I Refused To Be Reincarnated

"So, how did the mission go?"

Shepard's voice reverberated loud and clear as he seized Adam by the shoulder and walked to the second side room.

As he did, Nathan's emerald eyes followed their movement like a tiger discovered before its ambush. Then, he shook his head and sighed. The arcanist always yawned and played with pens or even mana, despite his best efforts to educate him about rulership and planning.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Is it his way to punish me?" He muttered, glaring at Adam's back as the room's door closed shut.

Meanwhile, Adam stepped into Shepard's sleeping room. Everything in it screamed luxury as he eyed the many high-tiered material containers littering the floor.

'Did he move his treasury here?'

The thought crossed his mind like a spring breeze before he focused on his mentor's twisted face.

"I want to kill him."

Shepard's words were simple yet overwhelming. An icy shiver ran down his spine as he noticed the gray wisps of mana billowing around the man's eyes.

"Why did you wait for so long?"

He sighed, understanding it would be hard to forgive Nathan after what he did. However, Shepard's answer sent his thoughts into disarray as he pinched his nose's gap in exasperation.

"He annoys me every day with his unending lessons. Even when I think I'm done, he always comes up with something new! No!"

Shepard raged, smoke twirling around his frame in an ominous dance.

"I never wanted to be a king!"

'Humph. Serves you right for selling me to Elisabeth,' he thought, moving his hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter.

Their situation truly amused him. On one side, their former enemy got the pardon he wanted yet suffered to teach Shepard. On the other, Shepard seemed to recognise Nathan's value yet hated his efficiency.

Despite his enjoyment, he had to calm him first.

"Don't become an archmage either, then. Or do you want to give up on your dream because you don't want to learn?"

As expected, the words stung at Shepard's heart, gradually making him recover his bearings.

After a moment, his lips curled into a grin as he spoke again with his usual mischievous tone.

"Venting helped me release some steam. Of course, I won't give up! Now tell me, did you save the twelve kids?"

"Yeah. I left them in dormitory three with the others."

He extended his palm, greed flashing in his eyes.

"Give me my golden tickets now."

Smirking at Shepard's reluctant face, he snatched the twelve tickets before retrieving eighty-eight from his pouch.

"Ohoho. Look what I have! Exactly a hundred tickets. I wonder what book I'll borrow."

"Are you sure? You can use them in the normal library instead. They have many fine books I'm sure you'll enjoy."

Shepard's rightful voice reached his ears, entering from one before exiting by the other.

"Sure, take me for a fool. Give me Vivian's book about thunder spells."

Despite his many affinities, he still had to learn how to use them effectively. His utilisation was satisfying for now because the puppet's defenses were incredible. But in reality? He would have died on his last mission if he had a human body. So, what better way to learn could he hope for when he could borrow a book written by an archmage during her arcanist days?

"No!"

Shepard's roar almost shattered the window as his mana wafted from his eyes again.

"That's my most precious book! I'll never lend it! You don't have the required elemental affinities to use thunder spells, anyway!"

"You mean these two?"

Grinning mockingly, he snapped his fingers. A wind blade materialised the next moment, ruffling their hair. Simultaneously, lightning crackled in the air as a purple stream danced in his empty left palm like a snake.

Before Shepard could process the discovery and close his gaping mouth, he pushed the nail further.

"Or these ones?"

Water, fire, magma, light, darkness, sound, poison, acid, and even Shepard's dominant element manifested around him, dancing in a cacophony of noises and lights.

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

Shepard yelled, eyes bulging and breath ragged in disbelief. With his three affinities, he was considered a super genius. He had heard of some extraordinary individuals possessing four. Yet, what was he witnessing? Eleven affinities? Was it even possible in this world?

'Technically, I only have one, though.'

His eyes sparkled with gloating, and his lips reached his ears as he grinned at the reaction.

However, the scene didn't continue as he imagined it would.

"Dismiss everything!" Shepard's voice cracked in panic as he rushed to him and clutched his arm.

"Never show more than four! Even better, only show two!"

"Why?"

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"Because Elisabeth has more eyes than a spider! I don't know how she does it, but her divinations aren't limited by tiers or distance! Even without her, anyone seeing so many affinities crammed in a single being would do everything to capture and dissect you to find your secret."

He could see the genuine worry in his gray eyes and sense his feelings through his trembling hands. Therefore, he dismissed everything before asking for Vivian's grimoire again.

"Tell me how you got so many affinities first," Shepard asked, unwillingness twisting his lips.

"Are you sure you want to know? You won't be able to use it. Scratch that. No one can. Besides, it's super forbidden knowledge. Forget about the archmages.

The magus himself will come for you."

He smirked, watching as the arcanist's face decomposed with each word. But he told the truth. Even if Shepard probably linked his affinities to the materials he gathered for his ritual, the need for an archmage sigil spoke louder than any word.

"Tsk. I don't want to know! Keep your knowledge to yourself. Elisabeth is already monitoring me."

Tenderly, Shepard gazed at his library before moving to get the grimoire. A veil of swirling, deadly smoke parted as his hand gripped it, revealing a cover filled with lightning bolts and hurricanes. A gentle smile stretched his lips as he read its title: Thunder Spells and their Applications in Combat by Arcanist Vivian Zestra.

Then, he turned towards Adam, his brows knitting into a deep frown.

"I'll lend it to you for a week, not a day more."

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