I Refused To Be Reincarnated

Even if things were wrong, who was he, and how would he change this world? More importantly, why? After all, he had enough trouble managing Nova and protecting the kids on their adventures already. Adding burdensome politics to the mix was the last thing he needed.

'I only want to improve and discover the world's history,' he thought, chasing those distracting thoughts away.

Then, he gazed at the smug boy returning with Nova. He grinned back at him and raised his thumb in approval. "I couldn't have handled it better myself," he said, commending his swift management of the altercation.

"As for you," he started, raising his finger to berate the ethereal woman. However, her downcast expression and moist eyes caused him to soften. After all, she had been the one who faced the ladies cruelty. "I think you understand your mistake. Don't go around talking with strangers alone, especially nobles. Even if you are stronger than them, then what?

The city guards will hunt you down for assaulting nobles, and they won't care about who started it," he added, gently ruffling her hair to show he had been more worried than angry.

"Hum. I thought most humans were like you or the ghosts from the canyon," she answered, a bitter smile stretching across her lips. The kids from the college treated her well, but she realised it was because they were young and pure.

Then, she saw the suburb's misery, the famished inhabitants, and their suffering. Despite their harsh lives, they were all kind but unlucky souls. And yet... those decadent and mighty people were corrupted to their cores, worse than evil ghosts, as if...

"Does wealth corrupt people?" She suddenly asked, yearning for an answer.

Fortunately, Adam shook his head, reassuring her. "Arun and Asha are wealthy. Yet, do they seem corrupted?" He asked before smiling.

"Many factors must be considered. I believe the main one is education. Look at Julius, for example. If I do that, he knows he is in trouble," he added, making a snipping sign with his fingers.

"Stop!" Julius yelled in response, an icy shiver running down his spine. What education was this? He had never heard of anyone threatening others to make them behave.

"Hahaha. See? If you let kids do whatever they want without facing responsibilities or consequences, the chances for them to go astray will be high," said Adam, chuckling lightly on the outside.

Yet, inside, his mind raged with questions. 'How do I remember things related to education and nutrition so well but nothing about my life on Earth?!'

He finally realised this obvious detail. How could he miss it after his lengthy explanation to Arun right after his third trial? However, now wasn't the time to ponder. He reassured himself that the answer would present itself in two weeks, sparing his brain from unnecessary burden. Temporarily, at least.

As Nova found comfort in her friend's presence and Adam gave up on his swirling thoughts, the three ladies gritted their teeth. Flames of righteous fury burned in their eyes before they snorted. Believing they did nothing wrong, they left the queue, planning to avoid the others gloating by returning later.

Twenty-five minutes later, four mages opened the building's sturdy doors and gazed at the excited crowd. Their ominous faces glinted under the sunlight, and their robes fluttered with elemental mana in an impressive show of force.

Then, an aged man adjusted the frame of his elegant glasses as he revealed himself. "Welcome to today's special auction. Before anything, I'll demand you leave any weapons or magical artifacts with our trustworthy mages for security measures."

"The second thing is a reminder of the rules. Any troublemaker will be escorted to the guard station and put behind bars, so don't try your luck." He dusted his three-piece suit before adding.

"Third, ensure you have enough money to bid. If you can't pay... Let's say that we'll find a way for you to." His solemn voice made many middle-aged nobles gulp audibly. This measure had been implemented long ago to discourage anyone from bidding by ego or to make things difficult for their rivals.

"If you understand everything, you may register and proceed to the auction hall," the man concluded before leaving the serious mages to filter any commoner out of the line.

After his departure, the boisterous nobles remained silent, showing his words' effect on them and how seriously they took them. Gradually, they proceeded in an orderly manner, making the process smooth.

Five minutes later, the group sat in a V.I.P. chamber on the hall's first floor. A Duke's emblem offered many perks, even from a foreign nation.

Adam's eyes lingered on the luxurious seats and opulent decorations for a moment before focusing on the stage.

The man who introduced the rules earlier stood with a wooden hammer behind a podium. Staff members hidden by a thick red curtain scurried behind him to prepare the items, placing them with surgical precision on floating tables. A few minutes later, the loud sound of a stick hitting the wooden floor echoed through the room, signalling that the auction was ready to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as you already know, our brave peace-guardians caught a vile rogue mage a few days ago. Today, we'll auction their possessions to compensate the victim's families."

The man bent forward, squinting at the public, his mysterious tone and body language compelling them to listen with undivided attention.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"For this occasion, you'll be presented with many items of the second tier, third and..." The man let the suspense linger as the nobles' eyes enlarged and their breaths turned ragged with anticipation.

"For the fifth time this decade, two items of the fourth tier!" He revealed, outstretching his clenched fist with vigour unsuspected for someone his age.

Upon hearing his unbelievable words, the crowd erupted into an uproar.

Most individuals rose from their seats, deafening the hall with excited applause.

Meanwhile, Adam's eyes glinted. He hoped those items would turn valuable for his craft. But first, he had to know how much money he had.