Haah…
After Yujin left, Ines pressed her forehead and sighed.
Sir Yujin… no matter what, this is just…
No matter how she looked at it, it felt excessive. But she couldn’t bring herself to resent Yujin completely.
After all, if she hadn’t made a mistake in the first place, none of this would have happened. She understood that Yujin had taken on the role of the villain deliberately, out of consideration for her.
Of course, if he hadn’t played that strange prank on Reina in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened either… No, but was it really a problem that she had treated Yujin with respect?
What should I do…? Is this going to be an issue later…?
She didn’t know. Yujin surely hadn’t done this thoughtlessly, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that deceiving Reina like this wasn’t the right approach.
Not that it meant she could reveal Yujin’s true identity…
“…Haah.”
For now, Ines chose to ignore Reina, who was still hiding beyond the corner and stepped into the Headmistress’s office, closing the door behind her.
There was nothing she could do at the moment. All she could do was hope things would work out.
***
[So, you’ve gone and done it again.]
Meanwhile, as Yujin walked down the hallway, he heard Tiamat’s voice. He simply shrugged.
“There was no other choice. It’s one thing if I take the blame, but I couldn’t let the Headmistress be forced into the role of the villain. I couldn’t put her in a difficult position. This all started as my prank anyway. I couldn’t just let her get caught up in it.”
[But it’s fine to drag Professor Reina into it?]
“Honestly, even I think it was a pretty rotten thing to do.”
Yujin did feel guilty about Reina. He hadn’t intended to scare her this much. It was just…
“Still, isn’t this better than her feeling betrayed? According to the Headmistress, Reina has been one of her closest aides for a long time. If someone she admired so much not only joined forces with someone like me but even acted as if she were my subordinate, how do you think she would take it?”
[Wouldn’t it be easier to just be honest at this point?]
“I’m not sure this is the kind of misunderstanding that can be cleared up with a few words. Unless I reveal that I’m a dragon, that is.”
Of course, in that situation, it might have been better to just be honest with Professor Reina and leave. If he used Dragon Word to silence her, as he had done with Ines, there might not have been any issues… But Yujin had never believed in the existence of an all-powerful ability, and so he didn’t place complete trust in Dragon Word either.
Would sealing her lips completely guarantee that no information would leak? The fewer people who knew he was a dragon, the better.
And what about the two people he had already revealed his identity to? In Ines’s case, she had confronted him directly and was someone with considerable influence. If she had become hostile and misunderstood him as a dark mage, that would have been far more troublesome. As for Mirien, he had deliberately left room for ambiguity, never explicitly confirming that he was a dragon.
But Reina was different. The simplest way to clear up the misunderstanding was to reveal that he was a dragon. However, Yujin believed that was something he should only do when the situation became truly irreversible. As mentioned before, the fewer people who knew about him, the better.
Take the headmistress, for example. Because she knew he was a dragon, she had inadvertently treated him as one in front of Reina. And there was no guarantee Reina wouldn’t do the same if she found out.
He had no desire to increase the number of uncontrollable variables. He had thought he had successfully silenced Ines, yet he had failed to prevent her from treating him with excessive respect, which only deepened the misunderstanding. Having witnessed that firsthand, he wasn’t eager to introduce more uncertainties.
Of course, Yujin fully understood that he needed to resolve this situation. What had started as a lighthearted prank was slowly turning into something far more sinister.
The problem was that even if he told the truth now, Reina wouldn’t believe him. In her mind, he was not just a mere dark mage; he was the mastermind pulling the strings, manipulating even the Headmistress.
Naturally, he had no complaints about this. It was his own doing, after all. He simply knew that by this point, mere explanations or excuses wouldn’t be enough to break the distrust that had already solidified.
Even demonstrating his ability to use mana instead of dark energy wouldn’t help. During his speech to the professors, everyone had clearly seen him manipulate mana artificially.
And despite witnessing that, Reina had only become even more convinced that he was an exceptionally well-disguised dark mage. At this point, revealing the mana within his body would be meaningless.
Well, there’s no helping it.
To prevent the Headmistress from getting into trouble, he had willingly taken on the role of the villain. But if this continued any further, things might truly reach the point of no return.
[So, what do you plan to do?]
I need to change my approach. The villain label is already firmly attached to me, and if I can’t shake it off, I might as well make use of it.
[And how exactly do you plan to do that?]
Yujin thought for a moment before speaking.
Well… if I had to put it into words, it’d be better to act as a necessary evil.
[A necessary evil?]
“Something like that. Rather than a villain who simply wants to watch the world burn, more of a rebellious figure with a certain conviction.
[Hmm…]
It would be best to slowly peel away that frame. As long as I manage the situation well, I should be able to handle it without much trouble.
Tiamat, who had been watching Yujin with a curious expression, turned to him and asked,
[A necessary evil… Do you really think that’s the best option?]
I don’t know if it’s the best, but clearing up Professor Reina’s misunderstanding will take time. And in the meantime… this role is the most efficient. Besides, I put myself in this situation in the first place; I have no right to complain.
[Efficiency isn’t always the right answer. Maybe approaching her with honesty could be an option, just like you did with me or that imperial princess.]
Haha… I don’t know about that. To be honest, I don’t think I’m that close to Professor Reina. And at this point, if I suddenly claimed that everything was just a joke and tried to show my true self, she’d probably just call me a hypocrite.
With a faint chuckle, Yujin shrugged.
In that case, maybe remaining a villain in her eyes isn’t such a bad choice. Like I said, I brought this on myself, so I have no intention of complaining.
“……”
Tiamat fell silent for a moment at his words. She studied Yujin briefly before finally speaking again.
[Yujin, this is something I’ve thought about for a while… but now I feel like I need to say it.]
Go ahead, Tia.
[The way you deal with people… it seems surprisingly immature.]
“……”
[You open up to those you consider truly close or those you believe need your help. But with everyone else, you hide your true feelings or brush things off with jokes. From what I can see, it’s the same with Reina. Your so-called ‘jokes’ seem more like a way to control the distance in your relationships.]
Yujin remained silent, simply listening to Tiamat’s words.
[To me, you still seem far too young.]
“……”
At that, Yujin fell silent once more.
And then, as if there were no other choice, he let out a small laugh and said,
I suppose this is proof that I’m still not mature.
[…Yujin, do you remember the words your parents left you before they passed?]
“……”
[“Always hide your true feelings. Become an adult.” …Those were their words, weren’t they? But now, it feels like those words have become shackles binding you. Aside from people like me or that imperial princess, you never let anyone get close to you seriously. Do you remember what happened when you played that prank on Reina?]
He remembered. Reina had sincerely apologized for her misunderstanding, for assuming he was a dark mage and investigating him behind his back.
And how had he responded to that?
[You brushed it off as a cruel joke. Looking back now, it doesn’t seem like it was just a harmless prank.]
As Yujin listened to those words, Reina’s expression suddenly came to mind.
The face of a girl who had offered him a heartfelt apology.
And his own attitude, dismissing that apology so lightly.
…Why did I react that way back then?
Without realizing it, Yujin let out a quiet sigh.
Had it really just been a simple joke?
He wasn’t so sure anymore.
At the time, he had thought it was just his usual mischievous nature.
Like the harmless pranks he had played on the kids who used to bully him in middle school, or the way he had toyed with people who tried to approach him in the guild.
But now, hearing these words, a different thought surfaced in his mind.
Become an adult.
His parents’ final words.
Yujin had spent years reflecting on the weight of those words.
Becoming an adult—
It meant controlling his emotions, meeting others’ expectations, and never revealing his true self.
Didn’t his parents live by those very principles until their last moments?
And so, he had done the same.
But after hearing Tiamat’s words, Yujin found himself reconsidering. Had he truly been acting like an adult all this time?
Had he simply been behaving selfishly, like a child?
He only showed his emotions when he wanted to, and when he didn’t, he hid behind jokes.
Looking back, it was no different from childish behavior.
Really… wasn’t he just being self-indulgent?
“…You’re right, Tia.”
Yujin let out a bitter smile. For the first time, he realized she might be more of an adult than he was.
“Now that I think about it… I don’t think I ever really understood what it meant to be an adult. Whenever I look back, all I see is myself acting selfishly, like a child. It’s embarrassing.”
[I’m not scolding you. I just want you to understand. Becoming an adult is about recognizing and accepting that part of yourself.]
“Recognizing and accepting it… huh?”
At those words, Yujin let out another bitter smile.
“…That’s not easy.”
[…..…]
“I do acknowledge that this is who I am. But whether I can accept it… honestly, I’m not sure. I feel like a stranger to myself.”
He let out a small, dry laugh and continued.
“I mean, even when I talk to myself, whether out loud or in my head, I use formal speech. If I don’t even feel like myself, how am I supposed to accept who I am?”
Tiamat silently watched him for a moment before finally offering a gentle smile and speaking.
[Yujin, even if you feel like a stranger to yourself… the one who has watched you the longest is still you. Even that sense of unfamiliarity is a part of you. Maybe the reason you feel like a stranger is because you’ve been observing yourself for so long.]
Yujin remained silent for a moment before turning his gaze toward the window. His voice had grown quieter.
“…Maybe you’re right. But… that doesn’t make it any easier. It still feels like I’m living with a stranger every day.”
Tiamat nodded as if she understood Yujin’s feelings.
[Yes, that’s probably it. When pain lasts too long, it starts to feel unfamiliar. At some point, you even begin to question whether it’s a part of you.]
She paused for a moment before quietly continuing.
[But Yujin, the one who survived through that pain is still you. Even if you feel like a stranger, the one who has witnessed that suffering… is you.]
“…That the me who survived is me… Is that what you mean?”
He tried to smile briefly but then shook his head and whispered.
“But that doesn’t make me like myself. Just because I survived doesn’t mean I know what it feels like to truly live.”
Tiamat stepped forward in her spirit form, standing before Yujin.
Then, with the tip of her fingers, she gently stroked his cheek.
She was nothing more than an apparition, visible only to him, and yet, as always, her touch carried warmth.
[Yujin, your reason for living doesn’t have to be because you love yourself. Sometimes, simply surviving is enough. Becoming an adult… doesn’t mean forcing yourself to love an incomplete version of who you are. It means acknowledging yourself as you are and, at times, embracing that imperfection as part of your existence.]
“…Is that so?”
At her words, Yujin let out a bitter smile.
“Somehow, it still sounds difficult. To someone like me, who is no different from a child, it feels too hard to accept. Or maybe… I just don’t want to accept myself yet and am throwing a tantrum. Though…”
As he slowly opened his eyes, he spoke honestly.
“That doesn’t mean I want to lose myself. It’s just… that this isn’t the end of my wandering yet.”
[That’s enough.]
Tiamat smiled and nodded. There was no worry or impatience in her expression. Only a quiet faith that she would watch over Yujin as he walked his own path.
[The you who is lost, the you who cannot bring an end to this wandering… they are both still you. And I will remain by your side, no matter what.]
Yujin fell silent at these words. A strange warmth spread through his chest, an emotion he couldn’t quite name. He smiled softly with a slight nod.
Lowering his head, he whispered with a small, grateful smile.
“…Thank you, Tia.”
For a moment, a peaceful silence settled between them. The conversation they had just shared left gentle ripples in Yujin’s heart, and Tiamat too seemed to feel its lingering effect.
But then—
[…Even so, Yujin.]
Tiamat spoke softly. Her voice was still warm, yet there was a subtle sharpness hidden beneath it.
[If you’re that grateful… shouldn’t you have something to say to me about that princess girl?]
“…What?”
Yujin froze. It felt as if the warmth lingering from their earlier conversation had instantly turned ice-cold.
[Yujin, the relationships you form with others aren’t something I have the right to interfere with. But you and I… aren’t we bound to each other as soulmates?]
“…That’s true.”
Of course, when they had formed their soul contract, she had made it clear that it was only a metaphor and not an actual marriage. But no matter how dense Yujin might be, he wasn’t completely oblivious. Without so much as recalling that particular memory, he simply nodded mechanically.
[And yet, you say you’ll take responsibility if you can’t resolve that girl’s emotional dependency?]
“…Well, the situation is a bit… unavoidable, don’t you think?”
Yujin trailed off, forcing a smile. But his smile was painfully unconvincing.
[By accepting all that affection filled with dependency, you mean?]
“……”
Yujin parted his lips slightly but failed to find any excuse. In the end, he settled for an awkward smile and said,
“…Tia, this is just… a misunderstanding caused by the situation. I was only trying to provide emotional support—”
[A misunderstanding? Hmm, a misunderstanding, you say…]
Tiamat’s lips curled slightly. Her expression made it clear: “Go on. Let’s see how much deeper you can dig yourself into this.”
“…Y-yes! A misunderstanding. I was completely… uh… emotionally neutral.”
[Neutral?]
Tiamat let out a small chuckle as she asked,
[But then, why would someone who claims to be ‘neutral’ say they’ll take responsibility? How interesting.]
“…Well, you see…”
Yujin quickly racked his brain for an answer.
“…What I meant by responsibility was purely psychological. Platonic, yes. A very platonic responsibility!”
[Yujin.]
Tiamat’s voice was gentle, yet it carried a distinct chill.
[Do you really think this is the kind of situation where you should be talking about anything platonic?]
“…H-Ha… haha… Of course not…”
Yujin forced a stiff smile, though the muscles in his face had already frozen.
It seemed there would be no easy escape for him today.
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