I’m Not the Mastermind

The next day.

Yujin was adjusting his attire in his quarters, speaking casually to Tiamat.

“Wow, I’m kind of nervous. The idea of me being a professor still feels surreal. Honestly, in my world, being a professor meant having high social status. Considering I’ve crawled up from the bottom, I’d say I’ve made quite the leap.”

“You became a dragon ages ago, and now you’re suddenly amazed at becoming a professor for humans?”

“Well, becoming a dragon felt so disconnected from reality, like a dream I wasn’t truly living. But being a professor... it feels tangible, almost like achieving a childhood dream, if I’m being dramatic.”

“Heh, good for you,” Tiamat replied with an amused chuckle, seemingly pleased with Yujin’s elevated mood.

Just then, Yujin turned his gaze toward the door.

“Still, some people are in quite a hurry, aren’t they?”

Tiamat gave him a dry look.

“...Yujin, that’s entirely your fault.”

“There’s no need to remind me repeatedly. I’m very aware,” Yujin replied with a wry smile before stepping outside.

“Oh?”

Feigning surprise, he looked at the person standing at his door.

“Professor Sahart, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“......”

It was Reina, standing with a hardened expression, waiting for him.

Yujin smiled and added, “Ha, could it be that you’ve come to escort me to our joint lecture? How considerate of you!”

“I won’t let you have your way,” she said suddenly, her tone resolute.

Her unexpected declaration made Yujin tilt his head in feigned confusion.

“Hm? I’m not quite sure what you mean, but good morning, Professor. Have you had breakfast?”

“...No, not yet.”

“Then would you care to join me? I haven’t eaten either, and I’ve heard the academy’s dining hall is quite excellent.”

“...Very well,” she replied, clearly intending to stick close and keep an eye on him.

The two of them headed to the academy’s dining hall together.

***

The academy’s dining facilities, as expected, were exceptionally high-class.

The student dining hall functioned like a modern buffet, with magically preserved dishes that looked as appetizing as they were fresh. The faculty-exclusive dining area, on the other hand, featured a chef-prepared menu tailored to individual preferences.

Yujin and Reina were seated in the faculty dining hall, starting their meal with light dishes suited for breakfast. Yujin marveled at how ordinary the food seemed in this world.

‘I suppose the over-the-top meals at Mary’s inn weren’t the norm after all.’

Having first experienced this world’s cuisine at Mary’s extravagant inn, Yujin’s expectations had been somewhat skewed.

His breakfast consisted of a chicken breast salad and soft black bread, which was identical to Reina’s order—simply because he had no idea what to choose and decided to copy her. Reina, however, seemed mildly displeased.

“Not bad. It’s small, but the quality is excellent,” Tiamat commented, enjoying the taste through Yujin’s senses.

Yujin, however, wasn’t nearly as relaxed.

‘She’s going to burn a hole through me with that stare.’

Reina’s sharp gaze remained fixed on him throughout the meal, her piercing aura impossible to ignore.

Deciding he couldn’t endure the tension in silence, Yujin broke the ice.

“What’s the schedule for today’s lectures?”

“......”

Though still wary, Reina answered.

“In the morning, we focus on theoretical lectures. The afternoons are reserved for practical sessions. This pattern is repeated most days, although occasionally, an entire day is allocated for labyrinth exploration.”

“I’ve heard time flows slower in the labyrinth. Do you still dedicate full days to it?”

“For first-year students, yes. They rarely go beyond the tenth level. The primary goal is to give them as much hands-on experience as possible, so substantial time is allotted.”

“I see,” Yujin replied, nodding thoughtfully.

Their conversation continued along these lines, with Yujin asking questions about the lecture structure and Reina responding without hesitation.

Still...

‘This is awkward.’

Reina’s sharp demeanor showed no sign of softening. In fact, the more Yujin spoke, the more she seemed to double down on her piercing aura.

Yujin couldn’t help but think that anyone else in his place might have lost their appetite—or worse, their nerve.

Nearby faculty members noticed as well, hesitating to approach.

‘Professor Sahart seems unusually tense today.’
‘I wanted to talk to Professor Yujin, but... not with her there.’
‘She’s always had a commanding presence, but today it’s downright oppressive.’

Then, breaking the tense atmosphere—

“Reina, mind if I join you?”

“...Lynne?”

A soft, languid voice interrupted them, and a woman with ashen hair and serene blue eyes approached. It was Lynne Enneria, the alchemy professor and Reina’s long-time friend.

“Why now...?” Reina began, frowning slightly.

“Just thought it might be nice to have breakfast together for a change,” Lynne replied casually before turning to Yujin.

“Professor Yujin, would it be alright if I joined you as well? I’d like to chat with you for a bit.”

“I don’t mind at all. Please, make yourselves comfortable,” Yujin replied with a polite smile.

Lynne glanced at Reina, who hesitated for a moment before nodding.

“Alright then, excuse me,” Lynne said as she took a seat beside Reina, directly across from Yujin. Her piercing blue eyes locked onto him.

‘This one has an agenda, too,’ Yujin thought, noting her intent gaze. Deciding to play along, he spoke up.

“May I ask what you’d like to discuss?”

“It’s nothing serious. I was curious—Professor Yujin, you’re from the East, correct?”

“That’s right. Though I only spent my early childhood there. I grew up learning magic in the Western Continent.”

Effortlessly weaving a lie into his response, Yujin masked it with perfect composure.

“Did you have a mentor who taught you magic?” Lynne inquired further.

“A mentor, yes. Though they’ve passed away now,” Yujin answered smoothly.

Yujin had deftly twisted the truth. While he had begun learning magic on his own, it was Tiamat who had imparted most of his deeper knowledge of magic. If she could be considered a mentor, then his words weren’t entirely a lie. After all, she was a great and now-deceased entity.

“She must have been an extraordinary figure to have trained a mage of your caliber, Professor Yujin,” Lynne commented.

“Yes, she was indeed extraordinary. Without a doubt, she was the greatest being I’ve ever encountered,” Yujin replied, his words a subtle nod to Tiamat’s role as the leader of dragons.

Lynne’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“If you speak so highly of her, Professor, I can’t help but wonder what she was like.”

“Haha, truthfully, I don’t know much about her personally. She rarely shared stories about herself,” Yujin said, feeling a faint reaction from Tiamat at his words. She, too, seemed to realize she was the subject of the conversation.

However, Yujin wasn’t particularly bothered by it.

‘How long does she plan to keep this up?’

This conversation, Yujin thought, was just a warm-up—a way to ease into the real topic. He was certain Lynne’s true intentions went beyond idle questions.

Then Lynne asked, “Professor Yujin, how would you compare your mentor to a transcendent?”

“A transcendent, you say?”

‘So this is where we’re heading.’

Yujin thought briefly, analyzing her intent as he caught a glimpse of the obsession and faint madness hidden in her gaze.

‘Ah, I see now.’

He smirked slightly before responding.

“A transcendent... Well, I’d say there’s an unbridgeable gap between mortals and transcendents, regardless of one’s aspirations.”

“Is that so?” Lynne asked, her tone cautious.

“However...” Yujin paused, a faintly mysterious smile forming.

“I sometimes wonder if mortals might become transcendents themselves.”

“!”

“Haha, of course, it’s merely a hypothetical—a product of idle imagination,” Yujin said, laughing lightly as he observed Lynne’s subtle reaction. Her eyes wavered ever so slightly.

Satisfied with his subtle deflection, Yujin stood and turned to Reina.@@novelbin@@

“Well then, Professor Sahart? Shall we head out?”

“...Yes, let’s.”

Reina cast a glance at Lynne before following Yujin out of the dining hall.

“......”

Left alone, Lynne rested her chin on her hand, her thoughts deep and unfocused.

***

Meanwhile, in the magical studies lecture hall.

Students were bustling about before class, chatting among themselves.

“Eri, how do you think you did on the exam?”

“Ugh... I think I bombed it. I made so many mistakes at the start, and I even got scolded for it.”

“Really? What about you, Sera?”

“Hmm, I think I did okay, maybe?”

“Doubt it.”

“Too harsh! But fair, I guess.”

The brown-haired girl pouted before her eyes lit up with curiosity.

“By the way, Eri, did you hear? Professor Sahart is giving a joint lecture with another professor today!”

“What? Really? What’s that about?”

“It’s just like I said. Didn’t you see the announcement yesterday?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Figures. It was a sudden notice, so a lot of people missed it.”

“Do you know who she’s doing the lecture with?”

“No idea. I heard it’s a new professor, though.”

“A new professor? But I don’t recall anyone joining the magic department recently...”

“Eri, were you sleeping during the entrance ceremony? No one joined back then. This professor started after the exams ended. It’s a weird time for someone to start, right?”

“Yeah, that timing is strange... And what’s with this professor?”

“Oh, and get this! I heard he’s super handsome!”

“Super handsome? Seriously?”

“Yup! Apparently, Professor Sahart was seen heading to breakfast with him this morning!”

“No way. Professor Sahart? Having breakfast with a man?”

“That’s what I heard! Can you believe it? And apparently, he has this dangerous charm about him!”

“Dangerous charm...”

Hearing that phrase, Eri froze. A figure flashed in her mind—a man whose smile and voice still sent shivers down her spine.

“How is it? Not too hard, right?”

She remembered the man’s relaxed demeanor, his chilling words. Her face grew pale as the memory flooded back.

“Eri? Are you okay?” Sera asked, concerned.

“...Ah, yeah, I’m fine.”

“You sure? If something’s wrong, you should say so. It’ll be worse if you’re out of it during practicals.”

Sera’s genuine worry eased Eri’s nerves slightly, and she nodded.

“Y-Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Everyone, the professors are here!”

A voice from the doorway snapped the students to attention, and they quickly took their seats.

Click. Click.
Thud. Thud.

Two figures entered the lecture hall.

The first was a sharp-featured woman with short, precise hair and a commanding presence—Reina. The second was a man with a soft, easygoing smile that radiated a calm yet magnetic energy—Yujin.

The room instantly fell silent, all eyes drawn to the pair.

Eri, in particular, was fixated on Yujin, her face pale.

‘What... Who is that man...?’

Reina stepped forward to address the students.

“Good morning, everyone.”

“G-Good morning, Professor!” the students responded, snapping out of their daze.

Reina continued, “Today, we’ll be reviewing your exam scores. As I announced yesterday, we’ll also have a joint lecture with another professor. While the sudden notice may have caught some off guard, I trust this will be a valuable experience. Please welcome Professor Yujin, who has graciously joined us.”

Yujin stepped forward with a polite smile.

“Nice to meet you, everyone. I’m Yujin Han, the new professor appointed to the magic department.”

“....!”

Eri shot to her feet, her face drained of color.

Yujin’s gaze landed on her, and his smile widened slightly.

“Ah, Eri, isn’t it? It’s been a while—what has it been? A little over a week?”

“No... This can’t be...”

Eri murmured, oblivious to the stares of her classmates, as fear and disbelief consumed her.