The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 127
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
The Natural Enemy of Mages Has Been Reincarnated – Episode 127
After Zeke McLafflin cured an incurable disease with divine blessing.
The Radical Elders, trapped in the Underground Dungeon with the Circle shattered, found their plans utterly thwarted.
Their scheme to assassinate the princess and Daryen, then seize Elsorium, had crumbled to dust.
“Zeke. I cannot thank you enough. Without you, we would have fallen directly into their trap.”
“Think nothing of it. We help one another—that’s how we survive.”
“No, you are a hero. The hero who saved Elsorium.”
Daryen gripped Zeke’s hand firmly, expressing his gratitude again and again.
I had stepped forward simply because I couldn’t bear to let Daryen—whom I’d just saved—perish. Yet here I was, being treated as a hero.
“Was it you who blocked the Elders’ ability to use mana?”
“Yes. Though I cannot reveal the exact method, I’m afraid.”
“I have no desire to know. I harbor no interest in prying into an ally’s techniques. In any case, we survived—isn’t that what matters? It applies to me, and to Yupinelsia as well.”
Yupinelsia’s chronic condition had been incurable.
An affliction that had tormented her for two centuries, one even the high priests had abandoned.
Thus, people had always regarded Yupinelsia—born a sickly princess—with pity or sympathetic eyes.
She would live her entire life in a frail body, only to eventually perish.
Yet such a tragic fate had been erased by Zeke.
“I had intended to venture into the Spirit Realm to obtain a leaf from Yggdrasil to cure the princess’s chronic illness, but it seems such measures were unnecessary. A hero capable of saving the princess stood right before us.”
In a sense, meeting Zeke had been the greatest fortune of Daryen’s life.
I had restored his life from death, saved Elsorium, and healed Yupinelsia’s incurable disease.
Judging by the achievements accomplished in a single day, calling me a hero seemed insufficient.
Perhaps that was why.
Daryen presented Zeke with an unexpected proposal.
“Zeke. Dragonian and savior of Elsorium, would you not enter into an eternal alliance with our Elsorium?”
“Pardon? An alliance?”
The highest elder of the Elven Race was proposing an alliance.
Surprising though it was, there was certainly no reason to refuse.
Yet there was one fact Zeke did not know.
“Elder Daryen does not merely speak of forming an alliance. He speaks of an eternal alliance.”
“An eternal alliance?”
At the question, Ugritto continued.
“An alliance wherein we pledge mutual non-aggression, regard you as one of the Elven Race for life, and guarantee you treatment befitting the highest elders.”
“That sounds quite favorable.”
“Indeed. However, there is a prerequisite condition.”
“What might that be?”
Ugritto’s gaze shifted subtly toward the princess beside him.
“You must enter into matrimony with Yupinelsia, princess of the Elven Race.”
“Ah… What?”
Matrimony?
Utterly unprepared for such a proposition, Zeke’s expression became momentarily vacant.
Without realizing it, my gaze drifted toward Yupinelsia, the one singled out by the proposal.
Her features were striking and refined, her beauty undeniable.
The graceful poise she carried, the subtle fragrance that emanated from her presence.
Among all the women I had ever encountered, Yupinelsia alone could be called a woman born of heaven itself—incomparably so.
Perhaps that was why I, as her betrothed, had never given it serious thought.
‘Marry a woman like this…?’
As I looked at her to confirm her intentions regarding such an excessive proposal, Yupinelsia lowered her head shyly.
“I am pleased. If it is you, my lord, who has healed my ailment, I am prepared to dedicate my entire life to you.”
‘She’s pleased…? With me?’
She had consented.
All that remained was for me to agree, and the marriage would proceed smoothly.
As a bonus, I would also receive treatment as an eternal ally of Elsorium.
However, for me, it was not a decision to be made so easily.
‘No matter how beautiful she is, marrying a woman I’ve just met for the first time isn’t something I can do so lightly….’
Unexpectedly principled as I was, I could not answer readily.
One might have expected disappointment from her, but Yupinelsia showed no sign of it whatsoever.
She simply waited patiently for my decision.
But Daryen seemed to find waiting difficult.
Judging by how directly he spoke.
“What do you say? Will you take Yupinelsia as your bride and forge an eternal alliance with us?”
“Well… an alliance wouldn’t be a bad thing, but marriage… it’s simply too sudden to decide right now….”
In truth, for me, whose heart was set on returning home, marriage was a luxury I could not afford.
Why would I leave attachments in this place when I was meant to depart?
What if children were born after marriage?
‘Then it would become irreversible.’
Because of such concerns, I had never even considered who my spouse should be.
That was not to say Yupinelsia lacked feminine appeal….
“I understand. There is much we do not know about each other to decide so hastily. Then, what about this?”
Yupinelsia smiled softly and offered a proposal.
“Please allow me to accompany you on your journey. That way, we can come to know each other, can we not?”
“Yupinelsia! Do you truly mean that?”
“Yes. I wish to see the world I have never seen, and to come to know you better in the process.”
Yupinelsia’s words sent shockwaves through everyone present.
She would follow an unknown man without hesitation?
It was only natural that Daryen would cry out.
But the moment they heard the man in question was me, Daryen and Ugritto quickly relented.
After all, if she promised marriage, what harm could come of it?
Of course, I inwardly screamed my absolute opposition.
‘What is this woman saying? She’ll follow me? Is there some curse attached to that beautiful face?’
I had far too many things to attend to.
I need to capture the Lich Dragon, maintain my disguise as Todd, and uncover clues about Baluduk.
Having her tag along would only be a hindrance.
I had no intention of playing tour guide to some naive young lady experiencing the outside world for the first time.
‘But if I say it outright, she’ll be hurt. The alliance with the Elven Race might fall through.’
Setting aside the marriage to Yupinelsia, an eternal alliance with Elsorium was an extraordinarily attractive proposition.
It seemed wiser to leave the door open rather than shut it decisively.
“Yupinelsia. I’m occupied with urgent matters right now, so I can’t accompany you. However.”
I paused, fixing her with a penetrating gaze.
“One day I’ll return and show you the world you’ve never seen. I promise you that.”
Saccharine words, if I’m being honest.
Yet her cheeks flushed crimson nonetheless.
She seemed to relish such sentiment even more.
“I… I’ll wait for you…”
She lowered her head shyly as she spoke.
‘Is she naturally timid? She’s completely different when defying the Radical Elders…?’
In any case, having deferred my answer, I’d have to settle for forging a temporary alliance.
“Ah, Elder. There’s something I’d like to ask you about.”
“What is it? I’ll tell you whatever I can answer.”
“Do you remember the bitter struggle with the Lich Dragon from three thousand years ago?”
“Ah, you mean the battle between dragons and the Lich Dragon?”
“Yes. I heard you were a disciple of an Elven ancestor who existed at that time. Did you perhaps hear anything about this? How the battle ended, the whereabouts of the surviving dragons, things like that?”
“Hmm, regarding that, I did hear something from my master.”
Daryen’s gaze drifted upward as he recalled the memory, then he began to share the information.
“From what I understand, there were about 200 dragons on the dragon side, and the Lich Dragons numbered less than half. Both sides fought to the death, and roughly 50 dragons were killed.”
“50? Then what about the remaining 150?”
“About 50 fled, and the remaining 100 dragons were captured as prisoners by the Lich Dragon, or so I heard. What happened to them after that, I cannot say.”
“Captured as prisoners…?”
Half of the 200 became prisoners, and the other half either fled or died?
It was a grim tale, but the fact that there were living comrades besides Carbollearos was certainly something to be grateful for.
As if to prove this, Carbollearos himself spoke with renewed hope.
-Zeke! Ask him if he knows where the other dragons are! Hurry!
‘Understood.’
Spurred on by Carbollearos’s urgency, I asked immediately.
But the answer that came back defied my expectations.
“I don’t know where the dragons that fled went. I don’t know where the prisoners are either.”
“Is that so…?”
“However, my master told me they fled toward the Eastern Continent.”
“The Eastern Continent?”
In that moment, information I’d heard from Zakar Patrick came back to me.
-There are rumors of a dragon territory at the edge of Weltergarden on the Eastern Continent.
‘Was what Zakar Patrick said true?’
As I recalled Zakar Patrick’s words, I decided I should visit the Eastern Continent whenever I had the chance.
For now, though, I needed to find the Lich Dragon for the Quest.
“So, did my information help at all?”
“Yes, it was helpful. That said, I should be leaving soon.”
“Leaving already?”
“I have urgent matters to attend to.”
I needed to go where the Lich Dragon was at the Spirit King’s request.
Just as I was about to depart, Daryen seemed reluctant to let me go.
“Zeke McLafflin. Before you leave, there’s something I’d like to show you.”
“Something you’d like to show me?”
“Just spare me a moment.”
Since there was no deadline for the Quest, I nodded in agreement.
“A brief moment should be fine.”
“Thank you. This way.”
I followed Daryen deeper into the Palace.
* * *
Glance.
Daryen’s head turned back.
After confirming I was following properly, he straightened his gaze ahead.
His guiding expression carried a hint of tension.
‘I hope Zeke McLafflin will like this gift….’
Where Daryen was currently heading was the Treasure Vault deep within the Palace.
He intended to show me that place, where treasures of Elsorium accumulated over centuries lay in abundance.
More than that, he planned to give me several of them.
Under the guise of a gift.
‘Originally, the goal was to establish an eternal alliance through marriage with the princess, but it fell through spectacularly….’
Honestly, I had expected Zeke McLafflin to accept the marriage proposal.
Throughout history, human males had shown an inability to resist Elven females.
But I never imagined he would reject it so decisively.
Because of that, I had no choice but to prepare a gift that wasn’t originally planned.
‘Don’t humans favor Elven females? I truly cannot comprehend this.’
In any case, I had to maintain my relationship with Zeke McLafflin by offering him gifts.
He was the one who resurrected me with a leaf from Yggdrasil, overwhelmingly defeated four Radical Elders, and cured the princess’s incurable illness.
It would be foolish not to hold onto such a being, human or otherwise.
I already owed him a mountain of debts—I couldn’t send him away empty-handed.
“We’re here. This is it.”
The place Daryen guided me to was before a stone chamber in the Underground Chamber of the Palace.
“The history of Elsorium sleeps here. Let me show you right away.”
As I chanted the incantation, a luminous ring composed of grotesque characters materialized and seeped into the door.
Grrrunch—
The stone door swung open.
What first caught my eye was a dazzling array of treasures illuminating the darkness.
My eyes widened at the sight, but Carbollearos’s reaction was far more intense.
“Hah! I never imagined the Elven Race would hoard treasures like these! Zeke! Come closer! I want to see these treasures up close!”
Without hesitation, I was already moving forward.
I was human, after all—it would be a lie to claim I had no desire for wealth.
“Gems, armor, swords, shields, books… there’s truly nothing missing here.”
“These are treasures the Elsorium has accumulated over the past five hundred years. I wanted to show them to you before you departed. I intended to give them to you as a gift.”
“A gift?”
“How could I send a hero of my homeland away empty-handed? Choose whatever you wish.”
“Just one item?”
“Take as many as you like. What would I begrudge to one who saved my life?”
I could choose freely without any limit on quantity.
His generosity was truly remarkable.
“You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”
“Indeed. However, you can only take what you’re able to carry away…”
I opened a subspace and began gathering the treasures.
“I’ll take this one, and this one, and this as well. This one looks quite valuable too.”
As I selected items like filling a shopping cart, the mountain of treasures began to diminish steadily.
Along with this, Daryen’s complexion grew increasingly pale.
My hands, which had been moving without pause, suddenly stopped.
It was due to a message that appeared.
[Your subspace is full. There is no more room to store additional items.]
“That should be enough.”
Daryen stared blankly at the vault, now more than half empty.
His face bore an expression of sorrow as though he had lost his entire nation.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————