The Dean of Magical Studies was Professor Reina.
As soon as Yujin heard those words, he spoke up.
“Is it possible to change my position, by any chance?”
“Well… it’s not entirely impossible, but…”
“Haha, of course. I figured as much. Since I’ve been appointed as a professor of Magical Studies, my department head position has to belong to one of its departments, right?”
“……”
When Yujin spoke with a half-resigned laugh, the Headmistress lowered her head as if at a loss for words.
“To be honest, I would love to assign you a major leadership position if it were up to me, but most of the key posts are already occupied…”
“It’s fine. That’s just how it is.”
It was true that the Headmistress held the highest authority within the Academy, but the Academy itself was not her sole creation. It was an institution built upon overlapping interests from numerous parties and funded by external sponsorships.
Because so many people’s money and personal interests were entangled, the Academy wielded a certain authority and influence externally. However, internally, it was rife with power struggles and disputes over positions.
Among the professors, there were also notable figures from various nations. For the Headmistress to arbitrarily oust them from their positions and give Yujin a central post of real power within the Academy would be impossible, even for her.
Moreover, while the Academy’s authority and influence were significant, it wasn’t to the extent that a mere noble or even a royal family member from a single country could disrupt it entirely. However, if a country decided to cut off funding or sever ties with the Academy on an official level, the institution would definitely face a significant upheaval.
In short, if the Headmistress recklessly exercised her authority to fill the Academy with her own people, the various countries might sever their ties with the institution. Additionally, her position as Headmistress was largely due to the fact that she belonged to the neutral Karandar family, which was independent of any country.
In other words, even though the Headmistress Ines supported Yujin, that alone wouldn’t solve everything. Adapting to life as a professor at the Academy would be entirely up to Yujin.
“This is… quite interesting.”
Of all people, Professor Reina Sahart had to hold the position of Dean, his direct superior. Considering that she had already marked him as someone to watch with suspicion, it was clear things wouldn’t be easy for him in many ways.
Seeing this, the Headmistress cautiously asked,
“Um… if it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“I heard from Professor Reina that… well, you revealed yourself as a dark mage, claiming that to be your identity…”
Hearing that, Yujin gave another bitter smile and replied,
“Yes, that’s true.”
“…May I ask why you did such a thing?”
“It was just a lighthearted joke. I thought, ‘Why not play along for a bit since she already mistook me for a dark mage?’ Of course, I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.”
“I… see.”
The Headmistress opened and closed her mouth a few times as if she was struggling with her words, before finally speaking.
“…Even so, wasn’t pretending to be a dark mage a bit excessive?”
“Well, you’re probably right about that. Though, it wouldn’t matter if I could turn back time…”
“…Is that even possible?”
Of course, she had seen instances of localized time being rewound, but a full-scale reversal of time?
When asked in that sense, Yujin tilted his head slightly.
“It’s not impossible. It’s just a little taxing.”
Rewinding not just the flow of time within the Academy but also the alternation of day and night would essentially mean turning back the time of the entire world. And even for a Transcendent, that was no easy feat. In fact, Yujin himself would have to push his limits to accomplish it.
That being said, while it wasn’t easy, it was indeed possible. In fact, within the memories Tiamat had passed down, there were numerous instances of individual Transcendents rewinding the time of entire worlds. The problem, however, was…
If I were to pull off something on that scale, the gods would definitely take notice.
Transcendents are unaffected by the effects of time reversal. According to what Tiamat had told him… was it because they lived in a different realm?
If mortals lived in what was commonly referred to as the Lower World, Transcendents resided in a realm called the Celestial World. And in that realm, time was not something that could be manipulated by an individual Transcendent. Even the absolute standard of time for Transcendents was said to be influenced by the Celestial World.
In essence, the only time Yujin could rewind was that of the Lower World. Even then, doing so would inevitably alert the gods.
So at this point, reversing a mistake wasn’t an option. Besides, it wasn’t the kind of mistake that warranted something as drastic as turning back time.
“I just don’t see the need for it. It’s not a mistake worth correcting to that extent.”
“…Is that so?”
The Headmistress hesitated for a moment before turning to Yujin and saying,
“Well, just… please don’t take things too far. Professor Reina has been assisting me for a long time, after all…”
“Ah… I see. From your perspective, it would understandably feel unpleasant for me to deceive someone like her.”
“Oh, no! It’s not necessarily that I feel unpleasant, but…”
“Hahaha, you can be honest with me. It’s fine. And you don’t need to worry too much. It’s just a little joke; I have no intention of harassing Professor Reina.”
Yujin was sincere. After all, what would he gain by going out of his way to make things difficult for Professor Reina?
The lowly pleasure of toying with others? Yujin might have been a bit evil, but at the very least, he wasn’t that kind of person.
When Yujin reassured her, the Headmistress also nodded her head in agreement.
“Yes… Thank you.”
“Then, is that all you wanted to say?”
“Oh, actually, there’s one more thing…”
“What is it?”
At his question, the Headmistress glanced around nervously, as if checking her surroundings, before finally turning back to Yujin and asking,
“Princess Elicia… You mentioned that there might be a way to help her, didn’t you?”
***
Meanwhile, at the female dormitory.
“……”
On the top floor, in a room more luxurious and ornate than any other, a young woman lay sleeping on a bed, like the princess in Sleeping Beauty.
A snow-white flower blooming on her right eye blended harmoniously with her beauty, giving her an odd yet enchanting aura.
At the same time, she exuded a sense of fragility. A delicate, wilting flower-like presence that contrasted with the powerful strength she was known for. It was enough to inspire a protective feeling in the heart of anyone who laid eyes on her.
If someone were to see her in this state right now, they might have felt compelled to kiss her full, rosy-pink lips like the prince in a fairytale in the hope of waking her from her sleep.
Oblivious that they might be pricked by the thorn hidden inside.
“…Mmh…”
Just then, the sleeping beauty let out a faint moan and began to stir.
Her long, delicate eyelashes trembled slightly before her eyelids slowly opened.
“…Ah.”
With a soft sigh, she opened her eye and slowly pushed herself up from the bed.
Her slightly dazed gaze fixed on the space ahead of her. Still not fully awake, she began to look around in a hazy state.
“…My… room…?”
She realized she was in her dorm room at the Academy. Among the facilities overflowing with luxury meant for nobles, this room was especially extravagant and elegant, as it had been prepared specifically for the imperial princess.
But, in reality, she never really cared much about such things.
“…Why… am I…”
She muttered blankly to herself. She was puzzled as to why she was in this room.
It was strange. It was perfectly natural for her to be in her dorm room, after all.
“…Ah.”
However, her memories of last night slowly began to surface in her mind.
The nightmares, the hallucinations, the phantom voices… and the overwhelming disgust she felt toward another ominous presence, which had driven her to take a walk outside.
Then, the memory of catching the scent of demonic power, losing her composure, and running into the garden.
And…
“…That man.”
In the garden, she had encountered a man with a horn who had been scattering demonic power.
She touched her right eyelid. She could feel the flower that had bloomed in her right eye.
It was the flower that man had touched last night. Come to think of it…
“…I didn’t have a nightmare.”
That wasn’t all.
She looked around her. There were no hallucinations in sight.
The annoying phantom voices that had always lingered in her ears and mind were gone as well. It was quiet. Peaceful.
“Ah…”
For a moment, she stood there in awe of the tranquility, wearing a blank expression on her face.
What was happening? Could it be that she had finally rid herself of this curse?
But the flower blooming on her right eye remained. The wretched demon still hadn’t disappeared.
In that case, what was this situation?
“…That man.”
She thought of the man she had seen last night.
Hair as black as a starless night sky, an artistic beauty she had never seen before even as someone born a princess who had met countless handsome men. A mysterious smile and half-closed eyes that revealed nothing of his true thoughts…
And then, she remembered the crimson galaxy that had unfolded in his hand.
– You look like you haven’t been sleeping well. For now, take some time to rest.
Finally, she recalled the gentle smile he had given her, the kind voice that seemed to envelop her, and the crimson eyes so captivating that one might fall into them with just a glance.
“Ah…”
She let out a soft gasp and was momentarily dazed. Her heart thumped in her chest and started beating louder and faster.
There was an unfamiliar feeling growing within her. What was this sensation?
It felt as though a wave of emotion was crashing over her. She couldn’t identify what that emotion was, but there was one thing she knew for certain.
She had to find him.
He said he was a new professor. He must still be somewhere in the academy.
She hadn’t forgotten how he had introduced himself.
The new professor who had recently joined the academy. Professor Yujin.
That’s what he had called himself.
With that memory vivid in her mind, she immediately rose from her seat and headed for the door.
Whether she needed to at least wash her face and get ready, or that there might be students currently walking around outside. Such concerns didn’t cross her mind at all.
The only thought that consumed her was finding him and finding him now.
Bam!
When she suddenly flung open the front door of the academy’s dormitory—
“!?”
She froze in place and stopped dead in her tracks. And for good reason…
“Well, it seems I didn’t need to knock, did I?”
“…Ah…”
The man she had been searching for was standing right in front of her.
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