I Refused To Be Reincarnated-Chapter 914: Sleep First

Adam grinned at the white peaks and frozen lakes. Knee-deep snow that reflected the starlight in fractal patterns transformed the land into something he found both beautiful and mysterious, as if life had paused with the withering of plants and the hibernation of beasts.

How silent must it be? Much more than on the avian beast's back for sure. The thought crossed his mind as a fellow student barraged him with another question about his adventure. Silly. Really. The teenager clung to a giant feather as howling gales battered his robes. He was as pale as the snow below, yet still found the strength to pester Adam.

Not just him. All of them... Teacher Diane included.

Her silent glares bore into him whenever he stopped answering. Who was she trying to pressure? Him? As if! He continued to entertain his peers with stories of orc warriors and bloody duels, because he didn't find it worth turning her against him. At least, Elliot's eyes sparkled with each cultural experience he shared with them.

Only when a jolt shook the students into silence did he allow himself a sigh of relief. The frozen vista was gone, replaced by the schoolyard between Diane's building and the Common Hall. The beast had landed.

They were back at the college.

He didn't give anyone a second to delay him and leapt down the beast's back. Snow crunched beneath his feet. The path to his comfortable room. Finally. But three students jumped from the stone bench, cutting him off.

"Big brother!" Quintella leapt, and he caught her. He felt her back tremble with each delighted giggle she let out. She lifted her sparkling pink eyes, gazing at him with the brightest smile."I missed you so, so much that even the pastries started to taste funny! One more day, and I think I would have died."

Adam's chest warmed despite the chilly breeze of the wintry night. He hid his exhaustion behind his usual smirk. "Trust me, I'm glad I'm back as well. How have you been doing?"

Before Quintella could answer, Desmond pinched his forehead, shaking his head. "Die because you miss someone? If credibility were a person, it'd be weeping." He glared at Adam. The usual mischievous luster of his purple eyes faded into a softness that didn't match his words. "With the time you took to return, you'd better have claimed first place, blue bastard."

"Humph! Foolish sleep wrecker." Quintella shooed Desmond as if he were a fly. "First, if pastries lose their taste, I might as well die. See? Perfectly logical! Second, of course, he got first place." She grinned at Adam. "Right?"

Adam scratched his head, then sighed. "If you start from the bottom... I guess."

As Quintella's eyes widened, Sarah approached. She twirled her thumbs, her dark hair covering her lowered face. "D-Don't take it to heart. I-I'm sure you'd do better next time."

Adam frowned. A week away, and she spoke as shyly as when they had first met? Strange. But Sarah had always been. Sometimes it was her gaze. Most of the time, her passion for necromancy. Well, he had to admit that this one was his own bias with a self-deprecating chuckle.

"Thank you, Sarah. I hope our budding heroine didn't cause you too much trouble." He ruffled Quintella's hair.

"Not at all!" Sarah yelped, then blushed upon hearing her too high-pitched answer. "Sh-She..."

"I-I..." Quintella rolled her eyes. "I didn't know you could lose your eloquence. Of course, I trained every day! Still, last? Really?" She exchanged a knowing glance with Adam before the students hopping from the avian beast's back stole her attention. Among them, she spotted Elliot's blonde hair. The boy was removing his teammate's arm from his shoulder before jogging in their direction. "Hey, Elliot! Wait... Where is Bao?"

Adam shook his head, his voice solemn. "Bao liked the gorge very much. She decided to stay." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"WHAT?!" Quintella's lips twisted.

She trembled in his arms as he reached for his chest pocket. "Got you." He took the little fur ball out, pinching her cheek tenderly with his free hand.

Bao lifted her paws, her eyes watery, her throat tight. Quintella mirrored her expression with a heavy sigh of relief. The sigh caught in her throat as Bao pursed her lips over her fangs, growling the moment her favorite human reached for her.

A deep furrow creased Adam's brow. He watched the Pandarok take a step back. Then, her own eyes widened as well in the strangest reaction he could imagine. It was as if her growl had startled her, that she didn't understand why she had stepped back.

"Did I do something wrong?" Quintella sniffled, tears spilling from her scrunched eyes.

Bao shook her small head, then jumped into Quintella's embrace. She growled cutely and licked her best friend's cheek, while Quintella held her in a trembling hug.

Seeing them like this warmed Sarah's chest and made Elliot, who had just joined them, smile. Desmond pinched his lips, slightly frowning.

Opposite him, Adam squinted his eyes for the briefest second. He filed the oddity away. Then, he patted Quintella's head, smiling gently. "We're both too tired after our little trip. We need time to relax, and above all, a good night's sleep. You too, miss. I know you're tempted to have fun with Bao until sunrise. But do I have to remind you that the day after tomorrow's the big day? Let's head back to our room, alright?"

Around them, the other students scattered. Teacher Diane offered them congratulations for their results on the field trip before Adam felt her gaze linger on him one last time as he nudged Quintella toward the dormitory.

The others accompanied them.

Elliot's eager voice warmed the night. "I kept my promise, princess."

"Promise?" Quintella tilted her head, a finger on her cheek. "Ah! Did you rank second? I knew you could do it. I'm so proud of you!"

Elliot nodded, a smile blossoming across his face. "And I know you'll win your wager with Teacher Grimhild in two days."

"I hope I trained enough. No, I know I did. Thank you, Elliot." She beamed, and Elliot blushed.

Sarah twisted a lock of hair around her finger, silent.

Desmond, unconvinced, opened his mouth. "So, about that last place—"

"Tomorrow," Adam cut him off, his voice flat with fatigue. Every eye was on him, but he only shrugged as they passed into the dormitory lounge. Rest came first.

He dragged himself to his room, mumbled a brief goodnight, and slumped onto his bed. Still in his travel-stained uniform, he was asleep before his head found the pillow.