The Accidently reincarnated magician

The town square was alive with the hum of chatter and the clatter of carts rolling over

cobblestones. Merchants shouted their wares, children darted between stalls, and the smell of roasted nuts and fresh bread filled the air. It was the perfect setting for a magic show, and I

wasn't about to let the opportunity slip by.

I stood on a makeshift stage—a wooden crate I'd "borrowed" from a nearby stall—with a

tattered curtain draped behind me for flair. A small crowd had gathered, their eyes wide with

curiosity. I grinned, holding up my hands to quiet them. "Ladies and gentlemen!" I called, my voice carrying over the noise. "Prepare to be amazed,astonished, and utterly bewildered! For I am Ren, the greatest magician in all the land!"

A few people chuckled, and I felt a surge of satisfaction.

This was my element. The stage, the

crowd, the anticipation—it was all part of the game. And I was winning. Unbeknownst to me, the town square was plastered with wanted posters. My face stared back

from every wall, my name written in bold, accusing letters:

"WANTED: REN THE MAGICIAN

FOR MURDER AND TREASON AGAINST THE CROWN

REWARD: 10,000 GOLD PIECES"

The posters were fresh, the ink still glistening in the sunlight. Guards patrolled the square, their eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of me. But I was too busy setting up my show to notice.

I started with a simple trick—a coin disappearing from my hand and reappearing behind someone's ear. The crowd oohed and aahed, and I basked in their admiration. This was what I lived for. The laughter, the applause, the sheer joy of making people believe in the impossible.

Next, I used Minor Illusion to make a small bird appear out of thin air. It fluttered around the

crowd before vanishing in a puff of smoke. The children squealed with delight, and even the

adults couldn't help but smile.

"And now,

" I announced,

"for my grand finale!"

I pulled out a deck of cards and began shuffling them with exaggerated flair. The crowd leaned

in, their eyes fixed on my hands. I used Minor Levitation to make the cards float in the air,

forming a spinning circle above my head. The crowd gasped, and I couldn't help but grin. This was going to be my best show yet.

Just as I was about to reveal the final card, a voice cut through the noise of the crowd.

"Ren the Magician!" I turned to see a man in the gleaming armor of the king's royal guard pushing his way through

the crowd. His face was stern, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Behind him, a group of

guards fanned out, their eyes locked on me.

"By order of King Aldemar the Third,

" the guard said, his voice booming,

for murder and treason against the crown. Come with me.

"

"you are under arrest

The crowd fell silent, their eyes darting between me and the guard. I blinked, stunned. Murder?

Treason? What were they talking about?

"Uh… is this part of the show?" someone in the crowd asked nervously.

I forced a laugh, trying to keep the mood light.

"Of course it is! Just a little… uh… dramatic flair!"

But the guard wasn't laughing. He stepped closer, his hand tightening on his sword.

business. "Come with me. "No funny

I held up my hands in mock surrender.

how about one last trick? For the crowd?"

"Alright, alright, you got me. But before you drag me off, The guard hesitated, his eyes narrowing.

"No tricks. You're coming with me."

"Oh, come on,

" I said, flashing my most charming smile.

little trick? It'll be fun!"

"You've already got me. What's one

The crowd, sensing the tension, began to murmur. A few people shouted encouragement.

him do it!" someone called.

"It's just a trick!"

"Let

The guard glanced at the crowd, then back at me. Slowly, reluctantly, he nodded.

no funny business.

"

"One trick. But

I grinned, relief flooding through me.

"You won't regret this!"

I gestured to a nearby chair.

take a seat.

"

"You, sir, have the honor of assisting me in my final trick. Please,

The guard hesitated, but the crowd's encouragement pushed him forward. He sat down in the

chair, his hand still on his sword, his eyes never leaving me.

I pulled out a large blanket and held it up for the crowd to see.

"Behold! An ordinary blanket. But

with a little magic…

" I draped the blanket over the guard, covering him completely.

The crowd leaned in, their breaths held. I stepped back, raising my hands dramatically.

now, for the grand finale!"

"And

I used Minor Levitation to make the chair float into the air. The crowd gasped as the chair began

to fold in on itself, the wood creaking and groaning as it bent into a ball. The guard's muffled

protests could be heard from beneath the blanket, but I ignored them, focusing on the trick.

"And now,

" I said, my voice filled with mock solemnity,

"the final act!"

With a flick of my wrist, I used Minor Illusion to make the blanket shimmer and glow. The crowd

gasped as the ball of wood and blanket floated higher into the air, spinning slowly. Then, with a

loud "pop"

, the blanket vanished, and the guard reappeared in the middle of the crowd, looking

dazed and confused.

The crowd erupted into applause, their cheers filling the square. I took a bow, grinning from ear

to ear.

But the guards weren't amused.

"Get him!" the lead guard shouted, his face red with anger.

I didn't wait for them to make a move. I grabbed a handful of smoke pellets from my pocket and

threw them to the ground. The square was instantly filled with a thick, choking smoke, and the

crowd erupted into chaos.

"He's getting away!" the guards shouted, but I was already moving. I used Minor Illusion to

create decoys of myself, sending them running in different directions. The guards chased after

them, giving me a chance to slip away.

As I ran, I couldn't help but laugh. This was just another prank, right? The king was just trying to

scare me. He couldn't really think I was a murderer. Could he?

I ducked into an alleyway, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. The chaos of the

square was distant now, muffled by the walls of the alley, but my heart was still racing. I leaned

against the wall, closing my eyes for a moment to steady myself.

When I opened them, I noticed something fluttering on the ground. It was a piece of paper, torn

and crumpled, but still legible. I bent down to pick it up, smoothing it out against my leg. The

words jumped out at me, bold and accusing:

"WANTED: REN THE MAGICIAN

FOR MURDER AND TREASON AGAINST THE CROWN

REWARD: 10,000 GOLD PIECES"

My face stared back at me from the poster, my expression stern and menacing, nothing like the

carefree grin I usually wore. It didn't even look like me. But the name was there, clear as day:

Ren the Magician.

"Murder?" I muttered, my voice trembling.

"Treason? What the hell is this? I didn't do anything!"

The poster crumpled in my grip as I stared at my own face. My hands shook as I tried to make

sense of it.

"This has to be a mistake,

" I said, more to myself than anyone else.

"The king's just

trying to scare me. Right?"

The alley was silent, save for the distant shouts of the guards and the occasional clatter of

footsteps. I let out a shaky laugh, trying to brush off the unease creeping up my spine.

"Yeah, it's

just another prank. He's just mad about the crown thing. Or the throne thing. Or… okay, maybe

I've been a little too creative lately.

"

I crumpled the poster and tossed it aside, but it didn't help. The words kept echoing in my mind.

Murder. Treason.I hadn't done anything like that. Sure, I'd humiliated the king a few times, but

murder? That wasn't me. I wasn't a killer.

As I stood there, trying to convince myself it was all a joke, I noticed something strange. The

light in the alley seemed to shift, the shadows growing darker and more defined. I blinked,

thinking it was just my imagination, but then I saw it.

A shadow on the wall—my shadow—was moving on its own.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. The shadow stretched and twisted, rising from the wall

like smoke. It took on a humanoid shape, its features sharp and angular, its eyes glowing faintly

in the dim light. It was me, but… darker. More menacing.

"What the—

" I stumbled back, my back hitting the opposite wall.

"What are you?"

The shadow tilted its head, its glowing eyes fixed on me. When it spoke, its voice was low and

cold, like the whisper of wind through a graveyard.

"I'm you. Or at least, the part of you that sees

the truth. The part that knows this is all just a game." I shook my head, my heart pounding.

tired. Yeah, that's it. I'm tired."

"No. This is just another trick. Another illusion. I'm just… The shadow stepped closer, its form shifting like liquid darkness.

"You're not tired, Ren. You're

scared. But you don't need to be. None of this is real. Not the king, not the guards, not the

people in the square. They're just NPCs. Pawns in the game. And you? You're the player." I clenched my fists, trying to steady my breathing. game. "People are getting hurt!"

What are you talking about? This isn't a

The shadow chuckled, a low, menacing sound that sent a shiver down my spine. "Hurt They're not real, Ren. They don't matter. The king says you're a murderer? A traitor? Fine. Show him what that looks like. Play the game. Win the game."

I shook my head, trying to push the shadow away.

"No. I'm not like that. I'm not… you."

The shadow leaned in, its glowing eyes boring into mine. Oh, but you are. You've always been. You just didn't want to admit it. But now? Now you don't have a choice." It stepped back, its form dissolving into the darkness.

"Smile, Ren. Laugh. Have your fun. But

don't forget—when the time comes, I'll be here. And I won't be so gentle."

The shadow vanished, leaving me alone in the alley. The light returned to normal, but the chill in the air remained. I stared at the spot where the shadow had been, my hands trembling.

"It's not real, " I whispered,.

"It's just stress. Just… stress."

But deep down, I knew it wasn't. The shadow was real. And it was a part of me.

I pushed myself off the wall, my legs still shaky. The alley was quiet now, the distant sounds of

the square fading into the background. I glanced down at the crumpled wanted poster, the

words "MURDER AND TREASON" still glaring up at me.

"Alright,

" I muttered, forcing a grin.

"So the king's mad. Big deal. I've dealt with worse.

"

But the grin felt hollow, and the laughter didn't come. The shadow's words echoed in my mind, a

dark reminder of the stakes I was facing.

"It's all just a game.

"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves

"Okay, Ren. Time to get serious."

But as I stepped out of the alley and into the sunlight, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. The world felt darker, more dangerous. And for the first time, I wasn't sure if I could laugh my way out of this one.