14. This Is the Finance Department: Despair Arc
14. This Is the Finance Department: Despair Arc
While the Finance Director was off handling matters befitting his quietly vital, highly classified role.
The administrative staff over in the central building that housed the Chairwoman's office had been feeling an inexplicable chill creeping up their spines.
"Anyone else feel like it's gotten cold in here? It's not even cold season yet."
"Right. Oh—look, isn't that the Head of Academic Affairs and the Planning Department Head walking past?"
"But... why do they look so grimly resigned?"
"The terror attack, do you think?"
"You suppose......?"
With nearly the entire student body heading to the Druid's Sea of Trees for finals, the vast majority of faculty and staff followed them there to proctor and support. Running a massive, sprawling exam across the Sea of Trees demanded every available body for logistics, contingency planning, and incident response — you could never have enough hands.
Because of that, only a tiny handful of staff had been on the academy grounds when the terrorists struck. What's more, those few had all been inside the central building, which meant none of them had laid eyes on the attackers — the whole thing had played out almost entirely on the outer campus.
So even if they'd been told the academy had been hit by a terrorist attack, the rank-and-file staff were mostly just bewildered. But that was only the rank-and-file's perspective.
For the department heads, the people who would have to shoulder responsibility one way or another — the story was different.
"Is everyone here?"
"The Student Affairs Department Head, the Planning Department Head, the Food Supplies Management Head... the Medical Department Head. And me, the Chief Examination Officer. That's everyone present."
"Ciel, Chief Examination Officer — the absentees?"
"The First Guard Unit Head is currently compiling testimony from the Third Guard Corps and its commander. And as for the Finance Director......."
"He'll be dealing with the Chairwoman's business, I imagine. In that case, I, the Head of Academic Affairs, will lead this department head conference. The matter at hand is, of course, the recent terror attack."
"Hrm.........."
"......Mmm."
"Hah."
"................"
As soon as the word "terror" was spoken, the assembled heads produced a chorus of grim, low murmurs. The mere thought of it was enough to make their heads throb.
None of the department heads in this room had actually been on campus during the attack, of course. Every single one of them had deployed to the Sea of Trees alongside the students for proctoring duty.
But being absent didn't mean they got to sit idle. As the heads of the departments that comprised this academy, it fell to them to manage the aftermath, no matter what.
If there was one thing to be grateful for.
"At least the damage isn't extensive. According to the report submitted by the Finance Director, aside from the collapsed building and some property losses, there was no significant harm."
"That's the part I don't understand. Planning Department Head — did the bastards truly not steal or carry off anything from the academy?"
"According to the report, no. I conducted my own survey the moment I got back, and I couldn't find a thing missing either. How about the rest of you?"
"As Chief Examination Officer, I remained at the Sea of Trees and focused entirely on managing the fallout from the exam's suspension. So I've only just returned to the academy."
"Uh, I've been, I've been swamped dealing with student inquiries......."
"I inspected the material losses from this incident, and nothing was stolen. Mostly just items crushed under building debris or things that were unintentionally destroyed."
The Chief Examination Officer, profoundly tense from having to address so many people at once for the first time in ages, delivered his answer coldly. The bald Student Affairs Department Head, sweat beading on his scalp, trailed off, looking apologetic. Only the Food Supplies Management Head, who had conducted the on-site survey alongside the Planning Department Head, gave a proper response.
That left the Medical Department Head as the only one who hadn't spoken, but curiously — including the Planning Department Head who'd been asking questions — nobody so much as glanced her way.
She wasn't even normally part of these department head conferences; she'd only been summoned because of the attack's exceptional nature, and no one wanted to engage with her.
Nevertheless, the woman in the white coat raised her hand of her own accord and spoke.
"It's tragic."
"......Medical Department Head, what exactly is tragic?"
"I fail to grasp why this academy expends so much futile effort on safety. Neglect safety, and patients emerge. Treat those patients, and experience is gained, skill is honed. All of that is noble sacrifice in service to the advancement of medicine."
"Head of Academic Affairs. This is exactly what I told you...... do not summon that deranged woman!"
"I am well aware. But no matter how few casualties we sustained, I cannot defy the Chairwoman's words. Her orders were to gather 'all' department heads for a conference. Are you suggesting we doubt her command?"
"N-no, that's not what I—"
"Then we shall continue. In any case, regarding the intentions of these villainous terrorists——"
Crunch.
For a moment, an undeniably unsettling sound filtered down from the floor above.
But the middle-aged Head of Academic Affairs pressed on with an unshaken composure.
Admittedly, the only person who remained so composed was the Chairwoman-worshipping Head of Academic Affairs himself.
"Food Supplies Management Head — was that just now, surely not......."
"I suspect you're right, Student Affairs Department Head. The Chairwoman appears to be in quite a temper."
The Student Affairs Department Head, whose self-esteem had been eroded to rock bottom by a constant barrage of student grievances and inquiries, was trembling. The relatively normal Food Supplies Management Head stared up at the ceiling with worried eyes.
Just how furious was their boss — the woman who had swatted the terrorist ringleader, a full 7th Rank, like an insect and killed him?
The department heads could only pray that her fury wouldn't turn toward them.
"The Finance Director needs to get here soon.........."
The only person who could soothe the Chairwoman. The youngest department head, who was sometimes called — behind his back — not the Finance Director but the Chairwoman Management Director.
They were simply desperate for him to arrive, and quickly.
*
As it turned out, the department heads' prediction had been right on the mark. While they held their conference on the floor below, the Chairwoman was indeed in a state of extreme fury.
Just not about the terror attack.
It was about one female student.
"So you're...... Student Rus Spero?"
"......Yes."
"This is the first time we've met like this, isn't it?"
"We also met at the entrance ceremony."
"Haha, but we didn't meet one-on-one like this back then, did we? Right?"
"No."
"............."
Why is this one so utterly devoid of manners? Honestly, kids these days.
Privately clicking her tongue, the Chairwoman surveyed Rus with overtly disapproving eyes.
Rus's male disguise had already been blown during the attack, so she'd comfortably shed the act. White hair, an absurdly lanky frame, and a chest that was, truly, absurdly large.
Every last bit of it was displeasing.
'And why is she so tall? How's she supposed to properly protect the Finance Director at that height?'
Rus was just a little bit taller than the Chairwoman. If they faced each other, the first thing that would enter the Chairwoman's sight line was that shamelessly large chest, wasn't it. The Chairwoman sniped away inside her head.
As a martial artist, she knew perfectly well how crucial height was in a fight, but right now, the Chairwoman's eyes registered only Rus's flaws.
Surely those lumps of fat must be a hindrance in combat too. The Chairwoman, who briefly glanced down at her own chest, clenched her teeth even harder.
At any rate, she strained to maintain an outward smile and deliberately continued speaking from her seated position. If she stood up, the height difference would become that much more apparent, and she couldn't have that.
"And I understand you assisted the Finance Director during the terror attack? I wanted to express my gratitude to you for that."
"I only did what was natural."
"Well, of course. Natural though it may be.........."
"The Finance Director is 1st Rank, so naturally someone has to protect him. Naturally."
"............."
Was it just her imagination? To the Chairwoman, those words sounded like they meant something else entirely.
I protected Adam. What were you doing the whole time? Weren't you supposed to be the one protecting him?
From the Chairwoman's perspective — having personally pressed a communication magic tool into Adam's hands, purchased him a secret weapon, and shielded him with her own Rigid Energy — those words were enough to make her blood boil.
But she couldn't exactly snap at a young student who hadn't lived even one one-hundredth of her lifespan, could she. Affecting an air of magnanimity, the Chairwoman laughed, with great effort.
"W-well, yes. That's why I wanted to thank you. And there's something more I'd like to discuss."
"Discuss, you say."
"Student Rus, when you first enrolled, you were cross-dressing for some personal reason, I assume?"
".........Yes."
Truthfully, the Chairwoman didn't care in the slightest why Rus had been cross-dressing. Falsifying enrollment documents was technically a disciplinary infraction under academy rules, but considering the Finance Director had already spoken on her behalf, she was prepared to graciously overlook something like that.
But there was one thing she could not overlook.
"I have no intention of interrogating you about that. Every student has their own circumstances. However."
".........."
"Even between members of the same sex, cohabitation between a student and a staff member is prohibited. And if they're of the opposite sex, even more so."
Resolute opposition.
When Adam had said he intended to continue the cohabitation even after learning that Rus was a woman, the Chairwoman had — uncharacteristically — fought with him bitterly over it.
Adam was fragile. A mere 1st Rank. From the Chairwoman's standpoint, he was someone she could kill with a casual swat. Let alone cohabitate with a 6th Rank female student.
The implication was plain: if Rus Spero ever decided to do something unspeakable to Adam, Adam would have no way to resist.
The Chairwoman had tried everything to persuade him otherwise.
But.
——But, Chairwoman, you are here.
'......Ngh.'
That guilelessly sincere answer had stolen every argument from her mouth. It had been a short phrase, but it was packed with trust in her.
The fact of that trust was unbearably gratifying — and infuriating, because the reason he'd said it was to keep living with this vulgar female student.
So she'd decided to be petty. The cohabitation was already a settled matter, but she'd call Rus in separately and pretend she was against it.
The plan had been to torment her for a while and then, with a show of reluctance, grant permission.
But.
"......I've seen the Finance Director's dormitory."
"Pardon?"
"It didn't strike me as a place a high-ranking academy official — or any human being — should be living in. It makes me question whether the academy's welfare provisions are as poor as I now suspect."
For a moment, the Chairwoman was at a loss for words. Not because she had no answer, but because the reason for it was, well...... even she had to admit it was a bit much.
There was a standard, defensible reply, of course. Adam himself had refused to have the dormitory repaired in the first place, insisting that even that money needed to be saved.
'Come to think of it, this impudent brat has been saying she's repairing the dormitory with her own money.'
Nothing that happened inside the academy escaped the Chairwoman's knowledge. She was already well aware that Rus had been cleaning and repairing Adam's dormitory.
It was an ironic situation. He refused repairs paid for with the Chairwoman's money, but not with Rus's money. Though, naturally, that was because the Chairwoman's money equaled the academy's finances.
To call it not refusing was a stretch, anyway, since Rus had carried out the repairs unilaterally while he was away. On that point, even the Chairwoman was grateful to her.
And more than anything else.
'The dormitory needs to stay unappealing.......'
So that Adam would keep choosing to eat and sleep in his office. In anticipation of exactly that, she'd furnished the sleeping quarters in his office to genuinely top-tier standards.
The sound of Adam working, the sound of Adam eating something, the sound of Adam washing, the sound of Adam sleeping.
Amid all that, covertly keeping an eye on her subordinate's condition as his superior — that was obviously a necessary professional duty.
But she could hardly lay all of that out, point by point.
"We'd been planning to carry out repairs soon anyway, but it seems Student Rus got to it first. Although, since you didn't appear entirely familiar with civil engineering, I took the liberty of remedying some of the... stranger elements."
"......Stranger elements, you say?"
"Yes. Unnecessary passageways, holes, and such."
"............."
The Chairwoman was referring to the hidden peepholes and secret passages that had been quietly installed while Rus was busy repairing the dormitory. Now it was Rus's turn to find herself speechless.
She'd made them to secretly observe Adam, yet the Chairwoman had already identified and sealed off every single one before Rus had even noticed.
After trading those jabs — each dressed up as feints — the Chairwoman landed a straight.
"I'll be direct."
"......Go ahead."
"The cohabitation — I'll permit it, as the Finance Director himself made the request. But only up to that point. If you attempt to cross the line...... Student Rus, you fought the terrorist ringleader yourself. You understand, don't you?"
Seeking to project a more oppressive presence, the Chairwoman rose from her seat and stood before Rus, a smile on her face.
A threat that if she tried anything untoward, she could find herself crushed to death beneath a tidal wave of Rigid Energy, just like Malton.
It was a statement the Chairwoman delivered by summoning a faint whisper of her old presence and killing intent — the sort of words that would have left a normal student paralyzed with terror.
"I'll keep that in mind. I hope you, too, Chairwoman, will be a little more considerate toward the Finance Director."
"............."
But that was the thing about "normal" students. For a regressor who had witnessed the world's destruction, it hardly qualified as a threat.
The Chairwoman and Rus's gazes met.
And the Chairwoman, who had kept her eyes closed the entire time, opened one.
"Honestly, kids these days, talkin' back to an adult, all tall and chesty for no good reason...... back in my day I barely got enough to eat...... this is why, other than the Finance Director.........."
"Wh-what did you just say?"
"Nothing at all."
Grumbling at a speed that no one below 8th Rank could possibly hear, the Chairwoman — who had been glaring sidelong at Rus's chest with her lips pursed — closed her eye once more as if nothing had happened.
Rus watched her quietly, then spoke.
"Chairwoman."
"Yes, Student Rus."
"You don't like me, do you?"
"......Pardon?"
"................"
"............."
"I've arrived — Chairwoman? Student Rus?"
"Finance Director!"
"Finance Director!"
The tension from a moment ago evaporated as though it had been a dream, and every eye in the Chairwoman's office converged on Adam as he entered.
Adam did cock his head briefly, as if he'd sensed something unsettling in the air, but he promptly made his way over and sat down, looking every bit like a man with more pressing matters on his mind.
"You're both standing. Please, have a seat."
"Yes!"
"......Understood."
The Chairwoman sat ostentatiously at Adam's immediate side; Rus, as a guest, had no choice but to take the seat opposite them.
From an angle invisible to Adam but perfectly visible to Rus, the Chairwoman smirked.
Then Adam, who had seemed lost in thought for a moment, spoke up.
"I'd initially planned to discuss this back at the dormitory, but since the Chairwoman has summoned Student Rus anyway, I'll say it here."
"......If you would."
"It's about the reason I orchestrated the terror attack. The Chairwoman already knows about it, in any case. It's likely a matter known only to the three of us in this entire academy."
"There was...... another reason?"
Rus, who had already drawn her own conclusions about the motive, looked back and forth between the Chairwoman and Adam with a touch of bewilderment.
And with the Chairwoman herself eyeing Adam with visible unease.
"Student Rus is someone I can trust with this."
"............."
"A certain ghost."
"Excuse me?"
"A certain ghost is wandering this academy."
Adam.
Smiled — brightly.
As though everything was working out perfectly.