I Refused To Be Reincarnated

As the sunlight dimmed and darkness settled in the enchanting scenery of the desert, the beautiful city of Alkemia Al-Nur shimmered with light.

Despite the late hour, the city's streets bustled with activity. Shops and businesses of a different kind were open, proposing their services to an older part of the population.

In one of those shops, a masked blonde man was seated at a table in the corner of a luxurious room. The room exuded opulence, with richly woven tapestries adorning the walls, casting vibrant patterns of light and shadow as flickering candles illuminated the space.

The scent of exotic spices lingered in the air as the man took elegant and measured sips from a glass of fine wine while listening to the relaxing music played by a magical device.

After a short moment, an old man sat opposite him. Despite his wrinkly face and white hair, his lips curled into a smile. His blue eyes were as sharp as blades, and his aura was overbearing.

"Hello, young master. How was your travel?" The old man asked with a smirk, clearly showing how little respect he had for the masked man.

"Cut the bullshit, Thomas. Where's the boy?" The masked man answered similarly, not addressing the man with his title.

"Humph... If not for the favor I owed your grandfather, I would never help a cripple like you." Thomas answered with narrowed eyes and a hint of threat in his voice.

In response, the masked man gazed at Thomas mockingly, unbothered by the insult. After all, he had been called a cripple since he was a baby and was used to it.

Noticing the man's lack of response, Thomas decided to focus on business rather than wasting time in a verbal battle.

"The boy arrived half a day ago. He was driving a carriage, accompanied by two kids and a wounded guard." Thomas revealed in a low voice before adding in a frustrated tone.

"One of the kids is the son of a Duke. If I arrested them at the gates, this case would have blown up and attracted too much attention."

The masked man listened attentively, then curiously asked, "Didn't you assure my mom that you had spies planted everywhere and would find him in no time?"

They had been searching for the boy for years without success and started to feel desperate when Thomas suddenly contacted them.

"The boy never used his identity as a noble and avoided big cities. I just learned that he boarded an illegal ship a few months ago to cross the sea. Is that how a kid acts? He even ignored his kidnapped mother!" Thomas answered angrily.

He couldn't understand how a kid could be so resourceful and manage to prolong what should have been such an easy mission for years.

The masked man nodded, knowing the kid might not be who he seemed. "What about the other kids accompanying him? Didn't you have spies among their escort?"

"That's how I learned about the ship. Marco contacted me a week ago after suspecting he found his trail. We planned to get rid of the witnesses, disguising their death as a road accident." Thomas explained the plan they came up with and how he lost contact with his man a few days ago.

"This idiot failed to capture the kid despite the pill we gave him. If he hadn't died, I would have killed him myself." Thomas' aura flared briefly, making the air tremble under its pressure, showcasing how angry he was at Marco's failure.

With a clearer understanding of how everything unfolded, the young man said sinisterly, "It's alright; we still have one year to act, and we know where he is."

The masked man suspected he could simultaneously get his long-desired revenge and what he had been dreaming of.

After all, the kid's behaviour was highly unusual for someone his age. Moreover, he couldn't believe he survived his ordeal in Gaston's cave.

Four years ago, his family came to understand, in a stupor, just how devious this anomaly truly was and how he played everyone like fools.

No one expected him to be anything more than a jealous bastard before he caught them completely off guard and thwarted their plan.

Despite the setback they suffered due to Gaston, he couldn't help but admire the man's patience and strategic planning. He would draw inspiration from them and bide his time to devise a bulletproof plan before acting.

"Stay on stand-by. We can't act inside the city. Keep his mother ready in case we need to use her." The masked man commanded after a moment of thought.

Thomas reluctantly nodded while clenching the table's edge, leaving deep finger marks on the thick wood. He hated having to follow this useless brat's orders.

The masked man watched as Thomas left the building with an amused smile, then downed his wine and muttered with determination. "I'll show you what the useless cripple could do in a year."

*****

Meanwhile, Arun waited outside Vikram's House, an irritated expression plastered on his face. He had been waiting for more than an hour, yet Asha was still nowhere to be seen.

However, he soon discerned the girl's silhouette, accompanied by a middle-aged woman, approaching him.

"Humph... You took your time, as always !" Arun said reproachfully.

"Ho? I see that you are full of energy. Should we visit a hundred shops tomorrow to spend some of it?" Asha answered with an innocent smile, making Arun instantly pale in fright.

"Um... yeah, good to see you're back. Just got here myself. Let's head in. Julius must be waiting." Arun quickly answered, his face covered in cold sweat.

"Hahaha. If he asks anything, tell him it took us time to find a good healer. Let's keep our rewards a surprise." Asha laughed at Arun's reaction before proposing with a mischievous grin.

"Alright. Anyway, my father needs a month." Arun nodded in agreement before gazing at the healer Asha brought back with her.

"She is a tier three healer employed by my family. She will return after examining Louise, tough." Asha briefly explained while walking towards the house's doors.