I’m Not the Mastermind

And so, Yujin found himself accompanied by a party.

“……”

Having always had a strangely suspicious vibe both on Earth and here, he walked slightly aloof, a step behind the party members, while they all glanced at him without saying a word. This was a situation he was quite familiar with.

However, it wasn’t that Yujin didn’t converse with anyone at all. Right beside him was Tiamat, the Transcendent, always attached to him in her soul form.

She asked Yujin, 『So, Yujin, why did you choose to join them? We could find the exit just fine on our own.』

‘Oh, is that what it is?’

It was a reasonable question from Tiamat.

Yujin didn’t really need a guide to lead him to the exit. After all, he could manage to find such a thing on his own.

Even if he ignored the party’s help, there wouldn’t be any problem for him to leave this place. Yet, he had chosen to accept the party’s assistance and travel with them.

‘It’s nothing special. If I had to put it into words, I just thought it wouldn’t be bad to forge some connections here.’

『Connections?』

‘Yeah.’

Though he hadn’t mentioned it to Tiamat yet, the truth was, Yujin was an outsider.

He was a person from another world who had crossed over from Earth into the maze.

At first, he thought he was still inside the Gate, or that Tiamat’s Tomb had been manifested within the Gate, or perhaps he had simply crossed over through the Gate. But now, he was certain.

He had stepped into another world. Just looking at this party confirmed it.

A party with races like Dwarves instead of just humans. They spoke under the assumption that this place was the Maze.

Most notably, it was far more convincing to assume that this massive Maze had crossed over to Earth through the Gate, rather than he had simply crossed into another world.

This meant Yujin had completely realized that he was in another world.

So, what was the problem?

Firstly, a lack of common sense.

Yujin was indeed someone who had played the game “Maze Academy,” set in this world.

The problem was that he had played the game without paying much attention to the story, setting, or lore. He was what people commonly called a “story skippist.”

“Maze Academy” was a game that didn’t require knowledge of the story to play.

It was essentially a roguelike game based on dungeon exploration, where the goal was simply to gather resources and treasures while traversing the Maze.

Although there was a story centered around the Academy, Yujin often ignored or skipped it, passing time simply by playing in the dungeon.

Because of this, he fundamentally lacked knowledge about this world. After all, he was a total newbie who didn’t know much about the game itself. In fact, he had barely started playing “Maze Academy” for less than a week.

Moreover, he mostly played it just to kill time, as he was usually busy with his life as an Awakened One. That meant he hadn’t played the “Maze Academy” game much at all.

With that being the case, how much could he possibly know about this world? He only knew a little about how to navigate the Maze.

Thus, he needed to learn some common sense about this world in advance.

Of course, there was Tiamat, but she was a Transcendent who had existed thousands of years ago, so it was clear she wouldn’t know much about the current era. He needed to gather information from others.

This party was his chosen avenue for that.

But there was one more problem.

The second issue was that he didn’t know a single person in this world.

To Yujin, the world of “Maze Academy” was merely an unfamiliar realm. There was no way he would know anyone here.

Of course, Yujin hardly had many close friends on Earth, but at least he could rely on the social systems to interact with others.

However, this place was fundamentally set in a medieval cultural backdrop. It was a world filled with monarchies and feudal systems.

A barbaric medieval fantasy emphasizing power and strength. It was quite a painful reality to have no acquaintances in such a world.

In a place where there’s no societal system that values morality and ethics like Earth, he realized he needed to adapt from a life that relied on the Earth’s social structure.

Hence, he decided to try forging connections. The start of that was this party.

And most importantly…

‘Tiamat, do you know the term “Yuwi Jeonbyeon”?’

『Yuwi Jeonbyeon…? What does that mean?』

‘It refers to the idea that everything in the world is a product of connections and changes constantly, never remaining still.’

Yuwi Jeonbyeon. It’s quite a famous Buddhist term.

Its meaning is exactly as Yujin stated; everything ultimately changes through connections, highlighting the ephemeral nature of worldly affairs.

‘It might sound like it promotes nihilism, but actually, it’s not.’

『How is it different then?』

‘In the end, everything is bound to change, but that doesn’t mean everything lacks meaning—rather, it means anything can become something. Let’s use a container as an example.’

Yujin continued his explanation.

‘We don’t say a container is [meaningless] just because it’s empty. It could hold water, soup, or alcohol. It’s empty but can hold anything.’

『Oh…?』

‘Everything is like an [empty container]; it truly has the potential to be anything. If the container meets water, it becomes a container of water; if it meets alcohol, it becomes a container of alcohol; if it meets poison, it can even become a container of poison. Here, connections are the things that meet the container. It can also be called cause and effect.’

『That’s an interesting realization. But what does that have to do with creating connections? Do you want to change something?』

‘No. It’s not about needing to change or wanting to change. Ultimately, everything is bound to change, so we shouldn’t be attached to the back and forth but accept it. The day will come when “my things” won’t be “my things” anymore.’

Yujin, who spoke casually like a carefree sage, continued conversing with a smile.

‘But this doesn’t equate to the extreme mindset of nihilism. The conclusion is not to refuse change but to appreciate and cherish what I possess now, knowing it will eventually fade away. Isn’t that how it is for everyone? Rather than holding onto something eternally, it’s better to cherish what will someday disappear.’

『…I see.』

Tiamat was somewhat astonished. Although it was hard to gauge a mere mortal’s realization, it was not difficult to comprehend.

To put it simply, the meaning itself was very straightforward. However, the depth behind it was truly extraordinary.

It was like an endlessly clear lake whose depths were unfathomably deep.

Tiamat expressed her surprise that a mortal’s understanding of life had reached such a profound state.

『Everything changes because of connections, so anything can be…』

And this kind of realization was indeed a shortcut to elevating the soul’s status.

Hwaaaa…!

‘…Hmm?’

『Thank you, Yujin. I’ve made some progress thanks to you.』

Yujin felt Tiamat’s presence within him grow stronger, and he was momentarily surprised. Tiamat expressed her gratitude for her soul’s elevation.

『I understand well now why you lack greed and attachment. Everything is bound to change like flowing water, so there’s no reason to cling to something.』

In truth, this realization wasn’t hard for Tiamat to accept. It wasn’t an easy task to casually hand over her own bones and heart to a complete stranger.

She was not a being who had left the world; she still lived in her heart as a soul. Yet, without attachment, she had given Yujin her heart.

Thus, it wasn’t difficult for her to accept the teachings of “Zhefa Wuwo” (諸法無我). She didn’t show attachment even when what was once hers became someone else’s.

‘…Haha, it’s nothing special.’

Yujin, feeling Tiamat’s growth as a soul, said that lightly. It seemed his words had imparted a realization of sorts.

Tiamat replied, 『No, I was genuinely surprised. You must have been able to mature this much because you had such realizations even in your mortal days.』

‘You flatter me.’

As Yujin laughed in response, Tiamat asked.

『So, is creating connections here also a manifestation of such realizations? Is it that you want to cherish even the fleeting connections?』

‘It’s not that grand of a reason. It’s just that since these things are also connections, there’s no reason to avoid them.’

『Hmm… I see.』

‘Ah, but the connection with you, Tiamat, is extremely precious.’

『Uh, um?』

At those words, Tiamat was flustered. Yujin continued.

‘I mean it. Honestly, ever since my parents passed away, you’re the first person I’ve been able to talk to so openly. Maybe that’s why… I feel this time with you is very precious.’

『…Oh, um… Is that so?』

Yujin was still walking while looking ahead to avoid revealing Tiamat’s presence to the party, so he couldn’t see her blushing face as her eyes widened.

However, he could feel her flustered state through his senses, and that made him awkwardly add.

‘Erm… Was that too embarrassing of a statement?’

『Ah, no… it’s not that. Just, um…』

‘Haha, you don’t have to go out of your way to be considerate. Thinking about it now, I feel like it was a bit embarrassing to say. Just forget it.’

『Th-That’s… okay.』

However, as Tiamat said that, she thought to herself that she likely wouldn’t forget it. After all, a Transcendent could easily forget any desired memory.

Just then, as a brief silence passed between Yujin and Tiamat, Mirien, the party’s scout, spoke up.

“Stop.”

“Mirien, is something up?”

“…Yeah, there are eight… no, eleven nearby.”

As Mirien counted the enemies at Hugo’s question, Yujin also sensed it. The party had already entered a forest after being in the plains, and aside from Mirien and Yujin, the others hadn’t noticed the foes lurking.

The party members began to tense up. Eri and Sia, who were students of the Academy, also started to get on edge.

Flinch!

Tremble, tremble…

No, it seemed they were overly anxious. Eri, the Mage, jumped in surprise, and Sia, the Priest, looked meek and timid.

Yujin thought they were quite tender-hearted and looked around at them.

At that moment, Hugo spoke to Yujin for the first time since the introductions.

“Please stay in the center, Yujin. As I mentioned earlier, we’re also supposed to be monitoring Academy students, so we really shouldn’t stray from our designated positions for evaluation purposes.”

“Of course. However, I should at least be able to protect myself if need be, right?”

“Yes, that’s only natural.”

With that, the party members were ready for combat.

The start came from Mirien.

She quietly nocked an arrow and aimed at a corner of the forest, then let it fly.

Whoosh!

“Gah!”

A dying scream echoed as a greenish dwarf was pinned to the ground by the arrow.

Though it had long ears like an elf, its green, rough skin and ugly face told the truth—a goblin.

“Kieeek! Kyaaak!”

As the goblins realized their ambush had been discovered, they began to reveal themselves one by one.

Monsters in the Maze have no survival instincts. As soon as their ambush is revealed, even if one of their comrades gets killed, they show their hostility without a shred of fear.

Seeing this, Hugo stepped up and began banging his shield with his sword.

Clang, clang!

“Hey, you monsters! Look over here!”

[Taunt]

It was an essential skill for every tank, Taunt.

With that, all the goblins’ gazes turned immediately to Hugo.

Hugo then spoke to the backline.

“Chrome, move freely. Eri, get ready to cast magic! Sia, please put a shield on me, and Hans, stay in the center with Yujin. Mirien, take out the ones throwing stones from afar!”

A rapid-fire series of instructions were given. Chrome slipped aside to move freely and swung his axe, while Eri, tense, prepared her magic, Sia chanted a shield spell, and Mirien began to take down the goblins attacking from a distance.

Meanwhile, Yujin, protected between Hans, was quietly observing.

‘Their coordination is good.’

It was a simple command, but Chrome, the Dwarf, moved quickly, sweeping through the goblins, while Mirien rapidly took them down from afar. Hugo, acting as the tank, held firm against the goblins advancing to the center like a wall.

It was evident that they had fought together for a long time.

Yet the problem arose right then.

“More coming in from the 9 o’clock direction! There are five!”

“Chrome!”

“Got it!”

Chrome, moving freely, rushed towards the 9 o’clock direction. Since he had been slightly disrupting Hugo’s spacing, it made Hugo’s job a little harder, but he didn’t seem fazed.

The issue came from elsewhere.

“Uh, um…”

Eri, the Mage, seemed to be looking around for an angle to shoot her magic, preparing it. The problem was that, as a novice, she was trying to make judgments unilaterally without her leader’s commands.

“P-Pyroball!”

As a result, she sent a fireball not towards the direction of Hugo, who had fewer enemies, but rather towards Chrome, who was rushing towards the 9 o’clock direction. Chrome panicked.

“Oh no!”

Hugo, hearing the incantation, was also shocked and looked that way as well. They hadn’t expected that she would cast magic impulsively without instructions.

Moreover, the barrier was still active, and rather than Hugo standing at the front, the fireball flew towards Chrome, who was moving freely. If this continued, Chrome would be at risk of injury.

That was when Yujin subtly reached out his hand.

Whoosh!

A barrier of mana spread around Chrome to protect him. Then…

Boom!

The fireball exploded where the newly arrived goblins had charged in.

“Chrome!”

Seeing Chrome caught in the blast, Hugo shouted. He hadn’t noticed Yujin raising his hand to create the shield.

Eventually, when the flames receded and Chrome was seen to be unharmed, Hugo couldn’t hide his astonishment.

“Huh?”

And in that moment of confusion, as the panicking Eri saw the flames and Chrome seemed unscathed, a goblin leaped in towards them. It charged right at Eri.

“Kya! Kyaaaa!”

Eri, the inexperienced Mage, reflexively shut her eyes at the goblin rushing toward her. Then, suddenly…

“Ugh…”

Stab!

“Kieeek!”

As she waited for the pain to come, Eri heard the sound of a piercing weapon and the goblin’s shriek, cautiously opening her eyes.

She saw a small dagger lodged in the goblin’s shoulder, which was now trembling helplessly.

Then, a relaxed voice reached her ears.

“It seems like you’re quite inexperienced. So… Eri?”

“Ah, ah…”

Turning to see, a young man with half-closed eyes was looking down at her.

With an inscrutable smile, he approached her.

“But don’t worry! This kind of experience… you’ll gather more as you go!”

Saying this, he placed something in her hand.

It was a dagger.

“This… is?”

“Combat Mages shouldn’t rely solely on casting from the back. You need to have at least some equipment to protect yourself in case you find yourself in danger alone. Like a dagger for emergencies if a small monster slips past the tank.”

As Yujin pointed at the now trembling goblin, he said, “Stab it.”

“…What?”

“Eri, this is your first time taking a life, isn’t it? Using a knife to pierce an enemy instead of magic.”

Her eyes went wide at those words.

“H-How…?”

“Haha… Well, how could I not notice?”

He could easily tell that she wouldn’t have had such experience at a glance, but Yujin answered playfully to ease her nerves.

“…Hic!”

However, having just been told to take a life, she felt a strange fear. She trembled so much that she even hiccuped.

Whether he noticed or not, Yujin continued.

“This experience is also necessary. You must be able to vividly feel what it’s like to end a life. And you need to get accustomed to it.”

This way, one could endure such experiences in the heat of battle.

But perhaps failing to say the latter? She was shaking more and more.

Yujin spoke to her again.

“Come on, stab it.”

“B-But…”

“Hurry up.”

Yujin gently urged her, but she continued to shake her head.

“…I-I can’t…”

“…Hmm, it seems I have no choice.”

With those words, Yujin gently took Eri’s hand holding the dagger and led it towards the goblin.

He had seen many like her. Individuals who, after crossing through the Gate as Awakened Ones, lacked the heart to perform their duties due to their tender natures.

Such people needed experiences like this, being forcibly led through them.

He started to slowly guide the dagger towards…

Stab…

“Ugh, ugh…”

Piercing the goblin’s throat.

“Gah… Kheg…”

Warm blood began to flow. The death throes of a life began to play out.

Even though they were monsters born in the Maze, at their core, they weren’t much different from life. They bled and breathed.

With a blade lodged in its throat, it couldn’t breathe, and blood began to flow.

Slowly… the flame of one life flickered out.

“Gah…”

“Ugh, ugh…”

“And to make sure it’s truly finished…”

Then Yujin decided to take it a step further.

Twist!

“Uck!”

“Ugh!”

“This is how you twist the knife to properly finish it off.”

“Ugh… ugh…”

Thus, the goblin was utterly finished. Completely dead.

Yujin finally released the hold he had on Eri’s hand.

“How was that? Not so hard, right?”

“Uweeeck!”

Her response to that question was a violent bout of retching.