The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 134

—————

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 134
“There’s nothing at all.”
“What…?”
“The memories… are gone.”
What kind of nonsense was this?
As I stared at Carbollearos in silence, he continued nervously.
“Because the soul suffered severe trauma, the remnants of memory have been completely buried beneath the depths of the unconscious. Perhaps the memories themselves hid away to protect the body.”
In other words, due to the soul laceration, the memory fragments had retreated into the depths of the unconscious mind.
‘If I’d known this would happen, I should have resurrected her as an undead even if it failed.’
I regretted entrusting this to Carbollearos, but fortunately there was a solution.
“Don’t worry, Zeke. Time will resolve everything.”
“The memories will return just with time?”
“The memory fragments cannot distinguish between the body’s original owner and its new one. As I inhabit this body and go about my activities normally, they will lower their guard and surface from the depths.”
“Really?”
“That’s how it is.”
I asked just in case he was deceiving me to seize control of the body.
[The target you are currently observing is speaking the ‘truth’.]
Carbollearos spoke only truth.
‘Come to think of it, when I was in spirit form, I couldn’t discern the truth of Carbollearos’s words, but now that we’re face to face, I can distinguish truth from falsehood?’
Looking at it again, Carbollearos having a body didn’t seem entirely bad.
If there was something I needed done, I could make him do various tasks.
‘Besides, I’ve built up trust with Carbollearos over time, so I don’t need to worry about betrayal.’
Among my companions, Carbollearos had been with me the longest and knew my abilities better than anyone.
For that very reason, he would not betray me.
Betray someone who effortlessly defeated the Lich Dragon, which even dragons cannot handle? How absurd.
Once my thoughts reached that point, I set my mind at ease.
Inwardly congratulating Carbollearos on his new body.
‘Still, to raise my Magic stat consistently every day, I need magic….’
With the Lich Dragon dead, there was no immediate source of magic.
I couldn’t sense any magic from Carbollearos, who now inhabited the body.
‘Of course not. I’ve already absorbed all the magic myself.’
As I looked around for a source of magic, Carbollearos asked.
“Zeke? What are you looking for?”
“I thought there might be items the Lich Dragon used in life.”
“Are you searching for clues? I’ll help you look.”
“If it’s Carrocksina’s belongings, they’re here.”
At Carse’s words, I turned my head.
“Where?”
“I’ll show you. Please come this way.”
“Why the formal speech all of a sudden?”
“Hehe.”
Carse laughed brightly, then guided me toward one side of the cave as if evading the question.
‘Why is she acting like that?’
It was uncommon for a dragon to speak respectfully to a human.
Unless they sensed the other was a stronger existence.
Or they owed the other a debt greater than life itself.
Or they felt the other’s status was worthy of respect.
In my case, it was probably all three.
Wouldn’t anyone—human or otherwise—be grateful to the one who freed them from slavery after three thousand years?
It wouldn’t be strange if Carse decided to serve me as her benefactor for life.
“Here it is.”
Carse pressed a mechanism on the wall.
Rumble—
A hidden Stone Chamber opened.
At that same moment, something caught my eye.
[Magical energy detected at 35 meters ahead.]
As if enchanted, I moved toward where the magical energy emanated, and discovered an object.
‘A book?’
It was an unsettling-looking tome that resembled a demonic grimoire.
The moment I picked up the book, Carse gasped and fluttered about in alarm.
“T-That’s a dangerous object! It’s a book inhabited by a malevolent spirit that devours people!”
“A malevolent spirit?”
What nonsense was this? It made no sense.
Even if malevolent spirits existed, how could they devour people?
‘No, I shouldn’t try to understand this by common sense. On the Pangaea Continent, anything is possible.’
Deciding not to dismiss her warning, my eyes grew more cautious.
Yet I didn’t release the book from my hands.
After all, it was continuously absorbing magical energy.
[Absorbed 3 magical energy.]
[Absorbed 2 magical energy.]
[Absorbed 4 magical energy.]
‘More is being absorbed than I expected.’
I flipped through the pages as I absorbed.
There were only strange diagrams and illustrations—nothing particularly remarkable, just an ordinary book.
‘Except for the fact that magical energy flows endlessly from it.’
This could be the reason it was said to be inhabited by a malevolent spirit.
If an inexplicable force continuously emanated from a book, it would be easy to mistake it for possession.
‘I don’t hear any malevolent spirit’s voice from the book, so there shouldn’t be any problem.’
Even as I continued absorbing magical energy, I received a welcome message.
[Converting absorbed magical energy into stats.]
[Mana has increased by 1 permanently.]
‘My stats are rising already. That’s fast.’
I can raise my mana stat by 5 per day.
At this rate, I’ll be able to fill my quota by the end of today.
‘Once I’ve met the quota, I’ll need to store the book in my subspace. I can’t tell how much mana it contains.’
Items like this aren’t easy to come by, and the amount of mana contained within might be limited.
Rather than use it recklessly, it would be better to restrict its use solely to raising my mana stat.
“The other items don’t seem worth much. I’ll just take this.”
“That book is possessed by a malevolent spirit. Why would you want something so dangerous…?”
“I’ll handle it myself, so don’t worry. You’re free now, aren’t you?”
Perhaps it sounded like I was dismissing her, because Carse’s expression turned sullen.
But only for a moment.
As if remembering that I was her benefactor, she straightened her expression and bowed her head respectfully.
“First of all, thank you for freeing me, Zeke. I never thought you’d actually defeat the Lich Dragon.”
“Didn’t I tell you? Zeke is trustworthy.”
Carbollearos, standing beside me, interjected with a proud expression on his face.
Regardless, Zeke looked uncomfortable.
‘Carbollearos has become human and is now looking me straight in the eye. It’s strange—I’m not used to it.’
Then Carse, who had been quiet until now, said something I hadn’t expected.
“By the way, Zeke. Would it be alright if I asked you for a favor?”
“A favor?”
“Would you take me with you on your journey?”
What is she talking about?
‘What is this dragon saying? That she wants to travel with me?’
An unexpected burden had attached itself to me.
For someone like me who preferred solitude, this was far from welcome.
‘I’m already worried about how to travel with Carbollearos now that he’s humanoid, and now Carse too?’
Traveling with both of them would not only draw attention but also invite envy and resentment.
Objectively speaking, they were both remarkably beautiful.
‘No, they’re not human. At their core, they’re dragons—creatures I despise.’
Having witnessed the atrocities of the Dragon Army in my past life, I shuddered at the very mention of the Dragon Race.
Until now, I could tolerate it somewhat because they were in pendant form and out of sight.
I was about to refuse outright when my attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere.
A message had appeared unexpectedly.
【Sudden Quest: Recruit the Blue Dragon】
└The Blue Dragon Carseapinus is showing strong curiosity toward you.
└Form a slave contract as a condition for accepting her and act together as companions.
【Conditions】
└Form a contract with Carseapinus
【Rewards】
└Random stat increase of 1,400
└6th-tier skill proficiency increased by 5,000
‘They’re giving me stats AND raising my proficiency?’
Unless I hunted down the Lich Dragon, obtaining magical essence was nearly impossible.
In my current situation, raising proficiency was an uphill battle.
But this quest that had suddenly appeared was more than enough to shift my perspective entirely.
“You suddenly ask me to take you with me? What makes you think I’d trust you?”
“Huh?”
“I’ve only just met you today. Sure, I saved you, but that was purely out of sympathy—not because I fully trust you. How can you guarantee you won’t stab me in the back the moment I let my guard down?”
“Ah…!”
Just as she distrusted humans, this human distrusted her in return.
Carse froze, realizing this truth, utterly at a loss for words.
“No, that would never happen. Why would I betray my savior?”
“Then why won’t you tell me your real reason for wanting to follow me?”
“It’s… it’s curiosity. I’m curious to learn more about your power, Zeke McLafflin….”
“That makes it even more suspicious. Are you planning to gather intelligence on me and sell it to the demon race?”
“What? No, that’s impossible!”
“Impossible? You’ve spent three thousand years as the Lich Dragon’s puppet.”
Zeke McLafflin’s words held merit, and Carse had no counterargument.
She hung her head like a dejected puppy, a pitiful sight—but I already knew the answer.
“Then let’s do this instead.”
“Do what…?”
“Make a contract with me. Using this ancient golden pen.”
A golden ballpoint pen materialized in my hand, and Carse stared at it as though it were her last lifeline.
“I’ll do it! I’ll make the contract!”
And so, Slave Number Four came into existence.

* * *
[Contract with Carseapinus established!]
[Sudden Quest cleared!]
[Reward: Random Stats increased by 1,400.]
[Reward: 6th Circle Skill Proficiency increased by 5,000.]
[Proficiency remaining until 6-Star Achievement: 5,763/10,000]
I smiled with satisfaction at the completed Quest.
“We’re done here. Let’s head out.”
“Understood, Zeke.”
Just as I turned to leave.
‘Hmm?’
I sensed the lingering traces of mana from not far away.
Drawn by an inexplicable pull, I stopped in my tracks.
‘I’m sensing a massive concentration of mana here.’
Someone had used teleportation in this place.
It wasn’t the Lich Dragon’s.
Since this was where that creature dwelled, it had to belong to someone else.
‘Could it be the 12 Pioneers?’
Having sensed the presence of a third party, I questioned Slave No. 4.
“Was Carrocksina in league with anyone else?”
“Someone else? Ah, she did have a human serving under her.”
“A human? Could it be one of the 12 Pioneers?”
“You know of them? Ah, of course you would—you’re human yourself.”
Carse had apparently forgotten I was human, having only thought of me as a divine descendant.
“Among the 12 Pioneers, there’s a human named Terion Maldorado. He used to meet with Carrocksina frequently. He was a rude and disagreeable fellow who spoke to me with contempt, but seeing that his master is dead, he must be quite devastated.”
“Devastated? His loyalty runs that deep?”
At my words, Carse let out a scoffing laugh.
“Loyalty? That’s not all—the presumptuous fool actually loves his master, the Lich Dragon.”
“Terion loves Carrocksina?”
A human loving a Lich Dragon.
Is this what love transcending species looks like?
Without thinking, my gaze drifted toward Carbollearos.
After all, he was the one who had inhabited Carrocksina’s body in life.
‘Could he have been captivated by that humanoid form?’
Any man would be susceptible to such charm.
Had I not known she was of the Dragon Race, I might have harbored feelings myself.
‘In any case, it’s highly likely that Terion was the one who used the teleportation.’
I immediately activated my backtracking skill.
[Analyzing the mana pattern.]
[Reverse-tracing the mana flow of the pattern user.]
[Tracking complete.]
[Acquired the teleport coordinates through reverse tracking.]
Then I turned to the two women.
“You two wait here. I need to step away for a moment.”
“Where are you—?”
“I think I’ve found the location of that bastard Terion.”
With that, Zeke McLafflin activated his teleportation.
Flash—
As he vanished in a burst of light, the two women left behind stared at each other in stunned silence.
Two dragons found themselves unexpectedly waiting for a human man.

—————

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

—————