I’m Not the Mastermind

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The head of the Magic Studies department is Professor Reina Sahart.

Upon hearing that, Yujin immediately spoke up.

“Is there any chance for a position change?”

“Well… it’s not impossible…”

“Haha, I figured as much! Since I’ve been appointed as a professor of Magic Studies, I guess the department head must belong to that field, right?”

“……”

With a half-hearted smile and a hint of desperation, Yujin spoke, causing the President to bow his head in silence, seemingly lost for words.

“Honestly, if it were up to me, I’d love to grant a special position, but… it seems all the spots are already filled…”

“It’s fine. It can’t be helped.”

Though the President held the strongest authority within the Academy, it wasn’t founded by her. The Academy was created through the intertwining of numerous interests and a significant amount of money contributed by external sponsors.

Given the entangled finances and interests of so many, they wield a sort of extralegal power and stature against external forces, but internally, power struggles and squabbles are ceaseless.

Among the professors are key figures from various nations, and it would be impossible for the President to simply push them aside and grant Yujin a key position of real power within the Academy.

Furthermore, her extralegal power and stature against external forces aren’t so substantial that a mere noble or even a royal could easily sway it. If a nation were to cut sponsorship and sever ties, the Academy would certainly be shaken to its core.

In short, if the President were to willy-nilly wield power and fill the Academy with her people, nations could indeed sever their relations with the Academy. Additionally, Ines, the President, belongs to the Karandar Family—a neutral faction that doesn’t belong to any nation, giving her the leverage to hold that position.

Be it this or that, even if President Ines supports Yujin, it doesn’t guarantee success. It’s solely up to Yujin to adapt to life as a professor at the Academy.

“Well, this is… amusing.”

Yujin chuckled bitterly, realizing that Reina Sahart, the Professor, had taken over the position of the head. She had definitely marked him; it wouldn’t be easy in many ways.

The President, observing this, cautiously inquired.

“…If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“I heard from Professor Reina that… she claimed to be a Dark Sorcerer and revealed her true identity…”

At those words, Yujin chuckled bitterly again and replied.

“Yes, it’s true.”

“…May I ask why she did such a thing?”

“Oh, I just thought I’d pull a little prank. Since everyone misunderstood her as a Dark Sorcerer, I thought it would be funny to tease her a bit—guess she thought the same! Though I certainly didn’t expect it to escalate like this.”

“I see…”

The President intermittently opened and closed his mouth, pausing before finally saying, “Still, pretending to be a Dark Sorcerer seems a bit excessive, don’t you think?”

“Well, I guess you’re right. It wouldn’t matter if I could rewind time, anyway…”

“Is that possible?”

Sure, I’ve seen localized time reversal, but rewinding time as a whole?

In that context, Yujin tilted his head slightly.

“It’s not impossible. It just takes a bit of effort.”

Not only would he have to reverse time within the Academy but also swap night and day, essentially turning back the time of the entire world. And that’s not an easy feat even for a Transcendent. To put it bluntly, it would require a bit of strain on Yujin as well.

Nevertheless, while it’s not easy, it is possible. In fact, there are plenty of examples in Tiamat’s teachings within my memory where an individual Transcendent reversed time for the whole world. The issue is…

‘If I pull something on that scale, the gods will definitely notice.’

Transcendents aren’t affected by time rewinds. According to Tiamat, they live in a different realm, right?

While mortals are said to live in what is commonly referred to as the mundane realm, Transcendents inhabit a world known as the celestial realm. And the time there isn’t something a mere Transcendent can easily control. The absolute timeframe for Transcendents is influenced by the celestial realm.

Essentially, what Yujin can reverse is only the time of the mundane realm. Even that would alert the gods.

Thus, there’s no room to fix a mistake by rewinding time. In the first place, it’s not a mistake worth correcting by going that far.

“But I’m not inclined to do that anyway. It’s not a mistake that needs correcting to such an extent.”

“Is that so?”

The President seemed to hesitate for a moment at that, but then looked at Yujin and said, “Please don’t go too far. After all, Professor Reina has been supportive of me for a long time…”

“Oh… I see. It must be unsettling for you to think I might deceive her.”

“No, it’s not that I find it unsettling per se…”

“Haha, it’s totally fine to be honest with me. And you don’t have to worry too much. It’s just a bit of fun, and I have no intention of tormenting Professor Reina.”

Yujin meant it. What would he gain by tormenting Professor Reina?

That lowly pleasure of messing with others? Sure, Yujin can be a rascal, but he’s definitely not that type of person.

As Yujin reassured him, the President nodded in understanding.

“Thank you.”

“So, is that all you wanted to say?”

“Oh, actually, I have one more thing…”

“What is it?”

The President glanced around, seemingly contemplating, before asking Yujin, “You mentioned you had a way to help Princess Elysia, right?”

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Meanwhile, at the female student dormitory.

“…”

On the top floor of the most luxurious and lavishly decorated room, there lay a woman sleeping like a princess from a fairy tale.

A bright blue flower blossomed by her right eye, lending an oddly whimsical and mysterious aura to her beauty.

Simultaneously, contrasting with her powerful martial prowess, she emanated an atmosphere resembling that of a frail flower, evoking a sense of tenderness in anyone who looked upon her.

If someone were to witness her at that moment, they might instinctively lean down to kiss her alluring pink lips, just like a prince awakening a slumbering beauty.

Unbeknownst to them, they might get pricked by the thorns hidden within.

“…Hmm…”

At that moment, the sleeping beauty stirred, letting out a soft groan as she began to awaken.

Her long, slender eyelashes fluttered as her eyelids slowly opened.

“…Ah.”

With a soft gasp, she opened her eyes fully and slowly rose from her bed.

Her gaze was somewhat dazed, and still not fully awake, she began to look around in a haze.

“…My… Room…?”

She realized she was in her dorm room at the Academy. Among the lavish facilities provided for nobility, this room was especially extravagant, crafted uniquely for the Princess.

Yet in truth, she didn’t care much for such extravagance.

“…Why am I…”

She mumbled absently, wondering why she was in this room.

It was strange. It should be a given that she was in her dorm.

“…Oh.”

However, her memories of the previous night began to come back gradually.

Nightmares, hallucinations, echoes… And the overwhelming urge to step outside for a stroll due to an otherworldly energy that was intolerable.

And the memory of running into the garden, intoxicated by the scent of magic…

“…That man.”

In that garden, she remembered encountering a man with horns scattering magic around.

She gently touched her right eyelid. The flower blooming at her right eye could feel her touch.

It was the flower the man had touched yesterday. Come to think of it…

“…I didn’t have a nightmare.”

Not only that.

She looked around. No signs of hallucinations anywhere.

The troublesome echoes that usually buzzed around her ears and in her head were absent as well. It was quiet and peaceful.

“Ah…”

She was momentarily awestruck by this tranquility, with a puzzled expression on her face.

What could this mean? Had she finally shaken off this curse?

But the flower blooming at her right eye remained unchanged. The damned demon had not vanished.

If so, what’s the situation here?

“…That man.”

She recalled the man she had seen yesterday.

His hair was as dark as a starless night sky, possessing an artistic beauty she had never encountered despite being born a princess surrounded by handsome men, along with an inscrutable smile and half-closed eyes…

And the image of the red galaxy that he had spread from his hands flickered in her mind.

– You look like you haven’t slept properly. You should take it easy for now.

In the end, what lingered in her memory was his gentle smile, kind voice, and his captivating, radiant red eyes that seemed to appear before her once more.

“Ah…”

She gasped in astonishment for a moment. Her heart thudded, beating loudly.

It was an oddly unfamiliar feeling. What could this sensation be?

Emotions surged like waves. She had no idea what they were, but one thing was clear.

She had to find that man.

‘He said he was a new professor. He must be at the Academy.’

She couldn’t forget how he introduced himself.

The newly appointed professor at the Academy, Yujin.

He had certainly described himself that way.

Remembering him, she got up from her bed and headed for the door.

Issues like washing her face and preparing for her appearance, or the fact that there were currently students outdoors attending class, didn’t register in her mind at all.

All she could think about was finding that man.

With a sudden burst of energy, she flung open the front door of the Academy dormitory.

“!”

She froze in place, taken aback. And rightfully so…

“Well… I suppose knocking wasn’t necessary after all, was it?”

“Ah…”

Because the man she had been searching for was right in front of her.

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