Chapter 101

Although I’ve been aggressively recruited by two different teachers to switch to the mage track, for the time being, I intend to stick strictly to taking subject ts that capture my interest. After all, the advanced courses listed in the curriculum guide, like Offensive Magic, look entirely beyond my capabilities.

Second period is Economics.

What exactly is the difference between Economics and Business Management?

I couldn’t really give a clear answer to that in my previous world either. I remember hearing during a career orientation back then that Economics requires a heavy amount of mathematics, which is exactly why I chose Business Management instead. So far, the mathematics at the academy has been remarkably simple, but it still leaves me a bit anxious. I remember hearing about microeconomics and macroeconomics during my general education courses, but I completely forgot everything the moment I earned the credits. Didn’t things like how inflation and deflation work fall under economics too?

Our Economics teacher turned out to be the exact same Mr. Cairns who teaches Business Management.

“I am Mr. Cairns, and I will be teaching you Economics this year,” he announced. “Economics is the study of how society as a whole functions, built upon foundational economic theories. The core objective of economics is determining how to allocate limited resources—such as ‘people, goods, money, information, and time’—in a way that enriches society as a whole.”

I see, everyone nodded in understanding. Ah, look at that—Mr. Cairns is flashing a deeply sinister grin. I have a terrible premonition about this.

“Many of you in this room are likely taking my Business Management class as well. Now then, this is where the real fun begins.”

The classroom instantly erupted into an anxious buzz. Everyone was terrified of what he was about to make us do.

“In Business Management, I’ve assigned you a project to launch a business with a seed capital of 10 loams and turn a profit. I fully intend to incorporate practical application into Economics as well. Specifically, you will be required to analyze an existing business and devise a strategy to improve it.”

Ah, I remember doing something highly similar to this before. Practical Economics. However, I have absolutely no idea how businesses operate in this fantasy world, and it’s not as if there’s an internship system available here. What am I going to do?

“Teacher, we don’t know anything about how real businesses operate,” Phillips spoke up, asking a question here as well.

“Mr. Phillips, managing a territory is a magnificent business in its own right.”

A significant portion of the students let out a collective “Ah, I see!” looking thoroughly convinced. However, the Granger family doesn’t own any territory. What on earth am I supposed to do?

“Ah, and by the way,” Mr. Cairns added, “you are also welcome to construct a completely hypothetical business from scratch and devise a plan to expand it.”

“But that completely overlaps with our Business Management assignment!”

“Who would go through the hassle of doing something so tedious?”

Several heckles flew from the seats.

“What a foolish thing to say,” Mr. Cairns countered. “You launch a business in Business Management and aim to turn a profit. Then, in Economics, you analyze methods to optimize and improve it. It hits two birds with one stone, does it not?”

It sounds incredibly fascinating, but without any grasp of how things operate in this world, it’s going to be exceptionally difficult. Still, I’ll find a way to manage. If I don’t master this, I’ll never be able to make a fortune.

“Teacher, does the seed capital for launching a business in Business Management include labor costs?”

Ah, I wanted to know the answer to that too!

“Of course it does. You must hire employees and purchase your raw materials entirely within those 10 loams. Furthermore, you will also need to account for the rental fees for the location where you launch your business.”

Isn’t that completely unreasonable?! The entire classroom broke out into a chorus of boos.

“Mr. Cairns, I have a question.”

Before diving into the assignment, there are a few boundaries I absolutely need to clarify.

“Oh? And who might you be?”

“I am Patience Granger. I am enrolled in your Business Management class as well.”

“Ah, yes! The young lady taking both my Business Management and Economics lectures. Well then, Miss Patience, what is it you wish to ask?”

Every eye in the room instantly locked onto me. Regardless, I intend to push forward with my questions.

“If I intend to launch this business entirely by myself without hiring any employees, am I permitted to record my labor costs as zero?”

Mr. Cairns crossed his arms, sinking into deep reflection. “Let’s see… I hadn’t exactly considered a scenario like that. If you truly intend to start it entirely by yourself, then yes, you have no need to account for labor costs.”

Brilliant.

“In that case, what happens if I utilize my own home as the business location? Am I exempt from location rental fees?”

Once again, Mr. Cairns fell into deep thought. “Utilizing your own home, you say… I suppose it wouldn’t be necessary to charge yourself rent in that scenario.”

Let’s clear up one final detail.

“My estate is equipped with a greenhouse. I am the one currently managing its operations, so would it be acceptable for me to utilize it for my business?”

Mr. Cairns pulled a thoroughly perplexed expression.

“A greenhouse is an exceptionally luxurious facility. I don’t believe it’s proper to account for its usage entirely free of charge. However, even if you offered to pay a rental fee to your father, I doubt he would accept the money. Utilizing family connections is a perfectly valid aspect of business management, so I’ll declare that strictly within boundaries. However, you must meticulously log the costs of any firewood required to maintain the greenhouse, as well as any glass repair fees, into your expenses.”

Thinking that would satisfy me, Mr. Cairns let out a visible sigh of relief, but I still have one more question.

“Teacher, since I am a dormitory student, I will require a servant to handle the daily management during the weekdays. In that scenario, am I permitted to calculate the labor cost strictly based on the exact hours the servant spends working inside the greenhouse?”

“Naturally, you must log the labor cost corresponding to those exact working hours… but my, that is an incredibly concrete proposal. Could it be that you are actively practicing this business right now?”

The classroom immediately dissolved into a loud chatter, but I decided to ignore it entirely.

“No, this is strictly a hypothetical scenario.”

Just then, Phillips raised his hand. “The maintenance fees for a greenhouse are astronomically expensive. I don’t believe it’s possible to cover things like glass repairs within a mere 10 loams.”

“An excellent point has been raised,” Mr. Cairns noted, turning his gaze back to me. “Well, Miss Patience, what say you to that?”

“I constantly handle the glass repairs myself using lifestyle magic. Therefore, my household has never incurred a single copper coin in repair expenses.”

Phillips shot a deeply skeptical glare straight at me. “As if you could possibly handle structural repairs with mere lifestyle magic! Even for a hypothetical business, that is far too absurd.”

A sharp spark of irritation flared inside me. I was deeply snapped by having my word openly doubted, as well as his dismissive attitude toward lifestyle magic.

“In that case, if I repair the crack on that blackboard right there, will you formally concede that I am entirely capable of maintaining a greenhouse?”

Every eye in the room immediately converged on the visible crack running through the blackboard.

“Very well. If you can truly repair it, I shall deeply apologize for my ignorance,” Phillips declared.

I walked right up to the front of the room, standing directly before the blackboard. I focused my intent and chanted, slightly amplifying my voice: “Become clean!”

In the blink of an eye, the worn-out, ancient blackboard transformed into a pristine, sparkling-new slate. Needless to say, the crack had vanished entirely without a trace.

“Incredible! To think lifestyle magic was capable of something so magnificent,” Mr. Cains gasped in absolute astonishment.

Phillips sat with his mouth hanging wide open, completely struck dumb. The other students broke into murmurs of awe, before someone shouted a heckle from the back: “Hey, Phillips, hurry up and apologize!”

“Lady Patience… I am deeply sorry for doubting your word due to my own sheer ignorance. I swear I shall never question your statements again.”

It was a remarkably polite, sincere apology—completely different from Prince Keith’s clumsy attempts.

“Yes, I accept your apology, Lord Phillips. After all, the underlying fault lies with the general social trend of looking down on lifestyle magic; you are by no means a special exception.”

Mr. Cairns had been listening to our exchange in silence, when a sudden look of realization flashed across his face.

“Wait a moment, Miss Patience! If you possess magic like that, wouldn’t you be able to make an absolute fortune without even bothering with a greenhouse? You could simply purchase 10 loams worth of broken antiques at the flea market, repair them instantly, and sell them for a massive premium!”

Ah, that is the exact same scheme Wyatt is currently running.

“Mr. Cairns, a strategy like that would incur significant labor costs just from the time spent traveling to source the items. Furthermore, if one accidentally purchases a clever counterfeit, they would still be forced to sell it at a heavily discounted price even after it is repaired, would they not?”

He slapped his palm against his forehead. “Ah, you’re entirely right! And here I thought I had devised a brilliant scheme,” Mr. Cairns groaned in sheer disappointment, prompting a wave of heckles to fly from the students.

“To think our teacher for Business Management and Economics could be so utterly pathetic!”

Hmph! Utterly unbothered, Mr. Cairns immediately launched a counterattack. “What a bunch of fools you are. If economists actually possessed the practical knack for making fortunes, there is absolutely no way we would be stuck teaching in a classroom like this for such a meager salary!”

Is it really alright for a teacher to openly admit that? Well, it was entirely the absolute truth. The entire classroom dissolved into a raging storm of laughter.

From that day forward, the cold, unwelcoming atmosphere I used to sense from the civil servant track vanished completely. It felt as if I had finally been formally accepted as one of their peers.