Magic Academy Bans Harem

Chapter 295 Teacher, Teacher, Teacher
"So, what shall we talk about, my beloved student? Shall we talk about how you pushed your teacher, who did so much for you like a mother, off a cliff?"

"?"

Looking at Livis, who was smiling and wagging her finger, Ritas, who had offered to talk, was full of question marks.

"What I can remember is the beginning of the semester when my beloved student came to me crying, looking utterly dejected. 'Teacher, please help me! My student is trapped in a strange space—and that space is being watched by suspicious people—and the academy is full of parasites—I can't take it anymore, teacher!'"

The stage costume that appeared out of nowhere perfectly complemented Livis's extremely exaggerated acting skills.

"Who exactly is this 'beloved disciple' you're referring to?"

"So, I, your teacher, racked my brains and tried every possible way to solve my beloved student's problem. Like this~"

Livis turned to the side, showing the view outside the window behind her.

What Ritas could see was the "World Tree Space" that Livis had forcibly dragged into the present world.

"Now, everything is resolved, isn't it?"

"."

Depending on the interpretation, the same thing can be distorted into this way?
Ritas felt he had learned something new.

"To do these things, I, as the teacher, may not be able to leave this academy for a long time afterward—but looking at my beloved students..."

Livis shook her head, speaking with a sigh.

As she said, whether it's permanently fixing the World Tree space to Erles Academy or slowly returning that space to its original location, both require her power to maintain. Therefore, from now on, Livis will have to reside permanently at Erles Academy.

However, only Livis herself knows for sure how long this period will last.

"So, should I thank the teacher?"

Ritas, who originally had many things he wanted to discuss with Livis, has now essentially given up.

All I can say is that Livis will always be Livis.

Moreover, regardless of the process, what Livis said was indeed correct.

She and Ritas, working together, did indeed eliminate most of the hidden dangers within the academy. However, their "cooperation" was somewhat intense. And if they hadn't cooperated well, not only would the academy be gone, but the Tree Witch might have become a public enemy.

"No need for thanks. I'm already very grateful that my beloved student hasn't wasted my efforts and hasn't spoken ill of me behind my back or tried to betray me."

"I don't think my actions count as betrayal."

Since Livis wanted it done this way, Ritas naturally wouldn't be lazy.

"I remember my teacher once said that it's boring to be a teacher who doesn't expect students to surpass you in the future. Besides, you don't expect to get anything in return from your students because you have everything you want. But as a student, I can't just remain silent. So, this time, I'm doing this to show my growth and give my teacher the reward they expect."

After speaking, Ritas turned his gaze to Livis, who was staring at him with her eyes slightly lowered.

They stared at each other for a long time.

Livis smiled, and Ritas simply smiled back.

Not long after, Ritas left the mage tower occupied by Livis.

After leaving the mage tower, the goddess of bathing immediately "came to life".

"Although I have a feeling that things have come to this point, Livis is truly a rather ominous presence."

"The teacher will probably never reflect on or repent for anything in his life."

And it's not suitable for her either.

Ritas thought to himself with these thoughts.

He and Livis seemed to have talked about nothing, yet they also seemed to have talked about everything.

The banner bearing the name "Tree Witch" will continue to protect Ritas. Furthermore, Livis will remain permanently at the academy from now on.

Therefore, all the foreseeable major upheavals and subsequent incidents should be left to Livis, who is in charge of the academy.

Regardless of how things will ultimately turn out, there's certainly nothing that Livis can't handle.

Therefore, it was no longer Ritas's turn to worry about many things related to the academy. As for Headmistress Erles, who no longer thought of "abandoning" this world, she was still quite concerned about the management of the academy.

probably.

"I feel... well, a little envious."

"envious?"

Ritas stared at the disc in his hands, puzzled. Was there anything about what had happened that was enviable?

"Because, sometimes interpersonal relationships are more fragile than we imagine. Even the closest people can hold grudges and break up over a single argument. But you and Livis both created a huge rift, yet when you meet again, things won't be much different, right? So... I feel that no matter what happens, your relationship won't change. Well, maybe 'won't change' is an exaggeration, but at least you won't become enemies. Although I don't quite understand it myself, I think I can understand why Livis could become your teacher, and why you could become the witch's disciple."

Although he was marveling at the unusual connection between Ritas and Livis, Ritas could sense from the goddess's words that, unlike her carefree life in this world, she was experiencing a complex mix of emotions in her own.

After thinking for a moment, Ritas spoke.
"Since the Goddess of Bathing is envious, why don't I introduce her to the headmaster and let her become her disciple as well?"

"No way! Who wants to be a disciple of a witch who would actually try to turn me to ashes? Besides, I don't want to be your teacher either!"

Before I decide whether to think about it or not, is there anything the Goddess of Bath can teach me?

"A lot of good things!?"

While arguing with the goddess of bathing, Ritas's figure receded into the distance.

On the mage tower, Livis quietly watched Ritas's departing figure.

"That little guy really hasn't changed at all since we met; he's still as arrogant as ever, isn't he?"

As Livis spoke, two illusory butterflies fluttered around her, one on the left and one on the right.

As Livis closed her eyes slightly, she recalled the words Ritas had shouted to her two days earlier, just as she was unleashing her final attack.

"There must be many things in this world that are interesting enough even for teachers. So don't rush to dismiss them!"

Because of the distance and the wartime situation, Livis couldn't actually determine Ritas's mindset or purpose in uttering those words.

Perhaps her cunning disciple said those words to somewhat affect his opponent's performance?
It's entirely possible.

Livis could only say that although Ritas's words were somewhat off-topic, they did indeed touch her.

so.
"Since he dares to make such a boastful statement, let's continue to witness whether this 'world' still has any redeeming qualities. Anyway, we have so much time we're practically burning it out, Vivian, Sophia—"

As Livis spoke, the silver and gold butterflies took flight in two completely different directions.

Watching the phantom butterfly disappear into the distance, Livis simply smiled and muttered a soft complaint, "How indifferent."

Golden butterflies drifted in the wind, following a carriage, and arrived at a newly renovated cathedral in Spring City.

The enormous church seemed to have been completely divided in two.

Half of the space was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

"Whoa! Shipped! A huge shipment!"

"Wow! As expected of the Bathing Goddess!"

Led by Sister Mary the Black, the church members surrounded the white disc, making strange noises as if they were performing some suspicious ritual.

On the other side of the church.

An old man, trembling with fear, faced a young man wearing a half-face mask.

"Sir Sim, how are you feeling?"

Sir Heim, the artist.

He used to be a regular at Mograine's art critique sessions.

Unfortunately, he encountered the sudden emergence of "Yicai" at the peak of his career, and after several years of setbacks, he sadly chose to retire.

Perhaps in order to gain magical abilities, Sir Him, who absorbed large amounts of magic crystal powder after retiring, contracted a terminal illness called "crystal lung".

Sir Himm, sensing his impending death, decided to place his hopes on the "future," on his disciple "Maud."

Sir Him's method of expressing his feelings was rather peculiar; he wanted to be tragically killed by "Yi Cai" in front of his disciple, thus planting a strong hatred in the disciple's heart.

To achieve this goal, Sir Sim entrusted the "Grand Closing Company" with his entire fortune. However, what was a huge fortune to outsiders, Sir Sim's entire fortune, was merely the level of an "ordinary client" to the Grand Closing Company.

In addition, the market development team that took on Sir Sim's commission, namely Wayne and Pigeon, happened to be out of contact during this period.

Thus, by a twist of fate, Sir Himm had the fake "Oddity" kill his commission, which ended up in the hands of the real "Oddity".

Of course, this Mr. Yicai is now known by the pseudonym "White Pope".

"It feels...good. What exactly did you all do to me?!"

At this moment, Sir Himm's memory was very hazy. He only vaguely remembered that he had been beaten by someone who appeared to be a guard knight at the preliminary rounds of the Mograine Art Appraisal that year.

After being knocked unconscious, he woke up in the backyard of the church.

Upon waking, he realized that although he was under house arrest, the priest-like man who had imprisoned him did not seem to have any ill intentions. Furthermore, he was provided with food, medicine, and other necessities.

Sir Sim first inquired about the judging competition. After learning it had concluded, he asked his disciple Maud whether she had performed well. Only then did he inquire about Maud's current whereabouts.

With many issues put aside, and after learning that something terrible seemed to have happened at Earls College while he was in a coma, the White Pope came before him.

"It's nothing, it just cured your 'crystal lungs'."

The White Pope casually found a place to sit down and crossed his legs, a slight smile always playing on his lips, and said nonchalantly.

"Cure 'crystal lung'? That shouldn't be a terminal illness."

"That's because research on 'crystal lung' has been going in the wrong direction all along. It also lacks the most crucial treatment methods. But once those are in place, 'crystal lung' isn't actually a very scary disease. Your current condition is the best proof of that. No matter how skilled the therapist is, surgery for terminal illnesses usually can't make you recover to your current state just a few days after the operation."

As the White Pope spoke, he tossed a crystalline object toward Sir Him.

Sir Himm, who dared not refuse, caught it with both hands.

It was a crystal, not much larger than a grain of rice, characterized by sharp spikes that spread out in all directions like a sea urchin, but they were not very sharp.

"Those are magic crystals extracted from your body. They're probably quite meaningful; you can keep them."

As the White Pope spoke, Sir Him held the tiny crystal in his trembling hands—a small crystal that had kept him in despair for years—and tears welled in his eyes.

He can now genuinely feel that his body is ten years younger. Although perhaps not as young as before he fell ill, he can still sense that death has left him.

But then, in the next moment...
"So, you still intend to be killed by the 'Different Colors' Master, Sir Him?"

As if splashed with ice water, Sir Himm, whose senses spread from the top of his head to his tailbone, realized that the "White Pope" in front of him, whose tone was always so frivolous, was actually a member of the Grim Reaper organization, Grand Closing Company.

"No, no, no, no, it's not necessary."

"Huh? You don't want to die again? But this is really troublesome. As a high-performing employee who strives for good results, your backing out at this time puts me in a difficult position."

The White Pope spoke meaningfully, gazing intently at Sir Him.

For a moment, Sir Himm wanted to ask, "If that's the case, why did you heal me in the first place?"

But he didn't dare ask. Because, right now, he really wanted to keep living.

This is also why Sir Himm, who usually displays a volatile temper, is unusually "mannered" in front of the White Pope.

“Think carefully, guest. If you hadn’t died as planned, what would have happened to your disciple? She might never have been able to surpass that ‘Divine Brilliance’ master in her entire life.”

"!"

Suddenly, a ferocious look appeared on Sir Himm's face. However, this ferocity was less directed at his "enemy" and more at Maud, whom the White Pope had previously mentioned as the reason he must die.

"I can cancel the commission! I don't need your company to return the assets; I will receive exactly what is due. So..."

“Cancel? This is really bothering me. But what can I do? I have to respect the client’s wishes. I can just abandon this commission and let it be automatically transferred to another employee in the company.”

"That"

Sir Sim's face lit up with surprise.

He hadn't expected the White Pope to be so easy to talk to.

Although he was concerned that someone else would take his place, it was still better than being killed now.

“However, this makes things complicated. The reason I cured Sir Himm was because you, my guest, were destined to die by my hand. So, the treatment was just part of my ‘performance.’ But now, my guest wants to cancel and change the executor. Shouldn’t my guest bear the costs and losses I’ve already incurred?”

The White Pope, who had been crossing his legs, put them down, leaned forward, and rested his chin on his crossed hands, staring at Sir Sim in a way that put him under considerable pressure.

"I can pay! I can pay!"

Sir Himm dared not utter a word like "It's because you're good at governing me," he simply shouted nervously.

"However, all of your assets should have already been given to the company as commission."

The White Pope stood up, walked to Sir Sim, and cast his shadow over him.

Now that things have come to this point, he can basically reveal his ultimate goal.

However, to Pope White's surprise, Sir Himm had already presented the proposal before he even made his rather nasty suggestion.

“My disciple, I can entrust her to you! She has an exceptional talent for color mixing. Just ask around and you'll find out. There's a pigment called ‘Phantom Blue’ that can sell for an extremely high price! That pigment was mixed by her.”

Then Sir Sim began to eloquently describe the value of the "goods" he had used as payment.

But the White Pope wasn't in the mood to listen carefully to those explanations.

Even though his goal seemed to have been perfectly achieved, he was clearly not very happy.

Soon after.

"Then please be careful in the future. Other agents in the company will not be as willing to communicate as I am."

Behind the Baptistery Cathedral, a carriage was kindly provided to the White Pope, Sir Sim, as he watched his first and probably last client depart.

"Then, even without me saying more, Sir Himm should understand. Miss Maud is now the property of this place. Therefore, in order to prevent this 'commodity' from being tainted with anything that would affect its value, you must never appear in this area again. Otherwise..."

Inside the carriage, Sir Him simply nodded repeatedly.

Even if the White Pope didn't say it, he, who might wander the world afterward, would definitely never return to Spring City.

Sir Him felt a deep-seated fear of the White Pope.

Compared to criminals who easily kill others, doctors who can easily cure others' terminal illnesses are, in some ways, the ones who truly have others' lives at their fingertips.

"And that's it."

The White Pope's voice suddenly became low and deep, as if it belonged to someone else.
"From now on, never again accept students or disciples, or call yourself a teacher." As the White Pope's warning fell, the carriage carrying a fugitive disappeared into the distance, beyond the sight of Ritas and the Goddess of Bath.

"What a piece of trash."

"Yes."

The two couldn't help but sigh.

"Even though it was for Mord's sake, saving that bastard for that reason is really... ugh, there's something wrong with not saving someone when you could have done it! How could there be such a guy! Just being associated with him makes everything I do feel wrong!"

"At least now we can legally take custody of Miss Maud."

As Ritas spoke, a brief, complex expression crossed his face.

Now that he has taken over, he cannot easily abandon him until Mord comes of age and becomes independent.

However, even though he admired Maud's talent, he was not familiar with the girl and had no feelings for her. The main reason he was willing to do all these things for her was because the goddess of the bath always called her "third wife".

So, does this mean he's supporting someone else's wife?

"Hey, it's 'legal' now~"

Now the goddess of bathing is certain.

Ritas has always abided by his own laws and rules.

Ignoring the unspoken message from the goddess of bathing, Ritas let the "contract" involving Mord float into the air and then burned it all to ashes with flames.

The golden butterfly continues to flutter.

This time, she returned to Erles Academy with a professor and a goddess.

The main hall of Erles Higher Magic Academy has recently been plagued by misfortune.

On this day, the "Glory Banquet" following the closing of the college exchange meeting will be held as scheduled.

Given that such a major event has occurred, the entire academy seems to have changed, and many students have been unconscious for a long time, with the potential for further health problems still under discussion, how exactly did this grand event continue?
The answer is that the Tree Witch said she wanted to continue. So, they had no choice but to continue.

In a corner backstage of the Great Hall, Ritas and the Goddess of Bath were silently watching a short-haired girl clutching her ankle, tears streaming down her face.

"Cadet Langna, what is your injury?"

"When the academy was in chaos before."

"Uh-huh."

"Thanks to the help of the students in the professor's class, I was able to get through the riot safely."

"."

Then what are you even talking about?

The two of them were simultaneously ranting in their minds.

In fact, Langna just wanted to express her gratitude to Ritas.

Because the students of the Yewwood Class, especially Sylvie, helped her a lot during the incident.

It can be said that if Sylvie hadn't been so prophetic in avoiding all the dangers, they wouldn't have been able to weather the crisis almost unscathed.

As for this injury

The real reason is that the venue for the New Magic Ball Seminar was completely destroyed by the monsters during the incident.

So on this day, all the members of the seminar gathered together and began the reconstruction work in due course.

After experiencing the same incident, Langna, who became increasingly dependent on Elise, also joined in helping the New Magic Ball Research Association.

However, despite her tall stature, Langna's physical abilities are rather average. Yet, due to her appearance and other factors, she is often naturally assigned to tasks like moving heavy objects in certain jobs.

Even so, Langna, whose magic had already recovered somewhat, was still quite confident in herself. But she didn't expect that "magic loss syndrome" would really come in waves, just like a capricious child.

As a result, the magic suddenly stopped working while the heavy object was being moved.
"Tsk."

Faced with this scene, Ritas couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.

Therefore, without actual contact, who would know that the "Grand Master of Students," who is renowned in the academy and even in academia, could actually be used to this extent?

"Instead, shouldn't the normal script be that she breaks free from her constraints during a crisis, overcomes her 'mania' or awakens her 'star pattern,' and shines brightly amidst the chaos? The stage has already been set for her."

"Um"

Has the goddess of bathing forgotten the nickname she gave Langna?
If she can handle this kind of script, she won't be a cowardly older sister, nor will she be brought to tears by anything that's unrelated to the event.

"Since you're both injured, Student Langna should go and rest."

"No! I can't go to rest. I can't leave Elise alone in the banquet hall."

Langna spoke with great enthusiasm, and stood up with the help of two members of the new Magic Ball seminar.

Then, after taking only two steps forward, he collapsed again with a cry of pain.

"."

At the grand banquet hall of the Glory Banquet.

Contrary to expectations at the start of the college exchange meeting, not many people gathered at the venue that day.

After all, while the Dean of the Academy at Earls might be so carefree that the exchange meeting could proceed as usual no matter what happened, most people weren't that carefree.

Looking at the sparse crowd, Elise, a member of the "carefree" group, breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the banquet that was supposed to honor and celebrate her championship turned out like this, she still felt somewhat bitter.

On the other hand, she also knew that after Langna's injury, she would most likely be unable to appear as her dance partner. Therefore, even if she made a fool of herself on the dance floor, the scope of the embarrassment wouldn't be very large.

Well, with such a big incident happening at the academy, probably no one cares about whether they've embarrassed themselves or anything like that!
After calming herself down, Elise glanced around the stadium.

She didn't know if all the events of this grand celebration would proceed as planned. If not, she intended to simply stroll around the dance floor and then quietly slip away.

Just then, a figure caught Elise's attention.

Or perhaps, this figure moved through the banquet hall, constantly attracting the attention of those around him.

It was a young professor dressed in a deep red, conservative-style evening gown, with flat ballet shoes on his feet and a headdress with a light veil on his head, but the veil did not provide any concealment at all, and he stared with eyes that looked like they were about to jump out of their sockets.

"Professor Liritas?"

Looking at her figure that attracted so much attention, Elise exclaimed in disbelief.

In the somewhat empty banquet hall, the dance segment officially began as the band started playing.

With complicated expressions, Elise and Ritas walked into the dance floor, bowed to each other, and began to dance gracefully.

"Um... I didn't expect the professor to have this kind of fetish."

"How could that be?"

Although he seemed somewhat on the verge of breaking down, Ritas's emotions remained relatively stable overall.
"With Langna injured, where are we going to find another student with a similar physique, dance skills, and Elise's talent? Please focus!"

And it won't be a seriously injured replacement that you step on?
If it weren't for the rather demanding conditions set by Elise, he wouldn't have gone through so much trouble to find Langna as a special candidate.

In the end, Langna still couldn't go on stage, so what was the point of all this turmoil?
On the other side, although reminded by Ritas, unlike Ritas who was focused on dodging the "attack" with his head down, Elise, who remained more casual, continued to ask questions.

"Since there's no other way, can't the professor at least decorate himself? Like wearing a mask or something."

"At this time, when the attack just happened at the academy, it is neither possible nor acceptable to dress up suspiciously."

"How about putting on some makeup?"

"A last-minute attempt, coupled with mediocre skills, will only result in exaggerated or ugly makeup."

The accompanying music became slightly higher in pitch.

So, Elise pulled Ritas with one arm, making him spin around for a distance before "pulling" him back.

"Moreover, as long as it is presented in an upright manner, it is just an art form. It is the deliberate concealment that makes it seem strange."

"puff"

Seeing Professor Ritas, who could still be serious and stern even while dressed in women's clothing, Elise couldn't help but laugh.

"Professor, why are you willing to go to such lengths?"

"There is no point in saying that it is an art form!"

After reiterating his point, Ritas paused to think for a moment before giving his answer.

"Besides, perhaps it's because of the promise I made to Elise. I can't always be the one demanding that others keep their promises while I make excuses to avoid them when I encounter obstacles."

Furthermore, he should never again listen to the instigation of that goddess whose emotions and wisdom are both lacking!
After calming himself down, Ritas continued,
"However, the original agreement seemed to be to avoid Elise embarrassing herself at this banquet. But my actions have actually become a driving force."

Because of Elise's large size as a "male step" dancer, their dance inevitably left wide, imposing trails on the dance floor.

Fortunately, there weren't many people attending the banquet today, so it didn't affect the people on the other dance floor.

However, neither Ritas nor their dance moves could easily go unnoticed and elicit whispers.

"No, that won't happen."

Elise shook her head gently as she spoke.

But if he had to say something, Ritas would prefer that Elise stop shaking her head and focus more.

"Actually, Professor, I've been hesitant for a while now. Should I accept the invitation from other colleges and transfer there?"

"It is wise to calm down and objectively weigh the pros and cons related to oneself."

As he spoke, Ritas, who was still keeping his head down and dodging the "attack," did not notice that Iris's voice was becoming softer and gentler.

"I probably prefer the feeling of winning to the sport of Moneyball. However, apart from some sports, there are probably no other opportunities to compete with others now."

"Well, after all, this is a time of peace."

Apart from Earls College.

"Moreover, compared to other academies, the conditions offered are clearly better. The environment and atmosphere are more conducive to my travel to one competition venue after another, and I won't always encounter dangerous attacks."

"Indeed."

Ritas nodded.

He seemed to understand what Elise had decided and genuinely supported the student's choice.

However, the fact that there would be one less student among the few I had left still left me with a deep sense of loss.

The music gradually came to a stop.

The dreamlike atmosphere on the dance floor seemed to be about to dissipate.

Iris and Ritas stopped dancing, released their clasped hands, and gazed at each other. Ritas, as the female lead, lifted her skirt and bowed in greeting.

And Elise
Suddenly, he grabbed Ritas by the ribs with both hands and lifted him high into the air.

"But I'm not going anywhere!"

"Aha?"

"I want to stay here and be Professor Ritas's student forever!"

Amidst Ritas's involuntary gasp.

Looking up at Ritas, whom she had lifted up and who seemed to blend into the light of the stadium's chandeliers, Elise revealed an incredibly radiant smile.

The silver butterfly, having parted ways with the golden butterfly, flew through the night sky and arrived at a hillside where it could see the entire Erles Academy from afar.

On the hillside, a blonde girl sat gazing at the bustling academy, which remained brightly lit even after the attack.

She gazed into the distance for a long time until a brown-haired girl slowly walked up the hillside and spoke to her.

"Even if there are attachments, one cannot be too reluctant to let go. Or rather, for the 'Primordial,' all attachments will ultimately turn into a deadly poison."

"Then, I became the origin of an immune 'toxicity'."

The blonde girl smiled and turned around to speak.

The blonde girl who resembled Adeline, the current third princess of Libera, but was far more refined and beautiful, was none other than Anne.

“I look forward to you becoming a special ‘original’.”

The brown-haired girl smiled and said, then nodded to the other side with her chin.
"However, it's about time to set off. Estria is getting impatient. Every time she comes to this academy, she seems to feel a strange restlessness and unease."

The brown-haired girl pointed in the direction of the mysterious silver-haired mage with scars on his face, who had appeared before Ritas several times before.

At this moment, the girl known as Estria, while gazing at Erles Academy, would sometimes mutter to herself, "Could he be mine?" and sometimes lightly bite her fingers.

"Um"

After nodding slightly, An stood up, and a piece of paper fell from her body, quickly drifting away in the wind.

"Is it no longer needed?"

Seeing that Ann showed no sign of chasing after the pages, the brown-haired girl asked.

"No need. Since I have chosen to be the original that retains its 'self,' I naturally no longer need guidance."

As if saying goodbye, after gazing at the pages for a while, Anne turned around without lingering and embarked on a new journey with the brown-haired girl and Estria.

The paper, drifting further and further away in the wind, collided with a silver phantom butterfly fluttering in mid-air, and together they turned into particles of light.

As the pages were about to disintegrate, some ancient characters could still be faintly seen from above.

Its meaning is "Forgotten Sanctuary".

Golden butterflies still hover around the Great Hall of Earls College.

"Even if Elise stays in Ernest, I can only be your teacher for a maximum of four years. It's impossible before then."

"Put me down!"

Amidst protests from Ritas.

Although there are still things like final exams to deal with, the second semester is destined to be free of any further trouble.
This concludes the basic discussion.

(End of this chapter)