## Chapter 236 – Mademoiselle (5)
Bright light streamed through the simple, monochrome curtains into the office, reflecting the chairman’s modest nature.
Around the conference table, not often used, sat several middle-aged figures.
The stern-faced girl at the head of the table created an odd sense of incongruity, but no one questioned it.
Charlotte de Polignac, the current chairman of Saint Plancina Academy, looked around the table with a sorrowful expression and asked,
“Do we have absolutely no countermeasures, deans?”
“If we must secure the Academy’s operating funds… aside from donations, the only other option is to increase the operating funds granted by the royal family…
Isn’t that what you also know, Chairman?
Requesting additional support from the royal family now…”
A middle-aged man hesitated, lost in thought, before finally speaking with difficulty.
“The operating funds from the royal family have only ever accounted for 30% of our total budget.
Frankly speaking… our Academy’s finances have always been precarious.
But… there’s a reason why the Academy has historically minimized royal support…
To minimize the royal family’s potential interference in the curriculum…”
But Charlotte, wanting to protect the legacy of her predecessors, the former chairmen, found herself skeptical.
“What about the Academy engaging in separate profit-making activities?” she suggested.
“Frankly… I’m not sure what to say…
Saint Plancina Academy is not a for-profit organization…
Until now, professors and students have pursued personal profit…
as long as they didn’t violate the school rules.
But that was always a personal endeavor, separate from the Academy…”
“I’ve heard that some students in the Engineering Department create swords for students in the Swordsmanship Department as a hobby.
Any profit-making activity within the Academy would likely be something like that.
Of course, there were cases where we had to prohibit such activities due to excessive popularity and commercialization.”
This, too, would inevitably break with long-standing traditions.
“The same is true for our Magic Department.
When new magic circles or techniques are developed…
they’re usually contributed to the academic community for the benefit of all.
Selling technology for the advancement of the world for profit is unthinkable, isn’t it?
However, it’s also true that students and professors sometimes provide their technology to external parties for personal compensation, rather than donating it.
We haven’t been able to restrict those individual choices.”
“As the Dean of Engineering mentioned earlier,
profit-making activities within the Academy have been restricted by school rules.
If the Academy were to turn its attention to profit-making now…”
“That’s right. The Academy is a non-profit organization and the pinnacle of education.
That’s why it’s recognized as such.
For the Academy to engage in commercialization…
Not only is it unclear what means we would use…
but there would inevitably be a lot of external criticism, wouldn’t there?”
But unless another alternative emerged, the Academy would eventually have to change in one of these two ways.
Should they accept additional support from the royal family, which might not even be guaranteed, and endure whatever influence might come with it?
Or should they abandon their existing policies, become financially independent, and shed their existing image?
But at least those gathered here were the deans responsible for each department, and those who had dedicated themselves to the Academy even after her father’s passing.
Trusting them and wanting to find a solution together, the girl posed a sincere question to them.
“To be honest…
this financial crisis is the most severe in our history.
The donations to the Academy have decreased excessively due to the reorganization of the front lines.
I want to use any means possible.
I think change is inevitable.
If we must change…
at least it should be in a direction that doesn’t cause the Academy to lose its identity…”
“Ahem… perhaps acting as an intermediary for technology alliances…
seems to be the most realistic option at present.”
“Dean of Swordsmanship!! What are you talking about!!”
Charlotte had been quietly observing them. The scarred, middle-aged man, the Dean of Swordsmanship, cleared his throat and spoke tentatively. In response, an elderly man slammed his hand on the table and rose from his seat.
“The Academy would guarantee and protect students and professors who sell technology or receive compensation externally, and connect them with clients.
And the Academy would collect a commission for connecting those requests and transactions.
In the case of our Swordsmanship Department, we could receive requests to eliminate lesser monsters within the safe zones, like a mercenary exercise.
Some students also interact with other countries, so there would be the significance of bringing in foreign capital.”
“It’s not that we don’t know that!
If that were to happen, the prestige the Academy has built up over the years…!!
How could the Academy turn into a mere merchant?
We are researchers fighting on the front lines of academia, with pride…!!”
The old man asserted the ethics of a researcher and roared in anger, but a woman’s voice, whether trying to stop him or provoke him further, chimed in.
“Calm down, Dean of Magic.
When you think about it, isn’t this also for the sake of the Academy?
Considering the finances the Magic Department consumed during last year’s specialization period…
Wouldn’t you say the Magic Department had a significant impact on this crisis?
You used up all the budget that our Medical Department had saved, didn’t you?”
A woman with distinctive black hair and a healthy figure wearing a qipao that hinted at her origins.
“What did you say…!?
The Magic Department is always working for the advancement of academia…!!”
Even with a voice that reflected her age, she maintained a youthful appearance, as expected of a woman from Chao Xing, where genetic manipulation minimized the effects of aging. Just as the Dean of Magic was about to explode in anger at the words of the Dean of Medicine,
“I don’t think she’s trying to start a fight, Dean.
Haa… but the Engineering Department supports this.
If we could receive the Academy’s recognition and guarantee…
more students could shine at an earlier age, couldn’t they?
Then it could become a plan for common benefit and prosperity.”
A middle-aged man who looked more like the Dean of Swordsmanship than the Dean of Engineering, with a muscular build and particularly impressive arm muscles, soothed the Dean of Magic, who calmed down and sat back down.
“Then… does each department have something they can start right away…?”
As the situation settled down, Charlotte, managing her own displeasure with the situation, looked around the table.
“The Swordsmanship Department will accept requests, as I mentioned earlier.
There have been reports that the number of monsters inside the safe zones has been increasing lately…
If we pair upperclassmen and lowerclassmen together for practical training, safety will be somewhat guaranteed.”
“Well… the Engineering Department has plenty of ways to make money.
If we increase brand value under the name of Plancina…
our students’ skills are guaranteed, so we just need to manage the business well.”
“The Medical Department will build a medical environment…
If you provide the basic support to set up a clinic…
we can establish and operate a hospital, combined with student internships.
That would guarantee a certain amount of income and contribute to the local community.”
Each department head presented their proposed solutions, but even then, the old man seemed displeased with Charlotte’s decision.
The Dean of Swordsmanship quietly called out to him as he crossed his arms and stared at the table, and the Dean of Magic finally muttered a sigh.
“Dean of Magic?”
“Ugh… I can’t accept it…
We researchers… we mages…
didn’t pave the path of magic just to make money…”
“I understand the Dean of Magic’s feelings.
The Engineering Department also aims to improve people’s quality of life.
Our current policy is also part of that.
If the Academy survives this crisis, we can educate and produce more mages and researchers, can’t we?”
“Among the mages who are registered with the Academy…
there may be those who are conducting research that hasn’t been made public yet…
research that could be profitable.
I’ll look into it and ask them to transfer their property rights to the Academy…”
At the words of the Dean of Engineering, who was relatively young among those gathered here, the Dean of Magic finally relented.
“I have bent my will in order to overcome the crisis of my alma mater…
but I have not abandoned the pride of a researcher.
I will be watching to see what happens.”
“I know the Dean of Magic’s sincerity.
I’ll make sure not to disappoint you.
For the sake of the Academy…”
Charlotte’s answer, feeling uneasy, gradually faded away at his final threat.
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At the same time, inside a restroom in the Magic District where the earlier commotion had taken place.
“You have no finesse, do you?
Is this your first time doing something like this?”
Anne’s expression turned gloomy at the unexpected words that stabbed at her as she barely managed to get dressed and receive the crystal ball.
Perhaps because of the urgent situation, she hadn’t had time to clean up the semen dripping from her vagina, and she was pulling up her underwear with a sticky feeling.
It was a good thing that Aurora had helped her out of the crisis, but the voice, in her already upset state, somehow sounded like it was mocking her.
But Anne, who was trying to live with a little more finesse, quickly relaxed her expression and nodded.
“Yeah… it’s my first time.
I haven’t been working for very long…”
“I see?
I kind of figured.
You looked really nervous when I first saw you.”
Anne recalled her first encounter with Aurora at Mademoiselle, and remembered her expression at that time.
Unable to overcome the embarrassment, she turned her head slightly and tried to avoid eye contact.
“You should filter out those kinds of guys.
The ones who treat people like toys just because they pay a little money…
are only going to be a pain to deal with as customers.
Well, I guess you can’t filter out those guys, can you?
Tell me honestly. How many did you take today?”
“That’s… well… two…”
“Two…? Do you… even have the will to work…?”
“What about you…? How many did you take…?”
“I was on my way to see a customer right now?
Today… hmm… four in the morning…
six throughout the afternoon…
and I have four more reservations for the evening?”
“H-How…?”
“How did I find so many customers?
Isn’t it simple?”
As Aurora smiled and approached her, Anne flinched and lowered her shoulders slightly.
Perhaps it was because she felt a dangerous aura.
Meanwhile, Aurora, standing behind Anne, gently embraced her from behind.
“Men are all pretty much the same.
Even the ones who seem gentle?
In here… they’re no different from beasts.”
Anne shuddered at the stimulating touch of Aurora’s hand gently placed on her crotch.
Her crotch, still sticky with the semen she still held.
The lewd hand, not content with just placing her hand there, began to lift her uniform skirt, and soon began to dig into her underwear.
“So… you should look for those kinds of guys from the start.
Guys who don’t have the guts to treat me badly.
After they’ve unloaded like this…
guys who will cling to me.
They wanted to make you pregnant like this, didn’t they?
But after it’s over, they leave indifferently.
And they were going to use you as a means to satisfy their lust, weren’t they?
That’s what men are like. Don’t you know that?”
Soon, a slender but strong finger touched her sensitive skin and dug into her vulva, and a soft moan began to escape from Anne’s lips.
“Look at this? It’s so sticky, so rich.
Those guys wanted to impregnate you this much, didn’t they?
But after it’s over, they leave indifferently.
And they were going to use you as a means to satisfy their lust, weren’t they?
That’s what men are like. Don’t you know that?”
A lump of sticky semen was scraped off the end of her finger.
At Aurora’s words, holding it up to show her, Anne averted her eyes.
But Anne couldn’t ignore the finger that kept following her gaze, and the soft, white discharge that wobbled at the end of it, and turned away to push Aurora away.
“Stop it!!”
“It’s just semen, isn’t it? Can’t you look at it?
How are you going to do this job with that kind of mentality?”
Even after hearing her scream, which was close to a shriek, Aurora simply smiled and shook her outstretched finger.
“You’re not cut out to be a prostitute.
You know… it’s a lot harder than you think?
Especially the mental part…
You’re betraying the expectations of your parents who gave birth to you and wanted you to live well.
And you’re afraid every day that the man you like will find out your secret.”
Aurora’s eyes narrowed as she watched Anne’s eyes begin to waver for a moment.
“Do you have a man you like?”
“N-No… No, it’s not like that…!!”
Aurora chuckled at Anne’s desperate denial and approached her.
“Hmph… Go have a lot of sex with that man right now, without regrets.
Take him as a customer, or seduce him sincerely.
I don’t care what you do, use this and get him to unload inside you.”
She began to suck on the sticky semen on her finger as she walked, and then poked Anne’s crotch with her finger, now glistening with saliva and semen.
Anne’s eyes shook violently as she immediately understood what she meant by using what and receiving what, and Aurora, taking her finger off her crotch, turned around and began to wash her hands at the sink.
“After that… I’ll help you.
I’ve formed a team with friends I met at Mademoiselle.
It seems better for you to belong somewhere and work together.”
Finally, Aurora, flicking the water off her hands, left the restroom, leaving Anne alone with only the sound of her clicking heels echoing in her ears.
“Three hours later.”
Along with the sound of her footsteps came a single word.
At her word announcing the time limit, Anne bit her lip tightly, clutching the crystal ball in her hand as if she were about to crush it.
“Meet me in front of the workshop?”
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