I Refused To Be Reincarnated

After excited words of congratulations from his friend and apologising a few times, he returned to his room in the Arcane Academy of Enchantment with Nova.

His heavy steps echoed on the way as an agonising grimace twisted his lips.

'I need to find mythical mana circuits! Sixth-tier is the bare minimum, but the eighth would be perfect!'

Slumped on a chair, he couldn't help but find his situation unfair. Progression was limited because he didn't have his own body, and wielding mana for too long or in a high quantity led to this scorching pain.

'At least I can use mana. Many can't...'

Despite the frustrated frown creasing his brows and clenched jaws, he tried to find a slight consolation.

'I'll make a body without limitations. So powerful that even Luna will gawk in awe when she sees it.'

A grin stretched his lips, his mood improving by the second as he imagined her face after he shredded her trials to the ground.

"But I'll take a well-deserved day off first."

Nova heard his mutter from the side, eyes enlarging in shock.

Ever since they settled in this room, she had never seen him rest his mind despite her advice.

"Go to bed. I'll wake you up at dawn, so don't worry about losing time. Focus on recovering and refreshing yourself."

Her hair fluttered as she gripped his shoulder, feeling the smooth wooden texture with a bitter grimace.

"Thank you. I promise I'll fix everything before our fourth academic year starts."

He closed his eyes, grabbing the meowing Stella onto his lap.

Hope swelled in his heart for next year's tournament.

With the craze about it and the previous rewards mentioned by Shepard, a mythical item might appear for this edition, too.

Better! With the academy of transformation dean's mysterious absence, the beast emperor provided items in his stead, just like in this tournament.

'Knowing him, he won't settle for anything that would smear his name.'

Gradually, he fell into a genuine state of sleep, the plans he wanted to make for this two-week break blurring in the soft glow of the evening sun.

After a moment, a soft shaking brought him back to his senses.

A sensation of peace and relaxation he hadn't felt for a while forced his lips into a smile as the first light of dawn filtered through the window.

"I'm glad you rested, but please, make it a habit. If you treat your body like that, it'll die after a few weeks, making all your efforts meaningless."

Nova's soft voice filled his ears as a frown creased his brows.

With how many times he insisted on the importance of sleep with Julius, he knew her concerns weren't wrong. He just had no time.

"I'll try but can't promise anything."

He shook his head, a bitter taste filling his mouth.

The burden she carried by worrying for him warmed and chilled his heart simultaneously. Of course, he felt grateful but dreaded the thought that because of him, she spent much more time managing his schedule than she would ever admit.

Solemness gained his feature and voice as he clenched his fist.

"I want you to have fun, too. Go out and explore the city. I'll give you money anytime you run out of it. Just... don't waste all your time waiting or watching over me."

"Hahaha. That's a small matter. I have a lot of fun watching you improve daily, even if I can't with your recent training in Yngrid's shop. Still, I help you because I want to, not because I feel forced. So don't worry about it."
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She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture before beaming, her melodious voice enlivening and adding colors to his vision.

"By the way, that old dwarf lady must be worrying about your absence. Go and show Moira that she's just a small fish flailing her tail in a pond full of amateurs."

He bowed his head, gratitude warming his soul as he pushed himself off the chair and handed her the sleeping Stella.

"Thank you. If there is anything you want in the future, say the word. I'll get it for you."

With those words, he opened the door and left, bathed in the morning light as silence engulfed the room.

Yet, Nova's lips stretched into a bright smile as she muttered.

"I already have what I want. You only need to wake up."

***

Enjoying his walk and immersing himself in the crafting monster that Durazmarn was, he observed the smoke rising from the smithies and listened to the noise of crackling coal freshly lit.

After walking for fifteen minutes, the clangor of metal reverberated through the mountain, and the smell of melting ores wafted in the air.

Excitement rising in his soul, he pushed Yngrid's door open, her muscular frame meeting his eyes.

"Were you waiting for me?"

"Who would wait for a human more obsessed with enchanting than a dwarf?"

Her head jerked to the side as she snickered. Yet, he could see her bright smile.

"If I hadn't seen your novice level and taught you myself, I would have laughed at anyone telling me a human ghost could reach the adept standard in enchantment."

Her smile twitched, and a trace of sadness flashed into her eyes.

"Even if it was fun, everything has to end. You almost mastered all my techniques, and only one is left."

They sighed in unison. As weird as it might appear, he enjoyed learning under her, and the thought of seeing his progress halt made his soul ache.

He clenched his fists and locked his gaze with hers.

"I still need you to supervise my puppet upgrade. I want to make it reach the legendary rank."

His voice lingered as his blossoming crafter soul roared in his ears to aim for perfection.

"Or even the mythical."

"Hahaha! That's exactly what that man would have said centuries ago. Perfection is a myth if you believe it is. However, if you think it's attainable, strive to reach it!"

She slapped her counter in amusement before her face turned somber.

"I warn you. My last technique can never see the light of day again. But as a fellow enchanter and teacher, I believe in you."

She closed her eyes, letting him digest the information and remembering when she resolved to share it.

'After his second break.'

She smiled, remembering his dedication during the intense training. Seeing someone plunge head-first into the field she liked so much warmed her frozen heart. But it was his intense focus that convinced her.

Unending days striking metals, repeating the same movement until anyone else would have thrown their tools in frustration, huffing and sweating by the furnace's heat.

Yet, not a single complaint, pause, or distraction. That's what she witnessed first-hand.

Truthfully? She believed he had the potential to surpass her, Moira and stand shoulder to shoulder with the dwarven genius.

'No. He can surpass him too and reach... the magus' level!'

Not many were privy to this information.

But she had learned it in shock through her legacy.

The best enchanter had and would never be a dwarf. It had been the magus for millennia and only this existence could craft tier-eight artefacts!