Academy’s Undercover Professor-Chapter 351: Ranpaltz (2)

The moment Ludger’s eyes met Mordo’s, the man felt like a mouse cornered by a snake.

He opened his mouth as if to argue, but no sound came out.

Fear had paralyzed his mind, leaving him unable to think of what to say.

Ludger, watching him with a look of disdain, withdrew his mana, allowing Mordo to finally breathe again.

“Haa... haa...”

Ludger stared at him coldly.

The only reason he had suppressed his mana was because the conversation still required continuation, not out of pity.

Perhaps aware of that fact, Mordo bit his lip.

“......Do you think you can just disregard Ranpaltz like this and get away with it?”

“I’ve already secured a replacement sponsor. Why should we bother clinging to you?”

“Perhaps for now. But what about next year? The year after that? Do you really believe some rapidly grown company can maintain the same role that a long-established corporation like ours has held for decades?”

Mordo spoke with a sort of conviction.

Sure, that Royal Street owner had replaced Ranpaltz’s sponsorship for now... but they wouldn’t be able to keep it up forever.

They would collapse on their own.

And even if they didn’t, Ranpaltz could make sure they did.

Anyone who dared covet Ranpaltz’s prey needed to be made into an example.

Of course Ludger could read his blatant intentions.

He tapped the table lightly with his fingers.

“Ranpaltz—giant conglomerate. From iron, coal, copper, and gold mining to refining natural resources based on steam engines and oil. Unlike Luk Corporation, which stretches its tentacles everywhere, Ranpaltz focused on a single well.”

Hearing his company described in Ludger’s voice, Mordo’s expression grew smug.

“Exactly. So you understand now just how great we are—an international corporation beyond even the Empire.”

“And yet, you’re a world apart from Seorn, which is tied to magic.”

“You really don’t know, do you? Ranpaltz is also involved in the mana stone business. We’re not to be taken lightly.”

“Still nothing compared to Roschen.”

“Well, compared to Roschen, which was tied to magic from the start, yes. But we’re catching up fast. You know what that means? It means Ranpaltz’s growth potential is far superior.”

Ludger let out a faint, amused snort.

“Do you take me for a fool? Ranpaltz’s magical resource ventures only started thanks to Seorn.”

At that, Mordo’s confident face visibly stiffened.

Ranpaltz was, as Ludger said, originally a refining corporation.

A refining company develops natural resources based on oil and coal.

In a purely industrial age, Ranpaltz would have amassed incredible wealth.

But in this world, magic existed side by side with advanced science.

And for magical resources, one essential energy source was indispensable: [Magical Spirit Fluid].

Necessary for creating mana stones, this fluid was crucial to the magical industry.

Ranpaltz had been desperate to enter the magic business.

Decades ago, they had lobbied the former Seorn Headmaster heavily, securing a place as one of Seorn’s sponsors.

Under the pretext of sponsorship, Ranpaltz obtained patents and partial rights to magic-related business from Seorn.

That advantage allowed them to surpass rival companies of similar size, crush them, and grow into a conglomerate through acquisitions and mergers.

“And now the very dogs who climbed that high on Seorn’s back want to betray it and devour it?”

“......Even if we had help, we wouldn’t have come this far without skill.”

“Seems time has made you forget who helped whom. Fine then, let’s see if you can survive on that so-called skill of yours.”

“Don’t underestimate Ranpaltz. The magical knowledge we’ve accumulated over decades is more than enough to keep our business stable.”

“For now, maybe. But will it last next year? The year after?”

The very words Mordo had thrown at Ludger were now coming back at him, leaving him speechless.

“Magic evolves in real time, just like science. New challenges arise constantly. Can Ranpaltz, cut off from Seorn, really keep up with that pace?”

“That....”

“Seorn will keep creating new magical items, new ventures, new patents. Old things will vanish, replaced by the new. And those new things? They’ll be gifts for future sponsors.”

And Ranpaltz would not be among them.

For now, they could hold their place with what they’d built up, but in a rapidly changing world, they would soon be swept aside.

“Y-you think those who work in service industries know how to properly utilize such technology without us?! What would they know about magic?!”

“If mere oil-grubbing refiners like you could climb this high, what makes you think others can’t? In fact, I’m sure they will—and we’ll make sure of it.”

“B-but....”

“Pathetic.”

Seorn had never grown because of Ranpaltz’s sponsorship.

It was the opposite.

Ranpaltz had leeched off Seorn, exploiting its sponsorship for its own gain.

But Ranpaltz had forgotten gratitude, throwing away respect in favor of greed.

Their decision wasn’t wrong from a corporate perspective—pursuing more profit and larger expansion was natural for any company.

That’s why they saw this moment, when Seorn seemed shaken, as their one opportunity.

If not for the massive new investor who had appeared out of nowhere, their plan might have worked.

“You took a risk; now bear it. Or has your great conglomerate forgotten that basic principle?”

“......”

“Instead of trying to threaten us, maybe you should worry about your stock price dropping tomorrow.”

Mordo broke out in cold sweat.

Journalists had already sniffed out the sponsor withdrawal.

The company had tried to suppress the news, but you can’t cover the sky with your palm.

Rumors were already spreading beneath the surface.

Once they surfaced completely, Ranpaltz’s stock would plummet.

Its core vision project—the magical industry—was on the verge of collapse.

The dam was already cracked.

They should have used every last chance to reinforce it, but Ranpaltz had just thrown that last chance away.

“Go back /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ and tell your chairman exactly this: even if he comes crawling to beg on his knees, our answer will not change.”

“Y-you...!”

“Throw your tantrums, try your revenge. But be prepared for even greater losses. When a house is on fire, isn’t putting out the flames more important than finding someone to blame?”

Sure, Ranpaltz would likely manage to contain the fire eventually—

But by then, half the house would already be gone.

“Business is funny like that. A real fire leaves nothing but ashes, but in business, someone always picks up those ashes and turns them into an opportunity for growth.”

“......”

“Worry about your competition. You’ve made enough enemies, and I’m sure they’re prepared for this moment.”

Mordo’s face turned deathly pale.

He realized, far too late, that Ludger had seen right through his entire position from the start.

He should have bowed immediately, but pride had made him push too hard.

“P-please... give us another chance...!”

“Another chance? Do I have to spell it out for you? You tried to hold students hostage to threaten us.”

“......”

“If you understand, I’ll say just one more thing. Get out.”

Mordo couldn’t utter another word.

He had no choice but to leave the office, his steps far more miserable than when he had entered.

Ludger felt no sympathy.

Ranpaltz wouldn’t be completely destroyed.

They had climbed this high for a reason.

They’d have contingency manuals prepared.

If they play it right, they’ll manage to save at least half of what they have.

But only if no one interfered. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Unfortunately, I have no intention of letting that happen.

He had already given Hans and Violetta the signal.

Soon, disaster would hit Ranpaltz.

They were to pour every bit of available capital into short-selling the moment Ranpaltz’s stock started to nosedive.

When that happened, even a dwarf’s pebble could topple a giant.

Seeds of unrest should never be left alone.

Ranpaltz had betrayed Seorn the moment cracks appeared in its stronghold.

There was no way Ludger would allow such a company to recover from this crisis.

“So, are you going to keep standing outside like that?”

At his words, a startled presence was felt beyond the door.

Ludger had sensed the new visitor’s presence long ago—even while talking to Mordo.

The door opened, and Flora stepped in hesitantly.

“......You knew I was here?”

“I should be asking if there’s ever been a time I didn’t notice.”

Flora was suddenly reminded of similar incidents in the past.

Not wanting to dwell on that, she quickly changed the subject.

“More importantly, that person just now... he was an outsider, right?”

“Correct.”

“I... I ended up overhearing everything.”

Ludger glanced at her, unconcerned.

“They were shouting loud enough for anyone to hear. I won’t blame you for that.”

“Wasn’t that supposed to be confidential?”

“From their perspective, yes. But we’re the victims here. The more people hear of their misdeeds, the better.”

When Flora didn’t respond, Ludger asked casually,

“Were you surprised?”

“Yes. I didn’t know you were involved in things like this.”

Of course she didn’t.

To students, Seorn was simply a place of learning.

Those focused on their studies would hardly notice the power struggles behind the scenes.

“You don’t need to know. This is the world of adults.”

Flora puffed up slightly, sounding offended.

“I’m an adult too.”

“Adults don’t go around saying they’re adults.”

“......I don’t need anyone’s approval.”

“Those who don’t seek approval don’t say that either.”

“......”

She had no retort.

Ludger looked at her slightly sulking expression and said,

“There’s no need to force yourself to be an adult. You’ll cherish your student days more when you look back. So enjoy them while you can, without regrets.”

“Why? Because once you’re an adult, you can’t anymore?”

“Once you understand the world, you can never be pure again.”

Flora thought of Mordo, that middle-aged man blinded by greed, yelling in anger.

“......I used to think people became better when they grew up.”

“Why did you think that?”

“Because as people get older, they gain more experience and knowledge. I thought they became more mature and considerate.”

She glanced at Ludger as she spoke.

Of course she would—he was her ideal image of what an adult should be.

But Ludger didn’t share her optimism.

“Being an adult isn’t anything special.”

“Why not?”

“Because no one becomes an adult by choice. It just happens.”

Age doesn’t make someone better.

Even the elderly can be foolish—sometimes even more stubborn than before.

“Are you like that too, Teacher?”

“Yes.”

Ludger answered without hesitation.

He hadn’t become an adult because he wanted to.

He had just fought to survive in a brutal world, and before he knew it, people were treating him like one.

He still didn’t think of himself as a good adult.

“What matters isn’t becoming an adult. It’s what kind of person you become.”

There was a distant tone to his voice that made Flora nod without realizing it.

“So, why did you come to see me? You wouldn’t have come all the way to the Planning Department unless you had something urgent to tell me.”

“......”

Ah, right. She had almost forgotten.

Flora took a deep breath, her body tense with nervousness.

Ludger waited patiently.

“My family... they’re planning something.”

“Something?”

“Yes. Especially this incident involving Seorn—it might be connected to the Lumos family.”

At that, Ludger rested his chin on his hands, leaning forward slightly.

“Tell me everything.”