The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 157

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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 157
“A favor?”
I feigned ignorance as I asked, but Zeke had already read my thoughts and grasped the situation.
‘He’s planning to entrust me with an escort.’
As expected, the words that came from the Archbishop’s mouth aligned perfectly with my prediction.
“I would appreciate it if you and your companions would serve as escorts while these prisoners are transported to the Holy Empire. As you can see, you are the only ones capable of restraining them, are you not?”
Raber’s penetrating gaze swept across Zeke’s party.
It was not a look meant to burden them.
A gaze filled with trust, confidence, reassurance, and gratitude.
Yet at the same time, a hint of unease stirred within me.
“…How could I refuse?”
“….”
Zeke offered no immediate response.
Of course, he was withholding his answer to await the Quest notification, but the Archbishop had no way of knowing that.
“If Sir Zeke agrees to help, I shall provide generous compensation.”
“….”
“Ah, but you mentioned you have no interest in money, didn’t you? Haha.”
Growing anxious at Zeke’s inscrutable expression, Raber pressed forward.
“Then how about this?”
Raber stepped closer and whispered in a voice only Zeke could hear.
“I will grant you one wish. Whether it be money, a title, or anything else—if it is within my power, I shall fulfill it without fail. What do you say? If there is nothing you desire at this moment, surely this is a worthwhile reward, would you not agree….”
“I accept.”
The answer Raber had been hoping for came from Zeke’s lips.
“If you will grant me a wish, I will undertake this task.”
“Truly? Excellent, excellent. Haha!”
Raber’s face brightened as anxiety melted away, and he broke into a hearty laugh.
Unaware that Zeke had accepted not because of the wish itself, but because of the Quest notification.
【Sudden Quest: To the Holy Empire】
└Archbishop Raber has requested that you serve as an escort while transporting prisoners to the Holy Empire.
└Escort Archbishop Raber to the Holy Empire.
【Conditions】
└Escort Raber to the Holy Empire
【Rewards】
└Random stat increase of 3,000
└6th-tier skill proficiency increase of 15,000

* * *
“What is it? I’m in a hurry. Just tell me what you need.”
Among the Forerunners of the Braham Kingdom, Iron Man Clifford was the most renowned, yet there was another figure of equal fame.
Lilith Lin, the Forerunner of Lightning, was that person.
“Still pretending to be rushed when you’re not, I see.”
“What are you talking about? I really am in a hurry.”
“You’ve completed every task I assigned you, so what exactly is so urgent?”
Baluduk crossed his arms as if to hear what excuse she would offer.
The excuse that came back was, as expected, nonexistent.
“Ugh, I don’t know. I’m just in a hurry, that’s all.”
“You need to change that habit of yours and your personality. If you always rush about like that, you’ll easily overlook simple matters.”
“If you’re just going to lecture me, I’m leaving.”
“I have a task for you. A very important one.”
“What is it?”
Baluduk, having caught Lilith’s attention with the word “task,” continued.
“News came in yesterday—the assassination of the Archbishop has failed.”
“But that was an important mission.”
“Indeed. The Archbishop venturing outside the Empire for once was a perfect opportunity for assassination. But Pyreo and Ilena completely botched it.”
“You sent two of them and they still failed to assassinate?”
Her eyes reflected disbelief.
And rightly so—Pyreo and Ilena ranked 6th and 7th among the Forerunners.
By Lilith’s reckoning, they possessed enough power to annihilate an entire kingdom.
Yet these two instruments of destruction failed to assassinate a mere seventy-year-old man.
“What happened?”
“The work of a Divine Descendant. That swordmage Zeke has been proven to be a Divine Descendant. Without that, there’s no way they would have been stopped so easily.”
“Zeke?”
At her question, spoken with the face of one hearing the name for the first time, Baluduk recounted everything that had transpired.
By that point, Lilith’s expression had hardened considerably.
“There exists such a monstrous creature?”
“Yes. The King’s assassination, the Hamilton Territory campaign—time and again, this wretch has obstructed our plans. He deserves death a thousand times over.”
Baluduk gnashed his teeth, seething with resentment.
How many orders had he issued to Azrahil, Esca, and Zakar Patrick to assassinate this man called Zeke?
Yet not once had an assassination succeeded.
‘And this is the result.’
Merely seven Forerunners remained.
Had Zeke been eliminated long ago, the Forerunners would not have been reduced to such numbers.
“I understand the gravity of the situation. What is it you want me to do?”
“Pyreo and Ilena, captured by the Archbishop, are being transported to the Holy Empire. Kill them both, assassinate the Archbishop as well, and return.”
“You want me to kill Pyreo and Ilena too?”
“Yes. They are defective goods who have failed their missions twice already. They are beyond salvage—it is only fitting they die now.”
“Why not just have Ethan handle it?”
Lilith Lin currently ranked fourth in the hierarchy.
Ethan Arctos, known as the Ice Addict, held fifth rank.
Naturally, cleanup work fell to the lower-ranked Ethan.
But Baluduk had his reasons.
“That worthless brat doesn’t even know how to respect his elders. Do you really think he’d listen to me? He’ll just ignore the Second Forerunner’s orders without a second thought.”
“Then why not ask Stella, the First Forerunner?”
“Stella is currently occupied with critical duties. The only available force who can handle this immediately is you, and you’re from the same Braham Kingdom. You’re also geographically closer.”
“Understood. I’ll take care of it.”
Lilith’s response came swiftly.
There was no time for hesitation.
After all, there was no one else to do it but her.
She didn’t even bother asking if she had to go alone.
Eliminating the failed operatives and assassinating the Archbishop—what difficulty could that possibly pose?
For someone of her fourth-rank standing, it was child’s play.
“Should I kill that Zeke as well?”
“If you can, that would be ideal. But it won’t be easy. If mana is sealed, even your speed won’t be an asset. Besides, that one is already marked prey for Seire. He’ll handle it himself.”
“Then I’ll prioritize eliminating the failures and assassinating the Archbishop.”
“Good. You must finish before the Descendant of God can respond. Make it swift.”
“Don’t worry. When should I depart?”
“Now.”
“I’ll handle it immediately.”
With those words, Lilith’s form vanished from the virtual space.

* * *
When Zeke announced that he would continue escorting them all the way to the Holy Empire, no one voiced their objection.
Peter, Mary, and Carse were bound to Zeke as slaves by contract, so it was only natural, and Carbollearos didn’t particularly dislike the arrangement either.
Of course, he had expressed intense reservations at first.
“You’re going to hand those damned bastards over to the Holy Empire? Is that even remotely reasonable, Zeke!?”
“There’s no helping it. They won’t open their mouths.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll torture them right now and pry their lips open!”
“That kind of brutal method won’t work. The Archbishop and the Saint wouldn’t tolerate it anyway.”
“Then what am I supposed to do? We need information about their kin, and you’re telling me to just sit here twiddling my thumbs?”
“You can’t twiddle your toes. You’d twiddle your fingers.”
“Whatever! The point is, isn’t there another way!?”
“Stop getting worked up and wait. I’ll try to extract some information.”
“How exactly?”
“There’s always a way. Just trust me and follow along. Have my plans ever fallen through? Never. So let’s just escort them to the Holy Empire for now.”
After Zeke’s persuasion, Carbollearos finally became a docile lamb.
His expression seemed full of dissatisfaction, but that was fine.
That expression would eventually change to satisfaction.
‘I just need to follow the Quest.’
What Zeke relied on was none other than the Quest itself.
Since the Quest had provided information and told him exactly what to do, Zeke had little cause for concern.
The problem was the preliminary work.
‘Hmm, first I need to get the Archbishop’s permission to receive our guests.’
Zeke, who had briefly halted the escort, approached Raber’s magical carriage.
“What is it? Sir Zeke. Why have we stopped?”
“Archbishop. Would it be possible for me to have a brief conversation with those prisoners?”
Zeke gestured with his eyes toward another magical carriage.
The prisoners he indicated were Pyreo and Ilena, being transported under guard.
The Archbishop’s expression turned skeptical.
“Are you planning to persuade them? They’re prepared for death, so it won’t be easy.”
“Still, I should try.”
“Very well. Take sufficient time to talk, then come out. If it doesn’t work, we’ll resume our journey.”
“Yes.”
Zeke entered the carriage where the prisoners were confined, and about ten minutes passed.
He emerged again, shaking his head.
“How did it go, Sir Zeke?”
Instead of answering Prisciel’s question, Zeke exhaled a heavy sigh.
“It didn’t go well?”
“Their stubbornness is extraordinary.”
“I suppose it would be. Persuading assassins isn’t an easy task.”
“Do you think things might be different once we reach the Holy Empire?”
“It may not be any different. But there is imperial law, you understand? We have no choice but to follow proper procedure.”
“Then I suppose we can only place our hopes there.”
Zeke McLafflin’s expression grew disappointed.
Of course, Prisciel Christenson had no idea it was an act.
Nor did she know what he had done to the prisoners.

* * *
‘Found them.’
Within an hour of receiving the assignment, Lillis Lin had located her target.
Two magical carriages were moving toward the Holy Empire.
It matched the information Baluduk had provided.
‘So Pyreo and Ilena are trapped in one of them?’
As Lillis Lin watched intently, she saw the door of one magical carriage open.
An elderly man in formal ceremonial robes emerged from within.
‘So that old man is the Archbishop. Then Pyreo and Ilena must be in the other carriage. They wouldn’t be traveling together.’
Her prediction was accurate, and her judgment swift.
‘First, I’ll quickly eliminate Pyreo and Ilena, then target the Archbishop.’
The original plan had been to use wide-area magic to eliminate them all at once, but upon reflection, the risk was too great.
If she failed, her magic would be blocked, and there would be no second attack.
‘So I need to handle this as quickly as possible.’
Even if one attempt failed, she would ensure at least one succeeded.
With that resolve, Lillis Lin abandoned her desire for a complete annihilation and focused entirely on speed.
Moving faster than even a divine descendant like Zeke McLafflin could react, she would achieve her first objective.
After that, if an opening presented itself, she would also kill the Archbishop, her second target.
‘And if there’s time, I’ll even aim for Zeke McLafflin, the Demon Swordmaster.’
Well, that final objective seemed unlikely to succeed.
The Forerunners who had fallen before weren’t fools, after all.
‘Let’s go.’
Crackle, crackle, crackle!
As she drew in her mana, tremendous sparks erupted across Lillis Lin’s body.
Then.
Flash!
Having completed her lightning transformation, Lillis Lin shot forward like a bolt of lightning itself.
Her first target was the magical carriage carrying the Forerunner.

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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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