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

The sword remained suspended in mid-air.

"You saw me, but chose to run away?"

Rod stared at the pumpkin head in front of him.

"..."

Pumpkin Head didn't answer; it just stood there motionless.

It's like waiting for your own death.

"I should have taught you that once you've taken the first step, you should muster the courage to keep going and not dwell on past regrets and hesitate to move forward."

"It is an undeniable fact that I killed your parents. I accept this sin and will continue to move forward with determination."

"Therefore, I can accept your revenge without hesitation; it is the best ending for both of us."

Rod said slowly.

Although the specific reasons are now lost to history, he did kill Pumpkin Head's parents.

Therefore, it is only natural for the other party to seek revenge on him.

Even the revenge scene on that rainy night, from beginning to end, was personally planned and arranged by him.

Rhodes accepted his death with equanimity from beginning to end, and he also hoped that the other party could break free from this vicious cycle of hatred, just as was destined in his fate.

Upon his return, he subconsciously wanted to avoid the other party to prevent reigniting hatred if they met again.

However, it backfired.

The other party may have broken free from the vicious cycle of hatred, but has fallen into another strange circle of hesitation.

"no the same……"

From within the pumpkin head came a hoarse, mournful hiss.

Like the groans of the dead.

"That doesn't sound like something you would say."

Rhodes released the Aether Sword from his hand.

He can understand the other person's feelings.

He vividly remembered the expression on the other person's face when they pierced his chest.

More painful than death, heavier than the abyss.

"What are you doing now? You're neither seeking revenge nor moving on to a new path. You're really disappointing me."

"I... am no longer qualified..."

"I don't want to repeat myself a third time. The decision of who is qualified is not yours, but mine."

Rod said, enunciating each word clearly.

"Luna, you are my disciple."

"..."

The figure hiding under the pumpkin head trembled violently.

She seemed to have lost all her strength and slumped to the ground.

A huge pumpkin head rolled off her head, her slightly dry long hair was disheveled, and the tips of her hair shimmered with the radiant moonlight.

The disciple who used to be unkempt has now grown his hair long.

Rhodes felt a pang of regret.

……

I messed everything up again.

Luna huddled in the corner, enveloped in endless darkness.

The events of that rainy night are still vivid in my mind.

She still hasn't gotten over it.

She killed Rhodes.

Her teacher.

The person who saved her.

The person who cares about her the most.

The person she loved most.

And now, perhaps this is retribution for killing Rhodes.

Everyone abandoned her, leaving her alone to live in this hopeless world.

A profound sense of loneliness and solitude eroded her heart, and her past memories were fading into the distance.

It instilled in her an unprecedented fear.

She was afraid that she would forget Rod and everyone else's memories.

So Luna wandered the academy like a lost soul.

She walked through every familiar corner of the college, constantly searching for past memories, firmly imprinting them in her mind.

Sometimes, when she is spotted by others, she uses moonlight magic to conceal her whereabouts.

She didn't want to have any contact with anyone.

Until one night.

She witnessed an unbelievable scene.

Professor Rhodes, whom she had killed and who had become her lifelong nightmare, suddenly appeared before her.

Luna watched all of this with disbelief.

She was certain that it was indeed Rhodes himself.

Rhodes is still alive.

A surge of intense joy welled up in Luna's heart, and her eyes regained their light, as if she had returned from hell to earth.

She longed to cheer loudly and rush to Rod, demanding to know what was wrong with him.

But when she saw Angela next to Rod,

She hesitated again.

Yes.

Ange saved Rod.

But she was the murderer who killed Rhodes.

Do I really deserve to appear before Rhodes?

The answer speaks for itself.

If Luna knew what was good for her, she should have left obediently and not appeared in front of Rhodes again.

But she was really unwilling to accept it.

Call her despicable or shameless if you will.

She couldn't bring herself to leave decisively.

then.

Luna, who was once fearless, is dead.

The despicable Luna had neither the courage to go out and face people, nor the determination to abandon everything.

All I could do was hide like an insect in a dark corner, spying on the person I longed for day and night from afar.

Even just a glimpse of her could bring comfort to her empty heart.

I occasionally saw Rod and Ange interacting intimately.

She also felt intense jealousy.

But this jealousy would soon turn into pain and loss, tormenting her body and mind.

So when Rhodes saw her, she chose to run away.

She was too ashamed to face him.

She was afraid to meet Rhodes's gaze.

Whether the gaze is filled with hatred or forgiveness.

She could hardly bear it.

Unfortunately, she could not escape Rod's pursuit.

With nowhere to run, she watched as Rhodes drew his sword and suddenly had a realization.

She gave up struggling.

To face death with equanimity.

However, the sword ultimately did not pierce her.

It stopped in mid-air.

Luna peers at Rhodes through the pumpkin head.

Three years have not left any trace on the other party.

Rhodes maintained his former arrogance and demeanor, his eyes calm and composed, revealing a sense of confidence and composure.

It was as if nothing could stump them.

"You saw me, but chose to run away?"

Rod did not blame her, nor did he forgive her.

Instead, he spoke frankly and impartially as before, lecturing her in the same way as everyone else.

but.

Luna was very happy.

Compared to simply forgiving her, this fair rebuke brought her a greater sense of relief.

Unfortunately, she is no longer eligible.

How could she, who repaid kindness with enmity, have the right to stay by her teacher's side?

until……

"Luna, you are my disciple."

"Rod said."

This is a declarative sentence, stating an undeniable fact.

It instantly shattered Luna's last mental defenses.

I am the teacher's disciple...

Countless images flashed through Luna's mind.

During her student days, she got into countless troubles, and each time Rod helped her out of them.

She had asked the other person more than once why they had helped her to this extent.

Rod's answer was always the same.

"You are my disciple, and a teacher protects his disciple without needing a reason."

This was a great salvation for Luna.

She collapsed weakly to the ground.

The pumpkin head used to cover the face also rolled off the top of the head.

"teacher……"

Luna looked up at her teacher.

Tears welled up in my long-lost eyes.

"What should I do...?"

……

Rhodes looked down at Luna, who was weeping bitterly.

I felt a little guilty.

He completely underestimated Luna's deep feelings for him, causing her to suffer immense pain and pressure as a murderer.

He actually committed suicide in the end, and Luna was just a scapegoat.

I'm the kind of person who's always thinking about myself.

Rhodes inwardly mocked himself.

He took two steps forward and knelt down on one knee in front of Luna.

"You just need to be yourself."

Rhodes reached out and gently stroked Luna's head.

Luna paused, taken aback.

Then, with a loud cry, she threw herself into Rod's arms and burst into tears.