Alara, who glares at me with her forest green said in annoyed tone.
"It's not horse racing, I would never do something that only barbarian human's would do."
'Excuse me? You know that you I'm human right?'
I couldn't help but slightly taken aback by her reply.
After moment of silence, Alara said.
"It's race between Slimes!"
There was strange shine in her eyes as she proudly declared her words towards me.
"I-I see, a race between Slimes huh..."
To tell you the truth i never heard the slime race in my life.
"Yeah, it's race between giant Slime across the world's water, it's very famous amongst Elves these days."
At the sound of headmaster nonsense, I remember the cause of acadmy failure due to failed investment.
"I heard that the Academy went bankrupt due to failed investments. They even unloaded the luggage outside."
"For now."
The word "for now" made me swear, but I pushed it down.
"...What exactly is the situation right now?"
""Well, for starters, the imperial government has recommended that we shut down, whih essentially means they've cut off our funding," Alara said, her tone turning bitter.
"Without their backing, the academy's coffers have been drained dry. The failed investment only sped up what was already happening."
I frowned, leaning forward slightly. "What kind of investment was it? What could've cost so much that the academy—one of the best on the continent—ended up bankrupt?"
Alara sighed and massaged her temples, her frustration evident. "It wasn't just one thing," she admitted. "It was a series of... unfortunate decisions. I put money into expanding magical research and development. I thought it would help us attract more talented students, but the results were... underwhelming."
Her expression darkened as she continued.
"And then there was the trade deal with the dwarves. A promising venture, but their economy took a hit due to unforeseen political issues, leaving us with nothing to show for it."
I could barely believe what I was hearing. This was a disaster. "And no one stepped in to help? No nobles, no donors?"
Alara gave a humorless laugh.
"Donors? Nobles? They only care about their own reputations. As soon as word got out about the academy's financial struggles, they distanced themselves faster than you can say 'Elite.' No one wants to be associated with failure."
Her words left a heavy weight in the air.
The situation was more dire then I had thought.
...And in this kind of situation she's betting on giant Slime races.
I couldn't help but sigh in hopeless situation I was in.
"What about teacher's and students? Did all of the left the academy."
"Not all but most of them left."
"What? Some of them stayed behind?"
I couldn't help but shocked at what I heard.
Who in their mind is decided to stay here?
"Yes, The Elite Academy didn't kicked out any of those teachers or students. Those who left academy were on their own will, and some of them doesn't wanted to leave the academy, so there are some teachers and students who stayed, so even though academy is shut down that doesn't mean that acadmy can't continue it's activity."
'So 'For now' Academy can continue to do it's regular activities but that doesn't mean it can in 'Future'.'
Well at least some of teachers and students stayed behind.
That's good thing... right?
"So how many students and teachers are left?"
"There teachers."
"Three, including you."
Why does the back of my neck suddenly hurt?
"Well, what about the students?"
"Two."
I can't help but shout.
"We're screwed! How can there be fewer students than teachers?"
"Why are you yelling?"
"How can I not yell!"
I said, pressing my brows together.
"Well, yeah. I know the imperial family won't be giving us any more money since we've been advised to shut down, but we should still have some money left over, right?"
At those words, the headmaster slipped the racing slime magazine behind her.
"...No way."
"...I can pay it back."
I snatched the magazine.
"What are you doing!"
"What do you think you're doing, taking money out of the academy to gamble, and you're the head master!?"
Alara's cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and indignation. She tried snatching the magazine back, but I held it just out of her reach.
"It's not gambling!" she protested, her tone defensive. "It's an investment!"
I raised an eyebrow, flipping through the magazine.
"An investment? In slimes racing across water? That's your big plan to save the academy?"
Her ears twitched in irritation. "You wouldn't understand. The slime racing circuit is very lucrative in elven territories. If we hit a winning streak, the academy could recover!"
I let out a long sigh, closing the magazine with a snap. "And how many races have you actually won, Headmaster Alara?"
She fidgeted, her eyes darting away. "Well... I haven't won any... yet. But I was close last time! My slime came in second place!"
My hand hit my forehead. "Second place doesn't pay the bills, Headmaster."
Alara slumped back in her chair, looking like a chastised child. For someone who was supposed to be leading this academy, she seemed surprisingly immature.
"Look," I began, softening my tone slightly, "you might have good intentions, but this... this isn't the way to save the academy. We need a real plan. Something that doesn't rely on blind luck."
She crossed her arms, pouting. "And what do you suggest, oh wise Professor Hadeon? Got some miracle idea to save this place?"
I hesitated. I hadn't thought that far ahead, but someone had to take charge if this place had any chance of survival.
"First, you have to stop betting in Giant Slime races."
"Noooo!"
"....!"
What?!
I flinched back in suprised at her intense reaction.
I glaired at headmaster.
"Give it up. We can't afford that kind to spend operating funds on that kind of gambling."
You're crazy, solidly crazy.
"I need to win that so I can invest in...."
"Invest? What the hell is that....?"
A chill went down my spine.
'This academy, the headmaster lost money and went bankrupt because he failed to invest!'
The worker said.
Yeah, the academy didn't go under because of gambling.
"What, what investment?"
Yes, investments. If you do it right, it's good.
I grabbed the headmaster by the shoulders and shook her.
"What investment? What were you going to invest in?"
"I was going to invest in a Phoenix Peaches orchard with my other money...."
"...Phoenix Peaches?"
Isn't that the finest crop that takes three years to sprout and twelve to bear fruit?
Headmaster exclaimed with a gasp.
"If we just wait 15 years, the Academy's operating funds can increase tenfold!"
Fifteen elf years are different compared to fifteen human years.
"You want shook the academy's funds on a fifteen-year gamble, Headmaster?" I demanded, my voice rising with incredulity.
"Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?"
Alara crossed her arms, her expression defiant despite the clear embarrassment on her face.
"Fifteen years isn't that long! Besides, Phoenix Peaches are highly sought after! Their value only increases over time."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to suppress the headache rapidly forming.
"Fifteen years is an eternity for humans! And even if we were to survive that long, how do you expect to sustain the academy now? With three teachers and two students?"
Alara's ears twitched again, a telltale sign of her growing frustration.
"I have to do something! The imperial government cut us off, donors abandoned us, and we were drowning in debt! What else was I supposed to do?"
"Literally anything else!" I snapped, pacing the room.
"For starters, you could have tried—oh, I don't know—securing short-term loans, or reaching out to local merchants, or even selling non-essential assets! Instead, you want to dumped what little we have left into a long-shot orchard and slime racing!"
Her lips thinned, and she stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor.
"Don't act like you have all the answers, Professor Hadeon! It's easy to criticize when you're not the one holding the reins!"
I stopped pacing, meeting her glare with one of my own.
"You Idiot!"
...And after that I was kicked out of Headmaster office.