I Broke Off My Engagement and Got a Job at the Academy

18 – 18. Hesitation

Today, I received another letter from Cerise.

Once a week, Cerise and I exchanged letters, sharing our situations with each other.

There wasn’t anything particularly extraordinary in the content—just the exchange of our ordinary daily lives.

Having finished reading Cerise’s letter, I began nodding after receiving it.

There wasn’t anything negative to write about. My life here was simply uneventful.

However, it seemed different on the outside.

Though Cerise was trying to conceal it, the political situation outside was beyond chaotic, indescribable in any other way.

…Well, it probably doesn’t matter much to me right now.

As long as Cerise was safe, the political situation outside didn’t concern me much.

Thinking like that while writing on the letter paper in my dorm room, someone knocked on the door.

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“Who is it?”

“Oh, it’s a letter.”

Opening the front door, unexpectedly, another letter was handed to me.

“What’s this?”

Was there someone else who would write me a letter?

I even thought Cerise might have sent me another letter.

And, without much thought, as I unwrapped the outermost envelope, an unusual-looking one popped out.

“…What is this?”

A golden-silk envelope on pure white paper, not only that, it bore the seal of a deity.

“…A sacred place?”

It was a letter sent by a saint from the sacred place. I was bewildered and for a while, I just stared at the envelope without knowing what to do.

How on earth should I handle this? My mind became increasingly chaotic.

“…First of all, should I open it?”

I unsealed the envelope and took out the letter inside.

Rustle. As I unfolded the letter, a firm handwriting caught my eye.

‘To Eden Kainus.’

What could the saint possibly want to say to me?

I began to read the characters slowly.

‘If I had known it would turn out like this from the beginning, I think I would have been better off not getting involved in politics.

Because of you, I got mixed up in politics and ended up witnessing the worst possible outcome.

The girl you asked me to take care of, that is, the daughter of Duke Cielaine, I find myself contemplating whether I should assist her.

Although I felt pity for your situation, considering the current state of affairs, it might be better if you sold your assets.

The current situation… well, calling it chaotic would be an understatement.

The emperor is making efforts to eliminate those who oppose him, with the support of those who cover his back.

Duke Cielaine, who was supposed to be your fiancée, is opposing this by forming an alliance with the Ircali Duke in the middle class.

If things continue like this, not only I but also those who follow me will inevitably get entangled in politics.

However, cutting ties with politics at this point has become an impossible task.

…I want to ask you. Even now, those who support me are urging me to actively intervene in politics and regain the former power.

What do you think I should do? What can I do so that I won’t be ashamed in the eyes of the gods?

What I wanted to ask was only this.’

Accepting that letter, I immersed myself in thought.

I don’t know what response I should write.

I already owe a debt to the saint. He helped me protect ‘my fiancée,’ and even though we went through a separation, that fact didn’t change.

But I had no way to do anything.

What advice should I give? I already have no power.

Arielle holding hands with Irkalli was the most disheartening news for me.

Though I don’t know what trick Irkalli pulled, she acquired information that led to Kaienys possessing the ‘Dawn Star’ and consequently plunging Kaienys into ruin.

Father committed suicide, and the others scattered.

And Irkalli, the one who created such a situation, held hands with my former fiancée.

Of course, Ariel probably doesn’t know that Irkalli is the one responsible for Kaienys’ downfall.

But even so, it wasn’t easy for me to easily dismiss the shock I felt upon hearing that news.

What’s even more tragic is that, even in such a situation, I couldn’t casually utter words of abandoning Ariel.

Last time, I sought out Arielle to ask for her help as a saint. I was convinced it was the path for my own benefit.

But now, what about it? What am I hoping for? I can’t even be sure what path is for my own good.

Even upon hearing that my former fiancée joined hands with my enemy, I can’t bring myself to blame her.

Do I still have lingering emotions for her?

…Even that, I’m not sure. I can’t answer.

It was overwhelming for someone who doesn’t understand his own emotions to respond to a letter sent by the saint.

So, I didn’t pick up the pen. I didn’t write a reply.

I eventually gave up thinking about that letter.

I can’t affirm or deny Ariel, so thinking about it is meaningless.

Instead, I decided to take a stroll around the academy. It seemed like getting some fresh air on my head might help clear my mind a bit.

As I looked around, I soon spotted a woman.

“Huh? What are you doing here at this hour?”

Professor Cordelia noticed me and spoke.

I looked up at the sky in response to her words. The sky was quite dark.

“…I have something to think about, just for a moment.”

Realizing it was late, I tried to go back to my room, but at that moment, Professor Cordelia grabbed my shoulder and said, “Want to go somewhere with me?”

I gripped the staff in my hand. Before me, Professor Cordelia was smiling.

“Come on, hurry up. If you don’t want your skills to rust, you need to practice like this and maintain a sense of real combat.”

“And you called me here when I’m already so busy?”

“You’re a combat mage major, aren’t you? Can’t just read fantasy books all day.”

In response to Professor Cordelia’s words, I just smirked.

Yeah, what can I do against this formidable general.

I sighed reluctantly and spoke.

“Look, I’m telling you in advance… The barrier is properly set, right?”

The Academy training grounds had a pretty powerful barrier, but unfortunately, it couldn’t handle the firepower of both Cordelia and me.

Professor Cordelia nodded and chuckled.

“Don’t worry. Do you think I forgot to set the barrier properly? And, do we even need a barrier?”

“… Just in case.”

She chuckled at my words and raised her staff.

“Alright, let’s start with something light.”

She summoned a Chain Lightning, a 4th circle spell. Light? What’s light about that?

I widened my eyes and followed the flow of magical power in the spell.

Ah, the nasty personality kicked in again, twisting the spell.

Snap! The Chain Lightning shattered with a blue glow.

“Oh, still usable?”

“I’m your disciple, after all.”

This was Cordelia’s specialty, and mine as her direct disciple.

Analyze the opponent’s spell, dig into its weaknesses, and crush it.

That led to the title Professor Cordelia earned – Anti-Magician.

I immediately gathered magical power. The most complex magic I could use, the 3rd circle Ice Sphere.

And the attempt to create it was promptly destroyed by Professor Cordelia. The cold that froze the air disappeared in an instant.

“Is it a lack of creativity?”

“Well, you see.”

Instead of mixing words, I raised my cup. Fire Arrow and the Ice Wall – two types of magic.

Both were in the second circle, but they were not to be ignored.

Perhaps finding it difficult to reverse multiple spells at once, Professor Cordelia chose a different approach.

“Nullification.”

Nullification – a second-circle spell that injects magic into the opponent’s spell, turning it into a chaotic mess.

One for nullification, one for reversal. Two spells shattered simultaneously.

And, at the same time, she conjured another spell.

…A sixth-circle magic, Storm.

“If you can block this, I’ll consider it a pass.”

“And if I can’t?”

“Well, since your mind will be scrambled, I’ll probably give you a hard time, right?”

“I’m a professor now, you know?”

“If a professor is worse than a student, is that really a professor?”

Tch. I activated my spell.

“Sky’s Eye.”

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It was the only fourth-circle magic available to me in this state. Professor Cordelia’s creation, analyzing the flow of magic to find weaknesses.

My mind delved into the tiny gap. Gradually, it approached the interior of the spell, starting to shatter its weak points.

And at the end, I encountered the core of the spell.

Breaking even that, a gust of wind accompanied by a blue light swept through.

The sixth-circle magic was shattered.

“Well, you still have some skills left, huh?”

Professor Cordelia looked at me and remarked, “Geez, close your mouth; you look like you’re about to collapse.”

Cordelia Professor, having heard my words, burst into laughter.