I'm Not the Mastermind-Chapter 49

"As for tea time, we don’t have anything prepared, so we’ll set that aside for now… What time would be best for a walk? If there are too many people during the day, you can move around unnoticed with illusion magic."

"I still wouldn’t want to attract attention… I’d prefer a time when there aren’t many people around…"

"In that case, we’ll take a night walk. Given your condition, I’ll come to you. What time should we set?"

"Around ten…"

"Understood. Let’s do that, then."

After roughly setting their plans, Yujin and Alicia continued their conversation.

Most of it revolved around Alicia’s condition.

"You’ve experienced a variety of symptoms, including hallucinations, auditory distortions, and nightmares… and you’ve been using a relic infused with transcendent energy to suppress them, correct?"

"Yes. But ever since your seal, I haven’t needed to use them anymore."

"Have you informed your family about the progress in your treatment?"

"Not yet… But they’ll find out soon. I imagine they’ll be quite shocked about… the way I’m managing to survive."

"That’s unavoidable."

As they exchanged necessary discussions, time passed quickly. Checking his wristwatch, Yujin spoke.

"It seems I should get going. I can’t afford to be away any longer."

"Ah…"

A flicker of disappointment passed through Alicia’s eyes.

Of course, she understood. Yujin had responsibilities, and from the start, he had mentioned that today’s session would only last around three hours.

"Then, I’ll reinforce the seal."

Wuuuuung—

As he spoke, Yujin cast his magic once more, sealing Alicia’s power again.

The high-tier magic circle locked the seal in place. Alicia felt her body grow sluggish, a drowsy sensation overtaking her.

"…I felt so full of energy earlier, but now my body feels heavy."

"Magi is the essence of demons, after all."

Yujin replied nonchalantly and rose from his seat.

"Then, I’ll see you later… around ten tonight."

"…Ah."

At those words, Alicia’s eyes gleamed slightly.

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Yes, they were meeting again at ten.

It wouldn’t take long. She would see him again soon.

Thinking about it, she found herself looking forward to the wait.

"Then, I’ll take my leave, Your Highness."

With those parting words, Yujin left the room.

***

『…Yujin.』

As soon as he stepped outside, Tiamat called out to him. Yujin quickly replied, preemptively defending himself.

'…Tia, first of all, I have absolutely no ulterior motives towards Her Highness. You know that, don’t you?'

It might have sounded like a weak excuse, but it was the truth. Yujin had no particular feelings for Alicia.

And Tiamat knew it. The two of them were connected on a soul-deep level—if anything, it would be stranger for her not to know.

However…

『Hmph, then why didn’t you draw a clearer line?』

Tiamat wasn’t going to let Yujin off the hook so easily, even though she already knew the truth. Yujin shut his mouth.

'How could I? She already seems unstable as it is.'

『Sounds like an excuse to me.』

'It’s not an excuse… Last time, didn’t I approach things too coldly? I figured I needed to ease up a little.'

『Then let me ask you something.』

'…Go ahead.'

Yujin had no choice but to listen obediently. Tiamat’s voice carried an edge as she asked,

『Did you really not notice that girl’s feelings?』

'…If I said I didn’t, I’d be lying.'

Yujin wasn’t an idiot. She had been making it obvious—there was no way he wouldn’t notice.

Granted, Yujin had no prior experience with romance, so at first, he had been unsure. But after Alicia hugged him, after she asked him to accompany her on walks—it had become impossible to ignore.

Alicia was developing some sort of budding affection toward him.

And that made things complicated. While it wasn’t an entirely incomprehensible situation, Yujin knew it wasn’t something simple either.

If one had to categorize their relationship, it was that of a patient and physician. Yujin was doing everything in his power to treat Alicia, and Alicia understood that.

And patients often develop feelings for their doctors. Even if it was a contractual arrangement, the very act of someone working to heal them fostered a sense of attachment.

The problem was that Yujin and Alicia’s relationship was more akin to that of a psychiatrist and a mental health patient—though, of course, Yujin wasn’t actually a psychiatrist.

Still, in psychiatric treatment, the therapist-patient dynamic was far from simple.

Unlike other medical fields, which primarily relied on medication or surgery, psychiatry revolved heavily around therapy—psychological counseling, to be exact. Yujin himself was mainly addressing Alicia’s condition through conversations, guiding her through her internal struggles.

And the core of therapy was the relationship between the therapist and the patient. Patients who experienced a therapist’s undivided attention and understanding gradually restructured their perception of human relationships—a process that rewired their neurological pathways.

Simply put, a patient has to trust their doctor for treatment to work.

Because of the unique nature of this dynamic, patients developing romantic feelings for their therapist was a known phenomenon.

Love didn’t necessarily create trust, but trust could certainly create love.

Even Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, had encountered this problem early on. His shift from hypnosis to psychoanalysis was partly influenced by the ethical dilemmas that arose in therapy—including the risk of patients falling for their doctors. This shift led to the establishment of strict ethical guidelines for mental health professionals.

And one of the most fundamental rules?

"Do not enter romantic relationships with patients."

Because if a patient confessed their love, and that love ultimately fell apart, they might be left more broken than before. If that happened, the next time they needed help, they might never trust therapy again.

That’s why most psychiatrists never date anyone who was ever their patient—not even once. Breaking this rule wasn’t just a career-ending move; it could mean social ruin.

'Don’t worry, Tia. I do have a sense of ethics. I have no intention of doing anything improper to Her Highness, nor would I allow myself to.'

As mentioned, patient crushes on their therapists weren’t uncommon. But instead of accepting or rejecting the confession outright, therapists would explore why the patient felt that way.

Through that process, the underlying cause of their suffering—and its resolution—often became clear. And by the time therapy concluded, the patient’s romantic attachment would usually fade.

Yujin believed the same would happen with Alicia.

Of course, he wasn’t a trained psychiatrist, so he wasn’t entirely confident in handling this issue. But now that he was a dragon, finding a solution shouldn’t be too difficult.

『…Yujin, of course, I trust you. But… I can’t say the same for that girl.』

'…Are you talking about Princess Alicia?'

『…Yujin, by the time my method succeeds, that girl will have fully transformed into a demon. And you cannot apply human psychology to a demon’s mind.』

'…But isn’t the goal to ensure she keeps her sense of self intact as she evolves?'

『That’s precisely the problem. If she transforms in this state, there’s no way to know whether her romantic feelings will remain unchanged.』

'……'

『You need to resolve this quickly. Her body is already no different from that of a demon. This might not be something you can take lightly.』

'…Understood.'

『And… can you promise me one more thing?』

'…What is it?'

For once, Tiamat sounded serious. Yujin instinctively straightened up. She spoke,

『…Never have children with a demon.』

'…Excuse me?'

『I’m not saying this lightly. Never. Never with a demon.』

There was something unusual in her gaze—a rare flicker of guilt.