Sephina, in her previous life, was an ordinary programmer.
Years of sleepless nights and endless coding finally caught up to him—until one day, exhaustion took his life.
When he woke up again, he had become her—this petite girl named Sephina.
And now, for some very particular reasons, she had no choice but to serve as the Elemental Magic instructor for this bunch of troublesome students.
When faced with brats bold enough to challenge a teacher's authority, mercy was out of the question.
That one cold word—"Class!"—worked like a powerful silence spell, instantly draining the classroom of all sound and air.
The stillness lasted for about three seconds.
Then the shock on the students' faces started to fade, replaced by curiosity and a hint of mockery.
Standing on the podium… was a girl who looked no taller than one meter fifty. A total loli!
Was she really the teacher? Not a lost freshman?
Even if she was the new teacher, so what?
She looked so tiny and soft that she barely peeked over the tall podium. The sight was almost comical.
A few students in the back leaned lazily in their chairs, smirking with that usual aristocratic arrogance.
But Sephina's next words sliced through the air like an icicle.
"Those who doodled on the blackboard—and the ones who set the bucket at the door—stand up."
Her wine-red eyes swept slowly across the room, and everyone she looked at felt an involuntary chill crawl up their spine.
Silence.
No one moved. Only the faint sound of wind whispered from the windows.
Students exchanged glances, a mix of defiance and smugness flashing in their eyes.
She won't punish us all. That was the unspoken rule in every class.
After all, who were they? The Empire's future nobles and elites. What could one new teacher possibly do to them?
Sephina's lips pressed into a thin, cold line.
"I'll count to three. Don't make me come down there myself."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a crushing pressure that weighed heavy in every chest.
"Three—"
The drawn-out word stretched tight like a bowstring.
"Two—"
The pressure intensified. A few students with weaker nerves turned pale, their hands twisting anxiously.
By the time the "two" fell, three or four students shot to their feet like they'd been poked by invisible needles, bowing their heads, avoiding everyone's eyes.
But most still sat there, smirking, confident this would end like every other time.
Especially Kail—the red-haired boy who had come up with the bucket prank.
He even winked at the others, as if saying, See? She's all bark, no bite.
No way could this tiny new teacher remember everyone's face. She'd scold a little, then drop it, just like the last guy.
"One."
The countdown ended. Only six or seven stood up—far fewer than those involved.
Sephina didn't even glance at them.
"Those who stood up—go to the back and stay there for the rest of the class."
The few who did looked relieved, hurrying to the back wall like scared rabbits, as if the extra distance might shield them.
Just when everyone else thought it was over, Sephina's voice rang again—colder this time, each word like ice hitting stone.
"Second row, fourth from the left.
Fifth row, first on the right.
Third row, center—red hair."
"…And so on."
Her tone was calm, steady, without a shred of hesitation—as she listed ten specific seats.
Every student she called froze, eyes wide in disbelief.
How did she know?! She hadn't even looked at the seating chart!
Among those named were Kail and all the main culprits behind the prank.
"You ten—get out." Her tone was sharp as a blade.
For a moment, the classroom was dead silent.
Then Kail finally shot up, his pride as a noble burning with fury.
"Get out? On what authority?! Who do you think you are?"
"How strong I am," Sephina said evenly, eyes sharp as knives, "you'll find out soon enough."
Kail mistook her calm for weakness and laughed mockingly.
"Tch, what's a one-fifty loli gonna—"
The veins on Sephina's forehead popped instantly.
One—fifty—loli?!
He didn't even get to finish the word "loli" before his voice broke into a terrified yelp.
"Wha—?!"
Every head whipped around as Kail suddenly shot into the air—feet kicking, body hanging midair like a cat grabbed by the scruff!
A powerful surge of magic burst outward from Sephina, rippling through the entire room.
"W-what the hell?!"
"That's Advanced Levitation—a sixth-tier spell!" one student cried out in shock.
"Sixth-tier?! Then she's at least a Sixth-Rank Mage?!"
Kail flailed helplessly in the air, unable to move a muscle.
Sephina's face stayed blank as she flicked her wrist lightly.
CRASH!!
Glass shattered as Kail's body was flung like a rock from a catapult, smashing straight through the arched window at the back of the room and disappearing with a long, miserable scream.
Of course, Sephina had cast a cushioning spell—he wouldn't die. But he'd definitely wake up bruised, dizzy, and humiliated beyond repair.
The classroom erupted.
"Holy crap—she actually threw him out?!"
"She wasn't bluffing?!"
"Sixth-rank magic… good god…"
Sephina's cold eyes swept over the remaining nine culprits, now pale as chalk.
"The rest of you—will you walk out, or should I help you?"
They didn't wait to find out.
All nine scrambled for the door like their lives depended on it, tripping over each other to escape.
Sephina finally turned her gaze to the students still standing at the back—the ones who had confessed early and were now shaking in their boots.
"You at the back—accomplices in the prank. Your participation grade this term will be cut by twenty percent."
The students blanched, but they almost looked relieved. At least they weren't flying out the window.
Then Sephina raised her voice—clear, firm, echoing through the classroom and even down the hall outside.
"As for the main culprit outside—your grade will be cut by forty percent.
And if your final combat exam is below Excellent, you'll all fail and retake it."
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the class—thank god they hadn't joined the prank.
But then—
"Oh, my mistake." Sephina turned back from the blackboard, her tone casual but her eyes glinting.
"That applies to everyone. If your final combat exam is below Excellent, you'll all fail and take the course again."
"Wha—WHAT?!"
This time, the outcry was universal—shocked gasps and panicked groans filled the air, from inside and outside the classroom alike.