(The first few chapters might feel a bit slow—please hang in there, )
Oserenka Magic Academy, Classroom A101.
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the tall arched windows, scattering golden beams across the air thick with the faint scent of old books and magic dust.
The classroom was as noisy as a boiling pot—full of chatter and laughter.
"Hey! Hi there!"
A bright, cheerful voice broke through Sephina's quiet daydreaming as she stared out the window.
She turned her head slightly and saw a short-haired girl with gray hair and glassy-bright eyes smiling at her like a beam of sunshine.
That was Mia—bubbly, sociable, the kind who could befriend anyone in five minutes.
"I'm Mia! You picked the Elemental Magic elective too, right?" she chirped, completely unfazed by Sephina's cool, distant nod in reply.
But Mia's enthusiasm was unbreakable. She leaned in closer, her voice dropping into an excited whisper.
"Hey, did you hear? We're getting a new teacher for Elemental Magic today!"
Before Sephina could respond, Mia was already spilling gossip nonstop.
"I heard this teacher's super weird! The faculty's keeping all her info top secret—totally mysterious."
"And also—" Mia's grin turned a bit mischievous.
"Rumor says the new teacher's… a woman who likes girls! You know, the kind who flirts with pretty female students!"
Sephina blinked, clearly surprised. "Seriously? That wild, huh?"
"Yup! Totally! They say nobles are really into that 'yuri' thing these days—it's all the rage!" Mia's excitement grew as Sephina showed a bit of interest.
"Oh, look! Kail and the others are already setting up a prank for the new teacher!" Mia pointed toward the front of the room.
"Pranking the new teacher? Hm… they're brave," Sephina murmured, frowning slightly.
"Right? Super brave! But hey, it'll be fun to watch."
Mia moved even closer, practically buzzing with gossip-fueled energy.
"The last Elemental Magic teacher—ugh, such a boring old man—got their 'welcome ceremony' too. You remember, right? He lasted like two days before Her Highness, the Princess, challenged him in class to a duel!"
"And you know how that ended! The guy got wrecked! His face went green on the spot and he quit within the week! Such a loser!"
Sephina let out a small "oh," her lips curling into a faint, amused smile as her eyes swept across the noisy classroom.
"Is that so… maybe this new teacher will quit today too."
"Totally possible!" Mia nodded eagerly, grinning wide.
And as if to prove her right, the blackboard at the front of the room was already covered in colorful chalk doodles—mostly crude pigs and turtles.
Meanwhile, on the heavy oak door of the classroom, a wooden bucket full of cold water had been carefully balanced at an angle—ready to tip the moment someone pushed the door open.
One good push, and whoever walked in first was guaranteed a nice, soaking "welcome."
The whole class buzzed with whispers, everyone talking about the mysterious new teacher.
Some said she was strong, maybe even powerful… but no one really cared. What mattered was how long she'd last before running away like the others.
Sephina chatted idly with Mia, her expression calm, her smile faint but unreadable.
But in the very back row, dead center, the mood was different.
A stunning girl with long golden hair sat straight-backed, her emerald eyes gleaming like cut gems—beautiful, proud, and unapologetically arrogant.
She was none other than Princess Elaria of the Empire.
Right now, her slender fingers twisted the hem of her sleeve unconsciously. Unlike her giggling classmates, her face was serious, even a little tense.
She knew more than the others.
According to what she'd heard… the new teacher was a Seventh-Rank Mage.
Seventh rank.
The last Elemental instructor they ran off had barely been a Fourth Rank.
But Seventh Rank? That level of strength was basically headmaster-tier at most academies in the kingdom.
Even at Oserenka—the most elite school in the Empire, filled with geniuses and backed by royal resources—a Seventh-Rank mage ranked just below the current principal.
This was bad. They'd really picked the wrong target this time.
Elaria frowned slightly, worried—but also, deep down, a little thrilled. She wanted to see for herself what kind of person this new teacher really was.
The classroom noise kept building, swelling like a balloon about to pop—
Until—
Ding, ling, ling~~
The clear, sharp chime of the class bell sliced through the chatter, echoing through the room.
Instantly, the noise died down. Every pair of eyes turned toward the classroom door—the one rigged with the bucket trap.
She's coming!
Almost at the same moment—
Creak—
The oak door opened just a crack.
Every student froze, eyes wide, excitement shimmering in the air, ready for that glorious moment when the new teacher got drenched.
And then—
The door opened wider.
Crash!
The bucket fell, water splashing all over the floor—
But…
No one was there.
Huh?
The hallway beyond was empty, only a soft breeze drifting through the doorway.
The students stared, whispering among themselves.
What the hell? Where's the teacher? Late already? Or did she notice the trap…?
As the confusion spread, a quiet rustle came from the back.
The blue-haired girl with red eyes—Sephina—slowly stood up.
Without looking at the shocked faces around her, without saying a word to Mia, she stepped down the tiered rows, heels clicking softly on the stone floor.
She walked straight to the podium.
Her petite frame looked almost too small behind the tall desk—but when she turned to face the class, the lazy amusement in her red eyes was gone.
What replaced it was calm authority—cold, sharp, commanding.
Her voice rang clear through the dead-silent classroom, crisp and heavy with magic pressure:
"Class begins."
Mia, sitting right in front, froze solid. Her smile vanished, and the color drained from her face so fast she looked like she'd just seen a ghost.