Elara Erevan

The academy was slowly waking up to a new day, but the atmosphere was heavy. While some students tried to move past the events of the previous night, others were consumed by grief. Families mourned for their lost children, and friends grappled with the empty spaces left behind.

At the academy's graveyard, where students and soldiers who had passed were laid to rest, the fresh graves stood as a solemn reminder of the tragedy. The academy buried them here to honor their sacrifice, to show that their deaths were not in vain.

Ethan stood before one of the graves, his face grim, his shoulders heavy with guilt. The headstone read: Emma Atherton. He stared at it in silence, his hands clenched tightly at his sides.

As the wind rustled the trees, a gentle hand rested on his shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself too much," Violet said softly, her voice carrying both sadness and determination. "It wasn't your fault that Emma died. Life can be cruel, Ethan. The dead don't come back, no matter how much we want them to. All we can do is keep moving forward."

Ethan's jaw tightened, his teeth grinding in frustration. His mind raced with bitter thoughts.

"What's the point of my rebirth if I couldn't even save one person who was actually my friend?" he thought, anger burning in his chest. "In my previous life, Emma survived. But here, after my second chance, instead of saving more lives, I let someone who should've lived die. All because of my recklessness." he thought in his mind.

The weight of his failure threatened to crush him, but then, like a ray of light cutting through the darkness, a spark ignited in his mind.

He looked up at the clear sky, his eyes narrowing with resolve.

"No," he said firmly, his voice low but growing stronger. "This can't stop me. I lost one person because of my mistakes, but I'll atone for it. I'll save thousands of others. I can't give up—not without trying."

Violet stepped closer, her gaze softening as she heard his words. "That's more like it," she said, a small, encouraging smile forming on her lips. "Emma may be gone, but we'll always remember her. She'll live on in our hearts."

As Ethan absorbed Violet's words, another voice joined them.

"Well said," Sylvania added, her tone filled with quiet strength as she placed a comforting hand on Ethan's other shoulder. "Honoring her memory doesn't mean stopping. It means pushing forward, doing better, and making sure her loss wasn't meaningless."

Ethan nodded, a flicker of determination lighting his eyes. He turned to the two girls, his closest allies, and felt a renewed sense of purpose.

"I'll keep moving forward," he promised. "For Emma. For everyone. I won't let her sacrifice go to waste,Let's go back to the academy."

Sylvania and violent looked at each other and nodded.

-------------

The sun was high in the sky, marking the time at 11 a.m., but there were still a couple of hours before the afternoon classes began. However, none of that mattered at the moment. A large crowd had gathered near the academy's main gate, buzzing with curiosity and excitement.

Among the crowd stood students and teachers, and even notable figures like Lilith and Lortell were present. Everyone seemed to be waiting for someone important.

Suddenly, a strange, sleek, pitch-black contraption rolled into view. It had four small wheels and moved without any visible horse or earth wyvern pulling it. The sight left the crowd astonished.

"What is that?" whispered a student, eyes wide.

"That's a... car," another murmured in awe.

The car came to a smooth stop just outside the academy gates. The door opened, and out stepped a striking figure.

He had sharp, pointed ears and dark, tanned skin that contrasted with his bright green robe and glittering jewelry. His facial features were so handsome that many of the students, especially the girls, couldn't help but blush.

"A dark elf…" someone whispered in amazement.

The man's presence commanded attention, but his warm smile and confident demeanor kept the crowd at ease.

Lilith stepped forward and greeted him with a respectful bow. "Finally, you've arrived, Principal."

The man chuckled softly, his white teeth gleaming as he spoke. "No need to be so formal, Ms. Lilith. You are my senior, after all."

His words carried both respect and charm, leaving several students swooning.

The other teachers followed Lilith's lead and bowed their heads in greeting. Everyone except Lortell, who remained unmoved, arms crossed, her expression indifferent.

The man was none other than **Elara Erevan**, the principal of the Awakened Academy. He was a living legend among the awakened, a dark elf who had lived for over two centuries.

He had been alive during the time of the great hero, Lilith, and the team that sealed the Demon King. However, unlike the others, Elara hadn't joined the final battle.

Why?

At that time, Elara was only a Rank A awakened, lacking the strength to fight alongside the hero's team. Instead, he stayed behind to manage the academy and support from afar.

When the hero and his team returned, they were victorious but gravely injured. Lilith, in particular, had suffered the most, her rank dropping to A after the battle. Though they had sealed the Demon King, the cost was great.

As time passed, the hero and the rest of the team succumbed to old age, leaving only Lilith and Elara behind. But unlike Lilith, whose strength diminished over time, Elara continued to grow stronger.

Now, Elara Erevan stood as an S-rank awakened, a master of the time path, and the principal of the Awakened Academy. His rise in strength and status placed him above even Lilith within the academy's hierarchy.

Beyond his position, Elara had another critical role: to keep Lortell Mariette in check. Lortell, with her own S-rank power and enigmatic presence, was a force that could challenge the academy's authority. Elara, being one of the few who could rival her, acted as a safeguard.

For weeks, the academy had been plagued with chaos—students disappearing one after another, leaving everyone on edge. With no other choice, the academy sought help from Principal Elara Erevan.

Elara arrived, his presence commanding respect and reassurance. Standing before the gathered crowd of students and teachers, he declared with unwavering confidence, "There's no need to worry anymore. Now that I'm here, let's see who dares lay a hand on my students."

He walked through the academy gates with a calm demeanor, but as he scanned the crowd, his gaze landed on a particular girl.

**Esdeath Crimson.**

His sharp eyes narrowed slightly as he took her in—a girl with long, flowing black hair and an unsettling grin that stretched wide across her face. Her eerie eyes locked onto him, brimming with something almost inhuman.

"A black-haired girl?" Elara thought, a flicker of surprise crossing his usually composed features. Her grin sent a shiver down his spine, making even someone as powerful as him feel momentarily uneasy. He quickly composed himself, dismissed the thought, and walked inside.

The crowd began to disperse, and soon, it was time for classes.

---

Esdeath and Maruti entered their classroom together.

But this wasn't Class B anymore. They had both been promoted to **Class A**, the most elite group of students in the academy.

The classroom was spacious, designed to accommodate sixty to seventy students comfortably. However, Class A had barely thirty students, leaving much of the room empty and adding to its imposing atmosphere.

As Esdeath and Maruti stepped inside, the room was already in chaos.

"Hey! You've been staring at my skirt and my chest, haven't you?" snapped a red-haired girl, her tone filled with disgust. Her name was Ria, one of the Class A students. With thick eyebrows, long eyelashes, and a well-toned figure, she was as fiery as her appearance.

She had a firm grip on the tie of a pale, scrawny boy—Valen Vandris. He was a classic nerd, complete with glasses, a weak posture, and little to no confidence. Or so everyone thought.

To everyone's surprise, Valen seemed unusually bold today. Adjusting his glasses, he responded in a calm, matter-of-fact tone, "Staring at you? Please, don't flatter yourself. I was looking at your outfit. You're clearly trying to imitate my lady boss by wearing a short skirt, leaving your shirt buttons undone, and tying your tie so loosely. Am I wrong?"

His words hit Ria like a thunderbolt. Her face flushed with embarrassment as the truth of his observation sank in.

"You…!" she growled through gritted teeth, her grip on his tie tightening before she abruptly let go.

Her frustration boiled over as she jumped onto a nearby bench, raising her leg high in the air to deliver a powerful kick aimed straight at Valen's face.

But the moment her leg shot up, her skirt shifted, exposing far more than she intended.

Valen froze, his face turning a deep shade of red as his glasses fogged up. "D-Did I just see… heaven?" he stammered, unable to believe what had just happened.

The entire room erupted in laughter, some students smirking while others whispered and snickered among themselves.

Ria quickly realized her mistake, her face burning red as she adjusted her skirt and glared daggers at Valen. "Y-You pervert!" she screamed, pointing an accusing finger at him.

Valen, still dazed from what he saw, muttered, "It's not my fault you did that…"

But before he could finish, Ria clenched her fist, her face red with embarrassment. "Shut up, you pervert!" she yelled, swinging her fist at him with her eyes squeezed shut.

**Swish.**

The punch was just inches away from Valen's face when it suddenly stopped.

Ria opened her eyes, startled, only to see her fist caught mid-air by Maruti, who blocked it effortlessly with her palm.

"Lady Boss's friend?" Valen muttered in surprise, staring at Maruti.

With a bored expression, Maruti glanced at Esdeath, ignoring Ria entirely. "Is this kind of stuff normal in school genre manga and anime? Why are these mangakas so obsessed with panties?" she asked in a completely serious tone.

"Beats me," Esdeath replied casually as she walked into the classroom, her expression unreadable.

"What… What are you even talking about?" Ria stammered, looking completely lost and uneasy.

Maruti turned her gaze to Ria, her tone blunt. "And you, flat-chested girl, what's the big deal? You raised your leg, and he saw something. So what? It's not like he stole your virginity. If you don't want anyone to see anything, then wear pants."

The room fell silent for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Flat… Flat-chested?" Ria repeated, her face turning an even deeper shade of red as she trembled in embarrassment.

Maruti shrugged, her expression indifferent. "Of course. Anyone can see you're using magic to make your chest look bigger. That means you want people to notice, right?"

Ria clenched her teeth, struggling to keep her composure. Finally, she pulled her fist back, huffing. "Forget it. I'll let it go this time!" she snapped, retreating to her seat in a storm of frustration.

Valen, still standing, turned his attention to Esdeath as she walked further into the classroom. His glasses gleamed as his jaw dropped in surprise. "Lady Boss, did you… change your style?"

Esdeath scratched the back of her head, smiling awkwardly. "Y-Yeah. Exposing too much skin isn't all that cool, you know. Wearing stylish clothes that cover you up but still manage to enhance your beauty is, uh, way more impressive!"

She nodded to herself, clearly making up nonsense on the spot.

Valen's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Lady Boss is so wise!" he exclaimed, as if she'd just shared the secrets of the universe.