I Refused To Be Reincarnated

"You don't look like a noble mage to me."

He squinted, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. No one besides Moira and Elisabeth noticed his condition. So, how did this Yngrid pierce him through in a second?

The question lingered as the surrounding air stalled.

A sigh resounded before Yngrid's brows and lips quivered.

"Hahaha. Look at you turning all serious. Of course, I know. I'm the best forger, after all!"

She chuckled and jumped above the counter. With measured steps, she walked to him and stretched her finger to touch his torso.

"Here, I can see the engravings hidden inside the wood. It's not poorly executed, but it seems like the crafter relied on instinct more than proper theories and applications."

She crossed her arms and nodded, her analysis astonishing him. Everything was correct.

"If you want me to fix it, I can. The material is strong enough to bear two more enchantments, too. It's a pity the drake's bones shattered. They Could have carried one more."

His jaws opened and closed in response, his earlier suspicions carried away by his shock.

After a second, he shook his head, recomposing himself before he leaned closer.

"I came to sell you tier-two beast cores, but now you intrigue me! How did you discover so much from the counter?"

"That? Easy! I can read minds."

She winked, her voice echoing playfully in the empty shop.

'Is she an astral mage like Orion?'

However, her laughter resounded again.

"It's a joke, a joke. It has to do with the legacy I inherited."

Then, she outstretched her palm, her lips curling into a joyous smile.
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"Show me the cores. I'll give you a gold coin if they are damaged, three if they are in good condition."

He hissed at her joke and untied a bag from his belt.

"Here, there are twenty-five."

"So much?"

Her hand trembled as she grabbed the bag. With the ban on business with her, it had been months since she got so many materials. In a blink, she scanned them as her smile stretched to reach her eyes.

She reached for her pouch, retrieving a handful of shining coins.

"Seventy-five gold it is. They are on the weaker side, but they are intact!"

He returned her smile, letting the money slide into his empty pouch before looking into her crescent-shaped eyes.

"Do you mind telling me more about the inheritance you got? I'm studying enchantment, too. In fact, the puppet is my first creation."

However, her face instantly hardened. Her smile vanished, and her eyes opened wide, glinting danger.

"Trust me, you want nothing to do with that crazy bastard. Even after the royals executed him, and that doesn't happen often in our community, they still hate him to this day."

"What did he do? You can at least tell me that much?"

He tilted his head to the side, curiosity prickling his soul.

"What did he do? Ha! He developed new enhancement techniques, making the dwarves the best in this field..."

Her voice trailed off as her face distorted into a complex grimace.

"Then, he shared the methods with the world. When they questioned him, he said knowledge has to be shared, not monopolised."

"I don't see what's wrong with that, though."

His shoulders and palms rose in confusion. The dwarf seemed like a great individual to him.

"You don't? He is the one who invented the mana canon powered by beast cores. He also developed half the known tier-six enchantments alone!"

She shook her head, smiling bitterly.

"With his good intentions, he betrayed the dwarven kingdom and armed potentially hostile nations."

'Seems all knowledge can't be shared,' he thought, nodding at her explanation.

From what he understood, what the genius inventor did was no different from developing something more powerful than a hydrogen bomb, only to share the blueprint with everyone.

"What was his name?"

However, Yngrid shook her head in response.

"Even his name is taboo. They did everything to erase it from history and recover the shared knowledge."

She sighed and turned, grumbling.

"If you need to sell other materials, come here. I'll buy them at a fair price, but please disguise yourself a little before entering a banned shop."

"Sure. Sorry if the discussion made you uncomfortable."

The discussion was over. Her slumped shoulders and deflated back made it crystal clear to him. Therefore, he pushed the door open and left. Yet, curiosity burned in his eyes. He had to discover more about the incredible inventor.

With determined steps, he returned to the academy.

Back in his room, he spent a moment discussing with Nova, learning she hung out with dwarven ladies and built a great relationship with a few.

After a leisure hour, he bid her goodbye and returned to his soul sea. Fueled by his adventurer and historian spirit, he wanted to discover the man's identity. But he had to sort his gains and fix his frame first. Elara will come tomorrow, anyway. He would seize the opportunity to ask her.

With a shake of his head, he chased the mystery away to gaze at the rocky chests with sparkling eyes.

Ores of all forms and colors glittered under the blue sky, making his soul shudder with excitement. His hand itched towards the first container, grabbing them one by one.

Even if he didn't know their properties and use, they were all of exquisite quality. His eyes glowed with Elara's spell, helping him identify their level.

'All in the fourth tier!'

His grin widened as he imagined the items he would craft with them.

After checking the chests, he picked up the ones that had been buried under the gravel.

Instantly, his hands trembled with joy. Among them, he scanned five of the fifth tier!

With so many materials, he might equip himself from head to toe with terrifying weapons and armors. He had to craft and engrave them himself first, of course. But the possibility was there.

'I need to master Durgrim's enchantment theories before starting!'

After all, he gathered these materials during this dangerous expedition for that purpose. Now, he could practice crafting higher-tiered items without worrying about the materials.