Magic Academy Bans Harem

Chapter 255 Obsession
"Nice color."

In the basement, Maud, so focused that she didn't notice her surroundings at all, finished painting the canvas and stood with her hands on her hips, looking at her "work" with satisfaction.

A voice suddenly rang out.

The girl was genuinely startled. She hopped to the side of the easel, curled up, and looked timidly in the direction of the sound.

It was a masked, highly suspicious figure.

However, it was a figure Maud recognized. Because she rarely saw people, she had a deep impression of everyone who visited the mansion.

"You...you're the teacher's friend?"

"almost."

The suspicious figure, Ritas, hesitated for a moment before answering.

Maud, on the other hand, visibly let out a long sigh of relief and emerged from behind the easel.

She didn't ask Ritas why he was there, probably tacitly acknowledging that Sir Sim had already received the guest.

"This is a very rare shade of blue. Did you mix it yourself?"

Ritas continued to ask about the paint.

On the one hand, he really had nothing to talk about with this strange young girl, Maud. On the other hand, having some knowledge of art, he noticed the peculiarities of this pigment.

Even in the dimly lit basement, the colors of the sky on the canvas appeared exceptionally bright. Even after shifting slightly to change the angle and create shadows, the overall atmosphere conveyed by the colors remained unchanged.

"Um"

Maud, who was also a little uncomfortable in front of strangers, rubbed his fingers and said something. Suddenly, as if he remembered something, he ran to the deepest part of the basement, a place that looked like a storage room.

After rummaging around inside for a while, Mord, whose hair and face were covered in dust, ran back to Ritas with a small jar in his hand.

"Would you like to buy a can?"

Seeing that Ritas seemed a little confused, Mord opened the lid of the small jar.

It was a full jar of blue pigment. Although some of the pigment had deteriorated significantly due to improper storage, most of it was still usable.

"You can mix this blue color anytime?"

Ritas, who had initially thought that Maud had simply stumbled upon the beautiful and suitable colors for painting, asked with some surprise.

"almost"

Maud nodded. He hadn't considered that having more of his special pigments would actually lower the price.

"How about one gold coin for each jar?"

Looking at the jar that had probably been used to store smoked meat, Ritas weighed the options in his mind and gave what he considered a reasonable price.

"Gold coins? Give me silver coins! And at least that much."

After a moment of internal struggle, Maud mustered the courage to extend five fingers.

"Any gold coin circulating in mainland China can be exchanged for at least sixteen silver coins."

Somewhat confused, Ritas habitually offered a popular science explanation.

This is common knowledge that even the Goddess of Bathing, who has been in this world for more than half a year, knows. Why does Mord seem so oblivious? While it's true that children of this age in ordinary families don't have many opportunities to handle gold coins, they should at least know their value.

"I want silver coins."

Maud said stubbornly.

"Alright."

Ritas took out silver coins from his bag, put them in a small pouch, and handed them to Mord. He didn't intend to take advantage of him and gave him sixteen coins as agreed.

As Mord carefully examined the silver coin Ritas had given him, his eyes growing brighter and brighter, he belatedly realized that he hadn't given the paint to Ritas yet, so he hurriedly shoved the small jar over.

After taking the small jar, Ritas was certain once again that it had been used to store smoked meat.
"Is it really okay for me to have so much? You...you're such a kind person."

"Thank you for the compliment. May I ask what you plan to do with these silver coins?"

After putting the jar in, Ritas continued to ask.

"Yes, I need to buy some food, some cloth, winter is coming soon. I might also need to buy some paint, the ones we have at the manor are almost gone, and if we can't mix new ones, we won't have any more silver coins. But I don't know where to buy them. I also need to buy the teacher some all-purpose healing water. And..."

"Wait a minute, what is this panacea water that can cure all diseases?"

Besides sensing a domestic side in Maud that was beyond her years, Ritas also sensed a side of her that was beyond her years, one that was incomprehensible.

"It's a panacea, water that can cure all diseases!"

"."

Ritas was silent for a moment, then changed his question. He frowned upon learning that a bottle of that water cost a silver coin.

"I don't think drinking water alone will improve Sir Sim's condition. It would be better to see a doctor and take some medicine."

Maud looked somewhat displeased with Ritas's suggestion, clearly feeling that he was underestimating the "miracle water that can cure all diseases." However, considering that Ritas was a good person and that he wanted her to buy more water, she didn't hold it against him.

When the topic of medicine came up, Maud's expression darkened.

"The teacher is unwilling to take medicine and rarely eats."

So, we can only drink "all-purpose water that can cure diseases"?
Ritas seemed to understand why Maud had fallen into a situation where she had no choice but to be fooled.

Just as Ritas was about to ask more questions about Maud and Sir Himm, he heard a series of dragging footsteps coming from the stairs leading to the basement.

When Maud heard the sound, she suddenly seemed flustered and tried to pack up her canvas, paints and other things.

But before she could finish collecting them, Sir Him had already appeared in the basement.

Sir Him, with a fierce and menacing expression, threw down his cane and strode closer.

At first, Ritas thought Sir Sim was so agitated because he had discovered an intruder in the mansion. But he soon realized that Sir Sim had not noticed him at all.

Perhaps because he was terminally ill, or perhaps because Ritas was as discreet as ever, ignoring the "guest," Sir Him simply rushed straight to Maud's side and grabbed her shoulders tightly with both hands.

"Are you drawing these again?"

"No, teacher, I..."

"Why are you doing these useless things again?!"

Sir Himm, his face flushed red, roared angrily, not at all like someone who had been ill for a long time.

He was like a demon crawling out of hell, staring horribly at Maud, who was already sobbing and apologizing, whether from fear, the pain of having his shoulder grabbed, or some other emotion, and continued to roar wildly.

"How many times have I said it, magic, magic, magic! Instead of wasting time, go and improve the precision of your magical paintings! Use magic to accomplish everything you want to do, and dedicate your entire life to magic!"

"I...I will...I'm sorry."

"I'm done for! I'm out of time! Only you, only you are my last hope. Only you have a chance, but why do you have everything I don't have, talent, yet you waste your energy and time on this useless thing! Why! Why, why, why, why! I took you in and raised you all this time, can't you give me anything in return! You!"

"Sir Him." Ritas's refined voice rang out in the basement, like a bucket of cold water poured on the frenzied Him.

Him, with his eyes wide open and his face seemingly even more parched, turned to look at Ritas, the executor of the "Grand Closing Company".

“Mr. ‘White Pope’, you…you shouldn’t have entered my residence without permission.”

Shortly after, after leaving Maud in the basement, Ritas and Sim went to the living room of the mansion.

Perhaps because he had just unleashed all his energy, Him looked like a lump of mud supported by a flimsy skeleton, compared to the more obvious signs of aging he had shown a few days ago.

"I see. My apologies for my rudeness. In that case, please allow me to take my leave."

"Wait, please wait."

Looking at the "White Pope" on the opposite sofa, his arms resting on the armrests, his hands and legs crossed, and a smile playing on his lips, Him gritted his teeth and said, "Sorry."

"So, is Mr. 'White Pope' ready to carry out the commission today?"

On the opposite side of Him, Ritas was secretly marveling.

In this world, there are actually people who would spend all their wealth to beg others to kill them.

Perhaps it is precisely this diversity of human beings that makes the criminals in the company unable to resist.

"No, no, no, it's just that Sir Him sent far too many letters. So, out of responsibility to our guests, the company sent me to investigate the situation."

boom!
Hearing Ritas making excuses again, Him, who was really getting fed up, suddenly slammed his fist on the low table in front of him.

Him's actions naturally did not frighten Ritas.

It's fair to say that Ritas was already used to seeing this kind of impotent, furious old man when he was four years old.

"Please understand, we've been quite busy lately, and the company's operations have been somewhat disrupted. That's why your previous 'closing' proposal hasn't reached me yet."

Ritas shrugged and said.

“Kill me! Why do you need a plan when it's so simple to just kill me! Kill me in front of my students! Kill me while impersonating 'him'! That's the plan, so now, immediately, right now!”

On this day, it seemed that it wasn't just the illness that was out of control, but also the volatile Sim's renewed roar.

But the "White Pope" simply picked his ear with his little finger, then gently blew in Him's direction, his calm smile continuing as he held up a finger in front of Him.

"After all, Sir Sim is our valued client, and I don't want my perfect track record of zero negative reviews to be tainted. But your request does conflict with company policy. So, I'm giving you a chance to convince me, to convince me to break the rules."

A little while later.

After drinking a glass of what he didn't know was "a panacea," Shim gradually calmed down.

With a voice so hoarse it was barely audible, Him spoke slowly.

"Mr. White Pope, have you ever heard of the name 'Extraordinary Colors'?"

"."

Upon hearing this term, Ritas almost reverted from "White Pope" mode back to his usual mode.

The goddess of the bath, whose mental fortitude was clearly not as strong as Ritas's, anticipated what was about to happen and began to feel awkward.

"I have heard of it; it's quite famous around this city."

"Famous? It's not just about being famous; he's practically changed the entire landscape of the art world. He's a chosen one!"

"."

Amidst the silence between Ritas and the goddess of bathing, Him began to recount his painful experiences.

Several years ago, during the years when his works were at their most complete and his achievements were most outstanding, he encountered the unexpected "extraordinary talent" at the appraisal meeting he had been looking forward to.

Him is conflicted.

He seemed to genuinely admire and even worship "extraordinary talent," using all sorts of exaggerated praise. But at the same time, he also deeply resented the genius who had stolen the crown he so desperately wanted from the judging panel and robbed him of "everything."

"If only I had magic... If only I had ten or twenty more years, maybe I could. But I don't! I have nothing! Nothing!!!"

Him, whose emotions were exceptionally unstable, roared a few more times before slumping down in dejection.

“Just when I was at my most desperate, I met Maud, my student. She was talented, and her talent was so dazzling. I seemed to see a budding ‘brilliance’ in her youth.”

A fanatical glint appeared in Him's eyes.

"But that won't do. She lacks too many things. She lacks the kind of obsession that 'Yicai' has—the kind of deep-seated obsession that comes from dedicating one's entire life to the art of magic and the accumulation of one's life and time!"

"."

Ritas was now very grateful that the mask had held his forehead in place.

"I must pour my obsession into her. Because I have no time left! 'Yicai' has no time left either! He has disappeared for many years, and he will only appear at the judging meeting this year, only this year! This year!!!"

"What is the best obsession? Hatred! Despair! Only such an obsession can make her no longer so weak, no longer waste time doing meaningless things."

"She can do it, she definitely can! As long as we fill the gaps in her needs, as long as we give her what she needs most, she will definitely be able to create works that surpass 'Yicai' and defeat her for me!"

"So, all you need to do is kill me. Just kill me in front of her. And you happen to be wearing a mask too, so... after you kill me, tell her that you are 'Yi Cai'!"

"This is the last lesson I can teach her!"

After voicing all his thoughts in one breath, Him coughed violently.

After the coughing, there was an unusually long silence.

then
“I’m sorry, Sir Sim, you haven’t been able to convince me.”

"What?"

Him stared at the person opposite him in disbelief.

In his mind, his lofty words and ideals should not fail to move the other party.

But the White Pope, who didn't even seem inclined to smile, simply said indifferently,
"A grand finale" is our company's signature event. Therefore, such a hasty execution would damage our reputation. Besides, even if we proceed now, it's unlikely we'll be able to meet the annual product evaluation meeting. So, please be patient."

"It's all because you've been dragging your feet!"

Overwhelmed with anger and anxiety, Him whimpered a few times before fainting.

After confirming that Him hadn't died of anger, Ritas moved him back to his bed in the bedroom.

Stepping outside, Ritas felt the freshness of the air for the first time. He sighed softly and began to ponder how to handle the situation.

"Let's start with what we can do first."

After whispering something to the equally dejected Bath Goddess, Ritas went to the basement.

"Miss Maud, may I ask where I can buy 'the all-powerful water that can cure all diseases'?"

(End of this chapter)