ever.

“What the…….”

Amon said in disbelief.

“Headmaster. My hometown is the Arma Mountains.”

“What? Oh, right, then I’ll give you an extra day because it’s a long vacation.”

“No, not that…….”

Anar’el shook his head.

“I’d love to give you more vacation, but I don’t want to set a bad precedent, and I can’t give you more vacation.”

“…….”

“Considering that Ms. Sloth once laid herself out in front of the principal’s office asking for more vacation……I shouldn’t give in.”

Ms. Sloth! What the hell did you do!

“……So, can’t you just give vacation days in advance?”

“No, I can’t.”

“……Phew, I see.”

Amon looked like he’d just found a half-eaten worm in his bread as he watched Anar’el fill out a vacation slip like it was no big deal.

“Here’s your leave slip!”

A four-day vacation pass!

A vacation certificate that requires me to return home on the second day!

Amon gritted his teeth when he received it.

“Gimme a break.”

“What!”

What am I supposed to do with this?

Should I just return my vacation?

‘No, I want to get away from this horrible place, if only for a little while.’

Should I stay in a city outside the academy for a few days to catch my breath?

As he pondered, Amon frowned when he spotted Anar’el packing her things.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m taking you home.”

“Take me to……? Argh!”

Amon suddenly remembered his first encounter with Anar’el.

The Elven capital with the World Tree!

That place was as far away as the Arma Mountains, but hadn’t Anar’el traveled there with a single warp spell?

Amon’s face brightened when he remembered that.

“Then why are you packing?”

Aren’t you just going to take me there and back?

Anar’el smiled.

“Because I’ve never been to the Arma Mountains either!”

Amon’s face hardened.

“…But, what about that?”

“Well, I’m going to have to pick you up again anyway, so I might as well stay with you for a few days!”

Amon’s face rotted rapidly.