A day passed and I managed to prepare everything I might need in the Academy. I even bought a gift for my sister, whom I hadn't seen for six years.
'It will definitely be awkward. I just hope that she doesn't hate me.'
Now, all I needed to do was to return to the Inspection Office, inform my departure, and throw the troublesome jobs to the managers for them to do while I was away. Especially to the 4th manager. That bastard should suffer more.
With that I arrived at the office and was about to take a step into the room that managers were using as the main office, I needed to pass there to see the Minister, but I felt two presences on the sides of the entrance.
'What are these bastards planning again?'
It became my second nature to doubt managers' intentions. I didn't have any ounce of faith towards them that they would do something normal for me, let alone something pleasant.
However, I stopped my suspicions and took a step forward.
Today was the last day I would see managers for some time. After all, the academy lasted usually four years, so I was going away for a minimum of four years unless something happened.
Such bliss was something I hoped for while knowing that I wouldn't get it...
After pondering for a whole night, because sleep didn't claim me, I convinced myself that a few royal brats would be easier to handle than managers.
Wasnt this the 'semi-vacation mission' I hoped for?
I could even see my sister in the academy. So, the pros overwhelmed the cons, which were the managers. 'Damn, lunatics always eat my sanity like crackers.'
Anyway, when my foot landed in the room, sudden cheers boomed in my ears. the 3rd and 5th managers were holding party horns in their mouths, blowing it like children.
"""Congratulations Chief Manager!"""
'For what?' I was going to ask but they didn't wait for me.
"You are finally going to the academy you wanted to go to, Chief Manager!"
I narrowed my eyes at to 4th manager who said this.
Most nobles usually send their children to the academy when they become adults, which is when the children become 18.
However, when I turned 18, my father didn't send me to the academy but military... So, when I was new to the military, I cursed at my father while near my comrades. In short, it was a known fact that I didn't go to the academy and was unhappy about it when I was a fresh military trainee.
This didn't change though, I just got over it with some time.
I still occasionally curse my father about why the hell he sent me, a child that didn't even kill an animal let alone a human, to the military.
Anyway, the most important question right now was 'How did they find out that I am going to the academy?' and 'Who planned this idiotic celebration?'
***
Chief Manager Caelum stayed silent after 3rd and 5th managers congratulated him.
Then he looked at the blue-haired, tough-looking 4th manager and narrowed his eyes.
The managers could see that, Chief Manager was annoyed. They had known him for some time now, and because of that, they learned when to play around and when to stay put with Chief Manager.
According to their guesses and observations, Chief Manager was in a bad mood for two reasons.
First, Chief manager got a troublesome job, and second, he also got a sleepless night again.
Yes, again.
In this line of the job, a few mental problems were pretty normal, hence Chief Manager wasn't spared from this twisted common sense of this profession.
Chief Manager Caelum has a sleep disorder. So, him getting a sleepless night was a common occurrence and this usually didn't affect his mood unless it happened a few days in a row.
The Managers came to a conclusion in a matter of seconds.
They could play around without getting much punishment from Chief Manager unless they go overboard!
"..."
Chief Manager Caelum's entire presence, his pure black hair that absorbed the light, his cold gray eyes that looked down on everything as if they were ants in front of a god, made many people who met him first time unconsciously sweat and hide their eyes.
But this wasn't the same for the managers under him. They already knew what kind of a person Chief Manager Caelum was, and because of that they weren't scared of him even for a bit, unless someone opened that matter.
This that matter was known by the most high nobles and people Chief Manager Caelum was close.
Being people who loved their lives, they usually avoided speaking about 'that' matter.
After all, who would dare to provoke the hunting dog of the Celestia Empire, Chief Manager of Inspection Office, Caelum Achard the Executioner.
"Here, Chief Manager!" 3rd manager called out with a low sheepish grin and forced a small flask into Chief Manager Caelum's hands.
Looking at his hand, which was now holding a surprisingly warm flask, Caelum swallowed the words he was about to spit to the managers.
'Maybe they are capable of doing something pleasant once in a while, huh…'
Opening the lid of the flask, Caelum carefully sniffed the red liquid inside. A heavy scent of alcohol reached his nose, making him dizzy for a moment.
'More than 90% alcohol…I hope this is wine and not something else.'
Unfortunately, it wasn't. Just, Caelum was deceiving himself to preserve his sanity.
Pocketing the flask into his black suit's pocket, Caelum threw a nod to the 3rd manager.
"I will use it well."
"Please tell me your thoughts when you taste it, Chief Manager!" 3rd manager said as she threw a look to Caelum's face– no, to his neck with a strange glint in her crimson eyes.
With that, managers led Chief Manager Caelum to a table that was adorned with a humble-looking cake and alcohol glasses.
Seeing this, Caelum turned to managers with an expression that said "Are we Inspection Office or a fucking bar?"
"But Chief Manager! You also know that alcohol isn't prohibited here." 3rd manager defended their right to have alcohol without any hesitation.
"Yes!" the 5th manager literally screamed as his bushy beard wildly danced with his moves. "I can't live without sugar, Chief Manager! Just directly kill me instead of taking away my only joy of life!"
"..."
Caelum was about to reply 'Sure' but he stopped himself. Not because he was moved by the bushy-bearded mad mage, who is also called 5th manager. He was just frozen over the sight of the 5th manager's attire.
5th manager, who always wore a simple black mage robe, hat, and golden glasses, was now wearing pink party glasses, a shirt inscribed with a large "Congratulations Chier Manager!" and a very small "Hope you never return"
"..."
Should I kill him after all?
Caelum didn't put this thought of his into action and took a slice of cake. He was always fond of sugar and foods that contained sugar, so he thought to decide the fate of the 5th manager according to the taste of the cake.
"Hmm, that is pretty good, though it is a little bit strange." Chief Manager Caelum complimented after taking a bite from the cake. "Why are you guys not eating?"
For some reason, managers except 5th manager weren't even getting closer to the cake. As if the cake was an almighty demon king while they were puny commoners.
"Who made this cake?"
Noticing the tense expression of the managers, who were holding their laughs, Caelum understood that something was wrong.
The managers turned to the 5th manager and stayed silent.
Caelum's face paled considerably.
'Did I just eat the cake made by that maniac...?'
Caelum was afraid. Afraid that he was going to mutate, but that was just for a moment. The 5th manager, who was the creator of this cake, wouldn't have eaten the cake if he hadn't tested it beforehand on the criminals or lab rats.
"What did you put inside?"
"It is a cake, Chief Manager. Just flour, eggs, strawberry, butter, chocolates..."
The 5th manager continued to say the ingredients for a while while caressing his beard.
"And..."
"And?"
The 5th manager hesitated but under the cold gaze of Chief Manager Caelum, he uttered.
"And some succubus bodily fluids."
"..."
"..."
A vein popped in Caelum's forehead. He lifted his hand to punch the 5th manager.
"You bastaaaaard!"
But the 5th manager disappeared from the room.