The dean

"Okay," Natsu said.

"Regarding the Sea Train, have the shipbuilders produce a rough route map first. Extending from the Red Line towards the first half of the Grand Line, how many sections should be built in the first phase?"

Which islands will it pass through? I need a framework for that so I can set up the Transportation Bureau's structure. Don't make me review the laws while simultaneously figuring out the routes; I don't have that kind of brainpower."

I'll give it to you within three days.

Izuna Uchiha snorted, pushed open the door, and left.

The door closed behind him, and the hall fell silent.

Natsu stood in front of the throne, looking at the closed door for a while.

Then he lowered his head, took out a scroll from his sleeve, unfolded it, and looked at it.

The scroll contained the course schedules for the Clan Academy's management branches, densely packed with information.

He watched for a while, then turned to the Night Owl Guard on duty at the door and said, "Go to the Clan Academy and call the dean in the Management Branch Academy."

Send someone else to Water 7 and have the shipbuilders produce a rough route map within three days. List out clearly which sections to build first, and which islands to pass through.

Night Owl Guard responded and turned to leave.

Natsu unrolled the scroll again and looked down to read it.

He was left alone in the hall. The yin-yang symbol above the throne rotated slowly, casting light onto the scroll, creating alternating shadows.

The dean in the Management Branch Academy was named Kiyomasa Uchiha. He was in his early forties, not very tall, with narrow shoulders, and walked very fast.

When he came in, he had a stack of files tucked under his arm, and his right hand was clutching half a pen, his fingertips stained with ink.

He walked to the middle of the hall, stopped, and bowed slightly.

"Lord Natsu."

Natsu rose from the throne and took two steps towards the edge of the stone platform. "Kiyomasa, how long has the Management Branch Academy been open?"

"From the time you ordered the formation until today, it has been a total of twenty-seven days." Kiyomasa pulled the file from under his arm and opened it to the first page.

The course syllabus was finalized on the twelfth day, the textbook was completed on the fifteenth day, and the students started classes on the eighteenth day.

There are currently 63 students enrolled, divided into three classes.

The first group consisted of twenty people with management experience, drawn from various military units.

The second class consisted of eighteen graduates from other branches of the Clan Academy who transferred over.

The third class consists of twenty-five new students who just entered this year.

Natsu nodded. "Izuna Uchiha is short-staffed; the work at the Sacred Court is piling up. He requested that ten students be transferred there to learn on the job, before they graduate."

Kiyomasa did not show any "Why are you urging me again?" expression.

He looked down and turned to the third page of the file, twirling the charcoal pencil between his fingers before placing it on the paper.

"Ten students. Of the twenty people selected from the first class, six had previously served as deputy squad leaders in Heavenly Star Guard, managing patrols and logistics, so they had some basic experience."

Of the graduates transferring from the second class, four had studied basic administration at the Clan Academy. It wouldn't be difficult to gather ten students from these two classes. The problem is the curriculum.

"What do you mean?"

"The first team has experience, but what they lack is a systematic set of legal provisions and administrative procedures."

The second group has theoretical knowledge, but lacks practical experience in grassroots affairs.

"If these two groups were put together, they could get the job done, but the quality of their work would be inconsistent." Kiyomasa turned to the next page of the Sacred Court.

"I suggest extending the internship period and splitting it into two batches. The first batch of five people can go tomorrow. They can start by following the senior staff on the Long side to run errands and familiarize themselves with the process."

The second group of five will go two weeks later, once the first group has figured things out. The first group can then guide the second group. This way, with guidance, things won't fall into chaos when everyone rushes in.

"Two weeks later?" Natsu thought for a moment, "Izuna Uchiha's in a hurry."

"I know Izuna Uchiha is anxious." Kiyomasa's tone was flat. "But if I send all ten people over now, they'll be arriving at the Sacred Court on their first day, and they won't even know how to file documents. The people on the Dragon's side will have to teach them."

That's not helping, that's making things worse. In two weeks, the first group of five can figure out the basic procedures. When the second group goes, the first group will guide the second. Long's side only needs to set up a framework; they don't need to teach them step-by-step.

Natsu looked at him for a while.

"Okay. Do as you say. The first batch of five people will report to the Sacred Court tomorrow. The second batch will depart in two weeks."

"Okay." Kiyomasa twirled the charcoal pencil between his fingers and wrote two lines next to the file.

"Regarding the curriculum adjustment," Natsu said, "Izuna Uchiha wants to add a practical course, so she can come directly to the Sacred Court for an internship, learning on the job. How do you arrange the course schedule here?"

"I've already added the practical course." Kiyomasa turned to the page with the bookmark in the file. "It was originally in the plan, but I was thinking of arranging it after the first semester ended."

Now, we've moved up the schedule and increased the weight of practical classes. The teaching plans for all three classes have been completely rearranged: practical classes will account for 40% of the first class, 35% for the second, and 30% for the third. The remaining time will be used for theoretical classes.

"What about the students in Class Three? They just got in; their foundation isn't solid yet."

"We won't be sending the third class out for internships for now," Kiyomasa said. "They've only been learning for about twenty days; sending them out would just cause trouble."

However, I added a simulated administrative course to the third class's curriculum, using real cases for simulations and demonstrating the processes of grassroots administration in the classroom.

"After the first semester ends, we'll select students based on their grades."

"Sure," Natsu said. "What about the teaching staff? How many people do you have who can lead practical classes?"

Kiyomasa didn't reply immediately. He closed the file, held the charcoal pencil between his fingers, and paused for a moment before speaking.

"Lord Natsu, the biggest problem right now is the lack of teachers. The Management Branch Academy has been open for more than 20 days, and there are only four full-time instructors."

One was originally in charge of logistics and scheduling in the Steward Hall, two were transferred from other branches of the Clan Academy, and the other was an old man from the Revolutionary Army who used to coordinate underground organizations under Dragon.

Four people leading sixty-three students is already at full capacity. Adding practical classes and internship supervision, we simply don't have enough manpower.

Can someone on temporary assignment be transferred to a full-time position?

"The other branches won't let them go," Kiyomasa said. "The two instructors who were seconded here, their original branches both said they were short-staffed and had to go back when their secondment ended. The old man from the Revolutionary Army is willing to stay, but he can't fill the gap of four people by himself."

Natsu remained silent for a few moments.

Then he tilted his head.

"Okay. Go back and draft a list, clearly stating how many people are needed, what the qualifications are, and where they will be transferred from. I'll have the HR department prioritize processing your request."

In addition, we will select a few people from the Earthly Chief Guard who have worked at the grassroots level for more than three years and transfer them to the academy as part-time instructors. They will not need to be in the office full-time; they will come to teach two classes a week, specifically addressing practical problems encountered at the grassroots level.

"Part-time instructors are fine," Kiyomasa said, "But the compensation has to be adequate. The people from Earthly Chief Guard already have regular jobs, so they need to be subsidized for teaching, otherwise no one will be willing to come."

"You set the subsidy standards, submit them, and I'll approve them."

Kiyomasa nodded and wrote two more lines on the file.

"There's one more thing," Natsu said. "The Management Branch Academy will not only be supplying people to the Sacred Court in the future. Once the Sea Train is built, the Transportation Bureau will need people."

As Administrative District are established across regions, local officials will be needed. As the Heavenly Star Guard and Earthly Chief Guard are expanded, middle-level management positions will be needed.

Your college needs to train students according to this model.

The scale needs to be expanded, and the courses need to be diversified; we can't just focus on the Sacred Court alone.

Upon hearing this, Kiyomasa raised his head.

"If we expand the school, we won't have enough classrooms. The current classrooms are two side rooms on the east side of the Clan Academy, and they're already cramped for 63 students. If we add more students, we'll have to build a new building."

"Okay," Natsu said, "You choose the location. Once you've chosen it, report it to us, and we can start construction after approval."

"What about the faculty? According to the plan you just mentioned, the college needs to expand to at least three hundred students. Three hundred students, divided into three grades, will require at least twenty full-time faculty members. I currently only have four."

"First, we'll draw experienced senior teachers from various military units and the Steward Hall to teach the classes. At the same time, we'll select promising students from the third class to serve as teaching assistants, learning and teaching simultaneously. Once the first batch of graduates comes out, we'll retain a group of high-achieving students as instructors."

Natsu said, "This matter can't be rushed, but it can't be delayed either. You first set up the framework, and I'll fill in the staff for you in batches."

Kiyomasa closed the file and put the charcoal pencil back in his pocket.

"Okay. I'll go back and compile the expansion plan and a detailed list of teacher shortages, and I'll bring it to your desk tomorrow."

"And there's the internship thing," Natsu said. "The first batch of five people will report to the Sacred Court tomorrow. You'll personally take them there and make sure things are clear with the Dragons."

Don't just drop them off at the door and leave them to their own devices. You need to clearly explain the students' backgrounds to Long, which ones can be taught immediately and which ones still need further instruction, so that Long has a clear understanding.

"I'll take it there myself," Kiyomasa said.

Natsu waved her hand. "Go."

Kiyomasa bowed slightly, then turned and left, clutching the files.

He walked with the same brisk pace as always. When he reached the door, he tilted his head slightly and said to the Night Owl Guard on duty, "Could you please open the door?" before stepping out.

Natsu stood by the stone platform, watching his figure disappear behind the door.

Then he turned his head towards the side door and said, "Come out. I've been listening for ages."

The side door opened, Izuna Uchiha walked out, arms crossed. "This guy's alright. He's straightforward, gives solutions, sets conditions, and doesn't complain. Better than Madara."

Where are the spots?

"He's at the research institute. He didn't come to the Sacred Court today; he's hiding in the lab drawing diagrams," Izuna Uchiha said. "You'll need to find someone to replace him as an advisor. He's really not cut out for an office."

Natsu sighed. "I understand."