The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 92

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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 92
The object Esca handed over was a small metal chunk with a button attached to it.
‘Azrahil ordered you to make this?’
I examined it from every angle, but I couldn’t figure out what kind of device it was.
Even the Sage’s Eye didn’t seem to recognize it—no message appeared at all.
‘I’ll have to press the button to find out what this does….’
I fidgeted with the object while watching Esca’s expression carefully.
Hoping he would explain what the device was first.
But Esca seemed oblivious to my hints and just talked about something else.
“Is something wrong? Don’t you like the object? I made it exactly according to the blueprints you provided….”
“It’s larger than I expected.”
“Making it any smaller would be difficult. Since it’s me, I managed this size, but if it were someone else, they wouldn’t have been able to make it properly.”
“Right, you did well.”
Esca’s brow furrowed slightly at my praise.
An expression that asked what I’d eaten to say such a thing.
From that reaction, I could roughly understand how Azrahil usually treated Esca.
‘It seems he’s stingy with praise and tends to be harsh.’
That did sound like something Azrahil would do.
‘I need to adjust my approach immediately.’
I quickly changed my expression and spoke.
“What? Wasn’t my joke funny?”
“That was a joke?”
“Did you think I was actually praising you? Making it this big? At this size, I can’t even press the button with one hand.”
“I thought you were actually praising me for once… but I guess not.”
“Never mind that. It works properly, right?”
“Of course. Who made it? But as I mentioned before, we need materials.”
“You mean this?”
I openly opened a subspace and reached my hand inside.
It was a deliberate action, knowing that Azrahil used subspace.
“Huh?”
When I pulled out a blue mineral from thin air, Esca’s eyes widened.
“You actually managed to obtain Arcnium?”
‘Arcnium?’
Now that I knew the mineral’s name, I also recalled what Arcnium was used for.
‘Arcnium… it’s the mineral used to make restraints, cages, shackles, and such, isn’t it?’
I knew it had the property of absorbing mana, making it an essential material for creating tools to suppress mages.
I also knew it was worth hundreds of times more than gold.
‘This precious mineral was buried in the Hamilton Mine all this time.’
Regardless, they knew Arcnium was buried in the mine.
That’s why they started the territorial war to seize ownership of the mine.
‘A device made from Arcnium, then…’
I could already guess the general purpose of the device in my hand.
“Can you complete it right now with this?”
“Of course. I can activate it immediately once I insert the material.”
“Do it.”
Esca took the device and began opening the rear panel, inserting the Arcnium.
Click—!
“There, it’s done. Now it will activate as soon as you press the button.”
Taking the device back, I pressed the button without hesitation.
Whirrrrring—!
“Ugh!”
An inexplicable wave suddenly emanated from the device.
Esca, on his knees, clutched his chest in distress.
I pressed the button again.
Whirrr—!
The wave disappeared.
‘Interesting. So that’s what this thing does?’
Others might not see it, but with the eyes of a sage, I could perceive it clearly.
The wave from the device spreading widely across a five-meter radius.
And that wave momentarily destabilizing Esca’s Circle.
‘A device that interferes with an opponent’s mana in an instant, destabilizing their Circle. Remarkable.’
Even a 9-Circle mage was not exempt—it could inflict damage on them.
Though I was inwardly impressed, Esca could only contort his face in frustration.
He had been suddenly subjected to an attack, after all.
“W-what are you doing! If you use it like that…!”
“What? I was just testing whether it works properly.”
At Azrahil’s shameless attitude, Esca sighed and made a gesture as if to give up.
“Still, my apologies. Are you alright?”
“Don’t offer insincere concern! Well, since it only causes temporary destabilization, I’m fine.”
Esca brushed himself off and stood up as if truly unharmed.
I could see that his previously wavering Circle had already stabilized.
“But what do we do now? You’ll need to find more minerals.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because you just burned through all the Arcnium by pressing the switch!”
Opening the rear panel of the device as Esca said, the Arcnium that had been blue was now a dull gray.
It appeared to be single-use.
“Since it’s no longer usable, you’ll need to obtain new Arcnium.”
“There’s no need to worry about that.”
I retrieved another Arcnium from my subspace.
“I have plenty of materials.”
“What? There were more of them?”
“Yes. I found countless deposits buried throughout the Hamilton Mine.”
“So there really were minerals in the mine! This is an incredible discovery, isn’t it? If Azrahil is right about the abundance, it should only be a matter of time before completing Baluduk’s project!”
‘Did Baluduk commission something from him too? What kind of project?’
I itched to ask about the project, but lacking a suitable pretext, I kept my mouth shut.
Still, from the way he spoke, it was clear that the project required massive quantities of Arcnium as its material.
‘Regardless, I can’t let things proceed according to Baluduk’s wishes.’
While I maintained my silence with such thoughts.
Esca was gazing at me with strangely narrowed eyes.
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you pleased?”
“Why should I be pleased?”
“Well, because Baluduk’s plan is making progress, of course… You’re not planning to hide this from Baluduk, are you? That you found Arcnium in the mine?”
“….”
As I continued to say nothing, Esca began to jump to conclusions on his own.
“I see now… That’s why you brought me the blueprints and asked me to secretly construct this device… You’re trying to stand against the Forerunners, aren’t you?”
“Perhaps.”
Though I spoke with apparent indifference, I was inwardly exultant.
‘Thanks to his misunderstanding, I’ve grasped the situation to some degree. And Azrahil’s intentions as well.’
This man, once the lowest-ranked of the 12 Pioneers, had instructed Esca to build a device to gain the strength to oppose the Forerunners.
A device that would temporarily disrupt magical energy.
‘Even if I’ve misread the situation, it doesn’t matter. For now, it’s better to let Esca remain under this misunderstanding. That way, I can forge more connections with the other Forerunners.’
Having finished my deliberations, I reinforced his misconception.
“Don’t tell the other Forerunners what I’m scheming. Keep it to yourself that we found Arcnium.”
“Of course. Have you forgotten whose side I’m on?”
“Whose side are you on?”
“Azrahil’s side, naturally!”
[The target you are currently observing is speaking a ‘lie’.]
Seeing the message, I let out a soft laugh.
A smile masquerading as ridicule.
“Hearing you say it directly is reassuring. Continue to trust and follow me as you have been. When the opportunity arises, I’ll personally see to it that you ascend to the rank of Forerunner.”
“Really? Thank you so much! I’ll serve you with all my might!”
Esca, bowing repeatedly, seemed oddly elated.
‘What? I only probed to be safe, but was he really yearning for a Forerunner’s position?’
Despite being a 9th Circle mage, he was running errands for the Forerunners, so I’d tested him—and apparently hit the mark.
Esca desires the rank of Forerunner.
“By the way, Azrahil. There’s something I’m curious about.”
“What is it?”
“Could you tell me in detail how the Agos Territory was defeated by the Hamilton Territory?”
I studied Esca quietly for a moment, then spoke.
“Why do you ask?”
“Ah, I’m referring to my target. Zeke McLafflin. I heard rumors that he participated in the territorial war.”
“The territorial war?”
Zeke’s eyes widened as if hearing this for the first time, but internally, his shock ran far deeper.
‘Why is my name suddenly coming up? A target? Esca is after me?’
Belatedly, I recalled the words Azrahil Johnston had muttered in passing.
Back then, he’d also mentioned something about me being Esca’s target.
‘Could it be that I’ve been given assassination orders from above?’
My suspicion was accurate.
But now that I was disguised as Azrahil Johnston, I couldn’t afford to show it.
“So your assassination target participated in the territorial war?”
“Yes. He joined the Golden Eagle Mercenary Corps along with colleagues named Peter and Mary, and fought on the Hamilton side. Apparently, this man Zeke displayed remarkable prowess during that time… Didn’t your subordinates report this to you?”
I shook my head.
“I haven’t heard such a thing.”
“Then you must not have heard the rumors that Zeke is a Demon Swordsman either?”
‘He knew that much?’
I was surprised that he possessed so much information about me.
“I was trying to gather some information about the target… I understand.”
“What’s with that expression? Is it my fault for not knowing information you should be gathering?”
“Ah, no. I apologize for being disrespectful.”
I frowned at the sight of Esca backing down, but internally, I was elated.
I’d gained considerable intelligence from this conversation with Esca.
‘So they sent this man to assassinate me on orders from above?’
I could have killed Esca immediately, but I postponed it.
Keeping Esca alive was more advantageous for extracting information about the Forerunners.
In situations like this, it’s best to keep them close and exploit them.
The system seemed to share this sentiment.
No Quest appeared demanding I eliminate Esca immediately.
‘I’ll use Esca to track down the other Forerunners.’
With my resolve set, I gazed beyond the Forest.
The sun was already rising.
“Let’s end our conversation here and part ways. I’ll take the goods with me.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Keep the communication stone safe. I’ll contact you if I need anything else next time.”
“Understood.”
Leaving Esca with a reluctant expression, I turned away.
Because of that, Esca didn’t see it.
Just before I used Teleport, my lips curled upward in a smile.

* * *
Baluduk Lachbez, second-ranked among the 12 Pioneers, received an unexpected call.
“What brings you to contact me at this early hour, Esca?”
-Baluduk. There is something grave I must tell you.
“What is it?”
The voice through the communication device fell silent for a moment.
After a pause, as if having steeled himself, his voice emerged with solemn weight.
-Azrahil Johnston is plotting treason.

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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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