After fleeing her rental apartment, Shea scrambled back to school—there was no way she’d stay another second in that place.

She’d realized Abel wasn’t behind it.

Once calm, she’d pinpointed the culprit: her trashy little sister, trying to frame Abel.

In a twisted way, was this still “Rico’s” doing?

After all, in Abel’s mind, Rora *was* Rico.

She could wash her hands of it.

Yet even knowing Abel was innocent, recalling his outrageous antics from last night made her cheeks flush slightly.

That Hunter had zero shame. Zero humanity.

*Who just… eats yogurt stuck to* that *without blinking?*

Even if she’d washed and dried it thoroughly—it was downright perverted.

*Anyway, staying far away from that creep for a while is non-negotiable.*

Time would heal this wound… though it’d be tough.

Strangely, Abel’s reputation in her eyes kept plummeting—from “molester” to “pervert.” Who knew what label came next?

Still, Shea admitted to herself: quirks aside, Abel was reliable.

She had no intention of kicking him out.

(Though honestly? His rent money and grocery savings were the *real* reasons.

Where else would she find such a perfect sucker—*ahem*—roommate?)

By the time Shea snapped out of her thoughts, she’d already reached her classroom. Oddly, Nelly sat at the podium early, making Shea think she’d overslept.

“Shea, perfect timing. Take your seat—we’re starting class early today.”

Nelly’s grave tone silenced Shea’s worries. She slid into her chair, joining the hushed students.

Once everyone settled, Nelly announced heavily:

“I regret to inform you: four students from our academy vanished last night. Their status is unknown.”

Her crisp words triggered chaos. The classroom erupted like a marketplace—gasps, shouts, panicked chatter filling the air.

“Quiet!” Nelly rapped the blackboard. When silence fell, she continued:

“These are dangerous times. After school, go straight home. No loitering. To prevent more disappearances, I’ll teach you a new spell today.”

*New spell?*

Curiosity cut through the murmurs. Eager boys called out:

“Nelly! A powerful attack spell?”

“Of course…” Nelly adjusted her glasses, pausing as if to nod—then shook her head. “Of course *not*. I’m teaching you how to *run away fast*. Leave fighting criminals to the guards. You lack the strength. Your duty is to escape and alert them.”

“Aww…” Disappointment deflated the students. Youthful heroes dreamed of justice.

But Shea disagreed. As a thief, escape spells were gold. Even rabbits needed three burrows.

“Silence. Don’t fight strangers—*ever*. This is for your safety. Class begins now.”

Nelly turned to the blackboard. With bare hands, she drew a flawless circle.

The technique left students from other classes gaping. Only Shea’s class remained unimpressed.

“This spell is Spirit Form—a Crescent Moon Rank technique.”

In under thirty seconds, an intricate magic circle materialized on the board. Nelly stepped down, facing her students.

“You’re thinking: *How can Starry Rank mages master this?*” She pushed her glasses up. “Let me be clear: no spell is impossible. It’s about whether your mana holds out. At Starry Rank, you’ll sustain Spirit Form for five seconds—*total*. Use it in bursts, but never exceed five seconds combined.

While phased, you bypass any obstacle. It’s perfect for escaping traps… or captivity. Your task this week: grasp its basics.”

Groans rippled through the classroom. Easy to say, hard to do. Their hair would turn gray from practice.

*…Actually, this seems useful.*

Shea memorized the circle, tracing it in her mind’s eye. But Crescent Moon Rank complexity dwarfed Starry Rank spells. Just *imagining* it strained her. How did Nelly draw it by hand?

*Is she even human?*

“Shea. My office. Now. Others—practice. I’ll test you in an hour.”

Nelly’s summons jolted Shea from her thoughts. She followed the teacher down the hall.

Inside the office, Nelly shut the door and windows before sitting across from Shea.

“You weren’t attacked last night?”

“Nope. Perfectly safe.”

*(Even if I was, telling this white-haired demon would mean hours of nagging.)*

“Good. But Shea—no night jobs for now. It’s too dangerous.”

“…Okay.”

Like Abel, Nelly’s stern warning left no room for argument. One “no” would unleash a two-hour lecture.

“I’m glad you agree. You’ve noticed the situation, haven’t you?”

“Huh?”

Shea froze. *Noticed what? I don’t know anything!*

“Your friend Nina isn’t here today.”

“…”

Only then did Shea realize: her walking ATM—*best friend*—was absent.

*Could she…?*

“Yes. Just as you suspect. Nina didn’t call in sick. She’s missing.” Nelly’s face darkened with fury before she forced calm. “Where was Nina last night?”

“Last night? I was chatting with you after class. I have no idea where she went.”