The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 31

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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 31
“Do you know what talent you possess?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Ahem, never mind.”
He’d asked about my talents out of nowhere, only to brush it aside with a vague dismissal.
It was incomprehensible behavior, but Father simply redirected the conversation as though such matters were beneath consideration.
“Regardless, there’s someone I’d like to introduce you to.”
“An introduction?”
“You’ve likely seen him before. My mentor.”
“Ah. You mean Duke Dalpred Bigsland?”
The last time I’d encountered Dalpred Bigsland was when we were devising the operation to capture Gregor Fontaine.
‘At that time, success was paramount, so I merely exchanged brief pleasantries and moved on….’
It seemed Father intended to make a proper introduction this time.
I was already familiar with Dalpred’s face—I’d seen it since infancy.
“Very well.”
I accepted readily, though at that moment I remained unaware of the true reason behind the introduction.
It was Dalpred Bigsland who had requested it of my father.

* * *
“Is that so? He’s on his way now? Understood.”
After concluding his communication with Gerard, Dalpred Bigsland felt his heart quicken for the first time in ages.
‘Good heavens, I’m not some lovesick adolescent. I never imagined waiting for someone could be this exhilarating.’
Perhaps because the King was his closest confidant, few among the political elite could stir Dalpred’s heart.
Having met countless souls across the long span of his years.
Yet here he stood, trembling with anticipation like a boy casting magic for the first time, his composure utterly shattered.
It would have astonished any observer, but recalling the conversation with Gerard from mere days ago made such a reaction inevitable.
-Gerard. Has Gregor Fontaine been properly secured?
-Yes. I watched him being confined to the Royal Underground Prison myself.
-Well done. You’ve earned my gratitude. Hah, I nearly let that wretch slip through my fingers.
-Indeed. Who could have foreseen he’d mastered ancient dark magic unaffected by binding artifacts?
-I confess I didn’t anticipate it either. Dark magic relies on mana, so it should fall under the binding artifact’s constraints. Yet he’d somehow learned a lost ancient technique….
-To my ears, it sounded as though he was speaking the Demon Tongue. Surely I didn’t mishear?
-No, he definitely employed the Demon Tongue. The magic used by the ancient demons themselves—I’m certain of it.
-Where in the world could he have learned such a thing?
-Most likely from Baluduk. He’s the eldest among the 12 Pioneers and harbors a passion for studying ancient texts. We’ll learn the details through interrogation, naturally.
After a brief silence, Dalpred Bigsland broached the subject delicately.
-By the way, regarding your youngest son.
-You mean Zeke McLafflin?
-Yes. Has he perhaps trained in Aura?
-That’s impossible. You know well that even Aura users are affected by the power of the ruins.
—But how could he run at such a speed? His movements didn’t look like those of an Aura user, did they? He didn’t even have a particularly athletic build.
—Even if he did, an ordinary person couldn’t achieve that kind of velocity.
As Gerard spoke in his matter-of-fact tone, a flicker of interest crossed Dalpred Bigsland’s eyes.
—So you know something about this?
—….
—Tell me. How does Zeke possess such power? Is this something you couldn’t discuss with your master?
—No, sir. I should have told you long ago… sigh.
As Gerard hesitated in an uncharacteristic manner, Dalpred Bigsland found himself growing impatient.
—Speak quickly. Why are you dragging this out so much?
—The truth is, Zeke… possesses the talent of a Draconian.
—A Draconian?
Even Dalpred Bigsland’s pupils, which seemed unmoved by any revelation, wavered for a brief moment.
But the shock was fleeting.
It soon transformed into hearty laughter.
—Hahahaha! So that boy Zeke possesses Draconian talent?
—Yes.
—Are you certain?
—I am certain. I felt draconic power emanating from Zeke.
—Then why didn’t you know until now?
—It appears his talent awakened after Zeke visited the Dragon Ruins.
—Haha! So that’s why my heart’s Circle trembled—it wasn’t the magical energy of the ruins, but Zeke’s draconic power! Hahahaha!
Laughter never left Dalpred Bigsland’s face.
Gerard was the one who kept coming to him, lamenting his worries about his youngest son’s future.
Yet it turned out the boy was a prodigy beyond compare.
His future was as good as assured.
—Why are you only telling me this now, something so momentous?
—I intended to tell you. The timing simply never aligned.
—Haha! You must be delighted? Draconian talent is a blessing incomparable to anything else!
—I am pleased, but I’m also worried on the other hand. An awl, no matter how well hidden, will always poke through.
—Of course, he won’t be able to live an ordinary life. But doesn’t that guarantee his future all the more?
—I’m not sure if that’s the future Zeke desires. If possible, I want my son to live the life he chooses.
—Haha, so my disciple’s paternal love runs deeper than I thought. In any case, now I understand. Why Zeke appeared like an Aura user.
—Yes. Draconians are said to possess superhuman strength that transcends humanity.
—But there’s one thing I still don’t understand.
—What would that be?
—Just before Zeke subdued Gregor Fontaine. He was clearly struck by magic, yet how did he block it so cleanly? As if he’d annihilated it entirely.
—I’m not certain about that either. It seems to be related to his talent somehow…..
—It would be best to ask the person involved directly. Can you arrange for me to meet with Zeke?
Having finished his recollection, Dalpred Bigsland waited with eager anticipation for Zeke’s arrival.
—I’m curious. What answer will he give?
Meeting a Dragonian in person was a first for Dalpred Bigsland, despite all the tales he’d heard.
He waited with a racing heart.
The door to the Private Chamber opened, and an attendant entered.
“Your Grace. You have a visitor.”
“The McLafflin father and son?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Ah, they’ve finally arrived!”
I stepped forward eagerly to greet them, and there stood Gerard McLafflin and Zeke, both in respectful postures.
“Greetings, Master.”
“Good to see you, Your Grace.”
“Ah, our esteemed Grand Duke of the McLafflin Family has graced us with his presence!”
“M-Master… please, speak more freely.”
“Haha! Your expression whenever I jest—it never gets old.”
“….”
“Enough of this—let’s go inside! I’ve been waiting with bated breath.”
“Yes, Master. Come, Zeke.”
“Yes.”
Zeke followed Dalpred Bigsland despite the unexpected warmth of the reception, his face bewildered.
‘He was waiting for us? But why?’
No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t fathom a reason.
His confusion lingered, but not for long.
The conversation that followed with Dalpred would answer his questions.
“Your name is Zeke, yes? It’s overdue, but I owe you my gratitude.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Without you, I could never have subdued Gregor Fontaine. I’m truly grateful.”
“Ah… you’re too kind. Thank you for thinking so highly of me.”
“But here’s the thing—I didn’t summon you merely to offer thanks.”
“Pardon? Then what?”
“There’s something I wish to ask you. I requested that Gerard make time for this.”
‘He wants to ask me something?’
Zeke felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding, yet he nodded with composure.
As though there was nothing he wouldn’t answer.
“Of course. Please, ask away.”
“Haha, very well. Then let me pose my question.”
Dalpred Bigsland’s eyes grew serious.
“When you subdued Gregor Fontaine before, you moved with remarkable speed. Have you perhaps been training privately?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Then how could an ordinary person—one untrained in magic or aura—achieve such velocity without conditioning?”
“That is…”
Though he’d anticipated the question, Zeke hesitated before answering.
I simply hadn’t come up with an appropriate excuse yet.
But before I could dwell in silence, Dalpred Bigsland spoke first.
“It seems you don’t even know yourself.”
“Pardon? Know what…?”
“Do you know what a Dragonian is?”
‘Carbollearos, what’s a Dragonian?’
-I don’t know. I’m hearing this word for the first time too.
I asked Carbollearos internally, but even he, a living witness to history, had no answer.
‘Is it a word that didn’t exist three thousand years ago?’
As I stared with bewildered eyes, Dalpred Bigsland chuckled softly.
“My, my. You haven’t even realized what kind of talent you possess?”
Dalpred Bigsland, deeming an explanation necessary, spoke in a benevolent tone.
“A being born human yet inheriting the talents of dragons. The common folk call such individuals Draconians. In short, you can think of them as humans who have inherited the characteristics of dragons.”
“The characteristics of dragons…?”
“Draconians possess multiple talents, one of which is innate strength. That’s why you can run faster and exert greater power than ordinary people.”
“Ah…”
“You said you can read runes, didn’t you? That too is a characteristic of Draconians. Runes, being the language of magic, are fundamentally used by dragons.”
“Ah… so that’s why I can read runes…”
I murmured, putting on an elaborate performance of newfound understanding.
‘He’s mistaking me for a Dragonian, but that’s actually convenient. I’ve inadvertently gained an excuse.’
It seemed wise to exploit this situation since he was conveniently misunderstanding on his own.
“I understand you entered the Monster Forest and survived. Did you encounter any monsters?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“That’s likely due to dragon force. Draconians unconsciously emit an aura called dragon force, and monsters catch its scent, mistaking them for dragons—their natural predators—and flee. That’s probably why you managed to survive the Monster Forest.”
“Now that you mention it… I wandered through the forest and didn’t see a single monster.”
I played along, fully committing to the Dragonian misunderstanding.
“Draconians have many such characteristics. But do you know what the greatest characteristic among them is? It’s magical talent.”
“Magical… talent?”
“They say Draconians display magical prowess so exceptional that even Archmages pale in comparison.”
This time, I fell silent.
If I wasn’t careful, the lack-of-talent concept I’d been pushing could be exposed right here.
But Dalpred Bigsland misinterpreted even this differently.
“You find it strange too, don’t you? How can someone who has never even created a Circle be said to possess superior magical talent?”
“Yes… I don’t quite understand it either.”
“Draconians don’t comprehend magic through intellect. They simply grasp it through instinct.”
With those words, Dalpred Bigsland gazed at me with eyes that seemed to penetrate all secrets.
“Back then, when Gregor’s dark magic struck you directly. Tell me honestly—what happened?”
“Uh…”
The moment I’d anticipated had arrived, but I didn’t panic and began calculating my response.
How could I convince this old man?
‘Ah. That would work, then.’
A clever idea had struck me, and I scratched the back of my head while feigning a bewildered expression.
“Well, I’m not entirely sure how I did it myself. I simply saw the magic bearing down on me all of a sudden, and the moment I thought to sweep it away with my hand, it vanished before I knew it….”
“In other words, you instinctively dismantled the spell. There’s no other way magic could vanish so completely before one’s eyes.”
-Krkrkr, this old fool. Is it because he’s never seen a true dragon? He’s thoroughly mistaken about this. Even we dragons cannot perceive and dismantle the formulae of magic in such a brief span of time. How could a Dragonian possibly manage it? Unless they were a descendant of the gods themselves.
Carbollearos scoffed, though he himself remained equally ignorant of the truth.
I was neither a descendant of the gods nor a Dragonian—merely a human who had awakened the System.
‘Well, let him misunderstand. If anything goes wrong, I can simply blame it on the magical talents of a Dragonian.’
I had been at a loss for an excuse if my magic absorption were discovered, yet things were unfolding far more smoothly than anticipated.
But there was one development I had not foreseen.
“Zeke. This is the first proposal of this kind I’ve made since your father….”
Dalpred Bigsland, who had been building up to something, regarded me with resolve.
“How would you feel about joining the Royal Court Mage Order?”

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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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