The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 50

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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 50
When I heard the Royal Palace was planning an assassination, I assumed it would be some high-ranking official. But the King himself?
‘I suppose it makes sense—only assassinating the King would give the act any real meaning.’
Using the Third Prince to plant spies within the palace.
Capturing Count Bryant to get Mary into the Royal Court Mage Order.
Having Corel Shadow disguise himself as the true power behind the Royal Court Mage Order.
Every single move was part of a plan to assassinate the King.
‘The Court Chef is a spy, wasn’t that what he said? Which means….’
They’re definitely planning to poison the King through his food.
‘There’s no point asking more questions. If I press further, suspicion will be inevitable.’
Even now, the way Garner was staring at me with those half-lidded eyes made me slightly nervous.
“Thank you for telling me, Garner. My curiosity has been greatly satisfied.”
“Good. And this is the time and place I agreed upon with the Court Chef….”
I learned the exact timing of the operation from Garner.
“You mustn’t be even a moment late—make sure you deliver the item to the Court Chef without fail.”
“Understood. I will do exactly as you say.”
“Ah, and I’d like to use that woman Mary you have under your command.”
‘Mary?’
I answered immediately, even as doubt flickered through my mind.
“Yes, what do you need her for?”
“Do I have to explain that much?”
But Garner seemed displeased by the continued questions.
I quickly bowed in apology.
“My apologies. I was simply curious….”
“If you ask questions every time you’re curious, you’ll only shorten your lifespan. Don’t you know that to last long in this business, you need to keep your mouth shut?”
“My apologies.”
Having delivered a sharp rebuke to his naive junior, Garner turned and disappeared without another word.
‘Ugh… No matter how much I’m acting, I have to grovel before this spy. It’s infuriating.’
I watched the alley where the spy had vanished in silence for a long moment.
I could have captured him, but I didn’t.
If I’d tortured him, I could have extracted information—I definitely would have captured him then.
But there was no guarantee he would spill everything willingly.
What if he died before revealing anything, like Gregor Fontaine did?
I’d only end up losing the lead.
For now, the best strategy was to play along as if I were on his side and let him believe his deception.
‘But why does he want Mary? What could he possibly want with her?’
Lost in thought, I knew that thinking alone wouldn’t yield answers.
‘In the end, I’ll have to catch them in the act.’
First, I needed to give Mary a heads-up.
My footsteps turned toward the exit of the alley.

* * *
Nicholas Stewart was a skilled court chef in Decan.
As the man responsible for the King’s meals, he received accolades with every course—his culinary prowess was exceptional.
But few knew that his face had changed not long ago.
That the real Nicholas was dead.
‘Shape-shifting scrolls are truly remarkable. A completely different person walks into the Royal Palace every day, yet no one suspects a thing.’
Strictly speaking, they recognized the shell.
They simply failed to see the core—an Albitz spy.
‘I should award the Pioneer who developed this scroll. Infiltration has never been easier. Hehehehe.’
The spy masquerading as Nicholas prepared the meal with genuine pleasure.
He hadn’t poisoned the food yet.
It was impossible to smuggle poison inside in the first place.
The royal family conducted thorough inspections of everyone who entered.
The kitchen staff were no exception.
‘That’s why I need someone with real influence in the Royal Court Mage Order. A verified member wouldn’t face such rigorous screening.’
All I had to do was pose as a chef and wait.
When the time came, Corel Shadow would arrive posing as a member and deliver the poison.
‘Once that happens, the King’s stubborn life will finally end.’
The spy smiled and threw himself into his cooking with renewed vigor.
“Chef. Is something troubling you lately?”
I turned to see the Sous Chef regarding me with puzzlement.
“What do you mean?”
“Well… your cooking has tasted different recently. His Majesty has even questioned it.”
“I’m just tired. Stop worrying about nothing and go peel more onions.”
“Ah… understood.”
The Sous Chef, whom I faced daily in the kitchen, suspected nothing.
I had studied and mimicked everything—his face, voice, manner of speech, past, and relationships.
Only my culinary skill couldn’t perfectly replicate his.
‘No matter. I won’t be under suspicion much longer. Once the King is dead, this charade ends.’
Then a signal came through the communication device hidden in my pocket.
Nicholas stepped away briefly and activated the device, hearing another spy’s voice.
-It’s time. The hour is sunset today. That’s when we poison the King.
“Understood. The poison?”
-I already told you. Corel will come disguised as Zeke McLafflin to deliver it. Go receive it now. Destroy the communication device immediately after.
“Yes.”
Nicholas crushed the now-silent device into pieces.
Today was D-Day.
The day the King would die would be recorded in history for all eternity.
‘Hehehehe. Shane II will be dead after this evening’s dinner.’
Nicholas wore a faint smile as he made his way to the alley at the appointed time.
Corel Shadow was already waiting there, right on schedule.
Disguised as the boy Zeke McLafflin.
“Do you have it?”
“Right here.”
Nicholas accepted the vial from Zeke and examined it briefly.
One glance at the shimmering liquid confirmed it was Nox’s creation.
It was a poison with distinct color and scent, but the moment it dissolved into food, it became completely colorless and odorless.
Nicholas’s dark chuckle faded as he turned without another word.
He tucked the vial into his pocket and returned directly to the Royal Kitchen.
Then he busied himself with preparations for the King’s final meal.
A steaming stew made with premium beef was completed.
“Chef! Is the meal ready? His Majesty is waiting!”
“Understood. I’ll bring it at once.”
Once the maid left, Nicholas glanced around cautiously before retrieving the poison from his pocket.
Pop—glug, glug, glug—
He uncorked the vial and poured every drop into the stew.
The color and aroma remained completely unchanged. Flawless.
No one would suspect poison before tasting it.
‘In fact, they won’t even realize it’s poisoned when they eat it. The effects won’t appear for twelve hours.’
It was a toxin that acted instantly when consumed directly, but became extraordinarily delayed when mixed into food.
That was precisely why I’d disguised myself as a chef.
To buy time for escape.
‘It’s a shame I won’t see the King die.’
Though the poison hadn’t been consumed yet, Nicholas already treated the King as a dead man.
Soon enough, he would unknowingly savor the stew I’d prepared for him.
‘For the glory of the Albitz Kingdom.’
Nicholas smirked as he picked up the plate and headed directly to the King.
Upon arriving at the Palace Dining Hall, Nicholas saw the King seated there.
“Premium stew, Your Majesty. Do try it.”
The King sat with a heavier expression than usual, as if troubled by something, but it hardly mattered.
Soon he would consume this and perish.
Yet the King didn’t raise the spoon to his lips.
Moreover, today the King’s guards had drawn unusually close.
And then—
Clank!
They seized both his arms, preventing any escape.
“W-what is the meaning of this?”
“Nicholas Stewart. Or should I say, the assassin from Albitz masquerading as Nicholas?”
“…!!!”
Nicholas was momentarily startled when his true intentions were exposed, but he quickly reasoned that panic was a natural response in this situation.
“W-what are you saying, Your Majesty! An assassin?!”
“Drop the act. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice you trying to poison me?”
The King fixed Nicholas with a gaze more imposing than ever before.
For Nicholas, there was no choice but to play dumb in this situation.
“That’s absurd, Your Majesty! What possible reason would I have to—”
The King held something up toward the protesting Nicholas.
It was a butterfly-shaped golden brooch.
-The time has come. Sunset today. That’s when we poison the King.
-Understood. What about the poison?
-I already told you. Corel Shadow will deliver it disguised as Zeke McLafflin. Just go receive it now. Destroy the communication device immediately after.
-Yes.
‘No, this can’t be—!’
A voice emanated from the brooch.
The entire conversation with the spy had been recorded—he had no idea when it was intercepted.
Nicholas couldn’t help but be shocked.
“With evidence this clear, you still plan to deny it?”
“….”
“You tried to poison me by putting toxin in the stew, didn’t you?”
“Y-Your Majesty! Why are you saying this! I’m merely an ordinary Court Chef. Poisoning? I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
“Is that so? Then you can eat it.”
“Pardon? Eat what….”
The King pointed to the stew containing the poison.
“That. Can you eat it?”
“….”
“If you eat it and remain unharmed after a day passes, I’ll cast aside my suspicions of you.”
There was no way he could be unharmed.
Even the smallest amount would cause him to bleed from every orifice within twelve hours, dying in agony from the Poison Pioneer’s toxin.
“You won’t eat it.”
“….”
“Take this trash to the Prison.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The guards seized Nicholas on the spot and disappeared with him.
Even as he was dragged away, his expression showed he couldn’t comprehend how the assassination plot had been exposed, but Nicholas didn’t know.
That everything had been orchestrated by Zeke McLafflin, who had delivered the poison.
“Heh, I had my doubts, but it was true after all.”
Shane II let out a hollow laugh as he gazed at the stew laced with poison.
Without the butterfly brooch Zeke McLafflin had given him, he wouldn’t have believed the warning about an assassination attempt.
“Zeke McLafflin, was it? I owe that boy a debt.”
Shane II, who had nearly met his end, exhaled a sigh of relief.

* * *
‘Ah… I’m trembling.’
Mary waited anxiously for someone to arrive.
Her true beauty was concealed beneath a shape-shifting spell.
‘What on earth does he intend to have me do?’
A few hours earlier.
When she received word from Zeke McLafflin, she had genuinely rejoiced at the news that contact had been made with the spy.
Everything was unfolding exactly as the young prince had anticipated.
But her joy was short-lived.
Upon hearing that the spy wanted her specifically, she had to feign a moment of bewilderment.
‘Could they be plotting something other than the King’s assassination?’
Whatever it was, since they needed her assistance, she had no choice but to step forward.
For now, she would play along—that was the only way to discern their true intentions.
‘I cannot disappoint the young prince. He saved me, my father, and our entire house.’
It was not the mana oath that compelled her to aid him.
She helped him willingly, out of genuine gratitude.
‘There’s nothing to be nervous about. I’m confident in my acting, after all.’
Soon the spy would approach and issue some instruction.
Then she would simply follow his lead naturally.
“Mary Bryant?”
At the sound of her name, Mary turned her head.
An unfamiliar man approached as though he knew her well.
“I’m Jesse Garner. Did Corel Shadow fill you in on everything?”
‘Corel Shadow… that must be referring to the young prince.’
But Mary had no knowledge of Corel’s name.
“I’m sorry, who is that?”
“Who? The man who kidnapped you.”
“Oh, yes. I… I heard about him.”
Mary answered while maintaining a subtle tension.
That approach would seem more natural to him as well.
“Good, then we can move quickly. You’re going to help me with something. If you do as I say, tell Corel to release Count Bryant.”
‘This man doesn’t know that my father has already been freed.’
Mary responded in a composed tone.
“What exactly am I supposed to do…?”
Garner glanced around cautiously before speaking in a low voice.
“I’m about to extract the Poison Pioneer from prison.”
“I see.”
“Your job is to keep watch from outside the prison. That’s all you need to do.”
Mary was genuinely taken aback.
You think you can extract the Poison Pioneer from here?
The Royal Palace Underground Prison is guarded by countless sentries and soldiers, isn’t it?
Yet the spy dismissed such concerns with a shake of his head.
“Follow me. We must execute the operation immediately.”
Mary followed Garner with worried eyes.
The spy’s destination was the entrance to the Royal Palace Underground Prison.
Using the building as cover to surveil the prison, he withdrew a pocket watch from his coat.
The way he kept checking the time suggested he was waiting for something.
That was when it happened.

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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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