The Academy is Doomed

Chapter 63

Ami’s sudden demand to enroll in the academy!

It was only natural for Amon’s mood to sour because of it.

The first reason:

‘Does she even realize how terrible the state of our academy is?’

If he had even a shred of decency or common sense, he wouldn’t throw his one and only sister into such a den of chaos.

But above all, the second reason loomed largest.

‘Do I have to deal with this pesky little sister at the academy too?’

It’s already a mess of a place; the last thing he wanted was to add another large source of chaos.

With a warm smile, Amon said:
“Ami, I’ll find you a different academy.”

“What? But why? I can just go to the one where you work!”

“Let me ask you this instead: why do you want to go to the one where I work?”

Just as Amon felt a visceral aversion to the idea of Ami enrolling, Ami’s feelings from her perspective likely weren’t that different.

That’s just how siblings are!

When Amon posed the question, Ami responded without hesitation:
“Because if you’re a teacher, you can help me get good grades!”

“Hmm.”

As expected of his sister, she was sharp.

If Amon were a regular teacher, he might have been outraged at the suggestion, declaring it against his principles as an educator. But was Amon an ordinary teacher?

‘When did she get so clever? My little sister has really grown up.’

While Amon was basking in nostalgia and admiration, Ami continued.

“And I know what you’re worried about.”

“…What’s that?”

“I won’t bother you. I’ll behave and act properly at the academy. I’ll pretend we’re not even related—like I don’t know you at all! No, I can act like I’ve never met you in my life if that helps!”

“…!”

Then, standing on her tiptoes, Ami whispered in his ear:
“Just make sure I get good grades, okay?”

“…Hmm.”

With conditions like these, Amon found it hard to come up with reasons to refuse her enrollment.

“This is definitely tempting.”

“Right?”

“I’ll think about it positively. But first, I’ll need to talk to our parents.”

“Okay, got it. Thanks…Th-thank you, brother.”

Words of gratitude are unnecessary between siblings!

After Ami left, Amon sat alone, deep in thought.

‘Hmm…She’s grown up enough to have her own plans and ideas.’

As the second son of the Drake family, Amon held no rights to inherit the estate.

According to imperial law, titles were inherited strictly by the eldest son.

‘That’s why I found my own path by becoming a teacher at Amonis Academy. But what about Ami?’

Amon couldn’t recall ever seeing her dedicate herself to academics.

She hadn’t trained seriously in swordsmanship either.

And while noblewomen often entered arranged marriages, such unions required a certain level of prestige and refinement, neither of which Ami had cultivated.

‘So enrolling in the academy must be her way of taking control of her future. At least a diploma from the academy will give her more options.’

Of course, at the moment, Amonis Academy’s diploma wasn’t worth much more than kindling, given its dire state.

But that’s only for now.

Amon grinned.

“That’s only true for now.”

The same ambition that had flared up when he first arrived at Amonis Academy reignited within him.

He would restore the academy’s glory and reputation.

With both his sister and Caselag’s descendant enrolling, he had no choice but to make it happen.

“Alright. The recommendation to shut the academy down has been rescinded, and the groundwork has been laid. Time to get serious about rebuilding Amonis Academy!”

Upon returning from his leave, Amon was greeted by the sight of the academy’s gates firmly locked.

‘…Why does this feel so familiar?’

As he puzzled over the situation, he spotted someone nearby—a worker carrying loads through the closed gates.

“Excuse me…”

“Hm? Who are you?”

“I’m a teacher here. What’s going on? Why are the gates locked?”

Where was Reinbelt, who was supposed to be guarding the gates?

When Amon asked this question, the worker answered gruffly:
“Haven’t you heard the news?”

This, too, felt strangely familiar.

‘Wait a second…!’

A chill ran down Amon’s spine, and at the same time, the worker, still hauling things, answered curtly:
“The academy went bankrupt! The headmistress gambled away all the funds and lost everything!”

Amon’s legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

The signs had been ominous.

After securing parental permission for Ami’s enrollment and helping out with tasks at the estate, the day to return from leave arrived.

But Anar’el, who was supposed to pick him up, never showed.

‘Did something happen?’

So Amon asked Caselag for help.

‘Elder, would you mind teleporting me to Amonis Academy?’

‘The teleportation itself isn’t difficult…but I don’t know the exact coordinates of the academy.’

‘Then how about the city of Amur?’

‘Ah, yes. I know where that is.’

Thanks to Caselag, Amon managed to return to the city of Amur, with grand ambitions to restore Amonis Academy to its former glory.

‘And now I’m facing a ruined academy again?’

Grinding his teeth, Amon stormed into the headmistress’s office, nearly tearing the door off its hinges.

“You damned elf, what kind of nonsense have you pulled this time?!”

Inside the dim office, Anar’el sat slumped over, her head hanging low.

Approaching her, Amon growled:
“You’re not even a headmistress anymore! What did you do this time?!”

Startled by his harsh tone, Anar’el flinched and raised her head weakly.

Her appearance was pitiful.

Her face was streaked with tears, her ears drooped so low they nearly touched the ground, and her once-lustrous green hair was dry and lifeless.

Despite her sorry state, Amon glared at her furiously and demanded:
“If you have a mouth, use it! What did you do this time?!”

“…Sniff!”

Swallowing a sob, Anar’el lowered her head again and murmured in a trembling voice:
“I’m sorry…”

“Sorry isn’t enough! What did you do?!”

“Sniff… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

As she began to sob uncontrollably, Amon closed his eyes tightly.

Did he pity her?

No. He was just furious.

“Grknngh… What the hell happened?”

“Sniff.”

With trembling hands, she handed him a stack of documents.

Now that he thought about it, the worker had mentioned that Anar’el had botched another business venture spectacularly.

‘Alright, let’s see what kind of mess she’s made this time.’

Amon snatched up the document and skimmed the text written on it.

[Development Project for the Wastelands of Velslime]

Velslime Wastelands?

‘Isn’t that…an unclaimed frontier land?’

It was as far from Amon’s Arma Mountain estate as one could imagine.

However, its fertility was incomparable to the Arma Mountains.

‘Crops supposedly grow effortlessly, and the river water is said to be as sweet and refreshing as if sugar was dissolved in it. The problem, of course, is the abundance of monsters….’

That must be why it was chosen as the target for development.

‘Now, let’s analyze why it failed so spectacularly.’

Who was responsible for the project?

It must have been some idiotic fools who launched it without proper preparation and ruined everything.

Amon flinched as he checked the names of those involved in the project.

‘…The Imperial House of Amonis was behind this?’

Tilting his head, Amon read further.

‘The forces mobilized for the project included the 2nd Legion of the Empire, the Empire’s Heavy Armored Cavalry, the entire Prime Magic Tower, and even several other battalions….’

An elite force capable of burning down an entire kingdom!

Amon tilted his head again.

“…Principal?”

“…Yes?”

“What—why—why did this fail? It seems impossible for it to have failed. Judging from the troop composition, they deployed forces that had been idle since the Great War to develop the long-coveted Velslime Wastelands. Failure should have been out of the question, no?”

At this, Anar’el burst into tears.

“Sniff! I—I thought so too. Everyone did, even the current Emperor, Antonio.”

“…”

“So Antonio said it was a good venture and told us to invest in it…”

Amon felt a sharp pain in his temples.

‘That cursed Emperor!’

It was Amonis XVIII, the tyrant among tyrants, who had coaxed the gullible elf into this.

“Anyway, why did it fail? Did a dragon show up or something?”

Shaking her head, Anar’el replied.

“A meteor fell.”

“What?”

Was there something wrong with his ears?

Amon scratched at them and asked again.

“Say that one more time.”

“A meteor fell.”

“A meteor.”

So he hadn’t misheard.

“At first, the Imperial Analysis Team suspected a dragon had summoned the meteor. But upon investigation, that wasn’t the case.”

“…”

“It was just sheer bad luck—a meteor fell directly on the Imperial Legion and obliterated them.”

“…”

“Because of that, the Velslime Wastelands were completely scorched and rendered unusable. Antonio fell ill afterward, and since he claimed this was a surefire investment, all the Academy’s operating funds and loans from the trade guilds were poured into it…”

Anar’el broke into sobs again.

“Waaaah! When the news of the project’s failure spread, the trade guilds stormed in and took everything of value!”

Watching the weeping Anar’el, Amon closed his eyes slowly.

Frankly, he couldn’t blame her.

It was truly a natural disaster, a bolt from the blue.

And so, Amon smacked Anar’el on the head.

“Ack! I-I’m sorry! Please don’t hit me…”

“Compose yourself.”

“…What?”

Amon spoke with a resigned expression.

“Can the Academy’s foundation shake when the principal is unsteady?”

“…?”

“First, what about the others? Judging from the situation, it seems you’re the only one left.”

“Mr. Marion left because the Magic Tower recalled all wizards above a certain level. Ms. Sloth evacuated the students to the Pid family. Mr. Reinbelt is absent due to an emergency summons for the Empire’s Four Great Knights. Mr. Kai left, saying he had urgent business.”

Kai, the rookie, bailed. But someone else is missing.

“…What about the vice-principal?”

“The cook quit, so she said she’d return once the situation is under control since he has to prepare meals himself.”

Resolving himself, Amon tossed aside three sacks of potatoes he had brought for Brestle.

‘The vice-principal—I’ll personally take her down someday.’

With a deep sigh, Amon asked.

“So you stayed to deliver this news to me?”

“…Yes. I wanted to use warp magic to fetch you, but I kept failing due to…circumstances. I’m sorry.”

Well, magic is susceptible to mental disturbances, so it was understandable.

“…Anyway, Mr. Amon.”

“Yes?”

With tears streaming like chicken poop, Anar’el spoke.

“I tried my best to manage things while you were on vacation…but it ended up like this. I’m truly sorry.”

“…”

“Thank you so much for all the effort you’ve put into the Academy. But I think it’s over now.”

She pulled out a document.

It was Amon’s teaching contract.

“…Once again, I sincerely thank you for everything.”

Just as she was about to rip Amon’s contract to shreds…

Amon grabbed her hand.

“…Mr. Amon?”

“Wait.”

“…What?”

“I can’t let the Academy collapse like this.”

Anar’el’s eyes widened.

“M-Mr. Amon…”

Moved, her large eyes welled up with tears.

Such devotion to the Academy!

How deeply would Amon’s commitment move her?

Of course, Amon had other thoughts in mind.

‘There’s a dragon and my little sister set to enroll. I can’t let it fall apart like this.’

He was worried about his sister’s future, and with everything he had received from Caselag, he couldn’t just ignore this.

Nodding, Amon said.

“First, let’s hear the details. Then we’ll figure out how to resolve this.”