Prologue
The greatest archmage in history, Sherina.
She stood before the emperor.
Behind her, knights adorned in splendid and majestic armor.
“This war has been won. The kingdom has been taken over, and the follow-up team is taking care of the rest.”
“Haha. You truly know no defeat. Thanks to your intervention, this war was effortless. With the archmage protecting the Ilnord Empire, there is nothing to fear!”
In the Ilnord Empire, she soon became a symbol of victory.
“The outcome of the war was already decided by the difference in power.”
“It’s also thanks to the great archmage. Tell me what you want. I’ll give you anything as a reward.”
She conquered numerous battlefields.
Naturally, she accumulated various achievements and honors.
Everything, from a wandering orphan on the streets to reaching the noblest and most admired position in the Ilnord Empire, seemed trivial.
With this, a lifetime of guaranteed prosperity and glory seemed to be the only thing left.
At least, that’s what she thought…
Despite the victory in the war, the once confident and dignified figure was no more.
Rather, with a shabby appearance reminiscent of a defeated soldier, she stood before the emperor.
“Why did we have to wage this war?”
“What’s the matter. Archmage Sherina is always asking all the reasons. You just have to go out according to my orders.”
“…….”
“Speak up. This time, what do you desire? I might even grant you autonomy for a territory along with a grand title if that’s what you want.”
The emperor made a bold proposal.
However, instead of being impressed, Sherina’s face twisted with unbearable disdain.
“No, please offer something else.”
“Is there something you desire more than this? I’ll do anything, just tell me.”
“I will resign as the archmage of the Ilnord Empire.”
Sherina was no longer just a simple name; it had become a glorious title.
She relinquished even that name and turned her back completely on the Ilnord Empire.
She ventured into the mountains, where no one could follow.
The Ilnord Empire would not be found, even in dreams.
That was her final decision.
‘Although it led to an even more enduring fate.’
After growing tired of war and leaving it behind forever, an unilateral war initiated by the Ilnord Empire began.
The target of that war was none other than me, Sherina.
The issue was that, having marched in numerous wars, I knew too many secrets about the Ilnord Empire.
Moreover,
As a grand mage transcending the realm of humans, my life span was longer than others.
I realized,
‘As long as I am alive, this war will never end.’
Then, I might as well die.
The conclusion I reached was straightforward. However, there was one thing left to do before that.
“Now that you’re all grown up,you can go away.”
“Ugh, the darn master is at it again!”
The disciple considered it just another daily whim of their unpredictable master, but this time it was genuine.
To face the final war with the Ilnord Empire, the disciple I had kept hidden during my seclusion in the mountains was expelled.
“I feel lighter now that I didn’t have that damn disciples.”
With no remaining disciples, there was nothing left to tidy up before my death.
And not long after, an army led by the Ilnord Empire finally found me.
Cough-
Seeing blood coming from my mouth,
‘Is this the end?’
Honestly, having lived long enough, death didn’t feel regrettable.
There was no sense of injustice or revenge towards the Ilnord Empire.
It had been dirty being with them all this time, and now that there were no more entanglements, it was almost relieving.
Only one thing.
“You are making a promise to me. You will come back when I finish everything that Master has asked me to do.”
I thought I had wrapped up everything, but the promise my disciple made when leaving came to mind just before dying.
“….Surely, he won’t really come back.”
The disciple, who insisted promises must be kept, will get an earful later.
As the vision blurred, the sparkling stars in the dark sky gradually disappeared, and the whole world was filled with darkness.
“I’ll definitely come back, just wait and see!”
The voice lingered in my ears until the very last moment.
But even that gradually faded away.
In the end, the long and tedious war concluded with my death.
***
But what’s this situation now?
I should be dead. Am I not dead?
How am I not dead? Where is this?
“Ah… Ababa…?”
What is this incomprehensible nonsense?
Could it be that the bizarre sounds just came out of my mouth?
“Ubbubub…!”
It really is the sound I’m making.
‘Where am I? Is anyone here?’
I was definitely trying to say that, but the result is ‘bbubub.’
And it’s not even my voice; it’s a very thin and high-pitched sound. Like a baby crying!
With a sudden clarity, I examine my body…
‘Really, did I become a baby?’
And not just any baby; it seems like a newborn.
Sherina, the archmage who transcended limits.
Here I am, ended up reincarnating as a baby boasting the worst temper.
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