The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 114

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Natural Enemy of Mages Has Been Reincarnated – Episode 114
Since communicating with Esca Robins, I had been living quite leisurely days.
Masquerading as Todd Ward seemed like it would keep me busy, but it was nothing of the sort.
‘When I took over the position, it looked like there would be plenty to do… but now that I’ve decided not to engage in illegal activities, there’s nothing left.’
Most of the work consisted of child abduction, management, village reconnaissance, mass murder, list compilation, securing test subjects—
All things I couldn’t do in good conscience, so eliminating them left me with nothing to do.
‘I expected that once I started submitting false reports, Baluduk would eventually come looking for me, but that hasn’t happened either…’
I’d anticipated more frequent communication between us, given that I was supposedly Baluduk’s trusted subordinate, but that wasn’t the case.
A week had passed since I assumed Todd’s identity, and I hadn’t received a single message.
‘I’ll have to wait a bit longer.’
There was still time before a new territorial war would emerge.
In the meantime, I would maintain my disguise as Todd and wait for Baluduk’s contact.
Occasionally, I’d spar with Crious and accumulate aura in the process.
That’s when my communication crystal suddenly glowed.
It seemed Esca Robins had brought back the information I’d been waiting for.
“What is it?”
-Sir, remember that task you assigned me earlier? I’ve found out.
“You mean about Rita the Wind God?”
-Yes. I asked casually without raising suspicion. I inquired why Rita the Wind God was going to Decan.
“And?”
-She said she was going to accomplish an unfinished feat from a year ago.
‘A year ago?’
When he mentioned something that happened in the Decan Kingdom a year ago, one thing came to mind.
‘The King’s assassination?’
Back then, we’d attempted to poison him using the Court Chef, but it had failed.
After that, the plan was to eliminate the one who’d interfered with the operation.
“Is Baluduk trying to assassinate the King using Rita the Wind God?”
-I’m not sure about the details. I didn’t want to ask further and risk suspicion…
“So you don’t know when it’s supposed to happen either?”
-That’s correct.
It was unfortunate that I couldn’t extract more, but regardless, I’d obtained crucial information.
“Understood. Then I’ll give you another directive.”
-Yes, sir! Just give the order.
“Tell them you’re helping with that assassination too.”
-Pardon? You want me to participate as well?
“Why, can’t you?”
Startled by the sudden order, I heard nothing but breathing on the other end of the communication for a moment.
“You’re slow to respond?”
-I was just surprised. …I’ll do it.
“Make up a reason yourself. Get them to include you in the assassination. You’ll need to be there so you can stop the assassination at the critical moment.”
-Understood. I shall do as you say.
“Ah, if you’re going to contact him, come to my side. I want to listen in on your conversation with Baluduk.”
-Yes. I’m heading there now.

* * *
A cavern shrouded in darkness.
A single torch flickered, casting dancing shadows, while two figures stood face to face.
“This time, we must handle it decisively. There will be no interference like last time.”
“Of course. It’s your command, after all.”
Rita the Wind God was a Forerunner hailing from the neutral kingdom of Ber.
Known more widely by that epithet, she rarely made public appearances.
But today was different.
“This assassination attempt will make the King suspect your identity. He’ll believe the neutral kingdom orchestrated the murder.”
“If that happens, Ber will abandon its neutrality and become an enemy of Decan.”
Baluduk smiled wickedly from within the shadows.
“Precisely. We can corner Decan far more than we do now.”
“But why execute the operation now, after a year has passed? We could have done it sooner.”
“We obtained intelligence that the King will receive a special guest on the execution date. That’s why I set the date for now.”
“I see.”
Rita accepted the explanation since she’d already received her orders, yet not all her doubts were dispelled.
“What’s the benefit of cornering a weak nation like this?”
“You lack understanding.”
At Baluduk’s rebuke, Rita made a sullen face.
“Isn’t that obvious? As someone ranked eleventh, how much could I possibly know? You don’t share information unless it’s necessary.”
“I understand your frustration. However, all of this is by his will, so I ask for your understanding.”
“Tch, fine. As someone at the bottom, I just do what I’m told.”
“You’re hardly at the bottom anymore, are you?”
“Oh, that’s right. You said you accepted Esca Robins?”
Recalling the new recruit Forerunner, Rita furrowed her brow in confusion.
“I understand he’s been working with us for a long time, but didn’t you promote him too quickly? Why not keep dangling hope in front of him and use him longer? Why elevate him to Forerunner status already?”
“Hope must be dangled in moderation. Humans naturally harbor other thoughts when dissatisfaction accumulates. Had we left him as he was, he might have harbored rebellion like Azrahil. And besides, wasn’t it time to promote him?”
“I suppose so. But why did Azrahil betray you?”
“Isn’t it obvious? As the lowest-ranked member receiving only orders, he was dissatisfied with his position.”
“I see the logic… Ah! Not that I’m saying I’m dissatisfied too, you understand? You know my heart.”
Rita hurriedly smoothed things over, blinking her eyes, while Baluduk merely let out a hollow laugh.
“Just do your job properly.”
“Understood… Hm? Baluduk. It seems you’ve received a transmission.”
Just as Rita said, light was seeping from beneath Baluduk’s robe.
He drew out the communication device without hesitation and accepted the call.
“Esca. What is it?”
-Hello, Baluduk! Do you have a moment to spare?
“What is it?” I asked.
-Well, you see… I’ve become one of the Forerunners, and I’ve been thinking about how I could be of help in various ways….
“Stop beating around the bush and get to the point.”
-It’s about Rita the Wind God.
Rita’s eyes widened at the mention of her name.
-She mentioned she’d be heading to Decan soon to accomplish a great deed, and I was hoping to go along with her.
“You want to tag along?”
-Yes! If we go together, I’m sure I can be of help. If you permit it, I’ll give it my all as my first mission as a Forerunner!
Even through his voice alone, I could sense Esca’s fervent enthusiasm.
However, this was a great deed I absolutely had to accomplish—one meant to redeem the shame of my previous failure.
Because it was such an important matter, Rita shook her head firmly.
“I can’t take Esca with me, Baluduk. I’ll have a much higher success rate working alone than dragging along dead weight like that.”
-Oh? Was Rita here as well? Hello! I’m Esca Robins, a new Forerunner, and I….
“I don’t need to hear any more. Just end the communication, Baluduk.”
“Hmm.”
I fell into contemplation.
I understood Esca’s desire to participate in the mission.
‘He’s finally become a Forerunner as he wished, so he probably wants to achieve results and gain recognition from the other Forerunners.’
Though I had appointed him to the position of Forerunner through my authority, there were quite a few Forerunners who viewed Esca unfavorably.
In fact, most of them did.
After all, they were the ones who had steadfastly maintained the position of the 12 Pioneers for decades.
To accept a new Forerunner under such circumstances?
Such an abrupt change was bound to be unwelcome.
Of course, having observed Esca closely all this time, I did trust him.
‘It will be difficult for Esca, who has just become a Forerunner, to gain the trust of his fellow members. However….’
If he properly completes this task, their perception of him might change.
Having finished my deliberation, I made my decision.
“Very well. I’ll let you join.”
-Thank you so much, Baluduk!
“No way! Baluduk!”
Both voices called out my name simultaneously.
My gaze turned toward Rita.
“Don’t be so rigid about this, Rita. Shouldn’t we give him a chance as well?”
“I’m perfectly capable on my own. All he’ll do is get in the way!”
“How will we know if he’s in the way unless we try?”
“But…!”
“Say no more. I’ve already made my decision.”
At my unilateral decision, Rita fell silent.
There was no point in saying anything further—I wouldn’t change my mind.
“Esca. As I said, prepare for the work with Rita. She’ll explain the details.”
-Understood! Thank you for this opportunity!
“I’m giving you this chance precisely because I trust you. Isn’t it you who desires Decan’s downfall more than anyone?”
-Yes… of course.
“I’m entrusting this to you, so complete the mission with Rita and return. You must succeed at the appointed time without fail.”

* * *
Soon after, Esca, who had promised to meet with Rita the Wind God, ended the communication.
The moment he did, I turned my head toward Zeke McLafflin beside me.
“How was that, Master? Did I do well?”
“Well done. The plan worked—Rita will be acting alongside him now.”
Now I could stop Rita the Wind God before assassinating the King.
“But tell me something. What was that earlier about? You wanting Decan to fall?”
“Ah… that? Actually….”
Esca cautiously revealed his past to his master.
“Shane II is my father.”
“What?”
Was this some tasteless joke?
The King was Esca’s father?
“You’re serious about this?”
“Yes… Fifty years ago, when the King was in his twenties. He developed feelings for my mother, who was a maid in the palace, and I was their firstborn child. But… no one knows this fact.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re all dead.”
A faint anger resonated beneath Esca’s carefully restrained voice.
“The King ordered them killed to protect his honor. He was ashamed of my mother and me.”
….
“My mother was murdered, and I was next, but he couldn’t bring himself to kill an infant, so he abandoned me on the roadside. He probably thought I’d die anyway without intervention.”
“Then how did you survive?”
“By fortune, a passerby found me and I managed to survive. However, after that, I could never set foot in the Royal Palace. It wasn’t my destiny to become royal blood.”
Speaking in a bitter tone, Esca went on to say that he lived an ordinary life thereafter.
“I awakened to magical talent and became a 9-Circle Archmage. Later, I met Baluduk and received support from the Forerunners, dedicating myself to experiments and research. I did whatever they asked. I harbored the thought that someday, when I gained their recognition and ascended to the position of one of the 12 Pioneers, the King would regret abandoning me.”
“Is that why you didn’t reveal your 9-Circle status like Jeyah the Master?”
“Yes. I didn’t want to fill the King’s ego with the title of Decan’s first 9-Circle Mage. I simply spent my entire life hoping he would regret abandoning me as an infant and die in anguish.”
‘Ha… this is confusing, so confusing. Esca was the King’s bloodline.’
While I let out a sigh.
[The target you are currently observing is speaking the ‘truth’.]
The message that appeared on one side only deepened my confusion.
Everything he’d said so far was the truth.
Yet there were aspects that seemed suspicious to simply accept at face value.
“If you were an infant back then, how do you know the King tried to have you killed?”
“I learned about it after I grew up.”
“From whom?”
“I don’t remember his face well, but… it was some man. He said that on the King’s orders, he had tried to kill me when I was just a newborn.”
In other words, the man who had tried to kill him had confessed everything out of guilt.
That was precisely the part that had made me suspicious.
“And you believed that without question?”
“Yes. Why would he have any reason to lie to me?”
There was no way to know how much was truth and how much was falsehood, but there was a possibility that Esca Robins had misheard the information and believed it as truth.
If that were the case, the system would interpret it as truth anyway.
“Shane II is a man without blood or tears. It would be best not to prevent the assassination.”
“If what you’re saying is true, he’s a complete piece of garbage, but…”
It was difficult to believe whether it was the truth or not.
The Shane II I had met was a virtuous king who cared for his people.
“I understand your personal circumstances. But I can’t just let the King die.”
“But Master…”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to make the King regret? Then all the more reason to prevent the assassination. Killing him now would be premature, wouldn’t it?”
“…”
Unable to find any grounds for rebuttal, Esca Robins finally lowered his head.
“Understood. I will carry out my duties at Rita the Wind God’s side…”
“Wait.”
The Tavern Owner, who had cut off his words, was staring into empty space with a startled expression for some reason.
That was how it appeared to Esca Robins.
To be precise, I was staring at the sudden Quest that had appeared.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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