I’m Not the Mastermind

The Headmistress informed Yujin that Professor Reina Sahart was the Dean of Magical Studies.

Upon hearing this, Yujin immediately asked,
"Is it possible to request a change in assignment?"

"Well... it’s not impossible, but..."

"Haha, of course. I figured as much. Since I’ve been appointed as a professor in Magical Studies, my department chair position has to remain within that field, doesn’t it?"

"......"

Yujin’s resigned laughter left the Headmistress at a loss for words, and she lowered her head apologetically.

"Honestly, I’d love to offer you a more prominent position, but most of the key roles are already occupied..."

"It’s fine. These things happen."

While the Headmistress wielded significant authority within the academy, the institution wasn’t her creation. It was a nexus of countless interests and resources funded by external contributions.

The academy, while enjoying extrajudicial power in some respects, wasn’t immune to internal disputes and power struggles. Many professors were influential figures from various nations, and displacing them to create a prominent position for Yujin was beyond even the Headmistress’s authority.

Moreover, the academy’s sovereignty wasn’t invincible. If a country withdrew funding or severed diplomatic ties, the institution would undoubtedly face significant repercussions.

Ines herself occupied her position as Headmistress partly because she belonged to the neutral Karrandar family, unaffiliated with any nation. Her role depended on maintaining that neutrality.

In other words, her support for Yujin couldn’t resolve every issue. Adapting to life as a professor would ultimately be Yujin’s responsibility.

"This is... quite amusing," Yujin muttered with a wry smile.

Of all people, the Dean of Magical Studies had to be Professor Reina Sahart. Considering how badly he’d gotten on her nerves, his situation was bound to be complicated.

Seeing his expression, the Headmistress hesitated before cautiously asking,
"Excuse me, but may I ask you something, if it’s not too intrusive?"

"Go ahead."

"I heard from Professor Reina that you revealed yourself as a dark magician... Is that true?"

Yujin chuckled bitterly.
"Yes, it’s true."

"May I ask why you did such a thing?"

"It was just a harmless joke. Since I was already being mistaken for one, I thought I’d play along for a bit. Of course, I didn’t expect things to escalate like this."

"I... see."@@novelbin@@

The Headmistress opened her mouth as if to say more but closed it again several times before finally speaking.
"Still, don’t you think pretending to be a dark magician might have been a bit excessive?"

"Perhaps you’re right. Though if time could be reversed, it wouldn’t really matter."

"...Is that even possible?"

The Headmistress had heard of localized time manipulation but found the idea of full time reversal hard to fathom.

Yujin tilted his head slightly and replied,
"It’s not impossible. Just a bit difficult."

Reversing time wouldn’t just involve altering the academy’s timeline but the entire world’s, including day and night cycles—a task even for a transcendent being. It would require significant effort, even for Yujin.

While challenging, it was within the realm of possibility. In fact, Tiamat had shared memories of other transcendents achieving similar feats. The problem was...

‘If I attempted something on that scale, the gods would definitely notice.’

Transcendents were unaffected by time reversal. As Tiamat had explained, their very existence belonged to a different plane.

Mortals lived in what they called the Lower World, while transcendents resided in the Celestial Realm, a world beyond mortal influence. The time of the Celestial Realm wasn’t something any individual transcendent could control.

Thus, Yujin could only manipulate time in the Lower World, and even that would immediately draw the gods’ attention.

In any case, this wasn’t a mistake worth reversing time over, let alone risking divine scrutiny.

"But honestly, I have no intention of doing that. It’s not a mistake significant enough to warrant such measures."

"I see..."

The Headmistress hesitated for a moment before addressing Yujin.
"Just... please don’t go too far. Professor Reina has been my assistant for a long time, after all..."

"Ah, I understand. I can see why you might find it unpleasant that I deceived her."

"N-not unpleasant, per se, just..."

"Haha, it’s fine. You can be honest. And don’t worry too much—I had no intention of causing her harm. It was just a bit of harmless teasing."

Yujin was sincere. There was nothing to gain from tormenting Professor Reina.

Cheap thrills from manipulating others? While Yujin was admittedly mischievous, he wasn’t that kind of person.

Reassured by his words, the Headmistress nodded.
"Thank you."

"Now, is there anything else you need from me?"

"Actually, there is one more thing..."

"What is it?"

The Headmistress glanced around cautiously before asking,
"You mentioned before that there might be a way to help Princess Alicia. Is that true?"

***

Meanwhile, in the girls’ dormitory.

"......"

On the top floor, inside the most luxurious and elaborately decorated room, a woman lay on a bed, asleep like a princess from a fairy tale.

The white flower blooming over her right eye enhanced her beauty, giving her an almost mystical, otherworldly presence.

At the same time, her frail and delicate appearance, in contrast to her strong martial prowess, evoked a sense of vulnerability, making anyone who saw her feel a protective affection.

If someone were to see her now, they might feel the urge to kiss her rose-colored lips, as if they were a prince awakening a sleeping princess from a fairy tale.

Not knowing that the thorns hidden beneath would prick them.

"...Mm..."

The sleeping princess let out a faint groan and began to stir.

Her long, slender eyelashes quivered, and slowly, her eyelids began to part.

"...Ah."

With a soft gasp, she opened her eyes and gradually sat up in bed.

Her slightly dazed gaze wandered, her mind still foggy from sleep as she began to take in her surroundings.

"...My... room?"

She soon realized she was in her dormitory room at the academy.

The room was extravagantly furnished, far exceeding the standards of even the noblest of aristocrats, as it had been specially prepared for a princess.

Of course, she had never cared much about such opulence.

"...Why am I...?"

Murmuring to herself, she wondered why she was here.

It was strange. It was perfectly natural for her to be in her dormitory room, yet something felt off.

"...Ah."

Gradually, memories of the previous night began to surface in her mind.

The nightmares, the hallucinations, the dissonant whispers... and her desperation to escape them, leading her to take a walk outside.

She remembered the scent of magi, how she had lost control and dashed into the garden...

"...That man."

And there, she had encountered the man with the horn that emanated magi.

She raised her hand to touch her right eye, where a flower had bloomed.

It was the same flower the man had touched last night.

Come to think of it...

"...I didn’t have a nightmare."

That wasn’t all.

She looked around. There were no hallucinations in sight.

Even the grating whispers that had always lingered in her ears and mind were gone.

It was quiet. Peaceful.

"Ah..."

For a moment, she sat there in awe, overwhelmed by the tranquility.

What was happening? Had she finally rid herself of this curse?

But the flower over her right eye remained. The accursed demon had not vanished.

So what was this situation?

"...That man."

She thought back to the man she had seen last night.

Hair as black as a starless night, a face so artistically beautiful that even as a princess accustomed to meeting the finest of men, she had never seen its equal.

His enigmatic smile, his narrowed eyes...

And the crimson galaxy that had unfurled from his hand.

"You seem exhausted. For now, just rest peacefully."

His gentle smile, his kind voice, and those captivating red eyes lingered vividly in her mind.

"Ah..."

She let out a soft gasp, her heart pounding in her chest.

It was an unfamiliar feeling. What was this sensation?

A wave of emotion crashed over her, one she couldn’t quite identify.

But one thing was clear.

She needed to find him.

"He said he was a new professor. He must still be in the academy."

She remembered his introduction vividly.

The newly appointed professor at the academy, Yujin.

Yes, that’s how he had introduced himself.

Determined, she rose from her bed and headed toward the door.

Concerns like washing her face before meeting him or the presence of other students heading to their classes didn’t even cross her mind.

Her only thought was to find him immediately.

Bang!

She threw open the dormitory door with a dramatic flourish.

"!"

She froze in her tracks, startled.

Because...

"Well, it seems knocking was unnecessary after all, wasn’t it?"

"Ah..."

The man she was looking for was standing right in front of her.