The Academy is Doomed

Chapter 58

After the match Chloe and her group were escorted to the master’s room on the second floor.

The owner of the arena tavern, Johnson, was rubbing his hands together nervously, while Dexon lay collapsed nearby, his face bruised and swollen.

He had been beaten too harshly by Raymond.

“He-hehe…I deeply apologize for this incident,” Johnson said, bowing his head repeatedly.

“There seems to have been some sort of mistake. A ‘special match’? I have no idea what that could be about…”

Dexon, trembling on the floor, shuddered at the blatant scapegoating, but Johnson continued as if unaware.

“I will personally take responsibility for this fool. So please, forgive us, Sword Master.”

A Sword Master is a national treasure.
Wherever they go, they could easily be granted noble titles.

Because of this, Johnson’s attitude toward Raymond was exceptionally respectful. But Raymond, the person in question, seemed indifferent.
To say he wasn’t even angry would be more accurate.

“Oh, yeah. Sure.”

“Hahaha! How magnanimous of you. By the way…”

A rare opportunity!
‘A Sword Master at such a young age? This is my chance to leave a good impression!’

Just as Johnson was about to start small talk with Raymond, Chloe interrupted.

“Mister, shouldn’t we settle the payment first?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I bet 10 gold on Raymond. That man, Dexon, is famous around here, so his odds were high. About four to one.”

Johnson frowned.

Ten gold at four to one.

While not a huge amount for the tavern owner, it was a considerable fortune for a young girl. It was understandable that she might be impatient—but interrupting an adult’s conversation?

“How dare a little girl cut in!”

At Johnson’s outburst, Raymond’s eyebrows twitched, and his hand moved toward his sword. But Chloe quickly grabbed his hand and kept him from drawing it, continuing as if nothing had happened.

“I apologize. But this was under the orders of Viscount Marion Rumdom.”

“…Viscount Rumdom?”

“Yes, I’m just following the Viscount instructions.”

It was a lie.

Marion was passed out drunk and had given no such orders.

But Johnson had no way of knowing that, and the name of Viscount Rumdom carried enough weight to be effective.

‘…Tsk, Viscount Rumdom. If I had known, I wouldn’t have sent Dexon. Who could’ve guessed there’d be a Sword Master among them?’

Dexon was a former knight and a Sword Expert.
He wasn’t someone who should’ve been participating in tavern arena matches.

Because of that, Johnson realized it wouldn’t be hard for Marion to figure out Dexon’s role as his “fixer.”

‘Of course, there’s no direct connection between me and Dexon. But Viscount Rumdom might suspect otherwise, which makes withdrawing now the best option…’

Clicking his tongue, Johnson glanced at Chloe.

‘Viscount Rumdom… So, despite working as an instructor at Amonis Academy, he’s stooped to this kind of money-grubbing with kids? What a disgrace to his name as a war hero of the Great War.’

Shaking his head, Johnson pulled out a pouch.
With the possibility of Viscount Rumdom investigating him, appeasing them was the safest choice.

“Here, take it. I’ve made it generous.”

Chloe opened the pouch and narrowed her eyes.
It contained at least 50 gold coins.

Noticing this, Chloe smirked slightly and gestured toward Dexon with her eyes.

“Don’t worry; I’ll make sure to put in a good word for you with the Viscount.”

With that, Chloe grabbed Boris and left. Johnson’s face twitched as they walked out.

‘Could Viscount Rumdom…have been aware of everything from the start?’

Once again, Marion was still asleep.
As Chloe and Boris made their way downstairs, Chloe thought to herself:

‘Well, anyone with a brain would’ve figured as much.’

At that moment, Boris asked, “Why did that guy give us more money?”

“…Boris.”

“Yeah?”

“I really worry about you sometimes.”

“What are you talking about? You’re the same age as me, so stop pretending to be my older sister.”

Back at their table, Chloe and Boris supported the drunken Marion and prepared to leave. That’s when Raymond caught up to them, grumbling.

“What, are you just going to leave me behind?”

Seeing Raymond already returned, Chloe blinked in surprise.

“Huh? Why are you here so soon?”

“I told that guy I’d be back after chatting with you and then just left.”

“Oh, I see.”

Honestly, Chloe didn’t care much now that she’d secured the money.

As they left the tavern with Marion, Johnson was busy ordering his subordinates around.

“Prepare a banquet for the Sword Master’s return!”

“Yes, sir!”

Rubbing his hands together, Johnson’s eyes gleamed.

“Haha…To think I have the chance to form a connection with a Sword Master. Spare no expense; make it as grand as possible!”

“Yes, master!”

Meanwhile, outside the tavern…

Chloe said, “Didn’t you say you were just going to talk and come back?”

“I’m not going back. I just made that up to leave.”

“Oh.”

“What would I even talk about with that guy?”

“True…So, how was it today? Want to come again next time?”

Realizing Raymond could be a valuable asset, Chloe tested the waters. But Raymond snorted dismissively.

“I’d rather spend that time swinging my sword. You guys go without me.”

“…Oh, okay.”

Back at the tavern…

Johnson was immersed in dreams of grandeur.

“Haha… If I can rope in the Sword Master, I could double—no, triple my business!”

He urged his subordinates on.

“Hire the best entertainers and top chefs! Spare no expense for the banquet in honor of the Sword Master!”

“Yes, master!”

Oblivious to the fact that Raymond had no intention of returning, Johnson continued dreaming big.

Outside, Chloe patted her now bulging pouch.

“Well, now that we’ve got the money, let’s think about what to get as a gift for Mr. Amon’s hospital visit.”

Hearing this, Marion raised his hand enthusiastically.

“Alcohol!”

“Please exclude yourself. Boris, do you have any good ideas?”

Resting his chin in thought, Boris suggested, “Hmm… Mr. Amon teaches history, right? How about getting him a new history book he can use for his classes?”

Hearing this innocent suggestion, Chloe sighed.

As Marion had said earlier, it wasn’t a bad gift—if you were a student giving a teacher a present.

“Well, Boris, I’m worried about you.”

“There you go again, acting like you’re older.”

“Think about it. Imagine you’re a potato farmer, sick in bed. Then someone gives you a new potato sack as a present. How would you feel?”

“…Huh?”

Boris imagined being bedridden and receiving a potato sack.

“What? Am I supposed to get up and harvest more potatoes?”

Realizing this, Boris exclaimed, “Oh, I see! It wouldn’t be right to give something work-related when he’s sick.”

“Exactly.”

Chloe shook her head.

“That’s not it.”

“What? It’s not?”

Looking confident, Chloe explained, “The gift has to be expensive.”

“…What?”

“A history book isn’t expensive.”

“…What?”

“Why do you think I worked so hard to make money?”

“Oh, right…”

Although Chloe was at the bottom of the hierarchy, she was still royalty of the Aran Kingdom in name!

When she was in the royal family, every single gift other nobles brought as a “small gesture” was always an expensive item.

Moreover, despite calling them small gifts, they always added, “it’s pricey.”

Because of that, Chloe realized one thing early on in life:

‘For adults, the value of a gift is what matters.’

It wasn’t entirely wrong but Marion, who had been quietly listening, suddenly interrupted with a stern face.

“Hey! Chloe!”

“…Yes?”

“Who taught you such a wicked idea that expensive gifts are the best?!”

“But….”

“Gifts are best when they’re alcohol! Hic!”

“Please, Mr. Marion, I’m begging you, step aside.”

With a sigh, Chloe turned to Raymond this time.

“Raymond, what do you think would make a good get-well-soon gift?”

“Me? I think….”

“Put in a doll. Okay, a doll will do.”

Chloe stopped Raymond, who was slowly pulling out a handmade doll from his pocket, and sighed deeply.

‘Is our academy really going to be okay like this…?’

Chloe repeated the same question that Amon had asked countless times before.

“Well, I guess there’s no choice…Follow me, everyone.”

Chloe, taking the lead, strode off with her group of simpletons.

The principal’s offhanded joke had been snowballing in Amon’s mind.

‘Now, who’s the dumb one?’

“Ugh, ughhhhh….”

‘Oh ho ho! Now, who’s the fool?’

“Ughhhh….”

‘Ha ha ha! So dumb! Look at this blockhead!’

“Anar’el…! I’ll kill you…!”

Suffering from what was practically a nightmare, Amon groaned at the sound of someone knocking on his door.

“Wh-Who is it…?”

“Sir, is it okay if we come in for a moment?”

If it had been someone like Sloth or Marion, his fellow teachers, he would have shouted at them to leave immediately.

Amon would never forget how they had mocked him!

If it had been the principal, well, the principal’s office would’ve been vacant by the end of the day!

But it was the students who had come.

“Come, come in.”

“Yes, we’ll just be a moment.”

The students tiptoed in and looked at the groaning Amon with worried expressions.

“Sir, are you feeling any better?”

Amon forced a smile and replied.

“Ha, ha ha… I feel a little better, thanks to your concern.”

“Please get well soon.”

“Yes, yes. Seeing you all makes me feel like I should get up right away.”

Smiling warmly, Amon tried to lift himself.

But his body, still drained from the deep despair he’d been wallowing in, collapsed again.

“Ahhh….”

“Are you okay?”

“Ha ha… Y-Yes, I’m fine.”

Chloe, supporting the pitiable Amon, carefully spoke.

“Um, sir. This is a gift for you to get well soon.”

“A… get-well-soon gift?”

Amon’s eyes widened.

“You…you all bought this?”

“Yes. We pooled our money together. Though I did chip in quite a bit more.”

“Th-That’s….”

“Actually, it wouldn’t be wrong to say I covered most of it.”

“I… I see.”

Amon’s eyes glistened with deep emotion.

‘Those so-called fellow teachers came empty-handed….’

No, they had brought gifts, but Amon had growled and chased them off at every glance, leaving them no chance to give anything.

In any case, Amon looked at the students and said,

“May I open it?”

“Of course, sir.”

“Then….”

As Amon carefully unwrapped the packaging, his eyes widened in surprise.

‘A pen! A fountain pen!’

Emotion surged in Amon’s eyes.

A proper fountain pen would cost at least a few gold coins—a valuable item!

For someone like Amon, who had been using cheap quills, it was an incredibly thoughtful gift.

‘What a heartfelt gift this is….’

Amon’s eyes glistened with tears of gratitude.

The overwhelming mental anguish he had been enduring seemed to ease slightly.

“Thank you so much, kids.”

“It’s nothing, sir. Please recover quickly.”

“Yes, yes. For you, I must get better soon.”

“You must be tired, so we’ll take our leave now.”

“Alright, thank you, everyone.”

After the students left, Amon collapsed back onto his bed with a sigh.

Just sitting up had been exhausting.

‘Heh heh…But seeing such thoughtful students gives me strength.’

Smiling softly, Amon gazed at the pen the students had given him.

‘Hm? Wait, but this….’

He noticed the engraving and inscription on the top of the fountain pen.

Amon rubbed his eyes and examined the marking again.

‘Gold Horizon.’

Even the cheapest models cost 30 gold coins—a premium fountain pen.

Realizing this, Amon sprang out of his sickbed.

His emotional wounds were instantly healed.