The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 60

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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 60
[Basic Skill: Soul Severance]
-Effect: When you strike an opponent, you attack their soul, inflicting additional mental damage.
-Special Note: Activates at all times, but the effect only applies when you strike an opponent with a weapon.
The Quest reward I received was a passive skill.
A skill that shakes the opponent’s mind every time I cut them with a weapon.
‘Not just physical damage, but additional mental damage as well. That’s not bad at all.’
Since I hadn’t tested it yet, I couldn’t gauge how powerful the skill truly was, but it was better than nothing.
The System wouldn’t grant me a useless skill anyway.
“Let’s go, Mary. There’s nothing left for us here.”
“Where are we headed?”
“As I mentioned before, to the Tenjin Region.”
The two of us left the Workshop, leaving the corpse behind.

* * *
A Secret Chamber that only the 12 Pioneers could enter.
The second and third-ranked members sat facing each other within it.
Baluduk, the Hand of Darkness, and the Expressionless Man, known as the Iron Man.
“Baluduk. How are the preparations coming along?”
“Khekhekhe, preparations are proceeding step by step. Though we have fallen a bit behind.”
“Can you call a year ‘a bit’?”
“Compared to how long we’ve been preparing, isn’t it relatively minor? Hehehehe.”
Baluduk laughed it off, but internally, he could only feel bitter.
The plan he himself had orchestrated had crumbled to dust.
He was ashamed of his own confidence when he’d assured everyone not to worry.
Disappointing the first-ranked member was a painful blunder indeed.
The Iron Man broached the subject as expected.
“The Forerunner is greatly disappointed by last year’s failed assassination of the King.”
“I’m aware. I’ve already spoken with him. I told him I’d accelerate the plan as much as possible since it’s my responsibility.”
“What do you intend to do going forward?”
“First, I plan to eliminate the cause that ruined our previous operation.”
“The cause?”
“I’ve learned there was a crucial figure who played a decisive role in thwarting the assassination. He also made remarkable contributions to exposing the traitor.”
“Who is it?”
“A swordsman of the McLafflin Family—Zeke McLafflin. I intend to eliminate him first.”
Baluduk’s eyes gleamed brilliantly through the darkness.

* * *
Clank—Whoosh—!
“Damn it, another failure.”
Esca Robins muttered irritably as he ejected the spent casing.
Among all the inventions created by this 9th Circle mage and engineer, the most groundbreaking was undoubtedly this massive gun.
Commonly known as the Mana Gun.
However, in Esca’s eyes, the current Mana Gun had numerous flaws.
“How can I reduce the size further? Who would use such a heavy weapon? Damn it all!”
Grumbling, he removed his goggles and picked up the casing.
He scraped away the runic inscriptions etched on the casing with a blade and began disassembling the Mana Gun’s body to identify the cause.
Yet he couldn’t pinpoint any significant problem.
“It’s not as if a problem that wouldn’t resolve itself after days of deliberation would suddenly fix itself overnight.”
Sighing in resignation, Esca tossed his tools aside when something caught his eye.
A light was emanating from the communication crystal sitting on the table.
“Baluduk? What brings this old man calling? He hasn’t contacted me in half a year.”
Esca snorted and simply watched the blinking light without answering the communication.
His attitude was quite different from before.
Indeed, he had already received notification that he could not be given a position among the 12 Pioneers.
“That damned old man. He has the position but won’t give it to me. Does he think I’m some kind of fool?”
Baluduk had dangled the position before him, made use of him for various tasks, and then ultimately notified him that he could not be appointed as a Forerunner.
How could he not be infuriated?
“I’m a 9th Circle mage with more than sufficient qualifications. Why exactly?”
Though he didn’t understand, Esca had no intention of tolerating it again.
“He’s probably planning to make me do something ridiculous again.”
Despite his words, his eyes kept drifting toward the persistently ringing communication crystal.
A glimmer of hope had taken root in a corner of his heart.
“Sigh… Can a cat resist fish?”
With a self-deprecating sigh, Esca finally answered the communication.
-Why are you answering so late?
“I was occupied with my research. If it’s urgent, please state your business.”
-I wish to commission an assassination.
“Ha, even if I carry out an assassination, I won’t become a Forerunner, so why would I—”
-If you succeed in this task, I promise to elevate you to the 12th rank among the Forerunners.
Esca’s mouth snapped shut before he could finish complaining.
Hope now gleamed in his eyes.
“Truly? You’re not breaking your promise, are you?”
-When have I ever broken a promise?
“Haha, your credibility is certainly beyond question, Baluduk. Who shall I eliminate? Another Forerunner?”
-No. Your target is a sixteen-year-old boy.
“A boy…?”
Just a boy?
Esca couldn’t help but wear a dumbfounded expression.

* * *
The Tenjin Region, nestled in the southeastern corner of the Decan Kingdom.
Among its settlements, an unnamed village in the Borderlands exuded an idyllic atmosphere—humble and peaceful.
Perhaps because of this, Peter’s boredom had reached its zenith.
“Ugh, this is unbearably tedious.”
Peter McLafflin had been living here for a year already.
Enough time had passed to adapt, yet with each passing day, all that grew were my muttered complaints and sighs.
“I’d rather undergo another round of magical training… Is this what living is supposed to be?”
In this tiny countryside village of fewer than ten inhabitants, the only people to converse with were commoners, the elderly, and tenant farmers.
I’d never even brushed past the hem of a young woman’s dress, let alone encountered someone my own age.
Of course, I could alleviate my boredom by conversing with the villagers, but my pride wouldn’t permit it.
“A noble of my standing cannot possibly converse with such commoners.”
Perhaps because I’d closed my heart first, none of the villagers knew my true identity.
If it became known that I was the scion of the renowned Duke Family and a 6-Circle mage, I’d instantly become the village’s star.
But my father’s strict orders to keep a low profile meant I had to endure the frustration.
“Damn it. I’ve grown so bored that talking to myself has become a habit.”
Ever since being exiled to this godforsaken rural Borderlands, I’d been constantly thinking.
That I was too talented to be in such a place.
That someday I’d grow stronger, earn my father’s recognition, and escape this wretched prison of a life.
Until then, I had no choice but to endure and hone my skills.
As a result, I’d achieved the rank of 6-Circle at the age of twenty-one, but the problem was that each day felt unbearably monotonous.
After all, I devoted every moment except for biological necessities to accumulating mana.
“Perhaps it’s because it’s the countryside. Fortunately, the mana quality here is clean and excellent. It’s ideal for advancing my Circle.”
Besides that, the starlight at night was beautiful—another advantage of this village—but I’d grown tired of it.
I would soon advance to 7-Circle, then 8-Circle, join the ranks of the Great Mages, and make my name known to the world.
“When that time comes, Father will forgive me and acknowledge me.”
I possessed the talent to make even impossible dreams a reality.
“As tedious as it is, I suppose I should train again.”
I sat cross-legged in my small room and closed my eyes.
I was gradually expanding the mana circuit around my heart while absorbing the surrounding mana.
“Is this the place?”
My eyes snapped open at the sound from outside the door.
My concentration shattered because of none other than a woman’s voice.
And a young one at that.
‘Who is this? There are no young women in this village.’
I rose from my seat and cracked the door open slightly.
‘What!?’
A woman of breathtaking beauty entered the courtyard, her eyes searching the space around her.
She was clearly looking for someone.
Peter opened the door as if entranced.
“Who might you be? What brings you here…?”
“Brother!”
Peter’s shoulders tensed at the voice.
There was an unfamiliar companion beside the woman.
“Good to see you, Peter. It’s been so long, hasn’t it? You’ve lost quite a bit of weight since we last met.”
Peter quickly shut the door at the sight of the man approaching with such familiarity.
Thud.
‘Damn it, damn it.’
He cursed inwardly while searching for an escape route, but he was already a rat trapped in a cage.
Creak—
“Why are you shutting the door and pretending not to know me? How cold. Aren’t you happy to see your younger brother after all this time?”
“Ha, ha… y-yes, I’m happy. It’s been… it’s been a while, Zeke.”
Peter’s reunion with Zeke McLafflin was marked by an awkward smile.
Zeke McLafflin was the very architect of his current predicament.
Though, if he were honest, he’d brought this upon himself.
“I apologize for not visiting sooner. I should have come to see you. So you’ve been living in a place like this?”
“Y-yes, well… Zeke, what brings you here…?”
“I told you before, didn’t I? That I’d come find you when the time was right. Lucky timing, really—I was getting bored.”
Bored, he said.
But Peter had no desire to see the architect of his misery.
‘Just looking at him, I can tell he’s come to ask for something again…’
He wanted nothing more than to throw him out, but Peter couldn’t cast him out or reproach him.
The moment such feelings were recognized as betrayal, the mana oath would shatter the Circle he’d been building all this time.
That was the only reason Peter forced himself to smile.
“Ha, ha… well, how fortunate! I was indeed growing bored. You’ve found me—you’re the first to visit since Mother did.”
“Exactly. So please, brighten that expression. If the Circle breaks because of a slip-up, what then?”
“Y-yes… but who is this beautiful woman beside you…?”
“Ah, forgive me for the late introduction. We happened to meet through the Royal Mage Unit.”
“I’m the older brother of Prince Zeke McLafflin, am I correct? It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Mary Bryant.”
“Ah… yes, but… the Royal Mage Unit? You met there?”
Peter’s face grew bewildered.
“Zeke, did you join the Royal Mage Unit?”
“I’ve left it now. Because of the succession trial.”
“W-wait. Explain this slowly. What succession trial are you talking about…?”
Zeke McLafflin gave him a brief explanation of everything that had transpired.
What had happened at the Royal Palace during his absence.
Of course, he didn’t elaborate on his relationship with Mary.
I only explained the events that were publicly known.
‘Even if he is my most trusted subordinate, I can’t reveal everything.’
Even with an oath binding him, there’s no guarantee he won’t gossip to others.
The Circle might shatter, but he wouldn’t die from it.
The same applied to Mary, so I didn’t trust either of my slaves more than I trusted my parents.
“Huh, I’d heard rumors that the King nearly fell to an assassin, but this is the first time I’m hearing such details. Same with the succession trials.”
“Didn’t Grandmother tell you?”
“Mother doesn’t seem interested in such matters. When she visits, all she does is scold me about why I joined hands with Gregor Fontaine. Going on and on about ancient history. So I told her not to visit anymore.”
“I see.”
Peter had grown weary of Christina, who offered reproach before understanding.
“But Zeke, weren’t you uninterested in the succession? Have you changed your mind?”
“Not at all. I’m still uninterested. I only accepted to enjoy two years of freedom. And to preserve Russell’s pride as well.”
“Ha, that weak Russell didn’t abandon the succession trials? That’s unexpected. I wonder if he can endure two years.”
“Russell is strong. He’s more than qualified to become the family head.”
“Anyway, why don’t you tell me the real reason? You didn’t come here just to keep me company, did you?”
“You’re quite perceptive after all.”
I smiled wickedly.
“I came to recruit you.”
“Recruit?”
“Let me get straight to the point. Join a Mercenary Company with me.”
Peter’s eyes widened at the unexpected proposal.
“Oh, and by the way, you don’t have a choice.”
….
Now I realized it wasn’t a proposal at all—it was an ultimatum.

* * *
If one were to name the first person in the history of the Decan Kingdom to achieve the 9th Circle, everyone would conjure the image of a benevolent elderly man.
Dalpred Bigsland, the patriarch of the Bigsland Family.
But that was a lie born of ignorance.
Esca Robins had already achieved the 9th Circle in his fifties.
However, Esca’s accomplishment had never been revealed to the Decan Kingdom.
Though affiliated with the Decan Kingdom, Esca desired its downfall more than anyone else.
For that reason, rather than disclose his 9th Circle status to stroke the King’s ego, he chose to conceal it.
He had long since made his choice of allegiance.
Rather than the rigid, conservative King, he would align himself with the 12 Pioneers—those who harbored no qualms about human experimentation.
This arrangement also proved far more advantageous for securing support for his research.
‘I will see this matter through to completion and claim my rightful place among the 12 Pioneers. Then the King will rue the day he failed to secure my loyalty.’
Soon, the subordinate he’d sent to gather intelligence on the target would return with results.
Moments later, someone knocked upon the laboratory door.
“Here is the information you requested. I’ll leave it beneath the door. Should you require anything further, please summon me again.”
“Very well. Good work.”
Esca retrieved the parchment that had been slid under the door and broke the seal.
‘Zeke McLafflin. Illegitimate child of the McLafflin Family. Currently sixteen years old. He concealed his existence due to a lack of magical talent, but one year ago he joined the Royal Court Mage Order and revealed himself to be a 6th Circle prodigy by defeating Gawen Baldor, the true power. He is currently away somewhere for the succession trials.’
Quite remarkable information indeed.
At sixteen, achieving the 6th Circle was a level worthy of the title “prodigy.”
‘Still, he would die in a single shot from the mana gun I developed.’
Esca chuckled softly and continued reading the intelligence.
On the final page of the parchment lay the portrait he had requested.
‘Let me see what he looks like….’
As Esca casually examined the portrait, his expression froze.
Then his pupils began to dilate slowly.
‘This… this boy…!’
The portrait depicted a face he recognized.
‘That boy from a year ago, the one with Nox Venomayer!’
Esca suddenly recalled those two individuals.
The boy and girl who had been unharmed despite being struck by his mana gun when he’d targeted Nox Venomayer.
The boy’s face matched perfectly with the portrait before him.
‘I remember clearly. That boy was definitely him. But… so that boy was actually Zeke McLafflin?’
He survived a direct hit from the mana gun?
It would have been possible if he were a commoner untrained in magic.
But.
‘This one is a mage? A mage survived my mana gun unscathed?’
Now that he thought about it, it made no sense.
Esca’s mind became increasingly turbulent.

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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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