Meanwhile, inside Reina’s research lab at the academy.
“Are you saying that they’ve already left for a labyrinth expedition and are currently unavailable?”
Reina directed her question at someone through a communication crystal. The person on the other end responded.
– Yes, that’s correct. Hugo’s party set out for the labyrinth early this morning.
“……”
– Even if we assume they spend a full week inside, Hugo’s party is only capable of reaching the 20th floor at best. At most, it will likely take them about a day or two to return.
Typically, labyrinth expeditions did not take long in terms of real-world time.
Since time in the labyrinth flowed twice as slowly for every ten floors down, a week spent on the tenth floor would only be about three and a half days in real time.
Furthermore, the deeper one descended, the shorter the expedition period became when measured in real-world time. Of course, some might wonder:
–If time flows like that, wouldn’t people stay in the labyrinth indefinitely to train?
In truth, the labyrinth that was overflowing with the energy of Transcendents was indeed a suitable place for personal training. With time moving slower than in reality, some might consider settling in the labyrinth for as long as possible to train.
Who knew? Perhaps someone could attain enlightenment from the immense concentration of the Four Great Powers within the labyrinth, achieving immortality and returning as an unparalleled warrior.
However, such a thing was impossible.
The reason was simple. Once a mortal spent approximately a month inside the labyrinth, measured by their own perception of time, they would be forcibly ejected by the emergency expulsion blessing granted upon entry.
In short, the maximum time one could remain in the labyrinth was only about a month in labyrinth time.
This was also why those venturing into the lower floors always returned so quickly. For example, starting from the 70th floor, where time flowed 128 times slower than reality, even if someone spent the full month-long limit inside, only a little over five hours would pass in the real world.
Moreover, the labyrinth was not a place suited for prolonged stays to begin with. The deeper one went, the more it teemed with monsters born from the energy of Transcendents.
Ignoring the trials imposed by the Transcendents did not mean the labyrinth was free of danger. The lower floors were filled with powerful, highly intelligent, and dangerous creatures, and there were no true safe zones to seek refuge in.
Although real combat was the best form of training, even the strongest warriors would find it impossible to endure a full month of relentless battles against such monsters. Typically, most expeditions lasted no more than a week before the explorers returned, utterly exhausted and drained.
In any case, Hugo’s party had set out on their labyrinth expedition just this morning. Considering that upper-floor explorations usually took some time, they wouldn’t be expected to return until at least the following day.
“…Understood. Thank you for your efforts.”
– No problem, Professor. I’ll take my leave now.
With that, the communication was cut off. Reina stared at the communication crystal for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.
No progress.
There was still no concrete evidence to prove that Yujin was a dark mage. She had continued her investigations, even gathering information from dark mages captured across the world, but nowhere had she found a single piece of proof linking Yujin to them.
It was already well known that dark mages operated in decentralized cells. That very structure made it difficult to uncover internal secrets, as information didn’t flow freely between groups.
With no shared communication network between them, many dark mages barely knew anything about one another beyond their shared affiliation.
Reina hadn’t expected them to possess a wealth of information in the first place, but… was this all she could find?
For now, I’ll just have to wait for Hugo’s party to return… More importantly, what has the Headmistress been up to?
She distinctly remembered informing Ines, the Headmistress of the academy, about Yujin’s suspected identity as a dark mage.
At the time, she had spoken hastily, driven by urgency and shock, but she didn’t believe Ines had dismissed her claims outright.
In fact, when she had made her urgent report, Ines hadn’t brushed it off as nonsense. Instead, she had remained calm and advised Reina not to take any reckless action without solid proof.
If Ines had taken her words seriously, then she was likely conducting her own investigation or keeping a close eye on Yujin in her own way.
Perhaps she’s already found something.
Reina placed great trust in Ines. Not just in her abilities, but in her character and the relationship they had built over time.
If anyone could find a weakness in Yujin that she had overlooked, it would be her.
I should go see her and report what I’ve found so far.
With that thought in mind, Reina turned and began making her way toward the Headmistress’s office.
***
The highest position in the main building of the academy.
Reina immediately quickened her pace toward the Headmistress’s office. Her steps betrayed a hint of urgency.
I can’t keep Han Yujin tied down on my own.
She recalled how he had vanished the moment the lecture ended, slipping away so smoothly that even she hadn’t noticed until it was too late.
Though she had managed to create a pretext for their association under the guise of a joint lecture, it was far from enough to truly restrain him.
That was why she had been left with nothing but covert investigations, unable to track his movements directly.
This wasn’t something she could handle alone. She needed the Headmistress’s cooperation.
Given that she was one of the strongest among mortals, she doubted Yujin could easily shake her off if she decided to pursue him properly.
As she continued toward the Headmistress’s office—
Creak.
“!”
She froze in place as the office door opened.
Her eyes widened in shock as if she had witnessed something utterly unbelievable.
If it had been just the door opening, she wouldn’t have reacted so strongly. The real problem was—
“Well then, Headmistress, I’ll be counting on you.”
The one stepping out of the office was none other than Yujin.
Reina stood there, staring blankly, unable to process what she was seeing. Then a voice came from within the office.
“Yes, leave it to me.”
It was the Headmistress’s voice. However, the usually dignified tone of Ines sounded… oddly polite. No, she was unmistakably speaking with respect toward him.
The woman who remained composed even in front of the Emperor of the Empire….was actually addressing a mere professor with formal respect?
She had begun to feel an increasing sense of foreboding. Without thinking, she hid herself around the corner.
Still, she could hear the voices of a man and a woman coming from the Headmistress’s office.
“But Yujin…”
“Shh.”
Meanwhile, as Yujin stepped out of the office, he raised a finger to his lips when Ines tried to speak to him.
Then, he slowly turned his head and looked toward the corner of the hallway.
“…Hmm.”
“What’s wrong—”
“Headmistress, lower your voice, please. I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while, but I’d prefer it if you only spoke so freely when we’re certain no one else is around.”
“……!”
At those words, Ines’s eyes widened. She turned to look in the direction Yujin was facing.
“……”
Ines was, after all, one of the most skilled individuals among mortals. As someone who carried the blood of dragons, she was especially sensitive to the presence of others.
And what she sensed now… was something…or rather, someone highly familiar lingering around the corner.
…Professor Reina?
Why in the world was she here?
Cold sweat broke out on Ines’s back as she struggled to conceal her shock.
She must have heard everything, hasn’t she?
Meanwhile, Yujin, with the unique perception of a transcendent being, had already realized that Reina had seen and heard everything.
Of course, Yujin had been aware of her presence long before she even approached the Headmistress’s office.
And yet, he had deliberately chosen not to avoid her in this situation.
…Is there really any reason to?
He simply didn’t see the need to go out of his way to avoid her.
Of course, the fact that the Headmistress had suddenly spoken to him with formal respect might lead to some complications… but still.
From the start, Yujin had never been particularly close to Reina, and at this point, a few words wouldn’t be enough to clear up any misunderstandings.
More than anything, he simply had no interest in paying her much attention right now. All he wanted was to take a brief walk and ponder the issue of Elicia.
However, letting this slide completely didn’t sit well with him either. From Reina’s perspective, the Headmistress was suddenly treating Yujin with an almost servile level of respect. To be fair, the way Ines had addressed him so formally hadn’t been Yujin’s intention either.
If things continued like this, Ines would undoubtedly find herself in a difficult position…
[Headmistress.]
“!”
Ines flinched at the sudden voice echoing in her head. It was Yujin’s voice. He continued speaking.
[Professor Reina seems to be watching us. Wouldn’t that be a problem for you?]
Th-That’s… I apologize. I was careless…
[It’s fine. I’ll handle it, so just follow my lead for now.]
What?
With a faint smile, Yujin turned to Ines and spoke aloud.
“That being said, it’s not good to make things too obvious, Headmistress… Someone might start getting suspicious.”
“……!”
At those words, Ines tensed up instinctively and her body stiffened.
Right now, Yujin exuded an aura that was, without a doubt, suspicious and undeniably dangerous.
“Just make sure to handle the task I asked of you properly. It’s not as if this would be a bad thing for the academy, is it? After all, that person is incredibly dangerous… Yes, like a ticking time bomb.”
“…That’s…”
“Headmistress, you care deeply about the academy, don’t you?”
“……”
“So, don’t worry too much. Just handle the task properly, and there won’t be any problems. Understood?”
[Professor Reina, please continue speaking formally as you did earlier and don’t pay her any mind.]
“…Y-Yes. I’ll handle it as you instructed.”
As the voice before her ears and the one echoing in her mind overlapped, Ines unconsciously trembled as she responded.
Yujin briefly turned his gaze toward the door of the headmistress’s office. Sensing Reina hiding around the corner of the hallway, he deliberately threw out even more suspicious words.
“Good. After all, ‘Her Highness’ can’t afford to stay here any longer. If I keep her close for too long… even I might struggle to handle it.”
Though Ines understood Yujin’s words, the weight behind them momentarily froze her in place. Meanwhile, Reina’s heart sank at what she just heard.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way. …Ah, right. By the way, are you aware that there’s a certain professor who’s been quite interested in me lately?”
“…What?”
“It’s nothing too serious. A little bit of tension makes work less dull, wouldn’t you agree?”
As Yujin spoke with a meaningful smile, even Ines who knew this was all an act found herself tensing up and swallowing hard.
“After all, a curious observer helps keep the story lively, don’t you think? Ah… though, as they say, excessive curiosity can kill the cat.”
Reina who was hiding around the corner held her breath. The moment she realized Yujin had noticed her, her heart plummeted.
“Th-That… What do you mean…?”
“Oh, don’t worry. Believe it or not, I’m quite fond of cats. I find them rather adorable.”
With that, Yujin responded with a bright, almost dazzling smile.
“So, Headmistress, you really have nothing to worry about.”
“……”
“Well then, I’ll be off.”
Yujin said those words, subtly casting a glance toward the corner before turning to leave.
Reina sank to the floor in silence. Her face was pale as she tried to collect her thoughts.
…He knew about me.
He had undoubtedly noticed her presence. And yet, he had simply left her alone.
It felt as if fear itself was creeping into her body, but she forced herself to keep thinking.
A man who can manipulate even the Headmistress like that… He’s no ordinary dark mage. Yujin… just what are you hiding?
Even as she trembled, she clenched her teeth and muttered a quiet vow to herself.
I will find out. No matter what. You will be revealed.
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