I Refused To Be Reincarnated

"Thanks a lot, mister." Julius respectfully answered, his head lowered in gratitude.

He had only worked for five days, but Khalid paid him double what he should have. He liked how Julius always showed up on time and welcomed the customers with a smile and a respectful attitude.

Moreover, Khalid was astonished by the boy's strength in the few times he asked him for help in his crafts.

"I can help you with your leather if you want." Khalid offered his help with a smile.

However, Adam shook his head and said, "Tell him you want to make a secret product never seen before. He should pay us for the idea if he wants to craft it."

Julius looked at his brother in astonishment, unsure about what to do. He thought for a bit before deciding to accept Khalid's help and ignore Adam's words.

"What are you doing? The item I want doesn't exist in this world. We can make a fortune by selling the patent!" Adam screamed at Julius in frustration.

"Can you craft it yourself? If not, let him assist us," Julius answered while following Khalid inside his workshop.

"Do you have a drawing of the item? The work will be harder if you use words alone to describe it." Khalid explained, pointing at a stack of drawings lying on his desk.

"Extend your hand and speak gibberish," Adam grumbled.

As Julius followed his brother's instructions under Khalid's puzzled gaze, a luxurious blue handbag made of solid mana appeared.

The old man jumped back in fright at the sudden appearance. However, upon seeing Julius' reassuring smile, he approached it with curiosity.

"Tell him he can manipulate it as if it was the real item. He can also ask me to make it transparent if he wants to see what's inside without opening it. I can even decompose it in several parts if needed." Adam's words were repeated by Julius, making Khalid's eyes light up in wonder.

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It was the first time he had seen such an ingenious way to use mana. His work would be over in no time with such a model.

"You didn't tell me you were proficient in magic, boy." You have real talent!" Khalid said excitedly, grabbing the bag and analysing its structure.

Julius observed the peculiar item with curiosity. However, he couldn't grasp its practical utility.

"Don't look at it as if it is junk. See Asha's reaction when you give it to her. " Adam snorted, annoyed by the boy's mistrust.

Nevertheless, he assisted the enthusiastic Khalid in crafting the bag. They spent several hours working with the leather until the bag finally took form under Khalid's skilful hands.

With the last stitches finally made, Julius and Khalid stepped back to admire the beautiful end product. Khalid scratched his head in confusion, examining the bag from different angles. "It seems to be some kind of bag," he mused, "but I fail to understand how it is useful."

He shared Julius' scepticism about the item before branding the bag with an extremely shameless name.

"Humph, see if I don't earn money with my bag's brand." Adam snorted again before falling silent.

The handbag was entirely made of grey serpent leather, giving it a luxurious look. The magical beast's leather was sturdy enough to resist a sword strike, making it durable and giving it an enjoyable texture. A metal chain connected its sides, allowing it to be carried over the shoulder. Moreover, its interior was composed of many small pockets on the sides.

In the center of the mid-sized handbag, Adam Juiton could be read in bold letters.

Adam nodded in satisfaction at the bag's appearance, complimenting the skilled craftsman inwardly. The first part of his plan was now complete.

"Let's go to the other shop to get the eye," Adam said to Julius as he noticed it was already night.

With grateful thanks exchanged, Julius and Khalid bid each other farewell, and the boy ventured out into the night, the magical handbag safely tucked under his arm.

After a short walk, he headed to the counter and asked the middle-aged man if his item was ready.

"It is. I hardened and polished the eye. Then, I added a hook by piercing a small hole on the top part." The man said, showing the result of his work.

Adam, once again, nodded in satisfaction. The item looked exactly how he imagined it.

"Slide the silver chain inside the hook." He instructed Julius, who was now looking at a beautiful necklace adorned by a gem-like but ferocious-looking serpent's eye.

Julius, now holding the two items, questioned Adam's intention in his mind. Why did they have to craft those useless things? However, he soon received the answer.

"Gift them to your friends to thank them for their hospitality," Adam said before returning to the dreamplace to continue his experiments.

He found the outside world less and less appealing as he couldn't enjoy it. He yearned for simple joys like the touch of the wind, the warmth of the sun on his skin, the taste of delicious dishes and the interactions with others.

Thus, he decided to spend his time in seclusion, far from the things he yearned for but couldn't have. He also distracted his mind by continuously training and delving into magic.

"Ha? Big bro? Big bro?!" Julius called as Adam's eyes dimmed once more. Unfortunately, he received no answer from the ghost.

A thousand questions raced through Julius's mind. Where had Adam gone? Why had he left so suddenly? Was he in danger? But with no answers, Julius was left feeling lost and uncertain. He already left for the whole week.

When would he come back? Would he leave more often in the future?

With a heavy sigh, Julius turned away from the empty street and made his way home, Adam's gifts clutched tightly in his hands.

******

As he entered the familiar warmth of their home, Julius forced a smile onto his face, determined not to let his friends see his inner turmoil. But behind the facade, his mind was filled with worry for his brother.

"Hey, guys. I brought back gifts." Julius said with mixed feelings. He felt saddened that the one who got such a good idea was absent.

Furthermore, he felt guilty for taking credit when all he did was relay his brother's ideas to the merchants.