Swagger Investments and Embezzled Research Funds

With the money I'd squeezed from that economist Milon, I bought dozens of handmade macarons. And I still had cash left over. Milon, you magnificent bastard... Anyway, a few days passed like that. A reply arrived from Father.

Father had retreated from the engagement discussions, just as I'd requested. From the letter's tone, though, it seemed Milon couldn't hold his tongue and had snitched to his family about me taking his money.

Hmm... Even better. Perfect excuse to flip the engagement talks after extorting the would-be fiancé...

Everything was going exactly according to plan. I popped a macaron into my mouth and flipped open my manga with a leisurely air.

These comics had started as "research material," but damn, they were actually fun. Dopamine explosions left and right...

"Miss, aren't you going to the academy?"

"Annette, it's fine if I head to the academy late."

"Even in the special class, don't you need to show up at least once during weekday class hours?"

Right... yeah, that's true. Special class meant freedom from tardiness, not absences. Either way, I had to stamp my face in at the academy. I checked the time. Classes wouldn't end for a good while yet.

I quietly rose, closing the manga.

"Guess it's time to go now."

I checked myself in the mirror. My uniform cape hung slightly open, revealing a glimpse of cleavage, with the red ribbon fluttering. I cracked open my closed eyes. Galaxy-blue irises sparkled back at me. Finally, I brought a finger to my lips and drew the Black Demon Sword.

"I'll take you on with my eyes closed."

I flashed a sly smile. Yep, Celestia was gorgeous. Long lashes, slender eyes, flawless skin. And with the Black Demon Sword? Overflowing cool factor. I was awesome. Totally worthy of worship.

"I'm off."

With my inspection complete, I stepped out in high spirits.

Arriving at the special class, Ranta was nowhere in sight—only Shariel and Eldrin remained in the classroom. Eldrin glanced at me, then turned away.

"What brings you here? You're the last to arrive."

"Felt like taking it easy today."

"Good for you. Don't interrupt today."

She was stuffing ingredients into a glass vial, experimenting, and meticulously noting the processes and results in her notebook. Ooh... proper research.

"How much research funding did you get?"

"50 gold. They'll give more if needed."

"Smart move."

Yeah. Eldrin had already figured ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it out—the way to bootstrap a creative economy in special class. I checked how much of Milon's extorted cash remained.

71 gold and 20 silver...

In modern Korean terms, about 7.12 million won. Roughly 8 million from one guy's pockets alone—Milon must've been loaded. Thanks to him, I was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stuffed. But money's like that: the more you have, the more you crave.

So, yeah, I wanted in on that research grant action too.

"Mind helping with a research proposal?"

"Don't interrupt."

"Wanna throw down?"

"Beat it."

"..."

Too bad—Eldrin shot me down. Tch... Guess I'd have to shake down Teacher Edn instead. As I headed for the door, I remembered the lingering subquest.

I doubled back to Eldrin. She eyed me like I was a nuisance.

"What now?"

"Want me to introduce you to a guy?"

"What?"

"He's got a thug look, mouth reeks of shit, and his personality's trash, but he might be worth a shot..."

"Please, just go away."

Damn... Eldrin wasn't into guys, huh. I'd have to tell Cedric to drop it.

Glan Braden. I was reminiscing about my conversation with Celestia the other day. In the end, I hadn't figured out her so-called "plan." Still, as a lady of the Fredericia house and per Mariella, she didn't seem the type—or in a position—to stir up anything suspicious.

My gut said otherwise, though...

"Glan, got plans after academy today?"

Mariella appeared. Right—sometimes my instincts were wrong. I shook my head and stood.

"Nope. Why?"

"Heard there's a new menu at the central cafe... Wanna grab some together?"

Mariella, my first friend since enrolling. A lady of the Raiklant house—a duke's lineage—yet she treated this commoner like an equal. Definitely a good person. And right on cue, my second friend Yuria approached.

"Then I'll join too."

"Yuria?"

"Yeah. More the merrier."

"Hold on—you said cafes weren't your thing last time? Glan and I are fine as a duo."

"I'm curious about the new menu. And so what if tastes differ among friends?"

"Even if you're being considerate?"

Unfortunately, the two didn't get along. Hard to fathom, considering we'd toppled that golem together. Or... maybe they did?

"Come on, Mariella, let's all go. Yeah?"

"...Fine. Whatever."

I scratched my head and suggested we all head out. Mariella finally quit griping about Yuria tagging along. That's when—

Thud.

"Huh?"

"Hey, watch where you're going with those eyes shut? Oh... it's you."

A first-year guy like me bumped my shoulder, scowling fiercely. A bit chubby, vaguely pissed-off vibe.

"So you're that commoner? Glan Braden. Some pleb strutting around the academy..."

"What?"

"Apologize to Glan right now."

My face hardened too. Predictably, Mariella—who couldn't stomach injustice—stepped up first, yelling at the guy.

"You're Youngsik of the Roishutent house, right? Now I remember."

"Raiklant house... the beggar duke's?"

"What did you say?"

"I only respect Fredericia, Aristia, or Rehitkel houses. Oh, scratch Fredericia off the list now."

He spat that and shoved past me and Mariella, vanishing down the hall.

Fredericia... Celestia's house, for sure. Aristia—I'd heard of them; their potions were mercenary staples. And Rehitkel—Yuria's family.

"At least he respects ours. Don't sweat it, Glan. Politics—you can't avoid it. The Roishutent marquis house picks clear sides."

"Yeah, you don't need to know this stuff."

Mariella and Yuria shook their heads. They knew how vicious and tangled noble infighting got... They were advising me out of kindness—better off ignorant.

"That jerk soured the mood. Let's hit the cafe already."

Mariella hooked her arm in mine as she approached. Whoa... sudden much?

"Hey, what're you doing in the academy? Unlink arms now."

"Nope. Friends do this all the time."

"Th-then me too!"

Yuria grabbed my other arm. Suddenly, I was a criminal being dragged to the cafe.

One thing I'd noticed reading manga: characters who get worshipped for their explosive coolness never skimped on investments.

"Miss, what's this?"

"Wine. Top-shelf from the Aristia territory."

I said, giving the bottle a suave shake. Right— in that recent manga, one cool bastard used this for flair. Tilt the wine gracefully, crack your eyes, and let that piercing gaze leak through the slits. The epitome of an overwhelming powerhouse's leisure. Expressed through wine.

So I bought some. A big chunk of Milon's cash vanished in the process, but...

"You can't store wine like that. The cork needs wine contact, Miss. And no direct sunlight."

"Ah..."

Annette freaked as I swirled it elegantly and snatched the bottle. She'd store it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in the dorm's wine cellar, she said.

"But how'd you afford wine?"

"Bought it with the money I took from Milon."

"Miss... doesn't that leave you broke now?"

"It's fine. I can always earn more."

Exactly. Money's meant to be remade. Eldrin scored research funds with a proposal—I could pull that off too. Special class had no scholarships per se; they'd fund any "research" you wanted.

In other words: perfect for siphoning cash under research pretenses.

"How do you plan to earn it?"

"I've got ways."

I stood, flipping open the manga. Perfect. My research topic was right there: Methodological Research on Drawing Swords Coolly. That's how I'd embezzle the funds.