Magic Academy Bans Harem

Chapter 357 It should have been like this a long time ago

If you ask Cortriene why she chose magic.

She might say that magic, unlike swordsmanship which can only be used to kill, offers far more possibilities. Or she might say that in this era destined for increasing peace, the path ahead for a mage is undoubtedly smoother.

They would never say that their choices were influenced by a specific person.

There wasn't much explanation behind her going to the Bayano Military Magic Academy. It was simply because it was close to home.

After all, even if she went to Ers, the other Elson, who had already graduated from the four-year magic academy in just two years, was no longer in her year.

And so, Cortrienne began her academic career.

Cortrienne soon realized that she had truly embarked on an unfamiliar path.

Even though a demon has been stirring within her since childhood, Cortriene has undoubtedly been blessed by the heavens.

Family background, appearance, talent. She rightfully possessed what others could only dream of, and never doubted that she was able to have all of this based on her own "strength".

But after leaving her family and putting down her sword, she suddenly realized that she seemed to have nothing left. Moreover, her striking appearance became an obstacle to her life at the academy.

The huge difference made it difficult for Cortrienne to adapt for a long time.

Amidst the constant anguish, what seemed to sustain her continued involvement in the academy was nothing but her competitive spirit. She refused to allow herself to slink back to her family in disgrace, unable even to accomplish something as simple as graduating.

Gradually, after letting go of the "introversion" that the various changes had created within her that was fundamentally unsuitable for her, Cortellen's school life actually began to improve.

In her own way, she smashed through almost all the invisible and intangible "walls" in front of her.

Aside from her less-than-ideal academic performance, the college was no longer a place where she felt like an outsider.

For others, this might be nothing out of the ordinary. But for Cortriñe, whose heart was already filled with many thoughts, such ordinariness was an achievement.

Throughout her apprenticeship, Cortrinet deliberately neglected her swordsmanship.

Although there were times when things didn't go her way, it was as if a voice was telling her that everything would be alright if she just picked up her sword again. As long as she picked up her sword again, everything would go smoothly.

But she still did not succumb to the desires in her heart. She distanced herself in an orderly manner from the things she was born with and had lived through most of her life, things that were firmly imprinted on her body and soul.

Every year during her holidays, Cortrienne would take some time to visit the Elson mansion while returning to her own home.

Even when he was very busy, Roland always made time to check on Cortriene's well-being.

Perhaps only Roland, who knew the inside story, truly understood the hardships Cortelene, who had been struggling against her instincts, had endured.

Although Cortriene never confided in him, Roland had sensed many things through his special abilities during his previous training sessions.

Perhaps unlike liking or loving, the "sword" seems to have become a part of Cortrienne, a continuation of her body and soul.

Even after things had come to this point, Cortriñe's final choice was still to "give up." This can only mean that, in her mind, continuing to take up the sword would be a path that would be even more "painful" than it was now.

She was a troubled child who seemed to lack a limiter from birth, but now she has become a girl full of human kindness.

As the head of the Elson family, Roland felt a mix of emotions—both bittersweet and gratified. As a swordsman, he also occasionally felt a slight sense of regret.

time flies.

After a bumpy journey through her school years, Cortelene successfully graduated from the Bayano Magic Academy after repeating a year once. She then went on to join a research institute within the academy as a researcher.

During her last summer before graduation, Cortrienne met Ritas, who had rarely returned home in recent years, at the Elsen mansion.

Faced with this incredibly familiar figure, and one of the "culprits" who had turned her into an ordinary person, Cortriñe felt an overwhelming sense of complexity.

While she was struggling to graduate from the magic academy, Ritas was actually considering whether to accept the academic community's nomination for associate professor.

Sometimes, Cortrienne even wondered if time was simply moving exceptionally fast on Ritas's side.

If there were even the slightest difference, Cortrienne might have felt a bit resentful. But since the difference was so significant, she felt indifferent.

That year, many young people gathered at Elson's mansion.

Not only Ritas, and Charlotte, who already showed signs of becoming a "repeater king," but also the other young people in the Elson family.

As a child, Cortriñe, covered in spikes, led her younger cousins, seemingly forming a distinct faction from the other young people in the Cross Hall and the family.

But as we grow up, many of the conflicts and oppositions from childhood become things we laugh about.

During this candid conversation, many years apart, one of the students of the Cross Hall said the following.

It's such a waste that the young lady's swordsmanship is going to go to waste.

Unlike the two "connected" Elsons, the students of the Cross Hall could easily see that Cortrienne had become lax in her swordsmanship over the years.

And starting with this student, the others also began to discuss the matter one after another.

They meant no harm, and Cortrienne was not annoyed by it.

They simply hoped that Cortriene, no matter how busy she was with her work and studies in magic, could still spare some time for swordsmanship.

This approach may make it difficult to achieve further improvement, but it can at least maintain a certain level of quality.

After all, those sword skills were honed by Cortrinie through countless hours of hard work and dedication. Besides, Cortrinie might not necessarily remain a researcher after graduation.

If she truly wants to break free from the family, then retaining another "skill" after losing the protection of the Elson family and the academy is never a bad thing.

It was this conversation that revived Cortrinie's heart, which she herself thought had been completely dormant.

It is said that even geniuses become mediocre after the age of twenty.

Now that I'm over twenty, will all those past abnormalities disappear?
Cortriene, having graduated from the magic academy, faces numerous setbacks in her new workplace. One day, this thought arises in her mind.

Coupled with the conversation they had shared during the summer, which kept replaying in her mind, Cortrienne began to take action.

A real sword is obviously not suitable.

Even though Cortriñe's heart was unusually restless, she still retained a shred of rationality.

If coming to the magic academy was a rejection of her life up to that point, then taking up a real blade again after graduating from the academy was undoubtedly another rejection of her life.

Cortrienne had no interest in constantly switching between the two options, allowing herself to suffer indefinitely.

After racking her brains for a while, Cortrienne set her sights on the magic wand.

Her wand itself is quite special. Its shape is peculiar, designed to amplify the power of her magic.

So, if she further modifies her wand, could she also give it some "sword" functions?

After having a basic idea, Cortrienne began to work on bringing it to fruition.

Although her own abilities are somewhat lacking, she has the help of many people around her.

Ultimately, she obtained a mechanical umbrella that was supposedly a magic umbrella, but in reality, it had very few magical functions. On the day the magic umbrella was created, watching Cortrine wielding the large, blunt umbrella around, no one present could truly understand why Cortrine was so happy.

Only she knew that creating a peculiar weapon was truly secondary.
"So that's why Kurt gave up swordsmanship. I thought before that it was because her body developed too well, resulting in a body that was completely unsuitable for being a swordsman. So... cough, should I find a chance to apologize to her?"

"I think the best apology you can give me is simply not to bring these things up again, Sister Yu."

"Sometimes I feel that the Bath Goddess's way of thinking is like that of a seven or eight-year-old boy," Millie sighed.

As Millie quickly skimmed through Cortrinet's memories, she felt a heavy weight on her shoulders.

To be honest, she couldn't understand Cortelene's impulse to try to kill her opponent.

However, she could clearly sense that Cortriñe was in pain.

Fragments of memory often present images that are particularly vivid in one's memory.

Cortrienne's memories alternate between her pain and her childhood at the Elson mansion.

Just like Cortelne, who was desperately suppressing her impulses with those beautiful memories. Then, she used those memories as her motivation and determination, forcing herself to accept that she would gradually become mediocre after giving up swordsmanship.

Being praised to a high position and then falling completely feels much more severe than simply falling to the ground.

Millie simply couldn't imagine what it would be like if she one day lost all her current talents and became like Grenville, spending a year at magic school only able to blow people's skirts away with magic.
The memory scene continues.

The goddess of bathing was initially worried that Cortriñe might experience the same scenario where she had once kicked her bad habit but immediately fell into despair after resuming it.

But actually, no.

Perhaps it's because it's a time of peace that there aren't many opportunities to use sharp weapons.

Even after Corténe took up her magic umbrella, which functioned as a sword, and began some restorative training, her demeanor remained normal, showing no signs of being tainted by anything "dark."

Even so, Cortriñe sometimes encountered situations where she had to demonstrate her strength.

However, Cortriñe, who used to always "hurt" the other party first before negotiating terms, now mostly uses intimidation.

Both physically and mentally, Cortrinie seems to have become an outstanding adult.

The things that had caused her pain in the past seemed to have all disappeared.

And what delighted her even more was that one day, a letter from Ritas arrived.

Ritas hopes she can come to Ers Academy and join the Tree Witch Research Society as a researcher to train and manage some more "special" girls.

Judging from the way Cortriñe unconsciously and casually packed her luggage on the day she received the letter, she clearly really wanted to go.

However, she struggled with herself for a while before finally deciding to accept Ritas's invitation.

Perhaps Corteline hadn't expected that things at Erles Academy were more turbulent than she had imagined.

Sometimes, the Tree Witch seems to be the greatest deterrent. Other times, she is the greatest threat.

Overall, however, she was satisfied with her life in Earls.

Watching the girls gradually gain strength under her training, she no longer harbored the same thoughts as before about using their blood to hone her sword.

Even in some actual combat situations, the conditions she feared did not occur.

This was the case when encountering thugs in Springtown.

The same applies when catching perverts in the city.

In the adventurer's town, although there was a moment when she was consumed by rage and wanted to kill her opponent, she could distinguish that it was just anger, not a desire to kill. It was precisely because of this that when her opponent also used the Elson style sword technique, she was able to immediately control herself and stop.

Until the last day of the college exchange meeting.

Amidst the confusion of the goddess of the bath and Millie, Cortriñe's memories rewind to the moment of her battle with Fernandez.

At that moment, the entire filter of the memory seemed to be stained crimson.

Cortriene, who was already on the verge of defeat, had a red glint in her eyes.

It was an incredibly clean horizontal slash.

If it weren't for the magical umbrella in Cortelene's hand, which was different from the greatsword she usually used.

That strike would undoubtedly split Fernandez in two.

On that day, Cortrienne defeated Fernandez and protected Ers's students.

But at the same time, she also began to feel anxious and frustrated.

The memories continue to be chaotic and distorted.

This time, the scene takes place in a dimly lit alley in the town of Prista.

The serial killer at the time still had his arm smashed and was lying on the ground unable to move.

Beside Cortriene, who was raising her greatsword, a red phantom seemed to appear.

The phantom kept whispering something in Cortrinet's ear, and after a moment of stillness, Cortrinet swung her sword down heavily, just like in the previous memory.

"!"

It was a bloody scene that made both the goddess of bathing and Millie shudder.

This time, Sword Saint Roland did not appear in time.

Cortrienne, on the other hand, simply used her greatsword with one hand to hack the prisoner in front of her into countless pieces.

"It should have been done a long time ago."

After a brief moment, beside the blood and flesh that were no longer recognizable, Cortrienne, completely soaked in the scattered crimson, murmured to herself.

"Kurt."

Even though she knew it was just a memory, or a distorted memory, the goddess of the bath couldn't help but want to say something to Cortelne, but was suddenly stopped by Millie.

Because Millie realized that the Cortrienne in front of her wasn't just murmuring about the scenery from her memory.

"Is not it?"

Suddenly, Cortrienne turned her head and tilted her neck strangely, staring at the goddess of the bath and Millie.

boom!
At the same moment, a loud cracking sound was heard.

Cortrienne's memories began to collapse completely.

(End of this chapter)