The scene shifts back a little, to the previous night.
Deep into the night in the principal's office, the evil duo growled like untrained dogs.
"Grrrr…! That garbage's base has reached level 2…!"
"Grrrr…! Our residential district still hasn't even finished clearing the rubble…!"
"And we still haven't been able to award the prizes! The supporters' patience is already at its limit!"
"We need to come up with something! Dealing with that garbage's base, restoring the residential district, and awarding the prizes!
If we don't manage at least one of them, we will be demoted again!"
The two growled like dogs trapped in a cage.
After a while, the principal clapped his hands.
"That's it! You should just set fire to that garbage's base! That solves one problem!"
To casually suggest arson to his subordinate was truly a terrifying bald old man.
"I already tried that! But there were traps set around the house and I went through something terrible!"
The short-mustached old man bit down on his handkerchief as anger over his favorite tuxedo being ruined resurfaced.
Then a devil whispered in his mind.
"Ah!? That's right! Principal, let's lift the ban on 'Slave Tickets'!
That way, all the problems will be solved at once!"
"What? Is that true?"
"Principal, excuse me while I whisper into your pig-like ear… hehe hehe…"
"Ohh, that is an excellent idea!"
"And that is not all! With 'Slave Tickets,' we can control the students as we wish!
We will open a 'school store' and collect tickets from the students!"
"Tickets are originally meant to be exchanged between students…
But you mean we will take them into our own hands?"
"Yes! With tickets, the students will be no different from our slaves!
We will be able to issue commands that we could not before because of appearances!"
Until now, the principal and vice-principal had wielded power over the students however they liked.
But there had been limits.
Because they were educators, they needed the justification of "educational guidance."
With "Slave Tickets," however, they could issue commands that went beyond the teacher-student relationship.
They could simply claim, "We are sternly commanding this to teach the importance of keeping promises," and it would provide a nominal excuse.
"I see! I understand your aim!
You are not targeting the weak students, but the big ones, right!?"
"Exactly! If we can get our hands on Monaka-san's and Kotone-san's tickets…!
We can command them with 'Do not approach that garbage'!
The face value of 'Slave Tickets' becomes a measure of social credit after graduation!
Even those two will not be able to refuse!"
"Uho! If we take Monaka-kun and Kotone-kun away from that garbage, he will truly be all alone…
And his base will fall into ruin!"
"Yes! And that is not all!
If we set that garbage's ticket face value to zero, we can completely exclude him from ticket circulation!"
"Umu, exactly!
I understand! And if we prepare prizes related to the tickets, that garbage will be completely helpless!"
"Yes! It is truly a plan that kills two birds with one stone!"
The principal and vice-principal looked at each other and grinned wickedly.
""This time, this time for sure…! That garbage is finished…! Ihihihihi…!""
However, it was already a familiar pattern that this evil scheme would end in spectacular failure.
After the morning assembly where only Leopin had become extremely wealthy, the vice-principal returned to the principal's office with slumped shoulders.
There, a devastating notice awaited him.
"…Yes-man Vice-Principal, a notice just arrived from the education committee.
You are being demoted by two ranks."
The vice-principal looked so shocked that his heart seemed ready to leap from his mouth.
"Tw-two ranks!? W-why!?"
"The king happened to watch the live broadcast of the morning assembly.
Not only did you disgracefully lose control in front of His Majesty, but you also failed to award the prizes you had announced to the students."
"B-but! I could not possibly give the prizes to that garbage!
That is why I desperately tried to cover it up!"
Leopin had originally been set to receive the double award of the "First Ticket Award" and the "First Gold Ticket Award."
When Monaka and Kotone pointed this out, the yes-man had eaten the catalog with his usual strange shriek.
As a result, the students had been completely put off.
And yet the very prizes he had gone to such lengths to protect had been seen by the king…
"Moreover, you tried to destroy the magical board borrowed from the court.
Thanks to that, the king is furious. It is a miracle that you only received a two-rank demotion."
Yes-man Vice-Principal A ⇒ B+
"Ky… kyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!?!?"
"Be quiet. Yes-man Acting Vice-Principal."
"Ac-acting Vice-Principal…!?"
"It cannot be helped. Only teachers ranked A can hold the position of vice-principal.
Since you have dropped to B rank, you have been made acting vice-principal."
"N-no way!? If I become acting vice-principal, my salary will drop even further!
Besides, our family has held the vice-principal position for generations!
And now it is only 'acting'! I cannot face my family! Please do something…!"
"Enough, be quiet! If I do not deal with you, even I will…
Ah, no, never mind! This matter is already decided!"
"Uwaaaaaaan! Principal! Principal! Please, I beg you!
Forgive me! Please forgive meeeeeee~!!"
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
While the vice-principal was being demoted by two ranks and wailing…
I had returned to my house in the forest and achieved a level up.
Not a rank up, but a level up.
--------------------------------------------------
Leopin
Job: Ninja
LV: 11 → 12
HP: 1810
MP: 1810
Status
Vitality: 181
Stamina: 181
Toughness: 181
Spirit: 181
Resistance: 181
Agility: 181
Focus: 181
Strength: 181
Magic Power: 181
Divine Power: 181
Intelligence: 181
Culture: 181
Five Senses: 181
Sixth Sense: 181
Charm: 1
Luck: 2
Dexterity: 480 → 580
Jobs Available for Change
Production
Woodcutter
Appraiser
NEW! Carpenter → Celestial Carpenter Seres Carpenter
Stonemason
Leatherworker
Woodworker
Mana Farmer
Exploration
Ranger
Treasure Hunter
Combat
Axe Battler
Ninja
Martial Artist
Trapper
--------------------------
"Se… 'Celestial Carpenter Seres Carpenter'!?
Isn't that the highest-tier production job!?"