Yujin looked at Ines, who was extending her hand, and thought to himself.

"A professor, huh..."

This was a situation Yujin hadn’t anticipated, though it wasn’t exactly unreasonable either.

Yujin was a mage who had pioneered and systematized the field of spatial-temporal magic. Not only that, but no one else possessed the knowledge he did. In the realm of spatial-temporal magic, he was both a trailblazer and the sole authority.

Of course, the origins of all magic, including spatial-temporal magic, could be traced back to dragons. Still, Yujin was now a dragon himself, and he had successfully systematized this magic to a level that mortals could wield. So, calling him a pioneer wasn’t entirely incorrect.

In any case, being a pioneer in a specific field implied there was no one more capable in that domain. From the academy’s perspective, there couldn’t be a more suitable candidate for a professorship.

However…

“I have no intention of making spatial-temporal magic public just yet. I made that clear during my lecture, and I trust the principal understands my position. Even so, are you still asking me to take on a professorship?”

Yujin had no plans to reveal his spatial-temporal magic to the general public. In essence, he was saying he had no intention of teaching his area of expertise.

He had already declared during his lecture that spatial-temporal magic was too advanced for humanity at this stage and that he would only teach it to those who had genuinely pursued and discovered its truths.

Yet, Ines still offered him the position of professor.

“Or are you choosing to dismiss what I said during my lecture as trivial remarks?”

Was the academy so eager to have him teach spatial-temporal magic that they were willing to disregard his refusal?

The principal shook his head.

“No, that’s not the case. My apologies. I must have been too brief in stating my intentions, and it seems I failed to explain properly.”

With that, Ines elaborated.

“To be clear, Yujin, I fully understand the statements you made during your lecture. My proposal isn’t to have you teach spatial-temporal magic directly at the academy.”

“Not directly, you say?”

“Yes, not directly.”

As he said this, Ines opened a subspace and retrieved something from within. It was...

“My published paper.”

“Exactly. I’ve read the paper you submitted to the association.”

Ines casually flipped through the pages of the paper.

“The theories were unlike anything I’d encountered before, almost as if they didn’t belong to this world. The concepts were mysterious, the magic formulas entirely unprecedented… To be honest, even I couldn’t fully comprehend it.”

“……”

“But as I read, I began to wonder. Perhaps these ideas are impossible to grasp without the necessary background knowledge. What seems like common sense to the author might be a groundbreaking revelation to us, hidden within concepts we’ve yet to uncover.”

Hearing this, Yujin felt a twinge of admiration. He hadn’t expected Ines to see through it so clearly.

In truth, the paper had been deliberately constructed to be incomprehensible without a foundational understanding of spatial-temporal concepts, modern scientific knowledge, physics, Tiamat’s direct teachings, and the insights Yujin had gained from his dragon senses.

Yujin had written the paper not to aid humanity in understanding spatial-temporal magic, but to free himself from the interference of the association by demonstrating his unparalleled expertise.

As he had stated before, technology itself may be neutral, but the people who wield it possess morality—or the lack thereof.

Yujin had no desire to see the spatial-temporal magic he had developed fall into the wrong hands. In that case, he thought it better to keep it hidden.

Yet, the principal standing before him had managed to discern his intentions, even if slightly misaligned. It was said in the game that Ines possessed exceptional insight, and it seemed to be true.

“As a fellow mage, I deeply resonate with your assertion that ‘a mage must seek value through exploration.’”

“……”

“But the knowledge you’ve presented feels incredibly foreign, as though it originates from another world. So, I must ask: even if you won’t teach spatial-temporal magic, could you not provide some guidance to help future minds decipher it?”

Setting aside his titles as one of the strongest mortals and the principal of the academy, Ines made his request with utmost courtesy.

Seeing this, Yujin felt his resolve waver slightly.

Though he had no intention of disseminating spatial-temporal magic, his statements during the lecture had not been hollow words.

To uncover knowledge and truth, not for vanity or privilege, but with genuine pride and the ethics and morals necessary to handle such power responsibly—this was what Yujin envisioned as the ideal mage in this world.

Unlike himself, who had crawled through the depths, slaughtering monsters and stumbling upon a fortuitous opportunity, these individuals pursued a noble profession that truly advanced the world.

If he could nurture such individuals with his own hands, perhaps he could take some pride in that as well.

Above all, people define and prove their worth through their work. Living idly off the wealth he had amassed from Tiamat’s tomb was not something Yujin desired.

Becoming a professor seemed like a meaningful endeavor. It might not be a bad idea to give it a try.

However…

Yujin thought to himself, "But my contract with Lady Tiamat comes first."

According to his agreement with Tiamat, Yujin was obligated to free the dragons trapped in the labyrinth and restore their former glory. Since he had no way of knowing how long that task would take, dedicating himself entirely to a professorship seemed impractical.

He was just about to refuse the offer when...

『...Yujin, are you perhaps interested in this professor job?』

"...Excuse me?"

Tiamat, who had been silent since the meeting with Ines began, suddenly spoke up.

『I simply picked up on your thoughts. You seem curious about the idea of becoming a professor.』

"...That’s..."

Yujin hesitated for a moment before responding to Tiamat.

"But my contract with you takes precedence, doesn’t it?"

『Hmm? It’s not as though you need to fulfill it immediately, you know.』

"Sorry?"

When Yujin asked for clarification, Tiamat explained.

『Of course, it would be nice if you could fulfill it soon, but there’s no specific deadline stated in our contract.』

"That’s... true, but still."

『Besides, by dragon standards, you’re still a newborn hatchling. While your soul's rank is unusually high for a hatchling, I was planning to wait until you matured further. The labyrinth, after all, is a prison forged by the gods themselves. It’s not something a mere transcendent can handle without proper preparation.』

"Ah..."

『Of course, rescuing a few of my children isn’t beyond your current abilities. Still, there’s no urgent need to rush. Take your time, pursue what you want, and prepare at your own pace. I’ll wait.』

Tiamat’s warm smile as she spoke was truly that of a loving mother.

Yujin felt a sudden swell of emotion but still couldn’t shake his concern. He asked her cautiously, "But won’t the other dragons trapped in the labyrinth be waiting?"

『Those children are likely in a state of slumber that lasts for about a thousand years at a time, so it shouldn’t be a significant issue.』

"...I see."

For a moment, Yujin realized he had underestimated a dragon's sense of time. Tiamat, without a physical body, couldn’t enter such slumber, but it seemed dragons often slept for millennia.

"Still, I should at least confirm their situation."

Despite everything, Yujin didn’t want to delay fulfilling his contract with Tiamat. Turning back to Ines, he asked, "May I ask one question?"

"Of course," Ines replied, tilting his head slightly in a gesture of attentiveness.

Yujin asked, "Will I have enough time to explore the labyrinth while working as a professor?"

"Ah, so you’re interested in the labyrinth as well," Ines remarked with a slight smile before continuing.

"Professors are free to do whatever they wish outside of their lectures. Whether you want to conduct research or explore the labyrinth, the academy will fully support you. Procedures for labyrinth exploration can be expedited, and you can even form parties with other faculty members. And don’t worry about time constraints for lectures. The flow of time accelerates as you descend deeper into the labyrinth."

"Is that so?"

This was new information for Yujin, who was still relatively unfamiliar with the world of the Labyrinth Academy.

‘...Although, I think I might’ve vaguely felt that time flows differently there,’ Yujin thought as he listened.

Ines elaborated further, "For example, a day on the first to tenth floors equates to twelve hours in the real world. From the eleventh to twentieth floors, a day is six hours, and from the twenty-first to thirtieth floors, a day is three hours. The flow of time doubles in speed every ten floors."

"Interesting."

"Additionally, the labyrinth remembers the highest floor a challenger has reached. If someone has previously reached the tenth floor, they can instantly teleport back to that floor."

Yujin already knew this part.

If that’s how things worked, then there was no significant issue. The faster flow of time within the labyrinth meant Yujin wouldn’t need to worry about neglecting his duties.

‘And if I need to, I can always warp directly to the lower floors with the Words of Power.’

There wouldn’t be a problem fulfilling Tiamat’s contract, even while working as a professor.

Still, one thing did puzzle Yujin: Tiamat had mentioned that the Great War lasted for millennia by her standards, yet humans on the surface also considered it an event from thousands of years ago.

『Oh, that’s because the accelerated time flow only applies to mortals. Transcendents have their own absolute sense of time, independent of mortal perception. You’ve grown accustomed to the flow of mortal time, but once you fully embrace your transcendent senses, you’ll understand.』

"Ah, I see."

Tiamat’s explanation resolved his lingering question.

Meanwhile, Ines continued speaking. "You must also know that there are countless other places vying for your talents. If you’re affiliated with the academy, you won’t have to worry about them bothering you."

"That does sound appealing."

This final point resonated with Yujin the most. Having an official affiliation would likely deter others from pestering him.

"Naturally, I won’t pressure you about spatial-temporal magic either. Simply conduct a few lectures for the academy, and that will suffice."

"Is that all?"

"Indeed. So, what do you think?"

After a moment of contemplation, Yujin smiled and reached out to shake Ines’s extended hand.

"Very well. I accept the academy’s offer for a professorship."