A truly capable professor is one who can teach well.

But what does it mean to “teach well”? Ideally, it would be measured by how much students improve, but unfortunately, that’s no longer the case in the modern world.

Popular classes.

Popular professors.

Professors who captivate students with eloquent words, keeping them engaged and eager for the next lecture… these “popular professors” are often the ones regarded as good teachers.

Professor Scarlet had made a splash at Stella Academy from the moment she arrived, quickly gaining a reputation as a popular teacher. Students who only had one mandatory dark magic defense class per week began attending two or even three sessions, eager to listen to her captivating lectures. Soon, her classes were consistently over capacity.

“Professor Scarlet, have you considered adding more sessions?”

A member of Stella’s Special Magic Education Committee and a professor on the Board of Directors paid a visit to Scarlet’s private research room, which had been specially set up for her.

“You want me to teach even more classes? It’s already sooo exhausting~!”

True to her reputation, Scarlet’s childish tone and mannerisms were less than refined for a Stella professor. The committee member frowned briefly but quickly composed himself, smiling politely. After all, Scarlet’s presence was too valuable to dismiss over her lack of decorum.

“Haha, surely you, Professor Scarlet, could handle it with ease. I had the pleasure of observing one of your classes. You seem to genuinely care for your students. We would, of course, offer a substantial reward and additional opportunities.”

“Hmm… a reward~?”

When he handed her a document, Scarlet plucked the lollipop from her mouth and, twirling it like a wand, used telekinesis to bring the document to her.

**Dark Magic Countermeasures Defense Committee**

“As you may know, Professor, dark mages’ powers have reached levels comparable to ours. Consequently, the headmaster has decided to establish a new institution, which will require the expertise of dark magic specialists.”

Scarlet couldn’t hold back her laughter, and the professor’s face hardened. Did he even realize that Headmaster Eltemun had only founded this new institution because of witches… like herself?

And now they were inviting her to join it? How utterly ironic!

“…Is something funny, Professor?”

“Hm? Oh, no, not at all! I just admire your enthusiasm~! But I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. If anyone finds out what I’m up to, they’ll throw a fit. The thought of it alone—so scary~!” she said, wrapping her arms around herself in a mock shiver before winking at him.

“Now, off you go! Take care on your way back!”

“W-what? Wait!”

As she waved her lollipop, the professor slid backward, out the door, which then slammed shut. He pounded on the door from outside, shouting, but Scarlet had soundproofed the room.

“Humans… so naïve, yet so amusing,” she murmured, reclining in an oversized armchair that seemed to engulf her.

Humans. Everywhere she looked, humans.

They were like street dogs to her… no, perhaps puppies suited them better. To a witch, humans were no more than puppies—clever creatures capable of speech but still bound by instincts.

*I never expected to fall for one of them…*

This “puppy” was different from the others. He couldn’t wield magic and wouldn’t live long by witch standards.

But precisely because he couldn’t use magic, he alone had been able to face a witch.

The bane of mages, a witch. And humanity’s last knight, Ha Taeryeong, who hunted witches.

No illusions, charms, or magic could affect him.

Ha Taeryeong, undeterred by magic, had cut down witches and wizards alike as he pressed forward. His path led him inexorably to the Witch Queen, Scarlet.

In the end, neither of them emerged victorious.

Scarlet’s magic didn’t affect him, but neither could he physically kill her. Nonetheless, Ha Taeryeong had dealt her a grievous wound: he stopped her heart.

“…Impossible.”

In her memory, his expression had been bitter as he faced her.

“My blade couldn’t reach your heart.”

But why would he lie? After leaving her with that final question, Ha Taeryeong had disappeared.

And yet…

His words had not been a lie.

The truth was that her heart had indeed stopped because of him.

The ultimate law among witches forbade it.

**Rule #1: Never love a human.**

The Witch Queen who violated her own law lost all her magic from that day forward.

Centuries passed.

Ha Taeryeong faded into history, and the sword arts vanished, leaving no trace in this magic-dominated age.

In time, the Witch Queen, who had lost her powers for breaking the taboo, regained much of her strength. Her memories of Ha Taeryeong had also faded into a hazy mist—she could barely recall his face.

Raising her pale hand, she clenched it in mid-air, not as if holding a wand but gripping an invisible sword.

The Witch Queen had never wielded a sword. She hadn’t needed one, as her will alone could sever anything.

But she could still remember the trajectory of that sword. The way it flew toward her… every movement was etched into her being, never to be forgotten.

Why had he wielded his sword that way? Why had he moved like that? What had driven him to fight as he did?

He left behind no swordsmanship, relying purely on instinct to cut through magic and those who wielded it.

Centuries after his death, the Witch Queen, who had suffered most from his sword, was the one who came closest to truly understanding it.

The meaning, intent, and emotion behind every swing of that blade… despair intertwined with hope…

As she gazed out the window, a chill autumn breeze swept past, and she spotted Baek Yuseol, walking somewhere with a weary expression. A group of students laughing and chatting nearby called out to him, to which he merely nodded in response. But the students seemed thrilled nonetheless.

Ha Taeryeong had been the same way.

Though he had not been a mage, he’d always had people around him. In her memories, most of them had been women.

*Perhaps those born with mana deficiency are destined to be well-liked by others.*

Watching a black-haired girl jump and wrap her arms around Baek Yuseol’s neck, Scarlet drew her curtains shut.

The truth?

She had entered Stella as a mere prank.

Partly to annoy Eltemun, partly to toy with Baek Yuseol.

But once she saw him, a powerful wave of emotion stirred within her.

Although Baek Yuseol hadn’t yet pierced her low-level spells, his movements reminded her of Ha Taeryeong’s.

Did he make her reminisce about her first love?

No.

She had forgotten Ha Taeryeong long ago.

She was a witch and had lived for centuries; she could assess herself with unflinching honesty.

*This isn’t nostalgia.*

It was simply… that her heart, long dead, had been revived by Baek Yuseol. Nothing more, nothing less.

With a faint smile on her pink lips, Scarlet rose from her seat.

“Teaching may not be my forte, but…”

This time, she had a feeling it would be quite entertaining.

---

Baek Yuseol only attended his mandatory dark magic defense class once a week.

He could have taken the class three or four times a week, as it was a core subject, but he didn’t consider it necessary.

In other words, the single weekly session was painfully burdensome for him.

“Well then, Cadet Baek Yuseol, how about you come up and give us a demonstration~?”

With her endearing tone and cheerful demeanor, Scarlet had become a celebrity at Stella in just one week. The other students watched him with envy as she called him forward.

They had no idea how irritating this was for him.

*It’s only once a week, and she’s calling me up every single time?*

Sighing, he took out his Teliphon sword and stepped up onto the platform, stopping about twenty paces from Scarlet.

*What’s she really up to?*

Scarlet’s presence here signaled a severe disruption to fate itself.

But Baek Yuseol, who had twisted every timeline he encountered, had no way of knowing where things had gone wrong this time.

“Oh my, such a worried face! Was last week’s practice too challenging? Don’t worry, it’ll be easier today~” she chirped, twirling her wand as she addressed the students gathered around her.

“I’m going to expand the platform a bit, so could everyone step back?”

“What? Whoa!”

To the students’ amazement, the central circular platform began to extend outward with a loud rumble. The crimson wood stretched across the room, and the students backed away, watching in awe.

“Alright, class~ last time, why did I say dark magic was dangerous?”

Scarlet asked in a sing-song tone, and several students raised their hands, eager to answer. She selected a few with a pleased expression, and they gave the expected responses.

“Because dark mana corrupts and absorbs white mana, it’s highly dangerous.”

Scarlet enjoyed captivating her students with such elementary questions, drawing them deeper under her influence.

“Dark magic also has the property of dominating entire spaces. Did you know that~?”

Everyone had heard of it, at least theoretically. However, none of them had ever faced a dark mage in battle and therefore couldn’t truly grasp its dangers.

But Baek Yuseol knew.

He hadn’t encountered spatial dark magic often in real life, but in the game

, he had faced it countless times.

“Clouds of Dawn.”

As Scarlet cast the spell, darkness seeped through the classroom. Baek Yuseol recognized immediately that this wasn’t just a simple spell. This was spatial dark magic, a true manipulation of reality.

“Whoa… look at the sky!”  
“What’s going on?”

The ceiling above them vanished, revealing a dark sky lit by stars and a vast, glittering Milky Way. Its beauty was almost hypnotic, but Baek Yuseol remained on guard, knowing it was a tactic used to lure his attention.

“Amazing…”

Despite knowing better, he couldn’t help feeling drawn to the illusion.

In *Aether World Online*, spatial dark magic was described with a straightforward warning:

**[You have entered the “Clouds of Dawn” space.]**

**[Within this space, the caster’s attack power increases by 15%, casting speed by 28%, and the potency of dark-type magic by 7%.]**

**[All hostile entities within the space experience a 12% reduction in attack power, a 19% slowdown in casting speed, and a 10% decrease in the strength of white-type magic.]**

Dark magic enhanced allies and weakened enemies, securing the upper hand in any confrontation.

“Wow… it feels like real dark magic…”  
“Come on, do you think the professor would actually use dark magic? She just simulated something similar.”  
“Yeah, she’s amazing…”

Only Baek Yuseol, who knew the truth, could laugh at the students’ ignorance.

“Now, then~”

Turning her attention back to the students, Scarlet flashed a mischievous smile.

“What’s the first thing we should do if we enter hostile territory? Cadet Baek Yuseol, what’s your answer~?”

He knew the correct answer.

“…You run.”

The only true answer was that there was no way out.

“Correct! The moment you enter an enemy’s space, even the strongest mage can be rendered helpless.”

She placed a hand on her chest, dramatically speaking as if accepting some grand destiny.

“But sometimes, we have no choice but to fight!”

Scarlet pointed her wand at Baek Yuseol, her heart racing with an intensity she hadn’t felt in ages.

“Then, today… let’s go over the details of how to do just that.”