: Rebirth

2

Humiliated and murdered, I could not rest in peace. My soul, unable to find release, drifted around them, watching as they carelessly disposed of my body.

My death couldn't be covered up forever. Mom and Dad, supporting each other, stumbled their way to the place where I had spent my final moments.

Suppressing their grief and sorrow, they were determined to get justice for me and make them face charges for intentional homicide.

But how could my powerless parents possibly succeed? As I watched, my eyes wide with fury, they beat Mom and Dad to death.

Rage and hatred nearly tore my soul apart. Volunteering to teach became the greatest regret of my life.

"Ms. Shaw!"

A voice pulled me from the nightmare of my past life. I looked up to meet a questioning gaze.

"Sorry, I was just spacing out. Could you show me to the dorms first?" I gave him an apologetic smile, then lowered my gaze to conceal the hatred in my eyes.

'This time around, I will absolutely not let this family of heartless monsters go.'

Led by the Principal, I walked step by step back to that familiar place.

"Ms. Shaw, get some rest for now. I'll take you to the classroom tomorrow."

"The students at our school are all very hardworking. All they need is a great teacher."

The Principal beamed at me, his voice full of delight.

'After all, it's not easy just to get someone willing to come teach here.'

Listening to the Principal, I forced a smile.

'I didn't want to paint everyone with the same brush, but after what I went through in my past life, my heart remained unmoved.'

After seeing the Principal off, I calmed my thoughts and quietly tidied the room.

「The next day.」

The Principal personally escorted me to the Senior Year classroom. I stepped onto the familiar teacher's platform, my cold gaze sweeping over the excited faces below.

'I knew this class all too well.'

When my gaze landed on Caden Morgan, who was sitting in a corner in the back row, I quickly lowered my eyes to hide the hatred I couldn't suppress.

"This is Ms. Shaw, the new volunteer teacher from the city! From now on, she'll be leading you in your final push for the College Entrance Exams so you can leave these mountains behind!"

The Principal's booming, excited voice ignited a roar of cheers from the class.

The entire school had only one Senior Year class, which was packed with over sixty students.

Due to a shortage of teachers, they had no choice but to be crammed into one class. Only a small fraction of the village's youth attended high school; everyone else had already left to find work.

In my previous life, having grown up privileged, hearing about their circumstances had filled my heart with pity and sympathy. I hadn't regretted my decision to volunteer at all.

But as it turned out, my efforts and concern didn't bear any great fruit. Instead, they taught me a lesson about human nature.

"You are now seniors, and you're facing the harsh battle of the College Entrance Exams."

"Whether or not you can leave these mountains depends entirely on your own hard work. The world outside is vast and wonderful, so you must give this your all."

"I am going to be very strict with all of you, so I expect no troublemakers or pessimists."

My stern, cold gaze swept over each person below. This attitude was the complete opposite of how I was in my past life. I would no longer be gentle and approachable just because I pitied them.

'Only the powerful can control the situation.'

: A Sharp Rebuke

3

The lively, joyous atmosphere in the classroom vanished in an instant. They exchanged glances, a newfound fear in their hearts as they looked at me.

"Ms. Shaw graduated from a prestigious university. You must listen carefully to what she says, as it will help you learn." The Principal glanced at me before addressing the students with a stern expression.

Under my severe gaze, not a single one of them dared to approach me or say a word. They just listened quietly to my lecture.

Engaging again with the knowledge I so loved, my mood began to settle.

In my past life, aside from that ungrateful wretch Caden Morgan, everyone else had been very friendly to me, even respectful.

"Ms. Shaw, could you help me with this problem?" It was now the break between classes. Aside from the students using the restroom, everyone was diligently studying or working on problems.

In the quiet classroom, Caden Morgan walked up to the podium, holding a test paper.

"Let me see."

At the sound of his voice, a flash of hatred flickered in my eyes, but I kept my tone gentle.

Caden Morgan's eyes lit up, and he quickly handed me the test paper.

Because I had been so stern at the start of class, no one had dared to approach me with questions during the break. With Caden Morgan now being the first, the entire class instantly turned to look at us, their faces alight with excitement.

"This problem is simple; you just need to apply the right formula. Do you know which one to use?"

It was the same, familiar problem. In my past life, I had patiently taught him, carefully writing out the formula for him when he couldn't figure out which one to use, never once getting angry.

Caden Morgan was instantly stumped, his expression turning blank.

Seeing his confusion, I abandoned my past-life attitude and spoke with a piercing tone, "You're in your Senior Year. Why can't you remember the formulas? What have you been doing for the past three years?"

My sudden shift in attitude shocked Caden Morgan into silence. He stared at me, completely at a loss.

Before my arrival, Caden Morgan's diligent attitude had made him a favorite among the teachers. They had always treated him well; he had never been scolded before.

"Apply this formula. Go back and memorize it properly." I sighed, jotted down the formula, and handed the test paper back.

Caden Morgan looked at me, seeming to want to say something but holding his tongue. He then turned and walked back to his seat in a daze.

Watching his retreating figure, a small smile touched my lips, and a flash of smug satisfaction crossed my eyes.

Caden Morgan had been thoroughly rattled by me. For the rest of the day, he didn't come up to ask for help again.

"Ms. Shaw, could you take a look at my solution?"

I was calmly sitting at my desk, flipping through a textbook, when a low voice suddenly broke the silence. I looked up.

A thin, pale boy was standing beside me, his expression cautious.

"Not bad. This is a great solution." I took the paper and looked over his work, a smile touching my lips as I praised him.

I then offered him some guidance.

Jude Lowell had clearly expected me to treat him the same way I'd treated Caden Morgan, but he was surprised by how kind I was. His tense posture immediately relaxed.