Magic Academy Bans Harem

Chapter 8, Church

Star patterns from outer space, and a world-destroying crisis?
On Friday night, Ritas, who had just moved into the new dormitory, was lying on the bed looking at the unfamiliar ceiling, thinking so in his heart.

Ritas didn't feel any sense of crisis about the so-called resurrected Demon King. Rather, he felt that it wouldn't be a bad thing even if the world that needed a group of students to save was destroyed.

However, Ritas could not completely turn a blind eye. After all, if the world really split in two in an instant, it would not be a big deal if all humans were destroyed at once. The worst outcome would be that most of the world was destroyed, and it became an extremely difficult environment to survive.

The real reason why Ritas is not anxious now is that, according to the goddess, the node that affects the resurrection of the Demon King is still to come, and nothing will happen in a short time.

On the other hand, the "route" that Ritas is currently experiencing is clearly different from the goddess's cognition.

His being alive was actually a minor issue. What really mattered was that Dean Livis hadn't left the academy.

Although Livis had many flaws, her power as a mage was unquestionable. Therefore, as long as Livis stayed in the academy, those suspicious forces would have little room to cause trouble. It was even possible that many conspiracies were completely wiped out in the cradle.

Ritas sighed softly.

Until the beginning of this semester, he still felt that he was one of the most knowledgeable people in the world and that he had a full understanding of the world.

But what happened in the past two weeks has completely exceeded his common sense and his worldview.

Even Earls College, which he thought might continue to exist a hundred or a thousand years after his death, might no longer exist in a few years.

On the third day of school, a teacher was assassinated, multiple forces were plotting in secret, and there were also multiple students who were hiding destructive powers.
Is the academy such a dangerous place?
Turning over, Miriam's figure appeared in Ritas' mind.

He cared deeply about Miriam.

First of all, from the words of the goddess, he learned that Miriam was a brave man who could lead his companions to save the world when the world was in danger of destruction.

Secondly, it is the sentence when introducing "Star Emblem" that "Players will play the role of the brave Miriam."

Does this mean that there is a goddess-like existence behind Miriam, controlling him?

Or was it Miriam who was supposed to have received the disc and heard the goddess' voice?
Regardless of the reasons, Ritas was very curious about Miriam. In addition, his dormitory was burned down and he was "homeless". Miriam's dormitory, which was supposed to be shared by two students, had a vacancy. So he applied to temporarily share a dormitory with Miriam.

At present, Ritas has not come to any conclusion. He just feels that Miriam behaves a little stiffly in front of him.

From Miriam’s story, Ritas thought of the term “game character” again.

He was now basically certain that to the goddess on the other side of the disc, they were just game characters in a game.

If Ritas hadn't played a few role-playing tabletop games during his school years, he might not have understood this concept.

After many years, Ritas seemed to recall the touch of the chess piece in his hand.

At that time, he only needed to use his thumb and index finger to hold the "neck" of the chess piece and lift it up. Then he could easily let the chess piece, or the character he played, fly through the map marked with mountains and rivers, or in other words, the "game world".

And does the goddess also have the ability to do similar things?
As for his identity as a "game character", Ritas didn't care at all.

My world is just a game in the eyes of gods. Then is the world of gods also a game in the eyes of higher-level gods?
He had long since passed the stage of such meaningless philosophizing.

No matter how the goddess perceives this world, he only needs to know that for him, his world is not a game.
Before I knew it, the rhythmic sound of hissing breathing began to rise.

With many thoughts in his mind, Ritas fell into a peaceful sleep.

Weekend time.

Early in the morning, Ritas left the dormitory mansion.

Miriam, who was hiding in her room on the second floor, saw Ritas leave through the gap in the curtains. She first breathed a sigh of relief, then scratched her hair in annoyance.

Soon after, Ritas arrived at the academy's stables and boarded the carriage that had been reserved the day before.

Not only the teachers of the academy, but also the students can leave the academy on holidays and go to Spring City at the foot of the mountain. But of course, the school will not provide high-end black carriages and drivers for the students.

Spring City, where Earls Higher School of Magic belongs, is a city located on the border of the Holy Kingdom of Libera. The territory and lords of this city have always been relatively flexible. As a result, many historical problems have been created.

There are at least seven countries around that can prove with reason and evidence that Spring Territory is a sacred and inseparable part of their country since ancient times.

The fact that Earls College has been able to stand firm for many years in such a complex place is enough to show the influence of Earls College on the continent.

Soon, Ritas arrived in Spring City.

As a border hub city connecting all parties, Spring City was exceptionally lively that day.

Spring City is mainly divided into East City District and other areas.

Spring City has been expanded seven times in the past, and five of them were for the expansion of the East City District. Therefore, the East City District now accounts for two-thirds of the entire city.

If you look down from above, the overall shape of Spring City looks strange.

Ritas did not go to the East City District where the Chamber of Commerce, adventure groups, mercenary groups and other messy organizations gathered, but came to the relatively secluded west of Spring City.

After a brief inquiry and search, the carriage stopped in front of a white building.

The featured organization of Holy Libera, the "Council of Faith".

Walking into the headquarters of the Faith Committee, Ritas couldn't help but stop in the hall, and then felt a little confused.

Where did these monsters come from?
There were not many people in the hall of the Faith Committee's headquarters, but they were all dressed in strange clothes.

Some were covered with pink balloons, some were wearing skirts made entirely of palm-sized puppets, and some were strung with many bells and wind chimes that made a terribly loud noise when they moved.

This man wearing animal skins, carrying an animal head on his back, and wearing a robe with a metallic luster, who would have been quite eye-catching outside, was almost translucent in this hall.

The people in this hall looked so extravagant, but their actions were very low-key and ordinary. Most of them were either queuing up in front of the counter or writing something attentively at a table in the corner.

Simply put, the Faith Committee is a place that issues qualifications for establishing a "church".

A long time ago, no, not even a long time ago, in other countries on the mainland, organizations like "church" were also formed spontaneously by the people.

But only the Holy Kingdom of Libera has a series of decrees related to the "Committee of Faith" issued by the former "genius" prime minister.

Carefully passing through the gaps between various patriarchs and gods, Ritas took an application form.

He planned to form a church, and this church was naturally related to the goddess in the disc.

When talking with the goddess before, Ritas, who really wanted to establish a "cooperative" relationship with the goddess as close as possible, put forward some proposals.

Adhering to the stereotype of the gods, Ritas first proposed a sacrificial ceremony without a living sacrifice. However, the goddess was not interested in these at all. When Ritas mentioned that he could help the goddess build a church, the goddess showed interest.

“Types of Faith.”

Reading it in a low voice, Ritas found that the application form was quite detailed. No wonder some of the Popes were scratching their heads and sometimes had to ask the people around them to translate for them.

The type of belief of his church is naturally belief in God.

However, the details under the belief in gods must also be filled in what the god of faith is in charge of.

What does the Disc Goddess rule over?
Prophecy? That doesn't seem right.

Ritas closed his eyes and recalled the words of the noisy goddess.

Then soon, inspiration came.

The goddess was always doing one thing, something that seemed very important to her. Whether she was halfway through a game or halfway through a conversation, she couldn't stop doing it. It even seemed that she didn't care much about anything else, but that one thing was absolutely indispensable.

Take a bath.

The goddess who rules bathing!
"Um"

Ritas hesitated for a moment.

It’s not that I think it’s disrespectful to the goddess, but I think “in charge of bathing” sounds very ordinary.

After pondering for a long time, Ritas began to write.

In charge of bathing.

The followers of the church he founded believed in the goddess of bathing.

The problem of the church's name that had troubled him before was also solved at this moment.

Bath Goddess, Bath Goddess Church!
Today is the birth day of the Bathing Goddess Church!
It was already afternoon when we returned to the college from Spring City.

After bypassing the main area of the academy and then three dormitory areas, Ritas came to an area deep in the academy adjacent to the mountains and forests.

Looking up, Ritas could see a truly towering tree.

The trunk of the big tree is as thick as a tower and its crown rises into the clouds.

Hundreds of years ago, some people who did not know the truth believed this towering tree to be the legendary "World Tree", leaving behind many World Tree-related beliefs in the surrounding area.

And for a long time since then, this big tree has become the symbol of Earls College.

But this tree, which is very precious in every sense, suffered a disaster decades ago.

The terrible witch hollowed out the trunk of the giant tree and built a tree house, occupying the former "World Tree" and also occupying the academy that had always been protected by the giant tree.
“It’s a shame.”

Ritas shook his head and stood under the giant tree, ringing the magic bell at the door of the tree house.

“Please wait a moment—!”

The sound insulation of the tree house door is not very good.

So, in addition to this response, Ritas soon heard a "Ah" and a sound as if someone was rolling.

Soon, the door of the tree house was opened with a bang, and the girl who looked a little embarrassed inside the house smiled particularly brightly after seeing Ritas.

"Professor Ritas! Welcome, welcome--"

"Good afternoon, Cadet Mercy."

Ritas greeted Merci with a complicated expression, who had become the roommate of the great witch who dominated the academy.

Inside the tree house, the Dean of Earls College, who was sitting at the tea table bored, was lazily crossing his legs and snapping his fingers. Every time he snapped his fingers, all the clothes on Livis would be changed into another set.

Home clothes, pajamas, wizard robes, evening gowns, aprons. In the end, it settled on doll costumes that were somewhat similar to pajamas.

"Ah~ My beloved disciple, how are you feeling today?"

"Good afternoon, Dean."

After greeting with a straight face, Ritas continued,

"According to the school's rules, even on holidays, you are not allowed to use magic at will in the school."

"No, no, I didn't use any magic, those were just some tricks~"

Levis said, snapping her fingers again and changing into a nun's outfit.

"."

Ritas was speechless for a moment. Levis was always like this, telling lies that could be easily exposed. But no one could do anything to her.

After Ritas found a seat at the tea table and sat down, Merci walked into the house pushing a small food cart.

"Professor Ritas, please have some tea."

Watching Mercy's skillful movements of making and pouring black tea, Ritas took the teacup, frowned slightly and stared at Levis.

"No, no, don't look at me like that. I definitely didn't order Mercy around like a servant."

As if she understood Ritas's doubts, Levis waved her hands and said.

"That's right, Professor Ritas. And I'm very happy to be able to help Sister Levis."

Mercy also explained.

At this time, Ritas's attention has shifted to other places.

"You... you actually let student Merci call you 'sister'?"

Ritas's face was full of disbelief and surprise.

"Oh? Little thing, what do you mean? My, my, it's true that children become more annoying as they grow older. Don't you think so, Merci? Look at how cute the little thing over there is right now."

While speaking, Livis shook her fingers, and every time she turned her fingers, a piece of cardboard fell on the table.

All I saw were traces of magic reflected on these pieces of cardboard, and these traces showed the appearance of Ritas when he was about thirteen or fourteen years old.

"This is... When exactly are you?"

Next to Ritas who looked stunned.

Looking at the scattered reflections of the little Ritas, Merci was a little hesitant and embarrassed at first, but she finally couldn't resist the temptation and started to "inspect" with shining eyes.

"Professor Ritas, who is so great now, called me mom back then."

Livis said with a sad face.

“Please don’t spread rumors!”

And Ritas, unable to bear it any longer, shouted shrilly.

(End of this chapter)