The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 221
The academy, no, the entire imperial society was in an uproar.
The head of the Noble Council, Count Milo, a puppet of the cult, The Order?
Naturally, he vehemently denied it.
What nonsense?! This is a ridiculous accusation!
But evidence kept surfacing.
Even if he wasn’t directly responsible for the chaos at the academy, it was true that he was a member of the Order.
In the end, Count Milo was found guilty and expelled from the academy.
‘Thankfully, if left unchecked, he would have caused far more horrifying trouble. Far worse than what Count Kashien did.’
The Order was far more insidious and dreadful than the naive(?) demon extremists.
It was a relief to have cut off their influence at the source.
‘The academy has quieted down too.’
Professors belonging to the Noble Council were equally stunned.
With their leader punished as a cultist, their ambition to dominate Ruby was effectively crushed.
The one most troubled by this turn of events was especially,
Second Prince Renius.
“…Thank you for your efforts. Thanks to you, Professor Van, we were able to prevent a major disaster.”
“You flatter me.”
Grind.
The sound of grinding teeth was chilling.
Renius had become the chairman with the intent to control Ruby.
However, with the collapse of the Noble Council, his goal had become significantly more distant.
‘It’s essentially a failure. He won’t sit quietly, but his next move will be difficult due to public scrutiny.’
“Thanks to you, Professor Van, Ruby’s future is bright. I will continue to keep a close watch.”
In other words, he wasn’t going to leave me alone.
It was something I could brush off lightly.
“I’m reassured by Your Highness’s dedication. You must be so concerned about Ruby that your forehead seems to shine with worry. It’s truly admirable.”
“!!”
…Oh, uh. Dark Flame Dragon, you messed up there.
It wasn’t just a figure of speech; Renius’s forehead did look a bit more bare compared to our first meeting.
Somehow, I felt it was because of me.
‘Anyway, it’s a happy ending! There shouldn’t be any major issues for a while.’
Originally, after the Club Festival, the scenario would have the Noble Council gaining momentum, with Count Milo causing major trouble. But with the situation preemptively handled, there was nothing to worry about.
‘I can leave the minor issues for the students to handle on their own.’
Thanks to their impressive performance in the auditorium, Catherine, Libel, and Mikhail were elected as first-year class representatives.
I heard that Theren had withdrawn from the election.
Anyway, the student council experience would be valuable for all three of them.
‘How long has it been since I had such leisure? Taking the initiative… might be better than I thought?’
I decided to enjoy this rare moment of peace.
There was something I had been wanting to do.
“You want to review the financial statements of the Vanmily Trading Company?”
“Yes, as a major shareholder, it’s my duty.”
I wanted to see just how rich I had become!
‘Hehe, the Vanmily Trading Company has been doing incredibly well recently, so my wealth must have increased significantly.’
“Alright. I was planning to report to you anyway. Here, take a look.”
Emily brought the financial statements with a confident expression.
I eagerly read through the statements.
But then.
‘…What? What is this?’
The company was indeed doing well.
Sales had skyrocketed, and the business sectors had expanded significantly.
At this pace, it seemed like the prestige of the former House of Rapalt would be restored within five years.
The problem was.
‘What’s with the deficit?’
It was recording an astronomical deficit!
“We increased investments significantly to expand our client base. Now is the time to aggressively dominate the market.”
Emily still spoke with confidence, as if this deficit was a point of pride.
‘…Well, it’s true that during the expansion phase, making a profit is naturally difficult.’
Having been a salesperson on Earth, I understood the situation.
I understood, but….
‘…When will I become truly rich?’
Of course, I was already wealthy.
A wealthy shareholder.
Even if we were in deficit now, the value of my shares in the Vanmily Trading Company was enormous.
Incidentally, Count Armand’s automobile company was in a similar situation.
They had started selling to the capital’s nobility, and the response had been explosive.
The response was so overwhelming that they decided to build a large-scale factory.
…In other words, the automobile company would also be in deficit for the time being.
‘Actually, it’s expected and something to be happy about.’
If the Vanmily Trading Company and the automobile company continue to grow, I could easily become one of the top ten richest in the empire.
No, even at their current value, I could confidently call myself wealthy.
But….
‘…There’s no immediate money in my hands. Even if I wanted to sell shares, the Vanmily Trading Company’s shares have restrictions on exercising rights, so I can’t sell them for ten years! When will I get to touch any money?’
Papa… can’t we have Lucy Chris Steak today?
Lucy Chris Steak.
The most expensive steakhouse in the empire.
I had planned to go there in high spirits, but now I couldn’t afford it.
‘A single meal costs a professor’s monthly salary.’
It’s okay…! Mari’s breath-cooked steak is tastier anyway! Papa… cheer up…!
Mari tried to cheer me up with her cuteness, noticing my gloomy mood.
I made a decision.
‘I need to make money. Not future money, but money I can spend right now.’
Of course, if the Red Mage’s warning comes true, money and wealth might become meaningless.
We never know when or how a bad ending, or the apocalypse, might strike.
Precisely because of that, I craved money even more.
‘We don’t know when the world might end, so I should enjoy it while I can!’
I wanted to be wealthy not in the distant future, but right now.
‘I need to find a way to make money somehow. With the recent events at the academy, I have some spare time.’
While I was pondering this,
a good opportunity presented itself.
How about joining me for a meal, Professor Van the Legend?
It was a message from Lady Sienna, the investigator from the Mage Tower.
* * *
The message from Lady Sienna wasn’t for any significant purpose.
She was dating Professor Burnstein and wanted to have a meal together, possibly to flaunt their relationship in front of someone single like me.
So, I didn’t think much of it when I went out for the meal.
“Where are you going?”
“I have an appointment.”
“An appointment?”
“Yeah, make sure to guard the house.”
The Demon King yawned as she saw me off.
The reason she was seeing me off was because she was living with me.
…Yes, that’s right.
The Demon King was currently staying with me.
‘Since Marquis Maxim already knows the Demon King isn’t his daughter, she can’t stay there anymore. And I can’t let her live on the streets either.’
We were living together out of necessity, but it was a tricky situation.
Imagine coming home to find the strongest being in the world there. Can you imagine?
The cramped living conditions made it even more awkward.
‘I need to find a solution. At the very least, I need to move to a bigger place. Money, money, money.’
At that time, my mind was consumed with thoughts of money.
That’s why,
during the conversation with Lady Sienna, I had this absurd idea.
“What did you just say?”
“I said there’s a series of murders happening in the Holy City.”
For the record, Professor Burnstein and Lady Sienna’s romantic dynamics were as expected.
Professor Burnstein maintained a stern face but was clearly flustered and out of his depth, while Lady Sienna was engrossed in discussing various incidents and accidents, oblivious to his discomfort.
‘…Are they really dating? Or is it just that Professor Burnstein mistakenly thinks they are?’
Anyway, I focused on what Lady Sienna had mentioned.
“The Holy City, you mean where Peridot Academy is located?”
“Yes. Not only rangers but also some academy staff members have fallen victim.”
I quickly grasped the nature of the situation.
‘This is the Durandal episode.’
A major episode involving Peridot Academy.
It would lead to a significant and bloody upheaval.
However, I wasn’t too worried.
‘I already warned the Bright Dragon in advance, so she should be able to handle it well.’
She’s Yulia’s master.
Originally, Bright Dragon gets caught up in this episode and meets her demise due to being unprepared, but this time would be different.
‘If she remembers the warning I gave her, she should have a good idea of who the culprit is.’
Just in case, I could give some additional advice through Yulia, and it should be resolved without much trouble.
I was planning to dismiss it lightly.
‘Wait a minute. Isn’t this an opportunity to make money?’
Maybe it was because I was always thinking about money?
A sudden thought struck me.
Murder cases and money. It seemed like a random connection, but there was one way.
‘The mastermind behind this episode is Duke Roshran. Specifically, it’s the extremists under Duke Roshran who orchestrated this.’
My mind raced.
‘To solve this case, I need to make a brief trip to the Demon Realm. There, I’ll have the opportunity to make money.’
And that wasn’t all.
‘If I can create a backlash from this incident, I can put Duke Roshran in a difficult position. He’s already been targeting the Demon King, so this will keep him preoccupied for a while.’
“That series of murders, it intrigues me. Would it be alright if I go and investigate?”
“You, Professor?”
“Yes, despite how I might look, I’m a consultant for the Mage Tower’s investigations. I’d like to offer my help.”
“As expected of Professor Van the Legend. Thank you!”
Lady Sienna looked moved, unaware of my ulterior motives, while Professor Burnstein frowned at me with a suspicious look, as if wondering what trouble I planned to cause next.
Ignoring him, I promised Lady Sienna that I would assist with the investigation.
And so, my journey to Peridot Academy was decided.
