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

Time quickly came to the Winter Snow Festival.

Rod stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting his newly changed suit.

Stepping out of the room and into the living room, under the direction of the old butler and the head maid, the maids had already decorated the mansion with lanterns and colorful decorations, filling the entire residence with a festive atmosphere.

"I'm attending a royal banquet tonight. Everyone is free to move around as they please, no need to stay at the residence."

Rhodes instructed the old butler and head maid to give everyone a holiday.

The maids around her couldn't hide their surprise upon hearing this.

After arranging the affairs of the mansion, Rod turned to look at the living room.

Ange and Luna were standing there.

They had all changed into evening gowns by then.

These are two gowns that Rhodes specially commissioned to be made for the two of them.

He didn't intend to abandon the two women; instead, he wanted them to attend the dinner as his female companions.

"The teacher really went to great lengths to get an audience with Her Majesty the Queen."

Anjie gazed at Rhodes with a quiet, wistful look.

As expected of Rhodes's chief disciple, he saw through Rhodes's purpose at a glance.

"Teacher, even so, I will not give up."

Luna's gaze remained firm.

Having once been consumed by endless regret, she no longer wanted to experience regret.

Rod knew that the two were somewhat reluctant to attend the dinner party.

Fortunately, he had made preparations in advance.

"These two evening gowns suit you very well."

Rhodes nodded seriously and slowly approached the two of them.

He then took two small boxes out of his pocket and handed them to the two people respectively.

"Open it and take a look."

Ange and Luna took the box with a puzzled look and opened it.

His eyes widened instantly.

Inside were a pair of exquisite earrings and a beautiful bracelet.

"Remember the music competition in Sky Castle? We came in third place, and these two pieces of jewelry are the prizes I picked out. They're perfect for you two."

A rare smile appeared on Rod's lips.

Consider this my holiday gift to you.

"teacher……"

Ange and Luna stared blankly at Rod.

They seemed completely unprepared for such a surprise.

In fact, this was the first time Rhodes had given the two gifts at the Winter Snow Festival.

So the two of them said in unison.

"Could you help me put it on?"

This was a trivial matter, and Rhodes naturally wouldn't refuse.

After he helped Ange and Luna put on their jewelry, the strange atmosphere between them finally disappeared.

Instead, a happy smile appeared.

Rhodes secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

I feel like I'm in for a lot of trouble in the future.

……

After leaving the mansion, Rod did not rush to the palace.

While there was still time, Rhodes went back to the Imperial Academy first.

He planned to visit the witch.

This has become a kind of convention.

The witch once complained to Rhodes that everyone else was celebrating the Winter Snow Festival with their friends and family, while she could only sit alone on the academy's clock tower, unnoticed by anyone.

"I'm so miserable and lonely! Waaah..."

Judging from the witch's tone, she was most likely joking.

However, Rhodes is a meticulous person.

He felt that witches might indeed feel lonely, so every year during the winter snow festival thereafter, he would visit the academy to see the witches.

This made the witch feel somewhat flattered.

Back to the present.

Rhodes arrived at the college's clock tower.

The witch seemed to know that Rhodes would come, and had been sitting on the roof of the clock tower for a long time.

Upon seeing Rhodes, she immediately used a levitation spell to float down.

The witch glanced at Rhodes, then at Ange and Luna, who were clinging to his arm, and said with a grin.

"Professor Rhodes, you actually came here with two women on your arms this time. It really hurts me. I'm so jealous."

"Dean, I'm relieved to see you looking so energetic."

Rod calmly replied.

Come to think of it, the last time he saw the witch was right after he returned to the capital with Ange and Luna.

But the witch came running over with a curious look, asking about gossip from her journey and also inquiring about the progress of her research on soul magic.

He didn't care when Rhodes said there wasn't much progress.

"Professor Rhodes, dressed so formally, it seems you're preparing to attend a banquet hosted by the royal palace?"

The witch scrutinized Rhodes from above.

Rhodes did not deny it.

"The head of the academy must have received an invitation from the palace. Isn't he planning to attend?"

"If Professor Rhodes had invited me, I might have said yes. But he's forgotten his old flame for the sake of a new one. How heartless."

The witch shook her head, feigning regret.

"Is the dean of the academy a former lover of the teacher?"

Luna, who was standing next to her, exclaimed in disbelief.

Although similar rumors had circulated in the college for a long time that Professor Rhodes had an affair with the Dean to secure his position as Chief.

However, anyone who has attended Professor Rhodes's classes knows that he became the top student based on his own abilities.

Who would have thought the rumor was actually true?

"Just listen to her nonsense, she's second place."

Anjie scoffed.

……

After bidding farewell to the witch, Rhodes and his companions continued their journey to the palace.

Light snow began to fall from the sky at some unknown time.

The houses along the street are lit with warm lights, and through the windows you can see a family sitting around the dining table in a cozy scene.

Most of the pedestrians on the road were in twos and threes, laughing and chatting happily.

Some children ran around happily when they saw snow falling from the sky.

"Teacher, I think we've tried walking together on the street like this before."

Anjie suddenly spoke up.

"You mean the winter snow festival the year we graduated?"

Luna continued.

When Rod heard what the two said, he was reminded of that past event.

In the final winter snow festival performed by the villains, Luna stayed in the research lab working overtime because she hadn't finished her project.

As Luna's teacher, Rod naturally couldn't abandon her.

For some reason, Anjie also chose to stay.

So the three of them waited in the lab until Luna finished her project before leaving together.

It was snowing lightly back then, and the air was filled with laughter.

"If it weren't for the second-place student dragging us down, I should have been enjoying the holiday with my teacher that night."

"So the reason you wouldn't leave that day was to invite the teacher on a date!"

"You only realize it now? This is the difference between you and me, you half-baked Luna."

"Ha, in the end, I still ruined your plan."

As expected, Ange and Luna started arguing again.

As Rod listened to their argument and looked at their profiles, a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

Ange and Luna would never have imagined this.

That day was actually arranged by Rod.

He was the one who rejected Luna's paper, and he was also the one who approved it.

Ange's decision to stay was also part of his calculations.

After all, it was the last Winter Snow Festival, and Rhodes wanted to walk the final stretch of the road with his two disciples.

……

Snowflakes fluttered down, and lights flickered.

The three of them walked arm in arm, close to each other, chatting about interesting things from the past, as they walked further and further away along the streetlights.