Cyberpunk Patriarch

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"You don't understand this part of Night City. Every inch of land is precious. The academy itself is barely making ends meet, so how could we possibly have funds to build dormitories?"

After patiently listening to Arthur's arguments, the principal quickly refused.

Although Arthur's observations were indeed correct, the principal couldn't see how it connected to Arasaka Academy. If a student died, it was just part of the business. After all, the school had already been paid. Losing one student wouldn't impact their profits in the long run. Building dormitories was an unnecessary expense. Arasaka Academy had no need for such luxuries.

Arthur had already anticipated this response. He calmly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and smiled. "You've been in this position for quite a while now, haven't you?"

The principal hesitated but eventually nodded. He seemed to understand what Arthur was getting at.

In reality, Arasaka Academy was a kind of retirement home within the Arasaka Group. While the principal's title might appear prestigious, it was largely ceremonial. Many of the students were the children of Arasaka's upper management, but the teaching staff consisted mostly of intelligent AIs. These AIs were far superior to humans in delivering lessons. The few remaining human staff, including the principal, had minimal influence. Soon, even the janitors would be replaced by cleaning robots.

"Power is an illusion," the principal muttered, unable to stop himself. "Without people, what's the point of flexing? In front of a bunch of machines with no brains?"

Arthur's expression softened, sensing an opportunity. "I understand. You've probably hit a dead end in your career. The company prioritizes profit, and if you're not meeting expectations, it's hard to get ahead."

The principal frowned, clearly troubled. He had never expected to open up to a complete stranger, but something in Arthur's words had struck a chord. "You're right," he admitted reluctantly. "I may not be meeting the company's standards, which is why I haven't been able to get promoted."

Arthur nodded. "There's always an opportunity. The question is, are you willing to seize it?"

Arthur took another sip of tea, carefully watching the principal's reaction. He had thrown out the bait; now, he only needed the principal to bite.

"You're talking about the dormitory, aren't you?" the principal said, his eyes lighting up with recognition.

Arthur smiled, a glint of triumph in his eyes. "Exactly. Our dormitory must be designed by the best. It will have everything—from elevator entrances to sky gardens and high-altitude swimming pools. I want all the equipment inside to be top-notch."

Arthur leaned in, emphasizing his next point. "How much do you think we can charge for a semester of accommodation? The elevators, the sky gardens, the designer materials—all Arasaka products. You do the math."

He continued, "Once the dormitory is built, we'll manage it privately. This means there will always be a steady flow of money. We'll build a big canteen and a supermarket. The students will have everything they need, and they won't have to leave. Of course, for safety reasons, all the food will be specially purchased, so it might be a bit more expensive than what's found outside."

The more the principal listened, the brighter his eyes became. He began to see a path to power stretching out before him. If he succeeded in this endeavor, he would have climbed out of the retirement hole that was Arasaka Academy and back into the heart of the company's power structure. And even if he didn't, he knew there would be significant rewards for his efforts.

Arthur could see the principal's thoughts racing. "Why should we say we can't afford this? Arasaka Academy is independent from other departments, and we are also focused on making money. This is about the safety of the students, after all. We could easily take out a loan based on the company's credibility."

The principal's mind was made up. He clapped his hands together, stood up, and shook Arthur's hand energetically.

"Sir, your suggestion is brilliant. For the safety of the students, we absolutely need closed management!" he exclaimed. "This is all for the children!"

Arthur smiled broadly and nodded in agreement. "You're absolutely right. It's refreshing to see someone with such a strong grasp of the bigger picture."

With the principal on board, Arthur seized the opportunity to press his advantage. "And as for David, he's a good boy. His actions with the Mewtwo equipment were unintentional. As they say, it's a crime to punish without teaching. I've spoken with him, and I know he deeply regrets what happened. So, I've decided to waive the compensation for the Mewtwo equipment."

Arthur waved his hand dismissively, offering the principal a polite smile. "Please, don't make it difficult for yourself, principal. In fact, I'm a bit of a mechanical expert myself. If you'd like, I can take a look at the equipment and see if I can help fix it."

The principal's eyebrows raised, impressed by Arthur's knowledge. "You're a mechanical expert?" he asked, intrigued.

Arthur nodded, though there was a small part of him that doubted the practicality of his own offer. "I can give it a try, but just so you know, our financial situation isn't particularly great. We may not be able to cover the accommodation fees right away."

The principal expected Arthur to ask for something extravagant, but instead, he seemed focused on the accommodation fees. It wasn't as exciting as he had anticipated, but it was manageable. He had no problem agreeing to this.

"Don't worry about the fees. We receive donations every year from people all over. And as for David, he's a perfect candidate to receive one of those donations. I think we can make this work."

Arthur smiled, his mind already working on the next step. "Thank you very much, principal. Now, shall we get to work?"

The principal eagerly led Arthur to the computer room, where David had caused the damage. Arthur had no illusions about the principal's skepticism. He could tell the man didn't believe Arthur was truly a mechanical expert. However, the principal didn't care about that. If Arthur claimed he could fix the equipment, then that was good enough. It would make the process seem legitimate, even if the equipment ended up breaking again.

Arthur followed the principal to the computer room. David's class had already been relocated due to the damage. The room itself was modular, so it was easy to swap it with another.

"Let's see what we're dealing with," Arthur muttered, already assessing the situation. The equipment was damaged, but he was confident that his experience with mechanical systems would allow him to handle it. If it broke again, it wouldn't matter. The school would foot the bill.

The principal was already mentally preparing for the worst, but Arthur was about to show him just how useful his expertise could be.

The whole situation was, in its own way, a game. Arthur knew that his actions were just as much about maneuvering in the complex power structures of Night City as they were about helping his son and improving the safety of the students. But everything, in the end, was for the children.

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