All eyes focus on the two of them—Eri, who suddenly shot up from her seat, and Yujin, who’s smiling as he looks at her.
Eri stares at Yujin with wide eyes full of shock, while Yujin’s expression remains relaxed, his eyes half-lidded—or maybe closed entirely—as he grins at her.
Seeing this exchange, Professor Reina Sahart narrows her eyes slightly.
“Hmm… now that I think about it…”
It just occurred to her: Eri has met Yujin before.
During the maze trial experience, Eri’s party encountered Yujin inside the labyrinth.
They clearly spent some time working together in the maze—and judging by this reaction…
“She seems afraid of him.”
Just looking at Eri’s face tells the story: pale complexion, trembling hands—it’s obvious she’s intimidated by him.
“Does she know something?”
And then another thought pops into Reina’s mind.
“Hugo’s scouting party member, Mirien… didn’t she seem like she knew something too?”
Reina hadn’t pressed further back then since Yujin had only been a minor curiosity. But now, she decides it might be worth calling Mirien in for a chat soon.
Meanwhile, Yujin addresses Eri.
“Heheh, I understand you’re surprised to see an acquaintance here as your professor, but could you please take your seat again? Should I call you Ms. Eri… or should I stick with ‘student’ during class hours?”
“A-ah… um…”
“Still, try not to act overly familiar in front of everyone else. We’re technically teacher and student here, after all. And if word gets out about favoritism or anything, it’ll cause unnecessary trouble for both of us. You understand, right?”
“Y-yes…”
With that, Eri nervously wipes sweat off her brow and sits back down.
Satisfied, Yujin turns his attention back to the rest of the students.
“Well, it’s an honor to meet all of you. As I mentioned earlier, my name is Han Yujin, your new professor. Some of you besides Eri might recognize me—I did give what you could loosely call a lecture recently.”
At this, quite a few students nod eagerly, their eyes gleaming.
Of course they’d react this way! After all, the newly appointed Professor Han Yujin was already world-famous.
Although his face hadn’t gone viral yet because the lecture happened only days ago, many students who attended remember him clearly. Unlike Eri, they aren’t showing extreme reactions, but their astonishment is no less profound.
The founder of Space-Time Magic—who vanished shortly after giving that groundbreaking lecture—has reappeared as their new professor!
This isn’t someone who belongs in ordinary history books; this is a figure whose presence alone sparks immense curiosity and fascination among the students.
With everyone hanging onto his every word, Yujin continues.
“Since this is my first lecture, and I imagine many of you are curious about me, how about we start with a Q&A session? If anyone has questions about me or the lectures I’ll be conducting, feel free to raise your hand.”
Instantly, dozens of hands shoot up. Yujin points to one particularly eager student.
“Yes, tall guy over there! What’s your name?”
“Yes, Professor! My name is Yulian Johannes!”
A handsome blonde boy stands up confidently. His thoughts race.
“The actual creator of Space-Time Magic! I need to make a good impression somehow!”
This sentiment echoes throughout most of the students present. The Space-Time Magic system Yujin established represents nothing short of a revolution in modern magic. Moreover, he holds a status equal to or even surpassing the President of the Mage Association—a Great Mage.
Many speculate whether he could rival the Academy President herself, the Great Witch Ines Karandar. Others argue that based purely on academic achievements, Yujin might actually outrank her.
If any of them manage to leave a strong impression on him, perhaps they could become his assistant or graduate student and receive direct mentorship!
For commoners, becoming the disciple of such a legendary Great Mage would mean wealth and fame. For nobles like Yulian, aligning themselves with him would elevate their family’s prestige and social standing.
As a noble bearing the Johannes surname, Yulian leans more toward the latter goal. Yujin addresses him.
“Alright, Yulian. What’s your question?”
“I’d like to know what kind of content you’ll cover in your lectures, Professor!”
“Most likely unfamiliar territory for all of you. Let me ask: among those who know my name, has anyone read my published papers?”
Many hands go up again. Even elemental magic majors couldn’t resist reading about the revolutionary field of Space-Time Magic.
Yulian confirms this himself.
“I’ve read them.”
“Good. Then let me explain further. Many parts of my research probably left you confused—the strange theories, the unconventional application of gravity magic, and the complex yet seemingly simple magic circles.”
Everyone nods in agreement. It was all so alien and hard to grasp.
“In truth, understanding these concepts without proper background knowledge is understandably difficult. To be honest, I intentionally wrote my papers this way to expose certain flaws within the Mage Association. I wanted to criticize magicians who cling to privilege instead of exploring deeper truths—to show them how hollow their claimed knowledge really is. These papers were meant to wake up the stagnant pool of water that is our current magical community.”
There’s a moment of stunned silence.
“I aim to teach you how to explore—not just accept things as they are. Additionally, I’ll help you view the world through a different lens.”
“Different… perspective?”
“Exactly. I’ll reveal why things you’ve taken for granted aren’t necessarily so, and point out what you’ve overlooked because of preconceived notions.”
“…”
“Haha, sounds too abstract, doesn’t it? Let me clarify with a quick question. Consider this a preview of what’s coming next. Yulian?”
“Ah, yes!”
“What do you think ‘mana’ is?”
“Mana… sir?”
“Yes, mana.”
Mana—the fundamental force powering magic.
Though seemingly simple, it’s a classic question professors often pose. Yujin encourages him.
“Just answer freely. Tell me what you know.”
Nodding slowly, Yulian begins.
“Mana is… one of the Four Great Powers. It originates from the Dragon, one of the four Transcendents, and forms a pillar of existence in this world. Through reason and wisdom, humanity learned to harness mana to perform magic. Essentially, it serves as the resource required to cast spells.”
“Very textbook. Looks like you’ve been diligent, Yulian.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“One more question: what are the Four Great Powers?”
Without hesitation, Yulian responds.
“The Four Great Powers also stem from the Transcendents. They consist of mana, maki, divine power, and aura, each representing a fundamental energy of the world. Mana fuels magecraft, maki is wielded by dark sorcerers, divine power is used by priests chosen by gods, and aura strengthens warriors for defense and offense.”
“Confident answer. Well done.”
“Thank you!”
After Yulian bows, Yujin surveys the room.
“I doubt many of you would disagree with Yulian’s answers—they’re standard knowledge for anyone living in this world. However…”
“This isn’t what I’m looking for.”
“!”
Yulian flinches. Yujin chuckles reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, I told you to answer honestly based on what you know.”
“Y-yes…”
“Let me share my perspective instead. To me, the Four Great Powers—including mana—are best described as ‘singularities.'”
“Singularities?”
The unfamiliar term draws puzzled expressions from the students—and even catches Professor Reina off guard. Yujin clarifies.
“Understandable. Let me elaborate. Imagine a world without the Four Great Powers.”
He walks over to the chalkboard near Reina’s desk, who instinctively moves aside. Picking up the chalk, he writes:
[A World Without the Four Great Powers]
The students gasp audibly as Yujin turns back to them.
“Can you picture it? A world where the Four Great Powers don’t exist?”
