Villain: After I died, all the heroines cried themselves to sleep.

Luna stared at the man before her in anguish, the sword in her hand trembling slightly.

Her heart was wavering.

Just before she was about to pierce the opponent's chest with her sword, she inexplicably deflected the sword by a fraction of an inch.

Even though the man in front of her was the enemy who killed her parents, and even though she fantasized about killing him every moment, she hesitated unconsciously when she actually faced him.

Because the other party is Rod.

He was her teacher.

He was also the person she respected most.

The time she spent with him was so wonderful that it even allowed her to temporarily forget the hatred in her heart.

Yet it was precisely this person who killed her parents, the root of all her pain and hatred.

It hurts too much.

Looking at the chest that had been pierced by her, Luna felt no pleasure in revenge, but instead felt a sharp, piercing pain.

The pain caused her to bite her lower lip until it bled, letting the blood spill from the corner of her mouth.

It was as if, at the same time as piercing Rhodes' heart, her heart was also pierced, leaving only a huge, unfillable void.

"Why did it turn out like this...?"

Luna strained her throat, the trembling sound squeezed out from between her teeth.

The only response she received was Rod's usual calm voice.

"I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do."

"..."

Luna stared intently at Rhodes.

There was no hatred or pain on Rhodes' face, only a barely perceptible smile.

His smile revealed openness and acceptance.

There was no blame.

"Waaah..."

Luna let out a sob.

She reminisced about all the wonderful times she had shared.

The light drizzle pattered on her beautiful face, making it hard to tell whether it was rain or tears.

I wish I could go back to the past...

……

I first met Rod at the opening ceremony.

Just like the rumors said, Rod had a tall and straight figure and near-perfect appearance and demeanor.

But what people remember most about him is his haughty arrogance.

With her looks and charisma alone, she could probably win the favor of many people.

But Luna is different.

She hated this man from the very beginning.

In her eyes, everything about the other person was disgusting and hypocritical.

What's infuriating is that no matter how much she loathed Rhodes, she had to bury all her resentment in her heart and still try every means to get close to him.

Simply because Rod is the prime suspect in the murder of her parents.

And she is an avenger.

Luna suppressed her anxiety and listened to Rod's speech.

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted around him, as everyone applauded Rhodes's flawless and brilliant speech.

The applause sounded so grating to Luna's ears.

She stubbornly chose to remain silent.

After that, Luna successfully enrolled in Rhodes's course.

Ironically, Rhodes, as the head professor, was responsible for courses that were extremely unpopular.

To demonstrate his superior expertise, Rhodes deliberately made his courses obscure and difficult to understand. As a result, apart from the unlucky ones who couldn't get into other courses, no one would actively choose his classes.

Luna chose Rhodes's course partly to get closer to him, and partly to expose his secrets and embarrass him in public.

However, when Luna attended Rhodes' first class, she found that things were completely different from what she had expected.

Rod's lectures were not only not obscure or difficult to understand, but were actually very easy to understand, using a variety of vivid and engaging presentations to facilitate comprehension and absorption by all students.

It was truly an eye-opening experience.

Even Luna, who was prejudiced, had to admit it.

This was a meticulously prepared lesson, flawless in every way.

And this is just the beginning of overturning Luna's worldview.

In Luna's mind, Rhodes was a despicable plagiarist who used various means to forcibly seize the research results of others.

Luna's parents were among the victims.

However, after a few lessons, Rod demonstrated impeccable teaching skills.

Although Rhodes was a strict teacher, his courses greatly improved his students.

Many students even regretted not taking Rhodes' class and often came to audit it, crowding the entire classroom.

Rhodes's classes have also grown from small classrooms to the large auditorium they are in now.

Without a doubt, Rhodes is a truly talented and accomplished chief professor.

Could such a person really be the culprit who killed his parents and stole their research results?

Luna couldn't help but ask herself the same question.

She began to pay attention to every aspect of Rhodes, hoping to find some clue.

Rhodes is strict, arrogant, and has obsessive-compulsive disorder, yet he treats all students equally and has an extremely serious and rigorous teaching attitude.

Because of this, Luna, who often caused trouble, received a lot of care from the other party.

As a specially admitted student, she clashed with scions of wealthy families and faced the risk of being expelled. It was Luo De who spoke up for her and helped her out of the predicament.

When she wanted to create a club with her classmates, the other teachers were unwilling to sign the application as a guarantee. In the end, Rod signed to approve it, but required them to submit a club report every week.

During her midterm exams, an unexpected incident occurred, and it was Rod who appeared before her and successfully resolved the sudden crisis.

They encountered several crises afterward, and it was thanks to Rhodes's teachings in class that they were able to overcome the difficulties without serious incident.

Putting aside personal biases, Rhodes is definitely an extremely dedicated professor.

Even though Luna never addressed Rhodes as "Professor" with any respect.

So after the first year's final exams, Luna received a fair assessment from Rhodes and ranked second in her grade.

She then confronted Rod about it.

"You should know who I am, right? Why did you go to such lengths? Is it because you feel guilty for killing my parents?"

Luna mustered her courage and faced Rhodes directly.

Soon, she received a cold reply from Rhodes.

"You are my student, an unpolished rough stone. I want this rough stone to shine with its due brilliance, nothing more."

Luna stared blankly at Rod's departing figure.

I finally made up my mind.

In her second year, Luna applied to Rhodes and officially joined his research lab, becoming his apprentice and assistant.

From then on, she called Rod "teacher".

Looking back on the days of studying and working under Rod, although there were hardships and tears, there was still more happiness and joy.

Criticized for issues with personal appearance...

Cleaning the lab accidentally triggered a trap...

The paper I prepared all night was rejected and had to be revised...

We also went to the council meeting together...

We bumped into each other at the school anniversary event...

They faced various life-or-death crises and overcame them with ease...

It includes both everyday trifles and sudden major crises...

All of these things eventually converged into unforgettable and beautiful times, like a bittersweet syrup that captivates and enthralls the soul.

On graduation day, Luna made a crucial decision that would shape her future.

She searched everywhere for Rod, wanting to surprise him, but unexpectedly discovered the truth.

No matter how much you try to escape or deny it, the bloody reality is right in front of you.

Rod was the culprit who brutally murdered her parents.

In an instant, the beautiful memories of the past are like a fragile dream, which can be easily destroyed with the slightest touch.

Luna's world has collapsed.

Carrying the evidence, she staggered up to Rhodes, her eyes devoid of any gleam, only filled with pleading skepticism.

"Teacher, please tell me... even if it's a lie... none of this is true, right?"

"..."

Rhodes remained silent for a moment, then nodded coldly.

"It's true, I killed your family."

To prove his point, Rod recounted in detail, without a trace of remorse, how he murdered Luna's parents.

The voice that once brought Luna peace of mind is now so grating, like a sharp knife, piercing her heart with pain.

Everything before was a false lie.

It's all a lie...

The tension in my heart snapped completely.

Losing her mind, Luna drew the longsword from her waist.