I'm Not the Mastermind

Chapter 44

Meanwhile, Yujin, who had vanished from Reina’s sight, was now standing in front of the girls' dormitory—a place strictly forbidden to male faculty.

He wasn’t there out of personal interest or for any untoward reason but for a specific purpose: the treatment of Alicia von Arsedium, the second princess of the Arsedium Empire.

Calling it "treatment" was a slight misnomer, but ultimately, his goal was to address the issue affecting the princess’s current condition.

This visit had already been pre-approved by the academy headmistress. Well, not so much approved as requested.

"Princess Alicia cannot be seen wandering around freely in her current state. I know it’s improper, but could I trouble you, Yujin, to visit her personally?"

The flower blooming in Alicia’s right eye was a clear mark of demonic influence. Even if she were to cover it with an eyepatch, rumors about the princess having a physical defect would undoubtedly arise, which would not bode well for her.

Royalty was considered sacred. If word spread that a member of the royal family, whose lineage was revered, had such a visible imperfection, it would tarnish the sanctity of their bloodline.

From Yujin’s modern perspective, the idea of hiding personal flaws due to societal structures like a class system was absurd, but...

"Well, I can understand not wanting to reveal a disability. Besides, this isn’t a modern society, so I shouldn’t judge it by modern standards."

As someone now living in this world, Yujin had come to accept that he needed to respect its culture and beliefs to some extent.

While he couldn’t personally relate to the notion of royal sanctity, he understood its importance and had agreed to handle the matter discreetly.

And that’s how he found himself standing in front of Alicia’s dormitory room.

"I have to say, this feels a bit scandalous. A male professor sneaking into the girls’ dorm to meet a student? This could get my head chopped off in any normal situation."

『...You’re not here for a secret tryst. You’re here to solve the princess’s problem, remember?』

Tiamat’s voice, emphasizing “problem-solving,” carried a note of exasperation. Yujin shrugged lightly.

"I know, I know. It’s just the circumstances that make it feel like that. I mean, I had to sneak in without anyone noticing, didn’t I?"

『...Do you like her? Why do you keep making it sound like something else?』

"Huh?"

Yujin tilted his head at the uncharacteristically sharp tone in Tiamat’s voice.

"Tia... are you jealous?"

『Wha—』

Tiamat’s response came with a clear jolt, as if she’d been caught off guard.

『W-what kind of nonsense is that? Jealous? Me? Absolutely not.』

"Really?"

『What would I even be jealous of? Do you think there’s anything that girl has that I lack? Even in this state, I’m still the leader of the dragons. I surpass mortals and even other transcendents in every way.』

"That’s true, but you seem especially sensitive about the whole 'secret tryst' thing... If I’m wrong, I apologize."

Yujin left it at that, though he wasn’t entirely convinced by her protests. Having no real experience with women’s jealousy, he chose to brush it off for now.

『J-jealous? Me? Ridiculous...』

Meanwhile, Tiamat was thoroughly flustered. She didn’t realize it herself, but Yujin’s teasing remark had hit the mark.

Having never experienced such emotions before, Tiamat wasn’t fully aware of how much the bond she shared with Yujin had influenced her. The time they spent together—laughing, sharing their deepest thoughts, and supporting one another—was deeply meaningful to her in ways she couldn’t yet articulate.

So when Yujin jokingly mentioned a secret tryst, her reaction stemmed from an instinctive feeling of possessiveness, as if her precious time with him was being encroached upon.

Of course, she was completely unaware of this herself.

"Tia."

『Y-yes?』

"As I’ve said before, the time I spend with you is incredibly precious to me. You’re the most important person in my life, almost like family."

『...!』

"Don’t worry. In my heart, you’ll always be my top priority."

『I, uh... um...』

Yujin’s unexpected sincerity left Tiamat speechless, her thoughts momentarily scattering. Even in her current state, akin to a spirit, her flustered reaction was palpable, and she almost seemed to blush despite her incorporeal nature.

“In a sense, yes,” Yujin replied nonchalantly, his tone calm but matter-of-fact.

He then turned his gaze toward Alicia, who looked deeply conflicted.

“Does that bother you?”

“To be honest... yes, it does,” she admitted with a bitter smile.

“You’re aware, Professor, that demons are transcendent beings steeped in deception and malice. The doctrine of the Polytheistic Church even states that mortal malice was born from demonic energy when the transcendent beings created the world.”

“...”

“I’m afraid... afraid of becoming as vile as they are. Afraid of losing the love of my family, who still believe in me, and becoming a monster.”

“Your Highness,” Yujin said softly, meeting her gaze with a gentle smile.

“Do you remember the contract we made?”

“...The contract?”

“I agreed to resolve your predicament, didn’t I? That was the contract we made—to help you remain entirely yourself.”

Yujin opened his eyes fully, and Alicia’s breath caught in her throat.

Those crimson eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light, their vertical pupils like an abyss, were the same ones she had seen after he sealed her demonic energy.

She found herself captivated, unable to look away.

“Princess Alicia.”

Yujin’s voice drew her further into the moment.

“You may find it hard to trust me. After all, the idea that the only way to survive is to embrace becoming a demon—it’s not easy to believe. You might even think I’m plotting to turn you into a demon for my own reasons.”

“N-no, I don’t think that...”

“But Your Highness, you cannot afford to waver.”

Yujin’s tone shifted, firm and resolute, silencing any attempt at a rebuttal.

“You must believe in yourself. And if you can’t, then at least hold onto the love your family has for you. Use that as your anchor.”

“...”

“As I said before, your greatest enemy is yourself.”

Yujin reached out, his hand brushing the flower blooming from her right eye. His fingers gently touched its stigma.

“And if you lose to it, you will die.”

“...!”

“The person you are now will disappear, replaced by a newly born demon that takes your place. Are you willing to let that happen?”

“...I, I...”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“!”

At Yujin’s unwavering declaration, Alicia looked up at him, startled.

His expression was rare—completely devoid of his usual playful demeanor. Instead, his gaze held a chilling intensity, his crimson eyes seeming to bleed with an unspoken promise.

“Your Highness.”

“...”

“I will do everything in my power to help you. I will ensure you remain yourself and guide you to become a transcendent being more human than anyone else. That’s the contract we made.”

“Professor...”

“This isn’t just a contract; it’s a promise. Even if you fail and plunge into the depths of despair, I will pull you back up—no matter what.”

As his words hung in the air, Yujin’s expression softened, a faint smile returning to his lips.

“Does that put your mind at ease, even a little?”