The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 4

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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 4
Every mage bears a ring of mana around their heart.
It is called the Circle—a second heart.
The Circle is a kind of filter.
The mana suspended in the atmosphere contains numerous impurities, and the Circle’s purpose is to strain them away.
Mages then manifest magic using the highly purified mana they’ve extracted.
‘In this world, they call it magical power.’
Through my reading, I now understood precisely what I had been absorbing all this time.
Highly purified mana just before it transforms into magic.
The phenomenon occurring just before or after magic manifests.
All of these are collectively called magical power.
It’s not a particularly difficult concept.
I’ve read far more challenging material countless times in the Magic Library.
‘I’ve even read ancient texts written in rune script.’
This was possible because I possessed the basic skill [Interpretation], which could decipher any written language.
Thanks to it, my intellectual curiosity has been satisfied to the point of tedium.
‘The real problem is having to participate in this tiresome ceremony called the Awakening Ritual.’
The Awakening Ritual.
A tradition unique to prestigious magical families, also known as the Circle Bestowal Ceremony.
Creating a Circle in one’s heart requires mana of one hundred percent purity.
Therefore, another mage must directly supply filtered mana and guide the process.
It’s impossible to create a Circle alone.
At age twelve, when Circle creation is most ideal, one undergoes this solemn ritual for the first time in one’s life—but…
‘What does it have to do with me, who cannot create a Circle?’
Yet what could I do?
It was customary for any child of a prestigious magical family to undergo the Awakening Ritual.
All my half-brothers and sisters had undergone it as well.
‘Though we’re not particularly close.’
I gazed at my siblings standing in a line, their expressions even more reluctant than my own.
Second Son Russell McLafflin.
Third Son Alex McLafflin.
First Daughter Luna McLafflin.
All of them were mages who had reached the second or third Circle, yet they had come to this gathering despite their reluctance, under Father’s command.
Except for First Son McLafflin, who had departed for the Magic Tower to pursue magical training.
“Why are you so late? Did you forget the Awakening Ritual was today?”
Father Gerard rebuked me sternly the moment he saw me, but I remained unintimidated.
I had known my father’s love for me since birth.
“My apologies. I was absorbed in reading and lost track of time.”
“Were you in the Magic Library again?”
“Yes.”
My honest answer, however, was met with reproach from my brothers and sister.
“Why do you keep sneaking into the Magic Library when you have no talent? Ugh.”
“Don’t you think about the people waiting for you? Tsk.”
“Enough! Be quiet!”
Gerard, who silenced both Alex and Luna, turned his gaze toward me.
His eyes held a glimmer of expectation.
“So, have you made any progress?”
“No, Father.”
I answered immediately, shattering his expectations.
He must have harbored great hopes, but I saw no reason to lie.
‘Besides, they’ll discover the truth once they test me anyway.’
Of course, if I disabled my mana absorption function, the results would show I possessed talent.
But I had no intention of doing so.
‘Since I’ve already been assessed as lacking talent in mana, I should commit to this narrative completely.’
There was a reason for maintaining this persona.
Today, I planned to use my supposed lack of talent as leverage to make a request of Father.
“…Whether you’ve made progress or not, we’ll know once we test you. Before the Opening Ceremony, we’ll take time to assess your talent first. Fourth Son Zeke McLafflin, come forward.”
“Yes.”
Father’s unusually solemn tone felt strange, but I stepped forward without protest.
Before my brothers and sister, Gerard grasped my wrist to assess my talent.
This was the second talent evaluation conducted since twelve years ago.

* * *
Gerard desperately hoped.
‘Please, let Zeke have developed an affinity for mana….’
He claimed there had been no progress, but I couldn’t believe it until I verified it myself.
‘They say innate disposition doesn’t change, but one can never know without effort.’
For twelve years, I had spared no effort to befriend mana—surely there had to be some progress?
At the very least, there should be progress equivalent to a bird dropping.
‘Even the slightest improvement would suffice. If there’s even a thread of possibility… I would be content with that.’
Before the talent assessment, Gerard had harbored hopes that his son might be a prodigy, but now he no longer dared dream so high.
Even if it were merely average, or less than that—I simply wished his affinity had increased.
That way, he wouldn’t be dismissed as the bastard’s child, scorned by his brothers.
‘After twelve years of effort, there must be some change.’
Yet it didn’t take long for Gerard’s hopes to crumble.
Feeling the mana dissipate from his body just as before, unable to take root, Gerard could only sigh.
“Why do you sigh, Father?”
“Truly, there is no improvement. Despite twelve years of such effort….”
Understanding that this meant a lack of talent, sighs escaped from all corners of the chamber.
His siblings’ mockery was merely the cherry on top.
“Well, of course. Once a constitution is set, it doesn’t change easily, does it?”
“So he wasted twelve years on nothing? Pfft.”
Alex and Luna wore sneering smiles, but only for a moment.
Faced with Gerard’s terrifying glare, they could only close their mouths and avert their eyes.
Their mockery was as good as ridiculing his efforts.
‘Sigh… Zeke. I’m sorry. It seems I must let you go now.’
He was the youngest son, born from a concubine with the firm resolve of having at least four sons.
What efforts had I made to change this youngest son’s constitution?
From age one, I kept mana stones near him, and once he could read, I allowed him to enter the Magic Library where mana thrummed with power.
The hope was that by growing accustomed to mana, perhaps one day his affinity might sprout, even if only slightly.
This was also why I had endured and waited patiently until his Coming of Age ceremony at twelve.
‘But it seems the time has come to stop this as well.’
If talent hadn’t blossomed despite such effort, then it was reasonable to conclude it simply didn’t exist.
‘And yet….’
Gerard’s eyes studied Zeke’s remarkably composed expression.
‘Why does my son’s face appear so serene despite being judged to lack talent?’
The person most affected should have been shocked, yet his face showed no such disturbance.
This was something Gerard couldn’t comprehend.
‘Wasn’t Zeke the one who frequented the Magic Library day and night, striving harder than anyone to become a mage? How could this be?’
Unable to contain his curiosity at this unexpected reaction, Gerard asked.
“Zeke. Are you truly all right? All your efforts have come to naught….”
“Yes, I’m fine. I already knew there was no progress in my affinity, after all.”
“Is that so? I thought you’d be more disappointed, but this is unexpected. Ha ha!”
Gerard laughed heartily, but his true feelings were quite different.
‘The boy is putting on a composed front, but he must be quite upset inside.’
No matter how unaffected Zeke appeared on the surface, his insides were surely burning with anguish.
Because I feel the same way right now.
‘At least he’s not acting like the world has collapsed around him. That’s a relief.’
My comment about his unexpected reaction was no mere pleasantry.
I had expected him to be disheartened and despondent, yet here he was, performing such a serene facade….
He must be deliberately concealing his disappointment out of consideration for his father’s feelings.
‘The boy has depth.’
I was regarding him with pride when Zeke opened his mouth.
“Father, I have a question.”
“Go ahead, speak freely.”
“Since I’ve been judged to lack talent, I cannot form a Circle, correct?”
“I’m afraid that’s the case.”
“Then is the Coming of Age ceremony concluded with this?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“What becomes of me now?”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“Born into a prestigious magical house yet unable to become a mage—will I be cast aside now?”
“What?”
Gerard, momentarily stunned by such an absurd question, soon broke into a hearty laugh.
“Ha ha, you rascal. Your jokes are quite cruel. Why would I cast you aside? Regardless of your lack of talent, the fact that you are the youngest of the McLafflin Family remains unchanged.”
“Then you won’t expel me from the family?”
“Of course not. That’s obvious.”
Even as I answered, I felt a pang of sorrow within.
He hadn’t recognized the love I’d shown him all this time, and here he was worrying about being cast out by the family.
‘I suppose I have been rather cold in my expressions.’
Though he was my beloved youngest son, I had deliberately been stern with him to prevent the other siblings from growing jealous.
So in a way, I understood why he would react this way.
“Does that ease your mind now that you have your answer?”
“Yes, Father. I was worrying needlessly.”
“Don’t worry. Even if you cannot become a mage, I can secure you a position at the Magic Tower. So….”
“Father, forgive me for interrupting, but I haven’t given up yet.”
“Huh?”
“I would like to continue attempting to increase my affinity as much as possible, just as I have been doing.”
“Ha! This fool—you’re saying you’ll just waste away reading books again, aren’t you?”
“Are you serious or not?”
At the dissatisfied voices of Alex and Luna, Gerard shot them a silencing glare.
“Zeke. Are you saying you won’t abandon the path of a mage just yet?”
“Yes, Father.”
“But the results speak for themselves. For twelve years I’ve tried, yet my affinity hasn’t budged even a hair’s breadth. I’ve already exhausted every method worth attempting.”
“No, you haven’t.”
Zeke McLafflin shook his head with conviction.
“You haven’t exhausted every method available.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Beyond the western Califa Mountain Range lies the Dragon Ruins, which is called the birthplace of magic itself. It’s said that even approaching it causes high concentrations of mana to surge.”
“Hmm? How did you come to know of that…?”
“Father, you already knew about it, didn’t you?”
Of course he did.
The ruins in the Califa Mountain Range were common knowledge among high-ranking mages—advanced information anyone at that level would know.
‘How could my youngest son, who has had no contact with other mages, possibly know of such information…?’
Gerard McLafflin maintained a deliberately solemn expression as he inquired.
“Where did you obtain that information?”
“From a book in the Magic Library.”
“The Magic Library?”
In that moment, Gerard recalled something.
The existence of an ancient tome he had tucked away in a corner, gathering dust.
“Surely you didn’t read the rune script in that ancient text?”
“Yes, I did. It wasn’t particularly difficult, though.”
Rune script is an ancient language said to have been written by dragons, and ordinary mages cannot decipher it.
Only those with the potential to become an Archmage can understand and interpret the script.
‘He taught himself rune script without anyone instructing him…? My youngest son?’
This meant Zeke McLafflin possessed the talent of an Archmage.
Rune script was not something one could understand simply by being taught.
‘My son, whom I believed to be talentless, is now displaying the kind of talent an Archmage would possess.’
It was welcome news, like rain after a drought, yet Gerard’s expression darkened.
“Don’t tell me you’re about to ask me to send you to those ruins?”
“Yes.”
“Absolutely not. While monsters don’t appear there, the mana is so overwhelmingly potent that even Archmages hesitate to approach. That’s precisely why I haven’t mentioned it until now.”
“That’s exactly why I need to go and verify it myself. Whether I truly am incapable of sensing mana, or if perhaps my dormant affinity might awaken in response.”
“Hmm….”
Certainly, if he were to visit the Dragon Ruins, something might indeed occur.
“But it’s dangerous. Something could happen to your body.”
“If it seems like something will go wrong, I’ll return immediately. I understand my own body is precious too.”
At Zeke’s persuasion, Gerard closed his eyes in contemplation.
When his thoughts had settled, Gerard’s eyes opened.
“Very well. I grant you permission. I’ll provide you with a magical carriage and an escort to accompany you to the Califa Mountain Range. However, if it becomes dangerous, you must withdraw from the ruins at once.”
“Thank you, Father.”
A spark of triumph gleamed in Zeke’s eyes as he obtained what he desired.

* * *
‘Done! I’ve received Father’s permission!’
Zeke McLafflin, who had been bowing his head, silently exulted.
From the beginning, he had never cared about the coming-of-age ceremony itself.
His true purpose was to visit the Dragon Ruins under the guise of awakening his talents.
‘If the family had cast me out, I would have searched for it alone anyway. Fortunately, I’ve secured their approval.’
His desperate desire to visit the ruins stemmed from a single source.
The Second Awakening Skill he had learned in the Magic Library.
[Second Awakening Skill: Master of Mana]
-Achievement: ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (1-Star)
-Type: Passive
-Proficiency: 5/100
-Effect: The range at which you can detect and absorb mana increases to 15 meters. The daily stat gains from mana absorption increase to 2 points.
-Cooldown: None
-Special Notes: Using mana absorption increases proficiency. Upon reaching 9-Star achievement, the Third Awakening Skill is unlocked.
‘The Second Awakening Skill is a passive that enhances mana absorption.’
It expands the range of mana absorption, and proficiency only increases when using the First Skill—mana absorption itself.
To achieve the Third Awakening, I would need to continuously absorb mana.
‘But the crucial part is right there. Daily stat gains increasing to 2 points.’
The original mana absorption had been capped at 1 stat point per day.
Because of that limitation, even after twelve years of absorbing mana, I could only reach A-Rank Hunter level.
‘But if I raise the achievement of the Second Skill, everything changes.’
As achievement increases, not only would the mana absorption range expand, but the stat cap might increase as well.
From 2 to 3, from 3 to 4.
If the daily stat gains continue to grow like this, eventually….
‘Reaching SSS-Rank level might not be impossible after all.’
This was precisely why Zeke McLafflin wanted to visit the ruins.
To rapidly increase his proficiency in a short span of time.
‘In the Dragon Ruins, where mana churns endlessly, I’ll reach 9-Star achievement and awaken the Third Skill in one fell swoop.’
That was Zeke McLafflin’s grand design.

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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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