Chapter 26

After accepting the offer, Yujin first returned to the inn.

He then began tidying up the traces of his stay in the temporary room Mary had lent him while reflecting on what had just happened.

‘So she’s more daring than I thought, huh?’

Yujin recalled President of the Academy, Ines. The moment when he accepted her offer and shook her hand came back to him.

“Very well. Then I accept your offer to become a professor at the Academy.”

“…”

Whooooom.

When she seemed to probe his mana with her own, he panicked that his dragon nature might be exposed and completely erased his presence instead.

Her reaction was still vivid in his mind. Despite trying to hide her surprise, her eyes widened like saucers and her pupils trembled uncontrollably.

Well, how could a mage not be shocked when they can’t sense any mana from another mage? Especially when they’re trying to gauge the professor’s level and suddenly realize this guy might not even BE a mage.

“Why are you doing this?”

So he just grinned shamelessly and played dumb. If she probed further about why a mage had no mana, he’d planned to lie about using time magic and burning it all up.

“A-ah… never mind. It’s nothing.”

Yet for some reason, she let it slide. How strange.

“…Anyway… good decision. Shall we head to the Academy together? There are faculty lodgings there.”

“Ah, I actually have an inn room to clear out first. I should say goodbye to the landlady too.”

“…Is that so? Then I’ll give you this communication orb. Let me know once you’re done.”

With that, Yujin fiddled with the crystal given to him by President Ines of the Academy.

‘Never thought I’d end up as a professor in another world.’

He felt a strange mix of anticipation.

Back on Earth, he’d occasionally taught觉醒ed ones in magic-related fields. Recalling those times made him smile.

‘It was kinda fun, wasn’t it?’

It wasn’t anything grand. Just instructing new guild members or guiding newly awakened mages through the Awakened Ones Association. Essentially, he was a temp instructor.

Dealing with whiny rookies, calming those scared of killing and being killed… it was basically babysitting without great pay, which is why teaching jobs were unpopular among awakeneds. But Yujin preferred it to hunting monsters at gates all day.

Between being essentially a mercenary chasing money through life-or-death battles with monsters, and teaching/guiding someone to survive this harsh world… the latter was obviously more rewarding.

This inclination heavily influenced why Yujin found interest in teaching.

Satisfaction.

Though trivial, it was more meaningful than work purely for money.

Yujin wanted to live doing work that satisfied himself.

Tiamat also encouraged him, seeing through his feelings. Though she never openly showed it, fearing burdening him, she was deeply grateful to Yujin for freeing her from the tomb and willingly contracting with her.

She truly wished for Yujin to live happily in the life he desired.

Holding such thoughts, Tiamat gently asked with a soft smile,

『Are you excited?』

“Excited… maybe.”

Responding to Tiamat’s words, Yujin smiled and answered,

“Thank you, Lady Tiamat.”

『Hm?』

“For considering my feelings. You must want to free the dragons immediately, don’t you?”

For all those years trapped in the tomb, she waited for someone who would come and hoped to free her kin.

That showed how much she cared for her kind. Even though she said waiting or sleeping for a thousand years was fine, deep down she must’ve wanted to free them right away.

“But you considered my personal interests instead.”

『……』

“That’s why I’m saying it. Thank you.”

At Yujin’s words, Tiamat briefly looked surprised before smiling softly and saying,

『Yujin, I saw hope because of you.』

“…”

『Because of you, I escaped the prison I was trapped in for so long. And I came to hope that I could free my kin. So, I should be thanking you. And most importantly…』

Approaching Yujin, she gently caressed his cheeks with both hands.

Strangely, despite having no physical form, her warmth was perceptible.

『You’re my child, aren’t you?』

“…”

『The soul-bound companion connected to my very heart, my precious kin created by sacrificing my own heart. So…』

She continued with a gentle smile.

『It’s alright to act spoiled sometimes. And if you trust and rely on me, it would be even better.』

“…”

Yujin remained silent for a moment, moved by her boundless maternal love.

The familial warmth he hadn’t felt in ages emanated from her.

“…Lady Tiamat.”

『Now, now, drop the “Lord”. We’ve laid bare our hearts here. Calling me that feels like drawing lines and would hurt my feelings.』

“Haha… Is that so?”

Yujin chuckled awkwardly. He asked,

“Then what should I call you?”

『What do you want to call me, Yujin? To me, you deserve a special title.』

“…Mother?”

『That’s a title other children always use. I’m practically the grandmother to all dragons.』

When Yujin jokingly suggested it, Tiamat surprisingly responded seriously. Indeed, if all other dragons called her that, it wouldn’t be special at all. Then…

“…Tia?”

『Umm… Huh?』

“How about Tia? Thought I’d shorten it as a nickname.”

As Yujin asked with a smile, Tiamat murmured absent-mindedly.

『Tia, Tiar…』

After muttering like that for a bit, she smiled at Yujin and said,

『Yes, I like it. It suits me.』

“In that case, I’ll call you Tia from now on.”

To Tiamat’s words, Yujin also smiled and replied. Continuing,

“Since we’ve settled the title, how about I share a secret with you?”

『Hm?』

In a mood to lighten the atmosphere, Yujin spoke to Tiamat.

“Tia, I’m actually from another world.”

***

Yujin told Tiamat about the world he came from, Earth, and how he ended up here.

Truthfully, Yujin didn’t plan to hide this forever but… there wasn’t a proper time, and he also deliberately concealed his thoughts, fearing she might be startled if this world was merely a playground existing in another.

『I see.』

Tiamat showed absolutely no sign of surprise. She said,

『I had a feeling something like that might be the case. Your knowledge and actions thus far… didn’t seem like those of someone originally from this world.』

Indeed, Yujin hadn’t particularly tried to conceal himself, but he didn’t expect her to remain so unperturbed.

『But… hmm, a game, you say? Learning about this world through play and crossing over? Fascinating. Was it the interference of some deity perhaps?』

“Can gods do such things?”

『Nothing is entirely impossible. Through the World Tree that elves worship like a shrine, connecting to the Spirit Realm, if one can perceive another world, even a Transcendent shouldn’t be able to interfere.』

“…I see.”

In that case, returning to Earth might also be possible for Yujin. Though he wondered if there was really a need to.

『Yujin, didn’t you once think that perhaps others from Earth might cross over here too?』

“Yes, that’s correct.”

『It’s better to think that will indeed happen. In my opinion, if it’s possible, there’s no reason it should end with just you.』

“If my coming here was intentional, I agree.”

『In my view, it seems the gods might have done this… but I can’t figure out why. Perhaps we should be somewhat cautious.』

Thus muttering, Tiamat clapped her hands and spoke to Yujin.

『Why don’t you try using the prophetic Dragon Language sometime? Unless someone higher than you interferes with the future, you should be able to predict fairly accurately.』

“Really?”

『The power of Dragons approaches omnipotence. That’s why we faced so much restraint.』

Speaking wistfully, Tiamat added,

『Anyway, since you’ve finished tidying up, let’s go. Worrying vaguely about the future is pointless. Isn’t it a hundred times better to prepare by doing what you can?』

“That’s a valid point.”

Yujin nodded in agreement.

Having already finished packing, he headed downstairs to the inn’s ground floor.

“Well, well, leaving already is a shame.”

Mary greeted him warmly after becoming familiar during his stay. She had already learned that Yujin had accepted the position as a professor at the Academy.

“I owe you a lot, Aunt Mary.”

“Tsk, don’t mention it. If anything, I received far too much.”

Recalling the rent Yujin paid, Mary remarked that he gave much more than necessary. Looking at his unexpected wealth, she waved her hand with an exasperated expression.

“Anyway, do well in your new role. Stop by when you’re hungry.”

“Of course. I’ll always remember your food.”

With sincere gratitude, Yujin bowed and left.

“Take care! Visit often!”

Waving goodbye to Mary’s final farewell, Yujin turned his gaze toward the distant Academy.

The sprawling buildings near the Labyrinth resembled a city more than a school.

Looking at them, Yujin took a step forward.

Poof!

And vanished from the spot.

***

Meanwhile, after completing Yujin’s recruitment, Ines and Reina Sahart instantly returned to the Academy via space travel.

The two now faced each other in the President’s office upon their return.

“…He accepted rather readily, didn’t he?”

“Yes, he did.”

Both were recalling the man who had readily accepted their professorship offer – Yujin.

Known as the sole wizard to establish spacetime magic, he accepted the Academy professorship offer more easily than expected.

“…Still, something seems off.”

Ines pondered as she recalled him.

Certainly, the Academy professorship is an incredibly prestigious position, with excellent pay, treatment, and benefits. Most people would gladly accept. However, not everyone capable of becoming an Academy professor would necessarily do so.

Those with greater ambition, those seeking to prove themselves, or even those uninterested in such matters exist.

Furthermore, the more capable one is, the stronger these tendencies tend to be. Yet, Yujin was different.

Through establishing spacetime magic alone, he had already proven his capabilities beyond comparison within the Academy. Nevertheless, after confirming just a few details, he readily accepted the offer.

These confirmations only included whether he’d be teaching spacetime magic and if he’d have time for Labyrinth expeditions – he showed no interest in salary, treatment, or benefits.

The only point he seemed interested in was that it would allow him to distance himself from those pursuing him. However, this was debatable since someone of his caliber could easily create their own school and build their own power base, naturally deterring those seeking to recruit him.

Most importantly, he seemed genuinely interested in the professorship itself. His brief contemplation upon hearing the offer and confirming a few points might have been an act.

If he were truly a Dark Sorcerer…

“Moreover, I couldn’t read him at all. He wouldn’t reveal his eyes, kept smiling constantly, and maintained an unfailingly polite and calm tone… His speeches at the lecture hall seemed to reflect strong beliefs, yet meeting him face-to-face made it hard to believe he held any convictions at all.”

Recalling Yujin’s appearance, she remembered him mocking the Mage Association president during the lecture while supposedly opposing the association due to their corruption.

At the time, it seemed like he was acting based on his beliefs against the Mage Association’s corruption, but upon meeting him personally, it was hard to tell if he truly held such beliefs.

His half-closed eyes, constant smile, and consistently polite, calm tone.

Confronting these elements directly made him appear as if he didn’t take anything seriously and was merely mocking everything.

“Did you sense any dark energy from him?”

At this question, Ines furrowed her brows. It was as if she faced an incomprehensible mystery.

“I sensed nothing… Not even mana. Even I, couldn’t perceive anything from a wizard of that caliber.”

“Excuse me?”

“I sensed absolutely nothing… Even I, couldn’t perceive anything from a wizard of that caliber.”

She recalled the incident.

“Why are you doing this?”

A smile devoid of any fluctuation, seemingly mocking her attempt to probe him.

“Oh, no… It’s nothing.”

And her own pitiful reaction where she unconsciously revealed her unease.

She slightly bit her lip. Reina’s expression also grew serious.

“Impossible… If even someone of the President’s caliber couldn’t detect his aura, it indicates an insurmountable gap?”

“…Though I’d rather not think so… That’s my assumption.”

Someone Ines could probe and still reveal nothing. She assumed he was on par with a Transcendent.

“It’s absurd. Are you suggesting that man is practically a Transcendent?”

While that was the truth, Reina couldn’t accept it. Ines also stated,

“I also don’t think he’s truly a Transcendent. Perhaps he used some artifact from the Labyrinth to conceal himself. After all, Dark Sorcerers have been known to disguise themselves as ordinary wizards using Dragon artifacts to hide their dark energy. However… the problem is that I couldn’t even sense any artifact energy.”

“…”

“Unknowable… Completely unknowable.”

Watching Ines struggle with this dilemma, Reina couldn’t help but ask,

“Would you really bring such an existence into the Academy?”

“Originally, allies should be close, enemies closer. Moreover, we currently lack proper understanding of his strength. Thus, it’s best to keep him within our sight for information gathering.”

“The students might be in danger.”

“I will ensure their safety at the cost of my life. Please don’t worry too much.”

Ines lightly smiled and reassured her. Reina’s expression remained heavy.

“Most importantly, he might not be a Dark Sorcerer at all. Perhaps all this is our misunderstanding, and he simply accepted the offer out of pure desire to teach others.”

“…Let’s hope so.”

Despite approaching the truth, both chose to treat it as wishful thinking. At that moment,

Whoooom!

“!”

The crystal counterpart to the one given to Yujin emitted light. Both Ines and Reina tensed momentarily before Ines picked it up.

“This is me. Are your preparations complete?”

Immediately, a calm male voice came from the crystal.

“Ah, President. Actually, I’m already at the Academy.”

“…What?”

Already? This quickly? Did he use space travel?

However, the Academy area was protected against external intrusions with Labyrinth artifacts that distorted space coordinates. Only someone like President Ines, who knew the twisted coordinates, could teleport here.

Unless he used space travel, it would be difficult to arrive this quickly.

“Academy is certainly vast. I might get lost before long. Could be near the student dormitories?”

Regardless of their shock, he continued with a light laugh,

“So, please come soon before I wander off?”

Both froze simultaneously at his words.

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