I'm Not the Mastermind-Chapter 51

"Yes, that’s correct."

Reina’s voice was unwavering, filled with absolute conviction.

Eri’s face drained of color.

She had hoped—prayed—that Reina was just joking. That this was some kind of elaborate misunderstanding.

But looking at Reina’s stern expression, she knew there was no denying it.

"H-How…? How could a black mage become a professor at the academy?! I-I mean, I’ve heard of Professor Yujin’s achievements, but still… If he was a black mage, wouldn’t he be radiating magi…?"

"That was our mistake."

With that, Reina briefly explained the circumstances of Yujin’s appointment.

Looking back, it was a terrible decision. They should have never let someone so suspicious into the academy. But the prevailing logic had been "keep your enemies close." That was the only reason Yujin had been recruited as a professor.

And hearing this explanation, Eri could only tremble.

"T-That’s…"

"Eri, I apologize for burdening you with this dangerous truth. But I had no choice. I don’t have any solid proof to expose him yet."

Even Ines, the Grandmaster of the Academy, had failed to detect anything unusual when she first met Yujin. If someone of her caliber couldn’t sense his magi, then no ordinary means would work.

Which meant…

They needed to find another way to prove he was a black mage.

"I believe you know something, Eri."

"W-What…?"

"The way you reacted when you first saw Professor Yujin… It didn’t seem like simple fear from your first kill. You know something, don’t you?"

"B-But I really don’t! I-If I did, wouldn’t I have reacted differently when you first told me he was a black mage?!"

"Then let me ask you—do you feel any inconsistencies in your memories?"

"M-My memories…?"

"Many black magic spells involve mental manipulation. Higher-level ones can even alter memories. However, fabricated memories often leave behind a sense of unease. Have you noticed anything strange?"

Eri hesitated.

…Now that she thought about it, wasn’t it odd how she was so terrified of Yujin?

The shock of her first kill alone shouldn’t have made her this afraid.

Could it be… that her memories really had been altered?

She desperately tried to recall her time in the Labyrinth with Yujin, searching for anything unusual…

"I… I don’t think so. I mean… I don’t even know when he would’ve had the chance to tamper with my memories. And honestly, I don’t feel anything strange about them…"

"…I see."

"Besides, I wasn’t alone in the Labyrinth. And I was already uneasy about Professor Yujin, so I actively avoided being alone with him. Hugo’s party was there, too. I can’t think of any moment when he could’ve manipulated my mind."

"…I understand."

If what Eri said was true, then there were two possibilities:

Her memories were manipulated with such precision that she and Hugo’s party were all affected.Reina had simply misjudged the situation, and Yujin hadn’t done anything suspicious in the Labyrinth.

The first option seemed almost too advanced to be plausible. Could mental interference really be that seamless?

And more importantly—why would Yujin even go that far?

Given Yujin’s power, he could have easily wiped out Hugo’s party before they had a chance to use their emergency escape artifacts.

No one would have known.

And yet, instead of taking the simple route, he supposedly used mind-altering black magic to cover his tracks?

That didn’t sit right with Reina’s logic.

On the other hand, accepting the second option meant admitting that she had overreacted.

And Reina refused to believe that.

Especially considering how Yujin had revealed himself to her and seemingly enjoyed toying with her suspicions.

She still didn’t know the full extent of his powers, so ruling out memory manipulation entirely seemed foolish.

It was complicated.

But at the very least, Reina was certain of one thing—she wouldn’t get any further information from Eri.

Eri had genuinely been shocked upon hearing that Yujin was a black mage. She clearly knew nothing beyond what she had already said.

Reina sighed.

"I apologize, Eri. It seems I’ve put you in danger by telling you all this."

"N-No, it’s okay… I mean, if what you’re saying is true, isn’t it better to know the truth? At least this way, I won’t get caught off guard if something happens…"

"…Thank you."

Hearing those words, Reina felt a slight weight lift off her shoulders.

Eri, however, was shocked at what she just heard.

"D-Did Professor Reina just thank me…?"

She had always thought Reina was the type of person who wouldn’t even bleed if stabbed.

So to hear her thanking someone—it was unbelievable.

Reina exhaled.

"So, we’re back to square one. That means… I need to look into Hugo’s party again."

"Hugo’s party?"

"Yes. There’s one other person I suspect knows something."

Eri tilted her head.

"Who?"

"Hugo’s party scout—Mirien. When I reviewed your exam scores, I noticed her reaction was… suspicious."

"M-My score…"

The moment Eri was reminded of her disastrous exam score, her expression darkened.

But Reina ignored that and continued.

"To be honest, my suspicions of Yujin began at that moment. There had already been disturbances from black magic factions, and then a demon appeared on the fifth floor of the Labyrinth—at the same time that a mysterious mage joined a party that encountered said demon."

"Ah…"

Eri’s jaw slackened.

This was the first time she was hearing about black magic activity.

"So, when I questioned Hugo’s party about their encounter with Yujin and the demon, Mirien reacted oddly. Back then, Hugo and the dwarf warrior, Chrom, covered for her, so I couldn’t press further. But now that we’ve all but confirmed Yujin’s identity, there’s no reason to hold back."

"I-I see… but what if she doesn’t know anything either?"

"She’s different from you, Eri. Your fear came from a personal reaction—but Mirien had a tangible reason for her unease. That means she has something concrete."

"I… I see."

Reina’s expression turned serious as she placed both hands on Eri’s shoulders.

"One last thing, Eri. Whatever you do—do not act suspicious in front of Professor Yujin. Do you understand?"

"Y-Y-Yes, ma’am! Absolutely!"

Eri furiously nodded.

She swore to herself—no matter what, she wouldn’t act unnatural around Yujin.

Th𝗲 most uptodate novels are published on ƒгeewёbnovel.com.

***

Later, During the Afternoon Practical Combat Class…

BANG!

The magic circle shattered, and Eri let out a blank, dazed whimper.

"A-Ah…"

"Oh dear, Eri. You seem very distracted today."

As expected—despite her earlier determination—she completely failed to maintain composure.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

Beside her, Yujin was smiling.

Guiding her through the lesson.

Watching her closely.